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“Luke!”
Lando Calrissian wove his way through the crowd of Alliance personnel, toward the head of blond hair. Luke was speaking to some of his Rogue pilots, but turned at Lando’s call, waving one gloved hand in acknowledgement. He was probably exchanging last-minute tips and “good luck”s, seeing as he now wasn’t going to be leading the squadron in the battle over Endor.
Lando admitted to feeling a twinge of disappointment when Luke had appeared and thrown in with Han, Leia, and Chewie. He’d hoped for the chance to fly in battle with Luke, just once. Well, Force willing, there would be plenty of time for more fun flying once this mission was over.
“Hey.”
Luke appeared before him, and Lando could instantly read the exhaustion in his eyes.
“You’re late.”
Luke grinned. “But I didn’t miss it entirely. I hear your leading the space assault.”
“Mmm, and you volunteered your services to Han. Won’t you miss your X-Wing?”
“Not as much as Han will miss the Falcon!”
Luke’s laugh was a touch strained. Lando wound an arm around his shoulders and began leading the way to his quarters. Luke allowed this without protest.
“You know,” Luke mused, “there was a time not long after I joined up, when I kind of figured I’d one day be facing Darth Vader in an X-Wing. Dueling ship to ship, not blade to blade.”
Lando was careful not to break his stride, but his ears and mind were on full alert. Luke rarely spoke of Vader, at least not to him. Maybe he’d confided in Leia, or more likely, Artoo, but even after they’d begun their fragile dance together, Vader was a non-starter. Stealing a sideways glance at Luke’s face, Lando took in the composed expression. Peaceful to the point of blank, no indication of what, if anything, churned below the surface. A far cry from the injured, traumatized boy who’d almost literally fallen in his arms all those months ago.
Suddenly Luke’s eyes met his, and his smile caught Lando by surprise. “I don’t need the Force to know you’re currently thinking I’m crazy.”
“Never,” Lando murmured in return. That smile didn’t flash too often, although Leia and Chewie had both alluded to this rarity as a post-Bespin change, but every time it did, it sent a shiver straight to Lando’s heart. He pulled Luke into a quiet alcove, out of the way of passing Alliance troops. As Luke glanced up at him inquisitively, his hand was already cupping Luke’s cheek, fingers stroking the soft skin.
“I’d never think you’re crazy.”
Luke’s smile softened from mischievous to something fonder. If Lando were in a betting mood, he might even call it love. Luke’s hand, his flesh and blood one, came up to rest atop Lando’s. Holding Lando’s hand in place, his eyes slid shut as he nuzzled against him, then pressed a soft kiss to the palm.
“Thank you,” he whispered against Lando’s palm. “Although I might hold you to that later.”
Lando bent to kiss Luke’s forehead, then tilted his face up to kiss his lips. It was only meant to be a reassuring peck to seal his promise, but Luke’s arms wound around his shoulders. Luke surged forward until Lando felt his back collide with the bulkhead behind him, mouth hot and hungry. There, huddled in a hallway of Home One as Rebels on duty rushed by, Luke kissed him as if nothing and no one else in the galaxy mattered. Lando was pretty sure that Mon Mothma, Princess Leia, Darth Vader, and the Emperor could all appear in front of him, and he’d ignore them all, just to keep Luke’s mouth on his.
Finally, Luke drew back, looking startled by what he’d just done. “Master Yoda would be very unhappy about my sudden lack of control.”
“I happen to think your control is marvelous.”
“Yes, but will you still think that after the Rogues spread this story round the entire ship?”
Luke’s words were light, but the shadows in his eyes betrayed a darker mood lurking. Regret, sudden embarrassment, maybe even shame? Lando certainly couldn’t have that.
“Then I guess we best take this somewhere more private.” He pressed a last kiss to Luke’s forehead, before urging him onward.
They made their way to Lando’s quarters without further delay, and as Lando stopped to remove his cape and boots, he watched Luke collapse facedown upon the bed.
“You know,” Lando said, “You never did say how you’re doing. Was your trip successful.”
Rolling onto his side with a groan, Luke looked up at him. “You could say that, I suppose. I learned what I needed.”
“Good.” Perching beside him on the bed, Lando brushed a hand through Luke’s hair. Luke leant into the caress with a tired sigh.
“I’m sorry, I can’t talk about it all now. Not yet. I know it’s a lot to ask.”
“Shh, it’s alright,” Lando soothed him. Part of him wondered if Luke were waiting to talk to Leia first, and another part wondered why that thought didn’t send the usual spark of jealousy through him. He was still a relative newcomer to the Leia-and-Luke (and Han?) dynamic, but he was Lando Calrissian, and he knew with a gambler’s instinct that there was more there than met the eye. He could wait. Luke would tell him when he could, of that Lando was certain.
The tension seizing Luke’s thin frame was of more immediate concern. “Roll back over,” he nudged. When Luke complied, with such quiet trust, Lando quickly straddled the lean hips.
“Don’t get too excited now.”
He pressed his thumbs into the flesh of Luke’s back, just below the nape of his neck. Ah, there were the knots. Slowly, carefully, he pressed and kneaded the taut flesh, until the knots gave way. Luke was quiet and warm beneath him, submitting happily to Lando’s attentions. Soon, Lando had him moaning in relief. Such a shame they didn’t have time to kick it up a notch. Still, Lando reluctantly recognized, Luke needed to rest, over anything more strenuous. After, he promised himself. After the battle, and what they all hoped would be the final end to the Emperor’s tyranny, then he could indulge both himself and Luke in everything that Luke deserved.
“Take a little nap, kid. I’ve got you.”
“Twenty minutes, no more,” Luke mumbled, already more than half asleep.
Twenty minutes. Twenty minutes before they seriously started preparing for the fight of their lives. It wasn't much, but Lando would take any spare second the universe gave them. For a little bit, he was trusted and privileged to provide Luke with the oasis he so desperately needed. Lando settled down to keep watch.