If You Like

Poe would never admit to anyone that he listens to the Spice Girls when he’s jogging. But he does and he smiles the whole time because he can and it’s like his little secret from the rest of the world. It makes him so ridiculously happy to indulge in something so clearly selfish and insane. So when he jogs right back up to his building and sees a moving truck parked out front, he feels extra-deflated. This must mean that Rey’s father, Luke, the super, finally found someone to rent the studio across the hall from him.

He wouldn’t mind so much but out of all the tenants in this building, himself and Rey are the only likeable ones. There’s that weird artist guy at the end of the hall whose mailbox says Ben Solo but demands everyone call him Kylo Ren. He’s always wearing black and shouting and throwing things in his unit. On the second floor right under him there is Brendan Hux, a nice enough kid but he sings showtunes in his shower way too loud. There is also this german guy, maybe he’s Russian, Poe can’t tell. He is like seven feet tall with the longest hair and beard in the world and he’s always muttering to himself at the mailboxes. Rey calls him Chewie. Rey lives on the second floor. She just started going to fashion school or something, and every Sunday she brings cookies or muffins to Poe’s unit and they catch up on his DVR. She also brings her guinea pig, Beebee the 8^th, so he can cuddle on Poe’s lap and leave little turds on his floor. She’s the closest thing Poe has to best friend since he moved from Minnesota to NYC.

So hopefully this new person will be more of a Rey and less of a dickbag.

Poe walks in and gets his key from his shoe, deciding to pick up the mail and go hide in his apartment for the rest of the day and work on his book. He pops the earbuds out of his ears and lays the cord over his neck, rifling through the junk mail and sticking it in the extra slot Rey designated for all the tenants to put junk mail—she shreds it all once a week. She is way too good and sweet for this city.

He’s startled by the sound of crashing and items tumbling down the stairs behind him. He turns around to see a cardboard box and miscellaneous possessions scattered on the stairs. He looks up to the landing on the second floor and sees a young man, black, sweating and looking like he’s about to cry staring down at the items on the stairs.

Poe instantly runs over and starts gathering everything into the box. “I got ya, buddy,” he says as the man runs down to help him. “Moving sucks.”

“No shit,” the man replies. “This is just the contents of my junk drawer, probably should have tossed it out anyway.”

“Everybody needs a junk drawer, man,” Poe laughs. They finish and he stands, handing the box to its owner. “I’m Poe. Poe Dameron. I live in 3a.”

“Finn Tuwonatesevin. Nice to meet you, Poe.”

“Nice to meet you too, Finn. Uh, need a hand?”

Finn shakes his head. “I don’t want to intrude…”

“Nah man, it’s cool. I could use the workout.”

Finn smiles back at Poe and fuck, those eyes and lips are amazing. “Yeah, that would actually be really great.”

~

An hour later they managed to empty the truck completely. Poe didn’t get much of a chance to talk to Finn other than asking where to put things and figuring out how to get that ugly but insanely comfortable plaid couch up the stairs. But he did take stock of Finn’s belongings to try to figure out more about his new neighbor. Everything is second hand and he has all the basics but nothing really personal. Nothing for his walls, not real music or movie collection, not even any books. He does have a small radio but no TV. He doesn’t think Finn just moved out of his parent’s house because a kid his age would have music or games or something. Maybe his last place burned down, or his girlfriend (oh please let him be gay though) kept all the good shit in the breakup.

“So, Poe, thanks so much man,” Finn says shyly, standing in the middle of a pretty boring studio apartment and rubbing the back of his neck. “I would invite you to stay for dinner but chances are I’ll be ordering in and eating out of the box with my fingers like an animal.”

“Do you want to…come over for dinner? I have a table and chairs and if you want, we can even use spoons. But they are plastic and we have to order in and eat out of the boxes because I hate doing dishes.”

“Sure,” Finn smiles. Again with those fucking teeth and lips. “When?”

“Give me an hour? I have to shower and hide my porn collection.”

Finn looks a little embarrassed until Poe laughs, indicating he was joking. “Oh well okay,” Finn replies, still fucking smiling. “Uhm, where is the nearest department store? I’m new to NYC and I don’t have any toilet paper or a shower curtain or…”

Just moved to the city, that explains a LOT. “There’s a store not far from here if you take the train. But, uhm, I could borrow you a roll and you can come over and use my shower tonight.”

What the FUCK are you doing, Dameron? This guy is probably some fresh-out-of-undergrad wholesome American jock who moved to the city to get away from his shitty parents and his shitty town and you fucking hit on him. This is NOT what he should be doing right now.

