A/N: Hey guys! So! This is the H of ABCs of Writing Prompt. This is probably just going to be along one-shot, but I've been wrong before so let's see where this adventure takes us! Lots of fluff! Prepare for the floof! R&R. Enjoy!

High

Ben x Rey

The carnival was in town. A bunch of them wanted to go, but there was just one problem... Rey wanted Ben to go, too. Ben had always been the loner. No one really wanted to spend any time with him. Whenever he said something, it was always bitingly sarcastic and dripping with venom. Rey liked to push him though. They always had this playful little banter going on. She was the only one that wasn't affected by his sarcasm and abrupt behavior. If fact, she even thought it endearing. It took a quick-witted person the as sarcastic and biting as he was. She admired his mind. He wasn't bad looking either.

When Rey asked if she could invite Ben, everyone groaned and complained that it wouldn't be any fun with him there. Rose, however, thought differently about it. She reasoned that everyone needed a friend to pull them out of the house sometimes, and Rey was that person for Ben. She invited Rey to call him. Rey had debated it for a while before she actually did. Which was where they were now. Rey sat in her room quietly, staring at the phone that had his contact number in it. Would it be weird if she called him to ask him to go to the carnival? Would he think her childish? She didn't really care, but... She kind of did. She just wanted to be his friend. He was shunned by everyone. He came across as the bad boy of the bunch, but Rey knew that was just a front. A mask that he held up because he didn't trust anyone enough to actually let down his defenses. She'd been the only person to talk to him. Poe always fought with him. Finn avoided him. Rose smiled at him, but got nowhere. Zorii was snarky with him. No one really showed him any care. Rey had tried, over and over again, to show that she was trying to be his friend. When she thought she was getting nowhere, Rose would always comment on how what she thought was something insignificant was actually a milestone.

She lifted her phone and pressed the dial button, ready to tackle this problem. "Who's this?" Ben asked from the other side.

Rey brightened a little, not knowing why she was so happy to hear his voice on the other line. "It's Rey."

There was a brief silence. "What do you want?" It wasn't anything mean, just... indifferent.

She thought for a moment and sighed to herself. Here goes... "A bunch of us are going out for some fun at the carnival. I was wondering if you'd like to come?"

Another period of silence. "A carnival? Really?"

Her brows furrowed. Here came the assault. "Yes, Ben. A carnival. Are you scared of fun?"

He scoffed on the other end. "Hardly."

"Then come," she said, a smile on her lips and relaying it in her voice. There was another period of silence, as if he were debating it. "What else do you have to do?"

He let out a sigh on the other end. "What time?"

Rey brightened when she realized she won. "Meet at the park in an hour. See you there, Ben!" She hung up the phone and smiled happily. He said yes!

X~X~X~X~X~X~X

An hour later, Rey met everyone at the park. Rose, Zorii, Poe, Finn... "Where's Ben?"

Poe scoffed. "You really think he'll show up, Rey? He won't show up."

Rey glared at Poe. "He said he would come. Don't doubt him until he actually bails."

Finn frowned and sighed softly. "Rey... Ben doesn't like us. Why are you so sure he'll come?"

"Because he said he would. He gave his word he would. If he doesn't show, then I'll know his word means nothing. But until then, I have faith he'll come." Rose gave her a smile and stood next to her. Poe shrugged. Finn gave her a small sad smile. Zorii looked indifferent.

A few more minutes passed and Rose gasped. "Rey?" Rey looked at Rose. "Don't look now... but he's here."

Rey turned around quickly and nearly fell over when she saw him walking down the street, hands in his pockets, dressed in his traditional black. She grinned at him as he walked closer, his dark eyes flicking up to see the looks on everyone's faces. "Ben-"

"Well, well, well. Ya made it," Poe said with an arrogant grin. "Fashionably late, I see."

Ben scoffed and rolled his eyes. Poe was such a jerk... Rey elbowed his ribs and glared at him. Ben watched the exchange with mild curiosity. "Glad you could make it, Ben," Rose said with a smile. Ben said nothing as he looked around. "Carnival is this way," Rose said as she bounced off ahead of everyone.

Finn ran to catch up to the energetic woman. Poe and Zorii walked side-by-side and Rey hung back with Ben. "I see now why you wanted me to come," Ben said with mild disgust.

