Friends Close, Enemies Closer

by Gamebird

In The Last Jedi novelization, it is said that Kylo Ren keeps Hux with him to keep an eye on him and head off any possible betrayal. Which begs the question of long he keeps Hux near ... and how near that is.

5. Disarming

Nothing untoward happened as Hux used the shower, so perhaps Ren had some sense of decorum. Hux dried off and dressed in pajamas, trying to think loudly that Ren had better behave himself as a roommate or else Hux really would put a knife between his ribs.

When he came out of the refresher, Ren held a hand out toward him. "Your weapons."

"What? I'm not going to wear a blaster to bed. You'll be safe enough. It will be with my things, out of reach."

"They will be in a compartment locked to my thumbprint. I won't ask twice."

'They'. He didn't like that. The blaster he could lose. The knife, though … "In a moment," Hux said, stalling. He headed toward the spot where the rest of his items had been left, intending to sort through his uniform for the blaster and duly turn it over as requested. Instead, the clothing in his arms shifted like a living thing. He dropped it in a fright as the blaster managed to unholster itself and fly to Ren's outstretched hand. Hux scowled at him.

Then the knife up his sleeve exited the scabbard and joined the blaster. Hux made a helpless, frustrated noise at that. "I have not been without that knife for more than a few seconds at a time in years," Hux spat at him in a rage. Ren looked dubiously from the blade to Hux, as though the anger were out of proportion to the situation.

"What are you waiting for?" Hux burst out finally. "I'm not some child who needs a comfort object! You wanted it. You have it. I can't stop you when you want to take something from me – my army, my knife, my privacy, anything! You have demonstrated that all day, Supreme Leader!"

Ren went to the wall compartment as Hux glared at him. His lightsaber went into the locked cabinet along with Hux's items. "You are not as replaceable as I would like to insinuate, General. In fact, you are critical to the successful operation of the First Order." Ren turned to face him. "I can't control this organization without you. But I can read minds, including yours. You have a history of eliminating your rivals. Or your relatives. I don't intend to die that way."