Work Text:
Ben brought the Falcon into an easy landing to his assigned platform on Nerrif station. For a mid rim station, it was busy here, and he’d been given only a few hours to refuel and pick up the supplies he needed before heading back to the core. He stepped off the Falcon’s ramp, and breathed in the scent of fuel and ozone that clung to the ships, before stepping away towards the station’s directory panels for directions to his suppliers.
He wasn’t the only one doing so, and he slowed his walk as he approached to admire the man already standing there. He looked to be of the same height as Ben, with striking red hair that looked to be growing out from a more severe style. His clothing made Ben even more curious. It seemed to be a uniform of a somewhat Imperial style though it had seen better days. Anything that might have indicated rank or allegiance had been carefully removed, the cloth showing up darker in small patches on the arms of the jacket.
Ben stopped to one side of him, hooking his thumbs into his belt loops and looking over the station directory. He was aware of the man beside him looking towards him, taking his time while Ben pretended to focus on the list of names in front of him. He waited a while longer, noting from the corner of his eye that the other was pulling up map directories, looking for the outbound ships and their destinations before he spoke up.
“Are you lost?” he asked.
“Not particularly,” he replied with an easy shrug.
“Where are you heading to?”
The man’s lips curling as he answered.
“Haven’t decided yet.”
“I’m going to be heading out in a few hours myself,” Ben suggested, surprised with himself for the offer when he’d wanted to have the Falcon to himself for this trip. “I’ll be heading coreward if that’s any help to you?”
That really got his attention. His head turned towards Ben before he lowered his datapad and turned to look at Ben full on. His attention was a heady thing, and Ben felt himself drawing himself to his full height.
“What’s your fare?”
“Well, it’s on my way…”
Ben stammered to a halt as the other man cocked his head, eyes shining as he looked at Ben.
“No fare? Really.”
He stepped closer and Ben felt his heart beating faster.
“You wouldn’t expect me to…” he paused here, raking his eyes down the length of Ben’s body before meeting his gaze, holding Ben’s attention as he licked his lips, “work my passage?”
Ben flushed, taking half a step back as the suggestion sank in. The other man chuckled at him.
“No, absolutely not,” Ben said, drawing his hand through the air between them. “If that’s what you think, maybe you’d be better off-”
Ben stopped as a surprisingly strong hand gripped his forearm.
“I’m sorry,” the stranger said. “I didn’t mean to offend. I’m just also… not used to people genuinely wanting to help. People out here don’t do anything for free.”
“Most people.”
“Most people,” he echoed with a smile. “If the offer’s still open…”
“It is.”
“Then I’d be happy to help you with what you need to do here before you leave.”
“Do you want to stow your gear first?”
He shrugged. “What I have here is all I own.”
Ben took in the messenger bag on his shoulder, that couldn’t have held much.
“All right,” he said, “let’s get going. I’m Ben, by the way.”
The stranger held out the same hand that had gripped Ben’s arm. “Hux.”
“Pleasure to meet you, Hux.”