Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars.
Igniv sighed heavily at his now cold cup of caf, swirling it slowly before taking another small disinterested sip. He finally gave up on the mug and placed it gently down in favor of massaging his temple with a free hand. The sudden emptiness he felt when the Dominion exploded left a gaping hole in his chest, and the screams that permeated the Force still echoed in his memory like a curse. He sighed again and rested his head on the table, praying for the sensation to go away.
He had sensed Snoke's consciousness escape the moment the bridge blew, leaving the three alone for the void of death to take. He doubted that they would return like the Force-ghosts of legend; Snoke had made sure of that with how far they had all strayed from the path of the Jedi. He wondered if perhaps Kylo would still have a chance to go back down that road. The general certainly had some good odds.
Igniv let out another weary breath, turning his head to the side to study his palm aimlessly, calloused from years of training, training he had done alongside them.
And now they were gone. Three down, two to go.
"Skaara…" The day will come sooner or later, and if feeling the life leave the others left this big of a wound in him, he didn't know if he could survive the day he plunges his lightsaber into that man's chest. The thought itself made his heart clench, nearly taking his breath away as he choked down the feeling.
The mug of caf shook in front of him, a small crack making its way down the side when he heard the cafeteria door slide open. Igniv let out a breath, releasing his hold on the Force as he willed his mind back into a calm oblivion.
This was why he couldn't be a Jedi, he thought miserably. He was too attached to the tangible, too weak.
A set of footsteps approached him, and he made no move to look up until they were nearly next to him. He recognized the man immediately, the doe-eyed lieutenant he had enjoyed looking at back at the conference room and on the bridge. He believed that the general had called the other, "Mitaka."
"May I sit down?" Mitaka asked, hands slightly shaking around a tray that held two bowls. He sensed fear from the other, but underneath the conditioned response, there was a determination that had surely won out now that the other was here.
"Sure," Igniv sat up and nodded towards the seat across from him.
The fear dissipated, and a small smile flashed across the other's face as Mitaka set the tray down and placed one of the bowls in front of him. Igniv cocked his head to the side, confused.
"It's the easiest thing on the stomach they have here."
Igniv found himself returning the smile. "Thanks," he replied and picked up the spoon the other offered him. One bite told him that the other was right; the subtle flavors of the warm soup were comforting and settled the unease in his stomach he had been feeling since after the battle.
The two ate in silence for a while, enjoying the quiet of the empty mess hall.
Igniv found himself much more relaxed now that his stomach was pleasantly full once again, something Skaara had always made fun of him for. He willed the unpleasant memory away, trying to focus on the last of his soup. He scolded himself for letting his mind wander when such an exquisite specimen was sitting across from him. And, of course, Mitaka was the first to break the silence.
"I wanted to apologize for earlier, sir," the lieutenant said out of nowhere, voice slightly trembling.
Igniv looked up a little too quickly, torn away from the demons in his mind. "I don't follow," he said. "What are you apologizing for?" He had a hunch, and he really did feel bad that the other found it necessary to go this far. Their initial fear of him was completely warranted, given what the other Knights had done to the Dominion.
Mitaka swallowed before continuing. Igniv could almost smell the fear radiating off the other and wanted to just place a hand on the man's shoulder to calm him down. He should have just accepted the apology and left it at that. "I suspected you, back during our first meeting. I-I wanted to apologize for making you feel uncomfortable, sir."
Igniv snorted. "Please stop calling me, 'sir.' It's Igniv." He really didn't care for formalities, but the other Knights enjoyed their titles, so he usually just went along with it. However, he couldn't help but be amused at the horrified look Mitaka was giving him, which made this all worthwhile. He grinned, feeling his spirits lift a little. "And it's fine. You knew better than to verbalize it like that old fart did."
Mitaka paled at his nickname for Captain Peavey.
Igniv held back another laugh as he leaned back in his chair, now content from a belly full of soup and finding the tiredness finally starting to set in. He supposed he shouldn't have drank the caf earlier. "So, what brings you here at this time of the night cycle? You should be tired after such an exciting day."
