Mutualism

The Scavenger, 2010

A/N: this fic will be written as a series of memories and time jumps, so the flow will be different from what I usually write. Just to let you all know what to expect moving forward:) 

Ben Solo wasn't really sure why he renewed the contract with Ahsoka and her team year after year after Uncle Luke's death. Maybe it was because he was lonely and he actually liked having them around. Maybe it was because deep down he knew he was providing others with a valuable resource that had changed his life. Maybe it was because, unfortunately, Poe might be the closest thing he had to a friend and this ensured he stuck around. He wasn't sure, but every year the contract was renewed and the teenagers came to live on Skywalker Acres.

The years were always the same - Ben kept to himself except for when he needed to help the residents with learning how to pick the right berries or milk the cows correctly, anything that would mess with his business and livelihood. Overall, though, Ben did his thing and the residents did theirs.

"Residents". That's what he was supposed to call them. But Ben knew what everyone else thought of kids like them. Juvenile delinquents, criminals, good for nothings. He knew because he had been one of them before going to live with Luke.

Nowadays, Ben didn't like to dwell on that part of his past, choosing to look ahead. Ahsoka called it compartmentalization, Poe called it avoidance - in the end they were both right but in different fonts.

What did it matter, though? As long as Ben was constantly moving forward, doing his best, and no longer causing harm to others? After all, when Ben had made his conscious decision to reform, he had told himself to let the past die - and that was just what he was going to continue to do.

***

Today there was going to be a new arrival. A girl. "The Scavenger" is what they had called her. She already had a nickname and she hadn't even set foot on the farm yet.

Ben had heard some of the teenagers talking about the rumors they'd heard about the girl who was coming to live at Skywalker Acres, little voices carrying to where he sat on the porch to read.

"I heard she choked somebody for a stick of gum..."

"Nuh-uh. No one would choke somebody for a piece of gum, that's stupid."

"Well, I heard she's absolutely feral. An orphan. Had to teach herself how to survive. She might even be tougher than you, Hux."

"No one's tougher than me."

Ben always found it curious, the things the kids would theorize before a new resident came to the farm. Each story grew in size, more absurdity and less truth with each retelling.

He remembered how Hux had been described before he made his way onto the property: "gigantic, fiery temper, violent, flight risk". Turns out the only truth to all of that was the fiery temper. Once Hux had found his place, he no longer felt the need to run away.

Ben stood up from his seat, dog-earing the page and closing the book before going back inside. He was amused by the teenagers' gossip but he had better things to do with his time, and it's not like this new kid was going to be any different from the rest. They came, they stayed until they turned eighteen or left early, but they always left in the end. No use in getting attached.

***

It wasn't until night time that Ben knew "The Scavenger" had arrived, the loud chatter and excitement floating to where he was cooking in the big farmhouse. Ben finished cooking for himself, making his way to his room in an effort to avoid the commotion, but no such luck.

All of the teens were gathered in the living room around the shiny new kid, which also happened to be right in front of the stairs that Ben needed to get to in order to make his escape. The girl was young, probably no more than sixteen, tan with her hair in three little buns. Odd choice.

Ben did his best to sink into the background and slink off, but it was hard for a man of his stature to ever just sneak away. He didn't recognize the voice that called to him in that next moment, and he didn't realize at the time what an impact the owner of that voice would have on his life as it asked, "Aren't you going to introduce yourself? It's rude to pass by and not say hi."

Ben froze, turning slowly in his spot to look down at the small girl that had spoken to him, her face set in a teasing smile. "Hi," he started, giving an awkward wave, avoiding looking at the amused smirk that Poe was surely sporting or at the wide eyed teens that only knew him as the quiet book nerd who owned the property. "I'm Ben... Solo."

"Hi, Ben, I'm Rey," she chirped, waving back, somehow completely unaffected by the awkward environment she had created by forcing Ben out of his usual routine.

It's not that Ben was rude, he just preferred to be on his own and remain unattached - two things that were more easily achieved when he didn't interact much with the teens that inhabited his house year round. It had worked well, until now.

Ben gave Rey what he considered to be his best smile back, a closed lipped pained expression, one side of his mouth quirking up ever so slightly. "Uh- see you around, then."

"See you around, Solo," Rey answered back, the farewell sounding more like a promise than a closing remark as Ben slowly made his way up the stairs, wondering if the tiny teen had indeed choked out somebody for a stick of gum. Something in him told him the truth wasn't too far off this time.