Ch 3: If There's Time
Hux woke to the sound of his comlink going off like an alarm. It took him a moment to realize that he was not in his own room and a bleary glance at the chronometer told him he was approximately one hour and twelve minutes late for his shift. He cursed and swatted at Ren's snoring form sprawled out beside him in frustration. Ren let out a grunt but rolled over and continued snoring.
He sat up and raked a hand through his tousled hair. There was a distinctly sour taste in his mouth and his body was soiled with dried fluids. Stupidly, jokes about those things indicating a good time sprang to the surface of his mind. All he really wanted to do in that moment was take a long, hot shower. Instead he willed his stiff body out of bed and walked into the common room to fish his comlink out of his jacket.
"What?" he croaked into the device before yawning.
"Sir," came a hesitant voice. "Lieutenant Mitaka inquiring as to your whereabouts?"
"I've been…held up by unforeseen circumstances," said Hux a touch more sarcastically than he intended. "I'll be on the bridge shortly."
"Yes sir, thank you, sir," said Mitaka, relief evident in his tone.
Hux tossed the comlink onto the couch and returned to the bedroom. There was no way he was putting his uniform on over the filth currently crusted onto his flesh. Idly, he wondered if he still had a spare set or two in Ren's wardrobe. He wandered over to it and opened the door, rifling through the garments within.
"You never answered me last night," said Ren, suddenly standing behind him.
The only thing that kept Hux from letting out an undignified shriek was the fact that his mind felt like it was operating from within a void. The more he tried to think, the more empty it seemed to become, and his senses were definitely responding in a delayed manner. He gave up looking for his clothes and turned to face Ren.
"I'll go with you," he said hating the defeat he heard in his voice, "but bear in mind that I am doing so upon the request of Leader Snoke and nothing more."
"Why are you being so cold to me?" asked Ren with a frown. He reached past Hux and pulled out one of the general's perfectly pressed uniforms, hanging it on a nearby peg.
"Are you implying that I used to be affectionate with you?" asked Hux as he walked to the refresher.
"Yes, I am because you usually are…in private at least," declared Ren following him.
"What?" said Hux coming to an abrupt halt and spinning around. "That…that's absurd! I am most certainly not affec-"
A jumble of tender scenarios shared between them suddenly cascaded into Hux's mind stunning him silent. One after the other played out before his eyes blanking out all other vision. He did not know what horrified him more, the fact that there were so many or the fact that Ren had somehow managed to catalogue them all mentally.
"Get out!" he shouted in distress using all of his focus to push the memories away.
Ren blinked and staggered back a few steps as if struck. "Did…did you just-"
Hux took the opportunity to back him up against the wall, crowd in close, and put on his best intimidating scowl. "Stay out of my head," he snarled lowly.
Ren's eyes were comically wide as he regarded Hux with a bewildered expression. He licked his lips then nodded once in agreement.
"Right. Good," said Hux backing up. "Come on, then," he offered gesturing towards the shower.
Meekly following him into the shower stall, Ren amazingly kept his hands to himself, only accidentally brushing against him a couple times. If Hux did not know any better, he would have sworn the man was sulking, but the behavior was slightly different and lacked the general bad-tempered atmosphere. He could not quite decipher the mood awkwardly hanging in the air between them and that made him incredibly uncomfortable. It also occurred to him that he could count on one hand the number of times Ren had backed down from a good argument with him.
Later, when he stood on the bridge of the Finalizer staring vacantly at the stars moving beyond the transparisteel, he blamed all of the strange happenings that morning on the drug. Surely it had to do with side effects. Ren had let him leave without another touch, word, or embrace. Barely made eye contact. It was unsettling.
The shift passed in a blur and he did not truly get much work done. The visions of the prior night occasionally replayed in his mind further deterring any productivity as his sluggish brain struggled to make sense of them. He also despaired that the dream had returned, seemingly with Ren. He did think to check on his sister, sending a message to her that received no immediate response, though that was common.
