Chapter Text
Finn was nervous, his palms were sweating and he kept wiping them on his trousers beneath the table. The restaurant around him was packed, chatter, laughter, and the clinking of glasses and cutlery on plates all merged with the piano music filtering through from the live pianist playing next to the bar.
He bit his lip and glanced at his friend sitting slouched in the chair next to his. It had taken Finn over a week to finally get Ben to agree to come on a double date with him. Truthfully, Finn only wanted his friend with him for emotional support, he hadn’t really ever dated and was terrified. He was the type of person who believed the right person would find you, but he was beginning to get impatient so he decided – down mostly to harassment/encouragement from his best friend Rey – to give online dating a chance. Among his ‘matches’ had been the guy he was meeting today, a Poe Dameron, even the name made a blush creep up Finn’s neck.
Ben caught him looking at him and growled, “What? Don’t tell me you’re chickening out on me.”
“No, no,” Finn said quickly, “I’m just really nervous. What if he doesn’t like me? What if he doesn’t look anything like his picture? What if –“
“-You’re aware you don’t have to marry the guy, right?” Ben muttered, taking a large gulp of his beer.
“I know, I know,” Finn picked up his glass of wine and sipped it, “I just…want tonight to go well.”
Ben rolled his eyes, “I thought that was why you dragged me along? So if things aren’t going well I’m here to swoop in and save your stupid arse.”
“Promise me you’re gonna be nice when they arrive,” Finn said more seriously, “Ben, I mean it. Poe didn’t have to agree to a double date.”
“Yeah, and I wonder what desperate friend he’ll be bringing with him, or maybe he’ll just grab someone off the street with the promise of a free dinner.”
“Sometimes I can’t believe I’m friends with you,” Finn sighed, rubbed a hand over his face, “Could you please at least not do anything to make things awkward?”
Ben clapped his hand against his chest and gave a mock expression of horror, “What gave you the idea I’d ever do something like that!”
It was Finn’s turn to roll his eyes and he muttered into his wine, “I knew I should have brought Rey.”
He was distracted then by the restaurant door opening and two men walking in. That’s him! Finn felt his mouth fall open at the sight of Poe Dameron pausing in the doorway and exchanging a few words with the waiter who immediately welcomed them.
Ben whistled, smirking, “Damn, Finn, and I thought the guy shouldn’t get any better looking than his photos.”
“Dude!” Finn hissed, sitting up straight and forcing his mouth to close.
“I know, just like we agreed, you got the hot one and I get the mess.”
“Did you just quote Ross from Friends?”
“I’m disgusted you would even say it – it was Chandler!”
He kicked his friend in the shin underneath the table, making the taller man yelp. Thankfully, they were both stopped from continuing their bickering by the waiter showing Poe and his friend – a tall guy with ginger hair and a pensive, bored expression on his face.
Ben was right about his date, Finn had to admit that. Poe Dameron was even better looking in the flesh than in his photos online. His handsome face was illuminated by a Hollywood smile and his dark, wavy hair looked so soft Finn knew he would have to find some excuse to touch it before the evening was up.
“His friend looks like he’d rather be anywhere but here!” Ben leant over and whispered harshly into Finn’s ear.
Finn just had time to retort back underneath his breath, “Than you immediately have something in common than!” before the waiter reached their table and he found himself rising to his feet to meet Poe properly for the first time.
“Hello, I’m Finn.”
He held out his hand towards Poe, instantly wishing he had said something. Stupid, stupid, he already knows my name, I’m such an idiot! But Poe didn’t seem to think so, for he beamed at Finn and – ignoring his outstretched hand – threw his arms wide and embraced him. Finn was so shocked he didn’t have time to lower his hand, so it ended up being awkwardly pinned against Poe’s stomach. Damn the man smelt good, Finn couldn’t help but notice as his nose was pressed into Poe’s shoulder. Yep, his hair is as soft as it looks! The curls were tickling his ear and a shiver ran down his spine.
“It’s so great to meet you, Finn! Face to face that is!” Poe was still grinning as he drew back, hands holding on to his upper arms, squeezing gently. Finn stared into Poe’s eyes, not trusting himself to look anywhere else on the man’s face for he knew he would just end up ogling his lips.
Ben cleared his throat loudly from behind him, making him jump and Poe to drop his hands. Finn instantly missed the contact.
“Oh, sorry! This is my friend, Ben Solo,” he introduced Ben, willing the pale man to at least smile – which he did, though it looked more like a grimace.
“And this is Hux,” Poe clapped a hand onto his friend’s shoulder, throwing a wink at Ben, “Don’t let his sour face fool you, he’s a warm kitten inside.”
Hux looked like he wanted to either melt into the floor or punch Poe in the face, Finn couldn’t quite make up his mind. The ginger’s face went bright red and he glowered at Poe, but stuck his hand out across the table for Ben to shake.
