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There's nothing dramatic about Poe's return to consciousness, at least not from his perspective. He doesn't remember going down to begin with, but then again he doesn't really remember much from the last several days -- not since Ren got his hands on him. Pain, yes. Faces, here and there, friends and worriers and snatches of conversation. The medical ward ... the barge. He was definitely in medical.
This? This is very much not, and Poe struggles upright abruptly the moment his eyes focus and he recognizes (or to be more accurate, fails to recognize) his surroundings. A ship, yes. An older model. Judging by the state of an overhead bulkhead, it's not a military vessel. There's a stack of medical supplies nearby. His shoulder aches a little, and maybe his whole body feels oddly stiff, but he's pretty sure it's a vast improvement from before.
Well. He's in one piece, and that's a pretty good start. For a moment, Poe considers the merits of wandering out to get his bearings. Ultimately, he decides to stay put, at least for the moment. It seems pretty obvious that he's been cared for during his sleep, so he's fairly certain there's nothing to be nervous about -- still, he's already curious enough to feel a tug of impatience, and so he resolves to give himself no more than an hour to gather his bearings before venturing out into the rest of the ship. With some semblance of a plan, Poe turns to checking himself over for further damage, then gently turns to ease his legs over the edge of the bunk.
Half an hour, he amends. In the moment, it feels like waiting any longer might be the death of him.
This? This is very much not, and Poe struggles upright abruptly the moment his eyes focus and he recognizes (or to be more accurate, fails to recognize) his surroundings. A ship, yes. An older model. Judging by the state of an overhead bulkhead, it's not a military vessel. There's a stack of medical supplies nearby. His shoulder aches a little, and maybe his whole body feels oddly stiff, but he's pretty sure it's a vast improvement from before.
Well. He's in one piece, and that's a pretty good start. For a moment, Poe considers the merits of wandering out to get his bearings. Ultimately, he decides to stay put, at least for the moment. It seems pretty obvious that he's been cared for during his sleep, so he's fairly certain there's nothing to be nervous about -- still, he's already curious enough to feel a tug of impatience, and so he resolves to give himself no more than an hour to gather his bearings before venturing out into the rest of the ship. With some semblance of a plan, Poe turns to checking himself over for further damage, then gently turns to ease his legs over the edge of the bunk.
Half an hour, he amends. In the moment, it feels like waiting any longer might be the death of him.
It's thanks to the beeping from BB-8 on Poe's arrival that Rey comes to see what's happening in the room she left them both in, and when she comes through the door and sees Poe sitting up instead of prone there with his eyes closed, still as death, she's swamped with an overwhelming sense of relief.
She knows these comas don't last forever but his had gone on so long, she had missed him so much and now there he is, just sitting there like nothing at all was ever wrong.
"That took you long enough," she says, not unkindly, and her eyes are bright with affection and she's even smiling a little to see him like this. "I was starting to consider going with BB-8's plan to plug into your head and see about restarting you even though we all know it doesn't work like that."
She knows these comas don't last forever but his had gone on so long, she had missed him so much and now there he is, just sitting there like nothing at all was ever wrong.
"That took you long enough," she says, not unkindly, and her eyes are bright with affection and she's even smiling a little to see him like this. "I was starting to consider going with BB-8's plan to plug into your head and see about restarting you even though we all know it doesn't work like that."
Parts of Poe's brain might still be a little vaporlocked, judging by the way he's staring in silence -- first at BB-8 and his near-constant stream of excited chatter, then at Rey and the relief and fondness in the look he's directing his way. She's smiling, even, and Poe didn't even have to do anything stupid to get them there.
Doesn't mean he's barred from it, though. Poe wriggles his toes to work proper feeling back into them, as his gaze slides back to BB-8. "You open up a window somewhere, little buddy?"
He grins pointedly, then works himself into a deeply-satisfying, vertebrae-cracking stretch, the kind that leaves him shivering afterwards. Poe reaches for the blanket, draws it around his bare shoulders, and settles in to figure out where his time's gotten off to. "Glad you didn't," he says cheerfully. "You two do something like that, I'm liable to loose what brains haven't been rattled loose already. Been keeping an eye on me, huh?"
Doesn't mean he's barred from it, though. Poe wriggles his toes to work proper feeling back into them, as his gaze slides back to BB-8. "You open up a window somewhere, little buddy?"
He grins pointedly, then works himself into a deeply-satisfying, vertebrae-cracking stretch, the kind that leaves him shivering afterwards. Poe reaches for the blanket, draws it around his bare shoulders, and settles in to figure out where his time's gotten off to. "Glad you didn't," he says cheerfully. "You two do something like that, I'm liable to loose what brains haven't been rattled loose already. Been keeping an eye on me, huh?"
"Someone had to," she says lightly, like it's not at all a big deal, but she suspects they both know that she's the only one she trusts to do this right. To keep him safe after everything he'd been through, to be positive he'd never wake up in pain and terror ever again.
She comes over to sit beside him, hands over the canteen of water she keeps in her satchel at all times because she's sure he's got to be thirsty after sleeping so long.
