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1.
Lando carefully adjusted his new coat, it was a black, floor-length, fur coat with an expensive dark brown silk lining and gold fastenings, he’d paid an obscene amount of credits to have it tailored to fit him perfectly. And the most important thing? He looked good in it. Better than good - stunning.
“What’d you skin to make that?!” Han blurted, eyebrows raised in disbelief.
”Nothing. It’s not real fur. I’d never wear that. It’s fake but, feel,” he stretched his arm out towards Han, “you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference.”
Han pushed Lando’s arm out of his face, “I don’t want to feel up your coat.” He grumbled and crossed his arms. “Don’t let Chewie see you, he might get excited.”
Lando pulled a disgusted face, before choosing to ignore Han’s comment, “Excited about how stylish I look?”
”Mm, that’s one word for it.”
Lando chose to ignore that comment as well, sometimes it was just best to ignore Han.
Spinning around quickly, he pulled his blaster out, “Secret pockets, bet you couldn’t even tell I had it.”
”Don’t look so pleased, you could hide a baby Wookiee under there and nobody would be able to tell. Besides, we’re meant to be keeping a low profile, why’d you turn up looking like...like-“ Han gave a shrug.
”Like....royalty?” Lando prompted, raising his eyebrows.
“Not exactly what I was going to say, your royal highness.” Ham smirked sarcastically.
“You know, I do like the sound of that. King Calrissian. Has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?” Lando closed his eyes and smiled.
“Yeah, an imaginary one.” Ham muttered. “Like I said, low profile? Why couldn’t you have worn something simple.” He gestured to his own clothes, a simple white shirt, brown trousers, and brown waistcoat.
“I don’t do low profile. And I wouldn’t be caught dead wearing that.”
———
It was years later, by now Lando had forgotten the comment and lost the coat, but Han remembered. Or, rather, he suddenly remembered as he hugged Lando. They were celebrating the fall of the Empire, the death of Vader, freedom for the galaxy, but all Han could think about was the fact that Lando was wearing his clothes. Lando, self-proclaimed King of Style, had, at some point that day, put on Han’s old shirt and trousers.
As the hug ended, Han pushed Lando away, keeping him at arms length as he looked him up and down, “Thought you said you wouldn’t be caught dead in my clothes.”
”What?” Lando asked, a confused expression on his face.
“Years ago, you had that fur coat, and, and...you said-“
Lando interrupted him, “Oh! That coat. I loved that coat. Only you would remember something so petty, Solo.”
”And here you are, in my clothes.”
”You got me, I’m dead, deceased, you’re actually talking to a corpse.” He sighed. “I’m going to change as soon as possible.”
Han laughed.
2.
Han was on the floor, breathing heavily, with no weapon, and, seemingly, no way out of the dingy alley. A blaster was pointed directly at his head by an extremely angry bounty hunter. This was not good. His mind raced, struggling to come up with an idea of how to get out of this dangerous situation.
Just as he was about to give up completely, a strong punch knocked the bounty hunter unconscious. He fell heavily to the floor, his blaster clattering as it skidded across the alley. Han slowly looked upwards to see Lando cracking his knuckles.
“Why am I always saving your ass, Solo?” He smirked, clearly enjoying playing the hero.
“I didn’t need any help, I had it totally under control, I was just going to talk my way out of that.”
Lando snorted and reached down, offering Han his hand, “Sure you were.” He laughed as Han took his hand, letting Lando haul him up.
Ham turned to go, wanting to make a quick exit away before the bounty hunter woke up. But he noticed Lando wasn’t following.
”What?” Han asked, as Lando stood over the unconscious body.
“That’s a nice coat.” He crouched down, looking closer. “It would look very good on me.”
Han sighed loudly, “Fine, whatever, take the coat. Just do it quickly so we can get out of here.”
”Right, right.” Lando said distractedly as he turned the body over, pulling the coat off him. “Very nice.” He murmured to himself.
“Ok, great, let’s go.” Han was getting annoyed now, Lando had a good right arm but he was nervous the bounty hunter would wake up any moment.
“Ooh.” Lando moaned happily as he slipped on the plush coat. “This is a luxury piece, far too good for scum like him. Where do you think he got it?”
Lando spun slowly, stroking one of the sleeves.
”I don’t know, I don’t care. Can we please get out of here, now!” Han was close to shouting.
“Calm down, Solo. You’re always so dramatic.”
There was a groan behind them, somebody was about to wake up.
“Run?” Lando asked.
”Run.” Han agreed.
”You know,” Lando huffed as they sprinted through the streets, “this coat is not made for running.”
”What?”
“It’s made for slowly strutting....wind blowing gently...not dashing sweatily through dirty streets.”
Han rolled his eyes, “I’ll pay for the dry cleaning, if you shut up about the coat.”
”Deal.”
3.
Lando slowly pushed the chips to the middle of the table, “All in.” He kept his face blank, eyes fixed on his cards. He had a great hand, one of the best he’d ever had, there was no way he could lose.
All of the other players put chips in, apart from one. He was small and nervous, green with red eyes. Lando wasn’t sure where he was from, or, really, anything about him. He’d stayed pretty silent for most of the game, steadily betting and losing money.
Lando wished he would hurry up and bet so he could win. “You gonna fold?” He asked, trying to sound nonchalant.
“I don’t want to. But I...don’t have anymore chips.” He shrugged.
“You got anything on you? Jewellery? Weapons?” Another player asked.
”No. But....what about something from my store? The winner could have whatever they wanted.”
Lando was getting bored now, he just wanted to play. “What kind of store?”
“Clothing. Beautiful, expensive clothes. Fabrics, colours, and designs like nothing you ever would have seen.”
