It was just before noon, and they were still several hours out from Bespin when Rey realized she was in love with Ben Solo. With Finn flying the Starbird and Rose acting as co-pilot, she'd decided to take some time for herself and read the latest gossip holos. By all accounts, it was a normal day, except for her startling revelation.

She'd always thought that there was the potential for her to fall in love with Ben. She'd been resisting his allure almost from the start. But it was somewhere between reading Galaxy Glitter's latest blast, and realizing that she felt bad about it, that she discovered the reason why.

Oh, fuck, she thought to herself as a small hologram of Ben fluttered before her eyes.

He looked good, not that this wasn't completely normal too. The outfit he wore was somewhere between a jumpsuit and a dress, with wide lapels that split in the middle to reveal his pale, bare chest. In his customary violet color, his sleeves were rolled, revealing both his muscled forearms and the shimmering fabric lining. A wide, loose bow was pulled from the sides of his top and hung low on his hips. Flowing pants, tucked into heeled leather boots, topped off the monochromatic look.

With his hair brushed back, his ears peeked through his dark hair and were adorned with golden cuffs. His hair seemed to grow between every time she saw him, and she wondered whether he knew that she had a preference for longer hair, or if it was just in fashion, though the reason for his current style was likely a bit of both.

Galaxy Glitter talked about how his latest look was scooped from the Coruscanti runways, while Rey was transfixed by the expression on his handsome face. He'd been spotted eating dinner with friends on Cantonica, so probably visiting Dev, and someone managed to get some covert shots, before getting better ones as Ben left the restaurant.

He'd been sitting with other people, that much was easy to see, but his face throughout the sequence didn't look happy with whatever interaction was happening. And, finally, when he'd posed for the photographer, he'd looked almost frazzled? It was strange. Ben never really looked upset at all the previous intrusions into his life.

Between wondering whether she'd never noticed before, and wondering whether she noticed because she knew him so much better now, she pinpointed the reason she noticed at all. She was absolutely, stupidly in love with him. When had her feelings shifted from 'kind of sort of falling,' to 'completely head over heels for him'? Taking a moment, she put her datapad down and tried to think around the spinning thoughts in her head.

I'm in love with Ben. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

She hated that she could tell he was upset and that she couldn't do anything at the moment to make him feel better, and hated that, in a time of obvious distress, he was being forced to cater to the whims of his public. Galaxy Glitter didn't even note his expression, just went on and on about how great he looked and speculated about who he was dining with.

Which made sense, given they were a gossip holonist, but didn't they even notice that something was wrong? And when her heart clenched and her guilt for intruding on his private lunch overwhelmed her, Rey realized just how big of a problem she had.

Okay, so I'm in love with him and on my way to do bodyguard work for him. So, how do I keep him from finding out?

The last thing she needed was for Ben to know the depths of her feelings. Gods, he'd probably… What would he think?

Half the galaxy was in love with him, so maybe he'd just throw her in with that lot. But no. There was more running between them than just some sort of celebrity adoration. Hells, she hadn't even liked him the first time she met him!

Maybe he liked her because he thought there was no chance that she'd fall in love with him? Gods, she was such a moron. Between her spiraling and staring at the concerning image of Ben, Rose had walked into the lounge area and started calling Rey's name, but it wasn't until her friend was standing right in front of her that she finally noticed.

Rose was wearing a white, long-sleeved jumper that was cinched at the waist by a shiny, black belt, with matching boots. Her rosy complexion was highlighted nicely by an audacious shimmering swipe of gold across her cheeks, with a smoky look on her eyelids. With her dark hair pulled into a sleek, over the shoulder look, she'd fit right in on Bespin, which was the hope, anyway. She and Finn were doing recon for Maz while Rey was doing her work for Ben.

"You okay?" Rose asked. She'd managed to stack some snacks in her arms, probably to share with Finn, and was on her way back to the cockpit she'd noticed Rey quietly freaking out.

"I think… I've discovered something terrible."

