"What are you thinking, Master?" Palpatine turned to look at the grey-haired man standing beside him, but there was still a twinkle in Anakin's blue eyes.
"Just..." Palpatine gestured vaguely, he felt oddly mellow today. "Remembering our first Winter Fete."
"Ah yes." Anakin looked back out over the chaos of innumerable younglings and their respective guardians milling about in the excitement of Winter Fete. "I remember… Maul and I were certain you'd have destroyed the tree when we got up."
Palpatine smirked. "I know. Neither of you were trained nearly enough to hide your shock."
"Was it comparable to our shock on the morning of Winter Fete proper?" Anakin asked wryly, and Palpatine outright chuckled.
"Comparable," he agreed easily, amusement tinging his voice as he remembered the boys gawping open-mouthed at the presents beneath the glowing tree, that first Winter Fete. His eyes idly traced the path of a massive ball of red gift paper as it flew in a lazily graceful curve through the air to bonk an unsuspecting teen on the head, who shot a reproachful look at the clueless youngling now eagerly tearing into the unwrapped box. "Your mouths looked like you were aiming to swallow Coruscant."
"Well it was highly out of character," Anakin pointed out with increased wryness.
"I pride myself on being unpredictable," Palpatine replied smugly.
Anakin nudged his erstwhile Master. "You enjoyed that day as much as we did, admit it," he teased.
"I always enjoy surprising people," Palpatine evaded.
Anakin rolled his eyes good-naturedly, shaking his head. "That's not what I meant you and you know it."
"I have no idea what you're talking about," the older man replied primly, watching as Kyziné directed one of the brats towards him.
"Mmhm," Anakin replied, unimpressed. "That's why with each new generation of younglings you always get them presents at least once while they're small..."
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Palpatine replied firmly.
Fluff! Fluff fluff fluff! Christmas fluff! :D :D :D Unashamed fluff! Palpatine fluff! *throws fluff around in the air like artificial snow* FLUUUUUFFFFFFF!