"Do you want another one?" Rey stopped by his hand, and Ben looked up at her in confusion. He hadn't heard a single word his girlfriend had said before that.
"Sorry?"
She just smiled and pointed at the beer in his hands.
"The beer, honey," she explained. "Do you need another?"
Ben shook his head and felt his face warming up when she pushed some of his hair behind his ear kissing his cheek before heading to the kitchen of her flat, leaving him all alone with her friends, who just continued to chitchat around the living room.
Truth is, Ben didn't fit in with Rey's friends. They were all morning people, extroverted, and a whole family of people who just shone everywhere they went. Looking at them, no one would guess Ben fucking Solo, certified freak, was Rey's boyfriend, the dude who had an art degree, worked at a tattoo shop and had been saving money for years to open his own business, had both his arms covered in tattoos and officially had more piercings than fingers from head to toe. Rey was a good girl who dressed her part and worked as his mother's chief press officer; he had met in one of her press conferences and was bewitched by her the exact moment it happened. He didn't think she'd be interested in a man like him – so different from her – but his thoughts were silent when she simply walked to him and asked him out. That was how they started and met.
"Hey, Ben," Rose stood from the couch, moving quickly to reach him. "Valentine's Day, then? Is everything ready?"
He looked back at the kitchen nervously
"Shush, do you want her to hear it?" he hissed. "I'm still short on money, I got a couple of tattoos to do this weekend, I think the payment will be just enough to get the ring."
She just nodded and glanced at the kitchen again before back at him.
"So you already separated it, right?" she asked.
"I did, yes."
He confirmed and Rose walked away, sitting right beside her boyfriend – Hux, a stiff ginger who looked at her like she was the world - just in time for Rey to leave the kitchen and serve each guest with a beer before stepping beside Ben once again, holding his favourite beer.
"Got you another one," she smiled.
He smiled, resting his empty bottle behind himself and accepting her offer and taking her own bottle before setting it aside too.
"Hey!" Rey exclaimed, but Ben already had his arms wrapped on her waist and was carrying her to sit on the wet bar he'd been leaning on for the night.
"Are you staying the night?" she touched his face, moving her thumbs over his pale cheeks.
Ben closed his eyes. Rey was incredibly affectionate; she craved touch and always reached to touch him for the smallest of reasons and he just leant onto it. Growing up, neither of his parents had a lot of time to spend with him, so he was just used to not needing it. After Rey, though, he didn't think he'd survive without it ever again.
"Do you want me to stay the night?" he questioned.
"I do."
He leant onto her, kissing her lips gently.
"Then I'll stay."
Rose let out an annoyed sound and Hux faked a gagging sound, and everyone turned to his girlfriend when she suddenly let out an exclamation.
"Oh, you guys won't believe it!" Rose looked around. "They finally sold that house on the hill yesterday!"
Rey's head shot right up at that, and he could see how her heart broke by the news.
"The one with the view of the town?" she asked. "But I loved that house!"
"It's a pity your loan didn't cover it," Hux said in a rather sad tone.
She pouted, and Ben moved a hand to put a strand of hair behind her ear. Rey had the most beautiful hair he'd ever seen, but maybe he was probably just being like any other man in love because she didn't have any defect in his eyes. Her locks were chestnut brown, soft and wavy, and framed her face in an adorable and innocent way that was just enhanced by how gorgeous her eyes were.
How come she was with a guy like him of all people?
"There are other houses," Ben caressed her thighs, trying to soothe her. "Maybe one more reachable where we won't both be swimming in debt by the time we move in."
Rey breathed out.
"I know. It's okay," she looked down. "I just… I really liked that house."
"I know," he sighed, caressing her hair. "I'm sorry."
He kissed her cheek and she offered her boyfriend a small smile. He tried not to look guilty, knowing it was his fault, but it was okay. It was for the best, and Rey would be stunned by his surprise. Or at least, he hoped so.
…"Watch out for the steps," he held her hand gently. "I don't want you tripping."
Rey just complied, and Ben opened the front door to let her in, making sure to check if her blindfold was still on. It was Valentine's Day, and he's promise her a surprise.
Ben had been planning this for the latest four months, and now was extremely nervous. What if she didn't react positively? Oh goodness, what if she broke up with him?
Ben had money in his bank account. His parents had started a thrust fund for him the moment he was born and he'd inherited a lot of money after his grandparents passed away, and he'd honestly never touched it. They didn't touch it to pay for his education and suggested he could use to open his store, but he didn't want any of that: He wanted to buy it with his efforts, just like Rey's engagement ring. Her dream house, though, was a different thing. Ben wanted to give her the best of the best, and if that meant finally touching that money, then he would do that without thinking twice.
"Are we there yet?" she questioned, bringing him out of his mind.
Ben looked around the empty living room and rushed Rose, who was running to hide behind the couch, only turning back to his girlfriend when he was sure it was safe, walking behind her and removing the blindfold from her eyes.
Rey waited for a couple of moments while her eyes adapted to the sunlight coming from the windows, but looked around with a curious face when she started to notice the familiarity of the place around them.
"Ben?" she questioned, walking to the window in front of them. "Is this…"
"I knew you adored the house," he said shyly, blushing, hot on the face. "And I really am sorry we weren't accepted for the loan, but… There is a reason we weren't accepted for the loan and I made the estate agent promise not to tell."
When Rey turned to him, her eyes were full of tears and he knew he didn't have to say anything anymore. With three quick steps, she crossed the room and jumped in his arms, kissing his lips just as he held her legs around his waist.
"Did you like it?" he whispered.
"Ben, I loved it!" she exclaimed. "But how did you…"
"I had some money from my thrust laying around," he shrugged. "It's not like I was going to touch it any time before we have kids."
She grinned more, kissing him once again in a way he definitely didn't want her to be kissing him with both his parents and her foster parents hiding in the other room, so he helped her stand up again and stepped back.
"There's also something else," he smoothed his hair. "So… There's this shop down the street and… They sell those really cool rings…"
Rey's hazel eyes widened even more, and the tears that had disappeared from them were right back in much higher intensity. He opened the box, and the small but beautiful ring shone under the light.
"Rey, my wonderland girl," he opened a smile. "I know I'm a John Doe with a bunch of doodles over my skin and jeans that are never quite whole, but I love and I know you love me. And…"
"I do," she confirmed, pulling him up. "I do, I do."
He placed the right on her finger, and this time their kiss was cheered and applauded by all their family and friends
"Happy Valentine's Day," Ben whispered.
Rey was surprised when she went on to greet their family their family and friends and pick up the glass of celebratory champagne Leia had offered them, but went alone with the surprise, thanking everyone for being involved in Ben's plan. It was only over thirty minutes later that they got a moment to spend alone, and her arms were around his neck not a single second after.
"Did you really like it?" he asked. "I know the ring isn't all that, but I wanted to work for it and…"
Rey smiled openly.
"I loved it," she rubbed her nose on his. "I loved the ring, the house, the surprise… Everything."
He grinned and they kissed again, only pulling away so she could look around with a naughty grin.
"Let's go upstairs," she bit her lips. "It's my time to give you a surprise."