#m. au

[kylo-wrecked]

There he was again, the man. Ben recognized him, stranger though he was. He'd appeared suddenly, too suddenly. Sure, Ben paid scant attention to his surroundings (he was more loping through his mind than Central Park East), but their happenstance meeting here felt a little too dreamlike. Ben stopped short of the curb with the weight of an incubus on his chest and a sour ball in his stomach.  

He couldn't remember the man's name. Ben remembered his face, the blond dollop of hair. The expectant air about him. He'd have recognized his teeth from several yards down this paved path. But those, that. That could only have been a dream. 

They'd crossed paths a few times now. What was his name? At Strand bookshop, which seemed a likelihood since they'd met, where? At some literati function on Frankin Avenue. It'd been too hot that night, the reading room overcrowded with heat and bodies. They were crushed into the corner bar-top arm-to-arm. Ben's brow was damp, and he was on drink three. The other man seemed cool in the city stew, wore sunglasses and an easy smile. He joked about the tight squeeze. What had he said? 

He'd offered to buy Ben a drink, and Ben had shrugged it right off his cotton shoulders. Oh, no. No thanks. The dark, rooty aperitivo was his third and final. 

Ben wasn't used to getting looks like that from—anyone? 

Men. 

Then the nightmares began, and Ben saw him again. Well, not all in that particular order, but sort of. At Strand and in his sleep. The dreams were always woven in the same fashion, with lurid alterations here and there. Mouths meeting mouths when they shouldn't, mouths where mouths shouldn't be. Existing in places they shouldn't. He'd wake in a cold sweat, revulsed by himself. 

No, this was not for his therapist to know. Ever? He thought, oddly, now as he willed himself to see if the man had moved. The lamp-posts bloomed as he sauntered over. Their light didn't comfort Ben one iota. In a sense, the yellowing orbs made the moment too real.

Ever. 

Freeze mode chose for him. No, Ben only swallowed and waited in vain for his Chucks to take his feet somewhere up or down this hex-paved road. 

They did no such thing, of course. And Ben was a 6'4" pillar of nerves digging the hard-bitten crescents of his nails into his palms' heels. 

"Uh..." was all he managed. It was such a failure of sound, he could've laughed. 

@eyeless-smiles

[ao3feed--reylo]

Melody of the Hearts

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2QXqvYJ

by lovetrigger

Rey Palpatine, heiress to the infamous Palpatine fortune, knew all about Ben Solo - the rich, spoiled, overprivileged, and egotistical son of Senator Leia Organa and famous archeologist Han Solo. She knew that he was the stereotypical “womanizing bad boy”, often pictured in gossip magazines at the most elite nightclubs with at least 2 models wrapped around his arms. And she knew that they were only betrothed to marry for his parents’ political gain and her grandfather’s own selfish reasons.

Modern AU where Rey is forced to marry Ben to please their respective families and, despite their initial opposition, they eventually can’t deny the growing connection between them.

*will update tags as I go*

Words: 1964, Chapters: 1/20, Language: English

Fandoms: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Categories: F/M

Characters: Rey (Star Wars), Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Finn (Star Wars), Rose Tico, Paige Tico, Phasma (Star Wars), Han Solo, Leia Organa, Poe Dameron, Zorii Bliss, Luke Skywalker, Sheev Palpatine | Darth Sidious

Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Finn/Rose Tico, Leia Organa/Han Solo

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, POV Rey (Star Wars), POV Ben Solo, Sexual Tension, Eventual Romance, Eventual Resolved Sexual Tension, Kissing, Arranged Marriage, Ben Solo is a playboy, Rey is a college student

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2QXqvYJ

[kyluxtrashcompactor]

                                a rec list for the people, by the people ;)

            (this rec list was assembled from submissions by Tumblr users, and                                         appear in no particular order or theme)

Rec List Part 1 / ?

Anyone But You by Zamwessell  : Rated E, No Archive Warnings Apply

Modern AU, College Era.  Hux has always had a plan for his life. It's going well. He's following in his father's footsteps with the College Republicans and writing for the prestigious "First Order" campus conservative magazine with his new friend Dopheld Mitaka. Until he meets Mitaka's roommate, Kylo Ren -- who is everything he shouldn't want.

Out Of The Darkness, Light by GallifreyanOmnishambles, aka @creepycreepyspacewizard : Rated E, No Archive Warnings Apply 

Historical AU,  1976- A brilliant would-be engineering student is forced to take up coal mining after the death of his father. 1979- The privileged son of a Tory politician runs away to join the Army. Life is not kind to either of them, or to Britain as a whole, when in 1984 the National Coal Board announce 20 colliery closures and 142,000 miners go on strike. In the middle of it all "General" Brendol Hux Jr meets Ben "Kylo" Ren.

Hux Be A Lady by Polaris : Rated E, Creator Chose Not To Warn 

Sexswap, Temporarily Female Hux 

“It’ll probably go away on its own,” said Ren, helping himself to another piece of toast in the officers’ mess.

“No, it will not go away on its own, Ren,” Hux hissed, gripping his fork menacingly. “You are going to make it go away! This is your fault!”

Ground Rule by mythbusterposey : Rated M, No Archive Warnings Apply

Modern AU --  When nineteen-year-old pitcher Ben Solo is traded from his lifelong-favorite to his lifelong-rival team, he's blindsided. It's hard for him to move past the rage and betrayal from the trade, but his roommate and veteran shortstop Elan Hux quickly takes the fragile rookie under his wing. He just hadn't taken into account how hard he would fall for his teammate.

Downbeat by @acroamatica : Rated E, No Archive Warnings Apply 

Modern AU --  Maestro Hux is at the helm of the Erste Orden Sinfonie for their big gala concert, a programme of the most stunning piano concertos ever written. With his continued employment and the future of the whole orchestra on the line, the last thing he needs is the incredibly arrogant (but wildly talented) piano soloist Kylo Ren.

Magic To Make The Sanest Man Go Mad  by @vadianna : Rated E : Graphic Depictions of Violence

Pre-TFA, Canon Setting -- Jedi Ben Solo, handsome hero of the New Republic, accompanies his uncle Luke on a memorial trip to Tatooine. As Luke mourns his family, Ben meets local peacekeeper Major Armitage Hux. Hux is unimpressed by his reputation, and proceeds to give him a scathing lesson in galactic politics before taking him on a suicide mission.Ben falls hard.Later, spending the night apart, both hear a holotransmission from the floor of the New Republic Senate that reveals Ben's grandfather as the infamous Darth Vader. Ben does not take this well, and falls hard again.

