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The three of them had been dispatched on a mission together for the first time in months. Already they'd fallen back into the easy roll and tumble of the quirky friendship that had bound them from the day they'd all met. Han was loud and ignored Leia's personal space. Leia was irritated and ignored Luke's personal space. Luke was amused, and moved between his two best friends like a living neutral zone while Artoo and Threepio bickered amiably. The only one missing was Chewbacca, but he was back at base with a vicious cold and it would have been cruel to drag him along.
As soon as they scanned the terrain and touched down, Luke thought they should have left Artoo home, too. "Sorry, buddy. There's no way you'll be able to wheel your way through this." The mournful whistle he received in reply may have been a touch smug. At least Artoo wasn't going to have to slog through wet, sticky, cold mud.
"You sure you want to walk?" Han asked Leia.
"I'm fine walking. Why, do you need a transport?"
"No, I just thought you wouldn't want to get your feet wet, Your Highness. I figured I'd have to carry you."
Luke tuned out their mutual needling and pulled on his own boots. Mud was still a new enough phenomenon that he didn't mind. The expressions on his friends' faces, and Threepio's full-body slump, suggested they weren't as pleased, but there was nothing he could do about that.
The trek to the village was as chilly and miserable as advertised. Leia huddled in her jacket, stomping through the muck with vicious pride, pretending she wasn't slipping when another footfall came down on wobbling slime. Han followed after, muttering about the way the mud sucked at his boots with each step, and muttering more about the decayed smell of the diseased-looking plant life surrounding them. Luke stayed beside Threepio, worried less about the splash of dirt and grime high on his friend's golden chassis, which Threepio complained about non-stop, and more about what it was doing to the servos in his legs. He'd brought his repair kit in his knapsack, but didn't relish spending this mission focusing on Threepio's knees.
Han said, "You really think we should establish a base here?"
Leia said nothing. She focused on her data pad, rereading all the information she had collected on the inhabitants of this world. At last she said, "If the locals will have us."
Threepio said, "Princess Leia, this is not an appropriate environment for droids."
"We'll take that into account when we discuss this back at base. For now, all of you, please keep open minds and open eyes. We don't know if there are Imperial spies, even here." That was why Luke and Han had been sent to join her on this initial diplomatic contact. Leia could negotiate on behalf of the Rebellion. Her friends could get her out if things went bad in a hurry.
Their steps led them upwards, and the mud gave way to somewhat former footing. Lights appeared in the distance, foggy and unclear in the smelly mists that oozed from the wet ground. There was little high ground to be found around here. They'd landed the Falcon on one such knoll. This was the only other for kilometers around. Luke tried to picture where they'd build a base, and how. Digging deep would only give rise to flooding, and leaving their ships out in this would encourage rust, or worse.
The perimeter buildings appeared out of the fog, lit by nearly-modern glow lamps. The structures were a blend of native wood and what appeared to be durasteel, which gave question to where the residents had found such a thing, and why it hadn't decayed in the damp. Luke turned these questions over in his head as Leia stepped forward, Threepio at her side, and extended greetings.
They were greeted by armed guards. They were humans, or near humans; the briefing hadn't been clear. Luke stood back beside Han, noting without looking that Han's hand rested close to his blaster. Luke closed his eyes. He'd picked up a little training on how to use his powers, not much but enough. He reached out now, and noted no antipathy from the guards.
"I don't think they're dangerous," he said, loudly enough for Leia to hear. "They're cautious."
She tilted her head, acknowledging she'd heard, then stepped forward to introduce herself. Beside her, Threepio translated. The guards relaxed their hold on their weapons.
"Neat trick, kid," said Han in a low voice. "Now can you convince them to bring us some grub?"
"I didn't make them do anything." But he smiled anyway, enjoying the quiet glow of Han's appreciation. Han talked a good game about how the Force was nonsense, but he sat in on Luke's self-paced lessons when he could. Han could be impressed as long as he didn't let on that he was impressed, the same as he did when Leia pulled out another magic trick of diplomacy like she was doing now.
