Luke just watched her for a long time, expression the same impassive one he'd donned since she'd gotten there.
Inside, her words reached in to scrape parts of him up and mix them back in, like one of Beru's recipes. He'd let memories and emotions settle in layers and harden, easy to ignore until they were stirred back in. Conflict. Struggle.
And all those she didn't speak, though her pinched expression was eloquent enough. As forward as she was, she still held some respect for him. Why, he had no idea. He was just an old, tired man, who had failed in the one thing he'd been set to do. And she... she had so much in front of her, if she would simply let go of the notion he could help her.
The invasion of privacy might have bothered him more at another time, when he himself was more collected and sure of himself. As it was, there was a part of him that felt violated and part that couldn't blame her. And another, far quieter thread that, unknowingly, thrilled to the touch of another mind after being alone for so long.
"The Force's influence on the weak-willed is dangerous," he said at last. "The ability to read and shape other's thoughts should not be taken lightly." He tilted his head, regarding her, recalling a sense he got when she'd mentioned Kylo Ren. "You... know that, I think. So tell me, Rey. What were you trying to do?"
Grateful for the pale warmth of rising suns he waited, hands folded inside the sleeves of his robe, for her answer, all thoughts of another lesson dismissed.
no subject
Inside, her words reached in to scrape parts of him up and mix them back in, like one of Beru's recipes. He'd let memories and emotions settle in layers and harden, easy to ignore until they were stirred back in. Conflict. Struggle.
And all those she didn't speak, though her pinched expression was eloquent enough. As forward as she was, she still held some respect for him. Why, he had no idea. He was just an old, tired man, who had failed in the one thing he'd been set to do. And she... she had so much in front of her, if she would simply let go of the notion he could help her.
The invasion of privacy might have bothered him more at another time, when he himself was more collected and sure of himself. As it was, there was a part of him that felt violated and part that couldn't blame her. And another, far quieter thread that, unknowingly, thrilled to the touch of another mind after being alone for so long.
"The Force's influence on the weak-willed is dangerous," he said at last. "The ability to read and shape other's thoughts should not be taken lightly." He tilted his head, regarding her, recalling a sense he got when she'd mentioned Kylo Ren. "You... know that, I think. So tell me, Rey. What were you trying to do?"
Grateful for the pale warmth of rising suns he waited, hands folded inside the sleeves of his robe, for her answer, all thoughts of another lesson dismissed.