A/N: Hey guys! I just wanted to thank you all for the wonderful comments and kudos on the first two chapters! They mean so much to me :)
Anyways, I just want to preface this chapter by clarifying that this fic takes place in Canada, and so the politics referenced in Ben's backstory are based on some real (and some fictitious) events in Canada. Additionally, there is some implied past emotional abuse/manipulation in this chapter. It's very brief, and doesn't go into any detail, but quite important to the story and that character's journey. If you want to skip to the fluff, skip the midsection of this chapter.
Disclaimer: I don't know how espresso machines work.
Enjoy!
"…And then he just threw it away. A perfectly good scone. Granted, it would have killed me, but a fresh scone, nonetheless."
Rose and Rey had retired to the lone picnic table on the large lawn that sprawled between Corellia University's large buildings. Rey was nursing an iced coffee, despite the cooling weather, and was attempting to work on a research paper. Instead, she found herself regaling Rose with the tale of her latest encounter with barista Ben.
Rose snorted over her third cup of coffee. "What a drama queen. It's weird though, I wonder why he tried to give it to you in the first place?"
"I don't know? Maybe Poe told him to be nicer to me. He does keep telling Ben to be nicer to customers."
"Has he been nicer to customers?"
"Well, no. He's still a sarcastic little shit. Still, I think Poe might have threatened him."
"Hmm yeah, maybe…although," A smirk grew on Rose's face, and she took a large gulp of coffee. "Maybe he's trying to be nicer cause he's into you?"
Rey nearly choked on her straw. "You've got to be kidding me, Rose. That's… he's horrible to me!"
"Yeah, but maybe he's just mad and pent up 'cause he realizes you're way too good for him. Dude probably jacks it to the memory of you yelling at him."
"Oh my god, please never say those words ever again. I do not want to imagine barista Ben doing anything."
"Oh Rey," she said, in an attempt to imitate Ben's low register. "Oh sweetheart, verbal abuse me again, tell me my coffee sucks, and my scones are shitty—OHH." She made an obscene motion with her fist. Rey smacked her arm. "OHH REY—!" Rey clamped a hand over Rose's mouth.
She glared at her and then the pair burst into a fit of laughter.
"He probably does though, Rey."
"Rose, I swear to god, I'm going to puke if you keep talking about barista Ben masturbating."
"Fine, fine."
"Good."
"He is kind of cute though." Rey rolled her eyes. "In a Keanu Reeves meets Hulk Hogan kind of way. Without the moustache, obviously."
"I'm not talking about this with you anymore."
"C'mon, Rey, humour me, I'm dying with this essay."
She heaved a dramatic sigh.
"Fine. Maybe he's kind of cute —in a weird way. Maybe he was trying to be nice to me the other day. But that doesn't mean I forgive him for being an absolute asshole. And giving me one scone definitely doesn't mean he likes me. It's his job to to do customer service. He hardly knows me."
"He gave you a scone, though. He's never offered me scones, and I go get coffee from him all the time. That seems like more than just doing his job. Maybe he's not so bad if it's the right person." Rose pointed out.
Rey sighed. "Rose, please stop trying to humanize barista Ben. He tried to force me to eat a death scone, if you remember. And then slammed it in the trash when I wouldn't murder myself in front of him."
Rose shrugged. "Rey, the guy is super weird. Maybe this is his way of flirting?"
"By trying to give me anaphylactic shock!?"
"Maybe he's into that."
"That'd be a weird fucking kink."
"Some people are just like that. I don't judge, and neither should you."
"Rose, I'll judge anyone who gets off on me dying. Anyway, he didn't know about my allergy until after he shoved the thing under my nose."
"And what a gentleman he was to remove the poisonous pastry with such haste after he knew. I wouldn't mind—hey, look!"
Like fate or destiny, or the world's worst coincidence, Rey followed Rose's gaze and spotted a tall figure with dark hair that was undeniably the property of barista Ben. He was walking next to a tall willowy woman who seemed to be in her mid 40's, sporting a bright pink bob, and wearing a well-fitted expensive-looking skirt suit. They seemed to be talking amicably as they headed towards the parking lot.
"Oh shit."
"It's fate, Rey."
"Shut up."
"True love."
"You're too much. If you're so obsessed with him, you should go after him." Rey pushed her friend in Ben's direction.
She shrieked. "No! Rey, no! He'd murder me for looking at him."
