Archive of Our Own

‘You know if you do throw that at him they will send you to prison, Rey.’ Kaydel commented nonchalantly as she licked ice cream off her spoon and shifted further into the sofa, her legs kicked out over the worn arm. 

‘Sometimes you have to make a statement.’ Rey wiped the sweat from her brow with the sleeve of her overalls, and went back to mixing the red paint, while her eyes scanned over the text on her laptop.

Kaydel snorted. ‘Your statement is throwing red paint at some rando CEO? Is this about the communism thing again?’

Rey rolled her eyes. ‘This isn’t about politics, this is about unjust labor practices. His company has people in those warehouses earning apprentice wages. It’s not right, Kay.’ 

‘So red paint will make them change their ways?’

‘Oh, just shut up, I’m not actually going to throw it at him. I’m making a picket later.’ 

Kaydel laughed again and she slipped her hand in her pocket, turning off Beyonce’s vocals as she answered the phone. ‘Hi...are you coming over?’ She giggled and turned onto her stomach, grinning like a fool. Rey glanced up and rolled her eyes as the blonde set to curling her hair along a finger. ‘No, definitely cookie dough with an action movie...this is a tried and tested formula...no, of course not… I promise. Rey!’ 

‘What?’

‘Tell Doph that I haven’t had ice cream today.’ 

‘You’re a liar,’ she shouted back.

Her roommate grimaced and went back to her call. ‘Yes, okay, I’ll see you soon. Love you.’ Kaydel rolled up, wiping sticky smudges of ice cream from her lips and looking over her stained vest top and sweatpants with a frown. 

‘Yes, you do like you’ve been dumpster diving.’

‘Ha ha. You’re hilarious.’ 

Rey grinned and then frowned as Kaydel approached and looked at her friend’s phone. It was still open, Rey having turned off the screen timer because she was getting pissed at having to unlock it every time she was following a recipe. As Kaydel usually did, she trailed a finger over the screen and skipped straight to the Tinder app.

‘Just five minutes?’ She requested.

‘Fine.’ Rey sighed, covering the small paint container and washing her hands in the sink, before sitting down at the kitchen island and flicking through her almost-finished article.

It wasn’t unusual for Kaydel to control who Rey swiped right or left on. It in fact made it much easier, as Kaydel at least had a good way of deciphering who the psychos and sociopaths were and Rey had experienced a decent amount of conversations out of her intervention, even if none had become dates.

Rey took several cursory glances at her friend as she grinned, her thumb moving deftly over the screen, left, right, left left left, right.

‘Do you even know what this guy looks like? I heard he never turns up at public events.’ Kaydel asked absently, flicking through.

Rey frowned, taking too long to register who Kaydel was talking about before she scoffed. ‘Of course I know. He’s tall-ish, dark hair, and wears suits.’ 

‘Ah yes, such unique descriptors.’ 

‘Well his name is Kylo Ren, so not exactly a common name.’

‘I’ll give you that.’  

Once her five minutes was up, she took a huge breath and placed Rey’s phone back down, before she went off towards her room, likely to get dressed for a day out with her boyfriend. 

Saving and sending the article off to the editor at The Chandrilan Post, Rey grabbed her phone, and looked over the damage that Kaydel had wrought. 

There were a few matches and Rey scanned through them one by one, flipping through the images. A couple of the guys had already messaged her, half being simple ‘heys’ others opening with jokes or ‘charming’ compliments. She sighed and went flicking through the faces again and then stopped, her fingers hesitating on reject as she looked at the man’s face. 

Ben.

She clicked his profile, her brows meeting at the sight of the wall of text just below his name and his age – 32. ‘Highly recommended climbing apparatus for those hard to reach places’ – My cat . Rey snorted, and as she scrolled he’d listed a handful of quotes from friends, family, pets and inanimate objects on his ability to be a helpful house appliance. 

His photos were strange, however. At least in comparison to what Kaydel usually went for, and as Rey flicked through them, she wondered what Kaydel would have thought if she’d seen his profile. There were only a few full-frontal shots of his face, some of which were hidden by his hands, or he was just slightly turned away, his profile the only thing visible. There was something alluringly mysterious about it and Rey found herself flicking back and forward through the pictures, analysing them as thoroughly as she could. From the flesh that he had exposed, which wasn’t much, she could see his skin was scattered with moles, and that she supposed, was his only clear identifying feature. That and his slightly larger than average nose. 

It wasn’t with much hesitation that she swiped right after five minutes of ogling at his profile and she stared at the screen that popped up saying ‘it’s a match’. 

Rey put her phone down, reaching for her cup of coffee – now cold – and took a long drink of it. She shouldn’t have even been messing around on Tinder. After a night studying, then finishing up her article, she was exhausted and still had her shift at Maz’s from 5pm till midnight. She glanced down at her notebooks spread on the island, and sighed heavily, before looking back to her phone as it winked awake. 

There was a new message notification and Rey straightened, considering whether to look at it now, but the tiniest prospect of it being Ben had her unlocking her phone and clicking directly into the Tinder app. 

Ben: So are you looking for a back scratcher? A pot cleaner? 

Rey: I was actually looking for more reviews. Is it true you can blow up a balloon with one breath?

Ben: I can blow up two balloons with one breath

Rey: Impressive.

Ben: Hi. I’m Ben.

Rey: I’m Rey.

Ben: You’re the first person to match me on this app.

Rey: How many times has that line worked for you?

Ben: Exactly zero. I’m serious. Reviews work for products, so I thought I’d sell myself that way. I guess it worked?

Rey: It’s up for me to decide if it worked.

Ben: Well?

Rey: I am intrigued. 

Ben: About anything specific?

Rey: Your cat’s name?

