Chapter Text
“Please do not make me do this, Finn.” Rey pleads, knowing full well that her fellow anchor man is rather ill, holed up once again in the lavatory.
“I wouldn’t ask you to do it if I had anyone else,” he replies dragging both of his hands down his exasperated face.
Finn Trooper, Rey set director, is all out of options. With all of his meteorologists, reporting on the three major storms on collision course that could no doubt cause the perfect storm, he finds himself too short handed not to push Rey into the spotlight.
Rey Johnson, however, usually just reads the news from the prompter, story by story until the weather segment. That and sports seem to be the only times she can have a moment without flapping her jaw. Sure, they were usually the shortest stories, highlighting who won their games if the Olympics weren’t on, but today the news centers itself around these massive storms, speculating what type of trouble they’re in for flash flooding and who would be getting impressive accumulations of snow.
There were idiots in the broadcast trying to call it the storm of the century. The map models made it her dirty mind swell with laughter. In about sixty percent of them, the satellite figured out that there would most literally be a deep red, swollen, cock shaped storm coming together before their eyes. Multiple times she offered to sensor it, but it wasn’t until they referenced the slide showing the cooling air temperatures, dipping far down in the states from Canada. It over took the red mass all the way to the hilt, looking even more like some raunchy play on graffiti found in a bar bathroom stall. The shape of the storm still prominent in shape as it shows the pale pink saved for the heaviest snow fall.
It’s not like she hasn’t seen accumulation maps before, or how horrendous their animations were. Really, there does need to be an update so that it looks more fluid all together. There’s just something about the way the numbers cover the underlying surface map that just tickles her insides.
Maybe it does exist, but one thing is for sure, channel seven is just too cheep to buy it, which brings her to her most pressing problem. Her fits of giggles. It’s the honest truth when she owns up to having dick on the brain. Every mention of a penis is funny. It shouldn’t be. Really, she should be far more mature being late into her twenties, but God it doesn’t seem to matter at all.
People were meant to laugh, right?
“I literally don’t have anyone else,” Finn says dropping his hands to his sides. “Commercial break ends in ninety seconds, please Rey. Don’t make us go dark.”
—-
Of course she didn’t let them go dark. That would be irresponsible. Rey’s work ethics outweighed every discomfort she ever felt, making her commit to every god awful shift the station could provide. This circumstance was no exception. This storm would be the death of her, she was sure of it.
If Finn didn’t mean anything to her, Rey would have walked right out and never looked back, but this...this had to be handled. “Back in,” the count down from fifteen dramatically changing their dynamic.
“Fiiiiine.... Fine, fine, fine, fine, fine,” Rey grumbles back to her post, sitting now in the center of the desk. She reintroduces herself and the sudden shift in the staff before getting right into the day’s updated stories. Nothing terribly out of the ordinary until the prompters starts spewing out the most ludicrous garbage she’s ever read.
Barely channeling her composure, blush sweeps quickly over her cheeks. The heat of that plus the lamps above her makes her want to disappear. “That can’t possibly be what’s written there,” she looks straight through the camera as a warning to the production crew. “Change it,” she tries to control her bubbling laughter. Rey proceeds to burry her face in her hands.
Dead air is somehow worse than she expects. Unable to feel the circulation of the air around her, makes her hyperventilate. She did not work three jobs for a chance at this position just to choke on a cock shaped storm.
Rey Johnson could handle this. Terribly wicked grin and all, she would figure out a way to do it live. Unbeknownst to her, her segment is during a global news cast. Finn, stationed behind the set is having the worst panic attack of his life. This surely followed the one Kaydel and Jessika put him through three months ago, interviewing a local chef. The girls were absolutely ravenous, unable to take small bites and chew through their segment’s questions.
“Where the fuck is Andrew?” Rey turns her head to mask herself from the camera, muttering into the microphone. She knew full well that if anyone got a hold of her mouthing off, it would be the end of her career. She adds to her semiprivate tantrum, saying, “You can eat shit if this is some public humiliation but you’re doing to get back at me for my refusal.”
As she finishes she flashes a grand smile to those sitting and waiting for the update at home. Whoever was home had the right idea. It was a disaster, devastating everything in its path as it climbed into the north east. The storm’s mass, now spreading over Mount Pocono, left no options to back out now.
