For @olikard, who reblogged me a picture of Obi-Wan with braided hair, and I couldn't get it out of my head. ---- Corescant in the summer was usually uncomfortably warm - the heat made impressive by the lack of shade and incredible amounts of technology on the planet's surface. And while she knew that it was fairly impossible, Ben could swear that the heat even penetrated the climate controlled confines of the Temple. Then again, Anakin had the windows to their quarters open, and was practically sunning himself at in the warmth of the afternoon sun. Her loon of a Padawan had been born on Tatooine - twice. He loved this weather. One lifetime of heat and endless sunburn had been enough for Ben, thank you very much. Humidity on Corescant had one more aspect to the weather that Tatooine, which had been dry, not humid, caused Ben some derision. The humidity affected her hair. Her ginger locks frizzed, and bunched up, and so her customary ponytail looked horrendous. Like she's gone to war with a small fluffy creature and lost. Ben huffed and dropped her brush in her lap. "I'm chopping it off." She said aloud. "All of it. I'll buzz it off, and look like Mace for the summer." There was a contented, questioning noise from Anakin, who was probably only half listening. "I can't chop it to my chin." Ben continued, more to herself than Anakin. "It looked horrendous when I was growing it out of the Padawan cut. I had to wear hats." There was a more alert sound from Anakin. "My hair, Ani. I can't leave it down like this, and I can't seem to put it up properly. It's going to have to go." "You can't cut it!" Anakin exclaimed. Ben turned from the mirror to raise an eyebrow at him. Her Padawan looked horrified, bolt upright over the back of the armchair that he'd dragged to the window. "I believe I can." Ben said solidly. "And I just might. If I go spar like this it might just end up in a haircut anyway." She grinned. "I can pretend it was an accident!" Anakin made another noise, somehow more horrified, and vaulted over the back of the chair. Ben raised the other eyebrow. "You can't!" Anakin exclaimed again. Ben shot him an incredulous look. He flushed red. "It's pretty, ok?" "Then what do you suggest, Padawan mine?" "Icandoyourhairforyou." Anakin replied, all at once, flushing, and not looking at her in the least. "Pardon?" Ben asked, amused. "I can do your hair for you." Anakin said slowly, still flushed and not looking at her. "I used to do Padme's and... you can't cut your hair, ok?" He peeked at her when he said the last bit. Ben smiled. She'd known Anakin had an attachment to her locks, but not quite how deeply it ran. In response, she held her brush out to Anakin, gesturing him closer. Anakin looked so pleased that she wanted to hug him to her, as he all but surged forward and took the brush. She let him feel her affection through the bond, ruffling his Padawan cut as she did so, and was treated to a tight, quick hug before Anakin drew back and said, half seriously, "please turn to face the mirror, Master." Ben obeyed, biting her lip to keep the smile (somewhat unsuccessfully) off of her lips, moments later feeling Ani's hands tentatively, reverently touching her hair, and then more purposefully. She felt the brush go through her hair repeatedly, the ministrations nearly sending her to sleep, as she let her mind go blank. Then came some slight, gentle tugging. Before she knew it, Anakin had stepped back and said, almost nervously. "All done, Obi-Wan." Ben opened her eyes. Her hair had been expertly arranged into a long, braid, which came over her shoulder, down her chest. Somehow, her hair gave the impression of bing windswept while tamed. In the mirror she could see Anakin looking hopeful. "It's prefect." Anakin's beam of joy could have outshone the bright sun over Corescant. ----- Will post on Ao3 later!