"Why's that?" Rey asked curiously.

Ben nodded at the group. "You didn't want to be the fifth wheel."

Rey looked ahead and saw that everyone was paired off. "I didn't even think about that honestly."

He scoffed in return. "Sure..."

She nudged him with her elbow. "I didn't. I truly wanted you to come."

"Oh, really? And why's that?"

"You never get invited anywhere to have fun. I thought it would be nice for you to come hang out and have some fun..." she said with a shrug.

Ben looked at her, gaze studying her carefully. "I get invited places. I choose not to go."

"How come?"

"Because I hate people," he said simply.

Rey's steps faltered for a moment before she pushed to keep up with his longer strides. "Not everyone is bad, Ben."

Ben rolled his eyes. "Why do you even care anyway?"

She paused for a moment, unsure as to how to answer that. She noticed that same lonely look in his eyes that she once had and wanted to save him? She was sure that wouldn't fly with him... "No one deserves to be alone."

"And what if I like being alone?"

Rey looked up at him then with a small smile. "Then you wouldn't have come tonight," she said as she kept walking, making Ben's steps falter this time. She got him. She actually got him. He let his lips curl into a small grin as he continued his strides, catching up with her easily. "Let's try to have fun tonight."

Ben remained silent as they entered into the gates. He looked around and watched as all of the others scattered. He looked down at Rey and saw her sigh. He had to admit that her patience was remarkable. She thought her friends would stick together, but they all abandoned her and Ben the first chance they got. Ben knew that was going to happen. He was only sorry that she was lumped in with him as the abandoned. He paid for tickets and let Rey lead him around, keeping his hands in his pockets the whole time as he looked around. "Hey, Ben? Are you up for a challenge?" Rey asked with a mischievous grin.

He stared at her incredulously. "A challenge?"

Rey nodded. "There's a hoop challenge over there. Let's see who can shoot the most points."

Ben thought about it and smirked before shrugging. "Sure."

Rey led him over to the table and paid as he did and they both took their positions. He grabbed a ball as soon as the buzzer sounded and started throwing ball after ball into the hoop while Rey occasionally missed. Their little competition continued on for the two minutes they were allowed until the buzzer sounded again. Rey looked at her score, then saw Ben's and gawked. "Do you play basketball!?"

He shrugged. The guy that headed up the table told Ben he could choose anything he wanted from the wall and looked at Rey. "Pick something."

Rey blinked and looked around before choosing a small bracelet. Ben helped her put it on and she smiled at it. "What next?" she asked with a grin.

When he was done tightening the loop so it wouldn't fall off, he looked up and around. "Whatever..."

She grabbed his sleeve and pulled him toward the next competition: water gun shooting. They took seats next to each other, paid, and waited for the bell. When the bell went off, they shot at the target, racing to see who could ring the bell first by water weight. When he heard the bell go off, he looked around and saw that Rey had won. He grinned at her shocked face before seeing her smirk at him. She chose her prize and picked out a bracelet for him that matched hers in opposite colors. She motioned for him to give her his wrist and he shook his head. "Oh, come on!"

He studied her for a moment and sighed as he held out his wrist, Rey pushing up his sleeve as she slipped the bracelet on and tightened it so it wouldn't fall off. She grinned victoriously at him and he couldn't help but smirk in reply as he rolled his sleeve back down. "Come on. There's more this way," she said as she darted off into the crowd. He followed behind her slowly, looking down at his wrist that held her gift. He looked back up to see her looking at the mallet game. She watched as Zorii swung and hit at the two out of ten. She got a small stuffed animal. "Ben!" Rey called as she ushered him over. He stood beside her and watched Finn take up the mallet. Finn swung it down and got a four out of ten. He won Rose a medium stuffed animal that looked like a turtle.

Poe stepped up and grinned at Ben. "What's up, Solo? You gonna give it a shot?" he asked as he steadied himself to hit it. Poe swung and got an eight out of ten. He got Zorii a bigger stuffed animal that looked like an eel.

