Archive of Our Own

Armitage rearranged the bundle of flowers again. He made note to delicately press the end of the petals to curve towards the outer glass of the vase. Fretting about this minute detail would not make a difference. Rose was coming over for a night of fun, a night of friendship, just friends. She had recently broken up with Finn. Her distraught was evident in the conversation they had the previous night. As her best friend, Armitage was prepared to be the shoulder she cried on. It was a role he had become accustomed to. Ben continuously belittled his decision to abstain from developing their relationship forward. Armitage wanted to respect Rose’s period of mourning for the on and off again relationship she developed with her ex. It would be foolish of him to encourage a romantic affection in their acquaintance when she had given him no indication, she thought of him a sexual or romantic way. Ben was ignorant of to his friends particularly grueling predicament. It was hard for Armitage to stay friends with a woman so pretty and unattainable.

Satisfied with his creation, he stepped back to admire the bouquet of morning glories. Its beautifully dyed petals were kissed with gradients of lilac that fell into royal blues. Armitage blushed remembering the comment the flower girl had said when he purchased them. “Your girlfriend is one lucky woman.”

He had to bite his cheek from correcting her, enjoying the delusion that Rose was his. “Thank you.” Armitage said instead, quickly taking the flowers and leaving embarrassed.

He took a deep breath, letting the calming smell from his living room mist resonate through his body. Clean linen. His home smell like clean linen. It was the only aroma he could tolerate without feeling sick. Rose had convinced him to buy the diffuser during her passionate intrigue with holistic medicine. Luckily for their friends involved it lasted a few weeks before she found a new topic too gain her interest. The smell surrounding him, put him at ease. Everything was sterile and clean, just the way he liked everything in his home to be. Everything that wasn't Rose. Rose Tico was a whirlwind of a woman.

He had first met Rose at a local bar where she accosted him with questions about his hair color and other inappropriate places it might appear at. Disgruntled and disturbed he couldn't enjoy a peaceful night at the bar with Solo, Hux had immediately been rude to the brunette. As soon as he declined to give her an iota of information, he said he was with a friend. “Oh, that friend over there?” Rose pointed to a table of her associate's as low and behold Benjamin Solo with sweet talking some freckled woman.

“Yes” was his curt reply.

“Well pal looks like it's just you and me tonight or tomorrow night if you're free?” After his initial shock, Armitage gave the mouthy thing his number as entertainment for himself. It turned out Rose had been dared by her friend Kaydel to ask him out but never used the phrase “can I get your number”. She called him the next day to apologize for her drunken behavior and ask if out for to an apology lunch. Mulling over his options, Armitage had agreed. Soon their lunch dates grew in dinner date which grew into a friendship. One night, while eating take out on her couch with Hux messaging her feet, Rose had confessed the real reason she approached him. Her and Finn had broken up and she was feeling needy. He had assured her she needn’t feel that way around him , he was here to help her to her heart’s desire. The megawatt smile she’d given him that night stayed plastered in his brain long after the night memories faded.

Yet again, Rose had called upon Armitage in her hour of need. Finn had called their relationship off. Or was it Rose this time? He had a hard time keeping track of the changing reason in the three years he’d known her. He patted his sweaty hands off his pants. He needed to relax.

White oblong title resting right behind his door gave way to plush beige carpet as he walked away from his dining room table to his living room. The space was homey, clean. He’d neatly decorated the gigantic honey wood television stand with an assortment of books ranging in topics from medical miracles to muscle cars. The lone plant, Rey had given him for his birthday lay on the coffee table in front of the stand, wilted and probably dead. He kept meaning to throw it but the look offended glare he would obtain from Rey halted his progress every time.

A cherry oak stand stood beside the television to the left where it housed his pride and joy. Encased in the most delicate cared glass was his record player. It was the only thing of substance he got from his old man that he could not bring himself to sell. Underneath the encasement was a two shelved vinyl library. Armitage prided himself on enjoying classical music and jazz. The newer contemporary sounds never quite molded to his ear like the greats did. He opened his old cabinet filled to the brim with vinyl records. Each one was a masterpiece and artistry in composition, even the pop saturated one’s Rose had gotten him for Christmas were shockingly well versed. The Last Stroke of Midnight by Dizzy Gillespie was carefully placed down on the turntable before the soothing ambiance of trumpets filled his apartment.

