First You Get Hurt, Then You Get Sorry

Making Up

When the door opens Hux has a small amount of hope in him that it will be Ben. It's not, it's the jedi girl. She brings breakfast in and sets it down. "Where's Ben?"

"You really think he ever wants to see your ass ever again?" She raises an eyebrow. Guilt. He hates that he feels guilty for what he did now.

"No." she turns to leave and he stares at the food. He's not hungry, he feels nauseous whenever he eats. She comes back in an hour to retrieve the tray.

"Oh, what. Don't tell me you're depressed or something?" She sounds annoyed as she takes the untouched tray.

"It's possible, whatever Skywalker did." He trails off. It's silent for a long while.

"You hurt my cousin pretty bad, alright? For some reason he's really upset over you."

"I want to apologize."

"Do you mean it?" Her tone softens and he looks up at her.

"Yes, i do."

"Well," she pauses again. "I'm not sure he wants to talk to you. He's trying to get over you. I'll see what I can do. Your trial is today. I don't think you'll get the chance to speak to him before that."

"Trial?" He stands up quickly.

"Since you tried to leave they will have to give you a punishment." She nods bbto him. "A guard will come back to get you later."

"Okay." He sits back down on his bed.

It feels like forever before they come and get him. They tie his hands behind his back and walk him into a large room. Hux spots Ben immediately, man's eyes are downcast and he doesn't stand at the beginning of the trial.

As they proceed it sounds like the General has already made up her mind. She is willing to hear his testimonies but he can tell she's ready to have him executed.

"General Brendol Hux the second, you will be punished by-"

Ben rounds the podium and whispers to his mother. She listens with no change of emotion. He looks at Hux briefly before walking out of the building.

The General sighs. "Hux, on the grounds of the information Ben Solo has given me, you are to spend your time as a prisoner until you can prove otherwise."

The room bursts into yells, Hux is grabbed by the arms. He can barely stand he's in shock. Ben saved him. Whatever he said had saved his life. He's escorted back to his chamber, Rey is with the guards.

"You are one lucky asshole, Hux."

"What did he tell her?" He knows she was sitting close to the podium, she had to have heard.

"He said he would stop them no matter who got hurt. He wouldn't let anything happen to you, even if it makes him a traitor. Again, lucky he didn't say her to have you tortured before death."

"He saved me." He can hear disbelief in his own voice.

"He sure did."she nods.

He has to find a way to get to Ben. He has to make it up to the man.

***
In the coming weeks he's given new clothes, Rey says Ben helped in getting them to him. He's appreciative of the gesture. Another thing he can add to the list of "thank Ben for."

Rey bursts in with a smile on her face. Hux has come to call her an acquaintance. She visits him now that Ben doesn't.

"He's alone!" She grins and bounces her way to where he stands.

"Rey, this means nothing to me. Explain."

"He's alone, repairing a vehicle on the cliff side next to the flight bay, cmon. Lets go!" She grabs his arm. He can only assume she means Ben. She wants to take him to talk to the man. He follows her a bit reluctantly. "He's over there," She points and pushes him. "Go." She giggles.

"What if I'm not ready for this?"

"Come off it, you like him. He likes you. Just talk!"

He blushes "I do not."

"Ugh, I get it your pride is fragile, but who cares. This is your chance. You told me you wanted to thank him and apologize. Now is that time." She crosses her arms and taps her foot.

"Fine," he spins around towards the man. From far away Hux can see him against the blue sky and green grass. He's working on a cruiser. Ben is wearing a loose fitting shirt, his hair tied back into a messy bun. The man reaches for his water and in doing so looks at Hux. Without taking a drink Ben returns to his work quickly.

Hux straightens the collar on his shirt and stands up a bit straighter. He walks like he used to, arms behind his back like he means buisness. It quickly fades, he knows he looks rediculous, and he is trying to be humble. "Ben." His voice comes out quiet.

"Hux." The words have a bit of ice behind them, the man doesn't look up from his work.

"Ben, I want to-"

"Hux," The man interupts him "the problem is not within you, or within me." Ben looks up at him and his breath catches. He doesn't remember the brown in the man's eyes being so intense. Maybe it's because now he sees all of the struggles in Ben. "The problem is that you used me."

Ben stands looking down and him. "but I forgive you." the man smiles warmly "I forgave you the moment I saw you at the trial. The moment I knew my mother was going to kill you."

"You stopped her. I'm forever in your debt." Hux inclines his head.

"You are lucky I love you, Brendol Hux the second." Hux's heart swells, he can see the emotion in Bens eyes just as much as he hears it from the man's lips. "I'll try to see if I can get your charges waved slightly, get back some luxuries tha-"

Hux leans forward and places his lips on the man's cheek, stopping the words as the flow. "Thank you, Ben." He steps away, the man's eyes are wide and his cheeks are red in embarresment.

"Y-You're welcome"

He looks down at his feet before raising his eyes and softly saying "I'm sorry, for what did." There's a pause of awkward silence. "Maybe we could start over? For real this time."

"I'd like that." The jedi nods and slowly smiles again.

"I'm not sure I'll ever be good company, though. I'll always be bitter and mean."

"I don't care." Ben grins.

Ben escorts him back to his room and he actually feels happy for the first time since he was captured.

In the morning the door opens and he smells breakfast. "Rey, I hope you brought coffee with that." he smirks as he gets up.

From the living space he hears another voice "Of course I brought coffee." It's a man s voice. He smiles wider as he enters the living space. Ben is setting up two trays of food.

"I missed seeing you." It escapes his filter but he finds he doesn't really care.

"Oh really?" Ben sits down.

"Possibly, hard to miss a face like that." He smirks as he sits down.

"Your jeers won't have any affect on me, I know they're fake."

"Darrn, you're starting to see through me." He playfully hisses.

"Eat your breakfast, Gingerbread."

Hux tosses a piece of toast at the man's face.