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“I’m sorry, Finn, but Jacen Solo deserved better! You can’t honestly believe that movie was a ‘satisfying’ and ‘happy’ ending to the entire saga. The only remaining Skywalker died, because of Palpatine, mind you, plus then his granddaughter stole the Skywalker name for herself! The Big Bad won everything. Zero out of ten stars. You’ll never see me supporting Disney or Star Wars ever again.” Rey finished just one of the many rants she had been giving since leaving the premiere of The Rise of Skywalker two hours earlier.
Finn gave the slightest eye roll before reaching across the table to lay a calming hand on one of Rey’s clenched fists. She looked up at him, reading his gaze. Pity, a bit of sadness, and a touch of barely hidden amusement. It was the amusement that clued her in to his next words.
“But they did kis-”
“Don’t you dare mention that kiss, Finn. Yeah sure, it’s great and all, JaKir is canon, but Christ, at what cost? He fucking DIED Finn! They had thirty seconds of happiness before he just straight up faded away. Did you see the way they looked at each other? That was pure and true love right there. And Disney gave all of us a giant middle finger and shit on our hopes and dreams of a happily ever after. I never thought we’d get a JaKir kiss and still be upset.” Rey folded her arms, huffing angrily, before all the fight left her and she slumped over onto the table, resting her forehead on the cool, faux wood. “Why is this the end, Finn? Why did they decide this was the best ending?”
His thumb gently caressed the back of her hand, attempting to soothe her, despite his instigating words earlier. “I don’t know, Rey. I just don’t know. I wish I could tell you, or wave a magic wand and make everything better for you, but life doesn’t work like that. Though, I do know one place where you’ll always have that happily ever after . . .”
Rey lifted her head just enough to glare with one eye at Finn. “Fanfiction won’t change the fact that Jacen Solo is gone, potentially forever. It doesn’t work like that. Hell, I don’t know if I want to read, or even write, anything right now, if not forever. It hurts too much.”
A dull ‘thunk’ sounded as she dropped her head once again to the bar table, accompanied shortly after by a low groan. It honestly felt like her heart had been ripped from her chest, then ground to dust right in front of her. Hell, she hadn’t even felt this upset when her ex, her only ex, broke up with her over text then turned off his phone so she couldn’t get an explanation as to what went wrong. Yeah, that sucked, especially because she had spent the better part of two years with the guy, but this? Being so invested in the story of Kira and Jacen that she forgot her own loneliness? Getting to know new people, some of who had become some of her closest friends? Finding her love of writing again?
Now Rey truly knew what a broken heart felt like.
“Oh, Peanut, I’m sure you’ll write again. Just think of how many people have read your stories already. I’m sure you’ll find your inspiration again. Hell, don’t you have several unfinished works? Don’t you want to finish them? Give Kira and Jacen their happily ever afters?”
Rey sighed. Finn had a point. And, like always, he was right. She wanted to give Kira and Jacen the happy ending that had been denied to them. She’d probably fire up her trusty old laptop once she was home and done drinking her pain away and write some fix-it fic where they lived happily ever after. Maybe she’d pick up some extra shifts at the mechanic’s shop so she could commission an artist to make some fanart of her fic. Support the fans, not The Mouse.
The clink of ice cubes hitting the side of a glass sounded next to her head, and Rey looked up at the waitress, confused. She hadn’t ordered another drink yet, even though hers was empty. She looked at Finn, questioning him with her eyes, silently asking if he had ordered a refill. But he just shook his head and shrugged, also unsure of where the drink came from. Luckily, the waitress answered their unspoken question.
“It’s from that gentleman over there. Said to tell you thanks for defending Jacen, whoever that is.” She pointed over her shoulder at a hunched over man at the end of the bar, face hidden in darkness from the hood of his jacket. Rey squinted, trying to make out any distinguishing features of the mysterious other Star Wars fan, but failed miserably as he turned away from her, effectively stopping her chances of seeing if he was anyone she knew.