Rey did her best to rattle of information about the storm, cracking awful smirks each time she had to use an open hand to explain the erratic movement of the shifting storms. Many times, she found herself clearing her throat, and trying to be serious. People were being effected but this, but Goddamnit if their wind gusting animation didn’t tickle her sideways.
The remainder of her lozenge flew from her splattering spit onto the green screen behind her. Without a second thought, she swore, trying to wipe it clean. It was her undoing. Channel seven’s interactive twitter account exploded with memes of Rey rubbing the head of the storm. So many flashed up with unfortunate shots of her mouth hanging open first in mid gasp after she spit, and then again in shock that such a reaction occurred.
No sooner did she see it, did the map change and so did her initial shock. If the Internet wanted to play, she’d play!
———
There didn’t seem to be a soul out there that didn’t see her broadcast or watch as the station claimed to be having technical difficulties. It was there that she’d been fired for her loose descriptions of Pennsylvania “legitimately getting fucked in the arse,” to quote just one of the many things she said.
To put it simply, she reported on the coupled storm, which morphed it’s name from Tara, Ulmer, and Vivian, to William. Of course they fucking picked William,so she could slip up during her tantrum calling it Willie. Which happened, a lot. It wasn’t particularly fair to fire her for words, but she’d opt for the most colorful.
By the time Andrew returned she had been packing up her heels, and reaching for her waterproof Timberlands instead. Going out to deal with this beast has her wondering if she’s even going to make it to Poe’s without getting stuck somewhere.
Rey has only been out in the Poconos for the last few years. Hardly enough time to specifically know her surroundings. Snow and ice can be relentless at times, flooding can be a damned surprise but the elevation and saturated ground could be a damned nightmare. Mudslides were no laughing matter, even if a monster dick sized storm threatened to take out their surroundings. Rey groans as she braves the current downpour with her cardboard box in hand, trying to make it out to the car without falling victim to another hidden pothole.
All of a sudden laughing at the image on the screen felt less amusing, especially being pelted with freezing cold, marble sized rain droplets. Her removal from the station wasn’t private either. Those who braved the storm, got fresh licks, testing Rey with every moment she spent outside her car door.
It felt oddly like she was just being released from jail, which she, thankfully had no experience with.
——-
Her long time buddy, Poe Dameron, was up to his ears in one-liners that put any teenager to shame.
“No wait. No wait,” his lungs seized in laughter. “So you’re telling me Willie came in Mount Poconos?...”
Rey waves him off, taking another swig of her apple cider, “Technically, he hasn’t come yet...” Her tone was impossibly calm while Poe doubles over.
Rey clears her throat, finally able to give the forecast the way it was showing up on the prompter. “...frigid air from the north will plummet as far south as Virginia. Once the low connects with Willie’s length, it’s over,” she shrugs, repeating the notation about the rain. “Freezing temperatures may result in a recession, pulling the storm backwards,” Rey completes the sweeping motion with her hands. Following closely with a strained massaging movement around the curve of what once was Vivian, “but strong winds from behind the storm will be shoving Willie deep within the arctic blast. Expect coming changes to be drastic. A mixture of wet precipitation will be brief. All road ways covered, will be slick, changing to snow fall; it will be heavy at times for all of the area. If you can avoid going out, stay in.”
Poe can’t contain himself, asking, who wrote it.
“I don’t know. It doesn’t seem so bad now, I guess. But having to interact with that huge, angry red, dick shaped storm on the green screen, and my choice words for Andrew, got me fired.” Rey relives the torture this evening.
“Well, I know something that might make you feel better,” Poe offers.
“If this is another dick joke, you can go eat one,” she huffs through a laugh, watching Poe’s face morph from caring friend to silly pubescent teen again.
The set up was there, she walked right into it, “That’s what she said,” he replied, trying to stand before she swat at him again.
The dip in pressure was beginning to be obvious now. While the rain still poured, it was only a matter of time before it all changed to ice and snow. As the two pulled into Poe’s family lot, Rey smiled. Only a few plows remained, which meant the entire fleet was out, stationed in their places, waiting for the shift.
