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[it isn't so late that Leia is asleep yet, but it's late enough for her to be at home and not out getting a feel for this city. Everything of interest is closed by now, and wandering around an unfamiliar city in the dark isn't the best of ideas. And besides, it's not like there's a shortage of things she needs to do here, because as much as she loves Han and Luke, their explosive bachelor pad is kind of in need of serious help.

So it isn't Luke that answers, it's Leia, emerging from a room Han probably recognizes as his.]

Actually, that was me.

[she'd explain more but well--Han is here and not in jail, and she's a bit surprised but mostly glad to see he's out. ...even if she may think it's stupid how he got himself arrested in the first place. She looks Han over for a moment, totally ignoring the pile of junk he's so outraged about for now. ]

You could have told us to meet you at the jail. We would've walked home with you.

[han's brain stalls out a little when leia emerges. did she ever mention that she was staying with them? he doesn't think she did, but--hey, she's coming out of his room, too. he puts two and two together and decides that she's been reorganizing his entire life.]

Well--I told you not to mess with my stuff either, didn't I?

[he complains, still looking like he's making an effort to look cool at her sudden appearance despite it throwing him off. also despite that eager puppy glow he tends to get in her presence.]

Honestly, I thought it would be tomorrow considerin' how long they were taking to do the paperwork. I was kinda surprised when they waved me out.

[honestly like 80% of his entire life needs reorganization. She'd be doing the galaxy a favor.]

I believe you said I was welcome to touch your stuff anytime.

[which she knows he meant in a dirty way, but she decided to take it literally because who can blame her? Han's stuff is all over the house.

But rather than letting him continue to stand by the junk pile--or what it's turned into--Leia approaches closer, the barest hint of a smile on her face. Because Han is here now, not in jail, and getting acclimated here with him and Luke both around will be much easier, much more familiar and comfortable. And plus it's easier to talk with him without bars separating them.]

So what's next? They released you, now what?

[...look, getting more information is her way of saying welcome home. It'd feel weird saying that aloud, since she hasn't actually lived here with Han yet.]

Trust you to take it that way.

[is what he mutters, but there's not much heat behind it because leia is approaching him, gotta look suave. he watches her approach with obvious interest in his eyes, the barest hint of a smile playing around his mouth.]

So, I got a big fat load of community service to suffer through.

Better than being locked up.

[and somehow it's all slightly more lenient than she expected. Not that she's complaining, she'll take Han having to do months of community service over Han being in jail and only being able to see him for a few hours a day at most. She didn't kill Jabba for that.]

I'm glad you're out now.

Me too.

[he decides to be adventurous and reach for her hand. they held hands last time they saw each other, so it shouldn't even be a problem.]

So what's a princess like you doin' in a dump like this, huh? Don't tell me Luke asked you over just to clean.

[she rolls her eyes at his question, but happily closes her fingers around his hand. Even her disbelief with that question can't mask that she's glad to be able to hold his hand without either of them having to reach through a set of metal bars.]

Luke invited me to stay here, actually. Though now that you mention it, I'm starting to think that it was all because he wanted my help cleaning up your mess.

To stay here?

[oops, he sounds way too surprised about that. he can't stop the widening of his eyes, brief as it is before he regains control of his expression and smooths it into something calmer.]

I mean, uh, that's great, that was a good idea. Wouldn't wanna split up the dream team, right?

[oh god, dream team is way too embarrassing a term to have used. if only he could take it back.]

[though part of her wants to respond with "where else would I stay?," the other part of her is worried about Han's reaction here. If maybe he didn't want to share a house with her. Which would really make where she had chosen to stay even more awkward to explain to him. Han was from a time before she was, after all; he might not be as comfortable with her staying with him as she is.

She purses her lips, just the briefest flash of worry in her expression.]

Do you not want me staying here?

[dream team is, thankfully, ignored in light of his other reaction.]

