Padmé wakes up, the inside of her head feeling like a stampede of banthas. Usually, she doesn't mind when the twins jump onto their bed to wake them up. In fact, she typically finds it adorable. Today though, she wishes that they hadn't. Beside her, Anakin awakes with a grin as Leia plops onto his chest. "Good morning!" She shouts in his face.
"Someone's up bright and early." He chuckles, sitting up to lean against the headboard. Leia babbles in his arms, talking about her dream. Padmé softly groans, rolling over and covering herself in the blankets. She doesn't want to say anything because the kids around, but she feels horrible. She must have caught a cold or something visiting Bail on Coruscant.
Luke gently pokes at Padmé. "Mommy, are you awake?" He asks. He grabs the blankets, peeking underneath to see her eyes.
"I'm awake, Lukie. I just don't feel very good." She replies hoarsely. She tries to put on a smile, but the little boy only stares back at her.
Hearing this, Anakin sets Leia to the side. She stops talking, watching him lean over to check on her mother. He peeks his head under with Luke, their blue eyes peering at Padmé with worry. "You sound sick. What do you need me to do?"
"I want some sleep at the moment if that's possible," Padmé replies, trying to keep her voice light and cheery without success.
Anakin flashes his million-dollar smile at her then disappears. "Come on! Let's give Mommy some space." He declares. The bed shifts side to side as he crawls off. He speaks to their children, ushering them away from her. Padmé pulls the blankets away from her face, watching him snatch the twins up in his arms.
Leia picks up her story where she left off as Luke pops up over Anakin's shoulder. "Feel better, Mommy." He calls out with a soft wave. She smiles at him, weakly waving back. Anakin quietly closes the door to their bedroom, leaving her in peaceful silence. Immediately, she snuggles down again and falls back into some much-needed sleep.
Back in the kitchen, Anakin works to make breakfast for them. "What do we want to eat?" He asks, setting them on their booster seats. Thanks to this great birthday gift from Padmé's parents, they can now sit at the table at the proper height. They had outgrown the high chairs but weren't quite big enough for regular seats. These boosters helped eliminate that problem.
"Eggs! Eggs! Eggs!" Leia shouts, pounding her fists on the table.
"Me too!" Luke loudly agrees, copying Leia.
Anakin rushes over, hushing them. They quiet down, their wide eyes watching him. "I know you're excited, but we need to keep it down. Mommy is trying to rest. We don't want to wake her, do we?" He asks.
"No," Leia whispers, shaking her head.
"Sorry, Daddy," Luke softly adds, his eyes looking downcast.
"It's alright. You didn't do anything wrong. Just remember Mommy isn't feeling well." He assures, giving them a soft smile. "We have to be quiet."
"Okay. We'll be quiet." Leia whispers.
"Shush." Luke nods, placing a finger on his lips.
Anakin laughs, nodding his head. "Yes. Very good. Shush." He repeats, placing his finger to his lips. Leaving the twins alone, he goes back to preparing their breakfast. He begins to scramble the eggs, his thoughts drifting as he cooks. He has never had a real talent for cooking or baking, but the twins have never complained.
He jumps, the toaster scaring him. Quickly, he swipes jelly onto the slightly burnt toast. Leia will only eat jogan jelly and Luke prefers meiloorun. As if he couldn't time it more perfectly, he took the eggs off of the burner and evenly poured them onto three plates.
He placed the twins' plates in front of them. Grins grow on their faces as they stare at the freshly prepared food. Anakin slides their sippy cups filled with blue milk to them, which they ignore for the moment. They're too busy stuffing their faces. Anakin takes his place across from them, digging into his meal as well.
"Beep beep." Luke suddenly says, jelly already sticking to his face.
"Beep beep?" Anakin repeats, looking at him.
Luke nods. "Beep beep." He says, pointing to Anakin's wrist. "Call."
Anakin smiles, understanding. "Beep beep. I'm getting a call." He cheerily says, playing along. He pretends to answer it, getting giggles from Luke and Leia as they watch him. "It's for you. Who is it?" He asks, reaching his arm out to Luke.
Luke leans forward. "Hello?" He says. He sits quietly, pretending like someone is talking to him. He cheers, smiling at Anakin. "It's OP!"
