Office hours

[sith_happened]

Anakin's desk was covered in electronics as he spun a tiny screwdriver between his fingers and consulted his schematics again.

It was easier to keep his mind off of unpleasant thoughts when his hands were busy.

The door was open.

[OOC: What Anakin and Molly talked about NFB, please.]

Comments

[sith_happened]

Anakin did. "I almost surprised you haven't brought in lullabies to sing to me," he teased quietly.

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"I could, but my singing has never soothed much of anyone," she replied. "I could sing one of the songs Mia and Mom used to sing to me when I was little, though."

[sith_happened]

Anakin smiled. "I'd like to hear it," he said. "Who was Mia?"

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

Rory blinked. "I never told you about her? She was the woman who ran the inn where Mom and I stayed until I was seven. She's great. We lived in a shed out back until we could afford our home."

[sith_happened]

Anakin chewed his lip. "You lived in a shed? Why didn't I know about this?"

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"You're not the only one who keeps their early life private," she said, shrugging. "I don't like talking about it."

[sith_happened]

"But it was me," Anakin, poster child for double standards, said, frowning harder.

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"It's fun being on that side of this argument, isn't it?" she asked.

[sith_happened]

Anakin was not going to let a prime chance to beat himself up some more slip past.

"Was I that self-absorbed?" His face went red. "I apologize."

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"No," she said, shaking her head emphatically. "I just - I don't remember a lot of it, and saying, 'Hey, I spent my earliest years living in a small shed while my mother worked as a maid and we were poor as dirt,' just feels like such a pity party. It never came up. If it had, I would have told you, but it's not something I tell people on my own."

[sith_happened]

Anakin was clearly a little hurt. He tried to pretend he wasn't.

He failed miserably.

"I wasn't exactly the poster boy for happy childhood memories," he said softly. "I would've understood."

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"It wasn't unhappy for me," she clarified, trying to make him feel better. "I was little. I know it kind of sucked for Mom, but Mia was great and I was fine. It's talking about it now that just makes me feel...whiny. I don't want anyone to feel like it's a ploy for attention, that's all."

[sith_happened]

"I'd never think that," Anakin said softly, "so tell me about it?"

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

Rory shrugged. "Mia's wonderful. She lives in one of the Carolina's now, after she left and Mom started running the inn. She took Mom in when she was sixteen and I was three months old. Mom couldn't take anymore of Grandma."

[sith_happened]

"I can see how that could happen," Anakin said wryly. "Your grandmother's not the most...forgiving...woman. So that's how you arrived in Stars Hollow?"

He had begun scooting his chair around the desk, trying to get a little closer to Rory.

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

Rory nodded. "As opposed to Hartford. Mom just left and stayed the first place she found work."

[sith_happened]

"That wasn't her parents' hometown?" Anakin guessed. "Because I can understand that appaeal."

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

Rory smiled. "And then we didn't see Grandma or Grandpa for a very long time. Mia was the closest I had to a grandmother when I was small, even though she couldn't have been more than thirty-something."

[sith_happened]

"I'm not ready to be a grandfather," Anakin said quickly. "Be sure to pass that along to Luke." He smiled. "She sounds wonderful."

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"She's great," Rory said with a nod. "And like I said, I think Luke's sworn off all activities that may vault you into grandparenthood."

[sith_happened]

"It'll make him a better Jedi than I was," Anakin decided, then moved back to the more important conversation.

"So tell me more about Mia," he said.

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

She smiled. "There's not much to tell. She ran the inn, she's very motherly and kind of...matter-of-fact. She's the reason my mom grew up, aside from the fact that she had a baby to watch out for. She's the reason we turned out okay."

[sith_happened]

"That seems like a lot to tell to me," Anakin said, smiling softly.

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

Rory shrugged again, shy. "Maybe you'll meet her someday, or something," she said.

[sith_happened]

"I'd like that," Anakin said, and there was that flash of something back in his eyes again.