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. ]]

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[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.

[saddeserthermit]

"Ah."

Warm water. Now, a tea bag.

"You can have the bed," he said, "It's quite comfortable, despite appearances."

[not-foolhardy.livejournal.com]

"Oh, that's not necessary, Obi-Wan," she said, a slight blush to her cheeks. "I'm sure there's a hotel available."

[saddeserthermit]

"There is a hotel," Obi-Wan agreed. "I could pay for a room for you there... if that is what you prefer."

The accommodations here were not exactly stellar, after all.

He turned, now that he was assured the worst had smoothed out of his expression, and brought her her tea.

[not-foolhardy.livejournal.com]

Satine met his eyes. "I just want you to be comfortable."

[saddeserthermit]

He reached up and rubbed the back of his neck as he put down the tea with the other hand. "I believe that is going to be... troublesome... this weekend regardless of where you sleep, my dear."

[not-foolhardy.livejournal.com]

She reached out to touch his hand before he pulled away, smiling softly.

[saddeserthermit]

Obi-Wan smiled back.

As he did so, something in his eyes crumpled.

[not-foolhardy.livejournal.com]

"Oh," Satine said in a small voice, hand going up to cup his cheek.

[saddeserthermit]

"It's all right," Obi-Wan said, his expression attempting to school itself into something a little less... expressive.

What was all right, he wasn't so sure.

[not-foolhardy.livejournal.com]

"If you're certain," Satine said, not sounding that certain herself.

[saddeserthermit]

Obi-Wan cleared his throat.

"Yes," he said. From a certain point of view. "Is there anything else you need? A meal, perhaps? This can't have been an easy journey."

Could he get away with making another cup of tea so he could turn his back again? Yet at the same time, he couldn't quite fight the impulse to keep looking at her.

[not-foolhardy.livejournal.com]

"A meal would be lovely," Satine said, drinking her tea. "What's the specialty here? I didn't recognize the planet immediately."

[saddeserthermit]

"It is not a planet you would have heard of," Obi-Wan said tactfully. "As for the local specialty, most of the people here seem to prefer a flat bread covered in vegetable sauce called a pizza, but I've never quite managed to acquire a taste for the stuff."

He probably just hadn't had the right pizza yet.

"But the island knows several decent restaurants, some of which do breakfast," he said.

He was very, very grateful to have something to talk about that wasn't himself or his feelings or the fact that she had died in his arms years ago and the image was still written large in his memory.