“So there is a story behind it.” She nodded, of course there had been, nothing the man did was without some sort of tale of his dashing exploits. She saw a bit of that self-congratulatory satisfaction on the younger man but it fell more to the side of enthusiasm than arrogance. When had he changed? What had caused it?

“I was never good at that game, I tried it because it drove my aunts to distress.” She laughed lightly and emptied her glass, thinking it might be a good time to slow her pace with the drinks. “They hated anything that wasn’t proper, so one day I laid out a deck of cards and started playing. You would have thought I’d pulled a vibroaxe on them the way they scrambled and gasped.” And then she got grounded, again.

“This is a good drink, it must be. I haven’t told stories like this in a long time.” Or ever in the case of her skinny dipping escapades.

“Yes, but people aren’t always willing to tell it, are they?” She looked levelly at him. Everyone has some secrets, it’s human nature. And sometimes they lie, that’s self-preservation.

Something tapped her foot and she assumed he was needing to stretch his legs, something apparently tall people needed to do as she so often recalled seeing Han lounging out in the Falcon; all legs and arms and smug smile. This man was a muted version of that, he had confidence to be sure but-That foot was not moving. It was definitively not moving. Was that a flirtation? If it wasn’t why did her cheeks flush, the drinks? Of course, the drinks.

“Is that so? You could teach me to play cards?” Now she leaned in, by action of shorter legs it meant her shoe dragged against his slightly in the change of position. Her elbow propped to the table and her chin came to rest in her palm. “You’d be my man?” That was too far, entirely too far. It was a mistake as soon as the words left her lips and yet all she could do was smile a sly little smile. Her free hand extended a finger to tap her glass, acceptance of another drink.

She was a realist and she’d seen more in her short life than some three times her age. She’d seen war and famine, disease and slavery, death and destruction… but she’d also seen the unquestionable power of hope. Leia had watched her own world literally fall apart and yet seen a movement rise from its ashes. She had to believe that sometimes destruction leads to new life, and not all good ends have followed good means to get there.

“Chance? You seem to like chance and luck.” Leia looked deeper into his eyes, less shadowed and guarded than the man she knew. “How do you know I’m not a bad bet?” His older self would certainly tell him so.

She let him pour until the glass was nearly full and then she tapped the glass again with her finger. “I’d think people should decide when together, don’t you?”

The princess was probably going to hate herself in the morning, but for now the firelight, the warmth, the drinks and the company were conspiring against her better judgment.

There was a spark of Han in there, confidence in levels she wasn't sure even she could muster. A hunch, what was it, she wondered that gave him such an idea? Maybe meeting like this in more opportune times and settings had made all the difference.

She pulled the glass back with her free had and sipped, either she was feeling the effects or the drink had smoothed out since they'd been sitting there. She hardly felt the bite of it at all which made a second gulp go down all the smoother.

The foot rub got a grin out of her and she didn't pull away. "I think I ought to eat something, after this." She held up her glass which had somehow gotten half empty and blinked at it. "I might be a bit late on that now." Hadn't that been her intention to start with? Food and talk? She'd been so involved in their conversation that she'd allowed herself to let down her guard and now she had to recover some. She waved down a passing server and asked for the menu. "After eating though, I don't have any set plans at all."

Yes slowing down and having food was the smart and responsible step, she was glad he'd agreed. Leia ordered a some sort of fish and a water to help with her drinking to this point. After the server left she ease back in her chair, leaving her drink on the table for the moment, and looked at him.

"I like you." She wasn't aware she was going to say it until she did, but it was true. there were old sayings of truth spoken while imbibing and perhaps that was the case here, or just that she felt it was safe to tell him so. Rather than swell on it she pushed ahead. "What would you like to do after?" There were parks and museums she thought she remembered, an array of local sights to see, some games though she wasn't sure she understood bowling even after it had been explained to her.

He was not alone if that sudden and very unusual rush of attraction. He was not like anyone she'd met even the older versions of himself. He had their wit to be sure, but more edge that the elder Han and less prickly sided than the Solo she knew. He seemed to combine the things she found appealing and soften those things that had bothered her most.

