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It’s one of those days.
Anakin hates these days with a passion, even though as a Jedi learner he’s supposed to not hate anything. Today, everything he does feels wrong. Obi-Wan isn’t talking to him (Well, he never really does anyway.), his friends are all out with their masters so he’s alone in the archives trying to study for his History of Greater Mandalor test but nothing is making sense.
The words feel all scrambled, nothing is coming together to help him remember why the planet split into three factions and which factions split into what wars.
He groans and slams his head on the table. Great. Another failed test, another day of Obi-Wan being mad at him for a reason he doesn’t know why-
“Everything alright little one?”
Great. It just had to be Quinlan Vos of all Jedi to find him on a day he’s already struggling.
“I’m fine,” He grumbles into the table. “If you're looking for my Master he’s out on a diplomacy mission on Aldaraan.”
There's a brief burst of concern-surprise-confusion in the Force before it's carefully put away in shields. The chair that Master Vos pulls squeaks slightly as he sits next to him. “He left you behind? I thought he was taking you with him.”
He couldn’t stop the brief surge of tears before blinking his eyes rapidly. “We had another argument,” Anakin says in a small voice. “I think he needed time again.” Master Vos sighs, and he feels a slight shift before a hand lands on his head and gently pets at his hair.
“Alright kid. Looks like you're with me for the day, yeah? What are we studying?” Anakin makes a confused noise, and lifts his head to his arms. “Aren’t you busy?” He says, struggling to understand why he’d offer help to him. Everyone knows Anakin's a difficult learner. No one more than one of Obi-Wans best friends.
Master Vos shrugs. “Nah, besides, I’m avoiding my Master right now because he just found out that I still have all of the data pads I stole from him as a padawan.” Anakin giggles, and Master Vos grins and ruffles his hair. “Let's get to studying. I don't want both himand Obi annoyed at me all in the same week.”
Anakin nods, already feeling more hopeful and brighter than before. Maybe Master Vos isn’t that bad after all.
“It’s the test for the Greater History of Mandalor class. I’m having an issue with…”
________
A Few Hours Later.
By the time that they go over everything from the previous lesson, he feels a million times more confident. He actually managed to remember the difference between the True Mandalorians and The Death Watch!
“There we go! I told you, you’ve got this kid.” Master Vos says, leaking pride-pride-pride in the Force. “If you don’t pass this test, I’ll be surprised.”
He wilts a little bit at the reminder of the test. Instead of pushing him, Master Vos waits.
“Do you think Master Obi-Wan doesn’t want to be my master anymore?” He asks. Master Vos’s presence stills in the force. “I keep frustrating him by not doing well in tests, or in training but I don’t know what I’m doing wrong and everyone else gets tired of trying to help.”
When Master Vos takes a moment to answer, he slumps forward again on the table and doesn’t even bother to hide his dejection-upset-sad behind his shields. He feels too much anyways, everyone always tells him so. “I don’t think he’d ever not want to be your Master kid,” He says, “But even if he doesn’t, you’ll still have a master because I’d take you on as mine. Not before giving him a very stern talking too.”
He shoots up from the table. “Really? But- We don’t get along. You don’t like me.” he says. Master Vos shakes his head. “No kid, I wasn’t upset at you. I was mad with the council over- well its a long story, and one for Obi-Wan to tell you when he’s ready.”
Anakin bursts into tears. Master Vos curses before scooping him up in a hug and wraps him in his presence the best he can.
“Ah shit- It’s okay kid. Cmon. Let's get you to my room, I think the Archives have seen enough of us.”
____
By the time Obi-Wan makes it back to the Temple, he has a clearer head and a guilty heart. Bail and his wife both lectured him the entire time he was there, and then provided him with some assistance on how to start bridging the gap between him and his padawan.
The yelling had been very much deserved on their part. On his, not so much.
He pauses when he feels two different presences in their quarters and tilts his head when he feels Quinlan's mind near his own, asking for a meld. When his friend feels his acceptance, he’s shown the memory of Quinlan finding Anakin in the archives struggling with the test, feeling the fear of being abandoned and rejected, before the small bright hope when Quinlan told him that he would train him if Obi-Wan would not.
Wincing, he recognizes the implied threat in the words and opens the door, brushing understatement-acknowledgment to Quinlan as he walks in. He follows the muted feeling of relief to the living part of their quarters, where both his friend and padawan are on the couch in different states of awareness. He hesitates for a moment before sitting down and takes Anakin into his own lap, gently soothing the remains of his distress-distress-distress.
Anakin's distress only hardens his resolve to work on their relationship, to be better. Quinlan's presence in the force recedes as soon as he feels it, and the two of them sit with each other on the couch, content to wait until Anakin wakes up.
They have the time.