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Among the many notable achievements of Emperor Hux, many count this as one of his greatest: he is the man who tamed the dreaded Kylo Ren.
The galaxy’s most fearsome knight is utterly devoted to his Emperor, loves him most ardently, follows his every order, claiming as his reward only the Emperor’s gentle touches, which he seems to crave more than air.
Rumor has it that behind the closed doors of his chambers, Emperor Hux has many more rewards for his pet knight, but it’s not like anyone will ask outright, and no one has ever been able to ascertain that the cries of pleasure heard from the chambers are indeed Kylo Ren’s.
The mystery is much easier to solve than it appears. It would, however, involve asking the service droids, and no one has thought of that yet.
A service droid might readily recount mornings such as this one, when they announce their arrival at the Emperor's chambers with His Excellency's breakfast tray, and entering find said Emperor propped up in bed with Kylo Ren's head in his lap, his slender fingers carding through the knight's dark hair, both of them rather obviously naked under the sheets.
"Ah, yes," says the Emperor, as the droid approaches the bed to unfold the supports on the underside of the breakfast tray and place it on the mattress. His attention, however, quickly returns to the man sharing his bed.
To Hux's surprise, Kylo is responding to the intrusion by blushing. An utterly unexpected expression on the face of such a forbidding man.
True, under his Emperor's hands, behind closed doors, he is shy and soft, sweet and reverent, his eyes ever shining with love and adoration, yet ever ready to be cast down in deference, or in bashfulness. But he is hardly as shy in the face of others. In battle, Ren is fierce and deadly. As the Emperor's protector, he is sombre and formidable. Facing Hux's opponents, he is cold and steely.
Now, however, his cheeks burn against Hux's skin as he hides his face in the Emperor's belly.
It's all the more strange considering the droid that has him so flustered seems entirely unperturbed and is leaving the room without comment, apart from beeping its deference to His Excellency.
Hux himself has no comment either, but he smiles, amused, and continues petting his companion for a few moments before reaching for the tray to pour himself a cup of caf.
At this, however, Kylo slowly untangles himself from their embrace, and begins to slide out from between the sheets.
"What do you think you're doing?" Hux asks sharply.
Kylo freezes.
"I should leave you," he says. But the doubt is evident in his voice: is this right? did I do it wrong?
"You will stay," Hux commands. Kylo looks back uncertainly, but climbs back onto the bed as he's told.
Hux pats the sheets by his side . "Come here."
Kylo obeys. There's a bit of a bustle as he tries to figure out the best position, but Hux doesn't seem perturbed: he props up pillows against the headboard, arranging and rearranging them to his liking, and finally simply maneuvers Kylo's body into the position he desires with the same easy care. Kylo closes his eyes, savouring his Emperor's hands on his skin. He opens them again when he feels them leave him.
Hux is inspecting his finished work.
"Good", he says, and Kylo shivers.
Then he's joining Kylo on the pillows - a little straighter, a little higher up, the intrusion of the droid having reminded him of his status in the world outside his chambers, which he cannot shake off entirely now. But he's trying to relax, to enjoy the comforts he has earned: his soft pillows, his pliable bedmate, and the luxurious breakfast on the tray he now pulls up over his lap.
As his right hand lifts the cup of caf to his lips, his left finds his way back into Kylo's hair, combing through the locks and rubbing gentle patterns on his scalp. Kylo breathes out a contented sigh and rests his head against his Emperor's shoulder, closing his eyes again. He can smell the caf: a rich and full aroma, like bitter chocolate, or burning wood, or something inbetween, but almost flowery. Nothing like the sorry swill they used to drink on the Finalizer. He would like to taste it, he thinks - but more than that, he would like Hux to kiss him after drinking it, to taste it on his lips.
He breathes in deep, savouring the aroma.
Hux is setting the cup down now: Kylo can hear it on the saucer. It's all glass and porcelain these days, or polished copper, no plastic, no steel. Those are for lesser folks. Lesser days.
The covering Hux is removing right now is copper: the faint musical ring is as unmistakable as the scent of warm eggs rising as the covering is taken off. Scrambled, Kylo thinks; no bacon, no onions, but herbs, and just a hint of some sharp spice. He can't tell what species they come from. He doesn't particularly care.
