Chapter Text
Maz was overjoyed when Rey told her the "neighbor boys" would be coming for dinner. Rey climbed the stairs and headed to the shower, smiling to herself as she heard her mom frantically combining ingredients for her infamous tuna salad.
Sometime later, after washing away the day’s grime, Rey entered the kitchen and heard Leia's voice permeating the air from the speaker phone on the landline.
"...out of nowhere, just shows up! I mean, after all these years, just a warning phone call would have been very helpful," she drawled through the speaker.
"I hear you sweetie, how were you to know after all this time he'd decide to come home?" Maz called loudly from the other side of the kitchen.
It wasn’t hard for Rey to figure out who they were talking about, and she had a strong instinct to defend Ben from this motherly attack. "I think he just wanted to surprise you! It sounds like he got on the first flight he could catch."
"Oh Rey, dear, is that you?” Leia’s stately tone sweetened for a few moments, “He wanted to surprise us? Yes, I suspect he did. Rey sweetheart you must help Poe keep him there until Han and I can get home. It probably won't be until next weekend because Han is seeing a specialist on Thursday, but we really can't wait to see Ben. He says he won't come down to the beach house to see us, which I just don't understand, but you all must stop him from leaving!"
Stealing some pickles from the cutting board Maz was working from, Rey rolled her eyes at Leia's rambling. She loved the woman like a second mother, but she was stressing out over nothing.
"He just told me like an hour ago that he wasn't going anywhere. Yesterday he told us he'd be here for weeks if not months, I don’t think you need to worry." She called from across the room as Maz smacked her hand away from stealing more freshly cut pickles.
Rey could hear Leia sigh on the other end of the line. "I hope you're right, dear. It's that boss of his I don't trust, you know. He has a lot of control over what Ben does. That's why I was so surprised he was home. Snoke has never allowed that before. I've got to sign off, love to you all, send kisses to my boys!"
Maz busied herself with the steamed broccoli and sent Rey out to set the table. Rey let her mind wander as she gathered silverware and cups, thinking over Leia's words. Ben didn't seem like the type that would let someone dictate his life choices. Then again, Ben himself said that his boss wasn’t happy that he had left Germany. What kind of person wants to keep their employee from seeing their sick parent?
Noticing 2 figures crossing the lawn, Rey turned her full attention back to setting the table for dinner.
"BEN SOLO." Maz boomed, as the guys entered through the side door.
"Hello again, Maz" Ben greeted her with his wide grin. Placing the large bowl of tuna salad on the table, the tiny woman forced him down into a doubled over bear hug.
"You've grown. Your hair is longer. You have muscles." Maz observed, holding him at arm's length and surveying him up and down.
"Uh, yes. That's all true." Laughed Ben, a pink tinge appearing on his cheeks.
Rey snorted behind his back, earning her raised eyebrows from both parties. She quickly resumed filling cups with ice.
"Ben, napkins. Poe, in here and finish mixing the Iced Tea." Maz ordered, letting go of Ben and passing through the doorway back into the kitchen with Poe in tow.
"Tuna salad and broccoli? Her menu hasn't changed much since the 90's, has it?" Ben commented as he started folding napkins for the place setting.
"Fine dining is timeless. As are printed placemats." Rey waved the laminated placements at him that were decorated with hand drawn fruits and vegetables. "She insists on using them for every meal."
Ben nodded approvingly, "Retro, I like it." Rey shot him a grin.
As soon as Finn walked through the door they all gathered around the table to eat. The conversation flowed as easily as it did every other night, but they focused the conversation mostly on bringing Ben up to speed on their lives. When Ben asked about how Rey ended up following Finn into nursing, Finn cut Rey off before she could answer.
"When I was in nursing school I knew if I couldn't find one of my textbooks I should check Rey's room first", Finn smiled fondly at his little sister. "She especially loved the pictures of nasty wounds and surgery sites.”
Rey laughed out loud. "They’re still my favorite! But I promised Maz not to talk about wounds at the dinner table anymore since we made Han throw up his sandwich that one time talking about wound vacs."
Ben's eyes widened at this, and Poe shook his head in disgust. "That wasn't even the worst though. Remember when you showed us the picture of that old lady who fell in her bathtub and her foot basically came off? I couldn't look at red meat for a week. Nurse’s are a different breed.”
