A/N: Another non fic that I converted into a fic so I apologize if the characters are not really in character. Just thought I'd post some of my musings. Enjoy!
The late autumn storm raged against the house and it made her want to curl up in a fluffy blanket with a cup of hot chocolate and a good book. She slides across the glossy, wooden floored kitchen in her furry, blue socks sporting sweatpants and a largely oversized Spiderman sweatshirt with the sleeves pushed up to her elbows. Her hair is pulled up in a messy bun, her head bopping to the beat of a song swimming through her brain as she pulls a hot cocoa packet out of a cabinet. The power flickers briefly, causing her to go about her task quicker. Just to be on the safe side, she pours the milk into a pot and sets it on the front right burner of the old, gas stove. She turns it on and rushes upstairs to grab a book and blanket. The house is fairly quiet, except for the sound of the rain and wind battling outside. Her parents are out of town for their anniversary and she has no siblings to otherwise occupy the house. As she makes her way downstairs, there's a knock on the door. She discards her bundle on the couch and heads to the front door, wondering who on earth would be out in this weather, let alone disturbing her peace and quiet. She opens the door slightly, making sure it isn't some creeper. Who she is met with, though, is surprising.
"Hello."
"Hey, Kathryn, right?" The boy is probably a foot taller than her with thick, black hair slick against his head dripping with rain, grassy brown eyes, and freckles that burst across his cheeks. His clothes are soaked through and he's shivering. She knows him, she just can't say from where.
"Um, yeah…Rey, actually." She says, opening the door wider.
"Hi." He coughs into his elbow. It's knocks some sense back into her confused state.
"Sorry. Can I help you?"
"Is your dad home?" he sneezes.
"No, my parents are out of town. Do you need something?"
"Well, kinda, yeah. My car broke down about a block away and my apartment is still three miles down the road. I knew Mr. Kenobi lived here and hoped maybe he could help me out." he shrugs, which turns into a shiver. Her brain is rushing to find out where she knows him from. He obviously knows her dad but how? "Do you think I could come in, just for a minute?"
"Oh, yeah, sure."
He stumbles into the hallway and Rey shuts the door behind him.
"Weird having a complete stranger stumble upon your door on a day like today, huh?" He manages a smile.
"Well, I wouldn't say complete. I mean you obviously know my dad and I recognize you." She offers him a smile. She's met with scrunched up eyebrows.
"So you know who I am?"
"Well, not exactly…" he's kind of starting to worry her a little. He sees her concerned expression and puts his hands up.
"I'm not a serial killer. Promise."
"Oh, that's reassuring!" She practically squeaks.
"Our dad's work together, my name is Benjamin Chewbacca Solo, we were in the same graduating class last year, and I swear on my mother's grave I am not a serial killer or any type of killer or bad person in general."
It suddenly clicks in her brain. "Oh my gosh. Of course." She face-palms. "I'm so sorry." She says hiding the bottom half of her face with her hands, trying to conceal the embarrassment bursting across her cheeks. He was the yearbook photographer at school. She'd pass him in the halls occasionally but they never actually got to know each other.
"Here, there's a heater by the couch." She says leading him into the living room. She stops next to the heater but he trips over his loose shoelaces and bumps into her.
"I'm sorry, I didn-"
"Holy crap! You're freezing." She interrupts as his hand makes contact with her exposed forearm.
"Seriously, I'll be fine." He softly shakes his head sending little drops of water flying.
"Naht! Let me grab you some of my dad's clothes and a towel. You just sit and warm up."
"Yes, mom." He mutters but she can hear the smile she sure is on his face. She starts towards the stairs again but remembers the milk on the stove and runs in to shut it off. After that she hurries upstairs and rummages through her dad's stuff. When she comes back downstairs, she finds him sitting next to the heater, hands extended towards the hot surface.
"Here you go. They might be a little big but at least they aren't freezing cold and wet." He quickly jumps to his feet. She holds the clothes out. "There's a bathroom through the kitchen to the left."
He takes them and smiles, "Thanks." And he heads off in the direction she pointed.
She makes her way back to the kitchen to finish her not all too forgotten hot chocolate. She pours some more milk in the pot and turns it on high. As she's stirring in the cocoa powder the electricity drops out. She hears a muffled sound come from the bathroom right before a loud bang. She starts walking over there as the door opens. Ben comes rushing out spouting off apologies and walks smack into her, both of them tumbling to the ground.
"Ohff!" Rey grunts as his elbow meets her stomach.
"I am so sorry. Are you okay?" he clambers off her, helping her to her feet.
"Yeah, sorry. Let me grab a flashlight." she digs through a drawer before pulling one out and switching it on.
"You alright?" He asks her again now that he can see her.
"Yeah, I'm good." She smiles.
