He wasn't surprised that she barely said two words in the morning. She was clearly uncomfortable. Hux did his best to avoid her so that she didn't have to think about last night. It had been odd. She probably had been drowsy. Hadn't meant it.

The rain had finally stopped and after a couple of hours of braiding the cables together they had a rope. Hux tested its strength by wrapping it around the tree and by pulling with all his might. It held and he realised that the moment where he would probably break his neck had arrived.

They ate a few berries before giving it a try. Tico's overalls had dried and she had swapped the greatcoat for her clothes. She handed him the coat and he carefully folded it and put back into the backpack.

Then he looked down at his uniform jacket. It was dirty and crinkled. It made him uneasy. Perhaps he should take it off? The air was cool but he assumed that he would sweat soon enough … he wasn't keen on putting his slender frame on display … it didn't matter. She already knew.

He quickly unbuttoned the jacket and folded it carefully, then he grabbed his black leather gloves and put them on.

She pretended to pile up firewood, but he noticed the glances she shot him. He set his lips in a thin line. Perhaps he should've left the jacket on. He tried to slick back his hair – of course in vain – and it made him feel even more awkward.

It didn't matter. He focussed on the task at hand and approached the lowest branch. With a jump and an pathetic pull-up he sat on the first branch. He tried not to look at her and paused for a moment before he got up and climbed further up.

With the help of the cables and the make-shift hook he managed to climb up to the crown. The wing lay on a thick branch.

He slowly climbed closer, just when he was about to reach it he almost slipped – luckily he managed to grab on a branch and get a hold. His heart hammered against his chest and he needed a couple of moments before he could move again.

The chips looked fine when he pulled them out of the fuel injector. He allowed himself a smile – finally they made some headway.

ooOOoo

The way down was much easier, but the climb had exhausted him – his arms and legs felt heavy when he handed her the fuel injectors. "They're a little scorched but they seem functional."

She took them from his hand and smiled at him. "Good."

The smile took him by surprise and only after that he discovered that he had returned it. She had already turned her attention away, obviously checking the chips.

He felt himself blushing a little and ran his hand through his hair. Then he realised that he was still quite exposed, his lips twitched a little when he glanced at his pale arms. He quickly walked over to the pile of clothes and put the jacket back on.

He felt more comfortable when he had closed the last button. "Your turn, specialist."

She nodded. "Alright, let's go-"

"It's only a matter of hours before the sun sets. I suggest we go first thing in the morning," he said. There was no point in stumbling around in the dark.

She sighed. "You're right, I just can't wait to get off this planet."

"Depending who is picking up the signal you won't be so glad to leave," he dryly said.

"I guess," she said, sounding dejected.

ooOOoo

They built a fire and roasted their food. Hux couldn't stop himself picturing being back at the Order. First, he would check their progress in the war of course. Call Ren to inform him that the rumours of his death were exaggerated. Perhaps Ren would be angry that he wasn't already dead … or perhaps he had realised that things ran smoother with Hux at the helm?

Then he would visit the med bay and after that he would take a long shower. The thought of fresh clothes was very nice. He stretched a little, his back hurt a little … and sleeping in bed would be nice too.

When the larvae were done he lifted the pot away from the fire and they began to eat. While chewing he couldn't help but watch the woman across from him.

She was indeed striking. Soon they wouldn't sit quietly anymore, either way things would change. He would miss her touch, the sparkle in her beautiful brown eyes …

It would end soon. But until then he could try to memorise as much as possible, try to get her to laugh again, to smile at him.

After dinner he asked: "Do you want me to check your splint?"

She blinked and looked at it. "Alright, it looks fine to me though."

It did. But he wanted to make her feel good and he simply didn't know how to show her kindness other than checking her injury. He liked it, it gave him comfort – perhaps it worked for her too? At least a little?

He scooted closer and took a quick look. "I'll take the rag off to check on the bone."

He pushed the memory of his father holding the waitresses' wrist away. He removed it and tried not to linger longer than necessary, he- he didn't want to grope her … he just wanted the feel her warmth. Show her that he … that he was warm too.

He resplinted her arm and looked up in the hopes of seeing her smile or at least look at him in a friendly way. She stared into the fire, thought clearly somewhere else.

He felt a little disappointed and said: "I'm done."

