314Thank you as always to the lovely SpellCleaver for the beta!
Vader quickly learned that adding to his list of things to know about Luke was much easier when his son was actually there. Not that he told him he was mentally compiling a list, and he himself thought it was foolish to continue to do so. And yet once he'd started, he found it hard to stop. Each fact that was added to the list brought him great pleasure.
The first fact that he added came shortly after Luke began staying awake for longer periods of time.
He'd just re-added a pillow Luke had 'accidentally' nudged off the bed. It seemed like every time he turned his back or left the room, he came back to find pillows on the ground. Once he even caught Leia trying to sneak a few out of the room (and promptly made her put it back).
"I'm uncomfortable," Luke insisted. "I've been sleeping on hard ground for weeks. I feel like I'm being eaten alive."
Yes, he was all too aware of what that was like. Even in his former life, he'd returned home from particularly long campaigns and found it difficult to sleep next to…
He cut the thought off furiously, focusing instead on the fact that Luke shouldn't have had to experience that sort of trauma in the first place. He would ensure this would be the last time he ever felt this way about a bed.
"There are worse things to be eaten by than a few pillows." He pointed a finger at him. "Or would you prefer that monster?"
Luke swallowed thickly, and Vader wondered incredulously if he was about to insist he'd take his chances with the monster, but instead he said, "There are more than a few."
"You will thank me later when you are healed."
He didn't break gazes with him. Anyone else on his ship would have backed down under the weight of his glare, but not either of his children, apparently. No one else would have fought him over pillows, but it appeared Luke liked making his life difficult for himself. But when Luke spoke again, he abruptly changed the subject to one Vader didn't expect.
"Can I at least take a bath?!"
Vader blinked.
"... What?"
"Yeah. Can't you smell me?" Luke frowned, and Vader was even further surprised by the genuine concern in his eyes. "I smell like a sour grape."
"That is just bacta."
"I know, and it's gross. I want to take a bath."
Under normal circumstances, Vader wouldn't have stopped him, but… he was literally unable to sit up. The last thing that should be on his mind, from his point of view, was personal hygiene.
Maybe this was how his son constantly got himself into further trouble. Maybe he was oblivious to how serious his circumstances were and charged forward anyway, making it worse for himself. Had he not noticed that he was unable to even laugh without causing himself pain?
Unless…?
"You...are not asking... me to give you one...?"
He dreaded the answer. Sure, he'd do anything for his son, especially if it meant saving his life, but this really didn't seem like it was a necessary father-son bonding moment either of them needed to go through.
Thankfully, Luke went completely red and gasped, "Force, no! Why the hell would you think that?!"
He immediately noticed the pain the gasp caused his son, but Luke seemed too focused on the horrific image to care. This time, he chose not to mention it. "Good. It will not happen."
"Good! I didn't want it to!"
"Then how do you propose that would even happen? Are you suggesting Solo do it?"
"I'm not suggesting anyone do it!"
"As noble as it is to practice good hygiene habits, you are not in a position to do it yourself." Just the thought of Luke trying it on his own filled him with agitated concern. He doubted he'd even make it into the tub without causing himself further harm.
"Okay, well then why can't one of the droids do it?"
He hesitated. That technically could be an option but…the images of Luke getting further injuries as a result of his cleanliness desires was too probable to ignore. "You will wait a few days. You must be stronger before attempting such a thing. Then I will consider it."
Luke made a face that clearly indicated he wasn't pleased with the deal, but on this, Vader would not budge. "My smell really doesn't bother you?"
He didn't bother to mention he hadn't had a sense of smell in years. Not only did the mask filter such things, but almost burning alive had destroyed that sense. "I am certain anyone will understand. And if they don't, they will deal with me."
That didn't seem to assure him, however. "Great. Sounds like a fun conversation." Another frown and a suspicious look. "You promise we'll talk about it again in a few days?"
"Yes." By the Force, the boy was stubborn.
