Truth be told, Leia spent a lot of time lately trying *not* to think about Han's hands. They were big, with scars upon scars. They could fight, fire a blaster, fix and fly his heap of a ship. Until the day she'd been trying to help him and banged her knuckle, though, she had not known how gentle they could be.

He'd kissed her, but that part, while unexpected, didn't surprise her all that much. Men like him, she thought, were usually good kisses.

What she couldn't get out of her head was his hands, taking hers, rubbing her knuckle thoroughly, gently. She told him to stop, it felt much too good to allow. But even after he'd stopped and they made their harrowing escape from Hoth, the memory returned and with it the tingling pleasure.

***

Han watched Leia quietly. She was reading a data pad and absently rubbing one side of her neck. Her forehead had worry lines and her body language screamed tension. Hell, he was plenty tense himself and he was used to harrowing situations.

Chewie was sleeping and the droids were off doing whatever the hell droids did when they weren't driving him insane. Han watched Leia a moment longer and made a decision.

"Neck hurt?" He's asked, standing up.

"I'm fine," she replied. "Just a little tense."

"I could fix that for you. I'm pretty good at it."

She laughed. "In your dreams, Solo."

He's gave her a daring, crooked grin. "Scared?"

"Of you?" She snorted.

"Then prove it." He was beside her now, and she couldn't help glancing at his hands, loose at his sides.

"Oh all right."

Han stepped behind her and laid his hands on her shoulders. Her muscles were hard, he imagined they must have been giving her a stress headache on top of everything. He placed his thumbs where her neck met her shoulders and started a small, gentle, circular knead. Her involuntary moan brought him a grin.

He kept his touch gentle, knowing if he dug too deeply too soon it would hurt her rather than please her, and this pleasing her was fun.

His thumbs moved around in the same general area and Leia's scalp tingled as her muscles began to relax. This felt better than almost anything she could remember. He worked, untying each knot gently and gradually increasing his pressure to reach deeper.

She felt looser now, so he got a better grip and squeezed deeply, making her back arch. That one hurt a little, but the next squeeze eased it and her shoulders dropped.

"Han Solo, you are full of surprises," Leia murmured, her voice very nearly a purr, but with a slight sarcastic edge.

"You ain't seen nothing yet."

By the time Han was done with her, Leia felt like warmed butter. Han stepped into her field of vision and grinned at the relaxed smile on her face. "Better?"

"Thank you, Han. I hate to admit it, but I don't think I've ever felt anything like that. You are truly talented."

"Thanks, Princess. Any time." And he stopped and kissed her. Not as hard as he had the first time, but the feel of his lips zinged through her. "Any time."