bakerstreet | Sweethearts (aka the cutest meme to ever exist)

It was just as well Hux's father wasn't home now, since it made sneaking in and out that much easier. Whenever he returned, they'd hear him coming and she could make a quick getaway. Once, she'd hid in the closet, but that had been before she'd grown past six foot something.

Phasma lingered in the windowframe for a moment, frowning when he spoke without looking at her. Well, he knew. That took care of that. Before coming inside entirely, she took her boots off and set them down on the terrace roof, out of sight. He wouldn't like her muddying up the floor, or letting in a chill, so she closed the window as soon as her feet touched the carpeting.

"My heart breaks for him," she said, trying to sound more aloof than she felt about it. The frown was still camped on her face, so she flopped down on his bed before could see it, one leg dangling over the edge. "And I'm not afraid of him. Neither are you."

She could have tried denying it, since even the instructor thought it was an accident. Kids were careless, and learning to stack weights properly was part of learning to be a responsible adult. Lying to Hux never worked, though, and they didn't have a history of hiding things from one another. They'd never had any need. So, as much as it pained her, she had to own up to her stupid fit of revenge.

Hux didn't answer her at first, instead finishing the problem. Once done, he put his pen down, and turned to face, her watching her sprawled out on his bed. She looked like she belonged, but then again, she had always been a fixture in his life. Besides Ren, (Well, whatever Ben was calling himself these days) Phasma was his only friend.

And she was right, because, "No, I'm not scared of him. But I will have to formulate a plan to deal with him. Because he is going to come after me, now, even harder." Hux sighs, a pinched look coming over face for a moment. "I know that--" Hux stops, trying to find a better way to phrase it.

"--people are always going to pick on me, Phasma. As they pick on you. You have to learn to let it go. I don't...I don't need you fighting my battles." A little flush comes over his cheeks, as he ducks his head. "Though I hacked into the school's security system. The pain on Poe's face when the weights fell on his foot was lovely. I wish I had been there to see it."

Phasma's frown persisted, aimed towards the ceiling. People weren't always going to pick on them - they just had to survive adolescence was all. If Hux wasn't in charge of some multibillion dollar corporate empire or not ruling a country, then there was no hope for the world. As he kept speaking, though, her mood shifted, and she picked up her head just as he was looking down.

"It was much better to see in person," she said, propping herself up on her elbows. Her smile was brilliant, but brief. "And I wasn't - I'm not fighting your battles. He deserved it."

A matter of perspective, really.

"Besides, don't tell me you won't enjoy formulating that plan to figure out what he's plotting, and stop him." It wasn't much of a war without instigators, and Hux was always up for a challenge.

"Mmm...he might have deserved it, but..." Hux gives her a little smirk, tilting his head from side to side, before standing up from his chair, and coming to drop himself on the bed next to her, bouncing lightly as he spreads out next to her. "...still. I like my way, better." But Hux likes his way better, always.

He runs a hand through his hair, propping himself up on a hand, turning himself on his side so he can regard her better, giving a small shrug. "And yes of course I'll enjoy it. But that isn't the point. If my dad finds out, I'm dead." That truly went without saying. Which meant is father wouldn't find out. "Let's be honest, formulating a plan that Poe won't figure out himself is easy. But I'm sure Rey and Finn are going to know we're involved, so I'll have to make it extra special and filled with subterfuge." He bites his lip. "A little bit of extra work then." A bigger challenge. Again, no one is hearing him complain, of course.

Phasma turned her head to keep eye contact while he finally joined her, shifting only slightly after the bed dipped.

"He's not going to find out," Phasma huffed. When had he ever found out? Suspicion was one thing, but proof was another. She'd spent most of her life climbing through Hux's window (and on a rare occasion, sneaking him out), and his father had never found out. She might have messed up today, but they had an immaculate track record. "Those two will get involved even if they have no idea what it is they're getting involved with, Hux. You just tell me what needs to be done, and it'll be done."

Well, at least now she felt a little less stupid about her act of petty revenge today. There was still a chance Poe's retaliation could hurt Hux, but either way, she'd happily smash his pretty face if he went too far.

"Mmm...even if he did, I wouldn't mind. Coming after me directly is just so stupid of him. And as I would be ready for him--we would be ready, it would be fine. We could work it into the plan." Hux laughs lightly, the sound a little maniacal, but well, that's Hux for you.

