Work Text:
Rey took a final look around the open-plan living room area of the apartment to make sure there was nothing personal on show that could potentially be broadcasted live to her 92 million Instagram followers. She might have one of the highest follower counts on Instagram and Twitter but she was notoriously known as a private person.
It was all part of her image, of her fairytale story; the young superstar who rose to fame through a serendipitous meeting on a street corner in Covent Garden with a music producer whose son loved her couch-recorded YouTube videos of her own songs. Within a month, she was hitting hundreds of thousands of views on some of her videos. Within a year, she had several number one singles, a number one album, and numerous prestigious awards to her name.
Yet the public only knew her as Rey, knew she had a handful of close friends, that her very best friend was a guy called Finn, and she had married the love of her life in 2018. The love of her life who she had managed to date in secret for over two years, be engaged to for a year, and marry in an intimate ceremony with only their close friends and family in attendance. It helped that her husband was also a private person, even though his name was known among some of the same circles. His name held more value than his face did, but Rey loved every part of him. They hadn't meant to keep their relationship a complete secret from the public eye and they both knew it wouldn’t last forever, but they wouldn't change it for anything.
The only snippets into her personal life the press and her fans got these days were cleverly snapped and edited photos which left out everything she wanted to keep to herself. Images of two plates of breakfast in their California home, out-of-focus snaps of their intertwined legs as they laid in a hammock with the sun setting over the ocean, pictures of domesticity meeting professionalism with a view into her home studio built just for her. A closeup photo of her hand clasping her husband's on their wedding day, with their rings in central focus, had been the most liked photo on Instagram of the previous decade. Everyone had been happy for her - for them - and she accepted their congratulations and good wishes with a brief video of thanks.
Catching sight of the actual full-sized photo of their wedding day sitting on the bookcase to her right, she sighed happily and grabbed her phone to see if her husband was on his way back home or if it would be another late night. The last message from Ben was him apologising that he wouldn’t be able to watch her Instagram live concert due to work, but teased he would gladly sit for his own private concert if she felt inclined. Laughing to herself, she replied as coyly as she could.
Rey: I’ll perform for you if you perform for me.
Ben: We both know you’re the singing talent in this relationship.
Rey: Oh I’m not talking about singing, darling 😉
Ben: Last time you asked me to ‘perform’, you never reciprocated…
Rey: What if I promise to reciprocate tonight?
Ben: Is that so?
Ben: Maybe I’ll consider it. On my terms.
Rey: I look forward to it 😘
Knowing Ben had to get back to what he was doing, she placed her phone onto the coffee table in front of her, patted her guitar that rested against her leg, and set up her iPad onto the stand to hold it up at above eye level. She was going to use it for her Instagram session to make life easier, and her poor phone definitely deserved a break after the constant use for the past five days since the coronavirus lockdown had begun in London. She and Ben had coordinated a visit for both their jobs and had agreed to stay when the newest measurements to control the spread of the contagious virus had been announced for both the US and the UK.
Rey had been asked to do an Instagram live concert by several fans and fellow musicians, and had posted on Twitter on day two of the lockdown about how she would gladly do one on day five, at 8pm GMT time. Until then, her fans were invited to choose five of the songs she would perform, which they did in their millions.
Glancing at the time, she shrugged when she noticed that it was only 7:55pm and started up her live stream. Putting on her brightest smile, she gave the camera a little wave and welcomed the quickly growing number of fans watching. "Hey, everyone! I know I’m logging on a bit earlier than I said, but I'm home alone and super excited to do this so I thought ‘hey, why not start with a quick Q&A session?’ So fire away!”
The first few comments were fans simply leaving their mark with emojis, but she spotted a very familiar name scroll past with a simple message that made her smile and relax a bit more.
finn_2187
Yo!
“Hey, Finn! Eloquent as always,” she laughed. Trust Finn to be one of the first to comment, Rey thought with a fond shake of her head. He was always there for her, even if it was just watching her sing over the internet like he hadn’t allowed her to sleep on his couch and sing endlessly for months when they were teens.
Finn’s reply of the middle-finger emoji was lost in a sea of questions and comments, and Rey hurried to pick out the first one she could see that wasn’t someone declaring their love for her or being creepy.
Stevenwitha.v
Hope you’re well! Positive thoughts to all.
