Beginnings (Star Wars: Anakin/Obi-Wan)
Title: Beginnings
Fandom: Star Wars
Characters: Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi
Prompt: Beginnings
Word Count: 842
Rating: G
Disclaimer: If they were mine, Anakin/Obi-Wan would be canon. And graphic.
Author's Notes: Beta by Microsoft Word
"Anakin, sit still." Obi-Wan Kenobi sighed, trying not to become impatient with the young boy, who was fidgeting in his chair.
"I'm sorry." Anakin sat still at last, and Obi-Wan could tell by the tone of his voice that he was expecting further reprimand.
"Don't be sorry, Anakin. Just be still. Unless, of course, you want to look ridiculous." Obi-Wan raised the clippers to Anakin's head and resumed cutting the boy's hair in the style customary to Padawans. Within moments, he was done, securing the small tail in the back with an elastic band.
"There. Have a look in the mirror if you wish." Obi-Wan watched as Anakin jumped down from the chair and scurried off to the refresher, examining his new haircut from every angle. There was still one thing left to be done, Obi-Wan thought as he cleaned up.
"There are clothes laid out on the bed, Padawan," he called. "Do you think you can manage?"
"Uh huh," came the enthusiastic reply. Then, after a pause, "I mean yes, Master."
Obi-Wan continued to wander around his new quarters - Qui-Gon's old rooms - tidying up, picking things up and putting them down again in the same place. It was both comforting and saddening to occupy these familiar quarters. So much of Qui-Gon's essence remained, even though there were few possessions to clutter the space. Obi-Wan knew that with time, new memories of Anakin would mix with old ones of Qui-Gon, and this place would not seem so melancholy.
"Master Obi-Wan?" Anakin's voice was muffled, as though he were buried underneath something.
"Yes?"
"Help?" Obi-Wan frowned slightly, but headed into the bedroom nonetheless. Anakin was half dressed, having successfully donned his pants and tunic, but he was struggling with his obi. Composing himself quickly to keep from laughing, Obi-Wan unwrapped the garment from around his Padawan.
"How did you manage to get yourself into this mess," he asked. "Look, this is the proper way to tie your obi." He quickly demonstrated the process, leaving Anakin staring in wonder.
"Will you do that for me until I learn how to do it right?" Anakin hung his head slightly, ashamed that he had to ask for help in getting dressed. He was nine, he should be able to do it on his own. It was just that these clothes were so different from what he had worn on Tatooine.
"Of course. It took me a long time to learn how to do it properly." Obi-Wan offered a slight smile to Anakin, who beamed back at him. "But there's still one thing you're missing," Obi-Wan said.
"A lightsaber?" Anakin's face was full of hope and excitement, making Obi-Wan laugh.
"Not yet. You're still a bit young for that. I was referring to the braid that marks your status as a Jedi Padawan."
Anakin's smile faltered for a moment, but he nodded. "It won't be as long as yours was," he said sadly. "There won't be much there."
"Well, then it's a good thing that I have mine." Obi-Wan took a small box from the table beside the bed and carefully opened the lid. Inside were two long locks of hair, one reddish and braided, the other straight and silvery. He removed the braid and closed the box again, replacing it on the table. "We can add some of it to yours."
"Really? You would do that for me?" Anakin looked at Obi-Wan with gratitude in his eyes, making the Jedi realize what a tough life the boy must have had to be pleased with such a small token.
"You are my Padawan, Anakin. What kind of Master would I be if I let you go around with a stubby little braid, hmm? All the other younglings would make fun of you, and that would make both of us look bad." Obi-Wan thought he was probably stretching the truth, but he was trying his best to be a good Master. It was more difficult than he had imagined.
Obi-Wan sat on the bed and motioned for Anakin to sit in front of him. When the boy was settled, Obi-Wan took a bit of his braid and twined it with Anakin's own hair. He had purposely not cut the bit behind Anakin's right ear, knowing it needed to be long enough to braid.
"Before you know it, you won't need my hair at all," Obi-Wan told him as he laced the strands of hair around each other. "Yours will grow in properly and you will have to tidy it up more often than you'd like. It felt like mine needed to be braided every month. You'll be tired of it soon enough." He finished braiding the lock of hair and snapped another elastic around it, patting Anakin on the shoulder once he was done.
"Go clean up before dinner," he instructed, but Anakin turned around and surprised Obi-Wan by giving him an impromptu hug.
"I'll never get tired of being a Jedi."
