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scanboii · 2 years

Text

the devil is human

finnpoerey , cage fighting , hurt/comfort

word count : 4298

summary : Poe is captured by the First Order and conditioned to be a cage fighter. Finn and Rey hear word of an ex-Resistance being who's winning streak is making a few First Order members rich.

“What if it’s not him?”

“What if it is?”

“It’s most likely not him.”

“...”

“But you have to try.”

“I have to try.”

—

Word was there’d been an ex-Resistance being with a group of high ranked First Order soldiers who’d blown through the underground cage fighting scene in Aurilia. It got the Resistance base buzzing. Word traveled fast, and secrets weren’t kept hidden for long. And it got beings to talk.

Who could it have possibly been? Were they with the First Order willingly? Or were they being forced?

It made the beings who talked, and the beings who listened, chafe uncomfortably at the thought that one of their own could be a traitor. Of course, it wasn’t the first they’d heard of this, but it was no less disturbing.

A mixture of suspicion and concern rippled across the base as a meeting was prepared. It was assembled by General Organa of course, but also by the stormtrooper who was picked up by the Resistance’s missing commander, and the Force user said stormtrooper had picked up along the way. This was unnerving news. An idiot could put two and two together. General Organa thought the ex-Resistance being could be Commander Poe Dameron. And that was a whole other can of worms nobody wanted to open.

Yeah, word was there’d been whispers on Aurilia, the gambling city of Este, of a being from the Resistance working for the First Order. There was no evidence to suspect it could be Poe. No descriptions of the being’s features, no race or suspected gender mentioned, but it didn’t matter. This was something, and they hadn’t had something for months.

General Organa specified that the Resistance wouldn’t use too many of their resources for this shot in the dark. Not until it was confirmed a Resistance member was being held hostage- not until it was confirmed it was Poe. By the end of the meeting, they’d all agreed, two pilots, two x-wings, strictly reconnaissance until further notice, and if something was brought to light, to report immediately, do not engage until the okay is given.

By the end of the next night, Snap Wexley and Finn were taking flight towards Aurilia.

—

While Snap had gone on many recon missions (some had taken to naming him the Resistance’s best recon pilot), Finn was still getting the hang of simply flying. He had taken lessons of course, when Poe or Jessica had the time to teach him, but it hadn’t been for a long while now. He was rusty, but determined to perfect it as he went. He had to be on this mission.

“I’ve got this.” Finn mumbled under his breath.

“Steady, Blue Two,” said Snap, over the receiver. “Prepare for hyperdrive.”

“Copy, preparing for hyperdrive.” Finn was silent for a moment, and then, “On your go, Blue Leader.”

The journey was quiet, and nobody disturbed them as they touched down on a landing pad just outside of Este’s infamous city's boundaries. They wanted no trouble, no reason for people to focus their attention on them. The two men met the General’s contact, thanking her for keeping their landing off record.

“Anything for the Resistance,” she’d smiled warmly, pride lifting her shoulders a bit.

The walk into the city’s limit felt long and arduous, but only because Finn was so impatient, anxious to see. He was admittedly quite afraid of what he might find. On one hand, he might not come across what- who he’s looking for. This being could be anyone, and they might not even be Resistance. On the other hand, Finn might find exactly who he’s been looking for. Poe, his pilot, his best friend. But if it was Poe, the possibility that he’d be different was high. And Finn would accept whatever was to come, but it wouldn’t be easy for either of them.

Nothing in this Sith forsaken life is easy. Finn thought bitterly.

“How’re you holding up?” Snap broke him from his thoughts. They’d gotten closer since the loss of the Commander. Both feeling the pilot's absence heavily, guilt ridden and mournful. “You look spooked.”

Finn shook his head, shrugging his anxiety off as best he could. “I’m good. I’m just…”

Snap nods knowingly and changes the subject. “Cage fighting isn’t a sport most casino goers take part in, but mingling with the locals might give us something. Bartenders and the like. Remember, we’re casual.” He gave Finn a hefty pat on the shoulder and smiled. “That means no overreactions and no impulsive moves.”

Finn rolled his eyes but smiled back. “Yeah, yeah, I’m cool, alright? I can be casual.”

