It was raining on Yavin IV.

     In the hangover and blur from the previous night's celebration of the destruction of the Death Star, everyone was miserable. The rain wasn't brightening the mood any either.

     But despite everything, Luke Skywalker, the destroyer of the Death Star himself, was bright-eyed and giggling as he stared in awe at the storm around him.

     Han Solo, who was busy packing up supplies for the evacuation, looked up at Luke's laugh, his eyebrows quirking in confusion.

      The kid was wearing that ridiculous poncho of his again and spinning in the rain like a toddler. His blonde hair was now dark and sopping in his face and he bounced in slowly forming puddles, giddy as a drunk.

      Han worried for a second that the Tatooinian boy was actually drunk and he panicked, knowing Luke was underage and the perfect naive little farmboy to play a practical joke on with alcohol. He would kill any of those damned X-wing pilots if that was the case.

      However, it was another thought that came to Han's mind that stilled his hands in realization. A laugh bubbled in his throat and he stared incredulously at Luke's still-spinning form. 

       Luke was from Tatooine.

       Shaking his head in amusement, Han set his boxes down and waved over to Chewie, who was near the Falcon, to keep working without him. An annoyed Shyriiwook curse was hurled his way, but he ignored it as he jogged over to Luke and paused right where the building ended and the outside began. He wasn't about to get soaked for the kid.

      "Luke?"

       Luke paused and turned towards Han with a startled expression. The expression melted quickly after he saw who was talking and the boy's blue eyes sparkled with innocence and excitement.

       "Have you ever seen this much water in your life, Han? My aunt and uncle would have a stroke if they saw this. This is more water then we get in two or three seasons!" Luke cried, his hands shooting up so the pellets of liquid could splash on his tanned skin. He tilted his head back and let the droplets wash over his face, landing in his eyes, nose, and mouth and making Han cringe.

      "Kid, you're gonna catch your death out here. You should really come back inside where it's warmer." He grimaced as the water splashed towards his boots. "And dryer," he insisted, reaching a hand out and trying not to roll his eyes exasperatedly.

       Luke simply laughed, spinning further away from Han and making the Corellian realize that he would have to go out in the rain now in order to drag Luke back inside.

      "It's so...wet!" Luke cried, his voice tinged with disbelief and awe. Han's heart stilled in his chest at the smile on the kid's face. He really had never seen rain before. An idea sparked in the smuggler's mind before his conscious could ask him what the hell he was doing and why he was letting this farmboy steal his heart.

      "Luke, how about this. You come inside until it stops raining, and I'll take you back out and show you something even better than rain."

      Luke paused, his hands lowering and his head swiveling to meet Han's gaze. The boy had to squint through the sheets of water to truly make out Han's face and realized that he was indeed starting to feel a little damp and mucky. "Better than rain?"

      "Much better. And cleaner," Han added with a chuckle, reaching out to Luke once more and gesturing him inside. With one last longing look up at the sky, Luke blew out his frustration and ceded to Han's words. As soon as he was back inside, water dripped off of him from every area. A puddle began forming at his feet and Han winced at the squishing sound of Luke's saturated boots.

       "You're hopeless, kid," Han said with a shake of his head.

      Luke pouted, crossing his arms stubbornly and turning his nose up at the smuggler, much to Han's amusement. "I'm from the desert. I was just curious, that's all."

      "Well, let's get you dry first, hmm? I'll remember next time not to bring a moisture farmer to a rainforest planet."

      Luke blushed, but followed Han through the base, his face heating up even more in embarrassment as other members in the Rebellion stared at his drenched form in confusion.

       When Chewie saw Luke, he blinked, roaring out his concern and moving closer to tower over the small human boy. "What did you do to the poor cub, Han?"
  
     "Me!? I didn't do anything you old furball, this is all his own doing," Han defended, watching as Luke hid a snicker behind his palm. "Oh keep laughing junior, but it won't be funny when this fuzzbutt starts ripping my arms out because he thinks I hurt you."

      Luke laughed genuinely now, the sound ringing and adorable with his nose scrunching up and his blue eyes alight with mirth. "I appreciate the concern, Chewie," Luke said with a giggle, cutting off with surprise when giant, hairy paws began assaulting and grooming him.

       "He's more concerned about your 'pelt' then your actual clothes," Han said with a chuckle as he collapsed into a chair. Wookiees would never change with their overprotectiveness and insistence that humans were just hairless cubs.

       "My pelt?" Luke inquired, staring as the giant Wookiee began frantically ruffling his hair.

       "You know, your fur," Han gestured to the chestnut locks on top of his own head, grinning devilishly as Luke suddenly understood and began to laugh.

       "C-Chewie, my hair's fine. It's my clothes I need to worry about," Luke said, reaching up and gently removing the paw from his head.

      "Of course I noticed your clothes, but I figured taking them off in front of Han would send him into some kind of stroke," Chewie rumbled with a urff of laughter, watching as Han blanched.

      Luke blinked, staring between the duo. "What is it? What did he say?"

       "N-nothing junior. Heh, uh, why don't you just go get changed. There's some extra clothes of mine in the cabin area of the Falcon that you can use."

      Luke hesitated for a moment before smiling and nodding, his poncho spilling a trail of water behind him as he made off. Han breathed a sigh of relief only to have Chewie poke at him again.

      "You should tell the cub you wish him to be your mate, Han. He feels the same way, even smells like you," Chewie insisted.

