He's never going to stop kissing her. She's making the most delicious sounds that inflame him and he pushes her back into the bulkhead. As if of their own accord, his hips press against her rhythmically, and Force, she feels sublime.
There's a little voice inside his head that tells him he's taking it too far, that he needs to stop, talk to her, but she's meeting him so eagerly that he firmly silences its warning.
Then he hears a throat clear and he groans in frustration, but he stops kissing her, swiveling his head towards the interruption, wanting to snarl a warning to leave them the hell alone.
Of course he finds his dad's grinning face. He glances at Rey and she looks thoroughly debauched so he steps in front of her to hide her state from his father. No one, not even his family, gets to step into the sacred circle of what he shares with her.
"Hey kid. So that's what had you all fired up." He smirks. "Nice to see you take after your old man."
Ben's mind is clearing, and now he sees that he's behaved rather poorly towards Rey. Taking whatever she'd give him. She hides behind his body, clearly embarrassed to be caught in the midst of their passion and the self-flagellation begins.
How could he have been so foolish? Losing his head like that, mauling her where his father or Chewie was bound to find them, it was just plain stupid and Rey deserves so much more from him.
"Did you need something?" he asks with a falsely calm tone.
"Yeah, I wanna have some time with your mother tonight," Han says with a wink that tells Ben far more than he wants to know about his father's intentions. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a handful of credits, pressing them into Ben's palm. "Take your girl out, show her a good time. Come home late."
Ben makes a face. "Too much information, Dad."
"You're one to talk," he rejoins, with a look heavy with meaning. Rey's hands clutch at him and he shifts to hide her more completely. What must she think of him?
This is all getting way too weird, and Ben's cheeks begin to heat. How did this become his life?
"So, we good?" Han asks.
"Yeah. I got it." Besides, the idea of taking Rey to see the nightlife is exciting. He's only been a handful of times, himself.
As Han moves on to the cockpit, his voice floats back. "Remember, late!"
Ben steps forward and turns around, readying himself for Rey's wrath. She's probably never going to let him touch her again after this. He'd obliterated her request he go slow, and he's deeply ashamed of himself. He'd just been so overwhelmed by her revelations and the profound relief that she's going to stay with him.
Slowly, he meets her eyes, and finds something very unexpected. They're sparkling with mirth and then she starts to giggle, her hand flying to cover her mouth.
He blinks down on her, trying to catch up, as her giggles turn to full-throated laughs. He chuckles along with her, but he's not entirely certain why their laughing.
"Oh, Ben," she gets out between chortles. "You and your dad are just … it's just wonderful to see what kind of relationship you had. I mean have."
Interesting. So she didn't know his father in the future. He supposes it's not surprising, his dad is gone a lot. And anyway, he certainly hopes he's not living with his parents when he's 30! This line of thought has the questions beginning again and he forces them away; he'll drive himself mad if he keeps trying to untangle the future.
Now. He wants to focus on now. He has to focus on now, or he'll surely lose his mind.
Awkwardness has begun to settle in his belly, and he rubs the back of his neck. "So … do you want to go out … with me?"
She steps closer to him and wraps her arms around his neck. "I'd love that."
First stop must be dinner. Now that he knows what she went through on Jakku, feeding her has taken on a level of importance to him he can't quite quantify. He wants to prove to her that she'll, never, ever go hungry again. He won't allow it.
"What kind of food do you like?"
She makes a funny face and says, "Food? I like it all."
Luckily, Ben knows just about all the best restaurants in Republic city but then he pauses in his rapid planning. Would Rey enjoy a meal like that? On display, being judged? Somehow, he doesn't think so, and he has an idea.
He takes her hand and says, "Come on."
The sprawling marketplace unfolds before them and he's hit by the familiar scent of all the food stalls. All manner of cuisine is on offer here, tucked between the riot of colors of the trader's tents.
"Ben, it smells amazing! What is this?"
"It's the old market, from before Republic City grew up around it. It's probably the only place on ground level where you don't have to watch your back."
"And how does a Jedi know about places like that?" she teases.
Ben rolls his eyes. "Have you met my father? I think I knew how to pick the most defensible spot in a cantina before I could form full sentences."
Rey laughs then she threads her arm around his and puts her head on his shoulder, sighing. "I'm so glad you know, now. I feel … I feel so much freer."
The way she talks about it, like he's not still bursting with questions makes him frown. But Rey does seem like a weight has been lifted from her shoulders, and he realizes what a huge step they've taken. Her smile is so bright, so full, all he wants to do is make her happy.
"Do you trust me?" he asks playfully.
"Of course."
"Then let's feed you."
First, he takes her to the old Alderaanian section. There's a healthy population from his mother's people on Hosnian Prime, refugees from the destroyed planet. They'd made a life for themselves and his mother always starts here first.
He finds just what he's looking for quickly, bastelle pastry. It's a fragrantly spiced poultry filling, wrapped in flaky dough, then drizzled with honey. It's messy, sticky, and utterly delicious. He can't wait to see Rey's face when she tries it.
Buying two, he hands one to Rey and eagerly watches her take her first bite. Her teeth sink into the savory pastry and her eyes close as she groans. She chews then swallows and her eyes find Ben's. "This is … oh my gods, Ben, I didn't know something could taste so good!"
Smiling with pride, he winks and says, "I know. It's from Alderaan. You should taste my mother's!"
Rey eats the rest of hers and half of his, then grins. "What's next?"
