Summary: When Poe wants Finn to meet his childhood best friend, Finn begs Rey to tag along as his back up. She never expected Poe's friend to be so attractive. By the end of the night her life might not be the same.
Pairings: Reylo & Finn/Poe
Rating: GA (General Audiences)
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Rey's jaw dropped at Finn's request. It was not often that she was left speechless, but he had managed to do it. "Please don't make me beg," her best friend pled.
"You don't need me there to impress him. You're handsome, sweet, and funny, what more could a guy ask for?" Rey argued, refusing to be a third wheel again. She wasn't wrong, Finn was about average height for a guy, dark skinned, strong, but not overly muscular, had pretty brown eyes, was sweet, and when he wasn't being too serious or worried, he could be funny. He was a great catch, if you didn't mind that he was a little too protective at times, but that might have been because she was like a sister to him. In short, if she didn't see him as a brother then she probably would have at least a little bit of a crush on him. But they have been close ever since high school when they were both a little bit of an outsider with broken pasts that had only made them stronger.
"Yeah, I know, but his childhood best friend just moved back into town and he wants me to meet him. I need someone there to act as a buffer and possibly eventually distract him if me and Poe want alone time," Finn was giving her his best puppy eyes that they both knew she had a hard time saying no to. "Plus I want him to like me so I need a wingman to help me," he was getting desperate.
"Fine," she sighed in defeat. "But if this guy tries something I'm out," she warned him. She wasn't some helpless girl, the streets made sure she grew up knowing how to fight and protect herself in almost any situation, including guys that didn't understand the meaning of the word no.
"Poe promised me that he's a good guy, at least when it comes to how he treats women. I mean from what I hear the guy has made some bad life choices that caused a rift in his relationship with his family and friends, but that part of his life is over. Poe promised that he's reconnecting with everyone in his life and is stable now," Finn knew he wasn't helping his cause, but she had already said okay and he was a good enough friend to warn her about what she was getting into. "If he makes you uncomfortable we can leave," he promised, "and if you leave without me you have to text me when you're leaving and then again when you get home or feel like you're in danger.
"I'm already regretting this," she huffed as she stood up to get ready. She knew they were just going to the bar owned by Han Solo, who had become somewhat of a father figure to her. Between Han and Chewie she felt a little safer about meeting and potentially being left alone with some stranger with a sketchy past.
Rey refused to dress up just to meet a new guy. It wasn't a date and the Falcon was a casual bar. Instead she put on minimal make up, jeans, a comfortable green t-shirt, a black hoodie, and her worn down black converse. Her hair was up in its usual three-bun style. "Let's get this over with," she grumbled as she walked back into her living room.
"You could have at least put some effort into it," Finn mumbled under his breath. She shot him a glare that effectively momentarily shut him up. "Let's go or we'll be late," Finn smiled as they made their way out of her apartment. She could tell that he was nervous and excited at the same time, not just for the date but also to meet the best friend of his potential boyfriend. Rey wasn't sure how they weren't officially dating yet, but it felt like they were moving at a snail's pace.
When they walked into the bar Rey saw Poe sitting alone at one of the circular tables instead of a booth, which made her annoyed at the possibility that his friend did not show up. "I better not end up being some kind of third wheel," she grumbled. There was nothing worse when going out and being the third wheel, she knew that all too well since Poe had walked into Finn's life. Rey seemed to always be single. It wasn't that she never dated; she was just picky when it came to men. She wasn't going to just settle for some guy that she kind of liked. Rey wasn't dumb enough to believe that some perfect guy was out there, after all no one was perfect, but she wanted someone that made her feel like she was worth the effort. She had specific criteria that a man had to meet before she even thought about getting into a serious relationship: 1) he couldn't treat her as if she were some helpless woman; 2) he had to accept her independence; 3) he had to understand that she wasn't the type of girl that wanted to dress up and go to some fancy restaurant; and 4) he had to accept that her best friend was a guy and didn't have a problem with her having straight or gay guy friends. Number four was the most important of all of the criteria and it had a tendency to ruin many of her relationships. No matter how many times she told a guy that Finn is gay, they couldn't seem to get over the fact that he's a guy. The fact was, she worked in an industry that was predominately male and so he made a lot of guy friends. It drove her crazy when a man didn't trust her enough to believe that men and woman could have a platonic friendship.
