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Once Upon a Time…
“Have the tailor executed.”
“Sir, you can’t just execute the tailor for sending you the wrong garment.”
“Watch me.”
Hux was pissed, to say the least. His wedding was about two weeks away, and the royal tailor was supposed to send him his new suit to be fitted for the occasion. Instead, he and Captain Phasma sat in his bedchamber staring down a stunning ball gown instead of a proper suit.
He’d have to push the wedding back. Formal attire tends to take weeks to make, given Hux’s demand for perfection, and he simply didn’t have the time to have a suit made before the wedding. He could just wear a suit he already owns, however it would be scandalous for the king not to show up to his own wedding in the newest, finest clothes. His personal guard received new armor, Ben had a new suit made, his mother is wearing a new dress, and the entire royal court will be wearing only the latest styles in the kingdom, so it stands to reason that Hux needs to wear a new suit.
Instead, he got a ball gown. Admittedly, it was a very beautiful ball gown. The sweetheart neckline started as a pale gold and then faded into white at the bottom of the skirt, and glitter covered the dress like stars in the morning sky. The veil that came with it gave the look a long train in the reverse color scheme: white that fades into gold. However, the beauty of the dress does not change the fact that this is not the proper attire for a king at his wedding.
Phasma would disagree. “You could at least try it on. The tailor only received your measurements and Ben’s, and Ben already has his suit, so this one must have been made according to yours.”
“And why,” Hux started, sneering at the dress, looking for some reason to hate it. “Would I ever try on a dress? Such things were made for women, and I am no woman. I am not a helpless damsel who was saved by her Prince Charming from an evil beast. If anything, I am the prince, and Ben is the damsel. I saved him.”
“You’re absolutely right, sir,” Phasma rolled her eyes, knowing Hux was too engrossed in scrutinizing the dress to notice. “Should I try it on then? If not you, then someone should wear it. The craftsmanship of the dress deserves that much, at the very least.”
Hux laughed. It started as some sort of amused snort that evolved into giggles, until he was almost bent in half, laughing hysterically. “You in a dress? Captain, you’re more masculine than an ogre wearing a bearskin. There is no world in which you could ever look decent in a dress, or even remotely feminine.”
Despite the offense she took, Phasma kept a neutral gaze. She looked quite fetching in a dress, thank you very much. Hux on the other hand… “Oh, and I suppose you’d look more beautiful than any queen?”
“Of course I would,” An air of haughty pride settled over Hux. Phasma was more than annoyed. “I’d at least look better than you. Despite not being a woman, a dress would accentuate my figure marvelously.”
Normally, Phasma would let this go. Hux tends to be like this, arrogant and prideful with a holier-than-thou attitude. His personality is usually well supported by a mind built for strategy and success and impeccable conversational skills, but his need to be the best also tends to be his downfall. In this case, it’s exactly what Phasma plans to exploit to get a little revenge for that comment about looking too manly to be beautiful.
“Forgive me, sir, but I don’t believe that for a second,” she said.
Hux turned to her with a dangerous look in his eyes. “Excuse me?”
“With all due respect, you did say that dresses are for women. Although I may be…exceedingly masculine, as you would put it, I am a woman and therefore would look better in that dress.”
His face started turning red with anger and the furrow in his brow deepened. Jackpot. “Captain, you should be careful of your opinions. I would look magnificent in that dress.”
“But I would look better,” she’s pushing it now, but Hux is about to break and she can’t stop now.
“Captain Phasma, are you implying that I would look horrendous in such a ball gown?”
“No sir. I simply think that I would look better in it than you.”
“With all of the stocky muscles under that suit of armor? You’d look more like a boulder draped in satin.”
“And you’d look like a stick covered in piss-stained snow,” Phasma made a show of looking Hux up and down, then dramatically looking off to the side. Taking note of his white jacket with gold fixings, she braced herself for the final blow. “Oh, my mistake. You already do.”
Hux looked ready to explode. He was not happy, and Phasma’s sure she wouldn’t hear the end of this one for a long time, but it had to be done. Then he opened his mouth and all hell broke loose.
“Én vagyok a király! What right have you to speak to me in such a manner? My clothing choices do not warrant a lecture from you, nor do any of the decisions I make, for that matter. If I want to wear the dress then I’ll wear the damn dress and look more astounding than anything you’ve ever dreamed of, Captian.”
“Then prove it.”
“I intend to!”