“So, how about it?” He looks around at the lot and then back to her. “Want to help me clean this creampi—“
“Oh my God, shut up, Poe!” Rey interrupts.
———-
Andrew and the rest of channel seven’s nightly news broadcast came to a close earlier than usual due to numbers alone. Most of the Poconos lost power and the rest were expected to use what they had to continue their own preparations in the event that they too, lost power. Finn himself delivered the last message, requesting that everyone stay off the roadways and not to venture out unless it was absolutely necessary to. He gave one final statement about listening to the radio for important updates, and finally apologizing on behalf of Rey Johnson, who was overwhelmed today. “Our Rey did not mean to offend anyone, anywhere with her choice of language today. She was simply just overworked today, and nothing seemed to go right for her at all. My name is Finn Trooper and on behalf of Rey Johnson and all of us on news channel seven, we wish you a Happy New Years Eve, and goodnight.”
Finn still stood stock still for a few more minutes as he was counted out and the red glow from the camera’s power light had gone out. With a quick turn of his wrist he looked down at his watch. Eleven. William was now in the transition period, on the verge of threatening everyone who stayed with sleeping in the tiny studio. It wasn’t like it hadn’t been done before, but with the impending wind gusts predicted all throughout, it made more sense to try to get home.
It seemed like the staff heard his every thought because by the time he looked up only Ben Solo was left shutting down his monitors. He curled his lips in on themselves as if he was holding back a comment. Chewing first on the chapped skin on his upper lip, then switching for the bottom, before slinging his book bag over his shoulder. Neither men had to comment about the weather. There were enough throughout the night. Instead, Ben looks at Finn and asks, “Do you need a ride?”
Finn can’t seem to look away from the set remembering how his best friend lost her mind during the broadcast just two hours ago. “Uh...yeah. I’d...I’d appreciate that. Thanks Solo,” Finn agrees, sending out a quick text to Rey. He shuts off the lights, locking the door behind them. The tiny awning over the door barely covers the both of them as the turn. The guys plan out their course of action, making note of all of the potholes that are deep enough to drown stray cats in, all the way to his Durango.
Managing to miss all of the potholes from maneuvering experience alone, both men hop in, shaking the ice pellets from their collars as they do. Ben starts the engine while Finn goes through his phone, calling first Rose, then Rey and finally Poe letting them know that he’s in his way home.
Finn and Rose live a whopping forty five minutes from the station in the opposite direction from Ben’s, which begs the question...why did he even offer? Assuming it was the inclement weather wrenching the railway’s schedule, Finn let it go. That is until he asked. Ben asked about Rey. The two had an odd relationship to say the least. Ben would take coffee orders and purposely come back with an orange juice or some mixed concoction he could say was the special brew that day. He seemed to just like getting a rise out of her. It was painfully obvious, too, how much he wanted to hang around her too. The man was stricken, but never managed to get it right. Rey was no better. Retaliation games were what she was into, flipping the images on his monitor, releasing the pin on his chair so he couldn’t prop it back up, and always eating the white frosted portion of his black and white cookie he had every Friday. It used to drive him insane. But now? Now he had nothing. Rey is gone and so is their silly little relationship.
Finn’s left to wonder if he ever did get her phone number, that he declared he needed a few years back after she leaned into him on set. “Just heard from Rey,” he offers. Ben’s complexion seems to lighten, interested in anything he has to say. “She’s our with Poe. Salting, I think. Maybe trying to keep her mind off things, but at least we’ll be safe right?”
Ben can only nod thinking he should have really kept her safe. He didn’t think she would actually be fired for his stunt with the prompter. He just really liked watching her laugh. When she did, she could light up the room. God, they would never need a generator again when she beamed. When Rey smiled, the world smiled with her. It was such a joy to be around her too. She always had this way about her that made people gravitate to her. It didn’t help him much that their little rivalry came between his attempts to ask her out. That didn’t help at all.
Ben remembers when he met her four years ago at the Dameron and Son’s cook out. Usually, he wouldn’t be caught dead around Poe’s entire family gatherings, even if it was a company promotion. They were a boisterous group, who had a thing for karaoke, and nothing was off limits. He shakes his head at the memory of getting in on the shenanigans, and being called out after. Christ, he could not possibly find a reason to blow them off though—he’d used so many excuses, even saying once that his cat died. He didn’t even have a cat!
