Chapter Text
Armitage Hux couldn’t comprehend what was happening to him. Which was saying a lot, because he was supposed to be able to comprehend everything. His IQ was through the roof, he’d graduated top of his class, and yet, here he was staring into wide open ocean without a single clue about what to do next.
He couldn’t understand how he could be in such a beautiful place and yet still be filled with such intense negative emotions. The native New Yorker was standing in California sunshine, sunshine doctor approved to cure diseases, and the only thing he could focus on was how far he’d fallen. This was supposed to be the place Hux could relax and unwind, recover from what happened, but the only thing he could focus on was his past. Hux was heavy with memories and baggage from his not so distant past and ever looming future. Or, rather, lack of future.
Hux was one week out of a court mandated commitment (read: rehab) and was supposed to be ‘taking it easy’ until he was contacted by his lawyer about future trial dates. After graduating from Columbia University at the top of his class in Finance and Economics, he’d moved directly onto Wall Street. Moving up the ranks quickly with his quick thinking and genius with numbers, plans, and logic, Hux soon earned a top spot at First Order Incorporated.
He rode the wave of numbers, cash, cocaine, and whores until he was living in a penthouse surrounded by people he didn’t know getting head on the couch. It was fast money, fast cars, fast highs, and fast falls. One wrong deal and Hux was pulled into illegal dealings with enormous dollar amounts and under the table operations. But he had to see it through. He’d gone too far already and he was anything but a quitter.
One NYPD raid and a twenty - four hour stay in holding led to a five day cocaine and alcohol fueled bender that ended in a suicide attempt and a court mandated commitment to a mental institution for rehab. In short, he’d hit the ground quite hard.
/“Just sit tight. There’s going to be a hearing soon.”/Was all his lawyer had said to him as she signed him out of rehab with three shirts to his name, frozen accounts, a hundred dollars, and a buss pass.
Hux’s entire world had come crashing down in the span of a month and now he was walking along a half empty beach at sunset wondering how in the world he was going to piece it back together. He was living out a motel for sixty bucks a night (that he had to borrow from his lawyer) with no job, no car, and no help. As far as he was concerned, Hux was dead in the water. Dead in the beautiful California water.
“Hey! Watch out!”
“Move!”
“Get out the way, jackass!”
There was a sudden flurry of movement, people on rollerblades and skateboards surrounded him and pushed him out the way. Hux was so taken aback all he could do was stand there and try not to get hit.
“Holy shit!”
Before he knew it, he was being tackled to the ground. The confusing feeling of strong arms wrapping around him, concrete and asphalt scraping against his skin, and jagged rocks kept him from reorienting himself. It seemed that the sky had switched with the ground, and he wasn’t quite sure which way was up anymore. In more ways than one.
“Are you okay?” A flesh toned blur crossed his eyes. “Hey, Gingersnap, are you good?”
Hux shook his head slowly, his eyes trying to focus but failing. “Uh, yeah, yes. I’m fine.” He blinked several more times. He tried to get up but hissed at the sudden sharp pain in one of his legs. He couldn’t even distinguish which one.
“Wait. Wait, hold on.” The flesh toned blur moved a little closer and started to get some defined lines and colors. Large hands came around his hips and under his arms to help steady him and pull him into the air.
“Ow, ow.” Hux hissed and grabbed hold of the stranger’s hands tightly on instinct. “I think something’s twisted or broken. It really hurts.” His voice was pinched with the effort to keep the pain hidden.
“Uh, okay. We need to sit you down somewhere, come on.” The, rather tall Hux noticed, stranger wrapped one of Hux’s arms around his neck and wrapped his own arm around Hux’s waist. Together, they walked toward the short retaining wall made of large whitewashed bricks. “Come on, sit down. Careful, careful, slowly.” When Hux was fully seated on the wall, his right leg was lifted into the stranger’s lap. “There you go.”
“What are you doing?” Hux tried to protest but the large hands that had once supported his body effortlessly were now wrapped around his ankle gently, probing at the swollen flesh but not causing any pain.