Anakin holds back a laugh. Luke still can't quite pronounce Obi-Wan's name. So when he says Obi, it comes out more like OP. It's become an inside joke for everyone, the name sticking. "What does OP want?" Anakin asks.
Luke shrugs his shoulders. "I don't know."
Leia whines, catching both of their attentions. "Me too. Me too." She pouts, throwing her fork onto the table.
Anakin hands her back her fork then puts his other arm out for her. She calms down, leaning to look at his wrist. "Who is it, Leia? Who's calling you?" Anakin asks, hoping to get her to interact with him as Luke did.
She sits, pretending to listen. She nods her head then smiles and claps her hands. "'Soka! It's 'Soka!"
"What does Ahsoka want?" Anakin asks.
"She wants to come over," Leia says with a scoff. Her tone makes it sound like Anakin should have known that's what imaginary Ahsoka said. The sass is strong with Leia, that's for sure.
"OP too. He's coming over too." Luke agrees, nodding his head.
Anakin grins, truly enjoying the moment. Now that the twins can form clearer sentences, life has become a lot more interesting. The things that go through their minds make him wish that they'll never grow older.
"OP here now?" Luke asks, tilting his head. "He here now?" He asks, pointing down like many adults do when talking to them.
"No, Obi-Wan is not here. He is. . ." Anakin trails, trying to remember where he was sent. Then it hits him. Though it's purely coincidental, the twins are right. Ahsoka and Obi-Wan are supposed to be coming here today. They've had this date planned for weeks, Obi-Wan having to practically beg the Council to let him come.
"'Soka is here. She said so." Leia nods as she points at Anakin's wrist, indicating that's what imaginary Ahsoka said.
Anakin rises from his seat, realizing today just got a whole lot more complicated. "Daddy will be right back. I'm going to bring Mommy some breakfast. Eat your food nicely, please." He says, gesturing to their plates.
"Mmm. Yummy." Leia replies, eagerly biting into her toast to show him. Anakin hums in agreement, encouraging them to finish their food.
He places his dirty dish into the sink then takes the plate he made up for Padmé. It's gone a bit cold, but he knows she won't mind. He mostly made it to help keep her stomach settled anyway.
He enters their room, softly shaking her shoulder. "Padmé?" He asks, hoping not to scare her. "Babe?"
She groans, pulling her head up from her pillow. "What's wrong?" She asks. She sits up, running her hand through her dark, tangled hair.
"Nothing's wrong. Well, not really." He says. He sits beside her, handing her the plate of food. "I forgot that Obi-Wan and Ahsoka were supposed to come over today. What do you want to do? I'm sure they won't mind a rain check if you're feeling under the weather."
She picks over the plate of toast, looking for one that she thinks she can stomach. She ponders Anakin's question over for a few seconds then waves the thought away. "I really don't care if they come over as long as they help keep Luke and Leia distracted. I think all I mostly need is time for myself to heal. I don't have anything serious."
Anakin nods, understanding. "We can find something to do to keep them happy. We can have a day at the market or something. I promise we'll find stuff to do that's away from you."
"If you do go to the market, there's a list on the table of things I need. It'd really help if you'd pick them up." She softly smiles. She takes a bite of her toast, hoping she'll be able to eat at least one piece without feeling the urge to vomit.
"Of course." He replies, kissing her forehead.
"Careful, you don't want to catch anything." She teases, waving a finger at him. She coughs after, quickly covering her mouth.
Anakin chuckles, squeezing her free hand. "I'm not afraid of a little cold." A clatter echoes and both of them jump. "I better go check on them." He quickly says, rising to his feet.
"Good luck." She sighs, watching him practically bolt out of the room. He makes sure to quietly close the door then rushes off to the kitchen. What trouble could two two-year-olds get into?
Apparently a lot.
Luke looks up, hearing his father approach. "Whoopsie."
On the ground, his sippy cup is broken open. Blue milk is all over him and the floor. He is covered in it from head to toe. His sticky jelly covered fingers are currently twisting his blond hair, making the situation much worse than spilled milk. He definitely needs a bath to get his breakfast off of him.
"Messy," Leia says, scrunching her nose in disgust. "Lukie spilled."
"Yeah, no kidding." Anakin sighs, his shoulders dropping. He closes his eyes, taking a deep breath. He wants to shout, frustrated at what has happened. Of course, he knows that won't help anything. There's no use in crying over spilled blue milk. After taking a few seconds to calm himself down, he reaches out to Luke. "Let's go get you washed up before everyone arrives and sees the mess."
