Han Solo

“I said next time somebody hits me;                                          I hit ‘em back “

He froze at the noise of the shot - expecting to be hit. Instead, his gaze fell to the burnt hole in the floor by his feet. But he still didn’t look alarmed. Not surprised. Not scared. A lift of his head indicated his gaze fixing on Solo again.

And his attention didn’t budge while the bartender began yelling, until soon enough, Solo was yelling back, taking his eyes off Puppy.

Finally the opportunity he had been waiting for. In what seemed the blink of an eye, his hand snapped for the blaster, and rather than even bothering to knock it out of the smuggler’s grip, he crushed the barrel in his hand and just as quickly let go in favor of launching forward, aiming to tackle Solo at the waist and scoop him right up to throw over his shoulder. Puppy’s strength was such that he didn’t expect there to be any more trouble if he could get Solo secured in that position, especially with the blaster out of the picture.

Han’s in the middle of his sentence when he spots the movement out of the corner of his eye. When his attention is back on target though it’s already too late for his blaster. Even so the shock from seeing his gun be turned into scrap by this guy’s bare hand right in front of him is more than sufficient to daze him long enough until he’s already halfway up to where the bounty hunter wants him.

         whatever the smuggler’s reason for being there was ,  Dyn didn’t care so long as he posed no threat to the child .  he can’t question Skywalker’s company when the Jedi allowed himself to come to his temple ,  regardless of his connection with Grogu .  the Jedi could’ve made it so he could only see his ad’ika under certain conditions ,  or not at all ,  but he allowed the bounty hunter to come to them .  Dyn might’ve felt out of place there ,  but he was grateful for Skywalker’s generosity .          he doesn’t care what Solo might think of him ,  he’s got nothing to prove to him either ,  but something in the way he was implying that he was up to no good amused him ,  and sparked a bit of irritation .  beskar’gam clinks as he shifts ,  head tilting as he regarded the smuggler carefully .   ❝  what makes you think i might be up to something ?  ❞   he replied evenly ,  hand twitching by his side .  Solo wouldn’t be there unless Skywalker had allowed it ,  the Mandalorian assumed ,  and he wasn’t going to cause a scene after everything the Jedi has done .  not unless the other instigated it .   ❝  i was invited here ,  but sure ,  i’ll stay out of your way .  ❞

Han sees his nonchalant dismissal only as more of a taunt. However petty it may be, he’ll be damned if he lets this rust bucket have the last word here. Whatever stupid agreement Luke has with him be damned. He points an accusatory finger his way. “ Listen , buddy - “ He starts, the irritation in his own voice more than obvious. “ I know the kinda money that kid’s head is worth , and I know your ilk . You bounty hunters are all the same . “ 

“ He might not look it , but I’ve seen ‘im take down entire armies with nothing but his mind and that glorified glowstick . So whenever you think he’ll be an easy payday - don’t even think you can take him . “ He steps closer as he delivers his mini speech, the finger now poking into unrelenting Beskar. “ All powerful mind powers or not - he’s family . And I’ll be damned if I let some scummy third - rate bounty hunter hurt his feelings ‘cause he’s too karking stupid to realise when someone’s not trustworthy . “

❝  Han.  ❞   exasperation colored his tone heavily, the Jedi following after the smuggler into the Falcon.   ❝  Han, will you just wait?  ❞   Luke catches up to him quickly, and a gloved hand reaches out for the taller man’s shoulder, urging him to stop and face him instead of continue to walk away. he wasn’t sure what had gotten into Han, if something had upset him or come up, but Luke was concerned.

Heavy steps do halt at the light touch on his shoulder but Han nudges the hand off anyway. He doesn't immediately turn and instead takes a moment to sigh deeply and pinch the bridge of his nose.

Finally, a very slight tilt of his head. Solo hadn’t shot him yet. Very uncharacteristic of these types, who were normally all too happy to kill someone just as soon as their opponent so much as blinked. Patiently, he watched the man begin to back up.

Doing his very best to keep his posture, his stride, as nonchalant as he could, Puppy began to step after the smuggler the second that blaster wasn’t pointed at him anymore. Possible that just that movement alone would prompt Solo to take a shot, but apparently that was a risk Puppy was willing to take. He wasn’t afraid of getting hit. Probably, he could even still chase after Solo if he was hit, depending on just where the shot landed.

But considering it hadn’t happened already… Puppy was willing to test his leash.

He was unarmed, after all. Would Solo really shoot him just for following?

