Author's Note: This may be the talkiest fic I ever wrote, and that's a high bar to clear (I love dialogue). Fluff mixed with tiny bits of angst and insecurity. Then more fluff, unrepentant fluff.
Disclaimer per usual – I do not own Star Wars or any aspect of the SW universe; just a fan with an idea. No profit here, just fun for me.
Some time later, Poe is wrapped around Rey, her back to his chest, and he gently brushes his hand up and down her arm. Their clothes are strewn across the floor, and they're curled up under the warm blankets and quilt on her bed. He feels heavy and sleepy, and he can tell from how relaxed she is that she's likely feeling the same. After a few moments, he softly asks, "You're OK with me staying tonight, right? I know bringing a bag with me was pretty damned presumptuous."
She rolls over in his arms, her eyes soft. "Of course. Not only am I OK with it, I'd candidly be fairly upset if you didn't stay."
He leans in and kisses her. "Good. If we're being candid, I have no desire to leave. Just for the record."
She snorts. "You say that a lot, Counselor."
"Risk of the trade." He smiles, moving an arm up to push her hair back. He hisses slightly when she rubs her foot on his leg. "Dios mío, Sunshine, how are your feet so cold? We're under at least three covers."
"Sorry." She gives him a sheepish smile in the dim light of the room. "I could twist around and get my socks from my basket next to the bed, but then I'd have to move."
He shakes his head, but eyes the foot of the bed, where there's another blanket. "Just a second." He sits up slightly, leaning down and getting the extra blanket, spreading it over their feet. He settles back down, and she moves in close to him again. "Hopefully that'll help. I can take it until it does."
"Thanks." She nuzzles his neck.
She moves back a little, and she touches the ring on the chain around his neck, holding it between her fingers and examining it. After a moment, he swallows hard and says, "It was my mom's wedding ring."
"I know." She looks up at him, her hand still on the ring. "Finn told me."
He rolls his eyes. "God, I have a lot of busybodies in my life. Let me guess – he also made a point of telling you that I never gave it to Zorii, right?"
She smirks. "He did. Please don't be mad at him. He was basically giving me a shovel talk, asking that I don't hurt you and Shara. He was trying to make a point about your relationship with your ex." He starts to say something, but she stops him with a gentle hand covering his lips. "But I basically called him out on sharing things that should be yours to share. Poe, the thing is, like I've said, you can tell me whatever you want to about Zorii. We both have pasts, and yours has a very tangible daily reminder."
He's quiet for a moment, considering how to respond. Then, he realizes that Rey truly just wants honesty. "When I told him that Zorii left, the first thing he asked was if I got Mom's ring back. I had to admit that I never gave it to her. He uses that as some sort of dispositive evidence that Zorii and I weren't meant for the long haul."
"What do you think it means?" She asks quietly.
He looks at her carefully, and after deciding that she's just curious, not judging, he thinks for a moment and replies, "I'd say I'm not sure or that it doesn't mean anything, but –" He pauses.
"But?" Rey reaches up and cups his cheek in her palm.
He turns his head and kisses her hand, and then he slides down in the bed so that they're eye-to-eye. "But that would be bullshit, and I'm not going to bullshit you. Ben did that to you for a long time, and honestly, Zor and I did that to each other. I can't have another relationship like that."
He pauses again, trying to think how to say this. Eventually, and he appreciates that she doesn't push, he says, "I never gave her the ring because it never felt like anything anywhere near to what I think Mom and Dad had. We were pretty terrible together, except, and I am really sorry to say this when we are," he motions to them with one hand, "Like this, but the only time we ever made much sense was physically. And that worked OK for a long time. We didn't have to get along much – we both worked a lot. But then Shara happened, and she changed everything. Zorii figured it out first, but I knew too. I wanted to change my life. She didn't."
Rey nods, and he's relieved that she doesn't look repulsed. "Poe, I can tell that you are worried about this, about telling me this, but you don't have to be." She plays with the ring again. "I know that Ben and I wouldn't have lasted. I've alluded to things, and Luke confessed what he said to you. But we wouldn't have lasted."
