#my first solo trip combined with it being thousands of miles away | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

elopez7228 · 4 years

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Scenic route 23/47

Read on AO3 : https://archiveofourown.org/works/18268208/chapters/43229774

Start over : https://elopez7228.tumblr.com/post/620919089893933056/scenic-route-0147

***

Perched on the sidewalk with his elbows on his knees, Ben Solo lit a cigarette.

With his other hand he scrolled through his phone, reading and re-reading Rey's last messages.

He knew exactly where she was and what she was doing: Syed was sending him a brief every hour. Yesterday she had visited the southern reaches of Yellowstone, today she was up north. Syed had even mentioned something about bathing in the river.

He had hoped for a picture that never came. Imagine his reaction if he ever saw Rey in a swimsuit—of course, that would go beyond the strict definition of surveillance—he’d be flirting with the boundaries of stalking. And he had taken enough liberties with his initial mission to know not to venture there.

Was she going to text him?

He had ended their conversation last night...was it pathetic of him to contact her first?

She said she wasn’t ready for a fling and instead wanted to get to know him better. But that evening...her hands and mouth told a different story. He could feel the desire coiling in his abdomen at the very thought of their heated embrace...

He gave in, thumbs gliding across his screen:

Good morning stranger, sleep well?

Should he sign it with a name?

He would have liked her to call him Kylo Ren, like everyone else. Ben Solo was the name of an anxious teenager with voices in his head, abandoned by his parents, misunderstood by the world. Kylo Ren was the name he had given himself to turn the page. It was the emblem of his reincarnation as a critically-acclaimed rockstar and celebrated prodigy, Andrew Snoke’s prodigy, and Armitage Hux’s infamous nemesis.

He felt that she was suspicious of Kylo Ren...but the only person who called him Ben was his mother, and that was one more reason to bury the name. It brought him nothing but bad memories. She would just have to get used to calling him Kylo.

But he couldn’t bring himself to sign it.

The answer was almost instant:

Good afternoon to you. It’s 1400 hours, if you just got up I reckon you had a rough night?

Touché. I’m more of a night owl. Music and inspiration are nocturnal things.

And I’m ever the early bird. It's amazing that our paths crossed, in the end.

The day and the night...

The sun and the moon?

Okay stop.

Rey and Ben looked down at their phones, simultaneously terrified.

What was this? Some heartfelt exchange of poetry? Flirting, both??

They were thousands of miles apart, her sitting on a park bench and him on a patch of asphalt. She was brilliant, shining in the sunlight as the wind swept against her face. He was taciturn, his heart preoccupied and his vision clouded with worry. Yet they found themselves back to back, each contemplating the absence of the other.

So far and yet so close.

In that moment suspended in time, Rey was the first to breath again.

What had changed? Nothing, in a sense. She was still mourning her marriage, drowning in anguish for Finn, and lacking insight on Ben. On the other hand, she was no longer angry, and under the Wyoming sun, on the cusp of happiness. Soothed, to say the least. She was no longer afraid of what the future would hold for her.

But Ben was drowning. It felt like they were at an impasse. Rey carried the weight of her grief like a burden, she lived on another continent and entered his life only by accident. She seemed destined to exit it just as quickly. They had met for the first time only a week ago, and the conviction that she was going to escape him and disappear forever from his life plunged him into an abyss.

Rey got up, stretched, slipping her phone into her back pocket. Maz was still playing fetch with BB8.

“You’re turning red. From the sun, no doubt?” Maz smiled mischievously.

“Of course. It’s only sunburn. Why else would I be turning red?” They smiled; neither fooled by this coded little conversation.

Rey sat down at the wheel of the Millennium Falcon and put both hands firmly on the steering wheel.

“Maz...would you like to attend a concert tomorrow?”

Maz, busy fastening her belt, turned her head to look at the girl before her. “What kind of concert?”

“The rock kind. I would like to introduce you to someone.”

"A rendezvous with the sun himself, I take it?”

"Perhaps," said Rey, who felt the "sunburn" come back to her cheeks, “it's up in Gardiner tomorrow night. That still leaves us this afternoon and most of tomorrow to see the park...if you’re alright with the agenda, that is.”

"Nobody's waiting for tea with me in Anchorage, child. I can bring myself to spare time to meet someone tomorrow night.”

“Okay,” Rey giggled, she couldn’t repress her broad smile. “I hope you'll like him more than BB8...And honestly, I want to know what you think!”

“Ah, so it's BB8’s dear friend Ben Solo, the same man you had to speak to...I see. I don’t know if I'm the best judge of character, you know.”