By the time he made it back to his quarters, he felt exhausted and hollow. In a bout of uncharacteristic laziness, he stripped off his uniform as he made his way to his bedroom, letting the clothing fall in a trail behind him. Down to nothing but his boxers, he sat on the end of his bed and gazed out of the window before him. A memory of Ren chiding him for choosing quarters too close to the exterior of the massive ship came to mind. He had claimed it was too dangerous and Hux should seriously consider relocating. He had adamantly refused. Being able to see space outside was one of the very few frivolous luxuries he afforded himself. If it led to his death then so be it.
He dimmed the lights to five percent and crawled under the covers. Sleep came to him easily and was blessedly free of dreams.
Ren avoided him during the day. Normally, he would be absolutely fine with that, and it certainly gave him ample time to focus on the work he had failed to finish. Part of him found the situation troubling, though, mainly because he had no idea what had truly caused the behavior. He had never been too good at understanding emotional issues, and Ren was obviously brimming with them. Not in the mood to contemplate it, he returned to his quarters after his shift with extra work to provide an adequate distraction.
He ate a light dinner and nearly had the work completed before his com panel beeped in a manner indicating that someone was requesting entrance. Without verbally responding, he remotely unlocked the door and it swished open seconds later.
"Lord Ren," he greeted his guest as he clomped into the common room and sat heavily next to him on the couch. "Thank you for having the common decency to alert me before barging in."
"Hux."
His name was uttered with such urgency that he finally redirected his attention from his datapad to the man beside him. Oddly, Ren was wearing civilian clothing, something simple but fashionable one would likely find on the core worlds. It was all black fabric in layers, accented by a cowl with the hood up to obscure his face. Hux really could care less what he wore, but after so many years of seeing Ren in the same thing the random outfit change -without a known purpose- struck him as bizarre.
"You know," Ren started, then paused, "we don't have much time. We have so little time…and you insist on being obstinate. I can't break through the walls as much as I try…it's maddening…"
"What are you on about?" sighed Hux placing the datapad on the caf table.
"You don't know?" he asked suddenly, loudly, turning his whole body towards Hux. His expression was wild, pained, manic. "How can you not know? Are you emotionally retarded? Do you genuinely feel anything close to affection at all?! Have you ever loved anyone at all in your entire damned life?!"
Hux stared at him openly. He was so shocked by the onslaught of words and their implied meaning that he did not even manage to implement any of his numerous defense mechanisms. "Have I ever…loved…" he repeated the phrase that stood out the most, completely unsure of how to answer.
"Yes!" hissed Ren grabbing his shoulders for emphasis, his eyes blazing with intensity. "Have you ever loved anyone before? Anyone at all?"
"I…of course I have," said Hux frowning slightly.
"Who?"
"My sister," he answered wondering afterwards how wise it was to divulge such things. In the end he rationalized that the knowledge was potentially safe with Ren considering the nature of their relationship, undefined as it was.
"Good! That's a great start!" said Ren looking a little relieved. "What about a past lover?"
Hux nearly laughed at the question. Despite devoting a majority of his life to the pursuit of bettering his military career, he had managed to squeeze in a few short-lived relationships. They were mainly for sex and perhaps a lot for power play. He was not sure if he truly cared about any of them though he had been quite fond of them at the time. Since Ren was still staring at him expectantly, he shook his head as an answer.
Appeared disappointed for a moment, Ren cast his gaze down, but quickly recovered and snapped his eyes back to Hux. "Okay…that's okay. You can work with that, build on it, apply it to something different…" He spoke in a rush, almost sounding panicked. "I can teach you anything you don't know…"
That was bloody well enough, thought Hux, shaking off Ren's grasping hands roughly. "So, let me get this straight," he started. "You breezed into my quarters acting like a lunatic, barely making sense, rudely demanded information you are not entitled to, and now you presume to teach me how to…to love? As if I am an imbecile and have no idea how such things work."
