The slowest burn is the most painful

[reversesock]

Arranged Marriage Turned More To have and to hold, you said, till death do us part, all while the sharp, swinging pendulum of obligation hung overhead. But how could you have truly meant those words? This union has been tainted from the start, forever bearing the chains of an arranged marriage. It would be understandable if you couldn't bear to look at your new life partner, eternal reminder of your stolen future that they are, much less like them. Much less love them... Still, things can change. You could realize that they are in the same boat as you or, that when compared to others around you, they are the lesser of evils. Perhaps you even open up to the idea of a friendship; at the very least, an alliance may be in order to become a power couple in a perilous world. From that innocent decision or sense of self-preservation, a new feelings sparks. Something like affection. Something, you realize in the wake of speeding heartbeats, like love. Will you acknowledge this? Can the two of you have a happily ever after - happier than if you'd met in another fashion - or will you hold firm in your distaste? how to play. - Everybody loves "couples forged by less-than-ideal circumstances" tropes! - Comment with your character, prefs, all that good stuff. - Reply to others. - IDEC where you set your threads, it's wide open. Fantasy world with hairy hobbits, old-timey lands, future AUs, do a space marriage for all I care. I'm sure they're still getting married in Star Wars or whatever.

Comments

oh is the shame too great to bear? new identity?

[forcevisions]

[ The fact that he's patiently helping her does, at least, do something to defuse her. She lets him wrestle it down her body and only then does she get the chance to look up at his infuriatingly impassive face, eyes wet, and hear him properly. ]

Well I don't know what you thought you were doing. Because you didn't talk to me. You just decided to get in the middle of it.

Yes. The shame of having to play Poe and Finn. Too much. I am not nai. I am Amian

[vaderstan]

[ Wet eyes and he presses a thumb and palm to her cheek. A brief touch before he starts to pull at her hair to straighten it. Try to bring some order to the mess that running and jumping around at ass o'clock (not anus o'clock as Hux seems to prefer) in the morning.

He's not about to refute that he didn't discuss shit with her. That was true and honestly.... There was no time to discuss shit with her so-- whoops. ]

How much longer do we have until the official ceremony, Rey?

NOT THE SHAME OF FUCKING UP THE SUBJECT LINE? NO?

[forcevisions]

Two days. [ She says this stiffly, forehead creasing with her disapproval as she adds, ] Don't answer my questions with questions.

Idk what you're talkin about that never happened

[vaderstan]

[ ITS WHAT HE DOES REY. But he had a point OKay. ]

Once this is over, I don't know how or when you'll see them next. Or get a moment alone with anyone outside of myself.

[ It's bleak. Super bleak, but he's being pragmatic. ]

The conflict is only over on paper. We're doing as much as we can to ensure this goes smoothly, but there's no promise things will. [ He doesn't say so in as many words, but- as quaint and fantastical as this entire thing seems. A huge wedding in front of the galaxy, the fact that they both felt the same for one another and could finally act upon it, his mother here-- his HOME PLANET.

It hides the fact that they are not out of danger's way. They are still on that ship where the only safe place is in each other's minds or in his room. It's just dressed up with a beach and cute decorations. He would be more surprised if Hux wasn't planning on some sort of "accident" to take out the rest of the Resistance when all of this is over. ] You could be separated for a long time.

[ That was honestly... probably what they felt. And while Ben Solo loves his mother, she was far too pragmatic to try and placate anyone emotionally. It was good for politics and cold military tactics. Bad for comforting distressed friends of child brides being married off. ]

rude

[forcevisions]

That's not true.

[ And she sounds pressed about his interpretation of it. Obviously he's put some considerable thought towards this, committed himself to this interpretation, but every part of it chafes against Rey. Her brow furrows. ]

You said we'd assimilate the Resistance leadership into the First Order. Give them seats at the table. That includes Leia and Poe.

