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Ahsoka hadn't been at his side for long but Obi-Wan couldn't imagine not having her there anymore.Where he went she followed and where she went,he hovered. He couldn't help himself to the immense joy of his friends and fellow Knights.They had settled into their own living and working routines with surprising ease.With a few missions underneath their belts together he can say with confidence that she had found her footing with the 212th. The only thing he didn't enjoy was her quick friendship with Anakin. Sure they had bonding moments and he accepted that they shared a few interests but did they need to share those interests in his- their- apartment?
He wondered as he sat on the couch watching a horror holofilm. He grimaced at the over exaggerated scream that came out of the actor.
"You know it defeats the purpose of hiding if he's just going to scream when he catches a glimpse of the monster anyways. Why not offer himself up on a platter and get it over with?"
Two shhhhs aimed at him with matching side glares is all he receives from his companions. He sits back and tunes the rest out, satisfied that he has made his point by now.
This has unfortunately become a ritual in the short amount of time he and Ahsoka have lived here in their new Master and Padawan quarters. They were suspiciously close to Qui Gon’s and Anakin’s,which he had noted thank you very much Yoda, and that led to seeing Anakin more often. He had yet to settle into his apartment after moving out of his and Qui Gon’s shared rooms and found Ahsoka's and Obi-Wan's to be more spacious compared to his, making it the designated hang out spot for their holo marathons. Obi-Wan had tried to bail the moment Anakin had walked through their door but Ahsoka had given him a wide eyed sad look and he'd caved ridiculously fast. He had to give her credit for the excellent use of emotional manipulation.
His current inability to say no to that look has led to Anakin being a regular in their common room when he was in Temple. By extension they had mutually, if silently, come to the agreement to keep their jabs and comments of each other to the bare minimum. Obi-Wan quite liked the peace and warmth that filled the atmosphere of his new home and planned to keep it that way. Petty squabbling can wait for later.
The sound of his comm beeping drew him out of his thoughts.
"Of course you forgot to silence your comm." Anakin muttered just loud enough to be heard. Well most petty squabbling it seemed.
Choosing to ignore him Obi-Wan hit the answer button and was greeted with Mace's voice.
"Obi-Wan, please report to the Council Chambers with Padawan Tano."
The slight bit of urgency in Mace's voice had hom sitting up a bit straighter. "Of course. Is there something wrong?"
"Trouble on Christophsis. And if you could find Skywalker? Mine and others' attempts to reach him have been unsuccessful."
He gave the sudden red faced man in question a smug look before replying, "Shouldn't be a problem. We'll be right there", before cutting the transmission.
He had barely opened his mouth to speak when he was cut off by a chagrin looking Anakin. "Do say a word."
They were down the hall from the Council rooms when Ahsoka spoke up in a cheerful voice. "Look on the bright side. Seems like we're going to be assigned a mission together."
That wasn't the pick me up, his padawan seemed to think it was but he wasn't about to voice that after catching a glimpse of Anakin’s pained face. Well.. as long as him and Anakin were on the same page, he wouldn't anyway.
_________
Obi-Wan was annoyed at the state of his common room. Or really was just annoyed at the person who was responsible for the mess it was.
Droid parts littered the floor and tops of tables, leaving no surface untouched and uncluttered. And he knew exactly who to blame.
And for once he wasn't in Obi-Wan’s apartment. Figures. The one time I want him here he's gone.
Resigning himself to the chore he began the process of picking up and sorting the parts the best he could into respective piles that he'd bin afterwards. He might not know as much as Anakin or even Ahsoka about parts and tools but teasing aside he did have a basic understanding and could tell the difference between a hydrospinner and circuit boards.
It took him the better half of two hours to find every part and loose bolt in the common area. He had triple checked all small crevasse just to make sure he wasn't missing anything. Another hour to find the bins and put them away.
He heaved a sigh of relief. One could actually tell that this was a common room now.
He was about to sit and relax, maybe read a bit even to reward himself for his hard work when he noticed something out of place.
Specifically his meditation mat. It was placed spread out beside the small side table next to the couch. Odd since he knew that he'd never placed it there.
Lifting it up he was met with a large black oil spill on his white carpet. Still clearly wet from the looks of it. Eyes widening he turned his mat over to see a matching back spot on his mat. Someone had tried to use it to soak up the oil.
He took a deep breath and slowly released it. Tired to reason with himself that it could have been an accident. That whoever had spilled it had just grabbed the nearest thing and covered it. But those thoughts were thrown to the side quickly for he knew the mats were kept on the other side of the room.
Next he tried to reason that it could have been Ahsoka who had made the mess and tried to cover it up. But he also discarded that idea. True she tinkered in here as well but she would hardly use his mat and not her own if she was trying to cover it up. Besides, she had left this morning for her classes and hadn't been back yet today. The spill was fresh and he remembered her putting away the mats in their spots.
