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Han might have been a brilliant pilot, but even he knew his limits. In a strange, barely-held together ship, his skills were the only thing making sure they didn’t crash into the mountain side. The task was not made easier with bounty hunters on their tail, actively shooting at them.
Cursing loudly, Han yanked at the controls to narrowly fit into a crack in the mountain. If he could either lose them, or get them to crash…
They could exit the planet’s atmosphere and jump into hyperspace.
He spared a glance behind him, looking at Luke laying unconscious on a cot in the back of the cockpit. The ship was tiny, the cockpit even more so. It had a tiny storage room, and a refresher, but no suite. Just the cot in the cockpit, and few medical supplies. But this was all they had, and it would have to do.
Han was just lucky that it had a hyperdrive. If not…
Luke might not have made it.
Han took a deep breath as he focused on dodging the hunters’ blasts, feeling the ship rock with the force of the rock around them exploding. They would be lucky if they even managed to survive the flight out of the mountain range, with how things were going! And not to mention getting into the atmosphere, with bounty hunters with much better ships and much better targeting systems.
Their chances of making it to the Executor were getting slimmer and slimmer.
Which made Luke’s chances of survival even worse.
The ship suddenly shook violently, and Han cursed loudly as he watched the rear shield lose even more of its stability. A direct hit to their tail. Another one and they would be finished . Han tightened his hold on the controls as he dipped their ship, soaring down further into the valley. It would make steering more difficult, but their ship was small, compared to the clunky things the bounty hunters had.
Small mercies for a small home-made freighter that wasn’t even supposed to ever be in combat.
«I’m sorry, Luke, but this’ll be rough. Hold on.» Han dove their ship further down, gritting his teeth as he felt trees scrape at the bottom of their ship as he suddenly yanked the controller downwards, stopping their abrupt descent. After a few terrifying moments, the ship bottomed out and they were zooming forward once more, the ship only slightly shaking with the damage sustained. «Just hang on…»
Han let out a string of curses and damnations as he glanced at the radars, spotting both of the bounty hunter ships on their tails. «You couldn’t just crash and burn already?!» Han spun their ship to avoid another nasty blast, his hold on the controls white-knuckled. «Fuck! The Rebellion really put a nasty bounty on you, huh, Admiral?»
He knew Luke couldn’t hear him, couldn’t answer, but it eased his mind to at least run his mouth. To maybe pretend Luke was alright and everything was fine .
His eyes widened as he spotted a small little hole in a mountain up ahead, knowing deep down that that was their shot. Their only chance at possibly surviving all of this. If he managed to squeeze their ship through, then maybe, just maybe, they could survive this hellhole of a planet.
They wouldn’t even have had this chase on this sithspit planet had the Rebellion not thrown bounty hunters after them. This was supposed to just be a routine trip, visit a station on an Outer Rim planet, and then return to the Executor . They had picked a neutral little freighter, in hopes of not being noticed by any hostiles.
But of course, things never went well for them. They - or more, Luke - had been recognized whilst they’d gone to the market for food. They were wearing civilian clothing, and yet, Luke had been recognized as the Admiral, as the Prince of the Empire. And everything had gone downhill from there.
Luke had gotten shot in the shoulder, which had caused them both to give a mad dash to their ship. They needed to leave , so they could both make it out alive. But clearly, the bounty hunters hired to assist had anticipated this. They followed them up in the air, which led them to this situation. Luke unconscious on a cot, and Han desperately trying to escape the ships behind them.
Han gritted his teeth as he felt the bottom part of the ship scrape against the mountain, the ship shaking violently. «C’mon, sweetheart, you can do this…» Han couldn’t afford for this to fail, couldn’t afford to let Luke be hurt by the Rebellion. Once was enough, once was more than enough. He couldn’t watch Luke bleed out in front of him, not like that, never again.
The rock shook with an impact, and Han nearly cheered as he realised one of the ships had crashed into the solid rock in an attempt to chase after them. One down, and the other unable to catch up with them. Han sped further into the mountain, watching as the opening got closer and closer. When the clear sky finally surrounded them once more, Han couldn’t help the relieved gasp that left him.