Without missing a beat, Hux on called his attendants to help him into the dress. He disappeared with two young servants and the dress. Phasma heard angry grunts and frustrated yelling, and she had to hold back her amused snickers lest Hux hear her and suspect something.
When he finally emerged, Phasma wanted to howl with laughter. It’s not that Hux looked ridiculous or ugly; he looked so magnificent in that dress that the only way she could express her amazement was laughter.
He looked damn fine.
Like hell is Hux going to let Phasma tell him what he does and does not look good in. He stood on a small platform in front of a large mirror and inspected himself. Just as he thought, the dress looked incredible. It was very well made (he’d credit the tailor that much), and hugged his body nicely. The dress fell beautifully around him, making him look both powerful and regal at the same time. Hux ran his hands through his perfectly combed hair, purposefully messing it up and forcing his hair to part on the opposite side of his head. Though it went against every part of his morning routine, the change gave his hair volume and made him look like fire on a ray of sunshine.
He looked damn fine, and Phasma seemed to think so as well. After the initial shock of amazement, she stood there, speechless, as she should be.
“As you can see, Captain,” Hux said, posing at himself in the mirror. “I do in fact look much better in this dress than you would. I advise that you never question my fashion sense again.”
“You’re completely right sir. I don’t know what I was thinking, questioning you,” Hux was very satisfied with her answer, until he looked at her smug smile in the mirror.
He turned and glared at her. “What are you planning?”
“Nothing, sir. You simply look amazing in that dress.”
Then it hit him.
He’s wearing the dress.
He’s wearing the fucking dress.
Phasma’s smile grew as realization washed over Hux’s face. “You are always telling me to improve upon my strategic attack plans.”
“I meant that in the context of war, Captain, not playing childish pranks!” Hux started clawing at the laced bodice without waiting for his attendants to help him. The stress of this wedding must really be getting to him for Phasma to be able to pull such a simple prank.
“Sir, perhaps you should let your attendants help you with that. We wouldn’t want it ruined before your big day.”
“I am not wearing a dress at my wedding!” Hux shouted back at her, angrily turning back and forth between her and the mirror as his attendants tried to get him out of the dress.
“But you truly do look beautiful.”
“Beauty is not the issue! It’s a dress! I will not wear a dress at my wedding!”
Suddenly, Ben shoved the bedchamber doors open. “Hux, why are you yelling about a dress? I can hear you on the other side of the….” He trailed off as they met eyes. Hux froze. Ben wasn’t supposed to see him like this: disrespected, degraded, and fetishized in women’s clothing, but that’s not the only reason why Hux couldn’t take his eyes off of his betrothed.
Ben was still wearing his wedding suit from his fitting with the tailor. He was dressed in a handsome blue jacket, adorned with gold accents and the kingdom’s crest. His white pants and black boots fit him well, making him look like a true prince.
It’s been months since they left that castle in the forest, but he still manages to take Hux’s breath away. Originally, it took a while for Hux to get used to talking to Ben the former Prince of the Republic of Light instead of Ren the demon beast. Ben was definitely different from Ren. He was less angry, less volatile, and Hux almost thought that Ben was a complete stranger and not at all whom he’d fallen in love with. However, every time he looked at Ben, his heart began to race and his hands started to shake, and he couldn’t take his eyes off of Ben until he left the room.
They’d spent months in a merry-go-round of awkward flirting and trying to figure out their relationship. Ben didn’t mind one bit, enjoying watching Hux get flustered in front of his captains and the royals from other lands, but Hux hated how he acted like a teenager with their first crush, save for those late nights when Ben would cling to him in bed and pour his heart out. Eventually, they got into a comfortable flow. While Ben found his place in the kingdom as Hux’s personal knight, Hux realized that Ben wasn’t actually that different from Ren. The anger and attitude were still there; he just acted significantly more passive aggressive than before, and it was arguably more annoying than having his skull burn from the inside out.
Still, there are times like this when Hux gets lost in Ben’s smile. Sometimes he can’t believe that he’s marrying such a strong man; a man who’s been to hell and back, won’t hesitate to defend Hux, but also refuses to let Hux have such total control of him.
“Wow. That is…quite a dress.”
And then there are times that Hux wishes he could die because Ben is the worst at letting things go. He’s not going to hear the end of this one. “Yes, it is quite horrendous. Some of the beads are falling out and this neckline is cut far too low.”
“Actually, I like it,” Ben looked him up and down and Hux couldn’t help feeling nervous. “You look regal, but the skirt adds a sense of mystery. Who knows what you could be hiding under there? Jewels, a sword, a few small children…you could be aroused and no one would know. Wouldn’t that be a way to walk down the aisle?”
