Chapter Text
Ben couldn't believe a year went by so fast. Immediately following the new year, which they happily rang in with the same assembly as Christmas except now with Ben and Rey as hosts, Rey and Nova began school. Rey shifted her work schedule so that she could attend classes four nights a week and work five days, always leaving half a day for schoolwork catch up and one full day for rest. Ben pampered her every night, happy to rub her feet and shoulders while they listened to Nova discuss her day.
Come spring, Ben had taught Rey enough that she was able to obtain her drivers license, which he rewarded her with by signing over his Focus to her (Mitaka had seemed grateful, but Ben had to chuckle at the way he seemed forlorn about missing out on his chats with Nova). Ben, meanwhile, was continuing to make strides at improving workplace morale, and he had even cleared out an empty conference room for the requested nap pods, which he also took advantage of after late evenings with Rey in their Red Room (as they'd finally agreed upon calling it). He even made Finn a leader on his team, a merit that the man had earned on his own. Although this made get together with the couple slightly more awkward (Finn seemed worried that Ben was showing undue favoritism) things eventually relaxed as even Phasma admitted that she thought Finn was the right fit for the job.
Summer brought vacations from coast to coast, San Diego and Myrtle Beach, as well as a trip to Europe with his family. They saw France and Spain, Italy and Germany, before ending in England. Ben had initially been hesitant to bring Rey anywhere near where she'd come from, for fear of running into Nova's father, but she seemed more excited to show Ben and Nova her favorite spots as a child. When Ben caught her crying in the privacy of their hotel, he held her close and promised that nothing like that would ever happen again. They made love slow and sweet that night, allowing Rey to begin to heal a wound that she'd just covered up continuously. He knew it was still a long road ahead, but he swore he'd be there.
The new school year brought on the promise of graduation for Rey at the end of it as well as a slew of new friends for Nova. Unfortunately, issues in the Australian office kept Ben away for most of September, leading to the longest separation they'd had to bear since that fateful day in the grocery store. Ben was grateful he ran a tech company, though, and he sent them little messages on their room data pads in the mornings as well as chatted via webcam every single moment they could. He was grateful for Finn and Poe, and again for his parents, for keeping an eye on the girls in his absence. When he returned home, he gifted Nova with a kitten to make up for his absence and made love to Rey nearly nonstop for two days. They were closer after that, now fully aware of what they could be missing when not together.
As winter rounded out, Ben realized that it had been the best year of his life. When he and Rey fought, it was with passion and good intentions, always solved before bed. He and Nova continued be thick as thieves, and she sometimes slipped up and called him “daddy”, which melted his heart more and more each time. His relationship with his parents was the steadiest it had ever been, and he was grateful to have this time with them. Their mortality was showing on their faces and in their movements and Ben cursed the day he ever decided to ignore them. Now, though, his family was complete.
Almost.
It was the morning after Christmas and Ben had one last gift to give the love of his life. He woke her up with breakfast in bed, having served the same to Nova, who was cuddled in bed with her new toys and sandwiched between her cats. Little Daisy was already getting so big, and Ben had to smirk at how the tiny tabby had already seemed to wrap Jax around her tail.
“Ben?” Rey asked sleepily as she sat up against the headboard and rubbed her eyes. He was holding a tray, and while she was awake, her brain wasn't quite functioning fully yet.
As he set it across her lap, she looked down in surprise, eyebrows lifting slightly to see the nearly full-course meal laid out in front of her. There were eggs, bacon, buttered toast, and hash browns, all the things she loved. Her stomach rumbled loudly, and at this point, she was well past the point of shyness of Ben hearing it. He knew just how much she loved her food.
“You didn't have to do all this. Christmas was yesterday,” she protested only half-heartedly, because Benjamin Solo definitely did not need a reason to give her breakfast in bed if he didn't want a reason.
“Rey, when have I ever needed an excuse to spoil you?” he teased with a smirk. He laid the tray carefully across her lap, mindful of the glasses of orange juice and water. And the extra topping atop the whipped cream on her waffles, of course. He stepped back, feeling his nerves spike. She'd either see it immediately and respond or...or scoop it off to the side and...and…
“...Ben?” she asked quietly, eyes glued to the plate. “What’s this?”
