[ He listens to them prattle about nothing, he wants to escape in to sleep or his own mind, but both are impossible to reach. I feels like he itches all over, her emotions, her reactions, the way he can feel her smile at the pilot even as his back is turned and his eyes are closed. It makes his stomach churn, makes him try to recalll the last time someone smiled at him like that.
It must have been at Luke's camp. He tries to bring the memory to mind but with those memories come anxieties and he snaps that door shut as soon as it's open. And then he's offered a reprieve.
Well-- thought he was offered a reprieve. Instead his moth--the general wants to speak with him. Possibly try to reason with him. He stays facing the wall like a child. Petulant, moody-- only after the door is shut and he's assured that Poe and Rey are not witness to this act does he let go of any tension--
And then she begins to speak.
First offering food, saying he must be hungry, or thirsty. Those drugs did him no favor, he can't expect to subsist on air and spite alone. The air hangs still between them and he refuses to budge, so quietly she tries to appeal to her son. Saying that It isn't like him at all to turn down a meal, and she seals the entire sentence by saying his old name. ]
Your son is dead. [ His voice is hoarse and soft. It feels as if he's swallowed a wad of tissue paper. ] Didn't Han Solo inform you of that fact?
[ He wants to sound biting. But with the effect of his worn voice and his turned back it has the effect of a petulant child.
Leia pauses, he can feel emotions spike and churn through her. Frustration, anger, sorrow-- things he doesn't choose to identify or examine in these moments. But even still-- she speaks.
'You still need to eat.'
Her fingers graze his back and it's as if she touched him with fire. Distrust and anxiety course through his veins, as potent as any drug, and he leaps up-- his back pressed to the wall and drumming up the courage or will to remain impassive.
But he's a spooked and caged animal, it's clear across his face. He reigns in the heart pounding in his chest, takes stock of her expression and tries to ignore it. Compartmentalize it as a facade, a mask to fool him. His mother had known what he was and discarded him. She was shrewd, she knew Kylo Ren was useful. She would use him and throw him away.
It only made sense.
She sets the food down in front of him and moves away from him-- taking a seat on the bench across from his tiny cot. She doesn't speak, nor engage. Just waits patiently as he calms. It's several long extended minutes. Silent staring and confusion on his end before she gestures to the food and he connects what she's doing. A power play, of course.
He begrudgingly eats. It appeases her for the moment.
But only a moment.
Once she's gathered her bearings-- she starts to speak with him. Specifies where he is, what he's accused of and what type of trouble he's in. Gives him his options. Cooperation would be the best course for him, for the future of the galaxy. He could be apart of something greater, light a beacon of hope for all in the galaxy to see. And then asks him question after question after question.
He doesn't answer. Choosing instead to eat or drink in lieu of speaking. At the very least, she isn't surprised. She asks him about future plans, about what Snoke's ultimate goal was, about supply lines, training, whether specific planets would be used for exploitation in the future, which politician were pawns and which were being held hostage.
He has no answers for her. Snoke isn't here-- he can't feel him at this moment, but it would be unwise to speak either way. Even if it was to mislead. Any bit of food getting stuck in his throat could lead to a bout of anxiety and he's not keen on being ended in such a fashion.
And he's easily able to dismiss every question and remark, remain immobile and emotionless--
'What happened at Luke's?'
He stops chewing. Stilling suddenly and setting the tray aside.
Leia's realized she's hit upon something then.
'What happened with the other students? Why did you kill them?'
His heart starts pounding harder-- he's not sure why, he doesn't examine it. Hasn't examined it in a long time. His skin itches and it's harder to breathe.
'Ben, answer me.'
His mother thinks being stern will work on him as if he was still a child. His mother hasn't known anything about him in a long time. ]
Ask him.
[ His answer is flat and cold. He sets the tray with the half eaten rations and half drunk canteen on the floor and slides it towards Leia-- and curls back on to the cot.
Conversation over. Shut down.
Maybe some day Rey and Kylo will speak with one another. ]
You just described Kylo Ren COngrats
It must have been at Luke's camp. He tries to bring the memory to mind but with those memories come anxieties and he snaps that door shut as soon as it's open. And then he's offered a reprieve.
Well-- thought he was offered a reprieve. Instead his moth--the general wants to speak with him. Possibly try to reason with him. He stays facing the wall like a child. Petulant, moody-- only after the door is shut and he's assured that Poe and Rey are not witness to this act does he let go of any tension--
And then she begins to speak.
First offering food, saying he must be hungry, or thirsty. Those drugs did him no favor, he can't expect to subsist on air and spite alone. The air hangs still between them and he refuses to budge, so quietly she tries to appeal to her son. Saying that It isn't like him at all to turn down a meal, and she seals the entire sentence by saying his old name. ]
Your son is dead. [ His voice is hoarse and soft. It feels as if he's swallowed a wad of tissue paper. ] Didn't Han Solo inform you of that fact?
[ He wants to sound biting. But with the effect of his worn voice and his turned back it has the effect of a petulant child.
Leia pauses, he can feel emotions spike and churn through her. Frustration, anger, sorrow-- things he doesn't choose to identify or examine in these moments. But even still-- she speaks.
'You still need to eat.'
Her fingers graze his back and it's as if she touched him with fire. Distrust and anxiety course through his veins, as potent as any drug, and he leaps up-- his back pressed to the wall and drumming up the courage or will to remain impassive.
But he's a spooked and caged animal, it's clear across his face. He reigns in the heart pounding in his chest, takes stock of her expression and tries to ignore it. Compartmentalize it as a facade, a mask to fool him. His mother had known what he was and discarded him. She was shrewd, she knew Kylo Ren was useful. She would use him and throw him away.
It only made sense.
She sets the food down in front of him and moves away from him-- taking a seat on the bench across from his tiny cot. She doesn't speak, nor engage. Just waits patiently as he calms. It's several long extended minutes. Silent staring and confusion on his end before she gestures to the food and he connects what she's doing. A power play, of course.
He begrudgingly eats. It appeases her for the moment.
But only a moment.
Once she's gathered her bearings-- she starts to speak with him. Specifies where he is, what he's accused of and what type of trouble he's in. Gives him his options. Cooperation would be the best course for him, for the future of the galaxy. He could be apart of something greater, light a beacon of hope for all in the galaxy to see. And then asks him question after question after question.
He doesn't answer. Choosing instead to eat or drink in lieu of speaking. At the very least, she isn't surprised. She asks him about future plans, about what Snoke's ultimate goal was, about supply lines, training, whether specific planets would be used for exploitation in the future, which politician were pawns and which were being held hostage.
He has no answers for her. Snoke isn't here-- he can't feel him at this moment, but it would be unwise to speak either way. Even if it was to mislead. Any bit of food getting stuck in his throat could lead to a bout of anxiety and he's not keen on being ended in such a fashion.
And he's easily able to dismiss every question and remark, remain immobile and emotionless--
'What happened at Luke's?'
He stops chewing. Stilling suddenly and setting the tray aside.
Leia's realized she's hit upon something then.
'What happened with the other students? Why did you kill them?'
His heart starts pounding harder-- he's not sure why, he doesn't examine it. Hasn't examined it in a long time. His skin itches and it's harder to breathe.
'Ben, answer me.'
His mother thinks being stern will work on him as if he was still a child. His mother hasn't known anything about him in a long time. ]
Ask him.
[ His answer is flat and cold. He sets the tray with the half eaten rations and half drunk canteen on the floor and slides it towards Leia-- and curls back on to the cot.
Conversation over. Shut down.
Maybe some day Rey and Kylo will speak with one another. ]