[RP] Walking along the lakeshore

[jediontherun]

Life on Mandalore is... surprisingly normal, considering the state of the galaxy. And she’s settled in without much difficulty. She still has nightmares, and there are still nights that she ends up falling back asleep in Obi-Wan’s arms. But they’re improving. And she’s keeping herself busy, helping out where she can, with chores and everything else, going on missions when Kal needs her to, sparring with Mereel and the other clones. And helping Obi-Wan take care of Luke.

Which is what she’s doing now. Kal had needed to talk to him, so she’d scooped Luke out of his arms, given him a crooked smile, and gone for a walk. The lake has become one of her favourite spots, and if she’s not somewhere in the compound or occasionally back at her ship, she’s usually there.

With Luke cradled carefully in her arms, she walks along the shoreline. He fusses sleepily, and she cuddles him closer, pressing a gentle kiss to his head. Then, faintly embarrassed, she softly begins singing an Alderaanian lullaby she’d heard Breha sing to Leia. And had learned herself, after one slightly nerve-wracking evening when the Organas had asked Siri to watch Leia for the first time.

Comments

I'm sorry, he got *wordy*...

[last_jedi]

His meeting with Kal hadn't been very long, as it was the usual sitrep from one of the Nulls, who'd just returned from off-world. He'd toyed with the idea of taking the opportunity for some solitary activity, but as it was he was keen to go see Siri.

While they'd gotten off to a rocky start, which with the two of them wasn't unusual, Obi-Wan had been glad of their rekindled friendship. It was nice to have a friend again, and even nicer to have that friend understand exactly what he was going through as he continued to work through the loss of so many of his brothers and sisters.

He'd been doing his best to remain faithful to the Jedi Code, and uphold the ideals of the Order; while he wasn't overt in his applications, nor did he enforce those things on the others, Obi-Wan knew that Bardan had responded to it a little, and that Kal had been raising a brow at it.

On the other hand, he had Luke. Luke of the ever-growing attachment. Obi-Wan had already gone through the usual exercises for Jedi infants that taught them about the perils of attachment and holding on too tightly. And while the young lad had certainly learned it as well as any Jedi, the baby still insisted on forming that parent-child bond with him.

And now Siri was here. Dearest, beloved Siri, whom he'd loved for so long and had to let go of because it was forbidden. And of course, what did Obi-Wan do? He went ahead a few years later and fell in love with someone else. Finding love seemed to be his curse, it would seem.

Then again, the Order no longer existed, formally, so did the rules really apply? Of course they did. But at one point, the rules on love had been inclusive in the Order, many centuries ago. Maybe it was time to revisit that way of life for the Jedi? Master Yoda had indirectly suggested as much, when the decision to separate the twins had been made. If love and attachment were to be denied to them, and the Jedi standards for living had applied, then Yoda would not have suggested nor agreed to allow Leia to be adopted by the Organas, and Obi-Wan would have been given explicit instructions on the manner of Luke's upbringing.

All these thoughts filled his head in the span of time between leaving Kal and making it back to his quarters. All they served to do, besides give him a headache, was impress upon him the desire to find Siri and spend time with her.

Knowing that she wouldn't go to her ship with a baby in tow, and taking into consideration her conspicuous absence around the main compound, Obi-Wan winds his way down the path to the lake. He catches her singing to the baby, and he stops nearby, leaning on a tree as he listens to her.

:D Just a little.

[jediontherun]

The lake reminds her, a little, of the Room of a Thousand Fountains, even though they couldn’t be more different in appearance. There’s a similar feeling of peace. And, much as the Room of a Thousand Fountains had done, the lake is a good place to go to deal with... confusion. And her current (and constant, if she’s honest) source of hidden confusion is Obi-Wan. Stubborn, frustrating, irritating... lovely Obi-Wan. And herself. It’s been a long time since they’ve spent this much time together. She’s... enjoying it.

She’s missed him. Force, how she’s missed him. In spite of his skill at frustrating her like no one else. And a little bit because of, probably.

