#Poe dameron makes a very small appearance

[januaryembrs]

I SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE | Marc Spector x reader

Request: @happyhauntt says - okay i am BEGGING for a fic based on the song 'forest fire' by brighton (be warned that shit HURTS) but i fully cannot decide between poe dameron, steven/marc or spencer reid so i am giving you full creative direction and i look forward to getting my heart ripped out!!

Description: Marc had always carried her with him, since they were small kids playing pirates in the yard, before things got messed up by grown up feelings and burdens. It's not until he sees her twenty years later, he realises he should have saved her.

length: 3.9k

Warnings: Heavy warnings for childhood / domestic abuse/neglect (both from Marc and also reader has a neglectful father) warnings for alcohol, the cave scene, drowning, death etc. you asked for angst, so I served!

authors note: sorry this took so damn long, today isn't even my day off and I have been too exhausted to even look at my computer, but I hope you like it!

Before Randall was too little to be part of his adventures, Marc used to play on his own in the yard. 

Usually that entailed kicking a football at the wooden fence that lined their garden, trying to knock it off his chest when it would come bouncing back the way he’d seen the professionals do it, even if it had led to three milk teeth coming loose already. 

But there weren’t kids on his street to play with, at least that’s what he thought until the one day he kicked his ball a little too high and watched it fly right over the top of the fence, bouncing into the neighbour's yard, a soft “ouch” meeting his ears. 

In minutes, a little head appeared over the wall, beady eyes frowning down at him, and he realised it was a girl around his age, maybe a little younger. 

“Did you lose this?” She held up his soccer ball he was worried he was going to have to kiss goodbye to forever, the small digits of her other hand holding onto the fence tightly. 

“Yeah! Sorry, I didn’t mean to kick it so high,” Marc said, and with no more explanation than that, she threw it over to his side of the partition, and her tiny head disappeared back below the fence line. 

He felt stunned. He knew there were moving boxes over that way a couple weeks ago, but as far as he could see there was only a man living there on his own, a scowl on his face most days. Marc had seen him shouting at the other kids on his block to stop riding their bikes in front of his house because it ‘upset the dog’, though Marc had yet to see for himself this canine friend he was speaking about. 

But there was a girl living there! A real life girl who spoke to him; granted he had lobbed a heavy soccer ball at her, from what her distaste told him, and he wondered if perhaps, despite the grumpy look on her face he realised mirrored the man he’d seen living there, that she might like to even make friends with her neighbour. 

“Wait!” He yelled, running up to the fence where she had slipped away from him, grabbing on to the top and pulling himself up to the point he was on his very tippy toes and he could only just about see her yard. 

The grass was unkempt, which was odd because Marc’s own dad cut the grass every fortnight, and there were planks of wood with nails sticking out of them strewn across the side of the shed she had used to pull herself up with. He fought the urge to cringe in disgust, because there, looking up at him from where she was making a daisy chain in the long, dry grass, alone in a pink plaid shorts and a white, dirt stained top, was the girl. 

“Do you want to play?” Marc asked, his foot nearly slipping under him where he was trying to rest it on the wood to take a closer look, “I have tennis, or swing ball we could play?” 

She looked interested at the mop of curly, black hair for a moment, before she looked back at the house that he had still yet to see any sign of a dog. 

“I’m not sure my dad would like it…” She said cautiously, almost whispering to him, picking the soil under her nails. 

“My mom could come around and get you, she could talk to him,” He offered, because this was when his mother was still mom and not Wendy. 

Before she had yet to flip his world entirely upside down with her cruel hands and vicious tongue. Before Steven. 

She seemed unsure, biting her bottom lip and stroking her arms like she was giving herself a cuddle. But she nodded, looking up at him, and he tried to hide just how excited he was to finally have someone to play with. 

“I’m Marc,” He said, grinning at her, his tongue poking between the space where his adult teeth were only just growing back in. 

She told him her name back, and it was the first time he understood what a crush was. 

–

“Marc, I’m not sure we should be doing this,” She said, grabbing his hand so tight he thought his heart might explode. 

“It’s okay, we come here all the time, don’t we, RoRo?” He reassured, looking back to where Randall, now a few years older and big enough to play with them, held onto the side of the cave, his own face nervous. 

“All the time!” The little boy echoed, because Marc knew he had a bit of a thing for her as well, because she was older and cool and smelled like a field of flowers and he hated seeming like he was scared, even though he was. 

He was just a kid. 

They were just kids. 

And being kids, they stumbled into danger without realising it, not even when the rain started coming down outside torrentially and they had to pause their game of pirates to run for cover. They hadn’t expected, in their childish excitement to continue the adventure, that the water would start pooling into the cave; that it would fill up like a basin, whether they were in there or not, and it wasn’t until the screaming started that they realised they were in the kind of danger that required an adult. 

Marc was the first one to get out, his hair soaked, his heart racing, and he used a grown up word he heard his dad use sometimes because he could have sworn they were both right behind him. 

And if that had been true, then where were they? 

He called her name, debated going back in there himself to see where they had gone, then he yelled for RoRo, because she didn’t seem to be answering. 

And there was only silence, except a clap of thunder overhead that said the rain was going to get worse; was not going to stop for hours. 

Which was when he ran to get his dad. 

By the time Elias got there, his glasses wet and steamed, his thick thatch of curls too similar to Marc’s soaked through, all he could see was a head of hair peeking out of the mouth of the cave, and his heart sank. 

He dragged her out of the dark water, arms under her shoulders as he rolled her on her front and started patting her back, trying to get her to spit some of the water out, because her face was ice and her skin was soaked and her playsuit was ripped from where she’d snagged it on the rocks. 

Marc remembered crying into his hands, gaze flicking back to the cave to see if RoRo was right behind her, if he was just waiting to be pulled out as she had been. 

But there was nothing. Nothing but rain water and moss and those damn rocks he’d been gripping onto not an hour earlier. 

His heart leapt when she spluttered finally, after his dad had thrown her over his knee and taken to giving her a one handed heimlich right between her shoulder blades. She spat the water out, her body shivering immediately, eyes bleary as they looked around as if she expected to still be in that dark hole in the wall, and Elias set her down on the grass to go look for his youngest son. 

“Stay with her, Marc,” He barked, uncharacteristically sharp for him though Marc guessed it was fear, and took off towards the cave again. Marc pulled her into his arms, and it was only then they started wailing together. 

They sat there for an hour when the rescue team finally arrived, a medical team with warm hands and even warmer blankets ushering them to the safety of the back of an ambulance, and the last thing Marc remembered for that horrible day was sitting on the stretcher with her pressed against his side, trembling under the reflective wrap they’d been tucked in that made them look like baked potatoes, wishing he had never suggested they go in that damn cave. 

–

“You’re leaving?” She said, her lip quivering, her eyes lined with tears. They sat on his bed, his duffel bag already packed, his acceptance letter burning daggers into his head from his nightstand, “Military? Marc, just think about this for a minute-”

“I have thought about it. I’m not some dumb kid making rash decisions, I want this,” Except he didn’t, not really. What he meant to say was he wanted to leave, to run away and never come back, but the idea of never seeing her again was too difficult to think about. 

She thought about it for a moment, and he held her hand when he saw her face really start to crumble then. “If you go, I’ll have no one left. You’re all I have,”

He didn’t hide the fact he saw how nervous she was when Marc would pick her up from her house and her father would see her out the door, a nasty, inebriated glare in his eyes at the Specter boy. He saw all the times she would tiptoe around the floorboards, the way he knew too well, as if she was scared of what would happen if she took up too much space, made too much noise. Or when his mother had been kind, way back before any of this had happened, and had fussed over her pretty hair, had piled food on her plate because Wendy said she needed the goodness, she had locked up entirely and looked at his mother as if she was an alien. 

Even now, when they were both seventeen, nearly adults in the grand scheme of things, he knew her father was cruel. 

“I’m sorry,” He said honestly, and he felt his own throat clogging up with real emotion he only ever let himself show when he was with her, “When I get a place of my own, I’ll come back here, and we can pack your bags together, and we can live far away from all of this,” 

And it sounded like he was spinning her a fantasy; which he was. She felt like an idiot for believing him, for flashing him a small smile and leaning her forehead to his which was the closest they ever got to admitting how they really felt about each other. 

He wanted to kiss her then, before he left to start his new life, one where they could be happy together, and he made a promise to himself that when he came back for her that would be the first thing he would do. 

He could see it now; he would be in some kind of flashy car with the top rolled down, a man grown from the regime and fitness they would teach him in the army and she would come running to him like an angel parting the clouds, like a dream that was finally within reach, and he would kiss her then, so hard it would make up for the time they had lost, the time they had grieved together, it might even make up for that day she nearly died because of him. 

So he left her, that fantasy of coming back to her keeping him going in the months of training, during roll call and exams and the small, clinical portions they would serve him in the military. 

But that day never came. Somewhere between losing himself to the alter that had formed and led a full life separately to his, between hiding Steven from the ugly truth and becoming a mercenary after dropping from the army, he tucked the dream away as a what if, and he didn’t return back to that house where his mother had caused so much hell. 

Not until the second day of her shiva, that was. 

-

“Marc?” He forgot how sweet his name sounded from her lips, and he hated to admit it in the middle of his drunken state, but he’d wished he’d never heard it again in his entire life. 

Because the second his front door opened, and a woman in a long black dress, heels and lace gloves stared back at him with a face that looked similar to a girl he once knew, only a notch between her brows that said she had done nothing but frown for twenty years, he wished he had never seen her again. 

She was beautiful, more beautiful than he ever gave her credit for, yet she looked tired. Sunken. Like she had wept and screamed alongside all the frowning. 

“Marc,” She said it more determined this time, pacing down the stairs to his home, her footsteps rushed and worried, “Are you okay?,” 

He knew he must look like a mess. He hadn’t stopped crying for three days since he got the first phone call from his father in almost two decades, since he’d learned his mother had passed, and he was already a bottle of whiskey deep by the time he’d stepped out the cab onto the street he grew up on. 

He didn’t know why he hadn’t thought she would be there. He guessed she would be far away from this place, just like he had been, in a mansion with a 401k and a dog and a neurosurgeon for a husband. She had always deserved it. 

But here she was, grabbing the bottle out of his hand gently, rubbing a hand over his shoulder like not a day had gone by that they hadn’t seen one another, and it didn’t take him much convincing at all to pull her into a hug he had needed since the day he left. 

“My mum’s dead,” Marc said, sounding like a little boy again when he wept into her neck, squeezing her body to his, and he felt her rubbing his back soothingly. 

“I know, Marc, I’m so sorry,” She hummed, and she smelled like a fancy floral perfume he couldn’t afford to give her before, “I know you must be feeling complicated,”

He nodded, because he couldn’t have put it better himself. He felt complicated. 

“I missed you,” She said, like it was a confession, and he cried harder, his face burying into the crook of her shoulder. 

“I missed you too,” 

“How’s Steven? Is he still around?” She asked, pulling him away to root through her pocket for the pack of tissues she’d kept handy for the day. He took a deep breath, rubbing his sleeved arm over his face to dry it even the slightest. He could feel his cheeks sopping wet from where he had sobbed in the back of the cab like a madman all the way here. 

But she was still fussing over him, and she looked just as pretty as he had remembered her, sitting on his bed that day, if not only a little more tired under her eyes.

Ofcourse she had known about Steven. How else was he supposed to explain the times they would be playing boyfriend-girlfriend together and he would become a different person. 

Sometimes Steven would remember her too, because it didn’t matter to her who he was, she was his best friend either way. He remembered a girl who smelled like summer, sitting on the swings and eating ice lollies together, taking it in turns to push each other, blue tongued and happy. 

“Yeah, sometimes,” He replied quietly, as she handed him the tissues, “He misses you, too,” 

She smiled at him with her lips pressed tightly.

“I take it you’re not coming in?” She said in a careful tone, and he shook his head quickly. 

“No- I just can’t,” He said, tears welling up in his eyes in seconds, and she wrapped him in another hug immediately, soothing his hurt as fast as it had bubbled back up.

“Hey, it’s okay, it’s okay, you don’t have to,” She hummed, stroking down his back gently, and he hugged her tightly as if she was the only thing keeping him together. 

He opened his mouth to speak when his front door opened again, and he worried for a second that it was Elias. 

Instead, he saw a girl no older than five emerge in a cute, poofy dress that met her knees, her hair tucked into a neat braid, lace gloves matching her own as she lingered at the doorway. 

And perhaps the thing that struck him the quickest; she was the damn near double of the girl he’d hit in the head with his soccer ball in that very yard. 

“Mommy,” The girl said in a gentle coo, her eyes empathetic as she met his gaze, more empathetic than he knew children could feel. But, he supposed, if she was her daughter then it didn’t surprise him in the slightest. 

His best friend turned, her face smoothing out into something peaceful when she saw her little girl, and he knew then she was born to be a mother. Nothing like his own, nothing like Wendy, and he cursed himself for not seeing it sooner. 

She was a mother. 

“Yes, baby?” She said, half stepping towards her child as the girl stumbled down the first step towards them, and she was quick to swoop her into her grasp and onto her hip. 

“I need to use the bathroom,” The girl said shyly, peeking a glance at him over her mum’s shoulder, and she waved at him with tiny fingers. 

He waved back, even if the sight of her had dumped a bucket of cold water all over his body. 

“Alright, baby. Just wait in the foyer, I’ll come take you in just a second, I’m just speaking to my friend right now,” She said, stroking over the back of the girl’s hair softly, and kissing her chubby cheek. “Is that okay?”

She nodded, and her mum kissed her once more, plopping her back on the top step to direct her back into the house. And they were alone again. 

She looked at him guiltily, stepping back towards him as she fiddled with her sleeves nervously, “I’m sorry, I couldn’t get childcare and I don’t really know anyone in state anymore-”

“No, it-it’s fine,” He stammered, feeling her watching him for his reaction carefully, “What’s her name?” 

“Dalilah,” She replied, rubbing hands up her arms to calm herself. 

“Where’s her dad?” Marc asked, hoping he didn’t sound bitter, but the whiskey made it sound like a bite. 

She shrugged, “He wanted the cars and the house when we split; I wanted her,” She said calmly, like it wasn’t one bomb after another to be dropped on him. 

He knew nothing about her life. He had tried to run away from that promise he’d made her for twenty years, because he knew he would never be good enough for her; that he could never give her the happiness she deserved, even before he had become the Moon Knight. 

At his core, he would rot her, ruin her. He would destroy her.

And yet hearing it was just the two of them alone, he felt like he could take out the piece of shit who ran out on them barehanded and go home to sleep next to her soundly.  

He felt like perhaps, as much grief and anguish as returning back to that house had caused him, perhaps this was his second chance. His chance to be what she needed, to be something good.

He would be so good to them. He would give them everything if she asked. 

“I’m not really in town much, especially with my dad still around,” She said, gesturing to where her yard still stood, full of junk and a dog that had supposedly been kicking strong for two decades, “But I would love to see you again. Lila has school most days so you’re free to come over any day of the week if you want it to be just us; I work at home,” She scribbled an address about two hours away down on a piece of paper, along with her phone number, handing it to his distraught face with a sad smile, somewhat hopeful he would take the olive branch she was shaking his way. 

He took it with a nod, his bottom lip still trembling before he bit it hard enough to force it to stop. He would love to see her, if he would even allow himself something good. If he would just let go of the resentment for everything that reminded him of that time, he could see the two of them healing one another slowly, but surely. 

She could fix him. And he could fix her. The way it had always been with them. 

“Yeah, I’d love that,” Marc said softly, allowing her to grab him tightly one more time, “I really did miss you,” 

She laughed, not properly more like a sad breath out, squeezing him to her, “I loved you so much. I never let you go, you know that?” 

He tried not to sob, almost holding her so maddeningly hard she couldn’t ever leave. 

But he had to let go eventually, and he watched her walk back up the stairs to where his family mourned, her face glinting with something hopeful, holding a flashlight out to him where he was walking around in the dark blindly.

He tried to smile back, though he knew it wouldn’t be the same, wouldn't be truly untouched by the grief he wallowed in. 

And by the time he got back to his hotel room, alone, even more drunk, Khonshu had another job for him that would whisk him away for two weeks. But he kept her number, the piece of paper gripped in his hand tight, like he was determined to keep his promise this time around.

He dialled her number exactly fifteen days later, his body aching, his nose bloodied, but something lighter in his chest at the prospect of seeing her again. The light in his dark, the girl on the swings he’d once pretended to marry during their game of house (the rings had been tiny daisy chains she’d woven together just that morning, their officiant was Randall who could barely ride a bike let alone remember the vows he was supposed to say.) 

Only when the phone got put through, a different woman answered, and the light flickered back out into something cold and dark and vengeful. 

“Oh, oh god, you haven’t heard?” He swallowed thickly, “She was hit by a drunk driver last week picking Lila up from school,” The woman, her cousin, explained, her voice teary and solemn, and he didn’t doubt she’d had to make a thousand of these calls the past few days, “They said it was quick, and Lila went fast so she wasn’t in any pain- and she was only in the ambulance for ten minutes before her heart stopped so she wasn’t hurting long either-” 

But he put the phone down, his eyes wide, his body numb, his chest empty and lonely. 

Because the very last bit of good in him was gone; because everything he touched was cursed and tainted from the offset. 

It took what felt like twenty cups of whiskey for him to black out that night, he knew sleep would evade him, he knew not to even bother trying. And Jake Lockely woke up for him, something mean and hateful in the black of his eyes. 

He didn’t care who, but someone was going to pay for his cielo being taken from them. 

#marc spector x reader #steven grant x reader #marc spector fanfiction #moonknight x reader #marc spector imagine #moon knight x reader #moonknight imagine #jake lockely fanfiction #jake lockely x reader #steven grant imagine

[dailyreverie]

Oooo I would love 13 and 15 for the Poe x Solo Reader story!!! Your writing is amazing so I know I can expect something so cute and wholesome 🥹🥹🥹 keep up the amazing work!!!!

Maybe I'll get drunk again...

Part of the Your Wish is my Command universe

A/N: Hiii there!! Thank you so so much for sending a request. The second I saw the prompts I knew exactly what to write, and I know you said cute and wholesome but this is just pining in insane amounts. Title, of course, comes from the song "Drunk" by Ed Sheeran.

Are we friends or are we more prompts: 13. knowing their food/drink order 15. walking them home, especially at night

Pairing: Poe Dameron x Solo!Reader

Word Count: 966 words

CW: Bar setting, alcohol and drunk people mentions, reader drinks alcohol.

SERIES MASTERLIST

There was a small cantina at the edge of the base where the Black Squadron would always go and celebrate at after a successful battle. You would always hear the aftermath of it the next morning when Poe and Snap would be a couple of hungover sacks, but this time you had been invited firsthand by the very same Commander of the squad. 

You were not even going to attend, you recalled as you stepped into the bar; your harboring crush on Poe had become too much to handle lately, making you try and avoid him as much as you could, but you couldn’t let him know that or make him think there was anything wrong. Poe’s smile was lighting up the whole base when he found you after the mission and asked you to come after for drinks, if you ever said no to that you would never be able to forgive yourself.

Their booth was easy to spot, they were the loudest amongst the crowds of drunks, everyone already tipsy and not even trying to hide it. “There she is!” Jess exclaimed, and Poe’s head turned around quickly mid-sip to confirm it. The whole squad joined her, scooting and moving as you greeted everyone to let you sit next to Poe.

“Hi!” Poe’s smile was the brightest when you reached him, pulling you in for a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Poe, with his curls looking freshly washed and a simple t-shirt that hugged his body letting you see the chain around his neck, looking so chill and so relaxed.

“Hello.” Your voice was mushed by his shoulder, not that you minded it. “I really need to catch up.” You concluded after a quick scan around the table

“You really do.” Poe laughed, signing something to the waiter that made a drink appear in front of you in a matter of seconds.

“Is this-?”

“For you? Yeah.” He said as if it was no big deal - as if he had not ordered your favorite drink to perfection, with every little twist you add to it already on it.

“How did you know?”

He took a beat to reply, scanning your face at that moment to take in your surprise. “It's your favorite.” Poe shrugged nonchalantly, winking at you and turning back to the conversation with the rest of his friends, completely ignorant of the fact that he had ignited a fire in the pit of your stomach.

The night went on with drinks coming and going, and you understood then why everyone was hungover the morning after. Laughter roared loudly, names and insults and nicknames replacing everyone’s words, and Poe… oh Maker… Poe kept his arm on the back of your chair all night, his fingers grazing your arm every so often to remind you of every feeling you had for him.

You had most definitely catch-up to their drunken state, but even as much as you tried you could not keep up with the rest of them. The alcohol was making you sleepy and Poe’s warm touch was not helping, so with one look at the time and after the last sip of your drink, you began to stand up. “I should probably get going, it’s getting late.” Above everyone’s no’s and why’s, you had to justify yourself with the duties you had to attend to in the next few hours.

“Let’s go then.” Poe chimed in after downing his beer.

“Oh, no, don’t worry Poe. You guys don’t have to leave too.”

“Nu-uh, they can stay, but I’m not letting you walk over there alone.” You were left speechless, trying to ignore everyone’s not-so-discreet glances between them.

“Are you sure?” You asked quietly. “You don’t have to, Poe, really.”

“I want to.” He assured you, sobering up in an instant, so you waved goodnight and began your walk back to the base.

The night had a warm breeze to it but Poe didn’t care, his arm wrapped around your shoulders protectively. The walk didn’t help your feelings at all, quite the opposite, since every laugh you shared in the quiet halls of the base made your heart grow larger and larger and the simple thought of him.

“Is it always like that with them?” You asked between laughter after Poe stumbled with his own feet.

“Usually, but they were happier tonight.”

“Was it a good mission?” You came to a stop when you reached the door of your quarters.

“I mean… yeah, it was, but they were happier because you were there.” He bumped your hip with his, squeezing you to his side as he did.

He had to be joking. This had to be a joke.

“Well, thank you for inviting me.” You couldn’t make yourself turn away from his deep eyes to punch the code into the door. “And for walking me back.” 

“Thank you for coming.” He took a step forward, almost trapping you against the wall with his broad shoulders so close to your own. One step more would be the death of you with the way he was looking at you, but he was drunk, he was out of his mind. Poe couldn’t possibly know what he was doing.

“Good night, Poe.” You quickly stopped your thoughts, turning around to open the door just to rapidly shut it close behind you, not daring to see Poe for even one second more.

“You alright?” Connix asked as you walked in, half-asleep and turning the light on to find you leaning against the door with your hands covering your mouth. “Oh no… what did you do?”

“Nothing.” You shook your head. “But I can’t keep seeing him. Not anymore.” When you looked at her, her face demanded an explanation, one you didn't hesitate to give: “I’m pretty sure I’m in love with him.”

🚀✨🚀✨🚀✨🚀✨🚀✨🚀✨

Thanks for reading! Please reblog and comment if you enjoyed it!

#poe dameron x reader #poe dameron x solo!reader #poe dameron x female reader #poe dameron imagine #poe dameron fluff #poe dameron x you #poe x you #poe x reader #poe dameron x y/n #poe dameron au #poe dameron fanfiction #poe dameron fanfic #poe dameron fic

[the-little-ewok]

Quiet

Quiet Poe Dameron X F!Reader Rating : 18+ / Explicit  Wordcount : 4850 (ish) Warnings : Oral M!receiving, oral F!receiving, PIV, unprotected sex, smut, total softness and fluff, teasing and banter, language, tiny smudge of angst if you squint, oh did I mention the smut?

Summary : You give Poe a going away present when he leaves for a mission and on his return, Poe is going to make sure he repays the favour ten fold. 

A/N : Shameless smut. Not gonna lie…. No regrets. 

++++

Poe grins at you, eyes bright with amusement as he swings the door closed behind him, shutting you both in the small room. 

"Sneaking off into supply closest? Well, it's been a while since we did this," he comments with a raised eyebrow. 

"If we use either of our rooms, we will be interrupted," you point out, thinking back to the last time you'd tried to have any time alone before the pilot left on another mission. There always seemed to be something, or someone, that needed his attention right at the worst possible moment. 

"So that's what you dragged me here for!" He exclaims in mock surprise.

"Drag? You followed like a little lost puppy," you tease, placing your palms on his shoulders and backing him up against the wall, pinning him there with your body. 

"Let's just say you looked like a very tempting treat for this little puppy." He takes your hips, pulling you close against him as he dips his head to kiss you. He wastes no time in teasing your lips open and sliding his tongue against yours. His tongue licks languidly into your mouth, caressing your own as his hands drag your body tight against his. Despite the fact he's the one pressed to the wall, you can't help but feel completely at his mercy as his kiss steals your breath. 

You have to stop him before he ruins your entire plan. But stars, he makes it so difficult to pull away from him, especially when his hands start creeping up your back, untucking your shirt as he kisses you.

When you finally part for breath, you take the moment to blink yourself out of your kiss dazed haze. When he leans in to kiss you again, you shake your head, running your hands down his chest.

"Wait a second. You haven't heard the reason I dragged you in here," you almost pant out breathlessly. Poe raises his eyebrow with a grin. 

"I thought it was so I could kiss you like that?"

You shake your head, sliding your hands a little lower in suggestion. 

"Not quite. Do you think you can be quiet while I give you your going away present, pretty boy?" You enjoy the flush that appears instantly on his cheeks at your words. Dropping your hands down to unbuckle his belt, you lick your lips, letting him know exactly what you intend his present to be. 

"Think I'll manag-" the rest is cut off by a low moan as you slip your hand into his pants, pressing your palm against his hardening cock.

You raise your eyebrows with an amused grin. 

"I think we just proved otherwise," you tease, starting to withdraw your hand. 

"I'll be quiet," he breathes, taking a gentle hold of your wrist to keep your hand where he wants it. "I promise."

"You sure you can be?" You grin. He gives a soft mhm in response, leaning forward to capture your lips. You smile against his mouth before you allow yourself to give in to his kiss, capturing his moan as your hand wraps around his cock. 

You pump him slowly as his tongue licks into your mouth once more, his hands sliding up under your shirt, toying with the waistline of your trousers. The temptation to allow him to touch you is almost too much, but you force yourself to pull away from his kiss, gently removing his hand from your wrist, and your hand from his pants.

Poe gives a frown, his mouth opening no doubt to ask you what's wrong before his eyes go wide, and he's suddenly lost for words as you get down on your knees, working his trousers down. 

"Quiet," you remind him, meeting his eyes as you lean forward and swirl your tongue around the tip of his cock. Poe chokes back the moan that attempts to break free, taking a deep, unsteady breath as you take him fully into your mouth. 

"Fuck. You don't make it e-easy," he stutters, quickly covering his mouth with his hand when you pull back, lightly grazing your teeth against his skin.

Wrapping your hand around the base of his cock, you work him over with your mouth and your hand, twisting your wrist and swirling your tongue in the way you know he loves. Poe does try his best to be quiet, but as he gets closer to his end, his volume creeps steadily higher. 

"Baby," he groans, threading his fingers through your hair as you pull back, pressing your tongue to the underside of his cock. When you take him further into your mouth again, he lets out a loud groan, and you tap his hip in warning, a reminder he's supposed to be quiet lest you both be caught. 

His hands leave your hair and the next moment he lets out a loud, but muffled moan. You lift your eyes to his, but he isn't looking at you, and the sight of him makes your pussy clench. His eyes are screwed shut, beads of sweat breaking out across his hairline, his scarf pulled up and clenched between his teeth, muffling the whimpers and moans he'd given up holding back. You can't help but moan around his cock at the sight and Poe's hips jerk in response, another whine muffled by his makeshift gag, his eyes snapping open to meet yours.

You hold his gaze as his hands tangle back in your hair, keeping the scarf between his teeth. Judging by the glazed look in his eyes, his stuttered breathing and trembling, the pilot won't last much longer.

You double down on your efforts, letting out another moan around his cock. You see rather than hear him bite a curse into his scarf as his climax hits, his legs almost buckling with the intensity of it as he cums on your tongue. 

You're grateful for the fact he has his mouth full because the noises he lets out, even with the makeshift gag, are loud enough that you are sure they can be heard outside the room. You half expect someone to start hammering on the door to ask what's going on. 

Thankfully, the corridor outside remains quiet, and the two of you undiscovered, as Poe comes down from his high. You sit back, allowing his cock to leave your mouth with a pop. You can't help but throw him a smug grin when you take in how absolutely wrecked he looks. 

"Shit," he groans, pulling down the scarf and letting his head slam back against the wall, his chest heaving in panted breaths. "That's some going away gift." 

You grin at him, making a show of licking your lips and earning a shaky "Maker," from the pilot before you help to redress him.

When you're done, he takes your hands and helps you to your feet, barely allowing you to get your balance before he spins you around, swapping your places and pressing you up against the wall.

As he dips his head to kiss you, both of you freeze at the echo of his name being called somewhere further up the corridor.  

"You need to go, flyboy," you sigh, running your fingers through his curls, desperately wishing for another few hours with him. 

"I will, when I'm done with you." Poe answers, pressing himself hard against you. "Not going to leave you unsatisfied after that. I bet you're soaking for me," he whispers in your ear. 

 Well, he certainly wasn't wrong. You can feel the dampness in your panties, especially when he slots his thigh firmly between yours as he kisses you. 

"You need to go," you whisper against his mouth, shoving his shoulders without any strength at all as he presses himself closer to you, his lips working their way across your jaw and down your neck. You can't help a soft moan as he gently bites down on your pulse point, his fingers slipping up under your shirt to skim at the bare flesh of your ribs. 

You might have let him continue if it wasn't for a second shout of his name almost directly outside the door, which pulls you back to your senses. As much as you wanted this, him, neither of you had the time. He had a job to do that came before any of your needs. 

"You need to leave." This time it comes out more firmly, and you push him away, holding him away from you with your palms pressed to his shoulders. "Please, Poe. The sooner you go, the sooner you can come home."

He regards you with a pained expression. It isn't the fact you're turning him down right now that hurts, you know, as usual, it's the fact he doesn't want to leave, that both of you know this may be the last time you ever look at each other. 

He steps forward to you again, and you allow it. You allow him to capture your lips in a fierce kiss — bruising and passionate. It says everything he doesn't dare to speak aloud. 

The kiss seems to go on forever, but all too soon he swallows hard, pulling away from your lips and leaning his forehead against yours as he wraps his arms around you and squeezes you tightly.

"Every day I'm away is one time I'm going to make you cum with my mouth," he promises, making you laugh and reach up to cup his face.

"I'll hold you to that," you smile, stroking your thumb across his cheek as he leans in to kiss you one final time before he steps back. You swallow hard as you give him a nod, and he reaches out to squeeze your hand tightly before he opens the door slowly, checking nobody is around before he slips out. 

There's no tearful goodbye, no desperate hugs or waving his ship off, no promises to come home safe or to keep in touch. Both of you are all too aware that those promises can be broken all too easily. All you have now is hope. Hope that you'll see each other again, at least one more time.  

~

It's some unreasonable hour of the night when the banging at your door pulls you from a fitful sleep.

"Ugh, stop 'm comin'," you grumble rolling out of bed as the knocking continues, loudly and insistently. You sleepily stumble over to the door and press your hand against the pannel. 

"I love you," Poe states the moment it slides open. It had become a tradition that the words you wouldn't allow yourselves to say during goodbyes were always the first you spoke when you saw each other again. 

"I love you too," you breathe, quickly looking him over. He's still in his flight suit, his hair damp and messy from his helmet, his eyes tired and sporting a bruise across his cheek that hadn't been there when he left. 

"I was going to see you in the morning, but…my feet sort of just brought me here." He pauses with a shrug and a lopsided smile.

"What happened?" You ask, lifting your hand to brush your fingers gently against the bruise on his face, instantly regretting it when he winces. "How bad does the rest of you look?"

"It's not so bad. I think the colours suit me, but I'll let you be the judge," 

"You should have gone to medical," you scold, pulling down the edge of his flight suit to inspect the edge of a bruise on his collarbone.

"It's just cuts and bruises. They have bigger things to deal with, I'm sure," he smiles reassuringly, pulling you into his arms to cuddle you close. "Besides, I have all the medicine I need right here."

He doesn't give you chance to scold him again before he slots his lips over yours. You shouldn't give in so easily, but the warmth of him back in your arms breaks any resolve, and you easily sink into his kiss. He lets out a moan against your mouth as your fingers find their way into his curls, tugging gently. His arms tighten around your waist, holding you close as he deepens the kiss, pressing his tongue against yours, seeking to taste every part of your mouth.

He grins when you finally pull apart, a little breathless, your heart beating wildly. 

"Now that's what I call a goodnight kiss." He lets out a happy sigh, leaning his forehead against yours. "I missed you." 

"I missed you too," you smile, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. "But you smell disgusting right now." 

Poe laughs and cuddles you harder. 

"You would too if you spent the past eight hours in a cockpit," He grins as you roll your eyes before he kisses your forehead gently. "Can I stay here tonight? My room’s always too quiet without your snoring,"

"I don't snore," you slap his arm lightly as he laughs. "And you hog all the covers."

"I do not," he scoffs, pulling away from you with an offended look. "Maybe I'll just go back to my own room after all."

Laughing, you take his hands and tug him into your room, shutting the door behind him. 

"Go shower. You're not getting in my bed like that," you giggle, pushing him in the direction of the fresher.

"Wouldn't dream of it, I'd never hear the end of your complaints," he dodges out of the way as you go to slap his arm again, laughing as he backs up towards the bathroom. "Don't wait up."

"Wouldn't dream of it, you'll be in there for hours," you grin, climbing back into bed as he watches you from the doorway.

"I'm glad to be home," he smiles softly before he disappears into the fresher.   

~

You're already half asleep by the time you hear him leave the fresher and clatter about the room. Sleepily, you open your eyes, blinking against the dim lighting from the window, trying to stay as asleep as possible. That is, until your eyes catch sight of him, bathed in the dim moonlight, his back to you as he folds up his clothes. 

Maker, he just has to make things difficult for you. 

"Poe, can you please put some clothes on? I'm only human," you groan, burying your head in the pillow, so you don't open your eyes to stare at his naked form again. It's too much to feel this level of desire weighed against the tiredness that makes your body ache. 

"I don't have anything to sleep in, so I guess you're just gonna have to deal with it." You can hear the grin in his voice as his footsteps near the bed, refusing to look at him. 

"I'm tired," you complain as the mattress dips with his weight. You fight to keep your eyes firmly shut as you feel his warm body settle next to yours under the covers.

"Go to sleep then," he answers easily. 

You open your eyes to glare at him, and Poe feigns an expression of innocence, raising his eyebrows. 

"Hey, don't give me that look. I'm not the one that can't keep their mind out of the gutter when seeing the naked form!"

"Oh, and you could?" You scoff with a raise of your own eyebrow.

"Try me," he dares stubbornly. You really should not play this game. You're tired, Poe is tired, both of you desperately need sleep, but the temptation to prove yourself right, and the desire to have your skin pressed against his, outweighs any exhaustion. 

You shrug in answer, sitting up and curling your fingers into the hem of your sleep shirt, keeping your eyes trained on his before pulling it up over your head, dropping it unceremoniously to the floor. You hear a hitch in his breath, and you can see the way his fingers twitch against the mattress. With a smirk, your shorts follow, allowing his gaze to roam the full expanse of your naked body.

He shifts slightly, his tongue darting out to lick his lips as he makes a show of settling down further into the bed, but his eyes never stop roaming your flesh.  

"Alright well, goodnight," he throws out casually, shutting his eyes.  

Grinning, you lay back down, knowing you've already won by the flush on his cheeks and the slight increase of speed in his breathing.

"Good night, P-" the rest of his name gets cut off in a squeal of laughter when he wraps his arms around you and pulls you on top of him. Giggling, you adjust yourself, straddling his hips as his arms keep your chest pinned to his. 

"I thought you were going to sleep?" You grin, feeling his evident arousal pressing up against your stomach.

"I was going to, but you, don't, play, fair," he grumbles, tickling your sides with each word, making you laugh and squirm. 

"How so? All I did was even the playing field," You giggle, leaning up on your arms to look down at him. He stares up at you, flushed and wide eyed. 

"Not true. I mean, look at you! Even with your clothes on, I want you all the time. How am I supposed to cope without them?" He breathes passionately, grinding his hips against yours. He smirks at the gasp you try to suppress, as heat prickles across your skin and arousal floods your body. "Bloody lucky I didn't jump you the second you opened the door." 

"Oh, so that's why you came here! And I thought you just missed me," you tease, trying to look offended. 

"No, no, not at all! I wanted to see you," he pauses and sighs softly, reaching up to cup your cheek, his entire demeanour softening. "I thought about you, you know? Every day, every second of every day."

You take his face in your hands, smoothing your thumbs over his cheekbones as you drink him in, your chest aching with affection. 

"I thought about you too. All the time." 

Wrapping his hand around the back of your neck, he pulls your lips to his, holding you against him. 

This time his kiss is more tender, filled with longing and love. There's no urgency as his lips part yours to deepen the kiss. This kiss isn't one of rough passion or lust, it isn't one of relief or longing, but one of connection, of reassurance and love. It leaves you breathless when he finally pulls away. 

