continued from x: with @forceconvergence
❝ Why are you spying on me? ❞
The retort comes quick, along with the snap of her head in the other’s direction from where the bond connected them once more. It was inconvenient at times - others it was simply UNWANTED. Right now, however - this exact moment - had to be the worst timing of all.
Rey often tried to close her mind from him, put up barriers that would prevent the intrusion into her life. It seemed to work most times - each day that passed without an incident left her hopeful that their connection was well and truly gone ( as if the longer she resisted the quicker it would WITHER away ). And yet a slip in her defences was all it took to come rushing back again.
It was in the moments when she was most vulnerable - like her soul called out to anyone that might be listening to share in her loneliness.
The dress was a far cry from her usual attire - IMPRACTICAL in all aspects of the word and the former scavenger never felt so out of place like she did now. The material was thin,flowing against her skin like a gentle waterfall. She was unaccustomed to such frivolities, feeling lost in her own skin. More so when she looked in the mirror and saw a stranger looking back at her. How was she to stand in front of dozens of people, rallying them to join their cause when her insecurity was starkly evident in the stiff set of her shoulders and the clumsiness of each step she took. But not all battles were won on the battlefield, or so General Organa had told her.
The accusation came as no surprise. He’d been prying at her mind for some time, testing the strength of their connection. She’d shut him out so many times, but every now and then he’d break through. On this occasion, he stumbled upon her at a particularly lonely moment. His eyes roamed over her, taking in the details of her attire. It was a sight he enjoyed, but not one he expected to see again. Truly it was no gown for combat. Perhaps to her dismay, a devious smirk had formed on his lips.
Kylo Ren had imagined this sort of reunion would be difficult for him to stomach. He had all the power he could imagine, and yet she denied him. It made him feel weak. The Supreme Leader could not afford to be weak. Leading the First Order was a crushing responsibility. The weight of his actions could be seen in the dark rings under his eyes. A paleness had scourged his face, leaving him with a gaunt look. The two contrasted one another. She was being beautified in an effort to appear powerful, while his power had taken away whatever beauty he had.
He had no doubt that it was a publicity maneuver. He could remember attending formal occasions as a child. He hated the way in which his mother dressed him. Luckily, his father was even more averse than him to public appearances. It seemed that Leia had grown desperate. If she thought putting Rey on a pedestal to be admired would win them favor, she was mistaken. Fear always defeated love. The beast always defeated beauty.
“ If you weren’t trying to keep me away when you look decent, I wouldn’t be forced to catch you in these intimate moments. ”