Troublemaker, Part 11: Not Always so Easy
"I liked your presentation in the science fair." Obi-Wan and his close friend Bant were walking down the hallway talking after class.
Obi-Wan smiled at the compliment. "Thanks, Bant. Master Jinn helped me with it." He was on his way to see the Master now.
"Well, I better go. See ya tomorrow, Obi," the Mon Calimarian girl said and turned down the hall.
"See ya," Obi-Wan replied, watching her go. He turned to go to Qui-Gon's quarters when he bumped into another initiate going the opposite way, their collision sending Obi-Wan's books to the floor. Obi-Wan swallowed when he saw his archnemesis Bruck Chun before him and quickly stooped to retrieve the dropped books, hoping he could get away before Bruck could make a scene.
As he was reaching for the last book, Bruck seized it. Obi-Wan tried to grab it back. "Give me that!"
"Why should I?" Bruck sneered. Though they were both nine years old, Bruck was slightly older and had grown faster, so he thought he could bully whomever he felt inclined to, and he was often inclined when Obi-Wan was around.
"It's mine, Bruck. Let go." Obi-Wan tried to pull the book from his grasp.
"Well... all right." Bruck suddenly released the book, causing Obi-Wan, who was still pulling away, to go reeling backward, losing his balance and falling on the floor with a thud, his books again scattered about him.
The white-haired antagonist and his friends all laughed. "Nice going, Oafy-Wan," Bruck sniggered at him.
Obi-Wan fought back his anger and hurt. He hated that nickname. He did not understand why Bruck was always so mean to him. He had never done anything to him. He did not think Bruck paid much attention in his classes because he was pretty sure a Jedi was not supposed to be so cruel to anybody.
Obi-Wan turned his face to the floor so they could not see how upset he was and gathered his books one more time. When the crowd of tormentors had gone, satisfied with their humiliation of the little initiate, Obi-Wan got to his feet and ran home, at least it was what he considered his home with Master Qui-Gon.
He walked in and did not see Qui-Gon so he laid his books on a table. "Master?"
Qui-Gon hurried out when he heard the woeful call, and when he saw the tear-drenched face and the arms reaching for him he immediately lifted the unhappy child to rest his head on his shoulder. "What's the matter, my child?"
Obi-Wan did not answer, merely cried his little heart out on the Master's shoulder. He curled one arm around the Master's neck and reached up with the other to grab a fistful of Qui-Gon's long hair as he did when he needed the Master. Qui-Gon gently rocked him and rubbed his back soothingly, waiting for the tears to ebb.
When the child in his arms was no longer shaking with sobs and had released him, Qui-Gon tried again to find what was wrong. "What happened, Obi-Wan?" he asked tenderly. He was answered with only a sniffle. "Obi-Wan?"
"Bruck," Obi-Wan quietly replied, "was picking on me again. I didn't do anything to him. He's just so mean!"
Qui-Gon recalled Obi-Wan telling him about bullies bothering him before, but it had never driven him to tears, not that Qui-Gon knew about anyway. He knew it was a problem many children had to deal with, but he did not like the treatment his Obi-Wan was receiving. He would have to do something about it.
"Shh, Obi-Wan. It's all right now." Qui-Gon kissed the boy's nose. "How about we go find Bruck and straighten this out?"
"No." Obi-Wan shook his head adamantly.
"No?" Qui-Gon did not understand why Obi-Wan would not want him to take care of the bully.
"I don't wanna see them again," Obi-Wan explained with another sniffle. "I just wanna stay here with you."
Qui-Gon could understand Obi-Wan's reluctance to face his adversaries, but he knew it was not best to leave it at that. "We don't have to go right now, but we will go, Obi-Wan." The child whimpered at his statement. "Don't worry, child, I will be with you. Just rest for now." Qui-Gon continued rocking him until he was asleep.
Qui-Gon sat down, positioning Obi-Wan in his lap. The little boy buried his face in the Master's tunics, needing the warmth of one who loved him. Qui-Gon let him rest for a while, deciding to use the time to relax. He wanted to remedy the situation, but he did not want to act in anger. He was after peace, not vengeance.
