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She doesn’t intend to remain in the base that’s built on Endor, after the battle is won and the celebration is long over, she’s not been thinking about where she’s going. She can’t go back. There’s nothing there. It’s irresponsible, pushing the future from her mind, as she has been doing; the only future she was thinking about was immediate.
Survival.
For so long, it’s been fight after fight, and now, noticeably, nothing. There’s threats. There’s all the cleaning up to do, more buildings to be built and people to house, other than herself, and so, Leia has eventually become aware that she’s put herself last.
Only Mon Mothma asks her, ‘where now, then? There is always room for you on Chandrila, as there always was when you were growing up.’
Leia sighs, gently, not meeting her eyes, ‘I know, and I’ll thank you for keeping that for me. If you were to give that space to someone who needed it more than I do, I wouldn’t feel hurt.’
Mothma looks sceptical, Leia can see out of the corner of her eye, she doesn’t acknowledge that, either.
She doesn’t carry much. There’s space to sleep in the base, little cots in racks of three and four. A simple bunk becomes her home for the meantime, between this war ending and whatever comes next. She knows she’ll always be called upon, and she is, even for simple things like negotiating with the Ewok population.
The rebels want to fell some more trees to expand the base into a settlement, nothing too big so it won’t attract attention, but the nature of the planet is sacred to the Ewoks. Each of the trees has an individual soul and arboreal personality, Threepio explains and Leia nods, only smiling gives away her amusement at this idea, but the Ewoks don’t notice or take offence. Wicket has ascended a few ranks in the hierarchy since showing his bravery and skill in the battle, now when he speaks, the leaders listen. He tries to hide it sometimes, but he does like Leia and he takes her hand, pulls her forward a few steps, lets out a volley of grunts and snorts, towards the leader. The leader frowns a little. Nods, gives an approving mumble.
‘He says, ‘you can stay.’ That’s all of it, I believe.’
And so, Leia builds herself a home.
It’s surprising, how skilled Han Solo is with his hands, and a hammer, less clumsy when he isn’t frantic and he can concentrate on his work. Chewbacca helps him lift beams into place, fit doors and window frames, the trio of them hanging from bungees and harnesses.
‘How many floors do you want this place to be, again?’
‘I don’t mind, it could be a bungalow for all I care. On the ground.’
She says this, but Leia knows the Ewoks won’t allow it. Part of the deal. If the humans and humanoids can fit in with the Ewoks, the rebels will be able to do what they like, and Leia doesn’t mind being the test subject in this instance. The elevation doesn’t bother her, not even now when she’s swinging from tree to platform and building her house from the bottom up. It’s even more of a surprise that Han has stayed to lend assistance with this, even offered, said he kind of knew what he was doing.
There’s tarpaulins hanging in the trees above their heads, in case of rain, and Chewie has gone back to the Falcon to do some repairs on its war damage. The air is warm and humid, Leia takes a sip of water and glances over to Han as he takes his workshirt off.
‘What else don’t I know about you?’
‘I could write a memoir, princess.’
She’s still looking at him, a smile hasn’t even twitched her lips, ‘you don’t have to call me that.’
It’s less direct. Not an order to stop. It makes him quirks his brows, because it’s unlike her, it’s not her usual tone, ‘I know I don’t have to—‘’
‘Are you reminding yourself?’
‘No, but it’s true—‘’
‘Not really, not anymore. I wish you’d just call me Leia and stop— putting a little divide between us.’
‘A divide?’
‘Yes, that’s what you’re doing. You say ‘princess’ and suddenly I’m royalty and you’re just a lowly, scabby boy who isn’t fit to shine a shoe. You’d like to be.’
‘A scab?’ He laughs, gives that infuriatingly lopsided grin. ‘That's one twisted idea, pr—‘
‘Say ‘princess’ again and I’ll push you off of here, I swear. I think I could carry on building this place by myself.’
He lies back, laughing. ‘You’d have to deal with Chewie.’
‘That’s another thing. You bring up Chewie all the time.’
‘You like Chewie.’
‘Yes, I like him fine— do you understand what I’m trying to say, here?’
‘You’re saying twenty-two things at once, Leia.’
A smile threatens to show, then, she purses her lips and glances away. ‘Well, pick one you liked the sound of.’
He chuckles, ‘let’s carry on talking about Chewie.’
Leia covers her face with her hands before she reaches over and smacks Han’s arm. ‘Enough. I’m done.’
Standing up, she dusts herself off and starts looking for the winch and harness to lower herself to the ground.
‘Hey, wait!’ He’s a little surprised, ‘done, already? Take a break for a second.’
He reaches for her as she slides herself into the harness and she swipes at his hands with her palms, again.
‘Stop manhandling me.’
He holds up his hands like she’s drawn a blaster, ‘you should finish your water before you try this. Takes effort.’
‘Really, that’s your attempt? You’re ridiculous.’
‘I’m concerned.’
‘Put a shirt on.’
She takes a step from him and starts wrestling her way into the climbing gear again, he steps back and pretends not to be interested for all of a few seconds before he’s reaching for her again.
‘Don’t put a hand on me.’
He does, his over hers where she’s clutching the harness belt at her hip. He steps close and bows his head to kiss her. A tree bough nudges her shoulders and the leaves of a branch brush her face. Her hold on the harness slips and it drops to the boards below their feet.