Chapter Text
“Are you sure you can handle this?”
“I’m sure.”
“Because this is big. Bigger than big. Huge!”
“Stella - I’ve got this.”
Stella sighed as she adjusted her glasses. She took a step back from her coworker, giving them a look-over.
“Oh, I can’t believe they decided to start you off with E3.” She said, shaking her head. She sighed again.
“But what can you do?” She mused as she laid a hand on her small, yet prominent baby bump. “It’s not like I exactly planned on being pregnant during the convention season…..”
Stella lifted her hand and put it comfortingly on her coworkers shoulder.
“You’ll be great Rey. I know you will.”
Rey smiled at Stella.
“Thanks Stella.”
“But I want you to know if you need anything - ANYTHING - text or call me. Please!”
“I will.” Rey nodded.
And with that, Rey Niima departed from the Nintendo campus in Redmond, Washington - headed to the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to catch a flight to Los Angeles.
- - - - - - - - -
Sitting at her gate, Rey multitasked between eating her pre-flight Starbucks muffin and playing her Nintendo DS. She looked up briefly from the handheld device and looked around the waiting area.
She had been working for Nintendo for a while now. Not quite a veteran, but definitely not a rookie. Even now, she would still have the occasional ‘DAMN! I work for NINTENDO!’ moment, which would then be followed by a thrilling rush of adrenaline. Rey wondered if that feeling would ever go away.
If you had asked Rey if she ever imagined she would be actually going to the massively popular gaming Electronic Entertainment Expo, otherwise known as E3, she would have laughed in your face. People like her within the company didn’t go to E3. That was for the higher ups. The big wigs. And big she was not.
Nonetheless, a convention this size needs all the help that they can get. Stella had gratuitous knowledge of practically every Nintendo product. She was a great asset to the marketing department, so she was their go to girl when rounding up the additional help required for the convention season.
Rey and Stella worked closely - but only when the job called for it. Otherwise, Rey was left to her own device to make sure her daily tasks were accomplished. It should have been no surprise that when Stella’s OBGYN advised her not to travel so much while pregnant with her first child, that Rey would be considered as her temporary replacement.
Rey had told Stella she was fine. ‘Stella - I’ve got this’ she had said. But as the departure time for her flight got closer and closer, Rey found herself worrying. Did she have this? Would the marketing department even like her? What if she somehow messed up horribly?
A speaker crackled to life above her head, announcing the boarding process for her flight had begun. She closed up her DS with a snap, quickly shoving it in her purse. She wiped muffin crumbs from her lap before she stood, discarding the paper bag the snack had come in. She reached into her back pocket for her ticket, glossing over the details again.
She could do this. After all, she was used to running the smaller demo events around the Seattle area. This would be nothing but a bigger version of one of those events. She could do this. Everything would be fine. It was just another day at work after all.
During her stay, Rey was sharing a hotel room with a girl from named Rose Tico. Rose was extremely friendly and talkative. She and had been roommates for the last three years of convention seasons. Rose was excited to meet and work with someone new for a change.
“You’ll love the guys.” Rose told Rey as they headed down to the hotel lobby early the next morning. “And they’ll love you.” She said, giving a friendly nudge to Rey.
“Especially Poe. He’s a big flirt.” She said as they fell in line for Starbucks with the other hotel guests. Judging by all the video game themed shirts, it was obvious they were here for the convention as well.
“You’ll meet Snap and Kay later tonight. They’ve got a completely different schedule from us.” Rose explained. “It will just be you, me, Finn, and Poe working the demo floor.”
Rey nodded in understanding, trying her best to remember all these names and absorb all this information.
“But don’t tell anyone -” Rose whispered as they inched forward in line. “I’ve got a big crush on Finn.”
Rey didn’t know who Finn, or any of the other people Rose mentioned were. But if Rose liked them, more than liked in Finn’s case, Rey was sure she would like them too.
“I won’t tell.” Rey said to Rose. Rose beamed.
“You’re going to have such a fun time. I promise.” Rose continued to blabber. “Don’t get overwhelmed. I know it’s going to be super chaotic once you’re in there, but trust me - you’re going to love it. E3 is AMAZING.”
- - - - - - - - -
Hell. E3 was absolute hell.
Ben Solo thought these exact same words every year he worked this event. He grumbled as he stared out across the crowded demo floor of E3. Throngs of bodies and illuminated screens as far as the eye could see. This was probably the worst smelling year by far. The patrons certainly were old enough. Shouldn’t they have heard of deodorant by now?
