Thanksgiving Weekend Treat

It's funny, but I really do have random things written on my hard drive that I totally forgot about and never posted anywhere.  This particular little story is a response to a random challenge between Push and I that she gave me which was:   An Accident, An Apology and a Promise...  Tell a story with all three, can be funny or serious, can happen in any order, can be related or different events, etc., etc., etc...

This was what came out for me.  If any of you are interested in participating, please feel free to use that as a prompt. 

And what happened around here?  Did everyone move to some desserted island without internet access?  Let's get some action going!

To further influence your reading this story I will spoil in advance that Han is naked in it...

The Millennium Falcon raced towards Coruscant with an urgency that would make one believe that lives were at stake. For once, that was not the case.  Han Solo slapped away his copilot Chewbacca's furry paw as the Wookiee reached over in an attempt to decelerate. "We're not comin' in too hot,” the Corellian stubbornly insisted. “I'm tellin' ya, we're fine." Chewbacca roared in disagreement, but seemed to realize that he would not be able to convince his partner. "Sorry, Pal. It's been a few weeks." Chewie rolled his eyes. In the scant few months since the end of the war, the Wookiee had grown impatient with his friend's behavior regarding a certain princess who would also soon become his wife. Han had started acting like some lovesick teenager whenever he was away from Leia, and while Chewie was happy for the couple, their behavior at times was irritating. Now that things had settled down, Han and Leia had decided to purchase a permanent apartment on Coruscant, and that night would be their first together in their new home. This was why the Corellian was pushing speeds usually reserved for evasive maneuvers rather than landing on what was now a friendly port. Chewie knew Han could handle it as it was nothing he hadn’t done before, but it wasn’t the kind of thing most sane pilots did unless they were being shot at. The two ex-smugglers had somehow been roped into helping Lando with a few things on one of his latest schemes, which left Han Solo without his princess for a little longer than he would've liked. But she had been off helping negotiate trade routes for the New Republic, so it turned out his absence wouldn't have been noticed. But she was due to return the same day, and Han couldn't wait to spend that night and every night thereafter with her. Han heard Chewie growl much more insistently in his ear and finally relented. "All right, all right. I'll slow down. Happy?" Moving his hands across the console, the ship slowed considerably. "Just make sure to tell Leia that you're the reason I'm late." Chewie agreed and the two spacers made their way to what had become the permanent docking bay for the Falcon. Once they landed and powered down, Han could finally make out the petite brunette standing at the edge of the hangar, waiting for his return with a big smile on her face. Han was so anxious to see her that he nearly forgot to shut down the engines before heading for the exit ramp; stopping to grab a duffel bag he’d packed with some clothes and toiletries along the way. Once the ramp was lowered, he could hardly keep himself from running to her, but she helped by closing some of the distance herself before flinging her arms around his neck and pulling him into a long, deep kiss. He dropped the bag, pulled her close and pressed his face into her neck, inhaling the sweet scent of her perfume. "I missed you." "Not as much as I missed you," Leia replied, squeezing him with all of the strength her arms possessed. Han moved away just enough to look into her eyes. "I doubt that." Chewie roared from the background and Leia looked over Han's shoulder and laughed. "I missed you, too, Chewie." "Get ready to miss him again because he's takin' the Falcon back to Kashyyyk for a few days while we break in the new place." Chewie came over and ruffled the hair of his human companions before Leia said, "Thank you for bringing him back in one piece again, Chewie.” Chewie growled in response. "All right, pal. I know you're anxious to get back, so don't worry about us. We'll see you next week?" Chewie nodded and Leia moved in to hug the Wookiee. "You be careful. Although I know that's a lot easier when Han isn't the one in the pilot's chair." "Hey!" Han protested. "You know it's true." "Fine. Take care of my ship, ya hear me? And be glad I’m not asking you to help us move in." Chewie growled once again and walked back up the boarding ramp, quickly piloting the ship back into the atmosphere. Han turned back to Leia, still nestled up against his side with an arm around his waist while they walked toward the hangar door. "So, when did you get back?" Han asked. "Less than an hour ago. I haven't even had a chance to go home yet." Han smiled at the way she was already calling it home even though they hadn't yet spent a night there. "Well, let's go home together then, shall we?" She gave him a squeeze. "I like that idea." Han drove their speeder toward the building that housed their new apartment. They had spent some time picking out new furniture since neither had anything, and Han had arranged for it all to be delivered and set up in time for their return. He'd never had to furnish an entire living space before, and there seemed to be a lot more to it than he realized. But he was pretty sure they’d taken care of everything, and had at least been smart enough to pay extra for it all to be set up and installed for them, rather than trying their patience by attempting to put things together themselves. He couldn't wait to see how everything looked