This Moment

Summary: Love may creep up on a man for months, but it only takes one moment for him to realize it. For Obi-Wan Kenobi, that one moment . . . is this moment.

In-depth Summary: Obi-Wan Kenobi met Miluiel a few months ago during the diplomacy efforts to reform the Republic and compromise with the Separatists. She immediately spiked his interest, and they quickly became friends, albeit friends who tend to argue more than they agree. But they are still friends all the same. That is, until one night Obi-Wan realizes the true depth of his feelings. After all, love may creep up on a man for months, but it only takes one moment for him to realize it. For Obi-Wan Kenobi, that one moment . . . is this moment.

Rating: K

Genre: humor ; friendship ; romance

Canon Character(s): Master Obi-Wan Kenobi (38)

OC Character(s): Miluiel (18)

Set During: shortly after RotS

Note: In this fic, pretend that Anakin did kill Palpatine/Sidious when he ran after the Masters in the office and that now this is a period of peace afterwards, for the war is over and the Separatists have surrendered.

Also, the lyrics I use in this fic belong to "This Moment" by Marie Picasso.

~ Obi-Wan Kenobi ~
I hate these stupid functions.

That was the only thought that was rolling through my mind as I stood and shook hands and smiled politely and exchanged bland conversation – pretty much just stood there for effect, actually, and because I was a public figure that people were familiar with.

But just because I had been to a lot of these things didn't mean I enjoyed them.

In fact, I downright despised them.

I mean, I was a Jedi, not a politician or hero. Just a Jedi doing my job to serve the Republic, as all of my brethren were trained and did. Just a regular Jedi who dealt with politics and conflicts with a mix of the Force, negotiation, fighting . . . and a great deal of patience.

I glanced at the clock, and was forced to bury my groan in an exhalation of breath. Only one hour. Only one hour. I cannot believe this. I had only been here for the first hour of this function. Lovely. One hour down . . . two more to go.

But my spirits lifted when I saw a familiar figure across the room.

With a smile that chased away my despair, I extricated myself from the clutches of the gushing reporters and babbling politicians and wove my way through the room after her. She was sure to lift my spirits; if not because she was my friend and we thought similarly, then because she and I could actually have an intelligent conversation.

"Miluiel," I called.

She turned around sharply when I called her name, one hand holding an empty glass that she had just been about to fill. Her long hair whirled out and around, only settling on her shoulders when she relaxed, seeing it was just me.

She wasn't dressed in her normal clothes, which startled me for a moment, but the long silver dress, complete with a pearl necklace and bracelet, made for a nice change out of her usual shirt and pants. It made her seem . . . more . . . I wasn't really sure. Just more . . . It just accented the fact that she was herself, I supposed, because she seemed comfortable, albeit a little uneasy at being in such a high class function.

"Master Kenobi," she said as I reached her, the corners of her lips twitching up in a small smile.

"Obi-Wan," I corrected automatically, returning her smile.

This, really, was one of the only major disagreements between us, as she for some reason insisted on calling me by my proper title, despite the fact that titles were meant only between enemies or distant acquaintances or strangers, not friends like us.

She rolled her eyes at me. Lowering her voice, she said, "It's a political function; mind your manners, will you?" As she spoke, she moved to fill the glass.

I took it from her gently. "Of course, my lady," I said smoothly, enjoying the annoyance that flashed through her eyes.

I smiled. "Well, if you insist on calling me by my title, then – "

"All right, all right!" she exclaimed, laughing. She elbowed me lightly as I handed the glass back to her. "Stop teasing me! Be nice."

"I am being nice. I called you by your title, didn't I?"

"You are beyond belief, Master Kenobi," she said with a sigh and a shake of her head.

"I am a Jedi, aren't I? Although technically, the Force is not beyond belief," I mused thoughtfully, fighting the smile that was rising within me. "Especially since you believe it too, and me, and the rest of the Jedi – "

"Obi-Wan! Please," she pleaded.

I smiled again, taking her arm as we moved away from the crowd headed towards us. "That's more like it," I said briskly. "Now, that wasn't too hard, was it?"

Miluiel sighed again. "Sometimes I don't know how I can stand your company. . ." But her smile softened the bluntness of the words and gave the game away; she wasn't angry at me, just teasing.

"How did you end up here?" I asked her after a moment passed in silence.

She shrugged, sipping from her glass as her eyes flitted around the room. "Roped into it. How else?"

"Ah, yes, I had forgotten how you disliked such things."

That was one major thing we had in common; both of disliked all of the political run-arounds and fancy trappings and such of high society. Even though Miluiel hadn't spent a lot of time yet in these functions, she already didn't like them and I thoroughly agreed with her on that standpoint.

I sighed quietly when I noticed the reporters, who were glaring quite obviously at me and Miluiel. Well, that didn't take long. I should have used the Force to distract them.

"Don't even think about it," Miluiel said mildly, setting down her glass. "It's too late."

"Don't remind me," I growled quietly.

She squeezed my hand. "You'll be fine. You've faced down two Sith Lords and General Grievous. How bad could reporters be?"

"Much worse," I grumbled without hesitation, remembering all of the annoying things that invariably followed these "interviews".

