Chatter with the scruffy one?

[twelve_not_fourteen]

The Nexus' resident scoundrel is never particularly happy when things are stagnant. Han's been hustling in some capacity, since he was old enough to walk and talk, so it's not as if he's used to having copious amounts of 'spare time'. He's not sure he would describe his existence in the Nexus as that, but it was far more like it than what he was used to.  And in general a life on terra firma, all the time, isn't to his taste.

There's been good in his time.  He wouldn't try to deny as much.  But there's also been bad and even some ugly.

Somehow, he manages to endure.  Even when the odds where against him to do just that, there were friends to help him along.  

What has become clear is that trying to assemble a lot of money at once and by his supplies en mass hasn't been going all that well.  Rather than continuing the same approach again that didn't work before, it seemed like the better course to try something else for a while.  Damn if he knew what it was that he should do, though.  Perhaps study up on the local machinery and put his steady hands to work fixing things in exchange for a wage.  Kryff.  Maybe he should go back to stealing.

For now, those are the thoughts that tend to shuffle through his head - man, I've been here for a 'long time' and how am I gonna ever get the money I need to fix this ship.  Occasionally they're broken up with the stray thoughts of an attraction that seemed pretty unlikely at first.  Those thoughts make him smile when he has them, despite his nature ...

The body of Han Solo is much more defined than the mind.  It can be seen sitting on the lowered ramp of a YT-1300.  He is nursing a pale ale from a glass bottle and watching the sunset disappear behind buildings in the forum.  

If you should find yourself drawn to him for a conversation he'll ask you this, "do you think you'll ever have it all figured out?  Is it possible to have all of you 'ducks in a row' as the saying goes?"  Then he'll flash a lopsided grin, and shake his head.  "Forget all of that.  How bout a beer instead?"

Comments

[brave_heart_verity]

It wouldn't exactly be a surprise to find out someone who's such a good influence on Han annoys Verity to know end. They're like oil and water--they go well together, but no matter how hard they try, they don't mix. Han being happy, having someone to care about who cares about him, makes Verity happy. She'll just do it from a distance, which is probably what she should have done from the start.

In her defense, she's still learning about this whole 'polite social interaction' thing. Nobody's got perfect manners from birth.

Bobbi rumbles a bit and flops down again, letting Han's heavy hand scritch and pet without protest. She can take it!

"Oh yeah. Bobbi's always following him around, trying to copy him. And I think he likes the canine company."

[twelve_not_fourteen]

Also in her defense, everyone seems to love the way Verity treats her friends except for scruffy. Why should she think that the same thing that seems to endear everyone else would backfire with him?

And speaking of the way Verity tends to treat her friends and loved ones ...

"I'm pretty sure this little dog is going to end up the most spoiled in all of the Nexus. Even with another dog around to socialize with."

[brave_heart_verity]

There is also that. She's not bad, she's just drawn that way inexperienced. Some people would find that charming.

"Yeah," she admits after a moment. "It's not a bad thing to have someone to spoil." Besides all her friends. They keep wanting to be annoyingly independent. Bobbi's always going to love the spoiling, unreservedly and unabashedly. "Pampered might be a better word for it. She'll have to behave if she wants good things."

Would love to see Ver as Jessica Rabbit, just saying ...

[twelve_not_fourteen]

Not a bad thing to have someone to spoil. He hasn't had extensive experience doing that (more upcoming, perhaps), but from what observations he's been able to compile, he would agree.

Bobbi, already limp on the durasteel, is in a very vulnerable position. Is she the kind of dog who does or doesn't like belly rubs? Han is about to find out. Besides, he figures she could bite through his callouses even if she was inclined to dissuade him.

"Affection and discipline. Seems sound in theory." He says. "So what made you want to get a dog all of a sudden?"

She *is* naturally a redhead... http://bit.ly/28Wv5Sv

[brave_heart_verity]

Verity would suggest he start with himself. It's excellent practice for when the right somebody comes along. And he knows Frea would agree. Lucky for him they're not likely to gang up on him, isn't it?

Bobbi loves belly rubs! They are so fantastic! She is the picture of doggie bliss when Han starts in on her tummy. Her tail keeps thumping the ramp and sometimes one of her little paws twitches. And of course, her tongue is lolling out.

"I'm sure if I analyzed the urges it'd be about a need for affection or familial connections or something like that, but really, it was just puppy love at first sight." Verity strokes Bobbi's ears gently while Han gives the belly rubs, rubbing the velvety skin between her fingers. "Blame the stripes."

[twelve_not_fourteen]

He's pretty sure he doesn't have the fortitude to refute both of them at once. He might be a handsome and talented man, but he is only a man. His reserves are not boundless and he suspects the two of them together would make a formidable pair.

"Fair enough." It's the tongue flopping out that's just the right amount of too much. Besides the stripes, this dog seems to have a flamboyant personality. That probably makes for a good pet, right? Maybe? Eh. What does he know?

"She is something."

[brave_heart_verity]

When it comes to arguing, Bobbi is clearly the winner. She didn't even have to say a word and she's getting everything she wanted! It's hard to argue with results like that.

