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“You aren’t going to make me cluck like a chicken are you?” Rey asked worriedly.
Poe rolled his eyes. “Hypnosis is an art form, it’s certainly not to be used for such parlour tricks!”
“Then what are you going to do to me then?”
Poe smiled. “Relax! I’m still learning...all I’m going to do is put you under and then pull you straight back out again.”
Rey still looked apprehensive. “What if something goes wrong?”
“Ben is here,” Poe said reassuringly.
Rey glanced at Ben who sat at his desk studying and pointedly ignoring them. She wasn’t sure her roommate who hated her guts was going to be much use to her if she suddenly became trapped within the caverns of her own mind, in fact she was pretty sure he would probably just enjoy the peace it allowed him.
But Rey had agreed to help her friend with his extra credit project and Rey was the kind of sweet soul who always put her friends well-being ahead of her own.
She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. “Okay, do your worst.”
Poe started talking in a slow, calm voice. “You are walking through a meadow...you see a yellow flower. Go to the flower…you lean down to smell the sweet scent and you find yourself...falling...falling…now open your eyes!”
Rey opened her eyes and stared blankly. Poe clapped his hands with delight. “It worked! I can’t believe it worked. Okay Rey tell me your deepest, darkest secret…”
Rey opened her mouth slowly. “My deepest, darkest secret is...is…”
Poe leaned forward with interest.
“Is that I can’t be fucking hypnotised!” Rey said with a big grin.
Poe pouted. “You liar,” he muttered.
Rey laughed. “I’m the liar? What about you! What happened to ‘I'm just gonna put you under and pull you right back out!’ Ben is here, he saw the whole thing! He’s my witness! Aren’t you Ben?”
Silence.
“Ben?” Rey walked over to the chair that Ben was sitting on and waved her hand in front of his face. Her roommate didn’t even blink. Rey spun Ben’s chair so they were facing each other. “Ben?”
Still no response. Rey put a hand to her mouth. “Oh God, I think you broke him!”
“What?” Poe said, walking over to them and clicking his fingers in front of Ben. There was still no response. “Oh my…” he said.
“Snap him out of it!” Rey yelled.
Poe tapped his finger on his bottom lip thoughtfully. “Hold on a second...this could be useful…”
“What?” Rey raged. “No, don’t you dare! You get him out of this right now!”
“All in good time...first let’s just see what sort of secrets are floating around in the head of the most famously tight lipped student at Jakku University!”
“No!” Rey said and made a jump for Poe but her friend was quicker. He leaned in and whispered in Ben’s ear. “Ben, tell me what your deepest, darkest secret is.”
Rey froze. She didn’t want to hear this. She knew what the answer was going to be...that he hated her. He tried to hide it of course but Rey saw it in the way he barely glanced her way, the way he would roll his eyes whenever Rey said anything remotely flirtatious, the way he muttered “you’ll catch cold,” under his breath whenever Rey wore anything low cut or too tight… he winced as she waited for the words to come out of Ben’s mouth once and for all...
“I’m in love with Rey.”
Rey blinked. She couldn’t have heard that right. She looked at Poe who stared back at her with his mouth wide open.
“Did he...did he just say he loathed me?” Rey asked.
Poe shook his head slowly. “Ben repeat what you just said,” he instructed.
“I am in love with Rey.”
Rey crumpled to the floor and put a hand over her chest. “But...but...he hates me! He hates me! Everything I do annoys him!”
“Does Rey annoy you, Ben?” Poe asked.
Ben shook his head. “No. Rey never annoys me. I love her.”
“He means he loves me as a friend right?” Rey squeaked.
Poe turned to Ben once more. “Ben, do you love Rey as a friend?”
“No.”
“As more than a friend?”
“Yes.”
“Can you describe your feelings for him to me?”
“Mr Darcy to Elizabeth Bennett.”
“I’m sorry?” Poe spluttered. “I’m going to need you to elaborate…”
Ben let out an annoyed sigh. Rey had to hand it to Ben to still show his annoyance even whilst under hypnosis. “Mr Fitswillam Darcy loves Elizabeth Bennett in secret. She thought he hated her. He did not, just as I do not hate Rey. Rey loves pride and prejudice.”
“But Mr Darcy proposed marriage to Elizabeth Bennett, do you plan on proposing to Rey?” Poe asked.
“I have...considered it.”
“I can’t breathe...I can’t breathe…” Rey said as she rocked on the floor. Eventually her eyes lifted to meet Poe’s. “Ask him...ask him...how long…”
She trailed off but Poe nodded his understanding anyway. “Ben, how long have you felt this way?”
“Two years, three months, six days and approximately two hours.”
Rey’s mouth fell open, then she looked confused as she did some quick calculations in his head. “That’s...that’s not right. That's not the day we met...we met the first day we moved into this house together…”
Poe turned to Ben. “Ben, have you loved Rey since the day you two met?”
