There's No Place Like Home
by Nicole D'Annais (ndannais@fbi-agent.com)

Homepage: http://adult.dencity.com/ndannais/

Paring: Q/O

Rating: NC-17

Category: Angst, Drama, First Time

Archive: Master and Apprentice--anyone else ask please

Summary: Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan are sent on a mission to Qui-Gon's home planet, but the mission gets overshadowed by Qui-Gon's history.

Disclaimer: I don't own anyone, much less these fine characters--although I own a couple of action figures of them, does that count? Probably not. Oh well, at any rate I refuse to make any money off them.

Feedback: Please? I crave feedback as much as Obi-Wan craves Qui-Gon and vice versa.

Author's Notes: Blame this one on Destina and Rina for getting me started on Depeche Mode again with their "Twilight Burning" series. The idea for the story was inspired by the DM song "A Question of Time." Thanks to the lurking Becky for the fabulous beta, and for dragging me into slashdom in the first place--I guess that means you take part of the blame for this too?
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Qui-Gon frowned at the screen in front of him. He was the logical choice for the assignment, given his background, but he wished there was someone else. And if he had to go, he would prefer going alone. Not that Obi-Wan would agree to that.

But then Obi-Wan didn't know the full story.

He pushed a button, and the assignment disappeared from view. Perhaps the Council could be persuaded to change their minds. Surely his former master would understand.

That faint hope in the front of his mind, he stood, straightened his robes, and headed for the Council chambers.

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The Council did not change their minds. "Individual concerns matter not," Yoda had said. "The needs of many, far more important."

Qui-Gon had clamped his mouth shut tightly, nodded, bowed, and left the room before he could get himself in trouble. He already had enough to deal with on this mission without worrying about censure from the Council.

He walked through the halls of the Temple slower than usual, wishing to delay telling his Padawan about the mission until he could compose himself enough not to give away his feelings on the matter. But luck was not with him, and he nearly ran into Obi-Wan as he rounded a corner.

"Master!" Obi-Wan said as he stopped short. "I'm sorry, I should have sensed you were--"

"It's all right, Obi-Wan. I was lost in thought and did not realize you were there either. We shall both have to endeavor to be more aware of our surroundings."

"Yes, Master." Obi-Wan's eyes narrowed. "Do we have a mission?"

Qui-Gon gave him a surprised look. "Why would you think that?"

"Because there are very few things that distract you."

"Very observant. And yes, we do have a mission."

Obi-Wan almost succeeded in hiding his excitement as he fell into step beside Qui-Gon and they headed for their quarters. "When do we leave?"

"Two hours."

"That doesn't give us much time. Where are we going?"

Qui-Gon took a deep breath before answering, "Barrat."

"Isn't that your home planet?"

"Yes," Qui-Gon answered as he lengthened his stride. "You'll have to read up on it on the way there, since there is no time to study before we leave."

"Can't you just tell me about it?"

"I haven't lived there in a very long time," Qui-Gon said as he opened the door to their quarters. "You'll have to read what the database has; I barely remember the place."

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Barely remember the place, Qui-Gon thought as they boarded the ship to leave. He remembered it all too well. That was the problem. He knew things about Barrat that the Republic did not. Which was why he was being sent there now.

"Master?"

Qui-Gon turned to his student as they entered the ship's main room. "Yes?"

"What's the mission about?"

"It's on the datapad." Obi-Wan flinched at the sharpness of his master's voice, so Qui-Gon elaborated, this time in a more neutral tone. "Several cargo ships have gone missing near the planet. The senate suspects a group of pirates, and there are indications they may be working from a headquarters somewhere on Barrat."

Obi-Wan frowned. "But Barrat is supposed to be a peaceful world. Surely they would not tolerate pirates."

Peaceful, indeed. "It's true they do not generally perpetuate feuds with other planets. However, that doesn't mean they won't look the other way over a bit of piracy."

Obi-Wan opened his mouth to ask another question, but Qui-Gon cut him off. "Read your datapad. I must go speak to the pilot." Before he could be waylaid, he turned and hurried out of the room.

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Qui-Gon made his way to the cockpit and asked the pilot how long the flight would take, then went in search of a solitary room. He knew the time of the flight; he hadn't needed to ask. He'd just needed a convenient excuse to leave.

And now he needed a good place to hide. Obi-Wan was no fool; even without the Force he knew something was wrong. And he wouldn't stop until he found out what it was. It was a trait that served his student well on missions. And one that drove Qui-Gon to extreme irritation when it was turned on him.

He found a small room near the sleeping quarters. The room was empty except for some shelving and a few empty boxes that suggested it was used for supplies at times. Qui-Gon shut the door firmly behind him, kneeled down on the floor and raised his shields, shutting his Padawan out before sinking slowly into meditation, his thoughts starting to drift.

Five hours to Barrat. Five hours to prepare.

Maybe he should go back and ask the pilot to slow down.

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Qui-Gon rose stiffly, his legs protesting the movement after over four hours of kneeling. He could tell they were nearing the planet. Obi-Wan would be looking for him.

Of course, Obi-Wan would have been wondering where he was for the last four hours. But he was too much the polite and proper Padawan to search his master out when it was obvious Qui-Gon wanted privacy. Still, now that they were close to landing, Obi-Wan would have a reason to search.

As if on cue, there was a knock on the door. "Master?" Obi-Wan called through the door, his voice muffled. "We'll be landing soon."

"I'll be right out." He wondered briefly if Obi-Wan had known which room he was in all along, or only when he'd gone looking, then decided it didn't matter.

A few minutes later, Qui-Gon entered the main room of the ship. He could see the questions in Obi-Wan's eyes, but he wasn't ready to answer them. Force willing he wouldn't have to. If he was lucky, they would find the pirates quickly and be on their way back to the safety of Coruscant in no time.

Unfortunately, luck hadn't exactly been his friend of late.

"Master?"

Qui-Gon turned to his apprentice. "Yes, Obi-Wan?"

He saw the hesitation, and felt a certain pride mixed with irritation when Obi-Wan asked the question anyway. "Do you have any family on Barrat?"

The pride dissolved, turning into complete irritation. Not with Obi-Wan, but with the Council, fate, the Force, whoever or whatever was responsible for sending them on this mission. "No." None to speak of. It wasn't exactly a lie.

Truth, after all, is in the eye of the beholder.

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Obi-Wan studied his master closely. He'd never been this completely shut out on a mission, not since Bandomeer, before Qui-Gon had taken him as his Padawan. In the seven years since, Qui-Gon had generally been very forthcoming with information. And if there were things he could not disclose, he simply said so. He didn't shut down like this.

As they landed, he noticed his master became more withdrawn. The shields he had kept up the whole trip had grown so strong Obi-Wan wasn't sure even Master Yoda could penetrate them. And anyone, Force sensitive or not, could see that the man was not open for questions.

Still..."Master, what is it about this planet that you--"

"We must be on our way," Qui-Gon interrupted. He hurried toward the exit, not waiting to see if Obi-Wan bothered to follow.

