Chapter Text
He never saw her, the first time that intoxicating smell hit his flared nostrils.
But that wasn’t for lack of trying.
Ben almost never went down to the dorms on move-in day, because he was afraid.
He can admit that, at least to himself.
Ever since the law banning Alpha professors had passed in his last year of school(I mean, come ON!), he’d had to keep his distance from every single co-ed that came through his door. It has given him the reputation of being a grumpy hardass, despite his exceptional record.
But who was he kidding? He’d have had that reputation anyway. Professor Solo wasn’t known for his charming demeanor in the best of times.
Why he was there today, the first day of fall term, he’d never truly know. Curiosity, maybe? A desire to fit in with the other professors, who never missed a move-in day?
The real reason, he wouldn’t even admit to himself. He was lonely.
Which was probably why her smell affected him so viscerally.
His head immediately shot up, like a predator catching the scent of his prey. His brown eyes worked overtime, scanning every face in sight for a sing, a sound, a taste of that delicious aroma that overwhelmed his senses: delicately floral, with spicy notes of bourbon and vanilla, and was that jasmine? Oh, he could get drunk off being in the same room as that amazing scent...
Poe Dameron, his best friend, was standing next to him and saw the abrupt movement. “Ben...” he muttered warningly. “What are you doing?” He put a hand, forcefully, on Ben’s shoulder.
That snapped Ben back to reality, with a stomach-lurching jerk. What was he doing? Was he insane? He shook his head violently, causing his glasses to nearly fly off his face.
“Sorry Poe. It was just a smell, that’s all.”
“How can you pick just one? The cacophony is overwhelming. I couldn’t tell you the designation of any of them, let alone one specific out of the hundreds.”
Poe, a fellow closeted Alpha, had been Ben’s closest friend since the day they were born. Poe’s mother, Amilyn Holdo, and Ben’s mother, Leia Organa, had been in law school together, and now both worked as lawyers in the firm they started together, when no male-run firm would look at them twice. Together, they’d scraped together a massive following, and now we’re some of the most sought-after lawyers on the Eastern Seaboard. Both their fathers had stepped out of the picture at some point: Ben’s due to his death; and Poe’s due to, as he put it, “a blonde bombshell in Rio”.
Both Poe and Ben had spent their high school years plotting and planning for their eventual rise, and swore they’d do whatever they did together. Their mantra was simple: “you’re not alone, and neither are you.” A call and response they would tell each other to remind them of their promise.
So, as both Alphas stood there together on move-in day, Poe didn’t need words to understand the plight of his friend.
“It was her, wasn’t it?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Poe.”
“Dude. You forget how long I’ve known you. Your tells are as plain as my English texts.”
“So, ill-defined and obtuse?” Ben had never liked English and literature: too illogical for his brain to comprehend. He’d never understood why Poe had studied it and now taught it.
Poe was aware of this, of course. “No, plain and obvious to anyone who takes the time to look and understand.” He lowered his voice. “You scented her, didn’t you?”
Ben flinched imperceptibly. “Yes. I think I did.”
Poe grinned, wide and joyous, but still kept his voice low. “Well, what are you waiting for? Let’s go hunting, brother!”
Ben rolled his eyes, but couldn’t suppress a smile. This was an old joke of Poe’s, referring to the animalistic qualities of their Alpha blood. “And what am I supposed to do, huh? Start snatching up coeds and taking a big sniff? I’d get kicked out and probably arrested, and rightfully so.”
It was Poe’s turn to roll his eyes. “You don’t have to be so blatant about it. But maybe walking around? Just casually meandering? Not nearly so creepy. It’s worth a shot, man. You can’t let her slip away.”
Ben knew he was right, but he still hesitated. Why?
Instead of following Poe’s advice, Ben turned on his heel, and walked back to his office.
~**~**~**~**~
Rey had never felt more conspicuous in her life.
