LXXI. Indifferent.
He wishes she would just yell at him and get it over with. Nothing she could say could be crueler than this silence. She's as talkative as the metal walls around them, and a little colder.
"Hey, sweetheart."
She goes on with her work as if she never heard him. He steps in front of her. She won't get away this time.
"Move, please," she says flatly.
"What do you want me to do, Leia?"
"I want you to move."
"You know I'm sorry."
She steps away. "Do I?"
He growls with frustration. "How do I apologize to a wall?"
LXXII. Exhausted.
"Take a break, before you work yourself to death."
"I'm busy," she says, head bent over her desk.
"Come on. Even senators have to sleep."
"That doesn't mean we can. I'm fine." It's painfully obvious she's lying. Her face is pale in contrast to the blue circles under her eyes, and she's lost weight.
Finally, he pulls her out of the chair himself.
"What are you doing?"
"Exercising my authority as a general and your protector."
"But you can't…" She loses the struggle to keep her eyes open. He smiles, and caries her sleeping body to bed, where it belongs.
LXXIII. Hopeful.
"It's not going to be easy, you know."
"Bzoop-blip-dreep?"
"Why not? Running a government is no easy task. There are laws to establish, officials, holidays.."
"Proopt!"
"I am not a kill-joy. I'm simply being realistic."
"Por-whir-glub-dirp-rip."
"Of course, Master Luke is up to the challenge. I've no doubt he'll do splendidly. Though he has made some rather rash decisions in the past…"
"Beep-beep-zurp."
"I must admit, I agree with you, R2. Things are looking up for us. We've certainly earned a break from the action."
"Bhirr."
"The future does look bright. I'm just glad we're both here to see it."
LXXIV. Relaxed.
She's wondered for a long time how he stays so calm. It doesn't come from his lifestyle, because there's no relaxation to be found in war. And she highly doubts it's drug induced, because, well, it's Luke.
The first time she walks in on him, she thinks he's unconscious. He's sitting motionless in the middle of the floor, eyes closed. Instinctively, she steps forward. His chest rises slowly, and he exhales through half-open lips.
She steps back. He's practically radiating inner tranquility. She suddenly feels like her foolish worries are polluting the room.
She wonders if he could teach her...
LXXV. Restless.
She knew what she was getting when she married a pirate. But she still held on to the childish hope that he would change. She might as well have asked the sun to freeze.
"I need to get away for a while," he says to the floor.
For a while, the only sound is the whine of his ship. "Stay," she says finally.
"I can't."
"Can't? Or are afraid to try?"
He has no answer. The ramp shuts, and he's gone. He'll return, eventually. And she'll forgive him.
But there will always be another woman, and her name is Freedom.
Indifferent- Han, post-ROTJ
Exhausted- Han, post-ROTJ
Hopeful- C-3PO and R2-D2, post-ROTJ
Relaxed- Leia, ROTJ
Restless- Leia, post-ROTJ