in their own place. Han held their bags in one hand and Leia's hand in the other as they walked from the speeder to the entrance; still getting used to always having a beautiful woman on his arm but loving every second of it. Once they made it to their floor, Han paused in front of the door. "You know, sweetheart, I hear that a man's supposed to carry his woman over the threshold of their new home." "I think that's supposed to happen after they're married." He pulled her close and then scooped her up into his arms. "We're close enough. And after we make it official maybe I'll just do it again." Leia laughed and Han palmed the door open and took only one step inside before he put Leia back down on her feet, staring open-mouthed at their vast living room illuminated by the window covering an entire wall. "Um, Han? Why is our new apartment still completely empty?" "Son of a-" he slapped his hand against his forehead and left it over his eyes, doing a mental check of how his conversation with the movers had gone and groaning as he realized his error. "I think I might've accidentally told them next week." "Well, this is very cozy. Nice job, hotshot. Didn’t anybody ever tell you how to read a calendar? We can't even sleep on the Falcon because Chewie took it. We could ask Luke." "What, and have a slumber party at your brother's tiny little place? Leia, I don't know about you, but I had some pretty fun ideas for our reunion, and sleeping on your brother's couch is going to make most of them impossible." "Well, did any of them involve no furniture? Because that's all we're left with here. Maybe you can try and comm them and see if they'll still come deliver our things." Han glanced at his chrono. "Those guys never work this late." "Well, maybe we should just rent a room for the night." "Sweetheart, I was really looking forward to our first night in our new apartment." Leia sighed. "So was I, but we can't stay here without anywhere to sit or sleep." Han looked down at her and his expression finally softened. "Sure we can." "Be serious, Han. I'm not sleeping in the middle of the floor." "Why not? And who said anything about sleeping?" "Well, if that's what you're after, just think of the rug burn." Han laughed, remembering again how much he loved this woman. "Well, all we have to do is run out and pick up a few little essentials and I guarantee that we’ll have a memorable first night in our new home. Whad’ya say? She turned to face him, then slid a hand along his cheek until it rested against the back of his head. "I say let's make it happen," She pulled him in for a kiss. "As long as you promise to call and get our things delivered tomorrow. I love you, but I am not willing to live as a refugee for any longer than I have to." "Deal. Let's go get this little shopping trip out of the way so we can start the reunion the way I've been planning." She grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the door. "Sounds good to me. Let's go." In less than an hour the couple had acquired just enough to get them through the night. A couple of pillows, blankets, two towels, a small lamp and some dinner. Each at least had a bag with some clothes and toothbrushes; although Han had insisted that no clothes would be required.   Han had lain out the blankets and pillows in a sort of nest in the middle of the main living area in front of the vast window overlooking the city skyline. He'd kicked off his boots, shrugged off his jacket and sat down among the pile before holding his hand out to Leia. "Care to join me, sweetheart?" Leia reached out and took his hand. "I'd love to." Stepping over the outer wall of pillows, she sat down next to her soon-to-be husband and leaned up against his side, resting her head on his shoulder as his arm snaked around her. "I told you we could make this work," he said. "And you were right. Just don't get used to it." "Any ideas on how we could pass the time?" "Something tells me that you have plenty of ideas of your own." He smiled down at her. "You're right about that," he replied before leaning down and kissing her and lowering her down to the blankets, determined to give her more than one reason to never forget their first night in their new apartment. A while later, Han rolled Leia off him so she was lying by his side and then pulled the blankets up to cover their now-naked bodies, pulling her close once again. "I think I'm going to like living here with you," Han said, still almost breathless. Leia ran her fingers through the sweat-soaked strands of hair at the back of his neck. "I love you, Han," Leia said simply. He leaned in and kissed her neck. "I love you, Leia." Han rolled on top of her once again, kissing along her collar bone and already wanting to continue their reunion. Her response was unmistakable as her hands gripped at his back. "Gods, Han. If this is what it's going to be like every night I think both of our day jobs are in jeopardy." "I'm willing to risk it," he responded between kisses. "I suppose I shouldn't be worried," Leia responded while Han was paying her neck close attention. "Once we become an old, boring married couple I'm sure you'll be tired of me." Han stopped what he was doing and immediately pulled back to look into Leia's eyes, able to tell she was only half joking. He reached up and stroked her long hair away from her face. "Sweetheart, no matter what happens, you have to know that I will never, ever get tired of you." “Sure, it’s easy to say that now.” He brought a finger to her lips. “Easy to say it because it’s true. Sweetheart, I only want you for the rest of my life.” Leia reluctantly smiled. "You promise?" He nodded his head. "I promise. What about you?" Leia looked confused. "Me?" "Yeah, you. I figure if either one of us is going to be worried in this situation, it’s probably me. Do you promise you won't get sick of me?" She smiled again and brought her hand up to cup his cheek. "Han, if I haven't gotten rid of you yet, it's probably safe to say that I'm going to want you to stick around forever. Especially considering the fact that I'm willing to stay here with you even if it means sleeping on the floor." "Yeah, sorry about that. I swear I'll fix it tomorrow. Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way…" he moved to kiss her once again, and it wasn't until just before dawn that they finally fell into an exhausted sleep. Leia awoke first, opening her eyes to see Han's face half buried in the pillow next to hers, the blanket pulled up under his arm while he slept peacefully. It was certainly not the first time she'd awakened with the ex-smuggler sleeping next to her, but it was the first time it had happened in a place that was theirs --not just his or hers. It wasn't his ship, it wasn't her quarters, it was their new home, and she couldn’t help but smile. I could get used to this, she thought, then brought her hand up to rest against his warm cheek, now rough with stubble. Her touch caused him to stir and she saw the hazel in his eyes before he smiled back at her. "Good morning, your beautifulness," he said. "Hmmm... that's a new one." "I got a million of 'em saved up. Gotta keep things interesting if I'm going to have to keep you happy for the rest of my life." "Works for me," she said before he leaned in and kissed her gently. "I'd cook you breakfast, sweetheart, but I think we forgot to buy food." "That's ok. We don't have anything to cook with anyway." They laughed then, and Leia couldn't get over the ridiculousness of their situation; lying on the floor in a few blankets in the middle of their large apartment like some poor, newlywed couple. They would soon be newlyweds, but poverty was something she was fairly certain they'd never have to endure. She knew Han had experienced it before and was glad that she'd be able to make sure that he wouldn’t have to go through it again. Leia leaned in and held him close, closing her eyes against his chest. "Please tell me I don't have to go to work today." Han’s response was immediate. "You don't have to go to work today. You don't ever have to go back again. We can just stay here as long as you want," he replied before kissing her forehead. “As much as I’d love for that to be the case, I really should get ready to go. Are you going to stay here and wait for our things to be delivered? You are going to get the movers to come today, right?” “Of course. I’ll take care of it.” “Good. Now I need to go and take a quick shower and get going.” “I’ll stay here and watch you walk away,” Han said, and Leia turned back to see him sitting bare-chested in the nest of blankets and pillows with a goofy grin on his face. It made her wonder how difficult it would be to get things done now that they were living together, but she blew him a kiss and headed for the ‘fresher. Once clean, she had just wrapped the towel around herself when she heard a loud thud and Han yelling in pain. “Han?” Opening the door, she ran out to find him writhing on the floor in the kitchen. She bent down next to him. “What happened?” Han was cradling his left wrist while his face was scrunched in pain. “I had a little accident.” She reached out and gently took his injured appendage between her hands. “I can see that. How, exactly?” “I turned on the faucet and water sprayed all over me and when I went to grab a towel I slipped and fell on my wrist.” Leia wanted to be sympathetic, she really did. But seeing Han naked and writhing in pain in the middle of their kitchen floor made her unable to suppress the laughter. Han gave her an annoyed look. “I’m glad to see you’re so concerned.” “I’m sorry, Han. It’s just you… lying there… without…” she started laughing again. “Next time I find you lying on the floor in pain like this I’ll be sure to laugh at you, too.” He snatched his wrist away from her and rolled to his side to get up, but Leia placed a steadying hand on his back. “Oh, come on, Han. I’m sorry.” “No, you’re not,” Han replied. “I really am sorry, Han. Come on. Forgive me?” He turned his head to look at her just as her hand slid down his back toward his rear and she saw his expression change as she gently caressed him. “You make it pretty hard for a guy to stay mad, you know that?” “That’s what I was counting on,” she said as she took his injured wrist in her hand, brought it to her lips and kissed it. “Is that better?” “A little.” He paused and then looked up into her eyes before he spoke again. “ I think I bumped my head a little, too,” he said, pointing to a spot above his eye. She leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss where his finger had been. “Better?” She asked as she looked into his eyes. “Almost perfect,” he said before leaning in and kissing her on the lips. She kissed him back and really wanted nothing more than to continue, but she really did have to get to work. “Han,” she said between kisses, then finally pulled away from him. “Can you hold that thought until I get home this afternoon? I assume we’ll even have some furniture by then.” He looked disappointed, but quickly relented, nodding his silent approval. “Help me up?” She smiled and stood, then lowered her hand to his good one and helped him to his feet. “You sure you’re all right?” she asked again. “I’ll be fine.” She stood on her tiptoes to kiss him and pulled back to say, “I’ll be back at 0500. I want you in that same outfit when I come back.” “I can manage that. I think I’m going to like living with you, princess.” “I feel the same way, Han,” she replied before kissing him one last time and going to get dressed. “I feel the same way.”

