Ch 1: Fragments
He started having the dream again. It was the same one that had been vexing him for the last year, but only intermittently, almost to the point he could ignore it. Almost. It was always the same, seen in first person perspective, floating in a vast sea, somehow able to breathe the water. He gazed into its endless expanse, observed the dim light filtering through it in shafts only illuminating it to a murky blue. Still areas of it sparkled white and brilliant near the surface though it did not appear to be day, or night for that matter. There was simply no way of telling and he could not surface to find out.
Some sense of intuition lured his eyes downward. There was a colossal bridge, monumental, boundless, too large for life or practicality. Even in his dream state he thought the underwater structure peculiar. It appeared to be an old-fashioned suspension bridge, and as he spied it at a great distance it started to crumble just slightly at one part, particles of whatever it was made of drifting into the darkness below.
"Watch," whispered a foreign voice near his ear. "It is going to start falling apart."
He looked on as the crumbling section began to ripple, slowly at first, then more violently, shaking the solid matter easily to pieces and chunks. What he assumed to be stone and metal made little noise as it broke apart and disappeared into the abyss.
"Everything built will fall apart," said the voice. "It will all fall apart."
The last statement was spoken with a measure of intensity that was subtle but effective. He wanted to search for the mysterious, whispering person but could not tear his eyes from the bridge as it continued to collapse. Sections of it undulated and cracked, fractured and fell, one after the other. It was fascinating and oddly soothing to behold.
"Careful that you do not fragment as well, General," said the voice with an ominous tone.
The last utterance never failed to get him to finally swivel his head in an attempt to find its source. He was on the verge of attempting to shout, with water-logged lungs, when he would suddenly wake up. The current morning was no different. He awoke disorientated, confused, a cry nearly on his lips, and the comforting sensation of water enveloping his body harshly wrenched from him.
General Armitage Hux stared up at the ceiling of his bedroom, clutching his black sheets tightly. It was a new day. A new and awful day. He let his gaze fall to the window beyond the foot of his bed and sighed. It was morning according to his chronometer, but he would be damned if the tract of space outside indicated any time. He missed being on a planet. He desperately missed the Starkiller.
Slowly, he pulled his weary body from bed and got ready for his shift. The morning routine comforted him, but the intrusive, pessimistic thoughts about his situation dampened it significantly. Settling his greatcoat over his shoulders, he decided checking on Kylo Ren was the first thing on his daily agenda, even if it was the last thing he wanted to do. He went to the med bay, and was not surprised to find him missing. Nobody had seen him go anywhere. Also not surprising, but definitely annoying. He spent a good forty-five minutes searching for him on the massive Finalizer.
"Ren," Hux called to the sulking man. He was sitting by a window in a random, seldom-used lounge. "What are you doing here? The doctor told me you were never discharged from the bay."
"I'm fine," said Ren keeping his gaze locked firmly on the stars and planet that moved outside the window. "Leave me alone."
"No," said Hux moving over to Ren. His face was in shadow, but he could still see the new scar running jagged over it. They had tried to minimize it as much as possible but it was simply too deep. "You became my reluctant responsibility when I was ordered to deliver you to the Supreme Leader."
"So you have reminded me far too often in a very short time," sneered Ren. "I don't understand why I have to wait to complete my training."
Hux did not dignify his statement with a response. He was in a foul mood, as he had been since the Starkiller was destroyed mere days ago. He placed some of the blame squarely on Ren, probably more than was due. It was weak minded of him, but he felt he needed someone to blame other than the Resistance.
"I have to get to the bridge," said Hux turning on his heel and taking a step away. "Please try to keep yourself in one piece until-"
Ren reached out and abruptly grasped his arm, painfully tight, silencing him. He somehow managed to find it effortlessly even through his greatcoat. He was staring at him intently and with an unusual expression.
"Something…is different about you," said Ren carefully, haltingly. "What happened?"
Hux bristled at the question. "You know bloody well what happened!" he shouted, feeling his temper bubbling up past his cool exterior. "Now. Let. Me. Go."
The bare fingers gripping his arm released immediately. It was in a delayed manner that Hux realized that the infamous Kylo Ren was not wearing his helmet, or gloves, or regular outfit. A memory came to mind of Ren telling him he loathed to move about the ship or base uncovered. Maybe his recent defeat had knocked some sense into him. One could only hope.
The helmet looked ridiculous anyway, he thought loudly in Ren's direction. He knew the bastard routinely caught his thoughts, especially when he projected them.
