((A/N: Just want to clarify that this chapter takes place right before The Last Jedi so before Kylo speaks to Snoke and wrecks his mask in the elevator.))
((Warnings?: Han Solo is DEAD, Kylo has FEELINGS and we're going to talk about it....oh yeah and there's smut sandwiched in between.))
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It wasn't long after being released from the medbay that Kylo Ren felt the urge to return to Paradise House. He was haunted, driven to the brink of madness.
Everywhere he turned, Kylo saw him—standing on that bridge, pleading for his son to come home.
Even in sleep, Kylo found no refuge. The memory played over and over and over again. Until it didn't seem worth it for Kylo to sleep at all.
But sometimes, the dream would shift, and he would take Han Solo's hand instead of shunning it. In those dreams, he let his father lead him back home.
Kylo thought destroying his father would snuff out the call from the light, but so far, it has only plagued him with nightmares.
That's why he needs to be here. Why he needs to be in Evangeline's presence. Her smile, her voice, her touch–she would take him away from everything else.
The great Kylo Ren needs a pretty face as a diversion—pathetic.
The internal voices mock him for being so weak.
Passion is a path to the dark side, but attachments are dangerous.
Kylo Ren is not attached. Evangeline is skilled at her profession, nothing more.
At least, that is what he tries to tell himself.
This time, Kylo chooses to stay hidden behind his mask. Where it once provided him with a sense of power. It now acts as a barrier between him and the judgment of others—concealing his shame of being bested by an enemy.
He and his knights make their way to their usual table. The Paradise Girls instantly come to greet them, but something is missing.
"Where is Evangeline?" The question silences the girls. They exchange nervous looks with one another, none of them answering.
An uneasy feeling squeezes at Kylo's chest.
His emotions quickly turn lethal, ready to lash out at the first unsuspecting soul he comes in contact with.
"Where?" He snarls, his voice crackling from behind the mask.
"She got hurt." It's Teagan who is finally brave enough to speak up. Her usual pink hair is replaced by long brown locks that compliment the natural hue of her skin. She grips onto Ushar's shoulder for support, refusing to be afraid.
Her mouth opens, but Kylo doesn't stay to listen to the rest.
A flurry of black flows behind him as he makes his way toward Evangeline's apartment.
Panic spikes within his veins. He is very aware that he is practically running to get to his destination.
"Why do you care? She's nothing more than a woman. There are a thousand others."
Kylo Ren doesn't have an answer to the voice in his head. All he cares about is getting to her.
The doors to the lift open, momentarily silencing his thoughts. When Evangeline's bedroom door doesn't open, he goes to the next one, revealing her kitchen and living room.
He sees her instantly, sitting on her couch with a book in her lap.
She is safe.
Relief spreads through his limbs like water.
For a moment, he just observes her. No make-up, hair braided down her back, and wearing a loose dark green sweater with black stretch pants.
It's her, the real her, curled up and humming to herself as she writes in a leather-bound journal.
She looks so content—so peaceful that Kylo almost envies her.
"OH MY FUCKING STARS!" Evangeline jumps when she catches sight of him out of the corner of her eye. She throws her book in fear, and it clatters to the ground just as she jumps to her feet.
With her initial shock fading, Evangeline takes a deep calming breath through her nose and out her mouth.
Her gaze focuses on the black figure in front of her.
It takes her a moment but, "Kylo? Is that you? Why are you wearing all that?"
Evangeline looks him over from head to toe, taking in his new appearance. Not a trace of skin to be seen—concealed beneath layers of black robes and leather. She doesn't understand why he suddenly hides himself from her.
"Your girls told me you were injured." The sound of his voice through the vocoder shakes Evangeline from her musings. He sounds robotic—distant.
"I am fine, my Lord. It's nothing to worry about," she lies too easily.
It displeases him; she had never lied to him before.
"Then why are you not performing tonight?" Kylo presses while taking slow, gradual steps closer to her.
She can't help but feel intimidated by his masked facade. Something is different about him; something that has nothing to do with his choice of clothing.
He looks menacing, and she finds herself having to stop from backing away from his approach.
"Calm yourself. You know this man. You know what lies behind the mask."
Evangeline pulls the soft woolen sweater she wears closer around her body. "I promise I am alright. I just...fell."
It is the first time Kylo has ever seen her act self-conscious. Confidence usually oozed from her pores, but now she stands before him timid and unsure.
