A lovely reviewer (a guest by the name of Cherokee96) had the wonderful idea for the squad to take Rey to Chuck E. Cheese's to cheer her up after the break-up and I thought that that would be adorable so here you go!
P.S I haven't been to Chuck E. Cheese's in a million years so my memories of the place are a little rusty please don't judge me if anything is inaccurate. (I also changed the name to help it fit the story!)
P.P.S Thank you all so much for the positive responses! It warms my heart so much to read your reviews. It means the world to me!
P.P.P.S Sorry it took me so long to update this chapter! I would stare at this document for an hour and nothing worth writing would come to me. I also had a bit of a virus scare with my brand-new laptop (the one I'm using at the moment) so I had to take it in to be looked at. But I have tomorrow off so hopefully I can post another chapter!
"Rey, you've been moping around the house and stuffing your face with ice cream for two weeks," Ben said, unceremoniously shoving her off the couch. "You need to get out, live your life."
It was 2:40 p.m Thursday afternoon. Ben had returned from his final exam of the day and found Rey still cemented to the couch as he had left her that morning, except now she was surrounded by the wrappers and packages of various snacks. She had glanced up at him as he walked in, her eyes a bit glazed over, her hair dirty and tied up in a bun. She wore one of his shirts that she had stolen months ago, along with a pair of boxers she pirated from Finn last wash day. Her appearance was pitiful.
She groaned from her spot, face-down on the floor. "I've left to go to class," she quipped, but her argument was weak.
"Yeah, only because you're paying an ungodly amount to attend, and can't afford to skip." He dragged her up to a semi-sitting position, more slouched over, leaning on him as he settled next to her. "It's scary to see you like this. All bummed out. Usually you're a little ray of sunshine. Get it?" He elbowed her side. "Rey of sunshine."
She lifted her head and stared at him, a small smile blessing her features. "Did the stoic, no-sense-of-humor Ben Solo just make a pun?"
He shrugged. "Did I? I hadn't noticed." He wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I got you to smile, so it worked."
Rey huffed out a breath and rolled her eyes, a faint blush coloring her face as she snuggled closer to him.
Something had changed between the two. She wasn't sure when it started, maybe when they made peace over their differences during a late breakfast one Saturday two months ago. Maybe when he grabbed her hand when she slipped on a patch of ice in the parking garage and didn't let go until she was safely inside the car. Maybe just a few weeks ago, when he sat in her room and let her cry and helped her heal and by doing so, shared a piece of his soul.
Then again, maybe she always knew. There was always a certain light in his eyes when he would glance over at her, something that warmed her heart and made her smile glow. Maybe she hadn't been so subtle, either; the words of encouragement, the stolen moments in the back of Poe's car when they'd lean close, whispering jokes about the Finn and Poe in the front seat or make simple observations of the scenery whizzing past them, her attempts to make him laugh, or at least smirk, because nothing brightened her day like seeing him happy.
They sat there, together, wrapped in their thoughts and each other's arms.
The little bubble of tranquility shattered when Finn burst through the front door, singing painfully loud to his favorite song, headphones clapped over his ears. The two sprang apart, Rey scurrying up the couch before Finn even acknowledged their presence. When he finally did, his voice cut off, ending in a sharp squeak of surprise. He cleared his throat before speaking.
"I, uh, didn't know you guys were here. Well, I knew Rey was, she hasn't moved for two weeks—" at this, she flopped back and covered her head with a pillow. "—but I thought Ben left a couple hours ago."
Ben grinned at him, shifting in his spot. "And what, miss your spectacular singing? I didn't know how much passion you had to 'Shine Bright like a Diamond'."
"Screw off, Solo," Finn retorted, marching down the hall toward his room.
The two watched him leave, and then wilted in relief.
_SW_
"Wait, wait, slow down—they were what?!" Poe's incredulous voice screeched from the phone's tiny speaker, making it sound as though he was screaming right into Finn's ear.
