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"The Nine Lives of Kylo"

~ A Reylo Holiday Textfic ~
Author's Note: Here's the first of the new chapters. I hope you enjoy, and, as always, thank you for reading!
~~~
PART VI
~~~
Rey sleeps well Tuesday night, feeling warm and safe in Benâs guest room and occasionally having a cat curl up beside her. She doesnât have to be at work until the late afternoon, so she decides to indulge and sleep inâat least until her phone vibrates.



~~~
Itâs the only solution that seems plausible to Rey. Sheâll give the excuse that Finn canât meet her fake boyfriend because Benâs working, and Finn will be too busy with his own boyfriendâs coming out to care Reyâs alone for the night.

~~~
Benâs at the station, covering the morning shift. It was a quiet night, so he managed to catch up on a few hours of sleep in a bunk. Amazingly, heâs not tired, and he knows itâs because of whatâs waiting for him at home.



~~~
Ben notices the clock on his phone. Itâs still early, and heâs running out of ways to say no to her.
But he has one idea she may be willing to accept.

~~~
Ben has a number of things in mind heâd like to do with Rey, but he chooses the one heâs confident will be of interest to her.

~~~
Ben counts down the minutes until he can see Rey again, but a message from a friend distracts him from thoughts about his new roommate.


~~~
Ben suddenly realizes what his friendâs talking aboutâa secret Poe keeps from practically everyone.



~~~
One downed power line, and Benâs home later than planned.
He doesnât see Rey when he opens the front door, but the light fixture he planned to install is now lit up above the foyer.
âPerfect place to hang mistletoe,â Benâs depraved mind thinks, as his hand finds the small plant in his pocket.
âYouâre home!â Rey says from the top of the stairs.Â
Ben watches her bright red sweater and skinny black jeans cling to her body as Rey hurries down the steps. Thereâs a smile on her face that warms Benâs heart, and apparently Rey likes to hug when sheâs happy.
Itâs surprisingly natural for his arms to curl around her. Perhaps he squeezes just a little too tightly for just a little too long, but Rey doesnât seem to mind. She waits a minute before pulling away, and Ben reluctantly lets her go.
Rey takes a step back, her cheeks a bit rosier than expected given the temperature inside.Â
âIf youâd been here sooner, I wouldâve made you lunch,â she comments.
âI already ate,â Ben replies. âBesides we have limited cooking options around here with the stove not connected.â
âOhâabout that,â Rey says, âI hooked up the stove today.â
Benâs eyebrow lifts. âYou did?â
âI told you, Kylo doesnât need much,â she says, pointing to the orange cat sleeping on the sofa in the living room. âAnd I guess I canât stop myself from keeping busy.â
âHence the working light above us.â
Rey beams at him. âYou noticed!â
âOf course, I noticed,â he says. âThat wiring has been giving me a heck of time.â
âYour fingers were probably too big for it,â she replies. Rey reaches for his hand and places her palm against his, illustrating the size difference. âSee?â
His eyes linger on their joined hands before returning to her eyes. Once her gaze meets his, her cheeks turn a shade redder, and she pulls away from him.
Ben instantly regrets the separation, but he doesnât reach for her. She isnât hisâŚyet.
âAny other repairs I should know about?â he asks, trying to end the awkward silence.
âThe lights are working in the laundry room now, but there was nothing I could do about the pipes in the back.â
Ben knows what sheâs talking about. Thereâs exposed wall near his bedroom where heâs trying to replace some older plumbing.
âThatâs an ongoing project,â he admits. âI have it rigged so my shower works, but I have to be careful until I can get a plumber in here.â
âSo thatâs why you have wrenches all over the place back there?â
âYeah. Itâs functional but temporary.â
âThatâs fair. Iâll leave that project for you then,â she says with another grin.
âDo you want to go grab coffee or something?â Ben asks.
Reyâs smile falters. âSorry, but I canât. I have to be at work soon.â
âRight,â he replies, as his eyes turn toward the window. The skyâs already turning dark, and he canât hold back a question. âHow late are you working tonight?â
âIâm covering the full evening shift,â she says. âIâll close up the shop at ten.â
âYouâre going to be on your own?â
âPeople are taking time off for the holidays, but I donât mind. Iâve handled the shop on my own dozens of times.â
Thereâs a weight in his stomach that Ben canât ignore. âDo you mind if I go with you?â
âWhy?â Rey asks, a crease appearing on her forehead.
Thinking quickly, Ben offers the first excuse that comes to mind. âI littered the town with signs about Kylo the other night. I should probably take them down, and it might be easier to start near the store and work backwards.â
âOh right,â Rey replies. âThat makes sense.â
Ben doesnât add that he plans to be at the store at 10:00 to make sure she gets to her car safely.
~~~
By Thursday, Benâs friends want an update on his living arrangement.




~~~
The frigid air canât drive the smile from Reyâs lips. Sheâs too amused by the overwhelmed look on Benâs face.
âYouâve never picked out a tree before, have you?â she asks him.
âIâve set them up before,â he answers. âUsually with my dad or uncles while mom or nonna supervised, but Iâve never chosen a tree before.â
The seriousness in his eyes strikes Rey, and she realizes Ben may need help with this.
âThereâs no pressure here,â she tells him, placing a gloved hand on his arm. âYou canât pick the wrong tree.â
âThen how do you find the right one?â
âIt probably varies from person to person, but I follow a very scientific approach.â
âWhich is?â Ben asks.
Rey pulls him toward a tree. âFirst, I check to make sure the tree is Christmasy enough.â
He chuckles, and some of the stress leaves his face. âIs Christmasy an actual word?â
âOf course,â she answers. âIt means filled with Christmas spirit.â
âRight,â he replies, before gesturing to the tree. âSo is this one âChristmasyâ enough?â
âWhat do you think?â
âI guess so,â Ben says. âIt looks tall enough, and I think the branches could hold lights and ornaments. But is that enough?â
âThere are other tests.â
âAs important as the Christmasy test?â
Rey laughs, before removing a glove. âThereâs also the freshness test.â
Her fingers feel the needles of the tree, and Benâs fingers follow her example.
âThey donât feel dry,â he comments. âSeems like thereâs still some life to them. And the colorâtheyâre a nice Christmasy green.â
âThatâs my favorite part,â Rey says, her gaze fixed on Ben.
âWhat?â he asks, still focused on the tree.
âThe green,â Rey replies. âI spent part of my childhood in a house out in the desert. Nothing grew. I remember being transferred to another house and finally seeing plantsâŚ.I thought they were beautiful.â
Benâs eyes turn toward her, and Rey can see something there. Worry, maybe? Need? Interest?
Sheâs seen the same look in his eyes before, but she isnât sure how to read it.Â
Heâs a handsome, sweet firefighter who dates models. He canât want her.
And even if he does, Ben doesnât want commitment. Maybe he wants a quick fling with Rey, but he said he wasnât interested in marriage or anything like that.
Ben wouldnât want to build a home with her.
Rey quickly looks back to the tree, unable to bear the intensity in his eyes any longer.
âWe should plant it,â Ben says, and Rey feels her brow furrow.
âWhat do you mean?â she asks.
âAfter Christmasâwhen weâre ready to take the tree downâwe should plant it in the backyard,â he explains.
âBut youâre going to sell the house, arenât you? Is there really a point in keeping the tree?â
âI donât know,â Ben replies. âIâve been thinking about keeping the house lately.â
âReally?â
âKylo seems to like the place,â he says, and Rey turns back to look at him in time to see those devastating dimples. âSo what other tree tests are there?â Ben asks.
âJust the last oneâthe lean test.â
âWhich is?â
âYou look directly at the tree, then lean to the left, then to the right, and then come back to the middle,â Rey says. âIf the tree still feels right from all angles, youâve found the one.â
âOkay,â Ben replies, a hint of doubt in his voice.
âDonât discount it until youâve tried it,â Rey says, before they both turn toward the tree.
Ben seems willing to try it, but he starts by leaning to the right first, while Rey leans toward the left.
Their bodies collide, and Rey tries to overcorrect.Â
Benâs hands are suddenly on her waist, catching her before she can stumble.
âI think Iâve found the one,â he whispers, looking at her rather than the tree.
Reyâs breath catches. It would be so easy to kiss him. She already knows how good his lips feel.
But she also knows sheâd fall for this manâŚand it would hurt too much if he asked to keep their relationship casual.Â
Rey pulls back from him, and Ben lets go. âWe should have them ring the tree up for usâif this treeâs your choice,â she says.
âYeah, it is,â he replies. âI plan to take good care of it.â
Rey can only nod as they make their way back to Benâs truck.
~~~
Ben needs to figure out how to do this right.
It feels so good to be near Rey and to touch her, but he doesnât want to push her too farânot when it seems like she may bolt at any second.