She pulled her arm back and held hit as if his touch had burned her. Of course. It was silly to think that she wouldn't be disgusted by him. But he had to take what he could. He shallowed his last shred of dignity and added: "Perhaps you should check the wound on my chest."

She didn't refuse and when he felt her fingertips make contact with his skin he felt calm, content even.

"It's fine," she said.

"Good." She looked at him with without disgust or distrust in her eyes, and he felt a sting in his heart. He averted his gaze and started to dress again, covering his chest up.

She started to whittle again. For a moment the only sounds were the crackling of the fire and the blade dragging over the wood.

Hux tried to slick his hair back. "Where did you learn to whittle?"

She stopped for a moment and lifted her gaze. "I didn't. I watched my sister doing it – she was quite good at handcrafts. That and singing. I'm not as creative as she was." She sighed and continued to whittle. "My mother and she were quite the singers, but I'm afraid that I inherited my talents from my father – I can't carry a tune if my life depended on it."

Hux sat up a little straighter. "You're quite skilled yourself. The forks you made-" he broke off, not quite sure how to end the sentence.

She laughed, a bright, kind laughter that made him smile a little.

"I wouldn't say that, they're crude. Just look at this ornament." She showed him the branch. "It's supposed to be a moon but it looks more like a squeezed Nara fruit."

"I think it looks like a moon," he said while blushing.

She chuckled again. "Well thank you! Finally someone who recognizes my hidden talents! Anyway, I liked to dance when I was a kid. I was quite good – for a kid at least. My father came to every single performance. I guess he was relieved that I had inherited at least some artistic blood from my mother."

For a moment he tried to picture her dancing, but since he didn't know any dances he quickly gave up.

"What's your hidden talent?" she asked.

The question took him by surprise. He thought about it, but nothing came to mind. For some reason he started to feel unwell. "I don't have one."

"Come on, even a guy like you must have something."

Her words made him feel worse. 'Even a guy like you'. She was right of course, she hadn't forgotten what he was. What he had done.

"What did you do when you were a kid?" she asked.

Memories of Arcanis resurfaced in his mind. When he was running around in the rain, when he had to redo his bed dozens of times, when he had to stand at attention for hours. When his father put gel on his hair and combed it back. But nothing else, no dancing, no singing, no … whatever. He felt hot shame rise up in his chest.

"I liked to draw," he lied.

She smiled at him and it hurt. "There you go. Were you any good?"

"I don't remember. It's been quite a while," he said quietly.

Luckily she didn't ask further. She held the branch closer to her eyes and sighted. She grabbed it by the thicker end and held it into the fire.

Hux's eyes went wide. "What are you doing?"

She jerked her head up and frowned. "What? What is it?"

"It will catch fire," he said while pointing at the branch.

She blinked. "So what?"

"D-don't you want to keep it?" he stammered.

"What for? It's just something I did to kill the time."

He felt heat crawling up his cheeks. Stupid, of course she wouldn't keep it. "I see."

She laughed, and despite his glum mood it made him almost content.

"If you like it so much you can keep it." She stretched the branch towards him.

A gift? He couldn't remember when he received a gift the last time. He took it and stared at it while tracing the ornaments with his fingertips. A gift for him. After a while he went to the backpack and wrapped the carving in his great coat lest it break.

ooOOoo

To his dismay the ground was dry again and she settled on her side of the shelter. He had looked forward to her warmth …

He tossed and turned for a while before he could find sleep. He dreamt about Arkanis again. The constant rain made him soaking wet as he ran home. His great coat sucked up every last drop and felt heavier by the moment. When he finally entered the house, he stripped the coat away and hung it on the hallstand.

Tico was sitting at the table, holding an empty cup in her hands. He noticed the kettle with the tea in the kitchen and went to get it. He poured her a cup, she smiled at him and said, "Thanks, Armitage." He was excited to have convinced her to stay for tea.

"It's my favourite tea! I gathered it in the woods," he said.

But she didn't drink the tea, instead she put the cup down and got up. She walked over to him and pulled him into an embrace. He leaned down and returned the hug. She cupped his face and gave him a soft kiss on his cheek …

A loud crackle woke him up. He reached out for something, he didn't know what exactly … and when he saw Tico sitting by the fire and eating berries he relaxed and pulled his hand back. He rubbed his eyes and sat up.

"Tea is almost ready," she said blithely.

He got up and stretched himself until his joints clicked. "Good idea. I feel exhausted."

