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“Cody, can you go pick up Quinlan?” Obi-Wan asked.
“Where is he?” Cody asked.
“Here's the mesage. You're more available than me right now.” Obi-Wan handed over the message.
Cody gave his general a sympathetic smile and nodded. Obi-Wan was about to lead Anakin, Ahsoka and a few other Jedi on a special Jedi mission, and the troopers were going to be left behind to wait and make sure they were able to get back.
“I can handle it. Just me?”
“That would be best. It sounds like a volatile situation and you will have an easier time getting in and out on your own.”
“Then I will be on my way shortly.” Cody waited a brief moment to see if there was anything else Obi-Wan wanted then spun to go get ready.
As he sat in the ship later, piloting it to where he needed to go, he thought about Quinlan. Many thought he was annoyed by the strange Jedi. But he wasn't. It was a bit more complicated than that. Quinlan was a bit annoying, yes, because he was chaotic and unconventional. But that was what Cody liked about him.
Quinlan and Cody had to pose as a couple, once. It had gone well, and it hadn't even lasted that long. But they had kept up some of the act anyways. Not the usual couple stuff, but just some things like how they hung out and did 'dates'. They were good friends after that, and didn't want to lose all of what had made that possible.
But sometimes... Sometimes Cody wondered what it would be like to date him for real. Sometimes he wanted that. To change things and have an excuse to get to know him better.
He didn't want to change anything, and Quinlan had said he wasn't fond of dating. So Cody was keeping his thoughts and feelings to himself.
Although he was pretty sure that Obi-Wan knew. He didn't have to send Cody. He could have sent another Jedi, especially since they had more than enough Jedi for that mission. But instead, he had chosen Cody.
Cody was relieved to find Quinlan where he was supposed to be. And uninjured. With the urgency, Cody had been worried he would be too late, or that Quinlan would at least be injured.
He ordered a pair of drinks and sat down next to Quinlan. “Hello.”
Quinlan lit up. “There you are! I've been waiting for ages, darling!”
Cody smiled. “You know how it is. Can't predict how long it'll take to get from one place to another.”
Quinlan hugged him and sat in his lap. “I suppose,” Quinlan pouted. “But I still missed you.”
“Of course you did.” Cody kissed him. “I missed you too. You got everything ready to go?”
“I'm always ready darling.” Quinlan kissed him more intensely. “Let's share this drink, enjoy our reunion and then get the kriff out of here.”
“I'll drink to that.” Cody raised his drink.
Quinlan clinked his on Cody's.
Cody was relieved to get off the planet. He set the autopilot and turned to Quinlan.
Quinlan had relaxed, but he was staring rather blankly out the window.
“Quinlan? Are you alright?”
Quinlan shook himself and gave Cody a smile. “Of course I am! I'm going to go make sure I have everything I got ready so that it's easy to report.”
Cody tilted his head, watching Quinlan leave. Something wasn't right, but he couldn't put his finger on it. He'd have to keep a close eye on it. He hoped he was wrong, but considering how urgent the messgae had been, there was a chance that something had happened. And for some reason, Quinlan wasn't sharing.
That feeling persisted over the entire return trip, and the days that followed as they waited for Obi-Wan to return from his mission.
Quinlan was good at hiding. No one else noticed anything off. But Cody knew there was something, and he rushed his paperwork so he could keep an eye on the Jedi. But sometimes that seemed to make things worse. The sense of hiding got stronger when Cody joined him in training, or sat with him.
Cody resolved to talk to Quinlan once Obi-Wan was back. If he wanted to stop doing the usual dynamics, they could, but Cody wanted to be sure that there was someone that Quinlan could turn to if things went bad. Or someone to mediate.
Before Obi-Wan returned however, Quinlan collapsed during a training session. He wasn't doing much, just practicing with a droid. Deflecting blaster bolts. One moment he was fine, the next he was yelping when a bolt hit his hand, then another hit his shoulder. These didn't cause damage; they were just mild burns. It was just training, after all. But Quinlan fell to the ground anyways.
By the time Cody reached him, Quinlan was unconscious. Without a second thought, knelt down at his side and checked him over briefly before calling the medics. There was something wrong, but what?
Manner lightly pushed him aside to start the examination, asking Cody question after question. A few minutes later, he had discovered a nasty wound that Quinlan was keeping hidden. It was likely the cause of the collapse coupled with not enough food and some other more minor injuries.
Cody watched anxiously, and helped Manner get the Jedi to the medbay. Quinlan had flippantly commented about needing more touch because he was a Kiffar once, so Cody decided he would sit with Quinlan and hold his hand once things were taken care of, and until Quinlan was awake.
All he could think about once Quinlan was in the bed, was wondering why Quinlan was hiding so many injuries. They were bad, from what Manner had said. Quinlan could have died. He shouldn't have been on his feet at all, and should have been seen long ago.
Cody tried not to worry too much, but he loved Quinlan (oh). Wanted Quinlan to be okay. And he was a little hurt Quinlan couldn't trust him with the injuries.
It was a day later that Quinlan stirred, groaning with pain. Cody quickly let Manner know, but otherwise did not move, gently squeezing Quinlan's hand. He waited patiently as it took Quinlan a bit to fully wake up.
