Ben was surprised the first time he saw Rey upset. They had been hanging out together, usually with Poe included, for about a month now. He still worried about Finn, and the First Order, and his past, but was slowly still learning and healing.
Ben went to find Rey, hoping to share with her a joke he had heard while eating lunch, and maybe to ask if she had any plans or wanted to do something with him. When he got into the room, however, something was different. She was different. In a little, subtle way, sure, but there was still something off about the whole thing.
"Ben?" said Rey, and the voice sounded entirely too unsure to be hers.
"Yes?"
"I don't know if you'll understand this, but I think you're the closest I could find to knowing what I mean. Sometimes I'm just a little... thrown off, by having so many people who I love and are this little tight knit group and...
When I was in the desert, I had no one. Going from having your parents taken and surviving by only wit, worrying about where your next meal would come from, it takes a toll on you. And to suddenly just get caught up in a place where everything's so uncertain about the future, but the minuscule details are so certain and solid, and you know you have food and water and a place to call home and a..." Rey trailed off.
"Family," said Ben. He wasn't entirely sure what proper etiquette was in this situation, but he knew Rey, and he'd never been the best with feelings but this couldn't be too hard, right?
"Yes, exactly. Family," said Rey. "I'm relieved you understood where I was coming from."
"I'm not sure what the words for our feelings are, exactly, but I do understand. It feels a bit strange whenever anything in anyone's world changes rapidly," said Ben.
He noticed Rey had a few tears glimmering in her eyes which she was desperately trying to blink away.
Making a split second decision, Ben pulled her into a hug. Rey stiffened before gradually relaxing, and they stayed like that for a few seconds.
"I'm glad we found each other as a sort of family," said Rey.
"Me too. Though I have to admit it was a bit strange, honestly, having a Jedi with a stick swoop from above and beat up the person insulting you," said Ben.
Rey laughed.
"I can take care of myself," he continued.
"I'm sure you can, but a little help never hurt anyone," said Rey, still smiling.
Rey stood up, and they set off to find Poe and see if they could make some plans for their break from missions.