Chapter 9: Fires

"So..." Jess drawled, as the trio drove away from Ahch-To and towards the thrift store.

"So?" Rey quipped back, ignoring the knowing stares she was getting from both girls.

"How did it go with Tall, Dark, and Utterly Terrible?"

Rey giggled, relieved to be in a safe place where the tension, which had been building earlier, was no longer in play. "He's not so bad," she admitted, with a shrug of her shoulders. "In fact, he was actually nice to me today. Even brought me tea."

"Really?" Rose asked, sounding genuinely pleased by the revelation.

"Green tea with honey" Rey confirmed, flashing her a smile over her shoulder.

"He remembered what y-."

"Hold the phone!" Jess cut her roommate off. "He is giving you lessons for free and he bought you coffee?"

"Tea," Rey corrected, "But yeah."

It was only then Rey realized she had only ever ordered in front of him the first morning they had met. Did he really remember all this time? She tried to contain the warm feelings blossoming through her at the thought of Ben ordering her favorite drink, even if it hadn't been from her favorite place. It didn't change the fact that he had remembered. That had to mean something, right?

She couldn't stop the smile from spreading across her face. "I guess he did."

"Pfff," Jess laughed, her eyes meeting Rose's through the rear-view mirror. "Sounds like he wants to teach you more than martial arts, girl."

"It's not like that," Rey insisted.

She could still feel the lingering sensation of heat from where Ben had pressed his fingers into the curve of her hip bone. The wave of his breath falling down her neck and across her collarbone had made her feel heady. It had driven all reason, all those red flags, far from her mind. She had been so sure he would kiss her, so sure he would lean a bit closer and eliminate the space between them.

"So what's it like then?" Jess questioned. She was not about to let it go.

"He's..." Rey stopped herself. She didn't actually know what Ben was. Friend seemed a bit premature, considered how they had been at each other's throats or more literally her fist had been at his face. Associate seemed cold, more like something he would say, teacher? Hadn't he said she needed one? "He's my coworker. Just another instructor at the academy." She settled on that for a description.

"And he's instructing you on…."

"Sinawali," Rey replied, as if the one word explained all of it.

In truth, it explained nothing. It didn't explain how intensely they stared at one another, as if the entire word merely existed in that singular moment. It didn't explain why she felt connected to him — him, a man she barely knew — a man she should sooner forget and stay away from instead of spending time with. It didn't explain the heat she felt when he got close to her. Or the heat blossoming up in her cheeks now just from thinking on it.

"Is that what the kids are calling it nowadays?" Jess continued to laugh.

Rose leaned forward, placing a hand on Rey's shoulder. "I think it's sweet," she told her. "Maybe he just needs a companion, you know, someone he can talk to."

"Exactly," Rey latched onto Rose's idea, desperate for some explanation to quiet her thoughts.

"Whatever you say, girl," Jess was still wearing a grin that said 'yeah-right,' but thankfully, if either of them noticed, neither of her new friends remarked on her growing blush.

"I only met him the one time," Rose admitted, going off on a new tangent. "But Maz knows him. I think she used to babysit him."

"Shut up!" Jess cried, breaking into another round of hysterics. This time Rey joined in. The thought of petite Maz administering discipline on the towering form of Ben Solo had all three girls cackling the rest of the ride to the store.

Echo Base was a consignment and thrift store with several rooms that wove into one another. Their mission statement called the recycled items echoes of their former self, re-purposed for new life and a new home. While most of the rooms were organized into specific types of items, such as furniture, apparel, or home goods, there were some boxes haphazardly collected in available corner spaces or under racks of clothing.

During her earlier trek, Rey had found a cherry red leather chair and a set of large gray couch cushions, whose color changed depending on the lighting. She thought they would bring some color to the plain white walls of her place. Even better was that together they were under a hundred dollars. It was a bargain in her mind, but also the reason for roping Jess and Rose into helping her get the pieces back to academy.

She had picked up some decorative objects on her prior visit, ones that did actually fit in her side sacks. There were translucent curtains, a boho chic rug, and a couple of pillows which would go with both pieces. She'd have to build a frame for the couch, only handing the cushions and pillows. For it and other pieces, Rey had talked to Maz about utilizing her leftover crates and pallets from the coffeehouse shipments.

