Warnings of content at the end of the chapter!
Jango is in pursuit of a new bounty. He creeps through the overgrown forests of the planet; the thick greenery is good cover as well as a pesky hindrance for the sheer abundance of plants that there are. He is patient though, and good at his job, so he carefully combs through the forest floor as his helmet scans for oddities in the terrain or large heat signatures close around. A branch slaps him on the visor and he does his best not to growl. He likes this place less and less with every passing moment.
He's been tailing his bounty's trail for a couple of days now before arriving at this green menace, a Nautolan described to him by his contractor as positively unhinged, whatever that is supposed to mean. His contractor wasn't a wholesome pot by any measures himself.
And…
There.
The Mandalorian takes a breath, preparing for the hunt. He can see his bounty walking steadily through the scope of his long-range blaster, he zooms in on the target. The Nautolan turns Jango's way, dark eyes widening with realization, the Mando pulls the trigger.
"Kriff," he mumbles and hurries after his fleeing prey. The chase is on.
The Nautolan man is faster and more agile than him, but Jango has the advantage of being well prepared. And having a jetpack is quite the nifty advantage in his opinion.
The forest becomes even more unbearable throughout the persecution, Jango's bounty jumping and running up and down and through thigh squeezes and branches in spite of his large build. The Mando looks at the terrain through his holo map and notes with some pleasure that the ruins he looked at before landing are close by. With a plan in mind, Jango begins guiding the Nautolan with carefully direct blaster bolts that will herd his prey to his desired location, once they reach the ruins he'll have his bounty cornered.
After some more running, the Mandalorian evades yet another small bomb and wonders if that's this guy's only move. They finally reach the ruins. It is old work made of stone and overwhelmed by the creeping nature around it. Jango shoots to the Nautolan's left, forcing him to go up the stairs of the ruin and up toward the main level. Jango runs into the roofed platform, it probably made a lovely terrace back in its prime but now it decays. Every crumbled stone corner and rusted metal and rotting wood.
Now on even ground Jango shoots again, barely missing one of the Nautolan's tendrils as his bounty turns to look at him and ducks down. The bolt blasts against the pillar behind the humanoid, making stone explode from the column. Jango has to duck himself when his enemy retaliates by shooting at his head. Better safe than sorry even if he's wearing his helmet.
The Mandalorian prepares to counter-attack and his concentration on the hunt keeps him from paying much attention to the heavy groaning of the ancient structure. He fires his blaster and tilts to the side when the Nautolan chucks an explosive at him. A boom goes off. Above him there is a groaning whine like old metal giving under strain. Jango has his eyes on his prey, it's a perfect shot.
Something breaks loose in the ceiling.
·~·~·~·
The planet is beautiful. It's lush with overgrown bushes with wildflowers, and trees crowned with oversized leaves. Birds sing strange songs and loudly pepper around the area The Fury has been parked and hidden in.
While Jango is out tracking his bounty, Obi-wan explores. He spends a couple of hours peeking around strange colored leaves and following the will of the Force towards strong trees and hidden creatures in the underbrush. After being forced to suffer Mandalor's barely alive grounds since before he was captured, the young Jedi has a newfound appreciation for such natural sceneries as this one. Green, green, green is everywhere he sees. Green and life, brimming from every crevice of the planet. It's terribly lovely, especially when one is connected to the things outside one's own body, when one is more than only crude matter. Obi-wan knows his master would love it.
His step falters imperceptibly at the thought. An aching pang goes through his chest and the natural scenery around loses some of its alluring appeal. He sighs but takes in a deep breath. Obi-wan lets the melancholy wash over him and flood him and fill him until his eyes prickle. Then he breathes out and attempts to let the feeling go away as best as he can. It's not much, but it is something.
The young Jedi peers at small flowers and picks up a couple. He thinks of his friends as he braids the delicate stems together, friends he cannot see nor gift anything that he makes. A while later he finds a nice spot, half shaded by a tree but streaming with rays of light. There he lies down and breathes for a while until he's almost asleep. Upon his chest he holds the flowery bracelet with his hand as he feels the heat of this system's sun warm him. For a while the ginger tethers at the edge between wakefulness and slumber.
Blue gray eyes shoot open. A bell-like feeling rings inside Obi-wan. Danger, it says.
He bolts up looking around. The threat is not here though, danger lies elsewhere beyond the glade he finds himself in. Fear wells up inside of him, consuming him. Obi-wan lets this corrosive feeling pass through him and then he sighs out steadily. After a moment he stands up and grabs the small blaster Jango had gifted him- and had jokingly threatened violence if he did not carry with him when he went out of the ship- he has nothing else.
Obi-wan does not give himself time to think lest his fear come back to him stronger than before. He rushes through the greenery and towards the feeling. He doesn't know what's wrong, all he knows is that Jango is in trouble and he must help him.