They were given cloths to wipe down the worst of the mud from their boots, then led inside, the guards falling in around them as an honor guard rather than captors. Leia and Threepio were brought to the village head, whose own bodyguards flanked her the same way Han and Luke kept pace with Leia. Luke gave one of them a friendly smile before remembering the trouble he got into the last time he tried to make nice during a diplomatic mission and nearly caused a war instead. He sighed inwardly. There was a reason politics was Leia's job.
Threepio rapidly exchanged courtesies with the leader, translating Leia's plea with hesitant elegance. The Rebellion was looking for new sanctuary. They desired to share this world with the people here for a time. They could build their base far away from the villages. In exchange, they could offer goods from the wider galaxy, food or supplies as needed.
The leader considered her words. "We will decide in the sunlight," she said. "We make no decisions in the dark."
"Thank you for considering our request," Leia said, and waited for Threepio to relay her gratitude. "We will return to our ship and await your decision."
"You are travelers. Please accept our hospitality."
Luke felt a sad twinge at the familiarity. Tatooine had a long tradition of hospitality to strangers, allowing newcomers in at night for shelter from the dangers of a desert evening. You might shoot your guest in the morning, but only after breakfast.
"You are most gracious," said Leia. "We accept."
"Um," said Han, but Luke bumped against him.
"It's fine," he said. "They don't mean us any harm."
"You think."
The dignitaries ignored them. Threepio, speaking for the leader, said, "Grace Leia and her consorts will join us for the evening meal."
"Her what?" Han said.
Threepio said, "I'm afraid this language has no term for unmarried adult male. The two of you are considered Princess Leia's possessions, although I may have the dialect mildly skewed."
"Possessions?!" Han was about to cause an incident of his own. The guards shifted their grip on their weapons.
Luke quickly placed his hands on his shoulders. "Now isn't the time."
Leia glared back at Han. "Just play along, Flyboy."
Han looked at Luke and dropped the fight from his shoulders. "Fine. Consorts. Right." Under his breath, he said, "Yeah, catch me ever married to her."
Luke chose not to comment. He wasn't as naive as either of his friends liked to tease. He'd long ago picked up on the uncomfortable undercurrent between Han and Leia. They sparked against each other like two positively-charged wires, and both looked to Luke to ground them. They could all play married tonight and get back to arguing tomorrow.
A meal was set out for the village leader and her guests. Leia sat in a place of honor, while Luke and Han were given seats to either side of her. Threepio stood at her shoulder, listening in to conversations around them and diligently recording them for later analysis. "How are your knees?" Luke asked him.
"My knees are in good condition, Master Luke, but I'm afraid the servos in my feet will not make it back to the Millennium Falcon. You'll have to leave me here."
"Or I can fix you after dinner," Luke said with a smile at Threepio's dramatic catastrophizing.
"That would be most generous of you," said Threepio, and he went back to his duties.
"You better fix him," Han said. "I am not carrying Goldenrod back to the ship."
Leia shushed them, and turned back to her conversation with the leader. She was attempting to ingratiate the Rebellion with their new allies, and Han wasn't helping. Luke caught her eye. Time to ground.
He picked up the cup he'd been served, rolling it between his palms. "You know, this reminds me of that story you once told me about the time you and Chewie accidentally got put in charge of that one planet. How did that go again?"
Han's face cracked with with a grin. "No, you got it wrong, kid. We weren't put in charge of the whole planet. What happened was...." Han lit up, happy in the memory of an adventure with Chewbacca back in the old days. Luke settled into his seat and listened, picturing Chewie wearing a crown of woven stems on his big, fuzzy head and Han sweet-talking their new subjects out of a cargo hold full of the rare unguent manufactured on their planet. He laughed with Han as he related how fast they had to high-tail it out of there once the locals decided it was time for the ritual sacrifice of their new kings.
Another plate holding tiny fruits was brought out and placed in front of Leia. The leader spoke, and Threepio said, "A gift for the guests, to celebrate shared productivity."
"That sounds good," Han said. "I guess we're in."
"Thank you," said Leia. "We hope to share many productive times with you." Threepio translated, and the leader's eyes went wide with amusement. Some of the others laughed. The leader indicated Leia should eat.
Leia took a handful of the fruits and placed them in her mouth, chewing delicately. "They're delicious, thank you." The leader pushed the plate towards Han and Luke.
A bad feeling hit Luke all at once. "Threepio?"
