Solo's Jedi ~Poe Dameron/Star Wars ~

Chapter Twelve: Our Fight

Maz's castle was full of criminals, but I doubted that any were as sought after than us, and Maz had probably guessed that as she provided us with a table at the back of the castle. It was the furthest away from all the other guests where we wouldn't attract too much attention, far enough for it to give us the necessary privacy but still in a loud enough area of the cantina for no one to easily overhear us.

I was on edge ever so slightly, not used to being around this many people after so long of isolating myself, not to mention the nature of our business. It wouldn't have surprised me if we'd already been recognised, and out of sheer nerves for what I thought was the inevitable, my hand rested at my belt, on my blaster. Even with my nerves though, I knew better than to let it show. If I acted suspicious I would draw more attention to us, so I sat taking a few deep breaths, staring down at the table. Either side of me was Finn and Rey, and I wondered how they were feeling. I'd grown up visiting places like this, and given their backgrounds I wouldn't have been surprised if this was both of their first times in a cantina. I thought by sitting in between them I would reassure them, put them at ease at least. 

Except sitting between the two, I was thrown back to a time before all the chaos, a time when I would sit in between Izzy and Erika during lessons. It hurt to think of my two lost friends, especially when I realised I'd never felt so contented with two people like I did with Finn and Rey, not since losing the twins. Poe was different, of course, but the way I felt around Finn and Rey was something I'd not felt for a long time, appreciative of their company, and protective not to lose them the way I'd lost everyone else.

 Thankfully I was saved from my existential thoughts as platters of food were brought over, placed down in the centre of the table. My eyes widened, my stomach rumbling, and I thought about how little I had actually eaten in the years since I left the resistance. After I crashed on Jakku I scrapped my broken down X-Wing and traded the parts in for portions of food from Niima Outpost. I rationed them, and went hungry for a while after I ran out until I plucked up the courage to sneak out of the Falcon late at night to go and steal more. I felt bad for stealing, my conscience telling me that it wasn't the jedi way, but I had no other choice for survival. Now though, I felt ravenous, immediately diving in, though I noticed Rey shared my enthusiasm, heling herself eagerly, looking as though she'd never seen so much food. 

Better than portions," I remarked to her, swallowing my mouthful, and she nodded quickly at me, almost excitedly.  

I began to eat my fill, the flavours making me feel alive after so long of just eating plain, bland food. I used to love food, and I loved cooking too, and as I ate I remembered all the nights at home whilst my dad would be away working and my mother would be travelling back from republic senate meetings when I would have to cook dinner for Ben and I, or the nights I was travelling with Erika and Izzy and we would cook on a camp fire and eat under the stars. I'd never realised just how much I loved food until it was no longer easily accessible, just a thing for survival. 

"Hey kid, you fancy eating any slower?" Dad asked, looking at me with a raised eyebrow, snapping me back to the present. I swallowed, pushing my empty plate away.

"It's not my fault someone left me on a broken down planet with hardly anything to eat for two years," I hit back, flashing him a sarcastic smirk.

"You ever gonna let that go?"  He rolled his eyes, trying to hide that he felt guilty about the whole situation.

"Did you ever let Uncle Lando betraying you to the empire go?" I shot, cocking my head to the side. He glanced at me, as if saying 'touché', making me grin.  

I'd finished eating, but Rey hadn't. Finn was watching her, obviously wondering how someone could eat so much in such a short space of time, but by then Maz had come and joined us, sitting next to my father.