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At first, Rey had wondered why the mediators had set two-hour time limits on negotiation sessions, with promises of food between each session. To prevent “hanger”, the mediators had said.
Anger due to hunger. A very foreign concept for Rey, who was well used to hunger, and hadn’t really been able to afford getting angry over it.
Unfortunately, Poe Dameron could get pretty damn angry, even without hunger. The past few days had been the longest of Rey’s life, which said a lot, considering her, um. . . previous lifestyle.
Still, there were bonuses. The all-you-can-eat buffet for every meal was one of them. Was this how they treated everyone, or was this too designed to prevent hanger? Plus, the promise of peace with the First Order meant this war could finally end. And she’d get to stop being a poster Jedi. She could fade from the public eye, finally getting to live the life she wanted.
And, there was one more, super special perk, she smiled to herself, fiddling with the chain she’d worn around her neck for the past three months, careful not to expose what lay strung on said chain.
The talks were beginning to come to an end, but members of both parties were suspicious. The dissenters on the First Order’s side didn’t matter much, as their Supreme Leader got the final say. And while she was all for democracy, she couldn’t help but envy the fact that fearsome Kylo Ren could merely glare at one of his generals, while she had to deal with Poe Dameron, who’d even managed to rope Finn into some of his screaming bouts. Sometimes it got to the point where they’d just be goading the soon-to-be-former Supreme Leader, a man famed, according to Finn, for his tantrums and outbursts (no consul was safe from his wrath), who would then just sit there, drinking his caf, or nibbling on a pastry, waiting patiently for them to finish.
Once, they’d crossed the line and mentioned Han, to which he’d turned a color so pale she almost feared him dead, and excused himself from the room. Rey had half a mind to scream at them that minute, to throw a tantrum surpassing those of the man who’d just left, but instead settled on a glare, and stormed out after him.
That night, when their bond connected them (they couldn’t risk someone seeing them sneak into each other’s rooms), he was drowning once more in a pit of self-loathing, and it took hours of cajoling him with soft words, cuddles, and promises. Promises that he could be free of who he’d been, that he was good enough for her (the real question was why he cared for a scavenger), spelling out in no uncertain terms that no matter what, she was proud of him for facing these negotiations, ending the first order, and that her acceptance wasn’t a fleeting thing, but a promise to him.
The Force had been merciful, keeping their bond active so long that after finally being able to fall asleep, Rey woke up still in Ben’s arms. After all, they slept much better when they were together, able to catch fleeting nights here and there.
But not for long. As soon as Poe would stop yelling, these negotiations could end, and Rey and Ben would finally have forever.
The terms they’d agreed to were far from ideal. There was nothing wrong with the politics of it, in Rey’s book, but the constitutional monarchy they were setting up ensured that Ben would still have a few years directly in the public eye. Time to facilitate the adjustment, the older mediator had proposed, after which he could either quit, or apply to become a more permanent figure. But anything was better than being on opposite sides of a war, right?
“Rey, what do you think of this proposal?” one of the mediators, the younger one, asked. She had zoned out ages ago, as she usually did when Poe started screaming.
“I’m sorry, could you repeat the question?”
“Do you think a union of marriage between a member of each side would be an acceptable way to hold both parties to the terms agreed to here?”
Rey practically had to bite her lip to stop from laughing, and when she looked across the table, Ben was making eye contact with her over his cup of caf, clearly as amused as she was. “Well, so long as the couple is able to function together and uphold a healthy relationship, I see no issue with it.”
Poe’s attempt at a death glare shifted off of Ren and onto her with the blazing fire of a man who’ll accept nothing less than total surrender from his enemies. If Leia were here, she may have occaisionally dared to agree with some of Poe’s opinions, but would have expressed them in less of a. . . Well, a fitful rage. Rey knew that after fighting for so long, Leia deserved the chance to retire and have peace for the last few years of her life, but Leia was a leader. Poe was just good at telling people to explode things.
