once bitten, twice shy | jezebel & solo

[Solo]

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While the Organa-Solos had upgraded their vehicle (multiple times, most likely) since he had been in high school, the nervous feeling in the pit of his stomach seemed to follow him no matter what, having him squirming like the teenager he felt like as nerves overtook him. Thankfully, the elder Organa-Solos, Han driving and Leia playing the dutiful passenger, seemed to be more excited to chat amongst themselves than to include their only son, so he was able to stare contemplatively out the window as he considered what would be better: going through with their plan, or throwing himself from the back door and into the flow of traffic on the highway. The former won, but only slightly – and only because he doubted he could unlock the door with the car in motion.

Sadly, he wouldn't be able to escape conversation for the entire ride, clocking at just over an hour from Han and Leia's compound in rural Montana to the Bozeman Yellowstone airport.

"When's your girl landing again, Ben?" called Han from the front seat, barely looking towards the rearview mirror before focusing his eyes on the road again. It seemed he had never kicked the habit Leia had drilled into him when they'd had their son, forcing him out of his dangerous driving maneuvers and into being a 'hands on ten and two' man. It seemed he had kept another habit, as well, calling his son by his given name and not his professional – and legal – preferred moniker of Kylo Ren. Kylo didn't bother to correct him, knowing it would only cause another argument, and he didn't have the mental energy to devote to anything that wasn't keeping him from having a panic attack.

"Just after ten," Kylo mumbled in return, barely able to be heard over the lowly droning Eagles song on the radio. He vaguely recognized it as one of Han's favorites, one that had played in the car stereo on his way home from school when he was younger.

Looking at her cell phone, Leia sighed with contentment. "We'll be there in time to pick up coffee before she lands," she remarked. "I hope your girlfriend likes Starbucks."

Kylo only hummed in response, resuming his previous activity of hoping the passing trees on the side of the highway calmed him. It didn't work, of course, but he could hope, at least.

At long last, they pulled into the pick-up area of the airport, Leia paying for closer short-term parking so they wouldn't have long to walk upon retrieving Rey. It was only then that Kylo thought to warn her about his parents coming along; he'd been so nervous climbing into the car that he'd forgotten his phone existed, let alone to text her.

(1-310) XXX-XXX:
My parents have invited themselves along to pick you up from the airport. I'm so, so sorry – just play along. This is going to have to be convincing if we want them to believe us. I'll add more to your check, I promise.

He winced as he sent the quick message, knowing that he would likely have to add to the payment he'd promised her if he expected her to break the basic terms they'd laid out. It had been clinical, emails back and forth with edits to the basic contract he'd drawn up, for both of their protection – he didn't want her suddenly taking him hostage for more money without him offering, and he was sure she didn't want him to end up expecting more from her than he'd initially proposed. After all, physical affection had only been included in the terms because he'd known his mother wouldn't rest until she saw them kiss a few times, and it had been included on a need-to basis. At the airport within a minute of them first seeing one another had not been in the original terms, but he had a feeling they would be improvising more than they'd expected to.

It was typical, for things to not turn out as expected, especially for him.

The automatic doors opened with a 'whoosh', allowing the rag-tag group of Organa-Solos to enter and make their way toward Rey's terminal. Han, leading the pack, in jeans that looked like they were purchased at Wal-Mart (and probably were, if his father's thrifty tendencies despite being a billionaire hadn't changed) and a tucked-in shirt that Kylo thought he remembered him having when he was a child, leather jacket tucked under his arm as soon as they were out of the cold; Leia, glasses on and braided hair pinned up behind her ears, long faux-fur coat nearly hitting the floor, eyes squinting to try and find the nearest caffeine fix; and Kylo, taller than both of them by a foot, in a jacket much like his father's only in black and pants to match, scowling as he trailed behind them. Slipping inside the nearest Starbucks, he managed to stay silent until it came time to order.

The orders came: "Large coffee, nothing in it," from Han; a festive "large peppermint white chocolate mocha, please" from Leia; and a "large Americano, extra shot" from Kylo, and then a poignant pause.

"Aren't you going to order for Rey, as well?" nudged Leia, giving her son a pointed look.

