Happy Life Day to all, and to all a Good Night.

Written for Am Chau for Christmas 2004.
The boys celebrate a holiday.
All characters property of Lucasfilm, except Hrek and Hren.
G, Slash



“Chewie, stop it! You know the instruments jump when you sing!” Han thumped a particularly
out-of-control gauge.

Chewbacca growled an apology, and reminded Han that Luke and the children were singing
back in the lounge.

“Yeah, but they aren’t measured on a seismic scale, pal, no matter how bad they are.” He
thumped the gauge again.

Chewbacca snorted, adding that Luke’s insistence on teaching the boys the Basic translation of
traditional Life Day song was having mixed success.

“They’re only four, Chewie. Besides, how long does it take for wookiees to become articulate?”

Chewbacca conceded that Hreik and Hren were doing as well as might be expected.

“I remember some of the crazy stuff I had to do to get you home during the war. Maybe this year,
 it will be easy. I know, it’s been too long.”

It had. Twenty Life Days had come and gone since Endor, and Chewbacca had made it home less
than a handful of times. Han had gone with him only twice. He was looking forward to being home
 for a nice long visit, maybe even permanently. He hadn’t told Han yet. His Life-Oath-Friend had a
mate and children and had settled into a reasonably safe routine now that he was late middle aged. He
no longer required large furry back-up.

“Keep an eye on things, Chewie. I’m going to go see what mischief they are getting up to.” Chewbacca
 nodded, and made a show of checking the instruments so that Han could not see his expression.

In the lounge, Luke was sitting on the floor, one boy on each side of his lap, telling them about Life Day.
“The Life Tree of Kashyyyk is the heart of the planet. The Imperials searched long and hard to find it.
They wanted to cut it down, so that the wookiees would give up and be willing slaves. Cutting down the
Life Tree would have devastated the planet. But they never found it. You know why?”

The boys looked up at him with big eyes and shook their heads.

“Because the Life Tree isn’t a real tree. It’s a place inside,” Han said, sitting down on a chair nearby.

“A place inside of you,” Luke clarified. “A place inside of me. A place inside all the wookiees. They go
there for ceremonies. I’ve been there many times, using the Force.”

“But Daddy doesn’t believe in the Force,” Hren looked confused.

“No, but he believes in the Life Tree. That’s enough to get him there. And he believes because your uncle
Chewie believes.”

Han shifted uncomfortably. The Force still made him uneasy, even at this late date. He didn’t mind Luke
or the boys using it, but to actually believe in it, and use it to travel—that he couldn’t even think about. He
just knew that when he joined the family for the holiday, and stared into the glass ball, he went wherever
the wookiees went.

“So, when we arrive, there will be food and gifts, and then we will go to the Life Tree.”

“What will we do there?” asked Hriek.

Han spoke up again. “The wookiees will sing to the Tree, encouraging it to another year of growth and
thanking it for last year.”

“They will give some of their energies to the Tree, and drawn back some from it. Then we will return to the
 house, and there will be more food and stories.”

Han tapped the chrono. “And right now, you’re had your bedtime story, so off with you.”

“But Daddy, it’s only 1700,” Hren protested

“1700 ship’s time. It’s 2200 by Yavin time, which is what you woke up on. See?” Han indicated Hreik’s huge
yawn. The boys hugged Luke then got up and hugged Han before heading back to the passenger cabin with a
double bed.

Han got up and offered a hand down to his mate. Luke took it and allowed himself to be pulled to his feet and
into Han’s arms.

“Do you always have an ulterior motive, Han?” Luke asked, punctuating his question with a light kiss.

“With one eye on the main chance and my profit margins, kid,” Han agreed, with a more intense kiss. “Your sister
was right about me, you know.”

“Which time?” Luke kissed his neck. “The mercenary?” This kiss went into the hollow of Han’s throat. “The stuck-up
nerf herder?” That kiss went on the sensitive spot behind Han’s ear, and made him shiver. “Or the scruffy looking
part?” He kissed Han full on, long and deep and slow, tasting his beloved bondmate and shoving hands into the thick
 iron-grey hair to pull him even closer.

When Luke finally let go, far too soon for Han’s tastes, Han fixed him with a steely mock-glare. “Pull that again,
unior, and it’s your bedtime, too.” He punctuated this with a light swat.

Luke’s eyes got the wicked gleam Han had been hoping to see. “Oh yeah? Think you can take me, old man?” With
that, he kissed Han again, harder and more demandingly.

“Any day of the week and twice on Life Day.” This time, Han did the kissing.

In the cockpit, Chewbacca shook his head. The cubs were middle-aged by human standards, but the fires of youth had
never burned out. Then again, the thoughts of his own mate, Malla, waiting for him, set his fur on end and made him wish
the Falcon was even faster. It would be a Happy Life Day for everyone.