Chapter Text
Obi-Wan put down the new paper. He’d just been reading about Germany's invasion of Poland only a few days ago.
“They’re gonna call it soon aren’t they?” Obi-Wan told his father.
“Declare what?” Qui-Gon asked. Looking up from his game of solitaire.
“War. we were roped into the last one. It only makes sense we would fight in this one.” Obi-Wan said simply, he continues more determinedly
“And I’m going to join.”
Qui-Gon's hand that's about to place a new 10 in a pile stops as his head snaps back around to Obi-Wan's direction.
“No, Obi-Wan,” Qui-Gon said sternly.
“I’m going to get drafted any way-”
“You're too young.”
“Your too old to get drafted again so you don’t have to worry about that-”
“Obi-Wan,” Qui-Gon warned.
“So might as well sign up so I might have a say in what I’m going to-”
“Obi-Wan!” Qui-Gon yelled, interrupting Obi-Wan again.
“Do.” Obi-Wan finished quietly
“You are NOT going to sign up to get killed!” Qui-Gon yelled. Obi-Wan shrunk back into his chair. Throughout Obi-Wan's life, Qui-Gon had never yelled even when Obi-Wan was in trouble. Despite the fear, Qui-Gon's yelling created Obi-Wan held his ground.
“If this war lasts longer than a year I will be drafted next year when I turn 18. There's nothing you or I can do about it. I just don’t want to be in hell when I might have some control over where I end up.'' Obi-Wan said calmly.
“I can’t lose you too.” Qui-Gon cried. Obi-Wan hadn’t seen him this emotional since feemor died 12 years ago.
“I’ll be fine.” Obi-Wan tried to reassure his father
“That's what feemor and Xan said and look where they ended up!” Qui-Gon yelled very much the opposite of reassured.
“Feemor didn’t die in the war.” Obi-Wan pointed out.
“But he still died because of it! You are not signing up to die, that's final.” they both fell silent just as Qui-Gon was about to continue with his game Obi-Wan dared to break it.
“What if I join the air force?'' Obi-Wan asked quietly. Qui-Gon thought for a moment. Then Obi-Wan continues.
“I could join as an engineer. That way I'll be out of gunfire. I’ve already had some training as a mechanic. How hard can planes be?” Qui-Gon considers this for a long while before he nods his head.
“Fine.” Qui-Gon says with a sigh then quickly adds “you can join but only after you turn 18,” Qui-Gon said placing another card in a pile.
Late march of 1940 came along far sooner than Qui-Gon would have liked knowing it was Obi-Wans birthday soon. Obi-Wan's closest friends Quinlan and Bant got time off from the war to come and visit Obi-Wan for his birthday. When the 31st of march finally came it was a cold miserable day, however, Quinlan was incessant about taking Obi-Wan out for his first bar crawl. Obi-Wan opened the presents from his dad and friends and then promptly escaped the house when Quinlan asked Qui-Gon where the bourbon was.
Obi-Wan wandered around the streets of Manchester aimlessly. He had neglected to bring a raincoat or an umbrella; the previously just cold weather had turned into cold and rainy. While continuing to walk around in the cold trying to avoid getting rained on as much as possible he finds a poster talking about recruitment for the war. He had seen a lot of them pop up as the war stretched on. He looks at his watch and then back to the poster directions. It was 11:20 and the recruitment office was only about 3, maybe 3 and a half km away. He should be able to get in before it closes. So he starts walking in the direction of the building.
When he gets to the recruitment building no one is there he checks his watch at 12:13. People should be here, he thinks. He’s interrupted from his conclusion when a young lady walks out the door holding 3 large cardboard boxes. He quickly crosses the road to both help her to her car with the boxes and to ask what's going on at the recruitment offices.
“Here let me help you with that,” he tells the lady, grabbing one of the boxes that were about to fall into one of the many puddles. Before she could have the chance to thank him he asks her.
“What’s happening here?” he asks, gesturing to the building she came out of.
“We’re closed.” she snaps back tiredly.
“Oh,” he said. Before he could ask why they were closed so early he remembers that it was Sunday.
He walked with the lady back to her car when he tested his luck by asking.
“Is there any chance you could sign me up?”
“Now?” she asked just as tired as before if not more so.
“Yeah if it’s not too much of a bother I'd like to be an engineer for the air force. I have my papers on me.” before she could say anything he was already digging through his soaked jacket pockets for his papers. He’d made sure to always carry them on him in case he was told off again by local law enforcement earlier this year for not having them. He’d pulled out a small passport-sized book and handed it to her. She looked at it, sighed and said.
“Fine, but you have to wait here while I go find the paperwork.”
“Deal,” Obi-Wan told her.