She turned back to Finn, shrugging her shoulders. If mystery man wanted to remain anonymous, so be it. But damn, he looked tall. And broad. And like he could snap her like a toothpick with those strong arms of his. Yet Rey had a hunch those arms were strong for different reasons, like holding up her while they made out, her back pressed against the wall, her hands grasping at his shoulders as he mouthed at her neck.
Rey shook her head. What the hell was she thinking? Fantasizing about a random stranger, just because he bought her a drink and knew about Star Wars? Hell, he could be ugly as sin, and here she was imagining him doing unspeakable things to her. But those arms. And fuck, his hands. They dwarfed his glass as he raised it to his mouth. She wouldn’t mind those hands running all over her body, caressing her, exploring which spots made her moan and which made her see stars.
“You okay, Rey? You just got really flushed. Maybe it’s time to call it quits. We do have our last final in the morning.” Finn started to stand up, but Rey pulled him down into the seat next to her. She kept her grasp on his sweater sleeve as she pulled him close so she could whisper in his ear.
“Finn, I gotta see who he is. Hell, maybe he’s the one. Just look at him! He’s got the body of a fucking Greek God! Maybe this is my chance, Finn. Maybe I can actually find someone who gets me. I gotta do this.”
Finn just nodded, smiling slightly. She let go of his sweater, and he moved back to his original seat, the vantage point allowing him to make sure she was okay and not in any danger from this stranger. Rey picked up the drink and stood up, adrenaline pumping through her. She could do this. Just one foot in front of the other.
Heart beating fast, Rey made her way through the crowded bar, her eyes focused on the unknown man. He was staring at his drink, not realizing Rey was approaching, so when she set her drink down, maybe a little too hard, he jumped slightly. But he still didn’t look up at her. If anything, he turned his face away from her even more. Rey frowned. She couldn’t have that. She had to see his face. Hell, even if his face was only a four or five, his body more than made up for it.
“Is this seat taken?” She tried to imbue her voice with confidence and strength, but it came out weak and nervous. Fuck, she couldn’t mess this up. She had to get to know him. This could be the best chance she had at finding love. She couldn’t just let this pass her by.
He didn’t say anything, and kept his face turned away from her, but he did pull out the bar stool for her, motioning for her to sit down. Rey all but sank onto the stool with relief. Good, she hadn’t messed up too badly, yet. Her fingers curled around her glass, and she looked into the dark liquid, attempting to draw strength from the liquid courage without actually having to drink it. Finn did have a point. They did have their last final tomorrow, and she couldn’t be too hung over. She had to pass this course, even if it wasn’t part of her major.
Her eyes wandered from her drink over to his. It looked like whiskey on the rocks, something Rey had never found appealing. But lord, if it meant he’d speak to her, she’d drink it every day for the rest of her life. She took a deep breath. Might as well try to get a response. It’d be rude to not introduce yourself in return, right?
“I’m Rey. Thank you for the drink, Mr . . .” She trailed off, waiting for him to respond with his name.
A moment passed.
Then another.
Rey felt the awkwardness begin to set in and she shuffled in her seat, preparing to get up and leave. Maybe he didn’t want to talk Star Wars. Maybe he didn’t want to get to know her. Maybe she was just being the same stupid hopeful girl who thought her parents were coming back, only this time, she was hopeful he would come into her life for the first time, and never leave.
“I’m sorry. I’ll just go.” Her head hung. She was wrong, about everything. She stood up and took a step before a gentle hand on her elbow stopped her. What was happening? Did he want her to be here or not? “Sir?”
“Ben.”
That voice. She knew that voice. But from where? “Excuse me?”
“It’s Ben. My name. Just Ben.”
She smiled slightly. They were getting somewhere now. But his voice. It was so familiar. Maybe he was in one of her lectures? Maybe she had passed him on campus? His hand fell from her elbow back to his drink, and she sat down again. They both raised their glasses to drink at the same time, and Rey had to smile at that. It was if they were already in sync, like they were connected, somehow. Kind of like Jacen and Kira had been.
Had.
She just thought of their dyad in the past tense. Fuck that hurt. Her drink hit the bar harder than she intended, her long island spilling over the edge of the glass, dotting the faux wood with liquid. Shit. Now he’d think she’s a klutz and an airhead. She just kept fucking up.
