Story Challenge EXTRA: 23rd September 2003
Sept 22 was National Ice Cream Cone Day; Sept 23 is National Marriage Proposal Day (USA). Write a 45-minute fic based on either of those ideas.

Impressions
A 45-minute SW fic by Morgan D.
Vaguely inspired by Luís Fernando Veríssimo's chronicles

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"Humpfff--"

"Ouch!"

"Oh my... I'm sorry..."

"Damn you, kid! You almost broke my toes!"

"Sorry, sorry... How was I supposed to know you were standing there?"

"What are your marvellous Jedi tricks for? Couldn't you sense me behind the door?"

"I guess I was a bit..."

"Distracted?"

"In a hurry."

"Oh, never mind. As long as my foot isn't fractured..."

"I didn't step on it that hard, Han."

"Whatever. I came to talk to you, but... Where were you heading?"

"Ah. I was going to look for you, as a matter of fact."

"Great. I'm here."

"Yes. You are."

"Good."

"Yeah."

"Are you going to stand there the whole day?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"You. Me. At your door. In the middle of the corridor."

"Oh!"

"Yeah, oh. Any reason why you won't invite me in?"

"No, of course. Come in."

"Thanks."

"You... ummm... would you like a drink or something?"

"Nah, I'm fine."

"You sure?"

"I'm sure."

"Okay."

"You said you were looking for me?"

"Yes, I... well, I asked Wedge to give me a call when the Falcon landed. I wanted to...you know. Greet you. I mean, you've been gone for almost three months. You and Leia."

"And we've been in the Palace for three hours already."

"Ahh. Yes, I know."

"You said you were in a hurry."

"I am. Was. Am."

"To greet us?"

"Yes."

"You must have an interesting definition of the word 'hurry', kid. Mind if I check it with Threepio?"

"I couldn't make it any sooner."

"Why not?"

"I was... a little..."

"Distracted?"

"Busy."

"Doing what?"

"...thinking."

"Distracted, then."

"Well, yes, I suppose you could say that."

"I did. Three times."

"So you did."

"Cut the crap, Luke. You've heard already, haven't you?"

"Yes."

"Damn. I was hoping I'd get to talk to you before..."

"Then maybe you shouldn't have taken three hours to come to see me."

"Why? Are you the only one in the galaxy with the right to be a little distracted?"

"Han..."

"Okay, okay, sorry. I should have come sooner. I'd really rather you had heard the story from me... or from Leia... than learning about it from... Where have you heard it from anyway?"

"The Coruscant Morning Gazette."

"It's already on the CMG?!"

"It's already on Kolch Drahsyr's talk show."

"Damn! Damn, damn, damn."

"For what is worth, it was already on the CMG's previews, way before the Falcon landed. So it wouldn't have made that much of a difference if you had hurried or not."

"But you're upset anyway."

"I'm not upset."

"Just as you weren't distracted the first time I asked?"

"No, I'm really not upset."

"I'd understand if you were."

"You would?"

"Why are you so surprised?"

"I don't think it would be reasonable for me to be upset. Let alone understandable."

"Is that why you're so distracted?"

"What?"

"You're upset and don't think that's reasonable of you?"

"Han, I already told you I'm not upset."

"You're sure?"

"Of course I'm sure. I'm... I'm..."

"Yes?"

"Delighted."

"You growl and frown a lot when you're delighted. Has anyone ever told you that?"

"It's hard to keep on being delighted with you asking so many stupid questions."

"So are you upset now?"

"NO! I am delighted. How many times do I have to say it? I'm delighted. DELIGHTED!"

"All right, all right, no need to yell!"

"I'm not yelling. I'm not upset. I happen to think it's great news. Honestly, I can't even think of anything that would have given me more pleasure."

"Luke..."

"I mean, isn't it perfect? She's my sister. You're my best friend. Like a... a big brother. You know what I mean? I've always... always thought of you as... as family. And now we'll be a family. For real."

"Is that how you feel?"

"Yes, that's how I feel. Corny as it sounds. But then, you can hardly complain. Look at what you've done! Proposing to Leia during the Lovers Festival at Ennocma Werceci, in front of the local press? I'd never have expected... I knew deep down you are a romantic, but... wow."

"You were surprised."

"Of course I was. I had no idea you were... I mean, last time we talked you never mentioned... You never even hinted that you might... Not that you had to tell me anything, of course. It's really none of my business. Well, in some cultures it would have been my business, as Leia's only living family. But we could hardly be called a normal family, so I can't really claim... And you two have always been too independent to answer to anyone, really. So it would have been stupid to have expected for you to ask for my... my blessing or something. Let alone my permission. It's really none of my business. But yeah, I was a little bit surprised, because... uh..."

"Luke?"

"Hmm?"

"You're positive that you're not upset?"

"Well. Now that you've mentioned..."

"Now that I've mentioned?"

"It's not a matter of being upset. But I might be..."

"Angry?"

"Disappointed."

"Only disappointed?"

"Slightly so."

"Because you were expecting someone better to propose to your sister?"

"No!"

"Because you were hoping I'd propose to someone else?"

"Wha-what?! No!!!"

"Ah."

"What made you say that?"

"Nothing. So why are you slightly disappointed?"

