AN: After nearly two months of dealing with writer's block across all my literary works in progress, and by popular demand for this AU, I'm proud to say I've heard your requests and am finally ready to present the second chapter to what will hopefully become one of your favorite Reylo fanfics to date! It's definitely my favorite, so far. But, of course, I'm biased, being the mastermind behind it and all. Please, please, PLEASE review and let me know what you think! I'm hoping to be able to update this more often, but if I can keep a steady pace of at least once or twice a month, I'll be doing well, considering how many incomplete storylines I've managed to rack up. I swear I don't do this on purpose! I suffer from AADHD! (That's Author's Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, in case you were wondering.) As always, enjoy the update and happy fanfic-ing!

A Study in Cars, Girls, And Things Like Mechanical Chemistry

"I'm pretty sure it's not supposed to sound like that…"

"No shit, Sherlock, ya think?!"

"Well, what the bloody hell do I know about cars?! Do I look like a kriffing mechanic to you? Why am I even here in the first place? I don't know what that transistor thingy's supposed to look like!"

"It's a transmission, dumbass. And you're here to start the damn engine when I tell you to! It's not rocket science. You put the key in the ignition and turn! Easy peasy lemon squeezy. Kapeesh?"

An increasingly aggravated Poe was making overly exaggerated hand gestures, turning an imaginary key in the air several times, just in case Finn didn't grasp the concept the first time. Finn sat in the driver's seat of his friend's car with the door open and window down. He was slouching, half in, half out of the vehicle, leaning against the steering wheel with one arm, as his leg hung lazily towards the ground. He shook his head and rolled his eyes.

"Whatever, mate. I'm just sayin'… you're probably better off taking it to a shop. Call a tow truck or something. I dunno."

Poe gave Finn an affronted glare in response to the scandalous idea.

"Órale! I know what I'm doing, wey. I'm not gonna waste money when I can fix it myself. Besides, those places always try to rip you off. I don't need to be sold on a bunch of extra crap my car doesn't need fixed or upgraded. Plus, it's Friday. I'm not going all weekend without a ride."

Friday afternoons always seemed to be eventful around campus, especially when the "boys" were involved. It was the last weekend of September, marking the end of their first full month of school. They considered the starting week in August to be a muddled blur, bleeding into that miserable transition where summer bliss dies as fall descends, smothering the dreams of college students everywhere. But, Poe and Finn hadn't quite succumbed to the inevitable demise of leisure that typically comes with the academic monotony of autumn. Not yet. And they refused to go down without a fight.

For them, surviving the first five weeks was a big deal that deserved to be celebrated. It meant they were still alive, and keeping up morale was an excellent excuse to turn this small victory into a party. Suffice it to say, they had BIG plans… none of which involved a broken-down vehicle. Finn shifted, leaning back in the driver's seat and crossing his arms with a scowl. He was about to fire back when Rey and BB walked up, Kylo trailing closely behind with his and Rey's textbooks. Rey was all sunshine and smiles, a welcome distraction from their current predicament. Finn spotted them first, instantly perking up as he called out to Rey.

"Hey, Peanut!"

Rey's cheeks dimpled at the sound of that particular pet name. The day she moved into the dorms, Finn had been a huge help. He was the first person she met, before Poe and Rose made their introductions. They'd had a bit of a mishap with a couple of tipped over moving boxes and a whole lot of packing peanuts. It wasn't too much of a stretch to say they were practically drowning in them. It was Rey's idea to make "peanut angels", and Finn was more than happy to indulge her. Ever since then, Finn's called her Peanut as an endearing reminder of the day he met one of his best friends. Rey stopped a few feet away from the car, rocking back on her heels, then up to her tippy-toes as she chirpily greeted them.

"Hey guys! Whatcha doin'?"

Poe spun around in one swift movement, his demeanor instantly taking on a more charismatic presence, a complete 180 from his rather condescending interaction with Finn. He beamed at the sight of Rey, his grin impossibly debonair. Finn rolled his eyes once again at his friend's over the top theatrics.

"Hey! It's my favorite chica! And you brought the Butterball to visit! How sweet of you. Here BB, here boy!"

