Rey had to stand out on the landing and knock on Kylo's door for a solid three minutes before she finally heard movement inside his apartment. One of the other tenants had opened their door to give her a dirty look, but she just ignoring them until they went away, their door slamming loudly behind her.

"Kylo, I can hear you, I know you're home," she called through the door. "Please, just let me talk to you."

The door opened slowly and she hadn't realized how badly she wanted to see his face until all that was in her way was a piece of wood.

She could feel his reluctance as he opened it, just enough for him to stand in the doorway. He looked normal, except for the dark circles under his eyes, but she should have expected that.

Standing here, she wanted so badly to embrace him, to be held by him. It took everything in her to not take those two steps forward and wrap her arms around him. To soak in his warmth and stability he always offered her.

And she could see that he felt it too, the urge, the need. His hand tightened around the edge of the door, knuckles white.

"You're not going to make this any easier if you-" he started, voice just a touch raspy.

"Snoke came to the cafe today," she interrupted.

Kylo's face paled, eyes darting over her like he was looking for some evidence that she had been hurt or marked by him. After a second, a flash of relief crossed his face and he stepped aside to let her in, realizing this wasn't a conversation for the hallway.

Rey only took a few steps inside before turning to face him, a million things she wanted to say rising in her throat. She struggled to push them all down, to keep her thoughts clear. She wanted to embrace him, to kick him, to kiss him and hold him.

"What did he want?" he asked. She could see it in his face, that he was desperately clinging to the last remnants of calm inside of him. That he was so close to breaking.

"To threaten and bribe me," she replied. "No surprise there."

Kylo looked at her expectantly. "And? Did you tell him that we are done? That you aren't seeing each me anymore?"

"No, I didn't," Rey admitted, the rest of the words following before she could stop them. "I told him that I was going to ruin him and he was going to regret the day he decided to underestimate us."

He just stared at her, like he was waiting for the punchline. Like he couldn't comprehend the words coming out of her mouth.

"Why- why would you do that?" he finally asked.

Rey knew she had to be careful and smart about what she said, about how she spoke to him right now. But his stubbornness, his refusal to understand where she was coming from was driving her insane.

"Because it's the truth," she said. "You obviously didn't think this through, your self-sacrificing plan to protect me from Snoke. He knows who I am, where I work and live. If he wants to get me thrown in jail or hire someone to murder me, dumping me isn't going to do a thing to change that."

Kylo's face crumpled, and she saw that he knew she was right. He knew but he didn't have it in him to not try to help her.

"I knew that when I chose to help you," Rey told him. "It was my choice and I knew the consequences. And I'm ready to do something about him, to help you. You don't have to be alone in this, no matter how much you think you deserve to be."

He shook his head slowly, ebony locks falling in his face. "You don't understand, this isn't about me. He's going to come back and I can't have you caught in the crossfire. I won't let it happen."

Stubborn idiot.

"You listen to me, Kylo Ren," she growled, closing the few steps between them and jabbing a finger at him. "You don't get to tell me what to do. You chose to be in a relationship with me, you chose to hope that this could become something. And it did! And all those weeks ago, you told me that I was worth trying for. You can't change your mind now."

"I can change my mind if I want to," he shot back, sounding like a petulant child.

Rey wanted to kick him in the stubborn tilt of his jaw. "No, you don't. Not when you don't mean it, not when it's just because of some stupid plan of yours. I won't let you throw this away because you think you know best and you're afraid!"

"I'm trying to help you," he growled back, his own frustration coming through. "Why are you so determined to put yourself in danger?"

"Because it's where you are!" She exclaimed, sounding borderline hysterical. "We are supposed to figure this out together, that's what being in a relationship means! I won't abandon you and if you keep pushing me away, I will continue to fight Snoke on my own! Is that what you want?"

He looked horrified at the thought. "Of course not! I want you gone, I want you as far away from this as you can get."

"Well too fucking bad," she spat out. "Maybe you should have thought about this before you decided to spend the last few weeks with me! Did you really think I'd just walk away from you and go about my life?"

"If you were smart, you would!"

