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Hux usual way around Kylo was the same as a cat around a body of water. Cordial, he
always stayed in the background and managed to never stay in his presence for too
long. The very thought of running into Ren during the day could give him a headache.
His mere presence in the room made him cringe.
But today, Hux has no choice but to confront him. The order came from the top. In one of
his numerous temper tantrum, Ren destroyed an entire data processor and killed two
stormtroopers who tried to stop him (naivety, misplaced assurance or stupidity stand as the only possible reasons for such a foolish attempt).
He needed to be put in his place. Who more than Hux was fit to this task ? He has it in his
blood. His straight shoulders, his severe cheekbones, his dull complexion… He's not deaf;
he knows what soldiers say about him, that he's stuck-up, pompous, a sissy, that he has a broom stuck up
his ass and what not. But that's the price to pay to run a ship as organized and as
disciplined as his : Hux doesn't allow mess. He doesn't allow clutter. To him,
disorder is the only thing standing in the way of success.
Hux would be lying if he said he didn't fantasize about humiliating Kylo. Finally getting that
little smirk out of his face would be the best reward.
If there ever was a good time to disturb Kylo, now really wasn't. He just got off one of his
shared visions with Rey. Once again, he tried to convince her to come to the dark side,
once again she refused. When the vision ended, she was crying with rage, so was he.
Those talks put him in a dark place, where bitter feelings of regret and anger swallowed
him whole. No, now was not a good time to disturb him.
He heard the doors open and a distinctive walk, one that is severe, yet somehow clattery,
filled the room
-What's the honor, general ? Ask Ren, hands behind his back, facing his room's window,
considering Hux's entrance was not worthy of turning around.
-Believe me, says Hux, facing the Commander's back, Im as thrilled as you are to be here,
but we need to talk about your recent... misconducts.
-Cant this wait ? Ren snapped, looking straight at the oblivious space.
-I'm afraid not, he didn't hide the destain in his voice, General, Snoke is sending me.
He didn't hide the pleasure he had saying those words either. Being here under the order
of the supreme leader was the best way to degrade Ren. He took a step forward, his arms
straight down his body, his eyes fixed on Kylo's dark hair as it turned back.
-You can't keep acting like a child. Do you have any idea the damages you're costing us
with your temper tantrum ?
-I don't care about that.
He said it with such disdain, Hux had trouble responding at all.
-Well commander, I'm afraid I care about it. Killing two of our men in one of your excess of
anger
is a serious offense, that shall not be left unaddressed.
-I said I don't care about that.
He sounded so sure of himself. But yet, Hux could hear it, even through the deformed voice
of his mask : Ren was annoyed, more than that, angry, to be forced to listen to Hux.
-Leave this room, right now.
The treble he heard in Ren's voice gave Hux a wave of confidence, or maybe it was just
misplaced cockiness, and he stepped up :
-I shall do no such thing. You know, the supreme leader may be blinded but I'm not.
At this point he realized how much he relished at pushing Ren's buttons, there was
something so vividly exciting getting him to the edge. He stepped closer to the
Commander :.
-You keep acting like a child when you're supposed to be the face of the new order. But
any of the soldier in this ship would be a better example than you.
Kylo, on the other hand, felt a black, unforgivable rage boil in him, which would not take long to externalize, one way or another. His gloved hand mashed in a fist, and the leather creaking sounded in his ear like a warning.
-You use the force like a toy, at a whim, it's laughable, really..
-Enough
-It's not nearly enough, s'emporta Hux, getting dangerously close to the Commander,
It's time someone school you about-
-Enough
At first he doesn't understand, then, too late, he realizes his mistake. As he cuts him, Kylo
turn around, finally looking at Hux, and straighten his arm, his hand open like it's about to
grab something. The general get lifted of the ground, his neck suddenly pressed by an
immaterial yet unforgiving claw. From his thin jaw to his grail shoulder, it all abruptly got
crushed together.
