#eight down!

[biluata]

It Didn't Even Feel like Falling - Quakerider One-shot

Words: 15,522

Request #8: Daisy ranting about her evolving friendship with Robbie Reyes to Simmons

A little Fluff. Lots of Emotions. Pretty Saucy. Some Humor. Gets a bit Sappy. (I apologize)

Read on Ao3: Here

Daisy pounded on the apartment door with enough fury to nearly knock it off its hinges. After all the craziness that happened these past few days, she had to talk to someone. Anyone, really. She tightened her left hand into a fist in her coat pocket as her right hand continued to batter the innocent door once more.

“Come on, come on, come on,” she muttered as her foot tapped faster than a jackhammer into the hardwood floors. If someone didn’t answer in the next two seconds, Daisy swore she was going to quake the damn door down.

Suddenly, a loud thunk resonated through the door as the deadbolt slid out of place. Daisy let out an audible sigh as her shoulders relaxed. Finally!

The door quickly creaked open inward, revealing a wide-eyed, slightly disheveled Jemma Simmons in comfy, gray loungewear. She held a small I.C.E.R. in her right hand, but quickly lowered the gun to her hip once she saw it was only her.

“Daisy? What on Earth are you doing here?” Simmons asked, brushing back a strand of hair that had gotten loose from her messy bun.

“I needed to see you,” Daisy simply replied. She slipped past the British woman, who gaped at her all huge-eyed and open-mouthed like a goldfish, and shuffled her way into the apartment.

It was the same apartment Daisy helped pick out for Fitz-Simmons in what honestly seemed like a lifetime ago. Still, even if it had only been a trick to lure Simmons into meeting and helping her, she was glad her friends had ended up deciding to keep it.

Overall, it was cute and what she imagined a cozy, modern English cottage would look like if it were brought into the city. Instead of her blood decorating the walls and floors, the space was stuffed with transitional furniture and décor. Everything was in neutral, earthy tones with lots of whites and creams to make the small space seem bright and more open. Even if the place gave off the staged aura of a Home & Garden magazine page, Fitz-Simmons managed to make it feel like their own with personal touches. Various science books and trinkets she couldn’t even begin to comprehend were scattered throughout the space, along with several pictures of themselves and the rest of the S.H.I.E.L.D. team. This was the perfect place for her two beloved friends. After all they had been through, they deserved it.

Daisy paused at the small, circular dining table set up in the breakfast nook. Wedding magazines and binders filled the small surface area with one binder currently opened to a huge page filled with just various, different floral arrangements one could have for the “big day.” Her stomach swirled uneasily and she hastily averted her eyes.

“Daisy, what is going on?” Simmons asked as she shut the front door and set her I.C.E.R. on a nearby end table.

“Is Fitz here?”

Her eyes roved the space, peeking into the kitchen. Fitz-Simmons were always a packaged pair. You couldn’t have one without the other too far behind.

“Uh, no,” she answered slowly as she stepped closer. “He’s helping Coulson with new enhancements for Zephyr One.”

“Probably for the best.” Daisy nodded. If they were both here, they’d probably tag-team against her. No, one-on-one had to be the best scenario for what she was about to reveal.

“Daisy, what is going on? Why are you here?” Simmons demanded as she tugged her cardigan sweater closer while crossing her arms. Her cheeks flushed as she realized how harsh that sounded and quickly added: “Not that I don’t appreciate you visiting. You are always welcomed here, but you were pounding on the door like a madman and you seem–” She narrowed her eyes. “On edge? Is everything okay?”

A cold sweat began to form on the back of her neck. That was Simmons alright. Always the observant scientist. Daisy tightened her left hand in her pocket as her other hand ran its fingers through her short, dark locks.

“It’s … It’s a long story,” she admitted, casting her gaze to the ground. “So, first we are going to need a drink!”

Simmons sputtered as if her whole system crashed into error while Daisy quickly marched into her kitchen. It had the same charm as the living room, but she didn’t have time to admire. Daisy set her eyes on the top, cream cupboards and tugged them open. Nothing. She turned to the refrigerator, but the only decent alcohol she could find was a nice Moscato on the bottom shelf.

What? No Scotch? Does Fitz not have any patriotic pride?

Daisy sighed as she pulled the chilled wine out and set it on the dark granite countertop before closing the fridge. It wasn’t exactly the hard stuff, but it would work just fine.

“Daisy, it’s 11 in the morning!” Simmons criticized as she walked up to the counter.

Daisy ignored her as she started to pull out drawer after drawer in the search for a corkscrew. Each one she opened was carefully organized like how Simmons always kept her work space and lab, but even in all the many years she had known her, Daisy still could not figure out the method to her madness. After opening, rifling through the fifth drawer and still coming up empty, she groaned and gave up.

Turning towards the Moscato, Daisy carefully pointed her right hand at it. She concentrated on the air vibrations inside the bottle and gave her wrist a tiny flick. The cork came flying out of the bottle as it were champagne and landed softly on the counter. Daisy grinned. There was nothing quite like abusing one’s powers to make it through the struggles of the every day.

“Daisy, what is this all about?”

She glanced at Simmons as she snatched two wine glasses from a row in the cupboards she found earlier. Right, the reason she was here. Daisy took in a deep breath and let out a sigh as she set the two glasses down hard by the wine bottle.

“Robbie.”

Now that peaked the other woman’s interest. Simmons raised an eyebrow as she sat down on one of the bar stools on the other side of the counter. “Robbie? As in Robbie Reyes?”

“Mm-hmm,” Daisy hummed in confirmation as she poured herself a generous glass. She gestured the second empty glass towards her British companion, but Simmons hurriedly shook her head.

“What about Robbie Reyes?”

Her stomach lurched uneasily. “It’s … complicated.”

Simmons shot her a look. “Daisy, I earned two PhDs by the time I was 17. I can do complicated.”

I doubt this, Daisy thought as she took a sip of wine and let the sweet, citrus taste mull over her tongue. She swallowed and let out another sigh as Simmons kept looking to her expectantly. Well, she had wanted to talk this over with somebody. It was either now or horribly half-assed later, which would probably be at the most terrible time and lead to a lot of confused yelling.

“Alright,” Daisy started,“ So, after the whole A.I.D.A. and Darkhold incident, Robbie and I started to hang out a lot more often. We’d help each other out on missions, you know, just a casual superhero team-up for the greater good. It was nice and fun, but then …” She took another sip.

“But then what?”

Daisy bit her lip. Well, here goes the first Band-Aid.

“But then we kind of had sex.”

Simmons’ eyes nearly popped out of her head, but she said nothing. Instead, she hastily reached across the counter and poured herself a full glass of wine. She took a sip before gingerly setting her glass down.

“Kind of?” Simmons questioned, her voice terribly high-pitched and screechy as if Mary Poppins turned into an owl. “What do you mean you kind of had sex? How do you kind of have sex?”

A grin coiled on Daisy’s lips. “Well, when a guy and a girl who are attracted to each other meet, sometimes they get these urges in their–”

“Don’t you get clever with me! I know perfectly well how sexual intercourse works, thank you very much.”

Daisy cringed. Sexual intercourse. It was like she was back in middle school forced to attend the sex-education class.

“Okay, alright, alright, just don’t get all medical, technical term on me,” Daisy stated, wrinkling her nose. “It’s so proper and weird and takes all the fun out of sex.”

Simmons smirked. “Well then?”

Daisy took another sip of wine. “Alright, so one night …”

* * *

The ground rumbled beneath her as she silently landed on the wet asphalt outside of the warehouse. Her arms groaned like an old oak tree threatening to splinter and keel over in a harsh breeze. Daisy gritted her teeth as she tried to rub the dull ache away. If only she had snatched her gauntlets before coming here, but she didn’t have the time. Any minute now Coulson might realize that she had taken a detour during her Inhuman asset check-up and send back-up to come track her down. It wouldn’t be hard if she was successful in what she was planning to do.

Thankful at least she had thought to wear black, Daisy stuck to the shadows as she skirted the outside of the huge, metallic warehouse. From the exterior, there was certainly nothing suspicious about this place. It looked like any of the other rusting warehouses lined up on the harbor docks, but Daisy had heard the chatter on the dark web. Watchdogs were gathering here.

Even after Senator Nadeer and Ivanov fell from grace, the Watchdogs continued to grow and strengthen their numbers. They might have been silent in the recent months, but it was only a matter of time before they struck again. As long as the Watchdogs were around, no Inhuman was safe.

Coulson had promised her that they would focus on the ending the Watchdogs for good soon, but after months of waiting, she’d had enough. She had to do something, even if it meant doing it outside of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s oversight once more.

Daisy crouched down behind a damp set of indistinct wooden crates and peered out at the backdoor. She frowned. No guards. Usually there had to be some of those canine-masked goons loitering about to keep watch, but so far, she hadn’t come across a single one. It was … unnerving and made her stomach crawl. She couldn’t have been mistaken with the information, could she?

A mechanical rumble roared through the still night.

Daisy whirled around from her crouched position just in time to see a very familiar, sleek black ‘69 Charger appear from around the corner. The muscle car skidded to a halt a couple yards away, small wisps of steam billowing off its metallic hide in the cool, marine air.

