fandomhigh | Flight and Flying [Thursday, August 9, 3rd period]

Anakin didn't apologize for his behavior, you know, ever.

Which was why his gaze was just as sharp ever as he looked at the students when they gathered in the Danger Shop. And if he didn't make eye contact with Rory, well, these things happen.

"Today we're going to try something a little different," he said quietly, pointing to two motorcycle-esque machines hovering before him. "This is a swoop bike," he said, pointing to one, "and the one on the left is a speeder bike, the slightly newer model, which is also equipped with a laser cannon. Don't use the laser cannon. Both fly like the motorcycles of this world drive, but can get up to 400 kilometers an hour. That being said, you will be wearing helmets --" fortunately for the class, much more attractive than the Nubian ones from the previous week, "--and there are two different scenarios based on your level of skill. One is a desert planet with nothing to hit. The second is a forest moon with trees hundreds of meters tall."

He glanced around at them. "Please don't hit a tree and explode. I don't care that it won't actually kill you. There'd be paperwork and I don't feel like dealing with That Woman today. In two weeks, we'll be meeting at my shuttle and doing some actual space flight. If you hurt my ship, I'll be unhappy. If you demonstrate today you don't have the maturity to fly responsibly, you won't be asked to come along." He stared hard at each student. "Questions? No? Let's begin."

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No one would notice the way the skin around his eyes tightened every time she used his title instead of his name unless they were looking very, very carefully.

And he was fairly certain Rory wasn't doing that any more.

"I need another pair of eyes to make sure they don't crash into imaginary trees," he blustered.

"Fine," Rory said. "Are you going to berate them if they do?"

"No," Anakin said, voice heavy with sarcasm, "they'll have hit a tree. I imagine that's enough of a lesson."

"See, I'd think that too, but considering the way people can change on you in an instant I had to ask."

Anakin whirled to face her, cloak spinning out behind him. "I didn't change," he insisted in a low, fierce voice. "You just insisted on making me better than I was. I told you I didn't deserve it."

"No," she snapped back, keeping her voice just as low, "you changed. The one thing I was so sure about? You broke it."

"That's what the dark side is," Anakin snapped. "You think I don't wake up every day regretting what happened? Do you think I look at my life and am proud?"

He ran a hand through his hair. "You deserved to know it all. Hate me as much as you like."

"I don't hate you," she said softly. "But I don't trust you anymore."

For the split second of eye contact he made with her before he turned away, he looked just as old as he really was.

Old and tired and lonely.

"I didn't expect you to," he murmured.

She shrugged. "Just as well that I'm leaving, huh?"

"You deserve a fresh start," Anakin said quietly, which didn't really answer the question.

"I guess," she said quietly. "Plenty of guys at Yale, after all."

There was a barely perceptible flinch. "I can imagine."

"Plenty of guys who were never evil and have yet to completely make me feel raw and betrayed and used," she added conversationally. "I'm looking forward to the prospects already."

The look in his eyes let her know she'd scored a direct hit.

"That was never my intention," he whispered.

"Does it matter if it was?"

He clenched his hands against his sides to keep from reaching out for her. "Of course it matters," he said softly. "I never want to hurt you."

Rory laughed bitterly. "And the funny thing is? I used to absolutely believe that. Even when you were...scary. I knew you'd never hurt me. Ever. But it's funny how I can't believe that anymore."

Why do you think it took me so long to come back? Anakin asked her softly. It took me a month to look at myself in the mirror after the suit was gone.

"You don't have to believe it," Anakin said aloud. "It doesn't make it less true."