Oh yes, she can fight it. She can fight and it will exhaust her, drain everything she has. And at her weakest it will come for her and tell her what she wants to hear. It will come for her and if she doesn't go willingly it will drag her kicking and screaming and take what it wants anyway.

[ It's hard to believe she's only talking about Rey with the subtle shift in her tone and the hint of pain in her eyes, not that either are conscious on her part.

Kylo sighs heavily when he brings up her mother, rolling her eyes. ]

It was on purpose, yes. I never wanted Leia to die. I... I would not see harm come to her if it can be avoided.

[ Don't ask her how she's going to manage that while still allowing the First Order to hunt down the Resistance because she doesn't have an answer to that yet.

She reaches for him again but this time she lightly takes his jaw in her hand so he can't turn away, locking her eyes on his. ]

I am what I need to be. The light would never have survived the things I've endured. You think you know the dark because I've been inside your head a few times... You don't know. You have no idea what it's like to have that presence clawing at you from before you can even recognize what it is. To feel like you're being torn apart, like your soul isn't even your own. Just a vessel for power. A tool in the eyes of others. [ Unintentionally her grip tightens as she speaks, but once she realizes it she lets go, taking a breath and a small step back. ] I don't know why I bother... you don't care. Your mind has been made up. All you see is a monster, like Rey.

And if that is how it's meant to be than I will be the monster, and you... you will be what I need you to be.