after the rain, comes the rainbow [open]

[killthepast]

who: Kylo Ren and OPENNN
what: Catch-all, featuring some open prompts from the TDM.
when: The month of April.
where: Here and there
warnings: Nothing yet

i. disaster relief
[ If it weren't for the lingering complications from his gunshot wound to the shoulder, Kylo Ren would be going on river expeditions and fighting giant reptiles and amphibians.

He would be, except Dr. Whale already lectured him and refused to budge the last time he'd demanded medical clearance. Apparently, pushing through pain in an attempt to force his body into recovery had only been making things worse for his arm and shoulder, in the long run.

So he has to take it relatively easy and stick to the prescribed physical therapy exercises until the doctor says otherwise. And that means staying behind as the city floods and tales of giant creatures lurking in the waters spread.

He's never been one to find contentment in sitting around and doing nothing. (Even if the action he tends to take is... you know, the wrong action, at least he's usually doing something.) So, in an attempt to curb feelings of restless agitation, Kylo... actually volunteers for the citywide relief effort. His arm may need time to heal, but he's still strong enough to assist in evacuation efforts, or in the setting up of temporary shelters, or doing any odd task where he can rely on the Force and worry less about hindering his arm's recovery.

Just don't expect him to cook or serve food. He's not feeling that helpful. ]

ii. routines
[ And since he's still stuck on the dreaded Desk Duty at work, Ren's mood-- as he goes about his daily routine-- is even more sour and gloomy than usual. Which is pretty impressive, considering his usual state is miserable enough.

So here's that catch-all prompt for seeing the scowling, overgrown emo kid at the gym (where he's still going to work out and spar as best he can, or go through his physical therapy exercises, if nothing else), or sulking around a coffee shop (don't judge his latte order) with his nose stuck in a journal as he jots notes down. Or at a library. He spends time at libraries, too. And just about anywhere, really. Outside, when it's not raining, because he's taken to communing with the Force out in the park. ]

iii. choose your own adventure
[ And if that last prompt wasn't broad enough, here's the wildcard choose your own adventure option. ]

Comments

[killthepast]

[ Now it's Ren's turn to blink, looking at Hux as he can positively see the lightbulb go off in the other man's head. ]

Transport?

[ He knows he's been missing easy access to ships and speeders, anyway. ]

[fhux]

[ A thrill of pleasure rushes up his spine and raises the hairs on the back of his neck. ]

Yes, exactly! The only working shuttle is in the possession of the Guard, other than that there are no airborne forces on this moon. Everyone's so busy ferreting around in the dirt they forgot to look up at what's overhead.

[ He pictures a black ship, around the same size as a command shuttle, only sleeker and ... armed. A floating fortress, away from the influences of others and the threats that come perceived or otherwise, as in the case with Ren's wounded arm. All they need is fuel, or to circumvent the problem. Hux brushes that aside for the moment; the construction of Starkiller's schematics was, arguably for him at a personal level, the most enjoyment he ever got out of that project.

His legs lower, heels digging into the bed. At some point his grip on Ren's hand tightened. ]

No one else has done it, they haven't bothered. What if I built us a ship?

[killthepast]

[ He can feel the buzz of excitement, practically sparking from Hux's fingertips to this, and it's hard not to get caught up in the thrill, himself, even if this isn't quite his forte. He can pilot; he can identify and fix issues, but engineering of this scope is beyond his skill set.

But what he wouldn't give to be in the air again.

Ren sits forward, shifting to better face Hux. A potential game changer. An advantage. Opportunity. ]

What would you need?

[fhux]

For a basic ship that there's no need to be ashamed of ... A sublight drive, two ion engines at least to get it off the ground, since I can't build a hyperdrive without very specific materials. Shield generators, transparisteel, solar-collector power lines would require an ionization reactor, I could attempt to construct a girondium-colium cell to brace any arrays but that would mean an electromagnetic gyroscope to counteract the moon's gravitational pull ...

[ One hand rubs at his eyes. ]

Realistically, it would take months to build such a craft even if I had twenty troopers and the perfect materials. We'd be working from scratch, off the cuff.

[killthepast]

If there's one thing we have in abundance, it's time. It'll pass regardless. I'll see what I can salvage. [ At least his work gives him an excuse to seek these materials out, and access to some Prometheus intel.

He looks at Hux, already in the midst of planning, no doubt mapping schematics in his head. Gaze lingering for a moment, Ren's lips quirk and he glances away with a muffled laugh. It's strangely, unexpectedly fond. Because all he can think is of two boys weaving fantastic plans to become Emperor and Vice-Emperor.

This isn't the same, though. They're adults, and this is reality. ]

[fhux]

[ His mind reels over materials and possible designs, only screeching to a halt when he hears that stifled chuckle. He doesn't know how to take it, staring at Ren sitting there cross-legged as if he belongs, then looking at their hands. It's impossible not to think of their wall by the river. Hux wants to launch himself headfirst into the ocean and drown a plethora of unspoken histrionics, yet he stays where he is and observes the strange man next to him. Ben was very different but, then, so was Armitage, yet the former is wildly different in ways that ought to breed concern.