Rey stepped forward for a shot and grinned as she looked at the bell. She knew she wouldn't hit it, but she wondered what she could hit. She swung down and hit a seven. Ben's eyebrows rose a hair at her strength, making even Poe gawk at her. She opted for candy as her prize. "Are you going to try, Ben?" Rey asked with a small smile. Ben thought about it for a moment and shrugged as he stepped forward. He grabbed the mallet and, without preamble, swung it down as hard as he could, smacking the weight into the bell that rang through everyone's ears. Rey laughed and clapped at him. He looked at her and then at the prizes for a moment. He grabbed an orange, black and white penguin and tossed it to Rey, causing her to blush as he retreated to a different location. She quickly followed him, sticking out her tongue at Poe, who was stunned that Ben was stronger than him.

Once Rey caught up to Ben, she grabbed his sleeve to get his attention. When he looked at her, she gave him a small shy smile. "Thanks for the... this," she said as she held up the penguin thing.

He said nothing as he turned back around. He walked toward a food stand and looked at the menu in silence. She stood next to him in line and looked at the menu, too. "What are you getting?" he asked, not taking his eyes off the menu.

Rey hummed in thought. "I think the funnel cake. Those are always good here. What about-" Ben stepped forward and ordered the funnel cake and two drinks, paying for it without another word as he stepped to the side. Rey blinked in surprise as she followed him. "Ben? You didn't have to-"

"I know." He avoided eye contact as he surveyed the carnival again. Maybe... this wasn't so bad after all... When the food was ready, he walked up to retrieve it, resettling at the table across from her. He set a drink in front of her and put the plate of funnel cake in the middle so they could share it. He ripped off a piece and ate it quietly and she did the same in silence, finding the silence comfortable at the given moment. After a few minutes of eating and drinking in a comfortable silence, Ben glanced over at the ferris wheel. "Are you one of those girls that can't live without a ride on the ferris wheel?"

Rey nearly choked on her food as she coughed quietly. Once she regained herself, she shook her head. "No. I dislike them."

That earned Ben's attention. "Oh? Why is that?"

She stared at him, debating what to say. "If you answer a question for me, I'll answer yours," she said with a grin.

He quirked a brow. "Ah, is that how it is?" He thought about it and shrugged. "Fine. A question for a question."

Rey grinned. "Why did you decide to come tonight? You could have easily said no... So why did you choose to come?"

He broke off another piece of the funnel cake, as if using it as an excuse to think about his answer carefully. He knew why he came... but he wouldn't tell her. He searched his brain for anything he could say that would sate her, but when he found nothing, he stood from the table, aggravation setting in. "This is stupid." He started to walk away, leaving Rey behind as she looked down at the plate in front of her.

She frowned and suddenly felt very hurt that he left her like that. She picked at the food mindlessly before standing and walking off in the opposite direction. Maybe he was right... This was stupid. She heard a voice calling her name, but she was too lost in her own thoughts to hear it properly. Then she felt a hand on her wrist, stopping her in her tracks. She blinked out of her stupor and looked at the person holding her wrist. "Ben?"

He sighed in annoyance. "You're deaf, you know that?"

She frowned as she took her wrist away from him. "I thought you were leaving." Ben studied her for a minute and sighed as he shook his head. "Where were you going?"

Ben deadpanned at her. "Restroom."

She blushed as she averted her glance, crossing her arms over her chest, holding the penguin there. "S-so... what next?"

"Ferris wheel. Come on," he said as he grabbed her wrist and dragged her to the wheel in the middle of the carnival.

Rey gasped as she stopped at the bottom of it, looking up at it fearfully. "I... don't want to."

He looked at her curiously. "It's perfectly safe."

"I know that... I just..." She looked at the ground in shame.

He put it together then. She was scared of heights. He gave her a grin that she didn't see. "Listen. If you get on, you can ask all the questions you want and I'll answer them all for as long as the ride lasts. Or I can do whatever you want till the ride ends. Sort of like a twisted game of truth or dare, but I'm at your mercy." She remained motionless for a time. "Or... we can do whatever you like afterwards. Drag me into a doll house or whatever..." She still didn't say anything. He felt a small amount of fear rising. "Rey?"

"I'm scared of heights..."

"Fears can be overcome given the right circumstances." She glanced up at him then and then at the wheel, shrinking back a little. He gave her a slight tug on her wrist, gently tugging her toward him. "Come on. You have to try."

She looked at him and realized he was being supportive. She swallowed her fear and nodded quietly. "Ok..."