"No, no, that's not what I meant," said Ren finally thinking to draw down his hood. "I don't think you're stupid, not in the least, and I assume you know how to love a person, that's instinctual. But I'm talking about a relationship. Those are pretty complex and difficult to build and maintain."
"How do you know that?" asked Hux feeling a pang of jealousy.
"I've been in a couple relationships," shrugged Ren. "Naturally, that was breaking the rules, but I worked around them. As a favored student I got away with a lot more than I should have."
The thought of Ren involved intimately with other people made Hux nauseous. It instantly soured his mood. "Are you finished wasting my time?" he asked willing his tone into boredom. "I need to finish the rest of this work and go to sleep."
"Is that all I am to you?" said Ren bitterly. "A waste of time? A distraction? A good lay?"
"If that's how you choose to see it," said Hux reaching for his datapad.
Ren shot out a hand and grasped Hux's arm, jerking him towards him and causing the datapad to clatter to the floor. "I do not!" he hissed vehemently. "I choose to acknowledge that I have deep and intense feelings for you, that I care what happens to you and how you feel. I need to know how you feel about me, and I don't want to drag it out of your mind. I want to hear you speak it, hear the words pass your exquisite, tempting lips."
Hux felt the urge to laugh once again, but he was truly not used to being complimented on his appearance. Ren had done it plenty in the past and it always managed to make him falter. He often wondered if the compliments were sincere. "You…like my lips?" he asked, the words slipping out before he had a chance to stop them.
"Yes, I adore them, they're so amazing they deserve a religion based off of them," said Ren slipping his free hand to rest on Hux's back and pulling him closer. "Stop avoiding the point. Answer my question."
"Ren…Kylo…I'm not entirely- I…I'm not sure," he stumbled pitifully over his words, but his answer was not necessarily a lie. He had never taken any proper time to consider how he really felt about Ren, content with the thrill of letting his impulses haphazardly lead him through whatever they shared.
Instead of acting dejected or crushed, Ren surprised him by finally releasing his arm, smiling softly, and placing a broad hand directly over his heart. "I suppose it was pretty foolish of me to think I could demand such an answer. Your core is still burning so bright and intense. I wish I knew if it was for me or the new war machine?"
Hux had no idea how to answer the question, and was becoming increasingly distracted by Ren's close proximity. He reached out and ran his hands over the cowl before gripping it lightly, tugging Ren's face towards his. Their lips brushed together briefly before Hux moved to the side, slid against the slope of Ren's jawbone, then kissed the exposed skin of his neck. He sighed and threaded his fingers into Hux's hair.
"Have you been keeping track of the days?" asked Ren.
"No. Why?" said Hux pulling back to lift the cowl and toss it aside. He hooked a hand around the back of Ren's neck and continued to suck on it.
"Mmm…because…we're nearly at the temple," said Ren, his hands instinctively unlatching the belt at Hux's narrow waist. He started to unzip the general's jacket. "This is probably going to be our last night together for a while."
The reminder was exciting and sobering and Hux sunk his teeth into Ren's flesh in response, eliciting a moan. Even though he was being made to accompany Ren, he had figured he would not be seeing much or any of him during his training. As Ren finished unzipping his jacket, the idea of marking his body consumed Hux's thoughts. He shoved his hand under flowing layers of dark fabric and tugged up roughly.
"Hey, be careful," said Ren standing up abruptly. He took off the jacket first, then the flowing shirt beneath, folding and setting them neatly on the caf table. The boots, pants, and underwear were removed with similar care. "I'm wearing this to the temple. I want it to look nice."
"Of course," agreed Hux standing himself and disrobing much less gracefully in his haste.
