Word Smith |Obi-Wan & Satine | OTP Challenge #31 | Greek Island Challenge | Ob

Title: Word Smith - Or - The Three Times Obi-Wan Tried To Tell Satine He Loves Her And The One Time He Succeeded
Author: Kit'
Characters: Obi-Wan Kenobi, Satine Kryze
Genre: Angst, Love,
Challenge: OTP Challenge #31: Romanitc 3+1s AND Greek Island Roulette - Ioannina Island
Summary: Feted Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi has always been good with words. He's known for his witty banter and clever comebacks in any situation - except of course when that situation involves the beautiful Satine Kryze. Whenever he tries to tell her how he really feels, Obi-Wan is left scrambling after words like an apprentice nerf-herder trying to gather his flock.

Now they are working together on a diplomatic mission - surely he will be able to finally gather the courage, and the words, to tell her that he loves her.

 

Chapter 1: The First Time

The sun poured over the cobblestones. Obi-wan glanced across at Satine. His stomach was still reeling from the trip across what he’d been assured by the captain were ‘calm and pleasant’ waters. Now they were waiting for their baggage to be unloaded. Obi-wan had offered to ensure that Satine got off the boat safely, even though she had rolled her eyes at the ridiculousness of his offer.

“Explain to me again why we could not just take a shuttle here?” Obi-wan asked, his stomach still protesting his recent trip across the water.

Satine smiled at him. “For the Ioanis this is a holy place. Nothing but boats are allowed to land here. That means it’s also the perfect place to hold the talks with the Kantos, as no-one can come to or leave the island without being noticed.”

Obi-wan nodded. He knew this. He’d read every communique, and there had been many, produced in trying to get these peace talks off the ground. It was just that somehow being in a boat was worse than flying with Anakin at the helm. Both left him feeling somewhat jumbled, although the impact of the boat seemed to last a lot longer.

Satine’s presence didn’t help much either.

There were no people around, but even so Obi-wan felt exposed. He was going to be spending close to a week in the Duchess' presence. Now would be the perfect time to tell her the truth about his feelings. If he could only figure out where to begin…

He turned back to look at his companion. The soft afternoon light made her skin glow. Obi-wan opened his mouth. He felt like a shaken bottle, the words all lined up, he just had to pull the cork and then-

"Master.” It was a simple term, but the weight and responsibility that went with it immediately drained any desire. Obi-wan sighed and turned towards where Anakin was jogging up the hill, Ahsoka hot on his heels. Over their backs were slung multiple bags and packs. Anakin scowled at him. "Were you going to help with any of this?"

 

@Kit' What a lovely setting, albeit an uncomfortable way to get there for Obi-Wan. LOL about the REALLY annoying interruption.

 

Great to see Obi-Wan trying and being interrupted by Anakin and Ahsoka. Master is responsible but does he knows about Anakin's secret?

 

Thanks Figured that Obi-wan needs to have some other weaknesses besides Satine, and making him get seasick (especially on such a placid lake) was kinda a bit fun. Plus it makes him more discombobulated when he has to talk to her.

Oooo, good question. Probably knows it and is just trying desperately hard to ignore it because it brings up way too many questions.

I also get seasick! Even swings in a playground will make me feel a bit gross. He'll definitely get there. There will just be quite a bit of awkwardness along the way.

Thank you all for reading and for the lovely comments They are much appreciated

 

Chapter 2: A Handy Excuse​

“I see the evening is drawing near,” Duchess Satine said, gazing out over the lake. The tables behind them were strewn with the late afternoon meal of fish, eel and the thin, long, white legs of a local amphibian that was, apparently, a local delicacy.

“It is,” Obi-wan said, joining her. He held two little glasses of sherbetia, sweet wine flavoured with fruit and flowers in his hands. “Another day of talking and yet I feel no closer to a resolution.”

“Is this the same Obi Wan Kenobi who once stopped a war with a pointed look?” Satine inquired, raising one finely arched eyebrow as she took her glass of sherbetia from him. She sipped it slowly for a moment before commenting. “I am surprised at you, Obi Wan, I truly am. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so-” she paused - “discombobulated.”

He swallowed hard. How could he tell her that it was her that seemed to be draining the words from his brain. Every time she glanced in his direction he felt as verbally bereft as an initiate faced with one of Master Delfig’s more challenging maths questions.

She smiled, and he flushed with embarrassment. “Satine…” he said, trying unsuccessfully to sound dignified, though he was certain he failed miserably. His cheeks were pink even as he attempted to look cool as he looked away.

