Ani's P.O.V.

The moment I become conscious, I feel aching discomfort in my head and my body's sore with every move I make. My head feels like it's pounding; the light in the room blinds me, causing me to push my head further into my pillow. Waking up immediately from the pains, I urgently want to drink water. Sitting up with my hands covering my face from the light, I glance around between my fingers for something to drink. The moment I see a glass on the bedside table, I grab it and chug it until it's empty. It's only when I put the drink down that I notice a few pills on the table as well. Picking them up, I examine them before sniffing them as I determine if I should just take them without knowing what it is. Staring at them in my hand, I rub my face with my free hand, groaning from the how I feel currently.

"Take them, Angel. They'll help with the pain."

I hear Kylo announce and I peek up to find him walking into the bedroom with a glass of something orange. He's wearing a suit similar to last night but not a formal. It's not his usual attire, it seems more appropriate for this planet which has me suspect he has something to attend to today. He comes to my side of the bed and offers me his glass before sitting down beside my legs. Putting the pills into my mouth, I take his drink and gulping the pills down with the drink.

The drink tastes like oranges and peaches as I keep sipping until the glass is empty, same as the first one. When it's gone, I hand it to Kylo before laying make down groaning. Rubbing my face and hair, I sense the mess my hair has become from last night. Which only leads me to recall what happened last night. Sighing exhausted, I can't think of how many beverages I had. I can remember winning big in Sabacc, dancing with Kylo and a blur of kissing him throughout the night. Resting my hand over my eyes, I mumble in a coarse tone.

"Am I supposed to feel like this after drinking?"

"Not after a few..." I hear him answer as one of his hands comforts me by petting my leg over the covers, "But you had more than a few."

"I feel like I'm dying." I blurt out only to hear him chuckle and offer assuringly, "The pills will start working in half an hour and you'll feel brand new." His hands go to my arms, and he tries tugging me up to sit while informing me, "There's food in the kitchen, come on. It'll help-"

"No, Kylo... I can't move-" I whine, only to stop mid-sentence when I recall something from last night. "Was I calling you Mr. Ren at one point?"

"Oh, yes." Hearing his tone change into something devious, I glance his way to find a smirk on his face. Closing my eyes again, I curl up further in bed, letting out a defeated moan. I sense him wanting to move me up again, and I whimper softly for him to stop. His hand brushes my arm as he speaks up again in pity. "Come on, Ani. Eating will help-"

"Let me just lay here for a moment longer." I murmur, with my head shoved into the pillow. Lifting my hand and waving it around until I find his, I grab his hand, drawing it towards me, asking groggily, "Can you hold me? I get up soon, I promise."

Not hearing his answer, I sense him shifting and nudging me toward the middle of the bed to lie beside me. I draw his arm around my waist and hold his hand to my chest as his chest comes against my back. Sighing in relief, I lean back into him and trail my toes to touch the front of his caves. His hand on my chest rubs its thumb back and forth against my skin, soothing me. My head's already feeling lighter than before and my body seems more alive now from the hydrated drinks, but I continue to feel sore everywhere. I drift to sleep for what feels like a second, only for Kylo to turn me, trying to wake me back up. Turning in his grasp, I shove my head into his chest as he suggests light heartily, "Come on, Angel. I have plans for us today, you should get up now."

"What plans?" I grumble in his chest before stating in defense, "All I ever do is wait around for you."

"Well, now I'm waiting for you." I hear him point out before removing my face from his chest, "I won't leave you alone today either."

"Then what are we doing?"

"Once you get ready and eat something, I'll show you."

~Later In The Day~

"What are we doing here?"

"Spending your winnings."

"You're letting me keep the credits I won?"

"No. I'm letting you spend it." Kylo smirks down at me before scanning the buildings. "So spend it generously... You have a lot, more than I assumed you'd win."

Peering up at him, overwhelmed with my situation, I lock my arm with his and slowly stroll down the pavement. True to his words, I feel brand new from the medicine and eating this morning. Once I got dressed and finished the meal from earlier, he escorted us out of the hotel to downtown Canto Bight. I had two dresses to pick from and I decided on one that looks like Leia would appreciate more. It's a thin plain white dress that comes to my knees. It has long sleeves that hang over my hands. If it wasn't such thin material, I would probably sweat from the heat outside. A loose silver belt hanging around my waist that has a strap dangles in the middle. I put my hair into a low messy bun from not knowing what else to do with it. I'm glad I put it up since the breeze outside would have made my hair fly into my face.

The streets are buzzing with people, some are walking around with drinks and others are carrying shopping bags. I suspect this is how people normally spend their free time with what they earn weekly. It's a beautiful day to be out, yet this isn't how I picture spending a day like this. On Yavin 4, I would be by the lake with Ben swimming or playing hide and seek with him and chewy. If I was with my father, he'd take us to a meadow for a picnic and feed the small animals that live there. I've never shopped or bought anything in my life and at this moment I feel out of my element. I never had the need for money. It was something my father managed when I was a child and with Luke I never needed to have credits. It never accrued to me to buy anything and I don't even know what to buy. Kylo provides me food, clothes, shelter and travel; there's nothing I want that I could get with credits. Glancing up at the buildings' names, I blurt out to Kylo awkwardly, "What would I buy?"

"I'm not sure, but I'd like you to spend your credits on what you desire..." He answers as if this isn't is era of expertise. "What do women like?"