Adrift by @lingua-mortua : Rated M,  Creator Chose Not To Warn

TFA Setting / Canon Divergent --  Force apprentice Kylo Ren is trapped in an escape shuttle with a man he deeply dislikes, piloting the tiny craft to anything that remotely resembles safety. He is nineteen years old and this is his first real taste of the galaxy. His companion in disaster, twenty-three year old Captain Hux, is mourning the loss of his first command, the Tarkin, which is currently a smouldering wreck in space following a desperate battle with pirates. When they finally touch down on a remote jungle planet, survival is the most important priority. They strip the ruined shuttle for everything they can use and start walking. Thrown together by fate and united against the harsh climate and punishing odds, the two youngsters grow closer and closer together. When they reach a settlement, they will call for help and be picked up, to go their separate ways in the vast galaxy. Is it so wrong that, for now, they feel compelled to cling to what little comfort they can find?

The Last Thing I Need Is You by @claricechiarasorcha : Rated E, No Archive Warnings Apply 

TFA Canon Setting (Featuring Awkward Virgin Kylo Ren and Bossy Bottom General Hux)

In which Hux discovers that maybe Kylo Ren really was raised by wolves -- because surely, everybody knows what a fuck buddy is.

Surely.

Noise Resolution by @gefionne  : Rated E, No Archive Warnings Apply 

Modern AU -  Hux's neighbor Kylo Ren is infamous for having loud sex with a new guy every couple of days. When Hux gets fed up and files a noise complaint, an enraged Kylo confronts Hux about the report. Hux tries to protest at first but soon ends up in bed with Kylo, screaming just as loud as the boys previously.

Stars In Our Wake by @griesly : Rated E, No Archive Warnings Apply

Modern AU -  As the owner of Flagship Books, Hux has his life perfectly in order until professional disappointment Kylo Ren barges into his shop and unfortunately, his life. Kylo is a terrible employee, Hux is a worse employer, and this arrangement goes about as well as you'd expect.

[likeadove]

(fic) we could plant a house, we could build a tree (4/?)

Summary:  Seven-year-old Rey decides it’s her duty to annoy the crap out of Ben Solo every single day she’s alive. Modern-day AU.

Rating: M

Chapters: 1, 2 , 3

FFN  AO3

That weekend proved to be particularly stressful. 

Rey isn’t sure why keeping her action figures and Pound Puppies stored in the closet instead of on the floor by her bed is imperative to the Senator having a smooth visit, but she obeys.

Maz looks frazzled enough.

On Monday Rey waits outside the home with the other children, watching with a frown as a sleek black car pulls into the long driveway. She hasn’t forgotten what Luke said the other night, about the senator being his sister. And she wonders, if she’s Luke’s sister, if that makes her—

Rey’s suspicions are confirmed as soon as Senator Leia Organa steps out of the car. Rey recognizes Ben in the way this woman carries herself, in the way her warm brown gaze sweeps over the sight in front of her and takes note of her surroundings. In the way the corner of her mouth pulls into an almost smile. Maz walks out to greet her and the two women shake hands.

The next couple of hours are incredibly boring, considering all the hullabaloo that lead up to them. Rey isn’t overly impressed with who she suspects is Ben’s mom. All the senator does is walk around, talk, and ask questions. Rey distracts herself by staring at Organa’s bodyguard and the gun holstered to his hip. It looks kinda cool, and Rey commits herself to trying to draw him later. Ben might think it’s interesting.

She is so deep in her thoughts (markers would be fun for this project but pencils would be more precise for lines) that Senator Organa has to tap her shoulder to get her attention. She bends down so that she’s looking Rey eye-to-eye and holds out her hand, introducing herself.

Maz’s furious look from over the senator’s shoulder prompts Rey to shake it. Leia smiles. “You must be Rey. I’ve heard so much about you.” She leans in a little closer. “I hear you’re a family friend.”

Rey’s mouth drops open a little bit and suddenly she feels incredibly shy. This only makes Leia smile more fondly. “Luke showed me some of your drawings earlier today. You’re quite talented.”

Rey only remembers to say ‘thank you’ because Maz is mouthing it frantically over Leia’s shoulder.

**

Rey is spreading her Pound Puppies back out across her side of the room where they belong when she stills, mind puzzling over her odd day. If the senator is Ben’s mom, then she’s sent her son away. And maybe that means Ben was left behind just like her

**

Tuesdays are painting days.

Rey isn’t sure how she feels yet about painting. She prefers bending over a sketch pad with markers or charcoal or pencils—less messy. Besides, whatever she manages to paint always seem to pale in comparison to what Ben can do. He may denounce colors and their use, but with them he creates portraits of places Rey would love to adventure off to.

Today she settles herself in their usual corner. She pulls out the small set of paints that Maz had gotten her for Christmas the year before and waits for Ben to slide onto his stool next to her.

But he never comes, and soon Luke is clearing his throat at the front of the classroom, the other students quieting and giving him their attention. Rey bites her bottom lip and peers around, because Ben has never missed a class in the whole year that Rey has been coming here—

Something is wrong.

She shoves her paint set back into her backpack and softly exits the classroom, not noticing Luke’s eyes swivel in her direction when the door closes behind her.

She checks the kitchen-office first, because maybe he’s making a pot of coffee and lost track of the time, or maybe he has his headphones on and didn’t hear Luke tell him class was starting soon—

But he’s not there.

Feeling herself grow antsy, she marches room to room and thoroughly checks each of them. Ben isn’t in any of them, of course, and Rey realizes with a sinking feeling where he must be. She wanders to the bottom of the staircase that leads to the upper level. The level she’s never been in, has had no reason to go in.

She squares her shoulders and places a small hand on the railing, pulled forward by some feeling of protectiveness. She needs to find Ben Solo and draw him pictures of puppies swearing, or Beavis and Butthead, or—

Rey reaches the top of the stairs and looks around, taking in the small living room with its entertainment center and a TV that’s playing the local news. There are art projects everywhere, half finished sculptures and drying paintings representing a smorgasbord of Luke and Ben’s work. Before Rey can get too distracted, she hears music.