Warmth bubbled in her chest and a smile inched across her face. She had a good feeling she knew who it was behind the wheel.

Daisy checked the area once more for any signs of the Watchdogs, then stood once her search came up empty again. She slowly made her way over to the Charger as the rumbling black beauty hissed into silence and the driver’s door swung open.

“Funny running into you here,” Daisy called as Robbie Reyes stepped out of the vehicle.

He froze, but as he turned his head and his eyes landed on her, a hint of a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth beneath his mustache. Her heart sped up a little bit.

Robbie had been doing a lot more smiling lately the more she had been seeing him. It was surprisingly nice, actually. His whole face seemed so much more youthful and warm when it didn’t have the hard lines of his glower weighing him down. Other than that, he was looking pretty much the same as always ever since he returned from hiding the Darkhold a few weeks ago. Same leather jacket, same chain, same possessive fiery vengeance demon hiding beneath his skull.

“You following me or something?” She asked, stopping just a few feet short of him.

This had to be the fourth time she ran into him these past few weeks, outside of S.H.I.E.L.D.-ordered appearances, and Daisy rarely believed in coincidences. Not that she minded seeing him again. When he wasn’t all grim and “I sold my soul to the devil,” Robbie was actually pretty fun to hang around. The last time they had ran into each other, they had ended up getting drunk together at a country bar in Texas and rode a mechanical bull.

“Because, stalking really does not look good on you, Reyes.” Daisy crossed her arms across her chest and jutted her hip out to the side. Her gesture was supposed to come off as cool and intimidating, maybe even a little badass. Robbie just snorted a chuckle instead.

“You wish,” he stated, slamming his car door shut and walking over towards her. “I was actually just in the neighborhood taking care of some dark magic cultists in Salem when I sensed some trouble here.” Robbie stopped a few feet short of her and smirked. “I guess I found it.”

Daisy rolled her eyes. “Ha. Ha,” she declared, punctuating each syllable with as much sarcasm as she could muster. “But, that’s actually why I’m here, too. I heard some talk of Watchdogs meeting here.”

She shot another glance around, but it was still just the two of them. Honestly, where were they? If Robbie, the bad-mojo-detecting wonder, could sense there was something wrong here, she couldn’t be far-off.

Daisy turned back towards Robbie and her heart jolted harshly in her chest. He was staring at her intently, his dark eyes roving up and down her whole frame. A spark of electricity tingled up her spine and prickled her skin. Her heart began to pick up speed, thudding heavily against her ribcage.

“So, I’m guessing you aren’t here under official S.H.I.E.L.D. business?” He asked, nodding his head at her outfit.

Daisy raised her eyebrows as she glanced down at her ensemble of jeans, a black tank-top and a black leather jacket. Right, her clothes. If she had been ordered by S.H.I.E.L.D. to handle the Watchdogs, she would usually wear her Quake uniform and, at least, her gauntlets. Of course, that’s what he had noticed. Not that he had been staring at her because he liked–

No! That was ridiculous. This was just Robbie, after all. They were just friends. Besides, there was no way he would even be looking at her in that way. He had seen her sweaty and disheveled, vomiting into a cowboy hat just last week. If that wasn’t a big enough turn-off, she didn’t know what was.

“I guess you could call it an off-the-grid, side project,” she admitted with a shrug of her shoulders.

“Don’t worry,” Robbie grinned as he stepped a bit closer to her. Her breath hitched in her chest as she fought the urge to step back. “Your secret is safe with me.”

His eyes focused on something over her shoulder and suddenly his whole face blanched. “Daisy!”

Then everything happened so fast it almost seemed like it was frozen in slow motion.

Daisy whirled around to see a lone Watchdog aim a pistol at her. He let loose several shots, but before they could hit her, Robbie leapt in front of her. A chilling numbness took over her as the bullets hit him square in the chest, staining the night air with a mist of his blood. Robbie shuddered from the impact before his body pitched forward and he collapsed onto his knees.

The thud of body onto pavement quickly knocked her and everything else back into motion. She set her steely gaze on the Watchdog and quickly sent a shockwave in his direction. He went flying back several feet and landed with a sickening bang against the steel warehouse wall before crumpling to the ground.

“Robbie?“ Her voice cracked as she turned to check on him, but Robbie wasn’t there anymore.

Fire ignited where he once kneeled and the hot flames caused Daisy to quickly stagger a few steps back. A cold sweat pricked at the back of her neck as the Ghost Rider slowly rose to his feet. He glanced over at her, the embers that made his eyes boring deep into her soul. She had met the demon many times before now, but the sight of his flaming skull still sent a shiver down her spine.

Her head whipped around as several pounding feet coalesced around them. A large group of over a dozen Watchdogs surrounded them. They trained their weapons on them, but there was some hesitancy in their grip and stance.

"I-I told you Quake would come, but who-who the Hell is that other … thing?” One of them barked to the person next to them.

“I dunno, some weird-ass fire Inhuman? No matter, we stick with the plan," the other responded back, cocking his rifle.

Daisy gritted her teeth as a fire began to burn in her chest. So, this had all just been a grand scheme to lure her here? She should have known. Oh well, that would be their mistake, not hers.

She raised her arms into a fighting stance and glanced over towards the Rider who unwrapped the chain from around his torso with a loud snap. "You game?”

He turned his skull towards her and nodded. Then all Hell broke loose.

Instantly, Daisy sent quake blast after quake blast towards the Watchdogs’ weapons, destroying some into tiny pieces while the Ghost Rider used his chain to melt others. The Watchdogs were only hindered for a moment before they rushed forward in a mass of yelling canine masks. Daisy’s S.H.I.E.L.D.-trained instincts immediately kicked in. She dodged one punch and caught another’s arm as he was sending a knife down at her throat. Daisy twisted it out of his grip with a snap and quaked him away before taking the knife and stabbing it in the other’s chest.

A few times she would quake a Watchdog goon in the Rider’s direction who would take care of them instantly with his chain or bare hands. Sometimes he would wrangle up a few in his chain and send them her way to be immediately blasted hundreds of feet away into the harbor. They were perfectly in sync. An unstoppable team of fire and earthquakes that quickly brought down every single Watchdog until there were none left standing.

Daisy sunk her butt onto a wooden crate as she tried to catch her breath. The bones in her arm whined, but her body was still too buzzed to notice any real pain. She was certainly going to feel it in the morning, though.

Her eyes shifted to her fiery companion as his flaming skull extinguished and flesh took over once more. Then, he was back.

Robbie Reyes staggered towards his Charger, dropping his chain with a sizzle as it hit the cold, wet ground. An icy shard stabbed its way through her heart as he collapsed onto his car for support.

“Robbie!” Daisy quickly rose to her feet and rushed over towards him.

He groaned as he slowly turned around, but a ghost of a smile flicked across his lip as his eyes landed on her.

“Hey,” he panted.

“Hey?” She faltered for a moment, slowing down before finishing her stride up to him. “Robbie, you just got shot in the chest and all you can say is ‘hey'?”

Robbie smirked and Daisy clenched her hands to restrain herself from slapping the smug look off his face. “Daisy, I’m fine.”

She raised her brow. “Robbie, you were shot in the chest. Multiple times. How is that fine?”

“I’m fine, honestly,” he stated, pushing himself off the Charger with his shoulders and straightening up.

Daisy frowned, crossing her arms. “You don’t look fine.”

Sure, he didn’t look like he was at Death’s door, but there was a tightness to his expression with each heavy breath he took. The shard in her heart twisted. He was in some sort of pain, even if he was too damn stubborn to admit it. Why did he always have to be so stubborn?

Robbie watched her, his face softening. “I’ll be fine. See?”

He gestured to his jacket and Daisy tilted her head. After all those bullets, his signature leather jacket should be the equivalence of Swiss cheese right now. Instead, it was perfectly fine. There wasn’t even a scratch on it.

Daisy stepped closer, her eyes focused on his seemingly okay chest as everything else started to spin around her. She didn’t even ask, but Robbie didn’t protest, as she unbuttoned his jacket and zipped it down. Her fingers ghosted over his fitted dark grey shirt. There were no bullet holes either, not even a hint of blood as proof of the horror she witnessed. A chill settled in her stomach. It was as if he never got shot at all.

Robbie reached a gloved hand to her cheek, but hesitated and let it settle on her shoulder, instead.

“I told you. I don’t get hurt.”

His words shocked her back into reality and all the fire that had simmered in her chest came bellowing back full-force. Daisy frowned as her hand on his chest balled into a fist.

“Well that doesn’t mean you can just take a bullet for me, Reyes,” she spat, pounding her clenched hand into his chest. Robbie winced.

Good, so he does get hurt, she thought, glaring at him.

Robbie narrowed his eyes at her and his usual glower took over his face. “Are you being serious?” He demanded, dropping his hand from her shoulder. “Of course, I’d take a bullet for you. Or a dozen. Hell, I’d do it again without a second thought. You know why?”

“Why?” She snapped, stepping closer to get in his face.

“It’s cause despite how much of a badass you think you are, you’re not invincible, Daisy. I am!”

“For now!” Daisy shouted, blood roaring through her system as heat stung at the back of her eyes. “Who’s to say the next time you get knocked down, you don’t get back up? Just because it’s happened before, doesn’t mean it always will. What if the other guy just decides to leave you cold on the ground?”