Ben: Artie. I have to tell you now, I don’t think I’d be comfortable being involved in a three-way relationship with him. It’s either me or nothing. 

Rey: Relationship? You’re quick on the draw. 

Ben: Then an...affair?

Rey laughed, closing her laptop screen with her free hand and then reaching for her mug again. She drained it, skipping back to Ben’s profile and flicking through his pictures. There was one with a dark grey cat in the background, seemingly climbing the wall. 

Rey: I don’t know, your cat looks kinda cute. Though he did give you a high review, so maybe I’ll reconsider. 

Ben: So...your profile says you’re a Galaxy Wars superfan.

She paused, wondering how he was going to continue this line of thought. It was a main feature on her profile – Rose had come up with the idea of using it to weed out the sexist idiots who hated the female protagonist. Usually they outed themselves very quickly, so she sat, watching the typing bubble appear and disappear. 

Ben: I don’t really know what else to say about that, I was hoping you’d drop in. I’ve never seen them. 

Rey: Then this truly can’t work. What a shame. 

Ben: Really? They’re that good?

Rey: Better than double bacon cheeseburgers, Ben. 

Ben: Do you write reviews for a living? I think you’d be really good at it. A cheeseburger scale for rating movies? I think it has legs. 

Rey: So if you’re not watching Galaxy Wars, what are you watching?

Ben: Reality TV. It’s my one true passion. 

Rey snorted, remembering one show that Kaydel had forced her to watch at the beginning of the year. 

Rey: Like Love is Blind?

Ben: Yep. I was so close to entering into a charity auction to win a meet and greet with Cameron and Lauren... I should probably reevaluate how I use my time.

Rey: Our passions choose us. 

Ben: That’s a nice way of putting it.

Eventually Rey grew tired of sitting at the counter, and she made it over to the sofa, kicking her feet up and typing, not able to hide the smile on her face. Ben was funny and strangely open and honest. Their conversation barely went beyond the things they liked, interspersed with jokes and Rey only realised the passing time, when her phone yelled at her about its low-battery and she was half in darkness. 

Rey: I really hate to cut you off – and I’m serious. I actually have really enjoyed this conversation, surprisingly, but I have to get to work. 

Ben: Yeah I should go too. I’ve got a meeting.

Rey: You have a job too? Impressive. 

Ben: It doesn’t take much to impress you, does it?

Rey: Tinder has been a rollercoaster.

Ben: Yeah. Talk when you get out? Or you can ghost me if you want.

Rey: I’ll see how I feel in a few hours. 

Rey closed the app before she could be compelled to comment anymore, the heat in her cheeks just settling down as she pulled on her jeans and shirt. She had to mostly run to get there on time, and Maz gave her a quick kiss as she moved through the diner’s doors.

‘I’ve got your favourite set aside for dinner.’ 

‘Are you planning on asking for a favour?’ Rey asked with a grin.

Maz pouted and didn’t answer, but resolved herself to pushing Rey into the backroom. Rose was tying her hair back and gave Rey a wise grin and a quick wink when she went to plug her dying phone into the wall. 

‘Don’t give me that face, Rose, I still haven’t forgiven you.’

Rose snorted and rolled her eyes, tying her apron around her waist. ‘You know you can’t just cancel everyone who works at First Order? That’s like 10,000 people.’ 

Rey sighed heavily. ‘Those are the words of someone who is going to quit in two weeks to join their engineering department.’ 

‘Come on, Rey, don’t be like that.’ 

Rey relented after several seconds of Rose’s frown, knowing very well how hard her friend had worked to finish her engineering qualifications part-time. If she really did get a job at First Order, Rey knew she shouldn’t hate her friend for it. Her boyfriend on the other hand. Oh, she could hate him till the end of time. 

‘Don’t you tell Hux what they do? He works in HR, Rose, he’s part of the problem.’

Rose rubbed her temples. ‘Do you know how long it took him to get that job after graduation?’ 

Rey grumbled again and Rose chuckled, elbowing her friend finally. ‘I am not against your crusade, Rey, but can you at least leave Armie out of it? I swear he is innocent. I’m sure if he could do something, he would.’

‘Yeah yeah, whatever.’ 

‘How’s studying going, anyway? Your final year starts soon, you excited?’

Rey shrugged lightly, finishing tying her apron and pushing out into the restaurant again, followed by Rose. ‘Nothing is getting easier, and then I’m trying to make a difference but it’s just exhausting.’

‘Well turning society upside down isn’t easy.’ Rose grinned then. ‘And that’s why this great country needs the ever passionate human rights lawyer, Rey Johnson.’ 

Rey snorted. ‘Unless I make myself absolutely unemployable.’

You’ll always have me, dear.’ Maz called happily, setting of the two women’s chuckles.  

They greeted Snap, who was on the grill and Jess was the only server on currently. The diner was still quite empty, so the pair set about cleaning surfaces and tables ahead of incoming patrons, still talking all the while. 

Rey glanced over at Rose as they began refiling the cutlery holders. ‘So, have you really got a job there?’ 

Rose shrugged softly. ‘Armie is seeing if anything comes up, but I’ve already got a few interviews at other places. First Order’s engineering department isn’t that big, so that would be a long shot anyway.’

‘But I bet you’ve imagined lunches with your beau, and since he’s HR, you could flout whatever rules you like.’ Rey chuckled. 

Her friend rolled her eyes, refraining from throwing a rag. ‘I spent enough lunches with him in high school, so I think I’ll be okay.’ 

Rey stuck her tongue out at Rose, wiping down another table and checking that the condiment bottles were all full. ‘Though once you get a job, it’ll mean you’re getting married, right?’ 

Rose shrugged, her face crimsoning. 

‘Now don’t go all quiet on me.’ 

‘You like jinxing things.’

‘I’m not!’ 

