DEFIANT • kylo ren (18+)

31 - Finally.

VICRUL'S POV

"You should not manhandle her like that." Ap'lek has arrived in the kitchenette of the strat room - or lair, as Ap says she calls it - to disrupt my brewing. "It's idiotic."

"It's unimportant, is what it is." My words are harsh, and I hope for both our sakes this will scare him off.

It's quiet for a while as I plan to ignore Ap until he goes away, but he opens his goddamn mouth again.

"Ren is watching your every move." His warning is nothing but an annoying chirp in my ear. Ren may not trust me as strongly as he used to, but I'm not one to handle micromanagement well. "Especially around-"

I cut him off. "He doesn't give a shit about her, don't make me laugh." Clearly enough to me, Ap thinks that Ren is protective of her for reasons other than the obvious one.

"You don't know that."

"What I know, is that you're pissing me off." I snap, chucking the spoon I was grasping into the sink. The metal clangs with impact. Why is he still here?

"Good." A grunt from Ap. "Go back and apologise."

I just laugh.

"I'm serious."

Oh. Well, that's not happening. I turn around, mug in hand, and shove it into Ap's chest. He takes it from me with no argument.

"Run that up, would you?" I nod my head in the direction of the spiral staircase.

Ap'leks brows furrow. "Because you are so busy?"

"Ren called for me." This answers his pestering questions and I am left alone.

•

The throne room.

Dark. Sleek. Most importantly... Powerful.

Ren is seated, in the centre of it all, the back of the throne forming a dark halo around his mask.

We have visitors. In a line opposite him stands Hux and two others in similar uniform. I don't bother to inspect their rank. They don't matter to me, we operate outside of - yet, alongside - the First Order.

I sink to one knee as I reach the appropriate distance from the Commander. "Master."

"Vicrul."

Hux is sending me side-eyed glares, struggling to remain quiet. I stand and bow my head at a slight angle in his direction. It's more of a nod than anything, as I cannot bring myself to take him seriously.

"Hux." I purposely leave out his title. Taunting him to do something about it.

For a moment, I think Hux has the audacity to ignore me.

"Knight."

His scrawny voice, addressing me in such a way, peaks my anger. I brush it off by rolling my shoulders, and stand facing Ren.

"The girl?" Ren booms, as if annoyed at having to do it.

"There appeared to be a slight issue," I inform him, "it is being addressed."

Ren's fist clenches around nothing. "What issue?"

I think before I speak, for once.