Summary: Is any relationship worth this? (Prequel for Reunited)

Everyone always said Hux got other people to do his dirty work. Mostly true.

But not for this. Never for this.

He'd go to a bar or a club, preferably somewhere he wouldn't be recognised. And he'd either get tipsy, or completely smashed. Then he'd find a guy, any guy. Preferably attractive.

It didn't matter if they were a top or bottom, whatever Hux felt that night. They'd do it, he'd release himself.

Then he'd shoot them.

Or break their neck if he'd forgotten his blaster. Whatever he had to, to kill them, to silence them. Nobody could ever know, Force forbid anyone in the Order found out about his illness.


The Knights of Ren bothered him. None more so than Kylo, who seemed to be Snoke's favourite, the most powerful.

Never trust anyone who wears a mask when they don't need to. Who never show their true face, for it proved the person a liar and deceitful.

He hated him almost at once, but also knew they had to get along since they worked together. So he put up with the man at first. The Knight talked of the Force and the ancients, about being a God, like it was what he was destined for. It riled Hux in a way he'd never felt before.

Besides - the mask the Knight wore was unnecessary. Hux hated it.

But when they worked more together, little bits of their personal life being mentioned here and there, Hux slowly got used to him. Although Hux never saw Kylo's face, at one point he thought he wasn't so bad. Kylo was powerful, his abilities with the force never-ending.

This man was eternal. His anger a violent storm, his emotions more unpredictable and wild than anything nature could produce.

But Hux had no idea what he looked like. At some point he stopped caring.


Until he cared again. But only because he was found out in the worst of ways. Hux was as good as dead.

The night out started off same as usual. Finding one which fit the typical criteria of "tall, dark and handsome".

Sometimes Hux would go to the other person's place, or they'd get a motel room. Sometimes it would just be in a bathroom, like tonight. In a stall covered in vulgar graffiti, paint peeling off.

They hadn't quite started yet when the dark-haired man growled in his ear, "I didn't know you'd be into this, General."

Hux reacted immediately. Pulling for his blaster, but the other man quicker, able to stop him. Hux wasn't sure what happened, but his blaster was no longer in hand and the man had him completely held up against the wall. Hux couldn't move.

"I order you to let me go," Hux said, knowing there'd be no use. But the other man recognised him, knew he was the General. It had to be one under Hux's command but who?

"Tell me again in bed sometime," a playful smirk appearing on the man's face.

"If you try anything you-," will pay Hux would have finished the sentence, but suddenly found himself shocked into silence by the red blade of a lightsaber at his throat.

"Something tells me, General, I'll be just fine."

Hux let out a breathy "Kylo." Too surprised to say much else. Hux's heart now beating faster, realising the danger he was in.

Kylo turned the lightsaber off, his warm breath on the General, "Calm yourself, Hux."

"You're going to kill me aren't you?" Hux said, "This is a set up. This entire thing, this whole time. The Order, how do they know?"

"Relax," Kylo said, "It's not a setup I promise. The Order doesn't know. I didn't know."

He didn't believe him. Hux pushed away, opening the stall door, going to make a run for it. But he was grabbed by the waist, pulled back by the Knight, unable to relax despite the softness and warmth of the other man's body.

"I promise nothing bad will happen to you," Kylo said, kissing his neck, whispering into his ear "I promise." Kylo's hands remained wrapped around him.

Pulling away gently, glad Kylo let him go, Hux turned to look at him, still unsure whether to believe him or not. The General said nothing, leaving the bathroom.


It took some time, but Hux finally believed him. One day went past and he was sure he would be executed. Then another day, and another.

Hard to believe sometimes that he saw the man under the mask. Kylo didn't acknowledge what happened, continuing to wear his helmet. But perhaps it was safer not mentioning it.

But there was something different about him. Something more evident when they were alone (usually for a very short period as someone would interrupt them). The Knight's stance would relax, his voice became that little more... playful.

And one time, when Hux had been injured, deep scar on his face, Kylo grabbed Hux's chin brushing it gently with a finger. Hux had to pull away with disgust. For whatever reason, Kylo had been insulted.

It got stranger. Hux continued on like normal, hooking up with men now and then. But it became less and less after what Kylo was doing.

One night for whatever reason, Kylo followed him. Force choked the man Hux had gotten with to death.

"What are you doing?" Hux asked, angry.

"You don't want the Order to find out, do you?" Kylo – helmet less that night – looked confused. So what? Kylo was protecting him? The idiot.

"I can handle it myself."

Kylo remained silent, looking away. Not protecting him, Hux realised. Something about him being with others got to Kylo. Got to him bad.

That had been the first time. It happened again. And again.


One time when Hux had gotten with a Stormtrooper. One who he planned to kill the next day knowing the Trooper could keep his mouth shut for a time. But Kylo got to it first. And to make it worse, it was in front of everyone.

The morning, when Stormtroopers lined up – Hux ready to give orders, Phasma standing behind him – Kylo came into the room. Lightsaber activating he went over to one trooper, the one Hux had slept with, and chopped his head off right there.

