The Academy

[haveyourmoments]

Leia goes to the library, hoping for some peace and quiet amidst the chaos of the start of the new semester, old friends greeting each other and new enemies sizing each other up. She knows she’s doomed to be an outsider, being both a new student and younger than the average age at the Academy.

She has her nose in a stack of books about diplomacy when someone with an entourage arrives loudly, flinging the door open with a carelessness that makes her cringe. She peeks around a corner and sees an overly tall, not at all attractive, scruffy looking…nerfherder holding court with his subjects, and her eyes practically roll out of her head.

Comments

[going_solo]

"Maybe I've had my share of blondes," he shrugs, because he probably has. It's not that they're stupid, or that they're not beautiful, it's just that whoever this girl is intrigues him infinitely more. Maybe he has a penchant for pain, who knows?

[haveyourmoments]

She touches her braids lightly, a nervous habit, and looks down at the book he’d handed over so easily. Maybe she misread him, or maybe he misrepresented himself, but either way, it seems like an interesting prospect. Besides, it’s only the first day if the school year and she’s already eaten enough meals alone to last her a lifetime. “Okay.”

[going_solo]

"I'll met you in the cafeteria. I'll be the eating all of the Jell-O," Han says, because where else would Jell-O exist but in outer space? He shoots her a grin, then, before heading out to wait for her and digesting his weight in gelatine.

[haveyourmoments]

She opens her mouth to protest, to remind him to share, but he’s gone before she can even get going. She can’t focus, of course, too curious about him, and she decides to pack it up early, telling herself that it’s too prevent him from truly eating all of the jello.

[going_solo]

Han sits in the cafeteria with his feet up on one of the chairs, eating all of the dessert offerings - and yes, he left plenty for others – while he waits for the pretty girl to turn up, hopeful that she will.

[haveyourmoments]

Leia does show up, rolling her eyes at the casual way he sits, his boots propped up as if he owns the world. Still, she walks over to him, looking pointedly at his feet before sitting in a different chair, surveying the remnants of many, many desserts with a raised eyebrow. “I take it you have a sweet tooth?”

[going_solo]

"Why'dyou think I asked you to spend time with me?" He raises a brow, setting down the last of an intergalactic treat, pleased with himself for this flirty pun. "How was your... book?"

[haveyourmoments]

“It was…informative,” she says lamely, not really any good at the flirting thing. She folds her hands in her lap and looks at him expectantly, waiting.

[going_solo]

"Should we at least tell one another our names before we embark on this... galaxy-shattering friendship?" Again Han's brow is raised as he smiles across at the girl, sensing her nerves, or something like them. "I'm Han."

[haveyourmoments]

“Leia,” she says, relaxing a little. He’s simultaneously grating on her nerves and soothing them, and it’s a reaction that she’s never experienced before. “You’re from Correlia?”

[going_solo]

"Yeah, how'd you know?" Han asks, a little annoyed that he hasn't managed to keep his self a secret for more than a few hours with her, with Leia.

[haveyourmoments]

“Your accent,” she replies, blushing softly. “I study languages, and dialects…” Leia realizes she probably sounds like a total loser, but he looks so upset for some reason that she keeps rambling. “It was just a guess.”

[going_solo]

"You can tell where I'm from just from the way I talk?" Han asks, brow quirking up. "Anything else?"

[haveyourmoments]

“It’s not a party trick,” she says, laughing softly. “Your accent is very faint, educated, not colloquial. It wouldn’t give you away, I just…listen.”

[going_solo]

"So what you're saying is that I don't need to start talking like this," he teases emphatically as he starts practicing an accent of a faraway planet he'd once met someone from before. "I like that you listen, Leia."

[haveyourmoments]

“No, definitely not,” Leia says with a laugh. “In fact, I request that you don’t.” She smiles at him, to let him know her teasing means no harm, but blushes with his next words. “You do?”

[going_solo]

"I'll try. And I do. Most people don't listen to me. They just look at me," Han shrugs, like it's a joke, then hands over an unopened cup of Jell-o. "Something tells me you didn't come to meet me for my looks."

[haveyourmoments]

“What, like you’re attractive or something?” Leia smirks, accepting the jello, opening it and taking a bite. She chews thoughtfully, then looks back up at him. “I like the way you say my name.”

[going_solo]

"Something like that," he says, setting down his spoon again as his brows quirk ever higher, intrigued. It's not a compliment he's received before. "You do?"

[haveyourmoments]

“Mmhmm,” she says, her cheeks flushing. “It sounds different, when you say it.” God, he looks so cute right now, and she can’t find a shred of the irritation he made her feel just a short time ago.

[going_solo]

"Yeah? Like what?" Han asks, tilting his head to the side before he leans in a little closer. "Wanna get out of here? You can show me around. I bet you have this place and and its map memorized."

[haveyourmoments]

“It’s your accent, it sounds softer…” she’s pretty sure her ears turn bright pink, but she doesn’t let her embarrassment stop her. “I…sure, I’d like that.”

[going_solo]

He grins at the way her skin flushes, totally endeared to her. He gets to his feet, discard the trash, then turns back to her. "So where are you taking me first?"

[haveyourmoments]

“Well, you’ve already seen my favorite place, the library…” Leia muses, trying to think of where they could go. She doesn’t know what a cool guy like him would enjoy. “How about the gardens?”

[going_solo]

"There are gardens?" He asks, even though it seems pretty obvious once he's said it, so he just nods and waves vaguely in any direction to suggest she lead the way. "Let's go."