Title: Warming

Author: tarotgal

Fandom: Star Wars

Rating: PG13

Pairing: Q/O

Disclaimer: Yeah, um, no. I'm poor and have no legal rights to the boys. Don't even pretend like I do.

Summary: PWP in which Obi-Wan warms Qui-Gon up

Notes: This is exactly 1,000 words in length. Not that that means anything, but it is. It's the first in a series of what I hope will be Friday breaks. It started as a scene in a Qui-has-the-flu story I was working on but was way too far off the point of the story so it broke off and took on a life of its own.

Warming

     "Master!" Obi-Wan exclaimed, cupping Qui-Gon's feet between his hands. "They're like ice!"

     Qui-Gon, currently distracted by the tickle in his nose, did not reply. As his jaw dropped and eyes closed, he pulled a tissue from the box on his lap and held it loosely to his nose and mouth. "hehh... huh-uh-" He paused a moment to cough harshly, then the sneeze resumed. "huh-HEHShooo!" He rubbed the tissue against his nose, then balled it up and tossed it onto the floor with the others. "Sorry," he whispered weakly. He made to pull his feet from Obi-Wan's lap where they sat to be rubbed, but Obi-Wan shook his head.

     "No, no. Give me a moment." He patted his Master's feet, pulled the socks back onto them and stood.

     Open mouthed thanks to the urge to sneeze which was creeping back upon him, Qui-Gon turned his head and followed Obi-Wan as far as he could with his gaze. Then he pulled another tissue from the box. The sneeze was coming, though sneaky. He breathed heavily, trying to draw it out. He closed his eyes, and let his face go slack. Almost close to slipping into meditation, he relaxed his whole body in turn. Then he raised a tissue. "ehh-HUHShooo!" He snuffled into the tissue, then balled it up and tossed it aside.

     Obi-Wan was back in no time, lifting Qui-Gon's legs a little to slip beneath them on the couch. He lifted the blanket at the bottom to make sure the socks were on properly. Then he slipped a gel heating pad beneath. "Whooh!" Qui-Gon jumped at the sudden, unexpected warmth.

     "Too hot?" Obi-Wan asked. "I know we usually use it when we have pulled muscles, but I thought..."

     "No, it's great," Qui-Gon replied. He wiggled his toes and buried his feet in the thick pad, letting it wrap around his toes and over his feet completely all the way up to his ankles. "Ahh..." He closed his eyes. "Padawan, I don't know what I'd do without..." Quickly he pulled another tissue out of the box. "yuh... huh... huh-UHHShooo!"

     "Bless." Obi-Wan leaned forward, looking down to survey the floor. It was already nearly covered with tissues. "Sure you don't want me to help you over to bed? You're not getting any work done here."

     Qui-Gon shook his head. "No. Once I get beneath the covers and my head hits the pillow it's all over. Here I can at least pretend as though I'll eventually be productive." He sighed. "I don't feel quite so sick out here."

     Obi-Wan cocked his head and put on a sympathetic pout. "You're not really so sick," he said. He reached over and stroked his master's cheek, then tucked loose strands of hair behind his ear. He caressed the ear with gentle strokes. "Just a little case of the sneezies, huh?"

     Qui-Gon nodded and turned his head towards Obi-Wan's touch. He wasn't about to admit how badly he actually felt. But Obi-Wan knew and his look of sympathy deepened. "Can I get you something to warm you up inside? Tea? Warm milk? Soup?" He ran fingers up and down Qui-Gon's cheek.

     "Soup? Really?" Qui-Gon asked, straightening up a little in interest. "You can make soup?"

     Obi-Wan ducked his head down, smiling. "I can try. Can't possibly be that difficult, right?" He pulled away and started to get up, making sure the blanket was tucked around him tightly and the heating pad was still warm around his feet.

     Qui-Gon grabbed his wrist. "Please don't destroy the kitchen? I don't have the energy to put out a fire."

     "Yes, Master," he replied with a smile. Then pulled a tissue out of the box and placed it in Qui-Gon's reaching hand just in time.

     "huh-HEHShooo! HEHSHOO!" The sneezes pitched him forward weakly, and he balled the tissue up and tossed it away after rubbing it against his nose and moustache. Obi-Wan bent down and embraced him. It was a soft hug of reassurance that kept Qui-Gon awake until Obi-Wan returned.

     Obi-Wan settled down with a large bowl of soup in one hand and a small plate of bread triangles in the other. He handed the bowl over, blowing on it. He sat, looking worried, chewing nervously on his thumb. Qui-Gon picked up the spoon and swirled it around in the soup, sizing it up. He took a spoonful of veggies, noodles, and broth. After blowing on it, he took a taste. His adam's apple bobbed down and up as he swallowed. "Well?" Obi-Wan asked. "Is it all right?"

     Qui-Gon nodded. "It's lovely." He ate another spoonful. "And you say this is your first attempt at soup?"

     Obi-Wan reached over and dipped a bread triangle in. "I'm glad it's up to your standards. Even if your nose is all stuffy and you can't taste it properly."

     With a smile, "I can taste it well enough to know it's good. And it's warm, which is even better. Now if I can only keep from sneezing long enough to eat it all..." His nostrils twitched. Obi-Wan reached over with a tissue and pressed it against his nose, catching the runs, rubbing away the tickle. Qui-Gon smiled even more. "What would I do without you?"

     "You'd lie curled up on the couch, cold and miserable with freezing cold feet and nothing to eat." Obi-Wan gave another firm rub and then moved in for a gentle kiss. Qui-Gon tasted like soup.

     "You don't have to be gentle with me, just because I'm- heh- sick," Qui-Gon told him. Obi-Wan rubbed his nose again for him and the tickle backed down.

     Obi-Wan cocked his head and held his arm out, after dipping another piece of bread into the soup. "Well then, cuddle close and I'll make sure you stay all warm, from head to toes. Even if this is just a little case of the sneezies." Qui-Gon scooted over and snuggled into Obi-Wan's arms, heating pad between his feet and soup between the two of them to share.