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Chapter Text

Chapter Text

Poe blasts the heat and hangs a left out of the apartment complex.

Fishing the phone from his pocket at the first red light, he finds five alerts for missed orders. He sighs and checks on the little snowball napping on his beanie in the shoebox. It was worth it. Keeping his word, he taps a few buttons to credit Rey’s account for the full amount of the order. He doesn’t check if she tried to tip him anyway. It only stings to see what could have been if luck was kinder.

Poe follows the parkway until he recognizes the familiar landmarks of Yavin. The neighborhood he’s lived in most of his life. All the while, he thinks of the beautiful robotics major. Her snicker. Her twinkling, intelligent hazel eyes. The one who apparently had a boyfriend. Luck was very unkind.

He pulls up to a sage-colored Cape Cod home. A few festive lights highlight the simple, symmetrical design. One ornamental Japanese maple wrapped in Christmas lights stands sentinel in the yard. Shoebox tucked under his arm, Poe crunches up the steps. Damp denim still sticks to his skin where he knelt in the snow and he needs to thaw.

“Papá,” he calls upon entry. “It’s me.”

Kes hunches over the kitchen table in a flannel bathrobe. Bottles of supplements and medications are fanned out before him. “Give me a second…”

Poe sits, quiet as his dad finishes refilling the pill sorter. It’s a relief to see his dad keeping up on the regimen, but he hates the reminder that he needs it at all. Finally, the last capsule drops into its corresponding day and the sorter is snapped closed.

Kes glances at the clock on the oven. “Finally took a Friday night off? Good.”

“Not by choice.” Poe sets the shoebox down on the table, then lifts the lid to reveal the kitten inside. “This one’s responsible for sending me home earlier than planned.”

“Mijo, when I told you to bring home a nice girl this is not what I meant.” Still, Kes studies the creature with tender eyes. He hasn’t fostered a litter in a couple of months and it’s no secret he enjoys feeling useful.

“Ironically enough, I actually found this cat because of a nice girl.” Poe begins to detail the events of the evening. The delivery, the kitten, the car. And the beguiling young woman.

Kes lifts the sleeping kitten, who complains momentarily. Motioning for Poe to follow, Kes carries her to the garage to look for bottle feeding supplies. “You should be spending your weekends going out. Go dancing, meet someone. At least have a beer with friends. You work hard enough at your real job —”

“That’s not important right now.”

“Friendship isn’t important? Love isn’t important?” Kes digs an old heating pad out of a box and thrusts it into Poe’s sternum. “You’re too much of a romantic to believe that.”

“Keeping the house matters more than… going to some bar or whatever you want me to do.” Every single variation of this conversation is exasperating. He doesn’t care if he has to sacrifice all his free time for it: his parents didn’t work for the American dream just for the bank to foreclose. “I don’t even care about that.”

“This girl you met, what made her special?” Kes pins him down with a knowing look. “And don’t say that she wasn’t because you’re not only a romantic, you’re also a horrible liar.”

Poe hums to himself for a second, rising on his toes to reach a can of kitten formula on the back of a shelf. “She’s a robot builder, for one. MIT student. Killer smile. Did I tell you what she ordered?”

Kes raises a brow.

“Arepas.”

“No shit,” he chuckles, scratching behind the kitten’s ear. The traditional dish was his late wife’s specialty. And Poe’s favorite meal growing up. “Sounds like fate to me. Think you’ll see her again?”

Poe half-heartedly laughs at the absurdity. “She has a boyfriend.”

“So? He looked mean?”

“What? No. I don’t know.” Poe hands the formula can over before flipping the garage light switch. “More worried. I guess she left the door unlocked when she came out to get her food, and the guy came home. He thought something bad happened and ran outside looking for her. But anyway, I’m not gonna get involved with someone in a relationship.”

“Calm down. I’m talking about bumping into her sometime. Like maybe on another delivery.”

Oh. Poe hadn’t even considered the possibility.

Rose flops down on the couch. She scoops up the last of pico de gallo from Teedo’s. “Tell me about the delivery boy,” she asks between crunches. “Finn said he was, quote, interesting?”

Rey tends to her monstera. She turns off the growing light and turns. She’s surprisingly defensive of a man she interacted with for mere minutes. A man with expressive eyes and strong, caring hands. She needs to think about something else. Anything. Hence the extra attention on the plants.

“He’s not a boy.” She sprays a playful mist in her roommate’s direction. Rose squeaks and slaps Rey’s arm. “He’s a grown man. About 5 years older than us? He lifted the car and dug out that cat like it was no big deal. It was really cool, to be honest.”

“He’s a delivery boy,” she replies flatly. As if it’s below Rey, AI programmer extraordinaire. The TV flickers to life and Rose peruses their streaming queue.

“If you’re insinuating he’s some kind of slacker… that’s not the vibe I got at all.”

Rose grimaces and seems to recognize her elitist attitude. Though she doesn’t apologize. She pauses over a sci-fi epic. “Tall, dark, and handsome?”

“Well,” Rey recalls his kind chestnut eyes. “He has more than enough ‘dark and handsome’ to make up for the lack of tall. I don’t know, I felt so drawn to him. And it wasn’t just about his looks, okay.”

“Well, he was saving a kitty. That automatically gives him roughly 500 bonus points. I get that. But he didn’t ask you out.”

Rey sighs. “We were flirting a little and it was going well. Then Finn came outside yelling my name and he took off. I guess he assumed—“

“Oh crap! He thought Finn was your...” Understanding softens Rose’s face. Finn snores from their shared bedroom after an intellectually-draining day. The robotics team is in addition to the rest of the grueling classes.

“Yup. And he was freaking out so it didn’t look good.” Rey mists the potted rosemary bush serving as their Christmas tree. “I know it wasn’t on purpose. Hell, he’s always telling me to download a dating app. Once he realized, he felt pretty bad about it. I… I actually really liked this guy. I can’t explain it.”

“And his contact information wasn’t in the app?” Rose asks again. She selects a sitcom. Rey shakes her head. “Hmm. Maybe we can find your delivery man online.”

“I don’t know his name. I have his driver ID in the app, but that’s it.”

“Write it in the review. 5 stars. Hot driver. Please ask me out,” says Rose. “Maybe he’ll see it?”

“No!” Rey blurts. “Are you trying to humiliate me?”

Rose pulls out her phone, “We can filter a search by employer and city on LinkedIn? Then find him on Facebook and see if he’s single.”

“Come on… we are not doing that.” Setting the mister bottle down, she drags a hand over her face. “I'll bet that's exactly why they don’t list their drivers’ names on the order.”

“But Rey. What if he posts thirst traps to Instagram? Workout selfies? Don’t you wanna see? I may be spoken for, but I’m certainly curious. I’ll find a pic of him in grey sweatpants and you can thank me later.”

“Your curiosity sounds a bit like stalking,” Rey calls down the short hall as she heads to her bedroom for the night.

Chapter Text

Distant whirring rouses Poe from his sleep. Metal blades pulverize vegetables as Kes begins his morning juicing ritual downstairs. A snowbank outside his window amplifies the sunlight. This is the bedroom he grew up in. Minus the band posters and futon from his teenage years, of course. It sits directly under the kitchen and, to Poe’s chagrin, Kes has always been an early riser.

Never did he foresee returning home at twenty-eight. He’d been on his own for years before his dad got sick. Medical bills whittled Kes’s modest savings down to nothing. When he finally confessed the extent of the debt, Poe insisted on moving back in to help. What he’d spend on rent in Boston before went toward the mortgage now. It had been substantially behind when he moved in. Though it's caught up now, Poe still feels like they walk a financial tightrope sans safety net. Years of student loans only make it more stressful.

Driving deliveries was all Poe could do to afford keeping his beloved Nissan 370Z coupe. It was the only second job flexible enough to allow him to care for the ailing widower (though he hates the extra mileage).

Although his job at Yavin High is rewarding, weekend mornings still hold their own appeal. They belong to him alone.  Deliveries take up his time on weekends and Kes often needs help after he gets off work. Eager to jog the perimeter of Takodana Pond, Poe slips on his tangerine hoodie and heads downstairs.  Won't be long before he’s pulled back to the realm of responsibility. 

Kes jams a carrot into the juicer, glancing up as his son begins to stretch his calves. On the counter next to the juicer, the calico kitten tries in vain to scale the side of the shoebox. Poe scoops her up and plants her in the pocket of his hoodie.

“I’m keeping her. The cat, I mean,” Kes announces. “Named her Bora Bora.”

“Like the island? That’s a little odd.”

“I could use a tropical vacation. Besides, it’s not odd at all. She comes from a long line of Bora Boras. This little kitten is Bora Bora the eighth, in fact.”

“Huh.” Is it just Poe or are the dad jokes getting weirder with age?

“Hope you don’t have plans tonight. My friend from the rehabilitation group and I were talking… We set you up on a date with her daughter.”

Poe pulls the kitten from his pocket and holds it aloft. “Are you hungry? Has this horrible man fed you yet?”

Kes ignores him. A celery stick sputters in the juicer. “The last bona-fide date you had, I’m assuming it was with Muran?”

Poe shrugs noncommittally. He knows exactly what Kes is getting at by resurrecting the name of the boyfriend he had back in Boston.