“So, you’re saying, that one of our own will vow to spend their life with one of these monsters.”
“Yes, Poe, I am.”
“But Rey—“ Finn interjected.
“This would be advantageous for several reasons,” Rey began, making sure to sound all Jedi-y and wise and proper. “For starters, it lays the groundwork for compliance on both sides. You’ve got two people who have emotional ties to each other, and therefore to the other person’s respective side. You’ve got two people learning to live with differences of political opinion, and learning how to compromise. It’s also the perfect way to lead by example, to show the people that cooperation is possible, and that grudges are not to be held.”
“Plus, the people would swoon over the wedding,” added Rose. “It makes everyone look good.”
Poe scoffed. Finn rolled his eyes. Rose rolled her eyes back at Finn and stopped holding his hand in retaliation.
Finally, the elder mediator said, “Rey, dear. You seem particularly open to this idea. Would you be willing to volunteer?”
“She would not!” Poe roared, indignant.
Finn yelled his agreement. “Rey, you cannot put yourself in the hands of those monsters.”
“I can make my own decisions,” Rey snapped, close to reaching the breaking point she’d been on the verge of since these Force-forsaken negotiations started.
“But Rey,” Rose began, calmly. “You’re already engaged.”
When initially introduced to Rey, Rose was entirely glad to meet her. Well, that’s not fully true. She was happy to meet the Jedi, and excited to greet a friend of Finn’s, especially one he’d spoken so highly of (for hours and hours and hours). But she had just a touch of jealousy and fear. What if Finn wanted to be with Rey instead of her?
All nerves around the matter subsided quickly, however, as Rey did not seem to be interested in Finn in that way at all. She often displaced herself from the two, as if trying to get them together. They hadn’t ever actually discussed the hasty kiss following the collision, and it was Rey who finally lost her temper, and practically forced them to admit their feelings for one another. Rose like to imagine that this must be what it felt like to be interrogated by Kylo Ren, but a kinder, guardian angel version of Kylo Ren, if such a thing existed. Anyhow, Finn and Rose were now happily, officially, dating, even though neither had much experience in that realm. They were getting to figure it out together.
Rose had attempted to return the favor, seeing if Rey was interested in any of the people at the resistance, but she preferred to distance herself from those she didn’t consider her close friends. Poe had expressed an interest in Rey a few times, to which Rey had obliviously and hilariously replied, “Thanks for being such a great friend, Poe!”
It wasn’t that she judged Rey for dismissing Poe; she just wanted her friend to be happy. But, she did miss having silly talks with Paige, the ones you only ever see well-off teenage girls in holofilms have. Those films held little to no accuracy when it came to Rey’s behavior.
That is, until one night, Rey was off on a mission by herself, and Rose was up late tending to the ships that needed work, of which there were many these days.
Rey’s ship pulled in, and the Jedi herself sauntered off, wearing a strange expression, and fiddling absentmindedly with a golden chain around her neck.
“How was your super-secret solo mission?” Rey jumped (presumably because she hadn’t anticipated anyone awake at this hour. Still, Rey was rarely this jumpy.
“Huh?”
“The mission you just came back from, the one you went on alone?”
“Oh, right.” Rey looked relieved, a small smile gracing her face as she continued to fidget nervously with the necklace.
Which Rose had never seen before.
Which, all of a sudden, caught the light and sparkled with enough energy to power a death star. Rose’s jaw dropped.
“Is that—?”
Rey looked down in alarm, to the ring hanging off her necklace.”
“Shit.” She began to walk away.
“Rey, it’s okay,” Rose called. She too had grown up in a place where emotions where nothing other than a threat, a distraction from survival. Rey turned around slowly and walked back to her as she beckoned for the two of them to sit down. “Is it an engagement ring?”
Rey sighed and admitted defeat. “Yes,” she sighed guiltily.
“Who?” Rose could feel the smile stretching across her face. Rey seemed to relax a bit at her excitement.