Obi-Wan could do nothing but embrace Anakin in return, hoping his declaration was true.
Fandom: Star Wars
Characters: Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi
Prompt: Beginnings
Word Count: 842
Rating: G
Disclaimer: If they were mine, Anakin/Obi-Wan would be canon. And graphic.
Author's Notes: Beta by Microsoft Word
"Anakin, sit still." Obi-Wan Kenobi sighed, trying not to become impatient with the young boy, who was fidgeting in his chair.
"I'm sorry." Anakin sat still at last, and Obi-Wan could tell by the tone of his voice that he was expecting further reprimand.
"Don't be sorry, Anakin. Just be still. Unless, of course, you want to look ridiculous." Obi-Wan raised the clippers to Anakin's head and resumed cutting the boy's hair in the style customary to Padawans. Within moments, he was done, securing the small tail in the back with an elastic band.
"There. Have a look in the mirror if you wish." Obi-Wan watched as Anakin jumped down from the chair and scurried off to the refresher, examining his new haircut from every angle. There was still one thing left to be done, Obi-Wan thought as he cleaned up.
"There are clothes laid out on the bed, Padawan," he called. "Do you think you can manage?"
"Uh huh," came the enthusiastic reply. Then, after a pause, "I mean yes, Master."
Obi-Wan continued to wander around his new quarters - Qui-Gon's old rooms - tidying up, picking things up and putting them down again in the same place. It was both comforting and saddening to occupy these familiar quarters. So much of Qui-Gon's essence remained, even though there were few possessions to clutter the space. Obi-Wan knew that with time, new memories of Anakin would mix with old ones of Qui-Gon, and this place would not seem so melancholy.
"Master Obi-Wan?" Anakin's voice was muffled, as though he were buried underneath something.
"Yes?"
"Help?" Obi-Wan frowned slightly, but headed into the bedroom nonetheless. Anakin was half dressed, having successfully donned his pants and tunic, but he was struggling with his obi. Composing himself quickly to keep from laughing, Obi-Wan unwrapped the garment from around his Padawan.
"How did you manage to get yourself into this mess," he asked. "Look, this is the proper way to tie your obi." He quickly demonstrated the process, leaving Anakin staring in wonder.
"Will you do that for me until I learn how to do it right?" Anakin hung his head slightly, ashamed that he had to ask for help in getting dressed. He was nine, he should be able to do it on his own. It was just that these clothes were so different from what he had worn on Tatooine.
"Of course. It took me a long time to learn how to do it properly." Obi-Wan offered a slight smile to Anakin, who beamed back at him. "But there's still one thing you're missing," Obi-Wan said.
"A lightsaber?" Anakin's face was full of hope and excitement, making Obi-Wan laugh.
"Not yet. You're still a bit young for that. I was referring to the braid that marks your status as a Jedi Padawan."
Anakin's smile faltered for a moment, but he nodded. "It won't be as long as yours was," he said sadly. "There won't be much there."
"Well, then it's a good thing that I have mine." Obi-Wan took a small box from the table beside the bed and carefully opened the lid. Inside were two long locks of hair, one reddish and braided, the other straight and silvery. He removed the braid and closed the box again, replacing it on the table. "We can add some of it to yours."
"Really? You would do that for me?" Anakin looked at Obi-Wan with gratitude in his eyes, making the Jedi realize what a tough life the boy must have had to be pleased with such a small token.
"You are my Padawan, Anakin. What kind of Master would I be if I let you go around with a stubby little braid, hmm? All the other younglings would make fun of you, and that would make both of us look bad." Obi-Wan thought he was probably stretching the truth, but he was trying his best to be a good Master. It was more difficult than he had imagined.
Obi-Wan sat on the bed and motioned for Anakin to sit in front of him. When the boy was settled, Obi-Wan took a bit of his braid and twined it with Anakin's own hair. He had purposely not cut the bit behind Anakin's right ear, knowing it needed to be long enough to braid.
"Before you know it, you won't need my hair at all," Obi-Wan told him as he laced the strands of hair around each other. "Yours will grow in properly and you will have to tidy it up more often than you'd like. It felt like mine needed to be braided every month. You'll be tired of it soon enough." He finished braiding the lock of hair and snapped another elastic around it, patting Anakin on the shoulder once he was done.
"Go clean up before dinner," he instructed, but Anakin turned around and surprised Obi-Wan by giving him an impromptu hug.
"I'll never get tired of being a Jedi."
Obi-Wan could do nothing but embrace Anakin in return, hoping his declaration was true.