Hey!
I need to thank Sohypothetically for reading… and you for reading too!
I don't own the children's book, Where the Wild Things Are. Or Star Wars...
There are some trigger warnings… Ben's ex, Bazine is a bitch. She left her boys. Part of this chapter is helping little Wyatt heal from the hurt. If you want to skip the heartbreak… skip down to the paragraph that starts, He starts to say something...
And please let me know what you think of my little fic… I love comments and likes/kudos!
"But the wild things cried, "Oh please don't go-
We'll eat you up-we love you so!"
And Max said, "No!"
The wild things roared their terrible roars and gnashed their terrible teeth
And rolled their terrible eyes and showed their terrible claws
But Max stepped into his private boat and waved goodbye.
And sailed back over a year
And in and out of weeks
And through a day
And into the night of his very own room
Where he found his supper waiting for him
And it was still hot."
Rey closes the worn book that she remembers was Ben's at one time. Already half asleep, the adults kiss each worn out little boy and turn out the light. She lingers but it's Ben who motions for her to follow him down the stairs.
When she reaches the last step, he pulls her into a hug. He kisses her on the forehead, then the nose, then her lips. His kiss is brief but his lips remain on hers as he growls, "I've been wanting to kiss you all day."
"You have?" She asks as she leans back to look into those whiskey colored eyes that she loves so much.
"I have."
"It was fun hanging out with your parents though." And it was. After breakfast, little boys demanded to be let loose in the woods with Artoo following close behind. Then it was back to the house where they emerged, with help from Lala of course, in swim trunks ready to swim. Lunch of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches was served on the dock. Supper, then telling Han and Leia goodbye along with a see you tomorrow when you get back. Jackson and Wyatt are finally clean and in bed.
"They always liked you more than they liked me." Ben says. She can't tell if he's teasing or serious. Maybe somewhere in between. She can't say anything, so she squeezes his neck tight and kisses his cheek. "You didn't have to stay with us all day. This is supposed to be your break too."
"Ben," she replies. "I came up here because the girls are with Poe this weekend. It's really hard sometimes for them to be gone."
This time it's him who pulls her tight. "I can just imagine."
"But this—seeing you and meeting your sweet boys—"
Fast and loud footsteps above their heads makes Ben steal a kiss before they part. Wyatt appears at the top of the stairs peeking through the rail at the adults. "Rey!"
"What is it Wyatt?"
"We have to hunt lightening bugs at my house! Do you have lightening bugs at your house too?"
"Wyatt—" Ben warns.
"I'd love to," Rey says at the same time. They look at each other and Rey smiles while Ben… is he nervous? "Wyatt, why don't you go back to bed and Daddy and I will figure it out."
He doesn't say anything, but instead runs downstairs. Instead of him running to Ben, he latches himself to Rey's legs. His voice is muffled but Rey makes out, "You promise?"
"Pumpkin, what's wrong?" She murmurs as she bends over to pick him up. He won't look at her or Ben but instead wraps his little arms around her and buries his face in her neck. She feels him shake and mouths to Ben, "Is he crying?"
A look that she's never seen before crosses Ben's face. It's a mix between sadness and anger. He doesn't try to take Wyatt from her, instead he guides them to the couch. She can feel Wyatt move, and he must see Ben beside them; because he crawls into his lap next, but keeps a hand on Rey.
"Wyatt? Buddy? Tell Daddy what's wrong."
"Will we see Rey again?" Rey's heart breaks when his little voice cracks on her name.
Ben meets Rey's eyes over Wyatt's head. It's Rey who says, "Yes, you will. Why do you think you won't see me again?"
Little Wyatt Solo only has to say one word to break the adults beside him.
"Mama," he sobs into his father's chest.
Even though her heart breaks for the youngest Solo, Rey still has to whisper, "Do you want me to go?"
Ben shakes his head. "Stay please." He shifts Wyatt so he can meet his eyes. "Rey is not your mama." Wyatt's eyes grow round.
"She's not Mama?" he echoes.
"No, son. Do you know what that means?"
"No?"
"She's not the one who left you. I've known Rey since I was ten. There are several things I can tell you about her. If she loves you," he pauses long enough to meet her eyes. "She loves you with everything she has. If she's ever met you, she probably loves you already. If she says that she's going to do something, she will try her best to do it. So, if Rey says that she's going to come hunt lightening bugs with you, then she will."
Wyatt looks at Rey again. She smiles and he gives her a wobbly smile back. "Daddy's right. I do try my best to do what I say I'm going to do." After years of working with kids, she knows that the boys need to talk about the past year with someone. But she also knows that she can't do it all. She doesn't try to take Wyatt back from Ben, but does scoot closer. The little one meets her gaze, and she leans in to kiss his forehead.