"You heard me," Finn repeated, sitting down on his bed. "They were snuggling. Right here, in our own home."
He saw his two roommates all cozy together the moment he walked in, mere seconds before they practically tripped over one another trying to create distance between them. Too late. He had seen them. Had their lovey-dovey, sappy expressions seared into his brain.
He grinned when Poe scoffed. "They wouldn't dare," He could imagine Poe clutching his chest in mock despair. His normal voice returned with a bark of a laugh. "It's about time."
"Totally," Finn agreed, rolling over on his bed. "I think he'll be good for her, and vice versa. We just have to get them to realize it." An idea popped into his head, making him grin mischievously. "Poe, you remember where I first asked Rose to be my girlfriend?"
His friend was silent for a moment. "That kid's arcade place right? You said it was 'totally cheesy and undeniably romantic'." He faked a gagging sound. "So, what about it?"
"Really? You have to ask?"
"Ooh… you got a coupon, right? That place is crazy expensive."
Finn groaned and buried his head in his hands.
_SW_
"Poe, where are you taking us?" Rey asked, jostling about the backseat, repeatedly knocking into Ben, who was seated next to her, looking as apprehensive as she sounded.
Finn and Poe had practically kidnapped the two of them, telling them to change into comfy clothes and get in the car. They had some sort of mysterious surprise planned, but neither were letting any details slip.
Finn didn't look up from his phone as he replied. "Like I said, you'll see when we get there." He sighed, adding, "I'll give you a hint. We're meeting up with Rose."
"Oh, such a great clue," Ben scoffed, running a hand through his characteristically unruly raven black hair. "At least I know you won't murder us in front of your girlfriend."
The two in the front both shrugged with "you never know" expressions on their faces. They continued in silence before pulling up in front a small strip mall, emblazoned 'Takodana Plaza' by a blinding neon sign at the entrance. Easing the car into a parking spot, Poe glanced back as he turned the car off and laughed at Rey and Ben's astonished looks.
"You're kidding." Rey breathed, the four of them climbing out of the car, staring at the store front they ended up at.
Maz's Arcade.
A small restaurant that featured an indoor jungle gym and playground, large tube-tunnels running the length of the building, in certain parts containing a ladder so the occupant could climb up to the tunnel attached to the ceiling. It had an amazing collection of old arcade games from the 80's and 90's, everything from Pac-Man to Dig-Dug.
To Rey, it looked like heaven.
A sharp squeal drew their attention as a short girl with jet black hair and a huge smile made her way to them, before throwing herself into Finn's arms. "It's been forever!" She said, pressing a kiss to his cheek. Poe pretended to throw up, earning a hard stare from Finn and the girl.
"Rose, you've met Poe, and these are my two other roommates, Rey and Ben." He leaned over and whispered something in her ear, causing the couple to break out in a fit of giggles.
Rey shot Ben a confused look before extending her hand politely. "It's so nice to finally meet you—" she was cut off as Rose wrapped her in lung-crushing embrace.
"I've heard so much about you!" Rose's voice was higher than Rey expected, but had the same perkiness and energy that matched her cheerful disposition. "It's so great to meet you! Finn never stops talking about you—Rey this, Rey that! I'm so glad he has you for a best friend!"
Both Finn and Rey sported matching blushes from his girlfriend's words. The latter turned to Ben with embarrassment clearly displayed on her features as she covered her face, laughing.
"Uh, hi, Rose," Ben began, a hint of fear in his eye. "Great to finally put a face to the name—whoa!" He, too, was swept into a tight hug, Rose chattering away about all of his great qualities that Finn had mentioned. He raised his eyebrows at his roommate as she remarked, "you really do look exactly as he described you. Tall, dark hair, dark brown eyes, scar on cheek, brooding disposition."
"Brooding? Really?"
Finn hastily grabbed his girlfriend's hand and whisked them toward the entrance. "Adventure awaits!"
_SW_
What had he been thinking?
