Star Wars Imagines & Prompts

↪ A Connection Between Strangers | Kylo Ren

{Prompt; N/A ~ a sort of 'five times this happened' kind of thing}

Stormtrooper!Reader

The first time you noticed it was in the Mess Hall earlier that day, and you had just sat down with some of the other Stormtroopers. Most sat quietly, eating their own portion of grey sludge called oatmeal, idly listening to the only two actually talking. Occasionally someone would throw in an answer, sometimes even you would put in a remark.

It was fine, normal even, the usual routine of your life working in the First Order. You had even managed to snag a muffin, which was a rare treat, eaten by the few who got to the Hall early, and you were trying to chew the accidentally-large chunk you'd bitten off...and then you felt it, the sharp gaze most often felt seconds before a painful death. You could feel the intensity of it without even looking, and you had to clench to resist the shiver that threatened to come at the stare.

Anybody who worked aboard the Finializer knew that look, and everybody knew who it belonged to. You tried not to panic, tried to keep your breathing even and mind filled with idle thoughts. There were rumours he could read someone's thoughts, and you weren't about to take the risk of having Kylo Ren himself accidentally read any of yours thoughts, or at least not the more...dangerous ones. You liked your head attached to your body, thank you so much.

So you tried to ignore the stare and continue eating your muffin. After a while, the intense gaze seemed to lift, and you felt like you could breath as you breathed out a breath you hadn't realised you'd been keeping in. Carefully, you sneaked a glance over your shoulder in the direction you thought he'd been in, and saw the glimpse of his bellowing dresscloakthing before another Stormtrooper walked in, covering the view of the retreating leader.

You took another deep breath in relief, and glanced at the clock. Six-fity. Kriff! I'm gonna be late. You knew General Hux didn't like waiting, and the last thing you wanted was to annoy him. While his temper was nowhere near as bad Kylo Ren's, it could get somewhere close if kept waiting. So, you quickly said goodbye to the group and stood up, throwing the muffin wrapper away as you walked out of the room.

(And as you walked off to the bridge, you tried to ignore the odd feeling you got as you remembered Kylo Ren's intimidating mask staring at you. It was probably just fear, anyway, because he was damn scary!)

•

The second time it happens, you're on the bridge, writing down everything General Hux was saying on your little holopad. Occasionally Millicent would rub against your leg, a few tiny strands of her ginger few sticking to your pant leg, but you ignored it and proceeded to stroke her with one hand and write with the other. You only stopped when Hux turned to you, not wanting to be possibly punished for petting his beloved kitty.

As Hux chuntered on and on about something or another, you tried not to daydream, keeping one ear open to listening, writing everything he said, word for word. You were bored, so very bored actually, yes, but this was your job, and you knew if you did not do as he wanted, you would suffer the wrath of General Hux, and while he may not stab and slash at you with a lightsaber, you were pretty sure he'd find another 'creative' way to murder you, maybe in your sleep, when you least expect it. Sounds like something he'd do... Yeah, funnily enough, that wasn't on your to-do list.

Your mind suddenly produced images of the most colourful ways to die, and too wrapped up in trying to focus on Hux without the images of you bleeding out distracting you, you never even realised the oncoming storm stomping his way over to you and the General, red lightsaber clenched in a tight fist and ever-intimidating. You were only alerted of another presence when General Hux paused, turning slowly to greet the other person.

Turning as well, you tried to keep the surprise appearing on your face, not expecting him to be there. He must not have expected you either, for the second you turned, he paused in his angry striding, mask turned to face you. You had a feeling there was the same look of surprise underneath that mask that threatened to appear on yours.

You both seemed to just stare, both unable to break this weird staring contest, as if hypnotised. You sure felt it, your body freezing and your mind blank. It was as if Kylo was the person in the room, and that kind of terrified you. You didn't know why you were feeling this, or what it even was, but either way, you wanted it...gone? Maybe?

...no. No. You didn't want it gone. It felt oddly nice, despite the terrifying mask, to just look. You didn't even know why, and you knew it was rude but he was doing it as well and-and... You weren't sure where exactly you were going with this; and after a while, General Hux seemed to bore of this strange contest, as he coughed, loud enough to disturb the two you. You jumped, only to blush and cough awkwardly, having forgotten he was there, or anyone was there.