Fine, Obi-Wan thought. He'd simply have to do some side investigating on his own. He would figure out what Qui-Gon was hiding. He'd managed to do it once, on Bandomeer; with the experience and training he'd had since then, it shouldn't be too hard.

They had only made it a hundred yards from the ship before the first clue landed in Obi-Wan's lap. "Qui-Gon Jinn! Is that you?"

Qui-Gon stiffened, then turned in the direction of the voice. "Abala Dnye," he replied. "And Chratos Jarl. What a surprise to find you here."

Obi-Wan divided his attention between the two newcomers and his master. Qui-Gon didn't seem to be surprised at all. And despite his polite tone, Obi-Wan could sense that his teacher was less than pleased to see these two men.

"It has been a long time," the taller of the two, whom Obi-Wan assumed was Abala Dnye, said with a smile.

"Indeed it has," Qui-Gon agreed. "If you'll excuse us--"

"Wait, Jinn," the shorter man, who appeared to be about Qui-Gon's age, put his hand briefly on Qui-Gon's arm to stop him. "You haven't introduced us to your companion."

Qui-Gon's mouth tightened--a spectacular feat, since it looked like his lips were about to fuse together when they got off the ship. "This is my apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi."

"Ah, another Jedi," Jarl said, looking Obi-Wan up and down as if he were a specimen to be studied. "We don't get many of your kind on Barrat. I'd love to talk with you sometime about the Jedi."

"He will be busy," Qui-Gon said shortly. "Come along, Padawan," he added as he turned and hurried away from the two men.

Obi-Wan followed his master, his mind busy trying to fit the conversation into what little he already knew. This was a very large puzzle. It would take a lot of work to figure it out. But he knew he could do it.

He hadn't studied under Qui-Gon Jinn all these years for nothing.

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Qui-Gon held back a sigh of relief as they made it to their assigned quarters without running into anyone else he knew. He didn't know that many people here anymore, but with his recent luck, he'd half expected to run into all of them. Running into Dnye and Jarl had been bad enough.

He turned his thoughts away from those two before his anger spilled out past his shields. "Obi-Wan, I have a few contacts here I'd like to talk to right away."

Obi-Wan had been in the process of taking off his robe. "Yes, Master," he replied, shrugging the robe back on his shoulders. "Where first?"

"I think they will speak more freely if I go alone. You may have dinner here on your own. I should be back before it gets too late."

His apprentice eyed him quizzically, but said only, "Yes, Master."

"I will return soon," Qui-Gon said as he walked out into the fading sun, closing the door behind him. Once the door shut, he looked around, taking in familiar sights almost forgotten. Or blocked out.

What am I doing here? He shook his head, trying to clear it. Pirates. Find the pirates, get away from this place. That was the plan.

His goal fixed firmly in his mind, he started in the direction of the hangar, avoiding eye contact and hoping he didn't run into anyone else.

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After Qui-Gon left, Obi-Wan discarded his robe and inspected their quarters. The room was comfortable, with a soft couch and chairs to match, all the furnishings color-coordinated with the wall hangings. Definitely a step up from their usual quarters on missions.

A bookshelf held several books on local geography. Obi-Wan passed those over with a wrinkle of his nose. He'd had more than enough of Barrat geography from the datapad. Books on local customs also received little attention, as did an entertainment guide. "The Qyrate," he read the title on the next book. "Now that looks interesting."

As he reached for the book, there was a knock at the door. Maybe Qui-Gon ordered food. He opened the door, surprised to find Abala Dnye and Chratos Jarl on the other side. "I'm sorry, but Master Qui-Gon isn't here."

The two men exchanged a look, then Dnye said, "That's a shame. We were hoping to have dinner with him."

"Perhaps tomorrow, if we are still here."

"Is he due back soon?"

"He said he would not be too long."

"Say," Jarl cut in, "maybe you could go with us, and when your Master gets back, he can join us."

"I'm not sure...." Obi-Wan knew there was something about these two Qui-Gon didn't like. Of course, that meant they probably had valuable information for his own investigation. Even more reason he was fairly sure his master wouldn't like him having dinner with them.

Then again, he didn't like being completely shut out. "Where were you planning to have dinner?"

Jarl jerked his thumb over his shoulder. "There's a restaurant a few blocks from here. Qui-Gon should remember it; it's been here for ages. It's called 'Sarla's.'"

Surely a public place would be safe. After all, he was a Jedi, or at least he had enough command of the Force to take care of himself in public against two men with no Force powers to speak of. And he could leave a message for Qui-Gon to join them. Perfectly innocent.

"All right. I'll join you." The pair waited at the door while he left the message on his datapad, set it to alert Qui-Gon when he returned, and gathered his robe. "Let's go," he said as he shut the door behind him.

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Qui-Gon returned to their quarters several hours later with little more than a headache to show for his efforts. His contact at the hangar had given him a few small leads that might help, but beyond that no one else could offer anything useful.

And yet he was sure the pirates were here. Or maybe it was just that Barrat was such an evil place he had no trouble believing that pirates could thrive on the planet.

The rooms were dark when he walked in. He noticed the blinking light on the datapad as he switched on the overhead lighting. His jaw tightened as he read the message, then tried to decide what action to take.

Obi-Wan could take care of himself.

Obi-Wan didn't know what he was getting himself into.

And if the situation went a certain way, Obi-Wan wouldn't be able to take care of himself.

Muttering a curse, Qui-Gon turned and headed back out into the night, intent on getting to Sarla's as quickly as possible.

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"So then big-shot Qui-Gon pulled his lightsaber, only to find it wouldn't work because he'd left it on when the Wookie pushed him in the lake!" Jarl laughed as he finished the story.

Obi-Wan couldn't help but laugh as well. He'd had that same problem often enough, it was nice to know his Master hadn't been infallible. "How old was he then?"

"Sixteen, I think. Home visiting his family and eager to show how much better he was than the rest of us."

"So what happened to his family?" Obi-Wan asked as he took another drink.

Jarl and Dnye looked at each other. "Well..." Dnye responded after a moment, "his father died a while back. And his mother--"

"Obi-Wan."

Uh-oh. Obi-Wan was familiar with that tone in his master's voice. And it never meant anything good. "Yes, Master?"

"It's time we went back to our quarters."

"Now hang on a minute, Qui-Gon," Jarl said. "We were in the middle of a conversation here."

"And the conversation is finished." Obi-Wan's eyes widened. He felt the Force Qui-Gon had employed with that sentence.

"The conversation is finished," Jarl repeated.

Qui-Gon looked at both men. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," they both echoed. Obi-Wan was left with no choice but to follow his master out of the restaurant and back to their rooms. Luckily the trip was rather short, because with each step his anger grew.

He waited until they were safely inside their quarters before asking, "What was that about?"

Although his tone had been carefully controlled, Qui-Gon seemed to sense the emotion behind the question. "Nothing you need to get so upset about."