“How long has it been, 5 years?”

“Not that long! And give me some credit. I’ve been out on a few dates since, but it’s not easy to meet anyone decent out there. Muran and I, we clicked right away. If I don’t feel that spark, what’s the point?”

“Meet her at Teedo’s at 7:00 tonight, then. See if there’s a spark.”

“A blind date at Teedo’s?” Poe asks, incredulous. “Are you trying to make me sound pathetic? I already live at home. And what if she’s vegan or something?”

“Oh come on! I thought you might prefer it casual. It’s already done so you can’t back out, anyway.” Kes waggles a dense brow at his son. “You should see this woman’s mother.”

“Why? Are you going to set me up with her next?”

“I’m saying she’s beautiful. And her mother has been volunteering at the wildlife rehab center for years. This could be a good thing.”

Reluctantly, Poe agrees.

Later that evening, he tames his hair best to his ability. At 6:50, he pulls up to Teedo’s and tucks his mother’s ring under his houndstooth scarf. He could kill his dad for choosing this hole in the wall.

“Picking up?” the hostess asks when she recognizes Poe as a driver. She frowns over the receipts for takeout and delivery orders. “There must be a mistake…”

“No. I’ll be dining in, please. Waiting on one more.” Poe secures the booth farthest from the noisy bar and orders a glass of ice tea while he waits.

Embedded like a deep splinter, he can’t seem to remove the robot-builder from his mind. Rey. A blur of yellow draws his eye from across the restaurant. Before making a conscious connection to her coat, he seeks it out. Poe rips open a sugar packet and dumps it into his glass, stirring in vain to dissolve the clumps.

She arrives sharply at 7:00. Kes didn’t lie: she’s striking. Auburn waves. Coy smile. Kohl-rimmed eyes rake over Poe’s body as he rises to his feet. At least there’s a spark of physical attraction to start.

“Zoe? Pleased to meet you.”

She requests a sangria and slides into the opposite booth. Soon as the hostess departs, Zoe cranes her neck to examine the restaurant. Traditional textiles cover the tables, and a cheesy faux-finish mottles the walls. An NBA game has a handful of bar patrons entranced, and the sounds remain audible even from their corner. She’s unimpressed. He can’t blame her.

“Mexican food is spicy, right?”

“Usually. But this is Venezuelan. My family’s from —“

“Same thing. Spicy.”

Poe quirks a brow. Same thing. What does she expect from Latin fare, anyway? “We can go somewhere else if that’s a problem. This place definitely wouldn’t be my first choice for a date, but it is authentic.”

Nose crinkling, she reaches for the menu. “I’ll just find a salad or something not drowning in sauce.”

Even though he’s been coming here for years, Poe buries his nose in the menu also. Pretending to decide what to order is easier than figuring out how to start a conversation with this stranger. “So who talks first? You talk first or I talk first?”

Zoe leans her forearms on the table and examines Poe’s face without speaking.

“A blind date, huh?” He’s already talking enough for the both of them. “I don’t get out there much. Not that there’s anything wrong with dating. I just work a lot. Guess that’s why my dad set this up, he says he worries about me meeting someone ‘organically.’ Please tell me your mom says weird stuff like that too.”

First, he smiles, awaiting her reply. She simply studies him; it’s unnerving as Hell. Something in her expression suggests indecision as if she’s caught between two possible responses. Their server returns with the sangria and Poe regrets his earlier, nonalcoholic choice.

Zoe breaks her silence. “My mom said you’re a psychiatrist. Do you have a private practice?”

“School psychologist, actually. Over at Yavin High.”

“Hmm,” she replies with considerably reduced interest. Perhaps disappointment. “Is that something you’re doing temporarily?”

Poe bristles. “It’s my real job. I’ve been there a few years now.”

“Oh, it’s fine to gain experience and all.”

Spoken like someone without a clue about his experiences. Poe struggled to survive his teen years. He put himself through school, earned his license with a sense of atonement. Years of work and a mountain of debt went into this goal. For every student struggling with typical teen angst or separated parents, there was another dealing with something even darker. Poe couldn’t turn his back on them, not after what he’d been through.

“What do you do?” he asks. Kes never told him details, just that Zoe was his friend’s daughter and that he’d better not flake.

“I’m a claims adjuster for a health insurance company.”

Poe’s jaw nearly slams on the table. Logically, he knows that job belongs to someone. He has zero interest in dating a person who denies other people healthcare for a living.

Zoe redirects the conversation back to him. “Forgive me, I’m having a little trouble understanding.  You’re a guidance counselor, but you could run your own practice, right?”

“It’s different than a guidance counselor,” Poe corrects. Not that she seems to care about the distinction. “And my degree is in child psychology not psychiatry, but sure if I wanted to…”

“All I'm saying, a public school can’t pay much. And it’s a shame to waste your talents.”

“Have you ever actually talked to a teenager? I assure you, my talents are focused exactly where they’re needed. I chose where I’m at today.” Poe isn’t going to waste his time here. He gulps down some iced tea and sighs. “You know, it was nice to meet you and all but I don’t think it’s a match. You know how these things are… you do things for your parents. We gave it an honest try.”

Poe extends a hand across the table. She doesn’t accept it and sips from her glass of sangria.

“You’re leaving because I expect a man to show a little ambition?” Zoe’s downright amused, smirking at him from across the table. Part of him wonders what would happen if he dared stay.

Retracting his hand, Poe stands. “By the way, I recommend the arepas. Enjoy your evening.”

Poe hands the server a $10 on his way out and doesn’t wait for the change. Zipping his leather jacket, he trudges back to the Nissan. This is exactly why he waits for a real spark.

Saturday’s meeting of the robotics team is a disaster. Tensions run high as the cantankerous Professor Skywalker directs the team in the final testing phase.

Rey digs her molars into a No2 pencil, wracking her brain over the same neural network. With a sudden clarity, the problem hits her. She turns to the leader of the algorithm group, eyes wide.

“Kyle. I found it! With these numbers, the bot’s unable to support a full range of motion in the back legs. The good news is the issue is isolated to the sub-directives between commands 458 and – “

“My numbers are fine,” he sneers. Kyle had been hostile with her ever since she turned him down for a trip to the movies. It had been a polite enough rejection, from her perspective. Verbal lacerations were a daily occurrence within his group. A day didn’t go by without the towering software specialist berating someone. Professor Skywalker tolerates Kyle’s rotten attitude because he’s brilliant. But the only thing that shines brighter than his mind is his ego.

Instinct tells her to avoid Kyle. And a survivor like Rey listens. Too bad Kyle refuses to.

“This is a crucial component of search and rescue. We have to get it right. Please, if we all stop and go through the sub-directives together, it won’t take  –"

“The problem isn’t with my numbers. Go talk to your friends in Simulations.”

Finn listens to Rey and runs a simulation before agreeing that something is off. She returns, adamant that the solution is in their grasp. They'll have to go through the code line-by-line. It’s not ideal but that’s the fickle world of robotics.

“Your arrogance is costing us nothing but time,” Rey argues. “We all make mistakes. Please double-check it.”

Infighting breaks out among the entire team, with the algorithm group lashing out. Kyle defends his position, citing his SAT score of 1542. As if that makes him infallible. No one in his group dares suggest they follow Rey’s advice and rework each line of code in the section. 

Later when the pieces are fit, they run a physical test. The robot in question is the size of a German Shepherd. Six limbs give it an arachnid quality with friendly, eye-like sensors on its ends. It struggles to scale a pile of cardboard boxes simulating disaster debris. Rey holds her breath. It falls to the floor of the lab and fails to roll sideways to regain its footing.

As she predicted. Silently, Rey presses her lips together, not one to gloat. Beside her, Kyle seethes in anger. He stares at their fallen bot with a disproportionate sense of shame.

Professor Skywalker’s shoulders sag and he adjusts an emerald-colored necktie. “Alright. Let’s get to work on identifying the problematic code. We already know it’s not --”

“Fucking bitch,” Kyle mutters.

Rey pivots, hazel eyes ignited in anger. “Excuse me? Did you say something?”

Kyle snarls, flinging a stack of notebooks and manuals off the closest tabletop. With a bang, they strike the floor. Rey flinches but keeps her eyes trained on him. “I said you’re a fucking bitch. You don’t belong here, you probably got in thanks to a sad little essay.”

Belonging. Anger flares within her. Robotics is where she belongs. Kyle stands at least a foot and a half above her, but she refuses to let him intimidate her. No one will intimate her here. “I knew your math was wrong. Deal with it.”

Finn rushes to her side but restrains himself. Rey is no shrinking violet. Simmering rage twitches on Kyle’s lip as he glares at them.

Professor Skywalker intervenes, blocking them with his own body. “Enough. Kyle, you’re off the team.”

“For one mistake?!” he bellows. A hand wipes his long black hair from his face. “And I can assure you, it wasn’t my mistake! Professor, I have been a member of this team for —”

“It’s not the math mistake and you know it,” Skywalker snaps. His icy blue eyes burn hot. “During your membership, you have abused everyone in your group. You’ve fought with leaders of other groups. You refuse to engage in meaningful teamwork.

“At this point, no one on this team has the time or patience for your behavior. Your contributions won’t be necessary any longer. Now kindly leave my lab or campus security will escort you out.”

