He lay flat on his back the curved ceiling still spinning above him. Kylo Ren decided that meeting with the Oracle for a session in the middle of everything else had been a poor decision. He had a prisoner to interrogate, the mysterious girl, the one with the droid. His thoughts were fragmented as his view of the ceiling became blocked by the grinning dark haired girl who had knocked him to the floor. He slapped her offered hand away, sitting up resting his arms on his knees. Images of his father flashed through his mind, the girl, the tiny fragments of her unconsciousness he had seen during her transport. He knew he would be facing his father soon, his mother was close too. His heart palpated at the all-angles attack that was encroaching on his mind.
"Ren-" A wary gentle voice felt very far away. He felt the images start to slow and grow fuzzy with the pressure of another mind pressing down on his. He pushed her out, clearing his mind as best he could.
"Stay out" he growled bringing one hand to his head, as if to relieve the pressure there.
"Don't let me in." She shot back.
He stood swiftly; his trajectory brought him inches from her. She stood firmly looking up at him her gaze a good half head lower than his. She wasn't smiling anymore as she stared him down. "They're not going away." He said angrily "This isn't helping, you aren't helping." He said, leaning into each accusation.
"You aren't trying." Her voice raised a few decibels over his, the air around them growing thicker.
"So I'm weak now?" he said angry and incredulous all at once, refusing to back away.
"No, confused." She corrected a tiny rude smirk making an appearance. At this he finally stepped back, maintaining his menacing glare. "Mostly lazy." she passed the follow up thought directly into him. The rage took over his control and she side stepped his advance then ducking the deft blow that followed. His movements were fueled by frustration and anger, and his distraction allowed her to keep one step ahead of her strong opponent.
"Control yourself Ren." She said breathlessly, moving to turn out of his grasp towards the edge of the room. Sparring was meant to open him up, to distract him and keep him from invading her mind while controlling his own, but he was in such a state. He wasn't controlling his thoughts or his body, and he was barely keeping her out.
He caught her as she moved, his arm catching her waist, shoving her roughly against the corner of the door frame. His other hand jammed deeply into her neck just below her jaw line, barely allowing air to pass, holding a constant torturous pressure. The shock rang through her body, reverberating from her lungs to her brain like an iron bar striking a church bell. She gasped for air her hand automatically reaching to Ren's hand stopping just before making contact with his skin. She rapidly gained control over her body's response and calmed herself.
"Ben…" Even her thoughts were strained as her hand wrapped around his bare wrist. His actions seemed to strike him all at once and his face relaxed from intense primal rage to breathless confusion. His gaze refocused and locked with hers, clarity returning.
"Neera – " His hand slid from her throat moving to cradle her head. Her name on his lips caused her to tense for a moment before relaxing into his apologetic embrace. A long moment of stillness passed, their breaths slowing from the scuffle. He unwound his arm from her waist pressing it against the wall and moving away, gently untangling his body from hers. He turned away to the side, leaning against the door beside her, sliding tiredly to the floor.
Neera stepped away from the wall and turned to look at the storm of a man before her, he watched her, a solemn calm expression. She slowly moved forward, as if approaching a cornered and wounded animal. She knelt down before him, watching him carefully for a moment before moving closer.
"Something is going to happen soon." She gently lifted one hand to the side of his face. "I'm afraid." She said quietly, mirroring his fear. She could feel him tense, she kept out of his thoughts but she could feel him, his mind felt like a bird beating its wings against the bars a too-small cage. "I don't know what you'll do; I can't see the choice you'll make." He shut his eyes and exhaled, some level of agreement coming through in the action.
He felt her lean in, her hand warm on his cheek, her body growing closer to his. Her closeness often distracted him and felt intrusive. This time the unfamiliar sensation was comforting, he allowed himself to feel the kindness in her touch. Her lips pressed against his forehead and he reached up, gently twisting a lock of her hair. It slipped from his fingers as she leaned back to look at him, his gaze meeting hers once more.
"I will do what is needed." He said firmly, though his tone still lacked some conviction. No matter what happened she knew he would be deeply wounded. He was on a precipice and had prepared himself to leap. Either side was lined with thorns to scratch and tear on the way down but what lay beyond the immediate consequence of his choice was unclear. She was quite sure he didn't truly know which side he would fall on.
She leaned in pressing her forehead against his, her thumb running slowly along his cheek. "I know you will." She murmured. His head tilted up his lips hardly a breath from hers, his hands rested lightly on her ribcage. Every fiber of her being willed her body towards his, but she refused to be his distraction.
She sighed, turning her head a bit rolling back out of her kneeling position to sit back on the floor, his hands falling away from her sides. He leveled his gaze on her for a moment before standing and offering hand to help her up. He lingered for only a moment before, and as if silently agreed upon, she stepped back, released his hand and watched him go through the doors.