Author: TemporaryUniverse
Summary: Three generations of Jedi. One diner. Or how Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Ahsoka all meet Dex and discover the best nerfburgers in the galaxy.
Character(s): Obi-Wan Kenobi, Dexter Jettster, Qui-Gon Jinn, Anakin Skywalker, Ahsoka Tano
Word count: 5,448
"We're closed!" A voice called as Obi-Wan ducked into the diner, the little bell dinging merrily.
He paused just inside the door, trying to catch his breath, dripping water all over the clean floor.
Obi-Wan bit his lip and glanced back outside through the windows at the pouring rain. Movement made him duck behind one of the booths, watching the shadowy figure pass by in the reflection of the puddle he'd made on the plastoleum.
A massive Besalisk emerged from the kitchen area, wiping two of his hands on a filthy apron. He peered down at Obi-Wan, his brow furrowed. Obi-Wan blinked up at him with wide eyes from under his sopping wet hood.
"You lost, kid?" He asked, his voice gruff.
"Uhm," Obi-Wan replied eloquently. His gaze flicked back down to the puddle, catching more movement, and he scrambled under the table behind him as the door to the diner opened again with a ring. The Besalisk stepped in front of him without missing a beat, hiding him from view.
"Can I help you?"
"You seen a kid come through here? Little, skinny brat in a brown cloak," the interloper asked. Obi-Wan pressed a hand to his mouth to quiet his breathing, praying to the Force that the Besalisk wouldn't give him away.
"Can't say that I have," the Besalisk said. Obi-Wan couldn't see his face to read his expression, but his tone was hard enough to convey it. "But we're closed."
Between the Besalisk's sturdy legs, Obi-Wan watched the other man shift uncertainly on his feet.
"You sure?"
"Yeah." There was a note of warning in his voice now. A silent threat to go any further.
"Fine. If you do see him, tell him I'll be seeing him again."
The door jangled again as it opened and closed, footsteps tapping away into the rainy streets of Coruscant. Heavier footsteps, and then the click of a lock.
A minute passed, and then the Besalisk's face appeared below the edge of the table.
"They're gone," he said. "You wanna come out from under there?"
Obi-Wan crawled out, grimacing at the stickiness of the floor, now that he had the attention to notice it.
"Thanks," he said, once he was upright. Even when he wasn't crouched, the Besalisk still towered over him.
"No problem," the Besalisk looked him up and down. "You're a Jedi kid."
Obi-Wan tensed, hand drifting towards his saber before he remembered he didn't have it.
"Relax, I'm not gonna hurt you. I got nothing against the Jedi." A quick dip into the Force told him the Besalisk wasn't lying. Either that or he had some incredibly impressive shields. Obi-Wan tentatively decided to trust him for now.
"Yes, I'm a Jedi," he said, lowering his hood. The Besalisk hissed.
"You're hurt."
Obi-Wan gently touched his temple, wincing at the pain. His fingers came away bloody. He'd forgotten about that.
"It's not that bad."
"Sit," the Besalisk said. "Let me get my aid kit." He lumbered off into the back, and Obi-Wan glanced at the door, now locking him in, and then around at the seating. He tentatively perched on the bench at the table he had been hiding under.
The Besalisk returned quickly, a giant, white case in hand. He opened it up and dug around for an alcohol wipe.
"What's your name, kid?" Deceptively gentle for a being with such large hands, he wiped away the blood from Obi-Wan's face. Obi-Wan winced at the sting on his open wound, but stopped himself from flinching away.
"Obi-Wan."
"Obi-Wan. I'm Dex. Dexter Jettser." Dex tossed the wipe and rooted out a box of bacta patches. "Last one," he said, setting aside the now empty box. "Need to restock."
He peeled off the backing and applied the patch to Obi-Wan's forehead, smoothing down the edges to make sure it stuck.
"You hurt anywhere else?" He asked.
Obi-Wan shook his head.
"Thank you, sir."
"No, just call me Dex, kid. Sir makes me feel old."
"Then you have to call me Obi-Wan," he countered.
Dex laughed.
"Alright, Obi-Wan. What's a Padawan doing this far from the Temple all alone?" Somehow, he managed to squeeze his bulk into the opposite seat, putting two of his elbows on the table.
