Published January 17, 2022. Happy Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day!

Content warning: This chapter contains conversations about sex and allusions to physical intimacy.

"Reunion"

… the power of conversation would make the present hour a blessing indeed, and prepare it for all the immortality which the happiest recollections of their own future lives could bestow. There they exchanged again those feelings and those promises which had once before seemed to secure everything, but which had been followed by so many, many years of division and estrangement. There they returned again into the past, more exquisitely happy, perhaps, in their re-union, than when it had been first projected; more tender, more tried, more fixed in a knowledge of each other's character, truth, and attachment; more equal to act, more justified in acting. ~ Jane Austen, Persuasion

She's coming.

She's coming!

SHE'S COMING!

Ben could not remember the last time he had felt this nervous or excited. It was like something in between anticipating a visit from his parents, and waiting for Rey to come to him on the Supremacy after they touched hands.

He did not want a repeat of Rey's last visit, when he had been sick and she had taken care of him. This time, she was going to be his guest, his responsibility, and he wanted her stay to be the best it could be. Rey was used to rough conditions, and had experienced those on Ahch-To multiple times, but Ben still wanted to make things as nice as possible for her.

He felt as though he ought to prepare, yet he had no idea how. Would she want to share his hut, or stay in a different one? Was she expecting to share a bed, or would she want her own—and how were they going to broach that subject? What did she hope would happen during their time together? What could he even offer her, on this visit or far into the future?

Ben ended up doing what any Skywalker would: he made do with what he had, and hoped the Force would take care of the rest.

He cleaned his own dwelling, swept out the empty huts, and gathered extra food, water, and firewood. When that was done, he cleaned himself up as best he could. He always kept his facial hair short, but he suspected that Rey liked him better clean-shaven, and it helped him look a little younger. He couldn't do much about his clothes, but he picked out some less shabby articles, along with his favorite sweater, the one Rey had impaled with his lightsaber and later mended for him.

With nothing else to do, Ben sat on the floor, held Han's dice in his hands and tried to meditate.

He sensed Rey's arrival as she entered the planet's atmosphere, drawing closer to the island every second. He went outside immediately and looked to the characteristically gray sky. There it was: One ship—the Millennium Falcon—carrying one passenger—Rey. The sight of it brought almost the same kind of joy that it had when he was a boy, announcing the arrival of someone he desperately wanted to be with.

The ship flew toward the island's landing pad, and Ben jogged down in the same direction. By the time he came within sight of the ship, Rey had already disembarked. She stood a few meters away from the gangplank, looking around eagerly. Then she caught sight of Ben, and even from a distance, he could see the way her face lit up.

Ben found himself smiling uncontrollably. Rey was there, truly, physically there!

They ran to each other, him scooting down and her clambering up, almost stumbling on the sloped ground. When they were finally within reach of each other, Rey leaped up to hug him, and Ben caught her in his arms. Her momentum, however, caused him to spin and lose his footing. They fell and tumbled down the hillside, crying out and laughing as they rolled over each other.

When they finally slowed to a stop, Ben found himself lying on top of Rey. He pushed himself up on his hands and knees and saw her smiling up at him, her lips parted, her face flushed from running and laughing.

"Are you okay?" they asked at the same moment, and then laughed again.

"I am," Rey answered.

"So'm I." Ben thought he was rather more than okay, finally this close to her. Unable to pass up this opportunity, he cupped her face in his hand and kissed her, more deeply than ever before. Her arms came up around his neck, her fingers running through his hair. He slipped his free arm under her back, trying to figure out how to hold her close without crushing her with his weight.

They both gasped and panted as they separated, their eyes meeting in awe.

"Too much?" Ben asked, wondering if he had been overbold.

Rey smirked, and then, without warning, she pulled him down and rolled over so she was on top of him. He looked up at her with wide eyes as she corrected him. "Not enough."

Then she was kissing him, moving even faster than he had a moment ago. Feeling his concerns dissipate, Ben hugged her tightly and let his emotions drive his actions as he had not allowed until now.

