They were having a finger fight.
Seated in chairs back to back, ropes around their ankles and waists and hands tied behind their backs, Leia and Han were competing for who could achieve the rescue first.
Leia's fingers were brushing Han's palm, tickling him. She had the same idea evidently, and it got him to cast about to see if there was some other way they could get out of this jam other than loosening the ropes.
Their situation wasn't too bad, Han reflected. It could be worse.
Sure, tied up and captured. Han wasn't sure he was ever going to mention to Leia that it wasn't the first time. Chewie might, once they were out, but she didn't understand his language.
He didn't know the bounty hunter. Not even what kind of 'oid he was. Yellow, smooth skin, eyes huge and all black. Long fingers capable of holding a regulation blaster with delicate, bony knuckles. Lots of them. Probably they broke easily. Tiny pin holes for ears and nostrils. Could he detect how nice Leia's hair smelled?
They had been disarmed, of course. At least they weren't gagged or blindfolded. Conscious, too! He couldn't have asked for a slacker capture. Usually, it was Chewie at his side. He wondered how the 'oid would have handled a Wookiee. Not with ropes, that was for sure.
Han was using his eyes; he liked to know what was around, inventory what resources were available to him when he did make a break for it.
While they worked the ropes, Leia kept her mouth busy, uttering conflicting attitudes to make the bounty hunter's head spin.
"Thank the Maker you got him," she'd cried, her first attempt at escape, running to hide behind the bounty hunter, eyes all misty and her voice- Han hadn't liked the sound of it at all- breathy and high. Girly.
"He's been holding me! I couldn't get away. My father will reward you, I know he will."
Han couldn't help flashing her a look of surprised admiration. What an act. Selling him off with a snap of her fingers, bringing up her father, the reward- damn, she was complex. Hells, he'd like to see her take on the Hutt. Give her a chance, turn that Princess into a crime boss, and Jabba the Hutt would be licking her boots.
Han lunged at her to lend her outburst some authenticity, but the bounty hunter saw the look on his face and and one or two of the knuckles split his lip. When Han got back on his feet Leia was looking at him resentfully and he couldn't help grinning at her. That was why they got tied up.
The room they were in had one door and one feeble ceiling lamp, but he could see the blasters the bounty hunter had taken off him and Leia on the small table pushed against a wall. That was encouraging. He'd get them back when they escaped. The chairs used to tie them up had probably been dragged from around the table. They were wooden, which Han tallied as a plus in his corner. Wood could be good for something. Maybe.
And they were on a backwater planet. Nothing happened on places like this. Well, Han had gotten captured, that was embarrassing, but the Imperial presence here was weak. Poorly trained and lazy. It was the night shift, too; they'd be sleeping on the job. When the 'oid ran Leia's ID through it would be slow to get results. A few days. By then she and Han would be long gone.
Han batted her fingers away. His were longer, and he could actually reach some rope to work the knot rather than just- what was she doing, anyway?
The rope was tight against his wrist, chafing it. Her efforts were making it worse. He managed to grab two of her fingers between his and gave them a bit of an emphatic shake.
Let me, he was trying to indicate. And damn if she didn't sort of slap the side of his palm with two fingertips!
He was pretty sure they'd get out. For one, Chewie not here meant he was somewhere, and when Han didn't turn up he'd go looking. And for another, when Leia didn't turn up, Luke was sure to go looking faster than Chewie.
Chewie, Han thought, was polite about heroics. He credited whomever needed rescuing that there was something they could do themselves to help their own situation, and he was only jumping in because the life debt required it. But Luke just dashed off the instant he heard there was trouble. Skywalker, my ass, Han thought. More like Lifesaver. Trouble was, kid was still pretty new at it, and just added one more life to be saved, his own.
It gave Han a little satisfaction, to know Luke would also get an earful. Han for being stupid enough to get captured, Luke for being stupid to come to the rescue. If there was one thing about the Princess, she was egalitarian with her anger.
But it wasn't bad, being tied up with the Princess. Her hair smelled nice. An upset Wookiee's fur had a different odor to it.
All those knuckles helped the 'oid tie a good knot. The ropes were thick and Han was pretty sure Leia was undoing any progress he made by insisting on doing it herself.
Knots came undone, though. Eventually. And Leia was keeping the 'oid listening, so Han kept working.
"I want my cut," she said at one point, shifting gears from damsel in distress to mastermind. "I brought him here. His capture is my doing."
Ah, that was the voice, Han thought. Crisp and regal. She pinched one of his fingertips hard and he winced.
"She's a traitorous bitch," Han growled to the 'oid on cue. "The last thing you'll know is how she double crossed you."
Maybe he was piling it on a bit thick. But it was the truth. She couldn't argue it. She'd been a secret member of the Rebel Alliance longer than she served in the Imperial Senate. She topped the Imperial Most Wanted for high treason. Han's name was lower down. But he had another bounty, and it was that money owed to the Hutt that got more attention.
The bounty hunter came to stand in front of him. What was he going to do with all those knuckles, Han wondered. And just what did he intend with Han and Leia, keeping them tied up and standing guard? Obviously he had help coming. What if the help was a smarter bounty hunter? Or worse, the Empire?
He wasn't surprised at all by what Leia said next. "Go ahead and check," she told the 'oid. "He is well connected. The Princess of Alderaan, the Rebel Alliance. Some amount of credits owed to a Hutt is just a drop in the bucket," she said, her voice all scornful and haughty. "What's he worth to you?"
Han's head half-turned. "I worked hard for that debt, I'll have you know," he told her.
