“Training with Master Luke is amazing,” she says, face absolutely lighting up when she smiles, bright enough that Poe and Finn smile back on instinct.
“I hope he’s loosened up some,” Poe says. “I remember him a little from when I was a kid. He was so serious then.”
Rey nods and actually puts her sandwich down -- she normally eats everything in one fast burst. “He’s somber, sure, but there’s so much to learn!”
“So what kind of Jedi tricks do you have up your sleeves now?”
Rey keeps smiling, and Poe finds his juice bottle floating out of his hand. A cup raises up from a basket, and she pours him a glass of juice without touching anything.
Finn’s eyes are wide, and Poe’s playing it cool but he feels like doing the same.
“That was amazing!” Finn says, “I’ve never seen the Force used for anything but...well, you know.” Poe feels swept up in that enthusiasm. He wonders why he was avoiding Finn at all -- maybe his good-natured energy will be a balm instead of an irritant.”
“It’s a start,” she says. “The finesse is...hard.”
“You’re learning this and fight training?”
She shrugs. “Master Luke says I need to be prepared for anything.”
Poe once thought he was prepared for anything, but it turned out that was just a lie he told himself.
He doesn’t say that to Rey.
“I’m sure.” Poe wants to ask her to do more magic, but he also wants to ask how hauling her off to some unknown planet is going to help them win the war.
“So while Rey’s been learning how to use the Force,” Poe says, “how have you been while training in the medbay?”
“I mean, that takes up a lot of time; it’s been a learning experience...wait.” Finn narrows his eyes. “I’m onto you, Dameron.”
Poe raises his hands in surrender. “I’m allowed to be worried about you if you’re going to insist on breaking into my room to talk to me about feelings.”
“Is that where he was today?” Rey asks. Her eyes are sparkling
“He’s done it twice.”
“Hey! I don’t think it counts as a break-in if you’re the one who gave me lock access.”
Poe purses his lips, biting back a retort. “I didn’t think you’d make me talk through trauma with it. Kriff, it’s bad enough to get it from the General.”
“I don’t know why you think talking is so bad.”
Poe sighs. “I don’t know why I need to talk out every detail of my life right now.”
Rey glances between the two of them. “Probably because you were recently kidnapped? It tends to be somewhat traumatic, in my experience.”
Poe pinches the bridge of his nose. Of course Rey knew the kind of panic that fluttered in his chest.
Not talking about that -- the immobilization, the guilt, the fear, the deep press into his mind -- well, it had worked fine thus far.
“I really do want to hear about your training,” Poe says.
“Dr. Kalonia is very, very patient,” Finn says. “I honestly don’t know how she hasn’t tazed some of the more unruly patients we get.”
Poe grimaces. “That’s not really the way we do things in the Resistance.”
Finn shakes his head. “Yeah, well, all I know is that it works really well for calming people down.” He waits a beat before laughing at Poe’s shocked expression, and Rey gives him a high-five.
“I’m sorry, but your face is always so priceless,” Finn says.
Poe isn’t sure how to say, I wish I could have protected you sooner.
“You’re surprisingly easy to trick for a Commander,” Rey says.
“Maybe I just don’t usually hang around with liars,” he says, grinning.
“No, that’s definitely not the case -- I’ve heard Snap and Jessika’s stories,” says Finn. “Those are some tall tales.”
“They just get excited to have someone new to regale with their exploits,” Poe says. “Besides, we really did fight off 20 TIE fighters that one time.”
“Terrible,” Finn says. “Just terrible.”
Rey leans her head onto Finn’s shoulder and it makes Poe feel more than he expected to.
Seeing them together makes him feel wistful -- he’d been hoping a recon mission together would be a good way to get closer to Finn and maybe test the waters. Finn is handsome, but more than that, he’s good-hearted..
Poe looks down at his bruised up wrists and then back at Finn and Rey, looking at a forest and a suns set like it was new, a wholly beautiful and unique experience. Poe tries to see it like that, but he watches the birds and thinks instead, I need to be flying.
Finn needs someone who isn’t hurtling toward a fiery demise, Poe thinks. He’s too jaded by half for that smile on Finn’s face when the sky shifts to purple, dark and soft. He was even before their capture.
“I’ve never been some place with this many suns,” Finn says, looking out at the clear blend of colors in the sky. There’s very little pollution on the planet and so the suns set is a gorgeous palate of deep reds and bright oranges, not like the pinks and greens Poe remembers from Hosnia Prime, even Coruscant.
Rey says, “I’m impressed at the amount of vegetation that manages to live here even with a second sun.”
“Is Master Skywalker’s getaway planet a desert too?” He can’t imagine it is, but he knew Tatooine wasn’t much more than that.
