Bond (Kylo Ren x Rey)

Between

Rey concentrated all of her focus on the crates suspended in front of her. Careful to avoid whacking the other crew members with supplies, she walked them slowly to the cargo hold of the Millennium Falcon. She could have done this work physically, which would have cost the crew less anxiety towards the precariously floating boxes of guns and tools, but Rey wanted to work on testing and strengthening her abilities today. Once in the cargo hold, she then tried to arrange the boxes neatly on top of one another. Focusing specifically on a crate of spare parts, the scavenger reached her hand out to help channel her power.

Her vision was suddenly obscured. By Kylo Ren. Rey lost all concentration, leaping backward in surprise as well as losing all concentration on the crates, which crashed to the ground sending the bits and bolts scattering all along the main passage of the ship. He was there. While she was in public. Kylo looked just as surprised as her; what looked like a training saber was hanging loosely at his side as he turned towards her with sweat dripping down his brow. Had he been sparring?

Remembering the bustling people walking up and down the exit ramp, Rey anxiously looked around at the faces bustling about her. No one had seen him. Making an excuse to the crew member grumblingly picking up pieces from the crate she had dropped, the Jedi hastily motioned to follow as she tried to subtly run-walk to her quarters. She didn't even check to see if Kylo had followed. It was to his own detriment if he didn't. Rey surged into her room with Kylo steps behind. She slammed the door closed and turned around to look at him.

"Are you alone?" she interrogated.

"Yes," he said, staring her down.

Rey breathed a sigh of relief but countered sharply, "Did you do this on purpose? Are you trying to expose me to other members of the Resistance?"

Kylo shook his head, defending himself, "No, I was in the middle of training with a combat droid in my chambers when you just kind of...appeared."

He didn't seem as shocked as Rey was; she thought it mostly boiled down to the fact that she had been surrounded by people when the Force bond engaged, and he had been alone. Leia's voice floated into her head at that moment, reminding Rey of her task, her duty. Squaring her shoulders, she decided she might as well make the most of the current connection and talk to him. The Jedi cautiously looked over at him.

——

Kylo stood for a couple minutes observing her awkward silence. He suddenly remembered his training lightsaber and deactivated it. Her previously wild eyes during the beginning of their encounter had calmed into a more restrained but contemplative state. He shouldn't be here. Looking at her. He recalled how she had been able to concentrate hard enough in the past to disappear from their encounters. Kylo was sure that he would be able to do the same as well.

"I'm leaving," he spoke up from his side of the room, starting to gather bits of the Force around him.

"N-no," she blurted, "don't go yet. I, um, have some questions."

What? Kylo was so confused. Why was she telling him not to leave? Was she laying a trap for him? He scrutinized her face for any signs of deception, but the look in her bright eyes and the turn of her mouth showed only a nervous but genuine expression.

"Okay."

Apparently she was settling in for an actual conversation, because she sat down on the floor of her quarters and gestured for him to do the same. Kylo complied, awkwardly crossing his legs. They were sitting across from each other now. Only a foot between them. Why was he obeying her? Acquiescing to her request? His thoughts were ripped out of the forefront of his mind when she spoke.

"Um, so what is the extent of this bond? Do you know what it is? I thought Snoke had been behind it. When he died, wouldn't it have disappeared?" Rey spouted out, her hand palming the back of her neck sheepishly.

Considering her questions for a minute, Kylo gazed back at the scavenger. He wanted to be angry for having to sit here with his enemy; he wanted to want to leave. But when he looked at her face with burning questions written all over it, he couldn't summon the wrath that usually came so naturally to him. He wasn't quite sure why.

"I'm still not sure what this is," gesturing between them. "I read some old texts hoping to find information, but I didn't find anything useful. If the connection had truly originated with Snoke, I don't think we would be sitting here right now. He must have been trying to bait us into action by claiming that he had started this whole bond."

Rey looked into his eyes, "So this wasn't Snoke? This bond is...ours?"

Shivers coursed down Kylo Ren's spine at the mention of that foreign word. Ours.

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Next chapter is a continuation of their lil chat!