Ben's lips tingle from the way Rey's felt against them. He gets out of bed and doesn't even bother to dress in his normal First Order attire. A plan in mind, he opens the door and walks right into General Hux. The General grunts loudly as Ben takes a step back. He had completely forgotten about the knock at the door. His mind still swims with the thought of Rey in his arms as he tries to focus on Hux in front of him. Hux straightens his uniform before looking into Ben's eyes.
"Going somewhere, Supreme Leader?" he asks in a snide voice.
"As a matter of fact, yes. I am travelling to Mustafar to complete my training since Supreme Leader Snoke was unable to do so," Ben replies quickly.
Hux looks Ben up and down as a smile spreads across his face.
"My my...I've never seen you so...dressed down, Sir," he purrs.
A stickler for the rules, General Hux always loathes any sort of imperfection with the First Order uniform. He hates the fact that Kylo Ren gets away with everything. He wishes he could report this uniform, but he holds it for now. The General takes a step forward and blocks the way out of Ben's quarters. Ben eyes him and stands his ground. He is not going to let Hux get the better of him. Hux steps closer until he is only centimeters away.
"Hux, what do you want? I have business to attend to on Mustafar that is of the utmost importance," Ben growls.
"I thought you might like to know that Allegiant General Pryde is on board and requests your presence," Hux states with a sneering grin.
"I was under the impression the Allegiant General would not grace us with his presence until we rendezvoused on Coruscant," Ben expresses with an annoyance in his voice he tries to hide.
Hux picks up on it and grins even more. He loves stirring up Kylo Ren and thrills in being in charge, even in small moments like this one.
"This was the plan. But after the death of the Supreme Leader, he thought it best to come meet with you now," he continues.
"How could the Allegiant General have known so quickly about our late Supreme Leader's demise?" Ben asks suspiciously.
Hux's eyes narrow but his grin does not fade. He bites his lip to avoid an escaping chuckle.
"Well...as soon as we returned to the Finalizer, I felt it crucial to report to him an update of our situation," Hux explains.
This is all Hux can say before he is pushed against the wall with Ben's forearm against his throat. A grunt escapes his throat as Ben digs the bony part of his forearm against Hux's neck. Ben growls, his eyes narrow slits as he glares at the General. Any respect he had for the man has washed away with this power move. But before he can say anything to Hux, a gentle hand rests on his back. A calm flows through Ben's body from Rey's touch and he slowly lets the General go. Hux drops to a knee and sputters for a few moments. Ben takes a breath and tries to calm himself before speaking.
"I am the Supreme Leader. Every plan, every idea, everything goes through me. I am the highest ranking officer and I will be respected as such," Ben declares as Rey moves from behind to stand beside him.
She slides her hand into his gently and cannot help but feel her heart race with his words. His tone is soft yet powerful, just like he is. Rey feels her lips pull into a smile and she squeezes his hand. A soft sigh escapes her lips when he squeezes back. She gazes over at the man kneeling and watches as his eyes flick toward Ben. He stands up slowly and glares at Ben with a haughty expression.
"My apologies, Sir. I was only thinking of the good for the First Order. I will greet the Allegiant General while you are away on your mission," Hux states in a soft but firm voice.
He bows slightly and moves to the door. It opens and he marches right through, his cheeks burning as he fumes. His pace is brisk as he makes his way to the bridge of the Star Destroyer.
"You may be the highest ranking officer of the First Order, but you will never be my Supreme Leader," he mutters angrily to himself.