maskormenacelogs | [OPEN] I won't shiver in the cold

WHO: Kylo 'too many issues and not enough tissues' Ren and... YOU?
WHERE: Various locations around De Chima
WHEN: Following the Porter's restoration
WHAT: An emotionally stunted manchild with superpowers moping around a lot
WARNINGS: It's Kylo Ren. I'll update if he does anything particularly awful.

[OPEN TO CUSTOMERS (AND STAFF) OF POUR DECISIONS]

Neither Kylo Ren or Ben Solo had been much for drink before arriving here in this strange reality- there had always been far too much going on to allow time for this kind of indulgence- but this was far from the first time Ren had found his feet carrying him towards the bar staffed by his housemate and ally.

It felt like a safe place to go when he needed distraction- and in the aftermath of the last two weeks, Ren needed plenty of distraction.

A little more accustomed to the process of buying and consuming drinks here now, he approached the bar, glancing around to check for familiar faces. It wasn't that he particularly wanted (or didn't want) company- it was more that he needed very much to get out of the endless loops his thoughts were prone to follow when left to their own devices.

[OPEN TO RESIDENTS AND VISITORS TO DE CHIMA GOVERNMENT HOUSING]

He'd been banned from another gym this week- and so, because he didn't feel like going through the hassle of finding another establishment to patronise (and eventually vandalise) Kylo Ren had taken up training in the woods surrounding the government housing to which he had never actually been officially assigned.

Training, when you were Kylo Ren, involved a lot of physical exercise- he was far from reliant on his lightsaber when it came to battle, and it was important to him to remain in peak physical condition. Particularly now, in the aftermath of the Porter's reminder of just how vulnerable he had been on arrival.

Visitors and residents of De Chima's residences could often catch sight or sound of him- an arc of red crackling light glimpsed between the trees, a sharp, violent cry as he loosed himself into the rage and fury of the Dark Side, or the more mundane but still mildly unsettling sight of the directionless force user putting himself through the paces of a more routine (if extremely demanding) workout.

He usually had the good grace to keep his shirt on.

Usually.

[FOLLOWING THIS TEXT CONVERSATION; CLOSED TO RESIDENTS AND VISITORS TO DE CHIMA 001]

He had known it was foolish to engage with Leia, and the memory of his foolhardy attempt to help her through her struggles with the Force had weighed heavily on his mind ever since- but the text messages she had sent him that seemed to describe a desire for reconciliation had broken him, utterly.

So he had taken off blindly into the darkness of the early evening, only really regaining control of himself once he had staggered far enough into the woods to consider the quiet solitude privacy. His chest heaved, his heart pounded, and it wasn't rage that he felt when he thought about his mother's question, the touch of her hand and the sudden agony of her draining the life from his body- it was grief.
Everything she did that demonstrated love only served to remind him of everything he had lost-- everything he had destroyed and yet found whole again here. It made a mockery of him.
No, he hadn't been prepared to confront her. He feared he might never be.

There was only one place he felt he could go to find himself again.

And so, an hour or so later, a slightly dissheveled and underdressed Kylo Ren approached the home of the one member of his family he felt had seen enough of his true nature to make the informed decision to reject him and still welcomed him with open arms-- his grandfather. It was an easy enough matter to let himself in when no-one answered the door, and he felt certain Anakin wouldn't mind.

A few minutes later, he began to regret leaving his comm device behind on the couch at home- he had never been particularly good at waiting.

[WILDCARD: Hit me!]
Feel free to hit me up on discord (cryloren#2195) or plurk (starktech) for all your edgelord plotting needs!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

He couldn't believe he had agreed to this. It was cold, he hated the snow and this was a bad idea. He remembered what happened the last time he had spared with Ren and it hadn't gone well. But as much as he hated to admit it, Ren was right about the fact that Hux needed to learn to better fight to survive against rebels who wanted to murder him.

And of course, Ren would be shirtless. He nearly rolled his eyes as he approached, watching Ren with the lightsaber for a few moments. He had to admit it was impressive, he could just feel the power behind each move. He was quiet for a few moments, trying not to shiver in the cold. He had bundled up with a thick coat and scarf, gloved hands stuffed in his pockets.

"This is a bad idea," he finally said when it looked like Ren was ready to stop.

Ren simply smirked at him, turning the crackling red blade effortlessly in his hand. "You can't fight in all that," he teased, beckoning him closer. "Unless you plan on shooting me?"

"We both know that would be useless," he said with amusement. He was reluctant to shed his layers but he did so, taking off his scarf first. There was nowhere to put them that wasn't in the snow, he put the scarf, followed by his coat, on a log. He stripped down to his long sleeve shirt and pants, shivering in the cold.

