A lucky guy
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, material mentioned on this. All rights reserved to Lucasfilm.
AN: Just a short story inspired from a beautiful piece of fan art I saw of Han (all rights to .com) holding little Ben asleep on his arms. Hope you like it!
Everything was fine.
The little boy he was carrying on his arms fell asleep with his tiny dark-haired head resting over his shoulder. A light breeze was setting his small dark locks on a light motion on that slightly chilly afternoon.
They were again on Endor for a quick repair stop. Not that he was really happy to see those small walking furballs again, but Leia insisted and aside of it, it was the nearest place to stop.
He could not help but smile while watching the delicate features of his little son's face. His brown eyes now shut asleep, just like his mother's eyes.
"Han Solo, a family guy! Still cannot believe it." And yet, there he was, carrying on his arms his child, son of a Princess and a Scoundrel. (Though, sometimes he was yet to admit that she was more scoundrel than him!)
He touched gently his son's left cheek. The little boy's chubby face reminded him of the first time he laid eyes on his mother, a while ago on a detention block. There she was, standing in front of him, big brown eyes blazing, face bright from the short run she'd just taken, dark hair falling out of ridiculous coils around her ears, but still one of the loveliest women Han had ever seen. His mind wandered back to the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon, a little bit later than that, just as they were through hyperspace setting course to the secret Rebel base:
"It's not over yet" said the Princess with a small sigh while looking ahead at the blazing star field.
"It is for me, sister." objected Han. "Look, I ain't in this for your revolution, and I'm not in it for you, Princess. I expect to be well paid. I'm in it for the money."
"You needn't worry about your reward," she assured him sadly, turning to leave. "If money is all that you love, then that's what you'll receive."
On leaving the cockpit she saw Luke coming forward, and she spoke softly to him in passing. "Your friend is quite the mercenary. I wonder if he really cares about anything — or anybody."
Luke stared after her until she disappeared into the main hold area, and then whispered, "I care." Then he moved into the cockpit and sat in the seat the Alderaanian princess had just vacated.
"So, what do you think of her, Han?"
Solo didn't hesitate. "I'm tryin' not to, kid."
Luke probably hadn't intended his response to be audible, but Solo overheard his murmur of "Good" nonetheless.
"Still," Solo ventured thoughtfully, "she's got a lot of spirit. I don't know, whaddya think? You think a princess and a guy like me..."
"No," Luke cut him off sharply. He turned and looked away.
Solo smiled at the younger man's jealousy, uncertain in his own mind whether he had added the comment to bait his naive friend — or because it was the truth.
He chuckled. Little did he know back then that his involvement with the Rebellion would last longer than he was willing to admit. That he would put on hold his own interest in order to help others, especially his friends. The scoundrel who would resort to a blaster by his side and his good luck definitely would learn a lot of lessons on the way. (Lessons that would include somehow fall in love, been frozen in carbonite and almost thrown into a Sarlacc).
Remembering that episode just after rescuing - and being rescued by – the Princess from the Death Star was quite funny, since back then he was baiting his friend with the obvious crush with the determined princess. Little did they know she was his twin sister!
And yet, there were a lot of things he didn't understand. How come if the galaxy they lived in was so big, the droids were sold to this farm boy who went on with an old desert wizard to rescue his own sister? And what were the odds that the evil guy in a black cape who was chasing his friend at the Death Star, the one he helped to destroy, was their father? How come would Han Solo know back then that he was shooting at his father-in-law ship? He just sighed, holding his little one closer. After all, odds were something he was not so much of a fan.
And still, he was not totally on this Force thing. Yeah, he knew that his friend Luke – ahem, brother-in-law – was a Jedi and thus his twin sister – his wife – was Force-sensitive too. And of course he'd had his fair share of exposure to events that could not be easily explained if not by the will of the Force. Hell, he had even witnessed the old wizard disappeared when cut in half by a lightsaber and his blaster shots stopped by his father-in-law. Either the Force might be something real or his luck kept coming back and forth, surprising him at moments when everything seemed lost – like that time aboard the Star Destroyer Dominion above Kashyyyk or right above the Sarlacc pit.
His eyes went back to the little face over his shoulder while his hand was holding his son's tiny hand. Even asleep he could feel the boy grabbing his hand, maybe a reflex but it was something that moved him deeply inside.
The air was feeling gradually cooler and he was just wearing his brown vest. He thought of going back to the Falcon to put his blue jacket on and put the boy to bed, but he was enjoying the peace of just being out there with his little son that he delayed that for a bit, at least until the cold was unpleasant enough for him and little Ben.
He definitely couldn't wait to get his kid to learn to fly around the galaxy. He could see him older, growing strong and resourceful, maybe with the same bossy attitude from his mother, but anyway loving the Falcon as much as he did. Hopefully not an angel, like his mother wanted. Him and his pal Chewie – whenever he was around after having his planet back from the grasp of the Empire – would make sure of that.
He smiled with his characteristic lopsided grin, thinking of what was laid ahead for him and his family. The promise of something new. Maybe there would be more children, why not? He didn't know yet and no point of worrying about the future. His here and now was perfect. Everything was fine.