iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

mish 🍂 @pocketsofdaisy.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

like nice and slow and gently or....

rey and ben fiercely standing up for each other means everything 🥹 (also this setting was inspired by that one scene in howl's moving castle which is kinda funny this fic is largely inspired by christian bale's american psycho and now includes a homage to his ghibli voice work)

“There you are, sweetheart. Been looking everywhere for you.”

Ben’s voice, a low and inviting sound from behind, makes her spine snap straight.

She turns to him, his height making him stare down at her with an unsettling calmness, with that dark, intelligent, scheming gaze. Everything crashes into her—anger, relief, confusion, dread. Because right now, she should be mad at him. Not give him an inch. And he should be grovelling. But since her time with Leia, Rey hasn’t had a minute alone. To breathe. To think. To be the horrible one for a while and lash out at this Organa-Skywalker melodrama nightmare.

Yet here she is, defending him against someone else.

Again.

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i knew i wanted to tackle a very toxic miserable family when i first planned this fic + i studied a number of powerful female figures - and while i enjoyed how leia's characterisation turned out, i don't think i'd ever be able to write her this way again!!!! it's too heartless 🥹

“I know you’re thinking,” Rey says, “‘Here’s some social climbing hick.’ Or whatever. But the thing is, I see a lot of myself in Ben.” That self-doubt, are the words she doesn’t say. The loneliness. “Because I know what it’s like to do stupid things just to see if anyone cares. And okay, he’s weird and all sometimes, but many people are. I’m the same.”

The corners of Leia’s mouth tug upwards. “That, we agree on.”

Rey braces herself. “Which part?”

“There are things about him where I wasn’t sure I liked what I saw. He can be hard to love.”

Rey stares at Leia, speechless at how it was said without any equivocation or thought, wondering if Ben was told that—if he’d been raised to believe he isn’t capable of being loved. Like she was. The remark has an immediate effect, her instinct to defend him becoming a thunderous storm.

It’s you.

The reason he’s like this.

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when writing this genre and concept, everyone usually comments—why doesn't she confront him? can't she tell something's off?? apart from giving alot of leeway to people we love, i'd like to think rey's character understands ben's personality isn't regular lol......

Since the beginning, were there moments where she couldn’t trust him? Sure.

But it was more along the lines of him crushing her lovesick teenage brain because he was a privileged knob who wasn’t who he said he was. Or he was part of some men’s rights movement that originated a #HeToo trend because ‘Women in Finance’ initiatives were a fucking joke to them.

With his lot in life, he could literally go anywhere, be anything.

But the more she thought about it, the more she realised maybe that’s exactly why—people like Ben are untouchable by a system that protects them.

Or maybe it’s not that deep. Maybe he’s just a control freak who kept tabs on her while they were on a break.

What else has he lied about, then?

Would she really want to know?

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mish 🍂 @pocketsofdaisy.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

so happy he's playing a role where he gets to pump up the family angst!!!! also me: WTF LOOK AT THE SIZE OF HIS PALM IT COULD CRUSH A SKULL

screencap from the paper tiger 2026 film where miles teller is the luckiest man in the world to be hugged with his head cradled by adam driver and adam driver's BIG GIANT HUGE GINORMOUS HAND

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i think if i had to pinpoint where the escalation of ben's behaviour to reveal what he is - probably this exact moment. like someone just trying to gauge "do you match my freak?" sorta thing. casual 😂

His free hand snakes up to her neck.

“How much do you trust me?” He presses his lips to her ears, his damp strands of hair tickling her skin. “If I do this?” Circling her throat, he gives a squeeze. Stronger than usual. “What if I just…really, really want to fuck you up?” Down below, she can feel where he’s growing hard against his pants. “What if I have a habit of breaking my favourite toys, simply because it turns me on that I can?”

“That’s—” she exhales shakily, her ears starting to ring. Like an alarm bell. “That sounds sick and destructive.”

“I can be sick and destructive, Rey.”

To her relief, he relaxes his grip. Like this is all just a playful thing they do.

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mish 🍂 @pocketsofdaisy.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

it's actually really REALLY emotionally taxing to write the dark romance genre so i try very often to sprinkle humour in between 😂 (also an exploration where nowadays being dismissive to someone's struggles is apparently OK if it's punching up ahaha...)