But I gathered myself enough to catch her arm before she wandered off. "I'll talk to you later, okay? Don't run away on me."

She smiled briefly. "If I survive this."

More like if we survive this, I thought to myself.

* * * * * * * * *

"Running?" came a wry voice from behind me.

I sighed and stopped. "Actually, Miluiel, the term would be better off as leaving before there's a scene," I said, not turning around.

She snorted. "Words, Obi-Wan. They're just words."

I turned around. Miluiel was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, her eyes fixed unwaveringly on my face. One eyebrow was lifted in almost exasperated amusement, as though she enjoyed this . . . which, in retrospect, she probably did.

After all, it wasn't every day that I got caught sneaking away from things.

I glanced around and groaned as I saw one of the Senators determinedly heading my way. Her narrowed eyes told me that she really, really wanted this dance – but I did not. I didn't like dancing. Not at all. Much less at one of these blasted formal things.

I turned my gaze back to Miluiel, who was still waiting for a response. On the other hand . . . there are always other options. . .

I held out my hand. "Well, then, come on," I said.

She stared, uncomprehending. "What?"

I turned slightly, gesturing towards the central part of the floor, which was being cleared as the musicians tuned and readied themselves. They were preparing for the last dance, in which generally close friends ended dancing. I guessed that Miluiel fit that description better than anyone else here.

She got the message instantly. "No way! You know I hate dancing."

"Please? For me," I pleaded.

She groaned, but she allowed me to take her hand and tug her forward. "Obi-Wan, why do you always end up being the one whose butt needs to be saved?" she asked, obviously frustrated.

"I beg your pardon?" I asked mildly, stopping. I turned her gently, holding her hand and placing my hand on her hip, as was customary. The position brought her alarmingly close to my chest, though, and strange flutters raced through my body.

I brushed them off as butterflies in my stomach. I hadn't danced formally in years; that was probably why I was nervous.

The music began, low and soft and sweet. It was a type of opening that the Coruscanti favored for sweet romance storytelling, and therefore I was not surprised to realize that the song was a love song of sorts.

Now that you're here with me
We've got a world of our own

The words rang within me, as though they were familiar. But that couldn't be; I had never heard this particular love song before.

Instinctively, I looked down at Miluiel to gauge her reaction. Maybe I could deduce where this song was going from her reaction. But she was calm and dancing fine, her expression completely impassive, as though nothing was wrong.

The same could not be said for me.

How can it be that we
Waited so long though we knew we belong

Once again, the words reverberated in me. That is, until I realized that they were . . . right . . . in a weird, creepy way. Miluiel and I had, after all, waited a long time before we'd actually broke the silence and started speaking to each other, despite the fact that we had worked together for quite a while in the negotiations.

And I had felt that sense of . . . of righteousness in our friendship. I didn't doubt it, and I didn't doubt her.

I've always felt I found someone
Now I do believe that you're the one

That made sense too. Between the Clone Wars and the Battle of Geonosis and just everything that had happened, I had found myself losing friends left and right – and losing my sense of actually being able to really trust someone who wasn't a Jedi.

But I trusted Miluiel.

"Obi-Wan?" Miluiel's voice was low as she spoke, as though she didn't want to interrupt the song.

I looked down at her and felt my heart flutter again. She had moved her hand from where it had rested on my upper arm to my chest, and the light pressure from it was making me nervous. And it didn't help that she was already practically pressed against me anyways.

"Yes?"

"Loosen your grip," she said, her words coming out slightly strained. "You're stronger than you think."

I noticed at that moment how tightly I was gripping her hand; quickly, I eased up and she breathed out in relief. She was right, though; as a Jedi, I was really stronger than I thought. Then I turned my attention back to the song just in time to hear the start of the next stanza.

Life is a mystery
And no one know what's to come

Well, the song got that part right, I thought. Life was unexpected, as I had found out that night when we had finally managed to kill Sidious and end the war. And the song was also right that no one knew what was to come – not even Yoda.

The song was turning out to be more realistic than I thought . . . but now I confused. It was clearly a romantic song, but I had heard no romance so far. About friendship and loyalty and trust, yes, but no romance. . .

It is a blessing we
Now have become what was meant all along

That was right too.

I looked at Miluiel again, who had closed her eyes, trusting me to lead the dance and feeling too awkward to continue looking at me. I felt a surge of gratitude towards her as I caught a glimpse of the fuming Senator. Had Miluiel not agreed, I would be in a far worse condition.

So, yes, she was a blessing to me – and our friendship was a blessing too, now that I thought about it.

I ran over our friendship in my head. Yes, the song pretty much fit; we had meant to become friends. It had started off low-key and simply for work; and then moved on to for just friends' sake instead of work. Now we talked normally and without needing the excuse or focus of work to direct the conversation.

I've always felt I found someone

Lovely, I thought. Someone to . . .? Usually the songs weren't this hard to decipher, as they were, in my opinion, mostly sappy love songs with enormous amounts of useless repetition of age-old lovey-dovey phrases.

My question was answered seconds later, and then everything went downhill.

