AN: The first five words of the chapter say it all. So sorry - I've had a lot going on, updates may be a tinsy bit less frequent but they'll still come! - M
It had been so long since anyone had truly put her through her paces, not since her trainings as a child had anyone pressed her so hard. Though she was more agile than Kylo, he was just as fast and his physical strength and lack of restraint kept her on the defense. The gentleness with which he sometimes treated her vanished in his training.
It must have been over an hour since they began. With each round he pressed harder, Kylo Ren was most certainly a teach-don't-tell sort of instructor. Her knowledge of his body, his mind, his movements, all gave her advantages others might not have had but she certainly wasn't prepared for the full attention and effort he gave her as his new student. Sweat rolled down her neck to the curve of her spine, her tunic shirt long discarded on the floor. Her breasts bound in a fitted cropped bandaging allowed her free movement without providing Kylo with the purchase of excess fabric, an advantage that had cost her a blow to the back of her head early on in the session. He watched her carefully, his bare chest heaving as he paced around her crouched figure.
"Get up." He commanded, earning himself a sharp glare, his own stare hardened at the reaction, challenging her. She stood slowly, concentrating on keeping her movements smooth, her muscles begging to be able to tremble with the effort, her knees nearly failing as she straightened to her full height. He noted this, he could feel her exhaustion, her determination. "You're not hiding it well enough." He said crisply, she saw the shift in his weight; he was going to move towards her.
Her gaze locked on to his as she side stepped him then lunged at his neck, wrapping one leg around him attempting to bring him down. He turned and gripped her by the waist with one arm, pinning her to the floor as she twisted her weight to bring him down. The landing shot the air from her lungs and he held her down, her arms trapped beneath his chest. She struggled, straining against the weight with what remained of her strength. He moved his free arm to brace against her neck holding her down. He could see the anger and frustration growing in her eyes as she twisted about in his arms.
She was twelve, breathless, sprinting barefoot down the icy hallway. Suddenly she couldn't move gloved hands snatched her back, stopping her, pinning her to the floor. Three troopers restrained her to the ground. The last thing she saw was the sweep of a black robe.
He stilled her, his grip growing tighter as his gaze bore into hers, daring her to escape. He leaned towards her, she could feel his breath on her neck as his cheek touched hers and he whispered her name. His voice was cold and taunting, Neera calmed her mind as best she could but the endeavor was as effective as hurling ice cubes at a forest fire. Kylo's lips brushed her earlobe and she stiffened at what may have once been a tender gesture, squeezing her eyes shut at the triggered memory, long cold fingers wrapped around her shoulder as many hands held her down. "Why don't you get up?"
He could feel the rare building rage within her, the exquisite thundering of her chest against his as her entire body hummed with resistance. He wanted to draw her out, to see her, to know she was capable of using that power. "Such weakness" he muttered his lips brushing against her skin.
She was freezing, the hall was dark, Snoke watched her coldly from the opposite side of the light. "Be stronger" the frigid deep voice commanded "Resist". Suddenly she was screaming.
She snapped. Her mind invaded his like a hammer on iron, striking pain straight through to the center. He winced, reflexively pressing away from her, unintentionally releasing her arms. She bucked her hips violently and wrapped her legs around him flipping their twisted bodies so that she landed on top. Her hand shot to his throat pushing his head back onto the floor the heel of her hand digging into his windpipe, still pressing against his mind. He reached one hand up at her and she caught it, viciously slamming his wrist onto the floor. She stilled, finally gaining control over the knight now trapped beneath her. He forced his muscles to relax, showing her they were done. She maintained the pressure on his hand and neck but did not proceed further, her heaving breaths becoming quieter.
He reached his free hand up to her face. Neera flinched but released him her hands falling to her sides as she leaned back still sitting on top of him. She shut her eyes, working to slowly calm herself, to center her mind once more. She felt him sit up a bit beneath her his left wrist failing beneath him as he caught himself from falling with his right, leaning into his elbow. She exhaled and opened her eyes to look down at him. His cheeks were flushed, he cradled his arm to his abdomen, his hair was damp and pushed back off his face. The coldness in his gaze was thawing, as if remembering her slowly. She, however, still watched him warily. Her training sessions with Snoke and other memories were still biting at her heels. She rested one hand against his stomach just below his injured hand for a moment then hoisted herself up and off of him, scooping up her discarded shirt. He stood silently, watching her as she turned back to him.
"That was good." Some semblance of tenderness had returned to his tone. He watched her muscles relax just a bit at the affirmation and took this as encouragement to come closer. She looked up at him her fingers slowly untangling the fabric in her hands. He reached out his uninjured hand, resting it on her bare waist drawing her to him but she resisted.
"I'm not sorry about that." She said quietly her gaze flickering to his injured hand. He let out a short derisive laugh.
"You used your real strengths Neera. You were powerful, quick and brutal." He watched her expression sensing some level of discomfort. "Your capabilities are far beyond what you were trained for."
She watched him for a moment, a tiny smirk coming to her lips. She leaned into Kylo's touch confidence blossoming under the praise, despite the conflicting emotions the session had caused. "You have no idea" she murmured before turning from him and striding towards the door. He watched her stride confidently out the door and disappear down the hall. He slowly re-dressed, careful to make sure each article was neat and intact for the short walk down the hall. In just a few hours he'd be presenting Neera as a new and active member of the First Order, as one of the Knights of Ren. She would undoubtedly appear as his right hand, as his apprentice, perhaps even as his partner. Even he could not wholly anticipate the reaction but he had to control that perception. Slipping on his mask he followed after Neera, they had a meeting to prepare for.