·~·~·~·
When the dust settles down and Jango begins to recover from the hit to his head he realizes his shooting hand is empty and he can't find his blaster when he reaches around. His view of the world is also worryingly unobstructed. Where in the world is his helmet?
He half remembers what seems like seconds ago- or minutes, he's not really sure- the startled laugh of the Nautolan and being confused as to what could possibly be so funny. He knows now.
His bounty walks over the pieces of rubble littering about, slightly feline in his movements. The Nautolan smiles at Jango and it's dangerous and mocking. He has the Mando trapped on the floor and they're both very aware of the fact.
"What do you think they'll give me for your head, hm? I know there are a lot of people out there who would reeeelly like a piece of your dead corpse. Maybe I could make some profit out of chopping you up?" He grins wider, like the situation is completely hilarious. "I'll distribute you throughout the galaxy, maybe settle somewhere nice and give up crime." He laughs again, it'd be a charming sound if Jango were not currently in the situation he was in.
"Oh! Maybe- maybe I can set up a shop and have paid sessions so each person could extract a bit of revenge on you, now that'd be business. After all that is done we could get to the bit of chopping you up and selling you in bits," he waves a hand in the air absentmindedly. "Or perhaps my clients could take souvenirs off of you, I'd charge extra for that of course, how does that sound?"
Jango presses his lips in displeasure instead of deigning that with an answer. He feels desperation creeping up on him, that fight or flight response that has kept him alive all these years. And to him it's never a choice, there is only fight. But he's trapped under a huge metal beam, he can see where the Nautolan took and dumped his helmet, weapons, and equipment far away from his reach. The kriffer cut up his belt, the kraking son of a bantha.
But worst of all is how truly, absolutely trapped he is right now. Half of his body is pinned into motionlessness, pain shooting up his body in waves and the blasted Nautolan dangles a blaster so close to his face and yet Jango cannot hope to take it for himself. Any moment now his instinct to fight might turn into true desperation and then fear. He can't allow that.
"First though, I want to have my own fun with you," the Nautolan's cheer transmutes into something dangerous as he crouches before the Mandalorian. "I think that's the least you owe me for chasing me around like a farm animal," his black eyes are dangerous as he stares down at Jango like he's dung under his boot.
"I don't know about you, but I really am into the whole exploding of things," he grins again charmingly as he holds up one of his small bombs. Jango glares, defiant even while trapped, but he gulps. Oh Ka'ar, he's in so much trouble right now.
"Say… I think it'd be pretty fun if I make you swallow one of these," he turns between his fingers the small round. "It won't kill you, at least, not immediately. You'll be coughing up blood for hours," he smiles all teeth and presses the small bomb against Jango's lips while the Mando tries pushing away his bounty's arm. The humanoid laughs.
A bolt shoots through the air right into the Nautolan's shoulder, he howls in pain and turns ireful eyes at the shooter.
'Oh no,' Jango thinks as dread creeps up on him. He turns his head as far as he can and lightning shoots through half of his body, pooling like molten heat in the area of his ribs. His assumption though is horrifyingly correct. It's Red, it's Red.
"Aim for his head!" He shouts, he needs the kid to survive and there's only one way for that to happen because Jango can't help him right now. But Obi-wan doesn't shoot, of course he doesn't, kraking Jetii.
The Nautolan springs to his feet and rushes towards the ginger. Obi-wan stumbles back a couple of steps, still aiming but not pulling the trigger.
"Shoot him Red!" He orders, letting the anger seep into his voice in the hopes he can fright the Jetii into action.
His bounty jumps from the platform and pouches on the teen. They tumble out of Jango's sight and his only inkling as to what is happening is the 'oomph' he hears pulled from Obi-wan upon impact. The Mando listens to the array of sounds that paint a picture for him to decipher. A fist upon flesh. The grunts of struggling. Leaves and branches rustling and breaking in the wake of their frenzied brawl, all wild limbs and desperate punches.
One of the Nautolan's bombs goes off and Red howls a sharp scream. The sounds of struggle continue. A blaster bolt. A hard hit.
Then nothing.
There are no more sounds. Jango strains himself to listen but he can't hear anything more. Just the loud whining of the insects and birds of the planet.
"Ob- Obi-wan?" He asks short of breath as his heart runs at a mad speed inside his chest. There's no answer. "Obi-wan! Kid, answer me!"
He waits a moment. Nothing.
Jango can't breathe. He can't breathe and he can't move to do something or go check so he can just know. He-
A rustle of leaves intrudes upon his spiraling thoughts. Then heavy panting. Jango turns his head as far as it goes, ignoring the excruciating pain stabbing at his insides. He needs to see.
A hand slaps down on the rock platform, then another. Both pale and slim. Birdlike hands. A mop of tousled ginger hair peaks from the edge of the rock as a teen begins to pull himself up.