Kylo tilts his head—questioning. He doesn't need to speak for her to know he wants her to elaborate.
With a sigh, she continues, "I was practicing a new routine for the show. It's called aerial acrobatics. I was high above the stage, sitting in this large metal ring...and I fell."
She looks away from him, her face heating up with her admission of failure.
It's clear to Kylo that she doesn't like to admit to defeat—something they have in common.
"Now I have this huge, ugly bruise on my hip and thigh," she spits with venom.
"It's painful to dance, but it will fade. I feel like a clumsy idiot, so if we could—" She continues until she feels hands on her arms, cupping her elbows.
Her gaze travels up, peering into the black visor that covers his eyes, or at least where she guesses his eyes are beneath his mask.
"You need to be more careful, Little Bird." Kylo's gloved hands move up and down her forearms. His tone is softer now, sounding more like himself despite the mask.
Evangeline can't hold back the question a moment longer. "Kylo?" Her frown creases the sides of her mouth. "Why are you wearing this horrible thing?"
His tenderness vanishes as his body becomes rigid and his hands twitch on her arms.
"Horrible?" He growls, causing the synthesizer to crackle as he straightens to his full height.
"Yes! Why are you hiding your beautiful face from me?" The sad, pleading look in her green eyes does nothing to diminish his anger.
Kylo scoffs at her words. Determined to prove her wrong, he reaches up to the sides of the helmet.
Evangeline watches in wonder as the front mouthpiece moves forward, clicking and hissing before he pulls the mask up and off his face. He drops the helmet onto the couch beside them and turns his face toward her.
She audibly gasps, shocked by the sight of him.
A scar now runs down across the right side of his face. It starts above his eyebrow, slashes across his cheek, and travels down the side of his neck.
Where it ends, Evangeline cannot tell. Truthfully, she isn't sure she wants to know.
His right eye and cheek are badly bruised around the metallic skin graft. It's a stark contrast to the rest of his pale skin.
The wound itself looks open and raw, but that isn't the only thing that heightens Evangeline's anxiety—it is the haunted look in his usually warm eyes.
"K-Kylo? What happened?" She moves to cup his face but stops herself. Instead, she takes hold of the side of his neck that doesn't appear to be wounded.
He doesn't respond to her touch, just continues to stare at her with blank eyes.
"I just fell." He repeats her own words back to her.
"How can you make jokes when you're wounded?!" Her emotions flare at his nonchalant attitude.
Kylo's lips press in a thin line. He's not accustomed to being yelled at.
Realizing she won't reach him by shouting, she tries a different approach. "Your poor face...."
"Not so beautiful anymore, is it, Little Bird?" His voice is monotone—not a trace of emotion to be found.
She visibly flinches in response, his words cutting her deeply.
Her mind tells her she has in some way failed him. That somehow, she has made him believe that the only thing that holds any value is his looks.
"That is not what I meant. It looks so painful...." The hand on his neck trembles before trailing her fingers through his hair. "Are you in pain, darling?"
Evangeline isn't sure where the nickname comes from, but his pain awakens a need to mother and protect.
He shakes his head 'no' as her fingertips brush against the shell of his ear. The touch makes him shiver and move closer to her—finally responding to her touch.
"You told me that people come here from all over the galaxy to escape. I...I need to escape now—will you help me?"
He sounds broken, not at all like the powerful man who she had previously shared her bed with. An emotion she cannot name tugs at her heart. Evangeline finds herself unable to refuse him, not now—not ever.
"Of course, Kylo. I am yours."
He leans down, cups her face in both his hands, and kisses her softly. Softer than he ever had before.
"Where is your bruise? I don't want to cause you pain," he mumbles against her lips, unwilling to fully break contact with her.
"On my left hip and thigh. I don't want to hurt you either. Your wound...it isn't just on your face, is it?"
The stern look he gives tells her what she already suspected.
"Show me? Show me so I know where I can touch you."
Kylo begins the long process of removing his robes. His cape is the first thing to go, followed by him unclipping his belt. Evangeline helps when she can, but his layers seem to be never-ending.
"So many layers," she pouts, fingers desperately working on getting him naked.
He chuckles for the first time that night. It pleases Evangeline to hear it.
"Patience, Little Bird," he taunts while trying to hide his wince when he lifts his shirt over his head before letting it fall to the floor at his feet.
Kylo lets her eyes roam over him and all his new battle scars.