"My Master and I were investigating a slaving ring and we got separated." Obi-Wan had almost been caught and had to run, knocking his head and dropping his saber in the process. Choosing this diner to hide in had been a split-second's decision, but it seemed to have turned out well for him.
"You mean that guy…" the Besalisk nodded in the direction of the door.
"Yeah," Obi-Wan replied.
"Shoulda done more than just scare him off," Dex muttered.
"Thank you for not saying anything to him. Even though you didn't even know why I was hiding."
Dex's wide mouth stretched in a smile.
"Ah, it's no trouble. Got a bad feeling off him soon as he walked in. Now." He clapped a large hand on the table and stood again. "Why don't you call your Master, and I'll let you hide out here until he can come get you."
"Oh, I don't want to impose, you're closed," Obi-Wan said, also standing up. "I can head back to the Temple."
The Besalisk pushed him back down.
"Not a chance. I don't want you going out there on your own when there's slavers around. I don't think that piece of banthadung was convinced when I told him I hadn't seen you. No, it's better if you stay here. I'll bring you some food. He was right about one thing, even I can tell you're far too skinny under those big, Jedi robes."
"That's not necessary—" Obi-Wan protested. His relationship with food after coming back from Melida/Daan two months ago was fraught with pitfalls, and eating was often difficult for him. But Dex had been so kind, and Obi-Wan didn't want him to think he was being rude or ungrateful.
"Nonsense. How does a nerfburger and fried tubers sound?"
"Really—"
"You just stay here, comm your Master. I'll go cook you something up."
Dex was gone before Obi-Wan could attempt to protest again. He didn't know Besalisks could move that fast.
He glanced out the window at the sheets of pouring rain, a few beings hurrying by with their cloaks and hoods pulled up, a flimsy protection against the weather. The feeling of someone watching him sent a shiver down his spine, raising the hairs on the back of his neck, and he acknowledged that Dex may have been right. It was better to wait for his Master.
At least no one in their right mind would pick a fight with a Besalisk.
Obi-Wan reached for his comm and winced as he saw that he had missed a call from his Master. Qui-Gon was probably worried about him. He quickly dialed the number back and it picked up immediately.
"Obi-Wan? Where are you?"
"A place called Dex's Diner," he answered, looking up at sign in the window of the next booth over, the name lit up in large red and blue font. "Level 5,127, CoCo Town district."
"Are you safe?"
Obi-Wan glanced back towards the kitchen, hearing the bang and rattle of pots and pans.
"Yeah."
"Good. Stay where you are. I'll be there soon," Master Qui-Gon said, and then disconnected the call.
With a sigh, Obi-Wan slipped his comm back into his belt and propped his chin on his hand, leaning his elbow on the table as he gazed around the diner. He hadn't had the chance to before.
It was all sleek lines of cherry red and silvery grey, booths along the outside edge, a counter at the back with stools, the doorway and serving windows to the kitchen behind it. It was a bit dim and shadowy. Obi-Wan assumed most of the light came from the windows during the day, but at night it had only the occasionally flickering fluorescents to illuminate it. It wasn't too grimy, obviously well cared for, but there was a certain aura of wornness. The bench he was sitting on had a few rips in the red vinyl and had rubbed thin in places from the bottoms of many patrons.
As he finished his examination, Dex came back out, carrying a plate with the biggest, greasiest nerfburger Obi-Wan had ever seen and a mountain of fried tubers. There was no way Obi-Wan was going to be able to eat all that, even though it looked and smelled amazing, awakening his fickle appetite.
"There you go," he said, setting it down in front of him and then wedging himself into the opposite bench once again. "On the house."
"You really didn't have to," Obi-Wan replied, though he took a fry anyway.
"Tell you what. Why don't you give me the story behind why you and your Master were chasing slavers and I'll consider it a fair trade. I didn't think they sent Padawans on those kinds of missions."
"Well, it didn't start out as part of our mission at first…" Obi-Wan began.
He spent the next twenty minutes explaining everything that had happened up until he had ducked into the diner, munching on the fries in between sentences. He was hungrier than he thought he would be.
Just as he finished the story and picked up the burger, there was a knock at the door. A quick check with the Force told him who it was.
