"Obi-Wan?" Qui-Gon poked his head around the door of his apprentice' room with a look of disgust.

The boy was lying on his stomach, legs bent and crossed above him, reading something off a data reader.

Qui-Gon could only hope it actually had something to do with his studies. A quick glance around the room revealed more about the apprentice than Qui-Gon really had any desire to know.

Data pads were strewn over the bed and the nearby desk. Clothing was piled in several corners and Qui-Gon was afraid to ask if it was clean or dirty.

The door to the boy's closet was open and clothing was hanging half on and half off hangers. His small dresser was packed and overstuffed, to the point where it was busting at the seams with types of clothing Qui-Gon didn't even want to know about.

Qui-Gon rolled his eyes and wondered silently if he had even been this messy as a child. The man smirked and stifled a chuckle. Oh yes, he'd been much worse. He'd insisted upon having any form of living thing he could get away with. Which resulted in more dirt and dust being strewn across his floors than Obi-Wan could EVER come up with. At least his apprentice didn't have his fascination for living things that Qui-Gon had had in his youth. Or rather- still had.

'At least I keep my room spotless, and TRY to keep the rest of the quarters relatively clean.' He thought.

Qui-Gon frowned when he remembered the pile of laundry he had to do, the dust he had to clean off of every mantle, every piece of furniture in the quarters.

Qui-Gon leaned against the doorframe while his apprentice conveniently ignored him.

They'd been gone for two months, quite sufficient time for dust bunnies to creep into every little crevice and multiply like only bunnies can.

Qui-Gon had done the cleaning thus far while his bond with Obi-Wan formed. It had been nearly a year now, and it was time for Obi-Wan to take on a few more responsibilities.

"Obi-Wan?" Qui-Gon's tone deepened and the boy immediately looked up from his data pad.

"Yes Master?" The boy flashed him a wide smile, dimples deepening and eyes brightening.

That sweet smile was not going to work on Qui-Gon this time.

"I need to report to the Council and I need you to do some cleaning before we are overrun in our own quarters by the dust bunnies."

The boy's face fell, eyes dipping to stare up as his Master through thick eyelashes. His lips formed a small pout and he alternated looking at his data pad and casting sad faces at his Master.

"What about my lessons? And Bant is actually back for a change. I've not seen her in almost a year."

Qui-Gon had fortunately steeled himself for the pleas and excuses and was able to shoot them down one by one.

"You should have completed these studies over the last two months."

Obi-Wan frowned.

"Bant has just returned from a mission with her Master and will be occupied for the next few days."

Obi-Wan huffed and lowered his head.

"Therefore, that will leave you plenty of time to clean up this room and the rest of the quarters."

Obi-Wan's eyes turned round as saucers and he stared incredulously at his Master. "But Master what about…"

"I've cleaned and dusted my room," Qui-Gon took one disapproving glance around his Padawan's room. "I believe you may need more than an evening to sufficiently clean this mess."

"Master.."

Qui-Gon turned to leave and cast one last look at his apprentice. "And Obi-Wan, I want the clothing hung up or placed neatly in their drawers, not, and I repeat, NOT, tossed into a corner of the closet."

Obi-Wan glanced around the room and winced. It HAD been a long time since he cleaned. But they'd been too busy and he'd had much more fun and important things to do.

"Why can't we just get a cleaning droid just for this time?" Obi-Wan asked innocently, eyes twinkling with his proposed solution.

Qui-Gon sighed loudly. "Obi-Wan, we do NOT need a cleaning droid. There is nothing in these quarters that cannot be cleaned or washed by our own two hands."

Obi-Wan frowned again and Qui-Gon chuckled.

"Be careful, your face may freeze like that."

Obi-Wan sneered at his Master, eyes darkened with despair.

"And when you are done with your room, please dust the front room, kitchen and clean the fresher."

"Master!" Obi-Wan whined loudly, his eyes widening in unbelievable shock.

"I'll be out for a good part of the evening after the Council meeting."

