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Armitage, more appropriately known as Hux, hated detention. He hated the disconnected history teacher that sat, slack-jawed and snoring, at the front of the room. He hated the rowdy students tossing balls of paper at the aforementioned teacher. And most of all, he hated having to sit three feet away from his persistent and embarrassing crush, Ben Solo. Hux kept his eyes averted, burrowing his head in a book that didn’t even pertain to schoolwork. He wasn’t reading the words, although he scanned the page over and over again, attempting to look as busy as possible. You didn’t want to attract attention.
Especially not in detention. Everyone knew that all the criminals, as Hux’s father would call them, hung out there. And you may be thinking, who in their right mind would enjoy detention? Well, funnily enough, people who enjoyed spray painting the side of the school and mooning teachers did. When you lived in such a small town that was nearing summer, an air-conditioned room was better than being anywhere else. Before you ask, though, Hux was not in that boring history room because he had nowhere else to be. He was there for forgivable reasons… Well, understandable reasons, at least.
The chair beside him was dragged out suddenly, and he looked over to ask who the fuck was sitting beside him in an almost empty classroom. Hux’s heart stopped dead in his chest when his green eyes met the dark and piercing gaze of none other than Ben Solo himself. Did the universe always have to punch him in the stomach? Hadn’t he had enough? He didn’t know what to do or say, so he just stared blankly at the other boy, waiting. He knew Ben’s name, but there was no way in hell Ben knew his. In fact, he was a complete stranger to the boy. But for some reason, he was sitting beside him, staring.
‘’Hey,’’ Ben said, his face unreadable. Hux took in the sight of shaggy, black hair and almond eyes. Ben was in baggy black jeans, an old David Bowie tribute shirt, and scuffed up converse. He never followed the dress code. Hux had learned that three days into the first day of high school when Ben showed up in ripped cargo shorts with the mandatory school tie looped loosely around his neck, button up shirt nowhere to be found. Even though he smelled of monster energy drink and looked exhausted, Hux thought he was the cutest boy in the school. It was very hard to keep the blood out of his cheeks.
Hux looked away hastily, afraid Ben was peering into his head and listening to his thoughts. He shut his book slowly, feeling the other boy’s peering gaze digging into the side of his face. ‘’Hello,’’ Hux mumbled, turning to stuff everything very messily into his bookbag. He was desperate to do something with his hands, certain they’d begin to shake out of nervousness and excitement if left to their own devices.
‘’Why are you here?’’ Ben asked. Hux’s heart pounded in distress.
Hux thought back to this morning when he had dragged another student’s desk clean. He had been relentlessly bullied by that particular student, and he had had quite enough. He didn’t have a very good excuse, so there was no reason to lie. ‘’I pushed all of Donovan Feshu’s stuff onto the floor because he called me a faggot,’’ he said crisply, though his voice felt as though it would crack at any moment. The memory had Hux’s lungs in his throat, thinking about how everyone had laughed and played along; like he was nothing but a mere joke. In some way, he was without his best friend, Phasma. She was a human shield of sorts, and Hux looked very vulnerable without her - without his comfort blanket.
Ben’s gloved fingers tapped anxiously on the desk like he was thinking of what to say. ‘’I can curbstomp him if you want,’’ the seventeen-year-old offered, his voice sweet like honey while proposing to commit an act of violence. Hux turned to look at him incredulously, his cheeks blazing as red as his hair. Ben stopped him before he could speak, however, and simply said, ‘’But I’m sorry he did that to you. You don’t deserve that.’’
Hux felt light-headed. ‘’Ah, well, I appreciate… the sentiment, I suppose.’’
Ben smiled at him, his dark eyes crinkling around the edges in a sincere show of kindness. ‘’Hugs, right?’’
Hux’s lip twitched, ‘’Close enough. It’s Hux.’’
“I knew that,” Ben said, his cheeks the softest shade of pink.
There was some newfound confidence for Hux bubbling up, encouraged by the lack of fist in his face. Ben Solo was his crush, yes, but he was also known for his petty violence as well. And as someone who came from a family of self-preservers, he never disqualified himself from being at the receiving end of Ben’s large fist. But here Ben was, sitting, shoulders slouched, vulnerable beside Hux. “So, you asked me, I get to ask you… Why are you here?”
Ben made a funny face, almost like he was surprised. “I thought you’d assume I lived here or somethin’ like most people do,” the tall boy said, something close to sadness in his voice. But then he laughed, and Hux startled, his eyebrows knitting together. Just a moment passed, and then Ben was continuing, “There’s this dude on the Football team, he’s always mocking me, and I’m not some weak kid, so I punched him in the neck. My mom says I have anger issues, but like, that’s fucked up, right?”
Hux was silent for a second or two, thinking it over. “Right. I agree. But why wouldn’t you tell a teacher or your mom, you mentioned her, isn’t there anything they can do?”
“Did the teachers do anything for you? I mean, you were publicly humiliated and they didn’t save you. You saved yourself,” Ben responded, proving a point that Hux had always considered but never could articulate. He was right. But the morality in Hux didn’t know if punching people was alright, even if it was to save face and say, “Hey, fuck you. Don’t mess with me.”
Two kids across the room burst into laughter, and both Ben and Hux glanced over. “You’re a lot different than I thought you’d be,” Hux said, redirecting his gaze to Ben while he wasn’t looking at him. The profile of his face was long, and there was a dark freckle below his cheekbone. He was handsome in a unique way, different from the traditionally attractive boys that cultivated together on sports teams. Ben’s attention was brought back to him at the admittance, and Hux felt nervous. He had already admitted something a little too personal, and usually, Hux was cold, distant from everyone.
Ben Solo did things to him. He made Hux’s stomach fill with white moths, bumping into the walls of his belly and making him giddy. “How’d you think I’d be?” Ben asked curiously, his dark eyes roaming over Hux’s face and making him feel both flattered and insecure. Both emotions were a little off.
“Ah, I-I don’t know, really. When I thought about you before, I didn’t know you were this articulate,” he said, attempting to explain. And then his stomach dropped as he caught his mistake. Hux could feel the red, embarrassing warmth in his cheeks. He wanted to get up and run, but he was stuck in this small room, which was starting to feel a little too warm.“N-not that I think about you often.”
Oh, he was such a liar. Ben gave him a goofy grin in return that showed his perfectly imperfect teeth. He shifted closer to Hux, and Hux’s heart pounded out of his chest, “You’re different than I thought you’d be, too. But there’s one thing, I do think about you often. Did you know?”
Hux could’ve exploded. “I didn’t.”
The bell rang, and the teacher watching, or rather sleeping, over detention woke up. She sniffled, sitting up in her chair. “Detention dismissed. Anyone given more than one slip will be coming back tomorrow, and don’t think I’ll forget,” the teacher said, and everyone stood up, rushing out of the room. Ben slid out of the chair beside Hux, standing up and lugging his heavy backpack onto his broad shoulder. He loomed over Hux, who stared up at him red-cheeked, waiting for him to say something.
“Can I walk you home?” Ben Solo asked, his shaggy hair falling over his face that showed an expression that seemed almost bashful.
Hux’s heart flipped. “It’s a long walk.”
Ben smiled, “The longer the better.”