Smiling and giddy with love, you sit up and allow yourself a moment to properly look at him, to take in the blues, purples and yellows that litter his body, along with red cuts barely healed crossing across already old scars. Your fingers trace the edges of one of the bruises as you frown.

"You need to be more careful."

"I'm alright," Poe reassures you in the soft way he always does when he comes back hurt. "I'll tell you about it tomorrow, but you should know I won… eventually." 

You roll your eyes at his goofy grin, but you're still unable to stop the soft giggle that bubbles up. He watches you quietly for a moment, his palms skimming up your thighs. 

"I should probably let you go back to sleep, shouldn't I?" He asks, hands creeping up over your hips to roam across your ribs, mapping out the curves of your body.  

"What if I'm not tired now?" You whisper, threading your fingers through his hair as you lean down to kiss him. He hums in thought, wrapping his arms around you. 

"Then I suppose I'll have to do something to help tire you out."

He flips you all too easily. One moment you're leaning over him, his hands caressing your back as you study him, and the next you're on your back, pressed into the mattress by his weight as he dips his head to press open mouthed kisses down your neck. 

"I have a promise to keep after all," he reminds you, pressing soft kisses down your chest and across your breast, flicking his tongue across your nipple, pulling a gasped moan from you. 

"That can wait. You need to rest." There's no conviction behind your words, and he knows it. Both of you know this only ends one way, and it isn't sleeping. 

"Can it?" Poe asks, kissing a trail down your ribs, pausing at your hip to suck on your skin, leaving a dark mark.

"No," you breathe honestly, the desperate fire of desire already blazing through your veins. You feel him smile against your skin before he shuffles further down the bed, his hands pressing your thighs apart, exposing you to his gaze.

"I've been thinking about this since I left." He places a soft kiss to the inside of your thigh, before he switches sides and kisses the other one. "Thinking about how you'll taste," another kiss to your skin higher up, causing your breath to hitch in anticipation, "the noises you'll make." 

He switches sides again, this time nipping your skin softly with his teeth, making you squirm, desperate for him to put his mouth to better use. 

"I've been thinking about all the ways I can make you cum."

"Poe," you whimper, half begging him to stop dragging this out, the anticipation becoming too much. If he carries on talking, you might cum without him ever having touched you in the way you're desperate for. 

He lets out a breathy laugh against your core which only makes you tremble more, and when he finally licks a hot stripe through your folds, you throw your head back with a loud moan. 

"Hmm, just as well I'm not asking you to keep quiet," he comments, more to himself than you, before he goes back to working you over with his tongue. 

You couldn't be quiet even if you tried. No amount of pleasure you could bring yourself ever seemed to come close to the expert way Poe used his mouth. His tongue alternates between flicks against your clit to pressing deep inside you, lapping up your arousal as though it was his favourite meal. His hands dig into the meat of your thighs, holding you open to his meticulous ministrations.  

You whimper, twisting your fingers in the sheets as he pins your hips to the bed, preventing you from lifting yourself into his mouth, holding you in place as his tongue relentlessly flicks and laps at your aching core. 

When he seals his lips over your clit, sucking hard, your body gives in to the overwhelming pleasure, your eyes rolling back almost painfully hard as your orgasm trembles through you. 

Poe groans against you, making aftershocks of pleasure shudder through you. He feathers soft kisses against your thighs, giving you a moment to come down from the high, before he suddenly slides two fingers easily into you with a wet squelch. 

"One down. Four more to go," he grins, dropping his mouth back to your still pulsing cunt.

~

Maker, you've lost count. He must be well beyond the promised five by now, and yet he shows no signs of letting up. He's dragged you over the edge so many times your orgasms are rolling into each other, barely having time to breathe before the next one hits.

"Poe, I c-can't-fuck, fuck, fuck!" You gasp in a hoarse voice, throat sore from the sounds he's dragged from you, as another orgasm rockets unexpectedly through you. 

"What was that?" He asks, grinning up at you as you stare down at him, your vision still fuzzy around the edges as you come down. "You can't? I think we just proved otherwise, baby." 

Smug bastard. If you had the energy you'd kick him, but it's impossible to move in this state. You make a mental note to get your own back when your limbs are cooperating again. 

You whimper as he drops his head to kiss the inside of your thigh, still trembling from the pleasure he's wrought from you over what feels like hours. 

You're almost thankful when he moves his lips up your leg to your hip, slowly pressing soft kisses across your body as he works his way up to capture your lips in a passionate kiss, allowing you to taste yourself on his tongue. 

"You want to go to sleep yet?" He asks, moving his mouth down across your cheek and nipping at your jaw, chuckling when you shudder at the brush of his fingers over your peaked nipple.

"No," you shake your head, still trying to catch your breath as his hands continue to slowly roam across your breasts. 

"Do you want me to fuck you?" 

Exactly what noise leaves your mouth you can't quite say. It's somewhere between a moan and a whimper, but whatever it is gets Poe to give you a smug smile. 

"That a yes?" He asks, grinding his hips against yours, allowing his cock to slide up against your wetness, drawing another moan from you. 

"Y-yes," you manage to stutter out, lifting your hips to meet his, desperate to feel him inside you despite the fact he's almost worn you out entirely. 

He doesn't tease you any longer and gives in to your plea, lining himself up at your entrance and slowly sinking in. You moan at the feel of him stretching your walls to accommodate him, slowly, inch by inch, feeling every drag of his cock as he stretches you out after his absence.  

When he's fully sheathed inside you, your walls fluttering around him, he pauses and kisses you, deeply and passionately. You tangle your hands in his hair, tugging gently and capturing his moan as your pussy clenches around him. 

He slowly withdraws his hips before pressing back into you, taking up a pace of slow, unhurried thrusts, his breath fanning out hot across your skin as he presses his body against yours, burying his head in your neck. 

The feel of him filling you is almost too much for your already over-stimulated body, and you tremble with a moan beneath him, your fingers gripping at his arms, the knot in your abdomen already tightening despite the fact you're sure you can't go again. Poe however has entirely different thoughts.

"You got one more in you, baby?" He whispers, pressing hot open mouthed kisses down your neck. 

Maker, even if you didn't the sinful way he whispers it sweetly in your ear would easily drag you back to the edge anyway. 

He hums in question when you don't answer, turning his head to press a kiss to your cheek as he rolls his hips deeper. You let out a strangled moan, your pussy fluttering around him as he presses against that blissful spot inside you. 

"I know you do. Let me have it," he groans, giving a little more force to his next thrust. "I need to feel you cum."

All too quickly, you can feel the threads holding you together starting to snap, giving in to the pure pleasure each thrust of his hips against yours brings. It's almost enough to throw you over, but not quite. Your body is exhausted, each nerve raw and sensitive. You can't quite reach the high he needs you too. 

Like the expert mind reader he seems to have become with you, he takes your hand and presses it down between your bodies, guiding your fingers down to your neglected clit. 

When your fingers start to work the sensitive nub with a soft whimper he lets go of your hand and instead moves it to your thigh, hitching it up over his hip and sinking deeper as he picks up the pace, his hips snapping against yours, filling the room with the sounds of flesh on flesh. 

The combination of his cock pressing deep inside you and your own fingers working against your clit gives you just what you need. His name leaves your lips in a stuttered whimper as another climax shudders through you, every muscle going temporarily stiff before you collapse beneath him, a melted puddle of flesh and bone, trembling and panting, thoroughly worn out. 

Poe bites out a curse and a broken moan as his hips stutter against yours, your climax triggering his own. He thrusts slow and deep inside you, emptying himself in hot, warm bursts before he collapses on your chest, breathing heavily. 

"Yeah, I missed you." He mumbles into your neck after a few long moments. You give a small, exhausted huff of laughter, running your fingers through his damp curls. 

"I'm not letting you leave again," you whisper, kissing his head. 

"I'm not going anywhere ever again," he confirms quietly, wrapping his arms around you to hold you tightly. 

Both of you know that's a lie, but neither of you admit it. You choose not to concentrate on the lie. Instead, you take the quiet moment wrapped up in each other, you pretend, and you hope.

--------

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[oswildin]

Love, Hate {Poe Dameron x F!Reader}

Summary: Something about Poe Dameron annoyed you to no end. Why? Well, it turns out love works in mysterious ways. (Slight Enemies to Lovers trope)

Warnings: Character injury, maybe some OOC (first time writing for Poe)

A/N: I’m very new to Star Wars, I am currently making my way through the newer films (yes I know I’m watching them incorrectly aksjakanskqknws), but I am in my Oscar Isaac era so it must be done. So if a few things aren’t accurate then I apologise, but please ignore any mistakes for the sake of my love for Oscar Isaac.

Oh baby, don't you know I suffer?

Oh baby, can you hear me moan?

You caught me under false pretenses

How long before you let me go?

Something about Poe Dameron irritated you to no end. You didn’t know why. Maybe it was his air of arrogance, or his over confidence, or even just his stupid smug face… In turn of these things, naturally you found it easy to also irritate him.

Of course, you knew he wasn’t a bad guy. He was just someone who was a bit too hot headed at times when it came to making decisions and following orders. You never made it your mission to actually upset him. No, you weren’t cruel. You didn’t hate the man.

But when he sauntered into the main deck, that smug smirk on his lips, you couldn’t help but roll your eyes and groan inwardly as you watched him stroll around the room.

“(Y/N)?”

You forced yourself to look away from the man, fiddling with whatever display was before you as you tried to ignore his presence.

“(Y/N)?”

But you could feel him. Feel him in the back of your mind and hear his voice above everyone else’s in the room.

“Hey!”

You jumped back to reality as a hand snapped in front of your face, causing you to turn in the direction of the arm, seeing Finn stood beside you, a look of confusion on his features.

“Finn-“ You shook your head, sighing. “Sorry. Was away with the stars-“ You cleared your throat. “What can I help you-“

However, before you could finish your question, Poe appeared next to Finn as he threw an arm around his friend, giving him a bright smile as you felt your eyes narrow slightly. But when you heard the familiar sound of beeps and boops by your feet your features eased as you leant down, seeing BB8 happily greeting you. The droid never failed to seem excited to see you, which always made you smile, especially when Poe sends a look your way, knowing it most likely got under his skin that his droid had taken a liking to you.

“Hey Buddy.” You said in a soft tone to BB8 as he whizzed, his head turning round 360 to show he appreciated the greeting.

“Why don’t you greet me like that?” You heard Poe’s voice speak from above as your eyes looked up, fighting the urge to scowl at him. You slowly stood back up straight as you watched Poe’s eyes follow your own. “What’s he got that I don’t?”

“Charm.” You retorted, as Finn couldn’t help but laugh at your response, earning a glare from Poe as Finn quickly covered it with a cough. You smirked to yourself, finding it amusing that even his own friend laughed at your teasing. “Besides, BB8 at least always seems pleased to see me.” You shrugged, your words earning another sound from the droid.

“Who says I’m not pleased to see you?” Poe questioned, a hint of flirtation behind his voice as you rolled your eyes, choosing to ignore his comment.

“Sorry Finn, what can I do for you?” You went back to your original conversation, as Finn looked between the both of you, watching as you seemed to both be staring each other down, seeing who would blink first.

“You know what…” Finn said as he slunk out from Poe’s grasp, taking a step back. “You two seem busy-“ You snapped your head back to the man as you shook your head.

“No-“ You tried.

“So, I’ll just… Come back later.” He finished as he quickly turned away, rushing off, leaving you gawping into thin air.

“Wow, I’ve never seen you speechless.”

You turned, seeing Poe stood with his hands on his hips, a small smirk on his lips as he was clearly amused.

“Poor guy couldn’t get away quick enough.” You shut your mouth, clenching your jaw at him as he stood unaffected by your scolding stare. “You know-“ He began, furrowing his brows a little. “Whatever I did to offend you, I think maybe we should address?” His words caught you off guard as you cleared your throat, turning away as you pretended to be busy. “I mean, we are teammates. We need to get along to be a well oiled machine-“ He kept going as you sighed, closing your eyes for a second to compose before you turned back to him.

“Look, Dameron, you haven’t done anything to me per say-“ You began as he seemed to narrow his eyes to show he was listening intently. “It’s just…” You hummed for a moment in thought. “You’re a little annoying.” You finished as he found himself looking at you in a little surprise.

“A little-?” He almost scoffed as he shook his head, folding his arms defensively over his chest. “That’s why you don’t like me?” He had a small smile on his lips, but probably not one of happiness, maybe more… Awkwardness?

“Amongst other things.” You shrugged, turning away once again as you could feel him growing irritated by your response.

“Like what?” He asked, raising a brow.

“I am not entertaining this.” You told him without looking at him.

“Why not?” He leant forward, leaning on the surface in front of you, getting a little closer. “Why won’t you just tell me?” BB8 made a nervous noise as he bumped into his masters foot, almost warning him to drop it.

“General.”

His attention was drawn away by one of your comrades, as he gave you one last glance, sighing as he pushed himself away, calling BB8 after him, who hesitated as the droid beeped at you.

“BB8!”

The droid seemed to jump, suddenly whizzing after his master, leaving you alone to your thoughts…

Why really didn’t you like Poe?

Ooh

You set my soul alight

You sat in the food court, watching your comrades bustling round and socialising. You hadn’t seen Poe since your last interaction a few hours ago, assuming he was out on a mission or doing repairs.

“Hey-“

You peered over, seeing Finn placing himself beside you as he gave you a small friendly smile. You returned it with ease.

“Hey Finn.” You greeted. “Sorry about earlier.” You said sincerely as he waved you off.

“It’s fine. It wasn’t anything important.” He insisted as you nodded slowly, giving him a suspicious look.

“Okay…” You paused. “Where’s flyboy?” You asked, taking a bite of your food as Finn pursed just lips for a second.

“Actually- That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.” He admitted as you sent him a confused look.

“Okay…” You furrowed your brows, placing your food down as you wiped your mouth. He seemed to take a breath, trying to work out how to word his next sentence.

“What’s with you guys?” He finally landed on as you almost laughed, raising a brow.

“What do you mean? He doesn’t like me, I don’t like him.” You shrugged as if it was obvious. “Not much else to it.”

“Really?” He asked, seemingly shocked by your answer. You in turn gave him a confused stare as he seemed to fumble to find his next words. “Oh-I- I just assumed that- Perhaps you two had- You know?” He wiggled his brows as you pulled a disgusted face.

“What? Me and Him?” You scoffed. “In his dreams.” You took a sip of your drink.

“If you haven’t, then…” He raised his brows. “It kinda feels like you should.” You instantly chocked on your drink, covering your mouth with the back of your hand as you coughed, before composing yourself.

“What?!” You exclaimed, laughing. “That is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard!” You cried, shaking your head, before standing up for your seat.

“W-wait!” Finn tried. “I didn’t mean to overstep-“ But it was too late you were walking away, his voice fading as you felt heat rise to your cheeks from his accusation.

Glaciers melting in the dead of night

And the superstars sucked into the super massive

That was absurd. You and… Dameron?! Pfft. Finn had clearly hit his head. Or maybe he’s unwell? Yeah, that must be it. How could he even think that you two… Ugh, the thought didn’t even bare thinking about.

Unless…

No! No, no, no. You did not, at all, find Dameron attractive. You had definitely not felt any ounce of pining for the man. Nor did you ever feel worry when he was out on a mission. Or did you even find him remotely funny, passionate, kind and you definitely had not imagined him getting so annoyed at your teasing that he had to kiss you to shut you up-

Oh no.

You stopped in your tracks, feeling a wave of realisation hit you square in the face.

Oh no, no, no.

“Oh stars.” You whispered to yourself, feeling your hands turn clammy as your heart began to thump in your ears.

That couldn’t be right… Could it?

Suddenly, you felt someone crash into you as they rounded the corner, which you had stupidly stopped at. You nearly fell backwards, but two hands stopped you from making further embarrassment for yourself.

“Woah!”

You froze.

“What are you doing just standing there?”

You looked up, seeing the one person you didn’t want to see right now. Not whilst you were… Like this!

“Anyone would think you were waiting for me to bump into you-“ Poe raised a brow, a smirk on his lips as you looked up at him. You didn’t say anything, gawping at him as he furrowed his brows, seeing a mix of dread and fear on your features. “Hey, what’s wrong?” He instantly asked, his voice lowering, his hands - Oh yeah, he’s still holding your arms… His hands gave you a gentle squeeze as you found yourself trying to say anything… Anything at all. “(Y/N)? Say something- An insult… anything?” He tried but you just shook your head, feeling anxiety creep through you as you pushed his hands away from you.

Giving him one last look, you quickly took off, not daring to look back as he stood in confusion at your weird behaviour. He furrowed his brows, as he eventually saw Finn approaching.

“Hey Finn-“ He called to his friend, walking towards him. Finn looked at Poe, nodding at his friend in greeting. “You know what’s up with (Y/N)?” He asked, walking with his friends. “I just bumped into her, and she didn’t say… Well anything.” He briefly explained as Finn raised his brows in surprise. “Not even a snarky remark.” Poe added as Finn couldn’t help but let himself wear a smirk. “What?” Poe furrowed his brows. “What’s that look for? You look like the woockie who got the wasaka berry.” Finn didn’t say anything as Poe and him proceeded onwards.

You paced your quarters, biting your nail nervously. You couldn’t face being outside. You couldn’t risk bumping into the man who shall not be named. You didn’t know why you were struggling so much with it. Was it because you were so unaware? Or because perhaps you had convinced yourself you didn’t like the man? And maybe apart of you were worried of getting hurt. You couldn’t remember the last time you had felt… Well any romantic feelings towards anyone else. You hadn’t had the time, what with the constant missions and trying to stop the darkness in the galaxy and all… Plus no one had ever really caught your eye…

You were brought out of your thoughts by a knock at your door. You cursed under your breath as you tried to stay as quiet as possible, hoping whoever it was would leave.

“I know you’re in there.”

You grimaced, realising who it was on the other side of the door.

Poe.

“Look, I just wanna make sure you’re ok.” Pause. “Hiding away isn’t gonna help.” Pause. “Has someone upset you?”

You found yourself using the keypad opening the door to reveal a rather concerned looking Poe.

“You!” You exclaimed, pointing at him, before even thinking. “Why can’t you just leave me alone?!” You frowned as you spoke. “You’re always just… there!” You waved your hands around, exasperated. Poe’s features seemed to soften for a second, almost as if he looked… Hurt? But he quickly recovered himself, his hard gaze back.

“Unfortunately, it’s a bit hard to not be ‘just there’ when we are working together.” He retorted. “I am sorry my presence is such a inconvenience for you.” He said bitterly. “You think I do it on purpose? You think I want to upset you?” He raised his voice a little as you stared at him, your own gaze glaring.

“It feels like it!” You replied, feeling yourself getting overwhelmed by it all.

“Right.” He breathed out, sighing as he nodded, his tongue pushing on the backs of his teeth. “Okay. Fine.” He stepped away from your doorway. “Consider it done. I’ll leave you alone.” He gave you one last hard stare before turning away, leaving you alone as you felt your chest rise and fall.

This was such a mess.

I thought I was a fool for no one

Oh baby, I'm a fool for you

You're the queen of the superficial

And how long before you tell the truth?

You finally made your way out of your quarters, deciding you couldn’t realistically hide in there forever, as much as you wished you could. Heading down the corridors, you pondered on your argument with Poe. You felt guilty. You hadn’t meant to actually upset him or make him feel actual anger. You knew you had to fix it, but for now, you just wanted to stay away and be alone. However, you were broken from your thoughts as a familiar whizzing and beeping came charging down the corridor. You furrowed as BB8 sped towards you, coming to a halt right before your feet.

“BB8? What’s wrong?” You asked, seeing his panicked state. The droid made some loud beeping, speaking to you. “You want me to follow?” The droid spun his head 360 as you took it was a yes, as he raced off, you quick behind. You realised halfway that the droid was leading you to the med bay, as you instantly became concerned after realising the droid was clearly in a state of panic.

Had something happened? Was it Poe? Had something happened to Poe?

Following the droid, you entered the med bay, finding yourself scanning the room in worry as your eyes finally landed on Finn who was stood beside Poe, who looked worse for wear. You felt your heart stop in panic as you rushed towards the men. Finn looked at you in sympathy as your eyes fell straight onto the unconscious Poe who was laying in one of the healing pods. You stared at him in fear, not taking your eyes off him.

“W-what happened?” You asked Finn, voice quiet, barely audible.

“He got shot whilst we were on a mission.” Finn said in a defeated voice. You knew he was most likely blaming himself. “He’s ok.” He quickly reassured you as you furrowed your brows. “He just needs rest.”

You let out a small sigh of relief, but still couldn’t fight down the worry eating away inside you.

“How did you-“ Finn looked confused for a moment, before BB8 beeped at him, letting him know it was the droid that had brought you. Finn raised a brow at the droid before peering back at you, seeing your upset eyes.

What had you done? Your last words to the man you cared about could’ve been filled with anger and false hatred.

“I’ve been such an idiot.” You whispered, allowing a tear to fall as Finn instantly walked over to your side, placing a friendly hand on your shoulder. “He didn’t deserve what I said to him.”

Finn sent you an empathetic glance. Poe had told him how you had argued mere hours before the incident. Finn had seen how it had hurt him. Poe was always one to wear a hard front, but he was unusually snappy with Finn the whole time, and seemingly was distracted on the mission.

“It’s not his fault.” You shook your head, finding yourself perching down on a nearby chair beside Poe. “Everything I thought I disliked him for… Was exactly what I had become.”

Arrogant, naive, self centred…

“Don’t beat yourself up.” Finn told you softly, sitting beside you on another seat. “Sometimes emotions make us do or say things we don’t mean.” He offered as you pursed your lips.

“Why does it have to be so hard?” You sighed, fiddling with your fingers.

“Because it makes it worth it.” He told you gently, giving you a small smile as you peered back at him, giving him a minuscule smile in return at his words.

You didn’t know how long you had been sat beside Poe. You’d eventually found yourself falling asleep, leaning your head on a nearby table in your arms. You were thankful you could sleep. Sleep is the only real time the human mind could rest, and even then you knew your worries would make their way into your dreams. You were bought out of your slumber when you heard a noise from beside you. Furrowing your brows, you lifted your head, slowly opening your eyes adjusting to the light. You looked beside you to see Poe. Looking much better than a few hours ago.

“Dameron.” You breathed out, pushing yourself to sit upright.

“Have you been here this whole time?” He asked, as you noted he was in new clothes. He had clearly been up and about before you awoke. You swallowed the lump in your throat as you gave a small nod. “Why?” He questioned, a confused look on his features. You felt conflicted. How did you answer? What did you say? You licked your lips.

“Well, someone’s got to keep an eye on you.” You forced a small smile onto your face. “Always getting yourself into trouble.” You joked as he sighed, placing a hand on his hip as he leant forwards slightly.

“You hated me a few hours ago.” He said coldly as you instantly felt guilt eat you up once again. You shook your head slightly.

“I’m sorry.” You told him sincerely. He seemed taken back by your words for a moment. “I didn’t mean… I didn’t mean any of it.” You said lowly. “I do care.” You admitted, pulling your gaze away from his own, missing how his features softened at your admission. “Probably more than I want to admit, or even believe.” You almost whispered. A hand landed on top your own as you slowly moved your eyes back to the man beside you.

“So why?” He furrowed his brows. “Why do you pretend to hate me?” Taking a deep breath you found the words escaping your lips before you could stop them.

“Because it’s easier than admitting that I feel quite the opposite.” He watched as your eyes softened, and your usually snarky demeanour had vanished. You were being vulnerable. A side he hadn’t really seen from you before since today. He shook his own head, fighting the urge to let out a small laugh. Not because he found your words funny, but because he himself understood what you had said.

“You’re a pain in the ass, you know that?” He teased lightly as you laughed lightly at his words. “Why do you think I always approach you?” He asked, a small smile on his lips. “No matter how many insults or comments you throw my way- It didn’t seem to bother me.” He paused. “But earlier… You got under my skin.” You pulled your gaze away, jumping a little as a hand reached out landing on your cheek as it pulled you back to his gaze. “And it made me question why.” He said lowly as you felt your heart beat quicken. However, your moment was quickly broken as the door opened to the med bay, as you both pulled away from each other, seeing Finn as he approached, a big grin on his face.

“He lives!” Finn exclaimed, as Poe laughed, jumping up from his seat as he hugged his friend.

“Good to see you too.” Poe said as he slapped the man on the back a few times, before pulling away. “They’ll have to do a lot more than shoot me to kill me.” He told him as Finn rolled his eyes.

“Yeah, well I’d prefer it if you didn’t get shot just to prove a point.” Finn told him playfully as Poe wore a small smile. Finn looked over at you, seeing you watching the two men. “I’m not interrupting am I?” He asked as you went to answer but Poe beat you to it.

“A little.” He put his hands on his hips. You felt yourself flush at his words, biting your lip as you looked down at your hands. He gave Finn a ‘please leave dude’ look as Finn made an ‘o’ with his lips.

“I’ll- I’ll just-“ Finn gestured behind him as he turned, going to leave. Poe sent him a thankful glance as he left, to which Finn gave him a thumbs up which you missed. Poe smirked, before turning back round, seeing you finally on your feet as you pretended to busy yourself anxiously. He slowly approached you, as he reached out, grabbing your hands to stop yourself from trying to distract the situation. He turned you to face him, as you swallowed the lump in your throat.

“I better-“ You began, voice breathy. “I better get back to-“ However, your voice was cut off as Poe had crashed his lips to your own. You almost squeaked in surprise, but quickly allowed yourself to melt into it. It felt right. And any fear of rejection you had felt was slowly dissipating. As quickly as it had began, it was over as Poe pulled away, a slightly smug look on his face, except this time you didn’t hate it.

“Wow.” He breathed out, playfulness in his voice. “Twice in one day you’ve been rendered speechless.” He took a step back, smirking. “At least I know how to shut you up now.” He joked as he turned away, leaving you stood gawping into thin air.

Super massive black hole

You were sure this man would be the death of you.

#poe dameron #poe dameron x reader #star wars imagine #poe dameron imagine #star wars x reader #Star Wars #oscar isaac #oscar issac x reader

[not-the-droid]

Flying Lessons

Pairing: Poe Dameron x Reader

Warnings: very slight angst if you squint really really hard, serious fluff, for plot purposes X-wings have more than one seat don't question it, she/her pronouns used for reader

Word Count: 1.8k

Request: May i have a strangers to friends to lovers fic with Poe Dameron? Maybe the reader is a mechanic, but they want to become a pilot. And reader is friends with Snap Wexley but since Snap has no free time he sends her to Poe and they slowly fall in love as he teaches her how to fly? The plot is just a suggestion but it would be cool :3. Can’t wait to see all the fics you make! from @justgimmethebody

Enjoy! I had such a good time writing this! Please forgive any grammar or spelling mistakes I missed.

The shrill buzzing of equipment working away at the engine of an X-wing was somewhat of a comfort. It wasn't the most pleasant sound but to (Y/N), it gave her a sense of accomplishment, hearing her tools working to repair something so important to the resistance.

Wiping the sweat from her brow on her sleeve, she stepped back to admire her handiwork. The X-wing engine looked good as new.

“Hey, (Y/N)! You got my baby fixed up?” A voice yelled from across the hanger. She turned to see Snap Wexley making his way across the hanger.

(Y/N) smiled, gently slapping the side of the X-wing. “Good as new.”

Snap climbed into the cockpit, switching on the engine which ignited without issue. He clapped his hands together before whooping loudly. (Y/N) bit back a laugh at her friend's excitement.

“You've done it again,” Snap stated, giving her a quick pat on the back.

(Y/N) rolled her eyes. “Don't sound so surprised. Have I ever let you down?”

She watched as he hopped back into the cockpit before fiddling with the controls. “What's it like up there?”

“Amazing. Don't know how I can ever thank you.” Snap replied.

(Y/N)’s gaze ran over the X-wing before drifting toward the sky, light blue peeking through the clouds.

“Teach me to fly.” She said, “You've been saying you would for years.”

Snap sighed. “Yeah and I've also been busy fighting First Order fleets for years.”

“I’m with these stupid X-wings all day and can't even get in one and just fly away for a few minutes.” (Y/N) snapped. “I'm sorry. I just really want this.”

Snap was silent. His expression changed after a few moments, his eyes flashing with realization. “I think I know a guy.”

(Y/N) grabbed his sleeve as he jumped from the X-wing, walking toward the hangar’s exit. “Oh no, do not make someone else give up their time because you're too busy. I don't want to be a burden.”

“Trust me, this guy will jump on the opportunity to be in a ship over being on the ground any day. Get to the hangar before sunrise tomorrow. I'll have him meet you there.” Snap said, giving her a quick pat on the shoulder before exiting the hangar.

(Y/N) looked back at the starships, appearing very small compared to their size. Their size didn't seem to bother her.

Soon she’d be flying one.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The sun had begun to peak over the horizon, the hangar empty apart from the fleet of resistance starships.

(Y/N) leaned against the side of one of the X-wings. She sighed, bobbing her heel up and down as she glanced at the entrance.

Maybe Snap’s friend had turned him down. Maybe he forgot he was supposed to show up at the hangar so early in the morning. Maybe Snap never even asked his friend to teach her to fly at all.

She watched the sky become brighter, an ombre of oranges and blues being created as the sun rose higher by the second.

(Y/N) turned to look at the X-wing behind her.

Surely, there wouldn't be too much harm in just sitting in the cockpit. No one was around. It wasn't like she would be taking off. She just wanted to know what it felt like to sit in the pilot's seat rather than repairing it from the outside.

She climbed into the X-wing, settling into the seat and placing her hands on the controls. A smile tugged at her lips.

(Y/N) turned the steering controls slightly. She looked out into the horizon, picturing herself soaring off into the distance.

With a jerk of the steering in the opposite direction, she let out a loud whoosh as she mimicked the sound she’d heard the ship make when she watched them take off on a mission.

She leaned her head back against the seat, letting go of the steering with a soft grin.

“That's not exactly the sound they make ya know,” A voice said, causing her to jump in surprise. “I'd say it's a lot louder than that.”

A young man stood on the ground next to the ship, his arm leaning against the wing. His eyebrows were raised back in amusement.

(Y/N) climbed out of the cockpit, not looking him in the eye as she stepped onto the ground. “Sorry, I, in, got a little distracted I guess.”

He laughed, crinkles forming around his brown eyes. “I can tell. Usually, I wouldn't be too happy seeing someone fooling around with my ship but I guess I can let it slide.”

(Y/N)’s stomach dropped. “This is your X-wing?”

The man nodded. “Don't worry about it. You're Snap’s friend? The one who wants to learn to fly?”

She nodded, holding out her hand. “(Y/N) (L/N).”

“Poe Dameron,” He replied. “Well, hop back in. Not much time before the rest of the base wakes up.”

The two climbed into their seats, fastening themselves in as the top lowered over their heads. (Y/N) examined the hundreds of buttons and switches, having no clue where to begin.

Poe flipped one of the switches, the engine roaring to life. “Now, gently push the steering forward.”

The X-wing jerked forward. Poe quickly braced himself, pushing his body back against the seat.

“Gently.” He repeated.

“I was pressing gently.” (Y/N) said.

“Well, then, do it gentler.” Poe said, trying to stop a grin from appearing on his face.

The ship inched forward, starting on a slow roll. Poe relaxed a bit, watching as (Y/N)’s smile grew.

“Ok, great, now pull upward. Gen-” Poe began.

“Gently. Got it.” She replied, cutting him off with a soft wave of her hand.

Poe raised an eyebrow. “Confident already?”

(Y/N) looked over at him. “Oh yeah. I've got this.”

Poe chucked. “Get us up then.”

The X-wing shot upward, flinging them both into their seats. Poe pressed his hand against the roof, his eyes widening for a moment before a smile graced his face. He whooped loudly as they straightened out, gliding around the base.

(Y/N) laughed. “This is amazing!”

Poe looked over at her, the way she stared in awe out the front of the cockpit causing his own excitement to grow. He’d flown millions of times before but somehow, watching her watch the sunrise, now was different.

He let her glide around for a bit, giving her directions on how to turn and smiling at her pleasure in succeeding.

“Now, landing is the same concept as taking off. Push downward and straighten out when you get close to the ground. Make sure you're ready to hit the breaks.” Poe instructed, pointing to the landing entrance of the hangar.

(Y/N) nodded, gently pushing down on the steering. Her foot touched the breaks gently as they got closer to the ground, but the ship didn't seem to slow down.

She pressed down roughly on the breaks, the X-wing quickly approaching the concrete wall of the hangar. The end of the X-wing tapped against the wall, denting it slightly as the two were jerked forward slightly. Poe’s arm reached over (Y/N), stopping her from flying too far forward.

The two looked at each other, eyes wide. After a few moments, (Y/N) began to laugh.

Poe raised an eyebrow, beginning to chuckle as he ran his fingers through his hair. “Well, that was an eventful first lesson.”

(Y/N) stopped laughing abruptly. “Oh, stars! Your ship! I’ll fix it, I promise!”

Poe laughed, climbing out of the cockpit, reaching up for her to grab his hand as she stepped out after him. “Don’t worry. It's just a dent.”

Under normal circumstances, Poe would have never been so lenient about his precious ship being damaged. But he didn't seem to be too bothered as he watched her fingers anxiously run over the dent, her mind working on how she would repair it.

“I'm sure we’ll have a lot more before our lessons are done.” Poe added.

(Y/N) spun around. “Are you serious? You’ll really keep teaching me?”

Poe shrugged. “Well, with that landing I don't think we’re quite done yet.”

Arms wrapped around Poe’s neck, making him stumble backward slightly. (Y/N) hugged him tightly, overcome with happiness. He tightened his arms around her, his heart skipping a beat.

He tried not to let the rapid beating of his be too obvious, as she pulled away.

“Same time tomorrow?” She asked.

“Wouldn't miss it for the world.” He replied.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As the weeks passed, their meetings became more frequent. Any moment that they were both free to fly, they were up in the air.

(Y/N) was becoming better and better at flying, pressing buttons and flipping switches as needed before Poe could even open his mouth.

Poe was happy for her. He really was.

So he didn't understand why a sense of dread overcame him when she landed perfectly, shutting off the engine with a soft huff.

It was silly; he knew that. But still, he would miss just talking to her as they glided around the base. He’d miss the way the sun touched her face as he saw her waiting for him in the hangar. He’d miss the smile on her face when he showed up.

“Nice landing.” Poe said, his palm tingling as (Y/N) let him help her step down. He’d done it every time since their first flight together.

(Y/N) smiled, nudging him softly before leaning against the ship. “Almost as good as a real pilot?”

Poe returned her smile sadly. “Yeah, almost.”

Her brows furrowed together at his tone. “What's wrong?”

“Guess you don't need these lessons anymore, do you? You're a natural now.” Poe said, moving to stand next to her as he leaned his arm against the X-wing.

(Y/N) frowned. “Oh.”

A silence fell between them. Poe examined her features, wondering what she was thinking as she fidgeted with her fingers.

Poe sighed after a moment. “I want to keep seeing you.”

(Y/N) looked up at him, scanning his face. “You mean that?”

Poe laughed. “Are you kidding? I'm falling so hard for you.”

The firm and sudden press of her lips against his caused Poe’s eyes to flutter shut, his hand coming up to cup (Y/N)’s jaw. He smiled into the kiss, moving his other arm to wrap around her waist, pulling her close.

He sighed happily as she pulled away, his eyes remaining closed for a moment. “So I take that as yes you want to keep seeing me.”

(Y/N) smacked him softly on the arm. Poe laughed, pressing his lips to hers once more.

#poe dameron x reader #poe dameron imagine #poe dameron fanfiction #star wars fanfiction #star wars x reader #star wars imagine #oscar isaac fanfiction #oscar isaac x reader #oscar isaac imagine

[all-the-things-2020]

Father Figure

Summary: Poe and Finn have retired from active duty with the Resistance and are living on Yavin IV wit their kids, Shara and Ben. Poe faces a bit of a mid life crisis after his father suffers a frightening injury.

Features characters from my other series “Finding His Way” who have made minor appearances in other stories in this series.

Word Count: 12,700+

Rating: PG-13

“Get back here!,” Poe cried as he tried (and failed) to catch his son, who ran gleefully naked out of the ‘fresher and headed for the front door. “You’re taking a bath, Ben, and that’s that.”

Ben giggled and ducked behind the couch. “Hiding, Papa. You not find me,”

Poe got down on the floor and reached behind the couch but the toddler was just out of reach. “Come on, now,” he said, even though he knew that trying to reason with a two year old was a lost cause. “You need to take a bath, son. Then we’ll put on some clean clothes and go visit Grandpa. Okay?”

Ben plopped down on the floor and slid one chubby little arm under the couch. He pulled out a toy X-wing with dust bunnies caught on its turrets. “Zoom, pew, pew, pew,” Ben said, making the X-wing swoop around above his head.

Poe sighed. Maybe it was time to bring in the big guns. “Shara!,” he cried. “Your brother is being stubborn.”

Four-year-old Shara Dameron entered the room, her hands on her hips and a disgusted look on her face. Her hair was done in two poufy pigtails today but they did nothing to take away from the seriousness of her demeanor. “Ben Dameron, you get out here right now,” she demanded. “If you don’t take your bath, we’ll be late and Grandpa will be sad. And you won’t get no sugar sand cookies.”