Strangely, he was met with no response, and Ren continued to stare out the window, ignoring him completely. Ah well, perhaps he was in just as bad of a mood. He marched out of the room without a backwards glance.
He worked his shift mechanically, overly glad for the distraction it offered him. There were a lot of fires to put out since the destruction of the Starkiller, and it certainly offered him a bureaucratic haven for the time being. They were en route to the temple Supreme Leader Snoke resided in on a distant planet in the outer rim, or at least he was led to believe so. He was not even given its name, merely its coordinates. Their destination weighed heavily on his mind causing it to wander.
Why had he not received any orders since the retrieval of Ren? Was his failure going to be punished? Was Ren truly going to recover from his defeat? Would his final training transform him into something so horribly powerful that he could not be controlled? Or would the training simply kill him?
Shaking his head clear of stupidly hypothetical thought, Hux finished the last form of the day and handed the datapad off to some lieutenant to be processed. He announced his departure and left the bridge stiffly. As he walked back to his quarters his stomach growled at him loudly to remind him that he had not eaten a bite all day. Unenthusiastically, he made a detour to the wardroom. He was nearly there when he turned a corner and ran into a wall of black fabric.
"Excuse me, I was-"
"Hux! I've been looking for you," said Ren urgently.
A sense of dread pooled in his stomach instinctively upon hearing Ren's tone. Had he finally received orders from Supreme Leader Snoke? The thought was not very comforting, even if it may present him with a much needed goal. Ren once again grasped his arm, much more gently, and started dragging him behind him as he hurried down the hall.
"What is this about?" he demanded, having difficulty keeping up with Ren's ridiculously long strides. "I intended to get something to eat," he added crossly.
"That's fine," said Ren glancing back at him. "I cooked some food tonight."
"You…what?"
"Cooked some food. In my quarters," said Ren nonchalantly. "I'm a pretty good cook, you know."
It was such an odd statement to hear from Ren that Hux was left without a retort. He grudgingly let himself be tugged all the way to Ren's quarters, too hungry and tired to mind the occasional questioning looks they received. When they arrived, he tossed his greatcoat over a chair and plopped down onto a couch in the common room with an undignified huff. A minute later a hot bowl of something that looked like soup was shoved under his nose.
"What is it?" Hux asked, taking the bowl and spoon before eyeing it suspiciously.
"A type of gumbo," said Ren sitting across from him and retrieving his own bowl from the caf table between the couches. "My unc…somebody I knew taught me how to make it a long time ago."
Hux had absolutely no idea what gumbo was, but decided he was too hungry to care or ask. He took a tentative bite and slowly chewed the ingredients. It tasted like a fine blend of spices he did not even know the ship contained, some type of shellfish, a tender white meat, peppers, and onions. It was hearty, spicy, savory, and infinitely better than he had expected. The bowl was empty in a matter of minutes and he wanted more. Ren accommodated him, silently fixing him a second bowl and patiently waiting as he finished it.
"Was it good?" asked Ren leaning forward in his seat and resting his arms on his legs casually. "Did you like it?"
"It was good," said Hux setting the bowl down. He felt vastly better with a full stomach and in a better mood to tolerate Ren's antics. "I'm impressed. I never would have figured you for a decent chef."
Ren smiled softly, genuinely. He had always responded well to praise, though Hux did not offer it very often. "Can I ask you a question?" he said his expression shifting to stern. "It's important."
His stomach did an annoying flip and he wanted to blame it on stuffing too much food into it too quickly. A growing sense of foreboding led him to believe it was something else entirely. "You may, but I might not answer."
Quirking his head to the side slightly, Ren stared at him for a moment. "Why did it end?" he finally spoke quietly, almost as if to himself.
"I'm afraid you're going to have to be more specific than that if you require a response," said Hux relaxing into his seat.
"Our arrangement. Your proposition that I accepted years ago. You and me, sleeping together," said Ren hotly, his words rushing together. "Why did you call it off?"
He should have felt relieved that their current topic of discussion was about interpersonal relationships and not grave punishments for grand failures. He really should have. Yet his heart sped up and his stomach did another awful lurch, nearly leaving him nauseous. Vaguely he realized his reaction was abnormal, exaggerated. He figured Ren would ask eventually, but with their current circumstances all thought he had put into a response had been abandoned months ago.
"I told you then, I'm simply too busy to carry on with such a thing," said Hux, the words coming out much weaker than he intended.
