The Art of Broken Pieces

Spoon Puts Down a Mutiny

It was several hours before they returned in silence to the quiet house, Ben's arm draped tiredly around Rey's shoulder, hers around his waist. They had not spoken, no words seemed sufficient--or necessary. As they walked through the door into the kitchen Ben halted her, pulling her around to face him and leaning in, kissing her gently. Though aching bands still seemed to be clenched around his heart, Ben knew that without her silent support he would be lost.

As much as it hurt, it would have been far worse to have stayed in that darkness forever, where he felt nothing at all.

Ben's hands slid up her back and into her fine hair, tugging her head up into the kiss.

Rey felt relief more than anything as Ben's lips pressed against hers. He was still hurting, but he could function. He could go on. They could. It was good to know she was allowed to touch him right now.

She slid her hands around his waist, warm now from the bright, humid Yavin IV air, and pulled herself against him. She rose onto her toes and hugged his chest close to hers, opening her mouth to him, answering his tongue with hers.

For everything that had happened, the weeks of anxiety and fear, the pain, the guilt, this was still simple and uncomplicated. It was easy to fill his arms with her, her body familiar against his own. Lately even these moments between them had been filled with a rushed desperation, a weight that was lifting. She was here, he was free, and there was time for everything else to sort itself out.

The warmth of Rey's mouth under his and the sweetness of her tongue on his reminded him just how far they had come.

His hands released her hair, stealing slowly down her back to her waist to hold her steady against him. His mind drifted, still disconnected from anything but the moment, the curve of Rey's body against his.

For a moment he thought that Han and Leia would have loved her... then remembered that they had. More moments that he had missed.

Rey let her hands drift over him—rubbing up his shoulders, stroking his neck and his collarbone, fingers making gentle circles behind his ears as she lost herself in the rhythm and texture of the kiss. She swayed into him and slowly--giving him plenty of time to react--dipped her hands into the back of his shirt and pulled, gathered it up along his spine.

She pulled it over his head, disengaging enough for him to shake it from his arms. Then she was right back against him, palming his skin and his scars, kissing him with all the unspoken love she could push into their bond. Love and protection, support and desire, all wound up in the deep contentment that was knowing he would never be taken from her again.

Ben wrapped himself up in the comfort of her presence, arms tightening around her waist and lifting her off the ground easily. Her toes brushed against his ankles and he deepened the kiss, tongue sweeping across hers, tasting the flavor of her mouth as Rey cast a leg around his thigh for support, locking herself in place. She sent a suggestion through the Force, a gentle push to take them back to the couch or the little bedroom—anywhere she could get his clothes off and wrap herself up in him.

Ben hoisted her higher in his arms, easily shifting her to where her arms wound around his neck and her legs wrapped about his waist. One hand splayed out along the small of her back and he broke the kiss as he carried her effortlessly towards the small room they shared. Shoving the door open with a foot, Ben moved until his shins hit the edge of the low bed then turned, settling down on it with Rey tucked neatly into his lap. His hands slid up her back, trailing kisses down the pale line of her throat.

The knot in Rey's chest was already loosening under the influence of Ben's mouth. He took little time applying that same influence to her neck, earning the sharp, short gasps as sensitive nerves went bright at the touch of soft lips and warm breath.