Evangeline sees that the wound on his face stretches past his neck, down to the top of his breast bone, and into his chest. She also notices what looks to be a blaster wound on his lower stomach and a smaller scar on his bicep. Both these wounds appear to be healing faster but are no less concerning to her.
The clenching and unclenching of his fists alert Evangeline that her stare is beginning to make him uncomfortable—reminding him of his weakness.
She can't have that; she would do whatever it took to remind him of how powerful he truly is.
Taking care to avoid touching his scar, Evangeline rests her hands on his chest. Their eyes meet as she begins to tantalizingly slide her fingers down to the top of his pants. The muscles of his abdomen harden, and goosebumps rise to the skin under her touch.
"My fierce warrior. So strong. Let me take care of you," she coos, sinking to the floor to kneel before him.
The sight of her on her knees with that needy look in her eyes is enough to make him throb.
Her hands continue downward, running over the bulge in the front of his pants. Not once does she break eye contact with him as she brushes her lips along his clothed cock.
Kylo reaches for her, feeling the need to touch her face, pull her hair—anything. He neglected to take his leather gloves off, but she doesn't seem to mind as she nuzzles her cheek into the palm of his hand.
Evangeline slips away from his touch so she can move further down his leg. Her hands grip his powerful calf as she brings her mouth to the laces of his boot.
Taking the laces between her teeth, she yanks and pulls to untie them.
Kylo bites back a groan.
How she could turn a simple task into something so fucking erotic, he'd never know.
Her movements are forceful, the knot quickly coming undone. With his laces untied, Evangeline lifts his foot and pulls the boot off before moving to the other.
The second lace proves to be more difficult. Her head twists from side to side in an attempt to loosen the knot—strands of hair fall in front of her face and obscure Kylo's view.
That wouldn't do. He wants to watch his Little Bird work.
He crouches down, his hulking figure hovering over her, and pushes her hair back from her face.
"You look like you were born to take my boots off with your fucking teeth, Little Bird."
She noticeably shudders at his words, a tiny bit of drool dripping down her chin.
With renewed vigor, Evangeline starts ripping at his laces.
"That's my girl. Don't give up." His free hand travels down her side, letting himself enjoy the touch of her curves.
Finally, the lace comes loose, and she sits up on her knees, back straight with a victorious look on her face.
Kylo can't fight the small smile that plays across his face at how proud she looks.
He stands and toes the remaining boot off.
Without hesitation, she sits up higher on her knees and leaves an open mouth kiss on a small mole found on his stomach.
Her thumbs hook into the sides of his pants, and she starts tugging them down, releasing his already hard cock from its confinement. She nips at his hip bone while pulling his pants off completely.
It's only when he stands before her naked that she begins. Her hand takes hold of his shaft at the base while her tongue flicks the slit at the very tip of his cock.
It takes all of Kylo's control to remain still and watch her.
He wasn't accustomed to letting his partners lead, preferring to be in absolute control. Even when having his dick sucked, Kylo Ren gave precise, detailed instructions.
But, Evangeline is different.
She actually looks happy to be lapping at his cock.
So happy that it almost makes Kylo forget that he's paying for it.
"Mmmhh, you taste so good," she purrs as her wet tongue runs along the underside of him.
She licks his cock from root to tip before swirling her tongue along the tip of him. Occasionally she flicks at the extra sensitive spot just under the head.
Kylo jolts each time her tongue touches the tiny vein.
After the third swipe, his hand shoots out to grip her braided hair and pulls.
He swears, trying to pull her in closer so he can fuck that devilish mouth of hers.
Her nails dig into his thighs, fighting him to stop his advances. "Not yet, my Lord."
"Evangeline," Kylo growls at her defiance.
"Soon," she promises and holds his gaze while she kisses his pubic bone. "Let me take care of my Master."
Giving in, Kylo steadies his breath and loosens his hold on her hair.
Evangeline returns her attention to his throbbing cock. Her tongue twists and rolls, making sure to lick every inch of him. She even leaves warm, open-mouth kisses against the tender flesh of his balls.
She has him sucking air through his teeth the longer she works.
"Little Bird," he almost whines the nickname, aching for more. His hand cups the back of her head and pushes her lips against the tip of his cock. "Open your mouth for me, Little Bird."
He doesn't have to say 'please' for Evangeline to hear him begging her.