[ And Rose and Finn would go where Leia and Poe did. ]

You promised.

[vaderstan]

[ Where idealism hit reality is where cynics were made. How she turned from this, from him, depended on how she understood the situation. ]

And I intend to keep it. [ There's no lie there, certainly. A look in the bond could tell her as much, but he has such trouble expressing himself properly that it may not read as much through her own emotions. ] But I'm not sure of the timeline of that happening. [ The barest bits of one is forming, but all eyes are on this union right now. Treading carefully is the game. And unlike himself or Rey, his mother is prudent. He's not sure if she'll find a way to manage including everyone that would happen any faster than a period of several months.

See, that's the thing. Being a unilateral dictator meant things moved swiftly. You say next Wednesday is a holiday for your favorite kind of fruit-- it happened with out question and with complete obedience. But democracies? Republics? Actual representation of people moved slow. For good reason, of course-- but slow enough that it could be frustrating for any one citizen.

Almost like having a leader who is clearly incompetent, sexist, racist and a general embarrassment to your entire nation in office, who has clearly colluded with a foreign government to get that position, and his entire party and essentially half the government turns a blind eye because they want to keep hold of the power with no question-- and somehow this illegal bullshit is still going on and you have to WAIT because the fucking courts have to do this completely fair and above the table so that they can keep things running the way they should be running :)))))) It's all good here. I'm fine. How are you. ] And when they get seats at the table, everything goes according to plan, there's no guarantee that we will be on the same ship or in the same system as them.

[ He's trying not to be a discouraging asshole, but-- even when Snoke was Supreme Leader things were run remotely. No one saw him directly beyond a select few. And Kylo himself was on the ground and walking amoungst everyone in the First Order. But he never stayed in one place for too long. Too used to being a wanderer, and also afraid of becoming too much like Snoke. ]

You could order otherwise, but there are consequences to that. [ Meaning, if she orders it, it makes her an empress. It makes her something she's not sure she wants in that form. ] And when they do come to the table --[ He says "do" and not "if" very purposefully here. ]-- your relationship with them may very well change.

[ She won't be an equal, but a superior. Even to Leia. The balance of power would shift-- the role of Supreme Leader and his Empress would change and adapt if everything went according to plan. But that would take time. And in that time it would be difficult to pop out to a cantina and relax and talk candidly.

Right now, on this planet, before this wedding-- this is going to be her time to be Rey of Jakku with the Resistance. Just as he is abandoning some of Kylo Ren's mantle in this compromise, she has to abandon some part of herself as well.

It's not fair, but nothing about this situation was. ]

[forcevisions]

[ It's a lot to take in.

Politics. That's the crux of the issue. That at the end of the day, Rey is just a scavenger from Jakku, not a politician, and she can't navigate all of this. She doesn't know the policies, the procedures. She can understand the particulars of how the First Order runs from Ben's explanation, but she cannot internalize the nuances of it and anticipate the movements like he does. She doesn't possess the familiarity or skill.

She has no place here.

That's what flickers across her expression, ultimately, as he finishes, and she goes to sit on the edge of the bed. She'd imagined waking up here peacefully, curled up together, doe-eyed and charmed by one another. Last night's wind down had convinced her of its possibility. Now, the harsh light of day shines back on this union, and she remembers who it belongs to. The galaxy. They do not belong to themselves, even now.

Some part of her wants to order that. Right away. To get it out of the way. Accept the consequences, damn them all, but he's right — it won't solve anything. She had already begun to talk to them as subordinates here in this very room. This was outside of them. They did not understand, nor did they need to. They were nonessential to her. ]

This doesn't end when we're married.

[ No. It only begins then. She'd fooled herself. She was so good at that. Fooled herself with their talk of a home that would be theirs and this company together and a union of two factions and undermining Hux and leaving the way open to bring the Resistance on board. ]

This doesn't end.

[vaderstan]

[ What was it she had asked? If it was all talking to people and tiny portions of food?

