Valentine's Day Challenge The Third: Story Submission #1 from StatsGrandma

 

JUST A WALK

After what seemed to be an eternity, dinner had been served and eaten, dishes cleaned, baths, bedtime stories and lullabies for the kids were complete. 

Chewie, who'd been caring for the four year old twins and two and a half year old Anakin while Han and Leia had been at work, took his place on one section of the L-shaped sofa, Han and Leia falling down on to the other section with the sort of motions that belonged the beyond exhausted.

{I've seen dead people look better}, Chewie teased Han and Leia.

"Don't make me hurt you,"  Han threatened his longtime closest friend.  "Because I will."

"Don't pay any attention to him," Leia said to Chewie, leaning her head on Han's shoulder.

{I never do}, Chewie said, laughing.

"Laugh it up, fuzzball!" Han shot back.

{You guys should go and take a walk}, Chewie told them.  {It's a beautiful night}.

"You're kidding, right?"  Leia asked suspiciously.

{No!  You guys don't do anything but work!  You should go out and walk around!  It's great outside!}  That much was true; the winter had ended and it was a rare night before the heat became intense.  The breezes were light and balmy, the lights of the city twinkling and gleaming against a navy blue sky. The capital city never slept; restaurants, bars and casinos were open till hours that only the young and unencumbered could appreciate.

Han looked again at his lovely wife.  He still had trouble sometimes believing he'd gotten this lucky.  "How about it, sweetheart?"

"Why not?"  She and Han had planned to go to bed early and actually sleep.  But the idea of a walk on a pleasantly warm evening enticed her.

"The kids bleed or vomit, you're on your own," Han said to his friend as he and Leia departed.

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The city, like all cities that never sleep, was loud between the cafes and cantinas with live music, hover and ground taxis clogging the streets with far too many private vehicles contributing to both the noise and pollution, restaurants had clients dining on the sidewalk.  There were sentients everywhere in various states of dress, manners, laughter and drunkenness.  The city pulsated with life at every hour save for a couple of them before dawn, and even then, there were hints that the deluge of sentients and amplified volume were about to arrive.

Han and Leia walked arm in arm down a street they'd never been to before. It was less than a quarter mile from the government section of the city.  It was host to several small restaurants, bars and shops and redolent with wonderful cooking smells and some lively music.

"I can't believe we've lived here for six years and I never even knew this street existed," Leia admitted.  "And Chewie was right about the weather."  There was a light, balmy breeze that touched on the city, and Leia basked in it.  "I remember when I was a girl, my parents and I would go out for walks on a nice night like this sometimes."

"I'm guessing Aldera was a lot quieter,"  Han said as he smiled down at his wife.

"It was a little quieter, but keep in mind that the arts were huge on Alderaan and nowhere more than in the capital city.  Galleries and museums stayed open late, you could visit the zoos and the animals that slept during the daylight would be lively, and if you wanted music, it was as easy to get as it is here."

"Having had a brief but profitable string of successful home invasions, I didn't get to see much of the city," Han said.

Leia's laughter was musical.  "I'm afraid we didn't have enough crime for you to feel at home."

"At that age, no, you didn't,"  Han said, giving her a wicked grin.  "I was there a week and I was dying to give someone a beat down."

"Nowadays you go months without getting into fistfights," Leia continued to laugh.

"Yeah, and you know, sometimes, you really need to beat down someone who so richly deserves it.  And it's been even longer since I shot anyone who had it coming to them."

"I have to go to Tatooine in a month to meet with the planet's attorneys general,"  Leia told him.

"Really?  I'll go with you!"  Han said enthusiastically. 

"Are you planning to spend the time at Chalmun's?"

"Of course!  Sadly, no bounty hunters are after me, so other possibilities would have to arise for me to shoot someone. Or at least slam them into a wall."

"You should probably check your delivery and training schedules,"  Leia reminded him.

"I'll move it around if I have to."  They walked a little further down the main drag and on to another street. This one was a mix of residential apartments atop the shops and eateries operated there.  "Seems like we never get any time to ourselves anymore."