"No doubt catching up with friends you've not seen in a good while." Obi-Wan murmured under his breath.

Qui-Gon turned his head and glanced at the unhappy Padawan. "Actually yes, Adi and Depa invited me to dinner when we returned and I've decided to take them up on the offer."

"Not fair." Obi-Wan muttered and Qui-Gon's eyes flashed compassionately at his Padawan.

"As soon as you finish these tasks, you may go out."

"We'll be sent on another mission before I finish." Obi-Wan complained loudly.

It was Qui-Gon's turn to flash a smile. "Well then you'll have the very same thing to do over again when we return, won't you?"

"Can't we hire a maid to dust while we are away?" Obi-Wan suggested, his eyes lit with hope.

Qui-Gon sighed and stepped back into the room. "Not a chance Obi-Wan. Two men can clean dust bunnies every few months. It will not kill us."

"I'm a boy and it WILL kill me."

"If you ever want to BE a man, you will clean and stop complaining!" Qui-Gon's voice rose just a bit, sending tremors through his young Padawan's body.

Obi-Wan's eyes clouded and it looked like he was going to cry. Qui-Gon steeled himself for this latest trick.

His first Padawan had done the exact same thing. When one action did not generate the desired response, she'd take it to the extreme opposite end.

"I know you are anxious to see your friends. You may do so when your duties are completed. End of discussion."

Obi-Wan nodded, making it seem that he was too choked up to speak.

"Think of it this way. It will prepare you for when you are a Knight and have to do much more unpleasant tasks before you are allowed to goof off with your friends."

"You don't goof." Obi-Wan said dejectedly.

"No, I am an adult, Obi-Wan. I socialize."

"I want to be an adult."

Qui-Gon sighed. The boy was stalling. "You'll get there soon enough. Don't rush it."

"Get to it!" Qui-Gon clasped his hands together, startling the boy. "You'll have no free time before our next mission if you don't begin immediately."

Qui-Gon palmed the panel and Obi-Wan's door slid closed. The Jedi snickered when he heard Obi-Wan mumble some very choice phrases under his breath.

"I'll have to find out where he learned those." Qui-Gon grinned, looking at the chrono on the wall. "Later. I'm going to be late."

----------------------------

"Look just smashing, Qui," Adi cooed, sliding her arm through the tall Jedi's and leading him into her quarters.

Qui-Gon eyed her curiously. " I don't look much different than I normally do."

"Yes you do," Depa handed him a wine glass filled with a deep purple liquid. "You are not rigid and defensive like we are used to seeing in Council."

"I am not rigid." Qui-Gon scoffed.

Adi leaned forward on her tiptoes and gave him a lingering kiss to the cheek. "Yes you are."

Qui-Gon looked down at her, finally discovering the reason for her strange mood. She'd obviously had more than one glass of wine.

Qui-Gon felt a blush crawl along his cheeks as she gave him an approving glance from head to toe.

"Lets eat." Depa smiled conspiratorially and slid her hand into his free arm. The two women led him to a table laid out with the most exotic and aromatic foods he had been near in a long time.

"It’s a good thing Council was quick today." Adi ushered Qui-Gon into a seat and lingered just a bit too long for his taste. "For once you didn't do anything that the Council disapproved of."

"Yes, I was quite impressed," Depa smiled, serving him from a plate that held more sweets than he could possibly ingest in one sitting.

"I do not set out to displease the Council." Qui-Gon allowed Depa to place the sweet substance in his mouth. His eyes rolled back into his head he bit down and the pastry split, sending sweet juices into every corner of his mouth. It was almost too sweet.

"Enough about the Council," Adi waved her hand and a bottle floated from the kitchen. "We wanted to get to know YOU."

-----------------------

Obi-Wan grumbled as he dusted the various statues and items that lined the shelves in the front room. He'd decided to start here in hopes that it would be done faster and he could just find a place to put all of his clothes later.

The door chime rang and startled him, unfortunately just as he reached behind a particularly large statue to scatter the dust bunnies that had begun to multiply.

