[ Honestly it's the smell that wafts toward him first, fleetingly familiar to things he's smelled before but lacking in other aspects, but very closely on the heels of the scent that rushes his way is the apparent source of it - in this case, a slender, very figure stumbling out onto the sidewalk. Some people step aside, parting the way for her to move through the flow of the crowd, but even though Poe hasn't consciously followed all those familiar aspects to their natural conclusion just yet, he's already instinctively moving toward her. She's not stopping either, which means it's his stance that's stopping the momentum, and of course his arms immediately wrap around her, keeping her steady despite the uneven shove that brought her to him.
It's a shock that permeates through him in stages, disbelief melting away when he's this close to her, close enough to smell the scent of her underneath the cloyingly sweet perfume that lingers on her, and close enough to gaze into those wide brown eyes that he's come to know so well. It's her. She's here. In his arms. As solid and warm and real as ever, and it all makes him feel as if his heart is twisting in his chest in a way that he couldn't possibly describe even if he tried. The last thing he was expecting today was for this one major missing piece to literally tumble into place, and for a few seconds he's genuinely speechless. His fingers wrap around her shoulders, not to push her away of course, but just so that he can further convince himself that he's not seeing things.
It helps that BB-8 is right behind him, rolling over so close that he's all but bumping against their legs, beeping a happy recognition that confirms that no, Poe's not seeing things. It really is her, and he's obviously not the only one who's shocked and elated to see her.
This isn't a place Poe would wish on anyone, not on Rey, not on Finn, but he's come to realize that they belong together, no matter how dire the circumstances might be. ]
Rey. You're... When did you get here?
[ 'What is that smell?' is also on the list of questions to ask, it's just not nearly as important as everything else he has to say. ]
the long way around
It's a shock that permeates through him in stages, disbelief melting away when he's this close to her, close enough to smell the scent of her underneath the cloyingly sweet perfume that lingers on her, and close enough to gaze into those wide brown eyes that he's come to know so well. It's her. She's here. In his arms. As solid and warm and real as ever, and it all makes him feel as if his heart is twisting in his chest in a way that he couldn't possibly describe even if he tried. The last thing he was expecting today was for this one major missing piece to literally tumble into place, and for a few seconds he's genuinely speechless. His fingers wrap around her shoulders, not to push her away of course, but just so that he can further convince himself that he's not seeing things.
It helps that BB-8 is right behind him, rolling over so close that he's all but bumping against their legs, beeping a happy recognition that confirms that no, Poe's not seeing things. It really is her, and he's obviously not the only one who's shocked and elated to see her.
This isn't a place Poe would wish on anyone, not on Rey, not on Finn, but he's come to realize that they belong together, no matter how dire the circumstances might be. ]
Rey. You're... When did you get here?
[ 'What is that smell?' is also on the list of questions to ask, it's just not nearly as important as everything else he has to say. ]