#damereysecretsanta

[ya-lady-tauriel]

Damerey Secret Santa! I got @leopoldjamesfitzs!

The prompt was “ bookshop au where Poe is the cheery owner of the coffee shop next door, and Rey is working at her family bookshop” aaaaand this is an Aesthetique-ass prompt! 

hope it is liked!

[senatorrorgana]

One Hell of a Pilot

Summary:  Based off of a prompt for Damrey Secret Santa: Poe deals with the fact that Rey Solo is the better pilot while inadvertently developing feelings for her.

A/N:  So I took part in the Damerey Secret Santa and this fic is for @imaginationreaper98! I hope they enjoy this fic the most, but of course, I hope everyone that reads it will enjoy it too <3 It turned out to be kinda fluffy and I hope that's okay, I just can't help it when it comes to these two!

AO3: (x)

  Admittedly, Poe had let his unofficial title of “the best pilot in the Resistance” get to his head a little bit. He liked being the best at something, especially since it was something he’d been doing his entire life. He’d always been the best pilot no matter where he was before the Resistance, truly, and it was that very fact that made him the General’s go-to pilot.

   But then he flew with Rey in the Millennium Falcon, and he knew he wouldn’t be called the best pilot for very much longer.

   She was a natural, even more so than him, and no matter what ship you put her in or up against, she could out-maneuver the best of them. It was a silly thing to be troubled about, it was some little title that didn’t mean much of anything at the end of the day. When people started to catch on to Rey’s talent and calling her the best pilot they’d ever seen, Poe would be lying to himself if he didn’t admit it stung just a bit. The General’s daughter, strong with the Force, and a better pilot than he could ever hope to be - she was certainly an unstoppable force that he didn’t want to be in the way of.

   Poe didn’t even realize that he’d been watching her for the past few minutes while she trained with her lightsaber out on the tarmac until BB-8 nudged his leg.

   “What is it, buddy?” Poe asked, trying and failing to stop looking at Rey.

    A meeting, he’d forgotten all about the meeting at the war table to figure out the Resistance’s next moves from here. He was still getting used to being more involved in this side of the Resistance as opposed to flying around with Black Squadron whenever he was needed.

   Poe got back to his feet and ready to leave, only to be stopped when he saw Rey looking over at him now this time. She smiled and offered up a small wave towards him, he didn’t know why he froze when she did so. He quickly waved back to her before heading on his way back into the base, he didn’t belong out here right now anyway though his heart still did.

   Poe couldn’t miss his chance to be fighting alongside his fellow pilots again, the best pilot or not, he needed to do something other than shuffle from meeting to meeting all day, and right now he’d do more good up in the air than down on the ground. Among all the commotion and chaos out on the tarmac, Poe spotted Rey yet again, this time helping Chewbacca load up the Falcon before taking off. He could have just kept going and wished her good luck as he passed her by, but something told him to just stay a minute.

   “Rey,” Poe said, catching her attention while Chewbacca took the case she held in her hands and brought it aboard.

  “Yeah?” Rey asked.

   “Good luck out there,” Poe said.

   He wasn’t quite sure why his heart jumped at the sight of the smile now on her face, knowing that just a few simple words from him were what caused it.

   “You too, we can’t lose the best pilot in the Resistance now,” Rey said.

   “I think that title belongs to you now more than it does me,” Poe said, though he couldn’t help the smile that took over him.

   “Me? I wasn’t the one who outmaneuvered three TIE Fighters and shot down twelve that were chasing down my squadron,” Rey said.

   “You remember that? That battle was weeks ago,” Poe said with a twinge of disbelief.

   “It’s hard to forget a good fight when you see one,” Rey said, a look of slight embarrassment crossing her face for only a moment, “either way, stay safe out there.”

   “You too,” Poe said.

   He gave a brief nod before he turned on his heels and started to head toward his ship, seeing BB-8 already being loaded into his spot.

   “Poe,” Rey called out, stopping him again.

   Poe turned to face her quickly this time, searching her face to see if something was wrong given the distressed tone of her voice.

   “Yeah?” Poe asked.

   Rey hesitated, biting down on her lower lip and seemingly contemplating something heavily. Was she nervous about this fight? It was half the size of the last battle, but even he still got nervous no matter the odds. She walked towards him and off the ramp of the Falcon, leaving only just a bit of space between them. He wasn’t used to seeing her this close, close enough to see the faint splash of freckles across her face or the strains of brown in her hazel eyes. He didn’t even get the chance to say another word before she quickly kissed him. It was over in a matter of seconds, and if a bright red blush hadn’t crossed her cheeks after she pulled away, Poe would have doubted that she even kissed him at all.

   “Come back in one piece,” Rey said, her voice barely above a whisper.

   “I will if you will,” Poe said, he didn’t know how to react to the sudden shift between them other than trying to make light of the situation.

   He got her to smile again before Chewbacca came out onto the ramp, the two taking a few steps back from one another now though their eyes stayed locked. They didn’t say another word to each other, they just slowly parted ways until Poe found himself back on track towards his ship. Poe couldn’t stop thinking about Rey for even a second, though it hadn’t been different from any other time lately, he seemed to always catch himself thinking about her anymore - one way or another.

   Despite Poe being unable to fight back the new feelings he felt whenever he caught a glimpse of Rey around the Resistance base, and after what transpired on the tarmac before the battle, he found himself avoiding her - and it seemed that Rey was doing the same. Every time they wound up in the same hallway alone or headed in the same direction, they would turn and go their separate ways. He didn’t know what to do, it’d been so long since he even came close to liking someone, and now he found himself falling for the most incredible woman he’d ever met in his life. But it was because of that very fact that he found it difficult to even say two words to her anymore.