“Any,” Poe automatically corrected, getting an eye roll in return. Shara was very well spoken but like any tiny human, she often made grammatical errors. Unlike most tiny humans, she hated having her errors pointed out with a passion that bordered on the absurd.

Ben slowly eased his way toward Poe, not willing to face his sister’s wrath even though he’d be more than happy to defy his papa. “Gotcha!” Poe said, snagging the naked boy and holding him tight. Ben giggled and Shara nodded firmly.

“Silly boy,” she said, before turning and leaving the room. She probably had a conference of her dolls and stuffed animals going on in her bedroom. Her favorite game right now was Senate, where she lined all her toys up and lectured them on how the galaxy should be run. Some days, Poe thought he should take her to Coruscant and turn her loose on the real Senate; she’d whip them into shape in no time, but then again, she’d probably end up seizing control and plunging the galaxy in another empire, one run by Her Royal Highness Princess Shara Rey Dameron.

Now that he had Ben corralled, Poe hurried him into the ‘fresher and into the waiting bathtub. “How in the world do you get so dirty?,” he asked as he gently scrubbed his son with the washcloth. The boy’s soft brown skin was noticeably lighter in hue by the time Poe was done with him.

“Making a cave,” Ben explained. “For the Banthas.” He’d gotten a pair of very well-made toy Banthas a few weeks ago, a present from Auntie Rey, and he’d decided they needed a proper enclosure to live in, like the animals at the zoo on Oshis that Finn and Poe had taken the children to for Shara’s last birthday.

When Ben was clean, Poe dressed him in fresh clothes and warned him not to crawl around under any furniture before they left. Now they just had to wait for Finn to get home and they could set off for Grandpa Kes’s house.

Now that they were retired from the Resistance, Finn and Poe lived in a small house about a half hour’s speeder ride from the Dameron ranch. Close enough for weekly visits with the grandkids, but far enough away that Poe didn’t feel like his father was constantly watching over his shoulder.

“Daddy!” Ben cried as the front door opened. Finn came in, dropping the bag he carried so that he could catch the flying missile that was his son.

“Hey, buddy, calm down,” Finn said. “I was only gone for an hour.” Ben clung to his leg anyway. Finn walked awkwardly across the room to kiss Poe.

“He’s mad at me because I made him take a bath,” Poe explained. “And I had to sic Shara on him to get him out from behind the couch.”

“Ooh, did Papa and Shara gang up on you?” Finn said, bending down to pick Ben up. The boy nodded solemnly.

“We had to,” Poe replied. “He was filthy. Grandpa would’ve taken one look at him and said, ‘Where’d you find that giant walking potato?’” He tickled Ben, just enough to make him laugh. The last time they’d been at the ranch, he’d been fascinated to watch Kes dig up potatoes and carrots in the garden.

Shara appeared in the room. “Yes,” she said firmly. “He was usgusting.”

“Disgusting,” Finn corrected. Shara gave him a look that would have withered most grown men, but since she’d inherited it from her daddy, it didn’t work on him. “Come on, kiddos, let’s get ready to go.”

Shara had her bag over her shoulder, filled to the brim with everything she wanted to show Grandpa this week. She always carefully packed it the day before a trip to see Kes so she wouldn’t forget anything.

Poe grabbed the bag of snacks and toys and face wipes that had to accompany Ben everywhere. Finn retrieved his bag, which was full of spices and other items that Kes had requested from town. Now that he had his sons handy to run errands for him, he went to town less often, spending more time on his garden and other hobbies around home.

***********************************

They all piled into the speeder, a spiffy refurbished model that Poe had tinkered with so much that there was probably only ten percent of the original engine left. He had painted it orange and black, like his beloved Black One, and even modified it to allow BB-8 to ride along as navigator. Right now the little droid was off planet with Rey, as it got bored, but after a few narrow escapes, it would be happy to come home again. Finn teased Poe that BB was his oldest child and that he (Finn) was its stepdad.

Poe let out the throttle once they were on the road that led into the countryside. Their house was in a neighborhood on the outskirts of town, close enough to the center for convenient shopping but far enough out that they had a good sized yard for the kids to play in. The narrower roads and strictly enforced speed limits chafed at Poe, and he always perked up once they were on the open highway.

Ben loved it, urging Papa to go faster, but Shara huddled against Finn, upset that her hair was getting messed up. She hated to have her hair in her face, and the wind always blew it around. “Papa, slow down!,” she demanded, but Poe never listened.

“You know Papa loves to go fast,” Finn told her, almost having to shout over the noise of the wind whipping past them. “It’s his favorite thing.”

Shara gave him a pointed look. “I’m his favorite thing,” she declared.

“Well, I’m sure you’re one of his favorite people,” Finn admitted, “but you’re not a thing are you?”

Shara considered that for a moment, then nodded. “Right, Daddy. I’m a people, not a thing. Ben is a thing.” She stuck her tongue out at her brother, who was oblivious as he held his arms up in the air and squealed with delight. Poe was laughing right along with him, and Finn shook his head.

“Ben is pretty silly, but he’s a people, too,” Finn said. “I mean, person.”

“Is BB a thing or a people?” Shara asked, starting to forget about her hair now that she was having a serious conversation with Daddy. Both of them liked to ponder the meaning of things, while Poe and Ben were more likely to just jump in and enjoy things without thinking too much about it.

“That’s a good question,” Finn said. “BB’s a droid, which is a machine, like this speeder, but he also has a personality. What do you think?”

Shara scrunched up her face as she thought about it. “A people, I think,” she said. “A metal people, not a skin people.”

Finn was impressed by her reasoning. “A metal person,” he mused. “I think Papa’s going to like that.” He tucked her closer under his arm, doing his best to shield her from the wind. He watched Poe and Ben in the front seat. The boy was buckled safely into a child’s seat, looking like a miniature version of his papa when he’d flown a fighter. Poe steered with one hand, the other one draped around the back of Ben’s seat. He liked to see Poe relaxed like this, just enjoying himself. For all his pretense of being a happy-go-lucky pilot, Finn knew that Poe fretted about things too much sometimes. It had made him a good General and it made him a good father and husband, but sometimes Finn had to remind him to lighten up.

They arrived at Kes’s place all too soon for Poe and Ben, and not soon enough for Shara. “My hair, Papa!,” she scolded as he slowed the speeder at the gate. “You messed it up. Grandpa will think I’m ugly.”

Poe turned in his seat to face her. “Hey, you’re never ugly, princess,” he said seriously. “Even if your hair is all over the place like mine.” He ran his hand through his wind-tousled hair, making it stand up in a million directions, and made a silly face.

Shara rolled her eyes. “Silly Papa,” she said, leaning forward to kiss his cheek. “Daddy, make him comb his hair before Grandpa sees.”

Finn fixed Poe’s hair as best he could with his fingers. “That’ll have to do, I guess,” he said, frowning at his work. “We’ll just tell Grandpa that Papa stuck his finger in a power socket or something.”

Ben laughed. “Zap!,” he said, pointing at Poe. “Papa got zapped!”

Poe just shook his head, and unbuckled Ben from his seat. “Thanks for that,” he said to Finn. “Now he’s going to run around zapping people all day.” Finn just winked. They were at Grandpa’s and the kids would be running around like maniacs anyway.

Right on cue, Kes appeared in the doorway of the house. “Where are my favorite grandchildren?,” he yelled. Ben squirmed out of Poe’s grasp and launched himself out of the speeder. Shara waited for Finn to lift her out and place her gently on the ground, but she joined her brother in sprinting for Grandpa. Her longer legs let her close the gap and she was the first to reach Kes, leaping into his arms while Ben settled for wrapping himself around Kes’s leg just like he’d done to Finn earlier.

“Grandpa, Papa’s hair is a mess,” Shara said. “And Daddy and me invented metal people, and BB is one, and Ben is a silly boy, he didn’t want to take a bath and I had to help Papa make him.”

Kes kissed her cheek. “All that happened today?,” he said. “You’ve had a busy day. Maybe you should take a nap now.”

“No!,” both children cried. “We’re not tired,” Shara continued. “We have lots of power!”

“Zap!” Ben added.

“Good luck, Dad,” Poe said. “They’re your responsibility for at least two hours. Finn and I are going to check on the Tree.” He slid his arm around Finn’s waist. “Checking on the Tree” was code for “taking a walk and finding a nice spot to make out.” With two children at home and various projects for the Resistance and Republic taking up their spare time, they didn’t get many chances during the week to be alone.

Kes rolled his eyes. “You just want to foist your responsibilities on me, lazy bones,” he said. “He was like this as a kid, you know. ‘Dad, can I get a tooka? I’ll look after it. I promise.’ And who ended up cleaning up after it and taking it for walks and …”

Poe held up a hand. “That was just the one time, and I was ten years old. I think I’ve matured a bit since then.”

Finn snorted. “Not much,” he said. Poe stuck his tongue out at him. “Oh, very mature, babe.”

“Go, go,” Kes said. “Leave me to enjoy these adorable grandkids while you go do … whatever it is you do when you ‘check on the Tree.’”

He disappeared into the house and Poe tightened his arm around Finn’s waist. “The Tree awaits, my darling Jedi,” he murmured. Finn rolled his eyes. He knew full well they weren’t going anywhere near the Force Tree. And even if they did, Finn wasn’t planning to be doing anything remotely Jedi-like.

They settled down on a little bench that Poe had cobbled together a few months ago from a couple of stumps and some old boards. It was tucked away off the path, screened from sight by a clump of fan-leaved shrubs that bloomed with brilliant pink flowers once a year. Right now, they were simply the vibrant green that marked most of the jungle plants that inhabited this part of Yavin IV.

“I think this is my favorite part of the week,” Poe said, pulling Finn’s head down onto his shoulder. “I love the kids, I really do, but it’s nice to have a bit of time off from being a dad.”

Finn hummed in agreement. He nuzzled his face into Poe’s neck and slipped an arm behind Poe’s back. The bench was built with a slight incline to the back, so it was easy to snuggle together. “And Dad loves spending time with them,” Finn said after a moment. “I think if he saw them more often, he’d be as tired of them as we are.”

Poe chuckled. “They aren’t that bad,” he said, shifting against the bench so that Finn was more or less lying in his lap. This removed Finn’s arm from behind his back, but it meant that Finn’s fingers were now free to thread between Poe’s and that was a good trade off.

“I had a comm from the education board,” Finn said quietly. “They want us to make an appointment to bring Shara in for testing.”

Poe grunted. He was not entirely sure he wanted to send Shara to school next year. He’d been bored out of his mind during his time in the Yavinian school system, and he didn’t think it had changed much in the intervening years. “So they can just nod and stick her in the first level class anyway because it’s ‘good for social development’ to keep her with kids her own age,” he scoffed. “I think we should keep home schooling her. She already knows how to read and she’s doing basic arithmetic; she’s ahead of most of the kids her age.”

“I know,” Finn said, “but I think it would be good for her to spend time with other kids. Yeah, we have the neighborhood play group but that’s only one day a week, and otherwise she’s only got Ben to play with.”

“She’s got us, and Dad,” Poe replied. It was more than he’d had as a kid, especially after his mother died.

Finn tilted his head back to look Poe in the eye. “You had a regular childhood, babe,” he said. “I didn’t. I want our kids to grow up as normally as possible.”

Poe squeezed Finn’s hand tight and pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead. “I know,” he said softly. “I just don’t want her to get bored and blow off school like I did.” He shook his head. “The only part I liked was lunch and recess, when I could play with my friends. At least, until I got older ….”

Once out of the primary levels, Poe had floundered a bit. When they were small, he and his friends had all found girls “yucky” and “gross” but as puberty hit, he realized that most of his friends secretly liked the attention the girls gave them. He was puzzled, especially after a secret holo had started circulating that included the image of a naked woman and he was at a complete loss as to why it was so titillating. He’d faked interest, and tried his best to change the subject to something more interesting, like engines or starships. Until he’d stumbled onto a holonovel about two young men who were more than just friends …

He pulled himself out of his reverie. “I just think Shara won’t be intellectually challenged in the local school,” he said. “We’re perfectly capable of teaching her until she gets to the higher levels and then she can do distance learning, or we can hire tutors, or she can even go to an off-world school when she’s older.”

“Or maybe she can go to school with all her friends and we can supplement the curriculum,” Finn said. He sighed. “Listen to us … our only alone time all week and we’re arguing about something that’s not even going to happen for a year at least. I know what we should be doing ….” He turned around in Poe’s arms so that he was facing him, straddling Poe’s lap.

“Now that’s an idea I can support,” Poe said with a grin. He wrapped his arms around Finn, pulling his close for a leisurely kiss. He’d let one hand slide down to cup Finn’s ass when suddenly Finn sat up like he’d been stung by something. “What is it, babe? A vex wasp?” The insects were not all that common but it was the right season for them and they packed a nasty sting.

“No,” Finn said. “I don’t know … something’s wrong. We need to get back to the house.” He grabbed Poe’s hand and tugged him to his feet, then took off back up the trail. Poe knew better than to question Finn’s intuition; he wasn’t as strong in the Force as Rey was but he still had a good connection to all of his family members, so if he sensed something wrong with Kes or the kids, they needed to check it out.

Shara was screaming at the top of her lungs, and they ran as fast as they could once they could hear her. “Daddy! Papa! Help! Grandpa’s hurt!”

Poe felt his blood run cold. “Shit,” he cried, pushing himself to run faster than Finn, even though his husband was younger and had the performance enhancing powers of the Force at his disposal. He had to get to his dad as soon as possible.

They skidded into the yard, Poe nearly losing his balance as he danced over the uneven stepping stones that Kes had been in the process of leveling out last week. Shara saw him and darted forward, tears streaking her face. “Grandpa fell off the ladder,” she cried.

“Where?” Finn said, dropping to one knee in front of her. Poe stood, head swiveling, looking around for Kes.

“The play tree,” Shara said, pointing off toward the garden shed. Behind it was a small tree that Kes had promised to build a treehouse in. It was only about thirty feet tall, nothing compared to the Force Tree or some of the jungle giants in the surrounding forest, but tall enough that a fall from it could be dangerous, especially for someone of Kes’s age.

Poe bolted for the tree, where he found Ben sitting on the ground, holding Kes’s hand. Kes himself was splayed on the ground. Poe fell to his knees beside him. “Dad! Dad!,” he said. “Are you okay? What happened?”

Kes groaned. “I was on the ladder, showing the kids where I’d laid the boards for the floor of the treehouse,” he said. “I fell. Not sure if the ladder slipped or I did.” He winced. “I think I broke my hip, or at least bruised the hell out of it.”

Poe closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. Damn it, broken hips can be dangerous for older people. Not that he liked to think of his father as elderly, but the fact was that Kes wasn’t as young as he used to be. None of them were. He ran a hand through his hair, which he knew sported more gray than it had just a month ago. “Okay, okay,” he said, pulling Ben closer as the little boy started to cry.

“Grandpa fell,” he sobbed. “It hurts.”

Poe paused for a second. Was Ben telling him that Kes was in pain or that he was? Was he feeling Kes’s pain, or did he mean that he was sad? Because of Finn’s Force sensitivity there was a good chance one or either of the kids might inherit the ability from him. And since Ben had spent nine months inside a Jedi’s body, thanks to Rey’s offer to act as surrogate for them after the disaster on Trelor, Poe’s money was on him to follow in Daddy’s footsteps. Well, there had been two Jedis named Ben that Poe knew of and one was good while the other … he wasn’t going to let his mind go there, especially not right now.

Finn ran up, waving a comm link in his hand. “I’ve got emergency services on the comm,” he said. “Do we need a med team?”

“Med evac, I think,” Poe said grimly. “Dad thinks he might have broken his hip.”

“It certainly feels like it,” Kes said, hissing through his teeth as he tried to shift his position.

“Stop moving,” Poe said, laying a hand on Kes’s shoulder. He had Ben tucked under one arm and now was holding his father down with the other. He looked up at Finn, who was relaying his words to Em Ser. “Where’s Shara?”

Finn dropped to his knees. “Med evac will be here shortly,” he said. “And Shara’s on the back porch. She said it was too scary to see Grandpa.” He reached down to squeeze Kes’s hand. “I told her it was okay and she could stay there as long as she doesn’t leave the porch.” Ben wiggled out from under Poe’s arm and crawled into Finn’s lap.

“Daddy, it hurts. Grandpa hurts.”

Finn raised an eyebrow at Poe, who couldn’t do more than shrug. With Ben safely in Finn’s care, he could turn his full attention to his father. “How you doing, old man?,” he asked, trying for a playful tone and only succeeding in not sobbing outright.

“I’m not old,” Kes grumbled back, but his face was pale with pain and Poe noticed that there were a lot more wrinkles than he’d remembered. “And I feel like hell, thank you very much.”

Poe smiled. If he was grumpy, Kes was alright. They all sat in silence for a few minutes, until the sound of the med evac shuttle grew louder. It landed softly a few hundred meters away, on the edge of the clearing and three med techs hurried over. Poe and Finn were gently pushed away as the techs assessed and prepped Kes for transport.

“We have room for one passenger,” one of the techs said.

“You go,” Finn said. “I’ll stay with the kids, get them settled, and then get to the hospital as soon as I can.”

“You sure?” Poe asked. He wanted to be with his dad but he also didn’t want to assume anything. Finn had a strong bond with Kes, too.

“Of course,” Finn said, stroking a tear off of Poe’s face with his thumb. He hadn’t even realized he was crying. “Go. Look after Dad and I’ll follow when I can.”

“Thanks, buddy,” Poe managed to croak out before he started crying in earnest. He tousled Ben’s hair. “Tell Shara I’ll hold Grandpa’s hand for her.” He scrambled to his feet and followed the floating gurney that was already halfway to the shuttle. “I’ll comm you as soon as I know anything,” he called over his shoulder.

Finn waved with his free arm, the other wrapped tightly around Ben, who had his face buried in his shirt. Poe felt his heart clench at the thought of what the kids must be going through. This was the first medical emergency they’d ever experienced and it had to be terrifying. “It’ll be okay, kiddos,” he whispered as he climbed into the med evac shuttle. “I promise.” He just hoped it wasn’t a promise he’d have to break.

They wouldn’t tell him anything. Poe was about to go look for someone in charge and demand answers when a nurse finally came into the waiting room. “Mr. Dameron,” she said, her Caamasi snout stumbling over the name.

“Yes,” Poe said, jumping to his feet.

“The doctor would like to speak with you,” she said, gesturing for him to follow her through the door. The woodsy scent of her fur relaxed him a bit as they walked down the corridor.

The doctor was human, a tall balding man with pale skin and green eyes. What hair he still had was reddish-brown. “I’m Doctor Crix Hamne,” he said, holding out his hand for Poe to shake. “We’ve finished preliminary scans on your father and as he suspected, he suffered a fractured hip. It’s a hairline fracture but fairly long, so we’re going to place a couple of small pins to hold the bones in place while it heals. We’re prepping him for surgery right now. It’ll be an hour or two before we’re finished and he’s recovered enough to talk to you.”

Poe relaxed a bit. “Thank you,” he said. “So … he’ll be okay?”

Dr. Hamne sighed softly. “I can’t promise anything, because of the inherent risks of any type of surgery, but barring any complications, yes, he should be just fine.” He smiled gently. “He‘ll be on bed rest for several weeks while he heals, and need physiotherapy after that but I don’t foresee any dramatic alteration in his motor abilities.”

Poe must have looked a bit confused, because Hamne went on. “In other words, he should be able to walk just fine, but he might have a bit of a limp.”

Poe sighed with relief. A slight limp Kes could deal with. He’d been afraid his father might be confined to a hover chair, which would have broken his heart. Kes liked to be active, even if he didn’t do anything very strenuous. Not being able to putter around the ranch would end him.

“Go make yourself comfortable in the waiting room,” Dr. Hamne went on. “We’ll call you when he’s out of recovery so you can see him.”

Poe went back into the starkly lit room. The couches were lumpy and it took him awhile to find a spot that was halfway comfortable. He pulled out his comm device and punched in Finn’s ID.

“Hey, how’s Dad?” Finn said as soon as the comm connected. It was a voice-only link but that was okay for now.

“He’ll be okay,” Poe said wearily. “He did break his hip but they said it’s not too bad. He’s in surgery now to put in a couple of pins, and they’ll let me see them when he’s out of recovery. How are the kids?”

He heard Finn sigh. “They’re … taking it a bit hard. Shara keeps crying, because she's convinced it’s all her fault. She says she wasn't watching him because she was busy arguing with Ben and if she’d been watching she could have warned him. And Ben keeps telling me it hurts but he can’t explain what he means.” He paused for a long moment. “I think I’d better stay here with them, babe. I was going to get someone to watch them, but they need me.”

“Yeah, yeah, of course,” Poe said, not sure whether he should tell Finn his suspicions about Ben now or wait until they could speak in person. “Stay there and I’ll comm again when Dad’s awake. Maybe you can bring the kids down here to see him then. It might help them to see him feeling better.”

“That’s a great idea,” Finn said, relief evident in his voice. “I’m sorry I can’t be there with you, but ….”

“I know,” Poe said. “You’ve gotta take care of the kids. I understand. I’ll comm you as soon as I can.” He ended the connection and sat back with a deep sigh, running his hands over his face. It was going to be a long day.

*****************************************

Finn finally got Shara calmed down by reassuring her that she hadn’t done anything wrong and in fact had helped immensely by taking charge after the accident. She’d made Ben sit with Kes and hold his hand while she ran as far as she was allowed to go in the yard and yelled for him and Poe. “If you hadn’t called us, we wouldn’t have gotten there so fast,” he told her, glossing over the fact that he’d felt her distress rather than heard her voice. “Because of you, we got help for Grandpa much faster. I’m proud of you.” She seemed skeptical but stopped crying, her breath hitching now and then as she recovered.

Ben, on the other hand, would not be comforted. “It hurts, Daddy,” he kept saying. “It hurts.” When he asked where it hurt, the boy just shrugged. “Grandpa hurts,” he said, finally. “Right here.” He pointed at his left hip, the same one that Kes had injured. Finn cuddled him close, trying to soothe him as best he could.

Ben had started to doze off when the comm buzzed. Finn snatched the device off the side table. “Yeah,” he said.

“He’s out of surgery,” Poe said, his voice haggard. “Everything went well and he should be awake in about twenty minutes. They said the kids can see him if they want to.”

“That’s wonderful,” Finn said. “Hey, kiddos, Grandpa’s okay and we can go see him now if we want to.”

Shara leaped into his lap. “Yes!,” she cried. “I want to see him. I’ll bring him some flowers. And a picture. I have to draw him a picture!” She scrambled down and dashed for her bedroom.

“Grandpa’s okay?” Ben asked quietly, sniffling a little.

“Yeah, baby,” Finn said. “Do you want to go see him?” Ben nodded, then tucked his head back into Finn’s side.

“We’ll be there as soon as we can,” he told Poe. “Shara wants to draw a picture and they both need their faces washed.”

He ended the comm link and swept Ben up into his arms. “Do you want to draw Grandpa a picture, too?” Ben shook his head.

“Okay, then let’s get you cleaned up while Shara does her picture,” he said.

It took longer than he wanted to get both kids washed and ready to go. Shara drew a picture, decided it was rubbish, and drew another one. Then she had to dash out to the garden to pick some flowers. Then Finn had to redo her hair so it wouldn’t get messed up by the wind during the speeder ride. Then Ben needed to use the potty (they were in the midst of potty training, so Finn didn’t want to cause a set back) and once they were all buckled in, Shara needed the potty as well. Finally, everyone was clean, bladders were empty, and they were ready to go.

The speeder ride back to town was more somber than the ride out, partly because Finn was a much more cautious pilot than Poe was. Not that Finn was a bad pilot — he’d learned a thing or two from Rey and Poe over the years — but flying was not as instinctive to him and he needed to concentrate on it a bit more. With two kids in the back seat (Ben pouting because he wanted to be up front again), his attention was already diverted from the road.

They arrived at the hospital just as the kids started to whine in earnest. Finn unbuckled them both, slung Ben onto his hip and led Shara by the hand. She clutched her picture and a wilting bouquet of flowers in her other hand. “Slow down, Daddy,” she complained.

“Sorry, baby girl,” he said. He was eager to see Kes and was setting too fast a pace for her little legs. He slowed down and told himself to relax.

Once inside the lobby, he was directed to a wing on the third floor, which meant a ride in the lift. Ben insisted on pushing the button even though the large 3 was low enough that Shara could reach it. Finn bent down so that Ben could reach the button, and shot Shara a look when she stuck her tongue out at her brother. “Hey, behave yourselves,” he warned quietly. “Grandpa won’t want to see you if you’re being a brat.”

“Sorry, Daddy,” Shara said meekly, which immediately raised Finn’s suspicions. Either she was still traumatized by the accident or she had a cunning plan. He hoped it was the former, then admonished himself for wishing pain on his baby girl.

The lift doors slid open and Shara darted out. “Papa!,” she cried, fairly leaping into Poe’s arms.

“Shh, princess,” he said as he hugged her tight. “It’s a hospital. We can’t shout.”

“Where’s Grandpa?” Shara whispered.

“He’s in a nice quiet room,” Poe said, shifting her onto his hip so he could lean forward and give Finn a quick kiss. He looked like hell, but Finn supposed that was only to be expected. “We’ll go see him in just a minute.”

Poe led them over to a couch in the hallway and sat down, snuggling Shara in his lap. Finn sat down as best he could with Ben still clinging to him like a bur. “Now Grandpa looks a little scary right now,” Poe said carefully. “The doctors have him hooked up to some machines so they can measure things like how fast his heart is beating and how well he’s breathing. It’s just to make sure he feels okay after they fixed him up. They had to put a piece of metal in his hip so it will stay very, very still while the bones heal up. To do that they had to make him sleep really hard, and he’s still kind of sleepy because of the medicine they gave him.” He leaned forward to stroke Ben’s hair back from his face. “If you get scared, that’s okay, but it’s just Grandpa, remember that.”

Ben nodded. “He still hurts?”

Poe nodded back. “Yeah, a little, but not as bad as he did. The doctors gave him medicine for it.” He glanced up at Finn, an odd look in his eye. “Do you feel it, Ben?”

The boy nodded slowly. “Do you think …?” Finn said as an idea started to form in his mind.

Poe’s eyes widened as he nodded again. “Yeah, I think so,” he said softly. Finn hugged Ben a bit tighter. Are you like me? Like Auntie Rey? Ben ducked his head against Finn’s chest and they let it go.

“Come on,” Poe said brightly, his voice just a bit brittle. The kids probably didn’t notice it, but Finn did. “Let’s go see Grandpa!”

******************************************************

Kes lay back in the hospital bed, looking incredibly small and old. His eyes were closed and the blinking lights from the medical monitors, combined with the soothing lighting made him look both pale and flushed at the same time. As the door slid open, though, he opened his eyes and seemed to grow three inches and lose thirty years as he caught sight of his grandchildren.

“There they are!,” Kes said. His voice already sounded stronger than it had when Poe spoke with him half an hour ago. “Did I scare you, kiddos? I’m sorry if I did.”

Shara squirmed her way out of Poe’s arms and crawled up onto the bed. “I made you a picture, and here’s some flowers,” she said, shoving both into Kes’s face. “And I brought you a kiss.” She leaned forward to kiss his cheek, then immediately started explaining the picture to him.

Finn practically had to pry Ben loose from his shirt. “Hey, kiddo, it’s just Grandpa.” Kes reached out his hand and squeezed Ben’s foot, which was the only thing he could easily reach.

“Look at me, Ben,” Kes said. “I’m fine. The doctors fixed me up.”

Ben slowly looked around and Poe felt his heart clench at the fear in the little boy’s eyes. “You not hurt?,” he whispered.

“Not much,” Kes admitted. “It still hurts a little bit but not like it did. And they gave me medicine to make it stop.”

Ben pondered that for a moment and then seemed to make up his mind. “I hug you,” he said, detaching himself from Finn and wrapping his arms around Kes’s neck.

“Not too hard,” Finn admonished, but Poe shook his head. Let the kid hug his grandpa as hard as he wanted; Poe knew how scary it was to lose (or almost lose) a family member when you were small.

Shara was the one who shoved Ben out of the way, demanding her own opportunity to hug Kes. “I get to hug him, too,” she said. Ben stuck his tongue out at her and that was when Poe knew he’d be all right. Sibling rivalry for the win.

Poe stood back, letting Finn and the kids visit. He and Kes had had their own chance to talk and he hadn’t quite recovered from it. He’d broken down and cried when he saw Kes’s eyes open.

“I thought I was going to lose you, Dad,” he’d sobbed. Kes had let him cry, holding tightly onto his hand until the tears had run their course.

“It’ll take a lot more than a tumble off a ladder to take me down, son,” Kes had said. The words were strong but the voice was weak, still raspy from the breathing tubes that had forced dry, medicated air into his lungs.

“I know,” Poe had said, forcing himself to laugh. They’d talked about less stressful things after that, until a nurse came in to check on the IVs and shooed Poe out so that Kes could rest before the kids showed up.

He could see the tiredness creeping into Kes’s eyes even as he chatted brightly with Finn and the children. “Okay, guys, we should let Grandpa get some more rest,” Poe said reluctantly. “He’s had a big day.”

Both kids protested but Poe held firm and when they realized that Finn was going to back him up, they surrendered. They weren’t above pitting Daddy against Papa to get something they wanted, but they knew that when their fathers presented a united front, there was no chance of winning.

As they left the room, Shara and Ben bouncing down the hall in front of them, Finn slipped his arm around Poe’s waist. “How are you doing, babe?,” he whispered.

Poe laid his head on Finn’s shoulder. “Shattered,” he admitted. “Do you mind driving home?”

Finn barked out a laugh. “Poe Dameron, best pilot in the galaxy, doesn’t want to drive the speeder?,” he said. “Now I know you’re having a hard time.” He tightened his arm around Poe’s waist and pressed a kiss against his temple. “Yeah, no problem.”

Poe leaned into Finn’s embrace. “Thanks, babe. Hey, leave that alone!,” he shouted as he saw Ben reaching for a tempting vase of flowers on a table.

“Shara had flowers,” Ben pouted. Oh, yeah, he’s back to normal, Poe thought as he detached himself from Finn and hoisted Ben into his arms.

“No rest for the wicked,” Finn said with a wink. “Shara! Don’t push the button until we get there!” He scurried forward to make sure she didn’t board the lift without them. Poe stifled a laugh. Never a dull moment in the Dameron family, that was for sure.

Finn let Poe sleep late the next day. “Where’s Papa?” Ben asked when they sat down for breakfast.

“He’s still sleeping,” Finn told him. “Eat your breakfast.” He handed him a slice of toast slathered in nut butter.

Shara shoved a berry into her mouth. “Can we see Grandpa again?”

“Don’t talk with your mouth full,” Finn said. “And I have to call the hospital first to ask the doctor.” He wiped a smear of nut butter off of Ben’s face.

“Papa’s sad,” Ben said. It was a statement, not a question, and once again Finn wondered if the boy really was sensing things with the Force. He made a mental note to ask Rey about it when she arrived; he’d sent her a comm yesterday letting her know about Kes, and she’d replied overnight to say she and BB-8 would be on Yavin IV as soon as the Falcon could get them there.

“I’m not sad,” Poe said, staggering bleary eyed into the kitchen. “I’m just tired.” He yawned, rubbed his hand over his face and took the cup of kaf that Finn poured for him. “Thanks, babe.” He sat down at the table and downed half the cup in one go.

Ben shrugged and turned his attention back to his toast. Shara nibbled at her own toast as she pushed the bowl of berries in front of Poe. “You better eat, Papa, or Daddy will be mad,” she said, shooting a look in Finn’s direction.

Poe dutifully popped a berry into his mouth, and Finn fixed him a slice of toast, which Poe took one bite of and then left on the plate. He always lost his appetite when he was upset, relying too much on kaf and even stims to keep him going during the war. No point in trying to force him to eat right now, but Finn would make sure to make one of his favorite dishes for lunch.

“Auntie Rey sent a comm overnight,” Finn said. “She and BB will be here as soon as they can.” He turned to Poe. “Do you want to comm the hospital or should I do it?”

Poe took another large swallow of kaf. “Do you mind?” He still looked worn out.

“Not at all,” Finn said. “You kids finish your breakfast … and make sure Papa eats at least three more bites, okay?” Ben nodded and Shara picked out three of the biggest berries and lined them up on Poe’s plate, while Poe surreptitiously flipped him off. Chuckling to himself, Finn left the kitchen to comm the hospital.

**********************************

Poe tried to eavesdrop, but it was hard to listen to Finn’s half of the conversation with the nurse. Shara was explaining why the berries she’d chosen were the best ones for him to eat, as they would give him vitamins and the bright colors would make him happy. Ben stole his toast and took three bites out of it, before placing it back on his plate.

Poe winked at his son, and Ben giggled. “We fool Daddy,” he whispered.

Shara shook her head. “Papa needs to eat,” she insisted. “Three berries, Papa. I counted them for you. One, two, three.” Poe scooped the fruit into his hand and popped them all in his mouth at once, chewing ostentatiously. Shara giggled.

“Silly Papa,” Ben said. He grabbed a berry and imitated Poe, gnashing his teeth and smacking his lips. Shara tried to look offended but after about five seconds, she had a mouthful of berries as well and the three of them looked like a herd of nerfs that had stumbled onto a berry patch.

“Gross,” Finn said when he came back into the kitchen. “Who started this?”

Both kids squealed with laughter. “Papa!,” they shouted, while Poe tried to look innocent. It didn’t work; Finn reached out with a napkin to wipe berry juice from Poe’s unshaven chin.

“You’d all better get cleaned up,” he said. “The nurse said Grandpa can come home today if we promise to look after him.”

“I will look after him,” Shara declared. “I’ll read him a story and we’ll draw pictures, then I’ll make him take his medicine and bring him juice.”

“Okay, Nurse Shara,” Poe said. “You’re in charge of stories and medicine and snacks. Daddy, Ben and I can take care of the rest.”

Shara nodded. “It’s a plan,” she said firmly. Oh, stars, she’s like a tiny little Leia, Poe mused. I hope she never turns against us or we’re all doomed.

*************************************

“I’m fine,” Kes grumbled. “Just leave me be for a bit and get some rest. You’re making me tired.”

Finn grabbed Poe by the shoulders and turned him around. “Come on, leave Dad alone to get comfortable,” he said, slowly pushing him out of the guest room.

“But …,” Poe started to say. Finn clapped a hand over his mouth.

“No buts,” he said firmly. “He’s fine.”

The doctor and nurses had given them a long list of do’s and don’ts and made Kes promise to follow all the directions to the letter or risk being readmitted to the hospital. He was to remain in bed or use the hover chair for two weeks to allow the bones to start knitting. After that, he was to report to the hospital every day for several hours of physiotherapy.

Finn maneuvered Poe into the living room. “Dad’s not going to get any rest if you keep fussing over him,” he said, sitting Poe down on the couch. “The kids are playing in Shara’s room and Dad’s got a data pad full of books and holovids, so you can just relax.”

It lasted about five minutes. “I can’t sit still,” Poe complained. “I’m going to run out to Dad’s place, get some of his stuff.”

“Like what?,” Finn asked, folding his arms and staring Poe down. “He has everything he needs right here.”

“Clean clothes,” Poe said. “Underwear. His shaving kit.”

“We can buy all that here in town,” Finn said.

Poe sighed. “The holos of Mom,” he said softly. “That ratty old afghan he keeps on his bed.” The one Shara Bey had made for Poe when he was a baby.

Finn unfolded his arms and wrapped them around Poe, who leaned in and rested his head on Finn’s chest. “Yeah, maybe that is a good idea,” he whispered, rubbing Poe’s back. “He’s stuck here for two weeks, we should probably do what we can to make him feel more at home.” He held Poe out at arm’s length. “Okay, General, you have your mission. Hop to it!”

“Yes, sir, General, sir,” Poe said, throwing him a jaunty salute that turned into a rude gesture. Finn shook his head. As long as Poe was still able to avoid discussing his emotions by making a joke, he was okay. It was when Poe actually wanted to talk that Finn worried.

***************************

Poe took his time piloting the speeder out to the ranch. He had no plan besides getting out of the house and indulging in some time alone. He felt a bit guilty about leaving Finn with the kids and Kes to deal with, but if he didn’t get some time to himself, he was going to explode.

As he steered the speeder along the road, Poe let his mind wander. How many more times would he make the journey from the house in town to the ranch? How long would Kes be able to live out there all alone? He sighed. At some point, he knew, Kes would no longer be able to live by himself, and Poe dreaded having that conversation. And when the time came, would he and Finn move out to the ranch or would Kes move in with them in town?

He parked the speeder outside the gate to the front garden and walked to the front door. The house was empty, in more ways than one. As he wandered aimlessly through the rooms, Poe could not conjure up any memories even though he knew the house was full of them. He grabbed a couple of framed holos of his mother and the afghan off of Kes’s bed, then stood in the hallway, at a loss as to what to do next.

Check the kitchen, he thought after a few minutes. Kes wouldn’t be home for several weeks, and there was no point in wasting food that would be spoiled before he had a chance to use it.