"Another nightmare?"

He stared at her, first at a loss for words. Then his mind slowly started to work again. "No, I don't think so."

"Alright then," she said and ladled the hot liquid with the make-shift cup and handed it to him.

He stared at the cup for a moment before he blew on it and took a sip. It had only been a dream of course, but the feeling, the … moment when he thought about her kiss … his contentment was real. Perhaps it had been a nightmare after all, a vision of something he could never have.

He took another sip of tea. It was bitter, a little too bitter for this morning.

ooOOoo

They arrived at the crashed shuttle about an hour later. Tico had been especially chatty and had told him about the one time when she had fixed an ancient shuttle back on her home planet.

She fell noticeably quiet when they stood in front of the shuttle. Hux straightened himself and entered to recover the pilot, or rather what was left of him.

When he exited she stood farther away, gasping audibly when she saw the body.

"You can fix the comm," he said. "I'll have a look around."

She just nodded and disappeared into the shuttle. He stared for a while at the body of the pilot, thinking about Captain Bahk. He had little doubt that Bahk was in even worse condition than the resistance pilot. He had been busy getting better, finding the means to get off planet … but now there was time. Bahk deserved a proper burial.

If they were in space the Order would eject his ashes into space as it had been custom since the old Empire. Nobody would ever accuse Hux of being sentimental but the longer he thought about it the more he felt that he owed it to Bahk.

It took him about an half hour to dig a shallow grave. He tossed the almost clean-picked bones into the pit and shovelled soil with a large piece of metal he had pried off a console. Sweat was running down his temples and he panted, but when he was finished he felt a sense of accomplishment.

His thoughts returned to Tico and he briefly wondered if she had completed her task already. He went back to her shuttle and glanced at the remains of the resistance pilot. He still carried the metal … after a moment he started to dig another hole.

He heard Tico rummage in the shuttle, obviously she was still at work. He sat down for a moment and mused about his next steps. The only sensible thing to do would be moving the camp closer to the shuttle. Any rescue team would show up near the comm signal – provided that Tico could fix it.

With a sigh he started to walk in the direction of their camp.

Almost all of their belongings fit into his backpack, only the pot was too large and he had to carry it. He passed by the shuttle and headed into the direction of the first river they had discovered. There was a large tree near the river. Hux looked up – the leaves were wide and big. He set down the backpack and the pot and began to search for branches to set up a similar shelter like the last camp.

It was heavy work and he almost had to unbutton his jacket due to the heat. How in the galaxy had Tico done it with a broken arm? His awe before her rose to new heights. It was a testament to her many skills of course … and the lack of his.

After he had finished his task he went to the river and washed his face with cool water, using the water to slick back his hair. He stared at the river for a moment. He saw a blurred reflection of his face and brushed his beard stubble. He looked unclean, unkempt … soft.

He washed his hands again and ran his hand through his hair, trying yet again to slick it back. Then he got up and started to walk back to the shuttle.

When he arrived he had just picked up the metal plate he had left there after he had buried the pilot and wanted to check on her.

That's when she stepped out of the shuttle. She looked tired, but there was a smile on her lips. He almost smiled back but then he reminded himself that it wasn't meant for him, not really.

Her gaze dropped to the grave and she pointed towards it: "Did you bury him?"

"I did, specialist. I was at my shuttle and buried Captain Bahk, too."

She looked from the grave to him and back. "Thanks I guess."

He shifted his weight from one to another. "There wasn't much else to do. Bahk deserved a proper burial for his service."

She looked at him with her dark brown eyes. He was almost mesmerised by them. "So did Wex. I'm a little bit surprised that you-"

He felt himself blushing. "Is the transmitter working?"

She nodded. "Yes, according the display it's sending out an automated distress signal. But without the proper tools it's difficult to be sure if the signal is actually transmitting beyond the planetary orbit."

"I pitched our camp near the river. It's still close enough that we would hear any arriving ships and we wouldn't have to walk so far to get water."

"Right."

He glanced one more time at her before he turned and began walking towards the camp.

She was unusually quiet on their way to the camp. Hux figured that she was tired. She sat down and sighed, rubbing her eyes with her good hand.

He started to build a fire. He had gotten quite good at it, within minutes the fire was crackling. He turned to see if she had noticed – sure enough she was looking at him. He turned his attention back to the fire. It was silly of course but it had actually felt good to see her watch him.