“You’re going to take this from me?! Right before the regionals?” Kyle growls. He practically lunges for his laptop, stuffing it in his bag.

Scorching the group with a final withering stare, he rests his gaze on Rey last. Kyle’s anger seems to hold a threat, a promise when their eyes lock. Although it’s only for a few brief seconds, her apprehension spirals.

Throwing his laptop strap over his shoulder, he storms out of the building. She lets out a shaky whoosh of air.

Professor Skywalker clasps his hands together and shakes his head. For peace of mind, he calls security anyway. When he’s finished, he turns to the rest of the bewildered and anxious team. “I’m sorry…. I owe you all an apology for him.”

The algorithm group looks positively relieved at Kyle’s dismissal.

“You okay, kid?” Skywalker asks, taking Rey aside a moment. She nods, grateful for their professor’s swift response.

Finn pulls her in for a quick hug. Morale in short supply, Professor Skywalker decides to break for the night. Their incomplete bot goes back to its place of honor in the center of the lab. Rey and her friends disperse through the otherwise-empty MIT campus.

Rose pinches the bridge of her nose. “That dude is… intense.”

“I don't wanna talk about it... I just wanna go home,” Rey grumbles. Somehow, that pretentious jerk knew exactly what to say to wound her. But Rey is a survivor.

“Yeah,” Finn agrees. “Let’s get out of here.”

Back at their apartment, Rey hangs her sunflower yellow peacoat by the door.  Immediately, she takes to her routine plant maintenance. She inspects the leaves, pokes her finger into the potted rosemary to test soil moisture. Anything to keep from screaming with frustration about the mess Kyle made of their bot. It’s almost like he was trying to sabotage the team. They don’t have time for a setback- not if they want to crush Caltech at the Nationals in January.

“Kyle, huh? What a nightmare.” Rose unwinds the scarf from her neck and hangs it next to Rey’s coat.

“Entitled prick’s never been called out in his life,” agrees Finn. “Meanwhile folks like us? Over-analyzed and underestimated at every turn. He’s threatened by you, and rightfully so. We all know you’ve earned your place on the team.”

“Exactly. Don’t give him the satisfaction of knowing how much that scared you. Besides, he is good for one thing.”

“Human punching bag,” Finn suggests. Rose shakes her head.

Rey snorts. “Inspiration for a new Marvel supervillain?”

“I was going to say,” Rose explains, taking her partner’s arm, “he’s good for helping us remember the value of a decent guy.”

Rey’s smile fades. “This again?”

“Come on! I can’t do this without you if I don’t have a name. You have to sit with me and go through profile photos to see if you recognize the driver.”

“And say what? ‘Remember me? My friend and I searched social media for every Restaurant Relay driver between the ages of 20 – 30 within the city ‘til we found you. Let’s get coffee.’ Please . I might as well file the restraining order myself.”

“You’re not gonna harass him. If you send him a single message saying hello and he ignores it… well, there’s your answer,” Rose argues.

Still dubious, Rey chews her lip.

“Are you gonna be like Kyle? Unable to admit when you’re so obviously wrong?”

Grumbling, she feigns a sudden fascination with the pothos vine. Anything to avoid Rose’s infuriating, smug face.

“Oh!” Finn taunts. “She’s got you there!”

Rey stomps to the fridge and excavates a Stella Artois from the crisper. She takes a long draw there in the kitchen. “I have a bad feeling about this.”

They comb through every LinkedIn profile that lists Restaurant Relay as a current employer in Cambridge. At first, Rey acts nearly indifferent but before long, all three roommates huddle around the laptop. It’s like a game to Rose. They drink, they snicker. She teases Rey when they encounter a profile that’s obviously not a match. All in all, it’s a welcome distraction after the blowout in the robotics lab.

Rey experiences a rush of excitement. A small profile photo reminds her of him- then disappointment deflates her when it's zoomed in. No dimples. No chestnut eyes. Sadly, their search does not reveal the name of the charming driver. He remains a mystery.

Finn orders some dinner- Italian is superior comfort food- but it’s brought by a skinny kid in a dented Buick. Not that Rey expected it to be her driver.

Chapter Text

Poe’s office is tucked into a small corner of Yavin High. Framed certificates occupy one wall, the other has a bookshelf and lending library. His mother’s photo rests among tokens of appreciation from his young patients.

She’s there as a reminder of why he’s there, even when it’s hard. Especially when it’s hard.

His last session ended, and the kid seems to be doing better than last week. Still, Poe heads into his lunch break with a sense of restlessness.

He plucks the plastic robot from his desk. He winds the key, watching it march toward the edge. He repeats it again. Again. Right before the robot topples over the precipice, a hand snatches it. He looks up to find Snap and Linda, fifth-grade and third-grade teachers, respectively.

“Look at this morose bastard,” Snap chuckles through a slurp of Cup Noodles.

Linda tosses back an energy drink and leans against his desk. “This had better be a hangover from getting wild this weekend.”

“I’ll have you know, I actually went on a date.” Poe wags his index in the air. Snap hands back the plastic robot. “Blind date set up by my dad. Daughter of a lady he volunteers with.”

“Don’t keep us in suspense. Tell us everything! You know this place has the dullest gossip.” Linda’s box braids swish as she pleads.

“Let’s just say we didn’t click.”

“Hideous? Terrible politics? Bad breath?”

 “She started the date by complaining about the restaurant. And said that Venezuela is the same as Mexico.”

Snap’s plastic fork plunges back into the styrofoam cup. “Even my fifth-graders know those countries are on two different continents.”

“Then she asked about work,” Poe recounts. “Apparently this is fine for a starter job, but I should really have a private practice so I don’t waste my talents.”

“Thank her for the career advice?” Linda huffs. “What did you say?”

Both teachers lean in. Which should not be surprising, given Poe’s track record for speaking his mind. Most notably to the president of the school board when she tried to cut funding to the arts department. Amilyn Holdo wasn’t a fan of his, but since that day, the teachers at Yavin High were. They listened to Poe, even though he wasn’t actually one of them.

“Told her she needs to talk to an actual teenager sometime. I left before we even ordered.”

Snap scrubs his beard. “Serves her right.”

“Wish I could’ve seen that exchange,” Linda muses. “I’ve had some bad dates but that’s pretty low.”

Poe winds the robot again, watching it toddle slowly toward the edge again. “Not gonna lie. It was pretty satisfying.”

“If a blind date that crashes and burns is your idea of satisfying, then we really need to get you laid,” Snap nudges. With a glance at her watch, Linda waves goodbye and disappears down the hallway.

Poe leans in toward Snap conspiratorially. “I… actually met someone, during my side gig driving. I can’t get her smile out of my head. Snap, I haven’t felt like this since Muran.”

Muran. Saying his name out loud doesn’t sting anymore- but those two syllables summon potent memories of Poe’s first love. Remind him of what’s possible with the right connection to someone.

“Really?” Snap lights up. “What’s with the sad-sack routine then?”

“She lives with someone.” He locates the patient file for his 1:00 session on his computer. “And it’s not exactly like she gave me her phone number.”

“So move on. There are plenty of fish in the dating pool.”

Memories replay Rey’s soft touch when he handed over the kitten. Her flirtatious smile. Poe’s hand freezes over the mouse. “You’re right. I know you’re right... Doubt I’ll find anyone like that, though.”

“Anything’s possible,” Snap shrugs.

“I can’t give out our drivers’ information!”

“Come on, Paige, do it for love!” Rose’s pleads come out like little cumulus clouds in the frigid air. She holds her phone to her ear, pacing along the steps in front of the robotics lab. Every so often, she peeks into the windows to make sure Rey is still occupied inside.

Her sister Paige is adamant. “I could get fired. And it’s creepy, to be honest.”

Rose wraps up the conversation and stuffs her phone back into her purse. She returns to the desk where Finn is working out a newly-revised rendering of the actuators.

Rey is still absorbed in the code. She's been helping the remaining members of the algorithm group for hours. In Kyle's absence, they all seem much happier. Even the perennially sour-faced Hux is more optimistic, despite their daunting and tedious task.

“Ugh. Paige is pulling the Responsible Older Sister card and flat-out refusing to give me that guy’s name. You realize what we have to do now, right?” Rose plops down next to Finn.

“Babe. Statistically unlikely.” His eyes stay glued to the monitor.

“You don’t know that— yes, variables exist,” Rose lifts her index finger. “A. Time of day. Does this guy work a set schedule? B. Service area. C. Amount of drivers and finally, D. How does a driver get assigned an order?”

Finn swivels in his seat. “Do you have any idea how many delivery people they must have in Cambridge?”

“Babe. I covered that. Point C. The only variable within our control is scheduling.”

“If you’re ordering take-out every night!”

“We already do most nights. And with Paige’s promo code it’s cheaper than usual.”

“This is ridiculous,” Finn asserts. He turns back to his program. “You’re a logical person, you must realize that.”

“Start thinking about what we’re getting for dinner.”

Finn and Rose devise a plan to order through the app every night for the rest of the month- or until Rey reunites with Handsome Driver.