Obi-Wan could feel his control slipping. And he did not want to start any kind of argument with his master. The few they'd had over the years had been explosive, and that would not help him gather information to find out just what was going on. "If you would tell me what's going on here, maybe I would realize for myself that I have nothing to be upset about."

"Obi-Wan...." Qui-Gon looked at him for a long moment. "There are things about Barrat that you only know if you live here."

"Such as?"

"Nothing that you need worry about. We'll be gone soon enough, and most likely we'll never have to come back." Obi-Wan could almost hear the silent 'I'll make sure of it,' at the end of that speech.

"And whatever I don't know won't hurt me, yet it was enough for you to come charging after me like some over-zealous protector?" Great. Brilliant move. It appeared as though they were headed for an argument whether he liked it or not.

"Padawan." The word held a warning. "Perhaps we should both get some sleep--"

"No." It seemed he'd gone from not wanting an argument to charging into one in mere seconds. "You've been keeping secrets since we were assigned to this mission. I want to know what's going on."

Qui-Gon glared at him. "It is not a Padawan's place to question a Master."

"Bantha! You question authority at every turn--I learned it from the best."

"I have earned the right--"

"And so have I! I have served at your side for seven years. I think I deserve your trust." He moved forward a few steps until he was inches away from his master. "If you can't tell me, then say so. Otherwise, admit that you flat out won't tell me and at least I'll know where I stand."

Qui-Gon stared, his attention focused somewhere around Obi-Wan's mouth. And he said absolutely nothing. After several minutes, it became obvious he wasn't going to respond at all. "Fine." Obi-Wan grated out before turning on his heel and going to his room, closing the door firmly behind him.

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Qui-Gon let out a shaky breath after his padawan left the room. He had to get off this planet. If he didn't find those damned pirates soon, there would be trouble. And not just for the criminals.

A bitter laugh escaped his lips. If they didn't get off the planet soon, he might just be a criminal.

That thought was enough to make him move. He headed straight for the shower. A shower and meditation. That was what he needed.

That and to find those pirates. Now.

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Qui-Gon spent most of the night meditating, stopping a couple of times to attempt to sleep, but always returning to meditation when sleep proved impossible. By morning he was still no closer to solving any of his problems. He rose from the floor with difficulty, his knees protesting the amount of time he'd spent on them in the last two days.

Once he was dressed, he entered the living room, eyeing Obi-Wan's door. He didn't want to take his padawan with him. The less time Obi-Wan spent outside with the natives, the better. But he couldn't be sure his apprentice would stay inside. And he couldn't quite bring himself to order him to do so. An order like that would demand answers when he returned. Answers he didn't want to give.

He settled on a quick datapad message with a list of assignments and exercises that would hopefully keep Obi-Wan busy the rest of the day. If not...well, he'd just have to be sure he was back as early as possible.

It was probably too much to ask that he return with the pirates in custody.

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Obi-Wan was surprised at the lateness of the hour when he awoke. Usually Qui-Gon woke him much earlier than this, if he didn't wake up on his own first. The trouble he'd had sleeping the night before would account for his own body not waking him up. But not for Qui-Gon's sudden departure from routine.

Then again, everything Qui-Gon had done concerning this mission had been out of character. And maybe if he dragged himself out of bed, Obi-Wan might have a chance to find out why.

He dressed and opened his door, already sensing his master wasn't in their quarters. As he'd expected, his datapad was on the table, signaling a message. He read the list of things he was supposed to do with a combination of anger and amusement. Anger at Qui-Gon for seeking to exhaust his student in order to keep him from finding out the truth. Amusement at his methods--straight out orders would have been too easy.

Obi-Wan sighed. Fortunately, he rarely finished assignments with the speed he could employ when he was truly motivated. He could finish these tasks much faster than his master imagined. As for the physical exercises that were left...well, it was a beautiful day. And Qui-Gon hadn't specifically said he had to stay indoors. Surely there was a place outside where he could exercise. Where he could be in touch with the living Force.

Where he might run into someone with another piece of the puzzle.

That thought foremost in his mind, Obi-Wan rushed through the assignments, then picked up his lightsaber and set out in search of an area to do his exercises.

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By the time Qui-Gon returned to their quarters, night had fallen. He was hot, tired and in desperate need of food, a shower and sleep. When he walked in and found the rooms once again dark, he had a feeling he wouldn't get any of those things anytime soon.

The datapad held a message. He read it with the sinking feeling that he already knew what he would find. He was right. "Finished everything. At Sarla's with Jarl and Dnye." Qui-Gon blinked when he realized the message had been left four hours ago. Obi-Wan must have risen right after he left to get everything done by then. And four hours at Sarla's....

Qui-Gon dropped the datapad onto the table and hurried back out the door for Sarla's, hoping this wouldn't become a nightly habit for the duration of their stay on this planet.

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Obi-Wan was enjoying that pleasantly warm feeling he always got after having about one too many drinks. He'd have to remember not to order another one, or he could forget about acting normal when he walked into their quarters and Qui-Gon was there.

"Obi-Wan."

Oops. The tone was even worse than last night, and Obi-Wan couldn't stifle a giggle. He knew it only made things worse, but he couldn't stop himself.

"Qui-Gon," Jarl said amiably. "Don't spoil all the fun. Sit down and have a drink with us."

"I'm sorry, but we have to get an early start tomorrow."

Jarl waved a hand at him. "You're such a stick in the mud!"

Qui-Gon fixed a glare on Jarl that would have had Obi-Wan cringing. "I'll thank you to take your arm off my student's shoulders and let him out of that booth so we can be on our way."

There was no Force behind that command; it wasn't necessary. Jarl moved his arm immediately and stood, allowing Obi-Wan room to leave.

Obi-Wan, however, wasn't so accommodating. "I'm having fun."

"It's time to leave," Qui-Gon said, imitating patience.

He glanced at his wrist. "I don't have my chronometer, but it doesn't feel like it's time to leave."

"Padawan." It wasn't yelled, or shouted. It wasn't even that loud. But it was forceful enough to have Obi-Wan on his feet and following his master out the door. He did spare a backwards glance and a shrug of his shoulders to the other two men before focusing his attention back on his anger at Qui-Gon.

This time he didn't even cloak his question in a polite form. "What is wrong with you?"

"Excuse me?"

Normally he would have heeded the warning in Qui-Gon's tone. But the combination of alcohol and days of frustration had taken their toll. "You handle this whole mission without me, leave me with nothing to do, and take exception to everything I find to fill my time."

"I rather thought I'd left you with plenty to do."

"And why is that? If you wanted me to stay put, you could have just ordered me to do so." Qui-Gon didn't flinch as Obi-Wan leaned in closer with each word. "But ordering me would have brought up too many questions, wouldn't it? That's not like you, Master. You're a lot of things, but a coward has never been one of them."

