Summary: House hunting resumes

A/N: You guys! I'm finally in my new house and we finally got internet! Unpacking is a pain, but at least we're here. A few of you have asked me if we'll get to see them being parents, and the answer is yes. I don't know how long after Olive arrives that we'll keep going — I honestly don't have that planned out yet — but we will get fluffy domestic new parents Reylo.

Thank you for all your kind words about the previous chapter's steaminess! Glad you folks found it hot.

This was going to be another monster long chapter, but got to be way, way, way too long (like 12k words?) so I decided to split it. I will proof and post Chapter 21 on Saturday!

CHAPTER TWENTY

Take The Long Way Home

THIRTY SIX WEEKS — Bunch of Kale

A knock on the doorframe of his office dragged Ben out of deep concentration, gaze snapping upward with a corresponding flash of irritation. He met the shrewd blue eyes of Gwen, and frowned. Normally he afforded Gwen a bit more patience than the rest of his coworkers, because she was easy to get along with and didn't make a nuisance of herself. But today he resented her interruption. It had been increasingly hard to focus on work for a while now, so when he did manage to finally settle into a groove, anything that pulled him out again was unwelcome.

"What is it?" he snapped.

Gwen leaned a shoulder against the doorframe. "You hear back from Chef Dex about El Mexsal yet?"

"No." Ben scrubbed a hand over his face, sighing heavily. "You're asking because you've got the press release ready to go?"

She gave a short nod. "Just need the word and I'll send it."

"You work too fast."

Her smooth features twisted into a strange expression and she cocked her head, cutting that funny look his direction.

"What?" he demanded.

She lifted her hands and her brows in feigned innocence. "Look, it's none of my business."

"But you're thinking something. Say it."

"Fine. You're completely out of sorts, Solo. You aren't yourself. You used to be laser focused. You used to complain that the rest of us weren't measuring up. You didn't bluster around here all loud and crusty like Luke, but you were quiet and scary. Now you're…different."

"Funny, me being nicer doesn't sound like something to complain about. In fact, weren't you in here a few months ago telling me how refreshing it was that I'd lost my sharp edges?"

"I mean, Kaydel and the interns and everybody else certainly aren't missing the old you. But you went past being nicer. It's like you're not even here. You're somewhere else in your head all the time."

Ben bristled at that. "Look, it's not like I can force Dex's people to get back to me. I already sent them a follow up email, and they told me he was interested, but consulting the show schedule. Can't really go any faster that they are, can I?"

"Well...you could. The old you would have weaseled out Dex's personal contact info and wooed him into having Santiago and his restaurant on for a full hour feature already."

There wasn't much defense he could mount for that. It was true. He'd ruthlessly pursued good leads before, like having a small, hip new Mexican-Salvadorian restaurant be featured on one of the nation's most beloved cooking shows. One of the things his clients valued about him was how he wouldn't let go of an opportunity until he'd wrestled it into fruition. But he wasn't doing that these days. He was putting in the bare minimum effort. The only conclusion was that Gwen was right. Ben was…distracted. His jaw tightened and his gaze dropped to his keyboard. Silence stretched between them.

"How close is she?" Gwen asked softly after a minute.

"Less than four weeks." He knew exactly how many days, but he didn't want Gwen to think him completely obsessed. Besides, Holdo kept warning them that it could be longer. Or shorter. When he thought of it, he sweat. He panicked. His heart raced fast and nervous and he knew deep in his bones that he wasn't ready. They weren't ready.

"You think it'll get any better after she delivers?"

"No."

Before that fateful dinner at the Thai place by Rey's apartment, Ben didn't have much in his life that engaged his mental faculties more than work. There was Rey, of course, but she and everything else was carefully and neatly boxed up. He could throw himself into his work and feel accomplished. Feel validated. Feel as if he were a real adult carving an honorable way through the world. But ever since she'd spoken those words aloud —I'm pregnant. It's yours— everything crumbled. He didn't feel like a real adult. He felt inadequate and inexperienced, a child pretending to be a grown-up, thrust into a very, very adult world. His work didn't feel as important. It only served a purpose now: to get him money to support them. To make them happy and comfortable. He still got the same rush of satisfaction when a particular client triumphed because of his ideas, but now there was so much more for him outside these office walls. More than manipulating public perception, pleasing clients, chasing leads. This felt like the least satisfying thing he had going on right now.