"Yeah, and he'd probably stab me if he caught me staring, so…"
"Stab you with his dick."
"God, Rose. Get laid already." She closed her textbook, distracted by this new development. "I wonder why he's on campus, anyways. I thought he was too old to be an undergrad student."
"People are multi-dimensional, Rey; bad mood Ben can't be horrible to just us coffee patrons. This shows he has some initiative and has branched out to bullying a new demographic. Pink-haired MILFs, for one."
Rey frowned and watched as the woman said something and placed a hand on Ben's shoulder. Instead of brushing it off like she would have expected from the moody barista, Ben smiled down at her. Or at least, that's what Rey thought his mouth was doing, having never encountered a Ben that didn't look disgusted, or at least vaguely pissed off. But Ben's face was softened somehow by the action; the cold angles of his long face were transformed into something kind, and almost…ugh…pleasant? Warm? Possibly? Rey stared, caught completely off guard.
Suddenly, as if drawn by her wandering eyes, Ben's locked with hers. He kept listening to the woman, but his brown eyes had widened in recognition. As if burnt by the intensity of the contact, Rey felt her pencil slipping out of her suddenly clumsy fingers. And then realizing that she had been caught staring at barista Ben, and he was staring back at her, Rey felt her cheeks flush an angry red. Cursing, she bent down to retrieve the fallen utensil. When she straightened back up, Ben had turned his back and was holding a car door open for the pink haired woman, a hand hovering protectively as she climbed into the driver's side. His tall frame straightened and he gave a small wave to the woman before walking stiffly in the opposite direction.
Rey was…flabbergasted.
Rose looked at Rey, eyes wide, having watched the entire exchange. "Umm, what the fuck? What the fuck did I just see? What is barista Ben doing smiling and holding doors for Laura Dern's pink twin?"
Rey looked at her friend, eyes just as wide in surprise, "Well, not bullying her, apparently."
Rey didn't see Ben for at least a week after the incident on campus. Which was a welcome relief, as Rey still didn't know how to contend with her weird reaction to seeing Ben do something as simple a smile at another woman. It didn't matter the corners of his mouth tugged his mismatched features into something…more than okay. It was bad with a capital B, and Rey didn't want to be reminded about it, or what else B had become to represent in her mind.
And somehow she had still been drawn into a conversation with Poe about the object of her… ruminations.
Poe was complaining about yet another apology he had been obliged to give to a man who had asked Ben if the shop sold gluten free muffins.
"It's not even like we couldn't sell them if we wanted to. We'd probably make money on it too, and it doesn't hurt to be inclusive in our food options. But Ben insists on using his own recipes, and I honestly I don't really care as long as he does cuss people out for just asking."
Poe sighed, and ran a hand through his dark curls.
"Honestly, I think he was just born insufferable. Can't begin to imagine how that happened though; his parents are amazing people."
Rey looked up from the abstract she was skimming.
"You know his parents?"
"Yeah, they're the one's who own this place actually. Well, Han does. Leia just tolerates it —more so now that I'm in charge! Leia actually insisted that I take over the Falcon after Han almost ran it into the ground for the third time. He's more interested in restoring old cars anyways. That's what the coffee shop is named after, his '58 Ford Falcon. The shop was just an attempt at a stable job, but that was never Han's style."
Rey turned this new information over in her mind, frowning slightly.
"That's really kind of them! But, if you don't mind me asking, why doesn't Ben run the place, if he's their son? I mean, I'm sure you do a great job, but…"
He waved away her tentative inquiry with a smile.
"It's cool. I know it looks odd. Ben, uh well, he hasn't actually been around his parents for the last seven years. Otherwise I'm sure Han would've offered him the position. Ben's actually quite smart, despite the fact that he spends most of his time insulting other people."
"Why was he gone? School?"
"Nah, he graduated a while ago. He was top of his class and graduated with his BA in three years. Han likes to brag about that. He then started at Devaron School of Law, but he transferred abruptly during his last year. Scouted by some organization that wanted him closer to them. They offered to pay off all his loans among the promise of a top position at an affiliated law firm when he was done school. Leia's pretty closed-lipped about the specifics of the whole situation, but I think that's for Ben's sake. She wants him to get past what happened as much as she wants to forget about it."
Rey's eyes widened. "What happened?"
