"Obi-Wan Kenobi! What are you doing here?"
The young knight expressed his joy in seeing his old friend. Bant's easy-going nature and friendliness always put a smile on his face.
"I just got back from Alta a few days ago and thought I'd stop by and see how you were doing."
The healer's ward was a bustle of activity no matter what time of day. It was typically filled with padawans who had injured themselves during 'saber practice, or crechlings manipulating the Force out of curiosity or orneriness, and sometimes Jedi returning from missions with new scars and fascinating stories. Today was no exception and Healer Eerin was rushing about the unit attempting to soothe a young crechling whose yearmate had decided to tip over her highchair using the Force, with her still in it. The resulting gash in her head was easily taken care of, but Bant's nerves seemed frazzled by the loud wailing of the toddler.
"It's great to see you Obi." Bant replied. "But as you can tell, I'm up to the gills with work."
"Sorry to bother you." Obi-Wan apologized. "Maybe we can meet for second meal some time."
"I'll try. Thanks for stopping by." The Mon Calamarian basically shoved him out the door, which the knight at first thought rather humorous, until he realized that Bant couldn't possibly be his secret admirer. She was much too busy, and it just didn't feel right. Somehow, he knew the Force would reveal the answer when he discovered it, and it wasn't telling him it was Bant.
"One last gift,
Tomorrow's eve.
The gift, the giver,
The given receives."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Anakin asked as his Master withdrew the fourth volume of the philosophy texts from its wrapped box and tucked the poetic card inside.
"I'm not sure, but I suppose it doesn't matter. Tomorrow night is the ball and I'll find out then." Obi-Wan answered calmly, although his nerves were already twitching in anticipation.
"I can't believe you're acting so collected about this. If it were me, I'd be freaking out." The teenage padawan noted, opening up the cooling unit in search for left-overs.
"Why?" Obi-Wan asked, although he had a good idea of the answer.
"Well, let's say you get to the party and meet someone; say someone you like. Padmé, for example."
"Anakin." The Master warned him sternly. He knew the boy considered the senator a personal friend, but knowing about their past, he had kindly asked his apprentice not to talk about her again.
"Now, just hear me out, Master. Let's just say that you and Padmé hook up, do some dancin', get a groove on, bumpin and grinding around, having a good time."
The young man didn't stop when his Master's mouth went agape. In fact, Obi-Wan didn't even think the boy had noticed.
"You're hangin' out, fixin' to take her away for some private make-out time, when along comes this hunchback Gamorrean girl with a double-pierced snout who hands you a book of philosophy and declares her undying devotion to you. I know you Master. You're too much of a gentleman to turn her away. You'll feel obligated to accept her gift, will probably end up dancing with her the rest of the night and before you know it, there'll be a litter of Gamorrean Obi-Wan juniors running all over the Temple."
"That's not even funny, padawan." Obi-Wan stated dryly, seated at their kitchen table, even though he could not conceal his smile. His apprentice sure was in a mood today.
"Which is why." Anakin declared after he finished the last of the jawa juice and put the empty carton back into the cooler. "I'm going to go with you to the ball."
"But you hate to dance." Obi-Wan reminded him.
"Yeah, but after you dump Padmé to rub snouts with your new girlfriend, I'm thinking she'll need a shoulder to cry on." The apprentice ended, keeping his final comment 'Like last time' to himself. He didn't wish to have to deal with his Master's guilt this morning. The man had no idea how much he had hurt Padmé two years ago, or how much she still cares for him.
The young man was further silenced by a retaliatory napkin thrown at his face.
"Go get ready for practice." His humored Master ordered. "We've got training room three reserved for the next three hours.