Work Text:
“How are you, Blue?” He’s been watching her silently for the past few minutes, waiting for her to finish her reading. She knew he was there, but nothing and nobody would rush her, not even her partner. There was no danger, not if he was calling her Blue. Ibis was the only one she ever let call her by anything other than her name, a sign of how deep her faith for him truly ran.
“Well. Thank you Bird.” It was the truth. Razo had been feeling even better than usual ever since they’d earned the bounty of a lifetime, conveying that easily with the use of her own nickname for him. With one simple word, both of them were capable of telling the other everything. There was Razo and Ibis the bounty hunters, and there was Blue and Bird the lovers. The distinction between the two had always served them well, keeping professional life professional and allowing them to compartmentalise their private life.
The one thing that never changed, whatever phase of their partnership they were in, was their unwavering trust. Ibis had never betrayed her and she knew he never would. They had each other’s back; past, present, and future. It was that knowledge that their alliance was firm that had set them up for what they had now. Land and a beautiful ship. That was all down to their intelligence. Less wise persons than them would have sold the Regenex, or hoarded it for personal use. But Razo and Ibis had chosen to invest it and in what felt like no time at all, they’d earned enough for them to live off the interest and live well. Ibis had gardens and a private theater, and Razo had a garage and a study. Reading and mechanics, her favourite things in the universe. She was able to repair her bike far easier now that she had a proper garage rather than the hold of their tiny old hunting ship.
“Good. That’s good.” Neither of them were orators. Words didn’t come easily to them, but they’d learned to read each other’s body language as easily as their own. Right now, Ibis looks uncomfortable, his eyes shifting rapidly and not able to meet her quiet gaze.
“What do you want to ask me?” She prompts him when he takes too long. It seems to have a settling effect on him as his gaze finally catches hers.
“Will you marry me?” He’s direct. That’s a large part of why she loves him. Beating around the bush to protect feelings rarely gets anyone anywhere. She wonders how long he’s been thinking about this, if he’s intended to ask her before or if he simply made up his mind today and walked on in.
“Okay.” Her answer is just as direct. There will be no poetry from either of them. It’s not who they are. She smiles at him, wide and bright.
“Okay!” He beams back, his skin sparkling like the stars. This is their version of romance. Warm smiles and shared gazes. Everything else is just decoration anyway, pretty but unnecessary. She sets the tablet she was reading aside and rose, crossing the room in a few quick strides and wrapping her arms around his neck.
“I’m not wearing a gown.” She says, stretching up for a kiss. He leans down to meet her, his lips soft against her own. He laughs.
“Never expected you would.” He replies, still chuckling to himself. They weren’t entitled. No one would care if they got married in leather with her bike as the maid of honor.
“We’ll need to set aside a full day for registering.”
“I’ll make sure our calendars are clear.”
Nothing else needs to be said. This isn’t the end of their story, any more than that most successful bounty they’d ever claimed. It’s just another turn of the page, as they walk through their lives together, as they always have.