Though mechanics was her specialty, Rey had been building things her entire life. She was confident she could build the basics she would need to compete her apartment out of the cast away wood. She had already researched some designs online after hours at the dojo. Most of the construction was fairly simple. It was just a matter of having the correct tools and materials at her disposal.

In her rush to leave Plutt's she had not bothered to pack her tools from the shop. They hadn't been in the best condition, but they had been hers for as long as she had worked there. She missed having them, having the work to keep her hands busy when she was stressed or anxious...like how she was feeling before her friends had picked her up.

"Rey, what about these?" Rose called her, holding up a couple of wicker boxes that would fit perfectly in her bedroom cubby holes.

"Love those!" Rey cheered. Rose nodded and began gathering them up.

"You need these," Jess interrupted next. She had her hands on a set of stemless wine glasses. "Because when this place is done, we are having a christening party."

"Ok," Rey chuckled, shaking her head, because she wondered if her apartment would ever be ready for a party thrown by Jessika. The girl exuded an 'I-don't-give-a-fuck' attitude and was into the club scene, practically begging Rey to get her into Rogue One every night she worked. More often than not, she was able to persuade the bouncers to let Jess and a less-than-pleased Rose, into the club. While Jess would hit the dance floor immediately, Rose was more reserved, and tended to sit at the bar the majority of the night having a drink or two and chatting with Rey when she had downtime.

As her friends went back to searching through the shop, Rey's thoughts strayed back to Ben. They had been so close at the end of their fight. His grip on her had been strong, but he hadn't hurt her. There had been pressure; uncomfortable enough to cause her to drop her sticks, yet she had never felt in danger, as she should have. She wasn't afraid. If anything, she had been annoyed. She hated losing. It was not a fun outcome for anyone, but for Rey, a castaway orphan, it felt worse. Losing had equated to getting yelled at by Plutt. Losing had meant no dinner for the evening. Losing had been code for not making it to the closet in time to lock herself away.

It's done, she reminded herself, in an attempt to draw herself away from the shadows of her past, but when she heard the words in her head, she heard Ben's voice.

The baritone of his voice was a seductive lullaby, a song she couldn't get out of her head and didn't want to. Maybe that was why she kept feeling as if she was dancing around something, something she couldn't put a name to. It had felt like a dance, when they had sparred. As if the spinning thoughts in her head had gotten out of control and had forced her body to move in sync with them. Just as when she had gone against him before, she had lost all ability to think, all sense of what was up and what was down. He made her feel out of control.

So she had reacted on pure instinct.

And that instinct had led her into a trap — both physically and mentally. When she had been pinned beneath his hold, it was twofold. His intense gaze held just as much sway over her as his hands on her wrists. She had been captivated by his eyes; those dark orbs she had originally thought were black, like his hair, which had actually turned out to be a stunning hue of chocolate.

It was a good comparison. He was bittersweet. When she thought she was getting closer to him, closer to knowing the real man, the real Ben, he'd retreat back into the cold, calculating Kylo Ren, and Rey would find herself back where she started. It was a constant push and pull, as it was with their fights. But she reminded herself of the need to remain guarded. Training was one thing. Her heart was another.

And she'd be lying if she didn't admit, even if it was only to herself, she was becoming more and more interested in the enigma which was Ben Solo.

Desire had a tendency to overpower clear thought. She had seen it happen to countless girls in her high school. Graduating without being knocked up was almost award worthy in the administration's eyes. Rey had never fallen for the cheesy lines or veiled attempts of her male peers. Then again, she had never felt any burning need to be close to them, the way she felt when she was near Ben.

Like a moth to a flame, she found herself drawn in. It went against all her self-preservation tactics. Her instincts were constantly screaming at her to run, to put as much distance between her and him as possible, yet she remained. She remained at the academy, remained a participant in their lesson agreement, and remained thinking of him. It was irrational.

She told herself she was staying at the academy for two reasons — one, because she needed a job, and two because she wasn't a quitter and she wasn't about to let him run her off. But the more Rey thought about it, the more she realized she was only consoling herself.