Qui-Gon clenched his jaw so tight, Obi-Wan would swear he heard the man's teeth grinding. "You've had too much to drink. So turn around and go to bed right now, and I'll forget this happened."

"Fine. I'll go. But you don't have to forget. I won't." With that, Obi-Wan stalked off to his room, not bothering to keep himself from slamming the door.

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The main door to their quarters woke Obi-Wan the next morning. His mild headache objected to the sound, but his brain was happy to hear it. It likely meant that Qui-Gon had left for the day and it was safe to get up and move around.

He dressed, not bothering with his boots just yet, and went out to the living room, stopping in surprise when he saw his master on the couch. "I heard the door," he said in confusion.

"Yes, I just got back. I thought I would get us both some breakfast before leaving."

"You're going out alone again, I take it?"

"I told you the first day, Obi-Wan, most of these people will only talk to me."

Obi-Wan sat down on a chair next to the couch and picked up a piece of fruit. "That doesn't explain why you're keeping things from me," he said point blank.

Qui-Gon sighed. "There are things I would rather not talk about. I'm sorry if you feel slighted by that. But I will tell you what I can when I can."

"You can tell me now. You just choose not to."

"Obi-Wan. I don't force you to tell me something if you're not ready to talk about it."

He couldn't argue with that. "So how long is my list of things to do today?"

"It's on your datapad. I think you'll find it a bit more manageable than yesterday." Qui-Gon rose, dusting crumbs off his fingers. "After you finish, you are free to do as you wish, as long as you aren't out too late."

Obi-Wan blinked, then his eyes narrowed. Something wasn't right. "I can go wherever I want?"

"Yes."

"Even to Sarla's?"

"If you wish."

His eyes were practically slits. "What's the catch?"

Qui-Gon reached into the folds of his robes. "Wear this."

Obi-Wan took the gold object from his master and turned it over, studying it. It was a pin. One plain gold circle. "Why? Is it a tracking device?"

"No. It will show you are protected by me. No harm will come to you."

"I can take care of myself."

"Maybe. However, with that, you won't have to. And I can uncover information without worrying about what's happening to you."

Obi-Wan glanced at the pin again. "I wear this, and I can really go wherever I want?"

"As long as you wear it where it's visible to everyone, yes."

He studied the pin again, then put it on. "Fine."

"Thank you," Qui-Gon said as he headed for the door.

"Be careful," Obi-Wan called after him. His master nodded before he disappeared and the door closed behind him. Obi-Wan took one more look at the pin, then shook his head and went to his room to get his boots.

Some days he was sure he'd never understand his master.

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By the time Obi-Wan finished the short list of assignments, it was time for lunch. He put on his robe, taking care to place the pin where it could be seen, lest he run into his master, and headed out in search of food.

It didn't take long for him to realize that most of the citizens of Barrat were not nearly as friendly to him today as they had been. Before he'd been greeted with smiles and nods, but today, people were mostly glancing at him, then looking away as if they had much better things to do.

Could word have gotten around that the Jedi were investigating? Were the pirates right under their noses? Qui-Gon had said these people might be willing to look the other way if they knew--could he have been right?

Obi-Wan walked into Sarla's and scanned the room. He found the pair he was looking for almost immediately. "Jarl! Dnye! Good to see you," he said with a smile as he approached their table.

"Obi-Wan. This is a surprise." Jarl stared at him for a moment, then looked at Dnye, who did the same. "Must have been some night after you left here. I'm surprised Qui-Gon let you out so soon."

"It was touch and go there for a while, but this morning he was like a different person."

Both men laughed. "I bet," Jarl managed as he stood and placed some money on the table. Dnye did the same.

"You're leaving?"

"We have to get back to work," Dnye said.

"Oh. Perhaps dinner then?"

Both men looked at him oddly for a few seconds. "We'll see," Jarl answered finally. They walked out with a casual wave.

Obi-Wan frowned after them. If this day gets any weirder.... He ordered food to take back to his room, unwilling to stay in the restaurant in case someone else found him offensive.

After lunch, he wandered aimlessly around the living room. He didn't particularly want to go back outside, and there wasn't much for him to do inside. He didn't feel like studying, and most of his favorite stories were back on Coruscant, in his room.

Then he remembered the book he'd seen their first day on Barrat. He went to the shelf and found it again. "The Qyrate." He sat down on the couch and opened the book. "A guide to living Barratrian life to the fullest."

Obi-Wan sighed. Apparently despite the exotic sounding name, it really was just another guide book. Since he had nothing better to do, he skimmed the pages. Maybe there would be a suggestion on how to spend his time. He stopped short at an illustration that looked familiar. Very familiar.

He glanced down at the pin on his robe, then back at the picture. He hadn't imagined it; it was the same pin. Anxious to discover the meaning of the pin he wore, he quickly found the first line of that section.

"The Patha is given to a lover for the duration of the relationship."

"WHAT?" He read the line again, just to make sure he hadn't seen it wrong. No, it definitely said 'lover.' His anger began to rise as he read on. "As long as the partner wears the Patha, he or she will be strictly left alone by all others. Once the relationship has ended and the Patha has been returned, he or she is once again eligible for the game."

Game? What game? None of this made any sense. Why would Qui-Gon give him a pin that branded him as his lover? The idea of such a relationship...well, it didn't exactly displease him, but Obi-Wan much preferred his loud declarations to have some truth behind them. And that pin was definitely a loud declaration. Then there was the sneaky, underhanded way his master had gone about getting him to wear it...as if Obi-Wan wasn't capable of finding out what it meant?

Qui-Gon had deceived him. Worse--the man had sent him out there marked like some kind of branded sex toy. Something had to be done. It was time for the master to learn a valuable lesson.

There would be hell to pay. And heaven too, if he had anything to say about it.

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When Qui-Gon arrived an hour later, Obi-Wan was waiting. His anger had simmered near the boiling point the whole time, but he carefully hid it as he greeted his master. "Did you have any luck?"

"Possibly. There's a new lead I want to explore in the morning."

"Good." Obi-Wan rose from the couch and wandered over to where Qui-Gon was emptying the pockets in his robe onto a table. "I learned a few interesting things today."

"Oh?"

Qui-Gon's face didn't change, but Obi-Wan felt the heightening of his senses. You should be on alert... he thought. "Yes. I went to lunch, and you were right. The pin had the most amazing affect on everyone I met. No one even attempted to speak to me, let alone harm me."

Now Qui-Gon turned away and headed for his room. "I'm glad it worked."

"Oh, it definitely worked," Obi-Wan said, following close on his master's heels. "What I'm wondering is why it worked?"

"I told you. It shows you are under my protection."

"But these people are not unfamiliar with the Jedi. They must know that as your student I am protected by you.

"That didn't seem to be working," Qui-Gon answered as he shed his robe and laid it on a chair.

Obi-Wan frowned. "How exactly am I in danger if people talk to me?"

"Padawan, can we please finish this conversation after I've had a shower?"

"Certainly," Obi-Wan agreed.

