Work Text:
1.
Leia is in her element, confidently giving orders to a group of Rebel pilots, she is a born leader. Han hangs back, watching her closely, her eyes are clear and bright, her shoulders back, and her head held high. She radiates power and hope. He feels like he could just stand here and watch her rally her troops forever, there is something so admirable in her strength and he is in awe of how she keeps fighting.
Han has always been attracted to strong women, but Leia is different, more complex, fierce but kind. She is unlike anyone else he has ever met. She is also incredibly beautiful, with her dark eyes and stunning smile, but it’s her personality that he finds most alluring. There is a small part of him that wonders what exactly she is doing with him and he thinks that she could probably do better. But if she’s willing to settle, then he’s not going to complain.
Leia finishes up her instructions, wishing everyone luck as they disperse. She turns in one swift motion, seemingly lost in thought, starting to stride off towards the command centre, but she stops as she notices Han. He is leaning against a wall, arms crossed, and he raises his eyebrows invitingly as she moves nearer to him.
“I need you to-” She begins, still in ‘Leader’ mode, hands on her hips, stony-faced.
Han can’t help but smile, and he interrupts her, not meaning to but unable to stop himself, the words tumbling out with ease, “I love you.”
She pauses, relaxing very slightly, eyes softening, a small half-smile appearing on her face, “I love you too.” They silently look at each other for a few moments, before Leia straightens up, sighing sadly, and mutters, “We’ve got to get going.”
Leia motions for him to follow her and he does. After all, he’d follow her to the end of the galaxy if she asked.
2.
The cantina is dimly-lit and half-empty but the band are playing as though it’s a packed house. Han and Leia are sitting in a small booth, snuggled close together despite the warm room. They have had a couple of drinks each and are silently enjoying the buzz of the alcohol and the good live music. It’s technically their first proper ‘date’ but neither of them are bothered about such labels so it’s not occurred to them.
Leia twirls the cocktail stick in her drink and pulls it out, popping the cherry in her mouth. Han watches her, wondering if she’s doing that on purpose just to tease him, but she doesn’t seem to be, her attention is focused on the dance floor. Two couples are currently dancing to the upbeat music, radiating happiness. Tucking some hair behind her ear, Leia turns to Han and whispers in his ear.
“I want to dance.” She is slightly tipsy and her lips touch his ear as she whispers.
“I, uh, don’t dance.” He says with a shake of his head.
“Come on. Please?” Leia looks at him with wide-eyes and gives him a sweet smile.
And Han just can’t refuse, “Ok.” He grumbles, sliding out of the booth as she follows, her face flushed with excitement.
The dance floor is lit with multi-coloured lights and the band have started playing another upbeat song, this one with a heavy bass line and a catchy melody. It’s not a song Han has ever heard before but Leia seems to know some of the words, which she proceeds to sing under her breath.
Grabbing Han’s hands, Leia begins to dance to the beat, swinging around happily. She soon notices that Han was wrong, it’s not that he doesn’t dance, it’s that he can’t. He bobs uncomfortably, out of time with the music, a grim expression on his face, his hands tense in Leia’s grip. She wonders if the grim look is because he hates this or he’s trying to concentrate.
Leia bursts out laughing, as she continues to try and get Han dancing in time with her. Han tries to scowl at her but when he looks at her, so gleeful and free, he finds himself laughing too. So he keeps dancing badly and Leia keeps giggling. She loves how Han can make her laugh, even when he’s not trying to. It’s one of her favourite things about him.
The music is loud, so Leia shouts over it, joyfully, “I love you.” It causes the other people to look over but she doesn’t care, she doesn’t care if the whole galaxy can hear her.
Han grins, he shouts back, “Love you too.” Pulling her close, he dips her backwards awkwardly and kisses her. A few people clap but neither of them notice.
3.
Han walks into the kitchen and finds that he’s forgotten what he came in for. Sighing, he walks back into the living room, bemoaning the fact that he ever got old.
“Water.” Leia says, without looking up, a sly smile on her face, as she sits on the sofa, tapping away on her holopad.
“Right.” Han replies, remembering that Leia had asked for a glass of water. His memory is still pretty good but occasionally he forgets things, no big deal - it’s just what happens. Leia, however, is still as sharp as she ever was but Han reminds himself that she is younger than him.
Pouring the water into the glass, he grabs her an apple as well, knowing she likes one with a drink in the afternoon, and ambles back to where she’s sitting. As he places it on the table near her, Leia looks up and smiles at him.
“Thanks.” She says softly, before focusing again on her work.
Han wonders when she will retire, or if she ever will, he doesn’t want her to tire herself out but she still seems to enjoy politics so as long as she’s happy, then he is too. However, he does occasionally wish they could relax together more, a retirement of sorts, after all, they’ve more than earned it. Han knows though that Leia loves work and being busy so he doesn’t see her slowing down anytime soon.