"I couldn't sleep," Mitaka admitted, looking down at the table.
"Oh?" To be honest, that was exactly why Igniv was here himself. Kylo had done an impressive job at delegating the rescue efforts for what was left of the Dominion and Takodana, leaving them enough time for a short break during their rest cycle, but he had found himself staring wide-eyed at the ceiling two hours in, unable to sleep. Skipping dinner definitely didn't help either.
He sensed unease in the other along with a mixture of regret and self-loathing. That wouldn't do, he thought. As a lieutenant, Mitaka should be relieved that they had gotten out of this relatively unscathed.
"Anything I can help with?" he offered.
Mitaka seemed surprised at this. "You can't read my thoughts?"
Igniv grinned. "I'm not nearly as good as Kylo. You would have noticed instantly."
The man sighed, eyes downcast. Igniv felt a strong urge to wipe the dejected look off the other's face.
"I just wish I could have done more, sir," Mitaka finally admitted, his voice soft.
Igniv blinked at the confession before realizing what the other meant. Mitaka had been on the bridge when Snoke had invaded the general's mind. He had not heard from Kylo about the general's status since, but he was certain the attack was not without its aftereffects.
"You wish you were Force-sensitive," he commented.
Mitaka nodded guiltily, eyes downcast.
Igniv smiled at the other's honestly. "It's not that great, to be honest." He sighed. "It's too loud sometimes."
The lieutenant regarded him quietly, eyes meeting his. Igniv decided that he really did like looking at Mitaka's eyes. They were gentle, completely opposite of the man's occupation.
.
Kylo kept vigil beside Hux's bed through the night cycle, scanning the other's mind for any signs of life as the general slept on. He did not expect the effects of his powers to last this long after he had lulled the other to sleep with the Force on the bridge, and the hole he felt in the lack of his mental bond with Hux started to worry him.
He tried not to let the encroaching panic come to light, reasoning with himself that Hux would wake soon enough and scold him for knocking the other out in front of everyone, that they would return to their usual bickering, that he would silence the other with a kiss. Kylo suppressed a miserable groan, burying his face in his hands.
This was his fault. If he had been strong enough to control the Darkness that was Snoke, then Hux would not have been attacked. Igniv was right; he should never had left the bridge in the first place, but he had been so scared at the flare, terrified of the prospect of hurting Hux himself. He remembered the yellowing bruises on the other's chest that one time, ones he had created himself when he carelessly hurled his then co-commander into the walls of the shuttle back on Crait. So much had changed between them since then.
He never wanted to see Hux like that again.
Kylo took a cold ungloved hand in his, grasping it tightly. "Armitage," he called out through the silent Force bond.
Nothing but silence answered him.
Kylo grimaced, his heart sinking, and he reached out again to the sleeping man, hoping to find some trace of sanity left in the other.
He won't let it end like this.
He won't.
He was standing on an empty beach, the rays of the setting sun dyeing the vast ocean before him blood red, stretching out as far as the eye could see. Kylo let out a breath when he spotted a familiar silhouette at the edge of the waves, the man's fiery hair shining even brighter against the horizon as the water lapped gently over the other's bare feet. The man's essence felt so transparent, as if he would disappear into the waves if Kylo blinked.
"Hux," he breathed, his heart skipping a beat when those pale green eyes turned to meet his once again. He felt as if the other were galaxies away, even though Hux stood before him now. It was as if the man was just a memory, a projection of the Force sent to torture him like his uncle back on Crait.
The ethereal creature shook its head, making Kylo's stomach drop. He was right. Hux was-
"Armitage," the man whispered. "I am just Armitage."
Without hesitation, Kylo bridged the gap between them, taking a few steps through the soft sand before grasping the other's hands in his. They were solid.
Hux was still here, still at a place that he could reach.
"Armitage, then. Please don't go," he found himself saying, pleading. "Please."