They stood before each other, bodies bared, eyes searching and committing details to memory. Hux reached out and let his fingers trial over Ren's numerous scars, including the large one from the bowcaster on his abdomen. Ren tolerated it and Hux soon took his hand, leading him into the bedroom. He dimmed the lights to ten percent and fished the lube out of his nightstand, tucking it under a pillow as Ren reclined on the bed. A distant nebula was visible through the tranparisteel, bathing them in soft hues of purple, blue, and magenta. Hux advanced on Ren, ran his hands up over his toned chest, kissed a hot trail from his collarbone to his mouth. Ren flexed beneath him, reciprocated with needy touches.
"Tonight, I'm going to take you…dominate you, mark you," whispered Hux into Ren's ear, delighted to hear his breath hitch. He withdrew and sat up ignoring the whine of protest. "Over these," he said patting his folded legs.
Ren knew the drill and laid himself over Hux's legs, leaving his face in the covers and his ass in the air. Hux hummed approvingly as he massaged the well formed and slightly plump buttocks presented to him. Drawing his hand back, he paused to admire the view before bringing it down sharply with a smack. Ren groaned and Hux watched as red blossomed over the skin.
Instantly, he wished he was using the paddle because it made such lovely noise on contact and left amazing evidence behind. Bringing his hand down for another smack on the same spot, he rationalized that this was far more satisfying, though. He needed to feel it reverberate through his hand, to feel the sting as he bruised the flesh. He smoothed his hand over the forming welt, struck it soundly a few more times making Ren moan and squirm with each contact. They were both already fully hard and shifting uncomfortably, seeking friction.
His patience suddenly ran dry, and Hux groped beneath the pillow, retrieving the lube. He sloppily slicked up three fingers and poured some extra right into the cleft of Ren's perfect ass. Considering it had been a while, Hux carefully worked one finger into the tight hole, pleased with how the muscles sought to reject him. Still moving his finger within Ren, he maneuvered around to settle between his legs and slid in another digit. He twisted, stretched, and probed, thrilled as Ren grew more desperate. He must have hit his prostate since Ren suddenly gasped loudly and jerked backwards.
Hux continued hitting the spot with precision, added a third finger, listened to the lewd sounds escaping Ren and filling the room. Why in the name of the Stars had he ever called off their arrangement? It was entertaining, unbelievably sexy, addictive, and immensely gratifying. Their chemistry was astounding and Hux was certainly going to miss their trysts, only so recently reestablished. Without any warning, he yanked his fingers free and hastily slicked his cock with the remaining fluid. He knew he was rushing things, but somehow could not bring himself to care.
Ren was compliant as Hux urged him up on his knees considering it would have been difficult to lift his bulk. He lined himself up and pressed into Ren slowly, savoring how the muscles clamped around him tantalizingly tight. After he bottomed out, he remained still, giving Ren a chance to adjust. Many prior sessions had taught Hux how to read the cues Ren's body gave off, so when he flexed his back in a specific manner, loosened his clenched fists, and hummed out a tiny noise, he knew it was okay to proceed.
He tried to set a languid pace, intent on lasting a while, drawing it out as long as possible. That proved to be a fool's endeavor and he soon found himself hammering into Ren increasingly faster, his hands groping savagely on his sweaty flesh. Honestly, Hux thought his skin was infinitely more attractive scarred than it had ever been when smooth. He leaned over and bit down on Ren's trapezius. It drew a minute amount of blood and a loud moan from Ren. He ran his lips up to his neck, sucked on it a briefly, then bit down again.
"This…isn't good enough," ground out Hux.
Before Ren could even process the statement, Hux pulled out abruptly. With strength that surprised them both, he grasped one of Ren's thick thighs and flipped him over. He stared up at Hux stunned, his chest blushed red and heaving, dark curls wild and splayed out around his head. He gripped one of Ren's legs to steady himself and pushed back in, watching intently as his cock easily disappeared into Ren's body.
"That's better," he said meeting Ren's gaze.
