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Look, it’s not that Poe Dameron is addicted to caf. It’s not. He just loves it more than a lot of things.
So, when Finn announced to him on a Monday morning that he’s cutting him off completely, Poe doesn’t believe it. Because it has to be a joke, okay? Finn’s not crazy. He knows Poe’s been coming to this diner for years, ever since he agreed to Leia’s proposition of becoming a pilot on her private company, and Finn’s been serving him caf since then.
And now, three years later, as Dex’s diner became Finn’s diner, his best friend is fully aware of the extend of Poe’s affection for the caf.
And no, he’s not going to call an addiction, thank you very much. It’s just an intense love and sometimes needs for something that may be to other people in the world – not. him. – an addiction.
For Finn Windu to so rudely cut him off from his pride and joy, his morning’s salvation, his reason for getting out of bed – to be honest, its part of the reason, he could make decent caf at home, but there’s no Finn there for him to make small talk and keep looking at when he’s distracted – it’s just a little bit too much to handle and he didn’t expect him to be this rude.
“Buddy, please?” Poe asks sweetly on Tuesday morning, holding the stars mug that Finn gave him as a birthday gift with both hands, and posing with it dramatically. He figures it’s best to start nice and kind, after all, Finn has to be joking wanting to see how far he could push Poe’s buttons.
But no, Poe quickly understands, as Finn rolls his eyes, shakes his head, and goes to take someone’s order at one of the tables. He comes back with everything written and gives to the cooker, then comes back around the counter to where Poe’s sitting. He pouts a little more, sticks his bottom lip out, makes something close to a kicked dog whimpering sound, and looks sadly at his empty mug.
Honestly, he’s not above groveling.
But Finn just laughs, pushes the mug down and away from his face. “You drink too much caf, Poe. It’s not good for you. Couldn’t I interest you in some breakfast instead?”
And he asks with such care that Poe almost considers accepting and leaving his caf for tomorrow. Almost. Because then Finn goes back towards the caf machine and Poe has to get his jaw back from the floor as he picks up the caf pot and walks around the diner completely unbothered. If Finn Windu really thinks he’s going to go around and pour caf, Poe’s elixir of life, into other people’s mugs right in front of his face…
And his train of thoughts stops there, Finn does exactly that. His Buckethead, scruffy-looking, bantha fodder, an ex-best friend of his is doing it and smiling, filling every single person’s mug without a word. Why everyone else can drink caf, but he’s forbidden?
It’s like a betrayal, feels like being shot by a blaster and Poe Dameron does not take those lightly.
When Finn comes back to the counter with the now empty caf pot, he takes one look at Poe’s outraged face and it’s like knows what his friend is thinking. “I don’t care about other people’s caf addiction. I care about yours.” He waits for his words to sink in and continues, “And I’m doing this because I care about you.”
Finn drags his right hand through Poe’s hair ruffling a little bit and Poe slaps it away, even though he’s the only one allowed to touch his curls, he has lost the privilege for now. And if he thinks he’s being cute right now – he is - and his words would be enough for Poe to forgive him – they might – he has another thing coming.
Finn puts the caf pot back on the caf maker, wipes his hands on his apron and he turns back around to face Poe giving him his most angelic and innocent smile and Poe can tell, he knows that Finn thinks he’s being so kriff funny right now.
But Poe Dameron won’t give up that easily and pushes his mug closer to man again. “I’m a paying customer, Finn Windu.” Poe uses his full name because he means business. “I deserve my caf like everyone else. I will give you twenty credits right now for just a cup. Doesn’t even have to be the good stuff! I’ll take instant caf.”
At that Finn looks at him incredulously, and Poe sighs, shaking his head. He can’t lie about that, even to himself. Instant caf is a disservice to mankind. “Okay, I may have exaggerated on that part. I could never drink that trash, but I will pay you twenty credits.”
He tries smiling at him, being all charming and friendly, like Jess keeps pointing that he does when he’s trying to get something he really wants, but Finn looks at him confused and asks if he’s having a seizure or something, and all Poe’s faked confidence breaks. He crushes his napkin and throws it at his friend, completely and utterly exasperated.
“C’mon buddy! I only have ten minutes left before I have to go to work and you know caf there is horrible!”
Finn rolls his eyes and points to the hangar that can be seen from the front window of his diner. “I know from experience that it’s a two-second walk. You’ll be fine, Poe.” He pauses for a second, folds his arms across his chest, “Besides, you don’t have twenty credits on you.”
Poe frowns and puts his hands on his front pocket. “I’m sure I do have twenty credits.”
“And I’m sure you don’t,” Finn says as he grabs a rag and goes clean the table behind Poe. “I know for a fact you haven’t paid for a single meal here ever since I bought this diner three years ago, so you don’t carry credits with you unless you go elsewhere or grocery shopping.”
Poe purses his lips cocks his head tries to think back to when he did pay for a meal here. He thinks it might have been the last thanksgiving, but that was mainly as a joke and also because he felt guilty about Finn’s Christmas present. He bought him this beautiful red cashmere sweater – and he looked breath-taking on it – but it had only stayed clean for half an hour. Apparently, Rey isn’t always graceful as she thinks she is, she tripped on Finn and spilled wine on his sweater as she was trying to flirt with Jannah.
Poe sighs and stares at Finn as he goes around to other tables, collecting empty plates and bowls. “Are you really not giving me caf?”