“You okay?” His low voice was tinged with concern, and Rey felt her knees weaken and her underwear grow wet. Fuck, his voice was hot. If only he’d show her his face. Or if she could remember where she had heard his voice from.
“Yeah, I’m okay. Just still emotional about how Disney handled Jacen and Kira. Sorry. I know I shouldn’t let it affect me that much, but this story has been such a major part of my life over the past four years. I was expecting so much more. I mean, I’m happy they kissed and JaKir is canon, but still. He didn’t have to die.”
“I feel the same way. He shouldn’t have died.” Ben’s voice took on a frustrated tone before he downed the rest of his whiskey, nearly slamming the glass down on the bar. He motioned to the bartender to get a new drink, immediately taking a long swig when it arrived. “Jacen Solo deserved a happy ending. Disney fucked up when they killed him. They fucked up bad.”
Rey nodded, taking her own sip of her drink, staring at the bottles behind the bar. “They even established in the movie that they live together or die together. It’s impossible for Kira to live without him. He’s the other half of her soul, her literal soulmate.” She paused. She had to get Ben to respond, to get him talking, so she could figure out where she knew him from, or why he felt so familiar to her. “She grieved Chewie more than she grieved Jacen, and Chewie lived! As much as it makes a clown out of me, I firmly believe Jacen Solo is alive. I just hope we get him back in a movie and not in comics or a novel. Benjamin Organa is an amazing actor, and I loved his portrayal of Jacen.”
At her last sentence, Ben scoffed, and Rey turned to him, right as he turned away. Had he been watching her as she rambled about her favorite ship and favorite actor? Rey flushed at the realization. Whenever she got on a tangent about JaKir, Star Wars, or really anything else she was passionate about, she tended to tune out the surrounding world, focusing only on how she felt talking about the topic.
“Do you not like Benjamin Organa for Jacen? I thought his performances as Darth Caedus were amazing, even more so as Jacen, even though he only had ‘ow’ for a line at the end of the film. Which is complete bullshit, by the way. Hell, he even did an interview saying he was worrying about making sure his lines in his last scene were right! How is it possible that ‘ow’ was his last line?”
“Because that wasn’t supposed to be his last line.” Ben’s mumbled words were almost too soft for Rey to hear. But she caught them, and her eyes widened. There was no way. No way in hell.
There was no way this guy worked at Disney.
Rey turned towards Ben, smiling widely, eager to pick his brains for insider knowledge about her favorite fandom. But as she turned to him, he turned away, hiding his face like he had been all night. He had to stop hiding at some point, right? He bought her a drink for a reason. He was a man, after all. And men have their needs. She glanced down at his left hand. It looked like no one was meeting his needs. Yet.
“So what other tidbits of Star Wars trivia do you know? Anything about The Rise of Skywalker? Is Jacen really dead?”
Another scoff, this time slightly more lighthearted, rather than a derisive cut. He turned towards her slightly, his hood slipping back imperceptibly, but enough to show a slightly aquiline nose and wisps of dark hair. “Wouldn’t you like to know? I wish I could tell you about Jacen and Kira, but . . .”
When he said Kira, it all clicked. Where she had heard his voice. Why his profile looked so familiar. Why he cared about Jacen. How he knew Jacen’s real last words.
Fuck.
Her eyes widened at the realization that she wasn’t talking to just some movie editor or someone in tech support at Disney. He was employed by Disney alright, just not in the position she originally thought.
"Um, Ben?" She said before stopping herself. What if he didn't want her to know he was a celebrity? What if he just wanted to enjoy a quiet night out away from the paparazzi? And here she was, attempting to get him to talk about Star Wars. Hell, he had probably signed a non-disclosure, so he couldn't talk about it anyways.
"Hmm?" Ben hummed a response, still not fully looking at her, hood still covering most of his face. But she didn't have to see all of his face to know who he was.
Lead actor in the sequel trilogy of Star Wars. Her crush for the past four years. The man who bought her a drink for defending the fictional character he played. Benjamin Organa.
