Chapter Text
Rey and Ben Solo had three activities they always did when spending the morning at the Magic Kingdom. First they would ride the teacups, then they would wait way too long for Peter Pan's Flight (this ride always has the longest line), and then they would get ice cream somewhere. They already did these things a few days ago, but they were back at the Magic Kingdom on the last day of their honeymoon because it was their favorite park. This time, however, they weren't getting Mickey Bars from a snack cart.
When they got to the Plaza Ice Cream Parlor at the end of Main Street, Rey dropped Ben's hand to start doing the running man dance. He watched her with an amused raised eyebrow. "What are you up to?"
"Do the ice cream freeze!" Rey pause mid-step and punched the air. "Strike your pose!" She shook her arms. "Then you do the milkshake!" She swiveled down towards the ground. "Shake it, shake it down low."
Ben reached down to pull Rey up by the elbows after she fell back on her bottom with an oof. "What ice cream do you want? The sign said they have peppermint this month."
Rey brushed off the back of her jeans. "Let's get the peppermint with the chocolate sauce."
They went inside to order the Mickey Kitchen Sink to share. Two scoops of peppermint ice cream, chocolate sauce, whipped cream, chocolate chips, and cherries on top, AND they got to keep the bowl that looked like Mickey Mouse pants in the shape of a sink.
Rey held her Mickey sink sundae in her hands and did a skid on their way to the door. "Do the snow cone slide left to right!" She raised the sundae above her head. "Put your hands in the air and we can party all night!"
Ben followed her to a table outside with a view of the castle. "Oh I plan to party all night!" He waggled his eyebrows.
"Benjamin Solo, are you recording me?"
Ben dug his spoon into the sink with his free hand. "Just Ben. Rose wants to know if this comes with Dole Whip."
Rey crossed her arms. "No and don't change the subject."
"I already told you I'm just Ben."
Rey waved her spoon in the air. "Not that part. How long have you been recording?"
Ben was silent a moment as he ate a spoonful of ice cream. "Peppermint was a good idea."
"BEN!"
"Maybe since they started making the sundae?"
Rey licked some chocolate sauce off her spoon. "Sooooo everyone saw me dancing?"
"Yep." Ben spanned his phone around so everyone in his Facebook Live video could see the castle.
"And everyone heard you say we're having sex all night?"
Ben nearly dropped his phone. "WHAT! I didn't say that!"
Rey made finger quotes. "'I plan to party all night.' We're newlyweds and everyone is an adult. They're not stupid."
Ben leaned over to kiss Rey's cheek. "I love you, my little croissant." He looked down at his phone. "I'm going to stop this before your brother makes you a widow." Hux had just commented, "I will murder you with your new Kylo Ren lightsaber." after leaving a series of sick and angry face emojis. He ended the video and scooped a big spoonful of ice cream into his mouth. At least his father-in-law was excited to see his latest live video. Cassian sent him a thumbs up.
Rey decided that if her brother were yelling at him, then he was punished enough. She really had her father to blame for encouraging him to take a lot of videos. He had told Ben it was practice for being a father. Plus, she did like his party all night plans. She decided to change the subject. "Hey you know what? This is like a normal size version of the Kitchen Sink at Beaches & Cream."
Ben nodded. "That's what Poe said."
××××××××××××
flashback
Rey bopped her head as she pulled out a chair at Beaches & Cream at the Beach Club hotel. They had just ordered the infamous Kitchen Sink to share. This thing would take a group effort. "What time is it? "Time of our lives, anticipation!"
Hux hip-checked his sister. "What time is it? Summertime! School's out, scream and shout!" Hux was excited for this vacation. School was out for him too for the summer. He was halfway through his masters program in urban development at Florida State.
Jyn shook her head as she sat across from them. "You two and those High School Musical movies." She looked at Rose who took a seat next to Hux. "They were obsessed when we moved to America. Cassian and I still have the songs memorized even after all these years."
Rose turned to Hux with a raised eyebrow. "Oh really? I didn't peg you as the made-for-Disney-Channel movie type considering your dour, very wrong opinion on Dole Whip."
Hux shrugged. "It looked much different than school in England. Then I started school here and no one was dancing on the classroom desks."
Rey shoved his shoulder. "As if you would dance on a table."
Paige looked at Cassian and Jyn next to her. "Why did you leave England for Florida anyway? If you don't mind me asking..."