Finn glances at him, smiles that bright, gorgeous smile that always makes his legs weak, and his heartbeat a tiny bit faster. Poe can feel himself blushing and he looks down at his mug, reminds himself that he’s supposed to be furious with him, takes a deep breath, and looks back up.
He’s still smiling at him. “Your heart will thank me someday.”
Poe lets out a loud groan and that prompts no reaction from the remaining customers, everyone in town is used to his and Finn’s antics and the fact that the two of them get into these little fights at least once a week. ‘You two fight like a married couple’ Their friends love to constantly point out.
But what they don’t get, though, is that this time Poe is serious. He is mad, possibly even livid, because who does Finn think he is? He doesn’t need anyone watching out for his heart or his health. What he needs is some damn caf before his first flight.
Poe takes his brown jacket from the back of the barstool and hops off from it. That makes Finn glance at him, a look of surprise coming over his face.
“Wait, you’re leaving?”
Poe looks at him astounded that he’s even asking the question. “You can’t be serious. Buddy, I’ve spent the last twenty minutes asking you, and now I’ve wasted almost all my time before work. And I still don’t have my caf!”
He looks at him expectantly. This is the part in their banter that Finn takes pity on him, probably will even give him one of those incredible muffins or cookies to chew with his coffee.
It’s also the part where, even though he’s never saying out loud or to anyone, he thinks Karé might be right and Finn does have feelings for him. Feelings that aren’t platonic. Poe knows he does have such feelings for Finn. Kriff is he’s being honest he probably started liked him when they first met. Poe might even love him, but it’s not something he likes to dwell on it. But seriously, if Finn doesn’t come through with his caf right now, he’s most likely going to have to squish those feelings immediately.
Finn's shoulders slump in defeat, he places the last stack of plates on a free table and goes around the back of the counter. Poe struggles to keep his composure. Trying and failing to hold his self-pleased smile in as Finn fills up a large to-go cup.
He knew Finn wouldn’t do that to him.
He then comes around the counter again and stands in front of Poe. Finn holds the caf cup out to him and as their fingertips are just barely grazing it, Finn pulls it back to himself taking a big sip of it, the wince is instantaneous. His sweet-tooth of a best friend hates coffee if doesn’t have lots and lots of cream and sugar.
“Caf is disgusting and you shouldn’t be drinking this so early in the morning.” Finn smiles cheerfully, then heads to the sink that’s behind the counter and dumps the caf all out and down the drain.
Poe lets an undignified shriek – he will deny it later – and slams the door to the diner on his way out. Finn knows that he’s definitely furious now and Poe most certainly doesn’t turn around when he hears him calling his name out.
xx
Finn shows up at the breakroom during lunch break.
He knows Poe’s schedule and he enters the room in measured steps, holding a cup of caf and a brown bag that Poe knows contains some freshly baked goodies from Rey’s shop.
Poe rolls his chair in the opposite direction of the door, mourns the loss of whatever he’s brought that smells amazing, even more than his precious caf, but continues to ignore Finn. The pilot can hear him laughing to himself but forces himself to retain his steely composure.
He just can’t let Finn back into his good graces so easily, even if caf and food will be greatly appreciated. Ben Solo loves to push his buttons now and then when he bothers to show up at work and Finn has brought comfort food and a much-needed hug more than once, subjecting himself to Poe’s long rants about how he wishes he could punch the young solo at least once more times he can’t count.
But his friend won’t give up easily. Finn comes closer and stands in front of him, waving the bag back and forth and when Poe looks up at him frowning, he leans down until they are close enough, placing the caf and whatever is in the bag on the desk. “I’m not going to apologize for caring about your health.” He says casually not breaking eye contact with Poe. “I’m just looking out for you and you know it.” You do the same for me, It’s what he doesn’t say.
And it’s the truth. It’s not the first time Finn has cared for him and Poe won’t pretend it’s one way around. When Finn first became the owner of the diner, he was so worried about making the diner work that he barely took care of himself. For almost two months Poe made his mission to stop there every night, cook some recipe he learned from his mom for Finn to eat, clean everything, and Finn is eating and help him close for the night. Taking care of each other is their thing.
He won’t complain as long as it’s not forcing him to suffer through migraines due to his caffeine withdrawal.
And again this between them makes him wonder if Karé is right. If Finn does want something with him, more than friendship. Because he does want to be with him. They’ve been friends for so long sometimes it feels like they’ve known each other forever. Poe feels ready. He’s just not sure if he isn’t reading everything completely wrong.
“Let this be the last time you do this, please,” Poe asks more than demands, before taking a sip of his caf. He feels in heaven. “I’d rather only get mad when I come to work and have to see Solo, not at seven in the morning with you.”
Finn smiles, nods, and runs a hand over his dreads. “Fine, but with one condition.” Poe raises his eyebrow and keeps waiting for the rest. “You’ll start eating actual breakfast with the caf every day and…” He stops and Poe swears that suddenly he looks nervous. “You’ll have dinner with me tonight.”
“You don’t open tonight.” Poe reminds feeling a little confused at the direction this conversation is taking.
“I never said at my diner.” Finn swallows and exhales shakily saying the rest with more confidence than he feels. “I would like to take you out somewhere else.”
Poe’s eyes grew three sizes and it took him a couple of seconds for his brain to remember how to work. “Y-yes, of course. I-I would love to.”
Finn smiles, and before he knows it, he drops a kiss on the top of his head. “Then I’ll see you later.”
“It’s a date,” Poe says struggling to keep his composure, but the smile he gets in return makes the flush on his cheeks don't leave for the rest of his workday.