Guest Contribution from AmaraZ

This wonderful contribution is from AmaraZ.  She challenged herself to write a quick story and when this idea struck her, she followed through.  Thanks for sharing AmaraZ - you did an awesome job!  (I hope you don't mind that I inserted a few pics to go along with your story)

***

Leave it to Han Solo to make a move on her while they were on the run from the Empire. Only he would have the nerve to do it now in the middle of an impossible situation. As if hiding in an asteroid in the middle of deep space wasn’t bad enough. But maybe like her, he had grown tired of their games. While their verbal warfare was at times fun, it was still an unnecessary disruption at a time when she so desperately needed fewer distractions and more time and energy to focus on the task at hand – the war she was so determined to win.

As the handsome Corellian eased himself towards her in the small space of the circuitry bay, there was only general curiosity and concern on his face. Nothing to indicate at first he had more on his mind than offering assistance. But her defenses went up quickly as he drew nearer and she had a feeling there was no deflecting his attention this time. No amount of teasing, nagging, or arguing was going to get her out of this.

If you let him in, he will hurt you.

The words came unbidden as they always had. It was that voice that constantly reminded her of her duties. That always reminded her of Han’s more obvious nature and had her incredulous, wary, and suspicious for the last three years. It was hard to tell if it was time, war, or politics that had done that to her, that had honed the slightly jaded part of her. But it was still there. And even with a prevalence of good deeds as of late, part of her remained convinced Han was just a scoundrel.

Han continued to move closer and she began to pull back against the wall as far as she could go. She quickly realized how little space she had left. All of her combat and diplomatic training hadn’t covered this. Of course she knew about basic interrogation and intrigue. But why hadn’t anyone thought of warning her about this? No one or nothing had prepared her for the onslaught Han was unleashing on her now. Already, he was close, too close, the musky scent of his skin and his cologne already beginning to override her senses and jumble her ability to reason.

If you let him in, he will leave you.

This was for certain. Han had made his plans abundantly clear. And there was no changing that fact. He was too deeply in debt to Jabba the Hutt and it would be suicide for him and those around him to stay any longer. But…hadn’t he been in debt for years? All this time and he had yet to do anything about it or to actually say good-bye. It had her wondering what it might mean about his intentions and how he felt. Was it possible he was more concerned about something larger than himself? Could it mean that maybe she meant more to him than his own concerns?

The brush of his skin against hers momentarily distracted her as he carefully took her hand in his. His hold on her hand was tight, but delicate, and he began to gently massage it. The contact sent tingles up her spine and it surprised her how easily he could affect her with his touch.

If you let him in, you will lose him.

This was an unfortunate state of affairs, but no less true. There were very few people left in the galaxy that Leia knew and who knew her. Truly knew her. A flash of light had seen to that. Everyone who had ever touched her was gone, leaving her with a cold, hard reality. One of duty, honor, and a driving need to get the job done. She wasn’t naïve. There was no doubt that loving someone during times like these was a high risk proposition. The Rebellion was losing people left and right and there wasn’t always a rhyme or reason to it. She knew it deep in her gut to be true. And yet here she was letting Han eek his way into her heart and touch her in a way no one else had.

If you let him in, it will destroy you.

This was probably Leia’s deepest fear. If they did get involved and he left, when he left, where would that leave her? Could she survive another loss? Would she? But apparently she couldn’t help it. Her heart already seemed willing to open to him, much to her chagrin.  She had tried to stop it, but somehow Han had managed to slip in anyway. How was it that he had the walls she built so carefully for years crumbling as easily as if felled by a detonator? What was it about this man that ruined her best laid plans?

As he loomed over her, the reason was obvious. At this close range, it was so, so easy to become mesmerized by the green and gold flecks in his eyes, by the emotions reflected in their depths. For so long she could only guess at how he felt, but now it was so clearly written all over his face. Could it be that all this time he cared for her more than he admitted? Dare she believe all of the things he had done for her, all of the times he had saved her had been more than just doing the right thing? Dare she let herself fall? Could she let herself take the chance?

The choice was taken out of her hands though as Han made his final move and closed the remaining distance between them, seizing her lips with his in a searing kiss.

If you let him in, you might fall in love.

As Leia gave herself fully and the last of her resistance slipped away, she knew that was the scariest proposition of them all.

***

Thanks again for sharing AmaraZ!

Inspiration

As many of you know, I have been in a fanfic drought lately.  I have moved residence and jobs and have had zero free time.  Just this past week, however, I found some time to catch up on a few of my favorite sites:  Blue Milk Special and an assortment of the F*&% Yeah tumblrs just to name a few. 

I then sat down and wrote, in fairly short order, two short stories.  Both are surrounding Leia in her teen years before A New Hope would've taken place.  I shared the stories with Zyra, as I always do, and she wondered what had inspired me to write about that era.  I thought about it and it was definitely a picture of a young Carrie Fisher on the F%$# Yeah Carrie Fisher tumblr.  I told Zyra that and she mused how funny it can be where we get our inspiration from. 

Anyway, all of that was a lead-in so I can ask:  Where do you (if you write or draw or what-have-you) find your inspiration?  Or where is the strangest place that you have stumbled upon some inspiration?  