He's surprised by that, by her certainty, and it shows on his face. She shrugs and adds, "We were a poor fit. I met him right after Ben Kenobi died, and he was steady. He was successful," she rolls her eyes, "Or appeared so, and he made me feel, quite honestly, a little bit simple. He cared for me, but I realize now that he was never going to love me the way I deserve to be loved. Because while he liked my darker, more serious, sad side, he would always get annoyed when I just wanted to have fun. There would never have been a flour fight with Ben, or silly nicknames, or teasing. "
He has to laugh softly at that. "No, there wouldn't have been. I pranked him a couple of times when we were kids. He didn't handle it well. I realized how much it bugged him, and I never did it again."
She leans in, touching her forehead to his. "No one has ever made me feel the way you do, Poe. As weird as this conversation is to have now," she runs her hands up his bare chest, making him shiver, "I'm glad we're able to have it. That we're not hung up about it." Her hand wraps around the ring again, and she moves almost impossibly close to him.
He sees her point, and he agrees. "I'm glad we're able to have it, too. Ben was an important part of both of our lives, and Zorii gave birth to Shara. We can't pretend those things don't exist, and it feels disingenuous and honestly wrong to try. I know we've said that before, but it feels like it's important enough to say again."
He swallows hard, hoping that the next thing he wants to say won't scare the crap out of her. "And speaking of honesty, I want you to know, Sunshine, that I'm falling in love with you – I may already be there. You are the first person I've ever met who I can imagine wearing this ring." He wraps his hand around her hand that holds the ring. "I know that's crazy, and my life is a little complicated and messy. But I want it to be even more complicated and messy. I want complicated and messy with you."
X
Poe's words take her breath away, her eyes closing as his hand tightens around hers. She feels a brief flash of fear, years of only having people leave her in one way or another kicking in. She then swallows hard, pushing the fear away. She leans in, kissing him as she pushes him to his back, coming to rest on top of him, her skin against his making them both gasp through the kiss. She pulls back, looking down at him below her. "I'm falling in love with you too, Poe Dameron, and I may already be there, too. Complicated and messy sounds rather perfect to me."
She slides her hands down his arms, entwining their fingers and moving their joined hands until they're above his head, gently pinning him to the bed. He smirks at her. "So, enough talking for now?"
She leans in, dropping a line of kisses up along his neck. Between kisses, she murmurs, "Is that OK?"
"More than OK." He flexes his hands in hers. "But if you keep doing that and don't let me touch you soon, I'm going to go nuts."
She pulls up a little, lifting an eyebrow at him but keeping his hands on the bed and amused that he's not trying to pull his hands from hers. Leaning back down, she says, "Well, we can't have that." Her hands release his, going into his hair as his slide down her body. In moments, they are completely lost in each other.
Several hours later, Rey wakes up to light filtering into her bedroom. Poe is on his back, and she is partially draped on top of him like a blanket. She looks around without moving, and she has to swallow a giggle when she can see that he has managed to maneuver one foot out of the covers. He takes a deep breath, and she looks at him, watching as his eyes blink open. "Good morning." She says, kissing his chest.
He gives her a sleepy half-smile. "Good morning. What's funny?"
She motions to the end of the bed with her head. "Get hot, Counselor?"
"One foot out always helps. It didn't get too cold on your feet, did it?" He looks genuinely concerned, and she smiles and shakes her head.
"It's fine. I'm nice and warm. You're like my own personal space heater. Do you need to check your phone?" She smiles at him.
"Yeah, I probably should." He reaches around for his phone, which he put on the nightstand the night before. He reads it and snorts. "I love my dad, but he can be a real tool when he wants to."
He hands her the phone, and she laughs. There's a text that reads, "I called the house. You aren't there. I'd ask you and Rey to meet us for breakfast, but how about lunch instead? First Light on Route One at 12:30?"
Rey grins at Poe. "We're busted."
He nods. "So it would seem. You up for lunch?"
"Yes. What time is it?"
He looks at his phone and responds to Kes's text. "Half past eight. We have a while."
She kisses his chest again as he tosses the phone back on the nightstand. She says, "OK. I don't want to get out of this bed, but I need the bathroom."