"Yes, Master." She parts her soft lips and takes almost half of his length into her mouth.
Her mouth feels so hot and wet that Kylo can't help but toss his head back and groan loudly.
Pleasure runs like electrical currents as she bobs her head up and down, hollowing her cheeks as she sucks.
Her eyes shift up, holding his gaze, making certain he watches her take his cock. Ensuring he sees her taking him deeper and deeper into her mouth.
Kylo is, in fact, watching her. His eyes widen at the sight of Evangeline swallowing his entire length over and over. She takes him all the way to the base each time, sending pleasure coursing through his body.
Pleasure that he can feel down to his toes.
"Yes," he moans through gritted teeth. "Just like that."
She hums around him, sending vibrations through his shaft and making his cock throb wildly in response.
His hand shoots out to grip her braid and hold her still as his hips buck forward, driving deeper into her wanting mouth. Deep guttural sounds leave him when he starts hitting the back of her throat.
Obediently she sucks, letting him fuck her mouth. She keeps her shoulders relaxed so as not to gag on the girth of his cock.
"Fuck! So talented with that pretty fucking mouth of yours," Kylo pants above her. His rough fingers dig into the back of her scalp and ruin her braided hair, causing more locks to fall free and frame her face.
Evangeline moans at the praise, loving the feeling of his cock sliding in and out of her mouth. She tries to take him in even deeper, wanting to make him cum for her—craving the taste.
Kylo stops her, slips out of her mouth, and steps away. He wants to feel her sweet, slick heat wrapped gloriously around his cock.
"Come, Little Bird." He holds a gloved hand out for her to take, but she dips her head forward. Her tongue darts out to lick the droplet of precum collecting at his tip.
Evangeline moans at the taste. Wanting more, she moves to take the head of his cock back into her mouth.
With a flick of Kylo's fingers, the Force pulls her back by the braid, halting her movements.
Evangeline sticks her lip out in a pout. She tries to move back to the object of her desire with no success. His magic steadily holds her in place.
"Don't get any ideas, or I won't make you sing, Little Bird," he warns her, a dangerous edge to his voice.
She gives in and takes hold of his hand. Leather-clad fingers close around her much daintier hand. He pulls her up from the floor, helping her to stand.
Kylo drags her forward, close enough that their foreheads touch.
"Are you going to behave for me, Evangeline?" he whispers huskily as his fingers play with the hem of her top.
The heat of his words makes the hair on the back of her neck stand up. She pulls her bottom lip between her teeth and nods.
"Good girl." He lowers his mouth to her neck, trailing his tongue over her pulse point.
Her breathing becomes shallow, head tipping back to give him better access. Kylo latches onto her throat, sucking and nibbling until Evangeline clutches onto his biceps. Large hands slip under her sweater, running up her body to her breasts and her already hard nipples.
She can feel him smirking against the skin of her neck, seemingly pleased with his discovery. Releasing her, he backs away just enough to lift the sweater over her head, then tosses it to the floor.
No corset with various knots and ties this time; just a lilac lace bra. The lace is so sheer that her rosebud nipples are visible.
His arm comes around her, gloved hand pressed against the small of her back, pulling her against him so he can lower his head to her chest and feast on her nipples.
"Mmmhh, Kylo!" The combination of the lacey material and his hot mouth turns her to jelly. Heat pools between her legs, aching painfully for his attention.
He's preoccupied with lavishing her nipples with kisses, so he uses the Force to roll her pants and underwear down. The bruise slowly reveals itself, more prominent than she had described. Her left thigh, hip, and even some of her ass cheek is colored reddish-purple.
Reluctantly, Kylo moves away from her breasts. In the process, he leaves behind wet marks on the fabric of her bra.
Evangeline shivers at the loss of him.
"Poor Bird, hurt yourself pretty badly, didn't you?" His hand strokes the injured thigh, careful not to apply an excessive amount of pressure.
He kneels before her to help strip her bare. With extra care, he lifts each foot to tug her pants off. The leather of his gloves caressing her skin causes a shiver to run down her spine.
Evangeline looks down at the massive man at her feet, dazed at the tenderness of his touch. She can't stop herself from running her fingers through his hair and tucking it behind his adorably large ear.
She bites her lip to stifle a chuckle.
Their eyes meet as Kylo stands and leads her over to the couch. He sits down with his legs spread. His cock is still deliciously hard as he tugs on her to straddle him, but Evangeline hesitates.
