Stars sparkle in the indigo heavens as Ben swallows nervously, stomping his feet on Rey’s doormat.
He fiddles with the box in his hands - snickerdoodles - and takes a deep breath. Focus, Solo, he tells himself sternly. She invited you to be friendly. Neighborly.
#24DaysOfReylo
He fiddles with the box in his hands - snickerdoodles - and takes a deep breath. Focus, Solo, he tells himself sternly. She invited you to be friendly. Neighborly.
#24DaysOfReylo
https://twitter.com/hiddenreylo/status/1466058974986448898
To be continued...
I was inspired by @xav_tenn’s brilliant cat fic, which links microfic prompts, so I’m giving the idea a try! (We’ll see how far I get 😂)
Thank you @hiddenreylo and @vtradescant2 for organizing! Excited to read lots of fun Xmas stories 🎄⛄️🎄
#24DaysOfReylo
I was inspired by @xav_tenn’s brilliant cat fic, which links microfic prompts, so I’m giving the idea a try! (We’ll see how far I get 😂)
Thank you @hiddenreylo and @vtradescant2 for organizing! Excited to read lots of fun Xmas stories 🎄⛄️🎄
#24DaysOfReylo
Ben steps into Rey’s cozy apartment, enveloped by warmth and soft Christmas music playing on the radio. Strands of red and green lights dangle from the bookshelves.
Rey turns pink as Ben shyly hands her the box of snickerdoodles. “My favorite cookies!”
#24DaysOfReylo
Rey turns pink as Ben shyly hands her the box of snickerdoodles. “My favorite cookies!”
#24DaysOfReylo
“Rose, it was a disaster,” Rey wails.
“What? Why?”
“The evening started perfectly. Ben baked cookies as a gift!”
“But?”
“I fell asleep on him while watching Miracle on 34th St.”
“That’s a GOOD thing.”
“Except he ran away, muttering about being neighborly.”
#24DaysOfReylo
“What? Why?”
“The evening started perfectly. Ben baked cookies as a gift!”
“But?”
“I fell asleep on him while watching Miracle on 34th St.”
“That’s a GOOD thing.”
“Except he ran away, muttering about being neighborly.”
#24DaysOfReylo
In the midst of his moping, Ben’s phone rings.
“Benny!”
“Dameron.”
“My dude!” Poe is cheerful. Optimistic. Upbeat. Ben doesn’t know why they’ve been friends for two decades. “Christmas decorating and sushi. Are you coming?”
“No.”
“Rey will be here.”
“Okay.”
#24DaysOfReylo
“Benny!”
“Dameron.”
“My dude!” Poe is cheerful. Optimistic. Upbeat. Ben doesn’t know why they’ve been friends for two decades. “Christmas decorating and sushi. Are you coming?”
“No.”
“Rey will be here.”
“Okay.”
#24DaysOfReylo
Chocolate splatters all over Rey - her nose, her sweater, her hair - transforming her into a living Jackson Pollock painting. A dollop lands on her wrist, another on her toes.
Ben chooses this moment, accompanied by Mariah Carey on Poe’s speakers, to arrive.
#24DaysOfReylo
Ben chooses this moment, accompanied by Mariah Carey on Poe’s speakers, to arrive.
#24DaysOfReylo
“Ben!” Internally, Rey groans. Why is she always embarrassing herself in front of him? “Mixer accident. I was trying to frost the cake.”
The corners of Ben’s mouth twitch. “You weren’t trying to cover yourself in chocolate?” His ears turn red and Rey swallows.
#24DaysOfReylo
The corners of Ben’s mouth twitch. “You weren’t trying to cover yourself in chocolate?” His ears turn red and Rey swallows.
#24DaysOfReylo
“Voilà.” Ben sprinkles crushed candy canes into a new batch of frosting as Rey tries not to stare at his hands. “You just need a teacher.”
“Excuse me?” Rey bristles. “My cake was perfectly fine until you came along.”
“Rey. There were eggshells in your mix.”
#24DaysOfReylo
“Excuse me?” Rey bristles. “My cake was perfectly fine until you came along.”
“Rey. There were eggshells in your mix.”
#24DaysOfReylo
“What are you doing?” Rose hisses.
“Giving Ben and Rey a nudge.”
“Those are holly branches.”
