"Quinlan, I'm fine," he said, which was the truth. "You and I both know that if I hadn't been, Master Che wouldn't have let me leave."
His friend had been hovering since the padawan's return, even waiting for him while the Temple Healer looked him over and following him all the way back to his rooms, where Obi-Wan had dutifully headed after receiving the Healer's firm orders to rest.
Obi-Wan wouldn't have to come before the Council until tomorrow, so that gave him some time.
There might be a warm feeling in his chest that came from the knowledge that Quinlan had been worried about him, but this wasn't exactly the best moment for the other boy's relentless presence
"I would like to have a moment alone actually," Obi-Wan said quietly, hoping that would be enough to finally get the other boy to back off a little.
The Kiffar stared at him for a long moment, squinting his eyes and putting his fingers under his own chin in an exaggerated pose of examining him. "No, I don't think you do," he finally concluded decisively.
After that pronouncement, his friend slung an arm around him. "Come on, you're not staying in these depressing rooms alone. You're sticking with me and Master Tholme." With that, and entirely ignoring any protest that made it past Obi-Wan's lips, his friend physically dragged him out of the padawan room that he had to admit hadn't gained much of a personality since he'd become Master Jinn's padawan.
Trying to change Quinlan's mind once he was set on a certain path was about as impossible as getting Master Jinn to explain himself on anything. Still, Obi-Wan tried. And failed, because before long he did find himself in the shared living room belonging to Quinlan and his Master.
"I can't stay here, Quinlan," he hissed out, eyes darting around the room. Master Tholme wasn't there, thankfully, but that only resolved half of the issue of staying in these rooms - the other half being the Kiffar who had dragged him there in the first place.
Obi-Wan wasn't sure how much longer he could delay.
"Huh, you're looking kind of shifty. Are you hiding an injury or something?" Quinlan frowned and looked at him more closely. "Is it something embarrassing you didn't want to tell the healers about, cause you know I'll only make fun of you in private, right? I'd still help."
"No," Obi-Wan answered with utter despair at both what a great and awful friend Quinlan was. "I uh," he hesitated for a moment and then spit it out, in one rushed go. "I-need-to-comm-the-Mand'alor."
There was utter silence for a moment, which was such a rare response from the other padawan that Obi-Wan blinked back at him in confusion.
"Wow," Quinlan finally said. Then he hustled Obi-Wan towards the couch, but instead of sitting on it like a normal being, for some reason he felt the need to crouch down behind it, and drag Obi-Wan down with him.
"Did you actually defect?" his friend asked in a loud whisper, "I mean it was a few weeks, but you're usually more stubborn than that. And not exactly spy material. Though I suppose the fact that no-one would suspect you does actually make you great spy material. Well, except for the fact that you blurted it out on day one. That's not how spying works, you realise that, right?"
Obi-Wan shot his friend a look. "I didn't defect, Quinlan, don't be an idiot. I just promised I'd let him know I made it home safe. So he doesn't do something… weird."
The older padawan stared back, clearly waiting for more but Obi-Wan had no idea how to explain this. Finally Quinlan blinked and repeated him. "Something… weird?"
Obi-Wan waved his hands. "Like march on Coruscant or something," he clarified.
"That. That is not something I would describe as weird," Quinlan shot back incredulously. "What exactly happened out there?"
And yes, to be fair, that hadn't been what Obi-Wan was expecting either after he landed on Manda'yaim, but there was no reason for Quinlan of all people to look at him like he was crazy. "Nothing," he answered. Oddly enough that was sort-of the truth.
"You just said the Mand'alor was going to march on Coruscant! How is that nothing?"
"I didn't say that," Obi-Wan denied immediately on principle, "I said I should comm him to tell him I'm home safe so he doesn't feel the need to physically come and check on me. That's all. Don't make it sound worse than it is."
