Who: Obi-Wan Kenobi and Verity When: Late July Where: New Office Space What: Working Rating/Warnings: Low/None Status: Complete
Verity was ready to meet Obi at the office. It was some relatively inexpensive office space, in a good area. It was cheap because it was small, but it looked nice. There was an office for Obi, a small conference room, and a desk at the front for Verity to greet visitors. A small office would be perfect for supplies, and a bathroom completed the rental space.
Verity brought the stroller, with Christina was sleeping in her carseat in it. Obi was set to arrive just a few minutes later. Verity was setting up shop, hoping to surprise him by getting some stuff done before his arrival.
After taking a quick tour, Verity thought the space seemed perfect. She thanked the agent (who went outside to take a phone call) and waited at the front desk for Obi to arrive.
Obi-Wan had not expected his path to lead him here. For one thing, the direction seemed rather circular, and he was a man who prefered to push onward. Upon a second look, however, his circumstances were so different now that they could hardly be compared. He was older and wiser, which was not as much of a cliche as it sounded. He had been an entirely different man that time around. This was his second chance and he was happy to have it. More importantly, he was happy to be himself for the first time in a very long while.
He was still driving the purple truck. A new car was necessary, but not just yet. Although he was dressed in one of his best suits, today was not his first day on the job and there was no one to impress--although he had not expected to find Verity sitting at the front desk. “Oh,” he chirped. “Hello there.”
“Hi.” Verity looked up at him with a bright smile on her face. “I’ve got your mail.” She added. Well, most of it said ‘current resident’ but that was close enough, right? “See? I’m good at this job already.”
Obi-Wan held out a hand for the mail as he approached, taking in the space for the first time since he had signed the rental agreement. It was little more than a collection of blank walls and outdated furniture. “You don’t think I made a mistake going this small? I know they say the Scottish are cheap, but...” There was a twinkle in his eye that showed he was only joking. Good thing. Sometimes it was hard to tell.
Verity laughed. She’d heard something like that from Oliver, too, but never believed it. “No, I don’t think it’s a mistake. I think… it’s perfect for what you have right now, and isn’t over-reaching. And there’s always room to grow, since you only signed a six month lease, right?” She was a little nosey, and had asked about a thousand questions from him about the place.
“Right,” he said, pointing the mail at her for emphasis, “Don’t want to give the impression over over-reaching. Less is more. That’s what I always say, anyway.” He rolled his shoulders back and walked further into the office. His office. “Six months. That’s right.”
Verity climbed up from her chair to follow him into the hallway. She wasn’t about to barge into his office. “Six months.” She repeated. It was good to have… a plan. A six month plan was about all she could muster up, anyway. “So… boss.” She said, a cheeky, little grin breaking out across her features, “What’s my first task?”
Obi-Wan’s features took up a frown. He was unsure if he liked being the boss of anything. But he knew he would have to make some sort of peace with that if he was going to have any success in his field. “Well, I need a sign to hang outside,” he said, turning around to face Verity.
“Ooh, I can definitely do that.” Verity said, perking up. It was the sort of thing that she helped with a lot at the Joke Shop when she worked there. “You want one that hangs out from the building, or one that rests flat against it?”
“Whichever is less expensive,” Obi-Wan replied. About this, he was serious. He knew lawyers didn’t attract clients with signs, but with good networking and word-of-mouth. “And I’m thinking...I might want to go by Ben. What do you think? Ben Kenobi?”
“Cheapest. Got it. I’ll get right on that.” She said, and started to turn as if to head back to the front desk. But his question made her pause. “Ben? Well… I think people voted Barack Obama into the white house, so I have a feeling they’d hire Obi-Wan Kenobi as their lawyer. But if you think Ben would be best, then go with Ben.”
“Yes, go with Ben,” Obi-Wan said decisively. This was a new start after all. Verity couldn’t possibly understand the implications of the new name, however. “It’s… something people call me in the dreams..”
“Ben it is.” Verity responded. She could remember that. An eyebrow raised, though, when he mentioned his dreams. They didn’t often talk about them. Honestly, Verity’s dreams were too painful for her to bring up now, so she cleared her throat. “...they call you Ben in your dreams?”
Obi-Wan folded his arms and leaned back against the wall, but his gaze was anything but casual. And yet, there was a smile on his lips. He was remarkably himself when he looked like this. His pain would never undo him. “Yes. After a rather damnable series of events, I changed my name and attempted to blend into the background. It’s quite possible history is repeated itself, now.”
Verity moved to lean against the office doorway after a feeling that this conversation might take more than thirty seconds. She got comfortable there, watching him. “...Do you feel more comfortable as Ben? Or is the name simply to avoid sticking out?”
“Can it be both?” But it wasn’t a question, of course. The sadness remained deeply set in his eyes, so distant that the little smile on his lips was far more powerful. “It’s only a name. What’s in a name? That by which we call a rose…you know the rest. Do you not care for Ben?”
“No, I like Ben.” Verity shrugged the shoulder that wasn’t pinned between her body and the doorframe. “I like Obi, too. I just… I like you, no matter what you’re called. But… well, I suppose it’s most important for you to feel comfortable. So… Go with your gut, I suppose. And if your gut is saying Ben, then Ben it is.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t trust my gut when I’m this hungry,” he said, pushing off the wall. If Verity wanted to know more about his dreams, she would go unsatisfied. As for his stomach, it was indeed far too empty to get any work done. “Did you eat?”
“Not yet.” Verity glanced back at her desk. The stroller was still sitting there with the sleeping baby inside. “Is there somewhere we can walk to nearby?”
Obi-Wan eyed the stroller and nodded. “There’s a diner down the street.” That way, if the baby happened to wake, they wouldn’t be disturbing anyone looking for a peaceful lunch. Not to mention he was in the mood for a deli sandwich. And pie.
He motioned toward the door and started to walk. “My treat.”
Verity grabbed the stroller and followed him out the door. “I can’t say no to that. Boss.” She teased, and then pushed Christina’s ride out onto the sidewalk.
Reaching to his neck, Obi-Wan loosened his tie and looked over his shoulder. At some point, he would have to accept that he had earned that title with a lot of hard work, and perhaps that would make him feel more at ease. For now, he would continue to smile through the discomfort. Something told him Verity wouldn’t let him get away with anything else.