RP: Anakin's New Friend

[master_obiwan]

[ooc: continued from HERE.]

"And mine along with it." Like he needs anymore excitement in his life.

He begins to walk down the hall towards the Council Rooms, trusting Anakin to fall into step with him.

Comments

[morally_cryptic]

"Well...naturally. It would hardly be fair for me to get all of the excitement and leave you out of it, Master."

Anakin does, of course, fall into step with Obi-Wan with the easy familiarity of over ten years of walking alongside him.

[master_obiwan]

"Well, no need to be so considerate in this regard. I have far too many opportunities for excitement without the help."

As they turn a corner, Obi-Wan's com chirrups with another message. He frowns at it for a moment before pocketing the device.

"Our mission to Bothawui is no longer necessary; Master Gallia has been sent instead."

Which means they now have nothing to do. Except to maybe resurrect their initial conversation, with a tentative, "We could head down to Dex's? Would give us a chance to discuss what lead to what happened with you last night?" The words in a less problematic venue aren't spoken, but can possibly still be heard.

[morally_cryptic]

It's a strange mixture of a little deflation that they aren't going out on a mission and a little brightness that they're staying on Coruscant and thus closer to a certain important someone in Anakin's life and I don't mean the Chancellor and then a bit of deflation again because of what happened last night.

"We're going to discuss that?"

Pause.

"I get the Quor'sav-fried steak." That is, if he's going to have to have this conversation, Obi-Wan gets to pay.

[master_obiwan]

Obi-Wan raises a brow momentarily at Anakin's declaration of which dish he's going to order, but lets it slide. If it'll get Anakin to at least consider talking, then who is he to complain?

"Yes, we're going to discuss it," Obi-Wan confirms. "More so we can say we did, should your friend decide to confide in her master, and that master in turn makes some sort of mention to, say, one of the council members."

He's just trying to cover all the bases before it becomes necessary.



[ooc: I have no idea at what point in their relationship this is, as we didn't really say and I haven't completely read the thread between him and Dia to see if you guys mentioned it. I think Obi called him "padawan" at some point during the texting, but that could've just been from habit, like Anakin still referring to Obi as his master. So, I leave the choice to you, I'm cool with whatever :) Also, unrelated, I need to dig out all my icons and get Obi some better ones uploaded >.< ]

[morally_cryptic]

[I've been playing him as somewhere in the midst of the Clone Wars. I don't remember if I specifically stated whether he'd become a Knight yet but he did meet Dia on a solo mission so that seems to imply that's probably the case. So it's sort of a handwavey "somewhere between eps ii and iii" place. Particularly since you know I haven't watched the Clone Wars show and I'm rusty on the books. :)]

"You know, I wonder sometimes if the Council really likes being used as a bogeyman to ensure good behavior." He keeps his tone light, but there's still an undercurrent of tension about it.

"Anyway," he forges on before Obi-Wan can call him on it, "I'm sure Dex will be glad to see us."

[master_obiwan]

[Netflix marathon TCW! It's....breaky. And I'm cool with Kinght!Anakin :) Feel free to poof them over to CoCo Town.]

Obi-Wan opens his mouth to address the Council comment, but then Anakin's pressing forward and attempts to change the subject. He sighs inwardly; he's simply trying to watch out for Anakin, and he doesn't want to see his friend reprimanded.

"When is Dex not happy to see us?" he replies.

i was wondering the other day. which of them ended up with the Rock?

[morally_cryptic]

"I guess there might be a first time, someday. Just not today." Besides, Anakin was planning on dessert, too. But maybe he'd be nice and see if Dex had some berries for Obi-Wan.

That could wait until they actually got there, of course. And yes, it's Anakin who borrows a Temple speeder to whisk them away to CoCo town in. He even doesn't break any traffic laws, though he's gotten quite good at finding shortcuts through Coruscant's crowded traffic lanes.

In almost no time at all, he's setting the speeder down to park right outside the diner. "After you."

I think Anakin? Canonically, I have no clue; old!RP-wise, Ani lent it to Obi, who then returned it.

[master_obiwan]

Obi-Wan doesn't mind Anakin driving, and he takes the time to simply observe the myriad of speeders and transports whizzing to and fro across the planet.

When they get to Dex's, he hops out of the speeder and gives Anakin a slightly teasing bow in response to the younger man's deference; so he leads the way into the diner, where they're greeted by FLO before he slides into his usual booth.