And it was so damn hard to focus.

Worse since their little escapade into the woods, too. He kept replaying those gloriously messy days over and over even now, a full month later. He didn't want to be here. He wanted to be home with her.

He knew this altered state of mind wouldn't go away when fatherhood well and truly came for him.

"You've got to get a hold of yourself," Gwen said. "Rey and your girl need you to be good at this."

His glance bounced back up to her, sharpening. "I'm still good at this."

"Make sure it stays that way, then. You can't let this consume you, just like she can't let it consume her. That isn't healthy. You're people too, not just parents. Professionals who are valued in their fields, and adults who need a life outside the twilight limbo you live in waiting for things to happen."

"Gwen," he sighed. "I'll let you know as soon as I hear from Dex's people. Can I help you with anything else?"

She frowned, waited a bit, and then shrugged. "One last thing. Poe's planning nefarious stuff for tomorrow. Thought you should know"

Tomorrow. The long anticipated baby shower. He winced. "I thought he and my mom came to some kind of truce."

"I thought so too. But he texted us with some of his plans, and I'm pretty sure your mother doesn't know about them. I think he's happy to let her think she's won, but—"

Ben's phone buzzed in his pocket. He fished it out, shaking his head and interrupting her. "You know what? I don't want to know. Don't tell me. I just have to grin and bear it, that's all I can do. Poe. My mother. Both of them. I'd rather not know." He checked the screen. Ciena Kyrell. "Gwen, give me just a second."

She nodded.

He answered. "Ciena."

"Ben, hi! How are you?"

"I'm well, how are you?"

"I'm great! Hey listen, I know it's been a minute, but I found something I think you will both love. No weirdness this time, I'm pretty sure. It just went on the market this afternoon, and I know it'll go fast. Any chance you could meet me there in the next hour? I was able to schedule the first showing."

He glanced at the clock. "Sure, yeah, I can be there. Can you text me the address?"

"I will! See you soon!"

"Bye, Ciena." He hung up and immediately sent Rey a text.

— Ciena has a house to show us right away. You up for it?

Rey: Now?

— Now.

Rey: You should go. I really need to finish this deadline. It's a huge one. I trust you. Take pictures if you like it.

That was…disappointing, but not surprising. The closer she got, the stronger her emotions were, and Ben knew that house hunting was already hard for Rey. Excited as she was, it always put her in a strange, melancholic mood after looking at homes. She'd never lived in a single family house before. The unit she grew up in with the other foster kids was in a row of dilapidated town homes, and since leaving there she'd only been in apartments — or his condo. He knew that for as much as she wanted it, the process of finding and dreaming and searching stirred up things she'd rather not feel.

But the condo wasn't adequate. It wasn't right for them. And finding a house had become Ben's personal Arthurian quest. So he'd spare her the emotions of the hunt and forge on with her permission. He glanced up at Gwen. "Hey, want to get out of here and go look at a house?"

He didn't know why he asked, honestly, but the company sounded nice and Gwen would be emotionally fortified against whatever strange thing they might encounter. Ben wasn't sure he could endure another bizarre turn of events alone.

"A house?" she arched a brow. "To buy?"

"Maybe."

"You're buying a house?"

"That's what I said."

She stared at him for a minute, and Ben didn't know if she thought him insane or stupid or confusing. But then she gave a short nod. "Alright. Let's do it."

He perked up. "Dex's people probably won't get back to me today anyway."

"Not at this point, no."

"And if they do, it'll be to my cell."

"Right." She gave him another perplexed look. "Are you trying to justify cutting out thirty minutes early to me?"

"I guess I am."

"See? This is what I'm talking about. Get a grip, Solo. You waltz in here late as ever without a care in the world every time Rey has an appointment, always without reprimand. You take time off for a babymoon where no one can get a hold of you. You regularly defy the boss and get away with it. You practically own this place. Act like it."

