Luke has definitely had more than one bottle of wine. He's laughing loudly and making bawdy jokes that have Leia groaning and Han grinning from ear to ear. It's not that Rey hasn't seen them like this before but her worry is for Ben. She promised him if he wasn't comfortable she wouldn't drink, not even a glass of wine but Ben ever the pragmatist assured her it was fine. Not drinking would likely only fuel his parents and uncle's need to invent creative reasons for her lack of wine consumption now that November was over.
The thought had brought a hot blush to her cheeks, a blush that was mirrored now as she entered into Han and Leia's kitchen on Ben's arm. She had tried to escape into the entryway powder room but Ben had tugged her along mercilessly. This was a game to him, knowing the state she was in, knowing what he had done to her. Jokes on him though, it's a game two can play quite easily.
Rey has always loved Leia's kitchen, it's warm, inviting, and ever-changing. Always stocked with wine and good food, the perfect place to entertain. And, Leia loves to entertain. With Ben at her side, Rey stalks towards Luke who's wiggling a very fine bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon in Rey's direction. Her thighs are sticky as she moves but the form-fitting dress makes it easy to hide her need to keep them together. Ben, his hand at her back follows, accepting a glass of water from his father who's teasing Leia about the way she's stuffing her mushrooms.
"So glad you came too," Luke says a little sloppily as he pours Rey a glass without asking. The wine is aromatic and thick as she holds the glass beneath her nose and inhales softly. Ben, whether out of a desire to avoid being alone with his parents or just a need to be near her takes up residence at her hip. She can feel him pressed against her still as rigid as he had been outside. Interesting.
"Of course," Rey hums around the lip of her glass. Ben's hand is rubbing steady circles over her hip careful to skirt over her backside in the presence of his family. It feels… exhilarating in a way she's never experienced before. No one has ever paid her so much attention or encouraged such deviant behavior. While she'd never dream of doing something like going to a dinner party without any underwear before Ben makes the experience something a little more than just a filthy secret.
It's easy to get lost in his touch, listening to Han chastise Leia for adding too much cream cheese as BB and Chewie wrestle in the living room. The two mammoth puppy dogs have been fast friends so the growling whines are part of their everyday interaction. Chewie pinning BB against the ground and mouthing at his neck while BB wags his tail expectantly. Han mutters something about keeping it down and then throws the canines scraps of dried chicken which they greedily accept before going back to their pawing battle for dominance.
"So, any word from Ren?" Han asks, settling across the island from Ben. Han's eyes are red-rimmed and bloodshot, whether from drink or pot is indiscernible but he's pleasant which is really what matters. Han seems to know a lot more about Ben's work situation then she does which leads Rey to wonder if Ben's actually been talking to his father. Or maybe Han really is in the know still. As retired military there's bound to be lots he's still privy to with the right phone call.
Ben makes a noise halfway between a grunt and a sigh, "They keep pushing it back, I just want it over with," there's a note in his voice that sounds hopefully but sad. It's not that they haven't talked about it, they just haven't talked about it. Or what it means in the context of their relationship. Ben always assures her he won't let it change anything but how can it not if he's planning on going away again? It's not that she's not used to being alone. In fact, she's probably a little too comfortable with the idea. Now however for the first time in her life she feels like maybe, just maybe it's time to fight against the solitude.
"And how are you doing kid?" Han asks with a nod in her direction. She'd been nursing her glass of wine carefully, intent on only having one or two so that Ben didn't have to deal with her in any state of inebriation but Han's voice comes unexpected, "You seem a little spacey, are you hot? Your cheeks are all red, we can open a window."
"Oh no, I'm ok," she assures him, setting her wine glass down to rub at her cheeks. "Just a little wind burnt. Should have stood a little closer to the house I guess."
"What took you two so long anyway?" Leia chimes in. She's taking puff pastries out of the oven and replacing them with the mushroom tops she's stuffed with cream cheese and what looks like bacon. Luke and Han share a look that makes Rey feel more seen then she's used to.
