Office hours [Tuesday, October 31, all day]

[sith_happened]

Like Vader had anything better to be doing.

He was in his office ignoring the notes he'd taken on the last few weeks of Ethics, focused on moving the sand of his Zen garden into a new and complicated pattern.

Hurt - Johnny Cash

Comments

[sith_happened]

"No," Vader replied flatly. "I will be at home."

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"With your boyfriend?" Rory asked, eyes wide. "How romantic!"

[sith_happened]

Vader slapped his gloved hand down hard on the desk. "I don't have a boyfriend," he snarled.

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

Rory blinked. "But Blair's article said so."

[sith_happened]

"Blair was mistaken," Vader gritted out.

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"But I ran the interview and I don't print libel," Rory said seriously. "So it must at least partially be true."

[sith_happened]

"It's not," Vader snapped. "I live in a house with several roommates. One of whom is V. That is all we have in common."

Well, other than the same taste in women to pine over, but he was certainly not about to mention that.

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"You both wear masks," she pointed out. "And you dress alike. Sometimes couples like to match."

[sith_happened]

Vader snorted. It sounded very strange coming from the mask.

"I'm not that type."

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

Rory raised a brow. "Then what type are you?"

[sith_happened]

Vader bit back a "you'd know," and instead chose, "the type who's alone."

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"It's fun, isn't it?" she asked, watching him. "Being alone. Though I suppose it's by choice in your case, and not because your companionship was taken away."

[sith_happened]

The empty coffee mug on Vader's desk smashed into a hundred pieces.

"Don't talk about something you don't understand," he snarled.

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"Make me understand," she challenged. "You can't deny speculation without giving a solid answer."

[sith_happened]

Even after almost twenty years, Padme was a wound that wasn't even close to healing.

"No!" he shouted, sending a lamp flying towards the wall.

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

Rory watched the lamp fly, trying to look as calm and collected as possible.

"I was right, then," she whispered. And more loudly, "I'm sorry."

[sith_happened]

"Get out!" Vader shouted, whirling around and looking for something else to throw. If he wasn't as upset as he had been about Rory's necklace, it was still pretty close.

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

Rory backed up towards the door, and today, the look in her eyes wasn't anger or hatred or any of the other blinding emotions she was faced with when she butted heads with Vader.

It was pity.

"I'm sorry," she said again, reaching outside the door. "I brought you cookies, if you want to share with your housemates."

[sith_happened]

Vader abrubtly spun in his chair so that he was facing away from her and ignored her completely.

The way he'd moved made certain that when he dropped his helmeted head to rest in his hands, no one would be able to see it.

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

Rory took the opportunity to run and place the plate of cookies on his desk before retreating out the door again with another, "I'm sorry."

It was all she could think to say.