Chapter Text
The next few weeks weren’t nearly as painful as you had expected.
Coming home that night and packing everything away only strengthened your resolve. Rey had been kind enough to help you, but in all honesty, there wasn’t much to do.
Nothing personal of Mark’s went into the box, just a toothbrush, a pair of pants, and a few shirts. Nothing distinctly him.
He had made a bit of a fuss when you exchanged boxes. He was adamant you had a shirt he had been missing for weeks and insisted he looked around your apartment to check.
You shut him down quickly enough, countering with the fact that if he had been missing it for so long, he should had come by before you broke up.
You knew you were being petty. It would had been easy enough to tell him you simply didn’t have it, but you found some satisfaction in seeing his face go a little red just before you slammed the door on him.
Examining your own box proved to be no better. It was exactly the same as his with the exception of an additional watch and a picture of the two of you that wasn’t even yours.
It was of the pair of you on one of your first dates, smiling happily into the camera as you laid your head on his shoulder with his arm wrapped around you. You knew for a fact he hadn’t printed it out prior to your break up and most definitely put it in as a reminder of what you were giving up, but it did nothing. You threw it in the trash with the same nonchalance of throwing out a banana peel.
In all honestly, it was your lack of response to breaking up that bothered you more than the break up itself. It was becoming more and more apparent to you that the only reason you had dated him in the first place, was that you were lonely.
You worked hard. You knew you did and often times that had bothered past boyfriends. You had tried to make it work, but there was only so much time in the day. Mark was the only one who seemed to understand.
If you were going to be fair, you had cancelled on him more than once, but you had always tried to make up for it in some way. You expected the same of him, but after a few months it became obvious that he wasn’t going to be the one to compromise.
Looking back, it shouldn’t have surprised you that he had no respect for you. You had let a lot of things slide just for the smallest sliver of attention. It felt rather pathetic once you thought about it, and you couldn’t help going into a bit of a slump after that revelation.
Luckily, you weren’t alone.
Rey was with you the entire way and was always there to listen whenever you felt like you needed to vent. Finn and Rose made a point to invite you to join them for lunch or hanging out after work. Even Leia seemed to have your back, giving her compliments a little more freely than she normally would.
There were also your co-workers.
After stepping out of the copy room, you had expected to be met with whispers and rumors, and the occasional skeptical glare in your direction, but it never came. It was as if they had all collectively decided to ignore all the accusations Mark had thrown at you. Life went on as if nothing had happened, with the silent promise that they were on your side.
You felt your heart warm at the gesture and soon enough you were back to your old self, working as hard as ever to show just how much you appreciated all of them.
The only thing that truly nagged at the back of your mind was the fact you hadn’t seen Ben at all.
You knew you shouldn’t be surprised. He didn’t really know you and wasn’t in a position to handle a breakup. A breakup he had accidentally stumbled right into the middle of.
No, you couldn’t blame him for not wanting to see you, but a part of you felt a little hurt regardless.
You had thought about calling him, just the clear the air, but quickly dismissed it. You didn’t even have his number, and after a few weeks it seemed strange to start asking around.
It was probably for the best, or so you kept telling yourself.
You kept busy and before you knew it, a month had passed since Mark darkened your doorstep.
You were sitting on the couch in your pajamas half working on your laptop while your favorite show played in the background.
Your phone rang. Looking down your face immediately brightened at seeing Poe’s name flash on the screen.
“Hey,” you greeted, pausing the TV.
“Hey stranger,” Poe said. “What’s up?”
“Just working. For what do I owe the pleasure?”
“How’s your Friday night looking?”
Your brows creased in surprise and subtle suspicion at the question.
“Free, short of a natural disaster, why?”
“I finally got some time off. I thought we could all meet up. We still haven’t had a proper celebration for you dumping that jerk right on his ass.”
You shook your head. You should had known. Poe had been the most vocal about his dislike of Mark from the very beginning. Truthfully, you were more surprised it took him this long to bring up it up.
“Might be too little too late Dameron,” you said dryly. “Rey kinda beat you do it.”
“The two of you drinking wine on the couch is not celebrating,” he objected. “I’m talking middle finger to the world, singing karaoke, and dancing on table tops.”
You raised an eyebrow at his description.
“Since when have I ever danced on a table top.”
You could practically hear his eyes rolling in the background.
“You know what a mean. C’mon I know how hard you’ve been working, just a night to relax.”