Momentarily panicking, he couldn't think if they'd ever discussed any sort of preferences, but he managed to sputter out: "large English breakfast tea". She'd mentioned she was British – or at least, that she had a British accent – so he figured it was a safe bet. If she didn't like it, he was confident she could make up an excuse as to why it went untouched.

The barista nodded, writing names given on the cups as they moved to the pick-up counter to wait. "Tea, huh? Not a coffee drinker?" Han asked.

"She's English," Kylo responded, hoping that was actually the case and that she hadn't said that just to mess with him. It would be nearly impossible to explain why his English girlfriend didn't have an accent. Thankfully, the drinks were out in record time, allowing Kylo to bypass further conversation by sipping the caffeinated beverage.

Making their way outside Rey's terminal to wait, he watched the board of flight announcements, staring at the blinking 'en route' next to her flight number and feeling his heart pound faster as it changed to 'deboarding'. Passengers began making their way off the plane, and as he watched each pass, he only grew more jittery, the caffeine combining with his nerves. When she finally appeared, instantly recognizable from the basic selfies they'd exchanged so they could recognize one another, he felt his heart jump to his throat as he walked towards her, doing his best to look excited, even if all he felt was terrified.

No time to whisper to find out if she had received the text, he approached her and kissed her, her body dipping back slowly in his arms as he counted seconds in his head. Once he was satisfied it would be long enough to placate his parents – who had told him not to hold back on their account in the car, spending a good few minutes pushing the issue – he pulled back, trying to convey with his eyes that he was sorry she'd had to go through that.

Thankfully, Han saved him, laughing loudly as he and Leia came to join them. "Jeez, save some time for introducing us, okay, son?" he ribbed him, clapping his son on the back as Kylo pulled away from Rey. Han wasted no time, reaching out to shake Rey's hand before Leia moved in for a hug. "Welcome to the family, kid. I'm Han, and this is Leia. Now, c'mon, let's get your bags and get out of here before we embarrass Ben enough to hop on the next plane."

Kylo rolled his eyes as his parents separated, already beginning to lead them towards baggage claim. He hung back, handing one of the cups to Rey. "Got you tea," he said simply as he sipped his own drink, hoping that he wouldn't finish it too quickly so he could cling to his excuse to be short with words.​

 

[xJEZEBELx]

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"He was the kind of man everyone would fall in love with, even if they didn't want to." – Nicholas sparks
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'Breathe in. Breathe out.

God, even just take an even breathe, Rey.'

As much as she tried to calm her nerves, it was abundantly clear she was doing a miserable job as she finally pulled off the eye mask and took off her borderline obnoxious noise-cancelling headphones, letting a bit of the zen music become even just a tad audible against the background noise of the plan. She could already feel the jet lag setting in and she wasnt even landed yet. Her eyes drifted up as she tried to figure out how the hell she'd even got herself in this predicament to begin with. All she could say was that she'd been struggling, and the struggle had finally taken ahold of her senses. And now here she was, half way across the world thanks to this man's frequent flyer miles and questioninf her life choices... As if she really had much of a choice.

She sighed as they landed, knowing quickly that she would need to go over the notes she took in the car-- She remembered most of what he'd told her about the picture he'd intermittently painted, however vague it was, about him and her. They were supposed to act like a couple, but the more she thought about it that more she'd wished she'd hammered out more details. Were they in love? The honeymoon phase? What details would earn him brownie points and throw his parents off the scent of their deception? Well at least she had time to sort it all out before hand...

Or at least she was supposed to.

As she turned off her airplane mode, she gawked at the screen. His parents... were here. If ever there was a time to wish she could hide in a hole it was now, but frankly, there was no turning back.


(020) xxxx xxxx
"We should've assumed the worst--"

Her phone was knocked from her hand before she could send or even finish it as an impatient gentleman (a term she would have used loosely) pushed into her as he stood from his seat to stretch, unphased by what he'd done. She looked at the phone with a groan as she examined the screen to see it cracked-- White and multicolored lines splayed under the shattered surface making it impossible for her to reach out," Well... At least I know I have a ride." She muttered softly to herself, stuffing her phone in her pocket before she stood carefully to collect her things.

