Some Droids Worry Too Much (Star Wars: TFA fic for kendisima, Poe Dameron)

[RiversD]

Kendisima requested a Star Wars sickfic, and this was the result.

In case any of you remain who a- have not seen the movie, b- care about seeing spoilers, and c- have not sealed yourself off from the internet in terror of b, then:

This is set after the end of the film, so some spoilers are inevitable. I'm leaving a gap, and if you read on, I take no responsibility.

Title: Some Droids Worry Too Much
Fandom: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Character: Poe Dameron
Disclaimer: I do not own a single Star War. Please accept my ongoing pennilessness as proof.
Summary: BB-8 decides that Finn is the best available caretaker for a sick Poe. He’s not wrong.
Authors Notes: Slight liberties taken with canon. So sue me.

Finn felt that a strange mood had settled over the Resistance base in the last couple of days. Perhaps it was that its people finally had a chance to breathe, and face up to what had been achieved, and lost, in the assault on Starkiller Base. The days immediately afterwards had been packed, and everyone had been preoccupied with the need to evacuate to a reserve base. The First Order’s flagship weapon might have been destroyed, but they all knew that D’Qar wasn’t safe anymore.

But now things had settled somewhat. Of course, there was still the matter of Rey and her map- General Organa had insisted she not set off until the new base was established, saying that after all this effort to figure out where Rey ought to go, they’d better make sure she could find her way back. Finn had loved her for that.

Finn had had lunch with Rey in the canteen, trying to get what time he could with her before she left. Besides, he liked being around her at mealtimes. She still hadn’t got used to being able to get a full portion of food without it being a pretty special day- perhaps she never would- and the joy she took even from the least appetising items they were served always lifted Finn’s spirits.

He was passing by the X-wing hangars on his way back, when he heard a familiar bleeping sound behind him. Finn turned, expecting to see BB-8 following Poe Dameron across the tarmac. But the little droid was alone, and making a beeline for Finn.

“Hey little guy.” Finn crouched down to greet the droid. “What’s up with you, huh? Where’s Poe?”

If there was an answer in the whirs and beeps which followed, Finn couldn’t understand it. But BB-8, well aware of his limitations, butted against his legs until he got the idea.

“You want me to follow you? Sure, lead on, BB.”

BB-8 gave a satisfied squeak, and trundled off in the direction he had come. Finn followed.

They were heading towards the pilots’ barracks, Finn realised. Perhaps Poe needed him for something. Or maybe he was in trouble, and BB-8 was looking for help. Once that thought had arrived, it wasn’t going anywhere. Finn broke into a run, chasing the little droid across the base.

An X-wing pilot’s cabin was essentially a grey cube with a pressure-seal door, designed so that it could be loaded easily onto a cargo-ship and transported alongside its many grey siblings. Poe’s had a small ramp up to the door. BB-8 rolled up it, beeped once or twice, and the door hissed open.

Finn heard Poe’s voice from inside, sounding a little huskier than normal. Perhaps he had just woken up? Not sure what the emergency could be, Finn stepped up to the open door and peered in.

Poe was sitting on the edge of his bed, one hand outstretched to stroke BB-8’s casing.

“Hey, buddy. Where did you go running off to? Oh no.”

He had caught sight off Finn in the doorway, and turned back to the droid in accusation. “BB-8, you didn’t.”

Finn might not have spoken binary, but he could hear the defiance in BB-8’s bleeps. Poe sighed.

“Hey, Finn. Sorry about BB-8, he’s a law unto himself sometimes.”

“I figured that much out for myself. What’s got him all worked up?”

“It’s nothing.” Poe ran a hand through his dishevelled curls, not achieving much improvement. “He thinks I can’t take care of myself.”

“That right?” Finn cast his eyes over the unit. It was standard issue, pretty cramped, but fairly high up on the scale of military accommodations. One bunk, one desk, one seat, one small water tank, and the rest was storage space. Several items of clothing were scattered on the floor near the bed- presumably Poe’s clothes from yesterday. The pilot was wearing a loose undershirt and shorts, both of which had a distinctly ‘slept-in’ look.