Which only left the menace that had taken to invading his home all hours of the day and night. The one who had groaned and complained he was hungry from Obi-Wan's couch as Ahsoka and him did their morning meditation. The one who had disappeared not too long after Ahsoka had left for class in a hurry.
Anakin.
He dropped the mat and turned on his heel towards the door. There are very few places Anakin would be the the Temple and not one of the could he hide from Obi-Wan in.
Obi-Wan checked with Mace to make sure Anakin hadn't been assigned a sudden mission before making his rounds around the Temple. The training rooms, the hangers, the Refectory and the workshops proved to be empty of a certain Skywalker. He had one last spot to check and it was probably his least favorite of the lot.
He stood outside his former Master's and Anakin’s current quarters waiting for the door to open. And it did to reveal Qui Gon’s surprised face.
"Obi-Wan!" He said with delight clear in his voice. He stepped back to let him pass.
"You know you are welcome anytime. No need to knock."
"I would not wish to presume." He replied politely.
He could feel Qui Gon taking in his tense posture and even tone and correctly assume why he was here. He let out a tired sigh."What did he do this time?"
Obi-Wan raised his brow and merely asked,"Is he in his room?"
Receiving a nod back he turned and walked that way. He tried to hit the button to open the door but it remained closed. Locked."Open up Anakin. I know you're in there."
He only received silence as his answer. Clearly he wasn't planning to open his door to him. Well Obi-Wan wasn't going to give him much of a choice. He put Anakin's code into his room control panel.
The door opened to reveal a stunned Anakin lunging on his bed. "How'd you-"
"I see you haven't changed the code since you were a boy." He interrupted casually as if Anakin hadn't been speaking. "I also see that you haven't taken to cleaning up your messes either since boyhood." He ended with a pointed look.
He felt Qui Gon join them and lean in the doorway but Obi-Wan didn't spare him a glance. To focused on Anakin and his ever growing blush. "I don't know what you're talking about." He tried to deny it.
"So it wasn't you who spilled all that oil on my carpet?" He asked doubtfully.
"No."
"And it wasn't you who used my meditation mat to try to hide it?"
He only received a shake of a head in response to that and no eye contact.
"Alright. Then who could it possibly have been?" His voice takes on a fake wondering tone. He watches Anakin squirm as he was clearly trying to think of a way out of this.
"Ahhh. So that's why you haven't left your room since you came back." Qui Gon said, clearly amused. "You were hiding from Obi-Wan's wrath. Now this does remind me of your boyhood quite a bit."
"Master!" Cired an embarrassed Anakin.
"None of that." Qui Gon dismissed. "I think you have a floor to clean and a new mat to retrieve."
"Come along Anakin. The longer you wait the longer it takes to get it out." Obi-Wan couldn't help the smugness that was clear in his tone.
Anakin gradually got up and followed him back to his quarters. Only once attempting to talk to him. "Why does he always take your side?" He grumbled.
"Because I'm usually right." It was stated factually. It was something Anakin couldn't deny given their history. So instead he muttered a bit bitterly. "Shoulda used your robe."
_______
A loud coughing fit caught his attention as he came out of the Council rooms. Looking over to the waiting couches he found Anakin doing his best to muffle it. Obi-Wan eyed him a bit more and noticed that he looked more tired than usual.
His scrutiny must have caught Anakin’s attention for his gaze met his with an inquiring look. Well he may as well find out.
He made his way over to Anakin who had a slightly surprised look on his face. Obviously had not expected Obi-Wan to approach him.
"Rough mission?" He asked in place of a greeting.
"What gave it away?" Anakin said a bit rhetorically.
Choosing to ignore that Obi-Wan plowed right ahead. "Where'd you come from?"
"Imber." Anakin’s eyebrow raised in the same manner his own did when questioning. Something they clearly both got from Qui Gon. "Why?"
"You look like hell." He bluntly stated. "You should go see the healers before that cough gets worse."
With that Obi-Wan turned on his heel and walked away not hearing if Anakin had said something in return to his advice. If Anakin had any common sense he would heed his advice. Imber was known for their heavy and cold downpours of rain. It was fairly common to end up sick. Even more common if ignored for it to turn into something worse than a slight chest cold.
A few days later and a few more observations it was clear that Anakin did not possess common sense. Time and time again Obi-Wan caught him hiding ever growing coughing fits. Face taking on a permanent pink look while he denied feeling sick. While barely being able to keep himself standing straight up. Which brought Obi-Wan to bully Anakin into the halls with the threat of Vokara coming to find him and banning him from Obi-Wan's and Ahsoka's apartment until he was better.