"Oh, thank the Ka'ar," Jango sighs out with religious relief. This is of course a terrible mistake as his chest burns with every other movement he makes, let alone ones like this one He grunts, but he's not yet deterred. "Obi'ika, are you okay? Are you hurt?"
"I am okay," the teen says shakily. He's breathing harshly, but he seems all right enough. The teen is bruised and scraped- his clothes slightly scorched on his lower left side from the explosive- but nothing that some bacta and rest can't heal.
"You're okay," Jango breathes out, still thanking this solitary fact like the miracle it is.
Obi-wan stands up on shaky legs and rushes to the Mando's side.
"You're- you're not okay," the teen says in a strained voice at the sight of Jango pinned under the heavy beam.
"Don't worry, I think it's just my ribs. The rest is… I think it's just the rubble that's not letting me move, nothing major," the man says honestly though he's trying hard to comfort the troubled-looking boy, breathing is getting harder by the minute though.
"Don- don't worry? Don't worry?" Obi-wan is looking incredulously at him while his Coruscanty accent comes barreling through stronger than it was a moment before. "Jango I don't know if you've noticed, but you're stuck under a very large, very heavy, piece of metal. It's just your ribs? Ah, then surely you must be made of something stronger than the rest of us poor mortal beings. That really is nothing to worry about. Good job!"
'Snarky little bastard,' Jango chuckles mentally.
"You can lift it off of me, it's fine," he breathes out.
"No I can't!" Obi-wan's eyes widen, suddenly looking very cornered by these believed misplaced expectations.
"You can do it," the man says with calm certainty. "You can do anything you set your mind to Obi-wan."
The teen suddenly stills. He looks at Jango as if he's never seen him before or maybe like he's seeing someone else. Whatever the reason, this spoken trust in his abilities quiets his erratic behavior. His brow furrows in poorly hidden distress but at last he looks at the object on top of the Mandalorian in actual, if doubtful, consideration.
"It's… it's very heavy Jango," Obi-wan says quietly. Scared. "My control is nowhere near this good. I… I'm not even sure I could lift it in the best of circumstances." And silently the boy considers how it's only by the Force's grace that the beam hadn't crushed Jango under its weight when it came down.
"What do you need?" The Mandalorian asks calmly.
"You can't help me," the teen shakes his head with solemn sincerity, even if he is taking the situation more seriously now.
"What do you need?" Jango insists, a steady presence in the face of the young Jetii's uncertainty. The boy is quiet for a moment, his eyes downcast. Blue-greys look up at Jango, serious and considering.
"I need to meditate," he says at last. It is a simple statement but it carries much.
"That's easy, you do it all the time," Jango tells him encouragingly.
"You see me trying all the time, that doesn't mean I'm actually successful Jango. I- I can barely focus anymore," he reveals in a shameful whisper, "it's so hard. Every time I try it- it slips from me. And even when I do manage, it is not enough. I can't center myself. I'm- I'm scared all the time, I-"
"Let me help," Jango interrupts, his free hand reaching towards Obi-wan's tightly held ones and holding onto his shaking fingers. "You can do this," Jango's brown eyes bare into his, "let me help."
There is a pregnant pause between them.
"Okay," Obi-wan pauses. "Okay, okay. I can do this," he whispers to himself.
"Tell me what you need me to do," the Mandalorian says.
"I… I can't find peace on my own, not if we want to get you out of here before you die," an edge of nervousness creeps into the teen's voice. "But if you lent it to me, if you let me anchor myself to your own peace maybe… maybe I can do it." He looks steadily into Jango's eyes despite his uncertainty. What he means needs not to be said, they are both well aware of what implications come from Obi-wan's words. It is as much of a statement as it is a query for permission.
Jango nods, not even thinking about it, and readies himself mentally for what some nights ago he made the boy swear he would never do again.
"Tell me what I need to do, with as much detail as you can," the man grunts, trying to keep controlled how much of his pain and discomfort is displayed on his face.
Obi-wan looks at Jango worriedly, not fooled by his efforts. The teen changes his position to a sitting kneel, he closes his eyes then and takes in a slow deep breath. He is quiet for a moment, considering.
"I need you to think of the most peaceful moment in your life. Perhaps… whatever has always brought you comfort. I need you to concentrate hard on it, let it be the only thing that you can think of. And I know it might be hard right now but try and see if you can even out your breathing."
The Mandalorian doesn't question him and does as the ginger asks. It's hard, he can feel his ribs shifting in place with every breath he takes, but this is not the first time he's had to work under immense discomfort.
"Once you've got it I'm going to reach out to you, in here," Obi-wan taps his own head as he looks Jango straight in the eye, being as clear as he can be. The man doesn't allow any of his doubt to show though he's sure the kid can feel it. "Do you remember what I said? That night you were having a nightmare and I tried to help? I was trying to give you of my own serenity. Now, you're not trained, so you're not doing that, but when you feel me… When you feel me inside your head you have to do your best not to resist, okay?" He says this very softly and gently, like Jango is a child and not the other way around.