"It's Master Qui-Gon," he told Dex.
Dex lumbered over to the door and peered through the porthole.
"Certainly looks like a Jedi," he muttered gruffly. "Alright."
He unlocked the door and stepped aside to let the Master in as he opened it.
"Obi-Wan?" Master Qui-Gon rushed in, as much as it was proper for a Jedi Master to rush, anyway.
"I'm alright, Master," Obi-Wan said, standing to meet him. Qui-Gon reached for him, laying a hand on his shoulder and looking him over. Obi-Wan stood straight, unconcerned by his Master's regard. He was fine. A thumb brushed over the bacta patch at his temple.
"Good, because you're doing three hours of katas every day for the next week."
"Three hours?" Obi-Wan cried.
Qui-Gon pulled something from under his cloak, and held it out to him.
"Oh," Obi-Wan said sheepishly, looking down at the object. "Right. Thank you for finding it."
"Your weapon is your life, Obi-Wan. Do not lose it again," his Master scolded, but his voice was warm.
"Sorry, Master."
"Come now, let's go home."
"Ah, hold up a minute. Surely you can let the boy finish his nerfburger first," Dex said. Qui-Gon turned to him like he was just registering that he was there. "What have you been feeding him anyway? He's skin and bones."
Obi-Wan's Master glanced down at him and frowned.
"Obi-Wan, have you been skipping meals again?"
"Yes, Master. I'm sorry," Obi-Wan confessed. Qui-Gon's broad palm brushed over his hair and gentle fingers tweaked his braid.
"Very well. We'll stay so you can eat."
"Excellent!" Dex said, clapping his hands together. "You can tell me more stories." He ushered the two Jedi into the booth and squeezed himself in.
Obi-Wan ate the whole burger. It was the most delicious thing he'd ever tasted.
When they left, Dex gave Obi-Wan a bone-crushing hug and Qui-gon a hearty clap on the shoulder. Then he called after them, "You stay out of trouble, you hear? And I want to see you both again sometime."
"Thanks, Dex!" Obi-Wan replied, waving goodbye to his new friend.
"What is this place?" Anakin asked.
"This is Dex's Diner," Obi-Wan replied, hearing the bells ring as he opened the door and ushered his new Padawan in.
"Dex, honey!" FLO called. "Jedi here!"
The Besalisk came lumbering out moments later, and his smile lit up when he saw who it was.
"Obi-Wan!" He bellowed, opening his arms wide.
Obi-Wan stepped into the hug, wrapping his own arms as much as he could around Dex's back and feeling the Besalisk engulf him in a bone-crushing hug. It knocked the breath out of him a bit.
Dex didn't immediately let go, instead he squeezed Obi-Wan tighter.
"I heard about Qui-Gon," he said in Obi-Wan's ear. "I'm so sorry, kid."
In spite of himself, Obi-Wan felt moisture well in his eyes, and he held on harder.
"He is one with the Force now," Obi-Wan said, the Jedi saying bringing him less comfort than it should have.
"Doesn't mean we can't miss him," Dex replied.
They pulled back reluctantly, and Dex pasted another smile on his face.
"And who's this?" He asked, looking down at the wide-eyed boy half-hidden behind Obi-Wan.
Obi-Wan put a hand on Anakin's shoulder and coaxed him forward.
"This is Anakin. My new Padawan."
"Hello, Anakin. I'm Dex," he greeted. Anakin gave him a little wave. "I promise I'm not as scary as I look. How is Obi-Wan treating you?"
"Good, sir."
"No, no need to call me sir. Just Dex is fine, kid."
Anakin nodded.
Dex looked back at Obi-Wan.
"A Padawan already, huh? When did you become a Knight?"
Clearing his throat, Obi-Wan answered, "Two days ago."
"Two days?!" He shook his head. "Alright, come sit down, lemme get you some food, and you can tell me about it."
He directed the two Jedi to a booth, the booth Obi-Wan had come to think of as his own, almost always empty when he was here, then hurried off to the kitchen.
Anakin slid onto the bench, and Obi-Wan took the one across from him.
"What do you think?" He asked.
"Why are we here?" Anakin asked, scanning the inside of the diner.
