Cherchant (Kylo Ren x Reader)

Thirteen

Standing there in the bright morning light, you fantasize about what it might feel like to live here, to have a morning routine as part of a peaceful existence with Kylo. A simple quiet life is not something you ever thought you wanted. Hypothetically though, if you were indeed aiming to have that sort of life you'd have to deal with the nagging issue of the bounty on his head. There were likely entire planets full of beings seeking vengeance and demanding he receive punishment for his imperialistic crimes. The moral ambiguity of participating in a war of imperialism under the influence of a villain like Snoke was not lost on you. No matter how corrupted he'd been by the Dark Side at the time, he was still directly responsible for so much of it.

Struck by your instinct to defend him against your own internal argument, you think, the human mind is kind of amazing in its ability to compartmentalize.

Your experiences don't give you anything to draw on when it comes to punishment for crimes against humanity, rehabilitation, retribution or any number of things that maybe should play a role in this story. All you know for sure is that it's sketchy as hell to assume that shifting toward the light side of the Force counts as atonement. Selfishly you want it to be enough. Enough that he can put an end to his exile and self-imprisonment. Realistically, you know the dam is just beginning to break open.

"Hey," he says, breaking you out of your thoughts.

His large frame takes up the entire entrance to the kitchen. He is glistening with sweat and slightly out of breath. You almost spill your caf as you forget to breathe. He leans in to kiss your cheek, hand resting lightly on the small of your back.

"Hey," you say. "Cup of caf?"

He takes the cup you pass him and slides up to sit on the countertop. He closes his eyes and breathes in the steam from the cup. You haven't seen him this relaxed, well, ever.

"I was thinking on my run," he begins, "If we get a good lead on the bounty at the tavern tonight, we should probably be ready to leave right away before anyone can be tipped off that we are coming."

"Makes sense."

"So I'm thinking we should get packed and take the Silencer there later."

He plays with the handle on the cup.

"If we don't get any leads, maybe we can just... go on a trip. Spend some time somewhere more private where I'd be less easily tracked."

Was that a blush on his cheeks or just leftover exertion from his run?

"I've got to go sort a few things out with the club before I can go offworld," you respond. "Just let me know where to meet you later."

You walk over to him, reaching to brush a strand of sweaty hair out of his eyes.

"A trip sounds wonderful."

— — —

A couple of hours later you are in the Cherchant, glancing around the empty club, savoring the feeling of comfort that this place stirs within you. You'd just said goodbye to Kaav and Mo who'd agreed to look after the place for as long as you're gone. You'd noticed the easy way they'd laughed at each other's jokes, a hand grazing a knee. An unspoken intimacy had sprung up between them. This had made you feel momentarily disconnected from your old life. Kaav hadn't mentioned anything about hooking up with Mo. Maybe you were drifting apart.

Feeling suddenly drained, you slide your favorite recording into the player and then lay down on top of one of the tables, looking up at the cobweb infested the ceiling. You wonder if your life was always meant to be a series of adventures, if settling down was something reserved for a different type of person. Ever since your early emancipation you'd slid into various roles from wandering artist, lover, friend, and club owner to this. This...