“Thanks, Steven, I’m doing alright. Sending good, positive thoughts to everyone, too!” Rey replied, pressing her fingers to her temples and narrowing her eyes in a dramatic show of sending thoughts to her followers. The count was rapidly growing and a huge proportion of them repeated Steven and her sentiment back to her. “Aw, thanks for all the love, guys! Love you all too! Thanks for tuning in.”
charlie2324
Home alone? Where’s the hubby?🤔🤔
Rey knew it wouldn’t be long before the elusive husband questions came out, and between the hatred towards the man they didn’t even know and the numerous proclamations of love for her, she chose the best, simplest comment to answer as vaguely as she could.
“Said hubby is currently out working, Charlie,” she told her fan directly, which prompted a huge tidal wave of comments about what he did that meant he was working during a lockdown, if he was really working or she was covering something up, and if he was alright. Rey chose to focus on the last topic. “Yes, he’s being safe, thanks for your concern everyone.”
Finally spotting a question about her music zoom past her eyes, Rey scrolled back to it to make sure she had read it right - the last thing she wanted was to mistakenly answer a question and open the wrong can of worms - before replying to the fan account’s question. The username made her grin, and she did her best to not roll her eyes at the attempt to draw in followers.
_r3yofficial_
When’s the next album out?
Sitting up straight, she clapped and bounced excitedly as she normally did when talking about her passion. “Next album should be out, as planned, in the summer! Of course, with the current climate and situation we’re all facing, I’m not making any promises. But that’s my aim. It’s mostly recorded and ready to go. Just a few more tweaks to be made but unfortunately, I need to get to a studio to do so.”
The confirmation seemed to drum up excitement within her fan base, as the 3.7 million viewers currently watching seemed to all react at once with words of enthusiasm about how they couldn’t wait for her new music. It was always lovely to see and hear their excitement, giving her some sort of validity and a big boost of self-confidence.
koolaidguy854
Did you change your hair, Rey?
Frowning in confusion, she tilted her head to the side at the question. “No, unless you mean the style? I’ve just tied it into a messy bun because I’m starting a ‘Be Lazy AF’ brigade, but I guess the lighting and the camera quality might be playing tricks.” Leaning forward with an elbow on her knee and her chin cupped by her hand, she asked in pure curiosity, “Are you really the Kool-Aid guy?”
His reply came immediately but in the sea of comments by others affirming their own statuses and claim to fames, she almost missed it.
koolaidguy854
Only the voice!
“Seriously? I can’t tell if you’re being serious or if I’m just too gullible,” Rey joked with a hint of truth lining her words. Ben teased her about being too trustworthy with some people but she never knew where to draw the line, what people would lie about. Deciding to leave that train of thought go, Rey laughed at the growing number of people agreeing with her new way of living.
rey_ders
Lazy AF is my entire life now.
Throwing the camera a double thumbs-up, she spoke freely about her height of laziness. “Glad to see you’re all in support of being lazy AF. Not going to lie, I only changed out of my PJs today about an hour ago and that’s only because I split juice down it.”
She decided not to tell them she had split the juice because she had received a racy text from her husband about how he couldn’t wait to see her and what he wanted to do to her that night in between the messages from his doting mother about how they were doing in London. It had sent her brain haywire for the briefest of moments and she had choked on her orange juice as she forgot how to breathe or swallow. Admitting that to Ben had only prompted another well-depicted image through text that had her showering before changing.
Mentally shaking her head, she reached for her water bottle and took a sip, trying to catch at least one more question about her music and failing hopelessly. She went for a sweet message instead, one that made her chuckle.
imevie_
Imagine being married to Rey and not even seeing her during forced lockdown! 😂😂
“Aw, Evie,” she cooed, holding her hands together over her chest in the shape of a heart, which obviously began a flurry of heart emojis being sent her way. “Well, two weeks on top of each other might have been make or break for us so maybe it’s for the best!” she joked, knowing they both would have loved the time together, despite the awful reason behind it. She added a brief serious comment, hoping to stave off any further questions about his whereabouts. “He’s off helping people so I can’t complain. Super proud of him.”
Of course, as the viewership count grew into multiple millions, it was harder for Rey to keep track of any genuine questions when there was a whole barrage of replies commenting on her words, twisting them into innuendos and tossing them back at her. She sidestepped them easily, having learnt long ago that there were a small percentage of fans who would try to get personal, try to make it seem like they knew her, try to convince others they were a part of her inner circle of friends of family.