"How are you feeling?"
She comes over to sit beside him, hands over the canteen of water she keeps in her satchel at all times because she's sure he's got to be thirsty after sleeping so long.
"How are you feeling?"
Considering the last few days that he can remember? No, Poe's only a little surprised to find that she's spirited him away somewhere outside of the usual, rather than the more convenient route: leaving him in the infirmary like ... well, most might.
Generous is a bit of an understatement. Poe smiles at her, a little more subdued now that he's had a moment to process the situation, brightening when she hands him the canteen. "Thanks, sunshine," he murmurs, turning his attention to loosening the lid. "For everything -- I owe you pretty big."
As far as the question goes, Poe shrugs with relative ease; there's a twinge deep in the muscle, a pull on tender-feeling skin that says the wound hasn't entirely healed, but that it's mostly on its way to being so. "A little fuzzy," he admits, and reaches up to scratch his chin. He hesitates, startled, feeling more than just a few days' worth of whiskers beneath his fingers -- frankly, it feels like a whole damn forest took root on his face while he wasn't paying attention. "Uh. Literally, I suppose." BB-8 bleats an unimpressed sound in response, and Poe laughs quietly. "How long was I out?"
Generous is a bit of an understatement. Poe smiles at her, a little more subdued now that he's had a moment to process the situation, brightening when she hands him the canteen. "Thanks, sunshine," he murmurs, turning his attention to loosening the lid. "For everything -- I owe you pretty big."
As far as the question goes, Poe shrugs with relative ease; there's a twinge deep in the muscle, a pull on tender-feeling skin that says the wound hasn't entirely healed, but that it's mostly on its way to being so. "A little fuzzy," he admits, and reaches up to scratch his chin. He hesitates, startled, feeling more than just a few days' worth of whiskers beneath his fingers -- frankly, it feels like a whole damn forest took root on his face while he wasn't paying attention. "Uh. Literally, I suppose." BB-8 bleats an unimpressed sound in response, and Poe laughs quietly. "How long was I out?"
[Steve doesn't want to just show up at Rey's door unannounced - not for something like this. So he sends her a text first, figures he can afford to wait for an answer. For now.]
Hey. I wanted to talk to you for a minute. When you have the time.
Hey. I wanted to talk to you for a minute. When you have the time.
[He doesn't have to wait long, thankfully, because she replies shortly after she sees the message.]
Would you like to come to the Falcon or should I meet you somewhere?
Would you like to come to the Falcon or should I meet you somewhere?
I can come there, as long as we can talk alone.
I'll bring snacks.
I'll bring snacks.
You don't need to bribe me, you know. I was already going to let you in.
There's no one here now and I'm not expecting anyone, so come by.
There's no one here now and I'm not expecting anyone, so come by.
Yeah, but that's the thing - guy like me? I've gotta eat five or six times a day.
[Well, gotta is an overstatement, but it's nice when he can.]
Okay. I'll be by soon.
[And, true to his word, he is - about ten minutes later, with a couple of apples, oranges, and box of graham crackers tucked into the crook of an elbow when he knocks.]
[Well, gotta is an overstatement, but it's nice when he can.]
Okay. I'll be by soon.
[And, true to his word, he is - about ten minutes later, with a couple of apples, oranges, and box of graham crackers tucked into the crook of an elbow when he knocks.]
Even after everything that happens, Alfie isn't ready to speak to her right away. He pulls a vanishing act, right out of the infirmary and back home to his room, where he shuts and locks the door, wedges a dresser under it this time, and curls up to get some rest.
He does it all without a word to Rey.
He does it all without a word to Rey.
He graduated. [He doesn't know how to feel about that. But he has feelings.]
I'm surprised he told you, he asked me to tell people for him.
[Not that she loves the idea of being his messenger, bit she could tell Alfie was still struggling a little with the idea. She'll tell the rest of the barge soon, but for now he gets a bit of a buffer.]
[Not that she loves the idea of being his messenger, bit she could tell Alfie was still struggling a little with the idea. She'll tell the rest of the barge soon, but for now he gets a bit of a buffer.]
Well, he kissed me under the mistletoe and then told me. [In Alfie fashion, meant to rattle Tommy. The former didn't, but the latter absolutely did.]
[She really does try not to laugh, but she can't help sounding a little amused when she answers.
Of course he told him after kissing him.]
That's how he brought it up with me too. I think he's allowed a good mood, considering the circumstances.
Of course he told him after kissing him.]
That's how he brought it up with me too. I think he's allowed a good mood, considering the circumstances.
If he goes around kissing everyone he wants to say goodbye to he might end up with a bloody lip. [He warns her, gently.]
[The morning after the breach, having given it almost a day, he just shows up at her door. No message to ask her if she's okay, or if it's alright for him to come over. He just knocks on her door, smoking, leaning one hand on the edge of her door.
He has the code, still. But even if he spent half this breach inside of her, he's pretty sure he doesn't have that open an invitation.]
He has the code, still. But even if he spent half this breach inside of her, he's pretty sure he doesn't have that open an invitation.]
