![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ladyofleithianTitle: To Preserve You
Summary: Poe joins the Knights of Ren with Ben.
Prompt: Fork In The Road
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
It was landing on Yavin that Ben knew he had to say goodbye to Poe. He owed that much to Poe, after just about everything. He couldn’t just disappear without an explanation. He expected Poe to be repulsed when he told him, after Poe had invited him in...
But instead, he had seen nothing but compassion in Poe’s eyes. Eyes that widened, became heated. “So he tried to kill you? Your uncle?”
“I can only assume.”
“And Voe, Tai and Hennix won’t listen to you?”
“Exactly.”
“I’ll go with you. You don’t have to be alone.”
Ben’s eyes widened. “You don’t know what you’re saying.”
“I do.”
“They’ll reject you. You’ll never see your father again...”
“I made my choice and I’m not gonna leave you,” Poe said.
Ben didn’t know what he did to deserve someone like Poe, who was still willing to follow him after knowing he was a monster, tainted...
He hugged Poe then, tightly, and it dawned on him, not for the first time, that he loved this man and would do anything for him.
***
The trip to Snoke’s garden planet was something. Snoke seemed skeptical of Poe’s presence with Ben, but said, “Nevertheless, he is...gifted. He may yet be an asset to us.”
“He already is.”
“Yes.” Snoke seemed thoughtful. “You worship him. As one would worship a god. He’s everything you wanted to be.”
There was no hiding anything from Snoke or Poe. “Yes,” he said. “Always.”
It was on the Grimtaash that Poe said, “Did you mean it? Any of it?"
Ben nodded. “Completely and utterly.” A beat. “I only wonder if I’m worthy of you...if you’ll have me...”
“What are you saying, Ben?”
“I love you. I love you, Poe.” At this point, Ben was rambling. “You’re so bright — so kind. Even after everything that’s happened to you, you’re still so bright and wonderful. And I could never be as wonderful as you are — all of you.”
Poe smiled, gently. “I feel it too,” he said. “I love you.”
They kissed softly, and Ben could briefly imagine the stars igniting, giving way to light and heat, to the need to be whole and loved. He broke the kiss. “Poe — if we went all the way tonight...”
“There’s no one else I would rather do this with.”
Kisses. Scrabbling at clothing, and Ben gasping at how every touch made him feel like he was living, not just surviving. It only continued when they were naked together, needing to meld, to be close, to touch and kiss and fall. Poe was praising him almost deliriously, how beautiful and amazing he was.
“You’re amazing too, Poe,” Ben said. “You’re so amazing...”
They fell into that, scrabbling for touch and the need to be made whole even as they melded with each other.
***
There was Elphrona, where they fought side by side. Vanrak, where Ren was skeptical of Poe — all the more skeptical when Poe showed compassion towards prisoners they were interrogating.
“He’s too soft, kid,” Ren said.
“He’s more than that,” Ben said. “He’s talented. Strong. Kind — but I think it makes him triumph over other people, who aren’t like him.”
“Other people aren’t gonna be nice to him.”
“I know.”
Ben loved Poe anyway.
***
Ren had killed Tai. Even standing rigid, Ben couldn’t help but feel the rage beginning to stir.
“I wouldn’t get any closer, kid,” Ren said. “Not unless you want something bad to happen to Poe Dameron.”
Ben seethed. “You’re a lying rat.”
Ren sighed. “I’m trying to help you, kid. You can’t afford love, when following the ren. It fogs your judgment.”
Poe was struggling against Ren’s grip, straining. But Poe was slight, and Ren was big. A muscled beast in comparison to Poe.
In a fit of inspiration, Ben threw his lightsaber, watching it spin towards Ren’s head and cut it clean off.
Poe got free. And Voe — well, Poe only knocked her upside the head with his blaster. “Sorry I did this,” he said, softly. “It’s for the best. Only for the best...”
