𝘾𝙃𝘼𝙋𝙏𝙀𝙍 𝙎𝙀𝙑𝙀𝙉
—𝘨𝘰 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬—

BEXLEY WAS EXCITED after she left the cafeteria, waiting patiently for Poe's arrival. She had to admit, she did better than expected when it came to managing her stress. But maybe it was only Poe's reassurance that kept her from worrying over the small things at the moment.

The girl currently resides in her room, staring at the door with expectant eyes. Bexley hadn't been waiting too long for Poe, but she had been in her room for quite a while. And instead of doing something a bit more productive- such as catching up on her training with Spencer and Heath, she decided to wait for her friend to knock on her door with books in his hands.

Bexley looks to her alarm clock, sighing as she lays back on the bed. She shortly debated leaving her room, then rejected the idea almost as soon as it came. She was willing to wait for Poe, even if it meant turning down the idea of increasing her sparring skills. The blonde runs her fingers through her hair, closing her eyes as she relaxes. And almost as quick as she does, three sharp raps sound against the door.

The girl is up in an instant, rushing to pull the door open and face Poe, who had three books in his grasp.

"You're back," Bexley breathes, relief flooding through her veins as she takes in his undamaged appearance.

"I am," Poe chuckles, his eyes finding hers. "Have fun without me?"

"If only it were that simple," she smiles, opening the door wider for him to enter. "How was your mission?"

Poe sits down on her bed, tossing the books onto the sheets as he sighs. He looks over to her, shaking his head in amusement. "Eventful, actually. But all of our pilots made it out safely, and that's all that matters."

"You look exhausted," Bexley notices, closing the door behind her before she moves to sit down across from him on the bed. "Sure you don't need any extra sleep right now?"

"Sleep deprivation isn't a problem at the moment." Poe states, opening a book to its starting page. "You have studying to do, and I'm here to help with that."

"Poe-"

"I want to help," Poe insists softly, cutting the girl off. "Believe me, if I was tired enough, I'd be sleeping right now. I'm fine, Bexley."

Bexley's posture grows rigid as she sucks in a deep breath. "Okay, fine. Now where should we start?"

"Instead of actually reading all of these books, it would be easier for you to skim," he says, his eyes grazing over the page in front of him, before he looks at to her. "It's quicker and still effective. Have you ever tried studying like that?"

"Not really," Bexley furrows her eyebrows. "I never really thought it would work as well as reading everything, I guess."

"It works just as well and can save you a lot of time," he hands her a book. "I can read this one and give you the basics when I'm finished."

"Okay," Bexley says, taking the book in her hands. She flips to the front page, already dreading the long time of studying ahead of her. But Poe made it better, even if he was just sitting near her. He seemed to comfort her, even if he wasn't trying- and Bexley greatly needed that.

As Bexley begins to read, Poe can't help but stare at the girl as they sit in a comfortable silence. He missed her- he had to admit. And as he sat there with her, he could feel something, even if he didn't know what it was. Her presence softened him, and he wasn't sure how to control it or if he even wanted to.

He knew, in that moment, that he felt something more for Bexley Terris.

Time flew by quickly after that, hour by hour leaving like minutes. Poe was faster than Bexley with his reading, and soon began to pick up on her negative aura. He wasn't sure if she was just growing tired, or if the reading was taking a toll on her. Poe sits his book aside, his eyes conerned as he looks to her.

"Bexley, whats wrong?"

"I honestly believe it would be easier to fail and go back home," Bexley states in frustration, slamming the book closed as she glares at the wall. "At least then I wouldn't have so much pressure on my shoulders. I just- I don't understand this!"

She groans, running her hands down her face, aware that Poe was staring at her.

"Do you really want to go home?" he asks, raising an eyebrow.

"Of course not, I-" she cuts herself off with a sigh. "I'm sorry . . . I'm not good at coping with stuff like this. I've never studied this long before, and it's getting to me."

"You can't let it stress you out, Bexley," he tells the girl, his eyes softening as he takes in her wary expression. Dark circles had already began to form under her eyes, and she looked as though she would break into tears at any moment.

"I know, I know," she begins to calm down, her tone no longer strong and defensive. "I'm getting tired."

"Lets make a deal," Poe suggests, closing his book and placing it down on the bed beside him. "We finish these two books tonight, and I'll pull you from your classes tomorrow so you can get more rest. Then we'll have the day to focus on your training and studying."

"But won't I get behind if I skip my classes?"

"Not if I pull you. I'll teach you everything you need to know, anyway, so don't worry about it," he gives her a smile. "I'll even show you around the pilot quarters if you'd like."

"Really?" Bexley asks, her mood lighting immediately.

"Of course," Poe nods. "Is that a yes?"

"I'd be crazy to say no."

---

Bexley woke up later on the next morning, fully rested and prepared for the day ahead. The blonde took a shower as soon as she got up, satisfied with everything she had gotten done the night before. She had managed to finish her book, and learned about the basics of the one Poe had read.

After Poe left, she had put the books away and went straight to sleep. It was easy to say that she had gotten plenty of sleep, as she woke up nearly four hours after the set time for breakfast. Luckily, Bexley wasn't too hungry anyway. Instead, she was focused on finding Poe. The girl roamed the halls in a pair of black leggings and a comfortable maroon sweater, her eyes searching for him.

"Rested yet?" Poe asks from behind her, Bexley gasping as he chuckles. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

"Yeah, actually," Bexley nods, relaxing from the scare. "Sleeping in feels great, I really miss it."

"Tell me about it," he rolls his eyes.

Poe's hair was fixed as it was normally, his hair swept to the side in their natural brown curls. Bexley couldn't help but stare at his complexion; the night before he had been so exhausted, and she could definitely tell the difference. Poe was wearing a black t-shirt, a pair of jeans, and his usual jacket. His eyes were bright and warm, and he looked prepared for the day ahead of him.

"What are we doing today?" she asks, her eyes finding his.

"First we're going to the head pilot quarters," Poe replies, nodding in the direction behind him. "I'm gonna teach you a few things about a ship and controls, then you can meet up with your friends to train."

"Wait, on an actual ship?" the girl questions, her eyes opening a bit wider. "I didn't know you could do that as a recruit."

"Signed pilots are allowed to fly anytime," he grins, sending a heart-wrenching wink her way. "And I just happen to be one, sweetheart."

Bexley snorts at his nickname, shoving aside the blush that she could feel rising within her cheeks. "Well, let's get to it then. Show me the way."

"You know, you should feel honored," Poe huffs, shaking his head at her as they turn and begin to walk. "I don't offer to teach everyone to fly, especially new recruits."

"Are you telling me I'm special?"

"I'm implying that you should feel special," he corrects.

"You're full of yourself," Bexley states. "I'm disappointed."

"You won't be disappointed for long."

_______