A/N: This is just a cute little palette cleanser from all the drama I've been writing lately. I have a few more cute little oneshots coming out over the next few days. I hope you enjoy!
The neon lights of Coruscant's late night entertainment district flickered like distant, multicoloured stars, painting the bustling streets in hues of electric blue, pink, and gold. Speeders zipped by overhead, their lights streaking through the air like comets, while a steady thrum of music pulsed from every corner, creating a symphony of the urban planet's chaotic nightlife. It was a stark contrast to the serene lakes and meadows of Naboo or the austere corridors of the Jedi Temple. But tonight, Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala Naberrie craved something different — something unexpected.
Padmé adjusted her dress as they approached the entrance of "The Pulse," one of the most popular nightclubs in the city's seedy underbelly. The garment was a deep shade of crimson, hugging her form with a mixture of elegance and allure that drew more than a few appreciative glances as they walked. Her hair was pinned up with a few loose curls cascading over her shoulders, and her eyes sparkled with excitement. Tonight, she wasn't a Galactic Senator, nor a former Queen… she was a woman. A woman on enjoying date night with her husband.
"Are you sure about this, Ani?" she asked, casting a teasing look at him.
Anakin, for his part, seemed utterly out of place and yet completely at ease. He wore a dark jacket over the simple tunic and black trousers he'd produced from gods only knew where, giving him a roguish look that seemed to draw as many appreciative eyes as Padmé's dress. He grinned down at her, his blue eyes gleaming. "Why wouldn't I be?" He replied, leaning close so only she could hear amongst the blazing sounds. "We're incognito, Senator. Just a couple of normal people enjoying a night out."
Padmé laughed and he only grinned wider. "Normal citizens don't usually have Jedi reflexes and a lightsaber hidden under their jacket," she pointed out. Nor did they use their power to casually confuse anyone who might stare at them for a moment too long, addling their mind enough to forget what exactly they'd witnessed.
"Details, details," Anakin shrugged, still smiling. "Besides, I promised you an adventure tonight, didn't I?"
She shook her head, still smiling. "That you did, General Skywalker. I have very high expectations."
With a shared look of anticipation, they stepped through the entrance and into the lively club. The interior was a swirl of colour and sound. Holographic dancers twirled in mid-air, their forms flickering in and out of existence to the beat of the pounding music. The bass thrummed through the floor, vibrating up through their feet and sending an electric thrill up Padmé's spine. The crowd was a mix of beings from all corners of the galaxy — humans, twi'leks, rodians, and others, all moving together under the dim, shifting lights.
Anakin looked around, his eyes wide with fascination. "This is… different," he admitted almost sheepishly. If his flesh hand weren't tightly in hers, she was sure it would be scratching uncomfortably at the nape of his neck. A cute little habit of his whenever he was nervous or uncomfortable. She loved catching him doing it just to see his blush when she pointed it out.
Padmé nudged him playfully, drawing his focus back to her. This was a new experience for her too! She'd spent her younger days in educational programs and ruling Naboo as Queen. It didn't leave much time for dancing and drinking with friends. "You mean the Jedi don't take you out clubbing?"
Anakin laughed, his grin wide and boyish. "Nights out aren't exactly in the Jedi Code, no."
Padmé took his hand, leading him toward the bar. "Well, it's a good thing I'm here to help you break a few rules then isn't it?" She teased and felt her heart race a little faster at the idea. Normally he was the one coaxing her to bend the rules and limits of their lives. It was… nice to let loose and be playful with him. To encourage the great Hero with No Fear to be bad with her for a change.
They reached the bar and Padmé leaned over to the neon-blue droid bartender. "Two Corellian Sunsets, please!" She ordered loudly, her voice barely registering above the thumping music, flashing a smile.
As the droid bartender handed them their bright, smoking drinks, Anakin leaned in close, his lips brushing her ear to be heard. "To unexpected adventures," he said, raising his glass.
Padmé clinked her own against his. "To unexpected adventures," she echoed, taking a sip.
The drink was sweet with a hint of spice, a perfect complement to the charged energy of the club. Padmé smiled softly as the music shifted to a faster beat, a rhythm that seemed to pulse through the air like a living thing. This was as close as she could imagine the force had to feel for Anakin every day… it was interesting.
Anakin set down his drink on the nearest little circular hover-table, eyes glinting with mischief. "Come on," he said, pulling her toward the crowd. "Dance with me..."
