Daddy's Secret Vice
by: ginchy-amanda
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Clatter.
"Mara?"
Crash.
"Mara, you're going to wake Ben."
Furious muttering.
"Mara? Love, just come out here. It can't be that bad."
Shadowy wings in the doorway, the ringing of bells.
Luke Skywalker choked back a laugh, trying to disguise it as a cough, but failed miserably if the murderous look his wife shot at him was any indication.
"Uh… You look beautiful, my love." Luke congratulated himself on the save.
"I look like a koochoo," Mara growled, adjusting the hem of her tight felt costume causing her fairy wings to flutter.
Huttese. Never a good sign. Luke frowned, hurriedly moving out of Mara's path as she stalked towards and past him, the bells on her shoes jingling all the way.
Mara marched towards their Midwinter Festival Tree, decorated with bright lights. "You know, he's not even going to know or care that I wore this ridiculous costume."
"He's not?" Luke frowned. "How soon you forget last Midwinter Festival, Momma."
Mara opened her mouth to protest, but was cut off by Luke imitating their son.
"Daddy, why are you putting my gifts under the Festival tree? Where is Preeni Pi? She's the Festival Fairy! SHE'S supposed to leave my gifts!"
Mara made a face. It wasn't fun soothing their son's sudden doubts about the Festival Fairy. But… "Well, couldn't we just… put him into a deep sleep with the Force…"
"Master Skywalker!" Luke sounded suitably shocked.
"Should have known you wouldn't go for that," she said, disgruntled. "But how am I supposed to be this Preeni Pi? She's so… saccharine."
Laughing, Luke reached out and tugged on a lock of his wife's hair. "I thought you maintained numerous aliases and disguises in your past … uh… life? Just play the part of Preeni Pi. You can even change your voice if you'd like."
"Skywalker, this is something COMPLETELY different."
He just looked at her, flicking his eyes down the hall towards Ben's bedroom.
"Oh, all right," Mara said, exasperated. "Where did you hide his gifts?"
Luke smiled. "Aren't you forgetting something?" he asked, looking very innocent while hiding something behind his back.
One perfect red brow arched. "I never forget anything, farmboy."
"Oh, no?" Luke produced a multicolored hat with a bell attached that just matched the bells on Mara's shoes. "Not even your hat?"
-----
Ben's eyes snapped open. Was there a bell ringing?
Preeni Pi!!
Scrambling up in his bed, Ben shuffled quickly to his door and pressed his ear against it.
There it was again! Faint, but he could hear it. The tinkle of a bell just like the ones on Preeni Pi's shoes and hat!
Reaching a hand up to open his door, Ben paused. Last year he'd caught his dad putting gifts under the Festival tree. What if it was just him again?
The bell tinkled loudly then, and Ben's mind was made up. Preeni Pi HAD to be outside his door, placing presents under his tree!
Creeping as silently as he could down the darkened hallway, guided only by the glow of holiday lights, the youngest Skywalker hesitantly peered around the corner of the hall. He caught sight of his daddy first, handing a brightly wrapped package to someone kneeling at the foot of the tree. Daringly, Ben leaned closer, trying to see, just as his dad shifted in his stance and there was…
PREENI PI!!!
Ben's mouth fell open in shock. She was real!! The bell on her hat tinkled again as she looked up at his father, quickly taking a package out of his hand and stuffing it under the tree.
She must have to work fast to get to all the houses in the galaxy, Ben thought, awestruck at actually seeing the Festival Fairy in his house!
Preeni Pi moved then, rising to her feet, back still turned to him. Ben quickly ducked back into the hall, little heart hammering in his chest. Would Preeni Pi take away his gifts if she caught him?
"… notice now, did he?"
"I do guess you were right, Preeni Pi."
Preeni Pi gave a sigh. "Haven't you learned by now that I'm always right?" she asked. Her voice was soft and musical, just like Ben had always imagined. She sounded just like a bell.
"Hmmm…" his dad said. "I guess you always are."
"Kind of like your wife," the Holiday Fairy said, tinkling with laughter.
"Yes, she's always right, too," his father answered her.
"Does your wife know you stay up late waiting for strange fairies bearing gifts to show up at your door?"
Ben frowned. Where was mom?
"What my wife doesn't know won't hurt me," daddy answered.
"Sounds promising," Preeni Pi answered, and then all was quiet.
What were daddy and Preeni Pi doing?
Cautiously, Ben peeped around the corner once more. His mouth fell open again, because right in the middle of the common room…
Daddy was kissing Preeni Pi!!
Ben turned and ran back to his room.
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Mara pulled back from her husband, breath coming out in small, panting gasps.
She caressed his cheek. "Naughty boy," she said, in her best Fairy voice. "Preeni Pi doesn't leave bad boys gifts."
"Oh, no?" Luke asked. He kissed her again. "What if I'm a very good boy?"
Mara winked. "In that case, I guess we'll just have to see what's under the tree in the morning."
Taking his hand, Mara let him lead her to their bedroom. "It's just a shame Ben slept through this. The costume's gone to waste."
Luke pulled her into their bedroom. "Oh, I wouldn't say that," he grinned.
The door slid shut behind them.
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Next morning, Ben glared at his father from his spot in front of the Festival Tree.
"Ben, sweetie?" Momma asked, handing him a gift. "Don't you want to open your gifts from Preeni Pi?"
Ben took a deep breath, and shook his head no.
Momma and Daddy exchanged confused looks.
"What's wrong?" Momma asked, rising from the floor to take a seat on the sofa. "Come here."
Bottom lip trembling, Ben ran to his mother and buried his face in the soft folds of her robe. He began to cry.
Mara looked at Luke, bewildered.
"What's the matter, son?" Luke asked, walking over and laying a protective hand on Ben's back. Ben shrugged him off.
"Hate you, Daddy!" he yelled.
"Ben Skywalker!" Mara was shocked. "What's gotten into you?"
Pulling back from his mother, Ben turned accusing eyes to his father. "I saw Daddy kissing Preeni Pi!"
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The little blur that was Ben Skywalker ran down the hall, sobbing.
Alone on the sofa, Mara looked at Luke.
"Any more bright ideas, Skywalker?"
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Ben frowned at his mother. "So Preeni Pi was here, but she couldn't stay, so she left her spare costume for you to wear so that I would know she was here if I peeked again like last year?" his eyes looked a little crossed after spitting out the words.
Licking her lips nervously, Mara nodded.
"Yes, son," Luke confirmed from behind her.
He gave them both suspicious looks. But after a tense moment, Ben launched himself at his father. "I KNEW it was something like that!"
Momma and Daddy smiled.
"Now, let's go open my presents!"
Ben ran out of the room.
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Clatter. Ben's little feet ran down the hall.
"Luke?"
Crash. Ben knocked into his mountain of gifts.
"Yes, my love?"
"Never come near me with a costume again."
"Don't worry," Luke said, reaching out and squeezing her hand. "I wouldn't dare."
Together, they went to watch their son enjoy the holiday and his gifts from "Preeni Pi".
-end
hee! Nothing but fluff here, folks. Just like I like it. ;) I think I got Midwinter Festival from the Unofficial Encyclopedia at TFN last year, and it said brightly lit trees are a hallmark of the festival. Any other holiday tradition, I made up. Hope you all enjoy and happy holidays!