"How about Thursday?"

Terror seized Ben. Tuesday was only in two days; this was way too soon.

"I'm a bit busy this week," he murmured into his phone.

The sun was just starting to pierce through the curtains as he stretched out in his chair, doing his best not to make any noise. He'd been awake for hours, but had only just gathered the courage to call his mother ten minutes ago.

Waking up next to Rey had been a pleasant reminder that all of this hadn't been a dream. The body exchange, her, last night- it was all real, and going surprisingly well so far. Not an ounce of remorse had grazed him when they'd come together the night before, nor when his eyes had landed on her bare back, heaving from her deep breaths hours later in his bed. It had all felt right, deserved and earned. This was pure happiness; the kind he'd longed for his entire life.

"Whenever you're ready."

A calm smile bloomed on his lips at his mother's words; one she couldn't see but probably felt. She'd always had some sort of sixth sense, which sometimes came in handy. He remembered how easily she could feel his emotions as a child, and how it became a problem as a teenager. She'd always known him better than anyone else; her reactions were the only bad part, really. Thankfully, the years apart seemed to have eased some of the tension he remembered, and he had Rey to thank for that: her previous phone call had broken the ice enough for them not to leave too many silences. Truth be told, Ben wasn't sure he would've had the courage to make this call if Rey hadn't made that first step for him.

Luke, with his ever-so-wise opinion, would say he should've been the one to do it- which wouldn't be entirely wrong- but Ben couldn't help the wave of gratitude washing over him at the thought. It sure wasn't her place to do it, as it hadn't been his to open her box, but God knew how long it would've taken him to make the first step himself. If he even would've . What he knew, though, was that he was thankful this happened, and thankful he finally made this decision.

"Soon," he promised. "I… I'd like things to feel right. With us."

"I would love it, too."

He was still a bit stunned by the sound of his mother's voice. There was a softness in it; a patience he'd forgotten after so many years spent demonizing her and his entire family. The weight of all the time lost in the past few years washed over him, forming the beginning of a lump in his throat. He wanted to tell her about Rey, and Snoke, and so many other things- but a sound echoed from behind his bedroom's door, followed by a yawn.

"I have to… I'll call you later. I promise."

"I believe you, Ben." She made a pause then spoke again, hesitant. "Should I tell your father, or…?"

The door of his room opened with a grating noise, revealing Rey's hesitant figure. She still looked a bit sleepy but radiant nonetheless, her smile widening when he beckoned her to come.

"Sure," he replied, his eyes following Rey as she approached. "Tell him. I…" Her hand landed on his shoulder, gently squeezing it. "I have to- I need to go. Bye, mom."

Mom . It left him so easily; he could barely believe he'd said it. " Oh , bye honey."

She hung up before he could, leaving him no time to process the use of the old nickname. A few years ago, he would've groaned and rolled his eyes- maybe even asked her not to say it. All he could feel now was relief, with a sense of familiarity as his mother's voice echoed in his ears, surprised yet calm. Peace washed over him, too, as Rey's hand slipped to the back of his neck as she walked around his chair. Setting the phone on the table, Ben covered her hand with his, looking up with an apologetic frown. "Sorry, I didn't want to wake you up."

"You didn't." Her arm wrapped around his shoulders as she sat across his lap. "The bed was cold and I couldn't find you."

"Sorry," he repeated, planting a kiss on her shoulder. "I'll come back in a minute."

"That's ok, I was hungry anyway."

Her stomach growled as if to prove her point, drawing a chuckle out of them both. He wasn't fully used to her being herself yet, looking at him with her own eyes and speaking with her own voice. All the tiny details he'd gathered during the past weeks, from the way she sighed to the looks she gave… they all felt like hers regardless of the body she inhabited, but worked so well with this one, Ben wasn't sure he would ever get tired of looking at her doing the most random things. Slowly, she unhooked her arm from around his shoulders and turned around to face the table, giving him a good view of her back.

Her hair was slightly disheveled from the night they'd spent, falling down her back in soft waves. She was still wearing the shirt she'd stolen before they'd fallen asleep, so large on her that he could see most of her skin down to her shoulder blades, each constellation made of freckles more visible than ever. It sent a wave of shivers down his body, and pushed him to trail the back of a finger along her spine. She was boiling, just like she had been all night, and soft, so soft- he couldn't help bending just a little and planting a kiss on the back of her neck.

