THINGS THAT GO BUMP IN THE NIGHT
Title: Things That Go Bump in the Night
Timeframe: pre-ESB?
Characters: Han, Luke, a little bit of Chewie
Genre: Friendship, hurt/comfort, character study
Summary: A look at Han's evolving character, and his growing friendship with Luke
Disclaimer: Just stopping by for a visit to a galaxy far, far, away and borrowing some of George Lucas's characters. ;)
Hope you enjoy! Comments are greatly appreciated!! :)
Han Solo tinkered with a model ship at the Falcon's gaming table. It was late, but he had no set time he had to be up in the morning by. Therefore he had no cause to be in bed, he reasoned, and usually stayed up hours into the night; making repairs and improvements to the Falcon, messing around with a few model ships he'd made- pondering his life in general.
Now Han Solo wasn't one for mulling over philosophical nonsense, mind you, but the Corellian's life had changed drastically over the past three years. Three years- had it really been that long? Ever since he'd met a tow-headed, idealistic farmkid and a beautiful, but equally-exasperating princess, things were different to say the least.
As much as he hated to admit it, those two had crept into his heart. Leia and Luke were the only reason he was still with the Alliance on this refrigerator of a planet. It was quite possible that Han Solo was going soft, but the strange thing was that he didn't seem to care- at least not nearly as much as he thought he would. No one had to find out anyway.
"You order that part for the hyperdrive?" The Corellian asked without looking up. The question was directed towards his furry copilot.
An affirmative growl. Chewie was over in the corner soldering a few wires onto a panel that had come loose in one of the ship's narrow escapes.
"When's it supposed to get here?"
An uncertain and slightly amused whuffle. It wasn't enough being a secretary, now the Wookiee was expected to tell the future? Then, all of the sudden, there was a thump that resounded off the ship's ramp. Solo's hand flicked automatically to the blaster at his side. When he heard the muffled and rather pathetic-sounding "ow" that followed it though, he relaxed slightly.
"It's Luke," he informed his friend. He recognized that voice. He'd also forgotten he'd left the ramp down. What the kid was doing up now, he had no idea. Solo hurried to the source of the sound with his partner close on his heels and flicked on the overhead lights. Sure enough Luke was there- in a crumpled heap, face down, halfway on the ramp, halfway on the ground of the hangar.
"What are you doing out here, kid?" Solo hurried to Luke's side.
"Falling," the youth croaked miserably as Han helped him sit up. "It's so blasted dark in here."
"I can see that." There was concern in the other's voice though. "You okay?"
Luke wasn't though. His left elbow, hands and knees were scraped raw, bleeding through his torn pajamas, and burning like a five-alarm fire. He was bruised too, and now that the shock of the fall had worn off, he simply really, really hurt.
Han was glancing concernedly at him, supporting him under the arms. Still trembling, Luke's eyes began to water, and flinging false pretenses aside, he shook his head "no". Solo's features softened and he spoke very softly. "Okay, kid. It's alright. You think you can stand up?"
"Yeah," the youth croaked, although he very much felt like staying on the ground. Han must've sensed this because he began to gather Luke up in his arms.
"Easy, Luke. I've got you." Solo carefully lifted the boy, and transported him past an anxious Wookiee up the ramp and into the Falcon's fresher -Luke wasn't much to carry. He then deposited him on the counter. Solo glanced at the oozing scrapes and darkening bruises under the better lighting and sighed. "You're a mess, kid."
"I hate duracrete," the kid sniffled, and Han handed him a tissue. "I'll bet you do. Chewie, go get him a cup of ice water. His lip's bleeding."
Luke brought an unsteady hand up to his mouth, just now realizing it. No wonder he tasted copper. "I must've bit it when I fell." His voice was just as shaky.
Solo nodded, sympathetic. "It's not too bad. It's your knee I'm worried about."
"Yeah, that's what hurts the most," Luke agreed. Han brought a hand up to gently rub his back for a few moments, and Chewie returned with the water.
Luke took a couple sips as Han retrieved the medkit from the cabinet and set it down on the counter. "What were you doing out there in the dark?"
"I couldn't sleep. I was coming to talk to you." Luke said, and Solo carefully rolled the torn pajama pants up past Luke's knee. Both of them winced, Han out of sympathy. Luke was scraped all over, but this knee had clearly taken the worst.
"Alright kid," he said, trying to think of the least painful way he could clean it off. Antiseptic would sting too much. So would bacta. "Maybe I should just take you to the medcenter."
Despite being in pain, Luke made a face. That, Han had counted on. "I just don't want to hurt you. They've got stuff to numb you with there."
"I'm alright," the boy croaked bravely and Solo nodded.
"Alright. Let's try and wash it off with just some water." He grabbed Luke by the arms and lifted him down from the counter, then helped him hobble over to the tub. Keeping an arm around the boy, he turned the water on and stuck his hand under it, making sure it was cold.
"Okay buddy, just try and put your knee under it. Lean against me- I've got you." Han supported him under the arms.
Luke couldn't help but gasp a little as the water pelted his torn knee. Solo quickly, protectively pulled him away. He comfortingly rubbed the kid's back, waiting for the pain to subside, as Chewie came up from behind and laid a gentle paw on his "cub's" head.