Rey smiled proudly at her brother. She could feel Ben's eyes on her, and turned to meet them.
"Ever since Maz and Finn saved me I’ve wanted to give back, to touch other people’s live the way they touched mine.” She explained. “Yea I’ve always loved working on engines too, but Maz told me once that ‘people’s live are more worthy of your time and talent’. So I choose to do good for other people. Even if you don’t get much appreciation in healthcare these days.”
“I’m so blessed to have such beautiful children saving the world one shift at a time” Maz leaned out of her seat and kissed Rey on the cheek.
Rey noticed Ben staring intently at his plate, and she got the distinct impression that the conversation was bumming him out. As the others started discussing local politics, Rey reached across the small table and squeezed his arm. "Want to come out and see the Silencer?"
"Absolutely. Have to make sure you're treating her right." He smiled weakly.
Rey and Ben cleared their places, and he followed her out the side door to where the large black Honda was parked on the driveway.
Rey watched as Ben stroked the lines of the bike. "You did an amazing job converting her."
"Couldn't help learning something from my old man. He held me hostage in that garage for half of my childhood," he huffed. "I'm glad you're riding it. Thought maybe Han would have scrapped it as soon as I left. They always told me I would crack my head open riding this thing around."
"Sounds familiar!" laughed Rey. "Finn made sure I got a full face helmet and safety kit as soon as your Dad gave it to me.” She swung her leg over the large seat and balanced the bike beneath her. "Even if your Dad had tried to get rid of it, I wouldn’t have let him. It was one of the only pieces of you that you left behind.”
Rey snapped her lips shut and pretended to stare at the fuel gauge. She had said too much. She could feel her face warming with a blush. From the corner of her eye, she could see Ben's large boots moving closer.
Thankfully her phone chose that moment to start vibrating in her pocket. Pulling it out, she swiped to answer. "Hey babe, what's up." Glancing up at Ben she saw him frown. Peeling her eyes away she looked down the towards the large 2 story brick house at the end of the road. “Oh my god, I totally forgot it was Sunday night!”
An hour later Rey was being hoisted up into the branches of an ash tree at the edge of the Solo property by a very sweaty Ben Solo. They had already had 2 intense rounds of neighborhood flashlight tag, and were running out of good places to hide.
She quickly edged around the tree as Ben pulled himself up just in time. They watched as a beam of light swept by and a 10-year-old boy streaked across the lawn towards the front yard.
“You do this every week? Seriously, how old are you all?” Ben panted quietly.
“Oh be quiet, old man. You’re never too old for flashlight tag. We used to play it a lot in high school. We only started playing again this summer because Kaydel is nannying for Din Djarin’s little boy. It gets pretty crazy, and everyone plays, even your parents! Maz played once, but she ended up stuck on the shed roof and couldn’t get down.” She had to stifle a giggle remembering the incident. “Very dramatic. Your Dad had to call Chewie to bring over his electric lift and get her down.”
“You sure she didn’t do it on purpose?” Ben questioned quietly, moving closer through the branches of the tree. “You know she’s always had a crush on Uncle Chewie.”
Forgetting to be quiet, Rey screeched, “THAT’S WHAT I SAID!” Ben’s hand shot out and closed gently over her mouth as he ‘shushed’ her.
“Right, sorry, thanks” She babbled as he removed his hand. Trying not to be overly aware of how close he had gotten as they were hiding, she finished her thought. “But, you should have seen her playing the damsel in distress. She totally did it on purpose”
They both froze as they saw figures rounding the far end of Rey’s house, headed in their direction.
“We need to get out of here. Follow me.” She whispered. She slowly and softly dropped down to the ground. She heard a much louder ‘THUMP’ as Ben crashed ungracefully out of the tree behind her, and then they both took off towards the large bushes surrounding the Solo’s pool.
As they stepped onto the pool patio Rey couldn’t help hissing, “Thought you would be better at the stealth part, Corporal Solo.”
That was a mistake. She felt Ben’s large hands close around her waist and hoist her into the air. She just knew she was headed into the pool. At the last second she grabbed tightly to what she was pretty sure was Ben’s shirt and pulled the large man into the water with her.