“How much did yours promise you to be here tonight?” Ben asked sarcastically as he took Hux’s hand and shook it.
“Fifty, you?”
Ben shot Finn a look that read ‘I fucking told you so’ but then Poe laughed loudly, “You’ll get used to his humour if you spend enough time with him.”
Feeling slightly relieved, Finn returned the smile then gestured they should take their seats around the cosy circular table. Finn could barely keep his eyes off Poe as he watched the man take off his long coat and hang it on the back of his chair, revealing his black suit and purple shirt underneath. Mouth dry, Finn tried to distract himself by taking another mouthful of his wine.
“This is a nice place,” Poe observed, looking around, the candlelight reflecting in his eyes, “I’ve lived in the area for a while now but never knew this was here.”
“Yes you did,” Hux snorted, half hidden behind his menu, “You just never cared after you saw how expensive the dishes were.”
Poe’s cheeks tinted red and Finn was overcome with the urge to reach out and stroke his thumb over the blushing skin.
“To get a decent plate of food in this city you have to pay for it,” Ben said matter-of-factly, picking up his menu but watching Hux over the top of it.
“Are the prices here alright? We could quickly go to some place cheaper if you want?” Finn said hastily to Poe, not wanting the man to feel pressured into paying for a meal he couldn’t really afford.
“No, no it’s alright,” Poe insisted, flashing Finn with another of his stunning smiles. He reached out and laid his hand on top of Finn’s, his skin was warm and the weight comforting. “I just have to budget a little more carefully at the moment.”
“How come?” Ben asked bluntly. Finn went to kick his friend beneath the table again but missed, stubbing his toe against the table leg instead.
Poe didn’t seem taken-aback by Ben’s rudeness, he took it in his stride, answering smoothly, “I recently was discharged from the Armed Forces. I’ve received my pension so until I get myself a normal job I just have to be aware of how much I’m spending each month.”
“You were a soldier?” The question was out of Finn’s mouth before he could stop it.
Poe nodded, his eyes bright, “I was with the Airforce, I was a pilot.”
“Why were you discharged?” Ben asked as he held up his hand for the waiter.
“I’d rather not discuss that on a first date,” Poe directed his response to Ben but his eyes never left Finn.
Don’t picture Poe in uniform, don’t picture Poe in uniform, damn it! Finn failed and quickly snatched up his menu and hide his burning face behind it.
The waiter arrived and took their orders – Finn was so flustered that he just stammered he’d have the same as Poe, without even hearing what it was. Ben grilled the waiter on what exactly was in the soup of the day and Hux made it clear preciously how he wanted his steak cooked – “I want it medium-rare but evenly cooked on both sides! And if I see any blood on my knife when I cut into it that is not medium that is rare!”
Poe and Finn exchanged slightly apologetic looks whilst this was happening; Poe’s leg beneath the table brushing against Finn’s.
“So, Finn, what do you do? Your profile wasn’t very clear on the website.”
“Oh, yeah that would be because I kind of freelance. I’m an artist, I do commissioned illustrations,” Finn said up a little straighter as he spoke, he was immensely proud of what he did; that he had followed his dream and not ended up sitting behind some desk all day pushing paper or inputting numbers.
“That’s really cool, I’d love to see some of your work sometime.” Poe touched his hand again as he spoke and Finn summoned up his courage to return the touch. He held his breath as he linked their fingers together.
“Y-yeah? I teach an open life drawing class at the college every Friday, perhaps you’d like to come along?”
Poe looked genuinely interested, “That sounds like fun, though I warn you now, I can’t draw for shit.”
“Finn does portraits too,” Ben interjected, an evil gleam in his eye, “Why don’t you get him to sketch you in a private class?”
Poe, yet again unfazed by Ben, winked at the taller man and squeezed Finn’s hand reassuringly. Hux coughed into his glass of water and pulled a face as he set it down on the table.
“What kind of a name is Hux anyway?” Ben asked a few minutes later after their starters had arrived and a momentary lapse in conversation had fallen over the table as they ate.
“The only one you’re gonna hear, Olaf,” Hux replied coldly, shooting Ben a challenging glare.
“Olaf? Not that fucking snowman from that Disney film that’s taken over the minds of every six year old girl on the planet!”
Poe snorted, grinning as he bit into his bread roll and Finn braced himself.
“What can I say, I see the resemblance,” Hux’s eyes flickered down to Ben’s nose.
Ben blanched, holding his cutlery in fists – Finn was concerned he was actually about to stab the other man with his fork. “At least I don’t look like the freaking live-action model of Hans.”
“What did you just say?”
“So, Poe!” Finn said loudly, desperately trying to salvage the date, “How do you and Hux know each other?”
