A Star Wars Reylo AU: The Taming of the Professor

Sixteen

Shots was a madhouse on Saturday night. Rey found herself unable to keep up for the first time since she started tending bar a few years before. There was barely room to move in the mass of humanity, and she was thankful for the thick, heavy brick bar in between her and Rose and the crowd. If the floor hadn't been a sticky, disgusting mess, she might have dropped down right there and rested.

Stray strands of hair had escaped her careful bun, and stuck to her neck. She had removed her button down shirt a few hours ago, and worked in a spaghetti strap tank. It was sweltering. She planned to go out back and dump a pitcher of ice water over her head before walking home. The band was loud, and the patrons were louder.

"What's going on?" she yelled to Rose.

"The football team won against the school's rival."

Rey stared at her without comprehending. Football was a sport she didn't care much about.

"It's a huge deal," laughed Rose. "A lot of these big guys are football players. Haven't you noticed?"

She never paid much attention to what patrons looked like aside from matching their faces to their ID's. As she glanced around the room, it did seem like there were some big people out there tonight.

As the band finished up a song and announced a break, an older man with shaggy gray hair shoved through the crowd and leaned over the bar.

"Hello there," he said.

Rey glanced up, and found him watching her. She wiped her hands on her pants. "What can I get for you?"

"I'd like a beer, sweetheart. Whatever you've got."

She turned around so he wouldn't see her roll her eyes. They didn't tip as well when they knew she thought they were an idiot.

The beer fridge was cold. She loved opening it and letting the chilled air billow out over her while she reached to the back to grab the coldest bottle. She popped the cap off and handed it over, taking his ten.

"Keep the change, sweetheart."

She forced a smile, and tucked the money in her short apron. "Thank you."

"How long have you worked here?" he asked.

Rey had already turned away, and faced him again when she realized he was still talking to her.

"Enjoy your beer."

She did turn then, and headed toward Rose, grabbing a glass as she passed to hand to her as if she needed it. Neck, stomach, balls, she repeated in her head. Easy.

"That creepy old man just called me 'sweetheart.' Twice."

"He's hot," said Rose.

Rey shook her head. "Is your thinking impaired from the heat? Do you need a break or a handful of ice down your back?"

Rose laughed. "He's hot, and he's your hot professor's father."

Rey jerked her head around in time to see the man raise his bottle to her in a toast and move back into the crowd.

"Oh, no. He knows I was talking about him. And what are you saying about Dr. Solo?"

"Come on, you ninny. He's hot, and you know it. He's also an asshole, which is relevant, but I've never had to deal with him. I can appreciate when men are attractive."

Rey gaped at her friend. Rose reached forward and pushed her chin up, pressing Rey's teeth back together.

"What!"

"You're with Finn."

"And? I'm not saying I'm going out there to dance with the Coach. I'm just saying he's nice to look at, and I hope he comes back for more beer."

As the crowd thinned out much later, the football coach did come back for more beer. The band had finished, and Rey was starting to feel some of the air moving through the room from the propped back door.

"Hey, sweetheart," said the Coach. She turned to face him. "Another beer, if you don't mind."

She grabbed one of the last bottles in the fridge, removed the cap, and handed it to him.

"If you like, I'll buy you one too," he said.

"No thanks," she said.

"You did well tonight," he said. "Tough crowd. Maz said you were good, but I had to see for myself. She's never had anyone who could keep up with Rosie."

"I hear you are to be congratulated, too," said Rey, wondering how to get out of this conversation without offending her boss' friend. Rose pointedly ignored them, scrubbing down the wall at the far end of the bar. The wall.

"Did you watch the game?"

"No. I didn't know there was a game, or that you won."

He held his hand to his heart. "You wound me."

"I doubt it. Have a good night."

"Wait a minute," he called.

Rose smirked at her and turned away again. Eavesdropper and traitor.

Rey returned to the coach and stood in front of him, arms crossed. "Yes?"

"Can we talk? I'm sorry we got off to a bad start. I'm a married man. I'm not here to try to pick you up. Maz would kill me if I did. I just like to talk to beautiful women, and you are one. Now, why don't you watch football?"

He believes himself a libertine to match Don Giavanni. She memorized his face, which looked very different from his son's. He'd make a great character in one of her stories. She thought about raising her arm to call Poe over, but he was busy and she was sure enough that the coach wouldn't do anything more than talk. Maz was up on the stage, ordering the band about as they packed up. And Rose, the traitor, was still listening and pretending to wash the wall.

"I'd rather read," she said.

"You find it boring?" She shrugged, and tried her best to look sorry. "I have a son who thinks the same way. Every football game he's ever attended he sat and read a book through the whole thing. Well, I guess it takes all kinds."

Rey nodded, not bothering to tell him how she had noticed the same thing about his son, and that it didn't surprise her one bit that he ignored football. She hadn't told Maz who her professor was either, and hoped to keep her work and the rest of her life as separate as possible.

Maz joined him, and hooked her arm through his, tugging him away from the bar. "Leave the girls alone, you rascal," Rey heard her say.