RESISTANCE ━━ k. ren ✓

xxvi

"I'm going to a formal dinner tonight." Ben says.

"And I should care because...?" You say, closing the book that was open on your lap.

"You're coming with me of course. You will be posing as my wife-"

"What!" You leap off of the bed. You jab a finger into Ben's chest. "I've had to sleep in the same room as you, eat food you've touched, you made me watch my friends be destroyed and now I'm posing as your wife?" You yell.

Ben wraps his fingers around your wrist firmly.

You yank your hand back.

"You know the rules." You spit at him.

Over the last few days, you'd come up with a list of what Ben can and cant do while you stay on whatever base this was. One of them was you could touch Ben but he couldn't touch you.

"Those rules aren't fair Astrid and you know it." Ben glares at you.

"Well neither is being kidnapped but here we are."

"Oh would you shut up already! I get it, I've kidnapped you, you're life is so miserable, you don't want me to touch you. I get it Astrid. You don't have to say it every time we see each other." Ben snaps at you.

You're speechless.

"Don't talk to me like that." You finally gasp out.

"I'll talk to you however I want. You should watch your temper around me." Ben says.

"My temper? Have you ever met yourself Ben? You're a bomb waiting to diffuse!"

He throws out his hand and your slammed against the wall.

"Do not talk to me in that way." He growls. His fingers threaten to crush your windpipe completely.

You kick your legs in the air uselessly. And that's when it hits you.

It's like when you first got kidnapped. Both of you hating the other. Both of you hurting the other.

Ben releases you and you drop to the floor.

"I'll send someone to help you get dressed for tonight. I won't touch you, we just have to pretend." He says stiffly. He fastens his mask on his face and stomps out.

You sit on the floor, gasping for breath. For the first time in your life, you don't cry. You just feel...empty. How could the two of you go from loving each other to hating each other?

You try and retrace your steps.

When you thought he was dead, you were so hurt. When you cut his face open, he was so hurt. Then he went looking for you and you tried to heal. When you collided with each other again, on Illuma, he had done nothing wrong. He had let Rey go. He had given you back what you really wanted. Him. You has wanted him. Now, he tries so hard and you give him hate in return.

You sigh.

"The turning point was Dantooine." You whisper to yourself out loud.

A minute later, the door opens. You jump up, expecting to see Ben. Instead, a plump old woman waddles up to you.

"Good afternoon ma'am." She tweets.

"Is it really?" You ask surprised. It seems as if you haven't been outside in ages.

"Why of course dear. Now let's see," She pulls your face down to hers. She examines you throughly. "Pretty brown eyes. Round nose, fair skin. Dark hair. Hmm." She thinks out loud to herself.

"E8-S11!" The woman barks. A droid whirs in, bumping into your dresser. "Go fetch me the dress rack!"

Once the droid is gone, the woman pushes you towards the bathroom. As she sets a bath for you, you clear your throat.

"Um excuse me, who are you?" You ask.

"You may call me Grandmother. Now in the tub."

You undress hastily, slipping underneath the warm water.

"Er...Grandmother? What is this fancy dinner for tonight?"

"Some delegates are coming from Coruscant. The First Order needs to convince them to join the Order." Grandmother hums to herself happily, scrubbing at your skin with a loofa.

"Oh." Is all you say for the rest of the bath.

Once your hair has been washed, you sit in front of the vanity.

Grandmother blow-drys your hair, the thick tendrils whipping your face.

You roughly blink a couple times, but don't dare remove your hands from the towel wrapped around you.

The droid, E8-S11, rolls in pushing the cart of dresses.

Grandmother pats the droids head.

"Thank you dear."

E8 beeps in happiness.

Your hair is quickly curled and fastened into an updo. The dress picking is harder. Grandmother has you try on at least 30 different dresses until you find the right one.

The dress is slim fitting, hugging your curves. It's a dark red in color and is strapless.

Grandmother claps her hands and E8 twitters.

"You look marvelous dear. Come, sit down. I'll do your makeup." The old woman pushes you into a chair and lightly applies a few products to your face.

"Oh perfect!" She finally says. You open your eyes and stare for a second.

You're surprised at how you look. Your eyes pop and the dress makes you look slimmer, curvier.

"I look...I look wow." You say.

"I know! Now don't forget, stand up straight, shoulders back. Walk with an air of elegance. You are posing as Kylo Ren's wife and you must act the part."

You do as Grandmother says, sitting up straighter and pushing your shoulders back. It's a bit uncomfortable yet nothing you cant handle.

Grandmother sighs. "Looks like our work here is done E8." The two turn to leave.

Just before the door closes, Grandmother turns around.

"Do be nice to him dear. He is awful soft after all." She says, smiling warmly.

The door clicks shut, leaving you in a stunned silence.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hey guys! So I've decided to stop adding titles bc it's honestly jus confusing. I feel like in every book there's at least one dress up chapter and this was the one for me! Love you guys, mwah 💋

word count: 1006