Hello, and welcome to my final, final instalment in Xtober 2022! If you haven't seen it popping up on my tumblr, you'd be forgiven for not knowing that I did Flufftober as well this month :D But! I made it manageable! 31 drabbles of 100 words exactly (apart from today's, the last day, because I have mercy on myself and made it 200). At least, 100 words according to Microsoft Word; FFN may disagree. They are all chronological and part of the same story.
Thanks so much for reading alongside me this October, and hope you enjoy!
Day 1: Wearing Each Other's Clothes
Vader, staring down at the two children he'd unceremoniously given a pair of rooms on the top floor of his castle, thought he might not have given Vaneé clear enough instructions. The dress that had been bought for Leia, with hearts and flowers printed up and down the sleeves, currently sat on Luke. It looked like it fit him better than it had Leia. Leia, meanwhile, had the orange jumpsuit with various freighters printed onto it that had been meant for Luke.
If he was going to be their father, he needed to get out a measuring tape. And fast.
Day 2: "You've told your parents?"
"Our parents know where we are, right?"
If Vader were honest, this was the first time since finding two ten years olds being held by the Inquisitors on Nur that he'd had to confront the fact that other parents had raised his children.
"Who are your parents?" He reigned in his anger. They'd dealt with Inquisitors' anger already. He didn't want to see them cry again.
"I am Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan," Leia informed him smugly, clearly expecting awe.
"My aunt and uncle are looking for me," Luke added. "Owen and Beru Lars. Do you know them?"
Vader stared.
Day 3: Thick as Thieves
"Do you think he'll find them?" Luke asked, going to sit next to Leia on the windowseat. The planet outside was full of fire, and the sky was full of smoke, but they could still see Nur. It was a bright blue from space. "He has to take us back, right?"
Leia sniffed. "Of course. I'm a princess." But Luke could tell she was faking it.
"If he doesn't," he reassured her. "We can escape again. He's nice, but we don't have to stay with him. We can go anywhere together."
She gave him a weak smile. "I'd like that."
Day 4: Supporting Silly Quirks/Hobbies
"Why do you want to watch that?" Leia complained. Vader glanced up from the report he'd been reading from his agents. The Lars farm was, apparently, completely empty.
"Because I love it!"
"You shouldn't! Speeder Spiders is stupid and—"
"Are you scared?" Luke cut her off. "Of a spider?"
"No!"
"Yes you are."
"No, I'm not."
"Yes you are."
"No, I'm—"
"Watch it with me then," Luke said smugly. "You'll like it. If you're not scared."
Leia turned bright red, grumbling. "I'll watch your stupid show with you," she said, and plopped down on the floor beside him.
Day 5: "Oh no, you're a Morning Person!"
"Go back to sleeeeeeep."
"You're a princess. Aren't you supposed to get up early?" It wasn't even dawn yet. Vader shouldn't be here.
"Princesses need their beauty sleep. Ask Mister Vader."
"Mister Vader, is it true that sleep will actually make Leia pretty?"
Leia kicked Luke.
"Leia is already very pretty," Vader said. "But neither of you need be awake."
"Are you here with information?" Leia sat up, awake now. "Have my parents sent an army for me?"
Vader paused. "Go back to sleep," he said. "We will discuss this in the morning." Once they had forgotten, with any luck.
Day 6: Candles, Lanterns, Fairy Lights
Vader spent days on decorating. Candles, lanterns, strings of lights—anything that alleviated the darkness. When Empire Day came, he surprised the twins with a cake.
"Happy birthday," he offered, unable to express enthusiasm through his deadpan vocoder, but trying very hard to.
"Thank you!" Luke said.
Leia said, "It's not our birthdays."
"Shhhh."
Vader blinked. "It is not?"
"Today's Empire Day. Our birthday is in three days."
Vader stared. That was… impossible. Padmé had died on Mustafar. They could not have been born after the day she died.
Luke stared up at him hopefully. "Can I still have cake?"
Day 7: Movie Marathon
On the twins' birthday proper, they did the cake and lights and celebration all over again. The twins argued about what to watch, so Vader let them watch anything. They fell asleep in front of some tedious cartoon about the angels of Iego, heads on each other's shoulders.
Vader let them sleep, panicking. But he kept the panic locked up as he draped a blanket around them; Luke, more sensitive to temperature, was starting to stir and grumble.
They had not been born on Empire Day, Vader marvelled. Which meant that Padmé had lived longer.
Vader had not killed her.
Day 8: Shooting Stars
"The Empire is evil," Leia declared. Vader's grip tightened on his datapad. "Everyone knows that."
"They do not," he snapped. "Why do you think so?"
