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Ben had not truly been in Rey's company for almost a week now. There had been glimpses, checking on one another, but nothing longer than a few brief moments. Ben had felt the bright bloom of Rey’s joy upon reuniting with the Resistance. He felt her deep sorrow during Leia’s memorial service - a service that fittingly was a part of one for those lost in the battle over Exegol.
Rey was worried for him, he could feel it like the clothes on his back, but he needed a moment to catch his breath. He was sure that the Resistance would not want him in their company, regardless of his parentage. Nor could he blame them - his actions had done enough damage to them over the years.
There were still small pockets of fighting overhead as they lifted off. While Rey rejoined the Resistance fleet, Ben skimmed across the face of the planet, scouting for supplies. He found a construction area and fuel depot. After the arduous task of refueling his ship (his broken leg made it challenging), he sent the location to Rey through their link. The moment he broke free of Exegol's gravity well, Ben had closed his eyes and picked a planet at random from the Navicomputer and set in the course. During his time in hyperspace, he was able to meditate and convince his broken leg to heal. Sith training had certainly reinforced that particular skill. Once the starlines settled, he discovered the Force had led him to Naboo. He knew this was his Grandmother's homeworld. Huh. Okay, Naboo it is. He steered away from the cities, and into the wilderness. The planet was quiet enough, beautiful certainly, and gave him a lush, slightly rocky forest to hide in for a few days.
After a very short foray into a city for supplies, Ben made a rudimentary camp in a shallow rock outcropping. The weather here was cool at night and just warm enough in the day to give him a workout for a daily run. He had forgotten what it was like to meditate planetside, the feel of so much life around him. He hadn't realized how much he had missed it.
It was shortly before sunset, and Ben was working on his evening meal when he heard Rey’s voice cry out for him. Ben! Ben, NO! He could feel pain, terror, and rage emanating from her. He sat down quickly and dropped easily into their Bond, searching for her.
What he saw was Rey in bed, tossing and turning in the grip of a nightmare. Ben breathed a shallow sigh of relief that at least physically she was in no danger. He was sitting across the room on a storage trunk. Crossing the narrow room quickly, he put his right hand on her back, and pulled the tangled hair from her face with his left. “It’s alright.” As he touched her, he could see her dream - she saw his broken body at the bottom of chasm on Exegol, wounds covering his back.
“It’s not real. Rey, wake up. Rey!” In response, she gave another panicked shout.
Ben closed his eyes again and pushed gently with the Force, trying to get her attention. Instantly, she was awake and wild eyed. Upon seeing him sitting beside her, she launched herself into his arms, fingers grasping at him. There were tears in her eyes, and she was trembling.
“I’m here. I’m here. It wasn’t real.” He rubbed his hands along Rey’s back, trying to soothe her. The fabric of her sleeping tunic was buttery soft beneath his palm, the warmth of her skin in sharp contrast to his cold hands.
“You were dead. You were dead and gone, and there was nothing I could do to change it.” She sounded so sad.
Ben replied softly, “It was just a nightmare. I’ve had a few myself recently.”
She had knotted her hands into the sides of his tunic. “You heard me calling?”
“I did.” Rey pulled back slightly to put her forehead on his chest.
“I didn’t mean to disturb you.” Ben could feel her embarrassment. “I know you asked for some space. I’m sorry.”
“I’m not. I’m glad I could help. You are genuinely worried for my well being. There have been few enough people who felt that way over the years.”
She sat there, nearly in Ben’s lap, closed her eyes and breathed in his scent, trying to chase the still vivid image of his dead body from her mind. He was here, beside her, safe and sound.
“Do you want to talk about it?” He blinked, and he could see his own corpse like an afterimage of a bright light.
“We were on Exegol - and there were so many more of them trying to stop you. You came charging in to help me with only your blaster, and then I couldn’t pass you the lightsaber. They cut you down and threw you into a pit.” She took in a breath and blew it out trying to calm her racing pulse. Alive. He is alive. We survived. She held on to him for a few moments, simply listening to the sound of his breath, the rhythm of his heart.
