Saga See What Careless Love Has Done (H/L, ESB, vignette)

Title: See What Careless Love Has Done

Summary: A missing moment between Han and Leia shortly after their arrival on Bespin, where Leia comes to realize her feelings.

Note: The title comes from a song called "Careles Love," but I can't seem to find a definitive answer as to who owns the song. If you know, please tell me.

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Leia?s royal education had included all of the arts the Empire had worked so passionately to destroy, but she had never been very interested in any of them. She had an eye for beauty that Saché Organa said was a gift from her real mother, but it rarely delighted her. The war was too hard for that; her life was too hard for that. The two books of poetry Saché had given her had rested on the top of her bookshelf, balancing out the scattered collection of pamphlets and datapads, and Leia had treasured the sight of them?after all, they came to her as a sign of her foster mother?s love?but they, with their rose-colored binding, always seemed little more than ornamentals. She had turned her eyes from the arts long ago to study the harder subjects?history, science, tactics, mathematics?anything she thought might help her guide the Alliance to victory.

Now she regretted that she hadn?t paid more attention to those long-ago books of poetry that had always added that touch of color to her bedroom. She could only remember a single line of verse from them, an old Naboo poem, done in the forbidden script. The only reason she remembered it was because pure Naboo script had been outlawed by the Empire years before, and the law had always been grimly enforced by Vader himself. She had been shocked to find the flowing letters pressed into the pages, in a language she could recognize but not read. Saché had translated it for her aloud, but only the first line remained in Leia?s mind, because she could remember how she had felt as a child, sitting on the floor in front of her foster mother, eyes wide, feeling like this single rebellion against the Empire made her a hero. Just that one line of Naboo poetry.

Carelessly I fell in love with you.

She had been disappointed with it then. Love-poetry, she?d said, scoffing at it. Saché had laughed at her indignation and embraced her daughter. That part Leia could remember perfectly, closed in her mother?s arms, breathing in her warm scent. You?ll have a use for it someday, darling, Saché had said. Now, why don?t you go out and play? I?ll put this back in your room.

The book was ashes now, but the memory and the line stayed with her, and Leia found it cycling endlessly through her head as Han helped her get situated in her quarters. She also found herself watching him bustle around with a smile on her face as he tried to coax the cool rooms into looking homey. Turning around so that he wouldn?t see her lips curved up at his muttered curses as he rummaged through closets, Leia straightened a delicate ivory wall hanging.

?I like it,? she said finally, stepping back to observe her handiwork.

?Yeah, very good, sweetheart,? Han said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. ?I scrounge up clothes and dust off your countertops, and you straighten one hanging and call it a good day?s work.?

?Well, maybe I?ll help you with your room,? she offered, facing him. She had to stifle a laugh at his appearance?his hair was mussed and his shirt was coated with grey dust. Apparently, he?d never heard of using a rag to wipe down surfaces.

Han lifted his eyebrows in query. ?What makes you think I?ll be moving anywhere else?? He touched a button at the base of the window and made the shielding dissolve, allowing fresh air to float into the room. His grin was infectious. ?I kind of like it here?and we wouldn?t want you to get lonely.?

?I?m hardly dying for your company,? Leia retorted. His matter-of-fact offer made her flush. She could feel her face warming from the heat, and she turned away again, scowling, not wanting him to see how much he had affected he

 

Lady_Moonbeam: That was beautifully written...a treat to read and SO romantic! Han and Leia have come a long way since Twelve Past Victory! No Palpatine spy chairs in this one at all

 

Excellent short, Moonbeam. I love the back story you made for Leia and the line "Carelessly I fell in love with you."

Well done.

 

Moon, that was excellent . Very enjoyable. I adore your writing style and how it makes me feel. It really gets into a hard place inside me and pulsates.

George could do with learning a few tips for ?Missing Moments? off you. I think he was at his wit?s end with some of the romance lines in AoTC.

I, too, love the line you made for Leia. It?s mushy, but not too mushy. Thank you for writing this .

Am

 

*Gets warm, fuzzy feeling*

What a great viggie, Lady_Moonbeam! I love the backstory with the poem, and especially that one line you used. And, of course, the Han/Leia interaction was simply beautiful... So romantic, so true to the characters! *Melts*

This was definitely what I needed today, Lady_Moonbeam. It's such a treat for me just to find a Han/Leia viggie... But reading a well-written, romantic one makes it even better. *Grin* Lovely work!

 

LM- see, this fic is another example why I'm a bona fide Moonie. Why? Because not only can the girl write comedy, you can write viggies as well! I'm turning green with envy over here.

*hugs viggie to chest* I'm in total awe of your writing. And I love this little gem. Keep up the great work!

 

Awww, very very cute L_M!
You are an amazing author!

DM

 

Beauuuuutiful!

 

Yes, Sunshine, but have you read her stuff when she's gone to the Dark Side?

 

Holy neon highlighters, Batman! That was one of the best vigs I've ever read. It's just so...warm. and happy. ::gets all sappy:: i love those two.

 

Excellent Viggie. Haven't read a good one in a while and this one was lovely!!! Thanks for posting it.

 

That was the definition of beautiful!

I just adore Han and Leia, and you handeled them perfectly!

 

Awww, yay! I just watched ESB last night, for the hell of it, so now I'm all in a Han/Leia mood. And you did an awesome job with this story. I love that line, Carelessly I fell in love with you

 

Awwwwwwwww, that was sweet post there LadyMoonbeam!!! Very nicely done!

 

Wonderful, Lady_Moonbeam - simply wonderful. Beautifully written. Thanks for the Mush Fix!

It was a short step from fighting with Han to teasing him?though teasing him seemed to produce considerably better reactions - love it!!!