-General, Im gonna be honest with you
The pain is so sharp, Hux could cry. But even so, thirty centimeters above the ground, the carotid pressed against his trachea, he keeps his composure and holds his closed mouth. Screaming, begging, such humiliation would delight Kylo, he's sure, and it’s out of question for him to give him this pleasure.
-I could kill you right now, and nobody would bat an eye. You think your precious Snoke
would care?
Hux feels the noose tightening. To prevent a squeak from escaping his lips, he bites his
language.
-Trust me when I say you'll be replaced in a matter of hours. Minutes actually.
As he swallows, he feels the metallic taste of blood fill his throat.
-See that's the difference between me and you. I can do things you can only dream of.
Hux stay quiet, even though he can feel his limbs getting looser and looser, he stares
straight at Ren. He doesn't give him anything. His eyes stay put on Kylo's mask, guessing
that behind it, Ren must be smirking with pleasure.
-It's laughable really, that you think we're equals.
At full force now, Ren is almost crushing Hux's windpipe, his full arm shaking with anger.
-I see right through you. And it is pathetic.
And in this instant, Hux knows he does. At this moment, an endless train of thought is
getting from Armitage's mind to Kylo's, in a matter of seconds. In a short breath, Ren see
everything that is in Hux's consciousness, his fears, his hates, his dreams.
He can read the disdain and hatred the general has for him, amassed over the years
exercising at his side. He also reads the jealousy he has for him, the holder of strength, that
Snoke has made his protege, feared and respected throughout the galaxy. The shameful and childish envy to take his place, to be in the forefront of the first order. He read the fear of deceiving Snoke, of losing his place, of losing all he fought for. He reads the long
lonely nights of contemplating the galaxy from his empty room. He read the trust and the
sincere conviction he has in the new order. The unconditional, somewhat naive believe he
has in this system as the universal solution.
He read the pain of this very moment, being helpless, detained by the force. He reads the
torture both physical and emotional. Of having his throat crush by him, Kylo, the one man
Hux despises most. How humiliating.
But then, as he storm through Armitage’s mind; a new feeling comes to him, something
deep and hidden, almost invisible. He read something else, a deep, profound yet strong
feeling that Hux is all of a sudden getting from the situation :
lust
desir
Immediatly, Ren releases his grip, letting Hux's body drop to the ground as he
gasps for air.
At first, Armitage release a swelled cry, taking several deep breath, getting some blood
back on his naturally pale chicks. His vision still blurry, he can't get himself to look at Kylo,
his mind still in choc, he can't get anything snappy to say.
he tries to get up, tries to regain his composure, his rectitude, his posture
but his legs fail him and he fall back on his knees. He finds himself unable to stand. Somehow, this, not being capable of just get back up, is more of a humiliation than being choked, he thinks to himself. All of a sudden, he fell two hands groping him and getting him on his feet. He sees the masculine shape of Kylo beside his, carefully helping him regain balance.
That act of kindness is so foreign to Armitage, he doesn't react immediately. When he
realize what is happening, he violently pushes Ren away, now able to stay up.
-Who allowed you to touched me ? he hissed, hastily arranging the folds of her coat.
-General, I..
The doors open and Hux stumbles out of the room. He takes a few steps in the sanitized corridor
before realizing he is shaking. The journey to his own quarters seems to take him hours, every guard he meets almost jumpscares him. When finally, he encloses the door to his room, dark and empty, similar in every way to the one he just left, he collapses on the ground, barely catching his breath. He still feels on his blow the firm and severe grip of an invisible hand.
His hand.
A wave of feelings pass through him. He should feel angry, mad even at what just
happened, but he isnt. It's something else.
“Thank god for the guy who designed the First Order's costumes”
This thought comes to Hux as he walks towards the Supreme Leader's suite. He just got the order to appear before Snoke, and as always, he felt that distinct and familiar tension, usual to those formal meetings, lies in his stomach.