“It’s no one really—”
“Is he in the resistance?”
“. . . No.”
“Do I know him?”
“Probably not.”
“Have I heard of him?”
“. . . Maybe?” Rey seemed very hesitant.
“Well then you have to tell me everything.”
Rey was wary at first, but the more she talked about her new fiancé, and his dark, luxurious hair, intense, burning gaze, and even made a few comments about his physique (he’s built like a god, Rey had said, blushing), the more she smiled. He’d promised her that she wasn’t alone, which had been exactly what Rey had needed to hear, and he’d cried when he proposed, telling her that she was worth more than the entire galaxy to him.
How Rey had managed to keep this mystery man a secret was puzzling, especially considering just how smitten the girl was. Hell, he sounded handy to have around, given that he apparently protected Rey whenever and however he could.
“Why all the secrecy?”
Rey’s face fell once again, and the comfort of the conversation transformed into awkwardness.
“I just. . . I feel guilty.”
“Why in the force would being in love make you feel guilty?!”
“I’m scared people would interpret it as a betrayal—”
“How?!”
Rey took a deep breath, her eyes not daring to meet Rose’s.
“Well, let’s start with the ring.” She pulled the chain off her neck to fully display the token of her fiancé’s affection. On the ring, was the most massive diamond Rose had ever seen, and she just gaped at it, in awe of this brilliant gem, and the extent to which its purchaser must have loved Rey. “I don’t know much about jewelry and stuff, but. . . It’s worth a lot, isn’t it?”
For some reason, the thought of its high value made Rey retreat even farther back into her shell.
“And that’s an issue, why, exactly?”
Rey sighed. “Well, if it’s worth a lot, then surely that money could be put to better use, right? I mean, it could buy food or weapons for us, or medical supplies that could save lives. That all seems much more important in comparison to a round thing people wear on their fingers.” She took a deep breath in before her next comment. “But I want to keep it. It makes me feel special and loved, all the things I didn’t get to feel on Jakku, and—”
Rose pulled her distraught friend into a hug, laughing at her friend’s frugality. “Rey, it’s okay to have stuff we like, especially if it makes us feel connected to the people we love. I wear this pendant for my sister,” she said, pulling out the crescent on its cord, showcasing it proudly. “And have you noticed just how much jewelry Leia wears? Nobody will judge you for that ring, and if they do, they don’t fully understand what it is we’re fighting for.”
“Thank you Rose.” Rey said quietly, a bit more appeased, but still very cautious, for some reason. From that point on, no one else had noticed Rey fidgeting with that chain, and she was excruciatingly careful not to let the ring strung on the chain show.
“But Rey,” Rose began, calmly. “You’re already engaged.”
Finn and Poe’s jaws dropped. Ben choked on his caf. Laughing, she hoped. The mediators looked confused. The other First Order officers stared at their Supreme Leader’s reaction.
For the first time, Rey regretted confiding in her friend, but when she opened her mouth to protest, Rose cut her off.
“Rey, you’re head over heels for this guy.” Rey stood and tried to speak, but was once again stopped. “Don’t even try to protest Rey, just from the way your eyes light up when you talk about him tells it all. . .” Ben arched a playful eyebrow at her. She tossed a joking sneer his way. “. . .and from what you’ve told me about the lengths he went to for his proposal, he obviously loves you with his entire heart and soul. I know you try to give everything to the Resistance, but for his sake as much as yours, you cannot just let him go.”
“Look, Rose—” Rey tried, but this time it was Finn who cut her off, as he demanded, “If she’s engaged, then where’s the ring?”
“Oh,” Rose said victoriously. “It’s on her necklace and it’s a doozy.”
Once again, Rey was prevented from commenting, though this time the rude being was Poe. Surprise, surprise. “No way, Rey would’ve told us, wouldn’t you Rey?”
