Work Text:
A Beautiful Day to Play House
“Playing house” or “play grown-up” refers to a traditional game of role-playing where children often play out different dynamics of nuclear families. Children often model the behaviors of adults in their lives and available roles for playing house may include parents, children, family pets and small babies. Physical and imaginary props are optional.
“Bruh!” Ben exclaimed in a voice that convey both dismay and disapproval in equal measure as the younger man volleyed between looking down at the cursed piece of paper in his hand and looking at his childhood friend and cousin. “Bruhhh! How could you do this to … me?”
“I don’t understand. What? … How? … WHEN?” Ben continued to volley between the card and his cousin. The stammering was a clear evidence of a system overload with unwanted information.
Hux knew his cousin would take the news badly. Rose had warmed him in advance but he had reassured his fiancé that surely his own cousin, Ben Solo, would have more sense than others credited him for.
Alas, he lost this battle of goodwill. Hux learned quickly that he had given his cousin too much credits … as things were turning out.
“A simple congratulation would have sufficed, Ben,” Hux offered. “You’re acting like I’ve just committed a murder or something equally distasteful. The way you’re carrying on. People might get the wrong idea that I’ve betrayed you somehow.”
“But you have!” Ben added quickly gesturing to the card in his hand with his other free hand. “Dude!” Ben shouted, “What happened to bachelor for life, bro? I thought we said we’d never get married. Bros before hoes? Remember? Unbelievable! Unbeliev – ”
“Ben … listen … Ben!” Hux interjected, “That was before. When we were younger. We’re not in our twenties anymore, Ben. The whole frat life thing. I get it. It was fun. But I’m turning forty-one this year. Ben, I want a family and – I …”
“You have a family. I’m your family! Dude! What are you EVEN saying?”
“Ben, you’re not listening. I want a family of my own. A wife and maybe children one day.” Hux clarified and spoke slowly as if he was explaining a difficult concept to a very young child.
“Since when!!!” Ben asked. His voice incredulous.
“I’ve been thinking about it for a while now.” Hux shrugged and gave a terse reply. “People change, people grow. Even you.
“You’re sure this is the real deal? You’re not just playing house, are you?” Ben turned his still incredulous eyes on his cousin. “She didn’t force you into this mess, did she?”
“I appreciate your concern but please refrain from calling my engagement a ‘mess’ in future references. And no. Rose didn’t do anything of the sort. If you must know, it was my idea to get married. I proposed.”
“You … PRO – … ProPosed?”
“Yes, I proposed.”
“How did … I don’t … I didn’t … when did the relationship even start? Why did I not know?”
Hux let out a soft sigh but not without a tug of a smile remembering his courtship. “That a story for another time, cousin. I think you’ve handled quite a lot today. Anymore and your operating system might crash beyond repair.” He imagined something akin to the blue screen of death.
Hux patted Ben on the back for finally accepting his upcoming nuptial and the fact that their partying days were now numbered. Truth be told, he had grown tired of the partying scene for quite some years now but didn’t have the heart to tell Ben about it knowing that being out with people helped his cousin let off steam.
“How about another round of drinks?” Hux suggested as he got the attention of a barkeeper.
“Make it two,” Ben grumbled with his eyes transfixed on the wedding invitation. Now that he looked carefully he spotted a number of star wars symbols. They were subtle and small compared to the important information like the date, time, location and dress code. But noticeable if one looked hard enough. Ben could clearly make out Cloud City on the planet Bespin and several more.
Jesus Christ.
His cousin, Armitage Hux, was such a nerd and it appeared Rose Tico was one too.
In between his moping and nursing his drink, Ben fished out his phone and texted Rey, his work partner. She was a close friend of Rose and had probably seen the wedding invitation. Ironically, everyone called him Rey’s work husband.
They did almost everything together – on and off work.
But he wasn’t interested in marriage.
He didn’t think Rey was either so they both find the term hilarious.
Then a thought occurred to him – how much did Rey know about Hux and Rose’s relationship? She better not be a party to this grand scheme of deception AND betrayal.
But Rey and Rose were like BFF.
Damn …
Life is brutal bro … Ben acknowledged grimly.
A Few Hours Later
“How did it go?” Rose looked up from her tablet as Hux entered her apartment with the key she’d given him eight months prior.