Waiting for Ben to say something, offer any sort of explanation is like trying to hold her breath underwater after being submerged for too long, "Ben was explaining who Chewie was," she offers softly, catching Ben from the corner of her eye. He's been oddly quiet which makes Rey worry a little but the answer seems to appease everyone.
"Charles was a good man," Leia offers, Luke nodding sagely after her.
Their evening is made up of good food and stories of the late Charles Bachman. From her new position within the family Rey finds she's learning so much more about the Solo-Organa-Skywalker relation. She'd always been privy to certain things, Leia never really hid their families strained history. Now, instead of being another body around the table Rey finds herself there as more of a part of Ben's existence. Strained as it may be the warm familial bonds are tight and warm and it's easy to relax into. Maybe it's more to do with the fact that she's older now and knows more about the world or maybe it's just the way Ben holds her against him but Rey finds it easier to fit when he is next to her.
They've always loved her, that was never a question and it's not a matter of feeling more loved now then she had before. It's more the easy nature in which information flows. There's a comfort, a stream of consciousness that's been let go, a guard let down as they stand around the island and chat. Luke of course close to being obnoxious serenades Leia as he sweeps her into his arms and waltz's her around the kitchen. Leia laughs, as Luke releases her and she grabs Han. Han is a little more stoic in his movements, he's still as Leia pulls against him like a koala bear but within moments that stony shell is gone and he's sweeping her off her feet.
Han and Leia have what Rey has always considered a love story for the ages. No matter how old are or how much they fight they always come back to one another in an almost serendipitous way. While his parents dance and Luke does a sort of one man samba Ben's hands busy themselves against the backside of Reys dress. Their bodies are pressed so close together that his actions go hidden, fingers toying with the hem as he tugs it higher and higher. It's hard to school her features as she sips on her wine. It's difficult to keep a straight face as Leia laughs, knocking her head back while Han swoops in to kiss her cheek.
If she's being honest it's rather thrilling to be touched in such a way in so obvious a setting that it's hard not to be a little turned on. She still hasn't excused herself to the bathroom as she swore she would. She likes knowing what the idea of her being left sticky and damp is doing to Ben. It makes her feel powerful in a sense, owning her body in a way she's never really done before.
Still her dress creeps up higher and higher, Ben's eyes on his parents, his mouth upturned in a soft smile. There's an edge there, a dark glint of something Rey is discovering means trouble of the most delicious variety. Once he has her skirt rucked up high enough that it's just barely covering her backside, she feels his fingers creep between her thighs. She watches his jaw tighten as he feels the heated dampness left in the wake of his previous explorations. Their hips are too close to the island for it to be obvious what's happening but Rey's senses are peeked by the idea that they may get caught. That Ben may be acting a little too brazen in his exploration.
"Benjamin Solo you keep your hands to yourself," Leia's voice is curt and motherly as she points a very Han like finger in Ben's direction. Ben stills, Rey's eyes widen as Leia's brows lift and she gives them a sharp nod, "I can see you in the reflection of the windows, Ben."
The windows, Rey had forgotten about the windows at their back. Rey had forgotten but Ben had grown up in this house, Ben should have known…
Mortified Rey set's her glass down and excuses herself quickly. Rushing off to the bathroom she can hear Leia giving Ben grief, reminding him he needs to act more like an adult. It would be funny if it hadn't been her legs Ben had been trying to push his way between. If these people weren't as important to her as they were. The bathroom light is soft making the red of her cheeks stand out like a glowing beacon. She quickly sets to cleaning herself up, dealing with the tacky state of her thighs and the blossoming warmth that was quickly put out when Leia called them out. Really, she'd only called Ben out but hadn't Rey been complicit?