Armitage smiled softly, guiding Kylo's hands to his face, the smooth pale skin cool under his palms. The man closed his eyes.
"I did consider leaving, you know, many times," the other whispered. "Did you know what kept me?"
"What kept you?" Kylo asked him as if in a trance, focusing on those delicate lashes.
Armitage opened his eyes, the rays of the dying sun reflecting from his pale green irises like a flickering flame.
"You called my name."
Kylo awoke with a start at the ping of a new message from his datapad. He looked back to Hux, still finding the other deep in slumber. Yet, he could sense the other through the Force again, the general's mind currently in a peaceful dreamless hum.
Relieved at the familiar sensation through the Force, Kylo picked up the datapad to check on the latest update only to find a short message from Igniv that read, "You should get something to eat, then shower. You probably smell."
It took all the restraint he had in the world to not hurl the datapad at the opposite wall.
.
Rey sighed, leaning back in her co-pilot's seat now that they were safely in hyperspace, having made the jump just as one of the star destroyers burst into flames above them. She still could not shake off the unease from the entire situation in general, from the First Order's sudden siege on Takodana to the seemingly random attack on Maz. She was relieved to no end that they had managed to escape this mission unscathed.
"Rawrgwawggr?" Chewbacca inquired beside her.
"Are you sure?" she asked.
The wookie nodded, motioning behind him.
Rey smiled. "Thanks. I'll be back." She stood up from her chair, stretching before she left the cockpit to get some much-needed rest. She hadn't realized how much effort it took to track Maz down through the Force, and her body ached for a nap.
"Would you like to release a statement, General?" she heard Lieutenant Connix ask Leia as she approached the main hold.
"There is no need," the general answered, much softer than Leia's usual firm instructions.
"But this is the best time for us to denounce them publicly! They outright attacked a planet for absolutely no reason at all!" Poe insisted.
"And then proceeded to destroy their own ship." Rey recognized Maz's voice as she turned the corner, prompting the room's current inhabitants to look up. "Don't you think that was strange, Rey?"
Rey looked to Leia, who nodded. She forced herself to relax, wondering if she was overthinking all of this by keeping her knowledge from the others.
"It was Ben," she announced, almost hesitating as she added, "and General Hux. They saved Takodana." She still could not shake off the strong wave of anguish she felt from the latter when she heard his command to evacuate the Dominion echo through the Force. It had been so poignant, so powerful, that she wondered if Leia and the others had heard it as well.
"There was something more than that." The room turned to Kaiyo, who was situated next to one of the viewports, her hands twirling a small glowing pendant around in her thin fingers. Rey sensed a powerful Force around the woman and was almost surprised that the other wasn't a Jedi. However, Leia trusted Kaiyo, and that was enough for Rey. "I sensed something sinister, a great Darkness that suddenly retracted when the ship blew. It's weakened, but it's still there," the woman continued, closing her eyes as if she were still listening for the sound.
Rey turned back to Leia, sensing the other staring intently at her. "You saw Snoke die, right?" the general asked her.
She gulped, nodding. Rey had a strong suspicion that Leia knew of her communications with Kylo, and she wondered if she should just tell everyone about her strange Force bond sessions with the general's son and be done with it. She took a deep breath to compose herself. Right, let's tell an entire room of panicking people that she was fraternizing with the enemy. That would definitely calm the situation.
Leia seemed to sense her predicament and turned to the others to break the tension between them. "We'll have to gather more information. There seems to be something more than a simple coup going on within the First Order." Rey did catch a small glint from the woman's eye directed at her regardless.
She supposed she'll have to try to contact the infuriating self-proclaimed supreme leader again. As much as she hated to admit it, they did save her and the Millennium Falcon by drawing fire away from Takodana.
.
Kylo trudged through the halls of the Finalizer, hair still damp from the shower and mood no better since receiving Igniv's message. He supposed he would feel less irritated at the world after sleeping, but his first instinct was to check on Hux. He would make do with the sofa if needed.
