Content warning for alcohol use.

Episode III: Dark Eros

Purple skies with a million stars, I'm falling ground

He was too soft on Kira.

The thought occurred to Ben in the middle of the workday.

He was letting her win. Or maybe he wasn't. He wasn't trying to kill her, he wanted her Supernova. If she happened to be persuaded to give her earrings up, then well, that was even better.

The problem lay in his attempts to push her to the threshold. She didn't fear him for one. His intimidation tactics were off. Every time he used an extension of his powers he was still, still not using them at their full potential. What was that saying Snoke would berate him with? That he was too weak, wasting his powers?

Ben wrote Kira's name absently in the margins of his notes before scribbling it out in black ink.

This affection, this awe, it had to go. It was getting in the way.

His Supernova continued to run out after five minutes of destructive usage. He'd gotten weaker with it in a year of disuse. He concentrated on his cup of pens for a moment, his fingers twitching towards it. It shuddered on his desk for a moment, before lifting up an inch.

"Ben my man!"

He plopped it back down and turned to face Poe Dameron, colleague, and friend since way-too-long-in-his-opinion.

Ben sighed. "Yes, Poe?"

"Me and the group are going out to Maz's cantina tonight. You're such a recluse hiding in your little cave, so I am personally dragging you to this outing full of booze and good food. No ifs, ands, or buts."

It sounded like Ben's personal nightmare. He needed an excuse to get out of this tonight. If he was extremely late due to his late-night activities, then that would do it.

"Fine. But I have things to do so if I am late, I want not a single peep about it," Ben said, turning back in his chair to his datapad.

Poe slapped his shoulder. "You won't regret it."

Ben reached for his caf, finding the mug empty. He was going to definitely need more to keep up his energy for this day.

As he read through email after email, lunchtime came and he was one of the few introverted souls left in the office.

One of the few.

He got up to dispose of his full waste bin when he stopped at the corner of the hallway.

"This is a joke, right?" a low, polished voice spoke and Ben immediately cringed.

Bazine Netal was perhaps the most insensitive person on the thirteenth floor. She screamed high-class snobbery—the very thing Ben avoided like the plague—and never listened to Ben when he asked her to call him Ben, opting for Benjamin Solo even though that wasn't his name. The only reason he hasn't fired her yet was due to her brilliance in aesthetic design and appeal.

He peered around the corner to see Dopheld Mitaka, another integral member of the thirteenth floor who worked with fuel efficiency, standing before Bazine.

"Excuse me?" Dopheld said, his voice laced with all the confusion.

"I don't date coworkers. Sorry," she said, not sounding sorry at all. She turned on her heels and walked away towards the elevator.

Ouch.

She had the same accent as Rey, and it was like night and day in terms of attitude and kindness.

Ben, ever sensitive as always, felt the cold pain washing over Dopheld like a waterfall. Ben had seen many rejections—including from Kira herself—but this was just flat out cruel.

He walked away back to his desk, keeping in mind the exchange. A pang of guilt in his heart took over. He had considered doing this, and it turns out he may have to, but there was something a bit disturbing about doing it to the people he had to speak and work with every day.

Rey was ready to kick a trash bin.

Worst. Holofilm. Ever.

Rose walked by her side in silence down the sidewalk before breaking the awkward quiet.

"So, that holofilm was…"

It came out of Rey like an explosion of anger and sadness and utter frustration. "Awful! The worst shit I have ever seen since… Ever! And I've seen a lot of bad B-list holos. Remember that one holo about the birds attacking everyone? At least that was hilariously bad! This was… After all that hype and all that was set up in the previous holo and it just ignored it because of a bunch of whiners on the holonet! Ugh!" Rey kicked the nearest trash can, ignoring the pain vibrating in her toes. "That ending! The heroine ended exactly where she started!"

"And her love interest is dead!" Rose joined into the ranting. "Hurrah happy ending, your hot boyfriend is dead and you're all alone."

Rey had her hands up into the air, waving in her disgust and outrage. "Who dies after finally kissing her! Who does that? It's true love's kiss, not true death's kiss! True love's kiss is supposed to bring people back to life, clear my skin, cure my depression, and be magical not… Kill people!" Rey groaned. "I need a drink. Badly. To make me forget I spent credits on that… Whatever the hell that was."

Rose nodded. "Agreed. Good thing we already made plans to go to Maz's. Apparently, a little porg told me that a certain hot, broody supervisor will be there, courtesy of Poe."