Rey let out a laugh of disbelief. "Well, I guess I'm a goddamn idiot then because I'm not going anywhere. If you'd pull your head out of your ass, you'd realize I'm making sense."

She advanced until they were only inches away. "Did you hear me? I'm not going anywhere. Just accept it so we can move on and attack the real issue at hand."

Kylo let out a noise of pure frustration, hands fisted at his sides. They were in each other's faces, nearly yelling, and Rey was grinding her teeth so hard that her jaw ached.

"Why do you have to be so fucking stubborn?" He yelled, looking like he wanted to grab her and shake some sense into her. That made two of them.

"Because I fucking love you!" She shrieked right in his face.

He sucked in a sharp breath, stumbling back like she had hit him.

Just like that, all of the anger was sucked out of the room, leaving behind silence and a strange feeling of expectation, like they were teetering on the edge of something.

Rey hadn't realized she was crying until she tasted salt.

"I love you, you big idiot," she sniffled, brushing tears off of her cheeks. "And we're going to do this together. You don't get to make this decision for me, not matter how much you want to protect me. It's my choice and I chose to be with you, no matter what."

It was hard but she refused to look away as he took two hesitant steps towards her. His brown eyes were shining with emotion, the look on his face indescribable.

"You love me?" He asked hoarsely, stopping just a few inches away from her.

This wasn't how she had planned on telling him, angry and in the heat of the moment. But it was too late, she could only forge ahead.

"Of course I do." Lifting her chin to look him in the eyes, she gave him a small, wobbly smile. "How could you doubt that after all of this?"

Kylo just reached out and cupped her face in his hands, thumbs brushing away lingering tears.

"You give me too much," he whispered. "I don't deserve you."

Before she could respond, he leaned down and kissed her gently, soft lips caressing her own. His hands trembled against her face as she lifted up on her tiptoes, deepening the kiss.

It was the most tender kiss he had ever given her and he tasted of sorrow and hope, of unspoken dreams that he'd never allowed himself to consider possible.

"I love you," he murmured against her lips. "I love you."

He repeated it a dozen times, pressing tiny kisses across her mouth with each declaration. Rey couldn't remember ever feeling like this, a heady mixture of giddiness, contentment, and love. She would die for this man and give anything to live with him.

She pulled her face away reluctantly. "Does this mean you aren't dumping me?"

Kylo sighed heavily, leaning his forehead against hers. "I don't see what good it would do now. You're obviously too crazy and stubborn to listen to me. I can't let you go after Snoke on your own."

Rey was grinning so big that her face hurt. "And now you're stuck with me."

His face went solemn. "I could never ask you to do this with me, Rey. Snoke… he's serious."

She reached out and twined his fingers with her. "You don't have to ask. We're in this together now. You and me, the whole time. Promise me."

The look he gave her was one of reverence, like she was the most precious thing he'd ever find. Like he had never dared to hope that someone would care about him enough to stand by his side.

"I promise," he swore, bringing their clasped hands up to his mouth and pressing a kiss to her knuckles.

Rey's heart soared at the words, knowing he meant it.

Kylo pulled her against him, arms tight, and let out a shuddering breath into her hair.

"I just want- I need to be close to you right now," he whispered. "Can I-"

She nodded against him. "Anything."

Leaning down, he picked her up gently and carried her into the bedroom, tucked against his chest. Without needing to say anything, they both stripped down and crawled into bed together, Kylo positioning himself above her.

Even after all they'd been through, the way he gazed down at her made Rey blush.

"You're so beautiful," he told her softly, lips grazing the side of her neck.

He pressed light kisses along her jaw and the column of her throat, the delicate brush of his lips against her skin sending spirals of heat along her body.

Kylo continued down, lips tasting every inch of her collarbone, between her breasts. She bit her lip as his warm breath ghosted across her nipple but he just kept moving, kissing the ticklish skin over her ribs. When he made his way down her stomach and to her hips, he just nipped gently at her hipbone then continued down the length of her leg.

