This fic is a side story to a much longer series and won't make much sense unless you've read the other parts, most notably Creatures behind Masks and Beneath the Façade. They can both be found on my Author Profile page.

Poe looked up at the panting man above him. Stars, Finn was perfect. The ex-stormtrooper was everything he'd ever wanted and he couldn't help reaching up and splaying his fingers over the other man's chest, if only to have even just a little more contact.

Finn smiled down at him. "That was pretty awesome . . . "

Poe couldn't resist wiggling his brows in a leering manner. "I told you it would be."

At this Finn leaned down and the two kissed. It was sloppy and passionate and perfect. Poe felt his eyes slide closed and he still couldn't believe this was actually happening. After they'd left Rey with her new beau, it was like Finn had finally let go of that crush of his.

Poe had been eyeing the other man for the better part of six months and they'd been inseparable. But the pilot had all but given up hope of garnering Finn's romantic interest. That all changed when it became clear the Rey just didn't share the ex-trooper's feelings and that she'd landed that guy, Kai.

Poe tried not to dwell on the idea that he might be the rebound and instead focused on making sure Finn was happier than he'd have ever been with Rey. Poe liked Rey but it had been obvious the few time he'd seen her with Finn that she just didn't see the other man that way. He'd honestly wondered if she saw anyone that way because she'd never looked at anyone twice while on the base. No one seemed to appeal to her.

Until Kai. The guy who took the garnish out of her drink and who looked at her like she was the most precious thing in the galaxy. And she smiled at him like he completed her. They made a cute couple with the way they bickered even if Kai was a bit offputting at first. Finn had acted a bit weird for a few days after they'd returned. Poe had chalked it up to him getting over his crushing heartbreak.

Which was why Poe had almost choked when Finn walked into his little ship that he lived in and had just asked him flat out, "So . . . I've been thinking about this for a while . . . and I um—well I think we might have a connection . . . or something?"

Poe had blinked for a few seconds and his jaw dropped. "Yeah—yes! Yes. We have a connection. We do."

Finn had smiled crookedly. "I've never . . . really . . . with anyone. I thought I was only supposed to like women. The First Order, they . . . "

Poe really didn't want to know the bullshit the First Order was practicing. "That's all in the past. They don't control you anymore. What do you want now?"

Finn had bitten his plush bottom lip and Poe had been unable to keep his eyes off the movement.

He seemed uncertain but his voice didn't shake. "I think I might want . . . you?"

Poe had been hoping and praying to the Force to hear those words for months. But it had still felt like a punch in the chest and he had trouble taking a breath.

The pilot stepped closer because he knew his voice would be soft. "I think I might want you too."

Finn blushed and looked away until Poe reached over and put his hand on the other man's cheek. Poe had swallowed past the lump in his throat and couldn't help but ask, "Can I kiss you?"

The ex-stormtrooper looked up at him quickly, his eyes wide. "Yeah."

Poe leaned in and kissed Finn, and it was everything he expected and more. It was fairly obvious that Finn hadn't had a lot of practice but that only made increased Poe's desire. The kiss deepened and Finn's hand came up to clutch at the orange jumpsuit a he leaned further in. Poe finally had to pull away and he panted slightly.

Finn's eyes were still shut and his tone was a bit wobbly. "Was that okay?"

Poe tried not to dwell on how breathless the ex-trooper sounded and what it would take to have him sounding like that again.

"It was more than okay."

Finn looked at him then and Poe was struck dumb as usual by the other man and this connection they had. He couldn't help leaning in and kissing his 'trooper again.

Poe smiled at the memory. Was that only a week ago? He was shaken from his thoughts as Finn kissed his neck and bit his ear. His eyes shuttered closed at the sound and feeling of Finn's breath in his ear. There wasn't much room for either of them to go with just the single bunk but Poe found he didn't really mind having Finn on top of him even if the other man was solidly built.

Still . . . "Bud, I gotta get up."

The voice was muffled against his skin. "Why?"

Poe snorted. "I'm sure you're alright with what's going on downstairs but I'm a little . . . damp at the moment and I got a meeting in twenty minutes."

Finn pulled away and looked at him. He thought for a second before saying, "That's plenty of time for you to be on top and we can be damp together."

