[Finn]


"What are you doing?" Finn said in a forced whisper as he sidled up to Poe. Poe had the quadnoculars from the survival kit held to his eyes, scanning in the direction they'd be heading. There was only the one set of tools and Rose, Rey, and Chewbacca were handling the disassembly. It left the rest of them at ease for the moment.

Poe didn't answer. "Last night," Finn said, staying quiet because he knew how good the pickup was on trooper helmets. "Sleeping over there. Kaydel said you stood watch together, alone in that forward compartment. It's soundproof. I know. Ask me how I know." Poe gave him a smirking side-eye. Finn asked again, "What were you doing?"

Poe put the quadnocs back to his eyes, though Finn doubted there was anything interesting to see through them. The land was basically flat and the trees dense enough to limit visibility at the range he was looking. Poe said, "What's it look like I'm doing?"

"I don't know. I literally don't know, Poe. That's why I'm asking."

"I'm trying to get in the guy's pants."

Finn gaped at how brazen Poe was. "That is a First Order general," he said, emphasizing each word as much as he dared.

Poe laughed a little and lowered the quadnocs, his mouth hanging open briefly in delight. His brows went up and he nodded a couple times. "I know."

"Truce or not, he's the enemy!"

Poe shrugged dismissively. "Why, because he's in the First Order? You were in them. Come to think of it," Poe cocked his head, "I might be in one eventually, too."

Finn blinked at him blankly for a moment as he didn't get the joke, then his face pinched up in a combination of disgust and humor as he did. He covered his mouth slowly as his eyes watered. Poe patted him on the shoulder. "It'll be okay, Finn. I know my way around a cockpit." In a lower voice, he leaned in and added, "He needs a friend. Now more than ever. We will lose this war if it comes down to him alone – if it comes down to anyone, alone. You know that. Think about what that means, Finn."

Finn sobered. "But that doesn't mean you have to do this. You don't … have to."

Poe smiled again, slyly. "Oh, trust me, buddy, I'm not doing this entirely out of a sense of duty."