   He was a leader of the Resistance, he could surely find the courage to say something to Rey. It’d been almost three days since they spoke, someone had to say something.

   “It’s fine, it’s fine, you can do this,” Poe said to himself under his breath, finding himself standing outside of the Falcon yet again, “you faced the First Order, you can face Rey.”

   “Face me about what?” Rey’s voice came from down the hall of the Falcon, causing Poe to jump slightly at her sudden presence.

   “What? Oh, nothing,” Poe tried to brush things off, already trying to find a way to back down, feeling like a fool under her gaze.

   “Is everything alright? Is something wrong?” Rey asked.

   “No, no, everything’s fine,” Poe said.

   “Are you sure? You haven’t talked to me in a few days,” Rey said, her demeanor suddenly shifting, “is Finn alright?” She asked with a sudden panic.

   “He’s fine,” Poe said.

   “Beebee-Ate?” Rey asked.

   “Fine too,” Poe said, “I...I just wanted to talk I guess, about what happened before the battle a few days ago.”

   “Oh,” Rey said quietly, her cheeks flushing slightly now at the mention of it, “Sure, yeah,”

   “Do you maybe wanna go somewhere else?” Poe asked.

   While the Falcon was the hub of most of their interactions, the Falcon was also almost always full of people - whether it was a Wookie or a family of porgs, or simply Resistance members helping run maintenance, it wasn’t exactly the place for a private conversation at the moment.

   “Sure,” Rey nodded, “I know somewhere we can go.”

   Rey grabbed Poe’s hand and led him off of the tarmac, taking him out deeper into the lush nature of the planet before they finally reached a small lake. Rey let go of his hand only to take a seat on the grass, patting the small space beside her. Poe took a seat, a bit closer to her than anticipated, but still comfortable.

   “How did you find this place?” Poe asked.

   “It gets to be too much at the base sometimes, too many thoughts rushing around that I can’t block out all the time. I just went for a walk one day and eventually found myself here,” Rey shrugged.

   “I never really went past the tarmac,” Poe said, “I guess maybe I should once in a while.”

   “What did you want to talk about?” Rey asked, pulling her knees close to her chest and seeming nervous as she picked at her clothes, avoiding looking right at him.

   Noticing her nerves, Poe moved over a bit closer, looking right at and trying to catch her attention. When she finally looked up, Poe offered up a small smile and tentatively put one of his arms around her. He didn’t want to scare her off, but at the same time, he didn’t want her to think he wanted to end whatever this was that was bubbling up between them.

   “Rey, I-”

   Rey turned and closed the space between them without a second of hesitation, her soft lips cautious and unsure of how to really continue the kiss. Poe took over from there, leaning into the kiss and cupping her face to hold her closer. By the time it was getting harder to breathe, they finally separated, even though all Poe wanted to do was to keep the kiss going.

   “I...wow,” Poe said.

  “Please tell me that you wanted to do that and I didn’t read all of this wrong,” Rey said anxiously.

   “I really did want to do that,” Poe reassured her.

   Rey slowly reached out, intertwining her fingers with Poe’s and giving his hand a slight squeeze. With all of the amazing feats he’d seen Rey achieve in the short time he knew her, it was easy to forget that past being a Jedi, past being an ace pilot, and past being the General’s daughter, she was still just a girl who was capable of such gentleness, a side of her that Poe greedily wanted all to himself.

   “Well…” Rey said, a hint of a grin still on her face, “does the best pilot in the galaxy want to take the Falcon out for a ride? Chewie and I have been working on the thrusters all day and I think it’s only fitting that the best pilot here tries it out.”

   “Best pilot in the galaxy?” Poe asked, “I think that title belongs to you.”

   “Kriff no, you’re way better than I am,” Rey said.

   “Flying is kind of in your blood last I checked,” Poe said.

   “Yours too,” Rey said.

   There was a slight pause between them, both of them still grinning like fools despite knowing that no one was truly going to win this argument.

   “Alright, how about we both fly it then? Chewie can take a break from this one little test flight,” Rey offered up.

   “Sounds good,” Poe said.

   This time, Poe leaned in and stole a quick kiss before getting to his feet and helping Rey do the same. He didn’t know how he got lucky enough to win over Rey, he didn’t know why out of all the people in the galaxy she chose him, but he knew one thing for certain, and it was that he had no plans of ever letting her go.

[dameronalone]

for the @thedamereynetwork secret santa for @huxfanblog

title: sugar we’re going down swinging

prompt: Poe introduces Rey to his father with some good news

a/n: yeah so i wrote this before tlj and im not changing anything haha

Rey launches into Poe’s arms, still riding the high of escaping certain death by a hair. Poe is grinning as he hooks his arms under her ass to hold her up, and he’s sweaty, and hot, and he can’t stop smiling when he kisses her. No, maybe this wasn’t the end, but it was the beginning of the end of the First Order with Hux dead, Snoke dead, and Kylo Ren captured and detained, and that was something to celebrate. Everyone around them on the tarmac is yelling, and hollering, and hugging, and kissing, and Poe thinks this is a lot like how it happened when the Rebellion destroyed the second Death Star.

The air on Basteel was frigid and felt fantastic on sweaty skin and after being cooped up in an x-wing full of stale air. Rey’s cheeks were already cold under his palm when he cups it, and kisses her again. He never wants to stop kissing her. And why should he? Right now, what’s so important that he has to stop kissing Rey, the most amazing, beautiful, kind, powerful girl in the galaxy. 

