Tears and Teeth
"Qui! Qui!" 4-and-a-half-year Obi-Wan shouted tearfully, running to the Jedi who had just entered the creche, holding something that appeared to be bloody in his hand.
"What? What's the matter?" Qui-Gon knelt down and caught the whimpering child that launched himself into Qui's lap.
"M-my t-tooth fell out-t!" Obi-Wan cried, holding up the object in his hand. It was indeed covered in blood and his mouth seemed bloody too.
"Relax, child. Breathe." Qui-Gon soothed. "You just lost a tooth. It's normal and it happens to everybody. Another tooth, your big boy tooth, will come in to take the baby tooth's place." Qui-Gon explained, rubbing the boy's back. Obi-Wan hiccuped.
"B-but there's a h-hole in my m-mouth!" Obi-Wan said tearfully, his shoulders shaking. Qui-Gon choked back laughter, wondering if he had done this when he lost his first tooth.
"It will fill in with a different tooth in a little while, Obi," Qui-Gon said. Obi-Wan just wailed harder and buried his face in Qui-Gon's tunic.
Don' wan' 'nother t-tooth!"
Oh, child, how do I make you understand? "Obi-Wan, look at me," Qui-Gon ordered, a bit stern. Obi-Wan, hearing his tone, looked up at him with wide, woebegone, blue eyes. "Thank you. Another tooth will come in in a few months. If you stop crying, we will get you cleaned up and then I will show you a cool trick with the gap in your mouth."
"A-a trick?" Obi-Wan hiccuped, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. Qui-Gon nodded, then stood and picked up Obi-Wan and toted him to the 'fresher and set him on the counter. He wiped his hand and face free of blood and scrubbed at his tunic where Obi-Wan's blood had stained it. "What do I do with my tooth, Qui?"
"I, uh, actually don't know, little one. We'll just give it to your creche master. Now, about that trick. Take some water in your mouth, but don't swallow it!"
Obi-Wan did as told.
"Then, purse your lips, like so," Qui-Gon demonstrated, "then blow!"
Obi-Wan did, and a thin stream of water shot out of the gap from his lost tooth. He laughed.
"Again!" This was repeated many times before Qui-Gon put an end to it.
"Enough, little one. It's almost nap time."
"Not tired," Obi-Wan retorted, though he was rubbing his eyes.
"Mm, yes you are," Qui-Gon murmured as Obi-Wan slumped over and leaned on Qui-Gon's shoulder. Qui slid the sleeping toddler off the counter and onto his hip, walking out of the 'fresher and back towards the Dragon-Bird Clan's room. The rest of the four-year-olds were already sleeping, so Qui-Gon had to creep through the rows of child-sized beds. Laying Obi-Wan down on his bed, he pulled the blanket up to his chin and planted a tender kiss on the aburn hair.
"Sweet dream, future Padawan," he whispered. Obi smiled faintly in his sleep.
...
Two updates in one day? Heck, yes!