Rating: PG
Archive: Sure, why not! Um, where is it?
Summary: Obi-Wan is your buddy on earth for the summer.
Disclaimer: Almighty George owns all things SW! And he gets all the money!
Feedback: Please!
"Way to watch! Alright, wait for a good one!" Someone in the crowd screams. You can hear all the anxious cries as you stand in the batter's box. You adjust your stance, digging your cleats into the red sand. You stare down the field at the pitcher, backlit by the sun. You pull your ball cap down tighter, and blow a bubble with your gum.
The score is tied. You're the home team, at last bat, bottom of the ninth. There are two outs and the bases are empty. It's up to you. You've got a full count. One more ball and at least you're on the base. But, Missy is up next, and though she may be your teammate, she couldn't hit for shit. It was up to you. One strike and it was over.
You could tell the pitcher was getting tired; she wasn't winding up near as tight as before. You blow one more bubble for good measure as she starts her wind up.
You can tell when she lets it go that she's sent it right down the middle. You start your swing, stepping out with your left foot and bringing the bat around as hard as you can, nice and low. Your hands shudder as the bat makes contact with the ball right on the sweet spot. You stand dumbfounded for a moment as it goes soaring through the air toward left field. Then you hear a familiar lilted voice in your head, //Run!//.
You take off as fast as your knobby knees will take you. One thing your height had never allowed was graceful running. But you pumped your long legs just the same. You glance out as you pass second and see the left fielder just catching up with the ball that had coasted over her head. She rears back to throw to her cut-off man. You push yourself even harder. You round third as the base coach gives you the go ahead and you hear him yelling encouragement.
You hear that voice in your mind again as you head towards home. //Almost there, love. You can do it!//
You look up and see the catcher poised to catch the throw coming in. You know the only way you were going to get to that base was through her. You bear down for the blow, gritting your teeth. You feel your shoulder pop as you collide, but you also know you scraped the base. You hear the victory cries before you know the catcher has fumbled the catch.
Your teammates pour from the dugout, grappling at your body lying on the ground, trying to pull you up. The coach runs over and pulls you up in one swoop, and with the help of the girls, thrusts you up onto his shoulders. The crowd chants your name, but one person stands very still.
You could barely see him in the brightness of the hot July day. Somewhere in the impact you'd lost your sunglasses. You bring your hand up to cup over your eyes and you can just barely make out his smile. He claps for you then and you see his mouth move as he joins in on the chant.
As soon as they put you down and everyone has exchanged teary hugs, you manage to sneak off the field. You round the fence and stop short when you see him. He's standing there, amidst the dust of the afternoon, his hair glimmering the shade of the sand. He's grinning from ear to ear, then he laughs. You take off running, a fit of giggles escaping your lips. You run into his open arms and he lifts you off the ground in a bear hug, twirling you around in a circle.
"Congratulations!" He sets you back on the dirt and kisses you on the cheek. "I told you all those extra hours of practice would come it handy."
"Practice? You call me teaching you how to catch and throw a ball practice?" You bring your voice down to a whisper, "And you call yourself a Jedi." You give him a sly wink.
"Oh, quit teasing. Go get your trophy, hero." He gives you a slap on the behind as you trail off, prompting you to turn around and stick your tongue out at him.
***
"So who gets to keep it? Do you?" Obi-Wan prys.
"No one, silly. It goes in the trophy case on campus. That way everyone can see it." You tell him proudly. You can see he doesn't agree though.
"Well, I think everyone should get to share it like that Lord's cup, what was his name? Those men battle it out on a frozen pond and they get to keep it when they're done. Now there's a sport I can get behind."
"Well, that's not how it's done. And it's Stanley, why can't you remember that?" You huff, then take a large swig on your water bottle.
"Give me some of that." He asks then grabs the squirt bottle. He takes a long draw then begins to hand the bottle back. You see a gleam in his eyes and you scream.
"No!" You take off running, but it's too late. He's assaulted you with your own bottled water. You're running down the causeway to the gate, passing unknowing customers. You hear someone squeal as Obi- Wan's stream of water misses you and apparently hits her instead. You're running straight toward a group of men; they've stopped to stare now at the pig-tailed and braided girl screaming crazily with a water yielding young man close behind.
You run right up to one and grab his cup. "Thanks," you yell as you take off. You can hear him protesting all the way to the parking lot.
Obi-Wan has caught up with you by now, but he hadn't seen your theft.
"Truce, truce," you yell, stopping with your back to him. You can hear him breathing heavily and you judge the distant to him in your mind. Then you attack.
"Agh!" You scream as you turn and hurl the drink cup at him. His cries join yours as the cold liquid hits his skin. He tackles you and you both land in a heap on the hot asphalt.
