Force Dyad
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A/N-thank you very much to everyone who kindly read and reviewed the last chapter. Armitage Hux makes his appearance in this chapter and the changes I've made might just surprise you….
Chapter Forty-Seven-The Mating Dance
"What's going on here?" Ben demanded as he noted the exasperated look on Rey's face. Gods, how he detested Dameron and his giant ego. He could barely tolerate the man at the best of times, but Rey was clearly upset, and that he wouldn't stand for.
"You're back!" Rey took a joyous step toward him, but became instantly frustrated when he refused to look at her and kept his simmering gaze fixated on the hapless Poe instead. "Ignore him, Ben." She said irritably. "He was just being his usual dumbass self. He was trying to steal BB-8 again."
"Aww…tell the truth, Rey." Poe drawled; an amused smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Admit it, you just wanted my attention."
"I did not!" Rey blazed, turning directly to face him. "You are nothing but a…a…a…." She stumbled over her words as she tried to think of a suitable insult.
"Nerfherder?" Poe teased lightly, his smile turning into a smug grin. "You've got it bad." He laughed as Rey's cheeks turned rosy with renewed anger. "You've got stop blushing around me, my little Rey of sunshine. You're giving yourself away. Although, I must admit I'm kind of partial to a pretty girl who- "
"Enough, Dameron!" Ben thundered, completely losing his cool with Poe's flirtatious comments to Rey. He hated the guy with a huge passion. Dameron's presence buzzed around Rey like an insect he couldn't swat. He wanted to flatten Poe; the fool needed to be taught a lesson he would never forget. "I'm warning you; I will not allow you to take what's mine."
Poe's lips curved into a sly smile as his eyes flicked to Rey. "I take it we're not just talking about the droid here, Solo."
Out of the corner of his eye, Ben saw Rey's hazel eyes widen slightly in confusion. Poe's taunt had gone right over her head, though Ben had gotten his full meaning. "Leave while you still can, Dameron." He said through gritted teeth.
"I'm going." Poe replied, his mocking smile fading as his expression turned serious. "Just a friendly warning, Solo. Independent girls like Rey don't like to be owned." He lowered his voice further so Rey wouldn't overhear. "Our little Rey of sunshine belongs to no one but herself. You carry on being so possessive, she'll see right through you and walk away."
"I hate that guy!" Ben complained for the umpteenth time. "Something has to be done about him. He's reckless, egotistical and…"
"Will you please give it a rest, Ben!" Rey interrupted him in annoyance. "Poe loves to wind people up and get under their skin. He thrives on the drama. Why are you letting him get to you?" She looked at him expectantly, waiting for an answer.
There was that static again, that crackling in the air that always happened whenever they got within a foot of one another. It was occurring with increasing intensity lately. Ben gravitated toward Rey. He stared at her lovely face, couldn't help himself. Her eyes spoke of a beautiful soul as she gazed up at him in concern. She was kind and clever, that's what drew people to her. She showed compassion, even to those who didn't deserve it, such as Poe Dameron.
Ben didn't know how to answer her-didn't know what to say. He was peculiarly conscious of her standing so close to him. She was like the sun. His light in the darkness. No matter the distance his attraction to her remained constant. She could be at the other end of the galaxy and still he would feel pulled toward her orbit. When times were dark, she was the one that lifted him back into the light, when times were bright, she was the one who rejoiced with him. She was everything to him. He had watched her grow from a tiny baby into this beautiful, stunning, independent young woman in front of him. There was nothing "princess" about her though, just a fierce independence and a bright spirit…. and she was that way from girlhood, confident with the air of a warrior.
And he loved her.
He loved her so damn much.
And he couldn't tell her.
Ever.
It had taken Ben a long time to acknowledge how he really felt about her, to admit his attraction. No other girl could hold a candle to her. He didn't see anyone but her. She consumed his every thought, his every feeling.
And he was ashamed.
So ashamed to be having these thoughts and feelings about her….
Rey was unaware of the chaos going on inside his head. His eyes were so different in moments like these, softer than she knew eyes could be. He looked so vulnerable, so exposed. She got a secret thrill that she was the only one who ever got to see this side to him. He trusted her enough to be unguarded around her. She continued to gaze into his warm brown eyes, the emotion in them clearly telling her he needed more of a connection, or that she did, though she guessed in reality it was both of them.
"I missed you, Ben." Rey said honestly. "I'm glad you're back."
"I know." Ben answered huskily.
If it were anyone else Rey would drop her gaze, but with him she was drawn in closer, always wanting more. "Ben…."
"Rey, are you in there?" Rose came bouncing into their shared quarters, stopping short in surprise when she saw Ben towering over her friend. "Woah…I didn't mean to interrupt."
"You didn't." Rey said curtly.
"Okay." Rose's gaze slid to Ben, who looked back at her with a detached expression. The guy was always so distant and unapproachable. Rose wondered how Rey put up with his aloofness. "Um…I only came to tell you that breaks over. We have to get back to work now."
"I'm coming." Rey sighed. She made to follow her friend, but paused, looking over her shoulder at Ben. "I'll catch up with you properly later?" She asked.
"Yeah." Ben murmured as he watched her go.
Faster and more expensive and complex than the former T-65B, the T-70 X-wing starfighter featured advanced weaponry and proved more versatile than its predecessor, and was essential in both dogfights and capital-ship scale combat operations. Rey and Rose were part of an essential team of maintenance workers and engineers who kept the fleet of starfighters in tip top condition.
The head engineer was a young man who went by the name of Armitage Hux. His most outstanding feature was his red hair, which he kept short and slicked back while he was working. He was the palest person that Rey had ever seen and D'Qar's lush, jungle covered terrain did his complexion no favours. If he ventured outside the base, he seemed to attract all manner of biting insects and he was often covered in bacta patches. Still, despite these irritants, he was devoted to his job and an extremely accomplished engineer.
"Armitage!" Rose yelled.
Hux's head popped up from inside the cockpit of the X-Wing she was working on. "You called, my queen." He teased.
Rose immediately bristled at his mocking tone. Hux knew how much she hated it when he called her that. He often referred to her as some kind of royalty and it irritated her every time. He never did it to anyone else. "Stop acting the fool and tell me where you've hidden the power calibrator."
"Weren't you the last one to use it, your highness." Hux responded with a smirk. "Perhaps you need to retrace your steps."
Rose scowled. "You get on my last nerve, Armitage. If I find out you've hidden it…." She stalked off, muttering under her breath.
Armitage chuckled as he pulled the power calibrator out of the cockpit and held it in his hand, revealing that he had it all along. Rey, working on the tail end of the X-Wing, shook her head in disbelief. "Why do you wind her up like that, Armitage? I swear you get a kick out of it."
"Of course, I do." Hux grinned. "And she enjoys it."
Rey looked up at Hux as if he had grown two heads. "She clearly doesn't. She's mad at you."
"Ah, you are such an innocent, Rey." Hux said playfully. "It's all deliberate. I wind her up. She retaliates. Its all part of the mating dance."
"Mating dance?" Rey questioned in confusion.
"I like Rose. She likes me. It's called flirting, Rey. It makes life fun. You should try it some time." Hux's voice became muffled as he disappeared back inside the cockpit again.
"Flirting?" Rey said wonderingly. So that was how it was done? Insulting each other meant you liked each other? How odd! She filed away this little bit of information for future reference. Maybe she would indeed try it out on Ben sometime, she thought, just to see his reaction.
A/N-thanks for reading! Please review.
