It’s Rey and Poe’s wedding day. Sequel to The Soul Guide.
Damerey Creations Week Day Six
Prompt: Soulmate AU
This is a sequel to my Soulmate AU from Damerey Week 2021, The Soul Guide. Credit to Mark Hamill's Twitter for the amazing picture of him and Roger Craig Smith on my moodboard!
Kes Dameron sat back in his chair, legs crossed, fingers laced over his belly, full and content and happy. He thought this day would never happen.
He watched the people milling about him with an amused expression on his face. The weather was beautiful for mid-October, and perfect for an outdoor celebration like the one occurring in his back yard right now. It could have been much different, he knew. This time of the year, it could be 80 degrees or it could be snowing, so the fact that it was a sunny 75 pleased him. Not that today wouldn’t have happened if there had been a blizzard; they would have just had to change venues. But even his cynical best friend Luke Skywalker had admitted that today had been perfect for a wedding.
Kes eyed the newly married couple as they circulated among the guests. His son looked dashing as always in a traditional black tuxedo, and his new daughter-in-law was simply glowing in a lovely ivory colored dress with intricate lacework along the strapless bodice. It had come with a jacket, he knew, in case the weather had not cooperated, but she looked very comfortable without it. Again, he couldn’t help but smile. Just a few short months ago, he had been afraid this wedding wouldn’t happen, and not because his son hadn’t found his soul mate.
Poe and Rey had found each other just short of a year ago, after Poe had almost given up searching. Both Kes and Rey’s father Luke had immediately started laying bets on how long it would take them to marry. Kes had guessed it would be almost right away; after all, Poe had waited so long to find her, he wouldn’t want to wait any longer. However, though Rey did move in with Poe not long after they connected, there was no talk of marriage. Kes finally became impatient and broached the subject after the four of them had dinner one evening.
Poe had looked like a deer in the headlights, but Rey had been calm in her explanation. “We’re already soul mates,” she had said. “That will never change. I don’t see how a piece of paper can make it better.”
Kes had been shocked by her words, and had looked at Poe, then at Luke, then back at Rey. Poe had nodded at his love, seemingly in agreement with her, and Luke had just shrugged with an expression that said, “What can I do?”
“It’s more than a piece of paper!” Kes had argued. “If you believe that you both were created to be together from birth, then you have to believe that marriage is sacred. It’s an earthly confirmation of your heavenly bond. It holds you accountable for each other, reminding you both that whatever mystery brought you together, it’s going to take work to make sure you stay together.” He frowned. “Just because you are soul mates, that doesn’t mean everything is going to be peaches and cream from now on. You’ll still have arguments and want to follow separate pursuits and gripe to us about each other.” He said the last while nodding at Luke. “But the vows you say at your wedding will remind you why your bond is so important.”
They had all been quiet for a long moment. “I can’t speak for Luke,” Kes continued. “But my wedding to Shara was more important to me that finding out she was my soul mate.” He looked over at his friend.
Luke had pursed his lips and nodded. “Yeah, my wedding day was the best day of my life,” he said. “Until the day you were born,” he added, taking Rey’s hand.
Rey and Poe had looked at each other, their expressions serious, with Poe finally speaking. “I’ve always imagined I would marry my soul mate,” he said softly. “But I am happy with whatever you want to do."
Rey had tilted her head, then with a grimace and roll of her eyes, she had conceded. “Okay, let’s get married,” she had grumbled, but the smile she gave them said she wasn’t really all that upset. “But it’s gonna be a small wedding,” she demanded.
And so it had been, with less than fifty people invited to the outdoor ceremony. Watching the newlyweds and the joy on their faces made Kes feel grateful he had stuck to his guns. While he certainly wouldn’t have loved the two of them any less had they not gotten married, he felt as if a giant weight had been lifted off his shoulders.
He glanced over to see Luke walking toward him, a can of beer in his hand. While the wedding itself had been formal and beautiful and solemn, the reception was an honest-to-goodness bar-b-q. Luke sat down in the chair next to Kes, eyeing him with amusement.
“You look like the cat that ate the canary,” he said with a smirk.
Kes shrugged depreciatively. Then he winked at his friend. “Want to lay bets on how long until our first grandchild appears?”
Luke huffed a laugh. “Do we even know if they want kids?” he asked.
“Poe always talked about having kids when he was younger,” Kes said. “I guess that could have changed.”
“Rey always used to fuss about how horrible the world was and that she couldn’t imagine raising children in it,” Luke grumbled.
“Your daughter is as cynical as you,” Kes complained.
“She is not,” Luke argued. “She was hopelessly in love with your son long before she ever found out he was her soul mate,” he said. “That sounds pretty hopeful to me.”
“I came across the two of them arguing about the death penalty the other day. Of all things to be arguing over just days before your wedding!” Kes shook his head.
Luke snorted. “Rey is stubborn,” he admitted, then he paused. “And if your son wasn’t such a pacifist like you…”
“Hey!” Kes glared at his friend. “Great Britain does not have the death penalty and their crime rates are much lower than ours.”
Luke raised an eyebrow. “Then how come all those British shows on PBS are murder mysteries?”
Kes gave Luke a glance and sighed in exasperation. “It’s a good thing us Damerons are a tolerant lot,” he continued.
Luke looked confused for a moment. “What’s that got to do with the death penalty?”
Kes laughed. “I mean, you know they’re going to have their disagreements, just like we do, but both Poe and I will always work to keep the peace.”
“And Rey and I will always push the Dameron buttons, is that what you’re implying?”
“You said it, I didn’t.”
The two men glared at each other for a long while, then they both broke out laughing.
After a moment of comfortable silence, Luke continued. “I really am glad you pushed for this wedding,” he said softly. “I’ve always considered you a brother, Kes, and now it feels official.”
Kes shrugged. “Now you need to move back here to Yavin,” he said with a sly grin. “You’re close to retiring, aren’t you?”
Luke shook his head. “Somehow, I don’t think Rey would appreciate that.”
“I think you’d be surprised,” Kes said, shaking his head. “I think she’d be thrilled to have you close. Besides, even though I live here, it’s not like I see them every day. They have their own lives and we have ours.” He nudged Luke. “And if they do end up having kids, don’t you want to be closer to them?”
“What’s this about kids?”
Kes and Luke looked up as Poe and Rey walked up to them. Poe’s inquiry had been a bit sharp, but there was an amiable expression on his face. Both he and Rey looked simply happy.
Kes gave Luke a glance out of the corner of his eye. “We were just discussing our future should you two decide to have children,” he admitted. “No pressure!” he added as he saw both their eyes widen.
“What do you mean ‘your future’?” Rey asked.
“Kes is trying to get me to move back to Yavin.” Luke was staring intently at his daughter.
Rey’s face lit up. “That would be amazing!” she gushed. “Not only would I love to have you closer,” she continued. “But you and Kes would be able to keep each other busy!”
“And as for children,” Poe added. “Odds are good you’ll both be grandpapas fairly soon.” He winked at Rey. She blushed slightly in return. It was obvious they had already discussed kids, and were in agreement.
Kes looked at Luke. “Well?”
“I guess I’ll have to think seriously about it,” the elder Skywalker said softly, but he had a pleased look on his face.
Both Rey and Poe grinned, then Rey gave her new husband a sly look. “Good. I’ll have backup nearby whenever I disagree with you and Kes about something.”
The men laughed, but then Poe said, “I don’t know, Rey. It seems to me your dad chose Kes’ side when it came to us getting married.”
“Well, of course he did,” Kes said with a smile. “Because when it comes to the important things in life, pappas know best!”
THE END
Comments