"I told you, I thought we could use a meal out of the Temple. And Dex makes the best nerfburgers this side of Coruscant."
His Padawan glanced at the kitchen, where Dex could just barely be seen as he worked.
"He's… big."
"He is. But he's the most protective softie you'll meet once you get to know him. Trust me, Dex is a good man. You'll like him."
"You're friends?"
"I've known him since I was thirteen." Obi-Wan lowered his voice, so the wrong ears wouldn't hear him. "He used to be involved in weapons dealing before I met him, but then he opened up the diner. He keeps his earhole to the ground, and has been an informant for me many times. And he's a good friend to me and to the Jedi."
"Telling him all my secrets?" Dex said, approaching the booth with two plates in his hands. He set them in front of the Jedi, and Obi-Wan took his and slid over to the window to give Dex room to squeeze in.
"Just the things he needs to know," he said, before popping a fried tuber in his mouth.
Anakin was staring at his nerfburger in awe.
"Is this really all for me?" He asked.
"Yep! Don't worry if you can't finish it all, I'll get you a to-go box," Dex told him.
The Padawan glanced at his Master, and Obi-Wan gave him a nod and bit into another tuber.
"Thank you, sir," Anakin said, staring up at the Besalisk.
"Just Dex, kid," Dex reminded him. "And no need to thank me. You look almost as skinny as Obi-Wan here when I first met him."
"How did you meet?" Anakin asked. "Master Obi-Wan said he was thirteen?"
"Oh, well now. That's a story. There I was on a rainy day, closing up the diner for the night, and in comes this scrawny, little kid, soaking wet, and he hides behind one of the tables. I ask him if he's lost and he just gives me the most fathier-in-the-speeder-lights look I've ever seen. That's when the other guy comes in, and I can immediately tell he's bad news. Now I've seen a lot of slavers in my time, I know what they look like." Anakin shot a startled look at Obi-Wan. Dex didn't seem to notice, continuing his story, but Obi-Wan knew he saw a lot more than he let on. "The kid is now under the table and I'm not about to let a slaver get to him, so obviously when the asshole asks if I've seen the kid, I tell him no, and ask him to leave. I know he doesn't believe me, but he goes anyway, probably to wait outside somewhere. I'm not about to let Obi-Wan go back out there with that guy around, so I fix him up, cook him up a nerfburger, and get him to stay here until his Master comes to take him home. Told him to come back around sometime, and he did. And thus a friendship was born."
"…Slavers, Master?"
"Hmm, yes," Obi-Wan said. "Master Qui-Gon and I were investigating a ring on Coruscant and things got out of hand."
"I didn't think Jedi were allowed to do anything about slavery." Anakin fixed him with a hard stare, which was warranted. He had been very distraught when Obi-Wan told him they couldn't go back to free the slaves on Tatooine. It was out of their jurisdiction.
"Officially? We aren't," Obi-Wan replied. "The Senate rarely assigns us those missions. An investigation wasn't our objective in this case, but during the course of the mission it became necessary. It helped that this one was in Republic space which meant it fell under our mandate."
Anakin turned his stare on his burger, frowning, and said nothing else. He was either contemplating the lettuce or what Obi-Wan had said.
"Alright, I've told a story," Dex said. "Your turn. What in the galaxy happened on Naboo?"
Obi-Wan stiffened. He didn't particularly want to talk about it, but if there was anyone he wouldn't mind telling, it would be Dex. The Besalisk was a good listener.
Hesitantly, he started to explain most everything that had happened since he and Qui-Gon first landed in the Trade Federation hangar.
Anakin had finally picked up his burger and taken his first bite. His eyes widened, and he began to devour it with relish.
Obi-Wan paused in his retelling to scold his Padawan.
"Chew before swallowing, please, Anakin. You'll make yourself sick."
Anakin obediently slowed down.
Satisfied, Obi-Wan returned to his recounting of their escape from Naboo and their landing on Tatooine. This was where Anakin jumped in, enthusiastic to tell his portion of the tale, which was good because Obi-Wan knew only a little about that time. He tucked into his own burger as Anakin explained all the way from meeting Qui-Gon and offering shelter in the sandstorm, to the bet and the podrace and winning his freedom.
