Black Star Quilt
Suggested Theme:
Main Theme- I Can't Give Everything Away by David Bowie
With every step he takes, General Hux is tempted to stop and turn to them and say: "Why don't we go to the Officer's Lounge…..it's got pretty lights!" He has never brought anyone to his room before, not even Mitaka. I think the last time I showed anyone my room was when I was like…nine? I think. Will Kylo Ren chew me out for it not being…what a General's room should look like? Hux wills himself to not look at Darth Vader and beg for reassurance.
"I am sure your room is lovely." Nonetheless, Hux hears Darth Vader's reassurance. I keep forgetting that my mental shields are only useful for living Force-users…but at least Darth Vader has some confidence in me!
It only takes them about seven minutes of long-limbed walking to reach his quarters. Hux quickly taps away on the buttons with his access codes. The black monolith door slides open.
"Lights 70%"
"Where is the rest of your room?"
"It is very small."
Hux finds their comments quite strange. Not insulting, like he imagined Kylo Ren's, or silent, like he imagined Darth Vader's, but very strange nonetheless.
His private quarters, he'll admit, are cluttered. In three steps, one would reach the small desk topped with datapads, a single burner, and his blacken tea kettle. In five steps, one would reach the daybed with the swirling, metal bedframe and a black quilt with strange black stars. In six steps, one would reach the closet rack holding about six slightly different versions of his uniform with boxes of green tea occupying most of the shelves. Right across from the rack is the actual closet that he uses for storage of his comfortable clothes and other accessories. The refresher is right next to the closet and it has a door that is too small for someone as tall as Darth Vader and Kylo Ren to fit through.
"This is my room. Is there something wrong with it?" And my worries about to come into fruition. I better buckle up for a lecture on how the room doesn't look like a General's room. Hux nearly sighs. He looks at his clothes rack and seriously thinks about nabbing one of the boxes of green tea and brew himself a cup.
"It's small! My room is twice this size and I have a bed! Do you sleep in your office?" Or at all? Hux hears that implied, unsaid accusation. It's bad enough I had to endure the accusations of High Command about Starkiller not progressing as fast as they want, but now I have to endure Kylo!
"Sometimes, when I am up to my greatcoat in damage reports! However, I do have a bed and it's right there." Hux even points at his small daybed. Kylo looks at the daybed and does not say anything, making Hux fume. Of course, he'd pick apart my room! Why did I—
"Kylo Ren is poor at choosing his words. But you are stressed." Hux has to resist the urge to roll his eyes petulantly at the Dark Lord. He's right; I have barely slept in the past two days and I just got done dealing with High Command and Kylo Ren being….touchy. I need some tea. And a shower.
"I need a shower, so I would appreciate it, Lord Ren, if you would boil some tea. It's all green tea but from different planets, so I leave the choice up to you. In the closet, there's a white and blue box with a golden ribbon that has a tea set that I've been dying to use. I should be in the 'fresher for about thirty minutes, so have the tea without me but, please, leave me some." Hux heads to 'fresher and wonders if Kylo would actually do any of that.
"He will." Hux bites his tongue to refrain himself from saying, "I'll believe it when I see it." It's not like he's been wrong thus far.
Hux really hopes that Kylo will at least save him some tea. He can trash his room for all he cares, but he desperately wants some tea.
And there goes Hux bossing me around! But he did just…get felt up on a broken elevator by a man who he despises after coughing up a liter of blood and all this before Darth Vader…I would be grouchy too. I better just brew some tea. Kylo Ren puts the box on Hux's bed, partially marveling at how half of the black quilt is pooling to the floor and engulfing most of the bed frame. Clearly, the quilt was made for a real bed!
Kylo goes over to the clothes rack to appraise Hux's green tea. Damn, he's even got green tea from Naboo! I guess he knows a good smuggler, but how against protocol! Then again the tea served in the mess is just as abysmal as the food! Kylo snatches the red and gold box of Nabooian green tea.
He, at first, takes about five seconds of searching Hux's tiny room for the so-called closet. Hux either needs to label his doors, keep them open, or the contractor deserves to be shot for having the blasted door the same exact color as the wall! Kylo Ren does not suffer this problem in his room because he has left certain scorch marks on his doors. And I don't feel like I'm about to bash my elbows on something! Hux really needs to expand his room. You know after he addresses his "coughing up blood and possibly dying" problem.
