Chapter Text
Luke was sat alone when heard it. He was turning his prosthetic hand back and forth and pretending that the sight was fascinating and not disturbing. It was his first time properly looking at it outside of the harsh lights of a starship.
There was no one around him: just trees and the babbling brook beside him. He had taken a moment for himself so he could get a good look at it without pitying glances from his fellow rebels. He also wanted to explore the greenery. The planet they were on was so much nicer than Dagobah and Luke had never stopped craving the feeling of grass between his toes.
"Can you hear me, little one?"
Luke startled and went on the defensive. The voice came from the same place his father's did when speaking to him through the force but there was no vocoder distortion present in this voice. It was soft and affectionate with a slight twang that reminded him of home, "I can hear you. Who is this?" He felt his shoulders untense slightly at the familarity and the tone. He missed his home.
The alliance was great but he was still young and craved a family. On Tatooine, family was the most important thing there was and he could feel how the loss of his had affected him down to his core. He just wanted to be loved as something other than a hero of the rebellion.
"It doesn't matter, sweet thing. All that matters is that you listen to my voice."
Luke was listening. He couldn't not listen. It was as though the voice was coming from inside him but he knew it wasn't. What if it was another Jedi speaking to him through the force?
"You've been through so much. Aren't you tired? Don't you just want a break from it all?"
Luke was feeling rather tired. He had only just left the med bay and wanted nothing more than his bunk on the falcon. It felt like he hadn't had a proper nights sleep since before blowing up the death star.
"Your eyes must be getting so heavy and the floor looks so comfortable. Don't you just want to sink into it?"
Luke yawned and patted the floor around him. The moss did make it rather soft. Even if it didn't, Luke was a pilot and was accustomed to sleeping in his pilot's seat. This was garaunteed to be more comfortable than that and wouldn't leave him with a crick in his neck from having his head at an awkward angle for too long.
"Why don't you just lie down and drift for a while. I'll look after you whilst you sleep. You've just got to keep listening to my voice."
Luke hummed in agreement, already curled up on the floor. The voice was so soothing. Why wouldn't he trust it to keep an eye on him whilst he took a short nap? It felt familiar. It felt like home. Luke could almost feel incorporeal hands running through his hair, soothing him like he was still a child. He melted into the contact and let his eyes slip closed.
"There's a good boy. I'll be there soon, my darling son."
It wasn't long before armoured hands slipped under the sleeping boy and held him to their chest. Darth Vader had his son in his arms and soon enough that would be right where his son wanted to be.