Ben gets his birthday cake as Rey finds herself in a spot of trouble in the garden.


For most of the evening, a multi-species band had been playing quiet, but upbeat music that didn't so much as compete with the din from the crowd as complement it, which was quite the feat considering how much and how loudly Aristos loved to hear the sound of their own voices.

Standing around and waiting for something to happen had to be at the top of Rey's list for shit she didn't enjoy. Get in, get the job done, get out—that was her style. But there was no "getting the job done" when the job was to stand around and make sure nothing bad happened to a bunch of rich people. Just a whole lot of standing, waiting, and fighting boredom.

Though, Rey did have to give it to Leia, or Korr, or whoever had coordinated the food for the party because the food that she'd been able to snag was exceptional, so Rey had that going for her. Finn, for his part, looked as bored as she from his post across the room. Occasionally, they'd signal to each other, checking in to make sure nothing was up. Both of them had covert comms, but it was better not to reveal that unless necessary.

After dinner, people started dancing, which wasn't as unpleasant to watch as Rey had thought it would be. Some people were even great dancers, Ben included, though he didn't seem to be interested in going out of his way to dance.

If his mother insisted, he'd take on a partner and Rey, doing her best to watch him dance without making it look like she was watching, would stare on as he'd sweep them through an Alderaanian waltz, or other dances that he must have learned due to his upbringing and status. Rey wondered what it was like to have the time to master such things.

The only dance Rey knew how to do was the Corellian Cheek-Step, which was a whole lot of ass movement and not much else. No one here did any sort of ass wiggling, Corellian or otherwise. She smothered a laugh with her hand while thinking about how scandalized these Aristos would be to see her strut out onto the dancefloor, hike her skirts up, and move her ass. It probably wasn't that funny, but she was really bored, except for the few times Ben was dragged onto the dancefloor.

Then she was rightly entranced. For a tall man, he was remarkably light on his feet and moved through the beat of the music as if he could feel it in his soul. And she was far from the only person in the room to notice. Dancing like this wasn't common outside of the upper echelons of Aristocratic circles, so to see someone so proficient was a real treat for many.

And not everyone had a pedigree like Ben Solo. With several generations of royalty adding to his bloodline, he really was the galaxy's prince and, sometimes, when the mood hit him or if his mother was there, apparently, it really showed. A few times, as he spun around this partner or that, he'd catch Rey's eye and almost smile. Of course, he caught staring.

Like what you see, Smuggler? his expression seemed to say.

Rey immediately glared right back. You look like a dancing chicken, she thought to herself, just in case he could make out her thoughts.

No reaction to that from Ben, so either he was back to pretending to be interested in whatever his partner was saying, or he really couldn't read her mind, but like to make her think he could. And, truthfully, he looked divine and she not so secretly hated him for it.

No matter the size or species of his partner, Ben was able to seamlessly lead them through whatever dance they happened to be doing. It was kind of brilliant and Rey had to wonder whether a skill like that would have any practical applications, like with fighting, for one.

I can think of a few ways that attention to detail and ability to… lead a partner would have some practical applications... her mind not so helpfully supplied before she could stop herself. Unfortunately, this time, whether summoned or just because Rey seemed to be perpetually committed to embarrassing herself in front of Ben, he again caught her eye.

This time, he was grinning, much to the pleasure of his obviously enamored dance partner—a rather stout Lasat male who was, quite literally, allowing Ben to sweep him into his arms and across the dancefloor. She couldn't keep the blush from her cheeks, which was a dead giveaway that she'd been thinking about him. And it was obvious he knew and loved it.

Rey sighed audibly from her position—half hidden by a thick drape near the exit, right by the food. One of the serving droids tipped its head at her but said nothing. Rey was sure the droids were more than used to moody humans. Taking a deep breath to clear her thoughts, she tried to concentrate on the room and not on who Ben was dancing with or what he was doing.