For there, settled so beautifully on the whipped cream, was what appeared to be a ring. And not a promise ring, like the one she was currently wearing from last year. No, this was definitely more than a promise ring. It was silver, with a few thin strings around the main band, something that reminded her of vines. In the center, though, was perhaps the biggest shiny rock she’d ever been this close to before.
Ben was already kneeling beside the bed, and he reached out to take her hand between his. She didn't sound angry, so he proceeded as planned. He really hoped he hadn't fucked up.
“Rey, this last year we've been together has been, without a single doubt, the absolute best of my life. I never knew that love could be like this: understanding, fulfilling, happy, and easy. Because loving you, and Nova, is the easiest thing I've ever done. It takes no effort, it isn't a hardship that I dread as I come home. Your soul matches mine, balances mine, and it is hardly any effort to be with you. Even when we argue, I know it's with the intention to make us better, not break us apart. I didn't think it was possible to come out of an argument feeling better, but you do that to me, Rey. You make me into a better man, Rey, you encourage me to be better every day of my life. And I hope, very much, to continue being the best man I can be, for you and your daughter, for the rest of my life. If you'll have me.”
She stared into his deep brown eyes, so warm and sincere as she felt her lip begin to tremble. It wasn't from sadness, though. No, she hadn't felt that in quite a long time, save for random outbursts that he'd helped see her through. Overall now, she felt fantastic, the connection she had with him so strongly based on trust.
“You…” she whispered softly, searching his face. “Are you asking me to marry you, Ben? Because that's what it sounds like, and I need to know before I say anything and make myself look really, really stupid.”
“Yes,” he replied, soft and terrified. “I asked Nova this morning and she gave her blessing.”
“You asked Nova,” she gasped quietly, the tears threatening to spill over and down her cheeks. She was positively touched that he'd asked the little girl, and a slow, brilliant grin touched her lips and stretched her face as she nodded rapidly and reached over to drag him closer. “Yes. Yes, yes, yes, Ben. I'll marry you, absolutely. Oh my god. Oh god, yes, I will marry you!”
She kissed him hard and deep, hoping he didn't mind her morning breath too much.
He blindly grabbed the tray and moved it to the bedside table before climbing onto the bed and above her, kissing her harder.
He was so glad he told Nova to give him at least a half hour.
“Thank god. Fuck, Rey, I have been so nervous to ask you for the last week,” he said as he kissed down her neck, his hands everywhere. He couldn't believe she really wanted to be his.
Winding her arms around his shoulders, threading her fingers into his hair, she pulled slightly. “I've loved you for over a year, Ben. I hope to love you for many, many, more years to come. I can't believe you want to marry me—this feels like a dream,” she sighed happily, her skin on fire everywhere he touched. She slid her hands further down to his shirt and pulled, needing it off now.
He sat up and tugged his shirt off, throwing it to the side. He tugged his pants off next, already knowing where this was going. He was glad he hadn't bothered with something as silly as underwear this morning.
“I love you so much, sweetheart. So fucking much, you have no idea,” he said, diving back down to help undress her.
Shimmying out of her own pajama bottoms under him while he assisted with her shirt, she pushed them further down the bed and out of the way. Dragging his face down to hers, she collided their mouths together again, her legs already moving up to encase his waist.
“I love you too, Ben, so much. So, so much,” she whispered into his mouth. Resuming the assault she was giving him with teeth and tongue, she pulled his bottom lip into her mouth and nibbled, alternating between soft bites and eager sucks. “Now make love to me.”
“I can't believe you're going to be my wife. Fuck. You're sure, right? You're not gonna change your mind?” he asked, even as he posed himself for entry. He had to he sure. Two failed marriages made him wary, but he wanted so desperately to be with her forever.
It was so much more intense than it had been with Bazine. He'd wanted her, sexually, and he liked her alright enough, so marrying her seemed logical. Looking back, he realized that it was his desire to have someone wanting him, needing him, that drove him to marry Bazine, even though he knew that her wants and needs were based purely on money and sex. And he had always known that his first marriage was nothing but spite. But with Rey, it felt like there was a string tying them together and he never wanted it cut. He wanted to be with her and his heart was soaring to know that she wanted him, too.
Stopping him with one small hand on his chest, she looked up at him with soft eyes.