It was, in essence, that. But at the same time it was also wholly something else.

He turns to where she sits on the bed, eyes studying her quietly before making his way over to her. He's not sure how this will land yet, if she needs comfort or space. This is complicated territory to navigate and he will let her decide. ]

It can. [ That isn't just to soothe her, it's the truth. There could be an end to this madness. ] But it will take time and patience. [ A lot of that last one. Something he lacked.

And he hesitates before saying this because this isn't his forte-- it is very much her own: ] And faith.

[ Again, there was a fine line between cynicism and idealism. ] From us-- and the people we work with to make that happen.

[ It had to extend both ways. If no one trusted him, it didn't matter what kind of government he propped up or endorsed, he could be tossed out easily. They were working here to plant the seed of that hope, but they had a ways to go before it blossomed into something larger than themselves. ]

[forcevisions]

No.

[ She shakes her head, looking up at him. There's a softness there in her expression, a grief at what she has finally realized she is losing. It's not about the galaxy and the politics and the stiff upper lips. It's not about the guises. ]

You were right. Even if the time does come that we aren't doing this anymore, that we're able to step back from it, they won't be. We'll never be on the same side like we were again.

[ They aren't now, even. She is already too close to an Empress to be anything else, simultaneously a figurehead and a sacrificial lamb. Not part of their ground-floor operations. ]

They're already gone.

[ She's no good at losing people. It has not gotten any easier since it was her parents. She rests her head then against Kylo's shoulder, deflated. Her datapad goes off again. Hux is getting impatient. But kark him, anyway. ]

Whatever this is ... it's different. And it's going to keep changing.

i chose an icon last night WHAT THE FUCK

[vaderstan]

[ He pulls her closer once her head hits his shoulder, arms wrapping around her and keeping her tucked into him and safe. Really he couldn't give a damn about hux's messages now. He's sure he'll draw some awful conclusion when he does see her, so Kylo gives no shits about making him wait. ]

You're right, nothing stays the same. [ Even with out this marriage, if she had stayed with the rebels, outlasted this war-- she would have had to pick up the mantle of Jedi. Things would always have to change either way. ] They aren't gone though, not yet.

[ Metaphorically or literally. ]

They burst into Kylo Ren's room to get to you.

[ It was bull-headed, pants on head stupid, impulsive BULLSHIT. But it was sweet in it's own sideways logic way. ] You're not doing this alone.

[forcevisions]

I know.

[ She looks up at him, wide eyes. ]

I have you.

[ There's something fervent and heartfelt there. She's accepting his truth that there was no version of this where Finn and Poe and Rose understood what that was like. That's not a clean answer, but it's the real one. ]

They can't be a part of it. When they try to be, it only makes things worse.

[vaderstan]

I can’t wed all of them unfortunately.

[ his version of a joke. But the truth as well. This relationship was her choice. They just couldn’t understand it— or even accept it. Maybe if this hadn’t been so expedited they would have had a chance to swallow this massive reality check. But hux has snatched that away from them. ]

I can deal with General Hux, it should be enough time to speak with them outside of the ceremony.

[ he’s been dealing with the mans incel rage for years. He can rope him into some debacle that will keep him plenty distracted.

If Lando is here... well I’m not saying they will summon a mob of droids to corner the red head and demand droid rights. But. I’m totally saying that’s gonna be what happens. ]

[forcevisions]

Thank you.

[ She leans up to kiss his cheek. It makes up, she thinks, for the way he'd stampeded straight over her boundaries trying to fix it for himself by inviting them today. They may be her friends, but this has made it apparent; they're also Resistance, and responsibility.

Getting to her feet, she puts her open back to him, holding onto the front of her dress. ]

Will you zip me? And where's that food?

