"You 'bout ready, Princess?"
Leia appeared in the doorway, smiling. She'd changed out of the formal gown she'd worn to the Yavin commemoration ball, though she'd left her hair up. "Ready. You've got the stuff?"
Han patted the bag by his side. "Yep. Even got that special request drink you asked for." He extended his arm, as if they were still at the ball, and she linked her arm with his as they headed down to the Falcon.
It had started, as many traditions do, by accident. Han had been on his way back to the Falcon, having managed to attend the bare minimum of the first anniversary celebration of the Battle of Yavin, as well as most of the afterparty the Rogues had thrown in the hangar. He'd almost reached his ship when he'd spotted a familiar white-clad figure sitting in a dark corner, nursing a glass of wine, a blank look on her face.
After she'd finished glaring at him, and he'd convinced her that the lounge on the Falcon would be preferable to a cold hangar floor, he'd poured them each a glass of whiskey and sat down beside her.
"So, tell me something about Alderaan. Something that wouldn't be in that memorial ceremony thing," he said, waving his hand dismissively.
Leia didn't really know where to start; it was as if he'd said, "So, tell me about the galaxy." "Like…what?" she stammered.
Han was not used to her being at a loss for words. "I don't know. Whatever. Like, what did you do there when you weren't all dolled up for something or other?"
She laughed. "I was almost always dolled up for something or other."
"So tell me about that." And that was how she'd ended up telling him about getting ready for events, and fighting about her hair, and her aunts and their plans for her, and the time she'd chopped off her hair for spite and had to wear a wig in public until it grew back out.
The next year, he'd poured her another drink and asked her the same question, and she'd told him about skiing, and her self-defense instructor, and the first time she'd held a blaster. Even the year they were on Hoth, when they'd been arguing on a daily basis, he'd still taken her out in the Falcon to see the light from Alderaan, poured her a drink, and listened as she told him about harvest festivals and mountain picnics and her favorite classes at university.
Two years ago, he'd very subtly steered her reminiscences toward Alderaanian marriage customs. A few days later, he'd presented her with a traditional bouquet like the one she'd described, and asked her to be his wife.
Now, he was pouring cups of the sparkling callaberry juice she'd requested, and she was telling him about her favorite games to play as a child, and the festival of the Goddess, and how they'd brought a special bouquet of flowers to the festival every year in honor of Leia's birth mother.
"Goddess festival, huh? So, what was that one all about?"
"Games, dances, ceremonies," Leia listed. "There were a lot of children's activities. Oh, and the dedications."
"Dedications?"
"Of new babies. Children were – are – seen as gifts from the Goddess, so many people chose to do their naming ceremonies at the festival. That's also why there were so many activities for kids." Leia felt herself flushing slightly, and hoped Han wouldn't notice.
He nodded, listening, and took a sip of the juice. "Hmm, this isn't bad."
"Pretty common on Alderaan. Not easy to find these days. Did you have any trouble getting it?"
He shrugged. "Nah. Besides, I wouldn't be a very good smuggler if I couldn't get my hands on a bottle of juice."
She tilted her head at him. "You haven't been a smuggler in a very long time." Smiling, she held up her cup. "A toast?"
He grinned. "Sure you don't want to wait for the hard stuff?" She shook her head, and he raised his cup as well. "All right. What are we toasting to?"
Leia was definitely flushing now. "To gifts from the Goddess."
He looked at her over his cup and raised an eyebrow.
"Our gift from the Goddess," she clarified, her brown eyes focused on his face.
He blinked. "Leia, are you saying –"
She smiled broadly. "Yes. I'm pregnant. We're having a baby."
"Oh, Sweetheart." He almost spilled his drink in his rush to kiss her. He pulled back, hands on her shoulders, and looked at her. "Wow," he said, his crooked grin taking over his entire face, and kissed her again.
They basked in the light from Alderaan. The Goddess approved.