The bell chimed as Rey stepped back into the little coffee shop. The barista, Ben, spied her from where he was aggressively wiping down a table. His eyes narrowed.

"You're back."

She ignored that. "Can I talk to your manager?"

He slammed the cloth down.

"Look, sweetheart, I can't help it if every goddamn hipster in this god forsaken city has suddenly decided they're lactose intolerant or vegan or whatever the fuck is trending with you people right now. We ran out of almond milk. That's not my fault, so don't come in here complaining about it."

"What?"

"Are you deaf as well as illiterate? I can't help it if we don't have your ultra special ingredients. If you can't deal with that, go to a different coffee shop. I won't miss the business."

"God, you're actually the worst, aren't you? This doesn't have anything to do with the stupid almond milk, but even if it did, you don't have to be such a stuck-up asshole about it."

He looked caught off-guard.

"Then what—"

"What's going on in here now?" The door behind the till swung open to reveal a man who looked to be in his early thirties with curly dark hair, bronze skin, and a towel over one shoulder. He froze at the sight of barista Ben with his fist clenched around the sopping rag, and Rey, arms, crossed, glaring daggers up at him. "Jesus, Ben, what have I told you about arguing with customers. I don't care what they say to you, you still have to be nice." He sighed. "I'm so sorry about this. Can I get you something? On the house, of course."

Rey stepped away from the table and approached the man. "Actually, no, don't worry about that. Are you Mr. Dameron?"

"God, that makes me sound old. Call me Poe." He wiped a dirty hand off on the towel. "What can I do for you? And I'm sorry, but I can't let you take a swing at Ben as compensation for his shitty attitude. I mean, I'm all for Ben finally getting his ass handed to him, but it can't happen on company property. Bad press and all that." He winked.

"Do people actually ask to do that?"

"More often than you'd think."

Rey laughed, and then reminded herself why she was here in the first place. "I'm actually just here to deliver a message from Finn. He's alright, but he was in a car accident, and I think he broke his arm."

Poe's face went from cheery smiles to serious in seconds. "Jesus, is he okay? What happened?"

Rey glanced at Ben who had paused from his rounds cleaning tables. "It's okay, he's gonna be fine. That's what the paramedic said. He was crossing the street and was hit by a car. I was behind the car that did it, so I saw everything." Poe looked visibly paler. "It's okay though," She reached out and placed a hand on Poe's. "He was conscious and talking. I called 9-1-1 and stayed with him until the ambulance came. I think he's actually angrier about his phone than his arm. They just took him to the hospital to make sure everything's good."

Poe ran a hand through his hair. "Oh my god. I gotta go to the hospital and see him. He's there alone without a phone."

Rey smiled up at Poe, "I'm sure the hospital has contacted his family by now. You don't have to worry."

Poe smiled back ruefully at Rey. "Finn doesn't have any family. He moved here when he was 18, and before that, he was in some shitty foster care system." He moved behind the counter and shrugged on a coat. "Ben, could I borrow your car?" He looked over at Rey, "The bus system in this part of town sucks, and my car's in the garage."

"Sure, Poe." Apparently finished with his rigorous cleaning, Ben moved to the counter and began searching underneath.

"I can take you," Rey blurted out.

Poe smiled. "You don't have to do that. You've done so much for us and Finn already."

"No really, I'd like to see how he is too. I have to stop off at my friend's place first, but it's on the way."

Poe seemed to consider her for a moment, and then a true grin broke out on his handsome face.

"Well, then! Your car it is. I guess now would be a good time to ask the name of our lovely saviour."

She smiled, "I'm Rey."

"Well Rey, consider yourself an honorary guest at The Falcon. I'm serious. Anytime you want coffee, scones, whatever, it's yours. On the house," said Poe, taking her hand and giving it a firm shake. "Are you in school?" Rey nodded, "Then you can come here after your classes. I know how important caffeine is to you students."

Rey spied Ben, who was now wiping down the espresso machine. He looked absolutely miserable. "That's really nice of you, Poe, but couldn't possibly do that. I drink a lot of coffee. I'd run you out of business." She smiled. That, and spending more time in the proximity of bad mood Ben wasn't something Rey was particularly keen on, even if Poe was a delight.