Following the music will mean finding Ben. Hitching her backpack up her shoulder, she walks through the living room and into a hallway on the right. There are three doors. She guesses one leads to Luke’s bedroom, one leads to the bathroom he must share with Ben, and the other…the other is slightly cracked with soft light shining from underneath.

She gently pushes it open and is reminded starkly of pushing open another door a year ago. Except she doesn’t find Ben flinging paint at a bedsheet, but stretched across his own bed, lying face down.

His room smells like teenage boy. She’s been around enough of them by now to recognize that particular musk. In one corner a red lava lamp sits on the floor, casting an eerie glow about the rest of the room. There’s a massive Doom poster stretching across one wall and a Stephen King novel sitting on his bedside table. A stereo sits on a bookshelf, much nicer then the paint splattered one he keeps downstairs. Melancholy music pours out of it.

She glances back to Ben. There’s a fist sized hole in the wall right next to his bedpost. And on the bedside table, next to the Stephen King novel, is a small framed photo of what must have once been a happy family. A much younger Ben smiles out at her, teeth missing, with a handsome couple standing behind him. Rey has never seen the man in the photo, but she instantly recognizes the fond smile and warm brown gaze of Senator Organa.

So he was left behind, just like her.

Rey looks back at his face and jumps, realizing that his eyes are open, watching her. He raises his head enough to mutter, “Fuck off, kid.” But there’s no real malice in his voice.

She stands still for a long moment before dropping her backpack and sitting cross-legged on the floor. She pulls out a sketchpad and a black marker, tilting the paper toward the lava lamp in order to take advantage of its light. She’s not sure how long she sits there, drawing and listening to the music.

She draws a tree. A black hulking tree with two figures sitting in its shade.

When she is done she looks back up at Ben and notices that he’s fallen asleep, his head cradled on his arm and facing her. As if he’d been watching her.

When she’s finished she silently puts her things away and stands, determined not to wake him. She also likes to just go to sleep when she’s sad, sometimes.

She places the drawing in front of the framed picture of a broken family and creeps from his room, footsteps silent.

**

A life is time, they teach you growing up The seconds ticking killed us all A million years before the fall You ride the waves and don’t ask where they go

“Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand” by Primitive Radio Gods

**

A/N: Once again, thanks everyone for reading and commenting! Would love to hear everyone’s thoughts on this chapter, I know it was more angst then fluff this time. Poor Ben and Rey :( This is it for ‘98. See y'all again in '99! We’ll be meeting some more of our beloved characters next time as well!

[ao3feed--kylux]

A Fragile Line. - A Star Wars Story

read it on the AO3 at http://ift.tt/2pX7XbA

by cosmicbattles

one would expect that the coming of age would be difficult in a world divided into a tyrannical new regime and a crumbling old republic. the daughter of the infamous general and senator, leia organa solo, finds it hard to sit still and look pretty when a force tells her war is coming and that her brother, a mentally unstable pawn of a mysterious enemy, is being groomed to fight for the other side with his strange abilities. the daughter of a legendary mystic recluse finds power growing within herself and finds herself in the center of a resistance aided by a defected member of the enemy government and the right-hand man to solo herself. additionally, the maniacal son of the commander of the new order works alongside the son of the senator and finds their relationship to be more than a rivalry and the trusted family friend of the solos finds himself involved with the girl he was sworn to protect. all is fair in love and war.

[this is a dystopian au of the latest star wars trilogy (episode vii onward) with a main original character and a different chain of events based on the canon story and characters]

Words: 2505, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015), Star Wars - All Media Types

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death

Categories: F/M, M/M, Multi

Characters: Kylo Ren, Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Armitage Hux, Original Skywalker Character(s), Original Female Character(s), Poe Dameron, Finn (Star Wars), Rey (Star Wars), Snoke (Star Wars), Phasma (Star Wars), Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Leia Organa, Brendol Hux, Other Star Wars Character(s)

Relationships: Armitage Hux/Kylo Ren, Armitage Hux/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Poe Dameron/Original Character(s), Finn & Rey (Star Wars), Wedge Antilles & Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa/Han Solo

Additional Tags: Star Wars: The Force Awakens Spoilers, Star Wars References, Force Bond (Star Wars), Misuse of the Force, War Era, Pre-Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Dystopia, Pining Poe Dameron, Force-Sensitive Rey, Pining, Mutual Pining, Kylo Ren and Rey Are Related, Kylo Ren Has Issues, Seduction to the Dark Side, Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Rey Skywalker, Age Difference, Coming of Age, Coming Out, Political Alliances, First Love, First Kiss, Sexy Times, Meddling Kids, Revolutionaries In Love, Hux is Not Nice, Armitage Hux Smokes, Protective Kylo Ren, Protective Poe Dameron, Minor Finn/Rey, Gay Luke, Everyone Is Gay, Female Solo, Minor Leia Organa/Han Solo, Parents Han and Leia, Dystopia, Family Issues, Fluff and Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Heavy Angst, Emotional Baggage, Sexual Tension, Sad and Happy, Canon-Typical Violence, Implied/Referenced Sexual Harassment

read it on the AO3 at http://ift.tt/2pX7XbA

[sushigirlali]

sushigirlali’s Reylo Fanfiction

A/N: I’ve had a few people ask me to compile a list of all my Reylo fics in one post, so here we go! FYI you can also find them by using the “my fanfiction” tag on my blog, or by simply clicking the “Fanfiction” link in the side bar when viewing my blog homepage in Tumblr desktop. I’ll update and reblog this post periodically. Thanks for reading!! 

Other sites: AO3 | ff.net 

Multi-chapters:

Admiration (3/3)

Part I / Part II / Part III

Rating: E

Continuity: Jedi Academy AU

Summary: Padawan Ben Solo struggles to repel Snoke’s odious influence while coming to terms with his feelings for fellow student Rey of Jakku. 

Bad Idea Right? (3/3) NEW!

Part I / Part II / Part III (Complete!)