I'll share first, my inspiration from this week.  First the pic:

Then the stories.  My initial inspiration was a story with Bail and Leia doing some training or something but when fingers went to keyboard, this came out (be warned, this has not been beta'd for grammar or anything else for that matter):

I Know

Alderaan – 4 BBY

“Yes, but how do you know?”

Leia shrugged. “I just…know.” Like I know not to ask about my real parents. She never understood it, but she had also never questioned it. It was an innate ability she had always had, like the way Winter could remember everything. It didn’t have to or couldn’t be explained. Her mother seemed uneasy with her response. She excelled at making her mother uneasy. Leia shuffled on her feet. “Can I go now?”

Her mother studied her, like she was one of those puzzles Bail would bring back from a business trip. Then her eyes softened and the edges of her mouth ticked up in a smile. Leia’s insides flushed with warmth and she took two steps and engulfed her mother in a tight hug, burying her head against her chest. Breha immediately reciprocated, stroking Leia’s hair and kissing her on the top of the head as she whispered, “Oh, my precious daughter.”

The words were laced with a sorrow Leia was all too familiar with but, yet again, had never understood. It’s as if I have a terminal illness they’re not telling me about. She had even discussed her suspicions with Winter, who had wholly dismissed the idea as preposterous. Of course, Winter also thought that those deportment lessons were fun.

“It’s not for me to understand, my sweet Leia,” her mother said as she began to pull away. Leia looked up to her mother, her chin lifted just a tad as she continued to catch up to her petite mother’s height. Breha cupped Leia’s chin in her hand, her eyes puddles of liquid warmth. “Always trust your heart,” she said emphatically.

Leia swallowed. Bail may very well have served as a more prominent figure in her life in the eyes of many, but Leia admired and trusted her mother just as implicitly.

Breha took a breath and continued, “Sometimes, just knowing…is more than enough.”

“I know, Mother,” she replied seriously and then instantly smiled at the unintended drollness of her response.

Breha’s eyes lit with humor and mischief. Leia always enjoyed seeing this side of her royal mother. “Yes,” she responded lightly as she released Leia’s chin. “Just as I know you just can’t help yourself sometimes.”

“I was being serious,” Leia returned in a half-argument, half-pout yet total playfulness. She’s right, I can’t help it.

“Go,” her mother replied, indicating the doorway as the older woman returned to her work. “You’ll be late and your father will worry.”

“I love you, Mother,” Leia said. Once again she felt a warmth blossom in her belly. Quiet, intimate moments with Breha Organa were hard to come by, even for her own daughter. For as much as politics and travel took Bail away from her, obligations and unseen worries took her mother even further and more often. She cherished unexpected times such as these where the two of them were able to be simply a mother and daughter. Of course, they happened so rarely, that it was an old habit of Leia’s to try and drag them out as long as possible.

Breha stopped. “I love you, too, Leia,” she replied warmly in silent understanding. But then her eyes widened and she put on her no-more-arguments-about-this face and added, “Now go.”

Leia beamed. Somehow her mother always made her feel loved and understood even when it was very clear that in some ways she didn’t understand her at all. I don’t know what I would do without her, she thought as she turned on her heel and scampered out the door. 

****

Okay, I don't know how a story about Bail turned into that, but I kinda liked it anyway.  Afterward, however, I had to set my fingers back on the keys until this came out (again, no beta...):

Leia's Laugh

Alderaan – 2 BBY

Bail Organa watched as the shadows stretched lazily against the rolling hills of the Organa Estate. He held his arms out wide and yawned in imitation. His eyes drifted back towards the sound of blaster fire over his right shoulder just in time to see the intended target explode. The shot was good, better than he probably could've done, but it was a little late. “That was perfect,” he said, his stomach growling as his mind wandered to what might be happening in the large kitchen up at the main house.

“I hesitated,” his daughter returned grumpily as she checked the charge on her blaster and summoned the target droid for another round.

“C'mon, Leia, sweetheart. It's getting late, you'll barely be able to see the targets.”

His daughter turned toward him swiftly, that familiar determined look on her face. “And how many ambushes have you heard about that happened in broad daylight?”

He raised his hands in surrender. “Point. But I'm hungry. Even the best trained soldiers know when to stop and eat.”

“One more round?” She asked, her wide eyes absolutely impossible to say no to.

“One more round,” Bail conceded with a proud smile.

Nearly every family in their circle of friends trained their children in basic combat techniques and self-defense. For most, the daughters proved difficult students at best. Typical girls were more interested in learning how to braid their hair extravagantly then how to handle an assortment of blasters. But his Leia was different.

Driven would be the one word to describe her. As he watched her fire off another round, Bail was secretly grateful. He shuddered to think what his life would be like if he had had to force this training onto his daughter every step of the way. Because for his family, for his daughter in particular, this wasn't just some silly precaution. For her it would be all too real.

