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finnpoerebelscum · 1 year

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FALLOUT - Chapter 12

Chapters Posted: 12 of 18

Rating: T+

Warnings: Canon-typical violence & fighting/blood/gore/graphic descriptions of injury/angst/hurt/comfort/Multiple POVs

Characters/Pairings: Poe Dameron/Finn, Karé Kun, Iolo Arana, BB-8, OCs.

Summary: Still reeling in the aftermath of Crait, Poe Dameron and Finn are sent to a secret Resistance base tucked away on Lothal to serve as acting generals. Their numbers dwindled to barely a handful, and with General Organa’s order grounding all surviving Resistance personnel to heal and regroup, morale is at an all time low. Poe grapples with his inability to sit still; the First Order looms, an ever-encroaching threat to what remains of the Outer Rim’s free space; intimate feelings grow impossible to ignore and a shocking return promises devastating consequences not only for those stationed on Lothal, but for the Resistance and galaxy at large.

A/N: An AU adventure, a side-quest of sorts, to account for some of the time between TLJ and ROS. Stormpilot centric. Canon up until the end of TLJ (but does not take into account Resistance Reborn or the Finn/Rose arc).

Masterlist

CHAPTER 12

“Do you ever wonder what the point is?”

Torin, without warning, had asked him one day, as they hunched over their lunch trays. The D’Qar base mess hall was abuzz with conversation and movement and unbeknownst to either at the time, this would be their last meal shared before Torin was shipped off to Kothal.

“Huh?” Poe had stopped, fork hovering halfway to his mouth.

He wouldn’t meet Poe’s eyes. “You know… What are we really fighting for?”

“Oh, come on, kid. Don’t get wishy-washy on me now. You know why or you wouldn’t be here.”

“Yeah, I know that. But, what keeps you going?”

Any time thoughts like these reared their ugly head, Poe would shove them down as fast as they’d come on. To deal with later and keep trudging forward. Poor kid , Poe had thought. Sooner or later, everyone had this moment. He was just a little taken aback that for Torin it had come so soon.

Poe set his fork down. “It’s what I know. Like a lot of us, I grew up hearing the stories of what it was like to live in a galaxy under the Empire’s thumb, the worst of it. My parents—everyone like them—they didn’t fight so hard for it all to be for nothing. Most of those who fought before are gone. It’s up to us now.”

“Why is it happening now? Again?”

“Why did the Empire happen? Some guy got power hungry? Happens all the time—on a smaller scale, of course. Thought he had the key to perfecting the galaxy. They all do. Only problem is, perfect to them means total, unchecked power.”

“Does what we have right now work?”

“Gonna be hard to find a foolproof system, but at least people have a voice. The right to disagree. Even loudly.”

They shared a chuckle.

“You’re right.” Torin smiled. And if Poe had actually been paying attention to more than the next time he could jump into Black One, he would have noticed that smile never reached Torin’s eyes.

A drop of sweat landed on the screen of the nav computer. With a shaking hand, Poe dragged his sleeve across his forehead. The cold was numbing, blasting him every few minutes with a frigid gust through the cracks and jagged holes in the transparisteel of the cockpit. He ground his teeth together to quell the chattering.

It was too late now. Had there been any hope of repairing the damage done to Torin, it was useless to even dwell on it with him gone.

Another added to the list.

That long, long list of names that Poe was beginning to lose track of. In a lot of ways Torin had looked like hope to him. Young, happy, brave. Not afraid of hard work. Willing to do what it took, put others before himself. And still, they had found a way to decimate any trace of that kid, the easy smile, the dream, the vision.

Or maybe… he’d just missed all the signs. So focused on the next task, the next adventure, he hadn’t even bothered to look— really look—at what was right in front of him.

Poe had literally become his mother. Unable to function outside his cockpit, go, go, go until—perhaps her same fate awaited him. He could see his mother now, the way she looked a couple years before she disappeared. That was the image he’d have of her forever, frozen in time in his brain. Obsidian curls tumbling out of her flight helmet as she raced across the grassy field in front of their Yavin IV home to wrap him up in a hug. The smell of engine grease and fuel that clung to her. The ache—that one in your chest, deep beneath your diaphragm—that bottomless pit of grief welled up in him, taking his breath away.

With Vrees gone… It was like losing her all over again. He couldn’t escape blame in his death. How had he been so oblivious to what was happening with Torin? Vrees’ and his father’s words drummed on in his mind, an insistent, panicky rhythm; what if it was all for nothing?

Poe didn’t do pity. And he most definitely didn’t do self-pity. No matter how hard the hit, he would always find the bright side, and plow forward.

But now, from where he’d sunk down to lean against the short-circuiting flight console, things looked pretty damn bleak. Standing was agony, sitting was worse. He couldn’t lie down; he knew he wouldn’t be able to get back up again. The throb in his side was a living thing, white-hot, writhing under the shredded skin, lashing out at him whenever his shirt grazed the jagged edges. Whatever Finn had done had long since dissipated and night had fallen outside of the downed G-9. The darkness was complete; like it had swallowed up the ship, squeezing in on it from every side.

Poe had lost count of how many different combinations of rewiring he and Finn had tried hooking up to the comms system. Only one quadrant of the flight console still had power and it whirred weakly, lights dimming and brightening in random spurts. They had connected the communicator to that quadrant in hopes of siphoning the power to it. Several times, the system had blinked to life, but it never lasted more than a few seconds.

Suddenly, the lights glowed into power up mode and Poe grabbed the pilot’s seat to steady himself against the hopeful hammering of his heart.

The unit crackled with static, coming alive. Yes!

Then, the loud snap of a short circuit, the screen fizzed and buzzed with a dejected hum and went black, plunging the ship into complete darkness again.

* * *

It was so dark by the time Finn returned to the ship, he almost missed it. He clambered through the hole left by the starboard fin and dumped his pile of wood there. It was now significantly brighter inside the ship than outside, which was not saying much, as the blinking lights in it gave off little more than a crepuscular glow.

“Any luck?”

No movement came from the cockpit. Finn’s heart slammed against his ribcage. The rhythm of blinking lights illuminated Poe’s unmoving form, slumped sideways against the flight console between the seats, then threw him back into shadow.

“Poe! No, no, no, no.”

Finn slid his arms under Poe’s armpits and dragged him out into the more open space behind the seats. His tawny skin shone with sweat in the penumbra. He dropped his head to Poe’s chest. At first, Finn couldn’t quiet the roar in his ears enough to hear anything.

Then, came the feeble thump, thump, thump of Poe’s heart and the stuttering rise and fall as he continued to breathe. Finn pressed his forehead to Poe’s chest, resting it there for a few beats, breathing with him, trying to loosen the tight bands of panic wrapped around his heart.

A clammy hand settled on the back of his neck, making him jump.

“Just… needed a quick nap.”

“Napping on the job, I see.” Finn straightened. The ghost of a smile tugged at Poe’s lips.

The last of the electricity power sputtered out from the ship, plunging them into shadows.

“Let me try the comms one more time.”

Poe’s fingers groped for Finn’s, closing around his wrist. “It’s not gonna work.”

Finn crouched back down. “Let me start a fire at least. It’s freezing in here.”

Poe didn’t let go of Finn’s wrist. “Will you just… sit with me for a second?”

As they sat, there was a faint rattling sound, tittering away against the durasteel floor next to him. Finn realized it was Poe shivering, the zippers and buttons on his uniform rattling against the floor as he shook. The shaking increased, and Poe clamped down on a pained sound, the shivers jostling the open wound against the bandages.

Finn pulled his jacket off. As gently as he could, though Poe still stifled a sharp intake of air, Finn slid between Poe’s back and the wall, propping him up against his chest so that his head could comfortably rest against the crook of Finn’s collarbone. He draped his jacket over Poe’s chest and wrapped his arms around and across Poe’s shoulders. Some of the tension left Poe’s body. The shaking even dimmed in intensity, but occasional, bone-chattering spasms still coursed through him.

It was quiet for a long moment, Poe’s shallow breaths filling the cabin.

“I thought… I had more time.”

The tightness in Finn’s throat made it impossible to speak. His eyes stung. Their situation was dire. There was no hiding that. He’d known it the second he’d seen Poe’s injury. With no significant medical help or comms, precious seconds were slipping away faster than Finn could bear to admit. He’d hoped they had more time too. In so many more ways than one. He ached for it.

“I’d do it all again, you know.” Poe was working hard to breathe and talk, voice quiet. “Except… maybe one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“I’d tell you sooner.”

Finn’s heart hammered wildly.

Poe continued, voice barely a whisper. “We could be in a room with a thousand people, Finn, and somehow, I’d still only see you. I know it now… I’ve been waiting for you my whole life. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter if you didn’t feel the same. Knowing you was enough. Loving you was enough.”

Their seconds together continued to fade, Poe along with them. Finn barely heard him the next time he spoke. “Do me a favor? When you get out of here… I want you to be the one to tell my dad. Tell him I love him. And you.”

Finn laid his cheek on Poe’s head and held onto him tighter, as if his embrace could keep Poe here for just a little longer.

Time slipped away.

Finn let the silence overwhelm him, hot tears landing in little droplets among Poe’s curls.

A/N: I promise there is NO major character death in this story!

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skylarstark4826 · 1 year

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Poe and Paige fic: Wear Me Out

“Poe, for fuck’s sake,” an annoyed, tired, and highly familiar female voice rang out. “It’s two in the morning.”

Poe looked up from his berth, stretched out on his stomach on one of Black One’s wings while he tinkered with the deflector shield generator. “Couldn’t sleep?’

Paige’s hair was up in a messy bun, fly-away strands surrounding her face. She crossed her arms over her chest. “Three nights in a row?”

“I’m trying not to bother you?”

“You know I’m still not convinced you’re not more into your ship than me.”

Poe couldn’t stop his smile. He rubbed the cool metal of Black One. “I’ve never denied our special bond.”

“At least you’re honest,” Paige said, and her lips were twitching like she wanted to smile but damn well wasn’t going to let Poe see her do it. “Do you want help? If there’s anything actually wrong, you know my sister Rose--”

“No, I’m fine.” There wasn’t anything actually wrong, and Poe was pretty sure Paige knew that. He was also pretty sure that Paige just wanted her sister Rose to have the opportunity to work on the Resistance’s best starfighter.

Maybe sometime Poe could offer to let her take a look. If Rose was half as smart as Paige said she was, she could probably come up with an improvement or two.

Paige paused, considering. “Are you ever going to come to bed?”

Poe gave this equal consideration. “Possibly?” Honestly, working on his ship was relaxing, and his sleep had been shit recently. He was sorry to bother Paige but this thing they had was still new and he wasn’t quite sure how exactly to be with her yet. Poe wasn’t always the best at navigating casual; he tended to jump in too quickly and too hard and he was trying not to this time.

He wasn’t entirely certain how much sharing was too much sharing, and if he had instead erred on the side of not enough, making Paige feel as though he didn’t care.

Poe had thought it would be easier with Paige, given their paths crossed so infrequently. He had thought they could have fun when they managed to both be on D’Qar at the same time. Instead it was all so kriffing complicated, when the point of this had been to be uncomplicated.

“You never stop moving,” Paige was muttering, and Poe wondered whether he should apologize.

She walked over to the ladder and climbed up to join him. Poe loved watching her move, smooth and graceful, so used to navigating narrow catwalks in her bomber. He sat up, putting his tools aside.

“Sorry,” he said, though he wasn’t sure now what he was apologizing for. Maybe just for himself in general.

Paige was still looking at him with that almost, not quite smile. She was wearing one of Poe’s shirts, just a little loose on her. “Why are you up here, Poe?”

“I don’t know,” Poe said, and looked away.

“My mother,” Paige said, and swallowed. “My mother always said it was good to share your fears with people who care about you. I guess we’re not… But I hope you know I do care about you.”

When Poe looked back at her, Paige was staring down at her knees. Poe brushed his fingertips over her knuckles. “Yeah. I mean, you’d have to, to put up with a hotshot pilot like me.”

Paige laughed, quick and sharp, and she smacked Poe’s arm. “Never gonna let me forget that, huh?”

“Considering how sure you were that’s all I was? Nah.”

“But you are a hotshot pilot, Dameron.”

Poe smiled at her. “Never denied it.” He let their mutual amusement fade back into quiet, thinking. “It’s not… Not anything specific, really.” No, that wasn’t true. Terex and traitors were extremely specific and even Poe couldn’t pretend he didn’t know why his sleep had been so poor lately. “I’m just worried about my squad, that’s all. I can’t, uh, I can’t talk about it. It’s not you.”

“Top secret?” Paige teased, but she touched his knee. “I know. Need to know, special missions from General Organa, all that. I get it. I just hope you know I’m here.” Her cheeks were faintly pink.

“I’m not going to forget you in my shirt, that’s for sure,” Poe said, but he leaned in to press his lips to Paige’s cheek so she would know he genuinely heard her, too, that he appreciated her caring and her effort to be there, even if neither of them knew what this was.

Paige scooted a little closer to him, her hand creeping up his thigh. “I can maybe think of a way to tire you out,” she suggested. “So you can sleep, and so you won’t stay up here all night.”

“Can you really?” Poe asked, arching an eyebrow dramatically. He shifted, spreading his legs, and Paige settled between them, her pretty face so close to his as she pressed in.

“I can keep your shirt on, if you like.”

“Kinky,” Poe said, grinning. He slid his hand up said shirt, caressing the warm, smooth skin of her back. “Tell me what sort of thing you were thinking of, to tire me out.”

Paige leaned in, her lips against his ear, her voice a low murmur, her hands wandering. “I was thinking that it’s such a lovely night out, and I love the sounds of the jungle. So maybe we could take a walk, and find a nice tree, and you could--”

“You had me at it’s a lovely night out,” Poe said, unable to stop himself from swallowing Paige’s words, kissing her with his hands in her messy bun while she straddled him.

Fun, Poe thought. They could have fun. It didn’t have to be complicated. They could have fun, and he could care a little, too.

“Careful,” Paige said, nipping at his lip, rocking into him. “We’ll never make it outside. Your droid might come looking for you in here; don’t want to horrify him.”

“Beebee’s seen worse,” Poe said, but he let Paige nudge him towards the ladder so he could hop down. He stretched his arms up and Paige rolled her eyes but jumped anyway, allowing him to catch her.

“Also,” Paige said, her eyes bright and full of amusement. “You can be as loud as you want. No thin walls to worry about.”

Poe looped his arm around Paige’s waist and said, “Like I said, you had me at it’s a lovely night out. Let’s go have sweaty, athletic, exhausting sex in the jungle.”

And maybe he’d even sleep afterwards.

#poe x paige #poe and paige #poige #poe dameron #paige tico

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reservoirreputation · 1 year

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I have a problem called Harvey Keitel, but damn do some of the movies he stars in sound real fuckin depressing.

AND. THEN.

I spot 'Two Evil Eyes'

SO GET THIS

it's got Harvey in it (duh) it'S DIRECTED BY GEORGE ROMERO AND DARIO FUCKING ARGENTO????? DOING ADAPTATIONS OF STORIES BY EDGAR ALLEN POE????????

THIS SOUNDS AMAAAAAAAZZIIIIIIIIIING

Romero's first, THE FACTS IN THE CASE OF MR. VALDEMAR

Our main female character's suit is both very eighties, but actually looks nice? It was *only* 1980, I guess it's before things got our of control.

Couldn't help but like her a bit. Practicing her retort in the car is so human, you can't help sympathizing with her.

The mistress wants to get paid- is it wrong I kinda agree with her? I mean, assuming she has nothing to do with her husband's impending death.

Obvious forgery is obvious.

Ernie and the Doctor sound very similar *side-eyes*

One, the house is beautiful, two, are Jessica and her totally-not-sancho wearing clothes made from the same bolt of fabric? I mean, that's one way to code that they're working together.

Jessica at least has some shame- the titular Mr. Valdemar is pretty much a puppet, at this point. Her cohort is trying to justify it, saying her husband's a bad man.

ROBERT AN JESS ARE EXES

Valdemar literally stole his girl, damn.

Well then. I went from pitying the poor guy because he's awake now and in so much pain, to disliking his ass because of how he talks about his wife.

Wall safes are so cool. Also, Robert clearly didn't know about it. Looks like he won't need Jess' full cooperation, huh?

'nothing at all to connect us' nothing telegraphs that their romantic relationship is dead more than that, huh?

Gotta love Ernest having such a timely death. So much for those efficient millions.

Three weeks at Valdemar's baaaaabbbbbyyyyyy.

oh shit, at fist I thought they chopped him up (stupid, they were just talking about making him look fresh for a mortician) but DAMN my brain really went there.

So many similarities between this and Bernie. Wild.

That shot of the feet disappearing under the stairs- *chef's kiss*

'I'm glad to see that you're finally doing the right thing' YES NIGHT NURSE, RUB THE SALT INTO THAT WOUND

Damn, that pool might as well be an ocean between them, huh? Also, they're wardrobe couldn't be visually further apart, now.

Those massive fuckin' sunglasses, listen to the Eagles baby, you can't hide your lyin' eyes (also a song about a young wife cheating on her cold as ice husband with a much younger man, more 'age appropriate')

OH NO DON'T TELL ME THAT POOR BASTARTD'S STILL ALIVE

OH NOOOOO

DON'T ACTUALLY MAKE ME FEEL BAD FOR HIS BITCH ASS (they're all terrible tho)

FUCKING HELL ROBERT, KNOCK ASSHOLE

He's totally alive down there.

OK tubi's got ads, no shit, but I just got a Credit Karma ad? With a non-binary MC named Morgan?? I LOVE THIS?? I LIKE THIS PICTURE BECAUSE I AM IN IT?!?!?!

Back to the movie 'I'm here, I'm with you, nothing is gonna happen' SOMETHING IS ALREADY HAPPENNING

I love how Jesse's vibe is never 'oh no, my husband's still alive and is suffering!' and instead is 'I'm being HAUNTED'

No, wait she's not in denial?

Hm, your husband has some freezer burn, I'm afraid you'll have to throw him out.

NO WAIT, OH SHIT OH FUCK IT'S THE HYUPNO BULLSHIT MOTHERFUCKER IS STILL ALIVE

What a fucking nightmare.

Nope, sorry, he is in fact dead. I'm apparently as confused about it as this doctor is. BTW, trying to pry his frozen eyes open? That's also good shit.

Boy, I started this to get to some Harvey Keitel, and I ended up watching some existential terror.

Oh god, he just wants to be woken up.

'The others are coming'?? Oh shit, I've seen this Doctor Who episode.

'It's over' insert John Cena meme 'are you sure about that?'

'they're coming for you Jessica' is so close to 'they're coming to get you, Barbara' that I am unreasonably delighted by it.

Yo, Robert, you might wanna GTFO

Hey, isn't that the guy from Night of the Creeps?

When all your budget went into the location and Ernest's special effects, that the 'others' gotta settle for body suits.

Nevermind, a good portion of the SFX also went to Robert.

Heh? Get it?? Blood money??

Next is Dario Argnto: THE BLACK CAT

We get a bunch of crime scene photos, and then one very good boy (a black cat) Look, I've got four black cats, I don't know if I can put up with any impending slander.

'Sir, you think there's any chance of me being transferred back to parking violations?' SHIT GIRL SAME WE'RE IN THE DEEP END ALREADY

You know, I was wondering why they were using an obvious dummy, and then we get the overhead shot. In just a few seconds, we get a very different tone and execution, holy fucking shit.

"I'm sorry' proceeds to take cool-ass shots of a death trap. Gee, I wonder what fate will befall this poor artsy bastard.

AHHHHH IT'S A CUTE BOOOOOOOOOY (Harvey in a bow tie)

AHHHHH IT'S A CUTE BOOOOOOOOOY (Black cat existing)

Correction: AHHHHH IT'S A CUTE GIIIIIIIRRRRRRRLLL

Found the cat on the street, story of all my animals. They just show up, know that we'll feed 'em. Sure, you might get your balls cut off, but ain't that worth the kibble? Also, you'd better not be pointing out that white mark on her chest just to kill her later, and that be the only identifying marker. I swear to god, movie-

One, yeah that cat's staring at you. Two, this sweet girl reminds me so much of Buttons. The eyes, the white patch. God, I miss him.

You know what, fair enough, worrying about gettin' your eyes clawed out. One of our cats likes to attack people's feet, but only when they're covered. He prefers my Mom's which just comes across as spiteful. (God, this movie's gonna expose me as an annoying cat owner, isn't it?)

How the fuck did this fucking cat get OUTSIDE? Bitch, you were in the hallway, stop teleporting. Also, LET THE BABY INNNNNN.

You motherfucker, throwing the shoe and then pretending you were asleep. Your girlfriend needs to smack you.

My dislike of the photographer aside, Harvey looks great in a bathrobe, soaking wet. Also, is he contractually obligated to have a comb with him in 90% of his films? 'Cause it sure feels like it.

If this doesn't end with his obvious witch girlfriend sacrificing his ass because he pissed off/hurt the cat, then I don't know what's gonna happen.

Welp, the cat's dead, innit? Well, she may come back and haunt his ass, but he totally killed her. Girlfriend's underreacting BTW. If I knew with certainty that my partner/anyone I was living with killed my pet-

Now I'm really hoping his ass gets cut in half. Or that the cat comes back to eat his eyeballs.

There's something very wholesome about a village coming together to execute an animal abuser.

'But I didn't finish!' is unintentionally hilarious. Buddy, I think you got them all.

Who the fuck is this student?? And why does he literally look like a child?? Who looks at a woman crying and goes 'God you're beautiful?' *Grabs spray bottle for both of these idiots*

Did he really- deny killing the cat- and then release a book showing him killing the cat?

THE BITCH IS BACK

IT'S DEFINITELY HERS

Buddy- did you not learn your lesson? Killing the cat twice isn't gonna help. Also, he's apparently gonna hang, a shame. I was really banking on him getting cut in half.

That shot of the staircase from the top down- I think I know where Rod's gonna hang.

Something about the CC reading 'knife pierces skull' that just- oof.

The shot of him frantically scrubbing off blood, then it cutting to her blood staining the bath water- that's cinema, right there.

Oh shit OH SHIT ARE WE ABOUT TO HAVE A SECOND BODY

Nope. Something about jazz music playing loudly in the background makes this feel even more insane.

'together forever' honestly made me think he was gonna kill himself. No, I think he's just gonna- carry her corpse everywhere. They're going on vacation, after all.

