Two Old Men Get Hitched - Early month prior to mini-missions

[bentheredonethat]

[ ooc: tl;dr two old guys get tethered in a very outrageous and opposite to what they wanted way. Characters are welcome to react (or ignore!) as they’d like/reach out “privately” to them via their communicators, but the Doctor and Obi-Wan will likely thread hop since they’ll be together contemplating their life choices after this. If that’s not your cup of tea, feel free to indicate who the comment is going to and or mark it as 'private'! ]



The tethering between Obi-Wan and the Doctor had been purely tactical and out of necessity. It turned out that neither of them wanted to test the limits of going untethered, and for their own personal but similar reason, neither of them wanted to tether with the people that they were closest to. Which meant that this was the perfect match.

They even wanted the same thing: a no-nonsense hand decoration ceremony. Obi-Wan had raised the subject of wanting to be considerate of the Witches’ camp culture, but they figured jewelry could come later. A hand decoration ceremony, a simple hand fasting and done. So they had set out in casual street clothes that day to the Command Center.

It should have been straight forward. Go to the Command Center. Register their intent. Fill out necessary paperwork. Someone does a thing, and all is happy and good. Except when you put two relatively smart old men in a building, they’re bound to get a little lost. In hindsight, one of them would eventually remember that they were supposed to take a left at hallway AQ, not a right. Or maybe they were supposed to go straight? Regardless, a wrong turn was taken.

When the camera flickers on, anyone watching the broadcast will see one very confused man (Obi-Wan) and another very apparently angry (the Doctor) man staring at the scene before them as the doors to the chambers swing open.

The camera pans revealing the reason why they look confused and/or angry. The room has been set up with an aisle of rose petals and hundreds of candles that lead up to a vine backdrop that seems to have fairy lights woven in between the branches. Soft music plays overhead and somewhere off screen rose petals pelt the two men every so often. An officiant stands looking expectantly at them at the end of the aisle all hopeful and wide-eyed.

“Did we take a wrong turn?”

"I believe we must… was as far as Obi-Wan got before a man wearing a winning smile and beautiful ceremonial robes came striding towards them.

“Welcome, welcome! We were beginning to fear you weren’t going to make it, but here you are, such a lovely youn… ah, such a lovely pair!” As he spoke he somehow managed to get behind them and started to usher them up the path of roses, towards the arch covered dias.

“All of this for hand decoration?” The Doctor muttered to Obi-Wan but it wasn’t necessarily designed to be just to him.

“Well you did ask for an elaborate romantic ceremony!"

The Doctor's expression twisted and his eyebrows furrowed even further as he gaze snapped towards the man. "In what world did we -,"

Obi-Wan was quite fluent in the language of eyebrows, and if anything it was Obi-Wan who had been beating the dead horse the drum of ’be respectful of different cultures’. He stepped forward, shoulder bumping lightly but pointedly against the Doctor’s as he smiled at the officiant.

“What my, ah, tether partner means is we were looking for a si…”

“Singularly unique, unforgettable experience, and that is what we have prepared! Now come along, we’re already an hour over the time we booked for this room!” The man cried with such joy that Obi-Wan felt his heart sink. Correcting the man felt rather like kicking a Tooka kitten.

The camera caught the look Obi-Wan shot towards the Doctor. It was a combination of How do we do this without being rude, with a quick knitting of his own brows to impress upon the Time Lord NO we are not going to be rude!

There’s a moment where the Doctor stares at Obi-Wan and a slight forehead vein pops out before he looks back at the officiant with gritted teeth that in no way would ever pass as a smile. “…Yes. Exactly.” That didn’t seem to matter to him though. Another cry of joy left the man’s mouth as he tugged them towards the altar just as the music got a little louder muffling his voice as he jumped right into explaining everything that they were about to go through.

