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Because he thought she hated him, that's why she was staring at the chrome letters that spelled out his name. Plastered on a door that leads to his office, a place she's never been to, and she believes that if she steps in there her entire opinion of him would change. Not that it was the best opinion anyway-that's why she's there, right?
She couldn't believe that he actually thought she hated him. They had been friends for almost a year now and while she makes snide comments about his job and his appearance and just about everything about him, hatred is the exact opposite of what she actually feels. Not that she could ever say that to him. Or even get the chance given how much he’s been working lately, but then again he’s been doing a great job and the last thing he needs is someone telling him he’s working a little too much. Especially when Sasha does it every time he stops by the bar. Fiona would try to give her two cents until Rhys lets out the most exhausted sigh, drinks down the rest of whatever drink he orders, and she bites back the urge to really say what she feels.
She misses the bastard.
Sure, she's seen him and she’s even called him when she knew he was home, but any one on one contact seemed to be put on hold. Same went for Sasha and Vaughn when she casually asked about him.
‘The last time I heard from him was when he dropped by the bar a week ago.’
‘I haven't seen him lately either.’
At least she knew it wasn't just her he was avoiding, if she really wanted to call it that. Believe her she didn't. She also didn't want to bring it up on their last phone call, either, but it slips out.
‘Has being the big company man taken so much of your time that we can't hang out anymore?’
She knew it sounded harsher than she intended, but each word seemed to hitch in her throat and she couldn't say it any other way. That's when he goes silent, even the sound of him typing has stopped, and she desperately wants to take it back.
Until he says the one thing she never wanted to hear from him: ‘I didn't think you hated me that much.’
It was quiet and he immediately chuckles after, but it felt like the worst slap in the face. So, she does the only thing she knows to do. Hangs up and pretends it was just an accident the next day when he shows up. He didn't believe her and she knew it because he raises an eyebrow and looks ready to protest, but instead just shrugs it off. The rest of the night fell silent.
So, now she's here in front of his office, listening in on his conversation without understanding any of the words, and slowly runs a finger over the doorknob.
“Dammit.”
Then, the door opens, startling her, and she's met with a pair of mismatched eyes and the most surprised expression he’s given her, “Fiona?”
“I-I…” suddenly she realizes just how out of place she was compared to everything around. She looked past him to his office where everything is dimly lit, but she can tell the theme is metallic. Especially with a wall of weapons hanging behind his desk.
And there she is in her dirty, torn up outfit that has never been washed while she’s taking in the crisp suit he wears. She never felt embarrassed in front of him until now.
She pulls her hat down just to shield her eyes, “I figured since you wouldn't come to me, I’d come to you.”
He shuffles his feet to give her room to walk in, she takes a moment to actually do it. Immediately his phone rings.
“If you're busy-”
“No, no,” he’s quick to stop her almost like he knows she was close to leaving, “I've been getting calls all morning. It's probably nothing.”
She nods, “And if it is…?”
He shrugs before giving her a smile that gives her a small amount of relief, but she still ignores it to sit in the chair at his desk. The first thing she notices is the picture frame, the only thing that really stands out. She thinks about turning it around just so she can know what's so important that it gets to be front and center on his desk until she feels his hand on the back of her chair.
“Can I get you anything? Water? A snack?”
“That's all right,” she shifts until she's at a comfortable distance away from his hand. That's when he moves away and over to his own chair. Before he says anything, he pulls the cord from the phone.
“I don't really like interruptions,” he says and she nods while finally giving off a smile.
“How often do you get company?”
“Well, Sasha came up here last week,” it was quiet enough so that she had to listen carefully. The mention of her sister made her heart skip and she had to bottle down any kind of jealousy she was feeling, “But she had to beg me to shut it off. I think it rang about ten times.”
“You must be that important,” she notices the small blush forming on his cheeks and he rubs the back of his neck.
“I don't want it to interrupt you. It must be something important since you showed up here,” his eyebrow raises like he’s questioning why she's actually here, not like she could just come out and say it. Instead of responding she pulls herself closer to the desk, rests her hand just an inch from his folded hands, and just stares at him. His eyes shift quickly to her hand, but he’s soon matching her gaze, “So.”
“Have you been busy lately? It's not like I know how running a company goes, but I'm betting it's difficult.”
“Well, yeah. I've been trying to make a few deals with other companies. A few of them think it'd be too risky with how Atlas was handled last time. I for one think I’m doing a great job.
“I bet you do,” she scoffs, but it's only meant as playful banter. She takes his dry chuckle as a good sign.
“I have missed your quick wit.”
“Really? Because I thought you hated it,” she bites down on her bottom lip because now he looks surprised and maybe slightly offended.
“I don't hate anything about you, you know? Some of the things you do irritate me, but if you didn't do them you wouldn't be you.”
“Yes, but-”
“You're my friend. You always will be.”
