( A muscle works in Kylo's jaw, tendons scraping over teeth as he grinds his molars together. Whether against the pain or Hux's hesitation before answering Kylo's question is a mystery and likely a combination of the two. Like an injured animal, he would rather retreat privately to lick his wounds and resurface again with new anger bubbling up in him like boiling water, but for the time being it seems more prudent to save his energy and strength. It's unlikely the Supreme Leader will let him heal completely or even remain under the attention of the medical droids and officers very long before calling to him for a debriefing on the situation. If he hasn't sensed it already, he'll know then that the girl and the map are gone, that the Resistance has disappeared, and that he and Hux are failures.
He starts at Hux's tight grip on his arm, correcting his posture though he sags into the injury on his flank. Six feet and three inches is a huge height to be when your skin pulling taut from standing up straight opens a half-cauterized bowcaster hole in your side, and rather than tear the injury further, Kylo forces himself to allow it some breathing room. His skin is going to be black and blue around the injury, like some perverse imitation of a flower blooming across his abdomen, and the bones in his hand are sore where he pounded his ribs with enough strength to keep the anger and pain and hatred flowing strong, but none of it stings as sharply as needing Hux to guide him like an invalid from the hangar to medbay. )
How generous of you to take the time. I'll assume your retreat is running according to schedule.
( His tone is dry and flat, and he reaches a palm out to securely anchor himself to the wall. Every step is not agony - he's certainly felt a worse kind of pain in the past - but his feet feel sluggish, as if he's dragging them through thick, congealed mud. He pushes through it, and leads Hux rather than letting Hux lead him, pushing forward with greater speed than a medical officer might advise, although many of them have stopped advising him of anything on the rare occasion they have cause to. Kylo, for his part, takes care of most of his minor injuries himself, in one way or another.
It's a long time before he says anything else)
I assume Snoke must have sent you to retrieve me. Have you plotted a course yet?
( He must have barked some destination, given Hux's confidence in their disciplinary action. )
also forever and always taking forever and always
He starts at Hux's tight grip on his arm, correcting his posture though he sags into the injury on his flank. Six feet and three inches is a huge height to be when your skin pulling taut from standing up straight opens a half-cauterized bowcaster hole in your side, and rather than tear the injury further, Kylo forces himself to allow it some breathing room. His skin is going to be black and blue around the injury, like some perverse imitation of a flower blooming across his abdomen, and the bones in his hand are sore where he pounded his ribs with enough strength to keep the anger and pain and hatred flowing strong, but none of it stings as sharply as needing Hux to guide him like an invalid from the hangar to medbay. )
How generous of you to take the time. I'll assume your retreat is running according to schedule.
( His tone is dry and flat, and he reaches a palm out to securely anchor himself to the wall. Every step is not agony - he's certainly felt a worse kind of pain in the past - but his feet feel sluggish, as if he's dragging them through thick, congealed mud. He pushes through it, and leads Hux rather than letting Hux lead him, pushing forward with greater speed than a medical officer might advise, although many of them have stopped advising him of anything on the rare occasion they have cause to. Kylo, for his part, takes care of most of his minor injuries himself, in one way or another.
It's a long time before he says anything else)
I assume Snoke must have sent you to retrieve me. Have you plotted a course yet?
( He must have barked some destination, given Hux's confidence in their disciplinary action. )