Prompt: Kylo is Ben, still studying with luke when he gets pregnant at like 18? He either doesn't realize right away or is too nervous/embarrassed to just tell his uncle so he doesn't until he's already several months in. Cue little Rey being curious and protective of her older cousin, Luke being supportive but flustered because Ben's so young and ofc dealing wthe fallout of Leia&Han finding out what happened "on his watch"but Rey doesn't care bc shes tiny and pumped to be with her big cousin

So I contemplated doing this from all three characters POVs (because they could all work) but eventually I settled on Ben.

Also, despite the fact I have cousins the age of Rey in this fic that I regularly deal with I struggle to find the right level of maturity vs childishness for her. So sorry if it comes off as too infantile/advanced for her age.

"Papa says you're gonna' have a baby." It's the first thing Rey says to him after she clambers up to the part of the mountain he had excluded himself to in order to avoid everyone else (and, if he's completely honest with himself, the topic).

She is old enough to know not to mention topics to people that they do not want to talk about them. She isn't old enough to be able to identify those topics herself. Her papa, his uncle, Luke, would have only told the facts of what happened. He wouldn't have told her that it was something that needed to be kept quiet because that would imply it was a bad thing and Luke wouldn't want his daughter to think that having a baby might be a bad thing (even if their mother is only eighteen and, from Luke's perspective, suspiciously quiet about who their father is). At least not while she was so young. Anyway, there was no need to force her to keep it secret. There was only a limited time before Ben's stomach revealed the truth to everyone anyway.

"Yes." Sure he could probably still find someone to deal with it despite how far along he was. But he had known of its existence for a while. He had thought about it. Thought about vanishing into the night to return unburdened. Thought about keeping it and his mistakes that caused it a secret. A problem only he ever knew about. Instead he had told Luke about it. Told his uncle despite the fact that he knew once he did that it would be a secret no more.

"Cool," Rey says, settling into the dirt across from him in a mimicry of his meditation position despite the fact she is still learning the reasons behind it. "That means I'll be an aunt right?"

A petulant part of him wants to correct her, but he cannot think of a different title that actually describes her position in blood to his soon-to-be child. "Yes."

"You don't seem very excited about it," she peers at him suspiciously and he can feel her Force-signature reaching out towards his. She is too young to have complete control and a long way off the feats of him and Luke but she grew up surrounded by it and thus is more capable then most of Luke's other students (both her own age and older). So is he. Building up his mental walls to keep even his family out was something he had mastered long ago. "Ben?"

"It's nothing Rey. I'm just tired."

"Didn't you sleep well last night?" she asks, her voice filled with worry.

He hadn't. It had been a long time since he had his last good night's sleep. Spent most of them tossing and turning and trying to figure out what he was going to do about the situation he had gotten himself into. Thinking about what his parents were going to do when they found out. Trying to figure out what he was going to say to them when they came to drag him home for being so stupid as to get himself pregnant. As the weight on his stomach grew it had only gotten worse. Every time he had to shift to accommodate its uncomfortableness was a reminder of the problem he was now forced to deal with.

He wasn't going to tell Rey that. She would go running back to her Papa and he would have to deal with Luke's attempt at being reassuring and helpful despite the fact they both know he is just as panicked about the situation as Ben is.

"It's just the baby tiring me out." It had been what cued him into their existence in the first place. Workout routines that usually barely made him break a sweet suddenly taking a lot of him.

Rey looks so concerned at the idea. Looks concerned and moves closer so she can reach for him, can reach for his stomach and press her hand against it. "Baby, you mustn't tire Ben out, he needs his energy."

"Rey it's okay," he reaches down to grab her hand but fails to finish his intended action of removing it from his stomach. Instead they both just rest against it, "that's just what babies do before their born."

"Really?"

"Yes." He remembers his mother saying how much pregnancy had drained her. He had watched it happen with Rey.

He watches Rey frown as she processes the information. "They don't mean to make you tired right?"

"No Rey they don't." They are unable to intend anything currently. They have a presence in the Force now but not one that indicates any sort of will yet.

"Then I can't blame them for it." The words hold disappointment in them and Ben knows his cousin isn't happy that there is no solution she can offer him. Knows that if Rey thought she'd have a chance at convincing the foetus to stop tiring him she would. He is glad she had never found out about his morning sickness (back when he was trying to hide the condition from them all). He doesn't think he could have bared her concern over it.

"No you can't." It is one of the mantra's of Luke's teachings: not to blame creatures for reactions they cannot control. You don't blame an animal you startle for biting you and you can't blame a foetus for draining its mother in order to gain its own life.

"I'm sure they'll feel bad for making you tired when they realise." Rey says, giving a satisfied nod. Ben knows the truth isn't that simple but he doesn't correct her. Instead he removes his hand from where it covers hers and makes to stand up.

"Come on, it's getting late. We should head back." He'd rather stay up there for a least another hour (when the sun would set and he would have no choice but to return) but he has a feeling Rey wouldn't return without him and soon Luke would come to search out his daughter for dinner. Any solitude Ben hoped for would be lost either way. He has a feeling he isn't going to get it back for a very long time.