"And a few days is how many days exactly?"
"Luke!"
Finally he dropped it.
Mentally, he added to his list: Luke cared far too much about his hygiene to the point of considering reckless acts of personal endangerment.
The next fact came a few days later.
By then, Luke finally had the strength to sit up on his own, albeit with pillow support. Leia sat on the bed, having placed a tray of food over Luke's lap. Vader monitored from his chair in the corner, noting that the choices of food were, as usual, part of the approved diet plan the medical droid had given him.
The first time he'd attempted to be the one ensuring Luke ate everything, it had... not gone well. By the end of it, he was certain Luke was re-thinking his decision to stay. Not that he had a choice, but he found he liked the idea of him staying willingly, so he allowed Leia to take the task on after that.
That didn't mean he didn't watch extremely closely.
Halfway through the meal, Luke, as he always did, stopped. And, as she had since taking over the position, Leia stepped in. "Come on. I know you like this food. And, much as I hate to admit it, it's better quality than anything you'll get back with the Rebellion."
"Because the Rebellion is underfunded and barely able to feed its best people, let alone continue fighting against the might of the Empire." The words were out before he'd thought to say them, but he didn't bother to take it back. He simply crossed his arms and unflinchingly met the looks his children threw his way.
The fact that he had agreed not to train Luke in the Dark Side didn't mean he approved of their allegiances to a group of lawless criminals who couldn't even feed his son properly.
"Anyway." Leia rolled her eyes. "You know you have to eat everything. Doctor's orders."
"Your father's orders," Vader reminded them, only to be ignored.
Was this what it meant to be a father? To give orders only for his children to pretend they didn't hear them? Shouldn't military service instill more discipline? This was just further proof the Rebellion was unworthy of their time and talents. Again, if only they'd listen.
"I know," Luke mumbled, moving food around on his plate with the Force. An...odd way to use the Force, but Vader was pleased he had the energy to use it again. "I know that but I'm just… not hungry."
He didn't miss the frustration in their bond, and he immediately sent what reassurance he could. This was normal behavior, the med droid had said. It would take time for Luke to eat without being prompted with the right portion sizes. Having spent so long with sporadic, pitiful meals even before the crash had taken its toll on him.
"Don't you think you two are exaggerating just a bit? I mean I already ate a lot." More shifting of food with the Force. He was half tempted to tell him not to play with his food.
Leia hesitated, and he knew she was seeing the same thing he did. "It's really important you eat everything. Trust me on this."
"I get it, but can't I stop now? Just this once?"
Yet again, his son was not fully aware of his own circumstances. He added this as an official fact to his list of things about Luke. "You will eat every bite on that plate. There are no exceptions."
Luke turned his head towards him. "But-"
"I will not hear of it," he interrupted firmly, and before he could think better of it, he shoved the image of what he saw every time he looked at him down their bond.
Luke went pale, and his breathing hitched. "Is that what I look like?"
"Yes," Vader said, distastefully noting for the billionth time how his cheeks looked too sunken, his shoulders a bit too narrow, his clothing too big for him just enough to be noticable.
"Did you really need to do that?" Leia glared at him. "He doesn't need any more negativity."
"He doesn't need coddling, either. He needs to understand why we're insisting he eat everything."
And yet now Luke looked like he'd eaten something that didn't agree with him. "I had no idea...I mean I knew I lost weight but…" He trailed off. He'd stopped moving his food around.
"If you follow this plan, you will be back to a healthy weight soon enough." Why couldn't he see how obvious it was?
"And this is why you put me in charge of this task." If looks could kill, Leia would have...come close to doing so with the one she gave him.
He opened his mouth to respond...and the door opened. His mood plunged further as Solo walked in, seemingly oblivious to what he'd just interrupted.
"Hey, kid!" he greeted with that stupid smug grin. "Perfect timing, I brought something for ya!"
