His Guiding Star (Obi-Wan Kenobi)

Chapter Six

It was evening by the time the two Jedi had returned to the living room. Zoe was still asleep on the sofa, with the blanket draped over her body. Talia was leaning over a coffee table, a hand of three poker cards pinched between her thumb and forefinger. Theo sat in an armchair on the other side of the coffee table that stood between them, his brown eyes fixed on the stack of chips before them.

"How noble of you to put a blanket over her." Talia spoke as Anakin and Obi-Wan slipped into the living room, not looking up from the card game. The tone of her voice was even, but there was an edge to it.

Anakin narrowed his eyes at her.

"I was paying her back for tending my wounds. Unlike someone I know."

"You deserved it."

"I don't want an argument between you two. Not now." Theo's tone was sharp. Like Talia, he seemed focused on the card game. Talia shrugged and leaned back against the sofa cushions, taking a sip of her whiskey, her gaze fixed on the game. Obi-Wan got the feeling that she was aware he was watching her, but didn't care. She didn't look at them, just pushed a large pile of credits into the centre of the table.

Obi-Wan found himself transfixed by her, by the slow, languid, effortless grace of her every movement, her quiet confidence. She looked so careless, but there was a cool, calculated gleam in her fierce copper eyes. Everything she did was deliberate, and it sent an involuntary shiver down his spine. He didn't even notice Anakin sitting down beside Zoe with an annoyed huff, so focused was he on Talia.

Unlike Obi-Wan, Theo stared at Talia as if she'd suddenly grown two heads.

"But that- you- I-"

Talia just watched him through lowered lids, awaiting his next move. Theo shook his head, and matched her bet. 

"I don't understand you."

"I call." Talia put in double. Theo huffed out a breath and flipped his cards over. A three of a kind.

Talia nodded.

"Not bad," she turned over her own hand, tilting her head with a smirk on her lips. "Mine's better." Hers was a straight.

"Where's R2?" Anakin butted in, irritation lining every note of his voice. Obi-Wan felt his muscles tense as he turned his gaze to the auburn-haired woman.

"Chill, Firebrand, he's fine." Talia drawled lazily. Obi-Wan took his chance to speak up, feeling himself relax a bit more.

"Are you sure the supplies are enough, my dear?"

"As soon as I end Theo at this game, I'll answer," she tilted her head, her eyes never leaving Theo for a second. "Another round?"

Theo stared at her.

"You keep beating me."

"You have a terrible poker face." Talia shrugged. Theo made a face at her, rolling his eyes.

"Ah, I see, you're five again."

Obi-Wan tried and failed not to smile.

"Enough. You promised me an answer, my darling." She glanced over at him and he noticed her cheeks warm, saw the light dusting of pink dancing across her face, though her confidence remained.

"It's enough for a couple of weeks at least. Add that on to what we already have...about three, four weeks, roughly."

"Well, I assume one of you cooks?"

Talia shrugged and sipped her whiskey. "Theo's surprisingly decent at it." Theo's jaw dropped.

"Surprisingly?!"