Rey turned to her, beseeching. “Please. I cannot stand to be left alone with my contradictions, I lose focus. I need an outside opinion, and an objective one at that.”

Maz nodded, but she had stopped smiling. “You know Rey, we have not known each other for a long time, but I feel that sometimes, it feels good to be a little lonely. I think you did well to undertake this trip, and I think you shouldn’t go too fast with this Ben Solo. Concentrate on yourself, your needs. The temptation of meeting someone “new” is great, I understand. But don’t let him lead your heart astray.”

“Well you'll be there to stop me from doing something stupid, right? Please?”

The little woman took off her glasses. Her eyes were tiny, almost lost in the middle of her face. “You must also learn how to cope with what is happening to you, instead of letting your entourage deal with your problems...Take charge, make decisions, learn from your mistakes. It would not help you at all, if I "stop" you from anything. It's time for you to stop letting others decide for you. "

These words, though spoken kindly, pierced Rey like a dozen stab wounds. It was all her fault, in the end.

Her breathing became uneven and she looked away, so that Maz wouldn’t see her glistening tears. But the old woman could guess, all the same. She laid an affectionate hand on the girl's forearm:

“I'm sorry to have hurt you. You are a wonderful, bright girl. You simply lack confidence in yourself. Listen to your heart, it will never lead you astray.”

“My heart led me to marry a man who could never love me the way he was supposed to,” she replied bitterly, “you will forgive me if I'm suspicious of my intuitions, now.”

Ben Solo crushed his cigarette underfoot.

He would have to handle the tour and the mission at the same time. He had to be in Gardiner that very evening, after what was shaping up to be three hours of skirting Yellowstone traffic. The roads were flooded this time of the year. Syed, who was still chasing Rey on her adventures, was ahead of him. The rest of the group was split into three vehicles and a van, all parked in the 4B parking lot for lunch.

His phone vibrated and he grimaced as Hux's name appeared on the screen. Hux calling never meant anything good.

“Kylo Ren.”

“Hello, Kylo. I have Snoke on the other line, let me activate conference mode.”

Hux’s voice was too smooth, overly honeyed and precise in a way that indicated he was plotting something...and there was no telling what trouble was brewing with Hux and Snoke in the same room. Ben ran his fingers through his hair, straightened his shoulders, and took a deep breath. Every conversation with Snoke these days smacked of lawsuits. He wondered what it would be this time.

The sound of Snoke's slow breathing filled his speaker.

“Kylo Ren. How have you progressed?”

“As discussed, I’m tracking the girl, sir.”

“What were the results?”

"For now...her connection to Earth Soldiers is still unascertainable, apart from the fact that she is traveling with BB8 aboard the Millennium Falcon.”

"I’m certain she's walking you across the country when we need to concentrate our forces here at the headquarters. The mission is over, you are to come back.”

Ben Solo's heart skipped a beat. He had expected a reprimand, but not this. He did his best to control the trembling of his voice. “With all due respect, sir, it's too risky. We would have a lot to lose from letting an activist agent go. "

"She's no more an activist agent than you are a musician, Kylo Ren," rasped Snoke. “The party is over.”

Ben was looking for the right words when Hux intervened.

“Don’t forget to keep your receipts, I will ask my assistant to prepare your expense report.”

The bastard was having a ball. He would pay for it dearly when the time came. Ben felt his blood boil with a combination of fury and humiliation. “Every single move Rey Jakku makes is being monitored. Where she's going, who she's talking to. I will make her talk, it's only a matter of time.”

“We are out of time. This conversation is futile, I’m sure Skywalker’s devotees are tired of running around like chickens without heads. It is time to silence them. Get rid of the girl and come home.”

Ben’s blood turned to ice. “Get rid of? What do you mean…?”

It was Hux who replied, his nasal drawl annoyingly triumphant.

“Burn the Millenium Falcon to ashes, kill the dog, steal the girl's papers to scare her. Come tomorrow, she will be back in England and her hitchhiker will find some other pathetic tourist to ride with.”

"What hitchhiker?”

The question came out reflexively and Ben regretted it in an instant. The first rule of the First Order was to never, ever admit failure, even if you were behind. Too late.

“How is it that you didn’t know?” Snoke said, sotto voce. “Am I to understand that you are supposedly monitoring every single one of Rey Jakku's actions, to use your own words, but that you did not know that she had picked up a travelling companion along the way?”

Ben remained speechless as he processes this new information. How did Hux and Snoke unknowingly get such intel?

“Perhaps you owe this failure to a pair of pretty eyes. If you want to keep your job, Ben Solo-Skywalker, you have an interest in getting results. Immediately.”