The Mando nods, already tense.
"If you resist me I won't be able to touch whatever peace you may reach," the ginger further explains.
"And then?" Jango asks.
"Then…" Obi-wan takes in a deep breath. "Then I'm going to ask you to under no circumstances try and talk to me or get my attention. If… If I manage to lift the beam," and he says it very finally, like that if is a huge neon sign painted red. "You have to get away from under there as fast as you can, okay? If I manage to do this I can't help you while I try to keep the beam up. It's all on you."
"I'll do my part Red, don't worry about that, just concentrate on what you need to do." And with this the Mandalorian can feel himself again pushing away at his tension and preconceived ideas. This is Obi-wan, he trusts him so much. This is Obi-wan trusting him right back.
"Now breathe slowly," the teen says. "Immerse yourself in whatever moment you've chosen, you're there, you're not here. What do you see?" Obi-wan places his hand on Jango's arm when the man tries to speak. "Don't tell me, it's for you. Breath Jango."
And almost unconsciously the Mandalorian begins mimicking his charge's steady breathing patterns. In… Out… In- A sharp stab of pain rushes up through his body. Out… He gathers himself again, pushing past the aches and into whatever tranquility he might be able to pull from within himself.
And to think this was the one thing he was set on he would never try to understand for Obi-wan's sake. The one thing. Jango breathes and lets Obi-wan's quiet, soothing voice lead him elsewhere.
In… Out… In…. Out….
His mind's eye conjures up the mirage of Jaster in his full armor. It glimmers in the heat of midday and the sun that shines over the deserted backdrop. Jango is not surprised yet the image of Jaster always hurts as much as it comforts. He stands tall and mighty as Jango observes him from afar, eyes full of reverence and love. Jaster Mereel is an untouchable figure of legend, forever preserved in pristine glory inside his memory.
And then this hero from myth turns towards Jango and walks to where he sits on a dead, toppled tree. His father sits beside him and takes off his helmet, he smiles crookedly and calls him 'son'. If always truth, it was not something that was always spoken out loud. But int needn't be, Jango knew, Jaster made sure Jango always knew who he was to him.
Jango has no memory of the conversation but his father's voice warms his insides like a campfire, stronger than the heat of the sun above them. Jango breaths. He is at peace.
"I'm going to reach out now," Obi-wan announces for the bounty hunter's benefit.
Jango recognizes the feeling of his mind being touched, his calm instantly loses potency and his muscles tense up slightly.
"It's just me, Jango. It's just me," the boy says quietly.
The Mandalorian makes a conscious effort to lower his guard. It's only Obi-wan. Only Obi-wan. His little field mouse. Red. A sarcastic menace hidden behind pain and suffering. A shining sun all of his own when the clouds part.
Jango lets him in.
For a moment he thinks he sees Obi-wan there with him, with Jaster.
"This is my father," he tells the boy with a smile, or at least he thinks he does.
And what was an unpleasant feeling that makes him recoil to remember, is something so completely different. Obi-wan's touch is light upon Jango's mind, he feels illuminated for a moment as his walls are lowered and he allows the teen to touch upon his peace, his tranquility. And he thinks, in the daze of true tranquility, Obi-wan being here brings him peace too. He hasn't been at peace for so long, but then Obi-wan came into his life, or well, one could say just the opposite. It doesn't matter though. The young Jetii really is like a little sun as he connects with Jango, the Mando's peace suddenly increases tenfold as Obi-wan settles in the touch upon his mind.
For his part, Obi-wan breathes and lets the borrowed feeling flood him. The tension and pain of his own body leave him as the Force takes them for a while, giving him respite. 'Let me do this,' he pleads to it knowing it will not answer him, but just like the Kyber, he knows deep in his soul there is something sentient about the Force.
Obi-wan lifts.
Jango gasps painfully, suddenly able to draw in actual intakes of full breath. It's excruciating. He does his best to keep quiet and keep at the mental exercise of the memory while he tries to wiggle around his limbs. It's not enough to get out yet, but the half of his body that had been buried had mobility again. He's struck with sharp relief but quickly concentrates again on the mental task, not knowing if his wandering mind might affect Obi-wan's own concentration.
The Mandalorian marvels though, as slowly, bit by bit, the incredibly heavy metal goes up and up and up. Millimeter by millimeter. He chances a look at the teen, he's breathing harshly too, his arms extended before him as if he's gripping the rubble with his very hands. Obi-wan trembles, truly exerted. A tear rolls down his cheek, the shaking of his arms getting worse by the second. Huffing and puffing for breath. The beam lifts about two inches above Jango.
Now. He can do it now.
