Sleeping Arrangements by Augusta Pembroke

[gloriana.livejournal.com]

Title: Sleeping Arrangements
Author: Augusta Pembroke
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Q/O
Warnings:
None
















Author's e-mail, web site and/or LJ id: Augusta's fanfiction (but note that this story is not actually on that site, though other great stories by Augusta are; and her email addy there, and on M-A, is obsolete)
Link to story: http://www.masterapprentice.org/archive/s/sleeping_arrangements.html
Reasons for recommending: I thought I should begin with the letter A, of course. This story is sheer comfort food: it's slight, and sweet, but on reread - and I've reread it many, many times - it's surprising how concisely Augusta manages to convey quite detailed atmosphere, sensation and emotion. She describes it as smarm; I'd describe it as charm.
Quote from story:

"Padawan," he murmured, testing Obi-Wan's wakefulness.

"Mmmph," was the answer. This was an all-purpose syllable that Qui-Gon understood meant, in this context, that Obi-Wan was awake enough to listen, if not yet awake enough to form words himself.

"I'm puzzled about something," Qui-Gon told him, confident his apprentice was attending. "This has not been a comfortable trip, and these accommodations are as cramped as any we've encountered, yet I seem to always wake up rested and ready for anything. How do you account for it?"

Obi-Wan stretched his legs and back; the similarity to a feline species always amused Qui-Gon. "I always sleep better with you than I do alone," he murmured into Qui-Gon's chest.

This was a possibility that hadn't occurred to Qui-Gon. "You think it's our propinquity, then?" he asked.

"Of course it is," his now-awake padawan told him. "At least it is for me..." He propped himself on one elbow and looked down on his master. "Being tucked up against that solid wall you call a chest, hearing your heartbeat in my ear, your arms around me... it's all very soothing. Womb-like, even."

Extra comments:
This story is also one of the best examples I can think of where less is more: where what the reader is left to fill in is more perfect than anything the writer could put down on paper. Obi-Wan reads a little young and a little too lacking in reserve to me, but I love his characterisation otherwise: bold yet obedient, and utterly confident both in himself and his master.

Comments

[badfalcon.livejournal.com]

hm... y'know... i don't think i remember reading this... *toodles off to master apprentice to have a read*

[the-haunt.livejournal.com]

Yay, a happy story! This is such a quiet story...instead of having the plot thrown at you at light speed, readers find themselves drawn in slowly. I felt as cradled as Obi did while in the circle of Qui's arms. *happy sigh*

[lauramcewan.livejournal.com]

Ah, I recall reading this last summer when I fell into fandom hard. Very warm and sweet and hopeful. I'm doing the "awwww" song now. ^_^

[emila-wan.livejournal.com]

I love everything by Augusta, but this one is so lovely and sweet. She does first times so well! And this one, as you say, kind of "fades to black" and lets us imagine the sex. Yum.