The sounds coming from Luke are more contented, less fussy, now, and she continues singing softly as she comes to a halt, swaying and dancing gently with the infant. Then he manages to get a fistful of her hair as he curls closer to her chest, pulling on it with surprising strength. “Kriff, no, little one, that’s my hair...” But she’s laughing as she attempts to untangle his fist.

And she turns, coming to a halt as she catches sight of Obi-Wan, leaning on a tree. Stang. How long has he been standing there? She gives him a crooked smile, ignoring the heat rising to her cheeks at the unfortunate likelihood that he HEARD HER. She will deny that she’s blushing until the end of time... but that doesn’t change the fact that she IS. It doesn’t change the fact that she’s glad to see him, either. “Hello, Obi-Wan.”

:D

[last_jedi]

He's smiling as Luke grabs her hair and she begins to try and untangle herself. His smile widens when she finally turns and sees him. Force, he missed how easy it was to make her blush.

He pushes off from the tree and starts to close the distance between them, even as she greets him.

"Hello," he returns. "Got yourself in a tangle, I see."

[jediontherun]

Force she’s missed his smile. Even if his amusement is at her expense.

She’s starting to close the distance between them as well, as she continues to try and untangle Luke’s hand from her hair. But his tiny fist has quite the kriffing grip, and there will be no untangling him one handed. She makes a face at him.

“Just a little one.”

[last_jedi]

He stops once they reach each other, and he gently takes hold of Luke's fist with one hand, and the strand of hair that he's claimed with the other.

The boy looks up at him with sleepy eyes, and Obi-Wan smiles. He addresses the boy as he uses his thumb and forefinger to gently loosen his grip, "Master Yoda taught Siri the attachment lessons when she was your age. She really doesn't need a refresher course."

It only takes a moment or so for Obi-Wan to free Siri's hair and brush her locks over her shoulders where they can't become a hostage to Luke's grabby-hands.

[jediontherun]

“Luke seems to disagree,” she replies, sounding amused. Although she’s not entirely sure that she doesn’t. Because she is... attached. Still. As much as she’s doing her best to remain faithful to the Jedi code... her attachment to him remains. Therein lay her confusion. All wrapped up in the man standing in front of her. Kriff, it’s giving her a headache. But it’s surprisingly easy to ignore, in his presence. In the simple enjoyment of spending time together.

Once Luke’s hand is no longer fastened to a fistful of her hair, with Obi-Wan brushing loose locks over her shoulders and out of the infant’s reach, she catches his hand in hers. “Walk with me?”

[last_jedi]

He's a little terrified at how easy it is to twine his fingers with hers, to let her take him by the hand and fall into step next to her. Of course he can't refuse her request, and it's a smile that she gets in reply as they continue her circuit.

"Luke seems to disagree on a great deal of things," he says, clearly amused, and fond of the tiny human she carries in the crook of her arm. The fleeting thought of what it would be like if Luke really was their son crosses his mind but he banishes it almost immediately.

"Does his sister take after him, at all?" he wants to know. She's the one who's seen her last, after all.

[jediontherun]

He twines his fingers with hers and falls into step beside her, and it feels... right in a way that terrifies her and warms her all at the same time. She glances down at their entwined hands for a moment, before squeezing his hand gently, blue eyes filled with affection.

She smiles down at the child in her arms, and the expression on her face is incredibly fond. “Yes he does.” She looks up at him, and as their eyes meet the same fleeting thought that’s crossing Obi-Wan’s mind crosses hers, and is just as immediately shoved aside, banished. THAT won’t help her confusion any. No matter how content she is in this moment.

After a moment’s contemplation, she answers his question. “Yes.” She gives him a smile. “She’s just as disagreeable about things as Luke, but much more... vocal. Insistent.” Determined. “Not nearly as content to just be held as Luke is.”

They're so stupid. Jedi, oy.

