Chapter Text
This was it.
Dooku watched the flames dance around his former padawan’s pyre, the familiar crackle and warmth failing to seep into his grieving body as a mission campfire might. Qui-Gon had been reckless at times, he knew, as unpredictable as a storm and as thickedheaded as a bantha. The number of jails, pits, and… inconvenient situations Dooku had yanked the boy out of over the years had been innumerable, with each adventure planting another gray hair on his head.
“I swear to you, Master Yoda, I will leave this obstinate boy on the next ship that docks in the hangar.”
“Aw come on, Master, you’d miss me.”
“Would I?”
“And my insightful commentary---”
“----Babbling gibberish.”
“And creative solutions---”
“---Half-baked schemes and suicidal ploys.”
“And diplomatic ability---”
“---More gibberish.”
Master Yoda cackled, tapping his gimer stick against Dooku’s boots. “Chose this boy, you did. Will of the Force it was.” He cackled again. “A sense of humor, the Force has, hmm?”
Oh yes, Qui-Gon had been reckless, obstinate, and infuriating to the point of desperation at times. But he was kind. Just. Warm, when Dooku was aloof, determined when Dooku was exasperated. It had been years since they’d partnered together, old tensions and arguments enough to keep each other at arm’s length.
I was foolish. Prideful . In this moment, Dooku wished for nothing more than to settle with a steaming cup of tea, sitting cross-legged from the long-haired man, and converse deep into the night.
But his boy was gone.
And Dooku would leave the Order with him.
After all, what was left? A complacent Jedi Council, serving a Senate whose crumbling morals sank the Republic further and further into a bog of corruption and greed with each lie that dripped down the halls of the Senate chambers. His continuous warnings to the Council fell on deaf ears, just like Qui-Gon’s claims of the reawakened Sith. Now another Sith lurked in the shadows of the galaxy, while Qui-Gon lay lifeless in the Temple. Well. Perhaps the corpse before them would thrust them into action at last. They could sort out their own mess without Dooku’s aid.
“Um. Mister?”
Dooku was pulled from his thoughts by a small voice, too small to be bearing witness to a funeral. Looking down, he discovered its owner was a scruffy boy wringing his hands in his tattered shirt.
Ah. This must be the boy the temple has been whispering about, the supposed Chosen One. Pulled from the backwater planet Qui-Gon had just returned from . What were you thinking, Qui-Gon? Even his former padawan’s penchant for strays could not overrule the simple fact that this boy was far too old to be a Jedi. And, from the anxious look on his face, too scared.
“Mister?” the boy asked again, nervousness spiking in the Force. “I-I’m sorry to bother you. But. Um. I need help. Finding food. And water.”
“Why would you ask me?” said Dooku without thinking. His heart clenched as the boy flinched at his harsh tone, as if expecting to be struck. Who had hurt this boy? And where can I find them alone? Preferably in a dark alley. He shook the unexpectedly protective thoughts away. “Forgive me,” he said quickly, reaching a hand to the child who shrank even further. “I’m simply surprised. Did the Jedi not assign someone to care for you?”
“Obi-Wan is. And he’s doing a really good job!” the child added defensively, as if Dooku had accused his caretaker of neglect. “It’s just. I think this is hard for him. And he hasn't eaten anything in forever . And I can’t get him to move. And there’s no one left.”
Dooku blinked, surprised that the boy’s last claim was correct. The flames had faded long ago. The only beings left around the pyre were Dooku, the boy, and Obi-Wan, standing stonily on the other side of the room. Dooku had met Qui-Gon’s padawan less than a handful of times, but from what he had seen and heard, he felt tremendous pride in his grandpadawan. The young man was serious, but had sharp, intelligent eyes, and the serene matter befitting a Jedi Knight. Passing reports of his and Qui-Gon’s missions had given him hope that this boy had all the skill of Qui-Gon with an extra sprinkling of good sense he felt his dear former padawan at times lacked. He’d even seen Obi-Wan fight in a few tournaments, absently wondering if he could perhaps train the boy in the basics Makashsi, eager as he was to have a worthy opponent in the Temple. However, the Obi-Wan he saw across the fire had none of the spark he’d witnessed before. His serenity was smothered by grief, blank eyes blind to everything but the ashes piling before him.
