Sunday, May 14, 2017

Mother's Day Challenge Submission #1 from cv73

You Won't Go Wrong

"I don’t know what we're going to do."

Han sounds as lost as she's ever heard him, in these scant months since the Death Star, since Han has sort of, maybe, perhaps been part – no, adjacent to – the Rebel Alliance. Hauled cargo, run blasters, brought refugees, found them cheap ships to rebuild. Protesting all the way, but always coming back. He's squatting down next to the bed, rubbing a hand across his face and she can hear the beard stubble as he does. She's never seen him with a beard, but she might by the end of this.

Then again, Leia feels as lost as he does. They're stuck in the middle of some ridiculous almost pre-space flight town on a planet that trades only in certain areas. The Imperials are everywhere, hunting them, hunting someone, hunting. Armed patrols in the streets.

And they're in a rattletrap inn, kilometers from the port and a way out, huddled in one room, the pair of them.

Oh, and Luke, lying in a shivering, sweating mass under a blanket that Han declared he wouldn't use to wash down the Falcon. Sick with Ryshallen Fever, an illness she and Han had been vaccinated against as children, but they were from Core Worlds. An Outer Rim desert planet was always overlooked for the latest vaccines and its heat and lack of water would kill most germs. So a childhood illness had taken him down…and was only making him sicker by the moment.

She's sitting on the bed next to Luke. She'd tried to coax some water down his throat, bring him back, but he seems to be slipping further into a dream, muttering "not now, Aunt Beru." She settles for rubbing his shoulder, thinking there has to be something they can do. But like Han, she is running out of options.

"We need to get him out of here." She sighs, and Han meets her eyes.

"No, really, that was not on my list." He shakes his head, looking at her apologetically. "I'm thinking our best bet is for me to get us a speeder, we can bundle him in it, and haul ass for the port."

"But neither of us has enough credits to get a speeder."

"I wasn't thinking legally – "

"And if you steal one, the Imperials could be on to us."

"I'd considered that, sweetheart. I just don't know what else we can do. We can't wait for this to burn out, he's goin' under now. If we find a doctor around here, who knows if they won't just turn us over to the Imperials? That's our options. Hell, we don't even know if we take him to one, they'll know how to treat him. And the longer we stick around –"

"I know!" she snaps. "But you could go steal that speeder, get picked up by the Imperials and then where are we?"

"Well, they'd at least dose Luke up with something to stop the fever before they haul us all to Lord Vader," he says sourly.

Leia is ready to scream at him, but then he reaches out and strokes Luke's blond hair back from his forehead. "Poor kid. Next thing the Rebellion does, steal some damn vaccines. He might not be the only one."

"No." she says softly, amazed at the change in Han's expression, from hardened smuggler to what she and Luke call, behind his back of course, Han the Soft Touch. It sneaks out in tiny moments, but they'd taken to conspiratorially compiling them. She's heard him call Luke "kid" a thousand times at least, but this time… "He doesn't mind you calling him that, does he?"

Han is still looking at Luke and doesn't meet her eyes. "No. I'll probably call him that when we're both grey with grandchildren, he'll still be younger."

She doesn't dare derail his thought train – that they'll all ever be that old and still alive to be friends - but she can't resist. "You with grandchildren?"

He shoots her a grin. "Sure. Bound to happen someday, I guess. I could see myself with kids. I'd sure as hell treat 'em better than I ever got treated. And Luke? Hell, you know he'll have kids – he loves everyone…he'll have a pack of dreamers, like him." Han sits back on his heels, his hazel eyes at last finding hers. "What about you, Princess?"

"What about…children?" She's struck by the question at first, that Han would even think about it. She's thought in odd moments that if there ever is a peace, she wants children – what are they fighting for but for the future? And she wants a family – she needs one now that hers is lost. "First duty of a royal house is to have children. I was adopted, like Luke. My parents couldn't have children of their own, so they adopted me. I was a war orphan."

"But do you want them? I mean -" He winces as if he realizes again about Alderaan and she has to give him that much. There's a depth under that cynical layer or he wouldn't be here, with her and Luke, trying to find a way out for all of them. If he were really a mercenary, he'd've run long ago.

She meets his suddenly serious gaze. "Yes, I do. I want children – even if there's no more Alderaan to lead, it's in my memory and I will teach it to my children. But I want them to be born free – free of this Empire."

