Archive of Our Own

“No.”

“But Rey, it’s tradition! Not only would I be inflicting bad luck upon myself for the rest of my life, but I’d be letting a lot of people down. This is an event! People expect this from me, I can’t let them down,” Rose pleaded. 

Rose Tico, Rey’s excitable best friend and roommate was an extreme Christmas enthusiast. Extreme as in holiday music was streaming on November 1 with decorations following not too soon after that. It was her one fault, really, from being a perfect person in Rey’s eyes, but no one could be perfect. 

Rey continued to push the cart through the produce aisle as Rose grabbed items along the way, continuing to prattle on. “Plus, we could combine it with our housewarming party that we never got around to hosting.” 

“That’s because someone still has boxes hanging around the apartment unpacked,” Rey countered. “Which you keep saying you’ll deal with, yet there’s always some new season of whatever baking show you’re into.”

“It’s the Great British Bake-Off right now, just so you’re aware. And I’ll get around to it, I promise. Before our Christmas party to be exact,” Rose smiled sweetly, as if her plan was foolproof.

Rey Johnson had her reasons for hating this stupidly cheery time of year. Growing up in the system had tainted her view of what was supposed to be a magical time full of wonder and cheer and family, all things Rey knew very little about. It was the one thing Rey hadn’t told Rose about fully, just bits and pieces when absolutely necessary. Why ruin her view of Christmas, a holiday she clearly loved? It didn’t seem important to bring up. 

Rey sighed. “Have a party for all I care, but does it have to be Christmas themed?” she countered.

“That defeats the purpose of having a Christmas party, Rey. We’ve been through this. It’s a yearly tradition that I need to continue.”

“I don’t know,” Rey huffed, feeling like she was in an uphill battle.  

“I promise it’ll be great! You would know if you had ever been able to attend one of these in college.”

Rey sighed. If only Rose knew the truth. “I don’t think it’s a good idea. Everyone’s been so busy lately and–”

“I’ll be in charge of cleaning the bathroom for a month. Please, Rey,” Rose pleaded, batting her eyelashes for good measure. 

Rey sighed. It was her least favorite chore. “Maybe.”

“I’ll do all the shopping, too! Please, Rey, I’ll do anything you want if you agree to this,” Rose implored, grabbing onto her arm. “Name whatever you want and I’ll do it. Please?”

Rey thought it over. What was the harm in a little party? They had been discussing the idea of a housewarming party when they first moved into their apartment six months ago. Time may have gotten away from them, but what was the harm in a little get-together? Besides, if she had a bit of a hand in it, maybe she could curb Rose’s overly enthusiastic theming of this party, right?

“You owe me one.”

“Thank you! I have most of it planned out in my head already, you won’t need to worry about anything! And you can meet Armie! Oh my god, how many people do you think our place can hold? Should I invite my coworkers? Or should I–”

“Rose, calm down!” she laughed. “We have a month until the party, there’s a ton of time to figure it all out.”

“You’re right. It’s all good, we got this.” Rose beamed. “But we should definitely stop at the craft store before we go home. We need to start crafting our ugly Christmas sweaters. Last year I had lights and everything. Remind me to show you the pictures later.”

 “Why would we make it? Can’t you, like, buy one off Amazon?”

Rose stopped dead in her tracks, turning back to glare at her. “Everyone knows that the hand-crafted ones are better,” she stated before continuing their journey through the supermarket.

Rey groaned before catching up with Rose. What the hell had she just agreed to? 

“No.”

“Seriously? Ben, I haven’t met any of her friends yet and I’m low-key freaking out that they're not going to like me and I’d really appreciate having at least one person to talk to if this goes completely south,” Hux begged. 

Armitage Hux, Ben’s co-worker and pain-in-the-ass best friend, didn’t ask for much from him. In fact, it was normally Ben who would cash in favors every now and again, mostly when he was trying to ignore his parents. Hux might annoy the ever-living crap out of him, but he was as loyal as they come. Friends since their first year of college, they had navigated the ups and downs of adulthood together. But even though he never required much in return, there was no way in hell Ben wanted to attend a party, a Christmas party of all things, with a bunch of strangers. Seemed more like a nightmare than a favor. 