You first instinct was to tell him flat out no. Clubs weren’t really your scene, post breakup or not and you weren’t so keen on dragging a drunk Poe Dameron into a taxi no matter how hilarious it could be. On the other hand, you hadn’t properly gone out in a long time, and spending so many nights in with just Netflix was starting to get depressing.
“I promise nothing too crazy,” Poe said. “I know the perfect spot. It’s a hole in the wall, live music, very low key, right up your alley.”
You felt yourself smile. Poe really did know you a little too well.
“You make me sound like an old lady,” you said jokingly.
“Well, you are, but I won’t hold that against you,” he countered with an obvious smile in his tone. “What do you say? My treat.”
You were oh so tempted to ask if he was going to be paying with his winnings of your failed relationship but decided to keep it to yourself, letting out an exaggerated sigh.
“Fine, you win Dameron.”
“Perfect! I’ll call everyone and let them know.”
“Everyone?”
“Rey, Finn, and Rose, give me some credit.”
You let out a small laugh before making your final goodbyes and Poe giving you the address and name of the place.
The Castle, as it turned out, had been an old speakeasy during prohibition which the owner, Maz, had inherited from her father. Once liquor was made legal again, it became an official establishment, but had kept the same esthetic from the type of wall paper to the music they played. It didn’t have many reviews when you googled it, but all of them had been positive, and you felt a small spur of excitement propel you to the end of the week.
So, nine o’clock Friday night you walked along in the sidewalk in a pair of heels and your favorite blue dress.
You were surprised to discover it was only about an hour’s walk away from your place. You had wondered why you hadn’t heard of it, but after about twenty minutes of walking up and down the same stretch of street, you began to understand.
Even with GPS you got lost, having passed over it more than once. It was well hidden the alley way between identical two buildings and the entrance was placed well below street level and away from prying eyes. Ideal for a speakeasy, not so great for a bar. Still, eventually, you found it.
Once inside, you discovered it was much bigger than you expected. It looked like is spread a little further out from the building you were currently under. About half way across the room, you could see the remains of what must had been the old trick wall which had been knocked down to expand the space.
It was dimly lit, but still warm and comfortable with small tables and chairs scattered across multiple levels, all leading down to a small stage where a pile of instruments laid ready to be played. The bar sat comfortably in the back overlooking the space, and there was a large area just in front of the stage reserved for dancing.
You felt like you had just stepped into a Hollywood musical from the 1930s. You half expected Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers to come waltzing onto the middle on the dance floor in all their black and white glory.
Taking a look around, you were suddenly very thankful you had decided to dress up a bit. Everyone around you seemed determined to match the atmosphere of the space as best they could.
“Y/N!”
You turned smiling as you saw Poe, Rey, Finn, and Rose already at one of the tables.
Rose was up first, giving you a hug as you came over.
“You found us,” she said, smiling brightly.
“Yeah, sorry about that,” you said, taking a seat. “I guess I got a bit twisted.”
“It’s fine,” Poe said. “I took the liberty of buying you a drink.”
He slid over you something that looked very red and very elaborate. Deciding that it wasn’t Poe style of poison you, you took it and raised your glass in thanks.
Taking a sip, you almost took back your words. It was good, but also one of the strongest things you had ever drunk in your life.
“Jesus Dameron, what’s in this,” you ask, coughing slightly as you put it down.
“Everything from what I gathered,” Poe said, taking his own drink with a smirk.
“Do you want to trade?” Finn offered.
You didn’t get the chance to answer as a woman’s voice came over the speakers.
“How is everyone doing tonight?”
Everyone cheered as your eyes found their way to the stage.
An old woman stood in the spot light, looking somewhere between seventy and a hundred, but her stance and eyes shown with somebody who wasn’t done living yet. If what you gathered from the reviews was correct, she had to be owner Maz Kanata.
“I’m sorry to announce that our regular pianist will not be with us tonight due to him being fired.”
A small ripple of laughter came from the crowd at that.
“Never the less, the show must go on,” she said, gesturing stage left. “So, make a warm welcome to our newest member, Ben Solo.”
You nearly spat out your drink at the announcement. Your eyes went wide as the man himself came onto the stage.
He looked good.
He was dressed in a well-fitting black suit and tie and crisp white shirt. He gave a small wave to the room before taking his place at the piano as the rest of the band members came on stage. He took off his jacket, draping it over the side of the bench before rolling up his sleeves, showing off his forearms as he got into position.