"Sorry I dropped my cup," Luke says as he is carried to the bathroom.
"It's okay. Just more work for me." Anakin says, grumbling the last part under his breath. After starting a bath for Luke, he goes back and cleans up the spilled milk off the floor. Leia is surprisingly patient, waiting until after to beg for him to clean her hands.
As he begins to get Luke out of the tub from his speedy bath, Anakin senses someone at the door. He smiles to himself, recognizing their Force signature instantly. "Hello? Anyone home?" They ask their voice echoing in the house.
"In the bathroom!" Anakin calls out, hoping they'll head down the hallway and help him. Luke visibly shivers as his soft towel is wrapped tight around him. Anakin smiles, patting him dry. "Who do you think is here?"
Before he can guess, they peek their head in. "Boo!"
"It's 'Soka!" Luke cheers, jumping up and down. Ahsoka walks over to greet him, giving his cheeks a gentle squeeze. "I missed you." He giggles as his cheeks flush in excitement and embarrassment. He has always been the shy one of the twins.
"I've missed you too, SkyGuy Jr." Ahsoka smiles. She picks him up, cradling the soft bundle in her arms. "Where's your sister?"
"Leia should be playing in their room," Anakin says as he leads them out of the bathroom. Sure enough, when they enter the room, Leia is playing with some of her dolls. She is mumbling jibberish, acting out conversations. "Look who's here."
Leia looks to the door and immediately perks up. "'Soka! 'Soka!" She exclaims. She runs over, holding her arms up. She wants to be held by Ahsoka too.
"Wow, you two sure make me feel popular." Ahsoka laughs as she sets Luke down. He waddles over to Anakin, eager to get new clothes on. He's been freezing since he got out of the nice warm bath.
"Snips, would you find Leia something to wear while I help Luke?" Anakin asks as he pulls a shirt over Luke's head. The little boy shouts something at his father, swatting him playfully. Anakin grins as he catches the small hands and plays along.
"I would love to," Ahsoka says as she bops Leia's nose. They walk over to the dresser on the other side of the room. Opening each drawer, her eyes glance at all of the fancy clothing items. "Padmé has such adorable clothes for them. I'm not sure what to pick." She says, mostly talking to herself. After looking through nearly everything, she picks out a pair of overalls and a striped shirt.
She helps Leia put them on, making sure to slip her legs into the separate holes. The little girl was insistent on both of them fitting into one. Once she is dressed, Leia proudly struts in it. She marches over to her father, showing it off to him. Anakin laughs, watching her twirl and pose. "Lookin' good, cupcake. Did Snips pick that out?"
"Yeah. Snips picked it out." Leia grins, patting her favorite overalls.
"That's not Snips. That's 'Soka," Luke says, getting a laugh out of the adults.
"Snips works too." She says, affectionately rubbing his head. He makes a growl, playfully swatting at her too.
Again, they sense a presence at the front door. Ahsoka and Anakin share a grin, knowing who it is. They listen to the front door open and gently close. Anakin playfully gasps, getting the twins' attention. "Who could that be?" He asks.
They begin to shake their heads and answer that they don't know. Ahsoka gestures to the door, asking, "Should we check it out?" They nod their heads and run out of the room. They want to greet their new guest.
When Luke's eyes land on the guest, he takes off into a sprint. "OP!" He shouts as he trips over his small feet. "OP! OP!"
"Well, hello there." Obi-Wan grins, bending down. Luke basically falls into his arms, begging to be picked up. Leia joins him, her small fists clutching his robes. She pulls at them, trying to get his attention.
"Hey, what did we say this morning?" Anakin asks as he and Ahsoka join them in the kitchen.
"Quiet," Leia says as they're hoisted into the air. They rest on Obi-Wan's hips, looking him over. They are unable to contain their excitement at having friends over. Their small hands feel at his beard, tug at his ears, and mess with his robes. It's the only way they know how to express their energy.
"And why do we need to be quiet?" Anakin continues, watching them. Leia pulls at Obi-Wan's face, making him widely smile. In the past, Anakin and Padmé would scold them for how they handled the Jedi Master. They were told to treat him as a person, not a jungle gym. But after multiple occasions, Obi-Wan assured them that it was perfectly fine. They weren't hurting him.
