Poe reads a bit more, but then takes the opportunity to go to the empty cargo bay and do calisthenics. He doesn't want to get too out of shape over leave.
By the time Finn's up and about, though, he's back at the galley, cooling off while he reads. His hair's damp with sweat and he's stripped down to his undershirt, feet up on the bench across from him. When Finn comes out, he looks up. "No problem. You're on leave. Sleep however much you want."
For once, Finn doesn't instantly quash his observation that Poe looks good like that. The undershirt is tight and Poe's hair looks even curlier when it's damp.
Funny, that was exactly the base doctor's recommendation for him, too. Still, he looks a little sheepish - he didn't want Poe to think he was mad at him or anything. "Better to get some sleep now than when we get there. Is it much longer? Not that I mind," he adds quickly.
Poe grins, setting his reader down. "It's going to be a few more days, buddy. Sorry, I know you're eager to get out on the beach." Well, he doesn't know that, but he can tease him about it.
Now that he's not engrossed in his mystery any more, he stretches his arms. "You hungry or something?" Finn's always hungry.
"I'm always hungry," he admits. Good thing there are plenty of supplies; he doesn't mind plain food at all. "You want me to make you anything? Some of that blue drink?" Make in this case meaning add water and heat until done, because that's the extent of his cooking skills, but ship rations don't require much more than that anyway. And the drink machine reminds him of the one on base with several brightly-colored electrolyte mixes.
For himself, he chooses one of the basic meals, sweet-and-sour sauce over protein cubes served with fluffed grain and a tall glass of orange drink.
"Makes it an easy question to ask." Kind of that conversational fluff that just makes things easier for everyone, since the answers are already know.
He can get his own drink, but he knows that making something for someone else is part of a good give and take. "Sure," he says. "My electrolytes could probably use some replacing."
He keeps an eye on Finn as he does the simple meal prep rather than looking back at his reader. "I'll clear out to go take a shower pretty soon."
Finn brings the chilled drinks over as his meal is heating then makes a second trip for his plate. "As long as you don't smell worse than swamp water there's no rush." Sweat? Sweat is downright pleasant next to some environments he's been in. Still, it feels good to shower off after exertion, so he can appreciate that.
He settles himself next to Poe, stretching out similarly. "So you got any more of those Miss Marplee books? They're not bad." He hasn't finished all his reading material yet, but Finn is getting pretty close and he doesn't want to run out before they even get there.
Poe takes the drink and starts off with a long sip. He should have gotten himself some of that, he decides. It's just what he needed. "You're the judge of that," he says. It's not like you notice how bad your own stink is until it's nose-burning.
"Oh, so you really like 'em? I've got... pretty much the whole series with me. They're fun to just re-read." Gives you something to do without being mentally taxing, which is sometimes just what he needs.
"It takes more than that to put me off my food." Which he demonstrates by digging in, though at a relaxed 'snacking' pace rather than his usual 'slow down son, you're gonna choke' method. Finn's put on some weight since he woke up, but it's entirely muscle; even on the freighter he doesn't neglect his exercise or training routines.
"Yeah! Figure I might as well give them a shot." Now that he's got some downtime, he might as well see what Poe likes. After all, they're friends, and it will give them something else to talk about with each other.
"It's one of those series where you can really start wherever you want. Very episodic," Poe says. "But I did bring the whole beginning part so you can start there if you want. My dad got me in to those books." The silly mysteries had been something that his dad has started reading to him, a way for them to deal with mom's death.
Finn nods. "No reason not to start at the beginning, if you have it." And besides, he likes the mental image of Poe's dad (who looks just like an older Poe with Solo's jacket in his mind) reading novels with his kid.
Besides, it'll be nice to read a narrative that doesn't end with and then all their problems were solved when they joined the First Order. Finn's read an awful lot of propaganda in his time, and he's smart enough to recognize it now that he's been exposed to some other media.
He finishes up his snack and takes a drink. "Do you have a lot of stuff like that? Things you grew up with, I mean."