Quinlan opened his eyes and stared up at the ceiling, completely confused. “Wha...?”
"You collapsed while training, Quin," Cody explained softly, rubbing the back of Quinlan's hand with his thumb gently. "It's been a day."
"Oh... I'm fine." Quinlan started sitting up, back to hiding his injuries already.
"You are most certainly not fine General," Manner snapped, coming up. "Lay back down while I check you over."
Quinlan blinked at him, but knew better than to argue with the medic. "...it was that bad?"
"You could have died from those wounds, the fact that you had not collapsed sooner is a miracle."
"Oh." Quinlan didn't know what to say. He had known he did not have his injuries as under control as he should, but he hadn't realized it was that bad. Though he had kind of hoped.
Cody didn't let go of his hand, just watched Manner examine Quinlan and ask questions. Quinlan answered quietly, quite unlike himself. It was also unlike him to hide injuries. Most Jedi didn't really hide their injuries, normally. It usually was a case they could handle the injuries themselves and it didn't occur to them to go to a medic, as they were used to having to make do until they returned to the Temple. It was annoying, and maybe a bit reckless, but they didn't actively try to pretend they weren't injured. Quinlan was actively trying to pretend he wasn't injured, something few Jedi did.
And normally, everyone knew Quinlan was injured. He tended to not downplay the pain and maybe be a little dramatic about it. It was normally quite entertaining. It also got him all kinds of attention and cuddling, which was probably why he did it that way.
So why did Quinlan hide it?
Quinlan for his part didn't say much until Manner had left him alone with instructions, food, and Cody.
"Why are you still here?" Quinlan asked, glancing at their hands with a furrowed brow.
"Because you scared me, Quin," Cody said quietly. He was still seeing Quinlan collapse on the ground in his mind, and it was the scariest thing he had seen in a long time. "We're... we're a team, and you collapsed out of nowhere, you were unconscious almost right away, and I didn't know why, and it turned out you could have died because you were hiding injuries..." He bit his lip, anxious. He wasn't usually so open with his emotions. It was scary, baring private parts of himself to another person.
"Quin... I thought maybe you would still die because Manner was worried. He doesn't usually worry like that. It scared me because I don't want to lose you... I love you. How could I leave your side after that?" Cody wasn't sure what else to say, his emotions all bubbling up to the surface and becoming too much to say. Then it hit him that he'd let his feelings slip and he just prayed to whatever or whoever was listening that Quinlan didn't take it badly.
Quinlan stared at him, stunned, then he looked down at their linked hands, and tears started falling.
"Quin?" Cody asked, concerned. He leaned forward. "What's wrong? How can I help?"
Quinlan stared sobbing, pulling his hand away as he curled on the less injured side, facing away from Cody.
Cody hesitated, then climbed into bed with Quinlan and wrapped his arms around him gently. "I'm here. It's okay, Quin."
Quinlan stiffened, then relaxed, leaning against him, still sobbing. He didn't calm down for a long while. When he did, he was quiet for the longest time, not moving.
Cody just waited patiently. He didn't want to pressure Quinlan into talking, and didn't want to make things worse for Quinlan.
Quinlan finally took in a deep shuddering breath. "They had captured me," he stated quietly. "It was... not pretty, and they favored a more... psychological torture to go with some pain. I'm not sure how I got out, but I did and I sent out the message to Obi as soon as I could."
"Okay." Cody replied quietly. "That sounds rough, Quin."
"It was... They were very good at picking out existing insecurities and prying them wide open. I didn't even realize what they were doing at first, it was so subtle and they got to me and I didn't want to say anything."
"It's okay, Quin. Take your time. You don't need to share anything you're not comfortable with."
"I should though," Quinlan whispered. "I... I love you too, Cody... I just hadn't thought you would actually return my feelings. And I'm not good at being emotionally vulnerable with anyone. Not many people accept what they see as the worst in me so I don't want to show them anything else and it gives me so few people I can be like this for and even that gets me worried I'm being too much."
"What do you mean?" Cody asked quietly.
"I'm obnoxious, chaotic, clingy, and some even think I'm not a good Jedi for it."
"But you're not obnoxious, I like your chaos, and I don't mind you being clingy. And you wouldn't have escaped if you were a good Jedi."
"You're right... And normally it's fine. Yeah, I got those as insecurities, but I know better, they don't know me, and I can use that logic as a shield and keep it down to a dull thought now and again. But..."
"They found those insecurities and took advantage... why?"
"Trying to break me and convince me it's in my best interest to spill secrets. I can't believe it almost worked."
"It didn't though..."
"I didn't spill any secrets and I escaped yeah. But I'm not convinced they didn't break me. I can't... I can't get some of their words out of my head sometimes." Quinlan reached up and grasped Cody's hand, relaxing a little once he did so. "But you're proving them wrong just in how you feel right now. Psychometry doesn't lie."
"Good. Then I'm not moving until you're feeling better."
"That's probably going to be a while."
"I've got time. Obi-Wan can survive without me, and we're about to go on leave anyways."
"Thank you."
"You're welcome. I just want to see you get better."
"I appreciate that... Can we talk about other stuff for a while though?"
"Sure thing. How about what Skywalker has been up to?"
"Oh no." Quinlan stifled a laugh. "What did he do this time?"
"Well..."