Built To Fall | Poe Dameron

Rookie Mistake

"Handsome, heroic, good with the ladies?" I pipe up while my lips form a smirk all on their own. She snorts at my words before correcting me and shaking her head. "Try arrogant, careless, and just plain stupid."

"Are you flirting with me, Solo? I dig it." I tease lightheartedly, making her roll her eyes at me. Sighing, I finally say what I've been thinking since she ran from me. "Okay, what is it? Why don't you like the resistance? Or handsome pilots trying to save you?"

"I don't have a problem with the resistance or ignorant pilots." She answers like people have asked her before. "I just don't like them roping me into their messes."

"Because you can't hack it anymore..." I say in a condescending tone, knowing it will rile her up. The general's daughter glares my way, and I chuckle while teasing her. "What can I say? I saw you do a lot of running today than fighting... Seems like you can't take the heat anymore."

There's silence again between us again and I let out a breath as if this is not how I wanted things to go between us. I thought Evangeline and I would be on better terms than this, but this isn't the Jedi I pictured taking back to Leia. However, she is acting like the daughter of Han and Leia I thought I would pick up.

"Okay. Humor me." I blurt out, not liking how the silence is making tension in the cockpit. "Why do you not like getting roped into the resistance's problems?"

"What's it to you? You're getting the ranking you want, delivery boy."

She grunts at me with a bored expression while tiredly yanking at our restraints. Evangeline sits her seat without a care in the world that she's being taken to the resistance and her mother. Watching her strangely, I shake my head and mumble.

"This is going to be a long ride."

Evangeline's P.O.V.

"Can you still do Jedi voodoo tricks?"

Poe asks and I feel my eye twitch because this man won't shut up, while all I want is some peace and quiet. Slouching in my seat, I glance around the cockpit, wondering what I can do to get out of this. Dameron is casually steering the wheel, and I can sense him feeling uneasy about my attitude.

Good.

I'm not ready to see my mother. Hell, I'm not ready for the responsibility she's going to shove at me. I know the moment I get to the resistance's base, my mother is going to tell me how much they need me and how I need to track down Kylo Ren and Luke.

I haven't seen my brother and uncle since the day he ranked me a Jedi Knight. It's because of that stupid rank my brother became Kylo Ren and Luke disappeared. If our uncle just granted both of us Jedi Knights, none of this would have happened.

Years ago, all I wanted was to be ranked a Jedi Knight, just like Dameron here really wants to be a commander. However, my rank lost me a home, a brother, an uncle, and basically everything in between. If I go to the resistance, it will just remind me more about the old days.

"What would you like me to call you, dollface?" Poe asks another question in a playful tone and I can tell he's pulling out all the stops to get me to stop my silent brooding. "Sunshine, baby, sweetheart, honeybun?"

"Eva is fine."

Rolling my eyes, I slouch more in my seat, yanking my cuffed wrist just to remind me that's why I'm here. Out of all the pilots my mother sent, she sent the most irritating one. Can't this guy take a hint?

"That's no fun. All my girls have pet names."

He teases and I feel a vein popping on my forehead from knowing he's doing everything to get under my skin. Maybe I should have taken my chances with the Guavian Death Gang. For a moment, it's silent in the cockpit and I let out a breath of relief.