"He'll be here," Finn hoped as they made their way to the table. "Hey Poe," Finn beamed at the man. "Where's your friend?" he asked, internally pleading that he wouldn't say the other man couldn't come.
"Ben will be right back, he was getting drinks but it looks like he got pulled into a conversation with Han and Chewie," he signaled toward the men at the bar.
Rey looked towards the bar expecting to find yet another one of Poe's goofy, average looking friends that he'd met years ago in college. Instead what she found was a tall man, with somewhat long dark hair, and broad shoulders. He was dressed in dark jeans and a black shirt that did nothing to hide his muscular body, even from far away. "That giant is your friend?" her eyes widened. She had been confident in her self-defense abilities, but the man was huge. It was only made worse but the fact that he was unconventionally attractive, which made her hope that he would be less attractive close up.
"He's a gentle giant, kind of like a Great Dane. At least he is now," Poe told them. "He can be kind of a dick sometimes, but he's overall harmless now that he's, for lack of a better word, redeemed himself."
"If you say so," Rey said reluctantly as she sat down across from Poe.
"I'm going to go save him," Poe laughed when Ben looked over with what could only be described as 'help me' eyes. "Now that they're reconnecting, Han is trying a little too hard sometimes to be the dad he wasn't when Ben was younger. You know, to make up for all of the times he wasn't necessarily acting like his father."
"Wait, that's Han and Leia's son?" Rey was shocked. He was not at all what she pictured on the rare occasions they would talk about him.
"Yep, that's the wayward son, Ben Solo," Poe confirmed. "I said he's a childhood friend and you both know my parents were close with them, who did you think I meant?" He laughed before walking away, not actually expecting or waiting for an answer.
Rey watched as Poe walked over and saw the relief on Ben's face. He leaned over to Poe, saying something she couldn't hear before he waved the bartender over. She was pleasantly surprised when she realized that they were ordering her and Finn drinks as well. Perhaps Finn wasn't the only one trying to make a good impression.
Rey wasn't sure what he said, but Han had put his arm around his son's should and said something that made him blush. The fact that she could see his blush from across a dark bar made her curious as to what he possibly could have said. Her curiosity peaked more when they both looked towards the table at her and Finn. Ben shook his head and Han laughed before walking away. Clearly whatever he'd said had been at Ben's expense since Poe was laughing too.
"Well, hopefully Poe actually knows your drink orders," Ben said as he and Poe walked up to the table. She expected him to put Finn's cocktail in front of her, but he didn't so either was a good guess or Poe had told him who ordered what. "If not, blame him," he told them before taking his own beer from Poe. "I'm Ben," he introduced himself, shaking both of their hands. Ben smirked at Poe before asking, "So, lover boy, do you want to sit next to or across from Finn?" Poe blushed and she had a feeling it was revenge for whatever Poe had laughed at when they were at the bar.
Rey hadn't even thought to ask, she'd jus sat across from Poe when they walked in. It was a circular table so she wouldn't have to move if he wanted to sit across from Finn, but given where they usually sat she had a feeling that he'd want to be next to Poe. From the look on Ben's face she had a feeling he knew that too and just wanted to mess with Poe.
"I'll sit next to him," Poe said, trying to act confident as he moved to the seat next Finn. Poe smiled when he looked at Finn and saw the grin on his face.
That only left the seat between her and Poe open for Ben and for some reason that made her more nervous than she thought it would. All nervousness fell away as the group talked. She found it surprisingly easy to talk to Ben; it almost felt as if they'd known each other forever, not just the few hours they had been at the bar. Rey hadn't even noticed when Finn and Poe had snuck away; she was too wrapped up in her conversation with Ben.