With Kyle’s mistake throwing off their build schedule, the team spends a string of late nights in the lab. Rose suggests everyone throw in a few bucks toward delivery of a couple of pizzas or sub sandwiches from Maz’s Deli. Each time, meals arrive but their driver is never their mystery man.

As for Rey herself, when she is not polishing the AI code, she’s recording videos of their progress. Her TikTok account is more for herself than anyone else, but RoboticsWithR has a few followers. Mostly, she wants to cherish the memories of the team as their last project together approaches completion. 

At last, they sort out the issues with the neural network. They can only hope their bot is ready for the competition.

“I have to ask…” Rey corners Finn before they leave the robotics lab the night before Regionals. “What’s your angle?”

“Angle? What angle?”

“It’s not like you to involve yourself in my love life. But you’re just as into this whole experiment as Rose. So I’m asking: what’s your angle?”

“Maybe I believe in true love.”

“Bullshit.” Rey cringes when Finn looks flabbergasted. “Well, not bullshit that you believe in love. Bullshit that it’s the reason. What’s the real reason?”

“Look. I’m just a man who loves to eat.” Finn lifts his hands into the air in a gesture of surrender.

“Bullshit. That’s a bullshit answer!”

“Okay, okay. I wasn’t planning to tell anyone so you’ll have to keep this in confidence,” Finn hisses as he takes her aside. A flocked box snaps open to reveal a petite marquis cut stone. Rey throws her arms around Finn’s neck. He casts a look over his shoulder, promptly re-burying the ring box in his coat pocket.

“Oh my God! Rose’s gonna love it!”

“She has no clue… Between the competition and the meddling, she’s been so occupied. And the making me decide what to order for dinner every night, she delights in that part.”

“How are you gonna ask her?” Rey casts a mischievous glance at the team’s robot. “Because I have an idea.”

Chapter Text

One morning the sounds of juicing don’t fill the quaint home in Yavin.

Poe’s body must have acclimated to it because he wakes all the same. Pulling the cover over his head, he lies in bed only a few minutes.  Concern nags at him too much to enjoy the silence. His dad thrives on routine; part of the reason he volunteers since retiring. The silence is suspect.

“Papà? Feeling okay?” He asks through his dad’s bedroom door when he finds the living room and kitchen empty.

“I’m fine. Come in.”

Kes is lying in bed, gaze fixed on the iPad Poe gave him during his first hospitalization a few years ago. One hand absently strokes the little white calico.

Eyeing his dad suspiciously, Poe comes through the door and sits on the bed. “Not hungry for breakfast?”

“Thought I’d wait ‘til you’re up to start it today. You’ve been working so hard lately. I worry.”

He hums, still unsure. “You don’t have to worry about me. I can fix you something to eat —“

“Check this out.” Kes holds up the iPad. It’s an article in his social media feed. He reads the headline aloud, “Robotics and Romance: MIT Student Proposes On-Stage After Winning Science Competition.”

Poe’s neck jerks to the side, which earns him a chuckle.

“Thought that would get your attention.” He continues, skimming the article, “After the famous robotics team swept Regionals, they took the stage to accept the awards. That’s when the robot opened a compartment to reveal a retractable arm, which presented a diamond engagement ring to team member Rose Tico…”

A tiny Pinoy woman and a sharply-dressed black man beam form the video still. 

“That her?”

“No, it’s not. But hold up. That’s her boyfriend.”

“Think again. He’s taken.” Kes scrolls lower, revealing a group shot. Rey is right alongside the happy couple. Joy radiates from her face.

“That’s her!” Poe points. “The brunette with the white dress. That’s Rey.”

“Gorgeous.” Kes pinches at the screen to zoom in on her face. “Looks like you got confused. They are definitely not a couple.”

Poe’s eyes dart between them. This man had looked so protective of her, so relieved to find her safe when he’d been afraid. It was obvious that Finn loved Rey. Poe’s mistake had been in assuming it was a romantic love.

“Let’s take a look at what else we can find —” Kes smirks, clicking on the source of the video. On his chest, Bora Bora meows in approval. 

“Stop. I’m not gonna snoop her profile.”

“It’s public!”

“It’s not ethical,” Poe counters. He won’t deny the curiously gnawing away at him, but he doesn’t want to give in.

Kes narrows his gaze, pulling the iPad out of Poe’s reach when he attempts to snatch it. “This isn’t a therapy client or a minor at your school. This is an adult with a public profile. Don’t overthink it.”

“You’re not thinking at all! It’s not her boyfriend I’m concerned about. It’s her. A guy she interacted with one time for a few minutes- that knows where she lives and goes to school- stalking her online? Don’t you think that could be scary?”

“Watching a video isn’t stalking!” Kes argues but Poe is already getting up.

Ignoring his dad’s protests, he crosses to the door. With the temptation of his phone deliberately left behind in his bedroom, Poe heads downstairs. Takodana Pond is calling. He tags the lowest branch of the light-clad Japanese Maple with an outstretched hand and sets a brisk pace.

The rhythm of his feet against the pavement is usually a balm for his nerves. Around him, the air is chilled, already numbing the tip of his nose. No matter; his thoughts lie solely on the young woman in the video. Rey.

He blew it. He should’ve properly introduced himself, had the nerve to stay put when she had asked him to. The misunderstanding was his fault.

Now he can’t bridge the gap between them with his ethics intact.

After two laps around Takodana Pond, he pauses to admire the place that always manages to bring some solace. Puffs of condensation rise toward snow-dusted branches as Poe catches his breath. Afternoon sun glints on the water.

As he bends to adjust a shoelace, the ring around his neck swings forward on its chain. Kes gave it to his mother, Shara. Poe plans to one day give it to his partner. Metallic shine catches his eye. Stuffing it back under his hoodie for safekeeping, he decides he doesn’t want to think about love right now. Another lap around the pond is in order.

Poe deposits his running shoes by the door and pulls his beanie off. The muscles in his calves burn, but it’s a little distraction. At least he ran the majority of his frustration out. What remains is a strange sense of melancholy for what could have been.

Easy to project perfection onto someone you will never see again.

“Mijo!” Kes calls.  iPad still in hand, he ambles in his socks on the hardwood floor. Bora Bora’s bell collar tinks as she follows. “Listen to me. I have something important to show you.  If not for me, for your mamà.”

Poe’s jaw clenches. It’s not the first time her memory has been weaponized for guilt. “Don’t bring her into this...”

“Dammit, Poe! I wouldn’t unless it was important.”

He stares down at his father for a moment. Kes, in his flannel robe speckled with cat hair, looks at him with pleading eyes. At last, he pinches his eyes shut with a curt nod. Kes doesn’t need to be told twice.

They sit in front of the fireplace and Kes clicks on the TikTok of a user named RoboticsWithR. The profile is filled with behind-the-scenes videos of the MIT lab. Sure enough, it’s the intriguing woman from the delivery. Kes finds the video in question. It was originally shared with the caption, “My best friends are engaged! So happy for them.”

“Ay Dios. They were roommates this whole time?” Poe drags a hand across his face. “It doesn’t change anything. Even she’s single it’s still not cool to—”

“I’m not finished.”

Kes ignores him, clicking on a video of RoboticsWithR explaining a component. She’s charming and explains the process in terms simple enough for a layperson to understand. Poe can imagine some of the kids from his school following the account.

“Okay. So, she’s brilliant and beautiful and not in a relationship with her roommate. Why are you rubbing it in my face?”

“Because of this.” Kes points to another user tagged in the engagement video: RosesAreRad 

He clicks on a video in the second row. It begins by showing a towering stack of empty take-out boxes next to a kitchen trash can. Rose’s narration starts. “This… is what happens when your roommate meets a cute Restaurant Relay driver but doesn’t get their number.” A scene cut reveals an open fridge packed with more boxes.

“We’ve been ordering delivery every night for over a week trying to get him to come back.” Rose tilts back and slaps her leg, exaggerating for dramatic effect. “And my thighs can’t take it anymore!”

Poe laughs in amazement as the TikTok clip ends. Rey wanted to see him again. So much that she told her friends. Who set a plan into action (albeit a half baked plan, littered with the wrappers of a dozen take-out joints).

Even with dozens of deliveries in her neighborhood over the last weeks, he’d never expected to meet again. 

“Papà. I… I can’t believe it. She was looking for me?”

“And her roommates were helping. Trying to, at least.” Kes grins at his son after the initial bewilderment subsides. “Anyone would be lucky to have you. I certainly am.”

“But she doesn’t know anything about me. Not even my name.”

“Sometimes you just know. It was like that with me and your mom. We both knew the first time we met,” Kes offers. “Now what are you going to do?”

“Well, I can’t show up at her house with a bouquet of flowers now can I?”

God. Poe’s professional ethics courses never prepared him for this.

“Why the Hell not? If she’s been trying to get you to come back, then I’d say that’s okay.”

Poe fidgets with the chain around his neck. The smooth metal glides between his fingers, familiar. Comforting. But also a reminder of the deep bond his parents shared. “You shouldn’t have even clicked on her profile. Or her friend’s. …I don’t want to scare her or anything.”

“While I’m glad you’re respecting boundaries, in this particular case, just go for it.”

