Work Text:
It all started with Anakin, like things usually do. At least, it wasn't in a bad, Anakin-like, way. It all started when Anakin decided to confide in Obi-Wan. He knew his master was far from the perfect Jedi he always appeared to be; his unattached manner and witty words were nothing more than a well built mask for the caring, loving and understanding man that hide behind it. A mask made to protect himself from the pain and trauma that life has given him. How his master remained such a humble man Anakin couldn't really understand for he knew that he would have fallen apart if he had to live to a fragment of his master's life. Sure, he had been a slave since he was born but, since coming to the temple, his life has been good; he never felt hungry again and he had a friend, a father and a brother all in one person. So, confiding in Obi-Wan was hardly something odd. They were sitting in Obi-Wan's quarters in the Jedi Temple sharing a cup of kaff (or tea, in Obi-wan's case) and talking about how moving away from his master's quarters into a apartment shared with Ahsoka was still strange for the young knight when Anakin said "I still have Padme's apartment when I need something familiar, and here, of course." If was something almost like he didn't mean it, like a passing comment, but the nervousness irradiating in the force from his former Padawan was a dead giveaway. Obi-Wan frowned.
"What worries you about what you just said?" The master asked. Anakin sighed and decided to speak from his heart to the man who was like a father to him.
"That you would think that I am a bad Jedi for not following the code, that you would have to ...you know... report this." Obi-Wan's frown became deeper and his eyes were set on Anakin
"That would be a little too hypocrite of me."
"What do you mean?" surprise tinted the Knight's words.
"Ani, you know about Satine. I wasn't a proper Jedi before I even met you. I never believed in the harsh words of the code that we can't love, I think us being emphats make us able to love more fiercely than people who's blind to the force, besides, you met Qui-Gon even if briefly, I'm sure you don't think I could be that man's padawan and be a firm follower of the code, that would be an insult to his teachings" Obi-wan smiled sadly to himself while remembering his late master "but I do believe in the not attachment rule. Are you attached to Padme?"
"No, I'm not master! We talked about it."
"Does she knows that you could be expelled if this ever gets to another council member?"
"Yes."
"Then as long as you both are aware of the risk I hardly the man to say something about it. You're a good jedi, Anakin, but above all, you're a good man. Padme is a very lucky girl" Anakin smiled with soft eyes, his master's aproval meant a lot to him and being able to talk about his wife eased something inside the young man's chest
"So is the duchess..." Obi-Wan laughed, he looked good when he did so, like a man whose not carrying so much weight on his shoulders.
"Satine and I were together during our mandalore years, is true, but since then she had discover that she prefers a more feminine touch, if you get my meaning"
"Oh ... Then, is there someone you're interested in, master?"
"There's is"
"Who is she?"
"He"
"He? "
"Yeah ...does it bother you?"
"You do know I grew up as a slave, right?" Anakin joked "but still, i wanna know. Who is he?"
"Don't be pushy, Anakin"
"Oh, c'mon, master! I opened by heart to you!" Obi-Wan took his tea cup in his hand and gave his tea a little sip, all dramatics to leave his padawan in suspense for a little bit longer.
"Well then, if you must know...is Quinlan "
"You're in love with Master Vos?!?" Obi-Wan sat his cup back in the table.
"I don't know how you're so surprised, Quin and I grew up together, we were in the same clan, our masters were friends, I think is just natural"
"I guess you're right ...besides, he's quite good looking" The redhead rose a eyebrow
"is there something else you wish to talk about, Anakin? Something else you need to get out of your chest?"
"Uh?" Anakin said "Oh!, No!, No! I'm definitely straight but I'm not blind you know. And i mean, those arms? I totally get it, Master." Obi-wan laughed while blushing and gave Anakin a playfull slap on his arm, after that the rest of the afternoon carried on quite normally to them until Anakin left to meet his wife. Obi-wan cleaned the cups and left them in the cupboard of his kitchenette.
The next day he woke up with a emergency called to get back to the front as soon as possible and several weeks passed until Obi-wan was able to return to his quarters to rest. When he finally manage to get back to the temple he had the bad luck to do so while injured, nothing serious, just a few bruises and scratches, perhaps a broken rib or two, how's counting? As soon as he was dismissed from the Halls of Healing, Obi-wan made a bee line for his quarters looking forward to rest, he opened his door and decided that his bed was too far away and the sofa in the living room looked just as good. He carefully laid down, making sure his injuries were not compromise. Not sooner had he laid his head on the pillow he kept in his sofa for this specific reason that someone knocked on his door, sensing the person at the other side of it Obi-wan didn't bother standing up and just opened the door with a lazy flick of his hand reveling the dark, tall and handsome master behind it.
"Quinlan, even if its a pleasure to see you I admit you caught me in a bad situation." Obi-wan said from his place in the sofa
"Yeah, Obes, i know. I came back yesterday and went to the Halls for regular checkout, you know how it is, healer Che told me you probably needed some company"
"She said that?" "Well, i believe her literal words were: make sure that idiot takes care of himself!" Obi-wan's chest and belly filled with a laugh that was cut short due to the pain. Quinlan saw the discomfort in his friends eyes and went to the kitchenette.
"I'll make one of those healing teas you got over there. I'm sure that would help you. Try to sit up so that you can drink it" The only answer he got was a grunt. Quinlan, busied himself putting the kettle on and opening a few flask getting different types of teas to make a healing blend, he wasn't a fan of tea but he had learned because that's what Obi-wan usually favors, specially in times like this, he even went as far as having some expensive teas in his quarters for when his friend visits.
He guessed Obi-wan hadn't eating since he landed so he made some quick toast. Quinlan worried a lot about how Obi-wan didn't take enough care of himself: he was comfortable with no eating for days until he was able to move freely again. He had always being like that, Qui-Gon was a good man, Quin had no doubts of that, but sometimes he didn't pay enough attention to Obi-wan or downplayed his feelings resulting and his friend now being an adult who was always "fine" and could "keep on going with no trouble at all". Obi-wan's self destructive nature was nothing new, not since Bandomeer. Quinlan shaked his head, trying to keep his memory out of such dark places and went back to the tea. Once he was satisfied with the blend and the kettle was whistling, he went to turn the heat of but he was so lost in his thoughts that he burn part of his right hand glove, he quickly took it of to avoid burning his skin, turn the heat of properly and looked at his bare hand. It wouldn't be the first time someting like this happened, it was actually very common because even if he had worn gloves practically all his life there were always some down sides when doing some simple task while wearing them, at leas he was in a safe enviromen. He figured his could finish the tea and then go fetch some spare gloves from his room, so he opened the cabinet and took the first cup he saw with his naked hand and saw the memory: Anakin and Obi-wan talking, he saying he felt things for Quinlan, the amount of love emanating from the memory felt like a mirror of his own feelings, he felt full of love, not only the love Obi-wan fel for him but also the sweet, brotherly love he felt for Anakin, the faint escense of a past relationship with the dutchess, the bittersweet but deep love he felt for his former master. Obi-wan feels so muchs, and so intensely but his reputation of the perfect jedi sometimes could fool even those who knew him the most. Getting to feel as Obi-wan did made Quinlan get lost on it for a second until Obi-wan called his name asking if he was alright.
Quinlan smiled and went back to the living room area with the cup still in his gloveless hand. He crouched next to Obi-wan's head and raised the cup so that the redhead could see it too. "I am indeed a very lucky man" he said and leaned to kiss Obi-wan.