“I know what I’m doing. Just let me look at it.”
“I think it’s a little higher.” Hux told him, and he started to roll up his pant leg.
While the Helpful Stranger looked at his leg, Hux looked at his Helpful Stranger. He had long black hair gracing the top of his shoulders which Hux realized were bare and very sculpted. It was obvious this man worked out, and in the sun no less, because he had a classic California tan even though Hux could tell his skin was usually quite pale. His defined chest was sprinkled with freckles and moles in odd places that created an artwork of special marks. Not to mention the actual artwork that littered the man’s chest. Hux was a little too far away, and the stranger was bent over his leg, but the tattoos were large and colorful, of that much Hux was sure.
“It doesn’t look broken, but it’s bad enough that you might need an x-ray to be sure. I know a clinic nearby that can take you. They’re known to be pretty quick in the waiting room.” Helpful Stranger rested Hux’s ankle softly on the stone before getting up and getting himself together. He pulled his skateboard up off the ground and attached it to his backpack before slinging it onto his back.
“What? I’m not going anywhere with you!” Hux yelled. “I don’t even know your name! I don’t know who you are!”
“My name is Ren. Kylo Ren. Now come on.” He held out his hand, “You need to get this looked at and you’ll need help getting there.”
“Fine.” Hux grumbled, resigned to his own personal torture. “Fine, you can take me to this so called clinic.” He huffed.
Ren smirked and let out a light laugh, “You’re quite the character aren’t you? What’s got your panties in a twist?”
“Maybe some idiot just ran over me with his skateboard.” Hux grumbled although he raised his arm when Kylo ducked under it and settled Hux’s body weight onto him. Hux had to admit, Kylo was one solid man and it took all of nothing for him to support Hux’s weight in one arm.
He flipped his hair out of his eyes before stepping forward gently, “Alright, I’ll move slowly but if anything hurts, let me know.”
“Okay.” Hux braced himself for pain.
————
“How long?” The thin paper rattled underneath him on the bed as Hux sighed and looked down a the horrible cast now adorning his right ankle and foot.
“Six to eight weeks, at least.” The doctor wrote something down on his clipboard before pocketing the pen and tucking it under his arms. “Papers, instructions, and prescriptions will be at the front desk. Have a good day.” He left with a dry wave and moved the curtain out of his way on the way out.
Kylo moved in instantly and looked at Hux worriedly, “Is everything all right?”
“No.” Hux stated. “It’s broken and I have to wear this thing for eight weeks.”
“Time will fly by.” Kylo’s voice was naturally low and resonant, it sent shivers down Hux’s spine, but now it was obvious he was lifting it to be more positive. Taking pauses in awkward places and emphasizing random words. “You’ll see. And they’re giving you pain meds too, right?”
“Yes. But I don’t even think I can take them.” Hux sighed as the realization dawned on him. “I think they interact with the meds I’m already on.” He didn’t even know why he was talking out loud. There was no way this man actually cared about him. He had just been feeling guilty for running Hux over on the sidewalk.
“Oh. Maybe you can stop taking those other things for a few weeks. You should be all right.” Kylo proposed happily like it was an actual choice.
“I don’t think it works that way.” Hux just wanted to go home. He wanted to go back to his crappy hotel room and lie in bed and pretend this had never happened. That none of this had ever happened.
“I bet you’ll feel better about it once we get you out of this place. Come on.” It seemed Ren was rather fond of directing Hux around and since Hux was, for once, without direction in his life, he really didn’t mind too much.
Hux couldn’t help but sigh, even though deep down he appreciated the help this kind man was offering him. “And where are you taking me now?”
“We’re going to get you signed out, or discharged, or whatever, and then we’re gonna get you some food.”
“Food?” Hux admittedly couldn’t remember the last time he’d eaten, so food was probably a good idea.
“Yeah, I can hear your stomach growling from here, Gingersnap.” Kylo turned and smiled at him warmly. Hux could only blush and look away from him. “It’s the best food in SoCo and I’d bet twenty bucks on it.”