He crams her full of marinated meat on a skewer, shaved ice with lylanberry syrup, a tart yet sweet soup hailing from Kashyyyk. She'd positively beamed when he'd shared that it was Chewie's favorite. Clearly, she had known the wookiee in the future. He'd had to breathe in and out a few times to keep himself from trying to puzzle out more.
"Had enough?" he asks.
Wickedness crosses her face. "I'll never have enough of you." Then she's kissing him deeply, her tongue immediately demanding entrance. His head is spinning from her open display of desire, the sounds of the market, the way the Force glints with the crowds. Maybe she didn't mind so much, being caught by his father.
Then he hears someone yell, "Get a room!"
He doesn't even stop kissing her, just makes a rude gesture towards the direction of the voice.
He's busy kissing his girl. Or she's busy kissing him. He's not really sure.
Rey pokes among the different tables, looking at all the wares on display. He keeps hoping she'll see something she wants; his need to buy her something surprises him. He just wants her to have something, something physical she can touch to know that she's everything to him.
He really hopes she finds some jewelry she likes. It might be old fashioned, but the idea of her wearing a necklace, or even a ring, from him … well just the thought makes him swell with pride.
Her little hands smooth over some fine silk scarves and she stops at a vibrant green with threads of gold.
"That would look stunning on you," he says. "You should get it."
"Oh, I don't have any credits," she dismisses.
"Rey … I do. Don't you understand by now that I'll take care of you?"
She makes a queer face. "I don't … I don't even begin to know how to let you."
"Try. Please. Let me buy this for you."
She frowns slightly. "I'll think about it."
It's a brass cuff that does it. She stares at it for long minutes, her hand even trembles as she touches the bright metal. At first he thinks it's meant for her wrist, but she holds it up to her bicep and he realizes it would be a perfect replacement for the fabric arm band she always wears.
"Please, Rey. Let me."
"It's really beautiful."
"It would look wonderful on you. You know who we are to each other. Would it really be so bad for one half of a soul to get something for the other half?" he reasons.
Her lips twist into a funny little smile. "You don't play fair, Solo."
"No. Not when it comes to you," he says seriously.
She nibbles at her lip for a long moment, but then she nods and it's all he can do to not hoot in triumph.
He pays for the cuff and starts to unfasten her existing wrap and she pulls away. "What is it?"
"I … there's a scar."
Ah, that's why she's always wearing this. "I don't care."
Nervously, she pulls away the fabric and he sees the strangest marking. It almost looks like two hands grasping each other and he wonders if it was intentional. His blood simmers with thoughts of the other man, but then he's fastening his gift over the scar. It doesn't matter. She's his now.
"There," he says with satisfaction. Even if her skin bears the other man, now it's covered with him. "It's just right."
She looks at herself in the mirror and smiles a secret smile. "It's perfect. Thank you."
Then she's kissing him again and everything is indeed perfect.
The air throbs with the deep bass of the music in the club he'd selected. He's never really tried it before, but he wants to dance. Dance with Rey. Not the formal dances he'd learned for his mother's events, but the wild, primal dances he's watched a few times when Tai had dragged him out during their visits home.
He might have used a bit of the Jedi mind trick to procure them a booth looking over the dance floor. He'd felt a bit guilty about it, but then he'd thought of Luke's disapproving face and he'd suddenly felt much better.
Rey is practically on his lap, sipping her drink. It's her second Cloud City Cruise and he wonders if she knows it's alcoholic. They do go down easy.
"Ben, this is amazing," she gushes.
The dance floor tangles with every species he can imagine, as they dance as if one single being. There are couples linked together so closely Ben wonders if he shouldn't look away, and people dancing by themselves, lost to the music. Then circles of friends, just jumping and laughing. But they're all brimming with a kind of essential joy and he wants to join. With Rey.
"Wanna dance?" he asks as Rey finishes off her drink.
Her eyes are a bit glassy, her cheeks a very appealing pink. "I've never danced before," she says in a loud voice to be heard over the din.
"Me neither! Let's go!" He grabs her hand and pulls her along with him while she laughs through a wide grin. Gods, he loves her.
They wade through the crowd and he takes her hands, just letting his body sways with the beat. He has no idea what he's doing, but that's the beauty of it. Something about the music just makes him want to move.
Rey's body seems to know just how to follow the rhythm, and she spins, gyrating in a rather lewd way. But it's right, it feels exactly right for the heat of the crowd, the pulsing of the music.
His eyes are glued to how her hips are moving, it's so easy to imagine moving with her. Moving in her and he begins to harden. He's not embarrassed though, it's just this place, this moment. Of course his lust is coming for him.
Her hands draw up her body in a very suggestive manner as she holds his eyes. Then she's crooking her finger, gesturing for him to join her. He doesn't need another invitation, and he puts his hands on those oh so inviting hips.
Rey parts her legs, and his thigh is wedged between her thighs. Oh gods, he can feel her heat. He feels drunk. He feels drugged. Her arms come around his neck and he bends his knees, sliding her up his thigh until he's right there.
Oh gods, they're dancing an instinctual dance and he feels lost and found and entirely in her spell. She moves to the beat, moves against him, and he throbs with desire. For her.
She smiles at him, so seductively. Then she's leaning forward, and her breath ghosts his ear, making him shiver.
"Let's go home."
A/N: Thank you, ArtemisBare! I'm beginning to figure out which chapters you're gonna like before I even send them.
Thank you, Readers! Well, day 10 of a chapter a day. I wonder how long this will last? Thank you all for your fantastic reviews. Your insights really help me write. Love and hugs!
