the book of you and I

Who are you?

The past months had flown by faster than Rey could have ever anticipated, and with each passing second, it seemed, she learned something new about the two precious lives that she and Ben had ushered into existence. Lily and Grey grew faster than she would have ever thought possible, until Grey’s ocean-blue eyes turned a hazel-brown and Lily’s a dark chocolate, like her father. They each had a head of downy black hair, so impossibly soft to the touch that Rey could rarely stop touching it. Lily’s had grown more slowly than her brothers, barely curling around her ears and temples, and Rey could think of nothing more beautiful than her son and daughter.

They had settled into something of a routine, too—one that grew increasingly challenging around the 10 month mark, where nothing in the world was enough to abate Grey’s distress when Ben left for work each morning, and it would take a good many hours to calm him; and then to appease Lily, who grew equally panicked at her brother’s discontent.

But Rey managed, as she always did, and turned their quiet hours into productive lessons and a deeply ingrained desire to expose them to as much as she could. The Force was among these things, despite herself, and she entertained them both with harmless games: levitating toys, winding flowers around their wrists, creating gentle images that barely brushed the borders of their mind as she read them stories from books.

And though she loved spending time with her entire family together, Ben’s days off were also spent with Rey investing as much energy as possible in keeping any weight off of his back. She took ample pictures of the twins’ progress, rehashed their activities during the day, and massaged the back of his neck and ran her fingers through his hair each night with quiet gratitude for all he did for them.

Today was one of those rare days off for him, and after allowing him ample time to sleep in through the morning while she prepared Lily and Grey for the day, she had something particular in mind for waking him up.

With both of their children dressed and their tiny hands fastened in hers, Rey lead Lily and Grey both into the bedroom where their father still slept, moving slowly to accommodate their teetering steps. She shushed Lily playfully when the girl giggled shrilly as she nearly stumbled, but Rey waited with the utmost patience before gently guiding them along again, supporting their balance with the hands she held.

Pausing by their bedside, she released Grey’s hand first, holding a finger to her mouth as she looked between both of them with a bright smile that both her son and daughter mirrored. She grinned at them as she bent to hoist Grey up, setting him onto the bed just beside Ben. Lily followed, situated beside her brother, and the little girl wasted no time before laughing brightly and clapping her hands together, babbling nonsense. Grey followed with laughter of his own, crawling up toward the head of the bed to fix his tiny hands in Ben’s hair, and Rey beamed at the toddlers’ joint assault.

And she, of course, joined in—after gently wresting their son’s hands from pulling too harshly at his father’s hair—to sit on the edge of the bed and watch expectantly as Ben sat up.

“They got away from me and ran in here,” she offered by way of mischievous explanation. “Good morning, love.”

Speech

and you were there

Ben thought it was impossible to love Lily and Grey any more than he already did.  He had already adored them so much when they had been born, after all.  However, with each day that had passed these past several months, Ben learned that he did fall in love with them a little bit more each day.

They were absolutely perfect—Lily with her dark eyes like his own, and Grey with those terribly beautiful eyes like his mother. Ben could hardly imagine what they would look like when older; Ben didn't know how he could even begin to image such a thing.  It had only been ten months, after all.  They had so much time until then, and yet, it seemed like it was passing by so quickly.

It seems just like the other day Ben had first held the twins, and now they were already beginning to grow in both personality and abilities.  Able to crawl around, and growing more adept at their babbling talk, there was never a shortage of things for Rey to tell Ben whenever he came home after work.  Ben enjoyed hearing all of it, couldn't get enough of it really, and while he still felt guilt at times for missing out on so much Ben did his best to make up for it.

He made sure to give the twins as much attention as possible, made sure that (even while so young) they knew to some extent that he loved them.  Ben also made sure to give Rey his love and thanks, too.  He pressed his gratitude and love into her skin any chance he got; he wrapped it around her anytime she was close enough for him to physically wrap an arm around her waist so he could pull her close.  There never felt like there were many opportunities to do this, but Ben never let a single chance pass him by.  He had to make sure Rey -the woman who had given him so much- knew at every moment of any day, that he loved her more than anything else.

Her, and their two beautiful children.

Being sure that every day off was filled with actions portraying his love and gratitude, Ben also couldn't help but make sure that he took advantage of the extra hour or so of rest having a day off gave him.  He regretted sleeping in (it took time away that he could spend with his family) but it was needed.  Ben could depend on Rey to not let the day completely pass though, that is if Ben didn't wake up on his own.  He normally did, but sleep was needed more after some weeks than others and this week was, apparently, one of those.

That's why he remained perfectly at ease regardless of trio that slowly made their way to his sleeping form, why he didn't stir at the sound of his daughter giggled beautifully, or why he didn't notice the mattress shift as two small bodies were carefully placed on it.

However, his mind didn't waste any time when it came to registering the sound of cheerful laughter that his mind knew could only come from his daughter.  Laughter that was soon accompanied by his son's own.  Stirring, the rhythm of his breathing changing as Ben woke up, a huff leaves Ben as he feels little hands dig into his hair.

