Dooku hears about the new addition from Rael.
Which is ridiculous, because Rael isn’t even in the Temple, hasn’t been back in months.
Dooku should not be hearing about new lineage members from Rael.
He especially shouldn’t be hearing about this one from Rael.
A second or third padawan perhaps could be excused, their grandmaster not the first or even second priority for introduction.
This one? This one is Qui-Gon’s first padawan.
This is Dooku’s second grandpadawan.
Qui-Gon’s apprenticeship may have been… less than optimal at times but that is no reason to neglect to inform him.
In any case they're certainly still on speaking terms! At least he had thought so.
Dooku needs to meet this new padawan.
How fortunate he’s in temple for the foreseeable future.
He might even offer a few lessons in Makashi to the new teenling, or at least some basic etiquette. Force knows Qui-Gon won’t find the time for it.
He makes his way to Qui-Gon’s rooms with purpose.
Dooku does not guess Qui-Gon’s code, because he is neither overbearing nor rude, instead he politely rings for entry.
A very small child opens the door and glares up at him suspiciously.
“Who’re you?”
Dooku blinks.
That is not a teenager.
That is a child.
Who gave Qui-Gon a child?
Ah, perhaps one of the Crechelings needed some help with the Living Force, his former padawan was always rather talented with that.
He raises an eyebrow at the still glaring child.
“Is that how you address your elders?”
Dooku doesn’t remember younglings being so uncivilized, or strange. There’s no need for a guest to be so defensive and suspicious of unfamiliar masters.
“My apologies Master,” they bow perfectly, perhaps there’s still some hope in the next generation yet. “What are you doing here?”
Or perhaps not, Dooku does not bother scolding them.
“Do I need your permission?”
They scowl up at him, it would be cute if it wasn’t keeping him from his new grandpadawan.
“I suppose not.”
They open the door fully and step back into the room behind them. As they do Dooku catches sight of something that has him freezing mid-step.
A tiny little padawan braid, so short he hadn’t seen it when they were looking up at him.
This is not an Initiate seeking help from a more experienced Knight, this is a padawan.
Are they even old enough to be a padawan?
Certainly, Dooku knows intellectually that padawans can be chosen young, very young, but most are chosen as teenagers.
Dooku himself was sixteen when Yoda asked him.
He still remembers his own padawans, so gangly and precious in their first days. He had thought them so small then and neither came even close to the tiny little child before him.
“Master! Someone’s here to see you!” The little one calls and turns to leave.
Absolutely not, he came here to meet his new grandpadawan, even if his new grandpadawan really shouldn’t be anything but an Initiate.
“Ah, I don’t think we’ve been introduced…” He tries and they turn back. “I am Master Dooku.”
They nod, no recognition in their eyes at his name, and bow properly again. “Well met Master Dooku, I am Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi.”
Any further introductions are interrupted by Qui-Gon’s harried entrance, there is dirt on his face for reasons Dooku cannot conceive of and a leaf in his hair.
His face freezes halfway through a polite greeting at the sight of his Master’s disapproval.
“Master… I didn’t know you were coming…”
The child directs wide questioning eyes between the two of them but stays silent.
Dooku hums, “yes, you see, I heard some fascinating rumors from your padawan brother…”
He shifts his gaze pointedly to the new padawan.
“You did…” Qui-Gon looks slightly uncomfortable, good.
“Yes, imagine my surprise when I hear there is a new lineage member, one that no one has bothered to inform me of.”
“Master… I didn’t mean-, I was-, that is-.”
Dooku waves a hand to put a halt to the spluttering.
“Yes, I’m sure.”
He refocuses on the child, who has apparently put two and two together.
“You’re my grandmaster!?”
Dooku smiles, a slight twitch of his lips and nods.
“Yes, it is lovely to meet you Obi-Wan.”
Their eyes light up, suspicion adorably absent and bounce over to the kitchen. “Are you staying for tea Master Dooku?”
Dooku nods decisively, crossing his arms.
“Yes, if it isn’t an inconvenience.”