Poe pauses his decorating frenzy and looks askance at the sprigs of spiky leaves and red berries. “Not mistletoe?”
The bickering in the kitchen escalates. Rose sighs.
#24DaysOfReylo
“Giving Ben and Rey a nudge.”
“Those are holly branches.”
Poe pauses his decorating frenzy and looks askance at the sprigs of spiky leaves and red berries. “Not mistletoe?”
The bickering in the kitchen escalates. Rose sighs.
#24DaysOfReylo
“I’m dreaming,” Rey warbles, slightly off key, “of a white Christmas.”
Rose joins in on the carol’s chorus with enthusiasm while Poe drops onto the sofa with a whoosh.
“You’re an idiot,” he announces. Ben nods morosely, staring longingly at Rey. He is an idiot.
#24DaysOfReylo
Rose joins in on the carol’s chorus with enthusiasm while Poe drops onto the sofa with a whoosh.
“You’re an idiot,” he announces. Ben nods morosely, staring longingly at Rey. He is an idiot.
#24DaysOfReylo
CW: alcohol
“Eggnog first.” Rose Tico, force of nature, slams down two mugs, filled to the brim and smelling of cinnamon and brandy. “Then girl talk.”
”Nothing to tell.” Rey wraps her fingers around the ceramic and shrugs, resigned. “Ben just doesn’t like me.”
#24DaysOfReylo
“Eggnog first.” Rose Tico, force of nature, slams down two mugs, filled to the brim and smelling of cinnamon and brandy. “Then girl talk.”
”Nothing to tell.” Rey wraps her fingers around the ceramic and shrugs, resigned. “Ben just doesn’t like me.”
#24DaysOfReylo
“Honey. Of course Ben likes you!” Rose glares sternly at her friend. “He couldn’t keep his eyes off of you.”
“While he was criticizing my baking skills? Or my singing?” Rey snorts, reaching out to rescue a low-hanging ornament from Rose’s cat. “Sure.”
#24DaysOfReylo
“While he was criticizing my baking skills? Or my singing?” Rey snorts, reaching out to rescue a low-hanging ornament from Rose’s cat. “Sure.”
#24DaysOfReylo
The bells attached to the horse-drawn sleigh jingle merrily as Rose flirts with the redhead next to her.
Rey, on the other hand, blushes every time her thigh jostles Ben’s. “Sorry,” she murmurs, planting her feet more firmly.
Ben just grunts. And looks away.
#24DaysOfReylo
Rey, on the other hand, blushes every time her thigh jostles Ben’s. “Sorry,” she murmurs, planting her feet more firmly.
Ben just grunts. And looks away.
#24DaysOfReylo
Despite Ben’s best efforts to squeeze himself into the corner, Rey flinches every time she brushes against his stupidly massive body.
Poe will never talk him into another outing, Ben vows with a grimace as he sips overly sweet peppermint mocha from a paper cup.
#24DaysOfReylo
Poe will never talk him into another outing, Ben vows with a grimace as he sips overly sweet peppermint mocha from a paper cup.
#24DaysOfReylo
“It's like a fairy tale!” Rey gushes to a suspiciously rumpled Rose. She waves at the fir trees lining the path, pinpricks of gold twinkling among their branches. “Aren't those beautiful?”
“Yes,” Ben whispers. “You are.”
Rey gasps. Ben blinks. Was that out loud?
#24DaysOfReylo
“Yes,” Ben whispers. “You are.”
Rey gasps. Ben blinks. Was that out loud?
#24DaysOfReylo
With some scheming from Rose, Rey finds herself seated in the passenger seat of Ben’s car.
Did he really think she was beautiful? “Thanks for the lift,” she says instead, shivering as the snow piles up outside.
“Anytime.” A deep breath. “Do you want to come in?”
#24DaysOfReylo
Did he really think she was beautiful? “Thanks for the lift,” she says instead, shivering as the snow piles up outside.
“Anytime.” A deep breath. “Do you want to come in?”
#24DaysOfReylo
Snowflakes gather on Rey’s sweater as Ben fumbles with his keys and shoves the door open.
The layout is the same as her apartment downstairs, but it’s cold. Bare. A small fake Christmas tree sits lonely in the corner.
“This is me,” he stammers, apologetic.
#24DaysOfReylo
The layout is the same as her apartment downstairs, but it’s cold. Bare. A small fake Christmas tree sits lonely in the corner.
