#future foundling

For @followfire

“Do you think we should have waited?” She looked at his hand.

“Waited for what?”

“Until I was older?”

Han shrugged. “Neither of us are getting any younger.”

“True, but I’m only 22.”

“And I’m only 32.”

Leia looked at him, she always forgot how much older he was. She nodded. “But do you think people will talk?”

“People will always talk Lei, we haven’t gotten married, they’ll talk about that.”

She nodded placing her hand over his. It was odd, she was used to him always having his hands on her, but usually at the small of her back or since her hair cut, running his fingers through her hair. It still felt odd to her to feel his hand against her stomach for such an extended period of time, in a non sexual way.

“There will always be something for people to talk about Leia, we’re ten years apart, we’re not married, you used to be a princess and I used to be a smuggler and a scoundrel.” “You’re still a scoundrel.” She spoke feeling his whiskers against her neck, the contrast of soft lips and his coarse beard.

He chuckled.

“Does the age difference bother you?”

“Less and less the older you get.”

She furrowed her brows at him. “What do you mean?”

“Well.” He spoke contemplatively. “I’m not sure I’d have slept with you when you were nineteen.

“You wanted to.”

He smiled at her. “I did, until I found out how young you were.”

She shook her head.

He shrugged. “I don’t know Lei, I thought the right thing was to wait a while, at least until you were twenty.”

“Who knew Han Solo was cautious.” Leia deadpanned.

“Hey, would you want an almost thirty year old man fooling around with our daughter when she’s nineteen?”

Leia cringed. “Well, when you say it like that...”

“Kind of makes you understand your mother’s reaction a little better, doesn’t it?”

She nodded.

“So you can understand how I might’ve felt like a pervert.”

She smiled at him. “I was a grown woman, Han.”

“Barely.”

“Enough of one.”

“Eh, sort of, but if your father had been around, he’d have cut off my balls.”

Leia laughed. “He would have, had he caught you. I was pretty good at sneaking lovers in and out of the palace.”

“Sure boys, your age. I’m a grown man.”

“They weren’t all boys, Han.”

“Yeah, yeah I know I’m not talking about girls. I’m a grown man, they’d have sent you away if they’d’ve caught me in your royal bed.”

“Boarding school?”

He nodded.

“I went to an all girls boarding school, Han.”

He raised an eyebrow at her. “Bet you enjoyed that.”

She bit her bottom lip and smiled at him. “I enjoyed it enough to get myself into quite a bit of trouble. I was asked to leave.”

“The Princess, asked to leave?”

“For participating in activities unbecoming of a princess.”

“And those activities were?”

She cleared her throat. “Being caught in the act with other girls on more than on occasion.”

“So, what did the folks do?”

“Sent me to University early.”

“I’d bet that’s not what your headmistress had in mind.”

Leia smiled at him.

“You used to get into get into all sorts of trouble didn’t you?”

you call it “Crime”

https://youtu.be/FlDGFrP4NgI

oh that’s sad huh

Han sat with Kira translating die unendliche Geschichte into Basic by lamplight as large velvety snowflakes fell outside, covering everything in a soft blanket of snow. Han had seen the weather coming and stocked up the little house with wood for the fireplaces and plenty of supplies. The house deep in the Endorian forest was silent except his voice as he read her his favorite story crafting a world in her mind from the page. Leia had worried that she was too young and that the rockbiters and The Nothing would frighten her, but had conceded when Han had reminded her that her mother had read the same story to her at roughly the same age.

Leia was grateful that Han able to take the time to spend Kira. Kira, who had become very overprotective of Leia since the day she’d first felt the force presence of her sister as she began to grow, nestled deep inside of Leia’s body. In fact Kira had felt the baby long before Leia had even missed her period. She’d follow Leia around saying, ‘Someone here to visit’ and Leia would assure her that there were no other Jedi on the moon with them. It had spooked Leia, but Han had been the first to suggest that she might be pregnant.

Now, as her due date neared and her body protested her every move, she was glad that Han could distract Kira from her constant questions about the baby, ‘Wanna play with Jaina? When Jaina here,’ for a while. She missed hot baths and had finally broken down and taken a warm bath constantly adjusting the temperature of the water with her feet, not wanting to get cold but at the same time, afraid to make the water too hot. She lie there listening to soft music and the sound of a cracking fire in the bedroom fireplace. She sipped her tea and read through intel briefs about the attack on the Yavin IV base, thankful that she and Han and Kira were safe here on New Alderaan. Mon Mothma was due to visit within the next couple of days as she waited for the new base on Hoth to be completed. As it stood the entirety of the Rebel Alliance was floating around in uncharted space and Leia had offered Mon Mothma one of the spare rooms until the base was completed. They’d always been close, even more so after the destruction of Alderaan and she appreciated the help that Mon would provide as Leia neared her due date. The more family she had around her after the baby was born the more she’d be able to rest and recover and Mon was definitely family.

“Shit.” Leia hissed feeling almost constant urge to use the sani, just as she’d really begun to relax. “Jaina.” She spoke gently as she caressed her swollen belly. “Please get off my bladder.” Of course it didn’t work and she knew she was going to have to get up.

Leia sighed and braced herself of both sides of the bathing tub in an attempt to push herself up enough to get out. “Shit.” She cursed again. She tried again, but she just didn’t have the strength.

“Bastian looked at the book.'I wonder,' he said to himself, 'what's in a book while it's closed. Oh, I know it's full of letters printed on paper, but all the same, something must be happening, because as soon as I open it, there's a whole story with people I don't know yet and all kinds of adventures, deeds and battles. And sometimes there are storms at sea, or it takes you to strange cities and countries. All those things are somehow shut in a book. Of course you have to read it to find out. But it's already there, that's the funny thing. I just wish I knew how it could be.'Suddenly an almost festive mood came over him.” Han read quietly, translating the Corellian to Basic as he read. “He settled himself down, picked up the book, opened it to the first page, and began to read...”

“Han?” Leia’s voice rang out.

“Let’s go check on mommy.” Han spoke setting the book aside and getting up. He kept his voice calm and even so that Kira wouldn’t get worked up.

“Yes your highnessness?” Han spoke appearing in the doorway.

She smiled at him and shook her head. “Don’t laugh.”

“No promises.”

“I’m stuck.” She spoke quietly with her chin up, trying to keep her dignity.

“What?” Han spoke trying very hard to cover the laughter in his voice.

“I’m stuck Han, help me.”

He smiled shaking his head. “Alright.” He spoke rolling up his sleeves. “Let’s get you out of there.” He spoke hooking his arms under hers.

“Just hurry, I have to use the sani.”

Han’s composure faltered and he laughed.

“Oh shut up you big nerf’s ass.” She spoke gripping his biceps. “It’s your fault.”

“My fault? We did this together.”

“Your daughter is sitting on my bladder.”

“Our daughter.” He spoke pulling her up.

“As often as I’ve craved Corellian food in the last eight months, I think it’s safe to say I’m carrying around a little Corellian.”

“What can I say?” He spoke, helping her dry off. “The little bandit has impeccable taste.”

Leia rolled her eyes at him.