The closet is barely big enough to stash cleaning supplies, but somehow Hux has managed to cram the place like the tomb of Sith Kings. Kylo sees the shelves adorned with folded shirts of washed-out colors, mostly of greens and whites, along with pants in all sorts of cuts and mostly made of animal leather. There are beaded sandals, soft-looking slippers, and even a pair of black-purple boots made of some kind of unknown reptile.
However, there are three objects that hold Kylo's attentions. The first object is a sword looking like the bastard child of a ménage à trois between a rapier, a broadsword, and a lance; it has the sleekness and the basket-and-hilt design of a rapier, the length and grip of a broadsword, and the odd curvatures of a lance. Red and gold are the colors that dominate the hilt with a splash of brown on the grip. The sword itself is sheathed in the same material that the boots are made of.
Well….it's a work of art? No, it wouldn't be here if that's the case. I guess Hux likes to fence on the side….actually I can see him doing that since fencing seems to be a revered, lost Imperial art form. But it doesn't even look like a vibroblade or any classical fencing sword. Perhaps, it's a family heirloom?
The second object is a blue acoustic guitar with plenty of scratches across its body. The third object is a cherry-red electric guitar with a white finish that has a silver KENT etched on its head; it too has scratches from Hux's lovelorn fingers. There's also a wireless amplifier right next to it along with the guitars' cases next to it too.
Okay…Hux might actually know how to play the guitar. And the electric one too. That's pretty wizard! I figured he'd learn to play a classical instrument like the violin or the piano, but he has an electric guitar! Maybe, Hux went through a rebellious phrase like me…except it was more like realizing that the Dark Side is the only place where I truly belong.
He finds the blue-and-white box with the golden ribbon right behind the amplifier. He takes it and returns to Hux's bedroom. He places the green tea box on the desk and goes to finally heat up the kettle. Then, he settles back onto Hux's very small bed and begins to play the most hated game in existence: waiting.
Okay, what to do to pass the time it takes to boil some water? I can't very well whip out my lightsaber and go through katas in this super-enclosed space. I can't meditate because Hux is in the shower…and my mind will wander to rather unsavory places. I can't really talk to grandfather because…I need Hux to get his replies.
His hands begin to fiddle with the golden ribbon on the tea set box. Hmm, I wonder what kind of tea set Hux has? Maybe, something black and red like the First Order. Or maybe it was stolen from some hoity-toity queen! Kylo finally gives into his curiosity and tears apart the box like a present on Life Day.
He finds just a regular porcelain tea set. The cups are painted blue with scenes of flowering branches, while the pot tells a story of birds and flying away from the lovely ground. This is very…plain. Well, I mean it's pretty and all, but I was really hoping for baby skulls of Krayt dragons acting as the cups.
HSSS!
Kylo quickly heads over to the desk and begins to lay out the tea set like it was one of the tea parties Ben Solo used to throw with Chewie and Artoo. He then turns off the burner and opens up the green tea box. Ah, smells like starblossoms! He takes out a fistful of the swamp-green tea from its container and adds it to the teapot's infuser. Then, he takes the kettle and delicately pours the hot water in the tea pot.
It's green tea, so I need to let it steep for about two minutes. It's…0200!? No wonder Hux is grouchy, he was probably up late doing paperwork again. And possibly afraid that he'll die if he sleeps…maybe I should just drag Hux out of the shower and take him to—I better not; I don't want grandfather to see Hux wet and naked.
Two minutes pass and Kylo finally pours himself a cup of tea. He removes his hands from the cup and goes to unlatch his mask. He hesitates for a split second out of fear that Hux would walk out of the bathroom. No, Hux is usually a man of his word. If he says he'll take thirty minutes, then he'll take thirty minutes. He takes off his mask and places it on the crowded desk.