“Are you sure that would be okay?”

“Well, no. I don’t want you to give me the toilet paper back, you can just keep that.” Poe smiles. “See you in an hour.”

Poe leaves and goes across the hall to his own place, standing with his back against his front door and mentally kicking himself. He grabs his phone from his pocket to see about thirty missed texts from Rey.

‘I see you met Finn’

‘you are 2 sweet helping him’

‘omg he’s pretty ripped’

‘I think I just caught you staring at him’

‘ask him if he has a girlfriend’

‘or a boyfriend’

And so on. Rolling his eyes, he deletes them all and sets his phone on the counter, stripping off his clothes on the way to his shower.

~

He’s still deciding what to wear when there is a knock at his door. Fuck, has it been an hour already? “JUST A MINUTE” he yells, grabbing the nearest t-shirt off the floor and slipping it on as he runs to the door. Fuck, he left his dirty jogging clothes on the floor, there’s empty beer bottles on his coffee table and he can see a bottle of lube sticking out of his couch cushions from his little evening of self-love the night before. He quickly grabs the lube and chucks it under the couch and starts to gather the clothes, kicking them into a pile near the bedroom before he opens the door.

“I just realized how stupid I am,” Finn says. “You said an hour and I’m really punctual and I probably should have waited a few more minutes.”

He looks at Finn to see him holding a towel and a small brown bag, probably his toiletries. He’s also got folded jeans and shirt tucked under his arm. Poe can’t help but notice that Finn is looking him up and down. Fuck, he’s barefoot and his hair is still wet. He runs a hand through his beard. “Come on in, buddy. Uhm, floor plan is identical so bathroom is in the back. I thought we’d order now.”

Finn nods, taking a bill out of his pocket and handing it to Poe. “I insist on paying, and please order whatever you would like. I enjoy a wide variety of foods.”

He kinda feels guilty about taking this kid’s money considering the state of his possessions, but he knows to resist would be rude. “I was thinking pizza.”

“I like black olives,” Finn says. “If that’s okay.”

“Fuck yes it is,” Poe smiles. “You go, I’ll order. Oh, and I hope you like beer.”

Finn nods and disappears into the bathroom. Poe makes a mad dash to tidy up the rest of his place and order the pizza. He’s fucking nervous that a really hot guy is in his shower right now and is going to stay for pizza and beer and maybe they’ll watch a movie and sit on Poe’s couch and who the fuck knows what could happen?

Nothing will happen, Poe. You are not fucking your new neighbor.

Finn emerges after ten minutes wearing a new t-shirt and jeans. He tells Poe he’ll go drop his stuff off and be right back and Poe swears that Finn was gone all of thirty seconds before knocking at his door again.

“So, the food should be here soon. Do you wanna like, watch anything?” Poe moves to the fridge and pulls out two beers, opening them both and handing one to Finn.

Their fingers brush and Finn is visibly awkward about it. Poe feels the touch go straight to his crotch and prays quickly to whatever god is the real one that he not get a fucking boner right now.

“I never really watch TV,” Finn replies, taking a drink. “My parents didn’t let us have one when I was a kid.”

“Shit, uhm, well TV has probably changed since they had one. Now tv series are like books and the writing and acting is incredible. It’s really taking over movies now in popularity.” Poe sits at a stool next to the counter, Finn taking the other one next to him. “So you read a lot, I assume.”

“Mostly the bible,” Finn says softly. “Wait, uhm, I’m not one of those types. I mean I am. I guess. I grew up the son of a preacher. So there’s that. I uh, grew up reading the bible, I don’t anymore. I’m pretty sure I’m an atheist now anyway. So…yeah.”

“Not your choice then, not a problem,” Poe takes another drink. So definitely not gay. “This your first place?”

Finn nods. “Yeah. My cousin just got married and gave him a bunch of his stuff from storage. All I really have that’s mine are a few books and my clothes.” He swallows, looking visibly upset. “But enough about me.”

Taking the cue, Poe gestures to his living room area. “Well I got a ton of stuff and you are welcome to pick. I suggest we go with a classic though. I’m in the mood for it.”

“What movie?” Finn asks.

“It’s called Star Wars.”

~

“So, whadda ya think?” Poe asks, turning off his TV and getting up for a third beer.

“That was amazing,” Finn smiles. “The lightsabers and the action and the princess and…dude I want to fuck Han Solo.”