At one point, when the officiant’s back was turned, Obi-Wan turned to the Doctor and made a shrugging motion with his shoulders, hands cast upward as he mouthed silently, something to the effect that maybe this was how a Command Central command ceremony worked. Did the Doctor have any way to know differen… before the Jedi could finish the thought the officiant turned back, all beaming smiles, and Obi-Wan automatically slipped back into a diplomatic smile of his own. The Doctor however remained scowling.

Finally the ceremony seemed to get underway. More rose petals rained down on the three of them as their officiant artfully wound silken pieces of fabric, one representing Heba and the other Tian, around the Doctor and Obi-Wan’s joined left hands. The fabrics were interwoven with beautiful folds that delicately knotted them together. Once their non-dominant hands were fasted, the officiant then lead them through the hand decoration ceremony; a paint brush was handed between the two of them as they painstakingly drew the symbols for Tian and Heba respectively on the back of each other’s hands all while the smiling man waxed poetic about it being a promise to balance one other for years to come.

As the language became more flowery, Obi-Wan kept his head down with his eyes focused on the movement of the brush across the Doctor’s hand. Some of the language had the Jedi blushing - a fact he would deny until his dying breath - even as he was doing all he could to distract the Doctor from doing something rude.

Meanwhile the Doctor’s jawline was razor sharp as if he were biting his tongue. He all but snatched the paintbrush offered to him by the officiant but the man was so deep into his prose that he barely noticed as he instructed the Doctor to paint Obi-Wan’s hand. The Doctor wasn’t even looking at what he was painting but rather glaring from the officiant to Obi-Wan as if to say this was the last thing either of them had signed up for.

In the brief periods when the officiant was lost in rapture to the sound of his own voice, Obi-Wan shot back a look suggesting he was well aware that this was not what either of them had discussed. But was the Doctor used to things going the way they should? Was he? Because Obi-Wan sure as hell wasn’t, and that was when you had to call an audible and SOMEONE needed to stop grinding his teeth and get on with it.

Shockingly, the Heba symbol on Obi-Wan’s hand is flawless as the camera panned overhead to show them off to any onlookers.

Off camera the Doctor’s voice cut in just as the officiant spoke over him. “Grand are we done -,”

“And now we move onto the food sharing ceremony -,” and suddenly the camera zoomed out to show off a dainty, but aesthetic spread of desserts. The officiant threw his hands out wide with a grin, “that the both of you chose for one another.”

”Oh. Ah, now that does not seem neces…”

The officiant looked so pleased as he stepped over to the table, waving the happy couple into frame. “The ceremony won’t be complete until we have lovely captures of your first meal shared as a tethered pair! Come, come.”

Obi-Wan gave the Doctor a quick, worried glance. Did that mean they’d come this far only to fall short of all the requisite steps and risk having to do this again, if they failed to finish out the whole ceremony?

The Doctor caught Obi-Wan’s glance and the camera fully captured him burying his hands into his face as he let out something between a groan and a yell. A noise that would result in Obi-Wan lifting his decorated hand and rubbing his palm along one side of his face. It wasn’t in the Doctor’s nature to curse but with the way he was bent over you’d think that he was in his mind at the very least. His eyes were pure rage when he finally looked up but he roughly tugs Obi-Wan towards the table. They were not going through this again.

Situated across from one another with the officiant between them, he urged them to each take a small piece of their cakes and hand feed it to the other.

“With our hands?” The Doctor asked dryly.

Obi-Wan, the galaxy renowned Negotiator, looked like he was wishing for the floor to open up and swallow him whole.

“Well yes, it’s symbolic of the -,”

“Yes okay shut up I get it,” and with that the Doctor held out a piece of cake towards Obi-Wan, eyes screaming eat the cake so we can get out of here.

Mortified to a shade of rose that should never be found in nature, Obi-Wan still turned towards the officiant and offered the man a tight smile, attempting to express gratitude for the man’s time and effort. ”Thank you, for ...” is about as far as he gets before he caught movement out of the corner of his eye, cake heading for the corner of his mouth.

