Ben's lips felt soft and warm against hers. All rational thoughts fled Rey's mind and she was just reveling in the feelings he woke in her. She pushed her lips back against his, because it felt so right to do so.
Ben carefully laid his hands on her hips and stepped closer to her pulling her against his chest. Rey's hands held onto his shoulders and he could feel her shiver against him.
Ben didn't really know where the courage to act on his most secret desire had come from. All he knew was that he had wanted to do this for a very long time now - eversince he had discovered their similarities in that interrogation room back on Starkiller Base.

Rey's hands found their way into his hair and Ben took this as an invitation to deepen the kiss. Rey exhaled shakily. This felt new and strange and oh so good to her. She could feel his tounge sliding softly across her bottom lip and opened her mouth to him. The feeling of his tounge brushing against hers made her legs shake and she heard herself whisper his name inbetween breaths.
"Ben."
It was like his dreams come true. He remembered how he had dreamt something similar to this not so long ago on his ship. Only this time it wasn't a dream. It was real and that made it even better.

Finally they broke apart - breathing hard and their faces all flushed with heat. Ben gulped and raised a hand to her cheek, caressing it softly. He looked into Rey's eyes and was relieved when he didn't see anger or repulsion in them. A part of him had feared that she would be angered by his actions since just a few days ago they had barely talked to each other.
He smiled at her and Rey smiled back to him. And for a moment they both didn't know what to say. Finally Ben whispered:
"Like I told you before: You mean something to me."
"I don't think you ever told me this. But you mean something to me, too," Rey answered with a small laugh.
She was glad he had broke the silence first.
"Of course I told you. Back in Snoke's throne room after the fight. Don't you remember?"
"Oh I do remember. You said I came from nothing, that I was nothing..."
"But not to me", he interrupted her triumphantly. "There! I told you!"
Rey laughed again.
"That's not the same! And it actually confused me because I didn't know what to make of it."

Ben smiled again and tousled his hair a bit.
"Well... I guess I could have stated it clearer."
He hastitated a moment and suddenly became serious.
"I guess we have a lot to talk about.  And I think I should explain a thing or two. And I have questions to you, too. How about you?"
Rey smiled a small smile. "Yes", she answered. " You are right. But first...", her smile widened and she bend closer to him. Ben's eyes widened a bit.
"... I want to find some water for my flowers", she finished and picked them up from the floor where they had been dropped in the heat of the moment.

---

Ben helped Rey to prepare diner. Today she had managed to find some bird along with the usual vegetables and they made a stew out of the things she had brought. When dusk arrived and the shadows in the hut grew taller, the both of them sat down by the hearth and ate together. Ben had thought about the things he wanted to talk to her about most and when they had finished eating, he cleared his throat.

"I want you to know, that I never intended to hurt you", he started not daring to look at her eventhough he could see that her face turned to him from the corner of his eyes.
"I didn't know how to react when you attacked me in that snowy forest and tried to defend myself. I actually wanted to talk to you... but... it was bad timing and everything collapsed around us..."
He broke off, not knowing how he could explain it. Rey laid her small warm hand lightly on his forearm and he finally looked up at her.
"I know", she whispered. "I guess I always knew that you didn't really wanted to hurt me. I guess I could feel it back then, too, and you never really hit me. No harm was done."
He smiled warmly at her. He hadn't smiled as much as he smiled lately in years.
"And there is something else...", he continued.
"I'm sorry for what I did on Crait. I know it doesn't make things right, but I really am. I felt so lost and for a while the dark side in me took the lead. I thought I had lost you for good and that all chances of how I had imagened the new order to be was lost. I wanted to make it right. I never want to be like Snoke. Never! That's not what I wanted it to be like. I wanted to rule good and be a kind and fair leader with you by my side to help me. You have to believe me, that's all I wanted. And I failed on Crait in being so."
Rey knew he wasn't lying. She could hear it in his voice and see it in his eyes. But most important of all she could somehow feel it through the Force.

"I believe you", she whispered and looked deep into his eyes to emphasise her words.
He looked back at her and she could see relief wash through him. For once someone really believed in him.

Rey leaned over to him and kissed him lightly on the forehead, then on his right cheek close to the scar she had given him what seemed an eternity ago making it an apology. Ben grabbed her by her arms and pulled her closer, pulling her almost on top of him and leaned his forehead against hers.
"Do you have questions?", he whispered, their lips so close together that they could feel each others breath on them.
"Yes", Rey answered. "But they can wait until tomorrow. I'm not in a hurry."
She kissed him on the lips and still couldn't believe how good it felt to do so. It made her whole body tingle and flush. She wanted to be close to him - as close as it was possible. Still kissing him she pushed him down and laid herself on top of him.