"She's insistent, Master Luke. If Artoo were here, he could scan for possible poisons."
Han's hand was halfway to his mouth. "Poisons?"
Leia said, "I already ate some and I feel fine." Her eyes were lit with amusement of her own. "You're not scared, right?"
Luke plucked out a few fruits and placed one in his mouth, chewing obviously. The sweetness burst over his tongue with a tart aftertaste. He tried two more. "They're really good, Han."
Han ate his share, face forming into a reluctant grin as he chewed. "Okay, but if we all die from poison or intestinal parasites or something, I told you so." Leia turned away from him, and Luke watched her sigh. This was the reason they didn't bring Han on the diplomatic missions.
Also, he was inappropriate at bad times. As the meal ended, Luke felt Han's hand press against his leg, fingers inching towards Luke's crotch. Luke reached under the table to push him away, and wound up holding his hand instead as Han flashed him a flirtatious smile. Warmth moved through Luke, not entirely unfamiliar. He'd loved Han ever since Han had flown back to the Death Star to save Luke's life, and there had been plenty of nights where he'd been brave enough in his dreams to say so, waking with his shorts sticky and his heart uneasy with complication.
The complication sat to Han's other side, placing a hand at the back of her own neck and blinking. Luke had loved Leia since the moment he'd seen her face on that hologram, and all the days that had passed between them after had only deepened his feelings. He was as close to her as to anyone he'd ever met, so much that he shared what she felt, even could hear her thoughts sometimes.
Leia felt very warm right now, and her thoughts were jumbled, circling back to Han and Luke. Luke's own heart raced.
They'd joked about poisons.
Luke calmed his breathing and focused on his own body. There'd been a trick in one of the old books he'd found. He could adjust his metabolism, prevent his body from absorbing more of the toxins they'd eaten. Han and Leia couldn't. He had to get them to safety.
He tried to stand, and noted the shaky muscles in his legs. "We have to leave."
Leia laughed, a glittery, brittle sound. "Luke, we're spending the night here. Hospitality." She enunciated the word with an exaggerated Core accent, the same way she did when she'd been drinking.
To Luke's shock, Leia leaned closer to Han and kissed him. To his greater shock, Han kissed her back. Their hosts applauded and laughed. The leader said something.
It occurred to him he didn't feel like he'd been poisoned, even as he pushed down the worst of the effects.
Threepio said, "Guest accommodations have been prepared."
Luke shook his head, watching his two best friends keep kissing. "Threepio, what did you say the gift was celebrating? Productivity?"
"Yes, Master Luke," he said, as Luke was helped out of his seat. "I could be incorrect on the subtlety of the translation. 'Fruitfulness' may be a better fit, or 'fecundity' as an alternative. Really, this dialect is quite varied from its closest relative language."
Leia broke away from Han and was helped to her own feet. "Fecundity? As in fertility?"
"Yes, Princess Leia. That is an excellent translation!"
Han woke up from his mild stupor long enough to blink and shrug off the hands trying to help him stand. "They gave us sex drugs? I didn't sign up to escort you to an orgy."
Leia said, "Threepio, tell them our culture requires no one may join me except my consorts, and we require strict privacy." Luke sensed her fear. They'd said 'shared productivity' when the gift had been presented. Being fed an aphrodisiac was bad enough; Leia hadn't signed up for an orgy either.
Threepio obediently translated that to the leader, who waved her hand absently. "She says that will not be an issue."
They were half-led, half-dragged to a small building not far from where they'd eaten. Luke slowed his footsteps to stay next to Leia. If she was pulled away at the last moment, he had his lightsaber and would get her out of here then come back for Han, although he wasn't sure how well he could fight with his head swimming this way. He focused on neutralizing the drug in his system, and kept a lookout for trouble. Both tasks became much harder when Leia slipped her hand in his and pressed closer to him as they walked. When she reached behind him to place a friendly hand on his ass, something else got harder.
The building was a single room, lit with one glow lamp above them in the ceiling. There was a small table with bowls of what would turn out to be water. The only other furnishing was a large pallet on the floor, plush with blankets. Their hosts pushed them inside with more laughter and some applause. Threepio joined them in the room. Leia said, "Stand outside. Keep guard."
"Oh yeah," Han said as the door shut. "Great idea."
