A/N: I know that I am technically a day late, but the chapter ends a couple days after Valentine's Day, so I think I'm still okay! Anyways, this is just a funny and fluffy chapter. I wanted to get it done sooner, but school got in the way and this just seemed like a perfect time to write about. Feel free to like and review if you feel so inclined! So, sit back and enjoy this chapter of Seeing You There!
Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars. I don't own the quote I took from The Lion King 1/2 (great movie by the way). I also don't own Avengers (popping that in since I mention it). My brother owns Zantos, my friend owns Xyva, and they are on loan to me. I own Eve and Alaina, and the plans for this story, but that is it!
Chapter 4 – Totally "Not" Dating
Finn's POV
I continue to see Rey every day, but ever since Christmas, I have been seeing a lot more of the entire Skywalker Clan. Leia especially has been showing up at our door a whole lot. Every time she claims that she keeps on forgetting that Eve, Rey, and Xyva live in AA2187 across the hall instead of 2187, which is our apartment. This would make a lot of sense except for the fact that she will always find an excuse to practically drag me across the hall and announce loudly to Rey that I "just happened to drop by". After that she usually shoves me down next to Rey and scurries off into the kitchen declaring that she needs to try whatever dish Eve has just made. The first time it happened, Rey looked away, embarrassed, and I thought that Eve would come to the rescue. The only sign of her, however, was the sound of her and Leia's laughter coming from the kitchen, proving she would be no help whatsoever. It got better after that, and Leia has now done it so many times that Rey and I are both used to it.
It is now about the middle of February and everywhere I go, all I hear is one thing - Valentine's Day. Whether it is coworkers talking about how amazing the holiday is or how much they want to destroy any reminder of the holiday, Valentine's Day gets old pretty quickly. It doesn't help that all the single people I know moan to me about how they want to be in a relationship and all the people I know in a relationship keep telling me that this Valentine's will be the "best one ever". I have heard both sides way too much and, frankly, I am rather tired of it all. The one thing about this time of year that truly annoys me, however, is how everyone I know keeps on asking me if I'm dating someone and then takes pity on me when I say I'm not. I don't need their pity. I am very happy, and I also have Rey who is… well… I'm not sure what we are yet, but I really like her.
Anyways, today is February 14th and I am currently standing outside AA2187, contemplating on whether to knock on the door or not. Rey and I are going out to some bakery that she likes but while it kind of sounds like a date, I'm not really sure that it is. I look down at what I'm wearing. Is it too casual? Too dressy? Before I can decide to run back across the hall and change, the door opens to reveal Xyva's surprised face.
"Finn! Hi! What are you doing here?" She asked with a slightly suspicious look on her face. I shift my weight from one foot to the other as I stand there, uncomfortably.
"Hi Xyva, is Rey here? I'm supposed to be meeting her." I explain and she smiles in understanding.
"Right! You and Rey are going on your 'totally-not-a-date'." Xyva said holding up her hands to make air quotes. Before I can object, she gives me a knowing look and steps aside to let me in.
When I step through the doors, I find myself standing in the middle of a state of what can only be described as organized chaos. Binders, books, fabric swatches, and all other sorts of things cover most of the surfaces in the living room. Eve is on her laptop at the dining room table, Rey's voice is coming from the kitchen, Ben is staring menacingly out the window, and Zantos and Kaydel are sitting on the sofa. As soon as I see Kaydel, the chaos all makes total sense to me. Zantos and Kaydel got engaged on New Year's Eve so Kaydel, being the responsible person she is, has decided to get a head start on wedding preparations. Zantos obviously genuinely cares about helping Kaydel with the planning, but when Kaydel starts asking Eve about what colours the place settings should be, his attention goes back to the tv where Avengers: Age of Ultron is playing. I honestly don't blame him and I even have half a mind to join him when Rey come out of the kitchen.