He went to sit on his black leather couch, sinking into the cushions. All around him, the jazz enthusiast emotion swirled about the atmosphere. He closed his eyes, ignoring the light down the hallway past his entertainment system that he left on. Slow molasses melodies picked up vibrated along his skin as he got into the mood. Playing these jazz records was the best way to help Rose decompress. She’d generally frown, scrunching up her nose before humming to the instrumentals and making up words. Armitage would always ignore her until she insisted, he dance with her like they did in the old Hollywood films. Feeling her body close his radiating heat was one of his favorite moments of their nights together. If home was a feeling, holding Rose would be it.

Every time no matter the circumstance, he would debate telling her his feelings while holding her close. Some other selfish commentary would weave together with his admission and he’d have to discard the idea completely. When enough time had passed, Armitage would ruminate on asking Rose out as more than a friend. Until that point in time, he was happy to be in her life.

That thematic orchestra of the First Order, a traveling symphony he was enthralled with, popped up on his phone signaling a notification. Armitage got up to grab the device hoping it would be from Rose. Much to his delight it was.  

“Call me” was all that it read. Dread filled his stomach with worry. Was Rose okay? In trouble? Sometimes she would cancel if she caught a fever from a coworker, but he wished that were not the case. Nervous, Armitage picked up the phone dialing the only contact with an emoji beside it.

It rang twice before a sweet, feminine voice answered “Armie?”

“Rose.”

“Oh, thank stars you answered.” she sighed, her voice drowned out by the background. He could hear people laughing and talking. The clock on the wall said it was 15 minutes before she was supposed to arrive at his place. Perhaps she was at the grocery store buying her favorite wine, Haysian Merore.

“Of course, I would. I am expecting you. What was your text about?”

“I ummmm,’ Shuffling was heard then a sigh, ‘I feel like such a jerk but I'm going to have to rain check on our A.R night.” A.R nights were the cute abbreviation Rose used to call their scheduled hang outs.

Armitage furrowed his brow, “What do you mean? Why?”

“So don't be mad.”

“Why would I b-”

“Finn invited me to a comedy show and I just have to go!” Finn. Of course, it was Finn. Every few months to a year Rose and Finn would break up. She would claim it was a last time they would break up but that permanent marker she drew in the sand was washable. Their pattern began the same way every time. They would break things off until he contacted her. Rose would lie about it for weeks to Armitage and their friends until she stopped pretending and reconciled with her ex. Finn would take her back and they would start the nasty process all over again.

“Rose, we talked about this. You have been unattached to Finn for only two weeks.”

“I know. I know. And I promise I won’t sleep with him. I just really really wanted to see this comedian Jar Jar Binks. You know how funny I think he is.” She chuckled.

“I do.” Armitage sighed. “Is there any way I could convince you this is a bad idea?”

“I’m a grown woman, Armie. I know how to handle my impulses.”

Not very well laid on the tip of his tongue. “Okay. But you must make it up to me.”

Rose squealed on the other line. “You’re the best Armie. If I was next to you, I’d kiss you! Thanks for understanding. Bye!”

She hung up quickly before he could recover from the imagery of her soft petal lips pressed against his cheek. Armitage groaned, burying his head in his hands. No! Not again! Rose continuously left him for Finn, and he continued to endure this pain. His heart thundered in his chest, aching at the rush of panic she provided him. How could she not know that he wanted her? She was all he thought about.

Yet like a sailor falling prey, once Finn sung his sirens song Rose went running, he thought bitterly. Entering his sparse kitchen made him feel a tad better. The stainless-steel refrigerator gleamed from its position in the corner. Beside it, his gas stove with four burners shined, the black metal a char finished he picked himself. Rose had laughed at him when he proudly displayed his new stove. “You can’t be proud of a stove top, Armie. The food that comes out of it should be the pinnacle of your kitchen, not how it looks.” He recalled smirking before serving her a dinner fit for a queen, which she was. At least she was in his eyes.

