Hux had nothing but respect for his Supreme Leader but at times he felt that the man kept him in meetings for so long for no other purpose than to punish him. Four hours was a new record though and as soon as he was dismissed he had one thing on his mind. A cigarette. He needed a cigarette after being trapped in that chamber for so long. It was his own fault really since he had neglected to have a quick smoke before the meeting took place.

Quickening his step slightly, he reached the closest available balcony. As much as he loved his position and the power he clearly exerted over those under him, he did appreciate a little time to himself and smoke breaks were one of the few times which he was free to enjoy that peace. Stormtroopers and other lower personnel were barred from balcony access and it was unlikely that any of the upper ranks would be on this particular balcony anyway. He drew the balcony doors open and breathed in the crisp air as he stepped outside to enjoy the isolation.

Or not, he sighed internally as he caught sight of the tall dark figure who was already perched on the balcony edge. Kylo Ren. The absolute and undisputed bane of his existence. Being a general came with many perks but it also carried much responsibility and babysitting this mess of a man was not a responsibility which he appreciated in the slightest. The man was infuriating in almost every way imaginable. Despite only being around five years younger, Ren acted with the childish vitriol of a teenager and Hux could barely stand it at the best of times.

Worse still, he was convinced that Snoke was aware of his distaste and deliberately paired them up together for projects just to irritate him. The height difference in particular was vexing. It was difficult to repeatedly stand off against a man when you had to crane your neck slightly to achieve eye contact. It was worth it in the end though because he took great pleasure in the flare of defiance that shot through Rens' dark eyes when they finally did make contact. For a man who claimed to be fully dedicated to the dark side, his eyes were suspiciously emotive. When Hux was brave enough to look Snoke in the eyes they were always completely devoid of any life but Rens eyes were the polar opposite and his emotions shone from his face like an alarm. Defiance, pain, joy, hate, curiosity and everything in between became clear in his dark eyes as soon as he felt them and Hux was pleased by this obvious weakness.

Pausing for a moment to gather himself after his momentary surprise at seeing Ren, he instantly noticed that his helmet was lying beside him on the ground, slowly gathering snow as it fell lightly from the sky. No helmet meant increased vulnerability and Hux sensed the potential for trouble as keenly as a shark could sense blood. He watched as Ren tilted his head almost imperceptibly. He was now aware of Hux's presence, one of the benefits of being force-sensitive and therefore a skill which was unfortunately unavailable to him.

Knowing he was discovered, he walked towards the edge of the small balcony slowly and leaned against it as he kept a few feet of space between himself and the temperamental man. Not out of respect though, he could clearly see the small lightsaber which was tucked into Rens' belt to be utilised at a moments notice and he was certain that if he got too close something 'accidental' and unfortunate would no doubt befall him.

Pulling a cigarette from the small carry case he kept hidden in his belt, he tapped it against his glove before placing it between his lips and seeking out his lighter. He used his thumb to ignite the flame and was instantly disappointed by the lack of a spark. He took his gloves off and attempted it again. Nothing. Cursing silently, he dropped the lighter into his pocket and made a vain search for a replacement unaware of the dark figure who was now watching him fully.

"Need a light?" Ren offered casually, forgoing any greeting. But Hux could still detect the slight challenge in his voice as he drew his gaze towards the red-headed general and if there was one thing which Hux did not do, it was back down from a challenge.

"If you insist." The smooth answer fell from his lips with ease and he held the small cigarette out and waited for Ren to move across to light it as his bored gaze drifted out across the wintry terrain once again. His grip on the cigarette tightened considerably when he heard the small hiss of the lightsaber as it sprang to life. He schooled his features immediately but as he looked at Ren, who now stood holding the weapon casually, he could tell from the pleased smirk on his face that he had picked up on the small moment of panic which had seized his features.

Scowling at having being caught off guard, Hux flicked his fingers slightly in an impatient gesture as he waited for Rens' next move. He watched as the lightsabre came closer to his exposed hand and as much as he tried to quell it, he could feel his heartbeat pick up as the heat began to caress his fingers. Stiffening his hand, he refused to let it budge an inch as the lightsaber gently touched the edge of the cigarette as it immediately lit.

Snuffing the lightsaber out, Hux could have sworn he heard Ren mutter something which sounded suspiciously like 'idiot' but he was too pleased at having won that small power play to call him out on it. Dragging the lit cigarette to his lips, he inhaled as deeply as could and paused to allow the smoke to fill his lungs and satisfy the need which had been pestering him for so long.