The Kiffar finally nodded, but it was that slow deep nod that was pure dramatic theatre. "No, you're right, that doesn't sound bad at all. So why is the leader of an enemy empire coming to check up on you again?"
Obi Wan shrugged a little helplessly. It was difficult to explain something he was still having a hard time grasping, even when every day he'd spent on the planet had proven to him time and again what Jaster and the Mand'alor and any other Mandalorian he'd looked even remotely nervous in front promised him unbidden.
"Mandalorians are... kind of protective about children?" he finally started, "I mean, I saved some Mandalorian children and it took me only about ten minutes to negotiate safe passage to Manda'yaim and back home again even though all they knew was that I was a Jedi. When they realized I'm not an adult, it took me two weeks to get them to agree to let me go home. I'm pretty sure the only reason the Mand'alor even backed down was because he'd given me his word of honour about safe passage home. And even then, I had to argue them down from an armed squad joining me on my own ship to a two vessel escort back into neutral space."
"Right." He could practically hear the scepticism dripping from that one word, even if Quinlan barely put any inflection in it. "So, if they're so nice about children, shouldn't they have just let you go immediately instead of keeping you prisoner?"
Obi-Wan sighed, relaxing from his crouch and sitting down, leaning comfortably against the back of the couch. "…they weren't sure about letting me go back to Master Jinn, I guess. My mir baar'ur was of the opinion that it was irresponsible of any adult to leave a child unaccompanied in contested space and, uh... they wanted to make sure that I was sure I wanted to go back."
Quinlan leaned in, the height difference more apparent now that Obi-Wan was seated. His friend scrutinized him for so long that the padawan was expecting another refutation, but instead the Kiffar finally asked "Your mir baar?"
"My, uh. Mind healer? I'm supposed to comm them too…" Obi Wan felt more embarrassed with every word that came out of his mouth, but with Quinlan somehow it was always difficult to just stop talking, even when it felt like he was digging himself ever deeper into a hole.
Besides, the other boy had long since proven that he wouldn't leave him alone until Obi-Wan spilled.
"Oooh. Oooh wow." Quinlan was a little wide-eyed but his expression quickly melted into a grin that couldn't mean anything good.
"What?" Obi-Wan said defensively. "It's not like I had a lot of choice in that – apparently it's standard procedure for anyone returning from the field to see one."
"No. No," the Kiffar said. He finally stopped looming over him, giving Obi-Wan a bit more space. "This is great. The Mandalorians think Master Jinn is an asshole. I mean I know that Master Jinn is an asshole, this is not news, but I didn't expect an enemy empire to come to the same conclusion without even meeting the man."
"Quinlan, just what sort of discussion did I just arrive home in?" Master Tholme calmly interposed, nearly scaring Obi-Wan out of his skin. The man was so quiet he hadn't even heard the door opening. Since when had the Master Shadow been there?
And what does Obi-Wan even say to that – what if Master Tholme thought he was a spy too? That he'd defected?
Quinlan, apparently didn't see the problem. "If Obi doesn't comm him, the Mand'alor is apparently coming to check up on him in person, even if he has to march on Coruscant to do it. Because even he thinks Master Jinn is the worst," his friend admitted easily as if he wasn't insulting a Jedi Master in front of another Jedi Master.
And at any other moment he'd be worrying how Master Tholme would take that and how his friend had even made it this far as a padawan without getting in massive trouble with the Council, but right now the more important thing was stopping any sort of increase in hostilities from occurring because the Jedi Order thought the Mandalorians were going to attack the very seat of the Republic.
Obi-Wan closed his eyes for a moment, mustering up calm and fortitude to explain this in a more rational way. He stood up, facing Master Tholme and feeling like a youngling who... well, who had been hiding behind the couch. The man didn't look angry, at least, just nodded at him with respectful patience.