Everyone assumed it was due to his rumored role in the Rebellion against the Empire that Bail trained his daughter so. That is why when Leia opted for interrogation training over a fancy party, no one raised an eyebrow. It provided an excellent cover. Leia's talents could very well be tested someday as the Rebellion gained momentum, he had to admit, but that was not the test that Bail had spent his entire life preparing her for.

We'll take the girl. He had said those words all those years ago. He could still hear his voice perfectly as he spoke them, could smell the sterile air of the hospital board room where they had sat, could feel the prickle against the back of his neck as he realized that this was something bigger than he had ever taken on before. Little did I know.

Being a father was bigger than Bail had ever anticipated. He had no idea that love could be so boundless. And the more he watched her grow, the more he saw that she was prepared and ready and that the time was most assuredly drawing near, the more he begged for time to stand still.

“Hellooo. Alderaan to base command?”

Bail blinked and found Leia staring at him, her blasters packed away and the target droid ambling off toward the back of the estate. “That was much better,” he sputtered with an easy smile as he pulled Leia under the crux of his arm and began to lead her toward the house.

“You're a terrible liar, Bail Organa.  And I thought only really old, old men could fall asleep standing up.”

“I wasn't sleeping. I was deep in thought.”

“About me,” Leia stated.

Bail hugged her to him. He learned long ago not to be surprised by her perceptiveness. “What else is there?” He asked and she laughed as Bail shut his eyes briefly, cherishing that glorious sound.

                                                                                  ****

I have to say it felt really good to write after such a long time!  Now feel free to comment (or not).  No pressure here.  None at all.  :-)

The Reluctance to Review Sexy Time (...and Most Everything Else)

Let's take a ten minute break from all of this Episode 7 talk, shall we?  And let's talk a little bit about fan fiction, since it's been a while.  We've got a great mix of people on this site.  People who write, people who just read, people who write and read.  Probably not people who only write because that would be sort of strange and self indulgent.  But anyway, I know there are plenty of readers who have not posted stories either because they aren't writers and don't want to be, or maybe they're too shy to post anything or they just plain don't have time.  That's fine.  Nothing wrong with just reading along and enjoying it if you have no aspirations to write anything yourself.

So for those of you who don't write, you might not quite understand the kinds of things we go through as writers.  It's probably easy to imagine us at our computers typing away and spending time writing and editing our stories.  Sometimes a considerable amount of work can go into it, or sometimes I know I've written a story in twenty minutes and just gotten the silly idea out of my head and posted it before I came to my senses.  We do it just because we enjoy doing it.

So what do we get out of posting these stories?  Obviously not money.  I really wish almost anything I enjoy in life would actually produce a viable income, but so far, not so good.  I honestly don't think we do it for the accolades, either.  We mostly just do it because we enjoy it.  But, I will say that it is a heck of a lot more fun posting stories when you get some sort of acknowledgment.  Or, more accurately, I would say that is often what keeps us writing. 

I'm sure I've said it before, but to those of you who don't write, you have no idea what it means to a writer to get even just a few kinds words about something you're written.  Obviously the ultimate is when people point out several specific things that they liked, but even just taking two seconds to write that you enjoyed something can be meaningful.  When a story is posted on fanfiction.net we can check and see how many people read it.  We see the traffic stats.  We get notifications when people favorite or follow a story.  You wouldn't believe how many people favorite stories without ever saying a word to the author about why they might have enjoyed it. 

My favorite little quirk of the reviewing of fanfic is the fact that it seems like people are extremely reluctant to review sexy time fics.  Or, within a larger story, the sexy time chapters.  Even more fun is the fact that you can break the traffic stats down quite specifically and without fail the adult rated stories/chapters get far more hits than anything else, and they are almost always the least reviewed stories or chapters.  No, we don't know which people are reading the chapters, but we do know they get looked at quite a bit. 

So what is it that keeps people from reviewing these chapters?  Is it embarrassment?  Seriously, go look at almost any story on ff.net that is basically just a little sex scene, like the quickie challenge stories.  They rarely get many reviews.  I've many times posted a sex chapter in a larger story expecting to get some sort of response and then gotten.... basically none.  You can even see it on here in our first joint story, or even the second one, when we post some sexy time and only like two or three people are brave enough to step forward and admit not only that they read it, but that they liked it. 

We already know you read these scenes.  We know you all like them because the general trend according to traffic stats is that you actively seek them out specifically.  Come on, we're all (mostly) adults and we can admit that sometimes we feel like reading some sexy time.  So why are we so afraid to admit it?  Especially since this whole thing is anonymous!  A few of us here and there have met each other (and Push and I both think this is awesome, because we suspect without this blog not only would we have never met, but several of the rest of you who have met up) but for the most part, nobody knows you beyond a made up name and maybe a silly avatar, so go ahead and tell people that you thought that scene where Han and Leia did it in the shower was hot and you enjoyed it. 