Poe crouched low, stretching his arms out towards the dog. BB-8 patiently waited for Rey to give him permission to move, his tail wagging expectantly. She nodded and signaled with her hand, prompting him to bound forward. He jumped on Poe and enthusiastically licked his face. Poe lost his balance and fell flat on his rear, letting out a childish howl and causing Rey to giggle.

"I think you're his favorite."

"I'm everyone's favorite!"

Kylo muttered under his breath.

"That's debatable."

"Did you say something?"

Rey cocked her head towards him with twinkling eyes and half-quirked lips. Damn that beautiful face. He quickly shook his head.

"Nope. Nothing. Nothing at all."

"Mhmm. If you say so."

She didn't seem very convinced, but she let it go… for now. Poe wrestled with BB for a few moments before clambering awkwardly to his feet and dusting himself off. Rey gave a sly wink as she whistled and tapped her fingers against her leg, motioning for BB to return to her side.

"Maybe you think you're everyone's favorite… but Butterball is much cuter. My lil 8-bit will always be top dog when it comes to favorites."

Kylo's curiosity piqued.

"Butterball? Am I missing something here?"

Rey gave BB a gentle pat on the head and flashed a pearly smile as she felt his tail thumping against her leg contentedly.

"Yep! BB-8 is my Butterball. Butterball #8, if you want to get technical. He was the runt of the litter, and the fluffiest nutter butter out of the bunch. The first time I got to hold him, he just curled right up in my arms, like a tiny little butterball. So, it just seemed natural to call him that. I was fifteen, dorky, and really into the whole initials and numbers thing. Thus, BB-8 was born… well, his name was. You know what I mean. Anyways, I couldn't resist and it just sorta… stuck. I thought I was being cute. Probably not my most creative moment, but BB's never complained!"

Kylo chuckled as he imagined a fifteen-year-old Rey cuddling a super fluffy BB pup to death.

"That's pretty clever. 'Fifteen-year-old, dorky you' sounds like quite the character. And very cute."

She casually shrugged, though a slight blush crept into her cheeks as she scratched BB's favorite spot behind his ears. Poe soon redirected their attention.

"So. Where did you come from?"

An impish look flashed across Rey's face as she teasingly quipped.

"A galaxy far, far away, in mysterious desert lands on the planet of Arizona."

She wiggled her eyebrows and waved her hands in front of her face, making spooky "ooohh" sounds as ridiculously as she could. Kylo snorted and Poe groaned, lifting his hands and eyes to the sky pleadingly.

"Ay, Dios, esta chica!"

Rey cackled, a brazenly smug expression conveying just how much she enjoyed toying with him. It was far too easy for her to goad and badger these boys. Nobody doubted who the ring-leader was in this gang of unruly misfits.

"We just got done with our last class for the day. I could hear you two numbskulls all the way across campus! What on earth are you guys bickering about this time?"

"Us? Bicker? Las mentiras!"

"Well… what would you call it then?"

Poe thought a moment before responding with a lofty air of pompousness.

"A civil, yet passionate debate regarding Finn's ignorance and my prowess of basic motor vehicle functions."

Finn vehemently refuted the accusatory attack on his intelligence.

"Oi! Civil my ass! And I'm not totally ignorant. There's something wrong with his transmitter."

Rey and Poe brusquely exclaimed at once, causing Finn to hit his knee on the steering wheel, and subsequently honking the horn, as he practically jumped out of his skin.

"TRANSMISSION!"

"BLOODY HELL! You don't have to yell. I'm not deaf, now, am I. And I'm not daft, either."

Finn was utterly flustered now, but they brushed him off with dismissive waves and eyerolls. Rey was much more interested in Poe's car at the moment. She further probed him about his "basic motor vehicle functions".

"So, what model's your car?"

Poe folded his arms and beamed proudly.

"A second gen Incom-FreiTek T-70 X-wing. She's got a black gunmetal paint job with matte orange racing stripes, 396 engine with 375 horsepower, power steering, power brakes, original style bias ply tires, dual exhaust system, bucket seats, and a four-speed shifter."

