Chapter Text
The next day, Rey texted Ben their usual "Lunch at 12?" message, but this time his response was different.
"Can't make it today. Big case. Sorry."
Disappointing, but understandable. Legal work could be unpredictable.
The day after, she tried again. "Thai place today?"
"Still swamped. Rain check?"
By the third day of excuses, the pattern was clear. He was avoiding her.
Rey slumped at her desk, sighing heavily as she stared at the stack of files Leia had asked her to organize. Her stomach growled—she hadn't bothered getting lunch, having lost her appetite along with her lunch companion.
"Everything okay?" Rose asked, pausing by Rey's desk with concern in her eyes.
"Fine," Rey replied automatically, then reconsidered. "Actually, no. I think I messed up with a friend."
Rose perched on the edge of Rey's desk. "What happened?"
Rey hesitated, then gave a sanitized version of events, omitting that the "friend" was her boss's son. "I told him I was dating someone to make him jealous, and now he's avoiding me."
Rose winced. "Classic backfire. Men can be surprisingly sensitive to that kind of thing."
"What should I do?"
"Clear the air," Rose said simply. "Be direct. You might be surprised."
Rey nodded slowly, an idea forming. If Ben wouldn't come to lunch, maybe lunch should come to him.
The next day, she googled the address for First Order Legal and picked up Ben's favorite Thai food—green curry with extra spice. At precisely noon, she walked into the imposing glass and steel building that housed the firm.
The reception area was all cold marble and sleek furniture, with a stern-looking woman sitting behind a modern desk.
"May I help you?" she asked, eyeing Rey's casual attire with barely concealed disdain.
"I'm looking for Ben Solo," Rey said, holding up the takeout bag. "I brought him lunch."
The receptionist stared at her blankly. "We have no Ben Solo here."
Rey frowned. "Yes, you do. He told me he works here. I know he does."
"Ma'am," the receptionist repeated with exaggerated patience, "we do not have anyone here by that name."
Confusion swept over Rey. Had Ben been lying to her all this time? About where he worked? But why would he do that?
She walked outside, the busy sidewalk suddenly feeling overwhelming. Pulling out her phone, she texted Ben:
"Are you at your office?"
She waited, watching the dots appear as he typed a response.
"Yes, why?"
Rey's frown deepened. "I'm outside your building."
The dots appeared and disappeared several times, as if he was typing and deleting responses. Then they stopped altogether. No reply came.
Rey was about to give up and head back to her office when she spotted a familiar tall figure emerging from the building.
"Rey?"
She turned to see Ben looking at her with a mixture of surprise and something else she couldn't quite identify. Embarrassment, maybe?
"Hey," she said, giving him a sheepish smile and raising the Thai food bag. "Lunch?"
Ben blinked twice, then sighed. "Come on," he said, gesturing toward the parking lot.
They walked in awkward silence to his car—a sleek black sedan that somehow fit him perfectly. Once inside, they took out the Thai food containers and began eating, the sound of slurping noodles filling the space where conversation should be.
"So," Rey finally said mid-chew, breaking the tension, "the front office told me there's no Ben Solo in your building."
Ben finished slurping a noodle before responding. "I go by a different name at work."
"Oh," Rey said, surprised. "How come?"
Ben shrugged, stabbing at a piece of chicken with his plastic fork. "I just prefer a different name to my legal name when it comes to work."
Rey's curiosity was piqued. "What's the name?"
"Kylo Ren," he admitted, not quite meeting her eyes.
Rey couldn't help the snort that escaped her. "That's a silly name."
"Hey now," Ben protested, a hint of a smile breaking through his seriousness. "That's been my work name for years. I use it as my game name too. "
"Oh yeah?" Rey teased, grateful for the lightening mood. "Am I gonna see a random Kylo Ren with high scores on random games?"
"Maybe," Ben replied, and they shared a smile.
But Rey couldn't avoid the elephant in the car for long. "Why are you avoiding me?" she asked directly, setting down her food.
Ben blinked, his face carefully neutral. "I'm not. I'm just busy."
"Come on," Rey pressed. "I thought we were friends."
Something flickered in Ben's eyes— "Yes, we are friends," he said carefully. "But that's all, right?"
