Han hovered close enough to the small group to be able to hear and see everything, but positioned himself so that he wouldn't be noticed. Luke had asked him not to follow, but there was something not quite right about the kid's expression. Sure, it had to be a shock to see one of your friends involved with one of your exes, but there was more to it than that. Han could tell, and he didn't need the Force to see it.
Luke had looked like he'd just heard that his last living relative had died. It made Han feel like he did when he almost lost Luke in the trash compactor; like he had to help Luke, but he wasn't sure if he could.
Han scoffed. Here he was getting all sentimental over a kid he barely even knew. Well, he'd be rid of him soon enough. Luke made it clear that he was going to stay with the Rebels. And as for Luke telling Han not to follow him, well, what Luke didn't know couldn't hurt him.
An excited shout snapped Han out of his thoughts, and he looked up to see that the group had noticed Luke approaching. One of the men broke away from the rest and ran towards Luke.
"Luke! I was beginning to think I wouldn't see you until the Ceremony! Come on, let me introduce you to my girlfriend!"
The man, Wedge apparently, tugged a hesitant but unresistant Luke back to the group. He gently grasped the shoulder of a slightly older woman with fiery red hair.
"Luke, this is my eternally shinning star, the love of my life, Mara Jade. Mara this is the way-to-modest-for-his-own-good man of the hour, Luke Skywalker."
Luke gave the woman a tight smile that she returned, but at least she had the grace to look slightly abashed.
"Thanks, Wedge," Luke said. "But Mara and I already know each other. In fact, the last time I saw her, she was my girlfriend. Care to tell me when exactly we broke up, Mara?"
Han stiffened in realization. So, that explained it. The kid didn't even know his old lover was no longer interested in him. Well, Han may as well keep listening in case things got nasty and he had to help out. It wasn't like he had anything else to do, anyway.
Beside Luke, Wedge froze, but Mara just gave a sugar-sweet smile.
"Oh come now, darling," she purred. "That was five years ago. Surely you can't expect a girl to wait that long."
Luke's lips thinned, and Han could tell he was trying very hard to keep his emotions in check.
"You promised me you'd come back once your business finished," he ground out. "Doesn't your word mean anything, Mara?"
Mara gave Luke a long look. "Don't tell me you actually believed that?" she asked. Her eyes widened when Luke remained silent.
"Sweetie, I know Biggs told you I was no good," she admonished. "And he was right. That 'business' of mine was a mission for Darth Vader. I never intended to come back for you. I'm sorry honey, but you were just some fun on the side."
She chuckled slightly and sent a fond look at Wedge, who was looking increasingly uncomfortable, before looking back at Luke, who still hadn't responded.
"You may be the hero for today Luke, but you would never would have been able to change me. Wedge did, and he is my hero." Mara laughed harshly and gave Luke a mocking smile. "You're just too naive."
That was it. Han had had enough. He strolled over to the shell-shocked Luke and casually embraced him from behind.
"Luke! I've been looking all over for you!"
He kissed the back of Luke's head before looking up at the group of people staring at them.
"Are these your friends, Luke? Come on baby, introduce me!"
Sorry if Mara's OOC (and I know she more than likely is!), but I've never actually read anything with her. And I think she's actually supposed to be younger than Luke? I don't know, but she just seems to me like she should be older.
[FILL] Part 2
Luke had looked like he'd just heard that his last living relative had died. It made Han feel like he did when he almost lost Luke in the trash compactor; like he had to help Luke, but he wasn't sure if he could.
Han scoffed. Here he was getting all sentimental over a kid he barely even knew. Well, he'd be rid of him soon enough. Luke made it clear that he was going to stay with the Rebels. And as for Luke telling Han not to follow him, well, what Luke didn't know couldn't hurt him.
An excited shout snapped Han out of his thoughts, and he looked up to see that the group had noticed Luke approaching. One of the men broke away from the rest and ran towards Luke.
"Luke! I was beginning to think I wouldn't see you until the Ceremony! Come on, let me introduce you to my girlfriend!"
The man, Wedge apparently, tugged a hesitant but unresistant Luke back to the group. He gently grasped the shoulder of a slightly older woman with fiery red hair.
"Luke, this is my eternally shinning star, the love of my life, Mara Jade. Mara this is the way-to-modest-for-his-own-good man of the hour, Luke Skywalker."
Luke gave the woman a tight smile that she returned, but at least she had the grace to look slightly abashed.
"Thanks, Wedge," Luke said. "But Mara and I already know each other. In fact, the last time I saw her, she was my girlfriend. Care to tell me when exactly we broke up, Mara?"
Han stiffened in realization. So, that explained it. The kid didn't even know his old lover was no longer interested in him. Well, Han may as well keep listening in case things got nasty and he had to help out. It wasn't like he had anything else to do, anyway.
Beside Luke, Wedge froze, but Mara just gave a sugar-sweet smile.
"Oh come now, darling," she purred. "That was five years ago. Surely you can't expect a girl to wait that long."
Luke's lips thinned, and Han could tell he was trying very hard to keep his emotions in check.
"You promised me you'd come back once your business finished," he ground out. "Doesn't your word mean anything, Mara?"
Mara gave Luke a long look. "Don't tell me you actually believed that?" she asked. Her eyes widened when Luke remained silent.
"Sweetie, I know Biggs told you I was no good," she admonished. "And he was right. That 'business' of mine was a mission for Darth Vader. I never intended to come back for you. I'm sorry honey, but you were just some fun on the side."
She chuckled slightly and sent a fond look at Wedge, who was looking increasingly uncomfortable, before looking back at Luke, who still hadn't responded.
"You may be the hero for today Luke, but you would never would have been able to change me. Wedge did, and he is my hero." Mara laughed harshly and gave Luke a mocking smile. "You're just too naive."
That was it. Han had had enough. He strolled over to the shell-shocked Luke and casually embraced him from behind.
"Luke! I've been looking all over for you!"
He kissed the back of Luke's head before looking up at the group of people staring at them.
"Are these your friends, Luke? Come on baby, introduce me!"
Sorry if Mara's OOC (and I know she more than likely is!), but I've never actually read anything with her. And I think she's actually supposed to be younger than Luke? I don't know, but she just seems to me like she should be older.