"I'm so-sorry, General." You apologised, but he didn't seem to hear, or care maybe. He was looking at Kylo Ren with this odd smirk on his face, so slight and yet so obvious. He looked so...smug. Why, you weren't sure, but maybe that was a good thing. After what felt like forever, General Hux asked what the Leader of the Knights of Ren wanted, but he just seemed to stare at you a little longer before turning and walking off.

General Hux seemed to give a soft chuckle that sounded far too smug for your liking, before he went back to chuntering about something or another (the repairs, you think, the ones caused during another of Ren's tantrums), and you were forced to look away from the Knight's retreating back to copy the General's words.

•

The third time he stares at you is the next day, and honestly you weren't entirely sure if he would have noticed you had it not been for the way you two bumped into each other, literally. You were rounding the corner, not watching where you were going as you were reading through a report you were to give to Hux. You were walking a fast pace, considering you had only fifteen minutes to arrive back at the bridge before General Hux began questioning your disappearance.

You hadn't noticed the man until it was too late, and before you knew it, you were both falling. You half-noticed someone falling in front of you before you closed your eyes, bracing yourself for the fall's harsh impact...but it didn't come. Instead you were grabbed quickly, and before you knew it, you were landing on something soft, well, softer than the floor.

Opening your eyes, you were suddenly met with the terrifying mask of Kylo Ren. It took everything in you not to freak out. Instead, you quickly scrambled off of him, apologising as you did so. Bowing your head respectfully, you said, "I'm sorry, sir. I should have watched where I was going." You were scared; it's not like he was the most patient of beings, and bumping into him and then falling on top of him, was bound to anger him. You really didn't want to suffer the consequences of angering him.

Kylo didn't seem to be listening though. He just got up and stared down at you, his ridiculously-tall height giving him an intimidating air. Seriously, how can one man be so intimidating? And why did he love to just stare at you so much? Was he even going to say anything? Maybe you should say something, but what? It's not like you can just go up to him and say, 'Oh, hey there Kylo! I saw you staring at me, for the third time may I just add. Do ya want something or do ya just love staring at my bootiful face? Winkwink.' Yeah, not going to work.

"Your thoughts are strangely amusing." was what startled you into a jump, eyes going comically wide as your mouth gaped open and then closed, and then back open. This was the first time you've ever heard him talk, since the first day you arrived. You were always sent away to do some needless task before he spoke to Hux, and if you did happen to just be nearby, they always spoke too quietly for you to hear. Hux also happened to be the only person he really spoke to, that you knew of anyway.

"U-um, thank you," You replied, remembering he was still staring at you. I suppose. Is that something I should say? You didn't know; you didn't really know anything right now. You were confused as to what to say or do, since all Kylo Ren seemed to be doing is staring at you...once again. Suddenly your comm came on, and there was the stern voice of the General, asking where you were. You quickly replied, "I'm sorry, sir. I'm on my way." and turned the comm on, pushing it back into your pocket.

Nervous, you looked up but found you couldn't quite look past his shoulders, and for some reason told him, "I need to go." You don't know why you said that, it's not like he would care, and that was proved right when all he did was give a stiff nod. You turned, grabbing all of the papers you'd dropped when you had fallen, and then took a few steps forward...only to be stopped by a firm hand gripping your forearm. The sound of fabric shifting could be heard, before the abnormally-deep, metallic voice was right next to your ear, causing you to freeze. For a few seconds, all there was were Ren's rough pants and then- "I'm having dinner in my quarters. I want you to come."

You were...surprised to say the least because although you didn't know what to expect, that certainly wasn't it. It's not like you could say no, but you had to get to General Hux, otherwise he will be annoyed and you really weren't in the mood to suffer the consequences of disobeying him (well, you were never in the mood but still.) "Don't worry about Hux. I'll explain to him later." Ren reassured and before you could really answer, he was dragging you along, to have dinner.

Honestly, you hadn't expected this to be the outcome of Kylo Ren creepily staring at you, but maybe it wasn't that bad a thing...maybe, if 'dinner' didn't actually mean 'I'm going to murder you in my quarters, where nobody is watching'. Dear lord, you hoped it wasn't that.

*

The fourth time he stared at you was later that night, you were both panting, exhausted but content after your surprising (but very much loved) passionate exercise with Kylo (and that alone was just weird; not only was that a strange way to describe sex, but also sex! With Kylo Ren!) Your head was resting upon his surprisingly-shredded chest, letting his heart beats calm you into a near sleep, and although you could feel his stare, the intensity of it so much stronger than the first time, for once you weren't confused or scared.

You were actually quite content.