The odds of hitting your target go up when you aim at it.

[twelve_not_fourteen]

No matter how good you are at something, if you challenge yourself against enough people, you'll find someone who can best you. Even if you have all the talent in the galaxy, nobody is going to be successful one-hundred percent of the time. It's an unfortunate aspect of life that we fail.

You can label those thoughts as pessimism or realism if you like, but it doesn't change it's truth. And the good thing is that, in recognizing you can't be the best at everything all the time, you can come to realize that the whole rest of the human race is on that ship with you. What ends up making the difference is striving to be better and being well rounded in what you can do. There's no shortage of aspiration in Han. He's not the 'resting on his laurels' type.

Which brings us to the explanation of why he's been spending the last few nights in Nexus bars learning to play darts of all things. Boy meets girl. Boy likes girl. Boy mentions being interested in bar games. Girl says darts seem like fun. Boy spends all his spare time over the next few days learning how to play darts, naturally.

It could have been fun to learn how to play together and, no doubt, that's the route a lot of people would take. Not Han, though. It's so deeply ingrained into him that he needs to prove his worth, that he couldn't very well go into this occasion without some practice. Even though it's just for fun. Just an excuse to get closer to somebody. He has to be the best that he can be in the few short days he has to learn the skill. Besides, he rationalizes to himself, it will be good if someone knows the rules to the games before they try to play.

Thock. Thock. Thock.

The sound of the metal tipped darts pelting the sisal fibre board is the same every time. In some ways, the game likens itself to other kinds of marksmanship. A lot of the work is done in adopting a good stance each time and being consistent.

The hours melt away faster that he realizes.

Unlike playing cards, which requires observation and thinking to play well, he can mostly zone out here. For him, it's kind of relaxing. He's not a champion dart player after two days and he's pretty sure Barton would handily outclass him in a game, but he's gotten pretty good. He tends to hit in the wedge that he's aiming for more often than he misses.

Although they never specifically agreed upon a time or even a specific place to reunite, he trusts the May Queen to find him. The morning was clear and no doubt a goddess has a lot to accomplish in a day, so he waits until the sky begins to turn dark before he heads to an establishment called 'The Pitch and Roll'.

It starts to rain just before he gets there, but it's one of those warm refreshing ones that you tend not to mind getting caught in too much. For now. It looks to him like it's going to really start pouring soon. A good evening to spend inside somewhere. He's glad he brought a good jacket; it's light brown in color and leather. If it's still raining when it's time to walk to the Falcon, he'll be glad to have it. The rest of what he's put on in terms of his clothing is the standard for him - black pants with a yellow decoration along the side seam and a white long sleave shirt.

He doesn't see Frea when he arrives and so, he'll walk up to the bar and order an ale for himself while he waits.

Comments

This song is so relevant rn https://youtu.be/QJO3ROT-A4E

[maydayqueen]

There's no good reason to feel guilty about enjoying success, and she wouldn't want him to. He's good and kind to her and welcome to cherish every part of their time together. Holding and being held is on her agenda, too. She hopes to never let him down.

There are things she knows and things she's aware of knowing. Sweet and playful is fun and fine in most situations. Sometimes, something more is more appropriate, and she'd never want him to think she's not appropriate. Except, of course, when it's most appropriate to be inappropriate. Mostly, the takeaway from this rambling is, she wants his attention and is willing to put in more effort to keep it.

When his hands rest at her waist, she takes is as an invitation to lean back against him. There's no faking the sheer pleasure in her expression when her head turns and her cheek presses against his skin. She is so wonderfully happy with him. His fingers working under the hem of her shirt is just a little tickly, and she bites her lip to contain the giggles. There's no argument; quite the opposite: she lifts her arms so he can pull the shirt up and off without resistance.

It's a tall order to get Han to happiness level: boyband.

[twelve_not_fourteen]

She is so clearly happy; from the crown of her head to the soles of her feet. Practically glowing, in fact. He wishes he could stop time long enough to figure out all the steps that it would take to continue to make her this contented. Then all he would have to do is follow them, right? There are a lot of things he'd be willing to do to continue to bask in her brightness.