After a moment, Qui-Gon added, "I'd like to take that shower now."

"Fine."

Another moment passed. "Obi-Wan, you can wait in the living room."

"I could. But I don't see the point in leaving when everyone on the planet already thinks we're lovers."

Qui-Gon froze. "What?"

"This." Obi-Wan held up the pin. "Did you think I wouldn't find out what it meant?"

What little color was left in the older man's face disappeared. "Who told you?"

"No one."

"Then how did you find out?"

"Does it really matter?"

"Yes."

"Why?" Obi-Wan shouted as the anger he'd kept inside bubbled to the surface. "Because you want to know who to blame for spoiling your little deception? What are you going to do, make them wear one too?"

Qui-Gon held up his hands. "You don't understand--"

"You're damn right I don't understand! Of all the things I would have ever expected from you, deception like this would never have been one of them."

"How did you find out?"

Obi-Wan sighed. "The Qyrate. Recognize it? It's on the shelf in the living room. Standard reading materials for all Barratrian living quarters, is it?"

"How much did you read?"

"Just enough to know what the pin means. I didn't really feel like a little light reading after that revelation."

Qui-Gon took a deep breath. "Obi-Wan, listen to me--"

"Why should I? You lied to me, Qui-Gon. Lied! Why should I believe whatever excuse you're about to come up with now?"

"I didn't lie. The pin was for your protection."

"Fine. You deliberately deceived me then. That's supposed to be better than lying?"

"You don't understand this planet--"

"You're right about that one. I don't understand it. And I don't really care to."

"That's enough!" Qui-Gon roared. "You will listen to my explanation!"

Obi-Wan glared. "Why should I?"

"Because in seven years I've never steered you wrong. Isn't that cause to think I might have a reasonable explanation for this?"

"Fine," Obi-Wan said after a moment. "I'm listening."

"Did your reading cover the legal age of adulthood on Barrat?" Obi-Wan shook his head. "It's 21. High by any other standards. But then it has to be."

After a moment, Obi-Wan prompted, "Why?"

"The Qyrate outlines a game. It's been a part of Barrat society since before recorded history. The game is...." Qui-Gon turned away, staring at a blank spot on the wall. "The game is to prey on innocents. To see how many you can bed before they reach the age of consent."

Obiwan blinked, but his surprise quickly gave way to more questions. "Is that why the age was raised, to make the game last longer?"

"No. It was raised rather recently, when a few of the Council members grew consciences. They raised the age to protect innocent children. Gradually the game has moved to the older ranks, but as it has the rules have changed. It's not as easy to prey on the older ones. New tricks have been devised. Drugs, mind tricks--anything goes when it comes to adding another pin to your collection."

The mention of the pin brought Obi-Wan's anger back into focus. "So that's what it was? You needed to save face and keep up appearances back home?"

"No! You are only 20. Still underage. And the fact that you are a Jedi only makes you far more attractive prey. Jarl and Dnye were after you."

"You keep forgetting I can take care of myself."

Qui-Gon whirled around to face him. "Not against them! You don't know what they would do!"

"I can handle anything they throw at me. I'm a trained Jedi--I may still be a Padawan, but I can handle those two. Or have you so little faith in my abilities?"

"You think you can handle them."

"I know I can handle them!" Qui-Gon shook his head. "What? There's more going on here than you're telling--not that that's a surprise." He moved closer, his face only inches from Qui-Gon's as it suddenly hit him. "They did something, didn't they? Something specific. That's what you're hiding. Who was it? Who did they hurt?"

"Does there have to be a specific example?"

There didn't have to be, but there was. He could see it in his master's eyes. "Who was it?" No reply. "Answer me!"

"Fine!" Qui-Gon snapped. "You want the whole story? You want to know about how I came home for a visit on my sister's eighteenth birthday to find her lying on the steps of our house? You want the details of how she'd been used? Or would you rather I skip straight to the part where Jarl was sitting at Sarla's, a shiny new Patha on the table, bragging about how she hadn't even been good enough to give it to?"

Obi-Wan took several steps backwards, his jaw hanging open for a second before he remembered to close it. "Your sister...I had no idea. I--what happened to her?"

"She couldn't handle what they'd done. Jarl and Dnye had drugged her. She'd thought she could handle them, but they drugged her, and they didn't even have the decency to knock her out. She was forced to lie there, conscious, but paralyzed, unable to do anything about it."

"Where is she now?"

"She tried. She tried very hard, but it was too much for her. She had a breakdown a month after it happened, and she's been in an institution on the other side of the planet ever since."

"I'm sorry," Obi-Wan said softly. And he was sorry. But that didn't excuse everything. Or explain it. "But why didn't you tell me? Not all of it," he added quickly, before Qui-Gon could interrupt. "You could have warned me about the game, about Jarl and Dnye, without telling me about her."

"I didn't want to have to answer any questions. I didn't even want to have to think about it, much less admit to you what kind of place this planet is."

Obi-Wan moved closer again. "Then you could have ordered me to stay away from them. You didn't have to go about this the way you did."

"Yes. I did." Obi-Wan shook his head. "It was the only way."

"No. But you thought it was. Why?"

"I don't know what you mean."

"You do. Why the pin?"

"Because it would protect you."

"There were other ways to do that. Why the pin?"

"It was the best option."

"Why?"

Qui-Gon shook his head. "I don't know what you want me to say."

"Tell me you wanted to see me wearing the pin. Admit it."

"No."

"Yes."

"That's absurd."

"Is it? Let's see." With no more warning than that, Obi-Wan leaned up and kissed his master.

For a moment, Qui-Gon didn't resist. Then he pushed the younger man away. "No. I will not do this."

"Why not?" Obi-Wan held up the pin. "You put this on me. Everyone here thinks we're lovers now." He leaned in, his lips almost touching his masters. "Make the reputation worth it."

"NO!" Qui-Gon backed off. "You are too young--"

Obi-Wan cursed as he advanced on his master, making up distance even as the other man backed further away. "You're no more a Barratrian at heart than I am! The age restriction doesn't bind us. I'm over the age of 18, that's all that matters. And I know what I want, so don't you dare say I'm not old enough for that either."

"I. Will. Not. Do. This."

"What? This?" Obi-Wan had his master backed against a wall, now he trapped him against it and covered his lips in a bruising kiss, forcing his mouth open, his tongue plunging inside. He ground his hips against Qui-Gon's leg, letting him feel his arousal.

Qui-Gon finally managed to get his hands on Obi-Wan's shoulders and pry him off, but he didn't let go. "This is madness," he gasped.

"Is it?" More sure of himself now that Qui-Gon wasn't able to completely push him away, Obi-Wan reached down and grabbed Qui-Gon's erection through his trousers. "Your body doesn't seem to mind."

"My body doesn't have to sort out the consequences after."