It deeply bothered the Master that someone had been cruel to the child he held so close to his heart. The tears he saw on the sweet round face upset him like very few things could. He would not let it happen again.
When he had centered himself and he thought Obi-Wan had rested long enough, he roused the boy and carried him to see the initiates.
They walked in while all the younglings were playing and causing quite a noise. Classes had just ended so the children were excited to be out of their lessons. Qui-Gon did not know which one was Bruck so he asked Obi-Wan.
"That one, over there," Obi-Wan whispered in the Master's ear, "with the white hair." He pointed to the corner where Bruck and his cohorts were huddled. Qui-Gon thought they looked like a bunch of little thugs, but realizing he was quite biased he tried to consider the matter fairly. Qui-Gon stepped over to them.
"Initiate Chun," he said.
Bruck turned around and jumped when he saw who was there but quickly covered it up and bowed in respect. "How may I help you, Master Jinn?"
"Obi-Wan tells me you and he haven't been getting along as well as you should. Why is that?"
"Me and Obi, not gettin' along? I don't know what you mean, Master Jinn. Obi and I are pals. Isn't that right, Obi?" Obi-Wan just buried his face in Qui-Gon's neck, not wanting to see Bruck's eyes laughing at him any more. Qui-Gon did not miss the smirks and snickers behind Bruck.
Qui-Gon knew he could not really prove Bruck had done anything to Obi-Wan, but he also knew Obi-Wan was not lying. "I don't want to hear about anything more happening between you two or you will be in very big trouble. Do I make myself clear?"
Bruck suppressed his angry grimace. "Certainly, there won't be any trouble, Master Jinn, I promise."
Faced with leaving or staying to hear Bruck lie straight to his face some more, Qui-Gon wisely chose to leave. Returning to his quarters, he set Obi-Wan down on the sofa. Obi-Wan tried to grab onto his sleeve, but Qui-Gon took his little hands in his big paw and said, "Obi-Wan, I'm going to go talk to Master Trajun. If Bruck or anybody else bothers you again, I want you to tell me or her or any of the other Masters. Now you stay here and I will be back soon."
Master Trajun was not surprised by what Qui-Gon had to say about Bruck and assured him she would keep an even closer eye on him and on Obi-Wan too.
When Qui-Gon returned, Obi-Wan was not on the couch where he had been left. "Obi-Wan?" Qui-Gon looked around and finally found him in the bedroom; at least, he found a lump under the covers on his bed. His pensive frown became an amused grin as he entered and sat on the edge of the bed. "Now I wonder where Obi-Wan could have gone," he said to the room.
"I'm right here, Master," came a muffled reply.
Qui-Gon feigned surprise. "What? Where? I hear Obi-Wan, but I don't see him."
"Right here!" Obi-Wan pulled the cover up so his little face was peeking out, jumping back slightly upon finding the Master so close.
"There you are." Qui-Gon looked at the little cheeks wet with tears and the pale eyes looking at him with what he might have thought was fear. "What are you doing under there?"
"Hiding." The answer was just a squeak.
"Why are you hiding?" he asked evenly.
"You're mad at me, aren't you? You think I made all that up 'cause o' what Bruck said, don't you? Well, he was lying! 'Cause he doesn't like me." Obi-Wan paused to sniffle. "No one does."
Qui-Gon reached out to touch him, but Obi-Wan pulled away. "Obi-Wan, I believe you, and don't ever say no one likes you. I do." Qui-Gon wrapped his arms around Obi-Wan, still huddled under the bedding, and pulled him into the protective ring of his arms. "Obi-Wan, I love you. You know how special you are to me."
Obi-Wan pouted fiercely at him, little eyes on fire, burning with the pain of one too many teasings. "Yeah, special. Bruck says I'm special enough to ship off to the Agricorps right now, and he's right too!"