Luke looks at Obi-Wan, his hands now resting on his shoulder. "Mommy is sick."
"Is she now?" Obi-Wan asks. Luke and Leia nod their heads, going into a story about this morning. It's pretty vague, but it gets the job done. Obi-Wan looks back at Ahsoka and Anakin. "Is there anything she would like us to do since she's not feeling well?"
"There's a list of grocery items she wants to be picked up," Anakin says, crossing his arms over his chest. Leia tosses her head back, looking at Ahsoka upside down. Her whole body goes into a fit of laughter, amused at the sight. "Mostly she wants us to keep these trouble makers out of her hair."
"I think we can handle that. I'm a great babysitter." Ahsoka grins. She rushes over, tickling Leia then taking her from Obi-Wan's arms.
"I saw how you handled the huttlet. I really don't want you treating my kids the same." Anakin chuckles.
"Hey, I treated that green monster better than you did!" She fires back, holding Leia upside down. Leia giggles loudly as she swings. Her braids swish back and forth, lightly hitting her face. She cheers for everyone to look at her, earning laughs.
"Whatever." Anakin playfully brushes off as he takes Leia and turns her upright. He grabs the list off of the table and leads everyone outside. He goes through the list as they walk to the market on the worn-down path. He and Obi-Wan carry the twins on their shoulders as Ahsoka walks between them. It gives her happy memories of when she was a padawan.
"Hi, 'Soka," Luke says, looking down at her. She gives him a soft wave and a hello back.
"Hi, 'Soka." Leia then repeats. Ahsoka also gives her a soft wave and a hello. The twins giggle as if silently agreeing to make it into a game. They take turns, saying hello to her. As it goes on, she begins to change up her response. She pretends to ignore them or look for where they could be hiding. You would think she's a well-known comedian from how hard they're laughing. Their cheeks are bright red and they are beginning to lose their grip.
Luke suddenly lets out such a loud laugh that he throws his head back. Before he can tumble off, Obi-Wan reaches back and catches him. "Maybe we should find a new game." He strains. He helps Luke back onto his shoulders, instructing him to have a better grip so that he won't fall and get hurt.
"Yeah, Luke. We don't want Grandpa to throw his back out." Anakin pipes up, getting a snicker from Ahsoka. The two of them eagerly look at him, waiting for his reaction to their teasing.
"I am not old enough to be a grandpa." Obi-Wan sighs as Luke places his chin on his head.
"Hey, you're like my grandpa. Take that back!" Ahsoka playfully pouts, pointing at him. If they were to follow their lineage, yes, Ahsoka is his grandpadawan. He's just refused to look at it that way because he doesn't think he's really that old.
"I mean, I suppose." He agrees, rolling his eyes. "But Anakin and I were a lot closer in age than most padawans and their masters. Usually, masters are old enough to actually be the padawan's parent." He says, trying to come up with an excuse.
"Ahsoka and I are only five years apart. And besides, you were old enough to be my dad." Anakin retorts with a smirk. At this subject, Leia begins to ramble on about her dad. She leans over his head, peeking down at him. He blows air up at her, making her squeal and sit upright again.
"Sure. I just would have had a child at like 16." Obi-Wan chuckles, adjusting Luke so he can lay more comfortably on his head.
"A child that liked to keep you on your toes."
"Yeah, no kidding. You were a handful. You're part of the reason I already have gray hair."
"You must admit, I was a better padawan than Anakin, right?" Ahsoka asks, side-eyeing her former master. Anakin rolls his eyes, preparing himself for the playful bickering that's bound to happen between the two of them.
Replying in a fashion like most parents to keep their children from fighting, Obi-Wan says, "You were both special in your own ways."
Immediately, they both groan. "Oh, come on. We both know you have a favorite." Anakin says.
"Yeah, just pick one. We won't care."
Obi-Wan laughs, shaking his head. "Nope. I don't have a favorite. Maybe when I get a new padawan they'll be my favorite."
Luke eagerly taps Obi-Wan's head, getting his attention and pointing at something in the distance. "Look, OP!" He shouts. Obi-Wan awes and begins to explain the scene to him. He goes into detail, clearly happy to have a subject change.
As he's distracted with Luke, Ahsoka leans over to whisper in Anakin's ear. "He loves us too much. I doubt he'll get someone better than us." She says. Obi-Wan might possibly get a new padawan someday, but the idea that they could ever replace them is laughable.