He shifts in a bit closer, so he can nudge her with one of his feet, dropping back down so he's flat against the bed, turning his head to regard her. "Is everything else going well?" He worries about her, even if he doesn't always voice it. Emotions are...difficult for him to voice, to deal with. His dad, if he had his way, would have smashed them out of him a long time ago. But his room, and his time with Phasma, is safe, for him to be who he is, without the worries of expectations. People don't understand their friendship, and he doesn't care; no one needs to understand it, except them.

His laugh was met with a beaming grin from her, not put off in the least. Where people saw him as weird, she thought him brilliant. It was their problem if they didn't take the time to get to know him like she had, and they would be forever underestimating him.

The change in subject sobered her smile a bit, though. Everything else, right. Neither of them had the greatest home life, but there was a reason she always came here, and she rarely liked to talk about it. His bedroom was their safe space, a sanctuary they shared to hold out against the rest of the world.

"Oh," she said, inwardly wincing at how transparent she sounded. "Well enough. I don't suppose you've forgotten the dance is in two weeks?"

Even if they didn't go, they had to endure the rest of the school getting into the spirit. Spirit of torture and hell, she thought.

"Ug no." Hux makes a face and scoots a bit closer, moving so that he can flop his face onto her stomach, his red hair fanning out onto her stomach as he grumps over the idea of the dance. What a horrible, terrible thing. And yes, this is him asking for his hair to be played with, Phasma. But she should know that, by now. It is his favorite thing, even if he would never ask for it, ever.

"Maybe we can do something to ruin it...what do you think?" Hux smirks. "Smoke bombs...laxative in the punch..."

He never needed to ask. It was a reflex at this point, and once he was close enough her hands immediately went to his hair. She carded her fingers through it, blunt nails pulling lightly down his scalp before smoothing it down again. It was so fine, so soft, she thought it ought to be illegal.

"I don't know," she said, suddenly calmer than she'd felt all week. "I mean, we've got to deal with Poe first, right? If he figured out we were planning anything he'd get his revenge in a heartbeat."

She sighed.

"I'd rather stay home." Stay here, she meant to say. Her house wasn't her home.

Hux sighs, closing his eyes as her fingers play into his hair. It feels perfect; it calms him in ways that nothing else does. And really, no one else is allowed to touch him but Phasma.

"Perhaps we could do both at the same time. Ruin the dance, and find a way to frame Poe. Two birds and all that." He smiles at the thought, and really, it would work if they formulate just the right idea.

"Mmm...well. My father will want me to make an appearance. A way to fit in." He mocks his father's tone, rolling his eyes. But well; Phasma may feel more at home in his home, but it isn't like he feels very much at home in his own home.

He was rather determined about this, she realized. Honestly, she shouldn't have expected any less from him. Once Hux had an idea in his head, that was it. She was just along for the ride.

Still, running her hands through his hair was just as therapeutic for her, and the stress of the day was becoming a distant memory.

"How's he going to know if you don't show? We could go out, we wouldn't have to stay here." Hell, they were tall enough to pass as eighteen year olds, maybe even twenty-one. They could get into their own sort of trouble, without anyone else. "You'd be so much happier if you didn't have to constantly bend to his will."

It was a tired subject, but true.

"I'm sure he has teachers that would tell him, Phasma." Hux counters easily, raising his eyes so he can look at her a bit better, "I know we could go out but it's not--it's not that easy." He can feel his mood starting to sour a little; he hates talking about his father. "And? I might be happier, I might not. It doesn't change the fact that I am not an orphan, nor do I have the means to emancipate myself. So I will continue to bend to his will like the weakling that I am." It comes out more bitter than he means it too; he knows that Phasma doesn't see him as weak, but he hates this line of thought--and Ren has called him weak for not defying his father. But they can't all be rebellious, 'I changed my name so call me Ren instead of Ben' Solo.

"Alright," she huffed, conceding his point. At least by now he knew his father well enough to avoid potential disaster, even if it meant he'd reasoned himself into a cage. One day, she'd break him out, or get to see him free himself. "We'll go to the dance. And for the record, you're not a damn weakling."

Phasma's grip on his hair tightened slightly, but not enough to hurt. A strange thought came to her, and she decided to just ask before she thought better of it.

"Who would you go with, if you didn't go with me?"

Hux let out a slight sound of protest when his hair is pulled but it's more out of indignation than out of pain. He rolls his eyes and reaches up to tug her hair lightly too, giving her a little smile. They understand each other; they always have. "If I didn't go with you?" He shrugs, breathing out, trying to decide, and be honest.

"Alone, I suppose. Or with Ren, if only to cause a stir." Ren would enjoy that, to be sure.