Kylo let out a low whistle, admiring the vehicle with a nod of approval.

"That's a classic. And a rare one at that. Only about 600 ever made it through production for that particular make and model, if I remember correctly. Where on earth did you manage to get your hands on a speedster like that?"

"My gramps. It was a long-term project of his. He spent years restoring her. Used to take me joyriding when I was a kid. It was the first car he taught me how to drive. He can't drive anymore, so he gifted her to me, to keep it in the family. Best graduation present ever. She's the love of my life! No woman could ever take her place…"

Poe stole a glance at Rey, flirtatiously adding, "Though Rey might be a close second, if I ever convince her to go on a date with me."

He winked cheekily at Kylo. Unsure whether or not he was being facetious, Kylo simply stared at him speechlessly and slowly blinked. Rey folded her arms and warily narrowed her eyes, scrunching her nose in a way that made her look like a child who'd just tasted something absurdly sour.

"Ya quisieras!"

"I do! Every night, on the brightest star. Though nothing shines as brightly as you, my Reyita!"

"Well, keep dreaming! I don't do dates with aspiring casanovas. Too much drama, and I'm not into casual flings or open relationships."

Poe made a theatric show of slamming his hands over his heart, loudly gasping in feign offense and proving her point with gusto.

"You wound me with your words, mi corazón! Why must you torture me this way? I would be the most loyal of companions, and my love runs deeper than the deepest ocean, sólo para ti, mi amor!"

Rey rolled her eyes and sneered. Kylo leaned over to whisper in her ear.

"Uh… is this normal? Or is he high right now? Cuz I'm pretty sure he's high right now."

Rey shook her head and bit her bottom lip to stifle a laugh, nudging Kylo's arm as she replied.

"Oh, no. He's not high. This is all Poe. Totally normal. Well… 'normal' in the relative sense. You should see him perform ballads on karaoke night. I'd be scared to see what high looks like."

Poe was still clutching his chest in soulful agony, so, Rey resumed their banter, spurring him on once again.

"Don't act like you don't make eyes and check out any girl who walks within a 20-foot radius of you, Don Juan."

Poe gasped.

"I resent your implications! Don Juan, indeed. Rey… Reyita de la luz… Reyna de mi corazón! I am your Zorro! Your Don Diego de la Vega! The masked knight and defender of the people! And you are my Lolita, love of my life! I would never betray you! I would not even dare to think of looking at other women. I only have eyes for you, mi alma!"

Poe came forward and clasped Rey's hands in his, bending down on one knee in true chivalrous fashion to kiss her knuckles for added effect. Kylo and Finn both made obnoxious gagging sounds, and Rey sighed blandly.

"I take it back. You're not Don Juan. And certainly not de la Vega. You're Don Quixote. Estás muy loco in la cabeza."

Finn leaned forward against the car door, dangling his arms through the open window. He propped his chin on the window frame and addressed Rey.

"Hey, Peanut… since when do you speak Spanish? I didn't know you spoke another language!"

Rey batted her lashes as she slipped into her best French accent, showing off her own dramatic side.

"Ah, Finn… mon amie! There are a lot of things people don't know about moi. I think being able to speak foreign languages is… c'est très magnifique! But that is another story for another time."

Finn furrowed his brows in confusion as Kylo chimed in again.

"Um, ok… can we back up a sec? Cuz I'm lost now. Who's Zorro?"

Poe narrowed his eyes suspiciously, then gawked in shock once he'd gauged Kylo's intent. Kylo couldn't quite tell if Poe was horrified or disgusted by his apparently offensive ignorance.

"Are you kidding me?! He's the greatest vigilante to ever exist! Zorro was a skilled swordsman who fought with honor and courage for the poor and wrongly accused. He warred against tyranny and injustice!"

Kylo tilted his head and narrowed his eyes, his mouth quirking ever so slightly.

"So… he's basically the Spanish version of Batman?"

There was no mistaking the disgust on Poe's face this time.

"Batman? Batman?! Blasphemy! Batman is the white rip-off of Zorro. Zorro was around long before Batman was ever created. You dishonor a great legend and I must now challenge you to a duel, sir!"

