Card of Heart

Chapter 14 - A Hint Of Hope

Author's Note: Slowly but steadily, we are approaching the end. :')

~ Amina Gila

Sometimes, Ahsoka finds it hard to believe it's been an entire year since the Empire formed. But today is Empire Day, marking the anniversary of when everything happened.

And her and Anakin are expected to celebrate. Well, of course, they are.

The party she's attending is beyond stupid – especially when she loathes so much of this, but her hate makes her stronger – but there is nothing that makes it a little more tolerable.

Lux is here with her, though she knows he doesn't like this any more than she does. Actually, probably less.

She had no idea how to dance at first, but Lux insisted it would be easy. It turns out it was – especially because she's very good at coordinated movements of a similar nature, has to be to be a fighter. It's a slow dance, but with Lux here, she can actually enjoy it, at least for a few moments.

Finally, the dance comes to an end, and Ahsoka leans closer, wrapping her arms around him, resting her head on his shoulder. Sometimes, she wishes things could go further, but... that wouldn't be fair unless he knew the truth. The very thought of him knowing fills her with... fear. She doubts he would reject her, but in some ways, that almost makes it worse.

Lux found out what her and Anakin do a while back – with her eyes, she could hardly keep it a secret – but for as much as they can, her and Anakin just don't talk about what happened. Padme and Lux don't know anything more than they need to, and she's perfectly content in keeping it that way.

"What are you thinking about so much?" Lux asks teasingly, tracing his fingers over the back of her lekku.

"Us. Everything," she admits.

He pulls back, enough that their eyes meet. "Is something bothering you?"

Her throat feels suddenly dry, and her stomach flips nervously. "I – There's something I should tell you. Sometime."

He frowns. "What?"

She swallows hard. Why did she ever start talking about this? Yes, it's his right to know, but – "Can we do it later? I just – "

She's never been so grateful in her life to hear the sound of her beeping comm. It's Padme. "Yes?" she asks.

"It's getting late, Ahsoka. You should come home soon."

"Still worrying about your bedtime?" asks Lux, faintly amused.

"As always," Ahsoka says with a smirk, though it's mostly feigned. That's not the reason Padme is calling her back, and they both know it, even if no one talks about it. It has to be for something important. Something... not so legal. With how much time she and Anakin spend around Sidious and the other Inquisitors, they can't afford to think about any rebel activity much, but she helps with the little she can, and just pretends to be willfully blind to everything else she knows Padme and Lux are involved in.

"See you later then, Ahsoka." Lux takes her hand and walks with her towards the door. The Celebration of Stupidity and Corruption is still going on behind them, and she thinks it will actually be a relief to be away from the noise.

"You too," she gives him a small smile.

"Be careful," he adds.

"Always." She nods, before slipping out the door. She pauses a moment as she catches sight of her reflection on the side of the gleaming speeder.

Blue.

Her eyes are blue, for probably the first time in... she doesn't even know. They're almost always yellow now.