For those of us who write, I'm pretty sure that the general consensus is that these are the most difficult scenes to write, and certainly the most difficult scenes to actually share with the "world."  I'm probably not the only one who winces when I click to post such scenes or stories.  I don't even know why, really.  It's just somehow more difficult to do than most other scenes.  I should really get over that because in my experience, you tend not to get much of a reaction at all.  Not good or bad, just nothing.  Or one or two comments, often from people you talk to all of the time anyway so they just feel obligated to review for you. 

So come on out and admit it that you don't review these scenes.  Do you feel weird admitting you like to read about sex?  Have you met someone who doesn't?  Or maybe you don't like the scenes and are just trying to refrain from saying anything at all because if you can't say anything nice, then you should just keep quiet. 

Aside from just the sex scenes, really, please take the time to review if you can.  If you enjoy reading fanfic, and you enjoyed reading a particular fanfic, let the person know.  If we post and nobody says anything, it starts to feel an awful lot like you're talking to yourself.  At which point, what's the point of publishing anyway?  And reviews make the author more excited about writing in general.  So if you enjoy something, review it!  And don't be afraid to review the sexy stuff either.  We already know you read it.

"Afterglow" - A Missing Moments Piece by Claire1976

As a nice distraction from the crazy news, how about a new story?  It's been a while since we've had one of these.  This story takes place after Tatooine Ghost and after... well, you'll be able to tell pretty quickly what else it is after ;)  This is its first time published and this is Claire's first fanfic.  So please, if you like it, COMMENT.  I think some of you who don't write have no idea how much it means to hear even the smallest bit of praise or just mention that you enjoyed reading something.  Especially for a first time author.  Without further ado:

AFTERGLOW

"Hey, you asleep?" Han whispered into Leia's soft chestnut hair.

Her arm, which was draped across his bare chest, moved just ever so slightly. "No," she

replied, as she snuggled more closely against him, her head resting in the crook of his
arm. "I'm just languishing in the afterglow." She let out a small, but satisfied sigh and brushed her hand gently over the fine hairs that adorned his chest.

Their lovemaking a while earlier had begun tenderly, but had soon turned fiery and passionate, leaving both of them sweaty and exhausted. Their arms wrapped tightly around each other as their laboured breathing slowly settled, and the last waves of orgasm faded away.

Leia smiled contentedly to herself and thought how much more comfortable this new double bunk was compared to the cramped single one they had been sharing on the Falcon for the past four years. Yes, it had been cosy and it was nice to be able to cuddle up so close together. However, there was no denying the fact that it was rather awkward and far from ideal.  Leia had often thought that if she hadn't been so small, there's no way they would have tolerated it for so long. Upon their marriage six months earlier, Han had finally decided that it was about time they had a proper, full sized bed onboard, and she certainly had no complaints about this latest modification. For once, Han's incessant tinkering had definitely paid off.

"This isn't going to take us long, you know," Han said confidently.

Leia frowned, slightly confused as to what he was referring to. "What isn't going to take us long?"

"Making this baby."

He couldn't believe he had said those words. They were going to try for a baby. At last,  Leia had changed her mind on starting a family, and Han couldn't have been happier. He was surprised by how much he had wanted them to have a child. Part him, part her. A tiny person created by their love for each other. But despite his longing for a family of his own, he had respected Leia's wish never to have children for fear of them one day suffering the same dark fate that befell her father. Deep down he hadn't been happy,  but he loved this woman with every fibre of his being, and he had finally accepted that she wasn't likely to change her mind on the issue. But, he tried to remain hopeful that maybe one day, she just might.

"Oh, really?" Leia said, teasingly, as she lightly twirled a couple of his chest hairs around her fingers.

"I mean, we've had plenty of practice."

Leia laughed. "We certainly have."

"And we're pretty good at this, y'know."

"I can't argue with that," Leia said with a wistful smile.

Han thought for a second before feeling a familiar lopsided grin pulling at the corners of  his lips. "And, uh, you know what they say about us Corellian men?"

Leia pushed herself up on her elbow and looked into her husband's beaming face. "Oh, don't tell me. This is going to be about how amazingly virile they are and incredibly fertile, and..."

"Yeah, it's all true, but don't forget,"  Han said, cutting her off. "I am not just your average Corellian man."

The look on his face was so smug that anyone else would probably have slapped him. "Oh, there's absolutely nothing average about you," Leia said moving closer and softly kissing his rough cheek.

"And of course, the famous Solo luck, now that has to count for something, right? That has gotta be on my side."

"Um, excuse me, flyboy, but you're not doing this on your own, you know. I do believe it takes two of us to make a baby," Leia said in mock indignation. "In any case, I'm a Solo now, so it's only fair I get a bit of that luck too. Don't you think?"