——

It was the hunger that woke him up, as it always was nowadays. He didn't even feel the pain anymore, welcomed it actually. It meant he was still alive, that he’d survived the fight. It meant he’d done good. They would feed him a little bit more. They would touch him kindly. He wouldn’t be left alone as long. Small rewards that were his lifeline.

Tucking himself further into the corner of his cell, he stared aimlessly at the ceiling. The thin blanket beneath his finger tips frayed as he fidgeted with the fabric. He didn’t think of anything as he waited for his meal. It was better to keep his mind blank, he was prone to disobedient thoughts and that never ended well.

His heart skyrocketed as the door opened and footsteps echoed against the concrete. Force, he was starving. “Eat up, pup.” Kless, the First Order general said warmly, sliding the tray under the bars. “And be ready, you’ve got a big fight ahead.” General Kless stood quickly and left the room as another soldier came through the door. He'd seen her pop in and out every so often, but he'd never gotten her name. She didn't talk much, least of all to him.

The solider ambled about, grabbing things and swearing under her breath. She didn't spare a glance his way at all. Her form stilled for a moment, and then she was making her way towards the exit to leave.

He didn’t move until the soldier had closed the door behind her. Most of the soldiers, aside from maybe Kless, didn’t like to see his eagerness. But now, alone, he couldn’t stop himself from trembling as he hunched over the tray and stuffed his face. He didn’t stop until he’d licked the tray clean. He was still hungry, but at least it didn’t hurt anymore. And if he won this next fight, they would feed him good. He was sure of it.

——

Finn and Snap regrouped with their intel, relaying what they’d learned back to the General. The next fight was tonight, a sort of ‘finals’ match, real important to the cage fighting crowd. It was being held in an arena somewhere in the underground pipeline tunnels and they would have to bet to get in and watch. Luckily they weren't there to watch because the pot had grown fairly large, the starting bets were already so high. Even if they wanted to, the two couldn't afford it.

They could hear the General conversing with someone else before humming in approval. "Okay, gentlemen, unless you have anything else to add, you're free to move forward. I'm sure I don't have to tell you two again, but for records sake, this is still recon, if you see… the prisoner, do not engage. Report right back to us. Understood?"

"Yes, General." They both said in unison.

The two made they’re way back to the landing pad to check on their x-wings, and to be sure no one had been snooping around. The lady who had helped them, Tala, assured them that nobody had been suspicious towards the fighters. So, with that aside, Finn and Snap could focus on preparing themselves for the next step in their plan. Break into an underground cage fighting arena and snoop on the fighters. Easy peasy.

“What is it?” Finn asked impatiently when Snap looked over at him for the fifth time in ten standard minutes. “What’s bothering you?”

Snap sighed, throwing something down on the seat of his fighter. “Do you…do you think it’s really him?” He watched as Finn furrowed his brow and sighed again. “I mean, I know that’s why we’re here but—”

“It seems impossible,” Finn nodded. “Trust me, I know.” He let out a breathy laugh, throwing his hands up in the air. “It’s like a trillion to one that it’s Poe down there fighting. But it’s like you said, it’s why we’re here. Why I’m here. I think it could be him, and that’s good enough for me.

Snap nodded, tucking his blaster into the holster strapped to his thigh. “Yeah, me too.”

—

When night began to fall on Aurilia, Snap and Finn knew it was time to really get it together. They could feel their nerves bounce off each other and it spurred them to move. They slid down the ladder of one of the entrances to the arena Snap had learned about. It was a street grate leading to the city’s sewer system. They would have to follow certain directions to find the sewer’s entrance to the pipeline tunnels. And if that bar patron knew anything, they shouldn’t run into much company in the sewers.

The pipeline tunnels were a different story entirely. It was busy. The buzzing crowds bustling up and down the winding tunnels. Beings were chattering, holding drinks and snacks on small trays, smoking on the far sides of the tunnel's concrete walls. Under other circumstances, the two Resistance men might’ve found themselves unaffected by the place. But instead the pipeline tunnels left an uncomfortable pit in their stomachs.

Finn glanced both ways, regarding the patrons closely. He could tell Snap was doing the same. And it came to them both at once.

“Food!” They said in unison, grinning at each other in satisfaction.