Eventually, as promised, the night shifted and eventually, the name day boy was brought front and center by his parents. Han Solo had shown up late, and as much as Leia seemed to be annoyed by this, Rey could also tell that it was expected. He was handsome, the old general, and tall like his son, though Ben shared his mother's pale, white skin, while Han's ruddy complexion looked as if he'd spent decades chasing the galaxy's many suns. Leia's husband towered over her much in the same way as her son did.

Han didn't smile much, not like Leia and Ben, but his smirks and quirks had definitely been picked up by his son, who also had the good fortune to have a mother who was great at putting on a show and a smile. Han stepped over to where his son was sitting, almost sullen, and gave Ben's shoulder a tight squeeze as if he was commiserating.

As much as Ben was always in the spotlight, Rey had to wonder how much of that he enjoyed because, watching him sit there, he looked like he was dreading what was yet to come. Leia stepped out from behind her family's table and signaled to Korr, who nodded before quickly stepping over to the band. On cue, the music started up and everyone seemed to have been anticipating this because the guests broke out into song together. Leia waved to Ben, who grudgingly came to stand beside his mother.

It was the most put out that Rey had ever seen him, and she couldn't even properly enjoy it because the noise from the room was truly terrible. Rey scrunched her nose as the Aristos sang their way through the happy name day song. They weren't great singers, by any stretch of the imagination, and Ben had a plastered-on smile as he pretended not to be rightly offended by this, truthfully, awkward as fuck display. No wonder he looked put out.

A cake, with glittering enhancements, floating on a glowing serving platter, was shifted towards Ben. There were lots of lights, but no candles, so Rey assumed Leia was doing the kind thing and not bringing attention to his age. Though Ben was right, Rey did know his age, and it was because of the gossip holos. Ben Solo was turning 30, as was the Galactic Concordance.

She wondered whether it bothered him—some people got hung up on their age. Truthfully, as a child, she never really thought she'd make it anywhere close to her thirties, so getting close was more of a shock than anything else. And, besides, with the galaxy at his fingertips, Rey assumed he could pay for youthful enhancements if he needed it, and he didn't.

Once the song was over, Ben made quite the show of extinguishing all the lights on his cake with a wave of his hand. Rey gasped at the display as scattered clapping and enthusiastic cries sounded from the room as he reminded them all that, not only was he descended from royalty but Jedi. Rey assumed that most of the room thought it was some parlor trick, but she'd been around the galaxy enough to realize the truth when she was seeing it. Moreover, she'd felt strange things from Ben.

It wasn't like his family history was hidden, or anything, but no one seemed to care for what Ben was aside from the drama that seemed to hover around him. Maybe that was intentional? Not everyone was comfortable with or even liked the Jedi, though they'd mostly been relegated to myth. But in some far off reaches of the galaxy, they were still very real, and very much a source of fear and awe.

Ben returned to sit beside his father as a droid floated the cake away for cutting, and Rey signaled to Finn that she was going to leave her post to find the 'fresher. Though Korr had given her a datapad with all the relevant rooms, exits, and pathways, she was still a little unsure of where exactly it was.

Rey slipped from the room, listening to the hum of conversation as she moved—some in basic, but there was a mixture of other languages as she strode by. She understood a few. She was mostly self-taught or taught by proximity and necessity, but translation enhancements were something that she'd considered before. Maybe, if she was going to be spending more time in and around these kinds of people, she'd invest in the bodymod.

Two rights, three lefts, fifth door, she thought to herself as she tried to find the 'fresher as quickly as possible. Fortunately, a group of sentients made their way out of a sizable doorway after retouching their makeup, and Rey stepped in the large room. It was more of a meeting place than a place to do your business, but Rey knew that 'freshers were also a great place for gossip, so as she slipped into a stall to relieve herself, she also eavesdropped.

And, not surprisingly, most of the gossip was about Ben Solo.

So handsome…

I hear he has the biggest… fortune—lots of giggling and laughing.