He had his head buried in the conservator when he heard something outside. Carefully, he crept to the back door, which opened onto the screened porch. There was a small, slightly warped window in the top half of the door, and he peered out, hand creeping for the blaster that wasn’t there. Old habits died hard.

Something was moving through the shrubbery at the side of the yard. It was small, maybe only about knee height, and didn’t look organic. A flash of white and orange showed between the leaves …

“BB!,” he cried, throwing open the door and crossing the porch in a millisecond. As he opened the screen door on the porch, the little astromech droid whirred across the yard to beep excitedly at him.

[Friend-Poe! I missed you.]

“I missed you, too, buddy,” Poe said, jumping down the steps to crouch beside his droid. As always, he ran his hands over BB’s casing, checking for damage. It was a reflex; he knew that Rey kept the little droid in tip-top shape.

He looked up to see the Jedi emerge from the path, a duffel bag slung over her shoulder that threatened to overwhelm her slight frame. Poe knew better, of course; the woman was stronger than anyone he knew, except Chewbacca.

“How are you doing, Poe?,” she said, dropping gracefully to one knee next to him.

“I’m doing fine,” he lied. She narrowed her eyes at him and he sighed. “Okay, I’m a complete wreck.” She smiled and wrapped an arm around his neck, pulling him into a sideways hug.

“It’s okay,” she said, kissing his cheek. “I’m here, and BB’s here, and we’re going to do whatever we can to make things easier for you and Finn and Kes and the kids.”

He leaned into her embrace. Somehow, things always seemed clearer and easier when Rey was around. “Why are you here?,” he asked. “I mean, here, not in town.”

Rey laughed. “I commed Finn to let him know we were arriving soon and he told me you were out here, so I decided to land the Falcon on the back field to save on landing fees.”

Poe shook his head. “And bum a ride into town with me,” he said. “You just can’t shake that scavenger mentality, can you?”

She shrugged. “I’m thrifty,” she said. “And Finn thought it might not be a good idea for you to be out here alone for too long,” she admitted. Poe laid his head on her shoulder. I don’t deserve him, he thought. Or her, either.

“Okay,” he said, sitting up and slapping his hand against BB-8’s casing. “Let’s finish cleaning out the kitchen and we can get home. BB, I think you’ll like my latest mods to the speeder.”

Rey used the Force to levitate the droid up the steps to the porch and they all went into the kitchen. Theoretically it should have been faster to have two people going through the food stores, but since Rey couldn’t resist sampling everything, it ended up taking longer than necessary.

“Well, that’s one way to make sure things don’t spoil before Dad gets home,” Poe said when they were done. “I think you ate half of it.”

Rey gave him a cool look. “It was a long flight. I was hungry.”

“You’re always hungry, you desert rat,” Poe teased. “Come on, let’s go before Finn sends out a search party.”

They loaded the speeder, and Poe let Rey settle BB-8 into its navigator position. [Friend-Poe! Your mods far exceed the needs of a family vehicle. Does Friend-Finn know about this?]

Rey arched an eyebrow at him and Poe laughed — really laughed — for the first time since Kes’s accident. “Yeah, he knows, BB,” he said. “He basically said the same thing but it keeps me busy so he let it slide.” He slid behind the steering wheel. “And he made me promise not to use any of them when the kids are in the vehicle.”

“I don’t see any kids right now,” Rey said with a wicked grin. She was just as reckless a pilot as he was, and he knew she would appreciate his upgrades.

“Then hang on,” Poe said. He slammed the accelerator back and the speeder jumped to top speed as BB-8 let out a high-pitched trill of happy beeps.

Poe was in a funk. He tried to hide it but Finn knew him too well. Even as Poe played with the kids, laughed with Kes and tinkered on the speeder with BB-8, there was something a little too quiet about him, a little too forced about his smile.

“What’s going on?,” he asked one afternoon, catching Poe in an ideal moment. Kes was reading a book with Shara, and Rey was playing bantha fight in the backyard with Ben, so they had the living room to themselves.

“Nothing’s wrong,” Poe said hurriedly. “Dad’s doing great. The nurse said he can start therapy next week. He’ll be back on his feet in no time.”

Finn wasn’t buying it. “I know all that,” he said quietly. “But you’re not doing great. And don’t try to deny it,” he said, holding up a hand to forestall Poe’s argument. “I know you too well, babe. Plus there’s this little thing called ‘the Force’ that tells me you’re upset.”

“I thought you couldn’t read my mind,” Poe said. He was always a bit skittish when that aspect of Force sensitivity was being discussed.

“I can’t,” Finn reassured him. “But I can feel your emotions. And I don’t like what I feel.” He wrapped his arms around his husband. “You can tell me, babe,” he whispered. “Whatever it is, just tell me and I’ll try to help.”

Poe sighed and slowly relaxed in his embrace. “Okay, it’s kind of stupid but … I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what’s going to happen if … when Dad’s gone.”

Finn closed his eyes and pressed a kiss against Poe’s forehead. He rubbed his back and rocked gently back and forth. “Oh, Poe, don’t think about that. He’s fine. The doctor said other than the fracture he’s in perfect health. Dad’s going to be around for a long time.”

“I know,” Poe said into Finn’s neck. “But I still think about it. I mean … once Dad’s gone, I’ll be the oldest one in the family. The head of the family, so to speak. I’m not ready for that.”

“You weren’t ready to be a general, but you did fine at that,” Finn reminded him.

“Only because you were there to help me,” Poe said.

“Well, who says you have to be the head of the family by yourself? We can do that together, the way we ran the Resistance and the way we take care of the kids.” Finn ran his fingers through Poe’s hair as he shook his head.

“It’s not the same,” Poe insisted. “I’ll be the one who has all the answers, all the stories … I remember when my Grandpa died, Dad talked about all the things he should have asked him about, all the family history and knowledge that died with him.” He started crying quietly, the tears running down Finn’s neck and shoulder. “I’m sorry, I told you it was stupid …”

Finn stopped him. “No, it’s not,” he said. “It’s a legitimate concern. I … I don’t know much about being part of a family, so I’m probably not the right person to talk to. You know who you should talk to?”

“I’m not talking to Dad about this,” Poe said quickly, sitting up and giving Finn a warning look.

“No, not Dad,” Finn agreed. “When I have questions about stuff — family type stuff, relationship stuff —- I talk to Mariana Djarin.”

That gave Poe pause. “Really?”

“Yeah,” Finn said. “They don’t live very far away. When we moved here, I stopped by to say hello and, well, I feel really comfortable asking her stuff.” He shrugged. “When we first met them, back on Gael 23, I asked her about your mom, what she remembered about her. And she was really nice.”

“You think she’d mind if I bothered her?” Poe asked.

“It wouldn’t be bothering her,” Finn insisted. “She told me we’re welcome any time. Both of us.” He squeezed Poe’s hand. “I think she gets a little lonely, now that it’s just her and Din and Ad’ika. When they were in hiding on Gael 23, at least she had her kids and grandkids there all the time. Now they’re off on other planets.” He raised Poe’s hand to his lips and kissed his knuckles. “Go out there tomorrow and talk to her. I promise you’ll feel better.”

******************************

The Djarins’ house was tucked on a side road on the edge of town, practically in the jungle. It was quiet and cozy and Poe admonished himself for feeling nervous. He’d commed Mariana and she’d sounded more than welcoming. He walked up to the door and pressed his hand against the door sensor. A chime rang out inside and the door almost immediately slid open.

“Hi!” Poe looked down to see Ad’ika, the Djarins’ adopted son, staring up at him. He had hardly grown at all since the first time Poe had seen him, when he was only eight years old.

“Um, hi,” Poe said. “I’m here to see your mom.”

“Yeah,” Ad’ika said. “She told me. I was waiting for you.” Poe knew the child was close to eighty years old by now but he sounded not much older than Shara. “I like answering the door.”

Poe followed the tiny green being further into the house. “Mama’s in the kitchen,” Ad’ika continued. “Daddy’s in the garden. I’m helping him dig a hole.”

Mariana came through a doorway on the far side of the front room. “Go help Daddy,” she told Ad’ika. “I can take it from here.” He scurried out of the room. “They’re planting a tree,” she explained to Poe, gesturing for him to take a seat on the beat up but comfortable looking couch.

“Thanks for seeing me,” Poe said awkwardly. He liked Mariana, he really did, but he hadn’t had a mother figure to confide in since Leia had died and he was nervous. “I’m sorry to bother you.”

Mariana humphed. “It’s not a bother,” she said, plopping down next to him. “I told your husband you and your family are welcome anytime. So, what did you want to talk about?”

Poe didn’t know where to start. “You know my dad had an accident,” he began. She nodded. “And he’s fine, absolutely fine, but I keep thinking about what’s going to happen when he’s … not.”

Mariana nodded. “Facing the specter of your father’s mortality,” she said. “You need to talk to my son Cabur. He went through a similar crisis a couple of years ago when we celebrated his thirtieth birthday.” She smiled sadly. “He realized Din’s not going to live forever and neither is he.”

“How is your husband?,” he asked. “He’s about my dad’s age, I think.”

Mariana patted his arm. “Probably. Din doesn’t remember exactly when he was born; he was too young when the Mandalorians took him in. And he’s fine. The usual aches and pains from all those early injuries coming back to haunt him; all soldiers have those. But otherwise he got a clean bill of health at his last check up. He’ll be around for quite a while, just like your father.”

Poe sighed. “I know, I just … I’m not ready to even think about being the head of the family.”

“Oh, you definitely have to talk to Cabur,” she said. “I’ll comm him and see if he can come for a visit soon. He’s overdue anyway and Ad’ika will love to see him. They were so close when Cabur was little.” She sighed and shook her head. “Ad’ika asked me once why Cabur grew up so fast and he didn’t; he’s old enough to understand now that he’s a different species, and matures more slowly, but at the time, he was so confused.”

They talked about kids for awhile, Poe admitting that sometimes Shara scared him with her intelligence and ability to pick up skills like reading and arithmetic so easily, and how concerned he was that she might get bored in school. And he told her his suspicions that Ben might be Force-sensitive.

“He doesn’t make things float, does he?” Mariana asked. Poe shook his head. She laughed. “Then don’t worry about it too much. Finn and your friend Rey should be able to handle him, if Din and I were able to handle Ad’ika. We had no clue!”

“No clue about what,” Din said as he came into the room, his pant legs and boots covered in dirt. Ad’ika was right behind him, looking like he’d dug the hole by burrowing into the ground head first.

“About being civilized,” Mariana scolded. “You’re both filthy!”

Din shrugged. “I’ll sweep up later,” he said, settling down into an armchair. Ad’ika climbed up into his lap. “So what did we have no clue about?”

“Dealing with a Force-sensitive child,” Mariana said. “Poe was telling me they think Ben might be gifted.”

Din chuckled. “Good luck,” he said. “This one,” he nodded at Ad’ika, “was such a handful I had to hire someone to help me out. Fortunately, that worked out extremely well for all of us.” He winked at Mariana, who rolled her eyes at him.

“Well, Finn and I have Rey to help us out, if he is,” Poe said. “You know, I should really be going. You probably have things to do …”

Din waved his hand. “No, no, stay for a while,” he said. “We’ve got nothing that can’t wait until tomorrow. We don’t get many visitors these days.” He sounded a bit wistful, and Poe felt bad about not coming to visit them sooner. After all, they’d known his mother, however briefly.

Ad’ika was snuggled comfortably in his father’s lap and Mariana leaned back on her end of the couch, tucking one leg underneath her. Poe relaxed as well, giving himself permission to stop being in charge for at least an hour or two.

They chatted about random things. At some point, Ad’ika brought one of his X-wing models over to Poe and listened raptly while he described what it was like to be in the cockpit of one. Poe looked up to see Din smiling indulgently at them, and he suddenly missed his mother intensely. He wished he’d had more time to be with her like this, just relaxing and talking about ships and flying.

Mariana must have seen something in his face, because she leaned forward and squeezed his hand. “Why don’t you put your toys away and clean up for dinner, Ad’ika?,” she said quietly. “Mr. Dameron needs to get home soon anyway.”

Poe glanced at his chrono and was surprised to see he’d been there for almost three hours. He understood why Finn liked to spend time with Mariana. Their home was so welcoming.

“Bring the kids next time,” Din said. “I’m sure your dad could use a break from them right about now.” He chuckled. “I love my grandkids to death, but the best part about being a grandfather is being able to give them back to their parents when they get tired or cranky.”

Poe nodded. “Yeah, Dad’s patience is starting to wear a bit thin,” he admitted. “He gets to start physiotherapy next week, though, so that’ll help. Maybe Finn or I can bring the kids over in a day or two to play with Ad’ika. Or both of us if Rey doesn’t mind staying with Dad.”

“Perfect,” said Mariana. “I haven’t seen Finn in a while, with everything going on with your father. We can have dinner like grown ups while the kids destroy the house.”

Poe laughed. Yeah, he really needed to visit more often.

She walked him to the door. “And I’ll get in touch with Cabur,” she said quietly as they stood for a moment on the front step, watching the evening breeze play with the flowers in the front garden bed. “You’ll feel better after you talk to him, I promise.” She pressed a motherly kiss to his cheek and then went back inside. “If all the dirt isn’t off the floor and that chair by the time bedtime rolls around, you’re sleeping on the couch, Din Djarin,” she said loudly enough for Poe to hear.

“Ha, ha, Daddy’s in trouble!” Ad’ika cried, his laughter fading away as Poe walked away from the house, already feeling a lot better.

Shara and Ben squealed with delight when they realized that there were new kids to play with at the Djarin house, even though they were all older. “Calm down, kiddos,” Finn told them.

Ad’ika ran toward them as fast as his little legs could carry him. “It’s my friends! Shara and Ben!,” he called over his shoulder at his nephews and niece.

The oldest boy introduced everyone. “Hi, Shara. Hi, Ben. I’m Mica, this is Bryn and our sister Danna.”

“Our dumb sister,” said Bryn. Danna stuck her tongue out at him.

“Girls aren’t dumb,” Shara said stoutly. “Boys are dumb.” Danna smiled and tucked her arm through Shara’s.

“How old are you?” Danna asked. “I’m seven. Dumb Bryn is eleven and Mica’s fourteen.”

“I’m almost five,” Shara said proudly. “Ben is only two.”

Ben held up two fingers. “But I not dumb,” he said, going to stand by the other boys.

Ad’ika giggled. “I’m eighty, I win!” Then he tugged at Ben’s hand. “Come see my new ship. Cabur gave it to me.” Bryn followed them, but Mica stayed behind for a moment.

“Don’t worry, sir,” he told Finn. “I’ll make sure no one gets hurt.”

“Maybe,” Danna said ominously. Mica made a face at her and she laughed, tugging Shara off toward the other boys. “I have a better toy than that dumb ship — a Wookiee! He had a bow caster and you can brush out his hair and he beats up all the bad guys!”

“Girls,” Mica said, shaking his head.

“Go make sure they don’t kill their brothers,” Finn said. “And have fun while you’re at it!” He gave Mica a friendly shove.

Mariana approached with a frosty glass of ale in her hand. “Here you go,” she said. “Mica will keep the little ones in line, and there won’t be too much blood.” She chuckled at Finn’s raised eyebrow. “I learned to expect a certain amount of blood when raising Mandalorian children. Din may be dar’manda but he still expects the members of his clan to be able to defend themselves.”

“How’s Poe been?,” she asked after Finn had had a chance to take a drink.

“Oh, that’s good,” he said, smacking his lips. Poe favored harder liquor but he’d always been partial to a nice ale. “Poe? He’s doing better, but I still catch him staring off into the distance and sighing now and then.”

“Cabur will straighten him out,” Mariana said with a nod. “My son knows a thing or two about feeling inadequate.” She sighed. “He’s had a lot to live up to, and stars know his father and I put too much pressure on him sometimes. We tried not to, but it couldn’t have been easy growing up knowing that no matter what he chose to do in life, he was expected first and foremost to take care of his brother. I’m afraid he spent quite a bit of his adolescence resenting Ad’ika and he feels guilty about it now.”

************************************

Poe was nervous. Cabur was younger than he was, but felt somehow older. Maybe it was because his kids were older, or maybe it was the sober gravity in his brown eyes. He looked quite a bit like his father, but without the spark of mischief that lurked in Din’s eyes.

“Your kids are adorable,” Cabur said, taking a sip of Corellian whiskey. He and Poe were seated on a bench at the edge of the Djarins’ backyard, far enough away from the others for a private conversation, but with a good view of the children running and tumbling around in the grass. Din was stoking the fire in the outside grill, preparing for the meal that he and Mariana had insisted on sharing with the Damerons.

“Yours, too,” Poe said. The whiskey went down smooth, but it still wasn’t enough to soothe his nerves. “Your wife didn’t come?”

Cabur shrugged. “She had some things at work she couldn’t get out of,” he said vaguely. He took another drink and then turned to Poe. “Okay, that’s what I told Mom and Dad,” he admitted. “She and I … things aren’t going great between us right now.”

“Maybe you need to talk more than I do,” Poe ventured.

Cabur shook his head. “No, we’re good. I mean, we’ll work it out. Eventually.” He shrugged again. “Don’t tell my parents, though. I don’t want them to worry.” He stretched, cracking his neck. “Sometimes I think my sister had the right idea, not rushing into anything.”

“What do you mean?”

“I met Talia, she was okay with the whole Ad’ika thing, and I married her. Maybe we were too young,” he said. “Hell, I know we were too young. But I wanted to be a family man like my dad, a good husband and father. A clan leader. Mirdala, on the other hand, went out, enjoyed herself and she still hasn’t told us who Ronal’s father is.” He chuckled. “No one tells my sister what to do, that’s for damn sure.” He finished off his whiskey and picked up the bottle, ready to pour another, but then apparently thought better of it.

“So, Mom said you’re having a bit of a crisis,” he said.

Poe felt ridiculous. “It’s nothing really,” he said. “My dad got hurt a while back — fell off a ladder and broke his hip — and I’ve just been torturing myself thinking about what things will be like when he’s gone.”

Cabur nodded. “I’ve been there. When I turned thirty, I suddenly realized that I wasn’t a kid anymore. And that my dad wasn’t a young man anymore. I looked at him and I just … couldn’t unsee the gray hairs and the lines on his face. Nothing as momentous as your father’s accident, just me facing the fact that people grow old and die. And that my father was going to get there before me, and that my brother …” He paused to compose himself and Poe laid a hand on his shoulder. “My brother was going to outlast us all by centuries.” He turned to Poe, his eyes glittering with tears. “I love Ad’ika, don’t get me wrong, but I feel like I’m saddling Mica with the same burden I’ve grown up under.”

“Is he really a burden?” Poe asked quietly.

“No, not at all,” Cabur said, looking across the yard at Ad’ika, who was tumbling around on the grass with Ben while Bryn looked on, laughing. “He’s … it’s just … I think every kid resents being told what to do, especially when they get to a certain age.” He laughed. “Enough about me. I’m supposed to be helping you.”

“I think you are,” Poe said. “Look, I know this is something I’m just going to have to come to terms with. I just … I lost my mom when I was eight and my grandpa not long after that. Dad’s all I had for so long. I have Finn and the kids now, and Rey and the rest of our friends, but …”

“I get it,” Cabur said. “You’re the one to carry on the family legacy. It’s a big responsibility. But I’m sure your dad felt the same way at one point, and his dad before him, on and on back to the very first human male who was sentient enough to realize what was going on. We idolize our fathers, Poe, and we’re never going to live up to what we think they want of us. Or what we want of ourselves.”

Now he did pour another glass of whiskey, and topped off Poe’s glass as well. He clinked their glasses together. “To being a disappointment,” Cabur said.

Poe laughed. “Now that I’m good at.” He tossed back his drink and then clapped his hand on Cabur’s knee. “Thanks for the talk. I do feel better. And the next time I feel like a failure, I’ll give you a call.” He stood up. “I’m going to see if your dad needs any help with that grill.”

Cabur stood as well. “Oh, he doesn’t. Even if he does. But I’ll bet Mica would appreciate being relieved of babysitting duty.” He smiled wryly.

“A father’s work is never done,” Poe said. “I’ll help you wrangle them. Mine can get pretty wild.”

“So they take after you, not your husband, then?” Cabur asked innocently.

“Shut up,” Poe said. I think I might have a new best friend, he thought as they crossed the yard.

************************************

“Auntie Rey, we played with Ad’ika and the other kids, and we ate sooo much, and I want a Wookiee toy like Danna, it looks like Uncle Chewie …” Shara paused for a breath, allowing Finn to break in.

“I’m sure Auntie Rey will be happy to hear about your day later, after you get ready for bed,” he said quietly.

Shara huffed. “Okay, Daddy, but don’t tell her about it until I can.”

“How’s Dad?” Finn asked Rey.

“Fine,” she said. “How’s Poe?”

“Good,” he replied. “He seems a lot more —- I don’t know how to put it — settled, I guess.”

Rey tucked her arm through Finn’s. “I’m glad,” she said. “Next time you go out to the Djarins’, let’s leave him here with the kids and your dad. I need a break.”

“Yeah, right,” Finn said, bumping her with his shoulder. “I know you and Kes just sat around telling Poe stories and eating all the snacks.”

Rey gave him her most innocent look. “We also told Finn stories,” she said primly. “And there are three cookies left, I’ll have you know.”

“I stand corrected,” Finn said.

*********************************************

“Have a good time?” Kes asked.

“Yeah, we did,” Poe said. “How about you and Rey? Did it get too boring around here without the kids?”

“No, she had plenty of good stories about you and Finn to keep me entertained with,” Kes said with a gleam in his eye. “Did you have a good talk with the Djarins’ son?”

“Who told you about that?” Poe said, suddenly nervous.

“Finn,” Kes said simply. “And don’t get all worked up. I know this whole thing has been tough on you, son.”

Poe shrugged. “Not as tough as it’s been for you,” he said.

Kes shook his head. “I’ve been through worse,” he said. “And you and Finn and Rey have been spoiling me. As soon as I’m back on my feet and back home, I’m cooking you all the biggest, fanciest meal you’ve ever had.” He reached out and took Poe’s hand. “Everything’s going to be alright, son.”

“I know, Dad, I know,” Poe said, squeezing Kes’ hand. “I’d better go help get the kids ready for bed. They’re pretty riled up.”

“Let Finn and Rey handle it,” Kes said. “Sit. Talk to me. And I mean really talk to me, Poe.”

Poe closed his eyes for a moment, then sat on the edge of his father’s bed. And they talked until Finn finally came in to tell them the kids wanted Papa to kiss them goodnight.

“You good?” Finn asked as he walked Poe out of the room.

“Yeah, we’re good,” Poe said, laying his head on Finn’s shoulder. “Everything’s good.”

***********************************************************************************************************************************

NOTE: There aren’t a lot of great father figures in Star Wars canon, so here’s to Kes and Finn and Poe (and Din!) for showing the others how it should be done!

#star wars #star wars sequel trilogy #finn star wars #finn #poe dameron #poe x finn #finnpoe #stormpilot

[thedarkcoven]

Bio of Darth Rayvin Ren

-Some of this info is/may be NONCANON so please do not come at me. This is for my OC and my story of my OC and Kylo Ren. This is for fun and to not be taken seriously. The edit is made by me and I ONLY take credit for the banner not the pics used-

Divider by: @saradika​

Birth Name:

Anne V’Torr

Sith Name:

Darth Rayvin (Rayvin Ren - after marriage to Kylo Ren)

Birth place:

Chandrila

Current Home:

Star Destroyer/First Order Ship

Age:

27 (two-four years younger than Ben Solo/Kylo Ren)

Height:

5′0″ (152.40 cm)

Relationships:

mother ( Unknown-deceased)

father (unknown-deceased)

Poe Dameron - Ex boyfriend

Ben Solo/Kylo Ren- Master. Husband. Father of her children

Armitage Hux - Friend/Significant (intimate) partner Lea Briesje - Friend/Sister

Luna Ren/Solo (Daughter)

Huxley Ren/Solo (Son)

Groups:

Resistance (Former)

First Order (Current)

Sith (Current)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Anne V’Torr grew up along side the young Jedi Knight Ben Solo. At a young age she would often do tasks for her mother. In a hurry she ran into the young Prince, knocking the times from her small arms onto the floor. Ben Solo chuckled and told her everything is okay and helped her with gathering her things and helping her back to her home. 

Ben would often spend time with young Anne, finding excuses to use her Force to do little tricks to make her smile. Years passed and Ben comforted her in the loss of her parents when they were out working as Resistance Fighters. She would spend most of her remaining days quiet and with Ben. It wasn’t until the day he left for Jedi training that she felt like she lost everything.

It wasn’t until years later when she joined The Resistance to get revenge for her parents. There she met a young pilot by the name of Poe Dameron who encountered a similar fate of losing his parents. They bonded together as pilots and the burning fire that raged within them to get the revenge they craved so badly. Every night a man in dark robes plagued her dreams. Something was familiar about him. After a few years of being with Poe they decided to stay friends, allies in the Resistance. Work became their main priority after all. 

Years after joinign the Resistance a bit after her 23rd birthday she encountered the very man who plagued her thoughts and dreams at night. Before she could call for backup the man placed his hand up and forced her into slumber, carryign her limp body onto his ship.

When she woke she struggled against her restraints, panic taking over as she noticed her surrounds were of not Resistance but First Order. The sound of the door wooshing open made her freeze in place as the masked man stepped foot into the dark room. 

“I finally found you.” He spoke sending chills up her spine. 

“Who are you and what do you want from me?” She snipped. 

“A friend.” He answered softly, stepping closer to Anne. 

“I am no friend of The First Order. You’re a monster!” 

“That may be true but there is no denying that you easily let me into that head of yours, Anne” 

The man before her moved his hands up to his helmet, a wooshing sound as the front plate moved upward before he removed it, revealing who he was to her. 

“Ben?” Tears filled her eyes at the man she thought she would never see again. 

“Not anymore. Ben Solo is dead. I am Kylo Ren and I am going to show you how to embrace your powers so you dont have to hide them anymore. Let me show you that path.” A smirk appeared on the dark haired prince’s face as she nodded. “Good... From this day forward you shall be known as Rayvin. My apprentice.” 

#rayvin ren #darth rayvin #master kylo ren #kylo ren x my oc #armitage hux x my oc #bio of rayvin ren #darth rayvin apprentice of Kylo Ren #rayvin wife of kylo ren #partner of general hux #sith oc #star wars oc #star wars oc bio #inspired/based off my rp

[akwardtractor]

#star wars #general hux #kylux #kylo ren #art #digital art #fanart #tractor art #armitage hux #Rey #rey palpatine #rey skywalker #general leia #princess leia #leia organa #ben solo #phasma #captain phasma #Poe dameron makes a very small appearance #sw

[oscarseyebrow]

Here’s a prompt for you: 24 “Don’t mind if I do.”

Feel free to ignore this but I’m thinking AU Poe? Maybe something focusing on what his life would be like if he hadn’t joined the Resistanc? Thank you, love you 😘

gif by the wonderful @zoriis 💖

Rating: M Pairing: Poe Dameron x gn!reader Word count: 5k Warnings: Drinking, language, smoking. AN: Song lyrics taken (and changed) from Never Had. Masterlist | Taglist

The cantina is heaving by the time you finally arrive - late, as per usual. It really isn’t your fault. Whatever your friends may say -- if you ever make it to the table -- it’s not your fault. For every task you’d managed to wrap up at work, two more came across the desk for you and Maker, you really need to learn how to say no.

Leaving work late is the domino to topple the rest, which somehow sees you almost an hour late as you turn sideways, trying to squeeze between two groups of people. It’s so fucking busy and you don’t want to be here.

Come for drinks! They had said in the messages being exchanged throughout the day. There’s some live music on tonight. They’d then added. After the week you’ve had, the thought of drinks is a delight -- but not the live music. Not the packed cantina, full to the brim with people. You should have known it would be like this. Yet, here you are.

Everything is so warm and clammy in the dimly lit room; the heat from all the bodies mingling with very little space to dissipate between the walls and the low ceiling. It’s the kind of heat that wets your skin and causes clothes to stick to a thin covering of perspiration. You can already feel it as the smallest beads begin to build on your lower back beneath your layers. And you’re so desperate to reach the booth and relieve yourself of your jacket, but now you’re trapped. The fabric caught between the two bodies you’re attempting to squeeze between.

“Excuse me,” You tug and tug at your jacket, but to no avail. “Hey, can you… Just…” Another tug and you’re free; the abrupt release causing you to stumble backwards and straight into someone else. There’s a sudden yell that’s quickly followed by a wetness filling your boot and your jaw is already clenching as you glance down, seeing the empty glass rolling away and the contents of it now soaking through to your sock. Fucking great. Yes, please, allow this night to become so much worse than you could have ever foreseen.

Really, there are no words. You can’t blame this guy, you were the one to stumble into him and knock his drink out of his hand. But you still feel the unjustified rage bubbling in your stomach while you glare daggers at him. Without saying anything, you fix your jacket from where it has slipped down over your shoulder and then trudge the rest of the way to the booth; the trail of single wet footprints being left in your wake.

“You made it!” Zee, a friend from your previous place of work, is the first to spot you as she gets to her feet to throw her arms around your shoulders for a quick hug. “What took you so long?”

“Work.” You groan and give her one of those exasperated looks before moving to take a seat beside the others, but you’re quickly stopped by the hand of another friend, not allowing you to move any further.

“Last one in buys a round of drinks.” He grins up at you, clearly a few rounds deep already. In an attempt to keep your thoughts to yourself, you press your lips together in a tight line and look between all of the glasses on the table. They’ve barely been touched. “Hey, I don’t make the rules.” He then shrugs and leans back in his seat, looking all too smug with himself. If only he knew the tight thread your patience is hanging from right now, he wouldn’t be sitting there looking so smug. Finally, your eyes sweep back over to Zee and watch as she gives you a small, apologetic shrug.

Right.

With a heavy sigh, you turn on your heel and begin the struggle of pushing your way through to the bar; that unjustified rage bubbling away again with every shoulder and elbow that catches you as you weave between bodies. Finally, the bar is in sight, it’s only a few feet away and that’s when you stumble; hands quickly grasping for anything within reach to steady yourself as you gasp loudly. It’s a stomach turning moment, much like misjudging the last step in the dark. You lose your footing and know the floor is going to be greeting you real soon.

Thankfully, a hand catches hold of your arm to steady you and guide you forwards so that you can brace yourself against the wet bartop. When previously thinking if this night could get any worse, it hadn’t been a challenge to yourself. Yet, somehow, another domino topples over as you straighten up and turn to give your thanks to the stranger who saved you from the embarrassment of falling down. Your mouth opens but your words stall, not quite making it out as you meet the darkest eyes you’ve ever seen.

“I… Uh…” You stutter while drinking in the handsome face that’s still watching you with interest; eyebrows arching towards soft curls that have fallen free across his forehead from where his hair is swept back. Maker, he’s beautiful and all you can do is stare. “I…” You try again, but become very aware of the hand that is still holding your arm to keep you steady. A whole different kind of heat creeps across your skin now, adding to the warmth of the cantina while your eyes lower to the way his dark hair curls beneath his ear.

“Thanks.” You clear your throat, managing to force your unwilling words out. It starts as a hint at the corner of his lips, his mouth twitching ever so slightly while watching you before a smile finally curls over them. It’s a smile to light up a damn room. It’s vibrant and it radiates warmth as you watch the way his eyes crinkle, showing you how genuine this gesture is. Oh, you’re in trouble and your eyes are falling faster than you were only moments before. They come to land on luscious lips and that’s where they linger for maybe a second longer than they should -- they look so soft, so welcoming and they’re parting as he finally speaks.

“You doing okay?” Your saviour leans forwards a little as he asks that, allowing you to hear a voice that you swear drips actual honey. You should be embarrassed. But, you’re not. And for a fleeting moment, you find yourself smiling back at him, allowing him to captivate you and draw you in. It feels like the first genuine smile you’ve given since walking into this place, and you’re throwing it at a stranger you’ve just met.

“No.” You laugh, unable to help yourself. “I’m really not. I’ve been dragged here to see some shitty musician, I have someone’s drink swimming around inside of my boot and I have to buy a round of drinks because I’m late.” The man’s hand finally leaves your arm while he leans against the bar, keeping his body turned to yours now that you have seemingly caught his attention.

“Nice to meet you, Late. I’m Poe.” His hand extends towards you as he introduces himself and it takes you a moment for his awful joke to finally click. Oh. Stars. He’s witty as well as handsome. And as an automatic reaction, your hand reaches to take his, curious to know what his skin feels like as you shake it in greeting. Smooth, yet calloused. His palm holds a softness that his fingertips lack and you can’t help but wonder what his story is.

“That’s not-” You begin, as though considering correcting him and telling him your actual name, but you think better of it and simply shake your head with a small laugh. “You know what? Never mind.” Releasing his hand, you turn your attention to the bar and try to make eye contact with the server to let them know that you’re waiting. It’s so busy. You know this is going to take some time.

“Can I buy you a drink?” Poe doesn’t beat around the bush, does he? He’s straight in there, very forward with his offer while he continues to watch you long after your eyes have left him. But even as you stare at the coloured bottles behind the bar, you can still picture the jaw-line, covered with a few days worth of stubble which gives him a somewhat rugged look that counteracts the smoothness of his voice. And those lips. Full and perfectly even at the top and bottom. Your timing is all wrong as you finally glance back over at him and catch him licking at them after finishing his drink, waiting for your answer before ordering another.

You should go back to the booth. You’re here with friends, to see some live music and hopefully have some fun. But the longer you stand here, the more this offer seems much more appealing. They won’t miss you for one drink, will they? It can be quick. So you finally nod and force your eyes away from those lips, desperately trying to keep your face from showing everything you’re thinking right now.

“You can.” And so it’s decided. Tugging your jacket off, you’re hoping it helps with the heat and the way your hair is already beginning to stick to the nape of your neck, but it really doesn’t. It’s heavy and almost suffocating with all of the bodies packed inside of the cantina, yet, this man feels like a breath of fresh air. An attractive, bright, breath of fresh air and you’re desperate to breathe him in.

Poe makes a small motion with his hand on the bar and one of the servers walks down towards him, greeting him with a smile of familiarity. Interesting. This man appears to be known here, perhaps a regular - in any case, the two men know each other as they interact and Poe orders his drink first before turning to you so that you can do the same.

“Jet juice, please.” Poe watches you for a moment, silently storing that information to mind, or silently judging you from your drink choice, you’re not quite sure. But then his attention is gone and he slips the credits across the bar top to pay for the drinks. Even his profile is striking. You make yourself comfortable on the stool beside him while watching him, completely distracted from the chain of events that had brought you to this moment. It’s as though a domino in the line had fallen out of place, breaking the toppling effect to give you a break and as much as you don’t want to admit it, you find that you’re actually enjoying the evening now.

“So, why are you walking around with a drink in your boot?” Those dark eyes sweep back over to you again while Poe turns his head and after some consideration, his body turns, too. It’s now that you notice his shirt is open a button or two more than you’re expecting, revealing hints of a toned chest that’s covered in a light sheen under the lights. Maker, you can only imagine what his skin must feel like beneath your tongue. The warmth and the taste against the strong muscle while you drag it upwards along his throat -- no, stop. You need to stop. But you find that you can’t. Not now that your eyes follow the chain around his neck, right down to the ring that glints and glimmers against his chest.

Is he married? Was he married? You can only make up stories in your head about this stranger as you judge him based on what you can see.

“I bumped into someone…” You begin to explain.

“Do you do that often?” Poe’s response seems to bounce back instantly, the ball quickly falling into your court and keeping you on your toes in the most pleasant way.

“No, I got stuck. I mean, I got my jacket stuck. And then I stumbled and bumped into someone and…” You motion with your hands in an attempt to show him the way the liquid had fallen down your leg to fill your boot. His eyes practically sparkle as he presses his lips together in an attempt to keep himself from laughing at you.

“Don’t…” You warn him, despite a smile curling onto your lips again. “This is not a day to laugh at me, Poe.” There’s something that feels familiar in the way you speak his name, as though this isn’t the first time your mouth has formed the word. But, you can’t seem to place it. You’ve never met him before - That much you do know. You would remember someone this handsome.

“Is your sock wet?” The amusement drips from his voice now and he quickly glances back towards the bar as the two drinks are set down.

“Wet and sticky.” You laugh. Almost simultaneously, you reach for the glass at the same time as he does; your hand briefly grabbing his instead of the cold glass. The warmth is unexpected and not entirely unwelcome before you quickly snatch your arm back and throw an apologetic glance over at him. Somehow, you don’t think he seems to mind because he doesn’t flinch or try to pull back from the brief contact. Poe is still calm and collected as he pushes the glass towards you this time, helping you to avoid any further embarrassment. Why are you like this?

“Did you not think to take it off?”

“Take it off?” Your question doesn’t really answer his question as you take a sip of your drink and swallow down the bright liquid. It adds even more warmth to your body while it slides down your throat and seems to pool in your stomach, blazing a trail the whole way down. “I hadn’t really thought that far ahead.” You admit and then lick your lips to collect any lingering taste there.