He stood up, gathering his keys, bag, and phone. "You're right. I do. So we're leaving."

Gwen grinned, apparently satisfied enough to be suddenly eager, and darted back to her office, presumably to grab her things. An electric trickle of anticipation zipped through Ben now, the fire of purpose he couldn't quite find at work. This business of trying to find a house — this was something meaningful. Something he could do for his little family.

So they raced out of the office without another word of excuse. Kaydel, Ben's assistant, confirmed that she would be at the shower tomorrow — he made sure his mother invited her, after her long-suffering patience with his moods and whims over the years. Gwen's assistant, Mitaka, briefly protested, citing some end-of-day calls she'd scheduled, but Gwen waved him off and followed Ben out the door.

"So you're really, truly buying a house?" she asked again when they got in his car and he paused for a moment to put into his maps app the address Ciena texted him.

"Mm-hm," he said distractedly. Sometimes his thick, blunt fingers were woefully inadequate instruments for such delicate work as navigating the keys of a smart phone.

"And you don't think that's a little…" Gwen trailed off uncertainly.

Route mapped, he placed his phone on the magnetic dash mount and motioned for Gwen to buckle before he got going. "A little what?"

"Much?"

"A little much?" He frowned. "What does that mean?

"You've got a bloody lot of change happening in your life already. You're having a baby with the woman you've loved forever, and you're engaged, to be married in less than a year. At least you didn't have a shotgun wedding, but still — don't you think you're pushing yourself towards a mental breakdown?"

Ben snorted. "All of those things are good things, Gwen. Why would that cause a mental breakdown?"

"Good or not, they're both big, life-alerting events. And now you want to throw a house on top of it."

"It's fine," he insisted.

But Gwen didn't seem placated. "What's wrong with your place anyway? You sent me there to check on her, remember. I've seen it. It's plenty nice enough."

"Sure, it's fine. It has a room for the baby, if we wanted to stay. But it's exactly what you said — it's my place. And Rey doesn't know that she does this, but she keeps reminding me that it isn't her's with little unconscious comments, about your dresser or your bed, your washer and dryer, your sink. Things like that. I don't like it. I don't want her feeling like she's in my space. She needs to feel at home. We need something that's ours."

Gwen considered that for a moment. Ben followed the navigational directions. The neighborhood was a twenty-five minute drive from their office. Not too bad.

"Okay. I can see why you'd want that," she acknowledged after a moment. "You're determined to do this before you get married, though?"

Ah, the devilish delights that came from having a secret. Ben briefly thought about the cabin in the woods, and the sunset ceremony at his parent's gazebo. A small, private smirk twitched at the corner of his lips.

"Ideally I could make it happen before Rey delivers," he said. "Though I realize that timetable is no longer realistic."

"To say the least." Gwen sounded vastly amused. Still, to her credit, she seemed to accept his determination to push the out of control snowball of his life even further down the hill. "Follow-up question. If you're not in danger of a mental breakdown, why the hell do you wear that tungsten wedding ring as if you were already married, when that's a good seven months away? You've been wearing it for a while now, I've noticed."

He glanced at the slim, rounded metal band on his finger. "Come on, Gwen, you're a forward thinking woman. Don't you think it's a little creepy that only the bride-to-be wears an engagement ring? As if I have purchased her and she's now off-market, and I need everyone to know it? Shouldn't it work both ways?"

"So you're signaling to all the many, many women falling all over you that you're off-market?" The derision in her tone made Ben chuckle.

"Something like that."

She rolled her eyes, but said nothing further about the subject, instead returning to the matter at hand. "Alright. So tell me about the houses you've seen so far."

So he did. All the houses, all the weirdness. She laughed for a long time about the naked guy. It sufficiently amused her until they pulled into the neighborhood. After that, they both grew rather quiet, which was good because then Ben was no longer focused on entertaining his companion with real estate disasters. He was too busy trying to frantically take it all in while still following the directions.