Rose huffed and turned seriously to Rey. ‘Don’t say that in front of him. You’ll give him ideas.’ 

Rey pouted. ‘I wanna go to your wedding.’ 

‘I’m sure Kay will be married by the end of the year.’ 

‘That would be impressive.’ Rey considered, wiping down the final table. ‘Those two are a pair of idiots, though, so it wouldn’t surprise me.’ 

Rose chuckled and glanced up as a group walked through the door. She greeted them first and grabbed some menus as they sat down in a booth near the back. The evening started to pick up a little from then, and Rey’s thoughts strayed to her singlehood. Her friends were all in serious relationships, and she considered whether her want for a boyfriend was to feel included more than something that she truly wanted. 

‘Rey, your shifts up,’ Maz called from the backroom. 

It didn’t take much more for Rey to slip into the back, remove her apron and swiftly leave the diner. She took a quick look up and down the street and took out her phone, tapping the words out quickly. 

Rey: I made up my mind. Here’s my number.

Only a few moments passed before there was a text message and she took a breath as she clicked on it, wondering if this was a mistake or not, though the voice in her head was screaming in absolute delight, and Rey couldn’t help the little giggle fall from her lips

XxX

Life for Rey over the next few weeks had formed into a peculiar pattern where she attempted to study while her eyes were glued to her phone. Then at work and in class, all she could think of was when she’d next be on her phone. To say that her texting Ben was bordering on out of control would likely have been an underestimation, yet it was hard to stop herself and hold back. 

He had a way of getting her to spill her guts – every thought she had about politics, the rich-poor divide, activism – absolutely anything. Even the thoughts Kaydel considered ‘insane’ Ben took seriously, listening and asking probing questions that made Rey pause and reconsider her own stances. Ben made her think and rethink everything, not in a way that made her question herself, but in a way that made her understand herself more. It was easy and even though she didn’t tell him just how deeply entrenched in activism she was, he let her bounce ideas off him. 

So when he proposed they talk outside of text – a simple phone call, he’d suggested – Rey had nearly driven herself insane for three hours thinking about it. She’d built him up so highly in her mind, that she half-believed she’d lost it and made him up. That was until her phone was ringing at 9pm on a Wednesday night, his name across the screen.

‘Hi’

Rey was almost ready to slap herself at the weak tone of her voice. She sounded like a nervous 15-year-old talking to her crush for the first time. They’d been speaking for weeks, even if it had been over text,  and she was a grown woman — A big 24 years old.

‘Hi.’ 

She closed her eyes, savouring the deep, molasses-like consistency of his voice and she sank further into her mattress, gripping the duvet and pillows close to her. She found herself repeating the greeting again, and then face-palmed.

‘Are we just going to say hi all night?’ He asked, and Rey felt herself quickly melting. 

‘I’m not fully believing that I’m talking to you right now, to be honest.’ She paused, chewing on the nail of her thumb, soft enough to not do any damage. ‘It’s weird.’ 

A soft rumble left his throat, amused by her words and Rey closed her eyes, imagining him sitting across from her, smiling like he had in his third picture on his profile. The one where he was half-hidden behind a hand. 

‘Are you satisfied that I’m not catfishing you?’ 

She hummed, biting harder onto her thumbnail. ‘I think I can only completely believe that when I see you in the flesh.’ 

‘You want to see me, then?’ 

Rey smiled. ‘It’s all I can think about, which is really bad since I’ve got a lot of other more important things to think about than a man i’ve known from Tinder for a handful of weeks.’ 

‘Can we call this self-care then?’

She snorted and turned onto her front, cradling the phone. ‘Should I take that as you meaning that your presence in my life is solely beneficial?’ 

‘Absolutely. From my estimation, we’re perfect for eachother.’ 

Rey chuckled, feeling her face heat and trying to calm her own pacing heartbeat as she felt an invigorating sort of shiver go down her neck at the prospect of meeting Ben. He did feel perfect to her. For a fraction of a second, she considered whether this was too easy, maybe he really was catfishing her. The perfect trap for Rey Johnson. 

‘I’m starting to wonder whether I have any enemies, and you really have been sent to ruin my life.’ 

He laughed and Rey wanted to sink into it. Bottle its warmth and bathe in it. He sounded just as open in real life as he did over text. ‘I’ll prove that I’m not a catfish.’ 

‘How do you plan on doing that?’

‘I could take you out?’ He queried.

She took a long breath, her eyes on the ceiling as she considered it. Rey had never spoken to anyone on Tinder for more than 24 hours, so she’d never experienced a Tinder-produced date. Yet at the same time, even if they hadn’t shared every possible thing about themselves, she did feel like she knew him. He didn’t even know where she went to school, yet he already knew her favourite ice cream and her favourite movie. The thought made her smile. 

‘I work at Maz’s Diner on Sixth. My shift ends at 11pm tomorrow. If you want, you could meet me then for late night pancakes?’ 

‘I’d like that.’

Rey grinned and she noted the light went on in the hallway, and she sat up. ‘I’ve got to go, but hopefully I’ll see you tomorrow?’

‘Have a good night, Rey.

‘You too, Ben.’

Rey was out in the hallway soon after and Kaydel was blinking tiredly, staring at the ceiling fan. She opened her mouth as if to speak, but then Rey saw that she was moistening her mouth. 

It didn’t take much to huddle the drunk blonde into her own room. It was getting her out of her clothes and boots before she dropped on her bed that was the real challenge. Rey was only half way out the door before Kaydel was snuggling against her comforter, repeating her boyfriend’s name into her pillow. 

XxX

Rey had felt jittery all day. Her studying had gone out of the window yet again, and without Rose on shift to settle her nerves, she was bouncing from one foot to the other, Maz thinking she’d overdosed on caffeine. 

