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1.
Finn was alone. At least, he thought he was. He realised he was mistaken when he felt a small tap on his leg. Looking down, he saw a tiny bird was nudging him. It was a….he struggled to remember what Rey had called them….a porg. He frowned, and tried to shoo it away. But, it was insistent and wouldn’t leave.
It was cute, he had to admit, but he’d wanted a moment to himself, away from everyone. Finn reluctantly supposed that, perhaps, the bird didn’t count. He could be alone with the porg. He was about to pat it on the head when the porg jumped onto his foot, then his knee, and then his shoulder.
”Oh, hey. Come aboard, why don’t you.” He murmured, stroking it’s soft, fluffy head with one finger.
It looked at him, tilting it’s head, with those huge, round eyes. Finn continued to pet it, and was rewarded with a pleased, high-pitched trill when he scratched behind the porg’s ears.
”Ah, yeah, that’s my favourite place to be stroked too.” He laughed, feeling only slightly embarrassed that he was joking around with a bird.
Suddenly, it gave a long, happy chirp, and nudged his cheek with it’s head. Finn didn’t speak porg but he was fairly sure he knew what that meant.
”Love you too, little buddy.” He said, thankful that no-one was around to see this.
2.
Finn had been practicing saying ‘I love you’ in the mirror. He’d said it so many times that the words no longer sounded like words.
“I love you. I love you. I love you! Love you. Love ya.” Finn frowned. “Definitely not that one.” He muttered to himself and sighed, looking carefully at himself at the mirror. So carefully, that he realised, as his eyes drifted to the top left of the mirror, that he was not alone.
"Uh, how long have you been standing there?" Finn was mortified, this was not the way he’d been planning on telling Poe.
"A minute or so. But, hey, don’t be embarrassed or anything. I think it’s important to y’know tell yourself that." Poe gave him a small smile and walked forward slowly.
"That wasn’t exactly what I was doing. I was....” Finn rolled his eyes, feeling his face warm up in embarrassment. “Practicing.”
“Practicing? Oh. Oh!” Poe gave a relieved laugh, a slight blush on his cheeks, "So, do you want to hear something funny? I’ve been doing the same thing.”
"Really?"
"Really. In front of this exact mirror actually.”
Finn couldn’t help smiling in happiness and he took one of Poe’s hands, squeezing it gently, “Feel like practicing one more time?”
So, they stood shoulder to shoulder, holding hands, looking at each other in the mirror. “I love you.” They say it simply and firmly, and it’s a hundred times better than either one of them had imagined.
3.
Rey talks in her sleep. Sometimes loudly, sometimes in a whisper. At first, Finn found it strange but now, he's used to being woken up by her odd mutterings in the middle of the night. Usually, what she says doesn't make much sense and probably refers to whatever dream she's having. Usually.
"Mph", she says as she rolls over, wrapping herself around him “love you” she mumbles.
It’s possible she’s not talking about him. But, that would be a bit weird. Finn is fairly sure she is, after all, they’ve been nearly inseparable for months now.
She squeezes him closer, "love you." Finn feels wide awake as he hears her words, the shadow of sleep is gone, and he is focused only on the wonderful feeling of love. She loves him. Rey loves him.
They hadn’t said that phrase to one another yet, but Finn had come close several times and he guessed Rey had too. There had been moments where they'd gazed at one another and there had been a lovely feeling of anticipation. But neither had said it, and now that Rey had, albeit while she was dreaming, Finn knew the moment had come. Although, he doesn’t want to wake her, he can’t help it because he wants to say it back.
He strokes her back, whispering softly "Rey?" Her eyes flutter open. "Love you too."
She gives him a sleepy, but pleased smile, "I love you." She hugs him close, as he kisses her forehead.
4.
The battle raged through the winding, maze of streets. Finn ran, trying to get his bearings while keeping an eye out for any sign of the First Order. He rounded a corner quickly, coming to a stop when he saw a stormtrooper standing threateningly over a crying woman and two small children. Adrenaline flowed through him and he charged forward, taking out the stormtrooper with an expertly aimed blast.
”Are you ok?” He said, breathlessly, to the frightened family.
”Thank you!” The woman sobbed, and, wanting to offer her some comfort, Finn crouched down in front of her, taking her hand in his own. She grabbed him, hugging him close.
”Thank you. You saved us. You saved us. Thank you. Thank you.” She muttered hysterically, in shock at their close call. “I love you. I love you.”
Finn could feel her tears on his neck, and he could sense the huge relief in her voice. He didn’t know this woman or her children but they were who he was fighting for. It was a strange, poignant moment in the midst of such violence and he found himself saying those words back.
"I love you too.” He whispered, holding her close, trying to help her calm down. He realised that he could offer her support, so he did. Finn knew that helping people wasn’t just as simple as saving someone’s life, it was also connecting with them. Finn also knew what it was like to go through a traumatic situation, he knew how this woman and her children felt, so he just did what he would have wanted.
5.
He has a tradition, a ritual, that he's done for as long as he can remember. Everynight, as he tries to go to sleep, he thinks of his parents. He wonders who they are, or who they were, where they are, what they're doing. Were they rebels? Dedicating their lives to good? Were they simple farmers or traders? Caught up in the middle of a war they couldn't fight? Maybe they were pilots or mechanics? Who enjoyed flying and fixing things. Or perhaps they worked as medics or teachers? Helping people, improving their lives. There were so many different options, and Finn had pretty much imagined all of them.
Finn wondered if they had a good sense of humour, if they were kind, if they were intelligent, if they were loving. He couldn't know for sure, but he imagined they were all of those things and more. He tried to paint pictures in his mind of what they looked like, how they dressed, their expressions, their attitudes. He found that he couldn't go to sleep without doing this. He needed to think about them before he could drift off for the night.
If he's alone, he says the words out loud, when he's not, he just thinks them. But Finn always says them, putting all his love into the words so that, perhaps, somehow they will know that he is thinking of them.
"I love you." Wherever you are, whatever you're doing, whoever you are. "I love you."