Rey's anger disappeared as fast as the wind. Her face got hot thinking about the man she was not crazy about whatsoever. "Really?"

"Yep! Though he will be late."

That was a nice thought.

Maybe she would see Ben under a couple of shots.

She entertained herself thinking about how the normally chill and quiet tree of a man letting loose.

In any case, Rey contented herself thinking of how she was not going to be a blushing mess in front of her boss in a more social setting.

Kylo Ren stood behind the alley. Night had fallen finally, and he saw one dejected Dopheld Mitaka sitting on a bench, staring at his phone, sullen and hunched over.

Kylo sighed, looking down at his closed fist before looking back at Dopheld. This was perhaps his one opportunity to crush the softness inside. His hand opened to a glowing red butterfly. He pushed it into the direction of Dopheld and it went into the winged-shape pin on Dopheld's jacket. The man froze in place, the pin shimmering for a moment before Kylo could hear the man's thoughts clear as day.

Where am I? What's this power?

Kylo walked over, casual in his pace. The corrupting powers swirled around the pin, waiting for the acceptance of its potential owner.

"Hello. You've been rejected, haven't you?" Kylo asked, as if he was talking about the weather.

Dopheld nodded.

"Time for you to get your revenge then. Here's the deal: you have the power to crush any love left in a person and leave behind only hatred. In return," Kylo looked away, crossing his arms, trying not to be guilty for everything he was about to do, "You will get the superheroine Kira's Supernova in the form of her earrings."

Dopheld nodded, his fists clenching. "Of course, Kylo Ren."

Before Kylo's eyes, the man named Dopheld was no longer that man. Instead, a man in an impeccable suit and thin metal space-craft wings with an arrow and quiver in his hands stood before Kylo.

Kylo strode over to his newly acquired underling and grabbed an arrow off the quiver. It was black and cracked, like the hearts of others so cruel. Without hesitation, Kylo plunged it into his chest.

Hot pain flooded his heart before fading. He gasped out in pain, before his light brown eyes turned pure black and his whole world was something entirely different.

His mother, who he despised for being so absent in his life.

His father for being an incompetent moron who just couldn't leave well enough alone.

His uncle for refusing what he needed and ignoring his potential, time and time again.

And fucking Kira who keeps getting in his fucking way.

She needed to go.

One way or another.

He wanted to see her on her knees, begging for mercy. Her beauty with glimmering gold framing her hazel eyes. Sickening. It was a crime, such a shame really, that such a beautiful creature needed to be hunted down and put in her place for her silver tongue and disrespect, again and again.

"Kira is mine," he said to his minion. "Do what you will, Dark Eros."

Walking down the street towards Maz's, Rey tried to keep her ranty thoughts to herself, but sometimes it would slip out, muttering something about how the people making holofilms had this twisted idea that strong women can only be alone.

Rose had stopped walking for a block. Rey turned around and walked back to her friend out of concern.

"Rose?" Rey questioned. "Is something wrong?"

Rose's beautiful umber eyes were gone, taken over by pure abyss black. She tilted her head at Rey before tightening her brow into a line.

"Everything is wrong, Rey. You keep whining on and on about that holofilm, blah, blah, blah. It's insufferable!" Rose turned on her heel and strutted away.

Rey's chest sunk to the ground and tears prickled at her eyes. Was she that annoying? Did she get on her nerves?

"Also, the heroine with the bad guy? That's abusive and you're disgusting for shipping it," Rose spat out over her shoulder with venom in each word.

Rey blinked back her tears and wondered what the kriff got into Rose. Rose adored the hell out of their shared ship for the holofilm they just watched. Why the sudden 180?

She glanced around, her gut telling her something was wrong. Very wrong. Or maybe she really did mess up her friendship with Rose.

Up on a rooftop was a man in a suit with metal wings drawing a cracked black-heart shaped arrow on his bow. Rey thought back to the days when Kylo was the hero, and the signature baddies he went against on a day-to-day basis looked just like that.

She squinted her eyes at the man. His eyes were pure black, just like Rose's.

That man has been Corrupted. It seems Kylo has decided to change tactics.

Rey's eye and corner of her mouth twitched. "Can't say I'm surprised as to why." For all his pomp and power, she knew from analysis of his fighting style, he was holding back.

She ran into a darkened ally out of sight, alone. "I am Supernova," she whispered. In a flash of light, the golden makeup was back on, her grey robes tight, and her staff in hand. She climbed the walls with a few jumps, on the roof of Maz's cantina, searching for the one shooting arrows.

