Chapter Text
You stifle a cough into your gloved hand, following it up by clearing your throat as to not make it so obvious. Ever since you were sent to accompany General Hux to oversee the return of stormtroopers sent on a mission to seek out any resistance sympathizers. The planet they were deployed on was known for its humidity and continuous rainfall. Therefore it was no surprise when more than half of the returning stormtroopers were sent to the med bay. Being in the vicinity of that many sick individuals, you must have caught whatever it was from that planet.
Being Lieutenant causes you to work in close proximity to General Hux’s office, who is sure to be tired of your incessant coughing. You twist off the cap of your water bottle and take a swig to try and provide some relief. Your head was throbbing, you could hardly breathe out of your nose, and your throat was incredibly sore. Feeling another cough coming on, you clear your throat harshly and continue working.
“Lieutenant,” the voice of your superior cut through the silence in the shared office.
“Yes sir?” You ask, wincing at the discomfort in your throat as you speak.
“Would you mind telling me why you decided to come work today if you are feeling unwell?” This was not a question, it was an order
“I apologize sir, I am aware of my current state. However, with the recent return of the mission I have a lot of work to complete and taking a day off would cause more work to be done upon my return.” You reply firmly, turning your chair to face the general.
He is sitting with his elbows propped up on his desk, hands clasped in front of his mouth, and a look of confusion and annoyance on his face. He takes a deep breath and exhales as he looks up at you. You have grown accustomed to his glares and have gotten very good at being able to decipher the emotions behind them. This one however, felt more emotionally charged or out of pity than anything.
“Not only are you putting a General at risk of catching whatever sort of virus you have caught, but overworking oneself when feeling under the weather will cause more harm than good even if there is work to be done.” Hux’s familiar tone began to fade as he continued speaking. He finished his thought and rested his crossed hands on his desk, waiting for you to reply. Through all the time you have been working almost alongside General Hux, you rarely heard his tone of voice change from anything other than harsh and professional. Of course it is standard protocol to keep the air of professionalism, especially as a General of the First Order, and there are very few occasions that would cause such a slip. The urge to cough snaps you out of your thoughts.
“I have gone to the med bay and they have informed me that the virus that I have is not contagious, and I have taken preventative measures in order to stop anyone else from catching what I have, sir” You could barely finish your sentence as a dry cough escaped your throat, quickly covering your mouth with your arm. Even though the med bay did determine that there was no risk of any other official getting ill, you still decided it would be best to have your room disinfected. The pounding in your head was almost becoming unbearable as you attempt to continue working. It was highly unusual for the General to seem concerned in your well being, there was no denying that it felt nice to have someone appear to care about you.
“It would be a shame to have a Lieutenant out of commission due to overworking. Despite the fact that preventative measures have been taken, I do encourage taking some time off” Hux stated matter of factly.
“I do believe that would help, sir” You say, sniffling before continuing “However, I still have reports to complete and I don’t believe that asking my subordinates to finish them is the best course of action.” That wasn’t entirely true, you would love to give the work to someone else in order to get your well deserved rest. You really did want to take the offer of having time off, but you did not want to seem weak in front of Hux.
Turning your attention back on your work, struggling to focus through a worsening headache. The sound of Hux’s boots on the tile was the last thing on your mind, that was until you felt his presence beside you. Looking up, your eyes meet his icy blue ones. His eyebrows were raised as if he asked a question and he was waiting on an answer. Without asking he leaned over your desk. You watched in silence at his gloved hands tapping a command into your holopad.
“Excuse me, sir” You say politely “Might I ask what you are doing?”
“I am ordering you to take time off Lieutenant (L/N),” Hux states standing back up straight, “Your work for today will be taken care of, I do expect you here tomorrow of course. Go to the med bay if you need to, if not, retire to your quarters at once. I cannot risk having such a hard working Lieutenant gone for too long.”
“Thank you, sir.” You say as you stand and organize your belongings. You knew there was no room for an argument. Of course you were thankful for having at least one night to recover. Looking back at your desk, you see General Hux sitting back at his desk working on his holopad. Most likely the work you were attempting to complete. Before you turn your back to leave, you could have sworn you saw a hint of a smile on his face.