Qui-Gon did not say anything at once. He did gather Obi-Wan up in the cradle of his arms just as he did when the child was smaller. He smiled at the thought of the baby that would sleep in his devoted embrace, wrapped in fabric just as he was now.
After a moment of looking at the discouraged visage, he spoke very gently. "You will be my Padawan, child. You know that. Even though there is no shame in working in the Agricorps, you also know better than to listen to bullies who only want to upset you. You /are/ special, Obi-Wan. You are the most important thing I have. You, Obi-Wan, and no one else. You are like a son to me, as though you are my very own child. That means that no one can take your place, and that I would do anything for you. I know you are too young to truly understand that, but you know I am here for you, and you know I love you."
Obi-Wan leaned against him, looking up into the soft gaze, knowing he was as safe as could be in the leonine Master's care. "I'm sorry," he whimpered.
A large finger delicately brushed a soft cheek, soothing away the fear and worry. "You haven't had your story yet. Would you like it now?" Obi-Wan nodded. "All right." He thought for a moment, and then a faint grin graced his worn features.
"Once, there was a very small little boy who didn't have anyone to love him, and he was alone," Qui-Gon began quietly. "There was another who was also lost, a man who had no one to love. One day the man found the little boy, and seeing that they were both all alone, he thought that he should take the little one with him, but he was afraid to love him because the last one he had loved left him. However, the man soon realized that he needed to love, and the little boy became very special to him, and they grew very close. The boy's love healed the man who found him, and made everything good again.
"Do you know whom that little boy is, Obi-Wan?" Obi-Wan shook his rapidly tiring head. "He's you." Qui-Gon tapped Obi-Wan's nose, making the boy giggle.
Qui-Gon smiled at the boy reclining in his hold. "Shh, my little blanket, rest. You'll be all right now." He tucked the loop of sheet safely around the coppery locks, finally making the boy smile the bright grin he was famous for. Apparently unaware he was being treated like a baby, or perhaps because of it, Obi-Wan fell asleep in the warm confines of his makeshift bed, safe and secure.
"I liked your presentation in the science fair." Obi-Wan and his close friend Bant were walking down the hallway talking after class.
Obi-Wan smiled at the compliment. "Thanks, Bant. Master Jinn helped me with it." He was on his way to see the Master now.
"Well, I better go. See ya tomorrow, Obi," the Mon Calimarian girl said and turned down the hall.
"See ya," Obi-Wan replied, watching her go. He turned to go to Qui-Gon's quarters when he bumped into another initiate going the opposite way, their collision sending Obi-Wan's books to the floor. Obi-Wan swallowed when he saw his archnemesis Bruck Chun before him and quickly stooped to retrieve the dropped books, hoping he could get away before Bruck could make a scene.
As he was reaching for the last book, Bruck seized it. Obi-Wan tried to grab it back. "Give me that!"
"Why should I?" Bruck sneered. Though they were both nine years old, Bruck was slightly older and had grown faster, so he thought he could bully whomever he felt inclined to, and he was often inclined when Obi-Wan was around.
"It's mine, Bruck. Let go." Obi-Wan tried to pull the book from his grasp.
"Well... all right." Bruck suddenly released the book, causing Obi-Wan, who was still pulling away, to go reeling backward, losing his balance and falling on the floor with a thud, his books again scattered about him.
The white-haired antagonist and his friends all laughed. "Nice going, Oafy-Wan," Bruck sniggered at him.
Obi-Wan fought back his anger and hurt. He hated that nickname. He did not understand why Bruck was always so mean to him. He had never done anything to him. He did not think Bruck paid much attention in his classes because he was pretty sure a Jedi was not supposed to be so cruel to anybody.
Obi-Wan turned his face to the floor so they could not see how upset he was and gathered his books one more time. When the crowd of tormentors had gone, satisfied with their humiliation of the little initiate, Obi-Wan got to his feet and ran home, at least it was what he considered his home with Master Qui-Gon.
He walked in and did not see Qui-Gon so he laid his books on a table. "Master?"
