Back Again, Together || Darth Vader x Reader (Chapter 6) (2023)

Back Again, Together || Darth Vader x Reader (Chapter 6)

Originally posted by pyro-baby

(A/N: hopefully this makes up for chapter five. taglists open.)

Masterlist (link to first part of this story): [x]

Chapter One : [x] || Chapter Two : [x]

Chapter Three : [x] || Chapter Four : [x]

Chapter Five : [x]

WARNINGS: mentions of hospital-like rooms and injury, cursing, some angst, fluff, otherwise none

Key: (F/N) = first name, (L/N) = last name

Word Count: ~6700

~~~

When you finally regained consciousness, you weren’t sure if you were dreaming or not.

You could feel your body lying down on a somewhat warm surface, and you could no longer hear the sound of the ocean. This told you that you must be out of the Endor system. You tried your best to squint your eyes open, but it proved to be quite difficult. Your eyelids felt heavy, and you were just barely able to open them a modicum; your vision only filled with blurry lines and bright lights.

Slowly but gradually, your hearing started to regain, and you were just barely able to make out the rhythmic sounds of machines beeping.

Where the hell were you?

It was so bright, you felt so confused.

Out from behind the beeps of the unknown machine, you were able to make out three different voices, two of which were female and one was male. Your vision still blurry, you weren’t able to make out what they looked like or even where they were. Despite this, you were able to hear their voices as clear as day.

It was an odd sensation. You had never heard these voices before. You felt somewhat rude not being able to see them.

First came a female voice. Whoever it was, she sounded concerned, yet still firm and wise.

“Master,” she said, “Are you sure we shouldn’t step in now? She’s in bad shape…”

She? The woman must mean you.

Why were you in bad shape again?

Oh, right.

Ben.

The male was next to speak, a hint of an unknown accent in his voice.

“No, we shouldn’t, not yet anyway,” he said, “Our time is coming soon, however. Be patient.”

Their time?

You were so confused. You had so many questions.

“At least she’s finally awake.” the other woman said. She sounded poised, yet approachable.

Had all three of them been there the entire time?

How long were you out for? What day was it? What time was it?

You felt a sinking feeling in your diaphragm.

Where was Vee?

Blinking a few times, you were finally able to restore your vision to normal, making out the ceiling above you. Taking in a deep breath through your nose, you slowly but surely were able to sit yourself up, digging your fingers into the surface below you. Wincing at the pain that shot through you, you shifted your gaze to your legs. They were covered by a thin, white sheet, making you deduce that you were in a bed. Moving your gaze around the room, you were able to see two more striking things.

The first being that you were in a medical bay. Turning your head to the right, you saw the machine that you had heard beeping before. Looking at it’s screen, you saw a few numbers and lines. Your vital signs, you took it. Looking back down to your arm, you saw the tubes and sensors feeding the machine data attached to you.

You ripped them off. You weren’t sure why.

The second thing you saw, lifting up your head again to the expanse of the room, was the absence of two women and a man. Your brow furrowed at this. You were terribly confused, moreso than you already were.

Where had they gone? They sounded like they were just there, and you hadn’t heard the door slide open and closed…

You closed your eyes and rubbed your temples, a headache forcing itself upon your head.

Your brain had to be making stuff up.

This was far too much to take in.

Opening your eyes again, you were met with the sight of the big, white shirt that covered your stomach. Noticing a slight bulge from behind the fabric, you lowered your hands down to the hem of the shirt, lifting it up so that your flesh was visible.

A large, white bandage covered the expanse of the skin, taped down firmly around your sides.

You tightened your lips into a line. You wondered what the wound looked like underneath.

Curiosity taking over your better judgement, your reached around to your back, wrapping your fingertips around the ends of the tape and ripping it off. Helping the tape along, you were able to remove just enough of the bandage to show you the wound.

What you saw was very much not what you were expecting.