They could make it.
Han yanked the yoke down, forcing the ship upwards as he risked a glance over at Luke. His face was pale, but other than that he seemed fine. Han definentily had to check up on him when he had the chance to.
It took them a moment to break the atmosphere, but when they did Han was quick to enter the coordinates the Emperor had told them to meet up. It would be a long trip, but they would make it. They had to.
For Luke’s sake, they had to.
Han only let himself relax when the blue of hyperspace enveloped them, when he knew that none had followed after them. For now, they had made it. And Han prayed the ship would hold until then. It had sustained damage, but hopefully not enough to strand them somewhere in space. Han had faith, and he knew this little freighter could make it.
He would have to thank the Emperor for his skills in the making of this tiny ship.
With a sigh, Han rubbed a hand over his face. He could feel the exhaustion deep in his bones, and he knew he couldn’t stay awake much longer. The stress and the adrenaline used had completely drained him, and now all that was left was exhaustion and worry. With slow but deliberate movements he got up to his feet and walked over to the cot where Luke lay. It was only a makeshift cot, shoved in the corner as a means of sleep if they really needed it.
It proved more useful than anyone had first anticipated.
Han kneeled down in front of it, gently running his hand through Luke’s dirty and sweaty locks. «Hey...still sleeping, your Highness?» His previous high titles were now soft terms of endearment that usually always got a smile out of Luke. His rank was never used against him, only as a soft tease and acknowledgement of their positions. Han was Luke’s assigned bodyguard and officer, and Luke was his Admiral and Prince.
And the fact that they were something wasn’t necessarily a secret, either. Toed around, perhaps, but they’d been close ever since they met two years ago. It wasn’t really a surprise that the two of them had grown….close. That touch and shows of affection were open and adored between the two.
But they had yet to openly address what they were.
That Han was deeply in love with Luke.
«Nnn...Han?» The voice was low and raspy, and one blue eye slowly squinted open. «Wh...where….are we…?» Luke looked a little rough for wear, but the piece of cloth - from Han’s own shirt - around his shoulder was barely stained copper, which was a slight relief. The wound was cauterised, and hopefully looked worse than it actually was.
«Hyperspace, and racing towards your father almighty.» Han said with a soft smile, his hand not leaving Luke’s hair. «I’ll need to look over your shoulder, I think we have enough in the medkit for that. Can you manage to sit up?»
Luke gave a nod as he grunted, slowly moving his body in an upright position. He was hunched over himself, one arm cradling his stomach whilst the other dug into the mattress. Han gave Luke a gentle pat on the head, before rising to his own feet and going to grab the little medkit hung on the wall. With his treasure in hand, Han once more kneeled in front of Luke.
«Do you need help with removing your tunic?» He knew it was a dumb question as soon as it left his mouth, but it never hurt to ask. Even if it was blatant to both of them that Luke wouldn’t be able to get off his tunic with how damaged his shoulder was.
«Yes, Han.» Luke’s voice was soft as he spoke, and Han didn’t know if it was just from the pain or not. But he was grateful for the mercy of not teasing him, and so helped Luke slowly get out of his tunic and the makeshift bandage. «Thanks.»
Luke was shivering softly from the cold, and Han could sympathise. Space was cold, and especially so in small freighters. It would be a long trip, that was for certain.
Han pulled out a cleansing wipe before he began to clean the wound and the area around, his face sympathetic as Luke hissed from the pain. «It’ll soon be over, Luke. Just gotta clean it, can’t have it infected or else Kix will have my head.»
Despite the pain, Luke chuckled softly, his face still contorted in pain. He still looked too pale and too exhausted, but when this was done Luke could go back to sleep. «Kix is protective.» Luke said, his voice strained and full of pain.
Instead of answering, Han merely nodded as he threw the used wipe into the kit. Hearing Luke like that hurt, and Han desperately wished it had been him who’d been shot, and not Luke. He had suffered enough by the hands of the Rebellion, he deserved a break . And hey, Han was the deserter, Han was the traitor. At least Luke had tried to have a conversation with them, once.
