The following days passed without incident for Obi-Wan, a fact that only added to his anxiety. He had meant to seclude himself in meditation over Asajj's "resurrection" until an answer presented itself to him, but the Force was not so forthcoming. Only silence and emptiness met him when he sank into his trances. Apparently he was meant to suffer this dilemma on his own. Was he meant to simply let the incident go, accept it as a desperate, one-time plea for solace? Wait for her to reappear if she so chose? Pursue her in hopes of…well, he didn't quite know what. Neither sleep nor meditation came easily to him
It was on the third night since his visitor's disappearing act that the Force nudged him with a familiar presence.
He had lain in bed for hours, sleep once again eluding him. Although his back was to his window, he was instantly alert the moment she passed silently into his room but continued to feign sleep. He let her Force signature wash over him for a moment, oddly content to feel that it had lost some of its despair though none of its confusion. Waiting for her to make the first move, he listened to her bodysuit creak slightly as she paced (her footfalls themselves were silent). Seconds stretched into minutes and still she hadn't said a word. He debated whether or not to break the silence himself, but was saved from making a decision when her voice, breathy, low, and so full of self-loathing floated to his ears. "This was a mistake."
He heard one boot land on the window's edge. She was going to leave after breaking into his private quarters in the Jedi Temple (again) without even saying 'hello'? Well, that simply wouldn't do. "One cannot run forever, my dear," he said lightly before turning onto his back to face her.
Asajj had frozen as if suddenly encased in carbonite. Only her eyes moved, darting around as she tried to think of what to do; the urge to flee had only momentarily grown stronger than ever, but faded as soon as his words sank in. A tense moment passed before she very slightly tilted her head towards him, still avoiding making eye contact. "Maybe I like running. Good for the legs."
"Until you realize that you cannot outrun yourself." Obi-Wan raised himself onto his elbows when she still didn't move except to look away from him. "You know, it's impolite to not call the next day after you've shared a bed with someone."
"What?" she said, her head turning sharply towards him, a slight blush creeping across her face. He was about to make some sly comment about it when his eye caught something shiny: a string of jewels the color of the Naboo sky dangled from her right ear. That was new… "What are you staring at?"
He almost smiled at the bite in her voice. There's the Asajj I know. "That's new." He pointed to the earring which she now covered with one hand as she looked away, her blush spreading. Was that…shyness? "Mind if I inquire how it came to grace your ear?"
"Yes." And just like that the almost-innocent bashfulness evaporated.
"Surely such a small request isn't too much to ask."
Asajj crossed her arms over her chest as her expression hardened. "That story isn't for your ears, Kenobi. So drop it."
So much for a normal conversation. Silence became like a physical wall between them once again, Asajj unwilling to venture into unfamiliar territory, Obi-Wan unsure of how to proceed. At least she wasn't ready to jump out the window anymore. "Well then, may I at least ask why you've broken into my room…again?"
She huffed and resumed her pacing, albeit slower than before when she thought he'd been asleep. "Three days and I still don't have the answer to that question. It's infuriating."
"I think you just like my soothing company."
He noted how her lips quirked up ever so slightly. "Still so full of yourself, Kenobi. At least one thing in my life remains unchanged." She whispered the last part almost as if to herself.
Obi-Wan caught it anyway. "I do try, my dear."
That quirk turned into a small smile. It's a start, at least. "I know you do."
The tension had eased somewhat, but there was still one question the Knight was most curious about. "How did you get in here? The Temple isn't exactly lax on security."
She shot him a coy look, one that said 'you poor ignorant fool'. "You would think, wouldn't you. I still have some tricks up my sleeve, my dear. Why ruin the mystery?"
He almost laughed in response. "Point taken." Silence. He surreptitiously admired the strand of jewels hanging from her ear, but although she had gained something new something old was conspicuously missing from her attire. "Where are your lightsabers?"
She shrugged, a gesture that was somehow elegant yet simultaneously dismissive. "Never got them back after Skywalker's little pet's 'friend' stole them."
"How have you managed without them?"
Her gaze was hard as she met his eyes once more. "I've managed." She looked away to the window again. "I'm not as weak as you like to think."
"I never said you were, darling." Well, this is going nowhere fast. "You're welcome to sit down if you like."
"I'll stand."