[vaderstan]

[ He fully realizes he stepped over those boundaries in what he did, hence taking on the responsibility of Hux and making sure no one notes that most of the core members of the Resistance had disappeared is his job. Really, if asked he wouldn't say it was to fix things so much as avoid an emotional crash that would have been a hundred fold worse for Rey. Selfish in it's nature, but at the very least the plan didn't involve murder.

He makes some soft noise of affirmation and steps forward pulling at the fabric at the back of her dress, gathering it up so he can slowly zip it up(Flash backs to like. two days ago tbh). He leans in and kisses at the nape of her neck as he finishes and tugs at her hair gently. ]

Would you like me to do something with your hair?

[ Oh hey. ENGAGEMENT HAIRSTYLES ARE LEGIT IN THIS AU. But really this is no sneaky giving her an engagement hairstyle, more-- he doesn't think she wants to deal with her hair after what the fuck just happened. ]

[forcevisions]

[ She hums at the kiss on her neck, leaning into him. None of this is a solution to her wanting her breakfast before she leaves here, but honestly she can just wander into the kitchen, and double honestly this is better. Rey would kill a man for a corn chip, but Ben's gentle affection would probably keep her placated and stationary long enough to starve to death without caring. ]

Please.

[ Turning slightly, she smiles up at him. ]

But something quick?

[vaderstan]

[ He only didn't remember because nai is operating off of one hour of sleep. YIKES.

He gives her a curt nod before waiting for her to turn around and digging his fingers in to get to work. Nothing complicated this time just as promised, honestly it's best to leave the complicated hairstyles until the official ceremony and beyond because of all the political implications. Where u at now Allothar? DONT FUKKIN MESS WITH KYLO'S PIECE OF ASS.

It's a simple half up half down hair style, two braids intertwining in the back-- nothing that will set off Hux's radar that Kylo did it at least.

Does hux know Kylo's good with hair? IDK I guess it depends on how many hipster hair styles he's worn around the general. ]

I think your breakfast is still outside.

[ The poor confused hacked droid... who is probably fretting about whether they can come in or not. ]

[forcevisions]

[ Allothar's probably here you're right. We better get him in on this. Everyone knows political marriages are hotbeds of infidelity. Maybe he'll try to seduce the Empress.





Anyway.

The light, passive scrape of his fingers against her scalp soothes her into a sort of meditative trance, and she's practically leaning into his hands like a cat by the time he has finished braiding it. She reaches back to touch it when he's done, but she can't really get a feel for what it looks like due to lack of experience. It's complicated, she knows that. Compared to her other hairstyles. ]

You think so? [ She turns back to look at him. ] Good. I'm starving.

[ She leans in to kiss his cheek to show her gratitude, then draws back. ]

I love you. Don't kill Hux yet.

[vaderstan]

[ lol except I don’t think allothar is dumb enough to fuck with the Supreme leader’s wife. And kylo could arguably kill him with no one batting an eye. Y I k e s.

Anywho.

He looks stoic and like a rock but those tiny gestures of affection send warmth blooming through him. How long had it been since casual affection had been a thing he was allowed to have?

All it does is spur him into hooking his fingers at her jawline and drawing her into a deeper kiss. Nipping, sucking, tongue. The works. “I love you”, talk of murder and solving issues. Jfc this is sex for them. Super forbidden sex. ]

Don’t lose hope about finding a home.

[ — and. He honestly. Didn’t expect himself to say that. Surprised it fell from his lips. But later, between what ever other bullshit he has to finalize today before getting secret married, he’ll realize that he’s saying it for himself as well.

Rey has given him a taste of what life could be like if he let go of his need to right the wrongs he faced, accepted that not everything could be conreolled, took his own life into his hands and molded it into what he always craved. And quite frankly it was addicting.

Like.

After they Fuck on the throne, in his huge bed looking out at the galaxy, probably make hux into an unwilling sex toy, and finally murder the fuck outta him.