Poe turns around and cocks his head at Finn, trying really hard to act cool and not think that Finn just said the sexiest thing in the world. “Really?”

Finn gets really anxious and looks everywhere but at Poe. “I should go.”

“Wait, dude, if you’re gay that’s totally okay,” Poe brings Finn a second beer and sits back down on the couch. “Like really.”

Finn takes a deep breath. “I fucking know it is, but, uhm, I don’t like tell other people.”

“Why not?” Poe asks, putting his feet on his coffee table and getting comfortable. He will admit he is pretty shocked to find out Finn is gay and a little bit turned on right now. I mean he did just finish watching his favorite movie of all time with a hot guy. Who took a shower in his bathroom. The same shower Poe jerks off in like, five times a week. Okay eight. Twelve tops.

“Well I couldn’t, not when I was at home. I had some secret boyfriends, one guy I was with all through college in Indiana. But when we graduated he decided to go back and help run his family’s grocery store in Iowa, where’s we are from. I knew I couldn’t go back home because I didn’t not want to live a fucking lie ever again.” He takes a long drink. “Still, it’s hard. I spent my whole life trying to cover my ass.”

“Habits are hard to break,” Poe says. “So, you know there is a sequel.”

Finn smiles big, probably in part due to Poe changing the subject and being totally not-awkward about it. “Another Star Wars?”

“There are actually six of them, but the prequels suck. Still, they are required viewing material. I heard they are going to make a seventh one,” Poe stands up to put Return of the Jedi into his VCR because fuck of course he owns the original theatrical release version and not that shit George Lucas did with adding in that CGI bullcrap.

“If it’s okay?” Finn asks. “I would really like to. But I don’t want to keep you up.”

Poe looks at his clock, fuck it’s already ten. “Not a problem at all, I tend to stay up late most of the time anyway.”

~

It isn’t until Luke leaves Dagoba that Poe looks over to see Finn has fallen asleep. He smiles and gets up, padding to his room to find an extra blanket. He turns off the movie, covers Finn with the blanket and turns out the lights, making his way to his room. Once he’s under the covers—fully clothed just in case Finn wakes up and fuck that could be awkward—he texts Rey.

‘Finn is sleeping on my couch, fell asleep during Return/Jedi’

She texts back almost immediately. ‘is he single’

‘not your type’ Poe texts back.

‘HE IS GAY ISN’T HE DAMMIT’ and ‘holy shit did you fuck him?’

‘yes and no, of course not’

‘dameron you’d fuck a paper bag if it looked at you the right way’

‘just that one time’ he replies, smiling to his phone.

‘you still up for muffins tomorrow?’

‘please. Gnite babe’

‘gnite p’

~

When Poe wakes up the next morning, Finn is gone. But he did leave a note on the fridge for him.

I really liked the movie, sorry I fell asleep. Can I come over again soon and finish it? Are you busy on Tuesday?

He signed it and wrote his cell number on the bottom. Shit, Poe is fucking good. He wasn’t even trying to legit hook up and he still got a number AND asked out on a date. To his own apartment, but that still counts. He makes a pot of coffee and waits for Rey to arrive.

She just walks right in, as she always does, carrying a plate of mini-muffins and a small brown bag from the bakery down the street. “I left Beebee at home in case Finn was still here,” she said.

Poe pours her a mug of coffee and hands her the note. She reads it and smiles. “Oh you got a date!”

“He doesn’t own a TV, and I’m pretty sure last night was the first movie he ever saw,” Poe says, taking a bagel from the brown bag and biting into it cold. “I mean, I did show him Star Wars.”

“That movie is the best.”

“And he mentioned he wanted to fuck Han Solo.”

“I’d totally go straight for Han.”

“But this isn’t a date, it’s just a kid who doesn’t know anybody in the city trying to make a friend.”

Rey smacks Poe on the shoulder. “You dumbass, it’s totally a date. Now we need to clean this place up good for next week. Where is your box of sex toys?”

“Under the bed,” Poe rolls his eyes.

“Good, I don’t need to see those again. One of them is as big as my forearm, Poe.”

“It’s not my fault you decided to marathon clean my place when I was in Boise for that training,” Poe groans, half smiling. “I remember that one time I came over and you left your strap on in the kitchen sink.”

“I was cleaning it and practicing hygenic self-fuckery,” she laughs. “Now, after we clean, we’ll have to go shopping.”

Poe Dameron rolls his eyes, but deep down he’s willing to do whatever it takes to make sure the Tuesday goes well.