Built To Fall | Poe Dameron

You Could Use A Good Kiss

Evangeline's P.O.V.

"Well... Dad and Chewie are setting up the Falcon. Finn is probably ready by now, too." Rambling to my mother, I offer her a brief smile. "I... I guess I'll see you when we get back."

"Take care of those boys." Leia sighs while tilting her head with a crooked smile. "Force knows your father needs someone to save his skin."

I let out a snort from my mother's joke before nodding to her, silently telling her I will. We stare at each other for a moment before bringing each other into a hug. Sighing into my mother's shoulder, I let Leia for once be the mother she is for me, rather than be the General she is for the Resistance.

It's always been hard for me to have a mother who's an important political and war figure. Though, right now, I allow myself to only see her as the woman who brought me into this galaxy. We've bumped heads in the past because I couldn't see her as just my mother figure, but I won't let that be the case this time.

"May the force be with you, always." Leia whispers into my ear before pulling away from me. Nodding to her, I say for the first in seven years. "And may the force be with you."

We smile at one another before I turn away from her on the docking bay and head toward my father's ship. The platform's packed with people setting up starfighters and battle equipment. The Falcon is all the way on the other side of the docking bay, but it won't take me long to reach it.

Glancing around the bay as I walk, I see Poe and BB-8 yards away from me. Poe's preparing his starfighter for flight and BB-8 is settling into his seat on the back of it. Poe's gaze finds mine in the distance, but the second our eyes meet, he turns away like he'll catch on fire.

He continues setting up his starfighter as if he doesn't know I'm near and it makes me roll my eyes. Poe's behavior toward me, ever since the battle plan meeting, has been distance and cold. I don't have to ask to know why Dameron's suddenly giving me the cold shoulder. 

Half an hour ago, I agreed to go with Han, Chewie and Finn into the First Order's base. The plan is to shut down the defense shields and save Finn's friend. However, my father and I have an unspoken mission that's only for us; we plan on bringing my brother back home. 

During the battle plan meeting, I could tell Poe didn't love how I volunteered to be a part of the mission to infiltrate the First Order's base. At first, I thought it was because he's worried Kylo Ren will capture me again. Though, after getting the silent treatment from Poe freaking Dameron for the past half hour, I know exactly why he doesn't want me for this mission.

Poe, the pilot who's all flirt and cockiness, wants me to stay by his side. For the last few months, I've been on missions with just him or with his black-wing squad. This will be my first mission in the Resistance, where I won't be with Poe.

I sense he wants me to stick with him for selfish and personal reasons, which is why he hasn't argued with me about my choice of mission. Passing Dameron's star-fighter, I suddenly stop walking, knowing I should at least say something to him like I did with my mother a few moments ago. Sighing to myself, I turn to face the Commander's X-Wing and wander towards it, planning on saying a simple goodbye.

"Well, Dameron..." I speak up while coming to Poe, who's acting busy by messing with a circuit board on his star-fighter. Glancing around us, trying to pretend I don't notice his distance demeanor, I say casually. "I guess this is it."

Poe's hands stop messing with wires, and he glances over his shoulder to look at me. Our eyes meet and I can see him trying to hold back any emotion he's feeling right now. Waiting for him to say something, I watch Poe nod once slowly and mumble thinnly.