That’s when you notice Poe’s eyes drop, almost in the exact same way yours had when mesmerized by his own lips. They seem to linger for a moment before he reminds himself to look back up to your eyes again, watching you with interest. You have his attention. And just to test that, you reach up to swipe your thumb against the corner of your lower lip -- his eyes instantly falling again to follow it. The initial attraction is no longer one-sided.

The sound of a glass smashing and cheering over the other side of the cantina breaks the moment as you both glance over, watching a group of friends laughing at a member of their group who had dropped a drink. Pity your boot wasn’t there to catch it. When you finally turn back to look at Poe again, he’s taking a couple of gulps from his drink; the muscles in his throat working with each swallow until he lowers his glass again. Look away. Look away. But all you can do is swallow thickly until he speaks again.

“Did you say you were here with friends?” That suave voice enters your thoughts and brings your attention to the present moment as Poe asks his next question, interested to learn more about you. He’s making easy conversation from the first thing you told him; your wet boot and the fact that you were here with friends to see some musician. Would you still rather be at home now?

“Yeah, they’re over…” You trail off as you sit up taller on the stool, attempting to look between heads and shoulders to spot your group in their booth. Eventually, you make eye contact with one of them and give them a small wave. “There.” Poe’s eyes follow yours to where more of them are looking now, pointing over at you and clearly having a discussion about the fact you're sitting at a bar with someone you’ve just met. You know, it’s not your usual style -- but there’s something about Poe that seems to draw you in after stumbling into his gravitational pull.

Poe also waves over to them and the look on Zee’s face is an absolute picture. You’ll fill her in about him later and how you ended up here.

“They look happy to be here.” He observes with amusement and he’s right. They really do. You’re not sure what they’re so excited about, but they’re practically buzzing as they talk amongst themselves while looking over at you again.

“They’re always happy to be here.”

“But you’d rather be at home?” Poe asks, as though he already knows your answer to that.

“Yes.” You tell him honestly and laugh again. “All day I’ve been thinking about drinking wine on my sofa and falling asleep.” Your truthfulness has him laughing this time and the sound is wonderful. It’s so rich and full of character as it rolls out from his chest, catching the attention of others around him. It’s a sound of happiness in its truest form; nothing forced, nothing fake - simply Poe enjoying the moment that he’s sharing with you.

“Yet, here you are.”

“Here I am.” You smile at him and take another sip of your drink.

“Willing to put yourself through the torture of listening to a shitty musician, just for your friends.” It’s you that laughs this time and you set your glass down, drying off the condensation against the side of your leg.

“You think he’s shitty, too?”

“Oh, the shittiest. Never seems to get any better.” Maker, he gets it. You’ve never actually heard the artist you’re here to see -- Hell, you can’t even think of the name now that you try, but Poe seems to understand. “But for what it’s worth, I’m glad you came.” There’s such honesty laced with his amusement and it momentarily catches you off-guard; your laughter falling silent while you watch him with a lingering smile.

“Yeah… Me too.”

An easy silence settles as you take the time to look over Poe’s face again, picking up subtle details that you may have overlooked the first time. The peppering of greys in his stubble, a small scar on his cheek and the way his eyelashes seem to fan out right at the ends of his upper lids. Those striking looks make it difficult to avert your eyes when his meet yours, so you hold them for a few seconds and simply smile at each other, as though already knowing where this encounter is going to end up.

But the man behind the bar interrupts the moment all-too soon; his presence in your periphery also catches Poe’s attention as he glances over at him.

“Is it that time already?” Poe asks and finishes his drink without ordering another. There’s a sense of disappointment settling in your stomach at the thought of this man leaving before you’d really got to know much about him.

“Got a few minutes, but they’re ready whenever you are.” The man taps the bar top a couple of times and then leaves Poe to it. But he’s already straightening up as his eyes find yours again and before he can say anything, your mouth is blurting out words you weren’t intending to voice out-loud.

“Are you leaving?” As much as you try to play this casually, there’s still a hint of disappointment in your voice and you know that he hears it.

“I am…” Poe trails off and then throws you a grin; it’s different to the smiles you’ve been getting out of him and you suddenly find out why. “Got some shitty music to play.” It takes you a few seconds, but then something clicks. A light comes on so suddenly in your brain and you feel your mouth open, then quickly close again -- a motion that you repeat a few times as everything begins to make sense.

“You’re-”

“I am.”

“No…” You trail off, feeling the heat of embarrassment rush to your face and the back of your neck. “Why didn’t you say something?” Maker, you’re mortified. You’ve been sitting here, indirectly complaining about being dragged to see him. He’s the shitty musician.

“You didn’t ask…” Poe trails off, as though it’s the most obvious point he could make. “But it was worth it. Your face, a real picture.” And then he pauses, as though he wants to say something before thinking better of it. Instead, he quips, “I hope your sock dries out.”

“Yeah, me too.” You smile and watch as his lips curve upwards to return it; the genuine quality of it bringing that same sparkle to his eyes before he finally steps away to make his way through the crowd of people. Within a few seconds, he’s gone from your sight and you exhale a heavy sigh before laughing to yourself. Maker. That was embarrassing, in the best possible way.

By the time you make it back to the booth -- luckily, with no more accidents -- the first song has already begun. Seconds. That’s all the time it takes for the cantina to fall silent; everyone seemingly absorbed in the man who takes command of the whole room with only his voice. There’s no theatrics, no big show -- just Poe. Poe, his guitar and a soothing voice that washes over the crowd.

And you have  to admit, he’s not a shitty musician. In fact, he’s far from it.

That melancholy voice stirs emotions inside of you that you weren’t expecting to feel tonight. They’re simultaneously heartwarming yet somber. His tones are gentle, yet rough. You’re no longer angry and frustrated at the events that had led to this moment; in fact, you’re far from it as you sit there with a soft, mellow smile on your face. Each song earns applause and sounds of approval from the crowd, causing the man on the stage to smile in the way that illuminates him brighter than the spotlight trained on him.

“There was no writing on the wall, no warning signs to follow... I know now, and I just can't forget... You're the best I never had.”

You can’t decide if it’s real or just wishful thinking, but it feels as though his eyes sweep across every so often to your direction, almost as if he still remembers where you had pointed out your friends to him earlier. You tell yourself that he’s not actually looking at you, not with all these other people in here who want to see him perform. But with each meeting of his gaze, it’s hard to convince yourself otherwise. It makes you feel almost giddy to think that in a cantina full of people, you still have his interest.

“In this motel, well past midnight... When I'm bluer than a bruise...”

It’s not a crush. It’s not. You’re not a kid, but it sure feels similar; it makes you smile and avert your eyes, it makes your stomach flip with a combination of excitement and longing to talk to him again. Maker, you want to be close enough to him to admire the way those eyelashes caress his skin with each blink, or the way his eyebrows raise to signal his amusement in conversation. You want to allow yourself to gravitate towards him again and lose track of time while appreciating the way he seems to listen to each word you speak.

But then, you swear everything momentarily stops. Everything around you becomes nonexistent, as though you’re the only person sitting there while your heartbeat kicks up a notch inside your chest.

“You come stumbling in, through the half-light, in your funny… wet boots.”

No, this isn’t a crush. In this very second, it’s a whole goddamn explosion of exhilarating amusement as you find yourself laughing out loud at the obvious change in Poe’s original lyrics. They don't even rhyme but they're about you. It’s endearing mockery and an attempt to draw you in. He knows that he has you because there’s a grin on his lips as he continues singing. Maker, how can one man be so kriffing charming?

Suddenly, you have a million reasons to be thankful you accepted the stupid invitation to come here tonight

You sit and listen to Poe’s captivating voice with a soft smile on your face, reveling in the intimacy he’s created between you with a simple reference to your shared joke. Despite the fact that this place is packed and he has a large audience hanging onto his every word, it almost feels like he’s singing for you.

As soon as the set is over, the bustle of the cantina resumes; everything becomes far too loud again. You can’t deny it, the good mood that you’re now in, mixed with the flow of drinks through Poe’s show has a relaxing buzz settling through your limbs while you try to keep up with the conversation going on in the booth.

“Another drink?” Zee motions to your empty glass that you’re still holding in your hand, having unknowingly finished it while distracted. You weigh your options and shake your head.

“No, thanks. I’m going to grab a smoke.” You politely decline and wait until she slides out of the booth so that you can follow as you pick up your jacket and slip it on. It’s still far too warm in there to be wearing layers, but you know the air outside carries a bite tonight.

Thankfully, your attempt to get out of the cantina is much more successful than the one getting in and you’re soon wrapping your arms around yourself as you step out of the way of the doors, trying to keep in some of the warmth you’d been willing to leave you earlier. Even from outside, you can still hear the muffled rumbles and voices coming from the other side of the wall.  A faint smile settles onto your lips as you slip a cigarette between them and make quick work of lighting it up.

No sooner are you exhaling the smoke and watching it curl upwards towards the cloudy sky, than the door to the cantina opens again and there’s a momentary rush of warm air spilling out into the cold night air. Your eyes slide over and that smile begins to curl further onto your lips as you watch Poe look to his right, then to his left before he spots you.

“Hey, Late.” His movements are almost a copy of yours as he steps out of the way of the door and comes to stand in front of you instead. “Your friend said I’d find you out here.” Of course she did. Your eyes move over Poe’s face, noticing that some of the curls you’d been staring at earlier were now damp and clinging to the skin around his temples from where he’d clearly been sweating while performing.

“Had to make my escape…” You trail off and lean back against the wall while you watch him. “Could only take so much of that musician.” This earns you a laugh while you pull the small, compact tin from your pocket that has your rolled cigarettes inside and offer it to Poe. “Want one?”

“Don’t mind if I do.” Poe doesn’t need to step as close to you as he does while accepting one of your cigarettes, nor does he need to rest his hand against yours while dipping his head when you offer him a light, but he does. And the smallest contact of his hand brushing against yours creates the same tingling sensation as it had when reaching for the glass at the same time.

Poe frowns slightly as he takes a deep drag from the cigarette and then exhales slowly; his tongue licking at his lips, which momentarily distracts you from everything else. The lower one glistens in the lights strung up outside of the cantina and it takes every bit of self control you have not to step forwards and kiss him. And he knows it. It’s written all over his face while he watches you without saying anything.

An easy silence settles as you take turns drawing from your cigarettes; you, still leaning against the wall and letting your eyes drink in every inch of him while he stands before you, doing the exact same. Occasionally, you share a smile when your eyes meet his and hold him in a lingering gaze. He’s still just as handsome as the moment he caught you; his striking looks having stolen your words from you while you’d tried to compose yourself.

But now he was so much more. Charming, yet a tease, with a voice that could melt like butter and ooze a delightful softness. But there was something about him that was rough around the edges; a rugged energy that drew you in and made you want to know more.

“Do you want to grab some food with me?” Poe finally speaks after what feels like the longest time. Food? With this man? Your smile tells him your answer before you’ve spoken a word, yet you still take a few seconds to keep him hanging before you finally nod.

“I’d like that.” Your answer has that smile curling over his lips again as the corner of his eyes crinkle softly.

“Yeah, me too.” Poe throws your last words to him from earlier right back at you as he holds out his arm, and with the final drag on your cigarette, you discard it and push yourself away from the wall so that you can link your arm through his.

Maybe coming to see a shitty musician hadn’t been such a bad idea after all.

--------

Taglist: @the-scandalorian @fett-ching @ohkarabast @salome-c @dinjarin-baket @meanperegrine @uncle-kenobi (hope you don't mind me tagging you, fellow poe hoe 💖) @the-little-ewok @mypedrom (didn't forget you this time sweetie 💖)

#poe dameron #poe dameron x reader #poe dameron x gn!reader #poe dameron fanfiction #poe dameron x you #poe dameron x gender neutral reader #writing prompt #star wars fanfiction

[roanniom]

The Night That Follows

Poe Dameron x Reader

Word Count: 8,000~ 

Summary: While celebrating a successful mission, you and Poe accidently ingest a mysterious beverage that makes it hard to resist one another, helping you forget the stress that weighs you down and the friendship that you’ve been holding between you two as a shield. 

Note: This is my first ever non-ADCU fic and it is dedicated to the ever lovely and supportive @paper-n-ashes who urged me to get out of my comfort zone and cheered me on.  

Warnings: NSFW, dirty talk, alcohol consumption, sex pollen, drugged drink (it’s drugged with the sex pollen by a 3rd party and not with malicious intent but it still might be triggering), masturbation (f/m), PIV sex, unprotected sex, war-related angst 

When people talk about war, they often discuss the paralyzing fear, the numbing depression. Hopelessness that spreads through your veins like cold water as you face immeasurable odds and stare death in the face day after day. And you can attest to these feelings. You experience them with each dawn that breaks, muddy in the sky regardless of the atmosphere shrouding whatever planet you find yourself waking on each morning. Your life is transient, full of ships and bases and camps. The constants are the clothes on your back, the friends in your squadron (those who survive), and the x-wing you hop in each time danger calls.

The other constant is the part of war that people do not discuss. The rush of adrenaline every time you make it out of a tough scrape. Adrenaline that burns your veins, evaporating the icy hopelessness that had flooded you up until the minute your boots hit turf and your jellied knees catch up to the reality that you are still very much alive. The euphoria that crackles in your brain when you spy your best mate zooming down from above, finally landing and throwing themselves into your arms in the hug you never thought you’d experience again after their coms had gone down in a fire fight. The absolute debauchery of a night of celebration after such a fire fight. Because nobody needs to live quite as much as those who may die.

Which is how you find yourself here, on this non-descript jungle planet, the name of which you didn’t catch during your descent because honestly there have been so many jungle planets and they have all become little more than coordinates on a screen to you at this point. You and your squad have been set up with a mini-festival by the resistance-sympathizing locals as a thank you for your recent decimation of their First Order oppressors. The operation had been pretty seamless, thanks in no small part to the excellent teamwork between you and a one Poe Dameron.

Your flying today had rivaled some of his best, which is certainly saying something since Poe prides himself on being the best pilot in the resistance. You certainly gave him a run for his money, outflying TIE fighters and swiveling shuttle cannons in a perfectly choreographed tandem maneuver wherein the two of you manipulated your assailants to ultimately destroy themselves.

As you knock back a burning shot of the local alcoholic beverage, the liquid tingling and warming you all the way down, you search the triumphant crowd for the cocky pilot who had helped you set the stage for this celebration. You wouldn’t dwell on the earlier events of the day much more tonight. Wouldn’t think much of the comrades you’d lost in the struggle. That was an ache that would throb back to life tomorrow. Tonight, the priority is living.

It is then that you lock eyes with Poe Dameron through the throngs of semi-drunken revelers. His handsome face splits into a wide, cocky grin, so you adopt an exasperated smirk in response as he pushes his way towards you. Such is the game you play. A dance, if you will. Poe plays the role of the self-assured, overly confident golden boy while you, his long suffering partner, humble him with your good-natured criticism and ever rolling eyes.

“Alright there, Sweets?” Poe practically drawls as he reaches you, the nickname both a term of endearment and a teasing reference to the sweet tooth that keeps you hoarding candies of all kinds in your bunk, much to Poe’s own benefit. You beam up at him and upend your little glass to demonstrate its emptiness.

“On my way there, Fly Boy.”

“Looks like you’re falling behind, rookie. Like you did on that triple barrel twist today.”

You throw a punch that lands a little too lightly on his shoulder to produce the grunt and showy flail that he graces you with.

“First of all, you’re not allowed to call me rookie anymore. Your dumb ass might need to be constantly reassured that you’re ‘best pilot in the resistance,’ but by now I am, at worst, second best.” Your gut warms and you’re not sure if it’s the drink or Poe’s deep, full-bodied laugh in response. “And second of all, we don’t talk about the day if we make it to the night.”

Poe almost seems to sober at your words, a phrase of his tossed back at him. The smile remains, though, and he tosses an arm around you before dragging you over to the table that’s been set up with refreshments.

“Right you are, Sweets,” Poe agrees quietly. Louder now and injecting you two into the crowd surrounding the cluster of bottles, he continues, “as for you being second best pilot, I’d rather let the squad decide before you go getting a head too big to fit in your helmet.”

This receives a laugh from the crowd as well as another smattering of slaps thrown towards Poe’s chest.

“Dameron, we all know you already have your own helmet custom made so you can stuff that massive ego in there,” your friend Myrna.

“And those curls,” you add, reaching up and ruffling your hand through his hair in that way that always makes his nose scrunch up in mock anger.

“If you must know, there’s something else they also have to custom make me…” Poe says, grabbing your wrist and forcing your hand to slide down his chest towards the bottom of his flight suit zipper and wiggling his eyebrows. You shriek and yank your hand away.

“In your dreams, Dameron.” Poe leans down toward you so that his face is close enough for you to feel his breath fan across your cheeks.

“Or perhaps in yours?”

Suddenly a small, wrinkled face appears between you. It’s an elderly female member of the local alien race and she’s beaming up at you, holding two steaming mugs and smiling around a garbled statement in a language you don’t recognize.

“Oh I’m sorry, I’m not sure I…” you interrupt her, glancing awkwardly between her massive eyes and Poe’s confused ones.

“I might be able to translate!” Myrna cries out, stumbling forward with a newly refilled glass in her hand.

“You sure that’s not just the liquor talking?” Poe asks with a chuckle. Myrna waves him off and kneels unsteadily to listen to the old woman. More garbled speech issues forward as the woman gestures between you and Poe with her mugs. Myrna nods several times and gives little hums of agreement and affirmation. You and Poe trade glances of amusement during the interaction, but you have to look away when the upturned corner of Poe’s mouth begins to distract you.

“Alright alright,” Myrna pipes up. You turn back in time to see Myrna standing back up to her full height, now holding the two mugs, while the woman waddles back into the crowd.

“What’s the deal?” Poe asks, slinging his arm back around your shoulders. You resist the knee jerk actions that come to mind, both to slap his touch away and to lean into it, standing rigid instead.

“She said these are for you,” Myrna says, pushing the steaming mugs into your hands and Poe’s.

“Did she say why?” You peer at the milky, opalescent contents curiously. Myrna has already moved on, however, turning back to the pilot she’d been hanging on before you and Poe had approached. You look to Poe but he shrugs.

“I don’t know, something about you guys deserving it.” Myrna waves her hand dismissively, obviously ready to get back to her own evening. You look up at Poe, unsure, but he’s nodding and smiling.

“Hear that, Sweets? Seems like word travels fast that we’re the top two pilots,” Poe says cheekily, clinking his mug to yours before throwing back his head and downing its contents in one gulp. Your insides ignite at his acknowledgment, as well as the bob of his adam’s apple, but your eyes still flit warily to your beverage.

“We don’t even know what it is and you’re drinking it?”

“Honey, I’m pretty sure that liquor we were taking shots of earlier was actually jet fuel, I don’t think we need to be too worried about this.” Poe smacks his lips and runs his finger around the inside of the mug. “And besides, it’s really kriffing good.”

Watching the way his cheeks hollow out as he sucks the last dregs of his drink from his finger makes a heat boil in the pit of the stomach. You decide you actually are quite thirsty, and since your curiosity is stronger than your apprehension, you knock the liquid back yourself.

“Atta girl!” Poe cheers you on, nudging you. The drink is sweet and thick on your tongue like a melted version of the ice cream you’d tasted once, many years ago. You can still remember the creamy texture, very much worth the credits paid to the traveling vendor who’d brought it to your village during the hottest summer of your childhood. As you swallow this liquid down, however, its cold temperature changes into a burn, similar to alcohol, though smoother than any liquor you’d ever had.

“Good, right?” Poe asks, eyebrows raised. You nod and lick your lips, sure that you’re imagining things when Poe’s eyes flicker down to your darting tongue.

“That was actually pretty good,” you concede with a grin.

“So what have we learned tonight?” Poe prompts, grabbing your mug from your hands and placing it next to his on a nearby table. You shake your head.

“Your cockiness extends to believing locals on a miniscule planet find you special?”

“The correct answer was ‘always give things a chance,’ Sweets, but you can continue being closeminded if you want,” Poe responds with a chuckle. He stuffs his hands in his pockets and makes to walk away.

“Fine!” You reach out and grab his arm before he can leave. When he rounds back on you with a wide smile you roll your eyes and refuse eye contact. “And just so you know, I’m a lot more open minded than you think, Dameron.”

“Is that so, rookie?” You bristle but as the glee raises in his eyes at your reaction you do your best to tamp it down.

“I’m…flexible,” you say, your grin begrudging. A hubbub breaks out beyond you in the crowd as the makeshift band that had assembled to play party music transitions to a particularly festive song, causing both you and Poe to watch as people begin forming an impromptu dance floor. When Poe turns back at you and raises his eyebrows, expectant, you throw up your hands defensively.

“No. Don’t look at me like that, Fly Boy,” you’re quick to say, but Poe’s even quicker, having already grabbed you by the hand and pulled you to him. Your body collides with his and his other hand finds the dip of your waist.

“Oh I’m sorry, what was that I just heard someone say about being open minded?” Poe asks. In a sudden fluid motion he dips you, bending you over so that your back is parallel to the ground and his face hovers over yours. “Being flexible?”

You let him pull you back up and steady yourself with a hand on his chest to catch your balance, dizzy now, most likely from the suddenness of the motion. You’re about to toss back a witty retort, possibly something that will knock him down a few pegs, but then you catch the glint in his eye and a smile spreads across your lips unbidden.

“You get one dance, Dameron.”

~*~

One dance turned into many, as it turns out. The band, upon realizing their audience’s appetite for raucous music, had begun a steady rotation of upbeat tunes. The dance floor had expanded, spilling out of its original confines in the center of the town square and into the concession areas on the perimeter. Resistance members danced and drank, their bodies jumping and moving to the beat in one chaotic mass of excess energy and euphoria. Bodies writhe against one another in all directions as people seek out friction that can confirm to them that they did indeed survive the day’s trials.

You’re experiencing friction of your own in your little portion of the dance floor. Where things had started out innocently – energetic bouncing to the beat and moving in unison – the tone had long changed. At this point Poe is behind you, arms slung dangerously low on your hips to hold you against him, hands pressed right above your pelvis. The feeling of his chest pressing against your back, his hips bracketing your ass – you’ve lost yourself in the sensations. The rhythm of the music shakes through your muscles but instead of tense and tired, they’re loose and buzzing.

Though truth be told, they aren’t the only thing buzzing. The proximity of Poe’s hands to your lower body feels charged like a magnet. Without thinking you press your hands over the backs of his, encouraging pressure on your lower abdomen. You swear you hear Poe growl behind you has his hands pull you further to him, but it could also be the roar of the crowd. Your hips move in sync, your ass grinding against him in time with the music. Escapism in its purest form is what you’re experiencing in Poe’s arms, held against Poe’s body, matching Poe’s motions. It’s heady and distracting and everything you could ask for to make living feel like living, especially in the aftermath of a day centered on death. You’re content to let this moment last as long as the universe allows.

That is until you realize that the increasing beat you’d thought was a shift in the music is actually the rapid crescendo of your own heartbeat.

Swallowing you find your throat is thick, saliva pooling in your mouth inexplicably. You take a deep breath and allow your mind to reel. How long had you been feeling like this? Why hadn’t you noticed these feelings coming on?

One of the large hands at your hip begins sliding up along the plane of your side and you get your answer. The weight of his touch lights your skin on fire as it drags up and across your collar bone. Your breath feels ragged, rattling around in lungs that can’t seem to take in oxygen no matter how high your chest rises and falls. Poe’s hand lingers on your throat for a second so you swallow again, with even less luck than before. His hand reaches up to grip your jaw which he uses to turn your head back toward him.

Oh.

Poe continues to move behind you, his motions controlling you both on the floor, but his face is strained. Sweat dots his temples, gleaming in his curls, and his teeth seem gritted, making his jaw set at a striking angle. His eyes pin you down, however, and they keep your attention as you gaze back, wide-eyed.

“You okay, rookie?” Poe’s voice is deeper than normal, huskier. The way it reverberates through your body makes a rumbling bubble up deep inside your chest. The beginnings of a moan, perhaps? You’re quick to gasp a response before such a sound has a chance to make its way into the air between you.

“I’m…feeling quite strange.”

The hand still at your waist tightens its grip while the other rejoins on the opposite side. You have to gasp again to keep from moaning. Suddenly you’re being maneuvered forward, Poe’s guidance weaving you through the crowd with ease despite the congested revelry.

Neither of you see the way Myrna is watching you both with a knowing smirk from her place draped around her own handsome pilot beau. Or the way the little old woman who’d gifted you the beverage hovers on the outskirts of the dance floor, a proud look on her wrinkled face as she eyes your retreating figures.

~*~

You’re not really able to follow where Poe is directing you, mainly because of how the imprint of his hands on your body seems to be searing into your skin through your flight suit. While your accelerated heart rate was the thing you had been most worried about, now you are equally worried about the dull ache that has seated itself in the pit of your stomach. You bite down hard on your lip to keep the moan from spilling out, the one you’ve been suppressing since the moment you became conscious to your current discomfort.

When Poe’s stride finally slows to a stop only then are you able to take in your surroundings. Blinking, you’re surprised to find that you’re now outside of the town, far from the lights and bustle of the party, walking into the silent clearing that contains the squadron’s parked aircrafts.

“Why are we all the way out here?” you ask, unsettled by how deep your voice sounds in the darkness.

“Needed to get away from the crowd.” You’re even more unsettled by how breathless Poe’s voice is as he says his first words since the dance floor. So unsettled that you turn in his arms so you can finally take in his disheveled appearance fully.

“Are you okay?”

“I don’t know, it’s the weirdest thing. One minute everything was fine and the next…”

“You can’t catch your breath,” you finish for him and he nods gravely. Both of your chests are practically heaving, pressing into each other with each exhale. When you become aware of this, it also brings awareness of the way his chest pressed up against yours is also adding pressure to your nipples. Since when were your nipples hard? The night is balmy, a cool breeze barely able to disturb the moist warmth that settles in the jungle terrain. You feel sweat begin to collect on the back of your neck and your hairline, much like the sweat causing Poe to shine a bit in the moonlight. And yet your nipples are hard and a shudder runs through your body, nerve endings clearly ten steps ahead of you, taking in some experience to which you’d yet to catch up.

“Wait a minute, look at me,” Poe suddenly orders, his fingers wrapping around your chin to lift your face toward his. You freeze as he stares down at you, eyes widening at whatever he sees.

“What is it?” you ask, voice urgent, almost frightened.

“Your pupils are wide as planets,” he mutters, distracted fingers drawing up the side of your jaw to press to the pulse point at your throat. “Your heartbeat is out of control.”

“I haven’t been able to calm down,” you say, nodding but getting more worried by the second. “Why can’t I calm down? Are you feeling the same way?”

Poe’s mouth presses into a hard line and he turns away abruptly, head tilting down.

“Oh fuck.”

“What?” You try to pull him back toward you but he doesn’t budge.

“I think…we’ve been drugged.”

Your blood runs cold and a hand flies to cover your mouth. You’d known tonight was too good to be true. Your mind races, making connections out of thin air, trying to place when and where you could have possibly come in close enough proximity to First Order agents to be compromised.

“But what – how – what can we do? What is it? Is it deadly?” You’re cut off by a sound issuing from Poe’s now curved body. You wonder at first if it’s a sob, which makes sense because you’re about ready to cry yourself. But then you realize it’s a chuckle.

“I wouldn’t say deadly. Just exceedingly inconvenient.”

“So you know what it is then?” you prompt, tugging at his shoulder some more to try and see his face. “Tell me!”

“Well for starters I’m pretty sure it was that drink the old woman gave us.”

Fuck.

Of course. What was the one suspicious thing you’d ingested all day? The fact that you hadn’t thought about it sooner makes you want to kick yourself, but you press on instead, anxious to have the matter dealt with.

“What does it do?” You hate the tremor that colors your voice. At that Poe finally turns around and you take him in all at once, trying to assess what he could have been hiding. His tall, wide-legged stance makes it easy to notice after a few seconds. As your gaze moves lower on his body you finally see the massive tent forming below the zipper line of his flight suit.

Without even being able to mentally process what you’re looking at your body responds immediately. A rush of warmth and wetness floods the apex of your thighs and the moan that you’d so far been able to hold in finally makes it way out of your throat. Poe’s eyes, which had recently gone hooded, widen in response to the lewd sound. You clap a hand over your mouth and snap your eyes back up to his face, away from the rigid shape that had made the muscles inside you contract wantonly around nothing.

“It’s made from a plant that’s meant to accelerate sex drive,” Poe says matter-of-factly.

You almost don’t hear him because your eyes have already slid back down his body, feasting on the sight of his impressive bulge. You’d heard stories of Poe’s sexual prowess, many from the man’s own loud mouth. You knew he’d satisfied many members of the Resistance, male and female alike. But you had never truly let yourself consider what he’d be like. What he’d look like. What he’d feel like…

“Why would she possibly give that to us of all people?” You feel like you’re going to cry. The feelings coursing through your body are overwhelming.

“Maybe she went around spiking many people at the party. Maybe she just thought you and I would look hot together? You can’t blame her for that one.” Poe winks at you and it diffuses some of your angst. You let out a tense laugh and shake your head.

“How do we make it stop?” you force yourself to ask, just as you force yourself yet again to look back up in his eyes. Poe averts his own, a sheepish look overtaking his face. When he doesn’t answer you step forward and grab his arm in alarm, trying not to consider the way his bicep bulges under his sleeve. “Poe?!”

“We have to…take care of it.”

You’re launching yourself away from him before he can finish the sentence. You probably knew the answer before you’d even asked the question, but his words still sent electricity through your spine.

“We can’t. That’s…that’s crazy – you’re crazy, Dameron!”

“Hey, you think I like this? Standing here like an idiot with my dick so hard I can barely see straight?”

The sexual nature of his words, spoken so plainly and without euphemism for the first time, makes a new wave of wetness pool between your legs against your will.

“Don’t….talk about it,” you say through gritted teeth, closing your eyes in an attempt to center yourself.

“What? Don’t talk about my aching cock?” he asks, almost as a challenge. He’s frustrated now, egged on by your attitude.

“Stop it.”

“Are you about to tell me you aren’t wet right now?”

You turn your back on him in a childish and fruitless attempt at blocking out his words. When you don’t reply you hear his footsteps as he approaches from behind.

“If we’re both having the same reaction, and I’m certain we are, then I’d imagine you’re practically dripping right now.”

His words would have made your eyes cross if you didn’t have them shut so tightly. A hand molds around your hip while the other grasps at the side of your neck, both working in tandem to pull your back flush against his front. The impact, though gentle, knocks the wind out of you. Or whatever wind had been in you in the first place. His lips are at your ear then and you melt into his touch.

“If we take care of this together we’ll go back to normal.”

“…back to normal?” you ask, simply repeating and not really aware of your words.

“Exactly.”

“I…I don’t know.” Poe’s hardened length is pressing into your ass now, insistent and firm behind you. The hand on your hip migrates lower to pull you against him. A swivel of his hips causes your own to follow the momentum, gyrating in their own right.

“We can be quick,” Poe coos, his voice vibrating over your earlobe where his lips are making contact with your skin. Another low chuckle sounds. “Or I can take my time if you want. Either way, I can promise you’ll enjoy it.”

There’s your cocky Fly Boy.

You wrench yourself from his grasp and take a few steadying steps away before gaining the wherewithal to turn back and face him once more. He looks supremely disappointed, arms still outstretched in the place where you had just been.

“Does this really have to be a…team effort?” you ask, face screwed up with discomfort. Poe runs a hand through his hair and casts a distracted glance about your surroundings.

“I mean I guess theoretically one could take care of themselves – ”

“Great!” you cut him off and stalk around to the other side of his x-wing. Of course he’d brought you to his ship. You look around for your own but when you can’t find it you plop yourself down on the ground.

“Are you kriffing serious?” comes Poe’s angry voice behind you as he stomps over. “We could bang this out and feel better but you’re just going to – ”

“Oh ‘bang’ this out? Real nice, Dameron.”

“You know what I mean.” You can practically hear his eye roll.

“The other side,” you say simply, lowering the zipper on your flight suit. When you don’t hear the sound of his retreating footsteps, however, you pause. “Stay on the other side of the ship, Dameron.”

He grumbles but does as you say. When you finally hear the sound of him throwing himself to the ground, you lift the tab of your zipper again. However, the loud and sudden ziiiip indicating that he’s yanked open his own garment seems ring out then in the clearing and you’re inundated with mental images of what that must look like. Poe sprawled on the ground with his flight suit open and askew. You imagine the expanse of his chest, the way the muscle would ripple in the shadows of the jungle. You’d seen him without a shirt before, the arms of his flight suit tied at his waist as he reclined beneath his x-wing making repairs. Covered in sweat and grease. The memory and the subsequent lurid thoughts have you dipping your hand down into the small opening you’ve made in your clothes, not fully comfortable enough to expose yourself entirely to the elements. When you reach the place between your thighs you have to swallow the gasp that bursts forth at the realization that Poe had been right. You’re not just wet. You’re dripping.

“Fuck.”

You think you say it quietly but a chuckle from the other side of the ship proves otherwise.

“Need any help over there?”

You ignore him and try to focus in on your own body, closing your eyes. You allow a hand to ghost over your breast as you ease a finger through your folds. You feel the insistent thrumming of your pulse even down below and your breath is shallow in your chest. The images dancing behind your eyelids show you flashes, glimpses of things you try to banish from your mind. The angle of Poe’s jaw. His faint, ever present stubble. The arch of his eyebrow. The curve of his smirk. His ass in those pants.

“Sweets…”

Poe’s voice interrupts a whimper you hadn’t even realized you were releasing.

“Poe.” Your voice is small and it cracks around his name. Your muscles are contracting but nothing you do eases the sensation. It just continues building within you. “It hurts.”

“Just come over here. I don’t even have to touch you. Just let me help you through it.”

You ponder the darkness before you, the way it envelops the other aircrafts in this makeshift parking zone. You hear a shick shick shick behind you and your cunt aches. Completely in response to the siren call of Poe Dameron’s building pleasure. You’re immediately intensely jealous. Jealous of the way that, you assumed, he was having more luck getting himself off than you were, despite the fingers inside you right now. Jealous of the way his voice didn’t crack when he beckoned you over.

But most of all jealous of the fact that he’s the one currently touching his hard cock. Not you.

You will yourself to stand up, pulling your hand out of your flight suit but not bothering to zip it back up. On jelly legs you make your way to the other side of the ship. The far side, facing away from the town square and the distant glow of the party you’ve now forgotten.

As you round the edge of the x-wing you bite your lip at the sight before you. Poe is indeed sprawled out with his suit zipped all the way down. His thick member protrudes from the bottom of the opening, a fist moving up and down rapidly, pulling from root to flushed tip in skilled motions. However the eyes that gaze up at you from under his unruly mop of curly hair are not doused with pleasure and satisfaction as you’d imagined. Instead he looks pained, almost agonized. At the sight of you he sits up a bit and does his best to give you a reassuring smile though it comes out as more of a grimace.

“Fuck, you’re beautiful, rookie.”

“That’s the drink talking,” you dismiss, despite the way your stomach swoops as you move to settle yourself down next to him, careful not to make contact. “And you know I hate you calling me rookie.”

“I’ll call you anything you want, baby, as long as you start touching yourself.”

Your cunt pulses at his words so suddenly that you almost double over. Your breathing, already ragged, speeds up as you feel the overwhelming urge to have something deep inside you. Dropping your hand into the opening in your suit you halt, however, watching Poe warily in your peripheral vision. He catches you looking and reluctantly stills the hand moving on member.

“Would sitting back to back help?” he sighs. You nod, scrambling over so that your back is to his.

This is better. This is much better, you think as you dip your hand back between your legs and into the waiting slick. You drag a finger in tight circles over your clit and do your best to calm the racing thoughts that flit back to images of Poe’s body.

The body that is currently pressed to yours, though not at all in the manner you would prefer.

Poe grunts then, making you lose your rhythm.

“This isn’t the first time I’ve wanted you, you know.”

You cut your answering gasp off at the source, not daring to make a sound lest it interrupt this information that you desperately needed to here. He interprets your silence correctly and continues.

“I’ve thought about you. When I’m in the cockpit on my way to some distant planet. When not even hyper speed can get me there quick enough before thoughts of you creep in.” He almost sounds mad, but you get it. The emotions coursing through your body along with the hormones are driving you wild and you don’t know how to feel.

“What…what are the thoughts about?” you can’t help but ask.

“I’d love to say it’s your smile or your brains or something sweet like that. And I do think about those things too, don’t get me wrong,” he says on a hoarse chuckle. “But it’s mainly your body.”

You slip a third finger inside your cunt as he says this, his words and the feeling mixing to cause you to let out an unchecked moan. You feel Poe’s body shudder against you.

“Shit Sweets you’re killing me.” You feel him tense as his hand begins moving faster. “I think about how you look poured into that flight suit. The way your tits and ass jiggle when you hop into your x-wing – fuck.” Another shudder wracks through his body and you can’t take it anymore. The way you’re touching yourself isn’t the way you usually do it. Not in those rare moments where you’ve got the sleeping quarters to yourself and you’re able to get yourself off in your bunk to images of a chiseled jawline, a clothed bulge, rippling muscles, soft, curly hair…

You abruptly pitch yourself forward to balance yourself on your knees and one hand while the remaining hand redoubles its efforts between your legs. The shift in position ends your physical contact with Poe and he swivels to see.

