[ happy hour ]

[almosthonorable]

Not one to pass up a good business opportunity, Ben’s behind the counter, aiming to earn some credit toward what’s left of his tab.

Specials
† bourbon
† milkshakes
† bourbon milkshakes


The bar is fairly quiet at the moment, so Ben’s leaning on one elbow, doodling on a napkin.


[ tiny tags: gene hunt, mark hoffman, moist von lipwig ]


[ ooc: have at, guys — open till 8:30 p.m. est; tag away, and feel free to threadhop all over the place!

eta, 8:33 p.m.: AHAHA, you people. THANK YOU ALL. closed to new threads, but i'll be hitting these as i can before bed tonight, and tagging back all slows tomorrow for those who want 'em! ♥! (threadhopping, o' course, is still encouraged.) ]

Comments

[rebel-falcon.livejournal.com]

Slightly-more-irate:

"...you suggesting that I'm less than honest, officer?"

[diced_tartan]

"I can only go off of what I've observed," Nicholas says.

There's probably an implication in there somewhere.

[rebel-falcon.livejournal.com]

Han studies Nicholas over the rim of his Woodford, which he's sipping in a slightly 'screw you, pal' sort of way.

"You new around here?"

[diced_tartan]

"Not entirely, no," Nicholas says simply.

For instance, he's been around long enough to know that he can't actually arrest this guy, annoying as he's becoming.

[rebel-falcon.livejournal.com]

Han is very good at being annoying. Very, very good.

"Just wondering if your mouth has gotten you into trouble, yet."

[diced_tartan]

Oh, plenty of times. Not that Nicholas would admit to it, though.

"I might wonder the same thing about you, actually."

[rebel-falcon.livejournal.com]

"I've been coming here for years. And I've got more friends than enemies."

[diced_tartan]

"Maybe you should try buying drugs from one of them, then," Nicholas says simply, going back to his crossword.

[rebel-falcon.livejournal.com]

Han snorts, unimpressed.

"Oh, no. I don't buy. Wrong end of the deal, pal."

He turns back to his drink.

[diced_tartan]

"So you are running." It's not so much a question, as it is a statement.

Nicholas is rarely wrong about these sorts of things.

"Which means you're also a liar."

That's right. He said it.

[rebel-falcon.livejournal.com]

"Not at the moment."

That is the truth; he hasn't ran spice for Jabba in years, but still.

Nobody calls Han a liar.



Well, plenty of people call Han a liar. But nobody really ever gets away with it unscathed.

[diced_tartan]

Nicholas glances up at Han, but seems to still be mostly interested in his crossword.

"Mm-hmm. And you were asking about prices, why?"

Really, by this point, he's only looking for a confession since he can't actually do anything about it.

[rebel-falcon.livejournal.com]

"Like I said, I was curious."

An apathetic shrug.

"Not like you can do anything about it, so just keep playin' your little game and watch your lip, before it gets you in trouble. I don't take kindly to people making false accusations."

[diced_tartan]

Nicholas casts Han an odd little glance. "It just seems like a rather strange thing for idle curiosity," he says. "Most people ask a question like that, it's because they're wanting to either buy or sell."

[rebel-falcon.livejournal.com]

"I don't do business in the bar. Or with people claiming to be officers of the law."

He mutters something under his breath as he sips another swallow of Woodford from the glass. It sounds vaguely like 'kriffin' Imperial bastards'. If you listen closely, that is.

[diced_tartan]

"Could have fooled me," Nicholas says simply, penning in something on his crossword.

[rebel-falcon.livejournal.com]

He drains his glass.





"What the sith is your problem, pal?"

[diced_tartan]

Deep sigh.

"My problem is people who act with complete disregard to the safety and well-being of others."

[rebel-falcon.livejournal.com]

...to say that does it, would be an understatement.

"Look, you prick, I don't care who you are or what regulating agency you work for, but you have nothing to back you up except for a shiny ID card and a piece of scrap with your photo on it. So if you want to go on and make assumptions about what I may or may not do for a living, that's fine."

He pulls in a breath.

"But don't you even think you can get away with going that low."

Han is a general in the army that's fighting for good. Even if he was hesitant about the war in the first place, he cares about his people. And Nicholas has struck a nerve.

[diced_tartan]

"You've all but admitted to running drugs," Nicholas says. "Which shows to me that you really don't care about the harm and destruction you bring to innocent people."

He very calmly folds up his newspaper. "Until you deal with people who have been affected by this sort of thing, you won't even come close to knowing the trouble you've caused."

[rebel-falcon.livejournal.com]

"You want to talk about harm and destruction to innocent people? Why don't you try watching a power-hungry bastard blow up an entire planet full of civvies, then you come talk to me, you kriffin' bastard--"

He's already up off the barstool and two seconds from making a move at Nicholas; body already in motion to prep for a hard shove.

[almosthonorable]

But Ben's there to clap a hand on Han's shoulder, his grip as heavy as iron but his voice deceptively light.

"I've got a bet to settle over here, gentlemen, and I'm not a man who takes losin' in stride."

He eyes Han, then Nicholas, and jerks his head toward the far end of the bar.

"See, there's a man over there who doesn't think we're all here to drink in peace, and I've got a hell of a chunk of change that says we are. So, if you'll indulge me, I'm happy to split the profit three ways."

[diced_tartan]

Nicholas jumps up just as quickly when he sees Han make his move.

He's ready to fight back, but is glad when Ben steps in.

"I don't gamble," he says stiffly.

[rebel-falcon.livejournal.com]

(Ben was there when Han came into the bar as a youngling, green and raw, full of unfiltered resentment towards Shrike and brooding with anger; the way his shoulder tenses under Ben's touch is probably a familiar reminder of those meetings -- aside from the fact that Han isn't underfed and doesn't shy away from the oppressive contact.)

As long as the bar is asleep, Ben is in charge. And because Han has no desire to get Ben in trouble with Bar (or piss Bar herself off), he makes no further move towards Nicholas.

"Keep your mouth shut unless you know what you're talking about, sir," Han spits the words out, then steps back, and glances at Ben. He nods, once.

(He won't start anything. He's not happy about it, but he'll honor their friendship that much.)

[almosthonorable]

Ben's tensed and ready, outlaw instincts coiled to strike, but Han's one smart son of a bitch, and Angel's — well, he's a lawman.

So Ben nods to each in turn.

"Then you," he says to Nicholas, his eyes flicking to the tea briefly, "can drink on the house for the rest of the night."

To Han, "And you owe me a Fira story."

From a stool all the way the hell on the other end of the counter, he doesn't add.