Every time she walked past the silver coffee machine, she glanced at her reflection, checking that she didn’t look too ridiculous, even though she knew she was going to change. It was silly and unlike her, which is what made it worse. She was out of her comfort zone and knew it very well. 

As soon as 11pm had come, Rey dashed into the back room and pulled on her clothes, washing the coffee and grease from her hands and her face, and trying her best to look like she hadn’t just worked six hours in a diner. She wondered then why she’d chosen this day. Why she hadn’t just suggested a time on her day off – though she was very aware that that time barely existed. 

The light fixtures flickered while she was pulling on her sneakers, and when she pushed through to the diner again, they completely turned off. The only lights came from the mini jukebox slots that sat on each table, along with the fake candles they set out in the evening for a ‘moonlit mood’, as Maz called it. 

‘Just the top lights?’ Maz called, most likely speaking to Snap. He grunted in reply and the older woman chuckled.

‘Peak ambiance, Maz?’ Rey asked as she moved towards her. 

There was enough light in the diner that it wasn’t a problem – everything fluorescent was still on, it just seemed that the overheads weren’t working. They’d worked like this before – the grid that the lights were on seemed to like to fry, but Maz liked to think of it as a chance to change the mood of the diner, especially in the late evening. Rey could still hear Snap cooking away, several lamps now turned on in the kitchen, and she chuckled. 

‘There’s a young man at table five for you.’ Maz murmured as Rey glanced around the darkened room.

She could make out the back of a large, fidgeting figure, with a baseball cap on his head. Rey smiled, seeing the distinct profile she’d stared at for what felt like hours. 

‘Thanks,’ she whispered back to her boss, and began to move over to the booth. Sliding in on the other side, Rey smiled as she looked at the man opposite her. His features were half-lit by the plastic candle and she chuckled, the mystery of his full face eluding her once more. 

‘Hi.’

He grinned, his teeth showing, and Rey felt her heart stutter. ‘Hi.’ 

‘I promise you, I didn’t plan this mood lighting.’

‘I hadn’t even considered that, but now I’m suspicious.’ 

Rey rubbed her lips together as Ben removed his cap, scruffing his hair – it was maybe too long in the front – and placed the hat beside him on the bench. 

‘For what it’s worth, you look beautiful right now. I was sure you were catfishing me .’

She grinned. ‘Why’s that?’ 

‘You might not have any, but I have a buttload of enemies willing to trick me into falling in love with a beautiful woman who has way too much in common with me for it not to be suspicious.’ 

Rey chuckled, her forefinger drawing circles on the surface of the table. ‘You better make sure that you don’t fall in love with me, then.’ 

He was silent for several moments, just watching her carefully, and then his hand reached towards the menus he’d laid out – likely given to him by Tallie when he walked in. 

‘I haven’t been here in years,’ he murmured, eyes looking over the menu in the dim light. 

‘Maz got the menus made with glow in the dark ink years ago just for these occasions.’ Rey stated, taking one up herself. ‘You’ve lived around here for long?’

He nodded. ‘I grew up about ten minutes away.’ He glanced up at her, and Rey found it regrettable that she couldn’t see the colour of his eyes in this light. They’d looked like honey in his photos, but she wondered if that was just the result of a flash. ‘What about you?’

Rey shook her head, looking over the menu she knew by heart for no reason other than to use it as a distraction. ‘I wouldn’t say I grew up anywhere in particular. I moved a lot.’ He was watching her, listening intently, and Rey felt inclined to continue, even if a part of her felt like it might be giving too much. ‘I was a foster kid.’ 

‘I’m sorry—’

She smiled, shaking her head. ‘It wasn’t so bad. My grandpa was still around, so I didn’t have it as bad as the other kids.’ 

‘I was mostly brought up by my uncle,’ he murmured plainly. By the tightness in his shoulders, Rey could tell he wasn’t comfortable with the story. ‘My mum was in the military, and they thought it’d be better if I did school in one place. Holidays were with them.’ 

Rey nodded. ‘Must have been weird.’

He nodded in agreement, but seemed to lighten up. ‘My uncle was no father, that’s for sure.’   

‘So that’s how you ended up obsessed with the lives of reality TV celebrities?’ Rey considered with a grin, her hand against her jaw. ‘You live for dramatic family stories?’

Ben laughed and shook his head. ‘Oh, now that’s a separate story altogether.’ 

Rey was ready to ask when they were interrupted by Tallie, who was now wearing several rings of glow sticks around her wrists and neck. 

‘What can I get you?’ 

‘Maz’s special and a shirley temple,’ Ben requested. 

Rey chuckled. ‘Same for me, but with a side of homefries.’ 

Tallie nodded, sending Rey a far too obvious wink, before she flitted off towards the kitchen.

‘What’s so funny?’ 

‘A shirley temple?’

He shrugged and sat back. ‘I saw that kid on the internet who rates shirley temples and thought that I’d go for one.’ 

‘That’s too cute.’ 

‘Have you ever watched his videos? He’s a smart kid, he’ll definitely be going somewhere in the future.’ 

Rey smiled. ‘You talk like you’re gonna put him on Wall Street.’ 

‘He’d probably do a better job than half the idiots there.’ 

‘These shirley temple videos must really be amazing, then.’ Ben met her gaze and she was sure her mirth was potent. ‘Maybe you’re right and we should consider investing in ginger ale and maraschino cherry stocks. I was thinking I needed to diversify my portfolio.’

‘Hey, you can laugh, but people will never stop drinking ginger ale.’ 

Rey smiled and tilted her head. ‘For a 32 year old, you’re effortlessly ridiculous. Did you know that?’ 

‘I have never heard that in my entire life.’ 

She hummed and thanked Tallie when she hustled over with their drinks. ‘It might mean that you’re being lied to by those around you.’