HE'S HIDING HER BEHIND A WALL!?!?! BITCH WHAT THE FUCK

*Grumbles* Piece of shit still looks cute in a bowtie.

The cutout of her face is hilarious. You can't tell me they didn't do that for a laugh.

'Nobody will think of looking for you in the house' AND WHEN SHE STARTS TO SMELL?! WHAT THEN!?!?!

I guess you could say that the call was coming from inside the house? Eh?

OH CAT VISION THE BITCH IS BACK

So, the student that looks like a child is Christian. I'm still convinced this fucker's in high school, or he's just got a baby face.

Okay, I don't like the little twerp, I'm biased against him, but like, acting all cocky, like a know-it-all going, 'That's strange. Well, you think if she'd have gone on tour, she would have taken her violin.' And then Rod calmly replying 'She has two' I actually cackled.

God, Gloria looks horrified to know she's friends with a woman who was living with her boyfriend, not her husband, like they're shacked up in sin.

Look, Christian, you're right, but I don't like you. Fuck off.

The hole starting to form, bringing something into the light, as Rod slinks off into darkness- I LOVE MOVIES, OKAY!?

Oh, I see, it's a symbol. Neat.

Wasn't the phone just unplugged? Did they force him to plug it back in when I wasn't looking?

OKAY. LISTEN.

WHEN THE LADY FROM THE BAR SAID 'IT'S DESTINY' THE CC READ RIGHT AFTER 'SHE'S PREGNANT' BUT I DIDN'T HEAR SHIT. I THOUGHT IT WAS A GLITCH

THIS IS FUCKING NASTY/GREAT

Not to help the animal abuser/girlfriend beater, but don't you have a knife, buddy? To cut off the dead weight? I know fear makes us stupid, but um

AH FUCK HE DIDN'T HANG IN THE STAIRWELL

Thank you movie, for that Humane Society seal of approval. Like, the cat was so obviously not being tortured, just a little squished, but it is still nice to see.

Trust Dario Argento to pick out a catchy soundtrack.

This movie got batshit crazy by the end. I definitely prefer the second movie to the first, but both are good. *jams out to 'woman singing in Italian'*

#potential live watch?#harvey keitel #george a romero #dario argento #Two Evil Eyes #tw animal abuse #tw domestic violence #edgar allen poe #removing streaming mentions #either google where to watch or go to your local library

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saintheartwing · 2 years

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May the Force Be With You, Pt. 18: So You Need a Junkyard Dog

"This is disgusting, alright."

"Whatever did do this was vicious, for sure…and it wasn't a knife that caused these wounds, even I can tell that from just a look."

Finn and Poe couldn't help but feel degraded and depressed after they'd lost the ability to relax on Naboo. Naboo had been their home away from home for so long, a place where they felt they could unwind, and now, after several beautiful years of great memories working on Naboo for the Dyad, for their beloved Darth Raize and Furiosa…it was all gone because of what the Dyad's apprentices and padawans…what their OWN padawans…had done.

But…there was still the vacation planet of Pokitaru. Poe had done the local sheriff there a few favors now and then and so now he and Finn had decided they'd go there for a while to relax. They didn't want to be around the Dyad for a while, truth be told…not after what Raize and Furiosa had done.

Finn had finally decided to speak up. He'd told them that what they had done was a bad idea. "All we're doing is just alienating what few allies we have! Many of our padawans don't live under planets with your influence, they live in New Republic space, and now people are gonna talk! They're gonna talk about how we're all murderous authoritarians who just kill people who don't go along with what we want, who think we're above the law and can do whatever we want! I don't want people to be afraid of me!"

"As long as you're Sith, they're always going to be afraid of you to some degree, that's not a bad thing." Furiosa had argued. "Fear breeds respect."

"The Mandalorian I worked under thought the same way. I had no respect for her. I was afraid of her, but I didn't respect her." He'd said as Rey stared at him, scarcely able to believe what she was hearing. Finally he ended the call, and Poe had gently patted him on the shoulder, trying to comfort him.

"Hey. It'll be alright." He'd insisted. "You're gonna like it on Pokitaru."

But…things were not quite that simple. They'd only been there three days before the local sheriff had come to visit Poe and had asked him for a favor, because a rather well-off man who owned a big fleet of fishing boats had been horribly mangled and mauled at night. He'd asked Poe for help and now Finn and Poe were investigating in the morgue, looking down at the body as the sheriff, a fairly nondescript, bearded and moustachioed alien with soft blue skin and no nose, looked down at the corpse as well, arms folded over his naked chest, dog tags from his time in the great wars against Mandalore hanging from his neck.

"Good thing you contacted me, Sheriff Andal." Poe said as he put on some gloves and began to inspect the body. "Yeah, these are definitely animal wounds."

"I would have my own expert examine it, but unfortunately he's on vacation today." The sheriff confessed. "And, honestly…we're very short-staffed here in the Pokitaru Police Department. We had a lot of our men killed in the line of duty during protests about this gala that's happening this month to celebrate over 300 years of fishing industry success. All the big names are gonna be there, and not just for the fishing industry, the cruise people, the general tourist trade folks, they've all been coming in." Sheriff Andal remarked. "Folks hated it."

"They don't want a bunch of rich people around being all bread and circuses, huh? This is my surprised face." Poe wryly remarked.

"They have a legal right to host a party here, it's part of our planet's constitution. If people wanna throw a non-violent party, there's no law against it. The mayor tried to make that case in a town hall but the folks there just didn't want to listen, they threw out a lot of stuff like "They're just crushing the underclass" and "we don't want bourgeois pigs here" and "Eat the rich" and all those buzzwords but none of them actually gave a good LEGAL reason why they couldn't hold the gala. That's when they started doing the protests."

"Protests aren't illegal?" Finn asked, sounding mortified and disgusted.

"Of COURSE not, we have people who protest outside of fancy rich houses on the beach all the time." Sheriff Andal. "A lot of them want those spots of beaches to be open to EVERYONE, even if that place becomes privately owned."

"Mansion people are evil! Mansion people are evil!"

"Hey, it's not that simple! What about property rights? What about sanitation? What about security?"

"…"

"…WELL?"

"….MANSION PEOPLE ARE EEEEVIL! MANSION PEOPLE ARE EVIL!"

"Well, I give them points for moral clarity." Finn commented.

"Yeah, and then the COUNTER-protests started."

"Counter protests?"

"Yeah, stuff like "Not in OUR backyard! Not in OUR backyard!"

"Ohhhhh." Finn nodded. "Yeah, I had a feeling they'd start saying that."

"So the protests eventually got violent?" Poe asked the sheriff.

"Yeah, one of the cops started yelling angrily at the protestors and told them they were all sorts of nasty names, and then one of the protestors just stabbed him in the face with a laser knife! It got chaotic! And the thing is, my men were outnumbered three to one, I couldn't have them fight them all off and I didn't want the news headlines to be showing a slaughter of protestors. I had to have them retreat even as those protestors were beating at least 7 cops to death or trampling them!" Sheriff Andal confessed. "So now I'm super stretched thin for solving stuff like this, and no witnesses are talking because, well-"

"It's a rich shoobie tourist so they don't care if he cacks it. I got it." Poe said. "This guy's haircut costs more than half my weapon's cache. And he's not the only victim who's just like this? You've got others who endured similar attacks?"

"Yes."

Poe thought it over. "What we need is simple. A nice, classic stakeout. Is there a super fancy restaurant where these rich dummies will be eating?"

"Yes, and I've promised them some security."

"They can have it. They can have…us. We'll be your junkyard dogs." Poe reasoned with a grin. "We'll be there. Whomever is behind this, we can catch them in the act. Plus, if we save these rich dummies's lives, maybe we can engender some good will with them and they can open up business with the Dyad and make Pokitaru more hospitable to our masters and our apprentices."

"Sure, if you don't screw this up." Sheriff Andal said. "Listen, the thing is, these people are very skittish around even the mere MENTION of the Dyad, Darth Raize basically has confessed multiple times in interviews she's outright murdered rich people because she hates that "they're exploiters". Don't give away what you are. If you have to use force stuff, just don't use your lightsabers, you'll be a dead giveaway as Sith and they'll recognize you as Dyad folks for sure. If you save their lives, though, maybe they'll be much more open to chatting with you as padawans of the "Dark Ladies"." The sheriff reasoned.

…

… "So, have you heard anything back from C'haly?"

"No, no. I'm gonna have to book the trip on my own…"

"The calamari here is to die for."

"Here, let me pour some cracked pepper on that…"

"The beef wellington's not bad either…"

"Ugggghhhh." Poe groaned as he paced back and forth in the kitchen, pretending to be one of the serving staff whilst Finn was hard at work cutting up a salad. "Is it ready yet?"

"…juuuuussst aaaabooouuut…THERE." Finn fished and held up the perfectly-sliced up salad, laying it out on a fancy platter for Poe to deliver to the customer who'd asked for it. So far, the night was going very smoothly indeed. None of the fancy rich high falutin types there had a clue what was going on. They were in the dark about who Poe and Finn truly were.

It helped that they were much less recognizable in general than the Dyad. It wasn't like THEY did interviews with reporters or the like.

"Wow, you're really good at cooking." Poe admitted. "I can barely heat a microwave up. How'd you get so good at this?"

"When I worked under the Mandalorians, being able to properly cook your own meals was a must-have skill set along with hunting and tracking." Finn confessed. "It's just standard Mandalorian stuff, really. I'm just above average when it comes to cooking, not that special, I promise you."

"Hey, listen. I think you're doing a great job." Poe gently patted Finn on the shoulder, and then kissed him on the cheek. "This is gonna be a good night. I can tell." He said as he then brought the platter out to the table, setting it down right before-

"WAITER!"

Poe cringed as he looked up, then headed over to a nearby table where a very angry-looking Gaomrrean in a fancy tuxedo was pointing down at his bowl. "What's this fly doing in my soup!?" He proclaimed.

"…forgive me sir, it's hard to tell, but if I had to guess…the backstroke?" Poe sarcastically intoned. People nearby began to chuckle and laugh as the Gamorrean gave him a VERY nasty look, Poe picking up the soup bowl. "Still, I'll get you a fresh bowl of soup free of charge, good sir. Would you, perhaps, like some bread sticks with that-"

He stopped, and frowned. "Wait, do…do you hear…barking?" he asked aloud as several aliens and people inside the room stiffened. Yes, they, like Poe, had very good hearing, and they were sure they'd just heard loud-

"ROWF ROWF ROWF!"

"RARR RARR RARR!"

"AARRRROOOOO!"

"OH MY GOD!"

"HOLY CRAP!"

"RUN FOR IT!"

People in the kitchen bolted out of the double doors leading to it, screaming and hollering, the waiters and kitchen staff yowling in terror, bite marks all over them. "Get out, get out, a mad pack of dogs! A mad pack of dogs!" Finn yelled as he raced out of the kitchen door and quickly tried to block it, trying to shift a table to keep the dogs from racing into the main dining hall. Poe held up a hand and focused, and the table slid right in front of the door, Finn wiping his brow…

Just as gigantic, viscious-looking, and HUNGRY dogs barreled towards the door. Several managed to scramble over the table as Finn reeled back, pulling out a knife to defend himself as Poe quickly drew his gun. The dogs were so huge…and so many! They raced towards the rich customers, ignoring Poe and Finn, diving at the customers! The Gomorrean went down, he yelled and hollered, trying to knock the dog off him as it clawed and tore at his flesh, biting into his neck to sever his jugular, a woman screeching as her dress was torn along with her flesh!

Poe and Finn quickly raced at the nearest people they could get to. Finn stabbed the knife down, right through the dog's head as Poe fired. TSSEWWW! TSSSEEEWWW! His pistol shots struck true, several dogs were blasted off their would-be victims. Loud screeching and growling filled the air as the dogs quickly realized they were being fired on, and were now actually in danger as Finn dove at the dog who'd attacked the woman in the fanciest dress.

SCHAA-THUNK! He stabbed into the dog, trying to get its neck, but he missed as it twisted away, getting its shoulder. The dog snarled, and leapt at him, biting at his hand. Gasping in pain, reeling back a bit, Finn had an idea, his free hand sneaking into his pocket, and attaching something to the underside of the dog. The dog yelped as Poe focused his Force powers, and SCHAA-THWOOM! He knocked the dog through a nearby window, as the rest of the pack began to take off.

That dog who'd been launched through the window had a tracker placed on him. Finn had had a hunch that they could track the pack down to their master, and his hunch had paid off. Getting out his tracker, he walked over to Poe as Poe got out a BACTA patch, attaching it to Finn's hand to begin healing him. "Here you go, buddy. Let me help you with that."

"Thanks. Look, I got the tracker on that big brownish one. They're going about…south-west…" Finn said as he examined the tracker scanner. "I hope they don't go, like, out of the city. This scanner only has a 10 mile radius…"

"Let's follow them. We don't want their master to figure out we're onto him." Poe insisted as he glanced back at the remaining people in the restaurant's dining hall. "You'd all best go to the police station. Make your reports to the sheriff. Tell them Finn and Poe helped you and we're now tracking down that vicious pack of attack dogs. He'll know who we are. ESPECIALLY me."

The two Sith made their way off, following the tracker as Finn looked down at the scanner. They kept to the rooftops, Finn peering down every once in a while before leaping from roof to roof. "We're getting closer…real close…" Finn murmured as they made a turn to the west before Poe whistled.

"I see a big junkyard up ahead. There. It's there, I'm sure." He said. "Call it a hunch." He added, seeing Finn's questioning look before they touched down at the junkyard. It smelled as bad as it looked, there were broken down vehicles and chunks of houses destroyed by hurricanes and storms lying left and right to be burned away by the enormous, currently-turned-off furnace located in the center of the junkyard. It would dissolve and burn all that were put inside it away into nothing but the tiniest of atoms, and there, to the side of it, not far away from an obvious big-enough-to-house-a-person garage…

Was a dead dog. The dog Finn had put the tracker in.

"Ohhh…oh, no…" Finn looked sadly down at it, shaking his head. It looked…tiny…in death. He knelt down, plucking the tracker out from the dog's chest. "…the tracker didn't kill it, somebody else clearly shot the thing in the back of the head, look." He said, pointing at a distinct burn mark. "And…it wasn't a laser, they used a more old-fashioned gun…"

"A junk gun for a junkyard rat." Poe said darkly. "Well…let's make it up to Fido here." He said as he and Finn snuck their way towards the garage, peering in a window. "…not sensing any sentient life inside." He murmured as he tapped into the Force, taking in a deep breath, feeling out for more complicated life forms. Nope…nothing but dogs…and all were in cages. They slowly opened up the door, sneaking in, closing it behind them as they glanced around this ramshackle, rotten-smelling hut. The dogs had been bred to be lean and mean, but now they looked pitiful trapped too tightly together in these metal cages they were in.

The dogs were all whining, whimpering as Finn looked over at what was distinctly old but once-VERY-nice pairs of shoes. "Look. These are old, worn-out Larry Vinyl shoes. These things cost as much to repair as our light saber!"

"Yeah, and this is a Guh'She tuxedo…" Poe murmured as he sniffed over another article of clothing left on the table, right in front of the dogs. "These are some real expensive clothes. Well…now we know how our friend is getting the dogs to only attack rich jerks. He's having them specifically go after folks in rich clothing and the like."

"Let's make sure we're…ready for him…" Finn remarked.

"You don't want to just call the sheriff?"

"You know what? No. Not for something like THIS." Finn quietly murmured as he looked over at the piteous dogs whining in their cages. "No. Could…could you help me try and reach out through the Force to these dogs?"

"Sure." Poe held a hand up. "…take my hand. And concentrate…"

A FEW HOURS LATER…

"Hmm. No barking? Good. All of you learned your freakin' lessons, I hope?" The irritated-looking orange-skinned alien walked in, wearing only a pair of pants and sneakers as he carried in some groceries, putting it on the table as he looked around the garage he'd made into his house. "Good. Especially because I've got a killer head…ache…" He stopped, glancing around in the dark. Why were all the lights on? And why were the cages moved back into…

Wait. He turned the lights on, frowning. The dogs were out of the cages! Gone! Who had-

He barely had time to react when somebody snuck out from behind the door he'd just open, grabbed him by his wrist and flung him with such force he broke through the wall, cascading out, flopping against a pile of trash as he groaned, now looking up at a furious dark-skinned face. Finn held his fist up, clenched around his lightsaber, which illuminated the raw, hate-filled anger he had as the looked angrily down at the man…and Poe stayed back, behind him.

"What the heck were you hoping to do? Training dogs to track expensive clothing to attack the wealthy? Beating them?! Teaching them to be vicious?!"

"What makes those fuckin' rich assholes so special? They ain't better than me. They deserve to be knocked off their high horse." The junkyard trainer muttered.

"It's not your job to teach anybody. Nobody hired you to do that. And all you're doing is making people with legit gripes against folks like them all look like insane, murderous, animal-abusing monsters." Finn snarled darkly. "You give people like me, who want to actually help the poor and downtrodden, a bad name. Folks like me are supposed to be there for those who slip through the cracks. You wanted to help folks with barely anything, go grab a goddamn ladle at a soup kitchen instead of beating a dog into ripping somebody's throat out!"

"Easy for you to say, YOU'RE rich…YOU'RE well off." The junkyard trainer darkly snapped. "You can afford to wear nice clothes and have nice weapons."

"I wasn't always rich. Most people aren't. You can stall for time all you want. Nobody's coming for you. Well…I say that, but…"

Poe stepped forward…as the dogs now began to emerge from the shadows behind him, growling darkly.

"What's the phrase? Every dog has its day?" Poe cheerily inquired. "Well…go ahead, gang." He commented.

"RAAAAAAAHRRRR!"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!"

The two Sith walked off, ignoring the man's screeches and howls as the dogs went to town, loud, horrible biting, crunching noises echoing through the night air as Finn put his lightsaber away, Poe giving him a smile.

"Now THAT'S acting like a Sith." He cheerily intoned. "I'll go give the Sheriff a call and tell him where he can pick up our little friend from back there…"

"…I thought I'd feel better about this. But…I don't." Finn confessed. "I guess I just…I…" He hesitated. "…I admit, I sort of saw a bit of myself in that man. Under the Dyad, haven't we done similar things?" He wanted to know of Poe as Poe hesitated. "There's not too much difference."

"Hey, look, the Dyad are an actual good authority, not like that guy who just took things into his own hands. They actually mean well." Poe reasoned. "If people TRULY didn't like the Dyad, they'd say so on Nar Shadaa, right? They're not dictators."

…

… "Wait, WHAT?"

Finn and Poe gaped in astonishment as they looked down at their ship's computer screen. It was showing the poll results from the latest polls for the Nar Shadaa election. The Dyad were dropping in support to a massive, massive level. At one point their approval rating had been well above 60 percent…now it was barely 40. And who, of all people, was running against them?

Leia Organa.

It was a brilliant move. Leia had announced she was moving to Nar Shadaa with her husband Han and they had all eyes on them. The Dyad couldn't openly do a thing about this, nor stop them from running because there was no law that said a non-native of Nar Shadaa couldn't run its government…especially when neither Rey NOR Furiosa could claim to be natives either! Now with the entire galaxy watching the race with interest, if anything untoward even remotely happened towards Leia and Han, either at their homes they'd set up, or their campaign headquarters, or towards them specifically, Nar Shadaa was sure the New Republic would openly invade.

And worse still the Dyad couldn't make the argument that the Republic was just trying to take over Nar Shadaa…because Leia'd gotten out in front of that, openly admitting she wanted Nar Shadaa to properly rejoin the Republic and to return to a "far less criminal status quo". "This time, the New Republic will properly hear your concerns. And we won't throw you out of a window if you make more than a certain amount of money per year."

"My wife won't electrocute you if you make a crack about her dead parents, I swear." Han had added, and some reporters had even laughed.

"And unlike the Dyad, I won't brazenly flaunt the law and ignore it just to suit my own ends. We can't be above consequences and standards just because we think we know best." Leia had insisted. "But the Dyad think they ARE above all that. Someone has to show them that there are consequences for just doing whatever the hell you want. Somebody has to remind them the Galaxy has rules and laws, and you can't just break them. Somebody has to remind them that they're not the sole arbiter of right and wrong. I won't pretend to be perfect. I've got my own issues. But I'll be honest about what I am. Can the Dyad say they're honest about what they do?"

"I'M GONNA SHOVE MY BOOT SO FAR UP HER ASS!" Furiosa roared. "Her last gasp will be after my boot's stomped on her neck!" She snarled as she threw the holo-vid screen in her and Rey's bedroom across the room, a dark, baleful look on her face. "I'll teach that stuck up princess a thing or two! Just she wait! JUST! SHE! WAIT! I'll find a way to get her! I'll find a way!"

#star wars #may the force be with you #Sith #Jedi #action #adventure #Finn #Poe

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stormkobra-5 · 2 years

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Starcrossed Lovers: The House of Fett Part 3 Sneak Peek

You’ve been in love with him for years. It’s a thought that makes him lightheaded, makes his knees weak and his face flushed. Years. At first it had started as a childhood crush, but as you grew, so did your feelings. That day he’d come to you in need of patching up, you’d only barely resisted the urge to kiss him when he was unconscious. And every day since, you’d wished that you had. How sometimes you’d thought about joining the Resistance but faltered every time because you worried your feelings for him might complicate missions and end in disaster. How sometimes you wanted to gather up the courage to approach him and tell him, but you— you, a Mandalorian, a Fett— was scared of his denial. You were scared that you weren’t good enough for him. And you didn’t want to suffer the pain of being near him with feelings complicated between you, eventually pushing you apart. You didn’t want to live in a world where you weren’t at least friends with him, and…

Poe wasn’t sure how he felt about that.

Nothing bad— he was certain of that much, at least. He knew that before the Dyad, he’d always found you badass, had always looked forward to his little quick meetings with you and had always dreaded their endings. Yes, he did have a tiny crush on you, but he hadn’t been sure what to do with it. After all… you were a full decade younger than him.

But you were in love with him, head-over-heels, and he had a crush on you. So that should make things easy, right? It should be a simple matter of asking you out, right? Something in his gut twists at even the thought of asking you out.

Because you were in love with him. You’d been longing and yearning and pining since you were mature enough to understand the full meaning of those words. And what if he didn’t really feel these things he felt for you? What if it was just an effect of the Dyad? What, he’s just going to ask you out because of the Dyad? He’s going to use you? And when he realizes that it was only because of the Dyad, and that his feelings for you might not be as strong as he thinks? Then what?

