Chapter Text
A while back
Daisy was so ecstatic when Robbie was finally approved to consult for S.H.I.E.L.D. He held everyone at arm’s length, but she didn’t mind. She always felt safe with Robbie and hopefully, she didn’t annoy him too much. God knows she brought a shit ton of crap into his world. So when he blew her off the first time she went up to talk to him, she figured it was no big deal. After all, Robbie wasn’t exactly outgoing.
But as the days turned into weeks, Daisy felt something akin to hurt. Robbie had seen her when she was broken, and she thought they were friends.
Apparently, he didn’t feel the same way.
She didn’t need a freaking parade, but it would be nice if he looked in her direction without turning the other way. Whenever she tried to talk to him when he showed up on base, something always miraculously came up and he had to either leave or walk away.
And it hurt like hell.
***
On his end, Robbie’s mind was in a more carnal direction so he avoided Daisy as much as possible.
After he became the Ghostrider, he was numb to anything pleasurable. Food, laughter, joy, music. Gabe was the only thing that reminded Robbie that he was still human. And like he told his coworkers at Canelo’s: if wasn’t black and silver, he didn’t give a damn.
He didn't realize it at first, but meeting Daisy changed him.
That night at the junkyard, Robbie showed her that he was a monster. And yet the Earth kept on spinning and the sun rose the next day. And then she came to his work, and he showed her that he was a monster in the daylight too.
But despite it all, she always saw him.
Slowly, he started to notice how his perceptions to the world around him were changing. Songs on the radio actually resonated rather than being background noise. He remembered he preferred tomatillo sauce to salsa, when before he didn’t care what he ate. He would overhear bits and pieces of the sitcoms Gabe would watch and instead of being emotionless, he had a glimmer of amusement.
He was quietly waking up to his own life and seeing beyond his own personal hell.
And at night when he slept, his one constant was dreams of Daisy. Sometimes, they were hot and filthy and he woke up throbbing, covered in sweat. Or they were distractingly sweet, which was even worse because he felt the loneliness right down to his soul. Before, he felt nothing. Now, he recognized everything he was lacking.
This particular night, Robbie dreamt he and Daisy were together, expecting a new life. She was so happy, and couldn’t stop smiling while he couldn’t stop kissing and holding her. He was a devil, but his angel loved him and they would build a life together. Then he woke up, and for a few blissful minutes, his dream felt as real as the Rider in him. The disappointment shouldn’t have been crushing, but it was.
What was he doing?
***
“Hey Robbie, long time no see,” a quiet voice interrupted his musings and Robbie turned around to see Daisy walking towards him, a wistful expression on her face. He had come in to speak to Director Simmons because he was thinking about leaving SHIELD. Being around Daisy was getting to be too much.
Thankfully, a split second later, someone else called out to him.
“Hey Robbie! I’ve been looking for you man!” Mack’s voice boomed through the air and Robbie was visibly relieved.
“Gotta go Daisy," he said turning quickly away but he didn’t miss her crestfallen expression.
He knew he was fucking up but he pushed away the guilt.
She deserved better so it was up to him to do what was best.