It was perhaps good that she practiced deflecting shots using her lightsaber this week with Luke.

Down below, she witnessed once happy-looking couples be torn apart by hatred. A woman watched as her boyfriend called her various names and told her it's over before walking away.

She hopped from ceiling to ceiling before she reached downtown and the screens were filled up with the new villain on the news.

"The city is under attack from a new Corrupted calling himself Dark Eros. Reports say his arrows have inspired hatred in people. Where is Kira? And Where is Kylo Ren in all this?"

Indeed, where was Kylo?

Kira was about to leap across the street when a loud, familiar roar of a lightsaber igniting interrupted her.

She twirled around and fell into her natural defensive stance.

It was Kylo Ren, but he looked… Different. His black garb was the same, his red volatile lightsaber was the same, but there was something off about him. His stature was more rigid, as if he was trying to contain something within, and Kira had to guess it was anger and hatred. She squinted and in the light of the city, she saw.

His eyes were no longer amber, but all black.

"I've been waiting for this, Kira," he spat, twirling his lightsaber in his hand. "Give me your Supernova and I might let you live."

The tone he carried was murderous. Kira swallowed but held her ground. It was just Kylo without love in his already cold-heart. How bad could he be?

"Sounds to me you're just mad I kicked your ass last time," Kira said, a hint of a smirk on her lips.

He didn't retort as per usual. No sass, not even a stray mocking sweetheart. Instead, he stalked towards her and froze her in place with the Force.

"I should have your tongue cut out for all the mockery you give me. Keep your mouth shut," he threatened and an involuntary shiver went down her spine. She twitched against his hold, eyes darting to his saber.

She was about to eat her own words in the worst way possible.

Kira flexed her fingers, focusing with the Force to regain control. "Bite me," she gritted out, snapping free of his control and deflecting the jab of his saber. She backed away, suddenly realizing she was not dealing with a rogue troublesome cat, but a hungry, angered tiger.

He lunged at her, stabbing right at her chest. She ducked, her golden lightsaber clashing on red. She was being pushed closer and closer by her feet towards the edge of the roof.

Kylo was definitely holding back before.

He slashed at her, knocking the staff out of her grip. He brought down his saber on her. Kira closed her eyes and fell backward off the roof, the tip of his lightsaber grazing her draped robes. She skidded along the tall roof, tugging on her staff through the Force. She stabbed it into the wall to slow her descent.

Kylo was chasing after her, his blade destroying the wall as he went.

Kira ducked out of the alley and into the streets. People were in verbal fights and some of them were even resorting to physical fighting. Kira raised her hand to knock down a woman raising herfists at a man with a child in his arms. She looked behind her and Kylo was making slow, dramatic steps towards her.

Time to leave and get out of his sight.

"You can run Kira, but you won't get very far. You're far too easy to find."

"And you're too easy to get rid of," Kira retorted before sprinting down the street, making sure everyone doesn't murder each other before she was murdered by Kylo Ren himself.

As she ran and latched onto a sturdy metal sign and scurried up the building, Kira ran over what she could possibly do. She hadn't been able to get his Supernova off of his finger, not even once, but that seemed to be her only solution, was it?

It's just Corruption clouding his personality and judgment.

Kira huffed for air as she climbed onto the roof. "Just Corruption infecting his entire being with hatred." she peered over the edge and Kylo was scaling the walls.

Well, what is hatred combated with?

She made a beeline for the next building, urging the Force to lift her across greater distance in the gaps than humanly possible. She could run, but she couldn't run forever.

"Love," Kira grumbled. "But how would I even do that, I hate him almost as much, not enough to commit murder but I certainly do not care for him any more…"

She reflected on her rant only an hour ago with Rose. How love wasn't supposed to kill someone, specifically true love's kiss.

Hell to the no.

Maybe she could just get him to de-transform.

Kira stalled in her tracks and positioned her staff in front. Kylo drew his crossguard.

"Not going to use your Supernova on me?" she gloated between traded blows, praying it would be enough.

"I know I will de-transform and that's exactly what you want, isn't it?"

Well, dammit.

Time to rethink this plan.

Kira dodged a swipe of his crossguard, eying a scaffolding on the edge of the roof with a rope. She tugged the rope towards her and swung across. She threw her staff at the metal holding the rope, tearing it into two. The debris shot towards Kylo, who sliced the metal into pieces in hot sparks.

Kira had already made her way down an alley and out of sight. She made herself small and crawled underneath a cardboard box to let herself breathe.

