Life in Colour

Finn was sat on top of the Millennium Falcon, his legs swinging back and forth, a bottle of Corellian rum sat beside him barely touched, a small smile touched his lips as his eyes took in the sight of jubilation with a contented air. He had been out there celebrating with all the different species from the Resistance and the wider galaxy, he had grinned widely at every being, hugging all these heroes that he'd been bred to kill not so long ago. It was overwhelming and humbling, watching the new family he'd been welcomed into celebrate winning the war.

He never had a family before. Well, that was not entirely correct. A long long time ago he must have at least had a mother and a father, he existed after all, perhaps he also had siblings or maybe he was an only child, before…

Before the First Order took him away from his home world, either forcefully or by his parents choice; something he would never know, and took him away to grow up in the dull greyness of Star Destroyers, and the stark coldness of white stormtrooper armour.

His earliest memories were of training, training, and more training. He remembered clearly, though he wished that he didn't, having to watch with a pained forced detachment as his fellow troopers were taken to reconditioning for any perceived weakness or faults that made them unworthy in the eyes of the First Order. From child to adult all he had known was the shades of grey, white, and black.

No colour.

No laughter, no smiles, no friendship, no love, no hugs, no touches of any kind. The first colours he had ever truly seen were the blue of blaster bolts, the bright yellow of fires burning, and the two different shades of brown worn by Poe Dameron as he was captured and bravely talked back to Kylo Ren.

FN-2187 knew only grey, white, and black.

Finn was born in exhilarating colour in a TIE Fighter laughing and whooping with Poe before crashing into the harsh desert sands of Jakku.

From that moment on his life had become an explosion of colours, and friendships, and touching. He was overwhelmed almost daily by a truly terrifying mix of brand new wondrous, confusing, amazing feelings, and of being surrounded by beings of every colour in the galaxy.

He was free. He was happy. He was loved, and he loved in return. That was the greatest gift in the galaxy. Love. He had spent almost twenty years of his life being raised without love, without compassion, without empathy, and without any positive human contact. The only thing he was raised to do was to be a loyal soldier (cannon fodder) who would fight and die for the glory of the First Order. Someone who was alone.

Since joining with the Resistance wholeheartedly all he had known was love and friendship, while still being at war and still fighting a war, he was not just fighting for himself but for all the amazing beings that he had come to know and love since fleeing the First Order. Poe, Rey, Rose, Chewie, Leia, the list of those he now called family was seemingly endless. He would never be alone ever again.

Fuck you, Supreme Leaders, Finn thought with a sneer, finally raising the bottle to his lips as he tipped his head back and took a generous mouthful of the extremely strong liquor that Suralinda had aquired from… somewhere. May you all suffer eternal torment in the depths of The Void.

"Is this a party for just the one? Or can anyone join in?" A voice called up to him from the ground.

Think about how colourful his life had become and who should come to him but the one person responsible for all of it. Every good thing in his life was because one day he saw what the First Order truly was and he had wanted no part of it. He wasn't going to kill innocent people for them. He had been scared and brave and selfish and had needed a pilot. He had escaped his horrible existence and saved the Resistance's best pilot at the same time.

He had never stopped needing his pilot.

"Not at all, General." Finn greeted, a wide smile stretching his lips as he tilted his head down to catch the beaming face of Poe, "This bottle isn't going to drink itself." He shook the bottle temptingly at his co-general, "Come up and sit with me."

"Be right there, General." Poe saluted him with a wink before disappearing from his sight to presumably make his way inside and through the Falcon to where Finn sat waiting for him.

He didn't have to wait long. Less than five minutes later he heard the sound of boots thumping on the rungs of the ladder, and as he turned his head to look over his shoulder he couldn't help but grin as Poe's curly head came into view first before the rest of him popped through the hatch. His breath hitched at the sight of the sling protecting the blaster wound on Poe's left arm, remembering with crystal clear clarity the terror that came over him as he watched his best friend fall after being shot right in front of his eyes. The fear of having lost him still ran icy hot through his veins.

Poe plopped himself down on the left of Finn, pressing their sides so close together that they shared each other's warmth, his hand reaching up to take the bottle from him and take a big mouthful. After swallowing he offered the bottle back and Poe came to rest his head against his shoulder with a sigh.