The half wall inside his kitchen overlooked the circular dining room table, its place-mats and cutlery still set for a guest who wasn’t going to arrive. Sitting dead center were the bouquet he brought this afternoon. Those stupid morning glories lay in pristine order, waiting to be beheld for their beauty. “You and me, both.” Armitage sighed, pulling the wine he brought for their special night from the fridge. It wouldn’t need to chill anymore since Rose wasn’t coming. Or breathe, he thought, yanking the cork off and watching it ricochet off his ceiling. Tiny white flakes rained down on his clean kitchen counter, sprinkling the tinted stone in a snow of white. Armitage debated grabbing a wine glass like a civilized person but tonight he felt like anything but. Rose had yet again reduced him to the cowardly lion he was. The sweet taste of the Haysian Merore dropped straight to his stomach as he took a gulp for air. This stuff was disgusting! Every time he would fool himself into thinking his taste palate had changed but it never did. Rose drank it like water giggling when she’d notice his scrunched face. “Oh, you big ginger. Just drink your Arkanesian whiskey, we both know it’ll make you happier and the night more aggregable.”

Her twinkling smile over that damn glass of alcohol steered him to take another taste. It was gross and vile. The whole thing tasted like sugary water. He had run out of his favorite whiskey last week, so he took another swig and another until he stopped remembering what it was originally supposed to taste like. Vader’s March rang throughout the apartment as he blinked slowly. Where was that noise coming from?

Struggling to get up, Armitage stumbled into his living room. What was that noise? Why was it familiar? His phone buzzed on the table, the light from the call screen reminding him of the sound. Right! Vader’s March was the tune he used whenever Benjamin would call him. He scrambled to grab the contraption, fumbling with the sliding answer button.

“Hello?” He crocked, falling onto his couch.

“Hey, Hux. I know you and Rose are doing your friend night thing, but Rey made too much pasta…again.”

“It wasn’t too much. The recipe said five pounds.” A stern voice yelled in the background.

“Pft- I doubt it described pasta in pounds, babe.” Ben chortled.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about Solo.” Rey’s voice became louder as she got to the receiver. “Tell Rosie we have more than enough food for the both of you, so don’t let her order from Cobalt Squad. I know their Chinese food is good but we’re up to our eyeballs in spaghetti.”

“Ugh, tell her yourself.” Armitage huffed, placing one arm across his eyes.

“Just put her on speaker, silly.” Rey laughed.

“I would If I could but I can’t so I shan’t.” He muttered, rolling over on his side. The alcohol was coursing through his body rapidly. Perhaps he should order some food.

“What does that mean?”

“It means-” He began.

“It means lover-boy got stood up. Let me guess, Finn?” Ben answered.

“No.”

“No?”

“No, I am not her lover-boy. Yes, it was Finn using the pretense of comedy to get into her pants.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, Red.” Rey commented. “Come over now and we’ll feed you dinner.”

“No thanks.”

“Armitage Hux if you don’t come over now, I will be forced to take drastic measures.”

“What does that even mean?”

“It means, dipshit that my fiancé is coming across the hall to whip your ass if you don’t show up in the next ten minutes.” Ben laughed.

“I’ll accept my fate.” He groaned, laying in fetal position.

“It’s your funeral.”

“Or as they say in my family. A party” Armitage dryly responded.

Ben sighed on the other line. “Look man. It sucks. We all want what’s best for Rose and that clearly isn’t Finn but you gotta move on. How long you been pining for her, huh?”

“Not long.”

“Ever since you met her. You’re a terrible liar, Hux. Come on over to me and Rey’s. We’ll help you finish off that bottle I know you’re drowning yourself in.”

“Fine.” He chuffed, hitting the end button as soon as Ben’s chuckle started to come through. Armitage hated this side of him. The one that told him he was stupid to open his heart for Rose. He should have never accepted her phone number that night, then he wouldn’t be in this predicament. A wave of vertigo hit him as he sat up, moaning into his hands for a semblance of relief. He might have drunk more than he imagined. Dry heaving until the room stopped spinning, he stood up, ready to leave his apartment. While a night watching Ben and Rey cuddle was the least appealing thing in his mind, it would be beneficial to not be alone. Armitage traveled to his front door, grabbing his keys, a sweater, and a pair of shoes. He luckily did not have to walk far to get to his friend’s place. They conveniently lived two doors down from him.

The bottle which hadn’t left the grip of his hand slipped between his fingers before he caught it quickly. What should have been an easy maneuver sober became twice as difficult as he straightened back up focusing on the gentle sway of the room. His head pounded. The room was slowly bending at the edges of his vision. He might need some food soon.

His stomach growled in agreeance. Yes, food would do. Even if it was Rey’s cooking he’d have to endure. Closing the door, he mused about the petite freckled face woman. She was a remarkably horrendous cook when Ben first met her. Even the water she boiled tasted bad, but gradually after years of patience and the medical miracle of an iron stomach, the great black beast of a man was swaying her to food that could be considered edible.

