A/N: And back to the main story! Like I said, it's coming to a wrap up in these next couple of chapters. I think this one is going to be a little longer than the rest that way the next chapter can be a sort of epilogue thing. Not sure yet. We'll see what happens. I get carried away with typing sometimes lol Anyway! Enjoy the next chapter! R&R!
BROKEN
Chapter 15: Blissful Betrothal
The next morning, Rey breathed a deep sigh of contentment as her eyes fluttered open. She smiled as she realized that she was snuggled tight against Ben. He slept peacefully, lips slightly parted as he propped his head up on his hand, arm extended a bit for her head to lay on his arm. She couldn't resist the heart warming smile that found its way onto her face. His arm was lazily draped around her lower back, her hands resting on his chest comfortably. She leaned forward and pressed a feather light kiss to his parted lips. When she pulled away, he smiled, his eyes closed, but his arm tightening around her and pulling her closer. She laughed softly, earning her a kiss to her forehead. "Morning," he whispered, voice heavy with sleep.
"Morning," she said as she felt him stretch and sit up in bed. He looked at his phone and realized that they had a couple of hours before they needed to go to work. She followed suit, sitting and stretching, arms high over her head. When she was done, they dropped at her sides, her body content with the action. "What time is it?" she asked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
"7:30," he said with a small yawn. He stood and walked to the door quietly, looking over his shoulder with a small smile. "Coffee?"
She jumped out of bed and followed him downstairs to the kitchen. She started to make breakfast as he made the coffee and when it was done, she plated it and left enough for Luke whenever he found it in himself to wake up. It was odd that he wasn't up already, but she wasn't going to question it. They sat at the table next to each other and ate quietly. It was a comfortable silence as they both woke up together in each other's company. He had a pensive look on his face and Rey was trying to figure out what was going through his head. She glanced over at him and saw him look at her out of the corner of his eye. He seemed uncomfortable. Nervous. Like something was bothering him. She didn't have to wait long as he reached over to her and laced his fingers with hers. "Tell me about your progress," he said as he continued to sip his coffee.
She thought about it for a moment, compiling her thoughts silently. "Well... I figured out why I dreamt it was you." His brows shot up for a second, as if to say 'do tell.' "You know that all my life it was always men that messed me up." He nodded silently, still not allowing his sight to land on her as he stayed focused on a small part of the table. "I was sort of transposing it all on you. Plutt's men didn't really care about what I wanted and tried to force me into whatever they wanted. Jessen was the same way... He got more physical than anyone else. And then there was the way..." her cheeks lit up at that, a dark blush on her face. "The way you look at me. The way I thought you looked at me."
"How did I look at you?"
"My mind was making things up. I knew you weren't thinking anything dirty or malicious, but the red flag shot up and I couldn't get it to go down. All my life, someone was always looking at me like a piece of meat that was there for their enjoyment. Like I was just some play thing and when they were done with me, they could just toss me aside. But when you came along, my mind wouldn't allow me to think of you as any different." Her face fell when she admitted that to him. She knew it was hard for him to hear, but when she looked at him, he nodded silently, meditating on her words. He still kept a delicate hold on her hand as she spoke, not showing any signs of resentment or fear as he'd done in the past. She had to commend him for understanding. "When I started to think about it... I compared how everyone else looked at me with how you looked at me. It wasn't threatening or dirty; it was..." Ben looked at her then, his eyes looking at her as if he were considering her again. She smiled at him. "Like I'm the only one you saw." His lips twitched upwards at that. "Like... you wanted to know me. Like you wanted to know what I thought and how I felt... like you wanted to understand me." His lips pulled into a wide smile then, confirming her assessment. He kissed the back of her hand and grinned at her. "Ben... you worked so hard to earn my trust... Thank you for not giving up on me."
He squeezed her hand gently and returned to sip his coffee, a slight redness on his cheeks. If she were any less observant, she would have missed it, but she knew it was there. "What else did you discover during your assessment of your nightmare?"
"I hated how easily I trusted you, which was why the dream hurt so badly. I trust you so much, but everyone else I ever trusted always betrayed me. Luke worked so hard to get me to trust him. But you worked harder. And in such a short time, I started to trust you, no holds barred. It was weird. It scared me," she admitted softly. His thumb rubbed her hand, pulling her back to reality. "B-but when I looked at it, I saw how hard you worked. Everything you did after you grabbed me had a purpose. And before I knew it, you're here." She motioned to their hands with a grin. "Do you Solo boys always work this fast?" she teased, mirth matching in her eyes and voice.