Taking a cool cloth to her face, careful of what little makeup she had put on before leaving Rey dabs at the heat of her cheeks. Running the cool cloth around her neck and behind her ears she steadies her heartbeat and readies herself to face Han and Leia and Luke after such a teenage act of immature pawing.
As she hovers in the hallway a moment she listens to their voices, Luke and Han are laughing like fools while Leia says, "It's not funny you two, poor Rey looked mortified. And you!" She imagines Leia is talking to Ben.
Han's voice cuts in, "Don't worry about it son," he sounds almost happy, "Your grandparents caught me doing waaaaaayyyy worse to your mother."
"Han!" Leia almost yelps as Luke simply chuckles.
"I remember when Dad found the two of you in the back of Han's old Falcon. That was more than a slip of a hand between the thighs Leia."
"That may have been when Ben was conceived actually." Han muses as Rey finds her feet and slowly makes her way back to the kitchen.
"Jesus dad," Ben barks and Rey can see the look of disgust on his face from his profile but his mother is laughing now.
"Serves you right for being a lech," Leia says as she swats at Ben from across the island countertop with a hand towel. When her eyes fall on Rey her demeanor shifts and Rey feels that warm comfort return, "Rey dear come on, it's ok."
Luke has her wine glass in hand as he approaches, pulling her over to his side of the counter and away from Ben, "Come over here away from my naughty nephew, you poor thing," he jokes and Rey can see the way Ben's eyes follow her.
His face is the picture of calm but for the tiny bit of red that tips his ears as they poke out from beneath Ben's dark hair. It's Ben's one obvious tell and he knows she's seen it. The look on his face is impassive but Rey can see the dark desire that lines the surface of his composure. It feels strange to be away from his warmth in a way that's foreign and unpleasant. Luke's hands a familiar as they rub at her shoulder in a way that's comforting but just not Ben.
"That was slick, I will say," Han says as he takes a drink of his whiskey. Leia chastises him, smacking him in the chest with the backside of a heavily ringed hand.
"Will you shut up." Leia hisses.
It's then Ben says, "Chewie would have thought it was smooth," and everyone goes still. Leia and Luke look shocked while Han simply looks stunned.
"Chewie would have never…" Leia starts to say.
Han effectively cutting her off with a fond sort of softness, "Oh… he definitely would have."
And that was that. Their evening rolled on with affable ease. Luke held Rey close for a moment or two longer, his arms looped over her shoulder as he spoke to her about things happening at the studio. Han and Leia picked at one another playfully and eventually Rey found herself back at Ben's side. He was careful to keep his hands where everyone could see them but that didn't stop him from pulling Rey down against his lap. From this position, he could prop his chin on her shoulder and nuzzle his nose against her ear while his arms wrapped themselves around her waist. He held her against him in a way that was protective and possessive all at the same time. When he laughed she could feel it as it rumbled through him, or the breathy way a chuckle would start.
It wasn't lost on her the way the others watched them. The careful fondness in Leia's eye as Ben spoke softly into her neck. Or how Luke just smiled when Ben kissed her on the cheek. Never one for public displays like this it felt odd to be exposed but in the end how was it any different than how Han and Leia acted with one another? If that was what Ben had grown up witnessing it only stood to reason that he would in turn act accordingly. His behavior was as natural over the course of time as breathing. He wasn't about to sweep her up into a dance the way Han did but he would tease her lips with morsels of food encouraging her to try something new. He'd bounce her slightly when she got a little lippy or pretend to let her slid off his lap only to scoop her up again and kiss her cheek. They were developing their own set of norms that felt right and fresh and full of affection.
When their evening came to an end, Luke passed out on the chaise about an hour prior, Han and Leia walked them to the door. Han looks tired, worn in a way that shows his age a little too clearly. Leia simply looks small and pink and flush with wine.
"We're glad you came," Leia says softly as she pulls Rey's hands into her grasp. Silently she mouths a 'thank you' leaving it's meaning open to interpretation while Han and Ben share a strained sort of handshake.
