Up On Ahch-To Hill (A D&D AU Fanfic)

Running Up Ahch-To Hill

It wasn't difficult for Remii to wake at the crack of dawn, she did it in the real world too. In fact, it wasn't difficult for the others either. Luke quickly became impressed by all three of his pupils' eagerness to learn from him in the ways of the Force. It was a similar concentration he'd witnessed years ago...in the presence of the sunset Twi'lek ('Fairy'), in fact. Just as he had back then, Luke sectioned off the three students as he trained them individually. When Fairy finished her round of training, she returned to her hut to 'address important transmissions from the base'. The truth was, it was a mix of both messages from the girls and...someone else. When Remii's training for the day was complete, she took to the beach to run.

It shouldn't have sounded like such a unique task but truthfully, her broken pancreas in the real world stopped Remii from running for long periods of time without her blood sugars plummeting. Here, her pancreas worked as readily as any of her other organs, leaving her to run to her heart's content without growing that familiar tremble on her skin and fogginess in her brain. Grogu remained by Luke's side - from down on the beach, he was as tiny as a pinpoint. Still, Remii smiled at her little green alien, watching as his little grabby hands rejoiced in Finn's round of training. 

Remii needed to run, it might distract her enough to free her mind for even just a splinter of time. Ever since her first meeting with Kylo Ren, she hadn't been able to focus on much else. He was real, and he knew her. As images of him trailed across her mind, Remii's heart began to quicken in pace, antagonizing her further. No, she thought to herself. Stop it.

Remii kicked off her boots when she reached the sand. There was an overcast today so the grains were slightly chilled. It felt good. And when Remii took off, kicking off a trail as she went, her adrenaline shot her right to the edge of the beach. It had felt like only a minute had passed when she reached the rock wall blocking her path, not even finishing the song she sang in her head. She needed more. So Remii ran back, nearly slipping as the sand battled her and wormed its way between her toes. It still wasn't enough. So, Remii took to the steps.

The steps to Luke's village were steep and ever winding. It burned at Remii's calves and burned even hotter within her chest. She continued to climb until she was just out of reach of Ahch-To's peak. By now sweat dripped down her face and her lungs were scorched with sharp wind and the desperate beating of her heart. Remii's pace had slowed drastically, but she was determined to reach the top. Her weary limbs carried her up the hill and as she lifted her gaze--

"Jesus!" she gasped, keeling over with hands pressed to her knees as she caught her breath. She felt like she was well on her way to a heart attack. He remained still as he faced her, watching her as she struggled to breathe. "You need to wear a bell or something."

Kylo Ren inched closer. It was difficult to tell what he was thinking avoiding his face but truthfully, Remii was far too focused on not passing out. He might've suspected just as much as his gleaming boots entered Remii's vision. 

"Remii, breathe," he urged. Easier said than done.

"I'm trying," Remii panted. She hadn't realized how winded she was until now. The adrenaline had completely run out. With every inhale Remii took the air stuck to her throat, making exhales a beautiful blend of painful and difficult. She felt lightheaded now though she desperately tried to hide out. The sudden heat splashing across her head didn't help either. "I've never run so much in my life."

She spoke filterless, as if she'd forgotten who he really was.

"Remii, look at me."

Alright. Remii blinked as she slowly raised her head, her vision slightly blurred. She could barely hear him as she huffed loudly. His eyes were gentle, calm, just as they'd been the day before- the complete opposite to his animalistic appearance during the snow battle. Remii struggled to remember that these two versions of him made up the same person. Kylo inched closer, raising his hand and Remii flinched immediately, squinting her eyes shut. 

"I won't hurt you."

Promise?

Remii peeled her eyes open to see Kylo's now un-gloved hand reaching for her. She wasn't sure of what he was initiating but she had Anakin's saber in her back pocket just in case. She continued to heave and pant as Kylo rested his hand across her collarbone - over her heart - and began exhaling loudly from his nose. His eyes stared into hers intently, as if urging her to do the same. 

Remii no longer heard her heart but she could still feel it as it raced for an entirely new reason. She acknowledged the sizzle of energy that washed through her at his touch as she mimicked his breathing. She stood tall now, though still significantly shorter than him as the two mirrored each other. Remii clapped her hand over his when she realized it was working somehow, whatever he was doing. 

And then Remii swore she nearly saw a curl in his lip, a smile so small you'd need a magnifying glass to see it as he hummed, "you're still excited."

Well, yeah!!

And just like that, Remii's heart raced again, her cheeks burning a brilliant red. She swore she heard a chuckle but it might've just been her own imagination as her gaze lowered again. "Alright," she scoffed, brilliantly embarrassed. And yet, Kylo's hand remained at her heart, a hand so large his fingers curled right over her shoulder. Whatever break there had been in his mold just then had mended itself as he beckoned to her, "watch me. Concentrate."

And so she did. Again they breathed in unison as Kylo guided them. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale. Until finally, Remii had calmed. And when she blinked, he was gone.

Remii's eyes fluttered as she swung her head around, hoping to find him elsewhere. But the connection had timed out, just as it did in the real world when her bloody microwave turned on. Remii exhaled as she stared at the spot where he'd stood, the sensation of his palm lingering on her skin.