Rey stared at him, her heart beating faster. This was her opening, her chance to be honest about her feelings.
Instead, she swallowed hard and said, "Yeah. That's all."
Ben nodded once, returning his attention to his food. Rey did the same, neither of them speaking as they finished their meal, the silence broken only by the occasional sound of plastic utensils against takeout containers.
In the quiet of the car, the rain starting to patter against the windshield.
The next day, Rey sat at her desk at Resistance Legal, clicking her pen over and over as she stared blankly at her computer screen.
"You're being annoying," Rose said, spinning in her chair to face Rey.
"Sorry," Rey sighed, setting the pen down only to pick it back up seconds later. "I'm having trouble with a guy I like. I don't know how to get him to like me back."
"Is this the same friend you were talking about before ?" Rose raised an eyebrow.
Rey nodded shyly.
"Ah, friendzone. Been there, done that."
Rey groaned louder, dropping her head onto her desk. "I'm pretty sure I friend-zoned myself..."
"Let me know when you figure it out," Rose chuckled, turning back to her work.
The firm's quarterly event was held in the same upscale venue as always, with the same catering and the same jazz trio playing softly in the background. Rey sipped her wine, scanning the room until she spotted Ben speaking with Leia near the bar.
She waited until they finished their conversation before approaching him, mustering what she hoped was a casual smile.
"Hey Ben, you sure love attending a rival firm's events a lot," she said, trying to keep her tone light.
Ben shrugged, hands in his pockets. "My mother insists I come. I think she's trying to recruit me secretly."
Rey smirked. "Oh no, would be a shame to see your face every day here."
"Sorry it's not to your liking," Ben replied, his tone unreadable.
Rey snorted, about to clarify that she was joking when a familiar voice interrupted them.
"Hi, Rey."
She turned to see Beaumont standing behind her, looking handsome in a well-tailored suit. Her eyes widened slightly. "Oh... hey, Beau."
Ben shifted uncomfortably. "I'll, um, let you two be," he said, already stepping away.
Rey turned back to him, not wanting to be left alone with Beaumont, but Ben was already moving through the crowd.
Beaumont cleared his throat. "So, um, how's everything?"
"I'm doing alright," Rey replied distractedly, her eyes following Ben's retreating form.
"Are you seeing anyone since our last date?" Beaumont asked.
"Yes. I am. I, uh, well, I'm working on it..." She chuckled awkwardly, more to herself than to him.
Beaumont smiled politely. "Aha. Good luck then."
As soon as she could politely excuse herself, Rey hurried after Ben, spotting him at their table, putting on his coat.
"Are you leaving already?" she asked, slightly out of breath.
"I don't work here anyway, so I don't want to intrude too much," Ben said, not quite meeting her eyes.
"You aren't intruding. You can stay," Rey insisted.
"I don't want to take you away from your date," Ben replied, a hint of bitterness in his voice.
Rey frowned. "Ben, I'm not dating anyone."
Ben raised an eyebrow, finally looking directly at her. "You're not?"
Rey felt her cheeks flush, gathering her courage. "Unless you count us as dating, then no, I'm not."
Ben paused, his coat half on. "But you said..."
"I know what I said," Rey sighed, frustration bubbling over. "I was just saying that."
"Why?" Ben asked, genuinely confused.
"I don't know, okay!" Rey exclaimed, drawing a few curious glances from nearby colleagues.
Ben's expression shuttered. "Oh. Okay, I get it. You just didn't want me to bother you. Sorry."
Before Rey could explain, he was gone, weaving through the crowd and out the door, leaving her standing alone, wondering how she had managed to make things even worse.
April arrived, bringing with it cherry blossoms, spring showers, and Rey's birthday. For once, she didn't care about celebrating it. She hadn't spoken to Ben in two weeks, not since the disastrous quarterly event. She didn't even know how to broach the topic anymore.
"Fuck," she sighed, dropping her forehead onto her desk.
Her moment of self-pity was interrupted by Finn and Poe arriving at her desk, bearing a small cake adorned with lit candles. The office quickly gathered around, and everyone sang "Happy Birthday" with varying degrees of enthusiasm and tune.