"Kylo...I'll hurt you like this...if my body presses against the wound on your chest."
He scowls at her. "I am not weak."
"That isn't..." She starts to protest but thinks better of it.
His pride seemingly means more to him than a bit of discomfort. She lets him guide her onto his lap, using his shoulders to hold her steady while she straddles him.
Once she is settled on his lap, Kylo places his hands on either side of her face. Without warning, she takes the tip of his middle finger into her mouth, using her teeth to catch the leather between them and pull the glove off.
With a smirk, he takes the glove out of her mouth before offering her the other. This time, Evangeline takes his whole finger into her mouth and sucks before dragging her teeth along the leather digit.
"Filthy girl," Kylo growls, ripping his hand out of the glove and diving it down between their bodies. He grips his cock and lines it up with her entrance.
Evangeline gasps when the head of him probes at her opening. Her walls clench in anticipation.
They both moan as she slides down his length, taking him deep into her dripping heat. Slowly, they rock against one another, savoring the pleasure of their bodies being connected.
"You always take my cock so well, Little Bird. Always make your Master feel good with this tight cunt of yours."
"Mmh, please! Please don't stop talking like that, Kylo." Her breathy sighs swiftly become pleas.
"Hm? Talking like what, pet?" Kylo sounds confused but the grin plastered on his face makes it obvious he's teasing her. He starts moving her roughly up and down on him, relying on the Force to help lift her without touching her bruise.
"Do you mean talking about your perfect little cunt, Evangeline? Is that what makes my Little Bird wet?"
Her nails bite into the flesh of his shoulders, mind forgetting about everything else that isn't him. "Y-Yes! That's what makes me wet."
"Then show me. Show me how you fuck your Master with that beautiful wet cunt of yours."
His words make her gasp, a blush spreading across her pale features. "Fucking Stars. Yes, I want to fuck my Master like a good girl." She uses his shoulders as leverage to ride him, ass bouncing from her movements.
Kylo's head tilts back to rest on the back of the couch. His mouth hangs open while she fucks him.
The way her cunt hugs his cock has him growling, "That's it. That's my good girl."
Recalling a bit of information from their first night together, Evangeline kisses from his jawline up to his ear.
Her tongue lightly traces along the shell of his ear as she moans his name. She tugs on cartilage with her teeth before taking his earlobe into her mouth and sucking.
"Fuck, Evangeline!" Kylo feels his face grow hot. A part of him hates her for discovering the sensitivity of his ears, but another hopes she sucks on them until they fall off.
He grips the roundness of her ass, pounding up into her now, but it only makes her suckle harder on his ear. Warmth spreads through him, his eyes squeezing shut while trying to cease the shuddering of his body.
The sensation is becoming too much to bear.
"E-Evangeline, too m-much," he stutters, her tongue in his ear turning him into a blubbering idiot.
She misunderstands, thinking she's hurting him, and goes to pull away, but Kylo holds her in place.
"Stay," he demands and brings her back down on his cock.
"I'm not hurting you?"
Kylo shakes his head 'no.'
"Too much on my ear," he clarifies though he loathes admitting it.
Evangeline leans in, kissing the edges of the scar, starting at his forehead and ending at his jaw.
"Forgive me, my Lord," she murmurs apologetically against his skin.
He responds by capturing her lips with his own, urging her to resume the rocking of her hips.
They move in tandem, gradually increasing their pace as the pleasure builds for them both. Their hips grind together, crashing into one another.
The pains from their wounds fade as they lose themselves in one another.
Long fingers slip under her bra, the rough pads stroking the peaks of her nipples. She tosses her head back in response.
A tightness spreads from her lower belly down to her feet. Her calves ache from being in the same position for so long, but she's too close to climaxing to care. Her mind is blank except for the powerful thrusts of his cock.
"I want you to cum for me, Little Bird." His deep husky voice commands her as the Force twists at her clit in the exact way that Kylo knows she likes.
"K-Kylo! I'm so close! P-Please let me!" The desperation in her voice is so needy and raw.
"Yes, always so obedient. Go on and cum. Cum for me, my beautiful girl."
My beautiful girl.
The words echo in her mind, pushing her over the edge, inner walls clamping down as she cums.
"Fuck!" he curses, pumping deeper into her as his orgasm takes hold. In that moment, all of Kylo's internal conflict is replaced by the blissful warmth of her cunt. His orgasm grants him the peace he was desperately searching for.
