Office hours [all day]

[sith_happened]

The Emperor had woken Vader up before dawn.

Again.

And demanded he come back to check on the Death's Star's progress.

Again.

Which meant Vader would be spending days stuffed into his TIE fighter and flying out to Endor.

Again.

So he was in a pissy mood.

Again.

[OOC: Door's closed, post's open! Contents of conversation with Rory and Aeryn are NFB! Void where prohibited, sales tax applicable in Washington State...]

The Undeveloped Story - Anberlin

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[can_be_more]

It's office hours, so Aeryn's at the door, knocking to see if he's there. Though she's in a much better mood than last week, so this should be interesting.

[sith_happened]

"Come in, Miss..." Vader trailed off. "Aeryn."

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

Rory hadn't slept. She hadn't eaten. She'd spent the day working on this problem the best way she knew how. So...girl's a mess.

As a result, when she finally came to the door and leaned against the frame, she...was not really looking her best. She was exhausted and drawn-looking, and if it were possible for her to be paler, she was.

"Hey."

[sith_happened]

Dark Lords don't feel guilt.

So Vader ignored that stomach-clenching feeling when he looked up and saw Rory.

"Come in," he said, his tone much less abrasive than normal.

His mind whirled as he searched for other people to blame this on.

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"How're you?" she asked politely, stepping in and shutting the door behind her.

[sith_happened]

Full of anger and self-loathing.

"Same as always," Vader said, waving her towards the creaky chair.

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

Rory sat but showed no sign of actually relaxing. "That's nice. Are you doing anything for Valentine's Day?"

[sith_happened]

Vader shook his head.

"You?"

He hadn't heard anything on the radio, but that didn't mean Rory hadn't moved on again...

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

She gave him a look. "I'm a little bit hung up on someone, still. I don't have a date or anything, no."

[sith_happened]

"You should order food with sticks," Vader suggested quietly, not quite believing he was saying it. "And then dump glitter on the delivery boy."

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

She almost smiled, and looked down before he could see the tears. "I don't think I can quite replicate the rest of that night. Nor do I want to. It was perfect. This year, I'll probably spend it with Vladdie and a book."

[sith_happened]

"Your books haven't taken over the entire floor yet?" Vader asked.

He was teasing her.

What was wrong with him today?

It certainly wasn't that he didn't like to see her cry. He was evil. Evil evil evil.

And he'd repeat that as often as necessary until he believed it again.

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

That got a laugh.

"I have shelves. And I sent some back to Stars Hollow with Mom and Luke."

[sith_happened]

"It must have been difficult to choose among them," Vader commented.

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"Especially difficult considering I chose to keep a full collection of Shakespeare's plays piled in my corner. There isn't room for them on the shelves."

[sith_happened]

Vader's head snapped up, but he kept his tone carefully neutral. "Did you?"

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

She nodded, watching him.

[sith_happened]

"You always enjoyed Shakespeare," he said, and that was as close to admitting anything as he was going to get.

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"Yes. And I never did say thank you," she said, and that was as much as she was going to push it.

[sith_happened]

Vader turned his head away again, searching for a subject change.

"You look tired" wouldn't work.

But it was the only thing he could think of, so he said it.

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"I'm not," she lied. "And why would it matter if I were?"

[sith_happened]

Vader ignored the lie.

"Just tell me it's not because of me."

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

Rory burst into hysterical, uncontrollable laughter.

"What else would it be?"

[sith_happened]

Vader knew it had been a dumb thing to ask.

"Classes," he insisted stubbornly. "Maybe Harvard rejected you. Or Xander and Bridge are getting married and didn't invite you. It didn't have to be about me."

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"If Harvard had rejected me, I wouldn't be here," she pointed out. "You attest to knowing me better than that. And Xander and Bridge can't get married. Bridge is still a minor and same-sex marriage is still illegal in the state of Virginia. Of course it's about you. And don't you start with the lecturing about how I need to eat and sleep."