***
It was after killing Ren that Ben found himself breathing heavily, just for a moment, before running to Poe and hugging him tightly. There was something about the simple, honest fact that Poe was here, that Poe was alive, that was enough to fill Ben with relief. To take him in, to smell his hair and feel the warmth of his body...it was enough to make him feel a sort of gratitude so big it threatened to burst out of him. There weren’t words for what he was feeling. Not words he could speak, anyway.
“Is Voe...?”
“I knocked her out,” Poe said. “There’s been enough killing, for basically all of us.”
Ben smiled. “That’s my Poe. Doing the honorable thing.” A stroke along Poe’s cheek, and there was the fact he was so, overwhelmingly grateful just for what he saw, for what he knew.
For what he had. Poe had every right to reject him, to say “no”. And yet he accepted Ben.
He saw Luke’s rejection of Ben, his attempt to kill him — and still he loved him.
He loved him.
***
The Knights accepted him as their leader. Ben made it all too clear, all too important, that anyone who threatened his lover’s status and life would be dealt with. And they accepted. He had killed Ren, after all. It was obvious that he would kill anyone who dared to harm Poe.
He would protect Poe, from the darkness, from the Light, from anything that dared to assail them.
It was in the privacy of their ship that Poe gave him the red, imperfect kyber crystal that he had picked up. “You can use it,” he said. “Just to create your new lightsaber. I know it, Ben.”
And viewing the weapon, as it was ignited...Ben couldn’t help but be thrilled with the results.
“I guess the question is," Poe said, “What do you want to call yourself?”
It was easy. In a way, Ben knew who he was, what he was. Then, “Kylo. I suppose I’m finally choosing it...after all this time.” A beat. “What about you?”
“Taral. Because I’m protecting you. With my life.”
And in the darkness of the ship, Kylo Ren doubted he had felt more alive, with Taral’s devotion.
“You chose me,” he said. “Me, of all people.”
“Because I love you."
“I do too.” Kylo let his forehead rest against Taral’s. “I love you more than you could ever know.”
Summary: Poe joins the Knights of Ren with Ben.
Prompt: Fork In The Road
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
It was landing on Yavin that Ben knew he had to say goodbye to Poe. He owed that much to Poe, after just about everything. He couldn’t just disappear without an explanation. He expected Poe to be repulsed when he told him, after Poe had invited him in...
But instead, he had seen nothing but compassion in Poe’s eyes. Eyes that widened, became heated. “So he tried to kill you? Your uncle?”
“I can only assume.”
“And Voe, Tai and Hennix won’t listen to you?”
“Exactly.”
“I’ll go with you. You don’t have to be alone.”
Ben’s eyes widened. “You don’t know what you’re saying.”
“I do.”
“They’ll reject you. You’ll never see your father again...”
“I made my choice and I’m not gonna leave you,” Poe said.
Ben didn’t know what he did to deserve someone like Poe, who was still willing to follow him after knowing he was a monster, tainted...
He hugged Poe then, tightly, and it dawned on him, not for the first time, that he loved this man and would do anything for him.
***
The trip to Snoke’s garden planet was something. Snoke seemed skeptical of Poe’s presence with Ben, but said, “Nevertheless, he is...gifted. He may yet be an asset to us.”
“He already is.”
“Yes.” Snoke seemed thoughtful. “You worship him. As one would worship a god. He’s everything you wanted to be.”
There was no hiding anything from Snoke or Poe. “Yes,” he said. “Always.”
It was on the Grimtaash that Poe said, “Did you mean it? Any of it?"
Ben nodded. “Completely and utterly.” A beat. “I only wonder if I’m worthy of you...if you’ll have me...”
“What are you saying, Ben?”
“I love you. I love you, Poe.” At this point, Ben was rambling. “You’re so bright — so kind. Even after everything that’s happened to you, you’re still so bright and wonderful. And I could never be as wonderful as you are — all of you.”
Poe smiled, gently. “I feel it too,” he said. “I love you.”
