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

[middleoftheforce]

Thanks for reminding him.

"And don't use the Force. Force cleaning is never as good a job."

Speaking from experience.

[jedi_librettist]

"Clearly you've never had to clean all the sand out of a wreck in an hour."

Speaking from experience.

[middleoftheforce]

"Yeah. I have."

He wouldn't explain that one, no matter how hard he was pressed. There's a lot he won't explain. He did ... maybe too much in his quest to find his brother.

[jedi_librettist]

"With a droid checking after, looking for a single grain of sand?"

[middleoftheforce]

"And getting literally dragged back by the hair if they found just one."

[jedi_librettist]

"And losing all meals for the next twenty-four hours."

[middleoftheforce]

"Not that they were much to talk about anyway."

[jedi_librettist]

"They were better than nothing.."

[middleoftheforce]

He stares, words catching up with his brain.

"...Yeah. They were."

[jedi_librettist]

"And if you missed something a second time, it was another twenty-four hours."

[middleoftheforce]

"But not now."

[jedi_librettist]

"Not now," Ben agreed but the look in his eyes was so tired.

[middleoftheforce]

He couldn't fix the look, but he was hopeful it might lessen

[jedi_librettist]

"I can just be Ben still, right? I don't have to be Ben Organa-Solo?"

[middleoftheforce]

"You can be whoever you want."

[jedi_librettist]

Ben sighed, closing his eyes. He wasn't ready to be lost son of two war heroes yet. He didn't know if he ever would be.

[middleoftheforce]

Nothing prepared to a person to be the son of two war heroes, Solo understood wanting to step away from it all.

[jedi_librettist]

It wasn't about stepping away because it was overwhelming. For almost a decade, his safety had depended on no one knowing where he came from or what he could do. It had gotten him taken in the first place.

He relaxed against the wall. A few minutes later, his breath became deeper and more even.

[middleoftheforce]

"You know you can go to a bunk."

It's said softly, reluctant to disturb.

[jedi_librettist]

There's no response. Ben's head tips forward after a few minutes.

[middleoftheforce]

Solo sighed. He could just drag his brother to a bunk? He wasn't sure the right choice over here.

[jedi_librettist]

There was no time to make a choice. Ben's breath started to come in sharp, near silent gasps. His face twisted in pain. His fingers twitched as their bond flooded with terror.

[middleoftheforce]

Solo sat up, rigid.

"Ben. Ben wake up."

[jedi_librettist]

Ben didn't react. Images drifted into the bond. A gold collar with a chain. A cup of some vile drink pressed to his lips. Kneeling in front of a familiar bounty hunter, wincing from the hand pulling his hair. A hot knife tracing a pattern above his hip.

[middleoftheforce]

Solo swallowed heavily, eyes screwing shut as if it would stop the images appearing. He tried pushing back through the bond, yelling at his brother to waken up.