Moment of Weakness

All About Theatrics

"Alright come here," Ben says patiently as Rey pulls the dress up and holds the thin straps on her shoulders. It fits perfectly and makes her look very elegant, but she is finding it hard to enjoy the dress due to where it came from. She walks over to him and waits patiently as he fiddles with the small buttons on the low back of the dress, pulling it snuggly around her. As he sits down on the edge of the bed, he spins her slowly so she's facing him. He runs his hands along her leg through the slit in her dress and pulls her foot up to rest between his legs on the bed.

Pushing the dress back, he tugs on the harness and secures the small gun that he bought her in it while she braces herself on his shoulders.

"What happens if there are metal detectors?"

"I'm high profile enough, they don't use those on me," he mumbles as he slips ammunition and a knife into the harness on her other leg.

"I'm getting myself into some intense shit aren't I?" She laughs and messes with a bobby pin holding her hair on the back of her head at the nape of her neck.

"There's a chance yes," Ben agrees as he pulls the spandex sleeves over the gun and lays her dress nicely on her legs again. "You're ready though."

"I hope so," Rey whispers as he pulls her against him and looks up at her.

"I know you are," he whispers and kisses between her breasts where her skin is exposed and looks back up at her. "My fiancé is so beautiful," he smiles at her and her stomach flips a couple of times.

"You're biased," she teases as she straightens his bow tie and fixes his hair around his face.

"Maybe, but I don't think so," Ben retorts as he stands up and gives her a quick peck. "Let's do this," he breathes out as she wipes her lipstick off his lips and buttons his tux coat before guiding her out of the bedroom.

—

Rey bounces her leg in her strappy heels as they drive to the party in the limousine sent to get them by Palpatine. Next to the two doors on the backseat, Vicrul and Kuruk, who are wearing black tuxes like Ben but with black shirts underneath contrasting the shiny black fabric of their bow ties sit quietly, looking out the windows.

Ben reaches over and grabs her hand, resting their joined hands on her left leg and pressing the gun into her skin a little. To alleviate the pressure, she shifts uncomfortably and eyes up Kuruk who is watching her while Vicrul continues to look out the window blankly.

The car comes to a stop and the two men get out of the car, Rey and Ben following close behind them. The early August air is warm even though its dark out already, and Rey adjusts her dress as her feet become firmly planted on the ground, and Ben buttons his tux as her gets out behind her.

Ben offers her his arm and she snakes her hand into the crevice of his elbow and they fall into step together, her heels clicking on the pristine shiny pavement. The building is large, a dark shiny black that stretches up for what seems miles, with a large white sign that says Exogol Hotel at the top. Rey gulps as she looks at the men directly inside the door also dressed in all black as they open the doors for them.

The hallway is lined with dimly lit white lights that barely cast any light on the black walls and the black carpet with red designs in it. Rey tightens her hand nervously on Ben's arm and he sets his free hand on top of hers and looks down. The soft smile he gives her allows her to relax a touch, but she still feels a knot growing in her stomach.

A short slim woman in a simple floor-length black dress turns to them as they approach the closed double doors. Her lips are painted a cherry red, her shoulder-length hair is curled back from her face, and she has a gold pendant matching the gear insignia resting on her chest in the v-neck opening of her dress.