Rose settled beside where Rey sat and let the packaged food spill to the side. "Share some snacks? Wanna talk about it?" she asked before plucking up what looked like gummy candies.

"It's awkward," Rey warned. She wasn't good at this whole opening up thing. What if Rose laughed at her? Or thought she was stupid?

Rose tore into the gummy candy bag. "I'm awkward. Life is awkward. Don't worry about it and tell me what's going on so I can try to help."

It was a strange sort of feeling for Rey to have someone in her life that was just there for her and didn't expect anything in return for it. She supposed this was what it felt like to have a friend. It was a nice feeling.

Rey took a deep breath and took a gummy from the bag that Rose was holding between them. "I think I'm in love…." she started before hesitating.

"With Ben," Rose finished for her.

"Ah, fuck. Is it that obvious?" Rey's face felt like it was on fire. Here she'd gone and fallen in love. Evidently, she was the only one who hadn't noticed.

Rose shook her head. "No, but I'm good at reading people. And I noticed some changes in your personality since coming back from Ben's, so I assumed you must have gotten laid or… fallen in love or maybe both?"

Rey groaned loudly. Fuck, this was so embarrassing! "I want to curl up and die about this."

"Why?! Being in love is great!"

"With Ben Solo?"

Rose sighed. "Yeah, I can see how that might be an issue. How does he feel about you?"

Rey shrugged. "I mean, I think he likes me, and he seems to care, but what does that mean when he's, you know, him."

"For what it's worth, there's more to Ben than most people realize. I mean, I think you know that, but there's depth and caring there that most people miss because he's so… him. Why don't you tell him how you feel? I think he might surprise you."

Rey blanched. "Oh, my Gods, that is the last thing in the galaxy I'm ever going to do. I mean, it's not like things could work out between us, given who I am and what I do. And anyway, I'd have to hear it from him first."

"So, you are considering telling him?" Rose interrupted.

Rey rubbed her hands into her face and resisted the urge to die on the spot. "No, but I'm not not considering it, if the situation was right. And if he… said it first."

Rose looked over and narrowed her eyes. "I think you're being a big fucking scaredy-cat."

"Obviously! I've never done this before!"

"And it is scary," Rose added.

"It's terrifying. I feel like my heart is going to burst or I'm going to combust or I don't even know. Why is this so terrible?"

"Why is the most powerful thing in the galaxy so terrifying? I have no idea," Rose deadpanned, earning her a gentle shove from Rey.

"I'm fucked, aren't I?" Rey asked.

Rose reached over and patted her hand consolingly. "Totally fucked. If it's any consolation, there are worse people in the galaxy to fall in love with."

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah! I mean, Ben's a catch, if you can catch him. I once knew a sentient that fell in love with a sarlaac, and that did not end well."

"You're joking?" Rey balked.

Rose shook her head. "I wish I were. Anyway, gotta bring some snacks to my love, but you're doing fine, Rey. Don't worry."

"Worrying keeps me alive," she countered.

"Yeah, but it also keeps you from living. Don't be too scared to live. Even if you fall flat on your face, you can always pick yourself up again. And you won't be alone—you've got Finn and me now, so don't forget it."

Rey thanked her friend as Rose plucked up the bags of treats before heading back to the cockpit. It was… nice to have someone to talk to, even if the feeling was hard to get used to. Naturally, as soon as Rose left, Rey's thoughts turned to the last time she'd seen Ben in person.

After he'd rocked my world on that giant couch of his. Turned it right upside down… she thought wistfully as memories of their night together, and the day after, resurfaced in her mind.

She'd woken on Arkanis to find herself still wrapped in his arms, and had she not been so close to him, she'd have slipped from the couch and retreated to her room before he woke to avoid the embarrassment that was sure to follow when he woke up and realized where he was and who he was with.

But Ben wasn't at all like she'd expected him to be. It wasn't like she'd had much experience waking up next to anyone, but she'd assumed, like so many other sentient lifeforms, he'd wake up, see her face, and regret everything that happened between them.

