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Finn tries not to mope around the base; it’s easier than he thinks since he can throw himself into helping the Rebellion but all of his free time his thoughts are still consumed with wondering how Rey is doing.
He regrets that he didn’t even get to say goodbye or wish her luck or whatever it was you wished people who could use the Force – he’s still not sure on that on part though he has heard ‘may the Force be with you’ uttered quite a few times before the X-Wing Squadron flies out.
BB-8 keeps him company a lot of the time, bouncing between the base and him and Poe in equal measure; it’s nice but when Poe’s out flying BB-8’s gone too and then it’s just Finn.
He’s two months into throwing his lot in with the Rebellion with Rey returns, he hears the announcement from the General herself who came to find him and with a pleased smile on her face – one that he thinks she hasn’t smiled since the loss of her husband – and she tells him they’re coming back.
Finn tries not to fidget as he stands next to Leia, looking up in the sky for signs of the Falcon. Unlike Leia who shares the Force with her brother and can sense him he feels nothing but the sting of the wind around him.
Poe and BB-8 show up quickly to stand next to them in scanning the skies; BB-8 chirping excitedly and Poe replying and Finn wonders how quickly Rey can teach him to understand droids because he still has no idea.
The second he sees the Falcon in the sky he lets out a loud joyous whoop and can barely contain himself from running when it lands.
When he sees Rey he doesn’t even bother, rushing towards her and when she spots him she grins widely and sprints to him in an equal measure of enthusiasm.
“Finn!” She tackles him and it makes his back hurt where he’s still recovering but Finn doesn’t care, wrapping his arms around her and nearly lifting her off the ground.
Around them he’s vaguely aware of other people stepping out of the Falcon and the General reuniting with her brother but Rey’s in his arms and he doesn’t want to let go for anything.
“I thought I’d lost you back there.” She whispers, holding tighter and he knows she’s talking about the fight with Kylo Ren.
“You saved me though, got me out and back, you’re a hero. A jedi.” He corrects himself, pulling back slightly so he can smile at her.
“You’re not so bad yourself,” Rey laughs, “You bought me time.”
There’s something akin to fondness on her face as she does a sweeping look over him, double checking he’s all in one piece and then Rey stands on her toes, pressing a kiss to his forehead.
His skin tingles where her lips touch and he blinks; no one’s ever kissed him like that before – certainly no one’s ever kissed him in the First Order- so he has no idea if he should feel this way, like there’s something warm that makes him grin foolishly and extend his hand to Rey, remembering too late that she doesn’t like her hand being held.
Instead of ignoring it however she takes it, her eyes crinkling at the edges when she smiles at him.
“Welcome back.” He says, clearing his throat.
“It’s good to be.” She replies and then raises her hand, the doors to the base opening through her will.
“Show off.” He mutters but there’s no sting to it and Rey laughs quietly beside him making it worth it.
~~
Rey hardly spent time at the Rebellion’s base the last time she was there, just long enough to make sure Finn was okay before she went on the journey that was calling her deep within her bones.
She’d be lying if she said she hadn’t thought about that moment her whole time while training with Luke, her goodbye to Finn and watching him lay silently on the table - thankfully breathing – and pressing a misty eyed kiss to his forehead, wishing he was awake for a real farwell.
She also spent her time thinking about Jakku, about her long waiting moments and looking to the sky for her parents. Nights hoping and begging for someone to come back for her, that she hadn’t been forgotten in the end.
All those memories still hurt but it’s surprisingly easy for that loneliness to be overpowered by the reminder that Finn did come back for her, lied to the whole Rebellion just to get to her and refused to leave her afterwards.
Rey would stare at her hand, where Finn had clasped it before when she offered it to him after she pulled it away twice and could practically feel the warmth of Finn’s own, know that he was out there and she’d see him again.
It didn’t compare to actually seeing him again however, standing upright and running to her like there was nothing else he’d rather see.
Hugging him felt easy, natural, she’d never been one for affection before but with Finn she wanted to try.
She wanted to tell him everything and that’s why one night, as they were pressed against each other and Finn told her about life in the First Order she told him about all the loneliness and despair she felt in Jakku.
“I knew no one was coming back,” She says quietly, “I just didn’t want to believe it.”
Finn didn’t say anything, his arm over her shoulders tightened and he pulled her closer to him, hesitating for just a second before he pressed a kiss to her forehead softly.
“I’ll come back for you.” He promised, so sure of it that there wasn’t any room for doubt and Rey just knew he would.
She reached out with one hand and Finn noticed, his free hand reaching back to entwine his fingers with hers and just as she imagined it was warm, slightly calloused from all his Stormtrooper training, and fitted perfectly in the spaces between her own.