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Obi-Wan was coming to school with Anakin that day. The younger man grumbled the whole way, because for him Obi has woken up too early. "What, should I be late like you always are?," He asked wryly, and Anakin just snorted in answer, still looking like a half-asleep zombie. "I hate you so much," Anakin murmured and Obi-Wan laughed at that, giving Anakin his teasing grin. "Yeah and I hate you too," The older man said and Anakin glared at him, pouting and sticking out his tongue." I hate you even more now. I hope you get punched in the face."
"Punched by who? I hope you don't mean by Maul," Obi said and turned around to look at Anakin, but he heard a loud thud and saw Anakin hit the wall. For a beat of a heart there was complete silence, and then Obi-Wan erupted into howling laughter, while Anakin's frown became more pronounced and he looked ready to kill someone. "Well thank you very much, Obi-Wan. Your laughter is helping me so much."
When Obi succeeded at calming down a bit he moved closer to the taller man and asked:" Sorry Ani, it was just too funny. Are you alright?"
"Yeah, I am alright. Just really in a bad mood. And this surely didn't help," Anakin answered, and Obi-Wan was fighting with himself not to laugh again. "Yes I am sure it didn't. Who would have thought? The great Fearless Demon is defeated by a wall. What could your fans think of this?," He teased and Anakin growled, answering right back: " Oh, I don't know. They would probably be disappointed. But then I wonder what would they say if they knew the mighty Deadly Negotiator gets flowers on his desk!"
Obi's eyes widened and he stared at Anakin in confusion:" What?"
Anakin blinked back like he only now registered what he had said and looked inside the classroom, motioning with his head for Obi-Wan to follow. "Look inside. There really is a flower on your table." Obi-wan turned his head around, and really there was a flower perched on his table all wrapped up in paper, looking like someone just picked it up. It was an iris. A beautiful blue iris. Obi was stunned beyond words, so he only stared at it in silence along with Anakin.
He extended his hand and touched it. When the flower didn't implode on itself, Obi-Wan picked it up and examined it, a small smile blossoming on his face. "Is Qui-gon really so cliche?" Anakin asked, glad he could now tease Obi-Wan about something. "I think it is rather sweet of him," Obi answered with a smile, and when Anakin saw his love struck expression, he knew instantly that whatever he said further it wouldn't reach Obi-Wan at all. He pouted in annoyance and proclaimed:" I see there is no sense in talking to you anymore. I am going to leave you alone with your present. Have fun." Anakin got out of the classroom, meeting other students and happily joining them.
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After the classes Obi-Wan, Anakin and Ahsoka went to the cafeteria to grab something to eat. They were all talking animately, when Obi-Wan spotted another flower on the table where they usually ate. "What is this?" Ahsoka asked pocking the flower in suspicion. "Well, aren't you popular today?" Anakin said and Ahsoka instantly perked up, curious despite Anakin's dirty looks. "What do you mean by that Anakin?"
"I mean this in not the first flower he got today. There was one on his desk in our classroom." While the two chatted, Obi-Wan gently lifted a red camellia and he felt warmth around his heart. He really hoped this was all Qui-gon's doing, because he really liked it and found it immensely sweet. "Hey, Obi-Wan. Is Qui-gon giving you all these flowers today?" Ahsoka asked, breaking him out of his musings. "I sure hope so," he answered and spaced out, looking at the flower like it was the most beautiful thing in the world.
Obi-Wan decided that he will leave it in the nurses office, where he also left the iris. "He is totally ignoring us, isn't he?" Ahsoka complained to Anakin, eyeing Obi-Wan worriedly. Anakin saw the worry in her eyes, so he put his hand on her shoulder, trying to project calm assurance that everything will be alright. "It's fine, Snips. He gets like that sometimes. He will return to his old self in no time." She looked up at Anakin and asked:" Promise?"
Anakin grinned at her and patted her on the back:" Yeah, I promise. It's completely normal really. You will see when you fall in love." Ahsoka made a face at that, which made Anakin smile. "Yuck! I hope I am not so hopeless as you two. It would not be a good look for me." Anakin laughed at that and found himself agreeing with her.
"You are right about that. You would look ridiculous. But who ever said love is normal or fair?" Ahsoka groaned at that, starting to feel afraid of the future. "I sure hope not, Skyguy. I sure hope not."
+++
They were on their way to their clubroom, Anakin leading the way, Ahsoka just behind him and Obi-Wan behind the two of them, carrying the camellia with him. "Wait, you two. I have to give this camellia to the nurse. She will take care of it," Obi-Wan said, Ahsoka and Anakin meeting each others gazes and then looking up at Obi-wan. "I think you should first visit our clubroom, before you go to the nurse," Anakin admitted, and Ahsoka only nodded, showing her support. "Why?" Obi asked slightly confused at what Anakin was aiming at. "You found a flower in every place you frequently visit, so you can only guess that there will be one in the clubroom too," Ahsoka explained, and Obi-Wan agreed that it made sense.
When they arrived, a couple of other members were already there, and as soon as Mace saw Obi-Wan he came over and pointed on the chair where white heather was laying. "I think this is for you." Obi-Wan raised his eyebrow and asked amused: " Why do you think so? "
Mace rolled his eyes and said in an annoyed voice, exasperation apparent in his whole stance:" Because there is a message that says for Obi-Wan." Obi just nodded in answer, and picked up the flower, reading the message that was written on a small white piece of paper, and his whole face was shinning with amusement.
He turned around and locked eyes with Anakin, giving him a beaming smile and saying:" Well, now we know, who all these flowers are from."
+++
"I am going to go meet Qui-gon. See you later guys!" Obi-Wan exclaimed and ran away from the group of his friends in the direction Qui-gon's letter indicated. He found Qui-gon soon after, standing around and holding something in his hand. "What do you have there?" Obi asked, and when Qui-gon's gaze landed on the younger man he smiled and came closer. "Can't you see? It's a mistletoe. And do you know what people do under the mistletoe?" Qui-gon asked teasingly, and Obi-Ean couldn't resist but smile at him. "It's not Christmas. Or winter for that matter." The taller man only quirked his eyebrow up and asked:" So? What does it matter, if it is winter or not? Hopefully that doesn't affect your wish to kiss me does it?"
Obi-Wan came closer to the man, and raised his chin, aligning his mouth to Qui-gon's and passionately kissed him without any reservation. Qui-gon returned it instantly, and they stayed like that, mistletoe in Qui-gon's hand completely forgotten.
"I think we wrinkled the poor flower," Obi-Wan commented, eyeing the flower in Qui-gon's hand. "It wasn't on purpose, it will forgive us. Now come on, let's put all those flowers where they belong," he declared and Obi-Wan followed him obediently, both of them falling into their usual banter. "So was today some special occasion for all those gifts?" Obi-Wan asked curious, and Qui-gon shook his head. "No, I just felt like doing it. Did you like it?"
"A lot. Though do all those flowers have some deeper meaning I don't know about?"
"Maybe. You should look it up. Because I use flower language a lot in my everyday life. If you want to understand me, you should learn it," Qui-gon turned around, and gave him a brilliant smile, which made Obi-Wan feel like he was seeing the sun.
He returned the smile, took a hold of Qui-gon's hand, squeezed it tight, and whispered quietly, feeling that same warm bubble inside him:" I will if it means so much to you."