“I could use twenty bucks.” Hux answered without thinking, causing Kylo to laugh and turn back to him.
“So you /do/ have a sense of humor? Nice.” Kylo smiled and handed him the crutches he’d grabbed from off the wall. “Have you ever used these before?”
“Nope. First time for everything.” Hux settled the crutches under his arm and watched as Kylo braced in front of him, getting ready to catch Hux if he fell. Fortunately, Hux’s balance was still pretty much in tact.
Kylo walked with him as they slowly made it to the nurse’s station, then to the front door and the outside world. Kylo waited patiently as Hux stumbled along on the unwieldy plaster boot and crutches to the parking lot. Hux hadn’t actually expected Ren to stay this long, to stay at all, and now that he saw his beat up, aquamarine chevy station wagon in the parking lot with surfboards tied to the roof and windows rolled down, it was dawning on him that he had.
“What do you want?” Hux stopped a few steps away from Ren who had already pulled the passenger door open for him.
“What?” Ren looked at him in slight confusion, “What are you talking about?”
“What do you want from me?” Hux asked again sternly and a little louder. “Nothing in life is free, I know that. You don’t even know my name and you drove me to the hospital. You waited!” Hux was almost angry at him for being so relaxed about the whole thing.
“Of course I waited.” Ren scoffed. Not rudely, but as if it was common sense. “Who else was going to wait with you?”
Hux was left with a blank expression and no anger left to fight back that comment. Because, he was right. He didn’t have anyone else. His eyes dropped to Ren’s feet and the tires of the car as he fingered the padding on the crutch that was pushing through one of the cracks in the rubber.
“Listen, I don’t know where you’re from, it’s clearly not here, but out here we take care of people we accidentally run over. Now, get in the car, so I can feed you.”
Hux couldn’t help but give a light scoff, one that turned into an actual laugh. He nodded and gripped the crutches again, journeying the last few steps and leaning onto Ren as he slid into his car.
He hadn’t noticed the first time around, mainly because he’d been in too much pain, but Ren’s car was actually pretty beautiful. It was used, well loved, and in good condition. It was even pretty clean on the inside, save the sand on the rubber mats, which Hux thought was pretty impressive. “Hey, this -“ Hux reached out and ran his hand along the leather lining the dashboard. “What is it?” While he could appreciate a well taken care of possession, he wasn’t in the hobby of classic cars.
The door slammed shut and Ren pushed the keys into the ignition. “’54 Surf Wagon. I found her in a junkyard and redid everything.” Ren breathed and looked around the car, “I’ve put a lot of work into this car. She’s family.”
Hux could understand that. “You did an amazing job. It. - /she/is beautiful.” He didn’t want to disrespect Ren while sitting in a one of a kind car that he’d built himself.
“Thank you.” The engine turned over and Ren pulled out of the parking lot slowly, trying not to jostle his passenger. “So what /is/ your name?”
————
“The sun feels really pretty.” The words slipped from Hux’s mouth before he had a chance to stop them. The medication was hitting him hard and making him feel fuzzy, light, and nice, but his foot didn’t hurt which was more important than any of those things. When he was more level - headed, he’d have to thank Kylo for remembering to stop by the drug store.
A deep chuckle ran through the car, “I’m sure it does. Wish I was on what you’re on.” Kylo chuckled again, “You up for some food?” Kylo looked over at him but moved his eyes quickly back to the road.
Hux’s head flopped to the side but his eyes were clear enough and they found Ren’s with no trouble. “Sure. This the one that’s gonna get me twenty bucks?” He asked lazily.
Ren snorted and turned the car onto a side street covered in gravel and sand. “Yeah.” He pulled up alongside a couple of beat up cars, dirty, covered in various bumper stickers and dust drawings in a side lot. “My friend owns this tiny joint with his husband. It’s kind of a local treasure. They do really well.” Ren turned the car off and got out.
