Taking Command Book 1 (Kylux) (#Wattys2016)

Chapter Twenty Four: Broken

~I was not explicit at all but still, possible trigger warning *sexual assault*~

Kylo PoV

Today went much as yesterday had gone. Hux and I had walked around and scouted more areas to set up surveillance. We made note of where the surveillance droids most commonly patrolled as well.

The results were very useful. For instance, the droids most often patrolled the areas near the Archive ruins, the old Council chamber, and the living quarters. The Temple itself was a sweet spot for archaeologists, anthropologists, and any other kind of -ologist who wanted to study men in bathrobes. Getting permission to get in was a different story. One had to appeal to a committee in charge of "preserving Coruscant's landmarks", then get special licensing to tour and search the Temple.

Yet, it seemed like a plausible way to do it. It would not be illegal. Archaeologists could take small samples, and the disk would not be large. With mind tricks, getting in would be a cinch. I mentioned this idea to General Hux on the way home.

"That actually could work," he murmured half to himself, after I had given him the idea of masquerading as archaeologists studying the Jedi. He seemed more out of it than I had ever seen him. He was a mix of confusion, fear, anger, and passion.

"You alright?" I asked him, looking at him curiously.

"Yeah... I'm fine. Listen, Kylo, I'm gonna go out tonight." He looked extremely awkward and was turning red. I did not know why.

"That's fine. Just remember that tomorrow we need to rig up those cameras at dinner so whatever you do, make sure you'll be fit by dinner time."

He seemed a little bit offended by my nonchalant attitude. "I'm going to a nightclub. I want to find a nice girl." He frowned a little bit.

"That's nice." I brushed him off. I knew what he was doing, and against my better judgment, I was offended. He was trying to make me jealous by going around with a girl. He was trying to instigate a relationship. Either that, or he was trying to get the attraction he had for me out of his system.

He seemed to deflate a little bit and did not speak to me on the rest of the way home. When we reached the apartment, I flung myself into a chair at the table, and he went into our room, presumably to change for his outing that he was embarking on.

I pitied him. He felt as if he needed to do things like this to gain my attention or affection, or maybe to escape his own emotions. Hopefully, someday, he would realize that to win, he needed to give himself over to his emotions. That is what I had done, and I had been able to shed my weakness and emerge, a phoenix triumphant.

"How do I look?" Hux walked out of our room a dark blue pair of tight pants and a flowy, dark red shirt that had black trim around the cuffs.

"Like your mother dressed you," I replied blithely, chuckling in spite of myself. "Let me help you."

He sighed then let me walk him back into our room. I outfitted him in all blacks and silvers with red accents, with a couple layers on top. I had him wear black, leather pants, a tight red shirt that hugged his trim figure, an artfully ripped gray vest over that, and his own long black coat, belted at the waist to accentuate his body.

"You look a lot more underworldish now," I said, smirking.

"These pants are-" Hux looked nervous, as if he was rethinking his life. I cut him off. This needed to happen, in my opinion. He would either thrive or crash and burn. Either way, it was vital that he get this out of his system now.

"You look fine. Now go have fun," I smiled thinly at him.

He nodded nervously at me before running out the door, leaving me alone with my thoughts and various charts of data.

Six Hours Later

"Ren? Ren?!" I rolled over and ignored the voice whispering my name. I was tired and whoever was calling for me could wait.

"What?" I murmured sleepily, assuming it was Hux. I was right. Hux stood over my bed, minus his shirt and vest and jacket. He looked torn between traumatized and angry.

"I'm sorry," were the first words he said as he told me of his bad experience in the Coruscant underworld and how he would never have whiskey from Wookies again. "I wish I had just stuck around here. The thing that happened.... Definitely should've had a weapon... I don't know what I was trying to prove-"

"Neither do I, but I forgive you, and I'm sorry too." I interrupted him and flung my arms around his neck and kissed him. "I tried to prove I didn't care right back at you," I whispered to him. "I was wrong. You might be insufferable but I adore you and your passion and your beauty."

"I feel so broken," Hux whispered,"I don't know what I am doing anymore. I feel like anything could happen and that scares me."

"Don't be scared. Lay down beside me and sleep and don think about tomorrow. You're not broken, you're just branching out." I laid back down and felt Hux lay beside me and felt his body against mine, and I feel asleep to the sound of his breathing.