Archive of Our Own ^beta

~*~

Jango wanted the curse broken. It left him entirely too vulnerable. But having the curse broken meant he didn’t have a reason to remain near Obi-Wan. That was…more upsetting than he’d thought it would be. They were only a few hours’ ride out from Stewjon. They’d arrive near supper. Obi-Wan had already offered him guest quarters for the night. But come morning, Obi-Wan would break the curse and their deal would be fulfilled. 

“You seem troubled,” Obi-Wan observed. 

Offering a smile, Jango replied, “Ready for this curse to be nothing but a memory.” 

It was the truth, even if not the whole of it. 

Grimacing, Obi-Wan nodded. “Yes, I can understand why.” He hesitated for a moment. “Is that all that’s on your mind?” 

Jango sighed. “No, but I’d prefer not to talk about it.” 

Obi-Wan nodded. “Very well. I won’t push,” he assured.

For the first time since they departed Stewjon to find the ancient temple, the silence that fell over them was uncomfortable.

After almost an hour, Obi-Wan spoke again. 

“While I certainly couldn’t afford the rates your guild status would require all the time, I could, occasionally, hire you to accompany me on quests,” Obi-Wan said. “If you’d be amenable?” 

Jango turned to stare at him. “Really? You’d be interested?” 

Blushing, Obi-Wan nodded. 

“It was rather…nice. Having you with me,” Obi-Wan admitted. “But I understand if you don’t feel the same.” 

Without thought Jango replied, “I enjoyed it.”

Obi-Wan brightened. “Then me breaking the curse doesn’t have to be goodbye for good. There are always plenty of quests and missions on offer for magicians of my rank. After all, I need more experience to reach full mastery. And you can only gain so much experience sitting in the enclave.” 

Jango laughed.

“Perhaps, but I’m sure you still find plenty of trouble there,” Jango teased. 

With a huff, Obi-Wan insisted, “I’m not that bad!” 

Jango just grinned in reply. 

Perhaps this wasn’t going to work out so badly after all. 

~*~ 

They arrived at the enclave just as dark fell. After seeing to their horses, Obi-Wan showed Jango to guest quarters. 

“I need to check in, then I’ll be back with supper,” Obi-Wan promised. Gesturing towards the small door on the far side of the room, he added, “You can refresh yourself in there, if you’d like to do so while you wait.” 

Curiosity winning out, as he was relatively certain he was safe in the enclave as Obi-Wan’s guest, Jango peered through the door. It reminded him of the rooms at Dex’s inn. No doubt there was magic imbued in it. The water in the rain closet was the perfect temperature, solidifying Jango’s certainty that magic was involved. It only made sense after all. This was an enclave full of magicians, even if it was a small one. 

By the time he’d finished cleaning up and changing into his spare clothes, Obi-Wan was at the door with a supper tray. He too had cleaned up and changed. 

“Magic,” Obi-Wan offered with a grin as he set the tray down on the small two-person table in the room. “It helps certain things happen faster. If you’d like, I can have your clothes laundered. They’ll be ready by morning.” 

Not having to find an inn to pay for it to be done or a good river to wash things in himself would certainly be useful. Jango said as much. Obi-Wan took the clothes and stepped back out for a moment. Jango heard him directing an apprentice to take them to the laundry and have them returned to their guest in the morning. The young sounding apprentice promised it would be done and hurried off. Obi-Wan came back into the room smiling. 

“We have guest chambers, but we rarely actually have overnight guests in the enclave,” Obi-Wan explained. “Most opt for the inn in the town. So, this is a bit of a novelty to the apprentices and initiates.” 

Jango snorted. “Cadets aren’t so different anywhere it seems.”

Obi-Wan laughed. “Indeed.” 

The soup and bread that Obi-Wan had brought smelled wonderful. Especially after days of travel rations. Jango’s stomach rumbled, and he snorted in amusement. 

“I think that’s a sign it's time to stop talking and eat,” Obi-Wan teased.

The silence between them was companionable and comfortable. It had been longer than Jango cared to think about since he had that. Given how hungry they both were, they didn’t take long to eat.