This was. . . a lot at once, but after a moment of looking down, Rey sighed and reached up to undo the clasp at the back of her neck, smiled when she saw Ben twitch his arms upwards as if about to help, then remembering where they were. She finished undoing the necklace, and let the ring, the one that shone brighter than any star Rey had ever seen, fall into her palm. She restored it to its rightful place on her left ring finger, the place it was only allowed to be in the quiet moments with her fiancé.
Oh no.
Instead of creating the closure Rey had hoped for, all eyes in the room were now on her. The First Order officers (Ben excluded), who had refused to care before, were transfixed by the diamond on her fingers. Poe and Finn were gaping at her as if she’d told she’d been raised by dead fish, and not an ugly, very much alive man who’d resembled one. And poor Ben was trying so hard not to laugh that he just stared at her, stars in his eyes, as his entire body shook slightly from what Rey knew to be usually loud guffaws, rendered silent by his fast-failing willpower.
“Rey,” Poe began. “Why—” The timer signaling the end of another grueling two-hour session finally sounded, cutting him off, and the mediators shooed everyone into the side room containing the precious foods. Just as Rey was about to enter, Ben grabbed her hand, and pulled her back into the main room, the door to the snack room closing in front of her.
“Excuse me, Supreme Leader, but I actually had an interest in consuming some real food. Not all of us are content with caf and croissants,” she quipped, gesturing the weak buffet in the corner.
“Really,” he smirked, pulling her towards him by their interlocked hands. “Well, Madam Jedi, it’s a bit odd for one of your profession to be engaged.”
“Oh?”
“And according to your friend, you must truly be in love with him.” She pulled away slightly, just for the fun of it.
“Well, Rose has been known to exaggerate from time to time, hopeless romantic that she is.” This only egged him on, pulling her all the way back to him as he twisted his face into one of disappointment. Not his eyes though. No matter what he did, they showed his true emotions more reliably than even the force, and he couldn’t have been more content. “But just between us enemies, I’ll admit I like him a little.”
Taking that as a signal, he pulled her even tighter to him, and brought his lips down to hers. One hand was firm on her waist, practically lifting her as she stood on her toes to kiss him, the other cupping her face and brushing her hair back with an innocence that was certainly not mirrored by the slow intensity of their passionate kiss. She was pressed fully against him and, as per usual, her hands roved through his luxurious hair.
They paused long enough for him to tell her, quietly, while gazing into her eyes, “I’m glad you’re wearing the ring.”
“Yes,” she replied. “I suppose it’s a shame I’ll have to be married off to someone in the First Order, though.” And despite knowing that once they figured out how to tell the others, which would be no easy feat, especially with Poe around, that he would be that First Order groom, he became territorial, pulling her back to him as the full force of his lips once again met hers, practically pushing her over. Luckily, the man’s muscular figure was not merely for show; he held her up as he tilted her backwards, and she held tight to him as though holding on for dear life.
It didn’t occur to either of them that they were bound to be missed from the meal served in the room next door. Nor that Ben’s hair would be a rumpled mess, or that both of their lips would be swollen. And luckily for the enamored couple, these details were not observed by anyone, First Order or Resistance, upon their reentry into the negotiation chamber.
No, upon their arrival, the delegates paid no attention to details suggesting the two supposed enemies had kissed.
Because it wasn’t until after the doors had opened, and they’d heard Poe’s string of surprised curse words that the star-crossed lovers finally broke apart. Finn looked both confused and betrayed, all at the same time. The First Order officers looked almost constipated. But Rose, once the initial shock had passed, and the pieces had clicked into place, merely laughed and turned to the mediators to tell them that perhaps Rey should marry a member of the First Order.
“Merely for the alliance, of course,” she finished with a sarcastic smirk at Rey and Ben, no longer kissing, but still standing awfully close together for supposedly sworn enemies.
A few months later, when that same couple kissed, instead of being met with confusion, they were met with applause from the crowds, as the former villain and his wife finally got to begin eternity together.