And this boy, scared and confused about everything around him, had asked a stranger for help. For Obi-Wan’s sake.
Well. Perhaps his heart was still there after all.
“I see,” said Dooku, careful to melt the ice from his tone. “Well, I suppose we need to remedy this situation, then.”
A wide smile broke out across the boy’s face, fear slowly easing away into the Force. Dooku’s own lips twitched at the relief he could feel coming from the child. “Thanks, Mister-- Uh. What’s your name?”
“I am Master Dooku,” said the Jedi. “And may I ask yours in return?”
“Anakin,” said the boy, shyly reaching out his hand. “Anakin Skywalker. It’s nice to meet you, sir.”
“Master Dooku is fine,” said Dooku, accepting Anakin's handshake. Goodness, the boy’s hands were small. Small, yet calloused, from a short lifetime of doing what, Dooku could only guess. Dooku had seen much cruelty in the galaxy, and yet it still stunned him that beings could hurt a child so young. Stay in the moment, Master. Your brooding will do you no good. He pushed those feelings away. Temporarily.
“Master Dooku,” repeated Anakin carefully. “Did you know Qui-Gon well, sir--- Master Dooku?”
Dooku ignored the fresh wave of pain that seared through him before answering. “I knew him very well. I trained him, in fact. Qui-Gon was my padawan learner, just as Obi-Wan was his.”
“ You trained Mister Qui-Gon?” gasped Anakin. “You must be so wizard!”
Dooku raised an eyebrow, lips twitching again. “I do not know if I would describe myself as wizard , as you say. But I am quite proud of my padawan. I’m glad you had the opportunity to meet him.”
“You definitely are,” said Anakin seriously, with the surety only a child could muster. “Only someone real wizard could train someone like Mister Qui-Gon. And Obi-Wan will be wizard too, once he’s feeling better.”
“I have little doubt of that,” agreed Dooku as he guided an awestruck Anakin back to Obi-Wan. And if his hand ruffled the young boy’s hair, reaching out with a mind of its own, at least no other masters were there to see it.
As Dooku neared the padawan and could inspect his gaunt eyes and shaking frame, he cursed the Council. Whose brilliant idea was it to put one grieving child in charge of another? Dooku would have sharp words for certain little trolls later. However, he had more pressing matters to attend to at the moment.
*************
Obi-Wan remained lost in his own thoughts until he felt a firm hand on his shoulder. “Master Dooku?” he said, startled to find the older Jedi studying him intently.
“Obi-Wan,” said Dooku, “I’m glad you remember me.”
“Of course,” said Obi-Wan, confused. He had met his grandmaster on a few occasions, though Qui-Gon and Dooku had never seemed particularly close. It made sense that the man would come bid his padawan farewell, though Obi-Wan hadn’t thought to seek him out at the funeral. “Pardon me,” he said, clearing his throat. “I should have come to offer my condolences sooner.”
“There’s no apology required, young one,” said Dooku kindly. “I can only imagine what you have suffered these past days.” He laughed humorlessly. “We’re told to let our loved ones pass into the Force, yet are never quite instructed on how to deal with the aching void they leave behind.”
Obi-Wan raised his eyebrows. He would not have expected to find comfort in Dooku, the stoic, distant Jedi master, of all people. Yet, he could see a shared grief lingering in the older man’s eyes. He swallowed, not trusting himself to speak for a moment before answering, “It is proving rather difficult, yes.”
“Master Dooku is going to help us find some food!” chirped Anakin, who Obi-Wan belatedly realized was standing with Dooku’s other hand resting on his bony shoulder. Blast it. He’d been charged with one job, to look after the boy, and he was already failing spectacularly. “I’m so sorry, Anakin. I should have known you’d be hungry---”
“No apology required,” interrupted Anakin, echoing Dooku’s words. Was that a smile that passed over Dooku’s face? “I’m okay. But you must be starving . I remember when Kitster’s dad died, he sort of stopped taking care of himself. But getting food always makes things better. Mom and I used to bring over some of our portions until he got better. And this will help you feel better too. Right, Master Dooku?”