Goosebumps appeared under his lips, and Ben could inexplicably feel her smile. Each of her sensations was his, like some odd side effect; or maybe it was just the way he knew her body's reactions. He did it again, lingering a little longer this time and Rey arched her back in response, grinding the rise of her ass against him. Despite having spent the night between her legs, Ben still wasn't completely used to his body's responses again. His hands closed around nothing, and he shivered at the wave of pleasure that washed over him.

"Early riser, huh?"

He almost laughed at the double meaning, but choked on his words before they even left his mouth. She was moving again, this time more insistent. He could feel himself getting hard already, and swore he could hear her chuckling softly as she stretched to grab the cup of tea he'd made for her earlier in case she woke up soon. The satisfied hum that left her as she drank only increased his arousal, and he swore he could hear her smiling when she spoke again.

"You okay?"

It was obvious she'd gotten used to his body- enough to know how to send him over the edge, if last night was any indication. He'd been surprised at how easily she'd remembered and used it, not to say amazed. He hadn't had many partners before her, but every time with Rey had been mind-blowing so far- something to thank the universe for. As inconvenient and terrifying as this body swap had been, it'd allowed them to meet and find each other. Letting out a shaky breath, Ben wrapped an arm around her middle and spread his fingers over the thin fabric covering her abdomen, burying his nose in her disheveled hair. "More than okay."

The way she wriggled didn't seem intended, this time. She settled the mug on the table rather sharply, arching her back a little more as Ben kept nuzzling her neck. Her scent immediately grazed him, familiar and new at the same time.

"You smell good."

"I do?"

"You do." His mouth trailed up her neck, lingering to the soft spot right behind her ear. "You smell like home."

"Home?"

The way she repeated it sounded amused, appreciative. Still facing the table, she blindly reached behind her, touching his face with a trembling hand. She let the back of her fingers graze their way down his cheeks to cup it tenderly, slow and soft. This time, Ben caught sight of her smile as she turned her head to the side, glancing at him through her eyelashes. His heart missed a beat when she leaned back into his chest, and another when she tilted her head to capture his lips between hers, increasing the pressure on his cock.

The kiss grew more intense with each passing second, as did Rey's movements. Her fingers had moved further behind, running through his hair as she deepened the kiss with an open mouth. She kept rolling her hips against Ben, slowly, and it was taking him all his willpower not to nip at her lips as she brushed his with the tip of her tongue.

"You're gonna be the death of me," he mumbled against her mouth.

The soft laugh that left her sent his heart on a loop, and this time, Ben couldn't stop the moan that crossed his lips at the friction her movement created. Her eyes seemed to darken as he grew harder, and that was it, this was the end of him and the moment he would wake up , because there was no way she was real. She was good, so perfect, he had to have imagined her.

"I'd rather you stay very alive," she replied in a whisper.

Her voice, her accent- it tickled his heart, burned his skin just enough for him to lose the little control he still had over himself. His hands ran up her sides to grab her hips in a vain attempt to steady her, but instinct took over and Ben found himself pulling her closer to him. The surprised gasp she let out made him smile as he buried his face in the crook of her neck again, planting kisses along her shivering skin.

Everything about her felt like a dream, and yet, Ben knew she was real. He'd run a few more reality checks over the night, and one more this morning after waking up, just in case. It all felt too good to be true, too good not to be kicked in the ass by the universe at the next opportunity- but so far, the universe seemed to have been rewarding him for all the miserable years he'd left behind. His arm instinctively tightened around Rey's middle, dragging her a little closer while his other hand slid between her thighs, slowly spreading them. He could feel her breathing getting deeper, full of anticipation as his fingers grazed her inner thigh, slowly approaching her center. The first thing he noticed was the absence of underwear. The second was how wet she was, and the effect it had on him. His voice came out lower than he'd intended as he leaned forward to nibble at her neck, his fingers slowly grazing her thin skin.

"Sorry I left the bed."

"It's okay," she breathed out.