"I'm sorry." He repeats.
"Hey, it's okay. I was making some hot chocolate. Would you like a cup?"
"Are there going to be marshmallows?"
She laughs, "Of course." She hands him the flashlight. "Just hold this for me, please."
"Sure." He follows her to the stove, hoisting the flashlight above her like a floodlight.
She takes down two cups from the cabinet and he leans against the counter next to her. She then opens another cabinet to find the marshmallows, regrettably spotting them too high up for her to reach.
"Dang it, Dad." she mutters under her breathe.
"Need some help there, short stack?" he chuckles. Even on her tip-toes, Rey's fingertips brush the space just beneath the bag of marshmallows.
"No, everything is perfectly under control." she states, shooting him a look, before hoping up onto her knees on top of the counter. She grabs the bag of mini marshmallows and jumps back down. She pours the hot chocolate, throws in a handful of marshmallows, and hands Ben a cup.
"Here you go, Chewbacca." she smirks.
"Hey, now, that's not fair!" he swipes the mug offered to him with a glare at her.
"Neither is remarking on someone's insufficient stature."
"Those are some pretty big words for someone, well not so big."
"Okay, that's it. You're going back out in the rain." She smirks over the rim of her cup.
"Alright, alright, no need to get too hasty."
"Yeah, that's what I thought." She turns around and heads towards the living room. She can tell he's following by the bouncing light behind her. She plops down on the couch, grabs her book, and pulls a blanket up over her knees.
"So, now what?" he asks, sliding onto the opposite side of the couch.
"Well, enjoy your hot chocolate I suppose. Did you have something else in mind?" She's amused by the way his eyes widen in shock.
"No, no, of course not!" he sputters. He relaxes at her laughter. "Do you think I could borrow your phone?" He asks after a few sips of hot chocolate. "Mines dead." He explains.
She nods, "Yeah." She pulls it out of her back pocket. "Well that's disappointing." She says after unlocking it.
"Hmm?"
"Service is out. The storm probably knocked down a tower or something." She sets it down on the coffee table in front of her, returning to her book.
"You know reading in the dark is bad for your eyesight, right?" he lets the flashlight's beams dance across her face. She whacks it away.
"Sshhhh." She holds a finger out towards him, eyes still riveted to the pages of her book. Her hand sits there hovering in front of him as her eyes widen. "No…" she breathes out. "You, son of a b-"
"Hey, there, language, young lady." Ben scoots closer to her, trying to get a glimpse at the story that is causing her so much anguish.
She suddenly slams the book closed and tosses it next to her, which happens to be Ben's lap. She crosses her arms and huffs, "I have not stuck with you through three books just to let you just…just…" she picks the book up and opens it, resuming her reading, pulling her knees up to her chest.
"Good book?" Ben smirks, focusing the flashlight over her shoulder to shine down on the pages.
"No, absolutely terrible." She replies. "Worst book ever."
His smile widens, "Mhmm. And what, pray tell, is this book called?"
"Just shush." She pants her index finger against his lips. They sit like that for a few minutes while Rey finishes the last chapter. While sitting next to her, Ben notices the silent tears that form in her eyes as she quickly flips the pages. He takes her in, from the small nose piercing to the birthmark on her neck to the adorable way her teeth bit relentlessly on her lip in anticipation. She finally eases the book closed, holding it close to her chest, and wipes away the tears that have slipped down her cheeks. "I'm sorry." She looks up at him. "I didn't think it was going to end that way and I didn't mean to ignore you or anything."
He shrugs, "It's okay." He won't mention that fact that he enjoyed just watching her read. "You can continue if you like."
She shakes her head, "No, I finished the book. It was the last in the series. Now I must contemplate my existence for about a week."
"Really?" he chuckles.
Her face breaks into a smile, "Yes, it's proper after you finish a devastating trilogy."
"Oh, okay." He clicks the flash light off and sets it on the coffee table. "So now what?"
"Well, I should have enough battery on my laptop for a movie, if you're down." She scoots off the couch to retrieve it.
"Sure. Whatcha in the mood for?" he grabs a hold of her abandoned blanket to wrap around himself.
"Well I was really wanting to watch the Notebook." She nearly burst out laughing as he tries to hide his disgust.
"Oh, um…yeah. Okay."
"Really?"
"Sure. Yeah, I mean it's your house and-" he's cut off by her laughter.
"I was just messing with you. I'm more of a sci-fi fan myself."
His face brightens at that, "Awesome. Me too."
"Well, then I have the perfect thing. Grab some more hot chocolate and I'll grab my laptop and be right back."
She scurries away into the dark and he clicks on the flashlight as he heads into the kitchen. "God, I love rainstorms." He mutters to himself as he pours the hot chocolate into his mug.