He can take his time with this. Sheâs worth it, and Benâs going to make her see how much he cares for her.
Heâll plant her a garden in the backyard if that would make her happy.
Ben just needs to find out what she wants, and heâll give it to her.
And heâs going to start by making her feel like sheâs part of his life.
âSo what do you do for Christmas Eve?â Ben asks when theyâre back in his truck.
âMy brother and I usually hang out together,â she replies.
âAny interest in Nonna Padmeâs annual Christmas Eve party?â
âI imagine thatâs just for your family, isnât it?â
âNo,â he replies. âNonnaâs invited fifty people before.â
âOh,â Rey says, not sounding sold.
âYour brother would be welcome to join us too,â Ben adds, before remembering the reason for their first kiss. âIt may help with the whole fake dating story.â
âBut then youâd have to pretend Iâm your girlfriend that night.â
âI think I could manage,â he says.
âIâm not sure my brother will be happy to meet you by Christmas Eve.â
âWhat?â Ben says, not understanding. âOh no, did you tell him what happened earlier this week? Does he think Iâm an asshole?â
Benâs worried. He doesnât want Reyâs only family member hating him already.
âNo,â Rey says. âHe doesnât know about that. All he knows about this week is that Iâm living with you now.â
âOh,â he replies. âIs that what your brotherâs upset about?â
Ben feels a sudden need to track this guy down and tell him that his intentions toward Rey are honorableâfor the most part.
âNo, heâs not upset with you yet, but Iâm not sure how heâll be after Saturday.â
âWhatâs Saturday?â
âMy brotherâs big pre-Christmas party,â Rey answers. âThe one I told him Iâd bring my fake boyfriend to. He may not be happy with you after you donât show.â
âWhat? Why wonât I be there?â
âDo you actually want to be there? Pretending like weâre dating, and you acting like youâre happy I moved in with you.â
âI am happy you moved in with me.â
âTo watch Kylo,â she corrects. âItâs not like weâre living and sleeping together.â
Ben wants to pull over and tell Rey heâd sleep with her whenever she wants him to.
But Ben keeps driving. Heâs not sure how sheâd respond to thatâand he canât screw this up. Rey means too much to him.
âI could go with you, though,â he offers. âI wouldnât do anything to make you feel uncomfortable. Maybe I could just hold your hand all night?â
âAnd that wouldnât bother you?â
âNot at all,â Ben answers honestly.
âBut are you even free that night?â Rey asks.
âIâm not working Saturday,â he replies, thinking of who else could help cover any emergencies so he can make sure he has the entire night off.
But then he remembers Poe and the dinner heâs supposed to attend.
âCrap,â he says. âI promised Poe Iâd help him that night.â
âThatâs fine,â she says. âIt may be a bit of a chaotic party this year anyway.â
âYou could still come to Nonna Padmeâs for Christmas Eve. It could be my way of apologizing to your brother.â
âWeâll see,â Rey replies. âBut first we have to make it through today.â
âI thought we already did the hard part,â he says. âWe picked out the tree.â
âYes, but now we have to decorate it. How are your decorating skills?â
Christmas decorating was usually orchestrated by his mother in the Solo house, but Benâs looking forward to sharing this activity just with Rey.
âIâve been told I make a decent staircase,â he replies. âI think I can handle anything you want to put on the tree.â
âIs that a challenge?â she asks mischievously.
âName it, and weâll make it happen.â
~~~
Rey recommended shatterproof ornaments at the store, and her suggestion turns out to be for the best after the first ornament goes on the tree.
Kylo jumps up to swat the red bulb, and itâs bouncing on the floor the next second.
âTold you,â she says to Ben, as he returns to the living room with a bowl of popcorn in his hand.
âYou were right about the ornaments, but do we really need this much popcorn to decorate the tree?â he asks.
âYou have another bag in the microwave, right?â
âYes.â
âGoodâthat should cover both our decorating and snacking needs.â
âRight,â he says, a dubious look in his eye.
âI know how to make garland. Now do you trust me or not?â
The microwave beeps in the kitchen behind them, and Ben doesnât bother answering. He merely turns around.
Rey takes a moment to inspect their supplies. Looking at the bags strewn across the living room, her eyes land on something green on the floor.Â
Itâs a sprig of some kind of plant, and Rey picks it up, unable to help her curiosity.
With a closer look, she realizes itâs mistletoe.
Her mind jumps to the possibilities. This could give her an excuse to kiss him again without all the complications of a relationship.
He doesnât want a real girlfriend, but maybe heâd at least be willing to kiss her like he did in the cafe under this plant.
While she hears Ben still working in the kitchen she moves to the front hall and grabs the step-stool she used yesterday.
In a matter of moments, the mistletoe hangs from the new light fixture.
Before Rey can second guess her decision, she hears Ben returning to the living room. She does the same, leaving the plant in place in case an opportunity arises.
~~~
They work on the tree until Rey decides itâs time for Christmas cookies.Â
She wants Ben to have the full holiday experienceâthe kind she and her brother have always tried for since leaving the last foster home.
And Ben doesnât stop smiling.Â
Even when she drapes lights over his arms to keep them from tangling as she wraps the strand around the treeâŚ
Even when she coats his nose in flour while they bakeâŚ
Even when he pulls Kylo out of the tree for the third time that nightâŚ
Benâs always grinning, and Reyâs stomach is doing flips.
Why does this man have to be so perfect, but completely uninterested in a committed relationship?
And how long can she stay here knowing sheâll never have him?
âSo the tree is decorated,â Ben says before reaching into the oven. âAnd the cookies are baked,â he adds putting the pan on the stovetop. âI think we managed to survive today.â
âWe did,â Rey agrees.
âAnd you said youâd think about Nonna Padmeâs Christmas Eve party if we survived today, soâŚ?â
Rey takes a step closer, her eyes focused on the little trees and candy canes on the baking sheet. âDo you still want me to go?â
âYes, Rey. Iââ
Benâs phone pings three times in a row, stopping whatever he was going to say. Rey looks at him, trying to decipher from his features what the messages say.
âThereâs an accident on the interstate ramp, and a Christmas tree caught on fire on the other side of town,â Ben says. âThey need backup.â
âOf course, you shouldââ
Benâs hand grips hers, and Rey goes silent.
âI want to finish our conversation,â he says.
âWe can talk when you get back.â
âIt may be late,â Ben replies. âDo you want to grab breakfast?â
âIâm working the morning shift,â she says. âLunch?â
He shakes his head. âIâm at the station most of the day tomorrow. Dinner?â
âItâs a date,â she says before taking a step back. âNot an actual date,â she corrects. âJustâŚâ
âTwo people who live together having dinner together?â Ben offers.
âSomething like that,â Rey says before following him to the front door.Â
He puts on his coat and then his eyes turn back to her. âWould you mind watering the treeâmaking sure itâs okay? I donât want anything happening to you or Kylo while Iâm gone.â
It catches her off guard, how protective he is. Kyloâs his cat, but the way Ben shows concern about her tooâReyâs not used to that from anyone but her brother and Rose.
âIâll make sure weâre okay,â she says, before realizing where Benâs standing.
Her eyes go to the light fixture above him, and Benâs eyes follow.
âItâs mistletoe,â she explains, before standing on her toes and pressing a gentle kiss to his lips. Itâs tentative, but he doesnât pull away, so she brushes her lips against his a second timeâasking him through the contact if he wants more.
She wouldâve stepped back and let that kiss be enough if he didnât respond, but one strong hand finds her waist and another goes to the back of her neck.
Suddenly, Reyâs body is flush against Benâs, and the kiss deepens. His tongue is in her mouth, and Rey canât hold back soft, needy moans. Her fingers are in his hair, and heâs pulling her closer until thereâs no space between them.
Is that a flashlight in his pocket? Rey canât help but wonder as her belly rubs against something hard.
But then Benâs cell phone pings again.
âFuck,â he mutters, as he breaks the kiss, sounding breathless. âI have to go.â
âRight,â Rey replies, untangling herself from his grasp, just as Kylo curls around her ankles. She scoops up the cat to ensure she doesnât reach for Ben again.
With the way he kisses, sheâd probably beg Ben to stay when he needs to be elsewhere.
âBe safe,â she tells him.Â
Ben takes a moment to turn back one last time, nuzzling against Kyloâs forehead and then leaving a brief kiss on Reyâs lips. âIâll see you tomorrow night,â he whispers.
Rey nods, before watching him go. She carries Kylo into the living room and sits down on the sofa.
Sheâs not going to recover from that kiss anytime soon, and she doesnât know if she wants to.
~~~
Hours later, Ben texts his best friend on the other side of town.


