A/N: A big thanks to SirenBanshee. You are one amazing beta!

xXxXxXx

If he was honest, he hadn't done much the rest of the day. Despite his nap earlier, he was still tired from the day's events. He had half expected Ember to barge in and claim his training technique was lame, but she hadn't. Perhaps it would take her a day or two of stubbornness before she started protesting.

He was glad to be heading back to his quarters—a Trooper trailing behind him as Phasma hadn't returned yet from the assignments he'd given her—and crawl back into bed. If every reconnection he made was going to be this tiring, he'd really have to space them out. There was no way he could do it two or more days in a row. It meant he had to slightly alter his plans, but so be it.

Once he arrived at his quarters, he sent a small nudge towards Rey through the bond. She immediately appeared in front of him.

"Ben!" she said, her face lighting up.

"Rey," he answered. "I'm about to turn in. This thing has really drained me."

"Are you feeling alright?" she asked, concerned.

He touched her cheek. "Yes, stop worrying. I merely need sleep; apparently I need a lot of it."

"Oh, okay."

She sounded disappointed and he gave her a small roll of his eyes. "Ask away, Rey."

Her blush at his words was adorable. He grinned as it grew more pronounced while he rid himself of his clothes—leaving only his trousers—and washed his face.

"What happened when you woke up Ember?" Rey finally asked. "I didn't feel anything in the Force. Did she wake up okay?"

"Yes, nothing happened, except, well, except for her eyes."

"Her eyes?" Rey echoed, uncomprehending.

"Yes. They've changed."

"How can her eyes have changed?"

"I have no idea, but it happened."

She fidgeted. "Show me?"

Smiling, he walked back to her and cupped her face. "Of course."

He showed her a memory of Ember before she had returned to the Force, and then the one of her looking at him just after waking up. Rey gasped in surprise together with his memory self.

"How's that possible?" Rey questioned again once outside the memory.

Kylo merely shrugged. Settling himself on his bed, he drew back the covers and invited her to join him.

"Uhm- U- Under the covers?" Rey stuttered.

"I don't want you to get cold," he answered.

"I- I'm wearing clothes…"

"So I can see," he joked, trying to cover up his own insecurity. Was he making a mistake? Was he being too forward?

Rey bit her lip, slowly walking towards him. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, Rey, I am. It's no different from sleeping on top of the covers, except it's warmer."

He could both see and feel through the bond how she tried to contradict him and failed. It caused him to worry his lips lest he grin and insult her.

"Okay."

He barely heard her agreement. He couldn't, however, hide how pleased he was when she crawled into the bed next to him. Once she was lying down, he drew the covers over them both. As had become their habit, he took her hand in his.

"I've had an idea earlier."

"What kind of idea?" she asked, still looking a bit tense. Her eyes were distant, as if she was contemplating something.

"I think I may be able to help the children in the facilities a little bit after all."

Rey's eyes lit up. "Oh? Really? How?"

He explained to her about the orders he had given and the reports he had requested, gratified to see her enthusiasm rise the longer he spoke. There was something about seeing her with wide, exuberant eyes that caused butterflies in his stomach.

"That's brilliant!" she exclaimed when he finished.

"I've also requested an update on recruitment numbers," Kylo continued. "I got … angry last time and ended doing almost nothing at all. I'm hoping there will be a reason to lower the number of needed recruits."

Rey smiled widely at him. "I'm so happy you're finding ways to implement change," she said. "I'm proud of you, Ben."

He snorted to cover up just how much those words meant to him. Answering her wide smile with a small one of his own, he let go of her hand to brush some tendrils of her hair behind her ear.

Much to his surprise, Rey took the opportunity to shuffle closer to him, burying her nose against his chest. He could feel how tense she was even though she had taken the initiative herself. He wondered if she was scared if he would reject her.

Not entirely sure about how to handle the situation but knowing he did not want her to move away again, he carefully draped his arm over her waist. His hand reached the nape of her neck and he allowed his fingers to draw circles over her skin—remembering how she had seemed to like it last time they got close.

Gradually, Rey relaxed in his arms. He revelled in feeling her warmth so close to his, in the implicit trust she showed. He kissed the top of her head, enjoying the scent of her hair in his nose.

"You're like a little oven," Rey murmured. "Or perhaps a big one?"

Kylo laughed. He used it to cover his gasp when her hand roamed his chest to end up resting above his heart. Certainly she must feel how hard it was beating? Did she know it was because of her?

"It's true!" she continued. "You're really warm." Her hand left his chest to cover a big yawn. "Sorry."

"Seems you had a busy day as well?"