Poe smiled indulgently. "Babe, I'm not a young stud like you. I got a refractory period."

Finn laughed and rolled off Poe as much as he was able, and the pilot slipped out of the small bed. Finn got up as well and they walked down the hall to the 'fresher. Poe went in and closed his eyes as the lasers and steam wicked anything foreign from his body.

He stepped out and Finn went in while Poe quickly shaved. Finn didn't need to do that as apparently there was some stormtrooper mandate about having all the follicles removed over the entire body except for the scalp and eyebrows. Finn said it was to prevent minor issues that arose when one wore that much body armor that long, but Poe thought it was just one more way the First Order tried to strip individuality from its 'troopers.

He was done with his scruff by the time Finn exited the 'fresher. Poe looked over the other man and he couldn't help licking his lips. "Babe, when we have a couple days off, I'm gonna take you back to my homeworld and you and me are gonna use one of the private bathhouses."

Finn's head tilted in confusion. "What's a bathhouse?"

Oh the things Poe could tell him. "It's where people go to bath in water."

The ex-trooper blinked. "Water? You wash yourself with water? That seems wasteful."

Poe laughed as he stepped out of the bathroom. "I promise you it's worth it. I got a full bathhouse at my home there. You'll be changing your tune when we're up against a wall and you're pounding into me while hot water cascades down on us."

Finn blinked again and seemed to roll the idea around in his mind. "That sounds . . . "

"Hot. You'll love it."

Finn smiled and Poe pulled him closer. He couldn't remember being this happy at any point in his life, which of course meant he had to cut this short.

He kissed Finn and then said, "Bud, I gotta go meet with the general."

"Really?"

"Yeah, she's expecting me in," he checked the comm, "fifteen minutes. And don't give me that look. You know I'd rather spend the day in bed with you."

Finn shrugged and laid back on the bunk, his legs splayed in a sexy manner and Poe could see everything. "Your loss."

Poe slumped as he got dressed. He bit his lip as he looked over Finn's fit body sprawled over the bunk. He pulled his suit back on completely and laced up his boots before leaning in for one more long, deep kiss.

He groaned as he pulled away and his voice was almost hoarse. "Don't move from this spot. I'll be back in forty-five minutes tops and when I get back, you and that mattress are going to get quite intimate when I pound you into it."

Finn smiled and leaned up for another kiss, his teeth catching on Poe's lip when he pulled away a second later. "I'll hold you to that."

Poe shuddered only slightly as he turned from Finn and made his way out of the ship. He shut the door behind him and came down the steps. The pilot looked at his small craft for a second before leaving it behind. He couldn't help but wonder if it would fit two comfortably on a regular basis. Finn had practically lived with him the last three days anyway.

Poe shrugged to himself. Three days was plenty of time for a trial period and Finn seemed to like being there. He smiled at the thought of replacing the single bunk with a double, of getting to wake up with Finn every morning.

"If those hearts in your eyes get any bigger, you won't be able to see."

Poe jumped only a bit as Lieutenant Connix slid in front of him.

She smirked. "Haven't seen you around the base much, pilot. Something keeping you home?"

Oh, only hours of mind-blowing sex unlike anything I've ever experienced . . . "No, nothing too different."

She rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips. "You are a Force-damned liar."

Poe shrugged and smiled crookedly. "Uh, that noticeable, huh?"

She pursed her lips and smiled up at him. "Well, that and you're walking a bit funny."

That brought him up short his eyes widened. He felt fine but Finn wasn't exactly a lightweight in any sense of the word. And he needed to stop thinking about Finn's . . . assets.

She laughed at the look on his face before pointing ahead. "The general is in her office."

Poe sighed. "Ah, thanks."

She rolled her eyes and walked off. The sooner he got this meeting done, the sooner he could return to a warm bunk and warmer bunk-mate. He couldn't help the dopey smile on his face as he glided down the hall and knocked on the door to General Organa's office. After only a second, the door slid open and he walked inside.

The general sat behind her desk and she looked up and smiled before gesturing to the chair across from her. "Poe, please come in and have a seat."

The pilot nodded and sat down. He heard the door hiss shut behind him and the click of a lock. He gave her a questioning look.

