Finding The Answer

Summary: Rey pines for Ben Solo…so why does her soulmate mark always drain of colour whenever she gets close to him?
Warning(s): Minor spoilers; AU-modern setting; AU-soulmates
Pairing: Rey/Ben Solo

###

The first time Rey met Ben Solo, she didn’t really think much of him. They’d greeted each other casually in the office, having started work there at the same time. But just saying hello and sharing basic pleasantries had been all they’d done. And when Ray had glanced down at her wrist and seen that the mark had drained of colour, to the point of being barely visible against her skin, she’d decided that there was little point in saying anything more to him than passing conversation. They weren’t compatible, so there was no need to be anything other than polite to him.

Their next meeting had gone slightly different, though. The mark had still drained entirely of colour, so that hadn’t changed. But Rey smiled to herself as she thought back to that day. When they’d been working on their respective computers, their cubicles next to each other in the office space. She’d been able to hear him tapping away on his computer, but the sound hadn’t been irritating or distracting. It had been soothing, listening to the way his fingers danced over the keys. She’d pictured their movements in her mind; imagined what he was doing when the tapping stopped. Taking a drink of water? Having something to eat? Perhaps even taking a trip to the restroom….

And then her imaginings had been interrupted by a series of foul curses. And the sound of something being hit; hard enough to make several objects rattle.

She knew she should have just ignored it, but curiosity had got the better of her. She’d stood up and exited her own cubicle, walked round to stand in the open side of Ben’s and knocked lightly on the wall that divided them. “Something wrong?”

He looked up at her, his cheeks red and his eyes bright. His closed fist rested on the desk next to the computer. Stationary was scattered across the surface of the desk and on the floor surrounding him. The computer screen showed an error message. “Rey….” He looked at her with wide eyes before glancing away again, looking at the computer screen.

She walked over and stood at his back, eyeing the computer screen and then looking down at him. “What were you doing before that error came up?”

“I was typing up my report.” Ben abruptly shoved himself back from the desk and stood up. “I can’t deal with this. I’m going to get a coffee.” He stalked out of the cubicle.

Rey sat down in front of the computer. The chair was still warm from where Ben had been sat. Part of her wanted to just sit and feel the heat that he’d left behind, which was stupid. A glance at her wrist showed that the mark was still light; still showing up barely visible against her skin.

She wasn’t compatible with Ben Solo and yet….

Pushing away those thoughts and feelings, along with the chatter and sounds of typing that came from the cubicles all around, to the back of her mind, Rey began tapping away at the keyboard. The error message was one she’d seen several times before. A virus had found its way through the firewalls, but the fix was an easy enough one.

By the time Ben returned, holding two cups of coffee, she’d managed to fix the error message and bring up the report. She stretched her hands out in front of her and then tilted her head to smile at him. “I got the report back for you. And got rid of the virus, too. It crept through the firewall. Sneaky little beast.”

“Thank you.” He handed her one of the cups of coffee. “Didn’t know how you liked it, so I got cream and sugar for you as well.” He put both down on the desk in front of her, then stepped back and cleared his throat. “You’re pretty good with computers, I take it?”

“I’ve always had an affinity for technology.” She picked up the cup. Sipped it slowly, letting the boiling hot liquid trickle down her throat, and hummed in appreciation. “I prefer my coffee as strong as possible.” She set the cup down. “You’re not as comfortable with the ins and outs of technology, I take it?”

“You could say that. I’m sure you heard me losing my temper with the computer.” Setting his own cup down, he began to pick up the stationary and put it all neatly back into the stained glass holder on his desk. “Do you want to grab a drink with me after work? I can buy a couple just to say thanks again.”

“I’d like that.” She glanced surreptitiously at her wrist, wondering…but no. It was still just as pale as ever. She would have asked to see his mark, but that question was considered a serious breach of etiquette and privacy. Besides. Even if she did see it, all it would do was show the same shading as her own.

