A/N: Not original. Not good. I'm dying and I'm trash and I'm in hell. Make it stop.

First thing I've written in a very long time and it's legitimately two in the morning right now.

Kylo Ren is trash but he's interesting trash.

I saw the movie twice before writing this. I have no original ideas.

without the novel version of TLJ this is what i think happened internally during the confrontation between Rey, Kylo, and Snoke in the throne room.

can i have a poster of the kamikaze lightspeed crash into snoke's ship,

please? i want it

Like it, don't like it. Night night guys.

-oxy

Opportunity is a funny thing.

Ben Solo saw it when Snoke first made contact with him.

"Power. Power enough to gain anything you desire. Power to change your future to what you want it to be."

Kylo Ren saw it right before he decided to murder the Supreme Leader.

"Yes - I see him turning the lightsaber to strike true. And now, foolish child, he ignites it and kills his true enemy!"

Two lightsabers pivoted, and Kylo wasn't listening anymore.

All he could hear was "nothing but a child in a mask"

"the face of my son"

"a creature in a mask"

"once he gets what he wants, he'll crush you"

"I sense the conflict within you"

"I'm being torn apart"

"it's tearing you apart"

"will you help me?"

"you'll turn. I'll help you"

Snap-hiss went the lightsaber, right into Snoke's stomach. And the monster died and a battle began.

Ben Solo saw opportunity again when he and Rey stood in the blood-splattered throne room, exhausted and trembling from adrenaline. Rey wanted to save her friends in the Resistance. When she realized that Ben didn't, she was confused.

"Ben?" Asked Rey. A million questions in one.

He decided to risk it. She was a fire in the Force, burning the air around her. And even better, she understood.

"It's time to let old things die. Snoke. Skywalker. The Sith. The Jedi. The Rebels. Let it all die," kill it, "Rey, I want you to join me. We can rule together to bring a new order to the galaxy."

The eyes of the girl from the forest were back. But sadder.

She shook her head slowly. "Don't do this, Ben. Please don't go this way," Rey entreated.

The anger flared up again, hot and choking.

"No, no - you're still holding on! Let go!" Ben shouted. He changed tactics. "Do you want to know the truth about your parents? Or have you always known?" He wondered. "You've just hidden it away. You know the truth. Say it," a pregnant pause, "say it," he encouraged quietly.

She was crying again.

"They were nobody," Rey admitted, her breath hitching.

"They were filthy junk traders. Sold you off for drinking money. They're dead, in a pauper's grave in the Jakku desert. You have no place in their story. You come from nothing - you're nothing," Ben concluded, Rey's worst fears falling from his lips like poison.

The scavenger clenched her teeth and sniffled. There wasn't a place she belonged. Nobody coming to take her home one day. Ben looked into her hazel eyes and it was like looking at himself.

"But not to me," Ben offered. He reached out a hand, "Join me."

Throw away your past. I'll throw away mine.

Let it die. Kill it.

"Please."

I don't want to be alone. Please.

Neither of us have to be alone.

When he snapped back to consciousness with Rey gone and Hux asking him what the hell had happened, Kylo Ren saw opportunity again.

"power to change your future"

He reached out to grab it.

"Long live the Supreme Leader," Hux gasped, clawing for air, eyes focused on Kylo Ren.