She wonders why they've taken this turn, into this ramble, with the Empire possibly closing in and Luke growing sicker by the moment. There's a vaccine for Ryshallen because it can kill. She knows that neither she nor Han will let that happen if it takes everything they have. She's still not sure what her feelings, really, are for either of them, if something more could develop for Han as he seems to want in the moments they aren't arguing, if she gives it a chance, or why the farmboy from the Outer Rim seems to have some part of her she can't identify. But she does know one thing under all the flirting and sniping from Han, the boundless optimism from Luke – something wove them together from the start. She has the sense that if they do all survive to having children – grandchildren – that they will be together. This war won't tear them apart. Han can protest all he wants about leaving, but he's not going. Luke's not going to die of some childhood illness that he should have been protected from if this galaxy had any justice beyond who has the most weapons and power.

She waits for Han to ruin the moment, as he often does, with a snarky joke. But this time, he doesn't. He simply nods, looks again at Luke. "Then we gotta start by getting us outa here. See if you can get him a least a little mobile, I'm gonna go steal us a ride." He gets wearily to his feet. 

She can't resist. "Nothing flashy." She gives it a scolding tone, and as she expects – hopes - he rises to the bait.

"Look, Your Worship, I'm a smuggler – you think I'm gonna get us a flashy getaway ride?"

"Well, I don't know – "

"Would you two stop?"

And they both do at the mumble from Luke.

"Welcome back to the living," she says, looking at his eyes, half closed against even the dim light. "Feel any better?"

"No," he croaks and she reaches to bring him water. After a sip or two, he almost smiles. "But I will make it into whatever speeder you steal, Han."

She touches his forehead and maybe the fever has gone down a little. At least he knows who they are.

Han leans over to touch Luke's shoulder and manages a grin. "Good, Junior, I'm holding you to that." He straightens and heads for the door. "I'll comm you the second I get it runnin', you two be ready." His familiar crooked grin is for her, and he winks as he heads out the door.

This is her family now.

38 comments:

  1. I LOVE this take on Leia acting as a mother! It's a fresh reminder that you don't have to have your own children to be a mother. This was so creative, I actually don't know how many people can say that this dynamic would've even crossed their mind had you not written it... because it wouldn't have occurred to me. :)

    I love the part where Leia mentions wanting children. I had never really adhered to the trope that she was against having children, even after discovering that Vader was her father. Her and Luke turning out fine is enough reason to convince me that she didn't ever consider nature overcoming nurture (let's just avoid that Disney canon for a bit). I actually wrote Leia as having wanted children for some time in my submission as well.

    The banter in this is perfect for the situation and the time period and I particularly loved the nothing flashy line and waiting for Han to ruin the moment. Spot on. :)

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    1. Thank you!!

      I enjoyed having a chance to address the question - someone asked me about it in my little strange fic world and I gave a totally different answer. But in "canon," I would say that Leia has always thought she'd have kids - that's what royals do, have kids.

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  2. Gosh, this is so well-written! I like the idea of Han admitting to wanting children at this stage; not many authors write him that way. And the way he takes a moment to look Leia in the eye before asking her if she does is just perfect. I also like how your Leia is the one unable to resist baiting Han, instead of the other way around. Nicely done.

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    1. Thank you!

      I went back and forth on Han wanting kids, but I think he's such a mentoring type, that he would want them - and kids to him equals a "normal life" of which he's not have. I think that's in his mind as a goal he may never attain, but it's there!

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  3. Oh, this was cool! Love the time period, how the discussion arises, how they learn something fundamental about each other.

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    1. Thank you! Hey, you have been BURNING IT UP in this time period so I was inspired ::g::

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  4. Nice work!! I agree it was so interesting your take on the "mother" prompt. Leia's thoughts about Han--Han caring, Han staying, Han who goes all soft sometimes--are wonderful (I think everyone in this blog needed that lately). How he mentioned grandchildren without really thinking about it, and how Leia sort of deflected the question at first, and then told him that yes, that's what she's fighting for. And then Luke becoming conscious just to shut them up, lol!

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    1. Thank you!!

      I always think of Luke being the one in the middle but at the same time, if they aren't bickering at each other, he's worried. I will eventually write the "night of Endor party" where they end up staying together and Han and Leia put on a fight just to get Luke to smile.

      And yes, we need a soft Han - he's soft in moments at first - there's something Leia and Luke respond to. I mean, even when he slides in in ANH to tell Luke "we're not out of this yet" and to get to the guns, he's very subdued.

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  5. This is one of the reasons I like doing these challenges. There is a prompt that maybe has an expected outcome, but then often we get something totally different that I wouldn't have guessed. But it still fits. Very sweet to see Leia sort of mothering Luke even so early on, and there were even traces of that in ANH so it completely makes sense here. And this is definitely a different take on what we would usually see as Han and Leia's answers to the "you think you'll have kids?" question. But I also like that you have them being very civil with each other. Sure, there is some teasing, and Leia expects Han to ruin things. But sometimes people get carried away with having them always infuriated with each other and it's just too much, so I like seeing a softer side of them for this conversation. Good job!

