Vader's second chance

Chapter 31

For the first time since he came here, Vader was not thinking of the future, or regretting past mistakes. For the first time since he came here, he allowed his operations to run themselves for a while. For the first time since he got here, he is dedicating his time to something personal. He is in the here and now. And he was worried. His experience in love was in side eyes and secret meetings, sultry looks exchanged over battle plans and hugs in empty corridors. This will be the first relationship he wouldn't need to actively hide from people, the first one where he could say "Hey, I love this woman." And he had no idea what he was doing. Talzin had never been off planet, focusing on her people and making sure they prospered in the dangerous landscapes of Dathomir, so he was taking her to see the wider galaxy. A galaxy that they may one day share. It was nerve wracking. 

Vader paced outside the Nightmother's home. He had forgone his usual armour and respirator, substituting it for a black tunic, similar in style to what he wore in the Clone Wars. He kept the cape. The cape was iconic. His lightsaber hung at his belt for safety. He lost his lightsaber once, and only once. He hears footsteps and turns to the doorway to see the object of his affections. Similar to him, she chose something less cumbersome (and for some, intimidating) clothes for their outing. The robes she wore had been replaced for a dress similar is style to most parts of the galaxy, and it hugged her curves well. The extravagant headdress she wore had been reduced to the collar of the dress, letting her grey/white hair flow in the occasional breeze. Speaking of wind, is the dark lord breathing? Shaking away his awe, he extends a mechanical hand. "Shall we?"
Talzin smiles in response and takes it. "We shall." Her dramatic echo had been reduced to a whisper, as if someone was saying the same word at the same time somewhere else.

Thankfully, having learned from past mistakes, Vader planned ahead. Hyperspace takes time, so Vader had set up a cliché romantic dinner on the ship, complete with dim lighting and everything. Lack of real experience left him leaning on tropes and cliches. Thankfully, Talzin didn't seem to mind. The two had a nice time, although there was an awkward adjustment period at the start where they tried to find common ground. The common ground they found was compassion. When they cared for something, they cared for it with everything they had with no exceptions. They spoke of their people, the connections they've made. But then the conversation drifted towards the lives they lived. Talzin's was simple, full of love for her people, with a handful of unfortunate setbacks. Vader's was... complicated. In an instant a trickle became a torrent, and he poured his heart out to her, telling her of his every woe, every regret, every mistake he had ever made. When all was said and done, Vader was tired and Talzin comforted him, reminding him of the good he had done since Malachor. It helped. But only a little. They finished dinner without any more breakdowns, making small talk. 

The planet Vader had arranged for them to land on was Felucia. Vader wanted to show Talzin something unlike anything they had on Dathomir, and Felucia at night was as far from Dathomir as one could get with its bioluminescent plants and clear skies. As they walked through the brush, Vader would often find Talzin looking around with almost childlike curiosity. It was endearing. Thankfully, two powerful force sensitives close together, one with a very actively malicious presence in the face of getting this date ruined, was more than enough to deter any hungry predators. At one point they passed one of the many farms, and Vader bought his date a small portion of the nysillin growing there. Naturally she was grateful, more than curious about the spell work that could be done with a plant not native to Dathomir. Something Sith and Nightister culture had in common was a hunger for knowledge and growth. Overall, it was a wonderful night. At the very end, Vader took her to the top of one of the many stone formations that rose above the plants with the force, simply having them float upward, weightless. Flight took a lot of concentration, but with nothing but the Felucian jungle as background noise, it was feasible, and the small laughs her got from Talzin were worth it. The night ended with them simply sitting together, arms around one another as they admired the blending of natural lights to make art more beautiful than anything else. There was a hum in the force between them, the beginnings of a connection, and a long and happy future.

(Sorry about the lack of dialogue, if that bothered anyone)