He does care about Hux's appreciative hum as he puts a forkful of them in his mouth.
Everything smells better here, near Hux.
The fingers never stop moving through his hair as the Emperor eats his eggs. Kylo settles against him, tentatively draping an arm around his hips, relieved when this earns him another of the Emperor's approving hums.
He's so relaxed it takes him a moment to notice when Hux stops eating.
Concerned, he opens his eyes, just as Hux's fingers leave his hair and reach under his chin to tilt his face up.
There's a fork full of scrambled eggs in front of Kylo's mouth.
"Were you sleeping?" Hux asks, part apologetic, part amused.
"Sorry," Kylo blurts out. "No."
Hux's eyes crinkle, but he doesn't comment on Kylo's contradictory words. Instead, he nudges the fork closer to his lips.
Kylo looks at the fork.
Then back at his Emperor.
"For me?" he asks.
"Who else? I don't have a second mouth down there."
Kylo stares.
"But it's your food."
"And I'm sharing it with you." He motions with the fork again. "Come on, now. They're getting cold."
Still incredulous, Kylo opens his mouth. Hux pushes the fork inside, their eyes holding contact as Kylo closes his lips around it and Hux pulls it out between them. Then the flavours hit his tongue and his eyes flutter shut as they overwhelm him.
It's good. It's great. It's amazing. Whatever animal they came from, Kylo's sure he's never come across it. They're cooked to perfection. The seasoning is expertly chosen.
They're the best kriffing eggs he's ever had.
He swallows and looks back up at Hux, who laughs.
"One would think you've never had eggs before."
"Not like these."
"More?"
"If I may?"
"I wouldn't be offering if I didn't mean to follow up." His thumb is stroking Kylo's jawline. "I thought you'd know me better than that by now."
"Sorry."
"Shh. Don't apologise." He picks up more eggs and returns the fork to Kylo's lips, who parts them eagerly.
Yes. Still just as amazing on the second bite.
Hux keeps watching him fondly as he feeds him eggs, occasionally taking a bite for himself, which makes Kylo's stomach tingle with the knowledge that they're both using the same fork. It's silly, of course: Kylo has kissed Hux, touched his mouth with his own, his tongue with his own, a contact far more direct than the sharing of cutlery. But still, it excites him. Just like every kiss he's granted.
He's disappointed when Hux puts the fork down on the tray and he turns his head to find the plate empty.
Hux must sense his dejection, for he rubs gentle circles on Kylo's back while he takes another drink from his caf cup. He doesn't say anything as he puts the empty cup back down, or as he lets his eyes roam over the abundance of delicacies on the breakfast tray. But when he finally selects a dried bofa fruit, his slender hand offers it immediately to Kylo.
Still uncertain, Kylo looks at Hux's face first.
"Go ahead", his Emperor says.
Kylo bites the fruit. It's sweet, viscid, the skin chewy, but soft on his tongue. He chews slowly, relishing the taste, while Hux pops the rest of the fruit in his own mouth. He picks up another one, this time taking the first bite himself before feeding the rest to Kylo.
While Kylo chews, he chooses the next treat: crumbly Houjix cheese on a flaky brown bread, broken into small pieces that fit perfectly in their mouths, where they almost seem to melt on the tongue.
"Good," he says, as Kylo pushes his head forward to accept the titbit, and Kylo glows.
He follows up with bites of blue cheese, then pulls apart a Shef'na fruit to alternate between pushing bits of it into Kylo's mouth and his own.
The fruit gone, he refills his cup with fragrant caf, Kylo breathing deep to imbibe the aroma at least. Hux, of course, notices. He gives him a half smile, and pours bright fruit juice from a carafe into a crystal glass, which he hands to Kylo, nodding encouragingly. Kylo drinks. It's brul juice, and it's delectable.
"No caf for you," Hux says, watching Kylo drink, "it's a bad habit, and I need you to be healthy. But here." He picks up a large purple berry and moves it to Kylo's mouth as he lowers the empty glass. It smells amazing. "Farrberries. You'll find them quite invigorating, not to mention delicious."
He's certainly right. Their taste, like their scent, is exquisite: sweet, but not in the way of honey - more in the way vanilla is sweet; though lighter, finer, and more fruity.