The duo followed an excited group of beings holding refreshments down the tunnel. After a few turns chosen in confidence, they found they were being led to the arena’s front. A burly man with a worn scowl set on his face was guarding the entryway. Finn and Snap stopped as casually as they could manage and ducked into the outer edges of the tunnel, settling by the smokers to converse.

“We need to find a way around. There’s gotta be a back entrance or something.” Finn mumbled under his breath to Snap. The other man nodded in agreement. “We could start there?” He pointed to the branching pathway next to the arena. It was a smaller underpass than the pipeline’s previous tunnels, littered with only a few beings.

Snap adjusted the backpack on his shoulder and jerked his head forward. “We’ve gotta be so inconspicuous. We can’t draw any attention.” He looked at Finn, kept eye contact to show how serious he was. “Do you think you can use your- yanno…” He gave Finn a pointed look, feeling too self conscious to say the word out loud.

It took Finn only a minute before he realized what his partner was trying to say. “Oh.” He replied dumbly, not expecting to whip out this particular skill just yet. “Yeah, yeah, I can do that.” Though the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. It would make sneaking down the secluded passage easier.

"Let's do this then."

With a quick glance back at the arena, Finn led them away.

——

The training room was much warmer than his cell.

It also awarded him a lot more freedom, more room to move around, which he took full advantage of. And he didn’t have to buffer his excitement with Kless being his warden for tonight. He sat down on the cushioned weight bench and looked around himself. There were others working out alongside him, though he wasn’t permitted to interact with any of them. Lieutenant Ghent made very sure that it was pounded into his head when they’d first let him access the training room.

Falling backwards, he raised his arms to grab onto the bar and lifted. He was halfway done with his first set when something pulled at the back of his head. His arms shook and he quickly made to settle the bar back onto its rack before whipping his head around to check. Phantom touch, it seemed, because no one was behind him, and everyone else looked too preoccupied. He shook his head to clear it and sat up. He would just do something else.

A free heavy bag at a corner of the room caught his eye and he made his way over, only glancing at Kless to be sure it was okay to move about. With the okay in a short nod, he kept walking forward to continue his warm up before the fight. The sensation at the back of his head returned as he lifted his fists and he punched through the bag to ignore it. It seemed to work for a short while but the feeling was insistent, and it was distracting.

It felt like it was getting stronger too, a warmth pulsing somewhere behind him, pulling and pounding. His legs were moving before he could even really think things through. He could hear behind himself Kless’ voice calling to him but it was a dull thing compared to the thrumming in his body. A part of him knew he should stop. He should go back and continue warming up because leaving would have consequences and that meant pain and hunger and loneliness. And he couldn’t take that. He couldn’t take that. But he found he couldn’t stop himself, no matter the fear encompassing him.

He was taking quicker steps, and then full on sprinting, following the growing feeling down forking tunnels. Under his skin felt on fire, he swore it would burn him alive. His eyes glazed making his surroundings blurry and he stumbled over, wanting it all to end. And then after a moment, or maybe a few moments, it did. Disappearing as if it had never happened. Head clear, sight focused, his body light almost. He doesn’t remember feeling this good.

“Poe!”

He felt sick suddenly.

——

Finn broke into a sprint, the Force slipping his thoughts. He didn’t need it anymore. He could hear Snap following him just a step behind.

“Kriff.” Snap mumbled. “Finn, wait.” He made to grab Finn’s wrist to stop him.

“He’s right there!” Finn exclaimed roughly.

“I know, but the General said confirm and report back.” Snap sighed, irritated. He too wanted to run to his Commander, scoop him up and fly their asses back home. But they were under orders. “If we do this quickly, we can get the all clear even faster. Let him go for now. He’s not… He’s not going anywhere. We found him.” He held his hand out and tipped his head to the side. He hoped Finn would comply.

The other man sighed heavily, and then nodded, clapping Snaps hand in solidarity. “Let’s make it quick.” He glanced over at Poe, who hadn’t seen them, maybe hadn’t even heard him shout. His back was to them, hunched over pathetically as a First Order soldier helped him upright. Finn sneered and turned away, making for where Snap had settled in a tight crevice between connecting tunnels, presumably for privacy.

