splinteredstar | squad fic: smol (Reply)

Today in squad fic, I pretend that I can write a preteen. Squad goes back in time to when Ben and Armitage were 10 and 14 respectively.

tw: canonical levels of child neglect, me shouting at the adults in Ben's life a bit, and snoke.

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About 20 years pre tfa. Squad gets split. Poe, kylo, and phasma are dumped in Order space. Hux, rey and Finn end up.... somewhere near the organa residence

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I only have a couple of scenes for this one.

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Hell yeah, headfic!

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I have more for one plot line than the other.

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Kylo/poe/phasma find the order academy and with it, a 15 year old Armitage hux

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He's undersized, not yet his full height. Poe calls him adorable, because he /is/, like a kitten not yet grown into his teeth, poofing up to look taller -

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- and then the kid /flinches/, just a little bit, and Poe blinks and then swears in his head. Because he's a kid, he doesn't have 20 years of armor thick confidence and snark and self defense yet.

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Hux goes into every situation with the confidence that he could destroy every single person around him. This kid just /wishes/ he could

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Armitage is being hurt. Maybe it's Brendol, idk. Kylo finds out and - well.

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Poe's explanation, later: "I know, I know, it's normally my job to talk them out it....." he snarls, just a little. "But this time, I just didn't have the heart."

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Armitage is furious. Shouts at kylo that he doesn't need to be rescued, doesn't want to owe kylo anything for this -

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"In - in my future, I - I love you, we're married, " kylo tries to explain why he did it, why he interfered

"So what, you think I belong to you now?" Armitage snarls. "Protecting your investment?"

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Oh no, smol!Armie

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Kylo - slides to his knees, takes his hand. "No, it's - /I/ belong to /you/, I would do anything for you, all I want is for you to be happy and safe." He rubs his thumb over Armitage's suddenly still hand. "I would slaughter any who threaten you, not because you are mine but because I am yours."

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Smol!armie is made out of rage and delicate pride

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Poe is....more protective than he ever thought he would be, and decides to never tell Hux this

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Phasma is off gathering proof about the stormtrooper programs and order bullshit. Because she's being responsible

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They eventually decide to meet up with the others in alliance space.

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"We're taking the kid, right?" Poe says, fully aware that Armitage will do what he wants.

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"Why should I help you destroy the Order anyway?" Armitage snarls.

Kylo shouts back from the pilot's seat:"Because your father loves it."

Armitage blinks. Opens his mouth, tilts his head, and closes it again. He nods, and gets on the ship.

Poe and phasma share annoyed mutters about drowning in daddy issues

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That's all I have for that plotline.

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Literally drowning, haha.

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On the other side of things....

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Hux/rey/finn end up near the organa residence. Obviously, tiny Ben finds them first.

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"Who are you?" Ben says, eyes narrowed. Hux can feel the force prodding at him. And he thought kylo was inelegant... "I don't recognize you. Are you one of dad's friends?"

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Hux stares down - he's taller than Ben now, what the hell - and then looks up at the sky while he takes a deep breath.

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Rey steps up. "...kind of," she hedges. "Look, is your mom around?"

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(Pretend I can write the dialog of an 11 year old with any sense of legitimacy)

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Ben stares at her. "No, she's at a meeting." He tilts his head. "...you feel like uncle luke. Why do you feel like Uncle Luke?"

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!!!!!

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Ben sees her lightsaber. He lights up. "Is that a lightsaber? Are you a jedi? Are you gonna train me? Can I see it?"

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Finn steps up, displaying his own. "We'll show you in a bit. Is your dad or your uncle around?"

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They're in some - field somewhere. In the woods near by their house.

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Ben nods. "Dad and uncle chewie and uncle luke are at the house, come on-" he spins and starts off in the right direction

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Introductions are made, awkwardly. Explanation made. Hux sums it up as "weird force nonsense" which makes han snort

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They - leave off the Order details, when talking around Ben.

They'll get there, but it is late.

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And that's so much to process, also.

Oh man, how does Ben take the "I'm your husband" discussion?

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I have no idea, honestly. Hux is a little weirded by "my husband is a child now"

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Ben likes Hux, though. Hux has a - very calm mind, and doesn't mind it when Ben settles inside of it

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Oh man. If Hux is all weird and kind of avoiding Ben due to the whole kid thing, but then Ben develops this crush on him anyway and just follows him around like a puppy dog...

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It gets awkward, yes.

For several reasons

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Ben is sensitive, so sensitive to everything and everyone, unable to block out the noise of the universe pouring into his mind. But hux's mind is very quiet and focused and calm. Ben can settle inside of his surface thoughts and - it's like a white noise machine, and it's. Relaxing

Hux is used to it, as kylo does that all the time.

splinteredstar sent a post kylux fluff imag...

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Related headcanon

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Oh yeah, totally.

Kylo's head would be so overwhelming.

Hux's would be so organized and clinical.

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Yep.

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And - well. Ben doesn't read emotions easily, on people's faces. He normally just - pops into their heads for a second, make sure he understands what they mean.

But people usually get mad at him when he does it.

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Han finds it unsettling. Luke tells him it's rude.

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Oh man, and if Hux just accepts it... Wow.

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But hux and Rey and Finn don't mind? They're used to it. They know he's not rooting around, he's just trying to understand.

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There may or may not be a "this is how you deal with your special needs child" lecture/rant at some point

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And rightfully so!!!

Like, come on. Help your kids, people.

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Finn is polite about it. Hux is...not.

