Chapter Text
Reyes leaned against the bar, knocking back his whiskey. With Meridian found and humanity’s hope for a home now secured, every outpost was filling up with new people fresh from cryo. Which meant more work for everyone to keep the system running. Not that Reyes minded so much, it was good to see the hard work finally paying off; his beloved Kadara Port becoming more than just a haven for smugglers and thieves. But with more work meant less time for everything else. So he took the small moments when he could.
He glanced up at the barkeeper, but before he could ask for another one, there was a full bottle with two empty glasses waiting for him.
“Compliments of the lady and gent upstairs,” the barkeeper told him.
Reyes looked around to the upper level to see Scott and Sam leaning on the railing, matching smiles on their faces. He hadn’t seen them since the week long celebrations after Landing Day. Normally Sam would send him a message before they reached Kadara so that he could set aside some time to share a drink with his friend. It was even more surprising to see Scott. It was a well known fact that the other Ryder twin used any time that Sam was on business planetside here, he and Gil would be spending time alone together on the ship.
He frowned a little, glancing down at his omnitool when it flashed up with a new message.
His name is Anthony.
As if on cue, a man leaned against the bar beside Reyes. He was tall with a lithe build hidden beneath a leather jacket, dark hair and brown skin. A smile played on Reyes’ lips as he glanced back at the twins who gave him an encouraging nod before disappearing out of view.
“So, Anthony,” he said, “You look like you’re waiting for someone.”
Anthony looked around at him, green eyes vibrant under Tarturus’ neon lights, “How do you know my name?”
“I’m psychic,” Reyes smirked, pouring whiskey into the two empty glasses, “Drink?”
Anthony wet his lips a little then laughed softly, taking one of the glasses, “You read my mind.”
They clinked their glasses together and both took a drink. “I haven’t seen you around here before,” Reyes pointed out.
“Fresh out of cryo,” Anthony told him, “I’m starting work at the outpost tomorrow, but my cousins insisted the I saw the real sights of Kadara first, which included this bar.”
“Your cousins?” Reyes quirked an eyebrow.
“Yeah, you’ve probably heard of them, they’re kind of a big deal apparently.”
A chuckle started low in the back of Reyes throat as he took another mouthful of whiskey, “Your cousins are Sam and Scott Ryder?”
“You really are psychic,” Anthony hummed with laughter, “They brought me out here on the Tempest, I was meant to be getting us drinks but…” he glanced up at the upper level, “They seem to have disappeared.”
“What terrible hosts,” Reyes mused, still chuckling to himself, “I, on the other hand, am I much better drinking partner. I have a private room upstairs, if you would care to join me for more drinks.”
“You’re the mind reader, you tell me what my answer is.”
Reyes took the bottle of whiskey in one hand, and the two glasses in the other and headed for the stairs, missing the impressed smile Anthony wore on his face as he followed behind.