Star Wars: Back to Bespin

Chapter 5

A/N: I continue to be grateful to those who are reading this fic. Please, tell your friends :). Please note that this chapter contains adult content.

Chapter 5

Han toed the behemoth on the beach that Leia had shot. It was a scary looking creature, longer than a full-grown Wookie, but nearly as wide as a young Hutt. It had a wide tail fin and a long dorsal fin, and its entire body glowed in rainbow iridescence. But what made it particularly frightening were its multiple rows of sharp, jagged teeth.

"The damn thing slid up out of the water and knocked me off my feet," Leia was saying as she shivered, both from her wet clothes and the thought of what the creature might have done to her had she not blasted it. A dark, smoking hole in its side attested to her expert aim and quick thinking.

"What the hell is it?" she asked, forehead wrinkling.

Han glanced from the dead fish to the drenched princess and grinned.

"Dinner," he replied.

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The Falcon would have to stay powered down awhile, Han thought, so, after sending Leia off to change out of her wet clothes in the dark ship, he occupied his time gathering wood and brush from the edge of the jungle. By the time Leia returned, her hair hanging loose and damp down her back, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders, he'd created quite a pile on the beach, hopefully far enough away from the reach of hungry sea monsters. He used his blaster on low to start a fire, and soon it burned pleasantly, crackling, sparks rising and disappearing into the darkening sky.

He kissed her gently on the forehead, motioning her to sit by the fire. Taking the vibroblade from his belt, he sauntered over to the fish, the lapping waves already taking it back out to sea. Han had to shoo off sea birds who were anxious for a feast of their own, and, after looking thoughtfully at the bulky creature, he cut off the tough outer skin of its side to reveal a great bit of dense, pink flesh. He sliced off a couple of chunks and rinsed them in the sea before carrying them triumphantly back to Leia and the fire. She'd brought out a flagon of Naboo beer and a spatula and pan from the galley, and it was heating on the fire. He tossed the two pieces to sizzle in the pan, and soon the air around them filled with the delicious smell of frying fish.

Han sat in the sand beside her, and she shared her blanket, for the air blowing off the water was turning decidedly colder. She leaned her head on his shoulder, and he reveled in her warmth, in her nearness.

"It was nice to sit by the fire on Endor," she murmured, "but it's much nicer here now, just the two of us."

"What, you don't like being surrounding by little singing fuzzballs and ale-drunk Rebels?"

He felt her grin against his arm. "I'd rather be with you."

He turned his head from the fire and looked into her eyes, the firelight reflecting in their deep brown depths. He bent to take her lips, kissing her deeply, thoroughly, taking his time while his heart gradually picked up speed and his breathing accelerated to nearly painful levels.

The smell of scorched fish was the only thing that could tear him away from her, and he jumped up suddenly, nearly tripping in order to flip the fillets over in the pan before they burned.

He sat again, promising himself to be more vigilant. He caught her smiling at him.

"I wish I had a holovid of you jumping up to save dinner," she said, chuckling.

"Hey, nothing beats fresh fish."

She raised an eyebrow.

"Well," he amended, "there'll be plenty of time for that after dinner." She shivered again at the intense look in his eyes.