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Kylo Ren stalked through the halls of the Finalizer. His mood was foul, and the list of his duties wasn’t helping. He’d been restless all day, irritated and distracted. But more than anything, he craved caf.
He stopped in his tracks, frowning involuntarily. He hated caf. He always had. He didn’t understand how anyone could stomach the bitter, utterly disgusting brew. So why in the galaxy did he now feel an insatiable urge for it?
The craving was persistent and inexplicable. He tried to push the thought aside, but was unsuccessful. Against his better judgment, he turned and made his way to get himself a cup of the drink he despised.
The smell of freshly brewed caf hit him as he entered the room. It was mostly empty, save for a familiar figure seated at a corner table.
Hux.
Kylo stopped and stared. The General sat bolt upright, his immaculate uniform as pristine as ever. But there was something different about him. A faint smile played at the corners of his lips as he sipped a steaming cup of caf. It was a smile Kylo rarely saw. He decided he liked it.
Kylo stiffened. Fortunately, the desire for caf subsided. Instead, an unexpected wave of satisfaction washed over him. One that didn’t belong to him, he realized.
The craving for caf. The warmth of contentment. The emotions weren’t his. They were Hux’s.
He stepped closer, his mind racing. As much as he hated to admit it, he needed to understand. He wasn’t imagining this, was he?
Hux glanced up, his faint smile vanishing when their eyes met. “Ren,” he said sharply, setting his cup down. “What do you want?”
Kylo ignored the hostility in his tone. “Is it your first cup of caf today?”
Hux blinked, clearly caught off guard. “What kind of ridiculous question is that?”
“Just answer,” Kylo demanded, his voice urgent.
“Yes. And?” Hux’s tone was clipped, irritated.
Kylo crossed his arms. “And you’ve been craving it all morning, haven’t you?”
Hux’s glare deepened. “I fail to see how my drinking habits are of any concern to you.”
Kylo nearly rolled his eyes. “This morning, I couldn’t stop thinking about caf. I hate caf. But I needed it. I couldn’t figure out why until now.”
Hux raised an eyebrow, his irritation giving way to a flicker of curiosity. “Are you saying I influenced your breakfast choices?”
“I’m saying I think we’re connected. Through the Force.”
Hux scoffed. “That’s absurd.”
“Is it?” Kylo challenged, stepping closer. “Have you noticed anything strange lately? Any feelings that didn’t seem like your own?”
Hux didn’t answer right away. His gaze dropped, his lips pressing into a thin line. Kylo felt hesitation from him, faint but unmistakable.
Ren thought back to the last few days. Emotions had washed over him that didn’t quite align with his own. Two days ago, he had felt an unusual sense of restlessness. He’d been alone in his quarters when suddenly, he was overwhelmed by the need to do something. At the time, he’d assumed it was just the pressure of his mission, but now he knew better. That restlessness had come from Hux.
Kylo was jolted out of his thoughts by Hux’s sigh. “Yesterday, I was in my quarters, working. I felt an overwhelming burst of anger. It came out of nowhere. I destroyed a chair and startled Millicent in the process.”
Kylo’s stomach twisted as the memory resurfaced. A mission gone wrong, his temper spiraling out of control.
“That was me,” Kylo admitted.
Hux’s gaze snapped back to him, his frown deepening. “You’re serious?”
Kylo nodded. “Just like the craving for caf wasn’t mine. It was yours.”
Hux stared at him, his expression unreadable. Kylo could feel the General’s frustration, his reluctance to accept something so outlandish. But Kylo didn’t sense outright denial.
Before either of them could speak again, Kylo felt something sharp and hot twist in his chest. His breath hitched. He fought to push the strange feelings away.
Hux straightened suddenly, his eyes narrowing. “Ren,” he said slowly, his voice laced with suspicion, “are you feeling… jealous right now?”
Kylo stiffened. “What? No.”
“Don’t lie to me.” Hux leaned forward slightly, his gaze cutting. “I can feel it.”
Kylo’s pulse quickened. He opened his mouth to argue, but nothing came out. He couldn’t deny it because it was true. He was jealous.
Hux tilted his head, his frown deepening as if working through the puzzle aloud. “What could you possibly have to be jealous of? We were just talking about caf and—” He stopped abruptly, his eyes widening in realization. “Millicent.”
Kylo blinked. “What?”
Hux leaned back, a slow, mocking smile spreading across his face. “You’re jealous of Millie!”
Kylo didn’t respond, his silence speaking volumes.
“Millicent,” Hux drawled, savoring every syllable, “is my cat.”
Kylo’s mind blanked for a moment. “Your cat?”
“Yes. My cat. A dignified and elegant creature, certainly more refined than some people.”
Kylo felt the heat rise in his chest, and this time it wasn’t the jealousy from Hux, but his own frustration at the situation. He had been jealous of a cat.
Hux chuckled, his smirk growing wider. “The mighty Kylo Ren, jealous of Millicent. This might just be the highlight of my week.”
Kylo glared at him, his fists tightening. “You’re insufferable.”
Hux raised his caf cup in a mock toast. “And yet, here we are.”
Kylo could feel everything now, as though accepting the connection had made it stronger. The bond between them was undeniable. What had started as fleeting sensations had become a flood of emotions.
Kylo crossed his arms, his gaze intense. "But why are we only feeling it now?"
Hux raised an eyebrow, finally abandoning the teasing tone. “You think this bond is some sort of timing coincidence?”
Kylo narrowed his eyes. “I think it’s the Force trying to tell us something.” The question is, what?
Hux shook his head slowly. “Well, we’ll have to see about that.” They would figure it out. Together.