Bruises Shaped Like Finger Prints

Ch. 2

Kylo couldn't get back to his quarters fast enough. Anger and loathing filled his veins and the cause of these wretched emotions was himself. Angry that he was too blind to see that Armitage reciprocated the feelings that he harbored himself. Angry that he had let Snoke drive a wedge between the two of them. Angry that he had taken out his frustrations on the general physically. Loathing towards himself for doing such things. Loathing again towards the being that he felt he had to hide from in fear that Hux would be ripped from him. Loathing towards Armitage for not giving him the chance to speak his apology. Though he knew mere words could not mend what he had done to the broken man who laid halls away in his bed feeling emptier than the vacuum of space. He truly cursed himself for that.

He picked up his lightsaber, powered it up and raised it to bring it down but stopped himself right before he did as Hux's words echoed in his mind. "We both know I am more then capable of running the First Order without your constant tantrums..." He sighed loudly, trying his best to calm down as he switched the saber off. He had to show Hux that he was better than this. That he could be a better man for him. That he'd do anything at all to prove to him that he cared... and in fact loved him. He chose to sit down and keep his anger in line by means of meditation that his late master had taught him.

Before he knew it, it was morning. The night simulation was over and Kylo was anxious to see if Armitage had in fact returned to the bridge as he said he would, it was half an hour passed the General's shift. He tried to walk as naturally as he could to the bridge but his worrying got the better of him and he was practically running now. "Supreme Leader, sir is there something you need?" Lieutenant Mitaka asked, who had watched Kylo's rushed entrance to the bridge, and very surprised to see the man without his helmet. Kylo felt the need to get in Mitaka's face and demand to know where the General was but he remained calm even though his mind was screaming with anxiety. "Has General Hux not reported to his station this morning?" He asked, voice wavering. Mitaka shook his head before answering, "No Supreme Leader, he hasn't. I believe he may have important work he has to deal with at his desk in his chambers if you are needing to speak with him sir." Kylo nodded and left a very confused Mitaka behind on the bridge, hurrying off to find Armitage.

When he reached the door to the other man's quarters, he punched in the code but was met with a beep indicating he had the wrong input. A wave of nausea hit him. "He changed it so I can't get in..." He thought aloud. He didn't know what else to do. He didn't want to cause a scene and bang on the outside of the door until the general let him in. What would others think? He'd already upset Armitage enough. He simply ignited his saber and seared the lock away, the door hissing open right away. He knew Armitage would be pissed at the intrusion and invasion of his privacy but he had to make sure that he was okay after the state he had been in last night.

It was still dark in the room, night simulation still running. This was very unlike the general. Kylo's eyes went straight to the bed, the last place he had seen Armitage. It was empty and the nauseous feeling returned in full force. Certainly the general was okay, he was such a level headed man... certainly he had not driven him to do something...regrettable. "Armitage? Please Armitage, where are you? I am so sorry! I should have never hurt you as I did! I was blinded by my anger that day! Please! I need to know that you are okay! I NEVER MEANT TO HURT YOU!" He ended up screaming. He desperately had to know just how badly he had injured the other man. He wouldn't be able to live with himself knowing he had drove Armitage to possibly harm himself... it was hard enough living with the guilt of Han Solo. "ARMITAGE!" He noticed a light coming from underneath the refresher door. God how he hoped he hadn't changed the code on this one. Kylo pulled off his glove, this one having to read one's palm to open. It hissed open and Kylo could have cried. He looked around frantically, not a sound was heard. He cursed under his breath and tears stung in his eyes, he turned on his heal to leave when he heard water drip.

He quickly turned back around and yanked the curtain to the shower back. He spotted the fiery red hair completely submerged beneath the bath. Pale skin making the water look nearly illuminated. Kylo didn't hesitate to step into the tub, slot his hands beneath the other's armpits to hoist him up out of the water and into his arms, soaking his black robes. "REN?! WHAT THE HELL?!" He called out, sputtering water in Kylo's face. "I... I thought you had drowned..." Kylo replied, heavy sobs leaving his body as he buried his face against Armitage's slippery chest. "Why the hell would I have drowned myself of all things Re... Kylo? I have a military to run and make sure you don't screw it up...And now you're soaking wet! Just look at your robes!" Armitage said, finding himself carding his fingers through long, black locks.

"I... I just... You weren't on the bridge... I was scared... I kinda broke in and w-when I saw you underneath the water... I had called out to you so many times. I assumed the worse... I had treated you so badly... I thought I had drove you to... to..." Kylo trailed off. "To suicide, Kylo? No. As I said I have important matters to attend to. Even if I had wanted to, I don't have the time of such a luxury as it would seem to be right now..." Armitage finished darkly. This made Kylo only clutch him to his body more and twist his body so he was now the one beneath the water, Armitage resting above him.

"Armitage... I never meant to hurt you... oh god please forgive me... I'll do anything. I can't bear to lose you. I can do right by you! I swear it!" He sobbed, taking Armitage's face in his big hands. "Prove it to me Ben..." Kylo's eyes shot wide open at hearing his birth name. "Prove it to me and we can start anew, but not until then. And only one chance, I am not a man of patience." Kylo felt his body shudder and pulled Armitage in, placing a gentle, chaste kiss to his lips. He pulled back to examine the other's face. Armitage had started crying too, he tipped his chin up to kiss him again... and that is when he noticed them. The ugly yellowish black bruise in the shape of a hand against the luminescent skin of the general's neck. "Oh god Armitage... Oh..." He muttered, clasping his hand ever so gently around the bruise as not to cause Armitage any discomfort, the shape matching perfectly.

All at once, Kylo rose from the water, Armitage still in his arms, both now standing. Kylo began to look further down Armitage's body. Three other dark bruises were present against his rib cage where he had thrown him against the panels in the AT-M6. He was horrified with himself. How could he have ever done that to someone he cared so much about? Someone who now believed he had no care in his heart for him. "I will not touch you until those have healed... I refuse to... the next time I lay hands upon you, with the force or not, it will be an act of love... I take my leave of you general..." With that, Armitage watched as Kylo stormed out of bathroom and out of the main chambers, waterlogged robes leaving a trail of water behind him.