Turning back, Obi-Wan lifted what appeared to be a piece of cream pie - some Tian delicacy - towards the Doctor. Despite being mortified and in over his head with all of this, there is enough of a twinkle in gray hazel eyes to promise the Doctor that if that cake ends up anywhere other than his mouth? There will be retaliation.

There's a moment of angry, mischievous sparkle in the Doctor’s eyes too as if to say he’d love to see Obi-Wan attempt to retaliate anything after all this was said and done. But on cue he maneuvered his cake - an almost translucent Heban delicacy filled with what looked like candied stars - into Obi-Wan’s mouth just as Obi-Wan’s piece of pie made it to his.

…And shockingly the angry eyebrows seem to fade for a minute because the pie honestly wasn’t that bad. In fact, it was pretty good.

If the raised eyebrow expression on Obi-Wan’s face was anything to go by, the cake was likewise, quite good. In fact. If the cake was this good, it appeared that the Jedi was prepared to explore some of the other offerings on the table and the Doctor was too.

The officiant, who was not completely oblivious to the awkward air that had laid across the rest of the ceremony, appeared to finally relax as it appeared that the two gentlemen were genuinely pleased by the food.

“And it is done!” He exclaimed, turning towards the camera - or rather someone behind the camera - and making a cut off motion with his hand. Before the broadcast can end though, the Doctor and Obi-Wan could be clearly seen attempting to take away as many of the treats as they can.

The Doctor looked towards the officiant who had turned his back to the camera at this point before asking, “Do you have a take away bag? Actually containers would be better. And no, we’re not paying extra for photos - keep the pictures we’ll take these.”

And that’s when the camera feed shuts off.

Comments

[twelfthsong]

You know what would have saved you from mortification? Not being so polite.

[Ah yes, newly tethered and already they’ve skipped ahead to the old tethered couple bit.]

I’m all for being polite but people walk into rooms and then back out of them all the time because there’s something in there they don’t want to see or it’s an accident.

[bentheredonethat]

[ Obi-Wan looked decidedly unimpressed with this attempt to pin the situation on him. ]

We are visitors in their world, and while I am in no way delighted by this tethering necessity at least we were educated about the situation rather than left to find out about it ourselves. [ Be gracious Doctor, geez. ]

And I did not hear you offering up any options for a quick withdrawal. Admit it. The gentleman who performed the ceremony was quite ... compelling. [ What, did you want to kick the puppy, Doctor? DID YOU?

Before more can be said, Clara's message comes across the device. Reading the words, and the tone, he looks over the table towards the Doctor and with all the courage, and self-sacrifice for which the Jedi are known, pronounces. ]

I'll let you respond to that well wishing.

[twelfthsong]

Compelling? You mean manipulative. [He doesn't really think the officiant was manipulative he's just in the throws of a mini-tantrum. Also that would be like the pot calling the kettle black.] You're just a sucker for the puppy energy he had.

[The Doctor is finally taking a sip of his tea but practically chokes on it when he sees Clara's message.]

This is for saying that you would have to apologize to the tether couple, isn't it?

[bentheredonethat]

He was not manipulative. [ Even without the Force, Obi-Wan could tell that the man had genuinely enjoyed his job and was just the kind of personality who loved the opportunity to see people happy. If this was also a response that avoided the question of whether or not Obi-Wan was a sucker for puppy energy? Well, hopefully the Doctor never hears the story of how Leia came to have her gloves.

As for the situation with Clara. Obi-Wan snorts, tea cup pausing half-way towards his mouth before he responds. ]

This is my having the tactical sense to recognize a position for which there is no defense.

[twelfthsong]

Manipulative with his enthusiasm - you fell for it hook, line and sinker!

[The Doctor is fighting a battle on two fronts it seems - one right in front of him and via text with Clara. His fingers are furiously typing along with some very furious eyebrows that glance up at Obi-Wan every so often.]

You know why I don't want to tether with her. This would be like if someone you cared about got mad at you for the same reason.