Together they ride out the aftershocks, twitching and breathlessly clinging onto each other.
Kylo slumps into the cushions of the couch, followed by Evangeline slumping against his chest. She is mindful of avoiding his wounds, her face nestling against his shoulder.
Exhaustion creeps in, and his limbs feel like stone, making Kylo very aware that his body is still recovering from his battle with the scavenger.
By the looks of it, Evangeline is equally tired, her eyelids already heavy with sleep.
"Come, Little Bird. Time to rest."
Before she can climb out of his lap, Kylo lifts her into his arms. He cradles her to his chest and brings them to her bedroom.
He places her down on her bed and pulls her silk sheets around her.
Evangeline opens her mouth to ask him to stay, but he is already slipping under the covers and pulling her back close to her chest. He unclasps her bra, pushing the straps off her shoulders and down her arms before tossing it aside.
She hums out a 'thank you', rolling her shoulders blades back as she settles into the warmth of his arms.
The high from his orgasm has worn off. Once again, Kylo is plagued by images of his father's face as he fell back lifeless, disappearing into the pit below.
"Goodnight, my Lord. Sweet dreams," Evangeline sighs sleepily into the darkness.
She had done her job well; he'll give her that, momentarily making him forget that he is more monster than man.
Casting those thoughts from his mind, Kylo wills himself to believe the fantasy she has woven for him a little longer. He watches the rise and fall of her breathing until he too succumbs to sleep.
He would remember who he is again in the morning.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The sound of mournful weeping forces her to wake.
Evangeline sits up, squinting in the darkness while trying to find the source of the noise. Still half asleep, it takes her a moment to realize the sounds come from the man lying beside her.
Immediately, her senses are on high alert. She hastily flicks on the lamp placed on her nightstand. The light illuminates Kylo's features.
His face is twisted in pain, brow covered in sweat as he whimpers through clenched teeth.
"Kylo?" She touches his chest and cheek. "My Lord, what's wrong?"
He doesn't respond, making it clear that he is still asleep.
Trapped within his nightmares.
"No. Stop," he groans pitifully.
Both of her hands are on his chest now, shaking him. "Kylo? Kylo! Wake up."
His legs kick under the covers, and his body thrashes as if trying to get away from something.
Whatever hell his mind has created tortures him.
His head tosses from side to side, body convulsing. "I'm not—I am not Ben."
"Ben? Who is Ben?"
"Dad...."
His father, he's dreaming about his father.
Evangeline's heart drops into the pit of her stomach, and shivers roll up her spine.
His anxiety steadily becomes her own.
Her hands feel clammy, and her temples throb.
"Kylo! It's just a dream. Wake up!" She raises her voice in hopes he will hear her.
His own voice is stronger now as he shouts in his sleep. "I am not Ben anymore!"
The nightmare has its teeth sunk in deep, but Evangeline cannot give up.
She needs to free him.
Not knowing what possesses her, she grips the sides of his face, voice firm as she attempts one last time to wake him.
"Ben, you need to wake up! Now!"
It did the trick.
Bloodshot eyes snap open.
Kylo focuses on her. The sorrow from moments ago is now replaced with rage.
"What did you call me?" His hands wrap effortlessly around her wrists, squeezing and wrenching them off of his face.
Pain blossoms under his grasp, but she remains calm.
Evangeline had suffered far worse than this.
After a lifetime of it, she knows how to handle herself in the face of unsavory situations.
She puts on her mask, slipping into the role of professional and client.
"You were dreaming, my Lord," her tone is placid but distant. "I tried calling your name to wake you, but you kept repeating 'I'm not Ben'?"
The anger drains from his face, and he pushes her away, releasing her. She backs away, giving him the space he requires.
Jumping out of bed, he pulls his pants on in one fluid motion. Evangeline thinks he means to dress and leave, but instead he starts pacing.
A caged animal trapped in the confines of his mind.
The tension rolls off him in waves. It crashes into her so hard that she almost feels nauseous. Shakily, she takes a breath to center herself. She begins to speak but is cut off by the deafening sound of him punching the wall.
"FUCK!" he shouts and begins to pace again.
"He said it would stop! He said I would be free of the pain!" His breath comes out in quick angry gasps as he seethes.
He isn't speaking to her—doesn't even remember she is in the room. All Evangeline can do is watch the wildfire that is Kylo Ren's rampage.
