Lost Without You (AOTC)

First

"You are dismissed, Senator."

Padmé frowns and walks past me, leading the way back to the quarters we share.

"Well maybe you could just--" I start to suggest, but Padmé cuts me off.

"I know you're trying to help, Anakin. But this is something I can deal with on my own. I just need to convince the banking clan to veto this bill." She sighs.

"Padmé," a voice says from the doorway.

"Clovis," I growl, clenching my fist. "What do you want."

Padmé holds up a hand and closes her eyes. "What is it you need?"

"I needed to talk to you, Padmé. In private." Clovis begs with pleading eyes. I roll mine and cross my arms over my chest tightly. Padmé bites her lip. "Fine," she huffs. Before she can walk out the door, I interrupt with a firm clearing-of-the-throat.

"Senator. Perhaps I should escort you, as your Jedi protector."

"It's um... right across the hallway," Clovis says, striking me as stupid.

"Thank you, Anakin. If anything happens, I'll be right outside." She gives me a forced smile and walks out of the main room connecting both of our quarters.

A mischievous smile crosses my face, and I decide to follow them down the hallway. I slink after them, stopping behind a corner.

"Padmé, I wanted to ask you something," Clovis says, his eyes darting around the hallway in which they stand.

"What is it?"

"Well..." He looks her in the eye, only for a split second. "Would you join my hand in marriage?"

My insides scream with rage as a reaction to the horror I just heard. I can't believe it. Why would that idiot be so stupid as to ask Padmé to marry him? Why would she want to marry that nerf herder? He's repulsive.

I want to throw up.

All over Clovis.

But I don't.

The girl I love most is standing right there, in front of my eyes, where I can see every detail of her beauty, where I could kiss her, where we could link hands and run away somewhere far away and live happily, ever after.

I know it'll never happen, though.

I don't even stick around to see her reaction, I just run. I run back to my quarters and slam the door, locking it. I look at myself in the mirror, knowing I'm more than that stuck-up lover boy. A double-take. My Padawan braid. My Jedi robes and my childish face. People must think I'm a fool and that I can't be taken seriously.

I collapse on the bed in the room, and it shakes with a sudden jolt. "Just stop, Clovis! You think you can win me over. I already gave my answer. Just accept it and leave me alone!" Padmé cries from outside my door. She slams her door also.

***********************************

Slowly, I crack open my door and see that Padmé's not in the main room. I creep out and tend the fireplace; it's died down over the past few hours of us being locked away in our quarters.

Before I know it, I'm left to wonder about what could happen next with Padmé and Clovis.