fruhallbera:

Yet another
destroyed room, this time fortunately devoid of any overly expensive equipment.
Desks and chairs lay scattered and mangled, the walls scarred with distinctive lightsaber
marks. A terrified lieutenant huddled by the far wall, trying to hide herself behind
an upturned desk. In the middle of the room stood a black-clad figure, shoulders
shaking, hunched in on himself.

Hux sighed
as he entered the remains of a conference room. He jerked his head at the
lieutenant, gesturing for her to leave. She seemed to be unharmed, although thoroughly
shaken. “Get out,” he said, “and close the door.” She managed to get up on her
second attempt and scurried out of the door.

Hux sighed
again. He removed his gloves and his greatcoat, set them on the one chair left
intact and took one step closer to the cause of the destruction.

“Ren..” The
Knight had his back turned to Hux, standing perfectly still, obviously still
trying to rein in his wrath. Hux took another tentative step towards him. “Ren,
please look at me.”

No
reaction. The shoulders kept shaking, the masked head was bowed, and his hand
gripped his lightsaber – thankfully deactivated – tightly. Hux turned to see
that the door was closed. He lifted one hand, touched gently between Ren’s shoulder
blades. “Kylo. Come back to me.”

Ren had
jolted from Hux’s touch and was now drawing in ragged breaths. He clipped his
saber to his belt, clumsily, as if he was forcing himself to do it. Hux pressed
his hand against Ren’s back, trying to ground him. Ren had once described how he
felt outside of his own body when the rage overtook him, that he was merely an
observer of his actions. He removed his helmet, threw it aside and almost
sobbed with each breath he took. Hux edged closer, drawing his hand up Ren’s
back and to his neck. He brushed the hair aside and pressed his lips against
the sweaty skin, inhaling Ren’s scent.

“I know you
think you’re all alone out there, but you’re not.”

“Don’t
pretend that you understand me, Hux.”

Hux wrapped
his hand around Ren’s waist, slowly, carefully, and tightened his hold only
when he was certain that the Knight wouldn’t bolt away. “No, love, I cannot
even begin to imagine how it is to live with your powers.” He took a deep
breath, kissed Ren’s neck again. “But I do know how it is to try to live up to
expectations, to be judged and found wanting no matter what you do. Believe me,
love, I do know how that feels. Never being good enough.”

Ren laced
his fingers with Hux’s, began to straighten from his slouch. “Love?”

“Yes?”

“No, you
called me ‘love’. Twice.”

Hux paused
for a few heartbeats. “I did.”

“Why?”

“Because
you are.”

“Oh.”

Ren was now
leaning back, eyes closed. They stayed there until the last tremors left Ren’s
body and he began to extract himself slowly from Hux’s embrace. He turned
around, pressed his forehead against Hux’s, mouth curled in a thin, sad smile. “Thank
you,” he whispered. “Again.”

Hux gave
him a one last squeeze and turned to pick up his coat and gloves. Ren floated
his helmet into his hands, inspected it before covering his face again. Both
sets of masks in place, Hux rolled his shoulders, let his arms fold behind
back.

“Ready to
face the world?”

“Yes.” The
vocoder turned Ren’s voice into the usual menacing growl. “Love.”

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