Obi-Wan wanted to argue that he was just fine , that it was he who was supposed to be taking care of Anakin , and that Qui-Gon had not been his father, and that as a Jedi he should know better than to dwell on the past, as Master Qui-Gon’s spirit was one with the Force and that should bring him peace---
But the boy was looking up at him with such earnestness and hope that Obi-Wan’s arguments died on his tongue, weak in the face of Anakin’s wide blue eyes.
“I suppose---”
“Splendid,” said Dooku, patting Obi-Wan on the back. “We shall all go to my quarters for some food, and then see about getting the two of you some rest and Anakin some new clothes.” Obi-Wan groaned internally. Of course Anakin needed clothes. Another thoughtless omission on his part.
“We should gotten you some new things sooner, Anakin---”
“Obi-Wan---” started Anakin and Dooku at the same time, glancing at each other. “You’ve stayed with me the whole time,” said Anakin quickly. “And made sure I was safe. And new clothes aren’t important. I’ve been wearing these for years!”
Dooku frowned slightly as he processed this new information before adding, “Both you and Anakin have gone through traumatic ordeals. You should not be expected to have recovered completely, nor should either of you be expected to care for yourselves without some support at this moment. Anakin’s right--- we all need some help in trying times.”
Obi-Wan faltered, seeing that he would not win against this united, if odd, front. And, if he was being honest with himself, he didn’t really want to. A gentle warmth cradled his heart. Perhaps he could rely on a bit of help. Just for now.
“I’m not sure how long we’ll be able to rest,” he said finally. “The Council indicated that we would reconvene at some point to determine Anakin’s future.” He felt his gut twist as Anakin’s face fell, worry clouding his young features. Without hesitation, Obi-Wan kneeled down before the boy, grasping him by his shoulders. “I will train you, Anakin. I promise.”
“But the Council said---”
“With or without the Council’s permission,” insisted Obi-Wan with a vehemence that startled even him. He could sense a jolt of surprise from Dooku, though the master tamped it down quickly. No matter. Anakin was his charge now, and he would do whatever it took to care for the boy. Both for Qui-Gon’s sake and Anakin’s. And maybe even, he considered as he suddenly found his arms full of Anakin, instinctively wrapping his own around the boy in return, maybe for his own sake as well.
“Well,” said Dooku, a strange look on his face as Obi-Wan and Anakin finally separated, “I’m sure the Council won’t mind if I tag along, hm?”
*************
“Unwise this is,” said Yoda, tapping his stick on the floor for emphasis. “Too old the boy is for training. And too young you are, Padawan Kenobi, to take on a padawan of your own. When a padawan, you yourself are.”
“Would it not be possible to elevate young Kenobi to Knight status?” offered Plo Koon. “His actions against the Sith on Naboo would surely be worthy of Knighthood. And Qui-Gon had nothing but exemplary reports about Obi-Wan before his death.”
“I’m not quite convinced that would be sufficient for knighting,” said Master Ranciss doubtfully.
“Even if we did knight Obi-Wan,” added Ki-Adi Mundi, “A young Knight would customarily be given far more time to continue growing and developing their skill before taking on a padawan. Especially a… special case, such as Skywalker.”
“I am aware of the challenges Anakin may face as a late arrival,” said Obi-Wan, infusing his voice with a confidence he didn’t feel. “I am prepared to do everything in my power to ensure he has a successful training regardless.”
“Perhaps young Skywalker could remain in the Temple, but under the tutelage of another,” said Master Fisto. “Kenobi made a strong point earlier. Someone as strong as Anakin should receive some degree of training, especially in light of the Sith’s return.”
Obi-Wan’s stomach twisted at the thought of being separated from Anakin. Yet the Council was correct in saying he may be… ill-equipped to train someone as special as Anakin. He was barely nineteen and was arguing to take on a padawan while his own padawan braid still sat squarely on his shoulder. He looked down at Anakin, who was clutching the sleeve of his robe as if Obi-Wan might float away any minute. Anakin returned his look, desperation clouding his eyes. “I don’t want someone else to train me,” he whispered. “I want you.”
Those words should not have bolstered Obi-Wan’s spirits as much as they did. He knew what he had to do.