“Are you trying to make me feel sorry for you after you’ve been ditching our standing guys night every week for the past month?” 

“Why, is it working?” Hux asked excitedly. 

“No.”

“Damn it! Please, Benjamin, I’ll do anything you ask of me, just do me this one favor. Plus, you can finally meet Rose.”

Hux never used his full name unless he was serious, saved for very rare moments. Most of these moments involved a scolding of sorts, which at this point, Ben couldn't figure out which was worse: this or a scolding. 

“I don’t even celebrate Christmas, you know that,” he grumbled.

It wasn’t a religious thing or anything. Christmas just brought up bad memories. Memories he’d rather avoid by drinking himself silly while binging the latest HBO series, not hanging out with a bunch of strangers in god-awful Christmas-themed outfits while singing wildly off-key. 

“Forget the theme, it’s just a party at the heart of it. There will be alcohol galore and a dark corner somewhere for you to sulk about your shit choice in women.”

“I thought you were done slamming me about Bazine.”

“I’m not. She was god-awful for you, despite your bullshit about how she understood you because she didn’t. At all. But I’ll shut up about it for the next month if you agree to come to this party.”

He paused. What was the harm in showing up for an hour, having a drink before ducking out, and being back home at a decent hour? 

“Fine,” he sighed. “I’ll be there.”

“Good! Also, it’s a bit of a mash-up with a house-warming party so make sure to buy a gift for my lovely girlfriend. Don’t want her to think I’m friends with a monster or anything along those lines.”

“Yeah sure, whatever. Can I get back to work now?”

“Yes. Thank you!” he said, quickly making his exit out of Ben’s office.

The plan would be simple. Arrive, meet Rose, have a drink, leave. It was foolproof really. The only person he’d know there would be Hux, who he had no doubt would be hanging off of Rose’s every word with how much praise that man sang for her. Ben could easily hide in the shadows while he had one drink, as a courtesy of course, and introduced himself to Rose. No one would care, except maybe Hux, if he ducked out early. He would just be a shadow on the wall. 

But, what does one get for a housewarming gift? Specifically, what does one get as a housewarming gift for someone you’ve never met?

He leaned forward, jamming his finger onto his intercom button. “Jess, can you come in here for a moment?” 

He heard her heels clicking as she entered the room, leaning against the door frame.

“What can I help you with?”

“If you were me, what would you buy for someone you’ve never met for a housewarming gift?”

“Hmmm, well I guess that depends?”

“Depends on what?”

“Well first off, why haven’t you met this person, and why are you going to their housewarming party?”

“It’s Hux’s new girlfriend. He’s nervous about meeting all of her friends so he’s forcing me to tag along,” he grumbled.

“I see. Well, I have some ideas. When’s the party?”

“Next weekend.”

“Hmm, not enough time to order anything good, but we can work with this. Are you busy after work? I have a store in mind that has a lot of cute little trinkets. I need to pick up something anyway.”

“Are you offering to assist me with a non-work-related task outside of working hours?”

“If you question it, I’ll rescind my offer. But then you’ll embarrass Hux with your god-awful idea of a gift and none of us will want to put up with that,” she joked. 

“Okay, okay! You’re right, I take it back! I need help.”

Jess smiled. “No worries, boss. It’s really the least I could do.”

And so, a week later, Ben made his way across the city to Rose’s place. Hux, of course, had forced him to meet him there, citing he needed to help set up the place. With the gift in hand, Ben made his way into the apartment building, making quick work of the stairs, following the sounds of laughter and Christmas music towards his destination. 

The door was propped open, allowing Ben to slip in unannounced. Guests were roaming around, drinks in hand as they chatted amongst each other. A game of beer-pong was set up in the far corner while a group of women huddled on the couch, heads pressed close together in serious conversation. 

“Ben!” 

He jumped slightly, turning to the source of the voice he hadn’t heard in years. “What are you doing here?”

