For hc-bingo
Jun. 19th, 2019 08:33 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ladyofleithianTitle: As Long As You Need Me
Summary: After Ben learns about his grandfather being Vader, Poe tries to help.
Prompt: ostracised from society
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Ben had hoped he could avoid scrutiny after the news broadcast where Ransolm Casterfo had announced to the galaxy that his mother was Vader’s daughter (and why, Ben thought, why didn’t she tell me?) but Riin Varis got to him first.
Riin sneered at him. “So, Benny-boy, how’s it feel being the grandson of a mass-murderer? Always knew you were gonna be the school slasher someday, just like him...”
“Stop it!” Ben shouted.
Riin snickered, looking for all intents and purposes like Life Day had come early. “You know it’s true. You’re nothing but an ugly, evil freak who shouldn’t have been born. Just like your loser mom and loser dad — ”
“They’re not losers!” Ben said.
“Loser mom and loser dad had a loser son who’s gonna be the school slasher someday.”
Ben knew that if he stayed there any longer, he’d lose his temper.
He couldn’t afford that. Anger led to hate, hate led to suffering...and he couldn’t fall to the Dark Side even if it was by throwing a punch.
So he ran. Slipped — he could hear Riin’s laughter in his ears far away.
Ben got up in that moment, brushed hair (and tears) out of his eyes. It simply wasn’t fair. It wasn’t right. It wasn’t like he had chosen in the womb for his grandfather to be Darth Vader. He hadn’t even had a kriffing choice in the matter, really; he had as much choice as anyone who — who —
And now he couldn’t come up with good comparisons, he was so upset.
“There is no emotion,” Ben said to himself. “There is peace.”
Whoever made that up was a kriffing idiot.
Footsteps. Ben looked up and saw Poe in that moment, looking worried and angry. “What the hell happened here?”
“They hate me.” Ben said. “All because my grandfather’s Vader...”
Poe hugged him in that moment. Ben couldn’t say he expected it, but it was nice, he’d say that. He buried his face in Poe’s jacket, inhaling his scent.
“Come on,” Poe said. “I’ll get you inside. You’ll be safe.”
***
Safe indeed. Then again, Ben reflected, safe was wherever Poe was, inevitably. Even as Ben sat with Poe and had caffa, he smiled. “Nice,” he said. “I think I found my new best friend.”
“Hey, don’t abandon me,” Poe joked, and for the first time that day, Ben actually laughed. And then the tears came again, and Ben knew if you could both laugh and cry at the same time.
“Hey, hey.” Poe said. “I don’t blame you for crying, to be honest. Hell of a thing to get dropped on you.”
“Vader...” And Ben talked about the nightmares, the visions, and plenty more, and Poe listened in patiently. Finally, he said, “You’re not Vader.”
“But I could be!” Ben said. “I could be at any time!”
“Oh, Ben...”
BB-8 took the opportunity to wheel in, and dwoo softly. Ben gave him a watery smile. Then, “Can I...stay with you, Poe? I don’t want to go back to them.”
“Stay as long as you need me,” Poe said. “I’ll always be there for you.”
Ben’s watery grin grew a little wider. “I know.”
Summary: After Ben learns about his grandfather being Vader, Poe tries to help.
Prompt: ostracised from society
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Ben had hoped he could avoid scrutiny after the news broadcast where Ransolm Casterfo had announced to the galaxy that his mother was Vader’s daughter (and why, Ben thought, why didn’t she tell me?) but Riin Varis got to him first.
Riin sneered at him. “So, Benny-boy, how’s it feel being the grandson of a mass-murderer? Always knew you were gonna be the school slasher someday, just like him...”
“Stop it!” Ben shouted.
Riin snickered, looking for all intents and purposes like Life Day had come early. “You know it’s true. You’re nothing but an ugly, evil freak who shouldn’t have been born. Just like your loser mom and loser dad — ”
“They’re not losers!” Ben said.
“Loser mom and loser dad had a loser son who’s gonna be the school slasher someday.”
Ben knew that if he stayed there any longer, he’d lose his temper.
He couldn’t afford that. Anger led to hate, hate led to suffering...and he couldn’t fall to the Dark Side even if it was by throwing a punch.
So he ran. Slipped — he could hear Riin’s laughter in his ears far away.
Ben got up in that moment, brushed hair (and tears) out of his eyes. It simply wasn’t fair. It wasn’t right. It wasn’t like he had chosen in the womb for his grandfather to be Darth Vader. He hadn’t even had a kriffing choice in the matter, really; he had as much choice as anyone who — who —
And now he couldn’t come up with good comparisons, he was so upset.
“There is no emotion,” Ben said to himself. “There is peace.”
Whoever made that up was a kriffing idiot.
Footsteps. Ben looked up and saw Poe in that moment, looking worried and angry. “What the hell happened here?”
“They hate me.” Ben said. “All because my grandfather’s Vader...”
Poe hugged him in that moment. Ben couldn’t say he expected it, but it was nice, he’d say that. He buried his face in Poe’s jacket, inhaling his scent.
“Come on,” Poe said. “I’ll get you inside. You’ll be safe.”
***
Safe indeed. Then again, Ben reflected, safe was wherever Poe was, inevitably. Even as Ben sat with Poe and had caffa, he smiled. “Nice,” he said. “I think I found my new best friend.”
“Hey, don’t abandon me,” Poe joked, and for the first time that day, Ben actually laughed. And then the tears came again, and Ben knew if you could both laugh and cry at the same time.
“Hey, hey.” Poe said. “I don’t blame you for crying, to be honest. Hell of a thing to get dropped on you.”
“Vader...” And Ben talked about the nightmares, the visions, and plenty more, and Poe listened in patiently. Finally, he said, “You’re not Vader.”
“But I could be!” Ben said. “I could be at any time!”
“Oh, Ben...”
BB-8 took the opportunity to wheel in, and dwoo softly. Ben gave him a watery smile. Then, “Can I...stay with you, Poe? I don’t want to go back to them.”
“Stay as long as you need me,” Poe said. “I’ll always be there for you.”
Ben’s watery grin grew a little wider. “I know.”