Rating: E

Continuity: Modern AU

Summary: Rey Niima realizes she may not be over Ben Solo when Hux’s social media posts show her ex-boyfriend is moving on at Poe’s Halloween party. Donning a matching costume purchased before their breakup, Rey decides to stop running and confront him. Horny Halloween hijinks ensue!

Finding You (9/9)

Part I / Part II / Part III / Part IV / Part V / Part VI / Part VII / Part VIII / Part IX

Rating: M

Continuity: Post TLJ

Summary: Unseen forces move against Kylo Ren from within the First Order as he struggles to unravel Snoke’s deceptions / Rey must balance her relationship with Ben Solo and her dedication to the cause that opposes him / Leia Organa makes a desperate plea to an old friend in a last ditch effort to restore the Resistance

If You Don’t Love Me, Lie To My Face (4/4)

Part I / Part II / Part III / Epilogue

Rating: E

Continuity: Modern AU

Summary: Grifter!Rey helps U.S. Senator Leia Organa’s son, Ben Solo, out of a jam when a couple of muggers invade her turf. Afterward, she debates robbing the rich American herself, but can she protect her heart while stealing his?

Mad Love (3/3)

Part I / Part II / Part III 

Rating: E

Continuity: Post TLJ

Summary: Rey is determined to seduce Ben Solo back to the light, can Kylo Ren resist her?

No Body, No Crime (5/6) NEW!

Part I / Part II / Part III / Part IV / Part V | Part VI (Coming Soon!)

Rating: E

Continuity: Canonverse AU

Summary: Assassin!Rey Palpatine is on her first mission for the evil Darth Sidious. The goal is simple: kill Prince!Ben Solo by any means necessary.

Office Politics (3/3)

Part I / Part II / Part III | Bonus Scene! 

Rating: E

Continuity: Office AU

Summary: Recent college graduate Rey Niima has worked with Senator Leia Organa for over three years, but the most difficult part of her job has never been navigating Washington's hectic political scene; it's chief legal counsel Ben Solo.

Inspiration: Reylove Week 2018 - Day 7 - Holiday

The Politics of Dancing (4/4)

Part I / Part II / Part III / Part IV 

Rating: E

Continuity: Regency AU

Summary: Ben has known Rey most of her life, but when things change between them one tumultuous night, can he convince her that they have a future? Or will secret legacies, scheming parents, and fetching suitors get in the way?

One-shots:

After Midnight

Rating: E

Continuity: Modern AU

Summary: Ben comes home earlier than expected to find Rey in a comprising position, not that she minds in the least…

Inspiration: mrsviolet - prompts 87 & 90 

Body Politic

Rating: E

Continuity: Post TLJ

Summary: Ben introduces Rey to a new position in and out of the bedroom. 

Inspiration: kayurka 

Dreamland 

Rating: E

Continuity: Post TLJ

Summary: Night after night, it was always the same dream: a dimly lit room, a featherbed draped in silk, and the man in black making passionate love to her untried body. 

Inspiration: Tunes

Famous In Love

Rating: M

Continuity: Actor AU

Summary: Rey scores her first big break in Hollywood co-staring in an Oscar worthy film with acclaimed theater actor Kylo Ren. In order to pull off an intimate love scene, the pair retreat to Kylo’s apartment to practice in private.

First Aid

Rating: M

Continuity: Post TLJ

Summary: Rey gets injured in battle and Ben volunteers to tend her wound. Poe will never be able to look at the med bay countertop the same way again.

Inspiration: reyl-hoe

I Spy

Rating: T

Continuity: Post TLJ

Summary: Ben has done everything he can to protect Rey from the First Order, but getting caught was never part of the plan.

Inspiration: Tunes and reyl-hoe

Lollipop 

Rating: E

Continuity: Modern AU

Summary: After a rough night of partying, Rey and Ben have some fun on the way to breakfast.

Inspiration: saturnine-stardust 

Luminous Beings Are We 

Rating: T

Continuity: Post TLJ

Summary: Rey’s race to find a replacement kyber crystal is interrupted by the last person she wants to see. At least, that’s what she keeps telling herself.

Inspiration: grlie-girl - prompt #94

Paths

Rating: T

Continuity: Post TLJ

Summary: Kylo Ren has to decide what path he wants to take, and it may just be through Rey’s friends.

Inspiration: Reylo Week 2018 - Day 7 - Destiny - Paths

Possession

Rating: M

Continuity: Post TLJ

Summary: Kylo Ren will do anything to possess Rey, capturing her in a sensual torrent that may finally weaken her resolve.

Inspiration: Reylo Week 2018 - Day 2 - Dark - Possession

Searching for the Light 

Rating: T

Continuity: Post TLJ

Summary: Rey has a Force-vision of Ben's death, but is there anything she can do to save him?

Inspiration: grlie-girl

Some Like It Hot

Rating: T+

Continuity: Coffee Shop AU

Summary: Barista!Ben has been in love with College Student!Rey for as long as he can remember but doesn't want to rock the boat since she already has a boyfriend / Rey is done waiting for Ben to make a move, so she takes matters into her own hands

Inspiration: Reylove Week 2018 - Day 5 - Alternate Universe - Coffee Shop

Drabbles:

After Hours 

Rating: T+

Continuity: Modern AU

Summary: Rey gets a call for help from the most unlikely person. Ben is up to his ears in trouble of the puppy persuasion. 

Inspiration: lovethemfiercely - prompt #113

Clothing Optional 

Rating: T+

Continuity: Modern AU

Summary: Rey introduces Ben to yoga. Happy Valentine’s Day!!

Inspiration: Anonymous - prompt #109

Days Gone 

Rating: T

Continuity: Post-Apocalyptic AU

Summary: First Order marauders have taken Ben hostage and Rey will do anything to get him back.

Inspiration: Reylo Week 2019 - Day 6 - Post-Apocalyptic

Dinner Plans

Rating: T

Continuity: Modern AU

Summary: Ben is nervous about meeting Rey’s brother for the first time, while Rey just wants to finish reading her book before dinner.

Inspiration: grlie-girl

Everything

Rating: T

Continuity: Post TLJ

Summary: Early morning pillow talk leads to a better understanding between husband and wife.

Inspiration: thepoetdraws

Good Morning

Rating: T

Continuity: Post TLJ

Summary: The Resistance has been taking up a lot Ben’s time lately, and Rey is feeling a little neglected.