‘And I need you to tell me the truth?’ He asked.

Rey stirred her drink with her metal straw, enjoying the tinkle of metal on glass. ‘I think that would be a bit forward of me, no?’ 

‘I’m okay with forward.’

She looked up at him and he was watching her intently. Rey tried to hide her smile, and did her best to slow the pacing of her heart. She sipped at the straw of her beverage as a means of pretending that he wasn’t asking more. Though she realised it was almost dizzying how easy their thoughts came together, and Rey knew very well how dangerous that could be. Though when she looked at Ben, his smile was wide, and he leaned towards her across the table, somehow managing not to look any smaller. 

‘You’re really doing a poor job at convincing me that I’m not being catfished. This feels a little like a fantasy. Tinder is supposed to be a terrible way to pick up guys.’ Rey mumbled.

He snorted. ‘I’m sure once you get to know me better, you’ll realise what a nightmare I am.’ 

‘See you’re supposed to talk yourself up, Ben. Now I’m even more suspicious.’ 

‘I don’t think I can win with that logic.’ 

She grinned, sipping for far too long on her shirley temple. She was halfway through when she realised neither of them had spoken, and she’d been staring. 

‘I think I know you well.’ 

Ben’s lip quirked into a smile, and neither seemed able to speak, to say what they were truly thinking. Rey found herself caught up in it, her heart still pacing away and she tried not to distract herself by the warm reality of it all. 

‘Okay this mood lighting has definitely gone to my head.’ She murmured eventually, straightening up.

‘Does that mean I have already impressed you?’

Rey snorted and glanced up when Tallie put their plates down along with a quart of maple syrup. 

Ben reached for his cutlery first, looking over the meal with a small smile. ‘I haven’t had pancakes in years.’

‘What kind of life are you living, Ben?’ Rey’s voice was full of worry and she shook her head as she doused her meal in syrup. ‘A life without pancakes is no life at all.’ 

He chuckled, chewing on a mouthful. ‘I promise I’ll do better.’ 

Rey grinned and they continued to eat while Ben fiddled with the small jukebox beside them, eventually pressing a request on a song. Rey had to squint to read the title in the dark and then smiled. ‘Not many people take advantage of this.’

‘Because I have, does that mean something?’ 

‘Maybe.’ 

He smiled and they continued to eat, Rey pouring more maple syrup on her plate. Eventually Ben placed his knife and fork down, and wiped his mouth with a napkin. He took a long glug on his drink before leaning back and watching Rey as she finished.

She put her cutlery down and narrowed her eyes, reaching for her shirley temple and sipping at it again. 

‘I’ve wondered why you haven’t told me what you do,’ she murmured. ‘You didn’t even hesitate when I asked you out at 11pm.’ 

He shrugged. ‘I took tomorrow off.’ 

‘Just for a date?’ 

Ben nodded. ‘It felt like a very important thing to do. Particularly because I like you.’ 

Rey smiled, feeling her cheeks heat and she took Ben in again, recording everything she liked about him. 

‘I’ll let you tell me on our third date, then.’

‘You think you’ll keep me around that long?’ Ben glanced at her hand, where it had managed to creep the length of the table unconsciously and before Rey could realise and pull it back, he had reached for it, folding their fingers together across the table. 

‘I have low impulse control, so probably.’ 

He chuckled and Rey took her hand back, looking at him carefully for several seconds. Her expression was one of resolve when she slid from the booth and walked to the front of the diner. Ben watched her with a raised brow as she spoke to Maz and then came back, her hand held out for Ben.

‘What’s going on?’ 

‘Let’s go.’ Rey laughed as his brows rose high and she took his hand, pulling him up. ‘Let’s go for a walk. I paid. You can get the bill next time.’ 

Ben followed without complaint and then they were out in the dark, a couple of lamp posts as illumination and Ben’s cap back on his head, hiding his dark curls. Rey watched him from the corner of her eye for a moment as they moved around the side of the diner and then she stopped. 

‘Short walk, huh?’ 

‘I’m going to kiss you.’ 

Ben blinked and Rey chuckled as she reached upwards, her hands falling to his cheeks as she pressed their lips together. He stumbled back a touch to hit the outer wall behind them before his hands went easily to her waist, holding her steady as his lips softened against hers. 

Rey pulled back, looking at him carefully before she smiled. ‘Better than I imagined.’ 

‘You imagined kissing me?’ 

She nodded, her thumb drifting across his bottom lip and she walked in closer to him, their bodies aligning. Rey could feel the hard press of his torso against hers, and she smiled at the dull scratch of the fabric of her clothes against her nipples. 

‘Have you had your fill?’ Ben asked, his adam’s apple bobbing as he watched her and Rey pressed closer to him. 

When she shook her head, he ducked his head, letting their lips meet again and Rey hummed softly, enjoying as Ben’s mouth parted, deepening the kiss. He seemed to be holding back as his hands trailed her waist and Rey reached to one, lifting it manually beneath her shirt and then to her chest, the skin of his hand against the bare skin of her breast. 

Ben pulled back first and Rey was satisfied by the swell in his lips and the dark look in his eye. 

‘You’re not trying to sleep with me and then never see me again, right?’ He asked.

Rey laughed and shook her head. ‘You are more than welcome to tell me goodnight and walk me home, though alternatively, you could come home with me.’

‘You were right about being very forward today,’ he murmured amused. 

She rubbed her lips together, feeling caught and she nodded. ‘I guess lusting over your photos for the last three weeks was enough to ignite this change in me.’

Ben laughed, his head falling back to the wall before he looked to the sky. He paused for a moment and then looked back at Rey, nodding. 

‘You want to?’ Rey asked clearly.

‘I want to.’ 