Kylo's pale, princely face is marred by small dark spots and his unsymmetrical ears, nose, and lips; his earthy eyes watches the steam's wisp dance from the tea cup. His eyes flick back to Hux's 'fresher door when he hears the shower go off. He only showered for five minutes?! What does his shower have a timer or something? I can shower however long I want; in fact, I'm probably going to take an hour-long hot bath after this. Although, I might need to take Hux to medbay and get him thoroughly checked over. Or I could use the Force and heal him…or try to.
His eyes flick back to his teacup when he hears Hux turn on the sink. Oh, he's probably doing his nightly routine, probably to maintain the frown lines on his face. Then again, Hux's skin is really smooth-looking, or at least his face is, so he must apply some kind of moisture. Maybe the moisturizer smells like Nabooian peaches. Maybe I should sniff his—Why am I thinking of smelling Hux's smooth face? That's so weird, I better just drink my tea.
Kylo Ren takes a sip from his delicate teacup and tries not to think about sniffing Hux's face.
Hux feels better especially after moisturizing his face with his peach-scented cream. He looks at himself in the triangular mirror. I look less like a dying person! But I bet Kylo is going to nag me that I need to go to medbay. Again. I really hope he lets me drink some tea before he manhandles me to medbay! But at least he didn't drag me out of the shower! That was probably all thanks to Lord Vader!
Hux finally steps out of his 'fresher letting his bare feet slap against the black metal floor. Nearly happy to see his room intact and Kylo Ren's unreadable, black helm.
"Hux…" Kylo is at a loss for words. Not for the first time in his life, but this time it's not out of pure rage. It's out of surprise. There in the dim light of the 'fresher's frame is Hux. He's wearing a black crop-top with fringes that barely cover his breasts. His pants are loose and hanging off his hips like checkerboards spun into cotton. His hair is eschewed like a fox's wild mane. His skin is practically nebulous and his eyes are glowing a soft green. But, ultimately, what catches his attention the most is—
"What happened to your left arm?" Hux immediately touches his left arm with his right hand, trying to figure out how to exactly explain his left arm. His left arm and a part of his left shoulder are scar-pink with patches of violent red; there is a pattern of small oblongs pressed into the burnt skin looking like fleshy chainmail. Huh, I probably should've worn a long-sleeve shirt instead, but I was too tired to go back to the closet and switch out shirts. I really don't want to tell him the story because there's no way in Hells he'd believe me!
"Do what makes you comfortable." Darth Vader advises from his position on Hux's bed. Hux realizes that Vader must sympathize with him given the rather violent nature of their burns.
"Would you believe me if I said it was a birthmark?" Hux smiles but it falters by the end. Hells no! That's not a wine birthmark; it's more like someone threw hot lava onto his arm! Or did Hux do this to himself? Kylo is glad that he has his helmet on again so Hux can't see the confusion and concern riddled across his misshapen face.
"No…..but you don't have to tell me if you don't want to." Kylo manages evenly. Hux nearly smiles again, relieved that he isn't being forced to explain anything again. He goes to the desk and reaches for an empty, unused cup, but accidently knocks it to the floor. He goes to the floor and picks it up again.
"It's chipped!" Hux sounds oddly both perturb and jocund.
"It's just a cup." Kylo reassures. A silence falls between them and neither know what to say next.
"Pour yourself some tea." And Hux gladly does that. He pours some of the green tea in the chipped cup and is happy to see the cup not leaking. Chipped not broken like me! Hux almost proudly recites in his mind. He then takes the tea and himself to the bed; he sits between Kylo Ren and Darth Vader.
"Oh, it's cold." Hux comments after his first sip of the sweet tea. Well, duh, the tea would've gone cold after ten minutes! Kylo rolls his eyes behind the safety of his helmet.
"Ask Kylo to re-heat your tea." Hux shifts nervously in his seat at the suggestion. How can Kylo re-heat my tea? With the Force? Isn't that an inappropriate use of the Force? Hux projects his question to Vader. However, after a minute, he realizes that Vader doesn't feel like answering. Hux sighs.
"Lord Ren, would you please heat my tea cup?" Hux asks as deferential as he can. Kylo turns his helm to him and doesn't say anything for a few seconds. He then takes the cup from Hux's mismatched hands and holds it between his gloved ones. After a solid minute of holding, Hux hears the cup bubble.