“You’re a nice, pretty girl, and—obviously to him—a real catch. Of course he would give you attention.”

“I thought there was something—that maybe…” Rey trails off, awkward, suddenly feeling like a deer caught in headlights. “He struggled as a kid, like I did—”

“Doubt his could equate to yours. What would he even need to be sad about? His favourite Michelin restaurant screwing up the edible foam?”

mish 🍂 @pocketsofdaisy.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

this was a fun experiment! bc i've read about how therapists navigate different ways of coaxing their patients to open up so it's a meaningful session - so even if ben's instinct is to just rile snoke up, what's key is how ben views himself rather than what he actually is

“Do you think there’s good and evil?” Ben abruptly asks.

“We’re not here to talk about me. What do you think?”

Slowly, Ben breaks into a calm, sly smile while watching Snoke scribble something in his medical notes. “They believe I’m closer than most people are to what makes us inherently evil.”

“That’s quite something. How does that make you feel?”

“At first? Angry. How stupid can these fucks be to reduce me to some digestible religious crap? But then—amused, I guess. I smile whenever I think about it.”

“That mindset shift—why is that?”

“Because now they finally see me.” Ben arches an eyebrow, combing a hand through his hair. “They said I’m too much like my grandpa. Didn't really know him. But I was told he wasn’t a very nice man, in the end.”

chp6 is one of my favourite pieces of fiction i ever wrote - of ben's pov being all obsessive and self-loathing over rey and just...nasty lmao. so taking my cues from tlj's direction on removing kylo's mask - "he's a more complicated character than that and deserves a more complicated story."

Unless he’s got something ongoing with Holdo, however, he discovers it’s a real challenge to approach Rey in a natural way—one that won’t reveal how fucked up he is. And more. There’s a brief, pathetic sensation when he’s alone in his penthouse after relieving himself of the heavy want to fuck her. It aggravates him. He’s broken a few things against the wall as a consequence.

And she’s practically someone’s fucking assistant. To feel this way because she’s typically off-limits is just top-notch cliché.

Why?

Why the fuck does it have to be her?

Maybe he should get her fired to free himself from this fucking nonsense.

No—no.

He wants her within reaching distance. For now.

Or perhaps a less subtle way.

He could just take what he wanted. Like he’s always done. Maybe even play the long game and get her transferred to his department. His current job position doesn’t require an assistant, but surely he could make a case for one. Who’d deny him? Let her slowly know him. Get her comfortable. Lower her guard. And he’d be nice about it, sure. Make it mutual.

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my own homage to that infamous american psycho scene where bateman straight up tells a woman he's into murders and executions + but sprinkle it with some rose tico spice ✨ the difference between the film and here is that rey ACTUALLY listens to ben and cares about what he's saying

“If not?” Rose scoffs. “Who the hell are you? Huh? That you can just walk into our Rey-Rey’s life and behave like an absolute tool? And Jesus fuck—you’re fucking tall, eh? What ever happened to height restrictions? The world needs a booster seat to talk to you. A human giraffe, that’s what you are. Enemy of public transports!”

Fuck, Rey thinks. Rose is completely trashed, and Paige doesn’t look too good, either.

“You’re her co-worker? So, what’d you do?” Rose drawls.

Ben slants his head, smug. “To Rey? Lots of things, actually. But that’s kinda personal.”

“Yes. No—I mean, what do you do? For work?”

“Oh.” Something odd glints in his eyes. “I specialise in murders and executions.”

Rey laughs, but she throws Ben a confused scowl. What the hell was that about? Was that supposed to be funny? He catches her expression and smirks, giving her a wink that makes her feel shy again.

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office gossip is super fun! (when you're not the subject lmao) but since rey in this story was not raised in an environment that made her emotionally secure, she's very easily susceptible to what others think 🥲 fun fact: this is a permutation of a very real conversation my co-workers once had ahaha

“Are you sleeping with him, too?”

Rey jerks back in surprise. “What the heck?”

“Someone saw you get into Solo’s car recently. But they weren’t sure.” Kaydel folds her arms, clearly amused by Rey's silence. Probably convinced that's a confirmation. “Seriously? He's, like, a hundred years older than you.”

“A hundred—what? Don't be gross. He's thirty! Thirty...something.” Isn't he?