It had to be some kind of joke.
You tore your eyes away before turning straight to Poe, who was clapping along with everyone else at Ben’s entrance.
He then looked to you with a sly smile and a shrug.
Suddenly the insistence on you coming out, and the double dose of liquid courage he had slipped you made perfect since and you wanted nothing more than to strangle him right then and there.
You looked at the other members of your party, relieved to notice they looked just as surprised as you were. At least you wouldn’t have to kill them as accessories to the conspiracy.
“Hit it Rex,” Maz ordered.
The man on bass took the lead, plucking away on the strings as the rest of the horns and Ben’s piano joined in.
You had half a mind to leave, but as soon as the music reached your ears, you felt yourself glued to your seat and your eyes fixed on the stage.
He was amazing. There was no way around it.
His fingers glided effortlessly across the keys as he added his own editions and flourishes to the music, with the ease of an afterthought. Each new note bringing a smile to his face.
He wasn’t a selfish player either. While you notice the trumpet player and drummer seemed to be in constant competition, and the sax at times trying the muscle his way in, Ben only added to the music. He listened to everyone playing around him, giving and taking from the conversation while never talking over them.
They transitioned into each song with ease and soon enough the dance floor began to fill with people.
Finn and Rey went down first, bringing a smile to your face as you watched them. Neither of them really knew what they were doing, but there was no denying the joy and enthusiasm in which they did it.
Poe pulled Rose onto the dance floor next and soon the four of them were spinning each other around switching partners as the music played.
You honestly didn’t mind guarding your seats. You weren’t much of a dancer, and you were too preoccupied with the musicians to really notice. Besides that, Rose, Rey, and Finn all cycled on and off the dance floor so not to leave you completely alone.
Soon enough though, Poe took your hand and all but forced you onto the floor as a new swing number began to play.
You couldn’t say no to him as he spun you around with a huge grin on his face which you had to match. Poe was certainly one of the smoother dancers you had met and even managed to make you look somewhat decent in the process.
The last few chords on the song began to fade away and Maz came back onto the stage.
“Alright folks, go ahead and settle in. I’ve got a real treat for you tonight with our guest band, The Troopers, but before I introduce them to the stage, give a round of applause for the house musicians: Rex, on bass, Lin on drums, Rian on sax, Shae on trumpet, and Ben on piano.”
Everyone gave a huge round of applause, Poe giving out a loud “whoop” at Ben’s name.
It was then Ben finally turned his gaze to the crowd.
He spotted Poe first, looking surprised, but mildly amused at seeing him. His eyes then shifted directly to you.
His whole body seemed to freeze in an instant. You weren’t sure if it was the lighting, but you thought you saw his cheeks go red.
His gaze went back to Poe, then you, and back again as if starting to work out exactly what was happening. His expression changed slightly, but you didn’t have time to make it out as Rex tapped him on the shoulder, gesturing it was time to get off the stage.
You watched him as he left, unsure what to make of it.
“I need a drink,” you said, not giving Poe time to respond as you made your way to the bar.
You felt your heart beat rapidly in your chest as you weaved your way around the tables, your mind running at a million miles an hour.
You needed to calm down. You hadn’t done anything wrong. You had come to the bar to have a good time. It just so happened to be the one that Ben worked at. It wasn’t a big deal.
And yet, your palms sweating, your stomach twisting, and you felt yourself flashing back to when you were sixteen and you accidentally made eye contact with your crush in the cafeteria.
You waved down the bar tender ordering something simple and strong, as you tried to get a hold of yourself.
“So are you stalking me now or…”
You jumped slightly, turning to see Ben standing right beside you with an odd and somewhat humorous expression.
“It wasn’t my intention,” you said, feeling your cheeks grow decidedly warm.
His lip turned upward then into a sideways smile.
“Just crazy random happenstance then.”
You couldn’t say exactly what it was about the smile, but you felt some of your nerves float away at the sight of it. Your body began to relax, and your own smile made its way onto your face.
“If you like,” you said, shrugging. “Or you can blame Dameron. He was pretty insistent on coming here.”
Ben raised his eyebrow, taking a quick look across the bar to your table where Poe was sitting.
Poe spotted the pair of you, giving a bright wave and a devious smile.
“I’m going to kill him,” Ben said matter-of-factly, as he gave his own small wave of acknowledgement.