"Do you?" It was hard to keep her tone from fishing a little on that. She was clearly pleased by the way she was trying hard not to appear as though she was. "I'd like that too, somewhere quiet maybe. I've heard there are some spectacular views to be had here." And watching a sunset with him sounded appealing.

Well that was a feeling she hadn't had in years. His tone, his expression, those eyes. She hadn't remembered that sort of fluttering in her stomach since the memories she recounted earlier of moonlight swims. Of course she had drank deeply and quickly and the conversation had been heady, perhaps it was an effect of the situation and she'd best just consider this an evening to enjoy and not over think and over complicate things.

She was about to comment on how lovely, but yes impractical his suggestion was, when the food arrived. It smelled delicious, or again perhaps things were just conspiring to make things attractive to her. And she'd taken a sip of water before she processed what he said.

"So you'd like to make more plans?" She hadn't quite caught that when he first said it.

She took a careful bite of her own, tasting it before deciding it was quite good. She shook her head, setting down her fork and dabbing her lips with a napkin. "No, I was thinking the same but I didn't want to assume you didn't have prior claims on you." She paused and then expanded her statement. "On your time."

She didn't get the feeling he was the sort who had a pretty girl in every space port, but she realized she didn't know much more about him than she had before.

"If we were on a world I knew I could suggest a dozen things to do, it feels odd being the newcomer and unprepared." Part of her life as a diplomat and leader was to know what she was getting into. Because the Nexus changed so much it was almost impossible to be properly prepared for it.

His said there was no one, but his look, his tone, they said something different. He was, or had been in love and it had ended badly. She noted that and would remember that in thee future. Han Solo did have a heart, and someone, somewhere had broken it.

Leia felt better as she continued to eat, the food letting her body slow down the alcohol a bit but she was already well on her way to a very relaxed intoxication.

"You are dangerously charming." She smiled and sipped more water. "After we finish I may have an idea for us."

Squirming? It was nice to feel she had the advantage over Han for a change, at least a Han. One she rather liked actually.

"I recall there is a park here, with paths and benches. It's nice for a stroll. Might even be a pond there if I remember the write up of it." And maybe it might be nice to take a walk, enjoy some nature which he likely didn't see in his time on Corellia as he'd told her. And maybe dip toes in the water a bit.

The circumstances under which she met Han in her timeline had been poor, with everything that had happened and his ability to just offer sarcasm rather than help it had made them contentious from the start. Meeting this Han had been under far better circumstances and with alcohol, one could hardly fail to see how this wold be better if one knew both sides.

Leia was making her way through her meal, grateful for the reprieve it might offer her from further drink related confessions."That's a first." She laughed lightly and found herself enjoying his company all the more.

Han ate fast, he had in every instance she'd known of him and given his lifestyle she's not surprised. Not like he's ever had to endure seven course delegation banquets or the extended eating rites of some culture who felt each course was to be contemplated, given thanks for and then consumed in thoughtful silence. She never wanted another six hour silent meal as long as she lived.

His speed didn't bother her, it wasn't anything that affected her so why should it? But the fact that he was watching her, and her delicate bites, made her self conscious. She kept having to remind herself this was not the man that took every chance for a dig at her. So she tried to not let it bother her and simply enjoy what was actually a very tasty meal. She'd just taken a bite of pasta when he asked his question and she had to chew, a napkin helped cover her mouth and avoid showing the surprised smile that she made.

After she chewed and had a drink of water, she cleared her throat. "Like? I don't know that I've ever even considered that. What is to like a station you're born into?" She pushed more pasta around and then paused. "I liked what it meant I was able to do. My parents would have been wonderful if they hadn't been Queen and Prince consort. But with that position I was able to make a difference. I voted on many important bills in the senate, organized campaigns for nonhuman sentient rights recognition, tried to push more worlds to abandon slavery. So I was lucky to have that opportunity."