That morning he woke up feeling like his throat was burned with a hot iron. In
going to inspect the extent of the damage, he saw that a large hematoma marked the base of his neck, going up to his Adam's apple. He prevents himself from panicking, takes a big
inspiration, then another, then another. He puts on his official coat, of which he pulled up the collar. He lets out a sigh of relief, the black neckline hides so perfectly his bruise, it looks like it was designed that way.
He always loved clothes of function anyway. The gloves, the boots, the epaulettes and the
belts. Everything that called discipline, restriction, self-control.
He believed a good uniform was the mark of a true leader. That's why he always had been disgusted by Kylo's stylistic choices. I mean, sorry, but black yoga pants doesn't really scream Army Commander. And the helmet always felt a little gimmicky to Hux. It's not like it had any utility...
That's another thing Armitage didn't get : why would Kylo hide his best features ? I mean,
he was no expert but the general could recognize a beautiful man when he saw one, and
Kylo was a hunk. Those cheekbones, those dark intense eyes, his severe yet graceful
profile. That helmet was a waste, not that Hux really cared, of course…
Usually the talks quickly turn into a fair, the tone of the general and
of the commander escalating in no time. But today, knees on the ground, prostrated
in front of Snook, Ren stands silent. Discussions of new military strategies
don't seem to interest him. Several times Hux turns his head slightly towards him,
trying to guess an expression behind the metal mask. But the lieutenant at
looking more concerned than absent. His mind is busy.
When Snoke invites them to leave, Armitage struggles to hide his surprise: Ren hasn’t said a single word the whole time. He applies himself to showing nothing of his astonishment
when they both enter the spacious elevator. The doors close, Hux
having joined Ren in his silence, we hear only the discreet hiss of machinery
slowly descending the compartment several hundred floors per minute.
The black star might have been equipped with the most powerful reactor in the galaxy, welcoming thousands of soldiers every day, store hundreds of vessels and be the project
the most ambitious ever built, the elevator is still a slow and laborious
trip that exceeds Hux like nothing else could. Every minute wasted waiting here is a
minute that could have been taken advantage of the rearrangement of the canteen system, a visit routine, restarting a terminal, repairing the wing of a vessel, a restructuring in the administration...
For Hux, time is a capricious, frustrating thing. He is often found
distraught at the way, crushed by the burden of his responsibilities, time
escapes. There are so many things to do, ships to repair, systems to restructure;
stormtroopers to train, bases to build.
Sometimes, Hux gets so lost in his
thoughts he feels like he got too deep in dark water, with no way to get back to the surface.
He can feel himself drowning, under a mass of responsibility that he barely grasps.
Having the one person he cordially hates as the only company does not help
change one's mind.
Well, in the end, he's not that bad, thinks Armitage. He even risks saying to himself that he
might appreciate this new Ren, the one who doesn't speak when he has nothing to say ... the one
who does not speak at all.
-Does it still hurt?
Hux gasps as he feels Ren's hand on the base of his neck.
His gloved fingers on his
neck feel like burning iron.
-What are you doing ? He says, stepping back, having trouble hiding the very real fear in
his voice.
-I… Your neck, does it still hurt ? Ask Ren, retrieving his hand. The hesitation in his tone
throw Armitage off, he doesn’t think he ever heard him talk that carefully. Actually, before
yesterday, he never heard him talk to him like a person, period.
-No, Hux lies, poorly.
-General, what happened yesterday…
-There’s no need to talk about it, he cut abruptly.
If the atmosphere was tense in the small cabin before, it was now insufferable.
-There is nothing to talk about, he continues. This was just another symptom of your poor
managed anger, Commander.
-You’re right.
Hux twitches, not sure he heard it correctly. He turns to Kylo.
-You’re right, General. I was out of line.
-Yes. Yes you were, repeats Armitage, almost trying to convince himself. In no way should
you be led to that kind of behavior. It is below your position, as First Commander.