He can answer that.

It’s nothing.

Rey’s hands are carding through his helmet-flattened hair, and she grins.

“I can’t believe it,” she murmurs. “After all this fighting...” she trails off, and ends her sentence by kissing him instead.

Finn barrels into them, a bright smile on his bright face, and the three of them are laughing as Rey drops to the group and then they’re all hugging, because can you believe it, the war is ending!

Because it is. It is hard to believe, after everything that’s happened, after everything they’ve all been through. Poe can’t seem to wrap his mind around the fact that in a few months he can go back to Yavin IV, back home, and stay this time, for as long as he wants, because he can. And he’s taking Rey with him. 

Finn, Finn Skywalker, Jedi, Hero of the Galaxy, has decided that he’s going to stay with the Resistance, and help rebuild the galaxy - again. It’ll be a perfect fit for him too, because he’s just that kind of person, the trust-worthy kind, able to pull people together with the sheer strength of his hope, and his incredible strength. It’s, it’s amazing, it blows Poe’s mind. He’s obviously still going to help out with the galaxy, but he thinks, after this, his days of flying high-risk missions are over. He has Rey, and Pa, and maybe - well, he doesn’t want to count his chickens before the hatch.

Eventually, everyone makes their way to the mess hall, and Black Squadron breaks out their hidden alcohol, and Poe and Rey and FInn all get separated, roped into telling tales of their heroics - or more accurately, each telling heroic stories of the others. Even BB-8 is beeping away excitedly to some of the other droids on base, telling how Favorite-Friend-Poe, and Friend-Hero-Rey, and Friend-Jedi-Finn saved the galaxy, and BB helped.

By the time Poe finds Rey again, she’s tucked in a Wookie-sized chair with a glass of bright berry-red Nabooian wine in her hand, and a silly, sleepy smile on her face. He smiles at her, overcome with how much he loves her, and her smiles grows wider, and less-sleepy, like she knows what he’s thinking. She probably does. Poe wedges himself beside her, and she kicks her legs into his lap, and hands him her glass of wine. He takes a sip, and the flavor of it bursts on his tongue, sweet and sharp, like victory - like Rey.

The chaos around them has gotten less raucous. and more quiet. Well, he guessed quiet was a relative term. People had paired off - well, not everyone paired off - and he was pretty sure that was Jess Pava and Kaydel Ko Connix in the corner, making out like there was no tomorrow. He knew Jess was about as straight as Admiral Holdo - that is, not - but he hadn’t realized Captian Connix was too.

Well, you learn something knew everyday.

Rey’s fingers are getting bold. He looks at her, and she’s already looking at him from under her eyelashes, lip between her teeth.

Well, fuck.

He’d figured she was going to want it - she always wants, wants everything she can, and Poe is never going to say no, because she hasn’t gotten to want - he just... didn’t know she was going to want it this soon.

Not that he’s complaining; he’s never going to get tired of her.

He gulps, smooths her cheekbone with his thumb, and kisses her. Her mouth is greedy, wanting, and Poe can feel it curling in his gut. Just as suddenly as he found her, he scoops her up, bridal style, and stands. Rey’s laughing, silly mouth is licking at his throat as he carries her back to their room.

Once they’re in the safety of his locked room, Rey drops from his arms to push the jacket off his shoulders.

“You could be more patient, you know,” he says sternly, but the affect is ruined by his grabbing hands. Rey only huffs and presses her mouth to his.

“And you could be a little more naked,” she tells him, hands untucking his shirt so her hands can slip-slid greedily over his sides and back. Poe pulls her closer to him, sliding his hands under her cotton leggings so he can palm her ass, and then Rey’s pushing him back so she can rid him of his shirt. He lets her run her hands over him again, lick at his pulse, and taste his skin, before he returns the favor, and manages to get her drapey gray tunic off in record time without damaging it.

She hops up into his arms again, and they’re laughing for no reason as Poe dumps them both on the bed. Rey’s hands are chilly on his skin when she slides them down his chest and into his pants, and Poe shivers, tucking his face into her neck. She’s so good, so amazing, and it’s overwhelming, and just - it amazes him every time she chooses him, a scruffy pilot - he still hesitates in calling himself leader - over anyone else who would take her in a heartbeat. 

One of Rey’s hands slide up his back and tangle in the short hairs at the nape of his neck.

“Poe,” she says, her voice soft and hoarse, and he looks her in her pretty hazel eyes, and his heart clenches. 

“You’re so beautiful,” he murmurs, tucking a hand in her hair so he can kiss her.

“Poe,” she says again, in his mouth, like a groan, a gasp, and pulls him closer to her, ever closer.

There’s something buzzing, impatient and wanting inside him, and he wants, he wants, and he can’t stop the words that come tumbling out of his mouth.

“Wanna make a baby?” he asks, unable to help himself, and kisses her pulse, feels it racing under his tongue, and he can feel her throat vibrate with a grown.

“Yes,” she breathes, pulling him back up so she can kiss him, and kiss him again, “yes. Yes, yes.”

Poe meant it, what he said, so he reaches for her hips and pushes her leggings down, pushing a finger, two, between her legs, and his fingers come back slick. He looks back at Rey, his beautiful, wonderful Rey, and she’s staring at him, eyes huge and wanting, and her chest heaves, and he loves her so much. Her hands are pushing, pulling at him, like she can’t decide if she wants him to stop or to keep going, and then she surges up to him, and presses her mouth to his, and she licks into his mouth, and she’s warm and wet and wonderful, and Poe thinks he could die happy tonight.

