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Because Rey had unintentionally somehow caused, negotiated, and arranged Kylo Ren Ben Organa-Solo’s rise/fall to the light and the Resistance, she felt somewhat responsible for him. Especially when he was being threatened on a daily basis.
It had not been a smooth transition, while General Organa had welcomed her son back with open arms, and likewise Master Luke had easily accepted Ben as his apprentice once more, the rest of the base’s welcome was much cooler.
A week after the public announcement of Ben’s defection he had been jumped by a group of Resistance ground soldiers. He had managed to fight them off well enough, and had knocked one unconscious, but a solid blow to Ben’s head had made his memories hazy and impenetrable, even with Luke’s assistance. Identifying the rest had become difficult. When members of the base were questioned, several service members had gone silent, not wishing to sell out their companions. Some dared to suggest Ben’s treatment was justice. One brazen soldier insisted that Ben should be the one held accountable, for assaulting his fellow soldiers. Ben remembered him, but no others.
In her days on Jakku, when Rey felt like keeping justice herself, she’d sabotage someone’s scavenging efforts for a bit, not long enough to starve them, but enough to make a point. However, after attempting something similar on the base with those she and Master Luke suspected, she’d heard whispers that it had been Ben who’d been subtly rearranging sleeping quarters, shrinking clothes, and spitting in food rations and were planning another attack, she’d stopped.
Rey did her best to keep him from harm in other ways after that. In the mess hall she always made sure to sit within striking distance, should someone attack Ben while he was eating. She may not have been confident in her confused feelings concerning Ben either, but she wouldn’t let him be attacked while otherwise defenseless. She had the advantage of sensing his earnestness in his attempts to come to the light, and that needed to be rewarded, or at the very least, protected. Not stabbed in the back while drinking blue milk. He rarely spoke during their meals, but she could sense he was at least grateful for someone to watch his back and a chance to drop his guard a smidge. Rey couldn’t complain about the company either. She was used to eating in silence.
At one meal some pilots in training kept staring at the table. Ben was pointedly ignoring them, shoveling his food into his mouth at an alarming rate, while Rey tried to monitor the situation without being obvious.
One eventually dared speak loud enough to be heard. “The only reason he’s even alive is because he had valuable information.” The pilot raised his voice, “General Organa doesn’t even want him back, the murderer.”
Rey sensed Ben’s anger spike. Before she could act, he stood up abruptly and he began talking in clipped tones, “Would you like to join us?” he said, gesturing to the empty seats around them, his smile artificially wide as to look threatening. “There’s plenty of room. And we could use some good, honorable company. You could join us for training afterward as well.” Ben gestured to Rey. “We love company."
Rey glared at the soldiers.
The soldiers nearly tripped over themselves walking away.
Ben smirked and retook his seat.
Rey merely raised an eyebrow.
“They can’t complain,” Ben explained still smiling, a small private grin. Rey had to admit she hadn’t seen him smile like this before, and she found herself thinking that was a shame. “I merely invited them to eat with us.
“Brilliant,” she mumbled, turning back to her plate.
“My mother was a politician before she was a general,” Ben pointed out. “I was raised in the art of double-talk.”
Rey couldn’t help but giggle. As Ben turned back to his meal, Rey couldn’t help but notice his face was red with what she assumed was exertion.
When Ben and Rey had been dismissed from training in the early evening it was raining lightly.
Without thinking Rey followed the path she often took when it rained. She had never seen rain on Jakku. The first time she had seen rain it had surprised her, but she inevitably stepped out into the rain.
It was magical. Each droplet of water felt like a new experience, each sliding down its own individual path across her skin. She loved experiencing the different kinds of rain as well. From light mists to what Poe called “torrential down pours” to everything in between. She wanted to be in them all. To run and dance and play in it all. She’d never been able to be so carefree, so often on Jakku even in the rare showers she worked, and so she tried to make the most of it.
Now every time it rained, Rey wandered the base and the surrounding areas in a trance. She supposed it was her own form of meditation. She let the Force guide her as she wandered outside of the base, taking her where she needed to be.
Rey was a good walk away from the base when she realized she was being followed. She glanced over her shoulder briefly to see Kylo Ben following her, his dark cloak pulled over his head. She stopped and turned around fully. “Can I help you?” She asked, trying to not sound accusing, but most likely failing.
“What are you doing?” His voice was harsh but judging by his wince unintentionally so.
“Going for a walk,” she answered, as if the answer were plainly obvious. When he continued to stare at her confused, she continued, “I do this all the time.”
“Why hasn’t anyone ever stopped you?”
Rey frowned. “Stopped me?” She asked, crossing her arms across her chest. “Why would they?”
Ben approached her, stopping a few feet away. “You’ll get sick if you keep wandering around like this. Didn’t anyone warn you?” Rey shook her head. He rolled his eyes at this. “Figures.” He moved to step closer to her, but then stopped himself. His eyes scanned her form, seemingly searching for something. “Just make sure you dry off well and get warm when you go inside, you should be fine.”
“Alright,” Rey said with a small nod. Ben made no movement. “Was there something else you needed?”
“I…” He began, stilted. “I know what you’re doing.” He ran his fingers through his hair roughly. “Sitting with me, in the mess hall.” He took a deep, centering breath. “Thank you.”
Rey must have misheard. “What?”
“I appreciate being able to eat meals in peace,” Ben elaborated. “And I know I’m not the most welcoming person to spend time with.” He smirked. “To put it lightly.”