"Yeah, she is. I'm lucky to have met her." There isn't a drop of sarcasm in her when it comes to Bobbi. She's not ashamed to be seen doting over an adorable bundle of fluff. Her 'tough chick' image doesn't seem so in need of protecting anymore.

For a moment, it looks like she's going to ask him something, but then she thinks better of it and clears her throat instead to buy time. "Do people have pets in space?"

[twelve_not_fourteen]

If she has to wonder if something she might potentially ask could rub him the wrong way, it's probably best that she doesn't. Not right now, anyway. If they can string together a series of consecutive interactions without feelings getting hurt or someone storming off, then maybe one of them can get daring at that point.

"Depends on what you mean by 'in space'." And at this point, he has to pull his hand away and give it a little rest, miss fuzzy. He shakes out his hand slightly to combat the numbness. "People in my galaxy have pets, but not many people will keep a pet on a space ship. A lot of them get sick or miserable on the long trips."

[brave_heart_verity]

Which is, remarkably, why she didn't end up saying it. If she keeps this up, she might have people thinking she's not as dumb as she looks.

"Oh, that's sad." Bobbi thinks the loss of the pets is sad, and she's giving Han some very skilled sad puppydog eyes now. At least, she is until Ver takes up the cause. "I guess I can understand it. It's not like they understand what's happening or why."

That's not to say the writer wasn't curious of what she was thinking about asking ...

[twelve_not_fourteen]

He wouldn't suggest that it's all on her that they're not the best of friends. Matter of fact, if blame was being assigned, he'd volunteer to have 100% of it. He cares enough to spare her from that, even now. And he's just difficult to deal with sometimes. Even he knows that.

He nods his agreement.

There are a few things that live in deep space, where he comes from, but by and large it's mostly a vacuum. The atmosphere of space, even if your blunted from it by being in a top of the line starship, is not meant for most of life to thrive in. Even people on the really long trips in space don't come out of it without their health impacted - besides the chance of developing bloodburn.

And let's face it, Han probably wouldn't be a great pet owner anyway ...

"Not everything is meant to traverse though space like I am."

If he ever had any. His was not a childhood that made pets likely.

[brave_heart_verity]

She'll take her share of the blame, but she doesn't really see why any has to be assigned. Things didn't work the way they wanted. It happens. Better to move on and make what they can of what they have, in her opinion.

"I think, if that were the case, you'd be the rebel by settling down," she teases. "You'd have whole planets to yourself." And he still probably wouldn't be happy. Sometimes, she wonders if he's just determined to be miserable.

Not really. If you count his son and granddaughters animals as 'family pets' then yes, later.

[twelve_not_fourteen]

"That statement says all kinds of things about what you think about me."

He could spend half an hour thinking about the possible interpretations of what that was supposed to mean and still might not even get exactly what she meant by it. He takes another swig of his drink and then sets it down to resume petting the little fuzzy between them. Can't let the little one get restless, after all. He doesn't feel all that keen about chasing after her.

"Or maybe that was a challenge." His non-conformist tendencies do make him susceptible to reverse psychology. "I might try if I had the right reason."

No, and no, and boy does that explain a lot about Ben. :P

[brave_heart_verity]

He could spend the rest of the day trying to puzzle it out, thinking himself in circles, trying to decide if she's as clever and as mean as would be required for one interpretation or if she's as absent-minded and sweet as needed for another... it could be endless. Or he could ask her.

Nah. Better to pet the pup before she runs inside the ship to explore.

"Yes," she agrees with a smirk. "I do think all kinds of things about you, after all. Just be happy most of them are nice."

[twelve_not_fourteen]

There comes a point where you have to ask yourself if you really want to know the answers to those kinds of questions. He doesn't think her comment came from a cruel place and her follow up comment seems to confirm as much. She is here of her own volition, spending time with him, when she could have easily collected her dog and left. That paints enough of a picture for him.

"Verity, there was no doubt in my mind that you think about me." He says with self satisfied smile. "Everybody does."

[brave_heart_verity]

Bobbi doesn't bother with such deep philosophical questions. She knows her value. And when she's getting pettings who could doubt that she's a good dog?

Ver laughs at that and gives a shrug. "What can I say? I've never nursed anyone back to life before. They say you never forget your first. I guess we're stuck with each other."

There are worse ways to be, she's almost sure. Worse things than her friendship.

[twelve_not_fourteen]

If only Han knew how to be good. Maybe everyone would be happy to see him and lavish affection upon him too. Though, perhaps he's more of a cat because he likes for everything to be on his terms and he tends to react poorly when they aren't. There's no denying the little pup's goodness. Apart from the inital running away from Verity to meet the stranger, she's been a model of good behavior.

Coming into her apartment bloody and knocking on deaths door is a good way to make a lasting impression, that's for sure. Not generally his preferred way to do it, but hey, whatever works. When he's gone she'll remember him. That's significant for someone like him ...