——

Poe shut his eyes against the smack across his head. He knew they wouldn’t do anything too severe to him yet, not wanting to weaken him before the big fight. But later, after, he would get it like he hadn't had for a good long while. Usually so obedient these days. He shivered harshly at the thought of them subjecting him to more reconditioning.

“Try that again, pup,” Lieutenant Ghent hissed into his ear, spitting the pet name General Kless came up with when they’d first entered into cage fighting. “And I will kill you.” Ghent shoved Poe away in disgust and motioned for the other two soldiers to get him ready. The fight was about to begin. He made his leave, commenting mockingly about handling General Kless. Poe’s heart clenched.

He cleared his mind. He would not disobey again.

——

‘Get our boy back.’

‘Yes, ma’am.’

Finn had done a lot of ridiculous things in his life. It’s par for the course at this point. So he barely bat an eye as he and Snap hid in the fresher like creeps to bum a couple of betting cards off their victims unconscious (but still alive) bodies. The duo slunk their way inside the arena, the screams of excitement, the heated arguments only getting louder.

The arena was split, both sides holding up banners with stage names they couldn’t connect anything to. One half was clearly more popular, which only made the two Resistance men hover closer to that side. First Order gamblers always caught more attention and support. The banner above their heads displayed a single name, a diminutizing tag.

PUP.

The crowd started to cheer as the announcer stepped up. A Devaronian with a wicked grin. Finn and Snap held their breaths in quiet anticipation as the announcer presented the opponents. First, a being named Boss trudged in. He was a fairly big being and he huffed angrily in his corner of the cage, pacing back and forth like a rabid animal.

Finn gnawed at his lip anxiously.

When Poe stepped into the pen, Finn could practically feel the anxiety rolling off of him. He clenched his hands into fists, afraid he might act without thinking. The match was starting and he leant forward to get a better view of his pilot. A First Order soldier, the one from the tunnel (except a little more bruised), stepped up behind Poe and whispered something to him. Finn could feel the tension leave Poe for a moment and it made him frown. And then the bell rang loud above them, startling Finn. The First Order soldier clicked something off of Poe’s neck and shut the gate behind him with a quickness meant for true rabid animals.

That was what Finn thought before he saw the horror in the cage.

Poe was like a rabid animal. A desperate trapped thing fighting for its life and liking it. Finn had never seen Poe like this. Poe was a relaxed, laid back, “take it as it comes” kinda guy. Sure he could be irritable and snippy sometimes, but he was never violent.

“Fragging hell.” Snap mumbled. His eyes were wide in disbelief.

As the fight went on, Finn grew more distressed. He could feel Poe’s agony through the Force like the cold water of a frozen lake. Underneath that, Finn could feel the utter chaos spurring Poe on. He was like a man truly possessed.

Round one ended and the First Order soldier stepped into the cage seemingly to wrangle Poe away. Only he came too easily after the sheer mania from only seconds before. Finn could sense it how the soldier was getting Poe to comply so willingly. “They’re hurting him.” He hissed, feet shuffling anxiously, itching to do something.

Snap gripped Finn’s jacket, giving him a pained side eye. “It won’t be long till round two starts, I don’t think we can safely get him out yet.”

The infliction of pain didn’t stop until the soldier had the collar locked securely around Poe’s neck. Snap led Finn through the crowd, getting them closer to the changing room on Poe's side. If they couldn't grab him just yet, they would certainly be able to once the fight was over. It was in their best interest to get as close as possible.

——

In the state after being collarless, Poe noticed time didn’t work the way it usually did. Everything around him went so fast. He was being sat, being cleaned, and then being shoved back into the cage for the next match. He had no time to take things in before his collar was off, and then at that point he couldn’t even think about anything other than move and fight and kill.

His vision was red with bloodlust, adrenaline coursing through his veins. He sized his opponent up, checking for a sore spot he could exploit. Poe sneered, thrusting his body forward with an inhuman amount of force and swung his fist against Boss’s side, making him groan in pain. Boss countered with a heavy right arm but Poe dodged it, bending his knees to duck. Boss had strength, sure, but Poe was fast. In the time it took for Boss to pull back, Poe was wrapping his arms around his center, squeezing hard and bucking forward to tackle him down. The ground shook under Poe’s knees as they fell.