You assumed that you would see a good-sized, bloody, red hole in the middle of your stomach. Instead, you saw…

A scar. A round, pinkish scar.

You felt your heartbeat start to quicken as your mind raced.

How long have you been asleep? A week? A month? Who were those people you heard?

But most importantly…

Where was Vee?

You wanted him.

You wanted him now.

Where was he?

Your chest started to heave in big breaths, your eyes filling with tears.

Vee.

Vee.

You needed him there.

You needed him to explain everything.

You needed-

Your rambling thoughts were cut off by the muffled sound of voices. Shooting your gaze to the closed door, you held your breath as you tried your best to make out what they were saying. Unable to make anything out, you peeled the sheet off of your legs, pushing them off the bed and hoisting yourself up out of the bed. Your legs wobbling slightly, you padded your feet across the cold floor to the door, pressing your ear against its surface.

“It’s been a week, sir.” you heard a female voice say. Processing it for a second in your brain, you were able to piece together that it was Rey’s. She continued, “We have to keep moving. We can’t wait forever.”

“She’s right.” you heard another muffled voice say, of which you quickly recognized as Poe’s, “Every day that we wait is another day that Palpatine is still alive. We’ll keep some people behind to look after her, but we need-”

“No. We shall do nothing of the sort. (F/N) will awaken soon. She deserves to be here as much as the rest of us, and I will not tolerate her exclusion.”

You felt your lips part.

“Sir, with all due respect, it’s been a whole week. It doesn’t… It doesn’t look like she-”

“DO NOT finish that remark, intruder. You do not know of what you speak. (F/N) is strong. She will wake up. She…”

A long pause.

“She must wake up. I… I can not… I need her to. I need…”

You felt tears prickle in your eyes again.

You heard enough.

Pressing the button at the side of the doorframe, you watched as the door disappeared into the wall. Now able to move freely out of the room, you clutched your aching stomach as you passed your feet out of the room, the cold air of the outside making your shudder.

Sure enough, your ears did not deceive you. Both Poe and Rey were there, concerned yet serious looks on their faces.

Their expressions fell to shock as they saw you hobble out of the room.

Your two friends.

But most importantly…

“Vee?” you peeped out.

The tall, looming blue and black figure’s head perked up as he heard your familiar voice. Whipping his frame around, his cape fluttered behind him as he shot his gaze to you.

Were his eyes deceiving him?

Was the love of his life really there?

Did she really wake up after all this time?

Tears threatened to spill over out of your eyes.

Was this really him?

Was he really there just a few dozen feet from you?

Was your love really there?

He turned fully towards you, his voice rumbling oh so deeply out from behind his mask.

“Darling…”

That was all the confirmation you needed.

You felt hot tears start to stream down your reddened face.

Trying your best to hobble over to him, you were grateful for two things.

One: you were grateful that Rey and Poe opted to give the two of you some privacy, the pair of them slipping away quietly.

Two: you were grateful that Vader was quick to close the distance between the two of you, and was able to catch you as your legs started to grow weak.

One hand still clutching onto your stomach, you flung one of your arms around your lover, pressing your face into the quilted pattern of his suit as sobs racked through your body. Keeping you supported, he snaked his big, strong arms around your small and weakened frame, holding you tight yet gentle at the same time as he pulled you towards him.

The rest of the galaxy seemed to fade away as you continued to sob into his large chest.

No words were needed between the two of you.

Both of you knew exactly what the other was thinking.

He let you cry as long as you needed to.

You let him hold you as long as he needed to.

You both could have done so for eternity, but decided against it.

There were a great deal of things you still had to attend to.

~~~

Despite the sheer amount of times you insisted upon it, Vader absolutely refused to call in a doctor for you, or even a medical droid.

He said he wanted you all to himself for a good while. You found it hard to argue, since you wanted the same.