The skid of boots on steel made her freeze, tucking herself in tighter. Just like the days when she hid from authorities or people who would do her harm.

Sometimes the only solution is the toughest one.

If she could, she would tell the voice in her kyber crystal to sod off.

Kira couldn't believe she was considering this. Couldn't believe she was forced into a no-win situation that forced her to dig up feelings she had buried instantly weeks ago.

Rose walked into her room on that fateful Sunday after Rey made her debut as "Kira" and found her clock, her bedspread, her posters, her photos, her cloak, and even fake lightsaber were all but gone, golden replacements in their stead.

It tore Rey to shreds to be so quick to disassociate so fast, to cut off her love and admiration and shove it all into the closet and act like it was fine, being a superheroine fighting someone she looked up to. In truth, she secretly hoped that whatever changed Kylo Ren into the asshole villain he was, it could reverse course. But power reveals, and he made his choice. Now she had to muster all that up into her old, former love. It was just a stupid silly crush.

She was not looking forward to this. She hated this. She loathed this. For crying out loud she hated him.

But oh, did a small, stupid inner fangirl voice did rejoice, just a smidge.

Heavy footsteps.

"You know I can feel your Force signature?" His voice spoke through his encoder.

Oh fuck.

The box was lifted up off her small form. Her golden saber collided with his red saber.

That stupid mask of his was in the way.

Kira scrambled to her feet, slamming the dumpster into Kylo and knocking him to the ground. She ran out onto the street, thinking of where to get privacy for the dumbest move she ever had to do in the history of superheroism.

The city greenhouses were very empty this time of night.

Ducking between people and leaping through alleys and backroads, Kira came upon the local greenhouses, closed from the public. She sliced open the locks and backed herself into the greenhouse, looking up to the sky and thankful it was clear of any holo drones watching.

Kylo was upon her, taking his time. She rolled her eyes. Needlessly dramatic.

"You need to stop running," he said. "You're only delaying the inevitable. I will only spare you if you give me your fucking Supernova."

Kira prepared herself with a deep breath, taking a step closer. Time to enact this ridiculous and reckless plan. "Nah, no thanks, I have different ideas."

She lunged, sliding her blade against his. She jumped with aid from the Force, her hand releasing her staff and pushing him down to the ground. He raised his lightsaber again but she pushed back before it could graze her face. Kira found herself straddling Kylo's hips and fighting against his raised fist. His black eyes up close like this terrified her to her core and a twinge of sadness flooded her heart. How was it, once upon a time, she gazed upon amber eyes with reverence? She hated that it went this way, and she hated, hated, how it forced her into this position.

On the side of his mask was a small indent. That was how she could remove it, if only he could release his stupid lightsaber first.

Kira shoved his hand away. The Force was in her hand and she was going to use it. She twisted the crossguard out of his grip, letting out a yelp when his free hand yanked on her hair, forcing her to drop her staff.

His gloved fingers reached for her earlobe. "Give. Me. Your. Supernova," he gritted out.

"Fat chance Kylo," she fired back, slapping his hand and reaching for the side of his mask and, without a single moment of hesitation or observation, she pressed her lips to his.

Kira prayed it would work. She prayed she could muster enough of her old fangirlism and reverence and former respect into some sort of twisted dying ember. Her eyes were squeezed shut as she took in the fact his lips were very soft. And nice. Very, very nice. He had stopped moving, releasing his iron grip on her hair. His fingers moved down to massage her nape softly, a gentle hand on her hip.

She was terrified of moving, of resuming this battle and it would have to end and she really didn't want to face guilt-city right now.

But he made the choice for her, as he suddenly shoved her off onto her side and scrambled to his feet.

His mask was back on and he reached for his lightsaber, but his eyes were lighter again, no longer pure black abyss.

Kira sat there, dazed.

"What…" He looked around. "What did I do?"

She rolled her eyes. "Your own Corrupted underling happened, that's what." Kira held out her hand and collected her staff before stalking out. " I gotta go deal with Dark Eros now."

Kylo blinked, too stunned, too confused, his brain in a haze over what just happened.

Did Kira just kiss him? On the mouth? And why was her kiss so magical? So… Right?

His heart pounded in his ears as he replayed the moment over and over in his head. Kira had kissed him.

It was so confusing and felt so good, he only pushed her off because he didn't want her seeing his true identity. Otherwise, he was content to continue kissing her, holding her close to his body.

Kylo needed to sit down.

