Standard Disclaimer: These characters belong to G. Lucas. No copyright infringement is meant.
Dedication: To the beautiful people on SWSB – especially JediJade88, RedGold, The Good Twin, and Ginchy.
Rating: PG-13/T
Spoilers/Timeline: After The Corellian Trilogy but before "Vision of the Future". Set in the "Lightheaded" AU.
A/N: Do read and review. I'm not sure if this can be read with much enlightenment if you haven't read Lightheaded. You could try, I guess. I'm not planning for this to be very long. Actually, I don't plan anything at all; fics just write themselves.
Chapter 2: The Fallout
Luke and Mara Jade. Well, well. Han couldn't believe that his original instincts about the two were correct. I called it, didn't I, kid? She took that hit over the Katana fleet and you looked like you lost your best friend.
Han was sitting in the study, absently playing with the thong as he contemplated this new development in his brother-in-law's life. Chewy had laughed at him all the way home, and Han had sent him off to fetch the children because he got so annoyed at Chewy's attitude.
"I called it first, stupid lump," he muttered under his breath. Chewy had been in such a good mood that he had left without protest.
But I never thought it would go anywhere. They've been dancing around each other for so long that I don't even think they notice each other anymore. I wonder what changed?
On impulse, he turned on the holonet and logged on to his account. I don't think I'll get a better chance at this. I only wish I could see your face when you get this.
He turned on the holovid recorder, holding up the thong to the camera. Turning it on, he gave the thong a little twirl before pulling it away, and grinning hugely into the camera.
"Well, well. Well, well." He leaned forward. "I'm so proud of you, kid." Never thought you had it in you. "You gonna tell me who she is, or do I have to guess? Although Leia did tell me that you and Jade spent the night together when you were here last, and that's good enough for me."
He grinned into the camera. "I tell you kid, I have never been so entertained by dry-cleaning before. She sent one of your new Jedi robes out to clean, and I had to get them. And imagine my surprise when I found this slung over the hanger." He held up the thong to the camera again. Oh, what I would give to see your face when you see this. "However, I'm sorry to inform you that this little thing is as clean as the droids could probably get it." Kind of kinky, kid, to be keeping this, isn't it?
He leaned forward again into the camera. "The question that I have for you now, kid, is whether you want to return the panties, or should I?" He winked salaciously into the camera, and stopped the recording.
He sent the message to Luke's account, and was about to log off the holonet when he noticed that there was another new record of sent transmissions. Leia must have used my account for something. Glancing at the chrono, he decided to take a look. Have time to kill before the kids get back anyway.
He selected the message, which played a holotube recording of Luke and Mara on the sludgenews channel. The grin reappeared on Han's face. Kid, you have no idea how proud I am of you.
Logging off his account, he walked to the living room and flopped on the couch, picking up the news flimsy. His gaze fell on the family holo which was hanging over the fake fireplace.
"You should smile larger than that if you've been messing about with that fox, you lucky son of a Sith," he muttered under his breath. Realising that he still held onto the thong in his hand, he stretched it a little and catapulted it into the family holo, aiming for Luke's head. He hit the target, but the thong fell into the deep recesses of the fake fireplace.
Han was in the middle of trying to get the thong out of the back of the fake fireplace when Chewy arrived home with the children. Ahh, it'll keep there for a while. No one will look there anyway; I'll get it later when they're asleep.
Trying to get the children to take their baths after that took up all his attention, and the thong quietly slipped his mind.
-----
"Han?"
"Mama!" Anakin managed to splash more water over Han as he called for his mother. Han sighed and slumped against the 'fresher wall.
Leia appeared and swept into the 'fresher. Bending over, she picked Anakin up from his bath and carried him, mindless of the water that dripped off him.
"Hello darling, how was your day?" Kissing his head, she turned to Han. "Was he done and just playing with water again?"
Han shook his head. "No, we just got started. No cleansers yet."
"Don't want!"
"Hush, darling." She looked down at the bundle in her hands. "You need to get clean, or there'll be no stories tonight."
"Don't want!"