Maybe it's his overly cheery smile or maybe it's the way he acts like they didn't have any problems. Either way, it makes her snap, “Then, why do I have to wait for you to show up at the bar to see you, huh? Why are you never at your apartment when I go there? Why do I have to wait to call you at night to actually hear from you? Is that what friends do? Because Sasha was here before.”
“That was one ti-”
“It doesn't matter, Rhys,” she pushes out of her chair, “What matters is I miss you. I miss your stupid corporate ass and I don't understand why you think I hate you when-” she freezes because anything that followed would've been a mistake. She doesn't have the strength to look at him, so she looks back down to the picture frame. He must have noticed since he turns it toward her.
Them. That's what it was. Taken the day he finally managed to get Atlas back to being a successful company and that was there way of celebrating. She was next to him with a glass raised and her eyes closed as he kissed her directly on the cheek. She can remember how flustered she felt. Especially once he pulled away and mumbled out an apology. But she just laughed it off, he did the same, and the night continued. She couldn't remember who took the picture, but she does know that she had to suffer through a week of teasing because of the kiss. She threatened whoever let the teasing get to Rhys.
“O-Oh.”
“Fiona, I-”
The rest was just a blur as she ran out of his office.
********
“I don't get that man,” she slams her now empty glass onto the counter and looks back up at Sasha who just shakes her head, “One moment we’re fine. Then, I’m ready to hit him. Sometimes I wonder why we’re friends.”
“Because you care about him,” she pushes her hands into the bar just to get close enough for only Fiona to hear her, “You know you do. Would you be in a bar drinking and talking about him if you didn't?”
She knew she was right, but she wouldn't dare let her know that, “He’s frustrating. Why do I even bother?”
She knew exactly why. Somewhere down the line of their extremely exhausting friendship, he had gotten under her skin. He had made her feel something she couldn't understand until now. Somehow she knows that he always has even when he was just the smug Hyperion scum who had only been interested in screwing over his boss. It would make sense about why she kept him around.
She had developed feelings for him.
The kind that makes her want to keep a distance from him just to keep it from getting any deeper. Was there really any chance of him feeling the same?
Although, he was the one with the picture of him kissing her on his desk.
“Look,” Sasha nods to the door and Fiona turns in time to see Rhys making his way over to her.
“What the hell was that?”
She ignores any kind of contact, settling for examining the pattern on the table, “I don't know what you're talking about.”
Then, he’s in the chair next to her and she has to catch her breath, “I’m talking about you running out of my office before I could say anything.”
“We talked.”
“No, you talked. You told me how you felt before running off.”
“Because I didn't need to hear what you had to say,” she felt vulnerable now and she hated that. She thinks about asking for another drink just because she knew where the conversation was going and she didn't think she could handle that while being sober. She chooses against it, though.
“Don't you think my opinion matters?” he gets a bit closer, she has to stop herself from pulling away.
“Your opinions have always been important to me,” and they have been. Even when he was just the guy she was stuck with, she had seemed to find herself asking what he thought about whatever situation they had found themselves in. Especially when it was just them trapped in the vault.
“Then, why didn't you ask me? Fiona, of course I know you don't hate me. Would I treat you the way I do if I thought you did?”
She thinks back to the first time he’s showed her any kind of kindness. When Vaughn had told him that Felix betrayed them and she didn't want to see the haughty look on his face, but she still turned to him. Surprised that it wasn't haughtiness that she saw, but understanding. He opened his mouth as if he had something to say only to close it immediately and just kept an eye on her. Not Sasha. Her. And that's something she could never figure out. Why her?
It takes a few minutes for her to finally glance back up to him. He’s still talking, but she’s too occupied with trying to figure out what to say next to listen.
“I’m in love with you,” it's barely over a whisper and she watches for his reaction. Once he goes silent and looks more shocked than usual she knows he heard it.
“What did you-”
“Because I’m in love with you! There. Are you happy? That's why I didn't ask you. Why would I want that kind of rejection? I already feel… feel so cheap comparing myself to you.”
“Rejec-”
“Rhys, you're on the verge of becoming a billionaire. The only money I have is what I steal.”
His hand presses into her shoulder, “So? That never mattered to me.”
She rolls her eyes and feels his grip tightening, “Right.”
“You keep acting like I’m just like every other corporate stooge. You know that's not what I want to become. I got this company to make it better than what it was. And…” he pauses just to pull at her chin until she's just an inch from his face. She feels his breath hit her causing her own to stop, “I've had feelings for you since we crashed Hellos. I thought you knew that.”
She remembers, “Someone else. God.”
He’s grinning and she thinks about what could possibly be going through his head, but she wasn't expecting him to close the distance, capturing her lips with his. It was a surprise, but it didn't take her long to respond by pulling at the back of his neck and grazing her tongue over his bottom lip. And he moans against her, so she pulls away because she didn't believe a bar was the best place for this.
“You two should get a room,” was the only thing August said when she finally noticed him standing in front of them. The same disgusted look as always.
He took one moment to kiss against her cheek before tugging at her hand, “Come on. Let's get out of here.”
“Right behind you.”