Chapter Text
Today was Friday and Finn felt like he was the new-teacher all over again. He had been leading the life drawing class at the college every Friday for the past six months, the first few times he had been so nervous his pencil had shook in his hand, but he had quickly got used to having twenty pairs of eyes trained on him. But today – this Friday – everything was different. Today was the day Poe had agreed to come to the class and Finn had barely slept all night he was so nervous.
He was being stupid, he told himself as he had got dressed – taking extra care to pick out a clean pair of black jeans and a dark blue sweater that tugged his torso in all the right places. Ever since their date at the restaurant, he and Poe hadn’t seen each other face to face, they both had been busy – Finn had just received one of the biggest commissions of his (be it small) career and Poe was still searching for a job that suited him. But that hadn’t stopped them from texting almost every minute and every morning/night Finn had awoken to or fallen sleep after reading a soppy corresponding message, this morning it had said: ‘The first time I wake up beside you will be the first day I wake up truly happy <3 <3 xxxxxx’ Finn wasn’t sure where Poe kept getting all these sayings from, or if he was just that sentimental (and by that Finn meant amazing) he came up with them himself.
In the kitchen Finn found Ben already awake and sitting at the breakfast bar, munching his way through a huge bowl of cereal whilst reading a book Finn swore was thicker than the bible, though on closer inspection he saw it was a hard-cover copy of The Silence of the Lambs.
“You’re up early, I did think you had class today?”
Ben volunteered at the local high school twice a week teaching photography – though few people knew that about him, it would ruin his emo vibe if they did.
“I don’t,” Ben said round a mouthful of cereal which he swallowed as Finn reached the coffee machine and poured himself a steaming mug of it, “Do you know you can almost see your abs in that sweater?”
“Shove off, no you can’t!” Finn retorted, though he did check his reflection in the glass of the oven door.
Ben snorted and turned a page, “So, what’s the occasion? You finally read too much fanfiction you actually think you have a chance with one of your students?”
“As if I’d do that to Poe,” Finn said seriously, getting out a bowl of cereal of his own then waking around the breakfast bar to take a seat on the couch against the wall.
“You’ve met the guy once,” his friend and housemate reminded him with a dramatic sigh, “you’re not even officially dating.”
“Says who?”
“Facebook.”
“No one uses Facebook to declare their relationship status anymore, dude,” Finn smirked, picking up the remote and switching the TV on in the corner.
Ben spun around on the stool to see Finn, “Oh yeah, so when you and Poe do finally become official, you’re not gonna change your status?”
Finn took a long moment to chew his mouthful of cereal before answering with a shrug, “I guess I will.”
“But only to rub it in your distant homophobic relatives’ face that Poe’s so hot.”
“Don’t forget the arseholes from school,” Finn added with a smile.
“Oh yes, can’t forget them.”
“So, about Hux?”
Ben’s face dropped and he growled, “No.”
“Oh come on, dude!” Finn tried not to smirk as he saw how the tips of Ben’s ears had gone red, “What’s wrong with Hux? You two really hit it off – I mean – sure you two actually looked like you were gonna hit each other but I know the kind of shit you’re in to –“
“-He said I looked like fucking Olaf, Finn, that’s what’s wrong with him! And you have no idea what I’m in to.”
“Yeah, and I don’t wanna know! And…your nose is kind of on the large side –“ Finn broke off and ducked as the book Ben had been reading flew towards his head. The heavy volume smacked into the wall behind him and flopped onto the back of the couch.
“What the fuck, dude?” Finn exclaimed, eyes wide but a laugh still bubbling up from his stomach. Ben ignored him, getting to his feet and storming from the room, leaving Finn with the thought that all the scene was missing was Ben wearing a long black cap and some dramatic music playing.
***
Poe didn’t get nervous about much, not even when he had been in combat, flying over enemy territory, he had barely broken a sweat. It took a lot to rattle his nerves, but it looked like he had finally found the thing – or rather person – who challenged him.
He had arrived at the college half an hour early and he followed the signs taped to the doors till he found the correct room. He peered through the thin glass window in the door to see a large room filled with about twenty easels arranged in a circle. There was a handful of people milling around inside, chatting and organising their stationary. He couldn’t see Finn.