Standing before him was none other than Poe Dameron, his old childhood friend. Their mothers had been close when they were toddlers, throwing them into any and all activities that allowed them to socialize while someone else entertained them. They had drifted apart over the years, both boys attending different high schools and colleges. The last he could remember was at a fundraiser of sorts, probably the last one he attended for his mother. 

“Hey. Long time no see,” he replied.

“Man, what has it been like, six years since we last saw each other?” Poe said, coming up to stand in front of Ben.

“Yeah, something like that,” Ben muttered.

“So, what brings you here?”

“Uh, my friend Hux, actually. He’s dating Rose.”

“Ah, he seems cool.”

“He’s not bad. Most of the time,” Ben joked, sharing a chuckle with Poe. 

“So, what have you been up to, man? Anytime I brought it up with your parents they–”

“You’ve been talking with my parents?” he interrupted. 

“Yeah, of course. Always make time for a visit when I’m in town,” he explained, a slight look of confusion on his face. 

He was quiet, mulling over this newfound information. Things were still rough between his parents and him. A few too many disagreements had led him to distance himself during his college years. But he had been trying to mend that bridge as of late, calling his parents at least once a month, meeting up with them whenever they were in the city. He, however, had avoided returning home at all costs, making up non-existent work events whenever possible to avoid the trek home. He’d been trying to work up towards it though, ever since he had opened the door of communication back up with them. But some things were harder than others.

“Do you talk much? With your parents, I mean?” Poe asked, genuinely curious. It made him wonder what they actually talked about if it wasn’t him. 

He shrugged. “Not as much as I should. Things weren’t great before but we’re working through them. Slowly.” 

“Good. That’s good, man.”

“Poe, hurry up, it’s your turn!” a blonde female yelled over from the beer pong table.

Poe clapped his hand on Ben’s shoulder. “I think Rose and Hux are in the kitchen, but we should catch up later, alright?”

“Yeah, sure,” replied Ben as Poe walked away. With one last glance around the room, Ben headed in the direction of the kitchen.

Hux hovered over the sink, sleeves rolled up to his elbows as he scrubbed away at the dishes.

“Dishes? This woman must be a miracle worker if she can get you to willingly help out in the kitchen,” Ben joked as he entered the room. Hux turned to glare at him before returning to his task.

“Oh, he’s not very willing but my roommate has disappeared,” said the short Asian woman, leaning up against the island a few feet away from Hux. She smiled broadly at him. “You must be Ben. It’s nice to meet you.”

“And you must be Rose,” he replied, walking over and holding out his hand. Rose had other ideas though as she launched straight into a warm hug, startling Ben slightly before he relaxed, wrapping his arms respectively around the small of her back. As she released her hold, Ben cleared his throat. “Um, I got you something. A little housewarming gift.”

“Oh, you didn’t have to,” she said. “Really, I’m glad to finally meet one of Armie’s friends.”

“Try only friend,” he joked, holding out the gift bag. “But really, I insist.” His mother had raised him well, after all. He never walked into a party empty-handed.

Rose smiled, taking the bag. “Is it okay if I open it now?”

“Of course, go ahead.”

She placed the bag on the counter, removing the bottle of wine first, a lovely Sauvignon Blanc he had taken a liking to as of late, followed by the pie server Jess had helped him pick out. The server looked antique, with the saying I’m only here for dessert engraved on it.

“Oh my god, this is adorable!” Rose giggled. “I love it! Thank you so much.”

“Babe, how many scoops go in this thing?” asked Hux, eyeing up the can of premade hot chocolate mix next to the large carafe. 

“Put the whole canister in.”

“Seriously?”

“Nobody likes watery hot chocolate. Trust me on this.”

Ben stood off to the side, watching as the pair moved around each other in domestic bliss. They were in sync, almost as if they had always known one another. They moved seamlessly around one another, finishing each other’s sentences as they worked to prepare all the dishes for their guests. If he hadn’t known any better, he would have assumed they had been together much longer than the few short months

“Hey Ben, do you mind looking for my roommate for me? She’s about this tall, brown hair, probably scowling somewhere in the corner?” Rose asked as she puttered around, placing different cheeses and meats onto a charcuterie board. 

