Work Text:
“Are you trying to tell me you knew all this time?” Reyes crossed his arms over his chest and eyed Sara suspiciously. “Come on, Ryder.”
She mimicked his stance, trying to determine how best to proceed. Should she tell him that he wasn’t very good at keeping secrets? No. That wasn’t true. He’d given himself away multiple times but only to her. It was almost as if he wanted her to know his secret, yet, her feigned surprise in the cave didn’t throw him.
Finally, sighing, she took a seat on his couch. “Reyes, I have known for some time. It wasn’t like you tried to hide it from me. You kept giving me clues. Your intel pointed to someone higher up than a simple smuggler.” Sara’s eyes began to water. She tried to stop it, told herself she wouldn’t get emotional but the fact remained that no matter how close they’d become, he still didn’t trust her.
Sara had come to terms with Reyes’ cryptic nature a long time ago. She understood why someone like him would hold things close to the vest. But, in every endeavor, he turned to her, in every moment of doubt, he asked for her assistance. Hell, he’d even used her as arm candy for Sloane’s party. Of course, he’d quickly disappeared. But that night, he’d opened up to her a bit. It was the first hint that he was more than he seemed. “To be someone.” She knew then that the smuggler was more than he seemed. All of the subtilties fell into place.
“Sara,” Reyes’ voice was soft, soothing. He placed a hand that she couldn’t feel but knew was there all the same on her back.
It was one of those moments where she wished she didn’t have to show up in Tartarus armed to the teeth and in full armor. She needed his touch, needed to feel the pressure of his hand as he rubbed slow circles over her back. But she didn’t dare begin stripping in the middle of the club. She’d leave that to the dancers in the cages below them.
She wiped at her eyes, smearing her meticulously placed eyeliner. You would think that after thousands of years, someone would have created an eyeliner that could hold up to the abuse of tears. She chuckled to herself at the thought but it did nothing to stop the next round of tears from spilling down her cheeks. She wasn’t even sure why she was crying now. It was almost as if with the first shed droplet, all of the weight of the last few months fell on her at once.
“Sara,” whispered Reyes’ again. This time he took her chin and turned her face to his.
His eyes were filled with concern and she was certain this was the first time she had actually seen the shady bastard frown. Not that he was all smiles but he rarely showed any emotion. He was never callous with her, nor was he sweet. He was simply there. His letters were always kind and thoughtful but in his presence, there was an ice she couldn’t seem to thaw.
She inched forward needing to feel the warmth of his lips on hers but she didn’t close the distance. She needed to know that he would come to her if she needed it. She needed that confirmation, that asurety that they were what they said they were and that it wasn’t just for show.
The kiss reminded her of the second they’d shared the night of the party. They had sat on the roof of one of the tallest buildings in Kadara and watched the sunset, sipping whiskey and sharing stories. That was the night she had fallen for him, knowing there was more to him than he let on. She had said as much to Zia before but he’d confirmed her thoughts.
When Reyes pulled away he looked into her eyes, unsatisfied that they were still wet and brimming. “Sara, I didn’t mean to hurt you. I promise.”
Sara let out a humorless laugh. That was another thing Reyes did that annoyed her. Always with the promises and never with the follow-through. But she wasn’t mad about it, in fact, it had become an inside joke between them.
“It’s not you Reyes. I am just stressed. I was thinking about my father, becoming Pathfinder when I never asked for it, you know, all of the things I haven’t really had time to process yet.” She took his hand in hers and gave it a little squeeze.
“Let me help you forget.”
Reyes stood and offered his hand to Sara. It reminded her of the moment when he’d so romantically asked her to dance with him. That was a happy and unexpected memory. Again, she placed her hand in his and allowed him to pull her to her feet. But this time he didn’t pull her into his embrace. Instead, he led her to the far door that opened into the tunnels below Kadara and his personal apartment.
When they reached his quarters, she was again surprised to find the mix of minimalist furnishings and decor surrounded by stuff. Boxes of medical equipment, arms, anything he had been smuggling or holding onto for sale was here.
In his bedroom, he turned to her. There was a tenderness in the set of his eyes, the slight curve of his lips and it made Sara’s stomach somersault unexpectedly. Then, he pulled her into a hug, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her forehead. It was so unexpected that, at first, she hesitated to lift her arms. After her shock wore off, her hands found his sides and she held onto him, pulling him even closer.
A few moments passed as they stood and held each other, Sara pressed her cheek into Reyes’ chest and listened to the steady beat of his heart. Every beat seemed to melt away a bit more of her sudden tension. She needed more of this in her life, more of him, more tenderness. She needed that safe space where she could stop and let the world revolve around her without worry or thought.
He pulled away, placing another kiss on her forehead and sweeping a loose curl behind her ear. His lips made a trail down the bridge of her nose, to her lips and his kiss was soft, gentle at first, but with each press of his lips on hers, the kisses grew more and more eager.
The plastic release of her armor gave a light pop as Reyes found the clasp and pulled. A few more and he was lowering her chest piece to the floor without breaking their kiss. He tugged at the tee she wore under the armor and lifted it out of the still intact legs of her suit. His hands skimmed her belly before he lifted the unwanted fabric above her head.
Taking a step back his eyes skimmed over her belly and breasts. It seemed he couldn’t get enough of looking at her body. Under this kind of scrutiny, Sara would normally be embarrassed but it was hard to feel that way when Reyes’ eyes burned with eagerness. The smile that spread across his lips was wicked and he wasted no time in returning to her body.
His hands reached around her to release her bra and he slid the black silk from her shoulders. Dipping his head, he took her tan nipple into his mouth and pulled with tongue and teeth, suckling her and teasing her.
It was enough to have Sara unbuckling the legs of her suit and shedding the last of the garments that separated her from Reyes’ body. As she worked the leggings off, Reyes began to strip off his clothing. Sara didn’t think she’d ever seen someone undress so quickly.