Before Vader could stop and demand to know what it was, Solo brandished a steaming cup of...something with whip cream on top. "Tada!"
Vader was on his feet and storming towards the smuggler. "That does not look approved, Solo, what is it?!"
It was obvious the smuggler was no intentional threat to his son, but if Luke ate something that didn't agree with him, it could set his health back further.
Yet, as he came closer to the bed, he paused.
Luke's face…
He was staring at the cup as if it was the only thing in the room, eyes wide, with a blinding smile beginning to break out across his face.
"Is that what I think it is?!" he breathed, reaching for it.
Vader was too stunned to stop Solo as he carefully handed the cup to Luke. "You bet! I was curious what could be ordered on this fancy ship and it turns out not only do they have normal hot chocolate, there are multiple flavors you can choose from! Ya don't get that in the Rebellion, huh?"
With each word, Luke's entire being lit up until he was a shining light in the Force. "What flavor is this one?" he asked.
"Try it and find out."
He didn't need to be asked twice. Vader watched as his son took a sip from the cup as though he were trying the most expensive cup of caf in the known galaxy, then grinned, foam coating his upper lip as he announced, "Salted vanilla."
"Yup! And hey, if you always eat all of your food, I'll be sure to order the other flavors for you."
"You're bribing me?"
"Is it working?" Solo grinned.
Slowly, Luke set the hot chocolate down on the tray, and in answer, picked up his fork and began to eat.
Hot chocolate.
His son...loved hot chocolate. Like a small child.
It was an incredibly personal detail that he immediately added to his list. But as he stared at his son eating with renewed vigor, taking sips of a beverage that he was certain didn't at all go with the meal he was eating, Vader tried to imagine Luke as his Sith apprentice. In his mind he saw his son in all black, returning home from a particularly bloody mission...and settling in with hot chocolate.
The image was ridiculous. It was probably the least Sith-like drink in the entire galaxy. He tried to imagine his Master drinking hot chocolate as he plotted and…
Perhaps his hopes at turning his son to the Dark Side had been doomed from the very start.
From then on, he always made sure hot chocolate was part of Luke's dietary plan. Bribery or not, he would not deny his son something that made him that happy.
The next fact was not only about Luke, but about Leia as well.
And it was a dangerous fact.
As Luke became stronger, he was forced to begin going back to his duties. Duties that had once brought him at least some measure of satisfaction now felt hollow, especially when his mind was always with his son.
Worse, he felt as though everything he was doing was not of his own free will. Every action completed, every task, felt like he was fulfilling the wishes of his Master. He should have been with his children, not plotting a war against a Rebellion who were far too disorganized and weak to warrant his attention.
If his Master found out how his priorities had changed…
No. He couldn't. He wouldn't.
He had little doubt Luke and Leia enjoyed their time alone, but being away from them made him on edge, something the rest of the crew picked up on, and their fear was so tangible he could practically taste it.
But he refrained from lashing out. Not unless absolutely necessary. He doubted Leia would pick up what he'd done, but he knew Luke would and the idea of returning to him upset…
It was foolish, of course. He was a Sith. It was what he was supposed to do. But Luke's words replayed in his mind whenever he considered strangling an idiotic officer.
"It wasn't your Darkness that kept me grounded. There is brilliant light there, and that's what I reached for."
He didn't believe it of course. He was a Sith, he'd long killed any light within him...and yet he couldn't bring himself to prove his son wrong. Not yet, at least.
So he often dealt directly with Admiral Piett. At least he could count on the Admiral to not tempt him into murdering him.
Usually when he returned, he had to chase Solo or the droids out. But that day when he returned, entering the hallway outside of Luke's room...he stopped.
He could...sense them.
Or, he always could sense them. Luke and Leia were his children after all, and on their own they both were powerhouses in the Force. They were almost impossible to ignore. But this was...different. It didn't feel the same. It felt…
Like their presences were merged, somehow. Like they had somehow joined their power together and it was pulsing in the Force. Light slammed against his darkness, and he almost wanted to turn and retreat to the safety of his meditation pod to hide from it.