They kissed like desert dwellers receiving their hard-earned, long-awaited water ration—needy, deliberate, appreciative, trying to savor, making it last, hoping to draw out more. It was like feeling hungry and full, thirsty and quenched, all at the same time.

Rey was the one who ended it, as she was the only one able to pull back enough to break the kiss. But instead of standing, she shifted down and nestled her head under Ben's chin, still keeping him on the ground. "I missed you," she said.

"And I you." For a few minutes they lay there, holding each other, listening to the sounds of Ahch-To—the wind whistling above them, the waves crashing on the cliffs, the porgs chirping from their nests. The air was cold, and the ground was damp, but together they felt warm.

Ben stroked her hair, then gathered a handful of it in his fist, tightening his arms around her. "Rey?"

"Yes?"

"Now that you're here, with me … I'm not sure I can let you go." He said it lightly, though he was partly serious, and meant it as a warning.

Rey matched his tone as she answered, "I'm not sure I'll want to go."

His heart swelled with the hope that he had been trying to keep at bay. "Would you stay—permanently?"

There was just a beat of silence before she replied, "I'm going to think about it."

"Well, I think it's only fair to warn you …" He braced one hand against the ground and pushed off, so that he rolled on top of Rey again; she yelped, and her head fell back against his hand. For once, he looked at her without trying to hide his desire. Rey recognized that look, but the other times she had seen it, she had not understood what it meant, what it was he wanted. His tone was somewhat playful—but only a little—as he made his intentions clear. "As long as you're with me, I intend to kiss you—long, and hard, and often. Will you allow that?"

Her breaths were shaky, but her eyes shone with anticipation and something that might have been a challenge. "I'm counting on it."

Ben shuddered slightly, almost sobbing, as he lowered himself to embrace her fully. "Gods, I love you."

Her voice was just as choked as his. "And I love you, Ben." The name he used to hate sounded precious on her lips. He felt her sincerity, and finally began to believe what had for so long seemed impossible: she really did love him, really did want him, at least right now, in this sacred, secret place.

For a long time they stayed there, slipping seamlessly between kissing, cuddling, nuzzling, and gazing at each other. It was like carrying on a conversation, their hands and lips and eyes expressing what words alone could not. They felt an exquisite kind of joy, halfway between somberness and lightheartedness. They giggled with incredulity, and stared in profound awe of being alive and loved.

The sound of thunder, warning of a storm brewing in the distance, finally prompted them to get up. But before they went up to the huts, Rey pulled him in the direction of the ship. "I brought supplies," she announced.

After his humble but earnest attempts to prepare for her arrival, Ben was not sure how he felt about this. "You didn't have to—"

"I know, it's ahead of your delivery schedule, but I couldn't help it. Besides, they're also for me while I'm here."

They each took one handle of the crate as they carried it up the slopes and stone stairs to the village. But they both hesitated when they reached Ben's hut.

"You can come in," he said, pausing outside the door. "But, uh, I did wonder if you'd want your own space, or …" He trailed off suggestively.

"I can stay on the Falcon," Rey said quickly. "I'm used to having a bunk there, on trips."

"Sure—great—but you are welcome here, any time." He opened the door, then lifted the crate with the Force and gestured for her to enter.

After exchanging greetings with R2-D2, Rey went about unpacking the food and other goods. It occurred to Ben that she was quite at home in this space, having stayed on Ahch-To multiple times in the past and made short visits even more often.

While the rain came down outside, they stoked the fire and put together a meal. It ended up being a strange combination of Rey's unperishable, highly processed snacks and Ben's fresh, natural foodstuffs.

Rey giggled as Ben wolfed down his food. "You eat the way I used to."

Ben tried to speak around the food in his mouth, but his words came out muffled, which made Rey laugh even harder. Trying to stifle his own laughter to keep from choking, Ben chewed and swallowed his food and said, "I hardly ever have processed food. This is delicious to me."