"I was offered a position at Florida State not long after we adopted Rey," Jyn started answering.
"Mum works in the mag lab!" Rey interrupted excitedly. More formally called the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, the Mag Lab was home to the world's largest and highest-powered magnet.
"It was a great offer and Cassian's family lives in Florida because he grew up here, so that made the offer even better."
Cassian nodded along. "I'm a US citizen so that made it easier to move and Jyn to eventually apply for citizenship. I went to England for university to study history and that's when I met Jyn."
Ben was following along on the edge of his seat. "Wait, so does that mean Rey and Hux are US citizens?"
Rey nodded. "Yep! Finish the story, Dad. We get our antique shop in this next part."
Cassian sat up excitedly. He loved his shop. "Right! So I wasn't offered a position at the university, so when we moved here I had no job until I was hired at a local antique shop. The owner Lando—"
Ben's ears perked up. Lando wasn't a common name, especially amongst antique shop owners. "Did you say Lando? Lando Calrissian?"
Cassian nodded. "That's the one!"
Ben sat back stunned. "Shut up."
Rey smacked his shoulder. "Ben! How do you know Lando?"
Ben pushed his hair back and blew out a breath. "He's my dad's best friend who moved to Florida years ago. Tried to set me up with his employee's 16 year old daughter. He called her Sunshine." Ben shook his head. "Crazy old man. I wasn't dating a teen." Ben looked down at Rey. Was she sunshine? Did he miss out on meeting her years ago?
Rey nodded along reluctantly. "That would have been weird, even though that was me. Mum was furious when she heard about it."
Jyn groaned and rested her head in her hands.
Rose gripped her seat. "I feel like there's more. Please tell me there's more."
Cassian hummed. "Not much more. Lando eventually sold me his shop when he wanted to retire. He still comes by sometimes with odds and ends to sell. He acquires some unique items through gambling wins. It's unbelievable what some people will give up."
Ben snorted. "He and my dad were gambling buddies for years. Dad spent a lot of time in Florida for his car races so they met up a lot to play poker. He's still mad my dad kept his favorite car the Falcon. Dad insists he won it fair and square, but Lando..."
Rey squeezed Ben's hand. "Is that why you didn't see your dad much?"
Ben squeezed her hand back. "I was an accident. My parents met in Las Vegas when my mom went with friends to celebrate her 21st birthday. When she got pregnant, my grandparents insisted she get married. I got left with the nanny so she could go to law school and start her job at the firm. My dad barely came around until he retired from racing when I was in high school." Ben shrugged. "And now here I am."
Hux leaned forward to look at Ben. "How did a law student afford a nanny?"
"My grandfather was a senator and he wanted my mom to finish school. Sometimes my grandmother watched me."
Jyn and Cassian looked at each other sadly. They would have given anything to have their own baby and raise it themselves. When they realized it wasn't meant to go that way for them, they adopted, and they dedicated much of their lives to their children.
A server came by then with eight bowls and spoons followed by another server carrying their ginormous kitchen sink sundae. 8 scoops of ice cream, a brownie, a cupcake, one candy bar, cookies, a banana, sprinkles, a whole can of whipped cream, plus much much more.
Paige's eyes got wide. "How do they expect only four people to eat this thing?"
Ben scooped some ice cream and toppings into his and Rey's bowls. "Maybe it's the only thing some people eat all day?" He fed a spoonful of ice cream to Rey.
Hux shivered next to his sister. "Ugh. Stop being so gross."
Poe held up his bowl to examine it. "What did everyone get? Mine looks like strawberry..." He took a taste. "A piece of banana, cookies, and some hot fudge." He nodded to himself. "Good combo!"
Cassian was making a circle around the table zooming in on everyone's bowls. It was a bit of a free-for-all digging whatever they could into their bowls. "Where's the brownie?"
Rey waved him over. "Over here, Dad!" She held her bowl up to him with a smile." Mint chocolate chip ice cream, some brownie, marshmallow cream, and a whole lot of whipped cream. I think," she shoved a spoon of her ice cream into Ben's mouth, "I'll keep you." And then she leaned in to lick the whipped cream off his lips.
Cassian pulled his daughter back by the shoulder with his free hand. "Not at the table, Princesa."
Rey sat back and stuffed a spoonful of ice cream in her mouth. She forgot everyone was here, which was a common occurrence whenever Ben's lips were nearby.
