Hello! This is another challenge between Snips95 and myself. Hopefully, its fodder for a laugh. Not my best work, but hey I knocked it out in two days and it was fun to write. I own nothing. These characters belong to George Lucas, the man who I owe my life savings and pretty much my young adult life to. Good luck to you Snips, may the best one win.
"Urgh! I can't get this!" Leia cried as she threw her arms up in exasperation. Plopping down in front of the vanity mirror, she let out her breath in a huff and leaned her head on her hand; making a pouty face to convey her dastardly infectious frustrations.
"D'you say somethin'?" Han poked his head out from the refresher door as he zipped up his pants.
"No!" Leia snapped, but she quickly amended, "I just can't get the back of this dress to lace up right." Han smiled his lopsided grin. Leia wanted to smack him for strutting over so casually and arrogantly. Bending down beside her he kissed her cheek tenderly.
"We took on the Empire and you're all bent out of shape over lacing a dress." He continued to chuckle. He didn't know much about dresses, but he knew how to lace up combat boots. Same principle, right? Gently he picked up the strings and began lacing.
"May I remind you, Mister, that this is a very important dinner? If I don't look good, then it reflects poorly on the New Republic. It goes the same for you." Leia scolded. With flourish, Han tied a knot in the end of the string and put his hands on his new wife's shoulders. Her hair was pulled up into a curly style with braids framing her face and a mess of bouncy curls covering the back of her cranium. Staring into the mirror into his wife's eyes, a spark flashed as it always did.
"You look amazing. You're gonna knock 'em dead tonight." Han encouraged. However, Leia just pouted and looked away, leaning more into her hand and getting that stony look again like she always did when she was stressed. With all the care and adoration of a lover, Han slowly slid his hands down her bare shoulders, letting his fingers brush her warm skin. Finally, she had to look up into his reflection again. Bending down, Han planted a slow kiss on her temple. Leia pulled him back for a real kiss, one full of passion and love. A ping went off; the calendar reminding them they needed to get going. Han groaned.
"Do we have to go? I have a better idea than go to that dinner." He offered, hope in his hungry eyes. Leia shook her head practically.
"Yes, we need to go." She stood up, up to her tippy toes to reach his ear. "But I have a special surprise planned for you later." She whispered seductively. Han could not take his eyes off the blue spectacle of a dress she was wearing, but he had to admit that dress now seemed a bit of a hindrance.
"Come on." Slipping her arm through his, Leia walked next to him. It felt good for her to be by his side. Natural. That was how it felt. Outside the door, a friendly rawr greeted the two of them.
"Sorry, buddy. Leia had some wardrobe issues to deal with that required my help." Han explained. Chewie just shook his head then walked a little ways before them.
"You know, this is the first time we've been away together since the wedding." Leia said quietly, a coy smile making its way to her lips.
"I guess this could be called our honeymoon." Han whispered back. Leia snorted.
"Yeah, a honeymoon where the groom brings along a body guard and the bride has to endure her big brother."
"Is he older than you?"
"We don't know. I guess we probably never will either. Twins are strange things."
"They'd be a messy handful, a pain in the neck, and a nuisance I wouldn't want to deal with." Han said flatly, but she could hear the sarcastic tone. Leia was quiet a moment.
"So you like them," It was more of a statement than a question.
"Oh, I want some so bad." Han pleaded, like a child asking for a toy for a birthday.
"Not yet, dear, not yet." Leia hissed as Han began to kiss her neck there in the hallway.
"No, no I guess it'll have to wait."
"What would my brother say if he saw us?"
"Get a room?"
"More like 'Get out,' or maybe just pull out his lightsaber."
"Ok, fine."
"Thank you, flyboy." Leia said sweetly as she leaned her head against Han's broad shoulder.
"My pleasure, princess." Han answered back.
"I can't seem to remember how to do this. The sand fox chases the womp rat around the tree and down the… why does this have to be so difficult?" Luke asked as he attempted to tie his necktie.
"Artoo?" He finally called. A wheetling tweet replied brightly from the corner.
"How well do you know how to do these?" He pointed to the tie as if it were some poisonous reptile. An affirmative beep nearly echoed across the lavish temporary suite. The diminutive little astromech droid scuttled around and made his way up to Luke who sat on the edge of the bed dejectedly. With a mechanical whir, a small metal arm protruded from the droid's stubby frame. Luke leaned down to accommodate Artoo better. With computer like accuracy, Artoo quickly tied the bow tie and even buffed it up a bit.
"Ah, that's better." Luke brushed a hand through his tousled blond hair, attempting to look presentably debonair. He shook his head in disbelief; it didn't seem possible that he could get all gussied up for a military dinner. Yet there he was, tagging along with his sister, being the resident Jedi and everything. With it being only four years after the destruction of the second Death Star, everything had gone to political anarchy. The New Republic, however, was dealing well. Luke was just impressed to see his sister keeping so calm and cool through it all.
"Alright, time to act dashing. Come on, Artoo." He gestured to the door and followed Artoo out.