Padmé hesitated for only a moment before allowing herself to be led further into the hazy room. "You dance?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
Anakin grinned. "I've picked up a few moves over the years," he replied with a wink over his shoulder.
The dance floor was a sea of movement, bodies swaying and spinning in unison, all caught in the irresistible current of music. The crowd shifted and flowed like waves, each person moving with their own unique rhythm. The air was thick with laughter, shouted conversations, and the steady thump of the bass, creating a vibrant tapestry of sound and motion. Colours flashed and mingled in the dim light — the gleam of sequins, the flicker of neon lights, the occasional glint of sweat on a brow — all blending into a kaleidoscope of energy and life. It was as if the crowd itself had become one great, connected being. Pulsating and breathing to the beat of the music, everyone was lost in the shared, electric exhilaration of night.
Anakin placed his hands on Padmé's waist, and she snaked her arms around his neck, their bodies moving together in time with the music. At first, their movements were tentative, testing the rhythm, feeling the pulse of the crowd around them. But then, as the music surrounded them, they let go of their reservations and lost themselves in the moment. Padmé laughed and spun away from him only for Anakin to pull her back with a twirl that made her dress flare around her.
"I can't believe you're so good at this!" she shouted over the music, her smile so wide her cheeks ached. She needed this! Time away from her office, away from the worries of the Senate and the galaxy, just to be with the man she loved. To be herself, just Padmé and have some fun for once! She felt years lighter already! This is what they should be doing every night, having a good time, bonding, enjoying each other. This is what every other married couple got to have and she wanted a taste of normality, just for one night.
Anakin shrugged, looking rather pleased with himself. "The Force helps," he smirked.
Padmé laughed again, shaking her head. "That's cheating, y'know," she teased.
He grinned, tugging her closer pressing every inch of himself against her. "It's not cheating. I'm just using all my skills to impress you."
"Well it's working," she admitted, a playful twinkle in her eyes. "I'm very impressed."
They moved together as if they were one, the rest of the galaxy melting away. Anakin spun her again, their bodies swaying and moving with an effortless grace. For a moment, there was nothing but the music, the lights, and the feeling of being together.
Padmé felt all the tension and worry of the past few weeks melt away, replaced by a warm, bubbling happiness. Here with Anakin under the flashing lights and the heavy beat, she felt free. She felt alive.
Anakin's hands tightened on her waist as he leaned in, his lips close to her ear. "You're so beautiful, you know that?" he murmured.
Padmé felt a blush creep up her cheeks despite the heat of the club. "Flattery will get you everywhere tonight, Mr Skywalker," she replied, a hint of teasing in her voice. She watched Anakin watch her teeth tug at her lip and flicked out her tongue to trace it afterwards just because.
He chuckled, his breath warm against her skin as he laid a kiss on her neck. "Is that so, Mrs Skywalker? Then I'll have to keep going…" he whispered. "You're incredible, Padmé. You're the most beautiful, sexy," those hands of his slid lower, daring to cup her backside and she gasped, "amazing person I've ever known. I'm so in love with you."
Padmé's heart swelled at his words and she pulled back just enough to look into his eyes. For a moment, the club around them faded, and it was just the two of them, standing close, even the music became a distant hum. "Anakin," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the beat. "I love you too. So, so much… I don't think I tell you that enough. You are everything to me."
His smile softened and he leaned in to press a tender kiss to her lips. "I breathe for you alone," he murmured against her mouth, his hands coming up to cradle her face as if she were the most precious thing in the galaxy and for a moment, Padmé felt as if that might be true.
They kissed, slow and sensually deep, their movements matching the rhythm of the music. Around them, the club continued to pulse and throb without a care, but for Padmé and Anakin, there was nothing else in the whole universe but each other. For this one moment, they were just two people in love sharing a dance. Just a husband and wife stealing a well deserved moment of peace and passion when the galaxy so often demanded they were apart. The worries of the war could wait for just one night.
As the song melted into another, Anakin kept his arms around Padmé and held her close. She pressed her back to his chest and swayed to the euphoric beat, thrilling in the absolute anonymity this night gifted.
"See?" Anakin whispered into her hair, pausing for a moment to tug her earlobe between his teeth. "I told you tonight would be an adventure."
Padmé smiled, her eyes closing as she savoured the feeling of his arms around her, of the music and hours and hours of uninterrupted fun ahead. "Being with you is the best kind of adventure," she grinned, her heart full and for one short night, utterly at peace.
And for the rest of the night they stayed there, moving together under the lights, lost in their own little world amidst the vibrant chaos of the Coruscant nightlife.