Armitage stopped at the auburn-colored door with the crooked brass chipped numbers 231 nailed above the peephole. His fingers itched to fix it every time he showed up. Rose would always playfully push at his shoulder and giggle, telling him he was a perfectionist. And she was perfection, he’d nearly blurted in a moment of weakness.

Blinking again, his corneas adjusted to the blinding light coming from the opened doorway. Benjamin stood in the entrance, looming over the slightly shifting fluorescence.  “You look like shit.”

“So, it matches the smell.” He quipped, walking past the behemoth of a man. Tonight’s spaghetti had an oregano scent. It almost made his mouth water.

Ben shut the door behind them, letting Hux’s eyes adjust to bright luminescence. “Did you buy out a lamp store, Shit Solo!” Armitage groaned, wiping his eyes while still seeing flashes of lights.

“Calm down, you whiny ginger. I’ll adjust the brightness, so it doesn’t affect ‘his royal highness’ vision.”

“I resent that.” Armitage growled, still blinking away the fading, waving, ultraviolet rays from his field of vision.

“Course you do.” Ben muttered, walking further into the apartment. As soon as Armitage vision cleared, he noticed the change in scenery. Last time he was in their apartment had been for a game night the Solo’s hosted. The tan cotton couch now faced their floor to ceiling window feature wall. If one could see the window. In front of it sat multiple plastic and glass stands, each holding a different variation of flowers. Some were roses, dandelions, daisies, hollyhocks, Rey had everything. He even spotted a bundle of morning glories just sitting in a undesirable basin, their color rich and vibrant.

To the left of the flowers on the adjacent wall stood Ben’s pride and joy. His flat screen television. Guess somethings never change.

“General, you’re here!” Rey cried, popping out from the other side of the room. She was mixing something faintly brown in a bowl. She came from the right, around the corner where he knew to there was a fully stocked kitchen. The appliances in their kitchen had also been changed to higher tech and better brands after Rey discovered the joys of making terrible food.

Armitage smirked, placing his hands behind his back. The bottle clicked against his knuckles. He tried not to flinch. “Scavenger, I’ve found you again.”

“Yes, yes you did.” Rey chuckled, her eyes crinkling at the edges in joy. This was a little game they played. Whenever him and Rey would meet, she would call him General, and he’d call her Scavenger. It steamed from their online stat characters when they both played the Galaxy Wars RPG games. Funny enough, his and Rey’s guild ran across each other a lot, but they never knew it until Ben met her in real life. It annoyed Ben to no end that they kept the banter going. In fact, it was one of the reasons Armitage kept participating.

“Ugh, will you two give it up already?” Ben groaned.

“Oh, I’m sorry, Supreme Leader. I didn’t hear you objecting last night when we used these roles.” Rey snidely remarked, throwing heated glances at her fiancé.

Ben’s whole face redden as he ran a hand through his hair. “That was different.” He grumbled.

“As great as this dinner has been, I think I’ve just lost my appetite.” Armitage stated, turning on his heel as best he could in his inebriated state.

“Ah, ah ah. No, you don’t. You came over here for dinner and that is what you shall have.” Rey laughed, grabbing his shoulder and dragging him to the kitchen.

“I’ll see you later, Supreme Leader.” She giggled, winking at her boyfriend.

His face was still blotchy, not making eye contact with Armitage as he was ushered into the dragon’s lair.

Inside the kitchen was a mess of pots and pans. “I thought you said you were making spaghetti Rey, not a four-course meal.”

“Yeah, well cooking is hard, Armitage. Not all of us learned how to boil lobster at the age of two.” She sassily placed her hands on her hips.

“It was five actually, know your culture Scavenger.” He mockingly sniffed at her after taking another swing from the lukewarm wine bottle.

“Give-give me that!” Rey sighed, trying to snatch the offending object out of his hands.

“Nope, too high.” He chucked, waving it above his head. Rey was taller than the average female but that didn’t mean she could grab the bottle.

“Give-me-the-bottle, Armitage!” She huffed, jumping up and down as he laughed.

“Fine.” She stood glaring at him. “I’ll just call Rose and she’ll straighten you out.” She started searching her messy countertop for a hint of her phone.

“No, don’t call her. I told her I expressly trust her not to sleep with Finn and…” his voice trailed off as he realized Rey had snatched the bottle from his waving hands.

