Work Text:
All Cards on the Table
The shuttle gently landed beside the multilevel pre-fab building situated at the center of one of the many valleys on Kadara. He'd chosen the location carefully, as it was his own personal residence outside of the port. The only people that knew of its location, were those that also knew the true identity of the Charlatan.
So it seemed fitting that this was his first time bringing Ryder here. To this secret, sacred place. Following the fall of Sloane and her Outcasts.
The reverence of the occasion was lost, however.
She was unbuckled and out of the shuttle before he'd even turned the engines off. It wasn't a particularly long ride from the Slums, but he had grown fond of their usual banter and her silence had been deafening.
Reyes sighed heavily as he exited the shuttle and walked to the front door. Ryder pushed past him roughly as it opened, walking over to the couch near the window and sitting down with a huff. She turned her attention to the sulfur spring that rippled peacefully below them, a stark contrast to the simmering rage he felt was being aimed in his direction as he let the door close and walked toward the kitchen.
It was kind of adorable, if he was being honest. The way her eyebrows pulled together over her bright blue eyes angrily, the way her lips were set in a hard line as she pulled her knees up against her body and wrapped her arms around them. All while refusing to look at him.
"I suppose we should talk about what happened in that cave," he suggested boldly. He pulled two glasses down from the cabinet and grabbed a bottle of whiskey from his private stock. It wasn't Mount Milgrom, but it would do.
"What's there to talk about, Reyes?" she asked sarcastically, finally shifting her gaze in his direction. He offered her a weak half-smile before opening the bottle of whiskey in his hand.
"I can tell that you are angry, Ryder. Tonight is supposed to be a celebration, but your mood may sour the occasion," he replied as he poured a finger of whiskey into each glass and sat the bottle down on the counter. He had a feeling that putting it away would simply be a waste of their precious time together.
She let out a derisive chuckle, tossing her head back for emphasis. Reyes tried not to let his gaze linger for too long on her neck, looking into her eyes from across the room before he picked up the glasses and maneuvered around the island.
"Really, Reyes, a celebration? And what's this? Your peace offering?" she asked coldly. He sat down on the coffee table positioned in front of the couch, facing her as he offered her one of the glasses clasped in his hands.
"Perhaps it is," he replied with a playful smirk, waiting for her to accept the olive branch. She narrowed her eyes at him, but still took the glass from his hand. She quickly drained its contents and sighed contentedly as she leaned forward to set it down beside him on the table.
"How cheap do you think I am? It's definitely going to take more than one singular glass of whiskey to resolve this, Reyes," she retorted as she shifted her position on the couch. She turned slightly, still angling her body away from him pointedly.
Reyes stood up and walked around the table, quickly swallowing the whiskey in his glass, and sat it down on a nearby shelf. "What can I say? I did not expect the Pathfinder to accompany Sloane to that meeting." He activated his omni-tool and pressed a few buttons. Soft, ambient music began to play from speakers carefully placed around the room.
She let out a heavy sigh and stood up, following his path to the bookcase. "Don't play dumb, Reyes. You know this isn't about Sloane."
He hummed in confusion, searching his memory for what he could've done to upset her, if killing Sloane had not.
"Cave sex didn't do it for you?" he asked, only half-joking. She crossed her arms against her chest and looked up at him. Her eyes scanned his face and he felt suddenly exposed under her scrutiny. What was she searching for? Had she finally had enough of him? His heartbeat quickened at the thought. A fear he'd never let himself feel before creeping into him and running rampantly through his mind.
"You should have trusted me, Reyes."
His heart ached at the pain evident in her voice. The way her expression pleaded to him for understanding and sympathy.
"Oh, Ryder..." His voice was half a whisper as he reached toward her, his hands lightly gripping each side of her neck while his thumbs rested beside her ears. He moved the digits back and forth as he rested his forehead against hers. He felt her body tense as he stood in front of her, stubbornly refusing to give him a single inch in this conflict.
Ryder's hands gripped his wrists, but she didn't pry him away. Surprisingly. She looked up into his eyes as he pulled his head away from her.
"I promise there will be no more secrets between us," he said confidently. He paused after the words left his mouth, unsure if he'd just sworn to something he couldn't commit to.
She chuckled and gave him a quick kiss, finally smiling as she pulled away. "I appreciate the thought, but don't make a promise we both know you can't keep. We all have secrets. I just need to know that you trust me."
Reyes pulled her closer, pressing his lips against hers pointedly. "I promise you, Natalie, I do trust you. You now hold the power to destroy me with the knowledge of who I am. I only wish that I had trusted you sooner."
Ryder's brows furrowed as she looked up at him. "Then why didn't you?"
He took a deep breath and let his hands fall to his sides, taking a step back from her. She kept her gaze trained on him as he moved. "Truthfully? I was afraid. I was afraid that knowing I'm the Charlatan would change the way you looked at me. Because I had become so fond of the way you looked at me."
A deep blush arose across her cheeks, but her hands reached for his, pulling him back to her. His insecurity had forced him to pull away. He breathed deeply and watched her reaction carefully.
"You really thought finding out that you were the one trying to take down a tyrant like Sloane was going to dissuade me? Please, Reyes, give a girl some credit," she replied with a playful smile, reaching up on her tip toes to plant a kiss on the tip of his nose. They both laughed heartily, Reyes wrapping his arms around Ryder and hugging her as tightly against his body as he could without suffocating her.
"I forgot that I'm just your type."
She snorted and playfully shoved his arm as she turned away from him, gracefully taking his hand in hers as she led him back toward the couch. She motioned for him to sit down.
"I really wish you'd forget about that," she said as she moved to straddle herself over his lap once he'd landed on the cushion. He hummed an affirmation as she rested her hands on his chest and leaned toward him, pressing soft kisses along his jawline.
"But it's the truth, isn't it?" Reyes asked, maneuvering himself so that he could catch her lips and bring her into a kiss. She eagerly followed his lead, letting him set the pace and intensity. She was putty in his hands, and he knew the responsibility he held as she allowed him to mold her. "Do you want to know how I know it is?" He gently gripped her chin with his fingers, his voice deepening as she looked into his eyes attentively. "I saw the way your eyes lit up when I mentioned it for the first time. You truly get a thrill from being with me, don't you?"
Ryder nodded her head slowly, her lips parted slightly as she answered. He chuckled deeply, content with her response before he moved his hands to her hips, encouraging her to grind against him.
He knew he would never be able to properly thank her for accepting him for exactly who he was, Charlatan and all, but he was determined to give it his best shot. As many times as she needed it.