"I've got a better idea, pal. C'mere." Han helped Luke hold onto the side of the wall, then once he'd made sure the youth was steady, knelt down beside him. "Chewie, grab me a cup will ya?" Solo then proceeded to fill the cup with the cold water, and gently pour it on Luke's knee. It proved to be much more tolerable without all the water pressure.
Once Han had finished with that leg, he did the other, then toted a sniffling Luke back over to the counter. He very gently dried the knees, before covering them with antibiotic patches. Yes, three years ago he never would've thought he'd be caring for a kid and patching up scrapes- but here he was. Leia was right- he was really going soft- but right now it didn't matter all that much. He had a "little brother" who needed him...and that's what was important.
"Better?" He asked, and looked up at Luke. Luke nodded gratefully, and Han brushed gently at the remaining moisture on his cheeks. The kid never cried in front of anyone besides him and maybe Leia. He'd come to trust them whole-heartedly -and Han was thankful for that trust. Over the past few years they'd all grown quickly as friends. Now they were pretty much family. It was funny how fate worked.
"The worst is over, kiddo. I don't know how you managed to hurt yourself so bad. Next time you want to come talk to me in the middle of the night, com me so I can turn on the lights."
Luke nodded. "Next time don't leave a hydrospanner in the middle of the floor."
"Hydropanner?" Solo looked puzzled. "I didn't leave any tools out-"
A sheepish growl from the Wookiee. "Chewie?" Han turned to face him. "That's right, you were the last one to use it. Way to go, Furball." The Wookiee looked contrite.
"That's alright," Luke assured them with a small smile. "I should've brought a glowrod or something."
"Lemme see that elbow," Han set about patching it up. Gingerly rolling up Luke's sleeve, he couldn't help but smile slightly.
"I think these have seen better days." Solo was referring to the torn light blue pajamas with spaceships and stars on them. He'd chuckled the first time he'd seen the kid in them- when Luke had crashed on the bench at the holograph table after one drink. Leia thought it was adorable, and Han too had to admit it was pretty cute. They'd stood there snickering before bringing Luke a blanket and pillow. Then the boy halfway woke up and Han had ended up carrying his sagging form to the spare bunk, where they quietly tucked him in.
"What was it you wanted to talk to me about?"
Luke shrugged slightly. "Nothing really. I just couldn't sleep."
"Bad dream?" Han asked. He knew that Luke was prone to them. He'd found him in the grips of a nightmare more than once.
Luke shook his head no and directed his gaze to the deck.
Han smiled at the blond head knowingly. "You want your spare room on the Falcon back?"
A small smile and Luke looked up. "Maybe." He looked sheepish and Han couldn't help but grin. He could read the kid like a book. "It's freezing in there. I don't think I'll ever get used to cooler climates."
Han had offered Luke the ship's extra room from the start- he'd seemed so lost after the old man had gone. For some reason Solo felt the need to protect him and take him under his wing. Luke had really appreciated the offer. He stayed until the Alliance set up on Hoth, before giving the assigned rooms another try. That had lasted- well, about a week.
"It's yours, Junior. It has your name on it. You can move all your junk back in tomorrow." What little belongings Luke had anyway.
"Thanks, Han." Luke said sincerely, and relief was obvious in his voice. The Rebel base was cold, dark, and despite all the people there- a little lonely. His roommates would keep him up sometimes to all hours- either laughing or snoring, and he'd have to face the following day exhausted. Luke had missed the warmth and relative quietness of the Falcon, along with the sense of security he had being next door to his closest friend.
"Don't mention it." Han finished gently affixing the bandage to Luke's arm.
Luke suddenly smiled. "Or should I say ‘Doctor Han'?"
"Yeah, show some respect to a professional," Han played along. Then more seriously, "I'm glad I had basic first aid training now- with all the trouble you get yourself into.
"Hey-"
"I'm serious. Give me your other arm."
"It's just my hand." Luke showed him, and Solo saw the palm scraped raw. He winced inwardly.
"Yeah, just. What am I going to do with you?"
Luke shrugged and forced a smile, but Han could see his hand trembling slightly. He looked up at the youth and saw only suppressed weariness and pain; salt traces left from drying tears along with a bruised and bloodied lip. He felt his face soften. Stars, why did the kid always have to do this? -Make him feel like some sort of protective big brother. Stang it all!
Oh well.
"What do you think, Chewie? Should we hug him?"
An affirmative growl and Han was already pulling a grateful Luke into a hug. "C'mere. Yeah, I think that's what we should do." He simply held the youth for a moment, who took refuge in his shoulder and accidentally let out a sniffle.
"That's it kid, -you cry. I know it hurts." A few moments later Han pulled away, and finished up tending Luke's injuries in silence. Then he carefully helped the exhausted youngster to a bunk, and watched over him the thirty seconds it took for him to fall asleep. He then went back to tinkering with his model ship, and Chewie back to his soldering.
"Softie" His copilot whuffled quietly from across the room.
"Shuddup"
A muffled chortle of amusement.
"Just stow it, Chewie."
Han Solo sighed
Oh well.
-End
Thanks for reading! (hugs!) Reviews are welcome and very, very much appreciated!! :)