The room got quiet a moment, before Kylo broke the silence :
-I mean, I’m not gonna say you asked for it, but…
He let the end of the phrase hang in the air.
-What ?
-General, you’re not a stupid man, Ren says, still very careful in his choice of words,
stepping closer to Armitage.
-You knew what you were doing. You wanted to push me.
Hux doesn’t respond right away. Like he can’t process all of this at once, he raise one arm
in front of him, more as a warning than a defense.
-Don’t come any closer.
Kylo took a step back. Seeing him being so diligent was odd. Hux never thought Ren could
hear him, let alone obey him. So it was as simple as that ? He just had to say it and he’d
comply ? He suddenly feels high on that new discovery, on the whole situation actually.
-You knew full well how I’d react, Kylo goes on, staying in place, I’m not the pacific type.
You deliberately choose to entice me. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were begging
for it…
Armitage could hear the smirk Kylo had on his face as he spoke. He was tired of staring as
this stupid mask, unable to read his interlocutor’s expressions.
He wanted to play ? Alright. Hux could play.
-Take it off.
-What
-Your helmet thingy, he pointed with distain, Take it off.
His voice is surprisingly sharp, it filled the room almost immediately. A moment
passes before Kylo takes off the headgear.
His harsh features were cut even severely in the neon light of the elevator. His hair have
grown a bit, they fall down on his broad shoulders in soft curls.
He catches Kylo following his stare.
-You like what you see ? He grinned.
-You talk too much, Hux heard himself say.
-Make me shut up then.
Armitage smirk.
-I don't think I ever heard you say a joke.
-I’m not joking.
The situation is so surreal, Hux doesn’t care to question it.
He raise his hand, and glaze it over Kylo’s skin, meticulously, like the Commander’s an
artefact to manipulate with care.
He reaches for his neck. Ren’s muscles are tender under his fingers, softer than he
thought. Gently, he place both hands on the base of his neck and, before even realizing it,
he start pushing, until he can hear Kylo’s breathing become painfully hard.
His skin is dry, bare.
Cooler than Armitage imagined for someone so warm blooded.
He hears the hesitations of his breathing, the air escaping from his mouth is soon no more than a fine thread.
As he silently start gasping for air, Kylo’s expression stay closed, but his eyes, staring
straight at Hux, gleamer with provocation.
He still squeezes. Ren lets out a yelp, between a sigh and an exclamation. In
any other situation, Hux would have laughed at it,
but here he doesn’t. Instead, he feels lust washing over him, making his hands skid, as he looks at the Commander porcelain skin.
When did vulnerability become so arousing ? he thought, feeling himself becoming more
and more tighten in his tailor-made pants. As he lust over Ren's features, Hux realize,
when the Commander's expression isn’t torn with anger, he doesn’t look as cynical
anymore. He just looks drain, and way more juvenile.
Ren’s eyes don’t flinch. Even tho Hux’s fingers are now deeply drenched on his neck, he
keeps his head high. Hux doesn’t blink either, as if deflect would be all it take to shatter
this moment.
Soon, only the small whistle could be heard in the small area, his febrile clutch shuddering
against his throat.
The elevator lets out a deep buzz, signe that they are almost at their destination.
Hux hastily removes his hands from Kylo’s neck, as if it had become boiling hot. The reality of the situation hit him like a whip. On the pallid neck, the hands’s red marks draw like a proof of Hux’s culpability. The same wave of feelings as yesterday pass through him. Again, he should feel angry, mad even at what just happened, but he isn't. It's something entirely different that traverses him.
As the doors open on the busy floor, field with soldiers waiting for direction, engineers in
need of assistance and Kylo put his helmet back on, hiding his face and bruised neck at
the same time.
-Well General...
Hux as just the time to see Ren’s smile before he disappear under the iron
mask.
-I guess we’re even, now.