Luke said, "You want him in here now?"
"What I want," Han said, stepping closer to Luke, "is for the room to stop spinning." He clutched to Luke's shoulders, drawing him close. His erection was hard under his pants, and he moaned into Luke's hair as Luke pressed instinctively against him.
Maybe this wouldn't be bad. They were dizzy and tired. Luke would protect Leia and Han while they slept for as long as he could keep his own eyes open. The drug could pass out of their systems harmlessly.
Leia settled down onto the sleeping pallet, resting her head on her arm. "That could have gone much worse."
Han said against Luke's head. "Worse than being drugged?"
"You brought up orgies. We could have been the guests of honor at a rape party." She closed her eyes. The fear hadn't left her, even if her voice was firmly sarcastic. Luke kissed Han's cheek and went to sit beside her.
"I'm not detecting any ulterior motives from them, if that helps."
Her eyes slipped open. "You're sure?"
Luke nodded. Han joined them on the pallet, his hands finding the sensitive spots on Luke's back. Leia sat up and her lips found Luke's. They'd shared a handful of quick, sweet kisses since they'd met. This one was deeper, dirtier, and full of the want Leia hadn't let herself admit to before now. Luke went to move away, but Han's lips found his neck before he could.
He had hoped they could sleep this off, but neither of the other two was sleepy. The charge running through him now was better than a pot of hot caf. He focused on metabolizing the drug as fast as he could. As Leia kissed him again, he knew without question there was another way to work it out of their systems, one that might work out more between them all.
Han bit down, a delicate bite that frissoned through Luke like a stun beam.
Better here and now, better the three of them than the people waiting outside. The justifications rained down inside his head, along with the recriminations. He wanted to be a Jedi, and Jedi famously didn't do this. Except his father had, and he'd met other children of Jedi, and maybe celibacy wasn't so much a rule as a suggestion Luke had never liked anyway.
Leia kissed him again, and Luke kissed her back, giving in to months of longing.
Getting their boots off was harder than he'd thought it would be, especially with Han's fingers under his shirt while he was trying, tugging at it until Luke pushed him back against the blankets and kissed him hard. "Stay put," Luke said, and finally got the fasteners loose. He pulled off Han's boots while he was there. Leia had somehow managed her own, drug-addled stupor or not, and as he watched, she pulled off her shirt. She was bare underneath.
Luke dragged his eyes away to see Han's stare, for once caught without a smartass comment. He sat up, reaching for her, and pulled away. "It's all right," Leia said, and leaned forward, letting Han stroke one soft breast. Luke's last resolve broke and his fingers found the other, delighting in the smooth, warm skin as Leia gasped.
Han's free hand grasped Luke's hair, pulling him closer. Too many sensations filled him now, and Luke felt the fiery rush consume him, the same he'd felt on any number of nights alone in his own bunk. He let out a cry filled with sorrow rather than pleasure.
Leia asked, "Luke, are you all right?" as Han snorted. Luke went to hide his face and die, but Han tugged him closer and kissed him.
"Every guy fills his own shorts now and then." His expression was kind. "Let's get you out of those." His strong, clever hands were clumsy with lust but capable of tugging off Luke's pants while Leia got to work on Han's trousers. Within minutes, their clothes lay in a pile beside the pallet.
Han pushed Luke down to the pallet. "Let's clean you up, kid," he said, and Leia kissed Luke's mouth while Han's mouth worked its way lower. Luke couldn't see, but oh he could feel, and that was Han's tongue cleaning the last of the mess from his crotch. His hot mouth enveloped Luke's cock, which rose to life under the gentle suction. He'd dreamed of this, dreamed of Han, dreamed of Leia, and any number of faces known and barely-glimpsed, though none had touched him in his waking hours. The reality, augmented by the high, singing note inside his brain, was better than he'd imagined.
Leia pulled away to watch. Her eyes were deep and dark in the dim light, and a light perspiration of need covered her body. Her thought was clear in Luke's mind: she wanted Han's mouth on her next.
Luke said, "If you come here, I could...." He trailed off, both seeing and sensing her confusion, and her disappointment.
"We've talked about you reading people's minds," she said. It figured that Leia could pull up a lecturing tone even now.
"It's not on purpose, and it's not everyone. It's just you. It's always only been you."