Rey moaned and dropped her head into her palm.

"Oh, knock it off, Poe. I'm seriously considering having Finn and Kylo help me put you in a straight-jacket to have you committed somewhere."

Poe puffed out his chest, standing his ground.

"Never! I commit to nothing but love!"

"Whatever, lover boy."

Rey shook her head at his predictable outlandishness and let out a resigned sigh.

"As much as I've enjoyed this, I think we should probably get back to the task at hand."

She moved towards the X-wing with BB's assistance, brushing her fingers lightly over the headlights.

"So… about your car."

Poe and Kylo both stepped closer, watching her inquisitively as she began to feel around the engine compartment. She nodded, shouting a straightforward command to Finn.

"Turn on the ignition!"

Finn blinked for a moment, looking to Poe hesitantly, unsure of what to do. Poe shrugged, clearly just as perplexed as he was. Rey drummed the edge of the frame with her fingers as she waited for Finn to comply. He finally obliged, holding his breath as he sat back and turned the key. She listened carefully for a moment, keenly aware of everyone intently staring at her, but she ignored them, focusing on the engine.

"Ok, shut it off!"

Finn killed the switch and got out of the car, joining the others as they observed Rey's calculated motions. She continued her examination, nimbly feeling around, then addressed Poe matter-of-factly.

"It's not the transmission. You've got a faulty spark plug. Do you know of a place close by where we can go get a replacement? It's an easy fix, and spark plugs are cheap. I can fix it in less than 15 minutes if you get me the tools."

All three boys now shared the same dumbfounded, slack-jawed expression. Poe's voice was a mixture of disbelief and wonderment.

"How did you… I didn't know you knew anything about cars…"

"That's classified under all the things people don't know about me."

"But… how did you do that?! I mean… since you're…"

Finn and Kylo both shook their heads frantically with saucer-like eyes. Finn signaled with his hand in a sharp, cutting motion across his neck, warning Poe not to finish his sentence. Rey's brow arched, her expression stoic, though a hint of intrigue and roguish amusement played behind her eyes.

"I'm what?"

Poe gulped, suddenly feeling like prey falling into a trap of his own stupidity. Rey chastised him with a taunted lilt.

"A girl? Yes. Yes, I am. Really, Poe, I didn't realize you were so archaically chauvinistic. I would have thought you to be smarter than that."

A devious smile tugged at her lips now, and she reveled in the way Poe was now squirming, attempting to stammer his way out of an early grave.

"I… no! That's not what I meant, I swear! I… misspoke. Forget I said anything, please. Please don't kill me!"

A satisfied snicker escaped Rey's lips. She reached out, gesturing for him to come closer. He approached cagily and tensed up as she gripped his shoulders firmly. She lingered for a moment, giving the impression that she was scrutinizing the very depths of his soul. She could sense the apprehension that made his muscles seize. His trepidation was palpable. She leaned forward ever so slightly, raising a hand to the side, just out of his peripheral view. He braced himself, squeezing one eye shut just before she smacked him upside the head.

"Hey, pea brain. If you can hear it and feel it… you can learn to fix it."

Finn and Kylo both smirked at Poe. He shot them icy glares before cautiously posing a humbled query.

"Where on earth did you learn so much about cars?"

Rey answered nonchalantly, releasing her hold on him and leaning back against the car, casually crossing her ankles, her arms akimbo.

"When I was a kid my dad used to let me help him work in the garage. That was before my accident. It was kind of our thing, I guess. Once I got older, there was this guy with a local shop that worked on junkers. Unkar Plutt. Not the most savory being on the planet, but he didn't seem to mind teaching me a few tricks here and there. I hung out there a lot. I even worked for him for a couple of summers during high school."

"Damn… that's… impressive."

Unaffected by his compliment, Rey crossed an arm and propped up her elbow, curling her fingers and running her thumb over her nails as though she were examining a freshly applied coat of nail polish.

"I excel at impressiveness. Now, are we going to continue to stand here idly chatting, or are you going to get me what I need to fix your spark plug problem?"

Poe's brows furrowed, eyes flickering rapidly, as he mulled over the offer.

