"She hates me," Han groaned when the doors closed for the last time.
Why had they had to encounter Mon Mothma of all people? Exasperatedly, he pulsed three buttons at once on the control panel, stopping the elevator effectively between levels.
"Han!" Princess Leia exclaimed, surprised. "What are you doing?"
"What do you think?" He answered grinning wickedly. His arms went again around her waist and he pulled her body to him.
The Princess's eyes went round.
Full effect achieved, his face softened as he grazed her jaw with his lips. "Relax, sweetheart. We need to talk."
The Princess's eyes went even more round.
Recovering a few seconds later, she pulled him away a little and teased him. "You mean man, scaring me like that," she said slapping his chest lightly. "For a moment I thought you wanted to talk instead of making love..."
Han Solo chuckled and leaned down further to nuzzle her throat. "You like playing with fire, hmm, Princess?" His teeth teased the soft skin of her neck.
"I take it back, I take it back," she giggled, wriggling swiftly out of his arms. "Alright, let's talk," she sighed, half-repentant, half-relieved. Indeed, it was playing with fire. Han's kisses made her feel lightheaded, making her do crazy things without even noticing.
He shook his head. "Not here. My cabin?"
"As you wish, General," she answered formally, reaching with her thumb to dab the corner his mouth.
"What?"
"Lipgloss," she smiled.
But when he was about to start the elevator again, she stopped him. "You think that someone else saw us, earlier?"
Han shrugged. "Probably. Too late to do something about it, though..." His face darkened. "You regret it?"
"No." There was not even a shadow of doubt in her voice.
His smile lit up the room again. "Then swagger with me, Princess."
"What?"
"Swagger. With your hips. You can do it, I've seen it. Especially when you're angry."
"No, I can't," she denied, shaking her head.
"Yes you do," he nodded exaggeratedly. "Just pretend I've just insulted you in front of everybody, like in the old times."
The Princess opened her mouth to protest but he silenced her with a kiss. "Humor me," he pleaded. "Just do it."
Taking her hand, he hit the control panel.
The elevator came to rest on the lower level. The doors opened and he cast her a reassuring gaze. "Ready?"
Leia Organa nodded, and swallowed hard. For some strange reason, facing the ranks of the Alliance seemed more difficult than confronting the High Command itself.
"Right first," he led.
They crossed the hangar towards the Millenium Falcon at leisure pace, swaying their hips together to their personal rhythm, surprising everybody in their way.
"Did you see their faces?" Leia asked, rushing up the ramp of the Millenium Falcon, dragging Han Solo behind her.
"Priceless," he agreed. She could be so much fun when she wanted. Just like he had always imagined. "Chewie, we'll use the lounge for the meeting, I'll be with you in a minute," he said to the Wookiee as they passed by him.
Chewbacca raised a brow.
They entered his cabin and closed the hatch behind them. Han sat on the bunk and patted the mattress by him. She accepted the invitation and Han took the Princess's hand in his, lacing their fingers together.
"I don't like how she looked at you, Leia," he started, and Leia had no doubt that 'she' was Mon Mothma. "Like if you where doing something dirty. We were just embracing, for Force sake! I don't care how she looks at me, but I can't stand that she does the same to you. What's her problem?"
"It's complicated, Han..." She lowered her gaze. It was a sensitive subject and she was not sure how to approach it.
"She's complicated," Han said with contempt.
"Let's talk about it tonight, please?"
"Tonight?" Han Solo raised his eyebrows and smiled slowly. "It's a date, then. Our first real date."
The Princess mirrored his grin. "That's right."
Their lips drifted together and neither of them did anything to avoid it.
"I need to ask something from you, first," Han said when they parted.
"Anything," was the whispered answer.
"Anything?" The roguish glint in his eyes said it all.
Leia leaned in and kissed his lips softly again. "Anything."
"Be my witness."
She backed up slightly surprised. "You haven't taken the oath yet?"
"No. I wanted you to... Rieekan understood."
"Carlist...?" She started, but the sentence went unfinished as the Alderaanian General words from the morning came back to her. "Oh." Understanding downed on her. "Stand up," she commanded, suddenly all business. They both did.
"Put your right hand on your heart, Citizen Solo."
He obeyed, his eyes fixed in hers. The Princess laid her own right hand over his, and continued. "Repeat after me, Citizen," she ordered. "I, Han Solo..."
"I, Han Solo..."
She declaimed phrase after phrase of the oath her father had composed in the early days of the Alliance. It was just a symbol, a ritual without any legal obligations involved since the Alliance was illegal by default, but it had nevertheless profound meaning for the Rebels. Per use, it could be done in public or in private as the circumstances and preferances dictated, as long as an official over the rank of Colonel performed it.
As Han's baritone voice repeated after her every word of it, she was reminded of the day, a lifetime ago, in which Bail Organa had performed the same simple ceremony for her and Winter. It had been the day before she went to Coruscant to take her place as Senator. Only now, as her eyes filled with tears, she fully understood the ones that had shimmered in her father's eyes that day.
She had taken the oath of hundreds of rebels along the years, including Luke's, and her voice had never faltered. Now it did, and she did not try to conceal it, because she could hear the same trembling in her lover's words.
The text was not long and it was soon over. He had sworn upon his honor to follow the Alliance purposes and goals according to his own consciousness, not to betray his comrades' trust and nothing else. Yet, it was everything.
The Princess retired her hand from Han's chest and placed it on her own. "I, Senator Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan have witnessed your pledge on behalf of the Alliance to Restore the Republic. From you heart, to ours. Welcome, Han Solo, and may the Force be with you."
The mask of Senator suddenly fell from her face, and Leia Organa threw her arms around the man she loved. "Oh, Han," was all she managed to say before their mouths joined in a fervent kiss.
Moments later, she felt him trying to gently disengage from her.
"Go," he said with strangled voice. "Go, or I won't let you."
Leia buried her face in his chest for a moment longer. "Don't forget our date tonight," she whispered to the front of his shirt. "I've never made love to a Rebel before. Or a General for that matter." She felt his ribs expand heavily and two strong hands pushing her away.
"Go," he repeated, guiding her to the hatch hastily. "Go, go, go, GO!" He added with mock anger, giving her rear a friendly pat.