He can remember the first time he’d seen her as if it was yesterday. By early afternoon, it was cool and overcast. Evidence of rainfall that had past in the hours before had only looked as if they spritzed the ground. Some leaves carried small puddles of drops as well, being actually something he took a picture of with his phone. He had been so intrigued by the way the water beaded instead of pooled even though the leaf looked entirely too saturated to possibly hold it together as an orb like it did. It was things like that he believed we more worth his time. Obviously different. Rare even.
When he was satisfied with the pictures, he stood looking a bit awkward waiting to see anyone he knew that wasn’t preoccupied with anyone else. Ben, being taller than everyone there, stuck out like a sore thumb, trying to walk around casually as they welcomed others in.
“Hey, Poe!” He heard a woman’s voice ring out from behind him. He swiveled around looking for her, but saw nothing. Poe didn’t seem to respond either, which made him wonder if he heard anything at all. But then an awfully loud truck’s horn sounded making him jump. It was enough to make him drop his phone right into the tiny puddle he had been photographing.
“Well, shit,” he muttered to himself. Thankfully there were no scratches, or water damage, being that it really wasn’t a sizable amount of water that he dropped it into. Still, he scowled in the direction of the blast, to see the most beautiful woman swing open a salt spreader’s door. Ben was sure the sky opened up for her, painting each strand of her hair in golden light.
The girl looked tiny popping out from the doorway itself. The truck aiding in dwarfing her. He watches in awe as she jumped out of it, hitting the pavement gracefully, as if she was always meant to handle heavy machinery. Dressed casually in baggy jeans, timberlands, and a saggy t-shirt, she looked like she could practically own them.
She hung her keys off the latch on her belt loop, her ear held a small pencil, her left back pocket had folded piece of paper sticking up from it, and he watched, unable to look away as she grabbed a tennis ball out of the chest of her shirt. As she walked he watched her bounce it on the ground next to her like it was nothing.it never strayed once, that is, until she whipped it at Poe. It was a stellar shot, if he did say so himself, even if he was already looking to take her side.
The yellow tennis ball slammed into his rear end making him jump. “What?!” whined his olive complexioned friend. Poe was known to tan considerably in the summer, even out there in the Poconos with them. By fall the toasty color would wash off of him like marker ink, still leaving a healthy glow that Ben was somewhat jealous of. Every woman he was ever interested in, didn’t seem to like that he could basically reflect light, and every other cosmetic incompetence they could cut him down from.
But this girl just seemed different. Maybe it was just wishful thinking as she was too beautiful not to commit to memory. A few times he shushed his inner voice from telling him to take her picture as he did the leaf. But that was wrong, and the way that she took out Poe’s ass cheek, had him worried about his own appendages. Instead, he did his best to just remember.
They had some sort of discrepancy about the truck, and a few other things she wanted resolved off of her list instead of being out there in the lot with them jacking off. He had to talk to her, even if it meant making a fool out of himself. He could handle being laughed at by her. Only her though.
Making it possibly less awkward, he decided on grabbing a couple of waters before making his way across the lot, to the fleet of spreaders and plows for the town.
The Dameron’s started their own business in plowing back before Poe was born. His father always believed in filling the need, and the Poconos need was a steady plow crew keeping the roadways safe during storms. At times, rivals would come along looking to take a claim, only to be bought out and liquidated into his company. It was smart really; this way he could keep a tab on everyone.
He remembers her curious look as he walks all the way into her personal space. How she was ready to end him if he stared any longer without speaking. It was fair. But when he introduced himself and offered water instead of beer, she seemed to relax.
Her tone was set to sweet and kind, not the cocky little thing she was being with Poe. Rey.... her name is Rey. His mind excitedly excepted, repeating it a hundred times over as his body hummed with excitement that she was even talking to him.
As the day progressed, he revealed his work as a meteorologist, behind the scenes, of course. And then that he worked with Andrew Snoke on Channel Seven. She seemed to curl in her lips at that, not particularly favoring him.
“Is the man always so full of himself? Or is it a gimmick for the show?”
Ben, certainly not being asked that one before, asked her to clarify.