It was an older neighborhood, with enormous, mature trees lining the streets, creating a vivid green canopy broken with glimmers of sunlight. The homes were sturdy and classic, neither flashy and modern or dilapidated. Most of them followed a cottage style build and had fences around modest front yards, some wrought-iron, some picket, some split rail. Each had its own flavor. And each was spaced just far enough apart from one another to offer some breathing room and privacy, which was a refreshing change from the newer neighborhoods going up around the city, all crammed together for maximum use of space.

"This is cloyingly cute," Gwen said softly as they crawled slowly through the neighborhood, observing the people out and about. There seemed to be a wide variety of demographics, judging by the folks out for a walk or in their yards, getting out of their cars or sitting on their porches.

"Yeah," Ben agreed softly. It looked like a neighborhood from a Disney movie, honestly. Like it shouldn't be real. He suddenly regretted not pushing harder to have Rey join him this time. She probably would have had something to say about the earnest charm of this previously unknown part of town.

They finally rolled up in front of the house.

Gwen whistled softly. "That curb appeal, Solo, is…"

Dreamy, thought Ben, his heart skipping a suddenly giddy beat. The house followed its neighbors in an absurdly adorable cottage style, siding painted soft yellow with a white covered porch wrapping around the front and one side of the house, supported by white beams, and a huge window taking up most of the right side of the front. A flower box decorated the bottom of that window, bursting with zinnias and some trailing leafy thing Ben did not recognize.

Ciena emerged from the car parked along the curb in front of them, grinning and waving brightly. Ben got out quickly and went to her.

"This is ridiculously charming," he told her, glancing again at the house.

"Isn't it?" She seemed to brim with excitement. "Just beautiful. No sign yet, just went up today, like I said. The seller's agent is a friend of mine. Sits on a little more than half an acre. Newly renovated inside so it's all modern appliances and new countertops. Apparently this is a great area for families."

Gwen wandered up next to them, her gaze trailing down the street. Ciena smiled and introduced herself. Gwen did likewise. Ciena wondered if Gwen was Ben's sister, Gwen laughed and said no, and Ciena apologized, citing their mutual height as the reason for the mixup. Ben was too busy taking it all in to pay them much mind. He went to the gate and opened it into the front yard. It swung soundlessly and easily, no rust or warping. The grass was lush and green, the flowers and bushes planted around the base of the home well manicured, the huge old trees sighed and rustled in a mild passing breeze. Ben knew, without even going inside, that this was exactly the place he wanted Olive to grow up. It had none of the monstrous, pretentious audacity of his own childhood home, and all the cozy, welcoming warmth he felt in his chest whenever he thought of Rey. In fact, the whole look of the home reminded him of her, right down to the cheerful, soft yellow paint.

Home, his heart said with a thud. He tried to squash the rapidly rising excitement flaring in him.

"Shall we go in?" Ciena asked, coming up next to him.

He nodded. Please don't let there be a sex dungeon in here, he silently begged whatever deity might or might not exist, wanting with all his heart for the inside the match the outside. Or cat piss. Or ghosts. Or a naked dude.

"Don't worry," she said as they walked up the stone path to the porch, "It's well within your budget. It's so reasonably priced, in fact, I'm completely confident it'll have several offers by this time tomorrow."

If this was a selling tactic, it was highly effective because Ben's anxiety already spiked sharply at the idea of losing this little storybook dream to someone else. Gwen shot him a warning look when he glanced back at her, which helped jar him back to the ground for a minute. He had to keep his cool. He had to see it all and gather information before making a decision. He couldn't blurt out an offer based on curb appeal alone.

But damn, the inside.

It was just as charming as the outside.

White wainscoting and pale gray walls made every room bright and modern. Warm wood floors brought coziness to each space, and sparkly, Edison-bulb light fixtures added a dash of whimsy. The living room had a fireplace for even more charm, and huge windows allowing outside light to pour in, welcome and invited. The kitchen gleamed with new stainless steel appliances and butcher block countertops, accented by white shelves and cupboards, and boasting enough space to easily accommodate Ben's culinary ventures and Rey's homesteading interests.

There were built in bookshelves, plenty of closets, and cheerful green views out any windows. There were two bedrooms on the main floor, an addition with another, and a fully finished attic that could be used for a fourth. Certainly more room than they needed right now, but Ben deliriously hoped the day might come when they did need all that space. There was a second living space, one he envisioned as a well-loved entertainment room where a large and close family could snuggle together for classic movie nights.

