Jedi Council Forums - If You Can't Stand the Heat (L/M vignette; yep, another in the Temperature Series)

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Author	Topic: If You Can't Stand the Heat (L/M vignette; yep, another in the Temperature Series)
obaona Registered: Jun '02	Date Posted: 11/17/03 3:46pm Subject: If You Can't Stand the Heat (L/M vignette; yep, another in the Temperature Series) - Date Edited: 1/6/04 6:46pm (5 edits total) Edited By: obaona
	Thanks for clicking. Title: If You Can't Stand the Heat Summary: Can Luke and Mara take the heat? Rating: PG. (Not G. ) A/N: Huge, huge thanks to Jedi-2B for beta'ing ever so kindly, and saying that I can just consider her the official beta for the Temperature series. (Doesn't that rock? ) Huge thanks also to kayladie97 for the title. A/N2: This is set between It Was Cold and Warming Up. A/N3: Just got some crap at the Archive, so it may be a while before I reply here. gets away from computer Chronological Listing and Links of the Series: I am putting this here due to the fact that readers have posted on different stories with ‘what’s this about a sequel?’. Here are all the stories (including this one) in chronological order (not the order they were written): Cold Front, Breaking the Ice, The Blanket Incident, It Was Cold, If You Can’t Stand the Heat, Warming Up, It Got Too Hot, Kindling the Flame, Mara the Burninator, It’s Not the Heat, It’s the Humidity, and Heat Wave. Cover Art Again, I think I'm going to need more titles, so don't be afraid to put them on here, even if you think they're stupid. I can't ever have enough titles. Feedback (and constructive criticism) is adored and treasured. ~~~ “It’s a sauna, Mara, not a death chamber,” I said, leaning back against the hard, stone wall with my eyes shut. The heat sank into my bones, and I sighed as my muscles relaxed. I had hated the heat on Tatooine, but it admittedly did have its advantages. Her voice floated over to me magically, coming from nowhere and everywhere, in the empty, large sauna. “Shut up, Skywalker.” I opened my eyes, and looked up at her. She cautiously took a few more steps closer to me, glancing around warily with narrowed green eyes. She seemed to view everywhere as a possible place of attack. Well, considering I didn’t know if there were any secret passages in the Imperial Palace’s sauna, there very well could be. I wondered why she was so skittish, though. Not to mention, we had agreed to see each tomorrow as both of us had a busy day. I looked her over, noting that she looked impeccable in her green pants and tunic, except for the fact that the humid heat was beginning to make her hair frizz and curl. The heat was pressing against my skin, and I could feel myself sweating, but you wouldn’t think Mara was experiencing the same conditions by looking at her. “What is it?” I asked. “It must be important, if you came in here.” I raised my eyebrows. “You know, women aren’t really supposed to be in here,” I added cautiously. She gave me a testy look, taking a tentative step forward, and then taking another, longer one when she noticed how tentative the first had been. “What are you doing in here?” “I came here to relax,” I replied calmly, sure she would get to her point sometime. “After sparring with Leia, and practicing some on my own.” “Oh.” She looked, I thought, rather flummoxed. As if she had been hit with something she hadn’t expected. “Mara . . .” She nodded. “Yes. Right. Well, I was wondering something. About a possible . . . problem,” she said vaguely, looking at me, then looking away, and then looking back again. Her eyes were flitting everywhere. Mara being vague about her problems? It had to be personal. “Something wrong? Are you okay?” I leaned forward, and got up. “Uh . . .” She shook her head. “I’m fine. Um . . .” Looking away again. I finally got it. “Perhaps I should go get dressed first,” I suggested. She nodded. “That’d be good,” she replied, narrowing her eyes, and then walking away – and shooting me the occasional backward glance full of interest. “It’s too hot in here,” she muttered. Then it really hit me. I, of course, hadn’t even thought about it, but we were a man and a woman. And dating. Viewing each other in that way was only natural. I hadn’t thought about the fact that I was sweaty and wearing only a towel, though I certainly would have if our positions were reversed. And that gave me all kinds of other thoughts. It was oddly encouraging, too, since our relationship after that kiss in the cold – with us both on the bunk – had pretty much stalled with Mara’s nervousness. We spent time together, and we both enjoyed it, but we didn’t discuss anything beyond two weeks in the future. And when or whether to tell Leia and Han. That we both wanted a relationship, neither of us questioned. How to have one, well, that was another matter. And . . . Mara, nearly stumbling over her words at the sight of me? It was too much to pass up. So I followed her as she made her way out of the sauna. “Can’t stand the heat, then?” I asked, teasing. She whirled. “I’m not from Tatooine, farmboy,” she said tartly, eyes flashing. She would make you pay for even an insinuation of weakness, and this was more than that. I drew my finger down condensation on the wall. “Don’t have this at home,” I replied with a smile. She looked from the