You both were aware of the thoughts transpiring for each of you. Neither of you said anything. Not as you hiked through the desolate wilderness, not as you went about making camp. Not as you gave him instructions about how to better the camp and teach him how to start a fire from nothing but two pieces of wood and some dry brush as kindling. He mumbled something along the lines of “awesome” before sitting down across from you, trying not to stare at you as you stoked the fire and really fucking wishing that he had BB-8 with him now.

He worried for his little buddy. He hoped that BB would have seen the dangers and hid, or fled. He wondered what he’d be doing, if he were here. He also had a little selfish thought, that he wished BB-8 were present so that he could hold him, and maybe get rid of this persistent urge, no, ache, to hold something.

To hold you.

It was something Poe had been feeling all damn day. Every time you walked alongside him, it took everything in him not to reach over and hold your hand, entwine your fingers together and rid you both of this longing to be held. Ner cyar’ika, he had called you. But what did it mean? He’s pretty sure he knew.

Ner runi.

My soul.

That’s what you had called him.

Slowly, his dark chocolate eyes trailed from where he fiddled with his hands, over the fire, drawn to you. You, the badass Mandalorian that was part of one of the most powerful families there ever was, who had a heart of gold but reinforced with durasteel. You sat there cleaning your blaster, and though he couldn’t see your eyes, he felt like every few minutes you would glance at him.

Poe couldn’t take it any longer.

As if forced from his mouth, he suddenly said, very quietly, “You were never gonna tell me that you’ve been in love with me this whole time, huh?”

You froze mid-wiping the barrel. Poe immediately felt guilty, but he also wondered if you might answer. When you didn’t, unsure of what to say… he followed his instincts. He stood, making his way around the fire to sit flush against your side. He instantly felt the comfort of your presence, and he surely felt your relief.

Poe’s gaze connected to your visor, to where he knew your eyes would be looking into his. He put an arm around your shoulders, putting your blaster and tools on the ground before you before hooking his hand up under your knees to pull you half into his lap. Your soft gasp of surprise once again reminded Poe of how young you were— only 20. Only 20, and never had you taken a lover. His touch probably made you uncomfortable. He regretted the sudden advance on you.

“What are you doing?” You whispered, unsure of where to put your hands; you held them to your chest awkwardly.

“Keeping warm,” was his lame excuse. His lame excuse that both of them knew for a fact was a blatant lie. He leaned back, keeping his hold loose. Letting you know with emotions rather than words that it was okay if you wanted to pull away.

But you didn’t.

After a moment of hesitation, you started to relax. Your hands rested on his chest— did you feel his breath hitch just then? What is this? Was it the Dyad, or something more? Did he have feelings for you, or did he just think he did?

Poe started to relax, too. His hand slowly, hesitantly trailed up your arm, fingers tracing your beskar plates. He felt your breathing speed up, your uncomfortable shift. Your confusion at your own reaction. Poe inwardly kicked himself. He’d just wanted to feel you. He hadn’t meant to make you feel uncomfortable. Nobody’s ever touched her, and here I am, the love of her life, all but feeling her up. “Sorry,” He managed, but it was just the tip of the iceberg. You certainly knew how he regretted making you uncomfortable, but you responded with a low, broken hum— because you knew that deep down, he felt some kind of similar reaction.

Poe forced his hand to stop exploring your arm and come to rest on yours, which hovered over his heart. You could probably feel how it was pounding against his rib cage. His fingers slid between yours until he was holding your hand, and he wondered why he was doing any of this. “...Is this okay?” He whispered, like somebody might hear them. Honestly, he didn’t trust that the otherwise-invisible ghost Jedi wasn’t watching the exchange.

You hesitated. Your body relaxed as you took a deep breath. You squeezed his hand back. “...Yeah… Why are you doing this, Dameron?”

“I don’t know,” He replied honestly. “I just… want to, I guess?” He waited a second before adding, “...It’s Poe. It’s just Poe.”

You slowly rested your armored head on the shallow of his shoulder. He wondered if you would feel it if he kissed the top of your head. “Okay… Poe.” You sounded so soft, so sweet. Not for the first time since your bond had occurred did he wonder what your face looks like under that helmet.

“Let’s try to get some sleep, miracle,” He breathed, and he expected it not to come.

But he woke at dawn the next morning from a heavy, peaceful rest— one he hadn’t had the likes of in many years now— to you still enclosed protectively in his arms, but now also by his legs. You didn’t seem to mind. You were deeply asleep, too, he could feel it, but you laid on top of him with your hands on his chest and your armored head nestled between his shoulder and neck, under his jaw; even in your sleep, you’d been careful of your rangefinder so that it didn’t poke him in the face.

Unsure of what to do, Poe stayed like that for several minutes. He was in a bit of shock. Mandalorians notoriously never slept around anyone but each other or when alone, because they didn’t trust anyone enough. It was an intimate thing, sleeping near someone. It required the utmost amount of assurance that there was no way in hell one could get hurt. So for you to trust him enough to fall asleep not only near him, but on him, limbs entangled like this…

Poe was honored, for one.

The butterflies in his stomach showed him another feeling, too. He wasn’t sure what to do with that one yet.

Poe leaned forward slowly, afraid of waking you, before pressing a lingering kiss to the top of your helmet. A part of him thought it was weird, at first, to kiss your helmet… but then he felt relief. He closed his eyes and breathed in your scent of beskar, flight suit cotton, fuel, and lightsabers, which slightly nullified your slightly sweeter accents of second-hand exposure to spice and sugar. You smelled like ten thousand worlds, the galaxy in his arms; you smelled like a bounty hunter.

Poe smiled to himself and closed his eyes, letting himself feel you in his arms.

Thanks for reading!

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#poe dameron x reader #poe dameron x fem!reader #poe dameron x forcesensitive!reader #poe dameron x forceuser!reader #poe dameron x mandalorian!reader #poe dameron x mando!reader #boba fett #din djarin #kylo ren #luke skywalker #star wars fic #star wars sequel trilogy #oscar isaac #oscar isaac hernandez estrada #temuera morrison #pedro pascal #adam driver #mark hamill

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sabxism · 3 years

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Never Have I Ever

Pairing: Poe Dameron x Reader

Word count: 2k

Warnings: none besides Rose and Finn being conspiratorial little shits

Summary: You've always been too nervous to tell Poe how you feel. A night out after the end of the war may change that.

It feels surreal, to put it simply. It’s over. It’s finally over. For years, you’ve known nothing but chaos and panic and uncertainty. But now, you can leave all of it in the past. Palpatine’s gone. The war’s over.

Leaping from your x-wing, you spot Poe across the tarmac. He locks eyes with you, breaking into a huge, beaming grin. You sprint towards him, sporting an equally bright expression. He holds out his arms, and you leap into them. He spins around as you bury your face in his neck, laughing. He sets you down, placing his hands on your upper arms.

“We did it,” he breathes, and you nod in disbelief.

“We did it,” you repeat, still smiling. You’re about to compliment a particular barrel roll he’d pulled off earlier when Finn comes barreling over, wrapping him in a bear hug. You smile, walking away to grab some water and allow Poe some time with his friend.

He watches your retreating form with a faint smile, content with the universe for the first time in years. Finn looks at him with a knowing expression and nudges him with his elbow. Poe snaps his head around, cheeks flushed.

“You should tell her,” he says, and Poe’s eyes widen.

“No way,” he replies, carding a hand through his hair. “What if I fuck everything up?” Finn rolls his eyes.

“Poe, I love you, but you’re the most oblivious man I’ve ever met.” This earns him a shocked expression from the older man, and he laughs. “Trust me. Just tell her.” Poe opens his mouth to object, but loses what he was going to say as Rey walks up and wraps him and Finn in a hug.

You watch as the three embrace, smiling. You’re so proud of Poe your chest could burst. He’d handled that last battle with the grace and strategy you’ve seen in him time and time again. You hear footsteps headed your way and glance up, to find Rose standing next to you.

“Hey,” she says quietly, and you scooch to the left a bit to give her space to sit, patting the bench next to you. “It’s crazy, huh?”

“Yeah,” is all you can manage, but you can tell that she understands the magnitude of emotions contained in your reply. No words could encapsulate the feeling of joy and relief flowing through you.

“I heard Poe did some pretty amazing flying out there.”

You grin, nodding. “He really did. Per the usual, of course.” Smiling, she takes in the look of admiration on your face.

“You like him.” Not a question, just a statement. An observation. You look at her slowly and nod.

“I do,” you say, taking a sip of water from the canteen in your hand.

“He likes you, I think. From what Finn’s told me.” You splutter, choking on your drink.

“What?” you exclaim, face turning red as a tomato as you cough. She laughs loudly, and you shoot her a death glare. “If you’re pulling my leg I swear-”

“I’m not, I promise.”

Narrowing your eyes, you swallow another mouthful of water. “What exactly has Finn told you?”

“He’s caught Poe staring at you too many times to count, that damn idiot never shuts up about you, and once Rey saw him fiddling with his mom’s ring behind his back while talking to you,” she lists, ticking off the instances on her fingers.

“That doesn’t mean he likes me,” you point out, and Rose sighs. Ignoring her, you continue. “He could’ve just been spacing out, we’re friends, so he’s bound to talk about me, and he just has a thing about not being able to sit still. Those are just...normal Poe things.”

“What are?”

You whip your head around, to see him standing right behind you. Of course.

“Nothing,” you reply calmly, glowering at Rose as she tries to contain her laughter. “Just talking about that maneuver you did earlier. Very impressive.” He grins, clapping you on the shoulder.

“Thanks,” he laughs. “Anyways, we’re headed out to celebrate-” he gestures to Finn, Rey, and his squadron. “-would you guys wanna come?”

Rose nods excitedly, and you do the same. “Sounds awesome.”

The music in the bar pounds in your ears. Normally, you hate crowded, public settings like this - they stress you out. However, you decide to make a special exception for tonight. After all, you just saved the fucking galaxy.

Poe, expectedly, makes a beeline for the bar with Jess. They order several rounds of shots and bring the drinks back to the table the rest of you are sitting at. He slides into his spot next to you, his thigh brushing against yours.

“Ok,” he says loudly, so your group can hear him over the clamor of the establishment. “Never have I ever - pretty simple,” he adds when Rey shoots him a look of confusion. “We’ll go around the table. Someone will say something. If you’ve done what they say, you take a shot. Snap, you go first.”

“Ok, uh, never have I ever gone on a supply run hungover,” he replies, grinning. Poe groans, taking a shot. You gasp as Finn does, too.

“No!” you say, aghast.

“It was one time!” he shouts in defense of himself, and Rey chuckles.

“He threw up within the hour,” Rose says, and you snicker. Finn kicks the mechanic under the table.

“Alright, settle down,” Jess says, clearing her throat. She shoots a pointed glance at Karé. “Never have I ever flirted with a superior officer to get a different assignment.” The woman sighs, pouring liquor into her mouth. Blushing, you do the same. Poe gapes at you.

“You’re kidding me.”

“It wasn’t here,” you admit. “Navy stuff.” Snap laughs as he recalls the event you’re talking about. “I was about to get assigned janitorial duty for the seventh week in a row, so I insinuated some very...” you pause, grinning. “inappropriate things to my commander. He put me on guard duty on the bridge instead.”

A strange feeling flares in Poe’s chest as you and the others laugh about how flustered the officer had gotten, and his knuckles turn white as he clenches the table. You discreetly nudge his leg with your knee.

“You okay?” you ask quietly, and any jealousy he’s feeling melts away as he takes in the concern in your eyes.

“Yeah,” he nods. You smile.

“Cool.”

“Okay, okay,” Karé laughs, shooting a death glare at Jess. “Rose. Your turn.” She smiles conspiratorily at Finn, who nods at her, before glancing at you briefly. You send a befuddled look towards Rey, who simply shakes her head, shrugging.

You have a bad feeling about this.

“Never have I ever…” she trails off, scratching her chin animatedly. “Had a crush on a close friend.”

Your stomach drops. Rose giggles as she feels you tense up beside her.

“Fuck you,” you say, throwing back a shot. A barrage of gasps sounds from your friends. “Oh, grow up,” you laugh, and Finn chuckles. You glare at him, and he raises his hands in surrender. Slowly, Poe leans forward, grabs a shot, and knocks it back. You barely constrain your shock.

“Oh my gods WHO?” Karé squeals, clapping her hands together.

“That’s not part of the game,” Poe quips, offering her a smug expression. She turns hopefully to you, and you laugh.

“No way,” you say, shaking your head. She sticks her bottom lip out in a pout, before letting her mouth fall open.

“Is it someone here?” she asks breathlessly. You clear your throat, face heating.

“I’m gonna go get some fresh air,” you murmur, slipping out of the booth. Karé and Jess boo loudly at your excuse, but you just flip them off as you head outside.

A light breeze tangles its fingers in your hair and tugs at your shirt, small ripples moving along the fabric. You take a seat on a nearby bench, bringing your legs up and crossing them over each other. Fiddling with a loose thread on your sleeve, you glance upwards. The sky above is littered with small pinpricks of light, twinkling back at you.

A creaking noise sounds to your right, and you look back, to see the door to the bar open. You watch as Poe walks through it, puffing his top lip out and shoving his hands in his pockets. He glances in your direction. You offer him a small wave, which he returns, making his way over to where you sit.

“May I?” he asks, and you nod, turning your gaze upwards once more. He does the same, laying an arm across the back of the bench.

“I wonder how many of those we’ve flown by,” he wonders aloud, motioning to the countless stars and planets above you.

“Probably lots. We really went all over, huh?” He smiles, nodding. You stand, walking to the gate in front of the bar and leaning on it. Poe follows suit, bracing his forearms behind him as he leans back.

“Look, it’s stupid of me to ask, and you don’t have to answer, but...who was it?” You turn your head toward him, puzzled. He nods to the bar. “The game. That last question.” You scoot closer to him, leaning your head on his shoulder. The familiar gesture makes him smile.

“Eh, you don’t wanna know,” you say, and he chuckles.

“Oh, but I do.” You laugh. There’s a moment of silence (not uncomfortable - it never is with Poe) as you figure out how to word your next statement.

“It’s a bit complicated,” you admit, and he turns his head to look down at you.

“Oh?”

“I really like this person, but I also love how close I am with them right now. I’m worried that if they know, that…” you trail off, worried that voicing your concerns will bring them to fruition.

“That everything will change,” Poe finishes quietly. You swallow nervously. “That you could lose them, and you don’t know-” he takes a deep breath “-you don’t know what you would do if that happened.” You turn to face him as he leans up to stand straight, heart pounding in your chest so loud you swear he can hear it. His eyes flit down to your lips momentarily, and your breath hitches.

“Poe,” you say, barely above a whisper. His eyes lock onto yours, and you bite the inside of your cheek.

You open your mouth to continue, but your words die in your throat as he takes your face in his hands. Your whole body goes rigid, and he notices, starting to pull away. Panicking, you place your hands over his, silently reassuring him that it’s ok. He smiles softly, and your cheeks warm.

“Can I kiss you?” he murmurs, and you nod, heart racing. He brings his mouth down to yours tentatively, nose brushing against yours. You smile against his lips, bringing a hand up and burying it in his curls. He fits his hands to your waist, thumb gently brushing over your side. His lips taste like the tequila you’d both taken shots of in the bar, and it’s sweet on your tongue, reminding you of the nectar from the sapflowers back home on Naboo.

The two of you break apart, hot breaths mingling in the small space between you.

“You have no idea,” he murmurs, smile as bright as a thousand suns, “how long I’ve wanted to do that.” His grin widens as you grow flustered, mouth twisting into a small smile.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner,” you say, eyebrows furrowing together. “I didn’t want to mess everything up, and there just wasn’t a good-”

“Hey,” he says gently, taking your hand. “It’s ok, you have nothing to be sorry for.” You smile.

“I really like you,” you say, and he laughs warmly, bringing a hand to your cheek.

“I really like you, too,” he responds, and you lean into the touch. “We should probably head back in, or they’re gonna think we abandoned ship.”

“Sounds like a plan,” you say.

Nobody says anything if they notice how you and Poe hold hands for the rest of the night, sitting closer than you usually do, talking only to each other.

It seems natural, if anything. Like it’s always been that way. Like it’s how it should be.

taglists (open):

permanent: @staarshines

#poe dameron #poe dameron fic #poe dameron x reader #poe dameron / reader #poe dameron fluff #poe dameron angst #star wars #star wars fic #star wars fluff #star wars angst #poe dameron fanfic #poe dameron fanfiction #poe dameron x you #poe dameron / you #fluff

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nanaminokanojo · 3 years

Text

BLOOM | Sukuna X You | Part 2/3

collection masterlist

one two three | Bloom Masterlist

You got up really early despite staying up late and only getting five hours of sleep max, but once you woke up, you knew you wouldn’t be able to get back to bed so you prepared for the day, waiting for Sukuna’s call. You went to the patio which faced the backyard, carried a small blanket and brought your battered copy of Edgar Allan Poe’s prose collection with you.

A few hour later, you heard stirring in the house and it wasn’t long before Satoru found you. He sat on the lounge chair opposite yours and just stared at you through sleepy eyes. He looked all disheveled, eyes bloodshot and yawning several times. He really couldn’t handle his alcohol and when he wakes up after drinking more than he could take, he always ends up befuddled and unable to make sense of his surroundings, not to mention irritable.

When he just sat there without saying anything and staring at you, you snapped your book close. “What is it?”

He snapped out of a seeming trance. “Oh. You have a guest.”

“Huh?”

“Ieiri said it’s Howard.” He yawned again, stretching his arms.

“Sukuna?”

“Yes, him.”

You scrambled off the lounge chair, nearly knocking it to the side with your weight as you half crawled, half-ran towards the door, suddenly remembering your agreement the previous night. You were mentally slapping yourself as you made your way into the hallway, planning to go up to your room to have a change of clothes. You weren’t sure what he wanted to do because he did not exactly specify that bit.

However, your plans did not come into fruition when you passed by the lattice wood and glass partition between the kitchen and the hallway and saw him.

“Y/N!” Ieiri pretty much yelled your name out, calling your attention and making you jump, startled. “Howard’s here.”

Sukuna glanced at her momentarily, probably catching the name she referred to him with.

The protest died in your throat when you saw Sukuna standing by the counter, looking so out of place in such a domestic setting although he was dressed casually in a black tee with a wide collar that exposed his collarbones for the world to see and faded jeans, similar to the one he wore that time he came to your school.

You grimaced at the realization that you were just standing there like an oaf, checking him out. It was evident in the way his smile morphed into a shy one as he bit his lower lip while Ieiri and Suguru grinned evilly at you. Feigning ignorance to their reactions, you entered the kitchen, brows knit together, shooting Ieiri an inquisitorial look after nodding at Sukuna’s direction. It was a dumb way of greeting people, but that was about what you could manage with the way your brain was being fried at the mere sight of him.

“I didn’t know we received guests in the kitchen now,” you commented, noticing the number of grocery bags on the counter. “You did the shopping?”

“I did,” Sukuna answered you. “I told you I was going to do something for you.”

“'You' being the technical term,” you said with a smirk when you realized what he was planning. “So you’re gonna cook for me?”

“Yes.”

You eyed your two friends who were eyeing Sukuna in anticipation. “Just me?”

“Stingy,” Ieiri commented, pouting.

Woman, you thought, eyeing her sternly in case she had plans to say something embarrassing. You spoke before she could say more, approaching Sukuna who was suddenly just looking at you, your eyes in particular. Out of a sudden, he reached out and touched the spot just under your left eye, making you step back at the sudden contact. He was touchy, you knew that, but you weren’t expecting him to be so candid in front of your friends on such a setting.

“Your eyes are swollen. Is something the matter?”

You smiled at him then, shaking your head. “I didn’t sleep enough last night.” You busied yourself by checking the things he bought. “So…” You looked at his pretty hands then at him. “The Spring God can cook?”

He gave you a funny look at the nickname you gave him. “Watch the Kitchen God work!” He chuckled then turned his attention to Ieiri. “I was just asking Ieiri if I could borrow the kitchen.”

“It’s more Suguru’s kitchen than hers,” you sniped at her who was now sitting on the counter, chin on the heel of her palm as she looked at the pair of you as if she was watching a really cheesy romance drama.

“Then it’s settled. I have to cook for them, too.” He ruffled your hair then. “Mind helping me?”

“I’ll leave you kids then,” she said sounding like a mom, leaving the kitchen and blocking Satoru’s progress when he was about to enter, leading him out into the living room much to the latter’s annoyance.

You shook your head, snickering. You really couldn’t wrap yourself around the fact that Sukuna could cook. “Should I get you an apron, chef?” you asked, meaning to taunt him, but then he took out a rolled-out piece of black cloth from a black case he brought along with the groceries and said, “I brought my own.”

Knowing that you can’t say anything else to annoy him about cooking, you started sorting out the things he brought, taking them out of the bags and fixing them in an organized way on the counter while he proceeded to take the foodstuff to the sink. All the while, you were watching him as he cleaned everything, his dexterous hands moving with precision and unmistakable expertise.

After fixing everything and putting away the bags, you stood beside him on the sink. “You do this a lot?”

“Pretty much.”

It was fascinating to watch him work so you didn’t say anything else until he took the case again and produced a professional-looking set of knives with customized handles. “Okay, now I’m scared.” You arched a brow at him. “Why the hell do you have a knife set?”

“I love to cook,” he answered, laughing slightly without taking his eyes from what he was doing.

“I figured, but I thought, you know just cooking at home, following online recipes and stuff like that.”

At that, he laughed. “Those recipes don’t work half the time.”

“Oh, okay,” you said sarcastically, rolling your eyes at his sentiment but then you saw how he was cutting the ingredients on the chopping board like a pro. “I’ll be damned.”

“What?”

“Now I mind assisting you. I refuse.” You felt a bit miffed about his mad skills in the kitchen, and you knew it would be foolish to even question how his dish, or dishes rather, was going to turn out. It got you thinking about every other thing he can possibly do, and you found yourself falling deeper. “I’m shit in the kitchen. You can have Suguru to help you.”

“But I already asked him for help yesterday to plan all this.”

“Did you now?” Your eyes flicked over to the counter that divided the kitchen and the living room and glared at your friend, remembering your conversation with him. He threw you a rueful smile.

Sukuna pouted. “You can’t take it back. Surely, you can chop onions.”

“I guess.” You took out a knife from the rack and grabbed an onion. “How do you like it?”

“Minced.”

