Poe takes Finn on a romantic getaway, ice skating and kissing in the snow follows
Finn was buzzing with anticipation as Poe skilfully and gently guided his X-Wing into land. Craning his neck to see out of the thick glass of the cockpit, he caught a glimpse of an expanse of perfectly smooth ice.
The planet was so far away from the galaxy's sun that without their thermal and thick furred clothing they would have frozen to death within two hours. It was a hostile, improbable place to settle. A few races had tried, all had left after they realised the planet had nothing to offer if a settlement was built on the freezing surface.
They clambered down from the X-Wing and Finn gasped as his breath was snatched from his throat. He exhaled sharply, his breath rising before his eyes in a cloud so dense he felt like he could almost reach out and hold it.
"You think this is cold," Poe grinned, reaching out and straightening the fur-lined hat on Finn's head, "you should come here when this planet is at its furthest point in its orbit from the sun."
"You're saying this is its summer time?" Finn asked incredulously, eyes wide as he stared around at the endless expanse of ice.
Poe laughed, the noise infectious and warming Finn's heart, "You could say that. Come on, we'd better get moving if we're to reach the point before it happens."
"Are you being vague on purpose?" Finn snorted as Poe hitched the strap of the bag he carried higher up his shoulder and turned in a seemingly random direction and began striding off.
"I told you, buddy, it's a surprise. Now, come on!"
Finn sighed and headed after Poe. He fell into step beside the Resistance fighter and gazed around at the bare but stunning landscape. The sun was sinking lower in the sky though Finn knew with the planet's orbit it would never disappear from the sky entirely. He glanced over his shoulder and saw, behind the dwindling silhouette of the X-Wing, a great white moon breaching the horizon and above it overhead a smaller, more distant circle of pale blue.
Realising he had stopped and was gapping in awe at the sight, Finn shook himself and jogged to catch-up with Poe. The ice they walked on was covered with a thin layer of snow possibly centuries old, it never got cold enough for it to melt. It was from the first and only time it had ever snowed on the planet, Finn wondered when that had been; just how old was this planet?
There was an incline and by the time they reached the peak both men were panting heavily. Oxygen levels on the planet were breathable but thinner than they were used to, it was making Finn slightly lightheaded. Pausing on the top of the frozen hill, Poe put his hands on his hips, smiling broadly as he caught Finn's eye. Unable to help but return it, Finn reached out and clumsily took hold of Poe's gloved-hand in his own. He could barely feel the older man squeeze his hand through the two thick layers of clothing.
Poe leaned in, pulling down the scarf he had hitched up over his nose and mouth as he had walked, "It will be worth it, I promise."
"I believe you," Finn said, leaning in a brushing is dry, cold mouth against Poe's slightly warmer one. He would believe anything the pilot told him. Poe returned the gentle movement of lips, running his tongue across Finn's bottom lip. Finn groaned in relief at the touch of the man's tongue, feeling so hot against his chilled skin. After another heartbeat, Poe pulled back and winked at Finn and he tugged the red scarf back over the lower-half of his face.
"Come on, it's almost time."
"Are we almost there?" Finn asked, still none the wisher of where exactly there was. Poe put an arm around Finn's shoulders and turned his body slightly so he was looking out over the landscape. Finn saw that the hill they stood on was actually the rim of a huge but shallow crater. There must have been water in the crater once but now it was frozen completely, creating a gigantic bowl of trapped ice. The crater was so large that Finn could barely see the opposite side.
"Wow," he gasped, dark eyes wide in disbelief, "That's amazing."
"You've seen nothing yet," Poe told him in a voice deep and excited, it made a shiver run down Finn's spine – despite it being made of mostly metal after his life-saving surgery.
"One," the pilot whispered in Finn's ear, their sides pressed flushed together. Finn shifted his feet in anticipation, he wasn't sure where he should be looking, out at the crater or at Poe.
"Two," Poe's scarf-covered mouth nuzzled against Finn's jaw playfully.
"Three," Finn whispered under his breath.
Out across the crater, the sinking sun hit the position Poe had been waiting for and suddenly the ice filling the great hole was shining as if millions of tiny pinpricks of fire were trapped beneath its surface. Finn's mouth fell open and he dimly heard Poe's rich chuckle caress his ear. The sunlight glittered across the ice, reflecting off of it forcing Finn to narrow his eyes. He felt Poe's gloved-hand nudge his chin upwards and he looked up from the crater below to see snaking ripples of colour across the sky. Blue, Green, yellow, orange, red, purple, pink, they all danced above them in a glowing aroura, moving with such grace that Finn found himself hypnotised. He hadn't known there was such beauty in this galaxy or any other. It was as if the ice was made of diamond, how it gleamed, and the sky was awash with twisting waves of colour, as if it was liquid, an ocean of magical wonders.
"I knew you'd like it," said Poe softly beside him and Finn finally tore his eyes away from the aroura to look at the pilot. The sunlight reflecting off the ice was illuminating his face, giving the appearance his skin was the colour of gold. His features were striking defined in the light, making them appear sculptured like an ancient statue.
"I-it's beautiful," Finn whispered, though he wasn't sure himself if he was talking about their surroundings or the man beside him, "thank you, thank you, Poe, for bringing me here."
Poe's smile widened and looked out over the crater, "It's not over yet."
"What?" Finn gapped, "what else could there be?"
The pilot held out the bag and shook it, "I didn't carry this all the way for nothing."
"What's in it?" Finn asked as Poe unzipped it. He peered inside and saw two pairs of boots with what looked like polished blades on the soles. "What are they?"
Poe grinned wolfishly, "Let me show you."
