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It wasn’t the first argument they’d had about this, but somehow it felt like the worst. Maybe because they were going round and round in circles, in a way which struck a terrifying fear in Rey’s heart that this was destined to come crashing down.
It just shouldn’t be so difficult. All they wanted to do was spend a weekend together - but inevitably the Republic's cyber-security department demanded Rose work overtime, or Rey was assigned to some off-planet trip as a Jedi emissary, and they were caught grabbing sporadic weeknights where they had little time to do more than burn off the desperation for each other that had built up in the days in between.
“Look I - if it was anyone else asking. But it’s Leia,” Rey said, begging Rose to understand.
Rose pursed her lips, knowing there was no argument to that. Rey wold never say no to Leia.
For all the anger that Rey still carried at being asked to continue the legacy of the Jedi single-handedly, and the resentment she felt towards Luke for so callously abandoning her, she was unswervingly loyal to Leia. It was her alone Rey went to for training, for guidance, for someone to trust as she tried to navigate the unknown waters of her life after Batuu - and after the war.
Rose knew that - she knew Rey better than anyone. She was her best friend, she was part of her family, she was central to the fabric that held Rey’s life together. She was in love with her, and fighting as hard as Rey to stop their fragile new relationship from falling apart.
But still.
She knew Rose couldn’t help resent Leia for asking. Leia was barely involved with the Jedi herself, much more interested in educating young Coruscant scholars on diplomatic ideals that could maintain a long-lasting peace, or adventuring off around the galaxy with Captain Solo - so to Rose it felt a bit rich for her to expect Rey to leave the planet at a moment’s notice, to meet with an Outer Rim family about a Force-sensitive child they didn’t trust the Republic with.
“I’m sorry,” Rey said quietly.
“Don’t apologise,” Rose replied curtly.
“Sorry-”
Rose actually rolled her eyes at that, and they both laughed.
Then suddenly the tension was evaporating, and they moved towards each other instinctively, Rey’s arms encircling Rose protectively, and Rose’s hands resting on her waist.
“What are we doing wrong?” Rey asked sadly, letting the fears she held so close to her chest finally seep through.
“We’re not doing anything wrong,” Rose reassured her, letting her hand slide down to tangle their fingers together. “This is just part of our lives. We have a lot of demands on us.”
“But I want it to be easier.”
Rose laughed softly. “Then perhaps we should have chosen easier lives.”
That drew a small smile from Rey. “Maybe I’ll start being a mechanic full time. Stay here on Coruscant and come pick you up from work every evening.”
“You’d be bored within a week,” Rose teased. “Come on, you know I understand how important this is. You could never leave the Jedi completely.”
Rey pressed her lips together, a small frown darting across her forehead. Sometimes it felt so much like a trap, keeping her forever tied to something she had no choice in. But then - being a Jedi was woven into everything she was. When she was truly at one with the Force it lit her soul on fire.
Being a Jedi and being part of the Jedi were different things, however.
“It still feels like they ask too much of me,” Rey admitted.
Rose nodded, running a thumb over her fingers. “Sometimes I think they do. And - I know she has your best interests at heart, but Leia will always have a different idea of what best is.”
Rey’s frown deepened. If she couldn’t trust Leia, who could she trust?
“You think I shouldn’t go?”
“Do you want to go?”
Rey thought about it - sinking into herself for a moment to truly search her feelings. The pull was there, as always; the need to reach out to those like her and ensure that they could belong, in whatever way they wanted.
“I do,” Rey told her.
A small flicker of disappointment appeared in Rose’s eyes despite her determinedly supportive smile.
“Then you should,” Rose said simply.
“I - okay.”
“There’s not a catch.”
“Well, it feels like there’s a catch.”
Rose bit her lip, looking away as she tried to avoid another argument.
“Rose, honesty goes two ways.”
Her eyes snapped up to Rey’s again, looking slightly fiercer in a way that sent heat shooting down Rey’s spine.
“I am honestly trying to support you, because this is something you love, and I love you. However, I’d much rather you spend the weekend with me, in my apartment, and for most of it without clothes.”
Rose held her gaze stubbornly, with a tiny, stubborn quirk of her eyebrow. Rey’s entire body was on fire now, desire tingling through her and making the idea of spending the weekend doing anything other than that seem pretty impossible.
“Yeah,” she breathed, her mouth going dry.
“But,” Rose continued. “I think I can take a couple of days off next week. So perhaps then we can be a little more undisturbed.”
“Yes. Definitely. I’ll take some time off too - I can leave the shop. Yeah.”
Rose was smirking broadly now, looking slightly smug at Rey’s mind shuddering to a halt.
“Okay,” she said innocently, leaning up on her tiptoes to brush her lips against Rey’s.
Her arms tightened round Rose instantly, pulling them closer together as she let Rose push her lips apart, running her tongue temptingly between them. Rey let out a contented hum, opening her mouth eagerly to deepen the kiss, just as Rose’s hands tangled through her hair to pull her down. It set something spark in Rey’s veins at the knowledge that Rose needed her, no longer just as her friend, but that she felt the same insatiable desire as Rey did.
Rose moaned pitifully as Rey nibbled on her bottom lip, letting her hands travel down to Rey’s ass and pull them tightly together.
“Fuck,” Rey hissed.
“We’re wasting time,” Rose gasped, kissing her breathlessly as her hands began pushing urgently at Rey's hips. “This is how I’d much rather spend tonight.”
“Definitely,” Rey agreed - and then in one fell swoop she pulled Rose up into her arms, drawing a delirious giggle as Rose threw her legs around Rey’s waist and held tightly on as they kissed, stumbling clumsily towards the bedroom.