Ask meme: quinobi, pretending to hate each other au
Does it count if it's only 50% au? [snickers]
There was tension taut down his spine. Obi-Wan held himself carefully, face blank and emotions tightly reined in. He did not - could nor - hide it. Not when so much depended on it. He could feel the unease radiating off the troopers around him, but it was not in him to reassure them. Not when this was necessary.
Not when he was unsure he could trust them with this.
Hadn't that been a punch in the gut, to realise that for all the camaraderie he thought they had built, the troopers did not think he was worthy of actual respect. Did not think him capable, leading to this.
Another Jedi, joining him on The Negotiator.
It had been the Council's idea when he had sent his encoded message to them, his unease restrained but evident to those that knew him so well. And while Obi-Wan had been reluctant at first, now it was something he latched on to.
The Jedi that swaggered off the starship that docked was a familiar face. The smirk on Quinlan's face was sharp, condescending, and even as the Force around them was rife with affection and warmth and don't worry, you're not alone, he leaned into Obi-Wan's space and scoffed. "Would you look at that, Councillor couldn't hack it on his own."
Around them, the troopers bristled, ready to jump in and defend him as if he could not do so himself. Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow before any of them could, his own judgement clear on his face. "Did you not realise you're here to keep you out of trouble, Vos?" Even as he spoke, he leaned into the warmth of the other's presence, sure that the Kiffar could sense his distress easing. If only he could actually hug his friend…
But no. The troopers had proven to not truly see him, not see the Jedi, and Obi-Wan was no longer comfortable showing them the vulnerabilities they had taken as weakness. If it meant feeding their assumptions, he would continue to pretend that he did not feel things on the level they thought was necessary. He would pretend Quinlan being here was an insult and not a balm to soothe his soul.
He would pretend, and he would take the comfort of the Force and of his best friend by his side, even if only in the way a Jedi would recognise.