He looked beautiful above her in the morning light streaming in from the windows, his pale skin glowing with the sun's rays. She could see the uncertainty in his eyes, could almost taste the desperation rolling off of him. Tilting her head slightly, she lifted her hand and trailed her fingers along his cheek.
“Yes, I'm sure. If you had waited any longer, I'd have probably asked you myself. You are everything I want. This is everything I want,” she murmured quietly, utterly serious.
“You're more than I could have ever wished for,” he swore quietly. He sank into her, letting out a stuttering groan as her familiar heat enveloped him. He sighed as he sank to the hilt, pressing his forehead to hers. “I will never tire of this, Rey. Your body is so incredible. I can't believe I've been granted the opportunity to worship you forever.”
“I'm going to worship you so well tonight,” she replied softly, basking in the feeling of fullness. Each time felt amazing, and no amount of copious sex with him would ever be boring or monotonous. “And the night after that. And the one after that,” she promised, digging her nails into his back as she rolled her hips up against his.
“Fuck yes, baby. Daddy is going to take care of you forever. Such good fucking care of you,” he said, thrusting into her harder at her spurning. He tugged her legs up higher around his waist, deepening his strokes.
“Only you, Daddy. Only you can take care of me,” she replied, soft little pants and moans escaping from her mouth as he picked up the pace. “I'll be your good little kitten, I swear. I need you so bad. I want to fin—finish exploring that room with you, and I want to—have you tie me up again, and spend a solid weekend never leaving that room—oh god!”
He gripped her hips, feeling her spasming around him. “That's it, Kitten. Milk that cock for me. It's yours, baby. It's only for you. I'll do everything you want, anything you want. Just for you, baby.” He let out a guttural groan as his own orgasm quickly followed after, his cock unable to handle thought of everything else he had planned to do to her. He still really wanted her on that Sybian.
Utterly spent, she pressed her head into the bed and sighed happily as he filled her up.
She laid there for a few moments, listening to the rapid beating of her heart and the thunderous pulsing of blood in her ears as her body came back down to the ground. Looking up at him with a smile and a raised eyebrow, she asked with a breathless laugh, “So does this mean I don't have to pay rent anymore?”
He laughed, rolling to his side and tugging her against his chest. He kissed her shoulder, happy and content. “How angry would you be if I told you that I was just filtering the money you gave me into a trust for Nova? And matching every cent, of course. I want her taken care of, just in case anything would happen.”
Her heart melting even further for this wonderful man, Rey just shook her head and leaned over to kiss him, soft and sweet.
“I should be mad, but as the tenant, once the money leaves my hands and is in yours, you can do whatever you'd like with it. I made good on my end. And speaking of Nova...she's going to call you daddy for real now, if you're okay with that. Really okay with that.”
He smirked. “I'll be whatever she needs me to be.” His face turned serious then, a nervous tint in his eyes. “And I hope you know that if you ever want to—I mean, if you ever get the, um...I'll adopt her, if you...if you're okay with that.”
“You're going to make me cry, Ben Solo,” she mumbled, pressing her face into his neck. “I think I'm definitely okay with that.”
“No pressure, just whenever you two decide you're ready for that. I really would like us to be a family,” he said, soft and serious. “Thank you, Rey, for giving me the family I always dreamed of. I hope...I'd be open to expanding it.”
Propping herself up onto her elbow suddenly, she gazed down into his eyes, frowning softly. “You want to have a baby with me?”
“Only if you do. Otherwise, I will make an appointment and get snipped tomorrow,” he promised.
She was already shaking her head, rather vehemently down at him. Placing her finger over his lips, she said, “No, I don't want you to get snipped. I'm not saying I'm ready for one right this second, but I think that...I think Nova could use a little sibling. And I think that having a nice, planned pregnancy would be something I'd want, as long as it was with you.”
He let out a sigh of relief, a stress he hadn't realized he'd been holding onto immediately melting away. “Ok. Yes. The moment you decide you're ready, I will happily consent. Although, I've heard that practice makes perfect, so maybe we should practice a bit now. You know, to make sure we're extra ready for the deed when it's most important.”
“That could be an option, although I've also heard that the more stress you put on trying to make it happen, the less likely the chances,” she smirked and kissed his nose. “However, I could just go for another good dick down from my fiance.”
“I would be happy to assist with that, my dearest fiancee,” he grinned, rolling over on top of her.