Part Seven: The Proposal
Warning: Discussion of past drug and alcohol use and addiction
"Korks?"
The nickname jolted Korkie from his shock. Shaking his head, he looked at the box holding the ring to his father a few times before swallowing.
"You okay son?"
Korkie opened his mouth, closed it, trying to say something. He set his fork down, keeping his voice low in the diner his father had taken him. "It takes you nearly thirty years for you to have the balls to propose to Mom?"
Obi-Wan gave a sheepish laugh, taking the velvet box back and snapping it closed. Hiding it in one of the many pockets of his cloak, he picked up his styrofoam cup of caf. "I admit, I don't believe that your mother would have wanted to marry me when you were a child."
Glancing around the rather run down diner - which was kind of impressive, granted that nothing in Sundari was really run down - Korkie dug into his meat pie again. "You two never really speak of what happened when I was a kid...I know things got better when the war began but…"
"You really want to know?"
"Mom's never gonna talk about it...I know you two fought a lot but - some of my earliest memories were of you two screaming at each other. You...you weren't really around much. You had responsibilities, I know that but - "
"Korkie - Korks." Obi-Wan took another swallow of his caf, then leaned his arms against the table. "We did fight a lot...so much. About politics, about how to raise you, about if I was gonna stay on Mandalore…ah..."
Korkie raised his eyebrows, waiting for the rest of the story. He knew it wasn't good but…
"Don't judge me," Obi-Wan whispered, staring at the table.
"The only thing I judge you for is knocking mom up so much."
Obi-Wan snorted, a small smile gracing his face. It had been a long time since such a haunted look had graced his face. "Okay...um...you knew about my drinking problem?"
"Yeah…"
"I was put on suspension from the missions twice for being drunk...using hard drugs - "
"Hard like death sticks? Those aren't very bad - "
"Hard like heroin and meth Korkie." Obi-Wan took a sip of his caf, grimacing at his son's stunned expression. "I don't know why the Council even let me keep Anakin as a padawan. I was a fucking mess...I still have marks from needles - my sinuses are completely messed from snorting...your mother and I barely held it together for most of your childhood. I was always on missions too...the Council knew of my attachment to you two, they wanted it to break."
Korkie rubbed at his brow, thinking back to all of the times as a child he had waited for his father and cried that he didn't show up. How often the Holos came but how few the visits… It made sense, suddenly, his father's desperate need to be a better father to his sisters, to have little outings like this despite the fact Korkie was the Mand'alor.
"I know...I know I messed up a lot. I can't blame all of it on PTSD and Qui-Gon's... upbringing, but...I can be a better person now. I hope I am."
Somewhere to their left, the waitress shouted something to the cook. A patron was laughing, the radio station was being changed.
Closing his eyes for a moment, Korkie took a deep breath. "Please tell me I was part of the reason you cleaned up."
Obi-Wan reached over, putting a calloused hand on his son's wrist. "I overdosed just before the war began. Your mother flew to Coruscant, yelled at me while I was half-conscious in a hospital bed that she'd leave me and take away any right I had as a father and make sure I landed in prison if I wasn't sober by my next leave."
"You were?"
"Mmm - it's a bloody miracle she even stayed by my side. I thank the stars every day I fall asleep beside her with all of our children safe."
Korkie swallowed, covering his father's hand. He met the same blue-gray eyes he had. "I'll bury your body on Tatooine if you ever do something like that again."
"Harsh, but noted." Obi-Wan smiled, the haunted look still there. "I love you son - no matter what."
"Love you too Pops."
Satine hummed while she buried herself closer to her partner, smiling when she felt his arm wrap around her and lips press against her head. The television in their bedchamber on Sundari was playing quietly - some Holodrama Anakin had recommended.
"Pirates for me and forbidden romance for Anakin, " Padmé had quipped before laughing at her husband's glare.
There was a part of her that wanted to watch, but Satine kept being distracted by her partners quiet comments about the film and gentle touches. It wasn't often she saw him so relaxed - even now, years from the worst moments in their lives. Being on planet with their oldest tended to calm him down.