He keyed in the code to Hux's quarters impatiently, rushing past the ridiculous ice blue couch to the bedroom only to stop in his tracks when an empty bed greeted him in the middle of the dim room.
"Lights 40 percent," Kylo half-whispered in the event his sleep-deprived mind was playing tricks on him, but the mattress remained empty, pillow indented where Hux's head had been and blanket missing. He touched the sheets in disbelief, finding it still warm against his fingers. Kylo swallowed thickly, trying to stifle the panic that started to creep into his bones, and he ducked into the refresher only to find it also empty.
Hux couldn't have wandered too far, right? Despite his efforts, a myriad of possibilities instantly bombarded his mind of where the general could have gone, could have gone to do. He told himself he had to calm down.
"Hux?" he called out through the bond. He felt no response, only a faint trace of Light, weak and far away. Kylo sat down and closed his eyes, trying not to panic as he concentrated on Hux's Force signature instead. He trusted the other to not do anything stupid, but he was reminded that he had trusted Hux similarly before the fiasco with the stims. Kylo skimmed the depths of the Finalizer, ignoring Igniv and Mitaka in the crew's quarters and Peavey still patrolling on the bridge. He couldn't fathom that Hux could have wandered that far, and he had not received any reports of unauthorized shuttles taking off. Yet.
"Hux, where are you?" he called out again.
Nothing. He grimaced and reached out further with the Force.
He tried again.
"Armitage?"
Kylo was suddenly enveloped by a sea of stars that reached far into the abyss of space, the unbearable silence a suffocating blanket. He bolted upward and headed for the viewport he had brought the other to for mediation, not expecting Hux to have made his way there. He remembered the peace he had felt when it was just the two of them in that room, encased in the balance of the Force for a brief moment before it all fell apart.
Even that felt so long ago.
He found himself standing in front of the door to the viewport much too soon for his liking, his hands hesitating as he sensed another wave of emotions from the other side, constricting and suffocating, despair bottled up for so long that it imploded into a black hole, reminding him of his failure, his broken promise. Snoke had hurt Hux again, and he had been too weak to prevent it, too cowardly to stand up and face the Darkness that brewed inside of him. The Force surged again on the other side and retracted unsteadily.
Kylo composed himself and punched in the override code.
The door slid open to a dark room illuminated by the soft starlight and Takodana's sun from outside. He spotted Hux standing barefoot in front of the tall transparisteel windows, a blanket wrapped around the man's small frame. The other took no notice of him as he closed the door behind him and made his way across the room.
Kylo paused just behind the general, the deep emptiness he felt from the other crashing against him in unrelenting waves. He wanted to reach out and embrace the other, wanted to tell Hux that everything was alright, that nothing else could've been done. Yet, he could feel the Darkness in himself festering, threatening even now to lash out at the vulnerable man in front of him, could sense Snoke just waiting for an opportunity to manifest.
The general broke the silence first, eyes still trained out to the vast expanse of space before them as he spoke.
"There were over 80,000 men on that ship," Hux whispered, bottom lip trembling as the general unconsciously drew the blanket tighter around himself. Kylo felt his heart constrict and took a step forward, but the man continued before Kylo could even put together what to say, voice nearly cracking as Hux added softly, "and billions more in the Hosnian System."
He could see those beautiful green eyes focused on the silhouette of Takodana in the distance, the remnants of the Dominion floating in its atmosphere. Kylo wanted to tell Hux that none of this could have been avoided, that this had been the best course of action for all of them, but he knew that the other wouldn't believe him. Kylo himself had tried to organize a rescue operation led by Mitaka and Igniv in the middle of hauling Hux off the bridge, but even then, they had barely managed to salvage a few escape pods that had been lucky enough to make it out of the wreckage.
Those pale green eyes slowly turned to him, red-rimmed and wet.
"Why did you put me to sleep? I was meant to suffer all of it," Hux asked him weakly.