"Ouch!" You say at the hot ground and at the rough and tumble to your sore shoulder. "I told you, I popped this joint." You glare at him with a sour face, then chuckle at is wet clothes.
"You know, I was using water, what was this?" He asks and picks at his shirt with two fingers.
"I think it must be beer." And you add another chuckle.
Your shoulder is throbbing now, though, and Obi-Wan notices your quick change in mood.
"Let me see that." He walks over and rolls both hands over your shoulder, just barely above touching, "Hmm, you've pulled this joint almost out of socket. It's going to need to be healed." He tells you somberly.
"Not here. This isn't the place." You look at him sternly and he knows you're right. How would you look standing here, eyes closed, his hands moving over you? You'd look like a couple of perverts, that's what. Besides, no one knew about Obi-Wan, at least not the truth. As far as any of your friends and family were concerned, he was just your good buddy Ben. And he'd kind of taken a liking to your nickname, and was enjoying the freedom of just being another person, and not a Jedi, sworn to protect the galaxy.
"We'll take care of it later. It doesn't hurt that bad." You try to convince him. "Come on, let's get snow cones." His eyes lift at that idea and he grins.
You get to your truck and he throws your gear into the bed.
"You gonna be okay to drive?" He asks slyly.
"Oh, no, flyboy, I remember very well, what happened when I tried to teach you to drive. It took me weeks to get the stains out of my jeans and the all that…that stuff off my truck! I think I'll do the driving. Now hush or it'll be your treat."
"It'll be my treat `cause you won today. And, besides, you're my hero." He teases, his voice sounding childish as he's holding his nose with his fingers to produce that whine.
You shoot him a look. "Can it, Force boy."
He grins and you grin back, then you pull the truck out of the parking lot and onto the busy road leading out of the city.
***
"I told you to get the lemon-lime swirl."
"But I wanted the tropical punch, too. I figured you'd share." Obi-Wan says pouting.
"Well, you figured wrong. I told you I wasn't giving you any of mine," you tell him defiantly. He gives you the pouty lips a little longer and you cave. "You stink, you know that?" You tell him and thrust your cup into his reach. He wields a victorious grin as he scoops a large portion of your shaved ice onto his spoon. "Hey!" You protest and pull back your cup, but they damage was done. Now you begin to pout.
He doesn't cave as easily though, and you eventually give up and go back to work on your remaining snow cone.
You finish before he does, thanks to his generous sample of yours, so you settle for a cigarette. Pulling out a pack of Marlboro Reds, he grimaces at you.
You flick open your zippo and light up with a long, soothing drag.
"I still don't understand that earthly pleasure." Obi-Wan chides.
"Well, you don't need to, you're not partaking in it, I am."
"It can't be good for your health, or for playing sports." He continues to lecture you.
"Look, just cause my mother's dead doesn't mean I need another, so can it," you say and take another long, sweet drag off of the cigarette. He stares at you for a moment, letting you know he didn't approve of your comment. "Oh, come on, quit being so sour. It's summer, let's enjoy it."
His face lifts and you pinch his cheek with your fingers. "That's a good boy." You toss away the butt and stand from the picnic table.
"Come on, sourpuss. I need a shower and a nice big fluffy couch. We can watch your favorite movie." His eyes brighten as you mention the idea.
"The Dark Crystal?" He beams.
"Yeah, /The Dark Crystal/." You imitate.
Obi-Wan stands and loops his arm through yours lazily. You start heading toward the parking lot when you freeze.
"What is it?" Obi-Wan asks, confused.
You look down at the pavement and take a deep breath.
"It's my ex. And he's with someone…female." How fitting for him to bring a date here; this place had been you favorite. You would stay with him on the weekends and take lazy trips up here to have snowcones and talk.
But what really surprised you was the girl. She was petite and blonde; neither were the type he liked. From across the parking lot you can hear her giggling as he opens the door and places a kiss on her outstretched hand. Who was he kidding? He was far from being any kind of romantic and you almost laugh at how silly and fake they seem.
Then it dawns on you. He's coming this way. Shit! You had no way out. Even if you managed to evade him here, he surely saw your truck parked in the lot. This was one confrontation you'd hoped to avoid. But considering you both lived in the same city it was bound to happen, though you really didn't think it would be so soon.
"Well, seems he's managed just fine. Moving right along, isn't he?" You smite and jerk your hand free of Obi-Wan's arm. He just stares at you with concern, and it's clear he can already feel all your emotions rolling off of you. You give a slight effort at containing them, then give up when frustration takes over.
You breathe deep once more to clear your head and put on a smile as they approach.
"Well, hello. Fancy seeing you here." William says heartily. His voice sounds empty as if he's feigning emotion.
"Yes, we were just leaving," you say quickly and give Obi-Wan a glare to let him know to high-tail it.