After helping you walk back over to the bed, Vader had lifted you back onto it’s surface, careful not to cause you any pain. Making sure that you were tucked into the sheet, Vader began to peruse through the many cabinets and drawers that littered the room, searching for the right materials to make you a new bandage. With a small smile on your tear-stained face, you teased him relentlessly.

“You sure do know what you’re doing, love.” you said with a chuckle, mocking how hard he had to look for the correct material.

All you got was a rumble from him, making you giggle a little. Eventually, he was able to find everything he needed, and placed them all upon the sheets. With a groan of protest from the bed below, Vader sat down close to you, yet far enough away for him to see his work. Reaching his gloved hand down, he slowly lifted up your shirt so that your stomach was exposed to him, revealing your half-peeled off bandage.

Watching him gently peel off the old bandage, you spoke again, “Was I really out for a week?”

“Yes.” your love said, discarding the old bandage to the side, “A very long, agonizing week, darling.”

You smiled a bit, “Did you miss me?”

Vader stopped his movements and just simply gazed right at your face for a moment.

He didn’t need facial expressions to get the point across.

“I missed you too, love.” you said.

He resumed his work, “I am glad to see that you are just the same as ever, darling.”

You giggled a little, letting out a small wince from a pain in your stomach.

“Try to move as little as possible. Your wound is still prone to reopening.” your love said.

“It’s just a scar now.” you pointed out, confusion lacing your voice, “How is that possible?”

Vader folded up a piece of cloth, prepping your new bandage, “The intruder was able to heal you a substantial amount, darling. By usage of the force. I must admit… I have never seen anything of the sort.”

You lips parted in a small state of shock, “Healing? With the force?” you scoffed, “Where was that on Endor? After your battle?”

A rumble from him. His version of a shrug, you took it.

Nothing was said between the two of you as he placed the cloth on your stomach and lined it with medical tape. Gently, he pushed the tape against your skin, trying his best not to hurt you in any way.

He finally spoke about halfway through the job.

“Darling.” he said, “Perhaps it would be best if we returned home.”

Snapping your gaze from your stomach to his mask, your brow furrowed in confusion.

Did you mishear him?

This couldn’t be…

“What do you mean?” you asked rhetorically, “Palpatine is still alive. We can’t go home yet!”

“I am aware my former master lives, darling.”

“Exactly! Then we can’t go home, love. The mission isn’t done yet.”

Vader finished up his work, moving the gaze of his mask to look upon your face, “I believe that returning home would be in our best interests.”

Your brow furrowed again, “Why?”

He paused for a long moment.

“It has become far too dangerous, my dear.” He said.

Your brow furrowed further, making you sit up taller in the bed.

“Ani, love,” you said, using his real name to signal that you meant business, “We can’t just go home now… What about Leia? She said we were her only hope, and we can’t just leave her and her troops to die… And what about Luke? What about fulfilling his dream? Of creating a peaceful galaxy? Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten…”

“No, dear.” he said, “I have not forgotten. I deeply wish to carry out my promise to the both of them.”

“Then we can’t go home, Anakin.” you responded, “Not yet.”

“Darling…” he said to you, taking your hand into his as if it were to the most precious thing in the galaxy, “As much as I wish to be the father I never was to Luke and Leia… I can not simply watch you be harmed in such ways. I can not watch you be put in such danger. I… You nearly…”

He squeezed your hand tightly.

“I have seen nearly everyone I have ever loved die before me, darling.” he said, “I will not allow you to be added to that list.”

You felt tears in your eyes again as you gazed into the eyes of his mask.

His mask…

“Ani.” you said, your voice soft.

“Yes, my love?” he asked.

“Could you…” you dropped your gaze briefly, “Did you lock the door? On the way in?”

He tilted his head to the side questionably.

“Yes.”

A small smile painted your features, a certain twinkle in your eye.

“Could you…” you lifted your hand up to the cheek of his helmet, “Take it off? For a moment?”

You watched as his strong back stiffened in a small shock at your words.