Han pulled away with a sucking pop that felt amazing. "If you two want to talk, I could step outside."
"Leia would like you to lick her now," Luke said, and watched Han's face pinch with want.
"Does she?"
Leia turned away, angered by her own desire, even here, naked with them, even now, under the sway of the drug moving through them. "If you're not too busy," she said.
Luke's hands found her shoulders, and he pushed her against the blankets while Han moved between her legs with a smug expression. Before Leia could say anything, Han bent his head and placed his mouth against her. The shudder went through through Luke, feeling the echo of Leia's pleasure as Han's tongue went to work. She bit back her moans, letting them go into Luke's mouth pressed over hers. He experienced everything with her as she shook and came, a sudden pink flush covering her body and a shudder running through his own.
Sensation had reduced to want and need and the heady feel of the aphrodisiac coursing through them. Han grabbed Luke, playfully wrestling him to his back, his cock hard as stone against Luke's belly while he kissed him. They could rub together this way, making a sticky mess between them, or they could delve into Luke's pack and pull out the lubricating oil he'd brought along to deal with droid repairs. That image scorched across his brain. He wasn't sure Han was capable of using his brain at this point, lost and aching and ready.
Luke reached between them and took Han's cock in his hand, stroking him with the same knowing rhythm he used on himself at night, a thumb playing with his slit.
Han swore into his mouth. "Keep that up and I'm going to, ah!" Han's body jerked and spasmed. Luke's grip on him was suddenly wet and viscous. He teased out more tremors from Han, careful not to overstimulate the head or foreskin. Han rested his forehead against Luke's head. "Thanks. I thought that would last longer."
He didn't stop stroking, and soon felt Han's cock plump in his hand again. "I think," Luke said, glancing over to where Leia watched them, her hand moving shamelessly between her thighs, "this is going to last a while." Han rolled off him, resting on his own back.
Luke held out his hand to Leia. She hesitated, then took it. "They said fertility."
"I've had my shots," Luke said, and he cringed inside; he'd heard that line in all the holoporn he'd ever sneaked out to watch. A glance to Han's face, and the smirk he read there, told him Han was thinking the same thing.
Either Leia didn't watch those, or she was schooled enough to pretend she didn't. She nodded. "So have I." She crawled to him, and he felt her desire, and just a touch of relief. She was still worried about the plans the others outside had for them when this was finished.
Luke reached for her, touching her face. "I will always protect you," he told her, and he felt the depth of the Force in the promise, something sworn on his soul. Her face twisted, as if she was about to cry, but Leia never cried. She climbed over his legs, straddling him, wanting him. His hands found her waist, reveling in the soft, bare skin against his work-callused palms. She rose on her knees, and her hand on him was a blessing as she guided his cock into her and sank down.
Wet, she was wet like the sea, and just as strange and wonderful. She gripped him inside with a completely different warm pressure than Han's mouth. Worse, better, amazingly, he could feel what she felt, and knew the stretch of himself inside her. Han rolled to watch them, his hand reaching to stroke Luke's face. Luke couldn't react, couldn't think. Need drove Leia on, urged by the drug in her bloodstream, riding him hard as her own fingers found the pleasurable spot right where they joined. Awkward in his inexperience but eager, his hand reached down to join hers, touching her where he knew she wanted.
"You two are gorgeous," Han said, his face open and honest.
"Flattery, flattery," Leia said with a gasp, and she groaned as another climax hit her, spiking through Luke a second later and dragging him with her. He jerked into her, letting go with a matching moan, which fell away into almost a gurgle as his own seed made her even wetter. He was hard again, still, and wanted her, but Leia pulled away from him with a gentle kiss, her breath hard.
She turned her head to Han. "Are you coming over here or not?"
"Whatever you say, sweetheart."
Luke rolled, and Han took Leia by the shoulders. As gently as she'd kissed Luke, she met Han with fire now, biting at his lips, nearly fighting him as they embraced. Luke had a clear window into her mind, and read her long-denied desire, or he'd worry as they pushed and shoved each other. Han pinned Leia's much smaller frame beneath him and entered her with one stroke as she cried out. Luke felt the mixture of her pleasure and her discomfort, the mixture of her desire for Han and her revulsion of her own arousal for him. He could only guess at what Han felt, but Han always wore his emotions much closer to the surface than he wanted to think he did. The drug muddled him and brought them even more to the forefront: how much he wanted her and had wanted her from the start, and how much he hated himself for failing over and over to be the kind of man she could ever want in return.