[After Obi-Wan comes back from doing whatever it is he's done and the Doctor has his communicator back in hand he sits back in his seat with a heavy sigh.]

I don't know what's going on. And I don't mind not knowing but not when it comes to...relationship stuff.

[bentheredonethat]

[ Obi-Wan looked at the Doctor from over the rim of his tea cup, fuzzy eyebrows lifting. ]

I sincerely hope you're not looking to me for any sort of advice in the area of relationships? [ Because if anyone was even less qualified to discuss interpersonal relationships than the Time Lord, it was the Jedi. ]

[twelfthsong]

I don't know maybe someone in your Order had some kind of relationship advice book.

[Realistically he knows that probably isn't the case but he's still trying not to think about the angry interactions he's had with Clara as of late.]

[bentheredonethat]

It was a chapter in a book that boiled down to 'avoid at all costs.' [ He makes light with his words, but there is a heaviness in his eyes that might suggest he really isn't joking.

He takes a minute, refills his tea and weighs his next words. There is a brief consideration of tackling the idea head on, but Obi-Wan ultimately ops for a softer approach. ]

Attachments, relationships were forbidden by the Jedi Order, save for very special cases. We were raised under the belief that our duty and our focus was to the Force and the good of the galaxy. Individual relationships were seen as a direct conflict; allegiance to the one rather than the many.

[twelfthsong]

[The Doctor had his arrogant tendencies but he's still slightly surprised to hear he had hit the nail on the head.]

You're really making your Order out to be a little monk-like. [And it's more of an observation than an insult. There were Time Lords who took a similar stance but they were a race that changed bodies so frequently that romance like gender was a fluid concept.]

So you've never...[He waves a hand in the general direction of his communicator, the phrase, 'been in a relationship' drifting to the top of his consciousness. Not that he thought he was in a relationship with Clara but the charged feelings certainly insinuated some sort of relationship.]

[bentheredonethat]

[ Obi-Wan's eyebrows were climbing upwards in the rising concern that the Doctor was asking him if he'd ever danced. A wash of relief ran through him when the Time Lord's mind tipped towards relationship instead. ]

Some of us were more monk-like than others. [ He admitted, thinking of the likes of Rael Aveross and Ki adi Mundi. ] Though their circumstances were exceptions rather than the rule.

[ Lifting the tea to his lips, Obi-Wan called up the mental image of Duchess Satine Kryze. Even without the Force, his mental discipline was strong, allowing Obi-Wan to control some of the flashes, giving the Doctor history through memories.

Obi-Wan as a Padawan with Qui-Gon Jinn
A year spent fleeing bounty hunters after Satine
Being a teenager ... growing close to Satine
Walking away.
Years later ... the war. Duchess Satine holding Mandalore as neutral.
Passionate arguments about the war, but the mutual respect ... the love, even in the face of professional conflict.
Maul ... and Satine's murder.

Taking a deep breath, then letting it out slowly, Obi-Wan glanced down at his empty tea mug. ]

Many of our Order, in similar circumstances, have fallen to the Dark Side. They embrace the pain with anger and lash out and as I am assure you are aware; when those with great power lash out there is almost always collateral damage.

Innocent collateral damage.

Perhaps I should have avenged her death, but I choose to believe in stead that she knew me well enough, that she loved me well enough to have never wanted that for me. Not in her name.

[twelfthsong]

[Come on now, who do you take him for? Sandshoes? Well even Sandshoes had his boundaries but he was still a little more loose when it came to the romance side of things.

This new ability brought on by tethering was one that the Doctor was familiar with in practice thanks to his own psionic abilities, but it never made the process of seeing into another’s memories any less impactful. And tethering added a whole layer of complexity, a joint experience that he was usually very good at tactfully ignoring and shutting out in the past. But this is different. They’re connected. The memories Obi-Wan allows him to view are brief but potent. He recognizes the familiar blossoming of love, the snuff of a life like a blown out candle, and the quiet internalized grief that never truly went away, all in one fell swoop.]