They were mostly silent on the walk to Rey’s flat, the young woman almost giddy in anticipation, talking about the logistics of what they were about to do in almost the expected candour of a law student.

‘So, this is where I live.’ Rey started, unlocking the door to her and Kaydel’s apartment. ‘My roommate is with her boyfriend.’

He looked around, eyes falling to the posters on the wall, and his lips were twisted into an amused smile. ‘You really are a Galaxy Wars nerd. I did think you were humouring me with that one.’ 

‘Wow, big ego, much?’ She jested, kicking her shoes onto the rack and standing in front of Ben, a confident smirk on her lips.

Ben looked down at her, holding her gaze as if they were playing a game of chicken. He didn’t even flinch when Rey’s hands moved to his belt, unbuckling him before one hand reached up and grabbed his hat. She tossed it to the side and he stepped in closer to her, his knees knocking against her thighs. 

The light was as dim in her apartment as it had been in the diner. Kaydel had promised to replace the spotlights that had blown, but hadn’t, so Rey felt some disappointment that she still hadn’t seen Ben’s face in the full light, though the shadows worked at increasing the height of his cheekbones perfectly. 

He moved forward, Rey walking backwards until her legs hit the arm of the couch and his knee slotted between hers. 

‘I’m really hoping you’ll let me take you out again tomorrow,’ he murmured, inching closer, his breath fanning across her throat. 

Rey smiled, fingers set on unbuttoning his linen shirt. ‘I’ll see how I feel in a few hours.’

‘You really like that line.’

‘I’ve got to leave you wanting more.’

‘I already do.’ 

Their lips met, Rey barely able to take a breath before Ben was stealing it from her lungs. His hands reached to her jaw, pressing her more firmly against the arm of the chair, while hers finished on the buttons of his shirt, disappointed by the thin vest she found beneath it. Even still, her own satisfied hum at the hard muscle beneath her fingers was enough for her to forgive him for it. 

Her shirt was on the floor and she was shimmying out of her jeans with some speed as Ben concentrated on kissing her. It was a distraction. His tongue still tasted like maple syrup and grenadine, and he seemed to coax hers into a dance, tentative at first, searching softly in greeting, and then intense, making lights spin behind her eyes. It was a consuming kiss, and it was enough to make Rey’s fingers slip on her journey to undress Ben. 

By the time they were stumbling into her bedroom, they were in their underwear, the only light coming in from a streetlamp outside. Rey took a moment to search for a condom in her drawer while Ben lathed kisses across her shoulder, his erection pressed hard against her hip. 

‘That’s not going to do it,’ he murmured and Rey looked back, distracted and slightly dumbfounded by the size of his tent, before Ben reached past her, grabbing for another from the assortment.

Rey took the moment to undo her bra and rid herself of her underwear. She reached for his, but Ben had paused, looking at her carefully, his eyes roving over her, bright and eager. 

‘You sure? I’m still virtually a stranger.’

She smiled. ‘Maybe today, though perhaps not tomorrow. Now kiss me again.’

He chuckled, and did as instructed, assisting Rey slip his underwear down his thighs and then guide him to the bed.

Rey sighed as he sat on the edge of the bed, pulling her to straddle him as they kissed. His hands reached around her waist and then his hands were kneading her ass. Her insides felt at war with the ever building arousal she felt, and she kept getting more vocal over the time that passed where Ben still wasn’t inside of her. 

She heard the wrapper tear and watched as Ben slid the condom over his length, and she chewed absently on her bottom lip at the sight of his cock; almost red with need, leaking before he’d pulled the latex over it. 

‘There’s so many things I want to do to you right now,’ she groaned, her forehead rolling against his.

Ben chuckled and she sat back to watch it, enjoying the squint his eyes made and the line of his crooked lower teeth. It’s what drove her to sinking her own into the meat of where his shoulder met his neck, suckling on the skin there. 

He huffed, his fingers tightening on her backside, nails crescenting the skin. She didn’t wait for him to maneuver her, but slid forward, taking her hand quickly to guide him inside of her, and she squeezed her eyes shut as she took him in. It was tight, and she wasn’t as slick as she should have been, but that just gave her the chance to hold him within her, feeling her burning need for him to move, grow. 

‘God,’ he panted against her shoulder, fingers too tight on her. They were holding each other with enough force to bruise and Rey cried out when he moved to slip further up the bed, his back folding against the sheets as Rey sat astride him. 

Rey grinned, looking into what she could see of his face in the dark – she had foolishly not turned the light on – and she leaned forward slightly, moaning at the change in angle as she sought out his hands and lips. 

Ben complied, sitting up again and his lips making a wet trail down her sternum and then along to her breasts. Rey made slow movements, barely anything to start her off, but enough to make Ben twitch as he sucked a nipple into his mouth and kneaded her breasts between his thumb and fingers. Rey felt herself grow wetter, and she smiled, satisfied as she sped up. Ben aided her with his hands against her hip and thigh, keeping the angle right for them both. 

She murmured his name as she grew closer to her peak and Ben grinned, wholly satisfied as she worked herself over his cock, taking all of him. 

When Rey eventually tired, he easily turned them over, slipping her down to the bed and setting her world askew at the force of his thrusts, entreating loud moans from her throat. His lips were on hers again and Rey chased him every time their kisses fell out of sync, crumbling within their own making. 

Rey screamed out first, feeling her own pleasure expand easily from her, dipping down to her fingertips, and making them curl against her bed sheets as Ben finished his irregular thrusts, spilling inside the condom and slowing to a halt over Rey.

Their eyes met, breathing loud and heavy as they stared. 

‘What time tomorrow?’

Ben laughed, his head falling into the crook of her shoulder as he regained his breath and closed his eyes. 

XxX

Rey hastily picked up her discarded clothes while Kaydel watched from the kitchen counter, a ‘somebody’s been naughty’ smirk on her lips. 