"You like me enough not to let me die in your place." He says as the smirk begins to fade. "I'll try to make a habit on not bleeding on you and your things in the future."

[brave_heart_verity]

No, even if he were the best person to ever live, some people wouldn't be happy to see him. Some people are just jerks. But he has people who care about him, who want to be his friends, and that's a gift. Maybe he should be more careful about looking in the horse's mouth.

Bobbi learned young that good things come to those who are adorable.

"Hey." Her tone is gentle, as are her gaze and her hand on his shoulder. "I don't love the sight of you bleeding, but I'd rather a little more blood on my floor than a lot less of you around. I'll never turn you away."

Since her sense of permanence is shot to hell (and whose wouldn't be after their world got torn apart three times in a year?), it takes a lot for her to make that kind of promise. But she means it. She lets it hang between them long enough for him to have a chance to realize how serious she is before she withdraws her hand and looks away again.

"You know, if you need work, my boss knows a lot of people..."

[twelve_not_fourteen]

Some people are just jerks. Han is arguably one of those some people. At least some of the time, anyway.

It says a lot about how decent of a person Verity is that she wouldn't let him bleed out in her apartment. Though, he thinks that maybe she's the kind of person who wouldn't let anybody bleed out in front of her if she could do something about it.

(On the other hand, if he's being a little more thoughtful he'd realize that she probably wouldn't nurse the shit out of a stranger for three, four or however many days it was before he got better. Stabilize them and get them to a hospital, sure, but not let them lay out in her bed.)

Her touch is simply a touch. It doesn't feel like the kind of thing he needs to pull away from anymore, but it doesn't inspire the want for more like it did before either. It's a kind of progress. He thinks. Being around her still is puzzling to him. She doesn't fit neatly in one of his well-defined categories for people. The nerve of her.

It does remind him of something he wanted to tell her before, but that get's derailed when she mentions her boss.

"Yeah? Who is he? What's he like?"

[brave_heart_verity]

Yeah, she's a real nervy broad, wanting to be whatever the hell she is instead of some neatly defined stereotype. He's got lousy taste.

(No, she wouldn't let just anyone stay for so long, and she wouldn't make that much of an effort for a stranger. Or even half the people she knows by name. It's all part and parcel of her maddening non-romantic affection for the jerk.)

"Schon's nice. Sometimes. He's an excellent businessman, and he pays well if you do a good job." Ver pauses, looking down at Bobbi as if the pup has something important to contribute to the conversation. She does, of course: continuing cuteness and a wiggly nature. "And your reputation would probably be a bonus, with him."

[twelve_not_fourteen]

"That guy is your boss?"

Han hadn't connected the the man he'd played cards with a few weeks ago (and subsequently became endebted to) as the man who employed her. In fact, she is the second person to mention that he was trustworthy enough, but he didn't feel that way being around him. Matter of fact the whole time he'd been around him, he'd felt on edge.

"The one with the cane and the fancy attitude. He's trouble." The Captain insists. So much trouble that the thought of owing him something makes him reach for his beer. "I don't trust him as far as I can throw him."

[brave_heart_verity]

His reaction really doesn't surprise her. She takes it in stride and answers with a little shrug. There's enough self-awareness to know her relationship with Schon is complicated and unique; she's seen more of his good side and his bad than most people ever will. Funny how that keeps happening...

"Never said he was trustworthy," she points out, "but he keeps his word. What'd he do to you?"

[twelve_not_fourteen]

"I owe him a favor." Han says as if that alone is all the context that she needs. And who knows, maybe it is. She does know him far better than he does, after all. Though he'll come to add, "and he got information out of me that I shouldn't have offered up so freely."

It was the booze. Probably. Excuse Han while he uses you for some therapy petting, Bobbi.

[brave_heart_verity]

"Ah." It's a small sound, but packed full of understanding and empathy. Yeah, she knows what being in Schon's debt feels like. Boy, does she. He is a frightening man, and a strange one, but he's wonderful and sometimes kind and she's come to love him in a way. Still, she knows what he is--to a point--and knows why people aren't always happy to have met him.

Bobbi doesn't mind the reason for the pets so long as there are pets. How does she still have so much energy for tail-wagging?

"He's still a good employer, if you change your mind. There are probably plenty of other people around looking to hire security or whatever."

[twelve_not_fourteen]

"I'll think it over."

Really, that's the best answer he can offer in terms of Schon - that he'll leave a little bit of room for doubt in the profile he's constructed of the man because Verity trusts him (or trusts him, somewhat, anyway). He still doesn't like owing people. Even if it is a familiar position that he tends to be in.

And the guy tends to rub that 'bad feeling' sense Han has raw when he's around.

[brave_heart_verity]

"Okay." She won't push or bring it up again. It was an idea in which she has very little invested. And, yeah, she knows. She remembers how little she trusted anyone when she first came here--especially Clint.

Bobbi would like to rub some other things. Like her face against Han's hand. She is an affectionate little pup and he's in need of affection. That must be why she came running over! Yes. She's a good dog.

"Maybe you should take up a hobby while you're here. Learn something new."