Disclaimer: All characters featured in this story belong to Lucasfilm, Disney.
"Okay, I think we go this way," Leia said, preparing to push back some foliage that was in her way. "Let's go-"
"Whoa whoa there, Princess!" A cocky voice called out from behind her as a hand grabbed her wrist. "Can't have a delicate young thing like you wandering into who knows what!"
"Delicate?!" Leia swung around to glare with umbrage into the smug face smirking at her. "I am though as that carbonite you wereonce trapped in - which I rescued you from, flyboy!"
"Maybe so - but you're way out of your comfort zone out here." Han gazed around to observe the jungle which he and Leia were treking through. "A princess like you can't just go charging into the unknown where dangers could be awaiting. You need someone brave, strong and dependable to go first to make sure it's safe for you."
"You know... You're absolutely right..." An agreeable smile crossed Leia's face - which she directed straight past Han. "Would you please go check to make sure it's safe out there, Chewie?"
"Rawr!"
Chewbecca roared his reply. He was happy to assist the princess and put priority on her well-being. The mighty Wookie marched past the smiling princess and his owner - whose face was turning sour.
"Wow..." Leia exclaimed with awe as she watched Chewie disappear through the foilage. "Chewie is so fearless and strong. I'm so glad to have him around - even if he only goes where you do, Han..."
Han clenched his fist and gritted his teeth. He was bitter over how his plan to show off in front of the princess had been robbed from him by his furry companion.
All of a sudden, a voice yelled out from the other side of the foliage.
"What the hell is this?"
Han's ears perked up. It was a voice that was unfamiliar to him - but he had no trouble recognising the anguished cry that followed.
"Chewie!" Han cried, afraid that his friend was in trouble. Without hesitating, he charged forward and left a stunned princess behind, pushing past the bushes and branches that blocked his way. "Hang on, pal! I'm coming!"
As he fought his way past the trees, Han's hand dove into his pocket. He pulled out his blaster, curling his finger around the trigger. Even if Chewie was perfectly capable of defending himself, nobody messed with his loyal friend without having to go through him.
Coming to the end of the trees and bushes, Han jumped out into the clearing. He glanced around to find who was provoking his Wookie companion - before the fierce gaze on his face fell. "What the-"
Chewie was there alright, roaring and crying as he tried to struggle out of the situation he was in.
A young man around Han's age was stood in the clearing. He was dressed in a leather jacket with a fedora sat on his head. A long whip was clutched in his hand, which he was trying to pull away from the Wookie, who had the end of it caught around his furry ankle.
"Get away!" the man cried, grunting as he tried to pull his whip away. "Damn it! Would ya get ya big furry self away from me?! I've never seen a creature like you before in my travels, but I can see your one big hairy-"
The man's insults towards the Wookie were never finished as a loud blast filled the air. Han had shot at the whip, breaking off the end wound around his friend's ankle. Chewie fell one way as the man fell another, landing with a thump on the hard ground, his fedora falling off.
"Are you alright, pal?" Han asked, running into the clearing.
"I think so," the stranger replied as he sat up on the ground. "Bumped my elbow, but I should be okay-"
"Not you!" Han hissed, running over to Chewie's side. "I'm asking my friend here! You really freaked him out!"
The stranger blinked upon hearing that this person was friends with the monster he'd encountered. He averted his gaze to Chewie, taking aback as the Wookie growled at him.
"What is that thing?" the man asked, replacing his hat onto his head.
"That thing is something you don't wanna make mad," Han explained. "Provoke him and he'll really make you regret it - but treat him nicely and you can't ask for a better friend."
The stranger blinked again. He watched as Han unwrapped the piece of his broken whip from around the Wookie's ankle. Then he rubbed the top of his hairy head affectionately, bringing some content sounds out of Chewie.
Just then, the branches Han had run through were pulled back and Leia's face appeared between them. She peered towards the smuggler and his furry companion. "Is Chewie alright there?"
The stranger averted his gaze, noticing the young lady who had come into view - his face lighting up in interest at the beautiful sight of her.
"Well now!" he exclaimed. "Who might you be?"
"Han Solo," Han replied, thinking the stranger was still talking to him, as he was too focused on Chewie to notice Leia had arrived. "I'm captain of the Millennium Falcon and general of the Rebel Allegiance-"
"Not you!" It was the stranger's turn to dismiss Han's belief that he was interested in him as he made his way over to the princess. "This pretty little lady."
Leia gazed up at the man. Her cheeks turned red over the way she had described her. Her knees shook as she took in his features. She felt as though she could soon at the sight of him.
"Doctor Henry Walton Jones Jr." The stranger smiled as he introduced himself to the princess. "Otherwise known as Indiana Jones. You can call me Indy."
"Oh... I'm Leia." The princess found her voice, still struck with awe at the sight of this gentleman. "Otherwise known as Leia. You can call me Leia."
"Leia." Jones repeated, finding he liked what he was to call this pretty young maiden. "That's a lovely name."
Finding herself feeling more and more charmed by Jones, Leia smiled at him in return.
"Hey, pal!" Han strode over to where they stood, a scowl on his face which he directed at the explorer. "Get away from her! That's my princess!"
"Princess?!" Jones looked astonished over hearing what the beautiful lady before him happened to be, instantly bowing graciously before her. "Your highness!"
Leia's smile widened. "It's nice to find such a gentleman in this jungle..."
Han scowled, knowing Leia was not referring to him. The scoundrel could not believe the princess was so instantly appealed by this man they'd just met.
"So what are you doing all the way out here, Dr Jones?" Leia asked inquisitively.
"Please, your highness, just Indy!" Jones raised up a hand, still smiling. "This is all part of my job. You'll normally find me venturing out into no man's land, exploring uncharted territory!"
