more than friends

chapter twelve

REY'S POV

        I don't remember deciding to take Poe's hand, but it just feels right. I've had a lot of trouble truly trusting people, but with Poe it just feels natural.

Everything is dark. It's so cold, and I shiver. Out of the darkness steps Ben- I mean Kylo Ren.
"How are you here?" I ask.
"I felt something. You were in trouble. But now I realize you're just unconscious."
Unconscious? The memories of crashing the Falcon flood my mind. I need to wake up and make sure that Poe is okay. But I can't now. I have some unfinished business with Kylo.
"Snoke is dead. How can this be happening?" It wasn't so much as a question, but a demand. A demand that he give me the answers I need.
He stares daggers at me, and I notice for the first time his face. It was scarred before; I know because I gave him those scars, but there's something else. Something deeper.
"I don't know. But when we touched hands-"
How dare he.
"It meant nothing. I thought I saw you turn against the Dark Side. When you killed Snoke, I thought you did. I was foolish to think so. You just wanted to get him out of your way," I spit these words out, and I realize for the first time that when we touched hands I wasn't sensing him turn against the Dark Side, I was sensing him turning against Snoke. He flinches and shakes his head.
"My previous offer still stands," he says trying to be business like.
"I will never join you. Let the past die, right? I never want to see you here again. And if I do, you will die. That's a promise."

        I'm swaying, up and down. I feel cold air on my face. I feel course, tense hands around my middle and my knees. I know I'm unconscious, and I can't wake up. I can't see anything, I can just barely  feel. This planet is wrong. Even if the imbalance is in my favor, it's wrong. There is too much Light. It's as if this realization is restoring my senses. First my hearing.
"Come on, Rey." It's Poe.
Then my smell.
The crisp scent of the surrounding trees, and a hint of perspiration and X-wing fuel. Poe. He's okay. Then the foul smell of mud and weeds.
Then feeling.
Poe's hands are on my middle, pushing on my ribs in an effort to shock me back to consciousness.
Then taste.
At first it's blood, probably from the crash. But it's something else.
"Here we go," I hear Poe say, exasperated.
I feel smooth, soft lips on mine. I sense desperation. A puff of air comes and I force myself up abruptly.
I can see everything.
The Falcon, halfway submerged in a murky swamp. The haphazard way a bed of leaves have been arranged underneath me. My blood soaked robes. And Poe. He's right there. Like, right there. We're only inches apart, and I'm getting some serious deja vü. Was it only hours ago that I saved him? Now, his breathing is heavy, which I assume is accurate for me, too. I'm out of breath. For more reasons than the fact that I wasn't breathing a few seconds ago. I  lick my lips and take in the sensation that was just on them. He was only saving your life, Rey. Why do I sense that is was more than that? I'm at a loss for words, and Poe breaks our shared silence. By putting his hands on my shoulders.
"Are you okay? Please say you're okay."
I don't know whether it's the reassuring hands on my shoulders, the genuine concern in his eyes, or just the fact that I'm alive. I don't even know what to say.
"Because I don't think I could live with myself if I let a Jedi Master die," He says grinning. I bet Finn told him about that. Finn. How could I not know that he liked me? But maybe I did know. I just denied it because I don't feel the same way.
I can't help but laugh.
"I think I'd have to issue an official Jedi reprimand."
"What's that?"
"I don't know, but I figure I have some time to make it up," I reply.
Witty banter. Isn't that just flirting? Oh my god, am I flirting with Poe?
I reluctantly break our eye contact, but that's also good, because I could get lost in those eyes.
The Falcon. It's sinking further in by the minute.
"I have to get it out." I stagger and try to stand up, only to find my legs collapsing underneath me. I'm just gonna do it sitting.
I reach out, quite literally this time. I can't help but think of my time with Luke on the island. My first lesson. Although it was only a week ago, I feel I've grown quite a lot. Shit. I probably shouldn't have thought about Luke at this moment of crisis. Why was is so natural and easy to pull the dragonsnake out of the water but now I can't pull the Falcon? Probably because the thought of Luke is saddening. The reality of his death is setting in; slowly and painfully.

"Alright. You can try that later," Poe has taken my outstretched hand in his and is pulling me, painfully I might add, to my feet.

"I was doing fine myself," I say, slightly annoyed at his constant need to help me. Maybe I'm just being stingy, though.

"Rey. You tried to get up, fell, and then you reached out your hand and started crying out. I'm sorry but that didn't sound under control." 
That's it.

"Okay. You know what? I'm sick and tired of you constantly trying to protecting me. From the moment we met on the Falcon all the way to now, your only concern has been me. I would think that you of all people would understand the need for independence!"

A/N
SORRY SORRY SORRY it's been so long and this chapter is kinda short but hey!, not all of them can be action-packed. thanks for all the inspiring words, votes, and comments! It's made me motivated to update more often. i hope you enjoyed this chapter loves 💕