Comments about his height, hair, clothes, his dancing, who he might be interested in dating next, so basically all useless to Rey except for the fact that it satisfied her endless curiosity about Ben and, though she wasn't about to admit it, made her just a little jealous. Which was so silly, he was no more hers than she was his, but still…

After some awkward maneuvering in her dress, Rey finished her business and stepped out into the cavernous 'fresher. There was a large fountain in the middle of the room that gurgled cheerily as people moved throughout, as well as a seating area with plush furniture that more than a few slightly inebriated sentients were using to gossip in low tones to each other.

Realizing that she wasn't going to get anything of substance from these people, Rey made her way to one of several large basins and slipped her hands under the running sani-water. It wasn't until she was leaving that she finally heard something worth listening to.

"I don't know where they're from, but they certainly don't look friendly!" Rey heard from down the hallway to her right—which should have led towards the garden area, if her memory served.

"Let's get back to the party, my dear," another voice added and, by the time Rey rounded the corner to see who was there, the couple had departed. It was probably for the best. If there was anything unsavory going on, the last thing Rey needed was a bunch of Aristos screaming and fainting and otherwise getting in the way about it.

A manual door was conveniently propped open, and Rey wondered whether the scared Aristos had slipped out to have some sort of tryst before realizing that they weren't alone. Rey quietly stepped into the garden, and the sound of flowing water greeted her ears. It was dark, and only the light from inside was providing any sort of visibility at all.

These Aristos and their fountains… Rey thought to herself before focusing. Those two were definitely heading out here to have some fun. But who did they find?

Rey crept into the garden and into the shadows to keep from giving away her position. What little there was flickered every so often as a guest inevitably walked by the exit. Shifting along some thick hedges, Rey managed to find the fountain which was bigger than she'd expected.

Some sort of scantly clad sentient was trapped in a passionate embrace with another as water flowed down both of their bodies. In the light, and under different circumstances, it would be lovely. For now, it was going to give her some lovely cover as she peeked around the fountain.

She made out a small gazebo where a group stood huddled together in the low light. They were talking too quietly for her to be able to hear.

Syndicate goons? Rey worried. She did not need more Syndicate goons in her life. She'd pissed off more than her fair share, and her last run-in with Crimson Dawn had almost cost Rey her life. Still, she could listen for a bit and then get the fuck out and find some backup, right?

Let's just take a closer listen… She thought while her head inched around the sculpted bodies of the fountain. The sentients in the gazebo were humanoid—definitely male. And armed. Why the fuck were they armed and what were they doing at this party? She had the presence of mind to wonder whether they were more hired muscle, but something didn't seem right. Rey had a second sense when it came to bullshit, and she knew these men weren't at the party to provide support.

She should have commed Finn before going in alone, but Rey still hadn't quite gotten used to the whole "having backup," thing. She'd gone it alone for so long that she'd gotten used to only relying on herself. And, besides, what was a little covert recon? It's not like she'd do anything stupid. Get close, have a little listen, then scoot out and alert Korr and Finn to whatever these men had planned.

Rey ducked back behind the fountain and took a look around. If she wanted to be able to hear them, she'd need to get closer to where they were holed up. Fortunately, there was a table and chair set pushed close enough into the hedges that she could get closer and probably not be seen—if she was smart and quiet about it.

Gathering the fabric of her skirt and slipping low, Rey inched over to the perimeter of the garden, paying attention to where light from the interior flickered out onto the garden. For the second time that day, Rey thanked herself for deciding to wear boots. She couldn't imagine what it would be like to do recon in heels.

The men shuffled as she moved, but didn't seem to notice her presence and now she was close enough to make out their conversation, which was mostly them standing around complaining about waiting around for…

Who are they waiting for?

They avoided saying any names, but whoever they were meeting must have been someone important for them to risk getting caught by Leia's guards. Or maybe this was some sort of power play? Wouldn't be unlike one of the Syndicates to send in some men to remind the Aristos who had the real power in Coruscant.

After a few minutes of ducking around garden furniture and getting a whole lot of nothing from the three men, Rey decided to do the sensible thing and head back inside to alert Korr and Finn. And it would have been fine, had the hem of her stupid fucking dress on caught on the edge of one of the garden chairs without her noticing.