He was being grappled, an attempt to flip them over. But Poe wouldn’t lose this advantage. He drew his legs around Boss’ waist and huffed in an echoed attempt to scream, mouth wide, wailing blows with all the strength he had against Boss’ face. His nose crunched sickenly under Poe’s fist. It sent blood splattering across the concrete ground. Through the mess of red in his mouth, Boss gurgled, beating his hand against Poe’s side. It didn’t matter, Poe couldn’t feel it. He kept swinging, through the blind rage, the conditioning, that stupid feeling at the back of his head that won’t go the frag away! He kept swinging until his fists were caked with blood, until the being under him went limp, and then he kept going. He didn’t stop until that electric shock through his entire nervous system locked his limbs rigid, paralyzing him with pain.

It never got better. You don’t get used to agony like this.

——

Finn felt bile rise in his throat. He clutched at Snap’s shoulder to steady himself. He needed to get it together. The announcer was declaring a winner, and the two would need to work quickly once the soldier escorted Poe away. The crowd around them roared in triumph as Poe’s bloodied arm lifted in the air. The next few moments happened in a slurry of movement, tension high, adrenaline piloting him. Finn’s blaster was out, lowered to his hip, hidden between his and Snap’s moving bodies.

“Here he comes.” Snap murmured, pulling his own weapon out.

As a nearly unconscious Poe and the First Order soldier passed by, Finn got up smoothly beside him. His gun tucked up against the soldier’s side and he smiled at the crowd calmly as the soldier stiffened. He gave a small shove to get the man to keep moving. “No sudden movements and I don’t blast a hole in your side, capiche?” He mumbled. The soldier nodded shortly beside him. They stopped in a corridor (away from the crowd) when three other soldier’s ran into them. Snap took a shot instantly, hitting one of them in the knee. Finn threw the soldier holding Poe to the ground hard. He only felt a little remorse as Poe went down with him. But handling two First Order lackeys instead of three was better odds of getting them all out.

Snap was already running to tackle one of the two still standing. The other had a gun out, and was shooting right at Finn. With his own blaster, Finn shot back. He wasn’t a terrible shot when he was a stormtrooper, but he was much better now without that Sith forsaken helmet. He was able to shoot the blaster out of the soldier's hand, and Snap had successfully knocked the other out cold. Finn picked Poe’s unconscious body up as a couple of the soldiers were already rousing.

“C’mon, Wexley, we gotta get outta here.” He hoisted Poe’s body into a more comfortable holding position and started to move. A shout made him spin around. The soldier Snap had shot was holding a gun, aimed straight at him. The gun went off, an awful beaming sound echoed in the concrete room. The soldier dropped the gun, head tilting, slumping down on himself. Finn was not dead.

“You need to leave now.” The soldier who’d been with Poe lowered his blaster and stared at Finn. “A stormtrooper squad will be here to escort us, they’re expecting us. Best bet is to go out through there.” He pointed to a back door.

Finn’s brow drew in confusion. “Why are you helping us?”

The soldier glanced at Poe and then back at Finn. “You have to go.” He repeated, kneeling over one of the unconscious bodies. “Tell Pup I’m sorry.” A burst of Force sizzled in the air and Poe was jerking out of Finn’s arms, gasping out in pain. The soldier grimaced and stepped away. Boots were echoing down the halls, and he started to leave. “I’ll divert them.”

Getting Poe upright now that he was awake, Finn led the two through the door. The ladder at the end of the small tunnel led up into a connecting back alley of a very popular night club and a bounty bar. The more people, the harder they would be to spot. Snap took front, keeping an eye out as Finn supported a weary Poe. They made it back to their ships, though Poe had passed out in the time between, and Finn and Snap had to take turns carrying him back. It wasn’t much of a chore though, considering how thin Poe was now.

“I’ll take him in mine.” Finn said, before Snap could even ask the question. “I-I think I could help if he wakes up while we’re flying back.”

It was a quiet ride. Poe did not wake up, even while Finn reported to the General, he did not wake up when they finally got back to base. Poe did not wake up for the next two days…

#canzonii fics #read on ao3 #finnpoe #finn rey and poe #stormpilot #poe dameron #finn star wars #rey skywalker #snap wexley #leia organa #cage fighting #hurt/comfort

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