Wyatt rewards her with a smile. Then, he loosens his arms from his dad's neck and gives her a little side hug, but doesn't leave Ben's lap. Before he lets her go, she whispers, "I'll never lie to you, sweetheart. I promise." Then she winks. "Unless it's because you ask me what presents I got you for your birthday or Christmas."
He giggles and rubs his nose in Ben's chest who rumbles with laughter too.
"I love you, son," Ben whispers into Wyatt's black waves before he kisses the top of his head. "Let's go back to bed?"
"Alright Daddy." She watches Ben stand with his son in his arms.
He starts to say something, but she says instead, "I'll be right here." She listens to Ben walk back up the stairs while her tears stream down her cheeks. Memories of her and Poe with Juniper and Greer flash through her mind. While they fell out of love at some point, she knows beyond a shadow of a doubt that they never wondered if Poe still loved them. Even when she had to rush Greer to the ER because of an unknown shrimp allergy last summer, Poe rushed home from a trip to Atlanta with Zorii.
But would Bazine if something happened to the boys?
Soft footsteps herald him coming back. He stops at the bottom step and their eyes meet. His tears begin when he sees hers. Without a word, she meets him. She leads him to the French doors and silently takes him to where they were last night.
He sits in his seat but instead of her sitting beside him, she climbs onto his lap. Arms circle one another and their tears flow. She moves just enough so she can kiss his forehead. "I want to say the right thing to make all of this better. But I don't know what that would be." She kisses his nose and looks deep into those eyes that she wants to drown in. "But I will say this. Last night was amazing—" he opens his mouth to say something, but she hushes him with her finger over his lips. "And I don't regret it one bit. But as one of your oldest friends, your boys are welcome anytime, anywhere I'm at. And that will never change."
His hands on her waist tighten. "Thank you, Rey."
She leans into him and runs her fingers through his hair. As sweet as she can manage, she says, "Now, if you'll tell me where she lives, I'll go burn her house down."
His bark of laughter echoes across the lake. "You know, if you'd asked me that a couple of years ago, I would have helped."
She runs her fingers through his waves. "You know, in another life, we would have been brilliant villains."
"I know, flying across the sky to shoot down the bad guys."
"Or the good guys," she says with a wink.
"The good guys? So, you would have taken me down?" Ben asks.
"I like that idea," her chuckle is deep and full of mischief. "I would have taken you captive and could have molested you any time I wanted to."
"I think you already have," he says. Their eyes meet and her heart flips.
She kisses him, but doesn't let it last long. "I'm not sure if you know this, but it's always been you." He starts to say something, but she continues. "It was the summer we were fifteen and I wanted to kiss you so bad. I used to dream about it." His hands tighten on her hips. "My favorite times were when we'd all go camping."
"You know our parents did that just so they could go sit around a campfire and get drunk," he chuckles.
"I do," she replies with a smile. "Remember that time we turned the canoe over?"
"I thought our moms were going to kill our dads."
"It wasn't their fault they forgot to put on lifejackets."
"They didn't forget," Ben laughs. "They were too drunk."
"That's true. I always loved sitting in the water and eating watermelon." She pauses, then they both say, "To see who could spit the seeds the furthest."
"Hey," he starts, "Why don't you and the girls come with us next weekend?"
"We have plans."
"We do?"
"Yep, we do."
"What plans?"
"Our fifteenth high school reunion," she says with a smile.
"You're going?" he groans.
"Were you not going to go?"
"No."
"Well, now you can take me."
"Rey—"
"Come on, Ben. I already bought a dress and everything."
"You did?"
"Well I'm going to wear it for prom too—"
"You're going to prom?"
"I have to chaperone. You can come with me too!" She gushes excited now. "Come on. It will be a prom do-over."
"Yeah if Poe even thinks about taking advantage of you—"
"Shhh—" she hushes him with a kiss. "You never did ask—"
"I wanted to. Mama even pushed me to."
"That's when he came home to ask me— oh Ben. I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"Not telling Poe to leave me alone like I wanted to. I thought you didn't-" Their eyes meet and she can see the pain there. "You know what? I need you to take me to bed, Ben Solo."
He doesn't give her his smirk, but the smile he does, well it makes her feel like she could conquer the world. He stands with her in his arms, and walks back into the house. She sees him glance at the stairs. "Go check on him. I'll lock up and turn everything off."
He kisses her forehead and tiptoes up the stairs while she locks both doors and turns off the lights. She lingers on the bottom step and when he comes back down, she grabs his hand. "Is he alright?"
