A/N
This is unbeta'ed and I am not a native speaker. All my mistakes are my own, but I tried my best to get their voices spot on!
Although she still doesn't know it, Lizzy is to blame, because without her I wouldn't write anymore. Thank you.
And another huge thank you for cuddlesome. You inspired me here in every way possible. Glad to have you on my side!
Disclaimer: I don't own or make any money from Star Wars.
It wasn't the last time he took his mask off which followed a relieved hiss when his hair was finally free.
Raven black hair, curling down on his shoulders. Since he was drenched in sweat, it plastered straight over his face.
One puff freed him from the strands hanging over his eyes but the rest stayed where it was.
Only a shower could solve the problem, and he was just on his way there, undressing himself, when the door summoned.
It could only be General Hux or Captain Phasma, the ones on this Star Destroyer who didn't stop working even when a sign above their heads said stop. From all the difficult choices he might have been made, he was certain staying here on board of the 'Finalizer' was one of them. He sighed, sensing the Captain, not the General. Since it was her, he didn't care and opened the door with a slight raise of his hand.
"What is it?"
Phasma stopped dead in the doorway, obviously not prepared for the door opening so fast and the person some meters behind it, seeing Kylo Ren's bare face for the first time. Although he stood in some distance in his private quarter, only lit by one small headlight, she recognized at once the tall, lean figure. Shirtless, so she also saw a fine muscled torso with a lot of scars. The second her look lingered on his face and on the dark eyes, framed by a wild, untamed black mane, she was done.
She would've never thought him being so young.
"Sir." Glad that she had gained her composure back, Phasma stood straight, grateful for her armor and her helmet still on.
"General Hux sent me to get you for an immediate meeting in the Assembly chamber. - Sir."
Kylo only nodded, knowing it meant a summoning by Snoke. Passive.
"I'll be there."
Phasma nodded back. "Sir."
She retreated with one step and the door closed immediately after her.
Behind, a sighing Kylo Ren slipped back in his clothes and in his helmet. Letting Snoke wait was completely out of question, so the shower had to go to the end of the line.
It was only hours later, after all her duties, that Phasma allowed herself feeling bewildered about the incident. How long had she been on the 'Finalizer'? Years? And never ever before - had her thoughts swiveled around the person behind the mask of the Lord of the Knights of Ren. He was nothing more but the means to an end and getting things efficiently done she and her Stormtroopers couldn't sometimes do. Besides, he was an incalculable force in their fights - acting not always according to a battle array - and an annoying troublemaker for the General, as she knew from Hux himself personally. Not to speak of the Unit that was only busied with repairing his damages of the Ship's establishment. His lack of discipline and respect was another point why Phasma had never been able to accept him as a true commander like General Hux. Which didn't mean for her acting as a role model for her soldiers to not show him the respect that was demanded in a hierarchy.
But now that she had seen him, she suddenly couldn't get him out of her head. Maybe because she had never expected that young, almost boyish face. At least it explained the temper tantrums.
And the voice. A more deeper timbre it was than the mask ever revealed. With a hint of sarcasm, irony and humor in her memory. Phasma discovered that she liked it a lot. And that she was sorry every time she heard him speak with the voice modulator from now on.
Her growing interest made her aware of some gossip by the Stormtroopers and the technicians. The former discussed to stay away from him, some did even not report damages he had done and they had seen, afraid of the dark figure always pacing around. The latter had wagers on when and how his next tantrum would take place, even taking in consideration the amount of damage. It was clear that 'his Repair Unit' was pitied by the others, almost assumed that they were punished by their job.
Nevertheless, his 'supernatural' doings in battle had earned him a feared but notorious and popular reputation.
So what was he really like underneath? Phasma wanted to find out about her fascination, now that she had seen the real person behind the dark figure. The wish came slowly to her, but it stayed and persisted.
And one day, not long after, she saw her chance coming.
It was not a good day, actually. They had fought with the Resistance on a planet and not quite lost but won, neither. Retreat was the best option to save her troops and when she was summoned to the General after returning to the 'Finalizer' to explain herself, it was Kylo Ren who stepped forward.
"I take responsibility." Was all he said, but Phasma was more than surprised, remaining quietly where she was.
He entered in a snarky discussion with Hux - as they always and often did - but the circumstances must have spoken for him this time. When he left, Hux had finally turned and nodded towards her.
"Captain. I'd like to hear your version of the incident, but if I understood Ren correctly, I have to thank you for the thoughtful retreat that saved many lives of our Stormtroopers…"
Phasma then tried her best to give a short and true summary, but she was left with a lot of questions concerning the Lord of the Knights of Ren.
When she was finished, she found herself afterwards on the way to Ren's quarters and knocked on the door.
It opened after some seconds.
