Stuck in the Middle With Chew

Chapter 1:

Out of Fuel

"Look, Chewie, I know it's been hard on you since Mallatobook finished with you, but that's why I've brought you here, to take your mind off of it" A young Han Solo spoke, his words containing a sense of protection over the wookiee.

Chewbacca looked down at his plate of food; sausage and mash - his favourite. But even his favourite dish couldn't elevate his low mood. The quiet sounds of the canteena band were playing a sorrowful melody, in contrast to their usual upbeat style.

The hairy figure glanced deeply up into Han's eyes, then followed as the smuggler quickly moved his gaze to a passing gentleman's rear. An irritated growl escapes Chewbacca, drawing ateention to himself, though the canteena lay wholly empty.

"That's not gay, Chewie! I didn't even mean to look there!" Han blushed madly, his hands open in front of him but a guilty waver betrayed his voice. The wookiee was about to growl again when a strange atmosphere appeared in the room.

The band stopped playing. An all too familiar slithering filled the air. Jabba the Hutt came into view, his evil eyes looked around, taking in all kinds of information like a rancor in the mating season. Firmly holding the horrible slug's hand was Greedo, Jabba's personal debt-collection officer.

The pair came to a halt next to Han and Chewbacca's table. "I've already made you hard once, Han, when I froze you in carbonite; you'd better have my money" Jabba's slimy tongue formed the syllables which formed the words, and Greedo watched on, enjoying the way the slug's mouth opened and closed.

Han casually stands, followed closely by Chewbacca. "I have your money, it's just not exactly accessible at the moment" The smuggler flashed his most charming grin toward the apparently homosexual aliens, trying his best to win them over.

"That's too bad" Greedo fingered the button on his shirt. "If you don't pay, your furry flea-bag will be collatteral". Han saw red. He unbuckled his trusty blaster pistol while diving toward Greedo. Thrusting it into the alien's temple, he breathed heavily with rage.

"What did you say, you green piece of shit?!"

A potent, yellow liquid oozed out of Greedo's left-hand trouser leg; steam arose from it like a boiling kettle. "You shouldn't have made him piss his pants, Han - now his lovely legs will stink!"

"You shouldn't have done that" Jabba, with lightning-fast reflexes, pulls out a blaster pistol and shoots Han's out of his hands. "I'll make sure you're really solo this time, Han Solo"

The grotesque space slug aims carefully at Han, then slowly turns the barrel toward Chewbacca, his finger quickly attempts to send a bolt of energy toward the wookiee's heart.

Han swiftly grabs Chewbacca's unfinished plate of sausage and mash and pushes it into Jabba's wrinkly face. This action disrupts the laser shot, sending it off-course, seering it straight into Chewbacca's foot.

A cry of pain escapes the wookiee. Han unbuckles a sonic imploder from his belt, activates it and throws it at the base of Jabba's mass. A bright sphere of light blinds all but Chewbacca and Han, and they make their escape.

After boarding the Millenium Falcon, Han races to the cockpit to prepare for takeoff. Chewbacca stands on the open landing bay, bowcaster poised in defense. Multiple henchmen of Jabba's appear around the perimeter of the hangar.

The wookiee shoots accurately, easily dispatching them all. A furry fist punches the button to close the landing bay. "Here we go!" Han shouts as he pilots the craft up and away from the desert planet.

As the Millenium Falcon becomes as small in the distance as a star, Jabba and Greedo smirk and exchange looks. "All according to plan" Jabba states; they laugh evilly.

"Remind me never to have dinner in Jabba's favourite canteena again" Han grinned, glad to have made it out unscathed. Then his mind shot to his wounded partner.

The wookiees are a strong, proud race; Chewie would never admit he was hurt, but Han knew him well, too well, sometimes even more than he knew himself.

"Pal, show me your foot" Han spoke softly as he entered the back area of their craft. Chewie was perched on a shelf, averting the smuggler's gaze which always seemed to see right through him. He turned away slightly, feeling embarrassed over getting injured, or for showing a pained expression at all. He hated to appear weak to anyone, especially to Han.

"Oh, boy, let me see. Please" The smuggler neared, squatting down next to his partner. "You're lucky - it's just skimmed you" Han spoke gladly, more glad for his own sake though - that his close friend would be okay.

The smuggler bandaged Chewbacca's wound and rested his warm hand on the wookiee's leg while he stood up. But hus hand remained there, like it had a mind of its own; but if it did, it was thinking the same as Han himself - that it wanted to be as near to Chewie as possible. And to hold him close.

Chewbacca purs with gratitude over Han's care.

"No need for any thanks, Chew; you know I'll always have all the time in the world for you"

The space around them seemed to ignite in that moment; an unknown heat emerged from deep inside of them and destroyed their innhibitions; they gently neared the other, their lips parting welcomingly. Bare, human lips; hairy, wookiee lips.

A sudden, persistent beep echoed around the space craft.

Han raced to the main console in the cockpit. "Damn it! those bastards must've cut the fuel lines before we took off!" The smuggler slammed his fist onto the side of the ship as he watched the final drops of fuel filter away into the emptiness of space before them.

"Looks like we'll be stuck here for a while, bud"

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