Redamancy - Han Solo [3]

Chapter 6: The Calm Before the Storm

Tasha woke up feeling . . . safe. Han's arms had drifted in his sleep and curled itself over her side. It was nice, comfortable. She hadn't dreamt while she slept, another novelty for her, a woman who was used to nightmares that made you wake up screaming or with tears pouring down your face.

"Hey," Han's gravelly voice startled her from her reflection. He must've woken up too.

"Hi," replied Tasha quietly.

"How'd you get in here?" Tasha's spirits dropped slightly.

"Lando, um, don't worry I'll get out of your way," she made to stand back up, but Han grabbed her wrist as she sat on the side of the bed.

"No, don't," she turned around to look at the smuggler-turn-rebel-hero. Her diamond in the rough. His hair was slightly messed up from the pillow, his eyes only half open, still blinking out sleep, his fingers calloused where they touched her wrist. Tasha stayed sat on the edge of the bed, running her hand over her face and through her now extremely tangled half-dyed hair. Han let go of her wrist, flopping down onto his back, staring up at the compartment ceiling.

"Did you mean it?" Han muttered, making Tasha turn around again.

"What?" she asked, confused. As far as she knew she hadn't said anything to him yet.

"What you said before I... that you...that you love me?" Tasha blushed. To be honest, she'd been waiting for this moment, this conversation, but she'd been hoping it would happen after they sorted everything else out, not now. She fidgeted, looking intently at her fingers, trying to work out what to say. Well, there was only one thing she could say.

"Um, yes," she said finally, looking back at him, "I did mean it. You don't think I'd spend a year stuck in that dump for the fun of it, do you?" Han chuckled, pushing himself up onto his elbows so he could get a proper look at Tasha.

"I, Tash, I'm not good with this sorta stuff, I've only ever really cared about one person, and -"

"I know," Tasha said, cutting him off. For some reason she didn't want to hear all about Han's teenage sweetheart.

"You do?"

"Yeah, I've met her actually." Said Tasha, enjoying the growing look of confusion on Han's face, "She was the one who helped me get into Jabba's palace."

"Qi'ra?!" Han was incredulous. Tasha just nodded.

"Lando!" Han shouted back into the main compartment, "you are so dead!" Tasha laughed despite herself, standing up.

"I better go check on things," she said. Han nodded, moving to get up out of bed. Tasha shook her head at him. "no, you stay and rest some more, I'll come get you when we reach the fleet."

"Thanks." Tasha did something impulsive. She bent down and kissed his forehead, Han smiling slightly at the gesture, his eyes still half closed. Her half-blonde hair fell into her face again and she brushed it out of her eyes, tucking the mess behind her ears as best she could. They'd stopped in Mos Eisley on the way back to the Falcon to dump the skiff and so they could all change at the place Luke had rented a room in, and while Tasha had changed into some looser pants, a tank top and her uniform leather jacket, they didn't have the time or the products to do anything with her hair, which now that the blonde dye had faded in the Tatooine sun, and her roots were nearly down to her tops of her ears, really was starting to look awful. With one more glance at Han, who didn't seem to have any problem falling asleep again, Tasha walked out of the room and headed back through to the cockpit.

Lando was sat with chewie playing holographic chess, Leia sat next to him, leaning slightly on his shoulder, eyes half shut. Everyone was tired. Tasha grinned at them as she passed, Leia smiling back, blushing again. she slid into the booth next to chewie, leaning her elbows on the consol in front of her.