Hope, creativity, love, and a bit of rebellion are needed more than ever these days, and we hope this event can do a little something to help brighten up the coming months. Welcome to the 2025 edition of the Han x Leia Holiday Exchange!
This is an anonymous exchange where each participant will write and receive a Han/Leia fanfic (500 words minimum, ~5k words maximum).
Who can participate? Anyone and everyone who loves Han and Leia! Whether you prefer Legends/EU, Disney canon, or AUs; whether you’ve written 100+ fics, five fics, or zero; whether you’re young or seasoned, new to the fandom or a lifelong fan; whether you even celebrate any holidays or not…if you enjoy writing, presents, and Han and Leia, this event is for you!
Schedule
Signups open: November 10, 2025
Signups close: November 24, 2025
Assignments go out: November 28, 2025
Half-point check in: Week of December 15, 2025
Deadline to request a beta: January 9, 2026
Submission deadline: January 18, 2026
Works revealed: January 19, 2026
Authors revealed: January 31, 2026
How does it work?
We will use both Tumblr and Archive of Our Own (AO3) for the exchange, which means having an account on both platforms is required to participate. (If you don’t have an AO3 account, please contact the mods — they can send you an invite and help with any questions getting set up.)
You will need to sign up via the link to AO3 below and will receive an exchange assignment once folks are matched. When your work is ready to go, you’ll use that assignment link to upload your fic to AO3. We will post it for you as part of the collection on January 19, but it will appear as anonymous until the collection authors are revealed on January 31.
You’ll use Tumblr to receive communications from the mods and to send /receive anonymous messages to/from your recipients/writers, so you’ll want to make sure your Tumblr has anonymous messaging turned on. We do ask you to reach out to your recipients at least once; not only is it a great way to find out more about what kind of gift they would enjoy, but part of the fun of the exchange is chatting with other HanLeia fans and writers!
Ready to go? Have more questions? We have links!
🎆SIGN UP HERE!
🎆 READ THE FULL RULES HERE (mobile version here) AND THE FAQ HERE (mobile version here)
🎆 ASK US A QUESTION HERE
Please make sure to read the rules and the instructions on the sign-up page carefully, and feel free to reach out to the blog or to one of us individually if you have any questions (or if you’d like a little encouragement to take the leap).
Your mods: @otterandterrier @lajulie24 @hanorganaas
have any questions (not answered in our rules and faq) about the Han/Leia Holiday Exchange? need some cheerleading to convince you to sign up? if so, hit me up!
Han/Leia Appreciation Week 2023 - Day 1: Anniversary / Memory
Inspired by When Harry Met Sally… (companion playlist here)
__
The first thing that General Han Solo and former Chief of State Princess Leia Organa did after entering the room for the interview was request that the documentary team dispense with their formal titles. Well, that, and give the crew a taste of the playful banter that apparently is a hallmark of their marriage.
“Just Leia, please,” the Princess said, shaking Selsama’s hand warmly. “No need for formalities for us.”
“Speak for yourself, Sweetheart,” Solo countered, giving his wife a sly grin and then turning to Selsama. “You can call me General Prince Consort Grand Real Important His Worshipfulness Han Solo,” he said, as Leia rolled her eyes.
“You think you’re funny, but you’re not,” she admonished him as they sat down, though she was doing a poor job of concealing her smile.
“I’m hilarious, and you love it,” her husband insisted.
Before they began, Selsama went over the basic of the project again – “Love and War,” a retrospective on the Galactic Civil War from the perspective of love and romance, produced in commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the Alliance’s decisive victory at the Battle of Endor. This would be one of several interviews with committed mates who had been involved with the Rebellion.
Selsama smiled as the couple settled in close to one another on the small loveseat. Though their gray hair and wrinkled features definitely showed the four decades since the war, their expressions and manner towards one another immediately brought to her mind the candid holos of them from the war archives. Which, impossibly, seemed to have mostly been taken before they were officially together.
“So, let’s get started with something basic. Tell us about how you met,” Selsama said.
Now Leia was the one who had a bit of a mischievous look in her eyes. “The first time we met, we hated each other,” she began.
“You didn’t hate me, you ordered me into a trash compactor!” Han protested.
“You broke into an Imperial detention area with no plan to get out! And then you nearly got us killed.”
“Well, we both did that. We almost got smashed in that trash compactor, remember?”
“Oh, I remember,” Leia replied. “You helped me stay on top of the garbage.”
Han and Leia paused and smiled at each other, as if there were more to that memory than what they were saying. Well, it was Selsama’s job to capture that, so she was going to do her damnedest to do so.
