Office hours [all day Thursday]

[sith_happened]

True to his word on the radio, Anakin was barricaded in his office with the door shut.

He couldn't, sadly, find any duct tape for his mouth, which meant that anyone walking too near his door was getting a lesson in Huttese curses. Such a full-service educational experience!

Comments

[suitably_heroic]

"Wow, I haven't heard some of those in about five years," Atton called through the door. "Hey, you want a whiskey delivery or not?"

[sith_happened]

"Please, yes, please I'm going to turn into an alcoholic, I swear," Anakin babbled.

[suitably_heroic]

Atton rolled his eyes and gave the door a good shove with the Force, just in case Anakin had been stupid enough to barricade something against it.

He shut the door behind him and put the bottle on the table. "Stop making me feel sorry for you," he said. "I can't make fun of you to your face any more, and I'm even starting to have trouble doing it behind your back."

Then he pulled a face. "Ugh."

[sith_happened]

"Ugh is right," Anakin agreed, reaching for the bottle. "You feel sorry for me. How pathetic am I right now? So, so pathetic."

[suitably_heroic]

"Yeah, on a scale of one to ten, I'd say 'very pathetic'," Atton said. "See, when I was this bad, I just hid in my apartment for months until Sparkle had to come drag me out."

Beat.

"Oh, come on."

[sith_happened]

"Rory won't let me wallow at home," Anakin said. "I get ten minutes, then she lets the toddler loose. It's mean."

[suitably_heroic]

Atton snickered. "See, that's better. That's hilarious, instead of 'watching you slowly tailspin into misery because what's-his-face doesn't love you anymore'."

[nuclear_snide]

Oo, new curses! Bob could always stand to learn new curses.

Plus, he had a couple of things to discuss with the dean.

And since it wasn't like he could knock anyway, Bob was sticking his head through the door. "Hello; have you got a moment?"

[sith_happened]

Anakin let out a startled yelp. "Don't do that without warning!"

[nuclear_snide]

Bob gave him a look. "This is the warning. I could've just strolled right in. I probably would have if I weren't trying to be polite to butter you up."

Well, damn; apparently the island had got to him, too. Bob blinked, then shrugged. It was, after all, true.

[sith_happened]

"Knocking is considered polite when the door's closed," Anakin said snappishly. "I could have been counseling a student! It's not likely, I don't think most of them like me that much, but it could've happened!"

[nuclear_snide]

"I'm not surprised," Bob muttered. He stepped all the way through the door, then reached back and soundlessly knocked his hand through it, giving Anakin a pointed look. "Knock. Knock."

[sith_happened]

"I don't think I want to talk to you," Anakin said, "but come in anyway. I'm paid to deal with this sort of thing."

[solo_sword]

If Jaina was at all affected by this, it'd be impossible for her or anyone else to tell, really. And as she was still on her way back to Coruscant, she hadn't had a chance to blurt everything out to anyone, so.

Obi-wan hasn't killed you, right?

[sith_happened]

Right! I bribed him with tea.

[solo_sword]

That actually works?

[sith_happened]

Think he was humoring me, Anakin sent back. How are you?

[solo_sword]

Everything is stupid. Luke's dumb, I'm dumb, and the Sith suck.

The thing about being bluntly honest almost all the time meant it wasn't till she sent that that she tried to cover with,

How are you?

[sith_happened]

Lonely, guilty, and screwing up every time I lead a class, Anakin replied. Kuso, I hate this day when it shows up.

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

You know what was hard? Working in politics on stupid Truth Day. Rory had resorted to strictly-only-email correspondence within an hour of waking up this morning, after she had taken Juliet to school and told her beloved kindergartener that she was so glad to have a few hours without having to listen to anyone cry about broken graham crackers or sing about the cold not bothering them, anyway.

(Seriously, it had been out for a year. Could her kids not get into some other really annoying thing, please? But still, she maybe shouldn't have actually said that to an already-kind-of-generally-emotional five year-old. There might have to be ice cream to make up for it.)

And that was all before she downloaded today's radio podcast, and thus had to send her poor, beleaguered husband a text.

did you actually tape your mouth shut, sweetie? you know it doesn't really work.

Nine years with Fandom, now. Rory had a pretty good idea of which of these crazy days you usually just had to kind of ride out.

[sith_happened]

Couldn't find the tape anyway, Anakin sent back. Atton brought whiskey?

Because day drinking was a solid choice!

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

oh good. because alcohol never makes anyone even more prone to saying things they shouldn't, or anything.

That wasn't to say it was a bad idea.

[sith_happened]

Gonna say it anyway. Maybe this way I won't remember what I said?

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

we have vodka here, too.

Of course she was working from home. Why in the hell would she have gone outside if not for the kids?

for after bedtime, anyway. i've already traumatized J once.

[sith_happened]

oh no. how badly?