"Anakin Skywalker?" Dex said incredulously. "You're the winner of the Boonta Eve Classic?"
"Sure am!" Anakin grinned. "I've been racing since I was seven, but I've never competed in the Boonta before! And with my own pod, too! But I just listened to the Force like Mr. Qui-Gon told me, and when my engine came loose, I was able to pull it in with my magwrench and get the fuel rebalanced and that sleemo Sebulba didn't stand a chance!"
Dex looked at Obi-Wan, disbelief written across his face. Obi-Wan just shrugged. The Besalisk shook his head with a huff.
"That was quite some flying, kid. Best podracing I've seen in ages." Anakin beamed. "So you win the race and what then?"
Anakin explained that Qui-Gon had told him he made a bet with Watto to free him.
"He wasn't able to free my mom though. But someday I'm gonna go back and free her myself."
Dex gave Obi-Wan another look. Obi-Wan didn't know how to respond to this one. Like many things about the boy, he wasn't sure how to address Anakin's past. He didn't know how to be a Master, much less to a Padawan who hadn't grown up as a Jedi. He was doing his best, but… he was far out of his depth.
"A noble goal," the Besalisk said. "I'm sure you will accomplish it."
With Dex's prompting, Anakin continued to explain his adventures, all the way up through his destruction of the droid control ship. Then he got quiet.
"Then we heard that Mr. Qui-Gon had died," he said, picking up a fry and tearing it in half. "And then Master Obi-Wan took me as his Padawan."
Dex smiled sadly.
"If there's one thing I know about Obi-Wan, it's that he will do his best by you. You're lucky to have him as a Master, kid."
Anakin's eyes flickered up from his meal, meeting Obi-Wan's across the table.
Obi-Wan chewed his lip for a moment before he could stop the bad habit. This wasn't really the place for this, but he sensed Anakin needed assurance, and he knew Dex would be respectful.
"Anakin," he started, and then paused, trying to find the right words. "I know we haven't had the most conventional start. I don't really know what I'm doing, I've only been on the Padawan side of the Master-Padawan relationship, and I can't promise that I won't mess up. But I can promise that I will do my best to guide and support you."
"Thank you, Master Obi-Wan. I will try my best to be a good Padawan for you," Anakin said, his voice young and eager.
"As long as you listen and learn, we'll be okay, my Padawan."
Anakin gave him a timid smile and Obi-Wan returned it, feeling something warm bloom in his chest. He reached out through the Force and wrapped his presence around his Padawan and felt him light up, his eyes widening before he closed them and clumsily tried to hug back. It was too much, but Obi-Wan kept his mental wince behind his shields and welcomed it anyway. They would work on it.
They both surfaced, and Anakin tucked into the rest of his burger, a grin on his face.
Obi-Wan ate a few more of his tubers.
Dex cleared his throat.
"So, Obi-Wan. Naboo. Do you mind telling me about Qui-Gon?"
Obi-Wan set down his fry. Anakin glanced between them.
"We first ran into the assassin on Tatooine. We escaped him then, but it was obvious that he was well-trained with a lightsaber and the Force. During the battle on Naboo, he showed up again. A Sith. Qui-Gon and I faced him. He was skilled, able to hold his own against two Jedi. I became separated from Qui-Gon during the fight, they continued on, past a series of ray shields. I tried to catch up, but I was trapped behind the shields while they continued their fight. Qui-Gon was tiring, and his guard slipped, and…" He breathed out and blinked away tears. "The ray shields went down, and I fought him, and defeated him, but… it was too late."
"I'm sorry," Dex said gently. "I know what he meant to you." Two of his arms came around Obi-Wan and tugged him in close. Obi-Wan closed his eyes and sank into the hug like it was a lifeline. Dex gave the best hugs.
A weight lifted from his shoulders. He had spoken of the events on Naboo before, during debriefs, but none of that afforded him the same catharsis as telling a friend.
After a moment, Dex patted his shoulder and they pulled apart.
"Thanks for telling me, Obi-Wan. I've got to go back to the kitchen now." He heaved himself out of the booth. "Nice to meet you, Anakin. You better come back and visit once in a while. If you ever need help or to get away from your Master for a while, you just come here, alright?"