Inspiration: jjsnrk

Grief 

Rating: T

Continuity: Post TLJ

Summary: Sometimes consoling the enemy is the only way to move forward.

Inspiration: Reylo Week 2019 - Day 3 - Grief

Happily Ever After 

Rating: T

Continuity: Post TRoS

Summary: A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, a Prince and a Scavenger lived happily ever after.

Inspiration: Reylo Week 2019 - Day 7 - Perfect Ending

Happy Accidents 

Rating: T

Continuity: Hogwarts AU

Summary: Ben becomes concerned about his frenemy's wellbeing when Rey starts falling asleep in class.

Inspiration: Reylo Week 2019 - Day 4 - Time Travel

The Heart of the Woods

Rating: T

Continuity: Nymph AU

Summary: The heart of the woods whispered to Kylo of something forgotten, of something lost, drawing him into their depths. Would he finally find what he was looking for?

Inspiration: kiddohah

Hunter’s Moon 

Rating: T

Continuity: Werewolf AU

Summary: Kylo and Rey go out for a little walk in the moonlight.

Inspiration: Reylo Monster Week 2018 - Day 2 - Werewolves

Hush

Rating: M

Continuity: Post TLJ

Summary: Ben and Rey are alone for the first time since Ben’s defection to the Resistance, and keeping quiet was proving to be a real problem.

Inspiration: vanta-gold-by-night

It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine) (New!)

Rating: E

Continuity: Modern AU

Prompt: Rey and Ben finally exit the friend zone.

Inspiration: “Reylo AU where the world is supposedly ending in 15 minutes, so long time friends Rey and Ben hastily agree to have sex for the 1st and last time. After 15 minutes, the world didn't end.”

Knight Me

Rating: T

Continuity: Medieval AU

Summary: Prince Ben must choose between duty and the woman he loves.

Inspiration: karpqueen

Legacy 

Rating: T

Continuity: Post TRoS

Summary: Not all conflicts can be resolved in battle.

Inspiration: Reylo Week 2019 - Day 5 - Legacy

Lessons In Love 

Rating: T

Continuity: Modern School AU

Summary: Ben confesses his love through calligraphy.

Inspiration: Reylo Week 2019 - Day 2 - Role Reversal

Modesty

Rating: T+

Continuity: Demon AU

Summary: Rey would prefer Kylo's cloak on the ground, and her demon lover doesn’t mind in the least.

Inspiration: lilithsaur

Nice Things (New!)

Rating: E

Continuity: Modern AU

Summary: Sometimes life threw in-law sized curveballs at you, but on the plus side, making furious love to her husband in the middle of the day on his mother’s favorite sofa was a pretty good alternative to a Hawaiian vacation. 

Inspiration: “this sofa costs fifteen thousand dollars, dont you dare ruin it” ‘guess ill just have to cum in you then’ 

Physical Therapy

Rating: T

Continuity: Smuggler!Ben and Dark!Rey (aka Kira)

Summary: After Ben nurses Kira back to health, she must decide whether to stay with the smuggler or return to the First Order.

Inspiration: lilithsaur

Racing Hearts 

Rating: M

Continuity: Naga!Rey AU

Summary: After years of intense loneliness, a young man stumbles into Rey’s den. Can she convince him to stay?

Inspiration: Reylo Monster Week 2018 - Day 6 - Naga

The Risk of Falling

Rating: T+

Continuity: Modern AU

Summary: Ben has never fit in with his Rey’s friends, but turning down the Tico’s invitation to their annual Halloween party was out of the question as far as his wife was concerned.

Inspiration: mrsmancuspia

A Rose By Any Other Name (New!)

Rating: M

Continuity: Modern AU

Summary: Ben looks for a way to pay Hux back for fixing him up with Rey when Rose Tico walks into their favorite college bar.

Inspiration: Sequel to Tie Me Up, Tie Me Down

School Days

Rating: T

Continuity: Anime School Girl AU

Summary: Ben has a crush on the new girl, but it’ll take more than a few sweet words to win Rey over.

Inspiration: gwendy85

Skipping Stones

Rating: T

Continuity: Tenta!Kylo AU

Summary: King Kylo is a cruel, ruthless leader, but one ripple could change everything.

Inspiration: persimonne

Tie Me Up, Tie Me Down 

Rating: M

Continuity: Modern AU

Summary: Hux gives Ben some surprisingly good dating advice and Rey finally makes her move.

Inspiration: “she may be all lollipops and candy bars, but I bet behind closed doors she’s hand cuffs and gags.”

Train Me

Rating: T

Continuity: Post TLJ

Summary: Rey and Ben open up about their insecurities during a training session.

Inspiration: emilyredekerart

Waiting Game

Rating: T+

Continuity: Post TLJ

Summary: Kylo confronts Rey about her betrayal on the Supremacy. 

Inspiration: reyl-hoe

Wildest Dreams 

Rating: M

Continuity: Post TLJ

Summary: After two years of marriage, Rey and Ben finally have some time alone on the Falcon. Whatever will they do to pass the time?

Inspiration: kayurka

Drabble Series:

Art by eclinu:

Lakeside

Rating: T

Continuity: Post TLJ

Summary: As the Resistance retreats to Naboo, Rey reflects on her last interaction with Kylo Ren. 

Inspiration: eclinudoods

Shut Up

Rating: T

Continuity: Post TLJ

Summary: Life is anything but ordinary on Naboo as Ben asks Rey for advice on how to win over his biggest skeptics.

Inspiration: eclinudoods

Love Bites​ (February 2019 Drabble Challenge):

Sensible Heart 

Rating: T

Continuity: Post TLJ

Summary: The heart wants what the heart wants, even when the head knows better.

Inspiration: Reylo Fanfiction Anthology - Love Bites​: February 2019 Drabble Challenge - Prompt: Heart

You’ve Got Red On You

Rating: T

Continuity: Post TLJ

Summary: A surprise rescue changes the game.

Inspiration: Reylo Fanfiction Anthology - Love Bites​: February 2019 Drabble Challenge - Prompt: Red

Love Hurts 

Rating: T

Continuity: Post TLJ

Summary: Love means forgiveness, even if you can’t forgive yourself.