“No, no, it’s got a great big ocean,” she says with a giant grin. “There’s so much water, and there’s grass and moss everywhere on the island he lives on.”
“It must feel a lot different,” Poe says. “How do you like living in a place with rain?”
Rey makes a face. “I liked it at first, but it’s lost its charm now that I have to train in it.”
Finn laughs. “No days off, huh?”
Poe understands the sentiment. He lets them take over the conversation; he doesn’t have much to add besides a few teasing comments, and even those fade away. Eventually Finn pushes a sandwich into his hands, and he eats it mechanically, barely tasting it.
His back hurts. Everything does and he didn’t bring pain killers with him. He wonders how long he’ll feel like this, listless and empty, and what could make it stop.
“You’ve gotten quiet,” Rey says.
“I’m just tired.” It’s not a lie.
“Your body is using all its energy to heal itself, Poe. You need to rest,” says Finn,
BB-8 beeps at him, backing Finn up, and they exchange thumbs ups.
Poe rolls his eyes. “I can’t believe they’re taking your side and you can’t even understand them.”
“BB-8 knows what’s up, unlike you.” Finn looks at him. “It’s like you can’t wait to hurt yourself.”
Poe breaks eye contact first. “Can you start mothering him, Rey, so he realizes how annoying it is?”
“It’s more likely he’ll just turn his sights to me,” Rey says, “So I’m not too bothered.”
“That also suits me fine,” he says.
Darkness settles around them, just the light , and they pack up.
“Rey and I were going to play some Sabaac with Snap, if you want to join?” Rey is holding Finn’s hand again, and they’re silhouetted in the dusk light and Poe can’t stand it, the balance there.
BB-8 whistles at him, low and apologetic, but Poe’s a little relieved.
“Uh, I think I’m being summoned for a strategy meeting. Don’t let him cheat, Rey.”
He doesn’t look back as he goes inside, instead settles himself in a cocktail of guilt and petty jealousy as he sits in for a strategy briefing.
Nien Nunb at least buys him a drink after they draft out a week’s worth of drills to help dull the unease in his nerves.
---
hey just wanted to drop in an update - i'm working out plot elements, and have gotten a beta, but you've all been so great and supportive i thought i would add some parts here to make sure you know i'm still working on this! thanks so much for all your comments and support, and sorry i've slowed down so much on this. thanks for sticking with me!
Re: FILL: Re: Poe/Finn Branding 15/?
“I hope he’s loosened up some,” Poe says. “I remember him a little from when I was a kid. He was so serious then.”
Rey nods and actually puts her sandwich down -- she normally eats everything in one fast burst. “He’s somber, sure, but there’s so much to learn!”
“So what kind of Jedi tricks do you have up your sleeves now?”
Rey keeps smiling, and Poe finds his juice bottle floating out of his hand. A cup raises up from a basket, and she pours him a glass of juice without touching anything.
Finn’s eyes are wide, and Poe’s playing it cool but he feels like doing the same.
“That’s. Wow. Rey, that’s ridiculous.” BB-8 chimes in too, whistling excitedly.
“That was amazing!” Finn says, “I’ve never seen the Force used for anything but...well, you know.”
Poe feels swept up in that enthusiasm. He wonders why he was avoiding Finn at all -- maybe his good-natured energy will be a balm instead of an irritant.”
“It’s a start,” she says. “The finesse is...hard.”
“You’re learning this and fight training?”
She shrugs. “Master Luke says I need to be prepared for anything.”
Poe once thought he was prepared for anything, but it turned out that was just a lie he told himself.
He doesn’t say that to Rey.
“I’m sure.” Poe wants to ask her to do more magic, but he also wants to ask how hauling her off to some unknown planet is going to help them win the war.
“So while Rey’s been learning how to use the Force,” Poe says, “how have you been while training in the medbay?”
“I mean, that takes up a lot of time; it’s been a learning experience...wait.” Finn narrows his eyes. “I’m onto you, Dameron.”
Poe raises his hands in surrender. “I’m allowed to be worried about you if you’re going to insist on breaking into my room to talk to me about feelings.”
“Is that where he was today?” Rey asks. Her eyes are sparkling
“He’s done it twice.”
“Hey! I don’t think it counts as a break-in if you’re the one who gave me lock access.”
Poe purses his lips, biting back a retort. “I didn’t think you’d make me talk through trauma with it. Kriff, it’s bad enough to get it from the General.”
“I don’t know why you think talking is so bad.”
Poe sighs. “I don’t know why I need to talk out every detail of my life right now.”
Rey glances between the two of them. “Probably because you were recently kidnapped? It tends to be somewhat traumatic, in my experience.”
Poe pinches the bridge of his nose. Of course Rey knew the kind of panic that fluttered in his chest.