Gods, this guy is persistent. He’d just let him off with a warning and without putting a bullet through his mechanical head and he’s still testing his luck? Is he incredibly loyal, does he owe some kind of great debt to those assholes that are after him, or is he just stupid? Han may never know, but if he’s trying to call his bluff about shooting him but pushing him harder he can’t let that slide. He definitely can’t let word get around that Solo’s gone soft. With everything he’s done for the rebellion, he’s sure many think that already.

He pulls out his blaster again and shoots a warning shot into the wooden floor next to his feet. “ Hey hey hey ! Are you not only mute but deaf too ? What do you not get about ‘ stay here ‘ ? “ He scolds. None of the other guests seem particularly bothered by the blaster shot, but the barman does turn and complain about the damaged floor.

The man was sent reeling but wasn’t down; surprising. Puppy made a short jerk of the other’s captive wrist, intending to twist his arm around, but was made to stop short as his gaze fell for the blaster trained on him.

A quick draw, this one. Even after taking a hit like that.

Puppy didn’t move at first. Not to let go, and not to try another attack, either. Instead sighing with the exasperation of a parent weary of a child’s antics. Calculating whether he was willing to take a blaster shot or not. Based on Solo’s speedy draw, Puppy anticipated the guy knew his way around a gun.

But worth it? He was being paid to do a job, and despite being at gunpoint, he saw no reason yet to walk away from that money.

After some delay, his metal hand released the man’s wrist all at once. Puppy didn’t move. Just stood there, the blank surface of his display fixed on Solo’s face. Waiting to gauge the other’s next move - if Solo would try to take a shot anyway, or if there might come an opportunity to grab that blaster and crush it like a tin can.

He takes another half step back, gaze still fixed on the mercenary’s mask rather than the hand that’s stopping him from taking a full step away from him. He knows better than to take his eyes off of him. Even if he is blinking more regularly than normal to try and get the last bit of fogginess to slowly settle into the much too familiar dull ache instead.

With the slight pull he had on his hand, he has to put a foot out to stabilize himself when it’s suddenly released. He resists the urge to rub at his wrist, however, in favor of keeping the blaster on the strange cyborg.

Does this mean he’ll let him go? He hasn’t spoken a word this entire time, so it’s probably safe to assume he just can’t speak. But that mask is staying eerily blank as well, and Han figures he really doesn’t need to wait for his permission to bolt.

The idea to just shoot him and be done with it does cross his mind again, but then he thinks of that disappointed pout Luke puts on whenever he does something he doesn’t agree with and Han just sneers instead. “ Good decision . “ He says as he puts some more distance between them, both to break the tense silence and vaguely aware of the other patrons watching the interaction in anticipation. “ I’ll be taking my leave . If you know what’s good for you you’ll stay here and let me . I’ve got no qualms about shooting you if I have to . “

He switches his blaster from his left to his right hand before lowering it, the last thing he wants is to trigger a shoot out when he’s so close to just getting away almost unscathed.

❝  i never said you had to.  ❞   perhaps deep down, he wanted him to. Dyn knew Solo’s ilk, had crossed paths with more than a few smugglers when on the job. it was to be expected when one hung out around the places he did, got into the kind of work he did. he only knew of Han Solo from his reputation, and the Mandalorian never would have pegged him as the type to get involved with the Alliance. not someone he would have expected to be walking around this place while he waited for his son to finish his training with Skywalker for the day. stranger things have happened, as the last year of Dyn’s life has proved.

“ If you say so . “ He replies with a sneer, not seeming very convinced at all. It is just like Luke to get all buddy buddy with some bounty hunter. It’s his place anyway, Han knows it’s not up to him to police who comes and goes, but a bounty hunter, really?

He also hadn’t missed the double take that infuriatingly blank helmet had done the first time they crossed paths either. One hadn’t survived in his profession this long without being able to notice the second someone recognised his face. But he remembers how excited Luke had been when he’d first shown him what he’d done with the temple. If he did anything to ruin that he’d never forgive himself. He sighs and glances around before regarding him again. “ Look , “ He starts, his voice lowered despite there being no one else around. “ This place , whatever he’s doing here , “ He gestures around. “ It’s important to the kid - to Luke . So whatever you’re thinking , don’t . “

Puppy sat relaxed - and that didn’t change when the other man leaned into his space. Puppy merely stared up at him, not so much as twitching with any amount of tension or visible unease. To him, Solo’s response sounded less like a threat and more like a plea. A plea from a very scared, very desperate sort of man, the kind Puppy was all too used to encountering in his line of work.

He stood from his seat.

Solo was taller than him, and athletic, but lean. The man’s weight, his muscle mass, had nothing on Puppy’s broad shoulders, biceps that threatened to burst out of the sleeves of his jacket. He allowed the brave tap of his display before his hand shot up quick as a striking snake, catching Solo’s wrist - only for his opposite fist to whip for the side of the man’s face. His metal hand did the grabbing and his human hand did the punching, in this case; he only meant to knock the guy out, not kill him, after all.

