Bruises Shaped Like Finger Prints

Ch. 3

"Full power into the thrusters!" General Hux shouted as he walked out onto the bridge. "Prepare for hyperspace!" The First Order was finally on its way to pick up Kylo Ren from his latest meeting with his fellow Knights. He needed to inform them of the new shift in power. Armitage was a bit more than anxious to see him again. The last interaction he had with Kylo was the morning after the battle on Crait. He had parted from the general with a promise before walking out of his chambers and taking off in his TIE Silencer. A promise that the general deeply wished wouldn't be broke. It had been weeks now, nearly a month and Armitage found himself wringing his hands nervously behind his back as he watched the stars warp as the ship's speed picked up.

A few moments later, the ship was orbiting the grey, desolate looking planet that Kylo had told them he would be departing from. When Armitage saw the Silencer approaching, his breath caught in his throat. He looked about to see if any of the officers around the bridge were paying attention to him, he noted none had their eyes on him so he quickly walked off in route to the hanger.

He held his breath as he watched Kylo's ship dock and felt a strange tugging sensation in his chest. Had he really missed him this much? They weren't anything at all to each other. Just an empty prospect Armitage had thought. If that was true though, then why had Armitage practically flung himself at Kylo when he stepped out of his spacecraft, winding his arms around the taller man's neck. "I missed you Ren..." He said nuzzling into the nape of Kylo's neck. Kylo had yet to respond to the man, taken aback by the general's sudden action, eyes wide. A few more seconds went by before he felt himself relaxing in Armitage's embrace. "I've missed you too Armitage." He said, voice distorted from the helmet.

"Why were you gone for so long? I thought it would have only taken you a few days at most..." Armitage said, letting go of Kylo to cast his gaze to the floor. "I needed to handle a few other matters before I could leave the Knights to themselves. And I knew by the time I'd get back... what I had done... the reminders would be gone." He replied reaching out to slip a gloved hand into the collar of Armitage's uniform to rub gently at his neck. "Aye... they are pretty much healed up Ren. At least the ones on my throat are." He said, absently minded rubbing his right side which had been the worst. Kylo retracted himself quickly from the general as if he had been burned. "You are still bruised?" He asked, brows furrowing. "Yes, but I promise you it is very light." Armitage replied trying to wrap his arms around Kylo again.

Kylo backed up, causing Armitage to stumble forward a bit. "Then I look forward to when you are healed General." He said, nodding before stalking out of the hanger. Once again leaving Armitage to his own devices. "Kylo really is determined to see this through..." He thought to himself. A small ghost of a smile appearing on his lips before his features quickly shifted back to his normal stoic expression. "Right then, back to work." He spoke to himself.

Later that evening, after his shift was over and the night simulation was approaching, Armitage found himself distracted at his desk in his quarters. He found himself having to read the page of his data pad over and over again. The information just wouldn't sink in. His mind was on what his next moments with Kylo Ren would be like, not Phasma's message about training new recruits. "Damn him..." He whispered into the otherwise empty room. And before he knew it, he had marched all the way down to Kylo's own quarters, standing hesitantly in front of the door.

"What the hell am I doing here? This is absurd! I have much more important matters to attend to then my hea... then... then..." Then there it was again, that familiar pull in his chest when near the force user. "General? I thought I heard you." The sudden presence of Kylo made Armitage's head spin. He hadn't even heard the hiss of the door, too lost in his own thoughts. "Is there something you need Hux?" He asked. "I um... I just wanted to see you I suppose..." Was all Armitage could think to say and not what was truly going through his mind. "I need to feel your hands on me and to hell with your stupid vows."

"Well, you see me." Kylo said. Was that a grin gracing his lips? Armitage shook his head a bit, mesmerized by it. "I... may I come in?" Armitage asked. Kylo nodded and moved out of the door way so Armitage could get by. The general went directly to the bed and sat down on the edge. "Kylo I understand this business of you not wanting to put your hands on me until the bruises are gone... but... in all honesty... I not only missed you when you were gone this past 4 weeks but... since we stopped... seeing each other I've missed your touch... almost desperately. I've grown so used to you slipping into my bed in the middle of the night or you calling me to yours that... Kylo... I have feelings for you. You know this... I just... I love you Ren."

Kylo's face softened and he went to sit beside Armitage on the bed. "Armitage... I am doing this because I love you. And I need to prove it to you. I vowed to not touch you again until those nasty marks I caused are gone." He said. "Damn your vows Ren! I miss you...your touch...your lips...your b-body against mine." Armitage's bottom lip started to quiver as he finished. "Armitage, do you not think I miss it as well? I want to be with you Armitage. Be your lover, the one you run to, the one you feel safe with. I need to make sure that you do." Kylo replied.

"Blast it all Kylo!" Armitage yelled before tackling him, pressing his lips to the other man's. "I said damn your vows! Put your hands on me!" Kylo kissed back in earnest, tongue sliding along Armitage's, and hands gliding down his clothed back. "Is this really what you want from me?" Kylo asked pulling away for a moment. Armitage pulled him back in for another kiss before responding. "If it wasn't, I wouldn't have all but launched myself at you." He said beginning to shrug out of his uniform. "You said yourself, the next time you'd be touching my body is out of love. Show me that Kylo. Make love to it." His words began to shake with his breath.

Kylo grunted and sat both of them up, Armitage falling into his lap. Kylo threw Armitage's uniform shirt to the ground along with the black tank top he always wore underneath. Armitage bit his lip, watching Kylo now working on his standard issue belt. Once he had it off, Kylo made short work of his boots, pants, and boxers. "Lie back for me." Kylo huskily whispered into Armitage's ear, causing his face to glow as red as his hair. This time felt different to all the other times they had been in bed with one another. It seemed so much more intimate, so much more meaning behind Kylo's actions. "Now come on, let's go to sleep." Kylo whispered into his ear as he laid beside him.

"DAMN IT KYLO!!!"