“We have a deal–”

“Ugh, don’t you dare start with that 'deal with the devil’ bullshit, again.”

“Bullshit? Are you serious? The deal is the only damn reason I’m still alive and here right now!”

“The deal doesn’t matter! Damn it, you don’t get it, Robbie! You can’t just risk your life for mine! You can’t just sacrifice yourself for my careless mistakes! I can’t lose–”

The rest of her words cracked in her throat as Daisy fell silent. The blood drained from her face. Robbie furrowed his brow as his fiery brown eyes searched hers, waiting for her to continue. But it was gone. All that fire that had consumed her was snuffed out leaving her numb and heavy.

Daisy ducked her head to avoid his gaze and closed her eyes. Immediately, she was back on the Zephyr One. Her body was frozen like a statue, unable to do anything but watch the lone Quinjet on the monitors spiral outside the Earth’s atmosphere. She steeled her heart, waiting as the seconds ticked down for the explosion, but before it could, she blinked, and suddenly she was back at the docks moments ago. Robbie stood in front of her, seconds away from being riddled with bullets. Daisy tried to move, to quake him out of the way, to push him aside, to do something, anything, but she couldn’t even scream. She could only watch and wait before another person she cared about was ripped away from her again.

A hollowness ached in her chest as she opened her eyes and raised her head. Robbie was no longer glaring at her. The harsh lines had disappeared, making his face smooth and tender once more. The fierce fire was gone from his eyes, as well. Instead, they held a gentle warmth like pools of molten chocolate sweetly watching her with a glisten of concern.

Her heart fluttered wildly in her chest while her stomach squirmed. There was a charge in the air in the small distance between them, something electric and magnetic that slowly drew her even closer to him.

Daisy froze, quickly averting her gaze as heat pooled in her cheeks. What was she doing? She took a step back, running a hand through her hair. So much happened in the past few minutes, a rollercoaster of emotions and adrenaline. She had to get out of here.

“Sorry, I should–” Daisy pinched her brow and shook her head before quickly turning around. She only took a few steps when suddenly a warm, leather hand grabbed hold of her wrist. Daisy barely had time to acknowledge it before she was roughly spun around and Robbie’s lips pounced on her own.

It was like lightning struck her spine, frying all her nerves as she stood there frozen and wide-eyed beneath his mouth. She couldn’t think. She couldn’t move. An explosion had gone off in her brain, leaving her disoriented and barely able to comprehend anything besides the fact that Robbie Reyes was kissing her right now.

Then, the fire appeared. It started off small and white-hot like a shower of sparks where their lips met, but then quickly it ignited into a blazing inferno. The flames swept across her body, consuming every inch of her in its warm glow. It was hot and sweet like the desert sun, kindly coaxing her into its scorching embrace. Daisy slowly closed her eyes as she started to melt into his kiss.

As sudden as it had happened, Robbie broke off the kiss like the snap of safety tether over a cavernous drop. Immediately, a chill rushed in, suffocating the warmth inside her.

Daisy opened her eyes, her lips still tingling like they were being lit up by firecrackers as Robbie stared at her a good arm-length’s distance away. He was breathing heavy, face flushed and eyes wider than a deer’s in headlights.

She glanced at his parted lips as her own ached. He had kissed her. Robbie had kissed her.

“I–” He choked out, running a hand across his short hair. “I’m so sorry– I just– I don’t know what–”

Daisy wrapped her fingers tight around Robbie’s leather jacket and roughly tugged him towards her. She closed her eyes as her lips crashed against his, kissing him with a fevered eagerness while the fire roared to life in her once more. Robbie’s lips trembled against hers, wanting to kiss her back, but he grabbed her shoulders and held her back.

“Daisy, we shouldn’t–”

“Shut up,” she breathed and kissed him again, hard enough to probably leave a bruise.

Robbie instantly gave in as he wrapped his arms around her waist and jerked her close to him. They kissed as if they were wildfire. Messy and raw with an enormous heat that consumed everything they touched. Their hands roamed each other in a frantic mess, desperately tugging and pulling each other closer as if the other was the oxygen they needed to survive.

Robbie stumbled back against his Charger taking her with him. The sudden jolt broke their kiss for a moment, before Robbie’s lips came rushing back onto her own. Daisy clung to him desperately like to a ship in a raging storm as he trailed hot kisses from her lips down to her neck. She dug her fingernails into his jacket as his teeth grazed her skin and a moan shot through her as he reached a sensitive part of her neck. That only seemed to encourage him more as Robbie left more little nips that had her melting.

Daisy couldn’t take it anymore. The sweet stings of his mouth, the smooth leather of his gloved fingers trailing hot streaks on the skin of her lower back, it all left her with a pulsing desire for more. She wanted him. She needed him in a way she didn’t think she’d ever feel for another man again.

“Car? Now?” She panted breathlessly in his ear as one of her hands slid down and played with the buckle of his jeans’ belt.

Robbie pulled his head back and Daisy opened her eyes in time to see him nod. His hand quickly fumbled for the driver’s door handle and pulled it open. Daisy planted one last kiss on his lips, leaving a teasing bite, before she ducked into his car. She crawled into the backseat where she quickly kicked off her boots and vehemently shrugged off her jacket as it stuck harshly to her sweaty skin.

The car door slammed shut with a heavy thunk as Robbie hopped in. Daisy watched him from where he sat in the driver’s seat tearing off his gloves and his own shoes.

A cold spike pierced her chest. Oh fuck, were they really going to do this? She was starting to wonder if she should call this off before it was too late when his hungry, dark eyes landed on her and all such thoughts went up in a puff of smoke.

Daisy pulled her to him as he crawled into the back and kissed him roughly. Their lips continued to part and meet like lovers on a dancefloor as they tugged each other’s clothes off until there was nothing left between them. Robbie hovered over her, his face mirroring her own hesitation for the briefest of moments before Daisy kissed him and tugged him onto her. Everything exploded in a blinding white heat as their bodies meshed and melded as one.

* * *

“So then what?” Simmons asked, digging her hand into a bowl of mini pretzels she had gotten out during Daisy’s tale. She popped two into her mouth with a loud crunch as her eyes looked to her expectantly.

“Well,” Daisy murmured, trailing her finger around the base of her glass. “After Robbie and I … you know, I just … left.”

Simmons' eyes almost bugged out of her head and she coughed on the pretzels still in her mouth. She quickly grabbed her wine glass and took a sip, swallowing with relieving sigh. “You left?” she questioned piercingly like a whistle.

Daisy jumped. “Yeah? Why? What? Was that bad?”

Simmons groaned as she sank against the countertop, rubbing at her temple. “I mean, yes, kind of? You two had sex. What does this mean? Are you together now?”

“See, I didn’t know! It all just happened so fast all of a sudden, I just had to get out of there, ” she admitted and took a sip of wine. “I mean, I cared about Robbie. We were friends, but …”

“You still weren’t over Lincoln.”

Daisy stared down into her glass and nodded her head. “I mean, it’s not entirely crazy, right? Lincoln was the first guy I could say I ever truly loved. I didn’t know if I was ready to have such a serious relationship like that again.”

“Did you tell Robbie that?”

Her palms began to sweat as she glanced up at Simmons, but quickly averted her gaze. “Well, I had planned to when I saw him again a week later at the Base. I brought him to my room so we could talk in private … ”

“But?” Simmons supplied, unease creeping in her voice.

Daisy bit her lip. “But then we had sex again.”

“What?!” Daisy cringed as Simmons slammed her hand onto the counter, rattling their glasses. “You’re joking?”

Her cheeks began to warm. “Well, I hadn’t really seen or talked to him ever since that night, and, as we were standing there, the memories just started coming back …”

She didn’t want to be so melodramatic about it, but their sex in the Charger had been good. Like really freaking good. It had been a bit cramped and awkward at first, but the more they got into it, the more his touch ignited her and brought her whole body to life. He had left her reeling in ecstasy.

Daisy had thought maybe it was just a one-time fluke. It had been the first time in a really long time since she had been with anyone, and maybe by that point her body was desperate for any touch. But then they had sex in her room, and Daisy swore it had been even better than their first tryst.

“After that I told him I wasn’t really looking for a serious relationship, so we agreed to just be friends … who happened to have sex sometimes.”

“Wait a minute,” Simmons murmured, straightening up. “I remember the Watchdog’s harbor incident. That was last June.” Her eyes widened. “You mean to tell me you and Robbie have been having friendly, casual sex for 10 months and I am just now finding out about it?”

Daisy shrugged as she snatched a pretzel out of the bowl. “Well, it’s not like we saw each other that much, you know, between S.H.I.E.L.D. duties and his Ghost Rider duties.”

“But when you did?”

“I mean, not every time. We’re not sex freaks.” She popped the pretzel in her mouth and chewed it slowly for a moment. “But, yeah.”

Simmons sighed as she sank back into her stool. There was a distant look in her eyes, as if Daisy had just told her all the laws of thermodynamics were proven to be a sham. “I … I cannot believe I never figured it out. You and Robbie are my friends, and I didn’t even realize.”

