Little Bird (Kylo Ren x Reader AU)

Broken Over a Bullet

You weren't surprised that Johana was furious when she opened the door to find you, yet again in the arms of your Commander, the both of you drenched with rain and iridescent with blood.

What did surprise you was how quickly this fury crumbled into a trembling, panicked concern.

Her attention darted between your wound and his face, and she moved toward you, half-reaching toward your arm, then thinking better of it. "What--what happened?" She glared at her husband. "What are you doing here? Take her to a hospital!"

Kylo pushed past her, wet boots squeaking on the hardwood, and Johana growled, shutting the door and trailing behind him. His grip was tight, fingers pinching your flesh.

"I'm going to call the ambulance," she said. "I'm not letting a Handmaid bleed out in our--"

He whirled on her, and you rocked with him, stomach churning with the sudden movement. "Pryde is staging a coup," he replied. "Until I discover the reach of his influence, there is no safer place than this home." He paused. "For her. And you."

Silence lingered for a moment, and Johana's expression sharpened, lips parting. Her eyes followed the grain of the wall, slow air leaking in her lungs. She glanced at the floor, horror falling like a curtain over her face.

"Commander," she said, "I..." She swallowed with a frown. "Commander Pryde stopped by the house this morning. He wanted to speak with you. I..." She stepped toward him, chin quivering. "I told him you'd left and hadn't informed me where you were going, I shouldn't have said anything, I'm sorry--"

"Enough." Kylo tensed, a wall of muscle against your frame. "It's irrelevant now. Once she is stable, I'll be departing with the Knights." He adjusted you in his hold. "There's a bullet in her arm."

Johana gazed at him, hands wringing together, and sighed. Sucking in a long breath, she stepped forward and studied your wound. Your face flushed in embarrassment, expecting admonishment, or even cruelty from her, but it was as if she'd transformed, taken on another skin. She was calculating, cataloging something as she stared, leaning on her toes, humming in thought. There was no evidence of the woman you feared in the person before you--she'd been replaced by a confident, objective analyst.

"Well, there's no arterial damage," she said, "she would've bled out already. The tourniquet isn't necessary." She eased closer, mouth screwing in thought. "Might've clipped the humerus, too hard to tell." Eyes narrowing, she pressed her thumb to the perimeter of the wound, and you seethed--Kylo's fingers bit into you. "It's not infected yet. I can clean it. Stitch it. Even if we're going to keep her out of the hospital, she'll still need antibiotics. And to rest for at least two weeks."

"I'll arrange for it," he said. "I'll return when this is resolved. You will be responsible for her." He shifted close, voice low. "This is an order as your husband. Do you understand?"

Johana nodded, glancing at between the both of you and then to her feet, face pink. "Yes, Commander, I understand."

"Prepare your supplies." He turned and strode down the hall.

Kylo carried you through the home into his bedroom, shutting the door and locking it. He eased you to the floor and popped the tourniquet from your arm--you winced at the release of pressure, the new pulse of pain through your nerves. In silence, he crossed to the bathroom, and you heard the squeal of an opening pipe, the gush of a spigot, and blushed. He was running a bath for you.

When he returned, he removed your coat--his coat, technically--and tossed it to the ground, leading you toward the bed with a gentle hand while he gathered the hem of your nightgown and drew it over your frame. It stuck to you like plastic wrapping, leaving damp stains on your skin--and you plopped on the mattress as he guided it over your ribs. He raised your uninjured limb and lifted the rest of the gown over your head, your arm, and then down over your wound. You whimpered as the fabric peeled from your aching flesh, leaving you in your soaked undergarments.