Alright then. Obi-Wan could do this. If he could negotiate with the Mand'alor himself, he could explain himself to his friend's Jedi Master. "It has nothing to do with Master Jinn," Obi Wan started slowly. "The Mand'alor made me the promise of safe passage home. He is dutybound or honourbound or something to ensure as much. If I got captured by pirates on the way, that wouldn't reflect well on him. So I need to let him know that I made it home safe, so that he knows he doesn't need to muster up some sort of army to come rescue me - to ensure that he keeps his promise as a Mandalorian. Not that… not anything else."
Quinlan nodded along with that and, without pause, added, "But the Mandalorians still think that Master Jinn is an asshole."
"I see," Master Tholme said, sounding so unbothered that Obi-Wan had to stare at him. There was no sign of anything on the man's face despite the fact that surely coming home to a conversation like this must trouble him.
Then again, this was Quinlan's Master... Perhaps in comparison to riding herd on Quinlan during a mission this was simply a peaceful evening?
"Very well, then, go ahead and comm him." the man easily agreed, "I hope you don't mind me supervising?"
Obi-Wan stared back at the man like an animal caught in a trap before finally deflating. "No, Master Tholme."
Reluctantly, he walked around the couch, to accept the comm that the Jedi Master offered him. If he shot Quinlan a look on the way, that was fully earned.
The feared leader of the Mandalorian Empire answered his comm with a short "'lek."
"Uh, Mand'alor." Obi-Wan started, feeling oddly self-conscious when faced with the holo image of the Mand'alor, wearing his buy'ce.
He had to remind himself that this was the same person who had, if Jaster's stories were to be believed, once tried to prank his buir, only to have it backfire spectacularly because instead of Jaster, the single other person in their compound who drank tea opened up the package that Jango had pranked. Baar'ur Talir hadn't appreciated the new paint job.
Jango had apparently spent nearly a month hiding from baar'ur, in vain, because he'd gotten injured by pulling a stupid stunt during his sen'tra practice and was promptly brought to their domain. He didn't know what the baar'ur revenge had been or how long they'd kept Jango in their clutches because that was the moment the Mand'alor had interrupted the story by throwing a bread roll at his buir.
The point was, this was just Jango.
A point that was quickly evidenced by removal of said emotionless helmet to reveal a familiar face. "Ob'ika. Everything alright?" The man's eyes slid for a moment towards Master Tholme before settling back on him.
"Yes, I made it home safely," Obi-Wan stated. "Master Che checked me over and sent me off to rest. I have an appointment with the Council tomorrow to talk about what happened."
"Hmm... Master Che... A baar'ur?"
Obi-Wan nodded.
"Good." The man now turned fully towards the only other presence in his field of vision. Master Tholme was seated a little to the left, behind Obi-Wan and had kept quiet during that short exchange. "Are you his jetii'buir, then?"
The use of mando'a was deliberate and rude, but Obi-Wan swallowed down his need to explain the meaning or misconception in that word to either of them.
"I am Jedi Master Tholme," Quinlan's Master spoke up and he clearly understood what Jango meant because he continued unhurriedly. " I am afraid Master Jinn has not yet returned to the Temple. Obi-Wan is staying with my padawan and I for the moment."
The Mand'alor stared, unflinching and cold in the blue light of the holo. "Your padawan?"
"Hi," Quinlan greeted shamelessly, leaning into the frame of the comm. Obi-Wan had turned at the interruption and saw Tholme close his eyes for a moment as if he was reaching into the Force for patience. Obi-Wan restrained the urge to do something similar. Not to get a handle on his emotions, though, but to stop himself from watching this speeder wreck.
His friend flawlessly ignored them both. "I'm Quinlan."
"Ah, the legendary Quinlan," Jango actually smiled. "I have heard of you."
"You've heard of me?" the Kiffar repeated, wide-eyed but not backing down.
"Hmm, something about a water fight grown so far out of proportion that it made guards believe the temple was under attack?" the Mand'alor said, his smile now sliding into a teasing grin.