"Well…" Leia pretended to think. "Then I suppose you'll have to live without knowing how Uncle Luke saved Jaya and Jasa on Wayland then…"
Even though Anakin had heard the story many times, this was threat enough for him to reconsider his feelings towards cleansers. Leia smiled at his contrite pout, and handed him back to Han.
"Here. I'll get changed and get dinner ready." And she walked out of the 'fresher.
I'm a General, Princess. Turning back to Anakin, he handed his son the cleanser. "Okay son, show me what you can do."
Anakin grabbed the cleanser from him and upended the entire bottle onto his chest.
-----
By the time Han had gotten Anakin cleaned up, dinner was indeed ready. Or rather, dinner had arrived, and Leia had taken the food out of their boxes and onto real cutlery.
He walked over to her and hugged her from behind as she stood setting the table. "What's the meal this time, highnessness?"
She leaned back into his arms. Taking a deep breath of her day-old perfume, and the scent that made her who she was, he revelled in the feeling. Home. This is home.
She pushed him back gently with her backside. "It's Corellian tonight. Help me set the table."
He gamely took the cutlery from her. "Shouldn't we be training our little slaves to do this?" Giving his chin a sharp jerk towards the children's quarters.
She frowned at him. "Han!"
"What?"
"Don't be silly." She dismissed his joke with a wave of her hand, and continued setting out the cups.
"Oh, by the way, did you manage to get Jacen's colour stylos? He's in the middle of drawing an X-Wing, and I think he's run out of grey."
"Oh, uh…" Han thought quickly. "I ordered them, and they're on their way. You know how long deliveries sometimes take." Good save, Solo.
"Oh. Okay." Leia was regarding her handiwork. "So, Winter caught up with me on the way home," she said casually, walking towards the kitchen unit.
"Uh huh." Cautiously, Han looked at her. Jedi mind-reading would come in really useful right about now.
Leia removed a pitcher of water from the refrigeration unit. "She was asking me about how the children were. Naturally, I told her that they were fine." She returned to the table and put the pitcher at the centre of the table.
"Uh huh." Where are you going with this, sweetheart?
"And she told me to give you this." Reaching down into a bag on the chair, she tossed a case of colour stylos at him, which he caught neatly against his chest.
Busted.
"Uh, yeah, did they get the delivery location mixed up?" Nice try, Solo, but I think you're in for it now.
"Han! I was there when you commed her!" Ooh. Looks like I'm really in trouble.
Leia continued. "How could you? You know she's busy!"
A little annoyed, he sharpened his tone. "And you think I'm not?"
"What do you have to be busy with? You're currently not on assignment!"
"That doesn't mean that I don't have things to do!"
"So what are you busy with?"
"Things!" He threw up his hands and stalked to the living room. "I am not your errand-boy when I'm not on assignment!" He spied Chewy walk out of his room, look at the scene, turn around, and walk right back in again. Closing the door.
Yeah, you and me both, pal.
She followed him into the living room. "I don't treat you like an errand boy!"
"Milk! Dry cleaning! School supplies! What do you call those?"
"I thought you wanted to get involved with family affairs!"
"Not like this!"
"Then how?"
"I don't know! Other stuff!"
Leia was silent. "I didn't know you felt this way, Han," she said softly. He turned to look at her, staring at the floor. "I thought… I thought…"
He walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her.
"I'm sorry, Princess."
"I'm sorry too, Han. I really didn't know…"
"I should have said something sooner."
"You should have. I can't read minds, you know."
"Well," he kissed her cheek. "Actually, you can. But I guess mine's off-limits." He tapped the side of his head.
She was still looking a little upset at their argument. "I'm really, really sorry, Han. I didn't know you felt this way."
He grinned, a lopsided grin at her. "Actually, I don't mind doing the errands, and I like doing things for the family." His grin faded a little. "It's just today… I don't know. You could have sent out for some of those things, instead of getting me to get them. Like the milk, for example."
She smiled wryly. "I suppose so. I'm sorry dear," she said, pulling him down to her by the collar and kissing him lightly on the lips. "But I'll make it up to you later," she breathed into his ear.
I'll bet.
She pushed him away and called out in a normal voice: "Dinner!"
He caught her arm, and they walked to the table hand-in-hand.