“Darling…” he said, his voice noticeably softened, “You know I am unable to have it off for longer than five minutes outside of my chamber.”

“I know.” you breathed, “It’ll only be for a moment, I promise.”

He stared at you for a long moment, the eyes of his mask looking directly at yours.

You had begun he would never respond when he finally did.

“Will you aid me, darling?”

Nodding your head quickly, you scooted closer to him in the bed, careful not to upset your bandage too much. Turning to face you more, Vader bowed his armored head closer to your reach, the sound of his respirator filling the room. Slowly but surely, you lifted up your hands, wrapping them around the crown of his helmet. With a bit of a tug, you pulled off the first piece of his helmet accompanied by a hiss. After setting the curved metal upon an empty space in the bed, you reached up to him again, gently wrapping your small fingers around the outer rim of his mask. With another tug and hiss, you pulled off the metal, a dust of pink scattered across your cheek.

With his mask in your hands, you looked up at your lover in wonder. Sure, you had seen him without his helmet a handful of times before, but each time amazed you far more than the last.

To some, he may be grotesque to look at.

Sure, he was pale and scarred, with many lines adorning his face from the ghosts of past anger.

But, to you…

He was nothing short of breathtakingly beautiful.

He had such good bone structure. His blue eyes were firm, but when they looked at you, so many butterflies danced in your stomach.

To you, his scars only added to his beauty. They told you of his story, of how each one shaped him into the person he was today. Your favorite out of all of them was the one on his right eye. He told you that was the first one he ever received, and it was from a powerful assassin he faced during his days as a jedi.

That’s why it was your favorite. It would always be a reminder to him of his past. Of the good days he had faced. Of how there was always good in his life.

You loved Vader. You loved everything about him.

And you loved every piece of baggage that came with him.

You loved him so, so much.

And looking at his face made you only fall harder for him.

Realizing that you had been staring for a bit too long now, you breathed out a smile, your shining eyes still locked onto his. Setting his mask down in the bed, you shifted closer over to him, reaching up your hand to cradle his bare, pale cheek in your warm palm. Instinctively, he placed his gloved hand upon your own, closing his deep blue eyes for a moment to relish in your warmth. When he opened them again, you breathed out another smile, the brightness of which nearly blinding him.

Gazing at him another moment, you shifted towards him again, maneuvering your legs in a bit of an odd fashion. Making sure to go slow as to not strain yourself, you seated yourself in his broad, large lap, your legs straddling his hips as you held his face in your hands. Placing his hands on your sides, he held you firmly as you locked your gaze onto his for a moment longer, a smile still on your face. You noticed how his eyes searched your face, making sure to absorb every detail.

It wasn’t often he got to see you without the lenses of his mask obscuring his view. He made sure to cherish moments like this.

After a short while, you spoke to him, your voice only loud enough for him to hear.

You made it that way on purpose.

This moment was for you and him only.

“My love…” you said, caressing his cheek with your thumb, “Do you remember the first night we met? When I was assigned to fix your TIE?”

He took in a wheezing breath through his nose.

“Yes.” he said, his voice noticeably softer.

You breathed out another bright smile.

Vader swore that it could outshine even the brightest of stars.

“It was…” you began, finding yourself getting lost in your lover’s eyes, “It was that night I knew… I knew I was to fall in love with you. When you came to me that night, I was expecting to gaze upon a monster… Instead, I was visited by a man. A man who seemed tired, beaten down… I felt so terrible for you, my love. I wanted nothing more than to take you away from everything. I wanted to hold you and tell you it was okay. That feeling only grew over the time we spent together…”

You trailed off again, searching for the right words.

“I cursed him every night. I cursed your master, the man who had brought you so much pain in your time. I had never felt so blessed in my life, when you allowed me to be a part of your story… I love you, Anakin Skywalker. I love both you and your children so much… My love, we cannot go now. We have to keep fighting. The force was kind enough to keep us alive, and this is why. We have to continue to write Leia’s story, and we have to finish Luke’s…”

You swallowed the lump in your throat that was forming.

