~*~

Qui-Gon stifled a grin as his apprentice stalked past him, dropping his robe on the chair and heading straight for the fresher.

"Did you have a nice evening, Obi-Wan?" Qui-Gon called after him, knowing very well what had his apprentice in such a strange mood. It was the same thing that had been causing his apprentice to wear that slightly disgruntled look of distraction for the past few months.

Or should he say . . . the same person.

Obi-Wan's hear appeared around the door, a postivly caustic look on his face. "Must you rub it in, Master?"

"No change, I take it?" Qui-Gon asked with a slight smile. He remembered well the days of being twenty and ruled by certain parts of the male anatomy--and was thankful that he was far past them.

Obi-Wan grimaced. "I don't know why I put up with this. Reeana has got to be the world's biggest tease . . ." The face softened, and Obi-Wan's lips curved up into a goofy smile. "But she's so much fun to be with. Sometimes I think I could forgive her anything."

Qui-Gon shook his head at the hopeless look on Obi-Wan's face. "Take your shower, Padawan. You'll be horrible company until you do."

Obi-Wan stuck his tongue out at his Master in a gesture he must have picked up from someone else, since it seemed totally out of character for the subdued and formal Padawan. "I'll be out for our evening talk in a little while."

Qui-Gon smiled indulgently as his Padawan disappeared around the corner again, the sound of the fresher coming on covering the grumpy mumbling. The girl was definatly throwing his usualy self-assured Padawan off balance, but Qui-Gon couldn't complain. It was giving the self-confident young man some well needed perspective.

As far as Qui-Gon could tell, Reeana was the first person ever to refuse to sleep with his Padawan.

::I heard that,:: Obi-Wan snapped along their bond, and Qui-Gon swallowed a smile as he realized he'd been broadcasting. ::I'll have you know that I never slept my way around the Temple. You should know that I'm not indiscreet.::

::But rarely lacking for company,:: Qui-Gon shot back, enjoying the consternation echoing across the bond.

::Master . . .:: Obi-Wan started.

::I know, Obi-Wan. I'm sorry. It's not right of me to make fun of your . . . discomfort.:: Smiling again, Qui-Gon stared blandly at his Padawan as he came around the corner, running a towel through his short hair.

"Master, I care about her a great deal," Obi-Wan said, dropping the towel and sinking into a chair across from Qui-Gon, his head falling into his hands. "Is it unnatural that I want to express that in a physical manner?"

"No, Padawan," Qui-Gon said, his voice friendly as he dropped a hand onto Obi-Wan's shoulder. "But some people need more time than others to feel comfortable with that kind of sharing. The Temple is very open about these things, but Reeana may not be. Try talking to her about it."

"Talking to Reeana about sex is like talking to Master Yoda about fear." Obi-Wan shook his head, rolling his eyes fondly. "All this convuluted logic that really doesn't tell you much, but distracts you long enough for him to wack you in the leg with that stick of his."

"Reeana has a gimmer stick?" Qui-Gon responded with a perfectly straight face, one eyebrow raised in polite disbelief.

Obi-Wan stared at him for a few moments. "If I didn't think you'd assign me more lightsabre practice, I'd hit you for that."

~~~~~~~

"You're beautiful when you're grumpy," Reeana said softly, long fingers stroking through Obi-Wan's hair. "I just wish you weren't grumpy so often. Am I annoying you?"

"No," Obi-Wan responded quickly, snatching Reeana's free hand up in his own and kissing it gently. "Of course not, Reeana. You couldn't be annoying if you tried." Forcing a smile, Obi-Wan turned to look at his love who was not his lover.

Reeana leaned over and bit his nose.

"Hey!" he exclaimed, scrunching his face up as he caught her shoulders in strong hands. "Don't do that!"

"Annoying, huh?" Reeana replied with a smirk, giving Obi-Wan's braid a tug. "Sorry, braid-boy. I rather think my imagination exceeds your patience. I could annoy you very easily."

"Or you could bite other parts of me," Obi-Wan growled suggestivly, the hands on her shoulders tugging her back towards him again.

"I could, but why would I want to do that?" Brown eyes gazed into Obi-Wan's from a meager two inches, the entire face he loved so dearly alight with mischief. "Doesn't that hurt? When I was three and bit my brother he never seemed very happy about it."

"I'm not your brother," Obi-Wan purred, nuzzeling his nose into Reeana's neck. "And you're not three." A soft sigh escaped her lips as she tilted her head to the side, eyes drifting shut. Obi-Wan reveled in the soft gasps, smiling against her neck as her fingers came up to hold the back of his head.

"Stop that," she whispered finally, fingers tugging his mouth away from her sensitive neck. "That's not fair."

Obi-Wan sighed, dropping his forehead so that it rested against Reeana's. "What would be fair, Reeana? I suppose tossing you over my shoulder and carrying you back to my room to ravish you is out of the question."

"Hmmm . . ." Reeana tilted her head to the side as if considering. "I'm 'fraid so, Kenobi." Strong fingers wrapped around his braid, tugging playfully. "I believe I warned you the first day I met you that I wasn't a quick tumble."

"I know," Obi-Wan replied, lifting his face so that his eyes met Reeana's. "So how about if I promised you it wouldn't be quick?"

"Neither quick nor easy," Reeana replied, leaning forward to press a slow kiss to Obi-Wan's neck.

"So if I take a lot of time to seduce you and a great deal of time to ravish you . . ."

"All about sex with you, isn't it Kenobi?" Reeana pulled back, one fingertip tracing Obi-Wan's eyebrow. "I told you when we first started this that I wouldn't be able to give you what you'd want and need for a long time." Her face was sad as she let her hand drop back to her lap. "You're perfectly free to persue a more accomodating companion. I know I don't have much to offer . . ."

Obi-Wan caught Reeana up imediatly into a rough embrace. "I've been around for quite a while so far," Obi-Wan whispered into her hear, lips tracing the curve of her lower ear. "You know that if I were just hanging around for sex, I would have been gone a long time ago."

"Good thing, too," Reeana responded, allowing herself to relax into the embrace for a few moments before fighting free. "Because I'm not putting out."

"Oh well," Obi-Wan sighed melodramaticaly tilting his head back and staring towards the sky. "I suppose I'll just have to settle for curling up on a couch with you and cuddling and watching an old holo-vid."

"I don't get a new holo-vid?" Reeana demanded in mock anger. "That's it, Kenobi. This relationship is over."

"Okay, how about we curl up in front of a new holo-vid and make wild passionate love?" The glint in his eyes as one corner of his mouth quirked up was predetory.

"You, me, old holo-vid and your apartment. Now."

Obi-Wan grinned as he stood, pulling Reeana to her feet. "I thought you'd see it my way," he commented with a grin. "Old holo-vid it is." Before he turned, Obi-Wan let one hand snake out to cup Reeana's cheek. "I understand," he said softly, lowering his face until he was only a few inches above hers. "But know this--if you decide to let me love you, it will be the most mindblowing night of you life."

"Beautiful, talented, and modest," Reeana replied softly, reaching up to trace his eyebrow. "I knew there was a reason I loved you, Kenobi."

Resigning himself to another sexless night, Obi-Wan consoled himself with the knowledge that it would be spent with a wonderful woman wrapped in his arms.

And someday . . . someday . . .

~~~~~~~~~~