Chapter Twenty-Four: Butting Heads

Kylo should be happy. The girl creeping up against the wall, putting as much distance between them as she could, was scared and miserable. She would be docile and accommodating from now on, and he'd turn her fear into raging resentment, stepping back as it consumed her in darkness. She'd hurl the map out, bitter at her friends' abandonment, and fall under his heel, donning Knight armor in a howling thirst for vengeance that would never be quenched.

But he frowned, decidedly unhappy. The sight of Rey's sunken shoulders and bent head made more of that flickering emotion rise up. "I have no plans to do that to you," he ground out, willing her to meet his eye.

Rey didn't acknowledge his concession of truth, hanging her head lower.

"Look at me," Kylo snapped.

Lashes fluttered as she lifted her face to his.

The obedience didn't gratify. "It was self-defense," he insisted, somehow feeling the need to justify his actions. They were mindless beasts for Force's sake.

Condemnation darkened Rey's gaze, but her answering nod was dutifully deferent.

"I saved you," he continued. "Why do I earn this heavy-handed meekness and disapproval now? Not for almost giving you a concussion or choking you. No. For keeping you safe."

"I'm not meek," the words shook as they slipped past her gritted teeth. "Disgusted more like."

"And terrified," Kylo added dryly.

"You'll have that when your abductor mutilates easily-overpowered animals right in front of you," Rey returned.

"If you hadn't fallen, I wouldn't have had to do it in the first place."

"If you hadn't pulled me, I wouldn't have fallen."

"I was trying to get you inside the bunker!"

"I've maneuvered this body for twenty years, Ren. I think I can manage retreating by myself."

"Like you managed to stand after you fell?"

"I was SCARED!"

"You're upright now."

"This is different."

"How? You're coating the ship like I'm about to string you up any minute."

"Are you?"

"NO!"

They had each left their posts, crossing the room to meet in the middle, and Rey was the first to realize they'd moved. Leaping back as if he were another base explosion, she sucked in an unsteady gulp of air, trying to calm her adrenaline-charged heart.

"Rationalize your brutality all you want," she muttered. "You liked hurting them."

Kylo waded through the space she'd just made, crowding close. "And there it is," he growled. "That's what frightens you," his heaving chest almost brushed her nose. "You aren't worried about those spitty, clawed monstrosities at all. You're afraid you'll grow to like inflicting pain like I do. That if I teach you, it'll open a locked door in yourself you'd rather not explore."

Rey brought her hand up and shoved him away, desperate to have him out of her immediate vicinity. "You've seen into my skull," she said hotly. "You know better. I don't have any secret doors in me."

"What about the one that hid your connection to the Force?" He pressed. "It's flung wide now."

She shoved again, but this time, Kylo didn't yield, planting his feet.

"See Rey?" He taunted. "This is how legs work. Your brain sends messages to them, and they respond. Amazing, right?"

"Shut up."

"Oh? Is there still a bit of backbone in all that mild submission?"

"Shut. UP."

"What new beast should I capture to snuff the last of it? Something small and fluffy perhaps?" Kylo jeered. "Or does your woe only come from dangerous ones who want to make us dinner?"

Why's he doing this?! Rey wondered amid her anger. It's like he wants me to argue.

"Leave me alone," she managed. "I concede to whatever point you're trying to make."

"That's not good enough."

Rey sighed heavily. "What am I supposed to do here? If I make you too mad, you'll treat me like another gorgodon and shred my insides. If I—."

"Are you deaf, woman? I already said I wouldn't do that," he interrupted.

"If I'm too compliant," she ignored him. "You'll harass and invade my body space until I go crazy," she raked a frustrated hand through her hair, sending spikes of brown everywhere. "Tell me what you want, Kylo."

His eyes flew wide as his name left her lips. She realized her use of it a moment later and balked.

"That'll do for now," he uttered, voice thick with surprise.