When Light Meets Dark - Kylo's Sister

Pride and Pain

"Loving someone is giving them the power to break your heart, but trusting them not to."

~Julianne Moore

Kylo

"You know, to meditate you actually have to close your eyes,"

I opened my eyes to see Rey staring back at me, a smile playing on her lips. I had sensed her opening her eyes periodically and closing them. She let out a sigh and then said,

"I'm trying, I really am," the sunlight cut across her face as she sat cross-legged facing the window. A thick blanket of warmth seemed to hang over the training room in the late afternoon and I was grateful for my decision to wear a t-shirt instead of the uniform. Rey had not been so wise.

"But its just so hot," she slipped a finger into the neck of the black uniform shirt and tugged.

I shook my head. "Have you cleared your mind?" I asked.

She hesitated before she replied, "Yes, I think so."

I stood to my feet and Rey followed. We'd picked one of the largest training rooms at the top of the west tower so that we had enough space to train. Using the force, I pulled my lightsaber towards me from across the room. Rey did the same and then looked up at me expectantly.

"Okay, let me see your stance." I watched Rey position her legs and hold her lightsaber up with both hands. She'd tied the front of her hair back and out of her face while the rest of it fell all over her shoulders.

"Good, good," I said, beginning to circle her. I faced away from her and then turned back unexpectedly, my lightsaber extended and flying towards her. Rey responded immediately and there was a burst of sparks as her blue blade met my red one.

"Excellent," I said. She smiled back and then bit her lip.

"You know, you have a bad habit of doing that."

"Doing what?" 

"Biting your lip," I replied. "I wish you wouldn't."

"Why?" she said, looking up at me through large hazel eyes. I couldn't tell if she had asked simply to see what I would say, or if she genuinely could not understand how very distracting it was. Either way I did not answer.

We began to duel. I decided not to hold back, and a couple of times Rey faltered and I had to give her a chance to pick herself up and go again. It brought back memories of our very first training session on Akiva when I'd told Rey that she'd had bad precision. I remembered how, in her frustration, she'd whipped around and sliced one of the trees clean in two and I'd been stunned momentarily by the sheer strength which she possessed. Now, so long down the line, she was able to harness that power. And something like pride swelled in me as she began to meet my saber strokes with ease and at a point, had even caught me by surprise with an attack of her own. She was brilliant.

"You're--you're brilliant," I said, catching my breath as I leaned back against the training room wall. Whatever it was made of felt cool against my skin. "Honestly, I don't know what you were so worried about."

Rey was panting as well and her entire face was sweaty. Training on a hot day on Coruscant did that to you.

"It's just been a long time since we've done that. Well, since I fought anyone actually," she said and dropped onto one of the benches. I went over and sat beside her as she pulled her shirt off over her head, revealing a small black vest underneath.