And I do believe
that you're the one

I flushed deeply. This was a love song after all, then. And worse, it was playing now, now when most of the dancers here were in love, officially or not.

But Miluiel and I were not.

At the same time I noticed that, I realized that a flush was darkening Miluiel's cheeks as well as she stiffened in my arms. Her eyes flashed open, but she refused to make eye contact as she whispered, "Can we, um – "

"Yes," I answered, steering us off the floor.

I was so concentrated on getting away that the words simply floated in one ear and out the other, registering but not fully registering. I heard them, yes, but they didn't really mean anything to me.

This moment when love finds a way
This moment will last

I was jolted back to reality, though, when Miluiel turned in my arms, releasing my hand. She was blushing furiously, her cheeks now a sharp contrast to her silver dress and dark hair.

Because this was a lovers' song, meant for lovers. We weren't, and so it was extremely awkward, then, that we'd been on the floor at this time.

But it would have been even more awkward, I realized, I had danced with someone else.

And then Miluiel's hair brushed against my throat.

This moment of touch in my heart
Forever in love

I gasped, startled. She smelled of something that I couldn't identify, but it set off a sudden string of memories. Our first meeting, the way she'd shyly introduced herself. Our first private talk, which had started out with a purpose that we had soon forgotten in the midst of our argument. Our first walk together, in the gardens, where our conversation had stayed, for once, a conversation.

Everything. Every little moment we had shared together, rushing through my mind with pinpoint clarity.

And then I suddenly knew why I had felt those little flutters, the rush of a smile when I had seen her, the connection I felt with her.

I was in love with her.

I, Obi-Wan Kenobi, was in love with Miluiel.

And I need you to know

Yes. I needed her to know. I needed Miluiel to know. I knew I might be rejected. . . I knew my feelings might not be reciprocated in any way. . . I knew all of that.

But I needed to know. And I needed to know now. The song's melody was rushing in my veins, sending adrenaline through my body, making everything seem suddenly a thousand times clearer through my eyes.

Her long hair, glinting in the light with a soft, natural beauty. Her dark eyes, glittering with emotion and swirling with a thousand things unsaid. The way she spoke, softly and yet with purpose, so that no one doubted her.

"Miluiel," I said. Force, even my voice sounded strained.

She turned, still in my arms. "What?" The word was soft and gentle, as if she spoke to a child and not a full grown man, a fully-trained Jedi. The exhale of breath made a soft kiss of warm breath against my neck, and I swallowed nervously.

Cause I need to believe that faith will lead us through the night
And I wanna believe the love we had was shining light

And I kissed her. I, Obi-Wan Kenobi, kissed her, Miluiel.

The Force hummed with power as I did so, and for the first few moments, Miluiel didn't react. She simply stood there.

Finally, I drew back, looking anxiously at her. Should I have really done that? Would she have wanted a confession instead of a kiss? And perhaps, a more private setting, considering that we were practically on stage here in this function?

But just as the anxiety began to well up within me, Miluiel placed her fingers over my lips. "Hush," she said. Her eyes glittered strangely, almost coldly. "How long?"

I moved her hand from my lips, gripping it. "I don't really know. . . It crept up so quietly that I can't really remember." I dropped her hand and moved closer, hesitantly wrapping my arms around her again.

Normally, I wouldn't have done that. But the song had filled me with some strange power, one that I obeyed without even knowing. I acted so because I believed that faith would get me through this darkness of confusion . . . and that my love for her was real, was actually there, personified in her, the beautiful, shining person that she was.

She titled her head. "Why?" she whispered.

"Need I have a reason?" I said softly.

She hesitated, and I waited, patience and anxiety mixing strangely in my body. Her eyes still glittered with that strange light – an almost internal war, one urging yes and the other urging wait.

I wondered which would win out.

But then she hesitantly returned her hands to my chest and lifted her head, pressing her lips against mine.

And that, I knew, was the real thing.

This moment when love finds a way
This moment will last

The moment stretched on and on and on, almost for forever, as we kissed. I lost all sense of time, and the passing of time, and pretty much everything else.

All that mattered was her. Miluiel. My love.

This moment of touch in my heart
Forever in love

I'd never stop loving her, I knew. She had left a mark in my mind, an imprint on my heart, a footprint in my soul. I would never to able to forget her. I would be forever in love with her, even when the years passed beyond counting.

And I need you to know
I'll never let go

I tightened my arms around her as her hands slid around my neck. I wasn't going to let her go. Not yet. Perhaps not ever.

Miluiel was everything to me now. My love, my life, my soul. Everything.

And so I told her, with the kiss I used to express everything I couldn't say.

In this moment I will stay forever more

The moment just kept on going. My whole world, my whole universe, seemed to narrow down to me and her and our love. Nothing more and certainly nothing less.

Stay forever more

I had always shunned love songs. They either bored me or seemed unrealistic to the extreme. And they always never seemed to mean anything.

But now, this love song had changed my mind.

My love for Miluiel had crept up on me so slowly that I barely knew when it had started – but it had taken this song to bring it out. Just one song. Just one melody. Just one moment.

This moment.

And I was going to stay in it, basking in our love, forever more.

The End