Not talking about that -- the immobilization, the guilt, the fear, the deep press into his mind -- well, it had worked fine thus far.
“I really do want to hear about your training,” Poe says.
“Dr. Kalonia is very, very patient,” Finn says. “I honestly don’t know how she hasn’t tazed some of the more unruly patients we get.”
Poe grimaces. “That’s not really the way we do things in the Resistance.”
Finn shakes his head. “Yeah, well, all I know is that it works really well for calming people down.” He waits a beat before laughing at Poe’s shocked expression, and Rey gives him a high-five.
“I’m sorry, but your face is always so priceless,” Finn says.
Poe isn’t sure how to say, I wish I could have protected you sooner.
“You’re surprisingly easy to trick for a Commander,” Rey says.
“Maybe I just don’t usually hang around with liars,” he says, grinning.
“No, that’s definitely not the case -- I’ve heard Snap and Jessika’s stories,” says Finn. “Those are some tall tales.”
“They just get excited to have someone new to regale with their exploits,” Poe says. “Besides, we really did fight off 20 TIE fighters that one time.”
“Terrible,” Finn says. “Just terrible.”
Rey leans her head onto Finn’s shoulder and it makes Poe feel more than he expected to.
Seeing them together makes him feel wistful -- he’d been hoping a recon mission together would be a good way to get closer to Finn and maybe test the waters. Finn is handsome, but more than that, he’s good-hearted..
Poe looks down at his bruised up wrists and then back at Finn and Rey, looking at a forest and a suns set like it was new, a wholly beautiful and unique experience. Poe tries to see it like that, but he watches the birds and thinks instead, I need to be flying.
Finn needs someone who isn’t hurtling toward a fiery demise, Poe thinks. He’s too jaded by half for that smile on Finn’s face when the sky shifts to purple, dark and soft. He was even before their capture.
“I’ve never been some place with this many suns,” Finn says, looking out at the clear blend of colors in the sky. There’s very little pollution on the planet and so the suns set is a gorgeous palate of deep reds and bright oranges, not like the pinks and greens Poe remembers from Hosnia Prime, even Coruscant.
Rey says, “I’m impressed at the amount of vegetation that manages to live here even with a second sun.”
“Is Master Skywalker’s getaway planet a desert too?” He can’t imagine it is, but he knew Tatooine wasn’t much more than that.
“No, no, it’s got a great big ocean,” she says with a giant grin. “There’s so much water, and there’s grass and moss everywhere on the island he lives on.”
“It must feel a lot different,” Poe says. “How do you like living in a place with rain?”
Rey makes a face. “I liked it at first, but it’s lost its charm now that I have to train in it.”
Finn laughs. “No days off, huh?”
Poe understands the sentiment. He lets them take over the conversation; he doesn’t have much to add besides a few teasing comments, and even those fade away. Eventually Finn pushes a sandwich into his hands, and he eats it mechanically, barely tasting it.
His back hurts. Everything does and he didn’t bring pain killers with him. He wonders how long he’ll feel like this, listless and empty, and what could make it stop.
“You’ve gotten quiet,” Rey says.
“I’m just tired.” It’s not a lie.
“Your body is using all its energy to heal itself, Poe. You need to rest,” says Finn,
BB-8 beeps at him, backing Finn up, and they exchange thumbs ups.
Poe rolls his eyes. “I can’t believe they’re taking your side and you can’t even understand them.”
“BB-8 knows what’s up, unlike you.” Finn looks at him. “It’s like you can’t wait to hurt yourself.”
Poe breaks eye contact first. “Can you start mothering him, Rey, so he realizes how annoying it is?”
“It’s more likely he’ll just turn his sights to me,” Rey says, “So I’m not too bothered.”
“That also suits me fine,” he says.
Darkness settles around them, just the light , and they pack up.
“Rey and I were going to play some Sabaac with Snap, if you want to join?” Rey is holding Finn’s hand again, and they’re silhouetted in the dusk light and Poe can’t stand it, the balance there.
BB-8 whistles at him, low and apologetic, but Poe’s a little relieved.
“Uh, I think I’m being summoned for a strategy meeting. Don’t let him cheat, Rey.”
He doesn’t look back as he goes inside, instead settles himself in a cocktail of guilt and petty jealousy as he sits in for a strategy briefing.
Nien Nunb at least buys him a drink after they draft out a week’s worth of drills to help dull the unease in his nerves.
---
hey just wanted to drop in an update - i'm working out plot elements, and have gotten a beta, but you've all been so great and supportive i thought i would add some parts here to make sure you know i'm still working on this! thanks so much for all your comments and support, and sorry i've slowed down so much on this. thanks for sticking with me!