Rey feels the shift of his emotions and reaches up to put a reassuring hand on his cheek, thumbing just under his eye. She won’t deny that she used to be afraid of him, used to hate him, but that’s behind them now. It’s a part of their story, but not one that needs revisiting often.

She’s still staring up at him when suddenly his arms give way and she twists into a fall, squeaking as she lands on her side with a bounce. She does laugh, bright and happy, and reaches out to kick his thigh with one stockinged foot.

“Brute,” she teases as she pulls herself further up onto the bed and stretches out in the middle of it, drawing one knee up as she lifts her arms over her head to rest against the pillows. She’s posing for him as well as she can without much experience in the matter, drawing on hazy memories of dirty holopads that were passed around Jakku, arched backs and heavy-lidded gazes. “Whatever will you do with me.”