Your eyes show the strength of your soul ...

[twelve_not_fourteen]

What might surprise a person about the carbonite freezing process - since most people never get the pleasure of the experience - is the way you feel it freezing you on the inside at the same time as it's freezing your outsides. Even holding your breath, it enters your lungs fast. Harding everything you need to breathe. And the cold is so deep that it feels like every nerve is on fire.

If he'd had more than an instant, Han would have probably supposed that drowning feels like this, with less agony. All he really got to think about was the fact that this was going to be the end of him; while his friends were still in trouble ...

He could have lived with his early death if he knew that Chewie and Luke and, especially Leia, were gonna be okay. The best he could do was keep a brave face.

When Han Solo's body was extracted from the freezing chamber, it was clear that he had suffered. It had been quick. There were longer ways to hurt a guy, for sure, but the look on his face was impossible to escape. His hand held up in a pathetic defense from the gas. People were going to see that look on him forever.

~~~~~

All the scanning equipment showed that the smuggler was not dead.

The stormtroopers, many of them, were impressed by that fact because they were by far the most impassionate of all the people on the platform. The didn't hate the man the way his enemies did. Or loved him the way that his friends did.

Their boots pounded in an odd cascade against the catwalks of Besbin's mining facility. Helping a famous bounty hunter load up his prize into the old Firespray model ship.

Comments

[twelve_not_fourteen]

"Oh good."

There's a faint smile that touches his lips when she doesn't hesitate to join him. She doesn't hesitate to press right up on him, either, which is extra nice. A little worse for wear, a little smelly, a little dirty and she still doesn't hesitate to squeeze herself in beside him.

"Looks like we got just the right amount of space for us."

[thecanarylives]

She knows that smile. The genuine one. The kind he doesn't have to put on - it's natural and easy and sweet. She curls in a little closer, stroking his hair back and watching him curiously a moment.

"Yeah. Looks like it."

She considers him a moment, leaning up to brush her lips lightly against his.

[twelve_not_fourteen]

It's a bit of a challenge for some people to discern Han's true smiles from the fake ones, because a lot of people never see the genuine ones. That said, when you've seen both, the difference is very clear. There's often a sneer in the eyes if not the lips. As if he can't completely contain the sarcasm that wants to ebb out of him.

But Sara has correctly identified this one as 'real' and the affection is plain to see. When it comes to the kiss? He can feel her moving in, the slight puffs of air from her nose teasing his face, so his first blind kiss doesn't catch him off guard all that much. He eases into the gesture and takes his time in it. The Corellian has always been an above average kisser.

He sighs, contented or perhaps relieved, in the kiss.