"Well… I don't know, Rey. Not that I don't trust you or anything, it's just… I don't let anyone touch my baby, y'know? I appreciate the help, but I think I can handle that part on my own."

Rey glowered, shaking her head in irritation.

"Wow… way to bite the hand that feeds you. Pendejo."

Poe took a step backwards and held his hands up.

"Hey now… Who taught you how to talk like that?!"

"Who taught you how to diagnose engine problems?"

Rey looked like she was ready to lunge forward and slap him again, and he was beginning to realize this was not a fight he would win. So, with a reluctant sigh and wounded pride, he admitted his defeat.

"Ok, ok… fair enough. I surrender."

"Alright. It's settled then. Close the hood and let's go."

She whistled to BB, then promptly spun around, facing the other two while Poe shut the hood and got ready to go. Finn tossed Poe the keys as Rey addressed them.

"You boys comin'? And before you say no, I'd like to remind you, Finn, that we have a pact never to get in a car with Poe unless there's at least two rational human beings there to keep him in line."

Poe interjected, resting an arm on the driver side door frame that was still ajar from where Finn had been sitting earlier.

"Hey! I'll have you know I'm an exceptional motorist, and I don't need backseat drivers to babysit me!"

Rey rolled her eyes emphatically.

"Oh please. Admit it, flyboy. You're an adrenaline junkie with a lead foot and you know it!"

"I can personally attest to that. You nearly got us into a crash the other day when you did that whazzit called… ghost drifter or whatever."

Finn twirled his finger around in a wide circle as Poe facepalmed and shook his head.

"Dude. Seriously?! It was a braking drift! And the parking lot was empty! We were not ghost riding, and I hardly call it a near crash. We were at least five feet away from that light pole!"

Finn narrowed his eyes, put one hand on his hip, and wagged his finger towards Poe in opposition.

"No way, bro. I distinctly remember having to crawl out your side of the vehicle, because we couldn't open the kriffi–"

"Ok! Enough already! Let it go, Finn. You're coming whether you like it or not."

Rey didn't wait for further response, turning her attention back to Kylo, who was side-eyeing Poe with a look that wasn't quite as severe as disdain. He clearly didn't like the idea of riding in a car with that loose cannon any more than Finn did.

"Kylo, you promised to help me with that short story assignment for our creative writing class later tonight. I know for a fact you have nothing better to do right now. Unless you were planning to lurk in the corner of the student lounge for a couple of hours, sporting your goth get-up and blaring metal through those fancy headphones of yours."

He tilted his head slightly, considering her before slowly breaking into a devilish smirk.

"I don't see a problem with that. What's your point?"

Rey crossed her arms and glared at him with cat-like slits, wrinkling her nose and pursing her lips. Her gaze began to make him uncomfortable, as though she were telepathically sifting through his thought process, dissecting the inner workings of his brain. Whatever she seemed to divine from him appeared to be equal parts unsurprising and disappointing, as she leaned back and let out an exaggerated sigh, shaking her head at the work to be done with this one.

"Social skills, Kylo, the point is social skills. You have none. You can't go around staring at everyone like a psycho killer. It freaks people out. Someone's gonna report you and the next thing you know, I'll have to bail your ass out of jail when you get charged with harassing some poor unfortunate soul."

Kylo balked unapologetically.

"Ok, first of all, I happen to like that song. Actually, both songs. B, I do have social skills. I made friends with you, didn't I? I even tolerate Tweedledee and Tweedledum –"

Finn snapped, preparing for a round of fisticuffs, until Poe walked up to pull him back and redirect him to the car. Finn loudly interjected over his shoulder as Poe pushed him towards the X-wing.

"Oi! Hurtful! Take it back, sleemo!"

He was summarily ignored, of course, having been shown "the hand" as Kylo continued making his case without pause.

"Silence, bucket-head, I'm not done. Now… where was I? Oh. Right. Three. I can't go to jail for giving someone the heebie-jeebies. And subpoint… let's classify that as 'sub SUB bullet' 3A, under main point B. I like freaking people out. It's entertaining. And it keeps the meddlesome mouth-breathers at bay. Oh… and just to set the record straight. I'm NOT 'goth'."

