Into You •Finnpoe Stormpilot•

Chapter XVIII

Finn's shoots ended up looking really good but even that didn't raise his spirits. He kept beating himself up about the fact that he let Poe leave without even talking. They wouldn't be able to talk when he came back because he didn't want him to think it'd been on his mind since that day even though in fact, it very much was.

It took about a day for him to realize that when Poe came back, all he would have to do is pretend like it didn't happen and hope for the best. There was no way he would even be able to talk about he felt if he wasn't even sure if Poe felt the same. He leaned away from him for stars sakes! Of course he didn't feel the same!

Maybe something could've happened when they had met or if him and Lily didn't become serious but he couldn't go back and change that now. All he could do is bury his feelings deep deep down and pray they would never come up again- even if he knew it wouldn't work.

The entire week Finn had been waiting for a phone call from Poe to update him about when he was coming back or how his gigs were going but he never got one. He would've driven wherever he was playing if Finn had known where, but he didn't.

For a while now, he'd been wanting to hear Poe play in public. He'd asked him to play a few songs whenever they were at the apartment and immediately he was obsessed. There were times that all he'd want to do is hear his voice so when they went to bed, Finn would ask him to sing him to sleep. If there was anything more beautiful to him than art, it was Poe.

It was upsetting how long it took for him to realize how he felt. How should he have known? He'd never been like that with anyone- let alone another man. Not that he'd grown up homophobic or anything, he just wasn't familiar with it. But Poe was different. He brought out the best in him and they always clicked. Even their arguments somehow figured themselves out and ended in them laughing. There were hard days nonetheless but even then, they figured it out together.

Finn had almost finished his painting of the two people in an apartment complex from an outside view. He finally settled on the title Home and it suited the painting perfectly. Something about it just seemed familiar to him, like déjà vu but he couldn't place his finger on it. He was anticipating Poe coming back so he could proudly present his new favorite artwork to him.

He just wished he'd come back sooner than later.

•••

Poe finally packed up his things again and was ready to head back to the apartment. He was less than thrilled at the idea of it being awkward but it was them; they always figure out a way. Besides, he'd been wanting a good night's sleep and couldn't wait to finally get one- that was, of course, if they would still share a bed.

After taking a few pit stops at gas stations for snacks and restroom breaks, Poe finally arrived back in town. He wasn't sure that Finn would even be home but maybe he could do something for him in the meantime to show him everything was okay.

Cooking dinner would be a first option because Finn knew how much trouble Poe had cooking but he tried his best anyway. He could also get him those new paints he wanted but was waiting to get. He just wanted to do something for him.

By the time Poe got to the apartment, he had both new acrylic paints and groceries in his hands and he stomped up the stairs. He thought about taking a quick nap, which he desperately needed, before he cooked dinner. It was only three in the afternoon anyway.

Poe fell back onto the bed and immediately groaned, "Now this is a bed." It took no more than a few minutes for him to fall fast asleep and finally get the nap he deserved.

•••

Finn opened the door to a softly snoring Poe on the bed and two cases in the middle of the room. He didn't mind at all; he'd missed seeing him, sleepy mess and all.

He looked over at the counter that had a brown bag sitting atop of it almost teasing him to look inside. When he did, Finn immediately grinned ridiculously and pulled out the paints one by one tracing his fingers over them and memorizing the color names.

Finn began to look in the pantry for something he could make for dinner when he saw a recipe for chicken parmesan- something a little out of Poe's league. He assumed that he was going to try to make it for him but ended up falling asleep.

He looked back and Poe sprawled out on their bed and smiled softly. Nothing was going to happen between them, he knew that. But he was around him and that's all that mattered.

After ten minutes into preparing to cook dinner, Finn heard the creaking of the mattress and looked behind him to find a Poe with bed head- a funny yet adorable sight.

Poe squinted one eye shut and gave a little wave to Finn. "Nice apron," he laughed while nodding at the white apron around Finn's body.

"Nice hair," Finn retaliated curling the corner of his mouth up in a small smirk. "I have black clothes on and would rather not get flour all over them."

Poe groaned and smacked his forehead with the palm of his hand. "I was supposed to be making dinner. Sorry, I took a long nap."

"Don't worry, it seemed a little bit harder than mac and cheese anyway," Finn teased. "Wouldn't want you ruining perfectly fine chicken."

"Hey now," Poe defended, waving a finger at him. "I can make some pretty good ramen too."

Finn laughed and nodded his elbow at Poe to tell him to come over. "Okay then, let's see how good you can make dinner for us all by yourself."

Poe clapped his hands together, "Easy. Stand back buddy I'm about to blow you away."

•••

"Okay in hindsight, blowing the flour off my hands probably wasn't the best idea," Poe said with an amused grimace.

Finn used his finger to wipe a mark onto his face that left his skin its natural color again. Poe had blown the flour off his hands at the same time Finn leaned over to see what he was doing.

He wet a napkin and used it to try and wipe most of the flour off his face and crinkled his nose at Poe and asked, "All gone?"

Poe lifted his hand and placed it on his cheek to wipe of parts that still had residue then pulled away and nodded after he cleaned it off. "Now it's all gone."

Finn smiled and looked back at the chicken sizzling in the pan. "Not bad for a beginner. I'm actually pretty proud. Now just don't burn it."

"See! Have a little more faith in me buddy," Poe exclaimed. He had never really made anything like that before and was proud of himself. His usual dinner consisted on some grilled chicken and a salad. It was easy enough.

They sat down after they prepared their plates and when they each tried a piece of their chicken they responded in unison with a satisfied noise.

"Maybe I should let you start cooking dinner," Finn chuckled as he took another bite.

Poe laughed, "Woah now let's not get ahead of ourselves."

They both laughed, finished dinner and settled down to watch a movie. After, they went to bed and everything was normal. It was a relief to both of them that nothing had changed. They both had feelings but sure as hell you wouldn't hear a confession from either of them.