He shrugged nonchalantly, playing into the joke. "There's a reason we're so famous; we get the job done. No dilly-dallying," he said with an equally playful grin.
She laughed at him and nudged his arm with hers. But she didn't pull away. She rested her head on his shoulder with a small smile. "That dream was... a mix of everything everyone had done to me with your face. Every fear I had from them, I feared you would do the same. But when I thought about it and looked at all that's happened so far with us... you haven't done anything to warrant me being so wary. I'm sorry, Ben," she whispered, nuzzling her cheek against his shoulder.
"Don't be sorry, Rey. You can't help how your fears manifest. You were just scared that I was no different than the others... Two months ago, I would have said you were right."
"What did you do when you were away? Any new discoveries of your own?" she teased.
Ben sighed softly. "Tons."
She raised a brow at him before she sat upright. "Tons?" Ben nodded, finishing his coffee. He got up to get more, completely not ready to talk about that, but knowing she was curious. "Care to expand on that?"
Ben looked over at her, eyes intense as he tried his best to cover over an emotion she couldn't quite place. He was terrified of something, but at the same time, he was so hopeful. It took her aback for a moment. She wanted to know what was going on with him, but she didn't want to push it. She opened her mouth to say something to him, but he spoke instead. "Come to dinner with me."
She blinked several times at his... request? Demand? She didn't know what to label it as honestly. Nonetheless, she nodded with a warm smile on her lips. "It's a date."
He gave her a boyish grin. "Right. A date."
Luke came down, yawning and scratching his head. He paused for only a moment, registering that Ben was here. His brow shot up as he walked over to the coffee pot and poured himself some black coffee. "Couldn't stay away, I see."
Ben smirked at his uncle. "Nope."
Luke muttered under his breath again and shook his head with a sigh. He looked at the plate on the bar and shot a look at Rey, earning a sheepish smile. He returned the smile of his own and walked over to the table with plate and coffee in hand. He seated himself with a sigh, eating lazily. Ben and Rey exchanged a glance, Ben smirking quietly and Rey blushing as she turned away, standing and stretching. "I'm going to go change and get ready for work," she announced as she walked toward the stairs. She paused and looked back at Ben. He nodded his head at her with a small smirk and she blew a kiss to him as she ascended the stairs quickly.
Ben looked at Luke then. He opened his mouth and Luke held up his hand. "Before you ask, take her. I don't need you two to work today. Take the day. You both need it," he said as he shot his knowing blue eyes up at his nephew. And for the first time in a very long time, Luke saw his nephew smile a genuine smile at him. Luke shook his head with a small smirk. "Take care of her, Benjamin."
Ben pushed away from the wall then and approached his uncle, putting a hand on his shoulder. "I intend to, uncle," he said as he walked up the stairs to Rey's room. He knocked on the door, earning him a call to wait a minute on the other side. He smirked to himself, hearing the water shut off on the other end. He leaned against the wall next to her door frame, arms crossed as he leaned his head back, eyes closed. The door opened a few moments later to reveal Rey in her work clothes. He considered her carefully, eyes raking over her body and back up to her face. A grey towel hung on her head, soaking up the water from the shower. Her cheeks were red as she saw Ben considering her so closely. He pushed off of the wall and approached her, pulling the towel off of her head gently, moving her wet strands away from her face. "There's no work today," he said softly, his voice low and deep. He leaned closer to her, lips mere inches away from hers. His hands were propped on the door frame as he leaned into her, a small smirk and mischievousness in his eyes. "Date starts now, Rey," he said as he kissed her lips affectionately. As soon as it had started, it was over, leaving Rey wanting for more. He smirked down at her. "I'll be back to get you in... 45 minutes," he said as he kissed her one last time, pushing off of the door way to walk down the stairs.
Rey followed him with her eyes and bit her bottom lip with a wide smile. When he had left, she went back into her room to get ready for real this time. She closed her door and looked at her closet. What to wear... Nervousness and giddiness welled up inside of her as she rummaged through her closet. She truly thought about what to wear. She pulled out a soft blue shirt, a cowl neck and she held it up against herself. She thought about it for a moment. She liked it, she supposed. Then she saw a brown cowl neck and opted for that instead. She liked earthy tones better. She slipped it on and rummaged for some pants next. She grabbed her dark blue skinny jeans and slipped them on as well. She looked at herself in her mirror and glanced down at her shoes. She didn't want to think about that right now. She felt the nerves working their way back up into her mind as she batted around the idea of makeup. Should she? She was always a natural girl. She wasn't really one for makeup except for maybe some light liner and mascara. She shrugged and decided she'd do that. No need to go overboard. It was just a simple date, she kept telling herself. She bit her bottom lip again, worrying it a little as she thought about what they were going to do tonight. She was sure he wouldn't try to make a move on her or anything. He knew she wasn't that comfortable yet.