Qui-Gon hurried out when he heard the woeful call, and when he saw the tear-drenched face and the arms reaching for him he immediately lifted the unhappy child to rest his head on his shoulder. "What's the matter, my child?"
Obi-Wan did not answer, merely cried his little heart out on the Master's shoulder. He curled one arm around the Master's neck and reached up with the other to grab a fistful of Qui-Gon's long hair as he did when he needed the Master. Qui-Gon gently rocked him and rubbed his back soothingly, waiting for the tears to ebb.
When the child in his arms was no longer shaking with sobs and had released him, Qui-Gon tried again to find what was wrong. "What happened, Obi-Wan?" he asked tenderly. He was answered with only a sniffle. "Obi-Wan?"
"Bruck," Obi-Wan quietly replied, "was picking on me again. I didn't do anything to him. He's just so mean!"
Qui-Gon recalled Obi-Wan telling him about bullies bothering him before, but it had never driven him to tears, not that Qui-Gon knew about anyway. He knew it was a problem many children had to deal with, but he did not like the treatment his Obi-Wan was receiving. He would have to do something about it.
"Shh, Obi-Wan. It's all right now." Qui-Gon kissed the boy's nose. "How about we go find Bruck and straighten this out?"
"No." Obi-Wan shook his head adamantly.
"No?" Qui-Gon did not understand why Obi-Wan would not want him to take care of the bully.
"I don't wanna see them again," Obi-Wan explained with another sniffle. "I just wanna stay here with you."
Qui-Gon could understand Obi-Wan's reluctance to face his adversaries, but he knew it was not best to leave it at that. "We don't have to go right now, but we will go, Obi-Wan." The child whimpered at his statement. "Don't worry, child, I will be with you. Just rest for now." Qui-Gon continued rocking him until he was asleep.
Qui-Gon sat down, positioning Obi-Wan in his lap. The little boy buried his face in the Master's tunics, needing the warmth of one who loved him. Qui-Gon let him rest for a while, deciding to use the time to relax. He wanted to remedy the situation, but he did not want to act in anger. He was after peace, not vengeance.
It deeply bothered the Master that someone had been cruel to the child he held so close to his heart. The tears he saw on the sweet round face upset him like very few things could. He would not let it happen again.
When he had centered himself and he thought Obi-Wan had rested long enough, he roused the boy and carried him to see the initiates.
They walked in while all the younglings were playing and causing quite a noise. Classes had just ended so the children were excited to be out of their lessons. Qui-Gon did not know which one was Bruck so he asked Obi-Wan.
"That one, over there," Obi-Wan whispered in the Master's ear, "with the white hair." He pointed to the corner where Bruck and his cohorts were huddled. Qui-Gon thought they looked like a bunch of little thugs, but realizing he was quite biased he tried to consider the matter fairly. Qui-Gon stepped over to them.
"Initiate Chun," he said.
Bruck turned around and jumped when he saw who was there but quickly covered it up and bowed in respect. "How may I help you, Master Jinn?"
"Obi-Wan tells me you and he haven't been getting along as well as you should. Why is that?"
"Me and Obi, not gettin' along? I don't know what you mean, Master Jinn. Obi and I are pals. Isn't that right, Obi?" Obi-Wan just buried his face in Qui-Gon's neck, not wanting to see Bruck's eyes laughing at him any more. Qui-Gon did not miss the smirks and snickers behind Bruck.
Qui-Gon knew he could not really prove Bruck had done anything to Obi-Wan, but he also knew Obi-Wan was not lying. "I don't want to hear about anything more happening between you two or you will be in very big trouble. Do I make myself clear?"
Bruck suppressed his angry grimace. "Certainly, there won't be any trouble, Master Jinn, I promise."
Faced with leaving or staying to hear Bruck lie straight to his face some more, Qui-Gon wisely chose to leave. Returning to his quarters, he set Obi-Wan down on the sofa. Obi-Wan tried to grab onto his sleeve, but Qui-Gon took his little hands in his big paw and said, "Obi-Wan, I'm going to go talk to Master Trajun. If Bruck or anybody else bothers you again, I want you to tell me or her or any of the other Masters. Now you stay here and I will be back soon."