Ben has his wool coat pulled on when Han wraps Rey up in his arms. He's not as tall as Ben but he's not a small man either. His hug is firm and warm and fatherly as he lifts Rey up off her feet just a little. Her dress shifts and Ben is at her back pulling the black fabric down quickly before too much of her hind-end gets exposed.
"Ever the gentleman…" his mother says fondly as they bid their farewells.
A day or two goes by when Rey realizes that she never did get that pair of underwear back. She's at work going over some files when she picks up her phone to fire off a quick text message to Ben.
How's my panty thief doing?
It's simple but it makes her smile as she sets back to her task. Files are the one part of her job the likes the least. Every client's treatment must be documented. Clearly outlining the client's complaints, treatment approach, and reason for it. It's a lot of repetitive writing but it keeps the insurance companies happy. The trouble is, Rey sometimes lets her files build up until she has a pile that's entirely too large so she has to stay after her shift is finished to finish them up and then file them away.
This is one of those days. She'd sent Ben a text earlier in the day outlining her plan to which he'd responded with a tight 'no problem'. That should have been her first indication that something was off. She knew Ben's plans included a meeting and then heading back to his condo to deal with some work-related business. Ren, whoever that was kept pushing back their scheduled appointments and it was making Ben anxious. On top of that Hux had called him several times in the last few days but Ben had kept it all very hush-hush.
It isn't that she enjoys this sort of silence but she's accustomed to it so it isn't really a red flag.
Until it is.
Six-o-clock rolls around and Rey is packing stuff away into her purse when Paige pops in. Rose's sister is a sweetheart who has picked up front desk life pretty easily. She's reliable too and fantastic with the customers. Not much phases her so when she pokes her head into the staff room looking more then a little strained Rey's first response is one of concern.
"Hey Paige," Rey calls as she throws her overly large purse over her shoulder casually. "You ok? No issue with Mr. Henley's insurance this time I hope?"
"What? oh yeah, no it went through no issue," Paige says softly, before starting, "Uh, Rose's ex… the redhead?"
"Armitage? What about him?"
"He's been pacing around in the front lobby for about fifteen minutes now, I guess he's here to pick you up?"
That really gets Rey's attention, "Armie is here to pick me up?"
Paige merely shrugs, "I guess so, he doesn't look very happy."
"That might just be his face."
There's a soft laugh from Paige as her fingers tighten on the doorframe, "I don't mean to… I mean I know it's silly it's just Rose is going to be finishing up with a client soon and I don't… I mean things didn't end well. She's still… I mean I don't think it's over for her quite yet."
Stuffing her phone into her pocket hastily Rey nods, "I get it." She's tried hard to maintain a friendship with both Rose and Armitage, a feat that until this point has been relatively simple. The details of the breakup were never public knowledge and Rey never really pressed but she always got the feeling that neither party was particularly happy about the decision to end it. Rose had cried and Armitage had become even more of an insufferable prick for a time, things were only now getting back to the status quo. She was sure Rose wasn't aware of Hux's new lady friend.
With a soft understanding smile Rey makes her way passed Page. True to her word Hux is there, his hands shoved into the pockets of his dark blazer as he traipses back and forth. When he sees Rey everything sort of stops. His blue eyes are wide and open, like an animal caught in the headlights, "Right," he mutters, "Come on then."
Rey wants to scream at him, she wants an answer but cool as ever Armie simply ushers her out the door with a wave over her shoulder to Jannah. His hand at her arm is harsh and biting in a way that is not entirely Armitage's style. He's almost pulling her towards his car before she digs her heels in and pulls back.
"We don't have time for his," Armie seethes, "Come on Rey get in the car."
"Fuck off," she growls back, "Where's Ben?"
"Dealing with something, now come on, this isn't the time for petulance."