"Thanks, guys," Rey said, blushing as she blew out the candles.
Rose blew a tiny kazoo in celebration, the noise echoing through the office.
"We're having a party at my place tonight," Poe announced, slinging an arm around Rey's shoulders. "Everyone's invited!"
The office collectively agreed it was a brilliant idea, and Rey groaned internally. A party was the last thing she wanted right now. But Poe was already sending out a group text with the details, and there was no graceful way to decline her own birthday celebration.
That evening, Rey arrived at Poe's apartment to find it already bustling with her colleagues. Music played from hidden speakers, drinks flowed freely, and conversation buzzed throughout the stylishly decorated space.
And then she saw him. Ben was standing in a corner, nursing a beer and looking as uncomfortable as she felt. Of course Poe had invited him—the two had been friends since law school, regardless of Rey's complicated situation with Ben.
Rey immediately hid her face behind her cup, feeling the heat of embarrassment creep up her neck. For once, she didn't approach him, couldn't face another awkward conversation or misinterpreted statement.
The party continued, everyone else seeming to enjoy themselves far more than the birthday girl. Rey made small talk, accepted birthday wishes, and pretended to have a good time, all while acutely aware of Ben's presence across the room. They hadn't spoken a word to each other all night.
Finally, she watched as he made his way to the door, giving Poe a quick goodbye wave before slipping out. Rey slumped down onto the sofa, a heaviness settling in her chest. He hadn't even said happy birthday to her.
Eventually, the other guests departed, leaving just Rey, Poe, Finn, and Rose to clean up the aftermath.
"Time for presents!" Poe declared, disappearing into his bedroom and returning with a stack of colorfully wrapped packages.
Rey rolled her eyes but sat cross-legged on the floor as Poe handed her the gifts one by one.
There was a tasteful silk scarf from Leia, despite her being unable to attend due to a case in Chicago. A joint gift from Finn, Rose, and Poe—a beautiful leather messenger bag she'd been eyeing for months. Several smaller presents from other co-workers: books, a plant, bath bombs, and a bottle of wine.
Finally, there was one last gift with no name on it. The wrapping was simple but elegant, dark blue paper with a silver ribbon. Rey turned it over, looking for a card or tag, but found nothing.
"Who's this from?" she asked.
Poe gave her a knowing smile. "Who do you think?" he said, winking at her.
Curious, Rey carefully unwrapped the package. Inside was a small, wooden box with intricate carvings around the edges. She opened it to find a delicate silver necklace nestled on black velvet. The pendant was a small wrench—an acknowledgment of her engineering studies—but made elegant, almost like a piece of abstract art.
But what made her breath catch was the small note tucked into the lid of the box, written in a precise, angular hand she somehow knew immediately was Ben's:
Happy Birthday.
I hope we're still friends. - Ben
Rey stared at the note, running her finger over the neat handwriting, something warm blooming in her chest despite the simplicity of the message.
"Damn, that's nice," Poe commented, peering over her shoulder. "He must really like you."
Rey turned to Poe, a mixture of hope and doubt in her eyes. "You think so?"
Poe smirked knowingly. "Oh honey, I know he only attends events just to speak to you."
Rey slumped back against the sofa. "He didn't say anything to me tonight."
"Oh?" Poe raised an eyebrow. "Did you not go talk to him?"
"...No," Rey admitted, fiddling with the necklace. Then, voicing the question that had been bothering her for months, she asked, "How come he doesn't approach me first?"
Poe's expression softened. "Ben always thought himself a clingy guy and tried too hard with his ex-girlfriends. He blames himself for being dumped, and I think he's just scared of getting hurt again."
"I don't think he's clingy," Rey protested. "He's really sweet and funny, and—"
"You don't have to convince me you like him, Rey," Poe cut her off gently. "You have to convince him. I think he's just scared of making the first move and it blowing up on him."
Rey stared at the necklace, frowning thoughtfully. The pendant caught the light as she turned it in her fingers, the small wrench a perfect representation of her passion and her dreams. He'd noticed. He'd paid attention.
"Thanks for the party, guys," she said finally, carefully placing the necklace back in its box.