"Better take off the skirt too. Just to be safe."

Safe. You know. From its dampness. Or something. He's hoping she's not going to challenge him on that line because he doesn't really have much in the way of a rationale. He's happy too and it's manifesting in the form of him saying whatever.

He doesn't immediately go for trying to push off her skirt. He's taken off enough clothes in his day to know that it might be cinched in some manner. And unless this is some sort of very intricate closure, it's reasonable to assume he can help it off.

Well, he's a tall man. ;)

[maydayqueen]

She is certainly happy from crown to soles, and her crown's all the way over there. That's a lot of happy. If they can find a way to make them both this happy on the regular, that would be a grand thing. Then again, they've already found some, haven't they? That's how they ended up in this delightful mess to begin with.

"To be safe, hmm?" She's teasing, but she's not stopping him. Her shirt is tossed onto the growing pile of discarded clothes and then her hands drop to cover his. Again, not stopping, just along for the ride. Her hair tumbles down over her shoulders, obscuring his view of her breasts until he can be bothered to do something about that.

Her clothes are simple; the skirt has a drawstring at the waist, a simple bow to be undone with a tug. While he's finding that, she'll kick off her shoes. Evil things. This makes her lean more firmly against him, heavily but not heavy. A good, solid pressure and a growing warmth.

"It's so sweet of you to worry about me catching cold." Another turn of her head lets her leave a kiss on his chest.

[twelve_not_fourteen]

"Mmhmm." He says with a faint nod. In case it's not clear that he's doubling down on that absurd comment he'll further insist, "Safe."

Drawstrings are pretty great. Even Han, who acts disillusioned about nearly everything, would agree. They're straightforward. They're adjustable. Most importantly, they're easy to take off. A little tug and clothes will just fall away. He feels like whomever invented the drawstring had his back.

Repeated exposure might make it easier for him. It's not as if the view of her without clothes was unfamiliar, but he still ends up taking moments just to marvel at her. Wherever it was that she came from, whatever it was in the universe sculpted her ... much as he tried to think of her as the same as anyone else, his eyes seemed to always send him a conflicting message.

"Whats good for you is good for me, I think." He says after a few seconds. "Or is it the other way around? No, I got it, it's both of those things."

Never seems to take long. Through the cold and wet of his remaining clothes, depending on the way she leans against him, she might be able to tell he's feeling warmer now. Or even with the right glance. She could be a merciful goddess and help him out of the rest of his clothing. They seem unnecessarily restrictive right now.

[maydayqueen]

Aww, how is she supposed to not giggle when he's being silly? On the other hand, if the point was to make her giggle, then mission accomplished. The laughter is light and brief, like the bubbles in a champagne glass tickling the nose, and afterward she relaxes against him with a contented sigh.

Drawstrings are one of the finest of human inventions. Practical and not overly complicated. The inventor of such fine work deserves the highest of fives. When the skirt falls, she steps out of it and kicks it aside. He can take all the time he wants admiring her, she likes it when he looks at her. His is an admiring gaze she admires. While he's enjoying the view, she'll reach up to rub the back of her fingers against his stubble and jaw. The way she's rhythmically shifting her weight from foot to foot is purely coincidental and not at all meant to be a slow and subtle tease.

"Mm? Sauce for the goose? You're right." Frea can take the hint and accepts the invitation with a smile. It does mean she has to stop leaning against him so comfortably, but it's an acceptable cost. She turns to face him and meets his eyes with a steady gaze she refuses to break while her hands work, despite his having far more complicated things for her to deal with. "Getting you out of these wet things will let us keep each other warm better."

Doing so without looking means lots of touching, hands moving here and there in search of fastenings. He'll just have to learn to live with her doing this by touch. What's a little groping between friends?

[twelve_not_fourteen]

He could have taken the holster off. It would have been easier that way. There's an old adage that he has to believe is a common one throughout the multiverse; 'nothing worth doing is easy'. Han certainly finds Frea worth doing and he hopes she feels the same. All indications seem to point to it anyway.

She'd gone and made it harder by not trying to look while she's doing it.