Poe eagerly jumped on the question, “From the Forces, we were bunk-mates during training, you kind of end up bonding with your bunk-mate even if they are a complete arsehole –“
“- I am sitting next to you, you know?”
“- And now Hux works in Intelligence.”
“You’re not supposed to just tell people that, Poe,” Hux growled, glaring at his friend. Finn found himself feeling an odd sensation that he was watching himself and Ben bicker.
“Why not? Do you have to give the whole ‘if I told you than I’d have to kill you’ speech now or something?” Ben was leaning back in his chair, smirking as Hux steadily turning a brighter shade of frustrated-red.
The evening went on pretty much the same from then on out, with Finn and Poe trying to have a proper conversation whilst Ben and Hux wound each other higher and higher up the wall. For Finn the highlight of the dinner was the desert when Poe reached over and swept his thumb over the corner of his lips where he had accidently smeared some of his chocolate mousse without realising, only to pop the digit into his own mouth and suck it clean. Finn hadn’t been able to concentrate much after that point.
The low point, however, had to be when he tried to kick Ben for a third time and ended up hitting Hux instead – the ginger jumped almost a foot off his chair and instantly accused Ben of the assault. Thankfully, that happened just as the bill arrived so Finn could escape quickly enough outside of the restaurant.
The four of them hovered on the street, brightly lit by the light streaming out of the restaurant windows.
“Tonight was certainly…memorable,” Finn said to Poe as the other man guided him by a soft hand on his elbow a few feet away from where Hux was still having a go at Ben for kicking him.
Poe chuckled, running a hand through his curly hair, “You could say that. Your friend’s um…”
“Yeah, yours too,” Finn smiled. He looked down at Poe’s hand holding his own. “I had a great time though, with you I mean, meeting you.”
“Me too,” Poe smiled warmly, stepping closer towards Finn and sliding his arm around his waist, “I am still welcome to come to that life drawing class next week?”
“Yes, definitely!” Finn said a little too desperately, “I mean – it will be nice to see you there.”
“Perhaps afterwards we could go for a coffee? Just the two of us.”
Finn glanced over his shoulder and saw Ben and Hux looked like they were about to come to blows. “Just the two of us sounds great.”
Poe untangled their fingers to lift his warm hand to Finn’s face, cupping his jaw lightly and leaning their faces closer together. “May I?”
Too breathless to speak, Finn just nodded numbly and the next thing he knew was Poe’s gentle lips on his. Poe kissed him sweetly, skilfully, and Finn wrapped his arms around the other’s neck, fearing his weak knees would give way and he would fall if he didn’t hold on to something. He finally buried his hand into the thick, soft curls of Poe’s hair and sank fully into the man’s arms. The kiss was perfect and Finn never wanted it to stop, but then from behind him he heard Ben’s voice rising to include real anger. Sighing, he pulled away, smiling hugely as Poe chased his lips for a second before pouting and opening his eyes.
“I’m sorry but I have to…” Finn jerked his head back at the loud voices, “I wish I didn’t, I’d much rather continue kissing you.”
Poe grinned, leaning back in a packing the corner of his mouth, murmuring, “Next time.”
They reluctantly let go of one another and Finn stepped back. “Goodnight, Poe,” he said, wanting nothing more with all his heart than to close the distance between them again. “Night, Finn.”
Walking sadly away from Poe, Finn pushed between Ben and Hux, grabbing Ben by his arm and declaring, “We’re going, Ben.”
“Finally!” Ben exclaimed, throwing one last withering look at ‘his date’, "Goodbye, Hans."
"It’s Hux!" The ginger yelled after Ben as he and Finn began to stride away down the street.
"Really couldn't care less!” Ben called over his shoulder and Finn couldn’t help but laughing.
“Seriously, what the hell is wrong with you? Did your parents drop you as a baby or something?”
Ben scowled, shoving his hands deep into his pockets, “You’re telling me you didn’t find everything about that guy infuriating!”
“What can I say,” Finn snorted, shaking his head disbelievingly, “I must be used dealing with such people.”
Getting what Finn was saying, Ben snapped, “We’re nothing alike!”
“Yeah, totally dude. Deny it all you want, but both of you seemed to harbour a love for Frozen.”
“I fucking hate Frozen!”
“Just let it go, Ben – OW!” Finn rubbed the back of his head where Ben had just slapped him hard.
“I hope my misery tonight was worth it, are you gonna see Flyboy again?”
Warmth spread throughout Finn’s body, dulling the pain from the slap and causing a smile to brighten his face.
“Fuck, I know that look. Seriously, after one freaking date you’ve fallen for the guy?”
“Shut up,” Finn shoved Ben away playfully but he couldn’t deny the truth in what he had said. He had indeed fallen for Poe Dameron, but then again, who wouldn’t? Have you seen him?!