This was for their own sake, Luke thought, watching them struggle against each other. The drug would work its way out of them, and they'd go back to being friends tomorrow, or a week from now, whenever they could forgive themselves and one another.
His own thoughts circled back to his knapsack, and the things he'd brought. His brain alight with ideas, he moved away from his friends, his own body shivering with Leia's sensations, and he dug into the pouch with his tools. The others were too far gone to ask why.
His shaking hand pulled out the bottle. Shaking even harder, he poured a handful of oil into his palm. Once or twice back home, back when things were simpler, he'd gone to the repair shop at the homestead, and locked the door, and warmed the oil this way before taking himself in hand. The memory hit him with a deep homesickness, almost enough to stifle away his desire. Instead he moved closer to where Han and Leia grappled. He placed his clean hand on Han's back and his lips against Han's neck. "Tell me to stop now," Luke said into his skin. "Tell me while I can stop. Please, Han."
Han paused in his movements, his head tilting back to see the expression on Luke's face. "Tell me you're about to do what I hope you are."
Luke answered with another kiss against Han's back, and two fingers soaked with oil pressing against the tight furl of Han's ass. Han groaned loudly. Luke slid in one finger, and almost came again from the tight, hot clench around the first digit. He moved the second finger inside like he'd seen in the porn he'd watched, and he hoped it was right, hoped it was enough.
His fingers pulled out, and his palm, still slick, stroked himself quickly. He wasn't going to do this. He was going to come now, splattering against Han's back.
"Please, Luke," Han gritted out. Luke bit his own lip, and guided the head of his cock into Han's body. He pushed inside, feeling everything, the furnace around him and the vise-like grip, but Leia was the one who cried out loud, her eyes wide with surprise. Luke felt her inside his mind, taking his pleasure as he'd greedily sampled hers.
Rhythm was impossible now, only need. Han and Leia tussled, and Luke drove into Han with abandon. This was nothing like he'd ever imagined, and everything he'd ever wanted. He felt Leia come from the blended sensations in her body and her mind, and felt her come again as he moaned his sticky release into Han, and more as Han howled and came, his ass clenching on Luke hard and pushing him over the edge once more.
As he pulled out, aware of the mess, Luke already felt the desire building inside himself, felt need rising in Leia, and read the same in Han's eyes.
The three of them fell upon one another again.
Morning brought splitting headaches and bruises in places Luke hadn't known could bruise. He woke between Han and Leia, and nudged them awake until both sets of eyes cracked open and swore in chorus. He noticed they didn't meet the other's eyes as they dressed, and had trouble meeting his. Even Han's usual pushy demeanor had taken a back seat to regret and self-blame.
Guilt coiled inside Luke's belly like a worm. He'd been the one most able to fight off the effects of the drug, and instead of separating his friends, he'd taken them both to bed. In the light of day, they were both tight-faced and angry at each other, when they ought to be furious with him instead.
Threepio met them outside. "Good morning, Master Luke! I have waited out here as instructed. Our hosts are extremely polite, you know. They even worked on the servos in my leg." He demonstrated. Han did catch Luke's eye then. They needed to check over Threepio for bugs or other sabotage before he boarded the Falcon.
Leia stepped forward to meet the village head. Her hair had come down in the night, framing her in slightly mussed nut brown locks. Luke had never seen anyone so beautiful. He let himself watch her this last time. After they returned to base, she would never speak to him again.
As she spoke with the leader, Threepio chirping his translations merrily between them, Luke and Han were offered a platter of food, which they both declined as quickly as politeness allowed.
Luke didn't like the snickers this earned them as the food was taken away.
The discussion concluded faster than Luke had guessed. Leia said, "It's fine. They'll allow us to build a base here." She managed a grim smile. "I'm going to recommend we try somewhere else. Environmental concerns."
"Seconded," Han said, and Luke chuckled. "What?"
"Now who's a committee?" he asked, and he shouldered his pack. "How fast can we say goodbye to them?"