“What are you – ”

“Don’t turn around,” you gasp out. Your new angle works in your favor as your swollen clit becomes more sensitive, pulled down by gravity so that every swipe of your finger becomes more potent. “But for the love of gods, don’t stop talking.”

Poe is taken aback by your sudden forwardness, but he doesn’t let it faze him for long. Instead you hear his renewed efforts at jerking off as the sound of skin swiping across skin, made smoother by spit and precum, gets louder behind you.

“What do you want me to talk about? How much I wish it was your tight little pussy I was fucking instead of my fist?”

The whimper you release at that statement is unlike any sound you’ve ever made and it only spurs Poe on.

“And I just know you’re tight. I know it. And wet too, just like I guessed you were. I can hear it, baby,” he practically growls and you become intensely away of the slick, creamy sounds coming from the rapid in and out, in and out rhythm of your fingers delving into your cunt. “You’re dripping, aren’t you?”

“Yes.” You close your eyes and hear his words and wish the fingers inside you were harder, thicker, him.

“You wish it was my cock inside you, I know you do. You don’t want to admit it but you wish I was pounding into you, making you feel good. Making the ache go away.”

Your answering whine confirms his beliefs and he lets out a triumphant grunt.

“Fuck, baby. I want it, too. Bury myself deep inside of you and fuck you till that drink wears off and you’re still screaming for me, that’s how good it would be.”

“Oh gods.”

“Tell me who you’re wet for.”

“Y-you.” It comes out small. You’re shocked that you even say it, especially with how much you’ve been fighting all of this. You want it. You want it in your bones and in your blood and in your tight, spasming cunt. But you also want Poe’s friendship. Want him to tousle your hair on the way to the hanger. Want him to keep sending you funny messages over your data pad, constantly trying to outdo your own silly riddles and jokes. Want to tease him and eat dinner with him in the mess hall and slap him when he says something stupid and yell at him when he does something dangerous and cry when he doesn’t come back on time from a mission…

A sob finds its way out of your body, sandwiched between two moans. You’re not sure Poe even heard it until his voice reaches your ears again, this time gentler.

“Sweets? Is this working for you?”

You take a shuddering breath before answering.

“No.”

You practically hear Poe slump in defeat, the rhythm of his hand on his length slowing down. You bite your lip before continuing.

“Take me, Poe.”

“What?” Poe whirls around so fast you feel the air woosh over you as he disturbs it. You jump to your feet, still facing away from him and yank your flight suit over your shoulders and down your body, stepping out so it pools on the ground. He watches as you get back down on your hands and knees before him in your underwear, ass in the air, waiting for him to catch up.

“I need you, Poe. Just…just please get inside me,” you say, reaching back to pull the damp fabric of your panties aside, exposing your glistening, swollen folds for him to see.

You don’t have to ask him a third time. He’s on you so fast that you’re confused by his motions. It takes a few seconds before you realize that he’s taken your discarded flight suit and stretched it out on the ground, positioning you over it so that your hands and knees are protected from the dirt. The sweetness of this considerate action is offset by the way his fingers dig harshly into your hips, maneuvering your ass so that it lines up with his pelvis. You tilt forward, aided by pressure on your lower back which raises your click cunt to the level of his cock.  

“I’m going to make you feel so good – ”

“No more words, Dameron. Just shut up and get your cock inside – FUCK.” He spears you mid-sentence and you immediately fall down onto your elbows. Your ass still in the air, held in place by his hard grip, receives a smack and you cry out, feeling no pain. Only pleasure as the sting ripples through you and into your clenching cunt. He feels it deep inside you and groans.

“Maybe you’re the one who needs to shut up, baby.” His words issue forth from gritted teeth. “Always fucking teasing me with that fucking mouth.” His hips rut into yours, taking up an unforgiving pace, while the rest of his body folds over yours so his chest pressed flush to your back. One hand closes tightly around your chin, wrenching up your head and dragging a finger over your bottom lip which has grown plump from biting. “This beautiful, bossy fucking mouth. Always telling me off, telling me what to do.”

Your tongue darts out to meet his skin and his other fingers caress your chin in response. It’s a stark contrast to the almost feral way he is still clutching your hip and driving into you over and over.

There’s almost no resistance. You’re tight, cunt clutching onto his throbbing cock in an effort to keep him buried inside, but you’re wetter than you’ve ever been and it’s making his thrusts effortless. You assume it’s a side effect of the drink. But in some part of your brain you can’t believe that a plant could possibly make a man’s cock feel as good as Poe’s does right now inside you. How a plant could cause you to feel pleasure that is not simply rooted in the way his hand drags down from your jaw to wrench your breasts out of the cups of your bra. How a plant could in any way magnify the surely already intoxicating feeling of Poe’s mouth working at the side of your neck, the curve of your shoulder.

“This working, baby? This doing it?” Poe checks in then, not relenting in his thrusts. Never relenting. “You’re squeezing me, so I know your little pussy likes it.”

A shuddering gasp kicks through you before you can answer his question and he laughs. The vibrations go straight from his cock to your clit and you whimper some more.

“Your sounds. I want to record these little sounds you’re making and play them back when I’m flying. Have you fill the space in my x-wing till I can’t take it any more.” Poe presses a kiss to the back of your shoulder, nipping and then laving the skin over with his tongue. “I’m going to hear these sounds in my dreams.”

“It’s…just…the drink,” you practically hiccup, barely able to form thoughts from the way your body has focused all energy, all recognitions of nerve endings to the space between your thighs. Poe slaps your ass again and you keen.

“Just listen to yourself, baby. No drink is making you sound this hot. That’s all you, Sweets.”

Before you can argue further you do take a second to listen. To the way your shallow breaths mix with whimpers and whines. The gurgle in the back of your throat when his cock bounces against your cervix. He’s right. It is hot. You are hot. You reach a hand down to your clit, desperate to increase the already mind-blowing stimulation, greedy for more.

“You feel so good. You’re sosososogood,” you barely manage to slur. Despite your inability to fully speak you make the attempt because you assume that if hearing your gasps is egging him on, your words will amplify it. And amplify it they do. Poe’s hips stutter for a second before he drops down heavier on you, thrusting deeper and from a more primal place. A hand savagely kneads at one of your breasts, playing with the nipple.  

“I’ve never been this full. I can’t take it, I can’t…”

“Seems like you’re taking it pretty well, baby,” Poe coos, pressing more kisses to the side of your neck.

“I need m-more,” you gasp, realizing with urgency that the pressure in your core is finally building past the plateau of the last…hour? Half an hour? How long had this been going on? All night? It doesn’t matter because Poe’s inside you and he’s listening to you and suddenly you’re being slammed into with all the force he can muster. He expertly wrings pleasure from your body and you feel yourself careening toward a release that you can’t describe. Just out of reach and full of all the potential energy inherent in an object rocketing toward the moon only to soon plummet back to the depths.

“Poe! I…I…oh fuck…oh gods…I…”

“Go on, baby. Cum.”

“You ha- ahhhh. But you…y-you…” You’re babbling. You’re incoherent, not wanting to leave him behind in the blinding ache that comes before release. Your hands are fisting in the flight suit below you, desperate for something solid, something substantial to hold onto.

“Don’t wait for me, Sweets. Let go.”

And then his hands are closing over yours, fingers interlacing and squeezing down, pinning you to the ground with white knuckles that would hurt if you weren’t squeezing him right back, finally grounded in the way you needed.

And you’re cumming.

And cumming.

You feel every muscle in your body seize and spasm and bliss roils out through you in waves. You shake and stutter under him, feeling fresh wetness gush down around his cock as he fucks you through the feeling. You keep waiting for it to stop but it doesn’t, it only intensifies. It must be a side effect. Of the drink not the man. But when you feel yourself transcending the moment, the way your soul feels like it is literally floating above you, you use the out of body experience to take in the man who is causing this pleasure. The way he cages you in, bracing you through the storm of your orgasm, giving more and more to keep the flame burning as long as possible.

His muscles ultimately seize sometime around when your soul seems to sink back into your body and you’re one again enough with your senses that you can feel him paint your walls with sticky, hot cum. He doesn’t drop his weight on you like other men have after the completion of such exertions. Other men who had focused more on the destination than the journey, leaving you as wanting for release as you were wanting for air under the pressure of their body weight. Instead, Poe pulls you of you and flops to his back in the grass beside you. Without him holding you up you crumble down, face pressing into the fabric of your rumpled flight suit instead of the dirt, thanks to Poe.

A few minutes pass, silent except for the sound of your slowing gasps for air. When your breathing evens Poe sits up on his haunches to guide you back into your flight suit. You’re sticky from sweat and your combined cum, but you couldn’t care less with your bones liquified and your eyelids heavy. Gone is the buzzing ache, in its place a heavy sleepiness. When Poe lays you, now clothed, gingerly back down on the ground you automatically curl into him, allowing him to wrap his arms around your body.

Neither of you shares another word. You don’t have to.

Because shortly after you doze off. And for the first time in a long time your final thoughts before sleep overtakes you are not of the dread the morning will bring, but the solace you found in the night.

~*~

When you wake it’s to a dawn as grey as all the ones before it. Hazy with receding fog and with the promise of all the danger that looms ahead in the hours soon to follow. One of the planet’s suns has already breached the horizon, and you raise a hand to cover your eyes as you peer out from under the x-wing’s protective wing. Looking down you take stock.

Your flight suit is on but fully unzipped, leaving your chest and stomach entirely exposed, all the way down to your lower belly. A large hand covers one of your breasts, fingers twitching against your flesh as the man attached to it continues to dream. You follow the length of his arm to take in his body, tucked close into your own, equally unzipped, his broad torso showing through the gaping fabric. You watch Poe’s abdominal muscles contract with his inhales and exhales for a moment while you check in with your body.

The humming from last night is gone, that much is for certain. This makes you believe that the effects of the drink have worn off. You’re quick to question this hypothesis, however, when Poe stirs in his sleep and his hand squeezes down a bit on your breast. Your breath catches in your throat and fire shoots through your veins. A lingering symptom, you wonder. Or perhaps just a normal, biological reaction to sexual stimuli. You kick yourself mentally because of course it has to be the latter. It couldn’t be the third option which you won’t even allow yourself to fully consider.  

You require a shower urgently, it occurs to you suddenly. And food, a realization that coincides with a rumbling in your empty stomach. Knowing you’ll never have a good enough excuse to extricate yourself from this gorgeous man’s arms you steel your nerves and pull away. When you stand, Poe groans and allows an eye to crack open, his hand flying up to shield his eyes from the rising sun. You’re silhouetted against the dawn and he takes in your outline. The curves of you.

“Morning, Sweets,” he says, voice hoarse with sleep this time instead of sex.

“Morning, Fly Boy,” you reply simply with a small smile. You feel a buzzing in the pocket of your suit then and pull out your mini com unit, even more portable than your usual data pad. The message that blares across the screen and you relay it before Poe can reach his own device which had similarly vibrated.

“We’ve got a new mission. Briefing is in an hour and then we take off.” The information feels stilted as it leaves your lips. How can you feel so entirely, earth-shatteringly changed and yet in many ways everything is still the same. The sun still came up. The war still rages on.

You look down at Poe and his intense expression as he watches you makes you think that he’s wondering the same thing.

Your heart thumps in your chest, this time unaided by any drugged drink or the eyes or hands of a man whose existence seemed both your making and undoing. Routine is the only thing that can calm these nerves. Routine is what is required to survive war. Routine and protocol and boundaries.

You zip up your flight suit with finality.

“See you at the briefing?” you ask, though its more statement than question.

“Of course.” Poe’s response is quiet as he continues to watch you from his reclining position. You’re still above him and at a distance, a position he often associates with you.

You smile and give him a good natured salute before turning and making you way back toward the town where you know the rest of the Resistance members are already bustling about and preparing for the day.

Another day you hope you, and Poe, will be lucky enough to outlive.

~*~

Doing a smaller taglist since it’s a Poe fic and I’m not sure if everyone on my usual taglist is into it (Please let me know if you’d like to be added or removed for future work!): @paper-n-ashes @mariesackler @tlcwrites @foxilayde @mylifeisactuallyamess @sacklerscumrag @jynzandtonic @millenialcatlady @barbers-glimmerin-darlin @hopeamarsu @direnightshade @leather-flannel-liquor @fizzywoohoo @aliveandlonely @wayward-rose @safarigirlsp @emeraldsiren20 @finn-ray-nal-beads @maryforyou @maybe-your-left

#Poe Dameron x reader #Poe Dameron x you #Poe Dameron/reader #Poe Dameron/you #Poe Dameron fanfiction #Poe Dameron smut #smut #writing #The Night that Follows fic #star wars fanfiction #star wars smut #roanniom #tw: alcohol #cw: alcohol #sex pollen #tw: drugged drink #cw: drugged drink #angst #Poe Dameron angst #cw: drugs #tw: unprotected sex

[bookishofalder]

Night Changes [Six]

Summary: In which Poe and the reader recover, and feelings intensify. A mission brings them closer, and memories give us insight into their pasts.

Warnings: Language, violence, smut, fluff, emotions, angst. Everything you came for.

Poe was wandering aimlessly, his feet scuffing along the dirt road as he kept his eyes focused downward, his cheeks stained with tracks of dried tears. His unruly curls were falling into his face, somewhat shielding his eyes from the lowering sun as he ventured around his neighbourhood. When another sniffle threatened, he cleared his throat aggressively and choked it back.

His father told Poe that it was more than okay to cry, as much as he wanted and for as long as he needed. It wasn’t that he was ashamed of crying and showing his emotions, nor was it why he hadn’t yet gone back home. It was just...he was tired; of crying, of feeling so enormously miserable. And now that the funeral and life celebration was over, it felt suddenly very final. Like the second he walked through the door tonight, it would hit him that she was never coming back.

That she was lost to the stars, forever.

It still didn’t feel real, not fully, and so when they were making their way home a short while ago, Poe froze up when they turned the corner onto their lonely stretch of road. He couldn’t bring himself to continue walking, and after a few moments, his father had glanced around to find Poe standing several feet back. A look of sorrow and understanding had crossed his face before he pulled him in for a tight hug and suggested that he take a walk. Told Poe to take his time and come home when he felt ready, that he’d be waiting up no matter the time. Dad was good like that, never pushed but always seemed to understand, to tell Poe he was seen.

He was on a street not too far from home now, the sun low and golden and the temperature easing just enough, though Poe was still sweating a little. He was considering removing his sweater when a voice to his left cut through the air very suddenly.

“Duck!”

He did, not needing to be told twice even though he wasn’t sure what he was avoiding. Glancing up, Poe saw a large red ball fly over his head and instinctively reached up and caught it before it could get too far. When he looked around, standing back up, a boy that looked to be his age was running toward him, his eyes crinkled in a friendly way as he pulled a face that conveyed his apologies.

“Wow, sorry!” The boy said, coming to a halt in front of Poe and panting. He pointed at the ball, “I was aiming for my sister’s head, but I’m not the best kicker.” He admitted, and Poe smiled at the boy’s candour.

“That’s okay, you missed me too,” He held the ball out for the boy, but before he could hand it over a girl, who looked to be a couple of years younger, came barreling over. Her face scrunched in anger that Poe wanted to think was adorable, but it was also kind of scary.

That was the first time Poe saw you.

“Charlie mommy said not to do that anymore!” You shouted, ripping the ball from Poe’s hands and then aggressively tossing it toward your house. It bounced until it hit the duracrete side, rolling to a stop. “You’re a massive-“

“Hey, don’t swear in front of-oh,” The boy paused and looked back over at Poe, who was standing somewhat awkwardly as he watched the siblings exchange. “Sorry, what’s your name?”

You were both looking at him now, your faces friendly and open. “I’m...Poe. Dameron. Poe Dameron.” He mumbled nervously, suddenly feeling too tired and hot. His face flushed a little from the heat and embarrassment, and he just knew you were both going to think he was a real loser.

“Poe Dameron, nice to meet you, buddy! I’m Charlie and this pipsqueak-“ The boy-Charlie- broke off to ruffle your hair as you rolled your eyes, “Is my sister (y/n). We’ve seen you around before, you must live close.”

Poe nodded, “Yeah, just over by-“

“Why are you dressed like that?” You asked suddenly, a hand shooting out to pluck at his black sweater.

Poe hesitated, unsure of how to explain without immediately scaring both of you off. You were surprisingly serious for a little kid, your big eyes sweeping over his face and taking in his red eyes, before again taking in his outfit.

But when you looked back up at met Poe’s nervous gaze, your lips tugged up ever so slightly in a way that...well, it made him trust you. He didn’t know why, but he looked between you and the equally friendly face of your brother and didn’t sense a shred of hostility or insincerity.

“My mom just died, today was,” He took in a shuddering breath, the words heavier to admit than he ever could have imagined, and yet just saying it out loud was surprisingly freeing, “The funeral. I was just...I wasn’t ready to go home yet, I guess.”

Poe had stared at your bare feet as he spoke, focusing on the wiggling toes because he didn’t want to see the pity on your faces after spending the last few days receiving nothing but pitying looks from everyone he’d ever known. He was entirely caught off guard when he heard you give a little gasp, then launched yourself into him, your arms wrapping around his waist and pulling him into an unexpected, firm hug.

“Poe that’s awful,” You whimpered, peering up at him with tears eyes.

Poe felt it then, the shift inside of him that he wouldn’t realize for a very long time was his universe colliding with yours, the staggering sensation of his soul meeting your soul for the very first time. He was too young to know this, of course, but the intensity of his feelings was felt nonetheless. The first thing he did recognize was that he really, really wanted to prevent you from looking so sad.

Charlie’s hand clapped down on his shoulder as Poe gazed down at you in surprise, only seconds had passed, “We’re really sorry about your mom, Poe,” He smiled sadly as he spoke, shaking his head a little. After a moment his gaze shifted to you, “Kid, he’s already warm! Give him some space!”

You almost seemed surprised at your reaction to Poe’s news, though upon hearing Charlie’s admonishment, you quite suddenly jumped away from him, as though you had been electrocuted, all while furiously apologizing to Poe.

You were so adorable and sincere that Poe laughed. For the first time since his father had come into his room and kneeled next to the bed with the most heartbreaking expression to tell him his mother had died, he laughed. Full bellied, the muscles in his face stretching upward into a wide grin, Poe Dameron laughed. There was only a slight pause before you and Charlie joined in, your pealing giggles filling his ears as Charlie held his shoulder and stars, did it ever feel good.

Poe was still just a kid, even though his mom had died and he’d had to suffer through heartbreak that no child ever should, he was at heart still only ten years old. Yet as he stood on the front lawn laughing with the Horn children he was overwhelmed by the feeling of home he found in you both. He knew this was the start of something incredible.

Charlie gestured toward the ball once the laughter began to fade, “Do you have to go home yet, or do you want to play with us for a bit, Poe?” Charlie asked, gesturing toward the ball.

You were nodding eagerly next to him, and with a glance at the sun to confirm it wasn’t yet too late to stay, Poe smiled at his new friends, his eyes meet yours as he answered. “I’d love to.”

————-

Your hips swayed lazily to the music as you eased your way through the evening crowd gathered at Maz Kanata’s cantina. Poe kept close behind you, his face relaxed but his eyes flicking carefully around the room, watching for signs of trouble, his senses on high alert. He kept his face neutral, holding back the frown he found himself tempted to make as strangers' eyes fell down your body when you passed them, drinking in your curves.

You found an empty booth and sat, propping your legs on the seat across from you, the picture of ease and comfort when you smiled up at Poe. He tried to mimic your relaxation, but you’d always been much better at acting a part than him when it came to the cause you both fought for. He had trouble pretending to not be on edge, and so he kept close to you. Not just for safety, but also to be considered a protective partner, rather than an undercover Rebel.

With a small wink, you patted the seat next to you to give Poe permission, that you knew he needed, to sit close to you. He flung an arm behind you, resting against the booth seat, and spread his legs wide in hopes of appearing at ease. Your hand patted his knee briefly and he had to actively work at not tensing under the heat of your touch.

You sat in silence together for a few minutes before Jess Pava cut through the crowd to join you, her hands holding four drinks carefully that you jumped up to help her with. Your body leaned over Poe’s as you plucked two drinks from the fellow pilot’s hands, and he had to take a small breath to steady himself due to your proximity. Stars.

‘Your system is entirely flushed of the pollen, Commander. We ran the extra tests you requested and they came up the same as the previous.’

‘But I feel so...you know what, never mind. If you say it’s gone, then I believe you.’

You handed him his drink and he raised it in thanks, then pretended to take a sip. None of you would be drinking this evening, because you were working but it would have looked suspicious if you’d all sat down in the cantina without them.

“Thanks, Jess,” You sat back down, your thigh only inches from Poe’s. He watched Jess toss you a flirtatious wink and rolled his eyes in amusement as you flushed in response. She had always loved to flirt with you.

“Well, I’m not sure when exactly our friend will arrive but he can usually be counted on to be on time when there are free drinks.” Jess rapped her knuckles on the table, her eyes drifting around the room casually. She’d been based at an outpost nearby Takodana and was the lead on the current intel handoff that required Poe and you.

You scoffed, “I don’t care if he’s late. But if his intel isn’t as good as he claims, I’m shooting him before I ask questions.” Out of the corner of his eye, Poe saw your fingers twitch on your shooting arm; as though you were tempted to pull the hidden blaster from your backpack.

Poe nodded in agreement, “Not that it isn’t lovely to see you, Jess.”

She laughed as Poe grinned, sitting back into her seat to get more comfortable while waiting for the contact to show up. Each of you was dressed to look like casual, tired travellers. In various shades of khaki, Poe wore a light linen shirt tucked into his pants, his blaster hidden in the waistband at his lower back, his regular boots exchanged for a worn pair of travelling boots that were anything but comfortable. You were wearing the same light linen, though the tunic you wore was tighter fitting, tucking into loose-fitting shorts that hit mid-thigh, the look revealing a lot more skin than he was used to seeing.

It was distracting, you were distracting to him, especially as you sat so close to him that he could feel your body heat, smell your shampoo.

Poe and you had been released from the med bay two days before this mission on Takodana. He’d returned twice to demand further testing, unbeknownst to you because he wanted to be certain he would never hurt you again. He’d woken up feeling pretty spectacular, that first day after receiving what Tahla told him had been special transfusions to clear out the pollen. His friend had said it would feel intense, the new clarity in his mind, because he’d spent nearly a month unknowingly gripped by a fog that only increased each time Poe and you touched.

And stars, it was true how free and open his mind felt now. It was like losing a large amount of weight all at once, and with his newfound clarity, he thought there would be a substantial decrease in his attraction to you-enough, that is, to stop his thoughts from wondering and his heart rate to increase every time he so much as looked at you, but that hadn’t happened. Instead, it was like the exact opposite had occurred; free of the effects of the pollen, Poe was no longer confused or overwhelmed by his feelings, rather they had all seemed to be glaringly obvious.

Now, instead of looking at you and remembering what had happened after the pollen exposure, Poe simply became distracted because you were beautiful. Equal parts protectiveness, adoration and attraction surged within him anytime he glanced your way now, and it didn’t feel wrong or confusing any longer. There had been a few times now where you’d looked at him similarly, and he wondered, or rather, hoped, that maybe you were feeling the same.

With a low sigh, you shifted next to Poe, recrossing your legs as your feet rested on the seat opposite, and Poe’s eyes automatically swept over your form. He sensed your apprehension and impatience and let his hand fall forward slightly, sweeping some of your loose hair away from your neck. His belly warmed when he saw you shiver a little.

Pulling his gaze away from you, he glanced around the room once again. Maz Kanata’s was a neutral territory, which meant that coming in disguise was as important as it was to keep your blaster nearby. The place was filled with a mixed bag of smugglers, spies, travellers and more. There was no telling who could be in the room and with you at his side, Poe was hyper-aware of the risks that being members of the Resistance held and he was as eager to leave, with the intel, as he knew you were.

“Oh, here’s our green friend now,” Jess’s voice pulled Poe from his thoughts and he glanced around, spotting the Twi’lek man approaching their table with an easy-going smile.

“Fucking finally,” You murmured to Poe, your warm breath brushing against his neck and raising goosebumps along his skin.

He was starting to wonder if you were doing these things on purpose, now.

-

Medical Bay Two Days Prior

You awoke somewhat rapidly with a gasp, almost sitting up as you came to, only a hand on your shoulder that seemed to be expecting the reaction cautioned you to remain laying down. You allowed your body to relax, your eyes still shut.

A distant and possibly familiar voice was speaking to you quietly, though you couldn’t make out the words yet.

To wake yourself up properly, you pulled in a deep breath and focused on yourself for a moment, noticing how good you felt, your body light and pain-free. And your head...it felt so clear.

The memories came back, then, of walking down the hallway toward the hangar with Poe, his hands touching you more and more like he couldn’t help himself. How good those hands felt until each of you was falling to the ground in twisted versions of ecstasy. It had been painful, terrifying, and you remembered clinging to him both in panic and for safety as you screamed, Temmin appearing and then it all slips away, the last thing you could recall was the stinging sensation in your arm. It must have been a quick dose of bacta, enough to keep you from dying even though you still passed out from the overstimulation of everything.

As you thought of Poe, panic began to rise within you and you heard the resulting increase in your nearby heart rate monitor. Had they been able to save him, too? Or had he...oh, what if he-

“Major, relax, you need to calm yourself. You are alright. Commander Dameron is safe as well-yes, that’s right, breath for me, Poe is safe, good, good.” The voice next to you was soothing, the firm hand on your arm rubbing up and down gently as your heart rate decreased.

Poe was safe. Your Poe.

And then the clarity hit, no longer blurred by your panic over Poe’s condition, and the monitor picked up the brief spike as your mind caught you up. It was like...the pollen had mangled and warped your feelings, pushing back everything that mattered most to focus on what your body wanted, what it wanted your bodies to do. It left you both in need, even after you worked through the initial exposure, and you hadn’t even realized it. It was like a filter on your brain, not blocking out the real stuff, but keeping you more and more focused on Poe in a sexual way the more you touched, until it all became too much.

But now you could feel everything real and it was almost too much to suddenly bear. You knew you’d forgiven him, that you’d each begun repairs on your broken friendship, falling back into a comfortable pattern...but stars, it was so much fucking more, wasn’t it? You were completely-

With another gasp, you opened your eyes before the realization could send you into a panic, and the Healer next to you prevented you from sitting up again, coming into focus now as you adjusted to the sunny medical room. You saw a privacy curtain around your bed, then looked at the person standing over you.

You blinked in surprise as you gazed at the Healer because you knew him.

“Tahla!” You cried out in delight, and he let you move finally so that you could pull him down to you for a bone-crushing hug. He laughed, a rich baritone he definitely hadn’t had when you last saw him on Yavin-4 years ago.

“Hey kid,” He said, pulling back to gaze down at you with a wide smile, “Welcome back. How do you feel?” He searched your face in a way that told he was there in a professional capacity as much as a friendly one.

“I...well, shit,” You stammered, struggling to sit up. He helped you, adjusting your pillow behind your shoulders and then pulling your blanket up a little. “My head feels so clear, I can’t believe it.” He nodded knowingly as you gazed up at him, looking at his Healer uniform, then to the medical droid next to him waiting for instructions.

Noticing your shift in focus, Tahla pointed in question to the edge of your bed and you nodded, scooting your legs out of the way so that he could sit. He settled, then took one of your hands into his own. “It’s been a few years, hasn’t it?” He asked you softly, “I’m sorry about that. And for not being able to make it to Charlie’s funeral, either.”

“You don’t owe me any apologies, Tahla Martell, you should know that,” You replied quietly, squeezing his hand, “Not after everything you’ve done for me.”

He sighed, nodding his understanding as you both remember your last few months on Yavin-4. He then glanced back at you and despite the faint laugh lines around his eyes, the more dense peppering of facial stubble, you thought he looked much the same as he had all those years ago. Based on how his eyes were roving over your face, you believe he was thinking the same thing.

“I suppose it goes without saying, but I am a Healer now, a specialist actually. In foreign contaminants. My team was responding to the General’s request for assistance, but when I saw your name and Poe’s name on the patient files, I decided to come myself,” He explained, tossing you a little smile that told you he just knew you’d get yourself into trouble someday. You grinned back at him. “The Healer’s here put you both into temporary medical comas, and once I arrived yesterday I was able to complete the transfusions required to clear your system of any and all lingering toxins.”

Frowning now at the memories of the last month, you shook your head, “Tahla, I really fucked up on this-”

“No,” He interrupted softly, and you felt yourself flush a little from the sincerity of the look he was giving you. “You didn’t. That pollen is one of the more lethal ones known to us in the field. The fact that you were both able to survive this long...and once you were exposed, you were both technically compromised. The pollen didn’t want you to report the exposure, that wasn’t a lapse on your part,” He paused, thinking over his next words carefully as you waited patiently with your guilt-ridden heart sitting in your throat. “One could argue that had there not been a delay in your return to base, meaning the three-day travel, it could have been more likely you’d have reported what happened. But because you and Poe were exposed together, worked out the initial effects together, and subsequently remained within close proximity during the travels home, there was absolutely no chance of either of you making that correct call.”

You let that linger for a moment, closing your eyes as the build-up of emotion swelled. It wasn’t your fault. You didn’t fuck up. Though, you couldn’t help but wonder how far-reaching the pollen’s hold on you was. When you opened your eyes, Tahla was watching you closely with an expectant expression, as though he sensed the direction of your thoughts.

“Did-did it affect everything I did and said? That P-Poe-?”

“No, just the more, shall we say, primal parts,” He said thoughtfully, “I read the report you did submit, and I found it interesting. You stated the trip home was fairly uneventful. Was that true, to your recollection?”

“Oh,” You thought back to those three days after you’d made up with Poe. “It really was.”

Tahla bobbed his head in thought, “It’s unique, I think, that exposure happened to two people who had a pre-existing friendship beyond being mere teammates. At least in our reports over the years. Do you recall wanting to touch Poe, but not allowing yourself to do so?”

You stared at Tahla in surprise, “Yes, right after we rolled through the bush that they were growing from. Why?”

He ran a hand over his jaw, brows furrowed in thought. “I think the pollen had its work cut out for it, getting you both to ignore your instincts to protect one another. If you were fighting it that early, well, that’s the first time I’ve heard of such a thing,” He tapped over his lips now and you could practically hear his scientific brain whirring away. “Even the timeline here is beyond anything I’ve ever come across. You were both able to resist initially, then worked the first dose out of your system. But when you came back to base, you were still fighting against the urges and that is...something else. The more you touched, the harder it was not to touch, am I right?”

You wanted to feel more embarrassed at the questions, but you were too caught up in what he might be getting at to give a damn. So instead, you nodded, “Harder not too, but felt more dangerous to continue.”

“I think the preexisting friendship played a major role here, it allowed you both to walk around nearly for a month when you should have been succumbing within a day after the initial-hold on, what symptoms have you had since you’ve been back, other than what we’ve discussed?”

He gave you an intense look then, and now you flushed a lot because you were hoping not to have to talk about the dreams. “I was uh, having dreams. Nightly, or like really early in the mornings. They woke me up.” You bit nervously at your cheek.

Tahla, ever the Healer at heart, got straight to the point. “You were having sexual dreams that woke you up because you orgasmed?”

You pulled your hand from him, covering your face, “Yeah, but it was like only a second or two of relief. And then I’d be worked up all day...tried, you know, before bed to see if it helped, but nothing did.”

“Huh,” Tahla grunted, going quiet for a few minutes as he thought. You suddenly felt very grateful you were having this conversation with him and not any other Healer’s. Stars. “Remarkable.”

You peeked out from behind your hands, “Tahla, are you saying that because Poe and I care for each other so much, we were able to fight against the pollen to a degree? That what happened the other day was the result of too much touching after so much time resisting?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying, or theorizing at this point,” He replied, and you huffed out a breath. This was too much to think about. He seemed to sense your exhaustion and reached out to grip your shoulder. “Back to the initial question, though, you were both still yourselves underneath the underlying desire to, well, you know.”

He laughed a little shyly then and you smirked, quirking a brow in surprise. “Oh now he gets shy,” You giggled, “Stars, Tahla.”

“I know,” He agreed, laughing along with you, “I suppose it doesn’t make sense for us, considering our history. It was my poor attempt at being delicate after asking such personal questions.” He blushed a little and you couldn’t help but grin at him.

You shrugged, “Honestly, I’m glad you’re asking. I want to understand it all, and I’m sure Poe will want to as well. Have you spoken to him at all? Is he awake?” You wanted to see him, tell him everything was okay now.

Tahla opened his mouth to reply, only another voice cut in from the other side of the curtain. “I’m awake, sweetheart.” Your friend stood then and walked around to the other side of your bed, pulling the curtain along as he did. You watched Poe come into view, sitting on his bed with his legs over the side, and you knew straight away he’d heard everything. Meeting his gaze, you felt your stomach flutter in a sudden wave of nerves, because there he was.

Your Poe.

Tahla was saying something to him, but you couldn’t focus on what because you were lost in his eyes, drinking in his features, the soft expression on his face as he gazed at you, and you realized that whatever Tahla had done to cure you of the pollen, it had worked. Because you were looking at Poe now without any barriers-no pollen, no grief, no anger-and you felt like you were back on Gold team, the night before Charlie died, walking across the cantina as Poe watched you and you started to realize how you felt...

He pulled his gaze away, meeting Tahla’s outstretched hand and you looked to your hands where they sat in your lap. You swallowed, your mouth suddenly dry, though the hovering medical droid passed you a cup of water moments later and provided a nice distraction from your thoughts.

“Well, you’ll both remain here for a few more hours just for observation, but I’m releasing you at dinner time. You’re cleared for duty, so I’m sure you’ll be in the field as of tomorrow.”

“And we...you’re sure, one hundred percent sure, that nothing else can happen? That I-we-“ Poe broke off awkwardly, and you kept your eyes on the drink in your hand.

“I’m completely, entirely sure, Commander.” Tahla assured you both, “Listen, I’ll be off by dinner time so I’d love to catch up if you’re both up to it?”

You glanced up, meeting Tahla’s warm eyes, “That sounds great, Tahla.”

You saw Poe nod out of the corner of your eye, “Yeah man, see you then.”

He left you then, not before reminding you both to relax, and throwing a wink your way that you knew Poe hadn’t seen. When the door shut behind him, you were both silent for a long minute, though you could sense Poe looking at you. And you felt...nervous, under his gaze now, though you wanted to look at him as well, you were afraid of what he might read from your expression. He’d always been able to read you well, and you him.

“How are you doing, sweetheart?” He finally broke the silence, his voice low.

You clasped your hands in your lap, then looked up and met Poe’s eyes. The heart rate monitor gave you away, gave you both away. Each of you gazed at one another, hearts racing, and you thought it felt really good to be looking at Poe, no pollen making it about sex. Instead, you looked over at your best friend and realized how much you cared for him. How much you missed him. How scared you had been to lose him again.

Before you could overthink it, you were out of your bed. It was only a few steps to his, just enough time for Poe to sit up straight, eyes bright, before catching you in his arms. You flung yours around his shoulders and pulled him close, stepping between his legs as you did. “Poe,” You murmured, and his arms tightened around you in response.

You slid one hand into the curls at the nape of his neck, smiling to yourself when you heard him give a low sigh in response. He pressed his face into your neck, making you feel safer than you’d ever felt in your life, wrapped there in his arms. You think you were both putting a lot of things left unsaid into the hug, neither of you quite ready to talk it all out, but silently agreeing all was forgiven.

And as clear as you realized your feelings were for Poe Dameron, you also knew that you weren’t ready to voice them aloud, no longer because you denied them, but rather because you feared they wouldn’t be reciprocated.

-

Poe didn’t trust the contact, despite the Twi’lek’s easy smile and friendly banter. His opinion was possibly coloured by the fact that Dario had first greeted Jess, whom he’d met several times, before promptly and very obviously dropping his gaze to check you out and then making a show of shaking your hand as Poe glowered at him. He would have remained angrier had he not noticed you shift a little closer to him once Dario looked away to take his seat.

“Listen, I think considering the shit I’ve gone through to give you this information, the least you can all do is enjoy another drink with me,” Dario stated, tapping his glass with a long green finger. “At least make me feel like we’re friendly, Jess.”

Jess rolled her eyes, her jaw tight, “Don’t pretend to suffer more than you do, Dario, it’s unbecoming.” The Twi’lek barked laughter in response. Jess sighed, “We can stay a little longer, and then we’re giving you your credits and you are giving us our intel and we’re leaving, got it?”

“Fine, fine,” He relented, glancing around at the three of you, “Well, who's buying this round?”

Poe wasn’t about to let the man out of his sight, something that you understood just from the set of his shoulders because you sat forward instantly, “I’ll go,” You shot Poe a look that said you were just as annoyed as him before standing up and stepped past him carefully.

Dario noticed the way Poe’s eyes determinedly stared at the table when you stepped over his lap. And he didn’t let it go unmentioned, either, “So are you two a thing or do you just enjoy the heavy sexual tension you carry for one another?”