But he didn't. At first, he'd stirred a little, full lips parting into a wide yawn before peeking down at her. With a smile, his arms tightened around her, his eyes slipped closed again, and he seemed to be trying to catch a few more minutes of sleep while holding on to her, tightly.

Finally, after a few minutes more, he'd stirred again. His morning voice purred out a smug, "Since when have I ever been like anyone else you've ever known?"

Rey huffed before rubbing her face into his chest a little. It was such a nice chest—broad and firm, but comfy enough to sleep on, as she'd done for most of the night. His heartbeat was strong and soothing, and she listened for a moment as she tried to gather her thoughts.

"So, we gonna talk about this whole mind-reading thing?" she'd ventured softly, voice similarly raspy from disuse.

Ben shifted a little as his hand trailed over her hip. "I'm not sure what there is to talk about. It's as strange to me as it is for you."

"So, the whole mind-reading thing isn't a Jedi trick?"

He sighed. "Yes and no. In most people, it's more like… feelings? Impressions of what they're thinking? But with you its…," Ben stalled.

More, she supplied mentally.

Exactly, he replied in kind.

It was like a conversation that only they were privy to. At least, that was kind of how it felt. Other times, it felt like he could get so completely into her head that Rey didn't know where Ben began and she ended. But it felt consensual, and not at all like an invasion, which was good because Rey wasn't certain she wanted Ben knowing every sordid detail from her past, at least not without her choosing to tell him first.

"There are ways to protect your mind," he'd offered.

Rey shrugged, probably more unconcerned that she should have been. "Are you the only person in the galaxy with this power?"

"Mind reading abilities? No, but I think there are easier methods for getting information out of sentients."

"Like drugs and pain?"

"Precisely."

If she hadn't encountered it before, Rey didn't think she'd have a problem with other people trying to read her mind. But Ben was insistent.

"I know you think it's a nonissue, but indulge me?"

"Okay," she said while snuggling in closer. Ben's hand had reached up to gently thread through her messy hair.

"Think of it this way, it's not so much about keeping someone out, but more like muddying the water so they can't see clearly."

"So, think some rancid thoughts and people will back out quietly?"

Ben chuckled softly. "Yeah, actually. Or focus on so many thoughts that there's nothing they can grab a hold to. And, just so you're aware, it took me years and a lot of teenage angst to get this through my head."

Rey huffed. "You were dramatic as a teen?"

"As if you have to ask."

Given how Ben had a flair for the dramatic now, she could only imagine how he'd been when hormones had played a major factor.

"I'm sure you were adorable," she cooed teasingly.

"I'm sure that's the last thing I'd have wanted to hear," he sighed. "All limbs and ears and nose."

"I love your limbs and ears and nose!" she countered.

Ben laughed, but his arms tightened around her middle. "You say that now."

"I'm sure I'd have said it then if I'd known you as a kid. How anyone can resist you is a mystery to me," she admitted softly.

"Ah, I've done it, then?"

"What?" Rey'd peeked her head up and looked at him. He looked positively smug.

"Gotten into that tightly locked heart of yours."

"Hmph, you wish." He had, he most definitely had, and hearing more about his past only made her heart open that much more for him.

This is…. No. She wouldn't say it or think it because then he'd know and he absolutely could not know that particular piece of information. Not now, and maybe not ever.

"Stop changing the subject," she'd teased.

And then he'd spent the rest of the morning teaching her how to block her mind from outside intrusion from the Force. It wasn't entirely comfortable. Some of his training felt downright intrusive, but she could see how this sort of thing was necessary. They were about halfway through his impromptu training session when Rey had a sudden realization.

"Does this mean I have the Force?"

Ben'd laughed. "We all have the Force, but you have the potential to use it, yes. I'm surprised it hasn't manifested in you before now."

"How does it manifest itself?" Rey'd asked.

"Generally, when you're emotional. I accidentally broke a lot of my mother's picture frames as a kid. That sort of thing."

Rey'd tried to think of situations where something like that happened to her, but nothing came to mind. More than anything, she'd been… well, lucky. And a great shot. And had managed to get herself out of so many situations where she should have ended up dead.

