Even within her deep slumber, she could feel the throbbing pain of her head injury. Overtaken by emotion, Rey had not even taken the time to tend to the small gash embedded into the top of her forehead. Leaving her body on Ahch-To, unconscious mind fled, and settled into darkness.
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The mass of darkness was thick like fog, and hard to maneuver. Ahead in the distance, she saw a spark glowing a reddish-yellow. Her heart began to sink for she felt his presence near the red orb, and it was fading fast. Rey struggled to make her way over to the shimmering light. The air was thick, which made her feel like she was suffocating. Her bare feet began to stick to the ground as if it was black tar. Struggling to move forward, Rey feared that this world meant to consume her mind. Perhaps, this was the powerful hold the darkness had on him, and she had gotten dangerously close it it.
Using most of her strength, she arrived at the intense spark just before it went out. Feeling drawn to it's flame, as if it called to her, she involuntarily placed her slender finger upon it. An intense pain pulsed through her hand, and caused her to quickly pull back. A slight whimper flowed out as she pulled her clenched hand to her chest. A figure then instantaneously turned from within the shadows.
Yielding his cross-guard lightsaber, Kylo Ren held his weapon up ready to strike the unknown intruder.
The sudden gesture startled Rey, and sent her falling backwards. Instead of hitting the ground, she began to plummet into complete darkness.
Without hesitation, his arms extended to grab hers, and he pulled her out of murk. Those strong hands lingered as both their eyes met. Unmasked, he was.
Her mind pondered the pain she felt, his pain. Rey desired to address it. Her lips parted, and they began to form words.
However, he silenced her as if he already knew her inquiry.
"Shh, close your eyes," he murmured softly.
His intense gaze made it known that he would not back down on his request.
Puzzled by his almost gentleness, Rey obliged his demand. Behind closed eyes, she felt him lean closer to her.
His intensity only grew as he studied her face. After taking her in fully, a grin pulled across his lips, but only for a moment. Kylo Ren wonder why her intrusion pleased him so.
Rey could feel his breath upon her neck. His closeness caused her to exhale sharply, and her body to quake.
Suddenly, a familiar breeze blew at Rey's skin. Her eyes peeked open to see never ending stars as they stood on Ahch-To's beach. Her body was frozen by the feeling of his hands still clutching her arms. Though, they had loosened their grip a bit.
"Ahch-To... the only place you have ever felt comfort."
Stunned by his words, her eyes widened.
Thinking he had plucked her whereabouts from her mind, she snapped,"then you were using my feelings to cloud my judgement? I knew it could not be true."
Rey pulled away from him, and took a distrusted step back. Unable to hide the disappoint that overwhelmed her.
Kylo Ren felt her slip away from his grasp. An action that left him devastated. Yet, at the same time, he found her suspension to be infuriating. After all, despite fighting on opposite sides, he had always been honest with her. A truth he thought he had made clear from their first conversation.
A low growl left his lips, but he reconsidered her words. He pondered her use of the word feelings. Then he wondered what she meant by "it could not be true." Clearly, she had seen something, a vision perhaps.
"It appears that you are the one who has not been completely honest…To address your suspicions, I indeed inquired the map on our last encounter. Though, I had not been searching for it. If I had, I would not be speaking to you within a dream. With that being said, The First Order is currently in pursuit of it. However, their first intention is to take out the Resistance's Base. Soon after, they will have the map. Therefore, you should flee this forsaken island now."
Rey found his confidence in The First Order to be irritating, and she sneered at him. "Then let them come, and I shall be prepared to face them."
His eyes wandered away from hers before he replied with a sigh, "it is not The First Order that you will be facing."
Words that plagued her stomach with pain, for he was the person she would undoubtable face in battle. Though her feelings lay dormant under hard surface, they were present.
He felt her loneliness, but there was something else… Something she was hiding.
Promptly he rush towards her.
With hardly any time to react, Rey just stared at his height, which dominated over her. Just as swift as his movement towards her, she felt his hand reach to her cheek.
He did not need the force to restrain her, not this time. His gloved hand caressed her cheek tenderly, while looking deep within her eyes. To his surprise, she allowed him in. His mind began to penetrate through her own. He recalled the last time he entered her mind, and how painful it was against her restraint. This time was different. Being allowed within felt intoxicating.
Reluctantly, she placed her own hand upon his cheek.
Eager for her to better understand him, he let her in. Being one within each other's minds intensified the feeling into pleasure. Their eyes were still locked on one another as both searched through the other's past.
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Kylo Ren arrived on the desert planet, Jakku. He aimlessly wandered through the sweltering heat and endless sands, which continued in every direction. Soon, he came upon an abandoned At-At unit. Feeling drawn to it, he entered. Those dangerous eyes scanned around the small make-shift dwelling.
Stunned, he focused his attention on the thousands of lines carved into the wall. While his eyes stayed fixed on the wall, Kylo Ren pulled a glove from his right hand. Bare fingers traced the textured of the lines. Guilt overwhelmed him as he witnessed the prison he had created for her.
