Before - Legends Facts of life--Obi-wan, Qui-gon and the Jedi need for The Talk--Vignette 46

Note: This is NOT a noela-verse fic.
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Something was bothering his Padawan--that much was evident from the way he was fidgeting, frowning and flushing a bright red color every ten seconds. Qui-Gon could remember displaying similar symptoms when he had the Bothan flu, but he hadn't displayed any manifestations of hallucinations yet, so that was improbable.

Nor could he blame it on something to do with their current assignment. After all, they had been at the Temple for the last three weeks. Obi-Wan might become stir-crazy, but that usually didn't make him blush.

Perhaps it was something that his peers had said. For all their discipline and supposed propriety, even fourteen-year-old Jedi could be cruel or crass.

"How was your day?" Qui-Gon prompted at last.

Obi-Wan mumbled something about it being 'fine', but didn't look up from his plate of noodles. That was not like him, either. He was nothing if not articulate, since he had taken the idea of a Padawan being a diplomatic counterpart to his Master to heart.

"Fine?" Qui-Gon echoed.

Obi-Wan nodded and, sensing that he was expected to say something further, avoided that fate by stuffing his mouth full of noodles.

Abruptly, the truth clicked together in his mind. He had been like this once at the same age and it suddenly all made sense.

The only problem was the fact that it was something much more troublesome and lingering than Bothan flu.

"Who's the lucky girl, Padawan?"

Immediately, Obi-Wan choked on the mouthful and went cross-eyed, coughing violently to correct that situation. Qui-Gon felt an honest pang of guilt for having caused such distress. He stood, ready to administer some aid, but Obi-Wan held up a hand up and gasped for breath.

"I'm fine, Master," he promised, "but that's not it."

Qui-Gon could sense no deceit in that statement. Perhaps it was a terminal illness.

"What is troubling you, then?" he asked gently, resuming his seat and reaching across to refill Obi-Wan's water glass.

Obi-Wan looked as if he were on the verge of saying, "Nothing," but he apparently thought better of it once he glanced at his plate again.

"It's something that we were discussing in our Code class," he confessed at last.

"Ah," Qui-Gon said in relieved understanding; he himself had been through those classes and had even been forced to teach them for one terrifying year. "If I recall, your reading has been on the relationship of Jedi to the rest of the Galaxy this week."

"Yes," Obi-Wan agreed. "That's what I'd like to ask about, in fact."

He let out a mental sigh of relief, since none of those questions tended to be particularly difficult. "Ask on, then," he encouraged warmly. "I'd like to help."

Setting down his fork, Obi-Wan folded his hands in his lap and looked with an openly trusting expression at his Master. "Why do Jedi not have babies?"

Qui-Gon nearly swallowed his tongue.

It was, of course, something that he had asked once himself, but he had been approximately six years old at the time and the nature of the question had been entirely different. He had been satisfied with the answer that Jedi didn't need babies because they had Padawans to take care of. When he had been old enough, Master Dooku had helpfully directed him to the biology section of the Archives.

To think that Obi-Wan, a Padawan of nearly a year and too wise for his own good, could have missed the entire idea of reproduction made Qui-Gon Jinn, the unflappable one of this duo, absolutely flabbergasted.

"Are you asking in the technical sense?" he choked out at last.

"No!" Obi-Wan said quickly. "I already know the...mechanics of it."

Now both of them were a matching shade of scarlet. Someone had to take control of the situation.

"Are you interested in defying that part of the Code?" he continued, mortified to have to ask.

"NO!"

This was getting out of control.

"Then, what is your question?" Qui-Gon asked, trying to force his voice back into the normal octave.

He apparently was not

 

That was a fairly uncharacteristic response, since Obi-Wan tended to regard every point of the Code as wisdom. "May I ask why you think so?" Qui-Gon requested calmly.

"We're supposed to have compassion for all sentients," Obi-Wan reasoned, "and we learn to have compassion for those who suffer and those who are oppressed by experience. Why can't we have compassion for parents the same way?"

Obi had a very interesting point, I was really surprised when Qui-Gon agreed with the rule and that he thought it was right, but the explanation he gave of how one can relate to being a parent without truly having a child, was very well done and perfectly in character. Being unable to have any children myself, I was glad that Qui-Gon pointed that out

 

A very adorable start with a more serious finish. I like the sweet awkwardness of the beginning, Obi-Wan's earnest questioning, and that he can still make his master stop and think. Good job!

 

Very cute. I enjoyed it very much.

 

A very cute take on being a parent: A very much Ish take on being Jedi, and a relief for those that love Qui-Gon on this board!

 

It was a strange question to ask the man whose defiance of the Council was like a yearly allergy attack, but a valid one.

I nearly laughed out loud at midnight at that...best.description.ever.

 

Layren--Yes, I think it was a fairly interesting point. I believe that Qui-Gon believed in that point of the code because he understands the value of clarity of thought. After all, remember what happened with Tahl. Glad you liked the relating thing because it was inspired by my friend Deb who was a mom to just about all of us, but had no children of her own. Thanks for finding it well done and 'perfectly in character.'

Dreagoddess--Thanks, Drea. I loved trying to figure out how to portray Obi-Wan in 'sweet awkwardness.'

Araxie--Thanks, Araxie! Glad you enjoyed it.

Noelie--LOL, yeah, it's a fun part of parenting and especially for someone who is willfully celibate. A relief for the Qui-Gon lovers? Why thank you!

Lady_Snow_Kaguya--LOL, I loved that because really his defiance is as natural as hayfever. Thanks!

 

Good job, Ish. This is always an interesting subject matter for PT discussion. you did well in making the vig kind of off kilter, neither one really wanting to or know how to get tothe point.

Now both of them were a matching shade of scarlet. Someone had to take control of the situation.

"Are you interested in defying that part of the Code?" he continued, mortified to have to ask.

"NO!"

right on! good job, Ish. Now try having Luke explain it to Ben.

 

Oh, how I laughed!

A wonderful ending.

 

Amusing. Nice job.

 

That was an interesting explanation to one of the code's worst aspects, Ish. You know how much I vehemently disagree with it, so I won't go there.

Loved Qui-Gon's reaction to Obi-Wan's question. And that he was defending the code, despite being a maverick.

 

Awww...that was very sweet.

Loved how embarrassed/awkward Qui and Obi were in the beginning.

Great job on this

 

Great vig, Ish! Hilarious the different reactions they had throughout the conversation.

 

princess_of_naboo--Glad you liked the reactions. They were fun to write. Thanks!

KELIA--LOL, sweet? Cool. I like that awkwardness. Thanks.

brodiew--Thanks, brodiew. It's definitely off-kilter. Oh, I'm not going near Ben Skywalker!

Ara-gon--Oh, good, I like making people laugh! Thanks!

Qui-GonSolo--Thanks, Qui-Gon.

RK_Striker_JK_5--LOL, thanks, Striker. I do know about your disagreement with the attachments rule. And yes, he's definitely a maverick, but a well-meaning one.

 

I liked it. I like the way you write Qui-Gon and Obi-wan, it was good.

And some of made me laugh alittle bit.

Nice job.