Qui-Gon's image flickered onto the screen. The message started like most that Qui-Gon sent his padawan � with a small smile and friendly greeting. After a few seconds, however, it was clear that the message was not like Qui-Gon's usual ones. Although he was dressed and his hair was neatly pulled back, Qui-Gon's face was paler than usual and his eyes were tired looking. His nose had turned a sensitive shade of pink and twitched as he sniffled against the finger he held under it. Between sniffles and a few little coughs, he notified Obi-Wan that he would be home in a few hours.
Obi-Wan listened to the message with the trace of a smile on his lips, especially when Qui-Gon had to stop, snuffle through a stuffy nose, and rub a tickle from it. It was after a pause and stifled "h'mpssh!" of a sneeze that Obi-Wan leaned in closer to the communit's screen.
Qui-Gon had mumbled a few more words between having to sniffle and rub his nose. He prepared to close the communication, then stopped. The look on his face became distracted although he still faced the comm. screen. Qui-Gon blinked once, then again, then held his eyes half-shut. He looked expectant, as if he were waiting for something. A twitch of his pinkened nostrils made it clear what he was waiting for and he heralded it with a series of slow, shallow breaths taken between slightly parted lips.
"huh, huh-uh� ahuhh, huh�" Qui-Gon's breath paused. He sniffled twice, two tiny, wet sounds, and tipped his head back. "uhEISHHhooo! ESShooo! hatSHOO!" Another set of wet sniffles, this time building up quickly and urgently to another explosion. "iSsh-HOOO!" He sneezed loudly and vigorously, turned slightly away from the screen, but close enough that Obi-Wan could see how his eyes squeezed shut, how his nostrils flared and how his lips pursed with the last "shooo!" sound. Qui-Gon rubbed his red, runny nose and murmured an apology. He sounded as if he badly needed to blow his snuffly, congested nose. Finger pressed to the base of his nostrils, Qui-Gon gave his head a shake, apologized once more, and finally closed out the communiqu�.
With a small sigh, Obi-Wan eased away from the screen. The holocron told him he still had some time before his mate got home. Obi-Wan smiled. He let the message play again, knowing it would only be a few more hours before he saw Qui-Gon in person.