Her head fell backwards to land on his shoulder, giving him better access to her neck. His mouth trailed down her throat, leaving open-mouth kisses on the way that drew a few whimpers out of Rey as she arched her back into his chest once again, pressing against his cock in a way that was just as delightful as it was torture. A gasp left him, muffled against her skin.

"Rey…"

She hummed in response to her name, her fist clenching his hair. Everything she did was torture at this point, from her movement to the sounds she made; and yet, Ben found himself searching for more. The arm he'd wrapped around her loosened, and his hand undid the buttons of her shirt one by one while the other started rubbing small circles against her clit. The shirt fell open within seconds, allowing Ben to sneak his hand under the fabric that pooled around her, reveling in the warmth of her skin as he traveled up her ribcage to her breasts, where his fingers closed around one.

He almost wished he could face her, not having forgotten how good her skin tasted on his tongue. He wasn't sure he could ever forget- he wasn't even sure he could ever let anyone else in after last night. She was everything he didn't know he wanted, everything he needed and so much more.

"How are you so…"

The words died on his lips as he plunged a finger inside, eliciting a low moan out of Rey. He didn't think he could ever get bored of the sounds she made, even less knowing he was the one causing them. Last night had answered the question he'd thought about for the last weeks: the things he'd learned about her body and its reactions had indeed proved to be helpful regardless of the body's resident. Thankfully, this new position was definitely better for the movements he'd learned on his own. It gave him better access, too; something he took advantage of as he pumped his finger in and out of her, trailing up and down her folds with sounds that made him grow harder.

"Lower- yes ."

The rolls of her hips had become hasty, eager for more, and Ben- Ben wasn't sure he would survive another minute with his cock desperately tenting his underwear, begging to be freed. His hand left her breast to grab at her side again with a groan, lifting her up a few inches. He stood up as well, getting rid of the shorts he'd put on earlier, pushing her against the table in the process. "Sorry-"

"No, it's- stay. Like this."

His fingers dug deeper in her skin at her request, trailing down her hips to grip at her thighs as he instinctively aligned himself with her. Pure satisfaction washed over him as the fabric fell down his knees, allowing them skin to skin contact. He was tempted to plunge into her right here and now, feel her take all of him- he knew she could, he'd seen how well she could. Already trembling at the idea, he gritted his teeth in a vain attempt not to bite at the nearest thing, which happened to be her shoulder. He kissed it instead, mouth open and warm against her cold skin. A moan left Rey, making it even more difficult not to bend her over the table.

"There's something I- Ben - something I didn't tell you."

"Can it wait?"

The back of his fingers caressed her hips, traveling up to her stomach as he now grazed the soft skin of her neck with his nose. She let out an appreciative hum, hooking a hand around his neck and pulling him closer. "Yes… no . I… don't know."

Slowing down his movement was insanely difficult: her skin was too addictive, too soft for him to ever want to part from her. Yet, Ben stopped moving and planted a kiss behind her ear to settle himself, his hand cupping her waist cautiously. "What is it?"

He could feel shivers emerging under his lips, her fingers slowly tangling with his hair. She was growing tense under him, nervous in a way she hadn't been since his arrival. Her chest heaved with a deep breath she took, her voice coming as a murmur when she spoke again, her head turned just enough so that their eyes met.

"I think I love you."

For a moment, Ben forgot about his initial intentions. Everything disappeared except Rey, and her words playing on a loop in the back of his mind. I love you, I love you, I love you - it almost covered the maddening rhythm of his heartbeats, and Ben couldn't stop his smile from widening. She loved him. She loved him.

He'd already opened his mouth to reply when Rey shook her head. "I know I love you," she rectified, her voice slightly more assured. "And… we're already going so fast, I don't want you to feel trapped if that's not what you-"

Whatever she was about to say died on her lips as Ben's found hers, stopping her words with a kiss.

They'd kissed many times last night, more than he could count, but this time felt different. This time, Ben conveyed everything through the kiss. Each and every heartbeat she'd caused, every scrap of tenderness; it all went through the movement of his mouth against hers, all washed over him as he felt her lean into the kiss.

"I love you," he murmured against her lips. "And we'll go as fast as you want us to."