There are two relatively small straps that keep the gun on the thigh wrapped around his right leg and then, the larger buckle that keeps the holster on his hips. The process to get it off pretty much necessitates the smaller straps to come off first, otherwise, it will all become a tangled mess around his leg.

So he can keep a pretty straight face when she takes off the bottom strap. That one is settled at his mid thigh. The other strap? That one is much higher on the thigh; in a place that no hand would have to wander very far off course to do some prime groping. He manages for a second or two to keep his composure and then he does something like a shiver that has nothing to do with cold. Then he sighs and ... huh, hard to tell because he's not moving a lot, but ... he might just be leaning into her hand.

"A lot better. I've always said that body heat is the best way to stay warm."

[maydayqueen]

He's worth the effort. Sure, there are easier ways to do this. But is it as much fun? This way, they get to enjoy every nuance of each other's expressions. He may be trying to be stoic in the face of temptation, but she's awful tempting. Some people might find her confused face endearing. Others might prefer to savor watching her lower lip disappear between her teeth when she's concentrating, only to see it reappear when she has her little victory, swollen and dark from the blood suddenly rushing back into place. Or maybe it's the way her eyebrow arches when she knows, knows, he's on the verge of losing control.

There are several prime groping opportunities she can foresee. Or would, if she were looking. His obvious pleasure convinces her to linger for a moment before getting back to work. She's looking pleased as punch while she makes sure the thigh straps are all undone. Of course, to get to his belt buckle... She cups her hand over him and gives the gentlest of squeezes, just enough pressure to be felt. "I think you're right. Looks like you're warming up already."

The big buckle is next, and then she presses up against him under the guise of needing to wrap her arms around him to remove the holster. It's so very delicate. Can't let it touch the floor. Once it's all in one hand she swings it experimentally to test how far between it and a bunk. She's not looking away. Not now. By the sound of things, it lands well enough, and nobody's been shot. Time to reward him for his patience with a kiss, which she stretches up on her tip-toes to give him.

[twelve_not_fourteen]

Nobody's been shot is a pretty low bar to measure success by, but considering him and his need to carry a firearm almost everywhere he goes, perhaps it should be one he puts into practice more often. That she's tossed it doesn't seem to worry him at all. He's been far rougher with his blaster before. Nor is the safety disengaged.

That last grope kinda takes him by surprise. The rest of the touching could maybe have been seen as incidental, but that one was for the sake of being gratuitous. And he really enjoyed it too. If the narrowing of his eyes and the soft groan of pleasure wasn't enough of an indication, there's plenty of evidence that her palm got to press into. Definitely aroused for his queen.

His arms settle around her lower back so he can keep her close for a few moments. It's all well and good to get each other naked, but in the meantime, they've had to stop touching each other long enough to actually get that done. In that embrace, all his lean mass settles against her curves. All her soft skin, against the myriad of his scars. His lips against hers. All seems right in the world when it's the two of them left to their own devices.

[maydayqueen]

Hey, you know, she'll take her victories where she can. It shouldn't be much of a surprise when she's a little wary of weapons she doesn't know how to control. (A small part of her wonders when he's going to notice the knife sheathed on her own thigh, and if he's going to ask about it.)

Hearing him make sounds like that makes her knees a little weak. Good thing they've got a soft place to land. His obvious arousal is pleasing on a primal level. Everything about it pleases her, to be honest.

When his arms close around her she laces her fingers together behind his neck. Him against her is best in these situations. Her first kiss is soft and sweet; the next is deeper, lasting, promising. Everything is so perfect when they're together like this. When he needs a breath for air she turns her lip to his jaw, kissing along the line of it until he's caught his breath. And yeah, she knows she's really helping with that.

The next kiss comes with her pulling back slightly, just enough for her hands to slide down his body to his waist. The kiss ends with her moving further away, not back but down: she sinks to her knees and draws her hands down his legs. His boots need to come off before the rest. Again, she's not looking, her eyes never leaving his face.

