There's heaving chests and tears and tendrils of the force ripping through each of them as they're shown visions of the future and past. Each sees what they need to see, the potential in each other.
They hold their gaze for a long time. It has been so long since anything has surprised Kylo, but everything about this girl tears him from his bleak world and shatters his conceptions of reality. This is destiny, this is the force at work, this is… something.
A deep ache fills his chest, a longing for closeness, for understanding, for the compassion and for the light this dangerous, beautiful, broken woman is pouring into him. She's the same as him: abandoned, lost, wielding a power greater than herself. She'll understand why he's made the choices he's made, she'll stand with him, together they can fix the ills of the galaxy through their combined strength. They'll never be alone again.
Rey is filled with wonder and with hope. Something inside her is drawn to the broken boy inside this dangerous man.
He's like her: abandoned, lost, wielding a power bigger than himself. He was pushed to the dark side, to do terrible things. She can bring him back to the light, if she goes to him they can have the future she's always longed for, the one the force is showing her, they can balance the force, free the galaxy and never be alone again.
They hold their fingers together for a long time, eyes locked, minds racing. And then, his other hand begins to rise. Without thinking he yanks the other glove off with his teeth and reaches a hand out towards her face. Either she doesn't notice, or she doesn't care. Rey remains still, eyes piercing his, tears running down her face, mouth open in awe. This thumb is making way for one of those tears.
Then he's touching her again. It's a gentle stroke and his thumb feels wet. His other fingers hover over her face, and he feels the warmth of her beneath them as if she were really here in his chambers. She's finally aware of his movement, blinking in mild surprise at the act.
He pulls his hand back gently, looking at the moisture on his finger, rubbing it between his thumb and index. Fascinating. How was this possible?
Had anyone in her life ever wiped one of her tears away? Rey can't remember. She recovers quickly from the initial shock of a second touch she hadn't anticipated. How had she not noticed? So overwhelmed had she been by her visions and raging thoughts and his dark ensnaring eyes.
Now she is flooded by a new, terrifying emotion. As she watches his features scrunch in focus as he academically examines the tear on his finger, she identifies it – affection. There's a small sweep of fear but a more powerful urge tamps that down. The same urge and curiosity that filled her the moment he appeared. The urge to touch his face, his hair. It looks so soft, so lush, so totally black. Rey doesn't think she's ever seen a color like that.
As she thinks this her hand is already there. Rey lets out the smallest of gasps as she runs her fingers through the dark tendrils that have fallen across his forehead. It's just as soft as she imagined.
How could someone with such beautiful hair cause so much harm, she wonders.
Ben's wide eyes snap up at the sudden sensation.
This is unexpected. Very unexpected, and for a few moments he forgets how to breathe. He's afraid that any movement, the tiniest breath, will spook her and send her running like the ethereal creature she is.
He devours the sight of her, but her focus is on his hair. Why? Why was she touching him like this? Did she really want to? Then as she brushes some longer strands back from his forehead, she strokes his scalp and Kylo's eyes flutter, nearly rolling to the back of his head at the tenderness of the touch.
Something far less innocent but equally curious is building within him. But he doesn't dare move. Did she know what she was doing to him? Why would his lovely enemy want to touch him in such a way? When was the last time someone had touched him in a manner that wasn't violent? When was the last time he had touched someone without inflicting pain?
Rey's focus falls back on his face and Kylo gulps. What now?
Her eyes fall on the terrible scar she had given him. How twisted he was that night, a terrifying monstrosity, lashing out after the murder of his father. Was this really the same man before her? Had he been this torn when he drove his saber through his father's heart? How can he live with such a stain on his soul? How can she make him see the light?
Rey presses two fingers lightly upon his scar and feels the groove of it under her fingertips. They're hands that had been touching now grip each other firmly.
He's never felt more like Ben than he does in this moment. He shutters, his breathing coming hard and ragged as he closes his eyes and feels her light pouring into his wound. What is she doing? What is this feeling? He knows she can't be doing this on purpose.
It hurts. The brilliance of it, the innocence, the purity, the clarity of it. It's everything he's refused to acknowledge for years, everything he's sacrificed to the darkside, to his master, to… He touches on that deep, dark realization that what he's sacrificed could all be for nothing and it's too much. A hand flies up and grasps hers pulling it away from his skin.
"Stop." He means his voice to be commanding but it only comes out in a broken whisper.
She saw it there, for the briefest moment. The depth of his remorse and fear, his longing for the light.
Her eyes go wide with realization and determination.
"So lonely. So afraid to leave," Rey parrots the words from his interrogation back to him.
He opens his eyes giving her a sharp look but says nothing.
Haunting is the only way to describe his expression. He's so deeply torn. She has to make him see, she has to know more, she is so close. Rey raises her other hand with the intention of touching him again and working her way back into his mind, but he catches her hand midair. He now has both of her hands in his.
"Don't," he says with more conviction in his deep voice.
"Ben," she whispers.
Shock and uncertainty shoot across his face. He takes in her doey eyes, her lovely face and her sweet voice. The name he hates so much, has never sounded so right.
He brings her hands together, enveloping them with his own, looking down as he holds them in his lap like a prayer.
When has he ever held another person's hands like this?
She's never done anything like this with anyone before either. Rey looks down at their joined hands and the words she had been planning to say fall away. This is so… intimate. Suddenly she's aware that they've slid closer to one another. Their knees are touching and they're leaning towards each other.
Rey doesn't know what to do. Churning emotions rage within her before finalizing in an urgent need. To save him.
"Come with me," she pleads in a whisper, her face briefly moving towards him and back again.
His eyes fly over her features trying to read her intentions. Her small movement illicits another emotion that he doesn't have time to identify. It doesn't matter. It's an impossible dream.
"I can't," he says, his voice barely audible.
Rey won't be deterred. She knows what she saw in her vision. If she goes to him…
"Then, I'll come to you," she says shakily, and she's met with fire in his eyes.
His insides blaze with disbelief and… excitement? Adrenaline?
She lets out a shuttering breath and graces him with the beginnings of a nervous grin. Did he hear her right? SHE would come to HIM? Yes! Yes, that's as it should be. This sounds right. He knows what he saw in his vision, the potential for her to understand him, to join him, but…
"Why?" He can't help but ask her.
Rey doesn't answer him. Instead with a rush of nervous energy she stands. He follows. Her hands held in prayer slip into each of his palms instead. They look down and marvel at the sensation. Like little bits of electricity over their skin but also touching something deeper. Rey meets his eyes again, and he sees her determination and fire.
"I'm coming."
She's about to sprint away to the falcon when Ren's brain catches up with the situation.
"You can't come here!" He calls, gripping one hand hard, keeping her from breaking the connection. She flings around.
"Ben, I…" she begins, but is cut off.
"It's Snoke."
She halts, blinking. He pulls her arm closer, leaning down towards her face.
"If you come here, he'll torture you. Maybe kill you."
She deflates. His master has him on a short leash. Before she can pry further she sees something snap in his mind.
"Mustafar," he rumbles.
"What?"
"Mustafar. Find it and I'll find you."
Rey's heart races as she looks at him with wide eyes. He meets her gaze, steady and with purpose.
She gives him a small nod. The corner of his lip twinges in something that could be the beginnings of a smile. They let their hands slide apart, savoring every tiny sensation until they part and vanish from each other's view.
Rey stands with hand out stretched a few moments before turning and running out the door of the stone hut.