Rey was impatiently tapping her foot as he laid out his defense. She was ready to bring the hammer down, so to speak, and she wasn't going to take no for an answer. She shifted her feet and planted her hands firmly on her hips, boring into him with beady eyes.

"Ok, smartass. Let me break it down for you. I'm blind and even I know you look like death warmed over. In case you forgot, you crashed into me and went full rampage mode like some blood-crazed berserker. The way I see it, you owe me as much quality friend time as I want for the rest of the school year. That includes hanging out with all of us, making a decent effort to be semi-hospitable, and act at least mildly interested in conversation."

Kylo countered with a scoff.

"Hold up… 'some blood-crazed berserker'?! You're joking, right? I wasn't that bad! You make it sound like I'm some sort of monster who needs rehab or a handler! Why am I suddenly on trial here?! Go back to picking on Dameron or something!"

Poe yelled from the car.

"Hey! I heard that, Señor Emo Pants!"

"Zip it, Top Gun!"

Rey formed a ring with her thumb and finger and lifted it to her mouth, whistling shrilly and causing all three boys to cover their ears and flinch. She was so irate that her cheeks flushed a deep rosy shade, and she was positive the heat of her skin could start a fire at this point.

"Oh. My. God! Would you three just try acting your age instead of your shoe size, for like… one kriffing minute?!"

There was a drawn-out moment of uncomfortable silence. Even BB-8 cowered to her demand, whimpering pathetically as he laid down on the ground and covered his face with his paws. Rey had never had problems making herself heard, though these boys challenged her patience day in and day out. Once she effectively silenced them all, she addressed Kylo once more.

"Thank you. Look, Kylo. Nobody said you're a monster."

Finn couldn't help himself with the absurdity of that statement, so, with one foot in the grave, he dared to interrupt again from the safety of the car.

"Um, I'll say it. He's a bloody monster."

"Don't. Push. It. Trooper."

Kylo's teeth were gritted as he practically snarled at Finn. Rey reached up and snapped her fingers in his face to regain his focus. She should be getting paid for babysitting a bunch of overgrown brats. Man-children.

"Ignore him, Kylo. Finn, I swear! I'm not above giving indian burns. Don't. Test. Me."

Finn decided to secure his name at the top of Rey's shit list. He apparently fried his cerebral cortex during the course of their long-winded conversation. The culprit was most likely heat exhaustion, coupled with enduring Poe's obsession with his X-wing "baby".

"Oi! That's racist!"

Rey took a step in his direction and growled.

"Fine. Snakebite, then. Now, if y'all don't stop interrupting me, I'm literally gonna start throwing knives like it's kriffing Shanksgiving."

Poe snickered, Finn shrank into the back seat, Kylo wisely took one giant stride back, and BB howled. It was Poe's turn to rejoin the conversation.

"Damn, chica. I didn't think you had a violent bone in your body."

"Don't let my sunny disposition fool you. I can go from desert flower to desert rat in 2.5, and I don't pull punches, especially not for punk asses like you guys."

"Mmm… scrappy. I like that."

He playfully purred, goading Rey on. She merely lifted a brow, regarding him with a warning glare.

"Dameron."

"What?!"

"I know how to use a chancla."

She slowly knelt to the ground and grabbed at the laces of her multicolor, daisy print converse, making a show of untying, then retying them. Poe instantly went rigid.

"Yep. My bad. Shutting up now."

Rey's mouth quirked briefly as she stood up again and pivoted to face Kylo.

"Kylo. You're not a monster. It's just… sometimes you kind of act like… a creature in a mask."

She carefully approached him, BB resuming his position by her side. Kylo followed her hand as it trailed up his arm to firmly grip his shoulder. His heart nearly stopped at her touch, even as his brain told him it didn't mean anything. He stared at her quizzically as she tilted her head upwards to find the shadowy outline of his face. She was infiltrating his head again with some unseen force. He was certain of it.

"It's time to destroy the mask, Kylo. You and I both know you can't judge a book by its cover, and I'd like to think I've gotten to know you well enough to confidently say, you don't actually hate everyone, despite how you act."