wall to me. “Don’t test me, Skywalker.” “I like testing you, Jade. I get interesting results.” She raised an eyebrow. “Oh? And what kind of results would that be?” “Oh . . . well . . .” I leaned forward, grasping her wrist, and kissed her cheek. Her eyes narrowed, her cheeks flushed, and her eyes sparkled with remembrance. She tried to yank her wrist out of my grip. I resisted, and pulled it to my cheek. “Stop teasing me, Skywalker,” she snapped, face tense, and then relaxed as I let her hand fall to my shoulder. “I love you, you know,” I whispered as I took a step closer, close enough to feel the fabric of her shirt against my skin. She jerked. I had never told her that before. I thought of the past few weeks, her skittishness then, too. “Now, tell me what’s bothering you.” She exhaled roughly, twitching in my grip, and then fully relaxing. “Just . . . I heard a rumor about us,” she admitted. “What kind of rumor?” I asked curiously, feeling a shard of worry rise up in me. “About us.” A slight shrug. She sighed as her hand slid across the skin of my back. Well, ‘about us’ could only mean one thing. “What are you so afraid of?” I tried to look into her eyes, but their intensity was muted as she kept looking away. “This is really worrying you, isn’t it? You just stormed in here –” She drew her head back, to look into my eyes, and I absently noted that her bright green eyes were speckled with forest green. “How far do we want this relationship to go? Just dating?” A significant pause, and her hands dropped from my back to my waist, running up my stomach. I shivered. “Marriage?” “All the way,” I replied instantly, no thought required. “If we can,” she instantly added, then stopped. “Well, I knew that for myself,” she replied with a little grin, “but I didn’t know you wanted to. Not for sure. And now – with it getting out – well.” She shook her head. “I just . . . it’s stupid, you know? I keep doing this to myself.” I didn’t answer, sure – for once – that she didn’t want an answer. She put her other arm around my shoulders. “I feel like this is decision time,” she whispered. “My decision is long made,” I replied, tracing the curve of her ear. She gave a cross between a sigh and a snort. “Naturally,” she muttered, rolling her eyes. I shrugged slightly, smiling down at her, taking tendrils of her rapidly curling hair into my fingers. “It’ll be interesting.” Mara closed her eyes, a smile touching her lips, then opened them again, looking fully into my eyes. “Can you imagine when Leia finds out? I know she hardly thinks I’m appropriate material.” She moved in closer, and it took only a slight movement for her to kiss my neck. I shuddered, unable to think of a response. “Or the Empire. Or anyone, for that matter, my Jedi Master.” “I can take the heat,” I said, finally remembering my ability to speak. She hadn’t said she wanted to take it as far as I did, but I let it pass. If she was letting me say it, she was, at the very least, amenable to the idea. I smiled, and she looked up at me inquisitively. “I guess I can, too, then,” she said, hardly more than a breath to her words. “After all, if you can . . .” she whispered with a twinkle in her eye. “So that’s it, then?” I replied just as softly, more seriously. “Hmm,” she said, wrinkling her nose and then smoothing it out with a full smile. She started to release me, but I wasn’t about to let it go at that. Taking a fistful of hair, I kissed her roughly, and I felt her nails rake my back in response. “Mine,” I said, very softly. I’m not letting this go without a fierce fight, and don’t you forget it, I thought. Her eyes flashed for a moment, and I wondered if she had indeed heard my thought – our bond was deepening by the day. She raised her eyebrow, just one, and there wasn’t a hint of anger in her eyes. Just something like joy and something else suspiciously like naughtiness. “Just so you remember . . . that this is mine,” she said, and was out of my grip in an instant – with my towel. She ran away, laughing. She went a few meters, then stopped, holding it up and grinning mischievously. Her face was flushed, but I could see her determination to tease me as I had teased her. I could feel myself going red, and resisted the urge to fidget, or . . . whatever. “I’m not arguing,” I said, smiling calmly, while I tried to think of suitable means of revenge. “Can I have it back now?” She looked me up and down with a critical eye, something besides laughter dancing in her eyes. “I’ll think about it . . . my farmboy.” “Mara!” [fin] -----signature----- MS Word is designed by sadists with masochists in mind. - teh atty my recent Atton (KOTOR2) fic: http://boards.theforce.net/before_the_saga/b10475/30335989
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NarundiJedi Title: FF Chapter Rep Albany, NY Registered: Oct '01	Date Posted: 11/17/03 4:07pm Subject: RE: If You Can't Stand the Heat (L/M vignette; yep, another in the Temperature Series)
	Eeeeeeeeeeeee! That was great! Just the ending I would have picked, once I knew Luke was in nothing but a towel. Yes, I'm pretty pervy. Oba, I love these! I can't wait for more! Please say there will be more! Jae Angel -----signature----- Kill Brodey: Vol 1 - http://boards.theforce.net/message.asp?topic=17015774&replies=0 Helané, Handmaiden of the Crest Leli's Blonde Twin! I'm now Mrs. NJ! w00t!
