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ANAKIN had once asked Araminta– out of spite, she believed –when the last time she had fun had been. The question had come out of left field, early on in the war when they had still been getting used to knowing each other after the events of Geonosis. Araminta had gone very quiet, taking on the sudden question, and feeling her heart sink. Anakin hadn't really been looking for a response, as he had turned his back to her and returned to whatever battle they had been involved in at the time.
But the question had sunk its hooks into Araminta, tugging at old wounds and making her think back on how small her laughter lines were and how it felt to not have the weight of Octavian on her shoulders. He had been teasing her, making fun of her seriousness, her deadpan, her constant teasing him at every corner as if it were the only fun she could find. He had been joking, as they always did.
Araminta had turned to him, all bleeding wounds and darkened memories, devoid of a childhood that wasn't long-buried under snow and a bloody farmhouse.
"Naboo," she had said, honestly.
Anakin had looked at her oddly, before realisation had dawned on his face. It was a shared moment, eating pastries in the fields and gossiping about first kisses like normal teenagers. They had thrown each other into the water, called each other names and collapsed into the blue together. Padme had been laughing, Anakin had been grinning, and somewhere deep in her memory, Araminta knew her heart had not felt so warm in years.
Returning to Naboo brought back that light feeling by association.
Even if it was to investigate an underground lab this time.
The sunset was spilling orange across the sky as they descended into the tropical atmosphere, Araminta watching outside the Twilight with fond memories and wide, golden eyes. She knew from their assignment briefing that Naboo had been suspicious of droid invasion for a while now, but had only just found the evidence to mount intervention.
Padme had asked for them specifically– well, Obi-wan and Anakin, which by default nowadays included Araminta and Ahsoka respectively. It had been revealed the droid they had intercepted had come from a lab of some kind, with the garbled word "virus" being repeated over and over. No one was quite sure what that meant, but with the Separatist involvement, they had been sent without much persistence needed.
Anakin docked them in the hangar, Araminta making sure all her sheaths were filled and her blaster was loaded as they stepped out of the ship and into the warm Naboo air. Captain Typho was there to greet them, accompanied by C-3PO and a Gungan.
"General Kenobi, Anakin, we're so glad to see you," the Captain greeted, his eyes briefly scanning over her and the padawan as well.
"Where's Padme?" Araminta chimed in as their friend was not a part of their welcome, quickly scanning the hanger. A knot had already formed in her stomach at her lack.