Hux returned to a brisk pace and leaned forward, practically bending Ren in half. The man was incredibly limber, though, and contorted himself further to grab Hux's head and drag him down for a sloppy kiss. He fondled Ren's ample pectorals, then moved his mouth to suck on a pert nipple before placing his teeth around the areola and biting gently. Ren cried out, threaded his fingers into his hair, pulled his head away only to urge it to the other nipple. Hux gladly worried it with his teeth before clamping down and sucking hard.
Ren's body tensed beneath him and he started to let out a string of incoherent cuss words cut off by a groan. He was close and Hux wanted him to have a grand finish, so he pulled away from his chest, placed a hand delicately around Ren's throat, and squeezed. It was a little difficult to keep a consistent pace while not applying too much pressure to Ren's neck, but he managed. He panted and wheezed, attempting to catch his breath but unable to get an adequate supply of oxygen. A couple clever snaps of his hips later and Ren's eyes rolled back in his head as he came thickly over his abdomen and chest, without his cock even once being touched.
Immediately, Hux released Ren's throat and fucked him hard, positively thrilled with how wrecked he looked gasping and twitching beneath him. His orgasm came on staggeringly strong, nearly causing him to buckle under its force. He gave a few unsteady thrusts as his release surged hotly into Ren in pulses, letting out a moan that almost sounded pained. The pleasure did not drop off suddenly either. It lingered for several moments, though he did not dare move in fear of overstimulation. Giving into the fact he could no longer hold himself upright, Hux slipped out swiftly and collapsed next to Ren in a panting heap.
Ren turned his head towards him, still breathing heavily. "Holy…shit…" he mumbled.
"My sentiments exactly," said Hux sweeping the sweaty hair from Ren's face and tracing fingers over the bruises forming on his neck. "Consider this a parting gift. Something to remember me by."
Ren's expression fell and tears started to glisten in his eyes. He rolled onto his side and clumsily gathered Hux into his arms, pressing him to his semen smeared torso. Hux sighed but lacked the energy to complain. "Even though you're coming with me…I know I won't get to see you often, or in any kind of manner that satisfies me," he said tangling his legs with Hux's slender ones.
He wanted to tell him he was being overly dramatic, but the words would not come out. Somehow, he felt Ren's sorrow seeping into him, rolling through him in waves and nearly making him panic. The only reasonable response he managed was to cling to Ren like he was a life preserver and wait for it to pass.
"Even if I have an entire lifetime to be with you, it will never be enough," whispered Ren.
Hux had never heard such a romantic phrase directed at him. His heart contracted painfully and tears prickled at the corners of his eyes as he desperately tried to blink them away. He was not a sentimental type, yet Ren was dragging such responses out of him. What would it mean for them if they were developing legitimate emotional attachments to each other? What would the Supreme Leader think or do about it? The last question set his nerves on edge.
"Ren…what do you think Leader Snoke will think about this…development?" he asked quietly, afraid for an honest response.
"He already knows about us," said Ren stroking Hux's hair and back. "It's only logical that deeper feelings can come out of such an arrangement. As long as I complete my training and you oversee the new weapon diligently, I don't think he will really care what we do interpersonally. The success of his plans is his only true concern."
It was a mildly comforting answer but still a bit too based on speculation for Hux's taste. They would know definitively soon enough. He considered taking a shower but was simply too exhausted. Vaguely, he noted that the covers had been pulled over them, most likely by the Force, and he soon fell asleep in Ren's embrace.
He sat on a rocky ledge, one leg drawn up and the other dangling over the sharp drop off. The sight before him was breathtaking, with mountainous terrain, deep blue water far below in the canyon cut through them, and a waterfall flowing majestically in the distance. He dared to think that the place was peaceful, though he still felt a bit tense.
"You seem to genuinely care about him," said a now familiar voice. "That makes things easier."
Hux turned his head to look at the cloaked figure standing to his right, almost invading his personal space. "If you are speaking of Ren, then I would not be so sure of that if I were you," he retorted.