As if sensing her gaze, Ben looked up. "She's right, Poe. We can't just be giving out free food and drinks to every poor student that—." Rey cut him off.

"You, know what actually, Poe. You're right. I'd love to spend more time here. It is midterm season after all."

Poe beamed down at her, and the two left the cafe, the door swinging shut on Ben's furious face.

Ben Solo, formerly known as Kylo Ren, formerly known as Ben Solo, had always prided himself in his quick wit and above average grasp of the English language. His grades in university were a testament to this. His former job had been a testament to this. Which is why it didn't make any sense that, when she had walked into the Falcon at 7:00pm on a Monday night looking like a goddamn drowned rat (that he still somehow wanted to push up against a wall), he had choked.

She had looked so fucking happy in her stupid department hoodie and greasy brown bun, and so oddly in contrast to everything Ben had previously thought he was attracted to, that he was (understandably, he told himself) furious. But there he had stood, mouth gaping like some horny teenager.

He knew he had been rude to her. He was man enough to admit that she hadn't done anything to deserve his sharp words. But he couldn't seem to help himself, and the blush that rose to her cheeks when he caught her off guard had been so satisfying. It soothed his craggy soul. So he kept goading her, to see if he could repeat the reaction. He knew that was incredibly juvenile, but in his defence, he hadn't slept much the night before, and was anxious to get home to work a bit more on one of his projects. So it really hadn't had anything to do with her. Really.

Regardless, he was happy to see her leave, and definitely didn't turn around to check out her ass as she walked out the door, dumb latte in hand.

But then she was back, and Poe was basically inviting her to spend the rest of her life in the shop, and Ben was seriously considering putting his head through the espresso machine. Well, at least a fist. He had worked so hard to keep his emotions in check after The Incident. And although the emotions surrounding this girl, Rey or whatever, were of an entirely different sort (for one thing, she wasn't fucking related to him), he didn't think he could handle the way his stomach flip-flopped when she laughed, or threw Poe a smile.

It wasn't like he liked her, though. Yeah, he would probably fuck her if she could keep her goddamn mouth shut for five minutes, but Ben was young and had been single for over a year. That didn't mean anything.

Not a thing.

He punctuated the thought as he shaped the last of the maple-walnut scones he was preparing, pressing aggressively into the soft dough.

But being nothing didn't stop him from dwelling on the girl's sharp cheekbones and bright hazel eyes.

If Ben was to describe the girl in one word, he couldn't. She was too much and nothing at all, she was just… a blip on his radar, an absolute anomaly to his better senses, and he fucking hated it.

She was currently sitting at one of the round tables, drink her third (third! fuck you, Poe) latte and clicking obnoxiously on an ancient MacBook. She had offered to pay after the first, but still. He watched as a crease appeared between her eyebrows, as she tapped a finger to her teeth in thought.

Disgusting.

He turned and stomped through the staff door to check on the rest of his pastries.

Despite Poe's invitation, it was already two weeks later when Rey finally had the chance to go back to the Falcon. She had finished most of her midterms and was now in the process of editing several papers due the following week. The first day she had attempted to do her homework at the table that faced the bar, but soon found the sullen looks thrown at her by Ben to be…distracting. It wasn't really the fact that he seemed to actually hate her (if their few interactions were to be trusted). It was the way her heart beat faster and her stomach seemed to flip when she made eye contact with his dark eyes. He held her gaze with a ferocity that left her palms sweaty and her cheeks light pink.

Which was dumb, because he was an asshole.

So she had taken to the corner table in the shop. It had a view of the all the comings and goings of The Falcon, but was closeted enough that Ben's narrowed eyes were hidden by her laptop screen. Well, if she hunched a bit.

At that moment, the bell chimed, announcing the figure of Finn, arm encased in a cast and a sheet of paper tucked underneath the other. As Rey had predicted, Finn's arm had been broken in the accident, but that didn't seem to dampen the man's spirits one bit.