“Yeah, sure. I can do that.”

“If she isn’t in the apartment, you might want to check the roof. You can get up there from the fire-escape.”

“On it.”

“Make sure you remind her that participation is required for the deal to stand.”

Ben chuckled. “Noted,” he said he grabbed a mug of the hot chocolate concoction Hux had prepared. “What’s her name?”

“Rey. She shouldn’t be too hard to spot. She should have a pretty awful Christmas sweater on still if she’s at least pretending to take part in this.”

Ben nodded as he made his way out of the room. One drink, locate Rey, bring her back to Rose, then he could make his escape. How hard could that be?

Why she had agreed to this farce, she’d never know. The apartment was decked out in red, green, and white lights, streamers were draped across every surface, mistletoe sprung around in random alcoves and doorways. The beer-pong table had been set up to match the theme (who the hell does that), and Christmas music had been playing throughout the apartment since they had begun setting up this morning. Rose’s mysterious boyfriend had arrived early, helping to hang everything a little out of reach for the girls. Rey had tried to argue the need for mistletoe being everywhere, instantly being ganged up on by the pair. Apparently, mistletoe was an essential part of any great Christmas party. 

She had tried to keep it together for most of the afternoon. Hell, she had been trying to keep it together for the past few weeks, but the increase in decorations and Christmas themed-events and screaming children everywhere had really grated on her nerves. Every new invite she’d receive would emit a groan from her lips, entertaining her coworkers thoroughly. She had been dubbed the office Grinch, which was fine, really. She would rather be labeled a Grinch than be subjected to any more requests to lighten up, get into the spirit, or to smile for god’s sake. Yes, she was truly done with it all, and the stupid holiday was still a week away.

Rey sighed, leaning forward against the railing on the roof. Their apartment was packed full, and she could list maybe five people that she knew. Finn and Poe were wandering about, so were Rose’s old college girlfriend, a few of which she had met before. She’d never felt comfortable around them though, especially when they were plotting who they would be pulling under the mistletoe this year. Poe had tried to convince her to be his beer-pong partner before Finn had arrived. “No hard feelings, Johnson, but he’s got a better shot.” She’d snuck out soon after that, everyone else sufficiently busy not to notice her absence. Besides, it was best not to ruin Rose’s big night with her sour attitude.

Soft snowflakes had begun to fall around her, fluttering gently like feathers. She could faintly hear the party going on downstairs, the infamous “All I Want for Christmas is You” being sung wildly off-key.

It wasn’t Rose’s fault that Rey felt the need to disappear. Her aversion to the Christmas season had never been a topic they’d broached. Rey always found excuses over the past few years when the invite came up, either a busy time at work, or faking that her attendance was required at another party.

In no way was Rey opposed to parties. Typically, she’d be the first-person volunteering to get some sort of drinking game going, or would be in the kitchen mixing her infamous jungle juice. Of course, that usually meant she was passed out in the corner way too early on in the night, but the effort was normally there.

But Christmas? That just opened up a full can of worms Rey wasn’t interested in discussing. Yes, that meant she came across as the Grinch of the group, but she could live with that assessment. She had her reasons, after all. 

Down below, the bustle of the city continued. Car horns could be heard in the unusually heavy traffic, probably attributable to the holiday party season. The wind swirled softy around, whistling in her ears.

“Hey, are you Rey?”

She jumped, turning around abruptly while clutching her chest.

“Shit, you scared me,” she heaved out, breath heavy as she attempted to calm her racing heart.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to, I swear,” said the mysterious, tall man. His dark hair hung past his ears, small wisps covering his forehead. He approached slowly as Rey’s breath hitched in her throat. He was gorgeous, unconventionally, but still. He had a smattering of moles across his angular face, his 

“Uh, what are you doing up here?” she sputtered, her arms wrapped around herself in defense.

“Um, your roommate sent me to find you. Something about participation is mandatory for the deal?”

“Oh. Right.” 

