Equilibrium (Reylo)

Twelve: "Era of Me and You."

"Rey, think about it," Her name coming from him brought her fully aware of whatever he was about to say. She felt the weight of his hands on her shoulders. "Join me now and I will guarantee you safety from the fleet."

Another blow.

Rey felt her hands and knees start to tremble. Her idea of them finding good terms because of everything after the throne room—he ripped that all away.

Now she knew Ren never gave up on all of that. He never forgot who he was. Who she was. What happened being the balance of it all? To forgetting the Resistance and the First Order? To find a common ground? To find the middle and have a chance?

And he originally wanted to destroy it all. He wanted to destroy everything for there to be basically nothing left to rule. All that she knew will be gone and he was just going to allow that. He wanted that? He wanted her to want that?

"I cannot believe this," Rey spit out under her breath like the fire boiling up her blood.

His brown eyes were infatuated with her hazel. He seemed so sure of everything it almost scared her. Ren ducked his head down to get to her eye level. He simply continued, "I promise you, Rey," he searched both of her eyes, "you will not be harmed."

"No," she could barely whisper. Her lungs felt like they were shrinking, her chest tightening. She shook her head and rolled her eyes as if he were some spoiled child needing reprimanding. "I. . ." Rey's eyes widened when she thought about it again. The fleet! "I have to warn the others!"

Just as Rey turned away, Ren fastened a hand on her wrist, gripping on to her so she wouldn't leave him again, like last time. "Rey, wait, you're not listening to me," he squeezed her wrist, gently, so she could redirect her attention. "Join me and you and I can—"

"For the last time," she said, trying to wiggle herself out of his grip, "I will not join you, Kylo Ren."

Rey couldn't miss it. She saw the hurt flash in his eyes, but it was replaced with the same hardness when he blinked again. It was the only sign that he was registering how she felt with what he was saying. But he wasn't giving up. "This is to keep you safe."

Rey stopped struggling. She looked deep into his eyes to see if he meant it. After what she asked of him, he hoped he didn't. But he didn't even blink. Ren's expression was solid, unchanged, long enough to give her the chance to snap out of his grip.

Rey leaned in a little bit forward so she could tell him right to his face, "I can keep myself safe."

Rey took her wrist back and rubbed the spot his fingers pressed down against her, making the skin slightly red. She looked down in disbelief.

Ren rolled his eyes, wishing she'd pushed through her mentality to understand what he was truly offering her. "Rey, this doesn't have to be the dark side versus the light," he told her. "This could be the era of you and me. The two of us. We could have it all. . .only if we stand together."

"What happened to the middle?" she wondered. "You say this isn't about the dark side versus the light, but you still want to rule the galaxy. Do you really expect me to still join you? Why should I have to join you?" Rey shook her head. "So, you don't want to join me, fine! It wasn't about turning you."

Ren was visually skeptical. "Oh, really?"

"No."

"It wasn't about making me join you and your pals at the Resistance so you can claim victory against the evil First Order?"

"It wasn't!"

He scoffed.

"It was about finding a friend," Rey claimed. "I thought I actually found one in you. I thought I had Ben."