Rey's heart skipped a beat as Kylo's lips met hers in a sudden and unexpected kiss. The world seemed to slow down for a moment as she felt herself being drawn back slightly in his embrace. She needed to sell it even as her mind raced, trying to process the whirlwind of emotions and sensations that flooded through her. As she leaned into the kiss, Rey's hand instinctively found its way to Kylo's chest, feeling the rapid thud of his heart beneath her touch. His lips were warm against hers, and despite the initial shock, a spark of something unfamiliar and exciting ignited within her even if it was only for a moment.

Breaking away slightly, Rey gazed into Kylo's eyes, her own filled with a mixture of curiosity and a hint of amusement at his boldness. She couldn't help but smile, a playful glint in her eyes as she teased, "As if it were our first kiss?" She whispered, obviously teasing him a bit to calm his nerves as much as she was trying to calm her own. As the bustling airport crowd buzzed around them, Rey's hand slipped into Kylo's, her fingers intertwining with his as she took a step closer. "I got your text," she whispered softly, her voice barely above a murmur, a secret shared between just the two of them as she stole one more kiss if only to make their closeness and... whispering less suspicious.

She couldn't help but chuckle at Han's playful teasing and Leia's warm embrace. She felt a sense of ease settling in as she was welcomed into their family with such genuine warmth and humor. She'd never had a family, so even as a false match this was still... Nice. "Thank you, Han, Leia. It's a pleasure to finally meet you both," Rey said with a smile, feeling a sense of gratitude for their kindness, if nothing else. To be honest, she almost felt bad because of their kindness.

As Kylo handed her the cup of tea, Rey's eyes met his with a soft expression of appreciation. Taking a sip, she savored the warmth of the drink, letting the comforting feeling wash over her. "Not out of a microwave this time?" She teased, creating whatever believable inside jokes she could to truly sell it. Walking alongside Kylo as they made their way towards baggage claim, Rey felt a sense of contentment in the moment. Despite the nerves and the whirlwind of emotions, being with him and his family felt right-- And yet, she also felt guilt. But... It was too late to run now without outting this man she'd only just met.

As they waited for their bags to arrive, Rey leaned in slightly, her shoulder brushing against Kylo's. "I'm glad I came," she whispered, her words meant for him alone, a silent reassurance that she was going to see this insanity through to the end. She took another sip as an old, navy piece of luggage finally came around, picking it up.

 

[Solo]

This wasn't going to work. There was no way his parents weren't going to know as soon as they came together that they weren't together – how could he be so stupid? Leia had instincts like a hawk – as soon as Rey shied away from him, and why wouldn't she, it'd all be over.

But she didn't.

The young woman could've earned an Oscar with the performance she put on, Kylo noted, schooling his face into a façade of contentment so the abundant shock didn't immediately give them away. For anyone watching, it truly was a reuniting of lovers, a first meeting between a couple and the parents of one of them that was charmingly awkward.

Awkward, he was familiar with. Charming… not so much. It was clear he hadn't taken after either of the elder Organa-Solos in that regard.

"Shit, I am, too. You might have them off my back after all," Kylo muttered back, still not making direct eye contact with her. If it were up to him, he wouldn't all week; it was easier to keep himself separated from the fantasy they were creating if he didn't actually have to see her. But see her he would – and he had, ever since they'd thrown together the arrangement and she'd sent over a photo so he could recognize her when he picked her up, in his waking hours, in his dreams…

Before Kylo could react, pulled out of his daydreaming by her movement, Rey had hoisted her bag from the luggage claim, earning him an elbow in the ribs from Han. "What, can't even carry the lady's bags? What'd I tell you, Leia, we know he doesn't take after me."

"Well, at least he didn't drop her suitcase directly on her foot like someone I know," Leia retorted with a pointed look.

Han groaned in exasperation. "That was one time, and at least you had your boots on, not those flimsy high heels you insisted on wearing today. It's snowing, you know."

"One of us had to make a good impression on the girl and not have her think that we've not bought new footwear since the eighties!"

"Enough, already," Kylo interjected, rolling his eyes. "Can we at least have this conversation in the car and not in the middle of a crowded airport?"

"First thing the kid's said that makes any kind of sense," Han agreed, already leading a beeline away from baggage claim.

"He takes after his father," ribbed Leia as she followed, finally creating a bit of distance between the two of them and Rey and Kylo.

"Look, sorry about them," Kylo sighed with a shake of his head. "You sure you still wanna do this? I can probably make something up and get you on a flight home."​