Art by @spectral-musette on Tumblr

Tags/warnings: teenagers, bickering, mutual sassiness, water, swimming, kissing, floating, meditation, play fighting, adventuring/thrill-seeking

Word count: 1.3K

     Qui-Gon let out an exasperated sigh as his Padawan and a certain Mandalorian Duchess began what was at least their seventh argument of the day. The only thing hotter than the anger boiling between the two temperamental teenagers was Phindar's tropical heat.

     "Obi-Wan, perhaps you should show Satine the waterfall that we found while sparring a few days ago," the Jedi Master suggested firmly.

     The Padawan's disgruntlement with this task was sensed by both Jedi and Mandalorian. But ever the obedient student, Obi-Wan complied with his Master's request.

     As the pair left Qui-Gon to meditate in peace, Satine remarked, "He's probably glad to be rid of you, albeit ever so temporary."

     "Be rid of me? He chose me to be his Padawan. What he didn't choose was to have to come and protect Your Royal Highness," Obi-Wan snarked.

     "I've already made it very clear that I neither want nor need your protection."

     "Oh, if only that were true, Your Grace."

     Satine huffed angrily in reply.

      "Even if you were capable of defending yourself, your impracticable ideals would undoubtedly be your undoing."

     "For a 'guardian of the peace' you do quite despise the virtue," she criticized.

     After a slightly calming deep breath, Obi-Wan bit back a scathing reply and wiped away the sweat that was running down his forehead.

     The waterfall soon came into view. Around eight meters wide and less than three meters deep, the pool beneath the falls was not very large. What it lacked in size, it made up for in dumbfounding beauty. The bright turquoise color was so saturated it looked like a heavily edited photo on the HoloNet. The water was clear enough one could easily make out the tiny grains of white sand settled at the bottom.

     Eager to cool off in the pool, Obi-Wan removed his under tunic and boots.

     Satine grumbled, "So you're just going to leave me on the shore completely unprotected?"

     "Oh, I wouldn't worry about it, Duchess," Obi-Wan replied before pushing her into the water.

     His satisfied grin disappeared as he realized that she was sinking rather than swimming. Terror gripped his heart as he dived in after her. It felt like an eternity passed while he desperately tried to reach Satine. Finally, he managed to wrap an arm around her small waist and kick until they reached the surface.

     As the Padawan gasped for air, Satine plunged him back under the water.

     "Wh-what was that for?" Obi-Wan sputtered when he resurfaced.

     "Sorry, Master. The Duchess drowned because I pushed her into the water," Satine mimicked Obi-Wan's Stewjon accent sarcastically.

     He retorted, "I wouldn't have let you drown!"

     "Could have fooled me! You didn't even know if I could swim, di'kut!"

     The gravity of this situation was not lost on Obi-Wan. His pale blue eyes shifted about uncomfortably and he hung his head in remorse.

     "Satine, I'd like to apologize—"

     She cut him off, "No, you don't. You want me to pretend getting pushed in never happened. 'Sorry' doesn't fix everything, Obi-Wan."

     "Well, what about this?" he asked gently before pressing his lips against hers.

     "Mm, better," she told him before leaning in for a second even deeper kiss.

     The young lovers could have continued kissing for the rest of the day, but treading water, however, was a different story.

     Satine drew in a long breath which allowed her body to float on top of the water and then closed her eyes. Obi-Wan followed suit and hooked his right pinkie with her left.

     Perhaps it was because of the beautiful surroundings or maybe having not been on the run for the first time in weeks, but both the Force-sensitive boy and the non-Force-sensitive girl effortlessly entered a peaceful state of meditation. Together they floated without any fears or worries to weigh them down.

     Obi-Wan was unsure of exactly how much time had passed before he felt a shift in the Force. He jerked upright in order to protect Satine, but only succeeded in splashing her in the face.

     Annoyed, Satine splashed him back. Obi-Wan instinctively returned fire so she closed her eyes and shoved another wave of water at him. A battle had been waged and there was no turning back out now. Adrenaline rushed through his veins as her squeals filled the air and water flew everywhere. The couple thrashed about until their limbs ached and they had both acquired an ample amount of water in their lungs.

     Obi-Wan choked out, "Truce?"

     "Truce," Satine agreed with a sigh of relief.

     Exhausted, the pair climbed out of the water and collapsed on the shore. The nearby trees provided shade for their very fair complexions and Obi-Wan thanked them through the Force before Satine recaptured his attention.

     How could she be so stunning while lying on the rainforest floor breathing heavily and absolutely soaking wet? Her blonde hair was stringy and darkened by the water. The skin of her slender fingers was wrinkled like dried fruit. Yet Obi-Wan had never seen anyone more beautiful than Satine was in that moment and it made his heart ache in a pleasant sort of way. He leaned over and kissed her wet hair before threading his wrinkly fingers through hers.

     As the daughter of a duke, plenty of boys with royal pedigrees had showered Satine with their affections over the course of her life. None of them compared to Obi. He could make her furious like no one else could, but he also knew exactly how to raise her spirits during the dark times. Even with his drab Jedi robes, the two endearing little blemishes on his forehead, and his absolutely awful haircut, he was unbearably handsome. She was truly madly deeply in love with him.

    "Let's go explore further up river," Satine suggested once she had regained the ability to breathe properly.

     Obi-Wan helped her to her feet and they made their way upstream. Here the water was just as clear as that in the pool, but lacked the vivid coloring. The river rushed along with a sense of purpose about it, carrying the occasional leaf or twig as it went.

     After mentally assessing the waterfall's height, Obi-Wan announced, "I'm gonna slide down!"

     "Obi, don't!"

     "It'll be fun!" he insisted while wading into the river. "Watch, I'll go first."

     Satine bit her lip as he went over the edge and his head of auburn hair disappeared beneath the crashing water below.

     A few moments later he resurfaced and shouted up to her, "See? I'm fine! Your turn."

     "Not until you get back up here."

     A mixture of fear and excitement churned in Satine's stomach as she waited for Obi-Wan. The waterfall was about twelve meters high, but to her it felt like the distance from Coruscant's surface to the final level of its dark underground abyss.

     "Will you do it with me?" she asked him quietly.

     Even the most terrifying things were easier to do with Obi by her side.

     He took her hand in his and led her into the river with him. "Of course, my dear."

     Whatever Satine asked of him, he would do it. All she had to do was say the word.

     Together the couple plunged over the falls. Time seemed to slow down as they fell. Water pummeled them from above as the pool below rushed up to meet them. Satine squealed and her legs desperately searched for the ground which should be beneath her feet. 

     Satine laughed heartily after coming up to the surface. Obi-Wan pulled her into his arms and held her tenderly. Everything in the universe was perfect as long as they had each other.

     Not too far up river, Master Qui-Gon was engaged in a form of moving meditation. A smile spread across his face as he heard his two charges getting along swimmingly.