Mewling diverts his attention to the floor: Padme launches herself at the bedside and claws her way up triumphantly while Anakin complains loudly on the floor, wanting to be picked up. Hux taps the hand in his with a finger. ]

You're closer, you get him.

[killthepast]

[ The sheer absurdity of their situation can either provoke laughter or awkward mortification, and Ren's reached a point where he'd rather just let go and see where the current takes him. It's a lesson he's been slowly coming to grips with here in Quarantine. So if he notices Hux's confusion, he lets it pass-- merciful enough, for once, not to draw attention to it-- his attention instead shifting to the kittens at Hux's prodding.

Oh, Anakin. He feels you. Extending his free hand, he calls upon the Force to gently lift the little creature up onto the bed, the kitten floating up with a mewl before settling onto the mattress. ]

I suppose we can't hold hands all day.

[ Spoken reluctantly, now that the kittens are tromping around their laps like they're giant, human-shaped playgrounds. ]

[fhux]

I can do without my hearing better than you handle the absence of the Force, that's for certain.

[ Picking up Padme in one hand, he cups her to his chest and rubs under her chin with a thumb. This ... hand-holding is the most contact Hux has had with anyone in years, de-aging not counted. Awkward as it is, he doesn't hate it. Ren runs warmer than he thought. ]

It's your call.

[killthepast]

Then... I'd like to stay here.

[ At least for now. He suspects he would be more reluctant to keep at this-- even if it grants him access to the Force-- if it weren't for the fact that they've already spent an afternoon holding hands before. But at least there's something familiar in this, however awkward it may be.

If he clears his mind, it's almost like being back at the flood zone, and the market, and the fountain... A part of him wants to chase that feeling-- another reminds him that it may as well be little more than a fairytale at this point, after all he's done to bury Ben Solo under the mantle of Kylo Ren.

He scratches Anakin behind the ears. ]

I can occupy myself if you need to work.

[fhux]

How are you going to do that? My bed isn't that thrilling.

[ A gesture to his datapad is given; Ren just made a cat float through the air, he can do this. Moving both of them will be a pointless trial. ]

Pass me my notes, if you will.

[killthepast]

[ He shrugs. ]

I can commune with the Force. [ Or like. Play games on his phone. EITHER OR. He extends a hand to call Hux's datapad over to them. As he passes it over, he adds: ] Unless you'd like my input.

[fhux]

[ The look he gives his datapad as he plucks it out if the air can only be called anxious. He raps his fingers on the edge as he turns it on, checking it's okay, and spares Ren an impatient glance. ]

Of course I want your input, you're one of the finest pilots we have. Ah, had.

[ Hopefully covering up the praise with a grumble. ]

[killthepast]

[ Oh, calm down, Hux! The Force can be used for more than battering people and things. The datapad is perfectly fine. In fact, Ren might seem just a touch smug when the general checks it over, only to find it operating as usual. ]

Ah. Am I?

[ A smirk twitches at the corner of his mouth. TOO LATE. You can't take that praise back. It seems to satisfy some needy part of Ren-- the part of him that's always seeking approval and acceptance from some source or another-- with a warmth that starts in his chest and blossoms outward.

He knows full well he was one of the best pilots of the First Order. His notes and observations were instrumental in refining the TIE Silencers. ]

[fhux]

[ A brief, flat stare is earned. ]

Nobody likes a fisherman who only dredges for compliments. You know you were.

[killthepast]

I know. [ There's no hesitation; he's certainly not playing at modesty here. It was only a bit of a tease before. ] It doesn't mean I can't derive some satisfaction from hearing you admit it.

[fhux]

You won't hear it again.

[ With a sniff that isn't as derisive as it could be, he turns the datapad to show some preliminary ship designs. ]

The wings will need to be larger than usual if it's going to stay airborne inside this moon's atmosphere, which of these looks the least awful?

[killthepast]

We'll see.

[ He leans over to look, as Anakin begins to scale the mountain that is his torso, tiny claws hooking into his sweater. Quiet and thoughtful, he looks over the options, absently hefting the cat up ]

That-- [ He points to the best of the options. Or, at least, what he considers to be the best. ] Seems the best compromise, if you want it to have any real maneuverability in a range of conditions.

[ Always prepare for the worst. ]

[fhux]

[ As Hux hums his agreement and tries to concentrate, his attention is drawn by Padme who curls up in the join of his thigh and purrs loudly, inevitably drawing his only free hand back to petting her. ]

Ren, these cats ... If I were to be returned to our galaxy via the Portal before you, would you do me a favour and take them in?

[ Always prepare for the worst. ]

[killthepast]

[ He's a little surprised by the request, even with the tentative peace they have right now. It's one thing for Hux to trust him to feed the kittens when he's just walking out of the room for a bit. It's another to entrust their care to him, should he depart from quarantine. ]

I will. [ He looks to Anakin, perched and chirping on his shoulder, and gives the little cat some gentle pets. ] They won't be abandoned

[ Because he sure has feelings about that. Even if they're currently being transposed onto a pair of kittens. ]

[fhux]

Good. Yes.

[ His thanks are implicit in his relief, which he isn't sure about transferring through the Force via their hands but neither does he care much to think about. ]

Should such a situation come to pass, I'd also rather all my work was destroyed rather than letting other people get their hands on it.

[ rEBELS!! ]