She rids him impatiently of his pants, and he’s as impatient as she is, and they only care about their pants until they’re off and thrown someplace on the floor, inconsequential. 

Poe - he wants a lot of things at this moment. He wants to go down on her a couple times, or tuck his fingers into her and smother her chest with kisses, and also he just... really wants to bury himself to the hilt in her and fuck her senseless.

Apparently the last option is what Rey wants as well, because she’s tugging him down between her legs and wrapping a fist around his already hard cock, and - Force - he loves her. He slides his hands all over her, unable to keep his greedy hands off her, and pushes two fingers in - which is unnecessary because she’s so slick and wanting, and he can’t wait anymore.

Poe tucks a hand into her loose hair and hitches forward to kiss her, and then he pushes in, and -

“I love you, I love you, I love you,” he tells her, words spilling from his mouth and he can’t stop them, doesn’t want to. Her hands pull at his sweaty back and her mouth scuffs across his shoulder. She doesn’t say anything, but she’s radiating love, so much love, and want, and need, and he wraps an arm around her shoulder and pulls her closer, so he can push harder, faster, and it’s almost too, too much, but if he stops, she’ll kill him and he’ll combust. Rey’s hands tug at his hair and she bites at his mouth, and his mouth is biting at her throat, and then - Then Rey’s going tense and breathless and there’s galaxies behind her eyelids - she’s pretty sure somewhere a star is born because of them - and he’s not far behind. He comes with a groan, pressing I love you’s into her skin, and his fingers feeling bruising tight on her hips.

And then the air feels liquid and warm, and Poe tucks her close to him, lazy and soft. His fingers card through the fine strands of her hair, and Rey’s still pressing kisses to his throat.

“D’you think it worked?” she asks, and it takes Poe as second to realize what she’s talking about. Oh, yeah. He asked her if she wanted to make a baby. He smiles.

“I sure hope so. I mean, we can try again, if you want,” he says, sly, and grins at the looks she gives him.

“We should definitely try again, just to make sure.”

Poe’s smile feels to wide for his face when he kisses her silly mouth.

Poe’s smile feels to wide for his face when the Falcon breaks Yavin IV’s atmo.

He was home, he was home for the first time in months, and there’s a feeling like bubbles filling his chest, because he’s so damn happy. It’s been five months since the beginning of the end, and Poe wouldn’t have left if Finn hadn’t made him, Finn, and Connix, and Octet Aster, one of the new generals, who had practically strong-armed him into going. And then there was the small matter of Rey -

“Just so you know,” Poe says, turning to Rey in the copilot’s seat, “Pa is gonna love you.” 

“I’ve met him before, you know,” Rey says, teasing, but smiles, and shakes her head, face turning pink.

“Yeah, but not in person,” Poe says, reaching over and taking her hand. Then he sobers. “How you feelin’?”

Rey squeezes his hand.

“Brilliantly.” And gives him a brilliant smile to go with it.

The Damerons’ ranch house comes into view and there’s a small figure standing by the landing pad in the back yard. It’s Kes Dameron and is that - that’s a dog leaning against his leg. 

The Falcon touches down gently, and BB-8 is rolling down the hall to lower the ramp. Poe stands and pulls Rey to her feet, and into his arms. He kisses the side of her head.

“I love you, ya know.”

Rey smiles into his shoulder.

“I know.”

She tucks herself into his side and they walk together down the ramp and into the bright Yavi sunlight.

Kes is kneeling by BB-8 and rubbing it’s round belly, while Bee beeps excitedly to him. Kes doesn’t understand binary, but he knows Bee is happy. Anyone can.

Rey and Poe are sharing similar smiles when Kes turns to face two of his three favorite pilots, and then Kes’s face is breaking into a massive smile that’s brighter than the sun. The breeze is blowing into the pair, and pushing Rey’s gray robes back towards her, emphasizing the roundness of her belly. They three meet in the middle, and Kes hugs Poe, and then Rey, and the Poe and Rey. 

“Pa, this is Rey, hero of the galaxy, Jedi,and mother of our child.” Poe can’t help smiling when he says that. “Rey, this is my Pa, excellent cook, terrible with clothes, but all around the best dad in the galaxy.”

All of them are grinning, and BB-8 is rolling circles around them, and the dog - a pretty dog, brown and black, with big ears, and looks strong - chases the round droid.

Poe thinks this is a pretty great way to start his retirement. He knows his parents could - would - attest to that, and as long as Rey is happy, he doesn’t ever want to leave Yavin IV again.

“Well, are you hungry?” Kes asks, scratching as his neck. “I made a lot of food. Now I’m glad I did,” he says, laughingly, glancing at Rey’s belly. 

Rey grins, as the two men laugh, and leans into Poe.

“I actually am kinda hungry,” she tells them, and Poe brushes a thumb over her swollen middle 

“I’d imagine,” he says. “I mean, considering who the kid’s parents are.”

It’s hard not to laugh, and not just because Poe is absolutely right, but because it feels so good to be back home, with the woman he loves, and  his father, and his droid, and apparently, his dad’s new dog, and he’s home.

He’ll have to build them a house, he thinks as they walk back to the house of his childhood. A big house, with lots of room for babies, and their friends, with room for a garden in the back. Poe thinks his dad has the right idea, going into farming after fighting. It’ll keep him busy. Maybe they can start a repair shop, and he and Rey can fix ships and droids, while their little baby toddles around, making friends with the droids, and almost giving its parents heart-attacks.

