Work Text:
Running into the mines below the planet's surface was going to be his best shot at outrunning Vader, Luke soon realized. The Sith, having realized his prey was no longer trapped in the mess of shredded durasteel, had tossed Luke's poor x-wing into the surrounding cliffs to chase after him again.
Luke pushed himself through the rapidly decreasing spaces between the glowing crystals. Behind him, the hulking form of the black dragon crushed the precious stones under his claws.
Crouching against another rock, Luke glanced past to see the dragon rooting around the smaller caves, his massive tail flicking irritively and knocking against the looser stones.
Just to the side of one of the Sith's clawed feet, Luke saw a narrow ridge carved into the rough walls. With Vader blocking the only other opening in the cave it would be his only chance he would get to hide. Turning back to trace the dragon's progress, Luke's blood chilled to ice in his veins at the boiling hot breath of the massive Sith.
Huge sulfuric yellow eyes raked over Luke's frozen body. Bright white teeth, easily the same size as Artoo, flashed at Luke from the Sith's dark mouth. Luke flung himself backwards, his scream catching in his throat when the Sith lunged against the hard rock, growling when he couldn't reach Luke through the small opening.
His breath stuttering, Luke crawled backwards, pushing himself to shaking knees when he reached the wall. The Sith pulled his head back enough to scratch at the inside of the cave. Luke pressed himself harshly against the stone, squeezing his eyes shut as Vader's claws swiped the air inches away from him.
Luke gasped out the trapped breath in his lungs when the massive claws shrank out of the narrow space. The Sith's yellow eyes returned to stare at him from the mouth of the crevice. The diamond pupil glared at Luke from a pool of molten Sulphur, flicking around to examine the hiding space Luke had wedged himself into before dilating suddenly into plate-sized voids. The dragon snorted with satisfaction and pulled himself back enough to lay comfortably in front of the enclosing rocks, his eyes never leaving Luke's shaking form.
Luke hid himself deeper inside the crevice's walls. Vader's eyes continued to stare intently at him for a few moments more before slipping shut. But Luke didn't dare try to slip away, not while the Sith's tail still flickered back and forth in front of the mouth of the cave.
Eventually, Vader would just get tired of waiting, right? Either way, it'd be better than trying to run while he was still in range of snapping jaws. Luke would just have to be patient, right?
In the meantime, it wouldn't hurt to just have a little nap. Neither of them would be moving anytime soon, Luke reasoned, and sleeping in a cramped x-wing for a few days wasn't great for anybody.
Sure the rocks weren't much better, but at least they were something. And it wasn't like he was gonna be asleep for long anyway. Just enough for him to have energy to think of an escape plan.
Luke's knees buckled underneath him. Blinking his eyes open sluggishly, Luke caught the smooth vibrations of a soothing rumble underneath his hands.
His eyes fluttered shut, and he fell asleep for the first time in days with the soft trills pulling him into the inky void.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Finally, he purred. His poor youngling, Luke must have exhausted himself running around the planet. No matter, the child would stay asleep for however long Vader needed him to.
Plenty of time for what came next.
Cracking his newly shifted bones out of the ache his human form carried, Vader ducked under the ledge of Luke's hiding place.
The child continued to doze peacefully, and he allowed himself a moment to admire the delicately shaped face of his son. Pushing back the fine strands Vader brought the both of their crowns together. Lingering for precious seconds before pushing himself into the spider web of Luke's subconscious.
Wispery threads, each a carefully crafted bond glimmered around him. And there, hidden beneath layers upon layers of cloudy shields, laid their own shining thread. Silvery starlight danced across the surface and he decided it might just be the most perfect thing in the galaxy.
The bond sung happily wrapped around his fingers. He rumbled reassuringly to the glittering presence, before gripping it tightly and pushing the thought of change into the developing connection.
Small chirps of confusion pulled him back into the waking world. In his hands, where he should have always been, laid the small, beautiful form of his curled hatchling.