“What were your impressions of each other, during that first meeting?”
“Bossy,” Han blurted out, and Leia scowled at him. “I know, I know, I didn’t like being told what to do, and you decided you were the boss of me five seconds in.” He grinned at his wife. “I did tell Luke you had a lot of spirit. Always liked that.”
Leia smiled back. “I thought he had a lot of courage,” she told Selsama. “We were in a tough situation, and he didn’t back down. We were going to escape or die trying.”
More shared looks between them, a conversation all of its own.
“Tell us a little bit about how you got together. When did that happen?” Selsama asked.
Han and Leia looked at each other for a beat, and then Han turned toward the camera again and shrugged. “‘S hard to pick an exact moment. We met, we escaped the Death Star, I left…”
“And then you came back,” Leia added. “And helped destroy it.” She had a rather smug look on her face for some reason.
“You knew I would.”
“I had a good feeling,” Leia continued, “that you were more than you seemed. And you stayed.”
“Right,” Han continued. “And then we became friends. We were friends for a long time.”
Hello friend! I just wanted to reach out and say hi because I hope to be writing something great for you for the Hanleia exchange this year!
I only have one question for you so far, and that is if you have thought of anything else you would like or not like that never made it onto your signup. If so, great, definitely let me know! If not, that’s fine too!
Thanks for the message! I'm pretty much open to anything - I would just ask that it at least be hopeful/uplifting if not an outright happy/fluffy ending. H/L have suffered too much in canon - I want them to be happy in fic at least! I'm excited to see what you come up with!
His legs were longer and could usually outrun her. But it had been crazy getting out then through the terminal and it was easier for her to dart around things. He lost sight of her a couple times but then she’d pop up a few feet away. It pissed him off a bit that she never seemed too concerned about keeping an eye on him but that was the Princess. She only had eyes for the Rebellion.
Han watched Leia dash inside the small transport then almost tripped over an old woman struggling with her bag. He somehow managed to not fall down, or knock the woman over, or swear too loudly at her. She was flustered, rattling on about getting to her daughter’s, the wheels on her bag were broken, she was going to miss her transport.
“Where?” He was shouting, which he knew probably wouldn’t help but the station was busy and he didn’t have much time.
“Where is my daughter?” The old lady looked around her and Han wondered if this was a dementia thing. “She’s on Capra. That’s where I’m going.”
“Your transport! Where’s your damn transport?”
She pointed to the ship maybe fifty feet away. Han grabbed the woman’s bag and ran inside. He shoved the bag on the luggage rack above an empty seat then raced back out. He heard a faint thank you but didn’t look back. He slid inside his own transport just as the doors closed and locked behind him.
Han took a few seconds to collect himself. Catch his breath. The car was crowded and loud and all seemed to know each other. They were talking, yelling across the seats, already sharing snacks and drinks, and taking up too damn much space in Han’s opinion.
He looked around but didn’t spot her right away. She was too short to be seen over the high seats anyway and likely tucked low to stay hidden. He moved down the aisle, keeping an eye out for her short wig and hat that she insisted on calling a bonnet just to bug him.
She’d been getting on his nerves non-stop this mission. It was supposed to be a quick job, in and out, but she kept coming up with detours. She told him he could mind his own business, find a card game or cheap cantina to entertain himself, but she had things to do. She wanted to see the training facility for herself, get some holos, and that led them to the vehicle pool. It was his idea to talk to the mechanics and that got them to the distribution centre where everything went to hell. They got out without too much blaster fire and only a few guards on their tail but it was one more time his life ended up on the line for some holos and a datachip. The pay, if there was any, was shit and there was definitely no glory. The Princess barely said thank you most of the time. Acted like he was the one who owed her something.
Two women, looked like a mother and daughter, were turned around in their seats with arms crossed on top. They were both talking and laughing and reminded Han of an advert. Probably selling insurance or housewares. Some over-the-top display of what a happy family was supposed to look like.
“This isn’t even all of us!” The mother’s voice carried over the rest of the noise which was kind of remarkable. “I have two brothers and their families coming in from Westlin.”
“And plenty we aren’t actually related to.” The daughter wasn’t as loud but just as enthusiastic. “They’ve collected a lot of people over the years.”
Han would’ve walked right past if she hadn’t answered them.
“I almost wish I could come with you. It sounds like a wonderful reunion.”
Leia wasn’t wearing the hat anymore, probably shoved in her bag, and had on a different jacket. She was sitting forward, practically on the edge of her seat. Her cheeks were still lightly flushed from their run. The adrenaline rush of making it out with all their info intact.