"Never-mind. It's nothing."
"Oh, I'm sure it's not nothing." His voice was teasing and light, goading her into telling him what was on her mind.
"I'm not going to gush over you. Or draw attention to you. Just, thank you. Thank you for four amazing years of Jacen. You have no idea how you and the story have impacted my life. So, truly, thank you.” She tried to imbue her words with just how much this chance meeting, and everything Star Wars, meant to her. How much it had changed her life.
Rey took another sip of her drink, then set it down gently, standing up to leave. “I’ll leave you alone now. I’m sure you don’t want company, since you’re hiding your face like that. Thank you for the drink, and thank you for the conversation. It means a lot.”
She took a step, but a hand caught her elbow, this time not as gentle. More insistent, perhaps.
“Wait. Please don’t leave. Not yet.” Ben’s voice had a slight air of urgency tinged with worry, as if he actually valued her and her time with him. Rey debated shaking off his hand and leaving, truly not wanting to bother him on his night out. Hell, he probably hadn’t intended to run into a crazed fangirl like herself, and definitely hadn’t planned on buying them a drink, and yet here she was, monopolizing his time. Yeah, she should definitely be leaving him alone now.
She gently pulled her arm out of his grasp and took another step. She hated herself for doing this, but her need to not be a bother won out over her four-year crush. But that’s all that it was though, right? Just a crush. It’s not like she knew Ben, not truly. Yeah, she had read all his interviews, watched all of his movies and shows, devoured every little tidbit of information the world had on Benjamin Organa, but she didn’t really know him. She didn’t know his favorite color, where his mind went when he needed a happy place, what kept him sane during long hours of filming, anything. She knew everything about Benjamin Organa, but she didn’t know anything about Ben.
She looked behind her, expecting to see the side of Ben’s hood with him turned away from her, but what she saw was deep brown eyes, full of worry and yearning, looking straight at her, giving her the first full look at Ben’s face. God, he was more handsome in person. But she couldn’t. She couldn’t, and shouldn’t, bother him anymore. She was about to turn back around, to actually leave, when he spoke.
“Rey, wait, please.”
She had imagined hearing her name fall from his lips for so long, but none of her fantasies could have prepared her for what it sounded like. She had thought it would sound sexy, sound sweet, sound like so many other ways than the way it did.
It sounded like home.
And that sound, that feeling, jolted her to the core, freezing her in place.
He stood up and she turned to face him, her eyes never leaving his. Good God he was taller in person, too. Was there anything about him that wasn’t better in person? His hand grasped hers, their first skin to skin contact, and it was almost like the movies, where Jacen and Kira had finally touched hands and saw each other’s futures. Rey could picture it, clear as day. Ben and her watching movies late at night in her small apartment, cuddled up underneath a blanket, them sharing their first kiss, holding hands, like they were right now, their first mutual “I love you’s,” spoken in hushed voices, as if afraid to break the silence of the dawn, their wedding day, a sunny day in May, the scent of honeysuckle hanging heavy in the air, everything. She could see everything she ever wanted in life with him.
What buzz she had from the alcohol was nothing compared to how he made her feel, just by staring at her and holding her hand. He was looking at her like she mattered, like he actually cared about her, not like she was just some random fan he met at a bar.
“Please don’t go. Not yet.” He gently pulled her hand, guiding her back into her seat. Once she sat down, he let go of her hand and sat down himself. She immediately missed the warmth his hand had engulfed hers with. “You probably know a lot about me. But I don’t know anything about you. So please, tell me more about yourself. I overheard your friend say you had your last final in the morning. Are you a student? What are you studying?”
Shit, Finn. He didn’t know anything that was going on. She had to update him.
“Ben, I’ll be right back, I promise. I just want to tell my friend that I’ll catch up with him later, okay?”
He nodded, going back to his drink, hood covering his face again. It was a pity he kept his face hidden by that damn hood. He would look so much better without it. Rey shook her head, dispelling her thoughts, hopping out of her seat and making her way over to Finn, who perked up when he saw her heading his way.