"What puts you in this side of town?" He questions, even as you try to walk away.
You look down at your dirty uniform and smirk. "The championship was today. We won, if you care to know, and I was the hero with a homerun." You knew damn well that he knew the championship was this weekend. He had been helping you train and practice up until a month ago when things came to an abrupt end.
You stare at him then at his companion who is staring lazily off into the distance. The slight breeze that day probably had a clear path right through one perfect little ear and out the other.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Camille, this is Leah, an old friend of mine. Leah, Camille." William introduces and you take her small hand curtly and smirk at the fake manicured fingernails. She says something of the sort of a hello but it's high pitched and squeaky, you're pretty sure it's past the frequency that humans can hear.
Abruptly you are aware that Obi-Wan has shifted closer to you and you sigh, realizing that manners would require you to introduce him as well.
"Ben, meet William. Ben is a friend of the family," you say sharply. "And this is his ‘friend'…Camille," you say pointedly stuttering her name.
"It's a pleasure to meet you. It's a beautiful night, I hope you enjoy it." Obi-Wan saves the day and heads you off to the truck at a brisk pace.
You get in, start the engine and head down the road out of the city to your loft. At least ten minutes and three cigarettes have passed when Obi-Wan flags his hand through the air to clear it of smoke and tries to speak.
You roll his window down the rest of the way and take another drag.
"Would you like to know what I think?" He yells over the din of the open window at 80 MPH.
Silence.
"Fine, you don't answer then I will just tell you. You are better off. Be glad that you do not feel the Force as I do. The emotions emanating from him were very disturbing. I felt a great deal of conflict and regret. Also, guilt and jealousy, a lot of jealousy directed toward me."
You sneer in the driver's seat and let out a snicker. "Good. Guilt…well, guess that's what lying will do to you. Needed to find himself…hmph, needed to find someone to screw more like."
"Don't." Came the stern reply from Obi-Wan. "Don't be on his level and get angry, spurning him with your words. He doesn't even deserve the energy it takes for you to think of him."
Oddly, you feel sadness in his words and are forced suppress hot tears that threaten to give you away.
"Well," you say, breaking the mood. "Let's not ruin the night thinking of meaningless things." You know he'd felt the wave of sorrow wash through you but he catches the hint that you want to change the subject. You sniffle a little and inhale sharply, clearing your head.
"Yes, let's pop some corn and camp out in front of the VCR." Obi-Wan says gladly and you can't help but giggle at him speaking so…so earthly.
"Alright, and no more of the ‘W' word, k?"
"Jedi's honor"
"It's scout's honor."
"I knew that."
***
"Now this is much better." Obi-Wan states and shoves another handful of popcorn into his mouth. You just grin up at him from your pile of pillows and blankets on the floor.
"Yes, this is nice," you agree and snuggle further into your comfort.
"Are you sure you wouldn't rather sit on the couch?"
"Nope, it's rather comfy here." You give him another toothy grin and munch on your extra buttery popcorn. "Now, shush, or I'll miss my favorite part."
"You've seen it a hundred times."
"I know but I like it. Now hush!" You give him a hard stare and he lowers his smile to a smirk.
Either watching Jen save the day from the Skeksis was getting old, or you were more exhausted than you thought, because you were soon asleep. You could hear Obi-Wan still slurping and crunching his snacks, and the heckling of Aughra on the television, but they sounded off in the distance. You were pretty sure you could hear the movie as it ended and could feel the room go dark, but you just burrowed in deeper, content to sleep in the living room on the floor.
Then you felt something strange. You suddenly felt warm, and you could swear you felt hot breath on your neck. It was inviting and you turn into it. Half asleep, you open your eyes to slits and see a sleepy-eyed Padawan snuggling up with you. You smile to yourself and scoot closer to his cozy body. His arms engulf you and hold you tight.
Your mind reels at the sensations that are suddenly running through you. Your senses are on fire. His closeness and open affection had never affected you this way before. Your head is tucked into the nook between his neck and shoulder, his head resting lightly above yours. His musky smell is intoxicating. Suddenly, you are wide awake, and you can't keep yourself from tensing up. You knew Obi-Wan could tell.
"Sshh, just relax and sleep," Obi-Wan soothes. He pulls you closer and kneads your aching muscles with his fingers. Tendrils of desire shoot down through your skin from every spot he touches. You can feel him focus in on your sore shoulder and more of the ache fades away. Warm fuzziness makes a journey through your tired body and a brief shot of anger flies through you when you realize he's whammying you. But in the end you let yourself fall into it.