As she gathered her things to leave, Rey paused, turning back to Poe with a determined look on her face. She bit her lip nervously before asking, "Hey Poe... do you know where Ben lives?"
A slow, knowing smile spread across Poe's face. "I might," he said, already reaching for his phone.
Thirty minutes later, Rey stood outside an upscale apartment building in the east side of the city, her heart hammering in her chest. The Uber driver had given her a curious look when she'd asked to be dropped off at this hour—almost midnight—but she'd ignored it, her mind focused on what she was about to do.
She checked the address Poe had texted her one more time. Unit 815. Taking a deep breath, she approached the doorman.
"I'm here to see Ben Solo," she said, trying to sound more confident than she felt.
The doorman eyed her skeptically. "Name?"
"Rey Johnson."
He picked up a phone, dialed, and spoke briefly. Rey couldn't hear what was being said on the other end, but the doorman's eyebrows raised slightly.
"Go on up," he said, gesturing toward the elevator. "Eighth floor."
The elevator ride felt both interminable and too quick. Rey used the time to rehearse what she wanted to say, but every practiced line fled her mind when the doors opened on the eighth floor.
She walked down the hallway, counting apartment numbers until she reached 815. Standing before Ben's door, she hesitated, suddenly second-guessing herself. It was late. He might be asleep. This might be too forward, too desperate.
Just as she was considering turning around and leaving, the door opened.
Ben stood there in sweatpants and a faded t-shirt, his hair slightly tousled, as if he'd been running his hands through it. His eyes widened at the sight of her.
"Rey?"
"Hi," she said lamely, all her planned speeches evaporating.
"Is everything okay?" he asked, concern evident in his voice.
Rey nodded, then shook her head, then nodded again. "I got your gift," she finally said.
"Oh." His hand went to the back of his neck—a nervous gesture she'd noticed before. "Did you like it?"
"It's perfect," she said softly. "Thank you."
"Do you want to... come in?" Ben asked, stepping aside.
Rey entered his apartment, taking in the space. It was spacious but simply furnished, with clean lines and a minimalist aesthetic. Floor-to-ceiling windows offered a stunning view of the city lights. In one corner, she spotted a gaming setup that made her smile—Kylo Ren's domain, she presumed.
"Can I get you something to drink?" Ben asked, closing the door behind her.
"No, thanks. I just—" Rey turned to face him, gathering her courage. "I needed to talk to you."
Ben nodded, his expression guarded but hopeful. "About what?"
"I do hope we're still friends," Rey said, her voice small.
Ben smiled, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Cool."
Rey shook her head suddenly, frustration evident on her face. "No... no, I'm lying."
Ben's brow furrowed. "About what?"
Rey took a deep breath. "I don't want to be friends anymore," she said, her voice steadier than she felt. "I didn't want to just hang out. I never did."
Something shifted in Ben's expression—confusion. "What do you mean?"
"I mean," Rey said, taking a step closer to him, "that I've been lying to myself, and to you. I've been pretending that friendship was enough, but it's not."
Ben stood very still, as if afraid any movement might break whatever was happening between them. "What would be enough?" he asked quietly.
Rey looked at him—really looked at him—and suddenly all the miscommunications, the missed opportunities, the unspoken words between them seemed so unnecessary, so wasteful.
"I want more," she said simply. "I want dinners that aren't just lunch breaks. I want to spend time with you that isn't squeezed between work meetings. I want..." she paused, gathering her courage, "I want to be with you, Ben. Not just as friends."
Ben was silent for a long moment, processing her words. Finally, he asked, "You're sure about this?"
"I'm very interested," Rey said with a small smile, relief flooding through her. "I like you majorly! So... forgive me but... I think I'm gonna start chasing you now. Until i catch you."
Ben's eyes widened at her declaration, surprise and delight washing over his features.
Before he could respond, Rey rose onto her tiptoes, placed her hands gently on either side of his face, and kissed him.
For a moment, Ben stood frozen, as if he couldn't quite believe what was happening. Then his arms came around her waist, pulling her closer as he returned the kiss with equal fervor.
When they finally broke apart, both slightly breathless, Ben rested his forehead against hers.