Jess tried to hide her laughter in her drink, giving Poe an apologetic sort of look when he glared at her. “You said friendly, not friends. I’m not going to let you braid my hair and ask about feelings and shit.” He huffed, to which Dario simply chuckled, raising his glass at Poe.

“Sorry, sorry. Just wanted to be prepared if you suddenly started going at it on the table.”

“You know what man,” Poe growled through clenched teeth, leaning forward, “You suck at making friends.”

Dario raised his green hands in mock surrender, “Then you won’t mind that a smuggler just pinched her ass?” He jerked his chin toward the bar and Poe whipped his head around, seeking you out in the crowd.

Sure enough, you were leaning against the bar and a large, unruly-looking man was standing way too fucking close. Poe was out of his seat in an instant, catching your eye as he approached. The thing about places like Maz’s was that if a little traveller woman like you suddenly pulled out highly skilled hand-to-hand combat moves, it would draw a lot of attention, which your group was rather eager to avoid. Poe, on the other hand, could easily get away with what he decided to do the moment he saw you flinch, the smuggler having pinched you again.

Wordlessly, he pulled you close with one hand and grabbed the back of the smuggler's neck at the same time. Before he could react to Poe’s sudden appearance, his face was smacking off of the bar. He folded somewhat comically, unconscious on the floor. Poe looked at the bartender now placing the drinks on the counter.

“Here’s a few extra credits for the trouble, man.” He passed them over, and the gruff-looking man merely grumbled his thanks, pocketing the credits and then directing a nearby droid to drag the man outside.

“That was satisfying,” You quipped at his side, drawing Poe’s gaze. You pitched your voice lower to prevent anyone from overhearing you, “I think you broke his nose, flyboy.”

Poe laughed, releasing his hold on you but moving his hand to rest on your lower back, just in case anyone else thought they could come near you. “You good? I can go outside and finish him off, you know.” He was only half-joking, and you arched a brow at him before reaching out to pick up the drinks, passing two to him to carry.

“If I can resist the urge to kill him, then you can too,” You replied, leading the way back to the table. “But thank you all the same.”

Before he could reply, Poe met the amused expression on Dario’s face and frowned at him over your shoulder. Jess was determinedly looking anywhere but Poe, which told him enough about where her loyalties were. And while you’d been all smiles for him moments ago, evidently your patience had been torn to shreds from your interaction with the smuggler.

“Alright, here’s your fucking drink,” You growled, slamming the glass on the table in front of Dario, “Now hand over the intel or I’m kicking your ass.” Poe had to bite back a proud smile.

Dario exhaled as he gave you a weary look, “Wow, you’re kind of scary when you get all worked up,” He admitted, shooting back his drink in one go, “Since I don’t think you really want to be my friend now, I’ll give up on the attempt here at civility.”

You gave a cold laugh as Jess leaned toward Dario, “Look, you promised me good intel, good enough that I called in these two to get it straight from you rather than risk it hopping between squadrons. Hand it over and you get your credits and a continued pass from our people to remain on Takodana peacefully.”

With a roll of his icy blue eyes, the Twi-lek man reached into an inner front pocket of his jacket and pulled out a data stick, passing it to you. You grabbed for it but Dario didn’t let go straight away, instead leaning forward to meet your eyes levelly as you both held the intel. “Probably should mention one thing,” He began, and Poe felt himself go rigid, eyes on Dario.

“Oh yeah?” You replied coldly, giving another tug on the intel.

Dario let go of it, “The man I stole that from has a lot of people working for him and I may have been made a few minutes ago. More than likely there are First Order officers on their way, which is why you’ll be happy to hear I no longer want your money. Just sneak me out the back with you and I’ll be on my merry way, deal?”

Poe’s eyes flicked around the room, seeing no immediate threats but fully aware that sneaking out was going to be an issue with so little warning. You had stiffened, then quickly pushed the data stick down the front of your shirt into your chest band before reaching across the table and grabbing Dario’s shirt roughly, tugging him close. “You motherfuck-“

Jess was already typing into her comm as you let loose on Dario, unleashing the fury of your words in place of kicking the shit out of him and Poe continued to survey the room. “Poe,” Jess said, and he glanced toward her, “I’ve got back up coming in for a distraction in two. You’ll have to go out the doorway to the south, take a long way around to your ship.”

“Well, it was great seeing you again, Jess,” He replied lightly, “We’ll have to do this again sometime. Everything, the bad drinks, the toxic masculinity, our idiot Twi’lek the Major is currently teaching a new language. Really, it’s been wonderful.” With a final laugh, Jess reached over and patted your head in farewell, winked at Poe, and then sprinted away from the table to meet her backup outside. The distant sounds of shouting and a sudden loud bang was all the warning Poe needed a minute later.

Grabbing you by the arm, Poe quickly stood and began toward the exit, hearing rather than seeing that Dario was still there because he was cursing as he stumbled along in your angry grip. Pushing through the doorway, he heard Dario cry out in pain and glanced around to see him reaching for his shin. You had kicked him. “Sweetheart, need you to-“

You were on your wrist comm before he finished, “On it,” You said, running a scan of the immediate area, which thankfully came up clean, “It’s your lucky day, Dario, you get to live to see another. I’d say farewell, but I wouldn’t mean it!”

Poe laughed, then pointed into the tree line, “Go that way as long as you can before circling back to your ride, they’ll be gone pretty soon.” He told the Twi’lek, who grunted his thanks and tore off in the direction Poe had indicated. “Which way?” He asked you, knowing you had the entire area memorized in preparation for this mission.

You nodded to his right, adjusting the bag on your shoulders, “That way, there’s some water we can lose them in. Unless you’ll let me go and kill Dario-“

“I’ll let you kill him if we ever bump into him again, I promise,” Poe grabbed your hand and started running, neither of you unaware of the danger you were in with First Order troops nearby. Once safely in the cover of the trees, he continued between breaths, “Though I think it’s safe to say he’s going to be in hiding for a while.”

“He won’t be able to hide from me if this intel is anything but as good as he claimed,” You grumbled, your grip on Poe’s hand tightening as you jumped over thick roots, “You think Jess is alright?”

“Of course,” And he wasn’t lying, he knew she would be long gone by now, seeing as this was more her territory than anything. “You should really be more worried about us, sweetheart.”

You giggled, “I am! Listen, I know we said we’d go straight around to our ship but with Dario out there knowing that it’s probably best we hide for a while.” You left it unspoken, but it meant that you’d be camping in the dense wilderness as you hid from the First Order with highly sought-after intel that they didn’t want in the hands of the Resistance.

“All in a day’s work, eh?”

You sighed heavily in response. Jumping into the ankle-deep stream, you began walking in the opposite direction of the ship, further into the forest. Poe felt the water soak through his socks in seconds and couldn’t help but agree with your angry reaction back in the Cantina. Careless or intentional, Dario had all but ensured Poe and you would be on the run until you could get off of this planet and escape in hyperspace. And he had wet socks to top it all off.

“It’s open!” You called out, glancing up from the dining table where you were sealing the last few boxes of your mothers' things, to see Tahla Martell standing in your doorway. “Hey, Tahla.” You said warmly, moving to greet him in the hallway.

“Hi kid,” He replied, pulling you in for a hug, “I know you’re leaving first thing and you already said your goodbyes to us all, but I didn’t want you to be alone on your last night on Yavin-4.” He held up a covered dish that you caught the scent of, his mother's lasagna.

Warmth spread through you at his kind gesture, “Tahla, that’s so sweet of you,” You had to clear your throat, blinking back tears.

It had been a rough few months since your mother had passed, the house you’d lived in with her for over a year without Charlie and Poe seeming far too big now with just you wondering the lonely hallways. Packing things into storage was at least somewhat therapeutic, and you were keeping the house, but you knew you wouldn’t be visiting anytime soon. It just felt wrong to sell it until you saw Charlie in person and discussed the options.

And you felt a little guilty too, with how excited you were to be headed to the Resistance base the next morning. You’d be seeing your brother and Poe again after two years apart and you couldn’t wait. The fact that your friend understood your mixed emotions and shown up with dinner was...beyond appreciated. Tahla had always been good to you, even when you were younger and Poe had caught you kissing and punched him for it. He hadn’t done anything other than saying he’d prefer to be friends and a friend he’d remained all of this time.

“Are you hungry now?” He asked, and you nodded before moving to the kitchen and realizing you packed up all the plates. Tahla followed you, placing the food onto the table.

“Uh, you okay with eating straight from the dish? I think I have some forks...” You glanced around and spotted the box with cutlery, popping it open and pulling out utensils. Tahla laughed and sat at the kitchen table, taking the cover off of the food. You joined him, moving your chair close and passing him a fork before you both dug in.

You ate in comfortable silence, eating your fill and then sitting back in your seat and pushing the rest toward Tahla while you held your full stomach in content. You looked around the bare kitchen, another wave of nostalgia and emotion bubbling up.

“It feels sadder because it’s not how you pictured it,” Tahla said, breaking into your thoughts. You looked up at him, confused, and he clarified. “You were supposed to be leaving while your mom fussed over you and promised you she’d spend all of her free time with my mom, that she wouldn’t be lonely. She was supposed to take you to the flight dock and wave at you when you boarded, tell you to give Charlie and Poe hugs from her. It’s okay to be sad about how it is instead.”

Emotion swelled again and you nodded because he was right. Your mother was supposed to be here, you were the one that was leaving her, it shouldn’t have been this twisted version, where she left you by way of a sudden and fatal heart attack as you shopped the market together one morning several months before. Tahla and his mother had been at the market as well, a few booths away haggling when they’d heard you screaming, and Tahla had had to pull you away from your mother’s still, peaceful-looking body as his mother checked her pulse and called for Healers. He’d held you for hours, eventually bringing you home, only leaving when you insisted he could come back first thing in the morning.

You ducked your head down as tears spilled onto your cheeks, ashamed to be crying in front of Tahla. He put down his fork and shuffled closer, pulling you in for a gentle hug, patting your back, “I’m sorry, I didn’t want to upset you, I could just tell-”

“No, you’re right,” You interrupted, pulling back only slightly and wiping a hand across your face, “Y-you understand, and I’m grateful. You’ve always been an amazing friend. I’m going to miss you, you know.” You tried for a small smile, and he returned it with his warm one. You sighed, “I just wish I was leaving this place...my home, with better memories. Alone for the last few months, packing things up, sorting out mom’s will, it’s not how I pictured it.”

Tahla nodded in understanding, “I’d tell you to focus on the fact you’re seeing Charlie and Poe, but I know it doesn’t help with this part.”

“I appreciate it all the same, Tahla,” And you leaned back in to hug him again, knowing he’d probably be leaving in a few minutes and wanting to enjoy the last moments of peace before you were alone in this whole house again. “This is a good memory, though, so thank you.”

He chuckled, the vibrations moving you as you leaned into his chest, “I know the lasagna makes it seem like mom sent me over, but I was planning on stopping by either way,” He admitted, his eyes finding yours again when you leaned back. “Didn’t seem right to let (y/n) Horn fly away from home without a proper goodbye, and by that I mean I selfishly wanted to be the last person you saw.”

You quirked a brow at his joke, Tahla was always ready to flirt with you, “Oh yeah? Well, I’m glad you did.” And while your words were light, the tone of voice you used surprised even you, coming out a little more sultry than either of you expected.

You saw Tahla swallow in surprise, his wide eyes flicking from yours, then down to your lips as you wet them. Boldly deciding to go for it because he was your friend and it was your last night at home and he was handsome and kind and sweet-

Tahla closed the distance, pressing his lips to yours and you moaned in response, gripping his shirt. Opening your mouth to deepen the kiss, you smiled because you both tasted like lasagna. Beneath that, though, you could taste the warm, masculine undertones of Tahla Martell, and based on the low rumble in his chest and the way his hands tightened on your waist, he could taste you as well.

It was kind of like one of your books, how you ended up in your bedroom down the hall, clothing stripped as you moved together until you were hitting the bed and he was pulling away from your mouth to move his lips down your bare body. The sun was low now, casting your room in a gentle golden glow and for the first time in some time, you were feeling something other than grief and loneliness in your bed.

The fact that it was with your friend Tahla...while you’d admit you had always imagined your first time with someone different, you had accepted a long time ago that it wouldn’t happen that way. He was older and more experienced and had spent two years worlds away and free to do whatever he wanted. And Tahla had always been your close and trusted friend, he’d been there for you before your mother died and since, and now he was moving his lips and tongue across your most sensitive areas like he couldn’t imagine a better way to be spending his time.

The empty house was filled with your cries and moans as Tahla, who admitted it wasn’t his first time, brought you to the edge and over several times with just his mouth and fingers before he climbed up your body and kissed you again. You moaned, tasting yourself on him, surprised at how turned on that made you, and then almost cried when he moved back and told you that you could stop here if you wanted, that it didn’t need to go any further but he would still stay the night, wouldn’t leave you alone.

You had intended to go all the way the moment he’d literally lifted you from your chair in the kitchen, but now you pulled him to you with a renewed sense of longing, telling him you trusted him, that you needed him. He didn’t to be told twice, his eyes searching yours one moment, then dropping down between your bodies as he glided his cock through your wet folds. He sighed your name when he pushed in, filling you slowly but entirely before stopping and allowing you to adjust to his considerable size. It hadn’t hurt as much as you’d feared, but the sharp sting was still enough to have your eyes pricking, and he leaned forward and peppered you with soft kisses and kind words, encouraging you to voice what you needed and tell him if anything was too much.

It had surprised you both when the pain had ebbed away and you were suddenly rolling your hips eagerly. Tahla recovered and braced his elbows on the bed and began a hard pace that had you practically begging for more, unrelenting even as you came around him. He grunted as he neared his orgasm, his pace slowing to draw the pleasure out as long as you both could stand. He let you roll him onto his back and ride him at an almost lazy pace, his eyes never shutting, even when you found just the right angle to draw the deepest groans from him, intent on watching your face. He’d seemed almost in awe of you like he couldn’t believe what was happening even though it had been...well, the sun had set so going on just over an hour, you had realized.

When you came again as you rode him and his name tore from your lips, Tahla went over the edge with you. He had grabbed your hips and held you down when he came, your name mixing with curses as he filled you.

And then you’d let yourself fall forward and shift, felt him slide out of you before cuddling in and realizing that he meant what he said, that he wasn't going anywhere. He even kissed you again between whispering his promises to remain, his praise over how good it felt to be with you.

You think you loved him a little then, but at the same time, you couldn’t help but think of how he’d done a good job replacing the man you’d pictured having your first time with and you knew that it was a good thing this had happened on the eve of your departure. You could love Tahla Martell but never fall in love with him.

Tahla woke with you in the morning, helped you gather your things, promised to check in on the place occasionally. And then he drove you to the flight dock, where he waved you off with a promise to see you again someday. His smile a little sadder but genuine and filled with enough affection to have you run back for one last hug goodbye, one last kiss on the cheek and a final thank you for being everything you had needed without even knowing.

-

“This is cozy, really very cozy,” Poe grumbled from where he sat on the cold ground of a small-make that, minuscule, cave that you’d found after several hours of hiking through the forest stream. “Just enough room to stretch out and feel the ache in every part of my body.”

You hummed in reply, rifling through the backpack you’d had strapped on during the journey. “I can only feel the blisters on my feet, everything else is nothing compared to those.”

Poe grunted in agreement, glancing down at his now bare feet. They were reddened and bloody from sloshing through the water for so long in cheap boots. “Think I’ll be fighting you on who gets to take out Dario now, sweetheart.” You laughed tiredly in response.

You were settled on the ground in front of him, pulling out items from the pack now; food rations, water, and a medical kit. He’d put a small light on, the glow barely casting, just enough to see each other. Poe watched you kick off your shoes and then peel off your socks, setting them aside with Poe’s to dry, before tearing open your ration and taking a bite. Plucking his ration from your extended hand, Poe copied you and together you ate in silence, the meal brief but filling. His eyes were already starting to droop, the busy day catching up to him.

You pulled out some small bacta patches from the medical kit and pointed to his feet, “I’ll do yours if you do mine,” You smiled, and he chuckled lowly, nodding.

You held out your hand for his feet and he carefully adjusted his legs to plop them into your lap, reclining back on his hands. He watched you work, tugging the light closer to see his blisters better and place patches over each one, which instantly eased the discomfort. When you finished, you squeezed his leg before pulling out a cleaning wipe and working it over your hands. You glanced up very suddenly, catching Poe as he watched you.

He held your gaze, wishing he could read your mind. He could tell you were equally as annoyed with the way the mission had turned out as he was, that you were relaxed over the current predicament because you’d both escaped the close reach of the First Order plenty of times before. You were tired, too, but there was something else about the way you looked at him that sent heat up his back, and he felt grateful again for the freedom from the pollen-now he knew his reactions to you were genuine, and he felt the depths for which they went, the intensity, the rightness of it all.

“I feel like we’re thinking the same thing right now,” You surprised him by saying, passing him a package of patches, then switching places to rest your feet in his lap instead. Poe caught your feet in his hands deftly.

“What’s that?”

You tilted your head, a small smile tugging your lips upward, “That it’s nice to be around each other without any other bullshit affecting us-pollen or anger, I mean.” Poe wasn’t sure if it was your intent or not, but something about the tone of your voice had him flushing, and he returned your smile quickly before dropping his gaze to your feet.

He set to work, wanting to laugh at how small your feet were, before replying, “I was thinking that, yes,” He admitted, carefully placing the patches on your blisters. “It’s nice...nice to know what I’m feeling is real, now.”

“Yeah, it sure does,” You agreed softly, sighing a little when he placed the final patch over a particularly nasty-looking wound. You tossed him a wipe and he cleaned off his hands as he moved his eyes from your feet to your face. “Thank you.” You added, wiggling your toes happily.

Pulling your feet from his lap, you returned to rummaging in your backpack, first finding a couple of pairs of clean, dry socks for you each to put on. You then pulled out two thin, rolled-up blankets. Poe sighed, “I’m guessing you don’t have a couple of comfortable fold-out cots in there, Major?” He teased, and you giggled while shaking your head.

“Just some lovely, extra scratchy cameo blankets, Commander,” You passed him one of the pitiful little blankets. They were made of a material mixture that worked to confuse heat signature detection more than they provided any warmth or comfort, but they were better than nothing. That’s what he told himself, anyway.

It took no time at all to prepare to sleep, though as Poe shifted around on the hard ground he wondered exactly how he would achieve it. Usually, he was content to pop a jacket under his head, but the planet was warm enough this time of year that you’d only packed a couple of very thin raincoats as a precaution. You clicked off the light and laid next to him, a few inches separating your bodies as you tucked yourselves into your blankets and tried to get comfortable.

It was maybe three minutes later, staring into the pitch black, the Poe gathered the courage to throw out a suggestion. “Proposal...” He spoke softly into the darkness and heard your head turn toward him.

“Go on then,” You replied, though he could sense you had probably guessed what he was going to say, seeing as you were no doubt as uncomfortable laying flat on the rocky ground.

“How about we roll your blanket into a makeshift pillow, you come here and share mine, and we actually get some rest?”

Instead of replying he heard you sit up and felt a brush of air across his face from you lifting your blanket to straighten it and roll. Now that he’d offered up the idea, however, Poe tensed slightly at the realization that he was moments away from holding you in his arms. He felt his face grow warm and felt grateful for the impenetrable darkness the cramped cave provided.

“Lift,” You said at the same moment your hand found his head, tapping. He raised his head and you slid the rolled blanket underneath, providing immediate relief. Poe slowly reached out for you, hesitating when he found your back, then curling it around you when you shuffled into his side and laid against him. After a moment, your head dropped down onto his chest, though your body was almost rigid against his. Another instance where the ability to read your mind would come in handy.

“Relax, sweetheart,” He murmured, turning his head and pressing his lips to your hair. He adjusted the blanket, ensuring it covered you both, then rested his hand on your hip. He thought you might not listen, you still seemed frozen against him, but Poe was smiling a moment later when he felt your entire body melt into the side of his before your hand came to rest over his heart. The position was so familiar, a lifetime of nights together growing up just like this, that he almost couldn’t bear it. “That’s it, sweet girl, get some sleep.”

He couldn’t have said what happened after that, because you both very promptly fell asleep, warm and safe in one another’s arms. Despite being on the cool, hard ground in a cave in the forests of Takodana, hiding from the First Order, Poe had one hell of a good sleep that night.

—

You were staring through a gap in the trees towards the shipyard outside of Maz Kanata’s castle, sitting entirely still in the morning light that filtered through the trees as you surveilled for any sign of First Order troops. You’d bee on watch for twenty minutes while Poe ran around the perimeter, and you were on edge. You didn’t like having to separate, afraid if one of you was captured you’d be less likely to get away without backup, but there was nothing to be done for it.

You might also be a little worked up from spending the night wrapped in Poe’s arms, but you weren’t focusing on the right now. You definitely weren’t fixating on the way he’d spoken to you to encourage you to relax, nor of how he’d called you ‘sweet girl’ and seemed unaware of the effect that had on you. And you certainly were not remembering how, upon waking up at dawn and enough light came into the cave, you had realized how wrapped around one another you were. At some point in the night, you’d both shifted, legs tangled and Poe’s head nuzzled into your neck, an arm wrapped over your body in a way that made you feel safe at the same time revealing how small you felt compared to his broad, muscular frame.

But most of all, you were absolutely not thinking about how Poe had woken up moments after you, lifted his head to peer down at you with heavy-lidded eyes, and then just held your gaze with an unreadable expression on his face that had left you breathless. It was like he’d pinned you to the floor with that fucking look, and you weren’t sure if it was a minute or an hour before your comm alarm went off, indicating an incoming message, and you tore your eyes away to read the message from Jess, who’d managed to send through that it was safe to return to your ship.

In fact, you were so focused on your mission, so completely not obsessing over the last twenty hours, that you were not at all surprised when Poe suddenly appeared at your side, panting slightly from his run.

He saw you jump in surprise. “Did I scare you?” He joked, and you grumbled in response, though this was worse than denying it outright and he started to laugh, before pointing ahead to the pathway “We can take that, head straight for the ship, everything is clear ahead.”

Click.

All it took was the sound of a blaster’s safety clicking off for Poe to grab you and whirl, shielding you completely from the enemy who had snuck up on your six. It took a second for you to steady yourself, then you had to peer carefully around his shoulder to see who it was. The familiar green form stood a few feet away with a grimace, pointing a fairly old-looking blaster directly at you and Poe.

“Dario, you fucking-“ You snarled, attempting to move around Poe but his arm shot back and held you behind him with surprising strength, and you stilled.

“I know, I know,” Dario drawled, unmoving, “Honestly, I had no plans to do this but the First Order put a pretty decent reward out for whoever manages to capture you two. Figured I could get back into their good graces, clear my ledger, you know how it is honey.”

Poe had left his hand resting at your hip, and at Dario’s words, his grip tightened. You were pressed against his back and could feel the tension, the coil in his muscles ready to snap. “Buddy, you do not want to try this. Handing us over to the First Order only puts a massive target on your head-and the Resistance doesn’t play games when it comes to betrayal.” His words were laced with venom, his voice low.

You’d seen Poe like this only a few times in your life because usually when it came to being cornered by enemies he was cocky, mouthing off to distract until he could come up with a plan. Today, however, Poe was almost frightening to you, his focused rage as intense as it was. You pressed a hand into his back, just to do something to calm him-this was one Twi’lek, surely you could take him before he called for back up, when your hand brushed over something hard.

His blaster.

Yours was at your hip, and you knew it was too risky to go for it with Dario pointing his own at Poe’s heart. You wouldn’t even attempt it, however, the blaster tucked into the back of his pants, hidden beneath his shirt, was more than ideal. You just had to time it right.

“Look, I’m more sorry than anyone that it’s come to this. But you two are valuable, did you know that? I certainly didn’t,” Dario took a half step closer, his eyes moving from yours, where you were still peeking from around Poe, and then up to Poe’s, “I will do you one favour though. I won’t tell them how close you are; hopefully, that’ll keep them from torturing you in front of one another-“

Your temper flared again, “They wouldn’t get anything out of us regardless, Dario, that’s why this is fruitless. You hand us over and you’re only letting us die!” As you spoke, you dropped your hand to pull Poe’s shirt from his pants, sliding your hand underneath to grip the blaster.

“Don’t,” Poe said firmly, his eyes still on Dario. You knew it was a command for you, and you hesitated.

Dario sighed, “I have to, and I’m sorry about this but I’ll have to shoot you, big guy because I can’t risk things getting physical,” He lowered the blaster to aim for Poe’s leg, “I hear the First Order have excellent medical staff, so-“

You felt Poe’s grip on your arm adjust, and realized he was going to try and throw you out of harm’s way and take the shot. Now, you didn’t hesitate, pulling the blaster out, clicking the safety off and aiming it at Dario’s head before he realized what was happening. With no other choice, Poe let you go as you stepped from behind him.

“That’s good, you’re going to need them.” You seethed, watching in amusement as Dario tightened his hold on his blaster, gritting his teeth to outgun you. He didn’t stand a chance. You shot his arm first, forcing him to drop his weapon, and then fired two more shots; one to the opposite shoulder, and one to the leg. He cried out in agony and you marched forward, flipping the blaster in your hand to grip the heated shaft, and drove the blunt end into the side of his head.

Dario sagged to the ground, unconscious.

“Well, I’ll hand that one to you,” Poe spoke from behind you, and you glanced around to find him watching you, hands on his hips, smirking in a way that didn’t meet his eyes. “Even if you did ignore my order.”

With a sigh, you held out his blaster for him, watching his jaw clench as he took it from you. “You put that in the report. And I’ll put in the part where you shoved me behind you,” You quipped, quirking a brow at him. He knew it wasn’t protocol for him to have protected you like that, and as much as you were touched and your heart was racing over how instantaneously he had reacted to ensure you were safe, you weren’t going to let him chew you out for doing the same. “Now can we leave this fucking forest, flyboy, or do you want to punish me first?”

You hadn’t meant the words to come out so...charged. You were worked up, still reeling a little over the fact that Poe was almost shot, and you wanted to leave before anything else happened. He had been watching you like he expected your initial remarks calling him out for the break in protocol, seemingly amused. You weren’t sure what he was going to shoot back at you, and you didn’t find out because the moment you tacked on the last line, his expression went blank and he simply stared at you for a very long moment.

You couldn’t look away from him, despite the heat crawling up your neck from embarrassment. You weren’t even sure where the words had come from, because they were enormously similar to how you and Poe used to speak to one another, teasingly, but you’d said it with so much more attitude. Like you were flirting without caution, and it caught him entirely off guard. You wished you could read his mind, as his eyes, now brighter than you’d seen them in a while, searchd your face.

“Let’s...let’s go,” He finally looked away, his eyes flicking around the forest, then to the still unconscious Dario, and then to his blaster. You weren’t sure, but you thought his voice came out a little more husky than usual, and heat pooled in your core as you briefly wondered what being punished by Poe Dameron would feel like.

-

Poe stood under the hot water, eyes closed, replaying the last few days in his head. His fresher was one of the few places he could be completely alone and he was taking advantage of a quiet afternoon to himself.

After returning from Takodana that morning, he had taken the intel from you to give to BB8 to begin decryption, and you had gone off to begin working on your mission report. Usually, you did this right in the hangar, but today you’d given him a shy smile, and then marched off. He hadn’t seen you since, though he was sure he would find you in the dining hall for dinner.

He was worked up from the mission, that much he knew for sure. It hadn’t gone as planned-when did they ever?-but he was, well, fucking impressed with you. You’d always been something else when it came to being pinned in a corner, though thankfully he’d only seen it a couple of times. But today you had been like a warrior goddess, shooting Dario without even a tremble in your finger and then knocking him unconscious like it was an afterthought. You made it all look easy.

He tried to admonish you just a little for ignoring him, but you had been right that he wasn’t one to talk about breaking protocol. And then you hit him with that flirtatious little line, wetting your fucking lips as you said it, appearing a little shocked at your boldness. He’d had to force himself to go blank, fearing your ability to read him like a book, while he watched you squirm under his gaze.

That pollen had nothing, nothing, on you. An innocent remark from you and he was bulldozed, ready to drop to his knees and tell you he’d give you whatever you wanted, needed, even if he had to fly across the galaxy for it. And you had no idea, he could see that you just didn’t know how much of a hold you had on him, on his heart. Poe had gone back to the med bay the other day, before the mission, and confirmed twice over with Tahla and his team that he was clear of all toxins because his feelings were so intense.

And he’d realized that what he was feeling was so much more real and right compared to the foggy desire that the pollen had caused. And he knew now, after watching you in action in the cantina, and then as you found a safe spot to hide for the night, and certainly in the morning when he’d woken up wrapped around you and gazed into your sleepy eyes, that he loved you.

That he was in love with you.

There was no one else.

And there never would be, because you were his soulmate.

Stepping out of the shower, Poe dried off and began dressing. His mind was flipping through old memories, some from when you were kids, others from after you’d joined the Resistance, each of them evidence to support his realization. He was fastening his trousers when a knock sounded at his door, and he wandered over and hit the release button without thinking, so lost in thought as he was.

“Hey, Poe, sorry I...uh...” You faltered, wide eyes falling comically down his bare torso before snapping up to look somewhere above his eyebrows. Your voice came out almost in a squeak, “Just seeing if you wanted to get dinner.”

Seeing you get flustered looking at him made Poe sweat. He stepped away from you and went to his dresser, pulling out a black tee. “Sounds good,” He replied slowly, then glanced back over at you and grinned. “You want me to throw some cold water on you, sweetheart?”

His joking had the desired effect, instantly clearing the tension from the room. You laughed, rolling your eyes. “I’ll be fine, flyboy.”

“I don’t know, I recall a day at the river a long time ago, pulling off my shirt and then you falling out of a tree...”

You scoffed, then stuttered, stepping into Poe’s room, “I-that’s not, I was talking to someone. It wasn’t because of-Uhg!” You flipped him the bird then, unable to form a clear sentence in Basic. Poe was laughing, enjoying the teasing banter as he walked over to his desk and picked up his wrist comm, glancing at the time.

When he looked back up, expecting to see you still laughing shyly, he was surprised to find you frozen, eyes glued onto something over his shoulder. His brows came together in concern, “What’s up?” He looked around, following your sightline.

At first, he was momentarily confused because you were looking at his corkboard. But when his eyes fell to the picture of you, Charlie and him he realized you didn’t know he had it. He’d seen it in your room a while ago and had almost started sobbing on the spot. But you hadn’t come to Poe’s room before this.

Poe turned around to find you with a watery smile, your gaze fixed on him in an intensely affectionate way. “You kept that all these years?” You sounded winded, eyes locked on his. Poe swallowed, nodding, and felt himself blush.

He couldn’t look away if he wanted to.

He didn’t want to, though. He was pretty certain he could remain on this spot in his room as he burned under your gaze for the rest of his life. A million questions formed in his mind and he didn’t know where to start, what to say first.

The silence was broken by the sounds of footsteps in the hall. Pulling both of you out of the moment to look around at Poe’s still open door. Tahla appeared then, breaking into a grin when he saw you both. “Hi! Glad I caught you both, I was hoping to join you for dinner?” He stopped in the doorway politely.

As disappointment washed through him, Poe relaxed his stance and tossed Tahla a grin, “And here (y/n) was asking me to dinner too, I’m more popular than I thought!” You giggled, shaking your head in amusement, but Poe could see you bite your lip when you glanced back at him.

He thought maybe Tahla was giving you both a knowing look, but it slid off his face when you turned to walk out of Poe’s room. Grateful for his lack of comment, Poe clapped Tahla’s shoulder once in step with him in the hallway, and his old friend winked at him in response.

—

34 ABY

Poe knocked on the door of General Organa’s private quarters, repeating the motion desperately until it finally slid open and he burst through, eyes searching until they landed on Leia. She gave him a knowing look like she’d been expecting him. Of course, she was, she knew what was at stake now.

“General,” He glanced around, confirming they were alone. “You know what I know. Please help me.” He didn’t care how desperate he sounded.

Leia sighed, nodding kindly, “Of course I will...but Commander, Poe, it’s not going to be easy. There’s always going to be danger-“

Poe rubbed a hand over his face, “I know, I know but I have to do something. Tell me the safest planet, and then I’ll go to Jakku, I’ll find Lor San Tekka. I’ll complete my mission.”

The General stood, her expression soft, “You won’t be able to-“

Poe shook his head, “I know.” His voice broke.

“Then I know just the place.”

Did you enjoy this chapter? Consider leaving a comment or reblogging to ease my inner turmoil as a writer. I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Taglist

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#reader insert #fanfic #poe dameron x reader #poe dameron #angst #fluff #multichapter #night changes series #friends to lovers #star wars #poe dameron fanfic #poe dameron imagine #poe x reader #poe dameron x female reader #poe dameron smut #oscar isaac

[lightsinthedistancee]

ima my love, i am in desperate need of “feeling for each other in the dark” + our darling Poe, i think that would actually cure my soul 🥺💛 so proud of you for this milestone and here’s to 100 more!

Thanks, Lauren! 💕 I loved writing this. It’s very short, but I hope you enjoy!

Starlight

Words: 571

*Feeling for each other in the dark* - Poe Dameron x Reader

..::::.. ..::::.. ..::::.. ..::::..

There’s something inexplicably off about the soft sheets you lay in.

Perhaps it’s the chilly air daintily brushing your skin, or the stiffness of the freshly washed fabric beneath you, but an oddity clouds the air, the kind that never readily makes itself known.

It takes some fumbling—an unwanted twitch of a sleepy muscle, a movement from your warm spot—to find said oddity. Your arm clumsily finds cold sheets on the other side of the bed, quickly realizing that the spot is noticeably devoid of a certain pilot.

Your eyes flutter open finally, blinking rapidly, trying to capture light in a room that possesses nearly none. It’s the night of a new moon, and in an effort to maintain it’s secret location, the Resistance base is always under complete blackout at nighttime.

The smallest fragments of light that filter into your shared quarters are mere products of starlight.

“Poe?” you mumble, wondering if he’s even in the room.

“Here.” The soft voice sounds from somewhere near the window, clouded in impenetrable shadow, but perhaps still providing a clear view of what little can be seen outside.

Groggily, as if on autopilot, your legs swing over the side of the mattress as you wrap your arms around yourself in a futile effort to keep goosebumps from appearing.

The path across the ground is one of blindness as you traverse carefully, hands slightly reaching out in front of yourself.

“You are getting closer,” he teases from his spot, his eyes better adjusted with the extra time awake. The lightness in his tone surprises you, for usually when he’s up, it’s solely because of some devastating feeling of stress that makes itself an unforgiving hindrance to sleep. It’s evident that that’s not the case tonight.

Where you expect him to be, you only find emptiness. The sound of scuffling fills the background. “Stop moving!”

He laughs, and you spin at the noise. Even now, his footsteps are quite heavy, and if you focus, you can feel the subtle tremors in the floor. With the extra, more conscious observation, you bring your fingers up to a familiar height, determinedly reaching firmly with your palm.

Turns out, your estimation had been a little off, and your palm in question collides with something much earlier than you’d expected—and before you’d had a chance to slow your movement.

“Oww! That was my face!”

A second of silence passes, before you practically burst into a fit of laughter. It’s a difficulty to restrain in your tiredness, and you wouldn’t be surprised if the people in the next quarters over had been woken.

Poe’s hand clamps over your mouth. With your eyes finally adjusting to the darkness, you can see the slightest movement of his lips on the smudgy image of his face.

“Calm down, sweetheart,” he laughs. “It’s late.”

You feel his arms around your waist as he drags you over to the window, standing at an angle where the view presents itself as a clear region of the night sky, stained in black, smattered with dim, distant stars.

“Why’re you up?” you ask softly, lacing your fingers with his. Your eyes trace from one glimmer of light to another.

“Thinking of the future.”

The corners of your mouth twitch in a small, invisible smile. “Yeah? The future?”

“Mhmm.” His lips quickly, gently find the side of your face, a promise of a life not yet lived. “Our future.”

#poe dameron #poe dameron x reader #star wars #poe dameron fanfiction #star wars fanfiction #lightsinthedistancee’s 100 follow celebration #ima’s 100 follower celebration #damerondala

[dracowars]

hold on | poe dameron

pairing: poe x reader

word count: 1,9k

summary: where poe has to hold on to y/n for dear life

a/n: this is inspired by that one scene in Mulan II (if you know, you know)

warnings: angst, character death, mentions of blood

universe: star wars

It was in that one moment, in that one tiny second, that you were careless. You were not paying enough attention. You have felt safe, a false sense of security. And suddenly the plans with important secret information about the First Order and its troops, that you worked hard for to earn, were snatched away from you.

Leia had entrusted the four of you - Rey, Finn, Poe, and you - with this very important mission and sent you to Vandor to meet up with a spy in the ranks of the First Order who captured said plans. With these plans you could have foreseen their next steps and be prepared for them. You would have had a chance, but now that the plans are gone, the hopelessness keeps increasing.

After you went to Vandor and reached your destination, you were badly surprised on your way back to the base and had to make an emergency landing on Pasaana, a heavily populated desert planet. You immediately thought that something was not right, that something was suspicious since the Millennium Flacon was carefully checked on the basis of the Resistance beforehand and showed no signs of any damages or problems. You should have guessed that the First Order was behind this, chasing you down until they got their precious plans back. And unfortunately, that is exactly what they now succeeded in doing.

