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[sith_happened]

Anakin was staring intently into space, lost in the memories of the weekend.

Not that he'd tell you that.

Nope.

The door was cracked open.

Delicate - Damien Rice

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[sith_happened]

"I don't know," Anakin said, "but I imagine it was to save you this kind of awkwardness."

[remember5th.livejournal.com]

"I don't really understand how this happened," she said, shaking her head. "I'm sorry. I've known loss. And a constant reminder like me must be...either horrible, or wonderful."

Her heart still caught in her throat when she saw Guy Fawkes masks.

[sith_happened]

Anakin gave her a grateful look. "It depends on the moment. You're very different people, but you have the same smile."

[remember5th.livejournal.com]

"Don't say funny things around me," she said, barely refraining from smiling at him.

[sith_happened]

"Oh, ask around," Anakin replied, eyes twinkling. "I have absolutely no sense of humor."

[remember5th.livejournal.com]

"Luke said as much," she said, nodding.

[sith_happened]

Anakin frowned. "He did?"

[remember5th.livejournal.com]

"Something like that," she said with a shrug.

[sith_happened]

"I can be funny," Anakin insisted.

[remember5th.livejournal.com]

"Sure you can," she said, nodding.

She didn't really believe that.

[sith_happened]

"I made her laugh," Anakin said.

It came out a lot more wistfully than he'd prefer.

[remember5th.livejournal.com]

"...is there any way I can help?" she offered quietly.

[sith_happened]

Anakin shook his head. "This all happened a long time ago," he said. "I'd prefer we never talk about it, really."

[remember5th.livejournal.com]

She nodded. "I understand." She struggled to find the words, and added, "I lost someone very important last year, and due to the circumstances, I was constantly asked about him. It's wearing."

[sith_happened]

Anakin nodded. "I'm sorry for your loss," he said, and really meant it.

[remember5th.livejournal.com]

She shrugged. "He died for a cause. Because of his work, and what he laid out for me to do, our world is better." She sighed, folding her arms around herself. "But that didn't make seeing Guy Fawkes everywhere for weeks after any easier, emotionally, I guess. Which I don't think he would have wanted, but I can't help it."

[sith_happened]

Anakin stared. "That's why you..." he murmured. "You knew V."

[remember5th.livejournal.com]

Evey stared.

"...what?" she whispered.

[sith_happened]

"He taught here a year ago. Or a version of him did," Anakin continued quietly. "We were friends."

Sort of.

[remember5th.livejournal.com]

"He...what? No, no, no, a year ago he was dead," she protested. She wasn't really thinking straight, the revelation having sent her reeling.

[sith_happened]

Anakin moved to the chair next to hers and scooted it a little closer. "Time works strangely here."

He didn't really think she was processing anything he was saying.

[remember5th.livejournal.com]

"You knew him?" she asked shakily. "You knew him. He taught here? He was a teacher? He was here? Why? How?"

[sith_happened]

Anakin rested his hand in grasping distance but didn't push the contact.

"Breathe, Evey," he said softly. "He kept a lot of his reasons to himself."

[remember5th.livejournal.com]

"Of course he did," she said, mostly to herself, and shook her head. "He always did. I don't even know his real name. I...he's why everything changed. I didn't know he'd been here."

Already, Fandom was looking better.

[sith_happened]

"He didn't tell me much at all," Anakin said, "but he did mention you."