The Cruellest Thing

The Branch

The next day they barely spoke. They gathered food and continued to make rope from the cables they had found, after a couple of hours they finally had something that resembled a rope and make-shift climbing irons. The rain had finally stopped and they decided to try to climb the tree.

Rose's overalls had dried and she could finally shed the large coat. Hux folded the coat neatly and put it back into his backpack.

He hesitated for a moment before he started to unbutton his jacket, then his shirt. He folded the clothes and put black leather gloves on. Rose observed him from the corner of her eye while she piled up firewood.

When she patched him up she had seen that he was rather skinny, but without his uniform jacket with its shoulder pads he looked almost unhealthy, haggard and sickly. There were old bruises and cuts visible on his bare back. He didn't look like a powerful general but rather like a poor miner from some Outer Rim colony.

He ran his hand through his hair and stepped under the lowest branch. He jumped up and took hold of it. He pulled himself up awkwardly and caught his breath before grabbing hold of the next branch. Within minutes he was several meters above ground.

He reached for the hook and the rope attached to his belt and threw the hook upwards towards the next branch that was out of his reach.

He needed a couple of attempts before the hook and the rope were wrapped around it. He pulled at the rope and tested its stability before he put on the climbing irons on and slowly moved towards the canopy.

Rose stood under the tree, watching him. She had to admit that she had half expected him to fail. He didn't exactly look athletic after all.

When he jumped down from the lowest branch, he smiled and handed her the fuel injectors.

"They're a little scorched but they seem functional."

Rose blinked and returned the smile before she could stop herself. "Uh, good." She turned them around and checked them. They seemed fine.

He ran his hand again through his hair and seemed uneasy. He stalked over to his clothes and quickly put the jacket back on. As soon as he had closed the topmost button he turned to face her again. "Your turn, specialist."

"Alright, let's go-"

"It's only a matter of hours before the sun sets. I suggest we go first thing in the morning."

She looked up, the sun was indeed quite low. She sighed. "You're right, I just can't wait to get off this planet."

"Depending who is picking up the signal you won't be so glad to leave," he dryly said.

Rose paused. She knew of course that it was possible that the First Order would find them before the resistance did. She had tried her best to forget about this option, but thinking about it now dimmed her mood. "I guess."

"Do you want me to check your splint?" Hux asked after they had eaten and sat around the fire.

"Alright, it looks fine to me though."

He scooted next to her, after a look he said: "I'll take the rag off to check on the bone."

She nodded and watched him unwrap her arm. The bulge was still visible but she thought it looked better – but perhaps she was just imagining things.

He held her arm tenderly when he resplinted it. It felt surprisingly good to be touched by a fellow human being. For a moment she looked in the fire and imagined that it was Finn or Poe who was vetting her.

"I'm done," said Hux, his clipped voice shattered her illusion.

She was embarrassed and pulled her arm back, held it with her left hand where he had touched her.