Had it come down to her being forced out of the academy, she would have survived. Her tips at Rogue One got better each night she worked and she was beginning to recognize the regular customers, who were pleased to have a female bartender with spunk, not sass like Kaytoo. The living situation would have been a pain point for a while, but she knew she could always crash with Poe and Finn until she found a new place to occupy.

No, she was fooling herself, lying to keep herself from seeing the truth — she was mental. That was the only explanation. She was developing feelings for a man who was older and more experienced than her, with gorgeous eyes and the most expressive lips. He had been so near to her. She could almost taste what it would have felt like to have those lips on her skin.

"Rey?" Jessika came around the corner of the aisle, causing her to break out of the recollection. She scolded herself for once again letting her mind wander back to Ben Solo. "Are you ready to check out?"

With help from a couple of Echo Base employees, the three girls managed to load the furniture into the back of Jess's truck to deliver to Rey's apartment. After the assistance from the thrift shop, it was an adventure — albeit a hilarious one — for the girls to get the furniture through the academy, up the stairs, and into Rey's apartment. It took the better half of the afternoon and resulted in all three being sweaty, winded, and laughing.

"Don't call me when you get a new bed, Rey," Jess teased, as they all laid on the hard wood floor of the living room.

"Me either," Rose groaned.

"At least we got our workout in for the day," Rey joked, though the silver lining didn't seem to be as appealing to her friends.

They decided take-out and a bottle of wine was in order, but since Rey didn't have a TV, Jess decided they would have a girls' night in at their apartment. It worked out in Rey's favor, since they lived on the same block as the coffee shop and she had told Maz she'd be stopping by over the weekend to gather some of the crates and pallets.

"Good thing I have the old X-wing," Jess commented, pretending to sound annoyed, as they loaded the wood into the truck bed.

"Thanks, Jess," Rey hugged her friend, once the last pallet had been loaded. "I promise to throw a party to celebrate when my apartment is all furnished, though we may have to do it at Rogue One."

"Why?" Rose asked, climbing into the back seat.

"My boss and landlord lives next door to the studio," Rey explained. "And Master Skywalker doesn't strike me as the type to get his groove on."

"His groove?" Jess raised an eyebrow. "You're a trip!"

Once they had picked up a pizza and a bottle of red, the three settled into Jess and Rose's one bedroom apartment. It was slightly smaller than Rey's, but was well furnished with hand me down furniture, lots of knick-knacks, and dozens upon dozens of photographs. While Rey scanned the various family shots along the walls, Rose uncorked the wine and Jess navigated through their Netflix queue to find a show to watch.

Rey felt a pang of familiar jealousy as she noted the numerous pictures of Rose with an older girl, who Rey assumed was an older sister or cousin. The two appeared inseparable, always side by side in the photographs and more often than not hugging. Jess's pictures were only of her and her parents. There were no siblings or additional family members present. And she recalled how Jess had gotten into the States. Her jealousy vanished instantly.

Being under Plutt's care had not been pretty or very legal, but for Jessika, her freedom came at the price of a mobster. Rey wasn't sure which was worse.

"Are you seriously going to work on that while we are bonding?" Jess chided, as she sat on the couch, the remote resting on her knee. She was eyeing the crates Rey had brought up. "It's Orange Is the New Black!"

"I can multi-task," Rey insisted, pulling out a sheet of scrap paper and a nub of a pencil she had borrowed from Luke's desk. "I am watching. I promise."

"Let her go, Jess," Rose said, kindly, setting the pizza box down on the coffee table within reach of each of them.

She took the seat next to Jess on the couch, while Rey remained on the floor, her collection of used crates from Maz laid out in front of her. With the tool set from the Rose's room, she was eager to get to work. Rey knew she'd have to buy her own, but for now, borrowing Rose's was a great substitute. She already had a vision for the living room area. She could make up a table out of four of the crates. The remaining ones could be turned into accompanying seats. Rey knew she would need some stuffing and fabric, unless she lucked out at Echo Base again. If she could find a few cushions, they would work too.