“Okay.” You started chopping the thing rather slowly, trying to be precise, but since you were taking too long, your eyes started watering before you could even get it halfway done. “Ah, shit!” you grumbled, putting the knife down rather harshly.

Sukuna laughed, turning you around so you were facing him. “Are you okay?” he asked in between laughter, wiping your tears away with some paper towels. “You were too slow.”

You screwed your eyes shut, still feeling the sting behind your eyelids. “Well, I don’t cook.” When you opened your eyes, you almost stopped breathing when you saw those dark orbs of his directly in front of you.

“Oh no, sweetheart, you’re crying,” he cooed.

“Onion…” You took the paper towel from him and started wiping your eyes yourself, turning away from him when you saw the teasing beam on his face. “Shut up.”

“You’re cute.”

You rolled your eyes at him. “You’re so annoying.”

“I’m cooking for you, and I’m annoying? Let’s see how that opinion changes once you taste this masterpiece.”

You did not say anything about the matter anymore and instead watched him work, handing him this and that and doing as he tells you. Sukuna was kinda scary to work with since he obviously had a fixed process about how things should be done, but at the same time, you found yourself mesmerized by his fluidity as he moved around as if he had been in the kitchen his whole life.

“What are you making anyway?” you asked as you were putting away the things he didn’t need anymore.

He looked over his shoulder as he stirred whatever he was making. “That’s a secret.”

You shrugged, looking into the pot. “Just tell me already.”

He placed his free arm around your waist, pulling you to his side, seemingly oblivious to the three pairs of eyes which looked towards the direction of the kitchen every so often, spying on the two of you. “Patience, sweetheart. You’re gonna spoil the surprise.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” you whined.

He planted a quick kiss on your forehead. “You’ll see.”

By the time Sukuna was done, your dining room looked more like a five-star restaurant than that of one owned by four university students. Well, the table did. You weren’t really familiar with the dishes he prepared since he won’t tell you what they were. You only recognized the lobster thermidor, but all the others were a mystery.

Your friends were thrilled when they saw the table and you were just stunned. You pretty much just watched Sukuna, but he didn’t let you see what he was doing in the dining room, making you promise to sit down in the pantry while he prepared. He went overboard, but you loved it, too.

“I feel like I’m going to pay with all the contents of my bank account after this meal,” Suguru said as he sat down at the edge of the table, making Sukuna laugh.

You sat to his left while the chef sat beside you, explaining the dishes to you and the three other people with you with such technical terms, half of which you didn’t really understand. Suguru did though. Sukuna plated the first dish and offered it to them.

“I hope you would find them to your liking,” he said.

“Y/N’s grandpa would be super impressed if he was here to see this,” Ieiri asked.

You snorted. “Oh my god, Ieri, what are you being such a pain for?” You turned to Sukuna then who looked at you questioningly, but you pretended not to notice. “And you, chill and eat. They can get their own food.” He grinned at you but instead of serving food for himself, he started putting food on your plate. You watched him pointedly. “I can do that myself. Eat!”

“In a bit.” He finished by placing sauce on the lobster then smiled your way before getting food for himself.

“This is phenomenal cooking, man,” Satoru commented delightedly at the first bite, seemingly forgetting about his headache, and Suguru made a sound of approval, eating with gusto. “Will you cook for us every day?”

“Suguru!” you protested.

Sukuna laughed at that. “Maybe not every day.”

You shot him an annoyed look but ate as well. They were right. His cooking was beyond good. “On second thoughts, I don’t mind you cooking for us every day, too. This is totally great!”

“Told you.”

The meal was rather pleasant with your pals engaging Sukuna, obviously taken by him. The deal was sealed where he was concerned. You knew it had nothing to do with the food. They just liked him. He mostly conversed with them while you just pitched in once in a while, too busy eating. Besides, you wanted them to get to know him, too, and you were more than glad that Sukuna was making the effort to be acquainted to them.

After lunch, Suguru and Satoru volunteered to do the dishes, in a very good mood after the magical meal while Ieiri tidied up, leaving you and Sukuna alone. You decided to tour him around the house although there was nothing much to see, leading him into the upstairs hallways. Your house was quite big for only the four of you, but not stately or anything. It was just a normal house with too few inhabitants and too many rooms.

You walked towards the west hall. “Those are all guest rooms and those at the end of the hallway are Satoru and Suguru’s rooms.”

“Where’s yours?” he asked.

You cocked your head towards the east hallway, beckoning him to follow you as you led the way to said room, pointing out the other rooms you passed by, just three of them until you reached the last door. You pushed the door open and gestured for him to enter.

“Huge space,” he commented as he looked appraisingly around, his feet leading him to the large, framed posters of your favorite book-based films and games. “You are a nerd.”

You just watched him, leaning against one of your bookshelves as he ran a finger over your "Harry Potter" movie poster. “Guilty.”

Sukuna then went look at your book collection. “It’s not bad.”

“I’m a literature major. I think it makes sense.”

“Books and more books. How many of these have you actually read?” he asked, taking your volume of "Twelfth Night."

“All of them.”

He eyed you, evidently impressed. “Shakespeare?”

“Yeah. That’s basic in my field.”

“You’re amazing, Y/N.” He reached over and tucked a lock of hair behind your ear. “Beautiful, cultured and smart. I like it.”

You snorted, shaking your head. “Shut up.”

“It’s true.” He returned the book on its place. “So, apart from literature, what else are you interested in?” He glanced at the glass case at the opposite end of the room where your scale-model figures and rows upon rows of console games were. “Well, apart from action figures and video games.”

“Hmm.” You pretended to be brooding over it. “Well, recently, I’ve just been interested in one thing.”

“And what is that?”

“You.”

He chuckled, pulling you towards him, the warmth of his hands burning through the fabric of your shirt, making you all giddy. “Alright, sweetheart. Your brutal frankness is really scaring me.”

“Door’s wide open. You can run.”

“You won’t chase after me?” he asked.

“You’re gonna wanna see me after anyway, so no.”

“Hey, that’s mean!” But then, he seemed to have thought of something. “Why does Ieiri call me ‘Howard’?”

You retreated from him and slumped down one of the beanbags while he sat on your swivel chair, turning it a hundred and eighty degrees repeatedly. “You caught that, huh?” You couldn’t suppress the laughter that bubbled from your throat at his question. “I didn’t know your name the night we met but Satoru told them about you and I kinda just used the name to refer to you. You know, from the book I was reading at Maki’s.”

“The architect.”

“That one.”

“I see. I don’t mind then since you told me you’re in love with the character.” He winked at you. “But yeah, I was wondering if you enjoyed the meal at all. You haven’t said anything.”

“That speaks volumes of how much I enjoyed it.”

“I’m not really good at this whole impressing anybody thing, but I wanted to make the effort for you and your friends.” Sukuna sighed in relief. “I’ve only ever had one girlfriend after all, and I didn’t really do much in the relationship. And I never really went out with other women after that either save for some casual dates.” He smiled sheepishly at you, but he was confused at your reaction.

You just stared at him quizzically and in disbelief. There was no way you will ever believe that he only dated steadily once and didn’t go out that much to paint the town red. It was inconceivable for the obvious fact that he was so beautiful it was inhuman along with that great personality he has. Women will be lining up for him for sure.

“I don’t believe you.”

“It’s true.”

You shook your head, looking dubiously at him. “You’re pulling my leg.”

“Nope.” He shook his head as if to punctuate his statement.

“Everywhere we go, girls look at you and you expect me to believe that crap?” Hell, you wanted to pounce on him more often than not.

His expressions turned smug. “You care enough to notice, I see.”

It was unbelievable but you had to take his word for it. “You don’t sleep around either?”

“No. It just isn’t my thing.”

You just stared at him, your lower lip jutting out, not in disbelief anymore but in wonder. He’s a sensitive soul, you’ve figured that out, but you didn’t know it ran deeper than what you’ve seen so far.

“Don’t look so sad there.”

“I’m not. I really just don’t see it happening.”

“Should I be flattered?” he asked, but before you could answer, he said, “How about you?”

You swallowed hard, suddenly thinking hard about what you’re going to say to him. You didn’t really have a good track record where dating seriously was concerned. It was just not your cup of tea. “I’ve never had an exclusive relationship...” you began, eyeing him cautiously, “…ever.”

“Never?” He seemed to be having difficulty processing that.

You shook your head, your gaze guarded as you tried to gauge his reaction to your revelation. Somehow, you did not expect him to ask about the matter, and when he did, you didn’t really have a clue as to how you would address it. You realized just how different you were from him on that department. He seemed to value the emotions that come with engaging in physical intimacy while you just didn’t care enough for anyone to notice it.

“Now you’re shitting me.”

“I’m telling you the truth.” You frowned. “I think I mentioned this to you in passing the second time we met. I don’t date, at least not steadily.”

Sukuna obviously couldn’t wrap his head around the thought. “So you haven’t had a steady commitment with anyone?”

Again with the negative response. “Uh-uh.”

“Is it a matter of choice or is it a matter incapability, this I-don’t-date thing?”

“Both?” You shrugged, trying to think of a way to explain it to him. “I don’t for the reason that I don’t want to make a steady commitment. I just don’t see myself being invested with such intensity in anyone in a romantic way.”

“And why can’t you?”

“I get sick of people I’m involved with. In that manner, at least.” You chuckled humorlessly. “So…yeah.”

“But you’ve dated, right?”

You nodded. “Openly, yes, but I don’t stay long enough to really get into the whole relationship thing.” Talking about it was excruciating. It wasn’t something you discussed even with your friends. Suguru thought of it as you playing the field, but really, you had issues with the prospect of staying in an established bond with one person for a long period of time. You didn’t really know what to do with the information although you understood the mechanics.

He frowned then, looking deeply troubled. “So, you don’t date?”

“I did not date.” You made sure to emphasize on the past tense, knowing well what he would be assuming. “'Did not' being the operative term.”

“And now?” he asked, standing up when you did, too.

You stepped towards him. “What do you want it to be? It doesn’t just depend on me.”

“That doesn’t answer my question,” he said patiently, coming to meet you halfway and cupping your face as he tilted his head down to look at you squarely in the eyes. “But I do want you for the long run.”

“For now, it’s just that you’re slowly changing my views about it,” you returned. “But I like you, Sukuna. And I care about you. A hell lot. Does that answer your question?”

He nodded.

You reached up, touching his face, running your finger over his jawline. “Can we work with that?”

He pressed his lips onto your forehead, wrapping his arms around you. “Count on it.”

***

"How do I look?" you asked as you walked into the living room in the black, long-sleeved, backless, lace mini cocktail dress that Ieiri chose for you, your pencil heels of the same color clacking on the tiled flooring. You found your three friends lined up on the couch like expectant parents who were sending off their daughter to her first dance, making you laugh.

"Stunning!" Satoru complimented without hesitation, jumping up the couch to make his way to you. "Our daughter's grown up, Suguru."

"Last time I checked, I'm the only one who was raising her," the other male replied.

"You did a good job."

"I did a good job," Ieiri chimed in.

You shook your head, checking the contents of your clutch. It was hopeless trying to get a proper answer from them, but you needed their output since you were new to the whole dressing-up for dinner thing because you never really allowed anyone to wine-and-dine you; never wasted time and resources on anybody you knew you weren’t exactly interested in for the long run. Still, you were more than happy to say yes to Sukuna when he said he'll be taking you to dinner after your exams.

He's been hanging around you almost every day since he cooked lunch at your place, making good on his words to you where the status of your relationship was involved. He would either come see you in the morning before he went to work or meet you at night for a quick drink at Maki's pub. At times, he'd be dropping by at your school during his breaks. And on the previous weekend, he came over, satisfying himself by sitting quietly on the couch with you leaning against his chest while you studied, even going through lengths of helping you out. At some point, you gave up cause he was distracting you, telling you about his plans while playing with your hair.

"You're gonna cook for me," you assumed.

"No. I'm taking you to that fancy restaurant in town."

You agreed without protests even when he refused after you suggested to split the bill knowing how expensive the place could be. You didn’t want him to think you were mooching off him just because he was older and you’re a broke university student. He seemed excited about the whole thing, so you didn't argue further.

Just then, you heard the sound of a car stopping in front of the house, and you made your way to the door despite Ieiri's tirade about you supposedly making the man walk to your door and ringing the bell, probably make him wait, too. Knowing Sukuna, he'll do just that but you didn't want them to pull their antics while that cliché scene by the doorstep unfolded. But she beat you to it, running a lot faster than you to open the door when you were halfway through the short hallway. Just as you were afraid of, Satoru and Suguru were also standing at the other end of the hallway.

"Guys!" you growled.

"We just wanna see you off," Suguru whined just as Ieiri said, "Hi, Howard."

"Hi," Sukuna returned the greeting, even waving at the boys behind you, looking debonair in a smart-casual charcoal grey ensemble over black, collarless button-downs.

Your annoyance died down at the sight of him and you felt yourself melting when your eyes finally met and he beamed brightly as he took in your appearance, looking like he was seeing color for the first time.

"Ready?" he asked and you nodded, stepping around Ieiri. "We're going" you told your friends, shooting them all warning looks before breaking into a nervous smile anyway as Sukuna led you away.

He opened the door to the passenger side of his... "Where's your Jeep?" you asked him, noticing the matte black sports car for the first time.

"At home," he told you. "I thought I'd switch it up for the occasion."

You shook your head as you climbed in, not really expecting him to go to that extent. You appreciated it but you weren't really high maintenance nor did you want the finer things. "So you just happened to have a Porsche 911 lying around?" you asked him when he finally made it to the driver's seat.

He nodded innocently. "I got it on a whim last year, but I decided it's too flashy so I had it stored at an exclusive garage and only took it out whenever I felt like it. I think this is a good time to take it for a spin."

"You didn't have to."

"I wanted to." He reached out to caress your cheek. "You're a vision, by the way."

You felt heat suffuse your cheeks at his gentle touch, but you held his hand in place as you faced him. "I could say the same for you."

"I always wear suits though," he said.

"Well, you're much too impatient with your blazers and you get rid of them when we meet," you began, "And you don't wear those for me."

He flashed you a cheeky grin. "Oh, so you want your men to dress for you?"

"Man, Sukuna. Singular."

It was his turn to blush. "I'm the only one, huh?"

You tilted your head to the side, smirking. "You wanna add someone else into the mix? I didn’t know you were into that."

He was flustered. "No?"

"If you have an exact replica, I wouldn't mind."

Sukuna burst out laughing. "You're crazy."

"It's your fault for hijacking my brain all the time."

Dinner had been great with the both of you pretty much making fun of the numerous silverware before you and making up stories of the haughty guests who came into the same fancy restaurant, some of whom were looking towards your direction.

"That one's a trophy wife," you told him, furtively glancing at the couple that entered. "She's all iced up but look at how her husband is interacting with the waitress."

"You can tell just by that?" he asked.

"I'm guessing they're regulars here and the waitress is one of those he is having an extramarital affair with just judging by the way she looked at him and how she's being all cozy with him." You chuckled. "Ah, now Mrs. X is unhappy. Pretty and bejeweled but very unhappy."

"What about that man there?" He mimicked the way you looked at the couple earlier, this time referring to that one by the glass walls at the corner.

"Oh that one? He's that demanding type who only wants to sit on his usual spot. He's hypochondriac. He's been wiping all the silverware."

Sukuna was obviously amused. "You observe people like this all the time?"

"I aspire to be a novelist if not a literature professor. I watch people to come up with stories, so it doesn't always mean what I'm saying about them is true. I just make it up as I go." You laughed. "But Suguru is a better writer than I am."

"Is he now?"

You nodded, eyes scanning the area. "That old lady is a rich widow who is keeping tradition alive."

He followed your line of vision. "Because she's wearing traditional garb?"

You shook your head. "Because she is alone with that sorrowful look on her face, and she has an extra serving of a meal across her which had been untouched since she ordered in. She's on a date with her dead husband. The empty seat is for him. It's their anniversary." You cocked your head towards the empty chair. "She placed that blazer on the backrest which is obviously not hers, and she just opened a wrapped-up present and made a show of presenting it to whoever should be seated there. Looked like men’s watch to me."

That same old woman stood by your table later in the evening to say, "You are a lovely couple. Cherish each other." And she also paid for a bottle of expensive wine which Sukuna asked to be wrapped for the two of you to take home.

"Looks like you're right about that one," he said as he drove you back to his place.

You nodded, smiling to yourself. "She was right, too," you murmured.

He blinked then looked at you. "Did you say something?"

"Nope."

If you were impressed with the Porsche, his place was even more amazing. The whole place was in scales of black, white and gray but nothing was monotonous about the space. He toured you around the house and it looked uninhabited if it weren't for the signs of life around. But what caught your eye was the shelf full of music, all in vinyl with his gramophone plugged in to a modern sound system. He liked old stuff, his collection ranging from 1903s music to more modern ones here and there.

His living room was strategically placed by the glass walls, providing a view of the cityscape where you found yourself standing, in awe of the sights before you. Just then, the familiar bars of Ben E. King's "Stand by Me" started playing in the background.

You were about to whirl around, but you felt him behind you, wrapping his arm around you as he made you face him. He extended a hand towards you then. You took it without hesitation although you didn't know what he was up to, surprised when he placed your arms on his shoulder while he held onto your waist.

"Dance with me," he said in a low tone as he pulled you closer.

You giggled at that, letting him slowly sway you to the beat while you just looked up at him, drowning in his eyes, his warmth and everything that was him. "I love this song."

He arched a brow at you. "You know Ben E. King?"

"I grew up listening to old music," you told him, nodding as you smiled fondly. "The perks of being a grandpa's girl. You get exposed to great music."

"The movie is my favorite, too."

Your eyes widened. "Really?"

He threw his head back in mock annoyance. "Let me guess. It's your favorite, too?"

"Yes!" you squealed excitedly.

Sukuna clucked his tongue. "You make it hard for me to resist you when you have great music and movie tastes, too."

You looked away, swearing you were beet red now. You playfully smacked him on the chest. "Don't say things like that with a straight face."

His laughter reverberated on his chest when you leaned your forehead against it, hiding your face from him. "Now, you're getting all shy around me?" he teased.

"Shut up," you mumbled, pouting at him but having a hard time as you fought the smile that played at the corners of your mouth.

"Seriously though, Y/N, you don't run out of surprises for me." He leaned his forehead against yours. "Every time, you put something new on the list of things I like about you."

"You have a list?"

He nodded. "It's getting hard to keep up with how long it has become."

"Where does it begin?" you asked out of curiosity.

He raised a hand, his finger tracing the point between your eyebrows. "Your brows furrow just around here when you're concentrating. Just like that time I met you at Maki's."

"Yeah?"

He nodded. "It's impressive how you're caught in a world of your own even in such a busy, crowded place."

"I’m just good at ignoring people. But stopped reading the moment you sat beside me." You snickered. "You make it hard to focus, it's an insult to the author when her characters are all beyond just interesting."

"How was I even distracting you? You weren’t even looking at me."

"That's what you thought." You shrugged, feigning nonchalance. "It's your hair at first, but then you also smelled too good to be true. That did it for me. And before I knew it, every word on the page I was reading became Cyrillic or something."

You didn't even realize that you've both come to a standstill, chuckling as you met his gaze again, only to feel his hand sliding behind your head, his fingers tangling with your hair as he dipped down and seized your lips, tilting his head slightly. It was a gentle kiss, his skilled lips light on yours, introducing his rhythm and flavor of mint mixed with the faint flavor of the wine you've both been drinking as you moved in sync with him.

It drove you crazy how his scent and taste filled every crevice of your being, desensitizing you while also pushing your senses on overdrive at the same time. The feel of his large hands as they secured you to him while his mouth did all the magic made your blood grow hot, the rush you felt inside consuming you. You visibly wobbled when he let go of you, making him look at you in amusement.

"Stay the night?" he asked, breaking into a grin. "I have a copy of our favorite movie. We can finish the wine that kind old lady gave us, and I'll make you pizza."

"You had me at our favorite movie," you said, still a bit dazed and drunk from the taste of him. "I'll stay."

Sukuna stood at the foot of his bed as he neatly placed everything you might need on it, running out of his unit to get stuff for you at the nearby convenience store. He glanced over at the door of the adjoining shower, smiling when he heard you humming. Well, he couldn't stop smiling all night seeing how beautiful you were in that black dress. He marveled at how you managed to be even more gorgeous when you were already driving him insane even when you wore sweats to school.

He found beauty in every little thing you did, feeling himself being overwhelmed with amazement even when you were just sitting there reading to how you spoke eloquently about things you were passionate about, the way you told the stories you made up despite how they leaned towards sad things. He found it attractive how you lacked complications and always gave him your honest opinions, how you tell him what was going on inside your mind without bars held.

He loved how kind and loving you are to your friends. It wasn't outward affection but he did notice the small things you did. How one word – "breathe" – would calm Satoru down, how one reassuring squeeze of the hand would pacify Ieiri and how a single look would convey your thoughts to Suguru. He would be jealous of it given any other circumstances, but you did so much more for him by just smiling and cheering him up when you sensed how tired he was from work which was often.

You were sensitive like that, appeared stronger and more resilient than you looked, but he and your friends couldn't help it but dote on you. It was kinda funny how they all referred to you as their daughter at first but when he found out they were doing that because they're the only family you had, he understood why. He understood why you tended to look at things the way you did. It only strengthened his urge to take care of you and protect you at all costs.

“Don’t give me that look,” you’ve told him then when he found out your grandfather, your only guardian and family, passed away three years ago, and you’ve only been living on the small fortune he bequeathed to you upon his death. Your parents were long dead, too, and you were basically alone in life.

He found it amazing that you could talk about the matter without being uncomfortable when he couldn’t even imagine how his life would be if he lost his mother at his age. He understood your independent nature, how you would give him funny looks whenever he volunteered to do something for you and why you were always so insistent on splitting the bill when you went out.

Still, when you said you didn't date steadily, it got him worried. Apart from the possibility that you might not stay with him for as long as he imagined – which made him afraid to breathe at times – he thought you might have issues from being alone too much; that maybe, the reason why you didn’t want to commit was because you didn’t want to open up only to be left alone again when things don’t work out. The way you spoke about the old woman at the restaurant and the way sadness crossed your features as you told him the story you’ve just made up sort of solidified his notions.

That’s exactly the reason why he was happy you weren’t pushing him away or refusing to stay with him. When you said you’ll stay the night, although he found joy in all the times you’ve been around him, he still felt unbelievably happy. Perhaps you were giving him a chance, giving whatever it is that’s between you the opportunity to blossom and just going with wherever and whatever it brings you. He liked that thought.

