Recruit

Chapter 27: A Ride

Ap'lek gives you diluted bacta to soothe your aches and pains, and you halfheartedly sip on some water, your stomach queezy for an entirely different reason than it was before. You sit in the cockpit next to a quiet Kuruk through the atmosphere, back to the steadfast. You don't know what to say even if you could make your lips move. Your heart is aching and tired.

Just as you approach the hanger, you watch a ship speed away into the sky toward space. Your brows furrow in confusion. It doesn't look First Order. It's old and scrappy looking, a disk shape almost. Kuruk audibly growls as he watches it fly away.

"Who...?" but you're sure you know the answer.

"He'll never kill her. Master is a fool for even giving him the chance."

His use of 'master' and 'him' rings with clarity in your mind. You are no longer confused. Just hurt, and scared, and angry. Kuruk lands the ship, and you get up to join the others with him in tow. When the ramp descends, Kylo's figure emerges, sending waves of anger and despair into the ship.

His desperate eyes roam the group of knights, looking for something. You feel dead seeing his face. You can't make eye contact with him even though you're wearing your helmet. You can't look at his broad shoulders shaking with fury. You stare at the helmet in his hand instead as you walk down the ramp with the others. The knights don't speak, they even cover up their disapproval of their master's lack of success.

His gloved hand grabs your jacketed arm as you try to pass. Your breath speeds, but you still can't look him in the eye. The others filter by, heading silently to the quarters. He snatches your club out of your hand and tosses it to Kuruk, who comes out last. When they leave, Master slips his hand down to just above your elbow, holding onto it tight, like a life support. Your limbs remain stiff as he leads you through the hanger.

He stops at a TIE silencer, just like the one he crashed in the desert. The red glass of the viewport is lifted, revealing the inside. He stops at the front, turning to face you.

"Where... I mean," you stumble over your words, terrified to reveal yourself before you've thought this through, "...there's one seat. You're going?"

His expression doesn't change, but his energy is just a little less chaotic. "We...are going for a ride."

He doesn't wait for your response. His spins around until he's behind you, then clutches at your waist, lifting you off the ground. You gasp, but grab onto the ship, pulling yourself up until you're standing on the wing next to the cockpit. Using the Force, Kylo leaps through the air and lands next to you on graceful feet. 

You watch him sink down into the cockpit, kicking the foot petals aside and pushing the handles out of the way. His head tilts up toward you, a small smirk on his face. He tosses his helmet behind him, ignoring the loud crash it makes against the metal of the ship.

"Come." He says with just a hint of playfulness, though his thoughts are clearly still churning with whatever just happened to him.

"Yes, Master." You try to return the same energy, but the word master nearly sticks in your throat. How the fuck am I supposed to do act normal right now?!

You climb down awkwardly, trying to avoid stepping on anything, especially him. His hands grab at your waist, pulling you down as you yank on the glass, enclosing you in the small space of the cockpit. Your heart beats fast, and nerves roll off your shoulders. His hands bring you down onto his lap, his warm body flexing under you.

Your breath picks up as his hands travel up your waist to your shoulders. He grips the sides of your helmet, and pulls it off. You shiver when the chilled air meets your sweaty neck and hair. You hear your helmet being thrown against metal, no doubt going to join his, but you keep your face forward. His hands trail down your arms to your hands, gripping your gloves at your fingertips and pulling them off.