Preface

Haunts
Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/56059600.

Rating:
General Audiences
Archive Warning:
No Archive Warnings Apply
Category:
Gen
Fandom:
Star Wars - All Media Types
Relationship:
Darth Maul & Mace Windu
Characters:
Darth Maul, Mace Windu
Additional Tags:
Jedi Maul (Star Wars), Caring Mace Windu, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Jedi Appreciation (Star Wars), Mace Windu Appreciation, Young Darth Maul, Jedi as Found Family (Star Wars), Dreams and Nightmares, Protective Mace Windu, Darth Maul Needs a Hug, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, POV Darth Maul
Language:
English
Series:
Part 11 of Familial Star Wars One Shots, Part 6 of Jedi June, Part 2 of The More Things Change
Collections:
Jedi June 2024
Stats:
Published: 2024-06-06 Words: 937 Chapters: 1/1

Haunts

Summary

Initiate Maul dreams of a horrible voice and hides in the gardens where it feels safe.

Prompt: Comfort

Notes

Haunts

Maul liked to hide in the tall grasses.

He felt safe, kind of, not really.

He liked hiding where no one could find him, sort of, not really.

He held back a sniffle.

He didn’t like being alone with no one to talk to, he did like being safe.

The masters said that he was safe in the Temple.

It felt safe.

It felt safer than the tall grasses and the rocks and the scraggly trees.

The masters felt safe, they never hurt him for getting things wrong.

They didn’t like it when he hurt at all, actually. Even when it was his own fault.

He was supposed to hurt, before. He was supposed to be scared, before.

It felt safe in the Temple, most of the time.

He choked on a half-sob and buried his face into his knees.

He wished, sometimes, that he could remember what he was afraid of.

He’d been really little then.

Master Koth had told him he was from Dathomir, probably.

He must have been very, very little then.

He remembered tall rooms that felt wrong and slimy.

He remembered crying and crying and crying and no one ever came for him.

He remembered someone talking, mocking him for being weak.

Their face was fuzzy in his memories, their voice distorted.

Their words were not.

He shivered even though it wasn’t cold at all in the tall grasses where he was safe and no one could find him.

That wasn’t really true. His new crèchemates were very good at finding him when they played together. He was getting pretty good at finding them too.

“Youngling?”

Someone was coming, approaching carefully.

Maul hugged himself tighter.

He listened to the grasses shift as they were disturbed.

He sniffled, louder this time.

“Maul?” The voice was gentle, close.

He didn’t look up.

He felt them crouch, settle next to him in the tall grass.

That was something the masters did, he’d noticed. They were very patient. He wondered if he’d be that patient one day.

The tears were drying up now.

He took a big breath, like the crèchemaster taught him and sneezed.

He was so surprised by it that he nearly jumped.

“Are you alright?” There was a gentle hand on his back now, rubbing slow circles.

He nodded and looked up to find Master Windu sitting beside him.

They’d met once before.

Master Gallia had introduced them when Maul had first arrived. She’d let him hide behind her robe to answer his questions.

He didn’t think he did a very good job, all things considered, but Master Windu had nodded very seriously when he said he didn’t know and hadn’t been angry at all.

“Hello Master Windu.” He mumbled.

“Hello young one.” He returned, never stopping his slow movements. “What are you doing out so late?”

Maul maybe would have taken that as an admonishment but when he reached out Master Windu was just… patient. He wasn’t angry that Maul was hiding in the grasses, and wasn't going to hurt him for sneaking out.

“Bad dream.” He answered.

He had been alone, so terribly alone and yet not alone at all.

The cruel voice had been with him, the one that was so fuzzy in his mind. It had told him he was destined for pain. That he would suffer and drag down the whole galaxy with him. It had hissed that kindness was for the weak and he was strong.

Maul didn't want to be that kind of strong.

The voice had smiled as it told him of the pain it would show him, of the agony that he would experience for the grand cause.

He hadn’t intended to run away but the tall grasses were never dangerous in his dreams, the voice was of dark hallways and small rooms. It hated life in all its forms.

Master Windu hummed and Maul knew that he didn’t have to tell him if he didn’t want to.

It was a very nice thought.

He wasn’t sure he was ready to talk about the voice again just yet.

Maul felt kind of cold all of a sudden.

He shivered and leaned over into Master Windu’s side just a little.

It was safe here, steady. Master Windu stopped rubbing Maul’s back and shifted to pull him into his side.

“Cold?” He asked and Maul nodded into his side, squishing his face into the fabric of Master Windu’s robes.

Master Windu shifted just enough to better wrap Maul in his robes.

It was warm.

Maul relaxed further.

His dreams wouldn’t follow him with Master Windu here.

“Feeling better?” Master Windu hummed, Maul could feel the words vibrating in his chest.

He nodded into Master Windu’s side again, not quite ready to let go yet.

“Would you like to stay here for a bit?” He shifted to a more comfortable position as he asked, like he already knew the answer.

“Yes, please.” Maul managed.

“Alright.” Master Windu didn’t argue, just stayed, steady like the rocks Maul liked to hide behind.

He was better than a rock, actually.

He was a Jedi.

Maul wondered if one day he’d be steady like Master Windu.

It probably took a great deal of practice.

That was alright, Maul decided. Master Windu was pretty old and Maul was still little, he had time.

Maul slumped further into Master Windu’s side, stared up at the ceiling high above them.

He was safe and warm.

When he closed his eyes the voice didn’t follow him with the darkness.

He didn’t have to worry right now.

It was a nice feeling.

Afterword

End Notes

Maul's just a little guy. He likes tall grass and rocks and nice hugs.

Thanks for reading!

Please drop by the Archive and comment to let the creator know if you enjoyed their work!