"Hey Rey, hey Ben. What's cooking?" He sniffed the air. "Or baking, I guess."

"Scones." Came Ben's muffled voice from where he bent behind the counter.

"Ah, yes! Rey, you gotta try Ben's scones. Poe and I insist. He's actually a great baker, somehow."

"Really? I wouldn't have thought." She turned to where Ben was now leaning against the counter, placing bright orange baking mitts on his large hands.

"Yeah, apparently pastries don't mind if you scowl at them all day long. —Only joking, Ben!"

Ben rolled his eyes. "It's not wise to insult the chef. Who knows what'll be in your next muffin."

"If it's as good as the last batch, I don't care what's in it. I'll die happy."

Ben smirked and went back through the staff door, presumably to check on his scones.

"Ben's weird, but he does make good pastries. Anyways, how are you doing, Rey?"

Rey smiled, and the two sat down to chat.

To her surprise and delight, she and Finn had become fast friends. They had both been in foster care, both were 23, and both had found themselves studying at the nearby university, Finn in graphic design, and political science, and Rey in engineering and psychology. Despite their vastly different subject interests, the two had formed an easy friendship, which was the main reason Rey kept coming back to The Falcon, despite Poe's insistence that she was always welcome.

"Anyways," Finn said. "I gotta go. Just wanted to drop by to fill out my timesheet, and say hello to my favourite ray of sunlight, and," he mussed up her hair. "Remind her to wash her hair once in a while." She stuck out her tongue at him and got up to hug him. He grinned.

"I might head out soon, too; it's past dinner time and I'm starving. And besides, my friend, Rose, said she'd bring over Pho later." She sat back down behind her laptop. "I just want to finish this point first."

"You finish that paper! Alright, see you later, my greasy Peanut."

"Hey, you don't have to rub it in."

"My glistening macadamia nut?"

"Finn, that is so much worse."

He waved as he left the cafe.

Rey settled back in her chair and looked over her notes. Although she was much more disciplined with her school work then when she was a first year, it was still a struggle to just sit down and work.

The sound of porcelain clattering on wood brought her out of her thoughts, making her jump slightly in her chair. She looked up to find Ben towering above her, and next to her laptop, a plate carrying a fresh pastry; the source of the clatter. She looked up in confusion, noting as she did that his normally dark hair was dusted in white. He said nothing.

She gave in. "What's this?"

"What does it look like?" He answered. He was so tall, she had to crane her neck to make eye contact.

"A scone."

He raised an eyebrow. "Then that's what it is."

"Um, I didn't order it though." The scone was drizzled with a rich golden glaze. Rey could see remnants on one of Ben's arms; the sticky icing contrasting with his pale skin. As if following her eyes, Ben raised a hand to brush it off.

"I know that." He was still standing there, uncomfortably close to her.

"Then why'd—."

"Do you want the scone or not?" He interrupted her, some of his usual hostility returning to his voice.

"No. I mean, thank-you, but I can't." She turned back to her laptop, expecting him to leave her be. He didn't.

"You've had like five lattes; I don't think calories really matter at this point." Rey gaped at him.

"Um, well that's incredibly rude. And I don't care about the calories." She'd worry about calories when she was done this hell of a semester.

Ben crossed his arms, apparently determined.

"Then take the scone." He said evenly.

"No, I can't."

He ran a hand through tangled curls.

"Why the fuck not?"

She glared up at him, tired, hungry and done with his impression of a twelve year-old.

"Not that it's any of your damn business, but I'm allergic. To walnuts."

He stared at her for a moment, and then stomped back to the counter, scone in hand. She saw him slam the garbage disposal open and throw the offending scone into it with more force than was strictly necessary. He seemed to be waiting for a reaction, and when she simply stared back at him, he walked through the staff door, shutting it determinably behind him.

Rey stared after him and then shook her head, turning back to her essay. Weird guy.

A/N: First, I just want to thank everyone who read, reviewed, favourited etc. chapter one. It really means a lot to me when people take the time to let me know what they think :)

If you have the time, please let me know what you thought of chapter two! I know it's cliche to say, but it really motivates me to write more.

Thanks again! -Vivax