Hux’s cheeks burned at the suggestion. That would be undignified. However, after seeing Ben in his suit, Hux is quite happy that the skirt hides his growing erection so well. “But this is hardly appropriate.” Hux argued. “I am not a woman.”
“Does it matter?” Ben asked, walking up to him. On the platform, Hux was a few inches taller, and it felt strange to actually look down on Ben like this. Ben beckoned one of the attendants over, and he laid the sheer veil over Hux. “You look beautiful.”
Then Ben’s looking at him with those eyes again. It always amazed Hux how one pair of eyes could hold so much love, but there they were, staring back at him.
“A beautiful fool, more like,” Hux said. “I was tricked into wearing this dress.”
“Tricked or not, I’d love to see you walk down the aisle in that,” Ben reached up and gently pulled Hux down for a kiss. They parted with a little sigh from Hux, and a suspicious smirk from Ben.
“Az én csinos bolondom.” He whispered. – My beautiful fool.
As the organ blared, the audience turned their heads to the doors of the chapel. They swung open with excessive grandeur, and Hux was bathed in light as he walked in. His heart was surprisingly calm considering he was about to be married in front of the entire kingdom. It honestly didn’t feel like something that needed so much attention. In his honest opinion, a small, private ceremony with only his mother and their closest friends would’ve sufficed, but Ben and his mother insisted.
So, Hux walked down the aisle. Slowly, one step at a time, for it was all he was allowed. The new white boots he wore didn’t hinder his movement at all, but the dress did. That beautiful white-gold dress that sparkled in the day light and made him look like some sort of god required slow, steady movements. His make-up was light – he refused to be painted like a performer – and his hair looked like fire. It stuck up much more than he was used to, but the style allowed the sunlight to catch on each strand. Such light brought out the beautiful red undertones and yellow highlights normally hidden by the fatty gel that slicked back his hair on a daily basis. The veil was worn under his crown. The blacksmith had gifted him a special crown for the occasion – one of a light golden color instead of his standard grey steel. Though spiked, it was a plain crown, free of jewels, allowing the dress and veil to captivate attention.
He looked damn fine, and the whole kingdom knew it. There were many nobles and royals from other kingdoms in attendance that day, some of whom sneered at his choice in fashion and husband. Hux ignored them, holding his head higher. They didn’t know love like he did. It doesn’t matter what they think of him because he has Ben. He may have needed to rescue his kingdom from the tyranny of his father, but Hux would’ve been perfectly happy to live in that forest castle with Ben for the rest of eternity. Who cared what anyone else thought? Besides, he felt kind of pretty in the dress. The more people stared and ogled him, the more it grew on him.
And then at the end of the aisle, Hux saw his mother dressed in gold with a proud smile on her face, Phasma and the Order of the First in their new armor, Father Luke their priest (and a man that Ben’s friends found. Ben insisted that Father Luke marry them, but Hux still isn’t quite sure who he is.), Rey, Finn, Poe, and Ben. Ben didn’t notice him at first, and Hux nearly rolled his eyes: Ben wasn’t paying attention at all.
“Are we getting married, or aren’t we?” Hux called to him. Though most of Ben’s magic had disappeared when the curse broke, he still retained enough for it to be useful. Hux kept their telepathic link open quite often now. It became a source of comfort to know that Ben was always within reach.
Ben’s head snapped up as soon as he heard the message. His eyes widened when he saw Hux and he couldn’t keep the smile from spreading across his face. Ben didn’t respond to Hux’s question, but there was so much love and adoration flowing through their connection that it was a little overwhelming. That’s when Hux felt his heart beat. It was beating so fast and his hands started to shake. It took all of his willpower not to drop his wedding bouquet and just run to Ben.
Somehow, Ben always did this to him; he always made Hux a little weak in the knees and fuzzy in the head, even in serious war council meetings. Hux hated it. What’s more, he hated that he couldn’t get enough of it. He knew he was addicted and that his obsession might end up killing him one day, but he was okay with it. It took a while, but Hux understood now why Ben was willing to give up all of that power just for him: everything means nothing once you have love. Now that Hux has it, he wouldn’t want to live without it.
As he stepped up to the minister, Hux handed off the bouquet to Phasma and took Ben’s arm. “You look beautiful,” Ben told him. “I can’t wait to rip that dress off of you.” And like that, Ben killed the moment. Hux flashed him a hard smile as a warning not to follow up on that.