"Y- I-" Quinlan stuttered and predictably turned to the only possible source of this information. "Obi-Wan! What are you telling enemy heads of state about me?"
"That you're a menace," Obi-Wan responded, not feeling the least bit sorry about that. "Can I finish my comm now?"
"Please do," Master Tholme agreed and physically carted his protesting padawan out of the frame. That explained a lot about that padawanship.
He started after the two for a moment before turning back to Jango.
"Sorry about that," Obi-Wan offered awkwardly. "I promised to let you know I'd made it home safe, and I did, but Quinlan wasn't going to leave me alone, so..."
Jango didn't seem anything but amused. "Don't worry about it Ob'ika. Make sure you comm me if the shabuir leaves you behind again. I don't mind coming to get you. Jaster will come too, it'll be fine."
Obi-Wan shook his head at the not entirely reassuring reassurance. Privately he thought it was kind of... nice... that he could comm Jango if anything went wrong and the man would come, without hesitation. He just wasn't sure if any of his Jedi missions would actually be improved by what he imagined a Mandolarian ''rescue' to be like.
He ignored that image and the warm and complicated feelings it evoked with the skill of a well-trained Jedi and steered the subject to a more comfortable aside. "If Jaster comes, who will make sure his Empire doesn't collapse?"
"My Empire. I'm the Mand'alor."
"Uh-uh," Obi-Wan agreed without agreeing, his lips twitching into smile. "But if Jaster comes who will make sure your Empire doesn't collapse?
Jango shook his head but his grin never wavered. "You're a brat. Be safe, ad'ika. And comm buir!"
The room was blessedly silent for a moment after his comm call.
It didn't last. Of course it didn't, Quinlan was right there.
"What the kriff. Obi-Wan, did you get adopted?
"No!" he quickly responded. With Quinlan it was always best to deny immediately before a thought could fully sink in. Then he thought about it and added a bit sheepishly "Well sort of but not really? I'm a ward of Clan Mereel? Apparently that sort of thing doesn't really come in a temporary form."
Thankfully, before Quinlan could jump on that, his Master put a hand on the padawan's shoulder and hummed a little in thought. "A charge of Jaster Mereel?" Master Tholme stated more than asked, "The Mand'alor's father?"
Obi-Wan slowly nodded. "Uh. In my defence I didn't realize he was the Mand'alor's father until Jango started coming to dinner all the time?"
Quinlan snorted and sat down next to Obi-Wan. "Right, no that makes sense. And dinner conversations was apparently me?"
"...I mean, it's not sensitive information?" he pointed out.
Thankfully, Master Tholme seemed to agree with him. "That's very true, padawan. Well done. And I am also relieved to hear your stay on Mandalore was not too unpleasant."
Obi Wan looked down. "Thank you, Master Tholme," he said quietly.
Quinlan crowded up even closer to his side. "Yeah, glad you're home safe, Obi," he said, so genuine and warm that the padawan couldn't help but sink into the almost-hug. It was a reminder that he had more than duty and a desire to do good for the galaxy tying him to the Jedi. He had a home.
And he got to bask in it for just about a half-minute before his irrepressible friend opened his mouth again. "And I'm honoured you thought to spread our great deeds to the Mand'alor himself," the Kiffar said gleefully. "In fact, in case anything like this should ever happen again I think we should make sure you have plenty of diverting, non-sensitive tales to tell. We could start-"
Obi Wan groaned and shifted away from Quinlan to bury his head in a cushion instead.
A.N.: Just a less short than I thought it would be extra. Because Quinlan.
Glossary
ad'ika - little one
baar'ur - medic / healer
buy'ce - helmet
buir - parent (ungendered)
elek - yes (shortened to 'lek as meaning yeah)
jate - good
jetii - Jedi
Manda'yaim - Mandalore
Mand'alor - sole ruler
sen'tra - jetpack
shabuir - extreme insult - *jerk*, but much stronger