"Because they murdered people on Mimban. And force people to listen to an evil emperor."
"And stormtroopers are mean," Luke added. Leia nodded with enthusiasm. "Biggs and I'll fight them. We're a pair of shooting stars that'll never be stopped!"
"How old are you?" Vader sneered.
"Ten!"
The search for his children's guardians was not fruitful. He glanced over the report anyway, fuming. Perhaps it would show him who had filled their heads with lies.
Day 9: Game Day (Sports)
"You're gonna train us with fight," Leia commanded, reaching for his lightsaber.
Vader floated it above his head before she could touch it. "I most certainly am not."
"Please!" Luke piped up from the mat next to Vader. "It looks fun!"
"I lost my limbs like this," Vader snapped. "Now I am more machine than man. Is that fun?"
Luke nodded. "Yes! You're so cool!" He pointed at his mask. "You're like a droid but better."
Vader dropped his lightsaber in surprise. It bonked Leia on the head on the way down. She scowled.
"Make me float, now," she ordered.
Day 10: Love Language
"Do you think Mr. Vader is actually looking for our parents?" Leia asked.
"'Course."
She looked at Luke scornfully. Luke didn't look up from drawing. "It's not of course. He hasn't told us anything about it. And he doesn't want us to leave."
"He loves us," Luke said. Leia snorted. "He does! Look at what he's done."
"You're gullible."
"I can feel it. Can't you? There's good in him, and he loves us."
"Even if he doesn't say it?"
"Yeah!" He pushed his drawing towards her. It was of Vader and Luke, holding hands.
Leia scowled. "Draw me in it!"
Day 11: Poetry, Art, Music, Craft
Giving Luke art supplies had not been a good idea, considering the first thing he drew with them had been a family portrait that almost overpowered Vader's respirator and made him stop breathing. He spluttered, staring at it, for an age.
"Will you draw with us?" Luke begged. "Or do anything. I can make stickers."
"I can sing," said Leia, who could certainly try to. "Can you?"
Vader hesitated. "If you would like me to—"
"Yes!"
Luke asked eagerly, "Can I put stickers on your mask?"
"No."
Vader walked out of the children's room with stickers on his mask.
Day 12: "You kept this?"
"Mr. Vader?"
When Vader answered the door, Luke stared up at him.
"Are you really looking for my family?" he asked.
"Come in," Vader replied.
Luke hopped onto his desk chair, even if his feet didn't touch the ground. "Tell…"
He trailed off. All of the artwork Vader and the twins had made were on the wall, Luke's portrait of them in pride of place.
"I am looking for your aunt and uncle, Luke," Vader said gently. "But there is something I must tell you about our family. Leia's too." Vader hesitated. "I think you should both know the truth."
Day 13: Secret Family Recipe
"You're Grandma Shmi's son," Luke declared, "so you know Grandma Shmi's recipe."
Vader stared at the kitchen. Vaneé stared at him. It was his kitchen; for years, he was the only one on the planet who needed feeding. "I have not cooked in ten years."
"Well, that's not gonna make you any better at it," Leia said, always first to have an opinion.
"Do you know how to cook?" he challenged. She fell silent, but—
The twins looked at each other. When they said it, it was in unison. "You're gonna teach us."
Vader, apparently, had no choice in that.
Day 14: Truth or Dare/20 Questions
"What's your favourite colour?"
"Blue. What's your favourite food?"
"Blue milk."
"That's not a food."
"Yes, it is."
"No, it isn't."
"Yes—"
"Cease your bickering." Vader could sense they were having fun, but it was so annoying.
"What was Mama's name?"
"What?"
Leia stared up at him. "You're playing too. What was her name?"
"I am not playing."
"You said you were," Luke said.
"I did not."
"I want to know her name."
Vader's throat was made of sandpaper. "Her name was Padmé."
Leia gazed at him. Luke scoffed.
"That's a boring name," he said. "What's your favourite name, Leia?"
Day 15: Accidents don't just happen accidentally
Vader eyed his spies' reports.
Organas have been missing from the Royal Palace of Alderaan for over a month. Queen's sister brought in as regent, knowledge not yet public. But regent's Imperial sympathies are making the people suspicious.
It was strange enough in itself that the Organas were missing, but—
Lars family homestead appears to have been abandoned. Maintained by neighbours, Darklighters.
The Larses had gone missing as well. And he owed it to the children who were gnawing on the shields around his heart like termites to find out what this was.
His children's suffering had been no accident.
Day 16: "I hate you" – "I love you too"
"Where are they?" Luke demanded after Vader told them what he'd found.
"What?"