"That was Dad. Apparently, Mum has come down with the flu and won't be able to make it for dinner tonight. So, he is staying home to be with her." There is a murmur of disappointment before Rey looks over and sees me by the door. Her face lights up.
"Finn, you're here! Let me just go get my purse and we can head out."
I nod and Rey smiles before disappearing around the corner. I watch her for a second before I turn and find Zantos and Ben glaring at me from where they were in the room. I clear my throat, uncomfortably.
"Is there something wrong?" I ask, completely unsure of what to say. Ben gives me a menacing stare and walks towards me.
"Where are you taking Rey?" He hisses and I take a step back.
"I'm sorry, what?" I ask, confused.
"We just want to make sure that your intentions for our sister -and cousin- are honourable." Zantos pipes up from the sofa, getting the attention of the girls. Xyva looks over and rolls her eyes.
"Seriously, you two? This is Finn! It's not like Rey's dating some jerk, she's dating him." Xyva declares rather loudly, pointing at me. Realizing what she meant, I try to correct her, but Eve smirks at me.
"Oh, yes we know what you're going to say. You're going to say that you and Rey are not actually dating and are just friends, but we all know the truth." Eve grins and I clear my throat awkwardly, hoping that Rey will come back from her room and save me from this conversation. No luck.
"So, where are you two going this afternoon?" Kaydel asks and I turn to her gratefully, ignoring Eve's comment.
"I'm not sure. There is this bakery that she says she really likes up on 7th." I pause when I look up and see the looks of shock and horror on their faces. "What?"
"Oh, nothing really… except for the fact that 'Takodana Treats' as they call themselves is usually anything but a treat. The staff are probably going to be a little rude but, whatever you do, don't let them make you buy their cupcakes. They are always stale!" Zantos contributes from his spot on the couch. I look over at Eve and she confirms her brother's statement with a nod and a chuckle.
"We honestly don't know why Rey likes these places. I mean, first the Jakku Market and now this Takodana Treats! I think this is where she gets her nickname the Scavenger - she finds good things in the strangest places. I just don't get why she won't go somewhere normal like Coruscant Confections. I mean, they make really good cakes - Oh, Kaydel, they make cakes! Write them down on your list!" Eve suddenly says and Kaydel looks up, nodding, before writing down the name in her large binder. I am standing there trying to understand what just happened when Rey comes back into the living room. I smile at her in relief.
"All right, Finn. Ready to head out?" She asks, grabbing her coat, and I practically run to the door while trying to remain cool about it.
"Yeah, let's go." She smiles at me and we head out for our "not date".
Eve and Zantos weren't kidding - Takodana Treats leaves a lot to be desired in almost every way. The pastries in the case were obviously not fresh and the staff were indifferent the second we stepped in. When they realized I wasn't going to tip them, they pretty much threw the food at us in disdain. I went for the cookies and, while they weren't bad, they weren't exactly good. The only thing that made this trip worth while, however, was Rey's excitement. It really is infectious, and I couldn't help but smile. She got a slice peach cobbler and she seemed to really like it, so the trip wasn't a total bust.
We are sitting in Washington Square Park on one of the benches. It is rather cold, but I'm happy to sit there and enjoy the moment with my coffee while Rey finishes up her cobbler. I look over at her and smile to see the look of happiness on her face. I glance down at her food and frown.
"I'm sorry, Rey. It probably would have been easier for you to eat that inside. Do you want to go somewhere indoors?" I ask her and she laughs, shaking her head.
"No, I'm fine, Finn. I actually do this a lot. I will get something and then head down here. I love coming and sitting down here on this exact bench. I don't know why, but the whole park seems magical from here!"
I smile at her and look up, trying to find the magic among all the concrete. I think that I am starting to see what she means when a taxi horn starts blaring and people start yelling some rather choice words, breaking the spell entirely. I sigh, shaking my head, and turn back to her.
"So, how's the cobbler?" I ask and she grins at me.