[last_jedi]

"Yes, she'll be a firecracker, that one. Like her mother." He leaves unsaid the speculation that Luke is like his father. One one hand, Obi-Wan truly hopes that Luke will embody everything good about Anakin Skywalker. On the other, he's more than a little scared about Luke taking after him in his temperament.

Luke did have one advantage, here, that Obi-Wan hoped would make all the difference: his training had already begun, in some respects, and circumstances all considered, Obi-Wan hoped to instill in Luke the importance of maintaining balance, focus, and priority. So while he wouldn't discourage Luke from making attachments, Obi-Wan would ensure that Luke understood how and when to let those attachments take second place to duty and obligation.

Which led him back around to his feelings for Siri, and his headache began to reassert itself.

Yes they are.

[jediontherun]

She laughs, leaning into him without even thinking. “Force, yes. The Organas are going to have their hands full when she’s older.” And they would love every single minute of it. He might leave the speculation unsaid, but she hears it anyway. She has faith, though. Faith in the Force. Faith in Obi-Wan’s ability to train Luke. She would do whatever she could to help, but she isn’t the one who was charged with Luke’s care.

But she has every intention of caring for both of them. With everything she has. SOMEone has to keep an eye on them. Someone has to keep an eye on Obi-Wan.

Anakin would approve of Siri's overprotectedness. Vader, not so much.

[last_jedi]

He loves her laugh. He loves making her laugh. So he tries again, "And once Luke and Venku are old enough to start moving without our help, we're all going to have our hands full."

Her overprotectiveness would just get in Vader's way.

[jediontherun]

He’s one of the few people in the galaxy who can make her laugh so easily. And his comment earns him more bright laughter, her blue eyes sparkling. “Oh, Force help us all.”

No kidding!

[last_jedi]

Luke gurgles happily in response to the laughter, but he's still mostly sleepy. Obi-Wan gives him another fond look.

"It's frightening how...attached to him I've become, in such a short amount of time," he says quietly. His tone is mostly speculative, but not in a morose way. It's more a slight astonishment coupled with amusement than anything.

Such an adorable little family these three are

[jediontherun]

Siri glances down at Luke, her smile gentle and fond, before turning blue eyes to Obi-Wan. Her fondness and affection encompasses both of them. Force, how had they reached this point? Her thumb brushes gently across his skin, before she gives his hand a gentle squeeze.

“Luke makes it easy,” she replies softly. Obi-Wan isn’t the only who’s incredibly attached to him. She’s been on Mandalore a month, maybe a little more, and she’s already finding herself more attached than she ever could have anticipated. “I didn’t... expect to become so attached so... quickly.”

Don't say that too loud. Obi-Wan might hear you ;)

[last_jedi]

Obi-Wan chuckles softly. "Once we finally landed here and began settling in, it didn't take long for me, either. I just hope it doesn't end up impeding on our ability to protect him."

Because people tend to do really stupid things when it comes to the people they care about.

:D Wait until someone in Kyrimorut makes a comment

[jediontherun]

Siri gives Obi-Wan another fond smile. “I think we’ll be fine.” As though she doesn’t have every intention of protecting the both of them with everything she has. Everything she is.

Because he’s right. They do. Even Jedi. And she has begun to realise that she is incredibly, irrevocably, attached to the two men in her life. And in Obi-Wan’s case, always has been. She’s always been aware of it, to some degree, but it was easier to ignore back when she wasn’t almost constantly in his presence.

But she doesn’t WANT anything else. She doesn’t want to spend less time with him. She wants to spend as much time as possible with him. Force, it’s not making her confusion any less.

I think they're already talking :p

[last_jedi]

He grins shyly at her confidence at their abilities. He knows she's right, but it doesn't make him any less humble about it. He's possibly even more so, now that there isn't Anakin Skywalker an entire order of Jedi to back him up.

He lets her comment hang as he turns his attention to their surroundings once again.

"I need to make more of an effort to come down here more often," he says.