“Is he like that all the time, acting like he’s doing some heavy lifting or something, ‘getting down into it,’ when there’s some weather anomaly happening? The man rolls up his sleeves every time he’s asked a question, basically, like he is physically removing snow as he speaks about the amounts fallen—like he’s changing anything for the world around him, when you know that man barely lifts a pencil for himself.” She repeats a recent broadcast, with practiced pronunciation. She seemed to really know a thing or two about it all. And the more she spoke, the more he surely heard angels singing.
There had to be a way where he could see her every day...and that’s when electricity zapped his brain, confirming the most wonderful thought. It fumbled out of his mouth before he could stop it, offering her a job if she wanted it... he reassured her that he’d have to check, but knew an anchor was retiring. All he had to do was talk to the right people and she could work with him —them...
Finn interrupts Ben asking if he’s alright about ten minutes from their destination. Feeling bad about ignoring him that whole way, Ben thinks to ask about his back up plans. “If you loose power, do you have a generator?”
Finn modded, “Bought it the second storm we were here for. Works like a charm.”
“Do you need any tanks? We can stop.”
“Thanks, but Rose handled it. She’s crazy into all of that ‘end of the world’ stocking. I might not know the taste of anything but pickles and beans for a few days, but we’ll be fine,” Finn laughs. “How about you? You know you can stay with us if you’d like.”
“Oh it’s ok. I couldn’t impose...”
“You’re not imposing if I’m offering Ben.”
“It’s... it’s okay, really. I think I’m just going to head home and relax. Start a fire maybe.” Try to call Rey, think about her... apologize. Maybe lose her forever. Die inside...
He can only see the painful image of her flipping off the prompter as she left the building with her things in hand.
“Alright man, don’t be a stranger. Call if you need someone,” he opened his door, as Ben parked in front of his home. “Stay safe, man.”
“Oh. Yes, okay. Thanks.” Ben did his best to reply. “You too.”
Ben’s drive back is just awful. He’s spun out multiple times since leaving Finn’s, which he believed was karma. William was fucking him sideways until his Durango slipped far enough into a ditch where he stayed for a couple hours trying to shovel himself out.
His body screamed at him both physical activity, even though he was well trained, and from the awful cold. Having only a half tank of gas left, he did the only thing he could. He reached out to call someone.
Poe picked up after a few rings, “‘Ello?”
“Poe! It’s Ben Solo.”
“Oh! Solo!”
Ben rolled his eyes. Poe loved making fun of his last name. “Hey. Yeah. Listen, I’m stuck in a ditch on 314 close to the manor. Do you have anyone in route?
“Uh...” his sound of thoughtfulness had held on for a while before his information popped up. “Yep, Yeah... a truck is about ten minutes from you. Sit tight okay?”
“Yeah. Okay, thanks man.” Ben replies just knowing he’ll have to go to the next gathering.
———
The snow came down in inches, it felt like. Usually, snow at night made Ben happy. It was peaceful, but not tonight, since it swallowed him and his stupid pride whole when Rey pulled up with her toe truck labeled, ‘sunshine’. It was white, with golden lettering, a chrome bed in the back and a bright red plow mounted in the front. When she stopped and their eyes met, she beamed, “Hi, Ben.”
Ben’s whole world stopped. One could even speculate that the snow stopped too. He watched as she patted the seat asking him if he’d get in and warm up while she hooked up his vehicle. He did. Rey lines up her truck with his and popped out into the snow like a little snow bunny. He couldn’t help but want to watch. Turning to look out of the back window, he caught her in action already hooking up his SUV to the ramp and guiding it back up on to the bed. He wonders for a second why she ever came with him. Why she stopped doing this since she clearly had it down.
Just as the thought materialized, she did too. Popping the door open, she climbed in offering her thermo mug to him, “this one has soup. There’s a standing tray of them in blue actually, behind your seat, if you wanted tea or something, take red and a teabag is in the glove compartment. Sorry no coffee,” she said, pulling it into drive.
Ben tried to take it all in. Her little setup had him wondering how efficient she really was. “How do you keep it heated?” he asks.
She points to the USB and cord running under his seat back to the tray. “It doesn’t get too hot but it’s warm enough to enjoy. There are sandwiches in the cooler behind me too. I never know how long I’ll be out, especially with this storm,” she shrugs. “You’re welcome to it if you’re hungry.”