‘So did your gentleman caller leave at the dead of night then?’ She asked, then leaned forward, resting her elbows against the marble. ‘Work you so good you slept until Noon?’ 

‘Shut up.’ 

Kaydel grinned, sipping at her tea again. ‘I thought you’d at least wait until the third date. Colour me impressed by your horniness.’ 

‘You’ll never get over this, will you?’

She smiled, wide and wild. ‘I want to meet the man in question.’ 

‘No.’

Kaydel huffed and seeing that she wasn’t getting anything more out of Rey, slid her phone from her pocket and began flicking through. Her thumb stopped and she glanced up at Rey who was fixing the pillows on the couch. 

‘Your man Kylo Ren has just announced free health-care for factory workers. Even turned up on the podium and everything.’

‘What?’ Rey shouted, bounding over to her friend.

Kaydel chuckled, slipping the phone across the table. ‘So not as evil as you thought, right?’ 

Rey was about to comment, though stopped in her tracks at the article image – Kylo Ren, dressed in a grey suit and red tie. Her mind seemed to lose functionality for a moment as she looked over his features. While Rey’d been distracted, Kaydel had grabbed for her phone on the counter, entering the password as if it were nothing and clicking through to Tinder. She smiled, amused as she clicked onto Ben’s profile and began reading and looking through his profile.

When Rey hadn’t complained in two minutes, Kaydel glanced up to see her still staring at her roommate’s phone, and Kaydel paused before looking at the pictures of Ben again, and then looking over Rey’s hands at the photo of Kylo Ren. 

‘Uh…’

‘What the fuck…’

‘You’re...uh...that’s Kylo Ren,’ she managed, pointing to the photos of Ben where his face had always been partially obscured. 

Rey began to turn red, Kaydel noting it was because she was holding her breath. She poked Rey hard in the stomach, forcing her to breathe, before she frowned heavily. 

‘Isn’t he your mortal enemy?’

‘Well...yes, as far as mortal enemies go when you don’t know each other.’ 

Kaydel cleared her throat and she was shaking her head. ‘You didn’t know what Kylo Ren looked like?’

‘I—’ 

She stopped her from continuing, rolling her eyes. ‘How could you not remember what he looked like?’ Kaydel was angry, yet the anger was wholly directed at her friend’s idiocy. 

‘I don’t know. I must have blanked, I’ve only… I hadn’t seen his full face before.’ 

Both the phones clattered onto the marble and Kaydel rubbed the bridge of her nose. ‘You just slept with Kylo Ren.’ 

‘Don’t say that,’ Rey hissed.

She chuckled. ‘Not saying it doesn’t make it any less true.’

‘Fuck, does this mean I was catfished?’

Kaydel snorted. ‘I don’t think so…?’ She scratched her chin. ‘Ooh, if he knew you were one of his descenters, he would not be happy.’ Kaydel looked to her friend's sour face, frowning and patting her on the shoulder. 'Though what does this make you now? A hypocrite?'

Rey ran shaky fingers through her hair, a string of mumbled 'nos' leaving her mouth. 

'You really like him, don't you?' Kaydel shook her shoulder lightly. 'Maybe you're in a good position? It doesn't have to be the end of the world.'

'Yes it is Kaydel,' Rey groaned, pushing her hands away and taking a seat at the kitchen island. 'For a multitude of reasons, least of all that this man has been on the top of my hitlist for months.' 

Kaydel pouted and sat beside her. 'I think you should talk to him.' 

Rey's head hit the counter and she knocked it against the marble several times. 'I slept with him,' she moaned. 'With Kylo Ren.'

Her friend began laughing again and Rey groaned louder to drown at her mirth. She was only distracted by the buzz of her phone against the marble, and she sighed, her hand slipping across the cool surface for it. 

It was Ben.

'Answer it, Rey. Don't be an asshole.'

'I think I'm gonna be an asshole.'

She turned the ringer off and Kaydel sighed dramatically, and moved to the kettle to make a cup of coffee. 'You really like getting in the way of your own happiness for no reason. If you like him, you can work it out.' 

'He lied to me.'

'Did he? Considering his position, it seems reasonable that he'd use a different name. Did he lie about being a CEO?'

Rey swallowed, looking down. 'I didn't ask him.' 

Kaydel chuckled. 'That's unusual for you? Talking only about yourself, then?'

'Shut up.'

'I know you, Rey. Don't sabotage yourself if you don't have to. Just talk to him. I mean he might completely veto any relationship with you based on your extra-curricular activities anyway.'

Rey sighed and put her hands around the mug Kaydel slipped over to her. 'I just don't understand. He's not...he agreed with everything I said – about the state of social services and employment in this state, in the country.'

'Didn't seem like a mega-capitalist CEO?'

'No, he just seemed...perfect,' she finished the final word at a murmur. 'I suppose we can't all get what we want.'

Kaydel groaned. 'You never listen to me, so I give up.' She took her coffee and slid off to her room, leaving Rey simmering and watching as Ben's name popped up again on her phone. 

She flicked her phone open and her thumb hovered over the digital keyboard, before she typed a simple message. 

Rey: 7pm? My place.

Ben: I thought you might be working? You didn't answer?

Rey: I'm in the library, but tonight?

Ben: I'll be there

Rey sighed, tossing her phone back down and reaching for her coffee again. She blew on the beverage and then sipped at it, feeling like everything was falling away from her. She should have just stuck to her studies and made a pledge of celibacy. 

A shower didn't make her feel any better, and so Rey pulled out her books, setting them on the kitchen counter and attempting to study for her next exam. Her eyes kept going over the words, but she wasn't taking them in and they gravitated up to the clock, her fingers tightening on her pen. 

