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Obi-Wan stepped out of the building and grinned at his partners.
Rex jumped up. "Well?"
"Looks like everyone agrees with my assessment! We're going on a dig!"
Rex kissed him.
Cody looked up and smiled. He flipped a page in his sketchbook and started sketching. At least until Rex and Obi-Wan pulled him up into a hug and kissing.
Cody grinned. "I hope there's room for a photographer and sketch artist?"
"And a geologist?" Rex added hopefully.
Obi-Wan laughed. "Yes, yes, there is. There's going to need to be extra checks if you two come along, can't let our biases affect our findings, and they can't take the risk of us working together to steal things, all the usual, so... You can come."
Cody kissed him. "When do we leave?"
"Two months. It's going to take some time to get all the permits we'll need, the visas, and make arrangements. But this is going to be a big dig. Preliminary findings are really promising on what we'll find."
"Good! Proud of you, Obi. Now let's go celebrate!" Rex kissed Obi-Wan on the cheek then grabbed his hand.
"Where are you taking me?" Obi-Wan laughed.
"You'll see!" Cody smirked at him. "We have a plan. And I'm glad we don't need to use our back up for if there was no dig approved."
Obi-Wan smiled. "You two really are too good to me."
"You're amazing Obi-Wan. You've already done so much and now you're looking at finding things that have been thought lost? Amazing."
Rex nodded. "And you're taking me with you! I love studying the rocks at digs, seeing what kinds of rocks are dug up alongside other findings. It says a lot about what kinds of rocks were around at certain times."
"I just like all the pictures and sketching opportunities," Cody shrugged. "And being with my two favorite people."
Obi-Wan smiled.
They got in the car.
"Tell us more about the dig? How big's the team? Who's going to lead it? How long will you have?"
Obi-Wan grinned widely. "I'm going to be leading it, and there will be twenty archeologists. I've already told them I want five students studying for their masters as part of the twenty. Good work experience. We're allowing partners and spouses, if they can fill a role and pass the checks, which you two can, but some might come as cooks, or secretaries or some other role that could be done. And we will be there for six months, at least to start. We'll have some people living near the site as usual, and others staying in the city and rotating, that way everyone gets breaks and we're not all tripping over each other."
"That's a lot decided already."
"I'd given it a lot of thought on how I'd want to handle a dig if I were in charge," Obi-Wan admitted. "And quite a bit of that was in my proposal for the dig. Still, there was no guarantee they'd agree to all of that or that I'd be in charge. I'm happy I get to be in charge though. Actually leading what could be a discovery filled dig... Wow. I get to do that."
Rex grinned. "I can't wait to get started. We have two months to plan and all that. I'll need to come up with a plan for what I want to study while we're there and we'll have to make sure everyone knows we'll be gone for six months."
"I don't have to worry, I just take the pictures," Cody said. "But yes, we should make sure people are aware."
Obi-Wan leaned back. "I'm just glad that's over. Nerve wracking and so much preparation was needed and now... now we're going to do it. It went through." He sighed happily.
"Yep. And that's why we're going to have a fun day doing all the relaxing things."
Obi-Wan recognized where they were. "You're the best."
"Hey, we gotta make sure you're nice and relaxed before you start complaining about back pain because of the dig," Rex teased.
Obi-Wan huffed. "Like you don't complain about back pain either."
"I don't!"
Cody broke in before the argument could escalate. "Yes, You do Rex. You absolutely do complain about back pain. And knee pain. And shoulder pain. You complain way more than Obi-Wan does."
"Ha."
"And Obi... we do want you to take care of yourself, that's why we wanted to do this in celebration. But you will be careful and take breaks on the dig, okay? No matter how excited you get."
"I'll do my best. I might need reminders. You know how I get when hyperfocused."
"Do we ever," Rex muttered.
Cody tossed him a look. "Reminders I can do. Now... let's go have a chill, relaxing day so that you can remember what this is like."
Obi-Wan nodded. "Alright... this is perfect."
"I know." Cody smirked. "You had way too many late nights preparing for today's proposal."
Obi-Wan huffed. "It's not like I neglected you."
"No, you didn't. Just your body. Which will thank us, and then you're getting a full nights sleep and sleeping in tomorrow." Cody said. He knew that if Obi-Wan really didn't like the suggestions he would protest and not do it, but Cody wanted to take care of Obi-Wan. And Obi-Wan knew what he needed, so he accepted.
"Alright, I can accept that." Obi-Wan smiled at Cody before they got out to enjoy their day together.
Obi-Wan relaxed and reminisced on how he had gotten this far.
It had started when he was a still studying for his masters and Cody showed up as the main photographer for the dig. They had gotten along well, and became friends.
After the dig, they had stayed in contact. Cody was doing freelance photography and art commissions, mostly sketches but some paintings. He was in school but he was also doing it to support Rex, who was working his way through school for geology, forever fascinated by rocks.
Obi-Wan had noticed they were close and assumed they were dating. He didn't let that affect how he treated them as his friends. He was happy with his life, happy to be studying and getting closer to a doctorates. It was on one of his digs shortly before he got the doctorate that things... changed.
Rex and Cody had been long time friends but not dating. This was Rex's first dig as he was a few years behind in school from where Obi-Wan was. Cody was along of course because he was a favorite for archeology digs. A good personality combined with fantastic pictures was sometimes hard to find.
And they spent time together. Welcomed Obi-Wan to their group. He was surprised to find he fit in with them like he had always be a part of their group.
Years later... and they were going to go on a dig that could change a lot of historical understanding.
Obi-Wan was excited for it, and more excited he had partners who supported him and were just as excited.
But he let himself relax. Relax now, excitement later.
He just knew that Rex and Cody had more planned for it. Just like him, they did not do things small. When they celebrated, they went big. This was just the beginning.
Obi-Wan looked forward to it.