But by then it is possible he’ll havw the fascist bug out of his system. ]

[forcevisions]

[ The kiss is intoxicating. When he pulls away, she is half-dazed, drugged on it, doe-eyed and warm and staring up at him like he hung the stars. It takes her a moment to process what he says as a result, but when she does, a lopsided smile works its way over her lips. She reaches up to pet the side of his face, strokes it, charmed. ]

I won't.

[ Not as long as she can hold onto him as a reminder. Never.

She pulls away then, and turns to excuse herself from the room. She never put underwear on. That ship has sailed. I'm sure this won't come back up later. Anyway. She stops at the droid just outside and picks a handful of portable food items off of his tray and then continues along. It sort of … rolls after her for a while in earnest as she goes to find Finn and Poe.

I'm feeling so lazy about writing out this interaction.

So lazy.

What if we just timeskip. ]

[vaderstan]

[ wowowowowoOWOW YOU JUST WANT ME TO WRITE HUX, FINN, AND POE. THIS IS DISCRIMINATION. I'LL HAVE YOU KNOW THAT I LIKE TO WRITE THINGS OTHER THAN HUGE MAN BABIES.

ahem.

Anyway. LBR Poe and Finn's reaction to Rey hunting them down after all that is gonna be dependant on if they confronted Leia. Which--- Poe probably MADE IT A POINT TO BECAUSE MOM YOU LIED TO ME (and then he probably got slapped. Hard. Endangering members of the remaining Resistance because he still can't follow orders jfc. GG Poe). But they're comin to your dumb secret wedding, cause I GOT PLANS FOR THEM.

One that don't involve endangering EVERYONE AND THE ENTIRE MISSION. AGAIN.

Also Rose will force them at taser point.

And Kylo's gonna actually shower and get himself sorted. He pauses at his wardrobe like.... what should he even wear??? It'd be weird to walk out in anything that wasn't his normal dark side look now-- a signal to hux that something was off. But then he's getting married for real???

He spends way too much time on this either way. He settles on his normal Black because that's all he's got and is just about to set out to deal with some planning when Hux finds him in the hallway first.

I'm too lazy to write this shit out as well. So picture in your mind Hux bithing to kylo that Rey stood him up and he would like to speak with her regarding some of her new duties and also implications that Kylo should further break her so she learns obedience and--- He nearly breaks that promise to not kill Hux. But he doesn't.

Instead he bids him farewell as they DO actually spend time apart. Mostly so Kylo can deal with his own shit and--


Find lando.


The Droid uprising is happening.

Good Luck Hux.

And again. Another interaction i'm not gonna write rn. But let's just say Lando isn't sure how to act around Han's kid now that he's Space Hitler Jr. It's hard to know how to act around the man who you saw buck ass naked as a toddler. But then Lando hears Kylo's plan and...

Well... At least Han isn't entirely dead yet. There's hope for this dumb family still.

Throws baton at tifa's face where u wanna start, ho?

(Also yes Leia has an outfit to give to Kylo so he doesn't get married in Supreme Fascist Leader Garb, but I'm gonna go ahead and say Rey's probably gonna get there before him because he's gotta double make sure Hux is distracted and occupied) ]

[forcevisions]

[ Yeah, Rey does some hugging with Finn. Lots of it involves "I don't get it but" over and over again. And doubts of Kylo's loyalty, which Rey reaffirms tenfold. Poe is still pissed. Poe is mostly pissed that he made an ass of himself in front of Leia, and he's projecting it as Rey's fault. She's accepted that. He'd also been the one to see the weirdness of the original engagement, so she can't blame him. Not entirely. He's blown furthest out of left field out of anyone.

But Rose interrupts because Leia has trusted her with Rey's dress for today and Rey's just like ? ?? oh no this one ? ?? And Rose laughs at her. Laughs. At. Her. Because that dress is from some First Order tailor and the one Rose has for her is Better, she assures.

Rey's like ? ?? does it have pockets ?? ?