Silence reigned on the small balcony and Hux went back to examining the other man. He may have hated him but Hux could still appreciate the view. Ren was tall, his hair as black as night itself as it framed a face which was far too boyish and innocent to justify the obvious darkness that exuded from his person as he carried himself around the base. He was powerful too, as much as it pained him to admit. He had watched the other man kill before with little more than a gesture and that did earn a grudging respect. So yes, he could appreciate the view. It was such a shame that the childlike tantrums and inability to follow orders ruined him. He had...potential.

Unable to hold his tongue any longer, Hux spoke quietly. "I hear you destroyed the alignment terminal in sector nine earlier." He announced evenly as he exhaled a puff of smoke. "Did it do something to offend you personally or were you having one of your 'moments'?"

"My business is not your business. You would be wise to remember that." Ren replied instantly. His gaze still trained on the horizon.

Hux turned. "Tell that to the finance director who informed me that your latest outburst will affect the budget we had carefully planned for the next quarter." He muttered darkly.

"If he has an issue then tell him to bring it to me personally." A malicious smile made its way onto Rens face as he finally turned to face Hux. "I will see that his complaints cease."

"I forbid you from murdering our finance director." Hux hissed at the implied threat. Turning his entire body suddenly in anger, Hux was suddenly confronted by Ren who had moved himself to stand directly beside the general. "I. Forbid. It." Getting a new finance director would create an unnecessary amount of paperwork for himself and he had a feeling that Ren was well aware of that particular fact.

Ren laughed and the sound of it send a flash of dangerous heat through Hux's stomach. It was not a pleasant laugh. It was mocking and vindictive and he could sense the darkness behind it. To clear his thoughts, he took another drag of the cigarette. "You do not command me." Ren spoke after his laughter ceased. "You will never command me. There is only one I answer to and he is not here. You are powerless against me."

In lieu of an answer and hyper-aware of their sudden proximity, Hux blew the mouthful of smoke directly into Rens' face and his eyes dilated with pleasure as he watched the anger rise in the other mans face. His cheeks flushed red and his fingers noticeably twitched as though tempted to reach for his weapon. "Do not," Ren spat about between gritted teeth, "do that again."

"Or what?" Hux asked defiantly as he placed the cigarette back into his mouth for another draw. He knew that Ren would not kill him, Snoke had forbidden it himself. And a perverse part of him wanted to see how furious he could get Ren, how much colour he could put in those lovely cheeks, before their argument escalated into a rage-filled brawl.

To his surprise, Ren bent down slightly so that their faces were completely level and before Hux could react, he had plucked the small cigarette from his lips and placed it between his own. A little surprised, Hux stood dumbly as Ren inhaled deeply before removing the cigarette and crushing it between his fingers before tossing it carelessly behind him. They held each others gaze for a moment longer as their shared hatred reflected in the others eyes. Then, without warning, Ren blew the smoke out onto Hux's face slowly before leaning forward and placing his lips on Hux's own.

The sudden shock of the unexpected kiss caused him to instinctively open his mouth and return the angry kiss momentarily. Sensing the distraction, Ren seized the opportunity to grab the entire pack of hidden cigarettes from Hux's belt and, before he could react, launched them over the balcony and as Hux broke away he could only watch as they disappeared into the frozen tundra below.

"A true servant of the dark side does not allow himself to become addicted to such needs." Ren hissed as he picked up his helmet and swept away back inside the base in one fluid movement, only pausing at the door to speak over his shoulder. "And stay off my balcony." He disappeared, leaving Hux standing alone, finally.

Still shocked by the sudden turn of events, Hux moved to peek over the edge and momentarily mourned the loss of his cigarettes. Not that they were his only ones, he had many packets stowed away in the base but the thought of having to travel back to his private quarters to retrieve them was irritating. He could not believe he had allowed himself to become susceptible to such a low form of deception and he was furious with his loss. Particularly since he knew that Ren would be smirking at him from underneath that damn mask of his for the remainder of the day. Perhaps he would drop a hint to Snoke that Ren was in need of some new training. No, he decided quickly, that would suggest that the other man had succeeded in riling him and he would not admit defeat at the hands of a petulant child.

As he continued to stare absently at the white horizon, he continued to plot various acts of vengeance against the masked nuisance. Kylo Ren kissing him was unexpected. But it also opened many new avenues of possible revenge which he would have previously instantly dismissed, and these were avenues which he was now curious to explore. Running a hand through his red hair to smooth it back down and dislodge the small snowflakes which had landed on him, his face was soon graced with a vicious smile as he considered his many...options.