He shrugged Rey's hand off of his shoulder and shook his head in frustration.

"No. You see, that's where you're wrong. I don't hate you. But, I most definitely, absolutely, positively, without a doubt, loathe the rest of the world, with the intensity of a thousand suns. Which is why I strive to never give it a reason to even remotely like me."

Rey combed back a few stray hairs from her face and tried not to roll her eyes.

"Ky…"

Poe unceremoniously cut in.

"I'm sorry. Ky?! We're using pet names now?"

"DAMMIT, DAMERON!"

Kylo took a step forward with clenched fists, but Rey immediately shoved him back. She grabbed fistfuls of her hair and screamed to the sky.

"STOP! SHUT YOUR KRIFFING PIE HOLES OR SO HELP ME, I WILL PUT YOU ALL IN BODYBAGS!"

An awkward silence fell on the group for the umpteenth time in the last fifteen minutes. Rey was nearing the end of her rope, and she resorted to guilt-tripping.

"Can you just work with me a little here? You guys and Rose are my only friends, and I actually give a damn about y'all, so it'd be nice if you gave a damn about me too. Y'all are worse than the Hatfields and McCoys! Would it honestly kill you to maybe consider my feelings every now and then?!"

Kylo frowned, muttering remorsefully.

"Rey… I wasn't trying to-"

She held up her hand and stopped him.

"Please, don't. I don't need you guys to be buddy-buddy, ok? All I'm asking for is civility. Can't you at least try to get along?"

She turned to face the other two before turning back to Kylo.

"Finn? Poe? Kylo?"

Poe grumbled bitterly, and Finn followed suit as he scratched his head.

"I guess…"

"Yeah, I can do that."

Rey implored Kylo again when he didn't immediately answer her. She may or may not have been aware of how doey her shimmering hazel eyes looked at that very moment. But the subsequent pout of her lower lip was unmistakably intentional.

"Ky?"

He glowered for a few more seconds before giving in, then inwardly swore that those eyes would be the death of him someday. He didn't bother disguising the abhorrence in his voice.

"Fine… I'll…"

His face screwed into a repulsed grimace as he spit out the words like curdled milk.

"Play... 'nice'…"

Rey beamed at him.

"But only for you. And I won't promise not to murder them when you're not around."

Poe laid it on thick with a sarcastic show of gratitude.

"We graciously accept and appreciate your noble efforts, your highness. You are too magnanimous, Lord Ren."

Finn refused to acknowledge them, shifting back in his seat and averting his scowling gaze out the window opposite of where the others were loosely congregated. Kylo bit his tongue and dug his nails into his palms to restrain himself from strangling Poe on the spot. Rey chose not to pay mind to the tension and lunged into Kylo's personal space, throwing her arms around him in a bear hug and nearly crushing his ribs. He grunted at the sudden impact and his eyes darted frantically between her and Poe, clearly uncomfortable with the situation.

He expected Poe to take the easy shot at humiliation, merciless jabbing at him, or at the very least offering a smug sneer. But he kept his mouth shut, deciding he'd already said more than enough in light of Rey's previous, very real threats. She let go of Kylo after a moment and rose up on her tippy toes. Placing her hands on his shoulders, she dragged him down and startled him with a quick peck on the cheek. Before he could fully react, she smiled at him sweetly and gushed.

"Aww… I knew you'd come around… love you too, Ky Ky."

His ears burned as he locked eyes with Poe, who was now wide-eyed. Finn had finally turned his attention back to them and was making a face that suggested he was succumbing to acute nausea. Kylo could tell the two were barely containing themselves. Finn's pursed his lips tightly to stave off his queasiness, and Poe's brows arched as high as they could go, and there was a giddy twinkle in his eye as he tried not to dwell on all the glorious jokes and puns he could assault the chagrined, poor excuse of a beast with. Kylo tried not to croak as he quietly mumbled under his breath.

"Rey…"

She heartily laughed and nudged his arm playfully.

"I'm teasing… and you're adorable. Now. I'm not even gonna bother asking again. You know you're coming with us."