Of course Rose had noticed her absence. It had only a matter of time, really. But she wasn’t quite ready to return, turning back to her previous perch against the railing. 

“You okay?” the man asked as we approached her. 

“Fine.”

He settled in next to her, leaving a few inches of space between them. He placed a mug of something warm in between them, the steam wafting up into the cool air.

“You look like you could use a drink,” he whispered, as he pushed the mug closer to her.

“Oh, no I’m fine. Thank you, though.”

She could feel his eyes on her, trying to figure her out like she was a riddle to solve. “So, what was the deal?”

“Excuse me?”

“The deal Rose was talking about.”

“Oh,” she grumbled. “That.”

“Yes, that,” he smirked, as he turned to lean his back against the ledge. “You didn’t want this party, did you?”

“Is it that obvious?” she winced.

“Considering you’re out here while other people are making themselves quite comfortable in your home, I’d say yes. But that’s just an outside observation.”

“Guilty,” she shrugged. “Rose agreed to do the housework she hates if I’d let her have this party.” She smiled softly to him, looking up into his warm, amber eyes. “How do you know Rose?”

“I don’t,” he chuckled. “My dumb friend Hux dragged me to this thing because he was worried about not getting along with anyone.”

Rey giggled. “Seems like something he’d do.”

“Have you had the misfortune of interacting with him much?”

“I only met him this afternoon. Rose is always at his place when they're together. You’d think she was trying to avoid rubbing it in my face how happy she is.”

He hummed. “I get that. He’s been dodging my invites for drinks after work lately. It’s been a while since I’ve been with someone, so I guess he’s just trying to be nice.”

She hummed. “Such great friends we have. Trying to spare our feelings.”

“Sure, let's go with that,” he joked.

A peaceful silence settled between them. Normally, she’d be worried about being in a situation like this, having no way of avoiding a conversation, chatting with a complete stranger. But it didn’t feel like it normally did. It was easy, almost natural to fall into an easy banter with this nameless man she knew nothing about. 

“So, you know my name,” she said.

“I do.”

“Are you going to tell me yours, or are you just going to keep me in the dark all night?” she joked.

“Shit, my bad. I’m Ben,” he replied, holding out his hand.

“Ben. Nice to meet you,” she replied, as she took his hand into hers. She might have held on too long for a customary handshake, lost in the depth of his eyes, but it was hard to know when time felt like it was standing still. There was this feeling that swirled around inside when she looked into his kind eyes. A feeling of warmth, comfort, and understanding. Nothing like she’d ever felt before. It was nice, more than just nice, it was extraordinary. 

She cleared her throat as she pulled her hand back from his soft embrace, effectively breaking the moment. They both settled back into their previous positions, with Rey looking out over the city. She felt Ben inch closer as his arm brushed against hers.

“Why are you up here?” he whispered.

“Just needed some air,” she muttered. She shivered slightly as a gust of wind whipped around them, bringing her hands up to rub some warmth into her arms. But before she could think of heading back, she felt a jacket land on her shoulders. She turned to watch Ben as he settled back into his position beside her, comforting hand rubbing small circles on her shoulder before dropping back to his side. 

“Wait, aren’t you going to be cold?” she asked, concerned for his well-being.

“I’ll be fine. We should go back in soon anyways, before Rose and Hux send a search party for the both of us.”

“You have a point there,” she sighed. “Five more minutes.”

A calm silence spread between them. The faint laughs from down below and the traffic was all that could be heard. It was comforting, sharing a quiet moment with him. More so than she would have expected, but she would be lying if she said she wasn’t enjoying this moment. 

“What’s the real reason you’re up here?” His expression was open, honest even. Like he really cared what she was about to say. Like he truly wanted to know. And for some strange reason, she wanted to tell him.

“Oh, well, Christmas isn’t really my favorite time of year.”

“I know the feeling.”

“You do?”

“I do.”

A warmth spread through her, starting from the pit of her stomach. What was this man doing to her? Why was she so interested in his story? “What happened to you?” she asked softly.