"Sweetheart, I think you've already got it. Look at how you've been winning at holochess  lately. You know, if I didn't know any better, I'd say Chewie has been giving you secret lessons," Han replied with a smirk.

Leia shook her head. "I don't even like holochess." It was true, she didn't. She could never see the sense in it. But they had to find some way to occupy themselves on these long flights, and Leia had to admit, she was becoming rather good at it. She had put Chewie to shame on several occasions, frustrated Threepio beyond belief, and totally dumbfounded Han.

"Well, then it has to be luck," Han conceded. "Plus, you get to be ravaged by me every night. I'd say that makes you pretty damn lucky."

Leia laughed, gently punching his chest. "Scoundrel."

"And you wouldn't have it any other way."

Leia settled back down and cuddled into him, snaking her leg over the top of his, as Han kissed the top of her forehead. Then for a long moment there was peace, stillness; only the soft, comforting rumblings of the Falcon's engines, and the delicate, repetitive whirring of the cabin's cooling system breaking the silence. Leia closed her eyes, and floated away, breathing in the gloriously rich, musky scent of the Ithorian Mist aftershave still prominent on Han's skin.

"Hey, I'm sorry we didn't get your painting," Han said, stroking the smooth skin on her arm.

"It doesn't matter," Leia said, pulling him a little closer.

"It does matter. I know how much you wanted it. And I'd have done anything to make sure you got it."  He meant that. He would quite willingly go to the corners of the galaxy for this woman, do anything to make her happy. He couldn't help the feeling that somehow he had let her down.

"I know. But it wasn't to be, Han. I lost the painting, but I think I found something much more important."

"Like what?" Han enquired.

"Like knowing I can now have a baby. Our baby. And not be afraid anymore. I always wanted this, Han, deep down, it was always there.  But I knew it would never be an option, not with my family history. I couldn't afford to take that risk."

For a split second, Leia's mind drifted as she tried to picture holding a baby in her arms, a baby that she and Han had created. She imagined what it would feel like to love that baby unconditionally. The small child's beaming face was staring up at her, its dark eyes glistening, and the outpouring of emotion from the depths of her soul was overwhelming. She realised now, more than anything, just how much she wanted to be a mother.

"I guess we have your grandmother to thank for all this then. If you'd never found that diary, well....I'm just glad that she managed to knock some sense into you. No one is inherently evil, Leia."

She considered the truth in Han's words for a moment as she reached across for his hand and gave it a quick squeeze.

"He was just a normal little boy, Vader. That monster. Just a normal boy, with friends, like any other child and with a mother that loved him so much. She adored him, Han. It broke her heart to have to let him go like that. A child isn't born evil and I can see that now.  Every child follows their own path. We can guide them, yes, but in the end, only they can shape their own destiny."

"I love it when you get all philosophical," Han grinned.

"But it's true though, isn't it?"  She pushed herself up, leaned across his chest and Han knew instantly from the look in her beautiful dark eyes that she was deadly serious.  "I really want this baby, Han."

"Yeah, me too. I love you," he said with a soft, but heartfelt smile.

"I know. And I love you."

Leia leaned forward and tenderly ran her finger along the scar on his chin, before giving it a gentle kiss. "As soon as we get back to Coruscant I'm going to see about having my implant removed. And then we can really start working on it."

"That sounds good to me. But the first thing I've gotta do is get my other baby sorted out," Han said gesturing with one arm towards the outer wall of the Falcon. "She's beat up pretty bad. Gonna take some work."

"Han, don't worry about the reconditioning," Leia soothed. "I know the ship needs a lot of attention, but I don't want you spending every hour of the day working on it once we get back."

"Yeah, but..."

She placed a finger to his lips to stop him saying anything more. " I can pull some strings you know, and I'll get the very best New Republic mechanics to work on it. I'm going to need you around for a little while." Her voice took on a distinctly sultry tone and she whispered huskily into his ear. "Besides, once my implant is gone, you're going to have some serious reconditioning to do to me, now, aren't you?"

"Oh, I like the sound of that." Han smirked, somewhat distracted as Leia began nibbling seductively on his earlobe.

"Do you, now?" she said teasingly.

Leia slid on top of him and stared deeply into his warm hazel eyes, as Han gently ran both his hands up the smooth, delicate skin on her back, caressing every inch as he went. Even after four and a half years together, his touch was still electrifying to her and ignited something deep within her very core.  She leaned down and kissed him hungrily. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders, pulling her closer into him, devouring her mouth fiercely in return. When their lips finally parted, Leia could feel a familiar warmth lower down, a stirring beneath the top of her thighs, as Han's arousal gradually became apparent.

"I think maybe we should get in a bit more practice," Han whispered, a mischievous gleam sparkling in his eyes. "Just to be sure." He leaned forward and began trailing kisses slowly down her neck.

"You know, hotshot, I think you might be right."

 

Thanks again for sharing the wonderful story, Claire!