“HA! Got you.” She chuckled, sticking he tongue out.

“That was very tricky. Well done.” He sarcastically clapped, leaning against the door frame.

“I had the best teacher in town.” She jokingly curtsied.

“So, Armitage…” she began, her voice somber as she dumps at least a pound of noodles into a colander in the sink.

“Rey, that won’t hold that-”

The steam wafted through the kitchen dousing his eyes in a cloud of opaque grey. He heard Rey cough twice before her silhouette could be made out. He wheezed, waiting for the steam to clear. “Thanks for trying to kill us.”

“Hey, at least I’m trying to do something, unlike you.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Why are you afraid to call Rosie?”

“I’m not.” He stated defensively.

“Yes, you are.” Rey glared, hands on her hips again. Spaghetti and fettuccine noodles crawled about like tentacles trying to escape the sink.

“I do not know what you mean.”

“I mean,’ She rolled her eyes, ‘You and Rose always make plans after she breaks up with Finn and she always shows up for them. On the rare occasion she doesn’t’, you drink until you can’t think about her anymore.”

He held her eyes, not wanting to lose this fight but the intensity behind those challenging hazel voids get to him. He glanced away.  “That isn’t the always the case.”

“But it does happen. More often than you think.”

Armitage let the uncomfortable silence deafen in his ears. Instead of responding, he squinted to the overwhelming number of noodles littering the sink.

“You really should give up cooking.”

“You’re deflecting.”

“I am… not.” His voice wavered. He was avoiding the topic at hand and they both knew it. Rose was special to him; he did not want to ruin anything by admitting he had feelings for her. She was so intelligent; they would spend hours conversing about the beginnings of the universe down to microorganism and anything in between. Those topics didn’t even cover the ones she really loved, which was to tinker with things. Whenever he got her on a roll about restructuring some piece of mechanics, she would blabber incessantly for ages. He would sit back and watch the light hue of caramel light up inside her eyes. They sparkled like an anime character. It was enthralling to see the passion so deeply embedded in her body that her iris would shimmer and shine like the sun eclipsing the Earth. Getting lost in the rhythm and excitement of Rose Tico was one of his favorite parts about being around her.

Rey sighed. “Armitage, why are you still pining after Rose? Why-why haven’t you told her?”

He breathed deeply before answering, knowing this would be the one and only time he’d be honest about his emotions. “Because she is my friend. She’s a brilliant engineer and a damn good mechanic. She lights up the whole world with everything she touches. She is a tender rose growing in a valley of shrubs. I admit I feel lost around her when it comes to emotions. How am I supposed to compete with Finn? He is a weed that rots and wraps around her thorns, never hurting her but killing her from the inside out. And she had yet to see it. We all know she hasn’t. So, I, being of sound mind and conscience will stand beside her in this metaphorical garden as the nourishing dirt to dry her tears whenever Finn stops his advances. I am here for Rose today, tomorrow and for however long she will have me. Please, Rey don’t make this harder than it needs to be. We all know Rose doesn’t see me in a romantic light. It is fine, I have accepted that as my penitence for the sins of my youth. Let me wallow in my filth till I can no longer embrace it.” He answered, defeated beyond compare. Rose really was the woman he wanted but if she didn’t want him as more than a friend, then so be it. He’d made his bed and now he shall lie in it, alone.

Rey stared at him for a beat, the silence uncomfortable after his fervent confession. Her eyebrow twitched before wrinkled hazel iris came together and a puff came from her cherry lips. She began to laugh at him. Affronted by her behavior, Armitage put up his walls. Rey was rude! One shouldn’t be laughed at for delivering their feelings. He was becoming angrier the longer Rey’s boisterous laugh became louder. “I can see that my feelings are humorous to you! Good to know I am the preverbal clown for your amusement.” He huffed, hands balling into fist. Armitage turned around, ready to stomp out of this god forsaken carnival house when a small hand wrapped around his wrist.

“No, I, wait, pfft. Hux.” Rey stumbled, still catching her breath between chuffs of laughter.

“I will not stay here and be belittled by a-”

“Are you always this daft?” She chuckled, wiping a tear from her eye.

“I-” He floundered, confused.

“Rose is into you too, you big dumb idiot.”

“She is not. I’d ask you kindly not to repeat slanderous-”

“She is too, but you rejected her.” Rey snickered, stepping away from Hux to grab bowls.