His lips quirked up, a hint of mischief in his eyes. “What happened to you?”

“I asked you first.”

“You did. But I still want to know.” He reached out a hand, brushing a stray lock of hair out of her face.

“You go first,” she urged. The knot in her stomach tightened as he smiled, his eyes locked with hers.

“Promise you’ll still tell me?” he asked, as he brought his hand back to his side. His confident mask slipped for a second like he was worried she’d refuse him. He quickly looked down, trying to hide his discomfort, but Rey knew that look. It was one she tried to hide often. The look of someone who didn’t think they were worthy.

“I promise,” she assured him, as she reached out to grab his hand. He brought his gaze back up to hers, a look of wonder painted across his features, almost as if he couldn’t believe she was real. Like there was someone in the world who genuinely cared about him. He turned his hand over, threading their fingers together before he began. 

“Okay then. I guess I didn’t have the easiest childhood. My mother was career-driven, and my dad was away for work often. The holidays were the only time they both made an effort to be home. But it was always tense. They tried to hide it from me, all the arguments and such, but they weren’t very good at it. I came to dread the holidays because of it. Almost wished they’d just gotten a divorce instead of pushing through something that wasn’t working.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault,” he said honestly, gently squeezing her hand to reiterate his point. 

“Still. No one deserves to feel like that. Especially by the people who are supposed to love you.”

“It’s in the past now. But this time of year just reminds me of that tension. Kind of hard to completely forget.”

“I get that,” she said quietly, as she turned her attention back to the view, away from this piercing gaze. “I’m glad you shared that with me.”

He chuckled. “You’re the only person I’ve told. Even Hux, for as much as he knows of my past, knows nothing about that. We’ve gone through some rough times, but I’ve been working on mending that tension with my family. Kind of hard not to think I had something to do with their tension when I was younger, though.”

“Like I said before, none of that was your fault.”

“Thank you,” he said, a small smile forming. “What about you? What’s your Christmas story?”

“Oh, well, it’s nothing, really.”

“Hey, you promised,” he pleaded, pulling her back to face him. “I want to know. Really, I won’t judge.”

“It’s not a good tale,” she mumbled, afraid to look him in the eyes. She’d never told anyone. She had always been too afraid it would push them away if they knew what she’d been through.

“They usually aren’t. But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to know.”

She sighed. “Well, I guess it started when I was three. I was left on the doorstep of the fire station on Christmas Eve. I spent the rest of my childhood in group homes and the occasional foster home, but nothing ever worked out very well.”

“Rey.”

“Christmas isn’t a great time when you’re in a group home. They try, they really do, but it’s nothing like what you see in the movies. Everyone gets a generic gift so that there’s at least something to look forward to. There is never any money to do anything special with the tree, so it’s just whatever we could scavenge.

“There was one year, where a family showed interest in me. I thought I was finally going to have a family. They were supposed to pick me up on Christmas Eve, but they backed out last minute when they found out they were expecting one of their own. Ever since then, I’ve associated Christmas with all the bad times in my life.”

“Rey, I’m so sorry,” he whispered while he rubbed her arm comfortingly. “I don’t know what to say.”

“It’s fine. Just like you said, it’s in the past now.”

“I know, but still.”

“It’s really not a big deal. I’m used to being alone now.”

“But you’re not alone.” 

His hand squeezed hers, just shy of too tight. His eyes burnt bright with a look that could have easily been taken as anger. But Rey knew better, regardless of just meeting this man. This was a look of a man trying to convey his point. 

“Rey, you’re not alone.”

“Neither are you,” she whispered, her eyes locked on his. 

They drifted closer, almost as if an invisible string was tying them together. He looked at her with wonder in his eyes, as he slowly licked his lips. Her breath caught in her throat as he brought his hand up to gently brush her cheek, their heads inching closer together. 

The slam of the door against the wall made them both jump back as a drunken woman made her way out onto the roof, followed closely by her friend. Both women were lost in their own world, unaware of the moment they had just interrupted.

