sith_happened | Office hours [all day]

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Office hours [all day]

Anakin was in his office before workshops began, sipping coffee and staring into space.

Literally.

He'd gotten his miniature version of his galaxy up and running again.

If he seemed to be spending a great deal of time staring at a small volcanic planet, then at the calendar on his desk, well, he wasn't going to explain himself.

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Anakin gave a soft laugh. "Noted," he said. "Did you go into the wrong closet? Or just wake up an owl?"

"Just woke up," she replied, then added thoughtfully. "I miss it a little. Life was easy."

"There's something to be said for only having your own thoughts in your head," Anakin agreed, "and no worries about classes or relationships or paying the bills."

River nodded, then half a smile appeared on her face. "But you said keeping the thoughts of others out of your head is at least possible." She chuckled. "Unlike classes and relationships and bills."

"Those last few you can avoid by becoming a hermit, but it seems a little...extreme," Anakin agreed. "The first one we can work on right now if you'd like."

"Being human requires company. Not the only requirement, but an important one." She shifted a little nervously from one foot to the other. "I'd like that," she said in reply.

Anakin gave her a soft smile. "We'll start slow," he promised. "When you try to read my mind, you hit a barrier. It keeps my thoughts in my head and out of yours. It also keeps everyone else's thoughts out unless I want them to be there. Think of a big wall," he said, "one that's high and unclimbable. And I'll try to get through it."

She knew the barrier Anakin kept around himself, sensing it quite clearly whenever he was around. Her eyes half closed, she tried to do the same, imagining a steel wall protecting her. It shifted unsteadily in her mind as her thoughts drifted around it, deforming slightly.

Anakin closed his eyes, reached out and tried to poke the wall. Hello?

His thought was faint, but still there, pushing at the wall and making it close in on River. She gasped, suddenly feeling claustrophobic.

Anakin pulled back immediately. "It's fine," he said, sending a soothing wave of emotion towards her. "It's a tough thing to learn."

"Choking me," River said quietly, the emotions she felt from him calming her a little. "Try again?"

She wasn't one to give up that easily.

"The wall," Anakin said, nodding. "Try something a little less...crushing? A trampoline? The boundary can stretch without breaking."

River closed her eyes and thought for a moment. A wall of elastic fabric came into her mind, and she imagined it wrapping around her. It muffled the information from outside, leaving her with her own mind.

Again Anakin closed his eyes and reached out. Hello?

She could still hear him, but it was a lot fainter. The words tried to get through the barrier, but the soft imaginary fabric proved stronger than it looked. "Bouncing back?" River opened her eyes, but the shield was still visible in her mind.

"A little," Anakin said, smiling wide and let his pride in her radiate out. "Well done. Again?"

She smiled back, momentarily forgetting the shield. It faded and she could sense the pride he felt. Once again she imagined the fabric around her, this time trying to make it thicker. "Now?"

Anakin repeated the same feather-light touch. Hello?

It was faint and River might have missed it if it wasn't for the movement in the shield around her. She smiled a little. "It's quiet. Almost inaudible."

"Good," Anakin said, giving her another pleased smile. "You keep your thoughts in the same way. They bounce back off the inside of the trampoline and stay just for you."

River found that the barrier kept slipping as soon as she didn't focus on it. "Will practise," she said. "Thank you."

"Any time," Anakin replied with a smile. "Keep practicing, and when you feel up for it come back and I'll get a little louder. We'll see how well you do."

"Thank you," River repeated, rising to her feet. The intense concentration had made her more tired than she'd been aware of, and she didn't want Anakin to notice. "And I'll see you tomorrow in class."

Anakin nodded. "Get some sleep," he counseled quietly.

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moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com - 2007-08-02 21:04 (UTC) - Expand

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