"Apparently, I wasn't the only one who felt the disturbance in the Force. It created a bit of a panic among the children and I wasn't there to calm them. I was too busy panicking myself."

He pulled her closer to him in response to the miserable tone in her voice.

"I failed them," she whispered to his chest.

"No," he immediately answered, "don't say that. It was not something anybody could have expected you to deal with."

"I completely forgot about them."

Kylo pulled back a little, forcing her to look up at him. "You did not fail," he repeated. "The fact that you fear failing them so much tells me exactly how much you are not failing."

He knew it sounded jumbled and somewhat illogical, but he didn't know how to word it any different. She merely stared up at him. With a sigh, he kissed her forehead and pulled her back against his chest.

"You did not fail," he said one last time.

There was a stretch of silence.

"I'm falling asleep," Kylo finally murmured, barely able to keep his eyes open.

"Me too," Rey murmured back. "Goodnight, Ben."

"Goodnight, Rey."

xXxXxXx

He woke the next morning to the sensation of Rey running her hand through his hair. He thought it the most relaxing, most wonderful feeling. After taking a deep breath, he hummed in appreciation.

Rey quickly snatched her hand back. "Oh Force!" she cried out. "You're awake!"

Smiling, he opened his eyes to see her blushing furiously, her head propped up on one arm and her free hand cradled against her chest.

"Why did you stop?" he murmured.

"What?"

"Why did you stop?" he repeated, lazily closing his eyes again. "It's nice."

A couple heartbeats later, she resumed carding her fingers through his hair and he hummed again.

"You're purring like a cat," Rey teased.

He opened one eye and rose an eyebrow, before minutely shrugging and returning to dozing under her ministrations.

"A panther, then," he conceded.

"What's a panther?"

Kylo wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer, making Rey shriek in surprise and then giggle. He felt much better with her warmth pressed against him.

"It's a big, black cat that lives in jungles—big, warm forests."

"Oh."

He could hear the smile in her voice. She stilled her hand and burrowed herself into his chest.

"I don't want to get up."

"Me neither."

"Someone's knocking on my door though."

"Tell them to go away."

Rey laughed. "I don't think they'll agree. Other than you, I can't go ordering people about."

He grumbled but released her from his grip. She sighed but started moving away from him.

"Rey?" he asked, following her out of bed and stretching. He smirked as he caught her watching him.

"Uhm, yes?"

"Would you like me to teach you how to fight?" The words tumbled out of his mouth. He had been thinking about when and how to ask her. Now seemed as good a time as any. She seemed relaxed and happy.

She tilted her head. "What do you mean? Fight with the Force? Wouldn't that drain us?"

"No," he answered. "Well, yes, it would drain us, but that's not what I meant. I was thinking about helping you with your swordfight, and perhaps your staff? I think the bond would make that possible."

Rey blinked at him. "You would do that?"

He walked over to her to cup her cheek. "Of course."

She beamed up at him. "Yes! When can we start?" Rey was practically bouncing on her feet.

Her eagerness reminded him of Ember. "Tomorrow morning?"

"Yes!" She looked over her shoulder and rolled her eyes. "I really need to go," she sighed, before giving him a hug. "Bye, Ben."

The sight of her disappearing in his arms left him slightly unsettled. He ignored it, knowing she would come back. After a quick shower, he headed out.

"Phasma?" he asked after greeting the Trooper that was guarding his door.

"I honestly don't know, sir," was the answer. "She didn't leave a message."

Kylo shrugged and made to walk on when an irregularity caught his eye. He stopped and turned to regard the Trooper. Under his Trooper number, a name had been written.

"Jaken," Kylo stated. "Pleased to meet you."

The man saluted. "Sir!"

Kylo once more started walking only to, yet again, stop dead in his tracks.

"Take off your mask," he said.

"Uhm, sir?"

"Take it off. There's no use in a name if you all look the same to me."

"Sir!"

The man took off his helmet, tucked it under one arm, shook his hair out of his eyes, and saluted. Kylo studied him for a minute. He seemed to have Asian roots. His hair was half-long—cut just below the jaw-line—a wide nose, and an overall round face. With a firm nod, he again greeted the man before finally getting on his way.

"Are there others who have chosen a name, Jaken?" Kylo asked after hearing the man scramble after him.

"Some have, sir; others are still choosing one. A few are doubtful about the idea but I'm sure they'll come around sooner or later."

"It's an open choice. There's no pressure," Kylo said.

He did not want group pressure to kick in and force the doubters into something they did not want. Walking towards breakfast, he made a mental note to ask Phasma to repeat the sentiment to his Troopers, and to have her rotate the ones who had decided upon a name so he could get to know them.