He plopped down in the seat beside her and expected to see a scowl. She’d been pissed at him for taking the nearest—and best option in that moment—exit out of the control room and setting off an alarm. Called him every insult she could muster while racing down the stairs. Said she was done with his idiotic schemes. But when she turned to look at him as he sat down, her eyes were bright. He might have said she looked happy if he didn’t know better.
“You made it. Thought I’d finally lost you for good.”
It was a jab but she was smiling.
“Gabbi, do you have the tickets?” A man called from across the aisle. He was rummaging through a bag and looking stressed.
“Duty calls.” The mother laughed and turned away. “Yes, husband dear. Everything is in order.”
More people got involved in the discussion. It was bizarre. Jokes and comments came all over. Everyone seemed to know the husband would have a moment of panic and Gabbi would have it all under control. Even the husband was laughing. Didn’t mind the ribbing. Agreed that he shouldn’t have doubted his wife’s organizational skills. Han tried to take it all in. Who the hell were these people?
“It’s their sixtieth wedding anniversary.”
He turned to Leia and she snickered at his obvious look of confusion. She leaned forward, over his lap, and pointed a few rows ahead.
“Up there.” The only thing visible was an elbow on an arm rest. “Gabbi’s parents. They are all going to Bercolt because that’s where they got married. All the kids, grandkids, friends.”
Leia sat back in her seat, resting her hands in her lap.
“Sounds exhausting.” He leaned back, resting his head against the seat. This flight already felt too long.
“Does everything have to be a problem with you?” She sounded frustrated. “Is it so hard to believe that a group of people like each other and want to spend time together?”
“Yeah.” He looked at her with full sneer disguised as a smile. “Fifty says there’s a fight before we land. Hundred it’s a fist fight.”
“You’re on.” She held out a hand to shake on it. She didn’t normally accept his bets so he was a little thrown off. “I will expect payment in full when we arrive.”
“Sure, sister.” He shook her hand. “Don’t worry. I pay my debts faster than your accountants.”
“Hmmm.” She raised an eyebrow. “I know of at least one Hutt who might disagree with that statement.”
The announcement to buckle in as the transport made the jump to lightspeed prevented him from responding but that was just as well. He couldn’t really argue with her point about Jabba.
They had a few hours flight and Han realized he didn’t have much to keep him occupied. Just sitting wasn’t going to cut it.
He felt the exhaustion catching up with him. They should’ve been on the Falcon but the stabilizers started acting up so they landed on Bercolt for repairs. Leia was furious. She ranted about his hunk of junk bucket of bolts ship and why did she ever think the Falcon would get the job done. Han was just as mad—at his damn ship for falling apart again—cos it felt like she was actually saying he was the one letting her down when he was doing every damn thing in his power to help—and spent as much time yelling as he did on repairs. When he and Chewie finally admitted they needed a new part, Leia announced she would take the transport on her own. That brought on more arguing but they ended up on the transport together. He was too wired, too aware that anything could go wrong, to get any sleep on that leg. Leia, however, conked out almost as soon as they hit hyperspace. Her head resting against his shoulder almost the entire way.
It was the opposite now. She was talking to Gabbi and her daughter but Han didn’t catch much of the conversation. Something about Gabbi’s parents running a dry goods shop that didn’t hold Han’s interest. He was lazily staring at her jacket. Finally noticed she hadn’t change jackets but turned hers inside out. Smart. Probably had that worked out earlier. Knew it was an option. Leia liked to know the options. Knew how to think on her feet. And looked good doing it. The jacket looked good on her. The exposed lining. It was a light blue and looked soft. So soft. Probably as soft as something. There was something he couldn’t quite name. Tip on his tongue.
“Honey cake?”
Han’s eyes shot open and he was set to knock the guy down if Leia didn’t grab his arm. The man leaning over Han was a lot older than Gabbi’s husband, probably in his eighties. He held out the container with honey cake, urging Leia to take a piece.
“My wife makes it. The best you’ll ever try.”
“Thank you.” Leia was cheery as she took some. Gave Han a quick nod to take his own. “It smells delicious.”
Han shook his head. First at Leia then the old man. He knew his eyes were probably a bit too wide but he’d been in a deep sleep only seconds earlier. This was a lot to take in all at once if he was expected to sit still and not rush at this man to get him the fuck away. Han didn’t like anyone standing so close.
The man walked off and Han turned back to Leia when he felt her move beside him. She rearranged herself in the seat, pulling her legs up and folding them beneath her. She cradled the cake in one hand.
“You were snoring.” She let out a soft laugh. “You look like you slept next to a magnet.”
He ran a hand over his head, thinking for some reason she meant his hair. He blinked a few times hoping to clear things up.
