Chapter Text
Rey walked into the hanger listening for the regular, quiet groans coming from behind an X-Wing. Her footsteps on the metal floor echoed around the space and the groans stopped. Jessika Pava’s bright smile appeared beneath the wing of her starfighter and she waved Rey over. “Hi Rey! What are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be training with Master Luke?”
Slightly bemused as to how Jess knew where she was supposed to be she replied, “Not today, change of plans. Master Luke decided that I should spend time with my friends. Not that I know anyone besides Finn yet, but he doesn’t know that.”
Jessika furrowed her brows for a second, “Why don’t you come and meet mine?! I think they’re doing a team training exercise at the moment in the old canteen!”
Jess grinned at Rey and she couldn’t resist, “Lead the way then!”
They could hear the yelling coming from behind the closed doors from halfway down the corridor leading to what Rey had to assume was the pilots. Jess stopped just before she opened a slightly smaller door just to the left of the main ones, “Rey, you might want to watch your head.”
With a wink she wrenched open the door and they were both engulfed in a wave of shouts, squeaking shoes and thuds. Balls whizzed around Rey’s head as soon as she stepped into the room, Jess beckoned her to follow her behind a line of cones and around a few flightsuits that looked to have been dumped unceremoniously on the floor. Jess yelled in Rey’s direction, trying to be heard over the cacophony of pilots, “Poe says friendly competition is good for morale and teamwork! I’m not sure he’d call this friendly, it’s gotten a little more intense since he abandoned us in favour of hanging out with Finn but, you know, it’s still good fun!”
Rey raised an eyebrow at this; glancing around at what must have been a rudimentary playing court, what appeared to be Snap lifting the full weight of a Hutt in the corner and a few new recruits looking as confused as she felt, she wondered what she’d let herself in for.
Jessika moved, with Rey in tow, towards the quieter corner where a small crowd was cheering Snap on as he strained to bench press what looked to be a huge number of weights.
Jess grinned at Rey and whispered in her ear, “Bet you he buckles out after this. Then it’s my go- I’ll show you how the professionals do it, Rey!” Her eyes lit up and she leaned closer to Rey again, “How about a little competition between us?” She had a mischievous sparkle in her eyes and Rey couldn’t find it in her to resist, she nodded. “We can have a lifting match, just us, and the winner...”
“Winner picks the prize”
Jess grinned again, “Rey, has anyone ever told you that you’re brilliant?!”
Rey was thankful that Jess turned away at that point to yell at Snap because her cheeks flushed at the compliment.
Rey snapped out of her thoughts as she noticed a scuffle in her peripheral vision. When she turned, Jess was laughing triumphantly from the bench and Snap was on the floor.
Jess raised an arm to quiet the cheers that had erupted, “Listen up everyone!! Rey and I are going to have a little competition, just between us! The winner chooses whatever they want as a prize and the loser has to comply with the winner’s wishes! Karé, as a fair and decent person, you can judge! Whoever lifts the heaviest amount wins!!”
By the time Jessika had finished her spiel a larger crowd had gathered and Rey’s brain had whirred for long enough to formulate a plan. She was going to win.
Jess started and Rey followed, continuing round after round, gradually increasing the amount of weight lifted. Rey admired the slight sheen on Jessika’s face and the small grunts she made with every pump of the bar. Jessika enjoyed watching the surprising strength of Rey’s lean muscles and how her brows furrowed with the effort.
Jess pushed and pushed but she couldn’t move her arms more than an inch, she closed her eyes, laid her head back and sighed. “Rey? I guess it’s your go now...”
Rey smiled softly as Jess hopped off the bench, defeat etched into her brow. She laid on the bench and got ready to push. On closing her eyes she could feel the Force; shifting, lapping at invisible shores, swirling in silent winds, ebbing and flowing between people and creatures and at the centre, balance. Sending out a silent apology to Luke, she bent the Force to her will, asking it to help her. The Force steadied her hands and pushed alongside her. Cheers erupted around her and she snapped back into the room as she was pulled off the bench and wrapped in hug after hug from strangers all connected in their euphoria for her. Her name rose among the cheers of pilots, mechanics and their crew until it stood on its own. She felt a comforting embrace and opened her eyes to see Jess smiling back at her. “Good job, Rey!”
Rey inhaled sharply and pulled her closer, “Sorry you lost!”
Jess threw her head back and laughed,
“Are you kidding?! Whatever you choose as your prize will be brilliant, I know it!”
“Winner chooses right?”
“Yep, whatever you want!”
Rey took a deep breath, “I’d like to go with you on a date. Sometime. Anytime really. Once we’re out of hiding from the First Order. On a nice planet with nice, new food and inhabitants and...”
Jess interrupted her rambling, “Why wait? Tomorrow isn’t promised. Let’s go tonight?”
Rey grinned and nodded.
As the number of crew dwindled they left too, signing out of the base and heading into the forest outside. Green above them, around them and as Jess held her hand, Rey began to think rhat maybe - just maybe - something green was blooming inside her too.
So there she stood, thankful for her new girlfriend, weightlifting, life and the Force.