What, no! I mean, yeah, I do.

[great going, han. he grabs at her other hand so that he's holding both, an overly-earnest expression on his face.]

No, I don't want you...not...to stay here. You should stay here. [a beat, in which he actually winces at himself before soldiering on.] Hell, you know what I meant. It's a nice surprise, is all.

[she does know what he means, and her expression brightens as Han stumbles over the words coming out of his own mouth. She's more than happy to let him take both of her hands in his, making no efforts to stop him. In fact, she wraps her fingers around his as much as she's able, giving his hands a quick squeeze before continuing on.]

I'm glad to hear it. It would be difficult to pick up and move after getting settled in here.

[and though she is genuinely glad he wants her around, it's easier to partially cover that up with teasing. She would've been severely hurt, after all, had Han said he didn't want her to stay here. ]

Edited (Changed my mind ) 2017-06-28 21:22 (UTC)

Yeah, like you would move just 'cause I said something.

[he flashes her a grin like he really believes she's more stubborn than that, though he is mostly teasing. he strokes her hands, feeling incredibly bolstered by how eagerly she held on to him, and gently eases around her, passing close enough for their arms to brush even though that's totally unnecessary for what he's doing.]

Listen, I'm gonna hit the shower. Feels like it's been a year since I had a real one.

[he gives her hands a squeeze before letting go, heading into his bedroom, where he expects to find his own stuff in a slightly more organized layout and definitely not any signs that someone else has taken up residence there.]

[Han is already in the room before she can even decide how she wants to bring up exactly where she'd been staying and why she decided to stay there. Thinking on her feet and speaking and explaining herself are all things Leia is good at, but the situations she's used to working in don't involve explaining to your... whatever their relationship should be considered that you moved into his room.

She follows Han toward his room--their room--remaining in the doorway while he looks around. It's much more organized and clean than he left it, with his stuff put away in the closet and drawers, but it's not just Han's things that are there: Leia's belongings are in there, too, next to but not intermixed with Han's belongings.]

I thought this would be easier.

[And as steady as her voice is while she admits this--because this is totally enough of an explanation right? right--there's a slight flush to her cheeks. Not that she'll admit to it being there.]

[he starts out fairly oblivious, but it doesn't take him too long in opening and closing drawers to start finding ones full of women's clothing. after a few seconds he pauses in his search, feeling genuinely puzzled, and leia's comment actually makes him jump a bit. he turns to face her as what that comment really means sinks in. lady clothes in his dresser, leia blushing in the doorway. a borderline smarmy expression crosses his face--a non-verbal aha!, if you will--but then he remembers that there's more to this than his never-ending quest to win the princess. they've got a kid together, after all, even if it's in the future. so he makes an attempt to soften his response.

he was going to tease her, or more accurately gloat a bit, but instead he tempers that response down to a smile that may or may not be a touch sultry as he comes back to her at the doorway.]

You look embarrassed.

[okay, he can't not tease her a bit. she's blushing and that's rare, okay?? he leans against the door frame, casual as fuck, enjoying the sight of her being ever so slightly flustered.]

I'm not embarrassed.

[her automatic reaction is to deny the claim, as obvious as it is that Han is right. She crosses her arms in front of her, and lifts her chin defiantly, to try and come off as someone who totally isn't internally flustered about having to explain to someone why she'd been staying in their room. As skilled with words as she maybe, explaining that to your... boyfriend? (Something like that) isn't something covered in diplomacy or speech lessons. Especially not when time shenanigans are part of the equation.]

I just wanted to tell you before you went through the drawers yourself.

[sure, that'll work as an explanation. And it's not a total lie, she just wasn't even sure how to bring it up before.]

Oh, alright. Got it.

[it's just that he still looks so smugly amused about it.]

I just thought you should know, uh, there's no need to be embarrassed about me seein' your particulars. 'Specially if we're gonna be...sharin' a room.

