Tenebrific//Frigorific (A Kylo Ren Short Story)

Chapter 3: Fear//Peace

"The sun does not abandon the moon to darkness." –Brian A. McBride

***

            Kylo sits in front of the fireplace, thinking too much. It's the fight between Light and Dark that is constantly catching his attention and demanding analyzation. He's asked his grandfather for guidance but has been left with no help. There's a tugging, a pull that's practically dragging him towards the Light Side, and he won't try to stop it, but he also won't feed it.

            These internal monologues always end with the same reasoning: I've come this far, why turn back and undo it all?

            The sound of a lightsaber being unsheathed snaps Kylo out of his thoughts. Nyx is holding his lightsaber, twirling it lazily.

            "You left this downstairs," she tells him.

            Frowning, Kylo checks his side and notices it's gone. It's rare that he leaves it somewhere so carelessly. He stands up and crosses the room to retrieve it. "Thank you," he says as he asks for it back with an outstretched hand.

            Nyx moves it out of his reach. "Where'd you get it?"

            "I made it. Can I have it back?"

            "So is there a separator between the three or is it all one blade?"

            Kylo sighs, dropping his hand. "It's one."

            "But look." Nyx turns it off and back on again. "The top one comes out first, and then the others. If it's one, wouldn't they come out together?"

            Kylo grins. She's so enticed by simple mechanics. "There's three focusing crystal activators that split the light into perpendicular blade energy channels."

            "Oh." She smiles at it before handing it to him. "I like it."

            "I like you," Kylo mutters as he turns away.

            "What?"

            "Nothing. You should get some sleep, it's late." Kylo returns to his place in front of the fireplace. After a moment, her voice surprises him as he thought she went back downstairs.

            "I like you, too."

***

            Meditation is what Kylo finds Nyx doing almost eighty percent of the time he comes downstairs. She says it helps her harness and control her powers; it keeps her from losing sight and pushing herself too far. He hates to snap her out of it. She's so beautiful and serene while in a state of calm. Her hood is up, hiding half her face, and the coat she wears (that's actually his coat—they have matching outfits) is unbuttoned and falling off her shoulders.

            "I assume you're here to finally tell me why you woke me up." Nyx apparently heard him come in.

            "Wow, it's like you read my mind," Kylo remarks sarcastically. She opens her eyes halfway and smiles at him. "Oh, wait, you did. Yes, that's why I'm here. Unless you don't want to know."

            "I don't have a choice; you'll tell me internally if I resist externally."

            Kylo takes a seat next to her, much like he did when telling her he was putting her under.

            "This morning, General Hux informed me that the Resistance is planning an attack on the First Order."

            "What else is new, Ren?"