She was surrounded by sights and sounds wholly unfamiliar to her, and she felt sure they could all smell her. She shrunk back, so unwilling to move forward that her body simply could not take the steps. Maz Kanata, her tiny adoptive mother, strode purposefully back to her when she saw Rey not following.
“Come on, girlie. Time waits for no man. Or woman.”
Rey smiled. That oh-so-familiar saying of Maz’s gave her just enough strength to start moving. Slowly, but surely.
“Do you think I’ll be...safe here, Maz?”
Maz looked at her through her giant Coke-bottle glasses, but didn’t stop walking. “As safe as you can be. But only if you’re careful.”
Rey nodded. “That’s a given. I know my routines.”
Maz nodded and turned back to watching where she was going. “That’s all any of us can do, little one.”
Rey nodded, head down. “I know.”
And then, it hit her. That smell.
She nearly fainted, it was so overpowering. As it was, she stumbled over her feet before correcting herself.
What, or WHO, was that?
She didn’t see him, but she could almost picture him: his head swiveling over the crowd. It made her inner Omega preen, just the tiniest bit.
SHUT UP, YOU.
This is, quite literally, the last thing she needed right now. But it was intoxicating, the deep chocolate notes mixed with the velvety aroma of sweet red wine...
GOD, SHUT UP.
She couldn’t help her next thought, though.
Did he smell me, too?
No, she thought. There’s way too many people around. There’s no way he can pick me out of a crowd like this.
But then, why could she smell him?
She knew why, even if she didn’t want to admit it.
Alpha. Her Alpha.
She ducked her head, hoping he wouldn’t see her. This was not what she needed right now.
But her Omega was screaming, pleading with her to run to him, to join with him. She had to resist.
She wasn’t sure how long she could. If she could just-
Rey then heard a large, booming voice call out to her. “REY! MAZ! Where are you?” Immediately they both broke into wide grins: Rey’s of relief, Maz’s of happiness.
Rey was thrilled for the distraction, despite the protests of her Omega.
She’d deal with that later.
Peter Mayhew, affectionately called Chewie since he could remember, bounded up to them with big steps that forced the crowds to part for him. A hairy Alpha that towered over 6 feet, and strong as an ox, had no less that four giant suitcases attached to various parts of him, and yet he was barely even slowed. He caught up with them easily, and both girls felt instantly safer and happier when he was there.
“There’s my little women!” He bellowed, guffawing heartily as he clapped his free hand on Rey’s shoulder. Little women was his nickname for Maz and Rey, and they certainly looked it next to this giant.
Maz scowled up at him. “What took you so long? Did you have to park in Timbuktu?”
Chewie smiled down at his mate. “Not in the least. But these bags weight as much as the Statue of Liberty. What are you carrying in here, Rey, a ton of bricks?”
Rey laughed. “You should know, Chewie, you helped me pack them!”
Their easy banter lasted until Rey got to her dorm room. The Omega’s dorm building was the closest to the school buildings, and for that Rey was grateful.
She had chosen Chandrila U for this specific purpose: it was one of the few remaining schools who still separated students by designation rather than simply gender. Her biggest fear was a run-in with a rutting Alpha when she was defenseless, and this building was a safeguard against that.
So, to Chandrila U she had come. And now, she was here.
Her room was just as depressing and bland as she had expected, with one notable difference: there were bright yellow curtains already hanging on the window.
What the-
“Hi!”
Rey nearly jumped out of her skin. Maz and Chewie had gone down to get her key for the room and check her in, so Rey had come up alone to see her room. Only now, she wasn’t alone anymore.
A tiny, dark-haired tornado had now arrived.
“Hi! My name is Rose, and I’ll be your new roommate! I put those curtains up in the window, don’t you just love yellow? It makes me think of sunshine, which we are going to need since it gets so gloomy here in Chandrila in the winter! I didn’t choose a bed yet, because I wanted to see what your preference was, but if you don’t mind I’d really like the left one if that’s okay, but it’s whatever you want roomie! I’m sorry, I know I talk a lot, but I’m just so excited to be starting school, I’m the first in my family to go to college you know, my parents always said that it was kind of a waste, but now that they’re, you know, not around anymore, my sister and I finally saved up enough for me to go! Isn’t that just amazing?”