Poe gave him a rueful smile. “It’s usually tidier than this, I swear.” It looked as though he would have liked to maintain eye contact, but force of necessity made him turn his face away from Finn even before he had finished speaking, eyes tugging closed around a tickle that refused to be ignored.

“heh- usschuh!”

He sneezed into the curl of an arm, and Finn thought he saw what was going on. BB-8’s concern, the rasp in Poe’s voice, the fact that he wasn’t even dressed yet…

“Wait… are you ill?”

“Bit of a cold, that’s all.” Poe shot a meaningful look at BB-8, who beeped indignantly. Then, realising that Finn was still concerned, he added “It happens, especially after a tough string of missions.”

“Really?”

Poe wrinkled his nose, something apparently still bothering it.

“Yeah, everyone’s packed close together, you’re all running as close to the limit as you can, you’re pretty much holding off the lurgy by willpower alone. Once you get some downtime it’s more or less inevitable you’ll get sick.”

As though his voice, deteriorating into a breathy croak as he spoke, wasn’t enough to confirm his sickly condition, Poe’s nose was still acting up, nostrils visibly twitching. He sniffed, and passed a knuckle under his nose in an attempt to still it. This didn’t work, and he diverted into the crook of his arm.

“hh’ISSCHuh!”

He straightened up, blinking. Finn leant against the doorframe, relaxing a little in the absence of immediate peril.

“So BB-8 went out to find you a nursemaid, huh?”

“Without much success, obviou-damnit-”

Poe made a determined attempt at flippancy, but was interrupted, his smile twisting into an expression of desperate irritation. He hardly had time to gasp a breath before his head snapped downwards with the most brutal sneeze yet.

“ISSSCHuh!”

Poe seemed almost winded by that one. He shook his head to clear it, sniffed, and winced.

“Ugh. Sorry, man. I’m gonna have to blow my nose.”

“What? I mean, sure. Go ahead.”

Poe reached into the pod beside his bed and tugged out a strip of tissue. Finn politely looked away while the pilot quelled the unrest in his nose with a series of sharp blows.

He turned back at the sound of the used tissues entering the garbage disposal.

Poe looked up at him through watery eyes, already apologising.

“Sorry. If it starts getting like that I have to break the cycle. Otherwise it just keeps on going until it builds up to something even less attractive.”

“It’s fine.” Finn paused while Poe caught a couple of brisk coughs against the back of his hand. “Are you sure you should be talking so much? You sound a bit…”

“It sounds worse than it is. I’ll get a drink and…”

Just what a drink would have fixed was never made clear. Poe had picked up an empty glass as he spoke, and made to get up. But his legs seemed to change their mind halfway and he sat down again heavily, the cup slipping from his hand as he did so.

Finn frowned, and moved to pick up the glass. Poe took it with a hand that felt a little too warm. Instinctively, he shifted his hand to feel the pilot’s forehead, and gasped at the heat coming off the other man’s skin.

“What the- Poe, you’re burning up!”

“Am I?” Poe squirmed out from under Finn’s hand, but dropped the act as his friend became more insistent.

“What are you even sitting up for? Get back into bed!”

“Alright, alright.” Poe held his hands up in mock surrender, and swung his legs back onto the bunk. Finn’s hands kindly but firmly pushed him to lie down.

There seemed to be something about being horizontal, though, or perhaps it was that Poe had given up on trying to look cool. The pilot suddenly looked incredibly vulnerable, and infinitely more tired than he had done just a few moments ago.

“Now what?” He asked, seeming faintly amused by Finn’s persistence.

“Now I get you a drink.”

Finn took the glass, filled it from the tap in the corner, and brought it back to Poe, who pushed himself up onto one elbow to drink. It wasn’t as stable a position as it might have been in better circumstances, and he didn’t resist when Finn lent a hand to steady the cup at his lips.

“Maybe you do need a nursemaid.”

