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Lando was slumped at the table, head in his hands, silent apart from the occasional unhappy groan. Han sat next to him, gently rubbing Lando's back, trying to be comforting. He couldn't quite believe that Lando had lost so badly. He didn't know why Lando had kept betting, if it had been clear to Han that Lando was losing, than he was sure it had also been obvious to Lando himself. They had pretty much fallen out of the game, wandering the unfamiliar streets for a bit before entering into this half-empty cantina. Han bought them more drinks, with the credits he had managed to hold on to.
Standing up, unsteadily, Han ambled towards the bar, where he asked for two more drinks. As the bartender prepared them, Han looked around the rooom, his gaze stopping on the empty stage with a holoscreen at the back.
"What's that?"
"Karaoke." At the blank look Han gave him, he continued. "Y'know, singing. I bought it to liven the place up a bit but no-one's used it so far."
"Singing." Han murmured to himself, an idea forming. Usually, he wouldn't volunteer to make a fool of himself, but he knew that, if he did this, it would probably make Lando laugh and take his mind off all the money he lost. Besides, there was hardly anyone in the cantina to witness such a spectacle, and the ones who were in there, looked completely out of it. Paying the bartender, he took the drinks back to their little table, placing one near Lando's head. He didn't move, and Han didn't sit down, heading towards the stage at the back.
He took a deep breath and switched on the holoscreen.
Lando was berating himself for such a stupid mistake. He knew he should have stopped when he was winning, but the rest of the players were so smarmy and condescending that he just had to keep going in an attempt to prove them wrong. He wanted to show them he wasn't some inexperienced, young man incapable of playing such high stakes. Of course, all he had done was prove them right. It stung, it was humiliating. And later, he would learn from the mistake. But right then, he was just wallowing in misery.
"This is for my-, for my..... for Lando." Han's drunken, slurring voice suddenly filled the room, causing Lando to sit up, to see Han with a microphone, on a stage. What was he doing?! And what had he been about to say when he said 'for my'?
Lando gave Han a confused look, as if to say, are you crazy? But Han wasn't looking, he was jabbing harshly at the holoscreen with his fingers, with all the careful concentration of the very drunk. He squinted at something, nodding slowly, and pressed the screen one last time.
A song began to play, loudly, one that Lando wasn't familiar with. Han swayed awkwardly, out of time to the music, a nervous expression on his face. He met Lando's stare, and it was right then, that Lando realised what Han was doing - he was trying to cheer him up. Oh. This was meant to be funny. The drums and guitar of the song had a nice beat and melody, Lando decided that it was kind of a catchy tune.
"I was tired of my lady, we´d been together too long
Like a worn-out recording, of a favorite song"
Han could not sing, he started out almost mumbling the lyrics as he read them off the screen. As he grew more confident, the mumbling turned into out of tune shouting. Along with the strange bobbing motion Han was making, and the fact he'd started to point forcefully in time to the beat, the terrible singing was making Lando laugh.
"That you liked Pina Coladas, and getting caught in the rain
And the feel of the ocean, and the taste of champagne
If you like making love at midnight, in the dunes of the cape
You´re the love that I´ve looked for, come with me, and escape"
Lando had now forgotten about his loss, all he could focus on was Han and the ridiculous performance he was giving. Despite the fact that he had no natural rhythm or singing ability, Lando couldn't help thinking, between all the laughing, that Han looked pretty damn gorgeous on that stage. He's mine. The thought popped into his head, but he pushed it aside, he would think about those feelings later. Right now, he wanted to enjoy this hilarity.
Sadly, for Lando, and, thankfully, for Han, the song came to an end. There was a smattering of claps from the rest of the cantina, but Lando stood up, clapping loudly, a huge grin on his face. Han stood frozen for a minute under the bright lights, as if he was lost, before his eyes darted around nervously and he mumbled a quite thank you into the microphone. He placed it back on its stand and stumbled off the stage, nearly tripping over in his rush to get back to the table.
He sat down heavily, taking a long drink from his glass, there was a faint redness to his face and Lando wondered if Han was blushing or was just hot.
"So, what did you think?"
"Well, I don't think you'll become a recording artist anytime soon but I loved it." Lando smirked at him, trying to keep the tone of his voice light.
"Good." Han nodded, a pleased expression on his face. "Good."
They stared at each other, their knees touching under the table, and the air felt thick with anticipation. Lando had begun to recognise moments like this, they usually preceded something happening between them. At the very least a kiss, at the most? Well, the most, was his favourite.
"On the house." A voice broke the tension, it was the bartender, placing two drinks on the table, causing Lando and Han to move away from each other slightly. Lando wondered whether they would do anything now, those moments were always so delicate and he hoped the interruption hadn't ruined it.
"What's this?" Han frowned, looking curiously at the two tall glasses filled with a frothy, white liquid.
"Pina Coladas. Like the song. As a little thank you. My wife said the karaoke machine was a waste of money, but I knew someone would use it!" The bartender walked off, a proud smile on his face.
Han and Lando tentatively took sips from the cocktail. Both of them pulling back in disgust at the terribly sweet and creamy taste.
"Ugh. This is awful." Lando scrunched up his face.
"Yeah, but it's free."
"The song also mentioned champagne, I would have much rather have had that."
"Course you would." Han snorted, giving Lando a gentle kick with his foot. "Always did have expensive taste."
"Nothing wrong with enjoying the finer things in life."
Han just smiled, licking his lips. And Lando knew then that the moment hadn't been ruined, and that they were about to spend a very nice night together. The loss suddenly didn't seem so bad.