"Me too. And coffee. I need coffee." She feels him freeze under her. "You do have a coffee maker, right?"
She laughs and pushes up to look at him. "Yes. I do. I'll use the bathroom and then go downstairs to get me tea, you coffee, and your bag while you take a turn."
He nods, and she moves off of the bed. She can feel his eyes on her, and she moves quickly in the cool air of the room. She grabs a pair of socks from next to her bed, but just because she's already figured out that he likes her legs, she just pulls on an oversized sweatshirt from a drawer and grabs a pair of boyshorts for under it. She winks at him as he watches her from the bed, and he chuckles, shaking his head.
He's up and in his boxer briefs and t-shirt by the time she emerges, shorts on and hair up in a messy bun. She kisses him quickly, and says, "Be right back."
Downstairs, she grabs his small pack and shoulders into it. As the coffee brews, she also makes herself a cup of tea. Several minutes later, she's back upstairs. When she gets to her room, she finds that he has folded their clothes and put them neatly on her dresser.
She hands him his backpack and puts his coffee on the nightstand as he takes a pair of sweatpants out and pulls them on. She's already back on the bed with her tea by the time he's done, and he joins her there, picking up his coffee as she snuggles into his side.
He takes a sip of his coffee and looks at her in surprise. "Is this the kind of coffee I have at my house?"
She nods. "I saw it and made a note, picked some up at the store on Wednesday. Sorry I was too lazy for the cinnamon this morning."
"You're fired." He teases her.
"C'est la vie." She shrugs. They're quiet for a few moments, and then she sighs. "How am I going to sleep alone now, Poe? I haven't slept that well in months, if not years." He doesn't say anything, so she rambles on a little nervously, afraid she's overstepping. "I mean, I sleep, but it's never deep and there are sometimes rather unpleasant dreams. But I didn't really even stir much last night. It'd be a cop out to blame it on the wine – I'm pretty sure it was you. I mean I slept well at your house, too, better than here, though not as well as last night. It's clearly you." She blinks up at his face, and he looks surprised. "I'm sorry. I'll be quiet now."
She feels him move and hears his mug clink down on the nightstand. He then takes hers, and he puts it down as well. Before she can say anything else, he leans in and kisses her, his hand threading into her hair, knocking the bun loose. When he pulls back, she breathes out, "What was that for?"
His eyes are intense when he says, "Rey, you never have to hold back with me. You never have to be quiet."
"But I'm being needy, and I know that's irritating." She looks down at his hand, now resting on her bare leg.
"What are you talking about? Who said it's a sin to have needs and to voice them?" He furrows his brow at her, confused. She lifts an eyebrow at him, waiting for him to figure it out.
X
As he stares at her, a light goes on. "Jesus, I could kick his ass."
"He was rather large. I'm doubtful." She gives him a rueful smile.
"Maybe so, but I'm faster and have a lower center of gravity." He's amazed (in a good way) at her ability to make a joke about this.
She laughs softly but shakes her head. "You know, I've talked about this with my therapist. I know it's messed up, but I always feel like I need to not ask for too much. I know it's because everyone I've ever loved or who had me in their life has essentially left me. My parents, both Bens – and I know I left the second Ben first and that the first Ben passed away as opposed to leaving, but still. People don't stay for me. And I've managed to convince myself that it's because of me, that if I wasn't demanding, they'd stay."
Poe's heart breaks for her, and he pulls her to him in a hug. "I'm not going anywhere, Rey. And you never, ever have to be afraid to tell me what you need or even just want." He leans slightly away to look at her. "I'll tell you the same for me and my needs. That's part of what love is. It's being able to say what you need and to have those needs respected. It's feeling safe enough to be that for each other."
She leans back in, burying her face in his shoulder. She sniffles, and then she says, "Now you sound like my therapist."
He chuckles. "I've been called worse, I guess." She sniffles again. "And I'm guessing that my first expressed need will be needing a clean t-shirt now that you got snot on this one."
He feels her shaking against him, and he realizes that she's laughing. After a moment, she sits up. "Thank you."