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    1. Thank you!!

      See, I can see them bantering and it could escalate, but when it's such a dire situation, I can't see them screaming and I hate that trope. Even in Empire, they have a common goal even as they're sniping at each other. If they were always screaming at each other, why in the world would they have ever gotten together? IMO of course.

      I always think Luke brings out both Han and Leia's protective sides. Even when he's a big bad Jedi knight, I would bet you that they still do that, without thinking.

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    2. Yes, exactly on if they were constantly screaming at each other, it makes no sense for them to get together. It's definitely been seen in some fanfic, and also a lot of comic books I've seen seem to take their banter too far. Some is ok, and necessary and even fun. But they can't appear to hate each other!

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    3. I absolutely agree. Because why else would they stay together or would Han even pursue Leia if they were constantly battling? He's not that much of a masochist and neither is she. Neither is sadistic either. But I've read so much where that seems to be the default position.

      Two things that will take me right out of a Han/Leia or SkySolo fic - Han and Leia being cruel to each other and always fighting, or demeaning either Luke or Leia to get to the desired couple. No matter who ends up with who (whom?), you can't tell me these three don't love each other platonically, no matter what.

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  6. Oh I love it. This was wonderful and sweet, without being too mushy! Very nice!

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  7. I did like the different take on things with this piece, and i don't just mean the approach to the general prompt. Even though this is earlier in the timeline, I don't think I've ever seen Leia with a more positive approach to kids and I really love that you did this, cv. Even with Han- we never really see him thinking about this early and being so eager about it.

    I enjoyed how you treated Han and Leia's relationship and that ending when Luke's had enough with the two of them. I've never thought before about how awful it must have been for poor Luke to travel with them ... Anywhoo, I really enjoyed this!

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    1. Thank you!!

      I think Luke might be on the surface completely exasperated with them, but at the same time, they aren't Han and Leia if they aren't making snarky jokes at each other (y'know, that was probably Mark, Carrie and Harrison in real life, except Mark is also a snarky jokester!)

      I liked the idea of Leia wanting kids - I think she was expected to have them as a royal and I could see her wanting them for her people. Han, I think he could see a kid to grow up and take over the Falcon at least. Someone did a great story with Han being comfortable with kids from his time in the street gang. One of these days, I'm going to finish the Han with Wookie babies that was inspired by seeing Harrison Ford with orangutans...

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  8. I really enjoyed this, CV. As others have already said, you've taken a unique slant on the prompt and written it so well.

    Like Zyra, I appreciate your depiction of them as friends who are not only civil but actually warm towards one another, and you do so without making them seem at all OOC. There's still the uncertainty, the banter, the rather narrow expectations...but it seems friendly somehow. Hopeful.

    I absolutely adore Luke and Leia secretly spotting Han the Soft Touch, and Han's obvious affection for Luke is very touching, too.

    Great job!

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    1. Thank you!!

      So glad you like how I got them and they aren't OOC! I could never write them as less than friendly - I think something sparked together on the Death Star and that was it ::g::

      Oh, I'm glad you liked the Soft Touch bit ::g:: I bet they tease him all the time about being a big bad mercenary.

      You know I love writing the Han and Luke interaction. What cracks me up is I had the line about "I'll be calling him kid" written ages ago for something else...and damned if Mark Hamill didn't do a bit at a con where he said his most dreaded words were Harrison calling him up and saying "hey, kid, let's go flyin'" And there you have it - both grey with grandchildren (well, Mark almost) and Harrison's still calling him kid!

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  9. How dare you make me feel worried and anxious while reading a Mother’s Day fic?! ;) This was really clever and enjoyable and made me feel the feels!

    “what she and Luke call, behind his back of course, Han the Soft Touch” OMG LOL YES.

    “If he were really a mercenary, he'd've run long ago.” TRUTH.

    "Nothing flashy." HEHEHE.

    Thanks for this.

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    1. Thank you!!

      I've always said that if Han were really a mercenary, he wouldn't have left the control room ::g::

      So glad everyone's enjoying the "soft touch" bit.

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  10. "What about you, Princess?" I like this soft, easy conversation, it's one they'll never forget. Now when Leia is trying to process something about Han, it will go through the lens of this tender conversation. Poor Luke! I love their concern for him. It shows how bonded the three of them are at this point.

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    1. Thank you!!

