Mace Windu was used to a lot of things. He was used to how people reacted to him. He knew what he looked like to other people. He was stern and cold and didn't seem to have a kind bone in his body.
That's how some people saw him.
If they were close to the Korun Master, they would know that's not all true.
He was stern when he needed to be (just as one should), and yes he could appear cold and unkind. He wasn't, though. Mace Windu delighted in the feeling of being near friends. He liked watching the sunrise in the mornings and he enjoyed the calm feeling of The Room of a Thousand Fountains. It brought a smile on his face to see younglings rushing about. He relished in the times when he would spend a few hours with one of his fellow Councilors talking about whatever came to mind.
He didn't smile often, this is true. But when he did, it brought a warmer feeling into the Force.
So, standing outside of the Mind Healers with arms crossed and a frown on his face, he wasn't surprised at the cowering he received from passing Jedi. Really, he wasn't meaning to frown. He was thinking. It was just unfortunate that his thinking face was...intense. He tried to ease up on it, but he couldn't. His mind was rolling with thoughts of his friend.
Hearing about what happened to Obi-Wan on Zigoola shook Mace up more than he wanted to admit. What occurred there was something that no Jedi should ever have had to go through.
Especially Obi-Wan.
Maybe Mace was biased. Obi-Wan was a good friend of his so of course, Mace wouldn't want anything like that to happen to the man. However, Obi-Wan always seemed to get the worst of everything. It was as though the galaxy and the universe had it out for him.
He thought about where to go from here. He had volunteered to be the first to help Obi-Wan out during his stay in the Temple. Originally, they were just going to have someone stay with him if they thought he was struggling. That changed when he passed out in the Temple halls. His shields were torn down and slowly working their way back to normal, but that would take time. So, until he was fit enough to be left alone, Obi-Wan was to stay with a Councilor or friend.
They had a list of Jedi willing to help him out and Mace was happy to see that there were many Jedi on there that didn't know Obi-Wan personally. They just wanted to help him, and Mace understood why.
Obi-Wan was the best of them. He was kind and thoughtful. He put others before himself. He was someone to look up to.
Obi-Wan didn't like the attention, but he took it with a smile and did what he could to hide his anxiety about it.
"Master Windu?"
Mace focused in on the moment and glanced at the speaker. Mind Healer Kari was smiling at Mace softly once he looked at her.
"Master Kenobi's session is done." Healer Kari informed him, stepping to the side and allowing the Master of the Order into her office where Obi-Wan sat.
The man looked tired and disheveled, but he also looked ready to take on the day. The smile he gave Mace was small due to his exhaustion, but it was an expression Mace was happy to see on his friend's face.
"Obi-Wan," Mace walked closer to the copper-haired Master and placed a hand on his shoulder. "How are you feeling?" He asks, running his eyes over Obi-Wan's form carefully.
"Tired, but better than I have since the mission," Obi-Wan admitted with a sigh. "Although, I'm not tired enough to sleep." He mumbles, frowning at the thought.
Mace chuckled and squeezed his friend's shoulder lightly. Mace's stomach dropped as he realized Obi-Wan was still too thin for comfort, but he didn't let his feelings show on his face.
"Well, you're with me for the next few days," Mace informs him. "So, what do you say we go to your quarters, grab whatever you might need, then get you set up with me." The plan was formed hours ago in his mind.
Mace didn't tend to overreact. He didn't usually stress over things such as this. However, this was Obi-Wan. He kicked instincts into gear inside Mace that hadn't been used in a long time. They were instincts and feelings that resided in each Master while they had a Padawan in their care.
Obi-Wan was just special enough that he seemed able to kick those feelings into overdrive for every Master that's ever met him.
(Though, if you were to ask Obi-Wan about this, he would turn wide eyes on you and tilt his head in thought before shaking his head and saying that "I'm not sure about that," all while not noticing that he's kicked your instinct into gear just by being near him.)
"That sounds like a good plan." Obi-Wan agreed, nodding his head and rising from his chair. "I don't need much from there, so it should be a short trip." He told Mace with a smile.
If Mace melted just a little bit on the inside, well, no one needed to know.
"Lead the way then, Master Kenobi."