“Don’t you worry about me a second longer, my love… You never ever have to worry again. I will never leave your side for as long as I live. I love you. I love you so so much…”

You smiled another big, dopey smile as a hot tear slipped down your cheek, feeling yourself becoming overwhelmed with the amount of adoration you had for the man in front of you.

Reaching up his gloved hand, Vader wiped the tear off of your cheek, holding your face afterwards.

Vader wondered if he had ever heard such endearing words directed at him before.

He was sure he hadn’t.

Maker above, you were perfect.

You were absolutely breathtaking.

He loved you. He loved you with everything he had.

“(F/N)…” he breathed out, saying it like it was the most holy prayer in the world.

Swallowing back your tears, you leaned your head closer to Vee’s, closing the distance between the two of you. With a bit of slightly awkward maneuvering, you pressed your soft, full lips against Vader’s, feeling as they melded seamlessly with his.

You didn’t get to kiss your husband too often.

In fact, you had maybe only done it a handful of times before.

To most, it would be a disappointment.

You, however, saw it as a blessing.

With each kiss the two of you shared, it only made your bond deepen and grow.

It was such a special, intimate moment for the two of you.

You loved it because of that.

You were glad that something so trivial to other couples could be such a special moment for you and him.

As happy as you were to do it, it only made the inevitable separation be all the more bittersweet.

Knowing that you didn’t have too much longer to see his face, you pulled away from the kiss, opting to press your forehead against his instead. Feeling his hands travel up and down your back, you breathed out one more smile for him, your voice coming not too long afterwards.

“There is absolutely nothing,” you said, “We can’t do together, my love.”

~~~

Later that night, the two of you sure turned some heads again.

There was supposed to be a meeting that night to discuss a new plan in the event that both you and Vee were out of commission. The rebels were stuck between a rock and a hard place without the two of you to fight with them, and they needed a plan to even begin to confront Palpatine. With you out for the count for so long, the rebels were expecting to have to go forth without you and Vader.

They were proven wrong that night.

After a long explanation of what you had missed and a lot of help from your love, you were able to hobble yourself into the meeting room, making the dull buzz of the rebels quiet to silence.

Pushing himself to the front of the crowd, Vader was close behind you to help you along, the gaze of his mask pointed at you the whole time. Once you were satisfied with where you were, you looked to the front of the meeting room right at Leia, Rey, and the other high-ranks, your eyes and stance firm.

“What’s the plan?” you asked.

A small smile on her face, Leia responded to you, “Glad to have you back, mom.”

You felt a smile form on your face as Vader squeezed your shoulder lovingly, your heart swelling with pride.

Her expression changing to a more serious one, Leia got right back to business, “Right, now we can go back to the original plan. With the holocron we got from the Endor system, we take all our strongest there to fight. We’ll take a small group and set up a signal to anyone that will listen, and wait for them to come. In the meantime, we’ll take out as many as we can.”

There must be a fleet there, you though to yourself.

“What about Palpatine?” Poe asked from the sidelines,“How’re we gonna kill that son of a bitch?”

“We’ll send in Rey, (F/N), and Vader in there to take care of him.” Leia said, turning to you and your love, “If that’s alright with you two.”

Stealing a glance up to your love, you quickly turned back to Leia, giving her a firm nod.

Leia gave you a nod back, turning back to her rebels.

“It’s decided then. We leave in the morning. Get ready.”

A few claps and cheers erupted from the crowd.

You felt a sense of pride in your chest.

It was really happening.

You could hardly believe it.

~~~

Not too long afterwards, the rebels created a bonfire not too far out in the woods.

Not knowing what else to do with yourselves, you and Vader decided to join in their merriment. Being confused at first, you asked Rey in passing what was happening.

