Tuesday, February 7, 2017

Valentine's Challenge 2017 Submission #7 by infamousnalani

We have a story from a first-time contributor and prior lurker here, so let's give her a nice welcome!
 
 
'Intimate Altercations'


That insufferable man, she thought, seething with pent-up rage. What she was clenching in her fist evoked mixed emotions that demanded to be acknowledged, something she wasn’t interested in doing. In her fury she didn’t notice the trail of people following her that were no doubt eager for the shouting match that was about to ensue. Luke, who was known for his peak in mood when Leia was around, made a point of avoiding her path but quickly joined in her slipstream.

“Whatcha have there?” He sing-songed.

“I’m not in the mood.”

“If you’re not why are you going to see Han?”

She stopped abruptly and turned around to face him then took notice of the gathering of people that had amassed. “Don’t you people have places to be?” With heavy groans they made their way back to their stations. “I’m not going to see him.”

“Yeah, and I’m not a pain in the ass.” Luke smirked and pushed her on the shoulder. “Admit it, you like fighting with him.”

“I do not! Who does he think he is giving me this?” Leia thrust her hand into his face.

“Leia, they don’t say they’re from him.”

“Who else was gone for a week and had the capability of bringing it back to this frozen hell?”

“Why would he give you flowers?”

Leia seemed taken aback. “Why wouldn’t he?”

“Because you keep insisting that you don’t have feelings for each other.”

“And I don’t.”

“Oh but you do,” he laughed. “Which is exactly why you’re on your way to blow up at him. You missed him,” he drawled out.

“I did not!” Leia stamped her foot and turned on her heel, heading towards the hangar.

Luke laughed once more and called out to her, “Keep telling yourself that!”

Leia's anger had mostly subsided when she had approached the Millenium Falcon. The landing ramp had been lowered, which was standard practice between the two. Many a late nights on Yavin she had taken the symbol as an invitation to accompany him, which had resulted in numerous rounds of Corellian ale and bad decision making. To the day just the thought of the stuff made Leia’s heart flip in her chest for reasons she didn’t want to consider while sober. Freeing herself from the memory, she shook her head and ascended the ramp.

Her arrival was plagued with hesitation as a result of the latest installment of their infamous verbal sparring that had occurred in the hanger the night before he was to depart for a supply run. He had agreed at their last late-night Sabaac tournament with Luke and Chewie that he would allow her to escape from the subzero temperatures and mundane white walls with him but the altercation ended with him revoking her place on the ship. When dawn came, Leia pushed her ego aside to wish him well, but was met with a drawn ramp and an intangible sensation that she had only felt when truly dejected.

She made her way into the common area and had found her treasured companion bent around a pipe in an exposed hole in the floorboards. Han sighed and pushed himself onto his feet, turning to face Leia.

“Enjoying the view, sweetheart? I heard you walk up five minutes ago.” His eyes flashed with lasciviousness and his lips fell into its natural smirk, threatening to derail her.

“Captain that is entirely unprofessional.” Leia lowered herself to the ground and allowed her snow suit-clad legs to dangle into the pit Han was standing in. He sauntered towards her, taking care not to step on a discarded tool or trip over a pipe. Her knees settled at the same height as his shoulders and he took her elevation advantage to his benefit and leaned against her legs.

“You’re so caught up in being professional,” he placed his hands on the outside of her knees and slowly made short strokes along her thighs. Han felt her shiver and retracted his hands, bracing himself against the hole in the floor. “You good?” He beamed.

Leia avoided his question and thrust the bouquet of various flowers towards his chest. “Why’d you give me these?”

“Thought you’d get a kick out of them. You know, because sweetheart’s day is coming up and you insist you hate it when I call you that.”

She rolled her eyes, becoming increasingly impatient. “You truly don’t know anything about flower etiquette.” She undid the material binding the dainty pieces together and reached for one of each type. 

“Yellow carnations represent disappointment, geraniums symbolize stupidity, and meadowsweet is uselessness.”

