[ Her words are aggravating, but also numbing. Every word, every sentence another painful stab followed by a twist of this very metaphorical knife. A knife stabbed into him by the child he has been looking forward to embrace and protect and raise.
As she speaks, that specter from Galen's vision appears back in his memories. He can practically see that dark, menacing figure performing all those things Leia accuses him of. He can see it and it makes him feel sick. Sick and numb and somehow, somehow he even understands... But he doesn't want to understand. He doesn't want to simply accept all that hatred. He's stubbornly clinging to his anger even as most other emotions of his are slowly being muted away their effects fading and even colors and sound dulling out around him.
But it's also anger that's slowly being redirected at himself.
Himself, who instead of protecting his children, will hurt them in so many ways. Instead of being a loving father, he will bring fear and terror and pain. Now his own daughter hates him... And it hurts. It hurts.
Anakin feels his own throat constricting, finding himself unable to breathe. He also notices his hand by his side, slowly opening and closing, and he knows that he's strangling himself.
Because he can't bring himself to do it to her.
He opens his mouth to speak, but no sound comes out. No further yelling and no further threats. The glare remains, but it's less furious and more desperate.
Why. Why? Why??
Why is this happening and why can't he even keep his family safe? Why does he have to accept that Bail Organa takes what should be rightfully his? This can't be true. None of this can be true. It's a joke, right? A terrible, a cruel joke. A cruel joke wearing a massive, black armor.
He wants to argue, but he can't. He wants to insist, but he can't do that either. First and foremost, however, he can't breathe. ]
[Leia either doesn't notice or doesn't care that Anakin appears to be choking himself through the force. His lack of a response does nothing for her anger, in fact, only making it worse. Not because she wants to hear or would believe any excuses from him, but because she expects him to say something. To give some indication that anything she just said sunk in.
She doesn't back down, and her gaze does not leave him. Nor does the temperature cool down any.]
I want you to leave me and my family alone. I want you as far away from us as physically possible here.
[there's anger, hatred, and even a tinge of fear lacing those words as she spits them out. She doesn't expect Anakin to care about what she wants regarding him, he never has before. But continuing to make her point known is worth it.]
There's no possible way for you to understand how even knowing your existence has destroyed everything. Any credibility I have and any trust others have in me to fairly rebuild the republic will vanish the instant this leaks back home. Because who would trust Darth Vader's daughter in any position of responsibility in the new government?
[she exhales an angry, shaky breath, in a futile attempt to calm herself down as she continues.]
I want you to leave. I never want to hear from you or see your face again. You've done enough.
[ He can sense her anger as well as her hate, but ultimately it's that bit of fear that gets to him the most and only has his throat close off further. His own daughter.... Fears him. Him and what he might do to the family that wasn't his.
Anakin wants to wince, but he can't. He opens his mouth again, lips moving in a futile attempt to speak and he knows his mechanical arm by his side is clenched into a tight fiat by now, making it impossible for him to breathe at all.
He can practically hear the noise of a respirator sounding steadily in his ears.
It's then that his vision begins to darken. Leia's words still ring in his head even as he crumbles to the floor, his consciousness slipping in response to his subconsciousness taking away his air.
no subject
As she speaks, that specter from Galen's vision appears back in his memories. He can practically see that dark, menacing figure performing all those things Leia accuses him of. He can see it and it makes him feel sick. Sick and numb and somehow, somehow he even understands... But he doesn't want to understand. He doesn't want to simply accept all that hatred. He's stubbornly clinging to his anger even as most other emotions of his are slowly being muted away their effects fading and even colors and sound dulling out around him.
But it's also anger that's slowly being redirected at himself.
Himself, who instead of protecting his children, will hurt them in so many ways. Instead of being a loving father, he will bring fear and terror and pain. Now his own daughter hates him... And it hurts. It hurts.
Anakin feels his own throat constricting, finding himself unable to breathe. He also notices his hand by his side, slowly opening and closing, and he knows that he's strangling himself.
Because he can't bring himself to do it to her.
He opens his mouth to speak, but no sound comes out. No further yelling and no further threats. The glare remains, but it's less furious and more desperate.
Why. Why? Why??
Why is this happening and why can't he even keep his family safe? Why does he have to accept that Bail Organa takes what should be rightfully his? This can't be true. None of this can be true. It's a joke, right? A terrible, a cruel joke. A cruel joke wearing a massive, black armor.
He wants to argue, but he can't. He wants to insist, but he can't do that either. First and foremost, however, he can't breathe. ]
no subject
She doesn't back down, and her gaze does not leave him. Nor does the temperature cool down any.]
I want you to leave me and my family alone. I want you as far away from us as physically possible here.
[there's anger, hatred, and even a tinge of fear lacing those words as she spits them out. She doesn't expect Anakin to care about what she wants regarding him, he never has before. But continuing to make her point known is worth it.]
There's no possible way for you to understand how even knowing your existence has destroyed everything. Any credibility I have and any trust others have in me to fairly rebuild the republic will vanish the instant this leaks back home. Because who would trust Darth Vader's daughter in any position of responsibility in the new government?
[she exhales an angry, shaky breath, in a futile attempt to calm herself down as she continues.]
I want you to leave. I never want to hear from you or see your face again. You've done enough.
no subject
Anakin wants to wince, but he can't. He opens his mouth again, lips moving in a futile attempt to speak and he knows his mechanical arm by his side is clenched into a tight fiat by now, making it impossible for him to breathe at all.
He can practically hear the noise of a respirator sounding steadily in his ears.
It's then that his vision begins to darken. Leia's words still ring in his head even as he crumbles to the floor, his consciousness slipping in response to his subconsciousness taking away his air.
And then everything goes black.
He has done enough. ]