His full name was uttered with such contempt that Ben got goose bumps. He could feel his throat growing tight with hate as he held his tongue.

“Get rid of this girl, her car and her dog, and come home. I leave you twenty-four hours. If I don’t see results by then, I think you would benefit from a stay in the office. Hux will ensure your field work gets done while you go back to the drawing board.”

So that's what Hux had been up to, Ben thought, he wanted my place. Ben could feel his jaw clenching. Hux would pay for this in blood.

But he had to admit, it was the ideal form of blackmail: Rey or him. Whatever decision he made, it would cost him dearly. He knew he would not be able to recover.

His throat constricted, his eyes began to burn. Everything was falling apart so fast...as a young man, Ben had risen past his childhood trauma to become one of the most powerful men in the United States, respected and feared by all. But Snoke called the shots. He could reduce Ben to misery as easily as he had propelled him to the top.

"Do you hear me, Ren?” Snoke hissed.

“Yes sir. Crystal clear.” He paused. “Have you canceled the concerts?” He added quietly.

“I think your little publicity stunt, once a credible cover to justify your absences and trips with your cohorts, has gone to the head. You will play Gardiner tomorrow. As for Bozeman...we'll see. You know what you have left to do.”

Ben hung up and screamed. In his rage, he snatched a metal trash and hurled it to the ground, before kicking it violently against the wall.

It was Syed. That fucking bitch. She had doubled crossed him and sold him out to Hux. Oh, that she was going to pay for, very, very dearly.

It took him a long time to catch his breath and find a semblance of sangfroid. A few yards away, Shakti, Skylar, and his other knights watched the scene in terrified amazement.

They heard nothing of the conversation but knew that only Snoke and Hux could ever make Kylo feel this way.

And Shakti, though she would never tell anyone, could have sworn she saw him cry.

#Reylo #fanfiction #Modern AU #Scenic Route

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passantony-blog · 6 years

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Day 11- Nov. 5th We are flying back from Huatulco to Mexico City where Ryan and Danielle will continue on to SFO and where I part ways with mi amigos and continue on to Guatemala (with a short 2 day stint in Mexico City). They’ve been an amazing couple to travel with together.

Full of customized songs including “Cats and the Bags”, “We got the things (We got it!)”, and the classic “800-Empire” tune. Lots of calibration (dropping things), combining patchwork Spanish and enjoying the great (and not so great) food. My cheeks sore from a permanent smile from Danielle and Ryans antics, heart heavy as we prepare to say our goodbyes.

The last week was a wonderful capstone to a mosaic of different experiences throughout the various communities and climates of one of the southern most states in Mexico. Our final portion of Oaxaca took us on an 8-hour bumping, but very comfy ride on the ADO bus up to the mile-high capital of Oaxaca City. A stark contrast to the sleepy Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca city is a high desert city of over 100,000 residents, possibly double that number given that it was the Dia de los Muertos festival.

We checked into a very homey and cozy casa located next to the gorgeous Santa Domingo Church, a close walk to most of the attractions but tucked away in a quiet neighborhood off the main drag. Quick story on the Airbnb host, Lorena. She was gracious enough in the last minute to offer up her home to us. She’s an environmental steward in Oaxaca working with agave farmers in the region to develop environmental certification processes for mezcal and the replanting wild, native agave in severely eroded sites around the valley. Coincidently, she also knows and visits Cotati often as a close friend to the owners of the nearby Ray’s Deli in Petaluma. Crazy small world (more on that to come). Needless to say that we connected and really enjoyed her home, full of succulents lining the inner courtyard and open air architecture of the simple, rustic and unique accommodations.

As much as we loved the house, we came for Day of the Dead and though our lids weighed heavy over our eyes from the sleep deprived bus ride, we rallied to see the city and nearby graveyards. Having already explored the major destinations around city last year, it was a warm welcome to not feel rushed or obligated to jam-pack the itinerary. A stroll through the cobblestone streets, sharing with Ryan and Danielle the sites of the city was a comfortable change of pace to my normal adrenaline-induced travel style. Muy Tranquila.

Searching for outdoor activities last year, I stumbled on a local ex-pat hiking group “Hoofing it Oaxaca” that took me on a wonderfully unique trek through the mountains with a group of mostly retired Canadians, Americans and Europeans. Returning this year, I found that they were offering several Day of the Dead themed hikes.The first being a shuttle to Xoxo (Pronounced “Ho-Ho”), a small town just outside of Oaxaca City notable for it’s massive graveyard. The scene there was very lively, with food stalls, Dia de los Muertos trinket vendors, live musica and loads of tourists snapping shots of the decorated graves as family members sat by. Initially somber in our approach we were quickly reminded by a man sitting by a grave that this was a celebration of those that are no longer with us. The man was sitting by a grave with beautiful marigolds and candles illuminating the sand art of a basketball and hoop. “Mi hermano. He loved basketball”. He proudly described his brother, handing us a shot of mezcal and raising a glass in his name, “Salute!”.