He cocks his head at her. "For what?"
"For listening. For making me feel like maybe one day soon I will feel truly safe. For letting me get snot on your t-shirt and then making me laugh about it." Her smile is watery, but he can tell that it's real.
"Hell, Sunshine, except that last one – snot is gross, you know – any time. And for what it's worth, I had to talk to someone for a while after what happened with Ben and then Zorii right after. That is what made me realize I needed to get out of Boston, needed to slow down my life." He leans against the headboard and picks up his coffee and passes her tea to her.
She snuggles back into his side as he adds, "I didn't trust myself after Zorii. I spent a lot of time questioning my own judgment, you know? I'd say it was just one big mistake, but I don't regret Shara one bit, so it's a mistake I can live with and one I'll never regret."
After a moment, she says, "I was serious before. It's going to be hard to sleep alone after this."
He nods. "It is – I even liked having you as a blanket all night." She snorts, and he goes on, "We have to be mindful of Shara, but we can take this one day at a time, Sunshine." He drops a kiss to the top of her head. "I hated watching you leave on Tuesday, and Wednesday was even worse. I hated only seeing you for a moment in the morning. That's not going to work for me, I don't think."
"Same, so, what do we do?" She snuggles even closer, putting her tea down again.
"Well, first of all, maybe we get some of your things to the guest room at my house so that you can stay over whenever you want. We can't be like this in the morning yet, but after Shara is in bed and before she wakes up, we can be together. Like I said, I'm like you. It won't be easy to sleep alone after last night. And to be clear, that's not about the sex. I mean, the sex is nice." She snorts again. "But it's about having you close." He huffs out a breath at his own words. "I can't really believe all of this."
She peers up at him. "What do you mean?"
He puts his coffee back down and kisses her gently. "Ten days ago, would you have predicted this moment?"
"Goodness, no!" She shakes her head. "Last Friday, on the anniversary of Ben's death, all I could think about was that while I liked my house and my job, I was lonely." She smiles at him. "Then your kid knocked me down and gave me a concussion. Since then, the only times I felt lonely were when I was here alone."
"You know, that first night at my house, when I was carrying Shara up to bed, I came to a realization. Shara and me, we were just fine on our own. I wasn't sitting around lamenting not having a woman around. Shara never complains about not having a mom. But what occurred to me is that we were actually missing something."
She looks up at him again, and she asks timidly, "What was it that you were missing?"
He kisses her again. "You, Rey. We were missing you. Not some random person to fill a gap in our lives. We're OK on our own, but you? You round us out. You're not filling a hole – you're adding a new layer, a layer that could take us from being happy and fine to being even happier and far better than fine."
She blinks back tears, but one escapes. He brushes it from her cheek with his thumb as she replies, "That may be the best thing anyone has ever said to me. How can you possibly be so sure about me?"
"Well, you seem pretty sure about me." She doesn't argue, and he goes on, "Honestly, Rey, Leia loves you. You may not realize how much. She has so much guilt over what happened, over Ben, and the worst part to her is that you got hurt. She talked about you a fair amount after it all happened. It was hard for both of us though. After a while, we drifted apart – I was busy taking care of Shara and dealing with suddenly being a single dad. She's my godmother, but it was hard for her to be around me for a while. I don't blame her for that. I can't imagine what it was like for her and Han, and I was a constant reminder of who we were as kids and how things ended."
"All right, but why does that make you sure of me?" She furrows her brow.
"I trust Leia's judgment above almost anyone else's. She thinks the world of you. Han does too, and clearly Luke is also a fan." He kisses her again – he's not sure he'll ever get enough of kissing her. "But more than anything, Shara loves you already. She took to you like a fish to water, and my kid does not do that. The idea that you're fine with doing her hair every morning is nuts – who goes out of their way like that, without even being asked? And I'll turn the tables on you. Why are you sure of me?"