True. XD

[jediontherun]

That shy grin of his makes her breath catch in her throat for an unexpected (and embarrassing) moment. Force, how can one man be so... so... confusing? She doesn’t need to dwell on her feelings for him, not right now, so she nudges him gently with her shoulder, as if to say Of course I’m right.

She gives his hand a gentle squeeze. “I’d enjoy the company,” she murmurs, a quiet admission that falls too easily from her lips.

:D

[last_jedi]

And so would he, but the reasons why he would enjoy her company are still giving him conniptions. They really needed to sit down and discuss the matter, but this was neither time nor the place.

He wondered if the time and place would ever come.

He returns the squeeze with another, tiny smile. He gestures at the sort-of sleeping child.

"Did you want me to take him for a bit, or...?"

All the gossiping going on around them.

[jediontherun]

She was doing her best to avoid thinking about the reasons why. Her confusion was bad enough without dwelling on her feelings for him. Although they didn’t go anywhere even when she managed the not dwelling part. And that didn’t help either. Force, she didn’t know if talking about it would help, or not. Or make everything worse. At least now... they could attempt to deny the matter. Ignore it.

But considering the amount of time she wanted to spend with him, and how kriffing happy it made her... maybe she wasn’t denying and ignoring as well as she hoped.

She shook her head. “I’m fine, for a little while longer, at least.”

*I'm* gossiping about them

[last_jedi]

"Alright, then," he says.


He lets everyone walk in silence for a bit, before he adds, "Are you settling in well? I know there isn't much to do, really..." Because the Siri he remembered was just as bad at Anakin in the sitting-around-doing-nothing category.

:D

[jediontherun]

She can’t help but laugh softly. “I’m climbing the kriffing walls,” she tells him honestly. “But other than that I’m settling in well enough.” Having him there helps. And taking care of Luke helps, too.

But mostly Obi-Wan. Which doesn’t help her confusion. Or her feelings for him.

;)

[last_jedi]

"Good." He's glad she settling. "And I usually train the boys in unarmed combat and flow drills, you're more than welcome to join us. And I know they'd love to see a sparring match between two Jedi. They've seen us up against droids, but there's something to be said about lightsabre combat."

Meanwhile, everyone else is taking bets

[jediontherun]

“Count me in.” Force, she’s missed sparring with him. They know each other incredibly well, had fought side by side enough to be able to meld their fighting styles without much thought. They know how the other fights. Sparring with him pushes her, challenges her. She leans into him. “It’s been too long since we’ve sparred. I wouldn’t mind doing that.”

Bardan is the bookie, along with Fi

[last_jedi]

He lets her lean into him, and he's not sure if he should or not. He knows the longer he allows these little gestures, the harder it will be if they decide to not...no, he wasn't going to think about it. Not until they had a chance to talk. They needed to talk.

"Our next session is scheduled for tomorrow, provided nothing else comes along. We could go through the drills with the boys and then close it with our own...demonstration?"

We'll have to figure out who wins. :D

[jediontherun]

The little gestures come easily with him. Too easily. And it’s not like she wasn’t already more... tactile than most Jedi were. But it’s a habit she’s never been able to break completely, no matter how hard she tried. It’s just... worse with him, now.

“Sounds like a plan.”

Pffft. It's a draw.

[last_jedi]

"I look forward to it." He smiles. A nod at Luke, "You think he's stopped fussing enough now, that we can try putting him in his own bed?"

[jediontherun]

“As do I.” She glances down at the child in her arms. “He certainly seems to have quieted down enough.”

[last_jedi]

"Come on, then," he says, and tugs her gently into following him as he changes their course for the compound.

He leads the way to his room, where Luke's crib resides for now. Obi-Wan knows he could've put Luke in his own room, but he's been far too paranoid about keeping him safe since Padme placed him in his arms.

He knows he'll loosen up at some point, he just wants to be safe. Maybe now that Siri's here, he can rest a little easier?