"Be careful, it's hot." Kylo plainly warns before handing him the cup. Hux nods his head appreciatively. Hux blows on it a little with his thin lips and then takes a tentative sip. He then smiles.
"Thank you, Lord Ren." And another silence elapses between them with only the sound of Hux drinking his tea softening the deafening silence. Should I say something? What should I say to him? I don't think he'll divulge anything about his arm. But what about his ability to see Force Ghosts? Is he somewhat Force-sensitive? Is that why his mental shields are so strong? But then why is he a mere General instead of a Knight—
"Tell Kylo to ask noninvasive questions." Hux hears Darth Vader's advice, but this time aimed at Kylo Ren.
"Lord Vader advises that you should ask noninvasive questions." Hux carefully relays, stressing particularly on noninvasive. It takes a minute before Kylo finally thinks of a noninvasive question.
"So…who's the guy on your top?" The long pause between so and who's almost made Hux snort out his tea. Okay, do NOT laugh at any cost. Kylo would view that negatively and would probably never try to be nice ever again! However, the real problem is should I be concise with him? Or should I mind fuck him…oh that's wrong. So very, very wrong. Hux shudders, suddenly remembering how intimate the mind is for telepaths. Or Force-users in general.
"He is Jareth the Goblin King from Labyrinth." And those are actual words. Kylo has to bite down on his tongue from saying them out loud.
"What is Labyrinth? A book?" Hux feels his face heat up a bit. Oh Love, if I tell him about the movie, then he'll ridicule me and—wait, since when did I ever care about what he thinks about me? Not even an hour ago, this spoiled Force-user was groping my chest in a puddle of my own blood! But now…he's trying to be reasonable. And I need to reward reason.
"Yes, but it was a movie first. Basically, a girl named Sarah made a wish to have her baby half-brother, Toby, to be taken away by the Goblin King without realizing that Jareth was listening and decided to grant her wish. So Sarah has to venture into the Goblin City to get back her brother from the seductive rogue." And Kylo has no idea that Hux just skimmed the surface of his favorite movie. To Kylo, he immediately thinks the movie was probably some low-budget, fantasy holo from the Unknown Regions.
"And does she?" Hux bites his lips. Holy frak…is Hux nervous? Okay, I just need to be really patient with him like Ben Solo taming a guarlara. I can be patient! And Kylo waits nearly a minute for a reply from Hux.
"Well…..spoilers. You'd have to watch the movie. But it's not in the First Order databanks nor would it ever, ever be approved by High Command." Hux nearly spits but decides to drink down half his tea. Kylo is taken aback by Hux's venom. And I always thought that Hux was High Command's darling given the fact he is the youngest General in the First Order's short history…how old is Hux? Thirty-something? That's not really important. What's important is that Hux clearly hates High Command. Maybe even more than me.
"Did High Command give you a rough time?" Hux breathes deeply and then exhales. Kylo is vaguely reminded of Ben Solo's mother doing that when he broke something sentimental. Like Queen Breha's necklace.
"Yes. I only got two days' notice of an informal meeting to see how Starkiller was progressing. Needless to say, I only got maybe two hours of sleep these couple of days. In the end, it was all about them blaming me for not doing the impossible and for…additional, unforeseeable expenditures." Hux's anger dissipates at the end and turns into wariness. Like he's waiting for Kylo Ren to Force-choke him.
"You need to sleep."
"You need to sleep!" Hux hears Darth Vader and Kylo Ren concurrently suggest/order. Hux sighs again.
"Don't worry I'm taking the—this morning off." Hux shakes his head at the chronometer. 0245…damn High Command to the Seven Sith Hells! Hux just wants to toss his teacup into the wall, watch it shatter like his nerves.
"Hux, no wonder you're coughing up blood! Your body is screaming for your attention! You need two days' rest! No doing paperwork. No ordering your clumsy staff. No nothing, except eating, sleeping, and going to the 'fresher. But most importantly, SLEEPING!" Hux merely rolls his eyes. I don't have that luxury! I'm the one who runs the base! I'm the one who does the paperwork! I'm the one who has to make sure nothing falls behind schedule! I'm the one…who can't fall apart! If Hux was a child, he would've been crying out for comfort by now. But he's an adult. A very, very lonely adult.