For dessert, she surprised him with a box of confectionary treats, many of them get-well gifts from various friends and colleagues after her escape from the mines. There were more kinds of candy than Ben could name—he was pretty sure some of them hadn't been invented before he trained as a Jedi.

It was amazing to think that this was real, and not a dream or waking fantasy. They kept glancing at each other and exchanging shy smiles. Ben found himself reaching out repeatedly, touching Rey's arm or shoulder or face, to reassure himself of her presence. "You're really here? You're not going to disappear?"

"I'm here," she assured him.

"How long can you stay?"

"Up to a week, unless I send word that I'll be longer. Only Chewie, Finn, and Rose know where I am—that's how I was able to take the Falcon. If anyone else asks, they'll just say I'm on a vacation."

"A much-deserved one." Assuming a tone not unlike that of a protocol droid, Ben asked formally, "Is there anything I can do to make your stay more enjoyable?"

Rey smiled widely, and answered in a dark, ominous voice, "We'll see."

When they had cleaned up the dishes, Ben sat down near the fire again. "So … what would you like to do while you're here?"

Rey slowly sat down a few feet away from him. "Well, um … I do think we should talk about some things."

Ben did not fail to notice the shift to seriousness. "Like what?"

She had trouble meeting his gaze, looking instead at her hands or at the fire; when she did glance up at him, it was with an awkward, embarrassed expression. "Well, first off, so there's no … well …" She faltered, then took a breath, started over, and pressed forward with what she had to say.

"I don't know if you've thought about this, but … since our dyad is so strong—'a power like life itself'—I don't think we should … risk making new life. Even if we tried to prevent that, I think life would find a way, if it had the slightest chance. And unless we both want that … well, that's something we'd have to talk about, in the future. But I don't think now is the time for that."

Ben stared at the fire as he listened and considered her words. "I guess that makes sense," he acknowledged.

"Then, if we're agreed on that … we probably shouldn't share a bed, or sleeping quarters. It would feel too tempting."

"… Yeah. It would."

Rey searched his face, watching his reaction, though his expression seemed neutral. "Are you disappointed?"

Ben turned his face toward her, his eyes soft. "Maybe a little," he admitted. He could not help feeling a pang at realizing that door would have to remain closed for the present. At the same time, though, a part of him felt relieved, as though a pressure had been lifted off his shoulders. They needed time to figure out how their relationship would work, and the situation was complicated enough without sex. He smiled reassuringly at Rey. "But right now, I'm mainly just glad that you're here."

Rey returned his smile, and scooted closer so they were sitting side by side, hip to hip; if not for their height difference, they would have been shoulder to shoulder. "I'm not saying it can never happen," she emphasized, looking up into his eyes. "Just not now."

Ben put his arm around her shoulders. "Well, I've waited this long, for this much. I can wait longer for more."

She slipped her arms around his middle, resting her head over his heart. "Thank you."

"You don't need to thank me for that."

"I'm still grateful—for understanding, and being patient."

"Hey." Ben touched her cheek, and she lifted her head to meet his gaze again. "I want you to feel welcome here. Always. If there's anything I can do to make it better, just name it."

She shook her head. "You're all I need to be happy here."

In a strange way, hearing that made him feel prouder and more empowered than he had felt in a long time, if ever. "I'll do my best," he promised, before once again capturing her lips with his own.

Ben was not sure if having company actually made him busier than usual, or simply made every activity seem to stretch out. Every part of his routine seemed better from Rey's presence.

There were always chores to do, and Rey insisted on helping. Somehow having a companion with whom to perform the labor and share its fruits made even the most mundane of tasks enjoyable.

Ben noticed Rey watching him as he swept debris after a storm. She was smiling in a way he had not seen her do before. "What?"

"Nothing." She shrugged, still smiling. "I just like to see you doing normal things."

"'Normal things?'"

"Cooking, cleaning, building … I never saw Kylo Ren do anything like that," she explained. He smiled back wryly.