"I've been feeling that way a lot,"  Leia admitted.  "Let's face it, most nights, assuming we even arrive home at a decent hour, we end up falling into bed the first chance we get. And crashing, hard."

"Yeah."  That had been on Han's mind as well as of late. 

"I love our kids so much, and I love the work I do, but I really miss those days when we'd make love half the night and just talk and cuddle and feel relaxed."

"I remember when we'd come home after being away and we'd just about start doing it on the gangway,"  Han said, removing his arm from Leia's and wrapping it around her shoulder.  She responded by looping her arm around his waist.  "Don't get me wrong.  I love the life we've made.  I love being a dad.  But most of all, I love being your husband."

Leia glanced up at him, her eyes soft.  "I think we may have to start making some time for ourselves.  It's just so easy to get caught up in kids and work and everything and everyone else that we forget why we have it in the first place."

"I wish sometimes the days were longer, just so work wouldn't suck up as much of them," Han said, leaning over to kiss the top of her forehead. 

Leia laughed.  "I suspect Mon Mothma would find a way to fill up the time."

"And you wonder why I don't like her,"  Han said lightly.

"I know very well how you feel about her, but let's keep her out of this.  I'm going to have to deal with her in the morning and that's soon enough for me.  Tonight, it's just you and me."

The stopped and smiled at each other, and then Han tipped Leia's chin up, leaned down and kissed her. They held each other, right on the sidewalk, oblivious to everyone and everything around them.  For that moment, there was no one else in the galaxy.

When they broke the kiss, Han was the first to speak.

"I've got an idea.  How about we go home and finish this in the bedroom?"

"I thought you'd never ask."

"And let's promise ourselves that we're gonna do this more often."

"Getting some time to ourselves."

"Every day.  No matter how tired we are."

"It's a deal."

 

It's February, Time to Call for Mushy Stories!

It's that time of year again, and therefore also time for the third annual Han and Leia fanfic writer's blog call for mushy Valentine's Day stories!  Personally, I could use some mushy, heartwarming stories to make me feel a little better and even for those of you in a good place right now probably wouldn't mind some cute stories about our favorite fictional couple. 

It'd be great to maybe get some new writers to pop out of the woodwork although I realize that with the lack of activity recently, the chances of there being any new readers around are pretty slim.  If you're feeling especially inspired then there is no reason you can't submit more than one.

There aren't really any limits on this one.  Just make it a one-shot with some sort of mushiness involved, although if you're creative you can even make it work before they actually get together.  As always, if you have any entries for other challenges, feel free to do those as well.  Let's get writing!

Stories can be sent by private message to me or Push on ff.net if you have an account there, or emailed by attachment or pasted to the body of the email sent to either of us.  Push is her old, longer name before we shortened it because we were tired of typing it all out: shouldigetoutandpush and that's a gmail address.  I am, and I'm spelling this out here but it's 3 letters, zee arrr em 17 and that is a yahoo address.  Does that make sense?  (if that makes no sense to you, ask again and I'll try and make it more clear.  Just writing the address out invites spam!)

Confessions Challenge: Submission by Statsgrandma

Here is another submission for the "Confessions" challenge, this one by Statsgrandma.  It doesn't 100% fall within the guidelines of the challenge, as it was asked that these take place between Truce at Bakura and Tatooine Ghost, but "rules" were meant to be broken and as long as a challenge inspired something, I'm ok with it.  So, here it is:

DAWN IS A LONG WAY OFF

(Leia)

The shield doors have just been closed. 

The despair I feel is almost as deep as the loss of my home planet.

Han left several hours ago to find Luke.  There's been no communication since from either of them.  The night is very dark and a snowstorm is blowing about in heavy wind. The portable supplies Han left with are far too flimsy for a night such as this.

I wish Luke hadn't checked out the meteor he saw.  There's a lot of meteor activity here on Hoth, according to General Riekkan.  Luke could have headed in any direction.

Luke's a dear friend to me, and friends are not something I have many of here at Echo Base. He's like a brother to me. I hear the gossip; I'm known as the Ice Princess, not to mention other names that are significantly less complimentary and more obscene. 

