Chapter Text
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Six Months Later
Kryzean Orchards, Vendaxa
Kneeling in the freshly turned earth, Ben lifts a muja seedling and places it in the shallow hole by his right knee. As he sifts soil over the exposed roots, he feels a small twinge of satisfaction. This task--nurturing new life--makes him feel more human.
His actions as Kylo Ren splintered his soul into countless shards, and some of those pieces of Ben Solo are gone forever. But the life he’s building with Rey makes him believe he can be whole again.
As he tamps down the layer of soil, he glances to his left and watches as A2F1 lifts and promptly crushes a muja seedling in his tactile sensors.
The ruined plant falls to the ground, and the ag droid emits a high-pitched beep. "Tactile sensor malfunction. System administrator, please recalibrate," he says flatly.
Ben groans and rises to his feet, brushing the dirt from his knees. He sets off toward Rey's workshop, the droid at his heels.
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Living on a planet as lush as Vendaxa has spoiled Rey. On Jakku, every day had brought the same oppressive heat and relentless sun. Now, six months after arriving on Vendaxa, Rey is enduring the heatwave that marks the last few weeks of every growing season, and she is miserable.
Stalking around her workshop in irritation, she steps over a broken irrigation droid. Yesterday, Ben had found it spraying water all over a sunbathing velynx. The creature's resulting yowls had torn through the otherwise-peaceful field.
She pauses near the open barn door, a slight breeze ruffling her loose hair. Scanning the horizon, she notices dark clouds in the distance. Briefly, she's comforted by the possibility of rain. Then her gaze settles on the glimmering lake a few hundred yards away.
Before she's made a conscious decision, she's crossed the yard to the edge of the water. She strips off her boots and socks and gingerly steps onto the warm, sturdy dock. Generations of swimmers have worn the wood smooth.
She tugs her tunic over her head and folds it neatly before placing it on top of her boots. Quickly, she shucks off her pants. Looking around, she sees nothing but miles of uninhabited shoreline. She nods in satisfaction and pulls off her bandeau and underwear.
Completely naked, she pads to the end of the dock and leaps. It's not a graceful movement, but she can't bring herself to care when the blissfully cold water envelops her.
She surfaces, a grin plastered on her face. Kicking her feet upward, she allows herself to float on her back. She's briefly self-conscious about her exposed body, but she reminds herself that she and Ben are the only living beings for miles.
She closes her eyes and allows the gentle motion of the water to drain the tension from her body.
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Five Minutes Later
As Ben approaches Rey's workshop, he hears a loud splash that echoes through the still afternoon air. Brow furrowed, he continues into the airy, ramshackle building. When he finds it empty, comprehension dawns on him, and he feels a slow grin spreading across his face.
He powers A2F1 down and leans him against the door to the workshop. Then he sets off toward the lake.
By the time he reaches the dock, he's yanked his shirt off and unfastened his belt. He makes quick work of his shoes and remaining clothes, his smile widening when he spots Rey floating serenely on her back. Blood rushes to his cock when he sees the way her hard nipples and dusty pink areolae peek through the glassy surface.
When he places a slow, tentative foot on the dock, the wood creaks under his weight. Rey laughs.
She opens her eyes and lifts her head to look at him. "Are you going to stare all day or come join me?"
He swallows thickly, feeling her eyes on his rapidly hardening erection.
Seconds later, he's sweeping his drenched hair out of his eyes and swimming toward her, his lips curving upward.
"A2F1's tactile sensors need to be recalibrated again," he says by way of greeting. The comfortable domesticity they share makes his chest ache with gratitude. He dips his chin to brush a chaste kiss against Rey's forehead.
She smiles at him and sits upright, treading water.
He draws her to him and is delighted when she automatically wraps her legs around his waist and snakes her arms around his neck. Kicking his legs, he propels them to shallower water and plants his feet in the smooth gravel.
"How badly is the droid damaged?" she asks wryly, brushing another lock of hair off his forehead.
Ben frowns, confused. "The tactile sensors just need to be recalibrated."
Rey arches an eyebrow, and Ben finally understands her meaning.
"I didn't cut him into a hundred pieces...this time," he says, knowing he sounds a little defensive.
Laughing, Rey kisses him gently. "I'm just teasing. I know that was only one time."
"He could have burned down the whole orchard," Ben mutters.
"I know," Rey whispers against his mouth. He can feel her lips curling upwards. He allows his to follow suit.
"But did you really come down here to talk about droids?" There's mischief in her voice.
In response, Ben crushes his mouth against hers. Rey's lips are soft and pliant, and she moans when he runs his tongue across the seam of her mouth. The sound is low and guttural, and it sends blood rushing to his groin.
Ben dips his fingers into the hollow at the base of Rey's spine and traces a path up to her neck, raising goosebumps on her slick skin.
When Rey allows herself to slide down Ben's torso, Ben jumps. The head of his cock is suddenly centimeters from her tight entrance.