Eventually, the group of them make their way to the market. Anakin and Obi-Wan lower the twins to their hips so they don't have to worry about them tumbling off their shoulders. Ahsoka tries to keep them entertained through the boring stuff, but it's clear the twins are starting to become cranky.
"I think they're hungry," Ahsoka says as Leia begins to fuss, attempting to kick her way out of Anakin's arms.
He quickly hikes her back up to his hip before her rapidly swinging legs can reach the ground. She loudly cries out, her little face turning a light red because she can't escape. "They can't be hungry." He groans, trying to adjust her back to a more comfortable position to carry. "I fed them breakfast just before the two of you arrived."
"Well, what else could be the problem? They were happy just moments ago." She says, watching Leia growl and tighten her fists in her father's clothes. Something has upset her and Luke greatly between then and now and she's pretty sure it's their stomachs.
"I have to agree with Ahsoka. We should find something for them to eat. The sooner the better in this case." Obi-Wan says. Ahsoka bounds over to Luke, hoping to calm him. Instead, the two-year-old whines at her touch and hides in Obi-Wan's shoulder.
"Fine. Ahsoka, you go find something for lunch while Obi-Wan and I search for a place to sit and feed these tiny gundarks." Anakin commands as Leia attempts to be freed from his grasp again.
"I don't know what two-year-olds eat! Why can't I take Leia and you go find the food? You know what they'll eat without complaint." She compromises. She holds her hands out to Leia with a smile, offering for her to come to her.
"Deal. Just don't let her get away from you." Anakin says, happy to be free of the tiny flying fists. He hands off the fighting toddler then rushes off to find something to settle their grumbling stomachs.
"I'm hungry!" Luke whines, dragging out the last syllable. It ends with a soft cry, getting the attention of Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, and Leia.
Obi-Wan sighs, looking around the small market. "I know, Luke. I'll find somewhere for us to eat. Please, just be patient." He replies as he strokes the little boy's head. Luke leans into his touch, but his frustration is still very present in the Force.
"No," Leia says, glaring at Obi-Wan. He turns, looking down at her. "I want food now." She declares.
"I know, Leia. Your father will be right back with food." Obi-Wan replies, his voice a bit sterner than before. She notes the tone of warning and gives him a hard glare to show that she's still upset at him.
"Look!" Ahsoka shouts, pointing to the distance. Both of the twins follow her hand, searching for what she's found. She finds something random and begins explaining it. Once they grow bored, she finds something else to distract them.
As they're occupied, Obi-Wan leads the group to a grassy hill just outside of the market. They settle themselves ontop, trying to keep the twins somewhat happy until Anakin arrives. They try playing games but they are still very cranky. Thankfully, it doesn't take long for Anakin to reappear.
"I found some food!" He cheers as he jogs up the hill. The twins immediately attack him, demanding that he feed them now. He holds it high, keeping it out of their reach. "Hey, hey. I'll give it out once you're sitting nicely."
Luke follows his father's orders and sits between Obi-Wan and Ahsoka. He whines the entire time he waits, but he's doing what he has been told.
"No!" Leia argues, stomping her foot.
"Yes, Leia," Anakin says, looking down at her.
Not wanting to listen to the whining anymore, Ahsoka grabs Leia. She cries as the Torgruta holds her in her arms. "See? She's sitting. Now give them the food." She grumbles, trying to keep the anger toddler from leaving.
"Okay, okay." Anakin agrees, pulling out their meals. The twins hold out their hands, opening and shutting them until bread is placed into them. Quickly, they stuff the food into their mouths.
"Luke, slow down. The last thing we need is for you to choke." Obi-Wan replies, prying most of the bread out of his mouth so he can properly chew and swallow. Luke lets Obi-Wan hold the soggy bread in his hand until he's properly eaten his smaller piece and is ready for the next one.
"Gross. Why are toddlers so messy?" Ahsoka asks, watching Anakin have to help Leia as well.
"Well, they're at that point where they think they can do everything themselves. Which, obviously, they can't, but if you do everything for them then they'll become super dependent. That really only leaves one option. You have to supervise everything, even if it would be so much simpler to just do it yourself." Anakin answers as he rips off another chunk of bread for Leia. She snatches it from his hands, eating it like she's starving.