The pretzel she had been chewing quickly turned to ashes in her mouth, and Daisy struggled to swallow it. “I’m sorry, it’s just that we didn’t even really know what our relationship was. It was nice and fun and if we told you guys, it would have been complicated.”

“Still,” she whined. “I should have at least noticed something was going on with you two.”

“Hey,” Daisy reached her right hand out and let it rest gently on her friend’s arm. “You got engaged. You’ve been kicking biochemical ass at S.H.I.E.L.D. and planning a wedding! I’d say you’ve more than earned being allowed to be a little distracted.”

A smile tugged at the corners of Simmons’ mouth as she fiddled with her engagement ring. It was a gorgeous three-diamond gold ring with the middle diamond being slightly larger than its two companions. Daisy and the rest of the team had all been there when Fitz proposed and gave the ring to her several months ago. Everyone had been in tears, even May, the whole moment had been so romantically beautiful.

Daisy smiled tightly as she twisted her left hand still in her coat pocket. “Besides, if it makes you feel any better, you were really close to walking in on us one time.”

Simmons froze, the smile slowly fading off her face as she tilted her head. “What one time?” She asked, narrowing her eyes.

“Well, Robbie and I were banging out a quickie in the science-tech lab supply closet when–”

The supply closet? Are you serious?“ Simmons shrilled and Daisy hastily returned her hand.

"I mean, at the time, it was just right there–”

“Daisy! There are so many sensitive equipment stored in there! I cannot believe you would do–”

“Oh, please, we didn’t break anything and you didn’t even notice. Besides, surely you must’ve thought of getting a little frisky with Fitz in the Containment Module at least once, right?” She waggled her eyebrows.

Simmons’ face immediately flushed a bright, cherry blossom pink. Daisy grinned.

Busted.

Man, they had been talking about her sex life for almost the past hour, it was nice to have the tables turn, at least for a moment.

Simmons took a long, shaky sip of wine. “I-I mean, sure, the idea might have crossed our minds a few times, but we would never–” She paused, eyes widening. “Wait a minute! Did you and Robbie have sex in the Containment Module, as well?”

Shit.

Warmth rose in Daisy’s cheek as she hastily took her own long sip of wine instead of answering the question. Apparently, that was already telling enough. A huge grin stretched across Simmons’ face until she realized what she was smiling about and scowled instead.

“Honestly, is there any place at the Base you two haven’t defiled with your antics?” She questioned.

Daisy set her empty glass on the counter and poured herself some more. “Simmons, the Base is freaking ginormous. Do you honestly think two people can have sex in every possible–”

“That’s not answering my question.”

Daisy sighed and rolled her eyes. “Yes, Simmons, there are places we haven’t had sex in. We’re not sex freaks!”

Although she and Robbie probably had fooled around in more places than anybody else who worked at the S.H.I.E.L.D. base. There was even that time in the director’s office when Coulson left her in charge for a week.

She hadn’t planned on it, obviously. They had just been talking late one night after he had invited himself in to check on her, but Robbie just had a way of easily turning her on. One minute she was ranting about her problems while he was massaging away the stress in her shoulders, the next they were kissing and quickly pulling each other’s clothes off.

Daisy had paid particularly close attention to make sure all physical and digital evidence of that incident had been wiped clean, but that still didn’t stop her heart rate from spiking every time Coulson called to talk to her in his office. So far, to her knowledge, he still hadn’t found out about it, and hopefully he never would.

Simmons shook her head as she fiddled with her wine glass. “I just cannot believe nobody figured out what was happening with you two.”

“Actually, Gabe found out,” Daisy admitted as she popped another pretzel in her mouth.

He was the closest person in Robbie’s life and a really smart kid. It didn’t take him long to put together what was really going on between the two of them. Although, it was kind of painfully obvious when he had spotted her leaving Robbie’s room early one morning with fresh sex hair.

Breakfast later that morning between the three of them had to be one of the most terribly awkward meals she ever had to endure, but in the end Gabe had said he was fine with their arrangement as long as Robbie was happy. And as long as they were careful to make sure he didn’t become an uncle just yet. The sight of coffee shooting out of Robbie’s nose almost made up for the mini heart-attack Gabe had given even her for even implying something like that.

She swallowed. “And May caught us.”

“Seriously?” Simmons asked, sitting up in her seat. “What happened?”

Daisy pinched her eyebrows together. Ugh, May catching her with Robbie had to be worse than Gabe finding out. Maybe even worse than when she caught her with Miles.

Daisy had been sparring with Robbie in the gym-training room when their heated match quickly became a heated kiss. It wasn’t long before the clothes had started coming off. She had her hands sliding down his sweatpants when May had loudly cleared her throat. It was like the bang of a gunshot that had them hastily separating themselves from each other faster than Yo-Yo’s super-speed.

May was her S.O. and the basic equivalence of a mother to her (even though neither of them would admittedly openly call their relationship that). Seeing the older woman standing in the gym’s doorway with her arms crossed and an arctic cold expression on her face, an extremely red-faced Daisy had nearly died on the spot. As they put their clothes back on, she had expected a scolding lecture, maybe even a slap on the wrist. What had came next still floored her to this day.

“She asked for an explanation, and after we did, May was surprisingly fine with it. She even agreed not to tell anyone else what were doing unless it would cause problems that affected the team.”

Simmons raised an eyebrow. “Really? That’s all?” She questioned, doubt evident in her voice.

A grin slipped on Daisy’s face. “Well, she may have also threatened Robbie that she would find a way to kill him if he ever hurt me.”

Robbie’s blanching face had been priceless. It honestly had to have been the first time she had seen him look actually unnerved about his immortality. He had been around long enough to know May wasn’t one to be easily trifled with. If she made a threat, she would certainly follow through with it.

Daisy knew the older woman must have been thinking about Ward when she made the threat. May knew first-hand how having a secretive, sexual relationship with a coworker could really go wrong. The gesture had been sweet, but Daisy had already known that Robbie was far from turning out to be a Ward situation. She had known that the minute she had learned about the man behind the fiery Los Angeles serial killer, and he had proven his good nature countless times since.

“Okay,” Simmons murmured slowly, folding her hands together on the counter. “So you and Robbie have been having this–” She paused, her eyes darting to find the right phrasing. “– friendly sexual relationship for months now without most people’s knowledge. Why are you telling me this now? What changed?”

Daisy tensed as if a bucket of freezing ice water had been dumped over her head. There was the clever Simmons she knew. Always able to figure out the root of the reasoning behind a mess of data.

She played with the lint in her left coat pocket as she took another sip of wine. Here comes the second Band-Aid.

“Alright, so I was staying at Robbie’s house last Friday while I was conducting ’S.H.I.E.L.D. check-ups.’ It’s how we got to spend time together sometimes. But …”

* * *

Daisy was stirred from her dreamless slumber as the mattress creaked and shifted beneath her. She didn’t even open her eyes as she immediately reached out and latched onto the warm body next to her trying to leave the bed.

“Robbie, no,” she grumbled as she tugged him back, rubbing her cheek into his burning hot, bare shoulder. He was always so damn warm and cozy, as if she was snuggling up against a huge campfire marshmallow.

A chuckle rumbled through him that sent pleasant tremors straight to her heart. “Sorry, chica, I got to go,” he murmured quietly.

The logical part in Daisy knew that. Unlike she, who was taking an undisclosed mini vacation from S.H.I.E.L.D., Robbie actually had responsibilities and duties to uphold. However, the logical part of Daisy was still very much asleep and honestly didn’t care to try to wake up at the moment. All she wanted was for Robbie and his wonderfully warm body to stay just a little bit longer. It couldn’t be that late in the morning already.

She wrapped her arms tighter around him and another laugh tumbled out of him. Daisy was prepared to hold on with the vice-like grip of a crocodile in a death roll until Robbie’s fingers began to tickle her arms. She whined and jerked, but no matter how hard she tried to resist, she was no match for his tickling. Her grip on him loosened and Robbie hastily slipped out of her arms and rolled away. Daisy immediately grasped out for him again, but all her fingers found were rapidly cooling, empty sheets.

She let out a groan, opening her eyes just a crack in the dim room to see a turned-around Robbie slipping on a pair of jeans over his boxers. Her eyes widened just a little more as she watched the way the taut muscles on his shirtless back moved while he finished adjusting his pants. Daisy bit her bottom lip as she sat up, pulling his dark sheets closer to her cold, half-naked body. What she wouldn’t give to rake her fingernails across that smooth skin right now.

“Why go when you could stay in bed with me?” She purred, letting the bed sheet slip lower over her breasts.

Robbie turned around, his eyes widening for a moment as they locked on her before a cheeky grin began to stretch across his face. “You know I would rather choose bed with you in a heartbeat,” he admitted, then his smile fell away. “But I promised Gabe I would drop him off at school and I’ve got to swing by Canelo’s to do a few things.”

Daisy kicked her left foot out from under the sheets and slowly pulled the fabric back from around her smooth, bare leg. Robbie’s eyes followed the teasing movement like a hungry predator as the sheet inched higher and higher up her leg until it stopped just below the hem of her black underwear.

“You sure?” She crooned sweetly, swaying her hips.