Obi-Wan silenced him with another kiss, this one less brutal, more seductive. His hand reached down inside Qui-Gon's trousers, working its way up and down the stiff cock. When Qui-Gon started responding, Obi-Wan's lips left his mouth and began working their way down his neck, removing his sash and belt, then moving the fabric of his tunic aside to place soft, teasing kisses on his chest and stomach.

His hand stilled, eliciting a harsh sound from Qui-Gon's throat. Before he could protest further, Obi-Wan shoved his master's trousers to the floor as he dropped to his knees. He touched the tip of his tongue to Qui-Gon's cock, smiling at the groan that vibrated through the other man's body.

His smile disappeared as he used his tongue to slowly circle the tip of Qui-Gon's erection. Qui-Gon shuddered, his hands clawing at the wall behind him, searching for something to hold onto. Obi-Wan savored the knowledge of what he could do to this man with barely a touch. He closed his mouth over the tip of Qui-Gon's cock, teased it with his tongue, then pulled back, breaking off all contact.

Before Qui-Gon's hands could reach Obi-Wan's head to move him closer, he blew a cool stream of air over the area he'd just wet. Qui-Gon reached for the wall as he struggled to remain on his feet. Obi-Wan closed his mouth over his master's shaft again, this time easing his mouth down the length of it until his nose touched Qui-Gon's body. He swallowed around the tip of Qui-Gon's cock, that action drawing a loud shout out of the man.

He pulled back, then slowly lowered his mouth back down over the rock-hard length repeatedly, refusing to speed up, regardless of Qui-Gon's pleas. Just when he could feel Qui-Gon was about to explode, he released him, his hands flying up to keep Qui-Gon from pulling his head back down. After a moment, he leaned in and placed a soft kiss on the tip of Qui-Gon's cock. He almost laughed at the renewed attempts to reach for his hair, but instead he drew his tongue across the tip of Qui-Gon's erection.

Satisfied with the sounds of frustration coming from the other man, Obi-Wan once again took Qui-Gon fully in his mouth, swallowing hard. Qui-Gon exploded with a roar, sending pulsating waves down Obi-Wan's throat. When he was finished, he sank to the floor, reaching out to kiss Obi-Wan with a thoroughness that left the younger man dizzy. "That was...."

"Good?" Obi-Wan supplied.

"Torture," Qui-Gon amended. "But good, yes. Very, very good." He kissed Obi-Wan again.

"I'm glad I meet your standards," Obi-Wan said with a grin.

"Don't look so smug," Qui-Gon replied.

"Why shouldn't I?"

"Because now it's my turn."

Obi-Wan's grin widened until Qui-Gon erased it with his own lips, his hunger apparent in the strength of the kiss alone. When Obi-Wan would have pulled him back onto the floor, Qui-Gon struggled, using the Force along with his physical strength to drag both of them up onto the bed and make Obi-Wan's clothes practically disappear.

Once they were both settled on the bed, Qui-Gon returned his lips to Obi-Wan's briefly before they began to travel over his chin down to his neck. He took his time, tasting every inch of skin covering his apprentice's throat. Obi-Wan nearly jumped off the bed when his master nipped at the spot where his neck met his shoulder. A chuckle was his only warning before the teeth sunk in again, stopping just short of where pain outweighed pleasure.

Minutes later, Obi-Wan was almost regretting having teased his master, but the agonizingly slow trip Qui-Gon was taking down his body with his lips, tongue and teeth felt too good to completely regret it. No matter how much torture it put him through. However, he was sure he would go crazy very soon if the man didn't--

Coherent thought disappeared for a moment as Qui-Gon lowered his mouth down over his hardened shaft. "Master!" Obi-Wan managed to say before he quickly realized his mistake.

"Yes?" Qui-Gon inquired. In order to do so, however, he had to free his mouth.

"More," he ground out, his hips wriggling. Luckily, Qui-Gon didn't seem inclined to torture him too far. His mouth returned to Obi-Wan's cock, the wet heat causing him to thrust forward before Qui-Gon's hands came to rest on his padawan's hips, holding them in place. Obi-Wan knotted his hands in the sheets, sure that if he reached for his master to hurry him, the man would find it yet another reason to prolong the agony.

The slow pace of Qui-Gon's mouth as it moved up and down his cock seemed to be moving light-years slower than Obi-Wan himself had moved. One had to admire his patience, unless one happened to be slowly going insane because of it. As if he could read Obi-Wan's mind--which, given his powers, might not be too far from the truth--Qui-Gon quickened his pace, adding suction to his movements.

Obi-Wan closed his eyes, but the image of Qui-Gon, his mouth closed around Obi-Wan's shaft, intent on giving him pleasure, remained as he struggled against the hands that held him, the need to move overwhelming. Finally he broke free--or was let go--and thrust forward as he came. He could feel Qui-Gon's throat swallowing around the tip of his cock, the constricting movement causing more sparks of pleasure.

Several minutes passed before Obi-Wan once again became aware of his surroundings. Qui-Gon had moved so that he was lying beside him, holding him close. He turned to look his master--better yet, lover in the eyes and was surprised to find sadness there. "What's wrong?" he asked, surprised at the hoarseness in his own voice.

"What could possibly be wrong?" Qui-Gon answered his question with a question.

"That's what I'd like to know."

Qui-Gon shook his head. "We'll talk later. For now, sleep."

Obi-Wan recognized the Force behind that last word and had one brief moment to be angry about it before blackness overtook him.

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The next morning, Obi-Wan awoke alone. He was confused as to why that surprised him until he realized he was in Qui-Gon's bed, not his own. The events of the previous evening came back to him in a rush. A rush that went straight to his groin.

He sat up and looked around the room, but his master was nowhere to be found. He gathered his clothes and dressed, then went into the living room. Qui-Gon was kneeling on the floor, meditating. There was a bowl of fresh fruit on the table, so Qui-Gon must have gone out already. Obi-Wan picked up a piece of the fruit, then put it back, deciding he wasn't really hungry.

"Padawan."

He barely managed to keep himself from jumping at the unexpected voice. "Yes, Master?"

"We need to leave for Daruda in an hour. If all goes well we won't be coming back here."

Obi-Wan turned around. "Master..." he began, but as he met Qui-Gon's eyes, he couldn't finish.

"We need to leave," Qui-Gon repeated. "There'll be time enough to talk later."

That's what you said last night. But he didn't argue. "Yes, Master," he said instead, then turned toward his own room to pack.

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It didn't take long for Obi-Wan to gather his things; Jedi carried very little with them. In no time he was back in the living room, staring out the window. Despite the fact that Qui-Gon carried even less than Obi-Wan, it was time to leave when his master finally emerged from his room. "Let's go," he said as he headed for the door. Obi-Wan sighed, shook his head, and followed.

The trip to Daruda was short, and Qui-Gon spent the time in the cockpit. Keeping watch for sign of the pirates, he said. Right. Either he thought his student was an idiot, or he didn't care that Obi-Wan knew he was being avoided. No matter. They had a mission to complete; he would drop it for now. Letting what happened interfere with their mission would just give his master another excuse to say the whole thing was best forgotten.