"That could be it, too," Ben offered, reading her open thoughts. "My dad loves to say the Force is 'hokey bullshit,' but I swear he's the luckiest shot in the galaxy."

Maybe that was the way of it for her. It wasn't long into Ben's training that the mood shifted between them, and the insistent longing that ran between them meant that they soon wanted to do so much more than reading each other's thoughts. This time, it didn't move much further than kisses.

Though kissing while nude was something Rey discovered she loved, and all the while she sent teasing thoughts of what he'd done to her and what she'd like him to do to her back into his mind before he finally groaned softly and bemoaned the fact that he couldn't make it a reality for her.

"Too much to do today," he said apologetically.

"And I'm not on that list of 'to do,' am I?"

"Unfortunately, no. But the next time we see each other…." he'd drawled. And it was with thoughts of next time and what had already happened between them that Rey and Ben had gone on with their day, ultimately parting ways as she went back to Takodana and him to Coruscant.

Now, realizing the depth of her feelings for him, she remembered the way he cared for her—how it felt like he wanted to keep her safe and would do whatever he needed to keep her that way. And now her caring had changed to something infinitely more terrifying, but also more precious. She was in love with him. And as the Starbird drew closer and closer to the Bespin system, Rey thought of the million ways this information could go wrong for her.

But a little voice in the almost forgotten space of her broken heart reminded her that maybe, just maybe, this time things would go right for her and that Ben was worth hoping for. And as that gentle and fragile warmth settled around her, Rey decided to let destiny do what it had been doing all along: show her the way forward.

Rey arrived in Bespin and, though she'd seen some sights in her time, nothing quite compared to the look of the floating city illuminated in a splash of golden sunlight and surrounded by fluffy, white clouds. Though Bespin was also a mining colony, it was also known for being an elite destination for Aristos.

No one in the galaxy had a reputation quite like the city's Baron Administrator, Lando Calrissian, not even his notorious nephew. When people visited Bespin, they expected to have a good time, and Lando was an ever-gracious host that went far to indulge his guests.

Known for being charming, decadent, and devastatingly handsome, Rey wondered just how much Ben had learned from his uncle, and whether the reputation was hiding more than he led on, just like with his nephew. Calrissian was also a celebrated general from the Galactic Civil War, so it wasn't like the only reputation he had was one of excess.

Rey waited near the Starbird in the landing area and watched as shuttles sped around the massive city. Finn and Rose were doing some final checks and coordinating their mission from Maz, and though Rey'd normally sit in on their conversation, she was feeling antsy and had decided to check the exterior of the ship.

It had been a little while since she'd seen Ben in person and, though they'd kept in contact through comms and holos, she still felt anxious. Because, really, the last time she'd seen him in person, she'd still been able to lie to herself that she wasn't in love with him and that he was just another employer. A super hot and sexy employer that had definitely had his head between her legs, but still.

Hah… she thought. It was almost funny, except that the last thing she wanted was for Ben to find out that she was in love with him and to ruin… whatever it was they had going on. Were they friends? Lovers? Somewhere between the two? Rey sighed and handed over the Starbird's credentials as a spindly, metallic transit droid came along to check their landing.

Maz knew Lando, so they weren't anticipating any problems during their time in Cloud City. Maz seemed to know almost everyone in the galaxy. Well, the people who were worth knowing, anyway. And while most people thought of her as a friend, she'd also been alive long enough to have at least some enemies, hence her problems lately with Crimson Dawn.

But who didn't have a problem with that Syndicate? With the Empire gone, it wasn't surprising that some would seek power in its absence. And while some joined politics, and others became pirates, some blended the two and worm their way into power with illicit means and influence—basically, blackmail and bribery.

It was more than Rey wanted to deal with, anyway. And considering she'd had her own issues with Crimson Dawn, the less they knew about her current whereabouts, the better. It wasn't long after the droid checked their credentials that it was droning something about informing 'Baron Calrissian' about their arrival, and by 'their,' the droid meant Finn and Rose because Rey was on the floating city for another reason.