Ben shook his head. “From the first day I saw her.”
“He saw me before we met?” Rey asked in a small voice.
“Apparently…” Poe said, looking bored. “I’m losing interest in this…Ben, you will answer any questions Rey asks you, okay?”
Ben nodded.
Rey’s eyes widened. “I can’t…”
Poe waved a hand at her dismissively. “Yes you can, go ahead.”
Rey sat cross legged on the floor in front of Ben. “When did you first see me, Ben?” she asked.
“Getting out of your fridge on wheels at orientation. You were wearing a red t-shirt with Optimus prime on the front. I was not even aware they made such attire in adult sizes.”
Rey giggled at that. “Did you have any other thoughts about me?”
“You were beautiful. When you shielded your eyes from the sun, I wondered why the sun did not shield itself from your smile.”
Poe whistled. “Wow, our Ben is a true romantic, who knew?”
Rey was looking up at Ben with a dreamy look on her face. “I had no idea…I had no idea you felt this way. Why didn’t you tell me?”
Ben blinked. “Rey does not want to be tied down.”
Rey’s face fell. “I said that, didn't I?” she said in a small voice.
Ben nodded.
“Is that why you are so cold around me?”
“Yes...It is...self preservation.”
Rey’s heart crushed in her chest. “You feel you have to protect yourself from me?”
Ben nodded. “I am already in love with Rey but I have found that does not stop me from falling in love with Rey again and again. So I must maintain a safe distance.”
“Is that what you want?”
Ben shook his head. “No. But it is what is best.”
“Why?”
“Rey does not feel the same."
The room fell silent.
“I’m starting to feel weird about this…” Poe said.
Rey nodded. “We should wake him up,” then more forcefully she added. “You are not to breathe a word of this to anyone! If you do, I’ll destroy your precious model plane collection!”
Poe’s eyes widened in fear and he nodded violently. Rey moved aside so Poe could stand in front of Ben once more.
“You’re back in the meadow now, Ben…” he said as he pushed Ben’s chair back into place next to the desk. Rey returned to her original position. “You are going to wake up refreshed and with no memory of our conversation today…” Poe clapped and Ben immediately began to write as if nothing had happened. Then he looked up and saw Poe standing at his side. He blinked at him questioningly.
“Errr...there was a bug,” Poe mumbled, clapping his hands a few more times. Ben returned to his work.
“Well it looks like I can’t hypnotise anyone around here,” Poe said. “So I’ll be going now…” he headed for the door and mouthed the words, “Talk to him!” To Rey as he left.
Rey wiped her sweaty palms on her legs. “I knew he wouldn’t be able to do it,” she laughed awkwardly.
Ben didn’t respond.
Rey licked her lips and looked at Ben. She had always thought her roommate was the handsomest man on campus, at first, she had flirted outrageously with him but Ben never responded so she had backed off. She had assumed Ben was not interested but after a while she had begun to believe that Ben really hated her... how could she have been so wrong...
“Why are you staring at me?” Ben asked suddenly.
Rey jumped. “Was I? Sorry! Just lost in my thoughts I guess.”
“Mnnn…”
Ben did that a lot. That little Mnnn. It could mean a multitude of things...but Rey was the only one who knew the difference. This one meant ‘I don’t believe you, but I’m busy so I’ll let it slide.’ Rey smiled and her heart felt warm. She liked being the only one who knew the difference and...she liked Ben...she’d always liked Ben. He was a hot head but that never bothered Rey, she thought his temper tantrums were hilarious...and she liked being around him, loved being around him actually, in fact she sort of...loved Ben. Shit. When did that happen? She laughed out loud and Ben looked at her as if she was mad.
“Sorry Ben,” she said between giggles. “I just thought of something incredibly funny.”
“Childish,” Ben said and returned to his books.
Rey just smiled. You love me, Ben, and I’m going to make you admit it.
**********
One week later, Rey pouted at Poe over their lattes.
“He won’t admit it!” She whined. “I’ve tried everything, I even put on pride and prejudice in case it would inspire him to confess.”
“What happened?”
“He made me turn it off half way so he could watch the latest news report.”
Poe snorted. “I doubt he ever plans to tell you.”
“But why?”
“You heard him, he doesn’t think you feel the same.”
“But I do!” Then she covered her mouth as Poe’s eyes opened wide.
Poe beamed. “Well, well...but why?”
Rey shrugged. “I don’t know. I just...do. He’s handsome and clever and he’s caring in a very closed off sort of way. I always thought he hated me but now I can see the little things he does I never noticed before, like switching to buying the yogurts I like because he knows I’m gonna steal them and I always thought he was being passive-aggressive when he tidied up after me and folded up my clothes, but now I can see it’s his way of looking after me. He even polishes my flute for me.”
“So you want him to polish your flute on a more permanent basis for you?” Poe smirked, earning himself a sugar packet to the eye courtesy of Rey.
