for middleoftheforce

[jedi_librettist]

Ben picked a seat in the corner of the galley. There was something homey and comforting about watching his brother cook. The last of the tension he'd carried melted away.

Comments

[jedi_librettist]

"So is Dad more proud of you or mad he has a new record to beat?"

Ben's beaming because his brother's a damn good pilot. He's proud of who Bail has become.

[middleoftheforce]

"Both," the answer comes with a shrug. As proud as Han was, the Kessel Run was a record he was fiercely protective of.

[jedi_librettist]

"He's trying to make it in eleven parsecs now, isn't he?"

[middleoftheforce]

"Pretty much."

It was kind of hilarious. He suspected that there would be a constant challenge between him and Han, to see who could get to ten parsecs first.

[jedi_librettist]

Ben smirked. "I'll probably make it in eleven parsers before he does."

[middleoftheforce]

That got an eyebrow raise.

"You fly?"

[jedi_librettist]

"I won the Boonta Eve last year."

[middleoftheforce]

Another stare.

"You... pod-race?"

[jedi_librettist]

A nod.

"It was Grandfather's idea."

[middleoftheforce]

A sigh.

"Of course it was."

Because there is no way a son of Han Solo got the idea to pod-race on his own.

[jedi_librettist]

Ben grins.

"You should try it. You'd probably be good at it since you've made the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs."

[middleoftheforce]

"I don't know if piloting a ship translates to racing a pod."

[jedi_librettist]

"It's piloting. In the atmosphere, really fast, with other people trying to sabotage you. It's how Grandfather learned to fly."

[middleoftheforce]

"Yeah, well, he's the exception to most rules."

[jedi_librettist]

"Apparently I'm another one. At least for podracing."

[middleoftheforce]

"Huh."

Yeah, he wasn't sure what else could be said from that. After all, Ben could be right.

[jedi_librettist]

"I'm pretty sure it pays better than smuggling."

As if that's why Bail should do this.

[middleoftheforce]

"It might. Don't mean I'm doing it."

A hint of irritation slipped into his voice. Ben might not be ashamed to have a smuggler as a father, but he wanted Solo to move to pod-racing? He got the picture.

[jedi_librettist]

Ben sighed. It wasn't that he wanted his brother to move to podracing. He just wanted to share something of his life with his brother.

"Look, just... Just race me."

[middleoftheforce]

Solo shrugs.

"Maybe," he answers, standing to move to get two canisters of water. He gives one to Benm before opening the other and taking a drink from it.

[jedi_librettist]

Ben opens his water and pouts at his brother. "For me?"

[middleoftheforce]

"I can... maybe look into it."

[jedi_librettist]

"You don't have to. I can make a couple podracers. We can go to some backwater. Maybe Jakku."

[middleoftheforce]

"I'm not going back to that junkyard," Solo says automatically. He'd made a promise.

[jedi_librettist]

"It's better than Tattooine," Ben points out. "There are no hutts."