 

Reading your stories, following along with your style, your words, your thoughts, the images they provoke, is a bit like an intoxication for me, Moon. I feel all warm and joyous inside, like i have been taken on a fun bit of a ride, always wanting more than what I'm left with.

The backstory is so fitting, so believeable. Memories of recent or distant past always seem to float in on the right occasion, when something in the present piques their attention, and they need to be remembered, brought to the forefront to help the person better understand and appreciate the current situation. That works here tenfold.

I would say their love, esp in that time period, was careless. I love the title for this.

Wonderful, Moon. You have such a knack for getting characterization dead on, right where you want it.

::Windstar Out::

 

Sighs at Moone's perfect, perfect viggie! I just LOVE the way you captured Han and Leia so perfectly, and interposed the bits with poetry so well!

Careless I fell in love with you

* sighs again *

 

I'm really thrilled by all of these responses--and joyous to see how well this was received!

QueenofAces--No Palpatine spy chairs. Thanks. I do love a good romantic story--and Han and Leia are constant inspiration for one.

Knight-Ander--Thanks! I'd had that line in my head for a long time, and the backstory developed almost without me noticing it. And hey! The Dark Side is fun!

Empress Amsie--Thank you! I know, some of the lines in AOTC were a little... strained. And I still loved them; I'm a hopeless gusher. But I do love missing moments, and this was fun to write.

Puggy--Wow, thanks! well-written, romantic... I'm glad I stayed true to the characters--I was particularly worried about Leia, because I usually have trouble with her POV, but this came very naturally.

Sunshine-- *hugs Moonie* Don't worry, I love H/L, too. It's not the only thing I write, but it's one of my favorite genres, so expect plenty more. I already have an idea for an H/L short story...

DarthMasan--Thanks! I think the cuteness is due to watching Witness right before I wrote this--Harrison Ford must have zoomed into me.

GreatOne--Thank you!

RogueSticks--Holy feedback, Batman! Thanks. Who doesn't love Han and Leia, really?

starwarsfan68--How could I not post, when you all give me such lovely feedback?

Princess1--Like I said to Puggy, hearing I did the characters right is a relief, since I was so worried about Leia. Thanks so much.

karebear214--ESB always puts me in a Han/Leia mood, too. I had to watch part of it before I wrote this to get the setting right--and it helped with the mood. Thanks!

NETTYTHEPRINCESS--Thank you, Your Highness. I'm glad you liked it.

rxchiquita--I live for mush fixes. I think we all need them every once in a while, don't you?

Bri--Wow! Excellent feedback! *huggies* Thank you so much. I'm glad that I can take you on a ride--that's the kind of expression that makes it all worthwhile. Because writing it was a ride, too, and it's good to know the readers enjoyed it. And yes--I've seen with me that memories will suddenly come up for apparently no reason at all, until you see how they connect with you, so I loved using Leia's past. And this is one of my favorite titles for my vignettes. Thanks again for your feedback, really. It was lovely.

Oh--LP posted before I was done!

LadyPadme--Thanks. You know I love your Han/Leia stories, and they work as great inspiration for handling the characters. The poem line was a device for telling to story, so I was nervous about it, and I'm glad it came off. Looking forward to more of The Jade Prophecy!

 

I'm speechless. Your take on Han and Leia's relationship is dead-on. Your writing is truly a pleasure to read, and it is so accomplished. Great work!!!

 

Awwww...that was so adorable. I never get tired of a good H/L fic, and this is my favorite part of their relationship. I love the line you used, it's so poetic, and it really fits their relationship!

 

Lovely.

AS USUAL!

 

?Careless,? Han mused. He pulled her hands from her sides and held them. ?I?ll take what I can get, princess, and careless love is better than none.?

Mr. Practical.

?There. Now you?re all cleaned up, and there?s no reason for anyone outside this room to know you have emotions like the rest of us.?
?What were you thinking about? Us? I?m not sure I?m so bad you need to cry about it.?
?I was thinking about my mother.?

?I don't think that?s the sort of reaction I want to provoke when I?m holding you, Princess.?



Mr. Sensitivity! Delightfully realistic H/L banter. You truly captured that love/hate essence of their relationship.


This was a lovely written and appropriately fixed little missing moment.

By the way, I suppose as Sache Organa is Leia's mother, you are using Fernwithy's Father's Heart Universe as the backdrop for this story?

Please keep writing.

 

*smiles at you*

Yup. I was smilin' the whole time. Just a sweet, almost sad but still happy, adorable little missing scene. GREAT JOB!!!!

Forbidden Old Naboo.... intriguing....

Great job! I really loved it! You're an awesome writer!!! Funny and serious!!!!


A. Windsor

 

Goodness, how did I miss this first time around? It's lovely, Moon! Romantic, enchanting and melodic.

She had been disappointed with it then. Love-poetry, she?d said, scoffing at it. Saché had laughed at her indignation and embraced her daughter. That part Leia could remember perfectly, closed in her mother?s arms, breathing in her warm scent. You?ll have a use for it someday, darling, Saché had said. Now, why don?t you go out and play? I?ll put this back in your room.

I really love this paragraph. So vivid - I can just see Leia and Saché.

?Yeah, very good, sweetheart,? Han said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. ?I scrounge up clothes and dust off your countertops, and you straighten one hanging and call it a good day?s work.?

*giggles* So Han.

Han?s eyes widened. ?I don't think that?s the sort of reaction I want to provoke when I?m holding you, Princess.?

LOL! No, I imagine not.

?He has his own kind of honor,? she said, called back to the present. ?My parents believed that, and so do I. It doesn?t change who he is, but it?s still important.?

Now this is intriguing. How interesting that Bail and Saché still believed that! Simply wonderful vignette all the way around, Moon.

 

Absolutely exquisite, Lady Moonbeam! Thankyou for the pleasure!