For allbingo
Nov. 2nd, 2020 02:44 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ladyofleithianTitle: Gratitude Day
Summary: Ben’s friends and family get together for a celebration.
Prompt: Food Porn
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
They were sitting outside the Academy when Tai discussed Ben’s plans for Gratitude Day.
“It’ll be good,” Ben said. “Just to see my parents again at least. And everyone else.” He wouldn’t deny that he had missed them. His parents, his aunts and uncles (besides Luke), Poe...
“Yeah.” Tai smiled at him. “You know...Hennix and Voe and I are having our own gathering. She’s got nowhere to go. You could go with us.”
“You could spend it with us,” Ben said. Somehow, he felt bad about leaving anyone out.
***
Voe turned down his invitation. “No offense, Ben, but I think you’re okay,” she said. If Ben didn’t know better, he’d say that she sounded a bit jealous too. Like Ben had a family, and she didn’t. Ben couldn’t help but think Voe would change her tune when she saw how weird his family could get. Then again, maybe that was him being ungrateful?
“You sure?” Ben said. “No one wants to spend Gratitude Day alone.”
“You think spending time with Hennix counts as ‘alone’?” Voe said. “You’re kind of dense, Solo.”
“Ah. I stand corrected. Well...have fun.” Ben knew he should stop trying to be friends with her by now. After all, Voe was Voe; she wasn’t going to change her mind. But there were times he felt sorry for her. Maybe there were points where he couldn’t help but think that they were similar, in terms of their worries about being themselves.
“Thanks.” Voe said.
Even as she headed towards the hangar, Tai smiled faintly. “She’s a little crusty,” he said. “I think she’s a bit jealous of you. For having a family.”
“She’d change her tune if she knew what I have to live up to,” Ben said.
“Don’t say that, Ben.”
“So,” Ben said, hoping he could steer the conversation away from the woes of being a Skywalker-Solo, “Poe’s gonna be there.”
“Oh.” Tai smiled, a bit knowingly. “You’re excited about that?”
Ben snorted. “It’s been the first meal we’ve had together in...a while.”
Since Poe had run away.
Since everything.
Tai nodded. “Just be yourself around him, Ben.”
“Which one?” Ben deadpanned.
Tai snorted. “You’re asking me, Ben?”
***
“Is that...more food than we need?” Ben said even as they entered the kitchen. There was old Alderaanian cuisine (that his mother must have whipped up from memory), Savareen food (courtesy of Aunt Enfys and Aunt Qi’ra), Bespin food (Uncle Lando), Yavin food (Poe), Wookiee food (Uncle Chewie and Dad), Gatalentan food that looked like a rainbow threw up (Aunt Amilyn)...
“We can always save the rest for leftovers,” Aunt Qi’ra said. “Personally, Ben, this is exciting. I can’t say I had opportunities like that growing up.”
“No kidding,” Dad said as he sat down.
“Oh my,” Threepio said. “How am I ever going to carry all this? How is it even going to fit?”
“We’ll use the Force,” Dad said wryly.
“That’s not how the Force works,” Ben said.
“Could.”
Ben playfully rolled his eyes. “Dad, come on. Your grasp of the Force is pretty bad.”
“The Force can do anything but it can’t balance food on a table?”
Ben did sigh good-naturedly.
Poe grinned at him. “We’ll just get a really, really big fridge for the leftovers. Like, a separate freighter."
Ben did laugh.
***
They talked. Ate. Ben had to admit that the whiplash of different tastes was definitely interesting — going from Gatalentan cuisine to old Alderaanian recipes while the others laughed and joked. Despite himself, Ben couldn’t help but feel lonely. Being so disconnected from most of his family, hearing about most of these stories from the outside, from everywhere else.
Poe must have sensed his sadness even without the Force, because he winked at Ben reassuringly.
“How’s the flight Academy?” Ben said to Poe.
Poe smiled, seeming a bit sad. “It’s going. You know...takes work.”
“Congratulations on getting into the Academy,” Qi’ra said. “It’s quite the accomplishment.”
Poe smiled. Still that sad smile. Ben wished, somehow, he could say more.
***
“Kriff, I’m full...”
Ben had taken medicine to settle his stomach. It didn’t allay that feeling of being utterly stuffed, though, he would say that.
“You and me both.” Poe said. He clapped a hand to his mouth to stifle a hiccup. “Note to self: just because you can try everything doesn’t mean you should.”
Ben did chuckle.
"But yeah,” Poe said, “It’s good to see you, Ben. Not gonna lie, it hasn’t been the same since...y’know.”
“Yeah.” Ben knew what he meant before he said anything.
Silence.
"You know,” Poe said, "Thing is...it’s been a bit of a struggle at the Academy. Not gonna lie. I mean...“
“But it’s not your fault you were manipulated,” Ben protested. “What’s wrong with these people?”
“Well, some of them lost family to the Spice Runners.”
“That wasn’t you, though,” Ben said.
“I know, Ben. I still feel sorry for them.” Poe sighed as he spoke. “It’s complicated.”
“You don’t have to be so kind all the time,” Ben said.
“Says the Jedi,” Poe said wryly.
That actually did make Ben laugh. “Yeah. I guess.” He faltered. “Truth is, sometimes I don’t feel like I belong either. Like I’m...odd.”
“You’re not,” Poe said. "Not even a little bit. Really.”
