━━ CHAPTER EIGHTEEN / sunsets

Eliana had been putting off accepting the invitation to the gala all night. She knew that she had to but she didn't want to. The thought of going near Relya again with Poe made her feel anxious. Poe hated Relya and Eliana was completely in love with Poe. It was infuriating and tiring and she hated that she would be trapped in a room with them.

The soiree on Coruscant had been bad enough when she hadn't admitted to herself that she was in love with him. But this, this was worse. She knew that she loved Poe and had fallen out of love with Relya a very long time ago but she still had to pretend. She had to act like nothing had changed just to get the evidence to prove her ex-lover and ex-boss was a traitor to everything the Republic stood for. It was exhausting.

But as the very late evening or very very early morning rolled around, Eliana accepted the invitation. It was a short message informing Relya that she would be in attendance with a plus one. Eliana didn't say who was her plus one but Relya knew. Eliana also lied, saying that she was excited to see Relya and hoped they could finish what they started on Coruscant.

It was all complete lies but if it helped get what they wanted, Eliana knew that they had to do it. She had no choice.

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It didn't take long to fall back into routine and after a few days back on D'Qar, the test flight schedule had gone back to normal. Eliana was glad to be back with her squadron and she was testing a newly modified X-Wing that hopefully wouldn't break while she piloted.

But after one particular squadron test flight, she ordered everyone else to go back while she stayed in the air. She wanted some time alone and it was getting late so she wanted to watch the sunset. Usually, she'd share the privilege with someone else but everyone was complaining about being hungry or tired so she let them go back.

And instead, piloted herself away from the base and landed on top of one of the steeper hills. It was a precarious landing but the modified X-Wing was much easier to land. So, once it was done, she jumped out and made the thirty minute hike up to the top of the hills.

Just as she reached the top, the sun began to set. The whole sky had been burnt pink as she made her climb but now she got a perfect view. There were mountains and trees as far as the eye could see but she had the clearest view of the sunset she had ever had. She could see all the way to the horizon and could make out the giant ball of fire thousands of miles away from her. The only thing that kept the system alive. It was terrifying and yet so beautiful.

The clouds that covered D'Qar were lit up in bright oranges and pinks and Eliana found herself mesmerised as she sat on the rocks. The drop down to the floor was long and it made her stomach twist in anxiety but she knew better than to let it bother her. Instead, she focused on the sky in front of her.

The advancing blue front that began to push back the beautiful pinks, purples and oranges that littered the sky. The last rays of sunlight littered the sky before the sun dipped below the horizon, gone for another day. But the blue that spread across the sky allowed for a new view. A gorgeous, different view.

The light pollution had yet to infect this part of the planet and she watched as the galaxies light up in front of her face. The beauty of it. The beauty that was lost on Coruscant because of the light pollution that permeated into every corner of the planet's atmosphere. One giant metropolis and she knew that not a single person in the undercity would ever get to witness the beauty of the galaxy.

Eliana stayed out in the night for another hour before she dragged herself back. She grabbed her light from her pocket and used it as her guide down to her X-Wing. She jumped in and powered it up. Her systems came back on line, alerting the communications tower who quickly checked in.

"Green Squadron Leader, do you copy, over?"

Eliana responded in kind, "Green Squadron Leader here, I copy. Heading back to base now, over."

"We'll be waiting for you, over." Eliana then activated the sublight engines and flicked on the anti-grav thrusters before taking off. The flight back to base was short and she landed in the hangar with little issue. She pulled her helmet off and clambered out, dropping down the ladder to the dura-concrete floor.

Her knees ached from the walk and her thighs burned but it was a good burn. She had missed the feeling of hiking and the wind in her hair. It was a welcome change to the humdrum life on base and even her life on Coruscant while she had been undercover.

"You were gone for hours," Poe's voice called from further down the hangar. Eliana rolled her eyes, tucking her helmet under her arm.

"You're obsessed." There was a teasing lilt to Eliana's tone which made Poe roll his eyes. He wouldn't say it but he had been a little worried. Without BB-8, Eliana was the only thing keeping him sane.

"Where were you?" He asked. Eliana sighed and let her hand hang by her side.

"Out," She retorted bluntly. He narrowed his eyes.

"Where?" He asked quickly. Eliana tilted her head at him. They were getting closer now, still calling across the hangar.

