For genprompt_bingo.

[ladyofleithian]

Title: To Save Him

Summary: In which a terrible truth comes to light, and Poe has to make a crucial choice.

Prompt: Betrayal

Disclaimer: I own nothing.



"Ben, what are you hiding? Really."

And it was in that moment that Poe's expression changed to one of horror. "Ben, did you kill them? You were the man in the mask, weren't you?"

"I didn't want to." Ben's voice cracked. "I had no choice." And it seemed that the horror of what he had just done was now crashing down on him.

"You had every choice in the galaxy!" Poe said. "You didn't have to do this."

"I did." Ben could still remember the way that the Jedi had fallen. He could still smell the cooking flesh even as he had carved into Naris' shoulder. "I tried to talk them down..."

"And so you killed them?" Poe said.

"I didn't want to."

"Then you shouldn't have done it."

"I know."

Silence reigned between them for a long time. Ben could already feel the crushing reality of Poe's disappointment, his grief. And he hated it. He couldn't lose Poe, he simply couldn't, and yet...

Ben took Poe's hands, observing how small they were in his own, how deceptively delicate. Pilot's hands. "Come away with me," he said. "We won't have to be parted, ever again. We'll be together, as we were meant to be."

Poe looked as if he were in the grips of anguish. Then, "Ben..."

"We won't have to be parted. And we can make the galaxy better, as it was meant to be." Please, stars, say yes. I can't be without you. I am nothing and no one without you. Even Ben was shocked at the intensity of his thoughts, of his need.

"I want to make the galaxy better, Ben -- "

"Then come with me."

"But how can I do this when you've killed so many?"

That hurt. Ben said, "I killed as many as I had to."

"You didn't have to kill anyone."

"They're monsters, Poe! They would have killed Snoke first if I hadn't stopped him."

"Who is Snoke?"

"Yana. He's Snoke. He was under an alias the whole time. But he's not an evil man, Poe, he really isn't. He's really trying to make things better -- the Jedi didn't help his homeplanet. They didn't do anything to help it. He's doing all of this for Milara...he's not evil..."

"A full-scale war for a homeplanet?" Poe said in disbelief. "Do you even realize what he's doing?"

"Wars have definitely been fought over less, haven't they?"

"Well, yeah," Poe said, "But Ben...Ben, he's playing you, can't you see that?"

"Why would he do that?"

"To get you to join him. To recruit you." Poe placed a hand over Ben's cheek. "Come back, Ben. I love you. I want you to be safe."

Something about Poe's touch already opened the floodgates, and the first tears fell down Ben's face like liquid fire.

"Ben," Poe said softly. "Please don't cry. Stars, please don't cry."

"You're right. I have killed. I murdered, I maimed...how can you even look me in the eyes and say you love me after that?"

"I just do." Poe kissed him softly. "You mean everything to me."

They were silent for a long time, the tears continuing to flow from Ben's eyes. Poe was tender as he kissed them away.

"I'll come with you," Poe said. "But I won't be serving Snoke. I won't be following him. I'll be following you, because I love you and want you to be safe."

"I believe you."

Ben hugged Poe tightly, feeling the warmth of his body against his own, inhaling his scent. He knew that in turn, he would do everything he could to keep Poe safe, no matter what the cost.