"You wanted to raise us! You said so! What did you do with my aunt and uncle!?"
"Luke, I did nothing."
"I don't believe you!" He started to sob but cringed away from Vader's attempt at reassurance. Leia caught him instead, glaring at Vader. "I hate you."
Vader knelt down. "I will find them."
The truth in his words was strong enough that Luke paused his tears. "Promise?" he asked.
"I promise." And—"I love you."
Luke didn't say it back. Not yet. But he wanted to.
Day 17: Animal Shelter
"What are those?" Leia asked, pointing at shapes that moved through the lava fields.
Vader hardly glanced up. "What are you looking at, child?"
"The big fleas with riders on."
Vader dropped his stylus. "What?"
"They're coming towards the castle! No, wait, they stopped at the bottom. They're looking for shelter from the storm."
"I will have them banished. Mustafarians are dangerous; they have attacked the castle before—"
"No, Papa." Vader caved the moment she called him that. "They just want shelter for their big fleas. Leave them alone."
Vader let his respirator cycle.
"…as you wish," he said.
Day 18: Soulmate AU
"You wished to learn the Force."
"I want a lightsaber," Leia corrected.
"You must learn the Force first."
"Boring."
"I'm excited!" Luke said.
"You are connected to each other. Reach out with your feelings."
They closed their eyes for hardly a minute. "We've done this before," Luke complained.
"Yeah! We've always done it!" Leia agreed.
Vader paused. "Always?"
"Leia wants to learn the lightsaber!" Luke fidgeted. "So do I."
"You cannot."
"But we've already used the Force for years!"
The idea was painful, but it made him smile. It was true.
They'd loved each other long before they'd ever met.
Day 19: Hot Chocolate
"What is this? Ow."
"Don't drink that fast, dummy, you'll burn your tongue."
"I think I already have." Luke said the words delicately, like his tongue was twice its size already.
Vader let his respirator sigh for him, reached over to refill his mug, but put a hand over it. "Drink it slowly."
Luke drank it in one gulp. "Ow!"
"This is hot chocolate," Leia informed him. "When I'm very good, I can have some."
"I'm never drinking anything else again."
"You can't do that."
Vader couldn't help but offer, "I will stock up the pantry," and watch Luke beam.
Day 20: Bedtime Stories
"He taught his apprentice everything he knew," Vader finished, flourishing like Padmé's sister used to when storytelling, "and his apprentice killed him."
Luke stared. "That's not a happy ending."
"It is a happy ending. The Sith Lord was evil. His apprentice—"
"Was evil too."
"Perhaps," Vader conceded. "So, when his apprentice kills him, it will be happy."
"That apprentice would be evil too," Leia said. "They're all baddies."
"That apprentice isn't evil."
"He would be."
"Tell us a better story," Leia complained. "Not about evil people."
Vader hesitated.
"Once," he began haltingly, "three Jedi landed on a magical world…"
Day 21: Kiss For Good Luck
"You're leaving?"
Vader ignored the tiny child yelling in his doorway. "It is for a good cause."
"You're leaving us," Leia insisted, backing up her brother.
"I am going to find your parents."
Leia gasped. Luke stared.
"Take us too."
"Absolutely not."
"We can help! We can—"
"I said no!" he roared. They both shrank back. He hadn't shouted at them yet.
Guilt flooded him. He knelt in front of them. "I will bring them back," he promised.
Leia kissed him on his mask. Luke kissed the other side.
"For luck," they said.
Vader hoped he wouldn't need it.
Day 22: "Have you heard?"
Nothing held more power than a rumour.
One whisper from a spy said a high-profile prisoner of Organa's description had been transferred to the Arkanis sector. He could find no such record in any arrest files. Only two organisations superseded the Imperial Army: the ISB and the Inquisitors.
He found the orders buried deep under useless detritus.
The Inquisitors who took Luke and Leia had not found them randomly. They had taken the children and captured the parents for leverage.
Palpatine had given those orders.
Vader found the location of their facility. Flew to Arkanis. And he gave them hell.
Day 23: POV Outsider
The cell Beru had been kept in, away from her husband and child, had been cold, but this place was colder. It fit, if it belonged to the man who'd rescued them.
Still. That man—Darth Vader, his manservant had said, looking offended—was kind. He'd reunited her with Owen. And now…
"Luke's down there," Owen murmured. His face was pressed to the shuttle viewport, same as her.
"If he's to be believed."
"I do believe him," Owen said. "He said he was Anakin."
Beru didn't argue; she smiled instead. A tiny piece of Shmi's family, long lost, was home.