_peanuts4lyf
id b on top of u 4eva lolol.call.me.mr.rey
Make babies more like it 😉Keep-calm-and-Keri-on
So proud of him too, Rey! 💙army_for_rey
Lol you don’t even know who he is??x_reysbitches_x
❤️❤️ Rey forever. B here always for u.roseroserose
👋🏽
Seeing Rose's comment brought out the biggest smile on Rey’s face, always eager to respond to any of her close friends when they lent her their support. Seven years later and Rey would never be able to thank the likes of Finn, Rose, and Poe - and Ben - enough for everything they have done for her to get to where she was and to become the person she was.
“Heya, Rose! Hope the California sun is treating you guys well over there,” she greeted. Rose lived a short drive away from Rey and Ben’s permanent residence in Los Angeles, whereas Finn and Poe lived nearby their apartment in New York. Unfortunately, even though London was her home town, there was no-one nearby she was as close to as them.
Maxx_power34
Your dimples are the reason for living ❤️LolaMUA
💜 Makeup is on point, you’re so beautiful.
The light blush that appeared on her features at the double flattery had her laughing softly, tucking back the tendrils of hair that had escaped her bun and were framing her face in an act of bashfulness. “Uh, yeah. Makeup...” Rey trailed off, clearing her throat when the endless comments of the tens of millions watching all realised she wasn’t wearing any makeup and remarked further on her natural beauty. She moved on swiftly as possible. Taking compliments was a skill she had yet to master.
wonderlustforever2
Hello from Zimbabwe! 🇿🇼
“Oh, wow, hi. wonderlustforever2! Zimbabwe is a country I’ve yet to visit but I hope you’re staying safe over there,” she addressed them with a wave. Her worldwide tours took her to many countries, however there were always some that were missed out. Ben enjoyed travelling and exploring, but between their growing careers, they hadn’t gotten the chance to travel the world as freely as they would like.
dameron_p
Did you start early or is my phone behind? 😳finn_2187
Early, Poe. I told you this 5 mins ago 🙄
Laughing at the typical exchange between Poe and Finn, Rey realised it had actually gone past 8pm and almost half of her follower count had tuned in. Nerves began to build inside her, her hands shaking slightly as she reached for her guitar and laid it across her lap. The small barrier between her and the tablet and having something she was so familiar with to occupy her hands helped calm her down enough to greet those watching with one of her typical babbles.
“Right, it’s now 8pm so hello to everyone just joining. I know it's been a weird week, what with the lockdowns in various countries, states, and cities. The world is changing and we're managing to save lives just by staying home, which is probably the very least we can do to save a life, right? To thank you all for playing your part, I'm answering your call for a #StayAtHome concert from my very own living room, here in London. Bear with me though; it's just me, my guitar, and a 7-year old tablet."
lookingforaReyofsunshine
YouTube-era iPad!finn_2187
Whoa, you’re still using my iPad?? Damn, girl.
Rey nodded at the slew of comments all pertaining to the same realisation as her fan and Finn. Her fans all knew about her climb to fame using Finn's iPad to record the first video on his couch that went viral online, that then led to her being discovered. About how she bought that very tablet off him with the first paycheck she received because she wanted it to be with her when Finn couldn’t.
“And yes, it is the same iPad I used to record and share my videos on YouTube back in the days. It’s served me well and I won’t trade it in for anything new until I need to. It’s my good luck charm,” Rey explained, leaving out the part where she found no use in buying an updated version when the old one still worked. Tapping her guitar, she strummed her fingers over the strings to warm herself up. "Anyway, here's a few of your favourite songs, as voted by you all on my Twitter over the past three days, and a special new tune I wrote just for today. I hope you all enjoy it!"
Rey delved straight into the first single, the song that got her to the top of the charts and the first awards onto her mantle. Once she started, she was lost in the song, and the feelings it brought up. Lost at 18, looking for a way to express her anger at life and being left behind. It never changed, no matter how many times she performed it or how many years passed. But in actuality, that was what made her love her songs so much that she revelled in singing them over and over and over.
Her fans were just as enamoured if the growing viewing live count and number of comments scrolling up the corner of her screen was anything to go by.
Ben returned home during song four but kept clear of the area she was in and took the long way round to their bedroom, not allowing her a glimpse of him. She heard him puttering briefly in the kitchen and once the song was over, she hoped in the back of her mind that he had brought home dinner. Singing definitely worked up an appetite.