Poe dragged a hand over his face as he glanced over at Finn and Rose, who were quietly laughing over some inside joke. He flicked his gaze to Rey and Ben, the former chattering excitedly about all the wonders of the arcade, the latter simply gazing at her with pure adoration.
He was gonna be sick.
"Yeah, great idea, Finn," he grumbled as they all slid into a booth and ordered two large pizzas from the smiling waitress. "Have a nice double date, and leave Poe to fifth-wheel."
"Guys," Rey started, gathering everyone's attention. "I don't know if I can wait long enough to eat before I go out there," She pointed at the huge play area, complete with merry-go-rounds, a ball pit, a zip-line from one corner of the store to another, a bumper car track, and a 40-foot trampoline that allowed you to jump into a large trench filled with foam squares.
Finn and Rose laughed. "Rey, the food here is served in, like, five minutes. Trust me, it won't be long before you're out there." Finn couldn't help but smile at his friend's obvious enthusiasm.
"Have you ever been here before?" Rey directed her question at Ben, who had been surveying the interior for a solid ten minutes.
His brow furrowed and he shrugged. "Maybe, forever ago. I think my mom took me once…" he trailed off.
Poe felt a pang of sympathy for his old friend. "Yeah! I think we went together that one time back in third grade?" he offered Ben a smile as he continued. "And there was this really mean fifth grader named Joss and he was the biggest bully in school. He always made fun of me for how small I was, and would always tease Ben about his ears and nose, which," he poked Ben's shoulder with a taunting grin as he noticed the aforementioned ears turn red with embarrassment, "he's finally grown into. I, however, am still short." the group burst out laughing, which earned them several glares from the surrounding families. "Wait, wait! I haven't even got to the best part! So this kid, Joss, he came up to me and shoved me so hard I fell, and said something like 'Hey, Dameron. Why you so damn tiny?' I of course burst out in tears, for two reasons. One, I thought damn was the worst bad word you could ever say, and two, because he kept jabbing me in the shoulder when he talked. He was a real asshole.
"But then, my knight in shining armor, all four feet of him, that is, jumped to my rescue. Like, actually jumped. Ben launched himself up at this kid and knocked him down, and they were trading punches. Our friend here was getting pummeled—" Ben broke in with a word of protest, but Poe silenced him with a wave of his hand. "Yes, Ben, I love ya, but he was destroying you. Until, at the last moment, Ben finally slips out of Joss' hold and lands a nice right hook square in the nose. Blood started pouring out, all over the mats, and you know me, the hemophobe, I passed out the second I saw a drop of blood drip down his face. "He shuddered, visibly disturbed. "Ms. Organa noticed that we hadn't returned to the table for a slice of pizza in a while so she went to find us. And imagine her response when she found me, unconscious on the floor, Ben, huffing and puffing with a bloodied fist, and this kid, rolling around on the mats, clutching his nose and wailing."
"She was pissed," Ben finished quietly, a silent laugh in his words. "Oh, man. I had forgotten about that. I think she grabbed my arm and scooped Poe up and then went to go find the boy's mom. Of course, he was there on his own, so my mother called an ambulance, afraid that his nose was broken. Poe finally woke up, about five minutes into my mom's tirade. Good God, she would not stop screaming at me once we got out the car. I think once Joss was deemed to be okay, we dropped Poe off at his house and then we went straight back home. Needless to say, I could not sit for a week."
Rey rested her hand on his arm, mirth sparkling in her eyes. "Well, I hope she knows now that you're a hero."
"Hell yeah," Finn and Rose chimed in, much to Ben's chagrin and the astonishment to the several families that were lined up at the counter. The couple offered a weak apology before turning back to the conversation.
They continued to talk about their childhoods, Finn and Rey sharing the least and Rose sharing the most. She told about how her parents were killed in a racing accident when she was fifteen years old, leaving her under the care of her nineteen-year-old sister, Paige. They had had to join in on the very racing that had killed their parents, just to make enough money to survive in a one-bedroom apartment in the worst part of the city. The two sisters were gifted in mechanics and engineering; they were always fixing up the cars and motorcycles that the racing ring used. After about three years of doing so, they managed to break out of the ring and find different jobs. Paige and Rose both attended trade schools, both to be mechanics, at class during the day and working at car shops at night.