"Alright." He wasn't sure how Ren could be out in this weather shirtless but hopefully, he would warm up when they got started.

It would make sense to start with something simple. It wasn't that Hux was out of shape, exactly, but active, physical combat wasn't really his area of expertise.

But things that made sense weren't really Kylo Ren's area of expertise, and he had just had a very interesting idea.

He extinguished his lightsaber, made careful eye contact with the General- and tossed him the hilt. It was nowhere near as flippant a gesture as he made it seem.

Of all the things Hux had been expecting, that was not one of them. He caught the lightsaber, holding it in his hands. He knew what it meant to Ren, how significant this gesture was.

He grasped the hilt, trying to copy how he had seen Ren hold it. He looked back at Ren, there was no need to ask what he should do so he activated it, eyes going wide as the blade lit up.

Ren smirked, drinking in the sight. He wondered, briefly, if Hux had ever fantasised about getting hold of his lightsaber and murdering him with it- it certainly seemed likely. Though it was probably more likely Hux had considered poison, or a small, concealed blade, to cut his throat while he slept.
None of those things should have amused him, but the smile remained regardless.

"Yes. There is something about it, isn't there?" he encouraged, his gaze steady and intense. "Simply holding it. The power."

He could feel it hum against his hands as he moved the blade slowly, carefully. He had plotted to murder Ren many times- he even had plans in place before. But this- this was raw power in the palm of his hand.

"Yes- I can feel it. I've seen the power that kyber crystals contain but this is different," he said softly. He looked at Ren then, slightly confused. "You know I don't have the Force, so..why?" Ren wouldn't hand over his lightsaber just for his own amusement, that much Hux was sure of.

"I'll spare you the lecture about everyone and everything 'having' the Force," he said, stalking closer until he was standing behind Hux, reaching around him to adjust his grip before moving away again. "Perhaps I just thought it was time you came to appreciate my ridiculous laser sword. Or perhaps it seemed sensible to give you a little lesson on how to use one. In case I am ever unable. To see Dameron's face when he sees you like this - yes. That would be something spectacular."

Hux's breath caught slightly as Ren positioned his hands, taking note of it. He smirked at Ren's words, looking over at him.

"Now that would be amusing. I can just imagine him running away as fast as he could," he remarked, a cruel glint in his eyes as he moved the lightsaber again, Imagining the terror in Dameron's eyes as he brought it down. Yes...the image of him using the lightsaber to painfully wipe the smug expression on the pilot's face away was very satisfying.

The Resistance should be very grateful Hux was not at all Force-sensitive, Ren thought. That look on his face, the anger he knew burned at Hux's very core? The red crackling blade fit in his hands all too well.

"Try it out," he suggested. "Not on me. That... would end very badly for you."

Hux didn't need to be told twice. He had watched Ren with the lightsaber often enough so he tried to emulate what he had seen Ren do, bringing the blade up and then down again in one arc to slice through a small tree nearby with as much force as he could.

He grinned with satisfaction as the blade sliced through the tree easily and the tree slowly fell to the side with a loud crash. He had never wanted to be Force-sensitive but there was something very satisfying about using a lightsaber.

"I'm going to have to tear it out of your hands before you give it up, aren't I," Ren teased, watching Hux's face with amused interest. "If only we had one of those consoles from the Finalizer. Then you would understand."

Hux's cuts were sloppy but they were effective enough to cut down the small trees around them.

He turned to Ren, slightly breathless. He had a grin on his face, something a bit wild in his eyes. "I am beginning to understand."

"Good," he murmured, a smile spreading across his face. "Happy Birthday, General Hux."

A little belated, yes. But the sentiment applied.

Hux lowered the lightsaber in surprise at Ren's words. No one had ever wished him a happy birthday- but then again no one really knew it and it was more to just mark the calendar and know he was one year older.

He switched the blade off before stepping closer to Ren, not sure how to respond. The gift that Ren had given him was priceless- the lightsaber was Ren's life but he had still handed it to Hux.

He held the blade between them, careful not to activate it as he leaned in to kiss Ren deeply since he knew he couldn't put what he was feeling into words.

"Mmm... You know, you could definitely kill me right now," Ren murmured, amused. "I wouldn't have a chance to stop you. I'd come back, of course, and my vengeance... yes, it would be terrible... but you might have time to work out a defense before I returned. Possibly."

He kissed Hux back, fierce and possessive.

"Or, you could kiss me again."

"I could... I hold your life in my hands right now," he said thoughtfully. It would be so easy to move his finger, just a little and ignite the blade.

He returned the kiss, clutching the lightsaber tighter in his hands.

"Hmm...what a choice," he smirked, almost thoughtful for a moment before he wrapped his arms around Ren to pull him in for a deeper kiss.

[OPEN] I won't shiver in the cold

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