“Before big missions,” she explained, “We like to spend the night like it’s our last. Because for some of us, it will be.”

A bit grim, you thought, but understandable.

The light of the bonfire was quite bright, and illuminated everything and everyone within its reach with a rich, orange light. A handful of the rebels got together and started playing a few songs together, adding some life into the night. Vader had helped you to sit down upon an old, fallen log not too far from the bonfire, but not close enough to potentially burn you. He had planned to sit beside you that night and be next to you, but a small group of children had interrupted those plans. They had whisked your lover away in hopes of hearing his stories and seeing him ignite his saber. Even though he protested many times, the children didn’t seem to care.

It put a smile on your face, seeing the wonder in those kids’ eyes as they looked on Vee. It brought you peace knowing that they weren’t afraid of him.

You sat there for a good while alone until a figure filled up your peripheral vision. Turning your head to see who it was, you were met with the sight of Rey, giving you a friendly smile as she sat beside you.

She seemed… tried. Her buns were a bit of a mess, and you noticed the haunted look in her eyes. You wanted to get to the bottom of it, but didn’t want to pry.

“I hope you don’t mind me sitting here.” She said after she found a comfortable position beside you, setting her staff down on the grass below as the bonfire illuminated her face.

“I don’t.” you responded, “My sitting buddy was taken away, anyway.”

Rey let out a light chuckle as she moved her gaze from you over to your lover. The children were crowding around his feet, and he seemed quite flustered despite having no way of showing it on his face. The children were pleading for him to tell another story, and your lover didn’t seem too eager to tell another. It made you smile again.

“I didn’t expect him to be so good with children.” Rey remarked beside you.

You chuckled, “I really wasn’t either. He doesn’t really like kids, except for his own. He says they bring back bad memories for him.”

A curious humm escaped Rey’s throat at your words, leaving the two of you in silence. The band continued to play their songs, and the crackle of the fire added a special touch to the melody.

You wondered how people could be so happy, knowing the fight of their lives was just around the corner.

Rey moved her gaze to you again, staring at your briefly as she pieced together what to say.

“He was inconsolable, you know.” she finally spooky, “While you were… gone.”

You turned your gaze to the girl beside you, a faint smile on your lips, “Really?”

“Yes, really. He wouldn’t eat, barely slept. He was quick to lash out, too… We’re still trying to fix the control panel he destroyed.”

You let out a small giggle, picturing the scene in your mind, “I can take a look at it if you want, after all of this is over.”

You watched as a smile came on to Rey’s face, her eyes regaining their sparkle for a moment.

“Yeah,” she said, “That would be nice.”

Another bout of silence between the two of you. The children were trying to grab your lover’s lightsaber off of his belt now.

It was your turn to break the silence.

“He told me about what happened while I was gone.” you said, your eyes locked on the bonfire, “About you healing me… About you and Ben. And who you’re related to.”

Rey’s eyes went slightly wide as she looked at the side of your face, her cheeks dusted pink, “W-What? I told him not to-”

Your giggle cut her off, “Rey, it’s okay.”

You turned to her with a small smile as you continued, “I don’t care who you’re related to. Your blood doesn’t define who you are inside. You’re a good person, Rey. And think you’ll make a great Jedi one day.”

Her shocked expression quickly turned into one of pride with a hint of bashfulness at your words. You wouldn’t ever know it, but those few sentences meant everything to her.

“Thank you, ma’am.” she said after a moment.

“Just (F/N) is fine.” you responded, moving your gaze back to the fire before you, “And I think you and Ben would make a great couple. You have a lot in common. Besides being willing to stab me, of course.”

Rey’s expression fell again, her cheeks dusting a deep pink as she shot her gaze down to her lap. Her shy actions made you laugh a bit.

Another silence was shared between the two of you. The children had now gotten hold of your lover’s saber, and he was trying desperately to keep them from igniting it.