She shoved that from her mind as she brushed her hair and pulled it back half-up, half-down. Deciding she was good enough, she walked to her closet and picked out a pair of brown booties. They had about a three inch lift, but she was used to them. She slipped them on and inspected herself. When she found she was comfortable, she smiled and flopped on her bed, opting to read a book to pass the time.
X~x~x~x~x~X
Ben rushed home, running as fast as he could. He'd made it home in a record 17 minutes. He chuckled at himself as he bound up his stairs and quickly unlocked his door. He threw his keys and phone to the side, stripping at his door way, having just shut the thing and darted for the shower. He took a quick shower, shaving in the process. He'd gotten out, towel-dried his hair and walked over to his closet after getting his underwear on. He picked out a nice red button-up dress shirt and nice black slacks, dressing himself quickly and giving himself a once over. He felt good enough, but man did he feel nervous as all get out! He huffed a sigh, brushing his teeth to clear it from breakfast, sweat and coffee. He looked at the time. It was a ten minute drive to her. He had about ten minutes to kill. He looked at the bag on his counter again. He walked over to it and laid his hand on it, contemplating it quietly. He took the gift out of the bag, quickly disposing of the bag and slipped the present into the drawer by his front door. He'd have her back over here, he decided. He concocted a plan in his head as to where he would take her today. He didn't really know a lot about what she liked to do for fun, but he could speculate.
He grabbed a jacket on the way out, locking his apartment, flinging his jacket over his shoulder, holding only the collar in his fingers, as he walked down the stairs with his other hand in his pocket. He walked to his car, hopping in and starting it up as he drove to the store. One stop and then he'd go get her.
He emerged about seven minutes later, a gift in his front seat just for her as he smiled softly. He drove to her house, anxiety welling up inside of him. He hoped she would enjoy herself and be able to experience the same amount of bliss she made him feel every second he was with her.
He pulled into the driveway and parked the car, shutting it off as he grabbed the gift and exited the car. He walked up to the front door and let himself in. "Rey?" he called, looking around and listening for signs of movement. When he heard none, he walked up the stairs, calling her again. "Rey?" No answer still. He knocked on her door before opening it to see her sleeping with her arms folded under her head. He smiled affectionately at her. He walked into her room, gently closed her door and knelt at the foot of the bed. He took her in, noticing that she'd put on some makeup. She didn't need it, he knew, but the effort she showed was enough for him to know she wanted this as much as he did. "Rey," he whispered softly, leaning forward and kissing her forehead gently. Her eyes fluttered open with a soft waking sound, her brown eyes falling on his hazel ones. He smiled at her, brushing the loose strands from her face. He watched her sit up and stretch. Then she uttered a soft curse, darting to the bathroom and slamming the door shut. He chuckled at her. She forgot she was wearing makeup.
She emerged a few moments later, makeup fixed and face looking as if she'd been awake the whole time. Her hair was back in place as she shyly looked up at him. "Sorry-" She stopped as he held out a bouquet of flowers for her, that same grin on his face as in her wallpaper. He watched her face change as she processed the gift. She let out a soft airy laugh as she took the bouquet from him, smelling the flowers with the highest regard. She held them to her chest and smiled warmly at him. "They're beautiful."
Ben grinned at her, approaching her and tucking some hair behind her ear. "Not nearly as beautiful as you, love," he said as he kissed her forehead. "Come on," he said softly, offering his hand to her. She smiled as she took it, letting him lead her out of her room and down the stairs, the look of unbridled love and tender affection in her eyes as she watched him. When they made it to the bottom, Luke stood there, arms crossed over his chest. He considered the couple quietly and nodded to them both, offering a soft "Have fun" as he excused himself to the garage, crossing their path momentarily. Ben smirked at his back, tugging Rey with him out the door. She laughed as he pulled her to his GTR, opening the door for her as she slid inside. He shut the door carefully, making his way to his side. Once he was in, he started the car, the thing roaring to life, exciting Rey as she fell in love with this car all over again. He could tell she loved his car. He popped it in reverse as he eyed the clock. 9:32am. Today was going to be eventful.