The smile she gave him brought a new kind of warmth to his heart. Her body relaxed under his touch and she chased his mouth for another kiss, brief but intense, and Ben felt himself smiling like an idiot as her hand slowly guided his arm back around her middle. The table squeaked as her hips met the wood, drawing a groan out of him at the sensation of her body compressed between him and the furniture.

"For now…" Her back arched as she wiggled to drop a kiss on his shoulder. "I'm good with this pace."

His arm squeezed around her, pulling her closer, closer until her back melted into his chest.

"I love you," he repeated in her ear as he leaned forward, guiding her in his descent. Her hips rose a few inches, and a moan crossed his lips as his cock grazed her entrance. She was so wet, so ready, her thighs already trembling; it took Ben all he had to control himself as he planted another kiss at her temple, eliciting another one of her soft sighs. "I love you."

He said it again as he plunged inside her, and again as his hand trailed down her side to sneak between her legs and rub small circles at her clit again. She'd led him for the major part of the night, mostly straddling him. This was the first time she'd left him with that much control; and deep inside, Ben reveled in the realization that she trusted him enough to let go. Even with his face buried between her legs, she'd never been so vulnerable.

"Tell me to stop if-"

" Don't. "

Ever so commanding, her voice faltered as he pulled out a few inches, only to push back in, deeper. She met each of his thrusts eagerly, gripping the table when he picked up his pace, his name rolling off her tongue a little louder every time. He wanted to kiss her, silence her moans with his tongue, but the distance between their mouths allowed the most delicious sounds to leave her and fill the room as he felt his climax building, fast and warm.

"I'm close. Ben -"

His thumb rubbed faster, harder, until he felt her walls clench around him. He followed almost immediately, muffling curses against her shoulder with her hair glued to his face, suffocating him until he had to pull away for fresh air. He came back immediately, peppering kisses along her neck as his movements slowed. Slowly, the room fell back into a silence only broken by their heavy breathing as they both came down from their highs, glowing with sweat and ecstasy. Just as Ben unwrapped his arm from around her, Rey trailed her hand down and twined her fingers with his. His other hand found her hair just as hers grazed his thigh, seeking balance as she leaned back against his chest, shaking but beaming. Her head fell back on his shoulder with a satisfied sigh, and Ben couldn't help kissing her cheek.

"Breakfast?" His voice came out rougher than intended, but she didn't seem to mind. She let out a soft chuckle instead, then broke into a radiant smile that had him positive this was the start of a very, very good day.

The next day went by in the blink of an eye, and with their bodies tangled together most of the time. For every minute spent exploring the area, they remained locked inside for hours, taming each other on about every surface of the apartment. Nights were short, mornings were long- but every single second was worth it.

"Morning."

The word reached him like a caress, followed with a kiss on his ear and a hand brushing his hair away from his face. They'd fallen into a pattern, waking each other up with kisses and whispers until one of them caved and stripped the other of their clothes. This morning seemed to be no exception to the rule. Careful not to crush her, Ben rolled on his back and stretched out, opening one arm for Rey to snuggle against him.

"You're up early," he remarked as she settled against his chest. The clock behind her indicated eight o'clock, which was way earlier than what she'd gotten used to. She nuzzled his neck in response, humming her approval.

"I was busy. Bought my return ticket."

One of her hands splayed over his chest while the other found his hair, absently running her fingers through it as Ben felt his heart rate increase. "Oh. I'm… not sure I'm ready to say goodbye yet."

Honesty had become a habit between them, but hearing his thoughts cross his lips added some weight to the realization. After all the time spent longing for her presence, after finally getting to be together… this felt like a kick in the face for the overwhelming happiness of the last few days. The absence of sadness in her voice only added to the heavy feeling sinking inside his chest and a brief, terrible thought crossed Ben's mind: maybe they shouldn't have . Maybe this had all been a mistake, tasting a glimpse of happiness when that very happiness was always meant to end, breaking his heart all over again.

"Me neither." Her hand trailed up his chest to his cheek and she cupped his face, tilting it so that he was facing her. "So I… may have bought one for you, too."

