You woke in your quarters after straggling back to them after last night.
Your feet were cold. You were wrapped in a blanket, having not gotten under the covers last night. Your head ached, eyes stinging from crying, and when you swallowed all you could feel was sand paper.
You cast your gaze toward the clock on the bedside table. You'd slept half the day. The clock reading 13:06 hours.
Your thoughts of last night never left your mind. You're surprised you actually slept last night, but your body was too tired not to. Yesterday was a fucked day.
Anger still stimulated you. You felt awful, you felt numb. The thoughts of Snoke's words about your village on Naboo...
No, don't think about it.
Your visit to Kylo's quarters after murdering the Lieutenant. The way he got to you, got under your skin. But you did the same to him, resulting in a head ache and sore throat.
You lay awake in bed, lip trembling even by the thought of it. You hated that all you felt was anger, and you knew that was exactly what Kylo wanted. For you to feel anger and nothing else. To use that emotion to make your switch flip, to fuel you into returning to the power of the force only it would happen through the darkside.
You ran your hands through your hair, sitting up in bed. You need a shower.
You hopped out of bed, trying your hardest not to swallow or breathe too hard. Your throat hurt like a bitch.
You stripped in the bathroom, turning the water on mostly hot. Your gaze flickered to the mirror above the basin. You froze.
You drew towards it, lifting your chin to get a better look of your throat. Purple bruises lined your skin horizontally. A hand print.
That prick.
Your breath caught in your throat as you ran your fingered gently over the bruises. The cut on your brow looking better though.
You rummaged around in the cupboard of the bathroom, through the draws as well for any sign of something to cover the bruises up with. There was no sign of makeup or anything.
You let out a huff before getting into the shower. The heat bit at your skin but you thrived off it. Grabbing the soap you lathered yourself with it, getting the rest of the blood off that still stuck to your skin.
You eyed the shower head for a moment, reaching up and holding it.
Detachable shower head. Fun.
You pulled the shower head off the holder and ran it over your body.
Though the shower calmed you down a little, you still felt like punching something. Your room was still a slight mess from your melt down yesterday.
You decided you'd head to the training room. Anything to get your mind off things.
You hopped out of the shower and chose to put on black leggings and a high neck halter crop top. It was one of the only items of clothing in your wardrobe that had a high enough neck to cover your bruises.
You put a pair of sneakers on, and snatched a jacket from a hanger before making way for the door.
It didn't take you too long to get to the training rooms, after asking a few of the approachable looking First Order personnel which turns and elevators to take, you got there in no time - entering the same training room as last time.
Door number three.
The room was empty. A good sign. Giving you plenty of privacy. You headed directly for the punching bags you remember seeing in the back corner of the room last time you were here with Kylo.
You found all the equipment you needed in the room. You strapped your hands and wrists, wrapping a long bandage you found over your knuckles, hand and down around your wrist.
Repeating on the other side, you tucked the end of the bandage underneath. Happy with your work you began a routine you remember doing during training on Takodana.
You held the long punching bag steady, excited for the impact of the bag under your fists.
Left, Right, Kick, Kick
You started off at a steady pace, strengthening your hits and throwing them faster as you went.
Before long a sweat broke across your forehead. You let your mind wander. Let it remind you of the meeting with Snoke. The pure Anger you felt towards him.
Punch
The rage you felt when coming back to the Finalizer, turning your room upside down just by the thought of Snoke's words.
Punch, Punch
Going to Kylo's quarters. The way he tended to your wound. Made you feel slightly better. Watching as he concentrated on you. Helping you. And then of course, as soon as you say the wrong thing he hurt you. Marking you to complement your other wounds.
Punch.
You were at this for a while, changing up the routine and the pace of your blows. You felt so much better. Letting your anger out, thinking of the causes for each punch.
Soon the thoughts that drive you to your anger lightened. The memories closing themselves behind locked doors for a while. No more tormenting for today.
Well...until...
You turned to the sound of the training room door sliding opened. You steadied the punching bag, wiping the sweat off your forehead before looking toward the entrance.
Much to your dismay, you see a flash of dyed red hair.
Fuck
And striding in after her, a large form in all black.
Double fuck.
Captain Vi and Kylo walk into the training room. Both wearing more casual clothing, perfect for exercise. Vi strides across the room like she owns the damn place.
