Part 2 takes place on the same day as Part 1! Thanks for waiting!
"You look stressed," Rey said as she and Kylo walked together. After a slightly awkward lunch, they had decided to take a walk and were enjoying the lights that were set up around the neighborhood. "Did something happen?"
Kylo's bare hands were clenched into red fists and Rey wondered if his business suit offered any warmth. Kylo had said that he came straight from an early session at work. His suit was ill equipped to fend the cold and Rey raised an eyebrow as white fog shivered through Kylo's blue lips. He chuckled before shaking his head. "It's nothing. I just met someone I didn't expect to see," he said. Kylo pointed to a light display on a frozen fountain, "What do you think about that one? Looks a bit dangerous."
Rey frowned at the fountain and the lights that were strung onto the icicles that hung from it. "If the icicles melt, then there'll be problems with the electrical unit depending on the housing they're cased in. I'd stay away from it, though; you might get electrocuted."
Looking at Rey, Kylo grinned and nodded. "Duly noted." Kylo thought his nose was about to freeze off. His suit provided minimal protection from the bitter cold and Kylo had left his coat in his car for some idiotic reason. His gloves were in the glove compartment, and Kylo knew it was on his to-do list to buy a scarf. Rey seemed warm enough. She was burrowed into an enormous, green, scarf, as well as a wool coat. Her gloves matched her scarf and she beamed up at the sparkling lights that glimmered in the trees. Kylo looked up to try and forget how cold he was.
"Kylo," Rey said and Kylo looked down at her. He frowned as she unraveled her scarf from around her throat. The green knit pulled away from her pale neck and Kylo watched as Rey tossed it over his. "You should have brought your coat," she said, tying the scarf closer. Immediate warmth ensued.
The scarf smelled like vanilla. Kylo shook his head and tried to protest. "I'm really not- Rey, you don't have to-"
"Shush, you're cold," she snipped. Rey pulled her gloves off before stuffing them into her pockets. Kylo blushed when she took his frozen hands into her warm ones. He stared at her hands as they pressed around his and suddenly, Kylo could feel his fingertips again.
"Thank you," he said and Rey shrugged.
"No problem," she replied and looked around. "Why don't we get back to your car? I think the weather's only going to drop from here." Nodding, Kylo followed Rey as she began trekking back to his car. He did not fail to notice how she did not let go of his hand.
"Hey, Kylo, do you own anything that isn't black or gray?" Rey asked as they walked together. The parking lot was not far away and Kylo could see his black Mercedes from where they stood.
"Possibly," Kylo smiled. "You've probably only seen me in my work clothes." Pulling his keys from his pocket, Kylo unlocked the car and moved to open Rey's door for her, but stopped when she opened it for herself.
Kylo sat down in the driver's seat and rubbed his hands together before starting the ignition. "Where should we go?" he asked, looking over at Rey who was on her phone.
"Somewhere you can get warm," Rey replied. She turned her head to face Kylo and stared as his angry, red knuckles. "Hey, I'll drive. You should give your hands a break."
"No, it's fine," Kylo said, unwilling to give his car up to Rey. "I think a few minutes in the car will be alright." He placed the car into neutral before pressing his hands closer to the heating vents.
Rey stowed her phone into her back pocket and looked at Kylo rubbing his hands together. Reaching over, she held one of Kylo's hands in her own again and rubbed his icy knuckles.
They sat in silence, warming their bodies up. Kylo absentmindedly lifted his hand from Rey's grasp to push a strand of hair that had fallen, obstructing his view of her face. Rey looked at him with an expression of mixed amusement and rested her head against the back of her seat. Then, she leaned over and kissed Kylo, breaking through the awkward silence that encased them.
Kylo was surprised, but he was not unhappy. Holding the back of Rey's head, he returned her kiss, tasting her, and threading his fingers through her hair. Suddenly, Kylo's day became brighter and Rey was the reason why.
Leia smiled at the college kids in her home and wondered if this was what it was like to have one's children return home for Christmas.
After a few phone calls and texts, Finn and Poe were situated in her house; Finn in the kitchen with her, and Poe with Han setting the table. Rey had called to say she would be running late, so an extra setting was placed. Leia's brother, Luke, would be joining them as well as a few of their friends from Alliance. Even Han's friend, Bacca Chu, would be flying in from Korea to spend Christmas with them and to help Alliance with its First Order problem.
Bacca was an extremely hairy man who was raised in Korea. Leia had no clue when, but somehow, he and Han met when Han was still smuggling exotic creatures. Leia also had no idea when Han learned Korean, but when it was clear that Bacca could only understand English, she assumed Han's skill would finally come in handy.
The five bedroom house was decorated with hundreds of twinkling lights and wreaths hung from every door. Leia had made sure every conceivable surface was polished and that her unruly husband was washed and presentable- something easier said than done.
Looking out the window, Leia watched as a white and gold, antique Cadillac with a plate that read C3P0 pulled into their driveway. "Han, Luke's here!" Leia called out, wiping her hands.
Stepping outside into the snow, Leia ran over and pulled her brother into a fierce hug. "Luke! It's been years!" she exclaimed. Luke's dog, R2, scampered out of the car and barreled into Han, almost knocking him down.
"Hey, Leia," Luke had grown a beard and his eyes were marked with crow's feet, but his smile remained constant. "Where's Ben?" he asked and Leia shook her head. "Is he still not back?"
"Ben's not going to be joining us... And he goes by his middle name now," she explained. "But none of that. We'll have loads of time to talk about my son later. Right now, I want you to meet the great minds of the future of Alliance," she beamed.
It took another hour for everyone to arrive and while Finn and Poe explained their majors to Luke and Chewie (as Han preferred to call Bacca), Leia peered out the window for Rey's white Jeep to arrive.
The turkey was prepared, but it was not Leia who showed her usual prowess in the kitchen, but Finn. Finn had taken over Leia's job and made some of the best sides Han had seen in a very long time. The house was filled with delicious scents and the Christmas tree glimmered with lights. Beers were passed around and the first round of appetizers were served. Chewie was already hitting it off with Poe; the two shared a love for fast cars.
Han approached Leia and put a hand on her shoulder, staring at the window she was peering out of. "Looking for Rey?"
"She said she would be a little late… I hope she's alright," Leia said and heard a small laugh. She turned to see Finn looking guilty, his hand covering his mouth.
"I'm so sorry," he apologized. "It's just that- Rey's good at taking care of herself. Plus, she's probably late because she was on a date when you called. She's probably on her way now," he said and Leia nodded. Han moved into the living room to speak with his old friends.
Just as she was about to turn away, a black Mercedes pulled into her driveway, stopping. Snow flurried in front of its white front lights. It was hard to see who stepped out of the car in the snow, but Leia watched as a tall man and shorter woman stepped out of the car. "That'll be her," Finn murmured. The two spoke for a few moments and Leia crossed her arms and smiled as the two outside her window kissed. The man returned to the car while Rey, waved and walked towards the front door.
Rey shook snow from her hair as she entered the warm house and beamed at the other guests present. Poe was the first to reach her and he held his hand up for a high-five. "Why were you late?" he asked and Rey shrugged.
"I was doing things," she said, and pulled her jacket off. Poe chuckled and opened his mouth to give a snarky reply, but Rey beat him to it. "And Kylo was not 'things'."