For allbingo
Sep. 7th, 2020 04:51 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ladyofleithianTitle: what’s in your head
Summary: What went on in Poe’s head — figuratively and literally — during the interrogation?
Prompt: Betrayal
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Author’s Notes: Title from the song “Zombie” by the Cranberries. Also, part of the inspiration for this was a clip from Battlefront 2 with Kylo interrogating Del Meeko, which definitely raises questions as to what was going on during Poe’s interrogation.
“I had no idea we had the best pilot in the Resistance onboard.” The monster that had once been Ben spoke softly, as Ben would have once to Poe, when times were kind. “Comfortable?”
“Not really.” Poe was beaten, bloodied...and really, he wanted Ben to come to his senses and stop this.
Kylo stepped forward in that moment. He seemed like he was framed in the darkness, like he was surrounded by it. Even as Poe looked up at him, he couldn’t help but wonder about Ben’s mask — how avian it really was. How expressionless — Poe couldn’t even see his eyes. It was like there were two voids where eyes should be. Like they were cold and dead.
“I’m impressed,” he said, and Poe could imagine for a moment that he was being tender, being kind. Like Ben would have been, before being taken over by something that simply wasn’t him. "No one’s managed to get out of you what you did with the map.”
What can I say; I’m stubborn, Poe would have said, under friendlier circumstances. Instead, he said, “You might wanna rethink your technique.”
Famous last words, Poe managed to think even as he felt something. Something, like the beginning of a rock slide in his head.
***
He was in a place, a place that he had seen before, when he had managed to visit it. Adani. Where Luke had built his Jedi Academy, before it had burned down. Had Ben burned it? Even that — was it wrong to love him and believe in him, even though Ben was doing all sorts of horrible things?
“You still love me and believe in me.” The monster, the masked beast, was still in Poe’s visions, in his head. “You don’t know what I’ve done. What I plan to do."
"I know what you’ve done,” Poe said. “And I still believe in you.”
“I thought you would.” Kylo sounded more subdued. "I doubt anyone loves the galaxy like you do.”
“I wanna help people like Mama and Papa!”
There was something pounding on the outside of his mind, trying to get in. Something that felt...anguished, somehow. Like Ben didn’t want to do it.
"I don’t want to destroy you, Poe.”
“Then stop."
A pause.
***
The shudder of his body against the rack, the slam of his head there, brought Poe out of the construct Kylo had made for him. Forced for him. He groaned, closing his eyes against the dull pain of the rack.
“Where is it?” Kylo’s voice, still soft, still ominous.
Poe was spasming under Kylo reaching towards him. “The Resistance...will not be intimidated by you.”
Another movement of Kylo’s hand, and Poe was brought to look at Kylo. Really look at him.
Kylo was picking out memories, piece by piece, bit by bit. Zorii. Him running away from Zorii. His mother, being buried when he was eight. Ben, walking away from him, again and again.
And the scream that was all but torn out of Poe was the sound of a broken heart.
***
“I don’t...” The Kylo in his head was tensing. “Poe, forgive me, I don’t want to hurt you. I’m sorry.”
“Then stop!" Poe shouted. "Stop it..."
“It’s too late.”
"Come back, Ben! I love you. I love you...”
Silence. Then, bitterly, “Is there anyone in the galaxy you don’t love? Why am I special?”
More memories. And then...
“No!” Poe shouted. “Please...”
“I’m sorry. I won’t hurt BB-8; I’ll make sure Hux gets him intact. I’m sorry."
***
Poe could dream for a while. Dream of a better galaxy, one that was kinder, gentler. In his dreamworld, lying with Ben, the real Ben, underneath the stars...there, he thought, he could be truly free.
Summary: What went on in Poe’s head — figuratively and literally — during the interrogation?
Prompt: Betrayal
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Author’s Notes: Title from the song “Zombie” by the Cranberries. Also, part of the inspiration for this was a clip from Battlefront 2 with Kylo interrogating Del Meeko, which definitely raises questions as to what was going on during Poe’s interrogation.
“I had no idea we had the best pilot in the Resistance onboard.” The monster that had once been Ben spoke softly, as Ben would have once to Poe, when times were kind. “Comfortable?”
“Not really.” Poe was beaten, bloodied...and really, he wanted Ben to come to his senses and stop this.
Kylo stepped forward in that moment. He seemed like he was framed in the darkness, like he was surrounded by it. Even as Poe looked up at him, he couldn’t help but wonder about Ben’s mask — how avian it really was. How expressionless — Poe couldn’t even see his eyes. It was like there were two voids where eyes should be. Like they were cold and dead.
“I’m impressed,” he said, and Poe could imagine for a moment that he was being tender, being kind. Like Ben would have been, before being taken over by something that simply wasn’t him. "No one’s managed to get out of you what you did with the map.”
What can I say; I’m stubborn, Poe would have said, under friendlier circumstances. Instead, he said, “You might wanna rethink your technique.”
Famous last words, Poe managed to think even as he felt something. Something, like the beginning of a rock slide in his head.
***
He was in a place, a place that he had seen before, when he had managed to visit it. Adani. Where Luke had built his Jedi Academy, before it had burned down. Had Ben burned it? Even that — was it wrong to love him and believe in him, even though Ben was doing all sorts of horrible things?
“You still love me and believe in me.” The monster, the masked beast, was still in Poe’s visions, in his head. “You don’t know what I’ve done. What I plan to do."
"I know what you’ve done,” Poe said. “And I still believe in you.”
“I thought you would.” Kylo sounded more subdued. "I doubt anyone loves the galaxy like you do.”
“I wanna help people like Mama and Papa!”
There was something pounding on the outside of his mind, trying to get in. Something that felt...anguished, somehow. Like Ben didn’t want to do it.
"I don’t want to destroy you, Poe.”
“Then stop."
A pause.
***
The shudder of his body against the rack, the slam of his head there, brought Poe out of the construct Kylo had made for him. Forced for him. He groaned, closing his eyes against the dull pain of the rack.
“Where is it?” Kylo’s voice, still soft, still ominous.
Poe was spasming under Kylo reaching towards him. “The Resistance...will not be intimidated by you.”
Another movement of Kylo’s hand, and Poe was brought to look at Kylo. Really look at him.
Kylo was picking out memories, piece by piece, bit by bit. Zorii. Him running away from Zorii. His mother, being buried when he was eight. Ben, walking away from him, again and again.
And the scream that was all but torn out of Poe was the sound of a broken heart.
***
“I don’t...” The Kylo in his head was tensing. “Poe, forgive me, I don’t want to hurt you. I’m sorry.”
“Then stop!" Poe shouted. "Stop it..."
“It’s too late.”
"Come back, Ben! I love you. I love you...”
Silence. Then, bitterly, “Is there anyone in the galaxy you don’t love? Why am I special?”
More memories. And then...
“No!” Poe shouted. “Please...”
“I’m sorry. I won’t hurt BB-8; I’ll make sure Hux gets him intact. I’m sorry."
***
Poe could dream for a while. Dream of a better galaxy, one that was kinder, gentler. In his dreamworld, lying with Ben, the real Ben, underneath the stars...there, he thought, he could be truly free.