With his concentration split, the statue slipped out of his grasp just as the door slid open.

He cursed in several languages as the statue hit the floor and shattered into a billion pieces.

Bant's large Calamarian eyes blinked as she surveyed the pieces of Alderaanian crystal that now lay scattered in pieces across the rug.

"You ok?" She asked when she noticed Obi-Wan's horrified look.

"That was given to him by a senator from Alderaan. Damn. He's going to kill me."

"So I guess that means you can't come out tonight?" Bant asked, surveying the damage and the dust cloud the entire apartment seemed to be enveloped in.

Obi-Wan sighed. "I wish. Master Qui-Gon gave me chores to do."

Bant frowned, her large lips curling back in disappointment.

"But, hey, I have an idea." Obi-Wan's eyes lit for the first time since he was notified of his new responsibilities.

"What's that?" Bant asked.

Obi-Wan gathered the shards into a small container and closed the lid. "Maybe he won't notice its missing."

"I doubt it," Bant muttered truthfully and Obi-Wan sneered at his friend.

"If you help me, I'll finish faster and then we can go out." Obi-Wan flashed his, thus far irresistible, smile at his friend.

She took a step back and shook her head. "Help you clean? Are you insane?"

Obi-Wan frowned. "If you’re my friend, you'll help."
Bant gasped and sneered at her friend. "Be lucky I am your friend or I would bat your head from here to your bedroom for that comment."

Obi-Wan smiled widely. "Does that mean you'll help?"

----------------------

Chapter 2

Qui-Gon leaned his large form back, stretching his very full stomach. "I'm stuffed. That was wonderful ladies."

Adi and Depa smiled at one another and then at Qui-Gon. "Thank you." They said in unison.

Adi reached for her wine glass and missed, nearly tipping it.

Only Qui-Gon's quick reflexes and the Force kept the glass from going over.

Adi just giggled and reached for the empty bottle instead .

Her fingers slid around the bottle neck and she chuckled. "I tink wes need anothr." She slurred and Qui-Gon's eyes narrowed.

Adi stood on shaky legs and turned to get another bottle from the kitchen.

Qui-Gon was behind her in an instant, keeping her upright.

She slumped into his arms as soon as his hands landed at her waist.

"I tink this is a bettr positin." She settled into his arms and looked up at him with big brown eyes.

"Yes, well. I think you've had a long day with the Council and its time for bed." Qui-Gon lifted her into his arms and carried her to her bedroom.

"Agree!" She cooed, reaching a shaky hand toward his lips but missing and hitting his neck instead.

Depa smiled as she followed the two, holding onto the wall that was Qui-Gon to steady herself.

"What in the mighty hells happened in Council today to make you two want to drink it away?" Qui-Gon asked as he sat her onto the soft cushions. "I know it wasn't anything I did for a change."

Adi garnered a death grip on his neck and pulled him into a kneeling position on the floor beside the bed.

"Never mind, I don't want to know."

Depa came to a crashing halt behind him and brought her hands down onto his shoulders to steady herself.

Adi stretched out on her bed, watching Qui-Gon through heavily lidded eyes. Her fingers twined with his and refused to let go.

Depa's fingers slid from his shoulders into the silky mass that fell onto them. She clawed her way into his hair and dug her nails lightly into his scalp.

An involuntary groan escaped his lips as she began to absently rub his head, his hair falling like fine silk through her fingers.

When Adi gripped his forearms and pulled herself up to his eye level, he took a deep breath. This was not the kind of situation he wanted to find himself in tonight. Two beautiful, drunk women, falling all over him. Why couldn't they be sober women falling all over him? He'd feel less guilty about taking advantage.

"Watr yous feelin guity abut?" Adi slurred, reading his mind. She wrapped her arms around his neck and drew him down to her eye level. Her lips brushed his and he could taste the sweet wine embedded into the skin.

"This is not right," Qui-Gon struggled to stand, his body and his conscious warring to see who would come out the victor.