Hux couldn’t really comment but he was listening and when Ren came around and opened his door, he tried to at least help to get himself out of the car. “No, no, take it easy.” Ren scolded as he watched Hux wince as he tried to pull his leg up. “Let me help.” Ren’s voice was soft, but insistent. “I’ll do all the heavy lifting.” He smirked to try and ease the tension.
Upright and on crutches, Hux reviewed the scene before him. The restaurant across the street wasn’t big. Two trailers, a storage container, and an up - cycled train car were pushed together to form a makeshift kitchen, bar, and sitting area complete with wide windows and a pleasant outdoor area covered by a faded orange and white awning. There was smoke coming from a barbecue in the back, and the smells drifting from the open windows were absolutely divine. It looked like a piece of crap, but from the queue of people waiting outside, and the smells, Hux wasn’t too afraid to try it. But that was probably the opioids talking.
“Watch your step, Gingersnap.” Ren curled a large hand around Hux’s ribcage under his left arm and Hux breathed in sharply at the contact. Ren, assuming the inhale was from the pain and not a strong surge of pleasure, shushed him. “I got you. We’re almost inside.”
Hux would have gone anywhere with him as long as he continued to rub his thumb along his ribcage like that. “I can make it. It’s not that bad.” Hux explained to distract himself.
“You don’t have to try. I got you.” Ren responded quietly as he held the screen door open with one hand and supported Hux with the other.
As soon as the inner door opened, the small entryway was bombarded with noise from the diner. Polite requests, cutlery scraping against plates, laughter, and a warm atmosphere at every turn. The diner was clearly a place full of love and kinship and Hux felt like he’d never belonged anywhere less.
“We can get a table in the back and prop your foot up.” Ren tried to clear a path for him as they traveled across the worn tile floor.
“Are you sure that’s ok? I don’t want to make a -“
“It’s fine.” Ren cut him off, “This is like my second home. Promise.” He continued to lead him to the back. While you could clearly see where the three buildings had been stitched together from the outside, inside was much more seamless. One room flowing into the next without a break, and decorated with it’s customers in mind. Surfboards and pooka shells lined the walls along with an impressive shark’s head that Hux supposed was fake, and a large chandelier made entirely out of wine bottles.
There were framed photos of groups of people laughing and standing around campfires on the walls. There was even an entire section dedicated to the step by step process of building the place. Apparently they’d built it by hand. The last photo was the largest and looked like the two owners standing in front of the finished product. Hux raised his eyes from the picture to see the real thing in front of him.
The owners seemed to like to be apart of the business, not just mangers from afar. Both of them were tall, one black and one hispanic, and both were wearing aprons, shorts, and shirts with the diner’s logo on them. One was leaning over a table of six, setting down large dinner plates full of food and chattering away happily to the family. The other was serving drinks from behind the bar, smiling happily and slinging a white towel over his shoulder.
“Poe! Finn! Clear a table in the back for me.” Kylo yelled to them without looking up.
“Whoah, whoah, what happened?” Finn set down the last plate and dodged a child running in front of him as he turned to face them. “Are you alright?”
“Yeah, everything is fine, Finn.” Ren assured him before gesturing to Hux’s leg. “I just have a friend here that got into a little accident. So we need to prop his leg up.”
“Oh, yeah, of course. Give me five.” The man named Finn moved towards the back and cleared two small tables near each other.
“Hey man, everything good?” They passed the other man behind the bar as they made their way to the back. Hux hobbled around tables and chairs wile Ren made sure his path was clear of bigger items.
“Yeah, Poe, we’re good. I’ll get back to you in a minute.” Ren didn’t have eyes for anyone else as Hux tried to maneuver through the tight space.
“It’s fine, I can make it.” Hux complained as he saw all of the attention he was getting.
“Just ignore them. You’re all right.” Ren whispered under his breath close to Hux’s ear.
When they made it to the table, Hux sat down in a huff and Ren worked to move the chair so that Hux could reach it comfortably. “Let me go find something for a cushion.”
“Ren!” Hux tried to stop him, but he was off, passing through doors and disappearing. He waited for him silently until one of the owners, the one he hadn’t talk to, came to see him.