The backyard was enormous, sporting a utility shed, a little greenhouse, and a smaller shed furnished into some kind of art studio. Neither of them were artists, particularly, but they could find a use for that space. The backyard had more old trees and plenty of space for a playground or treehouse. Maybe a dog too, Ben thought headily.

That dizzy feeling he got when they first pulled up to the house was back again. A fuzzy kind of head rush, like the first inkling that his father's edibles had kicked in and a high was coming on. Euphoria buzzing distantly in the background.

Ciena came up beside him and surveyed the house from the yard.

"So what do you think? Would your wife like it?"

Ben had told Ciena of the new arrangement at the last house a couple weeks ago. He had to. Any offer they put would include them both, and have Rey's new name. Luckily Gwen was still back at the artist shed checking it out and couldn't overhear. He was pretty sure she'd laugh it off like some eccentricity of his if she had anyway, just like the ring.

"Yes," Ben told her firmly. "Let's make an offer. Full asking price."

Ciena's smile grew, gleeful pearly white flashing. "Okay! Now we're getting somewhere. Any contingencies? Do you need to sell your place first?"

"No. It's a rental. No contingencies."

"Excellent. You willing to get into a bidding war if some others come by today?"

Ben frowned. He didn't want to do that. "Offer full asking price, but ten above if they're willing to take it off the market immediately, and tell them we'll waive the appraisal. I will bid against others if I have to, but let's see if they bite that."

"I will." Ciena smiled again. "You can see them here, can't you? Your family."

"Yes, I can." Ben couldn't picture it very long without becoming completely overwhelmed, but he could see their whole lives unfolding here. He could see the two of them in their old age, still living here, hosting family barbecues and watching their grandchildren run around. He wanted that so badly it ached.

Gwen sidled up next to him. "I thought you were completely mad before, but I've changed my mind. You'd better buy this place, Solo. It's got the two of you written all over it."

"I will," said Ben.

"I've been taking pictures. I'll send them to you so you can show Rey when you get home."

"Thank you." Ben was surprised she'd thought of that. In all his wonder he'd forgotten that Rey asked him to do that very thing.

They wandered around the side of the house to the front again. A middle aged couple strolled by about that same time. They gave polite nods and friendly smiles and seemed like they'd just continue on, but then the woman's eyes flashed with realization and she tugged on the man's arm, compelling him to stop.

"Hi!" she said, her smile widening. "Are you thinking about buying this house?"

"I am," replied Ben, wandering a few steps closer to the fence. "What do you think, is it a good place?"

"The very best. The Archers have taken wonderful care of this house. They're only moving to be closer to their kids now that everyone is grown and gone. I'm Jyn, by the way. This is my husband Cassian. We live three houses down that way."

"Ben," he said, producing a hand. They both shook it.

"Your wife?" Cassian said, nodding at Gwen.

She laughed. "Eh, no. I'm happily gay, and just his friend. I know the ring is confusing. He does have a wife…or fiancee…or something. The situation is unclear? Anyway. Hi, name's Gwen."

Jyn laughed and shook her hand too. "Hey, we don't judge here. We've got all types of families in the neighborhood."

"Ben," Ciena prompted softly, "If you're done, I'm going to lock up and get going so I can write up your offer immediately. You're welcome to hang out in the neighborhood, of course, but if other prospective buyers show up you need to be out of the yard."

"Got it," Ben told her. "Thank you. Let me know."

"I will." She hurried off towards her car.

He and Gwen hung around for a few more minutes chatting to Jyn and Cassian. They learned that the neighborhood was built in the 40's and experienced very little turnover. When houses did go up for sale, they sold quickly, and often to younger, upwardly mobile families, or older hipster couples looking for a more welcoming community. The houses were relatively small but nicely maintained, and there were a variety of alternative schools around for parents looking for less traditional approach to education. Ben experienced a small bout of panic at that, realizing he'd not even considered that within a few years they'd have to start thinking about things like that — school. Still, it was good to know there were plenty of options around. Even if he had no idea where to begin with any of it. All he knew was that he didn't want Olive stuck at the kind of private school he went to, with predominantly white, wealthy, proud-to-be-privileged elites.