X
She blinks at the question. Her instincts tell her that he's good and safe, but she knows it's more than that. It takes a moment, and then it dawns on her. "Because you stay. You choose family. You chose Shara over your career. You stayed with me at the hospital so I wouldn't be alone. You listen to what people need and try to accommodate them. You cried over Ben, someone who probably did things that are nearly unimaginably in conflict with your ingrained nature, but you still grieved the loss of who he once was. You see that I'm struggling but aren't impatient with it."
"I'm not a saint, Rey." He cautions her, looking concerned.
"We none of us are, Poe. You're doing all right, though. I'm sure we'll both be disagreeable or snappy at some point. We're humans, and we're humans with ample baggage between us." She motions to them. "Like I admired Monday morning, do you know what one of the best things I've seen you do is?"
"What?" His concern slides into clear curiosity.
"You stopped tickling Shara when she asked you to. I know that seems like nothing to a lot of people, that many would scoff at it, but it matters. I think that was when I started to fall in love with you – when you respected the request of a four-year-old." She reaches up and brushes his hair back. "You're teaching her that what she wants and doesn't want matters. That's invaluable. It's not something anyone ever took the time to teach me, not even Ben Kenobi. He didn't disrespect me – he was kind and caring, but he didn't talk about things like this."
She pauses, and something occurs to her. "Why I'm sure of you, Poe, is that it matters to you that I am sure of you. What I want matters to you, and you told me that from the first moment, if not with your words, then with your actions. Even that night in the hospital, when I told you to go home, I didn't really want you to. You knew that, didn't you?"
He shrugs a little. "I don't know if I knew it, per se, but it was a feeling. And I wasn't about to leave you all alone. No one should be alone, especially not when they're hurt."
She nuzzles his neck. "I really appreciate that, you know. I barely knew you, but you were so sweet and so worried, and I trusted you. I was so fuzzy, but I knew you knew Leia, and Leia doesn't suffer fools or assholes gladly." She pauses. "Unless she's married to them."
He barks out a laugh at that, and he leans back, grinning at her. "I have to remember that one to use in the future."
"Only if you give me credit. Unless you're with Leia herself. Then it's all you." She grins back, glad that the heavy feel of the prior conversation seems to be lifting.
"Well, we'll get that chance soon enough." He sighs. When she gives him a confused look, he explains, "She called me at work today, Leia, that is."
"And?" She feels dread settle in her gut.
He rolls his eyes and smirks, and the dread lifts slightly. "Well, let's just say that the twins double-teamed us. Luke gave you a shovel talk about me, Leia gave me a shovel talk about you. You have a fan in Boston, Sunshine, and she may be tiny, but she's also kind of scary."
"Kind of?" She laughs. "I'm six inches taller than her, and she makes me feel about three feet tall. I've never met someone so impressive."
"Right? I've got seven, and I feel the same." He nods. "They're coming for Thanksgiving. Her and Han. She announced that today."
"What?" Rey's eyes widen.
He pulls her closer to him again. "Yep. At least she said they're staying with Luke, but she also said, and I quote, 'You and Kes are doing dinner, Dameron. Luke can't cook worth a shit. But get Rey to bake. Tell her I want pumpkin pie.' At least she's getting back to her old self, I guess."
Rey rolls her eyes. "I should make sweet potato pie instead, just to be a nudge."
"Do it. She always gets her way. It'll be fun to watch her react." He grins.
Something occurs to her. "You're assuming I'll be in your life two and a half months from now." She doesn't phrase it as a question, but he still leans back again, looking alarmed. She shakes her head and puts a gentle hand on his chest. "Sorry, I didn't mean that as a challenge – it's a compliment to me, Poe, to us and our judgment. It was wonder. I can't really explain what I meant, just understand that I didn't mean that negatively or as questioning you."
"Do you assume the same?" He looks slightly less concerned, but his brow is furrowed.
"No." She shakes her head, and his face falls, stuck between shock and confusion. "Bugger, I keep mucking this up." She puts her hands on his face. "I don't assume. I know. That's what I meant. I know I'll still be in your life two and a half months from now, because I'm not going anywhere either."
He hugs her tight to him. "Don't do that, Sunshine. You scared me there for a moment."
He squeezes her tight, and she squeaks, "Sorry. But can't breathe."
"Crap!" He releases her. "Sorry about that."