~~~
Ben doesnât say he was the one close to begging. He spent the night arousedâby the sight of Rey in her holiday sweater, by her gentle caresses as they decorated, by the way she licked icing off her finger.
He wouldâve done anything she askedâif they werenât interrupted.


~~~
Benâs determined to show Rey how good things can be between them.
What could possibly go wrong?
#reylo#reylo au#reylo fanfic#ben x rey#ben solo#rey nobody#reylo modern au#hallmark Christmas movies
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"The Nine Lives of Kylo"

~ A Reylo Holiday Textfic ~
Author's Note: I'm posting these chapters in time for Christmas in July. Chapters 1-5 are also available on AO3. New chapters will post to both Tumblr and AO3 starting this week and wrapping up before the holidays.
Thank you for reading!
~~~
PART V
~~~
Rey goes directly from campus to the shelter.
She shivers despite her coat. The wind stings her exposed face as she walks from her car to the shelter, and the dreary sky seems to match her mood.
Rey sniffles when she enters the building, hoping it seems like sheâs just dealing with the coldânot battling a whirlwind of emotions.
The man at the counter doesnât look at her, his head buried in a pile of paperwork.
âExcuse me,â Rey says, approaching him. âIâm looking for a cat.â
âAnd Iâm looking for two of my employees who called out sick today and left all their files from last week for me to handle,â the man replies without glancing up from his desk.
âIâm sorry to hear that, but Iâm hoping Iâll only need a moment of your time.â
The man looks at her now. âYou said a cat, right?â
âYes, I think a cat may have been dropped off here by mistake.â
âAnd when was that?â
âEither yesterday or today,â Rey replies, knowing sheâd seen Kylo at Benâs house late Saturday night.
She shoves all thoughts of Ben out of her mind. She canât think about him right now.
The man flips through his files. âWe havenât processed any of the recent drop-offs. Would you know the cat if you saw it?â
âYes,â Rey answers. âIâd know him anywhere.â
âOkay. Come with me,â the man says, before leading her through a doorway.Â
There are cages and crates in the hall, and the sad cries of dogs and cats shatter Reyâs already broken heart.
But she knows she canât adopt them all. Plutt will evict her if brings home a pet. Rey doesnât even know what sheâll do if Kyloâs here.
Maybe it was all a mistake. Maybe Ben didnât mean any of it. Maybe it was all some bizarre, twisted jokeâŚ
But then her eyes fall on an orange tabby, pawing at his cage, trying to catch her attention.
âThatâs him,â she says, pointing to Kylo.
âSo heâs yours?â the man questions. âYouâre taking responsibility for him?â
Rey considers her options. She hasnât found a home for Kylo before, and neither Finn nor Rose can take on a cat with their living arrangements.Â
And she canât take him back to Benânot if the manâs just going to abandon Kylo.
She doesnât have a choice. Sheâll just have to make sure Plutt doesnât see himâat least until she can find Kylo a forever home.
âYes,â she says. âHeâs mine.â
âRight,â the man replies. âUsually I give people instructions, have them fill out paperwork, and carry out a whole processâŚbut as you can see, I have my hands full. Iâm willing to accept your word that youâll take care of this cat rather than go through that mess. SoâŚdo I have your word?â
âYes, I promise,â Rey answers. âIâll look after him.â
Her eyes meet Kyloâs, and the cat gives her a hopeful lookâthe most hope sheâs felt in hours.
~~~
Ben is frantic when he goes to his living room Monday afternoon and doesnât find Kylo. He searches the whole house and the yard, but thereâs no sign of him. He grabs his phone to text Rey for advice, but their messages are gone and so is her contact info.






~~~
Chewie reaches out to Maz, the smartest person he knowsâŚand the most beautiful.



~~~
A few hours later...


~~~
Rey spends the afternoon gathering supplies and sneaking them into her apartment. She tucks Kylo under her coat to make sure Plutt and her neighbors canât see him. Then she tries to figure out a long-term plan.

~~~
The income from Finnâs roommate is the only way her brother can afford his apartment, so she canât ask him to take on Kyloânot when it would mean losing his tenant.
Rey turns to her next option.


~~~
Rey doesnât have the stomach to tell Rose the truth about Ben. Itâs easier to not think about him.


~~~
Ben spends the day searching his neighborhood and checking his phone until well after the sun sets. When it pings, he hopes itâs either good news or Rey.
Unfortunately, itâs neither.

~~~
Ben doesnât have the patience for this.

~~~
Ben hadnât told her. Baz never liked his catâwhy would Ben let her know Kylo was missing?
And if he didnât tell her, how does she know?


~~~
Ben ends the text and blocks Bazâs number. He doesnât want to hear from that crazy woman again. He needs to find his cat and Rey, but he also needs to vent.


~~~
Rey doesnât sleep well Monday night. She wakes up the next day with her arms curled around Kylo and a heavy blanket covering both of them.
She knows she canât keep the cat for the long term. Plutt will notice him at some point, and then sheâll be evicted and Kylo will be no better off.
âWeâll find you a new home,â she whispers in the catâs ear, only to receive a sad yowl in reply.Â
Rey scoots out of the bed and wraps the blankets more tightly around Kylo.
âStay quiet today. We donât want Plutt to find you,â Rey tells him, as she dresses for the cold. âHopefully Iâll find a solution before I get back. In the meantime, be good.â
She plans to track down some of pet storeâs best customers to see if they may be interested in Kylo.
If that doesnât work, Rey plans to start posting ads online. Her only concern there is that she wants to make sure Kylo goes to a good home, and how can she tell that through email and chat?
Rey thought Ben was a good guy based on their texting, but look how wrong sheâd been there.
After making sure the food and water bowls are full and giving Kylo one last affectionate scratch, Rey heads out the door. Once sheâs on the sidewalk, she realizes how tired she is.
âCoffee first,â she thinks. âThen find Kylo a home.â
Her feet carry her to Mazâs, but Rey almost turns around as memories of Ben come back to her.Â
A yell from across the room stops her from leaving.
âRey Johnson!â Maz calls. âCome up here. I have something for you to try.â
The entire cafe stares at her, so Rey does the only thing she can. She walks to where Maz stands at the far end of the counter.
âHi Maz,â she says, with the little enthusiasm she can manage.
âAre you okay, dear?â Maz asks.Â
âJust tired,â Rey lies.
âI have a cure for tired,â Maz replies, handing Rey a warm mug.
The aroma is heavenly. Hints of coffee and cinnamon blend together in a way that gives Rey no choice. She has to taste the beverage.
âSo?â Maz asks. âHow is it?â
âDelicious,â Rey admits.
âGood. Now sit down and enjoy it.â
âI really should be going.â
âYouâre done with your exams, arenât you?â
Rey nods.
âAnd do you need to be at work in the next hour?â
âWell no, butââ
âBut nothing,â Maz says. âSit down, savor my latest brilliant concoction, and let me make you a fresh batch of my holiday cakes.â
Mazâs holiday cakes are sinful, and Reyâs stomach growls thinking about the delectable treats.
âWhen was the last time you ate, Miss Johnson?â
Rey canât remember dinner last night. She mustâve eaten some snack for lunch yesterday, but her appetite was gone. She was too upset.
âI canât recall. It was a hectic day yesterday.â
âNow Iâm insisting. Sit down and Iâll make you a few cakes.â
Rey doesnât argue this time. Her bodyâs too exhausted to put up a fight.Â
She climbs onto the barstool and doesnât watch Maz walk into the kitchen.
~~~
Maz pulls out her phone the moment sheâs alone and reaches out to Chewie.


