- I thought very hard about how the season should open, and there were many possible opening scenes that I played with. I finally decided on Rising, mainly in homage to our series' roots in QAF. It just seemed appropriate, somehow.
- Yes, there is an anonymous character at the beginning who turns out to be Xan! This wasn't necessarily done to trick the readers -- on the contrary, they should be able to figure it out. There are two reasons for this: One, it's meant to show that Qui and Xan are still in a very early phase of their relationship, and that they're still playing the seduction game with each other in public. That part of their relationship is still quite exciting, and so they've turned it into a game. Obi-Wan seems to understand that it's a game, and he plays along. In this round, he's on Xan's side. Two: another reason for the anonymous introduction of Xan in this scene is a bit more devious. After all, the season finale ended without really resolving what exactly happened next after Qui pulled Xan through the door. For all the readers know, they didn't have sex at all, or they fucked and then freaked out about it. The "dark-haired man" references are partially an attempt to keep them in suspense a bit longer.
- Xan and Qui's relationship: Okay, *this* is a chance for me to turn every slash stereotype I hate inside-out. After pining over each other for weeks, they finally hook up, and it isn't all fireworks. Sex doesn't fix everything here; in fact, it makes the entire situation more complex. They have a great time in bed, but there are little things that each does that bugs the other.
- The lube scene is there for a couple of reasons. Helens added in the nightstand full of lube last season, and it was something out of her RL. In fact, at one point she posted a photo on her LJ of her lube collection! I wanted to bring it back, and to have Xan react to it the same way I reacted to Helens' large lube collection. "Why do you need all this stuff?" One of the fun things about writing with a PiC is that you can slip in lots of little in-jokes...
- Qui's comment that "more lube" seemed to be the solution to every sexual hang-up Obi-Wan had is a nod to a hilarious essay about gay sex that I read on the internet once. I posted the link on my LJ ages ago, but I can't seem to find it now.
- A slash convention that's always annoyed me is the mind-blowing simultaneous orgasm, followed by both men snuggling until they fall asleep. Most men I've had sex with were *not* like that, including MDH. In fact, the whole getting up and rushing to the 'fresher bit is basically out of my RL! That's just the way Xan is, and even though Qui doesn't like it, he's going to have to learn to live with it.
- Xan's barely had a relationship of longer than a few weeks in the last ten years. He's insecure, and he's freaking out about suddenly getting what he's always wanted. Of course Qui won't live up to his fantasies, and of course he's going to have to learn to deal with that. He has intimacy issues, which Qui realizes at the end of the fic. Qui blames himself for that, and this is part of his motivation to stick it out and make the relationship work.
- A hint is dropped that one way Xan's insecurity manifests itself is that he feels uncomfortable letting Qui make love to him -- you know, slowly, and with lots of attention to detail. On the other hand, he likes to please Qui, and will spend a lot of time and effort doing that. He just doesn't trust Qui enough to let him in, in that way. Quickies are fine, because both people can be selfish in that situation. However, he's not ready to make himself vulnerable to Qui just yet. This is an insecurity out of my RL again. Xan channels me a lot, FYI. I don't think that makes him a Marty Stu, though. :^P
- Aubris makes an appearance, and I tried to keep it in character with Helens's Negotiator. I have no idea what Qui is going to do about the recommendation! It seems like it could go in a lot of different directions.
- Oh, Qui's sudden realization that he fucked Aubris once is a little friendly poke at Helens. She had forgotten that this occurred last season... *grin*
- I made a conscious choice to show Xan and Qui getting along one night, and not getting along the next. I think their relationship should be volatile for a while, and I thought these two nights' events would be a good way to set the stage for that. I have a feeling they'll be on and off for a while before they settle down. Oh, and I tried very hard to show them arguing badly -- reacting in stupid ways, taking comments far too seriously, and so forth.
- Qui and Obi: Qui thinks this at some point, and I hope it comes across as true -- The less Qui asks of Obi, the more Obi gives him. Obi knows how Qui feels about him, and seeing his master with Xan is mostly a good thing, at least for the time being. If Qui is distracted, Obi can spend time with Bail. He genuinely cares about Qui, though, and he uses sex as a way to demonstrate that. I imagine that Obi enjoys the sex more now that it carries less emotional baggage.
- Obi and Bail: I've tried to make it look like Obi's going off to spend time with Bail as discreetly as possible. The possible jewelry gift could be a sign of some sort of commitment between Obi and Bail, one that will be tested if Qui decides to suggest to Obi that he subvert the Code by making his relationship with Bail appear more open than it is. We'll have to wait and see what Helens does with this!
- Obi isn't lying to Qui about seeing Bail, but he isn't being forthcoming either. I like the idea of Qui questioning his own feelings about the relationship, and beginning to question this particular tenet of the Jedi Code. Notice that Xan is a strong influence here.
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