"So, you said the Quor'sav-fried steak?"

okay...and now i wonder what happened to it after the events of RotS >>

[morally_cryptic]

The teasing bow at least prompts a return grin from Anakin, suggesting he's not actually so concerned about the prospect of their upcoming "conversation" as it might have otherwise appeared. Or maybe during the drive he realized it's better for Obi-Wan to believe he only had a night of indiscretion with a friend...which is true...but leads away from the truth of his attachment to Padme. Though of course the thought of Padme has him wondering what he himself should actually do about said night of indiscretion. And now maybe he wishes he could just talk to Obi-Wan about all of it. Sigh.

So he just follows in Obi-Wan's wake before tossing a wave at FLO and then dropping into his own seat.

"I did." Pause. "Just don't tell me you're going to get the sliders." Again.

...great, now *I* want to know, too. There's no wiki info on it!

[master_obiwan]

Obi-Wan smiles. "I wasn't planning to," he assures Anakin. "I was thinking maybe a human-friendly version of the gartro omelet."

He won't bring up the topic of conversation that prompted this side-trip to CoCo Town until Anakin does, or until Anakin's deflecting drives Obi-Wan crazy; he wishes Anakin would just talk to him, sometimes. They are supposed to be good friends, after all. Besides, Obi-Wan knows Anakin well enough that, for all of his veiled threats about the Council, the elder Jedi is probably the safest person to confide in, anyway.

[morally_cryptic]

[maybe it's like the One Ring and fell out of Anakin's pocket conveniently as Obi took his legs out from under him so Obi took it with him when he took Anakin's lightsaber. =P Or Anakin had left it with Padme while he was off fighting in the Outer Rim.

Also I kind of want this to be the universe where Anakin gets around to telling Obi-Wan about Padme on his own before you know...events w/ the Clone War and Palpatine out him. :|a But probly not in this thread.]

"Sounds like a good choice," he says approvingly. Part of him is wondering how long he can draw this out until Obi-Wan actually loses his patience except...

Obi-Wan has always had far more patience than Anakin.

But he at least is going to wait until FLO comes to take their orders and they're left alone again for a moment or three. Better yet, he waits, making inconsequential talk until their orders come back and Obi-Wan is about to take his first bite.

"It was Barriss."

[master_obiwan]

[Actually, I think Anakin gave it to Padme with his braid. He sure as heck didn't give it to Ahsoka.

I would love to have this as the universe where he tells Obi-Wan. And obviously not this thread. This thread is almost the litmus test for the real bombshell.]

Obi-Wan endures the small talk with his usual grace and aplomb. When FLO returns with the food and the subject still hasn't been brought up, Obi-Wan decides he'll bring it up after they finish eating.

He shakes out his napkin, puts it on his lap like a civilized person, picks up his fork and scoops his first bit of omelet.

It's been a while since he's had this particular dish, and he's actually looking forward to enjoying it when Anakin finally speaks. At first the words don't really mean anything save for the fact that they have no context.

It's Anakin's tone of voice that has him pausing, fork millimeters from entering his mouth and the question What was Barriss? dancing on the tip of his tongue. In the span of about three nano-seconds he manages to weave the threads of coherency together, marrying tone, timing and words into the sudden realization that he has no idea if he'll ever be able to keep from blushing in Master Luminara's presence ever again, knowing what he now seems to know about her Padawan and the man sitting across from him.

To anyone watching, there is the merest, slightest, almost imperceptible trace of hesitation of Obi-Wan's fork between being raised, and entering his mouth. But he does eat the forkful, if only to buy a moment of time before having to answer Anakin.

Which he still isn't sure how to, now that they've finally come to the matter at hand.

He swallows, and prepares another bite.

"I see," is all he really manages in the end.

[morally_cryptic]

For his part, once the words are said, Anakin turns to his own meal if only so he can have his mouth full by the time Obi-Wan responds and thus he doesn't have to add any more clarification right away. And yes, Obi-Wan, he saw that hesitation. Of course he did.

And just because he's still not sure what he should say next, he takes another bite and chews it thoughtfully.

Finally, he just asks, a little carefully, "is that all?"

[master_obiwan]

[I'm guessing from the initial spawn of this thread (i.e. the TFLN portion) that we're going with Siri being alive at this point? Obi is a big fan of Siri not dying. And now I want to know what would've happened if Siri and Satine ever met.]

After a moment's consideration, Obi-Wan decides he still wants to know, "Why the alcohol?"

Because that's the more important part of it really, for him, right now. What occurred because of the drinking can be dealt with once the reasons for it have been explained.

[morally_cryptic]

[I am fine with Siri still being alive. Retcon ALL THE THINGS.]

"We were..." he shrugs, "sharing war stories." He's not even sure whose idea it was to have a drink or three. Probably something more like mutual unspoken agreement. "It seemed appropriate."