"Hiking," She retorted as they met in the middle. Poe then grabbed her helmet from under her arm without a word.

"Where?" He repeated. She chuckled at him and gave him the side-eye before she continued to walk forward towards the exit into the base.

"Away from base. I wanted to watch the sunset." Eliana shrugged at the end of her words and Poe rolled his eyes. She was always so stubborn.

"You could have invited me." His tone was entirely teasing and the pout on his face was fake.

"Your squadron had already left," Eliana responded before she added,"What, are you disappointed?" She bit back, equally as teasing. He scoffed.

"No, I just know you'd love to spend the time with me." The arrogance in his tone made Eliana punch his arm playfully/

"Shut it," She retorted before they headed out off of the hangar. They went down the corridor straight to the shower rooms. Eliana usually would go straight to the women's shower room but she had a feeling Poe wouldn't leave. So, she continued down the corridor until she came to the gender-neutral shower, "I'm getting a shower." That much was obvious.

"I'll wait here for you," Poe said as he dropped down on the bench outside the cubicles. She stared down at him, unimpressed but not at all surprised. He then grinned playfully, "We can chat." Eliana shook her head gently, "What? Is there a problem?" He asked curiously. Eliana picked up the shampoo and conditioner from her, Nettie and Maymie's shared locker and then picked up a towel from the side.

"No," She said with a small shrug. She glanced back at him on the bench, dropping her supplies on it as she stripped off her orange flight suit. It left her in her black shorts and sports bra right in front of him. He tried not to look.

"I want to hear about the sunset," Poe said as Eliana walked into the shower stall with all her supplies in hand now. She was quick to strip her shorts and sports bra, kicking them out from the stall before she twisted the tap on and stepped back as she waited for the water to heat up. Her hip rested against the wall as she let her hand stay under the spray, feeling for the temperature change.

"It was fine," Eliana responded. She purposefully made herself a little louder so he could hear her over the sound of the water.

"You were gone for over two hours." He didn't sound impatient but she knew that she wouldn't be able to get away from this conversation. Poe was stubborn if nothing else.
"I just wanted some time alone." It took Eliana a few minutes to decide the right words but she realised what that could imply. And she didn't want to be alone now. Even if it was a little odd that Poe was sitting outside, she didn't mind. It was nice to have someone to talk to. She usually had Nettie or Maymie in one of the cubicles beside her so it was just like normal. So, Eliana was quick to add, "And after Coruscant, I just needed to get some fresh air. The atmosphere is stifling there." She hoped that that it was enough for him to realise she did in fact want him there.

"Tell me about the sunset," Poe said after a few beats of silence. Eliana furrowed her eyebrows and now that the water was warm enough, got under the spray. She tilted her head back, getting her hair wet,

"Is this turning you on?" She asked as she pushed her fingers through her hair. The water was a nice warm temperature and it felt so much better against her skin than the sonic shower she had used on the way back from Coruscant. A proper shower made her feel genuinely clean..

"You obviously went out there for a reason," Poe responded, ignoring her teasing comment. Eliana knelt down and grabbed her shampoo, she squeezed a dollop into her hand and began to run it through her hair. Her front now under the spray of water.

"Fine," She said as she let the water wash away the surface layer of dirt. She already felt so much cleaner now the sweat was being washed away, "I landed the X-Wing on this kind of jagged hill. Surrounded by forests and it was the only clearing for miles around. I've landed there before and took the hike up to the top of this mountain-hill thing." She began as she ran the shampoo through her roots. Poe seemed to be listening quietly, "It's the most peaceful place in the galaxy. I know it's dangerous out there because of the creepervine but it doesn't scare me. So, when I reach the top of the hill, I just sit on the cliff edge. You can see everything for as far as the eye can see. The trees, the hills, the grass plains and it gives me this perfect view of the horizon." Eliana continued. She tilted her head back into the water again, washing the first lot of shampoo out.

"The sunset?" Poe prompted. Eliana chuckled and pushed her fingers through her hair, making sure all of the shampoo was off of her scalp.

"I'm getting to it," Eliana responded before she leant down and picked up the shampoo again. She poured another dollop into her hand and then began to wash her roots again, giving some attention to the mid-length of her hair, "By the time I'd reached the cliff edge, the sky was already burnt orange. You could probably see it from base but it was beautiful. The sky was scorched with orange and pinks. The clouds lit up in this gorgeous pink hue. I can never describe it properly," Eliana continued before she ran her fingers through her hair. She hated not being able to see Poe's face. She had no idea if he was even paying attention.

