The Bird and the Flame -- Poe Dameron

IV

"A blaster?" Tatoni said as she held the blaster awkwardly in her small hands.

"Good observation." Poe chuckled as he tucked his blaster against his waist.

"Why do I need a blaster?" Tatoni asked, following him and tucking her blaster away.

"Protection," Poe said as he walked away from the ship.

"What would we need to protect ourselves against?"

"The first order."

"The first order?"

"Yes."

"They're here?" she suddenly sounded anxious, as she looked around at the people they passed.

"They are everywhere." Poe answered as he leaned closer, dropping his voice even more, "Don't worry dots, I'll protect you."

"I don't need protection." Tatoni snapped, "I've got a blaster." she said proudly.

"You ever used a blaster before?"

She didn't answer and Poe chuckled, opening a door and stepping aside, inviting her in. With a glance at him, she stepped forward and was quickly taken aback. There were so many people in the canteen and smoke was in the air, music banging around inside her ears.

Poe directed her to the bar and sat down beside her.

"What exactly are we doing here?" Tatoni asked.

"This is our first date," Poe smirked and ordered himself a drink.

"You wish," Tatoni said and looked around some more. She'd never seen anything so lively and happy. There have been very few times when the Resistance has had anything to really celebrate.

"We're here to get news on the missing person."

"Right..." she said as she grabbed the drink she had ordered. "So what do we do?"

"We wait. Act casual." Poe said as he leaned in. "Plus, for all anyone knows, this is our first date."

"A first date I never agreed to with a man I barely know," Tatoni said and took a long swig from her drink.

"Correction, you're on a first date with the most beautiful man in all of the galaxies."

She smiled slightly, and it made Poe's heart almost stop, seeing her soft lips curling up was beyond amazing, but he quickly frowned when he heard what she said, "I've seen better."

And he couldn't believe what he saw her do next, her eyes looked him up and down, and she leaned closer, "Definitely better."

"You're joking," he said smiling at her. She shook her head and put down her drink.

"Really... Many great men have caught my eye before." It was a lie. Only one has ever really caught her eye, and he was so close to catching her heart, but only she knew that.

"Name one greater than me," Poe said with a big smile, she was bluffing.

"When I was younger I knew this one person. Black hair, soft lips, and eyes that actually saw me." she paused and looked down at her drink, she saw him in her mind, the last time she had seen him, and she saw his pain. "He was a sight for sore eyes." she faltered before clearing her throat and looking back up.

"And where is he now?" Poe asked hesitantly.

"He's gone. Somewhere I don't know."

Poe slowly nodded his head before taking a swig of his drink when the big bartender came up and put a drink in front of Tatoni.