By the time his mouth got back up to her thighs, Rey was shivering, her breathing a little heavy. Then, he did the same to the other leg. All the way to her ankle, something she never realized could turn her on. But the sight of him, kneeling naked before her, teeth grazing the delicate bone of her ankle… Fuck, she was on fire.

"Kylo," she pleaded, shaking with need. "Kiss me."

She wanted his mouth on hers more than she'd ever wanted anything. His lips were red and just slightly swollen, begging to be kissed.

"I am kissing you," he replied, but slid back up until his face hovered over her chest. He gave her a heated look, eyes nearly sparking in the dimly lit room.

"Kiss you here?" he murmured, lips just barely brushing against her nipple. A moan ripped its way from her before she could stop it.

He shifted, mouth sealing over her other nipple for the briefest second, hot and wet.

"Or here?" he asked, and she could feel his grin against her skin.

Her mind struggled to catch up. "Yes," she finally gasped out, and he chuckled.

Kylo apparently decided to take pity on her though, finally touching her. His right hand came up to roll her nipple gently, his tongue licking her other one with flat, rasping strokes that she felt down to her core.

Rey cried out, hips bucking against him. For a moment, his bare cock pressed against her wetness and god, she wanted him inside of her so bad.

He glanced up, eyes meeting hers, and she could see that he wanted it too.

"I need you," she whispered. "Now."

Kylo debated for a second. He obviously had a plan to tease her, to drag this out for a while. But Rey just needed him inside of her, just needed to be close to him. She had almost lost him to his own stubbornness and she needed to know he was real and he was hers.

He pulled himself back up, arms braced on either side of her head, caging her in. Then, with a slow, deliberate move, he was inside of her.

"Fuck," he gasped, trembling against her. His forehead came down to rest on her shoulder as he pressed all the way inside of her, his cock filling her completely.

Rey couldn't believe that she had almost lost him, lost this. This connection, the bliss of being together like this, the undeniable perfection of it… she had almost lost it.

Her legs wrapped around his waist and her hands clutched at his arms, biceps firm under her grasp, as she pulled him down. His cock stretched her perfectly as he pulled out and pushed back him, rubbing every part of her just right.

"Don't ever leave me again," she whispered, urging him closer, his thrusts deeper.

Kylo lifted his head and kissed her tenderly, slowing his movements. His tongue swiped at her lips, slick and hot in her mouth as he tasted every inch. She could only moan and hold on to him, kissing him back with everything she had. It was always so raw and unrestrained between them and she loved it.

"Never," he replied, pulling away a few inches. "Never."

He sat up, pulling her with him to settle on top of him. Rey moaned as this angle hit something deep inside of her, that delicious place that made her thighs shake and her stomach tighten.

She rocked up and down on him as he guided her with his hands on his hips, thrusting up as she slid down. The look on his face as he watched her ride him was indescribable, his lips parted, eyes glazed over.

His hands cupped her breasts gently, thumbing brushing her sensitive nipples in time with her thrusts and Rey could feel wetness running down her thighs and sticking to their skin.

"Kylo, I'm close." Rey could feel the coil tightening in her stomach, the liquid heat rushing under her skin. Her breath caught in her chest as one of his hands dipped down and rubbed her clit purposefully, his thick fingers knowing just how to touch her.

"I've got you," he breathed. "Come for me."

She orgasmed seconds later, pulsing and trembling on top of him as the tension in her stomach exploded in a wave of pleasure. He moaned as she tightened around him, at the wet heat that surrounded him and left her breathless.

Kylo followed her a minute later, hips stuttering and her name leaving his lips.

"I love you," he gasped out, cock swelling inside of her. "I fucking love you."

He twitched, moaning her name as he came in hot pulses that filled her to the brim. Rey could feel the liquid heat of it slipping down her thighs, painting streaks on her skin.

"I love you too," she whispered into his shoulder.

…

A while later, they laid in bed naked together, Rey comfortably tucked against Kylo's side, her head on his shoulder.

He had told her he loved her then showed her with his body and with his touch. Hearing Kylo gasp her name and that he loved her as he came inside of her was something that she never wanted to forget.