Her skin bristles beneath his accusation, readying for a fight. It's the survivor in her that responds harshly. With quick hands she pushes him away from her giving them some space. "You don't have to be a prick," she growls and suddenly Hux's expression softens. His eyes are darting around them as he gazes up and down the snowy boulevard before stepping in tight to Rey. His feet bump hers, his body mere inches away. He smells like smoke and ash and cinnamon. It's different from Ben in a way that isn't unpleasant it's just not for her.
"I… I'm sorry," he mutters restlessly, his hands twitch at his sides, flexing in and out of fists as he taps his curved index finger against his leg. "I may have fucked up." the admission is strange, Armitage is usually so careful, so well put together, Now he looks almost disheveled. "No, no I fucked up," he tells her. "I need you to get in the car." His eyes meet hers for just a moment before he signs, "Please."
Rey can't help but oblige. It doesn't take long before they're pulling up alongside a large building that seems to be built of onyx glass. It's one of the taller in the city but Rey's never known who owned it or what happens within its walls. She never found she'd cared until this moment.
"Sit, stay please…" Hux asks as he fiddles with his seat belt, "I'll be quick."
"What is this place?"
Hux bites at his lip cautiously, "My uh… My Dad's company."
"Armitage…" She doesn't know much about Brendol Hux, what she does know of him isn't what one would call pleasant. His relationship with his only son is strained and Armitage has always gone out of his way to avoid the man at all costs. Why then were they here?
"Don't," he cuts in quickly, "Just… stay in the car. Keep the doors locked. Do not, open the door for anyone. No one, you hear me?"
Rey nods, watching as Armie exits the car and straightens his lapels. He's running his hand through his hair a few times, straightening the cuffs of his jacket and then he's gone. She watches him disappear through the dark glass doors of the building entrance and then there's nothing to do but wait.
Waiting under the weight of this unknown makes Rey uneasy. She crosses her legs, shifting in the small space provided before deciding to dig out her cellphone. Still there's been no response from Ben. Her fingertips jitter, tapping on the blank screen face. Her backdrop springs to life, a picture of Ben and BB wrestling on the floor. Yes, she's turned into that girl.
In a desperate attempt to calm her mind Rey pulls up Facebook and begins thumbing through the posts. Friendly faces, funny cat videos and recipes fill her feed but in the end she's not really looking at any of it. Quickly she texts Poe, an inquiry about the upcoming party. Finn's birthday falls two weeks before Christmas so as a rule they don't usually make a big deal of it. Even worse is Rey's. She doesn't like to think about it let alone celebrate it. Growing up with Plutt made having a Christmas birthday that much worse. Not only was it disappointing knowing that Christmas going to be another evening of cleaning up after her Uncles drunken friends. Her Birthday was always left unacknowledged. She hadn't had a real birthday party until she was nineteen and Finn had taken it upon himself to throw an epic Birthday bash fit with Chrismas Dinner and tacky decorations. The turkey was dry and the trimmings were sparse but she'd never felt more cared for in her life.
With no response from Poe, Rey scrolls through her pictures a bit. The reel is a line of silly selfies she's forced Ben to take, BB napping, BB carrying a stick, Bb eating icecream. A few more candid shots Ben would kill her if he ever knew she had. Him sitting in his sleep pants reading a book. Him cooking supper, dancing just a little to the music Rey forced him to endure. Their time together until this point has been fast and crazy and despite all the drama so blissfully perfect.
After a few more agonizing minutes Rey caves, ready to send Ben another text message when her phone chimes startling her from her thoughts. Expecting it to be Poe, Rey is elated to see it's actually Ben getting back to her
Sorry, I've been a bit tied up, see you soon though?
Maybe without panties?
Rey can't help but giggle. Ben is an incorrigible gentleman with one of the most devious mouths Rey has ever known. And he's all hers.
Preparing her response Rey takes a moment to survey her surroundings. The windows of the car are tinted and there's no one really around. There's the slight chance of getting caught but Armitage could be another fifteen minutes how would she know? It wouldn't take her long…
What was she even doing?