Which led to Anakin sleeping on his couch with the need of someone to wake him up every few hours to take his next dose of medicine. He had been a bit put out that Anakin volunteered his home for them to watch him but he could hardly say no when Vokara was giving him that look. Ahsoka had been excited to help and had taken the day shift of watching and entertaining him and left Obi-Wan with the night.
Obi-Wan stared down at the restless sleeping man. Even in sleep he seemed to always have to be moving. Before he could stop himself he took a seat on the low table in front of the couch he reached out to smooth the hair back from Anakin’s face gently.
Anakin seemed to subconsciously lean towards it and his own movement ceased as if his restless body and mind was focusing solely on Obi-Wan's touch.
Obi-Wan couldn't say how long he did it but it was long enough he knew he had to wake him or miss giving him his medicine and throwing off the strict schedule he was on. Reluctantly he drew his hand away from Anakin's head and settled it on his shoulder instead and shook him gently.
"Anakin. Wake up. Time to take more medicine."
He was slow to wake. His eyes opening to reveal that he was clearly still feeling the effects of his sickness from the glassy look of it. His voice was quiet and a bit raw as he asked, "Obi-Wan?"
"Yes, it's me. Come drink some water before you take this." Obi-Wan waited till Anakin lifted his head enough for Obi-Wan to hold a glass of water there without the fear of it spilling all over him. Next was the equally slow process of getting him to take the medicine. Even half delirious Anakin was stubborn to the bone.
When Anakin settled back down he made to get up but was stopped by a small touch to his wrist. Startled, Obi-Wan looked down at Anakin who barely had his eyes open. "Stay? Please."
Obi-Wan hesitated but nodded, settling back down to where he had been sitting. He slowly raised his hand back on Anakin's face and resumed the soft touch from earlier. Once more Anakin’s eyes shut and he leaned towards his touch. "Thank you."
"Rest. I'll be here when you wake."
________
"What did he do? Move in?" Quin whispered to him from his position in the kitchen leaning back to steal a glance at the object of their conversation through the doorway.
"Force no." Obi-Wan immediately refuted the idea.
"Seems like it." Quin countered, eyeing the extra cup of caff that Obi-Wan was preparing. One clearly marked as Anakin’s.
"He..... just has a bad habit of leaving a few things here."
"A few?" Quin's eyebrows rose."A few things would be a pair of gloves or a datapad. Not mind you half of his belongings."
"Well I wouldn't say half of his belongings-" Obi-Wan tried to start to say but gave up when he looked at Quins disbelieving face. "Fine. You're right. My home is being invaded by Anakin."
"Now that wasn't so hard to admit,was it?" Teased Quin.
"I would have preferred to have remained oblivious to it or caught it before it got to this point. He spends more time here than his own quarters, I think."
"And you haven't put your foot down because…..?" Quin trailed off.
Loud laughter answered him. Ahsoka's loud laughter and then Anakin’s disgruntled voice. Clearly the hologame they were playing wasn't going as he wanted it.
"Because of that." Nodding towards where the sound came from.
"You spent the majority of the time you've known him avoiding him and when you're not, you two are arguing but one small look from that padawan of yours you are going to cave and let him invade what personal space you have left?" Quin asked. He didn't bother hiding his doubt. His eyes traced his face looking for hints. Clearly he found one for he immediately asked,"What's the real reason? And don't try to lie. I know your tells."
Obi-Wan silently cursed himself. He knew Quin was right. Obi-Wan's childhood friends were the only ones who consistently saw through any of his lies and called him out on it. His internal debate on whether he could distract Quin was interrupted by more sounds of laughter and Obi-Wan made his choice. Honesty.
"Because she deserves to know her lineage. Even as karked as it is." Obi-Wan softens his voice. "I never did. Look at the mess Qui Gon made of his relationship with almost everyone in his. Hells I never even knew I had a living padawan brother until after I was knighted. I had only met Dooku after the battle of Naboo because of his relationship with him. Let alone Rael. I won't do that to her. I won't deny her a relationship with her lineage just because I don't get along with a few of them. So if it means seeing Qui Gon more then so be it. If it means Anakin spends all his time here then I'm willing to set aside my issues."
"Oh Obi-Wan . " Quin let out with a sigh but said no more. He didn't have to. Obi-Wan knew he understood. He also knew that he didn't quite agree either. Quin held a grudge against Qui Gon and Anakin by extension big enough for the both of them.
They completed making the caff in silence and joined the others. Obi-Wan set down Anakin’s caff in front of him receiving a blinding smile in return as a thank you. Well that was nice to look at too.
"Master! Want to play teams?" Asked an excited Ahsoka holding up another controller. "Master Voss can play too!"
"What do you say old man?" Anakin’s voice was challenging. "Ready to get your ass kicked?"
"Language!" Obi-Wan quickly said but grabbed a controller. "Quin and I against Ahsoka and you. Losing team has to go and bring Dex's for dinner."