Clarity Scifiroots
This was getting very, very tiresome. Leia felt just about ready to give up all pretenses of keeping her cool. She couldn't remember anymore the number of times petty arguments interrupted meetings about the complex matters facing the New Republic in the wake of the Emperor's death. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to fight off the ever-increasing headache that had started as soon as the four counselors had started going for each other's throats.
Power hungry, all of them, she thought irritably . Why do we not learn from the mistakes of the past? While we drop snide remarks and snap at any hint of defiance our hard-won advantage begins to fade.
She glanced around the table, taking note of the familiar expressions of exasperation, anger, anxiety, and boredom. To her left she caught a glimpse a young council member doodling on his data pad; she resisted the urge to roll her eyes when she noticed a number of finished tic-tac-toe games on his screen.
A shrill, outraged shriek from the woman with hair that always reminded Leia of feathers was the final straw.
"Just shut up!" She shouted as she stood abruptly.
Surprised faces turned towards her as she glared at the group supposedly leading the Republic's efforts to achieve peace and harmony.
"Don't you find it ironic," she said dryly, "that such a fractured assembly is taking on the task of uniting multiple galaxies? This is pathetic! Look at how you scramble to grab any foothold that might have the slightest possibility of more power." She glared meaningfully at the latest rabble-rousers. "But let's not forget how the rest of us just pretend to ignore this assembly's schisms and let worthless power struggles interrupt our purposes for these meetings."
Leia looked scornfully at her fellow council members. "Enough of this squabbling. If you are so inclined to continue your petty attempts for higher status, do so outside of this hall on time that is not set aside for the actual important matters."
Finished with her rant, at least for now, Leia turned to face Mon Mothma at one end of the large table—the position of head delegate—and announced, "I move that we adjourn this meeting until tomorrow."
Still a little flustered, Mon Mothma blinked at the other members before asking, "Does someone second the motion...?"
Those who had been bored during the argument eagerly voiced their support and a few minutes later Leia was able to abandon the meeting hall. The closer she got to her private suite, the hotter her face seemed to burn. She wasn't known to have much patience or the best temper, but she hadn't lost her composure so completely since she wasn't much older than a child. Despite her embarrassment and a slight twinge of guilt, however, she felt a great sense of relief and quite a bit of amusement. Her outburst would certainly get Counselor Valinya off her back about joining the woman's personal crusade to rid the upper echelons of the New Republic of non-humanoid species.
Maybe, just maybe, this would finally startle everyone back into their responsibilities to allow just one on-task meeting.
She sighed as she pressed her hand over the scanner outside her rooms—it would certainly be nice to get something accomplished for once.
Of course it would figure that the supposedly fifteen-year guaranteed life battery that powered her massage unit would die all of three minutes into the program she had selected; for some reason her java maker wasn't working; and just as she prepared to call a repair droid to replace the dead battery, the door chime rang.
She couldn't contain her frustrated growl. "This better be damn good!" she said to the empty room. She crossed to the door and hit the panel to open it. When she saw who it was—and what condition he was in—she felt like screaming. "What?" she snapped.
That familiar jaunty smirk was a bit too loose and wide to be considered sober. "Way ta go, sweetheart!" Han said a little too loudly. "Heard all 'bout it—Doofus what's-his-name went aroun' whinin' his sorry ass off." He snickered and seemed to jeopardize his balance because of it. Leia suddenly realized that Han wasn't alone.
Eyes wide, she demanded, "What in the world were you two doing?"
Han snorted dismissively and rolled his eyes. "What'sit matter? C'mon, hunny, this ain't gettin' any lighter, y'know." He grunted as he shifted his posture to avoid letting a passed-out Luke slide off his back.
Leia bit back any further recriminations—they rarely stuck with Han even when he was sober—and stood back to let him come in. "Why didn't you just take him back to his room to sleep it off?"
"Couldn't remember..." Han muttered as he walked in.
Han leaned backwards over Leia's couch and let Luke drop onto it. There was a problem, though, as he hadn't been prepared for the sudden loss of weight, and he tottered on his feet for a moment before collapsing half-on, half-off Luke's unconscious form. Leia brought her hands up to cover her face as she let out an exasperated groan; Han just chuckled... and was that a giggle?
"Then why didn't you go to your place?" Leia asked when she had regained control again. Han's expression was confused and she knew that he'd totally lost the trail of conversation. "Never mind!" She stalked towards the short hall that led to her bedroom. "Just don't make a mess and don't bother me!"
"Aye, aye, sister!" Han saluted smartly as she passed him.
Men! she thought. Why couldn't more of Luke's good habits have worn off on Han instead of Han's bad habits worn off on Luke?
"Ugh... I'm gonna kill the guy who slugged me..."
"That'd be a fifth shot of Scarlet's finest," a voice said with a hint of laughter.
Luke somehow managed to open his eyes just enough to see Han leaning over him with support from the couch. Wait, that furniture wasn't too familiar...? He quirked an eyebrow up in question and asked, "Where are we?"
Han glanced around the room with an amused smile. He scratched the stubble on his jaw before replying. "Nice digs like this? Your sister's," he said with a trace of a drunken slur still lingering.
Luke's eyes opened all the way. "What are we doing here?"
Innocently Han blinked down at him. "Hey, I was drunk!"
Luke glared at him and curled his fingers into Han's shirtfront. "You forgot where we lived, didn't you. For heaven's sake—idiot," he chastised.
Han raised his eyebrows as he shot back, "I didn't keel over like a munchkin after his first orgasm."
Luke groaned and tugged on Han's shirt. "Damn, you're so crude sometimes..."
Grinning, Han let himself be pulled down. "What, don't want Leia's pretty little ears to hear something naughty?"
"Shut up," Luke growled, yanking again on the shirt.
Han smirked as he really settled down on top of Luke. He pressed down just hard enough to make the other man squirm and bite back a definitely pleased moan.
"Han—not here," he hissed.
The broad grin back in place, Han increased the friction just a bit more. "Babe, you talk too much." With that, he proceeded to make sure that Luke's mouth was otherwise engaged.
In her bedroom, Leia restlessly rolled over and stared in annoyance at the chronometer which let her know she'd only slept for about two hours. She wasn't sure what had woken her up, after all she felt tired enough to sleep through an thermal detonator explosion— Wait, she thought she'd heard something... and there was a slight tug on the tie she shared with her brother... What on—?
Her eyes widened in surprise when she felt the thrill of desire shoot through her body. Oh for—did they really have to do that in her own suite? Leia stuffed her head under her pillow in hopes to at least block the noises...
Stupid Force bonds... Damn Luke for drinking, anyway, it made his control slip and now she'd have to deal with her own private hell as she was reminded just what she wasn't getting these days...
Fin