"ALL THAT FOR FUCKING NOTHING!" He punches the wall again, making her wince. She could swear she heard the sound of his knuckles cracking that time.
"Ky—" She starts but stops when he calls his weapon to his hand, igniting it.
It crackles loudly as if to match its master's rage. He raises the lightsaber above his head to cut down the first thing he can find.
"Hey!" She slams her hand down on the mattress, scolding him like a child. "This is my home! Don't you dare destroy my things!"
He turns to her, eyes smoldering with fury. With his weapon still ignited, its light casts an eerie red hue over his face.
Evangeline had never seen him like this before.
His demeanor momentarily causes her to wonder if the darkness within him could lash out and hurt her. She knew he had seen many battles and probably killed countless people, but did that mean he would act out in violence against her?
She hardens herself.
She would not be afraid, deciding instead to remind him of his previous visit.
"You made me promise to tell you if your actions ever hurt me. It would hurt me if you broke my things, Kylo."
That catches his attention. He lowers the saber but doesn't release it.
Seeing his defenses lowered, she pleads with him. "Tell me what to do to help you?"
"N-no one can help me." His voice breaks and his lip quivers as tears well up in his glassy eyes.
He's crumbling before her, the despair about to swallow him whole.
Her mind screams at her.
He is drowning!
Do something!
Save him!
Her hand reaches out, fingers seeking his.
"Please." The amount of emotion in her voice surprises even her. "Won't you at least let me try?"
He stares at her for what feels like an eternity.
Until finally, he drops his weapon and walks toward the bed to take hold of her hand.
Evangeline pulls him to her, leaning back against the headboard as she guides him to lay between her legs and rest his head on her chest.
Kylo feels unbearably awkward.
He is so much taller than Evangeline, but her arms wrap protectively around his shoulders, and her knees on either side of him somehow make him feel safe.
She holds him like some kind of giant toddler. He hates it, but also doesn't want to move away.
"Do you want to tell me about your dream?"
Kylo shakes his head 'no', locks of ebony falling into his face.
She runs her fingers through his hair to push it out of the way.
He wouldn't hide from her that easily.
"The cards; they said your choices would lead to a death. Is that what you dreamt about? Did the death reveal itself to you?"
He chokes back a sob, gripping onto her.
He is Kylo Ren!
He should not be opening up to her, but it's too late—the dam is broken.
"My...M-My father."
She shushes him, wiping away tears that he was unaware were falling. "It's okay. Let it go. I've got you. Let it all go."
Evangeline kisses the top of his head and forehead, filling him with her warming light. He can hear her thoughts clearer than he can hear his own. She wants to shoulder his burden. Wants to take away his pain in whatever small way she could.
Rationally, Kylo knows she can't, but he is unable to stop the words from spilling out of him.
He tells her about the abandonment and betrayal of his parents and uncle. Tells her about the temptation to return to the light and how his Master told him to snuff that light out. Tells her that his father had to die because he was his enemy. Tells her he had to kill him so that Kylo could be stronger...so that the pain would be gone.
Evangeline is silent through it all. Not daring to speak until she is certain he is finished telling his story.
"Regardless of how damaged your relationship was...doesn't mean you're not allowed to mourn him...He was still your father.
He stares up at her dumbfounded, finding it difficult to form a reply. "It is a weakness. I shouldn't—"
Her brows knit together, interrupting him, "Says who? You are human. You are allowed to mourn. Circumstances might have made him your enemy, but once upon a time, you were his son...and he was your hero."
She has once again successfully left him speechless.
"We are flawed creatures, capable of making countless mistakes. If you regret what you've done, then only you have the strength to change your actions for the future. For now, you are free to mourn here and I will do whatever I can to comfort you, my Lord."
Not missing a beat, he asks, "Will you sing?"
With a slight smile, she nods.
Kylo isn't sure why he requests this but the delicateness of Evangeline's voice chases the darkness away. She sings about a mystic river that flows full of magic, guidance, and memories—bidding the listener to find comfort and sleep in the waters of the river.
He vaguely makes out that she is singing some sort of lullaby.
This is how they drift off to sleep together.
Kylo clinging to her like a lifeline and Evangeline holding him more like a lover than a client.
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((A/N: Ooooohhh, sounds like someone is getting attacheddddd lol. Also, can anyone guess what lullaby Evangeline is singing?
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