Robbie said nothing, but his dark eyes revealed everything. The way they longingly trailed over her body, causing goosebumps to shiver across her skin, she knew he was considering it. Daisy grinned. Any second now and he would be on her, warming her body with his sweet touch.

Robbie’s face pinched together as he sighed and shook his head. “Sadly, yes.”

What? Daisy furrowed her brow while Robbie returned to getting dressed for the day. She crossed her arms across her chest as he pulled a dark gray t-shirt out of his dresser and slipped it on along with his socks and shoes. Was he serious?

“Are you serious?” Daisy asked, dropping the enticing tone as a frown settled on her lips. This wouldn’t be the first time she was denied sex, but the rejection still stung like a thorn to her ego.

Robbie turned to her with a remorseful look. "Sorry, Dais, I really have to go, but I promise I’ll make it up to you.“

He scooped up his signature leather jacket from off the floor as he walked over to her and then bent down until they were eye-level with each other, their faces mere inches away from one another. His warm chocolate brown eyes searched her own as a soft smile tugged at his mouth.

"When I get back, I swear, I’m.” Daisy closed her eyes as he leaned forward and gave a soft peck to her pouting lips. “All.” He kissed her again. “Yours.”

Daisy’s pout trembled as his lips found hers once more, until she finally gave in and kissed him back. His lips were always sweeter than honey, but they also held a fire to them that gently stung. Robbie broke off the kiss before giving her one final quick smooch. She opened her eyes as he stood up and tugged his jacket on.

“Who says I’m going to be here when you get back, Reyes?” She haughtily asked, biting back the smile tingling on her lips.

Robbie paused his primping as he stared at her for a moment. He titled his head, slightly opening his mouth as if meant to say something but hesitation teetered on his lips. Closing his mouth, Robbie quickly shook his head and, apparently, the thought aside. “I’ll see you in a few hours,” he smirked before exiting his room and closing the door behind him.

“Yeah, we’ll see,” Daisy muttered as she sunk back into the bed.

She stared up at the shadows on the ceiling casted by the early morning light as the sound of the two Reyes brothers bumbling about in the house filtered through the cracks in the door. What had he wanted to say? The first thing that came to mind was a joke at her expense, but Robbie had never been one to hold back from a wisecrack, even when they first met and all he did was pout and glower.

Daisy casted her eyes to the bedroom door as the solid thud of the front door closing vibrated through the house’s structure. It was quiet for a moment until the rumbling growl of the Charger’s engine roared out, instead. The high-pitched squeal of the tires peeling out screamed over it for a moment before the Charger’s clamor faded away, and everything returned to a dull silence once more. She was all alone.

A sigh slipped past her lips as she rolled over onto her side and pulled the sheets closer to her body. Robbie may have stuff to do, but this was her day off. No missions to worry about. No morning training sessions to attend. She could sleep for as long as she wanted to, and she planned to. Who knew when the next time she’d get a peaceful morning like this?

Snuggling her cheek into her pillow, Daisy closed her eyes. Instead of empty blackness that would soon lull her into slumber, Robbie’s face filled her vision as if he was on a jumbo movie screen. He had that look on his face before he left as if he had a hidden inside joke that he seemed to not want to share with her. Why?

Daisy frowned as she rolled over to her other side. She didn’t want to think about Robbie or his annoyingly appealing face or anything. All she wanted was to get a few more hours of sleep. Daisy squeezed her eyes even tighter shut, hoping to will the prickly thoughts away, as she rolled over again. After several minutes of doing this, and not being any closer to getting sleepy or getting Robbie out of her head, Daisy groaned like a wounded, defeated bear and opened her eyes.

Well, I guess I’ll just get up then.

She tossed the sheets back and the morning chill immediately began to settle across her bare skin. A shiver ran through her as she stretched her stiff limbs before quickly rising out of bed. Daisy went over to his dresser and opened the drawer that held several articles of her clothing. As she tugged on a pair of dark gray jeans and a navy-blue sweater, her eyes landed on the photo strip she and Robbie had taken when they went to the Santa Monica pier last September resting on top of his dresser.

A smile tugged on the corners of her mouth. That had been such a great day. It was probably the most fun and relaxing day she had in a while filled with nothing but laughter and bellies full of junk food. As soon as she had spotted the photo booth, she had dragged Robbie’s protesting ass as fast as she could to it. He had pouted originally, as evidenced by the first photo, but after she had poked his cheeks back with her index fingers in order to force him to smile, she had been able to coax him into making ridiculous faces alongside her.

“I’ll see you in a few hours.”

Daisy frowned as she slammed the drawer shut. It had been such an innocent statement, but it rubbed her the wrong way like sandpaper across her skin. It had been the way he said it, not really a request but more as if it was a fact that she would be here waiting for him to get home. Where did he even get off expecting something like that?“

She ran her fingers through her tangled hair as she left his room and headed for the bathroom to finish getting ready for the day. The small counter was a mess of toothbrushes, razors and whatever the Hell else guys needed, as it usually was in the morning, but the boys were kind enough to leave the space with her toiletries fairly clear. Daisy tugged open her makeup bag and quickly got to work.

I mean, I know we are friends, she thought as she flicked on some mascara. And yes, I came out to L.A. to see him specifically, but that doesn’t mean I can’t go off and do my own thing.

Daisy finished making herself look somewhat of a presentable person before she left the bathroom and made her way into the kitchen. Immediately, she was hit with the bitter warm smell of roasted coffee. The ”#1 Superhero” mug Coulson got her for Christmas sat on the counter with the tawny brown liquid filled to the brim inside. Warmth bubbled in her chest. Robbie must have poured it for her before he left.

She raised the mug to her lips and took a tentative sip. The coffee was barely tepid by this point, but it still had the perfect amount of cream and sugar to make the bitter, life-saving fuel enjoyable. There was even the hint of cinnamon she loved to add to give her coffee a fun little kick. Daisy smiled, but quickly forced herself to frown.

I don’t have to be here when he comes back, she thought as she set the mug in the microwave to heat it up for a few seconds.

As she waited, Daisy went into the pantry and snatched a package of brown sugar cinnamon Pop-Tarts out from the box she hid in the corner from Gabe (the sneaky little thief). The microwave went off and she quickly retrieved her coffee, wincing as the hot ceramic burned her fingers briefly.

In fact, I don’t even have to stay here at all.

Daisy took her breakfast and headed into the living room. With careful, practiced ease, she sunk into her favored spot on the brown leather couch and kicked her feet up onto the coffee table. She raised her mug to her mouth once more.

After all, it’s not like I live here.

Daisy froze as that thought crossed her mind, her mug hovering just inches from her lips. She glanced down at the white “#1 Superhero” letters printed on her mug, contrasting sharply with its navy-blue background.

This was her mug.

In his house.

Her eyes shifted to the Pop-Tarts she had in her lap. Her Pop-Tarts. The ones she had specifically bought for herself along with the other various food items she had in his pantry and fridge.

An icy grip seized her squirming gut as she sat up and shakily set her mug and pastries onto the coffee table. Daisy glanced around his living room, quickly recognizing several more items as her own:

That was her black leather jacket hanging on the coat rack. Those were her boots and sandals by the front door. Her laptop sat charging on the dining room table. The daisy-patterned fleece blanket Bobbi got her for Christmas hung on the adjacent dining chair. Even the framed photograph she took of everyone in her S.H.I.E.L.D. family (including Robbie) during their short vacation in Hawaii rested on one of the bookshelves.

But Daisy knew it didn’t just end here. Some of her clothes were in his dresser. Her beloved dancing hula figure sat on his desk. Her favorite vanilla shampoo and conditioner were in the shower. Hell, she was even certain she had a box of tampons underneath the bathroom sink.

Daisy ran a hand across her clammy face as everything started to go all topsy-turvy around her. Suddenly, Robbie’s smirk and comment earlier were starting to make sense. This wasn’t just his and Gabe’s home anymore. Somehow, sometime along the way, it had become her home, as well.

“Oh, shit.”

* * *

Daisy fiddled with the stem of her glass, the swirling and sloshing pale yellow wine inside matching her own inner unease. “I mean, I was living there, Simmons. Living there! Without even realizing it. How stupid could I be?” She groaned.

“Well, I have great evidence that correlates to a profound percentage just from this conversation alone, so …” Simmons muttered before draining the last of the Moscato bottle into her glass.

Daisy winced. Man, she forgot how catty Simmons could get after a few drinks. Daisy snatched a handful of pretzels out and laid them on the counter before quickly scooting the rest of the whole bowl across towards her friend.

“Okay, I admit, sleeping with Robbie in the first place was probably not a good idea,” Daisy stated, a knife twisting in her heart. “Then, agreeing to continue having sex with him was probably an even worse idea, but it just felt so good.”

She frowned as she started pacing back and forth the small length of the kitchen.

“Whenever I was with Robbie, with or without the sex, I was free. I wasn’t an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. I wasn’t deputy director. I wasn’t even Quake the supehero. I was just Daisy. No worries, no responsibilities, just carefree fun. What we had it … It wasn’t supposed to be serious. I said I wasn’t ready for anything serious, but living together? That’s–”

“Serious?” Simmons supplied.

“Exactly!” Daisy murmured, slumping back onto the counter.

Simmons shifted in her seat, sitting up. “So, what did you do?”