As Jess started off the pilot episode, Rey took the pencil and started marking where she would need to adhere the crates, where she would need to cut, and which side they would sit on. The episodes ran by as she worked. She barely listened to the dialogue, her mind fully focused on the task in front of her, but she was aware of how nice it was to share a space with friends.

Though she spoke to Poe and Finn regularly, she hadn't seen them since they had helped her to move in. They had told her they wanted to come visit one night while she was working at Rogue One, but they had been busy with their jobs, Finn taken on some extra hours at D'Qar in hopes of impressing his boss enough to be considered for a promotion. Poe, unfortunately, was not being considered for a promotion after his stunt with Holdo, he was conducting more and more weekend tours over the city.

Rey still missed them every day. Nighttime was the worst. Her apartment was eerily quiet, but since she had started at Rogue One and made friends with Jess and Rose, there was no end to the texts she got throughout the day reminding her she had friends who cared about her. It softened the fear of being alone, of being abandoned all over again.

She couldn't remember her parents. Rey didn't even know their names. Her earliest memory was of being left with Plutt, while the social workers fought over what to do with a child abandoned in the States without proper documentation or a next of kin. It hadn't been until later she had learned she wasn't originally from here, but Britain. The country had been the Center point of many of her school projects as she grew up, attempting to find a connection to her home, to anything that may have sparked a memory of her parents. It never had.

For years her abandonment had eaten away at her, coupled with Plutt's actions, she had had to keep finding ways to remind herself of her own worth. It was hard, nearly impossible on some days. But she kept it up, laboring under the false hope that one day her parents would return for her, take her back to her home away from the dry desert.

Years later, a tiny part of her still held to the hope she would be reunited with them. It flickered like the dying embers of a fire, but it never extinguished.

She bit down on the inside of her cheek to keep from a tear sliding out. Rey had made peace with her past after she had gone to college. After she had become friends with Finn and Poe, she recognized her parents would not be returning. Even if they had, she wouldn't have had any way of knowing who they were. She doubted they would have been able to do the same with her. After all, she actually wanted to know them. They had chosen to leave her.

There were times when Rey tried to understand why. Had she been a bad child? Had she done something wrong? There were other times when she wondered about what would have happened if they had stayed. Would she have seen them as bad parents? Would they have done something wrong? Would she have left them?

Ben Solo did, her mind pointed out.

Rey hadn't let herself think about him since their scavenging at Echo Base. Somehow he always managed to get into her head. It should have been annoying. It should have had her joining Jess and Rose on the couch with a glass of wine and throwing herself into some senseless TV drama. There was a flaw in that plan. She tended to be overly talkative and friendly when she drank.

And she had Ben's number.

She had put it in her phone after agreeing to train with him, but she had never used it. Knowing she had a means to communicate with him whenever she wanted, stirred the unnamed something inside of her. She pushed the impulse down. Instead, she masked her renegade reflections with her determination to complete more of her crate design and construction.

Working with her hands had a calming effect on Rey, more so than the meditation Master Luke made her do. Meditation meant being still for a length of time, a past time Rey had never been comfortable with and strongly believed she would never master. Her work with the crates, however, was more effective, clearing her mind of all other thoughts as she carefully applied wood glue, bolts, and other fixtures to the various pieces until it began to resemble a table, like the picture she had seen online. The minutes ticked by, I noticed, as she glanced between her sketched plans and the materials in front of her.

By the start of the third episode, the bottle of wine was three quarters of the way polished off and the pizza was gone. Rose was dozing off on the edge of the couch, but Jess was glued to the screen, while Rey remained working on her design, noting any additional materials she would need to complete it. She believed if she could keep up with the same progress between teaching the morning classes and the padawan level courses, she'd have her living room complete in a couple of weeks.

The bedroom set-up was where she was struggling. The main problem was a mattress. She had never had one and didn't know how to go about buying one. It was one of those things she actually wanted to splurge on and get brand new, but she was embarrassed to walk into a store and have to explain her background to a sales associate who would probably doubt her ability to purchase what she needed. Without a mattress though, she couldn't construct a proper bed frame or an end table because it would be reliant upon the measurements of the frame.