~~~
Ben finishes buttoning his uniform. He considered calling out given his lack of sleep, but he needs something to focus on other than his lost cat and Rey. Heâs put up posters and checked online, and the lack of news is destroying his hope.
But then his phone pings.

~~~
Ben doesnât ask any more questions. Instead, he hops in his truck and drives across town.
Several pairs of eyes glare at him as he slams the cafe door open, but Ben doesnât care. Heâs only concerned about one pair of eyes.
Those hazel eyes look at him now from a seat at the counter, and Benâs across the room in a few quick strides.
âRey,â he says, not bothering to hide the desperation from his tone.
But Rey doesnât seem to hear him. She turns in the opposite direction, pulling her coat on and trying to move away from him.
âRey, please,â he says. âCan we talk?â
âI think youâve already told me everything I need to know,â she replies, sounding hurt.
Benâs stomach drops. âDid I say something to you in a text? Something that upset you?â
Rey turns around to look at him, anger and disbelief in her eyes.
âYou know what you saidâŚwhat you did,â she says.
âIf I told you I donât know, would you believe me?â
âWhy should I? I donât know you.â
âPlease, Rey,â he begs.
Her expression softens somewhat but not by much. She still looks ready to bolt the moment he makes a wrong move.
Ben wants to tell her everything heâs gone through in the last 24 hours and ask if she has any ideas about Kylo.Â
But before he can say the first word, her phone starts ringing.
Rey chooses the phone over him.
âHello,â she says, and Ben can hear a muffled, angry voice on the other end. Only one word is clear.
âJohnson.â
âJohnson,â Ben repeats. âIs that your last name?â
Rey gives him another harsh look as she listens to the voice rant.
âIâm sure itâs not what you think,â she says into her phone.
Benâs brow creases with concern, hearing the worry in her tone. âWhatâs wrong?â he whispers.
Rey ignores him. âThereâs no need for that,â she says. âIâm on my way.â
The call ends, and Ben wants to hug her or do something to erase the sad look on her face.
âI have to go,â Rey says, not looking at him. âI think it would be best if we donât see each other again.â
âRey,â Ben starts to protest, but Rey turns and hurries out the door.
He considers letting her go. Itâs obvious she doesnât want to see him.
But Ben already lost Rey once. He doesnât intend to go through that again.
~~~
Rey doesnât bother to look back as she hustles to her apartment.Â
Ben can follow her for all she cares. Thereâs nothing he can say to explain why he abandoned Kylo the way he didâŚor why he asked that horrible woman to marry him.
Those were his foolish choices, not hers.Â
And Rey has her own problems to deal withâlike her apartment door being open and her landlord standing inside, looking heated.
âJohnson!â Plutt yells, once he sees her. âWhat the hell have you brought into my building?â
âIâm not sure what you mean,â she lies.
âYes, you do,â he insists. âI know you have an animal in here. My repair guy saw it when he stopped by earlier. You know the rulesâimmediate eviction.â
âYou canât do that,â Rey replies, knowing she has nowhere to go.
âOh yes I can,â Plutt says. âI can do whatever I want, including fumigating this whole place to get rid of that pest.â
âYou canât!â Rey protests.
âIs there a problem here?â a calm, deep voice asks from behind her.
Rey should hate that voice now, but it sounds strangely comforting to her.
Sheâs always stood up to Plutt on her own. It would be nice to have someone on her side against that vile man for a change.
But why would Ben be on her side after his last text?
âNo problem, sir,â Plutt says, and Rey turns to see what she didnât notice at the cafeâthat Ben is in his uniform. And now heâs standing right beside her.
âIt sounded like you were threatening this tenant."
âShe broke the bylaws of this complex. Iâm within my rights to kick her out.â
Ben doesnât back down. âAnd how did you determine she was in violation?â
âWhat?â Plutt asks, clearly not used to being questioned, and Ben just glares at him. âUm, I had my repairman visiting each apartment. He sawââ
But Ben interrupts. âAnd did you give this tenant 24 hoursâ notice before entering the premises?â
Her overbearing brute of a landlord shrinks under Benâs scrutiny. âIâŚI mustâve,â Plutt mutters.Â
âAnd what about fire codes?â Ben asks. âAre you up to date on the townâs 452 ordinances regarding fire safety and prevention?â
âIâŚI must be,â Plutt says, struggling to keep his composure.
âIâll be back next week to make sure youâre in compliance with each of them,â Ben says, taking a look around her apartment. âIf youâre not, Iâll have to write you up. May even have to shut this building down.â
âYou wouldnât,â Plutt replies, his voice shaky as he slinks around them to the door. âItâŚit wonât change anything. Sheâs still out of here.â
Benâs glare remains in place until Plutt leaves her apartment. Then his features soften, and he looks more like the Ben she first met.
âSorry I couldn't stop him from kicking you out,â Ben says. âBut at least I can make his life hell for a little while.â
Rey doesnât understand how his tone is so different from his last text, so she blurts out the only word that needs to be said, âWhy?â
âWhy what?â
âWhy?â she repeats. âWhy are you sorry? Why did you follow me here?â
âYou don't understand,â he begins.
âAnd I'm sure your fiancĂŠe wouldnât understand why youâre here.â
âMy what?â
âYour fiancĂŠeâthe woman you gave your grandmotherâs ring to.â
âWhat?â Ben replies worriedly. âOh noâdid she take nonnaâs ring too?â His gaze shifts away from her, and his fingers comb nervously through his hair.
Heâs not making any sense to Rey. âDidnât you give her the ringâwhen you asked her to marry you?â
âI didnât,â he says firmly, eyes on her again. âI didnât give her that ring. I didnât ask her to marry me. Why would you think I did?â
âBecause of your text yesterday,â Rey answers, retrieving her phone from her back pocket. She unlocks the device and opens her texts.
The only reason she didnât delete Benâs messages was because she wanted to go back and save the pictures of Kylo.Â
But that last picture she received from Ben is still painful to see. She hands her phone over to him and waits for his explanation.
âThat psychopath,â he utters.
âWhat?â
âI left my phone out yesterday while the kitchen floor was installed, and somehow Baz got into it,â Ben says. âShe deleted our messages and then deleted your contact info.â
âWhy would she do that?â Rey asks.
âI donât know. Maybe because I like talking to you and spending time with you more than with her.â
Tears prick at the corner of her eyes, but she has to know the truth. âSo this,â Rey begins pointing at the last messages, âitâs not real?â
âNo,â Ben answers firmly. âIâm never speaking to that woman again.â
Rey feels an urge to wrap her arms around Ben, but she needs to know everything. âAnd Kylo?â
He swallows, and Rey can see sorrow in his dark eyes. âI told her I wanted to keep him, and then she did this,â Ben replies, gesturing to the phone as he hands it back to Rey. âShe did something with him, but I donât know what.â
âYou want to keep him?â Rey asks, wanting to make sure she heard him correctly.
âYes, but I canât find him. Iâve looked all over town, put up signsâeverything I could think of,â he replies. âAnd I couldnât even reach out to the one person I wanted to ask for help.â
His eyes focus on her at his last words, and Rey feels her cheeks redden. âI think I may be able to help you actually.â
âYou can?â Ben says, but before he can ask anything further a meow sounds from on top of her refrigerator.
Ben turns, and heâs across the room in an instant, reaching up to retrieve Kylo and pull the cat into an embrace.
âIâve missed you, buddy,â Ben says, nuzzling his nose against Kyloâs head.
âSo I take it you didnât drop him off at the shelter?â
âIs that where she took him? I checked there. They didnât have a record of him.â
âI claimed him before they did the paperwork.â
âWait,â Ben begins, a crease appearing on his forehead. âYou brought Kylo back hereâa place where pets arenât allowed. Is he the reason you were evicted?â
âWell, yesâI suppose,â she answers, blaming Plutt and his stupid policies more than Kylo.
âDo you have somewhere to go?â
âI guess. I was thinking about finding a hotel that allows for cats, but now that Kyloâs taken care of, I may have more options.â
âYou arenât going to a hotel, are you?â Ben asks, concern in his tone.
âPossiblyâjust until I find a new place. Or I could camp out on my brotherâs couch.â
âNo,â he says firmly.
âNo what?â
âThereâs an apartment above the garage at my place. You can access it from the house but thereâs also a separate entrance.â
âI canât move in with you,â Rey says.
âWhy not?â Ben asks. âYou donât want to stay at a hotel over the holidays. The rates would be insane right now. Besides, Iâm the reason you lost your apartment. This is the least I can do.â
âThis wasnât your fault,â she insists. âYour girlfriend is the one to blame.â
âMy ex-girlfriend,â he corrects.
âRight,â she says, trying to ignore the fluttering in her heart when Ben emphasizes heâs single. âBut you donât have to worry about me. Iâll figure things out, and I feel better already knowing Kylo will be looked after.â
âAnd Iâd feel better knowing there was someone at my house, making sure I donât do anything stupid with Kyloâlike trying to feed him milk or letting him get kidnapped.â
Rey laughs for what feels like the first time in days, but Ben doesnât stop giving her reasons.
âBesides,â he says. âHow are you going to explain to your brother that you need to sleep on his couch when youâre supposed to be seeing someone?â
In all the recent chaos, Rey had forgotten her lie to Finn and Rose.Â
Finnâs party is in a few days. She wouldnât be able to keep up the illusion of a fake boyfriend around her brother if she were staying with Finn.
But she doesnât take charity.Â
âThis would be temporary, though,â she says. âOnly until I find a new place.â
âOf course,â Ben replies, a smile appearing on his lips and the hint of a dimple emerging on his cheek.
Kylo lets out an approving meow, but Reyâs not done yet.
âAnd I only live in places where I can decorate for the holidays.â
Ben glances around her apartment, no doubt taking in the snowmen, garland, and candy canes she has strewn everywhere. âWeâre BYOD at my house,â he says.
âBYOD?â
âBring Your Own Decorations,â he replies. âI think you should be fine.â
~~~
Ben doesnât need to report to work until six oâclock. Chewie covered for him during the rest of the day.
It gave Ben time to help Rey pack and move to his house that afternoonâand to make sure his nonnaâs ring was still on his bookcase.Â
The move went smoothly. Rey has plenty of decorations, but she didnât have many other things to move. They only needed two trips in his truck to bring over her belongings.
At 5:30, Ben knows he has to head out the door, but he canât stop looking in his living room. Reyâs hanging garland along the mantle, and Kyloâs watching her from his chair.
The sight is what he wants to see every day. Ben wanted to ask Rey out days ago, and now here she is, living in house.
But thatâs his latest dilemma.
Yes, he has his cat back, and he has Reyâs name and phone number written down on post-its throughout his house, but he realizes he has a new problem.
He pulls out his phone to text his friends.



~~~
Ben scoops up Kylo and hugs the cat as he heads out. Rey follows, taking Kylo from him at the door. Ben wants to hug her too but he holds back.
âIâll see you soon,â he says, and Rey nods, standing so close to him.
Ben needs to get mistletoe in this doorway ASAP.
#reylo#reylo au#reylo fanfic#ben x rey#ben solo#rey nobody#reylo modern au#hallmark Christmas movies
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"The Nine Lives of Kylo"

~ A Reylo Holiday Textfic ~
Author's Note: I'm posting these chapters in time for Christmas in July (with my cat supervising from his perch on top of my arm). Chapters 1-5 are also available on AO3. New chapters will post to both Tumblr and AO3 starting this week and wrapping up before the holidays.
Please note--the characters face a few hardships, but this story will have an HEA.
I hope you enjoy!
~~~
PART IV
~~~
The dinner isâŚtolerable, but the minute he feels his phone vibrate, Ben turns his attention away from the table.


~~~
Ben laughs and receives a stare from his mother, a smile from his nonna, and an eye roll from his father. His granddad starts talking again, and Ben returns to his phone.

~~~
Suddenly Benâs tie feels too tight. He swore to his family he would never be the type to settle down, and any mention of a lifelong commitment should make him want to run.
But that subject coming from Reyâs fingertips is more interesting to him than it should be.

~~~
Worry hits Benâas much for Rey as it is for Kylo.



