Your prison is walking this world all alone

[jedi_librettist]

Ben watched out the window as the ship dropped out of hyperspace. He took a shaky breath. It was time. He wouldn't burden his brother anymore. He walked back to his cabin. He didn't know how what he would do after he left. It didn't matter. This was the right thing.

Comments

[jedi_librettist]

"He's not a joke." Ben held his son tightly and angled him away from his twin. "You know this isn't funny."

"Dada!" Ani squirmed in his arms and babbled something in what sounded like Mandos.

Ben froze and nearly dropped him. He'd met a few Mandos and it had been a generally unpleasant experience.

[middleoftheforce]

There was a frown. "I meant it's a bit funny how quickly he decides if he likes a person."

There was a matching frown on Leia's face at Ben's reaction, even if she reacted automatically to reach and grab Ani in case he fell. What about the use of Mandos had startled Ben?

[jedi_librettist]

Ben sighed, mollified by the explanation. "He doesn't dislike you. He just wants me."

He turned to his son, swallowing his fear. "Use Basic, Ani. I don't know Mando'a."

The child shrugged and squirmed some more.

[middleoftheforce]

"He screams if left in my company." There was a look. "Think it's pretty safe to say he doesn't like me."

[jedi_librettist]

"He wouldn't have asked about you if he didn't like you."

[middleoftheforce]

Another soft snort, and Solo rolled his eyes once again. Yeah, right. Ani didn't like him, that much was obvious, but he was used to his presence. That's why the kid asked for him, especially when in a new place. He wanted the familiar around, not the new.

[jedi_librettist]

"Unca Bai!" Ani settled in Ben's arms but reached a hand for his uncle. "Make Dada stay now?"

Ben cringed at the question. He hadn't seen it coming despite hearing his son's unshielded mind. He didn't know what to say. Surely his mother would have questions and he didn't want to answer them yet.

[middleoftheforce]

Another frown, and a small glance at Leia. She was giving a very... unreadable look. Bugger. This was going to take some careful working.

"Your Dad doesn't like being cooped up on a ship for too long. He should be better now."

[jedi_librettist]

"Him still scared," the child observed. "Why him scared? Grandma not hurt him."

[middleoftheforce]

"It's been a while since he saw her. And he left his room messy."

[jedi_librettist]

Ben and Ani both gave him confused, incredulous looks.

"Are you serious? You can't give him a better explanation than that?!"

[middleoftheforce]

A shrug. Trying to work out what to say to a kid is a lot harder than Ben makes it look.

[jedi_librettist]

Ben rolled his eyes. "Your uncle is being silly."

[middleoftheforce]

"As he very often is," Leia interjected, giving Bail a look that showed how unamused she was with his comments.

[jedi_librettist]

"He is?" That felt different than he remembered. He remembered his brother being the more serious of the two of them.

[middleoftheforce]

Leia shook her head but gave a vague gesture to Ani. She would rather the child thought Bail silly than anything else.

[jedi_librettist]

Ben winced and nodded. He couldn't help wondering how much of this his son was buying. The child had been surprisingly perceptive so far.

[middleoftheforce]

Perceptive or not, you didn't tell a child that young when someone was just being an ass. At least that was Leia's thoughts on the matter.

[jedi_librettist]

Ben's eyes widened when he heard someone on a neighboring landing pad wonder who he was. "Mom, can we do this somewhere else?"

[middleoftheforce]

"Of course, of course," Leia replied quickly, leading the way to a more private spot.

[jedi_librettist]

Ben followed her, breathing a sigh of relief once they were away from the public. "So what now?"

[middleoftheforce]

"Well, I'm assuming you'll want something to eat, to clean up, and things like that?" Leia suggested, looking at Ben with a sense of quiet wondering. Mostly as to what had happened all those years. "Knowing your brother..." She turned to look at Solo who just shrugged.

"I'll pull the cargo out."

[jedi_librettist]

Ben shrugged. He didn't know how to tell his mother he wasn't hungry. He ate a little more than when Bail found him now but he was still far from eating a normal amount. "Ani's probably hungry. It's almost his snack time."

[middleoftheforce]

"Then we should go get him something to eat."

[jedi_librettist]

Ben grimaced. That meant dealing with crowds on a planet that could easily recognize him. "Where?"