Nobody questioned it, of course. Kylo would have good reason to execute someone, but Hux was furious.

That's when he stopped it. Going out to bars or clubs to hook up. Instead he went to Kylo. Straight to Kylo. Just to Kylo. They found ways to hide and be as they were in secret.

Everything that happened between them grew.

Something more matured. Something which Kylo seemed wanting eager to admit, but Hux did not wish to talk about.

It was rough and passionate, but sometimes it was just a morning coffee and a peck on the cheek. The more tame events confused Hux, because it never felt like him. But the endless nights with Kylo's laughter, eyes shining like the Kyber crystals under the chilled moonlight of Illum – perhaps with as much Force power as well. It changed him. An unknown nudging at the heart which Hux ignored because he knew no matter what happened one day it would be over.

It remained inevitable, but he hadn't prepared for it.


Kylo was laughing, for whatever reason. Moaning only moments before, Hux right on top of him, but now he laughed.

"What?" Hux asked, baffled by the laughing Knight.

Kylo covering his face with his hands, "You're so stupid," he said but a smile could be seen through his fingers.

"What? Did I say something?" Hux moved off of him, his eyes never leaving him. Kylo moved to kiss him on the cheek, still laughing.

"What?" Hux asked again. He had been speaking, but his own words now forgotten by him.

"You're an idiot," Kylo still laughing, rolled over to get off the bed, but accidentally fell off instead. Now it was Hux's turn to let out a laugh.

"Shut up," Kylo reached for his pillow, throwing it at Hux who grabbed it easily and put it to the side.

Hux shuffled, so he lay on his stomach across the width of the bed, Kylo sitting in the floor leaning against the bed. Their noses touched. "Make me," Hux said.

"I thought I did," that cheeky grin again. And they kissed, Kylo getting up from the floor, maybe ready to go again.

A comlink beeped, both groaning with annoyance. Kylo reached for it, but didn't answer, just looking at who was calling.

"It's Snoke," he said, worried.

Both turned solemn.

"I should leave," Hux said, getting out of the bed, gathering his clothes.


Kylo's screaming from the other room was unbearable. Hux had just arrived, right outside the cell in the corridor. Looking at Phasma, "What the hell's going on?"

"Turns out," Phasma let out a sigh, "Turns out that Kylo was, er, participating in illegal activities."

Hux's heart sped up, "illegal activities?"

Phasma explained, "Yeah, he pretty much told me to my face. I don't think he meant to. But, you know, I had to ask him why he chopped the head off one of my troopers. Told me that my trooper was into men. But refused to tell me how he knew."

"That happened ages ago," Hux said, "Did you only figure it out now?"

Phasma shrugged, "I wasn't sure what to do. He's Snoke's favourite. But now I'm sure, and I told Snoke, he agreed."

Kylo's screaming continued.

"We could use your help with the interrogation."

Hux remained stone-faced.

The interrogator had been using special electric pikes designed for Jedi. To diminish force abilities and cause more pain the more Force sensitivity one had.

Kylo's eyes and nose bleeding. Other parts of his face bruised. Hands and feet bound, breathing heavy.

"Set him up for sleep and sense deprivation," Hux said, hoping a few hours will buy him time. Kylo had already given up the name of two others, but then stopped talking. "He's too powerful for a Jedi's interrogation." A lie, but Hux didn't want to put him under such a terrible torture.

"Hux," Kylo's voice weak, pathetic.

Hux slapped him across the face and snarled, "Be quiet." He turned to the interrogator, "I'll come and speak to him again privately in a few hours."

"Of course, Sir," The interrogator nodded, a female voice. He hadn't noticed as she wore Stormtrooper armour.

Hux left the cell, not daring to look back at Kylo.


The two names which had been given by Kylo were acted upon and Hux had to attend to their executions. One, an admiral, who Kylo had slept with three years previously. The other a pilot.

Hux hated pilots.

The two would be executed in different ways. The most gruesome left to the Admiral. Vertical impalement. No words could describe the horror of the barbaric, archaic method.

The Admiral had been stripped down, a long stake being hammered up his rear. The screaming was more awful than Hux could imagine. The man had his hands tied behind his back, being held down by assistants, legs spread wide. It didn't faze Hux it was happening, but what got to Hux was that this would happen to him. If Kylo said anything.

The executioner was very good at their job too. Careful not to hit any major organs so the Admiral would stay alive for a couple of days. The blood covered stake coming out the back of his neck signalled the completion of the process, and he and the stake placed vertically outside. His naked body writhing, screaming. Two days of it.

Hux would kill himself if he were found out.

The Pilot also got an ancient method of torture. The rack, or something similar to it, but not considered as brutal as impalement. His limbs pulled apart slowly. And force, it took so long. Hux would impatiently look at his chronometer every time he ordered the executioner to pull. The pilot screaming.

Honestly, Hux was so done with screaming for the day.

"Muffle him," Hux ordered, "and do this properly, will you? We haven't got all day. I want his limbs detached."

The executioner seemed to get a sick joy out of the screaming, looking annoyed that he had to do this quickly.

