Office hours [all day]

[sith_happened]

Anakin was putting together a list of potential gifts for Rory.

But that would hardly do wonders for his reputation as a badass. If anyone came in, he'd look like he was rereading the notes he'd made on last week's Ethics assignment as drum-intensive music from Endor played in the background.

The door was open.

Get Together - Indigo Girls

Comments

[solo_sword]

"Unfortunately right now, it's sort of the same thing," she said. "Which Uncle Luke hates, but that's the way it has to be to get anything done."

[sith_happened]

"I'll bet he does," Anakin said quietly. "Is that compromise actually helping anything?"

[solo_sword]

"It means the politicians think it's easier to use us," she said. "Which means they're surprised and offended whenever we turn them down. But it also means we know where the trouble spots are and where we're most needed. With organization comes strings, apparently."

[sith_happened]

Anakin nodded thoughtfully. "The Council worked that way with the Senate during the Clone Wars."

He paused. "Which is probably not the most reassuring example."

[solo_sword]

"It's okay, I hate the Chief of State. That comparison just gives me more foundation for it," she assured him.

[sith_happened]

"Hate?" Anakin repeated carefully.

[solo_sword]

"I'm not going to cut him down and take over," she said dryly. "I'd just like to maybe slap him once."

[sith_happened]

"I get twitchy with that word," Anakin admitted.

[solo_sword]

"I noticed," she said, admittedly a little surprised by it. "I'll reign it in next time."

[sith_happened]

"When I said it, I meant it," Anakin said quietly, "and the last time I used it, I was screaming it at Obi-Wan."

He shrugged, obviously uncomfortable. "I don't use it any more."

[solo_sword]

She always wondered about that, given the way he talked about Obi-wan versus how Obi-wan died, but also didn't want to ask, since they'd only been talking civilly for a little while. "It can just be a word," she said quietly.

[sith_happened]

"It's a powerful word," Anakin said, meeting her eyes.

[solo_sword]

"Only with intent," she said, not entirely sure why she was arguing this, but this time she wasn't doing it to argue.

[sith_happened]

"I don't say things I don't mean," Anakin replied.

[solo_sword]

"Ever?" she asked, though she was pretty sure he was serious.

[sith_happened]

"I really try not to," he said. "Think of it as a defensive mechanism from spending so much time around politicians and Jedi who talked in circles."

[solo_sword]

"I'd think it would be easier to do then," she admitted. "Since everyone else does it."

[sith_happened]

"Plus it has the added benefit of confusing people who are used to looking for the hidden meanings in everything. They're always surprised when I do what I said I'd do."

[solo_sword]

"You have a point there. It's like verbal trickery through honesty."

[sith_happened]

"I learned from the best," Anakin said. "Obi-Wan didn't think I was listening because I didn't do everything the way he did."

[solo_sword]

"He kind of seemed to have his own take on how to do things, from what I've heard," she told him. Yes, she was curious.

[sith_happened]

Anakin smiled at her. "I could list on one hand the things Obi-Wan and I ever agreed on, but we were closer than brothers."

[solo_sword]

"I don't hear a lot about that," Jaina said. "I mean, it's not like Uncle Luke has a lot of information, and a lot of the pieces are just starting to fall together. I always knew you were friends, but..."

[sith_happened]

"He was my master," Anakin said quietly, "after my first one was killed by a Sith Lord no one even remembers any more. He'd just been promoted to being a Jedi Knight, so we really grew up together, him learning to be a master, me learning to be a knight...it was a disaster."

[solo_sword]

She couldn't argue that, given the outcome. "But it had to have worked for a while, right?"