The boys had gone ahead, with Poe insisting that they needed time to get to know the 'mighty supreme leader'. Rey had agreed, mostly at Ben's request, but still could not shake the feeling of unease that had settled itself firmly in her stomach. Ben was understandably nervous, but there was something about how Hux seemed a bit too pleased that his former boss would be taking part that set Rey on edge. She had her doubts, but she hoped the most that would come out of it was the two of them getting into some sort of competition.

As a distraction, Rose had offered the two of them work on the project from earlier, and could join up with them a bit later. It worked for a short while, when without the warning, the room spun, and Rey had to catch herself on the corner of the workbench to keep from falling.

"Are you alright?" Rose's hand was on her shoulder, and Rey looked over to see her face covered in worry.

She paused, turning instead to look in the direction she knew the others were. "...I think he's drunk."

"You mean Ben? How can you tell?"

Rey paused, placing a hand on her chest. "It's part of what we share; I know what he's feeling and he knows me." She shook her head slightly, bracing herself against the feeling. "We should get going, I want to see what's happening." If Ben was truly as drunk as it felt like, she highly doubted he would answer if she tried. Probably wouldn't even notice, at this rate.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Rose still looked worried, refusing to remove her hand. "Honestly that sounds incredible and under normal circumstances I'm sure it would be...but are you sure you're okay? That was a pretty bad sway."

Rey nodded. "I knew he would get drunk eventually so I had braced myself, I just didn't think it would happen so soon." She took a steadying breath, recentering the fact that the tipsy, not quite all there feeling was not, in fact, coming from her. "C'mon, I want to know how they got him that drunk already."

/

It wasn't hard to find Ben amongst the crowd, sitting at a table with Poe and Finn, talking more animatedly then she had ever seen him. It was as if he had lost any and all of the nerves from before, the barriers he had keeping him from really conversing with people having been taken down. That was the nature of alcohol, she supposed; if only he could be this relaxed around people all the time. She shook her head, making her way towards their table.

"How many did you give him?" Rey asked, taking a seat next to Finn. Rose had gone to Hux, who was watching amusedly from a short distance away.

"Including the one he's attempting to spill everywhere?" Finn wasn't even trying to hide his amused grin as she spoke. "Just three."

Rey paused, glancing over at Ben, the same fuzzy, not completely coherent feeling coming from him the same she got if she had more than several drinks. "Are you sure?" She looked skeptically back over at Finn. "That looks more like ten than three."

"I know, isn't it great?" Finn's grin only grew wider.

"Who knew the guy you'd end up attached to would be such a lightweight?" Poe broke in, with his own delighted grin.

Ben stopped then, staring at her as if he had just noticed she was there. He didn't say anything, just continued to watch her in awe.

She gave him a smile. "Yes, Ben?"

Ben fidgeted as he glanced down, absently tapping two fingers together. "S'nothing. Just..." He chanced stealing another look at her before returning his gaze to his hands, "you're really pretty."

"Thank you." She said. "What's the problem, though?"

"S'not polite to stare."

"I don't mind."

He looked back up at her, surprise etched on his face. "But you're attached. An' it wouldn't- wouldn't be nice to steal you."

"You want to steal me?"

He nodded firmly. "Yes. I like you." He gasped, placing his hands over his mouth as if he had just said something blasphemous. "Sorry, shouldn't -"

"It's okay, Ben." She said, reaching over to pull his hands back down, "I like you too."

"B-but s'not right." His said, his lips trembling, "I couldn't- can't be the one to take you away. Should jus be happy you're happy." His voice wavered, a few stray tears sliding down his cheeks.

There was a pang in Rey's chest as she watched him, and she couldn't deny the guilt that was there as she watched him, looking like a puppy that had been kicked. She ignored the snickers next to her, instead asking, "And who exactly do you think you'd be taking me from?"

"I...um..." His eyebrows furrowed, and she could see the gears trying to turn as he attempted to answer her question.

She smiled fondly, taking his left hand in her right and lightly tracing the butterfly mark with her thumb. "You can't steal what's already yours."

"Huh?" He looked down at the hand she was holding, taking in the mark of their binding. "Oh. Oh." Her favorite smile spread across his face, wide and unabashedly happy as realization took hold. "You're already mine."

