Hoth
By the time he had the shelter built, Han was almost dead. Or he felt like it anyway. Part of him, the bone-tired, frostbitten, almost-dead part, suggested that it would be comfortable to just sink down into the snow and lie there and sleep.
But Han was too bloody-minded to die like that. Especially not when he'd gone to all this trouble over Luke. No profit in that. And there was his reputation to think of.
The sky was dimming as he pulled Luke out of the reeking body of the tauntaun. Luke was covered in a noxious slime that was quickly becoming brittle in the wind. Han tried to brush the worst of it off, but just succeeded in getting most of it on himself instead.
Luke moaned as Han maneuvered them both into the shelter. It was cramped but there was room for them to lie down, if they curled up a little. Luke's eyes fluttered open as Han was getting them settled. "Han?" he said.
"Yeah," Han said. "You're safe, kid. They'll find us in the morning. Just get some sleep."
Luke smiled. "Thanks, Han." He closed his eyes again. Han lay on his side and turned Luke as well, spooning up behind him with one arm around his chest. Luke was sleeping already, breathing slowly.
And dark fell completely and Han was left, so tired he couldn't sleep, to hold Luke close and not think about what he was doing out here.
It was the middle of the night when Luke rolled over and threw his leg over Han's and his arm around Han's waist. His head was against Han's chin and Han pressed his mouth to Luke's forehead before he thought.
Luke sighed and his arm tightened around Han. Then he raised his face and Han realised that Luke wasn't asleep anymore. "Han," Luke said, against Han's cheek, and Han turned his head and they were kissing in the dark, chapped lips, tauntaun slime, and the thought of cheated death.
Tatooine
They'd had a good run, even though the fates had conspired against Han in the worst way. But this wasn't how he'd planned to die, blind and helpless in the belly of a sarlacc, whatever the hell a sarlacc was. When he heard Luke's voice, Han had a flash of elation before realising that Luke was going to die here too, with the rest of them. He wanted to tell Luke off for not staying far, far away.
But Luke seemed so sure of himself, if his words were anything to go by, so confident that they would walk away from this. Han knew that Luke was lucky, but luck wasn't exactly something you could count on. So the sun beat down and they were going to die and he wasn't even going to see Luke's face before they did.
And then they didn't. To hear Lando tell it, Luke could fight like nothing he'd ever seen before, had saved them all by cleverness and magic powers. Han figured the real story was a little more complicated than that.
But now they were leaving. And now Han could see. Luke was standing alone on top of a ridge, looking out over the dunes. Han went up to stand beside him.
It was midday. Sweat was beading on Han's forehead and rolling down his back. Luke didn't speak. He didn't look over. Han did.
Luke's scarred face was perfectly still, perfectly composed. He stared into the distance and Han wondered if Luke would blink even if he were staring into the sun.
Han hesitated, then put his hand on Luke's shoulder. There was nothing, no reaction, no step towards, no shrinking away. "Thank you," Han said.
Luke nodded, still looking out towards the horizon. "I have to go," he said. "I have a promise to keep."
He turned and walked to his ship, Han's hand falling away as he went.
They all watched him go. Leia stood beside Han and took his hand.
FINIS
Oh, very nice!! I love Luke/Han, but it's hard to find good fic that isn't smut. I love your Han - so very in character and unvarnished. I really would love for more, but it works so well on its own.
I started a fic rather similar with the first half concerning Han's thoughts during their time in the shelter and planned a second part which will cover Return of the Jedi (both the rescue scene and the final one). The first half is posted, but I haven't yet written the second... I loved your look at these events.
Nikita