Like Herding Tookas

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Heyo, human beings from outer space!

And happy May the Fourth!!!!

On this precious day, I bring gifts for you! Firstly: this fic full of fluff. Yay! After all the angst of the past fics some fluff is overdue! (This is requested by Nugget_Lord_

And one more little gift at the endddd

Read on if you dare


Something Anakin learned very quickly about Ahsoka was that she didn't like to sleep in her own bed. For some reason, she only slept there every once in a while. She did, however, like sleeping everywhere else.

He'd come back to their quarters to find her curled up on the couch or in the armchair.... Even once he found her on the counters. And when she grew more comfortable with him, she'd simply sleep in his bed.

Missions were wilder. She'd sleep on the mens' bunks from time to time, switching between them constantly. Or she'd find a quiet corner or a cargo crate and make herself comfortable. For some reason she also enjoyed the vents.

"Makes me feel safe," she told him when he'd asked about this strange habit. "I'm most vulnerable when I'm sleeping, but I can still hide. Then no one can even find me."

Which made sense but it was still insane to him that she could sleep anywhere. Especially considering she didn't like sleeping. He assumed it was the nightmares. But she seemed sound enough during the random naps that kept her going.

Eventually Anakin brushed it off, since thinking about it made his brain hurt and it didn't matter that much anyway.

////

It was supposed to be a serious mission. Ahsoka was making the '"serious" part very difficult. She kept bouncing out of formation to snatch up a shiny rock, stuffing it into her pack, and then scampering back into line.

"Will you stop it?" Anakin snapped, catching Ahsoka's arm as she sprung forward in pursuit of another sparkly pebble. "You're distracting all of us. And what if you get one of those rocks mixed up with a detonator? Stop putting them in your pack!"

"I won't mix them up, they're much smaller and they feel different," Ahsoka promised. "And where else am I supposed to put them, this stupid skirt doesn't have any pockets."

Anakin groaned. "You don't need all those rocks, Ahsoka."

"They're not rocks. They're nuggets. And yes, I need them all."

"No you don't!"

"Yeah, I do need them." Ahsoka ripped her arm away and snatched the nugget, shoving it into her pack with a smug look.

Anakin gave up.

///

It was mean and he shouldn't do it.

But it was so funny.

"Oh my gosh, you little fart, stop looking at me like that!" Ahsoka shouted at the light glinting into the wall from Anakin's lightsaber hilt. It was a wonky rectangle reflected from the metal from the sun, but Ahsoka didn't seem to realize that.

She'd been doing homework at the counter when she noticed it, and promptly named it Jimmy. Anakin started moving it around and he had never been more entertained.

"I swear to all that is holy, Jimmy, if you don't stop taunting me— okay, that's it, I'm gonna kick your butt."

Ahsoka leaped forward, slapping the wall where Jimmy was currently reflected. Anakin moved Jimmy.

"You sly bantha butt," Ahsoka growled. Again she slapped at Jimmy, but again Anakin moved it. When she struck the third time, Anakin left Jimmy there and Ahsoka glared at the light now glinting over her knuckles.

"Heyyyy..... Jimmy, I think I've been betrayed." Ahsoka turned slowly to See Anakin, face twisted with amusement and holding his lightsaber at just the right angle to catch the light.

Anakin twisted the lightsaber, flashing the light right into Ahsoka's eyes, and ran for his life.

///

"I've never seen fireworks before," Ahsoka said. "Are they really showers of light?"

"Yep," Padmé laughed. "They're little explosions of colorful sparks that are shot up into the sky."

"Whoah," Ahsoka breathed. She smoothed the pleated skirt of the navy, jeweled dress Padmé had given her to wear for the function. "How many will there be?"

"I'm not sure. They'll last for a few minutes, and you'll know when it's about to end because there will be a grand finale with lots of them."

Ahsoka grinned, looking up at the dusky sky expectantly. Just a few minutes now, and the sky would be filled with fireworks. Stars were already prickling the sky, which matched Ahsoka's sparkly dress perfectly.

A sudden boom jerked Ahsoka out of her excitement and she leapt to her feet. It was a detonator, she had to get everyone out of there, she had to—

Padmés hand gently wrapped around Ahsoka's arm. "It's okay, that was just the firework." She pointed to the sky with her free hand, showing the red and silver sparks. The crowd cheered and Padmé gently tugged Ahsoka back to sitting on their bench.

Then another one went off and Ahsoka was on her feet again. It was so loud, crashing through her montrals and rattling her brain. The next one wracked through her very being, shaking her to her bones. Ahsoka slapped her hands over her montrols but it did little to help.

She heard and felt each new firework. Her head rang, gut twisted, muscles shook. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to block it out. But it was impossible. Nothing could stop the sounds or the shaking. Her knees cracked as they hit the ground, but Ahsoka hardly noticed. All she knew was the ringing and shaking.

Warm hands took her arms, guiding her somewhere she never opened her eyes to see. All she wanted to do was dive under that bench she'd been sitting on but she couldn't bring herself to embarrass Padmé like that.

And she was probably too far from it by now for it to be in diving range. She didn't know where she was though— she didn't want to open her eyes. But the endless booms were muffled now, and maybe it was just because her head was ringing too loud, but the vibrations also mellowed down.

"It's okay, Ahsoka," Padmé's gentle voice told her. "You can open your eyes."

Ahsoka squinted her eyes open and blinked when the light hit her eyes. She wasn't outside anymore— Padmé had taken her back into their quarters where they'd stayed last night for the function.

"I'm sorry," Padmé said softly. "I should've known they sounded too much like a battle...."

"No, it's not that," Ahsoka said, hating how her voice shook. She reached up to wipe her watery eyes and smeared mascara everywhere. "Oops."

Padme handed her a silk handkerchief and Ahsoka almost felt bad about staining it with her mascara.

"It was just.... Really loud."

"I see," Padmé said. "I'm still sorry. I should've guessed that too." She gestured to Ahsoka's Togruta headgear.

"It's not your fault," Ahsoka promised. "Sorry I made you miss the show."

Padmé waved a dismissive hand. "I've seen plenty of fireworks. Now, how about we turn on a holofilm and order some snacks?"

Ahsoka grinned. "Deal." 

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Word Count: 1,130

Published: May the 4th of 2024

And now for my next present for youuuuu:

Requests are now open!! No promises they'll be fast, but they're opennn!

Happy Star Wars Day Peoples!

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