Rey sighed. She was at a standstill until she worked up the courage to purchase a mattress. Maybe if she asked Jon, her boss would go with her. She could put up with the snide remarks Kaytoo was sure to make, if it meant she'd finally have a bed of her own. Deciding she would ask Jon tomorrow during her shift, she stood up, stretching her limbs after having sat for so long on the floor.

Jessika caught her motion and, after a quick glance to check on her roommate, offered to drive Rey and her new coffee table home.

The drive back to Coreilla was about eventful as his drive to Tatooine had been earlier in the day. Kylo ran a hand through his hair, noting he was in desperate need of a shower. Normally, sweat was a sign of a rather effective training session; however, he knew his perspiration was only partially due to that.

The moment Rey had departed from the academy he had felt the loss of her presence. It was ludicrous for him to lose his head over a girl, especially a girl who came from nothing, a nobody from Jakku. Yet even as he traveled the familiar line of insults, he felt himself twisting away from his own words. She wasn't nobody to him. She was light and power, grace and innocence. She was everything he wasn't. And even with all the reasons he kept giving himself for why it would work out with her, he hoped it would.

Hope.

Such a foreign concept after all his years alone, disappointed by those he cared about and most trusted. It was foolish, he knew, to hope, but still he yearned to feel her beneath his fingertips once more, to see the flush of her skin, to hear her call him that name, a name he normally couldn't stomach. Hearing it uttered from her lips in that moment of resignation, after so much defiance, was rousing.

He had never heard a more stimulating sound. It had struck a nerve so deep within him; he hadn't realized he had the capacity to feel such an awakening of emotion. But it had all come crashing down the moment her friends had arrived and he had once again reminded himself of his true goal.

The girl was a means to an end, nothing more. If he considered her to be anything other than what she was, he would lose.

Losing meant facing Snoke's wrath and judgement. Losing meant he would not become the proprietor of the academy. Losing meant while he remained undefeated in the league, he would forever bare his failure in the privacy of the organization, a shameful black cloud on his record.

Kylo Ren did not lose.

So he returned to his planning, to considering what techniques would best suit the girl's developing fighting style and how best to prepare her for an audience at the First Order. She had responded well to his offering of tea, once she had gotten over the source. He would keep up with that, make sure he continued to build trust with her until she relied on him and no longer allied herself with his uncle.

Her friendships would be harder to deal with. She appeared extremely loyal, even in the short time he had been able to observe her interactions with those she associated with. Her demeanor was always lighter, happier with them. She wasn't as guarded as she was with him or in front of the students. Kylo needed to change that. It would take more consideration and planning on his part, as he was ill-equipped with how to deal with relationships in general.

Upon returning to his apartment, Kylo sunk into his couch, contemplating whether to order take-out or enjoy another liquid dinner. The decision was made for him when he realized his whiskey was gone. He began searching his contacts for his favorite burger place when Hux's name appeared on his screen, as if the universe was mocking him for allowing his general manager to be his most constant contact. One couldn't consider it a true relationship, as it was born of necessity, but Kylo felt the old pangs of loneliness as he recognized how pathetic it was. He didn't even like Hux. The red head was a constant nuisance.

"Yes," Kylo answered, already regretting connecting he call when he heard his manager's voice.

"Phasma is going to be off the next two weeks and apparently you authorized Sol to replace her."

"I fail to see the issue."

"You don't have the authority to redirect my subordinates," Hux hissed, seething on the other end.

"I do and I did."

"So undo it!" His general manager let all pretenses fall away, as he raised his voice.

"No."

"Ren, I swear to God, I'll take you to Snoke over this!"

"Go right ahead, Armitage."

"He'll throw you out of the league," Hux barked, his tone taking on a lower, more sinister tone.

"Then you'll have to find yourself another champion," Kylo grumbled. "Good luck with that." It was an empty threat and his manager knew it but Kylo was already bored of the conversation. Hux was predictable. He had expected a call like this, after he had granted Phasma leave.

"You have a contract," Hux snapped. "You belong to the First Order."