"It's delicious! Look, I know that Takodana Treats isn't exactly a five-star bakery, but their cobblers are good. The peach cobbler is my favourite. In fact, I'd say it is the best item on the whole menu!" I want to interject that I think it must be the only good item on the menu, but I choose not to.
"I'm glad that you are enjoying it." I say instead and she seems happy with my response, so I decided to leave it at that.
We sit in a comfortable silence until Rey has finished her cobbler. When she is done, she stands up and throws her garbage in the can a few feet away from us and I stand up from the bench, which is suddenly feeling very cold. She comes back over to me and we walk out of the park side by side. As we are moving down the sidewalk towards the crosswalk, I grab her hand without thinking. She stops moving and stares down at our hands in shock. Realizing what I have done, I freeze as well before quickly removing my hand from hers.
"Sorry Rey. I wasn't thinking." I say quickly and step back from her. Rey looks up at me and smiles, shaking her head softly.
"Don't worry about it Finn. I'm not upset. A little surprised, yes, but upset? No." She smiles, and I sigh in relief. We both look up and see that the crosswalk has just changed to "walk". I turn to her and hold out my hand.
"Shall we run for our lives?" I ask and she grins, grabbing onto my hand with one of her own.
"Oh, yes, let's!" We take off running and just manage to get across the crosswalk before the light changes. We glance at each other and burst out laughing before we continue our walk back to the apartment building.
We make it back to the building in record time and have just made it to our floor when she stops me.
"Finn, because of Poe and Xyva's work schedules, Eve, Poe, Ben, Xyva, and I have all decided to go out for a group dinner tonight. They invited me to bring someone along and I was wondering if you would like to come with us?" She looks up at me, as though she is worried I will say no. I grin.
"Sure, why not? It will be a lot better than anything I could have planned for tonight. I'll see you later Rey." I say and walk over to unlock my apartment door. She calls out the same and unlocks her door, stepping into the chaos that is her family. I fiddle with my key a little so that I can watch her for a second before I open my door and step inside. I am hanging up my coat when it suddenly hits me. I am very close to falling for Rey.
I am standing in my living room, turning off the lights, when I hear a groan from the other room. I look up to see Poe come out of his bedroom.
"What do you think, Finn? Too fancy or too casual? Should I wear the other shirt, you know, the green one?" I glance at him with an eyebrow raised and frown before going to the door and pulling on my coat.
"You look fine, Poe. I seriously doubt that Eve will care what you look like just as long as you don't get into a brawl or something on the way there. Now, come on, we are going to be late." I say and Poe grumbles under his breath about how he really should have changed into the other shirt, which makes me roll my eyes. We head out to find Eve, Rey, Ben, and Xyva all waiting in the hall for us. We exchange customary hellos before we head out for the restaurant.
The restaurant is crowded and the food is a little pricey, but it fun to be there with friends. Who says that Valentine's Day needs to be all romantic anyways? I mean, have you ever read about the patron saint? Being fed to lions is a lot of things, but romantic is not one of them!
It is a typical dinner with my friends. I got shoved into a seat next to Rey, which is fine by me because it means I don't need to shout across the table to talk to her. Eve and Poe are leaning close together, deeply involved in a conversation. It is actually quite cute. Ben and Xyva are also in a discussion about something but, as I pay more attention to it, it is sounding a lot like an argument in the early stages. Ben says something that Xyva obviously disagrees with, getting the attention of Eve and Poe. They look over at us and Rey mouths "here we go."
"Ben, I am not going to use this in a song. What even is this? 'You're like a lark in the sky, singing a sweet melody'? That doesn't even rhyme!"
"Not all songs rhyme!" Ben counters and Xyva scoffs.
"You're right. Only good songs rhyme. The ones that don't are trash!" She starts to raise her voice and I look over at Rey, wondering if we need to intervene.