Jango wriggles out from underneath the structure, biting his lip bloody to muffle the scream that wants to burst from within him. He shuffles his body out, but his right foot is still stuck beneath a piece of rubble unconnected to the beam, therefore Obi-wan does not have his concentration on lifting it up. Oh, Manda.
The man spares a quick look to the struggling boy, who's holding incredibly well under the circumstances, but Jango doesn't know how much longer the Jetii will last. He braces himself, anchoring his body to a heavy chunk of roof close by, hugging himself to it. Then he yanks out his stuck foot and he screams, sure he's torn something.
When his blurry sight settles, the waves of agony lessening their intensity, he realizes Obi-wan is still lifting the beam up, unaware that the threat has passed. Jango looks at the teen, pale and scrawny and still weak from being chained and mistreated for so long. The Mandalorian is in awe of him.
"Obi-wan," he calls to the ginger, "Obi'ika you did you. You can stop now, you did it." Jango smiles, exhilarated by the rush of danger and the adrenaline of pain and sweet victory. He places a hand on the teen's shoulder when his calling goes unnoticed. The beam collapses down with a thunderous crash and Obi-wan comes back in a fright, eyes wild and looking at where Jango's body was meant to be.
"You did it," Jango says again with a smile. Obi-wan whips the whole of his body to look at him, he sighs out harshly and grins, half crazy with relief. Breathing like he's just run a marathon.
"You're okay," the teen says and Jango laughs, he's really not okay but he gets it.
It is an excellent moment, he decides, to promptly pass out.
·~·~·~·
The way back to The Fury is agonizing to everyone involved. While Jango is passed out Obi-wan tries carrying him back, it works as well as expected so he then tries dragging him, which works better but it's still a hassle and not ideal. He thanks the Force the Mando is passed out, sure that if he weren't he'd be screaming his head off, even though Obi-wan's trying to be as gentle as he possibly can be. The ginger tries lifting Jango with the Force afterward, emboldened by his miraculous use of it an hour ago. He is, unsurprisingly, exhausted, and moving Jango in any delicate manner is more exertion than it's worth.
Obi-wan agonizes about leaving the man alone, but in the end, he comes to the conclusion that he really has no better choice. He hides Jango in the thicket, he does this so well in fact that if he were not Force sensitive he'd be scared he wouldn't be able to find the man again. Luckily for everyone involved, the Force is with him.
He returns with the hoverlift they have for crates an hour and some later. The journey back to The Fury through the forest is still a hassle, Obi-wan has to carefully maneuver the hoverlift up and down the greenery, sometimes even forcing his way through, but they make it in the end.
When Jango wakes up he doesn't feel like the pain is trying to pull him towards an early grave anymore and Obi-wan hovers over him like a fussy mama loth-cat, taking care of visible scrapes and bruises. The man chuckles at this, which is a mistake. Painkillers or not, laughing is not on the menu right now. Once he gets his bearings back, Obi-wan is looking at him with a serious set of gray eyes.
"You have to go to a med center," the ginger says like a proclaimed doom.
Jango sighs carefully.
"Kriff," he says softly. He knows they have to go. He doesn't have to like it though. Jango closes his eyes for a moment, trying to get whatever sort of rest he can from the action. "Wait," he tries to spring to a sit but an electric shock of pain sends him right back down.
"What? What? What is it?" Obi-wan asks, panicked.
"Where is the bounty?" Jango asks, already berating himself for half assing the job and leaving Obi-wan in danger, the Nautolan could've attacked the teen at any moment. But a blank look suddenly sets on the ginger's face, which shuts the Mandalorian up immediately.
"He's in the cargohold," Obi-wan admits, "I went back for him and tied him up but I couldn't get him into the containment cell. I don't know the code numbers." He says this almost as if it's a personal failing.
Jango looks at the teen for a long while. He laughs then, it hurts like a gundark stampede, but he can't help it.
·~·~·~·
Obi-wan has to fly them to the med center. It's a slightly rattling experience for Jango no matter how many times the teen insists he actually knows how to fly. He's not a bad flier by any stretch, but it's the fact that he's never seen Obi-wan fly his ship before or just seen him fly anything at all. It's the principle of the matter. It's all made slightly worse because the Mando has to remain laying on his back in his room while his ship takes off without his supervision. If this were any other 14, 15, 16, 17 year old he'd be crawling through the floors in an effort to stop the takeoff.
In the midst of his slight, not panic mind you, it's concern, thank you very much, Jango stops for a moment to think about that. How old even is Obi-wan? He looks quite young sometimes and others not so, despite the fact that he calls him kid, he never acts the part. He'll ask Obi-wan once he's not delirious with pain and also not worrying about his ship.
They get there all right, even if the landing is a little sloppy. Jango gets a good long soak in a bacta tank and proper treatment for all the damage the beam and ruble made.
