A Star Wars Reylo AU: The Taming of the Professor

Fifteen

Neither Rose nor Finn wanted anything to do with self-defense lessons. 

"Master Luke promised I'd be able to knock Dr. Solo down when I'm finished," said Rey.

That piqued Finn's curiosity, but nothing more. 

"I can't," said Rose, and she at least had the decency to sound sorry about it. "I take care of my grandma on weekday mornings so my mom can run errands and have a break." 

"That's nice," said Rey. 

"You should come with me one morning," said Rose. "Nana would love you."

Rey always wondered what her life would have been like had she been born into a normal family. Would she have a had grandmother? Or two? She assumed she didn't have any, but that might not be true. Perhaps she had one and the woman just hadn't wanted her. She shut that thought down and refocused on Rose, who was talking about her Nana. Rose could talk about anyone and make them sound like the most amazing person she'd ever met. 

"Do you play Bridge?" said Rose.

"No. I don't even know what that is." 

"It's a card game old ladies play."

"Hey!" said Finn. "I play Bridge." 

Rose made a funny face at Rey and turned to smile at Finn. "Yes, you do. With my Nana, and she loves it." 

"Is she unwell?" asked Rey.

"No, she just has trouble getting around and Mom doesn't trust her alone. Think's she'll fall. Nana is nice about having us around. I think she gets lonely when she's by herself." 

"That's really nice," said Rey. She logged "a Nana" on her list of wants. She hadn't really though much past a lack of parents, but a Nana sounded amazing.

"Hey, I need to go home," she said, dragging herself out of her little pity-party. "I have class this morning and then another lesson with Master Luke. Both of you are welcome if you change your minds." 

Poe also declined, but he did promise to join her soon. He thought it might help him when Shots got a little rowdy. He didn't like that it was with Dr. Solo either, as his opinion of her professor had soured greatly after her episode. 

Rey was stiff from Monday's lesson, and though she hadn't bruised, there were definitely soar spots on her arms and back. After far fewer hours than she needed of sleep, she sat through the freshman literature class and walked with Dr. Solo to Master Luke's studio. 

"Good morning, Rey," said Master Luke, a warm smile on his face. "And Ben. Are you ready?"

"Yes," she said, with a fake, feigned-confidence she had perfected over the years. She was most certainly not ready, but she had to try.

Dr. Solo stepped in front of her, his eyes narrowed. Did he know that she was a lying pretender? Probably. Most writers were far too aware of other people for their own good. He might put her into a story someday. She was certain he'd end up in one of hers. 

"Today we'll start with basics," said Master Luke. "There are three places you can strike him that will cause the most damage. Can you guess?" 

"Um." Rey's cheeks warmed, but the men were all business. "I don't imagine it would feel good if I hit him in the groin." 

"No," said Luke. "And for his sake, please don't actually hit him there. But don't strike there first. That's the last, crippling blow. Where first?" 

"The eyes?" She had no idea.

"Try it," said Dr. Solo. "Like you mean it. Poke me in the eyes." He held up a finger. "Wait." 

Master Luke left them to drag a few mats over. 

"Will it bother you if I restrain you?" asked Dr. Solo. "Will it be a problem? " 

She shook her head. "The trigger is rage, not contact. I think you could grab me and shake me right now, and as long as you didn't seem like you'd lost control of yourself to anger, it would be OK. I think." She shrugged. "I guess we'll find out." 

Dr. Solo didn't look convinced. 

Master Luke heard her last comment, and sighed. "We'll go slow. You still want her to poke your eyes out?" he asked Dr. Solo. 

"I want her to try." 

They stepped onto the mat and Dr. Solo waggled his fingers at her. "Come on, let's see you poke me in the eyes. I agree that it would slow me down. No holding back." 

If she hadn't already had a session with them where they told her the same thing and she had been able to harm him, she would have been nervous. But she recognized this as a set up, so she humored them. She was probably going to end up flat on her ass in about half a second. 

She stepped forward, middle and index fingers out, and jabbed as hard as she could. Dr. Solo side stepped, grabbed her wrist, and jerked, following through with his much longer arm. Off balance, she couldn't stop him from bending her arm back into her stomach and pulling her against his chest, while circling the other arm around her waist and holding her firmly in place, both arms locked against her body. It happened in the space of a blink.

She wriggled, but he didn't release her. Point made. 

"If you attack, it has to work," he said. She struggled and squirmed, but couldn't free herself. "If you fail, and a stronger, bigger enemy pins you, you're done. There's nothing you can do to get out of this hold. Try harder." 

She finally gave up after half a minute, and Master Luke signaled Dr. Solo to release her. 

"Throat," said Master Luke, showing her how to step through and strike Dr. Solo in the throat with her forearm. 

"Then, solar plexus." He showed her how to step through and strike in the middle of the stomach with her elbow. "That one hurts like few others."

"Last, knee to the groin. Make sure you step into it." 

"And this would work?" she said. "What if the guy is really big?"

"Big or not," said Master Luke, "these three spots are close to the surface no matter how fat and hurt when you connect. It might not incapacitate him, but it will slow him down, and give you time to get away."

She practiced over and over until she was sure her arms couldn't take another sequence. 

"Good," said Master Luke, dismissing them after an hour. 

"Thank you," said Rey to both of them. 

"We like doing this," said Dr. Solo on their walk back to campus. "I know it's not fun for you. You did well today. As we walk, tell me about Paradise Lost. It's a lovely day to discuss Milton."