"You just aren't giving this art the appreciation that it deserves!" Ben spits out and danger flashes in Xyva's eyes. She is getting ready to give the fatal blow.
"Oh, I'll give it what it deserves!" And with that, she rips up the paper that he had given her and throws it behind her. Ben stands up, his eyes flashing in fury. Xyva stands up as well and I notice Eve and Poe getting ready to jump if they need to pull the two apart.
"How could you! You know, Xyva, sometimes I wonder if you really love me at all!" Ben's voice is starting to get to a level that could disrupt other couples. Rey tries to motion to them to quiet down, but both ignore her. Xyva laughs in disbelief at his words.
"You think I'd still be with you if I didn't love you?" She counters and by now they are pretty much yelling.
"Then prove it! Marry me!"
"Sure, why not? It would make fighting a whole lot easier!"
"Fine!"
"Fine!" Xyva storms off and Ben turns around to us.
"Now, if you'll excuse us, we have a ring to pick out! I will see you tomorrow!" He storms out after her and Eve, Poe, Rey and I look at each other in shock. It is only at this moment that I realize our jaws are hanging open in shock.
"Did they really just…" I trail off, completely unsure of what to say. Eve stares at the doors for a second before she smiles, shaking her head in disbelief.
"Man, there's never a dull moment in our family! This is definitely a Valentine's Day that we are going to remember."
I am standing outside of apartment AA2187 nervously, trying to get up the courage to knock on the door. Looking down at the package in my hands, I take a deep breath before knocking rather gently. The door opens to reveal, rather unsurprisingly, Xyva. She is beaming and I immediately notice the fluorescent light of the hallway bouncing off the diamond ring on her left hand. She takes me in and then looks at the package in my hands before grinning a rather mischievous smile.
"Ah, you've come to see Rey after your first lover's quarrel." She smirks and I sigh, bowing my head. There is no use denying it because Rey and I did get into an argument. It happened so quickly, and I am not even sure now what it was about, but I feel badly that it even happened. So, I am here only a couple days after Valentine's Day, hoping to make Rey feel better and, hopefully, forgive me.
Xyva lets me in to the apartment and I am slightly relieved to see that it is not packed with people giving me judgemental glances. In fact, the only person there other than Xyva is Eve, who is drinking some tea at the table. She looks over at me and smiles before calling out for Rey.
"Eve? What is it this time?" Rey calls out, sounding annoyed, and rather unlike herself, before she walks out into the living room and sees me standing there, awkwardly. "Hello, Finn." She says rather coolly. Before she can say anything else, I step towards her.
"Rey, I'm really sorry about our argument last night. To be honest, I'm not entirely sure what it was even about, but I know that I provoked you. I'm really sorry and, while I know that you are probably still really ticked at me, I hope that you can forgive me." I glance down at the package in my hands. "Oh, and I also got you a little something. You mentioned that peach cobblers are your favourite from Takodana Treats and I figured you might like one."
I hold out the box to her, uncomfortable with the whole situation and, frankly, worried that she will not accept my apology. Instead of glaring at me or ignoring me all together, Rey simply smiles and takes the box out of my hands.
"Thank you, Finn. It's sweet of you to apologize and to get my favourite. Don't worry, I forgive you. It was a really stupid argument anyways."
I let out a breath I didn't even realize I was holding, and she giggles a little before reaching up and hugging me. I freeze for a second before I wrap my arms around her and hug her back. I glance over at the two other occupants of the room to see Xyva making a heart with her hands at us while Eve is frantically motioning for me to continue. I roll my eyes a little and smile despite myself before pulling away.
"Hey, can I walk you down to your rehearsals?" I ask and Rey's eyes light up.
"I'd love that!" She smiles and pulls on her coat before putting the peach cobbler box in her bag and slinging the bag over her shoulder. Then, she takes my hand in hers and we walk out for the day. I know that I will get an extra dose of teasing from Eve later today, but I don't care. I'm with Rey and that's all that matters.