“Well, after I realized that I was actually living with Robbie, I freaked out for a good hour.”

“Obviously.”

“But then I calmed down and started to think things over and reflect. When Robbie came back later, we talked about this change in our relationship, and, well …” Daisy picked up her wine glass and took a big sip. Crap, could she even say it?

“Oh no, did you guys break up?”

* * *

Daisy sat on the couch as the warm, afternoon sunlight filtered through the slats in the windows. Her coffee and Pop-Tarts still laid on the coffee table, cold and untouched. Any second now Robbie could be returning and then–

Her heart jerked as the familiar thrum of the Charger’s engine roared just outside the house. Speak of the devil, she thought with a tiny smirk while all her insides turned into mush. This was it. The beginning or end to everything.

Ever since her recent living situation realization, Daisy had spent the past couple hours running through so many different ways her conversation with Robbie could go in her head. Some where pleasant. Most were terrible, so terrible she had ended up packing several of her things already just in case she needed to make a quick getaway. Now it was time to see which scenario it was going to be.

The front door clanked open and Robbie greeted her kindly, but it was as if they were miles away instead of a few feet. Daisy stared into her murky coffee mug as her sweaty hands fiddled in her lap.   

This is it, Daisy. You can do this. Just tell Robbie how you feel and hope for the best.

Her whole body tensed as a warm, wet kiss was pressed to her cheek while Robbie passed behind her. It tingled her skin like the sweet fizz of soda and her heart writhed heavily in her chest.

Or you could just run away right now? Completely ignore the elephant in the room. Meet up with him next week and continue our relationship as if everything is normal.

“So, what did you want to do for the rest of today?” Robbie called from the kitchen, popping open the fridge. “We could watch a movie? Drive around town? Or,” He paused, closing the fridge with a soft click before shuffling closer. “Gabe isn’t going to be back from studying at the library for a few more hours if the offer from this morning is still on the table?”

Daisy twisted around to see him briefly waggle his eyebrows at her through the kitchen's pass-through window. A devilish grin played on his lips. Her heart fluttered briefly the way it always seemed to whenever he smiled at her. It was her one damn weakness.

No. She had to do this. She had to tell him the truth. A massive weight sunk in her chest. Even if it might break her stupid, foolish heart.

Daisy took in a deep breath to settle the shaking of her nerves and slowly let it out. “We need to talk.”

“Fine it doesn’t have to be on the table,” Robbie smirked as he walked back into the living room, cracking open the bottle of apple juice he had gotten. “It could be on the bed, on the couch, Hell, even on the–”

“Robbie!” Daisy cut him off, wincing at how sharp her tone was even to her own ears. “This is serious.”

He froze mid-stride, his grin quickly sliding off his face. His eyes searched her face waiting for the crack of a smile or a crinkle in her eyes that told him she was just messing with him like she always did.

It never came.

Robbie flexed his jaw as he set his drink on the dining room table before making his way to the couch. Daisy swiveled in her spot towards him as he hesitantly sat down on the couch cushion beside her. The leather creaked as he slowly sunk in.

“Okay, Daisy, what is going on?” His dark brown eyes focused intensely on her as he reached out and rested a hand on her forearm. Even through her sweater, his touch was so gentle and warm like a sliver of pure sunshine.

“Did you–” Daisy bit her bottom lip. “Did you know?”

“Know what?” He asked tentatively.

Her eyebrows kitted together. “That I’m basically living in your house?” She questioned incredulously.

Robbie furrowed his brow briefly before a grin returned to his face. “Are you– Are you serious? Is that all?”

Daisy tilted her head. “Yeah?” She frowned as his smirk grew wider. “And I’m going to guess you already knew.”

He snorted, trying to hold back a laugh until a few chuckles made it past his lips. Those small chuckles swiftly turned into a hearty flow and scorching heat rose in Daisy’s face. “Hell, girl, I thought that maybe you– Nervermind.” Robbie snickered, shaking his head back.

Her lips pursed together and she twisted her shaking fingers to quell the urge to quake his ass off the couch. “Well, I’m glad this is all one big joke to you,” she snapped.

His laughter cut off instantaneously, filling the space for a long moment in silence. Robbie then cleared his throat, sitting up and focusing on her once more. “I’m sorry, Daisy,” he stated, and the tension in her eased. “It’s just that you living in my house? It’s no big deal. Really. I’m happy to have you stay here whenever. We’re friends, right?” He offered her a soft smile and gave her arm a kind squeeze.

Her heart grew heavy as her guts twisted into knots. “But that’s the problem,” Daisy admitted faintly.

Robbie’s face recoiled as if she had just slapped him. His eyes glistened like shattered window glass before they hardened with his lowered eyebrows and steely frown. “So, what? You don’t want to be friends anymore? Is that it?” He retorted like a venomous sting.

“No! Well, not exactly –”

“What? Is it about us sleeping together, then? Damn it, Daisy, I’d rather lose the sex than lose out on our friendship.”

“No, it’s just that– Well,  I– Fuck!” Daisy slammed a fist into the couch and quickly stood.

Why did this have to go so off-track? Why did this have to be so difficult? She should have just grabbed her bag and left.

Daisy ran a hand through her hair as she slowly began to pace around the room. No, she was already in this deep. Might as well get it over with. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath, then opened her eyes again as she breathed out. Robbie watched her from the couch, his body tense and guarded.

“Can I just start over? Say what I need to say?” She asked.

He nodded.

Okay, good. She paced the room a few more times to gather her nerves and thoughts, before she stopped and faced Robbie once more.

“When we started this … Friends-with-benefits relationship almost a year ago, I agreed to it because I wasn’t ready for a serious relationship again. Not after what happened with Lincoln. I thought it was because I still wasn’t over him, and maybe that was partially true, but it was also probably because I was scared. Scared to care for someone so much like that again only to end up hurt once more. 

“When I realized I was I was living with you, I panicked, because that? That’s serious. It’s the complete opposite of what I thought I wanted. I thought I should leave. Wish you all the best in a note and never see you again. But, every time I made my way to that door, something in me stopped myself. Something that told me I should stay, that leaving would be one of the biggest mistakes I ever made, and you know what I realized?”

Robbie’s eyes never left her as he sat apprehensively on the couch. He remained silent, waiting.

“I care about you, Robbie. I care about you more than I ever thought I could with someone again. Maybe it happened sometime in the months since we’ve been sleeping together, or maybe I’ve felt this way ever since you came back from the other dimension and I was too stubborn to accept it, but I do. You’re the first thing I think about in the morning, and the last thing I think about at night. Even when we are miles apart from each other, I can’t stop thinking about you. I’d always be like, 'I wish Robbie was here to see this,’ or 'Robbie would laugh if he was here right now.’ I know it’s silly, but I look forward to seeing you and spending time with you far more than I should.”

Daisy turned away as warmth crept in her cheeks. Sure, she could wholeheartedly sleep with the guy for months on end without barely a bat of an eye, but telling him about her feelings was what left her a blushing mess.

“I know this might not be what you want, but I have to be truthful. To you and to me.” She paused, taking a shaky breath. “I don’t want us to pretend were just friends while sneaking around and having sex behind nearly everyone-we-care-about’s backs. I don’t want to hide how much you genuinely mean to me anymore. I want us to be something real and true, because, damn it, Robbie, I–”

Daisy turned around and her heart nearly stopped in her chest. Her eyes widened as they laser-focused in on the square black velvet box Robbie pulled out from a pocket inside his jacket. It was small and nestled perfectly in the palm of his hand. There were only so many objects that could fit in a box that tiny.

“Wh-what is that?” She asked through strained breath while a cold sweat pricked down her back. Daisy was not a complete idiot. She had a very good idea of what it could be, but he couldn’t seriously be about to do that, could he? 

Robbie stared at the box as he fiddled with it in his hands, his shoulders tense. “It’s nothing really,” he murmured slowly before his face pinched together and he shook his head. Even he could tell that was bullshit. “Okay, it’s just … something I’ve been carrying with me for the past few weeks, but I wasn’t really thinking anything until you– Well–”

He sighed, glancing over at her. The tips of his ears were turning red. “Can I?” He asked, waving his free hand back and forth by his mouth in a gesture to speak.

Daisy gave a curt nod, her whole body frozen and stiff. She could barely breathe.

Robbie smiled tightly and nodded back. He stood, rubbing the back of his neck as he took a deep breath.

“I know I’m not usually the best with words, so just heart me out. These past several months have been the happiest months of my life. When I made my deal, and became the Ghost Rider, I didn’t think I’d ever be able to have happiness again. I accepted my condemned agreement. But then you showed up at El Monte one night like my own personal angel from Hell,” He chuckled warmly and her heart squeezed tight. “And you shook up my life and changed it so much for the better. Before you appeared, I was just a dead man walking, but you showed me that I could have and be so much more than that. If it weren’t for you, I may have never had a great, open relationship with Gabe again, for which I can never thank you enough. You helped me find control in my chaos. You helped me find the light in the darkness.

"I know we never really put a label on whatever this thing was with us, and I understand if this is too much for you, but I’ve got to let my feelings known.”