"Sleeping like a bear in winter." He leads them down the hall to his room, and locks the door behind them. His lips claim hers. She goes up on her toes and wraps her arms around him. They lick their way into each other's mouths. As they mimic what they will be doing momentarily, hands start to roam. Shirts come off and shorts hit the floor. Her bra and their underwear follow.
She backs him up and stops when his legs hit the bed. She breaks the kiss, and loves that loving dazed look he has in his eyes and swollen lips are because of her. "Get on the bed," she commands. He sits on the bed and she adds, "Go to the head of the bed."
He starts to scoot back and she crawls after him on all fours. He spreads his legs when he realizes her intent. "Rey—you don't have to—"
"Ben?"
"Rey?" She loves how he makes her name squeak. She leans over and kisses the top of his foot, his breath hitches as she nibbles her way to his knee. "What are you doing?" he whispers.
"Kissing you all over, like I've always wanted to do." She murmurs against his knee as she finds his pulse point with her fingers. She gently nibbles on his knee, then licks it. Not to ignore his other leg, she has to taste it too. She looks up and loves how dark his eyes look as he watches her.
Unable to wait any longer, she runs her nails up his thighs. Goosebumps erupt, and the hair on his legs stand up. He leans over and it's as if he can't not touch her anymore. She lets him kiss her, then she pushes him back, ready to do what she's been daydreaming about since she figured out that she could do it.
At first, she doesn't meet his eyes. Instead she looks down at him from where she sits, in between his legs. His hardness, as many of the old school bodice rippers Paige lets her read out of the used book section of the book store, calls it. His dick, his cock, his penis the newer books are unashamed to use.
Whatever she wants to call it, she loves it because it's part of Ben.
She palms his length before she kisses the very tip of him. Her lips linger and when he draws in a shuddering breath, she sucks in his head. She looks up as his moan of, "Rey," reaches her ears. She sucks her lips together as he slides out of her mouth with pop.
"Ben?" she asks with the tiniest of smiles decorating her lips. "Are you alright?"
The look he gives her speaks volumes.
She returns to what she was doing. He's still in the palm of her hand, so she kisses that place between the base of his dick and his sack before she sucks it into her mouth. He twitches under her and he looks…
Amazing, beautiful, hers…
Through the years from being around him so much, she knows what Ben Solo smells like. But as she runs her nose up his length, this, the smell of him here—it's intoxicating.
Deeper, muskier than the way he smelled twenty years ago, she sucks his length into her mouth. Her exhale is loud, even to her, as she looks up and their eyes meet. Even in the dim light of the lamps on either side of him, she loves that in his moment of need, he looks so young again. Like the teenage boy she followed around falling in love with.
She starts to let him slide out, only to draw him back in when he groans, "Rey," again. It's a prayer that falls from his lips like a benediction to the most high. When she releases all but his tip, he reaches out for her. He doesn't pull her on top of him like she expects him to, instead he cups her cheeks like she's as precious to him as he is to her.
Her heart flips at his touch.
She wants him deep inside her. But she eases him out of her mouth, rubbing the head of him against her cheek as she grins. "I love the way you're looking at me right now."
He flushes pink and folds himself in half so he can reach her. She rises up and meets him for a kiss. He licks his way into her mouth and he grabs her arms. He doesn't stop when she's over him, but he tucks her and rolls so he's on top. He's still kissing her when he enters her.
Her breathless giggle fills the room as he sinks his length in her. He stills above her. She runs her hands through his waves. "I feel like the Grinch."
He blinks at her, then starts to giggle too, still inside her. "Are you turning green?"
"No," the giggles continue. "When you touch me, I feel like my heart is growing, trying to contain all the love I have for you—" she snaps her mouth shut as she realizes that she said what she promised herself not to say. She tugs on his shoulders. "Fuck me, Ben."
He starts to move. "I love you too."
"You do?" she whispers, tucking his hair behind his ears.
"I always have," he murmurs as he moves slowly.
"Ben," she says as the tears gather. she doesn't have to pull him in, because he's doing it. He slowly builds up his speed until they are coming together like she always imagined.
He lays his head on her chest. "I'll get up in a minute. You just feel too good to move."
"You're fine." Her fingers card through his hair and she kisses his forehead. "You feel good too. I like having you in my arms."
"Tomorrow is Sunday."
"I know. I'm not ready to go back."
"When can I see you again?" He raises his head to meet her eyes.
"I still want you to bring the boys over. Is Monday too soon?"
"I'd love to see you Monday," he purrs as he tweaks a nipple.