Seated by design, Luke ended up across the table from Leia and Han. Throughout the whole dinner Luke kept spying Leia's blushes and Han's cocky smirks. He could feel Leia's excitement pouring into the Force. It made him laugh out loud at points. The Prime Minister of some world was giving a lengthy and rather boring speech about uniting the New Republic, building a safer galaxy, yahta-yahta-yahta all the same. It was all Luke could do not to fall asleep in his soup. He could think of a thousands things he'd rather be doing at that point.
Leia watched, amused, as Luke absent-mindedly stirred the bowl of some sort of local delicacy. She knew this wasn't his thing. The fact was this was her thing and even she was having difficulty paying attention. Han leaned over discreetly.
"Can't I just trank him?" He whispered in her ear.
"Shh," Leia bit her lip in mirth.
"Order me to do anything, anything to shut this guy up."
"Sadly, I am not a commissioned member of the military." Leia said under her breath. "I remain only the political master who has her hands tied by playing the strong, brave, and pure woman I am." Leia lifted her glass filled with some alcoholic beverage to her lips.
"I think there's a room over there we can rectify that in." Han whispered back. Leia snorted and nearly choked on her drink, drawing the stares of many around her, including her brother. Even the Prime Minister stopped to investigate.
"Excuse me, carry on, sir." Leia covered. Turning back to Han she couldn't help but laugh. Leaning closer, Han rested his forehead on hers as they both silently laughed together.
From across the table Luke had to take a drink from his own glass in order not to laugh aloud. Leia's minor slip up was just funny enough in this dull environment to flip a switch in his mind. Well he thought those two are definitely going to be fun to watch. Recalling the wedding, Luke was wrapped up in the fond memories of Han being nervous for the first time in Luke's presence. Leia's apprehensive behavior and snapping were no better. Luke was just glad they had finally agreed on marriage. If the tension had gone on any longer, Luke would have personally tied them both up and locked them in a room together and not let them out until they'd figured everything out.
After the meal was finished the officials and noble people mingled and wandered for the remainder of the evening. Luke got caught in a discussion between a former Rebel commander and an Empire loyalist. Han took advantage of the opportunity and led Leia away from the crowds.
"Thank you." Leia laughed as she wrapped her arm around Han's waist. "I don't think I'd ever have gotten out of there, and I really didn't want to talk to anyone out there tonight."
"I'll spring you from jail any time, Princess." Han said as he kissed the top of her head. They got to their room and Leia walked out on the beautiful veranda. In the building, all the verandas were connected, much like a protruding level in itself, but they were all divided up according to the rooms. Han leaned against one of these walls as Leia walked aimlessly in the moonlight to the edge of the veranda. Looking back, she smiled to him, beckoning him to emerge from the shadows and into the pale light. Happy to oblige, he followed and ended up leaning against the railing next to her.
"It's a beautiful night tonight." Leia said as she looked out over the city. The warm air from all the buildings rose to meet them in calming heat waves. Han gently stroked Leia's hand.
"Not as beautiful as you."
"Stop it," Leia said, bashfully.
"I mean it though." Han said earnestly. Leia faced him and smiled.
"Alright, then am I allowed to call you beautiful?"
"Well, I wouldn't use that word exactly."
"What endearing vernaculars am I allowed then?" Leia smiled at the confused look on Han's face. "What can I call you if not beautiful?" Han leaned back and pretended to think.
"Handsome, hunky, sexy, oh good looking is a good one," Leia laughed as he continued. How he loved to make her laugh. "I think my favorite would be gorgeous."
"Gorgeous it is then." Leia felt herself get lost in his hazel eyes as they locked onto her own brown ones. As though an invisible force was compelling them, their faces drew dangerously close to each other. Leia wanted to hesitate but couldn't as Han pulled her face to his, kissing her gently at first on the lips. Leia reciprocated with more passion. The two continued on, falling back on one of the decorative couches set up. Kissing passionately, Han pulled the pins from Leia's hair and let it fall in waves around her face. Leia pulled his nice dinner jacket off, and unbuttoned the shirt part way revealing his chest. The moonlight reflected off of her eyes and Han got lost in their abyss. Leaning down he kissed her again and felt her rapidly beating heart pound against his own chest.
"Leia I- whoa!" A voice suddenly came from the left veranda door. Luke walked through with a datapad in hand, suddenly turning around.
"Luke!" Leia yelped, pushing Han up so she could sit up and talk to him. "What are you doing here?" She demanded, pulling her sleeves back up to cover her exposed neckline.
"I'm sorry, I just… I was… the… wh-…,"
"Spit it out!" Leia spat. Han felt his own spirits dropping. The brother wanted something, brother trumped husband he guessed.
"I had a uh… question… but it…er… it can wait." Luke stuttered some more. Leia brushed the hair from her face.
"You're right, it can. Now get out. I have some important matters to discuss with my husband." As Han heard this he couldn't believe it. She was telling Luke to shove it and get out. Luke hurried out, glad to get out of the awkward situation. Han watched as the door shut behind him.
"Now," Leia said as she pulled the tie out from the back of her dress, "Where were we?" Han smiled and kissed his wife again.