Qui-Gon looks utterly bewildered by the turn of events. Dooku, ever a kind and understanding master, tilts his head to where he knows the freshers are located.
It would be disrespectful to have tea covered in dirt.
Qui-Gon takes the hint.
Dooku strides over to the small kitchen where the tiny little padawan is valiantly attempting to make tea.
They are not tall enough to reach the place where the tea is kept and appear very close to resorting to climbing shelves to get to it.
Dooku nudges them out of the way, gently of course, he does know what he’s doing and grabs the tea from the shelf easily. They snatch it from him with a quiet thanks and immediately start to shove him out of the kitchen.
“Guests don’t make tea.”
They glare with the determination of a great Jedi.
Dooku has never understood some of his fellow Jedi when they described the urge to ‘coo’ at younglings, he does now. He’s far too dignified for such absurdity but he does allow his face to soften. Obi-Wan is a polite child, a little unrefined of course, but that's to be expected in young padawans.
Qui-Gon emerges looking much closer to dignified a few minutes later and immediately pales at the sight of his padawan in the kitchen.
Dooku pulls on Qui-Gon’s robes to get him to sit with him before he can try to interfere.
“Master…” His face clearly expresses his opinion on Obi-Wan’s skill or perhaps experience.
“We must all face our trials my former padawan.”
“Am I facing the trial, or is he?” Qui-Gon hisses.
Dooku just hums neutrally.
“You should consider rearranging your kitchen for shorter beings.”
He ignores Qui-Gon’s response and dutifully resists the urge to try and steady the tray with the Force when Obi-Wan brings out the tea, instead resolving to only interfere in the event of true catastrophe.
They both watch the little padawan try his best to lay everything out properly and pour the tea with grace and poise. The illusion ruined only slightly by the fact he sticks his tongue out in an attempt to focus.
Dooku responds with proper manners and only takes his cup when Obi-Wan is satisfied.
Qui-Gon takes the first sip and promptly chokes.
And really, Dooku was expecting better from him.
“Are you alright, Master?” Comes the concerned voice of his small grandpadawan. Dooku gives Qui-Gon a look to make sure he knows how to behave and only receives a small eye roll in response.
“I’m fine, Padawan, just swallowed wrong.” He lies.
Dooku takes his own small sip.
It’s terrible.
Clearly steeped too long at the wrong temperature.
He can’t even tell what kind of tea it was meant to be.
He watches the little padawan squirm slightly with nerves.
“Thank you for the tea, little one. You are a credit to your Master.” He ignores the affronted look that gets him from Qui-Gon, as if the child was supposed to learn properly by himself at this age.
Fortunately, that seems to be the right thing to say. Obi-Wan lights up with childish happiness, clearly pleased.
Dooku takes another sip and doesn’t grimace.
Obi-Wan's own first sip has his nose scrunching up with clear disgust. The child doesn't say anything, although by the look Obi-Wan gives him, he appears to be judging Dooku's taste in tea rather harshly.
Dooku sets his cup down gently.
“Now, tell me, grandpadawan, how did you come to meet my former apprentice?”
Thus begins a rather long and winding story that starts when the child was seven, the first time they apparently met in passing, and ends a week prior, when Qui-Gon asked him if he would agree to be his padawan.
Qui-Gon nearly interjects a few times, mostly when Obi-Wan seems to be describing something he knows Dooku wouldn’t like.
“Your tea is getting cold, Qui-Gon.”
“Yes, Master…” He grumbles.
Obi-Wan is a good child, Dooku decides.
He’ll have to visit more often to curb any unfortunate tendencies.
He is proud of his former padawan. He has grown into a fine Knight and Dooku has no doubt he will continue to grow into a fine Master.
His new padawan is terribly impressionable though and while he loves Qui-Gon dearly there are some things that are simply best not passed down.
It takes a whole temple.
“Will you be visiting again, Master Dooku?” The child looks at him, clearly hoping for an affirmative.
Dooku takes a final sip of his tea and sets it down carefully.
“If you’ll have me, Padawan Kenobi.”