The limbs being pulled off caused the Pilot to scream even louder although it was muffled by the cloth now in his mouth. Blood spilling everywhere.

"Great," Hux said as the pilot lay dying, "I will take a visit to Kylo."

"You think he'll be executed?" the executioner sounded eager.

Hux rolled his eyes, leaving without replying.


"Are you all right?" Hux asked, caressing the Knight's cheek.

The cell was dark, cut off from the world. Kylo chained from the roof now, forcing him to stay standing. The blood dry on his face.

Hux deactivated a droid which floated silent near him, scanning Kylo to check if he was falling sleep, then electrocuting him to wake him up again. But it hadn't needed to do that yet, Kylo was used to not getting much sleep.

"You're doing this to me," Kylo said, his voice hoarse. Not having food or drink would do that.

Hux looked away, the unfamiliar feeling of guilt rising.

Kylo let out a small, empty laugh, "I don't blame you. You have to do this. But I don't know if I can take it. The interrogator will come in and... Continue to interrogate."

Looking back up at Kylo, Hux said "You won't say anything, will you?"

Kylo shook his head. The General leant forward and gave a soft kiss to his lips, he drew back, eyeing for a moment. Then, not bearing to look any more, he left.


"This can't be necessary," Hux said to Phasma a couple of hours later, "He won't give up any more names. That must be everyone."

"He admitted into being in some sort of relationship," Phasma said, "if that sort of thing can classify under a relationship."

Hux looked away, leaning against a panel, flashing lights shining into his face, "Our resources would be better used against the Resistance, not each other."

Phasma stayed silent, so Hux continued talking.

"It's not that I don't care about this, I do. It's wrong, and it's sick. Just, we got all the names from Kylo, it's done."

The Captain looked suspicious. "It's not you, is it General?"

Hux spat "Don't be absurd!" even convincing himself.

Phasma finally agreed to what Hux had said, coming to get Kylo from his cell.

The interrogator came outside, electric pikes in hand, something Hux recalled he hadn't asked the interrogator to use. But if he spoke up it might look suspicious, so he stayed silent.

"He still won't talk. Sleep deprivation isn't working." The interrogator said.

"It takes longer for a force user," Hux explained.

"Besides, we were thinking of letting him go," Phasma said, sounding bitter, "which I'm still not sure we should do."

"I'll speak to him one more time," Hux said, going back into the cell.

The interrogator turned to Phasma, "Look, I know he's not deprived enough yet, but he admitted to being in a relationship with a man. He doesn't know the admiral or pilot are dead yet, I don't think..."

"So it could've been one of them," Phasma nodded, "But I'm interested in names, not speculation."


Going over to Kylo, Hux grabbed hold of his head to look at him, taken aback by the Knights face. The electric pikes must be speeding up the process.

Kylo's face was deathly pale, still covered in dry blood, tears running down his cheeks.

"I can't do it anymore," he whispered, defeated.

Oh force. They've actually broken him. They've broken Kylo Ren. Why hadn't he used his anger to get out? Why did he just let himself get beaten like this?

Hux hadn't noticed what Kylo was doing when he closed his eyes, when he moved his head slightly, kissing the palm of Hux's hand. No idea what Kylo was doing when the Knight smiled, breathing out a sigh.

And then he stopped.

He stopped breathing.

"Kylo?" Hux shook his body, but no reply. He checked his pulse. Waited. Nothing. "KYLO!"

Hux ran out of the cell, and yelled at the interrogator, "RESUSCITATION, NOW!"

The First Order interrogators knew how to do it and knew how to do it well. If they ever accidentally killed someone, they had to know how to bring them back.

The interrogator listened, going straight back into the cell, as Hux's voice was harsh in that way many soldiers were familiar with. The one that signalled: if they didn't listen, be prepared to die.

That voice was also one Phasma was familiar with, and it uneased her. This coming from Hux, to bring Kylo back from the dead. And the General looked worried. Too worried.

It was easy to lie, Phasma knew, it seemed the General was very good at it.

"He'll be fine," Phasma said.

"Yeah," Was Hux's reply, his brow furrowing, a slight change in stance like he realised he looked worried when he wasn't meant to.

Maybe Snoke wouldn't want Kylo dead, being his best soldier. The most powerful. Anyone with force abilities was always top of the ladder, no matter what sort of illness' they had.

But the Supreme Leader will need to be informed of Hux, to find out if it was him, and Snoke will decide what to do with him.


"We shouldn't do anything for a while," Hux said, attending to Kylo's wounds, "What was that you did, anyway? To kill yourself?"

They sat in Kylo's room, on the bed. A first-aid case open beside them.

"The Force allows death to be brought to anyone, even oneself," Kylo explained, but his eyelids drooped and he struggled to keep his head up.

"We probably shouldn't do anything for a while," Hux said, cupping Kylo's head into his hands, "Not with each other or anyone. To stay safe."

Kylo just smiled, giving him a lazy kiss. The General snorted at his attempt of wanting to do this after what he'd gone through. But they both gave in.

And it was so stupid of them. They wouldn't have done anything had they known, had they known about the new secret cameras Snoke placed in their rooms.