DYNASTY ( sw.. ) ✔

o2. trust game..

Lorna did not exaggerate with her outfit. She had 3PO braid some of her hair again, since she couldn't master the technique herself, but apart from that, there was nothing special that she added, not like back when they celebrated Leia and Luke.

A simple black attire, a formality or a metaphor that she didn't know how to handle things like this, her clothes were colored only by an easy to remove brown overcoat.

"I don't usually do this whole birthday thing for myself," she admitted to R2 afterwards, while she waited for Luke to show up. As always, the stairs of the temple were her waiting grounds. The night was quietly sneaking back on the Coruscant sky, leaving all the lights of the city to take over and shine through with vibrant diversity.

And from up there, she could see it all. The fog of the streets, the traffic, the conglomeration of all sorts of buildings with all types of lights, forming dozens of shapes.

"It's just...," Lorna tried to find her words to explain. "Between being alone and a prisoner, I think years lost their meaning for me."

She listened to R2's beeps and smiled, "Yeah, you're right... That's not the case anymore. But it doesn't make it less weird. I appreciate they want to go out with me, but I would have been fine with just a pat on the back too."

A silence settled after R2's slow bleep. The only sound that broke that state of quietness was the sound of steps. Only those steps did not belong to Luke, as expected, but to C-3PO.

"My apologies for bringing such news, Miss Lorna, but Master Luke...," 3PO hesitated. "H-he's feeling a bit sick right now and cannot come to the gathering-"

"What?" Lorna got up in an instant. She would have climbed those stairs right that instant to check on Luke herself, were it not for 3PO blocking her way so politely.

"No need to worry though, because he's suffering from a truly harmless stomachache that will go away in an hour after I have administrsted him the medicine. He will join you and the others at the bar, but he wanted me to tell you not to wait for him here."

Lorna fidgeted, unsure, looking at the Temple. It wouldn't be the first time Luke asks something of her and she goes against him, "But... What if it gets worse? I don't want to go and drink while-"

"He'll be alright, I can promise that," 3PO nodded, certain of his words. "He'd be sad if you skipped your fun for him."

That is true, Lorna thought. She didn't see much of Luke that day, but that was probably because he felt guilty. She felt that guilt off of him through the Bridge the moment they both realized he had no idea of her birthday.

Lorna wasn't mad about it, but she felt Luke's turmoil. Going and pressuring him just then may have been a bad choice, so frankly, 3PO was simply just right.

"R2, do you think you can stay here and call me if anything gets bad with his state?" Only once she received the confirmation did Lorna start to walk away, even if with a heavy heart.

She didn't remember the birthdays she had back on Vonath and until she broke free from the pirates, she never really knew what day it was either way. To acknowledge that, as she walked away from the Temple, made her feel an emptiness at last.

That numbness that Anakin told her about was returning and the only way to block it out that Lorna knew about was to link it to his words and remember her home.

Well, I don't care about my birthday. But Luke does. He's beating himself up and he'd hate it if I don't at least try to enjoy myself, Lorna immediately thought. If facing my fear means he'll feel better, then that's okay. I faced worse.