Rating: G
Series: Inspired by Anne Higgins' Bonding Universe
Summary: Qui-Gon deals with a stubborn four year old Obi-Wan about his food likes
and dislikes.
Warnings: none
"He's not a bad child, Qui-Gon. He just has a Sith's own stubbornness." Creche Master Aronna sighed then let a smile quirk up her lips. "Rather like a former pupil of mine who, as I remember, ate nothing but squirtzen pudding for six months straight when he was five."
Qui-Gon gave a little sigh of his own and ran his fingers through his hair, stopping short of tugging on it in frustration. "What should I do, Aronna? You know, even now when things get tense, I get a craving for squirtzen pudding."
She chuckled and tossed her long braid of white hair over a shoulder. "It's comfort food, sweetheart. Just as mentha bread is something from Obi-Wan's former home that reminds him of when he was safe and surrounded by his family."
"While I've been off on one mission after another with only a quick visit every few weeks or so." Qui-Gon gave a guilty little start.
"And you've been with him every night with a story or a lullaby to lull him to sleep. Your mental link is just as important as your physical presence." She patted his face with her warm four-fingered hand and smiled up at him. "But now that you are here and will be for a few days, you need to spend some time with him. Especially at meal time."
Obi-Wan scowled down at his plate. Torracs. He really, really disliked torracs. Master Yoda said hating something was bad so he wouldn't hate the ugly crunchy things but he could dislike them. His favorite mentha bread was to one side but not even that could make him feel better.
It had been . . . counting slowly way up to fifteen; Obi-Wan suddenly wanted to cry at how many days it had been since he'd had a hug from his bondmate. But only the littlest little ones cried where everybody could see them so he wouldn't. He swallowed hard and tried to get rid of the lump in his throat. No way could he swallow anything with this big old lump just sitting there.
"Obi-Wan, just look at the nice surprise I have for you." Master Aronna's voice came from over his shoulder.
Blinking rapidly so she wouldn't know that he'd been even thinking of crying, Obi-Wan turned his head obediently. Looking up and up to where his surprise stood with a smile behind the Creche Master. //Quigee!//
Then, he was being raised up high and hugged tightly while the warm voice in his head said his name over and over. He held on tightly, trying very hard not to cry because a Jedi shouldn't cry just because he was happy.
//Obi-Wan, it's perfectly all right to cry a little when you're very happy. I am very glad to be home with you.// Qui-Gon spoke gently into his mind while his big hand slowly patted Obi-Wan's back in a comforting rhythm.
Obi-Wan sniffed and pulled back just a little to look up into the face of the person he loved best in the whole world. There was just a little moisture on the cheek above the tickling beard and Obi-Wan reached up and patted it away. "I'm very glad you're home, Qui-Gon. It was a little lonely."
"It was very lonely without my imp to keep me smiling." Qui-Gon smiled down at him. "I'm starving and I've interrupted your dinner."
"That's okay. It's torracs." Obi-Wan whispered the awful word.
"Really. I love torracs." Qui-Gon said with every evidence of enjoyment. "They're very good for my eyesight. A Jedi must be able to see for long distances. How about we have dinner in my quarters and I'll eat part of your torracs and you can have my share of mentha bread?"
Obi-Wan nodded quickly and kept his 'yuck' to himself. Maybe Qui-Gon wouldn't make him eat too many of the crunchy things. He held tight to his bondmate's tunic while Master Aronna gave her permission for Obi-Wan to be late back to the crèche. Qui-Gon spoke to one of the older trainees and asked him to deliver two dinners to his quarters. Then they were striding out of the dining hall.
It was great fun to be perched so high above everybody else. He could see so many things that he couldn't see while he was walking. It always seemed that all he could see was knees and the bottoms of tables whenever he walked by himself. But even better, Qui-Gon was explaining what he was seeing before he even had to ask.
Sometimes it seemed like Qui-Gon knew everything and everybody. And for sure, everybody knew his bondmate since everyone nodded and bowed to him in the halls. He was pretty important and Obi-Wan knew that was why he had to go away so often.
//I never want to leave you, Obi-Wan but the Jedi have a duty to help those who can not help themselves.// The love in his bondmate's mind voice washed through him with bright warmth. And it felt good but not as good and real as the big hand that held him securely to the broad chest.
But he didn't know how to say that in words so he just held on tighter to the long hair that was his anchor and returned a wave of love to the mind who always held him close. Then they were walking through the door into Qui-Gon's rooms and he was eagerly looking around to find out what was different. It was a treat to have lots of time to explore this place that made him feel so safe.
Qui-Gon set him down on the floor and he immediately ran to the travel bag that lay on the floor near the table. Part of his job was to empty out the bag whenever his bondmate came home. There were always such interesting things hidden among the clothing and datapads. His bondmate explained what everything was, including the pretty rock that felt good when he held it.
"That one will remind you of me whenever you miss my presence. It's very strong with the Force." Qui-Gon rumpled his hair and went to answer the door chime.
Pulling the spare tunic from the bag, he sniffed at it and put it in the pile to be washed. Most of the clothes went into that pile and it soon rose as high as his head. He took a deep breath and held it for as long as he could. It was the scent of his bondmate that told him he was really home. Turning his head, he could see Qui-Gon setting plates out on the table.