“Masters,” he said preparing his ultimatum, “I will take---”
“Forgive me, Obi-Wan,” said a deep voice approaching from the back of the chamber. Obi-Wan had nearly forgotten that Master Dooku had accompanied them to the meeting, quelling the arguments of the Council members with an intimidating stare before they could voice them. Yoda had merely shrugged. He likely knew as well as anybody how stubborn his former padawan could be. “I wonder if I might propose a solution?”
“Of course,” said Obi-Wan, dumbfounded. Dooku had not mentioned anything regarding Anakin training when he whisked them away from the funeral, merely ensuring the pair was fed and clean while he meditated before being called away to the meeting. What does he have up his sleeve?
“I also feel strongly that Anakin should be trained,” began Dooku, voice clear and strong. “It would be the height of folly to allow him to leave the Temple unprotected and untrained while the threat of the Sith looms again. And with his strength in the Force, I have no doubt he could be a valuable addition to the Jedi ranks. Now, I admire young Kenobi’s determination to train Anakin. And in my meditations, the Force has led me to believe there is something… unique about this pairing. I believe it is the will of the Force that Obi-Wan and Anakin train together.”
“And you truly believe Padawan Kenobi is an appropriate choice to be Skywalker’s teacher?” cried Master Ranciss. “We have not even agreed to knight him yet!”
“And my proposal will hopefully assuage any lingering fears in that regard,” continued Dooku, aiming a cold stare at Ranciss. Obi-Wan was grateful he had not yet been on the receiving end of that glare. Far better to have Master Dooku in his own corner. “While I believe there is much merit in the argument to knight Obi-Wan immediately, I can understand there may be some hesitation to do so. Perhaps even Obi-Wan himself would feel more comfortable with more time to settle into the role of Anakin’s master,” he added, looking kindly at Obi-Wan.
“Where are you going with this, Master Dooku?” asked Master Windu, though there was far more curiosity than rebuke in his tone.
“My proposal is thus; Obi-Wan will become Anakin’s teacher. He will have ultimate responsibility in overseeing Anakin’s journey to Knighthood. However, in light of these circumstances, I propose that we enact a transition period of at least six months in which Obi-Wan will have the support of the Master to conclude his own training while aiding the beginning of Anakin’s training. If more time is necessary, we will simply extend the transition period as needed.”
“So Obi-Wan will be a Knight… but not quite yet?” asked Plo Koon.
“He will be… Knight-Adjacent, you could say,” said Dooku, smiling slightly. “He and Anakin will begin the primary activities associated with Master-Padawan pairing, such as establishing a training bond and creating a training regime for Anakin. However, he will have a secondary Master supervising Anakin’s training and completing any additional training Obi-Wan feels he may need before embracing his Knighthood and teaching status completely.”
“And it might be useful to have a second Master carefully observing Anakin’s training anyway, considering the extra need he has in catching up to his age-mates, and his particular strength in the Force,” mused Master Windu.
“Indeed,” agreed Master Galia, warming up to the idea. “Even an experienced Jedi will not have trained someone like Anakin before. A secondary Master is a good idea either way.”
“This still seems rather irregular,” said Master Mundi, hesitatingly.
“And these are rather irregular times,” argued Master Billaba. “An unconventional solution is needed.”
“Hmm,” said Yoda, ancient eyes sparkling. Obi-Wan held his breath. He was sure that every member of the Council could hear his heart racing in his chest. Truthfully, Master Dooku’s proposal felt sound. Preferable even, to his own plan of forging ahead with Anakin’s training alone. The only remaining question was---
“And this secondary master? Who shall it be, Master Dooku?” asked Yoda, though Obi-Wan had a feeling the Grandmaster already anticipated the answer.
Dooku glanced over to Obi-Wan and Anakin, a smile tinged with sadness flitting across his face for a moment. “If there are no objections from the Council or from Anakin and Obi-Wan, I would be honored to serve in that role as needed.”
Anakin jerked his head back to look at Obi-Wan with wide eyes. He could feel the boy’s hope and relief loud in the Force. It nearly matched his own.
Obi-Wan spoke to the Council, though his eyes never wavered from Master Dooku’s face.
“We accept.”