The brief shot of anxiety vanished instantly. Their eyes met, and his heart warmed up at the grin on her face. "You…"

"Come home with me," Rey asked, barely whispering. "You're not working for that arse anymore, you already know my place and we could… figure it out…"

Her voice trailed off and she looked away, seemingly distracted by the patterns her fingers were tracing on his chest. Hiding her nervousness would've been easy with anyone else, but Ben had spent too much time in her body not to notice. She may have been lucky enough not to blush as outrageously as he always did, but he knew exactly where to look- and the way that particular spot at her temple turned red was a good enough sign.

"Figure it out, hm?"

"Yes, I mean… what we want to do."

His arm tightened around her waist, pulling her closer until her eyes met his again. "And what do you want to do?"

It took Rey a second to smile back at him, and another to send his heart over the edge as she bit her lower lip. They'd spent too much time together in the past week, too much time on the phone for the last two months for him not to guess her answer; still, Ben couldn't help the rush of blood that traveled down his body when Rey buried her face in his neck, grazing his ear with her lips when she replied with that playful tone of hers. "You."

"That can be arranged."

Her laugh tickled his skin, warmed his heart and spread a smile on his face. His free hand came to her chin, tilting her head up a few inches to claim her lips again. Neither of them was able to stop smiling, breaking the kiss with light chuckles here and there until Rey pulled away for good, her grin still very much present.

"I want to spend more time with you," she continued, wrapping a leg around his waist and carefully rolling on her stomach until she was above him. "Talk with you. Cook with you. Kiss you."

Ben obliged immediately, his hand trailing up her face to get lost in her hair. No smiles broke their kiss, this time; they both deepened it longer than necessary, up until the point where Ben felt his body react rather eagerly to Rey's presence on top of him. If the smirk curling her lips was any indication, she'd felt it too. Just when he felt her hand move lower down his stomach, Ben pulled away, his nose bumping into hers.

"How long do you want me to stay?"

His last word had barely left him when Rey crushed her mouth against his.

"As long as you want," she murmured, breathless before she kissed him again.

A part of him wanted to warn her, tell her that she'd grow tired of him. The other part, now stronger, brushed that thought aside. He knew Rey enough to know she wouldn't make such an offer lightly, just like she wouldn't have admitted her love if she didn't mean it. They'd talked enough for him to see right through her abandonment and trust issues, and for her to admit she'd never felt like this with anyone before. He hadn't, either; the confession had drawn a beaming smile on her beautiful face.

"I'll come with you."

She gave him the exact same smile, and Ben knew this was what he wanted to see every morning. He wanted her to be the first thing he saw when he woke up, and the only warmth lulling him to sleep. He could do with knowing she loved him, somewhere in the world with the promise of another trip coming soon; but in all honesty, he'd rather skip a few steps and spend as much time he could with her. And judging by her reaction, Rey did, too.

"It's a long trip," she warned in a murmur.

Her words tickled his lips as she leaned into his chest, her legs spreading from either side of his torso. The mattress sunk under their combined weight as she planted her knees into it, and Ben bit the inside of his cheeks when she squeezed her thighs around him. The gesture made his blood boil, and his cock twitch under the sheets. "I'm patient," he grumbled through gritted teeth.

"Mmh?" Her mouth moved to his neck, lazily nibbling at the sensitive spot under his ear. "London has terrible weather."

"I never liked the sun."

"I have an awful small bed."

"I'll sleep on the floor."

"Don't you dare."

Her last word ended on his lips, lost behind her tongue as she kissed him fiercely. His erection increased, encouraged by the brush of her thighs until it couldn't go unnoticed anymore. Rey didn't seem to mind; she definitely didn't seem bothered as she pressed her body against his, grinding against his erection until she drew a moan out of him. She broke the kiss with a chuckle and let her mouth trail down his jaw, a million shivers emerging under her touch. This was too good for him to stop her, too good to dare speak; and so Ben let his fingers run through her hair, brushing it away from her face to drop a kiss on her disheveled waves.

"I want to feel you next to me," she murmured as she traveled down his chest, peppering kisses along the way. "Every." Stomach . "Single." Abdomen . "Night."

A strangled groan left Ben when her lips closed around a particularly sensitive spot on his hip. His fingers hadn't left her hair, following in her descent, and he felt his grip tighten around her locks when the tip of her tongue joined the movement of her lips. She kissed his skin like it was something precious, drawing him a little closer to the edge with every nibble. She would probably leave a mark, several even, but Ben couldn't care less- he was hers, and every trace of her on his skin was like a precious reminder of these moments spent together. Slowly but surely, her hands brushed the sheets down his thighs and she crawled lower down his body until her hair was the only thing left above his waist.