She chuckled softly into her glass of sherbetia. It sent shivers down his back, making his skin tingle and his heart beat faster. “Obi Wan, we all have secrets,” she said with a smile. “The most important question of all is why you are not revealing those secrets.” She placed the glass on its saucer and leaned forward towards him until their elbows touched. They sat like that for a moment, staring into each other’s eyes. “But I promise, whatever it is, it will not destroy our friendship, if there even are any. You may trust me.” She put her hand on top of his and squeezed lightly.

His heart was suddenly pounding in his ears. He wondered how she knew. How was it possible that Satine could possibly know how he felt about her? Obi-wan opened his mouth and then closed it again.

“I…uh…” he stammered after what felt like one endless moment. “I think I hear Anakin calling me.”

Satine glanced around. “I didn’t hear anything.”

“Uh…over our bond,” Obi-wan said, leaving his half drunk glass of wine on the table as he hastily backed away, kicking himself for his idiocy with every step he took.

 

That wine sounds delicious! LOL Satine gave him the perfect segue and he just flubbed it

 

Is he a bit shy? Anakin calling over the bond?

 

Didn't he just. Poor Satine. She keeps giving him so many openings and opportunities and he just misses his shot every...single....time.

Also the wine does sound delicious, doesn't it! I went and researched the local delicacies of the island and it kept coming up - I kinda just want to go for the food and drinks now (plus the fact that the whole island looks beautiful).

My head-canon is that Obi-wan is always a little flustered around Satine and anything that she says that could be taken as even a mild criticism is heart wrenching (which to be fair and looking back on it, I should have done better at putting in here). Luckily for Obi-wan he's only got one more flub to make... (maybe)

I mean Anakin's a great excuse for anything that goes wrong...right? If not Anakin then Ahsoka. Want to get out of a boring meeting? Anakin. Want to have an excuse for why you broke Master Yoda's favourite vase? Anakin. It's just so easy

Once again thank you all for reading and the comments. I keep posting this just before I go to work and so it's lovely to see the comments during the day - makes teaching Year 8 far easier!

 

Chapter 3: A well-regulated life​

Satine watched Obi-wan pace the length of their guest quarters and tried to work out how many miles he had managed to walk around the table, to the window, across the length of the room to the datapad and back again.

“Do the Ioanis charge us if we break anything?” she asked, as he did another turn at the far end of the rug, his boot heels clicking together. She’d noticed that he often did this when something wasn’t going to plan; as if pacing was an alternative to panicking.

Obi-wan turned towards her and frowned in puzzlement. “No, of course not. Why do you ask? Has Anakin broken something?”

Satine couldn’t help but smile at the slightly offended tone in his voice and rolled her eyes good naturedly before answering. "No, but I'm afraid your pacing will soon wear a hole in the carpet."

"Oh." He blushed and came to a complete standstill. "I was just thinking," he murmured.

"That must be a change," she said, smiling to take the sting out of the tease. "What were you thinking about?"

His head jerked up so sharply she almost expected it to snap off his shoulders. There was a moment where she thought he was almost about to do something truly un-Jedi-like and actually tell her. His comms unit beeped and he seemed to breathe out in relief as he reached for the comlink as his fingers tapped out a quick series of instructions. “A message from Ahsoka. Apparently they’re getting somewhere.”

He made no move to answer Satine’s question though. Her chest tightened slightly as she waited for him to say more, because he always said more. Even in the face of imminent death, Obi–wan could always find his voice. She wondered briefly, hopefully, if he was going to actually open up and tell her how he felt. For one terrible, amazing moment, she wondered if he was going to tell her that he felt the same way she did about him.

His brow wrinkled and he drew a deep breath like he always did when he was about to say something important. Satine’s heart beat a little faster.

The comms unit beeped again, and, in that moment, Satine hated it for everything it represented about their regimented lives in which there seemed no time for anything except meetings and work. A life in which there was certainly no time for awkward conversations and feelings.

Obi-wan read the message and looked at her and for a second she thought she could see disappointment in his eyes. “They need us back down in the deliberations room.”

 

SQUEE! on Satine's POV and her eager anticipation of Obi-Wan's confessing. It's truly real to life that the time you need to have a talk is always when your phone keeps interrupting.

