Author's note:

This fanfic is rated M for sexual stuff in later chapters. The long and short of the premise is that Hux convinces Kylo Ren and Rey to stay together while she's imprisoned by the First Order for various reasons, and long story short, Rey discovers Kylo's physical attraction to her, gets curious, and acts on it.

I'm not going to hold back much on graphic stuff, but this won't be your typical smut fanfic. This is going to be more realistic, awkward, cautious, and exploratory, and if the interaction doesn't develop the characters/relationship, it won't be included.

I'm trying to stay mostly in-character for everyone but Hux, and I changed Hux up because 2D villains are boring and I'm tired of having to kill him off in fanfics. Here he's more obsessed with helping the First Order succeed than being powerful, and he's fine cooperating with Kylo Ren for the First Order, so he might actually survive this time.

I hope you enjoy the story. Feel free to tell me what you think.

Chapter 1

Kylo Ren hadn't particularly wanted to rule the First Order, but since Snoke's death, he knew it was him or Hux, and the First Order deserved better than Hux. The man was entirely too easy to bait.

Still, Snoke had been right. Hux had his uses. Kylo lacked the military background and interest to effectively command armies. He much preferred to choose the objectives and let Hux handle the minutiae of how to carry things out.

The two of them had come to an uneasy truce in the weeks following Snoke's death. So long as Kylo Ren carried out the glory of the First Order and hear out Hux's insights, Hux seemed to have no major objection to the change in leadership.

However, they came to odds anytime the Resistance was mentioned. Though Kylo Ren knew better than to pursue the scavenger who had left him for dead twice now, he still longed to protect her happiness alongside the happiness of his mother. Hux, however, feared their growing influence on those who longed for the return of the political chaos of the republic.

"They have too much influence. We cannot afford to let the Resistance go unchecked!"

Kylo Ren usually settled such arguments with a force choke, though he rarely used it for any other topic. His anger, once an unstable driving force for his life, had dulled with the death of Snoke… perhaps another reason Hux found him more tolerable.

Another day, Hux took a different approach. "If we could steal the girl and General Organa away first, would you still want to preserve the Resistance?"

The question was unusually insightful for Hux, and Kylo Ren did not immediately know how to respond. "I am not sure the Resistance would exist without its leader and Jedi."

Hux furrowed his brow, considering. "I understand why you wouldn't ask General Organa to join us, given her long political history, but why not the girl? She spent most of her life friendless and starving. She would probably leap at the chance to both have abundance and the influence for real change."

Kylo narrowed his eyes at the redheaded general. "You've researched her background."

Hux shrugged and carefully looked him in the eye. "Anything of fascination to you can be used to exploit the First Order. It is my responsibility to recognize and investigate potential threats."

Kylo nodded. Though it was unnerving to recognize this particular brilliance in Hux, he could not help feeling thankful that he resisted his impulses to kill Hux in that first week following Crait. "And what do you recommend?"

Hux relaxed, as if he had been fearing a more volatile reaction. "Invite the scavenger girl to join you. "

Kylo stilled his growing rage with a deep breath. It would serve him no good here, and while Hux was nowhere near as pleasant to speak with as Rey, he had longed to speak with someone, anyone, about her. "What makes you think I haven't?" he said softly.

Hux's eyes widened. "I… Really? My condolences. I rather expected she might accept, given her lowly background and your own prestige."

"I had too," Kylo said. She had come from nothing, and he had offered her everything. "I suppose you know then."

Hux looked at him politely, waiting.

"Snoke's death," Kylo said.

Hux smirked. "You've always been a terrible liar, Ren. Yes, I know you killed Snoke, possibly to preserve that girl from him." He paused a moment. "I would have killed him myself if I thought I had a hope of succeeding. I am tired of watching the galaxy kneel to the whims of the Sith."

"And yet you tolerate me," Kylo said, and he did not doubt Hux, though he knew Hux had desired his death many times that first week as well.

Hux gave Kylo Ren a hard look. "You are not a Sith. You have been very level on everything but Skywalker, your mother, and this girl. You said Skywalker is dead, so that's no longer an issue. Your mother has only influenced your decision to capture instead of destroy the Resistance, and then there's this girl."

"Rey," Kylo Ren said.

Hux nodded. "You erred on Takodana to collect her, again on Starkiller Base, and you killed Snoke for her if I'm not mistaken, and now I get the strangest reports from personnel."

Kylo's heart stuttered with fear. He knew where this was leading, and while he had come to trust Hux in many ways he had never dreamed, the bond was too personal.

Hux continued. "The reports say that, on many occasions, you have been observed speaking to someone who isn't there, and you call her Rey."

Kylo Ren said nothing, though he was starting to regret not force-choking the man into silence earlier.

Hux looked concerned, strangely enough. "I do not intend to dig, but this obsession of yours is causing disruptions among the troops who have noticed. You need to get a handle on it, or, failing that, get a handle on her."

Kylo looked directly at Hux. "What exactly are you suggesting, Hux?"

Hux looked back at him evenly. "It would have been best if she came willingly, but since she won't, capture her and work out this infatuation. She's a war criminal anyway, officially. It's a good strategic move even without a personal motive."

Kylo Ren felt equal parts delighted and sick. He had certainly fantasized about taking her prisoner and having her in every definition, but that Rey had been begging to be caught. The reality was much more sobering. Rey had given up on him. Seeing her close the Falcon's door on him had just been the first step. She had kept her distance in every force bond since, frequently ignoring him despite his efforts to bridge the gap in their friendship. Assuming he could even call it friendship.

The script of their relationship played through his head yet again. He had discovered her in the woods of Takodana trying to kill him. Since then, she had invaded his mind during a rightful and necessary interrogation, tried to kill him again, called him a monster, assumed she knew the truth of him and Skywalker, offered a hand only to invite him to the Resistance, and then thanked his success in slaying Snoke to save her life by insisting he join the Resistance again before leaving him for dead.

He buried his face in his hands. He was better off giving up. At the time, he had thought she trusted and believed in him, but with every bonding that she rejected him, he suspected more that she had only reached out in a desperate plea to save the Resistance. However, his heart continued to ignore reason by fluttering whenever the bond found them and bleeding with each casual rejection.

His nights were filled with dreams of her.

Dreams that would never be.

Kylo Ren shook his head. Maybe Hux was onto something, given that Kylo could not seem to break his thoughts from Rey otherwise, maybe becoming a monster for her just one more time would help him move on.

He knew it was all foolishness. He looked around to tell Hux it was a bad idea and discovered his general had left him. Well, no matter, he had other work anyway.

I didn't mean to write this... but it kinda happened. I got REALLY sick and needed a break from A Reylo Cup of Sugar, so this came out! After reading endless stories of how Rey and Kylo really want each other and blah blah blah, I thought writing a story where they've both given up and someone else shoves them back together would be refreshing. Yes, the Hux/Kylo relationship dynamic is somewhat OOC. Well, whatever. I'm having fun.

I hope you like it! Please review. etc. etc.