You came out of his room just as he was taking out the pizza he made, dressed in that oversized, white shirt he brought out for you, the collar askew on your shoulders. You walked into the kitchen running a towel on your hair, leaning on the counter. He almost dropped the pizza when he saw that you’ve forgone the sweats he’d given you, your legs bare from halfway down your thighs.

“I gave you pants, you know.”

You laughed at his words. “They’re too big for me. I returned them in your closet.”

He rolled his eyes playfully. “Go wait in the living room. I’ll be finished here in a bit.”

You did as you were told, much to his relief but still went to the extent of getting you a blanket in case you wanted to cover up, not that he minded looking at your legs. Nevertheless, he preferred not to with all the thoughts running amok in his head. He wanted to take things slow with you even if you were proving to be his kryptonite. You thanked him for it, happily munching on the pizza he made as the movie started.

“I can’t believe that woman gave us this expensive wine,” you said as you took a sip from your glass.

“I can’t believe we’re having pizza with it,” he said as he sat at the other end of the couch. The two of you laughed at that, but then he stopped when you did, noticing how you were looking at him with a confused look on your face. “What is it?”

“Why are sitting so far away from me?” you demanded, but instead of him moving towards you, you crawled on the sofa closer to him.

Sukuna reveled in how naturally you took his arm and placed it on your shoulder, leaning against him before adjusting your position and covering the two of you with the blanket. He was glad your guard was down where he was concerned, the fact that you smelled like his shampoo and were wearing his clothes making him all warm and fuzzy inside. He pulled you closer to him, eyes trained on his massive flat screen.

“Sukuna…” you said a few moments later.

“Yes, sweetheart?”

“You’re too stiff.” You looked up at him, snickering. “I won’t steal your virtue if that’s what you’re scared of.”

He just laughed but it was taking everything he had in him not to do anything when you were tempting him in the most sinful ways, but he forgot all about that when your head lolled against his chest and found you sound asleep. You looked so serene that instead of taking you to bed, he sat there, cradling your form until the movie finished, his fingers playing with your hair.

Sukuna looked down at you, feeling like his chest was about to explode as he breathed in, realizing the depth of how much he felt for you, and although you couldn’t hear it, he said, “I’m in love with you, Y/N.”

***

The crisp morning air blew past the open balcony doors, into the bedroom, rustling the white sheets on his bed that momentarily served as the sanctuary of a tangle of limbs and blankets, cradled by the softness of the mattress and feather-filled pillows. Even breaths rose and fell in sync, filling the wide room. Languid fingers twined with the silkiness of long locks of hair and smooth, bare skin. The bed creaks and Sukuna’s eyes open to the brightness of daylight.

He took in his surroundings, and the first thing he noticed was the pressure on his leg, his left arm just by his shoulder and his chest along with the warmth that was coming from his side. His eyes wandered down to his body to the sheets barely reaching his waist, until finally he found the source of it all.

On his left side was none other than you, pressed to his side with no quantifiable distance separating your bodies but the measly fabric of the shirt you wore. Your hair fell on the pillows and his shoulder which was cushioning your head, your leg crooked across his thighs while your hand lay on his chest in a stagnant caress that suddenly made his whole body burn from the inside. Peering down, he noticed how your brows knit together in an unconscious frown while your thick lashes cast shadows below your closed eyes. Your long, lean legs were exposed to him up to your milky thighs as his shirt which you were wearing rode up, and he could only pray that you won’t move that limb any further or else…

Cursing at himself, he diverted his gaze and realized how his left hand had been running up and down your back. The feel of your warmth against the pads of his fingers sent him to the edge while your scent intoxicated him until he felt sweat beading on his forehead. He knew he was being shallow, but he couldn’t help it either. He was still human. Still, a smile made its way across his mouth. He was only able to think of the moment and how he wished to wake up to it every single morning of his existence. He decided to stay still and hold onto it while it lasted.

“Why are you so pretty?” he whispered, then pulled you closer while he closed his eyes, meaning to go back to sleep, but it wasn’t long before he felt you stir against him, your leg moving upwards. In the process, said limb swept higher, touching that particular spot between his legs. The weight of your leg didn’t help with the carnal thoughts that were already running amok in his mind.

You suddenly moved, groaning as you shifted, the drawn-out sound doing things to him.

Sukuna’s eyes remained shut, fearing what might come next after you discover the compromising position you were in, but it didn’t come. Instead, you just very slightly distanced yourself from him, remaining within reach, but he was startled when he suddenly felt cold fingers brush across the skin just below his lower lip.

“If I were an artists, I would have painted you,” you said quietly while your fingers travelled lower. “Just look at that jaw line.”

Sukuna felt himself shiver when your other hand began working its way from his collarbones, going all the way down to where his chiseled stomach was. The titillating sensation filled his brain and before he knew it, his eyes were half open while his hand had already grabbed you by the wrist. His other arm worked to topple you over, back to the comfort of the pillows, while he rolled on top of you, staying still while completely rendering you motionless by pinning your arm down.

The reverberation of your chest against his whilst you chuckled albeit his weight sent him to the edge, almost falling off, but he held still and stopped himself from doing anything.

“Ryomen Sukuna,” you whispered, tapping his back slightly.

He wondered whether you liked being there with him, too, or what. “L/N Y/N…What’s with the formality?” What, indeed? The two of you were in a very intimate position and yet he addressed you that way, sounding agonized even to himself. “Don’t do that.”

You scoffed good-naturedly. “Am I giving you strange feelings?” you questioned, ridiculing him early in the morning. “I knew you were pretending to be asleep. Men just can’t say no to a woman’s touch, huh?”

He supported his weight with his arm and drew himself up, the rest of his weight pushing down lower against you. He smirked then. “So you were also awake.”

“Yeah.”

“And you let me hold you anyway?” he murmured, his face almost closing in on yours.

You ignored the tone in which he spoke and its implications. “I was just too lazy to move. Besides, I thought you were a pillow. You’re so warm.”

“That sounds fishy, Y/N.”

“And what’s fishy about that?”

He broke into that crooked grin, feeling his evil streak resurfacing. “Hmm. The fact that you’re liking this as much as I am.”

You removed your hand from his grip and lightly slid it down his inked rib, going lower as you traced the patterns of his tattoo, your eyes remaining on him, a sultry smile swathed across your lips.

A moan nearly escaped his parted mouth, but he wasn’t able to hold back the sudden closing of his eyes and slight parting of his mouth as your hand reached halfway down. “S-stop…”

Your hand stopped where his pelvis was, but your fingers continued to draw circles on his skin. “Are you sure you want me to stop?”

Sukuna panted and nodded at you feeling his hot blood rushing southward.

“Yeah?” You laughed softly, your eyes widening a bit in amusement while your leg kicked faintly underneath him, feeling something stiffen against your thigh. “Something else tells me you don’t,” you purred into his ear.

Sukuna bit his lower lip, peeking at you through half-lidded eyes. He knew you felt that and he was getting embarrassed with every second he stayed there. He knew your effect on him and you were more than just aware of it. You were even going to the extent of toying with him, making him feel like a goddamn teenager with raging hormones.

“You’re baiting me,” he played along, brushing your hair off of your neck and twirling the strands with his finger.

You smirked. “Am I?” you said slowly, hand sliding on the garter of his sweats. You withdrew your hand and rolled the two of you over despite his weight, turning tables on him. You touched the tip of his nose, taking in the disappointed look on his face all to your amusement before getting off.

“You’re funny, Sukuna.”

Your leg wasn’t even halfway off of him from where you were sitting astride his torso when Sukuna decided he was going to take his chances with making you succumb to him somehow and he finalized that by stopping you. Grabbing your waist, he rolled you over once more and without second thoughts, dipped his mouth against your, just pecking you on the mouth at first to see what you would do.

Too stunned to react, you were only able to stare at him, but Sukuna didn’t just stop there. He pressed his mouth against your sensuous lips in numerous fleeting touches until he felt you respond to it in the same gentle manner. Those small gestures, along with the closing of your eyes, ignited the fire that had been coursing through him until he thought he would explode if he didn’t comfort himself with the feel of you against him.

Unable to hold back anymore, he crashed your lips together in an urgent, scorching and passionate kiss, nibbling on your lower lip. You responded in kind, possessively holding onto his taut shoulders as he lifted you both in a sitting position so you were kneeling astride his lap. Sukuna pushed his fingers into your hair, holding you against him while his mouth moved downwards to your neck, seductively biting on your collarbone, marking his trail of fire up the columns of your throat before returning to your mouth.

Opposite to his aim to escalate the heat and passion, you placed both of your hands on either side of his head, cupping his cheeks with gentle hands and pulled away slightly, still with your foreheads against each other, hands intact on his shoulders and your waist, both panting for air.

You flashed him an apologetic smile, swallowing hard as you pulled back and sat down on the bed, looking down at your hands which you were wringing. Silence fell over the room and when you came to your senses again, you met his gaze.

His eyes rounded at the realization of what he just did. “I’m sorry, I don’t what came over me.”

“It’s fine. Don’t apologize.” You shook your head. “Sukuna, I…I shouldn’t have…”

He smiled at you then and pulled you close, giving you a soft peck on the forehead, eventually taking you into his arms, soothing your back as he embraced you. “That’s not it, sweetheart. I can’t keep my hands to myself even when you’re not doing anything.”

“I’m sorry…”

He looked at you at arm’s length. “Don’t be.” You diverted your gaze, but Sukuna lifted your head with a finger, making you look at him, holding you in his gaze “I’m willing to take it slow if that’s what makes you comfortable.”

“Look, I just want to be sure about how I feel. I don’t want to be doing this half-baked because I don’t want to hurt you –”

He placed a finger against your lips, still raw from his kisses. He didn’t want to hear what you had to say just yet but he smiled slowly at you. “I’m willing to give you time, and for now, I just want us to stay like this. Is that okay?”

You nodded, swallowing hard.

You found yourselves lying in bed until the sun was high in the sky and it was just too warm to stay there. Endless talks led to teasing which eventually led to laughter. He was glad that you were back to your carefree self again, even happier that you were considering his feelings.

“Should we get something to eat?” you suggested to him.

“Are you hungry?” Sukuna asked.

“Yeah. Aren’t you?”

Sukuna chuckled. “Starving.” He stood up first and pulled you with him, leading you out of the room with a happy grin on his face. “Let’s make breakfast together?”

“Sure…” You beamed at him. “I’d like that.”

-end of part 2-

Additional notes are available in the masterlist, particularly on the reasons why I wrote some things the way I did.

Thank you so much for reading. Likes, comments and reblogs are deeply appreciated! Hope you enjoyed it.

PHOTO/IMAGE/GIF/FANART SOURCES FULLY CREDITED TO THE RESPECTIVE OWNERS.

134 notes · View notes

userpoe · 3 years

Note

hi!! could i pls request a poe fic with the whole “we just won a battle and you go to hug me but i flinch and you realize i’ve been hiding a huge wound and now i might not make it” trope, reader being shot by a blaster or smth? (btw i absolutely adore your writing style and take so much inspo from it)

hello, hello, this is the best trope ever! thank you for requesting it, bud, and thank you for the compliment <3 I hope you enjoy!

tw: injuries, medbay (happy ending!)

word count: 1.5k cos I can’t do brevity when it comes to Poe Dameron

Poe emerged from behind the cubby he’d taken shelter behind and twirled his blaster in one hand and blew the nuzzle for good measure. The good measure being you were (presumably) watching him to his left, and he liked doing what he could to make you laugh, especially in cases like this, when he could sense your anxiety rolling off you in silent but thick waves.

“Told you it’d be fine,” Poe said, putting his blaster back into his holster. The two of you had snuck into an abandoned First Order compound to get some intelligence and had been cornered by a security droid with surprisingly good aim. The corridor still smelled thickly of ozone and the walls now bore new carbon scoring marks.

He turned to find you moving slowly out of your own hiding place, staring at the fallen droid. Poe grinned, and couldn’t resist the urge to close the gap between the two of you to give you a hug, but as he reached for you, you winced. Poe’s hands stilled and he noticed what he hadn’t before: your face shone with sweat, your lips pulled in a tight grimace, and one hand was hovering just above your abdomen.

Poe breathed out your name just as your legs gave out beneath you. “Whoa!” He said, catching you and helping you to the ground. His own legs folded uncomfortably beneath him, but that was nothing compared to the twist in his gut and heart as he pulled your jacket and then your hand away from your shirt and he found what you’d been hiding: one of the droid’s blasts had struck home.

He sucked in a breath. It was - not great. The wound was still sparking from the blast, and there was some blood. “BB-8,” Poe called over his shoulder, unable to keep the panic out of his voice, “get the X-Wings back here now. There’s a medkit -”

The droid beeped in response, automatically understanding Poe’s order before he even had time to finish making it, and was then rolling off at high speed back to the hanger.

“Didn’t think I’d go out by a droid,” you coughed and Poe shook his head vehemently, sending a few curls flying at the quick motion.

“You’re not going anywhere,” he said sternly as he yanked his scarf from around his neck in one fluid motion. He couldn’t wrap it around your wound, but he could use it to apply pressure until BB-8 returned. You hissed as he did, and Poe shot you an apologetic glance, “I gotta -”

“I know you gotta,” you said, shifting under him, one hand flying up to grasp his wrist in a light hold as he continued to press down on the injury. “Just hurts like hell.”

“Keep telling me about it,” Poe urged, trying to give you a smile, but he was sure you could feel the way his hands were shaking. Come on buddy, hurry up. “Hell, you can call me whatever you want, just keep talking, alright?”

“Sure about that, Commander? I can come up with some pretty creative insults,” you said around another cough. This time, the smile that twitched his lips was genuine. He knew that well enough; you came up with nicknames for all of your enemies or even allies you just didn’t agree with. Poe himself had been given a few, as well...out of affection, though you’d never admit to it.

“I know you can,” Poe agreed. “Why don’t you come up with a few new ones for me, pass the time ‘til BB-8 gets back with that medkit, huh?”

But your eyes had already begun fluttering. “I’ve already...come up...with plenty for you…”

“Yeah, but I never get tired of hearing them,” Poe said, moving one hand up to cup your cheek. “Hey, c’mon, Gorgeous, stay with me.”

“Never got tired of hearing yours either,” you said, eyes softening at the corners. Poe’s lips parted in surprise, but before he got a chance to reply, there was a shrill beeping from behind him. He glanced back to find BB-8 skidding towards you both at top speed. By the time he turned back to you, you’d already gone still in his arms, your eyes shut.

* *

When you woke up, your entire body was stiff from disuse. You groaned as you blinked open bleary eyes, your mouth dry and scratchy. You wet your lips and tried to take stock of your surroundings: you were back on D’Qar, that much was obvious, and in the medbay. The cot you were lying on was firm and...not that comfortable, and judging from how cold the room was, it was the middle of the night, but someone had pulled and tucked a blanket around you.

It didn’t take long to figure out who had since he was still in the room. You turned your head and found Poe Dameron asleep on a bench by your bed, tucked in the most uncomfortable-looking sleeping position you’d ever seen. He hadn’t changed since the last time you saw him, but even in his sleep, he looked exhausted and weary as hell.

So you threw a pillow at his head.

It had perfect aim, and his reaction - which was to jerk upright and nearly fall off the bench itself at his sudden movement - was perfect. His head whipped around the room until his clouded, sleepy eyes fell on you and they softened, a smile tugging at his lips until you spoke, at which point his smile promptly disappeared: “What the hell are you doing here, Dameron?”

Poe stood up, wincing slightly at the uncomfortable ache in his legs from how he’d fallen asleep, then fixed you with a look that was somewhere between disbelief and disapproving. “You were shot. Where else would I be?”

“In your quarters? Getting a decent night's sleep?” You suggested imperiously, straightening into a sitting position. You tugged down the blanket and hoisted up the new shirt you’d been given. Major Kalonia obviously had already treated you: the only thing left of your injury was a puffy red scar.

“Like I’d leave you.” Poe motioned at your abdomen. “You feeling any better?”

“I feel like bullying you,” you point out with a slightly wicked smile, “so yeah, I’d say so.” Then you frowned and admitted, “Well, I could do with some water.”

Poe rolled his eyes and picked up the canteen of water Kalonia had left for exactly this purpose and proffered it to you. You accepted it with a quiet thanks. You watched him carefully as you drank, then asked, “How’d I get back here, exactly?”

“I flew you back home. BB-8 put your X-Wing on autopilot.”

You raised an eyebrow. “Black One is a one-seater.”

“Yes it is, and you kicked me in my shins multiple times on the way back.” Poe winced. “I think I’ll be bruised for days.”

“Oh, you poor thing,” you said with a pout that made him grin, and maybe that’s why you did it in the first place.

“Yeah, you’re definitely feeling better,” Poe said, mostly to himself, looking around the room with his hands on his hips. “Kalonia said that once you were awake if you were feeling up to it, I could take you back to your quarters.” He looked at you expectantly. “Are you -?”

You sat down the canteen as you assessed how you felt. “Yeah, I think I am.”

Poe nodded, bounced on his heels a couple of times, then - “Does it have to be your quarters?”

You raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”

Poe held his hands up in supplication, “Hear me out. My quarters are closer to the medbay, so you’d have less to walk, and -” he was clearly blanking on another excuse. You could actually see the gears turning in his head.

“Poe,” you said, so he could stop bluescreening, “do you want me to spend the night with you?”

His Adam’s apple bobbed as he answered in a quiet voice, “Yeah.”

“Why?”

“Why -” Poe braced his hands on the edge of the mattress to look down at you - “Because one of my best friends just got shot and I thought I’d lost them.” He moved one hand up to brush some grime off your cheek with his thumb. “I’m not really ready to let you outta my sight yet.”

Your heart twisted in your chest at his honesty. If you were in his shoes, you would be the same way, and you both knew it, even if you probably wouldn’t be as quick to admit it as he was. “Then I’ll spend the night with you,” you paused, allowing yourself to indulge in watching his face light up for a beat before you added, “but I swear if you’re as much of a blanket thief in bed as you are on squadron holo-nights…”

“You had half of it already!” Poe protested, making you laugh, but your laugh fell silent with a sucked in breath as he pressed a quick kiss to your hairline. “Guess we’ll find out, huh.”

“You better have more than one blanket, flyboy,” is all you managed to get out, before adding a quiet, “thank you for taking care of me.”

He shrugged, “What else was I gonna do?”

#ask box #myfic #poe dameron x reader #poe dameron x you

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tlcwrites · 3 years

Text

By A Nose

Submission for Writer Wednesday 5/12

Summary: If you're going to talk the talk, you better be able to walk the walk. Or, proof Poe Dameron is a terrible loser.

Word Count: 1528

Tags/Warnings: Poe Dameron x Reader, Modern AU. Implied smut but mostly in passing. Some bad words. Poorly edited because as usual I finished this at like 11 and my kids get up at 5 so I need to go to sleep.

Author’s Note: THREE FICS IN A WEEK WHO AM I?

Okay, so I cannot be the only one who saw the photo for this week's Writer Wednesday (thank you once more for hosting, @autumnleaves1991-blog!) and went the direction I did. If I am the only one, well, just further proof my brain is certifiable. Make sure you comment on when you figure out where this fic takes place.

There will also be an accompanying headcanon coming for this probably tomorrow, because there was SO much material I wanted to use but couldn't make fit. Thank you @paper-n-ashes for brainstorming with me and being the best hype-woman ever.

“AAAAHHHHH.”

“WE’RE GONNA DIE.”

“WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT?!”

“FINN!!” You smack him. “There are small children here!”

But he’s too busy screaming to pay attention.

On the other side of you, Kaydel looks decidedly green. She lets out a pained moan as your vehicle makes a particularly hard turn. “I’ve got a bad feeling about this…”

You pat her knee as you fly through a kitchy town. “Hang in there, honey. It’s almost over.”

The village elder’s well wishes still ringing in your ears, you pull up next to another idling transport. From the driver’s seat, your boyfriend winks at you.

“You’re going down, Dameron!” you holler at him.

He makes the universal ‘I’m watching you’ gesture. “Eat my dust, losers!”

Finn yells back something that has you smacking him again, shooting an apologetic glance to the second row of Poe’s transport, where Snap and Karé are sitting with their daughter Nora. Snap’s hands fly to cover Nora’s ears while Karé laughs heartily.

Next to Poe, Rey holds her thumb and forefinger up to her forehead in an ‘L’ shape. “Second place is the first to lose!”

Before any more trash talking can occur, you see a flash of red out of the corner of your eye and then both vehicles take off, bursting out of the dark into blinding sunlight.

You both fly over the rusty terrain, neck and neck as you navigate under rocky overpasses and around hairpin turns. From the second row of your car, you can hear Maz lobbing profanities at Chewie in the other ride. He’s yelling back in his native tongue (which you still only understand half of). Beside Maz, Leia and Han are both laughing like kids.

A shriek of joy erupts from you as you fly over a series of hills, the momentary weightlessness thrilling. Finn has both hands in the air, while Kaydel grips the safety handle with white knuckles.

Finally, you come out of a turn to see a sharp drop. You look to Poe, who grins back at you, his vehicle slightly ahead of yours. Damnit, you HATE losing to him. He’s the worst winner.

At the last moment, your ride leaps ahead, crossing under the checkered banner by a nose. The passengers of your car cheer and high-five in victory, while Poe’s passengers groan in good-natured defeat.

As you roll through the red-lit cavern, you laugh as you catch sight of Poe’s face. He’s a terrible winner, but he’s an even worse loser. Even if his loss comes at the hands of an algorithm.

Anthropomorphic cars wave you off as both vehicles enter the unloading zone. On the other side of the platform, Chewie is lifting Rey out of the front seat as she pretends to collapse in agonized failure, her laughter completely destroying the illusion. You accept Finn’s hand as he helps you up, both of you turning to support Kaydel as she crawls out of the car.

A ride attendant watches her warily. “Does she need assistance?” he asks Han.

Han waves him off, wrapping an arm around his wife’s shoulders as Maz and Chewie beeline for the ride photos. “She’ll be fine. No protein spills here.” At the cast member’s astonished look, the charming rogue gives his trademark grin. “Ain’t my first rodeo, kid.” As he and Leia stroll past you towards the exit, he catches your eye and winks. “That, and they haven’t changed the lingo since the 70’s.”