"Well, what I understand is, the organization that recruited Ben wasn't necessarily, uh, aboveboard, so to speak. Shifty business dealings and information trading and that kind of thing. And the position ended up being less about Ben's ability as a lawyer, and more of a ploy to get information on Leia and other progressive senators." Rey looked confusedly at Poe. "Oh, I guess you wouldn't know if you only moved here a few years ago. Ben's mom is a senator. Leia Organa-Solo. She was a firecracker when she was young; very left leaning, very pro-indigenous rights, pro-gay rights, etcetera. That's where I met her for the first time, actually. She came to a a rally I organized for marriage equality before it was legalized in 2005.
"Anyway, conservative politicians hated her, but she rose to be Leader of the Opposition. Consequently, her resistance against some of the pro-Harper senators gained her a lot of enemies, and these enemies wanted dirt on her. Leia thinks that's when Snoke started to groom Ben. She found out later that Snoke ran a side organization that specialized in trading information, and was probably hired by one of the other senators. Snoke started coming to rallies that Ben was at and was very interested in Ben's plans to become a lawyer. Ben wasn't interested in Snoke at first, and then suddenly he was. We don't know for sure what actually happened, because Ben has never really spoken about the specifics of what Snoke did to convince him. Leia won't push him. He was apparently fifteen when it started. Still in high school."
Poe frowned, looking troubled.
"Anyway, I'm sure Ben eventually figured out he was just a tool for information, but I guess he was in too deep to cut ties. Maybe he thought he wouldn't be of much use; he's never been really close with his family anyways. But apparently the organization had gleaned enough, and there was suddenly a campaign to against Leia that targeted some mistake she had made when she was much younger. It was horrible for her. She had lost her son and was about to lose her career.
Han took it hard, too. I was already managing the Falcon by then, so I could tell, even if Leia didn't talk about it. Han and Ben have never been too close, but he still loved his son and blamed himself for not being a better role model." Poe sighed.
"He broke down last Christmas dinner. Ben wasn't there, obviously, but I think it was the fact that he had been seen in the news endorsing Snoke's new platform that really tipped the scale for him. It also probably didn't help that Ben had officially legally changed his name two months prior.
"According to Leia, Han just snapped later that night. Was silent all through dinner, although I could hear him trashing something in the garage when Finn and I left. He apparently took the Falcon out to be by himself, but ended up breaking into the building where is was rumoured the Snoke's organization was housed. I don't think he expected to burst into a meeting being run by his son, but that's what happened.
"There was an argument and then a fight when security was called in. Han ended up being hurt, badly, like broken nose and ribs and internal bleeding, and Ben seemed to have a change of heart about the direction of his life. Funny how that happens after you watch the shit beaten out of your dad. Ben called Leia, and I saw him briefly at the hospital. I've never seen anyone look so fucked up about something.
"Anyway, a day later there was a news release. Apparently, Snoke Enterprises also had ties with a blackmarket drug ring, according to an anonymous tip, and the whole organization was shut down. Not one technically knows who leaked the information, but Leia is sure it was Ben. But since Ben Solo had never been employed there, there was no way to connect anything to him. And a week later he started working here."
"Wow. Jesus. That's, well, that's a lot."
"Yeah, I was kinda crazy when it was all going down…Uh, Rey?"
"Yeah?"
"Don't mention that you know about this to Ben, okay? A lot of it isn't strictly public, and besides, Leia'd appreciate if we allowed her son a chance at a normal work place, even if he is the world's worst employee. I guess I told you because I also want Ben to have a chance at normal human friendships." He smirked, and then looked serious again. "I guess what I'm saying is, if you know the kind of shit he went through, it kinda makes sense that he is the way he is."
Rey smiled, and put a hand reassuringly over Poe's.
"You're a really good friend, Poe. Don't worry, my lips are sealed."
As the end of October drew closer, and the summer sun gave way to its weaker cousin, Rey found herself taking advantage of the crisp weather to don as many of her fall accessories as was possible. This golden weather only lasted several weeks before the dappled light was replaced by fog and soggy sock weather; Rey wanted to make it count. She was unwrapping herself from her large scarf and setting down a pile of textbooks, when she heard a loud clank followed by the unmistakable voice of Ben Solo letting out a stream of curse words.
"Fuck! Stupid goddamn machine."
Pausing with one glove off, Rey looked towards the counter.
"Um, what's up?"
"Espresso machine's jammed. You're going to have to wait if you want a latte." Ben said, muttering further threats at the machine in question under his breath.