       Han scowled at the Wookiee, jumping to his feet in defensive anger. "Just what are you playing at you overgrown carpet? Luke's a kid. I'm not...we're not...no. None of what you're implying is appropriate."

       Chewie rolled his eyes, swatting Han angrily and watching as the Corellian stumbled backwards in surprise. "Don't make the same mistake you made with Calrissian,"

      Han scoffed. "Lando and I broke up for good reason. I'm not getting into a relationship with Luke. Besides, we're leaving as soon as we're off this rock."

      "You're leaving again?"

      Han whirled around to see Luke at the doorframe, his blue eyes wide and brimmed with tears (or rain, who could even tell at this point). He wore a simple brown tunic and black pants, all a little big on him but fitting nonetheless.

      Lost for words, Han simply gaped at the kid, panicked at how much of the conversation he had heard.

       "You come back and rescue me, and I thought...I thought maybe it meant something, that you actually cared about us...about me...and not the money..." Luke choked back a sob, frantically wiping his eyes and confirming that it was indeed tears there.

      "Luke, I...I want you to come with me. You've helped the Rebellion, now you can leave. Explore the galaxy, see things much cooler than just rain," Han explained weakly.

       Luke was silent before he took a deep, shaky breath. "I lost my aunt and uncle last week. They would've loved it here despite everything. I lost my ex-boyfriend, Biggs Darklighter, who I know would also freak out over the rain with me. I lost my old friend and mentor, who seems to still be here despite everything. I just...I don't want to lose you too. I..." Luke hiccuped and squeezed his eyes shut, unable to look the Corellian in the eye.

      Chewie hummed his sympathy, patting Luke on the shoulder as he struggled to find his next words. "I...I love you, Han. More than I want to admit."

       Han simply stared, sealed into the floor by the sheer force of Luke's presence alone. He said...love?

       "Luke. I want to show you something," Han whispered, his hazel eyes dulled and numbed in his state of shock.

       "What is it?" Luke snapped, trying desperately to blink away his tears.

       "Just...come with me."

       Han took Luke's small, trembling hand into his much larger one and directed him back outside. The rain had stopped finally, only a few stray drops plopping from the edges of broadleaved trees that towered above.

      Luke looked around in awe despite himself, his sniffles growing less frequent as he got immersed in the distraction of nature. "I didn't know there was this much green in the whole galaxy," he said breathlessly.

      Han smiled weakly back at him before he parted several leaves to reveal a small wading pool only a few feet across. However, it was just deep enough to swim in and large enough to make Luke gasp.

      "Is that--"

      "Water. Yeah. It's called a wading pool. They're pretty common on planets or moons with climates like these. Figured you would like it since you've never seen large bodies of water before. But this is nothing really. I want to show you the ocean shores on Corellia, the waterfalls of Naboo, the flora and fauna of Felucia, the caverns of Ryloth, everything. You deserve that Luke, not to be labeled a fugitive and stuck here with people who only want you for your abilities," Han said, Chewie's overprotectiveness rubbing off on him.

      Luke turned wide blue eyes up to him, his face a mask of indecision. "But what about Leia?"

      "The princess?" Han asked, sounding confused. He now knew, to his relief, that Luke had no romantic attachment to the Alderaanian woman whatsoever, but obviously he still cared about her as a friend. Enough to worry about her at least. "I mean, I don't know. Leia made her choice to fight for the Rebellion and I highly doubt there will be much convincing her otherwise. She's stubborn like that."

      Luke bit his lip, "But she's so kind to have offered us refuge in the Alliance. I don't know why but...I can't leave her. I know I've only known her a day but she feels like family already. So do you and Chewie."

       Han smiled warmly, unable to comprehend Luke's selfless, giving heart. With a long sigh, Han brushed a strand of still damp hair out of Luke's face. "Okay, I'll stay." He held up a finger when the blonde's face brightened. "Not forever though. I've got a bounty on my head you know. And my deal's still on the table if you want it. I may not agree with the Empire, but I ain't about to get back on their bad side any time soon."

      Luke smirked playfully, "You were an accessory to helping me blow up one of their prized battle stations which held several high ranking officers, troopers, and other high level imperials. I think you're already on their bad side."

      Han grumbled a few unsatisfactory Corellian words under his breath, making Luke giggle. "But I do think it's a great idea. I'll...I'll think about it. Help the rebellion as long as I can and maybe...maybe fly off with you," Luke admitted.

     Han placed his hands on Luke's cheeks, drawing the boy closer to him and speaking low and huskily, "Even with all that mumbo jumbo from Kenobi about your destiny and stuff?"

      Luke rolled his eyes, "Yes, even with that."

      And with that, Luke's eyes fluttered closed and he pressed up on the tips of his toes to seal his lips on Han's. A burst of euphoria shot through his body and he squeaked as Han pulled him even closer, his lips exploring every part of Luke's mouth and expertly making the young man feel weak at the knees.

      Pulling apart to breathe, the two men stared at each other breathlessly, grinning like idiots as blue and hazel irises refused to unlock. Just then, it began to rain again, startling both Han and Luke and making them gasp at the sudden shock of cold.

     Luke burst into laughter at Han's drowned rat look and pressed another kiss to his cheek, this one sloppy and tainted with stale rain water.

     Grinning stupidly at the younger boy, Han began to chase him around the forest playfully, splashing water up at him from the pond and laughing at the squeals emitting from Luke's mouth. 

      Maybe the rain wasn't that bad after all.