Rey had saved her newest song for last, and was glad to see that her fans seemed to enjoy it, with a lot of them getting the theme and the meaning behind her lyrics. It was a subtle, calm tune with gentle words to help people - including herself - get through the current anxious and stressful time.
Once her concert was over, and noticing she had another five minutes before her Instagram live time limit was up, she decided to spend the time responding to some of her fans. Her favourite comments were from the ones who reminisce about the best memories her songs conjure up, and she loved that she could be a part of so many special moments of peoples’ lives.
Midway through her story about how a fan had once told her that her second album had been their study soundtrack and they had gained a full scholarship for a university they wouldn’t have been able to afford otherwise as a result - and grinning at her fans’ attempts to one-up one another - Rey froze, cut off by the deep, smooth timbre of her husband’s voice as he approached from behind. Freshly showered, towel-dried hair, and - most importantly - clad in only a pair of black boxer briefs that left almost nothing to the imagination. Not his face, his vast smooth skin, his tall, strong build, his gorgeous muscles, and definitely not what his underwear did nothing to hide.
"Let's go, sweetheart. Performance ti-" Ben began determinedly, halting in both his words and steps as she turned to look at him over the back of the couch. She saw his eyes jump from her to the iPad in front of her and back to her as realisation slowly came over him. "You're still broadcasting."
Nodding dumbfoundingly, she blinked for a moment at his pristine form. The pristine form she had seen appear as if in slow motion over her shoulder for the entire world to see. "And you're still standing there, pretty much naked," she retorted with a hint of bemusement, a slow smile spreading on her lips as she spotted the tips of his ears turn red from under his long, tousled hair.
"Right," he muttered, running a hand through his hair - probably as a result of her staring - in a sign of unease and offering a small quirk of his lips as she shook her head at him. She could see the exact moment Ben decided to bite the bullet and say ‘screw it’, turning into the situation instead of away from it, the resignation on his features written as clearly as words. He stepped closer towards her, curving a loving hand over her shoulder and down her bicep as he passed her to drop unceremoniously into the single seater perpendicular to where she sat and most definitely behind the iPad. Rey watched him for a moment as she righted herself to face her - their? - audience, laughing softly when he mouthed an empathetic ‘sorry’ to her.
Focusing again on her broadcast, she wasn’t surprised to see that the comment stream had changed almost immediately. Suddenly all the questions and praises about her concert had morphed into questions and praises about the tightly boxer-clad man who had just crashed her Instagram live and given them all the most beautiful eyeful ever.
_life_liberty_rey
OMG IS THAT THE HUSBAND?!482hellobello
who is he?cammy_0.0
Fuck he’s hot 👅🍆👀pirate.r3y.pirate
I LOVE YOU BOTH SO MUCH💚💚💚
Ben might not be as well known as she was but it didn’t take long for her fans to catch one another up with who he was exactly. Rey had barely a second to read more than glimpses of comments before she saw his name pop up for the first time, followed by his occupation.
_light.of.rey55
Ben Solo! OMG it’s Ben Solo!.1ota.1ove.
She married Ben Solo??betchesbeliving
omg I love his food!_ marrymer3y_
It’s Ben Solo_marrymer3y_
aka head chef @ Kylo’sdameron_p
Great going guys! 🙃reysbiggestfan111
Do all chefs look that good underneath?? 😳😳DailyRey.Solo
Will you name your next restaurant after Rey now??
Rey’s eyebrows had raised at how quickly people were changing their handles to add Ben’s name to hers. It was the side of fame and fandom life she found very intense, but she also kind of understood. They were loyal fans, people who got her to where she currently was with their support and constant enthusiasm about her music. They were invested in her private life too as it influenced her work, and she offered them very little in terms of details. Having confirmation about who her husband was after over two years of speculation was definitely going to be all the talk for a long while.
Unbeknownst to them, she had actually taken his name when they had gotten married, happily leaving the state-given surname ‘Jones’ behind. Considering they never knew her last name in the first place, it was a smart - and accurate - guess.
SuperStarMarie_99
Forget his cooking. I’d rather eat him 🍆🤤numbers28472
lololol wtf im ruined for life 🥵😭👅livefromJslivingroom
He’s the Naked Chef I’d watch 😍roseroserose
More of this content please Rey 🖤 thanks
Rose’s comment had her laughing far more than it should have, but it did the job she knew her friend was aiming to do and snapped her out of her swirling thoughts about how to respond and relaxed her enough to actually respond to her fans.