Laughing, you rub Kaydel’s back as Rey swaps places with Finn and helps bracket your green-tinged friend. “Let’s get you some water, yeah?”

Kaydel manages a slight nod, and the three of you make your way towards the exit.

Behind you, you can hear Poe and Finn bickering, as they’re wont to do.

“It’s a ride, dude,” Finn is saying, the exasperation clear in his tone.

“It’s physics, dude,” Poe shoots back. “There’s NO way the car on the outside of the turn would be able to finish first.”

Worst. Loser. Ever.

Your rag-tag alliance eventually makes it out of the exit tunnel. Ben’s waiting across the walkway, those ridiculously long arms crossed over his chest as he leans against the guard rail and steadily ignores whatever Armitage is ranting about.

On the bench next to them, Rose perks up, a smirk crossing her pretty face as she sees Poe’s expression. “Well, I don’t need to ask who won.”

“Don’t wanna talk about it,” the most-competitive-pilot-in-the-galaxy grumbles back, adjusting his backpack. You help Kaydel to a bench, where she quickly curls up.

Rey rolls her eyes as she forces her way into the circle of Ben’s arms. “It’s not like any of us could have actually controlled the outcome, you noodle.”

“Not without some kind of magic,” Ben intones dryly, resting his chin on his girlfriend’s head.

“How cool would that be, though?” Rey’s getting her Down-The-Wormhole-We-Go eyes. You and Rose exchange a Look™️ as she starts gesturing wildly with her hands. “Like, imagine if you could just look at something like rocks and, like, make them fly. Or make someone do whatever you wanted them to do. OH!” She looks up at Ben with a slightly manic expression. “Lightning bolts from your fingers!!”

Well-used to these kinds of rambles, Ben gently captures her hands and wraps her into a hug that doubles as a straight jacket. “No more SyFy channel before bed.”

Rose slides her arms around her husband as Finn joins her on the bench. “Did you behave?”

Nora, in all her 6-year-old innocence, giggles. “Mr Finn said a whole lot of swear-jar words.” She casts a critical eye on the young man. “You probably said enough you could buy an Elsa doll.” The ‘for me’ is unsaid, but implied.

Karé rapidly turns her laugh into a cough.

Finn glances down at his wife as Rose smacks him upside the head. “Hey! That tractor thing is terrifying. And Maz said WAY more than I did!”

“Age before beauty, Finnigan,” Maz says haughtily, waving off Finn’s ‘m'name’s not Finnigan, damn it’.

Giggling, you tune out the ridiculousness that is your found family and turn your attention to your still-sulking boy toy. “You know,” you murmur, wrapping your arms around his waist, “you make that face for long enough and it’ll stick that way.”

He huffs. “This is just how my face looks.”

“Uh huh.” Considering yourself quite the expert in his face, having spent countless hours studying every crease and line until you could have drawn him blindfolded, you call bullshit, but say nothing further.

“It is,” he insists.

“Okay,” you agree.

The King of Sarcasm narrows his eyes. “You’re doing that thing.”

You widen your eyes innocently. “What thing?”

“That thing where it sounds like you’re agreeing with me but you’re really telling me I’m a dumbass.”

“What?!” You bring your hand to your chest. “Moi?! I would never.”

He huffs again, but you can see the hint of a smirk starting to break though.

“C’mon, First Runner Up,” you tease. “No sulking in Disneyland. Let me buy you a drink at Trader Sam’s, and then we can sneak off to the Haunted Mansion and make out like teenagers in our Doom Buggy.”

He tilts his head, considering it.

“Or-“ You brush an inky curl off his forehead and stand on your toes until your lips are just about caressing his ear and whisper, “-we could get back in line right now and go again.”

Even before you’ve finished speaking, Poe’s grabbing your hand and hauling you back towards the entrance, tossing a “See you jerks later!” as he pulls you under the Radiator Springs Racers sign. Their laughter echos behind you as he leads the way through the mostly empty line (thank goodness for parade lulls).

As you wait in the queue, only a few dozen people stand between Poe and his (re)shot at victory. You see that competitive gleam in his eyes start to come alive again.

“Hey.” You tug on his tee shirt until he looks at you. “If our car doesn’t win, tonight I’ll do That Thing you love.”

“Babe.” The look he gives you is one of pure torture. “You are killing me here.” He really loves to win. But he really, really loves That Thing. “What about when we come in first?”

You shrug demurely. “Then you wear Those Pants™️ tomorrow.”

Hm. Poe’s always been quick to calculate his odds, and this is quickly turning into a win/win situation. If you lose, he gets That Thing. But Those Pants™️ turn you about feral, and when you’re in that kind of mood- let’s just say Poe still has the scars on his shoulders to prove it.

“Are those terms acceptable, Flight Commander Dameron?” You smile sweetly up at him.

His licentious grin says it all. “Hell yeah.”

For the record, your car does lose a second time. And the next morning, Poe hardly has Those Pants over his ass when you’re ripping them back down his legs and shoving him backwards onto the bed.

Oh, yeah, he thinks to himself. This is better than any dumb kid’s ride.

…doesn’t mean he’s not going to ride it as many times as it takes to win.

A/N: I almost titled this “Tell me you have children without saying you have children”. I am so fucking sick of ‘Lining McQueen’. Yay 4-year-olds.

Thank you for reading; likes and reblogs feed my soul.

#writer wednesday #poe dameron x reader #poe dameron fic #poe dameron fanfiction #poe dameron x gender neutral reader #poe dameron imagine #poe dameron fluff #poe dameron #hot space droid dad #my writing #modern au #star wars fanfiction #star wars fanfic #poe dameron fanfic

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winniethewife · 10 months

Text

Jewels made of stardust

(Poe Dameron x OC! Rhoswen Jewelace.)

Chapter 6: I wanna do right by you

A/N: Thanks to @runa-falls for the song Rec for this chapter.

Last chapter ~ Next chapter

Words: 953

Rhoswen Sits with her head in her hands as she stares at the wall of the med bay. She gave up watching her mother’s vital signs and even Poe’s pacing got old eventually. It’s not like the wall was interesting, just constant. Unlike everything else in her life. She hates it. She looks over at Poe who had finally sat down for a minute. He looks like he might explode right there.

“Hey, deep breath alright? Finn and Rose have got this, they’ll come through.” She says as she tried to smile at him. He looks at her surprised.

“Are…you trying to be friendly with me?” He asks with a smirk.

“I’m just trying to keep your head on straight. Does neither of us any good if you fly off the handle, like you’re so prone to do.” They both chuckled at that. After a moment of quiet between them Poe scooted over to her and leans his chin on her shoulder, and for once she lets him have this contact

“Is the wall really that interesting?” He asks sarcastically

“No but I don’t know what else to do right now.” She replies

“You know, I only ever wanted to do right by you.” He said quietly.

“Yeah. I know. I just…nothing is the same as when we met. I’m sorry I can’t be the starry eyed hopeful I used to be.” She sighs and without really thinking she leans her head slightly on his.

“I don’t blame you, I’m not feeling very starry eyed right now.” He mumbles.

“I don’t think any of us do. This is one of the darkest days of the resistance.”

“At the rate we’re going it might be the last day of the resistance.”

“Now that’s dark.” She laughs slightly.

After a while they were sitting by Leia’s bedside, Rhoswen gently holding her mother’s frail hand. She was trying desperately to feel any spark of the hope her mother always seemed to project onto others, knowing that if Leia didn’t wake up, she was the last…she can’t think like that. She didn’t ever want to think that all the good in the Organa and Solo family lines rests in her hands. When Ben went to the dark side it ruined their family, neither she nor Leia could convince Han to stay, then when it became obvious the new republic wasn’t going to do what was needed, the resistance had to rise and that was Leia’s calling, and Rhoswen followed.

Poe looks over at her, her short red hair shines slightly in the ship light. She was the one woman he never wanted to be a one night stand, and yet here they were, so close together and yet a wall between them.

“So is there a reason You and Holdo don’t get along? I figured with her history with Leia you guys would be close.”

“She tried to convince Leia and Han to give me to another family, Said They barely had time for Ben, why take on more responsibility. They needed to focus on the New republic. I was only two, But I still remember vividly her telling my mom and dad I should be sent somewhere else, be some other senators kid. Dad looked like he was gonna kill her.” She laughs.

“You were always a daddy’s girl huh?” Poe asks with a smile, slightly playing with the collar of her jacket as he stood next to her. It was Hans jacket, he thought it was sweet she always wore his old jacket. Her father may be gone, but he lived on in her. The same sass, the same smirk. She was her father’s daughter.

“Yeah, He was my world. He taught me to fly, taught me to shoot, he was everything to me.” She said softly and she squeezed Leia’s hand a little tighter. I still can’t believe he’s gone.” She starts to feel the tears coming to her eyes. Poe kneels down next to her and takes her hand. He feels like this is the closest they’ve been in a really long time. Like this is his last chance.

“I know, but he would be so proud of you Rho. He loved you to the ends of the galaxy.” He gently pushes a few strands of hair out of her face, she looks at him. Her emerald eye meet his smoky dark brown ones. She feels like she’s been an idiot this whole time, fighting the man who wanted so badly to do right by her. To take care of her after the worse day of her life, who despite every fight always came back trying to make things right.

“I…I don’t deserve you Poe. I fought you at every moment, I…I’ve lied to you, I’ve don’t things just to start fights with you…”

“Shh…hey it’s okay. I don’t care about that. I care about you. None of that matters” Poe runs his fingers through her hair, trying to comfort her. She instinctually leans into his hand as he does this, his eyes never leaving hers, their faces so close they could feel each other’s breath.

“I have to ask Poe, I know that before our night together there was a lot of talk about you…making your way around base.” She tried to tread the topic carefully knowing how the last time she had mention this hadn’t gone well.

“It…It never really meant anything. Yeah I slept around and I dated a little but, It was just…selfish…I was trying to prove to myself I didn’t need you. And I was wrong.” Before Rhoswen could respond they were interrupted by a commlink message from Lieutenant Connix.

“Captain Dameron, Captain Jewelace…we have a problem."

Masterlist

Tag: @femmeanonymelives

#star wars #poe dameron #poe dameron x oc #Solo oc #starwars fanfic #star wars fanfiction #star wars sequel trilogy #star wars fan fiction #Rhoswen Jewelace #Rhoswen #oscar isaac fic #Spotify

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tintinwrites · 4 years

Text

golden rings | Modern Poe Dameron x GN!Reader

A/N: I named this Poe-posal in my Docs but I figured that’s not a good title for an actual fic. No tags because I don’t want to accidentally tag someone who doesn’t celebrate and/or like Christmas!

Rating: T

Warning: Naughty words. Like one sexual reference.

Word count: 1,452, apparently!!

Summary: You and Poe go to his father’s house for Christmas where he opens a very special gift.

GIF credit: ^

----------------------------

“Your dad goes all out for Christmas, huh?”

“He does it for the neighborhood kids...or that’s what he tells me.” Poe put the car in park and leaned forward with his arms on the steering wheel to admire his father’s house; there were multicolored lights strung up along the roof and Christmas-themed clings on the window and even some blow up characters and figures. “I think he does it for himself. Nothing says Christmas in Georgia like Frosty the Snowman.”

You laughed softly, eyeing the decorations with a smile then looking at the man beside you. “I think it’s cute.”

“I think you’re cute,” he murmured as he turned to look at you, leaning in for a quick kiss.

A quick kiss became another one that was longer and deeper, one of your hands moving up to gently squeeze his arm.

He dressed up a bit for his dad with a burgundy button up shirt and you enjoyed it immensely if the way you kept touching his arms and torso was any indication.

His eyes were a bit dreamy as he pulled away and looked down at your lips. “What are your rules on fucking in your boyfriend’s childhood bedroom?”

You hummed, running your hand up his arm and his shoulder until you reached up to cup his cheek. “I don’t want to traumatize your dad and I’m willing to assume said bedroom is still decorated in baseball memorabilia picked out by fifteen year old Poe.”

“Soccer memorabilia.” He pouted like you offended him before smiling and kissing you again, unbuckling his seatbelt and shoving open the car door so he could step out.

You shook your head at him as you followed him out of the car and around to the trunk to help him unload everything you’d packed.

He handed you a stack of neatly wrapped gifts then grabbed your suitcases, rolling them up the walkway to the front door. “Hey, Dad!”

The way he pounded on the door made you roll your eyes and glare at him, elbowing him gently in the side right as the door opened to show Kes Dameron smiling widely at you both.

He thankfully didn’t seem to notice your little attack on Poe as he pulled his son into his arms, laughing joyfully.

“My boy!” He pulled back and grabbed onto Poe’s face, squishing his cheeks a bit as he looked him over. “Look at you! You need to shave.”

“You’re one to talk, Santa Claus.” Poe tugged on his father’s beard.

“I look distinguished, you look scruffy.” Kes patted his cheek before he pulled away and looked at you with a smile, opening his arms wide.

“Hi, Kes.” You set the presents down and moved into his arms, laughing softly as he squeezed you tightly.

He wrapped an arm around you and turned to lead you into the house. “Poe can get those, come on.”

You heard Poe grumble at his forced volunteering, but he was smiling as he brought the suitcases and presents inside when you glanced back at him.

Kes walked you to the couch then disappeared into the kitchen, coming back with three beers and handing one to you as he sat down next to you.

“Is Poe still enjoying being a Yankee?” He asked, opening his beer and taking a sip of it.

“He asks like I betrayed him for the North in a war,” Poe grunted as he set the suitcases aside, making his way to the Christmas tree with the pile of presents.

“I think he likes it. He doesn’t like the snow, but honestly, who actually does?”

“You two could always move down here to Georgia if you think it’d suit you.”

Poe plopped down on the other side of his dad, taking his bottle of beer with a smile and a nod of thanks. “We have jobs, Dad.”

“There are jobs here! One of my friends is hiring right now.” Though Kes took a sip of beer rather than explaining further.

“Hiring what?” Poe stared at him knowingly until the older man laughed awkwardly.

“You’d make a cute maid.”

“—I don’t know how to argue with the truth like that.”

You laughed at them as you drank a bit more of your beer then stood up. “I’m gonna go put our things away?”

“Don’t worry about mine!” Poe said quickly. “That’s my job. My room’s first door on the right down that hallway.”

You raised an eyebrow at him, but moved to kiss him before you grabbed your suitcase and made your way to the bedroom.

Poe watched you the entire way with a bit of a dopey smile, which Kes regarded with a knowing look as he leaned back into the couch cushions.

“Am I too old now to realize when my son’s in love?” His question made Poe look at him after a moment, seeming sheepish.

“I don’t think you are, Dad. Can I talk to you about something?”

------------------------

Kes must’ve been really happy that you and Poe were visiting him; every time you looked over at him throughout dinner, he was looking at one of you or both of you with fondness in his eyes.

It was honestly starting to freak you out a little, so you suggested that you exchange gifts once you’d finished your meal.

“Now this is a stylish color!” Kes held up a blue sweater that you’d chosen for him.

“I think you’ll look very handsome.” You smiled, shoving the wrapping paper into a trash bag.

“You hear that, Poe? I think you have a little competition.”

“Gross, Dad.”

You laughed, walking over to kneel by the tree where you grabbed a little square present with Poe’s name written on it. “This one’s yours, babe.”

You reached back to let him take it then sifted through the presents to find another one for Kes.

What you didn’t see was the father and son looking at each other as Poe unwrapped the gift.

You just grabbed a present for Kes and you started to stand as you turned around, only to fall right back down with a gasp when you found Poe kneeling right behind you.

“What the hell, Po—” You stopped, eyes widening as you saw the black box he was holding.

“You know I love you, right, baby? And you can totally say no, but…” He hesitated before opening the box to show you that his mother’s ring was in it.

You just stared at him with tears quickly filling your eyes because Poe Dameron, the most amazing man that you were certain ever existed, was proposing to you.

Poe let out a laugh as he started to tear up at your emotion as well, trying to remember the speech he’d rehearsed in the mirror over and over again.

He looked down for a moment to gather himself before he lifted his head to look at you, but tears fell from his eyes anyway the moment he saw your face.

“Okay, we can’t just sit here in silence all night, you know? So, uh...I remember the day I knew I wanted to spend my life with you. The first time you stayed the night and I woke up to the fire alarm going off because you decided to make breakfast.” He smiled as you laughed, reaching up with his free hand to stroke your cheek. “I don’t want anyone else. I wanna grow old with you doing all those things we’d stay up late talking about because we wanted them so much. Will you marry me?”

“Duh!” you said immediately, wrapping your arms around his neck and kissing him deeply.

He held you against him and the two of you kissed each other again and again there on the floor, only breaking a part when you heard the familiar sound of a smartphone’s camera going off.

Kes was taking pictures of you, holding the phone far out as he attempted to see the screen with tears in his eyes. “Your mother would’ve been so proud of you.”

Poe looked a little sad at this, but he pulled back from you and grabbed the ring out of the box.

You held your hand out for him, watching as the ring didn’t quite go up all the way and laughing softly.

“We’ll get it sized.” He kissed your knuckles.

“Maybe until then I can just keep it on this.” You pulled the empty chain out from under his shirt, shaking your head at how sneaky he’d been to keep it on.

“Love you, babe.”

“Love you, Dameron.”

As the two of you kissed again, the sound of Kes’ phone taking pictures started going off.

“Dad, come on.”

#poe dameron x reader #poe dameron imagine #star wars imagine #poe dameron fic

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softboywriting · 4 years

Text

Hate To Love You | Poe Dameron

Summary: You and Poe have been friends since you arrived at the Resistance base three years ago. Well, friends who often want to strangle each other as much as they want to take the other to bed. After a solo mission gone wrong you get teamed up with Poe for a follow up mission on Canto Bight. The two of you together under the right circumstances may lead to something neither of you can resist, and confessions that can’t be taken back. [Star wars universe] [nsfw themes no smut] [fluff] [fr-enemies to lovers [[sort of]]

Word Count: 6k

|Masterlist In Bio|

You find yourself in a bad area of Kajimi while on an intel mission for Leia. There is supposedly a man with information about the location of an abandoned First Order fleet ship that would be an excellent salvage opportunity. Stars above know the Resistance can use all the weapons and ship parts they can get their hands on. You went in alone, opting to leave behind your usual partner Daya, while she was laid up from a blaster burn. It was supposed to be an easy job. You go into Kajimi City, go to a cantina called Knicks and meet a man in an emerald green robe. He would give you a holopad and you would leave. Of course that does not happen.

You enter the cantina and immediately note that it is absolutely packed from wall to wall. It's loud, as most are, and you make your way around, looking for the man in the emerald robe. It's hard to see as it's barely lit. It's a divey place, sketchiness oozes from every inch of the establishment. Bad things, illegal things, happen here. You keep your head down, pull your hood up and keep moving.

"Oh look at her! Hey honey, gimme some of that body." Some guy hollers as you pass him.

You step forward and push past two big aliens that are conversing in grunts. You cannot stand being hit on. It's so irritating. You wore baggy jumpsuit pants and one of Poe's jackets to make yourself seem shapeless. Apparently that didn't work as well as you hoped. You wish the contact would show up or make himself seen because you're not keen on asking the barkeep about him. Last time you did that it ended badly, as the person you were after was not well liked.

There isn't much time to worry about all of that when a loud boom shakes the cantina, causing a hush to fall over the crowded room.

"First Order! Run!" Someone yells and then panic erupts.

You're jostled around as patrons begin to hurry for the exit. This sucks, there is no way you're going to get the intel now. Fuck it. You head for the exit, squeezing past a few droids to get out into the cold night air. Sure enough there are stormtroopers everywhere grabbing people left and right. You duck into an alley and head for anywhere that is not the middle of town.

The alley goes to a dead end that has an open sewer tunnel grate. It's better than nothing. You'll camp out in the tunnels and wait until things settle down topside. You slide past the bars and head into the dark passageway, pulling your flashlight out for a better visual. Unfortunately you don't make it too far before you come face to face with a blaster as you enter a dim lit tunnel.

"How'd you find this place?" The woman on the other end of the blaster says. "You're not part of the crew."

"I ran from the stormtroopers and slipped through an open sewer grate. I don't mean any harm."

"That jacket, where'd you get it?"

You look down and back up. "Uh, someone gave it to me?"

The woman walks forward, blaster still trained on you. "I know this jacket. Who are you?"

"I'm with the resistance. I can leave, I will find another place to stay until the stormtroopers clear out."

"What's your name?"

You swallow thickly. Why does your name matter? And why is she obsessed with this jacket? "Dameron. My name is Dameron."

"Dameron? Poe Dameron? Are you related?"

Oh fuck. She knows Poe. Shit. Fuck. He told you he once had bad luck on Kajimi, but he also said he had friends there. He never specified exactly what bad luck meant, but of course you'd run into someone who knew him. It's a fifty fifty chance, either this person is a friend or an enemy and you're gonna have to roll the dice. "He's my...husband?"

She scoffs. "He's alive? That son of a bitch. I should tea-"

"Zorii! They've taken Burnham!" Someone shouts from down the tunnel.

The woman makes a noise of annoyance. "Listen, you tell Poe if he ever steps foot on Kajimi again I will have his head on a platter and serve the rest of him to a sand worm. And if I see him outside if Kajimi it's on sight. Got it?"

"Yep. Got it." You turn and head back to the entrance of the tunnels. Sweat runs down your back and you walk faster, feeling the wall for guidance. You're too afraid to turn your light back on in case Zorii comes after you. You're done taking chances today, it's time to get back to your ship and get back to base. Fuck the intel.

_____________________

"Hey! You made it back!" Poe cheers, clapping you on the back as soon as you enter the command center. He's the only one in there, seemingly going over the latest attack plans on a First Order base. "How was Kajimi? Did you get the coordinates?"

"No, I didn't." You pull off your hat and gloves, slapping them on the table. "Do you know a woman named Zorii?"

Poe's face pales, eyes wide. "Perhaps, why?"

"I ran into her on accident. She recognized your jacket!" You pluck at the leather collar. "I'm fairly certain I'm lucky to be alive."

"Whoa hold on, did you say it was mine?"

"Sort of? I don't know, she asked my name and I said Dameron because I didn't want to give my real name because safety and whatever and I didn’t think any more of it. But of course she knew you! And she seemed to think you were dead. Wanna explain?"

"You gave my name?!" Poe grabs his hair and turns away, pacing the length of the star chart console. "Fuck! What did you tell her? I need to know. Did you say you were my sister? My cousin? My child?"

"First of all I'm too old to be your child you idiot. I said wife."