“Jesus, man. So serious. You must be fun at parties.” After Rey rolls her eyes, Kaydel curls strands of her gorgeous pale hair behind her ears. “Want my advice? Stay away. Office hookups are messy. And girls like you don’t have the chops to handle guys like him. Vice versa, even. Just find a nice, uncomplicated man, babe.”

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99% of the time in this story rey just doesn't have her "hot evil boyfriend" duolingo working

He nuzzles at her neck. “Hey, let’s take a photo together.”

She’s surprised by this. “Really?”

“Sure. Give me yours.”

After taking her phone, he extends his hand out. Like lovers do, he wraps the other arm around her shoulders, resting a cheek to the crown of her head. Oh, how her heart races at that. Everytime. He pulls her back in before she could ever think to drift away. It’s so fucking unfair. He snaps two photos; one where they are both looking at the camera, and another where he turns to kiss her temple. He inspects the images before sending them to himself.

“You’ve got a beautiful smile, Rey.” He’s still staring at the phone screen. “Such pretty bone structure, too.”

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it was kind of funny to make rey unconsciously kind of an ageist towards a guy she's very much into 😂

The flat of his thumb brushes atop the apples of her cheeks. “Told anyone you’re here?”

“How do you mean?”

“With me. At my place.”

She wrinkles her nose. It’s times like these when it becomes weird—where she’s reminded that Ben is very much older, very together, occasionally coming off more like a dad than a guy she’s casually fucking. Maybe the age gap truly is a considerable factor.

“Um, no. Should I?”

His eyebrows lift a bit, shaking his head while muttering something. Barely discernible. Meant only for him.

“Sorry?” She frowns. “I didn’t catch that.”

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oops i forgot to share some tracks for chp1-3!!! you can follow the full playlist here too!! open.spotify.com/playlist/5R8...

4 tracks listed

Man in Finance by Megan Boni known as @girl_on_couch
Daddy Issues by The Neighbourhood
Intro by The xx
Psycho Killer by Talking Heads

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the thing about workplace dynamics is trying to escalate the story's momentum but also remembering these people have jobs!!! so ben does what he does best by having fade to black force bond calls :))

Sometimes, after a long day at work, Ben calls her. Not a big texter if he can help it, clearly. But it's usually sweet. Chilled. Just two people who once fucked like animals going into heat trying to keep things casual.

It's funny, in a way, to have someone that's mostly known as Mr. Big Shot—nice from afar but an uncompromising jerk to work with—just ringing her number to ask what she's been up to.

And sometimes, he playfully asks if he could listen to her touch herself over the phone, or send a photo of her tits so he could jack off to it. No pressure, though, he'll add on later. Only teasing.

But it doesn't sound like a joke.

Not really.

i tried to craft this scene in the same tone as secretary (2002) where spader's character tries to give hints about his...inclinations and scare the protagonist away by saying "very dull work & typewriters only!" but it doesn't go the way he thinks and he freezes up 😄

At the back of Rey’s mind, an instinct is telling her there’s something strange happening. But the quiet buzzing from the pill is drowning out any logical thought. Her brain feels like it's melting out of her skull. It’s all so fucking dope that she can’t focus on anything past ten seconds. Already, she’s resigned to ogling at the carving of pale muscles that peek out from his open shirt.

Everything to get the job done.

She swirls his statement around her head.

Abruptly, her consciousness lights up like a damn Christmas tree, and she slaps a hand over her mouth, slurring, “Oh nooooooo, Ben. You mean—you were, like, talking about condoms, right? I—I don’t have one? I’m not on any—any like—contraceptive, either?”

He blinks.

There’s a millisecond of dead silence.

Ben eventually shakes his head in amusement. “You’re so fucking precious, you know that?”

actually one of my favourite moments ahaha - bc rey is thinking SUCH A NICE GUY SUCH A GENTLEMAN when really he's prob trying to get his hands tied 🤪

“Want something to help you relax? I can make us those drinks.”

She nods quickly. “Yes, please.”

As he rummages through the minibar, he calls out to her, “Do me a favour. Could you just text one of your girlfriends that you’re not gonna be home tonight?”

Rey cocks her head in disbelief. “Why?”

“I think you should.” He pauses before continuing in an odd tone, “Do it for me. Tell them where you’re staying.”

