"Don't look!"

"I'm not looking!" Anakin protested, but still, he lifted a hand to nudge aside Padmé's fingers. He heard a little cry, and then the hands tightened over his eyes again. "Okay, okay."

"Just a little longer," Padmé said. Anakin felt her fingers adjust. He moved to the side with her hands, and then Padmé said, "You have to keep your eyes closed for a little longer so I can open the doors."

"Trust me?" Anakin asked.

"Anakin!"

"Okay, okay," Anakin said, closing his eyes. "I've got them closed."

"Do you promise?"

"Do you trust me?"

"Fine," Padmé said, and she lowered her hands. Anakin felt her move around him, and a moment later, he felt a warm hand catch his. Tug him closer, and Anakin let himself follow. There was the quiet creak of doors opening, and then Anakin felt a cool breeze brush past.

"Okay," Padmé whispered. "You can open your eyes now."

Anakin did.

He had to blink a few times. At first, he wasn't sure if perhaps it was just from closing his eyes too tight, but now, he registered that no, it wasn't just his eyes—there were lights all around him. Glowing, small lights lining the railing of the balcony, and beyond, into the rest of Coruscant, Anakin saw more lights flickering on other balconies, in the windows of other apartments. And the lights might not have been surprising, had it not been for the fact that this quarter of the city was otherwise completely dark. Just the yellow, sometimes white lights glowing all around them. In a planet that was almost always wide awake, this one was quiet. And yet still alive, still warm.

"What…"

"You're never home around this time of year," Padmé said. "But this time…"

Anakin looked out over the balcony. He could see some other families in the windows far, far off. Standing around the small lights. A candle lit.

"Usually," Padmé said, walking over to Anakin, "the candles are lit right after sundown. But since you didn't get here until now…" She gestured down to what Anakin now realized were a set of unlit candles. Four of them were already lit.

"You waited for me?" Anakin asked, looking down at Padmé.

"Of course," Padmé said. She smiled up at Anakin. "Do this with me?" She gestured to the candles. "We only light one once a night, and if you're here…" She looked at Anakin. "I wanted to share this with you."

Anakin smiled. He nodded. "Lead the way," he said.

She did.

A/N: So, Natalie Portman is Jewish, so be default, Padme Amidala is Jewish too. I'll admit that I'm not Jewish myself, but I know that Hanukkah isn't deemed the most religious holiday for Jewish people. However, I also thought it was a bit strange that Star Wars has Life Day, which is meant to mimic Christmas but like...despite the fact that Natalie Portman, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford are Jewish, there's...nothing about Hanukkah in the galaxy far, far away. (And yes, I do realize that there probably wasn't a Jacob and the Maccabees in the galaxy far, far away, but. But. Sh.)

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