Chapter Text
Ben Solo was a man of routine. Nearly every evening, with the exception of days when the weather was poor, he headed to the nearby dog park just before sunset with his Great Dane, Kylo. He found that the daily fresh air and time with his pet was just what he needed to destress and clear his head at the end of his busy days. Plus, it certainly helped that the dog park was usually empty, or close to it, around that time.
Their schedule usually went as follows; Ben would get home from work, set down his things, and immediately greet Kylo, whose enthusiasm to see him never failed to earn a small smile from the otherwise solemn man. He’d grab a tennis ball and Kylo’s leash, and they would take off on the familiar ten minute walk to the park. Indeed, the proximity to the park was one of the things that made Ben choose his current place.
Once at the park he’d play fetch with Kylo for a bit or practice the agility course with him, and if the dog was feeling more independent or just wanted to run around, he’d take a seat at the benches on the periphery and read. Every minute or so, Ben would look up from his book and locate Kylo to make sure the sleek black dog wasn’t getting into trouble, despite knowing that wasn’t a likely possibility, since he had taken great care to make sure his pet was exceptionally well-trained. It had always irritated him when people didn’t train their pets, and he had run into far too many poorly-trained dogs to take that chance with his own dog.
This particular evening was transpiring just like any other; after Kylo grew bored of fetch, Ben sat at the benches reading his worn paperback while Kylo made it his mission to sniff every square inch of the park. The weather was beginning to shift from sweltering summer days to the cooler temperatures of autumn, and Ben relished in the breeze that swirled against his skin. Having always run hot, the chilly weather suited him far better. The pleasantly crisp air, one of his favorite novels for company, and the solemnity of an empty dog park (save Kylo, of course), were making for a very nice evening, one that was sorely needed after the horrible day he’d had at work. For a moment, he closed his eyes and revelled in the peace, letting it seep into his weary bones.
Ben was quickly snapped out of his peaceful reverie at the sound of a loud, British, and distinctly female voice. He snapped his head up to locate the source, an instinctual look of agitation on his face.
“BB8, no!” he heard a woman cry, chasing after a tiny but surprisingly fast blur of orange fur that was barrelling right towards him. Ben looked up just in time to brace himself before the puppy launched himself at his legs, jumping up to greet him and leaving several muddy pawprints on his pants.
“Bad puppy!” the woman scolded, but her tone was less chastising and more entertained. Ben, however, did not share in her amusement. With an eye roll, he gently removed the little corgi’s paws from his legs and set the dog on the ground, away from him.
“I am so sorry!” the owner said, stifling a giggle. Ben looked at her, his eyes narrowed, fully prepared to scold her for her dog’s bad behavior, but the sight of her made him pause in his tracks for a split second.
The woman was exceptionally stunning. Her heart-shaped face and high cheekbones were flushed, probably with a combination of exertion and the cold air. Her eyes were a warm and sparkling brown, wide and ever-so slightly turned up at the corners; they were the kind of eyes someone could get lost in, that much he knew immediately. She had a pert, straight nose and plump pink lips that framed a wide and toothy smile. Her pale golden skin was decorated with a constellation of freckles that begged to be traced with fingers or lips alike.
Ben stared for a split second too long and was immediately flooded with embarrassment, which he prayed did not show on his face. Then, he remembered why she was standing in front of him in the first place; she and her rascally little dog had disturbed his peace, the pup having jumped up on him and muddied his pants.
“It’s fine,” he managed to say, albeit harshly and coldly. “But you really shouldn’t let your dog off-leash yet until they’re trained.” He only meant to point it out, and maybe make her feel a little bit bad for her dog’s behavior, but as soon as the words slipped out of his mouth, and he saw the look of offense on her face, he realized they would probably be received poorly.
“It’s a dog park,” she said in annoyance. “They’re supposed to be able to run around off-leash. And besides, he’s only a puppy.” she gathered her little orange dog up in her arms, almost protectively.
“Puppies can be trained,” Ben replied.
“I’m working on it, okay?” the woman scoffed. “Don’t you remember when your dog was a puppy?”
“Kylo never jumped up on people like that,” Ben stood up and pointedly attempted to brush the wet dirt off of his slacks.
“Sorry my dog can’t be a perfect angel like yours,” the woman said sarcastically. “I’m sorry, okay? But it’s just a little mud, I’m sure it will come right out.”
“These are dry clean only,” Ben muttered in annoyance.
“Ok, fine, I’ll pay for them to be dry cleaned if you’re so bothered.” the woman placed a hand on her hip.
“I highly doubt you can afford my dry cleaning,” Ben remarked.
Her face reddened further. “That’s incredibly rude,” she spat.
“Just being honest,” he shrugged nonchalantly.
“Alright, well sorry again, I’ll keep my distance.” she glared at him and took her dog with her to an empty corner of the park. He could hear her talking to the puppy as she went.
