Writer's note: I don't own any of the characters. They all belong to Lucasfilm and Disney; I just like to play with them. This story is just a refined version of my daydreaming – it could very well turn into Reylo smut at any moment.
Ren exhaled deeply as the hot water cascaded over him. He was sore from sparring with Phasma. 'Getting your butt kicked, not sparring,' he reminded himself, feeling even more annoyed when he remembered his poor performance. He shifted under the shower head and let the water stream through his hair and down his well-muscled back before reaching up to run his hands through his hair. He shouldn't have agreed to have drinks with Phasma tonight. As the soap suds began pooling around his feet as he rinsed himself off, he sighed again. It was completely inappropriate for him to be discussing his current predicament with anyone, particularly a subordinate. He rolled his eyes at his own elitism; Phasma might technically rank below him, but she was by far his closest friend in the First Order and he trusted her completely. He needed to talk though, and she knew that; he was sure that's why she had egged him on at the end of their practice – to get it out of him.
Stepping out of the glass encased stall, he wrapped a fluffy onyx towel around his waist and peered into the mirror at his reflection, nervously running a hand through his hair again. "Phas?" he called out. "I'm done showering; I just have to get dressed. Just a heads up."
The Amazonian woman chuckled as he stepped out of his bathroom looking flustered. "Phas!" he yelped. She was perched on the side of his plush black armchair, sipping what he could only assume was one of his finest liquors from a short tumbler. Flustered by her unyielding gaze and the mirth in her eyes, he started to ramble. "I- You knew I wouldn't be wearing any clothes, and I warned you, but you're just sitting there, and you know how it bothers me when you just sit there, but – HEY! Turn around and stop staring!"
"Relax, Ky," she replied amicably. "I spend nearly all of my time around Stormtroopers, remember? They're a bunch of young, athletic men. What do you think their barracks and gym look like? I've seen all this," she gestures at his exposed torso, smirking. "and far more. Why don't you worry less about the damage you're doing to my retinas and more about getting dressed so I don't finish all of your Savareen brandy without you."
Still grumbling, he stalked over to his dresser, pulling out a silky pair of black pajama bottoms and a white t-shirt. "What're you doing in my bedroom anyways? It's not like I don't have a living room for you to sit in." He pulled the t-shirt on before rifling in a drawer for a pair of boxer briefs, then retreating behind his bed to put them on. "Phas, turn around! I need to get dressed."
She groaned and rolled her eyes before obligingly shifting to turn her back on him. "You don't really seem like you'd benefit from heavy drinking tonight, and I thought you might be more comfortable sitting here and chatting," she answered, speaking towards the short hallway that led to the rest of his living quarters. Ren said nothing, still trying to pull on his boxers under the towel while he tucked himself behind his bed. "Ky…?" she said after a moment "What's been bothering you?"
After a few grunts and the sound of someone tripping, Phasma turned slightly, peeking over her shoulder. "Hey! I didn't say I was done!" came the response from Ren, who was standing next to his dresser, fully clothed.
"If you say so…" Phasma had to stifle a smirk. "Why don't you give me your towel? I'll go hang it up and grab a glass for you and we can sit down, alright?"
He grudgingly handed over the damp ball before flopping down on his California king bed; it was his guilty pleasure. Ren loved to sleep stretched out, and few other beds accommodated his six foot three inch frame comfortably. He pushed a few pillows up against the headboard and sat back against them, sighing appreciatively as Phasma came back up the half set of stairs with a second glass. "Want to come sit with me?" he asked, offering an apologetic smile and patting the bed near him.
She shook her head slightly and smiled at him. She cared deeply for the young man and knew that he had far more on his plate than she ever would; she wondered, not infrequently, whether this was entirely voluntary on his part. She picked up the glittering bottle and poured him a small serving before sitting down on the bed across from him and offering him the glass. "So, Knight of Ren," she started, with a gently teasing tone "What is it that's been bothering you? Are you having girl problems?"
At the mention of a girl, Ren grew silent and stony faced. "Who told you?" he snapped, enraged that news of the incident had already made its way around the crew and resolving to track down any responsible parties.
"Ky? No one told me anything, I was just kidding…" came the gentle reply, as the Captain's soft hand reached out to rub his upper arm reassuringly. "It was just a joke, sweetie. What happened?"
He swirled the caramel liquid around his glass before sighing and placing it on a nightstand. He considered swearing her to secrecy, but decided it would come off as insulting. Phasma was his closest friend on the base, perhaps in the entire First Order, and he trusted her completely. "Remember the droid with the map to Luke Skywalker?" she nodded, continuing to rub small circles on his bicep with the pad of her thumb. "I didn't get the droid," he continued, head slumping dejectedly. "We found a girl, who had seen the map, so I took her instead. She was right there in front of me, and it was easier to just grab her and then take the map from her mind myself." He paused, drawing a steadying breath and looking up at Phasma, who nodded encouragingly. "I could sense something was…. different about the girl, and as soon as I was in a room alone with her, I could tell how strong in the Force she was. I tried to take the map from her, gently, and Phas, there's no way she had any idea what she was doing, but suddenly, she was in my mind, rifling through my thoughts and feelings." He stopped, ashamed both at his failure then, and the weakness he felt he was betraying now.
"You're worried she's stronger than you?" she asked, receiving a slow nod in return. "And you're embarrassed because she beat you, in a way, and because she saw your vulnerabilities." Though it wasn't a question, Ren nodded anyways. "Is there anything else…?"
Ren nodded once more; it was this last piece that truly haunted him, the other issues were comparatively mild annoyances. "I'm drawn to her, Phas. And before you tease me, no, it's not that I need to meet more women. It's this incredibly strong connection; I think it's through the Force, but I can't really tell." As his dismay grew, he began to ramble again. "I know Snoke knows; that she's Force sensitive, I mean. He doesn't know that we have any- that there's some sort of connection." He stopped suddenly, and looked at her with a seriousness that reached up into his large, brown eyes. "Phas, I'm really scared he's going to kill her."
"Ky…" she trailed off, realization flashing across her face. "You care for her, don't you?"