Poe refuses to leave Finn's bedside.
Finn was unconscious and inside the surgical machine, the tiny robotic arms with their multiple tools buzzing as they tried to fix the wreck that was Finn's spine. A surgeon, two doctors and two nurses were crowded around. Poe had refused to leave the room, he stubbornly stayed by Finn's side. He held his hand, murmuring soft nothings under his breath. With his thumb he began to subconsciously trace symbols onto the back of the other's hand.
The operation was a long and complex one, twice the machines began to beep frantically as Finn's blood pressures and heartrate dropped dangerously low. On the second time, Poe was forcibly removed from the room, two men seizing him under his arms and dragging him kicking and shouting Finn's name outside. He paced up and down, worrying his bottom lip between his teeth till it was red raw and raking his hands roughly through his fly-away hair. One of the nurses eventually reappeared and told him Finn had stabilised. He rushed back inside and snatched up Finn's hand. He was shaking as he bent down quickly and pressed his lips to the back of Finn's hand.
By the time the operation was complete and Finn was moved to the makeshift recovery ward, at the field base it was little more than a long tent with rows of cots, Poe had been both physically and mentally exhausted. But he still refused to return to his own quarters and rest. Instead, he went with Finn and sat down in a chair beside his bedside. Poe took Finn's hand once more and threaded their fingers together.
"I'm not going anywhere," he promised Finn, scrapping his chair closer to the bed so he could rest against it, "Not this time."
Poe's mind wandered as he watched Finn's unconscious face and he slowly ran his thumb over the soft skin on the back of the younger man's hand. Finn's eyes beneath their lids moved and his breathing become heavier.
"It's alright, Finn," Poe had whispered, stroking his arm, "I'm here, I've got you." Finn settled down, the dream or nightmare passing.
With his fingertip, Poe started to trace words on Finn's skin, closing his eyes as he did. Despite his best intentions to stay awake, he was powerless to resist the pull of sleep. He ended up resting half on the bed, his head almost in Finn's lap.
Poe was awoken by cautious fingers stroking his hair. For a moment he just laid there, eyes still closed, enjoying the soothing sensation. When he did open his eyes and blearily looked up to see Finn awake and smiling weakly at him, his stomach flipped.
Poe sat bolt upright, "Finn, oh thank the Force!" He couldn't hold himself back, he leaned in and kissed the ex-Stormtrooper. Finn gasped in surprise and Poe was about to pull back and apologise when he felt Finn's hand shyly run up his arm and loop over his shoulder to rest on the nape of his neck. As Finn began to gently kiss him back, Poe relaxed and finally let go of the tension and fear that had been consuming him since he first saw Finn lying bleeding and unmoving. Finn was alright, he was awake and kissing him.
When they broke apart Poe gasped breathlessly, "Sorry it took me so long to do that."
Finn's hand on the back of his neck squeezed ever so slightly as he said huskily, "We'd better start making up for lost time then."
Poe was all too happy to comply.
