Hundreds of stars sparkle across the clear night sky, silver against brilliant midnight blue. Off to Rey's right, the towering branches and looping ivy of the Yavin-4 jungle stretch up as if even they want to live among the constellations. Cicadas sing and birds chirp, and the leaves rustle in the breeze, and they're so far away from the nearest settlement that it's easy for Rey to pretend she and Poe are the only people in existence.

The soft grass cushions her head as she shifts to point out another constellation. 'What about that one?'

His voice hushed and slow, Poe tells her its name and the legends he heard about it growing up, and she takes in the information with eager wonder. Her corner of the galaxy had its own constellations and legends, but none of them were as interesting as the ones here. It's no wonder he always craved travel and adventure when this is what he grew up on.

For the first time in her life, she's able to gaze up at the constellations and just be. As a child, she regularly stared up at them wistfully, questioning where her parents were and yearning for their return. After leaving to join the Resistance, the longing disappeared, but it was replaced with concern about what the First Order was up to and strategies about how to stop them. But now the war is over, harmony has been restored, and for the first time, she can appreciate the sky as it's meant to be appreciated – as a place teeming with wild beauty, endless possibilities, and crazy folk stories.

'And that one?' she asks, and as his whispered words drift up into the midnight air, she finally feels at peace.


A/N: Prompt: 'And all the constellations shine down for us to see.' from Hands On Me by Vanessa Carlton