Negotiations (Kylo Ren x Reader)

The Boys Are Back In Town

Everything was on fire when you came to, your throat dry and your skin soaked through with sweat. You blinked, squinting through bright lights that burned your eyes, a groan slipping from your lips. Memories began flooding back, you groped at your abdomen for the handle of a knife, but found only a wrapped bandage. A shadow fell over you, and you found yourself gazing up at Trudgen.

"Awake?" He asked, his calculating brown eyes roving over your face, then down your body. Your eyes widened.

"What are you doing here?" You voice was gravelly, throat aching on each word like you'd swallowed sandpaper. Ap'lek came up on the other side of the bed, then Vicrul took his spot at the end.

"The boys are back in town." Vicrul grinned, then turned a serious gaze on you. "So much for you being able to defend yourself."

"I believe I put a dagger through the heart of the assailant." You huffed, trying not to think of the conversation that had to have occurred for Trudgen and Ap'lek to be here right now. Your heart beat faster in your chest.

"That you did. And by doing so snuffed out our only suspect in your assassination attempt."

"General Hux requested to be notified as soon as she woke. I'll do the honors." Ap'lek said, striding out of the room with the door sliding shut behind him. You groaned, knowing when he came to your side, you wouldn't have a moment of peace.

"Could he not? I'm not in the mood to be fussed over." You grimaced again as you attempted to shift, pain stinging up into your chest.

"Normally I'd oblige, but since this whole ordeal is your own fault, you get to suffer through Hux." Vicrul smirked as you scowled. "He's been in a right state. I've never seen anything like it."

"Can you at least send someone to come and sedate me before he gets here?" You found a cup full of fresh ice on your bedside table, and you shook some into your mouth, closing your eyes as the moisture hit your palate.

"Not a chance." You laid back against your pillow, preparing for the worst. But nothing could have quite prepared you for the ginger whirlwind that came thundering in, his accusatory stare on you.

"Do you have any idea how close I came to losing you?" He sat down on the edge of your bed, while Trudgen and Vicrul faded into the background. "You can't slip your guard like that, not ever again." You sighed, looking down at the green comforter, unable to meet his intense gaze. He grabbed your chin, hard enough to get your attention, but not to cause you pain. Not like Kylo. You finally glanced up, his thumb stroking your cheek. "Do you understand me?"

"Who was it that tried to kill me? And why?" You pulled yourself up, bracing your wound with your palm and leaning back against the propped pillows. Hux sighed, pulling back his hand and giving you a hard look.

"The Bothan you killed carried no identification. I personally searched the databases of the New Republic with a sample of his DNA but there was no match. He was likely hired by an outside party." You huffed, resisting a strong urge to peel back the tape on your bandage and assess the damage for yourself. Every breath sent shooting pains up your ribs, so it was likely you'd be in for a difficult recovery.

"I killed the one who stabbed me, but what about the others? He was camouflaged by a group of at least ten." Memories flashed in bits and pieces, Hux's terrified attempt to comfort you, Vicrul's commanding tone, the strong scent of antiseptic and a roaring fire of pain blazing at every movement.

"I had them detained and questioned. They are the delegation from the Beheboth system. They had no idea who the assassin was." You narrowed your eyes, because of course they would say that.