Well, the first drink had. Sort of raising a glass to those who had died.

[master_obiwan]

[Retcon'ing = love. Also, I was reading up on the Jedi on Wookieepedia once, and apparently casual sex is technically allowed: "Although Jedi were not required to be chaste as well, many Jedi were abstinent if not outright celibate, due to sex being considered self-indulgence and an unnecessary act."]

Obi-Wan nods in understanding. "A drink or two on such an occasion is appropriate. But to drink enough to..." vague gesture with the fork... "isn't. Not really. And with her still a Padawan, and you a Knight? That could end up being tricky business."

His tone is casual throughout the whole speech, and it's more conversational than anyting. At any rate, he hopes it comes off like a very concerned friend who is glad that things didn't take a turn for the worst. He's already berated Anakin many times in the past about the whole non-attachment thing, so he's going to let that one go this time around.

[morally_cryptic]

"To be fair it was Whyren's Reserve."

As for the other part, there's a hint of a wince. "It's not like we didn't each other when I was still a Padawan."

He goes back to his food for a minute, focusing there instead. "It just...felt good to...be with someone who understood."

And that's why this particular indiscretion didn't happen with Padme. She hasn't seen the same things he has.

He doesn't want her to see the things he has. Ever.

[master_obiwan]

Obi-Wan's smile is slightly wry, slightly amused.

"Because Corellian Whiskey excuses all manner of sins," he teases lightly. "At least it happened while you were both here on Coruscant, and not out in the field."

And as for finding comfort with someone who understood, "I can appreciate your reasons for allowing it to happen."

Force knows he's been tempted to find someone and do something similar, but he'd never admit it.

[morally_cryptic]

Completely guileless, "I'm pretty sure that's exactly what the label on the bottle said." But Obi-Wan's reaction is something he can be comfortable with.

So he can go back to his food for real and in between bites, "I wouldn't have done it," he waves vaguely in the direction space, "out there, you know." That would have put people around him, that he cares about, and yes that includes the damn clones in jeopardy.

But back here on Coruscant, where the populace is so insulated from the war they can go about their daily lives without even thinking about it so much, there's a certain release of tension you don't even realize you've been holding on to for months. Which had certainly made things last night happen more easily.

[master_obiwan]

"Well, that's comforting," he replies to the never-do-it-on-a-mission statement. "Just, be careful." And he means that in so many more ways than the obvious "don't get caught."

He focuses on his own breakfast for a bit before adding, off-handed, "And be careful who you're texting next time." A beat. "Who were you trying to reach, anyway? Barriss, I assume?"

[morally_cryptic]

Good thing his hair has grown out so Obi-Wan can't see his eartips turn pinkish. "We were just agreeing on the subject, Master. I don't think you have to worry about it becoming a recurring theme."

Not with Barriss anyway.

[master_obiwan]

He might not be able to see Anakin's eartips, but he can sense the other man's general feelings through the Force. Obi-Wan may be slightly amused by Anakin's embarrassment, but only slightly.

"Okay," he concedes. "And if there's ever a next time, I hope you'll be able to confide in me directly, instead of by accident."

He polishes off the rest of the omelet and wipes his mouth. Anakin deserves a reprieve from the conversation so he adds, "How did your last mission go? I haven't had a chance to review the report yet."

And, of course, he means in general, since details shouldn't really be discussed in public.

[morally_cryptic]

Oh.

That.

Another thing he probably should have already mentioned before now. But he'd half expected it to be brought up in the briefing that was canceled.

"It was successful," he allows. "But-..." he looks up at Obi-Wan, all blue-eyed earnestness now, genuinely curious of the response he'll get now that he's thought to ask the question. It hadn't occurred to him when he'd taken Dia to the Council. "You didn't feel anything...strange? Right before I got back?"

Was he the only one who'd sensed her arrival or was it only that h'd been on planet when it had happened?

[master_obiwan]

Obi-Wan thinks for a moment, reviewing the last few days in his mind.

"Nothing more than usual, what with this blasted war going on," he says finally. "I did know when you finally touched down on-planet, and that you'd picked someone up, but nothing terribly out of sorts."

And with the Dark Side clouding so much for the Jedi right now, possibly only Masters Yoda and Windu would sense anything more than what Obi-Wan is admitting to.

[morally_cryptic]

That has a flicker of disappointment before he pushes his plate aside. "I did pick someone up. I thought she was another Sith-"

He pauses.

"-well, she kind of is but not like Ventress," for instance.

Apparently we've gone from 'make Obi-Wan pay for dinner' day to 'make Obi-Wan confused' day.