But Obi-Wan didn't want to forget. And he was more than willing to make sure Qui-Gon didn't forget either.

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The pirates turned out to be easier to catch than the Jedi had expected. They were almost to Daruda when they were attacked. The three members of the pirate group who attacked their transport were quickly disarmed, and were just as quickly persuaded to tell them where the rest of their band was. Within hours the whole group was locked up awaiting a justice transport that would have them on Coruscant by the end of the day.

"It's not very often we wrap up a mission that easily, Master," Obi-Wan said as they waited for the justice transport.

"No, it isn't."

After several minutes, Obi-Wan tried again. "When do you think the transport will arrive?"

"They should be here soon."

Neither of them said another word until the ship arrived. Qui-Gon dealt with the guard in charge, and soon they were all on board the transport heading back to Coruscant. Back to the structured life they were comfortable with. A place where Qui-Gon could easily distance himself from what happened on Barrat, if Obi-Wan let him.

But Obi-Wan had no intention of letting him.

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After three days back at the Temple, Obi-Wan still wasn't sure exactly how he would stop Qui-Gon from pretending Barrat never happened. He just knew he had to come up with a way, and soon. With each day, Qui-Gon grew more distant, Obi-Wan grew more frustrated, until the bond between them as master and apprentice was strained as tight as it could go without breaking.

Three days with practically no sleep, too many drills, too much work to do and too little time to meditate to even attempt to relieve the hurt, anger and frustration.

Something had to be done. And clearly Qui-Gon was not going to be the one to do it. Which leaves it up to me, he thought. Attempts to get his master alone for more than a minute hadn't worked. Attempts to draw him into physical combat in hopes of gaining a reaction hadn't worked either. And trying to pick fights with him got him more assignments than he could finish.

There was one thing he hadn't tried yet. The direct approach. Well, a sort of ambush version of the direct approach. The sneaky way of being straightforward. It was something Qui-Gon wouldn't expect from a student who generally followed the rules.

Which was why it had a chance of succeeding.

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Obi-Wan heard the main door to their quarters open and shut. He could hear his master moving around in the outer room, trying to be quiet, but not masking his presence. If Obi-Wan had been sleeping, he wouldn't have noticed Qui-Gon's arrival.

But Obi-Wan wasn't sleeping. He lay in bed, listening, waiting silently for the right moment. He heard the door to Qui-Gon's bedroom open. He knew the routine of the past three days. His master wouldn't bother with the lights. He'd stayed out so late each night, trying to avoid his own student, that he just tossed off his clothing on the way to the bed, crawled in, and went to sleep.

Only this time, he crawled into bed, then let out a yell. "What the--!" Qui-Gon reached through the Force and the lights came on. "Obi-Wan!"

"Yes, Master?"

"What the--" Qui-Gon stopped and took a deep breath. "What are you doing here?"

"Waiting for you, Master."

Qui-Gon suddenly seemed to realize that neither one of them was wearing any clothes. He jumped out of the bed and grabbed the robe he'd tossed to the floor, wrapping it around him protectively. "Why?"

"You said on Barrat we'd talk later. I was waiting to talk."

"Naked?"

"Well, actually, I'm under the covers, but if you prefer...." Obi-Wan threw the cover aside and climbed out of bed, approaching the older man.

Qui-Gon turned his back on him. "For the love of--put some clothes on!"

"Why? It's not as if you haven't seen me naked. As a matter of fact," he added, standing so close to Qui-Gon's back he was almost touching him, "you've done a lot more than just look."

"And now you're out to torture me for it, is that it?"

Obi-Wan frowned. "I was rather hoping for a repeat performance." Qui-Gon didn't respond. "Master?" he asked, placing his hand on the other man's shoulder.

"Don't!" Qui-Gon shook him off, moving several steps away.

"That's not what you said a few nights ago," Obi-Wan growled. He clamped a lid down on his anger and hurt and forced himself to continue in a calmer tone. "You seemed fine with this then."

"Even the strongest of wills can break under the right pressure."

Obi-Wan moved to stand in front of his master, in his direct line of sight. "For days I've had to make my own guess as to what's going on here. Obviously I've misread something."

"What happened on Barrat shouldn't have happened. I'm sorry--"

"Why? I'm not."

"I took advantage of you--"

"What?" Obi-Wan laughed. "As I recall I took advantage of you first."

"Because I let you. And I shouldn't have."

Obi-Wan stared. He really believes what he's saying. "Qui-Gon," he said, deliberately avoiding the man's title, "let me assure you, I was very determined to seduce you. You had no chance of resisting."

"You're that sure of your abilities?"

"I was until a few minutes ago." He moved a step closer. "It was obvious then you wanted me. And I'd go so far as to bet a Hutt that there's proof under that robe that you want me now. So I fail to see what the problem is."

"You're my apprentice. This isn't right."

"That's your objection? I can name you three other padawans who are sleeping with their masters without even having to think about it. It's not as if it doesn't happen."

"Perhaps it does, when the padawans are old enough to make up their minds about such things."

The look on Obi-Wan's face might have scared someone who didn't know him. "If you are trying to imply that I'm too young--" The glare dissolved into a look of understanding. "I'm a fool."

"I'm glad you've realized your error," Qui-Gon said as he took a step back and reached for his trousers on the floor.

"Oh I have, but not in the way you mean. This is about that game."

Qui-Gon froze, the pants forgotten. "What?"

"That game. The Qyrate. The Patha. This is about you having some silly idea that you're not supposed to touch me because I'm six months from being what that amoral culture deems too old to chase." He grabbed the trousers and held them behind his back.

"Give those to me," Qui-Gon ordered, moving toward him, hand outstretched.

"No." Obi-Wan continued to back away until he reached the wall. He tucked the pants between the wall and his back, then laid his arms flat against the wall, rendering the pants virtually impossible to reach.

"Padawan, either you give me those pants, or I will have you cleaning the Temple gardens for the next month."

"I'd like to see you explaining your reasons for that one to Master Yoda."

Qui-Gon stopped inches from his student. "You wouldn't."

"If what you did on Barrat was so wrong, it's only right you tell him, and perhaps the Council and await their judgment."

"I--we did not go against the Code."

"Which is what I've been trying to point out to you, you rock-headed masochist!"

Qui-Gon stared at his apprentice. "What did you call me?"

"You heard me! You're the most stubborn, thick-headed Jedi Master that ever lived. And you seem to delight in torturing yourself."

Qui-Gon moved toward him again, but Obi-Wan slid along the wall until he reached the door. The knob prevented him from sliding further. Qui-Gon placed both hands on either side of the door, glowering down at his student. "You're trying to provoke me into an argument. It won't work."

Obi-Wan shrugged. "It was worth a try."

"You didn't have a back-up plan?"

Without warning, Obi-Wan leaned forward, dislodging his master, pulled open the door and shoved the pants into the outer room, then shut the door again. "You taught me, what do you think?" he said before he sealed his lips to Qui-Gon's with a bruising pressure, his hands gripping the back of his Master's head, holding him there.

