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“The princess. You have to take care of her.” - Han Solo
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It was the night after the fight at the LaRusso house. Eli lay on his bed, heartbeat frantic as he stared up at his ceiling. He closed his eyes and the pulsating of his heartbeat buzzed in his ears. Eli groaned loudly and sat upright. He peeled his yellow sweater off and tossed it to the floor.
Yes, he’d switched sides mid–fight. Good for him. He knew he’d probably pay for betraying the Cobra’s. Now he had to watch his back, permanently. Especially after what Tory had said to him. Eli was amazed that Demetri had dared to stand up to her for him.
Eli shook his head as the petite brunette crossed his mind. He groaned as her blue eyes ran through his mind. He slapped a hand against his face and exhaled.
He was tired, he needed rest. They were due to do combined training tomorrow and he knew no one would accept him. His heart thudded in his chest at the very thought.
He turned over on his bed and faced his wall. His eyes met his Star Wars poster. He glared at it for a few moments and his mind somehow wandered back to Sam LaRusso. He tutted and blinked the thoughts away.
She loves Star Wars, he thought to himself.
Eli remembered how Sam had worn a Star Wars shirt to a party back in middle school. It always stuck with him.
“The princess likes Star Wars,” he tiredly mumbled to himself as he closed his eyes.
He remembered the black Star Wars shirt he had in his closet that he hadn’t worn for the longest time. He wondered what she’d look like wearing it.
Just his shirt and nothing else... How it would look like a dress on her as she’d stare up at him with that infamous glare of hers.
“Eli. Stop.” He slapped his face and groaned.
He rolled over onto his back and yanked his blanket over his head.
Eventually his mind caught up with his body. The boy fell asleep.
Eli stood outside the gate of the Miyagi-Do dojo. With a shaky breath he unlatched the gate and entered.
He walked towards the Koi Pond where he saw a figure. As he approached, he stopped in his tracks.
“Hello Eli.” The man smiled.
“Wait–”
“Yes - it’s me. Han.”
“Solo?”
“Do you know any other Han’s?”
Eli shook his head. “Uhhh, how is this happening?”
Han Solo shrugged. “You tell me. It’s your dream, kid.”
Eli watched with a confused look as Han Solo stood on the balance board in the middle of the Koi Pond as if it was nothing.
“You could poke someone’s eye out with that hair,” Han stated as he gestured to Eli’s hair.
Eli sighed. “Why are you here? You’re Han Solo - shouldn’t you be saving Princess Leia or something?”
Han hummed. “What about your princess?”
“W-what?”
“Your princess,” Han repeated. “Are you keeping her safe?”
“I don’t have a princess?” Eli replied. “I’m just a normal guy.”
Han laughed. “Sure.”
“What?”
“You’re telling me there’s not someone in this brain of yours you want to treat like a princess?”
Eli looked to the floor.
Han chuckled. “I knew it, Eli.” Han crossed his arms.
“Stop making stuff up.”
“It’s your mind, Eli.”
Han sighed. “I know I haven’t visited you for a while - I got sad and thought you didn’t need me and my pep talks anymore. But here you are, with new hair and a new attitude. And you still won’t admit your feelings for this girl. But only now… you call her princess?”
Eli denied Han’s words.
Han frowned. “Eli, whatever kid. But you have to protect your princess. Alright? You hear me? Because if something happens to her, you will regret it. And that’s not a threat, that’s just a fact. You will be devastated if anything happens to her if you can help it.”
“Change the hair kid. I own the Millennium Falcon, I don’t need a Centenary Hawk.”
Eli watched as Han Solo vanished.
His voice echoed around him.
“Take care of the princess.”
“Take care of your princess.”
“Your princess needs you.”
Eli jolted upright on his bed.
“What the hell,” he whispered as he rubbed his eyes.
He reached his phone from his nightstand and dialled Demetri.
“Eli, what is it?” Demetri asked tiredly. “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine.”
“Really?” Demetri whined. “Why are you phoning me at 2:34am!”
“Han was in my dream…”
“Han? No way. After all this time he came back?”
“Yep.”
“I thought you only had those dreams in middle school?”
“I had a few in high school, but when I…”
“When you became Hawk you didn’t get them anymore?”
“Exactly,” Eli stated.
“What did he say?”
“He told me to protect the princess.”
Demetri laughed. “As in Leia?”
“I don’t know, man.”
“Do you have a crush on anyone?” Demetri asked. “Maybe that’s what he was talking about.”
“Demetri, how would he know who I like?”
“Well Eli, it is your brain!”
Eli scoffed. He hated when Demetri was right. He put Demetri on speaker and clicked onto his messages. His finger hovered over Sam Larusso’s name.
With a sigh he typed her a messaged
‘I’m sorry about tonight. If there’s anything I can do please let me know. I want to make things up to you.’
He sent the message with a shaky breath.
“What did you do?” Demetri asked.
“Huh?”
“You went silent. You had to think about something before you acted on it - I know you, Eli.”
Eli groaned. “Nothing, I’ll see you tomorrow, alright?”
Before Demetri uttered another word, Eli ended the call. He went onto Instagram and found himself on Sam’s page. He scrolled down her page and was alarmed when he saw her dressed as Princess Leia for some Halloween party. His jaw clenched when he noticed that Robby was with her, and he was dressed as Han Solo. He glared at the photo for a few moments.
Sam looked beautiful. His heart thudded in his chest at the sight of her. His lips curled into a smile until he noticed a comment from Kyler.
‘I’d prefer you in that gold bikini.’
Eli scoffed at the comment. He wanted to reply to his comment - but the post was two months old. He lay his head back on his headboard and bit the inside of his gum.
His heart raced when his phone buzzed. Sam LaRusso messaged him back.
‘I guess I have to deal with you, don’t I? Besides, I can always kick your ass again.’
Eli rolled his eyes but couldn’t help but smirk at her attitude. Many times he had called her princess in a condescending manner - and for the first time, he longed to do it in a meaningful way.
He wanted to take care of his princess.