In between chores, they found a surprisingly diverse number of ways to spend their time. They still felt a kind of competition with each other, albeit a friendly one. When the weather forced them to stay indoors, they passed time by playing sabacc, dejarik, and other games. These ended up being an exercise in shielding their thoughts and emotions from each other, which was difficult given their general Force sensitivity and their particular psychic connection.

"If your grandfather could hide the fact that he was a Sith lord from the Jedi he interacted with on a daily basis, you should be able to hide the cards you're holding," Ben said jokingly.

"My grandfather wasn't part of a dyad in the Force," Rey retorted.

When the weather was fair, they tried competing athletically. Ben had had more time to explore the island and master its terrain, but Rey had more years of experience climbing and improvising ways to get around in a harsh environment.

On two sunlit days, they tried racing over various distances, even up to the temple. Once there, they took a break to meditate, their breaths syncing as they sat on opposite sides of the Prime Jedi mosaic. That was a moment of unexpected intimacy—not physical, or even mental or emotional, but spiritual.

It was Rey who suggested a sparring session, something that Ben had secretly hoped for, even before this visit. He had not engaged in combat, friendly or otherwise, in years, though he occasionally took out his mother's lightsaber to go through his old forms. And Rey was the only person he considered a worthy opponent, even for just practicing.

Their duel ranged over a quarter of the island. They frightened away quite a few porgs, but Ben called for a truce when they were in danger of crossing into the Lanai's work area. They agreed to hold off for one minute and walk away.

The second the truce ended, Rey pounced on him. Ben realized he had forgotten how magnificent she was when fighting. He was so preoccupied with watching her that he almost forgot to defend himself.

"You've lost your touch," Rey admonished teasingly.

"That happens when you're no longer fighting for your life," he retorted.

The duel ended with a draw, as many of their competitions did.

At one point, they got to talking about ships. After describing the latest modifications Chewbacca had made to the Millennium Falcon, Rey asked Ben, "Do you miss flying? As a passenger, or a pilot?"

"Sometimes." It was one of the things he missed most, actually.

Rey glanced out the window and then back at him, a mischievous look in her eye. "Would you like to take the Falcon for a spin?"

Ben's eyes widened. "Is that allowed?"

"You're not allowed to leave Ahch-To," Rey clarified, "but as long as you stay in the atmosphere, you should be fine."

"You'd trust me in the cockpit of that ship?"

"Yes. I would."

"Okay."

Ben took his father's dice with him, and hung them in their former place in the cockpit. Rey took her seat in the co-pilot's chair while Ben oriented himself. He looked over the control panel, a sight both foreign and familiar after so many years. "I've been a co-pilot on the Falcon, but I've never flown her myself. It—this means a lot to me." It was one more gift, both from Rey and, in a sense, from his lost family, that he did not deserve and could never repay.

Upon liftoff, Ben was surprised to realize that he had forgotten the feeling of flying. Yet it came back to him immediately. Even with more recent customization from various owners, coupled with years of wear and repair, he knew how to handle the ship.

He looked at Rey, and found that she was smiling widely as she watched him. She was happy to see him enjoying himself so much.

"You've never actually seen me pilot, have you?" he realized.

"No, I haven't," Rey said after searching her memory. She looked at him and guessed what he was thinking. "You don't have to—ugh!" Her protest was cut off when he made a sudden ascent, and then they were moving at a much greater speed, the water rushing below them so fast they could no longer discern the pattern of the waves. After getting used to that change in pace, Ben experimentally tried some simple maneuvers, turning the ship in loops and circular patterns, while being careful to stay within Ahch-To's atmosphere.

Once they were flying steadily again, Rey shoved his shoulder, though that barely moved him. "Showoff! You don't have to impress me, you know."

"If I wanted to do that, I'd look for something really dangerous."