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Mirax-Jade Registered: Mar '03	Date Posted: 11/17/03 4:14pm Subject: RE: If You Can't Stand the Heat (L/M vignette; yep, another in the Temperature Series)
	Oh I love this! I love them all!! WOOO!! -----signature----- www.livejournal.com/users/wild_n_kayzie be still my heart, this could be a brand new start, with you www.milliways-bar.livejournal.com
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RebelMom Title: TFF Secretary Registered: Apr '00	Date Posted: 11/17/03 5:03pm Subject: RE: If You Can't Stand the Heat (L/M vignette; yep, another in the Temperature Series)
	Hot sweaty Luke in a towel. I'm happy. At the rate you write these, you'll have a full fledge novel soon. -----signature----- Short Story: Pressure Point http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/26961243/p1/?7 Jacen Solo and Anakin Skywalker - as it should have been. TFF: Cheryl
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LianaMara Registered: Oct '00	Date Posted: 11/17/03 5:17pm Subject: RE: If You Can't Stand the Heat (L/M vignette; yep, another in the Temperature Series)
	Master Mummy- Oh, this was great! Very pervy. I liked the way Mara came in to talk about things, and how they finally decided they should get hooked. And as soon as I read that Luke was only wearing a towel, I knew... A cute funny viggie. I especially like how you tied the title into the plot. huggies Don't even think about the Archive mess. I was about ready to go into Killer Leila mode, but decided against it. I your ficcies so much, so don't listen to stupidheads. -----signature----- "For us, there is only the trying. The rest is not our business." --T.S. Eliot Leilaé, handmaiden of the Crest \|\| petit Jedi enfant of obaona \|\| Lani & Lali's blonde triplet
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EmilieDarklighter Registered: Jan '02	Date Posted: 11/17/03 5:35pm Subject: RE: If You Can't Stand the Heat (L/M vignette; yep, another in the Temperature Series)
	She started to release me, but I wasn’t about to let it go at that. Taking a fistful of hair, I kissed her roughly, and I felt her nails rake my back in response. “Mine,” I said, very softly. I’m not letting this go without a fierce fight, and don’t you forget it, I thought. I had shivers, oba. This is positively wonderful! hugs -Emmi -----signature----- Master of Jedi_Emeritus Former Padawan of Gabri_Jade Little sister to Gabri_Jade and LadyPadme 25 Rules for Successful Writing http://boards.theforce.net/fan_fiction_resource/b10304/28400222/p1/?2
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J_M_Bulldog Registered: Apr '03	Date Posted: 11/17/03 6:32pm Subject: RE: If You Can't Stand the Heat (L/M vignette; yep, another in the Temperature Series)
	Another great one oba. Not that there was any doubt about that. I don't think I have every read anything of yours that wasn't great. -----signature----- BA(bad attitude), aka Thwack, of TKL's Lomin Ale Wraiths I am never down. I am either up or I am getting up, but I am never down. Stop telling God how big your storm is; instead tell the storm how big your God is.