This delights her pleasantly. She’s never met someone so considerate, so concerned for her well-being. Most guys wouldn’t give a fuck about shit like this. Especially when she’s already right where he wants her. Ben Solo is full of surprises.

i read once about a specific type of tension when the audience knows the secret, but the protagonist doesn't. so when ben and rey go on a date, he asks regular "getting to know you" questions - but clearly lmao it should feel different bc we know exactly who he is

“This job isn’t fixed for the moment. The other assistant is on maternity leave for a year, so I’m just temping until she comes back.”

“Ah, so you were referred in by an agency?”

“Uh-huh. Didn’t have the financial support for college, so I did a course for executive secretarial roles. Stayed unemployed for a couple of months before I got this placement. Amilyn was concerned about my age, but I think she hired me because it's not permanent.” Rey shrugs before adding on, “Probably felt sorry for me, too.”

“What about your parents? No other family?”

“No. I grew up in the foster system.”

And she isn't keen to say any more than that.

“Staying alone, then?”

i wanted an awkward-funny "omfg we've only spoken like 3 words to each other for the past 6 months so wtf is going on?" but make it less creepy (haha!) since rey already has a teeny crush on him. it's fun to know this chp1's interaction gets more layers later from ben's pov :))

He drums his—very, very distractingly large—fingers on her desk, ticking off whatever mental checklist he has. “Oh, yeah. The client we had lunch with the other day? Good to go. The lawyers will kickstart ISDA negotiations.”

“Sure thing.” She gestures at the documents. “Though, next time you can just tell me to pick these from the printers.”

“Why?”

“Saves you the trouble of coming over.”

He looks at her for a second too long. “Maybe I enjoy seeing your pretty face.”

She blinks up at him. Did she just hear that right?

“You look nice today,” he continues coolly, giving her another once-over.

“Oh, um…” She curiously eyes her bargain corner blouse and hand-me down pencil skirt from her roommate. “Thank you?”

“Got a date?”

She shakes her head. "Nah."

“That’s a shame.” He gives a playful pout that makes her salivate. "Your ‘special someone’ not giving you the attention you deserve?”

Her face grows hot. What's he up to? “Sure, if I had someone.”

“Oh? I didn’t know you’re single.” Something strange crosses his features. “That’s interesting.”

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mish 🍂 @pocketsofdaisy.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

as the 6th year of i'm an animal is coming up (started on 2Oct20!!!) + chp12 update soon + autumn is here, i wanted to share a sort of "notes on a scene" for the fic so far. hope you enjoy 🫶 #mishfic #reylofic | modern au | american psycho (2000) x industry (2020)

moodboard for a "notes on a scene" thread of the reylo fanfic i'm an animal by pocketsofdaisy on ao3 - featuring the new york city skyline, a street sign with the word psychopath, a newspaper with the words "KILLER STILL" printed as the headlines, a scrawl that says "The Devil In All His Glory Is Just A Sad Little Boy", the actor Adam Driver from his Rolling Stone 2019 photoshoot, a photo of a rose against the sunset, a banking traders floor and their computer screens, the actor Daisy Ridley during her Star Wars Force Awakens press tour, a shadow of a couple being intimate, a TV station crew with the words "Nightly News" displayed behind, the actor Adam Driver (but no idea where this is or wtf he was looking at but if it was a person, i hope they are ok and alive), an investigation/evidence board with red threads and the signage for a university's department of psychology.

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these two panels alone have altered my life -- (insert sicko looking through a window gif)

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mish 🍂 @pocketsofdaisy.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

comments where the reader still gave your unfinished wip a chance and reread multiple times what was already lovingly given are true angels 😭❤️ #ao3

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mish 🍂 @pocketsofdaisy.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

obsession finally got released in my city and omg 10 out of 10 - so much to unpack about insecure and isolated young guys and the kind of cruelty they can do in guise of "i'm just shy sad and lonely won't anyone just love me?"

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mish 🍂 @pocketsofdaisy.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

I screamed at this on your IG but but I have to do it again here sorry sorry bc omg I just noticed the REN on this helmet????? You are a genius!!! 🤌🏻

mish 🍂 @pocketsofdaisy.bsky.social · 13/04/2026

they said this with their full chest lmao so guess i'll be watching their list of suggested rom-coms that are "refreshingly-modern/subvert" 🙃 Aurora The Drama Hit Man Young Wether Palm Springs

But even assuming a rom-com needs to be lighthearted, there are new entries that feel they're attempting to do
more than simply reflect the past back at us unaltered.