She shakes her head, standing up. "I need a shower." She looks at him, scruffy and adorable, and yes, with a snot-mark on his t-shirt. After a beat, she holds out a hand to him. "Want to conserve water?"
He damn-near scrambles after her, taking her hand and letting her pull him to his feet. "Well, it seems the most environmentally conscious thing to do."
She backs towards the bathroom, towing him with her. As she pulls him into the bathroom, he catches her around the waist, dropping a kiss to her shoulder, bared by her sweatshirt as it shifts down. She's laughing as she closes the door behind them.
X
At about 12:20, Poe pulls his SUV into a spot near the place Kes suggested for lunch. He looks over at Rey, who looks almost breathtakingly adorable to him with her hair braided back again and in a pair of jeans, her Converse, and one of his old Georgetown sweatshirts. It swallows her, but he doesn't mind that at all. She'd stolen it when they dropped a small bag of her things at his house.
They've already decided that she'll stay at his house tonight, and her Jeep now sits in his driveway (yet another makeout session ensued when he noticed the new car seat for Shara in Rey's backseat). He plans to take some time cleaning that space up so that she can actually get it into the garage with his BMW. He'd been changing into jeans from his sweatpants when she started rooting around in his dresser, and he'd watched in amusement when she squeaked happily when she found what she wanted, pulled off her sweater (leaving her in her bra and tank top), and replaced it with his sweatshirt.
He must be staring, because she says, "What? Is something wrong?"
He grins at her. "You look way cuter in that than I ever will."
She blushes lightly. "Thank you. And good, because it's mine now."
"OK. You can pretty much steal anything you want from my closet, Sunshine. Don't think I didn't see the hoodie I gave you last weekend on the back of the chair in your room." He takes her hand and kisses the back of it. "And now I'm going to pre-emptively apologize for my dad, who is probably about to annoy us a whole lot about last night with tons of innuendo that Shara will miss but we won't."
"I can take it, Counselor." She smiles.
"Good, because there they are." He motions to Kes's car, pulling in to a spot a few cars down.
They get out, Rey beating him this time, and head down to meet them. Almost as soon as the car stops, Shara bursts out of the backseat, and she barrels towards them. He's glad he has a decently formed ego, because his kid heads for Rey, saying, "Rey! I misseded you!"
Rey laughs and catches Shara as the girl gets to her, lifting her to her hip. Shara leans into Rey, wrapping her arms around Rey's neck. "I missed you too, munchkin, but I just saw you yesterday morning."
"Too long, Rey." The girl buries her head in Rey's neck.
Poe can't help but go over to them and wraps them both up in a hug. "So, did you miss me at all?"
Shara's head pops up as Rey giggles. "Of course, Daddy, but I get to see you all the time. I want to see Rey all the time too."
He drops a kiss to the top of Shara's mass of curls. "I know the feeling, Share-bear."
Rey bumps him with her hip, but she doesn't respond, just passing Shara to him. Her shoulder is mostly fine, but he can tell that Shara is almost too big for Rey to carry around easily, at least for now. Shara hugs Poe, and he just holds her to him as Kes approaches. "Good morning, Dad."
Rey is still at his side with one hand on Shara's back, and Poe sees that Kes has his phone out. When Kes gets to them, he shows the screen to him and Rey. It's a picture from seconds before, Rey looking at him fondly right after she passed Shara to him. It was a one-in-a-thousand shot, but Kes captured both he and Shara looking just as fondly back at Rey. Rey's eyes clearly go damp, and Poe watches her step over to Kes and softly ask, "Can you text that to me, please?"
Kes wraps an arm around her shoulders. "Of course, mija."
They head inside and luck into an open table, one of the corner booths, where he and Rey can put Shara between them, and he has Kes on his other side. It's a relaxed lunch, Shara making them laugh with stories from school. She also tells Kes about the map in Rey's classroom, and Kes's eyes light up when he hears about how his history and Poe's mom's history are now included there. The whole time, Poe can't take his eyes off of Rey and Shara together, Rey's hand occasionally finding his on the booth seat behind Shara.