"This sounds like a – shit - a great idea."

One hand wrapped around his cock while the other landed on his thigh, and Ben felt himself throb under her fingers as she flashed him a grin from between his legs. "What? This?"

"Us. Together."

Something sparkled in her eyes, and Ben could tell her heart was beating as fast as his. Whatever this was, however long it lasted- he could tell neither of them would ever regret it. He could see it in the way he felt every time his eyes landed on her, or in the way she couldn't help maintain physical contact with him even in her sleep. He'd never been one to believe in soulmates- but then again, they'd spent the last two months in each other's bodies. Anything was possible; and with Rey by his side, Ben knew this to be true.

His free hand found hers at his hip, tangling their fingers together. She gave him a gentle squeeze, seemingly satisfied with the sounds that left him as she took him between her lips, swirling her tongue around his tip with enthusiasm.

"Ready?"

Rey's voice sounded distant when they both stop at her door. She'd asked him if he was ok on the plane, then again in the taxi and in the staircase, each time met with a nod and a smile from Ben. He'd been nervous the night before their flight when he'd started packing, and again when he'd texted his mother to let her know about his absence. Rey had been the one to suggest he did, because this was apparently what people did- but he knew this was her way of encouraging him to keep moving forward with his parents, step by step. His mother had immediately asked about the reason behind this trip, and his answer -that he'd explain later- had given him hope that, one day, she and his father would meet Rey. For real, this time. Preferably by his side.

Ben was still nervous as he stared at the door in front of them. The place was familiar, but the situation- he'd never been with someone before like he was with Rey. He'd never been included in a partner's life, let alone that much; and even though he already knew her friends, they didn't- or at least not knowingly. This first impression would define his chances of an actual friendship with them, which was just as exciting as it was terrifying. He'd grown attached to them, especially Rose since she'd shared his secret.

As happy as he'd been to spend time with Rey and Rey only for the past two weeks, he'd missed the evenings with Finn and Rose and the days with Poe. Rey had assured him the garage could use another pair of hands, and that Finn would be glad to have another masculine presence around to back him up, but he couldn't help the nervousness building in his throat as he contemplated their first official meeting.

Rey's hand found his, and a wave of serenity washed over him. Their eyes met, and Ben heaved a sigh as he returned her smile. As long as they were together, he could face just about anything.

"Ready," he replied with a nod.

His heart jumped in his chest when she knocked; three distinct knocks followed with silence, then the sound of hurried steps echoing behind. His hand tightened around hers, holding on to her like a lifeboat as the door opened before them, revealing a curious pair of eyes crowned with a tangling bun of dark messy hair. The woman in front of them took a pause, seemingly searching for something as she took in Ben's figure; she lingered on his eyes, squinting, and seemed to find what she was looking for in them. Her frown vanished, making way for a soft smile at the corner of her mouth.

"You must be Ben."

A breeze of something familiar grazed Ben at the sound of Rose's voice. Her smile, her ridiculously oversized multicolored cardigan, the corridor behind her- it all gave him the sense of belonging he'd first found here, and his heart tightened at the sight of the place he knew and already considered as part of his home. The other part was by his side, his arm wrapping around her waist like this was natural; and it was starting to be, really. Rose's eyes widened at the sight, along with her smile- and before he knew it, she was hugging them, her arms looping around his and Rey's shoulders as she pulled them down to meet her height.

Her embrace was insanely tight for such a small person, but Ben found himself smiling even more at it. The fierceness of her tenderness reminded him of his mother, and how everything seemed to finally be falling into place. Finn's voice echoed somewhere in the back of the apartment, immediately followed by a series of footsteps and a murmured 'who's this guy?' covered by giggles that could only belong to Poe.

They were already his friends. He just needed to remind them.

Rey giggled next to him, shaking the three of them as Rose tightened her grip on them both. His hand found Rey's again, holding onto it like his life depended on it- and maybe it did. Chuckling with nervousness, Ben pulled away and watched as Rose covered his and Rey's hands with an approving nod.

"Welcome home."