But her silence prompted him to speak again, "Try?" He asked. Eliana hummed in response. The pair were completely unaware that Dow had just walked past the gender-neutral shower rooms, spotting Poe sat outside. He paused outside the room, listening as Eliana spoke again.

"I could see so perfectly the sun dipping below the horizon. The last rays of sunlight touching the canopies and grasslands. It left everything in this gorgeous orange glow and then it was gone. The entire time the sky was lit up in pinks and oranges, the blue had been advancing. And this is always my favourite parts of sunsets," Dow had vanished after realising that Poe was talking to Eliana. A smirk on his face while Poe listened to Eliana speak intently.

She tilted her head back under the showerhead and let the water wash out the second lot of shampoo as she felt a smile appear on her face.

"Sunsets are beautiful on Coruscant where you can see the oranges, yellows, pinks and purples but out here? The most beautiful part of a sunset is the end. Once the sun has dipped below the horizon, if you're lucky, on a clear night, you can see the galaxy mapped out in front of you. I know we see it all the time but there is something so different about seeing it from on-world." Eliana felt oddly exposed, talking to in depth about sunsets but she knew it was nothing particularly odd. They had done so much worse.

She grabbed her conditioner and then began to run it through the ends of hair. She would have done a more thorough routine but she was tired and hungry. She hoped that the mess hall would still be open when she was done.

"You'll have to show me sometime," Poe said after a few beats of silence. Eliana chuckled. She grabbed her shower gel and began to wash her body down, scrubbing the dirt and sweat from her skin.

"If you're good," She teased in response. Poe rolled his eyes and the two fell into quiet conversation until Eliana got out of the shower. She had the towel wrapped firmly around her waist as she met his gaze. He looked so pretty sat there. His head was rested back against the wall, so casual and yet his attention was entirely on her.

"Can we go to the changing rooms? She asked. Poe nodded and the two walked through the archway into the changing rooms. Eliana went for the cubicle nearest to her locker and locked the door behind her. She ran the towel down her body, drying herself off before she grabbed a hair tie. She put her hair up into a messy bun while she changed into a fresh set of clothes.

But it was as she changed and the silence ebbed between the two that the change in gravity began to hit her. She suddenly regretted picking a button-up shirt as her hands couldn't keep a hold of the buttons long enough to get them through the hole.

After painstakingly managing around three buttons, she unlocked the cubicle door and looked at Poe with a pout on her lips. She was fully dressed other than the shirt and she couldn't take struggling anymore.

"Help?" She asked gently. Poe chuckled and stood up from the bench. He walked over and began to button her shirt up for her. His hands this close to her naked skin made her feel all sorts of flustered. Her stomach flipped in a dangerous way and she kept her eyes on his face. Admiring the concentrated look as he continued to button.

His eyes couldn't help but wonder to her cleavage but he tried to be as respectful as possible. Forcing himself to keep focus despite how much he wanted to snog her and let his lips roam across her bare skin of her chest.

"Poe." Eliana mumbled softly. He lifted his head and they met gazes. She smiled softly and cupped his cheek with her free hand. Her touch on his cheek made his mind spiral in seconds and she tilted her head a little, "Can I kiss you?" She asked. It was a mistake. It was very much a mistake but she said it anyway.

"Yeah," He responded. Eliana's face broke out into a grin and she leant forward. She pressed a soft kiss to his lips and he responded instantly. His hands moved to her hips and he didn't let her escape. His hand on the small of her back and he continued the kiss. His tongue quickly slipped into her mouth and she let out a gasp into the kiss.

Her fingers ran through his hair as he kept her close. Their chests pressed against each other as they enjoyed each other's touch for those blissful few moments before they heard a stall door slam purposefully shut. Poe pulled back and Eliana stared at him. Her eyes wide, almost stunned by the intensity of it all.

"You need to eat," He said as he stepped back from her. Eliana cleared her throat and nodded her head. She collected all of her belongings and put them in the cupboard before she left with Poe. The nausea and shakiness had vanished with the kiss from Poe and she was trying to work out whether to be thankful or not.

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