(It doesn't.)

But it is a recreation of a dress that belonged to Leia's grandmother, a fact which Leia tells her as soon as the Scooby Gang (Rey, Rose, Poe, Finn, BB-8, /puts up sign that says 'change my mind') have all joined her on the beach. She wore it, apparently, not at her own wedding, but it had been Leia's favorite before they'd all been lost in some shitty conflict. Blown out into space.

Rey throws her arms around her. It's the closest thing to a maternal gesture related to weddings she is ever in her life going to get.

That's where we can start. With Rey in Padme's shiny rainbow Naboo dress hugging her mother in law like she's going to strangle her to death before the wedding. ]

[vaderstan]

[ ahw how nice HWO NICE REY GETS GREETED BY HER FRIENDS ITS SO JOVIAL.

Kylo is just finishing up whatever bullshit work he has to do when Threepio finds him. This was a mistake.

Still he follows the droid and his endless prattle, and then he's led on to the Falcon which is just-- trigger warning please. But Chewie greets Kylo with a scream and an outfit shoved into his hands.

(insert hour long montage of naima frowning at star wars male fashion with that one song going on in the background)

The top is black with silver thread running through it, like filigree. There's accents of red and -- under the sun it becomes apparent that the black has a subtle sheen of blue. There's a black sash which encircles his body and releases at the back freely and --- it's a mother fukkin cape. He's gotta have one. Even Leia knows. The rest is simple, black pants, black boots. Just fly as hell. WEAR MORE COLOR KYLO.

And honestly, it's odd. Not the outfit but-- being back on the Falcon, having Chewie shove clothes on him and fret with how they lay and-- it's a lot at once. Suddenly he realizes his mom's going to be there and they don't have time to properly talk. There's a lot left unsaid that's just so obvious, obvious in the way Lando looked at him, how Chewie pauses when he sees the scar he left, in the way Kylo himself hesitates in the threshold of the Falcon before he exits.

A lot that they won't have time to discuss for a while yet.

They are either fool-hardy, or trust Rey completely. Knowing his family it's probably both.


Oh also. Rey. Finn and Poe brought you space chocolates and--- well. They bickered over flowers with Rose, but Rose pointed out that Rey would probably feel that fresh flowers were a waste. So you're getting a small bouquet of dried flowers. A local favorite for easier sleeping on Chandrilla. Hang it next to your bed and it's said that you will sleep easily though the night.

But-- all of the chatter and talking talks as Kylo approaches. He's a bit caught up in his own thoughts and Chewbacca keeps talking with him about mundane things.-- And even Lando manages to catch up (The droid revolution is self-sustaining as it turns out. Y'all watch Detroit Become Human??? That's how this shit is going down). So now it's Lando and Chewbacca talking and Kylo's just feeling... really out of his depth with a lot of this.

The ocean at least helps calm his nerves-- the smell and sound familiar. He really never thought he'd come back here. ]

[forcevisions]

[ Lando is the one to comment that Ben has actually made his mother happy, miracle of miracles. Chewie trills, but Lando insists. He hasn't seen her this happy in years. And no wonder — look at the girl Ben's got. It's the first Lando has seen of her, and she looks beautiful, even teary-eyed and practically dwarfing Rose in a hug. ]

The flowers are perfect. None of the ones on Jakku ever looked like they had water in them. [ She smiles at these. ] It suits me.

[ She doesn't say it in a morbid way. Death is a part of life as much as anything else. She sees no reason it shouldn't have a place in this celebration. Something is dying today, just as something is being born. A new life. With Ben.

She catches his gaze as he and Chewie and Lando approach. Rose, Finn, and Poe divide and step back, making a haphazard audience. The ocean licks up around Leia's feet, but she's in open heels and a dress, so it's not a terrible tragedy. Chewie and Lando join the scooby gang. ]

Hi.

