Office hours [all day]

[sith_happened]

It had taken Anakin about two seconds to realize that whatever he and Rory had been feeling yesterday was 1) still around and 2) more powerfully felt on the island then at home. After an intensive workout with Ben, he headed to his office, keeping his mental shields high. Force alone knew how awkward things could get if certain students with crushes showed up today and he wasn't prepared.

But until then, he was behind his desk, staring distractedly at a document in front of him in between sending messages to his wife.

The door was open.

Comments

[trigons_child]

Certain students with crushes? Who could that be?

Raven was struggling a bit, but she wasn't overwhelmed -- so far -- though she did have to pause in the doorway and just take note of how dreeeaaaamy Anakin was. "Good morning, Professor Skywalker," she finally managed to say.

[sith_happened]

Anakin smiled as he looked up. "Hello, Raven. Come in."

[trigons_child]

"How are you today?" Raven asked as she came inside and sat down. "I think perhaps the island is attempting to manipulate the emotions of those who live here."

Either that or it was a huge coincidence that nearly everyone was terribly horny.

[sith_happened]

"Not just those who live here," Anakin said. "Rory has been affected as well."

Don't look smug, Anakin. No student wants that kind of information.

"Are your shields holding up?"

[trigons_child]

Lucky Rory. Siiiiiiiiiigh.

"I can sense the...excitement of the other students, but it has not been affecting me overly much," Raven said. "My shields are still strong, thankfully."

[sith_happened]

"Good," Anakin said. "It's difficult enough to pick up on their regular levels of emotion. This could give most empaths a raging headache."

Or other things, but he wasn't going to take about that.

[trigons_child]

"Maintaining my shields is somewhat tiring when emotions are so strong," Raven said, nodding. "I hope this does not last. I would not want to falter and be affected."

She was going to have her hands full with her own emotions once she realized her shields weren't quite protecting her from that, just what others were feeling.

[sith_happened]

"I teach Thursday, so if you're running into difficulties, feel free to stop by," Anakin offered.

[trigons_child]

An excuse to see more of Anakin during the week!

"I would not to take up more of your time," Raven said softly, but she was smiling.

[sith_happened]

"You're never an imposition," Anakin assured her. "Hopefully this situation will have worn off by then, but just in case--"

[trigons_child]

"I think I will keep to my room when I am not in class or work," Raven said. Doors would be happier that way. "But I do not feel as helpless as I did when this happened last year. That was before I started coming to you."

[sith_happened]

Anakin smiled. "Good. I'm glad to know that we've been making progress."

[trigons_child]

"Most definitely," Raven beamed. "The time I have spent with you has been some of the most pleasing I have ever experienced."

[glacial_queen]

On the plus side, Karla was filled with far too much dread to notice the island's effects as she quietly tapped on Anakin's office door. She knew she was in trouble, with as much certainty as if she'd spun a tangled web to see the future.

Unfortunately, there was no putting this off. Not when the first person she'd thought of for Uncle Saetan's letters had been him.

"Sir?" she asked tentatively, peeking into Anakin's office. "May I come in?"

[sith_happened]

"Karla," Anakin replied, voice cool. "Yes, you should definitely come in."

[glacial_queen]

Oh good. That was tone of voice would certainly keep all gutterful thoughts fleeing the vicinity. Funny how his invitation in made her want to flee in the other direction.

But figuring that whatever Anakin decided to hand out was no less than she deserved, Karla screwed up her courage and walked inside. She did not sit, however.

"I have a letter for you," she said quietly. She pulled it out of her bag, but did not offer it. "Do you want it?"

[sith_happened]

"Who is it from?" Anakin asked. "And sit down. I'm not going to bite."

[glacial_queen]

Karla's expression suggested she didn't quite believe him, but she tentatively took a seat anyway. "My uncle. Uncle Saetan," she amended quickly. Not that she was really referring to Hobart as her uncle much anymore. "I don't know what it says, other than it's about me and certain...issues I've been dealing with."

Or not dealing with, as the case may be. La.

[sith_happened]

"Ones that had many of your classmates in my office last week?" Anakin guessed, holding out his hand for the letter.

[glacial_queen]

Karla handed the sealed letter over. "It was the catalyst, but not the problem," Karla replied. "It helped them realize there was a problem, I guess."

Well, Agio and having Dinah try to explain it several different times to them before they got it.

"Is everyone okay?" she asked in a little voice. "As okay as they can be?"

[sith_happened]

Anakin was scanning the long letter. "They saw thousands murdered in a blink, Karla, and weren't entirely sure they wouldn't be among them. It's going to be a while until anyone is okay."

He glanced at her over the paper. "You didn't tell your guardians about the periodic invasions?"

[glacial_queen]

"Jaenelle would never have harmed them," Karla protested. "She shielded everyone so they wouldn't get..."

Soaked.

At his question, Karla shook her head. "It just seemed easier not to," she said, thinking back to her conversation with Dinah. "They sent me here so I would be safe. Telling them I wasn't seemed a fool's plan."

[sith_happened]

"And flinging yourself to the forefront of each bit of weirdness is a strange way to repay them," Anakin countered.

[glacial_queen]

"I don't--" The denial was automatic and Karla swallowed the rest of it back. "I'm not trying to get hurt or killed," she said instead, glancing away. "But I have to do something. And if I'm getting hurt, then someone else isn't."

[sith_happened]

"That's flawed logic," Anakin replied. "You have no way of knowing who would be taking your place. Perhaps they'd be more qualified than you. They wouldn't necessarily be hurt."