"Sort of," Poe says. "I mean... I'm the guy my parents made me in to, you could say. My mom taught me to fly. My dad taught me... Everything else. It's all memories. Mostly really good memories. I can't carry around a lot of stuff. You know how that goes."
He grins, nudging Finn's foot with his. "Your jacket used to belong to my dad. He gave it to me the day I left home to join the New Republic Navy."
"It did?" Is that a silly grin Finn's getting on his face? He touches the jacket again with his free hand, as if to remind himself of its solidity. Poe had been perfectly clear that he wanted Finn to keep it, but it's--the first real object he's ever owned with any kind of history, really, and knowing it had been a gift before makes it even more special to him. "Then I'm extra glad you got Kare to fix it!"
In the absence of any remembered parents, Finn had tried to become the person the First Order had wanted him to be - it was the only thing he knew - but that had failed pretty miserably. He knows that, in so many ways, he's still learning, and he's glad to have Poe helping him out.
"It took really good care of him, and it took good care of me, so I think that jacket ought to take good care of you too." Really, Finn gets to wear it more often than him these days anyway, so it's got a good home.
"Memories are an important thing. Hopefully you get to make some good ones now, right?" Another little nudge. "But they're not the only thing. You must've been born with a good heart or you wouldn't have saved my ass back at Jakku."
"Thanks, Poe. I mean it." Yes, he's already thanked Poe numerous times for the jacket, but that was before he knew it was a gift from his father. Maybe--maybe he can find Poe something to wear when he has a chance to shop. Until then, Finn knows the best thing he can do is take care of Poe should he need it.
Finn looks down, still smiling. He'd told Poe the truth at the time - that it was the right thing to do - and even if it was a little bit selfish, he knows now that it really had been the right thing to do. "It felt right, you know? Like I was supposed to."
"I know." It's easy to tell when Finn's being honest; he's a genuine kind of guy, one of those things Poe likes about him so much.
He smiles crookedly. "That's what the right thing to do is supposed to feel like, right? Except sometimes the right thing is the hard thing, so.... Who knows. That's for people above my pay grade to argue." He does what he thinks is right, what feels right, so it makes sense to him. That's how he ended up here.
Finn is quiet for a moment, clearly pondering what Poe says. Sometimes the right thing is the hard thing. Like leaving the only life he'd ever known? Walking across the desert instead of giving up? Going back to Starkiller Base? Staying to fight Kylo Ren? None of those were the easy choice, and every one of them was right.
"If everyone did what was easy," he says finally, "the First Order would have already won."
"That's what I figure." Poe takes another swig of his drink. "And my dad always told me, whatever you commit to, you do it with everything you've got. That's how he lives, too. So you commit to doing the right thing, you never stop. And that sure seems like what you've been doing."
"I think I'd like your dad." He sure likes Poe, and if he really did learn everything he knows (except flying) from his dad, it's the kind of morals that make Poe the hero he is. The kind of loyalty Poe has from his friends--his squadmates, even his droid--isn't the kind of thing that develops half-heartedly.
So Finn nods. "I want to. I want to do the right thing, Poe. Even when it means standing up to what scares me, because if I don't I'm no better than the Stormtrooper I used to be."
"I think you would, too," Poe says. His smiles fondly. "And I know he'd like you. He served with General Solo, you know? In his special forces unit. At the Battle of Endor and the six months after til he and my mom mustered out. Doesn't talk about it much, though."
He slips an arm around Finn's shoulders for a moment, a sort of side hug. "I know you will. You're your own man, Finn." Hopefully Finn doesn't mind the slightly sweaty nature of the hug. Whoops.
Not only does he not mind the hug, he visibly relaxes into it and even leans a little of his weight against Poe's. Being your own man isn't so bad when you have friends like Poe to help you out, he decides.
