Office hours [all day]

[sith_happened]

Anakin was behind his desk as usual today, working on paperwork, also as usual.

His fingernails were painted bright pink, which...wasn't so usual.

Blame Juliet for that last part.

The door was wide open. Stop by if you'd like.

Comments

[trigons_child]

Raven regretted that she'd fallen out of the habit of seeing Anakin each week because her player was being eaten by flowers or some such nonsense. She'd been fighting with the urge to keep her troubles to herself, but on the other hand she had promised she'd ask Anakin if he'd mind talking to Jono, so early that afternoon she headed down to his office.

"Good afternoon, Professor Skywalker," she said from the doorway. "And I have not had the opportunity to congratulate you on your new position."

[sith_happened]

Anakin glanced up from his paperwork and grinned at her. "Hello, stranger. Come in."

[trigons_child]

She blushed a little at that. "I am sorry I have not been by to visit," she said. "I was away for a time, and things have been...complicated."

Yes, she was staring at your nails, Anakin, but she was politely not commenting on them.

[sith_happened]

Anakin followed her gaze. "Juliet," he said by way of explanation. "How complicated have things been for you?"

[trigons_child]

Raven smiled. "She must think you need a little color in your life," she said. She'd been accosted by friends wielding color enough times in the past herself.

Her smile faded as she answered his question. "Very," she said. "I have been troubled as of late."

[sith_happened]

"Sit down and tell me about it," Anakin replied, looking concerned.

[trigons_child]

Raven settled in a chair, silent for a moment as she tried to collect her thoughts. Where to begin?

"Has there ever been someone you cannot help, no matter how much you want to and no matter how hard you try?" she finally said softly.

[sith_happened]

Anakin nodded. "It was the hardest lesson I ever had to learn," he said softly. "In my arrogance as a younger man, I was sure I could save everyone."

[trigons_child]

"I have learned that lesson," Raven said. She'd failed when she'd tried to heal Jono before, and then Triela, after all. "I know I cannot heal everyone. It is difficult for me to accept, but I cannot deny it is not true. But I hate how helpless I feel to see someone I care for suffering."

[sith_happened]

Anakin nodded. "But people must choose their own paths. You cannot choose it for them, no matter how much you'd like to stop them from hurting."

[trigons_child]

"I am trying," Raven said. "But I find myself saying or doing the wrong thing. I have not been feeling like myself. There is something unsettling me, but I am not entirely certain what it is."

[sith_happened]

Anakin immediately jumped to the worst case scenario: "If Captain Loincloth is back, so help me..."

[trigons_child]

Raven bit her lip. "I have not felt his presence as I used to, but I am concerned," she said. "My brothers, though I have not heard from them in some time, have implied he is not entirely gone. I had thought to send my mind to Trigon's realm to see for myself if he is truly gone or not, but Jono talked me out of that idea."

[solo_sword]

There wouldn't be stopping by, but there would be a call coming in from another galaxy, since it'd been a while since Jaina had called and because spoilers are awesome.

[sith_happened]

"Skywalker," Anakin answered, flipping his comlink open.

[solo_sword]

"Someday someone in this family is going to open with 'hello' and I'm going to have no idea how to respond," Jaina greeted him.

[sith_happened]

"'Wrong number' and hanging up?" he guessed.

[solo_sword]

"Probably stunned silence," she said. "Hi."

[sith_happened]

"Hi," he replied. "How are you?"

[solo_sword]

"Good. It has been quiet, so glad to have something to do," she said. She'd jinxed herself on that one, sure. "How are you?"

[sith_happened]

"Juliet painted my fingernails last night," Anakin said, sounding long-suffering. "With a pink highlighter."

[solo_sword]

"...Not the answer I expected," she said, "but I'm guessing that means you could be better."

[sith_happened]

"It could be worse," Anakin said. "She could have found the glitter."

[solo_sword]

"Ban that from your home," she said quickly.

[sith_happened]

"I would but it's Rory's glitter," Anakin said ruefully.