There's a very kind twi'lek orderly, if a little intrusive, that keeps trying to check on Obi-wan's past injuries after he gets an accidental glimpse of his extensive scarring. The ginger escapes and refutes him at every turn but his no-nonsense attitude sprinkled with soft kindness reminds him terribly much of healer Che, so much so he's almost inclined to succumb. He doesn't.
The ginger looks after Jango while he's unconscious in the tank at his request. This, Obi-wan perfectly understands. He would not want to be in a stranger's hands while he's unconscious either.
On their last night there, not as high as he'd been the precious days with pain meds, Jango remembers.
"Hey, how old are you Red?" He asks, a little sleepy, quite tired, and sore for days to come.
The teen blinks a couple of times as if processing the question, then subtly tries looking around for something near them but gives up.
"How- Do you know what date it is?" Obi-wan asks hesitantly. The Mando sighs but gives him the date and the year as well for good measure. He's not really surprised. Time it seems, is just another thing that has been stolen from the boy.
"I should be… sixteen?" He says doubtfully. "Yeah, sixteen, my birthday was two months ago.
"Kiff," Jango mumbles, "we missed your birthday kid."
"Yeah, I guess we did," Obi-wan says quietly with an odd look on his face.
They leave as soon as they're able, Jango will not suffer being at the mercy of others for longer than he has to.
·~·~·~·
Obi-wan joins Jango when the Mando goes out of The Fury to drop off his bounty. The Nautolan glares at the ginger the whole walk to the town and it almost makes the teen regret leaving the ship in the first place. But Jango had decided that gaging his bounty was perfectly reasonable when the humanoid would not stop hissing ugly things at his charge, both metaphorically and literally.
They reach a seedy part of town where Jango throws his offering to the ground like a sack of tubers and an equally seedy-looking Quarren thanks the Mando for his 'Perfectly done job, like nothing else he's seen, truly masterful, yes, yes.' Obi-wan does not care for the flowery things the contractor is spewing so he decides to look around for something, anything at all that is not petty little men going after other petty little people. He notes how grim that thought is and has a moment of regret for himself. He would not have been so callous before, not so quick to turn away even from 'petty little sentients'.
So Obi-wan looks around to distract himself. Despite the poor aspect of the place, life goes on even in this shadowy part of town. He can see working people and busy mothers buying what's needed for lunch. A couple of friends smiling at the end of the street. Small lights shining in the darkness. It comforts him.
His eyes catch on a small twi'lek not very far away, she can't be older than 13 or 14 years of age. She dresses modestly in a long sleeved top and a skirt that goes down past her knees, but her belly button is displayed as is the fashion of many of her people.
A human man is leaning over her, not overtly so, but his presence impedes any sort of gracious retreat the girl could make. He talks to her with a charming, easy smile and Obi-wan can see how uncomfortable the twi'lek is.
The ginger's face sets in quiet displeasure. There's also something very angry, and very unlike him, lurking beneath his skin.
"Excuse me," the teen says so quietly Jango does not notice him leaving as he continues talking business with his contractor.
"Hello," Obi-wan says shortly as he steps rudely between the man and the girl. "Can I help you?"
The man is so baffled by this random, lanky teen, stepping before him that his first reaction is amusement.
"Can I help you?" He returns with a grin. "Out of the way twig, we were talking."
"And now you're done," the ginger's cool eyes don't leave the strangers. Amusement turns into displeasure. A small hand fists in the small of his back, the twi'lek is well aware of the position she'd just been in.
"Boy, didn't your mama tell you not to mess with bigger fish than you? If you want to keep that pretty face you have I suggest you turn back around and walk away," the man says in what is probably meant to be a menacing tone.
"Well, apparently nobody ever taught you when to stop talking to people who clearly don't want you around, so I guess we can't all be winners," Obi-wan glares at him, not moving an inch. His high Coruscanti accent seems to only irritate the man more. The stranger takes a step forward in the already inexistent space between them and grabs the ginger by his loose shirt. This would be a perfect moment for the young twi'lek to run away now that the man is distracted but for some reason she remains pressed against Obi-wan's back and the wall behind her.
"Is there a problem here?" The sound of Jango's voice is like music to Obi-wan's ears.
The already frustrated look on the man's face falls further into anger as he turns to face the new inconvenience. At the sight of the helmeted Mandalorian with a hand resting passively on his blaster he bleaches. The stranger retreats without further word, waking away briskly from a much bigger, much more dangerous fish.
Jango nods at Obi-wan and the girl and sensing something transpiring between them he decides to give them some space.
"I'll wait for you at the diner we saw a couple streets back," he tells the ginger simply. The teen nods at him gratefully and the Mando leaves.
The ginger steps away and small fingers let go of his shirt. A warry looking girl is revealed though there is curiosity there too and a peaking openness.