Poe laughed, his voice cracking, and fell back onto the bunk. “You don’t have to stay, you know.”

Finn tugged the little chair up to the bed and sat down.

“It’s alright. Someone’s got to keep BB-8 from worrying, right?”

Poe stared at him, seeming gratified, but suddenly uncertain, as if he hadn’t expected a serious answer to his jibe.

“Seriously, you might not want to stay. I’m a mess when I’m sick.”

“I was a Stormtrooper. I promise you I’ve seen worse things.”

Poe stared back at him. His eyes focussed on the same point for so long that Finn couldn’t tell if the pilot was just lost for words or if his fever was making him drift. Probably a little of both, he decided, and pulled the covers up to cover Poe’s chest.

The movement seemed to dislodge Poe from whatever mental plane he had been occupying. He shifted and sniffed, wetness evident in the sound. Finn reached across for some fresh tissue.

Poe buried his nose gratefully in the tissue, all the more so as his breath caught and his body shook with the rush of a sneeze, ticklish and wet.

“uh! ksschhuh!”

He held his position for a few moments, making sure that the sneeze had come alone before he dared drop the tissue in the disposal bin. Then he sighed.

“Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it.”

“Promise. You’re actually pretty good at this, you know.”

“Hey, we might be trained as killing machines, but Stormtroopers look after their own.”

“heh.” Poe smiled as though he was enjoying some private joke.

“What? What’s so funny?”

“That what I am now? One of your own?”

“Yes. Yes, of course.” Finn was hurt. “Did you think I didn’t-” but Poe cut him off with an apologetic hand.

“No, sorry, I just meant… you stopped running. Wasn’t sure if you would.” He paused, and swallowed hard, though whether he was gathering his thoughts or his fraying voice was anyone’s guess. “That Rey… she was damn good for you.”

“I know it.” The words came out with real fervour. “She’s something special, Poe. I think she might be the key to winning this. Ending the First Order.”

Poe’s brow furrowed. “One girl? I’m not denying she’s special, Finn, but I don’t know…”

“One girl with the two of us at her back, though, right?” Finn aimed a gentle punch at Poe’s shoulder.

Smiling, Poe closed his eyes. “Alright. That I’ll believe.”

Edited March 7, 2016 by RiversD
corrected misspelling

[Subtly Clashing Wishes]

This was such fun and you are a terrible tease!

Poe made a determined attempt at flippancy, but was interrupted, his smile twisting into an expression of desperate irritation. He hardly had time to gasp a breath before his head snapped downwards with the most brutal sneeze yet.

“ISSSCHuh!”

Poe seemed almost winded by that one. He shook his head to clear it, sniffed, and winced.

“Ugh. Sorry, man. I’m gonna have to blow my nose.”

“What? I mean, sure. Go ahead.”

Poe reached into the pod beside his bed and tugged out a strip of tissue. Finn politely looked away while the pilot quelled the unrest in his nose with a series of sharp blows.

He turned back at the sound of the used tissues entering the garbage disposal.

Poe looked up at him through watery eyes, already apologising.

“Sorry. If it starts getting like that I have to break the cycle. Otherwise it just keeps on going until it builds up to something even less attractive.”

Really...I don't know how that would be possible.

Poe laughed, his voice cracking, and fell back onto the bunk. “You don’t have to stay, you know.”

Finn tugged the little chair up to the bed and sat down.

“It’s alright. Someone’s got to keep BB-8 from worrying, right?”

Poe stared at him, seeming gratified, but suddenly uncertain, as if he hadn’t expected a serious answer to his jibe.

“Seriously, you might not want to stay. I’m a mess when I’m sick.”

You don't say...

[RiversD]

This was such fun and you are a terrible tease!

If you can't/won't show it, hint, that's what I say!

Aw, thanks, though. (And you're right, I felt so weird writing the "ugh, so unattractive" bits, because it's so obviously a MASSIVE LIE). Darnit he's so pretty.