After a moment he realized Qui-Gon wasn't resisting. The pressure of his hands lessened, and the kiss turned into a gentler exploration. Seconds later, Qui-Gon struggled free. "I will not do this again!"

"Why the hell not?" He was too frustrated to care if he yelled; he'd already gone too far anyway, what difference did it make now? Qui-Gon backed away, but Obi-Wan followed. "Give me a reason."

"Because I said so."

Obi-Wan laughed, then pounced as Qui-Gon tripped over the bed and fell back onto it. "That worked when I was fifteen," he said as he placed a hand on either side of Qui-Gon's head. "In case you haven't noticed I'm a long way from fifteen."

"Let me go."

"Why?" His hips settled on top of Qui-Gon's, finding proof of his master's attraction, even through the robe. "It's obvious you want this."

"Obi-Wan...please."

That one single word was evidence that he was about to win. It also showed how much it was costing his master to lose. They both knew Qui-Gon wanted this. But apparently Obi-Wan was the only one who realized why. "Fine," he said, playing his last card. "I'll get up and leave. If you can do one thing."

"What?" The word was barely above a whisper.

"Tell me you don't love me."

"I--you are my apprentice. Of course I love you."

"That's not what I meant." He placed a feather-light kiss on Qui-Gon's lips, but refrained from further touches. "Tell me you don't love me."

"I don't--I can't do this."

"You can't say it, can you?" No response. "You can't say it because you do. You don't even realize it, do you?"

"It's wrong."

"Why? When has love ever been wrong?"

"You're too young," Qui-Gon said, his voice almost desperate. "If I do this, I'm no better than they are," he said, then shook his head. "No, I'm already no better."

How could he have been so blind? He'd been distracted by his own need, and he'd failed to see the whole picture. Obi-Wan took several deep breaths, calling on the Force to help him stay calm. "Do not compare yourself to Jarl and Dnye. They drugged an innocent. Robbed her of her free will. Did you drug me?"

He waited, and finally Qui-Gon shook his head. "Did you force me here?" Again a head shake, this one quicker. "So I'm here, on Coruscant--not Barrat--of my own free will, holding you down, begging you to make love to me?" Qui-Gon nodded slowly. "Then how could you even begin to compare one to the other?"

"You're so young--"

"I am not. I could have made the decision to try this two years ago when I first felt an attraction to you, but I didn't. I wasn't ready. I knew my own mind then and I know it now. And I am ready."

Qui-Gon stared up at him. "You seem so sure."

"I am sure." He risked another kiss. "Let me show you." When Qui-Gon offered no resistance, Obi-Wan kissed him again. This time, the other man responded, his arms coming up around Obi-Wan and pulling him closer.

Obi-Wan kissed his way down his master's body, remembering sensitive spots discovered days before, and finding new ones as well. He didn't waste much time, however, before his mouth reached Qui-Gon's cock. Determined to show the man as quickly as possible just how serious he was, Obi-Wan set a driving pace, working his mouth up and down the length of Qui-Gon's shaft with an almost brutal intensity.

He found pleasure in the incoherent ramblings he heard as Qui-Gon thrashed about on the bed. The hand that knotted in his hair almost hurt, but the possessiveness of the action made pain nonexistent. When Qui-Gon screamed, his seed flowing down Obi-Wan's throat, it was the closest Obi-Wan had come to tears in a long time. He'd all but given up on this possibility over the past few days. And then almost lost it with his hasty actions.

But he hadn't lost it, he reminded himself as he crawled up beside his lover and kissed him thoroughly, then lay down beside him. He was here, where he wanted to be.

After a few moments, Qui-Gon turned and kissed him, his tongue tracing the outline of Obi-Wan's lips, then delving inside. Obi-Wan gave a disappointed sigh when Qui-Gon pulled back to study him. "Now do you believe?" Obi-Wan asked him.

Qui-Gon studied him a few seconds longer. "I want you," he said finally, his voice low, a slight hesitation in his tone. Not an answer, but not a rejection either.

"You have me," Obi-Wan said.

He leaned in for a kiss, but Qui-Gon stopped him. "I want you. Inside me."

Obi-Wan blinked. "Are you sure?"

"Are you?" he challenged.

Ah, so this was a test. But of who? No matter. Obi-Wan nodded, then leaned in for the kiss he'd been denied a moment before. One kiss turned into two, then three before Qui-Gon pulled away and reached for the drawer by the bed.

He fumbled around for a moment, but finally pulled out a bottle and presented it to Obi-Wan. "Hand lotion?" Obi-Wan eyed the bottle dubiously. "What the--oh!"

Obi-Wan opened the lotion, squeezing a generous amount onto his hand. It was cold, so he let it warm for a moment as he kissed Qui-Gon again, enjoying the freedom to kiss him at will. He continued the kiss as he slipped one coated finger into Qui-Gon's tight passage, swallowing the sound of discomfort, but going no further until he felt his lover relax.

One finger eventually became two, then three. Finally Obi-Wan reached for the lotion again and poured a large amount into his hands, again letting it warm before spreading it across his stiff cock. He positioned himself between his master's legs, wondering briefly how he was supposed to enter him from this position. Qui-Gon answered the wordless question by placing his ankles on Obi-Wan's shoulders.

Obi-Wan gave him one last questioning look, then on Qui-Gon's nod, entered him slowly, bit by bit, waiting an eternity until he was completely surrounded by his master. He closed his eyes, the feeling unlike anything he'd ever known or even imagined.

He forced himself to open his eyes, checking Qui-Gon's face for signs of pain, but there were none. There was acceptance, the beginnings of pleasure, and most of all, love.

He began to move, his eyes open and fixed on his master's face, the emotions he saw playing across those features heightening the pleasure he felt with each thrust. His hand reached for Qui-Gon's growing erection, moving in time with his thrusts. All too quickly he felt himself beginning to climax. He wanted it, but at the same time he wanted to make this moment last forever.

It couldn't last forever, of course, but he still wanted it to, even as Qui-Gon shuddered in the beginnings of an orgasm, his muscles tightening even further around Obi-Wan, causing the most incredible sensations. He came in a blinding flash of pleasure so intense he wasn't sure he was still in one piece when it was over. And he didn't care enough to open his eyes to find out. He just lay there, vaguely aware that Qui-Gon was holding him, and certain that if he wasn't in one piece, his master would hold him together until he was aware enough to put the pieces back where they belonged.

Finally Obi-Wan managed to open his eyes. He saw that Qui-Gon's eyes were closed, but that the doubt and fear he'd seen there earlier were gone. His master's eyes opened and met his. "Now do you believe?" Obi-Wan asked again.

"With all my heart," Qui-Gon replied, then pulled him closer. Obi-Wan gave a sigh of relief, then snuggled into his lover's side to catch up on the sleep he'd missed.

He had a feeling he would need it.

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End

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