Which begged the question of why he was expressing an interest in her, if they weren’t compatible. And also, why was she interested in him, if they weren’t compatible?

He straightened up, still looking down at her, and she suddenly realised that she was still sitting in his chair. She quickly scrambled to her feet. “I’m sorry. I’ll let you get back to work now.”

“Seven?” he asked, taking his seat once more and stretching his long legs out in front of him.

“Huh?” She paused in the act of picking up the coffee he’d given her. She felt…unfocused, warm when his gaze was upon her.

He grinned, like he knew the effect he had on her and was enjoying it. “I’ll meet you at seven,” he clarified. “At the bar on the corner of the street.”

“Okay.” It was the only word she could say, before she quickly walked back to her own cubicle.

###

Rey arrived at the bar promptly, dressed in the same kind of clothes she wore to work, but this time having applied a little bit of makeup, just to enhance her appearance. She stood outside, in the cool night air, holding her purse and waiting.

Ben arrived a few minutes later, breathing hard like he’d been running. He paused just in front of her, eyes sweeping over her body from head to toe, before saying, “I’m sorry I was running late. There was a bit of family drama to deal with.” He smiled, ran a hand through his hair and said, “You look really nice.”

“Thanks. You look good, too.” She glanced away, before she could say anything corny like, You always look good. “Shall we go inside?” she asked, fighting not to blush.

“Yeah.” When she glanced at him, he smiled. “After all, I still have to properly thank you for getting rid of that virus for me.”

She lost her battle to control the blush as she thought about all of the ways he could say thank you. She wanted to ask him to kiss her. Wanted to wrap her arms around him and see if he felt as muscled as he looked.

But the mark on her wrist was as pale as ever, her eyes drawn to it as frustration filled her. If only the mark reacted to him as strongly as she herself did.

“Well?” He smiled. “What are we waiting for? It’s pretty cold out here.”

Maybe he just didn’t care that they weren’t compatible as soulmates. Deciding that she wasn’t going to worry about it right now if he wasn’t worried, she turned and stepped through the door into the bar, hyper-aware of Ben’s presence so close behind her.

There weren’t that many people in the bar; surprising, really, as it was still relatively early. Rey glanced over her shoulder at Ben. It wasn’t necessary, really; she could feel him standing so very close to her shoulder. But she wanted to look at him. Look into his eyes. What she really wanted to do was kiss him; press their lips together.

But she didn’t.

Because he did it first.

Rey’s eyes widened as he kissed her. His lips were warm and had a lingering sweetness. She wrapped her arms around him, feeling his muscled body against her own, She closed her eyes and leaned into the kiss, feeling his arms wrap around her tightly in return.

When they finally broke the kiss, she could still taste him on her lips. She touched them and then smiled at him, before saying regretfully, “That was nice, but we can’t go any further than that.”

Ben’s brows drew together in confusion. “Why?”

She frowned at him and then held her hand out, showing the mark…or, rather, the faint outline of the mark. “We’re not compatible.” She meant to sound certain. Sure of herself. Instead, she couldn’t help the note of sadness that crept into her voice. No, not sadness…regret. She wanted to keep on kissing him, but she couldn’t bring herself to do so. Not knowing that things could never go any further for them.

Instead of agreeing with her, Ben instead asked, “How do you think the mark darkens when you get closer to someone you’re compatible with? Someone who’s your soulmate?”

She shook her head. “I don’t know.”

“I do.” He held out his own arm. Placed it against hers, so that their wrists rested together. So that their marks lay side by side, the joint marks forming a circle; half clear and skin-coloured – her own – the other half dark – his. But as she watched, her own began to darken and his to lighten, until they were both the same shade. Until it was impossible to tell where his mark ended and hers began.

“My mark took the colour from yours,” he murmured. “But you see, we’re two halves of the same whole. We complete each other.”

“Well.” Smiling, she took a step forward. Pressed her lips to his once more. “That’s all right, then.”

The End