Kylo thinks it might the best thing he's ever tasted.
He is rectified when Hux pushes his fingers against his mouth for Kylo to lick the juice off of them. Everything, everything tastes better on Hux's skin.
"Do you like them?" Hux asks softly.
Kylo nods, his lips and tongue still occupied with Hux's fingers.
"I enjoy them too." He slips his fingers from Kylo's mouth to pop another farrberry into his own, before offering one to Kylo, who eagerly accepts. Again the fingers are offered to him, and he takes them before he has even swallowed the farrberry. It's even more delicious than before.
Hux picks up his caf again, drinking deeply while he watches Kylo sucking on his fingers. Kylo looks up, meeting his eyes. Hux seems pleased: his eyes are soft, his pupils slightly blown, he's clearly enjoying the sight. But Kylo has spent enough nights with his Emperor to read his face. Even if the Force weren't whispering to him that something is bothering Hux, he would see it in the set of his mouth, in the way his brows are not quite as relaxed as the eyes beneath them.
But Hux, Hux knows Kylo just as well, and he recognises the moment his pet knight starts to worry. He smiles, just a little, and pets Kylo's head, before feeding him a piece of sweet, moist zwil cake and refilling his juice glass, motioning for him to drink while he parts an already peeled sunfruit into its segments and starts eating.
He feeds Kylo a piece when he's done with the juice. With both his hands occupied by the fruit, he can't pet Kylo's hair, but every time Kylo takes a piece of fruit from his fingers, he runs them over his cheek approvingly before returning them to their task.
"Here's something special," he says, when the fruit is gone, reaching for the cheese knife. Kylo thinks everything on the tray is pretty special, and everything he receives from Hux's hands doubly so. He wonders what could possibly await him now.
It's a little piece of bright crimson cheese.
"Neonan red cheese," Hux says. "Have you ever had it?"
Kylo shakes his head. "I've heard of it."
"It is considered one of the greatest luxuries in the galaxy. This wedge comes from a wheel gifted to me by a Tapani dignitary seeking to curry my favour. Tell me, my knight, does he deserve it?"
Kylo opens his mouth. Hux places the cheese on his tongue.
It's not what he expects. The taste is not intense, not sharp like he expected from the colour. But it is rich: many tiers of flavours, each fine, but each unique, yet complementing the others perfectly, like a skirt of layered rainbow silks. It fills him, seeming to touch more senses than just his taste. Or maybe it's blurring into the feeling of Hux's fingers on his face.
"Well?" Hux asks. "Does he deserve my favour, for this?"
"Yes," Kylo breathes, his eyes closed.
He cannot see Hux's reaction, but he senses him leaning in, his lips brushing Kylo's ear.
"As do you," he whispers, and kisses his forehead.
Kylo's sure his heart skips a beat. Ridiculous, again: he has received many more kisses than this from Hux, in many more intimate places. But Hux is being so good to him today, feeding him with his own hands from his own breakfast tray, granting him so many sweet touches and treats. His heart is so full, he thinks it might overflow. He has never loved his Emperor more.
When he opens his eyes, Hux is smiling at him.
"You're blushing again," he says.
Kylo never blushes.
Hux laughs and holds up a piece of red cheese to Kylo's face. "Hm, yes. Almost identical. Not something one would expect from Kylo Ren."
Still smiling, he eats the cheese himself, closing his eyes as he savours the taste. Then he reaches for a piece of some white bread, pulling off bits to alternately put in Kylo's mouth and his own.
"Have some chee-chee berries," he says, the bread eaten, and lifts a small bowl from the tray to feed the sticky purple fruits to Kylo, only occasionally eating one himself, preferring to leave his fingers for Kylo to lick clean.
"How are you feeling?" he asks, gently, as they slip from Kylo's lips once more.
"Amazing," Kylo replies honestly.
"Comfortable? Refreshed?"
"Both of these, yes. Thank you."
"Then I shall ask you a question." Hux puts down the chee-chee berries. He cuts off another piece of red cheese, but instead of eating it or offering it to Kylo, he simply holds it up between them.
"I've seen you blush once before," he says, earnestly. "Earlier today. When the droid brought breakfast."