The two young men in front of Ben playing ‘Fortnite’ finished their turn, giving each other a high five before they walked off, animatedly discussing their excitement about the game. They grabbed some swag from the nearby table manned by a tall blonde and headed back onto the demo floor. Ben waved the next set of participants forward. Two more eager male participants snatched up the XBox controllers and started the game.
Manning the booths was easy enough. Let the people play, shoo them off when their turn was over, make sure they didn’t rage quit and destroy the demo machines - or heaven forbid - try to steal any of the consoles. It was a long day for sure. By the end of it though, all you wanted to do was sit down and consume copious amounts of alcohol. Still, he had to admit it was fun to work the event. Especially when you got the downtime to actually enjoy the convention. IF you got downtime that is.
Ben flicked wrist as he checked his smart watch. Hux was late. His thirty minute break had turned into a fifty, and Ben was not happy. He had to go to bathroom. The large coffee he downed this morning ready to work its way out of his system. Ben glanced around the room again, trying to see if he could spot the unmistakable shock of red hair of his coworker in the crowd. He impatiently tapped his foot as the time crept up to fifty two minutes.
“I’m back! Anything exciting happen while I was gone?” Came a sharp voice from behind Ben.
Ben turned to see Hux, fidgeting with his lanyard.
“You’re late.” Ben hissed. “Breaks are thirty minutes!”
“You’re given thirty minutes to eat.” Hux snarkily replied. “I ate, took a bathroom break - AND - I scored this sweet hat from the Bethesda booth.” He said, jamming the black hat with the Fallout 76 logo on top of his ginger hair.
“Whatever.” Ben grumbled. “I’m taking my break.” He said, turning on his heel and leaving the booth.
He maneuvered this way through the crowd in a beeline for the restroom.
“Dude, I’m telling you - next year, Nintendo is going to sweep the Video Game Awards.”
“Dude, how can they not? I can’t wait to get back in line for the Smash demo.”
“Dude, I know.”
Ben rolled his eyes at the guys who had just entered the restroom, raving about the new Super Smash Brothers Ultimate demo. He felt it was all anyone wanted to talk about this week. Even working for a rival company, he couldn’t escape it. The concerns of Microsoft Quarter 4 sales falling short due to the highly anticipated release of the competitors fighting game was a frequent topic among the office.
He finished at the urinal and washed his hands, hurrying to the concessions to grab a snack. He was determined to make it back to the booth within the allotted break time frame, just to rub it in Hux’s face. He wolfed down the expensive concession cheeseburger and a handful of fries. He gulped the last of his water, disposing of the bottle in a nearby receptacle before he headed back into the mess.
He weaved in and out of the crowd, back to the booth where Hux was doing less of his job and more of chatting up their fellow associate - Gwen Phasma - as he leaned casually against the table she sat at. Gwen had the easy job, she even got to sit down the whole time. She was in charge of the giveaway table - offering up a multitude of Microsoft pens, bags, stickers, even bottles of hand sanitizer. Gwen didn’t even look like she was paying attention to anything Hux was saying to her. She scrolled through her phone with one hand, extending swag bags with the other as the participants exited the booth.
“Oh you’re back!” Hux said, straightening as Ben approached. “I was just telling Gwen that we should hit up Coin-Op tonight after our shift is over.”
“We can go there anytime.” Ben said, annoyed. “Besides, it’s probably going to be packed.”
“Well Gwen has never been, and I thought it would be fun.” Hux said. Hux jerked his head towards Gwen and mouthed ‘please?’ to Ben. Ben sighed.
“Sure. Sounds great. You in Gwen?”
“I guess.” Gwen replied, her eyes still glued to her phone. Hux gave Ben a weak smile as a means of thanks. Ben replied with a curt nod. He knew Hux had a ‘thing’ for Gwen. Lord know why. She had to be at least an inch or two taller than him and looked like she could snap him in half if she really wanted.
Hux took over for the giveaways so Gwen could take her break. The crowd was beginning to thin as more and more patrons moved to go watch, you guessed it, a Smash Brother’s Championship. Two boys, college freshmen Ben assumed, were currently occupying the console at the booth. No one else was in line at the moment, so he let them go ahead and take a second turn. The friends high fived each other and started a new round.
‘If I see one more friggin’ high five…’ Ben thought to himself, slightly shaking his head. It was going to be a very long day.
- - - - - - - - -
Rey’s cheeks were beginning to hurt from smiling so much.
She directed the seemingly never-ending line of convention goers through the queue as they lined up for a chance to try out Super Smash Brothers Ultimate. She and Rose passed out pins to the participants while Finn and Poe monitored the consoles. It was very crowded at the Nintendo booth. Elsewhere inside the Los Angeles Convention Center - Snap Wexley and Kaydel Connix were currently being live streamed on YouTube as they interviewed game developers and producers about the upcoming games Nintendo had just announced that morning.