As soon as he started to drive forwards, his hand came to rest on the shifter. Rey's hand found his without a moment's hesitation. She twined their fingers together, sitting in a comfortable silence. He risked a glance at her at a red light and smiled, her eyes meeting his as she smiled, too. She was beautiful. He kissed the back of her hand briefly, earning a light laugh. "Where are we going?" she asked as he drove through town. She looked out the window, staring up at all the buildings and trying to get a grasp on where she was. She hadn't ventured out this far before...
"I want you to meet a friend of mine," he said gently. From his tone, she could tell he held this friend in high regard. It seemed as if Ben thought of this friend as family. She looked over at him, studying his face. It was soft. Whoever it was... she could tell he cared a lot for this friend. She gave him a soft smile, knowing he could see it out of his peripheral. His own lips twisted and curled in a soft grin, too. They drove for what seemed like an hour, but it was actually just 15 minutes or so. He parked the car and Rey looked up at the building before her. She raised a brow. It looked like a bar... She looked questioningly at him. All he did was grin and get out of the car, walking to her side to open her door, holding out his hand for her to take. She did and when she got out, she looked at the building silently. She shut the door and felt him tug her gently to the inside of this building. It was labeled "Maz's." She wondered who this person was... and how Ben knew them.
They stepped inside and the atmosphere was actually quite different than the outside. It seemed respectable. It was definitely a high class place. The greeter smiled at him. "Mr. Solo, to what do we owe the pleasure?" she asked, bowing her head gracefully.
"Where's Maz?"
The greeter nodded. "One moment, please. I'll tell her you're here-"
"BEN... SOLO!" came an elderly woman's voice from the back of the establishment. Ben grinned as he saw a short little woman coming up to him. He shot a grin at Rey, who looked utterly confused. He bent down so the little woman could give him a kiss on the cheek and hug him with a raspy laugh. When she pulled away, she held his hands in hers. "My boy, it's been too long. How are-" She caught a glance at Rey, who was watching her respectfully, trying to get a hint as to who she was. Maz gasped and looked back to Ben before playfully punching his cheek, earning a chuckle. "And who is this pretty woman?"
Ben stood then and took Rey's hand in his again. "Maz, this is Rey, my girlfriend. Rey... this is Maz. She's... she's family."
Rey looked down at Maz and smiled softly. "Very nice to meet you, Maz."
Maz gave her a once over and smiled wide at Rey. "Benny doesn't bring women here, Rey. You must be very special to him." She let that hang in the air for a moment, earning a dark blush from Ben as he looked away smoothly as Rey blushed and laughed softly. "Come, come. Have a seat. I'll order something for us," she said as she grabbed Rey's hand and walked with her. Rey glanced back at Ben and saw him smiling affectionately at her. She took that as she was approved of by Maz. She looked back at the little 4'10 woman in front of her. Whoever she was... she was extremely important to Ben.
Once they were at the table, Maz sat across from the two, Rey on the inside of the booth and Ben on the outside. She rattled off some things to the waiter, who rushed quickly to the kitchen to relay the message. Within a few moments, drinks were out. Rey blushed as a drink was set in front of her, smelling of strawberries and alcohol. Ben gently touched her hand next to him on the booth. "You don't have to drink it if you don't want to," he offered. He knew that alcohol was... not a good thing in her memory.
Maz saw the two's interaction and pushed her own drink toward Rey. "Nonalcoholic, dear," she said as she took Rey's drink instead. Rey gave her a small smile and a soft thanks, graciously taking the nonalcoholic beverage from this woman. She sipped it quietly, sighing at the taste. "My own recipe," Maz said with a smile. Rey smiled at her softly. "So! How do you know my Benny boy?"
Rey flicked her eyes over at Ben at the nickname. She'd tease him about that later, she decided. She turned her attention back to Maz. "I work at Luke's mechanic shop. He brought his car in one day."
Maz adjusted her coke bottle glasses as she stared at Rey closer. It made Rey slightly uncomfortable, and Ben just slid his hand over his face with a sigh. Rey looked at Maz incredulously. "Ahhh... so you're the ward of Skywalker... It's nice to finally meet you. I've heard a lot from the Solos." Ben bristled at the mention of his family. Maz didn't fail to notice, but chose to not acknowledge it. She went on to say, "Leia spoke very highly of you, dear. Though, she didn't put much stock in leaving you with Luke. But it seems you turned out very well. Let me guess... Luke taught you mechanics and put you to work as his apprentice?" Rey nodded quietly, astounded that she knew so much about her when she knew nothing about Maz. She let out a loud, boisterous laugh then. "Of course! Skywalker can't resist training people to be the best they can be!" She turned her attention to Ben then, who was carefully avoiding Maz's glance. He knew it was coming soon...er than he thought. "Benny... why didn't you tell me you had a girlfriend? You disappear for five years and suddenly come back mellowed out and with a girlfriend?"