Ben… she thought longingly before she could stop herself. Oh, Gods. She was wistful, wasn't she? She missed him when they were apart, didn't she? Rey was so fucked for him, and yet, she couldn't manage to feel completely bad about it. If things went the way they inevitably seemed to go, and it all got fucked up beyond belief, she'd just go back to living life the way she always had: alone.

Except she didn't want to go back to that, not now when she'd started to experience what it felt like to have friends and what it felt like to be cared for. Could she go back to that lonely existence, now that she knew what it felt like to have people who wanted her around?

Rey sighed loudly. She had better things to think about right now, like how the hell she was going to make it through her assignment without punching that damn Aristo, Cirraen Lindet, right in the face when she inevitably got too handsy with Ben.

"Everything okay out here?" Finn asked, face peeking out from inside the Starbird. Rey jumped a little. Sometimes, she thought that man had the uncanniest ability to tell when she was feeling like shit, or just about to get herself into some major trouble. Not that he hadn't saved her ass more than once, but it still made her wonder about him.

Finn had grown his hair out a bit, and it was pulled into tight, glossy locks that framed his handsome, dark brown face. He was wearing a similar shimmer to Rose, and the golden sheen made him look like he'd been marked with stardust.

Rey blinked up at her friend and let out a low whistle. "What are you and Rose doing, again, that you both have to be so dolled up?"

Finn snorted. "A compliment from you? I must look damn good," he said with a wink and a bright smile.

He was dressed in a navy half-cape that was lined with glittering gold fabric, which sat just on his shoulders and was balanced in place by some feat of magic. His sunshine-yellow shirt gleamed and was tucked into dark pants that were just a little tight on his muscular legs. With gleaming cropped boots and his undeniable charm, Rey knew that he and Rose would be successful at whatever it was they needed to do.

She felt a little underdressed in her customary dark leather outfit, but she was here for business and they were here for… whatever it was Maz needed them to do. And, besides, if Ben wanted her in something else, he'd have already planned and told her, right?

Rey winked back at Finn. "Well, I have always said that you'd make one hell of an Aristo. You have the look, but you need to work on the attitude."

Finn scrunched his face thoughtfully. "Think I can manage to be an insufferable, whiny asshole for a day. Might be a nice change of pace."

"Yeah," Rey drawled. "Normally, I'm the insufferable, whiny asshole on runs, so it'll be good for the shoe to be on the other foot for once."

Finn laughed. "And look at these shoes!" he said, modeling his boots.

"You look good! Like you truly belong here among the clouds."

Finn tilted his chin and raised his brow. "Okay, who are you and what have you done with my friend, Rey?"

"What?" she blinked.

"I guess Rose was right…," Finn murmured, but before Rey could ask him what he meant by that, Rose popped her head out and let Finn know that they needed to get going.

"You okay to finish up with docking, Rey? It's mostly done. Just need to lock up."

"Of course. You two go have fun… or whatever?"

Rose grinned. "Here's hoping. And back at you. Say 'hi' to Ben for me, okay?"

"Me too," Finn added as he gently tucked Rose into his side before starting on the long dock to the main building.

Where ever they were heading, it didn't look like weapons were necessary. Unless they were being provided with a cache on arrival? Who knew? Not everything Maz had them working on needed weapons, just most. Rey had her trusty blaster attached to her thigh, not that this was in any way a surprise. Unless she felt entirely safe, she pretty much slept with her blaster.

Of course, her mind recalled the last time she'd felt safe enough not to sleep with her blaster. At Ben's, she hadn't even thought of it. Just stripped it off and not picked it up again till the next day. And she never did that. She had a routine, which meant she took her blaster off, cleaned it, then placed somewhere either on the bed or nearby, and then get on with the rest of whatever she needed to do before bed.

After the auction and the ensuing chaos, all she could think about was getting into bed. And then she did get into bed—with Ben. Okay, so it was a couch, but as the memories of that encounter returned, Rey studdered in her step a little. Given the lack of guardrails along the docking area, she needed to pay attention to her footing.

