No, silence is good. It’s been a stressful couple of days, regrouping after your friends blew up our base.
Rey sputters, “Oh, I’m sorry…”
Hux pauses the food he’s about to put in his mouth to look at her in surprise.
She realizes what she’s just said. “I didn’t mean—”
Hux bursts out laughing at her awkwardness. “Relax… I know what you meant.”
Why am I really here? I don’t understand.
Because I think you have potential. Snoke thinks you have potential. I really wish you would embrace this. I’m giving you the opportunity to ask me anything. You have the leader of the First Order willing to answer any of your questions. Do you have any?
I haven’t thought about it, Rey says, confused.
That’s the problem. If you’re still loyal to the resistance, how can you help them if you can’t even take advantage of the opportunity you have now? What do you want to know? Future plans? Secret plots?
Rey sits back in her chair, and picks at her food. “Future plans?”
Bring order to the galaxy, Hux says majestically. “Imagine how much more effectively you would help them if you were trained?” He leans forward. “I’m not asking you to change your allegiance. I’m just asking to let me teach you.”
What do you really want from me? Rey is suddenly suspicious.
I want your cooperation. If not, I’ll have to send you back to Kylo Ren.
Rey shudders, conflicted.
Hux raises an eyebrow. “You don’t like that? Or maybe you do? Do you like what he does to you?”
I just want to be free.
Hux ignores her statement and continues. “I would never tie you up the way he does.” He leans forward and says in a hushed tone, “I would make you beg first.”
Rey nearly drops the glass of water she was about to drink. “What?”
Hux leans back in his chair and laughs softly, sipping his glass of wine.
I know how brutal Kylo Ren can be… You’re always welcome here, Rey. He motions to the couch. “You can sleep there if you’re ever afraid. Or you take the bed, I’ll take the couch.”
Rey spends the rest of the time with him playing a game of chess. She becomes engrossed in it, learning from his comments and his moves. They don’t talk much. It ends when Hux has to leave.
Rey doesn’t have anywhere to go on the craft except back to Kylo Ren’s room. She is relieved to find it empty. She ponders what Hux said to her. She doesn’t understand what game he is playing. She’s frustrated, feeling like she’s out of her depth. Maybe she would take him up on his offer. If anything, she knew it bothered Kylo Ren.
Kylo Ren didn’t return until halfway through the night. By then, Rey had changed into one of his shirts because she couldn’t find anything else, and was curled up in his bed, sleeping.
He enters and Rey can sense frustration within him. He tosses his stuff down carelessly and turns on the light. Rey cringes at the brightness.
Oh, am I disturbing you? he says mockingly.
Rey jumps out of bed, angry. “No. We need to talk.”
About what? The difficulties of scrubbing rust off spare parts?
What happens when we get to Moraband?
Kylo Ren shrugs sadly. Losing his energy. “We train you with the Knights of Ren.”
I train? Then you should take this collar off of me and start treating me like a human being. You can’t handle me without it?
I’ll take it off when we get to Moraband. He pauses. “How was your time with Hux? Did he teach you anything other than how to suck up to your superiors?”
Are you threatened?
You’re joking. Hux is nothing but a gundark sucking on Snoke’s—
Rey yells, exasperated. “I can’t live with you!”
You don’t have a choice.
I want freedom. I don’t want to be controlled by you. You are barbaric and sadistic, she spats.
I’m barbaric? Kylo almost sounds indignant, then he nods. “That’s true. ” He shrugs. “And? Do you want me to change? Contort myself into your ideal man? Twist myself into something painful for your pleasure?”
Why do you say these things? she says, disgusted.
Cause you’ll never— He stops. On the verge of saying a word he might regret. A word that makes him vulnerable.
Never what?
Kylo shakes his head. He unclips his light saber and holds it up. Rey flinches, thinking he is going to use it on her. She is surprised when he tosses it to her. “Fire it up,” he says.
Kylo gets down on his knees in front of Rey. “Do your worst. Do whatever you want to me. I won’t fight you. I won’t resist. Take your revenge.”
She swings the saber at him and stops at his neck, holding it there. He closes his eyes and lowers his head, fully expecting to feel the heat cut through his neck. Rey strains with the conflict within her. She finally has the chance… and she can’t do it…
She shuts the blade down. “I didn’t think you could possibly GET more frightening. Kylo Ren,” she says his name with disdain. She steps away and starts moving towards the door. “I’m leaving.”
He gets up. “I won’t stop you. I don’t want you here anymore. I don’t care if you sleep out in the cold, on metal grating.”
She THROWS the saber at him. He catches it easily.
As soon as the door closes behind her, Kylo wishes she were back. He doesn’t want to stop her, but he desperately hopes she will come back on her own. That she’s not really so upset she would rather sleep in a cold, drafty corridor, than with him.
He questions why he is so cruel to her. And worries what will happen when they arrive on planet. With a rebellious apprentice and a mortal wound, he would surely be challenged for leadership by the Knights of Ren. He knows he’s up to the challenge. But it frightens him. Especially that he might look weak in front of Rey.
Rey grew up in a harsh climate and she had to be incredibly strong to survive. Kylo Ren doesn’t think she could ever love somebody weaker than her. Think she despises weakness. Kylo Ren doesn’t delude himself— He is the strongest of the Knights of Ren. For now. He lays down and waits.
—-
A knock on the door awakens Hux in the middle of the night. He gets up, frowning at the intrusion and goes to the door. His mouth falls open in surprise when he sees who is at the door.
Rey, it’s the middle of the night… He sees her clear distress, her vulnerability as she looks up at him with the wide eyes of a puppy. “But, of course, you can come any time.” He motions for her to enter.
Rey enters and leans against the wall and stares up at him shyly. “I’m sorry, I, he—”
He hurt you? Hux asks, concerned.
She looks away. “Not quite…” She sighs, frustrated. “I can’t seem to ever speak clearly around you.”
Hux steps forward and puts his hands on her shoulders. “Oh, Rey… You’re distress is so… adorable, that it hurts me a little bit…” Rey’s heart pounds as he moves closer to her.
Do you need to talk? he asks, cupping her face in his hands. He leans in close, his body pinning her against the wall.
I— I don’t know, she stumbles.
He whispers into her ear. “Anything you need.”
He looks into her eyes then. His face so close, so intimate. His eyes cool and calm. She only has to move ever so slightly to plant a gentle kiss on his lips.
He doesn’t move, only continues to regard her with his cool gaze. She immediately regrets kissing him. Feeling like she just made a big mistake. Thinking his impassive gaze means he’s rejecting her.