“I’m baring my soul here!” Rey shouted.
Poe rubbed his injured eye. “Why are you telling me this? Go tell him!”
Rey looked sheepish. “I’m afraid he won’t believe me or that he’ll think I’m making fun of him. Imagine if I told you out of the blue that I was in love with you?”
“I’d assume you were drunk.”
Rey nodded. “So you see my problem.”
Poe sighed. “It’s a shame I can’t hypnotize you in front of him and then you could confess...and then he would have to believe it and...why are you looking at me like that?”
Rey leaned over the table and kissed him on the forehead. “I knew we were friends for a reason! You’re a genius! Come by the house tomorrow at 2pm, that’s Ben’s study period.”
“But I can’t hypnosis you!” Poe said.
Rey grinned. “But we won’t tell Ben that.”
**********
The next day Poe arrived promptly at 2pm. “I’m here to try to hypnotise you again,” he said loudly. “I’ve been trying some new...erm...new techniques.”
Rey sighed as she ushered Poe into the room. “You can try….but it didn’t work last time and I’ll be astounded if it works this time!”
Rey sat down and closed her eyes. “Let’s get this farce over with then…” she said loudly.
“You will listen to my voice and only my voice. When I snap my fingers...you will be under my control...1...2...3!” Poe snapped his fingers and Rey opened her eyes.
“Rey, are you under my control?” Poe asked.
“Yes.”
Rey heard a chair scrape. “It worked?”
She couldn’t turn her head or she would give the game away but she knew Ben was now standing at her side.
“It did,” Poe said smugly.
“Bring her back,” Ben said with such concern in his voice that Rey felt her heart melt.
“I will, I will...I just want to ask her something first…”
“That was never the deal, last time you said you would bring her back immediately. Bring her back.”
Rey had never heard Ben say so much in such an emotion filled voice before. She fought the urge to rise from her seat and hug him reassuringly.
“After I ask the question…” Poe pressed. “Rey, what is your deepest, darkest secret?”
Rey heard Ben huff out a breath. “This is…”
Rey reacted as fast as she could. “I am in love with Ben.”
There was a small gasp…and then silence. “Why...why did she say that?” Ben asked eventually.
Poe shrugged. “I asked for her deepest, darkest secret. This must be it.”
“That cannot be true...she does not feel…”
Poe sighed. “Question her yourself, then. Rey? You will answer Ben’s questions now.”
Rey nodded.
All of a sudden Ben appeared in her view line. He looked...desperate. Rey fought hard to remain expressionless.
Ben took a few shaky breaths in. “Rey, why did you say you were in love with me?”
“Because it is the truth.”
“When? How? I don’t understand…”
“Since we met, but I did not know it until recently.”
“When you say you love me...do you mean as a friend or a brother?”
“No.”
“Then you mean….”
“I mean that I love Ben, I want to kiss Ben, hug Ben, be with Ben always and never be parted from him.”
Ben fell to the floor then. “This is...this is...too much. Bring her back. Please.”
Poe stood and talked to Rey once more. “You will wake at the sound of my fingers clicking and have no memory of this conversation...1….2...3!” Poe snapped again and Rey blinked and smiled. She looked down at Ben. “Are you okay?” She asked gently.
Ben stood up. “I need some air….” he said suddenly before disappearing out of the door.
“This time we’ve definitely broken him,” Poe announced and Rey put her head in her hands and groaned.
**********
It was very late when Ben returned. Rey was in bed. Not sleeping. Merely listening and waiting. When her bedroom door opened she closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep. She felt Ben sit down on the edge of her bed. Then she heard a deep sigh.
“I love you too,” he whispered.
Urgh. This wasn’t what Rey wanted. Not another one sided confession! Would they be doing this until the end of time? She opened his eyes and looked up at Ben who widened his eyes. “You’re awake…” he said shakily.
“And you’re in love with me...too?” Rey asked, sitting up.
Ben looked lost. “I…”
Rey closed the gap between them and pressed her lips to Ben’s, wrapping her arms around his neck and resisting the urge to climb into his lap. They would build up to that. When she pulled away she smiled at him.
Ben put his fingers to his lips. “It’s true...you do love me?” he asked.
Rey nodded. “I do.”
Ben hugged her fiercely, knocking the wind out of her lungs. Rey laughed and let him. “Ah Ben...what did you do to me? Did you hypnotise me into loving you?” she teased.
Ben looked guilty. “Rey, there’s something I must…”
Rey put a finger to Ben’s mouth and shook her head. “I don’t care how you found out about my feelings. I only care that you know they are real and you return them."
Ben smiled.
Rey cupped his cheeks. “I love you, Ben," she said happily.
“Mnnn," Ben replied as a blush crept over his cheeks and ears.
Rey smiled back at him because she knew that 'Mnnn’ meant I love you too, Rey.
***********