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mish 🍂 @pocketsofdaisy.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

LIKE IMAGINE GETTING SWEEPING EMOTIONAL SHOTS LIKE THESE WHEN JANUARY AND GUS HAVE TENSED ARGUMENTS OVER LITERATURE OR WHEN THEY [REDACTED] IN THAT [REDACTED] AT THAT BEAUTIFUL SMALL TOWN

ADAM DRIVER'S (AS SUPREME LEADER KYLO REN) LARGE HAND BECKONING TO REY OF JAKKU IN GOAT RIAN JOHNSON'S STAR WARS THE LAST JEDI 2017 FILM

SUPREME LEADER KYLO REN CONFRONTING HIS UNCLE, THE LEGENDARY LUKE SKYWALKER, ON CRAIT IN STAR WARS THE LAST JEDI (2017) AND BEING VERY COOL ANGRY AND SEXY WHILE DOING IT

the hand touch scene in the hut on Ahch-To between kylo ren and rey through the force bond (star wars the last jedi, 2017) WHICH LAUNCHED A MILLION FANFICTION AND ARTWORK REYLO IS ALIVE AND FOREVER

Ana de Armas in Knives Out (2019) - scene shot in front of the exterior unit - a privately owned Gothic Revival mansion

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mish 🍂 @pocketsofdaisy.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

getting the cinematographer who did the OG reylo film plus other rian johnsons work to do beach read??? WE ALWAYS WIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 💅

post from twitter from user @emilyhenryverse

Steve Yedlin will serve as the cinematographer on Yulin Kuang’s adaptation of “Beach Read” by Emily Henry.

His previous works include: Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017), Knives Out (2019), Glass Onion (2022) and Wake Up Dead Man (2025).

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mish 🍂 @pocketsofdaisy.bsky.social · 01/04/2026

the entire handle just vanishes behind his grip........

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mish 🍂 @pocketsofdaisy.bsky.social · 31/03/2026

WAIT?? OMG OMG OMG I ACTUALLY SAID "EEP!!!!" OUT LOUD

email notification for a reylo fanfic update on ao3 - chapter 9: a sick day of the word hurricane by daphnedevil

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mish 🍂 @pocketsofdaisy.bsky.social · 27/03/2026

going through a major trad pub reading slump so i'm starting this now which was talked about by so many reylos including the brilliant @kalx58.bsky.social (so yk, that means i'm in good hands!!!)

book cover for dark romance run posy run by cate c. wells with a very scary very intense shredded dude at the front staring back at you (but we all know he's just kinda dumb and socially clueless and lucked into his lot in life)

mish 🍂 @pocketsofdaisy.bsky.social · 27/03/2026

worst feeling ever: going into your ao3's gifts section just to feel something but seeing 3 fics have been hidden/deleted 🥺

screenshot from ao3 from fics gifted to author section

Mystery Work
Hidden in collection named OG Fiction
This is part of an ongoing challenge and will be revealed soon!

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mish 🍂 @pocketsofdaisy.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

Quote this post with your AO3 fic with the most kudos! after years of being in this fandom, it's STILL i'm an animal ahahaha you dead dove lovers!!!! - feel free to (lovingly) bully me so i finally finish this beloved wip <33 #reylofic

ao3 screenshot of the reylo fic i'm an animal by pocketsofdaisy

summary:

Like everyone else, she notices him—tall, mysterious and terribly suave, he’s that Mr. Big Shot that sits a couple of floors up, handling the most elite corporate clients. But why did he just ask her out? He doesn’t even know her.

“I’d like to get to know you, Rey,” he had told her.

Maybe she’s a little afraid of him, but she can’t help but want to know Ben Solo too.

A modern AU about a serial killer who falls in love with the sweet personal-assistant-next-door. This is a story of villain meets girl.

OR

Rey’s relationship with the Skywalker heir has dangerous consequences and Ben is writing a memoir titled "Serial Killer 101: How to tell the love of your life about your evil hobbies and STILL keep the girl."

stats:

Language: English
Words: 67,147
Chapters: 11/13
Comments: 734
Kudos: 1,314
Bookmarks: 439

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mish 🍂 @pocketsofdaisy.bsky.social · 21/03/2026

your pwmov spine is so cute and different than the usual! is yours a special edition or different language?