Sparks of Hope (A Star-Wars Advent Calendar)
By Meysun
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11. Quite The Jedi Now (Dexter Jettster)
32 BBY.
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"Deeeeex, two more nerfburgers, honey!
- Going!", Dex shouted back, four arms working deftly to chop, stir, cook and spice between his two huge stores.
Dexter Jettster never expected to end up here, of all places, but it was a happy one. Safer than Subterrel, way less risky than the Corellian Trade Spine, with just as much interesting encounters.
And CoCo Town was a good place as any to earn some credits, if one knew how to choose one's friends and droids. FLO had been one of Dex's best investments, and Hermione… Hermione was a jewel.
"Dex?
- Yes, sweetie?"
Hermione laughed – that warm laugh Dex liked so much, because that woman… That woman was more than his associate. She was the second half of the Diner, one that Dex could not bear to part with. Luckily, Hermione did not mean to, and Dex smiled a toothy grin at her.
"I think there are two people you'll want to meet, out there.
- Hmmm…"
He handed her the full plates, and swiped his hands on his greasy apron, then followed her out of the kitchen.
"Obi-Wan!"
Dex was hugging him before his friend could even great him back. His two upper arms wrapped themselves around Obi-Wan's frame – that one seemed to get thinner every time they met - and Dex squeezed, hearing his friend laugh quietly, slender hands patting his back, grey eyes sparkling.
"Well, whaddya know?! Are you growing a beard now? Doesn't it suit you – aren't you quite the Jedi now, Obi-Wan…
- Hello, Dex", Obi-Wan's voice was as warm as his eyes. "Meet Anakin Skywalker.
- Ooooh…"
Dex released Obi-Wan from his grip and looked down at the small, sandy-haired boy who had been staring at him, a fascinated and somewhat wary expression on his face.
"Hello, little one… I'm Dex.
- I know", the little one answered, voice more confident than his stance. "Master Obi-Wan told me all about you. I know you're a Besalisk. And that you like hugs. And that you make the best food ever on Coruscant. And…
- Weeeell, someone has been talking, I see…"
Dex winked at them, and then he ushered them towards a bench.
"Take a seat, take a seat. Hermione is delighted, Obi-Wan, she was speaking about you just the other day…
- Is that a WA-7 droid?!"
The little boy was beaming with excitement, and Obi-Wan placed a hand on his back.
"Anakin… Dex was talking to us.
- Oh, never mind, kid, go and talk to FLO, she loves getting some attention!
- Wizard!"
The kid bounced out of his chair, and Obi-Wan watched him get up to the droid and strike up a conversation, dropping to a crouch in front of FLO, who soon started to beep and whistle happily, talking back in her mechanical voice.
"Apologies, Dex… Anakin is quite taken in with droids – he takes them apart and improves them, you see… I didn't tell him about FLO, he wouldn't have stopped pressing to come here otherwise…
- And do you need a little apprentice for that, Obi-Wan?"
Dex had slid into the booth, facing his friend, voice gently chiding. He watched the young Jedi's eyes cloud slightly – his face was still so open, despite the longer hair and the stubble grazing his cheeks.
"I am sorry, Dex", Obi-Wan said, voice low. "I… There was so much…
- I know. I was glad you told us, though. Wouldn't have wanted to read in the tabloids, or on the Holonet."
Obi-Wan shook his head, and Dex realised that, despite his calm face, his friend was very close to tears. So he simply extended one of his big hands, clasped Obi-Wan's arm, and squeezed.
"He wouldn't have wanted you to grieve", he said. "But he did grieve, as well, whenever he lost someone close. Came here to drink and numb himself, when his first Apprentice passed away. And that's when you came, and met me.
- I remember", Obi-Wan answered, voice rough.
"You drew FLO and Hermione on a coaster. And it became our logo. It's still there, you know.
- Yes", Obi-Wan whispered, smiling up at him. "So you keep reminding me, Dex…
- Because I'm so kriffing proud a Jedi took the trouble to help me out!"
Dex flashed him a toothy grin and watched the sadness withdraw slowly from Obi-Wan's face. Now, all that remained was getting some food and drink into him. He owed it to Jinn's memory – wouldn't want to see his former Apprentice to lose his health and strength.
"Master? FLO says all the food here is good, but I don't know what to choose! I don't know all the words written there…"
Anakin had climbed the bench and was pushing a menu towards them, all but barrelling into Obi-Wan's side, small hand gripping the back of his Master's tunic – a very un-Jedi child, indeed, but a sweet kid, smiling radiantly at Dex.
"Anakin…", Obi-Wan sighed. "You don't need to bump into people like that, do you? What about…
- Sorry, Master", the child interrupted, once more, and Obi-Wan turned towards him, tucking his Padawan braid behind his ear, meeting his eyes.
They probably exchanged a few mental words in that Jedi way of theirs, because the child seemed to calm down, taking a deep breath, turning slightly to sit down properly on the bench. Obi-Wan lifted his hand, placing his palm on Anakin's neck, stroking his hair in a gesture Dex remembered from Qui-Gon, and placed the menu in front of the little boy.
"Try to read them, Anakin. You can ask Dex, if you have any questions. That is… if we are not keeping you?
- Oh no – everyone here is served, and if I'm needed, the Mistress is going to call me anyway.
- Who's the Mistress?", Anakin asked, blue eyes wide with curiosity.
"Me, little one", Hermione answered, winking at him – she had been gathering cutlery from the boot next to them and bent above the bench's backrest to kiss Obi-Wan on the cheek.
"Hello, sweetie. I've missed you. So has Ivy. Did I tell you she died her hair green? What kind of a colour is that?
- One of Jabba's slave's hair was purple", Anakin mumbled, and Dex's eyes shot up to Obi-Wan, whose hand had shifted unconsciously to the little boy's shoulder in mute concern.
Hmm. There was a Tatooine story behind it all, then. And, if Dex was not mistaken, this sunny little boy was so very un-Jedi because he had not been, for a very long time. No, if Dex still read body-languages correctly, the fact that a kid knew about slavery and was currently hanging out with an over-protective Obi-Wan meant that the little one had probably gotten rid of his own chip quite recently.
Obi-Wan's eyes met his, beseechingly, but Dex was no unfeeling idiot, and knew when to keep his big mouth shut.
"Nerfburgers are the best, kid. But only if I'm the one making them.
- With spices?", Anakin asked, smiling that infectious grin at him, and Dex laughed.
"Of course. Who do you take me for?
- Wizard!"
Dex soon left them to prepare two of the biggest plates he could. But through the kitchen's window, he watched them interact – Obi-Wan and his little, lively Apprentice who was prattling non-stop and making him smile. He watched his friend answer his questions patiently, pointing out things to him, encouraging him to read the menu and practise his reading – he looked so calm in his brown cloak, so grown-up without his braid and with that growing beard…
"Quite the Jedi, now", Dex muttered.
And then he brought the plates to them – determined to feed them, and feed them well.
A/N: Oh my dears... I'm always so late in posting, it's quite ridiculous, frankly. I hope you had a wonderful December 13th! I promise you will get your 24 little Advent stories, it's just that sometimes I write slower than I would like to... Hope you liked that one as well! So, Ivy is short for Iphigenia, who is Hermione Bagwa's daughter. She was a baby when Obi-Wan first came at the Diner at twelve years old, and is now a fourteen year-old teenager :). The story of that encounter is also in my fic Blossoms In The Wind - Dex's Diner is a wonderful set for fanfiction, and the scene in the movie one of my favourites :). Take care, much love, Meysun.