After they finish their food, Shara asks Rey to take her to the bathroom, and it occurs to Poe that one thing that had become challenging, taking Shara to public bathrooms, may have just gotten a little easier. He lately has favored places with individual restrooms that he can take Shara into, but she's getting older and really needs to be able to just go into the ladies room.
He watches with what he knows is naked affection on his face as Rey takes Shara's hand and leads her to the ladies room. "So." Kes's voice makes Poe jump. He looks at his dad, who lifts an eyebrow at Poe. "You should just tell her you're completely in love with her, mijo."
Poe blinks, and he rubs the back of his neck with one hand. "We both said something close to that already, Dad."
If Poe was expecting his dad to admonish him or caution him, he's pleasantly surprised. Instead, Kes just nods. "Good. I want to be that young woman's dad, too, so I kindly ask you to not mess it up, you hear me?"
That more than almost anything today makes a lump form in Poe's throat. "I love you, Dad."
Kes reaches over and squeezes Poe's shoulder. "I love you too, mijo. And I'm glad you and Rey found each other. I'm glad for all of us, especially Shara." He grins. "Shara wouldn't let me braid her hair this morning. She said that Rey does her hair now."
Both men chuckle at that, and Poe looks towards the ladies room. He smiles when they emerge, Shara's curls now tamed into a braid that matches Rey's, if much thicker. Poe has a fleeting thought, wondering for a moment what a child of his and Rey's would look like. He thinks he'd like another child, and he hopes that's something Rey might want, too.
But as Rey twirls Shara, dancing her back to their table while other diners look on and smile, he realizes that this is enough for him if Rey doesn't want to have kids. His dad is right. He needs to stop equivocating with Rey. He's not just falling in love with Rey. He is completely head over heels, crazy in love with her. That realization makes him move from the booth, meeting them and scooping up Shara. He wraps an arm around Rey and dips her back with a little flourish as she laughs.
They sit back down, and Kes gives him a look, that Poe acknowledges by holding his hands up in surrender. When he turns to Rey, she gives him a quizzical look. He just leans over and kisses her over Shara's head before quietly saying, "Later, at home."
She nods and seems unfazed, going back to listening to Shara as she tells Rey about the children's museum in Portland. Shara turns wide eyes to Poe. "Daddy, Rey's never been to the children's museum!" Poe and Rey exchange an amused look over the outrage Shara musters over that fact. "We have to take her right now!"
Poe looks at Rey, about to tell her they don't have to do it today, but Rey just grins and shrugs. "I don't have any plans."
Poe looks at his watch. "They're only open until 5, so we should go." He pulls out his wallet to leave money on the table.
Kes shakes his head. "I got this. You three go. I'll go get Bee and Shara's things and take them to your house. Have fun."
"Thanks, Dad." He bumps Kes's shoulder, and Rey slides from the booth, standing up. Shara follows her and Poe comes after, watching Rey.
Rey goes to Kes, and she leans down, kissing his cheek and hugging his shoulders. "Thank you, Kes."
Kes wraps a protective hand around her arm, holding on to her for a moment. "Anytime, mija."
It makes Poe happy to know that Kes is just as taken with Rey as he and Shara are. Kes never warmed to Zorii, and Zorii never warmed to Kes. They'd been cordial at best. Rey laughs as Shara pulls her from Kes. "Grandpa Kes, no more hugs, need to go! Love you!"
"Love you too, Little Bee. Behave for Rey and your dad, OK?" Kes winks at Shara.
"OK! Bye!" She takes Rey's hand and pulls her to the door.
Poe shakes his head and squeezes his dad's shoulder. "Thanks, Dad."
"Tell her, Poe." Kes gives him a stern look.
"Give us some time, Dad. We've both got a lot of baggage, but neither of us is running. She's the one, you know?" Unconsciously, Poe reaches up and wraps his hand around his mom's ring.
The move clearly isn't lost on Kes, who stands up and wraps Poe up in a hug. "Yeah, I do know, and I'm damned happy for you, son. I'm happy for all three of you."
Poe steps back, swallowing hard. "Me too, Dad. Me too."