He thinks that’ll be a good life.

[serceleste]

(Poe/Rey + BB-8, G, 2.7k)  BB-8 had always been a bit of a meddler; in retrospect, Rey probably should have figured out that the droid had ulterior motives in getting her to spend more time with Poe a lot sooner than she did.

For @senatorrorgana in the  @thedamereynetwork secret santa! Her prompt was for matchmaking BB-8, I loved writing this for you and I hope you enjoy it! Happy holidays!

[a-dead-starwars-account]

HEY!!! It’s my @thedamereynetwork secret santa gift for @ya-lady-tauriel who asked for some parallels and piloting (err, did I do it right? please tell me)

Sad thing is, I feel like I haven’t reviewed this clanky fic too well, so I apologize for the mistakes and weird style. I can’t think of a title for this story either lol. Dearest giftee, would you like to do the honors? :)

*peers at my Word processor* it says 3,863 words... 

I sorta addressed some TLJ issues and whipped up an adventurous mess for them to bond over while piloting?  I placed a couple of easter eggs in there too, I guess.

You know what, I dare everyone in our tiny damerey community to point out all the easter eggs and cues/symbols/whatevers I planted nyahahahaha.

The thing about Jakku was that it was Rey's own grasp of normal. The heat, the sand, the grease, and hunger were all familiar things  ̶  things she could deal with, things she could answer.

 Unlike Ahch-To or Crait, where her questions never really found peace.

 She began wondering what Finn would think about coming back here, where it all started. Of course he'd hate it, she told herself. But he'd go anyway, because that's how he is  ̶  selfless and always on the move, like how he always made ways (read: bending around the rules) to rescue someone in need (as Rey hates to admit it, it was sometimes her). And because Rose Tico took a hard hit trying to save him, Finn considered that he should be by her beside while the brave mechanic was recovering safely in Yavin 4.

 Rey thought so too. She wouldn't want to burden anyone with coming back to a horrible place like hers.

 But someone insisted on tagging along. Little round BB-8, who also dragged his master into this sandy mess, wanted to come because the droid thought that some salvageable parts from home could help rebuild their small force.

 Rey wanted to laugh and cry. She, like the Resistance, never felt so hopeless and alone.

 Win or lose, they had to eat. So, she picked up the newly cooked rations and served them on her meager, dusty plate. Poe Dameron, BB-8's master, began helping himself without complaint.

 "It's not my first time in Jakku, but I feel like I haven't seen everything," Poe began, his eyes roaming around the fallen AT-AT refurbished into a small housing unit, "Your home is lovely by the way."

 What an awkward thing to say. Poe wanted to punch himself.

 "Glad you like it. How's the food, also lovely?" Rey deadpanned. Clearly, the young Jedi had a quick catch for snark.

 "I'm sorry, that wasn't right," Poe shook his head, "I think I've done a lot of things that weren't right these past few weeks."

 "Me too," Rey said quietly.

 Poe wanted to contest the idea, that she screwed up as much as he had, but decided that would be another addition to his growing list of mistakes.

 Surprisingly, she continued talking, "I thought I could convince Kylo Ren to turn back, like Luke did for Vader. But if Ren's father couldn't even reach him..." Rey sighed and rested a palm on her face, "That was so stupid of me. I'm not even family."

 "You're wrong," Poe replied, "You’re not stupid and Kylo Ren is not family. But we are," Poe put down his last morsel of bread and took the homing beacon bracelet lent to them while they were scouting the Western Reaches, "I'm not the first recruit of the Resistance but I know deep within my gut that Leia considers us all her children. Kaydel, Finn, Rose, You, Me. Everyone in the Resistance."

 "I should have listened more carefully to Luke," Rey said.

 "Just as I should have been more collected about my mess with Holdo and Leia," Poe said, "I'm a terrible fanboy."

 That earned a little laugh from Rey.

 And Poe felt a weird mix of light and full. He passed the last piece of bread to her, "I know Jedi work is tiring. You'll need more carbs than me," he shyly offers.

 Rey, not wanting to lie, simply took it with a grin.

 BB-8 chirpped about sharing what she has read from the ancient Jedi texts so far.

 "I realized that we've barely scratched the surface. That all Luke taught me was as much as a chapter summary from a textbook," Rey began, "But I'm also slowly understanding some things that have happened to me..."

 "Such as?" Poe, who was all ears at this point, added.

 "Psychometry. Or a form of it, I think," Rey said, "It's why I saw these visions when I first touched Luke's old lightsaber."

 Poe nodded, clearly fascinated with the topic.

"Rose and I talked a bit while we were still on the Falcon. She allowed me to feel her medallion," Rey continued, "It's true what they say, that sisters and brothers have the strongest attachments throughout anyone's lifetime."

 Normally, Poe would have jabbed a joke in there, mentioning how sad it was that he didn't have any siblings aside from BB-8. But he remembered Rose's sister Paige, the last StarFortress Bomber, and how he had pressured everyone into destroying the First Order dreadnaught at all costs ̶ including giving up their own lives.

 "Rose deserves more than an apology from me," Poe slowly said. He was sort of in a daze now, haunted by his episodic, crazed lust for glory and thrill back then.

 Rey took his hand, "She forgives you."

 "How would you know?" Poe countered bitterly.

 Rey closed her eyes and took a deep breath, as though she were reaching somewhere far beyond the edges of the galaxy, "When I felt the medallion, I saw that they both forgive you because they truly believed in the cause," Rey explained, "Forgiveness is a mark of the light."