Robbie stepped closer until they were barely a foot apart, holding up the little black box. He flipped open the lid and Daisy inhaled sharply through her nose. Cushioned inside was a simple, silver twisted ring, set with a tiny white diamond. The gem had to be barely ¼-carat, but it still managed to shine radiantly in the soft light.

Shit, that’s a ring. That is a freaking ring.

Daisy covered her nose and mouth with her hands as she struggled to keep her legs from going out from under her. Despite her S.H.I.E.L.D. training to remain calm no matter the situation, her heart started picking up speed until she was pretty sure it was going a mile a minute. He couldn’t be serious. This couldn’t actually be happening right now.

“This was my mother’s engagement ring,” Robbie continued, unable to meet her gaze as his face began to flush. “It’s not much, but it represents the eternal love between two of the most wonderful people I’ve ever known. It was given to me after they died, and I was told to save it for somebody special. I didn’t think that would ever happen, but Papá always used to say, 'When you know, you know.’” He looked to her and nodded his head. “And I know.”

The floorboards creaked as Robbie slowly got down on to one knee in front of her. Daisy couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move, but everything around her started to tremble. This was actually happening. He was actually doing this. Out of all the scenarios she had imagined in her head about where their conversation would go when he got home, this was definitely not one of them. Daisy bit the inside of her cheek as butterflies scrambled in her stomach. Oh, crap, was she going to throw up?

Robbie took a deep breath as he raised the little box and his eyes focused on hers. There was a fire in those dark brown eyes. Not as fierce as when the Ghost Rider showed up, but they still burned brighter than a shooting star. There was also a gentle warmth flickering in them like a friendly campfire on a cold night. It was the tenderness to his flames that so few got to see, but she was grateful she was one of them.

The rumbling hysteria that was her nerves slowly began to quell into a standstill. Daisy lowered her hands away from her face, and Robbie gently took hold of her left hand in his right. The rough skin of his thumb ran comfortingly over her fingers, spreading a warmth in her hand that quickly took hold of the rest of her body and melted her heart.

"Daisy Louise Johnson,” he started, his eyes never leaving hers as he fondly punctuated each word of her name like they were sacred. “I love you. I love you so much more than I thought I ever could with anybody. I love your smile. I love your laugh. I love your strong, compassionate heart. I love how you put Sriracha sauce on practically almost everything you eat even if that is honestly the grossest, most disgusting thing I’ve ever had to repeatedly witness.” He laughed and few chuckles bubbled out of her, as well.

“Please, I’ve seen you drink Tapatío straight from the bottle," Daisy cracked.

"Yeah, well you're practically drinking Sriracha with how much you smother everything in it." Robbie grinned impishly. He then cleared his throat, collecting himself once more.

"Anyway, Daisy," he stated, giving her hand a soft squeeze. "Besides Gabe, you are the most important person in this world, dimension, universe or otherwise to me. There was a time I wanted nothing more than you out of my life, and now I can't imagine not having you in it. You make every day so much better just be your mere presence. There is nothing more that I want to do than to spend the rest of my life with you, however long that may be. I know our lives aren't easy, and I know I'm not the most reliable person all the time, but, Daisy, I promise I will do my best to make you as happy every day as you make me. We may argue, we may fight, we may become separated beyond all possible reach for lengths of time, but I swear I will never stop loving you.

"Daisy Johnson, will you m--"

"Yes."

Robbie blinked, his eyebrows scrunching together. "Wait, what?"

Daisy snorted and shook her head back. "Sorry, I couldn't wait any longer, but yes, Robbie. Yes," she stressed, softly smiling and squeezing his hand.

Her heart swelled as his eyes widened and a grin quickly began to grow across his face. "You're serious?"

She groaned, but continued smiling. "Oh my, yes, Robbie! I love you and I want to -- Mmph!"

She was cut off as Robbie suddenly stood and kissed her hard. He still held her hand while his other arm snaked around her waist and pulled her close to him. Daisy grinned against his lips before she closed her eyes and kissed him back long and dear.

Soon, she broke off the kiss, leaning slightly back. "Um, isn't there something you should?" Daisy asked, lifting their conjoined hands as she opened her eyes. Even if this was her first time being proposed to, she had watched enough rom-coms with Fitz-Simmons to know these usually ended with a ring on somebody's finger.

Robbie raised his brow as he opened his eyes. He glanced at her hand and his face started to flush with color. "Right, sorry," he murmured shyly, unwrapping his arm from around her.

Her chest grew tight as Robbie plucked out the ring and slowly slipped the cool metal on to her left ring finger. It was a little loose, but overall it fit perfectly. Tears pricked at her eyes as she stared down at the little ring and soon her entire vision became blurry.

Damn it, Daisy thought as she squeezed her eyes shut. She wasn't supposed to get all emotional and shit.

"Sorry," she murmured, opening her eyes to look up at the ceiling and rapidly blink the tears away.

Robbie laughed and squeezed her hand. "It's okay. You're still the most beautiful woman in the universe even when you cry."

Daisy glanced down at his smirking face and rolled her eyes. "Oh, shut up," she scoffed, fighting back a smile.

A few more chuckles tumbled their way out of Robbie as he leaned forward and bent his head down. Daisy closed her eyes as his lips met hers once more. Their arms found their way around one another as they held each other close and kissed sweetly. The fire still burned between them with each kiss, as it did the first time all those many months ago. It might not have been as intense as that night, but the flames still blazed as strongly and surely as ever.

She kept her eyes closed as Robbie slowly broke off the kiss and softly rested his warm forehead against hers. Neither one said anything. They didn't need to as they relished in each other's touch and close company.

Daisy smiled weakly. No matter how much she wanted to stay in this perfect moment, she knew it couldn't last. Eventually, S.H.I.E.L.D. would call her back, or maybe the Rider would order Robbie away. Something would happen that would pull them apart from each other again for who knew how long this time.

Daisy tightened her grip on him. She loved Robbie. She didn't know how it happened, but somehow, he slipped right through the cracks in the defensive armor she wore and found a home in her heart. After wasting all this time ignoring her true feelings, she couldn't bear the thought of leaving him now. What if this was the last time they had with each other?  

Her heart grew heavy, and then suddenly an idea struck her like sunlight parting through clouds on a rainy day.

Daisy leaned back and opened her eyes. "Robbie, let's get married."

He cocked his head as he opened his eyes and shot her a dubious look. "Um, yeah, Daisy, that was kind of the whole point of me proposing? Sorry if you seemed to miss that--"

"No!" She interjected, slightly bouncing on her toes. "I mean, Vegas is, like, what? A four-hour drive away? Let's go and get married today."

Robbie's eyes widened as his eyebrows shot up high into his forehead. "Today? Isn't that a bit soon?"

"What? Is someone getting cold feet?" She teased with a wicked grin, wiggling her eyebrows.

The double-meaning was not lost on Robbie as he rolled his eyes and disapprovingly shook his head.

"No, it's just --" He pressed his lips together as his eyes hesitantly searched hers. "Are you sure?"

"Robbie," Daisy said softly. She unwrapped her arms from around him and stepped out of his own embrace only to immediately take his hands into her own. Curling their fingers together, Daisy gave him a loving squeeze and flashed him a smile. "I don't mean to put this lightly, but we're freaking superheroes. We risk our lives almost every day to help the greater good. We don't know which day is going to be our last or how much time we will have left together, so . . . Why wait?"

Marriage might have never been in her plans until this very moment. Hell, she'd rather face a whole battalion of Watchdogs alone than even think about getting married, but if there was one thing Daisy was certain of, it was she loved Robbie Reyes. So, if she was going to marry him someday anyway, then why not now?

Daisy had thought she had all the time in the world when she was with Lincoln, and the first time they had ended up saying, "I love you," had also been their last. She couldn't risk waiting for the right moment. Not again.

Robbie stared at the floor as his eyes flicked back and forth in consideration. "Eloping in Vegas," he murmured, rubbing circles on her hands with his thumbs. His eyes slowly met hers. "You know it's crazy, right?"

Daisy snorted and shrugged her shoulders. "When has anything in our lives not been crazy?"

He shook his head as he took a deep breath and sighed. The biggest grin then broke out across his face as he squeezed her hands. "Alright, let's do this. Let's go to Vegas and get married."

Her heart soared as she tugged Robbie towards her and kissed him with all her might. "Let's get hitched!" She beamed as she pulled away.

Robbie chuckled as he separated himself from her and snatched his car keys from off the dining room table. "First, I've got to grab Gabe from the library. He has to come."

She nodded, following him to the front door. "And while you do that, I'll start packing everyone's stuff."

"Make sure you pack something white." He grinned. Robbie wrapped an arm around her waist and dipped her slightly for a kiss. It was a brief, but the move still left her head spinning.

Daisy let out a giddy laugh as she was righted back up and Robbie broke off the kiss. He gave her one final peck good-bye then headed out the front door. She watched him through the window get into the Charger and take off before her eyes flickered to the new ring sitting heavy on her finger. As if acknowledging her gaze, the small jewel flashed a dazzling glimmer that made her heart pick up speed.  

A grin stretched across her lips as Daisy turned and headed towards their room. There was even a small skip in her step as she quickly began to figure out what exactly was close enough to being white for her to wear.