He gave her a grin and walked with her to the wheel where they gave the tickets and got on. They sat next to each other and Rey instantly tensed as the wheel started to move. "Think of something else," he said as he relaxed in the seat, careful not to rock or sway it.

She concentrated on the bracelet before a question came to her mind. "Why did you come tonight?" she blurted out.

He glanced over at her and then ahead again before sighing. "You."

Rey looked at him curiously, fear temporarily forgotten. "Me?"

He nodded. "You," he confirmed.

"Why me? Why did I have a say in you coming?"

"I'm... not ready to answer that yet," he said as he gave her a pleading glance.

She caught the hint and nodded quietly. It was working. She felt herself relaxing as she looked out over the city. Her eyes widened at the beautiful view. "Ben," she whispered, breath taken by the view.

He looked at what she was looking at and smirked. "Yeah..." he agreed softly. He saw it, too. The view was perfect.

The wheel came to a sudden jerky stop and Rey gasped as she clung to Ben for support, hand fisting his shirt in panic. He looked down at her and then glanced over the side to see the ride overseer calling on the walkie for help. He sighed and glanced down at Rey. "Why did we stop?"

"It's nothing..." he said as he gently rubbed her back, trying to calm her down.

"What do you mean it's nothing!? We're suspended in the air in a swaying cart!"

He wrapped his arms around her and held her close, gently rubbing her back as he shushed her. "Calm down. We'll be ok. It's just stuck. Nothing bad will happen."

She clung to him without shame as she clenched the penguin close to her, too. He didn't fail to notice that she was holding tight to both him and the gift he'd chosen for her. "Hey... how about those questions?"

She tried to steady her breath as she tried to think of something else to ask him, even if it was mundane. "Favorite color."

"Red."

"Siblings?" she asked, still clinging to him.

"Nope."

"Girlfriend?" she blurted out before she could stop herself. "Crap! I didn't even ask before I started clinging to you! I'm sorry! I'm just-"

Ben started to laugh, breaking Rey of her thought process. She'd never heard such a beautiful sound. She blushed as she stayed where she was, afraid that if she moved, he would end this comforting position. "Rey... If I had a girlfriend, do you honestly think I would be here with you?"

She blushed and shrugged. "Sorry..."

"For what?" he asked, still chuckling.

"For asking..."

He shrugged beneath her. "I did say you could ask anything," he reminded her.

Rey thought for a moment. "Interested in anyone?"

Ben stiffened beneath her, making her realize she made him uncomfortable. "Yes."

She nodded, and that should have been the end of it, but it wasn't. She was curious. What was she like? Who was she? Was it a she? Was Ben gay!? "What's she like?"

He thought for a moment as he idly rubbed his thumb over her back. "Well... From what I've seen so far... she's caring... loyal... optimistic... quick-witted..." He paused for a moment. "Beautiful person, really."

Rey started to calm herself down the more he talked about who he was interested in. "She sounds like a good person. Do you guys have anything in common?"

Ben snickered. "Looks like we're polar opposites, honestly."

"Funny how that works," she laughed softly.

"Yeah... but we're both competitive. Like the occasional quiet time when we're together. We don't need to fill the silence with constant speech or noise, which is nice because talking a lot about everything is just redundant. I'd rather have short meaningful conversations rather than long boring redundant conversations that mean little."

"Me, too." She thought more about this girl that Ben was interested in. "Is she your age?"

Ben laughed again. "Almost ten years younger."

Rey blushed as she looked up at him. "Cradle robber!"

He laughed and shrugged. "Can't help who you fall for."

She thought about it for a minute and looked up at him. "Wait... how old are you?"

Ben grinned at her. "How old do I look?"

Rey studied his face, noticing a pink tinge creeping up his neck. "Twenties..." He smirked at her and shook his head. "Then how old are you?"

He leaned close to her and whispered in her ear with a grin. "Thirty."

Rey blushed at the closeness. His scent assaulted her nose and lingered, driving the blush deeper into her cheeks as it migrated down her neck. "Thirty?" she whispered, clearly shocked by how old he was. He nodded. "Truthfully?"

"I told you I would answer truthfully, didn't I?"

"I guess... but... Thirty!?"

He laughed at her and nodded. "Why is that so hard to believe?"

Rey scoffed. "You don't have any grey hair..."

"So, because I'm thirty, you think I should have grey hair? What are you, five?"

