Night Changes

Desire

Poe stood next to Charlie on the tarmac, waiting impatiently with his stomach in knots of excitement and anticipation. Even Charlie was shifting from foot to foot, uncharacteristically quiet while watching the transport ship slowly landing. When it hit the ground and the flight intake crew moved forward to help with debarking, he tossed Poe his signature grin.

"Ready, Flyboy?"

Poe laughed, "What does that even mean?" He glanced down at his shirt, straightening it for the tenth time before smoothing his hair carefully. "It's been two years, I'd have gone to pick her up myself if they would have let me."

"That's my point," His friend replied smoothly, raising a brow at Poe, who gazed back at his best friend, bewildered. "Two years apart, barely been able to speak with her, you keep her picture in your inner pocket here," He tapped Poe over the heart, where the picture would be if he was in his flight suit, "You two are the most clueless lovebirds, I swear. Don't hold back on my account."

Glancing at the ship to see the ramp still hadn't lowered, Poe frowned, a rush of emotions swirling within. "You...uh, knew how I-?"

Charlie clapped Poe on the shoulder, "Isn't there a term for it? Soulmates, I think. Yeah."

"Charlie, I don't think-"

Charlie rolled his eyes, "I'm not saying anything else about it, don't worry. Just wanted you to know I understand why you took so long picking the perfect shade of sand shirt to wear under your jacket."

Poe hummed in response, stunned by the casual way his friend spoke like everything was inevitable. He wasn't so sure, though he'd always thought the term 'soulmate' could apply to platonic relationships. And while he was pretty sure he'd never just felt platonic toward you in any sense, Poe wasn't going to get his hopes up that you actually may return his feelings.

Two years ago, Poe had held you the entire night before his and Charlie's departure for D'Qar, cried along with you over how impossible it felt to part, to not see each other every day when his life had been wrapped around yours since as long as he could remember. He had left a part of himself there with you on Yavin-4, and now you were about to disembark your transport ship and unknowingly hand it back to him by simply being with him, real and tangible.

He was nervous to see you, he didn't know why. Maybe Charlie's words were only highlighting Poe's own concerns now that you were mere moments away. He had barely even been able to get in contact with you for two years, he and Charlie were far enough away and regularly over-worked that it was impossible to do as much as they both would have liked. What if you climbed off of this ship as a completely different person? Perhaps things wouldn't be as easy and natural between you both now, after so long apart.

He'd gotten through these past two years without you knowing he would always have his memories of you, that before he knew it you would be with him-and Charlie-again, and new memories could be made. Maybe you didn't feel the same. Regardless, the last thing Poe was going to do when he finally had you back was confessing his feelings and risk fucking everything up straight off the cuff. He'd lived with these feelings for a long time, he could continue to do so now.

Lost in his thoughts, Charlie suddenly stood taller next to Poe, who glanced at his friend to find he was beaming toward the transport ship. Following his gaze, he first saw that the ramp was down and many of the passengers were now splitting away meeting friends and family. It only took him a moment from then to locate you.

The moment his eyes landed on you, excitedly bouncing down the ramp with a duffel bag over your shoulder, eyes searching wildly around, Poe felt every single worry melt, and a heavyweight on his shoulders seemed to lift away. You still looked like you, and stars were you ever beautiful, the loveliest woman-because, you were a woman now, not a kid, not a goofy teenager-he'd ever laid eyes on. He drank you in, during those moments you hadn't yet spotted Charlie's waving arm. Two years had given your curves a new classification, a reverence within Poe rising as he gazed briefly in surprise at the swell of your breasts, the fullness in your hips.