[twelve_not_fourteen]

They have knives in his galaxy. In fact, for additional horror and cutting efficiency, most of the knives where he comes from vibrate. They're not really his style. You have to get in a lot closer than he'd ever want to be from his opponent to have to use them. Not that he can't mix it up if he needed to, but he knows what his strengths are; talking his way out of things. Definitely. But failing that, blasting things.

Anyway, he's seen sheathed knives. Carried them on his person occasionally, though he uses an ankle sheath for the job. So unless what she has on is somehow so ornate that he can't recognize it or disguised, it's likely that he knows what it is. She's just ... not the first girlfriend he would have had carrying a weapon. In fact, he's encouraged the ones who didn't to start.

The sight of it does make him wonder what it would be for, though. He pictures her as a peaceful goddess. Helping things grow. Talking to animals. Not to mention an amazon best friend and bodyguard frequently at her side. What in her work justifies the need to carry a hidden dagger? A question worth asking. Later.

Right now, he's looking down at her and helping her get off those boots. Which isn't all that hard to do. They're jackboots, like he'd wear as part of a uniform years ago. A lift of his leg, a gentle tug from her and off they'll come. Easy. The view of Frea down on her knees with promises in her eyes stimulates something very base and instinctual in his brain. Her pose is practical for the task at hand, but it's also very submissive looking.

He might be wary of dominance over another in general, but it's nice to feel that way sometimes. As long as it doesn't go too far ...

Particularly the last 4: http://bit.ly/2aYDGTd

[maydayqueen]

Vibrating knives? That seems almost overly designed. She's happy with her simple silver blade and who don't need to know not knowing about it. She'll answer his questions if he ever asks them; he deserves to know, even if it's not something she wants to volunteer.

She likes him seeing her as gentle and soft, a goddess who helps and is adorable. It's not ignorance, exactly, that she wants to keep him in; she'd just prefer he stay in that happy state where he knows enough to be content but not enough to be discontent. What he doesn't know, and all that.

'Easy' is a great way for boots to be. Whoever designed them definitely had the backs of soldiers and lovers everywhere. It makes this game easier, and there's a definite point after which it would be going on too long; she's trying to be mindful of that. The pose is submissive, but the expression is not. Her face suggests that this is all an amusing game and he's welcome to play along, so long as it stays fun.

Once his boots are off and tossed aside, she reaches up to claim the grand prize. Those pants he's wearing simply must go. They're not so foreign to her that she has too much trouble working without looking. It grows increasingly harder to focus on what she's doing, however; he's terribly distracting. The more of him that's revealed as she works the fabric down his legs, the more she wants to look.

I think he knows he's not the badass here. But he does like strong women ...

[twelve_not_fourteen]

It was a shame that pretty much everything else had to come off first before he could finally take off the wet pants, but alas, there is something of a sequence to undressing Captain Solo. It's good that she learned it, though. It something Han wanted the May Queen to be familiar with. That she can do it without looking is impressive.

Well, she can get through most of it without looking. She's apparently struggling now, huh? It get's a sly little smile out of him; the thought that she is tempted by him. By now she'll be reminded of the fact that he's a briefs guy. He kind of always was, but once the thigh holster became an important part of the wardrobe, so did keeping everything in the neighborhood of those straps in place. Right now, the briefs are looking not very well fitting. Like the poor garment is having trouble holding all of him in.

Which makes for an appealing visual, for her (probably) and even for him to a certain extent. It's not all that comfortable, though. He puts up with it. By her hands or his, he doesn't expect he'll have to deal with underwear too much longer. When the pants have pooled around his ankles, he takes two small steps out of them and then, pushes him away with his feet.

Being the badass normal is much harder than being born to greatness. <3

[maydayqueen]

Frea understands the need for doing things in the proper order. You can't reap what you haven't sown. And knowing how to take care of Han seems, to her, a worthwhile thing. It'll likely make them both much happier. Seems to be working so far.

His smile is met with a smirk. Yes, yes, Han should be very proud of himself; and next time, it'll be his turn. See how easy it is then. When his pants have been kicked away she reaches up to rest her hands on his hips. She takes a moment to squeeze and knead there before dipping her fingers into the brief's waistband and starting to work it down. Given the delicate nature of the equipment she's working around, she's extra careful.