"Twenty, actually." Ben chuckled and looked out over the horizon, joined a minute later by Rey. "So then how old is the girl you like?"

"Your age." Rey remained silent for a moment. "Why are you so interested in who I like anyway?"

Rey felt her face start to heat up again. "J-just trying to think of something else."

"Right... so my relationship status just so happens to be on the list of things you'd rather consider?" he asked, voice full of mirth.

She nudged him quietly and pouted. She realized something then. He was talking with her. Really talking with her. As if he let his guard down. She smiled warmly. "Ben?"

"Hmm?"

She re-positioned herself to look up at him from her place on his chest. He glanced down at her. "I'm glad you came tonight."

His cheeks burned a bright red before he looked away. "Yeah..."

Her grip on his shirt lessened as she let her arm drape around his waist lazily. "Thank you."

"For?"

"The distraction."

He hesitated for only a second. "Anytime."

There was another comfortable silence between them before the wheel jerked forward an inch. Rey gasped as she clung tightly to Ben again. "What's happening?"

Ben glanced down over the side of the cart and saw the guys working on it down there. "They're working on the wheel. It won't be much longer. Better ask away if you don't want to miss out," he teased.

She gave him a small scared smile. "You said... you said you weren't ready to answer a question a while ago..." Ben remained silent, knowing what she was going to ask. "Are you ready yet?"

He looked out over the horizon. "If you answer a few for me first." She nodded. "Are you interested in anyone?"

Rey blushed. "Yes."

"What's he like?"

She thought for a moment. "Rough exterior... but seems like a really nice person when you get to know him. Laid back, with me at least. Quick-witted. Smart. Very admirable. Attractive... tall... He knows just how to make me feel better."

"How old is he?"

She laughed. "He's older than me."

Ben grinned. "Doesn't count. 'Older' is not an acceptable answer."

Rey sat up slightly to look at him with a small smirk. "Ten years older than me, so... your age."

He smirked down at her. "Would he be upset if he knew you were with me?"

She smiled at him. "No. I'm sure he knows you pretty well."

"Oh, really now?" he asked as he leaned closer to her, his hand going behind her head. "And... I suppose he knows how you feel?" She nodded. "Does he feel the same?"

She grinned as she leaned closer. "I'm sure he has an idea. He's smart, after all." Ben grinned as their lips grew closer. "Ben?" He let out a small hum as they still got closer, their eyes fluttering half closed. "You said you would do anything while we were up here... right?"

Ben looked at her with a wide smirk. "That's right. You have an idea?"

She blushed as she leaned closer, her own hand tangling in the hairs at the nape of his neck, causing him to shiver. "Kiss me."

He grinned. "With pleasure," he said as his lips collided with hers in a sweet, delicate kiss. He sat up to better his leverage as his other arm wrapped around her back and pulled her closer to him. She sighed into the kiss, her fingers playing with the hair at his nape. After a few moments of breathlessly tasting each other, Ben pulled away, resting his forehead against hers. He looked at her with a small smirk, her own eyes finding his as she smiled at him.

"Why did you come tonight, Ben?" she whispered, her hand sliding from his nape to gently cup his cheek.

He turned his head ever so slightly to kiss her pulse point on her hand. "To have a chance with you."

She smiled brightly as she leaned in for another kiss. He obliged as he pulled her flush against him, breaths mingling in an intensity neither of them were ready for, but both were willing to accept and return without fail. The wheel started to move again, earning a squeak from Rey as Ben braced himself against the car to keep from falling on her. He stared down at her with a wide grin, earning a flirtatious grin right back at him. "Heights aren't so bad," she whispered as she delicately caressed his cheek, earning a smile from him.

When they reached the bottom, Ben led Rey out by the hand, fingers laced together as Rey clung to his arm happily, clutching the penguin between her and him. When they reached the exit of the wheel's gate, they saw the gang waiting for them there, staring in disbelief. Rose grinned wide and Finn gawked and Poe stared as if they'd both grown seven heads each. Zorii just smirked. "Best carnival yet?" Rose asked.

Rey smiled as she looked up at Ben. "Best carnival yet."

Poe blinked several times. "Wait... aren't you scared of heights?" Zorii smacked him on the back of the head.

Rey grinned at Ben, who leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Not anymore."