Well, that hiatus took a lot longer than I had planned. Blame it on school and just this gross funk I've been in the past week.
But thank you so much to all who gave me feedback. And a HUGE thank you to those in the Reylux Network Skype group. You all are the best. 3
Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or any of its characters. This is just for my own (twisted) amusement and not for profit.
Chapter 4: Commencement
"Where the fuck is my blaster?" Hux demanded, abruptly changing the subject.
Kylo had been counting down the moments before Hux brought it up. It had taken longer than anticipated, but then again Hux had been plied with painkillers.
He had teased the redhead enough about his near-fetish for the weapon; the fact that it was always with him.
"The doctors took it when they were treating you."
Nobody moved for a moment.
"I'll go get it," Rey sighed, pushing herself from where she leaned against the wall.
Kylo almost shouted for joy that she was leaving the room. She had a presence that weighed on him in a way he could not describe, nor did he want to.
Rey made it to the door and she whipped around.
"You two, stay put," she said, pointing at the two men.
The door opened and she was gone, the door closing behind her.
A beat, then two beats passed, no words said.
The irritated look on the red-head's face melted away, immediately replaced by something stony.
"What do we know?" he deadpanned.
Kylo rose out of chair, throwing his hands into the air.
"Absolutely nothing. We should leave before she gets back," Kylo muttered.
He could, in theory, have Hux lean against him as they quickly made their way to a shuttle of some sort. Or he could carry him. But odds were that Hux would object to being put in any further humiliating positions.
"She wasn't kidding, Kylo," Hux sighed, a punch-drunkenness filtering through each word. "She'd probably castrate the two of us if we left."
Not acknowledging the fact that he was probably right, Kylo began pacing the room.
He hated hospitals; he really did. He had been stuck in this one room for too long but he could not leave, not yet. Hux was still there, injured and, while he'd be damned if he made it obvious to Hux that he did care for him, he was not leaving without him. Not when there was someone who could claim that they shot Brendol Hux still wandering the streets of Coruscant.
The medical droid had left shortly after Hux was taken out of the bacta tank and was nowhere to be seen. Where was a doctor? Could they not allow Hux out of the hospital early? They could make a concession for a man of Hux's position, right?
They needed to go before Rey came back.
"We have to shake her off somehow."
Hux's head lolled to the side, regarding the taller man exasperatedly. "Don't be an idiot. She'll chase us down. Pretty damn embarrassing to be seen running from a Jedi."
He could see it now. With Hux in this state, they would not make it far. They would probably made it down the hall before she used her Jedi powers and figured that they were trying to leave.
"Leave the logistics to someone who was actually in the military."
Logistics?
"Of the two of us here, which one has a hole in their chest?" Kylo snapped.
What a sight it would have been to an outsider: the Chancellor of the Republic arguing with a shirtless man in a hospital bed.
Logistics, indeed.
"Not a valid point. It's not like I went out of my way to get shot in the chest by a sniper."
Kylo shook his head, muttering, "Why would the hit be on you?"
"Your guess is as good as mine. It's not like I made a lot of friends in the Academy," Hux drawled.
He almost pulled his hair out in frustration. Hux was not getting it. But then again, he was not sure himself why this simple fact was bothering him so much. "No, it is more than that and you know it. Your enemies could not possibly have that much of a vendetta as to hire someone to kill you."
"Because I am not worth the energy?"
Kylo was going to drug the man with enough painkillers that either he would not wake up for hours or never wake up at all.
"Now who is being the idiot?" he growled. "We both know that this has everything to do with who you work for: me."
"Expecting me to tender my resignation, Chancellor Ren?"
Kylo's eye twitched in barely-concealed anger and he opened his mouth to respond, not entirely sure what barbed words would counter Hux's sarcasm. He was good at getting under his skin. Sometimes he wondered why he kept the irritating man around, then he would remember that Hux was the only competent man for the job.
The door slid open with a hiss and his mouth shut with a click, a silent agreement passing between the two that the conversation was not over but shelved for another time.
Rey stepped in, a blaster dangling from her pointer finger.
"Found it."
…
"My hero," Hux drawled sarcastically as Rey strode to his bedside with an air of smugness.
She set the weapon on the table next to his bed.
"I'm surprised you two didn't try to leave."
Her voice had an affected lightness, but there was a thread of tension and stress underneath.
"I would be lying if I said the thought hadn't crossed my mind," Kylo said.
Rey rolled her eyes. Her patience was wearing thin. That was obvious to Hux. Even a Jedi could get worn down. As hilarious as it would have been watching her punch Kylo in the face, Hux knew that some measure of peace needed to be maintained.
