driftfleet | (no subject)

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(no subject)

Who: Anakin Skywalker
Broadcast: Fleetwide
Action: Paisley
When: Right meow

There are a lot of questions and interests about other worlds lately. I have one question that I'm interested in right now. [ Alright, Ankain you can do this. Forget about that scolding Obi-Wan voice in your head telling you that the future is always changing. ] Does your universe-- do you believe in fate?

[ Oh, great. It sounds like a load of bantha dung when he actually hears it out loud. Awkwardly: ]

Destiny.

[ That doesn't help, which is fine. It's fine. It goes against the Jedi teachings and feels wrong just saying it. Nevermind that things are different with each universe, so it can't be really applicable, right?

Whatever, roll with it.

He adds, without pause, a completely unnecessary definition. ]

That certain things needs to happen in the future.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Okay.

I'm upset because every time I ask you what's wrong, you change the subject. If it's your responsibility as my husband to try to fix whatever is bothering me, isn't it my duty as your wife to do the same?

Except I didn't change the subject. I answered all your questions as truthfully as I can, but it seems like they're not the answers you are looking for.

What do you really want to ask me?

[ Snappishly: ] Jedi half-truths don't count as the truth, Anakin.

[ Maybe it was a low blow to bring the Jedi into this. She takes a deep breath and eases up. ]

Why do you keep pushing me away? What's hurting you?

[ He barks a laugh, incredulous. ]

You are the last person I would try to push away and I don't know how to convince you of that. All I know is I was the one trying to convince you to be happy with what we have here just a few days ago! And you think I'm the one who's hurting?

[ She pulls her hand away the moment he laughs. She came to comfort him and he's officially reached the end of her patience. ]

You could convince me by talking about yourself. Not me, not us.

[ Comfort he never asked for. He runs his hands through his hair and down his face. ]

I'm afraid I won't be saying what you want to hear.

How am I? I'm doing fine. Why am I asking questions like these? Because I'm curious about how other worlds' destinies end up. What's bothering me? You not being happy, being upset that there's future you might not want to face.

What else do you want me to say?

[ Padmé shakes her head as she stands. Disappointment and hurt fill her heart. ]

I'd be happy to hear that if it were the full truth.

[ She doesn't doubt that it's part of the truth. ]

I want to be there for you in a way I can't back home. But you're not giving me a chance.

[ He's quiet and sounds small for a six foot something ]

You don't trust me.

[ That stops her cold. Too far, a voice whispers. She looks at him, really looks at him, and sees the little boy shivering in the corner of her spaceship. She remembers the promise she made to herself that she would look after him until he found his new home.

Then she became his home. And she thought she could do it if she just loved him enough. But she feels like she falls short. Sister, daughter, friend, queen, senator, aunt. She knows how to be all of those things. "Wife" has proven elusive lately.

Padmé pinches the bridge of her nose and shakes her head. ]

It's not that.

[ He takes a moment before he speaks, retrained ]

Then why would you ask me-- why wouldn't you believe me?

[ She looks at him, compassionate and frustrated all at once. ]

Because there's something that feels off. Everything we've learned, all of those nightmares. Are you really sure you're okay?

[ He rubs his temples and covers his jaw with his hand for a moment. He looks at her as she looks at him, contemplating on relative truths. ]

Those things - they do bother me. But I'm trying to stay in the present and focus on what is in front of me. And you are in front of me. I feel a need to asked these questions sometimes because of all the things I can do here, figuring out what my role is in the greater scheme feels like the only thing I can do.

[ Hands, both mechanical and biological, reach out for her this time. ]

It doesn't mean that I'm going to go off the deep end any time soon.

I never said you were going off the deep end.

[ She doesn't take his hands. She's still a few feet from him, but the gap between them might as well span a star system. Padmé's anger has cooled, but her frustration and concern hasn't. ]

That's not a bad thing. But we have to face it all sooner or later. We need to be clear-headed when we go back.

No, but you're worried I might. If it isn't true, tell me. I'll believe you.

[ There's no lack of vindictiveness in that; he's still willing to believe her even if she doesn't believe him. He holds out his hand a moment longer before dropping it and looks at them. Quietly: ]

I know. I'll do better.

[ If he keeps saying that to her, to Obi-Wan, maybe it'll work. But the voice that tells him you're afraid still lingers, it's followed by a woman's voice - my son my son my son. But that's fainter now, he can live with it. And he has. ]

[ She stares at him, surprised and confused. "I'll believe you" is an obvious dig. ]

You're not going to go crazy, Anakin. I'm worried you'll exhaust yourself, not that you'll go insane.

I won't! [ Desperate, he nearly jumps to his feet in effort to convince her. He calms himself in the last minute and sits back down. ] There is nothing but time here. I have nothing to do but rest and think - really think. I'm not going to go wear myself out. Or insane.

And-- And I have Ahsoka here. I have Obi-Wan. I have you.

[ His reaction makes her think that she's touched a nerve. Maybe it's something that she never even suspected was bothering him.

She frowns. ] Is that what's bothering you? That you're worried that I'll think you're insane?

No. [ He runs his hands through his hair and stands. ] I'm not worried about anything. I just want to be happy with you. There's nothing more to it.

You just don't want to believe it.

Of course I want to believe it. But belief doesn't make it true. I can't ignore the nightmares. I can't pretend nothing's wrong.

The nightmares are temporary. Something happened when Greed was still here. Ahsoka went into his ...soul and got stuck. So we -- me and Obi-Wan went into his soul to get her. It's nothing now. They'll be gone soon.

You went into someone's soul?

It's a concentration of Force energies. It's complicated to explain. That's why I didn't tell you.

Because you assumed I couldn't understand.

Yes, but it's not just that! There's no point in talking about it. It's over. Greed is gone, Ahsoka is safe.

But something happened.