      I've been trying to write "Luke is hurt/sick and Han and Leia are trying to figure a way out" for awhile and this prompt somehow attached itself to that scene. I'm glad the conversation worked so well.

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  11. YES YES YES. Creative interpretation of a Mother's Day prompt. Hell to the yes from me. :D You have built up a delightful domestic scene without it being 1) delightful, or 2) domestic. Really, you picture Han and Leia are parents with a sick kid at home. Instead this is Han and Leia lying low while on a mission for the Rebellion with a sick Luke. I love this overarching idea you've built into this narrative, that one's family is not always a biological unit. For these guys, at this point in their lives, family is the people you trust when things go wrong, and voila! That's exactly who they are.

    And, then, too, you have a note in here about adoption. it's like this fic just explores all the ways that "mother" can be interpreted. Love it. So, so good and refreshing. Well done, CV!

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    1. Thank you!!

      I'm so glad the family feeling came through - for me, that is always the three of them, no matter that Han and Leia end up together and Luke is a big bad Jedi (who ends up with his own wife) - they are always a little family to me (I think that's why a lot of the old EU never rang true for me, so many books seemed to just miss that. I mean, the one with Luke going into exile and Han and Leia just take it??).

      I've had the "Luke hurt/sick and Leia and Han worry" idea for awhile - I am glad I ended up attaching the prompt to it - thank you especially for the delightful domestic comment - yes!

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  12. I enjoyed this very much...I especially adore how they've secretly started compiling Han's soft moments! What a creative take on the prompt, and a very insightful glimpse into the dynamic between them at this stage. Thank you!

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    1. Thank you!! I may have to write them starting the list someday...

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  13. Oh wow, cv73, love this! So glad you wrote and shared! As others have already written, this was such a fun and unexpected direction. (Brilliant opening line: I was certain after the opening sentence that Han had just digested the information that Leia was pregnant, so what a fun turn of events!) It's also so lovely to really see Han being so sweet and tender towards Luke, not just Leia; Han the Soft Touch, indeed! And again, as others have mentioned: you can be caring and "motherly" in different ways, without fitting the typical definition of "biological mother and feminine ideal," which is so wonderfully on display here. Just all around great to read.

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    1. Thank you!!

      Wow, I never would have thought of the opening as his response! Eeee!

      My favorite fics always have the three of them relating to each other as friends/family and I love writing them like that. I'm so glad you liked Han being tender with Luke - I am not a fan of the two of them written as at odds. Han falls hard for the two of them - I will always maintain that it's both Leia and Luke who keep him in the rebellion and bring him to the light (the way he says "Luke!" on Bespin when Lando says "somebody called, uh, Skywalker").

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    2. I agree cv73, about Han falling hard for both Leia *AND* Luke. Granted, I tend to think of Han's feelings towards Luke as more brotherly than romantic (hehe... I know what your position is on that, and ain't nothing wrong with it) but no matter what anyone thinks of the specific nature of Han and Luke's relationship it's always been evident to me that Han loves both of the Skywalker twins.

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  14. Oh my goodness cv this was wonderful!!! I thoroughly enjoyed your creative and fitting take on this prompt and I agree with what everyone else has said!

    "'No.' she says softly, amazed at the change in Han's expression, from hardened smuggler to what she and Luke call, behind his back of course, Han the Soft Touch. It sneaks out in tiny moments, but they'd taken to conspiratorially compiling them." - YES!!!!! MY FAVORITE PART

    Like the others have said, I love your portrayal of the affection between the three of them. I agree completely with what was said earlier about not liking it when authors (whether fanfic or comics etc.) depict Leia and Han as always at odds — their relationship is so much more than that! Those depictions seem to me to go hand in hand with the silly, shallow pop culture ideas of who Han and Leia are — Han as a cocky smuggler who has trouble caring about anything, and Leia as a tough kickass warrior who never struggles or grieves her losses (ugh). Anyway, I love your wonderful portrayal of all three of their characters, and the interplay between them.

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    1. Thank you so much! I'm so happy that you loved how I portrayed the three of them - I always love their dynamics and I'm so thrilled when people say that it rings true for them ::g::

      And yes, I really hate it when Han and Leia are just reduced to fighting, etc - perfect description - silly, shallow pop culture ideas.

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    2. Also the piece you highlighted was my favorite part to write - one day I will write Luke and Leia making the list ::g::

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  15. This was so sweet. Especially the banter, but leia being so concerned about luke too.

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    1. Thank you so much! I always love writing their banter.

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  17. Great characterizations. I felt I was there with them.

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    2. Thank you so much - I love reading that!!

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