Disclaimer: Not my boys. Just my ficlette.
Notes: This follows 'When the Master Gets Sick...' and '...the
Padawan is Not Far to Follow'
As One
Qui-Gon was
roused from sleep by an intense tickle in his nose. Back in his own quarters
and his own bed, he knew where the tissue box was and propped himself up on
both elbows as he reached for it. "herrSchhhhhh!" He sneezed into his pillow before
getting the tissues to his nose, but he didn't much care. He cupped them to his
face to muffle a second sneeze and then blow his nose. "herKShfffff!" His head snapped down towards the
pillows from the force, his hair only loosely tied back, fell past his
shoulders and against his cheeks.
He heard
footsteps and, for a brief moment, thought it was Tala checking up on him. But
what he felt was unmistakably not Tala's presence. Qui-Gon
pulled his head up, sniffing and coughing lightly to clear away the congestion,
even just a little bit.
Qui-Gon
wanted his padwan's homecoming to be one of joy, even
if that lasted only a moment before evidence of his illness showed through. He
would welcome the man first, then explain how he wasn't feeling well. Then
Obi-Wan would have to sleep on the sofa in the common area to avoid catching
his master's cold.
But the
sight that met Qui-Gon's welcoming smile was not one he liked or had expected. Obi-Wan
looked terribly pale, apart from bright eyes, flushed cheeks, and a red nose. He
sniffled and shivered as he surveyed Qui-Gon in the bed the way Qui-Gon was
evaluating him.
Silently,
Qui-Gon raised his arm, lifting up the blankets along with it. Obi-Wan slithered
out off his cloak and boots on the way to bed, then
slid beneath the blankets with the rest of his uniform still on. In one move,
Qui-Gon brought the blankets down and wrapped his arm securely around his
padawan. Both lying on their side, Obi-Wan scooted backwards and Qui-Gon moved
forwards until they were locked together in form and in warmth.
Obi-Wan
tensed instead of relaxing, however, and Qui-Gon passed the tissue box. "ehhh-UHshuhhh!" Obi-Wan wiped his nose and tossed the
tissue over the side of the bed. Then he hugged the tissue box to his chest
while Qui-Gon hugged Obi-Wan to his own. The pointer finger on
his other hand traced patterns in the short, padawan-style hair. It
stroked behind Obi-Wan's ear, and down neck and clothes to follow the braid. It
felt so nice to be back in bed with Obi-Wan again that he hardly wanted to miss
a moment by falling asleep. Obi-Wan coughed, then he
closed his eyes to the soothing touch.
//When next we holiday, we can have a
retreat of our own and see all the things you missed,//
Qui-Gon suggested through their bond.
Obi-Wan
smiled and nodded in agreement. //And in
the morning I can help you with the ceremony preparations. It will go twice as
fast with us both working on it.//
Qui-Gon
gave Obi-Wan an especially tight hug, then closed his eyes. They drifted off to
sleep together as one.