“I rejected her? What earthly lunacy have you been-”

“You did.” Rey twittered. “Thanks for that. I haven’t laughed like that in a while.”

“I’m glad my emotions can be comedic bouts of jest for you.”

“Come now, General. You know I didn’t mean it. Here take this to Ben.” She stated thrusting two bowls of brown, crumbled, unidentified meat covered over assortments of noodles in his hands.

“Rey, I don’t-”

“Out. Go to the living room. I’ll explain.”

Put out and perturbed, he walked back to the living room where Ben sat on the floor, leaning beside the couch as he enjoyed an old war documentary about his favorite war director, Darth Vader.

“Here’s your stupid meal.” Armitage huffed, throwing both bowls down. The spoons inside of them clattered as they hit the refurbished ash wood coffee table.

“I take it the conversation went well?” The other man smirked, not even hesitating before eating the brown mush that was supposed to be spaghetti.

“Indeed.” Armitage hummed, grabbing a chair from their forgotten dining room table near the front door and placing it in front of the tv.

“Oh, come on Armitage. You know I didn’t mean to laugh at you, right?” Rey said, walking into the room with her own monstrosity of food creation. Her hand glided past Ben’s shoulder as she sat down on the couch. Ben easily slotted his body between her waiting legs, the both of them becoming comfortable before directing their attention back to Armitage.

“It is rather hard to feel inclined to that belief when you are being ridiculed.”

“Oh, you’re such a baby.” She huffed through a mouthful of food.

Armitage reluctantly grabbed the bowl left for him on the table, sniffing it before trying a bite. The whole sauce tasted like chili, with some semblance of ground beef and… sugar? “What in god’s name is this?”

“Spaghetti.” Rey answered calmly. “Oh no, rigatoni? Ben what was I going for again?”

“Food” “Edible.” Both men answered as the dark-haired man shoved more of the contents into his mouth. His eyes barely left the television screen now that the volume had been lowered and subtitles thrown on.

“Ignore him.” Rey gestured, running an absent-minded hand through her fiancé’s hair. “It’s Darth Vader this and Darth Vader that. Such a fan boy.”

“You don’t understand. His military tactile genius was-”

“I know babe.” Rey giggled, leaning over his frame to kiss his forehead. Armitage grimaced, taking another portion of the sugary chili in his bowl. His eyes landed on the basket of morning glories again, right in front of his vantage point.

“I brought morning glories this morning for Rose. As if she would have noticed.”

“Oh, course she would have. The girl is crazy about you.” He didn’t realize he said that statement out loud.

“I am a friend nothing more. Do not make me out to be a fool, Rey.”

“Hey, remember that night we out drinking, and Rose got so shit faced she couldn’t see straight?”

“Yes.” He countered, “She insisted I was the only one who could take her home. On the cab ride back to her apartment, she snuggled next to me in the backseat.” He smiled, remembering the way her soft curves fit against the length of his side. He had been drinking as well but felt honored Rose would entrust him with her life and wellbeing.

“Well, that night, she hit on you, didn’t she?”

Soft petal lips had pressed against his, moving and demanding he open his mouth more. Her tongue was like a snake ready to spring into action as the hands about his neck pulled him closer to her. Armitage closed his eyes, enjoying the taste of her. This was dream come true. She moaned into his mouth, uneven nails, scraping through his hair as he awkwardly bent over her bed. His shaking hands rested on her shoulders afraid to move. She was like heaven in the body of a goddess. Her breath was wet and warm and vibrating about him as she moaned again into their kiss. Her tongue tasted like tequila and Corellian brandy and Exegol ale, and… alcohol. Begrudgingly he pulled back, listening to her whimper of disapproval. This wasn’t real. She didn’t want this. The Rose he knew wouldn’t kiss him with so much passion when she was sober. He was just filling in for Finn, yet again. Tampering down his emotions, Armitage retracted from his best friend, regretting every step he took away from her. Rose wasn’t thinking straight. She as clearly intoxicated. He was taking advantage of her. Cold dread filed his mind as she pleaded for him to come back in her warm embrace.

“I can’t Rose. You’re not sober and I’m not drunk. I won’t risk our friendship for a mistake. I’m so sorry.” He had backed out in the room, immediately opting to sleep on her couch. He needed time away from her to think. Once it became dawn, he checked on her sleeping figure glad to see her sound asleep. He had left her apartment letting that night become a haunting memory of what could have been.