"I don't believe you, not even for a second," said Ren sitting up and scooting forward slightly in his seat.
"I don't care," said Hux. He felt his temper attempting to flare up and tragically misfiring under Ren's intense gaze. He frowned and looked away.
"Tell me the real reason," said Ren lowly, a threat present in his tone. "Could it be that you were starting to develop feelings for me? Inappropriate feelings for a distinguished First Order General?"
"Absolutely not!" shouted Hux in a kneejerk reaction, snapping his gaze back to Ren. "I couldn't care less about you if I tried! You're a constant thorn in my side and I should have let you die back on the…on the…" He faltered and trailed off, unable to utter the name of his beloved, lost base. It made sense to mourn such a thing, he rationalized, since he had put so much effort and thought into it, not to mention so many years of his life.
"It's not such a bad thing," said Ren. He sighed and glanced down at his now folded hands. "Having feelings for someone, learning to care for them more and more deeply…falling deeper-"
"I can't- I just can't do this right now," blurted out Hux, interrupting Ren and shooting to his feet.
In a rushed daze, Hux snatched up his greatcoat and practically ran out of Ren's quarters. As he hurried down the hall to his own quarters, which were actually quite close by, he felt his mind descending into a much unwanted fog. He swore he had felt waves of affection rolling off of Ren when he had spoken to him, and it threw him into a state of panic since he was not normally a very empathetic person.
He let his muscle memory guide him through his nightly routine since his wits were not about him. After he spit out his toothpaste he stared at himself in the small mirror above the sink. His hair hung damply over his forehead from his recent shower, his cheeks looked slightly more hollow than usual, and his blue eyes were bloodshot. His mind was still fuzzy around the edges, stubbornly refusing to sharpen after his encounter with Ren.
What did it mean? Why had he suddenly lost focus? What were the strange feelings assaulting him? Was Ren trying to tell him he was falling in love with him? Why did it even matter? Why was he lending it so much thought? Was he becoming weak or going insane?
Unable to process his stream of questioning thoughts, Hux dimmed the lights, wandered over to his bed, and crawled under the covers. Avoidance was a technique he had honed to perfection in his youth, so he was dumbfounded that it was completely failing him at the present. Eventually he drifted off into a troubled sleep.
The underwater bridge collapsed in the distance, and the eerie voice whispered portentously in his ear. Somehow he knew it was a repeating cycle as he watched the structure crumble and break down before him, but that knowledge did not stir any emotion. If he felt anything upon witnessing it, it was definitely comfort. Creation and destruction had to exist together in balance, making both perfectly natural and acceptable.
"Careful that you do not fragment as well, General."
Hux spun around, and was startled to find himself suddenly standing in an expansive desert. An arid, desolate, barren wasteland. He hated deserts almost as much as he hated excessive rain. Distantly, he wondered if he had been stranded on Jakku, the awful planet that meddlesome girl was from. He looked around trying not to panic, his exposed skin already starting to feel like it was burning in the unforgiving sunlight.
A figure draped in a dark, hooded cloak stood mere feet from him. He was fairly certain the person –or whatever it was- had not been there when he arrived, and wondered how it had managed to suddenly appear. Before he could take a tentative step towards it, the figure moved first. It advanced quickly, unnaturally fast, invading his personal space but not allowing its face to be seen.
"You did not listen," it said, the voice hoarse and low, possibly male.
"Listen to what?" asked Hux stepping back. Some primitive alarm rang in his head, warning him not to let the being before him get too close.
"I warned you not to fragment," said the figure. "If it gets much worse, you may not be able to receive your gift."
"My…gift?" said Hux beyond confused. "What are you talking about? Who are you?"
"It is too soon to reveal my identity," said the figure. "Have you not felt it yet? You should have been able to sense something by now."
"Listen, I do not work well with vague riddles," said Hux frowning. "If you mean to tell me something important, be straightforward."
"You're not ready."
"This is really turning into a pointless conversation," muttered Hux wiping sweat from his brow. He started to unzip his jacket. "What will make me ready then?"
The figure was abruptly within inches of him and he stared wide-eyed into the dark hole of the hood. Much to his dismay, there was nothing to be seen. He would like to think that the figure's face was merely eclipsed by the shadows within the hood, but that was obviously not the case. There was no face. He felt a sharp pain and glanced down, still dazed by the strange turn of events.
There was a knife sunk into his chest.
