Star Wars | Episode IX: Rise of the Dyad

Chapter 21: The Bond

REY'S POV:

We deactivate our sabers. Both of us are sweating and out of breath from the endless sparing session. He walks out of the circle and beckons me to follow him with his hand.  I start to walk behind him as we make our way back to his quarters. 

We make our way to the main elevator from the sparring room and once inside I can't help but giggle as the elevator closes.

He turns to his right and looks down at me. 

"What's so funny?" he asks.

"Nothing, I just wish, I could hit you in the throat all the time," I say breaking into a smile.

"I doubt you'll get the chance to do that to me again," he says convinced. 

I turn to my left and look up at him "how can you be so sure?" I say turning my head back straight and smiling. 

The elevator arrives at the level of his chambers, we walk down the hall and to the door.  The doors fly open, and he lets me go inside first. Across his room I make my way to the door of my quarters, I stop at the entrance and turn back to him. I smirk at the thought of punching him while walking inside and the door swiftly closes behind me. 

Once inside I rush to the refresher to rinse this sweat off of me.  After I finish in the shower, I walk out to the wardrobe without clothes on. I open up the door and see an assortment of elegant and simple dresses. I look at them and blush at the thought of me wearing anything remotely beautiful like that.  Beautiful items like these were never worn by the natives of Jakku.  

"I have never worn a dress in my life," I say while giggling.

I look through the rack and find a simple deep purple maxi dress made with soft thin fabric. It looks fitted around the middle and goes up covering the breasts, not cleavage, into a thin strap around the back. 

"Maybe, I should make him suffer?" I think to myself and grin.

I slip the dress over my head and go back into the refresher and tie my dried hair into a side braided bun. 

Looking in the mirror for a final glance; I feel so beautiful right now.  Back on Jakku, I would never have imagined myself wearing anything like this.  Life was so hard there and hope for a better life was nonexistent.  I turn and leave the refresher, walking towards his door. I  hit the button on the side and the door opens to his room. 

I step inside towards the table where food is already laying out.  He turns around upon my arrival and doesn't make an expression.  He is wearing a similar outfit, black pants, and boots but with a tight fitted long dark gray shirt.  I confidently walk to the table to sit down. He slowly walks to the table without so much as blinking and sits down. 

I don't wait for him and start eating. I grab a piece of small red fruit and bite into it staring at him. He doesn't even move to start eating.

"Something wrong?" I reply saucily.

"You, look, beautiful," he says finally blinking.

I grin back grabbing my glass of water and drinking it while staring at him. He gently shakes his head to the side and grins; beginning to eat.

After we finish eating I get up to walk back to my room when he says "Would you like to drink some brandy with me?" He asks.

I stop in my tracks and slowly turn around; I have never heard of this drink before.  Back on Jakku, the only drink I ever sought after was water. 

I don't want to look ignorant to his request, "sure."

He walks over to shelving near the dining table and opens the doors. I can see him pulling out a large glass bottle half full of a deep blue liquid. He pulls out two small glasses and pours a little in each one.  Walking over to me at the table, he hands me a glass; then goes over to the viewing window's padded black chaise lounger and sits down.

I look at him gingerly and walk over to the lounger. I sit down a few feet away from him. 

"Cheers," he says raising his glass slowly to me.

Unsure of what to do I raise mine and say "Cheers," back.

I see him swig back the liquid, after putting his glass down on the table.  I decide to do the same, as I shoot back the liquid I feel it burn going down my throat. I let out a small cough.  Behind this stinging pain, it has a sweet taste to it.  I start to feel my body warming from the inside.  

He turns his head from me, giggling at the sight, and looks out the window; putting his left leg up on the lounger. I put my glass down on the table next to his. 

"Thank you," I say.

He nods. 

We sit there quietly for a few minutes; until he speaks.

"Do you still think of me as a monster, Rey?" he asks.

I look at his soft face staring back at me.

"I think Kylo Ren is a monster, not Ben Solo," I respond back.

He leans forward to me. 

"I want to try something," he says.

I look at him confused. He extends out his right hand in the air. I look at it and then back at him.

"Give me your hand and clear your mind," he asks.

Slowly, I raise my right hand to meet his. I can feel electricity as my hand gets closer to his. I place my palm together with his and the room disappears.

Looking around a room, I see a small black haired little boy yelling, running towards the door. I follow him in my mind. He races down the hall and up some stairs.  Once outside he is on a landing pad atop a building. I see the Millennium Falcon raising in the air and shooting off in the air. The force of the ship's propulsion blasts the boy backward. He lifts himself onto his knees and starts crying.  

The vision fades, and I am back in his room. I pull my hand away and I look back into his eyes. His stern eyes faded into remorse.  

"You should get some sleep, we have train again tomorrow," He tells me.

"Did he want me to see this?" I ask myself as I pull my hand back down to my side. 

I nod and smile. As I get up, I walk towards my quarter's door and turn around to see him one last time.

"We're more alike than either of us realize," I finally say back to him.

He says nothing and continues to face away from me. The door slides open and I walk inside alone.