Love is a promise. [He toys idly with the rim of the tea cup in his hands that has since gone cold.] That’s what it sounds like you gave to each other even at the end.

[He waves a hand to catch the attention of a waitress to bring another round of a stronger tea before turning back to look at Obi-Wan. There’s a brief flicker of his own memories that he allows his new tether partner to see - flashes of faces he’s loved and lost over his very long life. There’s a blonde woman crying on a beach alone, a brave young woman who made a choice to choose herself first, two fiery red heads each torn away by devastating circumstances, another man who loved one of the red heads so much that he waited 2000 years protecting her, a woman with curly hair and a secret in her eyes, another young woman that had a spark for life and thirst for knowledge, and a bald man that there was an annoying affection for - and finally, curiously, a hole. A hole where someone should have been.

And then it cuts out. It’s not meant to show Obi-Wan up or compare scars. It’s his way of commiserating and showing him he understood.] I’m sorry you had to go through that.

[bentheredonethat]

I'm sorry that you have had to go through it, so often. [ Obi-Wan responded in a solemn tone. ] I cannot imagine and even now, [ he motioned to the marking on his hand, meaning their tether bond ] I know it is not nearly enough.

[ In the lift and fall of his words was a response to the idea that none of this was about trying to compare scars. Their scars were unique to them both, none greater or lesser if only because there was no comparing their lives.

There were a lot of similarities between them, even between the vastness of the galaxies they traveled. The Doctor had thousands of years, Obi-Wan had an impossible life pressed into the span of a blink. It was about understanding, commiserating and perhaps helping provide a different perspective from the depth of the same hole.

Sitting back with his fresh tea -bless you Doctor- Obi-Wan took a sip and then smiled a little crookedly. ]

The strangest thing is, has always been, that even with all the pain, the loss and the grief. When I allow myself to look back, I don't ever find myself trying to reimagine myself without the experiences I have lived.

[ It was his tone that balanced the words. No one wanted pain, loss and grief in their life but his choice to be a Jedi, the memory of his time with Qui-Gon, Satine, Anakin, Padme ... the existence of the twins. Obi-Wan never looked back and wanted to wish that away in favor of avoiding the pain that came with it. ]

[twelfthsong]

[He tries to play it off, putting some levity to his tone.] It comes with the territory of living a long life. [But the truth of the matter is living a long life is taxing. It only means watching the people he loves eventually leave to a place he can't join them or visit them.] Thankfully none of them happened back to back. I'd be a mess.

[His gaze softened slightly as he listened to Obi-Wan.]

Well that's the thing isn't it? Even with all the bad there was good too. There's plenty of good to balance it all out.

[bentheredonethat]

There is. [ Obi-Wan agreed with a gentle smile of his own. ] Sometimes you have to look a lot harder to find it, or wait for it to show itself in its own time.

[ And in those instances, the patience needed could feel impossible to grasp.

He lifted his tea cup and pushed it slightly towards the Doctor, offering a toast of understanding. The understanding for this complicated balance of wanting to do the right thing, of knowing what good was out there to be found, to be cherished, to be protected. Yet to having to live through and with the darkness that came on the other side of it all. ]

[twelfthsong]

[A small voice scoffed at him for not taking his own advice and his own dire outlook at what he'd just been through but he stubbornly brushes it away. Maybe he was just tired of the bad.

He shakes himself back to reality by bringing his own tea cup towards Obi-Wan's extended one before drinking from his cup.]

So am I the only one that's going to get yelled at for tethering or are we expecting someone you know to also be upset?

[bentheredonethat]

[ Sitting back, taking a savoring sip of his tea, Obi-Wan chuckled wryly but gave his head a small shake. ]

I do not believe so. [ He admitted, looking thoughtful for a moment. ] Young Ezra had approached me regarding a tether but I believe -I hope- that my explanation made the situation clear to him. [ Clear that his decline was not to be seen as a personal slight towards Ezra, but rather a reflection of Obi-Wan's own baggage.