For an instant, Ben thought he understood how his parents must have felt when they lived and traveled in this shop as a young couple. With his hands on the controls of the fastest ship in the galaxy, and the love of his life sitting next to him, he felt more satisfied and exhilarated than he had ever been in his life.

When they returned to the island, Ben grasped Rey's hand and leaned over to kiss her. "Thank you," he said as he drew back. "For this. For everything."

"You're welcome."

When it rained, which happened often, they hunkered down in Ben's hut to stay warm and dry. They kept a fire going, made tea or soup, and huddled under blankets while listening to the wind and thunder outside. Ben had never thought of his dwelling as cozy, but somehow, Rey's presence made it so.

"Do you like watching storms?" Rey asked the first time they had to take shelter from heavy rainfall.

"Not particularly," Ben said. "But my mom did."

Rey nodded. "I remember her saying so. I like rain …" She was interrupted by a particularly intense crash of thunder, which made her flinch. "… but I could do without the lightning."

Ben raised his brow at her. "Are you scared?" he asked, teasing and slightly incredulous.

She did not deny it, but instead said seriously, "It reminds me of Exegol."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

After that, he tried to be more soothing as they cuddled during storms.

There were a few times when the rain began to fall while they were still outdoors. When that happened, they had to either take shelter in a strange nook of the island, or run through the deluge. They laughed at how ridiculous they felt running through the rain. When they reached the safety of Ben's hut, they tried to dry and warm each other up as best they could. Rey crouched behind a couple stacked crates to change into a dry shirt Ben offered her, but he was far less shy about being seen shirtless—it was nothing she had not seen before, and to be honest, he liked seeing how she blushed and fought the urge to look at him.

He noticed how Rey tried to untangle her hair after getting it wet, and offered to brush it for her. This ended up lasting quite a while, as they both found it soothing, and Ben offered to braid it in an Alderaanian fashion. As he ran his fingers through her hair and wove it into patterns from his childhood, it was hard to say which of them enjoyed it more.

To drown out the sound of thunder, they took turns reading aloud from the datapad Rey had brought. She had entrusted the original Jedi texts to Finn's care during her leave of absence, but she had accumulated a small collection of other written works, most of them in digital formats.

Rey found that she liked to listen to Ben reading aloud, though he did not think he did it very well. He was not used to using his voice so much, so he would ask her to read instead.

"Beautiful," he murmured when she finished reading a lengthy poem aloud.

"Yes, it is," she agreed.

He lifted his head from her lap and sat up to face her. "I wasn't talking about the poem," he said, tracing her lips with his fingers.

"You cheeky—" She was cut off when he kissed her, and then the datapad was set aside and forgotten.

Their telepathic connection proved useful in navigating their physical relationship, since it spared them from having to ask or state what they were comfortable doing. Instead of verbalizing what they wanted, they could project an image into the other's mind. Sensing each other's emotions was extremely helpful, though they still needed to ask and articulate the reasons behind those feelings.

One evening, when Ben was reading aloud, the sound of his voice and the rhythm of the verse lulled Rey to sleep, as he noticed when she slumped against him. She was still sleeping when the storm ended and night fell.

Ben considered her, and the empty bed across the room. Surely, this would be a reasonable exception to the rule they had agreed upon. But seeing once again how trusting she was of him, his conscience would not let him make an exception. Instead, he scooped her up, blanket and all, and carried her back to the Millennium Falcon.

Once inside the ship, he carried her to the captain's cabin, which had the best bed. He set her down on the mattress and put another blanket over her.

Looking around the cabin, Ben had another moment of deliberation as he realized that, for the first time in over five years, he had access to a means of transportation. Strategically, Rey was being rather irresponsible. Hypothetically, he could, if he wished, commandeer the ship—he could kidnap Rey again, or leave her stranded on the island. Not that there was any place he particularly wanted to go, but a change of scenery would have been nice.

He felt a strange conflict of emotions as he thought over the situation. Rey was no fool; she knew the possibilities her visit presented to him. Maybe this was a test. Or maybe she simply trusted him enough not to act on such an opportunity. Realizing that obvious conclusion, he felt guilty for even considering such an act.