So, instead of making a hasty and quiet escape, her dress pulled at the small chair and yanked it across the stone ground with a discernable scrape.

Perfect. I'm gonna fucking die, she thought as three heads snapped up and looked right at her. Whatever she'd caught them doing, they did not look happy about being caught.

Fuck, fuck, fuck! She cursed before giving the lengths of her dress a vicious tug, finally freeing it, but ripping it in the process.

Fucking dresses! she thought before starting to panic. This was bad. So, so fucking bad.

One of the men, the big one, built a bit like a battledroid, leered and grinned at her before walking over, slowly, like he had all the time in the world. It was meant to frighten her. She knew how these kinds of assholes worked. And considering she was in a fucking dress, alone and vulnerable, it was working.

"Looks like we have a little spy!" he said finally, stopping close enough that she could make out the cybernetic enhancements—the glint of his unnatural gaze, the metallic shimmer along his cheek and running the length of his arms. Rey was not prepared to deal with something like this alone.

Mustering up her best acting abilities, Rey decided to play dumb. A huge, fake smile in place, she stood and fluttered her eyelashes, dipping her head as she feigned innocence. "Spy? I'm lost. This palace is much too big and I've gotten all turned around!"

The man in front of her snorted while his cohorts chuckled darkly. "Is that so?"

"Of course, have you seen this place?" Rey asked before gesturing vaguely with her arm, as if to say, Well, just look at it!

The man cocked his head and stared at her, probably scanning her with his cybernetics, which meant he knew she was lying and could detect the blaster and vibroblade she was packing. His blueish skin almost shimmered as he took her in, his smile splitting into a fearsome grin as he found what he was looking for.

He stepped closer and Rey took a step back as the man laughed. "That blaster you've got hidden tells me you're a liar. And do you know what we do to liars?"

Jeering laughs from the other syndicate members reached her ears as Rey tried to decide between pulling out her blaster or making a run for the exit. She was outgunned and outnumbered. In this situation, she'd generally fall back, but there wasn't much room and if she didn't make a decision quickly, this male was going to make it for her.

Rey's body shifted, hand sliding down to connect with her blaster, as she decided to make a proper last stand, and just as her foot slipped out and she went to pivot, she slammed hard into something warm and solid. A hand came up to steady her as an all too familiar presence made itself known.

"I think it's about time you three found someone else to play with," rumbled the deep and quite obviously pissed off voice of Ben Solo.

Rey couldn't see Ben's face, but he held her tight against his front as they both stared down the goon. Ben's fingers danced over her skin, softly caressing her collarbone before indolently curling against the base of her neck. It felt possessive—his big, broad body around hers felt like a claiming. Rey realized he was making his intentions known to these men.

She's mine. A wild kind of energy radiated out of Ben's body and Rey wondered whether she was imagining it, or feeling his rage. It was uncanny, but instead of making her feel more afraid, it made her feel… almost elated. The dark power rolled off of him in waves and curled around her, seductive and protective.

Don't fuck with what's mine, that power seemed to be saying. And Rey held her breath, hand frozen on her blaster, body tight as a spring against Ben's, as she waited for what these would-be party crashers chose to do next.


Author Notes: Hihihihihihi, Been bad sick guys, and combined with other family concerns, work, and general anxiety about… ohhhhhh you know what, been a bad time for having fun with fic. At any rate, the next chappy needs to be edited, and I'm going to be focusing on this for April Campnano, so hopefully can get some sort of a regular update schedule going. Anyway, thanks for reading and for your patience and thanks for all the lovely comments and follows etc. Stay safe, stay healthy, hugs to you all. Hoping for the best ? If anyone gets my KotoR ref/joke in this, I'll love you forever (also this chap was like 10k long, so I had to break it up into pieces).

Spoiler for next chapter: THICK THIGHS SAVE LIVES. Also, the chapter will be edited for this site, so if you wanna see the uncensored version, gonna have to switch over to Ao3 (the story is called "Butterscotch Goddamn" and you can search for "CNichole" for the author. I'd link, but you know how this site is).