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“Morning,” Ben greets sluggishly as he lumbers into the kitchen. The sun is shining brightly through the windows and birds twitter in the distance.
“Morning,” Rey smiles. She’s seated at the table, chin resting on one knee as she pours milk into her bowl. Ben wraps an arm around her lazily and kisses her forehead. “Sleep alright?” She asks him.
“Mmm.” He replies. He rubs sleep from his eyes, yawning as he pours himself milk and cereal. He’s grown accustomed to this routine: him and her, eating breakfast together each day before they leave to their separate jobs. He likes this, mornings with Rey. Ben muses about their domesticity, this life they have together. Her fruity pebbles are settled neatly next to his box of cornflakes. He notes her shoes are placed beside his by the shoe rack, her jacket draped lazily on his couch. From what he sees of his small, bachelor-sized flat, evidence of her is littered everywhere. He wonders if it’s the same image over at her place.
He snaps out of his morning daze.
How long has she been here? Ben squints. When was the last time she slept in her own apartment?
Rey watches, amused, as he stumbles around the kitchen. She likes seeing Ben like this: half awake and disheveled from sleep. She smiles as he struggles to reorient himself, bumbling around before his first cup of coffee. He takes a slow look around the room, a small smile splayed on his lips.
“Rey?”
“Hmm?” she is shoveling fruity pebbles into her mouth. Ben tries not to laugh as milk dribbles down her chin. To him, she’s lovely.
“What day is it today?” he asks slowly.
At this, she snorts. “Was last night really that mind-blowing?”
He nearly chokes on his first spoon of cereal. “Funny. But seriously.”
“It’s Sunday.” Rey smirks.
“And what day did you come over?”
She takes a moment to reply, tilting her head to one side as she thinks. “I think it was sometime last week? Why?” she furrows her brow a little. She isn’t quite sure where this is leading. An uncomfortable feeling settles over her stomach: maybe she’s overstayed her welcome.
“Nothing, I just…” He hesitates as he sees the look on her face. “Nevermind,” he mumbles.
“What is it?”
“It’s nothing.”
“Come on, tell me,” Rey urges. She tries to be subtle, but her tone is strained.
Neither of them are aware of each other’s growing tension, too concerned with their own anxieties.
Ben gulps. He’d like to avoid an argument so early in the day.
“What if you moved in?” The words fall out of his mouth inelegantly. He holds his breath, regretting his proposition almost immediately.
Silence. Rey’s eyes are wide with shock. Any remnants of his confidence have completely dissipated into uncertainty. He feels a knot tying itself in his chest while his mind races: perhaps he asked too soon. Maybe she didn’t quite feel the same way he did. He begins to doubt himself and her feelings for him. Ben curls his fists, bites his lip, and steels himself for rejection.
Rey blinks at him once. Twice.
“You’re joking.”
“I…” he struggles to catch his words. “Only if you wanted.” She is silent again. He’s hopeless, he blew it.
Rey’s face slowly breaks into a wide, relieved grin. “I’d love to!”
“Wait, really?”
“Yes!”
“You won’t regret it?”
“Ben,” she says, rolling her eyes. “I don’t think I’d have spent so much time here if I didn’t enjoy living with you.”
He practically leaps from his chair, knocking over his bowl and spilling its contents on the table. His face is a portrait of speechless joy as he rushes to where she’s seated. She enjoy living with him.
“It’s settled, then,” He says, breathless and grinning from ear to ear as he takes both her hands in his. “I’ll help you move in tomorrow.”
She laughs and shakes her head. “Ben Solo,” she says, reaching for a quick kiss. “I love you.”
He wraps his arms tightly around her, clutching her close to his chest. He can’t believe she said yes. Can’t believe she loves him as much as he loves her. He kisses her back, smiling widely as he pulls away.
“I know.”