Hux retrieved a bottle of cold beer from the fridge before plopping down on the hot pink couch in the common room. “As well as it could have been, I supposed?”
“That bad, huh?” Rose knew Ben well since they’ve worked together at the Alderaan and Sons law firm for ages. “He’ll come around to it soon enough.”
“You know. He said the funniest thing to me. Asked me if I was simply playing house with you,” Hux couldn’t suppress the urge to grin when recalling the circumstances surrounding his first attempt in asking his soon to be wife out for a date. “Then he had the audacity to ask if you were forcing me into marriage. Ha! If only he knew.”
Rose let out a soft laugh. “You need to tell the story in small bits. Ben might be shock at your courting skill especially how tenacious you were.”
“Tenacious? Now now … see here. I wouldn’t call my courtship tenacious.” Hux huffed and straightened his spine as he turned to face Rose. He pouted and Rose could tell he was being playful and needed her attention.
“Oh really? What would you call it then?”
“Romantic.”
It was Rose’s turn to beam him a smile. In a way, one could say that their courtship was romantic. Maybe more of a romantic comedy, if she was honest.
“The very first time you asked me out, you said that you knew an organic lunch spot and that I should go there with you because my brain’s function was declining fast with my poor personal choice of meals. Mind you, you saw me eating a quick service meal just the one time. How romantic of you, Armie.” Rose fought the urge to laugh but knew it would hurt Hux’s feeling. The man was a sensitive soul even though he put up an immovable and insufferable front.
“I was concern for your health. Naturally, it was a grand romantic gesture.” Hux crossed his arms across his chest and pursed his lips in a child-like pout.
This time Rose laughed out loud. She put down her tablet, got up from her seat and moved over to where her fiancé was sitting then settled down right next to him.
Rose reached one hand up to lightly pinch his cheek. She then placed a gentle kiss to placate his feeling. “No need to pout,” Rose cooed. “I can say it was romantic once I figured out what you were trying to do.”
“I thought I was pretty obvious about it.”
“Let’s just say … it’s obvious now.”
Hux couldn’t resist the temptation. Her soft body against his. Her faint floral perfume beckoned him. He leaned down, ready to kiss the love of his life when his phone rang and vibrated on the coffee table. He glanced down at the screen and saw that it was Ben calling.
Rose reached for his phone and Hux pulled back her hand. “Ignore it.”
The two lovebirds resumed their romantic moment with Hux lifting Rose onto his lap. Rose placed her hand on his cheek and she could see his affection for her in Hux’s pale green eyes. She basked in that love and leaned down to kiss him but before their lips could connect the intercom beeped loudly.
“Someone’s at the door, Armie.” Rose looked up in the direction of the intercom screen by the apartment’s front door and saw Ben Solo with a phone in one hand impatiently pressing the screen requesting to be buzzed in.
“Unbelievable.” Hux muttered. “What does he want now?” Hux asked no one in particular then sighed. “Let’s just ignore him. Pretend we’re not here.”
“I think you should go talk to him,” Rose suggested hoping that Hux would see the logic in it.
Hux heaved out another sigh. “You’re right. This better not be long.” Hux walked back to retrieve his phone before heading out the door of the high rise apartment.
“Be gentle with him,” Rose called out just before Hux stepped out. “Ben doesn’t understand our situation because he’s never been in love.”
Hux gave a curt nod. His cousin had never been in love. Now that he thought about it. Ben was always working and then partying after. Never had a serious girlfriend. He should really be patient with his cousin.
“Are you … could it be … are you saying that you love me?” Hux asked in a faux surprise with one hand over his heart.
“That’s why I’m marrying you, dumbass!” Rose threw a couch pillow in his direction and it hit the front door before landing on the floor as Hux quickly slipped out and shut the door close.
Rose could hear his booming laughter through the door and smile. There was absolutely no doubt that their life together would be the adventure of a lifetime.
Thinking back to their earlier conversation, what did Ben say to Hux again?
That the two of them were playing house?
Such a comical notion!
As if they were a pair of young children playing a game of make believe.
Rose walked over to the glass window of her apartment. It was a gorgeous early summer day with the sun shining and a bit of cloud scattered. She couldn’t ask for a nicer day.
And now that she really thought about it, in fact, it was a beautiful day to play house. But instead of make believe, this was no pretend play, but for real.
~fin~