Stunned, he stared at it as bright red blood blossomed around the blade. The damned thing must have stabbed him, but he had not felt the weapon slice into him. Surely that did not make any sense. His hands instinctively grasped the hilt but the figure halted any attempt at movement. He noted that it at least had hands.
"Don't pull it out," it spoke quietly. "That's my job."
Hux could only look on, alarmed and distressed, as the figure swiftly yanked the knife from his chest. He thought he may have uttered a panicked "wait", but was not sure. It was too late. The blade must have hit an artery because his blood pumped from the gaping hole with every heartbeat. He made a feeble noise, fell to his knees, coughed up a spatter of blood. It was becoming increasingly difficult to breathe. Desperately, he clapped a hand over the wound and watched horrified as more and more thick crimson fluid gushed around it.
"The answer is death," said the figure softly, sounding sad. "Death will make you ready for everything to come."
Glancing up at the figure with no face, Hux gasped, coughed again. He swayed forward, caught himself on his arms, and bled onto the sand. Was there supposed to be this much blood in a human body? The world was starting to fade. He no longer had the strength to hold his body up and collapsed onto the sand taking shallow, wet breaths.
The figure merely walked away, leaving him for dead.
His eyes flew open and he gasped sharply. Frantically, his fingers sought out his chest relieved to feel the flesh there intact. Running his hands over his face he sighed in relief. He did not often have nightmares, and none prior had ever felt so real and substantial. He sat up and slid his feet over the side of the bed, carelessly pulling half of the covers onto the floor. As he blinked his bleary vision clear, he noticed a familiar profile lounging by the window.
"Good morning, General," said Ren through his helmet's vocal apparatus. He was dressed in his normal attire, sporting everything but the tattered, hooded cape.
"Likewise, Lord Ren," said Hux, mildly sarcastic. Intent on ignoring his intruder until he had his morning caf, he left the room in nothing more than his boxer briefs. The timer on the machine had faithfully brewed the caffeinated beverage before he woke, so he only had to pour it into a cup and sweeten it.
"Aren't you going to ask why I'm here?" said Ren stepping into the common room.
"I don't care," said Hux dismissively. "Though you should ask before entering my quarters. That only seems polite."
"I'll keep that in mind," said Ren approaching Hux, taking slow deliberate steps.
Hux tried to further ignore him and continued drinking his caf, leaning against the counter of his kitchenette, but Ren was so close. Unreasonably close. He could smell him and feel his body heat. It was immensely distracting and his own body was stirring due to the proximity even as he valiantly willed it not to.
"Did it really mean nothing?" whispered Ren, his voice distorted by the ridiculous helmet that he still wore for some equally ridiculous reason. "You keep saying you don't care. Are you truly as heartless as people claim you to be?"
"I don't have time for this," said Hux turning around and slamming his cup down on the counter. He reached for the caf pot but was grabbed by the arm and whirled around so fast his head spun.
Ren grasped his other arm, jerked his body roughly against the counter, leaned over him menacingly. A light abruptly flashed in Hux's mind, temporarily blinding him. It felt much like it looked, bright, intense, burning. Something was trying to push its way through, and he saw the outlines of objects forming. His eyes adjusted as he blinked, and vibrant green flora came into focus. It appeared to be a lush forest and he looked around dumbfounded until he spied none other than Ren.
He stood at a slight distance dressed in an unfamiliar outfit, his gray hooded cloak flowing gently in the fresh breeze. As he extended a hand towards Hux, sunlight cast a glowing halo to his dark hair. He looked dazzling and beautiful in that moment. Hux eagerly reached out, splayed his fingers, tried to touch him.
His vision swiftly tilted and shifted, leaving him dazed as Ren's unpolished helmet came back into view. Glancing down, he saw that his hands had grasped at the outer layer of Ren's outfit. Whether it was out of loss of balance or because of his bizarre spell was anyone's guess.
"Well?" said Ren irritated. "Answer me."
The words made little sense to Hux. He commanded his fingers to uncurl from the fabric and brought them shakily to Ren's helmet. Having seen him remove the thing a handful of times, he knew roughly where the release buttons should be. He searched briefly under the rim before finding them, pressed down, and heard the hiss the mouth piece made as it moved out and up. Clutching it, he gingerly pulled it from Ren's head, watching as black curls escaped and fell to his shoulders. When he had tugged the helmet completely free, he let it fall to the floor with a metallic thud.
