Steady On.

Chapter 17.

"Why is it called 'Projection'?" Rey asked Kylo.

It was two days after their last encounter, Rey now determined to learn all she can no matter if it was light or dark, good or bad. She felt that what was needed was to gain the power that was required to save her friends, and if possible, Ben Solo.

She was just very scared to do it.

Biting the inside of her cheek, she clasped her hands in her lap, sitting across from Kylo who was hovering over the books. Rey felt these moments were rather intimate, alone with the most fearful man in the galaxy, tucked away in her room as he taught her what he knew from the sacred Jedi texts.

"Mmmm." Was the only response she received from Kylo. She watched as his brows furrowed, his face getting closer to the book, and her gaze fell on his ungloved hand, admiring the length and width of it. She remembered how rough it felt when they touched hands on Ach-to, and how warm it was to her own touch. She wondered if it would happen again, and if so, if the visions would come back.

Inhaling sharoly, Kylo flipped the page, studying hard again. Rey knew not to ask him the same question when he was so focused on something. It irritated her, but dealing with Kylo's frustration was not something she wanted to handle right now.

He quickly closed the book and tossed it to her, and Rey let it fall in her lap, then placing it to her side.

"Projection. They are mind tricks-" he began.

"Like the one you did on me." Rey said, smiling when he glared at her.

"Yes. That was a mind trick. I believe you are familiar with that, since you were able to use it to your advantage when you escaped Starkiller Base." Kylo paused, his eyes flickering to her direction when he felt the wave of satisfaction roll off of her. He rolled his eyes, glad that she was gaining control on her emotions, and now able to build up her block so that he was not able to surpass it. This, however, she let him feel full on.

"Anyway... Projection is similar, when you focus on your target, you can make them feel your presence in other areas. For example, I am in front of you, and if I wanted to, I could make you believe I was behind you, or in even in the other room, all while still standing right here." He explained, Rey leaned forward, intrigued with this new information.

"Why don't you try it?" she asked, and her innocent eyes and soft, dream like tone froze him.

At times like these, when they connected through the force bond, he did admire her looks when she isnt't looking. 'Hell, even when she is...'he thought. Her cheeks were nearly always pink, almost as pink as her lips. And her eyes, always big and curious, as if she was seeing absolutely everything for the first time.

He had to admit, he was completely captivated. She was extremely powerful, strong beyond her years, and breathtakingly beautiful, and she had no idea of any of this.

Shaking his head, he broke his gaze from hers as he sighed.'She is a distraction.'

"When you do that, it takes a great deal of strength and power from you, and I do not particularly feel like being exhausted at the moment." Kylo said, standing now.

For a moment, Rey looked him over, studying the dark, purple circles beneath his eyes. "You already are exhausted. You're not sleeping?" she asked, standing as well.

"Not really." He said simply, his face blank. Rey recognized that he did not like being studied, and that she could pick up that he was not sleeping well. She wondered if she should do the same when people read her, to put the block up at every chance.