"Rey," he groans. Despite having christened every flat surface in their house (and some parts of the orchard), they've never had sex in the lake. He's almost painfully hard at the novelty of the situation, and he doesn't want it to be over too quickly.
She laughs unrepentantly. Lightning-fast, Ben lifts her up and places her on the edge of the dock.
"Ben," she protests softly.
Chuckling, he slides his shoulders between her legs. He brushes a kiss against her shin, and she shivers, unconsciously spreading her legs wider. And then her glistening folds are at eye level, and he finds himself desperate to taste her. He kisses a path up her thighs, gratified by the way she arches her back and emits tiny, breathy moans.
He lifts his right hand from the water and gingerly spreads her folds apart, already drunk on the scent of her arousal. Dipping his tongue into her entrance, he moans into her sex. He flattens his tongue against her slick center and sweeps upward, pausing to flick at her clit.
Rey hisses quietly, and Ben smiles. The bundle of nerves is already fairly erect, and he gently nips it with his teeth. Quickly, he releases the sensitive flesh and soothes it with his tongue. Rey's hips buck toward his face, and he cups her ass in both hands, anchoring her in place. He draws tight circles over her clit, and he's rewarded with a new surge of arousal dripping down his chin.
"Please, Ben," she whimpers.
Without pausing his oral assault, Ben penetrates her with his middle finger. Rey moans throatily, and Ben adds his index finger.
Rey swears loudly, and her walls tighten and squeeze around his fingers. "I'm so close," she pleads. Ben slides his ring finger into her tight entrance. With each sweep of his tongue, he bears down with more pressure.
Just before she falls apart, Rey clenches her thighs around Ben's shoulders, caging him in. Ben crooks his fingers upward, the tip of his middle finger shattering the last of her composure. Her inner walls seize his fingers in a vise grip, and her arousal gushes into his palm. Gradually, he slows his movements, licking her through the residual tremors of her release. He withdraws his fingers and cleans them with his tongue. Rey watches him hungrily, and the way she bites her lip makes his cock throb.
"How did you get so good at that?" she asks. Her pupils are blown, and her voice is low and rough.
"You helped me practice a lot," Ben says with a wicked grin.
Rey smiles and scoots forward, tipping herself into the water.
Ben catches her effortlessly, and Rey wraps her legs around him, immediately sliding down his torso.
This time, he doesn't stop her when she angles the head of his cock at her entrance. She's still slippery with arousal, and the ridge of his erection easily slides past her folds. He slowly pushes himself into her wet heat, giving her time to adjust to his girth. In an instant, though, she's lifting herself off of him and impaling herself on his thick length.
Ben laughs. "Aren't you tired?"
Rey shakes her head, grinding her hips downward so that the head of his cock grazes her g-spot.
Hissing softly, Ben anchors his hands on Rey's hips. When she nods swiftly in response to his wordless question, Ben lets loose. He bounces her on his cock, slamming himself into her over and over. Her moans are loud now, echoing across the otherwise-still water.
"Ben!" she shrieks when he grazes a finger across her clit during a particularly deep thrust.
He's set a pace that will hurtle him over the edge in no time, but he can feel Rey tightening around him already. In reality, he's been on the verge of an orgasm since he started eating her out. Few things arouse him more than burying his face between Rey's thighs.
"I'm so close," she whimpers.
"So am I," Ben growls. He draws small circles around her clit with his thumb. "Come on my cock, sweetheart."
With a shout, she comes unmoored. The way she squeezes him is exquisite--so tight that it's almost painful. But he forgets the near-discomfort when he feels the telltale tingling in his balls. He snaps his hips upward, driving himself into her. His release is sudden, and he feels a primal satisfaction at the feeling of his spend coating her pulsing inner walls.
He comes down slowly, lifting Rey from his erection and wrapping her in his arms. Boneless, she collapses against his chest. She burrows her face in his neck, and he feels a swell of affection.
They float in the cool water, entwined in each other.
After a moment, Rey lifts her head and looks at the swiftly approaching gray clouds. "Let's go home."
Grinning, Ben shifts her in his arms and carries her bridal-style toward the shore.
"Ben! I can walk," she protests. But she's laughing.
"I believe it's tradition for the husband to carry his bride over the threshold of their home," he teases, pausing by the dock.
"We've been married for five months," she counters. But Ben notices that she stops trying to extricate herself from his arms.
He reaches for their clothes, but Rey places a hand on his arm. "We won't need those."
With a wicked grin, he brushes a kiss against her forehead. "As you wish, Mrs. Solo."
The skies break open when they're halfway across the yard, and Rey's delighted squeal fills him with indescribable joy.
Ben rushes across the sodden yard, and when they finally reach the house, he pauses in the doorway.
"I love you," he says, gazing down at Rey.
"I love you, too," she answers. "Now take me to bed."
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