Looking back towards the small table, he noticed a withered flower sitting next to an aged golden bell. A small detail he had long forgotten. His long fingers took a hold of the fragile plant. With total care, he grabbed it, wrapped it in his glove, and placed it within one of his pockets.
Before moving on, he hesitated and reached for the bell. Within his grown hand, it looked smaller than he remembered. Though it was worn, it's sound was rich. Unable to leave behind his sentiment, he slipped the bell into his other pocket.
An unfamiliar memento from the distant past caught his attention. A handcrafted doll wearing an orange resistance pilot jumpsuit sat nearby. Before he could take it, the sound of whimpering filled his ears. Immediately, he turned to see a young girl sobbing in the corner of the room.
Her dark locks were pulled back to make three separate buns. His body paused for a moment while he took in the girl's melancholy state. After grasping the doll, he kneeled down in front of her.
"Here…" His voice but a whisper as he offered her the doll to calm her.
The girls hazel eyes lite, and she abruptly jumped into his arms. Frozen from her action, his arms laid heavily at his sides. Moments passed before the young one's innocent gaze met his own. Her regard was without judgement. His intense expression softened as she stared at him.
Those small hand smoothed over his scar as she spoke, "I knew you would come back for me." She offered him a wide smile, but it soon faded as she spoke once more. "What happened to you?" Her question was concerning his injury.
Yet, the question was a symbol of a much deeper meaning.
Lor San Tekka's words flash through his mind, "something far worse has happened to you." Words spoken only moments before he struck the old man down.
"Someday, I will tell you…" Those were his final words to the young Rey before he welcomed her embraced with his own.
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Simultaneously, Rey had entered his mind. However, to her surprise, she found herself back on Jakku. Dazed, she followed her usual route towards Niima Outpost. She passed by a white and gray shuttle just outside of town. At the moment, it appeared empty, and she payed it no mind.
Though she walked through many vendors and merchants, their faces were blurred in his memory. However, even though their faces were unseen, Rey knew most of them. She traveled down this dusty pathway enough times to remember their day to day routine. Through her years growing up on Jakku, nothing had ever really changed. It was a constant battle of survival on an inhabited planet that lacked the resources to live comfortably.
Rey was perplexed to why his mind brought her to this place. She thought this memory should come from her own mind, not his. Soon she came upon a figure, standing with a young girl. Their backs were turned. So, she could not make out their faces. Upon closer inspection, she came to the realization that she was staring at the younger version of herself.
Rey knew this memory, for she had seen it before in a vision. Perhaps, Kylo Ren had seen it too. The desire to stop the person from abandoning her burned within. Deep down, she knew she could not intervene with a memory. Yet, she could not stop herself from proceeding forward. If anything, she had to look upon their face. She had to know the truth of their identity.
The tall figure before her wore a brown cloak. She ran towards them, and tugged at their arm roughly. Her action forced the cloak form to turn. Rey's heart ached at the sight of the face that stared back at her. Dark hair extended down past his ears. His expression was soft, but sad. Without-a-doubt, she knew she was staring at the face of a much younger Ben Solo. Those dark eyes, that she had come to know, looked back at her.
Ben took her by the arm and pulled her into his chest before muttering, "Stay here, I'll come back for you. I'll come back for you, sweetheart, I promise."
A voice she had heard many times within her dreams. A presence that had always been there. A truth that he had never completely left her alone.
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Outside of their memories, within the dream, Kylo Ren's gloved hands stroked along Rey's arm. Despite his mind being focused on her memories, his body had it's own intentions. Being allowed within her mind, only filled half of his desire to feel whole. He needed her body and soul.
Unknowingly, he pulled her against himself. The feeling of their bodies colliding drove him wild. Similar to his mind, his hands began venture to places they probably should not.
Heavy breathing filled her chest from his advancement, but she did not object to his fondling.
His body's movements grabbed, caressed, and pressed into her.
Rey had never allowed anyone to handle her like this. In fact, she protested to another simply taking her hand.
As he continued, a moan escaped from her lips.
The very sound of her pleasure, urged him to pull out of her mind. He let out his own rapid breaths, and felt drizzles of sweat sliding down his forehead. His sudden departure broke her concentration as well.
Flustered by his closeness, Rey's cheeks grew warm. Her eyes looked away. Every time she glanced up, she caught him staring back at her.
Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his tokens. To his surprise, the withered flower was lush and thriving. He had not found what he had been searching for within. Instead, he was reminded of a part of himself that had been lost. A part that had withered, like the flower.
Rey focused upon the worn out bell. Evidence that something could still shimmer and play a beautiful tone despite not being taken care of. His softness was overtaken by serious eyes as he slid the flower behind her ear. His lips nearly touched her own.
"The next time I see you..." Words began to drift out as he carefully stroked his hand near her injury. Before he could finish, their connection was cut off.
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