Rose chewed for a moment thinking and giving Cassian a moment to focus on her bowl. "Orange jelly candies with coffee ice cream. An interesting mix, but it works."
Jyn patted her husband's chair. "Sit down and eat your ice cream before it melts."
Ben fed Rey one last spoonful of ice cream before putting his bowl down and pulling Rey to her feet. "We're going to walk along the beach."
Once they were gone, Hux leaned forward to get his mother's attention. "Pssst! Mum!"
Jyn put her bowl down. "Yes?"
Hux pointed towards the exit. "Aren't you worried about how fast they're moving?"
Rose nodded next to him agreeing somewhat, but she supposed when you know, you know. She was happy for her friend.
Jyn dug into her purse and showed him the Disney Wedding brochures she took. Her and Cassian picked them up their second day before meeting the kids at EPCOT. "They recommend 16 months to plan a wedding so they should probably start soon."
"Mum!"
"I'm saving these for your sister to read in the car tomorrow. She's a bit upset I told her she couldn't ride with Ben. I don't know how many of these family trips we have left."
Hux frowned. He had a feeling his mother was right. "Can you at least tell her to stop with the..." he waved to the now empty chairs, "eeeuuunnhh?"
Rose poked his arm. "I think it's sweet. They probably feel like the only ones in the room." She swooned. "Hey, Armie? Would you help me out if I had Dole Whip all over my mouth?"
"Yes. I would give you a napkin. Maybe two," Hux replied as he patted the corners of his own mouth with his napkin. "Not that you would leave any of your precious Dole Whip to be consumed by a napkin."
Down by the water, Ben and Rey walked slowly with their arms around each other's waists. They didn't want to leave yet. It was the last night of their vacations. This was their last activity together before they went back to their hotels for the night and then drove home tomorrow. Ben was already invited to dinner Sunday at the Andor's.
Rey kicked at the sand. "What are you going to do tonight? I think we're going swimming. I love the Art of Animation pool."
Ben dropped his sandals so he could wrap both arms around Rey. "Probably the same thing. Maybe order some pizza and watch a movie." He swayed them a bit. "Text you all night."
Rey dropped her sandals next to Ben's so she could brush the hair off his forehead. "I have a portable phone charger so we can text all we want in the car."
"Call me, beep me, if you wanna reach me. Only when it's not my turn to drive..."
"I just can't wait until I hear my cell phone ring." She ran her fingertips gently over his ears hiding under his hair. "And then I'll see you Sunday?"
"Yeah." Ben leaned down to kiss her. It wasn't a goodbye kiss. It was a see you later kiss. He only knew Rey for a few days, but he had no doubt someday he would never need to give her a see you later kiss again. One day soon, Rey would be going home with him. "Don't say good night. You know, you had me at hello."
"I don't think we said hello when we met. You were all about the street savoir faire, but you don't have to try that hard. You already had my heart."
Ben held Rey against his shoulder. "Hold, hold, hold, hold you tight now 'cause I'm not, not good to go."
××××××××××××
"Please stand clear of the doors Por favor manténgase alejado de las puertas."
Ben wrapped his arm around Rey's shoulders. They just sat down on the monorail that would take them away from the Magic Kingdom to the Grand Floridian. It wasn't too crowded yet because they left the park early to go swimming one last time then get dinner in the club lounge. After that, they were going to watch the fireworks and Electrical Water Pageant from the beach.
Rey fiddled with the zipper on her bag as she looked out the window. "We got time to go back to the Plaza Ice Cream Parlor tomorrow morning?" They were planning to check out as late as they possibly could from their hotel before stopping at the Art of Animation for lunch at Landscape of Flavors and to see their Christmas decorations. The ones at this hotel were especially interesting. White garlands and wreaths and trees were covered in colorful bobbles and Disney character sketches.
Ben looked down at her. "Didn't we just go there today? I have Mickey's butt in a bag as proof." He pointed to the bag by his feet.
Rey continued gazing out the window. "Yeah, but they're going to have Minnie's butt tomorrow. Something about a special for Mickey's 90th birthday. We need both butts."
Ben kissed the back of her head. "Sure. I promise not to record this one."
Rey grinned up at him. "You know, you're pretty good company when you're not revealing our secrets on Facebook Live."
Ben leaned down to kiss her. "You are the best company. I love you, Rey."