"Wow, that was a lot more complicated response than I was expecting," Ahsoka says. She reaches over, adjusting Leia's hair so the little strands are neatly tucked away in her buns. Because she occupied with food, she now doesn't mind her hair being touched.
"Yeah, Padmé has really been digging into those parenting books lately. The twins are into that 'Terrible Twos' stage and she wanted to be extra prepared on how to get through it." He says. He pulls more food out once he thinks that they've calmed down.
Smiles erupt on the toddlers' faces, relaxing everyone. The twins are back to their happy, easygoing personalities. The rest of the day can now go on hopefully with them in cooperative moods. It'll make it much easier for everyone in this group.
Luke grabs some berries for himself, eating a few bites. He then puts some up to Ahsoka's face, pressing at her lips. At first, she resists, moving her face away from him. "Share?" He asks, trying again.
She can't deny how cute he is. She opens her mouth, letting him feed her some. He laughs, grabbing more then crawls over to Anakin. Without having to ask, Anakin opens his mouth to the food and overexaggerates how delicious it is. Pleased, Luke heads back to Obi-Wan. He also tries to feed him, but Obi-Wan refuses.
Luke plasters on a pout. "Share?" He asks his blue seeming to sparkle with hope. "OP is hungry."
"Alright." Obi-Wan sighs, finding himself caving. "In my hand, please." He says, pointing to his palm. Eager to share, Luke places the berries into his hand and watches him eat it. Once he's satisfied that everyone ate, he settles back down beside Obi-Wan to finish his own meal.
Leia stands, bouncing a little. "Done." She declares as she walks over to Anakin.
"Are you?" He asks with a soft chuckle. She runs her fingers through his hair, playing with him as he eats some more fruit.
"Yupp." She says with a smile.
Anakin grins. "You better show me."
Leia giggles, rubbing her stomach. "Full, full, full!" She sings. Anakin sweeps her up, making her laugh harder in his arms.
Ahsoka looks over at Luke, who leans on Obi-Wan's shoulder. "How about you?"
The toddler burps. "Done." He says straight-faced.
Ahsoka and Anakin burst out laughing at the scene. Obi-Wan looks over, smiling at Luke. "Excuse you."
"'Cuse me." He repeats, patting his stomach.
Anakin groans, standing up from the ground. "Well, we better get a move on." He says, stretching side to side. Ahsoka and Obi-Wan follow suit, also trying to loosen themselves up again.
Luke raises his arms up, copying them. "So big!" Ahsoka cheers, making the little boy grin. Everyone joins in once they see him reach his arms higher. They sing, "So big!"
Leia raises her arms up, getting their attention. "So big!" They repeat with grins. They continue the game until the twins lower their arms and seem bored.
Ahsoka reaches down, scooping up Luke in her arms before he can realize what is happening. She playfully laughs, tossing her head back. "Muhaha. I gotcha before Obi-Wan!"
"OP!" Luke calls out, reaching his arms out to him.
Ahsoka turns away, hiding Luke from him. "No, no! You are mine." She says, squeezing him tighter.
"OP! Help!" Luke calls out, laughing.
"I'll save you," Obi-Wan says, pulling the toddler out of Ahsoka's arms. He cheers, happy to be back in his arms.
"Aww." Ahsoka pouts, batting her eyes at him. She then pretends to cry, seeing if Luke will come to her. Instead, Leia reaches out to her from over Anakin's shoulder.
"'Soka." She says, trying to get out of Anakin's arms. He hands her off, watching Leia attempt to console Ahsoka. She gently rubs at Ahsoka's lekku, copying what Padmé does to make the twins feel better. "It's okay. It's okay." She says.
"Thank you, Leia." She smiles, hugging the little girl.
Leia kisses Ahsoka's cheek, grinning. "Feel better?" She asks, tilting her head.
"Oh, yes. Much better. Thank you." Ahsoka says. Leia, seeming satisfied, lays her head on Ahsoka's shoulder. Anakin leads the pack back into the market. He continues shopping for Padmé, having no idea what's going on behind him.
Ahsoka places credits onto traders' tables as Obi-Wan uses the Force behind her to snatch candy to feed both Luke and Leia. The twins snicker to themselves each time it happens, knowing to keep it a secret from their father.
But as Leia hands back the wrapper for Obi-Wan to pocket, Anakin turns around. "Hey." He says, glaring at the four of them.