"Feeling better now?" The question is asked absently, perhaps to try to cover the fact she's finally lost and has let the prize draw her gaze.

He works for it. lol.

[twelve_not_fourteen]

You know, it might be a little juvenile or silly to take pride in one's parts. What you get is all a part of the genetic lottery. Some sort of jumble of traits formed by a two progenitors. But if all things are otherwise equal he'd prefer to like what he's got. Might as well. He does have to live with it, after all. Even better that Frea seems to like what he has too.

"Getting there." He murmurs. "I got a few more ideas that involve tangling these sheets."

Fun as it has been to tower over her for the last couple of moments, just about all the things he'd like to do are going to involve some combination of laying around together. There's one notable exception of something he might like to do as they were, but he'll let that be her offer at perhaps another time.

He lowers himself down onto his knees so he can face her. He hasn't been able to kiss her in, jeez, it must have been at least like a minute or two. Seems like he could remind them of how good it feels. And then, she'll find she's getting grabbed and pushed into the mattress pile. It's not especially a graceful move, but it's enthusiastic and manages to not knock either of them out, so that's gotta count for something, right?

You mean he's capable of working? :P

[maydayqueen]

Han needn't worry: she's fond of the whole jumble of traits that make him up. All the ones she's seen so far, anyway. More than that, she's fond of the whole that's greater than the sum of the parts. Another lottery that he's won.

"Oh yeah?" That certainly has her attention. It's distracting enough that she misses the chance to make an offer she'd been considering. Ah, well. Maybe next time. Her arms loop over his shoulders when he joins her on the floor and her kiss is given eagerly.

Until the squeal interrupts. There's no resistance when he pushes her down, unless he counts how she's pulling him down with her. She shifts slightly so she can lay back comfortably. A foot lifts to rub against his thigh. The giggling that follows thoroughly breaks the kiss. Seems like she enjoyed the move, however clumsy it might have been. "Mmm, missed me?"

Of all of the muses I've had, he does want things to be easy the most. Cant entirely blame him.

[twelve_not_fourteen]

Han is no virtuoso of flipping people onto their backs. He has plenty of skills, but that one is just not in his wheelhouse. Good reflexes on him, sure, but you can't count on him to consistently execute moves requiring a precise application of coordination and strength.

In the end, he's happy to have gotten what he wanted. He has Frea; all warm and wriggling beneath him. Laughing too. It makes him feel good to play a part in someone's happiness apart from his own (and sometimes Chewie's). It's been a while since he's done that. One of a number of ways being around her is just ... nice.

"Almost too much." He says as a response. Solo, content to let her smile and giggle for a little while longer starts walking his lips in the groove between her shoulder and her neck. "The days in between the ones I get to see you seem a lot longer."

I just want notifications to work again. :(

[maydayqueen]

He could be a virtuoso if he wants to be, with some practice. She volunteers as his training partner. So long as he promises to kiss any bruises better. She's going to enforce that very strictly. (There might be pouting if he forgets.)

Like most of her bursts of giggling, this one is short: a cloudburst of joy meant to drench them both before the sun comes out again. She leans her head to the side to expose more of her neck to him, obliging and hopeful both at the same time. The giggling subsides into soft sighs and moans; she thoroughly enjoys those kisses.

"Aww. I'm sorry." One hand moves up so she can tangle her fingers in his hair while the other strokes his back, as if she could soothe the loneliness away or shore up his stockpile of happiness. "Maybe we should see more of each other until you're feeling better?"

How unreasonable of you. Wanting the notifications to show up on time. Or at all.

[twelve_not_fourteen]

The touches of his lips come in all varieties. Some in the form of quick pecks. Some in the form of slow and deep tastes of her skin. He trying to keep each one a little different than before. They're each like a fingerprint, some semblance between all of them, but no two are exactly the same.

"It's not that, darling." Though the extra dose of sweetness is noticed and appreciated, especially when fingers find excuses to touch his hair. He's smiling in between the kisses. "I just like you a lot. That's all."

I know. Bad me. I'll show myself out.