Inspiration: Reylo Fanfiction Anthology - Love Bites​: February 2019 Drabble Challenge - Prompt: Love

Everything In Balance 

Rating: T

Continuity: Post TLJ

Summary:  Sometimes one person can change the course of your entire life, and if you’re lucky, for the better.

Inspiration: Reylo Fanfiction Anthology - Love Bites​: February 2019 Drabble Challenge - Prompt: Balance

Poems:

Growth 

Rating: PG

Continuity: Flower AU

Summary: A simple weed lights the way.

Inspiration: Reylo Week 2019 - Day 1 - Growth

[ao3feed-jedistorm]

Run Away With Me

read it on the AO3 at http://ift.tt/2lF8jnM

by jessicajonesjpg

Hacker!Rey AU. Finn is the son of a controversial CEO who is disliked among the corporate world for reasons unknown. After his father gets blackmailed by a mysterious person into releasing private information surrounding his company's illegal gun trafficking, Finn realizes that he's in the middle of the biggest scandal since the arrest of Senator Sheev Palpatine. Meanwhile, Rey is a hacker who works at a cybersecurity firm. When Finn's father goes missing, he decides to file for corporate bankruptcy and he wants to find out who was responsible for all of this hell. He tries to track down the unknown hacker and as a result, meets Rey. They go down on a journey to find his missing father and among their souls, comes an intimate bond that soon becomes love.

Words: 1686, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015), Star Wars - All Media Types

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence

Categories: F/M

Characters: Finn (Star Wars), Rey (Star Wars), Poe Dameron, Leia Organa, Han Solo, Lando Calrissian, Luke Skywalker, Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Jessika Pava, Temmin "Snap" Wexley

Relationships: Finn/Rey (Star Wars), Finn & Rey (Star Wars)

Additional Tags: Hacker Rey, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Badass Rey, Finn-centric, Blackmail, Corporate Espionage, Evil Corporations, Hacking, Murder Mystery, Kind of inspired by The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo, A little bit of Mr. Robot too, Sharing a Bed, Sharing a Room, Fugitives, Original Character Death(s), Finn is the son of a CEO who's MIA, Missing in Action, Falling In Love, Friends to Lovers

read it on the AO3 at http://ift.tt/2lF8jnM

[ao3feed4reylo]

via AO3 works tagged 'Star Wars - All Media Types' read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/2QXqvYJ lovetrigger

by lovetrigger

Rey Palpatine, heiress to the infamous Palpatine fortune, knew all about Ben Solo - the rich, spoiled, overprivileged, and egotistical son of Senator Leia Organa and famous archeologist Han Solo. She knew that he was the stereotypical “womanizing bad boy”, often pictured in gossip magazines at the most elite nightclubs with at least 2 models wrapped around his arms. And she knew that they were only betrothed to marry for his parents’ political gain and her grandfather’s own selfish reasons.

Modern AU where Rey is forced to marry Ben to please their respective families and, despite their initial opposition, they eventually can’t deny the growing connection between them.

*will update tags as I go*

Words: 1964, Chapters: 1/20, Language: English

Fandoms: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Categories: F/M

Characters: Rey (Star Wars), Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Finn (Star Wars), Rose Tico, Paige Tico, Phasma (Star Wars), Han Solo, Leia Organa, Poe Dameron, Zorii Bliss, Luke Skywalker, Sheev Palpatine | Darth Sidious

Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Finn/Rose Tico, Leia Organa/Han Solo

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, POV Rey (Star Wars), POV Ben Solo, Sexual Tension, Eventual Romance, Eventual Resolved Sexual Tension, Kissing, Arranged Marriage, Ben Solo is a playboy, Rey is a college student

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/2QXqvYJ

[ao3feed-kyloren]

More Than the Sum of Your Deeds

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/2CvBVwL

by Vezalay

Rey is a reporter trying to prove herself on her first big story when she meets Kylo Ren, the disgraced son of a well known senator. Slow burn Reylo, Modern AU

Words: 1042, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy, Star Wars - All Media Types

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: F/M

Characters: Rey (Star Wars), Kylo Ren, Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Ben Solo, Poe Dameron, Finn (Star Wars), Snoke (Star Wars), Armitage Hux

Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren

Additional Tags: Slow Burn, Alternate Universe - Star Wars Setting

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2CvBVwL

[kylo-wrecked]

10 or more muses you would like to know better

m. au | ben prestor solo, the senator's son

Color: “I like green… or grey?” *shrugs* “They’re basically the same color.” 

(Ben @ you, if you were a friend who'd deign to scroll through his playlists: “No. *snatching phone away* We have a close relationship, me and my phone. She may be a symbiote. Uh. She doesn’t like to be touched by anyone but me. Ben: *rubbing phone all over face* Right, baby? I know you wanna wear me, but they don’t have the technology yet...”)

Last Song Listened To: Mona Lisa— Naji, monte booker 

Dream Trip: “Shetland. Yeah, Shetland. An innocent little trip to the main island. Oh, it has everything to do with Roseanne Watt and the weather. Plus, I won’t have to rent a car there because the roads are impossible to get along with unless you’re from Shetland. The people of Shetland will know me as the peculiar American who goes everywhere on foot and steer clear. It really is a dream.”

Favorite Food: “Three things have shaped the course of man: religion, poetry, and bread.”

Anything You Want Right Now: “So we're done? Can—can I go?”

__________

tagged by:// @brooklynislandgirl <33

tagging:// @ofcatnaps, @riiese, @ofthestcrs, @desireandduty, 

@datapadz, @graysistance, @hopegained, @lastxdragon,

 @corinnebaileyrp, @mayxthexforce, 

@chromium-siren, @smokinmirrors, 

@talesofshadowandlight, @etoilebleu, @kyberllcore, 

@jakkuforce, @madxwonderland, @lightsiided, 

@big-d-little-i-big-n-little-ozzo, @werspinna, 

@valkxrie, @thesilverandjetsystem,

 @thanaredreamtof, @iomadachd and you ~

 {multis do what your heart tells you}

[kylo-wrecked]

e. sent :// 'where does modern!ben live?' { on anon }

—☾—

Here! Imagine different, much darker furniture, no wallpaper, and no gut reno. Edit: Books everywhere. Papers everywhere. Clothes on chairs. Some boxes.