How well that ended him , a cold voice whispered in his head as Han gently stroked his thumb over Luke’s scar. It was still such a stark contrast to his face, still so big where it stretched over his mouth and cheek. A painful reminder of what many thought of Luke.
Han sighed softly as he picked up the bacta patch and put it over the blaster wound. «We’ll soon get back to the Executor , Luke.» Han’s voice was steady as he spoke, but his hands were a little shakier than normal. Luke’s tired eyes met his, and a sympathetic smile graced Luke’s features. «You’ll be able to get some sleep then.»
«I think we both need sleep, Han…» Luke’s voice was soft and strained, but his affection was clear in his eyes. «You look ready to drop..»
With a shrug of his shoulders Han finished applying the bacta patch, and he knew his face was one of pure exhaustion. «Someone has to tend to the ship.» It’s a weak excuse, but he always feared he intruded on Luke’s space. He was an Admiral, his Prince, and Han was just his bodyguard, the traitor and deserter of the Rebellion. He was nothing compared to Luke, and yet Luke seemed to want to be just as close as Han wanted.
«Han.» Luke’s eyes were determined, and he reached out to gently touch Han’s shaking hands. «Sleep.»
Han thought briefly about denying Luke, about making up some flimsy excuse, but the look on Luke’s face - the worry and the fear and the pain - made him hesitate. It took him only a moment to make his decision. «Alright.»
A smile stretched over Luke’s features as he squeezed Han’s hands. Luke moved to lay down once more, and Han helped him properly lay down without aggravating his injuries. When Han moved to get up to go take a nap in his chair, Luke’s hand shot out and grabbed at Han’s wrist.
« Here , Han.» It was clear that Luke was struggling with forming words, pain and exhaustion taking its toll on him. But the two words did make Han freeze in his tracks, and his cheeks reddening. He had briefly considered that Luke meant for Han to sleep with him on the cot, but he had dismissed it as wishful thinking.
But now, Luke had outright told him that it was what he’d meant.
Han hesitated but a moment, before he nodded his head and shrugged off his jacket. «Yeah, alright. You sure we’ll both fit in the cot, though?»
Luke gave Han a look, before he slightly lifted the blanket up for Han. It made Han’s brain stall for a few seconds, before he nodded and shrugged off his jacket and boots. His face was still tinged red from his emotions, and as he laid down beside Luke he knew it was rather obvious. Even without Luke’s wizard powers.
He had never really slept in a bed with Luke before. Sure, they’d fallen asleep on the couch in Luke’s quarters several times, but they’d never slept like this . So close to each other, in a bed . Or a cot, as this was. But the sentiment still stood.
Han was pulled out of his thoughts as Luke gently tugged at Han’s shirt, signaling for him to come closer. «The ship’s cold .»
It took Han a moment to realise what Luke wanted; he wanted to be held . Luke had explained before that he despised the cold, and he preferred warm weather, thank you very much. And once Luke had discovered that Han usually ran a little warmer, he tended to demand hugs and closeness just to leech off of it.
Now was no different.
Han nodded once, before he wrapped his arms around Luke and brought himself a little closer. It surprised Han that it calmed his anxieties to have Luke closer, to hold him in his arms. Holding him like this, it was proof Luke was safe . That he was breathing and everything would be fine. They’d made it off that hellhole planet, and they were on their way home.
Luke was fine, and so was Han.
He could feel Luke slowly start to relax in his arms, and it wasn’t long before the Prince fell asleep. His breath tickled against Han’s collarbone, and he couldn’t help the soft smile forming. Luke was so handsome when he slept, and Han was so glad he could be with Luke in these moments. It made his heart soar with joy.
«I...I love you, Luke Skywalker. Now and forever…» He hadn’t dared say it out loud yet, scared of the fact Luke may not feel the same. But he knew, deep in his heart, that it was true. He would always love Luke, always follow him to the ends of the Galaxy, no matter what.
He loved Luke. And he was so glad he was allowed to share these moments with him.
With his arms around Luke, it didn’t take long for Han to fall asleep as well.