Force Destiny

Tea

Their search of the hidden compartments had been successful, and Rey and Rose had been working in companionable silence when the ship lurched out of hyperspace. Rey followed Rose toward the cockpit to question Finn when she heard a noise from the galley. She stopped, backtracking until she stood at the entrance, staring at none other than Poe Dameron. He was standing at the counter, preparing himself a cup of caf or tea.

"What are you doing here?"

"Finn didn't tell you?" Poe asked, the inflection of his voice suspiciously high. "I was in the area; I had to drop off a... package with Maz, so I wanted to rendezvous with you all before you head to Ilum."

Rey scoffed and muttered, "I didn't know Kamino was 'in the area.'"

"So you've talked to your Supreme Leader boyfriend, huh?" Her heartbeat quickened as she realized her mistake, but before her thoughts began to spiral, he smirked over his shoulder. "Is he pissed?"

There was a building uneasiness that prickled along her skin. It wasn't that Poe knew she had seen Kylo again after the incident in the war room that concerned her—he knew they were bonded—but because he was joking about it. This was the man who had pretended to kill her to get at the Supreme Leader.

He must be in a good mood because he destroyed Ben's army. "Yes, he is," she admitted, watching his reaction carefully. "Naturally, he believed I did it."

"Truce?" He turned around to reveal two cups of tea. The look he gave her reminded her of when Plutt sold off-worlders a "good deal" on his old junk. The last time she had seen Poe, he had accused her of swearing loyalty to the Supreme Leader. He had forced her hand, demanding she hand him the vial in good faith, then he used it, knowing Kylo had entrusted her with it. The last time she saw him, he had revealed his plan of drawing her bondmate into a trap.

"What changed? I thought you didn't trust me?"

"Destroying those clones put everything into perspective for me. You told the truth, about the clones, the vial, all of it, so I realized that the only reasonable explanation is you were telling the truth about everything else. If it wouldn't have been for you willingly giving us that information, I would have had no idea they existed. We need you to win this war, Rey; your information on the Supreme Leader that you are gathering during your mission could be vital, and his trust in you could be what we need to eventually draw him into a trap if those negotiations you mentioned don't go as planned. I've decided to trust you," he said, extending his arm to offer her the tea. "Will you trust me? Honestly, all I've ever wanted was to do what was necessary to win the war my parents sacrificed so much to win."

Rey withheld a sigh of relief. He believed her. As long as he believed Kylo was only a mission to her, they were safe. When she looked in his eyes as he spoke the last words, all she found was truth. She had known that about him all along; it was why Leia had put her faith in him to lead them. He would do anything for the survival of the Resistance. It had put them at odds before, but it didn't have to. He could help her turn Kylo, save him, if he realized it would help them win the war. Still, as much as he said he trusted her, she had to be cautious with her trust; he had betrayed her already.

She accepted the proffered cup, sipping it slowly as she carefully selected her words. "I'll trust you, Poe, but he no longer trusts me after Kamino. I don't know how much more help I can be."

Poe didn't seem discouraged, as if he'd expected that reaction. Perhaps, he had. "Maybe I can help if I talk to him. Or Finn can do it, if you don't trust me. If he explains that I gave you no other choice, then Ben will know you didn't betray him."

He said his name.

It was difficult not to be charmed by Poe's easy explanation, but after he ordered her to kiss him in front of her bondmate, she wasn't keen to allow them in the same room together: not yet. That didn't mean she couldn't use his newfound trust in her to her advantage. A smile grew on her face as she sipped her tea. She had felt so hopeless before, being pulled two different ways, but she could see it now—how they could win.