She nodded. "And what are you going to do about it?"

Without hesitation he leaned across the table, placing a hand on the back of her neck and kissing her. "How's that?" He asked after pulling away slightly, leaving their foreheads touching.

"Mm, a bit short, but acceptable."

"I could easily fix that -"

"Okay get a room, you two." Poe's voice broke in, breaking them out of their own little world.

"That's a good idea, thank you Poe." Rey stood up, taking Ben's hand in hers as she pulled him to his feet.

"You haven't even had anything to drink yet!" Poe protested. He nudged Finn. "When's she ever skipped out on initiation night?"

Finn shook his head, instead raising his glass to them. "Have a good night, Rey."

"You too." Rey said, giving Finn a smile. If either of them would understand how she felt, she knew it would Finn. "We'll see you tomorrow."

Ben was a bit unsteady on his feet, so Rey pulled one of his arms around her shoulders, pulling him close to support him as they walked. "Where are we going?" Ben asked, leaning into her. If she had a worse sense of balance, he would have caused them both to trip.

"We're going to get you to bed before you fall over." She said with an amused smile as she looked forwards, toward one of the denser patches of trees where her room her resided.

Her room was exactly the same as she had left it, books and various tools spread out along her workbench, along with the bed shoved to one side that she never bothered to make. She set him down on the bed, only to have him pull her down with him.

"Don't leave me. Please." He looked at her pleadingly, and her heart melted.

"I wasn't going to." She said softly, pulling him down to lay with her.

"Okay." He wrapped his arms around her tightly, snuggling into her. "I love you." He muttered, already half asleep.

She smiled, placing a kiss on his forehead as she stroked his hair. "I know."

/

The next morning when Ben came back to consciousness, it was to the worst headache he could ever remember. Yesterday had been the hardest thing he'd done in a long time, and by the end of it he had been ready for a bit of relief. He knew that drinking was a past time that people used to temporarily forget about things, and he had decided to try it despite Rey's reservations. The only problem being that he wasn't prepared for the hangover that would come after it. In hindsight, going drinking hadn't been one of his better ideas. But then, wasn't that normal? Groaning, he rolled over, trying to convince his body to go back to sleep.

When the effort proved futile, he tried opening his eyes, but it was as if he had been exposed to the brightest light in the known galaxy, only causing his head to throb even worse. He groaned again, burying his face even deeper into his pillow.

A soft laugh came from somewhere above, and careful fingers started running through his hair. It was gentle and caring, and as he laid there more and more awareness was slowly coming back to him. It wasn't his pillow he was leaning into; it was Rey. No wonder it was so warm and comfortable.

"I was wondering when you would wake up."

First it was light, then sound? He pulled Rey tighter against him, trying in vain to convince his head that it had not, in fact, been run over by several banthas.

Sorry, is this better?

He sighed, relaxing against her slightly, her touch soothing.

Much, thank you.

You should have told me you were a lightweight.

He didn't need to see her face to know there was a bemused grin spreading across her face. He grumbled a bit, even as he refused to move from his spot.

It's not funny. Didn't you have any?

I decided to carefully pass. You were drunk enough for the both of us.

I wasn't that drunk.

There was a soft laugh from above.

Yes, you were. How much exactly do you remember from last night?

He paused, trying for the first time to think past just agreeing to go drinking. He had gone ahead with Finn and Poe, agreeing despite the nerves. He didn't know either of them that well, and hadn't had any idea what to he was supposed to say. Poe definitely seemed to be up to something, but at least Finn had tried to make honest conversation.

"Alright, before we get any further, there is one thing that I have to know." Finn had begun once the three of them had claimed a table, "Do you love her?"

"Yes." Ben nodded, answering firmly and without hesitation.

"Good." Finn leaned forwards; his face deathly serious. "But if you ever do anything ever to hurt her, I will come after you with a blaster next time."

"Understood." It didn't come across as terrifying as when Rose had threatened him, but it still made a point. Finn and Rey were each other's first real friend; it made sense that Finn would be a bit protective. Ben didn't mind the threats; instead it was quite the opposite. It made him glad to know that Rey had managed to find friends that were willing to go so far for her. "I honestly just want the best for her."