Poe’s voice comes through the radio calling for her. Rey grabs the walkie, pressing the button firmly, asking him to repeat himself.
“Did you find Solo?”
“Yeah, he’s with me.”
“Good. Good. Hey, Solo!” Poe shouts, expecting Ben to respond. When he does, Poe continues, “Hey, so on these long runs we do a lot of karaoke...” he lets that sit thickly in the air, long enough for Rey’s smile to creep all the way across her face.
She mouths, “You sing?”
He knows his face is brighter than her plow, responding with a sigh, covering his face with both hands, he reply’s with a nod.
“Oh you have to honor me with at least one. You are in my truck after all. It’s only fair.”
“Your truck? Isn’t it Poe’s company?”
“He bought mine before the cook out... when I met you, actually. He’s been kind enough to let me keep ‘Sunshine’. She’s not much, but she’s all the power I need to get through these shifts.”
“You...you don’t sound mad that you were just fired not even three hours ago. Did you not like working with m—at the station?” He couldn’t help but feel wounded by it but she really did just get dropped only to spring back up like it was nothing.
Rey sighed loudly. Her whole body hunched as they drove off into the night. She pushed down the lever for the plow to start pushing off the new layer of snow to the side of the roadway, and finally answered. “I did like working with you. It was fun. Different. And I’ve always liked the weather... but if I’m really being honest with myself, I know I didn’t belong there. Dressed like some fancy model, sitting behind a desk... inside all the time,” she snorts. “We’re inside right now... but I’m sure you know what I mean.”
Ben nods, offering directions to his home. He looks at her console, specifically for the time seeing its 1:30am on New Years Day. He supposed it was corny to ask since he was sure she was out plowing, but it came out, “So what did you guys do for the count down?”
Rey automatically smirked. “I blew my horn and flashed my lights; big celebration out here you know.”
Ben hummed a laugh, to which he caught her beaming at him again. “I got stuck in the ditch... so I think you’re having a better time.”
“Well, no. Now it is. Because I have someone to start it with,” she started. “So thanks for getting stuck,” Rey smiled out towards the road.
If he didn’t feel humbled before, he certainly did now. All Ben could say was thank you, and even that didn’t sound like enough. His hands started to sweat and his mouth went dry trying to think of anything else to say. “Shit, we missed the turn,” he mutters.
“I really shouldn’t back up. Is there another way?” Rey asks politely.
“Um... yeah, it’s about a mile up that way. A right.”
“Okay,” she nods, reassuring him that it’s really fine.
Silence lasts only about a minute or two when Poe complains through her walkie that she hasn’t been listening. “No overtime if you don’t join in, Rey—-“
“That’s illegal—“ she retorted.
“Come on! I made this hit list for you. Put 88.9 on and let’s go already! You missed Chewie trying to sing ‘Danza Kuduro’ you know your boy can’t handle his Latino music...”
Ben faded out from the conversation when Poe called some other guy ‘her boy’. It is his fault really. She is the most attractive person he knew in every aspect, and he still never jumped the hurtle. He wanted to. So many times he wanted the chance, and when it was given to him, he chickened out.
“Alright, alright! Pushy are we? What’s so important about this list anyways?” he heard her ask.
“It just, you know, goes with your broadcast...” Poe cackles, and Ben blushes furiously, extremely thankful for the dark cabin.
“How bad is it?” she asks and steadies herself with the wheel.
“Come on—“ Poe jokes with her. “Not that—-“
“You know anyone scrolling through can hear your channel right?” she it him off. “I have the whole world, that now, I’m almost certain, I never want to know, laughing at me.”
“You were fucking hilarious. Do you know how many people must have thought the same thing? Rey.. I’m telling you—you have a following. Some whiny punk ass bitches complaining about feminism and shit, I’m sure, but who ever can’t take a dick joke can suck a bag.” He sighs at her silence. “Come on. Just have fun with us tonight. Who cares about later? You work for me, and I say fuck ‘em.”
He was right, she thought. “Alright, al—“
“Yes! Party’s on boys!” he called through the radio. Whoops and whistles sounded as she rounded the turn towards Ben’s house.