Eventually Jyn and Cassian decided to mosey on, wishing Ben good luck with his offer before meandering on down the sidewalk. Ben turned around and took one more look at the house. It was lightyears away from the world he'd grown up in. And it was lightyears away from the world Rey had grown up in. The kind of place that would be uniquely theirs.

All this time, since that night she'd slept over and he'd started browsing Zillow with the certainty that this was his new quest, he'd been searching for some kind of feeling, some sense to know that what he'd found was home.

He felt it now. He knew it. And he couldn't wait to tell Rey.

When he got home, he practically bounded through the door.

"Where are you?" he bellowed.

Her head popped up from the couch, peering at him with wide, startled eyes. "Right here?"

He stepped over to her as she struggled up from her reclined position, shutting her laptop and setting it aside as he sat down next to her. Her hair was up in a messy bun, lifting it off her neck the way she craved right now, and she wore a soft maternity shirt and no pants — her favorite attire when she needed to be comfortable. Ben slid a hand up her thigh and dropped a kiss onto her belly.

"Hello, little girl," he whispered against the mound. And then, lifting his head again, he took Rey's face in both hands and pulled her in for an eager kiss.

"Wow," she laughed when he finally let her go.

"Hello to you too," he said, grinning. "Did you meet your deadline?"

"Ten minutes ago," she confirmed, warm eyes roving over his face. "You look happy. Does that meant it went well?"

"I put an offer." He couldn't hold it back. It sprang out of him like a bird bursting out of a cage.

Her hazel eyes, more grey today than green, widened again. "You did?"

"Well, we are making the offer, as soon as Ciena sends the paperwork for us both to sign."

"Oh wow, so you really liked it."

"It's perfect." A beat, a flicker of uncertainty. He hesitated, hand back on her thigh, giving her a gentle squeeze. "Is it okay? That I said we'd put an offer even though you haven't had a chance to see it?"

Rey laughed. "Ben. I told you, I trust you. If you loved it that much, I'm sure I will too. We don't generally disagree on matters of taste."

True. One of the things that made them such easy friends originally was their mutual appreciation of old, previously loved things. One of the things that made this house so charming was how much happy history it appeared to have build right into its old but sturdy bones.

"You will love it. I know it."

She smiled, and although it was genuine, he thought it looked a little tired too. "Then that's all I need to know. It's really happening, then?"

"Maybe. If they accept." His gaze scanned over her face, noting the fatigue, trying to curb his rising concern. "Are you okay?"

"Mm," she said with a subtle bob of her chin. "I'm okay."

He wasn't convinced.

"I'm just tired," she sighed when his frown didn't fade. "And hurting."

"Hurting?" His spine stiffened. "Hurting how?"

"Every way. Everything." She laughed again, soft and half-hearted. "Such a clever strategy of biology, making you so uncomfortable at the end that you stop being so afraid of birth. I'm ready to be done. Ready to have my body back. However it has to happen, I just want her out."

Ben had no idea how that felt, or what to do with that information. In the month since their secret wedding and quick honeymoon, he'd watched her energy steadily wane, draining out of her like a slow leak. Sometimes she got these bursts of productivity where she'd madly rearrange furniture or deep clean the bathroom, but mostly he watched her get exhausted by small things, like just trying to climb the stairs to bed. Both Holdo and the app said this was completely normal, but it didn't stop him from worrying about her. He didn't like this part. This final leg of the journey. He didn't like watching it overtake her, drain her, even if her sporty basketball stomach still made him feel ridiculously, stupidly proud.

"Want me to draw you a bath?" he asked softly, since baths seemed to be the only thing that really helped her aching body relax.

She shook her head, leaning over to kiss his cheek. "Honestly? I just want you to order in for dinner, and let's just stay here on the couch and watch something mindless. Is that okay?"

"Of course it is." He fished his phone out of his pocket and turned it over to her to browse through Postmates and choose what looked good to eat.