Rey was stunned silent. As far as she could tell, Rose said every single word of this without taking a single breath, and while breezing around their room like a whirlwind of color end sound. It was all Rey could do to let out a little laugh.
“Nice to meet you, Rose. I’m Rey. I do love yellow, and I didn’t even think of curtains, so I’m so glad you brought some. I don’t mind which bed, so by all means take the left. I think it’s brilliant that you’re the first in your family to go to college, I am too. I’m sorry to hear about your parents though. It sounds like your sister is wonderful though. My adopted parents will be up in a moment.”
Rose stopped when Rey started talking, and smiled at her with such warmth and kindness that Rey felt her heart go out to her. She thought that this year may not be too bad after all, if she had Rose as a friend.
Just then, Maz and Chewie came striding in the door, causing Rose to squeak and nearly fall onto her newly-chosen bed. Chewie made a big show of smiling wide and sitting on the opposite bed in an effort to make himself look smaller. “Hello there, pet. Can you introduce me to your friend?”
Rey smiled brightly at the affectionate nickname. She loved it when Chewie called her that. It made her feel loved. “Chewie, this is Rose, my new roommate. Rose, this is my adoptive father, Peter.”
Chewie shook his head and extended his hand gently. “None of that ‘Peter’ stuff, now Rey. Name’s Chewie. And I’m Rey’s dad.” He gestured over to Maz, who was flying around the room unpacking Rey’s bags. “And that tornado of a little woman is Maz, Rey’s mom. She’s a firecracker, let me tell you. Keeps me on my toes.”
Maz snorted lightly, but didn’t stop. “Someone has to, you lumbering tree. Otherwise you’d run roughshod over all us regular-sized mortals.”
Chewie smiled fondly. “And I love you for it, honey.”
Maz smiled, but still kept moving.. “That’s why I keep you around, you big oaf.”
Rey felt tears well up in her eyes, and not for the first time. She realized, once again, how much she would miss them. It was the first place in her life where she’d ever felt at home.
Rose just sat and watched them, clearly awestruck. “You’re all so sweet. Makes me miss my folks.” She frowned a bit, and Maz instantly stopped.
“You don’t have folks, girlie? Mom and Dad?”
Rose sniffed. “No. They died years ago. I was really young. We were raised by an aunt until my sister was old enough, then it’s just been us.” She shrugged,, but Rey could see tears starting to form. “Paige couldn’t come today because Plutt wouldn’t let her off work at the garage. So it’s just me. I’m just putting off going to get my things out of my car, because it’s so far to lug all my bags.”
Maz snapped. “Chewie.”
He was already getting up and heading for the door. “Where you parked, little lady?”
Rose swallowed hard. “Um...”
Chewie came back over and gently took Rose’s little hand. “Don’t you worry about a thing, little one. I’m going to go get your bags and bring them right back here. No funny business. I know I look intimidating, but I’m as cuddly as they come. I swear right here, on my mate’s life, that I’ll do nothing except get your bags out of your car and bring them right back to this room. Is that okay?”
Rose sniffled again, but nodded. “It’s parked at the student apartments parking lot. I’m driving an old Chevrolet truck, orange with a brown roof. The bags are in the bed, under a black tarp. There should be four.”
Chewie nodded and stood. “Anything you need out of the cab?”
Rose shook her head. “All my stuff’s in the bed., except my purse and these curtains. I brought them in with me.
With a nod and a kiss to the top of Maz’s head, he was out the door.
Maz sat next to Rose. “No worries, little one. He’ll get your things, and I’ll help you get set up. We’ll be your folks today.”
Rose sniffed again and smiled, and Rey once again felt her heart burst.
Now if she could only find that intoxicating aroma she’d smelled on her way in...