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Hux surveyed the mess that was Kylo Ren with a scowl.
“Really, Kylo? You couldn’t have changed first?”
Instead of answering, Kylo sneezed. He lay huddled in the middle of the bed, wrapped up in all the blankets. He’d soaked through them all, and made a sodden puddle of the mattress too, no doubt.
“At least tell me you took your boots off.”
Kylo pulled one of the blankets up over his face, which was answer enough.
“All right, you. Up.” When Kylo didn’t move, Hux let out a long-suffering sigh. “Fine,” he said, covering the distance from the door to the bed in three long strides. Taking the blankets in both hands, he pulled, putting his back into it. Kylo yelped as he came off along with the blankets. He made a sound somewhere between a splat and a squelch when he hit the floor.
“Strip,” Hux ordered, and Kylo glared up at him. “Then shower. Use up all the hot water. I won’t complain this time.”
Kylo started to say something, but paused, his face scrunching up in an almost comical manner, before letting loose with a barrage of sneezes. He looked so much like Millicent when he did that, and Hux almost laughed, covering it up with a cough. Luckily for him, Kylo was too miserable to notice.
“Come on. Up with you.” He held out a hand, and after a pause Kylo took it, allowing Hux to pull him to his feet. He stumbled and Hux caught him. “Dammit, Kylo, now I’m all wet too.”
Instead of the usual innuendo, Kylo just stood there, and Hux could feel him shivering.
“You really are impossible, you know?” he said, not expecting an answer, and not getting one either.
He ended up mostly undressing Kylo by himself. Shoving him towards the refresher, he followed. Once he had Kylo in the stall, he turned the water on high, dialing up the temperature bit by bit, to give Kylo time to adjust. Even after the water had begun to chase the chill from his bones he still stood there, so eventually Hux shed his own clothes and joined him in the stall.
“You really should see about requisitioning some rain gear, you know,” he said as he started to shampoo Kylo’s hair. “I’m sure we can find some in black, so you don’t ruin your color scheme.”
That got him a weak chuckle, the most response he’d gotten so far. Encouraged, he dug his fingers in, and Kylo melted into him, resting his head on Hux’s shoulder. Of course, that’s when he sneezed again.
“You’re worse than my cat,” Hux complained.
“She wouldn’t have been in the shower when she did that,” Kylo said, and then sneezed again.
“Okay, rinse,” Hux told him. “Then dry off and I’ll order up some cold medicine for you and make you tea. And we’re sleeping in your quarters tonight, since you got my bed all wet.”
“Bossy,” Kylo complained, but Hux could see the corners of his mouth twitch.
The medical droid Hux summoned made a variety of disapproving noises as it scanned Kylo. It left them with an assortment of pills and instructions for a good night’s rest.
“I’ll rest better if you come to bed with me,” Kylo said. Hux usually retired several hours after Kylo, working at his desk late into the night.
The service droid that had arrived on the heels of the med droid had salvaged Hux’s bed, so he was feeling generous. “Finish your reports and I will,” Hux replied. That earned him a pout, and he shoved the cup of tea towards Kylo. “Drink up,” he ordered.
Kylo made a face but took the cup, holding it between his hands and inhaling the steam. “I think I’m finally starting to like this stuff,” he said.
They worked in companionable silence, broken only by the occasional beep or chirp from their datapads. Hux’s eyes had begun to burn, and normally he’d push through, but Kylo took his ‘pad right out of his hands.
“My reports are filed, and you promised,” he said before Hux could protest.
There was some grumbling, but Hux eventually acquiesced. Kylo dimmed the lights and curled up next to him. Despite how tired he was, Hux was not used to retiring so early and his body resisted sleep.
“I can hear you thinking,” Kylo murmured. “Stop.”
“I can hardly stop thinking, Kylo,” Hux said.
“Yes you can. Just … breathe.” Kylo draped an arm over Hux, pulling him closer. He took an exaggerated breath, then let it out. “Come on, try it.”
“I know how to breathe, Ren.”
“Not like this.” Kylo continued his exaggerated inhalations and exhalations, and despite his general resistance to the idea, Hux couldn’t help but match him.
To his disgruntlement, it did seem to help calm his thoughts.
“See?” Kylo asked, sounding entirely too smug for Hux’s liking. “Don’t answer,” Kylo said, forestalling Hux’s sharp response. “Just keep it up.”
Even though it did seem to have a calming effect, Hux was still skeptical that this exercise would help. That is, until his alarm went off the next morning. He didn’t even remember falling asleep. In his last conscious moment, he’d been lying on his back with Kylo lying next to him, and now his back was pressed to Kylo’s front. Kylo’s arm draped over his side and he had both his arms wrapped it, holding it close to his chest.
“Told you,” were Kylo’s morning greeting.
“You’re insufferable,” was Hux’s.
They went about their morning routine, jostling each other for the mirror in the ‘fresher as usual. Once they were dressed and groomed, Hux leaned in and kissed Kylo on the cheek before heading up to the command deck.
“Do try to stay dry today,” he said.
“No promises.”
As the door closed behind him, he muttered, “Insufferable man.” While riding the lift, he pulled up a requisition form, and scrolled through rain gear options. He flipped through them all, then dismissed the form. He’d have to custom order something, because of course he would. But if it would spare him soggy pillows, it was worth the cost. He’d do more research that evening.