[ He looks fancy. Fancier than she's seen him. And ? ?? a little like a prince /?? Rey's hands smooth over her dress like she's suddenly keenly aware that she's out of her depth with him. ]

whoops. now im leia

[vaderstan]

[ ??// ?? ?? ?? Excuse Him as he. Blue screens a little??? And this is just. Hilarious considering that Rey is the only one who actually has said more than a sentence or two to Kylo lately and knows what he's actually like. So. Great-- first time seeing his mother and lando and chewbacca (andthreepioandartoo) in years and he looks like a he has lost the ability to form coherent thought. He's-- heard about his grandmother's fashion sensibilities, seen some old holos. But it's one thing to hear and another to see in person on your wife.

He opens his mouth to respond and-- Leia beats him to it.

'There will be time for canoodling later,' which-- thanks for the embarassment mother. But she has a point.

A point which is made when she reaches out for his bare hands and holds them within her own.

When had his mothers hands ever felt this fragile? The skin felt delicate-- and he could see the sun spots and wrinkles that hadn't been there the last time they'd seen each other.

He expects words, accusations, demands for an apology. Instead one of those small frail hands come to rest on his cheek as she searches him. SHe had been the one to give Rey permission to end his suffering if needed, she'd had to steel herself for years that the next news she heard was of his demise. And yet here he stood with her.

He's not turned-- but... part of Leia wonders if she had been looking at this the wrong way this entire time. Maybe he never turned at all. They'd lived in such strict interpretations of darkness and light, so quick to condemn one and uplift the other. The circumstances which brought her son back to her were.... far from ideal. But she had her own part to play in that as well. But it was neither light nor dark which guided his actions now, and perhaps it was time to stop seeking meaning and guidance in all of this.

She had to accept her son for who he was now, or she would never have him back.

'Welcome home, Ben.'

Also i apologize to rey rn because i mean. Total oepidus right here. But ur cosplaying padme so everyone deserves this bullshit.

Kylo's not sure how to take that. Take any of this really. It's the first time in a while that the bond had been this open and clear between the both of them and-- he's getting hit with Leia and Rey all at once. Leia rubs at his cheeks briefly as she sees the emotion well in his eyes and uses the hand still gripping his own to turn him to his bride.

A short couple of flustered moments before he reaches his hand out to her. It looks like he knwos what he's doing. He definitely doesn't. We all know that here. Scooby gang doesn't at least. ]

this is the gayest shit i've ever written

[forcevisions]

[ For once, Rey doesn't feel the need to flinch away from the show of parental affection. It doesn't feel like she's intruding on something or violating it or denied it. She'd had her moment with Leia, motherly and all, before Ben had arrived. For once, it feels like family is something she's a part of. That's dizzying.

She readily takes Ben's free hand, assuming that he knows what this ritual is supposed to entail. Rey doesn't. Marriage has always been an abstract concept to her, not a ceremony. It's the happily ever after. The punctuation mark. It doesn't feel like that for her, today; if anything, it's more like a semicolon.

Leia steadies herself before letting go of Ben entirely and folding her hands in front of her. She raises her voice just enough for the scooby gang (now expanded to include Lando and Chewie) to hear.

She thanks the others for coming, talks about how it's a day for family to spend together, and Rey realizes she's right. The people here are her family. Chewie, Leia, Rose, Finn, Poe. And now, Ben too. Rey starts to tear up then, but Leia keeps going. Things will change. Love has always been the only thing that can hold the darkness at bay.

'Rey,' she finishes. 'If there's anything you have to say to my idiot son before I welcome you into the family, now's the time to do it.'

A laugh catches her off guard and she blinks away some of her joy. Raising her gaze to meet Ben's, she takes his other hand too. ]

I know that you've felt like you were alone. Like the world had turned its back on you. I won't. Not ever. No matter what comes, I'm going to look after you, Ben Solo. I know where I belong now, and it's right here. You are my family, my home.