A/N: Originally posted on ao3 under the pen name youngjusticewriter.
...Happy late one year anniversary?
Omake summary: In The End, We Will Remember Not The Words Of Our Enemies, But The Silence Of Our Friends - Martin Luther King, Jr.
Anakin is (a person) not stupid. He's eight but not stupid. He tells Vader this and Vader doesn't even turn his helmet to acknowledge him yet Anakin knows (just knows he's always just known) that Vader did in fact hear him. That Vader finds dry amusement in Anakin's words as he refuses to acknowledge his younger self.
"What happened?" Anakin finally asks the question that's bugged him since he figured out who Vader was. (Mom I had this dream where I came back here and freed all of the slaves.)
Vader's breath is the only noise in the cold room of the ship that's going to take them to Shili before they settle at Naboo. Anakin will never miss the sand (it's so dry and coarse and it gets everywhere) but he does miss the warmth of the twin suns.
If he's shivering neither one of them say anything about it; it's not shocking, Anakin by now (or perhaps it was when Vader had taken the air for Gardulla without so much as a word and then proceeded to paint the sands of Tatooine with the blood of Masters) Vader was a man of actions not words. Anakin can't help but briefly wonder if they ever learnt to read.
"Anakin Skywalker of the original timeline was weak. You will not be. I will teach you to be powerful," Vader doesn't elaborate and maybe Anakin is thankfully for that. He has always wanted for him and his mom to be free but power was another thing entirely. The Hutts and Masters had power and they abused it; the Republic and the Jedi had power (and the former was wizard too) but they neglected the great responsibility that came with great power.
They didn't come to free the slaves; no, a Sith did who were (or rather Anakin was) evil.
Anakin is eight but not stupid. He can't help but wonder what that says or maybe forebodes for the galaxy and his future.