"You two have fun at breakfast?" Satine murmured, watching the heroine of the film jump into infested waters.
"Mmm - yeah. I always forget how much he can eat. It goes somewhere, but I don't know where."
"Well he is your son."
The fingers that had been gently brushing her hip dug in a little, making her squeak. She whacked his chest lightly, laughing when he took it and pressed his lips against her knuckles.
Satine laughed while he leaned over, lips pressing against her throat. "Wasn't there a publication awhile ago about Force Sensitives burning more calories than an average human - and don't make a comment about my eating habits while pregnant."
Obi-Wan chuckled, his lips slowly working down her throat. "This would be easier of you - there we go," he murmured when she crawled into his lap. He slid his hands to her hips, leaning their brows together.
"Why the face?"
He kissed her chastely before pulling away. "I...I told Korkie about the drinking. The drugs…he wasn't happy but... I'd rather not lie to him anymore."
Satine sighed, sliding her hands over his hard shoulders. She didn't remember that time fondly. "There's still a part of me that's angry at you for putting me - us, Korkie - through that."
"I know...I know. I regret it every day. How you ever forgave me I will never understand."
"Mmm...well you did look really hot in that Jedi armor." Satine tossed her hair over one shoulder, smirking a little while she leaned forward and pressed a kiss to the shell of his ear. "But I did prefer the Mando'a armor so much more," she whispered.
"Upset I'm not wearing it now?"
Satine eyed him, the hard muscles and scarred skin hidden under a loose tunic and sleep pants. She gave a little grin, kissing him slowly.
"Jinn! Jinn Tahl Kryze-Kenobi, get up!"
Nine year old Jinn groaned at her brother yelling outside her door, pulling the blankets over her head. "Why?"
"Because Dad is about to propose to Mom in the garden - now get up, put on a cloak, and meet me in the living room."
Sighing loudly and with as much groaning as she could, Jinn crawled out of bed and stomped around the bedroom. Even though it was early and cold outside she still shoved her feet into boots and pulled on the brightest pink cloak she had, flipping the hood over her head and putting on matching fingerless gloves.
She was about to leave for the living room before looking back and worrying her lip between her teeth. Her Tooka plush was still in the covers, a little matted but still perfect.
"Stay," she commanded of the plush before stalking into the living room.
"Lillian," Korkie was complaining. "Be still, please. I promised Pops we'd be there filming it."
"It Daddy, Korkie!" Lillian whined while he tried to put on her hat. Her short blonde hair was frizzed from sleep.
"My God, this is why I'm not having children," Korkie muttered while the toddler resigned to having her gloves tugged on. "You can have the throne Jinn."
Jinn looked at her brother - her much older brother. He was so old. It kind of sucked. Sure, he was loads of fun and taught her funny words that made Mama yell at him but he was here on Sundari while she was on a different planet.
She came into the living room a little more, realizing that Freya was sitting quietly on a chair watching the scene.
Freya noticed Jinn staring and waved, grinning with two missing front teeth. She was always quiet, even around them. It was probably why she had been given her own room back home a few months ago - they were no longer sharing.
Korkie sighed on relief when Lillian was dressed, sitting back on his haunches and glancing around. He was wearing his usual Jedi cloak, with his purple lightsaber clipped to his slacks and and a blue sweater.
"Nobody has to pee? We're just heading to the gardens."
Freya shook her head, hopping down from the chair and skipping to the door.
"Lead the way Freya," Korkie murmured while he picked up Lillian. He used the Force and called the camrecorder on the caf table to his hand.
Jinn rolled her eyes while following her toddler sister out the apartment. "Why does Freya get to lead the way?"
"Because she doesn't boss everyone around."
"I'm not bossy," Jinn grumbled, stopping in the middle of the hallway and crossing her arms over her chest.
Korkie sidestepped her, shaking his head. "When you're done throwing a tantrum - we'll be watching Dad ask Mom to marry him."
Jinn waited until her siblings were nearly around the corner and halfway down a flight if stairs before running after them. She caught up to
Lillian tugged at his elbow. "What does marry mean?"
"Uhh...it means they have a fancy celebration - "
"Wid cake?" Lillian asked hopefully.