Ben smiled. At least, he thought, he could take comfort in Poe’s presence, long after their meal.
Summary: Ben’s friends and family get together for a celebration.
Prompt: Food Porn
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
They were sitting outside the Academy when Tai discussed Ben’s plans for Gratitude Day.
“It’ll be good,” Ben said. “Just to see my parents again at least. And everyone else.” He wouldn’t deny that he had missed them. His parents, his aunts and uncles (besides Luke), Poe...
“Yeah.” Tai smiled at him. “You know...Hennix and Voe and I are having our own gathering. She’s got nowhere to go. You could go with us.”
“You could spend it with us,” Ben said. Somehow, he felt bad about leaving anyone out.
***
Voe turned down his invitation. “No offense, Ben, but I think you’re okay,” she said. If Ben didn’t know better, he’d say that she sounded a bit jealous too. Like Ben had a family, and she didn’t. Ben couldn’t help but think Voe would change her tune when she saw how weird his family could get. Then again, maybe that was him being ungrateful?
“You sure?” Ben said. “No one wants to spend Gratitude Day alone.”
“You think spending time with Hennix counts as ‘alone’?” Voe said. “You’re kind of dense, Solo.”
“Ah. I stand corrected. Well...have fun.” Ben knew he should stop trying to be friends with her by now. After all, Voe was Voe; she wasn’t going to change her mind. But there were times he felt sorry for her. Maybe there were points where he couldn’t help but think that they were similar, in terms of their worries about being themselves.
“Thanks.” Voe said.
Even as she headed towards the hangar, Tai smiled faintly. “She’s a little crusty,” he said. “I think she’s a bit jealous of you. For having a family.”
“She’d change her tune if she knew what I have to live up to,” Ben said.
“Don’t say that, Ben.”
“So,” Ben said, hoping he could steer the conversation away from the woes of being a Skywalker-Solo, “Poe’s gonna be there.”
“Oh.” Tai smiled, a bit knowingly. “You’re excited about that?”
Ben snorted. “It’s been the first meal we’ve had together in...a while.”
Since Poe had run away.
Since everything.
Tai nodded. “Just be yourself around him, Ben.”
“Which one?” Ben deadpanned.
Tai snorted. “You’re asking me, Ben?”
***
“Is that...more food than we need?” Ben said even as they entered the kitchen. There was old Alderaanian cuisine (that his mother must have whipped up from memory), Savareen food (courtesy of Aunt Enfys and Aunt Qi’ra), Bespin food (Uncle Lando), Yavin food (Poe), Wookiee food (Uncle Chewie and Dad), Gatalentan food that looked like a rainbow threw up (Aunt Amilyn)...
“We can always save the rest for leftovers,” Aunt Qi’ra said. “Personally, Ben, this is exciting. I can’t say I had opportunities like that growing up.”
“No kidding,” Dad said as he sat down.
“Oh my,” Threepio said. “How am I ever going to carry all this? How is it even going to fit?”
“We’ll use the Force,” Dad said wryly.
“That’s not how the Force works,” Ben said.
“Could.”
Ben playfully rolled his eyes. “Dad, come on. Your grasp of the Force is pretty bad.”
“The Force can do anything but it can’t balance food on a table?”
Ben did sigh good-naturedly.
Poe grinned at him. “We’ll just get a really, really big fridge for the leftovers. Like, a separate freighter."
Ben did laugh.
***
They talked. Ate. Ben had to admit that the whiplash of different tastes was definitely interesting — going from Gatalentan cuisine to old Alderaanian recipes while the others laughed and joked. Despite himself, Ben couldn’t help but feel lonely. Being so disconnected from most of his family, hearing about most of these stories from the outside, from everywhere else.
Poe must have sensed his sadness even without the Force, because he winked at Ben reassuringly.
“How’s the flight Academy?” Ben said to Poe.
Poe smiled, seeming a bit sad. “It’s going. You know...takes work.”
“Congratulations on getting into the Academy,” Qi’ra said. “It’s quite the accomplishment.”
Poe smiled. Still that sad smile. Ben wished, somehow, he could say more.
***
“Kriff, I’m full...”
Ben had taken medicine to settle his stomach. It didn’t allay that feeling of being utterly stuffed, though, he would say that.
“You and me both.” Poe said. He clapped a hand to his mouth to stifle a hiccup. “Note to self: just because you can try everything doesn’t mean you should.”
Ben did chuckle.
"But yeah,” Poe said, “It’s good to see you, Ben. Not gonna lie, it hasn’t been the same since...y’know.”
“Yeah.” Ben knew what he meant before he said anything.
Silence.
"You know,” Poe said, "Thing is...it’s been a bit of a struggle at the Academy. Not gonna lie. I mean...“
“But it’s not your fault you were manipulated,” Ben protested. “What’s wrong with these people?”
“Well, some of them lost family to the Spice Runners.”
“That wasn’t you, though,” Ben said.
“I know, Ben. I still feel sorry for them.” Poe sighed as he spoke. “It’s complicated.”
“You don’t have to be so kind all the time,” Ben said.
“Says the Jedi,” Poe said wryly.
That actually did make Ben laugh. “Yeah. I guess.” He faltered. “Truth is, sometimes I don’t feel like I belong either. Like I’m...odd.”
“You’re not,” Poe said. "Not even a little bit. Really.”
Ben smiled. At least, he thought, he could take comfort in Poe’s presence, long after their meal.