Rey's eyes widened as she turned her sight to Ben. "Five years?" she echoed in disbelief.
Maz laughed softly then as the red crept onto Ben's face. "Little Benny boy here decided that he would go off and do professional fighting. This one was full of rage and anger. He could scare the stink off a field full of manure. Han and Leia tried to get him not to do it, but Benny decided that he'd do it just to spite his parents. He'd earned a lot of money doing it, too. I remember him coming in here all scruffed up looking a little worse for wear. And who bandaged him up? I did. I was the only one he really came to talk to. He was so upset, dear. So full of rage and hatred and anger... it was heart breaking. He was such a sweet boy growing up, but just with any other neglected child, they turned into something dark and-"
"Maz..." Ben said, voice harsh and strained. Rey could tell he was struggling to keep his regret hidden.
Maz sighed as she looked Ben over, watching as Rey reached for his hand under the table, eyes full of tenderness. How her gaze seemed to calm him down, like a tranq dart. She smiled knowingly at the two. "Ahhh... I see now." Both of them looked at Maz quietly, waiting for some sort of explanation. She giggled with her raspy voice, sipping her drink with evident amusement. "You'll be married within the year," she said simply as the food came.
Rey's jaw dropped. "I-I beg your pardon?!" She could hardly believe what she heard. Who was this woman? Why did Rey desperately want to believe her? Why was Ben laughing so hard? She looked over at her boyfriend, face full of confusion and a loss for words. "Ben-"
"I haven't been wrong yet, have I, Benny boy?" Maz said as she passed around napkins and silverware.
Ben chuckled as he sipped his beer. He turned his sight to Rey, eyes full of love and a newfound respect for Rey. "Nope."
Rey's cheeks heated up, completely at a loss with these two. She just sat there, gaping at her boyfriend, who was clearly amused and relieved at the same time. His eyes were full of nothing short of admiration, hope, love and... contentment. He leaned forward and kissed her cheek, opting to whisper in her ear, "Despite your mouth hanging open, you're still the most beautiful woman I've laid eyes on." Her mouth snapped shut then as her cheeks burned redder than his shirt. She punched his arm, earning a chuckle in return. "Thanks, Maz."
Maz grinned at the boy. "One year," she repeated as they all fell into a silence that Rey couldn't quite put her finger on. She couldn't tell if it were an anxious silence or a comfortable one.
She didn't really care as she started to eat her food cautiously. She smiled at the taste and Ben noticed, a small grin on his lips, too. "Maz has the best food in the county," he said as he held out his fork for her to try some of his. Rey blushed, but allowed him to feed her some of his. She sighed contently, looking at Maz when she started to laugh at the two. "Zip it, Maz."
Maz held up her hands in defeat. Ben's tone wasn't harsh, but rather one of a playful banter between a grandmother and grandson. "Maz, how do you know the Solos?" Rey asked before she could stop herself.
Maz let out a nostalgic sigh. "I used to work with Benny's father." Rey remembered his name was Han. "He got into the trade business and I helped him where I could. Then he disappeared and I met Leia. She was very pregnant with little Benny here. She'd told me that Han ran off somewhere. That man couldn't ever sit still. Guess the apple didn't fall too far from the tree, eh, Benny?" Ben shot her a guarded glare then. "When Benny was born... I spent a lot of time around him and his mother. Leia was very busy all the time, so little Benny came with me and helped me here. That's where he learned how to cook!" she said as she laughed fondly at the memory. Rey found herself smiling warmly at her reminiscing. She had grabbed Ben's hand under the table as she listened carefully to Maz. "Leia and Han always had a rocky relationship, so Benny stayed with me most of the time. When I found out he was in a gang..."
"I said some things I shouldn't have and ran off," Ben finished, knowing that part was hard for Maz to say.
Maz nodded, her grandmotherly smile still in place. "He came back a few years later, realizing he'd made a terrible mistake. Only to be snatched away again by some guy that wanted to use his talent to make more money. And I hadn't seen him since today. I'd gotten a couple of calls over the years, the first one in five years being yesterday." Rey looked over at Ben who was blushing and avoiding her stare. She turned her attention back to Maz. "What about you, dear?"