“Yeah, I know, why do you think I picked them out for you?” Han laughed at her admonishment and caught the flowers as Leia hurled them at his chest.

“You’re horrible.”

“That’s why you like me.”

“I don’t like you.”

“Who else would have the nerve to pull something like that on you?”

“Not any respectable man.”

Han rolled his eyes and pulled Leia into the pit with him, pulling her into an embrace, to which she made no effort of trying to remove herself from. Her body heaved with a sigh and she leant into him. 

“Sometimes you’re alright.”

“Most times.”

“Some.”

13 comments:

  1. Welcome!

    I absolutely LOVE the idea of these two flirting heavily (*at least as much* as they bickered, if not more) during the period between ANH and ESB. The only way Leia would've been as hot-under-the-collar as we saw her in ESB is if something had indeed been going on between them before that. I also loved this little exchange:

    “Why would he give you flowers?”

    Leia seemed taken aback. “Why wouldn’t he?”

    lol! As outraged as she wants to seem over the romantic(ish) gesture, she still half-expects such things from him as her due (because he's in love with her, and she knows it, duh)! :D

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  2. First, I'm glad you decided to come out of lurking and I hope you join us and comment often.

    This is such a fun timeframe to play with, Leia hating him and Han just having fun with her. I like the idea of the flowers symbolizing not-so-great things, haha. And I also liked the little touches like he leaves the ramp down for her, even though they aren't yet a couple they are obviously close. Nice and hope to see more from you!

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  3. This is a sweet little yarn. I can envision Leia picking the bouquet apart and telling him the less-than-romantic meanings behind each one, while Han is standing there smirking.

    And her description of late night drinking on the Falcon as "numerous rounds of Corellian ale and bad decision making" made me laugh out loud.

    Welcome, and thanks for sharing your story with us!

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  4. This was fun to read! I liked when Leia tried to shake the memory of things said and done after too much Corellian ale. Han drawing circles on her thighs was hot too. Now, how about a follow-up?? I'm dying to know what happens next!

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  5. I love Han and Leia like this. It's so in character and they really do love each other. Love these non-battle scenes between them when there's a quiet moment and some normalcy.

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  6. I love Han and Leia like this. It's so in character and they really do love each other. Love these non-battle scenes between them when there's a quiet moment and some normalcy.

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  7. Loved the meaning of the flowers and the ending leaves me wanting more!

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  8. Welcome! We're glad you're here!

    I think this is such an interesting dynamic here - half a teasing vibe, half a reluctant vibe. It's fun to see these two try to figure out how to be together, in whatever relationship thay have now and what they WILL have. Well done!

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  9. Aaah I love the idea that Leia was aware that Han was courting her. The play between the two here is lovely and ironic. Leia I saying one thing with her mouth and another entirely with her body language. I adore the flirting she does. OMG,imagine what the rest of base thought of this. thanks for the laughs. This was fun!

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  10. You're horrible.

    That's why you like me.

    I don't like you.

    Haha! Clever banter throughout, which is fun Han and Leia to read. Han is such a stinker at this point in their relationship. I love it. Good job.

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  11. I am ALWAYS here for Luke calling Leia out, lol. Liked him noting that they didn’t say they were from Han the moment when he was like “why would he give you flowers?”, forcing her to confront things (or at least attempting to ;) ).

    “Why’d you give me these?”

    “Thought you’d get a kick out of them. You know, because sweetheart’s day is coming up and you insist you hate it when I call you that.”

    ^ This was a really good moment. :D

    Thanks for the fic!

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  12. I love the tension between Leia's feelings for Han and her desire to put up a front that she really doesn't care. I also love that Han seems equally ambivalent, with his contradictory overtures (giving flowers, but making sure they're insulting ones!) I think it characterizes their relationship at this stage really well and I love the idea of them flirting/fighting their way through this time frame before it all comes to a head when escaping Hoth.

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