He looked down at the young woman, who looked even younger and more girlish while asleep, and wondered how she could love him, knowing how selfish he could be.

But maybe she was right, because deep down, Ben did not want to seize this opportunity to leave. He wanted to prove that her trust in him was not misplaced. He wanted to be worthy of it.

He brushed her hair back from her face and kissed her forehead. He could have sworn he saw the edge of her mouth curl into a smile. Then he left the cabin, disembarked from the ship, and returned to his hut to sleep.

There was one activity that Ben did not mention for several days, until the opportunity was upon them. He was not sure whether it was a good idea, or even whether it was more out of an interest in Rey's happiness or his own. But it seemed like a typical rite of passage, and Rey had not had many of those in her life, and Ben wanted her to have as many of those kinds of experiences as possible. It might even be good for them as a couple—and if they did not do it during this visit, then perhaps they might during the next one.

"The caretakers have visitors for a few days every month," Ben said over dinner.

Rey nodded. "I remember. All the males live apart from them, don't they?"

"Yeah. They sail in ships and gather food to take back to the island. The caretakers usually have a party on the first night after they arrive. Chewie took me once … and they said I can come again, if I want." Ben's cheeks colored a little as Rey caught his drift. "I wouldn't go, normally, but since you're here, I wondered if … would you like to go?"

"I don't know how happy they'll be to see me," Rey said ambivalently, remembering her few encounters with the Lanai.

"Yeah, it was probably a bad idea …"

"I didn't say that," Rey countered. "It could still be fun. I don't get to attend many parties." She smiled. "And it would be nice to go to one where I don't have to think about politics or espionage."

Ben raised his brow. "Espionage?"

"It's classified."

"Of course." They had run into several topics that Rey could not speak freely about, which Ben suspected hid larger stories. Although she had recounted many of her most exciting adventures to him, there were some things she could not share, at least so long as she worked for the Resistance.

The night of the party, Rey went back to the Millennium Falcon before meeting Ben outside his hut. She showed up wearing a dress he had not seen her in before, dark blue with swaths of light blue fabric crossing her front and back. It was fairly simple, at least compared to dresses Ben had seen on his mother and other women on formal occasions; but it suited her, and seemed appropriate for the rustic Lanai village.

"I've been saving it for something special," Rey explained before he could comment on it. "You're actually the first person to see it."

"I'm honored," he said truthfully.

"Would you help me with those braids you were showing me?"

Ben happily obliged. Rey faced the small mirror while he stood behind her and did his work, feeling grateful that he still remembered the Alderaanian patterns after so many years. He arranged her hair in a style for festive occasions and times of rejoicing.

"You know, you look beautiful on a normal day," he said quietly as he tied off the ends of her hair. "This just highlights it."

She caught his hand above her shoulder, looking at him in the mirror. "You once asked me if anyone had ever told me that. I've been wondering the same about you."

Ben blinked. "What—did anyone ever say I'm beautiful?"

"Yes."

He snorted. "Maybe my mom, when I was very small. But I don't remember any particular instances."

Rey smiled bashfully. "Well, I guess I'll be the first. You are a beautiful man, Ben."

They stared at their reflection as Ben let this idea wash over him. For much of his life, he had struggled between the opposite yet connected extremes of narcissism and self-hatred. Now, it was hard to know how to process a compliment, especially one about something so subjective, coming from someone with a unique perspective. "I think you're a little biased," he mumbled.

"It's true," Rey insisted. "I noticed it from the start. I just didn't want to admit it at the time."

Ben smiled, then kissed her cheek and ushered her out the door. "Come on. Let's see if they won't throw us out."

Something occurred to Rey as they walked arm in arm to the Lanai village. "Do you know their language?"

"Enough to get by."

"I could get Threepio on comms—"

"Absolutely not!"

