Once his feet were back on solid ground, Poe crowed and pumped his fists. Nothing like a brush with death to really energize a guy. As soon as BB-8 was brought to the hangar floor from the X-Wing, Poe swept him up in a twirling best friend hug for the ages.

"You brilliant, beautiful, round son of a bantha. I can't believe you did it."

BB-8 shrieked in delight and basked in the praise. After Poe set him down gently, he did a few victory circles.

"I'd be toast if it weren't for you," the Commander said, kneeling down to give his pal well earned pats on his head.

He glanced around the hanger of the Fortune. Poe had the closest call. The rest of his squadron were safe, hooting and chest-bumping, riding a wave of adrenaline and happiness. He gave a toothy grin to no one in particular and shook his head.

They pulled it off. He couldn't believe it, but they pulled it off. The supplies they had made off with. The assets! Engineering was already having a field day.

As he surveyed the hangar, he spotted a familiar face - a scowling one galvanizing any idle mechanic into action.

He trotted up, helmet tucked up his arm, hair handsomely floppy even after the scuffle.

"Hey, Varnok," Poe said cheerfully, smacking the top of the tool box she was digging into, "came down for the big show?" Varnok's furry lip curled. Her long ears twitched.

"Show? What show? Engineers take days now to repair this, what you have done to your fighter. Costs go through the roof, I tell you."

"Yikes," Poe pulled a face to match the phrase. "Sorry Varny, I didn't mean to be nearly murdered by the First Order, but it's good to know you care."

The small Bothan whirled around, raising a threatening blowtorch in his direction.

"Who is this, Varny ?" She asked, the 'r' rolling especially hard. "Has she killed men in seven different star systems? Hm? Hm?!"

"Sheesh, I hope not," he replied quickly, throwing hands up in defense. "Have you- I mean, has she?"

"For Varnok to know, and you - moondust-huffing starjockey - to find out." Her torch popped and a piercing blue flame burned pointedly in his direction. She dropped her welding mask over her snout and turned away, satisfied that she had struck enough fear into the starpilot's heart.

Before he could leave for debriefing, she abruptly pivoted to face him again. She tossed her head and the mask popped up.

"I nearly forget," she said, waving a still lit torch, which Poe had to carefully dodge. "The girl."

"Who?"

"The mousey one," she specified, making circles around her head with her free hand. "Always, she is leaving crumbs on my machinery!"

"Crumbs," he repeated, rubbing his stubbly chin. "You mean Rey? What about her?"

"A mess after we lost your feed. And after your life support went offline." Varnok rolled her big glossy eyes and waved a hand in front of her snout. "Her face-blood. All gone. Poof."

"How..." He furrowed his brow and shook his head. Rey was on Dendri. That's what she had said, at least.

"Stowaway troublemaker. How else? Is your brain made of pudding?"

"She's on the Fortune? Right now?"

"Comms. Better hurry and bring your apologies."

Poe felt another keen rush of adrenaline. He didn't think his body had any left after today, but there it was. His heart was in his throat and beating like a hummingbird's wings. With fire beneath his feet, he jetted off to see her, almost forgetting to thank his furry friend.

"Thanks Varny- I mean Varnok- No, I mean ma'am . Thank you, ma'am." In turning to thank her, he nearly tripped over his boots and ate dirt.

The huffy Bothan just enjoyed his stumble with a mean little snort and turned back to her task.

He sprinted his way down the gleaming white corridors of the rebel capital ship, huffing, puffing and positively pouring sweat. His flightsuit was stifling and the running was not helping. When he did finally arrive at the lift, he came in hot .

Eek, eek ,eek went his boots as Poe skid across the polished floors, zeroing in on the closing doors of the lift he was about to miss. He windmilled his arms around, trying to gain his balance, but the doors were sealed shut before he could manage to wedge himself in.

He groaned, throwing his hands up. Of course, he missed the elevator. BB-8 sang in recognition as he rounded the corner, relieved to have caught finally up. When he witnessed his master's obvious agitation, he asked what was the matter.

"It's the-" he then gesticulated towards the elevator, too occupied with catching his breath to bother with all the extra syllables. "Missed it."

BB-8 warbled his condolences but quickly offered Poe the use of his blowtorch. Curious. Poe was certain there were far more useful tools for redirecting a lift. Part of him was very interested to know just what Beebs had in mind. He pressed his lips into a thin line and stared at his droid with a gaze most conflicted.

Finally, his voice of reason chimed in. Do not melt the elevator, please. If only to avoid the citation. He shook his head.

"No, no, buddy. We'll wait." Of course we'll wait. We were not considering vandalism. We would never .

Poe tapped his foot eagerly, staring at the elevator so intently that lasers might shoot out of his eyes. The stupid doors weren't opening and he was actually starting to consider just what he was actually doing.

What was his plan? To show up in comms having completely skipped debriefing just assuming Rey's reaction would be anything other than sheer confusion? He had barely said a word to his squadron before darting off.

Ding. Ssshh. The door opened. She didn't see him at first, she was chewing her lip and watching her shoes. But, boy, when she did finally turn those doe eyes on him...

"Poe!"

Rey.

She shone up at him, her eyes crinkling at the corners, immutably sparkling in a way which seemed to steal something of his very being. Little by little, Poe could feel it slowly trickling away for every moment he couldn't take his eyes off of her smiling face.

"Sunshine," he breathed.

Rey took in his ragged form. He was unbelievably sweaty and probably smelled like grease, but there was nothing for it now. A small amused smile played at her lips. He supposed she didn't mind. Soon they realized they were both standing there just...grinning at one another. Rey made the first move.

"You're-"

"I'm here."

"Yeah."

"Oh," his brow furrowed, "your cast!" Rey looked down, seemingly as surprised as he was.

"Doc, gave me the all clear."

"That's...that's really great."

He was so overwhelmed by actually seeing her that he had nearly forgotten why he came in the first place.

"So," he broke the second odd silence, "I just wanted to tell you that I am...not dead."

It sounded better in his head.

"I know," she said, nodding, her smile hardly dissipating. "I saw you dock so I..." She shrugged, looking sheepish.

"Right."

"Right. And I'm obviously really glad." BB-8's gaze swiveled between the two as their awkward exchange continued. "You know, that you aren't. Dead."

"Also," she squeezed her upper arm with one hand so hard the skin pinkened around it. Her shorn nails were digging in too. Rey wouldn't meet his eyes with hers. "About what you said last night…"

Tired of always trying to find the right thing to say, Poe bit down on the tip of his middle finger to pull the glove off. With a cant of his head, he whipped the glove down the hallway and used his newly bare hand to catch her downturned chin. Before she could overthink it, he closed the gap between them and placed a careful kiss on the corner of her mouth.

BB-8 reeled back and whirled around, scandalized.

Poe didn't linger for long, he was very curious to gauge her reaction. It was entirely possible he had a slap incoming. However, before he could bring himself to search her face, she was at him, her arms haphazardly thrown around his neck, her body pressed against his. They breathed each other in as Rey gifted him with a dazzling repayment right on his lips. He squeezed her tight and she did the same.

"I stand by it," he sighed when they parted. "Beautiful. More than anything."

The way she looked at him after that, Poe suspected she might just believe him now.

"We're definitely going the have a talk," she said, gesturing between them with one finger, "about this."

Poe looked up, as if to ponder what she said. He hummed. "I think I'm done talking."

Rey's eyes glinted as she looked up at him. With a fox's smile, she pulled him into the elevator.

"At least for now," Poe said as he pressed over the button he hoped would close the doors with one hand, and held Rey tight with the other.