“Ok,” he whispered to himself, running a hand through his hair, “you can do this, Dameron, just stay cool.”
“So, you talk to yourself,” said Finn’s voice behind Poe, “that’s good to know early I guess.”
Poe groaned and resisted the urge to hit his head against the doorframe. Instead he put on his best grin and turned around to see Finn standing there, bag hitched over one shoulder, coffee cup in hand, a white sheet over his arm and four large canvas beneath his other arm. Poe felt his mouth go dry at the sight of Finn’s muscles subtly revealed by the close-tugging style of his blue sweater.
“Need a hand there?” Poe asked, trying to sound casually, pointing at the canvas tucked under Finn’s arm.
“Yes, thank you.”
Poe stepped forwards and there was a moment of awkward jostling as he took the canvas from Finn. Their faces were close and Poe wanted so badly to lean in and kissing the other man, but he held back, unsure if they were there yet. Sure they had kissed at the end of their date the other night and they had been exchanges texts messaged like teenagers (with hearts and kisses and everything!), but Poe still hesitated. He didn’t want to come across to strong, didn’t want to push things to happen too fast, though that went against his jump-first-ask-questions-later nature.
He had called Hux on the walk over to the college that morning, hoping a conversation with his friend would ease his nervous. “Just remember the most important thing,” Hux had told him before he had hung up, “Don’t be yourself, it’s too early for that.” Sometimes Poe wondered why the hell he still spoke to Hux.
“Um,” said Finn, “I don’t know if you want to just watch today or if you want to have a go at taking part, it’s really up to you. Sorry, I felt like a good idea me inviting you to one of my classes but now…”
“No, no,” Poe said quickly, grinning at Finn, hoping to reassure him, “I wanted to come. I’m not much of an artist though.”
Finn looked slightly embarrassed and he looked down at his shoes, “I realised this morning that today – um – it’s kind of nude week.”
Poe wanted to laugh but he senses that wouldn’t assure Finn of his honest intentions before here today. So he decided to inch closer and slip his hand into Finn’s, remember from the date how much the younger man liked to hold his hand. Finn looked into his eyes as Poe squeezed his hand, “Truthfully, Finn, I didn’t come here today for the art, I came here for you.”
Clearly embarrassed, Finn ducked his head shyly. He’s so cute, Poe couldn’t help but think. He guessed Finn didn’t have much experience with being on the receiving end of a compliment, which in itself Poe found ridiculous.
Finn jumped and pulled out his ringing mobile. “Hello?”
Poe watched Finn’s face slowly fall like a stone, he frowned, immediately wanting to ask how he could help, without even knowing what was wrong.
“No, okay,” Finn said politely but his eyes were round with worry, “Yes, hope you’re back on your feet soon. Okay. Bye.”
“What is it?” Poe asked the second Finn hung up. If his arms hadn’t been full, he would have reached out to Finn. He longed to pull him into a tight hug.
“My model for today,” Finn’s voice shook and he turned around, looking through the door at his students gathered, “he’s sick, he can’t do the class today. Oh god, what am I gonna do? The class starts in ten minutes!”
“Finn, hey,” Poe put the canvases down on the floor and caught hold of Finn’s shoulder, tugging him back around, “It’s alright, calm down.”
“No, it’s not,” Finn rubbed his hands over his face, breathing hard, “Where am I supposed to get another model from this short notice? The college is already thinking of closing down my class. I –“
Poe leaned forwards and pressed his lips to Finn’s, desperate for him to stop, each panicked word he said was a stab to Poe’s heart. Finn tensed against him but Poe didn’t pull back, he followed his instincts and slipped a hand behind Finn’s head. The younger man whimpered into his mouth and Poe smiled into the kiss. A mad idea suddenly came into his mind.
“I’ll do it,” he whispered against Finn’s lips, pulling back. He watched Finn’s eyelids flutter open, his pupils refocusing on Poe’s face. He licked his lips and Poe shamelessly traced the movement with his eyes.
“You’ll do what?”
“I’ll fill in for the model,” Poe smiled, though he knew he was instantly going to regret it, “for your class.”
“What?” Finn blurted, eyes widening again, “You would do that? Why?”