Without hesitation Finn slid his arm around Poe's waist to hold him close, his eyes closing as their heads touched, his nose buried within his curls, breathing in fully so that his scent filled him with a content so deep that he could feel Poe within his very bones. He just sat there for what could have been an eternity, as he never felt the passage of time when he was wrapped up in his best friend, just holding tight to the most important thing in the galaxy to him, and relishing in the fact he got to have it at all.

He was feeling relieved for the hundredth thousandth time that after a lifetime of nothing but loneliness and misery he got to share in this crazy amazing life with someone he loved to the very depth of his soul.

Poe reached over to intertwine their hands, sliding his fingers effortlessly between his, tenderly stroking his thumb along his skin, his voice barely more than a whisper against his ear, "You okay, General?"

Finn nodded, causing both their heads to make the motion as they were so close, his eyes still closed as he took comfort in Poe's presence beside him. He was always beside him. He smiled at the thought, his reply spoken softly but no less full of meaning, "As long as you're beside me, General, I'll always be okay."

"Always." Poe's vow was instant, not even a second surpassing for even a moment of doubt to settle on either of them, "I'm never leaving you, Finn."

Finn finally opened his eyes to stare directly into Poe's, they were shining back at him like two of the brightest stars, taking his breath away from him as he was hit again by just how utterly beautiful he was. He shook his head in wonder, a huff of breath leaving him, his eyes wide in awe as he quietly voiced his disbelief, "What did I ever do to deserve you?"

"Everything." Poe's voice cracked, tears sparkling in his gaze as he brought their joined hands up to rest against his chest, his expression fierce as he declared, "You deserve everything, Finn."

"Poe…" He had to swallow at Poe's expression, his heart racing at the meaning portrayed across his face as clearly as if it was written in the stars. He had never dared put a name to what they shared between them, the connection that literally everyone around them could see, as it was too precious to risk losing during wartime. And he was so scared of losing Poe that he never had the courage to do anything about the two of them.

Only the war was over. They were both now free.

A determined look took over Poe's gorgeous features, his hands tightening around their tightly woven fingers, the tremble shuddering through their still close bodies the only indicator of his nervousness.

Finn's breath picked up as Poe drew inexplicably closer to him, his heart racing as fast as that moment in the TIE fighter when Finn was breathed into existence by Poe giving him the greatest gift and naming him.

This was another moment that the Force kept showing him. Not shooting the villagers of Tuanul. Saving Poe on the Finalizer. Meeting Rey and getting her off Jakku. Countless moments over and over again over the time that he had been free. So, once again, with anticipation turning his insides to liquid fire he decided to take a chance on the feelings that he had.

He leaned forward, wanting to meet halfway as they always did, licking his lips in readiness for feeling Poe's lips pressed against his. Their eyes were locked together, their mouths so close together that they could feel each other's breath.

One more breath of anticipation between them, and as their eyes closed just before their lips met the unthinkable happened.

"Generals I've been looking for you." Rose's chirpy voice interrupted their bubble of it being just the two of them and the larger galaxy not existing for just one single moment.

"You have got to be kidding me." Finn groaned in frustration, his head falling to rest dejected on Poe's shoulder.

"'Fraid not, buddy." His tone may have been light but it was equally filled with frustration at what had been postponed between them. The smile that lingered on his face was heard in his words as he promised temptingly, "I hear that generals get their own quarters."

Finn lifted his head to search Poe's face, he was so tantalising up close, his offer making his pulse throb with desire, that he was so close to closing the distance between them again when Rose's voice was heard again, though not quite as chirpy this time.

"There you are… By the Force!" Rose exclaimed in shock, rambling to herself as she tried to back up as graciously as she could, "Did I… Were you… By the Gods… I'm sorry…"

"We'll be right there, Rose." Poe called out while laughing.

Rose visibly cringed at being acknowledged.

Finn couldn't even find it in him to be annoyed, as Rose was too adorable and lovely to even attempt to stay mad at. He reassured her by smiling over at her, "We'll be right down."

He looked down at their still joined hands, squeezing Poe's briefly before finally letting go and pushing himself to stand up. He held his palm out for his best friend to take, smiling as Poe didn't hesitate to place his hand in his, gently helping him stand up, their gazes locked for another charged moment before Finn broke the tension with a flirtatious wink, "Later, General."

Poe's face was practically beaming at him as he returned the wink, "Most definitely later, General."

Finn stared after Poe, watching protectively as he made his way down into the Falcon, his heart throbbing with anticipation within his chest.

Later couldn't come soon enough.

AN - I hope you all enjoyed it! And could... maybe... be convinced to write another part from Poe's POV... Maybe