“ Wha - “ 

The strong grip on his wrist surprises him enough that he doesn’t see the punch coming until it’s too late. Like a guy who’s taken a lot of punches in his days, he reels back from it, his vision swimming as his mind puts itself back together, but he doesn’t black out from it. In a trained response he immediately reaches for his blaster, fumbling with taking it out of its holster on his right thigh with his left hand but managing to have it trained on the cyborg even before he’s fully recovered from the punch.

He pulls at the hand still caught in his grip. “ Let . Go . “ The intimidating intent of the words are undercut by how slurred they are, with the hint of a usually well suppressed Corellian accent even through just that. If he were younger he might have tried to punch the guy right back, but he’s not taking these chances anymore. Honestly, he could’ve just tried blasting him immediately and been done with it. But he’s got no beef with him personally, he’s just out of luck being the lackey of some asshole, and those rebels’ morals have been rubbing off on him much more than he’d like to admit.

He grunts when the sting of the earlier punch catches up on him again. The familiar headache and dizziness of a good hit to the nogging clouding his mind. Did he really need to go for the face? 

@scxndrel​ SENT: “You must be the bravest person in existence or the dumbest to come walking in here with that kind of bounty on your head.” ▼bounty hunter starters

Puppy froze at first. Could the guy have said the word ‘bounty’ any louder? Ignoring just how many eyes turned to start looking his way, his hands slowly closed into fists at his sides.

His display lit up, first with a grinning face superimposed over his own with text that read ‘DRINK IT’, before the image flickered away to a setting sun with text that read ‘We will both regret it.’ He knew this man’s face. This was who he had been sent for. A pilot of some renown apparently, and one who owed Puppy’s employer a favor. Though, the way his employer had put it led him to believe it was a little more than that. He suspected Solo was in no position to be talking about bounties.

Or the perfect position, depending on how one looked at it.

Regardless, his hands slowly eased, and just as slowly reached into the front of his jacket - not wanting the motion to be mistaken for drawing a weapon. Instead, he produced a small holoprojector. The figure of his employer appeared in the palm of his hand: a prerecorded message inviting Solo on a job. Only, it wasn’t an invitation the man would be allowed to refuse.

Coming up to the cyborg had been an impulsive decision made out of annoyance. Really, Han had just been meaning to grab a drink and enjoy some much needed time off. That plan didn’t include that weird screen turning his way every so often. Han’s words had been meant to intimidate. Let him know to keep his nose in his own business.

As with many impulsive actions he’s made before, he comes to regret it almost immediately. He should’ve just walked out the moment he noticed the attention on him.

“ Kriff . “

He curses under his breath when the message ends and the light of the holoprojector flickers out. With all the rebel shit he’s been involved with recently, he’d almost forgotten all about that. He knows it’s in his best interest to accept the job, to just do a run with whatever dubious crew he’d assembled and hope he doesn’t get shot in his sleep for whatever underpaid share they’re going to deny him anyway. 

But, well, Han really isn’t known for making the best choices.

He places a hand on the table and leans forward, using the advantage of standing over the other’s sitting to tower over him and lean into his personal space. “ Listen , buddy . “ He grits out as low and condescending as he can. “ I don’t know what he’s paying you , but if you don’t want the nearest guild to get an anonymous tip about where to come get that bounty , you’d better go back and tell that mudscuffer that Solo’s nowhere to be found . “

She only gives a nod, and nearly snickers at his words. Mari is rather proud of the tactic she’d built. Most times, it was hard to throw around flirting banter - but it was easier with this one. He certainly wasn’t the worst she’d seen in her hunts. “You say luck, I say skill. You’re just not willing to admit it.” 

“Oh, no? Well I think we both know I’m not letting you out of my sight. So, indulge me in what you had in mind.” She offers watching him with sophisticated ease. She’s not one for bargaining, and she certainly needs the bounty on his head. Otherwise she wouldn’t even be here. 

When he stops moving, annoyance moves through her as he starts rambling off. A groan leaves her, letting her head fall back to match it. “If it was that important - you should’ve kept better track of it. Now get moving.” She kicks the back of his heel as if he were a bantha refusing to move. “I have a short fuse, Solo. Don’t try me.”

A grin spreads across his face. She’s small, unless she’s hiding some serious strength he doubts she’ll be able to lift him up by her own. Whether he’s breathing or not. “ Oh , I’m trying . “ He retorts mischievously, going further by dropping down and sitting cross legged on the shipyard’s concrete.