When she managed to get to his side again, Finn immediately burst out in a hushed yet excited whisper, unable to rein in his curiosity. “Is that seriously Benjamin Organa? Is he really here? Like, what the hell, why is he here in this tiny ass bar in Indiana!”
Immediately Rey remembered. She had been so excited when she found out she was getting her bachelor’s at his alma mater.
“He went to college here! Remember? He must have come here because he thought it would be an inconspicuous place to get a drink. I mean, why else would he be here in Indianapolis? The premiere was all the way in L.A., but we both know he doesn’t like attending the premieres of his films. Maybe he wanted to relive the days where he wasn’t recognized everywhere he went by fans like us.” Her last sentence came out with a dejected tone, again starting to blame herself for bothering Ben.
“Hey, you and I both know that if any fan deserved meeting him like this, it would be you, got it? So stop beating yourself up about this. Now, you go woo him the best your little fangirl self can! I expect a full report after our final is done, okay? Just don’t forget about it!” Finn stood up and downed the small remainder of his drink.
“I’ll have Poe come pick me up, and I’ll let him know you’ll take an uber home. Just be careful, okay Rey? I know he’s a celebrity, but we know basically what the internet knows, nothing more. Don’t let him pressure you into anything you don’t want to do, you hear?”
Rey nodded, though she knew if Ben asked her to do anything, she’d comply. “I’ll be careful, I promise. And I’ll be there for the final. Don’t you worry about that! I’ll see you later, Finn.” She gave him a quick hug before making her way back to Ben.
“Okay! I’m back. Sorry about that.” She smiled sheepishly, finally realizing she had basically run off with barely a word, something he had stopped her from doing earlier. Shit, what if he thought she didn’t want to be around him? What if he was mad at her? She could have fucked all of this up simply because she wanted to let her best friend know what was going on. He couldn’t be that mad, right? It was only natural she wanted to let Finn know.
She sat down, aligning her body slightly towards Ben’s, but not enough to seem so obvious that she was devoting all of her attention to every single movement and word that he made. Immediately, Ben turned towards her, previous hesitation and hiding gone in a heartbeat. They stared at each other for a moment, Rey getting lost in the smooth sable of his eyes, before he spoke in a humored voice.
“So, final? Student? The answers to my questions before you ran off?” He chuckled slightly under his breath as Rey felt herself turn pink from embarrassment. At least he wasn’t mad. She could work with amused at her fumblings.
“Yeah, I’m a senior at the University of Indianapolis. I’ve got my last final for the semester in the morning. It’s my last final before my last semester, at least for undergrad, that is. It’s for a class I only need for upper level credit. It’s not going towards either my major or minor, so I don’t have to get a super high score.”
“Oh? And those are?”
“Major is mechanical engineering. Minor is in creative writing.” She said proudly, realizing a little too late that she would have to explain her interest in the vast difference between the two fields.
“Those are on complete opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of relatability.” Ben chuckled again, making Rey flush once more. “What got you interested in those?”
Shit. She didn’t know which one was more embarrassing to explain. How she had to build things from the ground up in order to survive, or because she liked putting two characters together and making them kiss.
“Well, both are long stories.” She attempted to stall, to try to steer the conversation away from two potentially dangerous and exposing topics.
“I’ve got time. I’m not going anywhere.” There was that small smile, the same one he gave Kira at the end of the movie to show that he wasn’t Darth Caedus anymore, but instead was finally her partner in the dyad, Jacen. And now that smile was directed at her. Oh God, how was she going to explain this?
“Mechanical engineering is because, well, I grew up in an orphanage, so if I needed it, I had to make it myself. Turns out, I’m pretty damn good at that. Creative writing is because, well, umm . . .”
“Because writing was a coping skill to help you process what you were going through?” Ben looked so sincere, like he was truly invested in her stupid interests, like he actually gave a damn about her and what she was into. Thank God he had unintentionally given her an out.
“Yeah, that’s right. Cause, you know, I was dealing with a lot.” She gave a small smile to Ben, while internally she was smiling in relief. Now she wouldn’t have to explain that she was using her “talent” in writing to publish JaKir fanfiction online.