The general steepled her hands on the desk and her face was deceptively pleasant. "Please don't be concerned. I simply don't want anyone to disturb us."

He leaned back a bit in the chair. "I didn't say anything."

Her head tilted but she didn't lose the calm facade. "You didn't have to."

Poe's brows knitted but he said nothing in response and instead he waited for the general to tell him why she'd called him. It had to be important for her to send him the communique this morning on his day off.

She brought her hands down and crossed them in front of her as she leaned forward. "I noticed you and Finn have gotten rather . . . close recently."

His eyes widened. Oh stars, please tell me my commanding officer isn't asking me about my sex life . . . That was not the type of conversation he wanted to have with the general.

She chuckled a bit. "I don't want details. I just wanted to know when this . . . change occurred."

Poe's mouth opened a couple of times as he thought his answer over. "Uh . . . well, after we visited Rey. She's got herself a man and I guess Finn finally gave up on her and . . . " He trailed off, hoping he didn't sound as desperate as he felt.

But she nodded and said, "Gave you a chance."

The pilot looked away briefly. "Yeah . . . "

General Organa pursed her lips for a second before pulling a pad out from her desk and setting it on the table. "The man she was with . . . Is this him?"

She slid the pad in front of him with an image he recognized. "Yeah. That's Kai."

It was obviously a photo taken without the other man's knowledge. Was the general spying on Rey? Why would she do that?

She nodded and put the pad away. "I'm afraid I'm about to ask you to do something that might make you uncomfortable."

Poe blinked. "What kind of thing?"

She sighed. "As you know, I don't really advertise my . . . skills but the Force has always been strong in my family. It's why Ben turned to the darkside. I can use a lightsaber but I usually tend to stick more with skills of the mind."

Poe had been with her for many years. After his mother had died, his father had taught him to fly. So at fifteen he'd run off to find adventure among the stars. He'd bounced around different jobs but nothing called to him until Leia had found him. She'd smiled and said he reminded her of her lost son. A boy who had died in the jedi massacre.

She'd recruited him and taken him under her wing. He'd learned to fly an x-wing and became the general's favorite pilot. She took him with her around the galaxy as an attache and he'd stuck by her through everything, done everything she'd ever asked of Poe was well aware of the general's connection with the Force. And with her above average rate of information extraction from prisoners. He winced, thinking back on his own brush with such techniques. It was probably one of the most painful moments of his life.

Leia nodded. "I know this is hard for you but I need you to grant me access to your mind."

The pilot automatically began shaking his head in denial even as he asked, "Why?"

The general got up and came around the desk to stand in front of him. She took one of his hands and rubbed his fingers with her own in a soothing manner. "Because I suspect your memories have been tampered with. Yours and Finn's. There was something slightly off after you returned from Takodana and when you and Finn started seeing each other romantically . . . "

He didn't jerk his hand from hers but it was a close thing. "Are you saying that Finn's feelings for me . . . They might not be real?" It was a thought that was too painful to contemplate.

She licked her dry lips. "I don't know. It may be connected or it might not be."

Poe's brow furrowed. "I—I don't know."

He didn't want to know.

The general's other hand came up to his face. Her fingers almost caressed his cheek as she pushed his chin up until their eyes made contact. "I need you to do this. This is bigger than your relationship. This could be everything to the Resistance."

His mind was filled with images and thoughts about what might happen if he was somehow withholding important information. He nodded in acquiescence.

She smiled benevolently and her fingers came up to trace his temples. His eyes slid shut. The general was gentle and there was no pain as she sifted through his memories searching for the time and place she needed. He did his best to assist her. Pain or no pain, he didn't want to do this any longer than he had to.

He knew the moment she'd found the memory. Saw Finn, Rey, and Kai sitting around the table talking and laughing like they'd been friends forever. Kai rarely took his eyes off Rey and he seemed good for her, if a bit stand-offish towards others. He'd not been terribly happy to potentially work for the Resistance but then he didn't want to put Rey in danger. He'd said so.

Poe and Finn eventually leave and the pair had waved at them as their ship left the landing pad outside the bar. And that was that.

Except it wasn't.