"Sorry about that," Obi-wan tells the girl after a moment. "I probably made this worse than it probably was," he looks down, a little ashamed of his rash decision. He isn't anyone in this town to be playing knight in shining armor, he doesn't even know if that man is someone she knows or if she could be in danger again once they leave. He's so stupid.
"I-" The girl cuts herself, her face slightly unsure but then her eyes turn steady. "Don't be sorry," she says at last, softly. The Jedi looks up. "People don't really step in when things like this happen, or when anything happens… It's just the way it is I suppose," she shrugs, a little bitter at her own words.
"Yeah," Obi-wan agrees sorrowfully. They both lean back against the wall, quietly thoughtful. "At the risk of digging myself in even more, do you… Do you know what to do if he tries to grab you?" He asks, not daring to look at her.
"Crotch kick?" She giggles.
"Sure," he smiles at her, "a most effective tactic. But not everyone who wishes you wrong is a man or might be susceptible to a… crotch kick, as you say. Most might even expect it."
"Then, what do I do?" A note of honest concern creeps into her tone, her big green eyes looking somewhat pleadingly at Obi-wan who sighs like a weary old man.
"Poke or scratch their eyes out, your nails are long enough I think," he nods down to her hands. "And a good punch to the throat will get anyone out of commission for long enough if you manage to do it right. You don't even have to be that strong."
"But I don't know how to throw a punch," the twi'lek whispers.
Obi-wan smiles at her, even though the whole conversation has left him queasy.
"Well, maybe it's a good thing that I do," he says encouragingly.
·~·~·~·
When the Jetii walks into the diner the palms of his hands are slightly reddened from what he can see and Obi-wan looks a little pleased. Jango does not comment on any of these things. He does, though, invite the boy to have as large a meal as he can stomach. Today is one of Obi-wan's good days, so the meal is rather big.
·~·~·~·
Once they get The Fury up in the air and to outer space. The quiet life aboard the ship resumes. It should feel comforting, this silence, but there's something a little charged about it, a little weighted. It is nothing worrisome however, so Jango does not put too much importance into it, he figures the short encounter with the twi'lek had left Obi-wan thoughtful. The feeling remains until deep into the night cycle.
The day has been long and Jango's ribs are aching, he's healing well but it's not all well again, he must give it time. He sits on the couch of the common room and wonders if he ought to try and read something before going to sleep. Red has rubbed off a little on him with how much he's been reading since he found the small library in the old datapad. His train of thought is stopped however when Obi-wan comes and sits beside him, he looks like he wants, or perhaps more accurately, needs, to say something.
For a while they're quiet and Jango knows to leave this silence alone. He waits patiently, it's always a waiting game with the boy and he does not mind that it is. Jango always gets the best results this way.
After a moment the redhead takes off his boots and draws his knees up and under his chin. He hugs them loosely.
"Do you remember back on Caveerpel when we went to the river?" The redhead asks slowly.
Does he remember? Manda, does he remember. It had felt like a punch back into reality, Jango cannot know how to fix everything that ails Obi-wan. It'd been a humbling and frightening experience.
"Yeah," he answers, not knowing whether he should look at the teen or direct his attention elsewhere so Obi-wan won't feel pressured.
"I think… that I would like to explain what happened and… some other things," Obi-wan looks at his hands and Jango has to swallow. His instinct is to say 'you don't need to say anything,' but quickly realizes that would be more for his own comfort than the Jetii's.
"I'm listening," he says simply.
Silence expands between them as the boy gathers himself. Obi-wan does not begin his story with an explanation. Jango has never wanted to assume, and has wished in fact that wherever his mind might go, whatever his mind might conjure, that it is not true. But they both know by this point. This story does not need setting or context.
"He was nice to me… kind of," Obi-wan begins. "He'd bring me food sometimes when they hadn't fed me enough and would just… He was nice. I think between all the things happening, and everyone else just… being awful and beating me for fun," he says the last thing quietly like he doesn't want to say it. "I guess I just took anything that wasn't that as a sign of kindness. So I liked him because he was nice."
The Fury hums beneath them, a third comforting companion.
"He'd pet my hair sometimes when he passed by me. And it was never harsh." Obi-wan breathes in. "One day we were camped near a river. I'm not sure why they let him take me away from the camp but… He told me it was okay if I wanted to clean myself up and- Of course I wanted to do that, I- I barely hesitated, it'd been months since I had an opportunity to clean up."
Jango breaths as well, keeping his own emotions under control, but his muscles are already tense with anticipation.
"He… he watched me," Obi-wan stiffly. "It was uncomfortable but it made sense, he couldn't have me running away after all, not for a little modesty. When I finished I went to grab my clothes but he- he didn't let me he… He told me to get out of the water and I- I still thought it was to check that I hadn't grabbed a sharp rock or- or something." Obi-wan visibly shudders and Jango squeezes painfully at the side of his thigh out of the teen's view, he does not reach to comfort him.