Rey stands in front of the flagpole at Yavin High, remembering her childhood in Nevada. Back when she was this age, robotics had been a distant fantasy. Today, she visits as the kind of adult she would have admired back then. An award-winning designer of artificial intelligence. In a few months, she’ll even walk across the stage and accept her Master’s from MIT.

Taking an afternoon to encourage the next generation of minds is the least she can do. Plus, it’s part of the robot’s victory tour. The school district secured an event with them each day this week to promote their STEM programs. Rose calls the front office to let them know the team has arrived.

Finn reaches an arm around his new fiancée and calls back to Rey, “Coming?”

Kaydel has already turned on the DROIDS, which have begun to walk onto campus. She toggles the controls, directing it toward the gymnasium before letting the AI pilot. Rey catches up, already nervous to have all those eyes on her.

“My girlfriend is expecting a grand proposal now, thanks to those two. It’s my own fault for helping Finn pull it off…” Kaydel jabs an elbow into Rey’s rib. “And you’re not blameless either. Wasn’t it your idea to record it for posterity?”

Rey shrugs slyly. “Not my fault you need to step up your game.”

Kaydel rolls her eyes. “Says the single girl.”

The grin slips right off her face. Yesterday was the last day of the experiment to cross paths with the sweet delivery driver. It had evolved from an embarrassment to a joke, to a tendril of hope. It hadn’t helped that Rey had gotten carried away in the romance of Finn’s impending proposal.

Noticing Rey's discomfort, Kaydel pivots back. “Crazy how viral the TikTok went. How many views does it have now?”

“No idea. Every time I look, it’s jumped exponentially. It's been featured on about 5 different news sites. It caught fire from there. I’m getting a ton of followers and it’s a little disorienting.”

The gymnasium door opens and Professor Skywalker does a headcount. Finn and Rose are missing. Rey quickly finds Finn crouched behind the gym, hovering over a trash can.

Having an entire student body staring at you during an assembly is enough to send even the most studious programmer into cold sweats. Even if said student body is between the ages of 14 and 17.

“You shit-talk the brightest minds at every other college at regionals but a bunch of teenagers makes you sick with anxiety?” Rose pats Finn on the back with her newly-bejeweled hand.

“Exactly,” Finn answers through gags. “I’m not afraid of them. Teenagers are far more judgmental.”

“You’re the reason they have a robot-demonstration assembly instead of class. Believe me, they’ll like you plenty.” With that, Rey convinces him to stand. After a few minutes of deep breathing, they are all finally ready to enter the gym.

Rose hangs back, whispering a thank you to Rey as their group the school's principal waves them inside. “I’m still mad at you for letting me eat all that takeout, knowing I was about to get engaged.”

The group takes the center floor. Then the DROIDS walks through the door and the gymnasium erupts. Rey laughs out loud at the warm welcome. At least Finn had nothing to fear.

“This is the DROIDS bot. And because we can’t resist good acronym, it stands for the Dexterous Rescue Of Individuals in Disaster Situations.”

Professor Skywalker makes a brief introduction and members of the team wave to a sea of adolescent faces. He describes the value each member contributed to the project.

Kaydel details how the DROIDS is outfitted with sensors. Thermal imaging and sonar to vital signs scanners. Then Rey- newly promoted to Team Captain in Kyle’s absence- is up.

With a deep breath, she accepts the microphone.

“We programmed the AI to determine the best course of rescue for someone trapped under rubble in a disaster. Then, it extracts them using the safest method,” Rey explains. The DROIDS circles her like a friendly dog as she speaks.

With a click, a compartment on its back opens to reveal an assortment of tools. 

A saw, welding equipment, a miniature Jaws of Life. In the event of a rescue, it’s even capable of lifting 1,000 lbs thanks to a hydraulic system. Most of the students watch in interest as it cycles through the various tools, holding each one up.

“We call her a Swiss Army Knife on legs,” Rey jokes. 

The rest of the presentation goes off without a hitch. It’s much less formal than the one they followed for the regional competition, replacing technical jargon for terms familiar to teens. With a clamor of applause, the assembly ends.

Curious students in the STEAM program rush up immediately after for closer inspection. It’s a cacophony of overlapping questions on about a dozen topics. Finn is a bit overwhelmed with all the attention, but Rose stays by his side.

Rey sits on the bleacher-style seats, watching the crowd of hormonal bodies disperse through the gym doors. When the space is mostly emptied, her eyes fall on a small cluster of school staff.

“You can take a closer look if you’d like,” she beckons. Rey kneels down, adjusting an antenna on the DROIDS.

And that’s when she notices him. The driver.

Distrustful of her own eyes, she blinks again. It can’t be. But his hand reaches down to help her up.

“I don’t know if you remember me. I’m Poe, we met a couple weeks ago, with the kitten?”

She accepts it. His gentle grip molds around her hand and her mouth becomes drier than the Nevada desert. 

Breathlessly, she replies, “I- It’s you... I’m Rey.”

“I remember.”

Two simple words fill her with electric happiness. His expressive eyes glitter, dimples deepening as he looks at her in equal amazement.

“Why are you…?” Rey’s brows knit together as she makes sense of it. “You have a kid here?”

“No, no. I’m the school psychologist. This is my real job, I only deliver on the side.” Poe shakes his head but Rey wants to know more. Despite the biggest accomplishment of her academic career, he’s been a focus of her thoughts these past weeks. “And no kids of my own.”

“I’ve been hoping to run into you, since that night with the kitten. How is she, by the way?”

“Spoiled. She’s my dad’s new BFF,” Poe chuckles. “Congratulations to you and your team on the big win. Your robot is going to save lives.”

“Thank you. It’s still surreal.”

Casting his gaze down at the basketball court for a moment, Poe bites his lip in thought. It’s unfairly attractive.

“Hey. You like Venezuelan food, right? My family’s passed down some pretty great recipes. How would you feel about having something homemade?”

An insuppressible grin covers her face. She hooks a loose strand of hair behind an ear.

“It’s been a while since I’ve had a proper, home-cooked meal,” Rey confesses. “That would be lovely.”

Chapter Text

The spark he’d felt the night he met Rey weeks ago? It wasn’t imagined. Truth be told, “spark” hardly feels accurate.  It feels more like a torch. Or the warmth of an August afternoon. 

Or a beacon lighting his way home.

Poe drives through his neighborhood in a daze, making the series of turns through Yavin on autopilot as he recounts the chance meeting. He knows he shouldn’t become too optimistic, but it’s about time his luck improved.

Kes sits in the living room, bottle-feeding Bora Bora. “You promised to bring flowers to that girl after work. What are you doing back so soon?”

Poe keeps his body turned, refusing to look at him until his dress shoes are off. “Hey, you like Zoe’s mom right? Ever think about asking her on a date sometime?”

“Mijo? Are you trying to get rid of me? After all I have done?” Kes feigns heartbreak with acting worse than a novella. Poe can’t help but chuckle.

“You said that she was beautiful. And a nice lady. Zoe was rude but maybe she’s…”

“Your mom is the only woman for me.”

“Papà…”

“Although I have been meaning to get back into poker nights with Wedge and Han and the guys,” Kes adds when he senses the truth behind his son’s ear-to-ear grin. The kitten squirms in his grip. “If this is about trying to run me out of my own house.”

“Yes!” Poe blurts. He’s too excited to play it cool another second. “Last week Snap told me his stepdad was asking about you.”

“So… when are you planning to sweep that girl off her feet?”

“You’re never gonna guess who I ran into at work.”

Rey’s Jeep- affectionately dubbed the Falcon- pulls into the driveway of the sage house. Strands of lights line each dormer window that peeks out the second floor. An evergreen wreath hangs from the white door. And Poe waves to her from the front step.

“Positive you’re okay with this? My dad is off at poker night. It’s only us.”

Rey insists, “Yes. Finn had me ping him my location and expects me to check in every hour. But I can handle myself, if you try to go all axe murderer.”

The door swings open, the miniature calico rushing to greet them. She trills cheerfully and swishes her tail.

“You again?” Rey kneels in front of the cat, which arches into her touch. “Suppose we ought to thank you, really.”

Poe ducks his head to hide a smile. Rey catches it, lingering for a moment on the way his eyes crinkle at the corners. It remains as endearing as the first time. “May I present her majesty: Bora Bora the eighth. Two Boras, like the island.”

“BB-8? Sounds like the name of a robot.”

The home is simple, clearly inhabited by men, but not devoid of decorative appeal. Poe leads her inside, offering a glass of tea along the way. A modest Douglas Fir occupies a corner, filling the living room with a nostalgic scent. A garland of fairy lights twinkles from the dining room, where she notices a set-up waiting.

No one has ever treated her to a date like this before.

While the meat finishes cooking, Poe asks how long she has lived in Cambridge, how it compares to her hometown. Rey expresses her love for the maguey cactus that studs the rugged Nevadan landscape, but she wouldn’t return. By the time he plates the arepas, both Poe and Rey have somewhat relaxed.

Dinner begins with a toast to luck. Poe raises his glass. ‘For letting our paths cross not once, but twice.’

Across the table, Rey beams.  

Tension remains, but the conversation never stalls. Candlelight flickers as they gradually wade deeper into deeper topics.

“What led you to child psychology?” Rey asks between bites. The corncake is the ideal texture, even better than Teedo’s. Nothing like a homemade meal. 

