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Leaf-turning on Corellia
2001 Angelia Sparrow
***

"I've never seen anything like this." The forest arched above the men, red
and gold, brown and green. Violent pink leaves showed on vines that a week
before had been sedate green-blue. Tiny rachis ran over the branches, and
down the tree trunks, gathering the food for the coming dormant season.

"I can't believe we've been bonded twenty years and I never brought you
here for Leaf-turning."

Luke scuffled his feet in the fallen leaves, listening to their dry rattle.
"It's amazing." He stooped to pick up an unusual purple one. "What's this
one?"

"That's a flamepetal leaf. They always turn purple." Han picked up a
couple of damp brown ones and rolled them between his hands before holding
the twist up for Luke to smell.

"Nice. Spicy."

"Vana tree. Smells exactly like Spice. You smoke it instead of eat it or
chew it, and it just gives a little buzz. Wila and Ingi used to sneak me
out of the house when I was a kid, and we'd sit out here and smoke the
leaves and watch the rachis."

"Bet Elka loved that." Luke was well acquainted with the temper of Han's
oldest sister. It had only sharpened with age.

Han snorted and leaned against a tree. "You have no idea. Wila and I'd
try to sneak in, but we'd be so buzzed Elka always caught us. She finally
got
fed up one Leaf-turning when she'd caught me three times in one week and
sent me to Grandad." A cock-eyed grin of memory lit his face. "Guess who'd
taught Ingi how to smoke the leaves."

Luke laughed and pressed close, catching his mate between the bole of the
tree and his body. "Thank you for bringing me. This is gorgeous." He
kissed Han, loving the smell the cool wind had left on his hair, the
sun-warmed taste of his skin. The flight jacket was warm from the sun, and
soft with age under his hands. He slid questing hands under the jacket and
under the shirt.

Han flinched away from the cold fingers on his stomach and broke the kiss.
"Your hands are cold."

"Everything's cold these days."

"Warm them up." He relaxed and let Luke lay his hands on his stomach as he
gathered him into his arms wrapping the greatcoat he wore around both of
them.. The palms warmed quickly, but the fingers were still cool when they
moved up his chest to toy with the curly hair, and rub his nipples. Luke's
mouth was demanding against his neck and shoulder, and one leg had found
its way between Han's and was pressing solidly, with a nice rocking motion.

"Here?" Han asked, taken aback by the fierce suddenness of the onslaught.

"Where better?"

"Insatiable mind bender," Han whispered between kisses.

"Irresistible scoundrel." Luke had his jacket off, shirt open, and was
working on the pants.

"Gonna just shove me up against a tree and have your way with me?"

"You want me to?" Luke pulled Han down to kneel on the forest floor with
him. "I'd rather do this." Letting Han brace against the tree, Luke
pressed in close, opening his own pants.

The leaves swirled around them as they made love against the tree. The
afternoon light slanted golden through the trees, gilding Luke's hair to
remembered youth, tipping Han's own iron-grey strands with gilt.

They slumped in each other's arms, the air cooling as the purple shadows of
the woods beginning to lengthen. Slowly, joints creaking from staying in
one position too long, they rose and began the walk back to Elka's house.

"Wait a second." Han stared at the ground, and tracked the depth of the
purple leaves, pulling Luke along by the hand. "There it is."

The trees twined around each other, their yellow bark grown together in
places until the trunks were inseparable. The foliage had turned from green
to the dark purple, and the two-lobed leaves were starting to pile in
drifts around the roots.

A single golden flower bloomed on a low branch, its outer petals already
drooping with anticipated frost.

"The last flamepetal of the year." Han reached up and plucked it. It
filled his cupped hands, and its scent wafted over them, rich and sweet.
Luke covered Han's hands with his own, and looked at his mate.

"Make a wish," Han said. "It's good luck to wish on the last flamepetal
of the year with your lover."

"Forever," Luke said, the word affirmation, promise and wish all at once.

"Forever," Han agreed, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. He
leaned over the flower and Luke met him halfway.

The first star of the evening appeared through the canopy of leaves hanging
in the dark blue sky like a seal on the promise.

*end*