If he wanted to nab credit for the rescue then he better keep working. He didn't want help, but he needed her help if they were going to make it out, or she needed his help same as she didn't want help. Shit, Han thought, never having really noticed before. How perfect were they together? It was a beautiful thing.
Han wished he could scratch his cheek, so he contented himself with wiggling Leia's fingers. He made a note to remind the Princess it was much better to be caught by a low-life bounty hunter than a high-ranking Imp like Darth Vader. That would make her face go pale but at least they'd be free, not executed.
The 'oid spoke. "Do you supplicate yourself, female?"
"I wouldn't dream of it," Leia retorted.
"Don't talk to her about supplicate," Han growled. He didn't know what it meant, probably some 'oid culture thing, but he could guess that it wasn't good, especially if Leia was against it. She rubbed his finger, in a soothing there, there gesture.
Han's brain was telling him things- the soft flutter of her fingers on his hand and the smell of her hair. And her voice, that was so sure and strong-
The 'oid started to move around Han. There was no way Han was going to let him leave his line of sight. Chewie or no Chewie, it was time to act. He had to get a signal to Leia somehow.
"Seems this is the way, huh, partner," he said, giving her fingers a telling squeeze. "We always take two steps back." He hoped she heard the wink in his voice.
"Which is it," the bounty hunter scorned. "You are partners now? I knew I couldn't trust either of you."
"But a big step forward, flyboy," Leia answered Han gamely.
"Now!" Han ordered and he used all the leg muscles he had, launching himself forward while at the same time Leia had done her best to push herself backward, giving Han momentum. He took her with him, ropes and chair and all, and after he collided with the bounty hunter and they were all knocked to the floor, Han breathed heavily and smelled the scent of her hair.
Leia was kicking furiously, preventing the bounty hunter from getting up.
"Use the chair," Han called out. "Break his knuckles."
He heard her grunting with exertion and felt like smiling.
"Jerk up, Han," Leia instructed. "Just a little."
He did as he was asked, Leia steering, and a chair arm landed on the goon's hand. He screamed in pain.
"That's good," she said calmly.
She sounded fine. Han had pulled a groin muscle, he was sure of it. It burned. So did his thigh. His shoulder throbbed. "Yeah, good," he agreed.
The 'oid was panting and grunting in thorough agony, pinned below the heavy weight of Leia and Han still in the chairs.
"Will you get the ropes?" Leia asked.
"If you stay off 'em," he replied, already working at them. The trip through the air to on their sides had shifted the ropes and it was much easier now. He had them off almost as quick as it took him to hotwire something.
Han got to his feet, using the chair as leverage. He tossed the rope to Leia. "Tie him up," he directed Leia.
"You may supplicate yourself," Leia told the 'oid. She began to wrap the ropes around the 'oid's ankles.
Han limped to the table and collected their blasters. Then he waited patiently for Leia to finish, and stood on the 'oid's other many-knuckled hand.
"I am not female," the 'oid growled. His face was turning a deeper shade of yellow.
"Oh, then I beg your pardon," Leia said smartly. "Will that suffice?"
The 'oid was so furious he couldn't form words. It amused Han, and he looked at Leia, who seemed more pleased with herself than anything though he didn't know why.
"Let's get out of here," Leia said. She was rubbing her elbow.
"Got somethin' to take care of," Han said darkly.
Her eyes flicked to the 'oid, who shut off his screaming when he heard her ask uneasily, "What are you going to do?"
Han sucked in his cheek. Chewie wouldn't mind if he killed the 'oid. One less bounty hunter in the galaxy.
"He was doing his job," Leia said, as if she could read his mind. "Same as us."
"His job sucks," Han countered.
"And you did yours poorly," Leia's voice was even. "That's why Jabba's after you."
Han made a face at her. That was low. Not untrue, but still. "Not my fault I got boarded."
He picked up a chair with a groan and held it over his head. "Tell Jabba I let you live," he told the 'oid. And he smashed the chair into pieces over the 'oid on the floor.
Wood breaks, he told himself. He always made good use of resources. The bounty hunter lay still.
Han took Leia's wrist. "Come on," he said, and limped to the door.
"Are you alright?" she asked.
"Haven't flown a chair in a long time," he told her with a sly grin. "Out of shape."
She didn't look convinced and she didn't pull her wrist away. She used her other hand to open the door, and as they left their room of capture, Han risked edging his fingers down to cover her hand. She turned her hand over in his, and he caressed her palm. Her fingers squeezed in answer.
"Bounty hunters are a problem," she stated.
"Admit it, Your Worship. You had fun."
"They are an easier enemy than the Empire, I'll grant you that."
"I knew that's why you kept me around," he grinned at her. Despite his aching legs, his steps hadn't been this light in a long time.
Luke came hurtling around a corner, his blue lightsaber aglow, and Chewie was only a few steps behind. They looked so urgent and Han, happy to see them but happier to be on his own, laughed at them.
"I knew it," Luke declared.
"Relax, kid," Han said. "Her Highness tied some knots."
"And the Captain knocked over a chair," Leia added.
Luke extinguished his lightsaber. "Nothing for us to do?" he asked.
*Did the Princess save your life again?* Chewie rumbled in his growling language.
"Hey," Han protested, sliding his eyes at Luke and Leia to make sure both were ignorant of the Wookiee's question. "Other way around," he answered.
It had been evening when the bounty hunter got them; Han didn't remember exactly, but something like that. The night had still felt active, if that was a thing. Now there was a sleepiness about the air. They were with the bounty hunter too long.
They walked together, Luke asking questions and Leia relating the story. Han breathed the air, his eyes alert for more trouble.
Their fingers stayed entwined.