"Captain Phasma?" He was still in full armor, like her, on the doorstep.
"Sir." Phasma cleared her throat and put the subject right on. "I'd like to ask, Sir, why you took the blame for the failure on you."
She paused one moment and added: "It was me who ordered the retreat…"
"I told Hux nothing less, Captain."
His voice sounded a bit impatient.
"Yes, Sir, but it happened under my watch and…"
"But I recognized the trap too late."
He interrupted her in an angry way.
"We were all eager to gain some advantage considering our last efforts, Sir, but…"
"No, Captain. I remember your objection and that I had another point of view."
"In the end, we decided together to go down and secure…"
"Which leaves me nevertheless in the position of initiating it first." He retorted.
"Sir…"
"No, Captain. I sensed your…uneasiness concerning the whole operation very well. I ignored it. And I know to which length you go to protect your troops. I may be a variable in fights but even I honor your engagement for others. - I knew somebody, too, whose priority was to save all others before herself…" Here, he stopped the unusually long speech abruptly.
"You're dismissed, Captain."
He turned around and went back into his quarter, already gripping for the mechanism to take his mask off.
His reaction made Phasma's decision quick. In one step she entered his quarters while the door closed behind her, taking her helmet off, too, and stayed where she was.
Kylo Ren swiveled around, his mask in his hand, surprised that she had dared to follow him.
Taking a long look at her, which she reciprocated. Taking in her armor, her tall figure - Phasma was the only one taller than him on the 'Finalizer' - and then her bare face; the wild blonde hair that plastered her face, too.
"And what else, Captain?" Was all he finally said.
That timbre. Phasma gulped.
"Sir -"
A sudden indecision made her fall silent, but she didn't interrupt the eye contact. She had never shied away from conflicts and she didn't intend to do so now.
A slight frown entered his face. Patience had never been Kylo Ren's strong suit, so he tossed his helmet in the ashtray on the wall's side and was with two long strides in front of her.
A look on her lips said it all, although he waited for a sign from her. After all, he dealt with her, Captain Phasma.
But with no further words echoing from her, he hissed impatiently through clenched teeth:
"Is this what you came for?"
In an instant, he was crushing his lips on hers, so hard that it hurt, completely surprising her. This wasn't a tender kiss, it felt more like a teaching lesson - what Phasma definitely did not came for. This was what he was like underneath? Hasty and rough?
She stepped hurriedly back, panting for air, like him.
"Excuse. Me. Sir."
Harsh words, thrown like a staccato at him.
With one quick turn, she was out of his quarters and went around the next corner, leaving quite an astounded Kylo Ren back.
The next days, they both acted like nothing had happened. But sometimes, sometimes, a side tilt of his mask met her.
Phasma never glanced back, never turned her helmet in his direction. She just took her orders.
Kylo still couldn't tell what she had really wanted from him, in that moment, but he didn't want to pry in her mind, suspecting his reaction had not been the right thing. Since there was not much to do and he had exhausted himself again and again in his training room - his pain from the strikes of the fight droid showing him he hadn't even paid enough attention to train properly - he decided to do something about it.
So he showed up at her doorstep, late at night when he had made sure she just came back from her shift. Hux had bored him almost to death with his next battle plans so this couldn't be more worse, either.
When she opened - without helmet, halfway putting her armor away, showing a womanly figure - he could see her surprise.
"Captain."
Phasma took some seconds, then she opened the door and stepped aside.
"Come in, Sir."
He followed her in, seeing that her quarters weren't that different from his. Useful tools here and there, not much more. Less space.
To show her equality, he took his mask off, since she already had seen him without.
She stared at him, questioning.
"Sir?"
He stepped towards her, wanting to provide clarification.
"I didn't keep within a limit, Captain."
After a pause, she answered.
"Is that an apology, Sir?"
"Doesn't it sound like one?"
"I accept."
Dark eyes lingered on her now, wanting to add much more, but the face stayed passive. He nodded and turned to go - but found himself pulled back and kissed. A careful, gentle try, completely different from his first crush of their full lips.
When they parted, Kylo was confused again.
"I thought…" he started, but Phasma only shook her head.
"Surrender to me, Sir?"
He just watched her for a moment.
"To what kind of play?"
"To mine, Lord Ren."
His mouth twitched. Who was he to withstand such a game? With the famous Captain, equal in height and battle experience to him? He had often wondered who hid under the shiny chrome armor.
"I'm in, although I would prefer to know the conditions beforehand."
She watched him, too.
"When I get out of my armory, I leave the hard world of battle behind me. Follow me, Sir?"
He had already made his decision, starting to get out of his dark clothes. Who would have thought that the Captain behind her mask was a fan of tenderness?
"It's Kylo, Phasma. And I need a shower first."
Her smile was sweet.
"Join me."