Demoted (Hux X Reader)

Just a Little Closer

Our mornings and evenings are now shared with one another. I can't get enough of his unconventional and effortless charm. I don't even think he's doing it on purpose. I'm simply attracted to him. Maybe it isn't even charm. It's just... something. I don't even know at this point. Does he like me? Yes. But does he like me? I have no idea. Either way, I can't obsess over my feelings for him. He's my superior. I work right under him. It's not allowed. Everyone knows that.

Hux and I work together on the preparations for an important upcoming mission. He sits at his computer smoking a cigarette as I enter the office, datastick in hand.

Hux holds the cigarette back up to his lips with his thumb and middle finger. I recently found out exactly why he holds it that way. It's an akward position so he remembers that he's holding his cigarette while on the job. On top of his constant fidgeting, He tends to forget the cigarette is in his hand when he gets distracted over something, especially when he's wearing his leather gloves. He'll unknowingly drop it and then whisper out a storm of curses when he holds up his hand only to find it empty. It's the same for his lighter too. He always loses it. The one in his desk stays in his desk.

"General." I greet him and hand him the datastick.

He takes it and places it down on the desk. "I'll deal with that later. Pull up a chair next to me. I want you to take a look at this."

"Yes, Sir." I take the chair from the front of the desk and bring it over next to him. He pulls up a holoprojection of a map while he looks at his notes on screen.

"I need another point of view. This is quite possibly the weirdest resistance base I've seen in a good amount of time. We can't bomb the damned thing. The information it holds is far too valuable to destroy. How in the hell are we supposed to take control of it?"

"There's only one entrance. Can't we just knock down their front door? "

"No. It will take far too long and use too many resources. The resistance will have time to destroy most of the information."

"What if we send someone in undercover?"

"I've already thought of that. My sources say this base will be launching an attack on one of our ground bases in the near future. We simply don't have enough time. Your mission with Captain Phasma is put on hold until further notice."

"I assumed so. We can set up a defense and counter while they're headed to our base. They'll have no choice but to turn around."

"That's what I was thinking." He leans back in his chair, silently frustrated, cigarette ashes falling to the floor. He scrunches his orange eyebrows in a glare. "It's our best play at this point. I just don't like it. Too many things can go wrong."

I grab his ashtray and hover it under his cigarette. Hux looks down at it and then over to me, narrowing his eyes. He bites his lips, dampening them, and inhales yet another puff of smoke. He purposely blows it right at my face. Hux leans on the arm of his chair closer to me. "How considerate of you."

I squint my eyes closed and hold my breath until it dissipates. I continue to hold the ashtray out to him as he taps his cigarette on the edge of it. I open my eyes and see him leaning so close to my face. His stone grey eyes are still narrowed and continue to gleam green in a calculating, thinking kind of way; almost as if trying to read me.

I start to blush. "I'm sorry. I don't have anything else to add to your plan. If I have any ideas, I'll let you know."

"I know you will, my Dear." He rolls the cigarette in his fingers and continues to stare.

I simply sit there, ashtray in hand, staring back. I think I'm leaning forward now. Did we just inch closer? "Um. You know I will what?"

"I know you will tell me if you have an idea."

The door finally sounds a knock. Hux flicks his attention over and slowly moves away from me and leans back in his chair. I put the ashtray on the table and sit up in a professional posture. He unlocks the door from his desk and someone enters the room.

Captain Phasma strides in with her usual confident look about her. "General. We have an emergency."

"What is it?" He flicks more ashes in the tray.

"There's been a surprise attack on one of our ground bases nearby. We suffered light casualties, but their supplies have been destroyed."

Hux jumps out of his seat, leaving his cigarette in the tray. "Captain (L/N). Gather any supplies the nearest ship can spare and have it sent immediately."

He runs out of the door with Phasma trailing behind. I pull out my datapad and send requests to nearby fleets.

Damn those rebel scum! They may have started it, but we're gonna end it.