The Hermit Shack in the Woods, Thursday Evening

[saddeserthermit]

Truth be told, Obi-Wan had seriously considered not returning to Fandom island; the risk to Luke was too great if Vader or another Imperial officer came back and chose to follow him to Tatooine this time. But there were certain obligations he felt too guilty about bound to that he could not simply shirk. Speaking to Kanan was one of these. (Picking

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[uncertain_dume]

Kanan was... still twitchy, unsurprisingly. His talk with Doctor Lecter had at least helped him to affirm that he wasn't insane for being twitchy, and the revelation that Skywalker had once exiled Atton Karking Rand from the island had done wonders for cementing that the man was... what was the word he'd thought of while arguing with him about not wanting to be murdered by the Emperor's apprentice?

Ah, right. Reprehensible.

But there was still one person on the island that he needed to speak to, and he couldn't put it off forever, though by the time Thursday had rolled around, he was starting to wonder if maybe Master Kenobi had been dragged off by Vader himself. Or if he'd done the same thing that Kanan had been wanting to do for weeks now, and had simply left. He wouldn't have blamed him for it. Not too much, anyway.

He hadn't even realized that he'd been keeping an eye out, so to speak, through the Force, hoping for Master Kenobi's return. Not until Master Kenobi had returned, at the very least. And then he'd dropped the very important 'sitting in the cockpit of the Expedient with his dog, staring tiredly at his holocron' that he'd been doing in order to make his way through the woods to speak to the man, hoping that this talk wouldn't turn out quite as unfortunate as his chat with Skywalker had.

"Master Kenobi," he said, sounding about as tired as he felt as he approached the shack. "Good evening. I hope this isn't a bad time?"

[saddeserthermit]

"Kanan," Obi-Wan said, and for once some of the exhaustion that he always felt he was carrying with him showed in his tone. "I had been hoping to catch you."

He turned away from the eopies - and the shack. "Would you like some tea?" he asked.

Tea was nice, and soothing, and a handhold.

[uncertain_dume]

Tea. Basically the usual offering when visiting Master Kenobi, but tonight it was something magical. Maybe because most of what Kanan had been drinking for the past week and a half had been significantly stronger than tea. He gave Obi-Wan a wry smile, and then shrugged his shoulders.

"I won't say no, thank you," he settled on, and then smiled a little at the eopies, himself. It was good to see something familiar that wasn't the inside of a freighter, at the very least. "Something for the nerves."

[saddeserthermit]

"Yes," Obi-Wan said, and if there had been any doubt he knew exactly what Kanan might have nerves about before, hopefully his tone would dispel it.

He turned around, pulled open the door and held it while he waited for Kanan.

[uncertain_dume]

Okay. Good. That was a good sign. The idea that Master Kenobi was aware of what had gone on and was still here, inviting him in for tea, was oddly comforting. Kanan wouldn't have faulted him for collecting the eopies and leaving again, after all. Hell, he was only here because... where else would he go? Somebody else's version of his reality?

... No, no, he wasn't going to think about it.

Much.

"So," he hedged as he stepped inside. "You, uh, were around on Parents' Weekend, then."

[saddeserthermit]

"I returned from home a day into the proceedings," Obi-Wan said mildly. He kept walking, making no effort to look at Kanan as he began the process of heating up some water. "I sensed a strange presence. I went to Anakin for answers. I hope you'll forgive me for leaving after this point."

[uncertain_dume]

Kanan gave his shoulders a shrug, though, hey, he was also pointedly not really looking at anybody in particular, here.

"I would've done the same," he admitted, that exhaustion sneaking back into his voice. "I've been trying since that Sunday, actually. Still no luck getting a portal back home. Still not enough fuel in the Expedient to explore this galaxy to see if there are inhabitable planets out there. It's great."

Not really.

[saddeserthermit]

"I am sorry," Obi-Wan said, "For what it is worth, I told Anakin to warn you as soon as I found out. But I could not risk lingering on the island."

He had more than just himself to protect, after all.

[uncertain_dume]

"I didn't get any warning," Kanan replied, flatly. "I got Vader walking into the diner on my shift, intimidating Mara while I... coped, I guess. I waited there until they left because she didn't want to be left alone. With Vader."

He'd done a great job of coping. Really.

Honest.

"Skywalker doesn't strike me as the most reliable individual to ask if you want anything important passed on."

It was funny how hero worship could turn into distaste so strong it was practically a tangible thing rolling off his tongue as he spoke, all because of one conversation.

[saddeserthermit]

Obi-Wan sighed. He picked up two cups. "Anakin has always been mulish," he began.

Then he caught himself. This thinking is what cause all of this to begin with.

"...But that's no excuse. You are right, unfortunately."

[uncertain_dume]

"Mulish," Kanan scoffed, shaking his head, trying - and failing - to keep the sour tone from his voice, "isn't the word I would have chosen."

The word he would have chosen, he wasn't going to repeat in front of one of the Masters.

He pulled in a deep breath. Exhaled. Shook his head again.

"There's being stubborn, and then there's refusing to accept responsibility for one's actions. He knew, Master Kenobi. He knew Mara was working directly for the Emperor, and it's my fault that my first impulse after meeting Vader without warning is to want to leave? That's a step beyond mulish. It breezes right past that and petulant into a realm all its own."

[saddeserthermit]

"I said," Obi-Wan said evenly, "You were right."

He unpacked some tea bags.

"Unless you merely came here to rail at me about something we both agree on."

[uncertain_dume]

Okay, Jarrus, deep breath. You weren't doing much better than Skywalker if you were going to go off on a rant at Obi-Wan like this. Especially when he was being agreeable.

"You're right," he said, bowing his head a little. "I'm sorry, Master. I had a conversation with him during the break and some-" a good many, "-unpleasant things were said. I know I should let it go, but... it rankles."

A lot. It rankled a lot.

[saddeserthermit]

"Yes. He's always been fairly good at rankling people," Obi-Wan sighed. The cooker went pop, and he picked it up, pouring water into each cup. "Yes, he knew. And when confronted by both of us, he chose to behave like a petulant teenager with his hand caught in the cookie jar."

He turned around, holding out one cup to Kanan.

[uncertain_dume]

Kanan accepted the cup with a nod and a murmured thanks, staring quietly into it for a moment, not entirely trusting himself to speak right away. He'd just watch the tea steep. Let it ground him for a few sec--

"I don't think he fully understands just how barbed some of the things he said were," he said, all at once. "Just what it meant when he told me that he wasn't my Master, just before telling me to go ahead and run away. When he talked about... other things. Rumors about him that are clearly untrue, but directly after bringing them up, he wouldn't say how."

His grip on the cup tightened a little.

"I should be able to let it go, but he clawed at old wounds that Vader's appearance re-opened, and I can't just walk away from it."

[saddeserthermit]

Oh, Anakin.

Obi-Wan's thoughts trailed towards the past, burning lava and eyes full of loathing; he pulled back from the memory as fast as he could, but the damage was done.

He sat down on a small chair, cradling his cup. He was not entirely certain Anakin hadn't been aware what he was doing, but saying so felt like it would not be helpful. "Then tell me about your old wounds," he said quietly, and took a sip. "We will see which ones can perhaps be closed."