Leia was rewinding the memories, pulling them apart and he could only watch as everything unraveled. Seeing things that hadn't been there before. His stomach twisted into knots. No. No. No . . .

He and Finn left the bar and the ex-trooper pulled him to the side. "Poe, you still got your blaster?"

The pilot's eyes widened in question. "Yeah, why?"

Finn leaned in closer and Poe could smell his scent of lopte butter and alcohol. "That guy back there. I think that's Kylo Ren."

Poe reeled back in shock. "What?!" Kylo Ren was the demon of the First Order and Poe still had nightmares of the pain the man had put him through. "How do you know? I thought you didn't get a good look at him before."

Finn looked away. "I didn't but he's similar enough. Even so, man . . . The guy's name is Kai Lowen."

Poe's mouth slackened as he took that in before shaking his head. "That's not proof. We can't just blast the guy on that alone. It could be an unfortunate coincidence."

Finn gritted his teeth. "Well, we can't just leave Rey alone with him. If it is him. And if the Resistance comes here to confront him, he might kill her."

Poe wasn't sure what to think but they apparently they were out of time because the man himself was walking by, headed for his ship. What if he escaped? What if they had to go back to Resistance and tell them they'd had Kylo Ren and had let the man escape. Finn made the decision for them as he reached over and grabbed the blaster before taking off after Kai.

Poe's eyes widened, "Shit . . . "

The pilot went after his friend and could only watch as Finn grabbed Kai and held the blaster up under his chin. Well, that was one way to get answers, he supposed.

Except he hadn't expected Kai to actually confess to his identity.

He smiled smugly at them. "What gave me away?"

Finn leaned in and his voice was heavy with anger. "I thought I recognized you but when I heard your name . . . Kai Lowen? That's not even being subtle."

Kylo Ren's face pulled into an obscene smile. "Subtle enough for her."

Finn's face twitched and Poe's hand cocked back intending to punch the jackass across the face. But suddenly his feet weren't under him anymore and Poe hit the ground hard. He tried to get back up but Ren was holding him down with the Force. Another wave slammed down on to him, crushing his body into the duracrete of the pad. Poe looked over and Finn appeared dazed and but he was still conscious.

Kylo Ren's voice was positively smug. "That was a very stupid thing you just did. I'm not sure what you thought was going to happen here, boys."

Poe wasn't able to respond but Finn's voice was gravely as he spoke through clenched teeth. "Why are you hanging around Rey? What do you want with her?"

Ren crouched down in front of Finn while his voice was low, Poe could still make out the words. "Everything. She's mine. Since that day she resisted me, she has never left my sight."

The ex-stormtrooper shook his head as much as he was able. "She couldn't go and train with Luke Skywalker because you did something to her."

Ren's head tilted. "Nothing so terrible as what you're thinking. Skywalker is an unworthy teacher but I've made her better. Her power has increased a hundredfold since Star Killer Base. Even if she doesn't know it, yet." Kylo pursed his lips. "But none of that matters. Did you contact the Resistance before confronting me?"

Poe watched as Finn's terrified eyes met Kylo's and he started choking in pain. Poe knew that look, knew that pain. He'd been on the receiving end of it. Watching his best friend being violated like that . . . The pain making his body writhe on the ground like a worm caught in the sun and not be able to do anything about it was something Poe knew would stay with him for the rest of his life.

They hadn't contacted the Resistance and Poe would have told him that to spare Finn the pain of Ren's mind invasions. And apparently the knight figured that out as well because he said, "Normally, I would call you both the dumbest people I've ever met. But your idiocy has just saved your lives. If you had spoken to the Resistance, I would have killed you both. But since you haven't told anyone, you get to live. After, of course, we remove certain things from your mind."

Poe's eyes widened and he gasped as Kylo raised his hand to Finn's head again. Finn stopped moving and Poe felt tears well up in his eyes as he watched his friend's mind get wiped away.

The pilot strained even harder and eventually he wasn able to gasp out, "Stop . . . "

Kylo looked up surprised as he turned his head towards Poe. As if he'd forgotten the pilot was even there. Poe's head shook as he felt the invasion into his thoughts. Please don't hurt Finn anymore!

