Dsc: same as b4
A/N: i hope u find this entertaining:)
Day Two: Exhausting Honesty
Outrageous, Padmé grumbled to herself as she stared out of the window. Currently she sat with numerous refugees, a droid and one very stubborn, thought-invading, dream-assaulting Jedi Knight. She wasn't supposed to be going back to Naboo! Especially not with Obi-Wan. Anyone but him. Why not Anakin? She'd love to be with him on his first assignment. But noooo. The Council just had to pick Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Her disgust must have shown on her face because Obi-Wan leaned forward in his seat across from hers. "M'lady, are you feeling all right?"
"What?" she frowned. "Oh. Yes, I'm…" she stopped when she realized she was about to say 'fine' for what must have been the tenth time within the last two days. "I've never been better." She lied.
"You're lying." He stated matter-of-factly.
"So, all Jedi Knights are psychic, too?" she raised her eyebrows and Artoo whistled as if cheering for her.
Obi-Wan cast a glare at the droid, then smiled sweetly at Padmé. "No. Just me."
Padmé wasn't sure how she was supposed to respond – this was a new side of Obi-Wan. And, it nearly pained her to think it, but it was…endearing. And attractive. "If you're trying to soften me up because of yesterday, it would serve you well to find another approach."
"I'm not trying to 'soften you up' as you so elegantly put it. I'm merely attempting to make you comfortable." Obi-Wan corrected.
"What makes you think I'm uncomfortable?" she struggled not to shift nervously under the Jedi's intense gaze.
"A) Your left foot hasn't stopped tapping since we sat. B) You're squeezing your hands so tight your fingers are turning blue – and just so you know, if you keep doing that, before long they'll turn black and eventually fall off. And C)-" he watched her immediately release her grip "- your pulse is quite visible in your neck and from what I can tell, it's a slight bit quicker than it should be."
She swallowed.
"Padmé," Obi-Wan said, leaning foreword, "yesterday-"
"Would you agree that now is neither the time nor the place for apologies?" she glanced around at the refugees surrounding the threesome in the large transport.
He leaned back again. It wasn't. He knew that, and he knew that she knew that he knew that… Obi-Wan shook his head to himself, attempting to clear the thick cobwebs. Now he was even confusing himself.
"You disagree?" Padmé folded her arms across her stomach defiantly.
"No, I was shaking my head to myself. You're right. Now is not the time." He conceded as a hint of a grin formed across his lips.
She managed, "At least we can agree on that." It was funny how the slightest movement could be so distracting. She stared at a small hole in Obi-Wan's seat, heat rising to her cheeks as she felt his eyes concentrating on her.
Obi-Wan struggled to hold back the persistent smirk as he noticed her cheeks growing rosy.
"Are we there yet?" Padmé asked to fill in the awkward silence. At that question his grin got the better of him. He opened his mouth to answer but instead Padmé asked incredulously, "Are you laughing at me?"
"I would never do that. It's rude." He raised an eyebrow to match his derisive tone.
She frowned at him. How long would she have to deal with him? That man was entirely too exhausting. "You didn't seem too keen on remaining polite yesterday." Padmé pointed out. She prepared to watch Obi-Wan dig himself out of the hole she deliberately created for him. "I distinctly remember-"
He interrupted her, "Last night needed to happen, Padmé. You needed someone to talk to about Cordé, that was obvious. And aside from Artoo here, I was the only one around at the time. I never meant to make you cry, but you can't condemn a man for giving you what you need."
So much for digging. He had sprouted wings and simply flew out and dropped Padmé inside the hole in his stead. Truly, too exhausting.
Sensing her discomfort, he relieved her of the need to answer and simply pointed out, "Ah. We've arrived."
Obidala
She could hardly remember the last time she had been here. But Padmé could still bring up memories of swimming out to that little island, basking in the warm sunlight on the white sand, and giggling over cute boys. She smiled tenderly to herself and continued to hand up her dresses in the wide closet. Her grin faded. So many years had passed, but at the same time, it seemed like seconds ago. So many changes.
