Rey was a nightmare to put up with, she knew. From a young age, she'd learnt that the only person she could rely on was herself. Independence wasn't just a virtue on Jakku; it meant the difference between a harsh life and a harsher death. Embracing vulnerability, accepting aid, and making compromises were all dangerous ventures that tended to blow up in a person's face more often than not.

The others in the Resistance thrived on the sense of community and collaboration, and she supposed she did to a degree. But while they all seemed to be able to put their own opinions aside when the larger group outvoted them, the idea was incomprehensible to her. If she'd ignored her gut as a child, she most likely would have died, and certainly wouldn't have ever left the planet.

While Poe understood the importance of following instincts and staying firm on things that were important, he grew up working with others and trusting that most people had each other's best interests at heart. He made concessions. He showed patience. He knew when to throw that all away and act, but he also did all the things she struggled with.

Pain splashed across his face every time she ran off to solve problems on her own or struggled to open up about issues she was struggling with. She saw it, and she hated it, and she tried to change, but it wasn't as easy as flicking a switch and suddenly being comfortable with things she spent years railing against.

So for now, all she could do was try to be more vulnerable when she could and hope that outweighed all the times the words wouldn't come.


A/N: Prompt: 'Darling, I'm a nightmare dressed like a daydream.' from Blank Space by Taylor Swift