Master Trajun was not surprised by what Qui-Gon had to say about Bruck and assured him she would keep an even closer eye on him and on Obi-Wan too.
When Qui-Gon returned, Obi-Wan was not on the couch where he had been left. "Obi-Wan?" Qui-Gon looked around and finally found him in the bedroom; at least, he found a lump under the covers on his bed. His pensive frown became an amused grin as he entered and sat on the edge of the bed. "Now I wonder where Obi-Wan could have gone," he said to the room.
"I'm right here, Master," came a muffled reply.
Qui-Gon feigned surprise. "What? Where? I hear Obi-Wan, but I don't see him."
"Right here!" Obi-Wan pulled the cover up so his little face was peeking out, jumping back slightly upon finding the Master so close.
"There you are." Qui-Gon looked at the little cheeks wet with tears and the pale eyes looking at him with what he might have thought was fear. "What are you doing under there?"
"Hiding." The answer was just a squeak.
"Why are you hiding?" he asked evenly.
"You're mad at me, aren't you? You think I made all that up 'cause o' what Bruck said, don't you? Well, he was lying! 'Cause he doesn't like me." Obi-Wan paused to sniffle. "No one does."
Qui-Gon reached out to touch him, but Obi-Wan pulled away. "Obi-Wan, I believe you, and don't ever say no one likes you. I do." Qui-Gon wrapped his arms around Obi-Wan, still huddled under the bedding, and pulled him into the protective ring of his arms. "Obi-Wan, I love you. You know how special you are to me."
Obi-Wan pouted fiercely at him, little eyes on fire, burning with the pain of one too many teasings. "Yeah, special. Bruck says I'm special enough to ship off to the Agricorps right now, and he's right too!"
Qui-Gon did not say anything at once. He did gather Obi-Wan up in the cradle of his arms just as he did when the child was smaller. He smiled at the thought of the baby that would sleep in his devoted embrace, wrapped in fabric just as he was now.
After a moment of looking at the discouraged visage, he spoke very gently. "You will be my Padawan, child. You know that. Even though there is no shame in working in the Agricorps, you also know better than to listen to bullies who only want to upset you. You /are/ special, Obi-Wan. You are the most important thing I have. You, Obi-Wan, and no one else. You are like a son to me, as though you are my very own child. That means that no one can take your place, and that I would do anything for you. I know you are too young to truly understand that, but you know I am here for you, and you know I love you."
Obi-Wan leaned against him, looking up into the soft gaze, knowing he was as safe as could be in the leonine Master's care. "I'm sorry," he whimpered.
A large finger delicately brushed a soft cheek, soothing away the fear and worry. "You haven't had your story yet. Would you like it now?" Obi-Wan nodded. "All right." He thought for a moment, and then a faint grin graced his worn features.
"Once, there was a very small little boy who didn't have anyone to love him, and he was alone," Qui-Gon began quietly. "There was another who was also lost, a man who had no one to love. One day the man found the little boy, and seeing that they were both all alone, he thought that he should take the little one with him, but he was afraid to love him because the last one he had loved left him. However, the man soon realized that he needed to love, and the little boy became very special to him, and they grew very close. The boy's love healed the man who found him, and made everything good again.
"Do you know whom that little boy is, Obi-Wan?" Obi-Wan shook his rapidly tiring head. "He's you." Qui-Gon tapped Obi-Wan's nose, making the boy giggle.
Qui-Gon smiled at the boy reclining in his hold. "Shh, my little blanket, rest. You'll be all right now." He tucked the loop of sheet safely around the coppery locks, finally making the boy smile the bright grin he was famous for. Apparently unaware he was being treated like a baby, or perhaps because of it, Obi-Wan fell asleep in the warm confines of his makeshift bed, safe and secure.