But curiosity had him entering the quarters, crossing the sitting room and opening the bedroom door.
They didn't even look up. They just stared at each other intently. Luke was strong enough to sit up without any support; Leia sat on the other end of the bed. And between, they were passing one of the pillows back and forth with the Force.
He wasn't aware Leia knew levitation. Perhaps Luke had taught her. It was a simple act, and yet they were so intent into what they were doing, their bond was practically visible to him.
A deep, cold fear settled in his gut.
"Luke. Leia. " He didn't mean to, but he snapped the names. They both jumped, as if they'd just now noticed him, and the pillow dropped to the bed between them.
"I'll put it back," Luke began to insist, misreading his emotions. "It hasn't even left the bed."
He stared at them, even as in the Force the light began to dissipate slowly back to their normal presence as separate, albeit powerful, beings.
Leia met his gaze, her expression growing serious. "Is this about your vision? Are you still worried about that?"
Yes. But that wasn't the only thing he was worried about now. He had not anticipated the effect of them being together would have on the Force.
He was starting to understand why Obi-Wan had separated them. He disagreed and hated it, hated him, but he could now understand it. If they'd been together as innocent children, his Master would have found them. Maybe before he even knew about them, and he would have…
The possibilities were many. None of them were at all to his liking.
But they were adults now. Perhaps they were exuding such power because of their lack of training.
Yes. That was it.
If it wasn't…
He refused to consider those possibilities.
They were his. He would not lose either of them again.
"You have both asked for training in abilities that are not of the Dark Side of the Force," he finally said. They glanced at one another, frowning. "We will start with blocking your mind."
"That sounds great," Luke said, and he genuinely meant it despite the confusion emanating from him. "But is this because you're tired of hearing our thoughts?"
"No, is this because we're in danger?" Leia asked.
He considered how to respond. Eventually, he decided the truth was the best option if he wanted them to take it seriously. "You are both individually unusually strong in the Force. Together you are a supernova. I...fear the Emperor may sense it and come for you."
Their faces paled, and they shared another look as though they were silently communicating something. In fact, he was certain they were.
After a moment, Leia sighed. "Alright. But don't you dare try to sneak in some Dark Side powers."
He rolled his eyes. "I have already given my word I would not unless you asked."
Technically, he promised Luke that, not Leia, and he was quickly understanding that Leia would be the far more ideal candidate as a potential Sith apprentice, but that would only bring about the vision.
Despite their...issues, he had little desire to fight his daughter unless absolutely necessary. He had far less desire to lose his son. After everything that had happened, it was obvious Leia felt the same.
He kept his word. He started with shielding, then when they mastered that, he went over other fundamental basics. Midichlorians. Levitation. Locking and unlocking doors (that one was a particularly enjoyable lesson. It ended in Solo getting locked out of the room, and he took great pleasure in the man's frustration).
They were quick learners. Luke, because he'd already had some training, and Leia because...she was almost aggressive in her desire to learn.
The next thing he added to his list came shortly after Luke had been cleared to begin attempting to walk. Walking, of course, was a relative term. His leg was nowhere near healed, but the med droid requested that he start using a crutch to help him begin getting used to walking again. Apparently, it would help blood circulation.
At least, that's what the droid said after Vader had interrogated it five times.
The idea of his still clearly injured son walking around on a crutch was enough to give him nightmares. As soon as the droid was gone, he whirled on him. "You will not do any walking without me there to ensure you do not re-injure yourself. Am I clear ? "
"I sort of got the point after you almost ripped the droid to shreds." Luke sat on the edge of his bed, his uninjured leg dangling over the side.
"I didn't even touch it."
"No, but it was obvious you were thinking about it." Leia shook her head. "He can't stay in bed forever."
