Office hours [all day]

[sith_happened]

Anakin was in his office after his weekly meeting with Ben, per usual, but this time we was sitting cross-legged on the floor putting together a very large, synthflesh-covered nanny droid.

No one had ever accused him of having a normal home life, no.

The door was open.

Comments

[solo_sword]

"..." She didn't want to know. "And they base a holiday around this?"

[sith_happened]

"Yes," Anakin said. "And look forward to it!"

[solo_sword]

Jaina frowned. A lot. "I think I have to be very careful saying something insulting about the holiday to his family."

Jaina, no. You are not allowed to be cheerful about a holiday in which you think a miniature god delivered a fat man unto himself to stalk children to see whether they deserve a present or not.

[sith_happened]

"It's something they've grown up with," Anakin said, nodding. "They don't think it's weird. Be diplomatic."

[solo_sword]

Jaina snorted. "I'll be too busy trying not to Force-thwap Nancy as me trying to be diplomatic. I don't think I can do both."

[sith_happened]

"Who's Nancy?" Anakin asked.

[solo_sword]

"Family friend," she said, and hey, she could be diplomatic. "She kept showing up for John here, and now we're BFF's!"

No, really, the fake perky tone Jaina could take on when talking about Nancy was a little disturbing.

[sith_happened]

"That's a really disturbing tone," Anakin commented. "Not a fan, I take it."

[solo_sword]

"I'd like to hit her till she cries."

[sith_happened]

"So, once?" Anakin guessed with a tight smile.

[solo_sword]

Jaina scowled. "And then she'd go running to John's dad and I'm trying to make a good impression."

[sith_happened]

"And John's father would be impressed by a whiny tattletale who doesn't know when to duck?"

[solo_sword]

"Probably." She shrugged. "I play nice."

She paused.

"As nice as possible."

[sith_happened]

"If she pushes you too far, she gets what she deserves," Anakin said unsympathetically. "Some people don't get the point until they've been hit."

What an excellent role model he was.

[solo_sword]

"And then I look like a bad guy to people who matter much more? I'm not giving her that," she reasoned.

[sith_happened]

"So you'll just sit there and seethe while she makes cracks at you the entire time?" Anakin asked. "How is that fun for you?"

[solo_sword]

"I don't care that that part's not fun," Jaina said, frowning. "John's the only one I really care about. His family and that particular thorn in my side are part of the package. And if ignoring her best I can makes things easier for all involved, then I guess I'll just have to work on my impulse control."

[sith_happened]

Anakin gave her a small smile. "Like me with Rory's grandparents."

[solo_sword]

"And I'm guessing you don't hit them," she said. At least he wasn't telling her to get her anger in check yadda yadda dark side?

[sith_happened]

"Her grandfather and I get along," Anakin replied. "And her grandmother, while occasionally in desperate need of a good shake--she thought we got married because Rory was pregnant!--well. She's old."

[solo_sword]

"And here I'd think you'd get along just fine then." Said totally innocently, of course.

[sith_happened]

Anakin snorted. "You're more observant than that."

[solo_sword]

"I do seem to remember you once yelling at John in a lecture because he and I'd had kids in an alternate universe where we were married... Yeah, can't imagine how I'd think that."

[sith_happened]

Anakin pursed his lips. "They're old. I'm not. Being a great-grandfather isn't on my agenda for many, many years."

[solo_sword]

"You're up there. And you do realize that's not up to you, right?" Not that she was planning on it anytime soon, but um.