Permanent Mark

Chapter 51

They battle the droids together, back to back, Luke watching. 

When Ben bends, Rey leans back against him, kicking outward. When Rey turns left, Ben turns right. When Ben destroys a droid, he instinctively strikes out towards the new one charging towards Rey. 

In the beginning of training, they constantly spoke through the bond. Now they do not. They feel each other's next move, having learned how to fight together. Sometimes blind folded. 

Luke doesn't even have to guide them anymore. He mainly just observes, fascinated. 

"Perfect," he tells them, each droid lying in pieces on the floor. They will spend the day tomorrow rebuilding them. One day training, the next reconstructing droids. It's tiring but they do it together. They are mostly inseparable now. Only apart for a few hours a night in their own quarters. 

Even those few hours are too much. They are truly one. If only they could tell everyone. 

Luke and Leia know. Also, Rose. Rey had told her everything and her friend is very happy for her. Sometimes Rey hangs out with Rose and they laugh and giggle over their boyfriends. That's usually when Ben goes patrolling with Han. Each and every time intending on speaking with him about Rey. Each and every time, chickening out. 

He's partly afraid of the fall out. Another part of him doesn't want the truth out there. He partly enjoys having the secret. Until every morning at 4am when he has to leave Rey. He's in an internal tug of war. 

"What time is it?" Rey whispers into the darkness of the cave, nestled against her lover. 

"3:30," Ben whispers, drawing circles on her bare hip with his thumb. He pulls her closer, running his hand to her flat belly, spreading his fingers wide.

"Ugh, Ben, I can't keep doing," she yawns widely, "this…"

"I know. I'm sorry. I just get alone with him and I can't do it," he tells her. 

"We should do it together," she whispers back, turning her head to kiss him. They had not even made love during this night. Just held each other. Training had been hard and they are both exhausted. They had talked for hours about everything. Ben had even talked about what he wanted to do after the war. He's thinking of starting his own fighter pilot school along with Rey's idea of a grey Jedi academy. They'd argued about including Luke. Then Rey got naked and Ben forgot what his point was. 

That happened often. Rey certainly knew how to make Ben lose his train of thought. 

"Hey, I heard of a lake a few miles from here. Want to go train there? I was thinking we could go in a few days."

"I don't know, Ben. I don't think Luke could go that far."

He rolls her over, trying not to lose himself in her breasts. He definitely has a weakness for them. 

"I meant alone, Rey," he tells her, a glint in his eye. 

"Oh," she says, smiling and brushing his hair back from his eyes. The action causes her breasts to lift up and his eyes dart down. 

Focus, Ben. 

"Think we will actually train?" she asks, the glint now flickering in her eyes. 

"I solemnly swear to let you kick my ass before I strip you naked and throw you in the water," he tells her, smiling mischievously. 

"Well, I don't solemnly swear to keep my clothes on for long," she answers back, rubbing his bicep. She has a weakness for his arms. They are just so big.