The Perk [all morning]

[sith_happened]

Anakin was in the back corner of the Perk, holding the World's Largest Cup of black coffee between his hands and staring at the snow outside.

Maybe his arrival had gone unnoticed and he could have a quiet morning by himself to acclimate.

[OOC: But of course I'm not expecting that to happen. Chat away!]

Comments

[auroryborealis]

Rory had had a tough night, but thankfully, she had slept.

That said, she still woke earlier than usual, and still needed coffee. With Luke still sleeping in her bed, she had carefully crawled out, gotten dressed, and toddled down to the Perk - looking a bit healthier than she had recently, but still sleepy.

It was only after she'd ordered the largest mocha she could find and a muffin that she noticed anyone else there. (It is Rory and coffee, after all. Anakin or no, she's got a one-track mind.)

So she said the only appropriate thing. "Hi."

[sith_happened]

"Good morning," Anakin replied politely.

[auroryborealis]

"How are you?" she asked after a moment.

[sith_happened]

"Better now," he replied softly.

Oops.

Covering quickly, he picked up his mug. "I have coffee."

[auroryborealis]

Rory nodded, watching him carefully. She got the barista's attention, murmured something and handed over some money.

With that, she now had two muffins as well as her own coffee, and timidly walked over to Anakin's table.

"You need to eat," she said softly, handing over a muffin and awkwardly standing.

[sith_happened]

"I haven't been that hungry," he told her, beginning to turn the muffin into crumbs.

[auroryborealis]

"Look, I realize this is a bit of a role reversal, but you need to eat something," Rory replied stubbornly, shifting from one foot to the other.

[sith_happened]

"Will you join me?" he asked.

[auroryborealis]

Rory paused. "Okay," she said after a hair too long to really be comfortable, and sat down.

[sith_happened]

Anakin sat in silence and sipped at his coffee, pausing every now and then to almost meet her eyes.

[auroryborealis]

"I would say I'm sorry for hitting you, but I'm not," Rory finally said. "I do think I could've reacted more maturely, though."

[sith_happened]

"I deserved it," Anakin said flatly, staring into his coffee. "I spent more than half of my life making people miserable."

[auroryborealis]

"Yeah," Rory agreed. "I still don't get what happened. Or...you know, how to react."

She was taking his attention to his coffee as an invitation to study his features. She'd look away if he caught her.

[sith_happened]

"That makes two of us," Anakin told his drink, not noticing Rory's study of him.

"I feel like I'm in a freefall," he said quietly, "and I'm not sure I'm going to survive the crash."

[auroryborealis]

"You're going to be fine," Rory said, her instinct to take care of him taking over. "I mean, assuming you're who you say you are and you aren't fooling Luke somehow."

Her words might have been harsh, but her heart clearly wasn't in it.

[sith_happened]

Anakin shook his head. "Luke's more perceptive than I am," he said. "Trust his instincts. Don't trust mine. I certainly don't."