“This is me,” he stammers, apologetic.
#24DaysOfReylo
“No stockings on the mantle?”
Ben avoids Rey’s gaze. “A single stocking?”
Her heart twinges. She thinks of their movie night, the decorating party, the sleigh ride. How he remains on the fringes of their gatherings. “You’re not alone, Ben.”
“Neither are you.”
#24DaysOfReylo
Ben avoids Rey’s gaze. “A single stocking?”
Her heart twinges. She thinks of their movie night, the decorating party, the sleigh ride. How he remains on the fringes of their gatherings. “You’re not alone, Ben.”
“Neither are you.”
#24DaysOfReylo
Silence. Then, “I just—”
“Sorry about—”
Rey giggles, nerves aflutter. “Go on.”
“Are you—” Ben clears his throat. “I know it’s not that merry.” He gestures awkwardly at his empty living room and his scraggly tree. “But do you want to bake some gingerbread?”
#24DaysOfReylo
“Sorry about—”
Rey giggles, nerves aflutter. “Go on.”
“Are you—” Ben clears his throat. “I know it’s not that merry.” He gestures awkwardly at his empty living room and his scraggly tree. “But do you want to bake some gingerbread?”
#24DaysOfReylo
“Ow! My elbow!”
“Those are my ribs!”
“Children, children. Focus.”
Rose adjusts her binoculars while Poe squints towards Ben’s apartment. “Still no action,” he grumbles.
Finn glances at the mistletoe in the backseat. “Do we have to resort to the backup plan?”
#24DaysOfReylo
“Those are my ribs!”
“Children, children. Focus.”
Rose adjusts her binoculars while Poe squints towards Ben’s apartment. “Still no action,” he grumbles.
Finn glances at the mistletoe in the backseat. “Do we have to resort to the backup plan?”
#24DaysOfReylo
Ben pulls the last tray of gingerbread from his oven and inspects the cookies. “What do you think?”
“I think we can try something fancier for Rose’s party,” Rey grins, licking crumbs from her fingers.
Ben gulps.
“Do you know how to make mince pies?”
#24DaysOfReylo
“I think we can try something fancier for Rose’s party,” Rey grins, licking crumbs from her fingers.
Ben gulps.
“Do you know how to make mince pies?”
#24DaysOfReylo
“You’re an angel! Mince pies?” Rose’s voice drops to a whisper. “Armie loves them!”
“Armie?” Rey smirks and bites into a misshapen pastry.
Rose raises her eyebrows. “Those pies arrived in Ben’s Tupperware. Care to explain?”
“He— Well. We baked them. Together.”
#24DaysOfReylo
“Armie?” Rey smirks and bites into a misshapen pastry.
Rose raises her eyebrows. “Those pies arrived in Ben’s Tupperware. Care to explain?”
“He— Well. We baked them. Together.”
#24DaysOfReylo
“I used to wish for Santa to bring me everything I wanted.” Rey’s voice is wistful. “Friends. Family.” A soft laugh. “A pet reindeer.”
Ben longs to pull her close. Wrap her in his arms. Give her all her heart desires.
Her pinky brushes his.
Did she— want him?
#24DaysOfReylo
Ben longs to pull her close. Wrap her in his arms. Give her all her heart desires.
Her pinky brushes his.
Did she— want him?
#24DaysOfReylo
The sound of Poe’s raucous singing - “Cuz Mrs. Claus is coming to town” - fades into the background.
Now or never, Rey steels herself. She inches closer. Folds her hand over Ben’s.
He swallows. And dips his head.
Fireworks bloom as Rey presses her lips to his.
#24DaysOfReylo
Now or never, Rey steels herself. She inches closer. Folds her hand over Ben’s.
He swallows. And dips his head.
Fireworks bloom as Rey presses her lips to his.
#24DaysOfReylo
Whoops and whistles break through their bubble as Ben’s face turns as red as Santa’s hat.
A bashful smile, then a whisper. “Come home with me?”
Rey snuggles closer and nods, tangling her hands in his hair. Ben’s heart soars.
She’s all he wanted for Christmas.
#24DaysOfReylo
A bashful smile, then a whisper. “Come home with me?”
Rey snuggles closer and nods, tangling her hands in his hair. Ben’s heart soars.
She’s all he wanted for Christmas.
#24DaysOfReylo
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