Though as he sat and mentally scrolled through the Force Sensitives here in the Broken World with them, Obi-Wan's brows furrowed.

Vader wouldn't bother about it; would he? Obi-Wan's mind played a quick game of internal tennis with itself before he glanced down at his tea, an expression best described as bemused on his face. ]

I doubt there will be yelling involved, but perhaps try to avoid finding yourself in a dark, secluded location with a tall man, lots of scaring, a cybernetic limb or two and bright blue eyes.

[twelfthsong]

I've had worse corner me.

[But noted. He regards Obi-Wan for a minute.] Are they someone else close from home?

[bentheredonethat]

[ Truth is, Obi-Wan can't deny that the Doctor has had worse. Again, it wasn't a contest, and tied to one of those in the measure of over all experience situations. ]

It's a long story. [ He says, in a rough voice. A moment later he shifts slightly and makes a wriggly motion towards his own temple, suggesting he save his own voice and the Doctor's ears and go for a direct download. So to speak.

But he is asking permission. ]

[twelfthsong]

We just had a fresh pot of tea delivered.

[In other words, he isn't going anywhere and he gives him a nod. It was fine. They were tethered after all.]

[bentheredonethat]

[ They were going to need that fresh pot of tea.

Taking a deep breath, Obi-Wan closed his eyes and calmed his mind. The mental discipline this would take was not entirely dependent upon the Force. The Force might have helped Obi-Wan scope out a lot of the emotions that were going to come across with the memories, but .. one did the best one could.

It all began back on Tatooine, as a very tall man introduced in a soft, lilting brogue: 'Anakin Skywalker, meet Obi-Wan Kenobi'.

By the time Obi-Wan was done, he'd come through all the recent events with Leia's kidnapping and his apology to Vader. He went ahead and included the memory of Vader finding him here, in the Witches' camp and insisting he tell Luke and Leia the truth. In fact, to round things out, he also brought the Doctor up to date on the presence of a younger Padme, and his conversations with her.

When it was all said and done, the crowd in the pub was beginning to thin. ]

[twelfthsong]

[To any onlookers, it would have just seemed like they were two old men gazing at one another from across the table, idly sipping their tea every so often. About half way through the conversation the teapot is once again empty and the Doctor motions to the waitress without breaking eye contact with Obi-Wan.

He recognizes the man that Obi-Wan had described as being the particularly grumpy one over the tether and the feelings associated with him. It's complicated is putting it lightly. But he knows what that feeling is like and what it means to care for someone so deeply while being so conflicted at the same time.

But Missy is a story for another day although Obi-Wan would know that the Doctor once again can relate. When it seems like Obi-Wan has shown him everything he set out to show him the Doctor leans forward pouring him another cup of tea.]

I don't know if it's a good or bad thing that I supposedly only know Clara here.

[bentheredonethat]

I doubt it is as black and white, for either of us. [ Obi-Wan shared, though the light twist of his lips was meant to convey understanding.

They both had a lot in their closets, though the Doctor had quite a few more closets than the Jedi. Still, they were two old men with a lot of baggage. Speaking of which, the Doctor had just cracked a door; whether he intended to or not. ]

I have no conscious intention to interfere with what is between you and Clara. That said, I hope that once she has had some time, you two will talk?

[ It was a question, but also a gentle nudge. No running off, Doctor. ]

[twelfthsong]

[Initially there's only brooding silence in response to Obi-Wan's question.

Truth be told it's been nothing but back and forth like this for weeks now with Clara ever since she had stumbled upon him in the market. This rollercoaster of emotions between the two of them was the last thing he wanted especially when he knew he had been the cause of her tears and fury on all accounts. In situations like this all he ever did was run.

But where is there to run to? Eventually he lets out a heavy sigh.]

We'll see if she wants to speak to me. I doubt she does.