"Don't play coy with me," said the figure taking a seat beside Hux. He noted it wore boots, and when it turned its head he saw a flash of a very human looking nose beneath the hood. "I probably know how you feel about him better than you yourself do."
"I may be more inclined to believe you if you tell me who the hell you are," sighed Hux returning his gaze to the stunning landscape. "Where are we?"
"A planet in the Outer Rim, barely colonized which makes it marginally safer," explained the figure.
"So…no underwater bridge tonight," said Hux absently.
"Not this time," said the figure. "I cannot follow you into that temple, so we may not speak for a while."
"What a shame," deadpanned Hux. "I will certainly miss our enigmatic chats, and you do realize admitting that fact only further confirms my suspicions that you are indeed a Jedi…which really makes so little sense."
"You're a very clever man, general, but there is a lot you do not know. You have much to learn in the near future."
"Is that so?" said Hux. "But I most likely will not be learning anything of value from you, the Master of Evasive Riddles."
"I am truly sorry for that, but I am not willing to jeopardize our plans by giving you important information that can be potentially ripped directly from your mind. The wards I put on you may not be strong enough to keep them out."
"You put wards on me?" asked Hux snapping his head towards the figure in surprise. "When? How? Is that why Ren can't hear me when I project thoughts…wait, then how is he able to put images directly into my mind still?"
The figure shrugged. "If he's not trying to harm you, I guess they can slip through. Admittedly, wards were never my strong point, so their effectiveness may be…inconsistent. I can say with some measure of confidence that nothing too harmful will be able to get past them, since protecting you from harm is their main objective."
"Right. Brilliant. Thank you," said Hux sarcastically.
"It won't be too much longer now," said the figure. "Please take care of yourself in the meantime, Armitage. I will see you again soon."
Hux instinctively flinched in response to the figure's statement as it triggered some painful memories. He looked over just in time to see an arm swinging towards his head. He tried to block it, but it struck him square in the face hard, and pain radiated from his nose outwards. Uttering a strangled cry, he awoke, hand darting to his grope at his uninjured face in relief. At least the figure had not tried to kill him this time, so that was an improvement.
They had both moved around in slumber and Ren was now spooning comfortably against his backside. Shifting a bit, he belatedly became aware Ren was caressing and fondling his body, probably not even fully awake yet, and sporting an erection nestled snugly between his bare butt cheeks. Hux blinked the sleep from his eyes as he gazed forward, and startled at what he had failed to see upon waking. There, standing in his quarters, to the side of his bed, was a Force ghost.
He was so incredibly stunned that his voice failed him completely. It looked so much more ethereal in person than it had in the crude, speculative paintings he had seen of them at the academy. The figure glowed blue and had its back turned towards him. Its hood was down and he struggled to determine the hairstyle as if it would give him a clue to its identity.
"Ren," he whispered, afraid he may scare it away by speaking too loudly. He was immensely relieved his voice worked at all. "Kylo!" he tried again when he received no response.
"Hmm?" hummed Ren. "You called me by my first name," he sighed happily a moment later.
Hux wanted to scream. He chanced a look over his shoulder at Ren, whom still had his eyes closed. "Do…do you see that?" he asked.
"See what?" asked Ren starting to rut against Hux's backside, obviously distracted.
"The For-" He cut himself off as he glanced back to his side and saw that it was vacant. He blinked a few times wondering if he had merely imagined it. That thought deeply disturbed him.
"I don't see anything, babe," Ren mumbled dipping a hand down between Hux's legs to find him already half hard.
"Don't…call me that," snapped Hux before a shudder ran through his body. He had always been ridiculously sensitive in the morning.
Ren laughed and retreated briefly, presumably to retrieve lubrication, which he always kept well stocked in his nightstands. He returned and immediately got down to business, preparing Hux carefully while sucking on various parts of his neck and shoulders, no doubt leaving numerous hickeys behind. Hux felt lightheaded and strange, wanting to gripe at Ren to hurry up, but far too swept up in the sensations to articulate his complaints. Ren eventually pushed into him slowly and fucked him leisurely. Hux lost sense of time.