"Honestly... I don't know. I don't know many women... I don't know many people at all, actually." I mumble, feeling embarrassed at myself and slow down my steps. Kylo ushers me to continue walking, and I do as if I'm a child being dragged along with her father. Looking into the windows of the shops we pass, I see dresses and shoes on display. Seeing what my eyes are on Kylo proposes, trying to be encouraging. "Why don't you get a dress?"

"Carmon, my stylist, makes my dresses though." I point out in dismay at what would happen if I bought my own dresses. "I don't want her out of a job. I enjoy her company, Kylo."

"Don't worry about that, her job will stay in tacked no matter how many dresses you buy."

"Kylo, I don't need dresses." I sigh, feeling irritated at the situation he's putting me in. Turning around to stand in front of him I try to explain my thoughts, "I need nothing that credits could buy."

"Come on, Angel." Kylo murmur knowing what I'm insinuating, and I can sense his dismay from my statement. He takes my hand and tilts his head, advising, "There has to be something you've always wanted. Think of something. This is what people do-"

"Ben." I blurt out, trying to get him to understand why this feels wrong to me. "I'm not like these people. We're not like this. You know me, I do not need to spend credits for my pleasure." I speak up in sorrow that I'll never be like the rest of the galaxy. I wasn't raised on the value of credits, I was raised differently than these people around us. Staring down at my feet before peering up at Kylo, I mutter, shaking my head knowing my next words will sting him, "I had what I desired for years until you... Is that..."

My words come to a stop when something catches my eyes across the street. In a window of store a familiar metal clothing. With his hand still in my own, I stride across the street, forgetting what I was saying. I yank him to follow me. Getting closer to the building, I recognize what caught my eye. It's mandalorian armor. I frown in utter confusion about what it's doing here. Letting go of his hand, I scan the inside of the window before storming into the store. People are glancing at what's for sale, but I head straight to the armor. I feel my blood boil from the sight of suit. Mandalor armor shouldn't be for sale in some shop; it's a part of who Mandalorians are. A man comes up to me just as Kylo enters the building, speaking up to me politely as the man suggests, "Madame, we have an excellent section for woman just over-"

"Where did you get this?" I sputter out while walking around the armor, it looks in great condition I've ever seen before. Glancing toward Kylo, I see his disapproving eyes on me but I ignore it while turning to the other man, snapping promptly, "How dare you sell this like common rags?"

"Excuse me, the price I set this armor is worthy of its history." He claims, offended by my words, and points at me in warning, "Who do you think you are to insult me for selling it?"

"I'm a Dutchess of Mandalor. Who do you think you are to disgrace my culture for your benefit?" I announce, sensing my fury grow from him, able to put a price on armor like this. My hands turn into fists as his expression turns into a startled one as I continue to rant. "The man who wore this armor was probably worth more than everything in this store!"

"Anakia, calm down." Kylo comes to my side then and sets his hand on my back while declaring, "There's nothing you can do about it. It's his now, he's allowed to do what he wants with it-"

"Alright, then I'm allow to take it off his hands. I'll buy it from you." I insist without taking my eyes off the man and fold my arms, "How much are you selling it for?"

"Ani, no." Kylo blurts out alarmed by me and turns me to face him. I find his expression disturbed from what I'm doing, and I let my arms drop to my sides. Watching his face try to read my own as he demands, "You're not buying this because some shmuck has it-"

"You said I could buy whatever I please." I glance at the man watching us before shifting back to Kylo and hiss in frustration, "This is what I want, Kylo- Ben, please try to understand this is..."

"I can have it tailored to your size if you wish." The man tells us, I notice he's curious for the reason of Kylo's disproval to me having it. I know the reason he doesn't want me to buy it; last time I wore armor like this, it was to get away from him. Taking his hands in mine, I argue in a softer tone, "You can trust me with this. I can't bare to have this in anyone's hands less than me."

"No one less than you, huh?" Kylo repeats my words and I nod, silently pleading with him to allow me to have it. Glancing at the armor and the man beside it, Kylo tilts his head as if he's struggling to be okay with buying this for me. His eyes go back to mine and he speaks up in his low usual tone, "This is what you truly want?"

"Yes." I answer instantly; he watches me for a moment. I can sense him going into my mind to read my emotions. "... Tailored to her size." Kylo announces to the man without taking his eyes off me. I raise my eyebrows in surprise at how easily he caved to my request. Letting out a breath, I pull Kylo into a hug, knowing it's difficult for him to let me defy him in this way. The man takes the armor off the display as Kylo wraps an arm around me. Lifting my head up to catch Kylo's eyes, I let out in relief, "Thank you. I know it's not what you expected but I can't allow this-"

"Nothing less for a Duchess..." Kylo intrusts me using my past phrases as he pulls away to so we're able to look at one another. With a genuine expression he whispers as if he's still that kid who put my father's helmet on his grave, "... Right?"

"Right."

I grin with affection for him, the feeling my anger for the man and doubt towards Kylo disperse from my mind. Kissing his jaw, I spin around and chase the man, taking the armor toward a table with measuring tape. The man instructs me to stand on a stool to get my size in inches; doing so, I peer back to Kylo. He's still standing in the same spot, watching me with his hands in his pockets. I enter his mind across the room and see his mind on the moment he put my father's helmet on his grave. Smiling at him, I understand that's the only reason he allowed himself to let me have this armor.

It's out of respect for my father and my inheritance. It's at that moment, I remember we talked about it last night; we were dancing and bringing up the first moments we felt admiration towards one another. My smile slowly falls, recalling more and more from last night. I then remember what we spoke of before I fell asleep and what he stopped from happening. I can't help but think to myself with the absolute.

Ben has never left me with Kylo Ren. He's still the man I admire and love.