"And that, boys and girls, is why communication is key," Rey said lightheartedly, eyes flitting over to Ben, who rolled his own at her and sunk further into his seat until he was sprawled out like an underwear model on a centre spread. She knew he wasn’t doing it to look any more appealing than he currently was, but it certainly did the job. Turning back to her broadcast, she placed her guitar down safely next to her and answered the most important question they had. "Yes, that was my husband, Ben. He’s sincerely sorry for interrupting but hey, at least you all know why I'm so well fed now."
"I thought you were done! You weren't singing anymore," Ben stated in a half-hearted defence, knowing that though he was off screen, everyone currently watching - a count that was steadily growing still - could hear.
"I was answering some more questions! You were in the shower," she rebuked in amusement before addressing her fans once again. "Dinner awaits, so until next time, peeps. Thanks for watching! I'm sure you all got way more than you hoped for! I know I did. Be kind, stay home, and stay safe. Bye!"
Ending the broadcast, Rey was quick to put the iPad to sleep and dismantle it from the stand. Once down, she let out a long, deep breath and fell back against the armrest of the couch and met Ben’s very remorseful eyes.
"I'm so sorry," he said once again, looking truly ruined about the fact that he had just outed them.
Rey laughed off his apology, mostly to put him at ease but also because she was no longer worrying about what had happened. "It's alright. But I guess the secret's out."
"Maybe they don't know who I am?" he offered with a small shrug, neither tone nor action sounding hopeful. Ben wasn’t a fan of social media nor of public appearances, instead focusing on his restaurants and the quality he delivered and was known for. However, social media and the press were fans of him, enough that a small percentage of the population definitely knew who he was by sight alone.
"They know," she affirmed before waving a hand in the direction of his sprawling posture, and changing the subject. "Is this a part of your performance?"
Chuckling at her reference to their exchange from earlier, he shook his head. "No, this is part of my terms . I'll sit here naked, whilst you perform for me," he explained with an easy smirk and sensual gaze that had her blushing until he broke off into a light, soundless laugh. "Well, it was."
"Yeah, raincheck?" Rey offered, which he accepted as she picked up her phone amidst the never-ending vibrating against the coffee table. She quickly thumbed through the notifications, ignoring anything from the social media apps and instead focusing on the texts from her friends. "These people are relentless. I'm only going to reply to Finn and co., and then my phone is on 'do not disturb' for the night," she told Ben distractedly as she got about replying to everyone's teasing. Sending the last message to Poe and replacing her phone onto the table, her stomach rumbled as she remembered she hadn't eaten since a couple of hours before her concert. "You did bring dinner, right?"
Stealing his attention from his own phone, Ben rolled his eyes at her once again. She hadn’t noticed the phone in his hand when he had entered - after such an entrance, who could blame her really - but it buzzed endlessly in his grasp as his own friends tried to contact him.
"Of course, Rey. When have I not?" he answered her question without a hint of annoyance his words could have suggested.
It was more than true. Their relationship had started when she had visited his flagship restaurant in LA, having enjoyed the burger and fries from such a highly rated restaurant known more for its unique tastes and artistic presentation than its portions. But the lunchtime menu was Rey's favourite because of its ideal portion that left her with a content stomach, and when her host had informed her that the restaurant owner and head chef was in the kitchen that day, she had asked to meet him to thank him for a gorgeous meal. It had taken a few months after that first meeting for them to start dating, but ever since, Ben had always brought or made her most of the meals they shared together. Food was as much his passion as music was hers.
"I knew I married you for a reason," Rey teased, smiling wide when he placed a hand over his heart in faux-hurt without sparing her another glance. "Who's that?" she asked in reference to his phone’s constant alerts.
"Mom,” he muttered, exasperated. Though his parents lived in New York - and they visited whenever in the city - Ben was not as close to them as she was, being the only positive parental figures she had ever had. Rey had easily become the intermediary after meeting them for the first time, which had meant he conversed with them even less these days. Laughing dryly, he pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes, leaning his head back as he told her, “Oh, and Dad. Yup, they've heard, and seen by the sounds of it."
Snorting in mirth, Rey pushed herself off the couch and took her guitar over to the stand in the corner of the room. "Wait until your uncles find out," she practically sang in glee, making him huff.