His eyes squint open, vision blurry from sleep.  "Good morning to you, too." Ben mumbles, voice thick with sleep.  Feeling the larger hands of his wife carefully pull away the smaller ones, Ben rubs a hand through his hair, blinking himself awake and catching Lily crawling her way over him.

Ben chuckles, pulling an arm out from underneath the cover to reach for Lily.  With Grey situated at his side Ben is able to sit up, drawing Lily close and holding her against his side opposite of Grey and Rey with one arm.  Lily giggles, babbling nonsense that makes Ben's heart melt.  He smiles at her,  "Mhm, you sure did wake me up."  Ben tells his daughter, treating her incomprehensible chatter as if it were an actual sentence.

Grey, appearing determined to be included, reaches out for Ben's other arm to get some support to stand up.  Catching Ben's attention immediately at this, he doesn't hesitate to help the other toddler stand as securely as possible on the mattress and lets Grey lean again him.  Ben's attention is soon taken away from both the children as Rey speaks, and he can't help the knowing look that he aims at Rey.

"I'm so sure they did," he responds, his voice giving away just how little he actually believes Rey.  Even then, his expression softens considerably at her hello.  "Good morning, sweetheart."  His affectionate hello has no time to linger, as Lily soon draws his attention away from Rey.  Ben smiles over at her.

"Good morning to you, sweet pea."  He tells her, placing a kiss against her forehead that Ben likes to believe makes his daughter shine brighter.  Ben then turns his head towards Grey, "And to you again, you little hellion," he presses a playful kiss against the small boy's cheek, inciting a giggle from Grey that makes Ben smile just a tad bit brighter as he draws his head away.

"Not even one yet and your mother is already helping you cause trouble.  I think I should be worried."  Ben teases, glancing over at Rey.  "Shoulder I expect to be waken up like this every day I'm off, from now on?"  Ben asks Rey with a soft smile, Grey shifting noticeably in his hold that Ben knows as a sign to release the small child.  So, he does just that, watching Grey carefully crawl over towards Rey.

"How long have you been up?" Ben asks her next, Lily reaching out for his face and causing Ben to lean his head away with a laugh.




Speech

Who are you?

Rey held Grey back gently by the waist as Ben stirred and sat up, pulling Lily into his side. She only released their son once his father was safe from the threat of tiny hands pulling at his hair again, watching him scramble close in an effort to earn the attention that Lily had stolen. She smiled as she watched them, perfectly content upon the sidelines, her only point of contact being the hand that lay over Ben’s covered leg, massaging his knee gently as she stood witness to the loving assault.

Her smile broadened as he turned toward her, and despite her fleeting movement to lean in for a kiss, she laughed and straightened as Lily tugged upon his arm and babbled nonsense. Either twin competed for their father’s attention, and Rey only drew her legs up onto the bed to sit cross-legged beside them all, arching a brow at Ben’s words.

“I don’t think you’re complaining too much,” she pointed out warmly. “Besides, it’s more like they’re helping me to cause trouble. We make quite the team, the three of us. Just wait until I bring them into town and teach them to steal.” Grey was moving, and she outstretched one arm protectively to guard him from the edge of the bed. When her son clambered closer to her, she drew him into her lap with ease, smiling as he giggled.

“What are you up to, my little star?” she murmured, her son’s smile blinding as he reached up to pat his tiny hands on either side of her head, reaching for one of the buns that she had knotted into her hair. Sighing, she angled her head to the side and indulged him, letting his tiny fingers curiously prod one of the loops as she laughed. When she turned to face him again, Rey felt his hands fall away with a disappointed, cooing sound. She amended it by returning the favor, brushing her fingers through the downy black strands of his hair—and his mood brightened immediately.

She felt tiny hands cup her face as she glanced over at Ben, laughing briefly at Lily’s own attempts to disrupt their already minimal conversation.

“An hour and a half or so. I wanted to get them fed and dressed so you wouldn’t have to worry about it—and so that we could do this,” Rey grinned at him, a flicker of mischief in her eyes as she wound one arm securely around Grey. Lifting the boy close to her chest, she slid further up the bed, nearer to Ben’s face.

“I wasn’t given one of these by the way,” she pointed out, feinting a pout as she leaned in to him, maneuvering Grey away from how her body bent forward as she gently pressed her lips to Ben’s cheek. Her free hand rose to his hair then, brushing the tousled strands back and away from his brow, tucking some of them behind his ears.

Which just reminded her to bring her thumb and forefinger, then, to Grey’s ears. Her son watched her with preparation, as though she’d clearly done this numerous times before, and Rey leaned in dramatically before kissing either one of his ears with a greatly emphasized mwu-ah.

The toddler giggled shrilly, and she kissed his forehead, then, before glancing between Lily and Ben. “He has your ears,” she informed the latter matter-of-factly. “I love them.”

Speech