Relaxing in the chair opposite her, he watches her typing, her brow is furrowed and she is biting her lip. After forty years together, they are both older and greyer, with some wrinkles, but Leia still takes Han’s breath away. He can’t quite believe that he’s been with such a beautiful, intelligent, kind woman for so long but he’s so glad he has.
“I love you so much.” Han says contentedly, a lopsided smile on his face.
Leia contemplates him for a second with a blank expression, before replying with a phrase he hasn’t heard her say in awhile, “I know.” Giving him a cheeky smile, she raises one eyebrow imperiously, and suddenly the years melt away and it is like they are both young again and he can still see the Princess in her.
Han laughs and Leia joins in, and, putting her holopad on the table, she pats the space next to her on the sofa. Soon, they are relaxing together happily.
4.
Han and Leia are hiding in the wreckage of a ship, the twisted metal doubling as a shield against the heavy fire they are currently under. The air is thick with smoke and blasts echo all around them from the Imperial troops nearby. That is, if they can even call themselves Imperial troops after the fall of the Empire but, apparently, the stormtroopers attacking them didn’t get the message.
They brace themselves against the protective debris, periodically popping above to shoot at the enemy. Leia is muttering breathlessly into her comms device, trying to organise the handful of Rebel fighters who are nearby as well as calling for backup air support.
Han fires off a couple of blasts, bumping Leia’s shoulder with his own as he throws himself down afterwards. This isn’t the worst situation they’ve ever been in, but it’s pretty bad. If the air support don’t get here soon, things could rapidly get worse. The brief glimpses they have seen of the stormtroopers show that they are slowly moving closer.
Leia has stopped talking, her jaw clenched and her mouth set in a hard line, and she is checking her blaster, readying herself to take a turn at firing. Han places a hand on her wrist and shuffles closer to her, kissing the top of her head. She tenses for a second, and Han thinks she is going to brush him off, but then Leia slackens, her shoulders slumping and she leans into the kiss. Breathing in the scent of her hair, Han doesn’t move for a few moments, simply trying to offer her some comfort and support.
This probably isn’t the end, they have gotten out of all sorts of danger in their time together, but just in case, Han thinks it’s important to say a certain phrase.
“I love you.” He says to her, hoping she can hear the full extent of his love in his words. If this is it, he doesn’t want to go without telling her how much he loves her one more time. In an ideal world, they would stay together forever, safe and happy, but if he does have to die right now, then at least he is going to go down fighting by Leia’s side, which is not a bad way to go.
Leia kisses him firmly, before stating confidently, “I love you too but we’re going to be fine.”
And they are, because at that moment, Rebel ships are flying down towards the action.
5.
“You don’t trust me, that’s what this is all about. You think I’m stupid.” Han yells, as he strides around the room, his face red in annoyance.
Leia huffs angrily, crossing her arms tightly. She has never met anyone as frustrating as Han, and it’s true, he can be stupid sometimes, but that’s not why she doesn’t think he should get involved with this idiotic scheme.
“I didn’t say that, I just said I don’t think you should do this.” Shaking her head, she tries to remain calm, taking a deep breath. She doesn’t want to fight, but Han has always had an amazing ability to get under her skin and she just can’t help arguing with him.
“If it goes to plan, it’s one hell of a payoff, I don’t understand why you want to stop me from going.” Han has stopped in the middle of the room now, hands on his hips, and he’s looking at Leia with an expression that suggests she’s the one with the mad idea. “Like I said, you think I’m an idiot. You just don’t want me to go because you think I can’t pull this off.”
“It’s because I love you.” She blurts, her face hardening. Leia cannot believe he doesn’t get it. “We somehow managed to survive this war and now you want to run straight back into a dangerous situation for money we don’t need. Can we not just be together without worrying about one of us dying?”
Leia stares at him intently, expecting him to shout back, and she readies herself to keep arguing, coming up with a witty retort for what she thinks he might say. However, she is surprised to see that Han just stands there, blinking quickly, a small frown appearing on his face. He looks taken aback by her words, clearly he had not been expecting her to say that.
“You’re right.” He murmurs, nodding carefully, as if he has suddenly realised something that should have been obvious.
“I’m-? I mean, I know I’m right but...you agree?”
“Yeah, it is risky and unnecessary.” He steps closer to her. “I guess....I just got caught up in the potential payoff...I didn’t think about the danger of it.”
The mood between them has shifted drastically and the tension in the air seems to have disappeared. Han takes Leia’s hands, pulling her near. Silently, they gaze at each other, and Leia thinks that although he can be incredibly frustrating and stupid sometimes, he can also be wonderfully smart and caring. He’s complicated, but then, so is she, and so is their whole relationship.
“I love you too and I want us to be happy together for as long as possible. I think we’ve both had enough close calls for a lifetime, I think we need to enjoy some stability.” He grins at her. “But, uh, for the record, I totally would have been able to pull that scheme off.”
“Uh-huh, sure.” Leia leans up to give him a kiss. And it’s the beginning of a calm and joyful period in their lives.