You let out a small laugh, somewhat comforted in the knowledge that the pair of you were on the same page.
“You’re going to have to get in line,” you said, just as the bartender handed you your drink.
“How long is the waiting list?” he asked.
You shrugged.
“Just me, but I tend to be pretty thorough.”
“Could you use a partner?”
You paused a moment, pretending to give the matter some deep thought.
“Well, I will need help carrying the body.”
Ben nodded in consideration, before stealing a glance at you.
It started as a smile and then the pair of you broke, each fighting down a sudden fit of laughter.
“Eh, we shouldn’t give him a hard time,” you said, getting a hold of yourself.
Ben gave a small groan in frustration.
“But it’s so easy.
You nodded you head in understanding.
“Noted, but in all seriousness. I’m really glad I came,” you admitted. “You’re really talented.”
Ben looked at you in mild surprise. He seemed at a momentary lost for words, caught between wanting to say something sarcastic or something sincere.
You thought, for a moment, he wasn’t going to say anything at all, but he nodded his head and gave a small rough, “Thanks.”
A silence fell between you. It wasn’t uncomfortable, but there was an understanding that once the silence was broken you would have only two options, either he’d stay, or he’d leave. It was pretty easy to figure out what you wanted.
“Are you done for the night?” you asked.
He gave you an odd look, landing between hopeful and cautious.
“Basically, why?”
You tilted your head towards you table, keeping your eyes on him the entire time.
“Do you want to join us for a drink or something?”
He glanced over at the table, once again taking note of you party, in particular Poe.
“I don’t want to crash your date,” he said, turning away from the table, but not meeting your eyes.
“Date?” you asked, confused.
He shrugged.
“You and Poe.”
It took you a long moment to process what he said, but once you did, you couldn’t stop a laugh from escaping.
“Oh God no,” you said. “No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Not even a little.”
Ben looked at you in complete surprise and clear disbelief.
“Really?”
“Really,” you repeated. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, he’s great, but I think he’s just a little too much for me to handle most of the time.”
Ben considered you carefully, checking to see if you were lying. After a long moment, he seemed to believe you, and a small smile spread across his face.
“I can understand that,” he said.
You got a sudden vision of Ben Solo and Poe Dameron as roommates. You wondered just how often a younger Ben had to drag a younger drunk Poe back to his dorm. Or how often he was kicked out of his room for one reason or another.
Yes, he probably did understand.
“So, do you want to join us?” you asked again.
His mood lightened considerably as he gave you a small nod.
“Sure.”
You were amazed to discover just how easily Ben seemed to fit into your group.
He of course had to advantage of knowing Poe which put everyone else at ease. It was commonly agreed upon that if Poe vouch for someone, they couldn’t be all bad.
He and Rey hit it off pretty well as she asked him questions about the band, how long he’d been playing, and things along those lines. He seemed a little surprised by her interest on the subject, but answered her questions politely, and after a few drinks even started to joke.
It was obvious he wasn’t one for social situations.
You noticed, he didn’t really talk unless a question was directed at him. Just like when he had been playing, he listened, only adding his own comment when he felt he could add to the conversation rather than stepping over people for attention.
His eyes also drifted to you more than once hitting you with a sideways glance or an eye roll at something Poe said making you have to stifle a laugh. It was as if you were engaging in your own private conversation, each of you giving a commentary on the goings on around you while remaining completely silent.
Unfortunately, it couldn’t last as last calls were announced and all of you made it out of the bar.
Rey and Rose had managed to stay relatively sober while Finn and Poe were laughing their heads off as they were held up by the two women.
“Do you need help getting them home,” you asked.
Rose waved you off.
“We’ve got this,” she said. “I’m stronger than I look.”
You didn’t doubt it, but still helped keep Finn upright as Ben waved down a cab. With some maneuvering, you and Rey managed to get Poe, Finn, and Rose into the back seat.
“Text me when you get back,” you said.
“I will,” Rey assured. “The same to you.”
She then turned her sights on Ben, giving him a hard look.
“You make sure she gets home safe.”
To his credit, he didn’t back down, and went to far as to straighten his stance in mock attention.
“Yes ma’am.”
Rey watched him carefully, and then nodded before making her way into the passenger seat.
You watched them pull away, trying to ignore the fact that it was now just you and Ben alone on the sidewalk.
“Do you need me to call you a cab?” he asked.