Maybe not, but it still felt far too soon. He looked remarkably better than he had, but when he looked at him Vader couldn't help but note the injuries still present and worry what could happen if he did too much too soon. He was, after all, his son. That meant he knew better than anyone how reckless he could potentially be.
And yet it was that precise reason that he understood what would happen if he refused. Luke would simply wait for him to be called off to duty on the bridge and would do it on his own. Leia may help him, but if he fell she was far too short to adequately support him. There was no way in hell he'd trust Solo to assist, either, despite admittedly showing competency since Arorua.
"Fine," he ground out, the word tasting bitter on his tongue, "But you will only do so when I am available to ensure no further harm will come to you. Have I made myself clear?"
"He's an adult-" Leia began, immediately jumping to his defence, but Luke held up his hand, stopping what surely would have become a bigger argument.
"It's fine, Leia. I don't think it's an unreasonable request. For now." He grinned at him. As usual, it lit the room up, but this time Vader found himself at a loss for words.
It was rare that he was the subject of one of Luke's smiles. It was even rarer that anyone smiled at him at all. Not genuinely, at least. The tension in his shoulders eased some, and he wondered if Luke knew the effect the look would have on him.
He found he didn't care.
"Perhaps we could try now." He said, and his son's smile widened.
He brought the crutch to his son and helped him stand while Leia assisted in positioning it correctly under Luke's good arm. When they were certain that he was properly supported, they cautiously stepped back. Despite Leia's insistence that he was an adult and needed to be allowed to do things on his own, she looked just as ready to jump in to help as he was.
"Well?" Leia asked. "How do you feel?"
"This is not as comfortable as it looks, but otherwise it's good to be on my feet-uh, foot, again."
Vader didn't think it looked comfortable at all, and he was half tempted to suggest getting back into bed until he could find a way to make it more comfortable, but Luke felt so energized and happy he decided against it.
"Where's your ship hangar?" Luke suddenly asked, turning to him.
He crossed his arms. "Absolutely not. It is too far of a walk."
"You weren't expecting me to stay in here were you?"
"Yes."
Gone was the happiness, replaced by irritation. "Father, if I have to only stare at these walls much longer I'm going to go insane!"
"You have a view port."
"And most of the time it's just stars!" Luke's expression turned pleading. On anyone else he would have scoffed, but Vader couldn't help the twinge of guilt as he said, "Please? You'll be with me the whole time! Plus, I want to see your ships."
He stared at him, wrestling with his inner desire to keep him protected and the desire to share a moment he had no doubt his son would love. A moment that would probably only bring them closer together, if the quality of Luke's X-Wing was anything to go by.
Besides, it was rare that he got to show off even the fraction of the collection he had with him. Even when his wing of the ship wasn't closed off to the rest of the crew, he never let anyone but the Admiral in his private hangar.
He should have said no. Instead, he found himself saying, "Fine. But the moment you are unable to continue, you will tell me immediately."
Luke beamed in triumph, confirming Vader's suspicions that he'd known exactly how to get his way. That, he was beginning to fear, would become a serious problem. He would need to use his next meditation session to figure out how to go back to the ways of the Sith and not cave to such obvious begging.
"Well. This should be interesting." Leia snorted, crossing her arms over her chest, then seemed to realize she'd copied his stance and quickly dropped them.
He didn't know what she meant by that, but he didn't bother asking as Luke began to take his first steps, heading for the door.
"Where are we going, then?" Luke asked, and Vader followed close behind, guiding him in the right direction.
As they made their way down the hallway, he carefully watched for any hint that he needed help. Leia took up walking beside Luke, doing the same. It was slow going, but he sensed nothing but familiar eager excitement.
Vader smiled. He too had once felt that way when going to see new ships, and to some extent he still felt anticipation when being introduced to a new model. But it had been a very long time since he or anyone around him had reacted with such innocent enthusiasm.
It was... pleasing to confirm that he and Luke had an obvious similar interest.