Was she really?
A split-second decision has her shucking her boots off, a simple pair of slip-on leathers that only came up to her ankles. The pull tabs at the front and heel make them easy to get on and off. She was small and her wool coat covered quite a bit.
Fuck it.
Squirming out of her leggings quickly Rey tugs the tight cuffs over her ankles angling her hips so she can shimmy out of them. A quick cursory glance around tells her there's a couple walking down the other side of the street but no one within view that can see her. Quick as can be she hooks her thumbs into the band of her underwear and works them down over her hips. The angles are funny and anyone who looked in right now might think she's crazy but her waist is hidden beneath the tight console. Once her bare arse hits the leather seats Rey makes quick work pulling her leggings up and over her shins and thighs, quirking her hips just as she sees a flash of orange hair within the atrium of the building. Armitage is talking to a squat woman with her hair done in winding braids around her head.
It's no good to sit there without underwear on without making a point of it. Quick as she can Rey set's the small blue cotton against the dash of Armitage's prized ride and takes a quick picture before stuffing the undergarments into her purse just in time for Armie to approach from the building. He looks thoroughly pissed. Like someone's just told him he's not allowed to wear black anymore, or that he's going to have to start going to a tanning bed.
Rey doesn't have time to consider as she fires off the picture to Ben rather pleased with herself and her sneaky sexting.
His response is instant.
Fuck Rey, I can practically taste you, are you wet right now?
Wait are you in Huxley's car?
Rey laughs outwardly as Armitage crawls into his seat next to her. "What's so funny?" he asks bitterly, "You better not be sexting Solo right now," grabbing for her phone Rey pulls it back out of his reach quickly.
He takes a moment to observe her fully. She knows her cheeks are flushed, she can feel it and her coat is slightly askew, "Why did you take your boots off?" he asks skeptically.
Floundering Rey says, "They're new and they hurt my feet." Armie is eyeing her cautiously, "And I'm texting Rose, sorry…" The guilt Rey feels is immediate. Armitage's face falls from annoyed to curiously hurt in a matter of seconds as he passes a thick manilla envelop as well as a series of blue and green folders into the back seat.
"How is she?" he asks softly and Rey can see it just there, the ebbing guilt over a relationship lost.
"Armie…" she offers softly, ignoring how he hates the name, "It's not my place to say." He's got his keys poised in the ignition when Rey's resolve waves, "If it was then I could tell you she's still pretty broken up over it." Her hand finds his allowing a soft squeeze over his pale knuckles. "What happened?"
Armitage tenses and for a second Rey wonders if she's pushed too far. She leaves him be as he starts the car, pulling his seat belt on in quiet stillness, "She wants kids…" she catches softly and it's the admission of someone who's lived a life of broken cold homes. There are times she's thought about it too, whether or not having kids would ever be in the cards for someone like her. She doesn't know how to take care of herself let alone a tiny human. It's easy to go on autopilot when it comes to your own life but when an innocent needs you…
"And you… don't?"
"Fuck Rey how could I? I don't know how to love someone. I don't even know why Rose stayed with me as long as she did." They're the words of a man who has lost himself. "My father never loved me, he doesn't love me. I'm a pawn, a piece for him to move around as he wishes. I've never been anymore then leverage over my mother who wanted to leave him but couldn't. Because of me."
"I get it," she admits, "You spend most of your life believing you're nothing then there's a sort of selfish survival instinct that kicks in. When you live with that you don't feel like you're capable of providing for something so small."
"Like you'll corrupt them," Armie's head hits the steering wheel, his hands the only cushion.
"Gwen doesn't want kids then…"
"Fuck Gwen barely wants me. We work because we're both too busy for relationships. When we're together we fuck and we talk shop and she gets it but when we're apart I don't miss her. I should miss the person I'm with right?"