The words barely registered as the minister talked. He could’ve been more nervous, but the ceremony seemed to drag on. As the minister talked about promise and eternity and faith, Hux grew more and more impatient.
“This is exceedingly boring,” Ben said to him.
“You’re the one who wanted an extravagant wedding,” Hux fired back.
“Amuse me,” Ben demanded. Hux almost rolled his eyes, again.
“You’re a child,” Hux replied, ignoring Ben’s comment about Hux loving him for it, and instead trying to focus on something amusing for them both. His mind wandered from topic to topic until he figured that a bit of revenge was in order for that dress-ripping comment.
Hux sent every dirty thought he could think up through their mental link, and Ben squeezed his hands tightly. There were no words. It was all images of every way Ben could rip off the dress and violate his ass later that night. A blush creeped up on Ben’s face and Hux finished off the train of thought with the feeling of his own arousal hidden by the heavy dress skirt.
“You’re mean,” Ben told him, trying to refocus on the minister instead of Hux’s version of “amusement.”
Then there was something about saying vows and Hux was reminded of reality. He pushed back the dirty thoughts in favor of something more appropriately serious. “I call upon you now to present your vows before your kingdom; the pledge that will bind you together,” the minister said.
Typically, the minister would recite vows and the bride and groom would just say “I do,” but Hux and Ben aren’t so simple. They exchanged knowing smiles and then started:
“Háromezer év volt, míg találkoztunk.” Hux said, and Ben translated out loud – “It was three thousand years until we met.”
“És egy pár hosszú hónapok egymás ellen ki /.” – “And a few long months of fighting each other off.”
“További háromig tartott, amíg az átkot megtörtük.” – “Another three months of breaking a curse.”
“És aztán négy évig kerülgettük egymást” – “And then four years of dancing around each other.”
“Miért vártunk ilyen sokat... a felelősséget hibáztatom.” – “Why we waited so long…I’ll blame responsibility.”
“De igazából féltem, hogy ismét elveszítelek.” – “But truthfully, I was afraid of losing you again.”
“ Elvesztettelek, mert szerettelek.” – “I lost you because I loved you.”
“De még mindig szeretlek.” – “But I still love you.”
“ És én szeretni foglak.” – “And I will love you.”
“És ha ismét elvesztelek, mert túlzottan szerettelek.” – “And if I lose you again because I loved you too hard.”
“Then I guess I’m just a fool,” Hux said. The words stood true for both of them. In that moment, the crowds disappeared, and it was just the two of them there together.
“A beautiful fool,” Ben replied. They exchanged rings and said their “I do’s”, but Hux didn’t really pay attention to any of it. He just knows that kissing Ben made time stop, and nothing else mattered.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I am delighted to present to you: King Armitage Hux and his husband, Archduke Benjamin Hux,” as the minister closed out the ceremony, the crowds went wild. Hux and Ben smiled to them, waving for their enjoyment and kissing for their amusement.
“Ó Istem, úgy szeretlek! Ha nem lenne méltóságom, helyben magamévá tennélek,” Hux said. He didn’t really think about where they were or who they were in front of. The words just tumbled out of his mouth.
A faint blush spread across Ben’s face and he cocked an eyebrow. From the front pews of the chapel, Hux’s mother began coughing violently before shooting him a horrified look. The crowds of people were cheering too loudly for any of them to notice the exchange, but Ben whispered to him. “Do you want me to translate that?”
“Go ahead; no one will hear you,” Hux smiled and Ben rolled his eyes. Together, they made their way back down the aisle and into the rest of their lives.
Their wedding was the hottest gossip of kingdoms across the land. The young King Hux wore a dress to his wedding and looked stunning. The bold fashion move spread like wildfire throughout the land, and soon enough, men and women of all ages were wearing dresses for all sorts of occasion. It only took a few short years for dresses to become a closet staple for everyone.
As for the royal couple, Hux may have enjoyed wearing the dress (not that he’d ever tell anyone that. He’d never hear the end of it if Phasma found out that he actually felt quite pretty in the dress.) But he enjoyed taking it off even more. Finally, he could breathe again. Ben arguably enjoyed taking it off of him even more than Hux enjoyed taking it off. It’s a topic that the palace servants debated in the early hours of the morning while trying to block out the sounds of Ben and Hux enjoying their first night as a married couple.
In the end, the tailor was not executed, but instead became rich after the king ordered an excessive number of very extravagant dresses.
The End?