"The connection with the Dominion's crew was shattering your mind. It was the only way I could think of to break the bond," Kylo replied quietly. He had expected the other to be angry at the humiliation of fainting in front of his men, but the man only exhibited an exhausted resignation. He wanted the general to be angry with him, to flare up like Hux always did before he awakened to the Force. The idea that the Light had made his general weak caused the Darkness in him to pulsate threateningly.
Hux seemed to sense the irritation building up in Kylo and submitted without a fight, breaking their gaze by staring at the floor. "You should have just left me. The Order doesn't need a weak-willed general like me."
"I don't care what the Order needs!" Kylo snapped, feeling the fury build in him. His heart sank as Hux instinctively flinched away, and not knowing what else to do, he grabbed the man, pulling the other into a rough embrace before Hux could retreat any further. The Darkness flared up as expected, but he forced it away just as violently, shutting it into the recesses of his mind, away from himself, away from Hux. None of it mattered. Only Hux. He could feel the man trembling in his arms, and he tightened his hold, lowering his voice to a soft pleading whisper. "I need you. Here."
"I was so scared of losing you."
Trembling arms slowly wrapped around him, and Kylo descended to the ground with the other as Hux's knees gave way, holding the other tightly as the man sobbed into his chest.
"Why do you want me so much? I'm dirty. Weak," a small voice asked in his head.
"No, you're strong, stronger than anyone I've ever met," Kylo told him, rubbing circles on the other's back as the other's shoulders trembled violently in what he thought to be a valiant effort on Hux's part to stifle his sobs.
They remained like that for a little while, Hux's whimpers eventually declining to an occasional gasp for air. Kylo kept his mind on the edge of bond, easing the other's turbulent thoughts into a calm as the two of them dwelled in the silent embrace of each other.
Hux eventually pulled away slightly to wipe his swollen eyes on the blanket, leaning back on his knees as he kept his other hand on Kylo's. The touch was electrifying, and Kylo didn't want to let go, not yet.
The man looked down at their entwined hands. "I suppose that word is going around that the general of the First Order fainted on the bridge."
"They only talk of your compassion and of your words that managed to turn Regency and the other two star destroyers back to our forces," Kylo replied.
Hux shook his head, snorting self-deprecatingly. "They made their own decision in the end to fire on the Dominion. I merely gave them a stern warning before shutting off communications prior to the battle."
"You told them to move away from the line of fire before you gave the order to destroy the Dominion."
Hux blinked at him, eyes widening with surprise. "You heard me?" he asked after a moment.
Kylo nodded. "Mitaka heard you too, and likely many others with even a hint of the Force besides the ones in the Regency. You projected your thoughts quite far."
The general bit his lip, hand tightening around Kylo's. "It was Snoke's doing."
"But the bond remained even after the connection with the Knights broke, correct?" He knew what he had sensed the second he stepped onto the bridge.
Hux paused for a moment and then nodded slowly.
Kylo grimaced, letting out a sigh as he mustered up the courage to push his dignity aside. "I'm sorry."
The look Hux gave him was of genuine confusion. "For what?"
He took a deep breath, gathering the will to admit his mistake. He was not used to this, but he felt that it had to be said. "I left you unprotected. I shouldn't have stormed out like that."
Hux shook his head in disagreement. "You saved us from that one shot on the bridge."
"I could have done that with the Force from within the ship." Or so he thought. He was pretty sure he would be able to if he put his mind to it.
"Really?" Hux raised an eyebrow, seemingly skeptical. "Show me."
"I am not letting you fire a TIE fighter's cannons at me." It was not that he thought that Hux would actually ask it of him, but he said it just in case.
Kylo could see the other holding back a laugh. "No, I meant, teach me how to control it. If you want to protect me, then I need to control this, whatever this is. I can meditate all day and," Hux swallowed thickly at the thought, "delegate my duties to Mitaka and Peavey if need be."
Kylo could not hold back the snort at the other's dedication to his work.