"What do you mean, why? Because I wasn't there! Or because you weren't here! Or because you didn't think of calling me through the holonet to give me the news. Because I had to find out the same way zillions of people who've never got to know either of you did. Because even after all this time, after all we've gone through, I'm just as insignificant as..."

"You're not."

"But..."

"Shut up. You're not. You're anything but insignificant."

"..."

"Good grief, Luke, do I really have to tell you that? How could you even think...?"

"..."

"Well, say something."

"You told me to shut up."

"What a moment you choose to start listening to me."

"I've always listened to you!"

"Yeah, right."

"I have! At least I've listened to everything you've said. And I think I'd remember if you had ever mentioned the word 'marriage'."

"And I didn't."

"No, you didn't. And you could have. I would have listened. I would have kept it a secret, if you wanted to surprise her. I would have been perfectly okay with it."

"Listen, Luke..."

"Did you think I wouldn't approve? Is that why you didn't tell me you were planning to propose to Leia?"

"No, that's not..."

"Because that's stupid! I want you to be happy. And her too. Both of you. Together, if you must. I mean, together, because that's the way it's supposed to be."

"Luke, I'm trying..."

"It was meant to be, wasn't it? I've always known that. Even during the past few months... I know you were having some problems... I know it's none of my business, but people talk, and moreover they tend to talk to me, thinking I already know about it, not realising that... things have changed and... we're not as close as we used to be..."

"There is a reason why..."

"Yeah, I know. That was bound to happen, anyway."

"No, I mean..."

"And I suppose there's no going back now. With the marriage and all..."

"Will you PLEASE shut up?!"

"...?"

"Remind me to club your head next time you tell me what a wonderful listener you are. I'm trying to tell you something here."

"Hmm?"

"I did not propose to Leia."

"?!"

"That's why I didn't tell you anything about it. Because there wasn't anything to tell."

"What are you saying? That's just gossip? The press made it all up?"

"Basically, yes."

"The Coruscant Morning Gazette? I can't believe it! They're not that kind of journalists."

"Well... it was the Ennocma Werceci news agency that got the ball rolling in the first place..."

"And the guys at CMG didn't check their sources? That's not like them at all!"

"The source is an illegal recording of a private conversation between Leia and me. We didn't know the balcony where we were had been bugged. I had run a scan before that night's festivities started, but somehow I missed it."

"Wait, wait! The conversation was real?"

"Yes."

"But the proposal wasn't?"

"You could say it's a misunderstanding."

"A misunderstanding?!"

"Leia and I were talking about... you know, our relationship. How it started, the things that happened since then, all the stuff we've been through. She said the Lovers Festival was making her think a lot about the meaning of true love, commitment, and about the links that keep a couple together throughout time, against all odds. And I... I was thinking along the same lines, I guess. Ennocma Werceci has the reputation of being some sort of romantic sanctuary, and there is something powerful about that place, Luke, even I could feel it in my bones. But there was nothing about crushes, infatuations, or even passion. It was all about... about devoting your life to the person that completes you, about being absolutely sure that the person you're with is the one you'll want to be with for as long as you live."

"Like in a marriage."

"Not necessarily. A marriage is a contract, Luke. A rationalisation, a formal compact. It might have nothing to do with love, or with any form of affection at all."

"I see. So you and Leia were talking about true love, and whoever bugged you thought you were talking about marriage, so..."

"Didn't I tell you to shut up?"

"Hey..."

"Then please sit down and keep your mouth closed tight, will ya? I'm trying to make a point here."

"Okay, okay..."

"We talked. For hours, I think. And it was... it was great, actually. I've never felt closer to her than while we sat there, watching the parades, and talking about our dreams for the future."

"That's..."

"Silence."

"..."

"Anyway. I told her that being there, with her, at the Lovers Festival, made me realise something really important. That the time for a change has come. Time to... I can't believe I'm saying this, but... time to settle down. I'm not going to live forever, and I'm not so stupid that I don't know how lucky I am for getting this far. And that it'd be ridiculous to deny that I long for the kind of relationship celebrated in those festivities. For utterly belonging with someone. I want that. I really want that. And Leia told me she does too."

"Wow. And you're telling me that wasn't a marriage proposal?"

"I guess it might have sounded like one, for those who didn't figure out I wasn't talking about her."

"What?! What do you mean?"

"I wasn't talking about her. And she knew that. That's why she told me that after watching the Lovers Festival it became hard to resign herself to less than a lifetime commitment, less than absolute wholeness. Which is something we've never managed to offer each other."

"Now wait a minute. Wait right there. Are you saying...?"

"Leia and I broke up."

"..."

"Say something, Luke."

"I don't think I should."

"Are you mad at me?"

"No."

"Upset? Angry? Disappointed?"

"No."

"I don't think you're delighted either."

"No, not delighted, but..."

"But...?"

"I really shouldn't say a thing now, Han."

"I need to hear what you're thinking."

"It's not a good idea."

"Why?"

"It'll come out wrong. Very wrong."

"I need to hear it all the same."

"You were right."

"...I was right?"

"Yes."

"Uh... When, exactly?"

"About the reason why I was disappointed."

"Because you were expecting someone better to propose to your sister?"

"Because... I was hoping you would propose to someone else."

"Aahhh."

"Aahhh?"

"That can be arranged, you know."

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