Work Text:
Technically, Dr. Kalonia and the General had thrown him out of medical with the order that he wasn’t to return until he’d had a good night’s sleep.
As if I could sleep, Finn thought, marching back to the med bay. As if I’m gonna be able to sleep until I know—
Finn stopped short as he spied a figure sitting next to Poe’s bed, bent over, forehead next to Poe’s limp hand. About a million emotions swirled through Finn’s system at once—anger, fear, jealousy, guilt—until he processed who was sitting next to Poe. Finn stepped forward, tentatively, “Kes?”
The being looked up, eyes ringed red from crying and swallowed hard. His eyes narrowed and then he sat up, wiping his eyes with the back of his arm. “Finn?”
“I thought you were still on a mission, sir,” Finn said, moving forward. “I didn’t…” He shook his head. “When did you get back?”
“About an hour ago, son.” Kes turned back to his son’s unconscious form, picking up his hand and squeezing it. “And stop it with the sir stuff. We’ve been over this. It’s dad or Kes.”
“Yeah,” Finn said, still processing the scene. He found the chair next to Kes’ and slumped into it.
Kes automatically reached over with his free hand and found Finn’s arm, squeezing it.
Finn tensed for a moment before relaxing into the touch.
Kes had shown up at the Resistance’s new base about two months after Crait, about a month after Finn and Poe had started dating, and Finn hadn’t had any idea what to expect. He’d heard stories about Sergeant Dameron—the brave soldier who’d been on the front lines on Endor—and he’d also been warned by more than one of Poe’s friends about how rough meeting “the parent of your boyfriend” could be. Plus, not growing up with any parental figures meant that Finn really didn’t know how Kes was going to treat him.
What Finn hadn’t been ready for was for Kes to accept him immediately and without question. The first time they’d been introduced, Kes had pulled him into a big hug and said, “Welcome to the family, son!”
But now, looking back at it, he should have been ready for something like that. Poe was open and easy with his affections. He always had a pat on the back or a hug ready, was always willing to listen to a friend in need. And Kes was the same way. So much heart, Finn thought. So ready to love.
It didn’t mesh with what he’d been taught a soldier was supposed to be, and yet…the Dameron men were two of the best soldiers the Resistance had ever produced. And by every indication, Shara Bey had been just as wonderfully loving, and every story about her told of the best pilot of her generation.
Now that Finn was in the Resistance, he was beginning to see that having feelings didn’t make him a lesser soldier. In fact, it’s what made him strong.
It’s what makes all of us so strong.
Finn put his hand over Kes’ and squeezed. He smiled at the warmth of it, the tether to something he’d never had before and now was all around him: unconditional love and support.
A family.
Kes sighed and without taking his eyes off Poe, said, “You look like hell, son.”
Finn gave a strange laugh and said, “You do too, dad.”
Kes turned his head and smiled at Finn, amused. “So I do.”
“Want to go to the fresher? Eat? I can—”
Kes shook his head. “I’m not moving.” Finn nodded, his mouth set in a tight line. Kes eyed Finn closely. “They kick you out?”
Finn nodded, scrubbing a hand over his face. “Told me to get some sleep.”
Kes snorted, shaking his head. “Right.” He nodded, indicating Finn should scoot his chair closer, which Finn did. Kes leaned over. “They’re looking out for you,” he said. “And I really should make you go get some sleep too.” Finn made a noise of protest before Kes said, “I’m not gonna. Just…” He sighed. “I don’t want you falling down on me too, okay?”
“Okay,” Finn said, putting his hand on Kes’ shoulder.
Kes reached up, held it there. He looked down at Poe, fresh tears in his eyes. “This is my nightmare,” he whispered. “Ever since Shara…” He swallowed. “And of course, he’s got to take after her, become a pilot, follow Organa out into the middle of the fight.” He sighed. “Always jumping into things head first without thinking.”
Finn nodded. “He wouldn’t be Poe if he wasn’t trying to protect the rest of us.”
Kes nodded, moving his hand to wipe at his tears. “Stupid moof-milker,” he said without any malice.
Finn stared at his boyfriend’s form. You have to wake up, Poe. You can’t do this to your dad.
Or to me.
He felt fear spike in him. He reached over and touched Poe’s leg, just for some connection, some reassurance that he was really here. Please, Poe. He looked over at Kes, eyes boring into Poe’s sleeping face and realized Kes was probably thinking the same things. Finn reached his hand back over and put it on Kes’ back. Poe, we need you.
They sat in silence for a long time until an annoyed voice announced, “Did either of you get any sleep?”
Kes looked over at General Organa, standing in the doorway. “No, and we’re not gonna until he wakes up.”
Leia frowned, crossing her arms. “I could order you to—”
Kes put up a hand. “With all due respect, ma’am. At my age, I really couldn’t give half a kriff about your orders. He’s not gonna be alone when he wakes up.”
“Finn,” she asked.
“I have to agree with Kes, ma’am,” he said, refusing to look at her.
Kes smiled, wrapping an arm around Finn’s shoulders and pulling him into a hug. “See? Do you really want to take on two Pathfinders, ma’am? Or do you want to grab a chair and join us?”
Leia rolled her eyes and drug a chair over, sitting on the opposite side of the bed. She shook her head, looking down at Poe. When she looked up, her frown grew. Both Kes and Finn looked hollow, defeated. Her chest tightened. She looked down at Poe. You can’t keep doing this to us, Dameron.
She took a deep breath, closed her eyes and then decided to try to lighten the mood. “Kes,” she said. He looked over at her. “You ever tell Finn about the other time Poe went and knocked himself out like this? With the barn?”
Kes chuckled. “No, I don’t think I have.” He turned to Finn. “I ever tell you about the time when he was thirteen?”
Finn shook his head, wiping his eyes. “No.”
Kes smiled down at his son. “Well, this one gets it into his head that he’s going to fix roof of the barn out on the ranch. Only he decides he doesn’t need a kriffing ladder to do it…”
As Kes told the story, Leia relaxed, watching the two of them momentarily forget about the situation in front of them. She reached over and squeezed Poe’s hand. Wake up already, she said, pushing out with the Force. You’ve worried these two enough.