“Oh my GOD its FREEZING” Rey blustered as they both surfaced. In the light of the moon she could see Ben laughing at her from across the pool, and she began sending some much deserved splashes his way. She felt his hands close around her wrists and pull her closer, pressing her against the warmth of his body.
“You should really pay more attention to where you’re walking next time, sweetheart.” He murmured in her ear. She felt his voice like a vibrating heat through her bones, and allowed herself to lean in closer.
“Oh, that’s how you’re going to play this?” She tried to calmly reply to his teasing. She felt his breath on her cheek, and the shiver that went through her body had nothing to do with the cold of the pool.
“I promise I’m not playing anything, Rey.” She leaned back to catch his eyes at these words, and felt her stomach dissolve into butterflies as she watching his eyes flick down to her mouth.
But of course. Right at that moment. The patio light flashed on brightly and the French doors banged open loudly.
Startled, Rey lost her footing and slipped back under the water. As she resurfaced, she felt strong arms under her knees and behind her shoulders. Ben Solo bridal carried her out of his pool and set her on her feet in front of a very amused looking Poe, and a very obviously unamused Finn.
Rey noticed Kaydel come up behind Poe, and look back and forth between Rey and Ben. “Game ended 10 minutes ago, folks.”
Finn was staring daggers at Ben. “What the hell is going on here?"
Ben looked from Finn to Poe and back again, shifting his weight from side to side and trying to keep his wet hair out of his eyes. "I don't know what you're..."
Finn was on a war path. "Don’t play coy with ME, Ben Solo. I've been watching you making puppy dog eyes at my sister all night, what exactly are you playing at?"
Rey gaped at her brother. She had never seen his act like this. She made eye contact with Kaydel and she found her own shock mirrored in her friends face.
Ben gave her a sideways glance and then looked at Poe for support, who simply shrugged and nodded in agreement, "I wouldn’t say 'puppy dog', but you definitely give her googly eyes a lot."
Finn pointed an accusatory finger at Poe, "Pipe down, you. I know you're shipping this"
"Excuse me, I was agreeing with you. Don't snap at me." Poe puffed out indignantly.
Rey was quickly becoming exasperated with her brother’s attitude. “Guys, what the hell? Mind your own business.”
Finn turned his accusing finger on her, gesturing between her and the sopping wet giant next to her. "This is not going to happen. I won't let you get hurt like this."
"Who said he was going to hurt her? She's an adult, Finn, she can make her own decisions" Kaydel interjected.
Finn rounded on Kay this time. "He's been gone for 10 years and then is home for 5 minutes and I'm supposed to trust that he's got my little sister's best interest in mind? What's the end game here? Is he going to leave his job and move back here just because he has the hots for Rey? She doesn't need this. She's almost done school and about to start a career. she doesn't need some guy to get her off track!"
"Can I say something?" Ben tried.
"NO" Finn snapped, and turned in a huff, stomping into the house towards their apartment above the garage.
Poe gave Ben a sympathetic pat on the arm. "Just let me talk to him" he encouraged, and then followed quickly behind Finn. Kay stepped awkwardly into the kitchen, and Rey knew she was giving them space, but would be waiting to walk home with her to discuss tonight’s drama.
She was once again alone on the patio with Ben, but now he was avoiding meeting her gaze. She put a hand on his arm and felt again the warmth radiating off him. He finally turned to look her in the face.
“I’m really sorry. He never acts like that, I don’t know what his problem is.” She tried to explain.
“It’s fine, Rey. Don’t worry, he’s probably right.” Ben shrugged.
That was the farthest thing from what she wanted to hear from him at that moment. “No, he’s not. And it’s none of his business.”
Ben took a step back toward the house. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Rey. I mean, if you still need some help with the landscaping. If not..”
“Yes!” she responded quickly. “Yea, I really could use some more help. You were great today, thanks.”
“Yep” Ben responded with a half smile and double finger guns. He then turned and disappeared into the house.
Finger guns? Really? Had they regressed to that?
“Did he just do finger guns?” Kaydel giggled, coming up to her and giving her a poke in the side.
Rey sighed. “Well, that was a disaster.”
Kaydel took her by the hand and began to lead her across the yard towards her house. “I would give you a hug, but you are completely soaked, babe. Lets get you home. We can work on the tall, dark, and broody problem tomorrow.”