Lingchi

Just a Kiss

"Why do you love me for who I'm not?" He asked, his eyebrows drawing together in confusion as he started at the woman who made him insane. Who made him feel a lot of things, more things than anyone else every could.

"Why do you mistake yourself for another person?" She returned as she looked to his lips and then looked down all the way at their feet, a soft sigh escaping her lips. She wanted Ben back, she wanted him to stop hiding under Kylo's mask, "You need to stop hiding under Kylo Ren's mask, Ben... please... I need you back." Hope whispered as she place a small hand on his chest, feeling the way his heart hammered on his rib cage.

"Ben is gone." Kylo replied without emotion in his voice, though his eye betrayed what his voice did not; showing what he truly felt inside, sorrow, sadness... regret.

"I know he's there; you cannot have the bad without the good." She told him, her hand sliding up to his cheek, she had hope. She was Hope... she knew he was there. No matter how much he claimed Ben was gone.

"Why do you love him? He was weak..." he nuzzled his cheek into her hand, feeling the comfort coming from it, feeling the call from the light; it was strong. Especially being around her. And he felt so close to giving in and giving up. But this was his own mission, he was Kylo Ren.

"No, he wasn't. He was good, he was kind. He was gentle, and he is still there. Trapped in the dark with only a candle to be his light. But no matter how hard the darkness tries to blow it out, it will not go out." Her other hand found his bandaged cheek, then she pulled him down just slightly so their lips touched, just touched. They didn't kiss each other until he moved just slightly, his arms snaking around her waist to pull her close as he started to kiss her gently.

Ben held his breath, he was so close to Hope. He was holding the woman he loved, he had to suppress it for so long. But now... he held her, "Hope." Ben whispered as he pulled away slightly, his eye open to stare at hers, and a soft smile grazed her face as she kissed Ben once more, tenderly and loving. She was kissing Ben, there was no Kylo Ren; only the man she loved, only the man she thought about everyday.

"I've missed you." He whispered, a soft smile grazing his face. The light was clear as day, it might've been hard to tell Kylo from Ben, but Kylo only had the darkest set of eyes, cold and emotionless. While Ben's eyes were alive and bright, it wasn't hard to tell, "I've missed you too." She replied, kissing him once more, falling in love with the feeling of him holding her close; slowly, he released her and stepped away. Needing to put his mask back on before anyone got suspicious of how long he was taking with Hope.

She gently caressed his face before taking a step back, but he didn't want to let go of her, in fact, he just tightened his grip on her waist. Once more pulling her back to his chest, a small little grin playing on his face, she could feel what he could feel; love, happiness...

She couldn't help herself as she smiled and kissed him again, chuckling against his lips as he squeezed her and then smiled against her lips, "I love you..." he mumbled against her cheek, Hope smiled slowly as she stood a bit taller to reach his ear, "I know."

They parted once more, the feeling of love was still between them. But the danger of being caught was greater, "I'll see you." He whispered, and then it was like Ben just ebbed away.

He did, Kylo came back. Or, Ben just put the mask back on.

She sighed to herself as she watched the man, it was weird. She could just tell the difference between them... Kylo was jealousy and anger...

Ben was happiness and kindness. Two totally different things that were the same person.

Hope only shook her head, stepping away from Kylo Ren, his eyes on her and watching her every move, "What was that kiss for?"

"It was for Ben." Hope replied as she sat down on the bed once more and set her hands on her knees, trying to control her emotions so she could keep them away from Kylo, but the other one she didn't keep from him was the persistent hunger.

"I will return with food." He said a bit bluntly as he turned away from her and walked out of the cell, another mask of no emotions in place. Hope watched him leave her, then she sighed in relief and laid down on the bed. A smile soon grazing her face as she thought of him... all the good things. Though you couldn't have the good without the bad, you can still imagine that there wasn't a such this as the bad.

And for a few minutes, Hope was allowed peace without anyone to disturb her. She was fine for now, she was happy; because what had just conspired, was the best thing that ever happened to her. And it would leave a lasting mark on her heart.

After a few moments of sitting in silence; Kylo returned with a tray of food. Which he sat down on a bench and then scooted it over to her, she slowly sat up and looked at him. Almost with a look that told him to go away, Hope then stood and walked over to the bench, took the tray before retreating to her bed and sitting down.

Hope wanted him to leave her alone so she could eat her food in peace. But he wasn't listening to her thoughts, or seeing and understanding her body posture. He just kept his eye on her, watching her with the darkness. He didn't care how uncomfortable he made her, he just wanted to be around her. Kylo was like Ben, in one way only. His love for Hope.

"Don't you have a hyperdrive?" She asked him, picking at her food, then taking the smallest bite possible as her eyes were glued to the floor, not looking at him. Supposedly making ideal chat with him until he decided he was done with watching her; though Hope was curious as to why they were not there already. She was rather sure they had a hyperdrive to get them there faster, not that she wanted to get there any faster, she was just curious as to why it was taking so long.

"Yes. We do... it's being fixed." She had to take another bite of her food to prevent herself from smiling, thank God for Poe Dameron. He did amazing things.

"It'll be finished soon." As if he was trying to reassure Hope; she only scoffed at him - just ignoring what he had said in favor of continuing eating her food until she was full.

Which she only ate half, Hope swallowed before getting up and setting the tray down beside Kylo.

Once more, she returned to her bed, laid down and pulled the blanket over her body. She was going to sleep and simply sent the exhaustion into the air. Knowing fully well that he took the hint, which is why he got up and took the tray with him.

And for a moment, there was peace. Until she saw flashes of a lightsaber colliding with another one, then the face of the very man she had known for a long time...

Luke.