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[Casual or obviously not casual, Leia won't call him out on that, not at the moment. She doesn't want him to get defensive, not just because it'd ruin both of their moods, but also because it'd ruin Natsume's cake. No one wins when Han and Leia argue.]

It doesn't have to be a big deal. What you did for me and Luke last year was perfect.

[And what he's in the middle of doing for Natsume this year.]

[he finally decides it's safe to give her his full attention again, offering her a gentle smirk.]

So you want an excuse for more cake, huh? Should've known.

[That just gets Leia to roll her eyes, the awkward atmosphere effectively gone, as far as she can tell, from that one quip.]

For your birthday, I'd have to make the cake. I'd be the one doing the hard work.

[Which is to say, if she just wanted more cake, she'd just buy it. Less work that way.]

A princess baking, that's something I'd like to see.

[the danger of her throwing a party for him or something seems to have passed, so he feels safe enough to continue teasing her about it.]

It's no more shocking than a scoundrel like you baking a cake. When did you pick this talent up?

[sure, he's done it before, and sure, he's insisted he knows how to cook before, but it's still surprising to see Han Solo of all people baking a cake.]

I know how to follow instructions, I can do that with the best of'em.

[and just like that he's indignant. cake is just, you know, mixing up a few things. no big deal.]

You know how to follow instructions.

[in spite of his indignation, Leia just sounds absolutely amused by that assertion. Sure, he can follow instructions when he wants to, but it's that wanting to part that's always been the problem.]

I have a lot of experience that would disagree with that.

[han lifts his chin and sniffs at her, clearly unimpressed.]

I know how to follow instructions when they're worth following.

[Leia rolls her eyes and purposely bumps her shoulder against him, in some sort of mock-chiding gesture.]

And the instructions for baking a cake are the ones you deem worth following?

Yeah, 'cause if you don't follow them, the cake don't set right.

[ooh, he even knows the terminology. perhaps he did some research prior to luke and leia's birthday?]

[he either did research or the Falcon was an intergalactic bakery when they weren't smuggling, so Leia is leaning toward the "he did research" side.]

I had no idea you were such a knowledgeable baker. Your talents are being wasted, clearly.

[but for all her teasing, she finds it endearing that he's looked up that much about baking initially for her and Luke's sake.]

[the first idea is just preposterous. where would they find a chewie-sized hair net??]

You're bein' real cute.

[is his eye-rolling response as he takes the cake from the oven, and no, that does not in any way prove her teasing point. it is a perfectly nice-looking cake, not bakery quality or anything, but it's cake shaped and it smells good.]

It's still gotta cool down...this stuff takes forever.

[cake shaped and good smelling (and presumably good tasting) are all you really need, and Leia deems it more than passable as she inspects the results so far.]

It smells good.

[which is obvious, but well. No point in not saying it]

How long do we need to wait before we can frost it?

Ten, fifteen minutes? [he shrugs lazily.] If you do it too fast the icing will melt.

[something he probably knows from experience, honestly. he waves the towel over it like a fan, absently, as he talks to her.]

How do you think "Takashi" is spelled? I figured maybe if I sounded it out whatever magically translates stuff would pick up the slack.

[That. Is a good question. And even more, making sure it's actually spelled correctly in another language, rather than in Aurebesh. Sure, they could write it in that anyway and Natsume could manage to read it somehow, but... it's probably better to see if they can't make it easier on him.

She furrows her brow, trying to work out how they would spell "Takashi." Even after a year or so, it's still hard to try and figure out how to write in a different language through the translator. Reading is one thing, but writing is another.]

Do you think he'd mind whether it's in Aurebesh or the alphabet used here?

D'you think he even knows the local alphabet? If not it won't make a difference either way.

[still fanning the cake, like an old granny in the kitchen.]

[Also a fair point. She knows there isn't exactly a standard basic sort of language on Earth, or at least on some Earths, and she isn't sure which sort of planet Natsume specifically is from, or whether this is even an alphabet used there. Planets. They're confusing.]

Let's go with what we know, then. He might even be interested in learning to write in Aurebesh.

So..."TA-KA-SHE"?

[he sounds it out slowly, as he's trying to decide what characters would be best.]

Better than nothing, anyway, yeah?

[Leia nods, turning away to look for a piece of paper or something to write down her idea on how to spell his name. When she finds something (and something to write with), she writes down "TAKASHE" in Aurebesh, because that's how it sounds and it seems right enough to her.]

So, this then?

[han scoots around her for a better look, coincidentally smothering her personal bubble. honestly, just shove him.]

Looks okay. I think he'll get the idea, anyway. I mean, nobody else has had a birthday recently.

[She doesn't shove him with her hands or anything, but she does, in fact, bump her hip against him as an unspoken way of telling him to move out of the way. She can't get around to help decorate the cake with him crowding her in one spot.]

As far as we know.

[Not that she knows when other people's birthdays are here. But that's for a different time--]

So has it cooled enough to frost it yet?

[he shuffles around her, staying close enough to be annoying but at least she can move around now?? this is the life you chose, leia. living life with an overly tall invader of personal space.]

Dunno. [don't mind him, he'll just reach out and pat the thing. it doesn't feel hot, so...] Ah, I'll just put a little on. Worst that'll happen is it melts off, right?

[She chose this life and chose to marry this tall personal space invader, it's true. As annoying as he can be, though, she wouldn't choose any differently. And given that she can actually move around, she can ignore the hovering for now in favor of focusing on the cake.]

Testing a little won't ruin it.

[She thinks?? Either way, that's her agreeing with him.

But actually, she can't quite ignore the hovering as well as she thought. She turns back from the cake, toward him, a slightly quizzical slightly exasperated sort of expression on her face.]

Was there something you wanted?

[he takes her question as an invitation to slide his arms around her waist and loom over her from much closer, a pleased expression on his face.]

Well, since you asked...

[he was just in the mood to touch her, apparently. just a smuggler indulging in a brief snuggle.]

Should probably get a knife for the frosting, huh?

[yet he makes no move to do so.]

[That is some next level cheesiness from him. She expects cheesiness and Han thinking he's being smooth when he's totally not, but this is pretty up there. Not that she minds. Leia rolls her eyes, looking up at him fondly.]

That would be a good idea. I doubt Takashi would like it if you used your hands to spread the frosting.

[Which she's sure he wouldn't do, but well. They need a knife to spread that frosting, and the drawer with those in it is behind Han.]

I can't exactly reach for one myself.

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