He parked himself next to a giant tree in a potted plant, his face so hot he needed to get out of his uniform and go jump into the nearest lake, conveniently placed a few yards away from the greenhouses. He reached up with his gloved fingers to press against his mouth beneath his mask. Her pretty pink lips were just as soft as they looked.

He pulled up the holonet live feed and watched as Kira clipped the wings of Dark Eros and the guilt of what he had nearly done came rushing back. He nearly killed her, several times. The mild annoyance in his heart festered into full-blown hatred and he almost hurt her.

Kira snapped her fingers and the bouncing of that orb of light signaled Ben's plan failing. Dopheld was returned to normal, confused and unaware of where he was.

Kylo pushed himself up from the floor, seeing the orb of light bounce into the greenhouse to repair the damage in their battle.

He walked out and de-transformed behind a tree.

And Ben took a breath before jumping straight into the lake.

Rey ran right back to where she was supposed to meet Rose, a block away from Maz's cantina.

Rose gave her an apologetic smile, her umber eyes returned in full, beautiful hue.

"Sorry for saying all that," Rose said. "I wasn't even mad at you I was madder about the holofilm so I don't know what…"

Rey smiled. "Dark Eros. It's fine."

"Never thought I would get hit by a Corrupted like that."

They walked into Maz's and Poe and Finn were there, already blown through a few drinks.

"Hey hey!" Poe greeted. "I thought Dark Eros got ya."

Rose laughed. "He did, but everything is all good now."

Finn nodded. "We were already inside when everything happened. Took Kira a while to deal with him though."

Rey sat down, ordering the hardest drink so she could forget this shitty day. "Yeah. Probably had to prevent people from killing each other."

"Well, no casualties were reported so," Poe raised his beer, "To Kira!"

Rey downed her drink as soon as the server droid handed it to her.

"Mind if I squeeze in here?" Ben's rich, smooth voice spoke behind her.

Her eyes widened and her heart skipped a beat. The only spot open at the table, conveniently, was next to her.

She adjusted herself in her chair and swallowed, smiling brightly at Ben. "I don't mind at all."

He sat down next to her and something was off. His hair looked damp, his clothes even more so.

"What, did you just take a dip in the park lake, Ben?" Poe joked. "When you said you would be late, I didn't anticipate you coming in looking half-drowned like a rat."

Ben cleared his throat, adjusting his tie. "My wallet fell in."

Rey took a long sip from her margarita, trying not to eye the fact he wore a white shirt underneath his black jacket and white shirts were known to do certain things when wet.

Throughout drinks and many yummy hors d'oeuvres, Rey noticed that Ben was staring off into space, not really paying attention to Finn's story of how he got holo-stalked by Poe by accident.

"Hey, you okay big guy?" She nudged him with her elbow.

"Hmm?" He looked over at her and his eyes were so gazed. "Oh. sorry. A lot on my mind tonight. How was the holofilm? Poe said you and Rose were gonna see it today."

Rose giggled. "Oh, don't get her started… Or maybe do. She said it more eloquently than I."

Oh right, her original reason for wanting to have a nice drink. Or two. Or ten. Before she locked lips with Kylo Ren. "Let's just say, true love's kiss should conquer all, not kill the one you love," Rey grumbled, shoving a jalapeno pepper popper into her mouth.

"Is that so?" he asked, amusement in his tone. "So you're saying that true love's kiss could break any curse and override hatred?"

"Exactly. The holofilm sucked because it didn't get that concept right."

"Sounds like a bad time."

Rose nodded. "It was. An incoherent mess of a plot with a terrible ending on top of it. They killed the heroine's love just because he did some bad things as the bad guy."

"At least they kissed, right?" Ben added, making Rey blush at the way he said it, like he was really, really interested in that specific development.

Rey ordered another round of drinks and more jalapeno poppers, trying to not think of how Kylo Ren's lips felt and thinking of how Ben's might feel.

When she went into work on Monday, Mitaka was sitting at his desk, humming to himself.

"You okay?" she asked.

Mitaka nodded. "Just peachy. I got a date this Friday."

"Congrats! You deserve it."

Rey sat down at her own desk, reaching into her desk and grabbing the pen she had stolen off of Kylo Ren weeks ago.

At least she had this, despite her emotions still in obnoxious turmoil over that stupid kiss that ended up saving her life.

A/N: Welp, this update is late because I got hit with fatigue badly during the days I was to be writing this. Sorry about that. Regular scheduled programming resumes Saturday.