"Sorry... me?"
Maz nodded expectantly. "I already know you're an orphan taken in by Skywalker... but what are your plans with Benny?"
Rey blushed, glancing at Ben and quickly looking away. "I-I haven't really thought about it..."
"Sure you have! It's written all over your face, dear."
Rey tilted her head in confusion. "I... I don't understand."
Maz couldn't help but laugh softly at her. "You're a good match for him, Rey. I wish you both the best in your futures." A waiter came to Maz then and whispered something in her ear. She nodded and with a knowing smile and a quick, loving glance between the two of them, she stood and nodded her head. "It was very nice to meet you, Rey. Benny... stop by more often, huh?"
Ben smiled at her softly. "I will, Maz." Maz bounced off and Rey couldn't believe her ears. Ben looked over at her, a small smile on his face. "She loves you almost as much as I do," he chuckled. Rey blushed at him and averted her glance. "Rey?"
"A year?" she whispered. He didn't know how to take that. Was she not feeling the same? Was he making a horrible mistake in hoping for it? She looked at him then and smiled affectionately, her hand going to his cheek to gently caress it. "It seems so far away," she whispered as she pressed her lips against his. He realized then that she'd answered any question he may have had. He kissed her back with all he had, remaining within the lines of decency for PDA. When she pulled away, she smiled at him shyly. He met her unsure gaze with one of confidence and renewed determination. He tugged her to him as he got out of the booth, helping her to her feet. "How often is Maz wrong?" she asked, voice still unsure of what just transpired.
Ben wrapped his arm around her lower back and leaned into her, his lips dangerously close to her ear as he whispered delicately into it. "Never." He dragged her dazed form out of the restaurant and to the car, helping her into her seat and shutting the door. He wore a smile the whole time as he seated himself in the driver's seat. He watched her fiddle with her fingers in her lap as she contemplated how right Maz was. Would she be wrong this time? Did she want Maz to be wrong? She felt his hand brushing the hair from her neck, earning her attention. She watched as he leaned forward, using his hand on the back of her neck to pull her closer to him. He gently kissed her lips, trailing a kiss down to her neck where he affectionately loved on her pulse point, feeling her heart beat speed up under his lips. "Don't think about it too much, love." She tangled her fingers in his hair as he kissed another part of her neck, kissing up her jaw and back to her lips, earning a soft hum of pleasure from her. When he pulled away, he saw in her eyes what could only be seen as the want for more. He smirked at her gently. "The night's not over."
Rey snapped to a moment later, having struggled to catch her breath from his ministrations. She smiled at him and looked at the clock. 12:45pm. He pulled away from Maz's and drove off to what looked like a park, holding her hand in his the whole time. They'd found comfort in little things like this. When they'd pulled in, he stuck to routine and helped her out of the car, locking up a moment later. They strolled down the sidewalk, hand in hand as he walked her deeper and deeper into the park, past the playing children and to a bridge. It was very old-fashioned looking, she noted. It was painted red as it looked out over a river. He led her to it and smiled as he watched her face light up with the beauty of it all. She walked alone ahead and he snapped a picture of her, turning on the bridge to see the petals of the tree rain down across it as a gentle wind swept it over her. He looked at it and smiled softly. This photo was so endearing. She walked over to the railing and looked over it as he approached her. Another picture. She turned to look at him, a suspicious grin on her face. "Benjamin Solo... what are you doing?"
Ben showed her his phone and her face lit up with a pink tint. "These are... beautiful."
He grabbed his phone from her again and wrapped his arm around her, pulling the camera away from them and snapping a selfie on the bridge. He showed it to her and she giggled at it. He sent it to her phone and held his hand out to her. She took it with a smile and they continued their walk. "So... when I was doing some thinking, I realized something..." Ben started with a small chuckle.
"What's that?"
"I know hardly anything about you. Your likes and dislikes... your favorites and your disgusts... nothing."
Rey thought hard for a moment. "Sounds like we need to fix that then. How about a game?"
He raised a dark brow at her, a grin playing at his lips. "Game?"
"Yeah. Like... two truths, one lie."
Ben considered it for a moment. "Ok. Sure. You start."
Rey thought for a moment. "My favorite color is grey... I dislike roller coasters... and... My favorite day is Saturday."
Ben thought for a moment. He'd seen her with a grey towel, so that may be a truth. But he was at a loss for the other two. "I think you don't dislike roller coasters."