Hux frowned. "Don't laugh. Asshole."
He considered his next words for a few moments. It was much too soon, and he knew it, but they were running out of time. He could no longer leave the other unguarded without a weapon to protect himself against Snoke. "Perhaps now will be an appropriate time to put together your lightsaber," he finally suggested, hoping that this would not backfire on them. He had seen plenty wield one when they were not ready than he had cared to admit when he was still at the temple. They were all dead now, felled by his own hands when Snoke lured him away from the Light.
An almost child-like twinkle in the other's eyes broke his trip down memory lane, a stark contrast against Hux's puffy eyebags. He was suddenly overwhelmed by the desire to kiss the man and did just that, leaning in to gently brush his lips against the other's. Hux returned the gesture just as softly, and Kylo felt fingers through his hair, combing away the tangles from his recent shower.
"Thank you," he heard the faintest of whispers in his mind, the words a little cracked but the determination still strong behind them.
Ready or not, Kylo will make sure that Hux would be able to protect himself, he decided.
.
"So, why am I here? You're both obviously much better at mechanics and the Force than I am," Igniv huffed, arms crossed as he examined the contents on the table: a various assortment of wires and parts surrounding a glowing white kyber crystal.
"You're more in tune with the Light than I am, and I don't want anything going wrong," Kylo said through gritted teeth, and Hux had to hold back a snort at the obvious waves of jealousy the other was exhibiting. They had studied the construction of Kylo's lightsaber for a few hours now, but every time Hux made to pick up a piece, he felt a pang of uneasiness from the crystal.
Hence, Igniv was called to the rescue.
"Okay, so you need to build your lightsaber," the man in question commented, nodding.
"That's obvious, isn't it," Hux replied. "You said it yourself that it should help me concentrate."
"Yup, I did!" Igniv picked up the kyber crystal, the glow instantly dulling in his hands. "Ouch, nice to meet you too," he commented as he placed it down. "Well, it's easy. You put it together using the Force. If everything's in the right place, then whoosh! Lightsaber. One wrong wire in place, then boom! Medbay. If you make it there."
Hux could feel the heat rise to his ears at the thought despite himself. "How is that easy?"
"If you don't have anything to offer, then you are dismissed," Kylo growled.
"Sorry, I couldn't help myself." the other cackled.
Hux sighed, wondering if he should have just set forth on this venture on his own. He had the basics down from Kylo's lightsaber, but something was still missing, and he just couldn't place his finger on it. "I designed Starkiller Base. I'm sure I can build a lightsaber," he muttered, more to himself than the other two.
"Well let's get started then." Igniv grinned.
Much to his satisfaction, the three of them stared at Hux's handiwork a few hours later: a polished silver handle with a few ridges strategically placed for grip. Even now, his thumb ghosted over the mechanism that turned the lightsaber on. He had followed the inner workings of Igniv and Kylo's lightsabers to the teeth, yet he could still feel the unease from the kyber crystal inside, telling him that he was not ready.
Igniv levitated the lightsaber out of Hux's uncertain hand lightly, tugging the metal apart slightly to look inside at the wiring. "Looks pretty complete, wouldn't you say, Kylo?" he commented, turning to the supreme leader.
"I don't see any problems," the man agreed, dark eyes meeting Hux's. He could feel his breath hitch, melting under the man's intense gaze.
"Still, I've never seen a lightsaber built by hand before," Igniv said, sending the hilt back into Hux's hands.
"Well excuse me for not having learned how to float things yet," Hux snapped. The kyber crystal hummed nervously in his hand. It was then that he wondered if it was his inexperience that made the crystal so reluctant.
The Knight grinned. "I meant it as a compliment. We usually use the Force to guide us in its construction, but you made the entire thing from memory after looking at our lightsabers, yes? I think that's pretty impressive. Now, we just have to turn it on."
Hux looked at the lightsaber in his hands, frowning.
"We'll test it another day," Kylo finally spoke.