Kylo rolled his eyes as he grudgingly replied.

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever."

She grabbed his wrist and tugged, expectantly waiting for him to walk her to the vehicle. He obliged, and she chirped happily.

"C'mon. BB can ride with you and Finn in the back. I call shotgun. Which means I have full control of the radio by default. Any objections?"

This time, none of them were fool enough to contradict or argue with her. She claimed her victory with a sly grin.

"No? That's what I thought. Come along, boys!"

They all got into the X-wing, BB jumping over Finn to curl up in the middle as Poe made the final mirror adjustments to his liking. Kylo made a point to lean over and stress his disapproving opposition to Finn as they buckled their seatbelts.

"Just to be clear. We are not her boys. I'm only doing this so she doesn't kill me."

Finn snorted and ruffled BB's fur. He then smirked at Kylo and stated back.

"Yeah. We kind of are. Her boys. Her rules. It's Rey's way or the highway. Better get used to it, mate."

Kylo slumped back into the seat and crossed his arms without further comment. They were on the road shortly thereafter, Finn and Kylo each looking out their respective windows as BB-8 lay between them, occasionally lifting his head to sniff at the air blowing through the open windows. Rey was leaning against her window frame, her tresses flapping wildly about as she held her arm out to hand surf the wind. Poe was pushing the speed limit every chance he got, but only just, since he had Finn and Rey breathing down his neck every time he started to really gun the engine. Kylo stole glances of Rey in front of him, trying not to look obvious as he began to mellow, little by little, eventually letting the corners of his mouth turn upwards slightly. Rey suddenly screamed and slapped Poe's arm.

"OW! What the hell, Rey?!"

Her eyes danced as she excitedly bounced in her seat.

"Turn it up! This is one of my favorite songs!"

Poe rolled his eyes but did what he was told, not caring to endure any more physical abuse for the day.

"There. Happy now?"

"Yes… but I expect y'all to sing along!"

Finn groaned and Kylo shook his head.

"Nope. Not doing it."

"Whatever. You know you want to."

Rey teased Kylo, then began belting at the top of her lungs for the whole world to hear.

"If you say that you are mine… I'll be there till the end of time. So, you gotta let me know… should I stay, or should I go?"

Poe started bobbing his head and joined in after the next couple of lines. Finn relented as soon as the chorus started, and Rey giggled as they all crooned together, the boys slightly out of tune. Kylo tried to tune them out, but Rey twisted around in her seat and hugged the headrest, resting her chin on top of it. She batted her lashes and pouted.

"Pwetty pwease?"

His upper lip involuntarily twitched as the wind continued to whip her hair in her face. Some wayward locks got caught on the edge of her mouth and before he could think better of it, Kylo reached out and gently brushed them away. They immediately twirled around his fingers, the current naturally swirling around her, and he absent-mindedly rubbed the strands between his thumb and fingers, losing himself in her radiant eyes for a fleeting moment. She chortled when he tugged her hair before letting go, and as the song built up to the chorus for a second time, he finally appeased her and chanted along.

"Should I stay or should I go now? Should I stay or should I go now? If I go there will be trouble… and if I stay there will be double. So, you gotta let me know… should I cool it or should I blow?"

As they cruised down the highway, they jammed out to The Clash, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, and Aerosmith. Jokes and laughter were swept out into the open air, and by the end of their little adventure, everyone was getting along like they'd been friends all their life. Rey secretly daydreamed about what it would have been like, in another life, for all of them to grow up together. And in that alternate reality, she'd be able to see their goofy faces and match each voice fondly. What a perfect world that would be. Just four crazy, meddlesome kids and their dog, in an old hippie speedster, getting into trouble, going on daring escapades, and living life to the fullest. Maybe they could even foil some sinister villain's dastardly scheme, too. And though he wouldn't admit it, it was the most fun Kylo Ren had had in a very long time.

Chapter Song List:

"Psycho Killer" by Talking Heads

"Should I Stay Or Should I Go" by The Clash

"Immigrant Song" by Led Zeppelin

"Thunderstruck" by AC/DC

"Sweet Emotion" by Aerosmith