Korkie chuckled, waving Freya towards him when they neared the door that led to the gardens. "Yes, with cake. And dancing - Mom will wear a nice dress, and Pops - "
"Daddy," Lillian muttered, kicking his ribs.
"Will wear something nice too. All of our family and friends will be there too." Korkie looked at them, all incredibly young compared to him. He wondered if they really understood how important a marriage between a Mandalorian and a Jedi was.
"Alright...you three have to be quiet while we hide. I'm gonna film Mom and Dad. K?"
Freya tapped his arm.
"Hmm?"
"If we're quiet - ice cream for breakfast?"
Korkie shook his head at his three year old sister. For someone so quiet her mind ran a million clicks a minute. "You're gonna be loud otherwise?"
Freya grinned, shrugging and tucking her hands behind her back.
"Fine - but only if you're quiet."
"Padmé always says the sunrise on Naboo is unparalleled... I'd say it's better here."
Obi-Wan chuckled, shrugging his cloak off when she shivered and putting it over her shoulders. "I told you wear a cloak Tina."
"I told you to use a condom and we had Korkie nine months later." Satine laughed while he huffed, tucking her head into his shoulder. They were sitting on one of the many fountains, watching the sunrise through the biodome.
"In my defense you had your blood - I didn't think you could get pregnant."
"Seriously, what kind of sex education does the Temple have?"
"Alright, alright." Obi-Wan fell quiet while she snickered, feeling a nudge at the back of his mind. He focused on it a moment, acknowledging his the Force bind he had with his son. The bonds he had with his daughters were more fragile and raw - he was careful to poke at them, and largely left them alone given how young they were.
Korkie was close by then, hopefully filming now and not during the conversation moments beforehand.
Obi-Wan glanced at his partner, studying the gray whisps at her temples, the laugh lines around her eyes, the body that had endured so much. He looked at her eyes, a little haunted when she was lost in thought and shining while she stared at the sunset. There were slight flecks of green in her eyes.
He squeezed the hand he held, earning a soft smile. His left hand went into his cloak, grasping the velvet ring box and taking it out.
"I hope the biodomes come down soon," she whispered while the sun began to become brighter, clearing the gray of the sky. "You would have loved Kalevala before they went up."
"I love it now - it's beautiful…but not as beautiful as you."
"Oh gross, did you take flirting advice from Anakin - oh my God." Satine put a hand to her mouth when she looked over and saw the box he was holding upwards.
Obi-Wan laughed, kneeling to the ground while he flicked the box open. The band was simple - silver with an engraved lily encircling an opal. It had cost him a pretty penny, but he didn't need to tell her that.
"Well I planned on a speech but...we've been through hell and back my dear. Words can't describe how much I love you, how grateful I am that you have stood by my side despite the odds, that you survived so much and still managed to true to yourself…"
"Ben…"
"Marry me?"
Satine nodded, wiping at her eyes. "Yes - yes, of course! Yes! Yes!"
Obi-Wan smiled, taking the ring out of the box and slipping it on her finger. His fingers were shaking so bad he was afraid he was gonna drop it in the fountain, though he managed to take her hand and slip it on finger.
Satine admired it for a moment before leaning forward and cupping his face, thumbing his jaw before kissing him gently.
There was giggling from nearby, followed by some exaggerated gagging and a wolf whistle.
"Our children are watching," Satine mumbled against him lips. "Did you make Korkie film?"
"I wanted to remember the moment!"
"Sap."
Author's note: hello there my dears ;)
I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I hope I managed to balance the seriousness and the humor well enough.
Leave a comment if you have any ideas for the next few chapters - crazy wedding shenanigans? Korkie being forced to take care of his sisters while his parents go on a honeymoon? The Skywalker's doing something stupid? General Jedi weirdness?
As usual I'll edit this at a later time (or not. I'm disabled guys, this is my hobby, I'm fucking exhausted by opening my eyes sometimes, being harassed for not having a perfect chapter is irritating)
Okay, rant over. Be sure to check out the latest chapter of "Kadavo to Naboo" !
I'll hear from y'all later!
ii Digestive Reader ii