[SpamKey]

Awhh man this was so perfect! I especially loved the ending, and everything was just perfectly in character and adorable! Makes me want to go see it again

[snuffles]

Awwww!! BB-8 just killed me!! That was adorable on so many levels, thank you for this, I was dying for an Ep7 fic!

[Watercolor Daydreams]

wEOIH4OITH3498THJKRN FINALLY!!!! It's about time somebody wrote a TFA fic!!

Awesome job!!

[murphy dee]

I screamed over this on tumblr but I gotta scream some more because HOT DANG!!!! I just love how Poe thinks he could possibly be 'a mess' or 'unattractive' like c'mon dude. Unf. <3 God, thank you for writing this.

[Mybabysitteravampirefan]

Oh, I love it!

Maybe a little bit to much....

And I exploded... it was inevitable I suppose...

[TheWolfOfStone]

Yes! Yesyesyes! Yeeeeeeeeeeeeessssss! Finally, a SW:TFA fic! I've been waiting! And putting off writing one myself because I can't think of a plot. This was so...just...like...yes!

[Dusty15]

Sweet little BB-8! And cutie sick!Poe

[kendisima]

OH MY GODDDDDD. this is so sweet and wonderful RiversD. Thank you so much for writing this!! It's beautiful

I looooove their relationship and you wrote it so perfectly. I love Poe and his stubborn o yeah its no big deal I'm good attitude. I love Finn just being there for him....so effing sweet and it felt so real. And I LOVE BB-8. you are a great writer, and incredibly sweet to write this :)

Also, I agree with above posters....what a tease! I need more sickly Poe, I need more bro love. But I'll live. Just because it's so good Thank you so much for this!!

[Sitruuna]

I saw this here right as I was going to sleep and decided to wait until the morning to read this so I would have a reason to get up in time xDD

lol

Why do I even mention that idk

Anyway

SICK POE YES PLS

hnng when Finn asks him if he's sure he should be talking so much

Nom

[RiversD]

Ack, you guyyyys....

@SpamKey- I'm so glad you thought the characters worked- I've only seen it once, so I was a little nervous of relying on my memory of them.

@snuffles- Everybody loves BB-8. The droid is a little bubble-bro of cuteness.

@Watercolor Daydreams- I'm feeling the Star Wars love right about now.

@Murphy D.- I know, right? Someone ought to show him the error of his company-shirking ways. And aaahh, thank you, I love your screaming.

@TheWolfOfStone- Wheee! Thank you! (p.s. go for it!)

@Dusty15- I'm getting the general sense that including BB-8 was a crowdpleasing move. A note has been duly made.

@Mybabysitteravampirefan- Oh dear! *sweeps up your pieces*

@kendisima- Ah, I'm so relieved you like it! And you are too, too, nice about my writing. I didn't mean to be a tease, but I'm guessing that reaction means I did something right :b

@Sitruuna- It's so flattering that you thought this would be worth waking up for. Ha, that bit was a fairly late addition, but I just couldn't stop thinking about Poe with his voice gone all raspy and wobbly still trying to be his chatty self, and, well... as you say, nom.

[Hedgehog]

That's a really sweet story. Thanks for writing it.

[Salamander]

Argh argh could these two get any cuter?! Poe is so resigned, Finn is so concerned, BB8 is so "helpful". Ouch my heart.

[Winged]

What a CUTE fic, oh man. BB-8 is the best, and Poe and Finn are SO ADORABLE, and I'm such a sucker for "tough-guy-made-vulnerable" stuff. Thanks for writing

[Vongola Undicesimo]

I bet BB-8 would do something like this, the lil' cutie. And the banter here is so cute and POE<3333.

[tarotgal]

Aww! This is adorable! I love the give and take between the two of them and Poe actually being too sick to take care of himself. BB-8's presence and foresight to grab Finn (even if Finn still can't understand the droid, LOL) is perfection. Wonderfully written! I loved this!

[Sakura65]

This is so good!! Poor Poe... ♥️♥️♥️

[dw124]

Yay, A TFA fic! I'm so happy this exists!