Finn watched him for a moment longer, before leaning back in his chair with a grin. "Alright then. Let's get this party started."

Anything after that was blur, and if he tried to prod into it, his head only continued to throb even worse.

Honestly, there isn't much.

Just know that you make for a very adorable drunk.

Completely embarrassing, got it. Note – avoid Hux.

She laughed, which only confirmed his suspicions.

He didn't say anything, but he did seem quite pleased last night.

Whatever it was, I'm sure he'll never let me live it down.

He groaned at the thought.

I'm never drinking again, ever.

She laughed again, and his only relief was that it still sounded pleasant to him.

Don't worry, I carried you away before things got too out of hand.

He chanced opening his eyes a crack to look at her, raising an eyebrow. She looked just as amused as she sounded. "Carried?" His voice came out a bit hoarce, more of a whisper than he intended.

She nodded, an amused smile still on her face. "Yes, carried. You were about to pass out anyway, and I've carried harder."

He sighed, closing his eyes again and leaning fully against her once more. "Do I even want to know how many I had?" He muttered.

She didn't answer at first, and he figured she was counting. "About three, although you were pretty drunk after two. You've never had a hangover before, have you?"

"Not really, I never had much interest in drinking before." He sighed, readjusting to try and get even more comfortable. "I get the feeling your limit is a lot higher."

"Oh, you didn't even get close." He didn't have to look to know she was still ginning.

Where would you get that? I didn't think drinking enough to fill Naboo's lake country was a requisite skill for a scavenger.

She shrugged.

It wouldn't be the first time a drinking game started with the others, with the days finds as the prize.

"I don't like the sound of any of that." He managed out despite the protest from his throat. He looked up at her once more, a frown spreading on his lips. Drinking had always just been an optional past time, something that was available for leisure. But Rey? It made sense it would be used as a means to an end where she lived. "At least tell me you beat them just as badly."

"Maybe not in the beginning," She said with a soft smile, running her hands through his hair once more, "but eventually there became two types of people; those who didn't want me to join because they knew they'd lose everything, and those who were determined to beat me so much they would drink themselves into a coma before admitting defeat."

"That's my Rey." He smiled, holding her tighter. No matter what the world threw at her, she never gave in, never stopped moving forwards. In the end, she always found a way to the top.

They stayed like that for a while, Rey's gentle touch in his hair slowly soothing him back to sleep, providing enough of a distraction for him to forget about the pounding in his head.

"You should drink something before you go back to sleep." She finally said, breaking through the silence that had settled between them.

"Yes, but that would require moving."

"It won't hurt you to sit up a little."

"Tell that to my head."

She laughed, placing a soft kiss on his forehead before slowly pulling him up with her. "Ugh." He grumbled, placing a hand on his head as the world spun.

"Here," she said, pushing a small canteen into his free hand.

"...Thanks." He took it slowly, taking a small sip as he finally took the time to take in their surroundings.

They were in a sectioned off area higher up in the canopy, overlooking the rest of the base, with various books and tools scattered about. Despite the fact that they had been gone for months, it still held the same welcoming warmth that Rey had.

"This is you room, isn't it?" It had to be her room; it was a bit cramped and cluttered, yet nowhere else on the base except higher up in the trees would make sense for her.

Rey nodded. "They said I could take anywhere so naturally I picked here."

He chuckled. "Honestly, at this point I would be more surprised if you hadn't."

/

The first thing Ben was aware of was warmth, then the vague sounds of birds chirping in the distance. Somewhere around him in hushed tones, two people were talking about rebuilding some sort of engine; probably Rey and Vikki. The latter's ship was almost complete – a few more days and it was likely to be back in working order. They didn't need him, so it should be fine if he decided to go back to sleep. He readjusted his hold, burrowing deeper into the warmth.

"...Is he waking up?"

"Just a bit."

Wait, didn't the first voice sound different then Vikki's?

He opened his eyes, blinking a few times to clear the haze of sleep, a smile forming on his face as his love came into view. "Rey."

She smiled in return. "Feeling better?"

"Much." He nodded, but there was still something nagging at the back of his mind, something that he hadn't been able to do earlier – he shifted upwards, kissing her softly. "Good morning, sweetheart."

She laughed lightly, leaning forward to return the kiss. "Good afternoon, Ben."