Playing with Fire (Phoenix/F!ice Radiant)
VALORANT Phoenix x F! duelist! ice Radiant
WARNINGS: Explicit Language, Power Dynamics, Manipulation,Mind Games, Psychological Tension, Drinking (implied)
Themes: Enemies to Lovers, Slow Burn, Mutual Pining
AGENT CODENAME: Tundra
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The atmosphere in the underground VALORANT HQ lounge was electric as the duelists gathered once again for their now-traditional post-mission party. Laughter and music filled the air, mingling with the haze of light that flickered across the room. It was an unspoken rule: after each operation, they celebrated, and sometimes, they played games. Tonight, it was Truth or Dare.
Jett, ever the instigator, smirked mischievously as she shuffled the deck of cards, the bottle of rum sitting in the center of the table. “Alright alright, we’ve been keepin' it tame for a while now. Let’s spice it up a little. No more pickin' the safest option.. and no backing out. I want to see some real action tonight.”
Tundra, perched on the edge of a couch with a glass of rum in hand, didn't feel the familiar warmth from the alcohol but from the anticipation coil up inside her chest. Phoenix, sitting on the opposite side of the circle, caught her eye, his gaze smoldering and knowing. It was a challenge—no words spoken. The connection between them was undeniable. She couldn’t deny the way her body responded to him when he was near. The subtle heat he exuded—silently and persistently threatening to melt her cool composure.
It had been months since their first tense moments together, sparring, bonding through missions, others making offhanded comments about their tension—rinse and repeat. Somehow, Phoenix started to know exactly how to push her buttons, how to make her feel something she never thought she could. Heat.
It drove her mad and a small, petty part of her resented him for it. Every time they were together, she melted under his gaze, and she hated it. hated how easily he could get her to do it. hated how fast he could have her walls come undone. hated the air of smugness in his husky voice when he knew he was successful at getting under her Icy exterior.
But tonight? that was going to change; she was going to turn the tables back on him.
Elegantly, Tundra reached out and spun the bottle in the middle of the circle with litle to no effort, coincidentally landing with a soft thud in front of Phoenix after Jett made sure to manipulate the air around them. His eyes were already glaring hard ahead of him at her, glinting, as if daring her to chose dare.
“Alright Ice Queen,” his words coming out haughty. His neck tilting back as his eyes lidded as he watched Tundra, “What’ve you got for me?”
Taking the moment to contemplate, Tundra rhythmically tapped on her glass before she leaned back, a wicked gleam in her eyes. She held Phoenix's gaze, savoring the way the fire in him flickered, sensing he was preparing himself for whatever she’d throw his way. He’d expected some playful jab, some mild challenge. But tonight, she wasn’t in the mood to go easy on him.
“Dare,” she said, letting the word hang in the air around them and their audience. “I dare you, Phoenix…" her lips smiled but her eyes remained neutral- "To get down on your knees and tell me exactly how it feels to know you’ll never get close to touching me.”
A faint ripple of 'damns' and murmurs swept through the circle of duelists, mostly coming from neon and raze-and some light popcorn chewing from Killjoy who got invited to the event by Raze—Followed up by a quiet complaint from her when Yoru reached over into the popcorn bucket to grab some.
The rest of the group stole glances at each other, unsure if Tundra was serious. But after some time passed and she was dead silent with an unwavering gaze on her target—Phoenix and everyone else received their confirmation that she was dead serious. He raised an eyebrow, his smirk faltering just enough for her to catch the hint of hesitation she was hoping for. She knew he hated showing any sign of vulnerability, and here she was, turning the tables in the most public, humiliating way.
Phoenix's jaw tensed, and Tundra caught the flash of something dangerous in his gaze. His smirk faltered, just enough for her to savor the hint of hesitation she’d been hoping for. But then, his lips curved into a smile—a slow, almost menacing smile, like a predator humoring his prey. She felt a thrill race down her spine as he took a breath, steady and controlled, and lowered himself onto his knees.
He kept his eyes locked on hers, his voice lowering to a quiet, dangerously measured tone. “You really want to know how it feels, love?” His words lingered in the air, smoky and deliberate. “To know I can get close enough to touchin' you… but never close enough to feel that warm skin you keep hidden underneath all that ice?”
She held his gaze, her own breath catching, but she didn’t back down. She’d asked for this; she was in control.
But Phoenix’s eyes darkened, his tone growing huskier, almost a whisper. “It’s maddenin', Tundra. To be this close and to feel you resistin' me, keepin' me just out of reach but so close enough for your comfort. You think this.. this control you have is stoppin' me but it only makes me want to push your limits harder. To see just how fast that wall of yours would melt for me… if you let me break through.” He moved closer, his voice an intimate murmur. “And we both know you’d melt, don’t we?” his eyes hard and hot. "I know."
Tundra’s heart quickened, but she masked it with a haughty, raised brow. “You’re still on your knees, Phoenix. That tells me exactly who’s in control here.”
His eyes gleamed, and he leaned in, his words dangerously soft. “Believe that all you want, princess. But when I finally break through that ice, Tundra—when I reach you—it won’t be you who’s in control. I’ll make you feel all that heat you've been runnin' from. And I won’t stop until that grand ice barrier is nothin' but a puddle.”
He rose slowly, each movement deliberate, watching her like a cat watching a mouse, as if savoring every second of her quickening pulse. His hand lifted, his fingers ghosting near her cheek—close enough that she felt the warmth of his skin but never the touch. Her breath hitched—just a flicker of hesitation—but his lips twisted into a knowing smirk, his voice barely a murmur.
“You’ll see,” he whispered, his eyes glinting with a dark promise. “When I’m done, you’ll be burnin' for me.” and i'll make you love every second of it. She couldn't hear him say it, but his eyes held that dark promise that couldn't be ignored.
He straightened, backing away with a final, piercing look that left her heart pounding and her mind reeling. She’d started this game, but the way he left her there made her wonder if she was really prepared for how it would end.
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Authors note: Let me know if I should continue this storyline or create more short stories! this is my first ever short story so feedback is appreciated! :)
