Chapter Text
°| VADER ●.*•
Tatooine.
It's not a place he believed he would ever see again. Certainly not a place he wanted to.
It has been 3 years since the end of the Clone wars. 3 years since the birth of the Empire. 7 since his mother died.
3 years since Padmé died.
3 years since Obi-Wan disappeared, taking his saber and leaving him unconscious on Mustafar.
It hurts, and his pain is so great that he has finally decided to come back to the source of it.
Palpatine doesn't know where he is, or at least he did his best to make sure he doesn't. He doesn't want the Emperor to know how weak he is, that when misery consumes him, he decides to come here, to speak to the dead.
Shmi was strong, and good, and a much better person than her son became. She protected her son, and all those around her, and Vader could not even protect his mate.
He kneels in the sand, bowing his head before her gravestone.
He needs to speak, to tell her what he's done... but no words leave his lips. She would be so disappointed.
The suns begin to dip low in the sky, the first one kissing the horizon as he finally lifts his head, giving up. He needs to leave before it get dark.
"I'm sorry, mom." He murmurs, pulling his cape around his shoulders to help hold in the warmth as the suns go down and the temperature quickly drops.
As he's heading away, he catches sight of something, a glinting in the dunes. He focuses on it, trying to make something out.
There's a figure; wrapped in cloth and crouched just over the crest of the dune.
Vader feels his veins run hot with anger.
A tusken. Animal.
His ship can wait. If the tuskens are still here, they clearly haven't learned their lesson.
Vader stalks towards the dunes, pulling his lightsaber from his belt. He will make quick work of this.
The figure bolts, running down the backside of the dune to escape. Fine, it can run, he will follow it back to the rest of it's kind.
Vader walks, following the trail of footsteps in the sand. There's a scent too, mixed in with the hot, dry odor of sand.
Before long, the trail comes to a clear area, a flat. He's expecting to see a camp, but what he finds instead...
A hut, more of a burrow, really. The trail ends at the entrance.
Vader lowers his saber, putting it back on his belt. Sandpeople don't live in huts.
Still, this person was spying on him, and he intends to find out who they are.
He heads for the hut, the strange scent growing stronger. It is... sweet?
He breathes in deep, taking in that sweet scent. It only takes him another moment to recognize it.
Omega.
He pauses. Maybe he shouldn't intrude. If the Omega ran from him, an Alpha... well, on Tatooine that could mean two things. One, that he was afraid-- alphas have a reputation for the way they treat Omegas on Tatooine. Or Two, that he was initiating a Chase, a mating ritual.
Perhaps he should go, but... out here, an Omega all alone in the Dune sea... it's dangerous, and he would be remiss to simply leave without ensuring they're alright, and that no one else followed them back to this hidden home.
So he goes, approaching the open archway.
The scent is strong here, and it is addictive. The Omega's scent matches his, as well as Padme's ever did. Perhaps this Omega noticed that, and lured him here because of it. Their sense of smell would be stronger than his, he uses rut suppressants; not wanting to go into rut without his mate.
The home is quiet, he doesn’t see anyone immediately.
"... Hello?"
As soon as he ducks his head to look inside the home, there is a flash of movement. Vader is tackled from nowhere, a strong body assaulting his own and quickly knocking him onto his back.
Before he can even register a face or say a word, there is a knee on his chest, and a shin pressed under his chin, not quite choking him but clearly threatening.
The person growls above him, a vibroknife held in one hand as they keep him pinned. He still can't see the other's face, just making out his eyes through the opening in his face wraps.
Vader lifts his hands in surrender. "I mean you no harm. I thought you were spying on me, so I followed you. I won't hurt you."
The hooded eyes glare at him, keeping the blade pointed at his face as one hand reaches down to Vader's belt. They unclip the saber. Vader lets them, knowing he can always pull it back to him with the force.
The Omega inspects his saber, growling softly at it. They toss it to the side, letting it roll into a corner of the hut.
"I'll need that back if you want me to leave," Vader tells them, amused.
"No," the Omega responds, voice rough and low, but carrying a familiar lilt. Coruscanti? What is an Omega from Coruscant doing out here?
"No?" Vader asks, arching a brow. "I can't stay."
The Omega growls, pointing the blade closer to his face. "Stay. Tonight."
Vader keeps his palms up in surrender. "... alright, tonight."
As he concedes, the Omega relaxes, removing the blade and getting off of him.
He starts to get up, but a growl from the Omega keeps him from moving any further than just changing from laying to sitting. The home is small and strange, handmade furniture filling the space. It's mostly neat, but there are things scattered around on the floor, soft toys and blankets. Does the Omega have a pet?
His host disappears into a separate room, and Vader stays put, waiting for them. What a strange situation he's in... is the Omega about to go into heat? Is that why they apprehended him?
The sweet scent is strong, but not that strong, he thinks.
When the Omega comes back, there is a small bundle in their arms. They coo at it, and the bundle giggles at them in return, reaching up for their face.
Vader watches, realizing this Omega must be unmated, with a child. It suddenly makes sense that they are out here, exiled to the dunes. No Alpha wants an unmated Omega with another Alpha's pup. Not on Tatooine.
Vader watches them, staying put as the Omega brings their child and sits down in front of him, then holds out the small bundle to him.
Vader takes the child, heart aching for this poor, small family. For his own lost mate and children.
The pup is small, still a toddler. He looks happy, reaching up to tug on Vader's blonde curls with a bubble of laughter. He smiles down at the child, poking his belly and earning a gleeful shriek.
"What's his name?" He asks, looking back up at the Omega, who looks tense, but pleased.
"Luke," comes the soft answer.
Vader nods, cradling the baby gently before offering him back to his parent. "He is precious. You're from Coruscant, aren't you?" The Omega tenses, and he knows he's right. "I can tell by your accent. What are you doing out here, it isn't safe for you."
The Omega cradles their child close to their chest, glaring at him through their face wraps. "... safer here than with the Empire."
"That's ridiculous," Vader states, frowning at the other. "The citizens of the Empire are very safe. I can help you leave Tatooine, find a better home--"
The Omega growls, cutting him off. "No."
Vader gives an exasperated sound. "Just listen--"
The omega snarls again, shifting their hold on the toddler to free one hand.
Then, they reach up to undo their face wrappings.
Vader's heart stops in his chest.
"No." Obi-Wan says again, and now, Vader understands.