~~~
Dots appear and then disappear, and Ben wonders what message Rey is typing.

~~~
Rey can joke, but Benâs worry is back. Sheâs on her own at the house, and porch robbers are prevalent this time of year.

~~~
His phone vibrates just when heâs ready to bolt from the table, but the message isn't from the person he expected.


~~~
Another buzz draws Ben back to Rey.


~~~
Before he can agree to Reyâs suggestion, Ben hears from Baz again. And thinking about it, heâs more willing to believe Reyâs account of events than Bazâs.


~~~
Ben knows heâs already thinking clearly.
He tucks his phone away because more than one family member is giving him mean looks after his minutes of texting. But he doesnât stop thinking about the changes he needs to make.
On Monday night, heâs going to end things with Baz. Breaking up isnât something he wants to do over text, so heâll tell her at dinner that night.
Baz has been saying lately itâs either her or the cat, and itâs painfully obvious to Ben his best choice is the cat.
Then Benâs going to meet with Rey after that. It wouldnât be right to talk to her before he breaks up with Baz.Â
Not when he wants to ask Rey out.
Ben knows Rey may not say yes. She may be done with winter exams on Monday, but she still has the spring semester ahead of her.
But Ben still has to try.
âSo Benjamin,â his grandfather says, drawing him out of his thoughts and back to the dinner. âTell us how youâre doing.â
âGreat, actually,â Ben replies, feeling a smile spread on his face. Several people at the table turn to look at him, making him wonder if heâs ever said something positive during one of these dinners.
His nonna smiles back at him. âTell us more,â she requests.
âWell, Iâve decided to keep the cat I found.â
âReally?â his father questions.
Chewie clears his throat. âI thought your girlfriend hates cats.â
âIâm thinking about making a change there too.â
âFinally,â his mother mutters, still loud enough for everyone to hear her.
Padmeâs smile remains bright. âI think itâs wonderful youâve already found a vet to help you with Kylo,â she says.
âYou mustâve gone to Amilyn,â Leia says. âShe didnât tell me you stopped by her clinic. You know sheâs retiring next year. Weâll need a new vet for the dogsâand your cat now too, Ben.â
âDr. Holdo hasnât been helping me with Kylo.â
âReally?â Leia asks. âSo who is this vet youâve found?â
âIâve met her,â Padme replies. âDelightful young woman. Weâll probably take Vader to her after Amilyn retires.â
âThatâs assuming she stays in the area,â Ben comments, not knowing where Rey wants to go when she graduates.
âWell, hopefully,â Padme begins, âsomeone will give her a reason to stay.â
Thereâs a knowing look in his grandmotherâs eyes. Ben tries to ignore her gaze and focus on a conversation between Lando and his father, but Ben still feels the stare on him.
~~~
Ben arrives back at home a few hours later with a large bag of leftovers. His mother insisted on giving him a sample of everything, and his nonna wrapped up a full plate for Rey.
He didnât watch the women while they packed up the food, but Ben can tell from the weight of the bag there has to be a few pounds inside.
Ben debates knocking, but he doesnât want Rey to think Baz has returned. He balances the bag in one hand and unlocks the door with the other. Thereâs no Rey bustling down the hallway to ask about the dinner, so Ben turns to the room where he can see a light on.
Asleep on his couch is Rey, with an open textbook and a napping orange cat sprawled out on top of her.
The sight is everything he never knew he wanted.
Ben considers letting her sleep, but Kylo wakes up and walks across her. A moment later, Reyâs eyes are blinking awake.
âBen, youâre home,â she says, fighting to hold back a yawn.
âYeah,â he replies. âSorry to wake you. I know itâs late. Would you like to stay here tonightâeither on the couch or in the guest bedroom?â
âI should get going. I need to start early if Iâm going to be ready for this test.â
âOf course. Well Nonna Padme put together a plate for you,â he says, setting the bag down on a table and reaching in for the container of Reyâs food.
âThat was too kind of her,â Rey says. âDid you tell her she didnât have to do that? That I still owe her grandson a debt I canât repay for making him kiss me in public?â
âThat wasnât exactly a hardship for me,â Ben replies. Rey turns away from him, a slight pink tinge appearing on her cheeks.
His focus returns to the bag, not wanting to make Rey feel uncomfortable. He finds a small box with a note attached from his nonna, then underneath he finds the food for Rey.Â
She takes the container from him and offers him a sweet smile.
Ben does everything he can to keep from kissing her.
He walks her to the door, and Kylo follows them, rubbing against her legs.
âGoodnight, Kylo,â Rey says, before her gaze turns upward to meet Ben's.
âThank you, Reyâfor everything,â he says, holding back what heâs thankful for. Her help with his cat goes without saying, but the way sheâs opened his eyes to what he wantsâhe canât tell her about his gratitude for that yet.
âAnytime you need help with Kylo, just let me know,â Rey offers.
âI will.â
âGoodnight, Ben,â she adds, before standing on her toes to kiss his cheek.Â
Ben has to clench his fist to keep from touching her, from pulling her toward him.
âGoodnight, Rey,â he utters, before sheâs out the door.
Ben watches her drive away and then shuts the front door. He turns around to see Kylo staring up at him.
The cat lets out an annoyed sound.
âWhat do you want me to do? I asked her if she wanted to stay.â
Kylo quirks his head at Ben.
âShe was the one who left. I didnât tell her she had to go.â
A tiny orange paw swats in his direction, before Ben scoops the cat up.
âOkay, maybe I couldâve done more, but I just need some time. By Monday, things will be better,â Ben says, trying to convince himself.
He walks back into the living room and retrieves the leftovers before going to the kitchen. On the cabinets, he finds paper snowflakes Rey mustâve made for him, and Ben canât hold back his smile.
He starts putting the leftovers in his fridge and again finds the small box from his nonna. This time he reads the note.
âItâs time you have this. If you find someone who makes you happy, give this to them.â
Inside the box is his grandmotherâs ring.
~~~
Monday morning...
Baz doesnât have much time. Ben will be working with the contractors in the kitchen for the next hour or so, and she knows theyâll use the back door. Ben wouldnât want a mess tracked through the rest of his house.
If itâs anything like the last time he had workers in the house, heâll keep the cat in the living room with the door closedâand hopefully heâll have his phone in there too.
Benâs broken a few phones at work or during his little projects, so Baz knows he prefers to leave it out of the way.
She leaves her car a block away and goes to the front door. Baz can hear people in the kitchen, so she carefully enters the living room.
There she finds the phone, the tablet, and that annoying cat. The creature glares at her, but Baz is on a mission. She does a quick once-over to see if thereâs anything else she needs to take care of.
Thatâs when she spots an unfamiliar box on the bookcase. She gasps as she opens it. Baz wants to pocket the beauty, but Ben would definitely notice that. Still, the ring may help her drive her point home.
Baz unlocks Benâs phoneâthe man needs to do a better job hiding his passcodeâand she snaps a picture of the ring on her finger before putting it back in the box.
She finds the text message she was looking for and starts typing. A few well chosen words, that picture, and then hitting delete several times, and Baz knows one of her problems is solved.
The cat growls the whole time, but she ignores him.
Baz opens the tablet and makes sure the messages and contact are deleted there as well.
Then she opens up the large bag she brought with her. Baz knows the scratches are worth it, as she carries the little monster out of Benâs house. One stop at the shelter, and her life will go back to just the way she wants it.
~~~
Rey breathes a sigh of relief as she leaves her final exam.
She turns her phone back on, and her joy disappears as she reads a new string of messages.

~~~
Rey feels broken.
She canât believe Ben would act so differently than he had on Saturday, but how well does she even know him? These texts came from himâmaybe he's more of a jerk than she thought.
Only one way to find out. She drives to the shelter to see if Kylo is there.
#reylo#reylo au#reylo fanfic#ben x rey#ben solo#rey nobody#reylo modern au#hallmark Christmas movies
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"The Nine Lives of Kylo"

~ A Reylo Holiday Textfic ~
Author's Note: I'm posting these chapters in time for Christmas in July. Chapters 1-5 are also available on AO3. New chapters will post to both Tumblr and AO3 starting this week and wrapping up before the holidays.
~~~
PART III
~~~
Ben always expects stress from his family over the holidays, but he canât prepare for it this year. Heâs too distracted by KyloâŚand the woman whoâs been helping him.
He shouldnât have enjoyed kissing her so muchâŚ
But a text pulls him back to the family stress.