"I don't belong to anyone," Kylo growled. He did not appreciate his manager's choice of words. Armitage Hux was many things — mostly an annoyance, where Kylo was concerned — but ignorant wasn't one of them. He knew Kylo was loyal to the First Order. Now he was purposely toying with the fighter, attempting to achieve a certain gain. "What do you want?"

"You owe me, Ren," his manger replied.

"I make you rich and you keep me in the league. I owe you nothing."

"I also keep your expenses paid, your anger issues from destroying your career, and your true name from being leaked...Ben."

Ah, so that is his angle.

Kylo hadn't expected Hux to go there. This wasn't an empty threat, though it would end badly for both of them, Kylo considered he may have finally pushed Hux to the edge of reason with his antics.

"Again," he grumbled, "what do you want?"

It was that very question that altered the outcome of his evening. Hours later, Kylo Ren found himself not enjoying a fresh bottle of liquor and a burger in the privacy of his penthouse, as he had intended, but out at Supremacy drinking an excessively expensive glass of whiskey on the rocks, while his manager flaunted him and his status around, using his dangerous reputation to draw in prospects for his evening.

Kylo abhorred being manipulated for his manager's extracurricular pursuits, however, even Phasma had told him there was a need to leave his home and be seen in public. As rare as it was, it was important for his image. It reminded his fans he could be spotted at high-end establishments, who may then support the First Order or connect them with paying sponsors. Though Hux operated under the guise of singling out said supporters while they were out, more often than not, the 'sponsors' he found were more into him and his position than the company he worked for.

Hux could turn on his charm the way Kylo turned on a light. The ginger thought he was God's gift to women when he got into a mood like this. The amount of liquor he had consumed may have had a hand in how much easier he became to deal with. Hux sauntered away from the bar and Kylo watched as he began catching up this evening's target. Hux would lure her, Kylo was sure, but he knew the game his manager played. Hux would be an absolute gentleman, lay on the charm rather thickly until he got what he wanted. Afterwards, once he was sober, the normally chilled exterior would resume and Hux would revert back into the asshole he was, not even permitting his latest conquest to stay the night. It was like watching a twisted version of Groundhog Day. The outcome was always the same.

Kylo had no intention of watching the scene unfold. He finished his whiskey, leaving a generous tip on the bar, before he stalked out of the club. No one here interested him. No one here had chestnut brown hair and hazel eyes with a dusting of freckles and a smile that made him ache for a different kind of life. No one here could rival his temper, even after having been the one to rile him up. No one here was worthy of his time or his attention, the way one student was. No one was a challenging, confusing, compulsive pain in his ass, remaining under his skin and constantly on his mind.

No one here was her.

As he stepped out into the crisp night air, he felt his cell vibrate in his pocket. Curious as to who would be texting him at this time of night, he fished it out. It was an unknown number. He hesitated for a moment; his thumb hovered over the touch screen, ready to delete it, before deciding to see who was reaching out to him.

UNKNOWN: Hey old man, thanks for today.

Kylo stared at the text for a moment longer than necessary. Despite the girl's insistence on calling him by that terrible nickname, it had given him the answer to his question. He quickly typed out a reply, as he waited for the valet to pull up his vehicle, and saved her contact information.

KYLO REN: You're welcome.

Her response was almost immediate.

REY NIIMA: You're up? It's a bit late for you, isn't it?

His scowl returned. She sounded like Hux. Maybe once she joined the First Order, he'd let them find each other. It would solve his problem of dealing with whatever it was he was starting to feel for her and he was sure Hux would waste no time in adding her as another notch on his belt. Yet, as soon the thought manifested in his head, he gritted his teeth. No, he would not let Hux anywhere near Rey.

He would not allow her beautiful smiles and carefree laughs to be tarnished by his general manager. The red-haired manager would charm her away from Kylo with his charisma and would try to take credit for her talent in front of Snoke. Kylo would never allow it. Bringing her in was his goal, not his manager's victory. Besides, he needed to keep Rey away from distractions such as relationships. She needed to be focused on her training with him. Hux would only get in the way.

Get in your way, you mean, his inner voice clarified.