Lando perked up at the mention of clothes but doubted that this shy, nondescript alien would have anything particularly interesting.
“Fine. If that’s ok with everybody, let’s do that.” There was a general murmur of agreement around the table.
Cards were laid on the table, Lando glanced around, his heart beating faster. Nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, and as the last person spread their cards out, Lando realised he’d won.
“Good game. Great game.” Lando said happily as he collected his winnings.
The alien store owner, stood up, gesturing towards the door, “I work not far from here, would you like to come to my store now? No time like the present.”
”Alright.” Lando couldn’t stop smiling, it was the most he’d ever won, he felt like he was walking on air.
They walked silently to the shop, and, once inside, Lando found he’d misjudged the alien.
The clothes were gorgeous. The store was small but filled with unusual designs, cut to perfection. Lando was stunned, he could have spent the rest of the night trying on every single piece, but there was one thing that stood out. It was a coat, and this surprised Lando as he usually wore capes, but it was stunning. Made of luxurious, soft fur, it was simply cut with intricate detailing. It was a one of a kind coat.
”I want that one.” He pointed, unable to stop looking at it.
”Excellent choice. A unique piece. You have very good taste, sir.”
”Yeah, thanks.” Lando said flippantly, he was itching to put it on. The alien handed it to him, and once it was on, Lando was not disappointed - it looked even better than it did on the hanger. It was like it was made for him. With this win, the biggest ever for him, he was moving up in the world - and this was a coat for a winner.
Perfect. He turned, thanked the alien, and left, strolling slowly down the street, enjoying the cool, night air.
4.
Lando sighed heavily in the dimly lit room. The only light on was the one in the closet, illuminating a neat row of clothing. He sat on the bed, a weary feeling washing over him. His mother hovered in the doorway of the bedroom, a tired look on her face, “Sweetheart, you don’t have to take anything if you don’t want to.”
”I do want to. I’m just....” Lando trailed off, unable to finish his sentence.
”Your father would have loved you to have something of his.” She said gently. “I’ll be downstairs when you’re done.”
Lando glanced at her as she left, wondering how she was handling his father’s death. He’d been so wrapped up in his own feelings, his own devastation, that he hadn’t had time to be there for her. He vowed to stay longer than he had intended and try to be there for her in anyway he could. They needed to grieve together.
Hauling himself up, he walked slowly to the closet. His father had always been stylish and well-dressed, and, as Lando thumbed through the hangers, he smiled. Memories flooded back - the shirt his father loved to wear on special occasions, the cape he wore to work, his favourite casual top that he put on when he cooked - Lando took a deep breath, trying not to cry. He needed to pick something, he didn’t want to, it seemed too hard, but he knew that if he didn’t, he would regret it later.
One of the beautifully handmade capes seemed like the obvious choice, he’d inherited his love of a good cape from his father, but he found himself drawn to the edge of the closet. Right at the end was his father’s fur coat. It was heavy, worn in places from constant use, and the colour was dull but Lando knew when he looked at it that it was what he should pick. Slipping it off the hanger, he put it on, it still smelled like his father - the crisp, clean scent of soap mixed with the deep, rich smell of musk. Familiar, comforting, it smelled like home.
Buttoning it up tightly, he turned and looked in the mirror. For a second, it was as though his father was staring back at him. Yes, this was it, and, now, there would always be a bit of his dad with him.
Looking at himself in the mirror, the spitting image of his father, he spoke softly, “Hey, you never know, dad, maybe wearing this’ll keep me out of trouble? Get me to work hard like you?”
The silence seemed deafening. He fiddled with the collar, one day, he thought, one day, I’ll make him proud.
“Wherever you are, dad, I love you.” He smiled sadly. “Hopefully, I look as good in this as you did.”
5.
“What’s that? Secret admirer?” Lando asked cheekily, reaching for the package Han was opening.
”No, it’s nothing.” Han scowled, quickly moving it out of Lando’s grasping hands.
”Doesn’t look like nothing, looks very interesting. And the fact that you’re acting so shifty is only going to make me more interested, so, how about we skip the part where I try and get it off you and you just open it.”
”Fine.” Han mumbled, knowing that sometimes it was just best to give in to Lando.
He ripped the tightly wrapped package to reveal a mass of fur.
“Ah.” He jumped, throwing it on the floor.
Lando rolled his eyes and bent down, picking up the bundle. Holding it up in front of him, he muttered, “Calm down, it’s a coat not a bomb. But who’s sending you a coat?”
”I...uh...don’t know.” Han spotted a small card that had fluttered out of the coat. Grabbing it, he studied it closely. “Oh. Oh.”
“Well, don’t keep me in suspense. Who’s you’re mystery benefactor? A princess? A sexy gangster? A smuggler with a heart of gold?”
”Chewie’s mother.” Han said miserably.
”What?!” Lando snorted, a delighted smirk crossing his face.
”Last time we were there, she....I don’t know...might have mentioned she wanted to make me something.”
“That’s sweet. No,” Lando put his hand up as Han rolled his eyes. “I’m serious. This is a sweet thing to do. She obviously thinks of you as a son. That, or she wants to get in your-“
”Stop, stop. Let’s go with sweet, mother-like gesture.”
”This is really good though.” Lando was studying it closely. “I mean, if you don’t want this, I’ll have it.”
”Take it, please.”
A roar grabbed their attention, and Chewbacca lumbered into the room.
”No, Chewie, I just meant he could borrow it, not keep it.” Han muttered, trying to ease the Wookiee’s worries that Han didn’t like the coat.
”Yeah.” Lando agreed, already trying on the fur coat. “A loan. The second Han wants it back, it’s his. And I’ll take real good care of it, Chewie.”
Of course, Han never got the coat back, but it wouldn’t have looked as good on him as it did on Lando.