Rose and Finn actually met at her last job when he brought Poe's car in to be looked at.
The waitress appeared with two steaming pizza trays and set them on the table. The friends eagerly dug in, stuffing their faces as quickly as they could.
"Okay, I'm done!" Rey announced, wiping her mouth off with a napkin. "Let's go!"
She grabbed Ben's hand and dragged him with her toward the trampoline. He watched her jump around for a few minutes, feeling quite silly if he joined in. Rey rolled her eyes as she landed and stepped off to stand beside him.
"You're no fun," she pouted, and then tackled him. They landed in a heap on the trampoline, bouncing a few times before slowing to a stop. Rey was on her feet in a second, soaring sky-high, doing front flips and rolls, all while Ben sat there, still watching. Poe, Finn, and Rose joined them, all springing about, laughing wildly.
"I have an idea!" Rose called out, panting. "Since Ben is just sitting there, I figured we could play a game. It's called popcorn. Ben was to wrap his arms around his knees and we all jump around him, trying to making him lose his grip. Like a corn kernel exploding into a piece of popcorn."
Ben rolled his eyes but participated anyway, mostly due to Rey's cajoling. They played several rounds, each person getting a turn in the middle. Then they took turns doing flips and rolls into the giant box of foam squares.
Short of breath, they crawled out and headed toward the ball pit, where they engaged in a war, spheres of primary colors flying through the air and hitting their targets. Poe and Finn were the best at this game.
They raced bumper cars, sped down the zip line, and crossed the foam pit as they climbed along on monkey bars. They were thoroughly exhausted when Rey suggested a game of hide and seek in the tube-tunnel system that ran throughout the whole building.
She voted herself to be 'it', and sat back at their booth while everyone went to go hide. She counted to a hundred-Mississippi, and then set off to find her friends.
She entered the garishly yellow plastic tube to the immediate right of the table. She crawled through, the static electricity making her hair stand on end. It was considerably darker in the tube than in the store, making her wish she had brought her phone with her to use as a flashlight. She inched about ten feet forward before coming to a fork in the tunnel. She shrugged and headed right.
Rey found Poe huddled in a corner of the tube, mostly shrouded in darkness, given away by his heavy breathing. She laughed as he griped about being the first one to be discovered; she could still hear his mumbling as he made his way to the exit.
Finn and Rose were fairly easy to find, she had climbed up the ladder and spotted the two, one tucked into a shadowy corner, the other nestled in one of the bubble windows that protruded from the side of the tube, allowing a little light in. They had laughed when she saw them, saying that it was about time.
"I got a freaking foot cramp from waiting so long," Finn teased as he bumped shoulders with Rey. "Took you long enough to get here."
"Oh, hush," Rey and Rose quipped in unison. They shared a grin and continued on, Rey toward the rest of the tunnels, Finn and Rose toward the exit.
She moved slowly, sliding along the slick interior of the tube, small patches of light illuminating her way. She knew that Ben would be the hardest to locate, he was always good at hiding.
As she entered the last portion of tube-maze, completely confused as to how Ben had evaded her, she felt the air shift as it always did when he was around.
Rey could see the light at the end of the tunnel, but instead turned a sharp right and reached a hand out.
Ben had somehow plastered himself to the wall using the humid air and the static electricity, and came rolling down when Rey nudged him with her hand.
He groaned as the air was knocked out of him, and looked up to see a grinning Rey, her face barely visible in the shadow, but her smile emanating its own light.
"Found you."
A/N: woo-wee! That was quite the rollercoaster ride. This is the longest chapter I've written in quite a while, just for this story but for any of my works. I hope you enjoyed this, I apologize for the long wait, but I hope it was worth it!