“How do you know about that night?”

“Duh, she told me. You should have seen her the day after.” Rey paused cursing silently. “She would kill me if you knew this, but she told me she was coming on to you because the moment felt right. Your rejection hurt her so bad she figured she wouldn’t bring it up. It was clear you only saw her as a friend.”

“What? I was extremely nervous she thought I was taking advantage of her drunken state and she regretted that moment entirely.”

“Yeah, no. That’s not what happen.” Rey laughed.

“Look Hux, you’re a smart guy. I’ll never say otherwise but you’ve been an idiot about Rose. Rey is right. I’ve caught her checking you out a couple of times. Why do you think she gets so clingy when you start a new relationship?” Ben interrupted.

“I suppose I chalked it up to the mini quarrels she had with Finn. I generally fill in those gaps of time for her solace.”

“Exactly. You two are essential a couple without the title.”

“I-I never thought of it that way.” Armitage marveled, examining his relationship with Rose in a new light. They did spend every waking moment they could together. He held her bags, she was his plus one to any of his fathers’ dreadful events, they talked on the phone, conversed all the time, she even insisted he go shopping with her. All the things they did together, it was a wonder he never noticed the signs before. The only thing they hadn’t done was be physically intimate. His cheeks flamed at the thought of being able to touch Rose. In his mind he tried hard not to objectify her or her body. She was his friend first and a crush second but now, if what Ben and Rey were saying was true, that could easily change.

He sighed. “Alas, time is never on my side for matters of the heart. She has already turned back into the arms of her beloved.”

Ben snorted. “You always gotta be the dramatic one. Rose is using Finn for sex. S.E.X. that’s it. Anything else intimate she needs she gets from you. Stop being a bitch and just tell her how you feel.”

“What Ben is trying to say,’ Rey rolled her eyes, ‘is to be honest with Rose. The reason she isn’t working out with Finn is because she already has a boyfriend and that’s you. She’ll appreciate knowing your feelings in the long run.”

“If you say so.” He glanced down at his now empty bowl of food. Since when did that happen? He supposed Rey’s cooking wasn’t as atrocious as he remembered.

 “Though I will contest to everyone that we had this conversation.”

“Of course.” Rey grinned. “Babe, will you get me more, please?” She batted her lashes.

“Anything for you.” Ben smiled back, pausing his documentary and getting up.

Armitage watched the man walk out of the room, letting the atmosphere descend into silence. “Rey, I-”

Just then the Imperial March blared from his phone. “I think I know who that is.” Rey sang.

Fumbling for his back pocket, Armitage quickly answered the call, glaring at Rey as he got up to go toward the front door for more privacy.

“Armitage Hux.”

“Armie?” Rose’s watery voice began.

“Yes?” He breathlessly answered.

“Can I come over?” He pulled the phone from his ear. It was practically midnight.

“Sure, you can.”

“Okay.” She sniffled. “Finn didn’t want to see Jar Jar. He just wanted to get into my pants.” She choked, “I feel like such a fool and don’t want to go home just yet.”

His heart ached at the sadness in her voice. “How far away are you?”

“Five, maybe ten minutes max.” She sniffled.

“Then I’ll be waiting.”

“I’m not…disrupting anything am I?” Her voice sounded so sad.

“No, in fact you just made my evening more enjoyable.”

“Okay, Love ya Armie.”

“Love you too.” He responded, knowing the dial tone on the other end meant she couldn’t hear him.

Armitage stood in Ben and Rey’s doorway for a minute. If Rose came over tonight, would he tell her how he felt? The ache in chest increased. He had a lot to muse over before she got to his place and he had to do it fast. Grabbing his shoes, he quickly began to lace them up.

“That was Rose?” Rey inquired, smirking.

“It was.”

“And she’s coming over?”

“She is.” He hastily answered, checking to make sure he had everything.

“You won’t escape me next time Scavenger.” He playfully growled.

“Well see about that, General.” Rey jokingly saluted finishing up their fun game.

Armitage grabbed for the doorknob, elation in his heart. Perhaps tonight would be his night.

“Go, already. I’ll tell Ben what happened.”

“Thanks for tonight.”

“For a cruel General you have your moments of kindness. Now go get your mechanic.”

He grinned, opening the doorway to step out, “Oh I will Scavenger. I will.” And with that he left, ready to embrace whatever came next.