 

Satine and her anticipation of what Obi-Wan is thinking. Coms are always interfering at the most unlucky moments

 

I think it's an unspoken Force ability that actually extends to the real world - those people (normally mums) who call just at the very, very wrong time

I think that's actually the terrible thing about Obi-wan's entire life. He spends it so confined by the strictures of doctrine that he can't ever really be him or be with the woman he loves... Luckily she won't have to wait long to hear what he actually wants to say (but has been too emotionally...ah...constipated to get to yet)..

I had meant to write all of them from Obi-wan's perspective, but then Satine was like "nope, this one is mine" and I have to do what she says... especially as it put Obi-Wan on the spot so badly.

Isn't it just! Phones always go off at exactly the wrong moment in time and it's the absolute worst when they do!

Poor Satine knows (or hope she knows) exactly what Obi-Wan wants to say but can't find the words for

Thank you all for reading and the lovely comments again! Last bit up in a second

 

Chapter 4: Us​

Obi-wan sauntered down the old cobblestone pathway that led to the edge of the lake. The early morning air was fresh and teased of the beautiful, warm day that would follow. Obi-wan enjoyed this time of morning - Anakin was sleeping in and Ahsoka was already practising katas. This was the time of morning he got to himself before the grinding gears of civilisation arrived with its communiques, beeping comms and its absolute need for him to be everything, all at once, to all people. This was the time when he felt most like himself. Not the debonair swordsman with the quick comebacks. Not the feted General. Not the calm, distinguished Master with an answer for everything. Not even a Jedi. Just Obi-wan.

He rounded the corner of the ancient building, trailing his finger against the roughly hewn stone and saw her. Satine was leaning against an ancient, gnarled tree, a small bowl in her hand. She was throwing something to the ducks that swarmed the greek, stone clipped banks of the bay. He took a hasty step back, and heard the twig beneath his boot snap. Satine turned, the bowl coming up protectively like a tiny shield.

“I didn’t know Mandalorians trained in the use of ceramic ware,” Obi-wan said, raising an eyebrow.
Satine’s mouth quirked as she placed the bowl on the ground next to her feet. “I wasn’t expecting anyone else to walk this way. You are the only one I’ve seen so far.”

She held out her hand, offering him a small smile that made his heart beat faster.

“Would you care to join me for breakfast? It is still fairly early, and I imagine that now the conference is over, most people will be sleeping in. We could have the whole place to ourselves.”

His eyes swept over the landscape. The sun had just begun to peak over the distant mountain ranges and cast its light upon the waters. It glittered over the water creating tiny slivers of gold light edged in silver on the crest of each tiny wave that lapped the shoreline. He wanted to. His whole body felt like it was vibrating. It would just be so easy to say ‘yes’ and to tell her everything. The feeling of being a shaken bottle ready to explode came back. Obi-Wan forced it down. It wasn’t what a Jedi Master did. It wasn’t what Obi-Wan Kenobi should do.

“Thank you for the offer,” Obi-Wan said, “but I have work I should be doing.”

He turned away reluctantly, telling himself that this was the only way.

“Why?” The question was almost too quiet to hear. Obi-Wan stopped, wincing at the pain in her words that filled the Force with longing and sorrow. He turned to face her. “Why?” Satine asked again. “Why do you do this to yourself? Why do you run away from us?”

Us.

The word drove itself deep into his heart.

Us.

Us meant she might feel the same way. Us meant complicated feelings, and having to admit to himself something that he knew to be true but had spent so long trying to keep hidden. Us meant a future.

Obi-Wan closed his eyes and took a breath.

“Because I want you,” he said eventually, his heart hammering so fast he felt lightheaded. “And because I can’t have you. I can’t because I’m a Jedi. I can’t because I’m a General. I can’t because of the Order. I can’t because of…” He found himself almost gasping for breath with the admission. He looked up at her, his throat aching with all the unsaid words. “Because…”

Satine put the bowl down on the ground and walked slowly towards him, her arms outstretched and her palms turned upwards as if he was a frightened animal. He let her get near, even as his heart pounded in his chest and his vision narrowed.

“You are allowed to love,” she said quietly, softly, her fingers brushing lightly over his arm. Obi swallowed thickly. Her eyes were soft and sincere. “No one says you cannot be happy with your life. If you came across a civilisation that denied its citizens love you would do anything to fight it because you would say that everyone has that right. " Her face was sad. "So why do you not give yourself the same grace?"