“Now, I have gathered enough of my magic reserves together that I can break your curse now. I will then likely go sleep for about twelve hours,” Obi-Wan told him. “You likely will as well. While it’s straightforward to break this particular curse, it requires a fair amount of energy. But where some curse breaking or spell casting drain energy so much the magician requires immediate rest, this particular family of curses is more…peculiar. Perhaps because while they are curses, they are considered…” the magician trailed off and Jango really wanted to know where he was going with that. “Many curses are meant to harm, or even kill. This group is considered to be more about…correction. Curse someone for honesty to teach them the dangers of lying. That sort of thing. Unfortunately, like many things with magic, intent can be twisted and people can use something meant to teach and guide into something dangerous.” Obi-Wan shook his head. “All that to say, while it will drain us both for me to break the curse, we won’t feel it immediately. Sleep is sort of a…reset switch with this class of curses. There’s a lot of magical theory behind it that’s really quite fascinating, but I have a feeling you’d prefer I skip the lesson.”

Jango winced. “Please do. Given that I’ll understand about one word in five, it would just be a waste of your time. I’m good with many things. Magic isn’t and never has been one of them. My buir just to say I had the magic sense of a rock.”

Obi-Wan snickered. “I have a magic rock. It was a gift from my training master.”

Jango narrowed his eyes.

“You’re joking,” Jango insisted. “You do not.”

Grinning, Obi-Wan shook his head. “I most certainly am not joking! It even helped me evade a memory modification spell once when I was an apprentice.”

Jango had no idea what to make of that. With a groan, he shook his head.

“Maybe someday I’ll stop being surprised at all this magical ridiculousness,” Jango muttered.

Obi-Wan waved a dismissive hand. “Unlikely. And besides, then things would get boring.”

Leave it to Jango to develop feelings for one of the most ridiculous men he’d ever met. At least he was a gorgeous absolutely ridiculous man.

“But enough of that, I have a curse to break!” Obi-Wan declared.

Jango nodded, beyond ready to be rid of this curse.

“What do you need me to do?” Jango asked.

Obi-Wan rose from his chair. “We’re going to sit cross legged on the floor facing one another. I’ll do the rest.”

Jango followed Obi-Wan’s lead and settled on the floor. Their knees just barely touched.

“You’ll feel my magic, but it should merely feel warm. If it is painful, tell me immediately. That will be a sign that there’s more at work here than simply the curse you’re aware of,” Obi-Wan explained.

Nodding, Jango replied, “Understood.”

Obi-Wan’s eyes drifted closed and seconds later warm washed over Jango. His eyes widened but he kept still, grateful that Obi-Wan had warned him. 

“There we are,” Obi-Wan murmured a long moment later.

Jango felt another rush of warmth flash through him, then nothing.

“And it’s done,” Obi-Wan declared, opening his eyes.

He’d looked tired before but he looked absolutely exhausted now.

“Thank you,” Jango said quietly. 

Obi-Wan smiled despite his weariness. “We had a deal. You kept your end; it would have been rather terrible of me not to do the same.”

Grimacing, Jango muttered, “You’d be surprised how many people don’t care about that.”

Obi-Wan winced.

“Unfortunately, I am very aware,” Obi-Wan replied. “Many people come to the enclaves asking for aid. While we accept a wide variety of payments- which we only accept at all to keep ourselves fed and clothed, our potions supplies stocked, and the buildings maintained- we always get those who make lavish promises only to go back on them.”

Jango shook his head. Seemed people tried to deal with magicians the same way they did bounty hunters.

“Some people have no honor,” Jango said. “Is it ok to get up now?”

Nodding, Obi-Wan assured, “Yes, and in fact if we don’t get up soon, I might just sleep right here on the floor.”

Jango snorted and pushed himself to his feet. 

Holding out a hand to Obi-Wan, he replied, “Considering how close a proper bed is, that would be a crime.”

Obi-Wan snickered.

“A truly unforgivable one,” Obi-Wan teased as he let Jango help him to his feet.

Jango had long prided himself on being bold and brave. It came easily in his work, but not always so easily when it was personal. But this was worth it.

“You could stay here for the night,” Jango offered. “This bed is big enough for two.”

Obi-Wan stepped close. “If you’re sure.”

Smiling, Jango tugged him just a little closer. “I’m sure.”

Grinning, Obi-Wan leaned in and pressed a quick kiss to Jango’s lips.

“Then I’d be delighted to stay,” Obi-Wan assured. “I’m not quite ready to let go of you either.” He yawned. “Bed, now please.”

Jango agreed readily. Both removed their boots and stripped down to their inner tunics. This might be yet another questionable choice, but Jango wasn’t going to second guess it. He’d just wait and see where it led.

~*~