And Han? 

Here's where it gets complicated.

The Alliance heavily rewarded him for his part in retrieving the documents pertinent to the Death Star, in the hopes that we could find a weakness.  Fortunately, there was.  The Imperials probably didn't consider small fighters when it was designed; with the Imperials, size is everything, and bigger is better.

We lost many fighters in that battle.  And it didn't look good for Luke.  He'd lost all his cover and his gunner.  He needed all the help he could get from the Force.  He got that.  But the Force wouldn't have been much help had he not had someone to cover him -- and at the last moment, it appeared, in the unlikely form of the mercenary, arrogant pirate known as Han Solo. 

I began to rethink my position on him, and in doing so, I made an alarming discovery: I was attracted to him. 

I told myself, this is ridiculous. You've got a war to fight.  And besides, most of the time he was as selfish as they came. But then he decided to stay on.  I was embarrassingly relieved, but also more confused than ever. 

If anyone ever needed the shirt that said 'I'm The One Your Mother Warned You About,' it would be him. I was a person with responsibilities.  I made a commitment to the Alliance to serve, and it was a commitment that required all of my time and energy. I had no time to indulge in girlish crushes, and I was determined not to turn into a giggling, foolish stereotype. I'd always scorned grown women who could be turned to Bantha cream because of a man.

No way was I going that route.

And yet, earlier today, I heard him tell General Riekkan that he had to leave.  I heard the conversation and my guts hit the floor as if the entire length of me had been sliced open. 

What was he talking about? He'd said he was staying on!  And now he said he's leaving.  Yes, I understand that he owes money to some underworld major domo.  But we can protect him.  Doesn't he understand this?  We can keep him from being murdered by what is likely some of the lowest of the lowlife in existence.

Of course, he was horribly rude to me after he finished telling the general and I became furious.  I chased after him, and instead of telling him how I feel, which is something I'm not completely clear on yet, I argued with him and we insulted each other.

Same as it ever was.

I leave the hangar and wander to the control center.

"No word, General?" I ask.

He shakes his head sadly.  "Nothing, Princess.  But it's possible that the storm is blocking all transmissions.  We've not heard anything in hours.  You should return to your quarters and get some sleep."

Sleep is the last thing that's going to happen tonight.  I'd prefer to remain here, but when Carlist Riekkan gives an order, you'd better obey it.  Reluctantly, I leave for my quarters, which are like everyone else's -- freezing cold. 

But that's nothing compared to what Han and Luke are enduring at the moment.

Threepio and Artoo follow me.

"Is there anything I can do, Mistress Leia?" Threepio asks solicitously. 

Unless you can bring Han and Luke back immediately, safe and sound, forget it.  But I simply reply, "No." Artoo gives what sounds like a sympathetic beep. I bid them good night and they depart. 

I'm alone with nothing but my thoughts, my fears, my longings.  My mind keeps traveling back to the man in the Corellian bloodstripes.

Why, I scream silently.  With him, it's always business first.  I thought he'd changed.  He's going to be out of here as soon as he rescues Luke...

It occurs to me that no one else volunteered to look for Luke.  Han alone gave no thought to his welfare as he ventured out on a tauntaun into the endless dark and dangerous night. 

But as soon as he does...he's got to do it...he's gone. 

I'm such a fool to be attracted to him.  This is a schoolgirl crush, I tell myself, and nothing more.  Granted, he's the most handsome male animal I've ever met.  He's funny and he gets people's cooperation by making them laugh. 

And even if he and Luke survive the night, he'll be gone, anyway.

This is ridiculous.  There is no way there is a future for us. We come from two different worlds.  I don't know his background, but let's just say that he's someone my father would never approve of. 

I hope both of them live, but even if they do, I'll only have one.  A loving, caring friend, but nothing at all like what I think I'm feeling for Han.

Why can't I just tell him?  Because he'll mock me if I do.  Everyone will know and I can't deal with that sort of humiliation.

I have a confession to make: I have never been so frightened in my life. I've never been so anguished and so confused.   And I have no idea what to do about it.

Dawn is a long way off.