"What?" Ahsoka asks, trying to swallow her piece before speaking.
"Are you guys stealing food?" He asks, crossing his arms at them.
"No," Obi-Wan says. He composes himself, easily falling into his 'I'm your master and you listen to me' face. "Stealing is wrong, Anakin. We would never do something like that."
Anakin crosses his arms at them. "Right. So if I ask the kiddos they won't lie for you."
"They won't because we aren't lying," Ahsoka says, shrugging her shoulder. After all, they aren't lying because they aren't stealing. They are technically paying for the candy. They just aren't sharing with him.
Anakin raises a finger at her. "You, I definitely don't trust."
"And you shouldn't." She smirks.
Anakin rolls his eyes then turns back around. As their shopping comes to a close, the twins' eyes begin to feel heavy. Their heads start loll to rest onto their carrier's shoulder. Leia attempts to keep herself awake by babbling to Ahsoka, but soon she falls asleep midsentence.
Luke runs his fingers up and down on Obi-Wan's robes, also trying not to fall asleep. He too loses the battle and drools as he finally passes out. Though that part was unavoidable, neither Ahsoka nor Anakin expected to find the boy using Obi-Wan's outer robe as a blanket, cuddled close to him.
As the sun sets in the west, the group makes it back to the cozy house in the countryside. Obi-Wan and Ahsoka hand off the tots, which makes them stir and wake up. "It's time to say goodbye," Anakin says as they raise their heads.
"No. They stay over." Leia says, reaching for their hands.
"I'm sorry, sweetheart. I wish we could have a sleepover tonight, but I have to get back to the Temple." Obi-Wan says, rubbing his thumb on the back of her hand.
"And I have to get back to my job," Ahsoka says, patting the little hand in hers.
"No. You have to stay." Leia pouts.
"Next time we'll make them stay. Today, they have to leave." Anakin says, hoping to keep her from having a temper tantrum last minute. Leia glares at him, waiting for him to make the next move. "Give them a hug and a kiss." He says.
Leia moves into Ahsoka's arms. "Bye-bye, 'Soka." She says. She kisses Ahsoka then hugs her tight.
"Goodbye, Lele. I'll be back soon." Ahsoka says, patting her back. She quickly hands her off to Obi-Wan.
"Bye-bye, OP." She says, repeating the process with him.
"Goodbye, darling. I'll miss you very much." He says, giving her one last hug before handing her back.
Luke whines in Anakin's arms, reaching out to Ahsoka. He too wants to say goodbye to their family. He doesn't want to miss out on their affection and have them forget about him.
"Bye, 'Soka." Luke frowns, hugging her then kissing her.
"Goodbye, Lukie. I'll be back here before you know it." She smiles, giving his cheek a soft pinch.
He practically jumps into Obi-Wan's arms. He repeats what he did to Ahsoka then pouts. "I don't want you to go." He says.
"I know, but I have to go back to the Temple. It'll be okay. I'll be back very soon." He encourages, trying to bring a smile to the little boy's face.
Only, it brings a frown. "Bye, OP." He says.
"Goodbye, squirt. You'll see me soon, I promise." He says, giving him another hug.
He then hands off Luke before tears can appear on either of the twins' faces. All three of them wave goodbye until both ships lift off the ground and disappear into the clouds. Luke and Leia rest their heads on Anakin's shoulders, their sadness still very present in the Force. "I know you're upset, but they'll be back soon."
"I know," Leia says as Anakin enters the house.
"Maybe we can visit the Temple someday. You'd like to see OP there, right?" He asks, thinking the question will bring hope to them.
"Yeah!" Luke perks up, smiling already. "And see 'Soka at her job."
"Of course!" Anakin cheers, making Leia sit up as well. "We can surprise them!"
The twins begin to giggle with excitement, chattering about the secret surprise as he sets them on the ground. Padmé exits the bedroom in the middle of their conversation, looking much better than she did in the morning. She bends down, greeting her children. "Did you have fun today?" She asks.
"Lots of fun," Luke says.
"We played with 'Soka and OP!" Leia says, jumping up and down. Padmé grins, listening to the two of them try to tell their day to her as Anakin puts away their supplies. Though she missed out on all of their fun, she's happy to know that they made the best of the day without her.
~~~~~~~~~~