~~~
Ben needs help with Kylo, so he goes to the text that always seems to be near the top of his messages.



~~~
Benâs as ready as he can be when Rey arrives at his house at 5:30.
His mother will have appetizers on the counter by 6:00, and dinner will be served exactly an hour after that. He needs to be on the road soon to avoid a lecture on tardiness.
He takes a deep breath, trying not to think of the litany of criticisms heâll hear tonight and wondering if Lando and Chewie might be willing to sneak off for a bit and partake in some Chandrilan ale.Â
That might help things.
It would also help if Kylo behaves for his sitter tonight. As Ben opens his front door, Rey gives him a bright grin that goes well with her happy holiday sweater.Â
Ben knows he needs to stop thinking about this woman and her smiles.
But Ben canât deny what he feels.
If Rey wanted the same things as him, Ben would dump Baz in a heartbeat and ask Rey to be with him.
But Rey doesnât date nowâand when she is finally willing to date, she wants love and probably marriage.
If they were together, Rey would have expectations of him. And Ben would fail miserably at themâthe same way he seems to let everyone down in his life.Â
Itâs better to ignore the yearning he feels whenever he sees Rey. They should just be friends.Â
âThis is your house?â Rey asks.
âItâs more of a project Iâm going to sell at some point, but yes, I live here.â
âItâs soâŚâ
âBoring? Old-fashioned? Run-down?â
Reyâs brow furrows in shock. âI was going to say charming. Who would say such ugly things about this place?â
âNo one,â Ben replies, omitting the fact he was quoting Baz verbatim.
âYouâd have to be blind not to see how inviting this house is,â Rey adds, as she walks around the foyer, taking in the space. âSure, itâs traditional, but itâs also cozy and just lovely.â
âIf you say so.â
Her hand slides along the rail of the staircase. âLook at these stairs. Whoever built these cared about what they were doing.â
Benâs no longer looking at Rey. Instead, heâs focused on his feet. He can feel heat rising in his cheeks, and he canât keep his fingers from fiddling with his ear.
Heâs never handled praise well.
âBen?â Rey says, curiosity clear in her voice. âDid you build this?â
âYeah,â he admits, his gaze returning to her. âThe old stairs rotted out.â
âThese look amazing!â
âTheyâre just stairs.â
âJust stairs? If I were allowed to make changes to my apartment, Iâd hire you to make that place feel like a home.â
âIf your landlord ever loosens up on his rules, let me know,â Ben says. âNow let me show you a few of the essential spots around here.â
A meow sounds from the top of the stairs, and they both look up to see Kyloâs descent. The cat flies down the steps, slowing only when he reaches Rey.
Kylo rubs against her legs, before looking at her expectantly. Rey picks him up and nestles Kylo against her chest.
âLucky cat,â Ben thinks, before shoving that thought aside. He shows Rey a few rooms in the houseâall the while trying not to envy Kylo.
âThis is the kitchen,â he says. âItâs a bit of a mess because weâre putting new flooring down on Monday.â
âHow does Kylo handle the construction?â
âHe seems okay, but do you think that might be whatâs bothering him?â
âHe seems fine now,â Rey says, scratching between the purring catâs ears. âBut loud noises can be disturbing to cats. I remember one cat growing up who used to run whenever my brother or I had to vacuum.â
Ben chuckles. âWas it your cat or a relativeâs?â
Her grin falters, and Ben can see something sad in her usually cheerful eyes.
âThe cat belonged to the owner of a foster home where I lived,â she answers.
âIâm sorry,â he says, not knowing if heâs apologizing for making her reveal part of her past, or for complaining about his troublesome family to her.
âDonât be,â she says, her smile slowly returning as Kylo licks her hand. âBesides, there were benefits to growing up in different houses. I learned about different kinds of petsâand that helped me decide to become a vet. So how about youâwhy did you become a fireman?â
Ben sighs. âLet me show you.â
He leads her into the living room, where he has a bookcase covered in pictures.
âIs this your family?â Rey asks, taking in the images.
âYes,â Ben answers. âSome biological. Some not related but just as close.â His hand moves toward a more recent addition, but Reyâs already pointing at the picture.
âAre these your parents?â
âThatâs them.â
âYou take after your father.â
âIn more ways than one,â he comments, which earns him a quirk of Reyâs eyebrow. âHeâs the fire chief,â Ben adds.
âOh, so heâs the reason you became a fireman?â
âIn partâdo you happen to know the name Organa?â
âI saw that name on a sign during the last election,â Rey replies. âAre you related to Organa too?â
Benâs finger moves to the woman in the frame.
âWait,â she says. âSo your fatherâs the fire chief and your motherâs the mayor?â
âYep. A whole family of public servants,â he replies.
âWell, your parents are, but surely you must have relatives in other professions.â
âOf the adopted family members,â Ben begins, âUncle Chewie is a firefighter, and Uncle Landoâs a detective. My momâs brother Luke is the closest to being an outsider.â
âWhat does he do?â
âHe audits taxesâbut at a federal level, not local.â
âWhat a scandal,â Rey says, jokingly. âIâm surprised he wasnât disowned.â
âIt was pretty touch and go thereâespecially when he talked about moving to some tropical island away from all of us.â
âWhat stopped him?â
âHe met Aunt Mara,â Ben answers. âShe works in the townâs tourism department.â
âOf course she does,â Rey says. âWhat about your grandparents? Someone in your family mustâve taken another path.â
Benâs eyes move to two pictures on the middle shelfâone black-and-white, taken decades ago, and the other from just two years ago.
In the older picture, his grandmother Padme wears an intricate white gown and stands in front of his grandfather Anakin. The young manâs nearly a foot taller than the woman, but that doesnât hinder them. They exchange nuptials and smiles with the lake glimmering behind them.
âMy grandmother was the first female mayor of the town,â Ben says. âAnd my grandfather was the cop assigned to protect her when someone starting making threats against her.â
His eyes move to the newer picture, where the couple is posed for the picture. Padmeâs hand is on Anakinâs chest, as they lean into each other, and her diamond and sapphire ring is prominent in the foreground.
âBeautiful,â Rey comments.
Baz said something similar when she saw this picture, admiring the ring, and Ben can only assume Rey is doing the same.
âEveryone loves that ring,â he says.
âI wasnât talking about the ring,â Rey replies. âSure, itâs lovely, but look at the couple. They love each other. Itâs clear in both photos. Theyâre so happy and, well, adorable.â
âThank you,â a female voice says from behind them.
Ben turns to see his grandmother in the doorway to the room. âNonna,â he says. â I swear Iâm leaving now. You didnât need to check up on me.â
âIâm not checking up on you, Benjamin,â Padme replies. âYour mother told me you had a kitten, and I just had to see for myself. Is this him?â
His grandmother gestures toward Reyâs arms, and his new friend answers, âYes, this is Kylo.â
âWhat a handsome cat,â Padme says before petting Kylo.
The cat purrs at the attention.Â
âAre you sure you canât keep him?â Padme asks.
âYou know me,â he answers. âIâm not looking for commitments.â
âBut perhaps you can make an exception for such a charming creature.â
Rey smiles. âYou wouldnât be interested in a cat, would you?â she asks Padme.
âI used to love having a cat when I was a child, but Iâm not sure how Kylo or any other cat could handle Vader.â
âVader?â Rey asks.
âGranddadâs Rottweiler,â Ben replies. âI think Kylo could go toe-to-toe with Vader.â
âI wouldnât be worried about that, dear,â Padme says. âIâd be more worried theyâd be bad influences on each other. Who knows what sort of mischief the two of them would cause together?â
âDoes Vader have a sitter for the night?â Rey asks.
âThe dogs usually hang out together while we eat dinner,â Ben answers. âAnd they tend to get along.â
âFor the most part,â Padme adds. âBut Iâd love to have a cat join us. Would you like to come to dinner with us?â
The question is posed to Reyânot to Kylo.
âNo, I couldnât,â Rey says. âIâm just here to watch the cat.â
Padmeâs brow creases. âBenjamin, this isnât your girlfriend?â
âNo, Nonna,â he answers firmly. âThis is Rey. Sheâs a friend of mine, and sheâs good with cats.â
âI can see that,â Palme says, looking at Kylo, whoâs still tucked happily against Reyâs chest. âBut still, the offer stands if youâd like to come to dinner.â
âI couldnât,â Rey insists. âI have an exam to study for while Kylo keeps me company.â
âAn exam?â Padme questions.
âReyâs studying to become a vet,â Ben answers. âCouldnât ask for a better cat sitter.â
âIâm glad Kylo will be well taken care of,â Padme says. âBut if you change your mind, Rey, and youâd like to join us, just let Benjamin know. Iâll send him to pick you up at any time tonight.â
âThank you,â Rey replies with a smile. âThatâs really too kind of you, but I couldnât possibly intrude on your family dinnerâespecially not when thereâs a test I have to prepare for.â
âSuit yourself,â Padme says. âBut the option is there if you want it. Now come along, Benjamin, or else weâll hear an earful from your mother.â His grandmother turns back to Rey, âIt was nice meeting you, dear, and you too, Kylo.â
Padme gives the cat a few more affectionate pets before letting Ben escort her to the door.
Ben turns back to Rey. âIf thereâs anything you need, text me.â
Rey just smiles at him, and then lifts Kyloâs paw to wave at him. âI think weâll have everything we need here at your house. Now Kylo, say goodbye to daddy.â
Benâs heart starts to melt, and it has nothing to do with the small noise his cat makes.Â
He likes the thought of this place as his houseârather than just some property heâs going to fix up and sell.Â
And he likes thinking about his house with Rey and his cat in it.
And oddly enough, Ben likes Rey calling him daddy.
#reylo#reylo au#reylo fanfic#ben x rey#ben solo#rey nobody#reylo modern au#hallmark Christmas movies
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"The Nine Lives of Kylo"

~ A Reylo Holiday Textfic ~
CW // Villain Alert (more scheming than in the original)
CW // Fake Dating (more than in the original)
I hope you enjoy!!
PART II:
Ben feels confident leaving the cafe. Sure, he was wrong about the milk, but now that he knows his mistake, everything will be fine from here, right?



