As the tears fall, Rey slumps back against the door to Leia's chambers, where the general is laying at rest for the last time. Goosebumps prickle along her arms at the cool breeze drifting in from the open window, but she can't muster the energy to move even those few feet.
Death has never been a mystery to her. The first time she saw a dead body on the outskirts of the outpost, she was a wide-eyed five-year-old. Her parents explained about the circle of life and how death is nothing to be afraid of. The lifeless eyes imprinted in her mind and haunted her nightmares for weeks until some part of her brain came to terms with it.
By the age of fifteen, she'd seen over a dozen corpses from all manner of causes. Nobody with a weak stomach survived long on Jakku, and hers had hardened even when her heart still bled.
But it's different when it's someone she knew; someone she loved and respected. Rey couldn't give all those people back home the dignity they deserved, but she can do it for Leia. She can cry and mourn the way she never let herself back in those days.
Footsteps crunch down the hallway, and Poe rounds the corner. With hunched shoulders and a clenched jaw, he's solemn and reserved – a far cry from his usual larger-than-life energy.
She hastily swipes the tears away, only to notice a similar sheen glistening in the corner of his eyes. He loved Leia too, she knows, and for far longer than she did.
Shuffling over wordlessly, she makes room for him by her side. As he settles on the floor, the leather of his jacket presses up against her arm, and she leans into the warmth.
Neither of them speak. No words can ease the weight of this grief, so they don't even try. Instead, they keep watch throughout the night in their own silent vigil.
A/N: Prompt: 'Silence is a protective coating over pain.' from We Were Liars by E. Lockhart