Your body glistening with sweat, you reach for a towel. You feel his eyes on you. And when you turn to look, Vi is looking at you also.
"Oh, I didn't realise this room was occupied," she says, not one ounce of surprised in her voice. Her stupid smirk sprawls across her face.
"Look Commander," she points to you, licking her full lips. "Your little assistant has come to blow off some steam."
You completely ignore her. Beginning to unwrap your hands, you purposefully give her none of your attention. You give none to him either.
Vi draws closer to where you stand, placing a hand on her hip. "You're very quiet today. Cat got your tongue?"
You throw the bandages away, dabbing the towel across your arms and over your face. You continue to say nothing.
You hear Vi huff. "Why don't you show us your form?"
You wrap the towel around the back of your neck, pulling your hair down from the ponytail you tied it into earlier. You walk forward.
"No thanks, I was just leaving."
You walk past Vi, making sure to bump into her shoulder as you do so. Kylo stands quietly to your left not saying a word. You prefer it that way.
"Where are you going Zero? Fancy a spar since we didn't get to the other day?" Vi calls to you.
You draw toward the training room door, cheering for the moment you'll be on the other side of it.
"No thanks, I just want to go home." You say over your shoulder.
You can her hear shift behind you, taking steps forward. "Home?" She questions, taking another step. You can practically hear the smile on her lips. You realise what you just said. "Have you finally considered this place your home? How cute."
You turn on your heel, shooting her a look. She stands with her back against Kylo. Using him for intimidation. It doesn't work. You look at him for the first time this afternoon. You make sure to crane your neck a little, so he can get a glimpse of the bruises on your neck.
Vi looks to you like someone waved a shit under her nose. He gives Kylo a short look, before drawing closer to you.
"What do you say about that spar?" You watch as she straightens her back, stretching out her shoulders to come off as 'bigger' than you. Even though your heights were practically identical, she tries to appear taller. Like a child pair of siblings. The elder one trying to appear better than the younger.
"No thanks," you say again. You toss a look toward Kylo. "You have a perfectly capable partner standing behind you."
Kylo stands there stoic. His eyes always on you. You don't miss him flicker his gaze down your neck. His eye twitches at the sight of your bruises.
Vi abruptly stands in between you two, as if to cut off the vision connection. Her face never changes. A permanent sneer present on her face.
Can this bitch be anymore obvious?
She draws closer to you now. Is she really that desperate to fight with you? She grabs the towel that hangs around the back of your neck and rips it form your shoulders.
"Yes. Or no, Zero?" She throws the towel to the ground before centring herself in the middle of the floor.
You narrow your eyes at her. You would really like to punch her in the face. You shrug your shoulders and follow her into the circle. You give Kylo a quick look as he goes to stand against the wall, getting a better view.
Your peer returns to Vi as she shifts in front of you. You observe as she bends down to take something out of her boot. A knife.
You look over the blade as she takes it out of its holster. It's odd looking. One edge of the blade sharp and curved like any other, but the other edge is jagged and serrated. That'd do a lot of damage.
She tosses it on the floor. Returning her gaze to you.
"Just to be safe." She says smiling.
You stand opposite of Vi in the middle of the training room. Vi jumps up and down for a moment, loosening her limbs, letting you watch as she stretches her neck on either side.
"Enough with the funny business. Let's go." You say, getting impatient as she purposefully takes her time.
Vi gives you a condescending smile as she looks you up and down. "I wonder what your little friends would say if they saw you now." She tries to stir you up. You don't want to let her get under your skin. She takes the first step forward. "Maybe they'd tell you that you're better off here, instead of continuing to disappoint them back at home."
You narrow your eyes at her. "You remind me that things can always be worse."
Vi let's out a huff. Soon you see her squinting eyes change into something darker. Her eyes widen with fury as she runs at you.
She jumps from in front of you and kicks to your side. You drop and roll under her blow, moving to face her ready for the next move.
She rolls out of the jump and immediately pushes off her feet to come at you again. She throws fast hits, mainly toward your face. You block each with your forearms, pushing her next strike to the side before kicking her in the chest.
She gets thrown by the force of your kick, tumbling backward before jumping straight back into her feet. Vi grits her teeth, her vibrant hair messy in front of her face.
"You're good," She says, catching her breath.
You give her a flashing smile. "So are you. Though don't blame yourself," You take a step forward. "It was my fault for setting my expectations too high."
