Rey sped away from the hangar in her trusted ship, watching as stars turned to a blur around her. She was escaping what was supposed to be the First Order but really was just a large, black prison.

Oh, but Rey wasn't really escaping.

It was more like she was taking short break, from the Empire, from Kylo Ren, from life, If you could call it that.

If you escape, you don't come back. Rey had to return by nightfall, or the First Order would return her to her parents, so to speak.

Sometimes Rey wondered why she even bothered coming back, to the Empire, to Kylo Ren with his dead gaze that screamed tragedy.

Then Rey remembered that she had nowhere else to go. All that was left for her was a dark throne and a broken man to rule alongside with.

Rey's fists involuntarily clenched at the thought, but not as hard as her heart did. Was this all her life amounted to anymore? An empty, loveless life in the shadows?

What happened to the wind and the oceans, the vast deserts and a family to come home to?

… What happened to color?

The thought hit Rey like a train and blew her to pieces. She bent over her chair and cried for the first time in what seemed like a thousand years.


After Rey had abruptly run off and gone to explore some distant planet, Kylo Ren took the chance to take a much-needed break and a shower. He had not slept all night and was tired. His wounds were still fresh and biting.

Rey was the reason for both these things.

Kylo slipped into the shower and turned it on, wincing at the sudden pain the water brought to his damaged skin.

After a few minutes the pain was replaced by blissful relief, and Kylo Ren allowed himself to sink into the warmth.

He thought of Rey.

He thought of how perfect her lips felt pressed against his, how she relieved him of pain much, much better than a simple shower.

That's when he heard her voice. Or more accurately, her sobs. At first they echoed faintly distance, but soon grew into a scream that Kylo couldn't ignore anymore.

Her tears mixed with the shower and burned Ren's skin. He thought he saw her silhouette crouched in the corner, haunting him like a ghost.

Kylo turned off the shower and threw on a towel, stumbling out of the bathroom. He wasn't sure if he was running towards or away from Rey, or if it really mattered.

Her figure hid in a corner, looking smaller than Ben had ever seen her. Instinctively, he reached out to comfort her. But before he had the chance to even touch her, Rey's voice rang out in his mind.

Don't.

Kylo withdrew like shadow met with light.

Go away, she hissed.

You're crying, he retorted.

She wiped away her tears, thinking it would wipe away her pain too. I'm fine, she lied.

Kylo tried to disagree but she cut him short again.

I'm tired Ben—Rey corrected herself— Kylo.

He knew he shouldn't ask, but Kylo Ren had spent months restraining himself and he simply couldn't do it anymore.

What are you tired of?

Everything. This war. Her voice was sharp, laced in poison. I'm tired of you. Of us.

Rey turned to Kylo and he found that her face was no longer masked— He saw her clearly now, saw that beautiful, hateful face of hers, now distorted with tears.

Do you really hate me so much? he asked, softly, sadly. Do you hate me as much as I hate you?

Rey recoiled from his words, sinking back into the shadows and growing transparent.

I don't know… she breathed. The distance between them seemed to grow.

Kylo Ren was a selfish man, so he asked her questions he shouldn't ask.

Why are you crying?

I think I lost something.

Can you get it back?

Rey smiled a bitter, secretive smile. If I could, I wouldn't be crying, now would I?

No. I guess not, Kylo said stupidly, paying more attention to that distant look in Rey's eyes than her words.

He knew what it was inside them because he felt it too: Yearning.

So he asked her about it, breaking that sweet silence between them.

What do you want?

Rey's smile disappeared. The atmosphere grew dark and heavy, and made Kylo wish he hadn't broken the silence after all.

You can't give it to me, she breathed. I don't think anyone can.

Slowly, Rey became more visible, less transparent. For a brief moment, Kylo thought he saw the inside of her ship flash before him.

Tell me anyways, he coaxed, reaching for Rey but never quite touching her.

I want… Rey began, but faltered. She wanted to say "freedom," but something was holding her back. Maybe the fact that she could never be free again. Freedom was dead. She had killed it.

Instead, Rey found herself saying:

I want you.

The moment the three words escaped Rey's lips Kylo Ren's heart exploded, turned into fire. He struggled to keep his voice steady when he moved to speak again.

I can give you that… he whispered,

If you'd let me.

The silence that followed was clearly reluctance on Rey's part. But when she answered her voice was anything but hesitant.

I'm going to the Death Star… or what's left of it.

She looked at Kylo one last time, challenging him.

… Meet me there.

It was a challenge gladly accepted.

Rey turned and disappeared, severing the connection and returning Kylo to his dark room.

Only the room didn't seem so dark anymore.

And Kylo simply couldn't stop smiling.