I love love love how caring and protective Qui-Gon is in Heated Teen. It’s so wonderful how safe Obi-Wan feels around him. I can just imagine Qui-Gon getting back and Obi-Wan has either nested in his bed or stole his pillows or something and when Qui-Gon is all ??? Obi-Wan just says that it makes him feel safe
Pausing
in his doorway in utter bemusement with his hand still on the door
frame, Qui-Gon stared at the rather large lump of blankets and
pillows on his bed. Because that had certainly not been there when he
left to go fetch their take-out from the temple front.
And
considering the lack of answer from Obi-Wan and the lack of said
padawan around the quarters, this mean that the other had made a nest
in Qui-Gon’s bedroom. Glancing towards the takeout on the caff
table, Qui-Gon hesitated before entering his room and moving to the
bed, sitting down on the side of it. “Obi-Wan?” He ventured
cautiously.
The
other had been jumpy and meek ever since the
assault,
even after they
got home and
Qui-Gon had gently fixed up the remains of his braid.
The
pirate bastard had apparently wrapped her hand around it and held
Obi-Wan in place with
the braided length
and in desperation, Obi-Wan had severed it partly to escape,
his padawan’s ornaments falling to the
cockpit’s
floor and passing through the grates.
Qui-Gon
would have to find new ones, the beads and all but temporarily that
could wait, it was more important that the braid was clean, even cut
and properly braided even if it was missing length to how Obi-Wan was
used to it.
Finally,
Obi-Wan peeked out from under one of the blankets, peering up at
Qui-Gon quietly.
Brushing
the back of his fingers over the others cheek, Qui-Gon smiled
lightly. “What are you doing in here? I don’t mind,” He tacked
on hastily, seeing Obi-Wan tense a bit, eyes
flickering nervously.
“But you don’t tend to come in here without asking.” Qui-Gon
explained calmly.
Nightmares
and visions had often driven Obi-Wan to him, if just for some minor
comfort before Obi-Wan felt he was old enough to handle it himself
but even then, Obi-Wan had always paused at the threshold of the room
and waited for an invitation as
a young teen, standing in rumpled sleep clothes with wide eyes.
The
explanation
had Obi-Wan relaxing but also had his cheeks turning a ruddy color as
he shuffled a bit.
Shifting,
Qui-Gon reached out and gently stroked Obi-Wan’s cheek
with the back of his fingers,
taking notice that the omega collar was gone at least in their
quarters much to Qui-Gon’s relief. ‘At least he feels safe with
me.’ A part of him breathed out, the
fact that his kit still trusted him a balm to Qui-Gon senses.
“Safe.”
Obi-Wan finally mumbled, leaning into Qui-Gon’s touch.
“Safe?”
Qui-Gon paused then smiled, feeling himself soften and warm to the
point he could have collapsed into a happy little puddle despite the
horrible trauma his padawan had gone into. “You mean that my room,
the scent here… is safe to you?” He gently inquired, wanting to
make sure he had the right idea.
It
wasn’t like he was reading Obi-Wan’s mind and a single word
didn’t really allow for a complex answer.
But
Obi-Wan nodded then shifted a bit back.
Before
Qui-Gon could even open his mouth, Obi-Wan lifted the edge of the
blanket, looking nervously up at Qui-Gon.
‘He’s
allowing me into his little safety nest…’ Awed and also humbled,
Qui-Gon removed his socks first before crawling in under the blanket
and into Obi-Wan’s little makeshift nest made of Qui-Gon’s own
pillows and blankets along with Obi-Wan’s own.
Instantly,
Obi-Wan curled up to his chest, the blanket coming down and closing
the two into the nest and Qui-Gon reached his arm around his padawan,
slowly stroking his kit’s hair and scratch his scalp slowly.
Trauma
was never easy to deal with and sometimes all you could do was sit
there and watch as someone you cared about tried to cope but
sometimes you could be incredibly lucky when the person allowed you
close to help you cope.
“It’s
alright Obi-Wan, I’m here… it’s going to be alright.” Qui-Gon
promised softly, feeling Obi-Wan settle against his chest.
He
couldn’t promise that Obi-Wan wouldn’t be ambushed or assaulted
again, he couldn’t promise someone wouldn’t try to hurt him again
or even that someone wouldn’t try to break the omega collar to
forcibly bond him.
But
he could promise to be there for Obi-Wan and that was exactly what
Qui-Gon was going to do as he tucked Obi-Wan under his chin. ‘This
must be how parents feel…’ Qui-Gon smiled sadly to himself, the
realization bittersweet with how he knew he couldn’t protect
Obi-Wan yet at the same time knew he loved his padawan with all of
his large broken heart.
And
maybe that’s sometimes all you could do.
Regardless,
that was what Qui-Gon would continue to do, to love and be there for
Obi-Wan.