Hermit Shack in the Unexplored Wooded Area, Saturday Morning

[saddeserthermit]

After finding that stone last week, Obi-Wan had slept fitfully and well. Some days, perhaps, even too well. He had turned in shortly before sunset yesterday, struck by a sudden wave of exhaustion, and he had slept until the sun rose again the next morning.

Which was when he sat up in bed with so little warning that half his blankets went spilling to the floor.

His senses had just informed him of two things at once: one, that some strange Force entity had just set foot on the island, and two, that another, vastly more familiar presence had made itself known overnight and he had completely slept through it.

He cast his sheets off the bed the rest of the way, and got dressed quickly.

[[ for one, then two. ]]

Comments

[not-foolhardy.livejournal.com]

There was a polite (but in no way diffident) rap at the door.

[saddeserthermit]

And lo, there was a polite opening of that door-- and a far less polite baffled expression.

Perhaps not so much baffled, in fact, as a mixture of it and disbelief and something a little bit like old heartbreak.

"--Satine?"

[not-foolhardy.livejournal.com]

Satine's lips curved up in a slightly shy smile. "Hello again."

[saddeserthermit]

Unconsciously, Obi-Wan reached up and brushed his hair back. "Hello," he echoed.

He was quiet for about a second too long, and then said, "I apologize, I seem to have forgotten my manners. Would you like to come in?"

... and tell him what on Malachor was happening right now. Was this what it had been like for Anakin?

[not-foolhardy.livejournal.com]

"That would be lovely," she said, stepping into his shack. "...this is not at all how I imagined Jedi quarters."

[saddeserthermit]

"I'm afraid recent events have forced this Jedi to forgo tradition," Obi-Wan said lightly. "Would you like some tea, and we can talk about what is happening right now?"

His voice had raised just slightly near the end of that sentence.

[not-foolhardy.livejournal.com]

She smiled again. "That would be very nice. Thank you."

[saddeserthermit]

Obi-Wan nodded, and walked towards the small water heating unit he had sitting in the corner of the shack. "I didn't expect to see you," he said, which was putting it... mildly, "...Looking so, well. Alive."

[not-foolhardy.livejournal.com]

She shrugged one slight shoulder. "I'm afraid it's only temporary."

[saddeserthermit]

"...Temporary," Obi-Wan echoed.

He was very glad his back was turned right now.

[not-foolhardy.livejournal.com]

Satine nodded. "Something summoned me here, but I know that it's not permanent."

She laughed softly. "I sound like a Jedi."

[saddeserthermit]

"It wouldn't be the first time that you did," Obi-Wan said, fondness in his voice. "How long?"

[not-foolhardy.livejournal.com]

"Just the weekend, I'm afraid," she said, chewing her lower lip.

[sith_happened]

The hair on the back of Anakin's neck had stood up from the moment he stepped on the island. He double-checked to make sure his lightsaber was securely fastened to his hip and that his coffee was piping hot (Rory's weapon of choice was good in a pinch) before heading towards Obi-Wan's place.

Picking up two life signs, both familiar, didn't ease his bad feeling at all. One of them was supposed to be dead, and didn't even have "used to be a Jedi" as an excuse.

"Obi-Wan?" he called out when he was in shouting distance of the shack.

[saddeserthermit]

"Pardon me," Obi-Wan told his guest, and rose out of his seat, "I have a former Padawan to contend with."

He slipped out the door and shut it gently behind him. "Anakin. It's all right."

[sith_happened]

"How is this possibly all right?" Anakin replied.

[saddeserthermit]

It wasn't, really, on the global, emotional scale, but Obi-Wan was nothing if not good at keeping that under wraps.

"Apparently something on the island has interfered for the weekend," he said, pulling his cloak a little further around him. "It has brought the former Duchess of Mandalore here."

But Anakin had likely already figured that out.

[sith_happened]

Anakin crossed his arms over his chest and focused entirely on Obi-Wan's face. "And you're just fine with that. Poodoo."

[saddeserthermit]

"This is hardly the time for a heart-to-heart, Anakin," Obi-Wan said, his voice tight.

Then again, it was never the time, really.

"She's right there."

[sith_happened]

Anakin sent a quick nudge of reassurance through the Force. "Padme showed up at one of these weekeds," he murmured. "It's...excruciating...and I know you're not fine, so just don't pretend with me, okay?"

[saddeserthermit]

Obi-Wan rubbed the back of his neck. "Look--"

"Master Skywalker?" a voice called from the shack, a little quiet, but not without a measure of authority.

[sith_happened]

Anakin, despite knowing she was there, leaped about a foot away from Obi-Wan and turned a clearly fake smile toward her. "Hello there...you. What a surprise to see you again."

Smooth, Anakin. Very smooth.

[not-foolhardy.livejournal.com]

"It has been some time," Satine agreed. She shut the door gently behind her. She could identify a fake smile when it was directed at her quite easily, and Anakin Skywalker had never been a master at the art as it stood. "How do you do, Master Skywalker?"

[sith_happened]

Anakin blinked. Small talk. Could he do small talk? "Oh, fine," he said. "Partnered up with Obi-Wan again, just like old times."

[not-foolhardy.livejournal.com]

One must never underestimate the power of small talk, especially when nothing was currently exploding. Especially since this was not exactly the most comfortable situation for her, either.

"I see," Satine said. "Like old times? I hadn't realized quite that much time had passed."

Obi-Wan cleared his throat. "It has been... several years since Mandalore fell. ... Your reign, I mean."