“What do you want to do with both of those? Will you be able to use both of them in one career?” Why he was so interested in her major and minor, Rey didn’t know. But she wasn’t going to let that stop her from trying to get to know him better, even though this conversation was basically solely focused on her.
“Probably not. While I’d love to write for a living, it wouldn’t be enough to pay the bills. So I’ll most likely get a position dealing with mechanical engineering and write in my spare time.”
“Do you have a preferred type of writing?” Rey froze at his words, worried he had figured out her secret. But she relaxed at his next sentence. “Like, do you prefer stories, poetry, maybe even scripts or screenplays? Because if it’s the latter, and you would prefer a career in writing, I might be able to get your foot in the door.”
“Wait. Are you seriously offering to help me get a job?” Rey couldn’t believe it. Why was Ben being so nice to her? Why was he actually seeming like he gave a damn about her? Only her friends cared about her, a romantic partner never had before, not even her ex.
She froze at the thought, mentally whacking herself upside the head. Ben wasn’t a romantic partner. Yeah, he bought her a drink and was currently talking to her about the stupid stuff she liked, and surprisingly looked interested and not scared off, but he was no romantic partner. Once he decided to call it a night, she’d ask for an autograph, and they’d part ways and this night would become a story she’d tell over drinks to her friends. That’s all this could ever turn out to be. Nothing more. No matter how hard she’d wish for another outcome, that is all this wonderful night would ever be. A story.
A finger gently tapping her nose broke her from her thoughts.
“You alright in there?” Ben’s voice was teasing, yet had an undercurrent of worry and concern. Why he was worried about her, she didn’t know, but she should at least have the decency to pay attention to him and his words, and to not get so lost in her own thoughts.
“Oh, yeah, I’m alright. Just thinking about random stuff."
"What kind of stuff, might I ask?"
Shit. He could NOT find out she had thought of him as a potential romantic partner. What was a suitable response? Hell, what had they been talking about before she got lost in her thoughts? Oh, yeah, writing, a job, that's right.
"Just imagining what that type of job would be like. I'm alright at scripts, but I'm more than willing to learn how to be even better at them. So thank you, truly, for the offer. It means a lot."
The corner of Ben’s mouth quirked up in a half smile, and Rey knew she would give anything to be able to see that smile on a regular basis. Granted, that would be impossible, but a girl could dream, right?
"Well, if I can help you get your foot in the door, I'm going to need your contact information. So, number and email?"
Rey's brain short circuited and she froze, a half smile on her face. Benjamin Bail Organa, star of the sequel trilogy of Star Wars, was asking for her phone number. Had she died and gone to heaven? There was no way. Absolutely no way. She had to be dreaming. This wasn't real. This had to be some sort of joke. It had to be. He was so famous. He could have anyone in the world. So why would he want her?
A small laugh bubbled out of her throat, and she shook her head.
"Thank you for the offer. It really does mean a lot. But, if I am going to make a living writing, I want to do it on my own skills, and not because I know someone famous. So, as much as I want to take your offer, I'm going to turn it down." It physically pained her to deny him, but she had to. She truly did want to make it based on her own talent, but she also didn't want to get her hopes up by letting him have her contact information. It would just be for business, and she didn't think she'd be able to handle that, having him so close yet so far.
Ben just nodded, and Rey was surprised to see a small smile on his face. She had expected him to be mad, or frustrated at least, that she wasn’t accepting his offer. So why was he smiling?
"Fair enough," his voice held mirth, and it sounded like he was barely stifling a laugh. "Well, if not for a job, can I still get your number? You've been a great conversationalist, and I'd love to get to know you more. Though, I can understand if you don't want that." His face fell as his last sentence was uttered in a hushed tone. Rey felt her heart ache at the dejection in his voice. Maybe, just maybe, this could work out.
