I'm working a long late shift today, something that will become more common with summer, so you're getting an update a bit early today! Enjoy!

It was hunger that finally forced them away from the Uneti tree just after sunset.

They walked back to the house hand in hand, then slipped inside the front door, giving each other a nervous glance as they did so. The living area was dark, but the light in the kitchen was on, and Kes immediately stepped into the room as the front door slid closed behind them. Though his face was hidden in shadow, Rey could see the satisfied smile on Kes' face.

"Just in time," he told them. "I'm almost finished with dinner."

Rey gave Poe's hand a squeeze. "Uhm, I should get cleaned up," she said softly, feeling her face heat. While Poe had managed to do a basic clean-up of his own at the tree, Rey needed more than the corner of a blanket, and she wasn't going to sit down at Kes Dameron's table with his son's sticky seed still on the inside of her thighs.

Poe squeezed back, then let her go as she headed for the hall and the fresher beyond. She could feel the gaze of both men on her as she did so, and couldn't help but wonder what their discussion would be like while she was out of the room.

As Rey completed a basic clean up, she looked at herself in the mirror. Her hair was an absolute mess, her eyes were bright, her cheeks still red, and there was even more redness on her jaw and neck. Beard burn, she thought with a small smile. She quickly pulled back her hair into a simple bun, splashed some water on her face, then headed back toward the kitchen.

Poe was sitting at the table, his face looking a bit flushed, and Kes was dipping a large ladle into a pot full of what looked like stew. It smelled amazing. She glanced at Poe once more as she sat across from him, realizing his hair was pretty dang messy, too. Her fault. The memory of how it came to be that way, with his head tucked between her thighs and his tongue doing the most magical things to her, made her face heat once more. The corner of Poe's mouth curled up a bit, as if he knew what she was thinking.

Kes put a full bowl in front of her, then gave one to Poe before sitting down with his own. For a long while, they ate quietly, which was odd, as usually there was plenty of discussion going on during meals around here.

The stew tasted as good as it smelled, but her hunger couldn't outweigh the silence. Finally, she had to break it. "If you keep feeding me like this, Kes," she said with a smile. "I'm liable to get fat."

Poe snorted a laugh and Kes just smiled at her. "I highly doubt that," he told her. "You're too skinny as it is."

Poe was nodding. "You could stand to gain several kilos, Rey," he remarked. He looked at his father. "She eats everything put in front of her," he told Kes. "But she works harder than she eats, so she burns it all off."

Kes nodded. "I believe it." There was more silence as they continued eating, but then Kes was the one to break it next. "So, did you two finally have that serious talk?"

Rey swallowed what was in her mouth and looked down at her bowl. She wanted to look at Poe, but was scared to. When Poe didn't answer the question, she looked up at Kes. "Yes," she told him. "We talked." She didn't say how much.

Kes grunted. "Not enough, if Poe is still wearing that ring."

"Papa!" Poe's voice was sharp.

Rey looked at him, surprised and confused. He was glaring at his father. Rey focused on Kes. "The ring?" she asked. She looked back at Poe. "Wasn't that your mother's?"

"Yeah," Poe answered her, but he was still staring at Kes. "It was."

Kes was looking back at his son, his eyebrows high, and Rey could tell there was some silent communication going on between the two men.

Rey couldn't help pushing. "Why would Poe not be wearing it anymore? He never takes it off." In fact, it was the only thing he hadn't taken off during their excursions at the tree.

Kes blinked, then looked at her, a sad smile on his face. "Never mind. Nothing to worry about." He continued eating.

Rey looked at Poe, who had also started eating again, his expression relieved.

Any more talk consisted of basic stuff, and after they were done Rey volunteered to help Kes with the clean-up while Poe went out to shut the power down in the outbuildings. Rey watched him leave, confusion and uneasiness filling her, but when she realized Kes was watching her she gave him a smile and continued drying the dishes.

"Is everything okay, Rey?" Kes asked softly.

She nodded. "I'm just tired."

Less than an hour later she was showered and dressed in the camisole and shorts she wore to bed, sitting at the window and looking out at Yavin as it sat just above the treetops. Her door chimed, and she got up to open it. Poe, dressed in the loose tunic and pants he slept in, was standing on the other side.

She smiled. "Hi," she said softly.

He smiled back. "Hi." He paused. "I-"

Rey interrupted him. "What's the deal with your mother's ring?"

Poe looked startled, then a bit embarrassed. He shrugged. "I wear it with the belief that I will give it to the person I want to spend the rest of my life with someday," he told her in a rush.

"Oh!" Rey breathed. "And your father thought you would give it to me?"

Poe took a deep breath, then looked away, frowning.

"It's too soon," she whispered. "I mean, we just… we just started this… thing… today."

Poe looked at her, relief in his expression. "Exactly," he nodded. "We've gotta, you know, do more… research… before we worry about any kind of commitment."

Rey nodded, then giggled. "Research, huh?"

Poe shrugged.

She licked her lips. "You want to come in and we can do some more research?"

Poe gave a soft laugh. "Rey, aren't you sore? I'm sore!"

It was Rey's turn to shrug. "A little," she conceded.

"I tell you what, let's put research on hold for a bit, huh?"

Rey felt another jab of uneasiness go through her. "Uhm… okay," she said, backing away a step. Her mind went back to a conversation she had with Kaydell a few months earlier. One of the newer pilots, Lore, had been courting Kay, wooing her by giving her gifts and non-stop compliments. Finally, Kay had given in and spent the night with the man. The next day, Lore had practically ignored Kaydell. No more tokens. No more sweet-talk. Kaydell had been practical about it, so it seemed. "He got what he wanted," she had said with a shrug, but Rey had seen the hurt in the woman's eyes.

Rey looked at Poe now, standing there with his beautiful brown eyes watching her earnestly. Was this going to be like that, she wondered? Had Poe really only wanted sex with her? Had he been so jealous by the idea that Dar might have gotten her first that he had sweet-talked her into it right away? Was he done with her now?

Poe must have read her expression, because he reached for her, grasping her arm lightly. "Hey," he said softly, his eyes holding a hint of worry now. "That doesn't mean I don't want to stay here with you tonight."

Rey frowned. "You mean… to just sleep?"

A beautiful smile appeared on his face. "Yeah. To just sleep." He tilted his head at her. "Is that okay?"

Rey gave him a one-shouldered shrug. "I don't know," she said honestly. "I've never actually slept with anyone before."

"Well, let's find out," he told her.

She stepped aside to let him in the room and they both made their way to the tiny bed Rey loved so much. As she pushed aside the covers, she looked at him. "Yours is probably bigger," she told him.

"I think this one's just right," he said softly.

Rey huffed a laugh, then climbed into the bed. Poe climbed in after her. "Face away from me," he told her. She did so, and as he curled up behind her, she waved her hand toward the light switch, using the Force to turn it off. "That's handy," Poe mumbled as he wrapped his arm around her waist. Rey giggled again.

They lay silent for a moment, as Rey felt her body seem to mold itself back into his. "Is this okay?" Poe whispered, and she felt his hot breath on the back of her neck.

"Yeah," she breathed. "It's perfect."

XXXXXX

I know what you're thinking. Is it almost over? Absolutely not! Next week, this short little fluffy romance takes a turn I did not expect when I was writing it. So hang on tight!