Learning

Chapter 6: Loss

Anakin and Padme were eating their dinner in an uncomfortable silence that had settled over the entire restaurant after Ahsoka's outburst. Padme sipped her wine as Hosin comforted Ashla quietly. "Well, the weather could be nicer, that awful rain has started once more." Padme tried to lighten the tension that had occured since everything but Anakin's fist and jaw were still clenched. "Okay Ani, talk to me. What's going on? You're extremely tense. I know that that family's argument wasn't pleasant however it will be okay." She reached across the table and stroke his hand which earned her a smile from her beloved husband.

He sighed and looked back at Padme. "She's one of my students, one of the people in my Tutor group. Ahsoka Tano, the girl that got injured in my lesson." He looked stressed, nervous and tense all of which were emotions Padme knew how to handle.

"Your Mother, whenever you become upset by her, do you wish for the company of Obi-wan and myself. No, you need time to process your emotions. To be by yourself. Then you seek the company of others. I have a feeling that she is similar." Padme smiled at him while Anakin mulled her words over. "The best thing you can do is to not bring this up tomorrow. Whether or not she knew we were here is irrelevant, you can and will do her the courtesy of letting her forget this night." Their dinner arrived which they both gratefully accepted. "This looks tasty, come on Ani, let's eat." She started to eat her food while Anakin still looked uncomfortable. "Relax, she'll be okay. As sad as it is, I don't think this is the first time something like this has happened." Anakin tried to smile despite his hesitation and managed to find some form of relaxation.

He looked at Padme. "How did you come to be so wise?" Anakin asked with a laugh.

She grinned as she ate her food. "It comes with learning." The couple smiled at each other before they heard the restaurant doorbell ring out. Curious, Anakin saw that no one had entered and the woman two tables over was sat by herself.

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Ahsoka had managed to reach the bus stop in the pouring rain and had felt her anger start to ebb. Her make-up had started to run down her face, making her look like a crazy panda. Her dress also had stuck to her body and made her feel freezing. Tonight really wasn't her night. "Ahsoka!" Someone called her name and she turned around to see Lux running after her.

"Lux! What are you doing here?" She asked him, very confused. She wasn't stupid and therefore could guess why he was here but that just seemed ridiculous.

Lux slowed to a stop beside her. "I wanted to make sure that you were okay. That seemed pretty intense back there and we're friends right? I think that checking on your friends is quite high on the priority list." He smiled at her and noticed that Ahsoka was shivering. "Here." He took off his jacket and passed it to her. "Do you want to talk about it?" They had sat down on the bench now, listening to the rain pound the glass panes of the bus stop.

Ahsoka didn't talk for a moment, focusing on warming up and frankly she didn't want to discuss it. However she did think that it was sweet that he came after her. "Aren't you missing dinner? Won't your Mum be upset that you left her?" Ahsoka didn't want anyone else to suffer from their family.

Lux shook his head and laughed. "Trust me, my Mother will be esctasic that I'm showing the slightest interest in other people. Especially a girl my age." Ahsoka laughed as well although it didn't last long. "Besides, it was only to celebrate my first day at Temple Academy, it was nice. What happened in PE exactly? I forgot what you told me." He ran a hand through his hair and jumped slightly at the sound of the wind but it sounded like it had started to ease.

Ahsoka smiled and patted him on the head. "I tripped over the bucket and needed to go to the nurse. Nothing too serious. Mr Skywalker was very nice about it all. How was your first day?" She noticed that he had blushed slightly from her contact.

Lux cleared his throat. "Well, my lessons were all fine. I knew most of what we were recapping. The teachers liked me, the other students were different to what I'm used to but very friendly. Plus, I met you. That was probably a highlight." Ahsoka was left momentarily speechless as she hadn't realised her friendship meant that much to him. She cursed herself for blushing as the heat rose on the back of her neck and cheeks.

A thought suddenly occured to her. "What school did you use to go to?" She realised that she had forgotten to ask earlier.

Lux grimaced. "An all-boys school that moulded studious, political focussed leaders. I am passionate about politics which sounds strange from a teenage boy but Mother was worried that I was growing up too quickly and wanted to experience things that aren't to do with politics. I wasn't that hesitant about changing schools, I didn't have masses of friends back there or anything else to hold me there so I was looking forward to a change. However we talk quietly in hallways, single file and don't ever interrupt the teacher. We vigorously take notes and are always respectfully on time. These students are not all like that. To be honest, it's a little scary." Ahsoka bit her lip at his honesty and tried to imagine going to a school like he had described. She couldn't.

"Thank you, for coming after me. I wasn't really thinking straight." Ahsoka admitted, finding herself moving closer to him.

If Lux was surprised by her action, he didn't show it. "You're welcome, like I said: What are friends for?" The jacket slipped off her shoulder so Lux quicky reached over and pulled it around it again. "Do you wish I'd given you more time to yourself?" Lux hadn't wanted to halt her emotional process.

Ahsoka thought for a moment. "No, I think that would've only made things worse. I can easily get lost in the past and that isn't always the best thing when thinking about my parents. I know what my limits are and their just going have to fit their new ideas around them. I can't honestly think for the life of me why my mum would ever want us to be with him again. They weren't good together." She snuggled against Lux tracing her finger over her palm, imagining all times they had happily held her hand. Ahsoka hadn't realised she was crying until Lux hugged her tighter and handed her a tissue. "Oh, thank you. God, I shouldn't be sobbing all over you. It was a long time ago." She wiped her eyes while Lux just looked slightly sadly at her. "What?"

He rubbed the back of his neck and gave her a gentle smile. "It's always okay to cry. Especially when people come back and re-surface all the memories you thought that you had buried away." He pulled out his phone and showed her a picture held in the case. "That's my Dad. He was KIA when I was ten. I remember when we had parents' evening and the dads' were all congratulating their sons and I was just filled with this overwhelming feeling of grief. It attacks you when you least expect it. It's strange that you and I both lost a Father but on different ways, right?" He smiled at Ahsoka who suddenly hugged him.

"You're a good friend Lux, and that is a interesting idea." She kissed him on the cheek. "I think I'll wait here for the bus and go to Barriss's home. You can go back to dinner." The rain eased around them and the sky cleared, showing the stars and Moon shining brightly.

Lux smiled whilst blushing. "Thanks but it it's okay with you, I'll wait with you to make sure that you are okay." Ahsoka grinned and snuggled into his arms again.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter, quite a lot of Luxsoka. Yay! I'll update tomorrow again, so that's good. Bye, bye.