"Too bad he doesn't talk about it. I bet that's a damn good story." He can understand, though. Some things he doesn't mind talking about, like the rathtars and dumping Phasma in the trash compactor. Others, like--well, like basically anything involving Kylo Ren, he doesn't bring up; he'd only given a full debriefing to General Organa, and she'd already heard Rey and Chewbacca's part of the story. And because, of everyone, she deserved to know.
Finn leaning against him is... nice. Really nice. Doesn't mean anything by it, he reminds himself. The guy hasn't had nearly enough hugs in his life. So he hangs on to Finn a little longer. Hopefully not long enough to be weird.
"I heard some stories from guys he served with. He'd tell me about General Solo or the people he worked with, but he doesn't like talking about himself."
It is most certainly not weird. He trusts Poe, and part of that is feeling comfortable with him. Hell, if he wasn't comfortable with Poe he never would have wanted to come on this trip in the first place, so he exhales contentedly.
"Probably doesn't want to sound like he's bragging." That was one of the many rumors about pilots he'd picked up in the barracks--that they liked to brag--but as far as Finn could tell, Poe earned every damn thing he said. "Maybe he'll visit the base some time and I'll hear for myself."
"I think that's some of it," he says. "It's always easier to talk about good things someone else has done. But I think they both... didn't want to make it seem romantic. Or glorious." And he's long since learned better, though being a pilot means he spends a lot of time on an adrenalin high. That just can't be why he does things.
"If we go to Yavin again when he's actually there, I'll take you by the ranch and you can meet him."
Yeah, he can feel content with this and just not try to make it more than it is. It's nice to have someone to lean on. He can't get like this with his squad; problem with being an officer. But this is okay, and Finn's touched his life in a way no one else ever has.
Finn nods, thinking about it. The First Order had done their best to glorify war, of course; it had been difficult for him to think of it any other way until his fateful first battle, and then he'd done everything to get as far away as he could. Poe had had the chance to choose this life long ago - he could easily get a job flying a freighter or an in-systems shuttle or anything, but here they are.
"I'd like to meet him, Poe." Maybe not tell him about the Stormtrooper part, unless it's followed immediately by who switched sides and rescued your son. "Will he back by the time we're on the return trip?" If not, Yavin's demonstrably not far from the base; maybe they can visit again some time.
Why does the thought of introducing Finn to his dad warm him so much? Well, because he knows dad will like Finn, and probably about adopt him on the spot, and that would be pretty good for Finn too.
It's just the teasing he'll no doubt get from his father that's making him cringe a little. Kes Dameron had an instinct for smelling out trouble and making it worse that almost put general Solo's legend to shame.
"I'll send him a message when we're getting ready to head back. He was vague about his dates." He laughs. "He usually is."
He's just imagining what around the ranch he'd show Finn. Well, everything. Starting with the shed where mom's old A-Wing still lived.
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By the time Finn's up and about, though, he's back at the galley, cooling off while he reads. His hair's damp with sweat and he's stripped down to his undershirt, feet up on the bench across from him. When Finn comes out, he looks up. "No problem. You're on leave. Sleep however much you want."
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Funny, that was exactly the base doctor's recommendation for him, too. Still, he looks a little sheepish - he didn't want Poe to think he was mad at him or anything. "Better to get some sleep now than when we get there. Is it much longer? Not that I mind," he adds quickly.
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Now that he's not engrossed in his mystery any more, he stretches his arms. "You hungry or something?" Finn's always hungry.
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For himself, he chooses one of the basic meals, sweet-and-sour sauce over protein cubes served with fluffed grain and a tall glass of orange drink.
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He can get his own drink, but he knows that making something for someone else is part of a good give and take. "Sure," he says. "My electrolytes could probably use some replacing."
He keeps an eye on Finn as he does the simple meal prep rather than looking back at his reader. "I'll clear out to go take a shower pretty soon."
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He settles himself next to Poe, stretching out similarly. "So you got any more of those Miss Marplee books? They're not bad." He hasn't finished all his reading material yet, but Finn is getting pretty close and he doesn't want to run out before they even get there.
