Empatheias Mailbox/Amulet

[lostapprentice]

[God forbid you have to deal with this absolute mess, but he has a mailbox and can be contacted through the crystals.]

Comments

10/21

[huxceptional]

[Ever since the... incident with the couch, Hux has been somewhat avoiding Ren. Well, as much as one can avoid someone while living in the same house. Things have been a little awkward lately and he just doesn't want to face the fact that a part of him, no matter how tiny, enjoyed the warmth and comfort Ren provided.

It's becoming dangerously attached, weakness.

But a week is more than enough time to allow things to return to normal, right? As long as Ren doesn't bring it up, Hux won't either. Just pretend that everything is the same. And with the recent message Qui-Gon left him, Hux feels that it's about time to discuss more important matters with Ren.

So, he walks up to Ren's room and knocks on the door, because that's the polite thing to do.]

[lostapprentice]

[Ren has been meditating for a few hours when Hux knocks, sitting in his relatively bare room cross-legged and dressed in his full robes and mask, minus the long surcoat. Although he wishes Hux had waited until he was finished, he supposes it wasn't a terrible session. The area around him has been bleached to a light grey and the air is cool and almost misty, as his usual successes result in, so it will do for now.

He doesn't move from his spot on the floor when he responds to the knock, and it doesn't occur to him that several short weeks ago he might have yelled at Hux for coming upstairs at all.]

Come in.

[huxceptional]

[At the invitation, Hux steps inside without complaint and closes the door behind him. He's glad that Ren isn't making this more difficult than it has to be and the general stands by the door for a moment, just looking at his co-commander for a few quiet moments. Hm, he's wearing his mask and obviously meditating, or was before Hux came in. At least it's something non-destructive, so he doesn't have anything biting to say for once.]

Qui-Gon just contacted me, inviting me to visit him. I'm assuming that you received a message like that as well.

[lostapprentice]

[Curious. So the Jedi contacted even Hux about this gathering? He really is trying to get the entire story. Ren supposes it makes sense, considering he appears to be the farthest back on the timeline.]

He did ask me earlier in the month, yes.

[huxceptional]

[Not surprising, although apparently the Jedi has been planning this for a while if he contacted Ren earlier this month. It's clear that he wants to gather everyone from their galaxy in one place, most likely to discuss certain topics. He can't think of any other reason why he would be invited.]

He wants to bring all of us together in one area. If he wanted to learn more about the future, he could just ask each person individually. Instead, he's going through this difficulty.

[lostapprentice]

Do you really think learning is all he's interested in doing?

[There's only one reason Ren can think of to bring the Skywalkers and friends together that a Jedi would be interested in, and that is to try to "fix" things. Another reason Ren has no interest in going, since there is nothing left to fix on his end.]

[huxceptional]

Obviously not. [He doesn't know much about Qui-Gon, but he sees him as the type to try and resolve issues between people. Well, people that he's close to at least and Obi-Wan most likely fits in that description.]

He wants to resolve the issues that are surrounding your family, so he's inviting anyone that might have an insight about what's going on.

[lostapprentice]

Such a thing is a lost cause, as you know.

[It seems to be a Jedi thing, hoping for unobtainable goals.]

So I refused. There would be no point.

[huxceptional]

[It's the smartest thing Hux's ever heard from Ren. Of course, that means Hux must also make a wise decision.]

I'll be attending.

[The most wise.]

[lostapprentice]

[Ren has to tilt his head at the general's statement. He isn't entirely sure if it's a good or a bad idea, but he does wonder at the reasons.]

Interested in watching the disaster unfold first-hand?

[huxceptional]

Despite reason telling me otherwise, yes. It's doubtful that I'd learn anything interesting, but it might be still worth suffering through if something does turn up.

[He's not expecting much, but Hux thinks that this a rare enough occasion that he should attend anyway.]

[lostapprentice]

[Ren considers this for a moment.]

It's not an unreasonable hope. [Unlike Qui-Gon's reasoning behind the entire thing.]

Given the... volatility of the group, I trust you'll be ready to leave it as soon as it becomes necessary. Organa and Solo alone could create enough of a mess on their own on this planet, given the right topic.

[He doesn't even feel the need to mention the idea of Hux telling him about whatever he hears—Ren trusts him enough to feel that's understood, at this point.]

[huxceptional]

I'm not putting myself at risk for a family quarrel.

[As soon as the lightsabers come out, Hux is getting out. He's not about that life.]

Undoubtedly, you'll be brought up, even though you won't be there.

[lostapprentice]

[He makes a bored noise at the idea of himself being brought up as a topic of conversation.]

Of course. But there's not much that will be shared that they don't all know already.

[It's a comment that serves both as an indication of his indifference, and as a reminder to Hux that he shouldn't be bringing up anything he might know that the others don't.]

[huxceptional]

[Hux almost scoffs at Ren's words, hearing the implications quite clearly.]

You should know that I wouldn't offer more information to the enemy. I am hardly that careless. In fact, I plan on keeping silent for most of these discussions.

[lostapprentice]

I thought as much.

[Being as secure as he is in his dedication to the First Order, Ren can see that there wouldn't really be that much desire to "discuss" anything with the enemy.]

When is this supposed to be, exactly.

[huxceptional]

Start of the next month. Perhaps he wishes to start things fresh before allowing everything to crash down on him.

[He has such high hopes for this meeting.]

I'll need a bottle of painkillers after that session. [That and a nice cigarette, probably.]

[lostapprentice]

I'd be willing to prepare something for your return.

[Besides, then he gets to bribe Hux into telling him all the details of the train wreck. Just in case he wasn't already interested in sharing.]

[huxceptional]

[A small amount of surprise comes from Hux at that comment. Ren and him are on relatively good terms but it still shocks him to hear his co-commander offer such a thing anyway.]

I. Yes, that would be welcomed. Tea, perhaps?

[That strange gratitude is coming from him once again.]

[lostapprentice]

[That suggestion draws Ren's gaze back to the general, disbelief obvious in his voice, though it's still relatively even.]

Is that it?

[Tea. Really? After a meeting with the Skywalkers?]

You may be underestimating the headache you'll be facing.

[huxceptional]

Besides the painkillers, yes.

[Hux holds back his retort that he's dealt with Ren for years, so he's had some practice with Skywalkers.]

Perhaps I'll invest in a good brand of cigs as well.

[lostapprentice]

[Ren's retort would have been that he's only dealt with one Skywalker and not several at a time. Regardless, he folds his arms, disgruntled at the mention of Hux's awful habit.]

Those shouldn't be necessary.

[huxceptional]

[Why is Ren so disgruntled??]

...You asked me how I was going to handle my headache and that was my sincere answer. Unless you think tea and medicine will be sufficient for my inevitable headache.

[lostapprentice]

There are better ways of calming yourself. [He's clearly judging Hux, despite the filter over his voice.]

Meditation, for instance. [Or like, a hot bath. A massage, even.]

[huxceptional]

[Don't you judge him.]

Meditation? [He can't help but make a face at that suggestion.] How does that help?