A Lesson to Learn

Chapter 16

***

Rey woke up to a pair of hazel eyes peering into her own. She gave a start, surprised to see Kylo awake before her for a change. The man usually slept like a rock, dead to the world until Rey roused him. Kylo swore it was because he slept infinitely better with her around, but Rey was convinced he was just a ridiculously deep sleeper and didn't want to admit it. Sometimes he would sleep so soundly that it almost seemed like he hadn't gotten any sleep in years.

"Good morning, Little One," Kylo crooned, his voice still a bit hoarse and deep with sleep.

"Why are you up?" Rey asked, stretching out and yawning. "You're never up."

"I'm not never up," Kylo replied, offense coloring his tone. Rey shot him a look and he rolled his eyes. "Fine, I'm not usually up. But I have presents!"

"A present?" Rey quirked her eyebrow and widened her eyes. They hadn't talked about any presents. It wasn't quite Christmas yet, though the holiday was quickly approaching. Had Kylo already gotten her a Christmas present?

"Well, actually it's presents. With an 's'. Do you want them?"

It was Rey's turn to roll her eyes at Kylo. "Of course!"

"Close your eyes," he instructed, turning around in bed after making sure that Rey had closed her eyes and covered them with her hands. She heard him shuffling around and then pad quietly back to the bed, the mattress shifting underneath his weight as he climbed on it again.

"Okay, open them."

Rey opened her eyes to see what looked like two tickets in Kylo's hands. He was grinning like the Cheshire cat, his dimples out on display. Rey snatched them eagerly from his hands and read them. " OH MY GOD, " Rey squealed, " We're going to see The Nutcracker in New York?"

"Yes, sweetheart. We are going to spend a couple of days in New York and one of the things we will be doing is going to the New York City Ballet and watching The Nutcracker. I know how much that show means to you and I already cleared your schedule with Poe." Kylo was beaming now, obviously pleased with Rey's reaction.

" Ky-lo ! What the heck? ! This is so much, you didn't have to do this. Thank you so much, baby! We could have just caught a show in Philly, honestly - but this is so incredible!" Rey gushed, unable to contain her excitement. She scoot closer to him, closing the distance between them, and wrapping him into a hug. Kylo hugged her back tightly, bringing her flush to his chest as he planted a kiss on her forehead.

It was a family tradition of hers to go see The Nutcracker every year and she had made it a goal to go to New York one of these days to watch it be performed by the New York City Ballet. This was a true dream come to fruition and she was having a hard time not crying from her overwhelming joy, even though it wasn't even happening for another week or two.

Suspicions about Kylo be damned, he was truly an incredibly thoughtful boyfriend. So what if he never talked about his personal life and might as well be a serial killer on the nights he wasn't with her? She was lucky to have his care and affection (just as long as she didn't become his next target lest he actually turn out to be an unhinged murderer).

***

Kylo was confused. He could sense that Rey was ecstatic but underneath the elation he could sense... apprehension? Was she doubting their relationship? Was she having second thoughts about him? He was tempted to peer into her mind but he had promised himself he would never betray her privacy like that...

Kylo was stirred from his inner panic by Rey's bubbly voice, muffled against his chest. "You mentioned presents. As in more than one."

Kylo chuckled at Rey's eagerness, though knew he had drawn out the distinction himself so he couldn't blame her for being curious about it. "Well, like I said, we are going to be going up there for a while. And I will be taking care of everything and planning things. You can give some input and recommendations but I want to treat you for all of it and surprise you for some of it. Now, before you complain - I have the money and I'm not using it, and I want to spend it on you. Plus, I think we've earned some alone time. Your brother and Finn and Rose are great but I think we deserve to have some uninterrupted time. Just us."

Instead of responding, Rey caught Kylo off guard when she grabbed him by the neck and back of the head, pulling him in for a kiss. He hoisted Rey up the bed a little so she wasn't under his chin anymore and deepened the kiss, more than happy with Rey's reaction to his news. Kylo had been prepared to fight his little spitfire sweetheart, knowing that while she liked presents and to be treated every once in a while, that what Kylo was pulling was an abnormally large gesture.

He wasn't sure how quickly things moved in the mortal world, but Kylo knew what he wanted, and that was Rey and her happiness. In all honesty, Kylo was hoping to use the alone time to finally confess his love to Rey so he could finally reveal himself to her. He was anticipating that the time together would strengthen their bond and ease any worries either of them had.

Kylo could sense that Rey was looking for more information about his personal life, and she had mentioned wanting to go visit his place every once in a while. It had been difficult to steer the conversation around those subjects, especially since the question of a living space would have been particularly tricky. Sure, he could have faked it but that seemed like an even larger lie somehow and he didn't want to add on to his already growing list of deceptions.

As Kylo thought about his dilemma, he found himself subconsciously drawing Rey nearer, deepening the kiss as if his life depended on it, as if she was going to break up with him in the next moment. Rey let out a small moan of surprise before pulling away.

"And I thought I was the happy one that was supposed to be thanking you ," she teased.

Kylo shrugged. "Making you happy makes me happy, Little One."

"God, you're so sweet," Rey giggled, giving Kylo an extra peck on the lips. "I love that about you. My big, strong, cuddly man."

Kylo's heart sang at the praise, knowing that he would do anything and be anything if it meant that he got to keep Rey by his side. Hearing her say she loved something about him made his chest feel tight and his stomach to tie up in knots in the best way, wishing and hoping that her love of his individual traits extended to a love of him as a whole person.

If you had told Kylo just a few months ago that this is what he would be like around a mortal he would have laughed in your face - but now? Now he couldn't imagine any other life, even knowing that his past self and even his most trusted friend, Hux, would laugh at his actions today. He wouldn't have it any other way.

Now it was just a matter of divulging these feelings he had for Rey to her and making sure she didn't run away when he also admitted he may have (sort of, kind of) been lying to her throughout the whole length of their relationship. What could go that wrong if they were in love with each other, though? She'd have to come back to him eventually even if she was scared at first.... Right ?

As Kylo held onto Rey, feeling her snuggling up to his chest again, he wondered what he had gotten himself into, his meddlesome mind supplying worst case scenarios that made him hold Rey tight against him. Kylo would just have to hope that Rey would hear him out before she closed him off, if she closed him off. He couldn't go back to a life without her, he wouldn't allow it. She would just have to understand. Kylo would have to make her understand. Was locking Rey in their room while he confessed too far?