Kaydel eventually reemerged dressed and left immediately after with a bag of clothes and Dopheld's name on her lips. 

Rey’s fingers scratched at the marble and she chewed on her lip as her eyes kept glancing upwards. Even then, Rey still jumped when the bell rang, and she buzzed Ben inside, standing and pacing by the door. 

She opened the door before he knocked and he was grinning, a paper bag and cup holder with two milkshakes all in one hand. 

'Hey.'

Rey felt a reluctance fall over her as he stepped through, and before she could respond, he was dipping, leaving a warm kiss on her lips. She closed her eyes to it, taking a deep breath. She heard him put the bag and the drinks on the sideboard and then his hands slid to her cheeks and she sighed when he kissed her this time. Warm and right. 

'Hmm, that's really nice,' he blinked and opened his eyes, smiling against her lips. 'I brought burgers and milkshakes?'

Rey's eyes darted over to the bags.

'Salted caramel or cookie?'

She frowned and took a step back. He didn't react and Rey took a breath. 'Who are you and be honest?' 

Ben raised a brow and closed the door. 'What do you mean?’ He chuckled briefly. ‘Did you lose your memory?'

'Your name.'

'Ben.' 

Rey sighed and Ben straightened, his smile fading. 'Oh. It's,' he paused, seeming to search for the words as he looked to the ceiling. 'I wasn't trying to deceive you.' 

'So your name is really Ben?'

He nodded. 'It's to seperate my private life from my work. Is it...do I make you uncomfortable?'

'That's not it,' she pulled a hand through her hair, not knowing how to word any of her erratic thoughts. 'Do you know what I do most weekends?' 

Ben hesitated and shook his head. 

'I write exceptionally lengthy articles about how your company flouts labour laws, and protest outside your buildings.' Rey watched as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. 'I feel like Juliet right now and you’re Romeo and I hate it. I feel like the things you said to me, they can't be the thoughts of the CEO of First Order Enterprises.' 

'Do you want me to go?'

Rey sighed. 'No, I don't want you to go.'

His gaze met hers and Rey's hands were in fists. 'What do you want then?'

'An explanation. An excuse?' 

His lips twitched into a brief smirk and he turned. Rey felt like her heart was dropping out of her chest, but he just reached for the bag of food and the milkshakes. 

'From what I know about you, it'd be a crime to make these go to waste, so gut me while you eat, yeah?'

Rey couldn't refute his words, so she simply nodded as he placed them on the kitchen counter and they both took seats at the island. He poked straws in the drinks and Rey reached for them, taking long tastes of both before handing Ben the cookie flavoured one. 

'Why?'

Ben snorted and bit into his burger. 'I was hired because I was qualified.' He swallowed and frowned. 'I know the company has issues, I'm well aware.' There was something unsettling in his expression then. 'The chairman vetoes most of my final decisions. I've been trying to change things for the last year.' 

'Then why are you still there? You could just leave.'

'Because maybe I'll get the chance.' He wiped at his mouth. 'Before it was First Order it was Empire and before that it was Republic Enterprises. It was one of those stories where a man comes to America with $50 and a dream. My grandfather started Republic, made it successful and due to a bad decision in business partners, lost it all. The things he dreamed that company to be; I'll never forget how he'd talk for hours about it before he died. The current chairman sweeped the company from underneath him and even if it's not mine, my grandfather's legacy deserves more than that. I owe it to my grandfather.' 

Rey was silent for a moment, looking to her hands, her burger still untouched. 

'When you get your JD, make sure you take him down.' Rey met his eyes again and Ben was smiling wryly. 'I don't mind that you're my arch nemesis for now.'

'I won't stop.'

'I don't expect you to, though I think it will be hard on you considering who I am.' 

Rey sighed, her breaths evening out. 'I don't want to let you go.' 

'Me neither,' he mumbled.

He went to reach for her, but Rey took the burger from the bag and unwrapped it. 'Bacon and cheese?'

Ben nodded and she bit into it, unable to stop the smile that bloomed. He watched her in silence for several moments before straightening up. 'I can leave if you want me to. We aren't in a relationship, you don't owe me anything.' 

Rey watched him carefully, not able to deny the earnestness in his eyes. 'I like you too much to tell you to go.' 

'Yeah?' She nodded. 'I like you a lot too.'

She returned to her burger, taking long slurps of milkshake in between bites. Ben finished his and began picking at the fries, not knowing what to say while Rey finished. 

'So...you said you wrote articles. Does that make you ScavengerLaw1 ?'

'You read them?' 

Ben nodded, his fingers ripping at a napkin. 'They were good. I'd been trying to convince my team to call you in.' 

'Why?' Rey asked with a snort. 'You wanted me to complain to your face?'

'You have good ideas and you care. Now that I know you're studying to be a lawyer, I guess it makes sense.'

Rey smirked. 'Well it's true that Rome wasn't built in a day, but I'm taking this as you asking me to keep writing and throwing ideas at you.'   

'I wouldn't even think of stopping you.' 

'Even if we have things in common, this is a huge difference, and I can’t deny that it scares me a little,’ Rey said seriously. 

Ben nodded, patiently watching Rey and the cogs of consideration in her eyes. She finished the burger and wiped her lips with her napkin before slipping off the stool and standing. Her expression was neutral for several moments before she broke into a smile, unable to keep up the charade. 'I'm choosing to trust you, but I might change my mind.'

‘In a few hours?’

She grinned, watching as Ben stepped off the stool and looked down at her with a smirk. 

It was Rey who reached first, her arms slipping around his shoulders to pull herself up onto her tip-toes and meet Ben in a uniquely sunny kiss. She hummed against his lips and then squeeked, as Ben lifted her up, his sights on her bedroom door. 

‘I’ll be extra convincing then.’