She blinked at the screen. "You've got a DocuSign email from Ciena."

"Oh! That'll be the offer!" He took it back and opened the email eagerly, scanning over the language. "You've probably got one too, then. We both have to sign it."

She fished her phone out from where it had slid between the couch cushions and opened an identical email of her own. They tapped through the document and its required signature fields. Ben watched out of the corner of his eye, delighting in that secret thrill which ran through him when she signed her new name, or initialed RS. They'd spent three weeks going through the far too painful process of having her name legally changed. He wasn't used to seeing it written down yet.

He fucking loved it.

They both returned the newly signed offer and looked at each other, grinning like a pair of fools. Rey leaned against his shoulder, a soft, incredulous sigh tumbling from her.

"You're crazy for wanting to do this right now, you know. We could be just fine here."

Ben smoothed his palm over her curve. He did that a lot, he knew, but she was too irresistible not to touch. "Funny. Gwen said the same thing."

Rey yawned. "Course she did. She's sharp, that Gwen."

"Mm. She is. But she agreed with me in the end. I have my reasons for wanting to do it now."

"I'm sure you do," she said, plucking his phone from his hand so she could browse PostMates. "What else did Gwen say? Did she give you any hints as to what's going on with Rose and her brother?"

"No...? Why don't you just ask Rose yourself?"

"I'm trying to lead by example," she said with a prim sniff. "I told her to butt out of my life, and she's done very well since. I should afford her the same courtesy, don't you think?"

"No, I don't. She spent years harassing you about us. I think you should return the favor."

Rey laughed. "You're a terrible influence."

"Hm, I've been told that before."

She added an order for her favorite buffalo wings to the cart and handed the phone to Ben. He raised his brow and gave her a side glance.

"Are you trying to induce early with that heat level?"

"First of all, I told you, I want off this train. Second of all, no, I'm not. Hot wings aren't going to put me into labor. At least, my body has given no indication of being ready for that at all yet, no matter how much I wish it were. Third of all, you can just fuck right off and let me eat my wings in peace, mister."

Ben laughed, added his own corresponding order to the cart, and checked out. "Alright, alright. Spicy it is."

She struggled for a moment, heaving herself off the couch and standing up in front of him. She handed him the remote. "Assume the position, if you please."

Ben scooted up against the arm of the couch, kicking off his shoes and stretching both legs along the length of the cushions, bending his knees and spreading them apart. Rey grabbed a throw pillow and put it on his chest, then crawled between his legs and arranged herself on him, using his leg to support her belly, his shin pulled between her own to keep her hips aligned. Her head rested on the pillow just below his chin.

This had become a new norm for them over the last couple weeks. She liked to snuggle in supported positions, and this seemed to be her favorite.

"You're going to get all comfy and then the food will get here," he warned gently, even though no part of him wanted her to pull away.

She draped her arm over his chest and sighed contentedly. "It's fine."

It was indeed fine. Ben wrapped her into his embrace and found something to put on — the latest mockumentary comedy about a radar technician on an intergalactic spaceship. He always had to keep his mind furiously occupied when they did this, because she was right there, warm and soft between his legs, and if he didn't concentrate on something else he'd spring a hard-on and she'd surely feel it. Ben didn't know if she'd ignore it or if she'd make herself deal with it for his sake, despite her low energy, but he wasn't about to find out. The last thing he wanted was for her to feel obligated. So he focused on the ornery-but-sincere radar technician, and he thought about the house, and fretted about the offer. Maybe it should have been higher. Maybe he'd already been outbid. Maybe they wouldn't get it at all.

Worrying about that effectively killed any chance of arousal, and soon he felt Rey dozing lightly against him, soft subtle snores echoing through his chest. He'd wake her when the wings came. For now, he just held her a little tighter and rested his chin against her head, savoring every inch of her snuggled in against him. Tomorrow, they'd endure one of his mother's famous events. Tomorrow, hopefully he'd hear back about his offer. Tomorrow, he'd think about what Gwen said about re-focusing at work. But for tonight, all he had to do was sit here and happily drown in her company.

A/N: Next up, a baby shower. Chapter will be posted on Saturday! :D