Everything about that particular session was doting and tender, much too close to making love rather than fucking. Hux wanted to give the disturbing notion more consideration, but his senses were overwhelming him, and when Ren wrapped a hand around his cock it effectively chased away any and all thought. He came soon after with a sob, stars momentarily gracing his vision. Ren followed immediately after him, mumbling something he could not process before his orgasm rendered him incapable of speech.
They lingered on the bed for a while. Hux really had no idea how long. He wanted to doze off and catch a little extra sleep but his mind had other plans, intent on keeping him awake and focused on Ren's gentle caresses. When he finally glanced at the chronometer he sighed and sat up. He had a little over an hour to get ready and he wanted to be early. Ren followed him through his entire routine, annoyingly close and completely unable to keep his roaming hands and lips to himself. Hux even snapped at him a couple times to no avail.
Before he left, Ren kissed him passionately, disheveling his perfectly styled hair. Hux seriously considered smacking him for such an offense.
"We'll arrive within two hours," he said, still gripping Hux's face in his large hands. "Pack a bag and meet me in the hangar by my shuttle then."
Hux nodded in response and Ren left his quarters. He was nearly out the door when the com panel on his desk started to beep. It was his personal line and not many people were authorized to use it. He rushed over, sat down, and activated the holo screen before answering. His sister came into view and he could not help the delighted smile that spread across his face. It was infinitely relieving to see she was indeed alive and well.
"Armitage! Hello!" said Liana Hux with a grin of her own. "How are you, my dearest brother?"
Morosely, he realized she had probably not received any news of the Starkillers destruction yet, and he did not feel like sullying their conversation informing her. "I'm fine, Liana. How are you?"
"I'm great!" she exclaimed and he wondered at her exaggerated response, until she jabbed a hand in front of her face that held a large, sparkling ring. "I got married!"
He almost yelled at her that she was too young, but then remembered that it had been nearly a decade since they last saw each other in person. She was certainly of marriageable age by now. Before he could ask her for details she started excitedly offering them. She had moved to Serenno looking for work and had met her husband at a market place not long after she had arrived. They had essentially eloped, and she informed their father after the fact, which naturally upset him. Brendol Hux was due to visit when he could, perhaps by next season, he had said. She finished by mentioning that Hux should come and visit her as well, that she missed him terribly.
"Are you happy?" That was all that truly concerned him currently.
"Yes," answered Liana, a soft look to her eyes. "Very much so."
"I'm glad. And I must be going or I'll be late for my shift."
"I understand. Take care, Armitage. I love you," she said smiling warmly as she tucked a stray blonde hair behind her ear.
"I love you too, Liana. Farewell."
Hux spent his scant hour and a half on the bridge scrambling to get last minute preparations in order, though he found Captain Phasma had arranged quite a bit of it, and he wondered how long she had known he would be leaving. He had only agreed to it a mere two days ago. Perhaps Ren had told her, which was an irritating speculation. As per the chain of command, Admiral Varik would take Hux's place as commander of the Finalizer. The Stormtooper training program would commence as usual, with some minor adjustments Phasma thought would improve productivity. He skimmed over them and signed off, pleased.
He barely had time to toss some uniforms and toiletries into a bag before running to the hangar. The cavernous space bustled with activity and he wished he had time to admire it before leaving. Ren's Upsilon shuttle came into view and he stood upon its ramp fidgeting. Noticing Hux, he jogged towards him, took his bag, and tugged him impatiently into the shuttle. It all happened too fast, and within minutes they were easing out of the Finalizer and into space.
As Ren piloted the shuttle further away from his ship, a chill ran down Hux's spine. He tossed a panicked glance back towards it but it was not within the viewport anymore. He could not shake the sense of foreboding settling into his chest.