“Hey, can I get you anything?”
“Uhm - I - ,” Hux stuttered as he looked up at him until Ren came back with a rolled up blanket.
“Poe, can we get a couple of waters and some coke.” Ren lifted Hux’s foot gently and set the blanket underneath it.
“No problem.” Poe walked away again.
“Sorry, I couldn’t find anything else.” Ren sat down across from him. “Feeling a little better?”
Hux sighed, “Yes. It feels better to be off my foot.”
“Yeah, I’m sure.” Ren handed him a menu. “Pretty much everything is good, if you’re not allergic to anything. Everything is from scratch and they’re all Poe and Finn’s recipes. Also, it’s on me.”
“Uh, please, I can’t accept -“ Hux stuttered again. He had never stuttered this much in his life.
“No, no, I’m the one that ran you over. I’m the reason you’re going to be wearing a cast for eight weeks. Let me buy you some food.”
“That is true.” Hux decided to let it go. He didn’t have any money anyway. “Alright, then.”
Ren smiled, “Have I apologized yet?”
Hux laughed, his eyes closing slightly, “Yeah, several times.” Hux opened them to see Ren tossing his hair back, the sun shining in his face, squinting his eyes from the glare. Besides being literally illuminated, the sun was accentuating his laugh lines and made him look a little younger. It suited him, Hux decided.
“Ok, then. I just want to make sure. I feel awful about this. I’ve never done this to anyone before.” Ren did look genuinely apologetic.
“It’s ok. You drove me to the clinic, waited, bought me dinner. I don’t know what else you could do. Consider yourself forgiven.”
Ren stared at him, his head sliding into a tentative tilt, “I feel like you need something, but I’m not sure what it is.” Hux was about to shake his head when Ren stopped him. “So, I’m going to stick around until I figure out what it is.”
“Ren, what are you talking about?” Hux questioned him.
“So, figured out what you want, yet?” Poe was suddenly in front of them again with a small notepad and a pen.
“Yeah, get me the regular.” Ren looked up at him, “And some Hot Chocolate.”
“Ren, it’s eighty degrees outside and not a cloud in the sky.” Poe retorted.
“And?” Ren offered him a goofy smile and then turned to Hux, “Do you know what you want, Gingersnap?”
“For you to call me by my name?” Hux looked up at him a neutral face before lowering the menu, “Um, get me what he got, without the Hot Chocolate. That’s disgusting.” He heard Ren laugh at him.
“Got it.” Poe smiled and walked away.
“Ren, I don’t know what you mean by ‘stick around’ but I don’t need your help.” Hux protested.
“You know you keep saying things like that but all I see is someone who could use a hand.” Ren smiled as he held up one of his own, “I’ve got pretty big ones and I can help you. i’ve got nothing else to do right now.”
“Ren,” Hux sighed, “I’m not some . . . /charity case/ that you need to work on.” He spat the word out harshly. “I’m not anyone’s charity case.”
“And I never said you were.” Ren answered, “So let’s get this straight.” Ren sat up a little straighter and leaned forward onto the table. He pointed to Hux’s cast, “You’re gonna have that thing for eight weeks. As far as I’m concerned, I’m here for as long as that thing is.” He resettled his arms across his chest and smiled warmly at Hux.
Hux didn’t know what to say. So he didn’t say anything, just sat back in his chair and waited for his food to come out. When it did, he got to work eating quietly.
“Hey, be careful. I don’t know how great food is going to sit with your meds.”
“I’ll watch it.” Hux responded. He knew Kylo wouldn’t have dropped it if he’d said anything else. After a couple of bites in, he realized that the food did live up to Ren’s boasting. “This is good, Ren. Thank you for bringing me.” He was in a phenomenally bad mood, but he could at least thank him for everything he’d done so far.
“Anytime.” Ren looked up at him briefly before getting back to his own food.
————
“So, where do you live?”
Suddenly Hux was feeling very tight chested. “Why?”
“So that I can take you home?” Ren turned around to stare at him. “Hux, get out of the street please.”