But he still coughs up blood like the stressed-out little boy that he once was.
His blood splatters across the teacup and his tears stain his black star quilt.
Oh, Love, not again! Hux wretches into what's left of his green tea; red mingles with the green like harmony can be achieved, but the red is a false friend and consumes the green. The coughing finally abates after two minutes, leaving behind a sense of burning humiliation.
He brings his pale right arm up to wipe away the blood from his mouth, but Kylo clamps down on his arm with one of his massive, black hands. His other massive hand grabs a fistful of his frayed, soot-colored cape and brings it to Hux's face.
"Hux, let me help you." And there's a softness in Kylo's voice that Hux didn't know a vocoder was possible of translating. Hux closes his eyes, feels his dammed-up tears burn him, and nods his head. Kylo steadily wipes the blood away, while Hux shakily grips onto his teacup with both hands.
"There. Was that so frightening?" Hux's whole body trembles like he's asphyxiating. Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry. Hux chants like a mantra, clinging to it more desperately than Love. He brings his legs up, wraps his thin arms around them, and buries his face into his knees. His hands still tightly hold onto the teacup. Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry. He repeats the mantra again and feels lighter like he's in zero gravity.
Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't—
"Hux….you need to let go of the tea cup." Hux's grip instantly loosens his hold on the teacup and Kylo plucks it from his mismatched hands. Hux's hands weakly shoot out, regretting the loss of the unjudging source of comfort. Kylo replaces it with a metal box.
"Hux…..you're going to have two days' off. You need sleep. And to make sure that you sleep, I'm leaving gran—Lord Vader with you. He'll make sure you sleep. And I'll…..come back to check on you these two days." Hux hears Kylo's heavy footfalls and hears the familiar swipe of the lights turning completely off. And, finally, Kylo leaves his quarters.
Hux unfurls himself and sees nothing but darkness.
"You can cry if you want to. I won't judge you." And Hux does. All the while clutching Darth Vader to his chest.
Author's Comments- Okay, time for links:
I based the size of Hux's room on this, but tack on a small closet and a refresher to it: a href=" . "Link/a
Hux's bed. Yes, Hux sleeps in a daybed because it doesn't take up much room in his quarters and it's one of his childhood heirlooms: a href=" . "Link/a
Also, Hux's quilt is entirely made from this image because I love David Bowie's Blackstar and I refuse to believe that his music/works does not exist in this universe: a href=" . "Link/a
Hux's sword which is called Curse Breaker. And, yes, Hux is the type of person who reverently believes in naming swords: a href=" . /revision/latest?cb=20060707200628"Link/a
Hux's blue acoustic guitar that is lovingly stolen from David Bowie: a href=" . /ALTERNATES/s615/Ziggy%20Stardust%20And%20The%20Spiders%20From%20Mars%20-%20Starman%20Live%20In%201972.%20David%20Bowie"Link/a
Hux's cherry-red electric guitar that is also lovingly stolen from David Bowie: a href=" /guitarcosmos/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/david_bowie_ziggy_ "Link/a
Hux's tea set which is the same one from Once Upon A Time because I am a Oncer and the show referenced Star Wars a couple of times, so I wanted to return the favor: a href=" . /storywikmaine/images/3/33/112_ /revision/latest?cb=20121210182504"Link/a
Hux's night-crop-top that he wears for sleeping and drinking tea when he has late-night guests. Why is it Jareth the Goblin King? Because I refuse to believe that Labyrinth doesn't exist in this universe; granted, it's probably more underground than the underground: a href=" 053/0/10595331/il_570xN.749553008_ "Link/a
Hux's pajama pants that go with this specific crop-top: a href=" . "Link/a
The necklace in which Kylo Ren mentions based upon the concept art for Breha Organa: a href=" . /starwars/images/1/11/Leonore_ /revision/latest?cb=20130817181517"Link/a
You know this was supposed to be funny and awkward all the way through. And then…..I make it sad. Like Hux really, really needs a hug kind of sad. Thank the Force that Darth Vader is there! Like, seriously, these two would be so fucked if Darth Vader wasn't there holding their hands, or rather being hugged to Hux's chest, throughout this story.