"It… happened then," the boy sniffs and then sucks in a harsh, wet breath. "Anyway, it only happened a couple of times after," he says as if that wasn't the most horrifying statement Jango has ever heard. "But as I told you, Death Watch liked to pass me between camps to lose the tail of anyone who might be looking for me. So eventually I changed camps again and… well, I didn't see him again after that.
"That's it," Obi-wan says after a moment of silence and turns to look at Jango, his voice unsteady and his eyes to the brim with tears. "That's it," he says a little more angrily, the useless feeling trying to reach for an out. The teen digs his fingernails into his arms, those will bruise later on.
It's then that Obi-wan notices that Jango too has tears in his eyes, even if his face is held in quiet stoicism.
"Are you going to say something?" The ginger asks shakily.
"I don't know what to say, Red," the man replies and the quietness of his own voice reveals his own uncertainty. "I don't think there's anything I can say."
Obi-wan hides his face into his knees and sobs, his thin frame wreaking with the motions.
"Is there something you want to hear?" Jango asks slightly desperate to find a way to comfort Obi-wan, this is something he does not know how to deal with.
"I don't know," the teen wails.
They are both, thoroughly, heartbreakingly lost.
"Is a hug a good idea right now?" Jango inquires, unhopeful, but Obi-wan nods rapidly, just as desperate to receive comfort as Jango is to give it. The Mando quickly loops his arms around the boy and the ginger sobs into his shoulder. He muffles himself with his hands but he's still loud.
A while later, everything is quiet again. Obi-wan pulls away, tears are dry on his red cheeks and he looks drained. Jango holds the kid's hands, he squeezes them with tender sentiment, his heart continues to break for Obi-wan.
"Obi'ika, if it were within my power I would bring back to life all of those demagolka and I would make them suffer tenfold what they did to you. All of them. Their deaths were too merciful. And I would find all the others who ever dared to do you harm. I would not give them mercy," Jango says like an oath. He says that instead of saying, 'I'll look for every last one of them and put them on the ground like they deserve to. I'll make them suffer first. I'll make it last so long they won't remember their names when I'm done with them.' He does not say what he wishes to say, he does not say what he'd tell any other True Mandalorian, he knows it's nothing Obi-wan would want to hear.
The teen chuckles flustered, head bent and eyes a little misty.
"I would never want that," Obi-wan stresses, proving Jango right immediately, though there's a faint smile on his face.
"Well…" Jango makes a pointed look at him. "If it were in my power to bring them back, which it's not, I might consider not dismembering them piece by piece," he says in mock seriousness, they both need it so badly. He then adds with a shrug, "maybe."
"But you don't regret killing them in the first place?" The redhead asks knowingly with a raised eyebrow.
"Ah, well, they deserved it. And anyway, we cannot all be pure shining Jetii like you," Jango squeezes his hands again.
The teen laughs suddenly, placing a hand over his mouth almost chastised at himself. A lone tear escapes his eye as well, the mixture of emotions within him messy by their very nature.
"I shouldn't be laughing, that's terrible."
"It's a little funny." Jango smirks, edging the kid to give in to the feeling.
"It's not, it's just plain terrible," Obi-wan chuckles and wheezes a little despite himself. He places his forehead on Jango's shoulder and huffs. "You are a terrible man, I shouldn't have laughed."
"I'm a Mandalorian," he corrects proudly.
"You- you're a-" Obi-wan chokes on a stifled laugh. "Sorry, my mistake. You are completely right."
"Don't worry Red, happens to the best of us," Jango pulls the boy into a side hug and the ginger's shoulders relax against him.
"I need some sleep," the teen mumbles.
"Yeah, me too." Jango closes his eyes and leans his head back against the couch. They stay like that for a while.
Jango is sure of it now. He's not been this sure about it before, and he's been pretty damn sure for a long while but… After Obi-wan had mentioned the temple he'd frozen, he'd doubted himself. Maybe asking the teen to become part of a clan with him wasn't the right choice. Him, Jango Fett, had chickened. But now, again, he's certain, he's so certain it's the right choice. He's ready to formally ask Obi-wan to become his aliit. And… he's pretty sure Obi-wan's ready for it too.
Red's already family but the thought of making it official fills him with such gladness. He's alive again, like he was before the death of his people. He's alive again and it's all thanks to Obi-wan. And he thinks… he's pretty sure Obi-wan's alive again because of him too. What a perfectly balanced duo they make. A good clan.
Mando'a:
Demagolka: Someone who commits atrocities (particularly towards children), a real-life monster.
Aliit: Family, clan.
WARNING: This chapter contains discussions of rape and although it is never explicitly said nor shown, it's pretty clear what the characters are talking about.
The discussion happens in the very last scene so you can just skip it. There's also a bit of predatory behavior towards a minor, not explicit, in the scene after Jango leaves his bounty with his contractor.