What was it about old architecture that they all collectively decided that guardrails were just not a necessary thing? What if someone fell? Or was pushed? And she was most definitely not hyper-focusing on something that wasn't even remotely important while trying to keep herself from thinking about Ben.

But she had to think about him because she was supposed to be meeting him at his apartment. This one belonged to her uncle, he'd assured her when she'd been about to tease him during one of their chats.

"I don't own property everywhere," he'd said.

"Just most everywhere?" she quipped.

"Hmmm, now that you mention it. I was thinking about getting a little lake house."

"Oh, have anywhere in mind?"

"Takodana," he murmured, and at her shocked expression, he'd laughed. "Sorry, my turn to tease. We already have a lake house, anyway."

"We?" Rey asked as she tried to recover. Of course, he wouldn't want to have a place close to her; that would just be silly, right?

"My family has an estate on Naboo."

Right, he had mentioned something about closets on Naboo. And well, it shouldn't have surprised her, given that his family had ties to the planet.

"I remember you promising I could raid your closet," she reminded him. "You still owe me a shirt."

"Ahh, of course. Visit me, and you can take whatever you want," he purred.

"And if I want to visit you on Naboo?" she prompted. It wasn't like her to talk about the future, but some part of her had wanted to see what he'd say to the promise of something more between them.

"Then we'd better go in the summer. You've never seen a lake as beautiful as the one near Varykino."

"Varykino?"

"The lake house. And the weather is warm in the summer, warm enough that clothes are entirely optional."

"Entirely?"

"You know, I prefer to wear as little as possible. The estate is private enough to make this a reality. I'll plan for it. You won't be disappointed, I promise."

Okay, so maybe she'd underestimated just how far he'd be willing to go on a private trip with her. And here, she'd been mostly teasing. But he'd looked so happy talking about the estate and being there with her, without clothes. How could she walk it back now?

Rey'd swallowed thickly and replied with a hoarse little, "Okay," before the conversation had moved on to other things.

Now, she was on her way to see him again. Except, she was getting turned around once she got inside the cavernous building. She was supposed to find shuttles that would take her to the private residences, but either she'd taken a wrong turn or wasn't paying attention and she ended up getting lost.

The floors gleamed so much that they dazzled her. Rey could only imagine how many droids it took to keep this place shining so bright. Though she had to admit, she did like the look of it all. The bright white aesthetic of the city made everything feel so fresh and open. Where a metallic sheen seemed to dominate most modern Republic cities, Bespin had chosen an artistic look and committed.

Rey checked her comms and saw that she'd missed a message from Ben. She was about to send him a message back—an SOS, really, when a familiar golden gleam caught her eye. Rey smiled as the sound of a particularly frazzled droid greeted her ears.

"3PO!" Rey exclaimed before jogging over. The droid was waiting near an expansive window that looked over the cloudy gas giant. The setting sun had cast the sky in brilliant pinks and reds that no one seemed to appreciate at all. Everyone was too busy being seen or going places to be seen. And, with the opera in the evening, it was likely that anyone worth seeing would be on the planet.

"Miss Rey!" exclaimed the droid, arms flailing as he saw her. "Master Ben will be most pleased that I've found you. We were just about to send out a search party. You were expected some time ago…" the droid went on and on, while Rey tried to apologize. But he seemed more interested in getting it all out, so she contented herself to listen to his woes while he quickly led her toward Ben's place.

The droid led her down one great hallway after another before they ended up in front of a large silver door, with intricate scrollwork stood. She'd been closer than she thought, so the shuttle wouldn't have been necessary, but more convenient.

Must be Ben's place… Rey thought as she reached out and traced her hand over the pattern which seemed to show some warriors fighting a great beast—no, that wasn't quite right. The beast was protecting someone? She'd have to ask Ben about it.

"You will have to excuse me, Miss Rey. I have other duties to attend to."

