Hello, I'm back from a long holiday hiatus. Sorry about the standstill of work coming through. I need a break too!
I came up with this one night and I seem to have these creative juices flowing at night.
Thanks for reading!
Truth Or Truth
"Let's play a game."
Han held his recently-wedded wife closer in his arms, his face buried in her long, dark tresses.
"You know I'd do any thing for you right now," he rumbled into her neck. "Especially a game."
The seductive, almost flirtatious tone in his voice made Leia laugh softly.
"Truth or...truth." she said.
"Truth or truth?" Han asked. "I thought it was truth or dare."
"Yeah. But I don't wanna do dares."
"Why not?"
"Because knowing you it won't let me go out in public for three years."
She could feel a corner of his mouth go up against her skin.
"Okay, then." he said.
"Truth or truth, Han?" she said, pulling away and propping her head up on one elbow. She blinked at him with a grin on her face that made Han want to kiss her forever.
"I think truth." Han commented roguishly.
"Okay," she pondered for a moment. "Be honest here; when did you start to take notice of me?"
"You just love being my lover, don't you?"
"Han, just answer it."
He looked into those deep wells of brown and thought. Hard.
"You look like you're in pain, thinking so hard." Leia teased. Han only blinked as if out of a dream.
"Ah, I know."
"Eureka, Professor Solo?"
"Aw, stop it. You asked for an answer."
"Yeah."
"Well," he said, and he cleared his throat almost awkwardly. For some reason a lump of embarrassment rose in his throat. Han Solo was not good at this sappy kinda stuff unless he meant it. (Like really meant it.) So he gazed into her eyes and steeled himself.
"Done choking?"
"I think it was evacuating Yavin," Han started, ignoring her jab. "That night, the party."
"Oh, that one?" Leia was suddenly quiet as well. A peaceful silence fell for a moment. They both remembered it well.
"Come on, Princess, have some fun."
"I think I'll pass the drinking games, Captain."
"What about spin the bottle?"
"No thank you."
Han watched her in exasperation as the Last Princess of Alderaan turned around and walked away from him. It was not that she was being haughty or annoying (more than usual), but her distant coldness.
The Rogue Squadron had set up a rowdy party for celebrating the Alliance getting a whole fleet of new starships. There was a lot of dancing and drinking and everybody there was having fun.
Except Leia.
(At least, in Han's opinion.)
He watched her as she swept through the jerking and twisting dancing people in her impeccable white dress with her impeccable gait. She reached out across the table and took a delicate glass of wine in a delicate, impeccable hand and swilled it absentmindedly. Han took a swig of ale from his bottle and goggled at the princess.
Gods, she's amazing.
It just happened to be at that moment her gaze swept across the room to meet his astonished stare. A tiny hint of a smile touched upon her face and he could have blacked out.
He was absolutely determined to get her enjoying the party.
"Just one glass, sweetheart."
"If you were paying attention I have been drinking alcohol for the past few minutes."
"Wine with 0% actual alcohol. Just one glass? It feels good for the heart, I promise Your Highness."
"No."
Well, the Fill Her With Booze Until No More Inhibitions plan did not go as planned.
So he tried his Smooth-Talkin' Con-Man with his special rumbly-voice.
"Hey sweetheart. How ya liking the party?"
"Very nice, thank you."
"That dress is good for you. Fits your body real pretty."
"Thanks."
"Why don't you come with me, hon? You're the prettiest sight in the galaxy and I can't afford to let you go."
"Thank you, but no thank you."
He even tried the Overly Happy Cute Kid Who She Pities On And Agrees With.
"Hey Leia!"
"Hello, Captain."
"Do you wanna hang out and maybe take a few drinks?"
"No, I don't drink ale."
"Beer? Please? I'm lonely for your kind of company."
"Nope. Sorry."
"Aw, please? I'm just so bored, have mercy on me."
(Bambi eyes.)
"Uh-uh, Captain."
Han was officially stumped. He hadn't met such a stubbornly resistant creature to his charms since he ran into a feral Hystanni dog a few years back.
He ended up crashing alone in a corner, sipping his alcohol and watching the princess talk with dignitaries and smile that polite smile and laugh that restrained, social laugh.
Han knew what her real exclamations and expressions of joy were. He had seen them before.
They were breathtaking.
He watched as one man from the company who dealt the starships invited Leia to a slow dance. Of course, she couldn't refuse an important partner of the Alliance, and she inclined her head with a courteous smile. They took to the floor, she sweeping with her flattering white evening gown fluttering along and an equally skilled businessman.
He found himself completely and utterly consumed by a major case of jealousy.
He watched Leia and glared at the man the whole song, and when the last chord was strummed the man suddenly guided her away into a darker shadow, melting away.
Han's suspicion peaked and he sat up, setting his glass on his lonely table. His hand brushed his blaster on his waist as he slipped through the people to the same alcove.
His stomach immediately twisted in rage. The apparent businessman was twisting the princess's delicate wrists while she gasped with pain. He seemed to be hissing malevolent words into her face, fingers tight around her small arms when Han walked in on him and he jumped away as if electrocuted.
"What are you doing to her?" he hissed, blaster out and aimed at his chest. Leia let a breath out in relief from the pain but went to the smugglers side.
"Don't shoot him," she said softly, and she reached over to take the blaster from him when the sight of her once perfect forearms bruised and bleeding from fingernail marks heightened his anger. He pushed her away and leveled the weapon at the enemy.
"I was only speaking to her about...politics." he growled, backing away. Han's finger was steady on the trigger and he was about to shoot when a sudden bolt of electricity danced past Leia and Han, nearly grazing the girl's head.
Han immediately covered her body with his as laserbolts whizzed in all directions. The apparent imposters were shot at, they shot at the Alliance members, and all was general chaos.
All his mind was locked on was protecting the small, trembling woman curled beneath him, brandishing his weapon at anyone who came near as they slowly inched deeper into the shadows.
The gunfight stopped and yet he still crouched over her, mind still racing as Leia straightened up from beneath him and looked Han straight in the eyes, tattered dress and hair coming out of her braids. She was still more beautiful than ever.
She spoke two words that reverberated in the smugglers mind for a long time.
"Thank you."
Whoa. Well. That was exciting, no?
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