Although I sometimes picture the below middle building's vestibule:

He also has an apartment in Yorkville, Manhattan, in a building very much like the Bryant Park Hotel:

And a pad in California we don't talk about.

[kylo-wrecked]

what flavor is your soul?

vanilla

oh heart of ice and mind of gold, what am I to do with you? you are only good in small amounts, bittersweet fledgling, you are hard for most to swallow. your spirit is strong, your wit is potent, your biting essence drives even the most daring away. but why are you hiding your sweetness? I know within you, you are soft, but humanity has made you bitter. you mask your pain and sorrow with spite and sensibility. you say you do not care about trivial things, but don't you? sweetheart relax. you can let down your drawbridge, the waters are not poisoned. I know you have looked monsters in between the eyes and scoffed at them, but please, relax. you think your armor protects you but it is smothering you slowly. little owlet, when will you learn, words can only get you so far? feelings are what makes this world pulse. do not suppress your feelings. your heart can still thaw my dear. trust

tagged by:// @southern-belle-outcasts and @bewitchingbaker with the cute icon.

tagging:// you there! the one person who hasn't taken this quiz! yes, you! tag you, tag me!

[kylo-wrecked]

@thecreativeforge ://

<< Yorkville, New York, New York >>

Sunlight didn't wake him; breathing did. The measure of another body's life and warmth. The shape and weight and delicate muscle of another leg resting on his leg; leaner and shorter than his; pleasantly warm. 

He'd been dreaming—Ben thought he'd been dreaming, and he sighed, and the fireworks behind his hot red eyelids left on him the impression of its pleasantries. The next gala was a year away, and he'd made it through this one; he even felt well-rested. 

Then he opened his eyes. He opened his eyes to a smooth brown shoulder, well-shaped, taught with lean muscle, and smelling of cinnamon. That was nice. 

Then he saw the tattoos, and he scrambled. He recognized the cryptic bands in an instant and, in that instant, realized the body he'd made a fetish of belonged to Rashad. 

Ben's heart leapt, as he would have if he didn't feel crushed by shame. Instead, he peeled himself from the sheets and slunk out of bed. He was naked, which could only mean one thing. 

Clutching the doorframe and his—you know—Ben backed out of the master room. His stomach lurched. 

Had he...?

He woke up and found Rashad in his Manhattan apartment, in the master bedroom, with the candlestick and the Hiroshima Mon Amour poster. 

No, he hadn't found Rashad; he'd committed a crime. How had it happened? Ben couldn't remember. He must have coerced—or been coerced—maybe it had been mutual, a double murder of sorts. 

It was true he kept Rashad sequestered from some of his friend groups—Marci, Ian, and Tihan—his peers from Edinbrough—his friend group from Columbia—but Ben kept all his friends in compartments. And he and Rashad had always been friends. Really good friends since prep. What if...

When the room started spinning, Ben decided to forgo thought. He stumbled into the guest bathroom and threw up. Not hungover, no. Sick to his stomach with discomfit, sure. Yes. Great. 

Ben then performed his supposed daily ritual as though the cleansing of his body and the particular order of each task would protect him—ward off the yips or something. He brushed his teeth in the shower. He shaved. When Ben's back was scrubbed raw, he toweled off. He ran argan oil through his hair and glowered at his reflection. He'd decided to stop thinking, but if Ben were thinking, he might have thought this was more than he'd do if he were actually going outside. 

He looked okay, though he was sweating at his temples by the time he switched off the bathroom light and trudged into the penetrating living room light illuminating thousands of dollars worth of Pakistani carpet squares, the art deco armchairs. He'd forgotten about those. 

Ben quickly pulled on whatever clothes he could find, anything that smelled all right, wandered over to the fridge, and rubbed the perspiring bulb of French-pressed coffee on his face, all over the slope of his face. 

"Mmm, gross," he muttered, pouring himself a tall glass. "You're gross." 

He poured Rashad coffee from a different carafe and added a splash of milk. A glass in each hand, he crossed the hot living room. Slowly, as if he were wading through a vast mangrove to wake a sleeping prince. What would the prince be like when he awoke? 

Morning rose twenty storeys from the Manhattan streets, blaring with yellow taxis and ripe lemon sun pouring through unadorned floor-to-ceiling windows. At the edge of his bed, Ben stopped and sat. The bed groaned on his behalf. He glanced at the sleeping Rashad and took a deep breath in. "Uhhhhhh." And a deep breath out. "Huhhhhhhh..." He licked his lips. He swallowed. He did everything but wake him.

Rashad really resembled a prince, too, his hand drawn over his brow, his long, ringed fingers looped in the melodrama of his hair. Eyes... 

Nope. No. 

He had to stop himself. Ben never had that voice he imagined most people did, the Jiminy Cricket, but he knew he had to stop dreaming. Rashad was royalty. He lived in a realm of rare artifacts. There was a palace, tradition, and expectation. Then there was Ben. He knew *this* had to be stopped. Now. Before someone got hurt, roasted, canceled.

"Uh." Ben swallowed before reaching for Rashad's arm, his hand just brushing his skin. "Hey-y…"

That a simple touch had become so uncomfortable literally overnight, literally, in the strict sense of the word, was a cruel irony. 

[kylo-wrecked]

❤ - A compliment (Modern Ben :))

{ 🫀 You broke and bought: Modern!Ben }

Tonight was the first time they'd met outside Corinne's cafe. They stepped into a balmy evening, Manhattan having not yet decided she would be hot, heavy, and thus unbearable. In the Lower East Side they found good wontons and that neither of them enjoyed noise rock. Music—Ben hesitated to call it bad—for people who liked their sound straight up. Melody tertiary to the amp and such. Not for him. 

At this, Corinne gave him a Mona Lisa smile and remarked on his thoughtfulness. 

"Thanks, I think. Was that a compliment or your way of telling me this was a bad idea?" Small pockets folded in the lines around his mouth. A requited smile, if a diffident one. "You wouldn't be wrong." 

He shouldered the push-only door open for her and fumbled his phone. Sometimes, he wondered if he hadn't left his hands on a steering wheel in Singapore. 

"I would, uh." Ben rubbed at the base of his neck idly. Like he'd know what to do with his hands if he had any. "Hold all compliments until I figure out what we're doing for the rest of the night, actually."