Day 24: All the Hugs
"Papa!" Leia screamed, launching herself at the tall man who waltzed in the door. His face lit up; he flung his arms open. Another, equally drawn and tired looking woman followed him, her hair painstakingly braided despite its poor state. She touched Leia's cheek.
Luke stared, waiting, until they came through. Uncle Owen gawked at the black walls of the castle, and how these areas were bedazzled with lights and colour, but Beru's gaze zeroed in on him.
"Luke." She opened her arms. Luke leapt into them, breathing in the scent of her bedraggled clothes. He finally felt at home.
Day 25: First Dance
"Where are you?" Leia demanded.
"Yes! You said you'd be here—"
"I am unfortunately indisposed." The bleeping of Vader's shuttle told him he was approaching Coruscant.
"I want you here!"
"I know," he said gently. "Make your guardians comfortable. I will return forthwith."
"I don't want you here forth-with. I want you here now. You promised you'd dance with me."
"My errand is necessary. But I will dance with you when I return." He smiled. "I love you."
Before they responded, he cut the call and dropped out of hyperspace.
Tonight, Palpatine would die, or Vader would die trying.
Day 26: Blankets
"This is for you." Luke handed Owen his blanket. "You're cold."
Owen shook his head. "I'm not cold."
"You are," Luke insisted. He was, but Luke shouldn't know that. They were on a lava planet. His coldness was embarrassing. "This is for you."
"I don't need your blanket, Luke. That's for you."
"I know you're lying," Luke said bluntly. "Father taught me the Force. And I love you, so it's stronger."
Keeping Kenobi away for years had been a waste, then. "Oh."
"I was cold too," Luke confided, then climbed onto the seat beside him. "We can be warm together."
Day 27: Reunion
When Vader returned, the twins mobbed him. He was thrilled but overwhelmed: it took all his focus to keep them all on the landing pad, out of the lava below. It was useful to be tall.
The guardians who had stolen his children watched them. Owen was hopeful, Beru guarded. The Organas were horrified.
Vader put them down. "Introduce me to your parents."
"Papa says you're going to kill him," Leia informed him.
"If I was, I would have already. Introduce us."
They did. It went well. Killing the Emperor, as far as peace offerings went, was a powerful one.
Day 28: Picnic
Whoever's idea it had been to picnic on Naboo was someone Vader had complex feelings towards. He remembered this scene. The roaming shaaks had not changed, something Sola had clearly anticipated when she recommended this spot to them.
But his children were enjoying it.
It hurt, that Padmé wasn't there. Instead, Leia called a stranger her mother; Luke turned towards his aunt like she was the sun.
But he'd thought the twins were dead. His anger still roiled in his chest at that, but… They weren't.
They had been saved.
He could let their guardians live for a while longer.
Day 29: Leaves
Autumn enveloped Theed suddenly, like everything had been caramelised. Bail's face was drawn and pale, but Vader could hardly fault him. His own face would be similar, were it not already white as the moon. Visiting Padmé was not easy.
Luke and Leia, immune to their grief, played in leaves. There were few trees to shed them on Tatooine; Alderaan's seasons were not nearly this intense. They were delighted. It made the day bearable.
Luke and Leia had found each other. They'd found their wider families, their father. But they would never meet their mother.
At least they seemed content.
Day 30: Dear Diary
Sola Naberrie's house was smaller than the one Vader had first met her in, but there was room for everyone. She smiled and listened to her niece and nephew ramble, even as her own daughters hung in the corners. Leia stole half the tarts she'd baked, but Sola laughed.
At dinner came the gift that hurt so much.
"This was Padmé's diary," she explained, "from when she was your age. None of that boring queen stuff." She winked at Leia, who perked up. "If you wanted to know her, a little."
They sat there reading for a long time, smiling.
Day 31: A Sweet Treat
Ultimately, though, their family trip to Naboo had to come to an end. Vader dreaded what would come after: would Luke be taken back to Tatooine, Leia to Alderaan? Would he have to fight to see his children again? The worry gnawed at his mind for the last two days, before Bail and Beru pulled him aside.
They spoke of a lot of things—visits and playdates, their mutual love for the twins, offers to move, for a spare room. And, above all, thanks.
There were no plans in the works, but there would be. So he was calm when they reached Padmé's grave. Luke and Leia, having read her diary, were more solemn as they came upon her tomb, faces drawn. They each murmured goodbyes to the mother they'd never known.
Leia snuck out the tart she'd stolen from Sola and left it on her mother's grave.
They all gathered around—the Organas and Leia, the Larses and Luke, and Vader—looked at the tomb, at the tart that teetered atop it, and silence reverberated through the cool autumn air.
Then they turned away, ready to start their new lives with the family they had lost but found again.
