Accismus⋆౨ৎ˚⟡.• Anakin Skywalker⋆౨ৎ˚⟡.•

55.

Sol hoped that the next time she would be in Padme's penthouse apartment, it would be to have tea and giggle about the newest gossip they had been itching to talk about. Padme would rush to embrace her with a wide smile on her face and they would sit on the sofas for hours. Sol would use it as an opportunity to ask about venturing to Naboo again and see if Padme would allow Sol and Anakin to stay in her parents' holiday home.

But Padme's apartment was dull. Sol and Anakin were greeted by C3-PO outside the elevator, and the droid politely led them to the living area where the senator was seated. The moving joints of C3-PO were all that sounded throughout the apartment, and when he stepped aside to reveal Padme's visitors, she stood up and walked to meet them halfway.

'How are you?' Padme asked, pulling Sol into an embrace. Sol felt how smooth the velvet of her dark green dress was underneath her fingers, and Padme's hair was held in a low ponytail down her back.

'I'm okay. Better than Ani is, anyway,' Sol mentioned and gave the smallest of smiles when she pulled away to face her friend. Padme gave her a nod as she gripped her bare arms, before looking over Sol's shoulder to Anakin with a frown.

Anakin stood with his over robe on his shoulders and his eyes low. He stayed behind Sol as if he was her shadow with his dark robes and sheer presence in the room. He barely made a noise as they moved to sit on the sofas. Padme sat opposite the two Jedi and noticed how their thighs sat against each other. It was more physical contact than the senator had ever seen the two make and she was glad to see that they weren't holding back their relationship in her presence. She was happy to know they trusted her to keep the secret, and she would give her space as a refuge to the two on any day.

'I... um,' Padme went to start, but was unsure on how to. 'I represented Ahsoka in her trial. I saw how unfair it all was. If it wasn't for Anakin's investigation into Barriss Offee, she would have never had her name cleared.'

'I see,' Sol replied. She knew that Padme was just filling her in, as Anakin had been present during the bombing, the accusations against his Padawan, and was the one to see her leave the Order altogether. 

'It's so unfortunate,' Padme said with a sad tone and with her face pulled into a look of distaste. 'To let your own friend be accused of your crime is the ultimate betrayal. That Offee deserves everything she gets, and I hope the Order stand behind their Jedi in the future, because the way they accused her was ridiculous.'

C3-PO could be heard heading for the elevator to leave the trio to talk. Sol glanced at the gold droid and saw the way he stiffly pressed the button. She watched the doors close in front of him and hoped that he would be back soon to add an extra body to the room's person count. Without C3-PO, Padme and Sol were left to wallow in Anakin's stench of unhappiness.

At his exit, Sol's gaze shifted to Anakin beside her, who had kept his quiet throughout the women's conversation. She could feel the deep emotions through the Force from the Skywalker, and she knew that if she looked at his Force signature, the warm orange would have darkened to a dangerous colour. She knew that Anakin shouldn't be feeling these emotions, but she understood, and didn't want to patronize him when he was so vulnerable.

'Anakin?' Padme spoke to the man that Sol had been staring at. She turned to see Padme eyeing him and Sol hoped that Anakin would hold back his aggression that she knew was brewing.

'How are you feeling?'

'I'm angry,' he said bluntly. 'I don't understand it.'

'What don't you understand?'

'Why she would leave, why the Order did nothing, and why they kept it from Sol,' Anakin listed off. 'It's unfair and the Order should be questioned about it.'