They kissed softly, and Ben could briefly imagine the stars igniting, giving way to light and heat, to the need to be whole and loved. He broke the kiss. “Poe — if we went all the way tonight...”
“There’s no one else I would rather do this with.”
Kisses. Scrabbling at clothing, and Ben gasping at how every touch made him feel like he was living, not just surviving. It only continued when they were naked together, needing to meld, to be close, to touch and kiss and fall. Poe was praising him almost deliriously, how beautiful and amazing he was.
“You’re amazing too, Poe,” Ben said. “You’re so amazing...”
They fell into that, scrabbling for touch and the need to be made whole even as they melded with each other.
***
There was Elphrona, where they fought side by side. Vanrak, where Ren was skeptical of Poe — all the more skeptical when Poe showed compassion towards prisoners they were interrogating.
“He’s too soft, kid,” Ren said.
“He’s more than that,” Ben said. “He’s talented. Strong. Kind — but I think it makes him triumph over other people, who aren’t like him.”
“Other people aren’t gonna be nice to him.”
“I know.”
Ben loved Poe anyway.
***
Ren had killed Tai. Even standing rigid, Ben couldn’t help but feel the rage beginning to stir.
“I wouldn’t get any closer, kid,” Ren said. “Not unless you want something bad to happen to Poe Dameron.”
Ben seethed. “You’re a lying rat.”
Ren sighed. “I’m trying to help you, kid. You can’t afford love, when following the ren. It fogs your judgment.”
Poe was struggling against Ren’s grip, straining. But Poe was slight, and Ren was big. A muscled beast in comparison to Poe.
In a fit of inspiration, Ben threw his lightsaber, watching it spin towards Ren’s head and cut it clean off.
Poe got free. And Voe — well, Poe only knocked her upside the head with his blaster. “Sorry I did this,” he said, softly. “It’s for the best. Only for the best...”
***
It was after killing Ren that Ben found himself breathing heavily, just for a moment, before running to Poe and hugging him tightly. There was something about the simple, honest fact that Poe was here, that Poe was alive, that was enough to fill Ben with relief. To take him in, to smell his hair and feel the warmth of his body...it was enough to make him feel a sort of gratitude so big it threatened to burst out of him. There weren’t words for what he was feeling. Not words he could speak, anyway.
“Is Voe...?”
“I knocked her out,” Poe said. “There’s been enough killing, for basically all of us.”
Ben smiled. “That’s my Poe. Doing the honorable thing.” A stroke along Poe’s cheek, and there was the fact he was so, overwhelmingly grateful just for what he saw, for what he knew.
For what he had. Poe had every right to reject him, to say “no”. And yet he accepted Ben.
He saw Luke’s rejection of Ben, his attempt to kill him — and still he loved him.
He loved him.
***
The Knights accepted him as their leader. Ben made it all too clear, all too important, that anyone who threatened his lover’s status and life would be dealt with. And they accepted. He had killed Ren, after all. It was obvious that he would kill anyone who dared to harm Poe.
He would protect Poe, from the darkness, from the Light, from anything that dared to assail them.
It was in the privacy of their ship that Poe gave him the red, imperfect kyber crystal that he had picked up. “You can use it,” he said. “Just to create your new lightsaber. I know it, Ben.”
And viewing the weapon, as it was ignited...Ben couldn’t help but be thrilled with the results.
“I guess the question is," Poe said, “What do you want to call yourself?”
It was easy. In a way, Ben knew who he was, what he was. Then, “Kylo. I suppose I’m finally choosing it...after all this time.” A beat. “What about you?”
“Taral. Because I’m protecting you. With my life.”
And in the darkness of the ship, Kylo Ren doubted he had felt more alive, with Taral’s devotion.
“You chose me,” he said. “Me, of all people.”
“Because I love you."
“I do too.” Kylo let his forehead rest against Taral’s. “I love you more than you could ever know.”