"So you can run off again in the blink of an eye?" She gave no answer, but her stiffening back told him he had hit a little too close to home. "What I mean is I've not had anyone to talk to of late. Well, no one as fascinating as you, dearest." He caught her little eyeroll; at least the tension had eased up a bit. And he truly was craving some kind of company. He'd been around the Jedi long enough to know all of their stories, all of their strengths and shortcomings, all of their deeds and misadventures. But he'd only seen a glimpse of hers. He knew the basic story of her origin, how her Master had died right in front of her and the crushing loneliness and helplessness she had felt then had driven her into the arms of the Dark Side. How she had turned every heartbreak and loss into durasteel that hardened her anger and rage at the universe for cursing her with such a fate. But he didn't know her. She was the one he could never entirely figure out. And now she was here, desperate for something she thought he could give but not knowing what exactly it was she wanted.
Perhaps all she really wanted, all she truly needed right now was someone to listen to her.
"I will give you that, Kenobi," she said suddenly. "I am a font of riveting tales of bravery and heroism."
"I was being serious, Asajj."
"Why is it so important to you to know every facet of my life?" She'd meant for that to come out angry, but all she could manage was weary.
Obi-Wan sighed in frustration. She really wasn't going to make this easy on either of them. "Forgive me for simply wanting to offer you a respite from all the pain and sorrow you've been bottling up all your life. If you'd rather wallow in your misery, then by all means. But please do it somewhere else." As if closing the door on the situation, he turned his back on her. He knew he was being childish, but no more so than she was. If she wanted to continue being evasive when he was doing nothing but trying to help, then she could leave him to his sleep.
Asajj shouldn't have been so hurt by his dismissal; she'd been rejected, abandoned, and ignored by most everyone else in her life. She should be used to it by now. But there it was, right in the center of her chest. That damn knot that pressed on her lungs and heart until she could hardly breathe. Not again. Not him. Not again, her mind whispered urgently. Obi-Wan was the only one who'd ever attempted to understand her; even now when she was more confused by her own emotions than ever he still tried to be the hero. It was an irritating quality that she had begun to find endearing, much to her chagrin. She knew she was irredeemable, but he stubbornly held out hope for her, which in turn made her want desperately to believe it as well.
She knew she was being difficult, especially since was the one who initiated this whole damn mess. If she had just stayed away from Coruscant altogether she wouldn't have to face him nor her demons. But she couldn't stay away. Not when the only other person she had any kind of relationship with (as twisted and warped as it was) was so close. His aura in the Force drew her in, promising a safe haven that she'd never had the privilege of since Master Narec's death. As much as a part of her wanted to deny to it, she did indeed feel safe around Obi-Wan. It didn't hurt that since she was no longer on the opposing side (well, not entirely since she was neither with the Republic or the Jedi) they were no longer forced to try to kill each other whenever they crossed paths.
She had come to him for a reason, even if she didn't want to admit it. He had been more than hospitable, and she was doing nothing but slighting his every attempt to help her. She stared at his back for a moment more, then rubbed her arm self-consciously before moving to sit on the edge of the chair she had occupied only three days earlier. "The earring was payment for a bounty I collected the other day." Obi-Wan half-turned to look at her over his shoulder. "A woman's son had been kidnapped by his estranged father. She didn't trust the police to catch him, so she hired me. When I brought her son back to her, she was so grateful she paid me my fee and gave me the earring. A treasured family heirloom, she said. It was the most important and valuable thing she owned, but her son was more precious." Her unwitting host had now turned to fully face her, studying her. She averted her eyes from his scrutiny, focusing instead on telling her story. "I couldn't refuse it when I saw how much it meant to her to give it to me."
"How did you find the boy?" Obi-Wan whispered. He was half-afraid that if he spoke the moment would shatter and she would close herself off again.
"His father wasn't exactly a master of kidnapping. His trail was insultingly easy to follow."
"Did you kill him?"
A legitimate enough question given her history. "No. But he won't be in any shape to try to get revenge on either me or his ex-wife anytime soon."
Obi-Wan's laugh startled her out of her thoughts. It was… nice. The knot that had formed in her chest had loosened at the sound until it disappeared entirely. "I would expect nothing less from you, darling."
Asajj couldn't help it: she returned the laugh. For the first time in a very long time she felt genuine contentment. She knew it wouldn't last, but better to enjoy what little she did have while she could.