Chapter 17:

Han Solo watched Princess Leia Organa fix her hair in the refresher across from him as he tried to concentrate on his conversation with Chewbacca on his commlink.

"Huh? I mean 'no' not 'yes.'"

Chewie grumbled. Han's mouth opened as Leia smoothed her hair back and began to wrap a hairband around her it.

He looked at the commlink. "I am paying attention!"

Chewie wharrued. Han looked back at the princess. She pulled her hair out to the side to tighten the band and then ran her fingers through the tail she created. The curls bounced as she turned her head from side-to-side.

"Huh?"

The Wookie wharrued again.

"I've gotta go. I'll contact you later."

Han clicked off the commlink before Chewie had the chance to answer. He dropped his feet off the table and sat up.

"Why are you fixin' your hair?"

"Because it needed to be fixed."

Han's brow furrowed.

"Why?"

"Because…" Leia exited the refresher and walked over to her bag, "we're going out tonight."

He raised his eyebrows as he watched her wrap the belt around her hips and tie the holster to her upper thigh. Leia then pushed her blaster into the holster.

Han gulped. "No we're not."

"Then I'm going out."

"We already went out."

"That was three nights ago, and that was to load the cargo."

"We went out, didn't we?"

Leia slipped her arms through her dark brown velvet vest, adjusted it over her military green shirt, and zipped it up. Han's eyes followed the line of her body until they stopped on her chest. The tight-fitting vest emphasized her breasts even more than the blue dress she wore when they made met with Fadera. Han always thought she wore those ill-fitting rebel uniforms—even though she wasn't ranked or considered a soldier—because she wanted the grunts to see her as one of them. However, if she wore outfits like the one she was wearing now, no one would get any work done.

"I'd like to see more of Ord Mantell than the docking bay and Sciloshin restaurant down stairs."

"We went to the market."

"Yea, that was so exciting."

"I thought you'd like it."

"I've been to places like that on countless planets."

"There's nothin' worth seein' here."

"I'll be the judge of that."

"No, you won't."

"Yes. I. Will."

"I don't feel like going out."

"I do."

"You're not goin' alone. It's too dangerous to be wanderin' out there on your own."

She slammed her fists onto her hips. "I can take care of myself."

"All you're good at taking care of is findin' trouble."

"That's your specialty. In fact, it'll be safer if I go by myself."

"You are not leavin' this room by yourself, Your Worship."

She narrowed her eyes at him.

"You don't decide what I do or don't do, Nerfherder."

"On this trip I do. I'm the one responsible for keeping you safe, remember?"

"Oh, yeah. I was perfectly safe the first night we were here when we were chased by Goroborian's men."

"If I remember right, you're the one who attracted that attention."

Leia started towards the door, but Han beat her to it. He leaned against it and crossed his right ankle over the left before crossing his arms over his chest.

She pursed her lips.

Han smiled smugly. "Nothin' to say about that?"

Leia mimicked his posture and raised an eyebrow. "If you remember right, I was the one to save our skins."

"And how do you see that?"

"That goon would've choked you to death if I hadn't stopped him."

His smug smile faded. "Oh, yeah? We wouldn't have even been in that situation if you didn't look like that!" He waved his hand at her to emphasize his point.

"Look like what?"

"You know! Like you do."

"What does that even mean?"

Han scratched the back of his head. "Never mind."

"No, tell me. What's wrong with the way I look?"

"Nothin'. That's the problem."

She furrowed her brow. Her mouth opened and closed, and Han sighed.

"If you only stayed in the booth and let me handle the negotiations with Fardera—"

"Your arrogant attitude would've only ruined things."

"Who's the arrogant one?"

"You! Your charm," she emphasized the word "charm" by making air quotes, "wouldn't have worked on her."

"And yours would?"

"I didn't need charm to close that deal."

Han grimaced. "That deal had everything to with that royal charm of yours."

"Royal charm? Charm has nothing to do with being an excellent negotiator."

Han shook his head. "You really don't have an idea of how you affect people."

"And what does that mean?"

"You're…when you're not being so bossy or irritating…you…you're very likeable."

Leia narrowed her eyes on him. "If you weren't so disagreeable and cocky then I wouldn't be irritating and bossy and people would like me."

"Trust me. They like you."

Her cheeks blushed and her brow relaxed.

"Get out of my way."

"No. You're not leavin'."

"You can't stop me."

"Yes I can."

"What are you going to do. Tie me up? Lock me in? Stun me with your blaster?"

"If I have to."

Leia huffed, "Move!"

"No."

"This is my last warning."

Han held up his hands. "Oh, I'm so scared."

She clenched her teeth together, and her squeezed her hands into balls of fury.

"You're not getting' past me."

"Oh yea?"

"Yea."

The princess's face relaxed, and the anger in her eyes softened. Han's smug smile lifted the right side of his lips. She looked in to his eyes. She then stepped even closer to him. He found it hard to breathe.

"Your charms aren't gonna work on me, Princess."

Leia smiled up at him, so sweet and…what was that? Was it defeat? Something else? Han had never seen a smile like this on her face. He swallowed; no, he wasn't going to give in. She approached him so that there were mere inches between them. Han licked his lips, anticipating what was to come. She turned her head to the side. Even if she kissed him—a cheap play on her part, in his opinion—he wouldn't surrender his resolve. He'd stay strong. For possibly the first time, he wasn't going to let her get her way. He crossed his arms over his chest, and his smug smile grew smugger.

Leia reached out; her arm brushed against his. She began to wrap it around him…

She hit the controls of the door. The door slid open, and Han fell onto his back. Leia mimicked the smug smile he wore before and stepped over him.

"Leia!"

"Don't wait up for me!"

Han closed his mouth, lifted his torso onto his elbows, and watch her hips sway as she walked down the hallway. His face broke out into a lop-sided grin.