Fancy words but probably true.

 ***

 After lunch they'd headed outside, about to ride into the ship graveyard until they encountered their first problem.

 "My speeder only seats one," Rey winced.

 "It's okay, I'll walk," Poe replied.

 "No, you'll never get there in time. Or, you'd run into some old friends," Rey said, "You could use the speeder. I'm used to walking this terrain."

 "No no no, I insist."

 And before Rey could retort, BB-8, sitting nicely on the speeder's netted compartment, suggested something silly. 

 "Sit on his lap? That's a little awkward," Rey replied.

 "Wait," Poe said, picking up the sled she often used to drag materials, "We could sort of set up a seat extension?" he timidly offered.

 After the hasty but secure set-up, Rey set herself on the front end and began switching on the speeder. Meanwhile Poe hopped onto the other end, not used to being relegated as a passenger.

 "Before you ask, my baby has locking systems designed to shock anyone else trying to take her," Rey explained, "Maybe later I can encode your access to it but for now, let me enjoy this reunion."

 It only took one mischievous grin and the rusty vehicle suddenly lurched to top speed. Last time Poe felt this shocked was when he and Finn stole a TIE/sf fighter.

 "This thing's damn fast!" he exclaimed, unconsciously holding Rey’s waist tightly as she laughed endlessly.

 "I thought you were one of the best pilots out there, why do you look so scared!" she teased back, still laughing.

 And kriff, her mood was so infectious.

 Poe wasn't terrified, but this talented lady continued to surprise him and shake him more than one of those adrenaline junkie missions he initially took for General Leia Organa. He whooped along with her, relishing old sensations from his childhood when his mother and her A-wing were still around.

 The speeder, without extra cargo, almost floated like a ship. And he could guess that Rey deliberately designed it that way because it was the closest thing she could get to the actual experience of flight.

 Now the girl was not only the last Jedi, but also the new captain of the Millennium Falcon. Unbelievable. And amazing. They arrived at the graveyard too soon.

Rey immediately became immersed in the agenda, not bothering to check on Poe who was tailing cautiously behind her.

 With her new Force powers, the job became much easier. She could pick up energy boosters within a sniff, lift heavy-duty panels without a sweat, and jump towards impossible heights to reach usable trinkets.

 While she kept on hunting several meters ahead, Poe and BB-8 were dragging their ever-growing collection of spare parts. They were falling into a routine until they heard a click of a blaster.

 "I never thought I'd see you again, Rey," said Devi, another scavenger who once worked with her, until Devi and her brainless partner Strunk stole Rey's hard-earned project and left Jakku without a word.

 "Maybe you back off and I'll forget your swindling moof," Rey growled, pointing her blaster at Devi.

 "Thought so. But I couldn't believe it when word got out that Unkar Plutt's best scavenger stole a Corellian freighter and joined the Resistance. Had to see it for myself."

 "Good things come to those who do good," Rey snapped.

 "Maybe, maybe not. Otherwise, you'd never come back here," Devi challenged, "I have a proposition though. Since I know you're a talented one..."

"I'm done dealing with you," Rey interrupted.

 "Heard of the new Cava Races hosted by the Guavian Death Gang?" Devi responded, knowing it would at least pique Rey's interest. Finding that she quieted, Devi continued, "They're holding a race in this area in two days. Catch is, the race is for paired teams, with or without astromech. The grand prize is a good lump of money and the Eravana."

  Rey's eyes widened. The Eravana was Han Solo's bulk freighter, which he used to haul rathtars until they all had to escape in the Falcon and land in Takodana.

 "Word is the Resistance is in dire need of new trash, which I guess is why you're here," Devi said, "We could team up and split the prize."

 "No way," Rey glared at her, "It only takes one mistake for me to never repeat it."

 "So I guess it's plan B then. Take the Blobfish's bounty on you," Devi said, suddenly raising her blaster.

 But of course, Rey was quicker. She aimed at the swindler's shoulder and shot first. She knew enough to simply disarm the woman and use her staff to jab her unconscious. Beastly survival instincts were slowly getting to Rey as she took Devi's datapad and other valuables. To show that she wasn't completely heartless, she dropped one worn-out medpac on Devi's side.

 Shaken from Rey's actions, Poe carefully approached her.

 "That was Devi. Stole a ship I was rebuilding and used it to escape the planet," Rey said, quickly wiping the tears in her eyes, "But after these past weeks, I know better than to just trust anyone."

 Poe rested a hand on her shoulder, "War's a messy time in the galaxy. And we're forced to make hard choices that don't always sit well with us."

 Rey steeled herself and handed him the datapad, "I can't help but wonder if what she said about the race was true. We could race the Falcon and when we win, the Eravana could be useful for the Resistance."

 Poe replied, "I agree but I heard that the Cava Races were restricted to starfighter-sized ships."

 BB-8 kept quiet; thinking about starfighters might remind Poe of losing Black One, his own customized X-wing. Rey also caught onto the emotion.

 "Hey, let's move on. You drive the speeder this time," she tried smiling at him.

 Luckily they weren't far from the exit. Once they reached their ride, Rey began rewiring the speeder's controls. After flicking a bolt, she took Poe's hand and placed it on the bio-sensor. The computer clicked affirmatively and the engines started. The two exchanged smiles before Poe hopped on the front and Rey rode at the back. BB-8 helped himself up, not wanting to disturb his two favorite people.

 The second ride was just as exciting as their first.

 The sun was about to set and they were a klick away from Rey's home when she bid Poe to slow down and stop.