Kylo swallows.
Maybe he does blush sometimes.
"You seemed uncomfortable being seen by it," Hux continues. "I must say, I did not expect that. You're a steadfast man, Kylo Ren. Not easily shook. But one droid walks in on you in bed with me, and you hide your face in humiliation."
Kylo lowers his head. He's done it. He's angered Hux. How he must regret his kindness now! Surely he is realising how misguided his sweetness was. Now he will grow cold. Now he will send Kylo from his bed.
He tenses in anticipation of the harsh command.
To his surprise, Hux does not raise or even chill his voice. Instead, he places a gentle hand on Kylo's back.
"Are you ashamed?" he asks softly. "Do fear people will think less of you if they know you give yourself over to me in this fashion?"
Kylo shoots up, a horrified look distorting his features. "No! No, how can you think that? How could I possibly be ashamed of you?"
Hux looks startled.
Kylo shrinks back.
"Then what is it?" Hux asks, reaching out to him again. "What has you so worried for you reputation?"
"I think less about my reputation and more about yours."
"Mine!" Hux laughs, baffling Kylo. "What possible effect could this have on my reputation?"
"Do you not see?" Kylo looks up at his Emperor, pained. "Do you not see what's in your bed? You... you are the Emperor. The entire galaxy bows before you. They send you gifts..." He motions to the cheese. "They fear you. They adore you. You could have anyone you wanted, anyone would be exhilarated at the chance to share your bed. And you... you chose me."
He lowers his head.
"Yes, I did," Hux replies, but Kylo cannot read his tone.
"Me," he repeats. "The mongrel cowering at your feet. The beast in the night. The long-eared savage hulking in the shadows of your throne, with the big scar across his even bigger nose..."
Hux sighs. "Oh, Kylo."
He doesn't sound disappointed though. He sounds... sad.
Kylo doesn't speak. He can't. He might cry. Kylo never cries.
He might, though, when he feels Hux's gentle hands in his hair again, guiding him so he can hide his face in Hux's chest again, where everything is lovely and safe.
"Is that what you think they see?" Hux asks, gently. "An ugly monster, unfit for the presence of their pretty pretty Emperor?"
Kylo doesn't answer. Hux hears him anyway.
"My mighty knight. I will tell you the truth. When my subjects look at you, they do not think 'ugly'. They think 'fierce'. They think 'powerful'. They think 'indomitable'. They fear you, they cower before you. And then... they see you bow before me."
There's something new in his voice. Something like fire. Something like lust.
Kylo has to look up.
Yes.
All of that is in Hux's eyes as well.
"You think you are the beast in their nightmares, Kylo Ren?" the Emperor asks. "I am the man who commands that beast. I am the man who owns it. The man who has tamed it. That is what they see. And what they see is a thing worthy of fear and reverence. You, Kylo Ren, are not my shame. You are another reason my subjects salute me."
Kylo shivers.
Hux smirks, sliding his hands from Kylo's hair to cup his face.
"Do you know what I see?" he asks, his voice husky.
Kylo doesn't. He doesn't know how to ask. Hux answers anyway.
"I see the most gorgeous man in the palace," he says. "I see my fierce knight, strong enough to hold me up, but so devoted he will only do it at my command. I see a man who has razed entire cities to the ground, only to come home and ask no reward but to be in my presence. I see a beautiful face, too often hidden behind ferocity and pain. I see a back that can hold me up, but is bowed with the weight of years of suffering. I see a man of brutal energy and gentle hands. I see the most perfect creature I could ever ask to share my bed."
Kylo doesn't know what to say.
He doesn't even know how to believe this.
But he knows Hux does.
"My beautiful knight," the Emperor murmurs, running his thumbs over Kylo's cheeks.
Kylo doesn't feel beautiful. But he wants to be, for Hux. He wants to be the kind of man that Hux wants in his bed.
He wants to be in Hux's bed.
He wants Hux to kiss him.
Hux does.
He doesn't taste like caf. He tastes like chee-chee berries, and faintly like the Neonan red cheese that is now lying on the sheets like it isn't a prized delicacy.
Most importantly, he tastes like Hux.
And that, frankly, is the greatest delicacy Kylo could ever hope to deserve.