#Obi-Wan and Padme on naboo: going to art galleries and museums and fancy little tea shops

[goingsparebutwithprecision]

The Right Man For The Job

In which the Council makes a stupid-ass decision, and is ignored...sort of.

The moment the Council door closes behind them Anakin turns to Obi-Wan.

"No."

"I didn't even say anything!"

"You didn't have to," Obi-Wan says, nodding to the knight waiting their turn outside for a grilling. "I know that face. I watched you grow into that face."

Anakin dances in front of him, walking backwards with an easy grace that's neatly disguised by the clownish flailing he's doing with his arms.

"Listen," he says. "This is going to be a total disaster. You know this is going to be a total disaster."

"The Council's decision has been made," Obi-Wan says, which Anakin knows is not a no, if the way his mouth twitches is anything to go by.

"Master, you were there," Anakin says. "I know you saw that shuttlewreck."

"I cannot imagine what you mean, padawan," Obi-Wan says, with complete seriousness.

"You're so full of shit," Anakin says, ignoring with practice the scandalised look he gets from the nearest passing Jedi. Obi-Wan bows to them as they pass, so politely that it's skirting the line of mocking. "Please, master, have mercy. If I have to hold another conversation with her I’ll die. I will literally die. I'll be the first Jedi ever to die of embarrassment and then you'll be so embarrassed that you'll keel over too and then Master Yoda won't be able to stand the shame -"

"You'll live," Obi-Wan says, dryly. "You might try keeping that mouth of yours shut, a little more often."

"I can't help it!" Anakin says, "it just happens! It's a near terminal case of foot-in-mouth disease."

"Perhaps you'd better see a healer," Obi-Wan says, "I'd hate to have to find a new padawan at such short notice. One who doesn't fill our quarters with smoking droid parts."

"Don't be ridiculous, they never smoke," Anakin says. "Ooze, maybe. Spark, sometimes. And you'd be bored without the occasional explosion, master, don't lie to me."

"Goodness, boredom," Obi-Wan says, "that dear old acquaintance. It feels like it's been years. I miss him."

"Seriously, master," Anakin says.

"Seriously, padawan," Obi-Wan says. "We're not going to disobey the Council just so you can avoid your crush. Persuade me."

This is an old game, worn and familiar; arguing each and every side of an issue, the ones you believe and the ones you don't, until you've covered all ground and considered every avenue. It makes Anakin stop and think, and it stops Obi-Wan retreating into the arms of that favoured mistress of smug old Jedi Masters, because I said so.

"Ok, listen," Anakin says, "hear me out."

It's also extremely funny.

"Firstly, it makes sound tactical sense."

Obi-Wan raises his eyebrows.

"I can't protect the senator if I'm too busy trying to drown myself in the nearest fountain every time she so much as breathes near me," Anakin, quite reasonably, points out.

"It would add a certain level of unnecessary challenge," Obi-Wan says, stroking his beard. "But surely not too much for the Chosen One."

"Bite me," says Anakin, and a passing padawan walks into a pillar.

Obi-Wan has to bite his lip to keep from laughing. Anakin ignores him.

"Secondly, Padmé actually likes you," Anakin says. "She remembers you from the battle. She respects your skills. Me she still thinks of as a snotty kid."

"A charmingly snotty kid," Obi-Wan says, "don't sell yourself short, oh padawan-mine."

"Die in a fire," Anakin says, cheerfully. "She won't listen to me if I tell her to do something. And I'll just follow her like a besotted bantha-calf if she tells me."

Unfortunately, Obi-Wan thinks, he does have a point. His padawan is perfectly capable of disobedience if he exerts himself, but he'll hardly make the effort if he's being asked to something he wants to do anyway. As attested by the "use the senator as bait" fiasco of the previous evening.

"I'm flattered you think a woman who has ignored with perfect equanimity two supreme chancellors, the entire Jedi Council and Qui-Gon Jinn will somehow deign to do as I tell her," Obi-Wan says, rather than address that, "but I concede the point."

"Oh, she won't," Anakin says, "but she'll at least pretend to listen to you first, which gives Captain Typho time to scruff her and carry her off to a secure location by her extremely fancy collar before some other lowlife gets a shot off."

"He wouldn't," Obi-Wan says, though he's grinning a little at the thought.

"You never know unless you ask," Anakin says, sententiously, and then ruins the effect by smirking.

"Thirdly," he finishes, "if you go with the senator, you won't have to do any flying."

Obi-Wan thinks about it.

"Fine," he says, "but you call me the second you find something, alright? Don't go haring off into danger on your own."

"I learned it all from you, master."

"Slander and lies."

"And, master?"

"Yes, padawan?"

Anakin doesn't meet his eyes.

"If you...maybe."

"Get a chance to make a little detour?" Obi-Wan asks, lightly.

"Yes master," Anakin says, still looking at the floor. It's the closest he's looked to a contrite Jedi padawan since they arrived back at the temple. Obi-Wan finds he doesn't like it, much.

"I'll see what I can do."