Summary: Takes place during those idle months between Destiny Can Wait's chapters 3 and 4. A deleted scene of sorts and a response to fialleril's challenge: Do you have an OTP/OT3/whatever? The challenge is to write some genfic about them. It can be anything from "they're just friends" to "they're in a romantic relationship, but in this fic, they're just hanging out playing Scrabble." Whatever. The only requirement is that it be gen. 'Cause even romantically involved people should get to be friends now and then.
Just Like Any Other Night, Only With Scrabble
Anakin and Padmé put their children down to sleep, shut the light and left the room. Padmé closed the door behind her and leaned against the frame. Anakin leaned against the opposite wall, tilted his head back and closed his eyes.
The house was quiet. As usual, Obi-Wan retreated to his room after dinner. It was still too early to go to bed but there was little to keep them entertained. Some nights Padmé would read while Anakin watched the HoloNet. Or they'd play cards. Other nights they would make love and go to bed way too early. Their rituals were getting tiresome.
Then Padmé remembered something she found while looking for a holobook in the library.
She looked at Anakin and almost didn't want to disturb him. He looked like he was in a peaceful trance, for a change. But how long were they just going to stand here in the hallway? Not to startle her husband she quietly asked, "Want to play Scrabble?"
Anakin opened his eyes and looked curious, "What is that?"
"It's a word game, played on a board."
Anakin shrugged, "Okay."
-An hour later-
"I challenge that word," Anakin huffed.
Padmé laughed knowing he'd regret it. She turned her head, "Threepio?"
The golden droid's eyes seemed to light up with excitement, "Indeed it is a word, Master Anakin. Nööpima means button in Bothan." Threepio was having fun, though he was not playing. He was just happy his services were needed when his masters decided it would be better if they played the multi-lingual version. Basic Scrabble was just so - basic.
Anakin passed her the bag of letters. "You speak Bothan?"
Padmé took the bag and blindly pulled out more squares. "Not fluently. I learned just enough to impress the Bothan senator and ambassadors."
"How many languages do you know?" Anakin wondered. He picked up a handful of need-to know phrases himself in his travels but sensed that didn't compare to Padmé's knowledge from working in the Senate.
"Seven total. Three I know fluently, the others I understand better than I can speak." Padmé gave him a smile and a wink.
Anakin laughed and shook his head. "Now I see why you wanted to play Scrabble over Monopoly. It's a good thing I can rack up points with all those long Huttese words I know."
Padmé took a sip of her shuura juice. "We'll see."
-An hour later-
"Okay, you won, congratulations." Anakin shook his wife's hand with good sportsmanship, showing her he was not a sore loser.
"Yes, well played Mistress Padmé," Threepio commended.
"Thank you. Threepio, you can power down for the night. Thank you for your help."
"Thank you, Mistress Padmé. It felt so good to put my programming to use." Threepio bid them good night and left the library.
"Tomorrow I want to play Monopoly," Anakin said.
Padmé smiled. "Yes, dear."
There were plenty of board games to keep them entertained for a while. She opened the cabinet to put the game back where she found it. As she did Anakin pointed and asked, "What's that game?"
She pulled out the box. "Oh this is Ryoo and Pooja's. They're Legos. They're blocks you can build things with."
Without even looking at her husband's face Padmé knew Anakin would want to 'take a look.' She handed the box over her shoulder and he took it without hesitation.
Anakin spread the pieces over the table, "This is going to be awesome. Come on, let's build a Nubian cruiser."
-End-