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obaona Registered: Jun '02	Date Posted: 11/18/03 12:25am Subject: RE: If You Can't Stand the Heat (L/M vignette; yep, another in the Temperature Series)
	NarundiJedi: Well, of course. I knew people would figure the ending, once they knew the, ahem, bare facts . . . And thank you, yes, I do intend to continue. Mirax-Jade: Thank you! Double thank you! RebelMom: Yep. There's nothing not to be happy about. And no, I don't think so . . . though, I figure that I've got a short novel's worth of vignettes, total. LianaMara: Thank you. Tying the title into the plot is the hardest part, sometimes. I mean, having it make sense at all. My plot bunnies are not alwyas extremely cooperative, and give me bunnies that have nothing to do with the title that inspired them. And aye. How could you not know? And thank you again. huggles Emmi: Thank you! J_M_Bulldog: You're sweet. And thank you. -----signature----- MS Word is designed by sadists with masochists in mind. - teh atty my recent Atton (KOTOR2) fic: http://boards.theforce.net/before_the_saga/b10475/30335989
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Xander_Kenobi Registered: Jul '03	Date Posted: 11/18/03 1:17am Subject: RE: If You Can't Stand the Heat (L/M vignette; yep, another in the Temperature Series)
	great job obaona! -----signature----- "I doubt even Master Qui-Gon could have prepared a Jedi for this..." -Obi-Wan Kenobi from the Clone Wars Cartoon Founder of the FF Dalton chapter - Check my bio for more info about FF Dalton Certified Black Belt Butt Kicker ~May The Force Be With You~
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Shinar Registered: May '02	Date Posted: 11/18/03 6:11am Subject: RE: If You Can't Stand the Heat (L/M vignette; yep, another in the Temperature Series)
	Good golly obaona you are just burning thru the viggies! -----signature----- "Let's eat Grandpa!" "Let's eat, Grandpa!" Punctuation saves lives.
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Jedi-2B Registered: Nov '00	Date Posted: 11/18/03 7:23am Subject: RE: If You Can't Stand the Heat (L/M vignette; yep, another in the Temperature Series)
	Excellent story once more, oba. I love betaing these. And I liked the little additions you made, too. This one could've even had 'steamy' in the title. -----signature----- It was on her fifteenth day in the darkness of the Nirauan cave when Mara Jade awoke to discover a rescuer had finally arrived. It was not, however, any of the potential rescuers she would have expected. It was Luke. ~~And the rest is history~~
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kayladie97 Registered: Jun '03	Date Posted: 11/18/03 7:47am Subject: RE: If You Can't Stand the Heat (L/M vignette; yep, another in the Temperature Series)
	You picked mine!!! I actually squealed that out loud when I read the title, you know. Not very dignified for a woman my age! And of course, it was magnificent, as usual. I loved Luke's little possessive surge there and Mara's reaction to it was wonderful. Oooh, I'm with everyone else--picturing hot, sweaty Luke with just a towel Yep, we knew that towel was coming off. Now THAT was a huge boost to my self-esteem! Oba, you are the best...I can't wait for more of these! -----signature----- My new philosophy of life (borrowed from Elvis Presley) "The sun's down and the moon is pretty. It's time to ramble."
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Dancing_Jansons Registered: Oct '02	Date Posted: 11/18/03 8:02am Subject: RE: If You Can't Stand the Heat (L/M vignette; yep, another in the Temperature Series)
	I must agree with the consensus: hot, sweaty Luke in just a towel = mmmm. I'd stutter too. And... Taking a fistful of hair, I kissed her roughly, and I felt her nails rake my back in response. “Mine,” I said, very softly. I’m not letting this go without a fierce fight, and don’t you forget it, I thought. GREAT, Oba! My favorite part.
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Shinar Registered: May '02	Date Posted: 11/18/03 8:29am Subject: RE: If You Can't Stand the Heat (L/M vignette; yep, another in the Temperature Series)
	“I’m not arguing,” I said, smiling calmly, while I tried to think of suitable means of revenge. I have to ask, are we going to get to see the suitable revenge? -----signature----- "Let's eat Grandpa!" "Let's eat, Grandpa!" Punctuation saves lives.
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Ireth_Tasartir Registered: Oct '03	Date Posted: 11/18/03 8:40am Subject: RE: If You Can't Stand the Heat (L/M vignette; yep, another in the Temperature Series)
	I loved it!!! Just as good as the whole Temperature series... Would you write more? Please, say yes... Isn't Mara the best EU character? -----signature----- sex kitten
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Bri_Windstar Registered: May '02	Date Posted: 11/18/03 9:58am Subject: RE: If You Can't Stand the Heat (L/M vignette; yep, another in the Temperature Series) - Date Edited: 11/18/03 10:00am (1 edits total) Edited By: Bri_Windstar
	LMAO!! Oh that was so cute. Sauna!Luke, someone show AQ And one from Luke POV! Yay!! You made him angst! All very fun, i could see Mara flipping over rumors and bare-chested boyfriends. And it was an interesting premise, i give you that. Heh, a sauna. So long as they both know what they want, and that they are willing to fight for it, then all will be well. Or at least it will when she gives him the towel back. ::Windstar Out:: -----signature----- Mediocrity- it takes a lot less time and most people won't notice the difference before it's too late. * OMG! SO RIDICULOUSLY AND AGGRAVATINGLY PERFECT!- Gabri * 11010110101000101011
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