Love
She suspects he might be asleep by this time, when her shift is over, but she has to see him, has to hold him. Seventeen days. They spent seventeen days apart, with Kylo being several star systems away for a secret mission. Captain Phasma has never felt concern and longing for someone until the knight left for whatever reason Leader Snoke ordered him to go. Her daily routine helped her distract her thoughts, though it got harder as the number of the days grew.
He arrived in the middle of the day, but her tight schedule didn't allow the captain to stop even for a few minutes. She felt his gaze while she was training with her troops, she caught a glimpse of his black form as he passed the corridor, she heard Hux talking about Ren being back "to bring disorder into the Order again", but these short moments only lifted the heavy weight of constant worry from her soul, assuring her of his safe return, though they didn't soothe her desire to touch, to hold, to kiss the knight. Her knight. It's one kind of apart to be on the same planet (or star destroyer) but in another place, and a painfully different one to have hundreds of star years separating you from someone you…
If she doesn't go and see him now, another shift starts in the morning and they have to wait till the evening for when they can finally reunite. No, she has to see him now.
His room is dark as she enters, only the white of his sheets reflects the starlight coming in through the narrow window. He must have been really exhausted because he's sleeping soundly under a thin blanket, which loosely covers him from the waist down. A warm smile graces the captain's face as she sits beside him on the bed. She's always wondered how someone with such pale skin could have hair so black. She doesn't want to disturb his sleep, but she cannot not touch him so she caresses his brow, gently sweeping his hair back. A sudden deep inhale stills her hand, and then with a peaceful sigh he wraps his arms around her, settling his head in her lap.
"Hey." She whispers.
"I missed you."
"I missed you, too." He smells like cleanliness and fresh bedding, his deep voice makes her heart flutter, his embrace feels like home. She knows it then what she's been feeling for some time now. She can never say it, can she? It's a weakness that would make them both exposed to exploitation. A flaw, which the enemy can use to gain leverage. But if she already feels it, then what's the point in not saying it? She cannot "unfeel" it. Maybe she can say it once, and then never say it again. Yes, like a sweet dream which you can hardly recall in the morning, but you know it was good. And what if he doesn't feel the same?
As if sensing her inner battle, he sits up and cups her face. His dark eyes are smiling as he caresses her gentle skin. She knows she's not Force-sensitive but maybe he is strong enough to make her feel the Force. His Force. She's sure she is feeling something now, a connection, a bond between them.
"I love you." He says with a sweet smile and she wants to kiss that smile away because she wanted to say it, but she's also overjoyed for she's loved. Their foreheads touch as she leans closer.
"I love you, too." It's a whisper, but it feels right and she's never felt happier.