Leia turned to Threepio, who for once in his long cybernetic life, got the hint first go. He rattled off the requirements of a courteous farewell, or Luke hoped he did, and they were escorted back through the village and out towards the marshy terrain that lay between them and the ship.
The three of them didn't speak during the entire walk back. Even Threepio was uncharacteristically taciturn. Luke stopped him at the Falcon's ramp, pulling out his toolkit to check for any damage or sabotage to his servos while Han sorted out the spare cleaning supplies to prevent them tracking mud all over his beloved ship. Artoo beeped and hooted at them affectionately, glad for their safe return.
"Of course we were safe," said Threepio, legs dingy but no longer a mess as he walked up the ramp. Artoo beeped again. "No, not every mission ends in disaster. This one went quite splendidly as a matter of fact." He shuffled off to tell his counterpart all about their brief stay at the village.
Luke joined Han in the cockpit, taking Chewie's seat as he had on the flight here. Han engaged the engines, letting out a loud sigh as they lifted off and headed away. He pulled them out of atmosphere while Luke ran the calculations for their jump. Only after the stars fell away into the hyperspace field did Han said, in a teasing mimic of Threepio's voice: "Splendidly."
They walked back to the lounge. Leia already sat there, waiting. Luke looked at the droids. "You two should head into the spare cabin and go through a charge cycle." Artoo beeped that he was fully charged. "You can keep Threepio company. Go on."
The droids moved off, Threepio happy at some down time, Artoo annoyed at being sent off. Luke watched them go.
"They always listen to you," said Leia. "They both technically belong to me, but they're yours in the ways that matter to them." She wasn't angry, or jealous, merely thoughtful. "Everyone gravitates to you. I've noticed that."
"I'm so sorry," Luke said. "I should have stopped you both."
"You couldn't have," said Han, as Leia said, "Why?"
Luke and Han both turned to her. "Why? Because last night was a mistake. That's why."
Leia's anger rose to meet his, and with an effort, she shoved it away again. "No. Last night was long overdue. The circumstances weren't ideal, but you can't tell me you haven't thought about me before, and you've been trying to get into Luke's pants since the day you met him."
"He has?"
"As often as you've thought about getting into mine, and I can't say I haven't considered the same about you, either of you," she added, with a reluctant glance to Han. "I'm not pleased with how we got here, but it's hardly a surprise when you think logically."
Han's face colored. "'Logically?' We were drugged. If you need to tell yourself you wanted it to get through your day, don't let me stop you, but don't drag me into your delusion."
Leia was losing her grip on her ire. Once she started shouting back, one of them was going to wind up saying something unforgivable, if they weren't all already far past forgiveness.
Luke came to a decision, stepping in front of Han as he went to storm away. "Move it, kid."
He did, moving to take Han's face in his hands. He kissed him, hard.
Han pulled away, holding his shoulders. "Did you eat more of that fruit?"
"I wanted you, too. I always have."
Something in Han's face twitched, a tremble Luke almost didn't see, almost couldn't read. He let his shoulders go slack in Han's grip, let Han keep him at the distance he needed, and said, "I'm not going to leave you." Han might have a good sabacc face, but only when it came to cards. Naked fear flittered through his eyes, the ghosts of too many others who'd said the same thing and fled. He'd share his bunk with anyone willing, but the thought of sharing his heart scared him worse than a galaxy full of bounty hunters competing to bring in his head. No wonder half his interactions with Leia consisted of pushing her away.
Luke turned to her, hoping she understood, but as usual, she'd reached the same conclusion before him. She stood up, stepping closer to them. Her hand came to Luke's cheek, turning his face to hers, and she kissed him deeply. Then she placed her lips against Han's neck. A fierce shudder passed through him like a long-anticipated storm.
"We're not going to leave you," she said.
"This is crazy," said Han, looking between them. "You know that, right?" He wasn't wrong. Attraction and emotion wouldn't solve arguments, or pay off Han's debts, or prevent Han's envy at Luke and Leia's connection. Last night had pushed the three of them over a dune; if this was to become something real, they had a mountain in front of them still to climb. Turning back now was safer, saner, easier, and thus completely out of the question.
"The same as always," Luke said. He kissed him again, and this time, Han kissed him back.