Rey thinks of Ben and how not hearing from him all day had made her feel. It was hard at first coming to grips with being a person who cared that much. Someone who felt so much for someone so quickly. Now, it's like breathing, "Yeah…" she admits, "For what it's worth Armitage, I think you'd be a pretty awesome dad."
The noise he makes is halfway between a scoff and a muffled moan. A broken man's attempt at dismissing a fact he wishes were true. "What about you?"
In the middle of texting Ben back, Rey pauses, "What about me?"
"You and Solo," Armie offers but still Rey's not quite sure. Is he asking if they're going to have kids?
"I… it's never… I don't know." she finishes lamely, "I don't even know if he's going to be going back to the Marines."
Pulling away from the curb Armitage doesn't bother looking at her, he simply navigates the streets around them like a man who knows where he's going. "He won't." As if it's that simple. "He's playing it pretty close to the chest right now but trust me. He has eyes for little brown-eyed babies with your freckles and his dopey big ears."
All Rey can do is stare at her ginger-haired friend, "Has he… have you two…" does she really want to know?
"Have we talked about it?" Armie asks with a dark chuckle, they're only a few blocks away now coming in from the back of the building. "Yes and No. I know you two haven't fucked yet." he offers and Rey's cheeks burn brightly.
She's pulling the collar of her wool coat around her face to hide her embarrassment not sure that she should say.
"Oh stop it, I'm surprised he's held out this long. I've heard the man fuck." Armitage shakes his head as he takes a corner and pulls his visor down pressing a small white button on a fob attached there, "It's enough to make me blush. You know he has a mouth on him right?"
"Yeah… you do." He laughs as they pull into the underground parking area. The lighting is dark and it takes Rey a moment to adjust but she can see the smile that's coiled itself up on Armitage's lips, "Look I'm not about to out him as some sex god, but I won't let you think the man's a saint either. He's had his number of partners but," pulling into his parking spot Hux turns his keys before turning to face Rey. The lighting makes his orange hair look almost brown, his skin almost a normal pallor, "You're it for him, Kitten. All roads start and end with you. He's scared, like terrified and he'll never admit it so don't you go telling him I said this. He wants what his parents have. Fuck, the big dope, he's so hung up on you I bet he's already got a ring picked out."
A ring? Rey's heartbeat hums in a soft staccato in her chest as she rallies her breathing into something a little more reasonable. Part of her wants to think that Armitage is just fucking with her, that at any moment he's going to laugh and Holler 'gotcha!' But, it never comes. He gives her space, he watches closely but he doesn't pressure her into a response. Her mind is reeling, it's everything she's ever wanted and yet it's all just a little too much. Still it's Ben and no matter what, too much or no sex Rey finds she's prepared to see where he wants to take this.
"Hey, hey, He hasn't," Armie says finally, "Not that I know of anyway." reaching passed her into the back seat he grabs the documents he'd tossed there, arranging them on his lap with a soft thud, "You'll see what I mean… come on. He's upstairs."
So, after pulling her shoes back on she follows. Through the dark parking garage and into the elevators up the glassy column to their floor. Armie leads her down the hallway with the envelope tucked under his arm tapping it against his thigh. He doesn't bother with his keys, simply pushing into the apartment. They find Ben sitting at the kitchen island with an assortment of papers spread out before him like a map to an answer. To the answer.
"You get it?" Ben approaches with a grin as Armie holds his prize aloft.
"You fucking owe me, Solo," comes the response as Armitage smacks Ben's shoulder with the paperwork before throwing it down with the rest.
It's like she's been pulled into some sort of secret investigation that she'd been blissfully unaware of. Ben's arms wrap around her, his hands sliding down over her hips to grab at her backside. Palming her arse as though to test whether in fact those had been her undergarments she'd so surreptitiously sent him. Leaning in for a kiss he nips at Rey's bottom lip, murmuring, "tease," softly into her mouth with a smile.