Emboldened with a sudden rush of courage, she pulled a pen out of her purse and leaned across Ben, quickly scribbling her number on the napkin underneath his now empty glass while he looked at her in awe, as if he didn't think she'd agree to his request. This, she could do. If he decided not to contact her, nothing bad would come of it. Yeah, she'd be sad, but her life wouldn't drastically change. If she had his number, God, she didn’t think she had the self control to not message first, and lord knows she didn't want to bother the poor man. This way, the ball was in his court.
His smile when she sat back rivaled the light of a thousand suns. He genuinely looked ecstatic to have her number. Why, Rey couldn’t tell, but she was still happy she was able to make him smile so brightly.
"Thank you, Rey, truly." He picked up the napkin like it was something precious, something so fragile one wrong move could destroy it. He slipped it into his jacket pocket, and Rey saw him look at his watch, eyes widening. "Shit, Rey, it's late. You should get home so you can do well on your final. I know you said you didn't need a high score, but you should still try to get the best grade you can." Ben motioned to the bartender and let him know that he was closing his tab before turning back to Rey. There was that smile again, like he actually gave a damn about her.
"Let me call an uber for you." Rey started to protest, but he just held up his hand. "Please, let me do this for you. I took you away from your friend, and your ride, so I want to make it up to you, and this is the least I can do."
Rey wanted to tell him that he had already done so much for her, and that he didn't need to do anything more. Just being able to sit there and talk with him had made her evening so much better that she had almost completely forgotten about the mess of a movie that was The Rise of Skywalker. Though, it was mainly her talking about herself; she hadn’t learned much of anything about him. Rey mentally hit herself upside the head. This had been her moment to pick his brain, to find out what made Ben, Ben. And she had just prattled on about her college career and her interests.
"Can I see your phone?" Ben's voice startled her out of her thoughts. She looked at him, confused why he would need her phone. An explanation came shortly. "If we use your app, you won't have to give me your address. Not that I would do anything with it, I just figured you'd be more comfortable with me not knowing it." Rey couldn’t see his ears, but she guessed they were as red as his face was. God damn he was hot when he was flustered. Each second she was silent, his face grew more red, and, while it was both adorable and sexy as fuck, she didn’t want him to self-combust. So she handed over her phone, letting him plug in the necessary information, smiling at how considerate he was being. Most guys would have used their own app, not giving a damn about her comfort level. But Ben? Ben was completely different.
"There. They'll be here in three minutes. You want to step outside?"
Three minutes. She had three more minutes with Benjamin Organa. She had to make the most of them. So she nodded, pulling her cardigan around her. She hoped it would keep her warm enough outside. Midwest winters were hell, and she had never gotten used to them, despite her living here for four years now. She hadn’t planned on being outside for very long, so she hadn’t brought her winter coat.
Stepping outside, she was hit with a blast of freezing air, peppered with small snowflakes. Snow wasn’t in the forecast. Dammit. Rey immediately shivered down into her jacket, pulling the hood over her head, then shoving her hands into her pockets, trying to maintain some semblance of warmth.
Warm arms encircled her, bringing some much appreciated heat to her body. She looked up in confusion, feeling her face heat up in a blush when she met Ben's gaze. Shit, he was so close. Close enough to kiss. Pushing those thoughts from her head, Rey just leaned into Ben's chest, thankful for the added warmth. They stood like that in silence until the uber arrived all too soon. Rey immediately missed the heat of Ben's arms when he let go of her to open the car's door, but smiled at how courteous he was being.
"Thank you," she whispered as she got into the car, not wanting to break the comfortable silence that had fallen between them since they had walked outside. He returned her words with a bright smile, one warm enough to chase away the cold that lingered in her bones.
"Until the next time," he whispered back before shutting the door on the most whirlwind night of Rey’s life.
Rey’s phone dinged with an incoming text just moments after she got into her apartment. She figured it was Finn, since she had texted him after she had gotten into the uber. An unknown number stared up at her, but Rey wasn't concerned, and quickly plugged the number into a new contact, smiling the whole time.
From Ben: Hope you got home safely. Good luck on your final tomorrow. Maybe we can meet up soon and you can tell me how it went?
To Ben: id like nothing more
From Ben: 😊