Hux looked at him. He was determined to take his time, and Ren did not seem to mind the attention. The obvious and glaring difference was naturally the scar slashed brutally across his face, and it had faded a bit, even in just one day's time. Yet the marvels of modern medicine could not conceal a scar of that magnitude. He knew if he searched his body there would be more as well. They were certainly proof of a foolish endeavor.
As usual, Ren's curls gloriously defied the confines of his helmet, and Hux brought his hand up to card his fingers through them, still marveling at how soft they felt. Ren let out a breath that almost sounded like a sigh as his eyes fell shut. It was only then Hux realized Ren had shifted his hands to his back and was applying gentle pressure, urging him to get closer though there was hardly any space between them. He continued to study Ren's face intently, stilling it with both hands as it inclined towards his. Ren made a sound of protest, but was apparently content with the limited physical contact.
"You're not going to answer me, are you?" he asked, sounding much like a disappointed child.
"Shut up. I'm thinking," muttered Hux. Honestly, his mind was far too cloudy and distracted to come up with any decently witty response, and he had a sneaking suspicion Ren knew that.
It doesn't take this long to figure out whether you care about someone or not, came Ren's voice thundering loudly in Hux's head.
He let out a shocked cry as his hands shot to his own head in a vain attempt to lessen the painful throbbing it left behind. "Ugh…you don't have to yell. I can hear you just fine," he said with a frown.
"What? I wasn't yelling," said Ren raising an eyebrow quizzically.
"Whatever. Please stay out of my mind if you can't behave yourself," snapped Hux, an edge of exasperation in his tone. "And to answer your question, since you're being so annoyingly persistent, I couldn't care less about you. Nothing we did meant anything."
Ren regarded him evenly for a moment, then chuckled. He brought a large hand up to Hux's bare chest and rested it firmly over his heart. "I can feel it, you know. Even now, as you openly deny it, your core is burning so intensely…" he trailed off, let his eyes wander to the black gloved hand standing in stark contrast to the pale skin he claimed to adore so much. "If…if it doesn't matter, let me have you."
"Excuse me?" said Hux, but his heart sped up significantly at the suggestion, and Ren surely felt it.
"Indulge me until I go away for training," said Ren, almost pleading. "Become my lover again, but this time give me all of yourself, not just your body."
"That sounds like a lofty demand…" said Hux weakly.
Impatiently, Ren leaned down and kissed his neck, exactly as he had during their first intimate encounter. Hux's body responded immediately, ardently, and he grasped at Ren's hair and clothed back. It was regrettable. He had deluded himself into thinking he had done a good job purging his desires when he had called off their arrangement, but their chemistry remained astoundingly strong.
Without any thought, his hands went to Ren's belt, deftly unlatching it and flinging it aside. Soon he was unzipping and yanking off the multiple layers Ren wore in a frenzy, desperate to feel his skin again. Ren seemed startled and elated, barely able to even assist in the removal of his clothes. He was down to nothing but his pants and boots when he suddenly gathered Hux up in his arms with a pleased hum.
Hux froze as he felt Ren's skin, his scent assaulting him, his warmth surrounding and seeping into him. His body relaxed, molded into the familiar embrace. He tried to stifle his sigh of content, and marveled at how incredibly natural it felt to be held by the troublesome man. It was downright infuriating, yet he could not muster anything even remotely resembling a biting remark. He tried anyway.
"I hate you," he breathed. The statement completely lacked fortitude.
Ren laughed and shoved a hand under the waistband of his boxers, massaging his butt cheek. He used his other hand to tilt Hux's chin up and gently pressed their lips together. The kiss was leisurely at first, but gained momentum, quickly becoming deeper as tongues twined hungrily. Eventually, Hux disengaged and withdrew to hurriedly pull off his boxers. He flattened himself back against Ren letting out a gasp as he was lifted by his ass and carried away from the counter.
They kissed the entire way to the couch, Ren pausing a couple times to give it proper focus. After they were seated, Hux lifted himself up on his knees and helped Ren push his pants down enough to free his straining erection. He moaned quietly as Hux gave it a few good pumps. Hearing a distinct popping sound to his right, he was not at all surprised to see the lube bottle already in Ren's hand. Snatching it from him, he poured it directly onto Ren's cock, eliciting a sharp intake of breath which evolved into a groan as he spread it down the shaft.
Hux made sure to maintain eye contact as he adjusted himself, lined up the head of Ren's cock with his entrance, and slowly lowered himself onto it. He faltered slightly, but Ren's grabbed his ass firmly and assisted him during his descent. He bottomed out panting and sore, yet delighted by Ren's slack, lustful expression.