"I never thought..." he began.
"I know," Rey said softly. "Me neither."
Ben chuckled, the sound rumbling through his chest. "If I'd known all it would take was a wrench necklace..."
Rey laughed, feeling lighter than she had in months. "It was a very nice wrench."
"It reminded me of you," he said, reaching up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "Practical, but still beautiful."
Rey smiled, leaning into his touch. "So... are you okay with me chasing you ?"
Ben's expression grew serious. "Rey, I've wanted you since the first time I saw you at that party. I just didn't want to be the one who cared more again."
"I care," Rey said firmly. "So much that it scares me sometimes."
"Me too," Ben admitted. "That's why I kept my distance."
Rey shook her head, a small smile playing at her lips. "We've wasted so much time being afraid."
"We have," Ben agreed, then added with a smile, "but I think we can make up for it."
This time, when he kissed her, there was no hesitation, no holding back. Just the promise of something new beginning, something worth chasing after—together.
Ten months later
Ben Solo had always thought of himself as a puppy, eagerly chasing after affection. In every relationship, he'd been the one trying harder, caring more, giving everything only to be left behind. It had created a pattern in his life, a guarded hesitation that had almost cost him what he now knew was the best thing that had ever happened to him.
Because as it turned out, being chased felt pretty damn good.
And if Rey was a puppy, she was a damn cute one.
She'd made good on her promise that night in his apartment. The next morning, he'd woken to a text with a coffee shop location and a time. The day after, she'd surprised him with lunch delivered to his office—addressed properly to "Kylo Ren" this time. She sent him random messages throughout the day, just to make him smile. She remembered small details he mentioned in passing, turning them into thoughtful gestures weeks later.
She chased him thoroughly, determinedly, and with a joy that made his heart ache in the best possible way.
Today, sitting across from her at what had become "their" bistro—the place where they'd first begun to really know each other over those daily lunches—Ben watched as Rey animatedly described her latest engineering project. Her hands moved expressively as she talked, the small wrench pendant glinting at her throat.
"Sorry," she said suddenly, catching his amused expression. "I'm rambling about hydraulics again."
"I like listening to you ramble," Ben said honestly. "I like everything about you."
Rey smiled, that bright, open smile that still made his breath catch. "You're getting sappy on me, Solo."
"You bring it out in me," he replied with a shrug.
Rey reached across the table, threading her fingers through his. "That reminds me. I have a question for you."
"Yes, I'll try that new Thai place with you," Ben said automatically.
Rey laughed. "Not that, though we should definitely go there. No, I was wondering..." She took a deep breath, and Ben was surprised to see a hint of nervousness in her eyes. "My lease is up next month, and I was thinking maybe..."
"Yes," Ben said immediately, squeezing her hand.
Rey blinked. "You don't even know what I was going to ask."
"You were going to ask if you should move in with me," Ben said confidently. "And the answer is yes."
"Actually," Rey said with a teasing smile, "I was going to ask if you wanted to move in with me, into a new place. Together. Something that would be ours, not just mine or yours."
"Oh," Ben said, momentarily taken aback. Then he grinned. "Yes to that too."
"You're sure?" Rey asked. "It's a big step."
Ben leaned forward. "Rey Johnson, you've been chasing me for months. I think it's about time I started chasing you back, don't you?"
Rey's eyes widened. "What does that mean?"
"It means," Ben said, pulling a small key from his pocket and sliding it across the table, "I already found us a place. If you don't like it, we can keep looking, but... I thought maybe we could start there."
Rey stared at the key, then back at Ben, her eyes shining. "You've been planning this?"
Ben nodded. "For weeks. I was going to ask you this weekend."
"We're quite a pair, aren't we?" Rey laughed, picking up the key.
As they left the bistro hand in hand, Ben marveled at how his life had changed. He'd spent so long being afraid of caring too much, of trying too hard, of being left behind again. But with Rey, it wasn't about who chased whom. It was about meeting in the middle, about both of them wanting the same thing and not being afraid to show it.
It was about finding someone who didn't just let him chase them, but who chased right back.
And that, Ben thought as Rey leaned into him, was worth all the waiting in the world.