"Oh, is Ben waiting?" she asked as the door to his private chambers slipped open, but whatever 3PO said back was entirely missed as Ben came into view.

He was pacing back and forth in a pristine white lounge, hand running through his hair as he moved. Ben looked stressed, and he didn't normally look that way. Was he worried about her? He turned as she stepped into the room, and the relief and happiness at seeing her were obvious.

It warmed her heart more than she wanted to admit, but she was similarly impacted. He looked good. Like a canteen of cool water after a long day of scavenging from oven-hot star destroyers. He was dressed in a vibrant red tunic with matching pants, which was accented by a long, sleeveless cloak. Somehow, he reminded her of Leia in this outfit. His long hair was probably styled, but he'd managed to make a mess of it with his hands. This just made him more attractive as the messy, curly look really worked for him.

It reminded Rey of how he'd looked waking up beside her. And suddenly her thoughts and emotions shifted from elation to something else entirely. Ben must have picked up on the change because he practically stalked towards her, long legs closing the distance between them in seconds. He opened his arms and waited.

Without missing a beat, she launched herself against him as the door to the apartment slipped closed. Okay, so maybe she'd missed him more than she thought and maybe their frequent chats had made her anticipate this reconnection a bit more than she realized. Fortunately, Ben took it in stride, holding her close as she buried her face in his chest. His alluring scent made her feel a little drunk for him as the heat and strength of his body enveloped her.

"So, I guess I missed you," she murmured against his chest.

"Good," he replied before giving her a quick kiss on her brow.

"Good?"

"It'll be much easier to do this if you're as needy as I am right now," he said, voice tight. It was then that she realized Ben was holding himself back, which meant that he'd been looking forward to this just as much, if not more than she had. Her arms slipped under the thick fabric of his cloak and wrapped around his muscular middle while his hands hitched over her shoulders.

They fit. Perfectly. And it wasn't long before Rey wanted to do much more than hold him in her arms. This was new for her too, the heady and overwhelming feeling of desiring someone so much that even their proximity felt intoxicating. And when he touched her? Divine. Ben's big hands gently rubbed into her shoulders as he held her, sending wonderful little shivers down her spine.

His hands dipped low, hitching right below the curve of her ass as he lifted. Rey's legs wrapped around his middle, almost on their own as her hands slid up to hold around his neck. She didn't need to ask what he was doing because it didn't matter. She wanted what he wanted, which was to be as close to each other as possible.

Ben carried her the short distance across the room before settling into a long, sumptuous couch. Rey shifted her legs as she settled astride him, but before she could put her hands where she wanted them—under his clothes, against his skin, inside his pants—Ben's hands reached out to gently hold hers behind her back.

"What are you doing?"

"'I just want you to think of me today,'" sound familiar?" Ben cooed in a bad approximation of a Core accent—hers, apparently.

Rey's cheeks flushed. Okay, so maybe that sounded a little familiar and maybe she did send him a semi-lewd holo of herself in bed. And maybe she'd underestimated his brief reply, "How could I not?"

At the time, she'd thought maybe she'd caught him in a bad moment, or maybe the holo wasn't as alluring as she'd hoped, but it seemed that Ben had been stewing over it for a week or so, and was now enacting his revenge.

"I um… yes?" she replied, hesitantly. She wasn't sure what his plan was here. It wasn't like she was bothered by being restrained; she kind of liked it when Ben was the one doing the restraining. But it was a little frustrating when all she wanted to do was reach out and touch him. And he knew that and was using it to his advantage, the ass.

He leaned in, teeth grazing her neck as he murmured against her skin, "We don't have much time, so I have to make this quick."

"Make what quick?" she managed, her voice somewhere between a gasp and a moan as his lips sucked.

"Mmm, making sure you know every aching detail of what I'm going to do to you later."

"What you're going to do to me?" she repeated softly.

As if that's a punishment, she thought snarkily. Ben grinned at her thoughts and her stomach dropped a little as she realized he was probably much better at this game than she was. Maybe she was in a little over her head here.

