"I'll raise a whole damn army if I have to," Poe muttered, mostly to himself. It was an empty threat, and he knew it. He'd caved when Demeter had put the humans at risk. He'd thought himself stronger than that, but he couldn't let her condemn them to death. He'd have to figure something else out.

The armour flaked off him, falling like dry, crisp leaves, until he was only in his usual chiton. He couldn't look at Rey while she cried. Couldn't face how fully he'd disappointed her.

He should just leave them, for a while. Finn was always better at this kind of thing than he was. Comfort was worth so much more than useless, unenforceable judgement. He started stepping away, leaving them to their embrace.