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"Oh, so you really like 'em? I've got... pretty much the whole series with me. They're fun to just re-read." Gives you something to do without being mentally taxing, which is sometimes just what he needs.
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"Yeah! Figure I might as well give them a shot." Now that he's got some downtime, he might as well see what Poe likes. After all, they're friends, and it will give them something else to talk about with each other.
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Besides, it'll be nice to read a narrative that doesn't end with and then all their problems were solved when they joined the First Order. Finn's read an awful lot of propaganda in his time, and he's smart enough to recognize it now that he's been exposed to some other media.
He finishes up his snack and takes a drink. "Do you have a lot of stuff like that? Things you grew up with, I mean."
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He grins, nudging Finn's foot with his. "Your jacket used to belong to my dad. He gave it to me the day I left home to join the New Republic Navy."
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In the absence of any remembered parents, Finn had tried to become the person the First Order had wanted him to be - it was the only thing he knew - but that had failed pretty miserably. He knows that, in so many ways, he's still learning, and he's glad to have Poe helping him out.
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"Memories are an important thing. Hopefully you get to make some good ones now, right?" Another little nudge. "But they're not the only thing. You must've been born with a good heart or you wouldn't have saved my ass back at Jakku."
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Finn looks down, still smiling. He'd told Poe the truth at the time - that it was the right thing to do - and even if it was a little bit selfish, he knows now that it really had been the right thing to do. "It felt right, you know? Like I was supposed to."
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He smiles crookedly. "That's what the right thing to do is supposed to feel like, right? Except sometimes the right thing is the hard thing, so.... Who knows. That's for people above my pay grade to argue." He does what he thinks is right, what feels right, so it makes sense to him. That's how he ended up here.
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"If everyone did what was easy," he says finally, "the First Order would have already won."
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So Finn nods. "I want to. I want to do the right thing, Poe. Even when it means standing up to what scares me, because if I don't I'm no better than the Stormtrooper I used to be."
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He slips an arm around Finn's shoulders for a moment, a sort of side hug. "I know you will. You're your own man, Finn." Hopefully Finn doesn't mind the slightly sweaty nature of the hug. Whoops.
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"Too bad he doesn't talk about it. I bet that's a damn good story." He can understand, though. Some things he doesn't mind talking about, like the rathtars and dumping Phasma in the trash compactor. Others, like--well, like basically anything involving Kylo Ren, he doesn't bring up; he'd only given a full debriefing to General Organa, and she'd already heard Rey and Chewbacca's part of the story. And because, of everyone, she deserved to know.
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"I heard some stories from guys he served with. He'd tell me about General Solo or the people he worked with, but he doesn't like talking about himself."
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"Probably doesn't want to sound like he's bragging." That was one of the many rumors about pilots he'd picked up in the barracks--that they liked to brag--but as far as Finn could tell, Poe earned every damn thing he said. "Maybe he'll visit the base some time and I'll hear for myself."
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"If we go to Yavin again when he's actually there, I'll take you by the ranch and you can meet him."
Yeah, he can feel content with this and just not try to make it more than it is. It's nice to have someone to lean on. He can't get like this with his squad; problem with being an officer. But this is okay, and Finn's touched his life in a way no one else ever has.
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"I'd like to meet him, Poe." Maybe not tell him about the Stormtrooper part, unless it's followed immediately by who switched sides and rescued your son. "Will he back by the time we're on the return trip?" If not, Yavin's demonstrably not far from the base; maybe they can visit again some time.
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It's just the teasing he'll no doubt get from his father that's making him cringe a little. Kes Dameron had an instinct for smelling out trouble and making it worse that almost put general Solo's legend to shame.
"I'll send him a message when we're getting ready to head back. He was vague about his dates." He laughs. "He usually is."
He's just imagining what around the ranch he'd show Finn. Well, everything. Starting with the shed where mom's old A-Wing still lived.
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