Soldiers Of The Eclipse [General Hux x OC]

IV: Hug in the Night

As you press on the intercom at Hux's door, a tingle of adrenaline rushes up your spine, your hair standing on ends. Looking around the hallways, you find nothing out of the ordinary. But before you could investigate further, the door opened with a sliding sound. Your eyes met with the general's and his lingered on your body for a moment.
»Please, come in.«
With a small thank you, you step into the medium sized quarters decorated nicely with dark furniture. It doesn't seem as cold as any other living quarters you've been in before, which is a nice change. »You're shivering.« His hands slide down your semi bare arms and you smile, »your room is warmer than any other, even mine. It's a nice change.«
»Yes, unfortunately, Starkiller Base is quite cold most of the time.«

He holds the chair out for you and you smile, sitting down, watching his elegant figure stride across the small table and sit opposite you.
»May I speak freely, sir?«
The corners of his eyes wrinkle in mischief and he chuckles, »of course. This is not a business meeting.«
A blush spreads across the bridge of your nose to your ears as you feel the heat eminating from your face. »You do look quite different than in your uniform.«
»How so?«
»I-I mean, erm...« Wringing your hands once again in your lap you cross your legs in hopes of quelling your nerves. »A uniform does suit you, but you're quite handsome without one. I mean, in different clothes that is. Not without clothes, I wouldn't know...« You stop your rambling when you hear a rumble of soft laughter leave Hux's lips. You realise it's quite infectious and you bite your lip only to giggle gently.
»I apologise, but I've known you for a while now, I've never seen you to be so nervous.«
»You learn something new every day, yeah?« You rub the back of your neck in embarrassment, but wince when your palm slides over the bruised area. It doesn't go unnoticed. Hux stands up from his seat and traces your bruise, »I'm sorry you had to encounter that childish brat under such circumstances.«
»It's alright, general. I can handle myself.« You wink with a large smile and he nods, sitting down as the front door announces the cook has brought dinner.

The food is delicious and the taste is different than what you get served in the canteen. However, you're thankful at least you're not being starved like when you were on Jakku.
»Tell me something about yourself.«
You look at him and take a sip of your red wine, »not much to tell. I don't remember my past. One day I just woke up on Jakku outside a remote village, didn't know where I was or who I was, didn't know anyone. The only thing I had on me was a piece of paper with a name and a date.«
»A date?«
You nod as you twirl the pasta around your fork, »I never looked into it, I just assumed it was my birthday. If that was correct, I was 15 at the time.«
»Must have been hard for such a young child, stranded without anyone in an unknown place.«
His voice holds pity, which sends you reeling into anger, but you calm down for the sake of having a pleasant evening. »Please,« you look into his eyes, »don't pity me. Until I left, everyone always pitied me. I hate it.«

After a brief period of silence, he apologises discreetly. »I'm sorry. I did not mean to offend you.«
Biting your lip, you decide to take the next step in this conversation, »and you? What's your past?«
»I was born to a Commandant of the Imperial Academy on Arkanis in the last few days of the Galactic Empire. I quite enjoyed my childhood, despite my father being a stern man, he taught me many things. I relished on the stories of great imperials and how the Empire saved the galaxy from the Clone Wars.«
»You must not have agreed when the Galactic Concordance was signed.«
His words falter for a moment as he gazes at you with a vexing expression. »I did not. That's why I helped create the First Order.«
»I wasn't aware you were one of its founders.« You murmur and gaze at the food, eating the scrumptious meal. You know the First Order is a vicious tirade storming through the galaxy, you know it only wants to rule everything and everyone. It seems both Hux and Kylo Ren enjoy having subordinates they can stomp on whenever it pleases them. But that did not deter you from your mood in the slightest bit. Which terrified you the most.

»Tell me, Ellie.« You find him standing beside you with the wine flask in his hands as he pours more of it into your glass. Both your plates are empty already and you pout slightly, remembering how delicious it was and the prospect you might not get to eat it again. You take his offered hand and the glass of wine, both of you sitting down on the sofa overlooking the stars and planets outside.
»What made you join the First Order?«
You smile, looking at the crimson liquid. »You might not like my answer.«
»Now I'm even more curious.«
»I realised soon after I regained conscience on Jakku that I wasn't made for poverty. My mindset was not of one to slink through dark alleys, stealing to survive, scavenging for rations. I wanted something more.«
»Why the First Order though? Why not the Resistence?«
You realised at that moment that he was trying to lure you into a trap. His calm voice is nothing but a disguise for his trap, a ruse to make you slip. »Being in the Resistence is the same as being poor, no better than being a rat in a dumpster. The First Order showed more promise, more adventure. More luxury. I'm not one to sleep on a cot, general.«

He moves a strand of hair behind your ear as it teasingly slipped from your pin. His now ungloved hand rests on your cheek, an amused smile on his lips. »It seems we both have the same idea. We both want something more.«
»What do you want, general?«
He stands up and steps to the large window, »I want to rule the galaxy.« You smile at the mindset of the ginger-haired general in front of you, »we're not that different after all.«
Silence is your only answer as the two of you proceed to drink wine and stare out into the horizon of milky ways, stars, planets, and vast solar systems beyond your eyesight. The vastness of space is in itself terrifying as it is tranquil, allowing you to dream about things you usually don't have time to dream of.

You end up apologising for leaving early, but your mind was beginning to shut down on you. And if you didn't go to bed soon, you'd fall asleep right there and then. Hux escorts you to the door and you smile, kissing his cheek. »Thank you so much for dinner. I had fun.«
»Thank you for your indulgence.« He kisses your knuckles and you leave his quarters, heading back to your own section of the base slowly. You reach your own room and drop your clothes on the ground as you head to the bed, slipping on your pants and hoodie, falling asleep almost immediately.