* * *

Simmons' hands covered her mouth and her eyes widened to the size of dinner plates as Daisy pulled her left hand out of her coat pocket and held it out between them. On her left ring finger nestled the engagement ring Robbie had given her along with the small silver band she had received at the Vegas wedding chapel. Somewhere out there in this world, its twin rested on Robbie's own left ring finger, forever tying them to each other as husband and wife. Or, however that cheesy wedding officiant had phrased it.

"So, yeah, I got married."

Simmons said nothing. She only continued to stare at her hand as if it had grown two heads and started singing a duet of the "The Elements."

Oh, crap, I broke her.

"Simmons? Jemma?" Daisy reached across the counter and shook the other woman's arm. What was Fitz going to think if he came back and found his fiancée like this? "Jemma, come back to me."

After a few more rougher shoves, Simmons suddenly blinked back into presence. Daisy let out an audible sigh as she withdrew her hand and the tenseness in her shoulders relaxed.

Simmons slowly shook her head as she lowered her hands from her face onto the counter. "You got married?" She murmured, her eyes seemingly focused on something off in the distance while her voice had a misty, dream-like cadence to it.

"Yeah," Daisy replied, nodding her head. "I was there myself. Signed the official marriage license and everything."

"Daisy!" Simmons snapped suddenly, sounding more like her usual old self. She furrowed her brown then threw a mini pretzel at her.

"Ow!" Daisy retorted, even though the small, salty snack harmlessly bounced off her shoulder and on to the floor. Still, the gesture stung. "What was that for?"  

"You got married and you didn't tell us?!"

"I'm telling you now, aren't I-- Hey!" She hollered as another pretzel smacked into her forehead and tumbled onto the counter.

Simmons glared at her with a pout on her lips from across the counter. She held the bowl of mini delicious ammunition close against her chest, one arm poised over the opening ready to grab another projectile at a moment's notice.

Daisy frowned, glancing at her friend's empty wine glass. She had also forgotten how violent Simmons could be sometimes after a few drinks. The whole S.H.I.E.L.D. team still remembered the "Tropical Umbrella Toothpick Incident of 2015." It was honestly hard not to. Why did she choose to drink her worries away with Simmons in the first place?

"Why didn't you tell us when you were about to get married? We all could've been there for it!"

"I told you it was--" Daisy gritted her teeth as she dodged another pretzel. "It was a-- It was-- Jemma stop with the pretzels, already! I told you it was a spur of the moment decision, okay?"

"But we're your family, Daisy! You didn't think we'd want to be there for you during such a momentous occasion?" Simmons snapped. "How would you feel if Fitz and I just decided to head to Cornwall for the weekend and elope without telling anyone else, hm?"

Daisy pursed her lips as her heart grew heavy. This had been what she was afraid of. The yelling. The judgement. All of it was just a colossal weight bearing down on her shoulders and threatening to crush her into the ground. She knew it came from a place of love, but it still hurt all the same.

"Jemma, of course I wanted all of your there more than anything. You know that, but you also didn't even know I was with Robbie until today. Hell, you're the first person I've even told this to. If I told all of you guys I was getting married, there would have been this big commotion of questions and yelling hurt feelings. You guys would have tried to stop me, and all I wanted to do was marry Robbie.

"I know, I should have been more honest with you guys, and I am really sorry, but I'm trying to be now, if that counts for anything."

Simmons' face softened and she slowly released her hold on the pretzel bowl. Daisy quickly grabbed the bowl and placed it far from the other woman's reach.

"I'm sorry, it's just, I was supposed to be your maid of honor!" Simmons sighed, resting her chin on her hand. "I had all these great plans. I was going to help throw your bridal shower, your bachelorette party, and make sure everything went perfectly for your special day."

"Aw, Jemma," Daisy murmured with a tight smile as she reached out and gave Simmons' free hand a comforting squeeze.

"I even started a wedding idea scrapbook for you."

Daisy's eyebrows twisted together as she slowly retracted her hand. "Wait, what?"

Simmons' already pink cheeks flushed to watermelon red as she fiddled with her empty glass and avoided Daisy's eyes. "Oh, it's not much really. It's just that while I was looking up ideas for Fitz and I's wedding, I would see stuff that I thought would be perfect for your wedding. So, I started cataloguing them in your own scrapbook, making sure to leave plenty of space for whatever your future betrothed's style would be, as well," She frowned. "But now I suppose you don't need it."

"Hey, not necessarily," Daisy stated, offering a gentle smile. "Maybe I can use it in a few years if we decide to renew our vows? You know, like a second wedding. That's a thing, right?"

Simmons perked her head up a little higher. "Yeah, or maybe for your next marriage?" She countered with a coy grin.

"Simmons!" Daisy scoffed with a slack jaw. "Robbie's a great guy and you know that!"

Sure, things had been a little rocky when they all first met, but Robbie had really grown to be a part of the team over the past year. Besides providing help during missions and saving their asses countless times, Robbie would often hang out with all of them on the Zephyr or at the Playground during some of his downtime. While some of that had mostly been so they could fool around, Daisy had noticed him getting along well with the rest of her teammates, as well.

Robbie would talk for hours on end about cars with Coulson and Mack. He'd watch and cheer on soccer matches with Fitz and Simmons. He and Yo-Yo were often conversing and joking in Spanish. Daisy had even caught May smile briefly while practice-sparring with him. Even if he refused to be an official S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, Robbie was one of them through and through.

"I know, I know," Jemma sighed dramatically, but still had a good-natured smile on her face. "But how great can he be if he helped hide your relationship from us, hm? You know Coulson might just kill you both when he finds out."

Daisy groaned, sinking her upper body on the counter like a rag doll. "Ugh, don't remind me! I have to talk to him before he finds the Vegas charges on my S.H.I.E.L.D. account. " She had hacked them to be listed and labeled as regular various S.H.I.E.L.D. expenses, but she was certain that once Coulson saw the numbers he'd grow suspicious. Sadly, Las Vegas weddings didn't come cheap.

"You charged everything to S.H.I.E.L.D. funds? Glad to see your bad-girl shenanigans never change," Simmons smirked.

"Hey," Daisy retorted, straightening up. "I'll take a pay cut, live off ramen for a few months. It'll be fine." Besides, after all she had done for S.H.I.E.L.D. over the years, she deserved a little treat that just so happened to be in the form of a three-day honeymoon in Vegas.

"Well," Simmons mused, her stool creaking as she shifted in her seat. "Congratulations, Daisy. Seriously. I'm sorry I didn't say it first. I just--" She shook her head. "Can't believe you got married before I did."

"Yeah, trust me, no one is more shocked than I am," Daisy chuckled.

"Are you regretting it? You seemed really upset earlier when you walked in."

Daisy furrowed her brow as she stared at her rings, fiddling them with her thumb. "I was a little concerned at first," she admitted.

Her entire weekend had been nothing but a delicious haze of Robbie loving and room-service coconut shrimp. When she had said good-bye to the Reyes brothers that morning and got on the Quinjet back to the East Coast, it was like she was waking up from a dream. All the warm and fuzzy feelings started to fade away, only to be replaced by the harsh, cold-sweating doubts of reality. Had she made the right decision to marry Robbie? Maybe they had both been too caught up in the moment to realize they could be making a humongous mistake?

"But talking it out with you, reliving all those moments," Warmth flooded her chest as a small beam of sunlight hit her engagement ring and made it sparkle brighter than a thousand stars. Just like it had when Robbie gave it to her. Daisy smiled. "No, I don't regret it. Not one single bit."

It was silly the whole idea that their relationship was determined by a legal document that could never fully express the love she had for Robbie Reyes, but it meant Robbie was hers. No matter what shit might happen in their future, nothing could change that.

Her gaze turned to Simmons who with her quivering smile and glistening eyes looked more emotional than when they finished marathoning the eight Harry Potter movies together.

"Aw, Simmons," Daisy fussed as her heart panged heavily in her chest. "Don't you get all emotional on me, because when you get emotional, I get emotional."

Simmons choked up a laugh as she dabbed at her eyes. "Sorry, it's just you look so happy. It's nice."

Heat rushed to her face and her cheeks began to cramp from her wide smile. "Yeah, it really is nice," she beamed, glancing at her rings.

Simmons took in a deep breath and audibly exhaled in one quick huff. "Well," she announced, slapping her hands onto the counter and pushing herself up off her chair. "Since you didn't get to plan your wedding, you are going to help me plan mine."

Daisy sagged her shoulders and groaned loudly as the other woman grabbed hold of her arm and began tugging her towards the living room. She tried to resist, but Simmons had her in a death grip with the strength of a mountain lion. "Come on, Simmons, you know I'm more of a doer than a planner."

"Oh, I am very much aware of that, Mrs. Reyes."

Her cheeks immediately blazed even hotter. "Actually, it's still Daisy Johnson, but I see your point."

"Come on," Simmons urged, pulling her towards the table she saw earlier filled entirely with wedding booklets and magazines. "We can order sushi and you can tell me more about your husband."

Butterflies swarmed in her stomach. My husband. It was still so surreal to think of Robbie like that, but after all they had been through together in this past year, Daisy knew in her heart that it felt right.

"Okay, but I need at least a dozen spicy tuna rolls and you better have some Sriracha."