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After over two hours of being around the small yet raucous group, Ben thought that he would have been more than ready to leave and head back to his quiet little townhome. In fact, there were times where he did end up leaving the weekly scheduled game nights a little on the early side. His job was always to blame, it sucked the life out of him time and time again and by the time he was off to see everyone, he was tired and sometimes a little cranky.
But tonight, he was more than happy to stay and enjoy the company of his friends.
For one, it was Finn and Poe’s first time hosting from their new home, a comfortably sized apartment in the heart of the city. The couple had been begging everyone for weeks, making sure that Friday night was cleared out for their party.
For another, Ben had missed the last two game nights. His unreasonable boss, Donald Snoke, had demanded that his entire floor remain late both times and since he was the floor supervisor, he, of course, had to oblige.
But the main reason was because of his best friend. He lifted his eyes from the drink in his hand to regard the beautiful, lively woman who sat across the family room chatting happily with Rose and Hux, a newly formed couple.
Rey Niima, if she asked in just the right way, could get him to do just about anything.
From the moment he met her about two years ago, she’d had an affect on him like no other person. She just understood him. Rey had some strange intuition to his moods and she always, always knew what to say--or not say--to help him through the worst of them.
And after a little stumble in the beginning, they’d clicked and now she was his best friend. The person he wanted to talk to first thing in the morning, the person he wanted to see when he got home after an awful day of work. He gulped, the person who he would die to have in his life forever, even if that meant he was only ever going to be the designated best friend in his life.
He wished that he could be more…
But if Rey wanted more from him, he was certain that she would have shown it by now. And she hadn’t. So, he didn’t push his luck. He was already so blessed that someone as wonderful as Rey wanted him in her life at all.
He signed and sat back, content to listen to the chatter as the group took a little break between games to eat, drink and razz one another.
Ben felt a weight settle on the saddle leather sectional he was lounging on and looked to his left. His heart rate spiked.
Rey leaned against the arm of the massive sectional and threw her legs onto Ben’s lap with a bright smile.
“Hey you,” she said lightly.
Ben shot her a soft smile. “Hey, Rey.”
“Have I mentioned how glad I am that you’re actually here tonight?” She threw her head back, “If I had to go through one more game night as a third wheel, I was probably going to lose it.”
Ben huffed a little laugh, “Kaydel’s not seeing anyone.”
Rey rolled her eyes, “Kay brought a date both times.”
He shot a glance over at the blonde woman in question, who had a bookish man on her arm tonight.
“Same guy or different?”
Rey lifted her head a fraction before letting it rest on the arm of the sectional once again. “Same guy as last time. I think she actually likes him.”
“Does he have a name?”
Ben watched Rey has her face scrunched up in concentration, “Oh shoot, I’m actually not sure. Something like Beau? Or something?”
Her face relaxed again and she hummed idly to herself. Ben took the chance to look down at the lithe denim clad legs that were draped over him.
Stars she was perfect.
“Ben?”
Ben hummed in acknowledgement.
“Would you be willing to give my calves a little massage? I’m feeling some shin splints coming on and I’ve heard that loosening up the calf muscles helps.” Rey was peeking shyly at him, her cheeks slightly pink.
It made Ben’s cheeks go red in response. But he wasn’t going to ever deny himself the chance of making Rey feel the best she could. In a...strictly platonic manner, of course.
“Yeah, sure, of course!”
Her smile made his heart rate stutter. “Thank you, Ben.”
Rey picked up her phone and started tapping away furiously. The typing was punctuated by a pause and a responding buzz and then the whole cycle would begin again.
Ben tried to ignore it. He didn’t want to pry into her business. But he couldn’t help the small amount of envy that rooted itself in his heart as Rey messaged some unseen companion rather than talking with him.
What if she was texting another guy? Ben’s stomach twisted sharply and he tried to force the thought out of his head. He was Rey’s best friend. And that was enough for him. It had to be enough. So if she was texting some dude, he had no right to be jealous.
Hell, Rey would probably cheer him on if she heard that he was messaging some girl. He could hear her enthusiasm now. Acting like some prideful father or something equally uncomfortable.
So he put aside the possibility that Rey had met someone and focused on her calves.
Suddenly, Rey ripped her legs off of Ben and excused herself.
“Be back in a few!”
“Wait, Rey! You forgot your--” but she was already out of earshot with Rose hot on her heels.
Rey’s phone sat face up in his lap with the iMessaging app open.
His heart started pounding and flipped the phone face down so that he didn’t encroach on Rey’s privacy.
But…
But it would be so easy to just take a quick look. She’d left her phone wide open afterall. If she said anything, he could just apologize and tell her that he didn’t mean to read it but he caught some of what she’d texted.
He grit his teeth together. No, Solo. You are better than this. You respect your friends--especially Rey. Who is your best friend. Who would not take kindly to you nosing in her business. Do NOT read the texts! Do not read them!
Ben’s palms were sweating. This was such a perfect opportunity to see who she’d been texting.
He could just take a little peek at the name, he reasoned. And he definitely would not read the texts. Nope. Just the name of the person.
Ben looked around the room to see if anyone was watching him or if they’d noticed his strange behavior.
Everyone was too wrapped up and engaged with their significant others to notice him. Except Hux of course, who was staring at his phone and idly scrolling. Probably on Reddit again or something.
So as casually as he could manage, Ben flipped the phone screen and was surprised tp see that it was still lit up.
He gulped and then looked at the heading of the app. A tiny picture of their petite friend blazed out at him.
He sighed in relief.
Rose.
