A/N Hi! Sorry this took so long for another update! I originally wrote this story explaining Yeager's backstory but then last weeks episode came out which went against everything in this story so I had to write it again! Xxxxxxxxx
Kaz was about to open the door to Yeager's hanger when the it was slammed open from the other side. He was barely able to get out of the way in time when Jacen was shoved through.
"Get out! I never want to see your face in here again! Understand?" Yeager shouted. Kaz had seen Yeager's anger directed at him multiple times in his short time working for the man, but he had never seen as much fury on his face as he had right now.
"Yeager-" Jacen pleaded.
"I SAID GET OUT!"
The hanger door abruptly shut, leaving Jacen to stare at it with tear rimmed eyes. Unsure of what else to do Kaz stood there silently, hoping that he wouldn't notice him. He doubted Jacen would want to know he'd seen him like this. However as soon as he started backing away, he tripped over a spanner that had been left on the floor. Jacen jumped at the sudden noise and quickly turned around.
"Oh! Hey Kaz. Sorry you had to hear that." He said, rubbing his neck with one hand whilst using the other to help him up.
"Don't worry about it." Kaz said flippantly before his tone turned more serious. "Are you ok?"
"It's not me you should be asking." Jacen snorted before letting out a low sigh. "I don't know how much Poe or Yeager have told you but if we're going to be working together then I think you have a right to know what happened between us all. Come on, I'll buy you a drink."
They walked silently to Aunt Z's, Kaz sneaking some not secret glances at Jacen, trying to figure out what could have happened to make Yeager react like that. Whilst the other man stared straight ahead, lost in his own thoughts.
When they got there, Jacen immediately asked for her strongest drink which was given to him by an usually pitiful Aunt Z whilst Kaz got something a lot lighter. Jacen took them to a corner booth where they were less likely to be over head.
The older man sat silently for a while, just staring aimlessly into his drink. He stayed like that for so long that Kaz thought that he had changed his mind.
"You know, you don't have to tell me this if you don't want to." Kaz told him.
At his words, Jacen sighed before finally looking directly at him.
"No. You have a right to know." He took a large swig of his drink before he continued. "As kids of pilots in the Rebellion, me, Poe and Yeager's daughter all grew up together."
He pulled out a data pad from his pocket to show a photo. Inside the image was a group of three young children around the same age sitting on top of the wall of an old ruin in a jungle, their smiles wide with missing teeth.
"You all look so happy." Kaz sighed.
Jacen smiled, his eyes lost in the picture. "We were. There weren't any other kids our age on Yavin 4. We were inseparable. We became really close, and because of us our parents got close too"
He took another swig of his drink.
"After the war, our parents weren't sure of their place in the galaxy. There were no battles left to fight. So, mine and Poe's parents joined took positions in the New Republic whilst Yeager became a racer with his brother Marcus."
"One day, I went with Poe to see one of their races. Before the race began, we were all hanging around in the ship hanger. And I saw Marcus put a few drops of something in his ship. I didn't think much of it at the time. It wasn't until later, after he crashed it into the stands where we were all watching, that I found out that he'd put coaxium in the ship. I watched one of my best friends die in front of me. I tried to save her but there wasn't enough of her left to save."
Kaz was frozen in shock. He knew the story of what happened to Yeager's family already but to hear it from someone who was actually there made it all the more real.
He then turned his attention back to Jacen who looked as empty as his glass.
"Yeager quit racing after that. He blamed his brother for their death. And I know he blames himself to"
Kaz then reached out his hand to lightly take the man's in his own.
"And you shouldn't blame yourself either."
Jacen slowly looked up from his glass, a small smile on his face. The first Kaz had seen since he'd come out of that door.
"Thanks Kaz. I think we're going to get along." He said, giving his hand a grateful squeeze.
Kaz squeezed back.
"I think so to."
