A little drabble because the world sucks and I needed fluff.
Her head was as if it had been encased in lead, and her throat had become a desert overnight. Since waking up that morning she had managed to make it to the living room couch, but no further. As she laid there, absently listening to The Great British Bake off and huddled into her blanket, she couldn't help the loneliness that crept into her.
There wasn't even anyone she could call; Rose was covering her shift at Luke's garage, Finn and Poe were still on their cruise, and Ben was across the country attending a meeting for his mother's business. She had moved in with him in order to spend more time together, but it was still inevitable that he would have to take the occasional trip. She curled up tighter in her blanket as she shivered, trying not to let the feeling of being alone consume her.
The thought had crossed her mind to text Ben anything at all just so that she'd have something to hold onto until he got back, but it left as soon as it came. It was an important meeting, and she didn't want to be the one to mess things up with an ill-timed message.
So instead she laid there, surrounded by a blanket, tissues, and tears, willing herself to become so zoned out that she would be no longer feel the ache.
She didn't know at which point it was, but eventually she thought she heard the sound of a door opening, of someone gently brushing her cheeks dry. She resisted the urge to look, knowing that if she did no one would be there. Instead she leaned into the imaginary touch, allowing it to pull her down ever deeper.
The next thing she knew she was warmer than before, leaning against something even more comfortable then the couch, with an incredibly good smell permeating the air. She opened her eyes slowly, blinking a few times time to clear the remaining fog of sleep. Slowly the world came into focus and she realized she was no longer in her huddled position on the couch, instead leaning comfortably against someone.
She looked up, greeted by the very face she had been dreaming of earlier. "Ben?" She managed out, her voice a hoarse whisper.
He looked at her as soon as she spoke. "How was your nap?" He asked softly.
"What are you doing here?" She asked instead, still surprised at his presence. If she wasn't seeing him, feeling him against her, she wouldn't have believed it to be true. "What about your meeting?"
He shook his head. "I came as soon as Rose told me, and you know my mom understands."
She frowned. "It's nothing so serious that you had to come home just for."
"It doesn't matter what it is, when Rose tells me she doesn't think you've eaten anything all day I'm to worry."
She scrunched her nose. "Traitor." She muttered.
He sighed. "Why didn't you tell me you weren't feeling well? I wouldn't have left in the first place."
"Your mom said it was important, and I didn't want you to give it up just for me."
"Rey, everything is meaningless without you. I know I've lost everything without you."
"Flatterer." She couldn't help but smile at his words, a warmth spreading inside her.
"Is it working?"
She laughed, resting her head against him once more. "Alright, you win this round, Solo." She paused, before adding, "What ended up with your meeting?"
"I told mom on the plane ride over and she said she'd smooth things over if need be."
"That's good."
She laid there in silence for a few minutes, on the verge of falling back asleep, now that she had Ben's comforting presence with her.
"Are you hungry at all?" He asked, breaking through her half-asleep daze. "There's soup being kept warm on the stove, if you think you can stomach it. Although you probably should have somethingin your stomach, no matter how small."
"Did you make it?"
He looked at her skeptically. "Do you really think I'd let you eat soup from a can?"
She smiled. "Alright then, I'd love some."
He nodded, carefully detangling himself from her and making his way over to the kitchen. When he came back, he set the bowl on the coffee table so that he could pull her into his lap.
"Ben! You're going to get sick too if you get to close." She protested in her words, but made no attempt to leave, instead leaning back into his warmth.
"I don't care." He picked up the bowl from the table with one hand to give to her, while keeping the other wrapped around her waist. "All that matters is that you're happy."
"I guess I can handle that." She said as she took the offered bowl, letting the steam wash over her. "Mm, it smells really good. Where did you get the recipe?"
"Mom got it from my grandmother when I told her you were sick. It's what mom always had whenever her and Luke got sick."
"Make sure your grandma knows that it's amazing." She said after taking a spoonful. "I definitely want more later."
"You can always tell her yourself. They're coming for a visit from Naboo next week, and I have specific instructions to make sure they get to meet you."
"Why me? I'm just a nobody from Jakku."
"You aren't, at least not to me."
She smiled, letting the words wash over her. It was a nice feeling, having someone treat her as if she was special for once. She let herself sink further into him, more content than she ever thought possible.
/
Mom: I'm almost back to the city; would now be a good time to stop by? I have something for the two of you.
Ben: Sure, but you'll have to let yourself in. Rey's sleeping and I don't think I could get up even if I wanted to.
It was awhile later and Ben was half asleep himself when he heard the door being unlocked. He looked over in time to see his mother enter, a heavy blanket draped over one arm.
"What's that for?" He asked softly, in order to not wake his sleeping princess.
"Don't I even get a hello? You're as bad as your father." His mother said with a teasing smile.
"I'll take that as a compliment."
She laughed lightly. "In any case, this is for you and Rey, from the client you so abruptly walked out on."
He raised an eyebrow. "That is the exact opposite of what I thought you were going to tell me."
She shook her head. "Apparently it was impressive that you would put Rey over business, and they would be more than happy to work with such a family oriented company." She went over and draped the blanket over the two on the couch before adding, "And they said to make sure you have this as a token of their well wishes."
"I'll be sure to tell her when she wakes up. I tried to reassure her, but I know she still feels guilty."
"You better be sure too." She paused a moment before, "You are going to propose to her soon, right?"
He nodded. "Yeah, I already have an idea for when. I know it's silly and no matter what it won't change what I feel, but I wanted Grandma and Grandpa to met her first."
She shook her head. "It's not silly, Ben. They mean a lot to you and it makes sense you want them to met her. Although I'm sure they'll take one look at her and love her just as much."
He nodded, tucking a stray piece of hair behind Rey's hair as she snuggled into him, one hand already tightly holding the new blanket close.
She was perfect to him; her vibrant outlook on life and feral nature exactly what he needed to shake up his previously all too structured life. She was the best thing that had ever happened to him, and really, how could anyone not love her?