[jediontherun]

Luke’s crib is in Obi-Wan’s room, and she’s not terribly surprised. With everything that’s happened... the safest place is close to Obi-Wan. It only makes sense that he wouldn’t want to let Luke be too far away. It hadn’t been that long since... everything had happened.

Making gentle soothing noises, she carefully and gently shifts Luke, so she can settle him into his crib.

[last_jedi]

Obi-Wan sits on the edge of his bed and watches. His eyes are filled with amusement and his lips are quirked in an almost-laughing smile.

"Master Yoda should've assigned you to the creche. You're very good at taking care of younglings," he teases.

[jediontherun]

Still getting Luke properly settled in his crib, she looks over her shoulder and makes a face at him. But her blue eyes are sparkling with too much amusement and she’s having too much trouble holding back a smile for it to look appropriately disapproving and unamused. She’s glad to see the smile on his face. Glad that she could make him smile.

“Only this youngling.” She turns back to the crib, brushing a gentle fingertip against his cheek, before turning back to Obi-Wan. “I had to learn quickly, with Leia.” He’d missed seeing all the awkwardness. Bail and Breha had been thoroughly amused.

[last_jedi]

"You would have had that same learning experience in the creche, and you would have flourished," he insists.

And he can only imagine the awkwardness she'd gone through and it amuses me.

[jediontherun]

“I also would have been a great deal younger, and a fair amount grumpier about the whole ordeal.” She hadn’t exactly been pleased, as it was, anyway, but she’d been equally amused. And embarrassed.

Making another face at him, she checks on Luke one last time; he seems to have settled in and is happily dozing away contentedly. Then she’s joining Obi-Wan where he sits on the edge of his bed, her shoulder pressing lightly against his.

[last_jedi]

"Which would have made it more than worth the price of admission to observe you," he replies cheekily as she sits next to him. "And the opportunity for teasing you once you'd warmed up to the whole thing."

He's shameless, Siri. There's no fixing him.

[jediontherun]

She shakes her head and elbows him in the ribs, but there’s a fond, crooked smile on her lips and her blue eyes are sparkling. “That’s why I would have never let you observe me,” she replied mock-archly. “Which would have curtailed your ability to tease.”

She doesn’t want to fix him. She loves likes him exactly the way that he is, and she wouldn’t change a thing. Not even his ability to frustrate her more than anyone else in the galaxy.

[last_jedi]

"Like you would've have had a choice in the matter," he states, shying away from the elbow to the ribs. "I would've had to have been kept off-planet for that, and no way you would've been able to convince Master Yoda or Master Qui-Gon to make it happen."

He tries to capture her hands in his to curtail any more poking. "And we'd better settle down, or we'll wake the baby."

[jediontherun]

“I could be quite persuasive when I set my mind to it,” she retorts. Not that it would have worked on either of them, and her charm had been of the... brusque sort, back then.

He tries and succeeds in capturing her hands and preventing her from prodding at him any longer, and she stills, after a brief moment. “Fine. But only for Luke,” she adds, teasing him fondly.

[last_jedi]

He does the only thing they can do right now, and he pulls her down with him as he stretches out on the mattress.

"Then Luke would be very upset if we didn't take this moment of peace and run with it." He settles and shifts while he waits for her to find a place that comfy for her. "Naps are hard to come by these days, after all."

[jediontherun]

She laughs softly, letting him pull her down with him onto the bed, stretching out comfortably next to him.

“Well, we can’t have that,” she tells him, settling against his side with a quiet sigh, her head pillowed on his shoulder and her arm draped across his hips. Force, she enjoys this more than she should. It’s too easy to fall asleep like this, curled up next to him. “Then we should take full advantage of this moment.”

[last_jedi]

Yes, they should, and to that end, "Siri? Stop talking now." It's said with fond amusement, and he falls silent after he says the words, letting the serenity of the moment, and the sleeping babe in the crib nearby fill him and carry him into sleep.

[jediontherun]

She muffles her laughter against his chest, falling silent and letting the warmth of him next to her, in the Force, and the peacefulness of the moment send her drifting off to sleep.