Office hours [all day]

[sith_happened]

Normal people would use a week off of classes as a reason not to hold office hours but Anakin had never been accused of being a normal person.

He was in his office as usual, working on ideas for his new class.

The door was open.

Comments

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

Max knew he should probably have hunted Anakin down before this. Because if he hadn't heard about what had happened to Raven yet, she was bound to tell him soon. Better the hotheaded idiot hear it from Max first.

Right?

Right.

Hence the knock at Anakin's doorframe.

[sith_happened]

Anakin hadn't heard anything yet, and it felt strange to just greet Max with a hello like a normally socialized person instead of punching him in the face.

He settled for a "Yes?" and a slightly irritated glare instead.

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

"Got a minute?" That was it. Just keep things casual. That was totally believable.

[sith_happened]

"Perhaps," Anakin answered cautiously. It wasn't like he and Max were the types to catch a movie and a beer together. "What do you need?"

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

"I think we should talk." Look at that, they'd exchanged at least a dozen words and he hadn't gotten punched! A new record.

"About Raven."

[sith_happened]

"What did you do?" Anakin demanded.

Mmm, that was nice and rational.

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

Max simply raised an eyebrow. "A bit quick to accuse me, aren't you?"

Not that Anakin wasn't right to do so, but... it was the principle of the thing.

[sith_happened]

"I have a bad feeling about you," Anakin said flatly.

Based, it must be admitted, mostly on dislike, but there was a little bit of a Force-nudge there too.

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

"I don't know what that says about your judgment."

Max stepped into the office and eyed a chair. "Mind if I sit?" It said something that he actually paused to wait for Anakin's answer rather than just sitting.

[sith_happened]

"If you must," Anakin said, gesturing to the chair across from his desk. "What's on your mind?"

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

Max settled into the chair and took a moment to gather his thoughts before he spoke. "Has she mentioned what happened at Aphrodite's last week?"

Preamble? That was for people who's most enduring relationship trait was something other than face-punching.

[sith_happened]

"Not yet," Anakin said. "She generally shows up some time soon. I heard something on the radio and I'm anxious to get the full story."

The look he fixed Max with was asking for details.

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

Well. That probably explained the lack of face-punching so far.

"It was... bad." Max cocked his head. "You know about her... other side?" That was a polite way of saying 'demon' there. Max asked because he hadn't known, and if Anakin didn't, he wasn't sharing.

[trigons_child]

Raven, alas, had no idea that Max had been to see Anakin before she checked to see if he was in his office as usual despite the break. She was pleased to find him there. "Hello, Professor Skywalker," she greeted him. "I was uncertain as to whether you would still have your office hours this week, but I am pleased to see you."

[sith_happened]

"Sit down," Anakin commanded, pointing to the chair (that he'd cleaned after Max left, yes. Blood on leather was soooo tacky).

[trigons_child]

Raven gave him a puzzled look but did as she was told. "Is something wrong?" she said.

[sith_happened]

"You tell me," Anakin said. "Max stopped by."

[trigons_child]

Raven stiffened. She had asked Karla not to tell Anakin or Andy what had happened, but she hadn't thought she needed to tell Max. "What did he tell you?" she asked quietly.

[sith_happened]

"Does it matter?" he replied, answering a question with a question the way Obi-Wan used to.

It drove him crazy at the time, but he didn't see why that was relevant now. "What happened?"

[trigons_child]

"Lady Aphrodite was not herself," Raven said, folding her hands in her lap. "We were able to restore her, and she is well now. It was not without difficulty but I am fine."

[sith_happened]

Anakin arched up his eyebrows. "You lost control."

[trigons_child]

"I did," Raven said unhappily. It stung her pride to have to admit that. "I was not strong enough to channel the rage of a goddess."

[sith_happened]

"Repeat that," Anakin said, "and really listen to what you just said."

[trigons_child]

"I was not strong enough to channel the rage of a goddess," Raven obeyed. "I did not realize just how angry she was. I should have known better."

It was all Karla's fault, really.

[sith_happened]

Anakin sighed. "You didn't think that maybe trying to match powers with a goddess might be a fool's errand?"

Not that it was going to stop him for even a second from marching down to yell at Aphrodite when he had a chance, but that was him. He was hoping his students were smarter than him.