Poe chuckled, putting a hand on Finn’s warm cheek, “Because you need me to, and I can’t stand that thing your voice does when you’re stressed.”
“What thing?” Finn asked as he leant back in.
Poe smirked, brushing his lips against Finn’s, “You need me, and I’m here.”
Finn sighed and put an arm around Poe’s neck; Poe wrapped his around his waist, drawing him in close. “You’re one of those ridiculously nice, perfect guys, aren’t you?”
Poe winked, “I try my best.”
“Not modest though,” Finn laughed and Poe kissed him again, knowing he would never tire of doing so. Finn’s mouth tasted like coffee and his lips were softer than they looked.
Finn pulled back and Poe pouted, getting him another small laugh. The sound was the most beautiful thing Poe had ever heard.
“Y-you remember what I said about today’s class, right?”
“I sure do,” Poe said automatically, flashing Finn his most relaxed, charismatic smile.
Finn stepped back out of Poe’s arms, running a hand over his close-cropped hair, “Okay, great, thank you, Poe. There’s a bathroom just down the hall, you can get undressed in there.” He bend down and picked up the white sheet, holding it out to Poe.
“Nude week, right,” Poe remembered with a jolt, his felt his cheeks grow warm. He took the sheet from Finn, forcing himself to act cool.
“Thank you so much again, Poe!” Finn stepped back in and kissed Poe chastely, then he picked up the canvases and turned and went into the room.
Poe stared after him, in his ears he could hear Hux’s incredulous voice, “Seriously, how do you get yourself into these situations?” He guessed he was just a sucker for a pretty face in need.
***
Finn swore the next hour of his life was a dream - somewhere along the way to the college he must have fallen down an Alice in Wonderland rabbit hole. There wasn’t another explanation, no one was that nice; willing to stand-in and model nude (apart from a well-positioned bedsheet) for a guy they had only been on one date with.
But as the class went on, Finn began to accept that maybe Poe Dameron was just that nice after all. It was difficult for Finn to remain calm and collected as the man he had been dreaming of naked stood just a few feet away from him. He kept pacing round the circle of his students, forcing himself to look at only what they were drawing on the canvases.
The whole time he felt Poe’s eyes following him around, burning into his skin. Occasionally, he chanced a glance at Poe, his eyes travelling over his caramel-coloured skin and mouth-watering torso. His knees actually went weak when he saw that Poe had a dark line of hair traveling down his abs, disappearing beneath the sheet. Poe caught him looking and he smirked, which made Finn flustered and he quickly stopped sneaking looks. Or tried to at least, but he was only human after all and Poe was, well...
When the class ended, Finn walking towards Poe on unsteady legs, keeping his eyes fixed on the other man’s face.
“Thank you so much, again,” he said, trying to sound casually but failing as his voice shook.
Poe smiled at him and Finn’s stomach flipped. The curly-haired man chuckled, “This was certainly an experience! Good for my body image, I guess.”
“You really don’t need to worry! Your body is really – I mean…” Finn wished the rabbit hole he’d fallen down to find himself here would reopen beneath him and swallow him whole. He was such an idiot.
“You are so cute when you’re embarrassed,” Poe said, warmth in his eyes. He wrapped the bedsheet around his middle.
Finn rubbed a hand over his head, “Well, can you blame me? When you’re standing there looking like that!” He gestured up and down at Poe’s naked chest.
Poe’s smiled grew even larger and he leaned in. Taken by surprise, Finn gasped slightly as Poe’s lips pressed against his. Automatically, he hands lifted from his side to reach out and touch the other man, but he stopped himself.
Pulling back, Poe said with a small laugh, “This was definitely the most unusual second date I’ve had.”
“This wasn’t – I mean –“
“-You just saw me pretty much naked, Finn. I think this constitutes as a second date,” Poe laughed, winking at him playfully, “Though how about next time, we just meet for coffee or something?”
Finn was shocked, “Y-you want to see me again?”
“Of course,” Poe looked as surprised as Finn felt. He moved in close again and put his hand on Finn’s cheek, “I wouldn’t have offered to model naked for a guy I didn’t want to take out on a third date.”
“I – how about that coffee now? I don’t have any other plans for the rest of the day.”
Poe nodded eagerly, “Yes, I’d like that a lot.”