@corinnebaileyrp

[kylo-wrecked]

{ cont'd from here }

Ben had never been the best runner. Besides not being the best runner, he was told time and again throughout his rigorous pedagogical training that he was too big for the track to begin with. He thought too much (for the sport, likewise for his own good), and he fought too much (for any sport, likewise for his own good). 

He liked running, though. Alone. It choked back thought or helped him cut through its pictures. Singapore's loamy, hot air coursing his lungs willed him through tears. Against tears. 

Every morning, Ben ran four or so miles against tears. 

He called this ability transmutation. He had lost some weight, gone without a haircut for nearly a month, and cut down on shaving. He divulged himself of any rigorous regime but the running. He stopped drinking coffee. He stopped writing poems. He withdrew from the graduate program in climate change and sustainability. It was all part of his transmutation. He was just changing. He was different now. 

Then there was Brunn. Returned to him. For a price? For five bodies and the promise of violence. 

Ben ran a thumb over the loose mermaid's lock pulled through her hair tie. The edge of his face, his deepening eyes, drawn on Brunn's neck, traveling idly. 

"You'd have to charter the boat," he reminded her. "I can't. But... sort of?"

Caught Brunn's gaze, bristled at its intensity, then matched it. 

"Island hopping's the thing here." He spoke with an ounce of conviction on an otherwise flat affect. "There's a lagoon. Lazarus Island and Kusu—Turtle— Island..."

Trailed off into silence. 

There was no moment for him where it felt as if nothing had happened. 

@valkxrie

[kylo-wrecked]

@itmeanspeace sent:// [ 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭 ] : as sender is about to leave, receiver grabs them by the wrist,' and now it's the starter of all time

—☾—

New York City was a good place to disappear completely. Historically, Manhattan was the mythical megalopolis where people came to create themselves in Their image fading into ghosts and withered gods over time by choice or natural selection. Ben told himself he was back in the Apple temporarily. He was in public transit purgatory until further notice. That was all.

On this muggy, pre-fall day in limbo, Ben was on his way to 'pick up Rey from work,' though Rey, being both the mechanic and the one with a valid driver's license, ruled the wheels. Ben was a tolerated, eternally grateful passenger. Since his license had been suspended, Ben joked that he'd sold his car to a really talkative guy named Greg Arias. 

In all seriousness, he had.

Rey wasn't waiting outside Salerno's Body Shop when he rounded the corner of Ninth. A quick look inside the vestibule led to an awkward exchange with her boss, and when Ben shrugged through the open door of her supply room, he didn't find Rey there.

That was fine.

Ben then sloped into the main shop, Hell's Kitchen's largest industrial carousel. As he scanned the floor, a funny feeling crept up his shoulders, placing him in a chokehold. Not funny-ha-ha. Funny-uh-oh. Something was going to happen—but Ben usually had the sense that an anvil was about to drop on him any second, so, slouching, he took his leave, figuring he’d text Rey later. Or possibly tomorrow. Or in a year, when he renewed his license.

At the very moment Ben shuffled toward the front gate, he spotted a mechanic he'd never seen before, and stopped dead in his tracks. She had big red hair, wore an oversized logo t-shirt knotted at the bottom, and the air of a person ready to go home hours ago. The woman was also instantly and eerily familiar, which Ben hated. He preferred the possible reality (now lost and gone) in which the woman was a stranger. Usually, Ben would hang under the flag brackets and wait out her exit so he could lope off undetected, but he couldn't ignore the impulse that told him she was a ghost, like him. A ghost he knew.

Ben smoothed the hair on the back of his neck, his body locked in reverie. A matte orange Mustang rose on the lift behind him like a silly set piece, and Ben was a doubly silly prop hanging from limp strings. Then those strings snapped, and the shop spilled back in full color, its bite of machine music and chemical fumes eating at his senses. Though it couldn't have been happening, it was; the red-haired woman was real, and Ben recognized her. She was one of the twins.

Ben swelled with memories, memories of glowsticks in dark wardrobes, fortune-telling games with autumn leaves; a sprig of golden-yellow horse chestnut meant good luck. Did they ever remember? Those lonely nights? The games with Reagan and Shiloh, too, though she joined in less often. 

Shiloh was a bit different. Reagan took to dancing and music; her sister took the china clocks apart and put them back together again. She’d been the more private sister, and Ben and Shiloh could be quiet together.  

One day, he never saw them again. The twins became whispers, ghost stories told around solipsistic urban bonfires. Twins were haunted, they said. It was that simple. 

How much time had passed? Ben stared at the twin, open-mouthed. She stared back at him.

In the rise, the rush of feeling in his chest, the quickening pace of that blood-pumping organ under his ribs, Ben couldn't tell whether he was looking at Shiloh or Reagan. For a moment, Ben was convinced she was Reagan, utterly enthralled until reality backhanded him. Reagan was...

"Shiloh?" 

Ben froze as she did—the name, it'd just sort of slipped out.

Shiloh’s face moved. She recognized him. And that wasn't good, apparently. Maybe she heard about his 'little accident' in Singapore. Maybe she didn't remember him at all. She dove into the Ninth Avenue rabble like merfolk. And Shiloh let herself be swallowed and hustled along, surely in hope of losing him in the stream of people, but Ben, who knew the rhythm of all crowds like the hammering of his heart, who, with a modicum’s assertiveness, could push his way through, and didn't, just couldn't let her slip away, couldn't let it go. 

Occasionally, one of his shoulders would slam into someone going against the flow of traffic, and so as he hurried to catch Shiloh, he waffled between calling her name (which drew far too much attention but seemed fundamental to their situation) and apologizing to hapless pedestrians.

"Sorry—

Shiloh, hold—

Excuse me

Uh, okay…

Sorry, please move, sorry—

Shiloh, wait

P—Ow

oh my GODfffmnmOVE

Shiloh!

Wait—"

Finally, Ben caught Shiloh's wrist in his big, hot mitt. Held fast, though his grip felt clammy and weak, though she glared at him, alarmed, maybe angry? She still hadn't grown into her eyes. Ben hadn't grown into one or two attributes he wasn't going to name.

"Just wait."

He'd had enough of ghost stories.