Hux’s crutches were the only thing holding him up, he was sure. “Just, can you take me back to where you ran me over? I don’t - “
“Yeah, sure, just get out of the street.” Ren called to him suddenly. Hux turned his head and realized that several miles down the strip there was indeed a car on its way. Hux sighed and started limping forward.
“Sorry.” Hux made it towards him, “Can you just take me back to Hollywood Beach. Please?” There was a slightly panicked edge to his voice.
Ren sighed, and it was clear that he wasn’t happy about it, but he nodded. His keys were jingling in his hand as he turned and headed back to the parking lot. “Yeah, yeah, get in.” He didn’t open the door this time.
————
It took Hux a very long time to get to sleep. He wasn’t sure if it was the crappy motel bed, the pain, the pain pills not working, or the sirens outside that wouldn’t shut up. Regardless, he was too full of thoughts to even begin to slow down anyway.
He woke up in pain and struggled to hobble to the toilet quick enough. He tossed the contents of his stomach in about a minute, settling his head on the toilet when he was finished. His head was pounding, his foot ached, and he could barely remember where he was let alone figure out a way to stop the pain.
/“Fuck!”/
————
For once, the buss pass that his lawyer had given him a week ago had come in handy. With a good memory, Hux somehow made his way back to Poe and Finn’s diner, hoping that maybe he’d find Kylo there. He thought about the beach but figured it was too big for an injured man to search.
When he pushed his way through the entrance, it seemed Finn was happy to see him again. In fact, he greeted him at the doorway. “Um, hey, hi, didn’t expect to see you again. Hux, right?”
“Yeah, Hux. Uh, have you or your husband seen Kylo?” Hux couldn’t help but feel award about it. “I . . kind of need to talk to him.”
“Oh!” Finn seemed surprised that he’d even asked, “I actually haven’t seen him in today.” He looked down at his watch, “But it’s a little early for him. He’s probably still surfing this early.” Hux’s face fell and he nodded and started to back up. “Oh, no, hey, why don’t you grab a table and I’ll get you some coffee. On the house.” Finn smiled.
Hux looked back at him and nodded, “Sure. Why not? I do love coffee.”
“Awesome. Take a seat.” Hux sat down in the offered chair. “I’ll get you a mug in a second.”
Hux propped his foot up on the empty chair and stared out at what little of the beach he could see through the back window. When Finn brought his coffee, he added a little sugar and waited.
————
Ren tucked his surfboard under his arm as he jogged towards the beach. The sand was coarse against his feet but he managed to make his way to his car parked in the tiny parking lot across the street. He grabbed his towel from the open back seat window and hung it over the open car door as he unzipped his wet suit and started to dry off.
After a morning of surfing with his friends, Ren was ready for a huge lunch at his favorite place and maybe an afternoon involving painting of some kind. Maybe clay, he wasn’t quite sure yet. When he was fully dry and in some warmer clothes, he strapped his board to the top of his car to dry, and hopped in. It was almost second nature for Ren to drive to the Stardust Diner and he parked in the first free spot he found and raced inside.
“Boys.” Ren nodded at Finn who was behind the hostess stand and Poe who was walking through with a bucket full of dirty dishes.
“Hey, Kylo, finally.” Finn sighed and grabbed his hand. He pulled him back towards the center car and pointed towards the back of it to a patron sitting at a table drinking his eighth cup of coffee. “He’s been here since eight am.”
Kylo followed his finger to see the redhead sitting with his leg propped up on a chair and holding a mug of coffee. Kylo smiled, pulled his shirt a little straighter, and ran his hand through his hair a little. He smelled his breath, and rubbed his teeth, just in case, and stepped out from behind Finn with a well meaning clap to the shoulder. He took a couple of easy steps forward before standing in front of Hux’s table. “Hey.”
————
Hux jumped slightly and turned to see Kylo standing in front of his table. He set his coffee down, sloshing a little onto the table, and sat up straighter. “Oh, hey, Kylo. I’m glad that you’re here.”