"You know I love you kid, but it's closing time," Han said to Ben with a knowing smile.
Ben looked down at his watch, "Shit, sorry."
"Just remember what I told you earlier," Han winked before walking away.
"What did he say earlier?" Rey asked, finding the blush on Ben's face extremely adorable. She had quickly realized that Ben was not less attractive close up; if anything he was more attractive.
"Nothing important," Ben said quickly as he got up, ready to leave. He waited for her, being a gentleman and making sure to walk her out. He held the door for her as they left and she from what she could tell so far from that night, Finn was right, he treated women with respect.
"Well, I guess this is goodnight," Rey bit her lip, not sure what to do. She didn't want the night to end, but she also wasn't going to take him home after knowing him less than a day.
"I'll walk you to your car," he offered.
"I don't own a car, my apartment is just a few blocks away," she told him.
"I'll drive you," it wasn't an offer; it was a demand.
"I can take care of myself, trust me," she argued, ready for him to be another man that thought she couldn't take care of herself.
"So I've heard, but it's three o'clock in the morning, nobody should be walking alone," he crossed his arms, he wasn't going to take no for an answer. "Look either you can walk and I'm following you in my car or you'll take my offer and let me drive you home."
"Why would you do that?" she was taken back by his words.
"I told you, no one should be walking the streets this late by themselves, I don't care how many self-defense classes you've taken. That doesn't mean you should put yourself in situations that you have to use what you've learned," he said, trying to convince her to just let him give her a ride.
"Fine, as long as you understand I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself and am only agreeing because I'm tired and I know you won't give up," she told him.
He laughed, "Noted." Ben just shook his head before signaling her to follow him to his car.
He drove her home in comfortable silence, with the exception of the occasional direction. It took less than ten minutes for them to arrive, but that didn't stop him from giving her a disapproving look. "What's that look for?" she asked.
"You said you lived within walking distance. This is not walking distance," he told her as he put the car in park.
"It is faster if you're able to hop some fences," she shrugged, causing him to chuckle. "You think I'm joking, I'm not."
"Trespassing can get you arrested," he replied. "You really should make sure you have someone to drive you home."
She thought his concern was endearing but unnecessary. She had always taken care of herself, "It's never been a problem before."
He shook his head again, but gave her a small smile, "I not going to change your mind, am I?"
"Nope," she grinned. "I'm very stubborn." They had been parked outside of her apartment, but she found herself not wanting to get out. She was enjoying their conversation and was hoping he felt it too.
"This might be a little forward, but I was hoping maybe you'd like to get a drink again sometime," he said nervously, hoping he wasn't imagining the connection he felt with her. When she didn't answer after a moment he sighed, "I'm sorry, I obviously read this wrong. I'm not very good with people."
Rey snapped out of her shock, "No." When he looked disappointed she clarified, "I mean, no you didn't read it wrong. I would very much like to get a drink with you again." She was worried she may have messed it all up, but relaxed when he smiled at her. "But, you might need my number if we're going to meet up again."
Ben quickly pulled out his phone, unlocking it so she could put in her number. He fumbled a little as he handed it to her, "Sorry, I honestly didn't think you'd say yes."
"I'd be a fool not to," she replied as she took his phone from him, programming her number. She quickly sent herself a text from his phone, "Just to make sure you can't ghost me." Rey winked at him as she got out of the car. She found his awkwardness adorable.
"Trust me, that's not something you have to worry about," the words spilled out of his mouth.
"Goodnight Ben," she couldn't help but continue to smile and was pretty sure it wasn't going to go away any time soon. "See you later."
"Can't wait," he probably seemed way too excited to her, but couldn't contain himself. "Goodnight Rey," he quickly added before she shut the car door and made her way to her apartment. She gave him one last small wave before going into her apartment building. Once the door to the apartment building was shut and he knew she was safe he put his car back in drive. As he drove home he knew that he had to find a way to thank Poe, he had a good feeling about his potential relationship with Rey.