"Yes, Rey. You didn't think I wouldn't get you back for that holo, did you?" For a quick moment, Ben held her tight with one hand while the other came around to rearrange himself in his pants. Knowing he was sitting there, hard for her, while she was held back on his lap, was maddening.

"Get me back for what? You have hands, Ben," she gritted out as his uncanny power slipped through her—just a little, a soft shimmer around her nipples, a gentle pulse against her core.

"And what if I want to use that pretty mouth of yours instead?" he rasped. Though he sounded in control, his body betrayed him. His pale cheeks were flushed red and his broad chest was nearly panting. Oh, so this was torture for him too, was it?

Rey grinned. She liked the idea of that. Denial, release, heightening the tension between them until they both felt like they were going to break… just perfection. He seemed to understand that about her better than anyone. In her life, instances of joy and pleasure were far and few between, so it was better to indulge as fast as possible, or risk the chance that they would disappear before her eyes.

Here, with him, there was no fear of losing. And Ben, who had experienced much pleasure in his life, seemed to be master at drawing out the experience—heightening it depending on what the mood called for or what his partner needed. And he knew what she wanted because it was obvious that she wanted him.

Without her realizing it, Ben switched his power for his hands, meaning he was free to touch her as he spoke. He slipped a long finger down the line of her sternum as he told her how badly he wanted to trail along that path with his tongue.

As her heartbeat in her throat and her body thrummed with need, he told her how good she was, while a free hand curve over her ass, squeezing tightly before slipping up her back and into her hair.

"But I thought this was a punishment?" she barely managed as she leaned into his gentle touch. "For the holo?"

His fingers skimmed against her scalp and through her hair as he divulged, wickedly, "For me, maybe. It's taking everything I've got not to lay you back on this couch and fuck you until you beg me to stop."

Rey gasped a little at the vision he cast and his curse. And then her expression shifted into a devious smile. He might have had her on his lap and wrapped up with his power, but she was the one that had made him feel this way. So reckless and longing. Rey let her head roll back a little, exposing her neck to his rapt gaze.

"What makes you think I'll be the one begging?" she teased.

"Oh, a challenge? I accept then, my faithful bodyguard. Assuming you're able to protect me tonight, that is."

Rey rolled her eyes with as much dignity as she could muster, pinned as she was by his power. "Of course, I'll keep you safe."

Ben grinned while guiding her head down, against her lips he breathed, "Ahh, but who will keep you safe from me?"

And as his lips met hers, all other thoughts fled from her mind. Spread wide on his lap, he entered her mind as his lips devoured, filling her head with all the wicked things he intended to do to her later. The evening hadn't yet started; she had her duties, and he had his.

But the nighttime? The nighttime would be theirs.

Author's Notes: I think I can post this on FFnet with minimal edits, WHAT A RELIEF. Won't be able to say the same about the next chapter lol. Thanks for reading! Actually been working on this and some other things, so shouldn't be quite so long for the next chapter—A p smutty Reylo Saturnalia AU that's set in my Roman AU storyverse. It's almost complete (like 15k), so I'll post it when I'm done (I've been playing Hades a LOT, so I kind of got inspired lol I also wanted to write something Halloweeny, but I couldn't find any Roman holidays that would work, but Saturnalia kind of fits).

When Rey realizes that she's in love with Ben, he's wearing a version of this outfit (different color, obvs), because Balmain never lets me down. Rose is similarly channeling Leia, but a more dressed up version of this. Finn is obvs drawing from the amazing Lando (this look), and I had some fun with clothes this chapter lol.

"Like you truly belong here among the clouds" paraphrased from the amazing Lando Calrissian in ESB, and when Rey walks into Ben's place on Bespin, he's literally channeling his mom's look from ESB (most of the google images are toys, but you get the idea).

Things will be getting a lil more serious as it all picks up toward the end, but just a reminder that happy endings are the only thing I presently have time for lol. Cheers!

Thanks for all of your support and for reading. Means the world to me ? Hope you all are doing ok! Take care and stay safe!