“Yeah.” Kylo cocked his head and put his hand down on the edge of a chair for support. “Finn said you’ve been here for a while.”
“Um,” Hux looked down into his coffee, “Well I didn’t have your number and you said you come here a lot.”
“Why’d you need to find me anyway?”
Hux fingered his dusty green mug. It was chipped at the edge and Hux rubbed his finger over the rough porcelain. “I just wanted to thank you for yesterday.” He took a deep breath, “And apologize for how I acted at the end of it. I was rude and it wasn’t fair.”
Kylo nodded slowly and looked away from him, “Thank you for saying that.” He waited a beat before lifting his head and Hux could see a small smile grow on his face. “You know I would have found you somehow.”
Hux finally looked up at him, “Is that so?”
“Yeah. I told you, you’re not getting rid of me until you get rid of that thing.” Kylo pulled a chair from the next table and turned it around. He threw one large leg over it and sat down to lean his arms across the back. “So. How are you today?”
Hux gave a small laugh, “I’m ok. In pain.” He admitted, “But nothing pills won’t /not/ fix.”
“It sounds rough.” Kylo winced, “Can I help with anything?”
Hux was about to shake his head when it occurred to him that he needed to get his life together and Kylo was an opportunity. Maybe not the one he wanted, but a good one nonetheless. He nodded, “Actually, I think you can help me with something.” His throat had suddenly gone dry and Hux was finding it difficult to actually say what he wanted.
“Sure.” Kylo waited patiently.
“Could you help me find a job?” Hux asked.
“A job?” Kylo tilted his head, something Hux was realizing he did a lot. “Why do you need a job? Hux you just got injured.”
Hux sighed, unwilling to talk about himself, but he knew he was going to have to let a little information out to get some help. “I just got out of a weird situation.” He explained. “I’m new to the area,” /To the state really/, Hux thought. “And I need a job until I can straighten everything out.” When Ren looked like he was hesitating, he continued, “I can’t keep relying on your kindness now, can I?”
Kylo nodded slowly, “Yeah, alright, but I don’t know about anything fancy. What kind of skills do you have?”
Hux waved his hands, “No, no, nothing like that. Just something little. Obviously, “ he pointed to his foot, “Something I can sit down and do or at least not stand the whole time.”
Kylo hummed and looked around for a couple of seconds before he sat up, and snapped, “Wait, I have the perfect idea. Hux, you could work here.”
“At your friends’ diner?” Hux looked skeptical. “I don’t think - “
“No, come on. It’s fun here. They’re a family. Good people as well.”
Hux sighed and wondered if he could actually work here with his situation. But then again, he needed the money. It wasn’t looking like this trial was going to happen any time soon and he needed the trial to get his accounts unfrozen. He really didn’t have any room to be passing up on job opportunities. “You know what, sure.” He finally nodded, “I’ll take it.”
Kylo’s face brightened, “Awesome. Just stay here, I’ll go talk to them.” Ren rose from his seat quickly and walked back up to the front.
Hux smiled to himself slightly as he watched Ren make it to the front in a few long strides of his incredibly long legs. Hux noticed that along with tilting his head while he was confused, he also talked with his hands when he was excited. He was either barefoot or had flip - flops on and even then, those were falling apart from overuse. Hux had known him for less than forty - eight hours and he was already picking up on small details. Maybe getting closer to Ren wasn’t such a good thing.
He pushed the thought away as Ren came back with a wide smile. “So, good news.” Hux looked up and tried to put on a smile of his own.
“What’s up?”
“Finn says that they can get you a stool and stick you on the hostess stand.” Ren smiled. “They’ll give you another stool for your foot for the week or so, to keep the stress off, and then after that you should be ok.”
Hux didn’t know what to say, “Wow, Kylo. Thank you. Seriously, I couldn’t have asked for a better -“ Hux paused. He didn’t even know what to call him
“Friend.” Kylo nodded with confidence. “I’m your friend.” Hux smiled down at his now cold coffee. “So buck up, buttercup. I’ve got a lot to teach you.”