"Kiss me," he whispered, his dark eyes hooded and his full lips already parted in anticipation.
Hux leaned forward, nudged his lips against Ren's, let out a muffled moan as he rapidly adjusted to the invasive girth. Thankfully it was not as painful as it had been their first time, his body still accustomed to his well-endowed partner. As they kissed, Hux lifted himself up and carefully lowered himself back down, causing Ren to curse into his mouth. A few more cautious thrusts left him confident he could pick up the pace.
Sitting back, he braced himself on the top of the couch and started to move in a steady rhythm, not too fast, not too slow. A flush blossomed over Ren's chest and face as his hands slid up to Hux's hips, pumping him marginally faster. The strange sensation he had never given a name sparked and grew in his chest with the escalating pleasure. It comforted him beyond measure as it spread warmly throughout his limbs and reverberated back to his core. To that day, he was still convinced it was some trick of the Force Ren was unconsciously using. What else could it possibly be?
"I'm not going to last long," ground out Ren, before thrusting up sharply a couple times.
"Mmm…same," said Hux shifting his hands to Ren's shoulders. It changed the angle just enough so that Ren's dick started to rub against his prostate. "Oh, fuuuck…go faster-"
Fingers trailed from his hips to resolutely grasp his ass, and Ren made sure to keep the angle the same as he hammered upward. Lewd moans and cries started to slip from Hux's mouth as he tilted his head back, but he hardly noticed, focused solely on the intense sensations rushing towards a peak. His head tipped forward again and his eyes met Ren's impassioned, searching gaze. That was all it took for the building pleasure to spike sharply, and Hux dug his nails into Ren's shoulders until they bled as he came hard over his stomach. The force of it left him lightheaded and quivering. Ren gave two more shallow thrusts before clenching his eyes shut and shuddering beneath Hux. Spiraling down from orgasm, he felt Ren empty into him in pulsing waves.
Hux's trembling arms promptly gave out and he collapsed heavily onto Ren, struggling to catch his breath. He wanted to scold Ren for coming inside of him before his shift started but lacked the energy or motivation. When he finally pulled out, he felt some of the copious fluid leak out, surely soiling Ren's pants. He did not seem to notice or mind, idly stroking Hux's hair and back as his heaving chest gradually settled.
Tracing small circles on Ren's chest with his thumbs, Hux started to wonder why he had truly called off the sessions. He knew the superficial reason well enough. The Starkiller base had been completed and was ready to use. That was no time to be engaging in frivolous activities. All of his attention needed to be focused exclusively on his job. But why would sleeping with Ren affect his attention? Was he actually developing legitimate feelings for Ren? Impossible.
"I need a shower," mumbled Hux pushing himself up and away from Ren slightly.
Ren said nothing in response as he stood and helped Hux to his feet. He glanced at the chronometer on the way to the refresher, then sidetracked to let the bridge know he would be late. His shower used water, a luxury afforded only to the high ranking and elite upon request. Predictably, Ren joined him shortly after he entered the stall. He barely had a chance to clean himself properly since Ren could not keep his hands to himself. At some point during the cleansing of his ass, Ren managed to pin him against the shower wall and jerked them both off to completion. His shaking legs practically gave out afterwards, and Ren held him up as he washed away the evidence of their latest tryst.
They said nothing to each other as they got dressed. The sense of foreboding still loomed around Hux, but somehow having Ren nearby lessened his anxiety to a tolerable level. He meant to rush past him and out the door, already far too late to be acceptable, but Ren caught him with a sweep of his arms. He kissed Hux deeply, wasting no time in shoving his tongue into his open mouth. Hux reciprocated earnestly, even though he was agitated at the delay.
"I missed you," whispered Ren against his lips. "Please…don't fall apart on me…"
"What did you just say?" said Hux struggling out of Ren's arms alarmed. His last phrase had sounded eerily similar to the words of the cloaked figure in his dreams.
"Hmm? I just meant don't let what happened recently get too rooted in your mind," said Ren cryptically. "Failure has a way of…corrupting people."
Hux stared at him, possibly too openly, definitely too distressed. Did he know about the nightmares? Had he sensed the strange vision he had earlier? Perhaps he was having some sort of mental breakdown, but he was certainly nowhere near admitting it.
"I…I have to go. I'm late," said Hux brushing past Ren and out of the room.
Ren's words haunted him the entire shift.