Rey was the one to speak up this time, “How did… How did you do it?”

You turned to her, “Do what?”

“Get, erm, him to open up to you? To fall for you…? Ben, he… He won’t let me in. I see the good in him, but he refuses to acknowledge it. How did you do it? Get Darth Vader to see the light? To love again?”

You stared at Rey for a good long while as you thought about her question. Turning your gaze back to the fire, you searched your memories of your time together with Vee for the answer.

A smile formed on your lips once you had it.

“I didn’t really do anything.” you said, a certain fondness in your voice, “I guess all I did was see him, really. Where everyone saw a monster, I was able to look beyond the mask. I saw him for the person he was, for the person he wanted to be, but couldn’t. I was patient with him, and honest every step of the way… “

Your lover was able to get his saber back now, in exchange for another story.

“And things just worked themselves out of their own.”

Rey looked at you a long moment before sharing your gaze into the fire.

She understood what you said, but still found it so bewildering.

“I… I hope,” she eventually said, “That both of you get to go back home. The two of you deserve nothing but to be happy. I…I often feel bad I had to take the two of you here. Back again to the fight.”

Another smile painted your lips. You reached up your hand, placing it firmly on Rey’s shoulder as you looked right into her eyes.

“Don’t be sorry.” you said, “This has been nothing but a gift. For the both of us. We can now say we have… friends.”

Rey smiled at you once again, sharing a look between you and her for a good while. Before either of you could say anything more, Rey was quickly whisked away by Finn and a few other rebels. You could just barely make something out about dance from their flurry of drunken words.

You were now all alone on the log again, with nothing but the bonfire to keep you company. You looked up to check on your lover again. He must have been in the middle of another story, since the kids around him had quieted down.

You smiled warmly at the scene.

How beautiful it was.

After a good long while of sitting in silence and simply listening to the band, you begun to feel quite awkward there all alone, and honestly quite tired. Deciding that enough was enough, you got up from the log as carefully as you could. Taking one last look at the fire, you walked yourself carefully back to your temporary quarters, shutting the door behind you.