“How long was I out?” His voice was sounding rough.
“Maybe two hours.”
She broke off a piece of cake and put it in her mouth, careful not to lose a crumb. She always ate like that. Didn’t want anything to go to waste. Even when they were in the field and surviving on ration bars and meal replacement boxes. Slow and methodical. He watched her mouth for a few too many seconds.
“You missed a lot of juicy stuff. Gabbi and Harlon, that’s her daughter.” Leia nodded toward the seats in front of them. “They told me all about redecorating Harlon’s daughter’s room. Ruthy. That’s the daughter. Granddaughter. She’s sitting a few rows back with her father. All the cousins wanted to sit together so the fathers are back there pretending to keep watch. That’s how Gabbi described it. Pretending. Ruthy came up here a few times. She’s maybe seven and very cute.”
How or why was Leia still so energized? Didn’t she have a report to write? Plan some mission that would eventually get him killed?
“Why are you in such a good mood?”
Leia’s face fell very briefly but she put another piece of cake in her mouth and shrugged.
“Why do you insist on being such an ass?”
What the hell did that mean? She’d been tense before. Upset. Worried about the
mission than pissed when they ran into trouble. He was checking in on her and she snapped at him.
“Guess some people just bring it out in me.”
That got the reaction he was after though it wasn’t as satisfying as he hoped. She spun in her seat to face forward dropping her feet to the floor. She took a few obvious and deep breaths. Han waited for the comeback. The back and forth that fueled most of their interactions.
“I’m not falling for this time.” Leia put her hands in her lap again. “What about being surrounded by a happy, multi-generational family celebrating love and sharing honey-cake could put you in such a foul mood?”
“Never trust a happy crowd. All this talking and moving around is distraction. You should be checking your pockets instead of giving me a hard time.”
“I am not giving you a hard time.” She narrowed her eyes at him when she realized she almost took the bait. “No one in this car is a thief. Other than you, of course.”
“What the hell you done with the Princess? Two years straight, all I hear from you is the Rebellion. It’s the only thing that matters, all you want to think about, the only thing worth your time. Now suddenly it’s all baked goods and true love?”
“First of all, you know better than anyone that I do on occasion think about other things.”
A corner of her mouth went up in a half-smile and he felt caught. Yeah, he knew she had plenty else to say when she wanted but admitting that wasn’t going to help him make his point. He was losing sight of that point but felt certain he had one.
“It was a good day.” She turned in her seat. Rested her head against the seat while looking at him. “Things veered a bit off course but we got more than we anticipated. Information we can use. Information we desperately need. Take the day as a win, Han. It might be awhile before the next one.”
He felt wide awake. Ready for something. Another thing he couldn’t name.
“Do you know what you need?” She sat up again and Han knew he should probably be nervous. Alarm bells should be going off. “You need to learn more about Ruthy’s sticker collection.”
She leaned over him and called for Ruthy.
“More? Do I know anything about Ruthy’s sticker collection?”
“Trust me.” Leia was still leaning over him, waving down the aisle. “Once you know anything about the collection, you’ll never forget it.”
Han felt almost paralyzed at first and it didn’t help that Leia couldn’t stop laughing beside him. Ruthy stood in the aisle and rested the book on his lap. She went through every page and described every sticker in detail. It was a blur of names and storylines and superpowers he didn’t understand until he started asking questions. It still didn’t quite make sense after that but it was a hell of a lot more fun.
Ruthy’s stickers led to her older brother coming by to talk sports and his favourite team. Their little brother was, well, Han had no idea how old he was other than young. Not great at walking and didn’t say much. Gabbi spent a lot of time watching him. Called him her little bantha bear, which made no sense but Han could see the appeal.
Leia asked everyone questions. She might’ve been working recruitment but he was pretty sure she was just curious. She wanted to learn everything about these people in the time they had. She laughed at their stories. Listened and absorbed and stored them all.
Han looked up when he heard a loud clearing of a throat. The old man stood at the front and raised both his arms. Han watched as the man waited until everyone, including the non-family members in the car, quieted down and looked at him. There were a couple of giggles and someone clapped. Han exchanged a quick glance with Leia. She looked more curious than his perplexed.
“Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer do.” The man’s singing voice was full and strong. Rich. “I'm half-crazy all for the love of you.”
Someone clapped and someone else let out a whoop.
“It won't be a stylish marriage. I can't afford a carriage.” He stretched his arms out wide and looked down at his wife. “But you'll look sweet upon the seat of a speeder bike built for two.”
The entire car burst into applause. Han looked over at Leia, sitting on the edge of her seat again and clapping. She was tearing up but looked happy.