Rey opened her eyes and realized how close she was to him. He was dressed for comfort, a loose slate grey tunic and black pants. His feet were bare.
She looked up at him with the beginnings of a small smile. “Where are your boots?”
“At the moment? Drying out. I found a puddle during my afternoon run. It's been some time since I trained in the woods. I'm out of practice watching where my feet land.”
She ran her hand up Ben’s chest, and across his shoulder. He was looking down at her with such tenderness. She had a sudden urge to touch his skin, admired his handsome face looming over hers.... and the tension between them suddenly snapped to life.
“It’s a new color on you. I like it.”
“It’s a new me," he said with a slight shrug.
Rey looked up into Ben's smiling face and closed the distance between them with a kiss. He returned it, and for a moment they simply reveled in being able to touch each other. She wound her arms around his neck and sank one hand into his hair, pressing herself against him. The Bond between them reinforced everything, doubling emotion, sensation, and desire into a highly intoxicating mix. It grew heated very quickly. His hands wandered across her back, down to her thighs, and back up again. Rey’s hands came down across his chest and sought the hem of his tunic, hunting for his skin. He felt her fingertips glide along his side, pushing his shirt up and out of the way, and he knew that if he didn’t stop this, they would give in and spend a glorious night in this bed.
Despite everything within him clamoring for her, Ben pulled back, very aware of her current state of dress. He took a shaky breath and tried to calm down.
“Should we choose to take this further…” He fought for control, for space, when all he really wanted to do was follow this to its natural conclusion.
Rey looked up at him with dark eyes, her pupils blown wide, and replied simply, “You mean when”.
He grinned at that and looked up at the ceiling, “You’re not helping.” He cleared his throat, looking up and down her body and then away again.
“If we do make that choice, and I hope we do - I want to be with you. In the same place. With no one else around. And as wonderful as this is, and as badly as I want to have you,” he took her face in his hands and gave her the barest of kisses. “...under my hands and under my mouth,” another gentle kiss. “I want to wait.” He kissed her again. “Until this is unequivocally, genuinely, physically real and all of me is here with all of you.”
“And I want both of us to make that decision with clear heads, and not just give in to this in the heat of the moment. No matter how much I want to.”
Rey nodded. “You’re probably right. This does seem to be happening very fast.” She struggled to express herself. “But if you’re going to go, you need to go. I’ll be fine. Thank you for checking on me.” He could feel insecurity streaming from her through the Bond.
He stood. The pull he felt towards her was undeniable. “Please don't doubt that I wish to stay, okay?” For the briefest moment he opened himself to her completely, and let bits of his own dreams flow through their link. Suddenly, the images flooding into her head were like scenes from a racy holonet video - where she had the starring role.
“Um, okay. Um... oh! Now who’s not helping?” Rey blushed and smiled at him, eyes wide.
He gave her a big smile. “I will see you in person. Soon, I promise. But for now, good night. Sleep well.”
Ben faded from view, and Rey looked down at her hands. Two strands of his hair were tangled around her fingers. The bed beside her was warm.
Her dreams for the rest of tonight would certainly be very different. She knew his would be as well.
+++
A darkened forest greeted Ben when he came back to himself on Naboo. His small fire had dwindled down to embers. He sat down and let himself fall backwards onto the cool ground, looking up at unfamiliar stars and a rising moon. How could he sleep knowing what the smooth skin of her thighs felt like under his hands? That her desperate hunger for physical consummation matched his own? How perfect she felt pressed against him? He groaned and tried to get his raging hormones back under control. Soon, he promised himself. They would be together very soon.
There was no way he'd be able to go to sleep for quite some time. Meditation would be good practice, but the Bond might also drop him right back beside her. That would be his undoing, he felt certain. Maybe his boots were dry enough to try some rock climbing....
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the end
thanks for reading
serafine
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"Life is pain, Highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something."
- Wesley in The Princess Bride