[of course it may be a small solace to her that although he is deeply enjoying tweaking her a bit over this unexpected but not unwelcomed development, it is in part to cover up the deeper emotions he's feeling over the gesture. like, you know...sure, they said "i love you" once under duress, and sure they've made out a few times, but this is pretty serious. this is living together and sharing a bed and alternating drawers of whose clothes go where. it's a whole new level of relationship.]

[while the color hasn't faded from her cheeks, his smug amusement is enough to make Leia huff in mild annoyance. Even though she knows it's probably exactly what he wants, she's too flustered, dealing with too many emotions resulting from Han being here and not in jail to be able to keep up a good poker face at the moment.]

Fortunately, neither do you.

[because she already saw his when making this room a cleaner, more civilized looking livable space. But after a short pause, in a softer tone, she adds--]

You're okay with this?

[because it's true, she didn't ask him beforehand, she just assumed it would be fine, largely because she wanted to be here more than anywhere else. She wants to be close to him, and she knows he feels the same, but... time differences.]

'Course, it's fine. I'm honored, even.

[a beat, as he edges a bit closer into her personal space, looming over her in that way he loves to do.]

So, what'd you think of my particulars?

[Leia keeps her gaze focused on Han, looking for any sign of discomfort or hint that he's not fine with this and is saying it to spare her feelings. Not that Han has ever been one to be quiet with his opinions, even ones that hurt her in the past, but that doesn't stop her from searching anyway.

And she was about to say something to that effect, but then he asks that question, and Leia's brain stalls for just the briefest moment.]

What did I think?

[she repeats it, incredulous, like she can't believe he's really asking this right now. Even though she really should've guessed and really can believe he's asking this right now.]

I think you're incorrigible.

[he huffs a laugh at her response, though she's taking this a little more seriously than he would have expected her to given the circumstances. she chose to put her stuff in there, so surely she expected him to go along with it? unless...]

You weren't plannin' to move all that stuff out of there before I got back, were you?

[he says it teasingly, but that element she's been looking for is lurking behind his expression now. caution, like maybe he was reading too much into it this whole time and she was just...taking the nicest room in the house, or something, and was going to sneak back out before he got released.]

I wasn't.

[her response comes almost immediately, before she even really registers that insecurity lurking in his expression. She may not have known how to really bring it up with him, but as long as he wasn't upset with the prospect, she was planning on staying in this room with him. It's comfortable here, and it means she gets to be close to him. Both of which are important.

She offers a small, almost relieved smile as she reaches out for his hand. And after a moment, perhaps for the sake of preempting arguments or to further prove she's serious about wanting to stay here with him, she adds--]

I think I like the left side of the bed best.

Oh, tried'em both out, did you?

[he wraps his hand around hers easily, relaxing a bit at this new assertion. sheesh, talking to girls is complicated, huh?]

Well, you weren't here.

[which of course means she was free to spread out all over the bed as much as she wanted. A dangerous precedent, Han will soon find out.]

I think it's more than large enough for both of us.

[which, while her voice is steady, almost slightly teasing in fact, brings a hint of color back to her face as she admits it. As with before, of course, she's pointedly ignoring the heat in her face.]

[more like leia will soon find out...after she shoves him off the bed a few times and he learns the octopus maneuver.

in contrast to her blush, han looks a mixture of delighted and proud, like damn. he didn't realize they were here and yet, behold, a hot young princess has set up camp in his bed. he leans into her, smiling and obviously enjoying this mixture of assertiveness and embarrassment she's employing.]

And what if I prefer the left side?

[...he feels like he won't care so much what side he's on as long as he's got leia to curl up with, but she's just too easy to wind up.]

[in contrast to much of the time they've known each other, Leia doesn't draw back as Han leans in. She stands her ground, even leaning toward him ever so slightly. It really betrays the teasingly matter of fact sort of feel she's going for when she replies.]

That's too bad. I already claimed it.

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