"Thank you, Dex," Anakin said. "It's nice to meet you, too."
"Enjoy the rest of your meal, you two. And take care of yourselves."
"Thank you, Dex," Obi-Wan smiled at him, trying not to let the lingering sadness show.
Dex lumbered off, leaving Master and Padawan on their own.
"So," Obi-Wan asked. "What do you think now?"
"He's nice," Anakin said. "I like him."
"Told you, you would. Finish your tubers."
Anakin made a face.
"I think I'm full," he said.
Obi-Wan chuckled.
"It was a lot of food. Don't worry, we'll get a box."
"We'll come back sometime, right?"
"Of course," Obi-Wan grinned. "Otherwise we'd get on Dex's bad side, and we definitely don't want to do that."
"Dex's Diner?" Ahsoka said. "Doesn't sound that fancy."
Obi-Wan laughed, "It's not meant to be fancy, my dear. It's meant to be tasty."
She eyed him suspiciously.
"Trust me, Snips," Anakin said. "It's better than it sounds. Besides the company is just as good as the food."
"I just thought…" She trailed off and Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow. "Well, I thought you would prefer something… sophisticated. You know, expensive food, classy setting…"
"Obi-Wan?" Anakin chuckled. "No way."
"Just because I have manners does not mean I don't enjoy a delicious, greasy burger. And Dex's are the best."
"If you say so," she said, doubt coating every facet of her voice.
Obi-Wan pushed open the door, hearing the familiar ring of the bell.
Dex was at the bar, cleaning it with a rag, but he looked up at the sound.
"Obi-Wan! Ani!"
"Hello, Dex," Obi-Wan smiled.
"Go ahead and sit down, I'll be right over."
Anakin immediately headed for their regular booth, but Obi-Wan stopped him.
"I thought we'd sit over here today," he said, leading them to the one in the back corner with the best view into the kitchen. The diner was mostly empty after the late meal rush, a tired Ardennian at the bar, and a couple Sinteens in the booth at the far side. But the Council meetings Obi-Wan had been in had run rather late. He was only glad they were able to make it at all.
"But we always sit there," Anakin protested.
"Well, today I thought we'd try somewhere else," Obi-Wan replied.
"Always, Master," his former Padawan whined.
"New experiences are good for you."
This time it was Anakin eyeing him suspiciously, but Obi-Wan remained serene, giving him a placid smile.
They slid onto the benches, Anakin nudging Ahsoka over so he could sit.
Dex glanced over at them and subtly nodded to Obi-Wan, who returned it.
Anakin narrowed his eyes.
"What's going on?"
"Why would anything be going on?" Obi-Wan asked innocently.
"You're acting weird."
"I'm only having a nice, relaxing outing with my former Padawan and my new Grandpadawan, is that so wrong?"
Any further retort from Anakin was interrupted by Dex lumbering over to their table.
"Haven't seen you two in months," he said, passing out the menus. "They been keeping you busy?"
"This is our first shore leave since the war started," Obi-Wan said.
"Can't believe they made you generals." Dex shook his head. "And who's this?"
"This is my Padawan, Ahsoka," Anakin replied, grinning. "Ahsoka this is Dex."
She waved shyly.
"Nice to meet you, kid. And look at you, Ani, all grown up with your own Padawan. It wasn't that long ago you were a tiny, brand new Padawan yourself."
Anakin's face twisted in a scowl. "I was not tiny."
"You were," Obi-Wan said, not looking up from his examination of the menu. The nuna salad sandwich or the nerfsteak sandwich?
"You weren't that much bigger yourself when I first saw you, Obi-Wan," Dex replied.
That got his head up, a protest on his lips.
"I most certainly was not, I was almost four years older!"
"Ah, at a certain point all young-uns look the same size. You're all small to me."
"I was not tiny," Anakin muttered again.
Ahsoka snorted, and the corners of Obi-Wan's lips quirked. Dex was grinning.
"Orders?" He asked.
"I'll have the nuna salad sandwich please," Obi-Wan said.
"And nerfburgers for the both of us," Anakin gestured to himself and Ahsoka. "Ahsoka would like hers on the raw side."
"Hold on, I didn't choose," Ahsoka said.