The nearer they got, Ben could see his time with her ending. The music was just as ludicrous as his script was, if not worse, and she took all of it in stride, laughing to tears at one point. Ben took the opportunity to ask her if she has any resolutions, knowing full well that he’s like her to be his.
“Well. No actually. I just Ry to take one day at a time... you?” she asks rolling up to his house to a full stop.
“Well— you know.. the usual,” he couldn’t say it, just like all the other times.
“Well, good luck. Though I think you have the physical stuff quite down,” she waved over his body. He felt himself go stiff at the complement.
“Oh. I, uh... well thank you,” he smiles at her looking all of the sudden down at his bag. “Well thank you,” he says popping the door open, his brain cursing profanity strings he’s only actually said to that one wall that he always stubs his toe on.
“No problem,” she pops out too removing the restraints on his SUV so that he could park it in the garage. “I’ll wait, that is if you’d like me to... most residents here don’t have power. I wouldn’t want to leave you in the dark,” she seems to wonder if he’s going to agree to it.
“It’s okay. It’s —you don’t have to...” he rakes his finders through his cold, wet hair, feeling the large, clumps of snow melt at his touch. If it had been any lighter, he was sure he hurt her feelings. “Um, I’ll just check, okay?”
He watches her round the truck, unsure of whether or not she heard him. Was he being an asshole? Or was she giving him signals of want? For him? He stopped at his door, not even wanting to check, “Wait!” Ben yelled, keeping his bag’s strap tight in his hand, “Wait! I — I do have a resolution...” he started feeling dumb at his execution of responses he could have used.
She looked down at him from the cabin, the light still glowing over her, reminding him of that day they met. Ben swallows thickly, saying, “But, I should have started it four years ago. And every year, it’s the same and every year I fail. But this year, at two in the morning, I have to ask...do you, would you every go out with a guy like me?”
Rey looked thoughtfully at his panicked gaze, clearly uncomfortable with the way she didn’t quite respond as fast as he hoped she would. “Ben,” she stopped him with her finger, pointing it into the air for silence. “I wouldn’t want someone like you... because they wouldn’t be you.”
He died... out there... still in the snow. “You what?” he choked on his words.
“In other words, if you would have just asked me out, I’d of said yes.”
He slid, stammering back to the truck, “Do you still have that ball?”
She picked it out of the pocket of her door, “This one?”
Extending his hand he asked for the ball, then to have her count down to midnight even though they were past it by now. “5...4...3...2...1....” he dropped the ball into her console, “HAPPY NEW YEAR!” he cheered with her not even worried about how dumb he felt. It had been four times already that Ben had and lost the opportunity to kiss her, but this time...this time he would.
If he didn’t think he was dying before he actually believed he’d gone to heaven now. Her lips are soft as clouds, just the right amount of moisture to welcome him into her world. She’s warm and lovely, everything he could ever dream of, in that sweet little press.
“Even if this doesn’t go any further,” he sighs out his confession, “I have to get this off my chest. I’ll understand if you don’t want me to stay...”
Rey gasps playfully, “I knew it was you!”
“Wait what?”
“Always acting so smug, steeling my lunch.”
“Oh no, no, no, no, no. That was Andrew.”
“Son of a—“
“But, I’m the one that got you fired.”
“You what?” her question was a s flat and unamused as ever.
“The prompt was for Andrew...”. he lied. “Once it was written, and scrolling, I couldn’t stop it. But then it wound up being for you and...you were so funny about it.” he laughed, “I—you, you’re so beautiful when you smile. I’m sorry. I am. I called to get them to take you back, but seeing you here...I wonder if it’s even important anymore. I just. I’m going to miss you — not seeing you every day if you don’t want to come back.”
Rey’s face contorted so many times he’s not sure what to think. At least he got to kiss her once. He’d take that to the grave.
“Is that why he hid in the bathroom?”
“Yeah.”
“What a dick!” She sat back in her chair grabbing her walkie talkie, “Poe, can you remotely connect to this number, and make his phone play your station?”
“Uh, not me. Maybe Chewie.”
“Or me,” Ben chimes in.
“Oh my God, Solo! Welcome to the party!” Poe cheers!