The memory of Rey staring up at him and saying his name in the dojo flashed in his mind, as if he was reliving it all over again in perfect detail. Seeing her in such a state after their rigorous session had sparked feelings in him he had never felt before. Lust was common and useless. He dealt with it the way most single men his age did, alone in the privacy of his shower. But what he felt towards the girl was different. It didn't have the tainted feel to it the way lust did. There was something between them, something unnamed and more potent.

His fingers ran across the touch screen, entering a response to her. He tried to remain civil, while ignoring her teasing and his developing attraction to her.

KYLO REN: Is there something you need?

Once again, her reply came back within seconds from his.

REY NIIMA: Can we go over the Sinawali drill again next week?

For a moment, he wondered if she truly meant the drill or what had occurred between them once he had trapped her. He contemplated asking if she wanted to add an additional session before Sunday, another opportunity to get her alone, before he remembered she had told him she had another job. Kylo still hadn't discovered what it was. Maybe he needed to place another call to Phasma.

The thought of Rey working nights somewhere, bothered him. What type of job had a single young woman working such late hours? An ugly feeling twisted in his gut at the usual available options. Before his mind could go too far down that path, he responded to her. Kylo didn't need to worry about the girl. He couldn't go down this road with her. She was another task for the First Order and for Snoke. He could not allow any personal feelings to distract him from bringing her in. Besides, she had proven she knew enough to take care of herself.

And it wasn't as if she was his. He reminded himself that she belonged to another.

KYLO REN: Yes. Your footwork needs improvement.

His feelings towards her were strictly professional and self-serving. He wanted her because of her talent, because of what she was capable of. He was drawn to her because he could see himself in her youthful determination and commitment to the sport. At least that was what he told himself. It had absolutely nothing to do with her smooth skin, her radiant smile, or those striking eyes that changed color when they fought, as if he was sparking something deep within her soul. No, none of that mattered. What mattered was how her presence at the First Order would solidify his standing with Snoke.

REY NIIMA: Your footwork needs improvement, loser.

Loser?

Were they five? He wondered if she had been there in front of him to call him that, if she would have stuck out her tongue too. The vision of her doing so sent him spiraling down another series of unbidden thoughts, primarily around what he'd like to do with her tongue and he had to shake his head to right himself.

The girl had nerve, attempting to continuously provoke him in such a manner. He had half a mind to drop his phone back into his pocket. Yet, this conversation was more stimulating than the one he had shared in the club with Hux. He found himself texting back.

KYLO REN: Excuse me?

REY NIIMA: I beat you. Again.

Kylo glared at his phone, his fist squeezing around the small electronic tightly. The plastic case around it strained under the pressure of his hand, starting to crack. He doubted Hux would enjoy getting an expense request for a new phone tomorrow morning, but the girl was trying his patience. She was intentionally testing him, poking at places, finding what made him tick. Her methods were working.

Hidden beneath her rosy demeanor and sunshine personality, but he recognized the effort — she was working him. She was delving deeper; looking into him in her own way, searching for something, the way he had searching more on her, though his methods had been immoral and most likely illegal. Before he could squash the device in his palm his phone chirped with a new message.

REY NIIMA: Good night, Ben.

This time he did not reply.

He switched his mobile off, just as the valet pulled up with his car. He did not respond to his given name, a name he had specifically asked her not to call him. She was still playing with fire. Maybe she didn't realize how close to getting burned she was. She was dancing on the edge of his desire to have her join him and his desire to lash out at her. It was a dangerous game for both of them. He wondered if she understood that.

Perhaps he would need to teach her.

A/N: So do we like the Kylo/Rey texting? BTW - I hate text speak...ie: bad grammar, spelling, etc. Call me old school, but it's a pet-peeve of mine.

A HUGE thank you to everyone who has commented, submitted kudos, bookmarked, and follows this story. I was having trouble getting the next chapter out, but your constant support has me pushing through it!

My pieces for the RFFA's More Than Love event are now up. One is a one-shot in the canon-verse, post TLJ and the other is a canon-verse AU loosely-based on the 1997 Anastasia with a gender-bent twist. If you like this story, let me know what you think of my others.

Thanks again to AbyssalSpark for beta-ing for me. Without her, this update would not have happened so quickly.