She rolled her eyes, even if he couldn't see it, when he said 'alone'. What else had she been expecting? He could be so dramatic sometimes -

And then he mentioned Ren, and she sat upright abruptly, letting out a bark of laughter. "Ren! You would go with Kylo Ren and expect your father to count that as 'fitting in'? You must really like him, then!"

She was teasing, of course, but that would be a sight, wouldn't it?

Hux colored almost to the shade of his hair and nearly tumbles off the bed when Phasma sits up. He quickly recovers, though, and grabs a pillow, tossing it at her. "I do not! I just said I would be doing it to cause trouble! I know it wouldn't be fitting in. Besides, we barely get along as it is. I would rather go with you, or alone. You were the one who asked what I would do if I couldn't go with you--so I gave you two options." He rolls his eyes and shoves at her lightly.

"I didn't say they would be good options."

Laughing, Phasma dodged the pillow, but made no move to avoid his shove. Instead, she just took it as an opening to retaliate, grabbing his ankles and pulling him flat on his back on the bed. She slung one leg over him, then promptly sat down on his chest.

Phasma had always liked to tussle, but she knew when to pull her punches with Hux. Which meant she could be crushing the air out of his lungs right now, but she wasn't. Grinning down at him, she said: "No, it's a perfect option. You should definitely go with Ren."

"Hey--!" Hux laughs and gasps, staring up at her as he tries to wiggle away, but knows that there is going to be no way. He may be the more flexible of the two, but still, she has height and weight on him. So instead he just sighs and puts his hands on her thighs, tapping them lightly with his palms.

"It is not. I think I should definitely go with you. That is a much better idea. Ren wouldn't say yes anyways. And I would have a great time with you."

"You don't know that! He's a weird kid, you know. Like us, even." Maybe a little too weird, but when one parent was a political superstar and the other was basically a criminal, she supposed there was no normal for him. Once, she'd seen his uncle pick him up from school, wearing a bathrobe. "I'm going to ask him tomorrow. What he thinks of you."

Best friends were allowed to be so cruel to one another.

"Phasma!" Hux looks at her, all wide eyed. "You will not." Because really, Ren might be fun to go out with, for this, for other things--but the guy will definitely say no to going out with Hux. Going out with Phasma is safer, and he likes her, and trusts that she likes him back. It's not a bad thing and her pushing this--she is just horrible, really horrible.

"First you defend my honor now you're trying to ruin it. You're just horrible." He pouts, trying to work manipulation, which probably won't work, since she knows he does it.

"I will too," she said. Besides, it wasn't like she'd ever just abandon Hux to his fate. Ren might be built like a linebacker, but Phasma would beat the shit out of him if he so much as looked at Hux the wrong way. It wouldn't be the first time she'd gotten bloodied in a fight, over Hux's honor or not. It might even be considered romantic, except... it wasn't. The older they got, the more their relationship started to confuse her. She'd never said as much aloud, though. "And I know what I am, Hux. Horrible doesn't even begin to describe it."

Phasma was already plotting it out - she didn't have any classes with Ren, but they crossed paths in the hallway often enough to make it work.

Hux lets out a groan, shaking his head. "You just want to avoid going to the dance with me--I see how it is. Plot so that I go with Ren and you get to hear about how it scandalizes my father, while you avoid going to the dance at all." He rolls his eyes, huffing as he reaches up to tug at a strand of her hair. Since they have gotten older, their relationship has changed, in some ways--but in the core ways it's stayed the same: they are best friends, thick as thieves. He's tried not to search past that, to see if anything else is there. At least, not yet.

"You've got me all wrong," she tutted, swatting his hand away. After that she took pity on him, swinging off so she wasn't sitting on him any longer. "I suppose I'd have to find a date myself, with you going with Ren and all, but if it doesn't work out we can ditch them and do what we usually do."

Ruin everyone else's night, if possible. Showing up with different dates might throw everyone off anyways, make them think they were... conforming or something.

"I said I'd go with you, Phasma. I don't see why I can't just go with you." He sighs and starfishes on the bed, pouting. Still, he gives her a soft smile, shaking his head. "But fine, fine, if that's what you want, I'll do it." Because he usually ends up doing what she wants. "But I'm brinin' something to spike the punch." But not drinking any of it--just watching the chaos.

"Oh, I don't know," she laughed. "I think I'm rather attached to the thought of you and Ren now. You'll be so handsome together."

She was teasing him for a reaction, but when she actually did think about it... Hux already cut a clean figure, but Ren? Seeing him in anything resembling formal ware was hilariously charming. With Hux at his side, it would really be something.

"And of course you are, just don't drain the bottle." They could indulge afterwards.

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neutronium - 2017-01-01 04:05 (UTC) - Expand