“Hey! Rey!”
Rey glanced up to see Rose, waving at her to catch her attention from the opposite side of the queue. Rose squeezed her tiny frame past the crowd as she made her way towards her, issuing apologies of ‘excuse me, pardon me’ as she went.
“Rey, you’re more than welcome to take a break if you want.” Rose said to her while bobbing with adrenaline.
“Oh, are you sure?” Rey asked, looking at the mass of Nintendo fans waiting around in line. “It’s awfully busy.”
“They’ll be here a bit.” Rose said, waving a hand at the line.
“What about you and the others?” Rey asked, looking towards Finn and Poe who were adamantly discussing the games new features with a group of people in line.
“We’re used to it.” Rose said, winking. “Go on, go! Enjoy yourself!”
Rey smiled at Rose and handed over her stack of pins.
“Thanks Rose.” Rey said.
“Don’t mention it!”
Rey wandered away from the booth, taking in the sights of the convention center. There were plenty of other booths. Some small, others big. She passed a giant booth dedicated solely to the Blizzard game ‘Overwatch’, the line was filled with cheering fans as they watched footage from those inside booth playing.
She got herself a hot dog and a water at the concession stand, careful not to spill any ketchup or mustard on her new shirt. She took a seat at the concessions, reflecting on the day so far as she ate. Her nerves had ceased soon after they had arrived this morning. Just like Rose had said, Finn and Poe were great. Poe even gave her a hug right off the bat, welcoming her into their convention family.
“I bet Stella is going stir crazy not being here.” Poe had said.
“You have no idea.” Finn responded. “She lives for these things.”
“But we’ve got Rey, and we couldn’t be happier.” Poe said, winking at her.
Rey finished her lunch and threw away her waste. She took a quick trip to the restroom before heading back onto the demo floor. She walked around the rest of the room on her way back to the Nintendo booth. By now, a Smash Brothers tournament was taking place on the main stage. She could see Snap and Kay on the big screen hyping up the crowd.
She neared by a hard to miss display advertising the game ‘Fortnite’. Colorful videos of game play flashed on multiple screens around the booth. Characters in bright clothes performed funny dances. And there was something about a llama?
Rey was drawn to the catchy music and neon lights. The game had just been announced that morning that it was coming to the Nintendo Switch console, and fans were delighted. She headed towards the booth to get a better look. As she approached, she saw the back of a tall man with broad shoulders. He had dark hair that hung down close to his shoulders. His arms were crossed behind his back in almost an authoritative stance. His bicep muscles were tight as he clenched his hands together. He surveyed the booth in a manner just as intimidating as his figure.
Rey hung back on the sidelines of the booth watching two boys in Dragonball Z t-shirts play the game. She peeked up at the man, noticing his long face angled face. A lanyard similar to hers peeked out from underneath his shag of hair. She inched closer to the booth, a decision she nearly regretted as the man working the booth was alerted to her presence.
- - - - - - - - -
Glimpsing a hint of red from the corner of his eye, Ben turned his head to glance behind him.
Standing just outside the exit of the booth was a girl. She wore a red tee shirt emblazoned with the E3 logo. Her chocolate brown hair was fashioned up into three buns. It was quite an interesting hairstyle, he had to admit. She was watching the boys play their game from where she stood. Her hands were clasped in front of her badge, which was hanging from a lanyard that was also decorated with the E3 emblem.
Ben felt his palms begin to sweat. Was it getting hot in here? It was Los Angeles in June. Of course it was hot in here. The girl must have felt his stare because brilliant hazel eyes snapped up to meet his gaze.
‘Shit!’ He thought. He had been caught.
She offered him a small smile.
“Are…. You here to try out the game?” He found himself finally asking, trying to find his words.
She issued a small shrug.
“Just taking this all in.” She replied. Ben immediately picked up on her accent. It was music to his ears.
“First E3?” He asked her, wanting to hear her speak some more. She lightly laughed. Even better.
“Is it that obvious?” She asked.
“Well, most people actually come to play the games, not watch them.” He said, shooting a look in the direction of the gaming tournament that was currently being live streamed on the big screen. He looked back to the girl.
“Want to give it a try?” He asked, indicating the console in front of him - still occupied by the two freshmen. The girl shrugged again.
“Why not?” She replied.
“Alright, time’s up.” Ben said hurriedly to the boys.
“Hey!” One of the boys protested.
“You had your turn, go get your stickers, thanks for playing.” Ben said loudly. The boys set down the controllers and trudged their way over to Hux grumbling. Ben managed to catch the word ‘asshole’ being slung his way, but he didn’t care.