“We will go tandem as man and wife.” The man helped his wife stand then draped an arm over her shoulder. “Peddling away down the road of life.”
Han didn’t exactly know what to do. He’d been in plenty of cantinas when beings started singing, usually very drunk and likely right before a brawl broke out. He wasn’t sure how he should react and if he should find cover for him and Leia in case things got messy. The old man continued to sing while he and his wife swayed. She rested a hand on his chest and laughed.
When the verse was done, Han turned back to Leia with a what the fuck just happened look but then a dozen people or more started singing the chorus. Back to Daisy and the speeder bike built for two. This time, everyone was swaying in their seats, including Leia.
A different guy, maybe a few years younger than Han, stood up. He was sitting far back in the car and Han thought he was with a different group but it was hard to tell. He jumped right into the next verse. Something about dark roads and bright lights in the dazzling eyes. That was the only part of the song that Han really understood. The young guy finished up, there was more cheering, then the chorus. More people were singing, filling the space with dozens of voices.
“How does everyone know this song?” Han stretched around his seat to look behind him. It was verging on rowdy but there was no brawl in sight. This was obviously something the family did often enough, including roping in strangers. He turned back to Leia. “You know this song?”
She could’ve rolled her eyes and said, Of course. Made a crack about everyone knowing this song. But instead she smiled and tilted her head. She nodded a few times and laughed, and when the chorus started up again she sang along.
Everyone was in on it now. He knew if he scanned the car, the old man would be at the front with his wife, her hand still on his chest, both of them swaying. Gabbi would be holding her grandson. Her husband would be standing at his seat, waving his arms like a conductor. But Han didn’t look around, didn’t scan the car. He kept his eyes locked on Leia.
There were still tears, welling up but refusing to drop. Her cheeks were getting that rosy tinge again. Not from running or adrenaline but taking in everything thing in the room. The happiness these people felt being together. And then he felt it. It was coming from her not the room. He wasn’t going to call it happiness cos that seemed like a leap and joy wasn’t a thing he acknowledged but he did wonder for a second what a bursting heart might feel like.
“You'll take the lead in each trip we take.”
Her voice was unexpected. Rich and full and haunting. Leia speaking could drive him mental, in good and bad ways, and he’d imagined sounds she might make in bed more than a few times. Singing, though. Her singing voice could crack a guy wide open. It felt like an invitation. A promise. The unimaginable.
“Then if I don't do well, I will permit you to use the brake.”
Her hand brushed against his. He moved his fingers to wrap around hers but she pulled away too quickly.
“My beautiful little Daisy Bell.”
Leia’s face went bright red as everyone cheered. Han clapped along with them. Whistled a few times and called out, “Nice, Sweetheart!” She covered her face with her hands in embarrassment and collapsed against the back of her seat as the crowd sang the final round of the chorus.
She didn’t sing along. The almost-tears were gone and her blush was starting to fade. Han twisted in his seat so he was facing her, shielding her from view. He reached out and pushed the bangs back, repositioning her wig that was slightly askew. She didn’t dart away when his fingers gently caressed her temple.
The song was done and Han could hear laughter, one of the kids let out a happy shriek, chatter as everyone settled back down. Leia sat up straighter and cleared her throat. She was trying to restore order. Probably planned on getting back to preparing her report and making plans for when they landed on Bercolt. Han chuckled and she raised an eyebrow, wondering what he thought was so funny.
He knew better than to admit what was on his mind. He shrugged instead. Repositioned himself in his seat. Gave her a bit of space so they could continue to enjoy this moment. Each other.
She could go back to her work and plans. Slip back into their arguments and insults. Do whatever she thought was needed to return to the normal they’d been living for two years. It was all fine with Han cos he knew the truth. There was no going back after this one.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Han and Leia have done the marrying part. The honeymoon, though, has a few false starts.
Written for @hanleiacelebration’s Han/Leia Appreciation Week, Day One, prompt: “honeymoon”. Rated E.
‘’S’just a scratch,’ Han assures Leia and the medidroid at the hospital later.
Leia opts to merely roll her eyes at him now he’s in safe hands, but the droid shoots him a look that can only be described as stern even without the ability to change their expression.
‘Mr. Solo—’ they begin.
‘Organa-Solo,’ Han interrupts. He nods toward Leia. ‘Y’know we’re meant to be on our honeymoon right now?’
‘Bacta first, honeymoon later,’ the droid says crisply.
‘I’m just saying,’ Han says to Leia, as the droid bustles out of the cubicle for more bacta pouches, ‘the first time I had my pants off today was way more fun.’