You took a moment to consider but shook your head. You were still pleasantly buzzed from the alcohol. The night air felt gentle and comfortable against your skin and the full moon hung lazily in the clear sky letting its light illuminate the darken sidewalk, contrasting against the yellow light of the street lamps. It was too lovely a night to pass up.
“No, I don’t live far,” you said. “I think I might walk it.”
“Do you mind if I join you?” he asked. “I’m pretty sure Rey would skin me if I didn’t.”
You held back a laugh, knowing full well he was probably right.
“Well, we wouldn’t want that,” you said.
You started to walk, and Ben quickly took a place alongside you.
You fell into an easy silence as you walked. You passed by small clusters of people on the street, but they were few and far between each waiting for their own cab or Uber to drive them home. After a few blocks they disappeared altogether, leaving just you and Ben and the night.
You didn’t know how you kept ending up like this with him, but as your bodies started to drift closer you couldn’t say you minded.
“Thank you,” you said, gently.
Ben looked to you in slight confusion.
“For walking with me,” you clarified. “I honestly needed the company.”
“It’s not a problem,” he said. “I’m getting used to it.”
You gave a small smile at that, as your ears started to grow a little hot.
“I feel like I should be apologizing to you anyway,” he continued.
It was your turn to look confused as you looked up at him.
“Poe told me what happened with your boyfriend,” he said. “I can’t help feeling a part of it was my fault.”
You expression softened and you shook your head.
“You had nothing to do with it. It was a long time coming.”
“Well in that case, am I allowed to say he seemed like a total dick?” he asked cautiously.
You laughed at that, nodding your head.
“I believe that’s a fair assessment.”
He chuckled lightly, as an easy smile spread across his face.
“How did you end up together anyway?”
“Short version? He was nice, and charming, and I thought he got me, turns out he didn’t.”
“And the long version?”
You paused a moment, thinking back to the bit of soul searching you had been doing for the past month. You hadn’t told anyone of your findings, not even Rey, but for some reason, you felt like you could tell Ben. Something about him made it feel so easy.
“I’m not that great at being a girlfriend,” you said carefully. “I’ve been trying to fix that, but at the end of the day my job is important to me and that sometimes gets in the way of things. I guess I was just so relieved to find somebody who seemed to have the same problem I did, I thought we could somehow work it out together. But, he was looking for somebody else, someone he could control. And I let him get away with enough that it convinced him I was that person.”
Ben studied you a moment, his brows furrowing in confusion.
“I didn’t think you were the type to let anyone step on you.”
“I’m not usually,” you said, feeling a distinct twist of embarrassment in your stomach. “But sometimes when you want something bad enough, you do things you normally wouldn’t.”
You glanced over at Ben. He wasn’t looking directly at you as his eyes became distant.
You thought back to your meeting in the diner and how he said he needed to get away from some of the toxic people in his life. You couldn’t help but wonder if your words brought any of those memories back to him.
“I guess,” he conceded, “but you still shouldn’t let people take advantage of you. You don’t deserve to be treated that way, ever.”
He looked at you then, his voice and tone holding such conviction you felt yourself humbled by it.
“Thank you,” you said quietly. You shook it off, feeling the conversation had gotten a little too real.
“Let’s not talk about him anymore,” you said. “You got a job. How long do you think you’re going to be sticking around?”
Ben seemed to be on the same page as you, letting the tension leave his shoulders as the easy smile returned.
“I don’t know,” he shrugged. “I’ve got to save up some money first before I figure the next part out.”
You nodded in understanding.
“But if I’m going to be honest, I’m starting to find more reasons to stay,” he continued.
“Like?”
He paused a moment, seeming to take the moment into deep consideration.
“Well, I finally found a really good Chinese place.”
You chuckled lightly, shaking your head.
“I guess that’s good a reason as any,” you conceded.
“That, and my family is here,” he continued, “as well as other things.”
Despite your better judgement, you felt your heart beat a little faster in your chest at his words. Taking a chance, you stole a glance in his direction to see he was looking right at you.
He turned away quickly, and a slight pink tint spread across his cheek.
“It’s starting to feel a little more like a fresh start,” he said roughly.
“Well, if my input means anything, I hope you stay a while,” you said. “I assume musicians get free booze?”
He laughed and some of the awkwardness dissipated from the air.
“Occasionally.”
You continued to talk about nothing in particular until eventually your apartment came into view.
“This is me,” you said, stopping just in front of the staircase leading up to the door. “Thanks again for the company and the rest of it.”