These specific marigolds that covered the graves were unlike those more commonly found in the US. They had a sweet, intoxicating scent that Mexicans believe was the smell of the dead. Laden with flowers, art and personal trinkets, illuminated by slow dripping candles, the intention of these alters was to attract souls back to the graves to enjoy their company on what they call the “All-Saints Day”, Nov. 1st. This day, a mixture of Spanish Catholicism and Mayan spirituality is believed to be the date where the spiritual and mortal world are at their thinnest boarder between the two. The alters and music are intended to attract the family and friends, being careful not to draw in the wrong spirits as they believe all spirits, both good and bad are wandering amongst them during this event. In all, Xoxo was a very incredible and uplifting event. Proud family members sharing the live of their past loved ones to passerby’s, though the waves of passing tour groups detracted from the overall experience.

The second graveyard, in the town of Atzompa, was much more intimate with small crowds and more locals sitting quietly around their tombstones. Excited children faces illuminated as they toy with the candles, passing the flame over unlit wicks. Abeulas in their head scarves huddled over the graves, silently respecting the dead. So curious to know what they’re thinking as they pay tribute to the deceased, they’re youth far behind them and the reality of their life to be celebrated in the near future alongside their family members. Wanting so badly to comminate and express gratitude and well-wishing to the families, but restricted by lack of a common language I was held to only subtle nods and smiles passing along the sites. Hopefully the gestures were understood.

On the second night, on a tip from our Airbnb host we traveled to the outskirts of town to an industrial art exhibit with a different, modern take on the Dia de los Muertos. Was interesting to see the interpretation of the holiday by the new generation, hammocks hanging in an old limestone factory, small alters tucked under the large cement tanks and a beautiful glassblowing art studio hidden beyond a catwalk leading to the old furnace room. What a gem to see the modern aspect of art and tradition.

Having arrived late to the art exhibit, we only had a few minutes to enjoy the building. We had more plans though, continuing on we taxied out to a small Etla, San Agustin, known for it’s large parades of rivalry Day of the Dead villages. One side reflecting thousands of small circular mirrors in a sort of chain mail garb that bounced and sparkled in their dance. The other side in furry long white-haired costumes from shoulders to their knees alongside both groups were brass bands belting tubas and trombones encouraging the two groups to dance and jump amongst one another as the throng of bystanders, smartphone in hand, flash photos of the scene, beer in hand. We were wiped from the day, and though the dancing and festivities lasted to sunrise we slipped out for an early night unable to keep up.

The rest of the week consisted of mellow meandering through the streets of Oaxaca, picking up fellow travelers along the way. Kate, a British doctor from Brighton, met us on the first evening with the Xoxo graveyard visit and was such a joy to have, we adopted the solo traveler for the rest of the week. Rachel and Erica, two girls that we serendipitously ran into at a taco shop were Sebastopudlians that happened to overhear us talking about Sonoma. A wonderful little crew formed enjoying the last few evenings together. Seems to always work out that way when you keep your blinders open.

Paid one last visit to the graveyards, these ones about an hour outside of town. While Ryan and Danielle had some solo time doing their cooking class, I teamed up with the Hoofing it Oaxaca one more time trekking for 6 miles along dirt roads through the farms where all the marigolds were grown for the regional celebration. Their Day of the Dead was held the day after others, using the leftover unsold flowers to cover their graves in huge bushels of yellow, red and white color. It was so interesting to see the different between each graveyard. All had their own cultural take and feel to the holiday reflective of their community.

With a late bus out of Oaxaca City, we shared our final hours with our new friends before giving cheers to one another’s safe journeys and going amongst our ways. After a much more comfortable ride back down the mountains, we awoke in Huatulco. The town was slightly more developed for tourism that Puerto Escondido but still held an isolated charm and was mostly visited by Mexican tourists with few gringos in the mix. Not the most exciting place, but wonderful beaches shaded in palm trees was exactly what we needed to cap an active first two weeks.

With Ryan and Danielle parting for their flight, we end the prologue of the trip. Two days in Mexico City to play before starting a completely different experience with the Guatemala volunteer commitment. Initial shock and loneliness at losing their jovial energy slowly replaced with the excitement of the new chapter.

Aloha guys! (Hello and goodbye)

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