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Prompt for “The way you said ‘I love you’”

#15 – Loud, so everyone can hear

Kylo watched her gliding in someone else’s arms, painfully aware of a time years ago when that could have been him; had he not been such a fuck-up.

He ran a hand through his hair as he tugged on his tie, stifled by his emotions, eyes fixated on the happy couple.

“Hey everyone! Gonna take a bit of a break now, eat some cake and rest your feet,” one of the band members’ was talking through the audio system and broke his concentration – fixation, really.

Rey smiled and pointed towards the doorway and he kissed her cheek as she left, Kylo’s eyes tracked her and his feet began following without a second thought. He didn’t have the best reputation for thinking things through, but he knew without a doubt he would pay for this soon – and painfully.

He pushed the doors open and looked at either side of the hallway, empty of people – Rey was nowhere to be seen, but he took off in a direction. No one ever called him indecisive – no one except for her, of course.

Kylo ran by a pillar and nearly turned down the next hallway when he heard her voice.

“What are you doing here, Kylo?”

His body froze and he turned slowly, taking her in; she had looked so blissfully happy as she left the room, but up close he could see in her eyes the toll everything was taking on her.

“You invited me,” he said simply.

Rey rolled her eyes and pushed off the pillar she had been leaning against, “Don’t be obtuse – I mean what are you doing here – were you following me?”

He took a step towards her and watched as her body tensed up – he froze mid step before answering, “I don’t know – just felt I had to follow you.”

She laughed almost bitterly, a sound that didn’t suit her and made him flinch as she pushed off and began walking back towards the doorway to the party.

“That’s just like you, Kylo,” she spat his name and he realized with a start she was still miraculously talking to him and he jolted forward, jogging slightly to walk beside her. “You never know anything. That’s the problem isn’t it?”

“Are we really having this conversation again? I thought we were past that – I mean you invited me here for Christ’s sake.” He clenched his fists, not knowing what he had expected – they hadn’t talked in years until he got the invitation. He had been stunned, but his mother had shrugged and then demanded he go.

“I never thought you’d actually show up!” She stopped and pushed at his chest with her fists, “Damn you, Kylo. Can’t you just for once do what I need you to do?”

He grabbed her wrists, holding them against his chest, “What do you want from me, if not to show up and see you happy?”

She had avoided his eyes nearly the whole time, but finally raised them and Kylo saw tears threatening. His heart stopped and he reached out to brush his fingers across her neck and push her hair off her face.

“Rey,” he whispered, imploring her to tell him what she wanted. He was so selfish – she had always told him, always been clear about it. And he had always denied her. “I’ve missed you.”

It was those words that broke the spell and she let out a cry of anger, ripping her hands from him and walking swiftly through the doorway, back to her guests. Kylo’s hands clenched, confused for once. She just wanted you to say goodbye, Kylo.

His mother’s words vibrated inside of him and he bitterly rebelled against it. He had made mistakes, but this was one he couldn’t let pass him; following her through the doorway, he saw her walking across the now-empty dance floor.

“I love you,” he shouted across the voices of the guests, watching them freeze as their eyes tracked between the bride and the mysterious stranger.

Kylo watched as she walked over to him slowly, with awe on her face. He swallowed and tried to tune out the murmuring, tried to slip on his emotionless mask he was so familiar with. But he couldn’t – not after he had told her his deepest darkest secret. She finally stood in front of him, neither of them saying anything after his shout, and she stunned him as her left hand whipped out and smacked him on the cheek. The newly-fitted wedding rings left a slice across it from the cut gems, but he could barely feel it as he stared at her in silent question.

“It’s a bit late for that, isn’t it Kylo?” You had your chance, her face told him.

He ignored the sting and the feeling of blood dripping from the cut, “It’s never too late, Rey – that’s what you always said right? That there was always a chance to do the right thing.”

Rey’s lips parted slightly as he watched her anger fade, as she replaced it with curiosity – and hope, perhaps. Kylo hoped it was that.

“I was everything you said I was – reckless, indecisive, scared. No one was ever right about me – no one but you,” he implored her with his eyes, even as he watched her new husband walk up behind her and place his hand on her shoulder. “I’m not scared anymore, that’s why I came. To tell you that, and…say goodbye.”

“But that’s not what you said,” she whispered.

Her husband’s hands slipped off her shoulder and he walked towards Kylo who took a step back, holding his hands up, but eyes locked on Rey’s, ignoring her husband’s words. “No, it’s not.”