“I got into a lot of trouble growing up.”

Rey laughs. “I can see that. I can absolutely see you as a teenage troublemaker.”

Poe doesn’t look as fond of the memories. He swipes at the condensation along his glass of tea. “I ran away to Boston when I was 15.”

She sobers. “What happened?”

“Long story. My mom died and I was angry at the world. Reckless. My dad tried with me but… back then, he thought the only solution was being really strict.”

“That tends to backfire,” Rey surmises. He nods. “How did you get back on track?”

“A year and a half in juvenile detention after getting caught street racing in a stolen car.” Poe sighs, searching for a way to summarize the most tumultuous period of his life. “A therapist there helped me work through it. There was a lot of anger in my grief. After I got out, I decided that’s what I wanted to do. Help kids and teenagers.”

Vulnerability in Poe’s eyes draws her in. It’s clear that he doesn’t speak about his past often, the story doesn’t come easily. Each word seemed so heavy in his throat. Rey reaches across the table and places a hand atop his. A reckless man doesn’t sit across from her. Those mistakes propelled him into a calling, but he’s still not proud of them.

“It took a while to repair the relationship with my dad. Once I convinced him to get counseling too, it helped. We had to relearn how to interact, undo old resentments, but he never gave up on me.”

“Can I ask something?” Rey ventures. Under the table, the calico tracks a figure eight between her ankles. “Why is it that you live together?”

“Four years ago he was diagnosed with M.S. He’s in remission now but it was brutal. Ate up his savings, which he kept secret. I’d recently graduated and was working at a middle school in Boston. He didn’t want to derail my career.

“When I found out the mortgage was behind… we couldn’t lose the home where we’d all lived as a family. So I moved back, to pay it instead of overpriced rent in the city.”

“That’s why you deliver for Restaurant Relay.”

“My dad keeps telling me to stop now that the house is caught up. But I want to take care of him, you know?”

“It sounds like you’re putting a lot of good into the world. And I’m sure your dad is grateful.” Rey gives his hand a brief squeeze. “When I was in foster care, it felt like no one cared at all. Very lonely. I could’ve used someone like you growing up.”

“Sorry you went through that.”

After a beat, she volunteers, “Remember the big earthquake in Nevada? I was in sixth grade and… and my parents didn’t make it.”

“Oh, Rey.” Poe’s brows knit, processing the new information. “The robot for disaster areas was inspired by them?”

“Yes, the team used my concept for the competition. After my parents died, I used to have nightmares of them in the rubble. Trapped.”

“That’s awful.” His hand flips over, meeting hers palm for palm. Their fingers skim each other, an act that feels even more intimate considering the conversation subject. “You’re honoring them beautifully with your work.”

Ever so slightly, her chin quivers.

“I struggled to know my place,” Rey whispers. Poe leans in. “When I started at MIT in the robotics club, that was the first time I’d ever made friends on the same wavelength. Finn was also in foster care for a while when he was younger. We sort of became each other’s family, so he can get quite protective.”

“They really care about you. I’m glad you found that.”

A shy smile illuminates her face. Still relishing the play of salsa on her tongue, she pushes the empty plate toward the center of the table.

“There’s something I have to get off my chest.” Poe straightens like he’s bracing for impact. Rey holds her breath. “I watched your videos online.”

A relieved laugh escapes her lips. “Let me guess. Finn proposing to Rose with the robot? It’s still spreading like wildfire.”

“My dad came across the video yesterday and I recognized you. I didn’t want to watch- we actually got into an argument- but he got nosy and um… found your friend’s TikToks and showed me. The one with the boxes from the deliveries?”

Heat infuses her cheeks. Now it’s Rey’s turn to duck her head. “GOD! ROSE! That’s so embarrassing.”

“Don't be embarrassed! It… was self-esteem boost, actually. Wait. She was talking about me, right?” Poe asks.

Rey rolls her eyes to reaffirm the obvious answer. She has her own confession, while they are on the subject. “I looked for you. On LinkedIn. We searched through all the Restaurant Relay drivers like a bunch of creeps.”

Poe blinks. It’s strange to imagine. “Oh. I… I have Yavin High listed as my employer.”

“That makes sense,” she replies sheepishly. “Are you afraid I’m actually the axe-wielding killer now?”

Their eyes lock. Giddy in the thrill of honesty, in the acknowledgment of a magnetism between them.

“No. I’m alright. Just felt you should know. But if it’s too weird, don’t feel pressured to stay for dessert or anything.” Poe insists.

“Depends on what you have for dessert,” Rey challenges when she looks up. A grin spreads across Poe’s face.

“Ever had quesillo?”

They relocate to the sofa in front of the fireplace, and Bora Bora the Eighth prances behind. Rey waits as Poe retrieves the traditional caramel custard. Kes had prepared it earlier- it’s one of his favorite indulgences.

An involuntary, obscene noise passes her lips with the first bite of the quesillo. Poe is clearly pleased to watch as she cleans the plate. Her own finger dips into the streak of caramel glaze, then comes to her mouth slowly. Poe’s jaw drops. His eyes widen as she sucks the last bit of sweetness from her fingertip.

Rey catches this, too. “Sorry. Can’t help it.”

“No apologies,” he insists. There’s something else he wants to say, but instead, he restrains himself. “Would you like to take a walk with me? To Takodana Pond? It's beautiful in the snow.”

Rey eyes him wearily. “Oh no, I know this trick! You’re not getting me to a secondary location, mister.”

“Gotta love a girl with street smarts.” Poe winks, a fellow John Mulaney fan. They descend into laughter. “Honestly, it’s okay if you’re not up to it.”

Outside the window, snowflakes pirouette in moonlight. Inside, the fireplace’s glow joins a chorus of fairy lights and the illuminated tree. Rey leans in. “Don’t tell J.J. Bittenbinder, but it’s only because I’d prefer to stay inside where it’s warm.”

“Secret’s safe with me.” Poe mirrors the movement, his arm extending across the back of the couch. He brushes a few strands of hair with the other hand and she’s sure her heart is a blur in her chest. “The view is prettier in here anyway.”

Time slows when he looks at her. When he bites his lip. Rey’s eyes hover over his mouth. She takes in the stubble along his jaw and the anticipation in his grin.

“Can I kiss you?”

She answers by closing the millimeters between them. He tastes like the caramel glaze. Sweet. Complex. Poe cradles her face, holding her tenderly.

They bask in the sublime embrace. It’s all that matters in this moment. She lets it consume her senses and everything else fades away.

Bora Bora hops into Rey’s lap- abruptly ending the kiss. “Oof!”

“What’s the big idea? I thought you were on my side,” Poe chides the kitten as they break apart. Bora Bora receives a scratch behind the ears before getting set down on the cushion beside them.

Rey hauls him closer until she’s nearly in his lap. It still isn’t close enough. “Where were we?”

“Somewhere around here,” he mutters before rejoining her lips. Emotional nuance is still there, though there is a current of sensuality this time. Rey allows herself to be swept up. Softening, her mouth parts for him.

Kissing Poe... is indescribably right. Intoxicating. 

Lush curls run between her fingers. His tongue finds entry, swiping at the sensitive inner lining of her lip. A jolt of energy shoots through her. When she tugs on his hair, their tongues swirl in harmony.

Their breathing grows ragged as emboldened hands roam across her cheek and neck. Rey can’t help but imagine them caressing her everywhere. Something tells her sweet Poe is a devil in the bedroom.

Another sudden interruption breaks their connection when the front door swings open with all the subtlety of a police raid. Kes bounds through, triumphantly holding a stack of twenties. “Your old man’s still got it! Han is convinced he’s the best player of the group but he’s got a tell —“

Rey practically jumps off the couch in surprise.

“Shit, Papà!” Poe gives her an apologetic frown. “You trying to give us heart attacks?”

“Ooooh! It’s 1 in the morning. I figured your date would be over by now…” Kes flips on the light. He begins to apologize before raising a brow at the two alone in front of the fireplace in the dark. “Must be going well.”

In disbelief, Rey’s eyes travel to the clock on the mantle. He’s right. Between the intimate conversation and languid kisses, they’d lost track of time. She snatches her phone from the coffee table, sending a text to Finn so he doesn’t kick in their door next. 

Poe suppresses a smirk and runs a hand through his hair. It’s a disaster. And she’s responsible for that. “It… it is going well. This is Rey.”

With a smile entirely too dashing for a man his age, he introduces himself. “Kes. Welcome to our home. I do hope my son’s been a proper host and a gentleman.”

“Of course,” Rey blushes. Does he realize she was sucking on Poe’s tongue a moment earlier? “We just shared the quesillo. It was fantastic, you’re both excellent cooks.”

Kes gives his son a sideways glance. It’s answered by one forbidding him to say his thoughts out loud. “Take some home with you, I insist. But let me tell you the trick to a creamy consistency —“

“Night, Papà. Way to go cleaning Han out.”

“Nice to meet you, Kes.”

“Tell you what, I’ll make it any time you want to come by,” Kes promises. Poker winnings still firmly in-hand, he scoops up Bora Bora and heads toward the stairs. From the banister, he calls with a flourish, “Pleasant evening, youngsters!”

“A bit eccentric, isn’t he? I like him.”