Rey turned back, giggling at the scowl on Ben’s face. His features softened as he turned towards her, his eyes lighting up as she continued to giggle in delight. It felt as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders, making her feel lighter than she had five minutes ago. “Thanks for listening. I’ve never told anyone about my past.”

A small smile spread across his face. “Look at that. Seems we’ve both shared something personal for the first time tonight.”

Her giggles stopped, but her wide grin remained on her face at his admission. 

He cleared his throat, tentatively reaching out for her hand. “Why’d you tell me then? You could have made up something and I would have believed you.”

She shrugged. “You asked.” 

The truth was, she was still trying to figure out why she felt compelled to tell him, too. This indescribable pull was nothing she had experienced, but she knew it was the right thing to do. It took her a long time to trust someone, but somehow, Ben made it easy. She knew she wanted to share more of herself with him. 

“I’m flattered. I know how hard that must have been,” he whispered.

“I didn’t think I’d ever feel so good saying it out loud.”

“What, you haven’t tried yelling your anger out from the rooftops for everyone to hear?” he joked.

She eyed him playfully. “Are you speaking from experience?”

He blushed. “Well, maybe not exactly the rooftops. But, I did grow up outside of the city. Our property backed up to a pretty big forest which made for a great place to yell without any repercussions.”

She laughed. “I can picture it now! Emo teenager Ben, trudging through the forest in his Doc Martens yelling at any creature that got too close, ranting about his daily struggles of being as tall as a tree!”

“You’re going to make me regret this aren’t you?”

“Absolutely.”

“I can’t wait,” he teased. “But we really should be heading down soon.”

“You’re right.”

“I’ll just go, and you can come when you’re ready.”

“No, we’ll go together.,” she said, holding out her hand to him.

He took her hand as he tried to lead them back to the fire escape he came up. Rey had other ideas for them, though.

“Come this way. We can sneak back in the front door easier.”

He grinned down at her, happy to follow her wherever she went. “Lead the way, then.”

He had no idea how much time had passed since he had stepped foot on the roof. His quick task of fetching her had been thrown out the window as soon as he’d seen her. He couldn’t stop himself from moving closer, couldn’t help but be swept into her orbit. Her hazel eyes glowed in the soft evening light, her smile, while timid, intrigued him further.

But her honesty and easy-going nature were what had truly sold him. It was amazing how easily the conversation flowed between them. He was shocked with how genuine she was with her answers, despite them never meeting before this moment. He could have listened to her talk for hours, enjoying the lilt of her accent as she teased him. But above all, it was her strength and bravery that sold him. He couldn’t stop himself from reaching out, from touching her, just to ensure that she was real and not some figment of his imagination. 

He couldn’t explain the pull. It wasn’t a feeling he could name, online anything he had ever felt before. Things with Bazine hadn’t been bad, not in the slightest. Their worlds just fit together easily, like they functioned in the same wavelength. But he’d never felt this pull with her, this genuine feeling of wanting to learn everything about someone else. Sure, he’d been attracted to her, but he knew this feeling wasn’t that simple. No, the sparks here lead him to believe this was something entirely different, and he’d be an idiot to let it go.  

He followed closely as she led him back down to her apartment, snaking their way down the maintenance stairwell. She never let go of his hand, only tugging on it gently if he tried to go the wrong way. She kept hold as they walked through the front door, eyes looking back towards him.

“Mistletoe!” shouted Poe! “You know what that means. Don’t want any bad luck, now do you?”

“What?” Rey questioned, looking up in confusion. “Rose, did you move it?”

“Had to, no one was getting caught by it. Now kiss!”

Rey blushed, her cheeks a bright, rosy pink as she turned towards him, her back to the rest of the group. A sheepish look formed on her face as he smiled down at her, one hand reaching out to grip her hip. 

“We don’t have to if you don’t want to,” she whispered, as panic flashed across her face.

He smiled as he gently squeezed her hip, as he tried his hardest to soothe her doubts. He reached his free hand up to her neck, thumb gently caressing her cheek. “Why would I say no to kissing the most beautiful girl in the room?”

She snorted, the cutest sound he had ever heard. “Have you even looked at anyone else here?”