“What if I love you and you don't return my feelings?" Obi-wan murmured. He couldn't think. He couldn't breathe. The words tumbled out of his mouth, baring all his fears in a desperate attempt to make her understand. "How could I leave you behind for a mission, knowing that you might never see me again? What happens if I have to choose duty before love? What if I lose everything I've ever worked for? What if I lose you?”

The last question was out of his mouth before he could stop himself. He came to a shuddering halt, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he sought a calm he could no longer grasp.

He closed his eyes and shivered as her fingers brushed stray hair from his face. Her skin felt cool, and he could smell her perfume’s heady aroma.

“You won’t,” she murmured. There was a gentle touch of her fingertips against his cheek - featherlight - and then it was gone. “I promise.”

Obi-wan opened his eyes and found that she was smiling at him, her eyes shining with unshed tears. Her lashes fluttered slightly as he drew closer, their faces mere inches apart.

“Are you sure?” he whispered hoarsely.

There was no hesitation. “I am very sure.”

They kissed; a gentle meeting of their lips that spoke of a thousand promises and regrets. She tasted like vanilla and honey. Her hands moved up to cup his face, pulling him closer as she tilted her head slightly to deepen the kiss.

Somewhere close by there was a chorus of irritated quacks. Satine drew back, laughing slightly. “I do believe they are annoyed at having their breakfast interrupted.”

Obi-wan reached up, his fingers tracing the edge of her face. “I do believe,” he said, and this time, even though they were tinged with trepidation, the words flowed more easily. “That, despite the protests of our feathered friends, I may have fallen in love with you Satine Kryze.”

She leaned in and kissed him gently again. When they broke apart, Satine smiled at him, her face alight with happiness. “I know.”

 

Lovely to see Satine and Obi-Wan coming together. Obi-Wan falling in love for her and she for him and finally voicing it

 

I love the setting, the gorgeousness and that Obi-Wan feels like he can just be himself, not a role, a long unending list of duties and expectations. The candid vulnerability and tenderness were so well done followed by the indignant ducks A beautiful delicious conclusion for this super entry in the OTP challenge.

 

Nicely done - their situation is just so darned complex, and they both know it. It's nice to see them grabbing some happiness.

 

Aww, thank you. I love writing Obitine, they are just so complex and it's nice for both of them to have some happiness in the middle of the maelstrom of the rest of their lives.

That is entirely on @Chyntuck and their prompt. The island is just so pretty and I loved exploring the history and the culture of the place.

I think that Obi-wan often just sees himself as this unending list of roles and responsibilities, so it's really nice to have fun making him see that he is more than that.

You're so sweet Thank you so much for reading and for the lovely and amazing comments.

It so rarely happens to poor Obi-wan, that we have to do something to help him - I feel especially guilty considering the angst that I made him go through when I was a teenager.

True, ducks can be quite friendly - however, if it was geese it would be a different story

I liked playing with that word and everything it can encompass - it was a lot of fun to make him realise that she felt the same way simply because of a word - particularly when words and word play is what Obi-wan is known for.

Thank you for reading I'm really glad you enjoyed it

 

Aw man, you got me. I am a sucker for a good Obitine fic.

And then you went and threw in "I love you" "I know" ...... I can't.

 

There isn't much about the adorableness of this story I can say that hasn't been said already! This was such a wonderful portrayal of Obi-Wan – the Obi-Wan who can "find his voice even in the face of imminent death" – being so completely discombobulated that he keeps floundering through his conversations with Satine until she chooses to take the bull by the horns and force him into the discussion he doesn't realise he can have. I'm quoting the bit about "imminent death" because it was such a good way of describing his normal self; but of course, when it comes to Satine, he's anything but his normal self.

I was amazed as I read about all the research you did about the island, up to and including local delicacies! It's really a very nice place to visit and I haven't been there in forever; if you ever come to Greece, drop me a line and we can go together to identify the precise locations of all the scenes you wrote!

 

Ha! Ha~ Yes! I'm glad you enjoyed the "I love you" "I know" part - it's always adorable dialogue no matter what the story. I'm also so glad you enjoyed the Obitine story

I have to admit I do love discombobulated Obi-wan, probably more than combobulated Obi-wan... probably a left over from all the ways we deliberately hurt Obi-wan in the early 2000s as part of the Jemmiah Chronicles.

The delicacies were fun to research - although I'm not sure that I really want to eat the eels (I'd go any of the desserts though).

I was working off pictures and then a bunch of imagination (although I did also research the ducks!) so if I ever end up in Greece I'll definitely touch base! Thanks for reading and for the lovely comment