Rey felt herself smiling in spite of herself. “You’re not so bad. I don’t mind the silence.” Rey shrugged. “And when you do talk, it’s pretty entertaining.” Rey nodded. “Better than the company on Jakku, at least.”
Ben looked away sheepishly. “Still, thanks.” Rey accepted his words with a small nod. Ben started to turn after that.
“Do you want to come with me?” Rey asked suddenly. Ben’s head snapped back to hers, his face confused. “I’m just going for a walk, you’re welcome to join me.”
Ben paused for a moment, confusion sweeping across his face, before he squared his shoulders. “I would.”
Rey grinned suddenly. “Unless you’re afraid of getting sick. Or are you afraid of a little water?”
Ben smirked in spite of himself, it seemed. “I won’t get sick.” His hands grasped the edges of his cloak and held them in front of himself. “I’ll stay dry.”
“Is that so?” Rey asked with a grin.
Ben stepped backward. “You’re up to something.”
“Am I?” Rey asked innocently enough.
“I can sense it,” He stated confidently. “Although anyone could figure that out, force or not.”
Rey decided it was now or never. “Think fast!” she shouted. Rey used the force to pull down the hood of his cloak while she took off in the opposite direction. At his indignant shout, she dared a glance back at him. He was already chasing her.
Eventually, Ben and his longer legs caught up. Unfortunately right at that moment, Rey’s foot hit a muddy patch. She felt herself begin to fall, and before she could attempt to catch herself, she knocked into Ben. Both worked quickly to right themselves, but the ensuing slipping and overcorrections, caused both Jedi apprentices to fall into the mud.
Rey began to giggle uncontrollably. Ben shook his head and mumbled, “This isn’t funny.” Rey wanted to stop giggling, truly, but when she looked at his face, there was a stripe of mud across it, mirroring the scar on his face perfectly. She erupted into giggles once more. Ben tried to pout, honest. However he eventually began to chuckle. “You’re ridiculous.”
Rey reached one hand up to wipe away the mud. “There,” she said after she wiped his face clean, “much better now.”
“I’d offer the same for you,” he began. He raised his hands, both completely covered in thick mud. “But somehow I don’t think it would be the same.” Rey sensed a slight deception. “But since you got us into this mess…” His hands raised and before she could attempt to stop him she found her face cupped by two, large, muddy hands.
Rey retaliated quickly, using the force to push Ben flat on his back into the mud. Rey felt a brief moment of triumph before she found herself pulled into the mud as well. She managed to shift her trajectory, a touch, and collapsed across Ben’s chest.
Both Jedi apprentices collapsed further into the mud in a fit of laughter. Rey couldn’t help staring at his face again. His smile was truly beautiful.
Rey’s mind wandered to the last time they had found themselves in a similar position. Before Rey had learned more about the force, she’d have called it a chance meeting. They had both been sent out on missions by their masters, and had met. Neither had any support or way to contact help. The urge to fight him was there, certainly, but she sensed inner conflict. Still, both had pulled out their lightsabers automatically.
It had been an unusual fight, both pushing less than they ever had, even in training. Half-hearted and confused until Kylo Ren had dropped to the ground, without her ever landing a blow. She knew, absolutely then, that any hold the dark side had once held was gone. He needn’t have begun a long, confused speech, apologizing and blaming himself. The only thing to shut him up, and quiet her nerves and the odd floods of emotion was to drop down on her knees as well. Before either truly knew what was happening they had found themselves holding each other close. Almost as if the Force was guiding them.
As Rey’s thoughts drifted to the present, she glanced up at Ben’s face. He was much more centered and at peace now than she had ever seen him before. She crawled further up his body, so their eyes were at the same level.
After a moment’s hesitation she lowered her head toward his. Ben rose to meet her, his lips pressing against hers. At first it was just a simple brush of lips but when Ben’s fingers curled against her jaw, she melted against him.
Ben’s lips were surprisingly soft, gentle too. His lips moved, hesitantly, against hers. After more kisses Ben pulled away slightly, his eyes studied her face intently. Rey blushed. “What?”
“Just thinking about all the places I’d kiss you, if you weren’t…well,” he gestured to her face. “You know.”
“You mean, if you hadn’t smeared mud all over my face,” Rey filled in.
“Mistakes were made,” Ben admitted. As Rey moved to climb off of him, he tightened his arms around her. “But not this.” He kissed her again. “Never this,” he whispered against her lips.
Rey and Kylo kissed happily in the mud for what felt like forever. As the rain let up, the two parted once more. “You should start walking with me,” Rey said with a smile, climbing off of him. She offered him a hand to help pull Ben to standing. Once he was up right she continued. “I’d like it if you did.”
Ben smiled almost shyly. “I’d like that too.” He took her hand again as they slowly made their way back to the base. “I’m not sure if your friends will like it though.”
“They’ll get used to it eventually,” Rey assured him. “Give them time.” She turned his face up to him. “Give us time.”
Ben nodded. “That sounds wise, for now.” They walked slowly back to base in companionable silence. When the base came into sight, he pulled her close and kissed what must have been a clean patch on her forehead. “Now get yourself cleaned and dried off.”
Rey crossed her arms and considered him for a moment, before heading toward her quarters. “See you at dinner?” she called over her shoulder.
“Only if you shower,” he called back.
“I should say the same to you!”
“I don’t need telling.”
Rey skipped back to her room, feeling lighter than she had ever felt.