"Wife?! Oh for ewoks sake. You told her I was married?!"

You shrug the jacket off and throw it on a console. "I took a chance Poe! I had no idea if she was a friend or a foe!"

"Oh you took a chance alright. I'm so fucking dead now."

"Why? She was pissed but how bad can it be?"

Poe laughs debilitatingly. "Faking my own death to get out of the crew and join the resistance? Is that bad? Or hold how about this, I faked my death and we were seeing each other at the time I did."

Your jaw drops. "Poe Dameron! You did what?!"

"Yeah! Yeah, no I know! I'm a huge piece of shit but I did what I had to do to keep my ass alive."

You throw your hands up and turn away, walking toward the seating area. "You couldn't just break up with her like a normal person? No?"

"It wasn't about her, it was about leaving the crew."

"Then just leave!"

"Just leave? You have no idea how much shit that would put me in. I faked my death to sever all ties. Spice runners don't let people just leave when you know about their production and-"

"SPICE?!"

"Yeah that's what I said. We all have a past, don't start with me." He groans and sinks down into a chair. "I'm so fucking dead."

"You're only dead if you set foot on Kajimi. Just don't go there."

"Ah, yeah sure. Didn't plan on that regardless. The point isn't that I want to go back to Kajimi one day, it's a shit hole anyway, it's that Zorii knows I'm not dead and I lied to her. She's going to be furious and probably come after my ass."

"Well she can't miss it."

Poe gives you a death stare. "I'm aware my ass is big. Believe me, the seats in the falcon remind me every fucking time. I don't need this right now." He stands and heads for the exit as a few Captains enter. You watch as he leaves and turn your chair toward the console behind it, burying your face in your hands and sighing heavily.

______________________

"Poe?" You call out tentatively as you enter the area of the hangar where he's been working on his x-wing for the last several hours. It's been a day since you got into it in the command center and you feel horrible for making him angry. He's your commander, and you'd even say friend though you butt heads a bit, but at the end of the day you do care for him. A lot. More than you probably should, even if he is a real pain in your ass. He gets under your skin and makes you hotter than any man ever has. It's a fine balance of attraction and irritation.

Sure enough he's laying across the top of his x-wing, foot hooked into the opening of the cockpit, stretched out reaching something inside the engine. He's got on just his cargo pants and a black tank top and you cannot help but stare at his ass. Yes, you teased him about it earlier but in all honesty you love it. It's so...grabable and sexy. He has no idea. Or maybe he does. It seemed like a sore subject earlier but you had been teasing him so that's your fault.

"Poe?" You say a bit louder and he pushes up out of the engine, arms holding him up against the mainframe. His hair is curled beyond belief, the humidity and sweat most likely.

"What now?"

"I wanted to say sorry for yesterday morning."

He pushes himself up farther and repositions himself to slide off the edge of the x-wings body to stand in front of you. He wipes his hands on his tank and crosses his arms. "Why'd you say you were my wife?"

"Huh? I told you, because-"

"No. No, you could have said sister or cousin, anything. But you chose to say wife. Why?"

"I guess I thought it was the safest option." You shrug and dig your boot into the dusty concrete. You definitely haven't imagined what it would be like to be his wife. To be his girlfriend even. Definitely not.

"You thought- oh." Poe hums. "Well I got news for you, wife. We have an assignment together."

"What? Why?"

"Because our friend with the coordinates has taken refuge in Canto Bight."

"The casino resort city? Why the fuck would he go there?"

Poe shrugs. "It beats me. Maybe the guy has a gambling problem. Either way, you and I are going and we are getting those coordinates."

"Why do you need to go?"

"As your partner."

Your heart sinks. Leia knows you blew it on Kajimi. It wasn't supposed to be a solo mission but you said you could handle it. Not that it was your fault the first order decided to raid the city. But why Poe? Why not send someone else with you? Daya? Rose? Wexley?

"Why?"

Poe jumps and hits the release for the hood of the x-wing to fall closed. "Why, because Leia said so."

"Why you? Doesn't she need you here for stuff?"

He smiles and hooks his thumbs in the belt loops of his pants. "It's gonna be me because I asked for the mission."

"You're messing with me aren't you? This is some kind of retribution for outing your fake death."

"Maybe, maybe not." He wraps his arm around your shoulders and pulls you against him. "Pack your bags, because it's honeymoon week on Canto Bight."

"What?!"

"Oh yeah. They're only letting couples in and seeing as you're my wife now..."

"POE DAMERON!"

"Mmm?"

You shove him and he cackles. "You asshole! You are so petty for this."

"Yeah well you signed my death warrant. The least I can do is get even just a little bit."

"I'm not going to sleep with you!" You shout back as you walk away. "I'm not your real wife!"

"We'll see about that!"

_____________________

Poe Dameron can clean up nice. Galaxies he looks like a model when he peels off the fighter suit and runs his hand over his curls. He's in a red silken dress shirt, the top three buttons undone and showing off his gold chain beneath that dips down low on his chest. Black slacks that are definitely tailored because they hug his butt and thighs like they're made for him. Fuck.

"Are you going to change?" Poe asks, gesturing to your flight suit. "I don't think they'll let us in if you're in that."

"Of course I'm going to change." You tug at the velcro of your suit and peel it open to reveal your dress beneath. It's not too fancy, just a simple black dress, knee length and short sleeved. You don't have a lot of nice clothes, they just aren't something you keep around. You do have a necklace from your mom, a nice silver chain with a blue gem pendant. You don't look nearly as nice as Poe does.

"So our cover is that we're a newly wed couple who can't keep their hands off each other. I'm more likely to get noticed here. I can hide my face in your neck and hair. People don't care much for PDA so they will hopefully just ignore us and-" Poe stops mid briefing and you look over at him. "Oh damn." He mutters softly. "My wife looks hot."

"What? Shut up." You toss the flight suit into the cockpit and attempt to fix your hair in the reflection on the windshield. "You're being an ass."

Poe lays his hand on your lower back. "I give you a compliment and I'm an ass? What kind of backwards planet are you from?"

"It was not a compliment. You said wife. Which is not a compliment, it's teasing, so you are an ass."

He leans in close and you press against the x-wing. You can see him in the windshield behind you. Your eyes meet in the reflection and you refuse to look away. His voice comes close to your ear, eyes still boring into yours as he says, "My partner looks stunning and beautiful and I cannot believe I get to do this mission with her. Is that better?"

Your stomach sinks and your heart stops. "You're not bad yourself."

He chuckles, still close to your ear. "I know."

"Confident much?" You press back against him to move away from the x-wing and he wraps his arm around your waist, holding you tight against his warmth. Your body flushes, heat pooling in your stomach. Flashes of what you'd like him to do race through your brain. Galaxies what you wouldn't let him do to you. No. You have to get your mind out of the gutter. You have a job to do. "Let go, Poe."

"Better get used to it. We're going to do a lot of touching." He purrs before he releases you.

You roll your eyes and he smirks.

"Don't think I can't see that blush." He walks beside you as you head to the grand entry way of the Canto Bight resort. "I know you want me."

"In your dreams, Dameron."

He chuckles. "I do have lots of dreams." He matches your pace and slips his arm around your back. "Fun dreams. We should share them sometime."

You cut him a glare and he grins. "You're really playing into this cover."

"Who says I'm playing?"

______________________

As soon as you're checked in, the hunt is on. You can't help but wonder how many of these people would just leap at the chance to throttle you and Poe for simply being part of the Resistance. There's only one way to get this rich in the galaxy and that is weaponry and sympathizing with the First Order. After an hour or so you and Poe head for the elevators that go to the game rooms on the top floor. It's the roulette rooms to be exact. You got word from base that the contact is a roulette player, always betting black.

"I hope we find him." You say to yourself as the doors to the elevator close. It's only you and Poe inside, which is fine with you. At least you don't have to act when no one is around. The last hour has been an excruciating test of will power. You want this to be over, to never have to touch Poe again because it is killing you inside. You know this won't last.

"As do I."

"Huh? Oh. Yeah. I still feel like we're flying a little blind."

"We'll find him."

You look over and Poe has his arms crossed, staring straight ahead at the reflective doors. You look at the doors and take in the two of you together. He looks like he belongs here and you don't. People are going to know you're fakes. This isn't a mission for you, you're not a good actor and you're barely dressed for the part.

"You look great, stop worrying." Poe says softly.

"What? I didn't say anything?"

"You're staring at our reflection intently. I know what you're thinking and you're wrong. You look great."

You fold your arms over your chest and lean against the wall. "You're staring too."

Poe turns and steps directly in front of you. "I'm staring at you."

"Well stop."

"I can't." He catches your chin between his thumb and forefinger and your hands start sweating, heart going wild. "I wanna take it all in while I have it."

"You think I'm not going to dress up ever again?"

"Maybe. I've known you for three years now and I've never seen you like this."

"Don't get used to it."

Poe releases your chin as the elevator dings, signaling your floor. "I won't. But I'm going to relish it while I can."

"Yeah, you do tha-ah!"

He grabs your hand and pulls you out onto the game floor, tugging you against his chest. He slides a hand into your hair and your knees go weak. "Remember our cover?"

"Y-yeah?"

"Newly weds." He drops his lips to your ear. "That can't get enough of each other. You can touch me again, it's okay."

You rest your hand against his chest and his heart is beating fast and hard. He's really into this. "How are we supposed to find the contact if we're all over each other?"

"We will. Just follow my lead."

Poe wraps his arm around your back and guides you to walk with him to a table. He crowds you against the table in front of him, lips going to your neck. "Ask what the buy in is?"

"What's the buy in?" You smile sweetly, looking at the dealer. You're trying not to tremble but Poe is really making you feel weak kneed. He's taken to sliding his hand across your stomach and massaging his thumb just over your ribcage.

"Twenty thousand Madame." The dealer says happily. "Shall I put you on the board next round?"

"Uh.."

"Yes." Poe says more lustfully than helpfully.

You shiver and nod. "Yes please."

The dealer gives a nod and begins to set out a marker for you while the roulette wheel spins away.

"How exactly are we doing this?" You hiss at Poe and he chuckles. "Seriously what money do you-"

"He's here."

"What? Where?" You look around the table and no one matches the contact's description. "Where?"

Poe bites at your neck and you let out an embarrassing little noise of pleasure. He's hitting all your sensitive spots and it's driving you mad. "Table at our two o'clock."

You look over and sure enough there is a man in a long emerald green robe. "Great let's go talk to him."

"Not so fast." Poe murmurs, fingers flexing on your stomach. "We have a game to play."

"No we don't. We have no money." You seethe and he hums against your back. "Seriously what are you-"

Poe lays a bundle of tokens on the table and your eyes go wide. "Don't lose." He presses a kiss to your cheek and pulls away.

"Don't- how the fuck am I supposed to-" You look back and he's crossing the game room to get to the table where the contact is. You look back at your own game and white knuckle the edge of the table. You don't even know how to play roulette.

"Madame? Your bet?" The dealer calls, looking at you.

"I- thirteen?"

"The color Madame?"

"Black."

"Very well."

You watch as the wheel spins and the little ball bounces around inside. It's insufferable. You can't watch. You know it's going to cause you to lose this stack of tokens Poe just slapped down out of nowhere. Why does he have so much money? You look up and find him standing near the contact. He doesn't appear to be talking, just observing.

"Winner!"

Your eyes snap back to the table and the dealer is pushing a large amount of tokens toward you. "What..."

"Thirteen black, straight bet. You've taken the majority of the pot Madame. Shall I put you down for another round or cash you out?"

"Cash out."

The dealer stacks your tokens into a carrier and pushes the small box toward you. "Best of times madame."

You gather the box and make a beeline for Poe. The moment you're in range you lay a hand on his back and he turns, scooping you against him and pressing his lips to your cheek. "I-...Okay?"

"The contact is a spy from the First Order," Poe whispers, kissing along your jaw and your mind goes fuzzy. "This is a trap. We need to stay low, contact Leia and find out more information."

"H-how do you know?" You stammer, brain split between wanting to focus on the mission and getting Poe alone in a bedroom.

"He's wearing a ring that only First Order commanders have. I've seen it before."

You slide your hand down his back and rest it on his ass. It takes everything in you not to squeeze. "We should talk elsewhere. Like you said, we need to get ahold of Leia."

"Did you lose my money at the table?"

"No, and on that subject, where the fuck did you get that much in tokens? Since when do you just have an extra twenty thousand laying around?"

"Don't worry about it. What did you win?"

"I don't know?" You move away and hold up the carrier full of tokens. "The dealer just gave me this."

Poe takes it and his eyes go wide. "Holy sh- this is way more than I laid down. Okay first things first we cash this out and get a room. Then we call Leia."

"Sounds good."

_____________________

The room is huge, a suite for a small family. Seriously you could house at least four people in there comfortably it is so large. You take a seat on the end of the giant gold and black bed in the center of the room and Poe starts rolling up his sleeves. It's way hotter than it should be and your brain wanders. It'd feel so good to have him pin you down, kiss you until you can't think straight anymore. His tongue is probably so skilled and-

"Hey, hello, you alive?" Poe says, touching your shoulder. "Did you bring the communicator?"

"Yeah, yeah it's in my purse."

Poe looks around and spots the small purse you had been carrying. "This could have been very bad."

"Do you think he would have tried to kill us?"

"No. I think he would have given us the coordinates and lead us into a death trap." Poe dials out the command center code. "I knew this abandoned ship was too good to be true."

You flop back and stare at the ceiling while Poe talks to Leia. It's painted gold with black stars imprinted throughout. It's interesting, ritzy and obnoxious, but still pretty. You smile to yourself. You've never been in a place this nice. Never in a million years did you think you would find yourself in Canto Bight. Heat rises in your stomach as you reflect on the last hour or so with Poe. He was so willing to touch you, to make you squirm under his attentions. Does he feel some type of way for real? Is he playing the part? You know one thing, you are never going to recover from this. You're going to have dreams for months.

"You know your dress is leaving little to the imagination."

You snap out of your thoughts and sit up, staring at Poe who's standing at the end of the bed looking down at you. Galaxies it's so sexy, his eyes are trained on you and you can't look away. Your dress is hiked up to your thighs, so laying down he could probably see your underwear. "Maybe you should look elsewhere."

"Maybe I don't wanna." He smirks and your blood pressure skyrockets. He reaches out and flips the bit of fabric laying on your leg and exposes a bit more skin.

"Poe!"

His big hand covers the top of your thigh and he gives a little squeeze. "Tell me to stop."

"Poe...what're you doing?"

His other hand finds your opposite thigh and he slides them up under the dress. He's just touching your legs and you're getting riled up. He presses his face into your neck and you let out the most feeble whine of pleasure. "If you don't want this for real, tell me now."

"We shouldn-"

He gives a little bite and you fall backwards, body no longer able to handle it. "Yes or no sweetheart, I need to know if you want this?"

"Yes. I want you." You bite your lip and it's all over. Poe climbs over you, holding your wrists just like you imagined. His lips find yours, kissing you hungrily while you squirm beneath him, aching to touch him in return. You know it's going to be a long night and that's just fine.

____________________

Sometime in the middle of the night you wake up, eyes opening to the darkened room. For a moment you cannot sort out where you are. The bed feels unfamiliar, the air smells different, nothing is right. Then it hits you. Canto Bight. Poe. You roll over and sure enough there he is beside you, arm over his face.

Last night comes back to you. Oh man. That's why you're sore and naked. You turn back over and Poe shifts on his side. An arm wraps around your chest, pulling you flush against him under the blankets.

"Go back to sleep sweetheart."

"You're awake too."

His hand slides up your chest and settles against your throat. You shiver, remembering last night. A wave of heat courses down your body and settles between your legs. He must know this because he chuckles softly. "Quiet now aren't you?"

"Shut up."

"That's not what you told me last night." He kisses along your shoulder and rubs his thumb back and forth across your throat, applying gentle pressure. "I believe the words were, harder please."

"Poe we just woke up. Do you really need to do this now?" You groan and he slides his hand away, settling it on your chest instead.

He nuzzles against your hair and places another kiss to the back of your neck. "I don't want it to end."

"What?"

"Us, this."

You turn over and face him, nearly nose to nose. You can feel his breath and you stare at each other for a long moment. "You want this?"

He nods. "Please?"

"Okay, I'm down for exploring this." You smile and he leans in to kiss you gently. "I guess I wasn't so far off when I said I was your wife."

Poe cards a hand through your hair. "Easy now, we could make that a possibility. There's a dozen union halls here."

"We're not getting married!" You laugh and he does so in turn. "Fuck a guy once and he wants to make you his wife. Damn, how long has it been Poe?"

"Shut up!"

"No seriously, how long?"

"A while."

"Wanna talk about it?"

"Sure. It's your fault."

You narrow your eyes and he's grinning. "What the fuck does that mean?"

"It means, it's your fault I haven't gotten laid." He flips your nose with his finger and you swat him away. "I'm spelling it out here."

"No you're not? How is it my fault exactly?"

"Because I'm...inlovewithyou." He mutters the last bit, and stares diligently at your pillow.

You touch his cheek and turn his head up to look at you. "Run that by me again?"

"You heard it."

"I heard the impossible. So I know I heard wrong."

"Fuck you, impossible."

"Then say it again!

"I love you!" He takes in a shaky breath. "You're the only woman I've ever met that goes toe to toe with me and gets under my skin to the point I just want to rip your head off but also fuck you so hard you're begging for it. I look forward to seeing you every morning, I look forward to talking to you every day. When you go on missions I can't eat or sleep because I'm so damn worried you won't come back. Fuck, you're everything and I-I must look like an idiot."

"Poe."

"Don't say it. I know it's fine. You don't feel the same and-"

You lean forward and kiss him to make him shut up. He catches on immediately and cradles your face as he returns the kiss. "First things first Dameron..."

"Yeah?" He mutters, eyes closed as he chases your lips as you speak.

"Don't ever tell me how I feel."

He grins and opens his eyes, staring back at you with burning fire. It's passion, challenge, interest. So many emotions you can't settle on one. "Can I tell you want to do?"

"What do you think?"

"Yes?" He slides his hand down to your throat, not squeezing, just touching. "You seemed to like me telling you what to do last night."

You bite his lip and he groans. "Maybe sometimes."

"I'll take sometimes." He pulls you against him, tucking your head under his chin. "Can I take you to breakfast?"

"Like a date?"

"Yes."

"Sure, but you gotta tell me where you got those tokens last night."

He chuckles. "They're fake."

"Fake?! You gave me fake tokens?!"

"I told you not to lose didn't I?"

"You son of a bitch."

"No my mother was a kind woman, thank you."

"I hate you."

He kisses your head and holds his lips to your hair. "No you don't."

You grip his back, pressing your face into his chest. "I don't. Not even a little."

_____________________

Three days after you and Poe return to base things don't seem to have changed. Poe doesn't seem to hint at wanting to be together, he doesn't say anything about what happened between you two on Canto Bight. It's weird. You had such a good night and a lovely breakfast. As far as hook ups and first dates go, they were some of the best you've ever had. You thought things were going well, that you were going to be a couple when you got back to base, but that isn't happening and you don't know why. It's a little annoying and you wonder if Poe is embarrassed to be with you. Or maybe he doesn't want people to know because he wants to keep his options open. You feel played and it is not sitting well.

"Bout time you got back." You say as Poe walks up to the supply cart you're stocking in the hangar. He has been out on a mission with the black x-wing team. Some sort of attack on some stormtroopers invading a resistance friendly settlement.

"Miss me?"

"Yeah, sure." You roll your eyes.

Poe grabs the handles on the cart and leans forward as he speaks. "Is there a problem?"

"I don't know, is there?"

"Don't start with me."

You slam down a pack of fuses and lift your eyes to meet his. "Don't start with you? Oh no problem, you already didn't start it."

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh fuck you."

Poe raises his eyebrows. "Fuck me? I'm not doing anything. You're coming at me for who knows what. Tell me what I did!"

"Nothing! You've done nothing Poe! Since we got home you've barely looked at me twice. We spent an incredible night in Canto Bight and for what? For what Poe?!"

"That's what you're mad about?!"

"Yeah! I feel like I've been played!" You laugh angrily, stepping away from the cart and walking around a pile of scrap parts in boxes. "Is Poe Dameron too good to admit he fell in love?!"

"Fuck all, you don't need to shout that across the base!"

You narrow your eyes at him. "You want me to shout? Oh I'll shout." You turn your back to him and face the open expanse of the hangar. "I'm in love with Poe Dameron and he is in love with me! We fucked on Canto Bight and it was amazing!"

A few pilots and crew nearby make noises of encouragement.

Poe grabs your shoulder and turns you around a little rougher than you expect. He backs you against the wall and your heart goes absolutely wild. "You want something to scream about? I'll give you a reason to scream my name."

"Put your money where your mouth is Dameron."

He leans in close, caging you in with his hands on the wall beside your head. "Call me by my last name again and I'll make sure you scream it too."

You stare at him in heavy silence for a moment. The tension is teetering on thin ice. "Tell me you love me. Say it again."

"I love you." He presses his forehead against yours. "I love you until the stars burn out."

"Then why have you been putting me off for the last three days?"

"I've been working through some personal shit."

You swallow thickly. You feel like an asshole now. "I'm sorry."

"You didn't know." He drops his hands from the wall and holds your face. "I promise I'll tell you everything one day, just bare with me."

You grab his wrists and rub your thumb over the back of his hands. "Are you okay? Like...y'know?"

"Yeah."

"You're sure?"

Poe nods. "It's just my PTSD and some other stuff. Can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

"Do you really love me like you just shouted to the base?"

You smile and he bumps your noses together. "Yeah Poe. I love you."

He leans in and kisses you, smiling into it as he does so. "You're really hot when you're angry."

"You are too." You grin back as you slide your hands over his butt. "Maybe we should work on communication."

"Mmm. Then let me tell you how much I want to get you alone right now."

"What's stopping you?"

"Nothing." He grunts as he slides his hands under your legs and lifts you up. "I'm taking you straight to the commander's quarters for punishment."

You grip his back tightly as he walks you out of the hangar. "What's my offense?"

"Verbally attacking a commander and stealing his heart."

"You're cheesy."

"You love it." He purrs, placing his lips against your throat. "You love me."

"Yes, yes I do."