Rey laughed. "Wrong. My favorite color is actually blue."
"Why Saturdays?"
Rey blushed as she pulled herself closer to him. "I get to spend the most time with you."
Ben felt his lips pull into a wide smile. "Ok... I want children... I used to play the guitar... and... My favorite color is red."
"Guitar." He looked at her quickly, slightly bewildered how she got that so fast. She laughed at him and shrugged. "I can see you wanting children and I don't doubt that Broody Benny's favorite color is red." His brow twitched at the nickname. She kissed his cheek. "Ok, ok. This is going too slow. I want to know more. Favorite food?"
"Don't have one. Favorite activity?"
"Reading." He made a mental note. "Worst fear?"
He thought about it for a moment. "It's a tie..." She waited patiently. "Losing you... and being alone." She smiled softly at him as they came to rest at a bench, staring out over the river, Ben's arm winding around her shoulders as she curled into him. "Favorite music?"
"Classical. Favorite hobby?"
"Running. Worst fear?" he asked gently, cautiously.
She considered it for a time. "Never seeing you again." He smiled warmly at her as he kissed her temple. "Favorite memory?"
Ben hesitated. He looked down at her, using his hand to tilt her chin up to look at him. "This whole day. Any day as long as you're in it." He kissed her lips gently and she melted into him. He pulled away slightly with a smirk. "Favorite memory?"
She held her hand on his cheek as she smiled up at him. "Your confession." They both laughed as they realized they were getting sappy again. "Favorite animal?"
"Grey wolf." She tilted her head in confusion. So specific. "You'll see later," he replied. "Favorite animal?"
She hadn't thought about that one. She took a little longer to reply. "Fox."
They'd continued on like that for what seemed like hours. It had morphed from questions to just sharing things about themselves. As they learned more, the found that maybe the comfortable silence was ok, but discovering each other was maybe just a bit better. It was starting to get colder and Ben had taken his jacket off, giving it to her to wear. She walked close to him, his arm around her shoulders ever so gently as he led her back to the car. It was getting close to dinner time so he figured it was as good a time as any to take her back to his place for dinner. He started driving in silence, seeing her look out the window in awe as the scenery started to change. He pulled into his spot and got out of the car, helping her out and walking her up the stairs to his apartment. He unlocked his door and stepped through, turning on the light as he kicked his shoes off at the door. She followed suit, taking in the modern look of his apartment. She walked over to him in the kitchen and smiled at him. "I like your place better," she said as she wrapped her arms around him, hugging him close.
He kissed the top of her head as he rolled up his sleeves and went to work at cooking dinner. "Feel free to put on the TV or music or something..." he called as he started to rustle around the kitchen. She went to his couch and grabbed the remote, studying it for a moment before turning it on, the TV popping on to classical. She smiled softly and turned to him, seeing him glance up from the cutting board to smirk at her. "My favorite, too, believe it or not."
She laughed as she walked back over to the bar, opting to sit in the stool to watch him. "So, Mr. Solo..." He looked up at her briefly. "What's the plan for after dinner?"
Ben paused in his cutting. It was only a fraction of a second, but it was noticeable. "There's an amusement park..."
"Maybe we can stay in? It's... kind of cold... and I didn't dress for it," she said shyly.
Ben nodded and considered his options. "Do you dance?" It was out of his mouth before he could stop it. He mentally slapped himself.
Rey eyed him carefully. "I... haven't tried." She watched as Ben nodded at her. He continued his cooking as Rey was left to think about the question. She hadn't ever had anyone to dance with. She didn't know if she knew how. But the thought of dancing with Ben made her giddy. They'd fought and found their own rhythm then, so what was stopping them from finding their own rhythm with dancing? "I'd like to..." she said softly, knowing he heard her because he dropped the spatula on the ground, clanking as it went. She laughed softly and walked over to help him clean up. She washed off the spatula in the sink and turned to hand it back to him, eyes clearly amused at him. He took the spatula from her with a small thanks and went back to cooking, leaving her to really examine him. His cheeks were red as he cooked, and she could tell that it wasn't the heat from cooking that got to him. "What are you thinking about?" she asked as she leaned against the counter between the stove and fridge.
Ben felt embarrassment wash over him, but knew that she wouldn't tease him if he told her. He huffed out a sigh. "When we were apart, I couldn't sleep very well. So I put on classical music. It helped... after a six mile run... and a beer... or two. But when I heard a song... I thought of dancing with you..."
