Symphony for the Dark (Kylo Ren x Reader)

38

The moment was over. 

The symphony had been played and the crowd had finally returned to their natural state of chaos. Once the applause had subsided, Hux took it upon himself to thank you once again and he was sure to make it clear that the night was far from over. You decided that this would be the most opportune time to not only leave the roaring crowd to converse as they desired, but to also give the orchestra (and yourself) a well deserved break. 

You were hoping that this break would be a moment of time to yourself, but you should've known better. As soon as you were about to take a seat, random attendees bombarded you with questions, compliments, and comments of every type-

"That was simply wonderful!"

"What a splendid opportunity! How would you describe the experience?"

"Aren't you just exhausted? Having to stand in one place for the whole evening must get tiring fairly quickly, how do you do it? And in those shoes?!"

-It felt as though there was no end. As one person would leave, they were quickly replaced by another. Of course, not everyone was in the best mood. There were some who claimed that other composers would have done a better job. Others were completely baffled that you would even consider, let alone actually go through, with writing something so out of character for someone like Kylo Ren. 

Thankfully, you were experienced in the ways of dealing with people who decided to give their opinions in inappropriate situations. You remained civil, but you weren't afraid to stick up for the music that you had worked so hard to create. Sure, some of the more cruel remarks were hard to brush off, but eventually the image of Kylo's smile would pop up in your mind and all of the negativity would fade. 

That smile. Of course, it didn't last long, but it was there long enough to melt your heart and to be permanently burned into your memory. 

In that singular moment, he was so genuinely happy. That smile- that pure, unrestrained expression of emotion- was something you wanted to see for the rest of time. It brought the same feeling of warmth to your heart as the best memories that the two of you shared- sitting down at the piano together, being swept up in his arms after finishing repairs on his ship, sneaking around the Finalizer to secretly bake in the middle of the night, finally kissing him... 

Eventually, you had to go back to the stand and lead the orchestra in performing even more music. Fortunately, you had planned ahead and filled the latter half of the evening with most of the easy and familiar music. Not only did this make the load lighter for the musicians, but it meant that you might be able to steal away for a song or two for an actual break. 

After a few common dances, you knew that the next few pieces wouldn't necessarily need your conducting. You turned to the concert master and, as always, he knew exactly what was coming, "Just give us our entrance and we'll carry on without you." 

You simply smile and nod at his comment and bring the rest of the orchestra to a ready position. Just as you had done so many times this evening, you raise your hands and let the music begin. It was a classic piece that they were playing, something that you could dance to if you wanted, but it was more of a conversational piece. After a handful of measures, you stepped down from the stand and tried to pry yourself away from the crowd. Much to your surprise, you were able to get to your seat with no interruptions or distractions. 

The simple comfort of the chair was truly a blessing. Having a moment to yourself was a wonderful thing- but it didn't last.

"Ah, there you are."

That grimy voice was undeniably that of Taric Ryye, and it was confirmed when the very same man entered your direct line of sight. You expected him to come back and talk to you again, but you had really hoped that it wouldn't be right now. "Taric, I was hoping to have a bit of time to myself- would you mind having this conversation some other time?"