“Also nosy,” Poe counters. “And if he had one more beer tonight he probably would’ve kissed your hand. Let me walk you out.”

Rey pulls on her signature canary yellow peacoat. She puts the keys in the ignition to warm it up as Poe leans against the side of her dented Jeep with his destroyed curls.

“I’d suggest we take it to my place next time, but I promise my roommates are even worse. Finn knows I’m still out late, remember? And Rose will demand a full report.”

“You’d kiss and tell?” Poe pouts.

“Not everything. Some things are just between us,” she assures. Again their lips seal together. His arms enclose her in an embrace so warm, she dreads the inevitable chilly ride home. After a few delicious moments, she pulls away reluctantly.

“My team is competing in the Nationals build next month at the convention center in Boston. I have a plus-one if you wanted to check it out.”

Poe’s eyes light up. “Are you inviting me to a robot show?”

Chapter Text

The convention center is a grand space, with tall columns rising from either side of a center stage. It’s packed with the largest gathering of robotics undergrads in the country. Banners for the competition hang overhead and anticipation tingles in the air. They swept Regionals, but Nationals is another animal altogether. But they’re in Boston, as MIT is hosting this year.

Rey’s turf.

Competition staff directs her backstage after she flashes an identifying lanyard. Now that Rey has replaced Kyle as Team Captain, it’s up to her to introduce their bot.

A sign reading DROIDS: Dexterous Recovery Of Individuals in Disaster Situations hangs overhead. 

Poe shuffles past the spectators in the outside aisles, jockeying for a decent view of the stage. Finally, he settles into a spot. On the stage sit mock-ups of different disaster scenarios. A stack of loose clay bricks. A plexiglass tank holding heavy pipes in water. And a 1,000 lb iron weight. Everything he’s seen so far at the Nationals has been a technological breakthrough. He can’t wait to see MIT’s presentation.

He can’t wait to see her.

In the weeks since their first date, Poe and Rey have spent hours on the edge of Takodana Pond. Cataloging and discovering each other. Rey learns he most identifies with Jason on The Good Place (although she insists he is Chidi). Poe correctly pegged her as an Eleanor. Their phone calls stretch into the night.

Texts pop in throughout the day, infusing him with a rush of happiness with every silly meme. 

Poe can’t remember the last time he felt so full of hope. Rey came into his life so unexpectedly, but already left an indelible mark. 

Poe rubs his hands together, silently wishing her good luck as the audience waits for the presentation to begin. 

Backstage, Rey clenches her notes. Thinks of the cadence of every TEDtalk she’s ever watched. Pacing back and forth, she recites her presentation one more time. “And, in the event of flooding, the DROIDS unit can do all that underwater.”

Rose looks up from her phone. Maybe a little humor will help soothe her nerves. “Do you think you think there should be even more oomph there? Like underwater.”

“Like a game show host?” Rey laughs. Rose grins, pleased that a bit of the anxiety broke. “No, I’ll do it like a movie trailer voiceover. In a world where everything is underwater…”

“Yes! Do it!”

A stagehand for the convention center gives Rey the signal for 5 minutes. Her hands are shaking. But she can do this.

Finn pulls her in for a hug and both get emotional. Rose joins in. Wiping away proud tears, Rey swallows thickly. “Whatever happens, I want you to know that you’re the best.”

“We couldn’t have done this without you,” Finn assures, crushing her even tighter.

“Is Poe coming?” Rose peeks out from behind the curtain to find him among the crowd.

Rey nods. It’s a good feeling to know he’s there. “I gave him my plus one. He texted that he arrived but things have been so hectic, I haven’t seen him… hope he gets a good seat.”

“You owe me. You realize that you owe me big-time,” Rose reminds her. She and Finn offered their seal of approval over the budding relationship after a group date two weeks prior. Although Rey and Poe reconnected by chance at the school, she claims 70% credit. 

Professor Skywalker rallies the students for a meeting in the left-wing backstage. “First, Rey is going to introduce the bot and talk a little about its applications. Then, each group will go on, corresponding to each disaster zone simulation. Stick to your script, stick to the time. And remember, we’re a team.”

After a few more reminders and an encouraging hug from Skywalker, Rey centers herself. This is for her parents.

Casting her gaze toward the stage lights, she steps out. Anxiety courses through her but she steadies herself against it. Hundreds of people pack the room, excited to hear about the latest project from the prestigious team. Rey walks to the podium and begins, gesturing to the DROIDS unit as she speaks.

Soon, she catches Poe in the audience. A sense of pride imbues his face as she moves across the stage, explaining the many technological advancements. She's graceful and articulate and gorgeous in the same white dress from the TikTok video at Regionals.

Backstage, things aren’t going as well.

Finn catches sight of Kyle in the wings of the other side of the stage. He pushes a handful of index cards at Rose. “If I’m not right back, take over.”

“Don’t tell me you have to puke! You’re on in like ninety seconds.”

“Thought I saw Kyle.”

Rose’s expression morphs. “No, Skywalker kicked him out. He wouldn’t be…”

Finn’s brows shoot up to underscore the point.

“Be careful.” Rose pleads as Finn disappears into the darkness backstage.

Purposefully, he strides across the backstage area. Finn ducks around the rest of the competition staff and teammates milling around. Movement near the stage curtain betrays him, and Finn rushes to catch up.

“What are you doing here?” he barks, cutting off Kyle before he can slip into the shadows.

“This was my moment. Years of work and it’s taken away in an instant…”

“Go home, Kyle. You’re not part of the team anymore.”

On stage, Rey turns her head toward the flutter at the corner of the curtain. He expects to see Finn, taking the stage to explain how they coded his modeling simulations. Instead, she watches as he struggles with a tall, dark-haired figure. Confused, she pauses mid-sentence on stage. A face comes into focus. Blood turns to ice within her veins.

Kyle.

Finn shouts, “Watch out!”

With a deafening blast, a flash of white fills the stage.

Rey is thrown back. Finn jumps on Kyle and knocks something rectangular out of his hand. The two tumble to the ground, Finn landing a series of blows to Kyle’s face amid the sudden cover of smoke.

The entire structure sways.

“Rey!” Poe shouts as pandemonium breaks out in the convention center.

He squints toward the stage but can’t make out anything through the bloom of smoke. He braces against the surge of bodies running for exits. But he can hear little of it. All sound filters through a high-pitched ring. Coughing, he presses on.

The podium Rey was standing behind lays on its side. Split it two. Frantic, he calls her name again.

Their demonstration mock-ups litter the stage. Bricks and pipes had been launched indiscriminately in the explosion. Their DROIDS bot is unable to be found, either blown apart or buried, or projected in the blast. Only the massive weight remains in its original position.

Heart in his throat, Poe holds his breath.

Finally, the contrast of Rey’s white dress becomes visible in the haze. She leans up on her elbows, coming to. Poe rushes even faster, skittering up the far steps of the stage. Their eyes lock as she sways. He needs to get her out of here.

About a quarter of the way there, he’s in a dead sprint. Faster than he has ever run. Terror fuels him. He doesn’t even have time to process Rey’s voice before the floor begins to shake under his feet.

Earthquakes. She’s terrified of earthquakes. But this is no act of God.

With a boom, a chunk of the ceiling destabilizes. It holds the mounting hardware for the stage’s lighting rig. Steel cables twist with the uneven strain of weight as the ceiling finally buckles. A warped sound fills Rey’s ears as it swings precariously.

The whole thing is going to crash down.  Right on top of Poe.

Eyes pinched shut, Rey screams. Primal and pained. The entire stage quivers with the impact. Every cell in her body remembers the rumble of tectonic plates and all she can do...

is scream.

She doesn’t know how long Rose has been holding her. Ten seconds. Ten minutes. Ten days. There’s simply a fuzzy awareness of a set of arms that gradually sharpens. A familiar voice in her ear, though the words themselves are shapeless and distanced at first. “Come on, let’s get you outta here.”

Slowly, Rey comes out of her shock. Then it all rushes back.

An explosion. Remorseless eyes as Finn shouted a warning from the wing. Chaos.

“Finn?” Rey asks weakly.

“He’s okay. Look,” Rose points at Finn, who twists an arm behind Kyle’s back about a hundred feet away. She lets out a smoky sigh.

“I’ve got him,” he answers. Both men have put up a fight, evidenced by the slash across Finn’s cheek and Kyle’s busted lip.

Rey surveys the destruction. Debris litters the huge space. There’s someone missing.

“Poe?! No!” She’s already on her feet, clamoring in heels toward the fallen metal armature. Underneath it, the stage is cracked. Water from the floodwater simulation tank drips into the cavernous space. “Oh no, no no…”

Rose follows. “He’s under there?!”

“It fell on him! Rose— Help me!”

She looks crestfallen. There was no answer when his name was called. “Rey, honey, if he…”

Jagged edges of the wooden stage jut up around the mess of gnarled metal bars and broken stage lights. Rey stands there helplessly for a moment, too overwhelmed by the situation. “HELP ME, dammit! Why aren’t you helping me?!”

An epiphany hits. Of course. The DROIDS.

Rey looks around, searching the debris for the controller. It had been in her hand when Kyle ignited the explosion. Who knows where it had landed.

“Help me find the controller! We need to use the DROIDS unit.”