She didn't know what to say about that. It was sweet. She smiled at him and pulled him close for a kiss, hand winding in his hair as he wrapped an arm around her waist. She pulled away with a smile. "Let's dance after dinner." He nodded with a small grin.
Dinner was done in a matter of minutes and they were sitting at the bar next to each other. He had fixed her a water and fixed one for himself. He didn't want to drink in front of her, not knowing if it would trigger something within her. And besides, he didn't want to give her any ideas that whatever he did or said tonight was because of alcohol. Their knees touched under the bar, a silent want to be closer to each other, but not able to give up a hand to hold while eating. "Maz taught you well," she said with a smile his way.
He smirked at her. It was just shrimp alfredo. Nothing special. "Glad you like it."
She snorted. "I could get used to this," she laughed softly.
He swallowed hard at the thought of that. She was pretty much hinting to him her intentions. His eyes darted to the table by the door and then quickly away. He hoped he didn't lose his nerve tonight. This whole day was-
"I've had a really good time today, Ben. Thank you. For everything." Ben looked at her and smiled. "This whole date is perfect," she said as she kissed his cheek. He said nothing as he stood and collected their empty plates. He took the time to wash the dishes, Rey quickly finding her place next to him to rinse and dry. When he was done washing, he helped her put them away in their proper spots and led her by the hand to the living room.
He offered her his hand, bowing just slightly. "May I have this dance?"
She let out an airy laugh before taking his hand and curtsying at him. It looked silly without a dress on, but this whole dancing thing was silly as it was. He pulled her to him, holding one hand while guiding her other to his shoulder. He rested his on the small of her back. He started to lead and she quickly fell into rhythm with him. Soon, they were waltzing in his living room, their eyes locked, hands warmly holding the other's. It seemed that there could be no better state of bliss they could be in. Everything was perfect. They were just completely, unabashedly happy. He spun her away from him, holding onto one hand and spun her back into him, resuming their positions. As the song came to a close, he dipped her. She smiled up at him, her hand finding its way into his hair as they shared a tender kiss. After a few seconds, he stood her back up and Rey smiled softly at him. "That was fun." Ben nodded, but seemed distracted. "Ben?" she asked, hand touching his cheek to draw him back. "What's wrong?"
He looked into her eyes and she saw veiled worry. He hid it quickly as he turned and went to the drawer by the door. He slipped something into his pocket as he walked back over to her and took her hands in his. "Rey..." he started carefully, his voice smooth despite his rising anxiety. She looked up at him cautiously, brows creased with concern. "I've had such a nice time with you, and I don't want to have to part from you again," he said as his gaze held hers in an anxious, but loving stare. "When I said I've discovered a ton about myself and us when we were apart, it was the truth. It tore me apart to be away from you. I would go for jogs and wind up at Luke's. I would try to sleep and I'd think of you. I would wake up and wonder if you were ok, if you're eating, if you're sleeping well... if your thoughts of me changed..." He brushed her hair behind her ear. "Every thought process I had revolved around you. It was torture to be away from you, even though I knew it would do you some good. I found myself wanting to call you all the time, every waking moment. I wanted to stop by your house. I wanted to be with you. Always. And so..." He dropped his one knee, pulling out the box he had carefully concealed. He opened it and showed it to her and there it sat. A beautiful diamond ring, gazing up at her with as much shine as it possessed. She gasped as she gawked at the ring and at him. "Rey... I promised you I would never leave you and I wouldn't disappear. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I can't imagine myself with anyone else. Would you... marry me?"
Rey's head was spinning as she stared at the man before her, down on one knee, eyes full of that same emotion she couldn't quite place before. She felt tears push their way out of her eyes as she felt herself growing more and more anxious, more and more in love and more and more lost to this man before her. She choked out a sob as every bad memory washed away. He wanted her. He loved her and he wanted her. She was enough for him. He chose her. Baggage and all, he chose her. He wanted to be with her always. Was always long enough? She laughed as she threw herself at him, her lips finding his in a bold and passionate kiss, one with renewed vigor as she cried out multiple "Yes!"s as she peppered his face with kisses. He held her tight and returned the kisses, releasing a happy laugh of his own. When she finally pulled away, tears were flowing so easily from her eyes that she feared they would never stop. He stared into her eyes, a look of wonder and love and gratitude. He was so grateful he had her. She'd said yes. He plucked the ring from the box and held her left hand, sliding the ring onto her ring finger. She looked down at it and new tears started to fall from her eyes as she clung to him as closely as she could, her lips finding his in another desperate, heated battle. Now, tonight was perfect.