He handed the girl one of the controllers. He picked up the other one and started the game.
The girl watched the intro in silence. Ben’s eyes occasionally flicked down towards her, trying to gauge her reaction.
“You a big gamer?” He asked.
“I’m here, aren’t I?” She replied.
‘God, Solo! What a stupid question to ask!’ He scolded himself.
“Good point.” Ben replied.
He watched the girl as she moved throughout the map, a sliver of pink peeking between her lips as she bit her tongue in concentration.
“You’ve never played this game before, have you?” He asked her after a minute. She shook her head.
“What gave it away?” She asked sheepishly.
“Your character is running headlong into that wall.” He replied, pointing to her screen.
“Oh! I thought I was first player.” The girl admitted. In the glow from the TV screen, Ben could see a hint of pink fill her cheeks in embarrassment.
“No. I’m player one.” Ben said, his fingers flexing around his controller. “I’m always player one.”
“Always?” The girl asked, almost with a hint of sass. An eyebrow raised at him.
“Always.”
The girl eyed him for a moment before turning back to the game, this time her eyes trained on the proper on screen character. It wasn’t long before an explosion rang out and the words ‘#1 Victory Royale’ popped up on the girls screen.
“You just took me out!” Ben exclaimed. He was shocked, annoyed, angry, and if he was honest - a bit turned on.
“I like this game.” She said, handing the controller back to Ben. “It’s releasing on the Nintendo Switch later today. I’ll have to download it once I’m off work.”
The words practically went in one ear and out the other.
“Work?” Ben asked, unsure if he heard her correctly.
She nodded as he looked her over once again. The puzzle pieces fitting themselves together. The E3 shirt and lanyard. The badge with the words ‘STAFF’ printed on the bottom, right underneath the oblong racetrack logo of Nintendo. He felt his heart plummet to his stomach.
“You… You work for Nintendo?” He asked her. She nodded again, this time with the hint of a smile on her lips.
“Yes. Though I really ought to work for Sony. I fancy blue far more than red. It’s my favorite color.”
Ben’s brain partially melted hearing how she said the word ‘fancy’.
“I ought to work for Nintendo then, because my favorite color is red.” He found himself saying. She laughed.
“Green isn’t so bad.” She admitted with a shrug. “I have an XBox at home too, though I arguably don’t play it as much as I do my Switch.”
“You’re allowed to play competitor consoles?” He asked her. She nodded, followed by a shocked look on her face.
“Are you not allowed to play other consoles?” She asked him.
“No, I can.” Ben said, shaking his head defensively. “It’s just…. Nintendo is…”
“Let me guess - for babies?” She snarkily replied. Ben frowned. At least she was the one that said it, not him.
“It’s just -”
“We actually have more rated M for Mature titles than ever before now that the Nintendo Switch has launched.” The girl prattled on proudly. “Doom, for example. Skyrim. Bayonetta 1 and 2. And Dark Souls, once that is released.” She listed.
“I get it.” Ben said. “Still, you guys mainly focus on kid games. That’s what you’re known for. Microsoft has so much more range at least.”
The girl smiled.
“Why do you think I have an XBox then?”
He felt his lips twitch into a smile at her reply. She glanced down at her watch.
“I really ought to get back to my booth. My break is almost over.” She said. Ben found himself nodding wordlessly at her.
“Well, it was nice to meet you….” She trailed off, imploring for his name.
“Ben.” He said, extending a hand to her. She grinned as she reached out to shake his hand. His hand was so large he was afraid he was going to crush her petite hand.
“I’m Rey.” She said.
“Rey…” He repeated. It was an usual name for a girl, but for her - it was perfect.
“Nice to meet you too.”
She flashed another smile before she turned to exit the booth.
“Don’t forget a sticker!” Ben hurriedly called after her.
Hux held out a sticker of a purple llama shaped piñata to Rey, wearing a skeptical and grumpy look on his face. If Rey detected the severe disdain Hux had on his face, she didn’t show it as she plucked the sticker from between his fingers as she left the booth.
- - - - - - - - -
Rey pocketed the llama sticker as she made her way back to the Nintendo booth. Judging from her lap around the building, it was the most popular booth there. She made her way back to her station, seeing Rose in full promotion mode. She was passing out freebies like she was Oprah. A tiny, Asian Oprah. The crowd was loving it. Poe laughed at the scene, Finn shaking his head.
“Rey! You’re back!” Rose said, shoving a handful of lanyards at her. “You have a good break?”
“It was great.” Rey answered, unable to keep the smile from her face. Rose’s eyes lit up.
“You’ll have to tell me about it!” Rose shouted over the crowd. “Later, at the after party!”