Even while she was still a child, she became the Queen of Naboo. Padmé paused, holding a romantic red dress in midair. An entire planet had entrusted her to keep them safe and away from war. She was the one who should have seen that the Trade Federation was planning to attack them. It was she that failed her home, her family.
"You're thinking about your time as Queen," a soft voice reached her ears.
Padmé spun around to see Obi-Wan leaning against the door jam, watching her with pensive eyes. It was odd; those eyes could make the worst of men fall to their knees or they could bring a woman to tears by simply looking at her. Currently, she struggled not to do the latter. "What makes you say that?" she asked, drawing a casual tone into her voice as she continued to hang up her wardrobe.
"Do you always answer a question with a question?"
Padmé stopped for a brief moment to look him in the eyes. "Do you?"
The corners of Obi-Wan's mouth lifted. "No. Only when dealing with politics."
"Oh, is that how you see me? Simply a politic whose out to make everything easier for herself and harder for everyone else?" She didn't intend on it sounding so rude but she stood her ground.
His smirk turned into a frown and he took a few long strides into the room to stand directly in Padmé's path from the suitcase on her bed to the closet. "You're twisting my words, Padmé. Maybe if you stop hearing what you want to hear and listen to what I have to say, you might find that I'm not a horrible, closed-minded rat."
She dropped the dress she held back onto the bed and folded her arms across her chest in a childish stance. "Alright. If you insist. I'm listening."
"I'm not going to force you to do anything," Obi-Wan said quietly, arms uselessly hanging at his sides. "But when you want to, I'll be waiting." He touched her arm so lightly that Padmé sensed it more than physically felt it and watched his back as he left her to be alone.
She rubbed her forehead with a trembling hand and dropped herself onto the edge of the large bed. Her eyes began to burn with warm tears and began to cry for the second time because of Obi-Wan's persistent honesty. Or more likely, because of her wounded pride caused by his honesty.
Obidala
He hated making her cry. Yes, he knew that it wasn't very Jedi of him to hate, but seeing – this time hearing – Padmé cry, especially because of something he said, well, it made him want to hurt someone. Himself, more precisely. Obi-Wan settled for directing his anger into throwing a round rock the size of his hand into the water. It landed with a low 'thunk' in the distance.
"Pretty good throw," Padmé's small, delicate voice came from behind.
He hid his surprise by remaining perfectly still. He hadn't even sensed her presence, he figured that was why Jedi weren't supposed to hate – it distracted them from the here and now. She stood beside him now, holding a hand over her brow to block her eyes from the setting sun's wrath.
"Obi-Wan, I'm ready to listen but first I want you to hear what I have to say." He turned his body to face her and she dropped her hand, Obi-Wan's frame shielding her from the direct blaze. He nodded his indication that he would let her speak first. "I'm sorry for being so self-centered these last days. I'm not entirely sure what has gotten into me."
"Death has gotten into you."
She met his gaze, then looked down to the sand at their feet. "Yes. You were right yesterday. It was about Cordé's death. Her sacrifice to Naboo and I." Padmé took in a deep breath and released it slowly. "It was hard to accept, and it still is. I don't know when I'll stop having nightmares." Although she expected to regret the admission, Padmé was only faintly surprised to find that she didn't. She actually felt a weight lift off her heart.
"How often?" he asked in the softest voice she thought existed.
"Every time I close my eyes." She managed to stop herself from adding "Except when I dream of you."
Obi-Wan lifted a hand to rest on her shoulder, "Padmé, her death is still very near. She was a close friend to you, it will take time for the wound to close."
"But will it ever heal?"
He considered his next words for a minute before he spoke again, "Not completely. When she left, Cordé took a small piece of you with her that cannot be filled by someone else. But give it time."
"Time," she repeated quietly. "That I can give." Padmé smiled gratefully. "Now, you wanted to tell me something?"
"I just did." Obi-Wan gently squeezed her shoulder.
She wrapped her arms around his neck in an embrace. In his ear she whispered, "Thank you, Obi-Wan."
A/N: please review! it's kinda dissapointing getting 75 hits and only 3 reviews...u can thank those who did review for this chapter being posted. if it weren't 4 them i would've deleted the story altogether. so for those of you who have or will review: THANK YOU!