[Ordinarily she might not have minded him just coming in, but it's good he knocks now. She always puts up a wall after a breach like this, she wants confrontations afterwards to be on her terms, when she chooses to have them.
All the same, when she opens up the door and finds him there she's- she's not sure. Surprised, mostly. Certainly not unhappy to see him, but it's easier to pick confusion and operate with that as she stands aside to let him in.
She doesn't know what to say yet, what he's here for, so for now she just chooses to wait him out.]
All the same, when she opens up the door and finds him there she's- she's not sure. Surprised, mostly. Certainly not unhappy to see him, but it's easier to pick confusion and operate with that as she stands aside to let him in.
She doesn't know what to say yet, what he's here for, so for now she just chooses to wait him out.]
"I fuckin' hate breaches," he announces, still half-hanging in the doorway, scowling at her- or, well, at breaches.
"I know," she says, and this time she reaches for him, takes his wrist to pull him in a little more so she can at least get the door closed behind him. "Do you want a drink?"
She knows the answer to that, but it'll at least prompt him to do more than stand in her doorway looking miserable.
She knows the answer to that, but it'll at least prompt him to do more than stand in her doorway looking miserable.
He's been hoping that her support network has come through for her. He doesn't know, and deliberately doesn't try to find out, who she's close to outside of their mutual circles, but Rey is a woman who earns deep respect and deeper affection. So really, she should be fine. Really.
But he ends up coming to her cabin after dinner anyway with a box tucked under one arm. He knocks and then, because it's Lark, scratches as well.
But he ends up coming to her cabin after dinner anyway with a box tucked under one arm. He knocks and then, because it's Lark, scratches as well.
Before she came to the barge, her support network consisted of her and no one else and it was something Rey was happy with. She didn't have to worry about anyone else, about a community. It was easy to take what Jakku threw at her, to just keep going, pushing forward, because there was no time for anything else
But there's nothing but time here, and she has learned to let people in. The problem is that the people she might have called her support network, they've all slowly filtered out, returned home whether of their own choice or vanished just like Tommy.
So she's mostly been alone, since he left. She hides the way she misses him, mourns the loss of him, because she doesn't want to talk about it. If she does she'll cry, be trapped in those feelings, and she can't stand the idea of anyone seeing her be that weak.
When she opens the door for Lark, her eyes are dry, not red or swollen. The scent of Tommy still lingers, stronger because of how much time he'd been spending there lately, though, so there's no escaping what has probably brought Lark to her doorstep.
"Come in," she says, standing back so he can.
But there's nothing but time here, and she has learned to let people in. The problem is that the people she might have called her support network, they've all slowly filtered out, returned home whether of their own choice or vanished just like Tommy.
So she's mostly been alone, since he left. She hides the way she misses him, mourns the loss of him, because she doesn't want to talk about it. If she does she'll cry, be trapped in those feelings, and she can't stand the idea of anyone seeing her be that weak.
When she opens the door for Lark, her eyes are dry, not red or swollen. The scent of Tommy still lingers, stronger because of how much time he'd been spending there lately, though, so there's no escaping what has probably brought Lark to her doorstep.
"Come in," she says, standing back so he can.
"I brought something." He has to fight not to try to find Tommy; this is the only place left on the Barge that smells of his tobacco, his liquor, his wool suits and his sweat. He wonders how much of it she smells, how much she's grown too used to and no longer notices. If she's still aware of it, this must be a certain hell.
Then again, if Alec left, Lark would bury himself in as many reminders as he could.
"Tea time." His smile is melancholy, hurting, and sympathetic.
Then again, if Alec left, Lark would bury himself in as many reminders as he could.
"Tea time." His smile is melancholy, hurting, and sympathetic.
Her nose isn't as developed as Lark's, but she can still smell Tommy in her pillows, in the sheets. It's fading and a part of her is glad for that, sometimes she picks a different bunk entirely to sleep in, but there's also a part of her that dreads the day when she gets in bed and finds that his scent has disappeared, like he was never here at all.
That's the thing that gets to her, when she lets herself feel it. Tommy, Alfie, Rohan and Jolyne, Poe, so many people have gone with so little to leave behind that sometimes, it overwhelms her.
It's another reason she hasn't reached out the way she probably should. There's less chance of losing people if she doesn't have anyone to lose.
And then there's Lark, with tea, and something so vulnerable and open passes over her face. Her eyes go a little shiny, her throat closes up and she has to look down, but she pushes those feelings back.
"You didn't have to do this," she says once she feels like she can speak without her voice wavering.
That's the thing that gets to her, when she lets herself feel it. Tommy, Alfie, Rohan and Jolyne, Poe, so many people have gone with so little to leave behind that sometimes, it overwhelms her.
It's another reason she hasn't reached out the way she probably should. There's less chance of losing people if she doesn't have anyone to lose.
And then there's Lark, with tea, and something so vulnerable and open passes over her face. Her eyes go a little shiny, her throat closes up and she has to look down, but she pushes those feelings back.
"You didn't have to do this," she says once she feels like she can speak without her voice wavering.
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