"Time to eat, Obi-Wan. Goodness, do all of those need to be washed? I will be busy." Qui-Gon reached down and lifted him up. "Let's wash up so we can eat."
Obi-Wan smiled. He loved splashing in water, even if soap was involved. His bondmate set him down on the counter and they played their game of catch-the-soap through the warm water in the sink. Qui-Gon laughed out loud twice and Obi-Wan congratulated himself on freeing the wonderful sound from his bondmate.
Qui-Gon carried him to the table and set him down on the overturned basket that sat on the chair just for him. Removing the covers on two of the dishes on the tray, Obi-Wan sighed at the sight of the glistening orange-red tubes next to the mentha slices. Two more covers disappeared and steaming bowls of some kind of clear soup appeared before them.
"Now, let's see. I believe I was going to take some of your tarrocs and you were going to have my bread. Are you sure you want to give them up?" Qui-Gon tilted his head in question and Obi-Wan nodded vigorously. "Very well. Have you seen them growing in the kitchen gardens? Did you know that they grow deep under the earth from a very tiny seed? I always think of them as hidden treasure."
Obi-Wan looked down at them and shook his head. Oh dear, he still had six of them to eat. Looking back up at his bondmate, he saw him crunching happily on the three inch stick. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad. He picked one up and began to gnaw on it but his attention was on the man across the table who was beginning a story about a small life form he'd found on a planet who loved tarrocs and often slipped into the garden of the king to pull them up and munch on them.
Enthralled at the tale of the brave little ynnub who dared the wrath of the Head Gardener, he finished the soup and everything on his plate. Maybe tarrocs weren't so very bad. Qui-Gon had said that by the time he'd left McGregor's Planet, the little ynnub had grown very big and was a great favorite of the Royal Family's children. So, maybe they'd help him get taller. Then he wouldn't be the littlest one of his age group.
"Very good, Obi-Wan. You finished everything on your plate. I expect you'll be much bigger when I come back after my next mission." Qui-Gon smiled at him and cleared the plates away. "And now for my favorite dessert. Do you think you'll have some room for it?"
Obi-Wan struggled with the need to please his bondmate and the need to see whatever it was first. The bright blue eyes across the table won. "Sure. What is it?"
"Let's go over and sit on the couch. The best way to eat this is to share it out of a bowl." Qui-Gon picked up the last covered dish and came around the table to scoop Obi-Wan into his other arm.
They settled on the dark brown couch and Obi-Wan watched curiously while Qui-Gon pulled the lid off the bowl of . . . quivering green stuff. He swallowed hard and looked up at the man who held him. He was smiling and actually looked pleased that they were going to have to eat something that looked really weird and kind of yucky.
"Now, just a taste because it's very cold. Qualla frost really should be iced but this looks almost cold enough. You can get a headache by eating it too fast so I want you to just take a little sip from my spoon first." Qui-Gon cut into the side of the shivery stuff and scooped up a spoonful, bringing it to Obi-Wan's lips.
He didn't want to hurt Qui-Gon's feelings by telling him it looked gross, so he gulped and screwed his eyes tightly shut before opening his mouth. Yeow! It was really cold . . . and slippery . . . and kind of tingly . . . He opened his eyes and looked at the stuff more closely. While he was swallowing, it felt like something rich sliding down his throat.
"What's it called again?" He asked cautiously while watching Qui-Gon spoon up a bigger chunk and suck it into his mouth.
//Qualla frost. It's from a small planet in the Gregorry System. I discovered it years ago when I was a young Padawan. It's one of Master Yoda's favorite dishes. That shade of green looked awfully funny to me and I resisted my Master's urging to try it for almost a week.// Qui-Gon smiled down at him and brought the spoon up again.
Obi-Wan leaned forward and took another bite. It didn't taste like anything he'd ever had before. //Tingly. And sharp. And kind of good.//
Qui-Gon laughed out loud and hugged him closer. "No 'kind of' about it, Imp. It's delicious and I'm glad to see that you are braver than I was. Ever since I finally tried it, it's been my very favorite dessert."
Obi-Wan was too busy taking another bite to answer except for his mental request for another story. His bondmate just chuckled and spun yet another tale about his life as Master Yoda's Padawan. They finished the bowl of qualla frost and Obi-Wan helped Qui-Gon do his laundry. He soaked up the wonderful chance to touch the man who made him feel like he was home again.
He was practically asleep on Qui-Gon's shoulder when the tall Jedi carried him back to the creche. Being undressed and put in his pajamas was hard because he just wanted to fall asleep. Suddenly an awful thought woke him up completely.
//You don't have to go away again, do you?//
Qui-Gon knelt on the floor by his bed. //Not for some time, Obi-Wan. Don't worry, I'll be here for almost two weeks and we'll have lots of time to spend together. Now lay back down and I'll finish the story about the brave little ynnub who kept sneaking into the Royal Garden and how the young prince found him.//
Obi-Wan smiled and nestled in under the warm blanket, letting his eyes close while still holding on to Qui-Gon's hand. The warm voice in his mind lulled him to sleep before he even had time to find out the name of the little prince.
the end for now ( I expect you noticed the liberties I took with the story of Peter Rabbit. But I figured, whatever works! )