Ren's chin lifted and he looked curious. "Ah . . . "

The knight glanced down at Finn, whose eyes were glazed over before looking back up at Poe. The pilot knew he wasn't going to like whatever was brewing in that evil mind.

But Ren smiled in a manner that reminded Poe far too much of Han Solo. "You're in luck. I'm about to do you a favor. You can thank me later."

What? Poe's brow knitted together in confusion and he shook his head but Kylo ignored him as he turned back to the ex-trooper and slipped back into the mind of Finn. The smile never wavered as he found whatever it was he sought. Finn finally passed out when Ren released his hold. Poe eyed his friend and breathed a sigh of relief to see he was still breathing. But his moment of reprieve ended when Kylo Ren turned back towards him.

Kylo crouched down beside him, blocking his view of his friend. "What did you do to Finn?"

The knight raised a brow. "Made your life a bit easier, I think. There won't be any more lingering feelings towards my scavenger. He's all yours now."

That's not what he wanted. Not fake feelings. "That's not what I—"

Ren didn't seem at all sympathetic. "You can lie to yourself but you won't lie to me. You should have learned that before . . . I don't tolerate it."

He raised his hand to Poe's face and pushed his way inside.

Poe opened his mouth to yell as the familiar pain blossomed but Leia pulled away just in time. She looked anywhere but at him and his eyes darted around the room as he attempted to process what hat happened.

"Finn . . . "

Everything was a lie. Finn had been brainwashed.

Leia shook her head. "Kylo Ren didn't put those feelings there, Poe. He just got rid of the lingering crush on Rey."

But Poe already felt moisture gathering in his eyes. "I have to tell him." It would break his heart like it was already breaking Poe's.

But Leia put her hand on his shoulder and her voice was firm. "No, you don't. You'll be hurting not just yourself but him too. How do you think he'll react knowing that Kylo Ren is running around with Rey?"

He remembered Finn running off after the man with a blaster and while he understood her point, it still wasn't fair to Finn to keep something so important from him.

Leia tilted his head up so their eyes met. "We'll handle Kylo Ren, Poe. Don't worry."

She would handle it like she always had but . . . "And Rey, what about her?"

The general's voice was soothingly pleasant. "We'll do our best to help her."

Poe blinked. "What does that mean?"

Leia smiled comfortingly. "It means exactly what it sounds like. We don't know how much of Ren's influence has penetrated her mind. You heard him, she's never left his sight."

Poe shook off his doubts. "I also heard that he kept us alive so he can maintain his ruse. If she were completely under his power, he wouldn't be pretending to be someone else. Which means we can still save her. Let me take a team down that to extract her once they finish with the mission."

But the general was shaking her head and stepping back from him. "No. I want to know what his plans are. Why he's taking so much time with her."

Poe couldn't stop the incredulous look on his face. "He's trying to turn her evil."

She waved him off with a scoff. "Kylo Ren has far more important things to do with his time than abscond with a girl for months on the auspices of 'turning her evil'. No, he's got other plans."

The pilot's eyes narrowed and his head tilted. "Exactly how long have you known about him being with her?"

She didn't even pretend to not understand. "For the last four months."

Poe's jaw dropped. "Four months, you've known about this? How can you just have left her there like that?"

Leia's chin lifted. "Being the leader of a crippled military under a faltering government means making hard choices and allocating resources to be used in the most efficient manner."

He shook his head. "That's a bunch of political talk."

She met his eyes again. "We will take care of it, Poe."

Poe knew a dismissal when he heard one and his lips tightened as he got up and left the room without another word. As he walked down the hall and out of the building, Poe felt like he was in a daze. The full ramifications of what had happened was hitting him. Was any of it real? Was it all in Poe's own head? Did Kylo Ren force these feelings onto Finn? Ren had said that he'd just removed the feelings for Rey. That Finn's feelings for Poe were genuine. But Kylo Ren was a patricidal lunatic so how could he really know if the other man was telling the truth.

His steps slowed as he came to stand outside his ship. Finn was in there, naked and waiting for Poe to come in there and make him see stars. And Poe wanted nothing more than to do that. To forget about the general and Kylo Ren and just be happy with his new lover.

He took a step back and it felt like all the oxygen left his lungs but he turned anyway. He needed air. He needed more time to think.

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