---------

End

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Header pic by delicate-venus

*****Note: none of my works should be posted anywhere outside of my linked accounts. I do not give permission to repost with or without credit to my accounts. Please notify me of any reposted works.*****

#star wars #star wars fic #star wars fanfic #star wars fan fic #poe dameron #poe dameron fic #poe dameron fan fic #poe dameron fanfic #poe dameron fanfiction #poe dameron x reader #star wars universe

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aellynera · 4 years

Text

The Common Kiss (Poe Dameron x Reader)

THE COMMON KISS - part one

(full disclosure - this has been in my wips since may. of 2020. and it’s been rewritten at least twice and ignored for long enough, and i finally like where it’s going. i plan on four parts total, and here’s the first. i hope you like it.)

Word Count: 1.6k(ish)

Summary: Something weird may or may not being going on around the base, and you were not aware that one of Poe’s official duties was to become a private eye. Spoiler alert: it’s not.

Warnings: Exasperation and nerfherderism (...nerfherding? it’s a thing, ok?) Smooching.

(A/N: Tan Divo was a member of the Coruscant Security Force during the Clone Wars; he is just referenced here in the same way as calling someone Poirot or Clouseau, etc.)

~1~

“Something’s going on around here,” Poe Dameron announced dramatically, setting his tray down on the table and dropping himself onto the seat across from you.

You hardly looked up from your own tray, barely giving him a raised eyebrow before returning to poking around in your stew. It wasn’t terrible as far as meals in the base mess hall went, but the fact it was mostly unidentifiable and extremely grayish-brown didn’t make it particularly appetizing. But it was oddly fascinating...you shook your head and stabbed at a chunk of maybe-protato. “We’re in the middle of a war, Poe. There’s always something going on around here.”

Opening his own container of stew, his nose wrinkled at the contents and instead of sticking his spoon in it, he pointed it at you. “I’m not talking about the war, Stardust. I mean, like, right here. On the base. Something’s up.”

Poe had started calling you that the first day you’d met, the day you arrived on base. He said he liked your name just fine, but “Stardust” just felt more right to him, and it stuck. Every time you heard it, it made your stomach jittery.

Since that day, the two of you had spent more and more time together. Flying missions, patrol duties, Poe sometimes helping you try and decipher intercepted communications from the First Order, games of sabacc lasting well past midnight when you had the rare free day, long talks over a few shots of fire whiskey that Poe always seemed to be able to get his hands on. If you could call anyone in the galaxy, and especially on base, your best friend, it would be Poe Dameron.

There were days you seriously questioned that life choice.

You were completely used to his antics and hyperbole. That didn’t mean you weren’t going to give him a hard time about it.

“Always something going on around here, too,” you replied. “Gonna need to be more specific, Commander.”

The shift in his seat was so subtle, Poe was certain you didn’t notice it.

(You did. You ignored it.)

“Look over there,” Poe replied, pointing his spoon across the room.

You followed his utensil three tables over, where Finn and Rose were sitting across from each other, ignoring their food and talking animatedly. They were both smiling and seemed to be quite the conversation. As far as you could tell, they were acting like two completely normal adults while Poe was bordering on deranged.

A line appeared between your brows as you watched them. “So, they’re talking? They usually sit together and they’re friends. What are you talking about?”

Poe snorted. “But they usually sit with us. They’re sitting alone.”

“Maybe they just need a break from you.”

“Funny, Stardust.”

Shrugging, you went back to your tray. The Keshian spice roll didn’t look too bad - Maz Kanata had recently sent a shipment, just because she could and probably because she knew you and a certain pilot had eaten your combined weight in said rolls the last time you had been to Takodana. She also had a soft spot for Poe, much to your amusement.

“I’m serious, though,” you said, chewing on a bite of roll. “So they’re sitting together but not with us. So what? That doesn’t mean anything.”

“It means something.”

“Poe, it doesn’t mean anything. We got here at different times. Maybe one of them needed to talk about something privately. Maybe they have something to do after lunch and want to make sure they get out of here without getting sidetracked. There could be any number of reasons.”

Poe tore his own spice roll in half and shoved half of a half in his mouth. “I’m telling you, something’s up.”

You rolled your eyes. “I’m telling you, you’re being ridiculous.”

“Hey, where’d they go?” Poe asked, mostly ignoring your admonition. You both looked up to where Finn and Rose had been sitting, then towards the doorway where you could see the back of Rose’s head disappearing. Finn was nowhere in sight.

Poe grabbed your hand and pulled you to your feet. “Come on!”

You stumbled slightly and tried to pull out of his grip, but he just latched on harder and pulled you behind him. “Poe! What the hell are you doing? I’m still eating and you are being a complete nerfher---”

He shoved the other half of his Keshian spice roll in your mouth and simply replied, “Recon. Let’s go.”

~~~

Finn had been minding his own business. He had left the mess hall a few minutes ago after his lunch with Rose, his attention completely switched and his nose now buried in a datapad. He was checking the most recent reports of the First Order’s outpost activity in the nearest systems. His focus was almost totally on the datapad, with just enough presence to not walk face-first into walls and barely enough to not walk face-first into people. He had almost taken out several personnel and two droids along the way so far. Each time he mumbled offhand apologies and went right back to the reports on his pad.

No, that doesn’t look suspicious. No, that’s just a natural outcropping. No, that’s...well, maybe...nah. Nothing there. No...wait...hmm...maybe? His mind was trying to wrap around the intel before the next command meeting, and frankly, he was kind of bored. He knew the work was important but he really had to concentrate to get his work done. And concentrate a little extra to not bash into people, or robotic friends.

He was really just wandering, back and forth, round and round as he thought and worked.

That’s why he never saw Rose.

He definitely never saw you or Poe, who had been trailing a few feet behind Rose at Poe’s insistence and amid repeated whispered proclamations that something was definitely going on. As Finn came into sight, Poe made you crouch down behind a bulkhead and paid no attention to your eyeroll. But even Poe’s eyes went wide with what happened next.

One minute Finn was trying to figure out if there was any pertinent information on the recon data. The next minute he was being yanked into a storage closet by a hand that shot out and grabbed his elbow.

“Okay, so if nothing’s happening, then what the hell was that?” Poe hissed at you.

“Oh, shut up,” you shot back. “This is so stupid, Poe, I’m going back to the hangar to work on my ship.” You stood up and started to turn away.

He grabbed your arm and pulled you back down. “No! Come on, Stardust, we gotta see how this plays out.”

The irritated sigh you planned to give him stuck in your throat as you suddenly realized how close your body had pressed against his. His voice was low and very close to your ear and was it getting warmer in here? You tried to quietly clear your throat and remember how to breathe.

You hoped Poe didn’t notice.

(He did. He chose to not say anything.)

Meanwhile, in the supply closet, Finn’s datapad went crashing to the floor and he yelped in surprise, a yelp that was suddenly cut off by Rose’s lips pressed against his as the closet door slammed shut behind them.

His eyes went wide, then closed as he responded and leaned into it, her lips soft against his. The datapad and the recon reports and anything and everything that had to do with something other than Rose’s lips was utterly forgotten. After a few minutes, she pulled away and they looked at each other. At the exact same time, they both said, “Wow.”

“What was that for?” Finn finally asked, his brain switching back on and finally finding his voice. “That...that wasn’t part of the plan.”

Rose gave him an impish grin and pressed a finger to his lips as she whispered in his ear, “Cause I knew you wouldn’t do it first.” With that, she turned and exited the closet, leaving Finn staring after her, once again dumbstruck and speechless.

~~~

Poe’s head perked up as he heard the *shhhik* of the closet door sliding open. You both looked over to see Rose saunter out with a suspicious skip in her step and a sly grin on her face.

Poe turned to you, clearly about to make some comment or ask another inane question, but he was cut off by Rose calling over her shoulder as she passed.

“Hey, Y/N!” she said cheerfully. She glanced down with a confused expression. “Dameron. What are you guys up to?”

“Hey Rose,” you replied, trying to sound normal.

“I was...uh...just tying my boot,” Poe replied. You rested your forehead on the wall and closed your eyes.

Rose lifted a shoulder, rolled her eyes, and kept walking. “Poe, stop being weird.”

You didn’t bother to try and hold back your laugh.

Poe scowled. “Do you think she’s onto us?”

He grimaced as your elbow sunk into his side. “We’re behind a bulkhead,” you pointed out, “not really concealed at all, and you told her you were tying your boot. Next time maybe plan your paranoid surveillance mission a little better, genius.”

Before Poe could stick his tongue out at you, his attention was diverted back to the closet door.

Finn emerged a moment later, still with a dumbstruck expression on his face.

Poe stood up, dragging you with him. He ignored your elbow in his side this time. “Finn! Buddy! Hey, uh...is everything okay?”

Finn didn’t respond for a few moments, then seemed to focus on Poe as if seeing him for the first time in ages. “Huh? Oh...yeah,” he replied. “Everything...is fine. I, uh, I’m gonna go lie down for a bit, I’m just, uh, feeling a little off...think maybe I caught something.”

Without another word, he stumbled off towards his quarters.

“See!” Poe hissed at you. “I told you there was something going around.”

You closed your eyes and shook your head. “I can’t with you anymore today. I’m going to work on my ship. Try not to get into any trouble, Divo.”

~the end...for now~

Taglist: @anetteaneta @autumnleaves1991-blog @damerondjarin @deeandbobbymcgee @rosemarysbaby13 @iamthe-shadow-on-the-wall @itspdameronthings @poedjarin @sergeantkane @spider-starry @woakiees @writefightandflightclub @veuliee2 @yourbucky084

Poe Dameron taglist: @millllenniawrites @waatermelon-sugaar

>>taglist is open and the form is here<<

#poe dameron #poe dameron x reader #writing #fanfic #the common kiss

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fireemblemtcg · 3 years

Text

“The Cipher Frontier!” Issue 58: “Cipher Will Never Die!”

"The Cipher Frontier! With Emma, Shade, Yuzu, Randal, Alice, Val, Niamh & Poe" was a regular column on the Fire Emblem Cipher website which summarized upcoming news concerning Cipher and other Fire Emblem materials. It was presented by the eight mascot characters. The following is a full translation of the 58th and final issue of the column, which was originally published on 31 March 2021.

More Fire Emblem Cipher translations!

Hello, everybody!!!!!!!!

It's been over five years since Cipher launched - and, for that matter, The Cipher Frontier! itself...

And today... we bring you the last one!

Sniff... So this is really it...

Aye, it certainly is a bitter occasion.

With the moment upon us, I find myself overcome with emotion. Yet at the same time, I cannot help but sorely wish that this day had never come at all.

Well, it... It doesn't bother m-m-me... Not... one...

BWAAAAAAAAAAAH! I C-C-CAN'T TAKE THIS!

E-easy, milady! You swore before we began that you would not cry!

I, too, owe very, very much to all of you, so... I am very sad.

Where there is a beginning, so too shall there be an end... It is an inevitability.

Still, one might argue that as long as there are still decks to play with and opponents to challenge... Cipher may be played for eternity. So think not on this as the end, for this is but a milestone of life.

Sniff... So this isn't farewell?

Not in the least! All of our players can still continue to get together to play Cipher. So as sad as you might be now to see the game end, the feeling won't last! And I, for one, would like to close out our final day with a smile.

To that end, I propose that we all share some parting words. You first, Emma!

Alrighty! Well, I've been here since the beginning, but... Back then, I was an absolute noob, wasn't I? I didn't have the faintest idea what a "Tea See Gee" even was!

But then I learned so much from Shade, and I presented news, participated in Tryout and Gathering events, and watched Live Broadcasts - and all of that gave me the chance to grow so much.

And then as the days went by, we got to meet Yuzu and Randal, Alice and Valjean, and Niamh and Poe, and we all always had a riot of a time playing Cipher together... It's all been like something out of a dream!

Lastly, I just want to say thank you...

To all of you who've been reading our column to date, thank you tho thuch!

Ha! Is that a slip of the tongue I hear?

Why, I do believe it was... And of all the words to flub, at that.

H-heh heh heh! I guess I am still just a kid after all... But mark my words, I'll be working even harder to become a mature, full-fledged knight! Okay, let's try this again... Thank you all!

Well, I'm next! I was primarily tasked with hosting this column and presenting news.

But the work introduced me to more and more friends, and to a constant stream of announcements that were news to me myself... To lose it is like I've also lost my reason to exist, but at least I am left with fond memories of it all.

My desire to convey the appeal of Cipher to others hasn't wavered in the slightest, but... this is the last time it will ever happen here. Alas. Still, I will always be rooting for all of you, even if we don't see each other.

There will always be a bond between us - always. Remember that whenever you play Cipher and see our cards. On this, you have my word! This has been Shade, shepherd of wayward lambs, saying farewell!

Alright, then. You're next, Yuzu!

...

Huh? Yuzu! What's gotten into you? Would you just get out here?

Er, forgive me. When everybody's gaze turned upon me, I could not help but immediately seek shelter...

Oh, yeah. You never did like public speaking, did you, Yuzu?

Of course! We had a devil of a time convincing you to come out at all for your very first column.

E-enough! That was many years ago: a d-d-difficulty that I have long since moved past!

Hrr-hrr-hrr... heh-HEM! L-l-let us, er, begin anew.

I am Yuzu. My contribution to this column was to introduce cards that afforded new styles of play... only to let a haze of utter passion promptly consume me and hence spend my every waking hour crafting decks from them and trialling them in matches.

You always were one to cry, "I must test these cards at once!" and throw yourself into obsessive research.

As such, I have acquired an eye for strategy, forged in the fires of Cipher, to incorporate into my prior mastery of the martial arts - and with that, at long last, I have come to an understanding of the very heart of warcraft.

Further, as a consequence I may declare with confidence that, should I ever find my brother, I shall be able to hold my head high for all that I have grown in his absence. For that, you have my most heartfelt gratitude. So end my parting words!

Thank you, Yuzu. Right, it's your turn, Randal!

Huh? Oh, right then!

I've got a motto: always take your games deathly serious, and always make your own fun on the job… And, well, this has been my chance to prove those words true.

I mean yeah, I'm a wanderer at heart; I might've stuck around a bit too long... but that's just because this was all a hell of a lot of fun.

Oh, I agree... It was a HELL of a lot of fun!

GAH! It's... It's you!

Well, well. We have a stranger among us!

Pah! "Stranger," indeed. This hair, this face, this ribbon... None of this ring a bell?

Eh? Do you... do you mean Randal?

Indeed! I am...

...His son, no? It is nice to meet you!

OI!

What are you on about?! I AM Randal, just from the past - younger than the one you know!

It's happening again! The exact same argument!

This really must be the end, if HE'S here...

This is how you treat me? I have to hear that the last column is happening at the eleventh hour and make a mad dash to make it in time?! Bloody hell...

What is this? A being under the thrall of the Boundless Chaos? How intriguing. I must conduct a thorough examination at once...

H-hey! What are you doing, Niamh?! You look deathly serious... Oi, that's enough! Stay back! I... I've got a sword!

Well, er, I'm just about all out of time, but I just want to say it was a hoot being on the Frontier. Hope I see you all again someday. Adios!

He vanished?! Still more intriguing...

Sigh... What a pain in the arse, if I do say so myself. Although... I must admit, we do agree on one thing: I'd also be glad to see you all again.

This might be one farewell, but here's hoping we cross paths once more! And if we do, hey, why not play a match with this old fart? And that's all she wrote from ol' Randal!

Thank you. Next, let's hear from Alice and Valjean!

Heh heh! At last! Shall we, Val?

Yes, milady.

The two of us made our debut circa Series 10, and ever since that day, the Frontier never failed to be a most thrilling time. Would you agree, Val?

Yes, milady.

My objective in making this journey was simple: to experience much in my travels, such that I might someday return home and become a great ruler indeed. But instead, I first became a most superior, most brilliant Cipher player! Utterly invincible! Favored by fortune! And whatnot. Didn't I, Val?

Yes, milady.

I remember... that every time a Cipher release day came, I would be up all night from their eve, crafting decks and playing matches with the others. Oh, it was such fun! Wasn't it, Val?

...Yes, mi... mi... milady! Sniff...

V-Val?! What is the matter with you?

I am most moved. That my most capricious liegelady could at last find in Cipher such an engaging hobby, such good company, and such a source of training - and that she could grow so greatly as a woman.

Val...

We have been truly blessed to have had all of this: all of you, who welcomed us so warmly into the Frontier fold, and all of the Cipher players out in the world. I wish to offer you my gratitude for everything.

To be honest... I have something to say on that matter myself. Thank you, truly, for everything. I will never, ever, ever, EVER forget even a single day that we spent here together!

Nor shall I!

...Having said that, milady, I fear that you are still yet unready for the throne! From today onward, we must redouble your original leadership training efforts! I fully intend to prepare for you an intensive study regimen.

I-I-I beg your pardon?! You will not speak to me so! If I see even a single incorrect mark, you would do well to prepare yourself, for I will work you to the very bone for the rest of your days!

By all means, do it. But be prepared, for I have a lifetime's worth of admonishments at the ready.

Heh... Best of luck to the two of you!

Your turn, Niamh!

I was present from the 37th column onward... To be precise, it was in the "Love and Bonds Special Talk CD" audio drama that came as a set with an artbook, sold at Comiket 93.

My inquiry and research into the miscellaneous phenomena of this world, and the Boundless Chaos in particular, shall continue, but...

...

Well?! Don't tell me that's all you have to say!

...No. To me, my inquiry into Cipher represented the introducton of a new, major challenge into my life. Cipher decks... Gameplay... Which solution is correct, and which is optimal... As yet, I still have found no answers. As such, it is vital that going forward, I collaborate with a broad sample of Cipher players and find an answer...

So what you're saying is, you enjoyed playing Cipher with everyone, and you're gonna keep playing forever!

That, er... Ahem! That's pretty much it.

Cryptic remarks if I ever heard them, but certainly Niamh-ish.

Right, let's keep this going with Poe!

Only a year and a half has passed since I was welcomed to this column, and sadly, in the end our association has been brief. But I was able to have a very fulfilling time with you.

Attending that Winter Comiket thing with all of you, playing the "Recite and Play: Heroes Iroha" card game being sold there... They were very happy days.

And in all of that, I have always been monitoring Niamh...

...

Hee hee... You have been a good girl here, have you not? I do nothing to good girls.

If one of you becomes wicked, at that time I shall... Heh... Heh heh heh heh heh...

So, I pray that we never have an unpleasant reunion, and end my speech. Thank you. This has been Poe!

Heh... Let's keep that warning in mind.

...With that, have all of us spoken?

Tsk tsk... We aren't actually finished just yet! Since this is our last column, allow me to call upon a special guest!

...A guest? Wait, you don't mean...

Ta-daaaaa! Here he is!

Hello, everyone! I am Kawade, the producer of Fire Emblem Cipher.

K-K-KawadeP!

My, what a surprise!

The publication of the final Frontier coincides with, at last, the end-of-March termination of event support for Cipher. So I thought I would share a message for all of our readers and Cipher players.

If you count from when Cipher was first announced, roughly six years have passed. That's a long time, yet it's just flown by... These have been very busy years, but also wonderful ones, absolutely full of memories and events.

In that time we've constantly taken on new challenges - not just the production of Cipher itself, but Twitter content, live broadcasts, and staging events all around Japan.

And through all of that, we've had the chance to meet so many fans of Fire Emblem and Cipher... That was not only the most fun part of all, but a part that made us happy.

Although, we were unfortunately unable to hold any of our planned events for our final year, and for that I am truly sorry to all of you.

Still, we staff stuck with it to the very end, and as a result were able to complete Cipher as a fantastic game that can be played for years and years to come. For that, we are proud of ourselves.

It was thanks to all of you, who kept on supporting us, that we could continue our work to this standard all the way to the final series. I am overcome with gratitude to you all!

Production might have come to an end, but Fire Emblem Cipher will never die! It would make me happy if, every now and then, you might bring your cards out and play with them. Thank you all, truly, for everything!

And that concludes KawadeP's remarks!

Whew!

That, I believe, is everything that we wished to share.

Aye, I've got nothing to add.

So I suppose this is it: the end of the Cipher Frontier's long run.

Er... Shade? Can I say one last thing?

Hm? What is it, Emma?

Thank you for taking the lead in hosting this last one... And thank you so much for all the things you've taught me!

(Emma...)

H-hey! That's enough of that! You're about to make me cry, and that wouldn't be ending this day with a smile, would it?

Heh. I guess not!

So hey, let's give them one last, enthusiastic That Thing before Shade bursts into tears!

Very well, then. That Thing it is! This has been The Cipher Frontier!

With Emma...

Shade...

Yuzu...

Randal...

Alice...

Val...

Niamh...

...and Poe.

Now, then...

Let's do it, everyone!

One...

Two...

CIPHER!!!!!!!!

THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING, EVERYBODY!!!!!!!!

...

FIRE EMBLEM CIPHER The Cipher Frontier! With Emma, Shade, Yuzu, Randal, Alice, Val, Niamh & Poe

Emma Emma continues to train in order to become a full-fledged pegasus knight. Her tireless Cipher training also continues, but she has yet to show much improvement at the game.

Shade Veteran mage that she is, Shade continues to teach the next generation. Many seeking to become almighty Cipher players have come to her, only to struggle bitterly under her tutelage - yet at the same time, to Emma and the others, she remains a nurturing guiding hand.

Yuzu Yuzu embarked on a journey of martial training, all the while following whispers of her brother's whereabouts... although evidently, she does return from her travels from time to time, bearing souvenirs, to partake in Cipher matches with all of her friends.

Randal Randal made a truly once-in-a-lifetime wager, only to go into hiding thereafter. Some rumors attest that he won, and that with that windfall he secured for himself a carefree life of quiet leisure in some southern land - others, that he met with a catastrophic loss, and was hence forced into labor in someplace.

Alice Alice's travels continue, as she seeks all the experience that she needs to become a true leader. Although at first she struggled, she grew to thoroughly enjoy it, and so she will persist in her journey without ever taking a break to return home... Or so she tells herself, at least.

Valjean Valjean continues to travel all across the land with his liegelady. Witnessing Alice grow ever stronger and wiser by the day, he cannot help but feel conflicting feelings of joy and loneliness beneath the privacy of his helm.

Niamh Even as she continues in her pursuit of wisdom, Niamh silently carries out research into Cipher. Her seminal monograph, "A Compendium of Cipher Decks," is over 100 volumes in length, and by all accounts is still in print to this day.

Poe Poe vanished in her hunt for evil, and her whereabouts remain unknown. However, according to the afterword of "A Compendium of Cipher Decks," she and Niamh have since fought to the death on many an occasion.

The End...???

#fire emblem #the cipher frontier!

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