Work Text:
All things considered, Rey liked her job. It was putting her through college, the nocturnal hours let her focus on school during the day, and she spoke to a lot of interesting people. Sure, she’d never be able to list ‘phone sex’ as a skill on her resume, but ‘verbal communication’ and ‘customer service’ were valuable talents.
Plus, there was Ben.
“Hello?” she said, her voice syrupy and low.
“What are you wearing?” Ben asked, his deep voice turning her insides to liquid. The first time he’d called, Rey thought he was doing it on purpose to sound more mature. Then he’d called again and they started getting to know each other and she realized that was just how he sounded. It was unfair.
“Grey sweatpants,” Rey answered. “A cream-coloured sweater with holes in the sleeves for my thumbs. Christmas socks.”
“Those don’t match,” Ben replied. Rey laughed and she could feel his satisfaction through the phone. They’d started this game on his first call, when he’d been too nervous to say anything.
“How do you usually start these things?” he'd asked. “I’ve never done this before.”
“You could ask what I’m wearing?”
Rey never told callers the truth about what she was wearing. The best part of this job was that they couldn’t actually see her. There’s no way they’d ever know that she was doing a puzzle or finishing an essay while they amused themselves with minor prompting from her.
“Woah,” Ben replied, shocked. He stuttered a few times before speaking again. “I’m starting to think I’ve made a mistake.”
As it turns out, Ben had seen one of her company’s vague public advertisements on the community board in a coffee shop. Any mention of the word ‘phone sex’ would get taken down in an instant, so their small pink card simply read 'Lonely? We can help.' Classy and clear — at least, to most people.
“I am lonely,” Ben said defensively. Rey smothered a laugh between her fingers at how confidently he’d said it, but a small sound still managed to squeak through.
“Are you laughing at me?” he asked. Luckily there was a note of amusement in his tone or Rey would’ve felt really bad.
“It’s sort of sweet,” she replied. “I don’t mind the lack of sex if you don’t mind paying to talk to me.”
Ben must’ve been lonely because he’d agreed.
“What are you wearing?”
Rey admitted to wearing worn out leggings and a faded Star Wars t-shirt that had belonged to her mom in the 90s, and that’s where it all began. Two months and ten calls later, here they were. Rey felt like she was going to vomit.
“How was your day?” Ben asked.
“It was good,” she answered. “I was thinking a lot.”
“That’s always a good thing. What were you thinking about?”
Rey’s throat went dry and she grabbed her water bottle off her desk, taking small sips between deep breaths.
“Is everything alright?” Ben asked, a bit of worry creeping into his voice. He wasn’t used to silence between them. Rey’s heart twisted at the idea that she’d learned to read his emotions this well.
“I’ve been thinking,” she began, ignoring the hammering of her heart.
“We covered that,” Ben joked. He had a bad habit of deflecting with humour when he was nervous. Rey steeled herself and decided to just say what she wanted to say.
“How would you feel if I gave you my number?” Ben was quiet on the other end of the phone.
“My real number,” she clarified. “I like talking to you, and it feels like we’re friends? You can say no. But if you had my number, we could text during the day and you wouldn’t have to pay to call me and–“
“Yes,” Ben said loudly. She cheered inwardly as he repeated himself, quieter this time. “Yes.”
Rey's cheeks flushed as she recited her number and immediately got a text with two emojis: a star and clashing swords.
“I’ll talk to you later,” Rey said, hanging up her work phone before Ben could reply. She waited a minute before picking up her personal phone and dialing his number. Ben answered immediately.
“You made me sweat for a minute there.”
“You’re welcome," Rey replied. "I usually charge for that.” Ben laughed, loud and open, and Rey decided to amend her previous statement. She loved her job, if only because it had brought her to him.