[maydayqueen]

They say that variety is the spice of life. Right now, she's inclined to agree. The prickling of anticipation between his kisses is a wonderful torment. It's hard not to wriggle more beneath him while he's doing that. She's not trying to distract him, exactly; distraction might lead to his stopping and she certainly doesn't want that.

"Mm. I like you too. A lot." She turns her head in hopes of catching his lips in a kiss. If he doesn't let her have it, she'll have to find another way to vent these urges. "We could see each other more anyway if you want."

They seem to be back now?

[twelve_not_fourteen]

She won't find him frequently trying to deny her the chance to kiss him. It's always fun to tease once in a while, but he's a little wary of doing as much. He's worried he might tease and hurt her feelings. Or that something not meant to tease at all will be interpreted as such. It only matters because Han likes her so much. The idea of doing something to mess up what they have is ... worrisome.

"I don't want to keep you." He murmurs between their shared kisses. "... but I would like to see you more."

Yeah karzilla just posted they fixed it. :)

[maydayqueen]

Case in point: she knows he doesn't mean it to hurt, that she can't be kept, that she has responsibilities... but the idea that he doesn't want to keep her stings. The feeling is tamped down as soon as she recognizes it. Foolish, stupid thing to feel. His wanting that would only lead to pain for them both.

Besides, there are kisses, and that's a much better thing to think about. That's where she focuses her attention until she's certain she can speak without betraying herself. When she does speak, her words are strung out between more kisses. "I think that can be arranged. Especially with such a nice incentive."

[twelve_not_fourteen]

It's not for lack of wanting. Certainly, he'd love to sweep her off of her feet and have her all to himself - apart from occasionally relinquishing her to her friends. He'd especially love to take her to see the kinds of nature that you might only see in small parts of the Nexus spread out over entire worlds in his galaxy. Kashyyyk and the enormous trees. The pristine mountains of Alderaan. The gorgeous lakes of Naboo. The beaches of Togoria. Anywhere. Everwhere.

But it wasn't a realistic thing to want knowing who she is and he already knew the pain of what it was like be weighed against a person's 'duty'. He'd come up short with Bria. Han can't help but feel like if he ever pushed Frea in a position to choose (not that she probably could), he'd be coming up short again.

"I'd like that a lot." He says in reply. At this moment, he's not even entirely conscious of the way he seems to be shifting subtly to line his hips up better with hers. "I like every arrangement that brings us together."

[maydayqueen]

It isn't as if she'd have a choice. Abdication isn't an option. She hadn't counted on meeting people she'd want to stay with so much...

Sweet summer child that she is, she believes he would never lie to her. When he tells her something, she takes it as gospel truth. It's a wonderful gift he's likely to ruin one of these days when she catches on, but for now, she trusts him completely.

Frea smiles up at him, pleased and promising. His movements haven't gone unnoticed and she's moving beneath him to get ready to meet him. "Me, too. So what're you waiting for?"

[twelve_not_fourteen]

He's been trying to be relatively honest with her. He's definitely been more in the habit of telling the truth in the Nexus than he has at other times in his life with Verity around to see through everything. Maybe he exaggerated a little around the beautiful spring deity, but he doesn't feel like he's told her a significant lie. Admittedly he has presented himself, his work and his flaws to her in a way that he thinks she'll find palatable, but that's sort of ... what the beginning of a romance is, isn't it?

It's certainly what the beginning of a romance is like with Han, anyway, and he's been more forthright with her than most.

"I dunno." How's that for honesty? "I guess I feel like I should be offering you more than a few slick lines before were throwing off each other's clothes."

And yes, he's still hesitating. He ought not to for that much longer, though.

[maydayqueen]

Verity is an excellent influence on him. Maybe Frea will bake her some cookies...

Mostly, she'd understand the little exaggerations and smoothings-over. Everyone wants to present themselves in the best possible light, and goodness knows, she's doing the same thing. Maybe the things she's hiding aren't any better or less bad. It'll be something for them to navigate another time.

Right now, she's liking this honesty. It makes her giggle again. "It's a nice thought, sweetheart, but uh..."

She lifts her head so she can whisper a very important secret in his ear. "We're already naked."