 "I have this funny feeling..." her voice drifted as she stood in front of a lump of sand. She stretched out her two hands and closed her eyes, her breathing slowing down into a meditative trance.

 Poe didn't know what they were doing, but after a few moments he could hear the rickety sounds of metal. It was getting louder and closer, until it climaxed into a booming crash ascending above the sand. Startled, he fell from the speeder and couldn't believe his eyes. On the other side, Rey was also sitting helplessly on the ground, sweating and panting, and shocked with herself.

 She just pulled a TIE Bomber out of nowhere.

 ***

 As soon as they recovered, the two pilots rushed to inspect the ship. Aside from being excessively sprinkled with sand, it only needed minor repairs before it could be ready for launch. It also took them long hours to drag the damn thing back home, but the excitement kept them persistent in the task that they didn't even feel hungry for supper. First thing in the morning, they told themselves, they'd start reassembling the starfighter.

 But these two were too giddy to get some sleep. Side by side they sat on the hammock, barely containing their excitement.

 Poe noticed a Tierfon Yellow Aces helmet on the side and picked it up, "This yours?'

 Rey took the relic and brushed off its dust, "Found it on an X-wing," she answered and wore the oversized headgear, a cheesy grin stuck on her face.

 "I guess you always wanted to be a pilot," Poe inferred.

 "Always," she affirmed breathlessly.

 BB-8 beeped and pointed his head on a rag doll beside Rey. She took it and gave it to Poe, "I always wondered if my parents were heroes like Dosmit Raeh and the other rebels."

 Poe gently brushed his fingers on the doll, "Rebel parents don't tell you much, actually. But you knew it impacted their lives and that they believed in something bigger than themselves."

 Rey nodded, not knowing what to say.

 "Don't be disappointed. Even Leia doesn't like talking about those days," Poe added and rubbed the top of Rey's helmet, "I think if I'll have kids kids I wouldn't want to tell them much either."

 "If I have children, I'd know enough not to leave them behind," Rey frowned, anger and pain simmering beneath the surface, "And if I were Han and Leia's child I wouldn't allow myself to turn into a monster. And I'd make Master Skywalker proud of me."

 Poe could sense the tension within her and found it rather familiar, "I know. I hated how he ripped me in the Finalizer just shortly after I was here. Leia wanted him back so badly. For kriff's sake she spent all her days working just to make the galaxy a better place for her son!"

 Rey shook her head, "I don't want to talk about Kylo Ren anymore. I will never completely understand him."

"Consider that punk boy done," Poe nods in agreement, "We have to put our personal feelings aside if we want to sell this ship."

 "Sell it? Aren't we supposed to race it?" Rey asked, surprised.

 "I still think it's too risky. I don't wanna gamble now," Poe says calmly.

 "But we can! Poe, you're the best pilot in the galaxy...well, next to me," Rey defends, dropping her own sneaky confidence in the process.

 Poe raise an eyebrow.

 "We could win this together," Rey said, grasping both of his hands, "Think of how much this can help the Resistance."

 "No. Besides we might get identified by any First Order sympathizers."

 "Who said we were going to fly as Rey and Poe Dameron?"

 ***

 "Jaina and Jag Fel, huh?" the registration officer peered at the two scrappy humans in oversized TIE pilot helmets in front of her, "Where from?"

 "Corellia, originally," Poe added a bit too hastily, unconsciously scratching the Resistance logo hidden behind their black jumpsuits. Thank the Maker they both knew to sew the ripped clothing meticulously.

 "Settled down on Tatooine," Rey added, "But life got boring so we decided to travel around, seeking the thrills of the galaxy."

 "You want fancy thrills, you go to Canto Bight," the nonchalant officer said and simply transferred the relevant information about the race into their datapad, "Good luck and hope you make it out alive," came her dull farewell.

 Worried looks were exchanged between Rey and Poe.

 ***

 "Worse than Shantipole itself," Poe muttered as he read through the planned race track. It wasn't even a race as much as it was truly a survival contest. The violent gasses and lightning-charged atmosphere of Rycraig were enough of a problem, but then it had to have a field of moving asteroids and unpredictable planetary gravity.

 People whispered that Han Solo and Darth Vader were the only beings to have escaped the terrors of Rycraig. For others, it meant an expensive suicide.

 "I don't buy it. I believe the Force can help us do the impossible," Rey said.Poe didn't want to ruin her optimism; he needed it as much as she did.

 And because they were a late entry, they didn't have much of a preparation time to begin with.

 "All systems go, BB-8?" Rey turned to the round astromech who nodded.

 "May the Force be with us," Poe shakily whispered as they punched the TIE bomber controls into hyperspace.

 ***

 "For hutt's sake!" Poe exclaimed as the given coordinates put them right within the planetary stratosphere. He immediately nudged the controls westward before one of those pesky asteroid-like debris could hit their ship.

 Rey was too shocked to talk, but she knew to activate their skimpy deflector shields.

 The race announcer was babbling about their pseudonyms and the names of other five entries. And because Poe and Rey mindlessly named their ship Stardust, they became the joke of the show.

 The two pilots were too busy to care. They approached the race course and formed up just two seconds before the competition started.

 More asteroids came their way and had instantly taken out two contenders. All other surviving ships were paces ahead of them and they were still adjusting to the unstable environment.

 Another set of debris bombarded them; Rey and Poe tightly maneuvered their vehicle out of the mess.

 "It's a matter of quick reflexes, this race!" Poe commented before moving the ship a bit higher, as the gravity was heavily pulling them down.