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But hux has his own agenda, regardless. He knows that Ben is starting to trust him, and allows it.

(He remembers what Kylo's told him of his childhood.)

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Omg this will be an entirely different Ben/Kylo as he ages.

Because he's had Hux the whole time.

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Let me finish! There's one rancor in the room yet....

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One day, Ben is leaning on Hux's knee, half asleep. Hux is working on data for Leia. (They don't get along, but they respect each other.)

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........ *so excited*

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Ben mumbles something, and Hux looks down.

"Hmm?"

Ben jerks, a bit guilty. "Oh, um. Not you."

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Hux inclines his head. Force users, he thinks. "Does your uncle need something, then?"

Ben looks away. Nearby, a glass starts to shake, a sure sign of Ben's dropping mood.

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Oh no.

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Eventually, ben mutters something under his breath, and then looks up. "....promise you won't tell anyone?"

Hux nods.

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"There's a - I have a friend, or. He talks to me through the force, and he makes the noise go away, but I was just telling him that I was okay right now because you were here."

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Hux keeps his expression and his mind very, very calm. He knows what layers of his mind Ben can reach and stores his reaction deep beneath them

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"I see." He says, but ben keeps talking

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Aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh

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"He doesn't like dad or mom or uncle luke so he's never around when they are. But he's -" ben tilts his head, as if listening. "He says he might know you? Or your dad, maybe."

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Hux tilts his head, as if this information is totally neutral. As if his mind is not a storm of rage underneath his shields. As if he doesn't want to rip the galaxy apart. ".....if he is who I think he is, then yes, he would know my father."

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Ben's eyes widen. "Really? Did you know him in the future?"

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Hux nods. "I did. That's where I met you."

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"Wooooow." Ben says, eyes shiny and excited. "That's amazing."

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Aaaaaahhhhhhh

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"Indeed. Now, I have work to do." Hux says, and picks up his document again.

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.....and yes, I know.

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Save him, Hux. Omg.

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That night, hux calls rey and Finn over.

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"Ben is asleep, correct?" Rey looks up as she checks, and then nods. "Is there anyone else listening in?"

She narrows her eyes, and shakes her head.

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"Excellent. Ensure it remains that way for a few moments, if you would."

Rey stares. Hux just sits down at a table, puts his head in his hands, and -

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oh no

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- he does not scream. He does not swear out loud. He just lets himself /feel/, all of the rage and protective fury and outrage he's kept swallowed while Ben was awake. He lets himself imagine ripping snoke to pieces, burning him alive, subjecting him to the fury of starkiller

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(the fury of Starkiller, but just on Snoke, is amazing and vivid)

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After a few moments, he sits up. Rey and Finn are both staring at him.

He - well, to call it a smile is inaccurate, but he shows his teeth.

"Thank you. I did not want to wake him up."

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"What -" he looks totally normal, she thinks. He's still oozing fury but he looks completely neutral. "What happened?"

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"Ben has a friend, he says, who speaks to him through the force. Never comes around when his uncle or his mother is here, but knows my father, apparently."

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A moment. The moment rey understands her rage darkens the room. Hux just smiles wider

There are times he quite likes rey Skywalker, he thinks

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"What are we going to do?" Finn says. "I'm sure you have a plan already."

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Hux does.

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Yessssss of course he does.

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They cannot be obvious. Snoke is canny and suspicious. Any blatant attempt to turn ben against him will only make it worse

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I - do not know the details of the plan! (Sneaky plans are hard.)

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I'm pretty sure it involves rey teaching him shielding and Hux rigging up something ben can wear to dampen the force

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Oooh, that sounds good.

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While finn continues the "how to help your special needs (AND VULNERABLE) child." lecture series

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An exchange:

Rey: "I'm surprised at you. If we get rid of Snoke, then kylo Ren will never exist."

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Hux stares back at her. "Perhaps I simply don't want snoke to have his hands on something that /should/ belong to me."

He's deflecting, and Rey knows it.

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Around this point (with operate spite snoke starting up) the rest of the crew show up

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Eeeeeeeeee

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Rey notices it first, but ben and Luke feel it a moment later. "Something is - getting closer, something /dark/-" luke says, alarmed

"It's okay, it's Ben, I'll tell him where to land-" she glances around. "Our ben, I mean."

Luke is not reassured.

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.........

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Baby ben is - also not reassured

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The ship lands nearby and they're waiting for it. Kylo steps off the ship and -

It's Ben. Luke can look at the man and see his nephew, see the shapes of his face and recognize portions - and yet

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AAAAAHHHHHH

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Ben is troubled and quiet and worrying. But this man, this man - he moves like a fighter, his face scarred and his mind chaotic, snapping back and forth like a predator -

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This man looks wild, no, he looks /feral/, something that has forgotten how to be tame, all power and violence and reckless strength

(It rarely storms on Tattooine, but luke remembers it - the pressure, the ozone, the cackling /potential/)

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Hux looks at him and smiles.

In an instant, force borne speed, kylo at hux, huge hands wrapped around his head.

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Kylo kisses him, thick and deep - muttering between I'm back I'm back I'm not gonna leave again I'm back mine mine mine - and Hux kisses back, snarling mine mine mine never letting you out of my sight mine /mine/ -

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Kylo pulls back, holding something up. "I brought you a trophy."

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Aaaahhhhhh yessssddd

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Dogtags. They read "Brendol hux"

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Hux grins. "Darling, it's rude to murder other people's fathers, you know."

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AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH

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Fucking fantastic.