open post.

[imahologram]

for whatever miscellaneous bullshit your little heart can come up with.

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[imahologram]

[This is among the worst-planned holidays the Solo family has ever managed to have. What was supposed to be two weeks together on the Gold Beaches of Corellia has turned into two weeks for Ben on the Gold Beaches: one week with Han, and one with Leia. (There was an in-between time when it looked like it would be one week with Han and one week of all of them, but Chewie needs Han on a trip to Kashyyyk that even Leia can't argue with. Helping Chewie's family is a noble enough cause, and it sounds like they're in some genuine danger.)

She's dead on her feet by the time she falls into bed in their rented house, so much so that she doesn't wake until mid-morning the next day. When she does, she's groggily aware of the fact that she never bothered to unpin her hair or undress the night before, and there's a mop of messy dark hair tucked beneath her chin.

Poor Ben, she thinks. He's not going to be happy to hear his father had to leave without saying a proper goodbye, even for Chewbacca's sake. She shifts a little, gently shaking his shoulder.]

Awake in there, Ben?

[solochild]

[ Yesterday, Dad had done his best to run Ben ragged with trips down to the shore. Distracting him with Ben's repeated demands to be hurled into the breakers or another lap in one of the rented paddle boat. They even took a holo of when Han buried himself chest deep and sculpted himself into a melodie complete with a seashell bra in golden sand. Ben was shrill with his secondhand embarrassment but still took the holo. Even still, Ben was restless. No amount of rough housing or swimming could assuage his boundless energy and fidgeting anxieties. All peppered with endless questions of where was mom, and when was mom coming home. After a dinner of flatcakes with khaddi-nut butter and soda, Han said he was bushed and went to bed just before the sun went down.

Unfortunately for his father, Ben was smart and knew that only meant one thing: Flight rest. Whenever dad knew he had a long trek ahead of him he would always try to squeeze in at least eight or nine hours of solid rest. Ben's fears were confirmed when he woke up just before dawn to hear his dad fumbling around in the dark outside his room. No doubt looking for his boots. For once, he was only awake because of the five cans of soda he had with dinner and nothing stemming from the chronic nightmares. Ben rides it out long enough; pretending to still be asleep when his dad kisses his brow and then watch him disappear into the darkened doorway and hears his mother's voice - distant, coming from the front hall.

He sleeps the remainder of the night in his parent's room. Sneaking in after his mother goes to bed. He's roused first by the sounds of the morning's high tide crashing on the shore then by a hand on his shoulder. Ben twists in the sheets and grunts, burying his face in the pillow. ]

Mmm-hmm.

[imahologram]

Good. [Leia takes advantage of his sleepy nearness and buries her face in his hair before pecking him good morning on the cheek.] Because I missed you so much.

[A day doesn't go by without her thinking of him, whether they're in the same house or orbiting different stars. Being away is difficult, if necessary, and it's harder when it's an emergency. There's so little time to prepare Ben, and he needs so much more preparation than she ever did.]

Dad told me you guys had a great time last week. You can show me all the best spots on the beach.

[She's not entirely sure bringing up Han is the best place to start the day, but Ben's going to notice that they're on their own. There's no point in trying to hide it.]

[solochild]

[ Ben rolls his shoulders forward in a shuttering yawn deep from the chest. Still one foot in a half-remembered dream he was too tired to more than relax against his mother's embrace. She stilled smelled like the last hint of perfume and the inside of a rental grav-car. He was right about her having only just gotten in. ]

Dad's not coming back until we leave.

[ A statement, not a question. One too colored by Ben's exhaustion to be anything more than resigned to the fact. He had far from accepted the fact that it would always be rare to have both parents at once, but Han's ploy yesterday worked. All the fight had been kicked out of Ben for now. ]

I can show you how to build a sand castle and how to be my second mate on the paddle boats. [ It doesn't occur to him that his mother might know her around both these topics. Ben learned yesterday and this considered himself the premier expert in both fields. ]

[imahologram]

I know.

[Her voice is low and soft, and not a little rueful. How much more enjoyable all of this would be if it could be the three of them curled up in bed--Han laughing, Leia ruffling Ben's hair, and plans coming together in the salt air.

But what they have is something good in itself, and there will be other holidays together. There have been in the past--fewer lately, perhaps, but she can change that. Once the current chancellor finds his feet... It's hard to take Mon Mothma's place, but when the adjustment period is over, Leia's certain she'll have more time.]

I'm looking forward to it. [Above all, she's going to be cheerful for Ben's sake. She'll be cheerful if it kills her--and if nothing else has yet, this effort is unlikely to do it.] How's the swimming coming?