"Ok ok, enough with the heavy petting, we still have work to do here," Armie grumbles as he pours himself a glass of whiskey. Without any pretense he knocks the amber liquid back like its water with only the softest hint of regret. Not enough it seems as he's quickly pouring himself another.
As Ben moves away from her Rey shifts out of her wool coat, hanging it on the back of one of the kitchen chairs. The paperwork is a litany of names and dates and numbers and places, none of which make the slightest amount of sense to Rey at all. Ben is pawing at the manilla envelope as Hux extracts a few photocopied pictures from the green and blue colored folders. They work in tandem piecing information together here and there as though putting together a large jigsaw. As Ben's eyes caress the paper in his hands his eyes go wide, his mouth drawn into a grin that threatens to crack his face.
He has his arms around Armie's shoulders quickly as he cries, "Huxley I could kiss you!"
Stiffly Hux replies, "Your keys and signature will due Solo," as Ben turns on Rey who admittedly is very confused now.
"Someone going to fill me in?"
Prowling towards her, his body slightly hunched at the shoulders Ben looks like a mad man. His dark eyes are wide and bright and fill or something Rey thinks might just be joy. He's worrying his bottom lip between his teeth before he approaches her with his tongue curled up over the top lip in a sort of mad hatter grin. It almost looks like he's dancing, or some odd motion like dancing as he waves the paper around before swooping in and claiming her mouth in a kiss. It's warm and full of promise as he pulls her up against him encouraging her to hop up. His broad hands supporting her thighs as she pops up into his embrace, legs hitched on his hips as he spins her. He's happy about something and it isn't just the fact that she's currently going commando. Slanting his mouth he deepens the embrace much to Armitage's dismay. When he finally pulls away he's setting her on the countertop, a little higher than her own so she sits eye to eye with him.
"We found it." He says with a grin.
"Found…. what?"
"For fuck says Solo, just tell her already." Armitage gripes, he's holding a bottle of Jack Daniels in his fist like it's a baby bottle.
Instead he shifts his head back and forth, wiggling his shoulders as he does so. He is dancing Rey realizes and he's doing so very poorly. All the same, it makes her laugh, "We found how to take make alllllllll of our problems go away. Plutt, the Marines, all of it.
"I didn't realize the Marines were an issue," Rey says softly.
"Ever since I mentioned to Ren I was thinking about taking the honorable they'd offered me he's been dicking me around. I know he's been talking to his superior, General Snoke about it and for some reason they don't appear to be very interested in letting me go."
"Snoke's in bed with Plutt," Armie explains, "It was hard to track down but it's there and it's a weakness we can expose if we do this right."
"That's why you went to your father?" Rey asks, "To get this information?"
Shrugging Armitage takes a long swig from the bottle of Jack, "I not as altruistic as that Kitten, trust me I'm getting something out of this but this is real and it's a start. A dangerous start, but a start."
"I thought you said you fucked up?"
Armie's shoulders tense as Ben turns towards him, "What did you do?" Ben's words are harsh, biting in a way that makes Rey's skin prickle.
"Ahhh... about that. It has nothing to do with all..." waving his hand around Hus says, "This, it's shit with my father, I'll deal with it. It won't affect you, scouts honor." Holding two fingers a loft Armitage huffs before taking another swig of the Jack.
Ben seems to consider for a moment before turning his attention on Rey "I'm going to take it to my dad tomorrow, but this is real, this is good." He's excited and Rey isn't quite sure what to say. The idea of being out from under Plutt's eye is like a dream but to have Ben so willing to give up his job, a job he loved… it's overwhelming. She sees now what it was Armitage was trying to tell her and the reality of it settles into her like a weight. There is so much there to wade through, so many emotions left to pick apart but it's real and it's right there. She only needs to allow herself to hope.
I wasn't as happy with how this turned out, I wrote it a few times and this is what sort of stuck. I think maybe I'm reading too much smut. I kind of love Ben being a bit out of control for Rey, is it too much? Let me know what you think lovelies xoxo