Rey laughed at his protestation, but Ben stopped walking and pointed at her sternly. "That protocol droid is not going to know about any of this. If he does, he'll never leave us in peace."

"Okay, fair enough!" Rey turned him back toward the Lanai village. "You'll have to do the talking tonight, then."

Fortunately, the Lanai recognized Ben and remembered Chewbacca's favor with him, which was enough to make them admit the human couple. They did give Rey some sidelong glances, but they held more curiosity than bad humor. Rey was relieved, and relaxed a little more after Ben got them some drinks.

That night, for the first time since he was a child, Ben Solo danced. They each knew a few dance steps—Ben had learned some long ago from Leia, and Rey had learned more recently from various friends—so they tried to teach each other, but eventually they ended up just moving to the rhythm of the music. Rey was more exuberant, which seemed different from how she had been when they first met. At this point, she was more comfortable with social situations than he was.

"Do all of them come to this party?" Rey asked when they were taking a break near the refreshment table.

"I don't think so. Some might stay at home, if they have family, but it's kind of a community celebration."

"What exactly are they celebrating?"

Ben raised his brow at her. "You don't know?"

"No." Rey faltered under his stare, getting the feeling that she was missing something obvious.

Ben gestured with his hand and spoke slowly, as though teaching a small child. "The caretakers are females. The visitors are males. This period when they're together is when they mate."

For a moment Rey was unsure whether he was joking. "Are you serious? How do you know—that takes more language than 'enough to get by!'"

Ben tried not to laugh at her indignation. "Chewie figured it out. Or maybe he asked them, I don't know which. Some of them have spouses, others are trying to choose one. My theory is that they get together when most of them are fertile."

Rey covered her face with one hand in embarrassment. Ben smirked. "What? It's science."

"It's … private business." Something occurred to her then, and her cheeks turned an even darker shade of red. "Do they think I'm your mate, then?"

"I don't know. I haven't asked." He paused, and the silence between them stretched into awkwardness and uncertainty. "That … they wouldn't be wrong, exactly … would they? I mean—you could be, if you wanted to."

Rey looked up at him with a wistful expression that caught him by surprise. Her eyes had tears in them, and her lower lip quivered.

Ben did not understand this reaction. "Rey? What is it?"

She turned her face away, blinking back her tears and shaking her head. "Nothing. Everything." She sighed, looking out over the bright, jubilant scene. "I can't explain it. Being here, with you … it's more than I ever thought I'd experience, but it makes me want even more. I'm … I'm not used to that, to getting what I want so easily, and then not being satisfied … or having what I want in reach, and not going after it. It's … a little frightening."

Ben nodded slowly. "I know what you mean."

Rey glanced at him, and then tossed her head toward the crowd of dancers. "I guess our situation is kind of the reverse of theirs. You have to stay here, and I'm away most of the time."

Ben looked at her for a long moment. They had originally intended her visit to be the time when they would discuss how their relationship would work, yet they had not spoken deeply about it yet, focusing instead on enjoying their present time together. A party was not the best place to start talking about it, but he could not stop himself from asking, "Would you be okay with having that kind of relationship—seeing each other at intervals?"

Rey looked like a pilot whose ship was caught in a tractor beam. "I—"

"Because I wouldn't. It would be better than nothing, but I'd want you here all the time—or at least most of the time. I wouldn't mind if you visited your friends occasionally, but I'd want you to come back and stay with me. So, I need to know: would you be happy living here?"

Rey sensed the unspoken question behind his words: Would I be enough?

She considered him, then grasped his hand and squeezed it tightly. "I'm happy being with you. If this is where you are, then this is where I want to be."

Ben knew he should be satisfied with that answer. And when Rey pulled him back to the dancing area, and held him close in the night air, he was able to put the question out of his mind. But he knew it would come back, and that someday—perhaps sooner rather than later—they would need to talk about more than just what they wanted.

Disclaimer: The Lanai's monthly party is revealed in a deleted scene from The Last Jedi, and their mating customs are explained in ancillary materials.