Your movements were not left unnoticed.

~~~

You heard the door open and close when you were in the middle of pulling your pajama shirt over your head.

Hearing the swish of the door, you quickly pulled the fabric over your torso, padding your feet out of the bathroom to see who it was.

You were sure who it would be, and your vision only confirmed it.

A small smile plastering itself onto your face, you combed your hair with your fingers as you padded your feet over to him.

“I wasn’t expecting you so soon, love.” you said to him, giving a quick kiss to the cheek of his mask before sitting upon the bed, “Those kids looked like they weren’t ready to let up anytime soon.”

A deep rumble erupted from his chest as he sat on the bed beside you, the dim lighting of the room making him look exceptionally handsome that night.

“I was fortunate enough to find an opportunity to flee.” he said to you, the gaze of his mask planted firmly on your face.

You giggled, “What did you tell them about?”

“I told them of the time we traveled to that planet.”

“The one with that weirdo king?”

“Yes.”

You giggled again, “Did you tell them the part about how you cut off his arm?”

“I purposely left out… details such as that.”

“But that’s the best part!”

“I did not wish to traumatize the young ones.”

You smiled up at him before leaning your body over to him, resting your head upon his big, strong shoulder. Reciprocating your affections, he took your small hand into his, his thumb rubbing the back of your knuckles.

You were the one to break the silence.

“Are you nervous?” you asked him, “About tomorrow?”

It took him a moment to respond.

“No.”

You lifted up your head to look at him.

“Really? Not even a bit?”

His gaze firmly locked onto yours, he lifted up he free hand to rest upon your cheek.

“It is as you said, darling. There is nothing the two of us can not do together.”

Another smile painted your face as you felt your heart swell and your cheeks redden.

“Yeah…” you said, “You’re right.”

After turning your head to press a kiss into the palm of his hand, you leaned back down, resting your head upon his shoulder again.

You felt so safe, so secure next to him. He was your rock, your reason for fighting.

You loved him.

You loved him so, so much.

“Darling.” you heard him rumble out to you.

“Hmm?” you breathed out, feeling far too comfortable for words.

“Have I told you how much I adore you today?”

Feeling your heart swell again, you breathed out a giggle, a dopey smile on your face.

“I’m certain you have, dear.” you responded.

“Good.” he said, giving your hand a squeeze, “I wish for you to remember that for as long as you live, darling. I have never loved another as much as I do you. You are my everything, (F/N), my entire universe. What I harbor in myself for you goes beyond words, beyond rationality. I love you, (F/N) (L/N). More than I can bear.”

You felt your smile grow larger and larger at his words, a warm feeling creeping across your skin from the very core of your being.

What you felt for that man went beyond any coherent thought.

“I love you too, Vee. So much.” you said, your voice soft.

A brief pause between the two of you. You were the one to break it.

“You know…I don’t really like my last name.”

Vee looked down at you curiously, “You have a lovely last name, darling.”

“It’s alright I guess. But I’d like to change it… after all of this is done.”

“To what do you wish, dear?”

You lifted up your head to look at him, the muffled sound of the band by the bonfire creeping through the walls of your quarters.

“Skywalker.” you said simply, a smile on your face.

Vee said absolutely nothing to you, deciding just to gaze upon your face instead.

You breathed out a giggle, “If you still wanna get officially married after this, of course.”

He reached up his gloved hand to your hair, brushing a lock out of your face.

He cursed that lock for hiding your beautiful face from him.

“My darling…” he said to you in his trademark, deep voice, “I have never wished greater for anything in my entire life.”

You breathed out another smile for him, your eyes shining in pure adoration for the man in front of you.

It was hard to fathom that after all these years together, you and Vee weren’t official husband and wife. You considered one another as such, but you mutually and unconsciously agreed that making it official would be…

Nice.

So, so nice.

Gazing into the lenses of your lover’s mask, you felt a shift in the air around the two of you. Perking up your ears, you heard the band outside slowly start to shift into a new song.

The song was slow, melodic, soft.

Your lips parted in realization.

You recognized this song, from many, many years ago…

From that planet…

This was thesame exactsong you and Vee danced to together. All those years ago.

You felt the butterflies in your stomach flutter as the memory crossed through your mind.

“Darling.”

His voice snapped you out of your trance, making you look up to his mask again.

“You recognize the melody, do you not?” he asked you.

You felt a lump in your throat form as you gazed on your lover. All you could do was nod your head in affirmation.

The last time you heard this song, you were nothing but his mechanic, and he was nothing but your boss…

It made you want to cry.

Look at how far the two of you had come…

You thanked the stars above.

In your peripheral, you saw him lift up his gloved hand to you, his palm towards the ceiling.

“Darling…” he said.

“May I have this dance?”

You couldn’t stop the short laugh of pure joy that erupted from your throat. Gazing at him a moment longer, you nodded your head again, placing your hand into his.

“Yes, you may.”

With that, Vader stood up from the bed, helping you to stand along the way. Leading you by the hand, your lover took you into a clearing within the room. Still holding onto your hand, Vader wrapped his free arm around your body, his large hand engulfing the small of your back. Placing your arm under his, you loosely gripped onto the fabric of his cape. Giving him one more look, you pushed yourself close to Vader’s broad chest, leaning your head against it as he led you to sway in time with the song.

If the rest of the galaxy were to have slipped away in that moment, neither of you would have noticed.

The only thing that existed in that moment was the two of you.

Just like it had been years and years ago.

And just like all those years ago…

Both of you were at peace.

Both of you knew you would no longer feel pain.

Both of you knew you would no longer know sorrow.

Both of you knew that you had found your soulmate.

No…

The two of you, in the moment, simply fell in love with one another…

All over again.

~~~

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