~~~
After the shopping trip...


~~~
Not everyone is happy to hear about Kylo.


~~~
Reyâs facing her own complicated problems with her foster brother.


~~~
Rey doesnât want to date until after graduation. She wants a decent job before any relationship.
But Finn never listens to her on this. She needs a different reply or sheâll spend the whole party with a stranger.
If only she had a boyfriend.
A horrible idea enters her mind.

~~~
Rey racks her brain for something that doesnât sound made-up.
Charlie? Clyde? Flip?
What name would Finn believe?
And why does the man from the cafe keep entering her head? Itâs not like he can help her now. She doesnât even know his name, but maybeâŚ

~~~
Another text notification gives Rey an escape. She doesnât even look to see who sent it. She just tells Finn she has to go.


~~~
Itâs sad to think about Brown Eyes giving up Kylo, but Rey knows a person canât be forced into being a pet owner if they donât want to beâor at least she canât expect things to go well in those situations.

~~~
Rey fights back tears at his sweetness. She tries to keep herself together on her reply.



~~~
The next day...

~~~
Rey doesnât want this. She just wanted an excuse for Finnâs party, where she plans to say Brown Eyes is a fireman and couldnât attend because he had to cover a shift.
Maybe sheâs borrowing too much from the real Brown Eyes, but itâs believable.
But what can she tell Rose now?

~~~
Finn and Rose donât know any firefighters so whatâs the harm? Rey canât mention his name, and there has to be more than one brown-eyed fireman in town.
And sheâll see the real Brown Eyes this morning. She can warn him about Finn and Rose and beg for his help with this lie.

~~~
When Rey arrives at Mazâs, Rose is sitting at one of the tables outside.
Worry fills her, and her tone becomes a bit more accusing than she intends. âWhat are you doing here?â
Rose smirks at her. âIâm just getting coffee, but what are you doing here?â
Through the cafe window, Rey can see Brown Eyes sitting inside, looking at his phone.
âIt looks like you have your coffee,â Rey comments. âDo you want to walk to class early?âÂ
Rey can send an apology text to Brown Eyes later. She doesnât want to deal with Rose and this dating lie right now.
But her friend must notice her discomfort. âI figured this would be the place youâd meet Brown Eyes. Mazâs is your favorite. But donât worryâI donât expect you to introduce me to him right now. I just want to see you happy. Please?â
Rey releases a frustrated sigh, as she realizes Rose intends to stay and watch her interaction with Brown Eyes. âFine, but youâll stay out here, right?â
âWill do!â Rose replies happily.
Rey walks into the cafe, her stomach in knots as she approaches the fireman. A glance back at the window reveals Rose is watching her.
âHey,â Brown Eyes says with a smile, rising from his seat.
âHey,â she answers, and she can hear the lack of enthusiasm in her voice.Â
The brightness in those brown eyes fades, replaced with worry. âWhatâs wrong?â he asks.
âThis is going to sound stupid,â she says, drawing nearer to him as she tries to find the courage to explain the situation. âBut would you kiss me? Thereâs someone outsideââ
She doesnât have a chance to describe her lieâhow sheâs made her brother and her best friend believe sheâs dating this man.
Instead, thereâs a hand on her cheek and another around her waist before she can say anything. Then warm, soft lips are on hers.
The kiss is better than any sheâs felt before, and Rey melts into it. She loses herself in the sensation until his lips pull away, but he keeps his forehead pressed against hers.
âIf someoneâs following you, I can deal with them,â Brown Eyes whispers.Â
âWhat?â Rey asks in confusion.
âI can go outside and talk to them or I know people at the police stationââ
âNo,â Rey interrupts, realizing the mistake. âIt isnât a stalker outsideâitâs a friend of mine.â
His brows furrow. âI donât understand.â
âAnd Iâm doing a poor job of explaining,â Rey says, speaking quickly. âI told my brother and my friend I was seeing someone so theyâd stop trying to set me up with people.â
âAnd you told them you were dating me?â he asks.
âI know it was stupid, but you have no idea how tenacious they can be,â she says, still unable to slow her words. âI had no intention of actually pulling you into this. I was just trying to come up with something to call my made-up boyfriend and I thought of youâand Kyloâso I just told them Brown Eyes.â
His grin returns. âItâs okay,â he interrupts, his voice soothing.Â
âHow is it okay? Iâve never done anything this foolish in my life and now Iâm making an innocent bystander kiss me in public.â
âWell, I do owe you for helping me with Kylo. One kiss in public doesnât seem like a bad way to repay youâif that works for you?â
The tension in her body slowly eases, and Rey takes a deep breath. âYou have to be one of the nicest men I know.â She turns slightly and sees Rose is gone from the window. âMy friendâs gone. I think weâre safe now.â
âRight,â he says, pulling his hands away from her.
Rey tells herself she doesnât miss the contact, as they walk to the line in front of the counter.
And then her guilt returns as she remembers his girlfriend.
âIâm a terrible person,â she says, loud enough for him to hear.
âWhat?â
âYou have a girlfriend, and I just kissed you.â
âTechnically I think I kissed you, and it was just to help you out of a tough situation,â he replies. âItâs not like you were trying to seduce me.â
An awkward chuckle escapes her lips. âOf course I wasnât.â
âDo you mind me asking a question though?â
âNoâask away.â
âWhy the fake boyfriend? Are the set-ups that bad?â
âSome of them are, but really itâs just because I donât want to date.â
âOh,â he replies in a way that makes Rey feel a need to explain.
âIâm trying to finish school and become an actual vet. I want all that settled before I bother dating again.â
âI can understand. Iâm not really a romance or true-love kind of guy myself.â
âItâs not like that,â Rey clarifies. âI believe in loveâif you can find the right person. I just need to focus on my career right now. Iâll have time for love later.â
âAnd what happens if you find âthe oneâ before youâre ready?â
âYou canât find what youâre not looking for.â
âIf youâd grown up with my mother or my grandmother, you wouldâve heard you should never stop looking,â he replies. âYou should be looking while youâre trying for all Aâs, while youâre trying to do well in your job, while youâre trying to have some kind of life.â
âSounds like a lot of pressure.â
âAnd it never stopsâor at least the love part didnât until I told them I was never getting married.â
âHow did they take that?â
âPoorly.â
âDid you mean it? That youâre never getting married?â
âI was the only child in my family for my generation. My parents only had me, and my uncle never had kids. Everyone had expectations, and I knew I couldnât live up to all of them, so something had to give.â
His words sound sad until Rey realizes sheâs told her loved ones nearly the exact same thing.Â
âDoes your girlfriend know your stance on marriage?â she asks.
âYeah, and she feels the same way. No need for strings tying us down.â
âOh,â Rey replies. âI guess that explains why you donât want Kylo.â
âItâs funny. At first I thought heâd be trouble, causing messes and interrupting my life, but it hasnât been like that,â he says. âNow thereâs a part of me thatâs tempted to keep him.â
âBut you said your girlfriend hates cats.â
âAnd thatâs why Iâm still looking for a new place for himâbut Iâm going to take my time with that. I may not keep him, but I want him to have a good home.â
âIâm sure weâll find someone,â she adds before they arrive at the counter.
Once they have their coffees, Brown Eyes asks, âDo you have a minute? I can understand if you have to go, but if you have a secondââ
âI do,â she answers. âI havenât even given you that present to help with a sneaky cat.â
They settle at a table, and Rey rifles through her bag. Finally, her hand closes around the thin box.
âThe store where I work is having a sale on these for the holidays.â
The box is green and covered in red paw prints, and it looks strangely small as Rey passes it to Brown Eyesâ hand. A telling jingle sounds as he shakes it, and another grin appears on his face.
âItâs a bell?â he asks.
âNot just any bell,â she corrects. âItâs our special sleigh bell collar.â
He opens the box to reveal the holiday-themed collar. âYou think Kylo will agree to wear this?â
âOf course! The bells will give you warning so you wonât step on his tailâthatâs to his advantage.â
âI was thinking he might complain more about the giant bow than the bells.â
Now itâs Reyâs turn to grin. âIf he does, Iâll have no choice but to get him the matching reindeer antlers.â
âOkay,â he says, raising a hand in defeat. âIâll let him know your threat and maybe heâll cooperate. Now youâre sure you donât mind more questions?â
âItâs the least I can do afterâŚwell, earlier, but do you mind if I ask you one first?â
âGo right ahead.â
âI canât keep calling you Brown Eyes.â
âMy nameâs Ben Solo,â he answers. âAnd should I call you something other than Rey the Vet on my phone? Is Rey short for something?â
âNo, itâs just Reyâbut Rey the Vet is acceptable. So what are your latest questions?â
Ben pulls out his phone, and opens up a list. âThereâs a range of them from disgusting to probably dumb and in no particular order. My friends even contributed a few.â
âSo long as they arenât from your friend Poe, we should be fine,â Rey asks before taking a sip of her coffee.
âHe only had one,â Ben replies. âIs it normal for Ben to find cat videos funnier now?â
Rey nearly spits out her coffee from laughter.
~~~
No one answers the door, so Baz borrows the spare key from under a planter on the front porch.
She likes to borrow things, and if Benâs just going to leave them lying around, why shouldnât she take them?
Baz enjoys Ben. Heâs easy on the eyes, but he also never notices when things go missing. He always has too many projects going on in the house heâs renovating or heâs too busy with work.
Itâs made her visits here quite rewarding.
A hiss from behind her makes Baz freeze. She turns to see the annoying vermin in the hallway.
âShoo,â she says waving her hand dismissively.
But the cat ignores her command, and the hiss turns into a growl.
Baz sidesteps into the living room, which fortunately has a door she can slam in the catâs face.
Sadly, this is one of the rooms she knows Ben uses. He might miss something from here, but that doesnât mean she canât have a look.Â
There are cans of boring white paint along one wall and obvious signs of cat hair in Benâs chair. The man needs to get rid of that pestâor else sheâll have to get rid of it.Â
A ping from a tablet distracts her. She looks down to the device and sees a âThank you!!â from âRey the Vet.â
Ben never locks his tablet, so Baz opens the message. She sees a series of texts between Ben and this womanâmostly about the catâand Benâs latest texts include pictures of the animal. Scrolling back further, thereâs texts that suggest Ben likes talking to Rey.
Perhaps Baz needs to get rid of more than just the cat.
#reylo#reylo fanfic#reylo au#ben x rey#ben solo#rey nobody#reylo modern au#hallmark Christmas movies
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"The Nine Lives of Kylo"

