Through the Darkness || Finn&Rey

Chapter 51

    "Fletcher," I call out his name and he turns around quickly, he is walking backwards out of a storage cupboard, but I wouldn't miss his long dark hair even if he was a mile away. He turns around with a pile of towels in his arms just his small squinty eyes can be seen above it.

"Finn, what is the matter?" He says loudly, muffled from the thick fabric.

"Here," I say as I split the pile in half and take them into my own arms.

"Thank you, what can I do for you?" He looks around frantically, and I wonder if he ever stops to take a breath.

"Is there a chance that I could take Rey out tonight, we will be back before curfew," before he can refuse I continue "That means a slightly larger portion of food for the staff," I add try to prove to him it would be in the best interest of everyone else if we were not here tonight.

"You want to leave the premises?" He asked, taken aback, and I nod, not letting him know on the inside, I am worried he may say no.

"Yes, please," I am hopeful he will agree.

"How are you going to pay?" I have no concept of currency, I don't earn a wage, at least not until this week is over, fletcher and I never discussed anything past the workings of this hotel.

"I don't know, how am I supposed to?" I query.

"Most places here return their services for your labour, but that is if you are a resident, or unemployed, because tourism is the overriding trade here. However, you and Rey are neither, so I will make you a deal. If you take these towels to all the occupied rooms, as well as completing your tasks for today, you can write the bill to the hotel and I will sort out the costs," Although Fletcher is uptight; he seems more than generous in his offer. He piles the rest onto my arms and I nod. Too easy I think to myself, there are probably ten towels in my arms.

"Okay, Rey will need a replacement," I say, immediately regretting it.

"I know how to do my job, now go and complete yours." I take a few awkward steps towards the elevator. "Oh, Finn, don't forget the trolleys," He adds and I hear his footsteps as he walks away. I move my head to look to the side and see two carts piled with towels, and my heart drops.

I push one to the elevator, I'll have to return for the other later. I look at the tag on each towel and go to the assigned room; most of them are not on my scheduled path of rooms to clean that day so it drags the day on longer.
It is late in the afternoon by the time I have completed both tasks. I couldn't help but let my mind wander to my dinner with Rey, and how we will find a lovely restaurant and we can enjoy our time together; for the first proper time. It is almost evening by the time I finally get to see Rey again; she had been given additional tasks as well.

"Where have you been?" She asks a tiny bit of sadness laced in her voice.

"I got a lot of extra work, I'm sorry, but I asked if we were allowed to go on our date tonight," Her eyes sparkle under the bright lights of the hallway and it distracts me long enough for Rey to quickly cut in.

"And..." I can tell she is just as desperate as I am to breathe some fresh air.

"He said yes," her face breaks into a happy grin and it is extremely contagious.

"What are we waiting for, let's go," Rey has taken a few steps but I don't move, she turns around when she notices I haven't followed. "What's wrong?" She mutters, and I raise my eyebrows at her, and flicker my eyes from hers to her uniform, before gesturing my hands down my body. "Oh," She grabs my hand and practically drags me to the elevator. Pressing the down arrow and waits a few seconds, she clicks it again, maybe thinking it will come faster – I smile.

It doesn't take longer before I have changed, glancing at the clock 5:30, we have plenty of time. I stand outside Rey's door, dressed in a shirt, pants and my jacket – which I believe has the faintest trace of Rey still in its fibres. I hear her clunk around inside and I can't help but smile as I imagine her trying to fix her hair, or putting her shoes on the wrong feet in her manic rush. She emerges, wearing boots, thick tight pants, a shirt and a black coat. She nearly bumps into me as she hurries out the door, "Finn," She squeaks with surprise and I can't help but laugh, "Why didn't you come in, I gave you the code," She takes a step back and composes herself.

"I didn't want to intrude," I confess, she nods slowly in a disbelieving fashion,

"Okay..." She squints her eyes but soon notices that I am telling the truth, "Shall we go?" She asks and I nod. Simultaneously, Rey and I awkwardly put our hands in our pockets and I know that we both don't want our clothes to be what warms our hands; however, we keep them covered as we walk to the elevator.

We pass Fletcher and I smile, but I see the way his eyebrows raise – maybe he thought Rey and I wouldn't be able to complete our additional work. I don't know if I should be worried or satisfied, so I push it out of my mine, and hold the door open for Rey. I follow her out of the large, glass hotel doors and the cold evening air dances through the small pieces of hair that can't get pulled back into Rey's ribbons. She smiles brightly, closing her eyes and taking her hands from her pockets. She spreads her arms out, breathing deeply, as if welcoming the wind and I can't take my eyes off her. She opens her eyes and grins at me and as she lowers her arms, I slip my hand into hers before she can hide it inside the darkness of her pocket, and can see the way her shoulders relax.

"Where would you like to go?" I ask and Rey looks around at all the other hotels, tall buildings, and busy streets she quietly steps closer to me. She wraps her other hand around my upper arm, she must be cold, or maybe she is intimidated. I can't deny the selfish pride I feel at the thought of her coming closer to me for protection.

"I don't know, you can decide," She answers quietly.

"How about we walk around and see what we can find. If you see somewhere we'll go there,"

She smiles a little, and kisses my cheek which relaxes me, "I think we both know we aren't fussy when it comes to food," I nod in agreement.
Growing up in the First Order everything is portioned by body weight and the importance of rank. Rey, on the other hand didn't have the luxury of having just as much as one needs; I'm sure she would go days without food if she wasn't able to scavenge anything worth trading. I squeeze her hand in sympathetic understanding and we start to make our way down the avenue.

Is this how a date works? Do we meander around until we find a suitable place? Because it doesn't take long for me to start to wonder if this was a bad idea. Neither of us knows what half of the cuisines on offer are, and most are in languages we don't understand. Rey and I make small talk, but I can't seem to take my mind from the fact I have no idea what we are going to eat.

 The first sun is setting behind the buildings and Rey's focus is mainly on the purple cast it creates over the sky; leaving me to navigate us through the busy streets. I am tense and bite the inside of my lip; our little outing isn't at all how I imagined.