 However, Rey levered the opposite way and the machine whined from the strain.

 "What?!" Poe exclaimed. A rock swiftly hurled itself towards their previous high trajectory and he realized that hadn't Rey lowered them, they would've been toast.

 "It's not just about reacting to change, but anticipating it," Rey advised Poe before guiding the ship through another unexpected hurdle.

 Poe thought it through. There had to be a little pattern in the maze. Or, he had to trust his gut feelings like some clairvoyant.

 No, he could hear the damn cackling rocks and their expected paths!

 It took more concentration, but listening helped. Poe whisked Stardust lower before twirling it slowly into a diagonal ascent, avoiding a large, similarly-shaped metal scrap.

 The pair grinned and fell into sync.

 Minutes later, a barrage of lightning was followed by deafening thunder and they could soon see one starfighter falling into the abyss below. A storm was brewing up and things were just about to get far, far worse. Their perception of the obstacles had not only blurred but also deafened.

 "Oh no," Rey gasped. The fear overtook them and soon, consecutive waves of rocks hit their ride. Alarms warned that shields were at four percent.

 "Any new ideas are most welcome!" Poe shouted. BB-8 was whirring a string of panicky beeps too.

 "I should have set up more sophisticated scanning systems," Rey groaned.

 That made Poe pause for a moment and Rey continued the abrupt evasive motions of their TIE bomber as they saw remains of the another contestant ship being flung away from the track.

 "You have the Force. That's pretty sophisticated," Poe blurted.

 They shared another quick look at each other.

 No time for arguments. It's now or never.

 "Time to test your accuracy skills, Poe Dameron," Rey said. She closed her eyes, steadied her breathing, and rested a hand on Poe's shoulder.

 Luke Skywalker said that the Force was about balance, and now she had to find it between their dying ship and the barbaric planet.

 "Boy, we Damerons must have trusted Jedi too much," Poe panicked.

 "Turn to point nine...now!" Rey commanded. Poe swerved the ship accordingly. No asteroid hits; they were still alive. BB-8 squealed.

 "Do a quick left then bring it up...now!" Rey said and Poe followed.

 "Level our baby up," Rey cautioned.  

 The TIE Bomber shifted position and they can feel the overpowering presence of gravity.

 "BB-8, activate thrusters on full reverse," Rey instructed.

 "We have reverse thrusters on this thing?!"

 "Trust me..." she squeezed Poe’s shoulder. They could hear their last rival ship zooming past them, its starboard wing missing the Stardust by mere centimeters.

 And then came a loud, resounding explosion.

 Poe wanted to exhale but Rey interrupted, "Tilt six point five degrees to the right and keep her steady."

 Unbeknownst to them, their starfighter suavely ran through a needle gap between two gigantic boulders  ��  without a scratch. After those chilly seconds, they could hear thunderous applause from the audio commentary.

 Jag and Jaina (read: Poe and Rey) just won the seasonal Cava Race.

 ***

By sheer luck (and the Force), they encountered no issues in getting their prize. Turns out that the new Guavian heads just wanted to get rid of the unnecessary Han Solo souvenir they held and were looking to kill some cocky pilot rivals along the way. Long before the bosses could visit and offer Rey and Poe a criminal job, the trio had jumped back to Jakku using untraceable algorithms designed by Rose. They picked up Rey's remaining valuables and met up with Chewbacca, everyone's ever-trustworthy friend, on the Falcon.

 They sure love their smooth endings.

 "So you regret trusting your life to a Jedi?" Rey asked, sitting comfortably on an empty crate next to her speeder.

 Poe chuckled and sat beside her, "Best decision of my life," he took out the ring necklace he always wore beneath his shirts, contemplating, "No wonder my mom kept reminding little me to trust the Force."

 "Was that her wedding ring?" Rey tilted her head, being naturally curious.

 Poe glanced at Rey and took the necklace off, placing it on her palm, "I want to know what you can see about my mother."

 Understanding the immeasurable value of the item, she used her free hand to firmly keep Poe's hand on top of her open palm. Closing her eyes, Rey concentrated, allowing the Force to flow, to provide timeless tales and insights of Poe's mom, Shara Bey.

 She slowly opened her hazel eyes and looked into Poe's orbs, just as brown as his mother's. Rey didn't let go of his hand either; she could also sense Poe's deepest wish  ̶  to spend even just one more second with his first hero and tell her all about his recent adventures, and to ask if she was proud of him as much as he was proud of her.

 "She loved you very much. And she was a wonderful woman. Brave and charming like her own son," Rey smiled, "And like all who have joined the Force, she's never really gone."

 Finally, Rey let go of one of her hands to wipe Poe's tears.

[randomadventurousallie]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Poe Dameron/Rey, Minor Finn/Rose Tico - Relationship, Rey & D-0, Finn & Rey (Star Wars) Characters: Poe Dameron, Rey (Star Wars), Finn (Star Wars), Rose Tico, Mentions of Leia Organa - Character Additional Tags: office Christmas party, Office Party, damereysecretsanta, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Damerey Secret Santa Exchange, Enemies to Lovers, Love Confessions, supportive best friend finn, d-0 is a dog, so is bb-8 - Freeform, use of alcohol, Drinking Summary:

The day after the annual office Christmas party, Rey reflects on a huge confession shared to her by a very drunk Poe Dameron, her so called enemy at work. Or was he?

---

“We’re co-workers who hate each other but you had too much to drink at the staff christmas party and admitted your love for me i don’t know how to act around you now”