~a Reylo Holiday Textfic~
~Inspired by the Hallmark film "The Nine Lives of Christmas" and featuring certain prompts from #24DaysOfReylo~
~This will be updated throughout the month of December.~
~Testing this on Tumblr, but the fic is also available on Twitter.~
Summary: Firefighter Ben Solo doesnât want any commitments holding him back. An orange tabby and an overly helpful veterinarian-in-training change his plans one holiday season.
CW // Short-lived Ben/Bazine to make young Solo realize he needs to find someone nicer
CW // Cat Cuteness
PART I:
Meet Ben Soloâwho's hoping his fellow firefighters can help him with the new problem in his life.





Meet Rey Johnsonâveterinary student, pet shop worker, perpetually single, mother to all her friends, former foster kid, always busy, always caffeinated, probably in need of a vacation. And she tries to help her foster brother understand this...


Meanwhile, Rey's best friend wants attention too.



At the cafe...



Rey moves closer, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible but worried about her favorite cafe owner.
Suddenly a steely, female voice calls out her name.











The new message is clearly from him...and he must've seen her foolish words.


Rey admires the picâglad he sent one with those dimples.
#reylo fanfic#reylo#reylo fic#reylo au#reylo modern au#hallmark christmas movies#ben x rey#ben solo#rey nobody
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not mine to lose
(E, WIP, 2k words)
I just posted the first chapter of not mine to lose. The fic is completely written, so it shouldnât be long before the remaining chapters are posted.Â
CW: A/B/O, Sugar Alpha, Rey sells her slick anonymously to âKylo��
Every Friday night, Rey would hurry home, anticipating the next email from Kylo as she wondered what his order would be this time. It was her favorite part of the week - a chance to escape from the stress of work as she tried to please her mysterious sugar alpha.
But when Kyloâs emails abruptly stopped, Rey didnât know what to do. It certainly didnât help that the new CFO at work was acting so weird around her. God. Why did Kylo have to disappear now?
Read on AO3
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Neighbors With Benefits
by ThePuddleJumper on AO3
Rated E, Chapter 6/14, Modern A/B/O AU
AO3 Link
Reyâs neighbor is the most annoying man sheâs ever met. Always too self-absorbed to bother saying hello in the hallway, always taking her favorite parking spot in the garage, always avoiding the buildingâs social gatheringsâdidnât his mother teach him any manners?
But when someone gives the grumpy alpha a rut-inducing drug, Rey decides to help. She may prefer to ignore the frustrating man, but sheâs not going to abandon a person in troubleâno matter how aggravating they might be.
Unfortunately, the proposed âneighbors with benefitsâ solution is complicated. It may seem simple if she just thinks about the biological aspect, but Rey has no interest in having a mate or any long-term relationship. The alpha next door agrees to her terms, but both of them may be signing up for more than they can handle.
And neither considers the risks to their hearts.
~~~
Chapter 6 is now posted! Jump there with the link below:
#reylo#reylo fanfic#reylo au#ben x rey#ben solo#rey nobody#modern au#alpha/beta/omega#neighbors au#enemies to friends to lovers#reylo manip#reylopromo
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"Kylo Ren of Locksley"
~~~
Rey makes a wishâthat somehow she can escape her impending marriage to the Emperorâs most loyal servant Snoke.
~~~
Benâs watched Palpatine tear his world apart. He steals from the villain and gives to those in need, but his vengeance remains unsatisfied.
~~~
Rey wanders the halls of the castle the night before her wedding, debating how far sheâd make it if she ran.
~~~
Ben sneaks into his parentsâ former homeâseized by the Emperor and now used as that monsterâs base of operations. If he's lucky, heâll kill his enemy tonight.Â
~~~
Rey hears a noise and hides behind a curtain, fearing her grandfather's guards.
~~~
Ben sees a shadow ahead of him and draws his sword, ready for a fight. âCome out now. I will not hesitate to kill you.â
~~~
âGo ahead,â Rey replies, emerging from her hiding place. âI do not fear death.â She releases a sad laugh. âTonight I may even welcome it.â
~~~
âYouâre the granddaughter?â Ben asks, recognizing the tragic yet beautiful face heâd seen at the Emperorâs side.Â
~~~
âThat should be reason enough to kill me,â Rey tells him. âPlease. Iâd rather a quick death thanâŚâ She cannot voice the fate that awaits her.
~~~
âThan marriage to Snoke?â Ben questions. âYou donât wish to marry the Emperorâs favorite general?â
~~~
Rey scoffs. âWould you?â She draws near the stranger and stares at the weapon in his hand. âYouâre the Emperorâs greatest foe, arenât you? The infamous thief Kylo Ren? Please just end this.â
~~~
âI cannot,â Ben replies. âI only strike down those who deserve death.âÂ
~~~
âIf you will not kill me, then I have no other choice,â Rey says, crossing the distance and pressing her lips to his.
~~~
Ben gives in to the kiss briefly, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her closer before remembering their circumstances. âWhat are you doing?â
~~~
Reyâs eyes move to the broad chest in front of her. âSnoke will not want me if youâve already had me.â
~~~
Ben stares at the woman, realizing sheâs as trapped as any of the Emperorâs slaves. âI have a better idea,â he says, moving away from her to the balcony.
~~~
Rey watches the man, wondering if he intends to leave the way he came and forget the pathetic woman he met tonight.
~~~
Ben makes sure the path is clear before turning back to her and offering his hand. âCome with me.â
~~~
Rey stares at the gloved hand. Escape on her own would be impossible, but escape with a rogue bandit? She may find a new life this way.
~~~
Ben squeezes the womanâs hand and leads her from the castle, knowing he found something better than revenge tonight.

đđđđđđđđ đđ
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Here's a Reylo manip I just made. What's the AU?
Also, check out the Clydephelia version below with red hair on Phee. I may need to add facial hair to Clyde in this one to capture the full effect:

#reylo#reylo manip#ben x rey#rey nobody#ben solo#kylo ren#reylo art#reylo au#reylo prompt#clydephelia#clyde logan#ophelia
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CW // Reylo "Dave" AU
Infamous Kylo Ren married Rey Palpatine to secure his right to the throne. When Kylo mysteriously disappears, his advisor Hux brings in a lookalike to ensure the First Order doesn't crumble.
Ben only has to make a few public appearances and scowl.
How hard could it be?
Hux and his minions would handle all the political work, and Ben was told he'd rarely see Kylo's wife. The pair are estranged, only holding hands when the situation demands it. And Hux promised he'd never have to speak to the woman. This should be easy.
But then Ben holds her hand, and his world shifts.
Rey's so kind, so warm, so unlike every other harsh thing in this galaxy. But she's also sad, with despair in her eyes when she looks at him.
Ben can't stand Kylo in those moments. How could that man not worship this woman?
Ben signs up for every opportunity to be with Rey just to look at herâeven if she refuses to look at him.
One day he'll tell her who he really is.
Maybe then she'll look at him with joy in her eyes...
Maybe then she'll let him touch more than her soft fingers...
Maybe then Rey will run away with himâjust as she always does in Ben's dreams.

We've already done enough for the galaxy, they have no right to demand our return.
canonverse au
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"On a Tight Leash"
This Reylo, modern pet-wife AU is now complete on AO3!
It's 12K, and please mind the tags.
Click my moodboard below to go to this story, or use the following link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/43048509/chapters/108172413

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Always Writing or Plotting
You can find me on AO3 as ThePuddleJumper (https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThePuddleJumper/works)
I write a variety of fics that often feature romance, angst, and HEA (more often than not). My favorite pairings include Reylo, Captain Swan, Elizabeth & Darcy, Jane & Rochester, and a Batman/Superwoman pairing of my own creation.
I will be posting links to my stories as I update them, as well as microfic one-shots.
I hope you enjoy what I write, and as always, thank you for reading!
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