"Nope. Nerfburgers are tradition for first-timers," Anakin replied breezily. "Thanks, Dex."
"You got it."
Dex headed back to the kitchen, leaving the three of them to talk.
"So," Ahsoka said. "How do you both know Dex?"
"I met Dex when I was a Padawan, during a mission with Master Qui-Gon. And then I took Anakin here when he first became my Padawan."
"I can't imagine you as a Padawan, Master Obi-Wan."
Obi-Wan smiled.
"I assure you, my very young Grandpadawan, I had my own teenaged adventures, just as any other Jedi. Except perhaps Master Yoda, I'm not sure he was ever a teenager," he said, as if spilling a monumental secret, and hearing her and Anakin laugh. He spent the next several minutes regaling her with the tale of a mission twenty-two years past, his Grandpadawan listening with rapt attention, until Hermione brought out their meals with an apology from Dex that he was busy and couldn't join them.
Ahsoka's eyes widened at the size of her nerfburger, her nose twitching, and she picked it up, ready to bite in, when indistinct shouting echoed through the diner from deep within the kitchen.
"Ah, that's my cue. Excuse me," Obi-Wan said, sliding out of the booth. It was a few steps over to the counter, then he vaulted over it and strode into the kitchen.
The shouting took more shape as he got closer, until he was able to make out the words.
"—Veralis doesn't like to take no for an answer, you overgrown frog," a man snarled.
"Well, he's going to have to this time. The only thing I'm moving through here is nerf meat," Dex replied.
"You'd be easy enough to replace, Jettster," said another voice.
Obi-Wan could see Dex and the two men standing in the doorway now, both Human, one taller than the other.
"Is there a problem here, gentlemen?" He asked pleasantly as he caught their attention.
"Who the kriff are you?" The taller of the men sneered.
"I'm a friend of Dex's," Obi-Wan said, casually brushing his robe aside to expose his lightsaber.
Their eyes widened.
"Uh, no, M-master Jedi, there's no problem at all," the shorter one stammered.
"Really? Because it sounds to me like you two were threatening Dex here into using his diner as a cover to run illicit weapons and drugs."
He heard Anakin come up behind him, and Ahsoka a second later.
"That's not at all what we were doing, ser, we swear."
"Then what were you doing?" Anakin asked, his arms crossed. The men glanced at him, and their eyes went even wider at the very visible saber on his belt and the one on Ahsoka's.
"We, um, uh, we were just… going, actually—" The shorter one said, grabbing the other's arm and dragging him away.
"I suggest you don't come back here again, or I will know about it!" Obi-Wan called after them.
"Ha," Dex said. "Won't be seeing them again, I should think. Thanks, Obi-Wan."
"Is anyone going to explain to me what just happened?" Anakin asked, grumbling a bit.
"Those two have been harassing me for weeks. Their boss thinks that because I used to run weapons, I'd do it again for his syndicate. I asked Obi-Wan to help me scare them off."
"I knew something was going on that you weren't telling me!" Anakin said to Obi-Wan, who simply smiled. He turned to Ahsoka. "And you! I told you to stay put."
"I figured whatever it was, three Jedi would be better than two."
Dex laughed.
"Oh, I like you, kid. You've got spunk."
She grinned up at him, showing off her sharp teeth.
"Now that that's handled," Obi-Wan said, "Shall we eat?"
"Yes, please!" Ahsoka agreed wholeheartedly.
Dex joined them at the table, wedging his bulk into the booth beside Obi-Wan.
Ahsoka dug into her burger with relish, peppering Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Dex with questions. They talked long after all the other patrons had left, late into the night. Obi-Wan smiled as Ahsoka laughed at something Dex said, appreciating this moment of levity in the midst of war. They had been few and far between these last couple months. Ahsoka, young as she was, deserved a time to just be herself, not a Padawan, not a Commander, but the bright, happy teen Obi-Wan saw now.
At last, Dex was forced to kick them out so he could close up. They all got massive hugs from the Besalisk as he saw them to the door, and they waved goodbye.
"Keep safe out there," Dex called. "I better see you 'round here again."
"You know we will," Obi-Wan replied.
"Thanks, Dex!" Ahsoka said, Anakin a second behind her.
And together, they stepped out into the night.