"That's cool. I'm not in any rush." She really wasn't. Rose was using her dingy apartment to practice her final presentation as her dorm roommate was busy entertaining an out of town boyfriend. She loved Rose, but she needed to study in (relative) peace. Besides, after the intense eye contact she and Ben shared on campus, (there was no other way she could phrase that in her mind), and Ben's puzzling actions with the pink lady (Rose had started calling her that), Rey found herself increasingly drawn to the Falcon. Ben was an anomaly, and she was intrigued.
She sat down at her usual seat and started organizing her laptop and textbooks, and settling into her routine.
"Ouch! Shit fuck shit shit." A loud clatter. Rey looked up.
"Are you okay? What happened?"
"Burnt myself." Ben glared at the offending device, grasping his right hand.
Curiosity getting the best of her, Rey approached the counter. The machine was hissing steam.
"What's wrong with it?"
"There's a bit of grounds stuck in that part." He pointed with an uninjured finger. "I was trying to get it out."
She leaned over the counter to take a better look.
"Hmm, yeah it's really pressed in there. Did you try using a stir stick?"
"Yeah I did, but the grounds are all stuck around the back. I couldn't get it all. And my fingers are too big; I slipped and burnt myself."
Rey glanced at the fingers in question. Well, he was right, they weren't small. She could just imagine what Rose would say.
"I could try? If you want? Smaller fingers." She wiggled them at him. He paused, eyes lingering on her hands, then nodded. She moved around the counter, careful to bump into him as she moved to face the machine. After peering through the small opening, she straightened up.
"I think I can get it. We should probably wait until it cools a bit, though."
"Alright."
"So—"
"Yeah."
"Yeah." There was a long pause in which Rey found herself thinking desperately for something to say. "Uh…the weather's nice today! I'm going to miss this when I go back home. I wish I could just live in October forever."
She mentally slapped herself. She was talking about the fucking weather.
Ben seemed just as awkward. He scratched to back of his head with his uninjured hand.
"Yeah, uh, it's nice. Warm."
"Yeah."
"Yeah." Ben was staring just past her out the shop's window, not making eye contact. "So, you're not from here?"
"Did my accent give me away?"
"No, you just said…"
"Yeah, I know, I was just…never-mind. I'm from London, actually. But I wish I lived here."
"So you've said."
She looked at him, arms crossed over his broad chest, and swallowed.
"I think it's probably cool enough now."
He gestured towards the machine. "Be my guest. Honestly I wish I could just punch through the machine and buy another. But Poe says that's not an acceptable use of company money."
"We could just say you slipped and fell on it?"
"Fist first?"
"Stranger things have happened. And I'd vouch for you."
"Would you now?"
"Yep. You forget that I have a vested interest in a working espresso machine. You're lucky I like your lattes so much." She grinned up at him, digging around in the machine until she felt an absence of grounds. "I think that'll probably do it. This machine will live to serve another cup, I'm afraid."
Ben looked grim. "Maybe next time." He paused. "Thanks, Rey."
"It's no problem. It would be rude of me not to share my small hand privilege."
"Right, well. Many thanks to your delicate fingers."
She shot him a look, pretending to be offended.
"My hands aren't delicate." He raised an eyebrow and one of his own large hands. "Okay, well maybe in comparison to yours. But you're massive all over so it doesn't count."
She felt heat rush into her cheeks as she realized what she had just said.
"I mean, like, you're super tall. And broad." Oh god. "I mean, you're proportionate. To your hands." She gestured vaguely at him. "Yeah."
"Okay." Ben looked slightly confused.
Why was she commenting on the size of his body? What was wrong with her? Shut up, shut up, shut up.
"Anyways, I've got to go work on some…stuff."
She turned and walked quickly back to her seat, trying to ignore the way Ben had run long fingers through his hair as she spook. She sat back down at her table and told herself to concentrate at the task at hand. Slowly she found her rhythm and was typing resolutely away. Hours past, and eventually the word document began to resemble an outline. Blinking her tired eyes, she got up to use the restroom.
When she came back, there was a fresh blueberry lemon scone next to her laptop, and when she looked towards the counter, no sign of Ben.
A/N: Ahhh a little intrigue, and a little fluff. Who is this pink haired lady? Are Ben's hands really that big? Does Rey have a thing for hands? Stay tuned, my dudes.
Thanks again for reading. Drop a comment below if you're inspired to do so :)
Chapter 4 should be out mid next week, if life doesn't entirely get in the way.
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