"I suppose you can teach him how to 'float things' around in the meantime," Igniv said, winking. Hux didn't understand how any part of that sentence was suggestive at all, but Kylo still managed to turn a deep shade of red.
Igniv laughed. "Well, I'm starved. I think my job is done for now, yes?"
"Thank you for your help," Hux told him, earning a grin from the other.
Igniv then left with a jolly wave, and Hux finally found himself alone with Kylo once more. He did feel a sense of accomplishment at the lightsaber in his hands, but at the same time, he felt uneasy, nervous.
"You don't feel ready," Kylo spoke to him in his mind.
Hux shook his head. "I suppose not. Ironic, isn't it? After I asked you to hurry up and teach me."
"It takes time, as with all things," Kylo smiled at him, making his heart flutter. "You forget, I've been learning for over two decades now."
Hux sighed, putting the lightsaber down.
"I'm a little apprehensive," he admitted. In his heart, he knew that the crystal was just as anxious. "I do not know why."
Kylo regarded him for a moment with those dark eyes before putting his uneasiness into words. "You're afraid of making your crystal bleed."
Hux blinked at the other, unfamiliar with the terminology. By the way Kylo had said it, he supposed it wasn't a very pleasant experience for either of them. "Did you…" he hesitated, not knowing what or how to ask.
Kylo nodded solemnly, motioning to the crossguard hilt at the man's belt. "That's why our lightsabers are red. Pour enough anguish into a kyber crystal, and your emotions will become your weapon."
Hux considered this for a moment. If what Kylo said was true, then he supposed his kyber crystal would turn the deepest red in the universe the moment he turned on the lightsaber. The crystal hummed from the table. His hands clenched at his side, and at that moment he decided he very much didn't want that.
A deep laughter permeated the air, making both of them look up. It was then he sensed the Darkness swarming out of Kylo once again like a wave of shadowy tentacles, its tendrils reaching out to burn him.
"This is why you will always be a weak, foolish child of the Light," he heard Snoke's voice in his head. He took an involuntary step back away from Kylo who fought the Darkness just as valiantly, but it was swallowing the man, threatening to engulf him in its hungry jaws.
Then, those beautiful dark eyes suddenly dulled.
"No!" Hux reached out with his mind, fear for Kylo winning over fear for himself, a searing heat penetrating his senses as he felt his own Force collide with the combination of Snoke and Kylo's Darkness. The monster reared its head in pain and suddenly the crossguard lightsaber was in the other's hand, its red beam ignited.
Hux took a step back, arm outstretched to the table where his own finished lightsaber was. Kylo moved towards him unsteadily, eyes a sickening yellow as the man raised the crackling red beam above his head and brought it down shakily.
"Kylo!" Hux cried out, and his hands curled around the cold metal that flew into it and instinctively pressed down, igniting a pure white beam between them that caught Kylo's lightsaber right before it managed to slice into his shoulder. Hux trembled under the pressure, the two beams hissing between them as he fell hard on one knee. Despite the uneven movements, a possessed Kylo still had raw strength backing him, and Hux could feel his arms starting to give way as the sabers moved closer and closer to his throat.
"Kylo, wake up!" he screamed, and he reached out again with his mind, hearing whatever was in Kylo scream in pain at the touch of his Light as the other raised a hand to summon the Force. Hux mirrored the motion, forcing himself back on his feet, concentrating on opposing the invisible wall of energy that attempted to push him away.
"You are mine. I do not wish to kill you," Snoke's voice echoed in his head. "Give in, and I will spare your life."
The air around them howled with the tension, his lightsaber humming through the Darkness, beckoning him to its Light. It was then he realized what it was that he lacked earlier, what had successfully ignited his kyber crystal without hesitation.
"No, I will protect him," he declared, and Hux managed to shove the shadow out of Kylo's mind with a final cry, feeling his own body soar backwards as the impact threw him across the room into the opposite wall.
As usual, thank you for reading!