***
You awake some time later, and it takes you a moment to get your bearings. You gasp when you realize that Obi-Wan is curled up behind you, a protective arm draped over your side. You try to squeeze out from under his grasp by turning to your back, but he mumbles and pulls you tighter to him. Now you're flat on your back with him holding you in. You can just make out the contours of his face in the moonlight that's sneaking through the blinds.
He is beautiful. You can't believe you had never noticed before. Lying there, he seems so innocent. You cannot resist the urge to lean over and place a kiss across his brow. He stirs slightly and you look down at his face. You are mere inches from his mouth and you stare at its fullness, imagining its taste. Without warning Obi- Wan's arms tighten and pull your lips to his. They touch briefly before you come to your senses and pull away.
"Obi-Wan! What the hell are you doing?" You yell and absently wipe your mouth with the back of your hand.
"Oh, come now, it couldn't have been that bad," he teases. He's sits up slightly, resting on his elbows. You can see him grinning like a Cheshire cat, and you huff loudly and stand up. "Besides, you wanted it," he adds.
"What?!" You exclaim.
"I heard you. You know that strong emotions are very difficult not to project. That is what woke me up in fact."
"Well, fumbling around with the thought and actually wanting it are two different things!" You snap and poke your lower lip out in a pout. "I'm going to bed, alone, and enjoy the last few hours of sleep." You grab your pillow and throw the blanket you'd been grasping on top of him and stomp off to your bedroom.
`Stupid Jedi,' you think to yourself. So conceited. What does he think he is just irresistible to all women? Maybe in his galaxy, but not here. You had to admit that his lips were nice, though.
You groan to yourself and burrow your head under the pillow, willing yourself to sleep.
***
You hear the sounds of the juicer and the coffee maker before you're fully awake to comprehend them. You roll over and try pressing yourself deeper into the bed. Absentmindedly, you reach over and pound the alarm clock thinking the sounds are emanating from there.
"Wake up, sleepyhead," comes a cheery voice from the doorway. "I've got your coffee ready, and some fresh orange juice, and Belgian waffles." Obi-Wan knows you are not a morning person and that you don't really like to eat early either. But if there was one breakfast food you liked it was waffles. The inviting smell of Columbian coffee was very convincing also.
"What time is it?" You manage to mumble from under your pillow.
"It's after 9:30am. You're going to waste the day."
You feel the irritation swelling inside and you fight to squelch it. You know he means the best. Sitting up on the side of the bed you take a moment to smooth your hair and straighten your sleepshirt and shorts. You grimace as you feel the sweat soaked fabric touch clammy skin. Damn, you hated when you slept like that. You usually didn't wake up sweaty unless accompanied by some vivid dream, but you couldn't remember a thing this morning.
You stumble your way into the bathroom and sweep your mess of hair into a half-assed, scrunchie held, ponytail. Splashing cold water onto your face wakes you up the rest of the way and the events of the night before suddenly come back to you. Obi-Wan had kissed you. Not only had it been strange to be kissed by, well, Obi-Wan, but it had been very strange for another guy to touch you that way. It had been a long time since anyone besides William had shown any affection toward you, and it was just creepy.
You try just shoving all those thoughts back in your mind and displaying a smile. You hated talking about things. You'd rather just forget it ever happened. No harm done, so let it be. You saunter into the kitchen and breathe in the yummy smell of coffee.
"Here, I've already made you a cup." Obi-Wan tells you then hands you the double sized coffee mug adorned with kittens. You take a gulp and enjoy the scorching feel of it journeying down your throat. You grin wide, which in turn makes Obi-Wan smile.
"Thank you. But you didn't have to cook breakfast. What's going on? Do you want something? Are you dying? Men only do things for self-serving reasons. So what is it?"
He grins at your pessimism and takes the seat across from you in the breakfast nook.
"Well, there is something I want to do today."
"And?"
"I want you to take me to Wet `n Wild."
You just stare at him. You set your coffee cup down with a loud thud and stare some more.
"You want me to what?'
"I want to go to the waterpark. It's just up the road, and I know you've been there before. It'll be fun. It's so hot outside that there isn't much else we could do that would be enjoyable." He's put on the Cheshire grin again and you turn to look out the window to contemplate his request.
You didn't envy putting on a bathing suit in front of hundreds of people. Not that you were ashamed of your body, just the idea that every pervert in the place would get a look at it. You look back over at the Padawan and his large grin. You'd promised him you'd show him a good time this summer. All you'd managed to do so far was run him into your ex, and watch movies like couch potatoes. For some reason though, you had this gut feeling you were going to regret this.
"Alright. But then I get to choose the next outing." He's nodding as you speak. "Now, let me eat, then give me a half an hour to shower. I can't believe you're making me wax my bikini line." You shudder at the thought and shove a syrup dripping bite of waffle into your mouth. Well, at least the day should prove interesting. Padawan at a waterpark - what could go wrong?
