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]

"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.

[jedi_librettist]

Ben didn't wake up and the nightmare didn't stop but he clung to his twin through the bond, reaching for the comfort he hadn't had when everything had actually happened. Shame colored the fear. "You don't think you're special just because your masters shares his food with you. You know better, don't you, slave prince?"

[middleoftheforce]

There was rage boiling, and a desire to go back into the cockpit, turn the ship around and go shoot down any of those 'masters' he had left alive. He pushed it down, buried the thought. He needed to focus on Ben

Wake up!

[jedi_librettist]

Ben felt the rage through the bond. Everything coming from him stopped,the bond growing cold as he woke up.

"Sorry. That was rude."