He felt Depa bend behind him and shuddered when her hot, sweet lips brushed his neck.

Adi's fingers replaced Depa's in his hair as she sucked along his bottom lip.

Depa nuzzled his neck and back with her cheek until her hands found something more amusing to play with.

His belt…

-----

"Finally done," Obi-Wan sighed as he tossed more dirty towels down the laundry chute.

"About time. What a filthy mess. Is this all you needed to clean?" Bant grumbled.

Obi-Wan opened his mouth to tell her that he still needed to clean his bedroom, but thought better of it upon noticing the disgusted look on her face.

No, maybe he'd just leave his room as is and hope that Qui-Gon would see what a good job he did on the rest of the apartment rather than look in the Padawan's room.

"Yes, I'm done." Obi-Wan smiled.

Bant ushered him towards the fresher and turned on the steaming hot water. "Good now clean up and lets go. Half the evening has been wasted!"

---------------

It was into the wee hours of the morning when Obi-Wan stumbled back into his quarters. He tiptoed to his room and sighed when he saw no sight of his Master.

"Must have been some dinner," Obi-Wan chuckled and palmed the panel to open the door to his own room. "Or he's sound asleep."

Just as it slid open, Obi-Wan heard the front door slide aside to reveal a very exhausted and disheveled Qui-Gon.

Obi-Wan hit the panel and his door hissed shut, barely missing his own rumpled clothes.

"Master" Obi-Wan stammered, "You're out late."

"Unavoidably detained," Qui-Gon muttered and Obi-Wan noticed the slight slur to his speech.

The apprentice chuckled and walked toward his Master, for the first time noticing that his hair was in quite a disarray and his clothing was not draping loosely off his lean body. It was bunched in places Obi-Wan didn’t really want to think of, and it was stained in places that Qui-Gon could not naturally reach unless the clothing was not on his body.

The apprentice shook his head, NOT wanting to think of his Master in that way, and yawned deeply. He keyed open his door and stepped through it, back first.

"I'm exhausted Master, I think I'm going to bed." Obi-Wan reached to close the door and winced when he heard his Master's slurred voice hit his ears seconds before the door hissed shut.

"I'll be there in a few minutesss to see how you did with yur assignment."

"Sith!" Obi-Wan cursed and flung his cloak onto his unmade bed.

He scampered around his room, tossing the piles of clean and dirty clothing under the bed. 'Master wouldn't look under there. Not tonight. With as much as he'd obviously been drinking, he'd never get back up again.' Obi-Wan hoped.

Obi-Wan stifled a yelp when he noticed a small creature skitter out from beneath a particularly fragrant pile of clothing. The stunned apprentice watched it scamper under the bed.

"Oh no." Obi-Wan muttered, rubbing his tired eyes. "What pathetic life form got out of Master's room now?"

He didn't have time to speculate, his Master would find his way to his room eventually and Obi-Wan wanted to be ready.

He slammed his closet door shut and pulled clothing out of overstuffed drawers. He tossed them under the bed with the rest of the pile amidst entertained squeaks coming from beneath his bed frame.

He took a dirty, or clean, he could tell and the smell didn't help, tunic and wiped the dust from as many places as his tired eyes could see.

He sneezed, the dust finally clogging his already sensitive nasal passages.

The data disks that littered his bed and desk were tossed into a small box in the closet.

He collapsed onto his bed a few minutes later, expecting his Master to walk in any moment.

He laid there for a few more minutes and frowned. Maybe his Master trusted that he had cleaned his room and wouldn't be in to check on him until morning.

Obi-Wan sighed and pulled himself out of bed to go see what had caused the delay. He walked out into the front room and stifled a chuckle when he noticed his Master sprawled out on the couch, one arm and leg hanging off the side, snoring softly.

At least he hadn't noticed the sculpture Obi-Wan had broken or the room he hadn't fully cleaned. The apprentice was safe, for now.

When Qui-Gon woke in the morning, that was another matter entirely.

END