"And my phone is now off," Ben said immediately, and she watched him switch his phone off before pushing himself to sit up straight on the edge of his seat and skidding his phone across the coffee table to rest next to hers. Turning to her, he held out a hand in her direction. The smile that accompanied the action was soft yet contrite, and cut through his following direction. "Come here."
"Hmm?" Rey hummed as she approached, slotting her fingers perfectly - so perfect, it was almost believable they were made to fit together - between his own once she was within range. Ben tugged on their clasped hands to draw her closer, positioning her to stand between his legs and lifting her hand to warmly kiss each knuckle before dragging his full lips to the inside of her wrist, resting just above her pulse point.
Leaving his mouth pressed with the lightest of touches to her skin, he peered up from under his thick lashes to ask her, "Are you sure you're okay with what just happened?"
"Yeah, why wouldn't I be? It was shocking but also hilarious. PR will be a bitch, but it’s not like it’s a scandal or anything,” she shrugged nonchalantly, using her free hand to brush back the strands of luscious hair that fell onto his face when he leaned back to arch an eyebrow at her, brown eyes inquisitive as ever at her calm demeanor, especially as a sly grin curved upon her features. “You're the one who's now going down in internet history for the biggest accidental marriage reveal ever. Are you okay?"
Ben scoffed. "I'm fine. Could have been worse; I could have ditched the boxers altogether. At least my reputation means no-one is going to use this against me in my career," he told her confidentially.
He wasn’t lying; his reputation as a no-nonsense boss was unprecedented in his field, especially being as young as he was without a care about fame but with unadulterated fervour about his work. His former employees and trainees all spoke about how hard he pushed them to get things done right, how he accepted nothing less than perfection, how he required everyone to give 100% and nothing less. However, their words of negativity we’re always accompanied with lines of commendations and gratitude, having become as great as they were because of his strict teaching. There was a reason why his three restaurants were constantly topping lists and winning awards.
"Right, your reputation . The hardass, renowned restaurateur who is helping hundreds of Londoners daily by preparing and giving out free hot meals. Such fear , such ferocity ," Rey taunted playfully, her brow furrowing and her nose wrinkling in mockery.
Giggles bubbled up as he leaned further back, tilting his head to the side as if to evaluate her. A mask of indignation covered his beautiful face as he simply watched her bite innocently on her thumbnail and swing their joint hands by her side.
"Uh-huh, okay. It's like that?" he finally replied, tone even. Dropping her hand, he shifted as far forward as he could before looping an arm around her legs and standing up. Before she could even realise what was happening - and she really should have considered the number of times he had done this to her - she was hoisted over his shoulder as he made his way determinedly towards the bedroom. "Dinner's gonna have to wait, sweetheart."
Rey squealed in shock - and a hint of delight at the show of strength - laughter ruining her attempts at trying to seem serious. "No, wait! Ben! Put me down!"
"Nope. I'll show you ferocity," Ben practically growled, earning herself a well-placed slap to her backside that made her jump. She reciprocated by reaching down to his own perfectly formed derriere and giving it a good squeeze.
"As long as you don't broadcast this over Instagram too," Rey said in between her giggles just as he threw her onto their bed with enough force to cause her to bounce once. She blew her hair out of her face as she pressed her head into one of the pillows, still laughing at her husband’s actions.
“Okay, you need to stop talking,” he scowled as he gripped her behind her knees and pulled her form closer to the middle of the bed as he climbed up between her eagerly parted thighs.
“Make me,” she sighed as Ben planted a hand right next to her face with the other holding her hips down as she naturally tried to press herself to him. His warmth engulfed her as he leaned over her; bare chest just inches above from her clothed one, the tip of his nose rubbing against hers as he backed away slightly as soon as she leaned up to try and kiss him.
“Gladly,” he promised against her lips, and swallowed up the pitiful whine that threatened to emerge from Rey if he tortured her for a second longer by withholding his kiss.
*
Later, after Rey managed to drag Ben out of bed in search of dinner, after she watched his half-naked form place the tray of food he had brought home from his restaurant into the oven, and after they had enjoyed the simple meal of lasagne with bread and bottle of pinot noir, she posted the first picture showing the two of them together onto her Instagram page.
It was a simple snap of her in his jumper snuggled up to his bare chest as they watched mindless late-night TV in bed. The dim bedroom light offered a soft glow to emphasise the tender moment, with her smiling sleepily in the direction of the camera whilst he pressed his lips to the top of her head, and accompanied by a simple caption.
rey. Love ❤️
It became the most liked picture of the new decade.