“I don’t have to. I know it’s you. It’s always going to be you.”

She surged up to capture his lips in a fierce kiss. He felt safe, happy, and appreciated from the moment their lips touched, a spark lighting inside of him that he thought had died long ago. His hand on her hip moved to the small of her back to pull her in closer, while her arms snaked around his neck, angling his head down to deepen the kiss. The faint sound of cheering entered his mind, but Ben wasn’t in the mood to care about that. Nothing else mattered in this moment but her.

His hand moved up, tangling in her hair as the kiss continued. He swiped his tongue across her lips, capturing her gasp as she opened her mouth to his. She pushed her chest against his, removing any space between them as her tongue caressed his in a gentle dance.

“Okay you two, get a room!”

Breaking away, he chuckled as he broke out into a wide smile. He opened his eyes to her awestruck face, his hand caressing her cheek one last time before releasing his tight hold on her, his hands falling to rest on her hips.

“Wow,” she huffed, a huge grin widening across her face.

“Wow is right,” he said in awe.

“Maybe Christmas isn’t so bad anymore,” she said tentatively. “I think I understand the magic now.”

“Me too,” he said, leaning forward to rest his forehead against hers. “We may have gone about this all backwards, but would it be okay if I got your number?” 

She pulled away, pursing her lips slightly as she thought. He gnawed nervously at his bottom lip, anxious for her response.

“How about this. You can have my number if you promise to take me on a date,” she stated, her cheeky tone he was growing fond of making an appearance once more.

“Just one?” he retorted, his eyebrows quirked in amusement. 

“For now. Just to test the waters, you know?”

He laughed. “Deal.”

She smiled sweetly, pushing up on her tippy toes to place a quick kiss on his cheek.

“Solo, I need you!” Hux called out.

“Hey!” complained Rose. “What happened to us being partners in crime this evening?”

“Babe, I’m sorry, but you are awful at this game.”

“Fine, girls against boys then. Rey, get your ass over here, or I swear to god.”

Rey turned to him with a mischievous smile. “So, Solo. Are you ready to get your ass kicked?”

“Fat chance, babe. You're speaking to the beer pong champion.”

She laughed a full belly laugh that echoed across the room. God, how could anyone not love her laugh? “Well, what are you waiting for Mr. Champion?”

He shot her a grin as they made their way across the room, both finding places on opposite sides. He settled in next to Hux, as the man set their cups into the proper position.

“You’re welcome.”

“Huh?”

“I said you’re welcome. The normal response to such a statement would be thank you, but I know that information is probably lost somewhere in the big brain of yours.”

“And why do I need to thank you?” he asked, genuinely confused with Hux’s intention. 

“For dragging you to this party. It was my idea, after all.”

He stood, confused at Hux’s statement. “I thought you didn’t want to be alone?”

“Ben, man, are you that naïve to believe I needed a wingman to support me at my girlfriend's party? Try again.”

“Wait, does this mean–”

“Rose, what the fuck?” he turned his head in Rey’s direction, utter disbelief across her features. Rose cackled as she leaned in to hug her friend. Of course, this was a set-up , he thought. Hux had only been pestering him to get back out there since the moment he knew Bazine was out of the picture. Normally, he’d be pissed about something like this. But he was having difficulties believing it wasn’t the best thing that could have ever happened to him.

His thoughts were halted as Hux slapped his back, his attention turning back to his friend. 

“It worked didn’t it?” he bragged before removing his hand, picking up the ping pong ball. “Let’s get this game started!”

He chanced a quick look at Rey, who met his gaze with mirth. She giggled slightly, shrugging her shoulders up in defeat. He mouthed a quick “Are you okay?” to her, concerned about her take of their friend’s meddling. But her returning smiling said it all, her affirmative nod as she turned back towards the game. 

He was happy for the first time in a long time, knowing there was something exciting to look forward to. All from a silly Christmas party invite, no less. 

Maybe the holidays weren’t going to be so bad from now on. As long as Rey was around, he could see Christmas being his favorite time of year.