"Really?" Leia's brown eyes shone with amazement. "You must be so brave, throwing yourself into such dangerous terrains!"
"Hey! I've gone into dangerous terrains myself!" Han burst out indignantly. "I've put myself on the line to help the Rebels so many times!"
Leia wasn't listening. She was too absorbed by about the young explorer, who she found to be so intriguing - and rather good-looking.
"Seriously," she went on. "You're really brave to come out the way out here to this jungle."
"Well..." Jones shrugged. "To be honest, this is nothing for me..."
"You're right..." Han muttered grumpily, folding his arms as he turned away. "It is nothing..."
"I'm pretty chilled when I'm in this environments. Boulders, quicksand, savages - I can deal with anything these places throw at me!"
"Anything?!" Leia gasped, amazed.
"Anything...except..." Jones paused, a little embarrassed by what he was about to admit to the beautiful princess that he didn't like. "Snakes!"
Han turned back towards the explorer, an amused smirk crossing his face as he raised an eyebrow. "You're afraid of snakes?"
"Can't stand them! Every time I see the scaly devils whenever I'm on my travels, I always ask myself 'Why did it have to be snakes?'"
"Well, this jungle is full of snakes, Dr Jones," Han said, unable to stifle a snicker. " They wouldn't bother me, of course, but this is no place for someone like you who fears them-"
"You came out here despite your fear of snakes?" Leia cut in, her eyes filled with even more amazement over Jones. "You really are very brave!"
"OH COME ON!" Han burst out. "I'VE ENCOUNTERED FAR WORSE THINGS THAN SNAKES TO HELP SAVE THE GALAXY FROM THE EMPIRE! WHERE'S YOUR RESPECT AND ADMIRATION FOR ME, PRINCESS?!"
Leia paid no attention to Han's tantrum. Neither did Jones. Even Chewie didn't attempt to make him chill out. The only ones who reacted to his outburst were the bids flying from the trees his explosive tone had shook.
"Well, I must be one my way." Jones raised a hand to wave to Leia as he prepared to departed. "Although I'm sure we run into each other again, Princess."
"I'll look forward to that." Leia nodded, grinning. "Maybe we could find a hot spring in this jungle to meet at. I'll wear my golden bikini just for you."
"Wait... Golden bikini?" Han repeated, baffled. It was the first he had heard of the outfit Leia had been forced to wear while she had been captured and enslaved by Jabba the Hutt. Since he had temporarily lost his eyesight after she'd freed him from the carbonite prison, he had not seen the princess clad in such an outfit - which he was shocked to hear she was prepared to wear for Jones.
"Farewell, Indy." Leia waved to the explorer. "Wishing you safe travels out here."
"Until we meet again... Your Highness..."
Jones waved for a little longer, then headed off into the jungle. He disappeared from view, leaving behind an awed princess, a forgiving Wookie - and a grouchy smuggler.
"Well I sure hope we won't be running into him again..." Han huffed. "He's so cocky and self-absorbed..."
"Oh," Leia exclaimed, acknowledging Han for the first time since she had been swooned by Jones. "You've noticed your reflection in the lake, have you?"
Han's eyes widened. He was baffled that Leia seemed to think he was referring to himself and not Jones. How on Earth could she think that? Him? Han Solo? Cocky and self-absorbed? The very idea!"
"That Indy is so amazing!" Leia's voice had drifted into a dreamy tone as she thought about the explorer she'd just encountered. "He's so brave too!"
"Look, Princess, anyone can just trek through a jungle!" Han protested. "It takes a real hero to fly through Tie Fighter-infested trenches to blow up the Death Star."
"But it wasn't you who blew it up, was it? It was Luke!"
"True - but Luke wouldn't have done it if it weren't for me." Han sulked. "In fact, the kid wouldn't be here if it weren't for me. I helped him rescue you too, y'know..."
"Which you only did for the reward, I recall you declaring to my face."
Leia began to walk on through the jungle, her walk almost a dance as she continued to have the explorer they'd encountered on her mind.
"That Indy is so charming..." she sighed. "He's so good-looking and handsome!"
"Alright, now you're going too far, Princess!" Han snapped. "That Indiana Jones is not handsome! You end up with a guy who looks like him, you'll end up regretting having to spend day after day looking at his face!"
"You're just jealous because you wish you had his good looks!"
"Jealous?! Of his looks?!" Han snorted loudly. "That's absurd, your highness! There's no way in this Galaxy I'd want to look like him!"
"Then you're a fool, Han, not to want to look like Indiana Jones!"
Still in a dreamy state, Leia disappeared off ahead of Han. She left him behind alone with Chewie. He watched her brown hair and white clothes fade little by little as she disappeared into the green of the jungle.
Chewie began to chuckle. The Wookie was greatly amused seeing his owner being envious of someone trying to take Leia's affections away from him.
"Shut up, Chewie!"
Han elbowed his furry companion before marching off to go after Leia. The smuggler had fallen into an extremely foul mood. Who did that Indiana Jones think he was? How dare he try to steal his princess? Why in the universe would she go with someone like him? A beautiful maiden like Leia needed someone who Han thought was good-looking - and the only person who he could see fit that description was himself. As far as he was concerned, Indiana Jones was as far from good-looking as a person could be.
Further out into the jungle, Leia was still in a whimsical state as she danced around the woods. She pulled a large flower from a tree to place it with the buns in her hair. How wonderful the young princess felt. Never had she seen anyone so handsome in her young life. She knew she had only just met him - but she could feel it inside her. It was as if the Force was telling her to admit what she was about to say aloud.
"Indiana Jones ... I love you!"
Leia had no idea that the person she had instantly fallen for was hiding behind a nearby tree, watching and listening. Having heard what the princess had said about how she felt for him, Jones nodded with a smug smile.
"I know."
The end.