Rey was texting Rose.
Then his brow scrunched. Why was Rey texting Rose when they were in the same room together and had been for over two hours?
The breath caught in his throat and his eyes went wide when he caught sight of his name.
They--they were talking about him?
What were they saying?
Ben checked discreetly around the room once more and then quickly scanned the conversation.
Rose: Okay, so what is your plan?
Rose: Are you like, gonna make a move or something?
Rey: Ugh no! I can’t be that obvious!
Rey: What if he doesn’t feel the same?
Rey: Do you know how mortifying that would be?
Rose: Girl, chill out!
Rose: He is head over heels for you!
Rose: I’ve seen it from day one
Rose: Armie agrees. Just ask
Rey: ...
Rey: You’ve told Hux about this? Rose!
Rey: That was our secret!
Rose: Oh please. Everyone knows you’re crazy about him
Rose: Just do something about it, Rey! You’re driving us all insane with the pining
Rose: You and Ben need to figure your shit out
Rey: Alright. Alright fine.
Rey: How about this
Rey: I start dressing like a, a hooker or something
Rey: He’ll notice. Right?
Rose: Rey… no
Rey: And then HE’LL make the first move
Rey: You know what, that’s what I’m gonna do
Rose: REY! Don’t do it!
Rey: Thanks Rose, you really helped me out
Rose: Okay, that’s it.
Rose: Bathroom, sister. Now!!
Ben immediately choked on his spit and started coughing.
Rey…
She wanted to dress all skimpy? For him ?
Did...did Rey have feelings for him?
Rose said that Rey was crazy about him?
Holy Hell. Lord on high, Rey was into him?
If he wasn’t busy hacking out a lung Ben knew for a fact that he would be grinning like a maniac right now. Rey liked him! Like she actually liked him! He couldn’t believe it.
For now, he would settle on not dying.
Someone started thumping on his back.
“My God, Ben. Are you alright?”
Rey. Rey was back and was trying to help him through the craze of coughing.
“Fine,” he wheezed, “just choked on something.”
Rey sat down next to him and rubbed his back while he continued to recover.
“Wait, is that my phone?” Her voice was slightly tinged with panic and she grappled with the device in question.
“Uh…”
Ben looked at Rey who went from her natural tan hue to white and then finally to bright, tomato red that rivalled Hux’s hair.
“Did you--did you read any of it?”
Ben couldn’t bring himself to lie, so he looked away and nodded, suddenly incredibly ashamed for giving in to temptation and reading her texts.
Rey squeaked and then ran off.
Ben felt as if the floor beneath him was dropping out. His stomach twisted with unthinkable nausea.
Shit. Shit. Shit!
He was the biggest idiot in the world.
He needed to apologize. Explain and beg for her to forgive him.
Ben pushed into the only room that had a light on. A guest room perhaps?
Rey stood in the corner, arms wrapped around her middle and head ducked low.
“Rey?”
She gasped and jumped before whirling around, staring at him with her wide hazel eyes.
Ben stepped into the room. “Rey I am so sorry that I read your messages. It was completely out of line and I never should have done it. Please,” he begged as her face went hard. “Please, can you forgive me?”
Rey’s pink lips pressed into a thin line while she glared at Ben.
“You’re absolutely right, you shouldn’t have been going through my texts.”
He ducked his head, ashamed. “I know. I’m sorry.”
She held his gaze, not saying anything.
But she hadn’t dismissed him yet, so maybe there was something else he could do to make things right.
Ben took another step in, stopping only when Rey tensed.
“You don’t have to do it, you know,” he said softly, wondering if the nerves he felt bled through his voice.
Rey stiffened further and she crossed her arms defensively. “Do what?” she sniffed.
Ben gathered every ounce of courage he had and stopped directly before her.
“You don’t have to change the way you dress to get my attention.”
Her eyes went wide again and a furious blush crawled across her cheeks.
Stars, she was beautiful when she was flustered.
Ben decided to continue, “You’ve had my attention since the beginning.”
Rey’s gaze went straight up to meet his, honey brown mixing with the hues of the forest.
“What?”
Ben gulped, the nerves doing their best to prevent him from taking this step. Because once he did, there was no going back.
He grabbed her hand with one of his and caressed her cheek with the other. It might have been his imagination, but he thought that Rey pressed her face deeper into his palm.
“Rey, I’ve been crazy about you since the first day that we met. Never in a million years would I have ever thought that someone as loving and wonderful as you would care about me like that. So…” he trailed as her face angled up towards his, “I was content to let myself be your best friend.”
Rey licked her lips, eyes wide and hungry. “Ben…”
Her hand went up to cup his face, creating a mirror image. “I would be crazy not to be crazy about you.”
His heart rate spiked, stuttered, stopped and restarted in the span of seconds.
“I don’t want us to be friends anymore,” she whispered. “I want us to be more. So much more.”
Ben smiled wider than he had in years. “Nothing in the entire world would make me happier than to be more to you, Rey Niima.”
Rey’s smile matched his and she surged forward to meet his lips.
She tasted like lemonade and sunshine and all things bright.
Their kiss lasted for centuries and seconds. It was over far faster than Ben wanted. But as he saw the look in her eyes, he knew that there would be much more to come.
Her eyes glinted mischievously and she smacked his shoulder.
“Ow!”
Rey laughed and then set to rubbing the sore spot. “That was for reading my texts.”
Ben chuckled. “I promise I’ll never do it again,” he paused and smirked. “But I don’t regret it.”
Rey’s eyes warmed and she laced her fingers with his.
“I don’t either.”
END