Pasaana is known for its colorful festivals and marketplaces and while you were looking for spare parts to repair the Falcon with, you were distracted. You were not paying attention, got distracted, and suddenly the plans were gone, stolen by a creature you would classify as a bounty hunter based on its appearance. They were shrewd and cunning and had probably worked out their deed diligently. One of them distracted you all, talked to you, got you involved in a conversation and offered you all sorts of things, just like a real trader. What none of you noticed, however, was how his companion sneaked up on you from behind and stole your bag with the plans.

The two of them ran away immediately and you followed them as quickly as possible. While doing so, you also drew the attention of a few patrols consisting of stormtroopers of the First Order on you, who are making the pursuit even more difficult now. Rey fends off their shots with her blue lightsaber, Finn shoots his blaster at your chasers in the middle of running, while Poe and you are closely following behind the bounty hunters.

The sand under your feet makes it strenuous for you to move forward quickly, but not only you are affected by it. The bounty hunters as well as the stormtroopers are struggling with it too and since you ran out of the actual city by now, you find yourself completely surrounded by sand.

However, you do not let it stop you and continue to pursue them in the hope of regaining the important plans with the information, not dooming your mission. Poe tries to hit them with his own blaster shots repeatedly, but terribly fails. In return for his attack, you are met with a small ball flying straight towards you; a bomb.

Within seconds, Poe throws himself protectively at you, pulling you to the side and away from the source of danger, ending up in the soft sand when the bomb goes off close to you. Poe shields the swirling sand from you with his body, his strong arms blocking your view.

“Are you alright?”, he asks you worried, his arms wrapped tightly around you, scanning his eyes over your face.

“Y-Yes. Thank you”, you stutter out. You have never been this close to him before as you are at this moment right now. His dark curls fall on his forehead, beautifully framing it, his stunning brown eyes look straight into yours. You lose yourself in the moment, wanting to control and stop the time to forever enjoy this moment. Poe, on the other hand, seems to be stunned as well. By you.

He has had these feelings for you for so long already, but he suppressed them. At first, he tried to deny the fact that he fell for you, but seeing you every day, seeing that gorgeous smile on your face that he wants to touch so bad every time, he accepted his feelings at some point, but was still not ready to confess them. How could he? In the midst of a war raging around you, he felt it was inappropriate and not the right time to put his feelings first. But right now, in this moment, he would like nothing more than to confess his love to you. Kiss you right on the spot, cup your face, softly touch you with his fingers, all that he wishes so dearly still seems so far away, even now when he can literally feel your raging heartbeat against his chest.

No longer able to withstand his loving gaze on you, you avert your gaze and Poe watches how your eyes suddenly widen.

“The plans!”, you shout in shock and bring you both back to the bitter reality. Getting up as fast as possible, Poe helping you, you stomp through the deep sand again, following the bounty hunters who have brought a great distance between you in the meantime.

“What are you two even doing!?”, you hear Rey’s voice behind you as she comes running after you both. Apparently, she and Finn successfully eliminated all stormtroopers.

“They are going to escape!”, Finn adds a little angry, the blaster still ready in his hands before another loud shot is suddenly fired.

Several Tie Fighters have now appeared above you, chasing and shooting you. You are abruptly forced to stop in your tracks when one of their fatal shots lands right in front of you, blocking your path with a violent explosion, whirling the sand through the air again.

“This way!”, Poe calls out, takes you by the hand and leads you into a crevice, closely followed by Rey and Finn. “Their footprints lead this way, come on!”

Not hesitating for long, you stay hunched between the rocks, walking more slowly than before with the Tie Fighters over your head, waiting like vultures for their prey. The footprints lead through the rocky landscape until you reach a large, deep cliff.

Right when you reach it, the bounty hunters run over a narrow, unstable suspension bridge that leads over said gorge. Without thinking any further, Poe and you quickly follow them, the loose pieces of wood creaking dangerously under your feet. And on top of all of this, the Tie Fighters reappear, now that there is enough space above you to shoot at you again. A shot fired by Finn, who has stopped on the solid surface in front of the cliff, passes you, heading straight for the bounty hunters, but missing them by only a few inches. One of them aims his weapon directly at Poe and you on the loose bridge, fires a shot as well and actually lands a hit this time. Poe cries out in pain, whimpering, when his blaster is shot out of his hand with great impact, falling into the abyss.

As soon as the two bounty hunters reach the other safe side of the gorge, a disgusting laugh comes from their mouths as they suddenly start to cut the rotten ropes of the hanging bridge. Immediately the bridge begins to sway dangerously under your feet, nearly knocking you over when you try to keep your balance.

“Watch out!”, you hear Rey’s loud scream behind you, the last thing you hear right before one of the Tie Fighters shots fly through the air again, breaking the rope in half and causing you to fall into the deep depths, screaming.

At the very last moment you manage to hold on to a broken old rope, reach out your arm right away to catch Poe as well. His weight pulls hard on your arm, making you cry out in pain briefly, but you grab his hand as tightly as you can, not letting go of him. You hang helplessly in the air over the gorge, which leads several meters down, not even being able to see the ground from up here. A cold breeze floats through the gorge and not only makes you sway, but also the almost completely destroyed suspension bridge above you.

“Poe! Poe, hold on tight, okay? I got this!”, you scream loudly, hoping to give him and also yourself the strength to get through this, but when you look up to where the bridge was a few seconds ago, another part of it breaks and you fall a few meters deeper. Holding on to the one puny rope with your bare physical strength, tears are already stinging your eyes, the situation seeming hopeless. The rope, which now resembles a thin thread, will not be able to hold you for much longer.

“Y/N. It will not hold us both”, Poe states, his shaky voice full of fear and sadness, saying out loud what you thought.

“No, it will hold us both. It will, I know it will!”, you reply with an equal shaky voice, looking down at him and the infinite depth below him. Bloods runs down his arm, caused by the injury on his hand due to the shot, turning his light brown shirt a deep red. Tears well up in your eyes when you notice the helplessness in his eyes. Shortly after your words, the rope starts to tear a little more and your arms turn sorer every second.

“I should have told you this much earlier, Y/N. But I want you to know that, before we die, I truly love you”, Poe confesses out of nowhere, causing the tears to flow down your cheeks, your hand clasping even more around his wrist.

“I love you too, Poe. With all my heart”, you sob and see a gentle smile on Poe’s lips, which disappears again quickly as his whole facial expression changes after his gaze fell on the thread which is the only thing still saving you from death. “We will not die, do you hear me? We will make it out of here!”

“Y/N. I am sorry”, he whispers and suddenly loosens his grip on your hand. Screaming bitterly, you try to grab him, to hold him, but his hand slips away, and Poe falls down into the abyss, margining with the deep black while you can only scream after him.

“NO!”, you cry out loudly, your hand still outstretched, warm and covered in blood where your hands were still touching seconds before. “POE!”

You are about to let go as well, your grip on the rope, that is currently still rescuing you from the same fatal fate as Poe, is already loosening when you suddenly feel how the gravity gets reversed and you begin to float in the air. Slowly, you slide up out of the deep gorge, still holding the rope in your hand, your gaze fixed on the black below you as you get rescued through the Force by Rey. As soon as you feel solid ground under your feet again, you rush back to the dangerous edge, fall on your knees in front of it while tears flow down your cheeks in streams.

With beeping ears and a throbbing heart, you feel how Rey and Finn put their arms around you, how they talk to you and try to comfort you. But nothing could. Nothing in this universe could relieve you from the absolute pain you are in.

You feel nothing but emptiness. A void that is only filled with the unbearable pain of just having lost the love of your life forever.

#poe dameron #poe dameron imagine #star wars imagine #poe dameron one shot #star wars one shot #poe dameron imagines #poe dameron fic #poe dameron ff #poe dameron fanfiction #poe dameron os #poe dameron x y/n #poe dameron x reader #poe x reader #poe x y/n #poe os #poe one shot #poe imagine #poe imagines #poe fic #poe ff #poe fanfiction #sw imagine #sw imagines #poe dameron fluff #poe dameron angst #poe fluff #poe angst

[summahsunlight]

350 Followers Celebration, #7 w/Poe

Title: Still Love Me

Word Count: 1.5k

Pairing: Poe Dameron x Resistance Fighter!Reader

Here is the next request from the 350 followers celebration! This one is from anon: Is it possible if you could do #7 from the angst list w/ Poe? So, here it is, #7 from the angst list, “Do you even still love me?” I’m slowly making my way through these requests! Hope you enjoy!

They’d returned to base while you were out taking a breather in the jungle. It was BB-8 that came to find you and let you know that Poe was back. So, pulling yourself off the grass and brushing any stray leaves from your clothing, you turned back towards base. 

It was then you noticed that the little droid was damaged. “What happened to you, Bee?” you asked, gently. When he responded, nonchalantly that Rey had dropped a tree on him, you barely blinked. Poe had left BB-8 behind on a lot of missions to look out for Rey while she trained with the General.

A slight twinge of jealousy crept into your heart; he’d never left BB-8 behind to care for you. Glossing over what the little droid had just said, you began to walk back towards the Resistance base. “I assume the mission went well.”

BB-8 answered that the Millennium Falcon was on fire.

“So, no spy then?”

“No. There was a spy,” Poe’s voice carried through the foliage.

You looked up to see him storming down the path towards you. “That’s good right? It will help us.”

Poe waved you off and leaned down to look at his droid. “Oh man buddy, you really are a mess.” He sighed while the droid spoke to him. “Yes, I know Rey didn’t mean it, and yes I wasn’t very nice to her.”

BB-8 turned his photoreceptor towards you for a second and demanded that the pilot go and apologize to Rey. Again, you felt jealousy creeping into your heart--there was no mistaking how fond of Rey the little droid was. And you knew how silly it was that you were jealous of a droid’s relationship with someone else. However, this was Poe’s droid, and you longed for that same connection BB-8 had with Rey.  “BeeBee said the Falcon was on fire--what happened?”

“I light speed skipped to escape the First Order.”

“Light speed skipped? You can’t do that in the Falcon!” 

“You sound just like Rey--it turns out you can.”

“Poe, you’re lucky to be alive!”

He rubbed his hands over his face. Poe looked exhausted; you were exhausted, everyone was exhausted. “If we don’t get the information to stop the First Order, we’re all going to be dead in a few months anyhow, so what does it matter, y/n?”

Tears blurred your eyes. In the last few months he’d been so angry, somedays he barely spoke to you and on the days that he did speak with you, he was cross.  In the past he would have talked your fears down with some silly excuse that there was no way the First Order was going to kill him--now, it was like he was almost giving up. “It matters to me! I love you!”

Sighing, heavily, Poe didn’t say a word. You noticed that BB-8 rolled a little closer to him, glancing between you and Poe, like he was waiting for the pilot to answer. But he never did. “We should get back,” was all Poe said. He turned away from you and headed back up the path.

His silence unleashed the tears. He no longer loved you, long gone was the automatic reply that he loved you too. Somewhere along this perilous journey Poe had fallen out of love with you. And your heart was broken. “Poe,” you whimpered, your voice weak.

“Yeah?” he said, with a huff, spinning about to face you.

“Do you... do you even still love me?”

“What the hell kind of question is that? Of course I do!”

“Then why...why don’t you ever say it anymore?”

“Come on, y/n, I tell you I love you all the time.”

You shook your head furiously. “Not recently. You don’t even say good-bye to me before you leave on a mission--you just disappear in the middle of the night. And when you get back, you’re angry and barely speak to me.”

Poe licked the sweat away from the top of his lips. “I’m sorry you feel this way--but I’ve been a bit busy--you know, trying to save the galaxy, keep the Resistance alive. You knew what my top priority was before we began dating. What more do you want from me right now?”

Blinking the tears away, you just wanted to crawl into a hole and die--well maybe that was a bit dramatic--but you did want to run and hide. “Do you even still want to date me?”

His comm twittered. Poe swallowed and snatched it out of his pocket. Ignoring your question, he turned his back on you and answered. 

Taking the opportunity, you turned and ran down the path, away from the base. You weren’t sure how far, or how long you ran, but eventually you found a clearing in the dense jungle and collapsed, face down, into the soft grass. Burying your face in your arms, you cried until you fell asleep.

------

Poe didn’t realize you were missing until after his briefing.  

He had gone looking for you to apologize. He’d been harsh and insensitive earlier--I should have told her I loved her.  BB-8 had chastised him for his behavior; you were right, he was angry. But his anger had nothing to do with you, it had everything to do with the fact they were perilously close to losing it all.  He didn’t want that for you; he wanted you to feel safe, to be happy, and the fact this might not happen made him angry. Which, he sometimes took out on you.

BB-8 was still scolding him as Poe proceeded into the jungle to look for you. If he had just been nicer to you, you wouldn’t have run off.

“I know,” Poe mumbled to his droid, “Just...please keep scanning for her, okay? I want to make sure she’s alright.”

The droid chirped, abruptly, and kept working. Poe bit his lower lip; he probably deserved every harsh word BB-8 threw at him. He’d been horrible to you and you’d run away. 

Now, he just wanted to find you, to tell you that yes, he loved you. He loved you more than anything in the galaxy and this scared him senseless at times. 

BB-8 announced he’d picked up your life signs and took off down the path. Poe, heart pounding, ran after him. They came to the very same clearing you had happened upon hours early and found you, dead asleep in the middle. 

Poe felt relief that he’d finally found you, and you appeared to be okay, but he also felt guilty. BB-8 glanced towards him, wondering why he was just standing there. How could Poe explain to the droid it was complicated? Sighing, Poe waved BB-8 back, and proceeded towards you. 

He dropped down in the grass next to you, noticing the leaves that had caught in your hair.  Poe gently placed his hand on the small of your back. “I do love you; I know I should say it more. I’ve been a giant ass the last few weeks.”

Nearby, BB-8 blurted in agreement. Poe shot him a glare. There was no point arguing--both the droid and the pilot knew it was the truth. Still, the truth hurt. 

Feeling his hand on your back eventually woke you. “Poe?”

“Hey, sleepy head,” Poe greeted, softly, giving you his hand to help you sit up. 

“What are you doing here?” you asked, rubbing the sleep from your eyes.

"I couldn’t find you. Sweetheart, don’t scare me like that again.”

“Why do you care? You don’t want to be with me anymore.”

Poe pulled you closer to him, his lips crashing against yours. “Not true; I do want be with you, I’m just an idiot that didn’t say it when I should have.”

You pressed your face against his chest, encased in his scent and warmth. “So you...you still love me?”

He chuckled, kissed the top of your head as his arms wrapped around you. “Yes, I wasn’t lying earlier--I should have just said it nicely.”  Now his lips brushed across your temple. “I want to spend my life with you, y/n, once this war is over. And it makes me angry just thinking that it might not happen.”

“Well,” you whispered, “let’s not think too far in the future. How long can you stay here with me?”

“Mmmmm,” Poe hummed, “I’ve only got about an hour and then I have to leave.” He fell silent for a moment, his fingers running through your hair. “Ask me again.”

“Ask you what again?”

“If I still love you.”

Pausing, you glanced up at him to see that his was being sincere. He wanted to fix it, he wanted you to know before he left that he did love you. So you asked, “Do you even still love me?”

Poe smiled at you, lovingly, slipped the necklace that had his mother’s ring off his neck, and then hung it around yours. “Yes, I still love you--and I don’t plan on ever stopping.”

#my writing #star wars #star wars imagine #poe dameron #poe dameron x reader #poe dameron imagine #350 followers celebration #reader request

[treasureswordsgirl55]

Come Back

Character: James Bucky Barnes

Pairing: Bucky Barnes / Fem!Reader (OC)

Inspired By (Song): Tu fotografía - Gloria Estefan

Warnings: Fluff. So much Angst. Insecurities. Post! Snap. Post!Avengers Endgame. Pre TFATWS.

Author’s Note: Hello. Hello. Hello. I hope everyone’s ok.

This fic is a second part of “Dust”. When I wrote Dust, automatically thought on a second part, and maybe It would be so so long posted in one post.

(If you don’t know, I write in the night) so… This is the final part of this fic. As always say, it’s a pleasure write with Bucky and maybe, just maybe, write a novel with him just to pull out of off my head.

Part 1 is here

He’s other of my movie’s crush with Poe Dameron. And Loki too. 🤦🏻‍♀️

Ps: The gif isn't mine. (I don't remember who is the creator)

Again, thanks u for the likes, comments and reblogs. Always made me smile to know that my stories makes you fun a little.

So I hope you like this one. XOXO 💋

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

I’m driving on the highway at a considerable speed trying to get to my destination quickly. The letter that Steve sent me through those FBI mens is on the passenger seat unopened but I know it contains something important.

His messages were always important.

I barely see out of the window that the great building of Avengers Headquarters appears in my vision, and I feel my heart race. Although I had never been there, something made me even more nervous.

I get out of the car quickly and before even crossing the doors of the building, I see that many people leave, some crying, others hugging others and some running quickly towards taxis that are stopped in the streets near it. The destinations were very different: Some went to the center, others that went to the different government offices and others directly to the airport.

What’s happening?

A police officer stops me and asks for my identification. The only thing I have with me is my little blue backpack and Steve’s letter in my hand.

I think about whether to show him the letter, but I open it and take out from inside it, a folded sheet of paper and a small card, as if it were a driver’s license, and I give it to the officer who steps away only when he sees it, indicating that I should enter through another of the doors that were empty. From a distance I can barely see the different sheets of paper stuck to the side of one of the doors where many people were reading and walking towards the taxis. The officer guides me until I enter through a door that could be for a giant and I sneak past what appear to be luxury cars totally covered by blue tarps.

- We were waiting for you, Miss Porter - The artificial voice makes me jump with fright and I turn towards the void, looking for the source where it comes from; but I can’t see a speaker, far from it, someone nearby - I’m sorry to scare you, my name is FRIDAY, I’m one of Mr. Stark’s technological assistants.

Stark. How long since I heard anything about that last name.

- It's nothing. You just took me by surprise - I deny as I walk through that empty corridor and I see through the tinted windows how people are hugging, as if they had not seen each other a long time ago - What am I doing here? Why don’t the others come in this way?

- I’m sorry it was like that. Let me ask you a question: Did you read Captain Rogers’ letter? It was his exclusive request that you enter through here.

- No … - I answer lost in my thoughts and squeeze the letter in my hands, as if it were some kind of stress reliever that I had learned to use over the years, while I pay attention to the couple that is a few meters from me , who seems to be eager to touch, as if they have not been together a long time - I’ll do it at home.

- You must do it now before entering the main room.

I suddenly look at the threshold where I see silhouettes of people walking quickly from one side to the other. My breath catches in my throat as I feel fear invade me. What am I afraid of? Steve is on the other side waiting for me to give me another bad news? Tell me that he was gone forever like that time five years ago?

- Let me assure you that the content of that letter will not make you suffer more than you have suffered in these five years, Miss Porter.

I look at the letter and curse while I mentally complain about the ease I have to express my emotions, even more so when the opinion comes, from what I suppose, it is an AI.

- And how do you know that? How do you know that I suffered?

- Because Captain Rogers specially asked me to remind you if you didn’t get to read it - I laugh as I remember the many calls during my last two weeks of school, and the times I preferred to press the end button in order not to listen to Steve ask me if I was okay when we were both fully aware that neither he or I were - I know it was very hard for both you, and Captain Rogers, the loss of Sergeant Barnes.

Hearing his last name was as if someone had hit the pit of my stomach and the air suddenly escaped, without giving me the possibility of recovering it.

I try to take a deep breath but barely manage to take in a small breath of air before I feel a tear fall down my cheek.

It hadn’t been long since the snap when I realized how much I missed Bucky.

- It was not necessary to remember something that I’m still trying to forget.

I mumble as I walk to the door and hear children’s laughter, whispers about whether they were okay or how long they were out - What is out there?

- You must see it by yourself, miss. Let me tell you something: Captain Rogers was very sorry that he couldn’t say goodbye to you as he would have liked, but he wants you to know that he appreciates you in ways you can’t imagine.

- Thanks FRIDAY. He went on a trip?

- To live his life, miss. And he hopes that he can give it back some of yours.

I frown at her words and feel a breeze of fresh air come through the door and as soon as I cross the threshold, I hear Friday say the words that nail me to the place.

- Sergeant Barnes is waiting for you. He will be eager to see you again.

Bucky? Was this a joke? I try to open the note quickly but my fingers seem not to want to collaborate between the tremors and the nerves. How likely was the AI ​​to be wrong?

None.

As soon as I open the note I see some scribbles that I understand as the date, which is from a few days ago, and I read it quickly looking for those words that tell me that what FRIDAY said is true.

“I’m sorry I can’t say goodbye to you, Emma. I wish I could tell you this in person, but the circumstances of my trip make it impossible. What I can tell you is that I’ll be fine and that I’m coming home. It was a pleasure. meet you and I want you to do me a favor: Take care of him. He always looked after me, now it’s time for someone to take care of him. That idiot won the lottery with you, Emma. And you must make him notice it every day of his life. This is my gift to you, I know I couldn’t promise anything five years ago, but we did it, we won and James is here for you. I hope that’s enough. ”

I put my hands to my mouth, suppressing a sob, without finishing reading the letter and when I start looking for it with my eyes among so many people. Suddenly reality hits me: The people who were here, running, hugging, crying were those who had disappeared with the snap.

My God … He was here.

I walk towards one of the men who is dressed in red, with the Médecins Sans Frontières insignia and the words are stuck in my throat.

- Are you looking for someone special? Could you give me the details?

- Barnes. He’s here … Or so they told me - I keep looking with my eyes but I can’t make out anyone I usually know. There was no sign of either Natasha or Sam - Sam Wilson? He’s his partner.

The man looks at me as if horns have come out of my head and he approaches another young woman in black, who sees me and only nods to him. I show her the credential without waiting for an answer and she simply indicates the door that is a few meters from us.

- Porter, right? - I nod as if he were a robot and indicates the door to me again - Main hall. Gate 6.

- Thank you - I run while avoiding people, children who run into the arms of their parents and push others, but no one complains. As soon as I get to the door and let people in, I see Sam in the distance that he’s talking to someone I can’t recognize. Something inside me ignites and I feel my heart beating again. I can handle the urge to cry as much as I can but I can’t, as I feel the heat invade my cheeks.

He diverts attention from who’s talking to him, he sees me and starts laughing. That complicit and funny laugh that I haven’t seen in someone for a long time. Everything had become so sad that it seemed to be in a black and white movie. I can barely get Bucky’s name off my lips when Sam nods in my direction and slaps the arm of the man in front of him. He shakes his head, visibly annoyed, but Sam indicates where I am, making the stranger turn around.

I hold back a sigh as soon as I see him turn and look in Sam’s direction but he doesn’t seem to see me. People who cross between the two prevent it. His long hair was gone and a new haircut made him look more confident. Even more attractive. His eyes were still sad but in a way that I couldn’t quite interpret.

Good God, the need to touch him was such that it seemed to me that I was in a dream and that none of it was real.

I try to scream his name through the murmur but nothing comes out of my mouth and when I try again, the tears prevent me from speaking.

I walk quickly, closing the distance between us, but before I even reach the middle, fear takes hold of me again.

What if he doesn’t remember me in the same way that I remember him?

I see Sam roll his eyes as he grabs his shoulders, turns him around, and points him right in my direction: once our gazes meet, I can’t hold back the tears.

The only answer I get is a smile.

We both rush towards each other and I hardly feel the air getting heavy, I wrap my arms around him, as if he might disappear at any moment.

- You’re here. You don’t know how much I cried for you - I hear his laugh while I feel his lips leave kisses on my hair, as his hands try to touch any part of me that is within reach and as soon as he takes me by the arms he pulls me away, observing me from above down - I thought you were just another illusion in my head.

- Is it really you, Emma? - He hugged me again and I hear Sam mutter as he passed something about how “cheesy” we looked - You look different.

-You were gone for a long time, James - he murmured against his chest while I enjoy the heat that his body gives off as well as the accelerated beats of his heart that are coupled with mine - When Steve told me that you had gone …

- Shh … don’t remember. I’m here, doll. I will never leave again.

He pulls away just to look at me for a few moments, I don’t know if he was looking for something or trying to remember something, but he just raised his hand to wipe the tears that were falling down my cheek.

- I have to catch you up on things here. - I try to get Steve’s letter out of my pocket but Bucky makes me look at him again.

- Before that….

The last thing my brain analyzes is the softness of his lips against mine. A gentle pressure and I feel like the floor disappears under me. I try to get up on tiptoe to get up to him and run my hands on his shoulders trying to bring him closer, but all I can do is wrap his arms around me and get even closer to him. I let my fingers play with his short hair and I love that feeling.

Hell, I missed his presence so much that it was hard for me to think about never having him around again.

He pulled me for air and I can tell his cheeks are just as red as mine - Bucky I …

-You don’t know how long I wanted to do that.

- For 6 years? - I joke as I approach again and take him by the hand.

- How old are you, Emma? The first time I met you, you were 25.

- I will turn 31 next week - I admit as he shakes his head and looks for someone with his eyes, when he does not find him, he lets out a growl - Who are you looking for?

- Sam. I’ll tell him we’re leaving - Answer my mental question and gently pull me towards one of the secluded rooms of the building where I hear murmurs from other people - I’ll catch up with you, doll.

I feel my cheeks heat up as I brake, causing Bucky to tense up - What do you mean?

- We will catch up on all aspects and I swear to you that you will hardly leave my department - I try to laugh but all I get is that a gasp escapes my lips causing me to give me a playful smile - In that aspect too, doll .

- Before you two go to do the things that are you going to do - I hear Sam’s voice in the distance and as soon as it enters our field of vision, I see him snorting - You know you must be with Raynor on Monday at 9 o'clock. Truth?

- And you had to remind me now?

- Yes, because I know you will not answer my messages and she will be the one who will remind you when you want to forget about it. Your head depends on it, Buck.

- Do not call me that way.

- Come on old man, go enjoy your life and stop getting mad at the world. You’re back and with your girl, and will you still be upset because I call you like Steve did?

I shift my gaze from one to the other and Bucky just extends his hand to Sam, who shakes it without hesitation.

- Take care of yourself, Wilson.

- You too Barnes. If you need me, you know where to find me.

I pulled me away from Bucky as I walk to the door and I feel like some of the pain is gone even though I still can’t assimilate that that’s true.

- Let’s go, doll?

- Let’s go.

#marvel cinematic universe #marvel #tfatws #the falcon and the winter soldier #bucky barnes fanfiction #bucky fanfic #bucky barnes x original female character #bucky barnes x you #bucky barnes x reader #james bucky barnes x reader #james bucky barnes #bucky barnes fic #bucky barnes x oc #tfatws fanfiction #tfatws fanfic #fanfic fluff #fanfic #fanfic writer #i write for myself but you can read it too #marvel fanfic #marvel fanfiction

[autumnleaves1991-blog]

Day 1: “Who keeps hanging all this damn mistletoe everywhere?”- Poe Dameron

A/N: It’s here! It’s here! The 12 days of Christmas writing challenge has begun! Everyday up until Christmas day I will post a new story! All the prompts have been requested! Thank you so much for reblogging, commenting, and liking! 

This was requested by @poedameronloverx​ I hope you enjoy it! 

Pairing: Poe Dameron x F! Reader 

Warning: 18 + for language 

Taglist: @oldstuffnewstuff @yespolkadotkitty @heythere-mel @justanotherblonde23 @artsymaddie 

My Masterlist 

12 Days of Christmas Writing Challenge Masterlist 

During the middle of a war is not the most ideal time to celebrate the holidays. War doesn’t stop just because you hang some lights. The resistance was a depressing place to be at the moment. Small incursions resulting in heavy losses, the lack of new intelligence, and the overhanging threat of the First Order dampened the season. 

Although some never gave up it was becoming harder and harder not to be pulled under the cloud of hopelessness. Poe Dameron was not one of these people. Poe never gave up hope even when things had become desperate. BB-8 faithfully rolling by his side, the two of them went around spreading cheer around the base. They started with the decorations. Large garlands made from the forest leaves outside strung together with white lights and bright orange bows tied together from old flight suits. How they managed to hang them that high you had no idea, and frankly didn’t want too. Then came the music, classic songs from eons past filtered through the comms during missions, in the mess hall, and even the cantina. The atmosphere began to shift around base as the colorful decorations and music began to lift their spirits. 

The third step of their plan began the week before Life Day. A strange green plant with white berries began appearing. In doorways around the base the plant appeared. 

“What the hell is all this stuff?” you said aloud to yourself. 

“Mistletoe,” Jess snaps you from your thoughts and you turn to her questioning. 

“What the hell is mistletoe?” 

“Mistletoe is the common name for obligate hemiparasitic plants in the order Santalales. They are attached to their host tree or shrub by a structure called the haustorium, through which they extract water and nutrients from the host plant, very toxic. Although in the custom of Life Day they are used as a decoration under which lovers are expected to kiss. A most strange custom,” you and Jess both turn slowly to see 3PO standing behind you pointing his gleaming arm toward the plant. 

“So you're telling me someone put a toxic plant all over the base so that people would be forced to kiss each other?” 

“Precisely,” 3PO says cheerfully. 

“Right,” you nod sarcastically, “perfect.” 

“I think it’s kind of romantic. Who are you hoping to kiss?” Jess sighs. 

“No one,” you scoff. 

“Not even....Poe?” she wiggles her eyebrows and nudges you with her elbow playfully. 

“No way, the poster boy for the resistance doesn’t even know I exist...I think the existence of the other person is probably the first step of getting someone to kiss you.” 

“Don’t you hang out with BB-8 all the time?” she teases. 

“Yes, BB-8 assists me with my work on the ships but I’ve never really spoken to Dameron before. Sure, a word here or there but he doesn’t really notice me I’m just a mechanic. Plus I am waiting for a special person to kiss me on Life Day this year,” you start walking toward the mess hall, Jess following alongside. 

“You mean your secret admirer?” she coos giggling. 

“As a matter of fact, yes. They promised that during the week before Life Day they would leave me some more hints around base and then reveal themselves on the big day. But I haven’t received anything in two weeks...with all those casualties last week...I think my secret admirer might be gone.” The darkness hanging overhead seeps into your bones and you rub your eyes in exhaustion. 

“I wouldn’t be too quick to write them off. Maybe they are just waiting for the right time...like right now.” She points to your usual table in the mess hall overflowing with bright white and orange daisies. 

You walk in a trance toward the table and see your name scrawled on the cover of an envelope. You tear it open and devour the words, holding the letter tight to your chest you sigh. They’re alright, you thank the maker and ask Jess for help carrying the daisies to your work station. Trying to ignore the murmuring crowd around the table. It takes three trips but finally your workstation is overflowing in the colorful flowers, their sweet scent permeating the air. You inhale and smile still clutching the note. Jess walks over smiling patting your shoulder and giving you a one armed hug before going off to work. You look down and let your eyes flow over the note again. 

Hello Gorgeous, 

I’ve missed you so much these past few weeks. With the recent losses we have faced I have been busier than usual. These past few months of exchanging letters with you have been some of the happiest in my life. I can’t wait to finally meet you and reveal myself to you on Life Day. I hope these flowers bring a smile to your face as bright as mine was picking them for you. 

All yours, 

Your secret admirer 

You look around again at the sheer number of flowers covering every space of your workplace, and laugh imagining them picking each one special. Tucking the note safely into the pocket of your jumpsuit you get started working on the x-wings. By the end of the day you are starving from skipping lunch and exhausted. You take a sniff and wince at the sharp smell of engine oil and grease soaked into your skin. 

In the mess hall it’s late not many people are still up but they are luckily still serving food. Although it’s debatable what the resistance is serving can be called such. You poke hesitantly at the food and pull your notepad from your bag penning a response back to your secret admirer. 

Hi,  I’ve been so worried that you may have been one of those casualties that my heart melted when I saw my name on the envelope. You have spoiled me with the sheer number of flowers, and they smell so sweet. I have missed your letters and can’t wait for Life Day when we can finally meet.  All yours,  Your secret admirer 

You tear the paper off and fold it up before finishing the meal. You yawn as you take the long way home and pass your spot. You pull at the loose brick in the wall and place the letter inside before going back to your room for the night. 

The next morning, the sun streams through the small window of your room. Your roommate is already gone for the morning so you take your time in the fresher and pull on a fresh jumpsuit before grabbing a nutrition bar and leaving. When you get to your workshop BB-8 is waiting. The droid quickly became your friend when you first arrived several months ago as a transfer. He was great company on the larger projects around base. 

“Are you here to help me out?” you greet the droid dropping to a knee. He beeps happily back to you and you grin back at him. 

“So this is where my droid spends his day?” The voice behind you startles you and you rise quickly tripping over a canister on the ground. You feel the ground quickly come up to meet your back when you're flipped and land solidly on the chest of Poe Dameron.

“Are you okay?” he runs his hands over your head. You look into his deep brown eyes nodding. “Damn, I...I didn’t mean to scare you.” 

Your brain just suddenly realizes that you’re still laying on top of him and scramble to get up, brushing yourself off and clearing your throat, “Oh uhm, thank you for catching me Commander.” 

“Poe,” he instantly corrects, and you say his name causing a smile to break out across his cheeks, “As I was saying, I wanted to meet the mechanic that has my droid making heart eyes,” he teases making you blush. 

“Oh...BB-8 is a wonderful droid. I am lucky enough to have him help me out,” you avoid eye contact, attempting not to make a complete fool out of yourself. 

“He speaks very highly of you, and I can see why,” he grins. You're sure at this point you must be the color of a tomato when he takes another step toward you taking your hand gently, and bringing it up to his lips. “I hope to see you again, very soon.” He places a gentle kiss on your knuckles and smiles before leaving. 

When he is gone you sigh and look down at the droid who quickly opens a compartment and lights the flame into the form of a thumbs up causing you to giggle. “Not the smoothest interaction I’ve ever had buddy but thanks for the support.” 

The rest of the week is a flurry of activity around the base as everyone tries to complete their work ahead of schedule for the Life Day celebration. The days are long in your workshop but luckily a steady stream of notes between you and your secret admirer make the days seem to go by quicker. 

Until the day finally arrives. The base while still maintaining itself is mostly run by droids today as people make their way over to the mess hall for the festivities. You check yourself over in the mirror again, smoothing out any wrinkles in your green dress, and placing the white snowflake hair-clip in place. Satisfied with your appearance you head off to your spot to check for any notes. Pulling the stone away and giving a slight squeal at the paper stuck inside. 

Today’s the day we finally meet. I can’t wait to hold you in my arms and tell you how I feel about you. Meet me under the mistletoe.  All yours,  Your secret admirer 

You tuck the note into the pocket of your dress and race off to the mess, linking arms with Jessika as you pass her in the hallway and all but dragging her to the room. Your breath catches as you arrive. The room illuminates with twinkle lights in white, red, and green. Large candles are flickering in the center of the tables, and the room smells heavenly of tip yip and roasted vegetables. But one thing stands out amongst it all and your heart sinks. 

“Who keeps hanging all this damn mistletoe everywhere?!” Jessika asks, walking toward the buffet line. 

Everywhere you look sprigs of mistletoe hang. From the ceiling, the doorway, and everywhere in between. How the hell were you going to find your secret admirer now!? Jess shouts over to join her and you reluctantly do. The Life day celebration is a blast. People playing games, exchanging gifts, and the liquor flowing freely. You could almost forget for a minute we were in a war. 

The night slowly starts to wind down and you feel even more heartbroken as you start to pack up your small gifts from friends when BB-8 crashes into your side. Beeping hysterically. 

“What buddy, slow down! Poe...Poe WHAT?!” you shout and several heads turn to look at you as you follow the droid who is racing from the room. You run as fast as you can to keep up and when you turn into the hangar your steps falter. Standing under the open bay doors in a colorful sweater with BB-8 sewn on it is Poe Dameron smiling broadly. 

“What...what’s going on?” you stammer, “BB-8 said you were hurt, that you needed help…” 

“I wanted to get you alone,” he reaches for your hand and pulls you closer until you're standing directly in front of him. 

“Poe...what?” he sticks one finger up and points, your head tilting up to look above you and seeing the mistletoe hanging from the open bay doors. Your blood pounds in your ears and your lips turn up into a small smile and your voice gets very quiet, “It’s you.” 

“It’s me...are...are you disappointed?” he’s surprisingly shy and you shake your head no quickly stepping closer. 

“No...not at all...I...I wanted it to be you,” you whisper and his smile is almost blinding. 

“Can I kiss you?”

“I would be disappointed if you didn’t,” you match his smile and he leans forward capturing your lips with his own. He’s warm and soft and tastes like peppermint and chocolate and you sigh opening your mouth to his. You’re so caught up in the moment that the shrill beeps of BB-8 capture you both by surprise, and Poe holds you close in his arms as you both smile down at the droid. 

BB-8 beeps at you happily and Poe nods laughing before kissing you again, “Yeah buddy, happy Life day to you too.” 

#poe dameron #Poe Dameron x reader #star wars #Oscar Isaac #12 days of Christmas #poe dameron imagine