Vi charges at you again, a growl coming from deep in her throat. She continuously throws fast punches and kicks, some brushing past you but others you see coming before she even sends them. Her pace quickens with every second, her feet taking fast steps forward and you follow them back.
Trying to keep up with her pace you shortly break, copping a hit in the rips. Your hand immediately shoots to the area of impact. That's gunna bruise.
You spring off your feet, the anger from earlier returning to bridge your senses. It's your turn to attack and watch her defend.
You begin to circle your footing as you throw hits toward Vi. Punching toward her face then down to her upper body before letting in a few kicks.
You fasten your strikes, one hitting her in the side. You throw more punches and kicks, plenty that she blocks before another cops her in the thigh. She realises another growl.
You continue the routine. Distracting her with fast east strikes before surprising her with a hit to the leg...ribs...shoulder...back.
She blocks two more blows before you back hand a punch toward her face.
Vi goes sprawling in the direction of the punch, landing hard on the spring floors. She pushes herself up onto all fours. You observe as she wipes blood from her nose.
You hold your fists up, ready for her next move if she has it in her.
"Give up yet, Red?" You huff, concentrating on controlling your quick breaths.
Vi looks at you through her hair that's chaotic across her face. You see a sinister smile form as she gets back onto her feet.
She suddenly lunges at you, catching you off guard as she kicks her feet under your own causing you to trip and land on your back. Immediately she's on top of you, her forearm against your throat pushing down with what feels like all her might.
You thrash underneath her. Your arms pinned beneath her knees, her own arm choking you hard. You attempt to suck down the air in the room, needing for it to fill your lungs.
Vi laughs atop of you, enjoying your struggle.
"And I wonder what your pathetic mother would say if she saw you now," You try to block out the sound of her words. She smiles down at you, blood dipping from her nose. "I wonder if she'd be glad she's dead instead of living with the embarrassment of such a daughter. A daughter so easy to manipulate, so easy to take control of."
You release a loud growl from deep within you before blackness comes threatens to speckle at the outside of your vision. Your chest begins to convulse at the lack of oxygen.
A voice from far away snaps you out of your near death.
"Enough Vi."
Kylo's voice is stern. His presence drawing closer to where you and Vi are.
You suck in one last empty breath. "You heard your Master. Enough."
Vi's arm releases itself off your throat to back hand you across the face. You immediately taste blood, anger continuing to rise within you.
The second you're able you push your hips off the ground, pushing Vi to the side to then climb on top of her, the way she had you seconds ago.
You snatch her knife off the ground as you go, holding it at her throat while you sit atop her. You spit blood out onto the floor beside her. Sucking down the air in large breaths. You dig the tip of the knife into the first layer of skin, excited as you see the blood drip from the incision.
"Enough!"
Kylo's voice ripples through you. You'd almost forgot he was there.
You take the knife away from Vi's throat before drawing down deathly close to her ear.
"You are a waste of space and not worth my fucking time."
You stand from her, throwing the knife to the floor metres away. You spit more blood, wiping it off your lips afterward. You run your tongue in the inside of your mouth and feel the broken flesh from where your teeth cut the inside of your cheek.
You shoot a glare to Kylo, who's anger you can practically see extruding out of him. Vi lays on the floor, taking her time to get back on to her feet as she holds her neck.
You walk toward where Kylo stands and bend down to snatch your towel off the ground from in front of him.
"You need to control yourself." He seethes.
You shoot him a glance. "Maybe I've been spending too much time around you, resulting in my detachment of control. You're starting to rub off on me."
He scowls at you before gripping at your upper arm with some force.
You're surprised when he snatches the grasp away, as if burnt from your touch.
You look at him confused as he returns his gaze the same way. Confused. Conflicted.
He launches toward you and grabs your upper arm again. He inhales deeply at the touch, this brows so furrowed your worried they'd bruise. His eyes flicker over you as if witnessing a dream while just looking at you. Not a dream. A vision.
You snatch your arm out of his grasp, and push his chest away.
"What the hell." You say, continuing to look at him confused.
He matches your confusion. He looks surprised. Frightened even.
Kylo's gaze never leaves yours as you make way for the door. Did he see another vision when he touched you? Like he did back in the interrogation room?
You don't care.
You hit the panel beside the training room door and exit it without one backwards glance.