A Million Petals • Reylo AU (on hold)

Chapter 10

After Rey had finished explaining the past few days, leaving out no amount of enthusiastic hand gestures, Finn sat there with his mouth agape. "You don't..." He cleared his throat to regain composure. "Where do you see this going?"
"What do you mean?" Rey's smile fell into confusion.
"What's  the endgame here? What do you want out of this, out of him?"
"I'm not sure. I want us to be friends."
"And nothing else?"
The memories from the previous night flooded back, accompanied by warmth and the strange sense of home. His hand on her face. Their closeness. "Finn," she cautioned.
"It's a valid question, peanut. I'm sorry, I've just got a bad feeling about this."
Rey crossed her arms, fighting back the tears and the truth that threatened to spill over at any second. "A bad feeling about all of it, or just him?" She accused.
Finn stopped pulling punches with his words for the sake of his friend. "Him! You don't even know him. You don't know why those petals show up. You don't know anything."
"He's Leia's son," she defended.
"He's a troubled kid. Do you not remember all those days you'd come home, telling me about the grief Leia was being put through by her son? Rey, I am just looking out for you here.I really can't see you get hurt."
"Kylo won't hurt me. But you are. I actually thought you'd be supportive." Rey stood up and headed out the door. "Why did you have to prove me wrong, Finn?"
The moment she was outside, one tear after the other spilled down her cheeks. She looked to the sky and wished for rain. For it to wash away her tears and let all her problems become puddles under her feet. But today was not a day for luck.
Hopping on a bus, she went to Ben's. From his window, he spotted the visitor and ran down the stairs, greeting her outside. "Jesus, Rey, if you keep coming around here, my parents are going to think we're dating."
She wanted to say something back, but she decided against it and just mumbled a "sorry."
Ben looked down at the girl with puffy eyes and knit brows and his annoyance subsided. "Is everything okay?"
Rey sniffled. "Yeah. Can we... talk or something?"
"Yeah, sure. Do you wanna go for a walk or...?"
"It's really cold," she laughed weakly.
"You're right," Kylo smiled. "Let me get the keys, we can go to a coffee shop, yeah?"
"Please not your mother's though."
"Course not," he chuckled.
•{•}•
"Can I ask you some questions?" Rey posed, seated across from Kylo.
"Sure, as long as I can ask you some, too."
"Sure."
"Ask away."
"Did you ever wonder about me? The person on the other side of the petals, I mean."
Kylo thought for a moment before nodding. "Yeah. I guess, I never really knew what it all meant, but there were times when I knew someone else was attached to them. Usually, I only had one question."
"Why?" Rey ventured. "Why me? Why here? Why rose petals? Why the letters?"
"Exactly." Kylo took a sip of his coffee. "My turn. Why do you think you were able to find me after all these years?"
"Would destiny be too cliched of an answer?" They both laughed. "I don't know why, but I'm glad it did."
Kylo smiled and they carried on with questions concerning the petals. After thirty minutes of back-and-forth, Rey realized she still didn't know much about him. "Why... Why do you go by Kylo?"
He froze. "I guess it came from an unconventional, kinda traumatic childhood. It's kind of lost its meaning now. I don't know."
"I really like Ben," she admitted.
"You do?" Rey nodded. The minute passed slowly, and he cleared his throat. "My turn."
"Nope."
"No?"
"You asked me if I did. That's a question."
"Alright," he sighed. "Ask me."
"Can I call you Ben?"
"Why?"
"I don't want to call you by a name that was born out of pain. You're more than that to me."
"Alright. But I get to make jokes out of your name."
"Deal."
"Hey, if you wear sunglasses, are they called Rey Bans?"
"And, I'm already regretting this."
"Do you wanna break the deal?"
"Not in a million years, Ben."