They fan out, searching on hands and knees for the sleek remote control. Rey’s heart pounds as her eyes scan the murky darkness.

It might have slid into the newly-opened chasm in the stage.

As if by providence, she locates it amid the debris. Rey checks the video on the impressive controller. The DROIDS is unharmed, flipped under equipment backstage. She manipulates the toggles, returning the AI to full control.

Thanks to the corrected programming, the DROIDS immediately rights itself. A metal arm clears a path through the rubble.  Rose gasps in disbelief. Rey directs the robot toward the mess of lighting armature. It stands at the edge of the hole.

By this time, Finn has made his way over to the women with Kyle still in tow. Kyle licks his bloody lip, watching with scornful eyes. He’s restrained in a headlock and doesn’t dare speak.

Rey mutters an appeal to the universe that Poe is alive. She runs a vital sign scan, breath held as the results load.

A heartbeat. Under the lighting rig, under the stage, there’s a human heartbeat.

Rey sobs in gratitude. “He’s alive!”

Rose grabs Rey by the arm as two EMTs make their way toward the stage. From backstage, she can hear Professor Skywalker’s voice. “You need to get out of here. The structure isn’t stable.”

“We have to clear the building,” the first paramedic argues.

With urgency, Rey turns her attention to Poe. She calls again but only an echo is returned from the dark crevice opened up in the stage. Water continues dripping down. Between the electrical hazard and likely being unconscious, this got much more dangerous. “You don’t understand. This is a search and rescue bot. My boyfriend is under all this and he’s alive.”

“It’s official?” Rose asks before shaking her head. Not the time.

From the floor, Kyle seethes with even more fury. Finn accepts the assistance of a paramedic and together they keep Kyle restrained. With Finn and Rose safely outside, that leaves Rey. 

The remaining paramedic puts his hands on his hips. “I can’t let you stay —“

“Please. We designed it for this. I can do it from outside, it’s remote-controlled.”

He reluctantly agrees. Can’t very well leave knowing someone is down there. One walks the teammates out of the building to join the swarm of displaced competitors and guests.

Rey joins the other members of the MIT team near the stage door exit. It feels wrong to leave Poe behind. But he’s not alone.

Rey activates the AI on the bot, allowing it to navigate down to him on its own. The DROIDS crawls between the split in the stage, transmitting the video feed to the controller.

Although she is still only in her dress and heels, Rey can barely feel the cold. She focuses only on the display. On the robot. On Poe. With trepidation, the teammates gather around and watch. They rub their hands together for warmth, dressed for their presentation rather than the January frost. Finn removes his blazer, fitting it around Rose’s shoulders.

Tones of tangerine and crimson reveal Poe lying under the yawning mouth of the stage. Thermal mode. With his general outline revealed, she switches to the true-color night vision.

A small saw emerges from a panel. It begins cutting a window in the stage wide enough for a transport cot. Then DROIDS scans the area. It calculates the safest way to shift debris to create the necessary path for first responders to secure the patient. Two jointed mechanical arms begin lifting the lighting rig. In a few moments, it’s dragged to the side with enough room to slip into the gash in the stage.

Rey gasps in awe at the screen. It’s working. This wasn’t the demonstration any of them bargained for.

Once the DROIDS clears a path, it crawls back into the gap and positions itself next to Poe. He lies motionless, draped over boxes of equipment under the stage. The monitor shows the paramedic lowering himself into the jagged opening to get him out.

Rey holds her breath.

Once Poe is lifted onto a board and secured, he’s out of the sight of the visual sensors. It kills Rey, but she trusts the first responders.

The DROIDS carries Poe out of the hole in the stage. So close. She directs the DROIDS to carry him to the exit, acting as a mechanical gurney. All the visual sensors pick up now is the flurry of motion as the medical team checks him over. The stage door exit opens and they pour out.

The DROIDS did it, but it’s still early to celebrate.

With a shaky breath, Rey hands off the control to the closest team member. It’s hard work resisting the urge to rush to Poe’s side immediately.

For the first time since she’s been outside, Rey she takes a moment to look around. It’s quite the scene: police and ambulances line the convention center. Attendees who were inside the center mill around. Irate. Anxious. The majority are on their phones.

A few people were bruised or elbowed in the panic but Poe seems to be the only one actually injured. She ought to be thankful for that, but guilt still coils around her heart. He was there for her.

“Look.” Finn points toward the cruiser parked on the snow-covered grass outside the building.

An officer shoves Kyle into the backseat with his hands bound. The entire MIT team stares in shock and disgust, watching on with hundreds of others. Soon, the police cruiser disappears into the mass of bodies and cars clogging the area.

Goosebumps raise along Rey’s arms. From the cold, from the dark look in his eye. It’s so much to process. “It was me… he did this because of me.”

“No. And you didn’t do anything wrong.” Professor Skywalker’s eyes are full of regret. “This was all Kyle. And I should’ve protected the entire team from him long ago. I’m so sorry.”

Rey squeezes his chilled hand before she turns. The DROIDS is still surrounded by a flurry of activity. It’s headed for an ambulance. Rose and Finn cling to one another, gesturing for her to follow.

She elbows through the crowd. They’re about to leave without her knowing anything about Poe’s condition. DROIDS scans only read basic vital signs to determine if a trapped victim is alive.

She watches as they carefully transfer Poe to an ambulance and leave the DROIDS standing by beside it. Professor Skywalker recovers it, nodding to her as she steps toward the paramedic.

“Wait! Wait! That’s… That’s my boyfriend!” The word feels foreign. But she doesn’t know how else to get the paramedic’s attention. “Please. Can I grab his phone? I have to notify his dad.”

“Come ride along. We need to keep him awake, it looks like a concussion. Taking him to Alderaan Memorial to be on the safe side.”

Full of hope, she runs up to the ambulance. Poe blinks groggily on the gurney. No doubt trying to make sense of the chaotic scene beyond its open doors. Tears spring to her eyes.

“You saved me,” he mutters. “I was trying to save you but you saved me.”

“Oh, I was so scared…” A charred scent is pulled into Rey’s nose when she buries it in his scarf. Amazing he’s still here. “I thought I lost you again. Forever.”

“Fuck. I thought I’d lost you, just when I’d found you.”

Poe engulfs her in a tight hug. They don’t speak- it’s all still too raw- but their relief is shared. Rey trembles in his arms. He drops a kiss into her hair, a Spanish prayer under his breath.

“Now I know how Bora Bora felt in that engine the night we met.”

The corners of Rey’s mouth lift in relief. Poe sounds like himself. Their foreheads press together as the ambulance doors shut.

“You’re amazing,” he whispers. Rey knows exactly what he means.

“So are you.”

Chapter Text

Seventeen Months Later 

Incandescent bulbs glow from the ivy-lined pergola overhead. Rey’s flushed cheeks are especially lovely under the golden cast as they drift across the outdoor dance floor. 

Despite being a June bride, Rose chose cardinal red rose arrangements as a nod to the alma mater that connected her and Finn. It’s a little unconventional for the season; then again, the DROIDS served as their ring-bearer. Unconventional is sort of their thing. 

Unwilling to release their embrace, Rey and Poe linger as the gentle acoustic notes come to an end. He’s lost in her radiance. It’s always been like that- ever since the first time they touched. Moisture glistens in Rey’s eye before she rests against Poe’s shoulder. She didn’t expect a wedding to make her cry- not after all the stress it has been as Rose’s maid of honor- but the idea of blending families has her choked up.

Rose’s sister takes the microphone for a toast. She retells how Finn met Rose. How, unbeknownst at the time, it would alter both their lives. Poe finds Rey’s hand under the table as Paige waxes on about fate bringing lovers together. He also believes in fate. As Kes always says, he’s too much of a romantic not to.

Under his button-down, his mother’s wedding band still hangs around his neck. Soon, he hopes it’ll rest on Rey’s hand. But he won’t propose publicly. Some things are best left between them.

After the attack on the convention center, the couple met with wide-spread attention. Poe walked away with a nasty bump on the head, and MIT walked away with proof of concept for their bot. Not to mention the first prize at Nationals. A few months after graduation, the DROIDS rolled out to rescue crews across the country. Soon after they graduated, the three friends leveraged their newfound acclaim into their own company in Boston. They named their startup Resistance Robots. In honor of the countless women and people of color shut out of the STEM fields in the years before. 

With the house caught up, Kes insisted Poe and Rey get their own place and take Bora Bora along.

“She’s always been yours,” he told them. “She chose you before you even chose each other.”

Kes also insists on hosting dinner every Sunday at the Yavin house. Rey loves him and his cooking too much to refuse. And Poe wouldn’t dream of it. Last time, he introduced them to a new litter of puppies with the names India, Rome, and Kenya. Poe jokes that he’s fostering his way through a world tour. 

They belong together. Rey’s scientific mind doesn’t question it. After all, the proof is all around them. Every time she comes home to their plant-filled apartment, Poe still stops to pull her in for a passionate kiss on-sight. From the first time they met, somewhere deep down, Rey has always known. They are meant to giggle at stand-up comedy specials together. Make love. Build things. Visit family- found and blood. Change the world. They’re even meant to stay in and order dinner from Restaurant Relay occasionally. 

For old time’s sake.