The Bird and the Flame -- Poe Dameron

VI

"Wait- what?"

"Poe's x-wing really needs help." Jamie sighed out, rubbing her temples.

"And why aren't you fixing it?" Tatoni asked as she dumped her left-over lunch in the trash.

"I need your help... I feel like if I do it, it'll only be a temporary fix."

"Poe's x-wing is in your sector of ships to do." Tatoni faltered before walking towards the hangar, Jamie immediately following. "I'll do it, but you have to fix one of my ships in the meantime."

"Thank you, ma'am."

The two of them both stood in front of the beat-up x-wing. A few other mechanics had stopped to look at the ship. There was smoke blowing out from two pipes, the glass was cracked, and there was a big dent in the side.

"You have to fix at least two of my ships." Tatoni corrected before walking closer to it. "Get back to work everyone."

The small group of people dispersed as Tatoni looked at everything. Soon enough she had fixed the dent, replaced the glass, and stopped the smoke. She didn't stop there though, she was under the ship, screwing in something when a droid came beeping and ran over her foot.

"Ow!" she called out before rolling out from under the x-wing.

Beeeppp beep beep

"Oh, it's okay. Just look where you're going."  Tatoni said to the orange and white droid that rolled around in front of her.

Beep beep.

"I'm Tatoni, nice to meet you Bb-8."

He began rolling in a circle beeping before rolling over to Poe who was now leaning over his x-wing, looking in the cockpit.

"I see you met Bb-8." he murmured.

"He's a nice droid," she said before rolling back under the x-wing. "If only you were that nice."

"You did a real good job." He said, deciding to ignore her last comment.

"Mhmm"

"Why are you doing it?"

"Disappointed it's me?"

"No, no. Just, Jamie usually works on my x-wing."

"Yup. You're in her section."

"Hm"

Anyone could hear his thoughts, then why are you working on my ship? And probably, couldn't stand not seeing me again?

"I'm working on your ship because Jamie couldn't fix it." Tatoni sighed before rolling out from under it and wiping her greased hands on her tan pants, leeaving yet another mark on them. "You showed up and your ship was a second away from blowing up in flames."

"I can't control when a giant space worm comes out of nowhere in the middle of a very exciting chase."

"So you came back with a failed mission?"

"No. I caught the guy. Just also got hit in the process." Poe said with a wide smile. Tatoni slowly nodded her head before getting up from the ground.

"Okay, well... Your ship is fine now. I added a few things and tightened other things so your ship is in better shape than before you got hit by a... Well, whatever you got hit by."

Poe nodded as he stared down at Tatoni.

"I'll be on my way now..."

"Wait, dots." Poe reached out for Tatoni and grabbed her wrist. "Thanks for fixing it." he grinned and it made Tatoni's thought process stop before she cleared her throat.

"It's my job."

"You sure you didn't just miss me?"

A quick flash of Poe standing in the ship, shirtless, crossed her mind. "I'm sure," she said as if she hadn't been kept up at night, thinking of him for the past two weeks.

"Sure, rags."

"Rags?" She asked, looking up at him, confused. "That's new... and harsher than dots, considering I just fixed up your ship."

He chuckled at her stuck up attitude. "You're cute when you're feisty."

"You just called me rags!" She said before lightly pushing his shoulder.

"Only because you're dirty!" He held his hands up, defensively. "And in those not-so-flattering clothes that I consider rags."

"These are my work clothes! I'm sorry your ship was leaking oil onto me and I don't want my everyday clothes dirty!" Although, if she were to be honest, these rags were her everyday clothes considering she was always working.

He simply laughed before backing away. "Calm down, kitty cat."

"Kitty cat!" She said raising her eyebrows. His face was filled with amusement before she took her dirty hands and wiped them on his face and down his white shirt, leaving a grey smudged-streak.

"Heyyy, my shirt!"

"Think before calling me an animal," Tatoni said with a slight smirk.

"In my defense, I called you a cute animal." He called out as she began walking away.

"You still called me an animal!" She said turning around to playfully glare at him.

"A cute one." He said smiling.

A smile that could kill.