"Ben!" she giggles. "Supper on Monday. Got it. We still have tomorrow…"
"We still have tonight," he mutters against her skin before he sucks that same nipple he was just playing with. "I don't think I'll ever get enough of you."
"That's good," she moans. "Because you're mine."
"I like the sound of that."
Sunlight streams in, across the bed shining right into Rey's eyes. She turns her head to hide under her pillow until she can close her curtains—and that's when she realizes that her head is on a very hard chest. Evidently, she's facing away from her bed mate because all she sees is a cute belly button above what could only be a homemade quilt.
Fingers are in her hair and her confusion clears when she turns her head… "Good morning, sweetheart."
"Good morning," she purrs. Then reality sets in. "Oh crap. I've got to go."
"Why?" he asks as worry crosses his face.
"What about the boys? They'll wonder why I spent the night."
"You think they will?"
"I know Juniper and Greer would." She slides out of the bed. "I'll just run back to Paige's—" loud footsteps that could only belong to small-to-medium sized children thunder above them. "They're awake."
"It's ok, Rey—"
"I just don't want them to think the worst—"
"Rey, put on my t-shirt and get back under the covers. They are headed—"
The door to Ben's bedroom flies open, and Rey runs into the bathroom, sliding the door shut behind her. She can't quite hear what they are saying, but in moments, the boys are running out into the living room.
Ben opens the door, and grins down at her. He at least got to put on some boxers while she's still wondering where all of her clothes got to. "You can sneak out if you want to. Just make sure you're back for breakfast."
"What are you having?"
"Eggs? Bacon? Do you want pancakes too?"
"Sure?" she peaks around the corner making sure that it's indeed just her and Ben. She slides on the shirt he offered her, and pulls on her shorts. Shoes are next and she meets his eyes. He smirks and she swats his arm before stealing a kiss. "I'll be right back. I need a shower too."
"I want to take a shower with you," he pouts.
"I'll be back," she says with a grin as she sneaks out the glass door in his room that faces Paige's cabin.
"Hey, Dad!'' Jack calls from the living room. "Why is Rey running back to her house? Didn't you two have a sleepover?"
"You're really going to make me touch it?"
"I'm glad some things never change." Ben chuckles. "Come here, Jack. Let me help you." Rey takes another drink of her beer while he takes the smallmouth bass off the hook.
"When can we swim?" Wyatt whines as he clings on Rey's arm.
"I think it's too cold, but if you want to knock yourself out." Rey answers.
"Can I Dad?"
"Sure," Ben answers, as he sits on the bench beside Rey. "Jack, fish on the other side of the dock since your brother is going to swim."
"I think I want to swim too," Jack says.
"Bring in your line then," Ben answers, but then, all four of them hears the whirl of a fishing line. Jack steps closer to his dad.
"I wonder what you caught," Rey whispers.
"It's a shark!" Wyatt tries to whisper but, in his excitement, it comes out as almost a shout. "Are there sharks in the lake?"
Rey reaches out for him and without thinking, wraps her arm around his little shoulders. "Did you know that sharks can only live in saltwater?" Wyatt shakes his head no. This is a freshwater lake. That means that sharks can't live in it."
"So, no sharks?"
"No sharks."
"Ok," he says as he exhales a sigh of relief. "But what's that?"
Rey turns and Jack, with some help from Ben, reels in what has to be a ten-pound rainbow trout. "That's a big fish!"
"Take a picture," Ben says, tossing her his cell phone. She has to grin when Wyatt squeezes in the picture too.
"Now, just Jack with his fish," she says. Ben grabs Wyatt and Rey knows that she will never forget the grin on Ben's oldest son's face.
"I want to fish!" Wyatt commands.
"I thought you were going to swim," Rey reminds him. "Why don't you swim then you can fish?"
"What about lunch?" Ben asks. "I'm hungry!"
"Lunch!" Wyatt and Jack speak at the same time.
"Let's go," Wyatt says, not even waiting for an adult to go with him as he heads up the trail to the house.
"Wyatt, wait!" Rey hollers. She meets Ben's eyes and he nods then she takes off after his five-year-old.
Ben watches them until they disappear in the trees. "Dad?" Jack says beside him. Ben looks down and the sadness on his son's face breaks his heart.
"Let's get that fish back in the water," Ben offers. Together they get the hook loose and Jack slides the fish back. "What's wrong, son?"
He looks down and mutters, "Why isn't Mama nice like Rey?"
Not sure what to say, Ben sits on the bench and pulls Jack to him. His son climbs into his lap and Ben can't help but to smile against the crown of his head while he inhales. "I have no idea. But you know what? This feels like we've been given a second chance."
"Second chance?"
"To be happy," Ben says wistfully.