He only sensed minor exhaustion from Luke when they reached the hangar. As soon as they entered, a happy whistle greeted them.
"Artoo!" Luke replied happily as the little droid rushed over. "I'd...uh, say hello with a pat, but I only have one good hand. Sorry."
I am pleased you are up at all, Artoo told him, and Vader wondered if Luke understood binary. Evidently not, because he didn't reply, his gaze already sweeping over the ships in the hangar.
"Han wasn't kidding," he said after a moment. "You really do have an impressive collection."
Pride swelled in his chest at the praise. Not that he would ever admit that to the smuggler, but... "Solo said that?"
"It certainly wasn't me." Leia said. At his probing gaze, she added, "I don't have the obsession with ships; Luke does. Your collection, impressive as it is, isn't something I'd write home about."
"But it is impressive." Luke was hobbling forward, gaze sweeping over the hangar until he abruptly stopped. "My X-Wing!"
Leia grinned at Vader. She rarely did that. Instantly, he was suspicious; why was she doing that?
Then, he remembered.
Luke was already moving for the ship...the ship he remembered now that he hadn't put back together.
"That is enough, young one. We should head back to your room-"
Too late.
As Luke got closer, he felt his son's joyous surprise turn to confusion, then to horror. "What the hell happened?!"
"Nothing is broken. I can fix it." He was moving for the parts that were still neatly lined up from when he'd explored the ship at the start of this mess. He hadn't had any time to put it back where he'd found it. In fact, it completely slipped his mind.
"I told you he'd be pissed," Leia added, and he had no doubt she hadn't forgotten about it. He glared back at her.
She set him up.
Her grin turned sly.
She was spending far too much time with the damn smuggler.
"Yeah, I'm pissed!" Luke was too short to see the full extent of what he'd done, but evidently he didn't like what he saw from the angle he was at. "What did you do?!"
"I was looking for answers about you. I did not think you were still alive at the time."
Luke turned, glaring. "That's why you took apart my ship? Do you have any idea how long I saved for these parts?"
So he had saved for them. They weren't a gift. He made a mental note, and replied, "As I said. I did nothing that could not be easily fixed. Besides, I have better ships if you wish-"
"I don't want better ships, this is my ship and I need to fix it!" Luke struggled to move around the nose of the X-Wing. "Where are the tools?"
"No, Luke, you're not fixing it right now." Leia quickly stepped in front of him, blocking his way towards his work bench with all of his tools. "You're lucky to have made it this far walking over here. You're not climbing around a ship."
"Your sister is right." And yet, it was obvious that Luke was a true pilot at heart. Now that he knew the state of his apparent favorite ship, he wouldn't rest until he knew it was fixed. "Leia, find Luke a chair. I will fix the ship."
"I can fix it! Besides, how do I know you'll do it right?" Luke demanded, and he scoffed.
"Son. I have been building ships since before I could fly. I built Threepio from scratch at nine. There is not a ship in this galaxy I couldn't fix."
He didn't realize he'd revealed new information about himself until Leia frowned and asked, "You built Threepio?"
Luke's glare had disappeared, turning into that curious expression that reminded him far too much of his mother. "I never would have picked Threepio if you told me you built a droid."
He scowled. Yes, he would need to seek strength from the Dark Side later. His children were turning him into...into... something he wasn't sure he liked. "That is all I will say on the matter. The point is, I will fix the X-Wing and leave it in better shape than I found it."
The mention of his X-Wing successfully distracted Luke once again. "My X-Wing was in great shape before you touched it!"
He was seriously regretting allowing him into the hangar. "Take a seat, son. I will take care of it."
He waited until Leia found him somewhere to sit before he began. In his mind he added probably one of the most important facts about his son.
He loved his ship. And apparently, he did not appreciate him messing with it.
