Kylo snuggled up to Hux like he always did. Usually Hux relaxed when he kissed him on his neck, sometimes he even scooted closer. Not this time. Hux remained calm and tense. He reached out with the Force and could feel his anxiety. It reminded him of the emotions he sensed when Hux asked him about Rey.

He closed his eyes and cursed inwardly. Why in the galaxy hadn't he told Hux in a quiet moment? Hux seemed to be quite possessive, which was a bit odd given the fact that he didn't seem to like him that much. Or why else would he have remained quiet after Kylo had admitted that he liked him? And yet… the way he had looked at him back in his room. What could it mean?

Hux liked to be in control and this was something he couldn't control, because he wasn't Force-sensitive. Yes that must be it. It made sense, it was about control. That's the reason why he only offered leftovers to him like he was a dog. It was a way of keeping the upper hand.

Kylo gulped, it hurt to think of it that way. But was he wrong? He felt like he was missing something but he couldn't put his finger on it.

"You're very quiet," said Hux in a soft voice. "You're only this quiet when you ponder about something."

"Why didn't you say anything? When I said that I liked you." He caressed Hux's upper arm with his hand. "I thought that you would scoff at me or at least- I don't know."

"Because it hurt." He said it so quietly that Kylo almost didn't hear it.

Kylo propped up on his elbow and leaned over Hux. He brushed a strand of hair away so that he could see his face. "Hurt? Why did it hurt you?"

"I was perfectly fine until you showed up. Until you started to kiss me like- like you meant it. Until you looked at me the way you did. Until you touched me like you-" he broke off. "It hurts to think that perhaps, maybe you really like me."

"Hey," said Kylo and kissed him softly on his cheek. "I really like you."

Hux turned around to face him. "I know that you will leave me." He scoffed. "And why shouldn't you? I'm but a pasty, skinny overachiever who struggles to get on top so that I don't have to be scared anymore." He blinked. "You are so strong, resilient and beautiful. And you are a powerful Force-user. You were right, you are special and I am not. And now there is another gifted Force-user, a smart, resourceful woman… what am I supposed to say?" He sniffled and seeing the stoic, cold General like this shocked Kylo to his core.

"Why- why didn't you say anything before? I thought you only tolerated me."

"I thought it would go away. I thought you would soon tire of me and I- I thought if I said it often enough it would become the truth. So that it wouldn't break my heart when you left."

Kylo's throat was dry, he gulped. "I don't want to leave you."

"But you will, won't you? To pursue this Rey, to become a Darth," said Hux.

Kylo realised that even with all his inner conflicts, all his uncertainty there was one thing he knew: He missed Hux when he was not with him, he longed to be with him… "I won't."

Hux reached up and cupped Ren's cheek, he leaned into the warm hand. "Ren-"

"I love you, Armitage. I have been in love since I saw you the first time. I'm afraid you're stuck with me."

"I am?" he asked with a frown.

He bent down and kissed Hux.

-o-

A couple of days later Kylo stared at Vader's mask, trying to make up his mind if he should attempt to speak to him once more or if he should try to reach out to Rey.

But he felt uneasy when talking to her, they way she talked to him made his skin feel tight. No, he had no need for her and her power. He had Hux. His passion, his love.

He caught himself musing on how it would be if Snoke was gone - he would reign supreme and with a cunning Grand Marshal like Hux at his side nobody could withstand him.

But- what would he do exactly? Keep looking for Skywalker? Eradicate the Resistance? His parents, her friends… Chewbacca? Damn it! Why couldn't he make up his mind?

Just in this moment he felt a tugging at his mind. Moments later Rey appeared in front of him, she was holding a battlestaff and was sweating.

"You!" she spat. "Can't you leave me alone?"

"I didn't reach out for you," he replied.

"I don't believe you."

He shrugged. "That's your prerogative. Are you training?"

"Of course, and just so you know - I found Master Skywalker and he is training me and Finn!" she gave him a triumphant smile.

Finn? He had no idea who she was talking about. He gritted his teeth. "Just take care that he doesn't try to kill you like he did with me!"

"That's not what happened and you know it." She continued her training with the staff.

"Bantha shit! When I woke up he stood over me with his lightsaber in his hand - because he was scared of me. He wanted to kill me in my sleep."

"Ah, and why would he do that?" She stopped her exercises and wiped the sweat from her forehead.

"Because he was scared-"

"Yes, yes - but why was he supposed to be so scared that he would try to murder one of his pupils?"

"He- he could feel the darkness growing in me, he was afraid that I would become the next Vader." He didn't like the direction the conversation was heading.

"Did he tell you that?"

"Yes, well, not directly, but I knew. From the way they looked at me when I was getting angry." 'Stop it, Ben. You're frightening me.' The eyes of his mother looking worried at him… he pushed the thoughts away.

"Listen, I don't know what happened back then. I wasn't there. But the way I see it… Master Luke is a bit of an overly dramatic man who sometimes is a bit impatient and incredibly pig-headed. But I don't think that he would just kill one of his students. I mean, he still believed in his father and he risked it all because he knew that there was still good in Darth kriffing Vader."

"No, no that's not what happened!" Kylo yelled. "He wanted to kill me! I know it! I felt it and Snoke-" he froze. And Snoke had told him so, had whispered in his ear.

"Ben…" she said and the name made him snap out of his stupor.

He jumped on his feet and drew his lightsaber, he slashed at her but her image was already gone. He stood in the middle of the room panting in anger.

Damn her and her poisonous words!

He howled in anger and threw his lightsaber in a corner.

Why did everything have to be so complicated? Why was his path becoming less clear day by day? He ran his hand through his hair and his sight fell on the book laying on the low table in front of him. 'The Galaxy's Best Fairy Tales'.

Was all what he believed in a fairy tale? He calmed down a bit. Hux proved clarity where he could see none. He just needed to talk to Hux.