“Sure thing.”
There was a beat of silence between you. Neither of you seemed to know how to proceed. You didn’t want to leave his company just yet, but you were struggling to find a reason to stay. He wasn’t really helping matter either, looking just as lost as you did.
Deciding to cut your losses and allow the night to end on a pleasant note, you turned towards your apartment. You only got a few steps up when his voice stopped you.
“Can I see you again?” he asked quickly. “On purpose this time?”
You turned to him, feeling that now familiar rapid beat of your heart starting up again. You could feel the hope rise in your chest, but you tried your best to batter it away.
“As friends or…”
“Not exactly,” he said.
You felt your whole body turn stock-still as he looked at you.
He ran his hand through his hair awkwardly as he tried to find the right words to say to you. After about a beat of silence he looked back up at you, straight into your eyes and his hand dropped back to his side.
“I like you,” he said simply. “And if you don’t like me that way then it’s fine, we can keep it friends.”
He took a step towards you then. You were only standing on the second step, which finally got you to his eye level while still leaving little space between you.
You met his gaze feeling glued to the spot as he stared down at you with his beautiful brown eyes.
“But I feel like I need to be up front about the fact I’ve been wanting to kiss you practically since I met you,” he said.
You stared at him, watching him carefully to see if he was joking, but you couldn’t find anything. His gaze remained constant, waiting for your answer.
“Well that makes things easier,” you said. “Because I’ve been wanting to do the same thing.”
His eyes went comically wide then, as if he hadn’t been expecting his obvious power move to work.
“Really?”
“More or less,” you said pushing down a smile.
He breathed out a sigh of relief, but then paused as if suddenly remembering just how close he was to you. His eyes shifted to your lips lingering on them just a fraction too long before looking back to you.
“So, can I kiss you?” he asked.
You didn’t answer, and instead pressed you lips gently against his, letting your actions speak for you.
His lips were even softer than you had imagined, and your hands gripped at the lapels of his jacket bringing him closer to you.
It didn’t take him long to catch on.
He kissed you back with equal pressure as one hand found its way to your waist while the other cupped your cheek. His thumb brushed delicately against you skin, bringing a sigh from your lips. You parted you mouth only slightly, which he took advantage of, deepening the kiss.
There was more passion in it than either or you intended, and a low moan escaped your throat. The hand still on your waist tightened its grip as he pulled your closer almost making you fall off the step.
You pulled away for balance and for air as your hands landed on his shoulders.
He placed his hands on your waist to keep you steady, while keeping his face close to yours, enough you could still feel his warm breath against your skin.
“I feel like I should warn you, I haven’t had the best track record with this sort of thing,” he said, softly.
“You saw how my last relationship ended, so I think we’re even on that score,” you countered, panting slightly. “Honestly, I’m more concerned about your mother.”
To your surprise, Ben just shook his head with a half-smile.
“You shouldn’t be. I think she’d be more pissed off at me breaking your heart than the other way around.”
Despite yourself, a laugh escaped your lips and the urge to hide your face became overwhelming.
Apparently, he found your embarrassment amusing as he let out his own light chuckle.
“Just to be safe though, maybe we should take our time with this,” he continued.
You looked at him, catching the small amount of worry behind the smile. You could understand his fear completely. You hadn’t felt a connection with someone this quickly before in your life. You didn’t want to ruin it any more than he did.
“I don’t mind,” you said gently.
He kept his eyes on you, searching yours for second thoughts, but there were none to be found.
He leaned forward, capturing you lips. It was much sweeter than the last one and you easily gave into the feeling. Your arms circled around his neck pulling him closer causing him to stumbled slightly towards you and laugh gently against your mouth.
The kiss didn’t last as long as you wanted, but it still left you smiling as he pulled away.
You wanted to stay like that for the rest of your life, but you knew every moment had to end.
“Goodnight,” you whispered.
He met your eyes looking as if leaving was exactly the last thing he wanted to do, but he understood.
Carefully, he leaned forward once more, pressing one last tender kiss to your lips and leaving you breathless with such a simple touch.
“Goodnight,” he said right back.
He pulled away then and the night air came back to you sending a shiver up your spine.
You watched him as he made his way back down the street, every now and then taking a glance back at you until he was out a sight.
You touched your fingers to your lips, feeling the urge to laugh rise in your throat before you looked back out at the night and the moon and the street lamps.
It truly was a lovely night.