Chapter 3: Afraid for Good Reason
When Rey woke up the next morning, her naked body strewn across Poe's, the previous evening's events hit her like a ship in hyperspeed, and she scrambled off him to draw the bedclothes around her bare chest, face burning with shame. The tears flooded her eyes anew, and she allowed herself a twinge of regret, to wonder if she had made a mistake. She had given her virginity to the pilot; it could not just be taken back. If fate had been kinder, she would have offered herself for the first time to someone who looked a lot like Poe. But Ben wasn't here...
Dipping her head into the sheets, soiled with fluid, Rey wept. She tried to be as quiet as she could, let her bedmate sleep, but soon she heard a rustling beside her.
"Rey?" a bleary Poe propped himself up on his elbows. "What's the matter?"
She turned back to him, eyes wet. "I've not done this before..."
He nodded grimly, throwing back the covers on his side of the bed and hopping out. Strolling around naked, Rey couldn't help but admire his physique, and a distinct shade of pink bloomed on her cheeks and neck. Crossing to the corner where he had discarded his jumpsuit in their haste to undress each other, Poe tugged it back on methodically.
"Do you think it was a mistake? You and me? A rebound?" He sent her an easy smile over his shoulder. "My kisses probably don't compare to Ben's..."
"No... you were fine, really," Rey smiled weakly. "It's just..."
Poe probed her with his stare. "You wish your first time had been with Ben." Her telling silence spoke more than words ever could, but her expression still looked pained, like she feared hurting him.
"I'm afraid," she admitted whimperingly.
Poe chuckled tenderly. "I think we're both afraid, for good reason," he reminded her soothingly. "I've suffered heartbreak too, you know."
His heart lifted when Rey snorted. "Can't imagine how that happened."
He laughed. "Zorii doesn't forgive easily."
"The bounty hunter?" Rey gawped. "You were involved with her? And here I thought you had standards, Dameron!"
He threw her black sweater at her face, and she laughed.
Just then, Poe's comlink beeped in his pants' pocket. "All right, buddy, since you don't know how to answer your holo-phone after staying radio silent all night... I'm hyper speeding to Tatooine. See you in a bit. You and Rey better not have killed each other."
At the sound of her best friend's voice, Rey's face went ashen. "Finny..." She flew out of her bed, bundling up the ruined bedsheets in her arms, slapping around for her clothes to get dressed.
"Rey..." Poe tried to calm her.
"Oh, no... he could be here in a standard hour, he could be here in a standard half hour..."
"Rey!" Poe called, the soothing quality still in his voice. "Finn could have placed that message just taking off - for all we know, it could be more than a standard hour before he gets here..."
She just threw his pants at him. "Put these on. I'm going to dress in the fresher, get these sheets in the laundry." Poe was shocked, but nevertheless pleased, when she placated him with a quick and firm peck on the lips.
By the time Poe and Rey had, to use her words, "ditched the evidence" and wandered outside, a sleek B-Wing was taxing in low from atmo. Shielding their eyes against the glare and dust that the ship kicked up, the pair watched as Finn scrambled down the gangplank before it had even fully extended.
"Do you know how to answer your calls, Dameron?" he stomped over to them. "Do you?" Melting into Rey's embrace as, with a happy cry, she threw her arms around him. "But thank the Force you're safe!"
Finn then froze suddenly, pulling up short as he brushed a strand of hair back behind Rey's ear. He seemed to be peering at something. "Is that... a love bite?"
Poe stiffened, watching as Rey's neck went white; no doubt her face matched over Finn's shoulder. Raising his eyes to Poe, the ex-trooper gaped at him. The pilot winced, trying and failing to prepare himself for any reaction. Best to steel himself for a quick but painful death.
Silence. And then:
"I asked you to check on her, not fuck her!"
Rey couldn't help it. She burst into laughter.
Finn refused to be put at ease, giving her a little shake. "Was he good to you?"
Giggling, and drifting back to Poe's side so that he could steal an arm around her, Rey beamed. "A perfect gentleman."
"Poe Dameron a gentleman? Never thought I'd see the day," Finn smirked. Face still crinkled in bemusement, he pointed between the pilot and Jedi. "Are you two... together?"
Rey glanced up to Poe, smiling in amusement. "We're... gonna try it out. See if this works." Poe's eyes were radiant and he dipped his head to kiss her quickly. She grinned more broadly, eyes shining. "I guess my assessment was wrong before: you're not really a difficult man."
"Just keep your life in the bedroom to yourself," Finn warned. "Mind if I come in for a cup of cafe?"
"Right this way," Rey gestured. And the trio headed inside.