"I never thought I'd have this," he admitted, running a finger up and down the length of her arm softly. It was borderline ticklish but she was too sleepy to move and too happy with the contact to ask him to stop.

"What? Amazing sex?" She asked teasingly, then winced when she realized how insensitive and awful that sounded.

But he just chuckled, the sound rumbling through his chest.

"I mean this. You. Someone to care about. A future to look forward to."

She knew what he meant. It was overwhelming to think about, that you found someone you want to be with for the rest of your life. Even more overwhelming when you truly expected to be alone forever.

Kylo sighed softly. "When I'd lie awake at night and try to make a plan for the future, all I could see was darkness. I was struggling to make it, one day at a time. I knew I could never go home, never have a relationship with my mother. I had no friends or anyone to confide in."

She had seen it in him, that night he opened the door. A bleak sort of hopelessness that shadowed his eyes.

He pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head before continuing. "And then you came along… some nosy girl poking around in my business. Glad to see that hasn't changed."

"Hey!" Rey exclaimed, whacking him on the arm. But she was laughing and could feel him doing the same.

"I mean it," he said, grabbing the hand she had whacked him with and pressing a kiss to it. "I'm glad you knocked on my door that night. You surprised me, beauty and boldness in one nosy little package."

She grinned, the whole thing seeming so silly now. "I was surprised at how massive you are."

He rolled them over so they were facing each other. A huge grin was spread across his face, brown eyes filled with a playful gleam.

"Really? That's all you have to say?"

She arched an eyebrow at him. "Well, I wasn't expecting a giant to answer the door."

Kylo just gave her a look and she rolled her eyes.

"Fine, fine. I might have thought you were good looking. Possibly ridiculously attractive, but don't let it go to your head."

"Too late," he teased.

Rey thought back to that night, remembering when he'd opened the door.

"I thought you were beautiful but sad," she said softly, lost in the memory. "Looking at you, I could tell that there was an emptiness in your life, like something was missing."

Kylo was quiet for a long second. "I think it was you," he said softly.

Rey had never believed in true love or soul mates or anything like that. People only believed in it once they had someone who made them think it was real. But Kylo saying that, and everything that had happened between them and led to this point, it was hard to not think fate had brought them together in some way.

Two broken things made whole when put together.

"I think I was waiting for you too," she admitted, feeling strangely overwhelmed by her thoughts. But, even back then, when they were first getting to know each other, something about him called to her.

He watched her think, his own expression thoughtful. Then, abruptly, he laughed.

"What?" Rey demanded as he laughed harder, chest heaving.

Kylo shook his head. "Nothing it's just… it's funny to think that I'm here in bed with you now. Like, that we're together. I would have never thought this would happen."

She smiled, knowing exactly what he meant. At least she hadn't been trying to convince him not to date her through a good portion of their relationship. Looking at it now, she realized Kylo was a bit of a drama queen and the thought made her giggle.

They laid around in bed for a while, snuggling and talking about first impressions and secret thoughts. But they couldn't ignore the real world forever, not matter how much Rey wished they never had to leave this bed.

"Kylo," she sighed, getting his attention. He'd been curled on his side, tracing freckles across her body for the last ten minutes.

"Hmmm?"

She hated to bring it up but she had to. "You know you need to go see your mom tomorrow, right?"

His hand stilled against her skin and she felt him exhale roughly.

"I know," he muttered quietly. "I already called her last night, she's expecting me there in the morning. I didn't tell her why I was coming though."

Rey could hear the anxiety in his voice, his struggle to remain calm. "Do you want me to come with you?" she asked.

Kylo hesitated. "I wouldn't want to make you-"

She interrupted before he could get going on a rant. "Kylo… do you want me there?"

"Please," he whispered, kissing her shoulder.

"Then I'll come," she told him, not caring about missing another day of work or the fact that bills would be especially painful this month.

Kylo needed her and that was all that mattered.

Thanks to everyone for reading, as always! I won't apologize for all of the fluff in this chapter but I will tell you that it was emotional to write. I posted my first Kylo PoV scene and if you wanna read it, just check out my tumblr, I have info for it there! Thanks everyone!