Chapter 49.

The sun was shining bright, the clouds scattered throughout the sky as Rey's eyes fluttered open, her cheeks still red and body warm from the night's events.

Smiling, she turned to lay on her back, stretching out on the empty bed as the sheet lowered, exposing her breasts to the cold air as her muscles relaxed against the bed. She looked around the room, realizing Kylo was nowhere to be found.

Sighing, she slowly sat up, covering her yawn with the back of her hand.

"Ben?" she called out.

Silence answered.

With a furrowed brow, Rey got out of bed, securing the black, satin sheet tightly around her body as she went to look for him.

Her lower abdomen ached, and her center was sore, the cause of it reddened her cheeks even more as she opened the bedroom door, looking down the hall to see the light from the fresher on, the door only half closed.

Slowly, she made her way down to the room, gently pushing open the door to see a shirtless Kylo standing in front of the mirror, a small blade held to his cheek.

In the mirror, his eyes shot to hers, unbothered.

As her eyes glanced over him curiously, she watched as his own glanced down her body before returning to his reflection, moving the small blade along his cheek.

Baffled, Rey spoke first.

"What in the stars are you doing?"

Glancing at her once more, Kylo felt the urge to laugh at her shocked expression, but quickly suppressed it.

"Shaving." He answered simply, continuing his task at hand.

Rey's brow raised at him suspiciously, and he returned it just the same as he finished up, Rey's eyes never leaving his face as she watched the last bits of hair leave his jaw.

His face was clean, his black hair wet and combed away from his face. It reminded her of the first time she had seen his face, unbelieving that it was so long ago now.

Watching his face, her center grew warm just as it had in the middle of the night before he took her once more...

Blushing, she clutched the sheet to her chest harder as his eyes wandered down and watched the movement.

Feeling uncomfortable under his intense gaze, Rey cleared her throat.

"Well, what's on the agenda today?" she asked timidly.

Kylo snickered.

"Eager to get out?" he assumed, placing his razor down on the sink before turning to face her head on.

Her hair was down, cascading past her shoulders in wisps of soft brown embers, her cheeks pink and eyes wide with wonder, and her jaw set with a sternness that drove him wild.

Even several feet away, he could feel her warmth around him, making him wonder if it was their physical presence, or their bond.

"Not eager... I've been doing quite well with training if I do say so myself..." She shrugged, moving to toy with the leaf of a large plant sitting atop the counter, feeling playful. "Thought you could use a break from preying on the innocent..." Rey's eyes caught his gaze at the last bit of her statement, nearly laughing at his amused scoff.

"Really?" he asked, dragging his hand over his freshly shaved chin. Easily, he channeled the energy around him, as if muting every sound and capturing the attention of every living thing within the hut.

Rey's eyes widened as she felt his demanding presence command her attention, her body involuntarily moving to face him. Whatever he was doing, she was beginning to feel dizzy and entranced, warmth filling her vision, every sound drowning out except for his voice, a soft melody to her ears.

Suddenly, he was on her, grasping her by the waist and walking her backwards, her limbs flailing awkwardly against him, his stern stance never faltering as he pushed her back against the wall in the hallway, his face hidden in the crook of her neck as she came to.

"What-what did..." Rey trailed off as his lips pressed against her, right beneath her ear. "How did-"

"Rey..." he muttered, and she could feel his smile against her throat. "If I were preying on the innocent..." Kylo nipped at her skin, a small gasp escaping from her own lips as her eyes slowly closed. "You'd know it."

With that, Kylo smirked, turning on his heel and heading back into the fresher, using the force to close the door behind him, leaving Rey in the hallway, sheet still clinging to her body as she sneered at him.

( X )

She was silent, her movement so light that Kylo had to cast a quick glance behind him to ensure she was still there as they walked to their training area in the forest.

The weather was gloomy, the wind harsh.

Perfect weather for training, he decided.

Sighing, he gripped his lightsaber that clung to his hip, tossing his long, black cape over a large boulder as he approached the middle of their field.

Kylo listened to Rey behind him, throwing her canteen to the side with a big 'huff'.

He couldn't hide the smile that tugged at the corners of his lips. Ever since his small teasing earlier, Rey had quite the stubborn attitude during breakfast, refusing to speak to him or even meet his gaze.

It only added to the exc-

Without warning, he heard her lightsaber ignite, the energy between them abruptly turning into a playful contest.

He felt the spike of excitement course between them both as he ignited his own, quickly turning to answer the strike she was attacking him with.

Caught off guard with the power behind her strike, his hold faltered on his saber, the quick readjustment was felt from his weapon, through her own, causing Rey to smile at Kylo.

Narrowing his eyes at her, he used the force to quickly shove her back, watching Rey as she stumbled back. She answered his glare with her own as she circled him, and he circled her.

Twigs and rocks crunched together beneath his heavy boots, the only sound filling the dead air between them besides the buzz of their lightsabers as the wind seemed to cease, as if to watch the battle.

Unapologetically, Rey pushed into his mind, trying her best to catch any sign of his next move, coming so close to the answer before he quickly pushed back, their block louder than ever.

"You could do better than that." Kylo called to her, smirking as her eyes narrowed more.

He was sure she would attack...

He would have bet his own saber on it...

Instead, he felt a sudden energy lift from within her, ambushing his own senses as his movements stammered over one another. Kylo blinked furiously, willing the interference away.

Swiftly, so fast that Kylo was forced to drop his saber, Rey's own sword flew at him, her open palm giving it an extra push as it rushed past him.

Kylo quickly moved his body to the side, the purple whips of her lightsaber catching the edge of his sleeve, his hair whipping across his face as he dodged it.

Rey's lightsaber impaled itself firmly into a large tree several yards behind Kylo, his eyes landing on it before he breathlessly looked back to Rey. Her expression was blank at first, before satisfaction filled her, a wide grin spreading from cheek to cheek.