The next several hours were spent working on the X-Wing. Luke watched carefully, often asking specific questions when he couldn't fully see what he was doing. He wasn't used to having anyone watch him work, but the questions often led to deeper discussions on ships and the best ways of modifying them. He had already assumed Luke was competent in his knowledge of ship modification based on what he'd observed when taking it apart, but the conversation only proved it. It wasn't long before both of them forgot why he was putting the ship back together in the first place.
Leia, on the other hand, grew bored, and muttered something about looking for Threepio before wandering off.
"Do not look for that smuggler!" he called after her, seeing through her intentions. She didn't even bother turning around. Instead, she lifted her hand in a rude gesture and continued out of the hangar.
"...I don't think I'd be brave enough to do that to you," Luke admitted after an awkward silence of watching her go.
Vader shook his head. "Do not try it." He didn't bother mentioning that the thought of doing anything else to Leia felt like adding to his long list of crimes against her.
He could handle a rude gesture. There were...worse things that could happen between them.
Luke seemed to get the picture and didn't press.
When he got to the hyperdrive, he paused. "I know you said you wanted the ship exactly as it was, but I can improve the efficiency of the hyperdrive."
Luke's gaze lit up. "How?"
"By replacing it completely with a newer model."
"I didn't think the newer models were compatible."
"They aren't, usually. But I found a way to modify it so that it is possible." He then launched into the specifics, going far more in detail than he had in a very long time. Luke listened, occasionally asking clarifying questions, and when he finished, he motioned to the cockpit of the ship. "I would test it out myself to prove it to you, but I don't believe I'd fit in such a small space."
"Hey, I'm not that short."
Vader allowed his son to feel his amusement. "If you say so."
Luke considered for a moment. "I like the idea."
"But?"
"But I want to try it myself-and before you freak out," he added in a rush as Vader prepared to tell him exactly what he thought about that, "I meant later. When I'm feeling better. Then we could...you know. Do it together?"
He said it like he expected Vader to scoff and reject him. But he could only stare at the boy as he'd done every time he'd done something surprising. Anyone else would have been far too terrified or stressed out to work on a ship with him. But here his son was, asking him like they were a normal father-son duo. As good as it felt, it was still...strange.
"You are different."
"That's not the first time you've told me that. What does it mean?"
Vader paused. The first time he'd said it, it was because it was the only word he had for what Luke Skywalker was. He'd thought at the time, there was no one else like him. But now…
"It means you are different. Like your mother was." The words were out before he'd thought better of it, and the moment they were he felt his chest cleaving open at the raw wounds still festering even now, all these years later.
Luke's expression turned serious, and for a horrible moment Vader thought he'd finally ask him about her.
He was right.
"I know it's touchy."
He couldn't help the flash of anger as he pointed the hydrospanner at him and snapped, "Then don't ask."
Luke didn't flinch, nor did he back down. "She's my mother. Don't you think I have a right to know about her?"
Of course he did. Leia did, too. He'd known this day would come, and he thought he could prepare for it.
He was wrong.
"Even as secretive as you are about your past, I could find out about you far more than I could about her. Even Leia only knows impersonal details; enough to make an admittedly rather impressive resume, sure, but…" he trailed off, his expression growing far away.
Then, when he looked at him, it was with a longing that he understood far too well.
"I want to know my mother from someone who knew and loved her."
And as much as the pain of her memory choked him, as much as it made him want to retreat to his meditation chamber and never leave...he knew he couldn't.
Just as he now knew he could not deny Luke what answers he sought. All of them.
"We...should find your sister," he said, not looking at his son. "She should hear this, too."
IS IT FLUFFY ENOUGH? SEE I can WRITE FLUFF! (It's incredibly difficult for me, hence the longer than usual update, but IT'S HERE and I hope ya'll enjoyed it!) Dad Vader is definitely getting better at the dad thing. Even if he is super awkward about it.
The song for this chapter is Take You Home by Scars on 45!
Leave some love!
Love,
LadyVader23