"Calm down, you two. I am getting a headache from your bickering."
Nobody spoke for a long time after that; each one lost in their own thoughts.
Hux tried to figure out how long it would take for him to be in fighting condition again. Aside from the blaster wound and all the complications that could come with it, there was little more to the healing process.
The doctor—a Togruta female—finally entered the room.
Hux was pretty sure the only reason she discharged him so quickly was because of the impatient glowering she received from the two men as she made her cursory medical examination and changed the bacta pads. Or maybe Kylo slipped her some credits when no one was looking.
Either way, she was signing the datapad, authorizing his release.
A nurse helped him put on a clean shirt, buttoning it for him.
Hux grit his teeth. He was being treated like a child, like an invalid. He hated it.
His arm was put in a sling, much to his chagrin.
"To prevent stress on your injury," the doctor had said.
He knew that as soon as they got away from the hospital, the infernal piece of fabric was going in the garbage. To show that kind of weakness so blatantly was suicide.
He was already being replaced by a Jedi.
Captain Phasma walked in shortly after to tell them how they were to leave.
She was his second-in-command, so it made sense that she would take control over the security detail.
The shuttle was going to land in front of the hospital, the perimeter and surrounding buildings locked down by Stormtroopers. They would walk through the front doors and straight to the ship. It would take them back to the Senate building.
"Why is it not on a landing platform?" Hux asked.
Behind the mask, Phasma gave away nothing. "The press needs to see you both and know that you are alive."
Hux and Rey turned to Kylo. He had the finally say in the matter.
"We have to show strength," Kylo said with a confidence that he obviously did not feel.
And that was that.
Someone handed Kylo a cloak, which he promptly set down, eyeing it with distaste.
"I am not wearing it. I am not going to hide my face like some criminal."
Nobody dared question him.
"Shall we?" Rey intoned.
Hux stood. He did not shake; he did not falter, as much as he wanted to.
And he nodded.
…
Finally, they were leaving.
Once they got back to the Senate building, she could go to the Temple and consult Master Skywalker about the ominous feeling that seemed to cling to her mind. He would have answers. He always did.
A chrono in the hallway had told her that it was past midnight, but she knew that that city would still be bustling with activity.
It was a good idea for them to move in the cover of night. But the moment they stepped out, Rey knew that would not have mattered when they left the hospital. There was a horde of reporters just outside the hospital's perimeter. They were shouting, clambering behind the barricade, as soon as the Stormtroopers leading the way stepped into the evening air.
Rey walked beside the Chancellor, keeping her body between him and the cluster of people, nearly running to keep up with his long pace. Hux was only a pace behind them, barely leaning on the Stormtrooper tasked with escorting him to the shuttle.
"Why did they have to land the shuttle so far from the doors?" the Chancellor breathed irritably.
She stopped at the foot of the ramp, letting the Chancellor and those behind her board before her. She could not sense anything on the shuttle and had clearly been checked and double-checked to make sure there was no tampering.
"I'm being paranoid. This entire day has gotten me stressed out and I'm only jumping at nothing. Nothing is wrong," Rey told herself.
She stepped onto the ramp. Four steps and she would be on the ship.
One. Two. Three. F—.
Rey faltered with a barely audible gasp.
Icy claws crawling up her spine and closing around her neck.
She whipped around, turning to the crowd, but the feeling disappeared like mist. Her eyes scanned the expressive and near-frantic faces.
The shadow passed behind a building as soon as she saw it.
Every part of her being wanted to jump down and chase after the mysterious figure. She wanted to demand answers for the two men who hated her.
But it was too late. She could not catch up, even if she ran at full speed.
Hands clenching into fists, she walked up the ramp and into the shuttle.
She had never felt that kind of presence before, not even during her trials.
This was wrong. Something was fundamentally wrong and dark about this whole situation. Something big was looming and she couldn't figure out what it was.
"Aren't you going to sit down?" the Chancellor's voice rang out. It took all Rey had not to cringe.
Was some cruel god punishing her for something she did? Could she not get a moment's peace?
Rey wanted to punch him. Rey wanted to sleep. Rey wanted to do a lot of things, but apparently none of those things were going to be done in the foreseeable future unless someone, anyone, had mercy on her.
"I'm fine with standing," she bit out.
"Suit yourself."
No rest, no peace for her. Not for a long time.
Thank you so much to Juulna for looking this over! 3
All feedback is appreciated!
Cheers!
~Tiara of Sapphires
PS, even weeks later I am still crying about this but someone made art and I...post/141644098309/chancellor-ren-drawn-for-tiaraofreylos-for-her