“Come on, BB8, we won’t let that grumpy man bother us, will we,” she leaned in and kissed the puppy’s tiny nose.
Ben rolled his eyes and attempted to get back to his book, but he couldn’t help but be distracted by her presence. She played animatedly with her little corgi, trying to get him to chase a ball she’d brought, and clapping for him loudly when he managed to get his tiny mouth around it long enough to bring it back to her. Her chipper voice chimed in his ears as she called excitedly for her dog and ran around the park with him. Ben tried not to dwell on how good her legs and ass looked in the tight black leggings she wore, only made more obvious as she ran, lunged, and jumped around with her pet.
He was sneaking another glance at her when he felt a nudge at his side. Kylo had come over to him and was staring at the woman and her puppy, looking at the pair and then back at his owner as if to ask permission to join them.
“You don’t want to play with them , do you?” he said skeptically.
Kylo only continued to look longingly at the woman and her dog. Ben rolled his eyes.
“Not today, buddy. Not them.”
Kylo pouted slightly but seemed to understand, and went back to sniffing around where he was before. Satisfied, Ben returned his attention to his worn novel.
Only a few minutes later, he glanced up to see his sneaky black dog dancing around the woman’s legs. He looked up just in time to see Kylo sitting excitedly at her feet, and she extended her small hand to the dog to offer up a treat. He gladly took it, and the woman pet the top of his head as he gobbled up his gift.
“What are you doing?” Ben called out harshly to her, hopping up from his seat in alarm. “You can’t give him treats.”
She rolled her eyes. “It was just one , and he earned it. He sat and shook.” she gestured to Kylo, who was sitting enthusiastically at her feet, his tail wagging swiftly.
“ Traitor,” Ben muttered under his breath. “He can’t eat that PetSmart bullshit,” Ben called out, walking over to her.
“Relax, it’s literally just chicken,” she said, holding up a plastic baggie containing shredded meat.
“You shouldn’t give other people’s dogs treats,” Ben said as he approached her, crossing his arms across his chest.
“Okay, and I’m sorry. Won’t happen again.” she rolled her eyes slightly and turned to Kylo. “Even if he is such a good boy. You’re such a good widdle boy, aren’t you?” she said to the dog in a baby voice, scratching behind his ears.
“Don’t talk to him like that,” Ben said in annoyance. “He’s not a baby.”
She shot him a look. “Aww, your daddy is no fun,” she said, still scratching Kylo enthusiastically. Ben tried to ignore the way he swallowed thickly when she said “ daddy ,” willing away the images that filled his brain at the sound of the word coming out of her beautiful mouth.
“You need to lighten up,” she turned to Ben and said with a grin.
Ben neglected to reply, letting his hardened gaze speak for him. “Come on, boy, it’s time to go.” he gestured for Kylo to follow him.
The black dog pouted slightly and paused, looking back at the woman and her puppy, evidently hesitant to leave his new playmates.
“Kylo,” he warned, giving the dog a serious look. Still, he didn’t budge, staying firmly glued to the woman’s side.
“Kylo, come ,” he said a little more forcefully. With a dramatic snort, Kylo followed.
“Had to be called three times ? God, you better get him in obedience classes.” the woman said sarcastically. Ben shot her a look before turning to leave, his dog walking forlornly by his side. Once he was safely out of earshot, he turned to his dog and spoke.
“You made me look bad back there, buddy. What was with you?” he whispered, shaking his head. Kylo pouted further, lowering his head in a dramatic frustration. He clearly wanted to stay with the woman and her crazy puppy, a sentiment Ben couldn’t understand.
As the pair approached the gate and Ben clipped Kylo’s leash on, he heard the woman’s voice calling out to them.
“Bye Kylo! It was lovely to meet you!” she called out happily. “Next time I’ll bring extra chicken for you!”
“Don’t even think about it,” Ben grumbled back at her before turning to leave. He heard her chuckle to herself before returning her attention to her puppy.
Ben began his normally serene walk home. Kylo was clearly bothered, angry at having been dragged away from his new friends so quickly. He kept shooting dramatic looks at Ben, which were met with scoffs and eye rolls.
His dog’s immediate obsession with the woman and her dog was a mystery to him. Normally, Kylo was slow to warm up to people, preferring to stay at his owner’s side and away from others. But for some reason, he seemed to love this woman immediately? It didn’t make sense. What was with Kylo’s random preoccupation with her? He shook his head in disbelief.
But as the pair got home and Ben continued with his normal evening routine, he found himself distracted. He could hardly focus on his briefings for work without her face popping into his head. She haunted his thoughts, and he internally scorned his subconscious for letting her distracting beauty overshadow his annoyance with her.
That night, when he settled into bed, displeased with the lack of work he’d gotten done due to his failure to focus, she floated to the front of his mind once more. He tried to shake her from his thoughts, but she seemed determined to stay put. As he drifted off into an exasperated sleep, her face was the last thing he saw.
KYLO:
BB-8:
