#biluata writes

[biluata]

I feel bad it's taking me so long to write one sambucky fic, so here's a sneak peek:

“Come on up and dance with me, Buck,” he called, shuffling his shoulders.

Bucky smiled, but shook his head. “I’m good.”

“Oh come onnnn,” Sam teased with a roll of his eyes. He swayed his hips to the strings’ melody as he danced over to where Bucky was sitting.

“How can you not dance to Marvin Gaye? When the saxophone sings, my booty got to do its thiiiing!” Sam sang before turning around and shaking his ass right in front of Bucky’s face.

[biluata]

I re-posted an old Quakerider St. Patrick's Day drabble on ao3 if anyone wants some more holiday Quakerider :)

[biluata]

An AoS season 5 AU drabble I started writing several months ago and figured I should post before the premiere. A short sequel to this fic (x)

“Robbie?” Daisy sputtered, slack-jawed and wide-eyed.

Fitz and Yo-Yo stirred from beside her as she hastily rose to her feet and strode across the small, metallic cell.

Out of all the crazy things Daisy had imagined would come from being kidnapped and dragged out into space, seeing Robbie freaking Reyes again of all people was not one of them. He stood with his uncoiled chain in hand just on the other side of the shimmering, translucent blue wall of energy that trapped her and her friends in this shabby holding area they got dumped into. 

"Missed me?" He asked, the thrumming energy barrier between them warping his voice as if he were speaking underwater. A hint of a smirk tugged at the corners of his mouth.

Besides a bit of minor maintained grooming, Robbie hardly looked any different from the last time she saw him, however long that had been. Daisy shook her head. This honestly couldn't be real.

"What are you doing here?"

Robbie shrugged as he wrapped his chain across his torso. "Looks like helping all of your sorry asses, apparently." He fully grinned.

Warmth expanded in her chest and all the tension lifted from her shoulders as a wide smile stretched across her face.  

"I could seriously kiss you right now!" She exclaimed.

Robbie froze, his smile faltering on his face while the weight of her words hung heavily between them. He raised his brow as his eyes searched her own. His gaze lowered briefly to her lips.

Heat hotter than a furnace rushed to Daisy's cheek.

"I-I mean," she stuttered, averting her gaze. Oh, hell. "Not that I actually-- It's just a saying for, you know, when--"

"Ay Dios mio, you two!" Yo-Yo groaned from behind her as the speedster walked up to them. "Escape now, flirt later. Burning man, get us the Hell out of here."

Robbie turned to Yo-Yo, giving a faint nod as he slowly seemed to register her words. "Right, um, yeah," he stammered. He glanced once more at Daisy as he stepped back before his eyes scanned the area for a way to get them out.

"Alright, Robbie, there should be a panel on your far right that controls the force field." Fitz stated, brushing past her and Yo-Yo to stand in front.

Robbie turned and his eyes lit up where Fitz had said the panel would be. He stepped closer, his eyebrows pinching together low over his eyes. "Uh, Fitz, this might be a bit complicated. There are a lot of buttons," Robbie grimaced, tapping at the screen.

"It's fine. Now, this might be a little tricky, but I can walk you through the steps to disarm it if you just tell me what--"

Daisy jumped as a loud crash rattled through the space. Smoke and sparks billowed as Robbie returned his fist from the smashed panel. There was a fizzle and then a pop before the shimmering blue wall of energy flickered and dissipated.

"Or you could do that instead, yeah, yep," Fitz murmured.    

Daisy slowly stepped out of the cell as Fitz and Yo-Yo quickly rushed past her and took off to the cell down the hall where Coulson, May, Simmons and Mack were imprisoned. She sidled up to Robbie who had remained where he stood, frowning as he flexed his possibly bruised hand. He winced. A twinge pinched at her heart. Definitely bruised hand, but she had seen him survive worse. He stopped when he noticed her approach, standing up a little straighter.

"Hey," Daisy said, offering a small smile.

Robbie returned it with a soft smile of his own. "Hey."

A gentle warmth flickered in his dark brown eyes that made her heart flutter in her chest. It was the same tenderness he held in his gaze when they last parted ways, when they made an unspoken promise to see each other again.

“It’s … It’s really good to see you," she murmured, fumbling with her fingers.

“Yeah . . . likewise.”

The two fell into a comfortable silence as their eyes were drawn to each other like magnets, their bodies slowly gravitating towards one another. Her eyes flicked down to his lips. There were so many things that needed to be said.

"I--"

"Hey, you two!"

Daisy's heart vaulted into her throat and she quickly whirled around. Coulson stood at the end of the hall as the rest of the team stepped out from their cell. He had his arms crossed over his chest and a knowing smirk on his face.

"We should probably be going before trouble shows up, right?" Coulson asked with a raised brow.

Heat bloomed in her cheeks once more as she hastily stumbled a step back from Robbie. It wasn't like they were caught doing anything, but, damn, did it seem like they were caught almost doing something. Her heart pounded fast. What that something was would have to wait. 

"Yeah, yeah, we're coming," Daisy coughed.  

She turned back towards Robbie. His face was flushed, as well, even to the tips of his ears as he ran a gloved hand over his facial hair. Daisy grinned. At least she wasn't the only one feeling like a kid with their hand caught in the cookie jar.

"Shall we?" She asked, gesturing down the hall where everyone else was starting to head for the exit.

He gave her a tight smile and nodded his head. "After you."

[biluata]

Something I wrote up while listening to Ciara's "Paint It, Black." Slightly based off these posts (x) (x)

Robbie twirled his key ring between his fingers, his foot tapping erratically on the floor of the Quinjet. "Are we there yet?" He asked through gritted teeth.

Agent May looked up from her tablet at him. Her face was impassive and her eyes were as cool as steel. "We'll get there soon," she said monotonously then returned her attention back to her screen.

Fire flared inside, him burning like acid through his veins. "That's not fast enough!" he exclaimed, pounding his fist down on the empty seat next to him. Robbie sprang up onto his feet and began pacing back and forth in the small space. "If I had my chain--"

"But you don't!" May snapped, causing him to jump. She set her tablet aside and rose to her feet. "So you better calm the hell down and sit your ass back down. I will not have you jeopardizing this whole jet if you flame up."

They stared each other down. Her eyes as cold as ice, his burning bright with flames. Forces of opposing nature colliding in the small space between them and raging to be victorious.

Robbie groaned as he collapsed back down into his seat, resting his head in his hands. His insides were a stormy sea, tossing and turning within him into a huge swirling mess. He could honestly throw up right now. "If they hurt her. . ." He muttered, pinching his eyes shut.

"You think you're the only one who cares about Daisy?"

His heart jolted sharply in his chest. Robbie opened his eyes and raised his head. May's face was still the picturesque example of cold fury, but there was something else. It was in the way her bottom lip trembled, the way her dark eyes glistened. She was scared.

"We all care about her, Robbie. She means the world to us, so just because you love her--"

Robbie froze. "It's not like that," he interjected, quickly sitting up.

May raised an eyebrow. "Please, I see the way you two look at each other. I'm not an idiot."

His mouth went dry. She glared at him, challenging him to deny it.

Daisy's smiling face the last time he saw her appeared clearly in his mind from the warm crinkle of her eyes to the cute, small scrunch of her nose. Robbie's heart pounded painfully against his chest as if it were dragging against shards of razor-sharp glass, and he lowered his gaze.

He couldn't.

A gentle hand rested on his shoulder. Robbie lifted his head and his eyes widened. Deep beneath May's hardened gaze there tinged a small, maternal warmth he had never seen in the older agent before.  

"I promise, Robbie, we are going to get her back alive. We are going to bring her home. And we are going to make those sons of bitches pay for ever thinking of touching her."

A grin crept at the corners of his mouth. He nodded. Now that was something the two could agree on.  

[biluata]

It Didn't Even Feel like Falling - Quakerider One-shot

Words: 15,522

Request #8: Daisy ranting about her evolving friendship with Robbie Reyes to Simmons

A little Fluff. Lots of Emotions. Pretty Saucy. Some Humor. Gets a bit Sappy. (I apologize)

Read on Ao3: Here

Daisy pounded on the apartment door with enough fury to nearly knock it off its hinges. After all the craziness that happened these past few days, she had to talk to someone. Anyone, really. She tightened her left hand into a fist in her coat pocket as her right hand continued to batter the innocent door once more.

“Come on, come on, come on,” she muttered as her foot tapped faster than a jackhammer into the hardwood floors. If someone didn’t answer in the next two seconds, Daisy swore she was going to quake the damn door down.

Suddenly, a loud thunk resonated through the door as the deadbolt slid out of place. Daisy let out an audible sigh as her shoulders relaxed. Finally!

The door quickly creaked open inward, revealing a wide-eyed, slightly disheveled Jemma Simmons in comfy, gray loungewear. She held a small I.C.E.R. in her right hand, but quickly lowered the gun to her hip once she saw it was only her.

“Daisy? What on Earth are you doing here?” Simmons asked, brushing back a strand of hair that had gotten loose from her messy bun.

“I needed to see you,” Daisy simply replied. She slipped past the British woman, who gaped at her all huge-eyed and open-mouthed like a goldfish, and shuffled her way into the apartment.

It was the same apartment Daisy helped pick out for Fitz-Simmons in what honestly seemed like a lifetime ago. Still, even if it had only been a trick to lure Simmons into meeting and helping her, she was glad her friends had ended up deciding to keep it.

Overall, it was cute and what she imagined a cozy, modern English cottage would look like if it were brought into the city. Instead of her blood decorating the walls and floors, the space was stuffed with transitional furniture and décor. Everything was in neutral, earthy tones with lots of whites and creams to make the small space seem bright and more open. Even if the place gave off the staged aura of a Home & Garden magazine page, Fitz-Simmons managed to make it feel like their own with personal touches. Various science books and trinkets she couldn’t even begin to comprehend were scattered throughout the space, along with several pictures of themselves and the rest of the S.H.I.E.L.D. team. This was the perfect place for her two beloved friends. After all they had been through, they deserved it.

Daisy paused at the small, circular dining table set up in the breakfast nook. Wedding magazines and binders filled the small surface area with one binder currently opened to a huge page filled with just various, different floral arrangements one could have for the “big day.” Her stomach swirled uneasily and she hastily averted her eyes.

“Daisy, what is going on?” Simmons asked as she shut the front door and set her I.C.E.R. on a nearby end table.

“Is Fitz here?”

Her eyes roved the space, peeking into the kitchen. Fitz-Simmons were always a packaged pair. You couldn’t have one without the other too far behind.

“Uh, no,” she answered slowly as she stepped closer. “He’s helping Coulson with new enhancements for Zephyr One.”

“Probably for the best.” Daisy nodded. If they were both here, they’d probably tag-team against her. No, one-on-one had to be the best scenario for what she was about to reveal.

“Daisy, what is going on? Why are you here?” Simmons demanded as she tugged her cardigan sweater closer while crossing her arms. Her cheeks flushed as she realized how harsh that sounded and quickly added: “Not that I don’t appreciate you visiting. You are always welcomed here, but you were pounding on the door like a madman and you seem–” She narrowed her eyes. “On edge? Is everything okay?”

A cold sweat began to form on the back of her neck. That was Simmons alright. Always the observant scientist. Daisy tightened her left hand in her pocket as her other hand ran its fingers through her short, dark locks.

“It’s … It’s a long story,” she admitted, casting her gaze to the ground. “So, first we are going to need a drink!”

Simmons sputtered as if her whole system crashed into error while Daisy quickly marched into her kitchen. It had the same charm as the living room, but she didn’t have time to admire. Daisy set her eyes on the top, cream cupboards and tugged them open. Nothing. She turned to the refrigerator, but the only decent alcohol she could find was a nice Moscato on the bottom shelf.

What? No Scotch? Does Fitz not have any patriotic pride?

Daisy sighed as she pulled the chilled wine out and set it on the dark granite countertop before closing the fridge. It wasn’t exactly the hard stuff, but it would work just fine.

“Daisy, it’s 11 in the morning!” Simmons criticized as she walked up to the counter.

Daisy ignored her as she started to pull out drawer after drawer in the search for a corkscrew. Each one she opened was carefully organized like how Simmons always kept her work space and lab, but even in all the many years she had known her, Daisy still could not figure out the method to her madness. After opening, rifling through the fifth drawer and still coming up empty, she groaned and gave up.

Turning towards the Moscato, Daisy carefully pointed her right hand at it. She concentrated on the air vibrations inside the bottle and gave her wrist a tiny flick. The cork came flying out of the bottle as it were champagne and landed softly on the counter. Daisy grinned. There was nothing quite like abusing one’s powers to make it through the struggles of the every day.

“Daisy, what is this all about?”

She glanced at Simmons as she snatched two wine glasses from a row in the cupboards she found earlier. Right, the reason she was here. Daisy took in a deep breath and let out a sigh as she set the two glasses down hard by the wine bottle.

“Robbie.”

Now that peaked the other woman’s interest. Simmons raised an eyebrow as she sat down on one of the bar stools on the other side of the counter. “Robbie? As in Robbie Reyes?”

“Mm-hmm,” Daisy hummed in confirmation as she poured herself a generous glass. She gestured the second empty glass towards her British companion, but Simmons hurriedly shook her head.

“What about Robbie Reyes?”

Her stomach lurched uneasily. “It’s … complicated.”

Simmons shot her a look. “Daisy, I earned two PhDs by the time I was 17. I can do complicated.”

I doubt this, Daisy thought as she took a sip of wine and let the sweet, citrus taste mull over her tongue. She swallowed and let out another sigh as Simmons kept looking to her expectantly. Well, she had wanted to talk this over with somebody. It was either now or horribly half-assed later, which would probably be at the most terrible time and lead to a lot of confused yelling.

“Alright,” Daisy started,“ So, after the whole A.I.D.A. and Darkhold incident, Robbie and I started to hang out a lot more often. We’d help each other out on missions, you know, just a casual superhero team-up for the greater good. It was nice and fun, but then …” She took another sip.

“But then what?”

Daisy bit her lip. Well, here goes the first Band-Aid.

“But then we kind of had sex.”

Simmons’ eyes nearly popped out of her head, but she said nothing. Instead, she hastily reached across the counter and poured herself a full glass of wine. She took a sip before gingerly setting her glass down.

“Kind of?” Simmons questioned, her voice terribly high-pitched and screechy as if Mary Poppins turned into an owl. “What do you mean you kind of had sex? How do you kind of have sex?”

A grin coiled on Daisy’s lips. “Well, when a guy and a girl who are attracted to each other meet, sometimes they get these urges in their–”

“Don’t you get clever with me! I know perfectly well how sexual intercourse works, thank you very much.”

Daisy cringed. Sexual intercourse. It was like she was back in middle school forced to attend the sex-education class.

“Okay, alright, alright, just don’t get all medical, technical term on me,” Daisy stated, wrinkling her nose. “It’s so proper and weird and takes all the fun out of sex.”

Simmons smirked. “Well then?”

Daisy took another sip of wine. “Alright, so one night …”

* * *

The ground rumbled beneath her as she silently landed on the wet asphalt outside of the warehouse. Her arms groaned like an old oak tree threatening to splinter and keel over in a harsh breeze. Daisy gritted her teeth as she tried to rub the dull ache away. If only she had snatched her gauntlets before coming here, but she didn’t have the time. Any minute now Coulson might realize that she had taken a detour during her Inhuman asset check-up and send back-up to come track her down. It wouldn’t be hard if she was successful in what she was planning to do.

Thankful at least she had thought to wear black, Daisy stuck to the shadows as she skirted the outside of the huge, metallic warehouse. From the exterior, there was certainly nothing suspicious about this place. It looked like any of the other rusting warehouses lined up on the harbor docks, but Daisy had heard the chatter on the dark web. Watchdogs were gathering here.

Even after Senator Nadeer and Ivanov fell from grace, the Watchdogs continued to grow and strengthen their numbers. They might have been silent in the recent months, but it was only a matter of time before they struck again. As long as the Watchdogs were around, no Inhuman was safe.

Coulson had promised her that they would focus on the ending the Watchdogs for good soon, but after months of waiting, she’d had enough. She had to do something, even if it meant doing it outside of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s oversight once more.

Daisy crouched down behind a damp set of indistinct wooden crates and peered out at the backdoor. She frowned. No guards. Usually there had to be some of those canine-masked goons loitering about to keep watch, but so far, she hadn’t come across a single one. It was … unnerving and made her stomach crawl. She couldn’t have been mistaken with the information, could she?

A mechanical rumble roared through the still night.

Daisy whirled around from her crouched position just in time to see a very familiar, sleek black ‘69 Charger appear from around the corner. The muscle car skidded to a halt a couple yards away, small wisps of steam billowing off its metallic hide in the cool, marine air.

Warmth bubbled in her chest and a smile inched across her face. She had a good feeling she knew who it was behind the wheel.

Daisy checked the area once more for any signs of the Watchdogs, then stood once her search came up empty again. She slowly made her way over to the Charger as the rumbling black beauty hissed into silence and the driver’s door swung open.

“Funny running into you here,” Daisy called as Robbie Reyes stepped out of the vehicle.

He froze, but as he turned his head and his eyes landed on her, a hint of a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth beneath his mustache. Her heart sped up a little bit.

Robbie had been doing a lot more smiling lately the more she had been seeing him. It was surprisingly nice, actually. His whole face seemed so much more youthful and warm when it didn’t have the hard lines of his glower weighing him down. Other than that, he was looking pretty much the same as always ever since he returned from hiding the Darkhold a few weeks ago. Same leather jacket, same chain, same possessive fiery vengeance demon hiding beneath his skull.

“You following me or something?” She asked, stopping just a few feet short of him.

This had to be the fourth time she ran into him these past few weeks, outside of S.H.I.E.L.D.-ordered appearances, and Daisy rarely believed in coincidences. Not that she minded seeing him again. When he wasn’t all grim and “I sold my soul to the devil,” Robbie was actually pretty fun to hang around. The last time they had ran into each other, they had ended up getting drunk together at a country bar in Texas and rode a mechanical bull.

“Because, stalking really does not look good on you, Reyes.” Daisy crossed her arms across her chest and jutted her hip out to the side. Her gesture was supposed to come off as cool and intimidating, maybe even a little badass. Robbie just snorted a chuckle instead.

“You wish,” he stated, slamming his car door shut and walking over towards her. “I was actually just in the neighborhood taking care of some dark magic cultists in Salem when I sensed some trouble here.” Robbie stopped a few feet short of her and smirked. “I guess I found it.”

Daisy rolled her eyes. “Ha. Ha,” she declared, punctuating each syllable with as much sarcasm as she could muster. “But, that’s actually why I’m here, too. I heard some talk of Watchdogs meeting here.”

She shot another glance around, but it was still just the two of them. Honestly, where were they? If Robbie, the bad-mojo-detecting wonder, could sense there was something wrong here, she couldn’t be far-off.

Daisy turned back towards Robbie and her heart jolted harshly in her chest. He was staring at her intently, his dark eyes roving up and down her whole frame. A spark of electricity tingled up her spine and prickled her skin. Her heart began to pick up speed, thudding heavily against her ribcage.

“So, I’m guessing you aren’t here under official S.H.I.E.L.D. business?” He asked, nodding his head at her outfit.

Daisy raised her eyebrows as she glanced down at her ensemble of jeans, a black tank-top and a black leather jacket. Right, her clothes. If she had been ordered by S.H.I.E.L.D. to handle the Watchdogs, she would usually wear her Quake uniform and, at least, her gauntlets. Of course, that’s what he had noticed. Not that he had been staring at her because he liked–

No! That was ridiculous. This was just Robbie, after all. They were just friends. Besides, there was no way he would even be looking at her in that way. He had seen her sweaty and disheveled, vomiting into a cowboy hat just last week. If that wasn’t a big enough turn-off, she didn’t know what was.

“I guess you could call it an off-the-grid, side project,” she admitted with a shrug of her shoulders.

“Don’t worry,” Robbie grinned as he stepped a bit closer to her. Her breath hitched in her chest as she fought the urge to step back. “Your secret is safe with me.”

His eyes focused on something over her shoulder and suddenly his whole face blanched. “Daisy!”

Then everything happened so fast it almost seemed like it was frozen in slow motion.

Daisy whirled around to see a lone Watchdog aim a pistol at her. He let loose several shots, but before they could hit her, Robbie leapt in front of her. A chilling numbness took over her as the bullets hit him square in the chest, staining the night air with a mist of his blood. Robbie shuddered from the impact before his body pitched forward and he collapsed onto his knees.

The thud of body onto pavement quickly knocked her and everything else back into motion. She set her steely gaze on the Watchdog and quickly sent a shockwave in his direction. He went flying back several feet and landed with a sickening bang against the steel warehouse wall before crumpling to the ground.

“Robbie?“ Her voice cracked as she turned to check on him, but Robbie wasn’t there anymore.

Fire ignited where he once kneeled and the hot flames caused Daisy to quickly stagger a few steps back. A cold sweat pricked at the back of her neck as the Ghost Rider slowly rose to his feet. He glanced over at her, the embers that made his eyes boring deep into her soul. She had met the demon many times before now, but the sight of his flaming skull still sent a shiver down her spine.

Her head whipped around as several pounding feet coalesced around them. A large group of over a dozen Watchdogs surrounded them. They trained their weapons on them, but there was some hesitancy in their grip and stance.

"I-I told you Quake would come, but who-who the Hell is that other … thing?” One of them barked to the person next to them.

“I dunno, some weird-ass fire Inhuman? No matter, we stick with the plan," the other responded back, cocking his rifle.

Daisy gritted her teeth as a fire began to burn in her chest. So, this had all just been a grand scheme to lure her here? She should have known. Oh well, that would be their mistake, not hers.

She raised her arms into a fighting stance and glanced over towards the Rider who unwrapped the chain from around his torso with a loud snap. "You game?”

He turned his skull towards her and nodded. Then all Hell broke loose.

Instantly, Daisy sent quake blast after quake blast towards the Watchdogs’ weapons, destroying some into tiny pieces while the Ghost Rider used his chain to melt others. The Watchdogs were only hindered for a moment before they rushed forward in a mass of yelling canine masks. Daisy’s S.H.I.E.L.D.-trained instincts immediately kicked in. She dodged one punch and caught another’s arm as he was sending a knife down at her throat. Daisy twisted it out of his grip with a snap and quaked him away before taking the knife and stabbing it in the other’s chest.

A few times she would quake a Watchdog goon in the Rider’s direction who would take care of them instantly with his chain or bare hands. Sometimes he would wrangle up a few in his chain and send them her way to be immediately blasted hundreds of feet away into the harbor. They were perfectly in sync. An unstoppable team of fire and earthquakes that quickly brought down every single Watchdog until there were none left standing.

Daisy sunk her butt onto a wooden crate as she tried to catch her breath. The bones in her arm whined, but her body was still too buzzed to notice any real pain. She was certainly going to feel it in the morning, though.

Her eyes shifted to her fiery companion as his flaming skull extinguished and flesh took over once more. Then, he was back.

Robbie Reyes staggered towards his Charger, dropping his chain with a sizzle as it hit the cold, wet ground. An icy shard stabbed its way through her heart as he collapsed onto his car for support.

“Robbie!” Daisy quickly rose to her feet and rushed over towards him.

He groaned as he slowly turned around, but a ghost of a smile flicked across his lip as his eyes landed on her.

“Hey,” he panted.

“Hey?” She faltered for a moment, slowing down before finishing her stride up to him. “Robbie, you just got shot in the chest and all you can say is ‘hey'?”

Robbie smirked and Daisy clenched her hands to restrain herself from slapping the smug look off his face. “Daisy, I’m fine.”

She raised her brow. “Robbie, you were shot in the chest. Multiple times. How is that fine?”

“I’m fine, honestly,” he stated, pushing himself off the Charger with his shoulders and straightening up.

Daisy frowned, crossing her arms. “You don’t look fine.”

Sure, he didn’t look like he was at Death’s door, but there was a tightness to his expression with each heavy breath he took. The shard in her heart twisted. He was in some sort of pain, even if he was too damn stubborn to admit it. Why did he always have to be so stubborn?

Robbie watched her, his face softening. “I’ll be fine. See?”

He gestured to his jacket and Daisy tilted her head. After all those bullets, his signature leather jacket should be the equivalence of Swiss cheese right now. Instead, it was perfectly fine. There wasn’t even a scratch on it.

Daisy stepped closer, her eyes focused on his seemingly okay chest as everything else started to spin around her. She didn’t even ask, but Robbie didn’t protest, as she unbuttoned his jacket and zipped it down. Her fingers ghosted over his fitted dark grey shirt. There were no bullet holes either, not even a hint of blood as proof of the horror she witnessed. A chill settled in her stomach. It was as if he never got shot at all.

Robbie reached a gloved hand to her cheek, but hesitated and let it settle on her shoulder, instead.

“I told you. I don’t get hurt.”

His words shocked her back into reality and all the fire that had simmered in her chest came bellowing back full-force. Daisy frowned as her hand on his chest balled into a fist.

“Well that doesn’t mean you can just take a bullet for me, Reyes,” she spat, pounding her clenched hand into his chest. Robbie winced.

Good, so he does get hurt, she thought, glaring at him.

Robbie narrowed his eyes at her and his usual glower took over his face. “Are you being serious?” He demanded, dropping his hand from her shoulder. “Of course, I’d take a bullet for you. Or a dozen. Hell, I’d do it again without a second thought. You know why?”

“Why?” She snapped, stepping closer to get in his face.

“It’s cause despite how much of a badass you think you are, you’re not invincible, Daisy. I am!”

“For now!” Daisy shouted, blood roaring through her system as heat stung at the back of her eyes. “Who’s to say the next time you get knocked down, you don’t get back up? Just because it’s happened before, doesn’t mean it always will. What if the other guy just decides to leave you cold on the ground?”

“We have a deal–”

“Ugh, don’t you dare start with that 'deal with the devil’ bullshit, again.”

“Bullshit? Are you serious? The deal is the only damn reason I’m still alive and here right now!”

“The deal doesn’t matter! Damn it, you don’t get it, Robbie! You can’t just risk your life for mine! You can’t just sacrifice yourself for my careless mistakes! I can’t lose–”

The rest of her words cracked in her throat as Daisy fell silent. The blood drained from her face. Robbie furrowed his brow as his fiery brown eyes searched hers, waiting for her to continue. But it was gone. All that fire that had consumed her was snuffed out leaving her numb and heavy.

Daisy ducked her head to avoid his gaze and closed her eyes. Immediately, she was back on the Zephyr One. Her body was frozen like a statue, unable to do anything but watch the lone Quinjet on the monitors spiral outside the Earth’s atmosphere. She steeled her heart, waiting as the seconds ticked down for the explosion, but before it could, she blinked, and suddenly she was back at the docks moments ago. Robbie stood in front of her, seconds away from being riddled with bullets. Daisy tried to move, to quake him out of the way, to push him aside, to do something, anything, but she couldn’t even scream. She could only watch and wait before another person she cared about was ripped away from her again.

A hollowness ached in her chest as she opened her eyes and raised her head. Robbie was no longer glaring at her. The harsh lines had disappeared, making his face smooth and tender once more. The fierce fire was gone from his eyes, as well. Instead, they held a gentle warmth like pools of molten chocolate sweetly watching her with a glisten of concern.

Her heart fluttered wildly in her chest while her stomach squirmed. There was a charge in the air in the small distance between them, something electric and magnetic that slowly drew her even closer to him.

Daisy froze, quickly averting her gaze as heat pooled in her cheeks. What was she doing? She took a step back, running a hand through her hair. So much happened in the past few minutes, a rollercoaster of emotions and adrenaline. She had to get out of here.

“Sorry, I should–” Daisy pinched her brow and shook her head before quickly turning around. She only took a few steps when suddenly a warm, leather hand grabbed hold of her wrist. Daisy barely had time to acknowledge it before she was roughly spun around and Robbie’s lips pounced on her own.

It was like lightning struck her spine, frying all her nerves as she stood there frozen and wide-eyed beneath his mouth. She couldn’t think. She couldn’t move. An explosion had gone off in her brain, leaving her disoriented and barely able to comprehend anything besides the fact that Robbie Reyes was kissing her right now.

Then, the fire appeared. It started off small and white-hot like a shower of sparks where their lips met, but then quickly it ignited into a blazing inferno. The flames swept across her body, consuming every inch of her in its warm glow. It was hot and sweet like the desert sun, kindly coaxing her into its scorching embrace. Daisy slowly closed her eyes as she started to melt into his kiss.

As sudden as it had happened, Robbie broke off the kiss like the snap of safety tether over a cavernous drop. Immediately, a chill rushed in, suffocating the warmth inside her.

Daisy opened her eyes, her lips still tingling like they were being lit up by firecrackers as Robbie stared at her a good arm-length’s distance away. He was breathing heavy, face flushed and eyes wider than a deer’s in headlights.

She glanced at his parted lips as her own ached. He had kissed her. Robbie had kissed her.

“I–” He choked out, running a hand across his short hair. “I’m so sorry– I just– I don’t know what–”

Daisy wrapped her fingers tight around Robbie’s leather jacket and roughly tugged him towards her. She closed her eyes as her lips crashed against his, kissing him with a fevered eagerness while the fire roared to life in her once more. Robbie’s lips trembled against hers, wanting to kiss her back, but he grabbed her shoulders and held her back.

“Daisy, we shouldn’t–”

“Shut up,” she breathed and kissed him again, hard enough to probably leave a bruise.

Robbie instantly gave in as he wrapped his arms around her waist and jerked her close to him. They kissed as if they were wildfire. Messy and raw with an enormous heat that consumed everything they touched. Their hands roamed each other in a frantic mess, desperately tugging and pulling each other closer as if the other was the oxygen they needed to survive.

Robbie stumbled back against his Charger taking her with him. The sudden jolt broke their kiss for a moment, before Robbie’s lips came rushing back onto her own. Daisy clung to him desperately like to a ship in a raging storm as he trailed hot kisses from her lips down to her neck. She dug her fingernails into his jacket as his teeth grazed her skin and a moan shot through her as he reached a sensitive part of her neck. That only seemed to encourage him more as Robbie left more little nips that had her melting.

Daisy couldn’t take it anymore. The sweet stings of his mouth, the smooth leather of his gloved fingers trailing hot streaks on the skin of her lower back, it all left her with a pulsing desire for more. She wanted him. She needed him in a way she didn’t think she’d ever feel for another man again.

“Car? Now?” She panted breathlessly in his ear as one of her hands slid down and played with the buckle of his jeans’ belt.

Robbie pulled his head back and Daisy opened her eyes in time to see him nod. His hand quickly fumbled for the driver’s door handle and pulled it open. Daisy planted one last kiss on his lips, leaving a teasing bite, before she ducked into his car. She crawled into the backseat where she quickly kicked off her boots and vehemently shrugged off her jacket as it stuck harshly to her sweaty skin.

The car door slammed shut with a heavy thunk as Robbie hopped in. Daisy watched him from where he sat in the driver’s seat tearing off his gloves and his own shoes.

A cold spike pierced her chest. Oh fuck, were they really going to do this? She was starting to wonder if she should call this off before it was too late when his hungry, dark eyes landed on her and all such thoughts went up in a puff of smoke.

Daisy pulled her to him as he crawled into the back and kissed him roughly. Their lips continued to part and meet like lovers on a dancefloor as they tugged each other’s clothes off until there was nothing left between them. Robbie hovered over her, his face mirroring her own hesitation for the briefest of moments before Daisy kissed him and tugged him onto her. Everything exploded in a blinding white heat as their bodies meshed and melded as one.

* * *

“So then what?” Simmons asked, digging her hand into a bowl of mini pretzels she had gotten out during Daisy’s tale. She popped two into her mouth with a loud crunch as her eyes looked to her expectantly.

“Well,” Daisy murmured, trailing her finger around the base of her glass. “After Robbie and I … you know, I just … left.”

Simmons' eyes almost bugged out of her head and she coughed on the pretzels still in her mouth. She quickly grabbed her wine glass and took a sip, swallowing with relieving sigh. “You left?” she questioned piercingly like a whistle.

Daisy jumped. “Yeah? Why? What? Was that bad?”

Simmons groaned as she sank against the countertop, rubbing at her temple. “I mean, yes, kind of? You two had sex. What does this mean? Are you together now?”

“See, I didn’t know! It all just happened so fast all of a sudden, I just had to get out of there, ” she admitted and took a sip of wine. “I mean, I cared about Robbie. We were friends, but …”

“You still weren’t over Lincoln.”

Daisy stared down into her glass and nodded her head. “I mean, it’s not entirely crazy, right? Lincoln was the first guy I could say I ever truly loved. I didn’t know if I was ready to have such a serious relationship like that again.”

“Did you tell Robbie that?”

Her palms began to sweat as she glanced up at Simmons, but quickly averted her gaze. “Well, I had planned to when I saw him again a week later at the Base. I brought him to my room so we could talk in private … ”

“But?” Simmons supplied, unease creeping in her voice.

Daisy bit her lip. “But then we had sex again.”

“What?!” Daisy cringed as Simmons slammed her hand onto the counter, rattling their glasses. “You’re joking?”

Her cheeks began to warm. “Well, I hadn’t really seen or talked to him ever since that night, and, as we were standing there, the memories just started coming back …”

She didn’t want to be so melodramatic about it, but their sex in the Charger had been good. Like really freaking good. It had been a bit cramped and awkward at first, but the more they got into it, the more his touch ignited her and brought her whole body to life. He had left her reeling in ecstasy.

Daisy had thought maybe it was just a one-time fluke. It had been the first time in a really long time since she had been with anyone, and maybe by that point her body was desperate for any touch. But then they had sex in her room, and Daisy swore it had been even better than their first tryst.

“After that I told him I wasn’t really looking for a serious relationship, so we agreed to just be friends … who happened to have sex sometimes.”

“Wait a minute,” Simmons murmured, straightening up. “I remember the Watchdog’s harbor incident. That was last June.” Her eyes widened. “You mean to tell me you and Robbie have been having friendly, casual sex for 10 months and I am just now finding out about it?”

Daisy shrugged as she snatched a pretzel out of the bowl. “Well, it’s not like we saw each other that much, you know, between S.H.I.E.L.D. duties and his Ghost Rider duties.”

“But when you did?”

“I mean, not every time. We’re not sex freaks.” She popped the pretzel in her mouth and chewed it slowly for a moment. “But, yeah.”

Simmons sighed as she sank back into her stool. There was a distant look in her eyes, as if Daisy had just told her all the laws of thermodynamics were proven to be a sham. “I … I cannot believe I never figured it out. You and Robbie are my friends, and I didn’t even realize.”

The pretzel she had been chewing quickly turned to ashes in her mouth, and Daisy struggled to swallow it. “I’m sorry, it’s just that we didn’t even really know what our relationship was. It was nice and fun and if we told you guys, it would have been complicated.”

“Still,” she whined. “I should have at least noticed something was going on with you two.”

“Hey,” Daisy reached her right hand out and let it rest gently on her friend’s arm. “You got engaged. You’ve been kicking biochemical ass at S.H.I.E.L.D. and planning a wedding! I’d say you’ve more than earned being allowed to be a little distracted.”

A smile tugged at the corners of Simmons’ mouth as she fiddled with her engagement ring. It was a gorgeous three-diamond gold ring with the middle diamond being slightly larger than its two companions. Daisy and the rest of the team had all been there when Fitz proposed and gave the ring to her several months ago. Everyone had been in tears, even May, the whole moment had been so romantically beautiful.

Daisy smiled tightly as she twisted her left hand still in her coat pocket. “Besides, if it makes you feel any better, you were really close to walking in on us one time.”

Simmons froze, the smile slowly fading off her face as she tilted her head. “What one time?” She asked, narrowing her eyes.

“Well, Robbie and I were banging out a quickie in the science-tech lab supply closet when–”

The supply closet? Are you serious?“ Simmons shrilled and Daisy hastily returned her hand.

"I mean, at the time, it was just right there–”

“Daisy! There are so many sensitive equipment stored in there! I cannot believe you would do–”

“Oh, please, we didn’t break anything and you didn’t even notice. Besides, surely you must’ve thought of getting a little frisky with Fitz in the Containment Module at least once, right?” She waggled her eyebrows.

Simmons’ face immediately flushed a bright, cherry blossom pink. Daisy grinned.

Busted.

Man, they had been talking about her sex life for almost the past hour, it was nice to have the tables turn, at least for a moment.

Simmons took a long, shaky sip of wine. “I-I mean, sure, the idea might have crossed our minds a few times, but we would never–” She paused, eyes widening. “Wait a minute! Did you and Robbie have sex in the Containment Module, as well?��

Shit.

Warmth rose in Daisy’s cheek as she hastily took her own long sip of wine instead of answering the question. Apparently, that was already telling enough. A huge grin stretched across Simmons’ face until she realized what she was smiling about and scowled instead.

“Honestly, is there any place at the Base you two haven’t defiled with your antics?” She questioned.

Daisy set her empty glass on the counter and poured herself some more. “Simmons, the Base is freaking ginormous. Do you honestly think two people can have sex in every possible–”

“That’s not answering my question.”

Daisy sighed and rolled her eyes. “Yes, Simmons, there are places we haven’t had sex in. We’re not sex freaks!”

Although she and Robbie probably had fooled around in more places than anybody else who worked at the S.H.I.E.L.D. base. There was even that time in the director’s office when Coulson left her in charge for a week.

She hadn’t planned on it, obviously. They had just been talking late one night after he had invited himself in to check on her, but Robbie just had a way of easily turning her on. One minute she was ranting about her problems while he was massaging away the stress in her shoulders, the next they were kissing and quickly pulling each other’s clothes off.

Daisy had paid particularly close attention to make sure all physical and digital evidence of that incident had been wiped clean, but that still didn’t stop her heart rate from spiking every time Coulson called to talk to her in his office. So far, to her knowledge, he still hadn’t found out about it, and hopefully he never would.

Simmons shook her head as she fiddled with her wine glass. “I just cannot believe nobody figured out what was happening with you two.”

“Actually, Gabe found out,” Daisy admitted as she popped another pretzel in her mouth.

He was the closest person in Robbie’s life and a really smart kid. It didn’t take him long to put together what was really going on between the two of them. Although, it was kind of painfully obvious when he had spotted her leaving Robbie’s room early one morning with fresh sex hair.

Breakfast later that morning between the three of them had to be one of the most terribly awkward meals she ever had to endure, but in the end Gabe had said he was fine with their arrangement as long as Robbie was happy. And as long as they were careful to make sure he didn’t become an uncle just yet. The sight of coffee shooting out of Robbie’s nose almost made up for the mini heart-attack Gabe had given even her for even implying something like that.

She swallowed. “And May caught us.”

“Seriously?” Simmons asked, sitting up in her seat. “What happened?”

Daisy pinched her eyebrows together. Ugh, May catching her with Robbie had to be worse than Gabe finding out. Maybe even worse than when she caught her with Miles.

Daisy had been sparring with Robbie in the gym-training room when their heated match quickly became a heated kiss. It wasn’t long before the clothes had started coming off. She had her hands sliding down his sweatpants when May had loudly cleared her throat. It was like the bang of a gunshot that had them hastily separating themselves from each other faster than Yo-Yo’s super-speed.

May was her S.O. and the basic equivalence of a mother to her (even though neither of them would admittedly openly call their relationship that). Seeing the older woman standing in the gym’s doorway with her arms crossed and an arctic cold expression on her face, an extremely red-faced Daisy had nearly died on the spot. As they put their clothes back on, she had expected a scolding lecture, maybe even a slap on the wrist. What had came next still floored her to this day.

“She asked for an explanation, and after we did, May was surprisingly fine with it. She even agreed not to tell anyone else what were doing unless it would cause problems that affected the team.”

Simmons raised an eyebrow. “Really? That’s all?” She questioned, doubt evident in her voice.

A grin slipped on Daisy’s face. “Well, she may have also threatened Robbie that she would find a way to kill him if he ever hurt me.”

Robbie’s blanching face had been priceless. It honestly had to have been the first time she had seen him look actually unnerved about his immortality. He had been around long enough to know May wasn’t one to be easily trifled with. If she made a threat, she would certainly follow through with it.

Daisy knew the older woman must have been thinking about Ward when she made the threat. May knew first-hand how having a secretive, sexual relationship with a coworker could really go wrong. The gesture had been sweet, but Daisy had already known that Robbie was far from turning out to be a Ward situation. She had known that the minute she had learned about the man behind the fiery Los Angeles serial killer, and he had proven his good nature countless times since.

“Okay,” Simmons murmured slowly, folding her hands together on the counter. “So you and Robbie have been having this–” She paused, her eyes darting to find the right phrasing. “– friendly sexual relationship for months now without most people’s knowledge. Why are you telling me this now? What changed?”

Daisy tensed as if a bucket of freezing ice water had been dumped over her head. There was the clever Simmons she knew. Always able to figure out the root of the reasoning behind a mess of data.

She played with the lint in her left coat pocket as she took another sip of wine. Here comes the second Band-Aid.

“Alright, so I was staying at Robbie’s house last Friday while I was conducting ’S.H.I.E.L.D. check-ups.’ It’s how we got to spend time together sometimes. But …”

* * *

Daisy was stirred from her dreamless slumber as the mattress creaked and shifted beneath her. She didn’t even open her eyes as she immediately reached out and latched onto the warm body next to her trying to leave the bed.

“Robbie, no,” she grumbled as she tugged him back, rubbing her cheek into his burning hot, bare shoulder. He was always so damn warm and cozy, as if she was snuggling up against a huge campfire marshmallow.

A chuckle rumbled through him that sent pleasant tremors straight to her heart. “Sorry, chica, I got to go,” he murmured quietly.

The logical part in Daisy knew that. Unlike she, who was taking an undisclosed mini vacation from S.H.I.E.L.D., Robbie actually had responsibilities and duties to uphold. However, the logical part of Daisy was still very much asleep and honestly didn’t care to try to wake up at the moment. All she wanted was for Robbie and his wonderfully warm body to stay just a little bit longer. It couldn’t be that late in the morning already.

She wrapped her arms tighter around him and another laugh tumbled out of him. Daisy was prepared to hold on with the vice-like grip of a crocodile in a death roll until Robbie’s fingers began to tickle her arms. She whined and jerked, but no matter how hard she tried to resist, she was no match for his tickling. Her grip on him loosened and Robbie hastily slipped out of her arms and rolled away. Daisy immediately grasped out for him again, but all her fingers found were rapidly cooling, empty sheets.

She let out a groan, opening her eyes just a crack in the dim room to see a turned-around Robbie slipping on a pair of jeans over his boxers. Her eyes widened just a little more as she watched the way the taut muscles on his shirtless back moved while he finished adjusting his pants. Daisy bit her bottom lip as she sat up, pulling his dark sheets closer to her cold, half-naked body. What she wouldn’t give to rake her fingernails across that smooth skin right now.

“Why go when you could stay in bed with me?” She purred, letting the bed sheet slip lower over her breasts.

Robbie turned around, his eyes widening for a moment as they locked on her before a cheeky grin began to stretch across his face. “You know I would rather choose bed with you in a heartbeat,” he admitted, then his smile fell away. “But I promised Gabe I would drop him off at school and I’ve got to swing by Canelo’s to do a few things.”

Daisy kicked her left foot out from under the sheets and slowly pulled the fabric back from around her smooth, bare leg. Robbie’s eyes followed the teasing movement like a hungry predator as the sheet inched higher and higher up her leg until it stopped just below the hem of her black underwear.

“You sure?” She crooned sweetly, swaying her hips.

Robbie said nothing, but his dark eyes revealed everything. The way they longingly trailed over her body, causing goosebumps to shiver across her skin, she knew he was considering it. Daisy grinned. Any second now and he would be on her, warming her body with his sweet touch.

Robbie’s face pinched together as he sighed and shook his head. “Sadly, yes.”

What? Daisy furrowed her brow while Robbie returned to getting dressed for the day. She crossed her arms across her chest as he pulled a dark gray t-shirt out of his dresser and slipped it on along with his socks and shoes. Was he serious?

“Are you serious?” Daisy asked, dropping the enticing tone as a frown settled on her lips. This wouldn’t be the first time she was denied sex, but the rejection still stung like a thorn to her ego.

Robbie turned to her with a remorseful look. "Sorry, Dais, I really have to go, but I promise I’ll make it up to you.“

He scooped up his signature leather jacket from off the floor as he walked over to her and then bent down until they were eye-level with each other, their faces mere inches away from one another. His warm chocolate brown eyes searched her own as a soft smile tugged at his mouth.

"When I get back, I swear, I’m.” Daisy closed her eyes as he leaned forward and gave a soft peck to her pouting lips. “All.” He kissed her again. “Yours.”

Daisy’s pout trembled as his lips found hers once more, until she finally gave in and kissed him back. His lips were always sweeter than honey, but they also held a fire to them that gently stung. Robbie broke off the kiss before giving her one final quick smooch. She opened her eyes as he stood up and tugged his jacket on.

“Who says I’m going to be here when you get back, Reyes?” She haughtily asked, biting back the smile tingling on her lips.

Robbie paused his primping as he stared at her for a moment. He titled his head, slightly opening his mouth as if meant to say something but hesitation teetered on his lips. Closing his mouth, Robbie quickly shook his head and, apparently, the thought aside. “I’ll see you in a few hours,” he smirked before exiting his room and closing the door behind him.

“Yeah, we’ll see,” Daisy muttered as she sunk back into the bed.

She stared up at the shadows on the ceiling casted by the early morning light as the sound of the two Reyes brothers bumbling about in the house filtered through the cracks in the door. What had he wanted to say? The first thing that came to mind was a joke at her expense, but Robbie had never been one to hold back from a wisecrack, even when they first met and all he did was pout and glower.

Daisy casted her eyes to the bedroom door as the solid thud of the front door closing vibrated through the house’s structure. It was quiet for a moment until the rumbling growl of the Charger’s engine roared out, instead. The high-pitched squeal of the tires peeling out screamed over it for a moment before the Charger’s clamor faded away, and everything returned to a dull silence once more. She was all alone.

A sigh slipped past her lips as she rolled over onto her side and pulled the sheets closer to her body. Robbie may have stuff to do, but this was her day off. No missions to worry about. No morning training sessions to attend. She could sleep for as long as she wanted to, and she planned to. Who knew when the next time she’d get a peaceful morning like this?

Snuggling her cheek into her pillow, Daisy closed her eyes. Instead of empty blackness that would soon lull her into slumber, Robbie’s face filled her vision as if he was on a jumbo movie screen. He had that look on his face before he left as if he had a hidden inside joke that he seemed to not want to share with her. Why?

Daisy frowned as she rolled over to her other side. She didn’t want to think about Robbie or his annoyingly appealing face or anything. All she wanted was to get a few more hours of sleep. Daisy squeezed her eyes even tighter shut, hoping to will the prickly thoughts away, as she rolled over again. After several minutes of doing this, and not being any closer to getting sleepy or getting Robbie out of her head, Daisy groaned like a wounded, defeated bear and opened her eyes.

Well, I guess I’ll just get up then.

She tossed the sheets back and the morning chill immediately began to settle across her bare skin. A shiver ran through her as she stretched her stiff limbs before quickly rising out of bed. Daisy went over to his dresser and opened the drawer that held several articles of her clothing. As she tugged on a pair of dark gray jeans and a navy-blue sweater, her eyes landed on the photo strip she and Robbie had taken when they went to the Santa Monica pier last September resting on top of his dresser.

A smile tugged on the corners of her mouth. That had been such a great day. It was probably the most fun and relaxing day she had in a while filled with nothing but laughter and bellies full of junk food. As soon as she had spotted the photo booth, she had dragged Robbie’s protesting ass as fast as she could to it. He had pouted originally, as evidenced by the first photo, but after she had poked his cheeks back with her index fingers in order to force him to smile, she had been able to coax him into making ridiculous faces alongside her.

“I’ll see you in a few hours.”

Daisy frowned as she slammed the drawer shut. It had been such an innocent statement, but it rubbed her the wrong way like sandpaper across her skin. It had been the way he said it, not really a request but more as if it was a fact that she would be here waiting for him to get home. Where did he even get off expecting something like that?“

She ran her fingers through her tangled hair as she left his room and headed for the bathroom to finish getting ready for the day. The small counter was a mess of toothbrushes, razors and whatever the Hell else guys needed, as it usually was in the morning, but the boys were kind enough to leave the space with her toiletries fairly clear. Daisy tugged open her makeup bag and quickly got to work.

I mean, I know we are friends, she thought as she flicked on some mascara. And yes, I came out to L.A. to see him specifically, but that doesn’t mean I can’t go off and do my own thing.

Daisy finished making herself look somewhat of a presentable person before she left the bathroom and made her way into the kitchen. Immediately, she was hit with the bitter warm smell of roasted coffee. The ”#1 Superhero” mug Coulson got her for Christmas sat on the counter with the tawny brown liquid filled to the brim inside. Warmth bubbled in her chest. Robbie must have poured it for her before he left.

She raised the mug to her lips and took a tentative sip. The coffee was barely tepid by this point, but it still had the perfect amount of cream and sugar to make the bitter, life-saving fuel enjoyable. There was even the hint of cinnamon she loved to add to give her coffee a fun little kick. Daisy smiled, but quickly forced herself to frown.

I don’t have to be here when he comes back, she thought as she set the mug in the microwave to heat it up for a few seconds.

As she waited, Daisy went into the pantry and snatched a package of brown sugar cinnamon Pop-Tarts out from the box she hid in the corner from Gabe (the sneaky little thief). The microwave went off and she quickly retrieved her coffee, wincing as the hot ceramic burned her fingers briefly.

In fact, I don’t even have to stay here at all.

Daisy took her breakfast and headed into the living room. With careful, practiced ease, she sunk into her favored spot on the brown leather couch and kicked her feet up onto the coffee table. She raised her mug to her mouth once more.

After all, it’s not like I live here.

Daisy froze as that thought crossed her mind, her mug hovering just inches from her lips. She glanced down at the white “#1 Superhero” letters printed on her mug, contrasting sharply with its navy-blue background.

This was her mug.

In his house.

Her eyes shifted to the Pop-Tarts she had in her lap. Her Pop-Tarts. The ones she had specifically bought for herself along with the other various food items she had in his pantry and fridge.

An icy grip seized her squirming gut as she sat up and shakily set her mug and pastries onto the coffee table. Daisy glanced around his living room, quickly recognizing several more items as her own:

That was her black leather jacket hanging on the coat rack. Those were her boots and sandals by the front door. Her laptop sat charging on the dining room table. The daisy-patterned fleece blanket Bobbi got her for Christmas hung on the adjacent dining chair. Even the framed photograph she took of everyone in her S.H.I.E.L.D. family (including Robbie) during their short vacation in Hawaii rested on one of the bookshelves.

But Daisy knew it didn’t just end here. Some of her clothes were in his dresser. Her beloved dancing hula figure sat on his desk. Her favorite vanilla shampoo and conditioner were in the shower. Hell, she was even certain she had a box of tampons underneath the bathroom sink.

Daisy ran a hand across her clammy face as everything started to go all topsy-turvy around her. Suddenly, Robbie’s smirk and comment earlier were starting to make sense. This wasn’t just his and Gabe’s home anymore. Somehow, sometime along the way, it had become her home, as well.

“Oh, shit.”

* * *

Daisy fiddled with the stem of her glass, the swirling and sloshing pale yellow wine inside matching her own inner unease. “I mean, I was living there, Simmons. Living there! Without even realizing it. How stupid could I be?” She groaned.

“Well, I have great evidence that correlates to a profound percentage just from this conversation alone, so …” Simmons muttered before draining the last of the Moscato bottle into her glass.

Daisy winced. Man, she forgot how catty Simmons could get after a few drinks. Daisy snatched a handful of pretzels out and laid them on the counter before quickly scooting the rest of the whole bowl across towards her friend.

“Okay, I admit, sleeping with Robbie in the first place was probably not a good idea,” Daisy stated, a knife twisting in her heart. “Then, agreeing to continue having sex with him was probably an even worse idea, but it just felt so good.”

She frowned as she started pacing back and forth the small length of the kitchen.

“Whenever I was with Robbie, with or without the sex, I was free. I wasn’t an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. I wasn’t deputy director. I wasn’t even Quake the supehero. I was just Daisy. No worries, no responsibilities, just carefree fun. What we had it … It wasn’t supposed to be serious. I said I wasn’t ready for anything serious, but living together? That’s–”

“Serious?” Simmons supplied.

“Exactly!” Daisy murmured, slumping back onto the counter.

Simmons shifted in her seat, sitting up. “So, what did you do?”

“Well, after I realized that I was actually living with Robbie, I freaked out for a good hour.”

“Obviously.”

“But then I calmed down and started to think things over and reflect. When Robbie came back later, we talked about this change in our relationship, and, well …” Daisy picked up her wine glass and took a big sip. Crap, could she even say it?

“Oh no, did you guys break up?”

* * *

Daisy sat on the couch as the warm, afternoon sunlight filtered through the slats in the windows. Her coffee and Pop-Tarts still laid on the coffee table, cold and untouched. Any second now Robbie could be returning and then–

Her heart jerked as the familiar thrum of the Charger’s engine roared just outside the house. Speak of the devil, she thought with a tiny smirk while all her insides turned into mush. This was it. The beginning or end to everything.

Ever since her recent living situation realization, Daisy had spent the past couple hours running through so many different ways her conversation with Robbie could go in her head. Some where pleasant. Most were terrible, so terrible she had ended up packing several of her things already just in case she needed to make a quick getaway. Now it was time to see which scenario it was going to be.

The front door clanked open and Robbie greeted her kindly, but it was as if they were miles away instead of a few feet. Daisy stared into her murky coffee mug as her sweaty hands fiddled in her lap.   

This is it, Daisy. You can do this. Just tell Robbie how you feel and hope for the best.

Her whole body tensed as a warm, wet kiss was pressed to her cheek while Robbie passed behind her. It tingled her skin like the sweet fizz of soda and her heart writhed heavily in her chest.

Or you could just run away right now? Completely ignore the elephant in the room. Meet up with him next week and continue our relationship as if everything is normal.

“So, what did you want to do for the rest of today?” Robbie called from the kitchen, popping open the fridge. “We could watch a movie? Drive around town? Or,” He paused, closing the fridge with a soft click before shuffling closer. “Gabe isn’t going to be back from studying at the library for a few more hours if the offer from this morning is still on the table?”

Daisy twisted around to see him briefly waggle his eyebrows at her through the kitchen's pass-through window. A devilish grin played on his lips. Her heart fluttered briefly the way it always seemed to whenever he smiled at her. It was her one damn weakness.

No. She had to do this. She had to tell him the truth. A massive weight sunk in her chest. Even if it might break her stupid, foolish heart.

Daisy took in a deep breath to settle the shaking of her nerves and slowly let it out. “We need to talk.”

“Fine it doesn’t have to be on the table,” Robbie smirked as he walked back into the living room, cracking open the bottle of apple juice he had gotten. “It could be on the bed, on the couch, Hell, even on the–”

“Robbie!” Daisy cut him off, wincing at how sharp her tone was even to her own ears. “This is serious.”

He froze mid-stride, his grin quickly sliding off his face. His eyes searched her face waiting for the crack of a smile or a crinkle in her eyes that told him she was just messing with him like she always did.

It never came.

Robbie flexed his jaw as he set his drink on the dining room table before making his way to the couch. Daisy swiveled in her spot towards him as he hesitantly sat down on the couch cushion beside her. The leather creaked as he slowly sunk in.

“Okay, Daisy, what is going on?” His dark brown eyes focused intensely on her as he reached out and rested a hand on her forearm. Even through her sweater, his touch was so gentle and warm like a sliver of pure sunshine.

“Did you–” Daisy bit her bottom lip. “Did you know?”

“Know what?” He asked tentatively.

Her eyebrows kitted together. “That I’m basically living in your house?” She questioned incredulously.

Robbie furrowed his brow briefly before a grin returned to his face. “Are you– Are you serious? Is that all?”

Daisy tilted her head. “Yeah?” She frowned as his smirk grew wider. “And I’m going to guess you already knew.”

He snorted, trying to hold back a laugh until a few chuckles made it past his lips. Those small chuckles swiftly turned into a hearty flow and scorching heat rose in Daisy’s face. “Hell, girl, I thought that maybe you– Nervermind.” Robbie snickered, shaking his head back.

Her lips pursed together and she twisted her shaking fingers to quell the urge to quake his ass off the couch. “Well, I’m glad this is all one big joke to you,” she snapped.

His laughter cut off instantaneously, filling the space for a long moment in silence. Robbie then cleared his throat, sitting up and focusing on her once more. “I’m sorry, Daisy,” he stated, and the tension in her eased. “It’s just that you living in my house? It’s no big deal. Really. I’m happy to have you stay here whenever. We’re friends, right?” He offered her a soft smile and gave her arm a kind squeeze.

Her heart grew heavy as her guts twisted into knots. “But that’s the problem,” Daisy admitted faintly.

Robbie’s face recoiled as if she had just slapped him. His eyes glistened like shattered window glass before they hardened with his lowered eyebrows and steely frown. “So, what? You don’t want to be friends anymore? Is that it?” He retorted like a venomous sting.

“No! Well, not exactly –”

“What? Is it about us sleeping together, then? Damn it, Daisy, I’d rather lose the sex than lose out on our friendship.”

“No, it’s just that– Well,  I– Fuck!” Daisy slammed a fist into the couch and quickly stood.

Why did this have to go so off-track? Why did this have to be so difficult? She should have just grabbed her bag and left.

Daisy ran a hand through her hair as she slowly began to pace around the room. No, she was already in this deep. Might as well get it over with. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath, then opened her eyes again as she breathed out. Robbie watched her from the couch, his body tense and guarded.

“Can I just start over? Say what I need to say?” She asked.

He nodded.

Okay, good. She paced the room a few more times to gather her nerves and thoughts, before she stopped and faced Robbie once more.

“When we started this … Friends-with-benefits relationship almost a year ago, I agreed to it because I wasn’t ready for a serious relationship again. Not after what happened with Lincoln. I thought it was because I still wasn’t over him, and maybe that was partially true, but it was also probably because I was scared. Scared to care for someone so much like that again only to end up hurt once more. 

“When I realized I was I was living with you, I panicked, because that? That’s serious. It’s the complete opposite of what I thought I wanted. I thought I should leave. Wish you all the best in a note and never see you again. But, every time I made my way to that door, something in me stopped myself. Something that told me I should stay, that leaving would be one of the biggest mistakes I ever made, and you know what I realized?”

Robbie’s eyes never left her as he sat apprehensively on the couch. He remained silent, waiting.

“I care about you, Robbie. I care about you more than I ever thought I could with someone again. Maybe it happened sometime in the months since we’ve been sleeping together, or maybe I’ve felt this way ever since you came back from the other dimension and I was too stubborn to accept it, but I do. You’re the first thing I think about in the morning, and the last thing I think about at night. Even when we are miles apart from each other, I can’t stop thinking about you. I’d always be like, 'I wish Robbie was here to see this,’ or 'Robbie would laugh if he was here right now.’ I know it’s silly, but I look forward to seeing you and spending time with you far more than I should.”

Daisy turned away as warmth crept in her cheeks. Sure, she could wholeheartedly sleep with the guy for months on end without barely a bat of an eye, but telling him about her feelings was what left her a blushing mess.

“I know this might not be what you want, but I have to be truthful. To you and to me.” She paused, taking a shaky breath. “I don’t want us to pretend were just friends while sneaking around and having sex behind nearly everyone-we-care-about’s backs. I don’t want to hide how much you genuinely mean to me anymore. I want us to be something real and true, because, damn it, Robbie, I–”

Daisy turned around and her heart nearly stopped in her chest. Her eyes widened as they laser-focused in on the square black velvet box Robbie pulled out from a pocket inside his jacket. It was small and nestled perfectly in the palm of his hand. There were only so many objects that could fit in a box that tiny.

“Wh-what is that?” She asked through strained breath while a cold sweat pricked down her back. Daisy was not a complete idiot. She had a very good idea of what it could be, but he couldn’t seriously be about to do that, could he? 

Robbie stared at the box as he fiddled with it in his hands, his shoulders tense. “It’s nothing really,” he murmured slowly before his face pinched together and he shook his head. Even he could tell that was bullshit. “Okay, it’s just … something I’ve been carrying with me for the past few weeks, but I wasn’t really thinking anything until you– Well–”

He sighed, glancing over at her. The tips of his ears were turning red. “Can I?” He asked, waving his free hand back and forth by his mouth in a gesture to speak.

Daisy gave a curt nod, her whole body frozen and stiff. She could barely breathe.

Robbie smiled tightly and nodded back. He stood, rubbing the back of his neck as he took a deep breath.

“I know I’m not usually the best with words, so just heart me out. These past several months have been the happiest months of my life. When I made my deal, and became the Ghost Rider, I didn’t think I’d ever be able to have happiness again. I accepted my condemned agreement. But then you showed up at El Monte one night like my own personal angel from Hell,” He chuckled warmly and her heart squeezed tight. “And you shook up my life and changed it so much for the better. Before you appeared, I was just a dead man walking, but you showed me that I could have and be so much more than that. If it weren’t for you, I may have never had a great, open relationship with Gabe again, for which I can never thank you enough. You helped me find control in my chaos. You helped me find the light in the darkness.

"I know we never really put a label on whatever this thing was with us, and I understand if this is too much for you, but I’ve got to let my feelings known.”

Robbie stepped closer until they were barely a foot apart, holding up the little black box. He flipped open the lid and Daisy inhaled sharply through her nose. Cushioned inside was a simple, silver twisted ring, set with a tiny white diamond. The gem had to be barely ¼-carat, but it still managed to shine radiantly in the soft light.

Shit, that’s a ring. That is a freaking ring.

Daisy covered her nose and mouth with her hands as she struggled to keep her legs from going out from under her. Despite her S.H.I.E.L.D. training to remain calm no matter the situation, her heart started picking up speed until she was pretty sure it was going a mile a minute. He couldn’t be serious. This couldn’t actually be happening right now.

“This was my mother’s engagement ring,” Robbie continued, unable to meet her gaze as his face began to flush. “It’s not much, but it represents the eternal love between two of the most wonderful people I’ve ever known. It was given to me after they died, and I was told to save it for somebody special. I didn’t think that would ever happen, but Papá always used to say, 'When you know, you know.’” He looked to her and nodded his head. “And I know.”

The floorboards creaked as Robbie slowly got down on to one knee in front of her. Daisy couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move, but everything around her started to tremble. This was actually happening. He was actually doing this. Out of all the scenarios she had imagined in her head about where their conversation would go when he got home, this was definitely not one of them. Daisy bit the inside of her cheek as butterflies scrambled in her stomach. Oh, crap, was she going to throw up?

Robbie took a deep breath as he raised the little box and his eyes focused on hers. There was a fire in those dark brown eyes. Not as fierce as when the Ghost Rider showed up, but they still burned brighter than a shooting star. There was also a gentle warmth flickering in them like a friendly campfire on a cold night. It was the tenderness to his flames that so few got to see, but she was grateful she was one of them.

The rumbling hysteria that was her nerves slowly began to quell into a standstill. Daisy lowered her hands away from her face, and Robbie gently took hold of her left hand in his right. The rough skin of his thumb ran comfortingly over her fingers, spreading a warmth in her hand that quickly took hold of the rest of her body and melted her heart.

"Daisy Louise Johnson,” he started, his eyes never leaving hers as he fondly punctuated each word of her name like they were sacred. “I love you. I love you so much more than I thought I ever could with anybody. I love your smile. I love your laugh. I love your strong, compassionate heart. I love how you put Sriracha sauce on practically almost everything you eat even if that is honestly the grossest, most disgusting thing I’ve ever had to repeatedly witness.” He laughed and few chuckles bubbled out of her, as well.

“Please, I’ve seen you drink Tapatío straight from the bottle," Daisy cracked.

"Yeah, well you're practically drinking Sriracha with how much you smother everything in it." Robbie grinned impishly. He then cleared his throat, collecting himself once more.

"Anyway, Daisy," he stated, giving her hand a soft squeeze. "Besides Gabe, you are the most important person in this world, dimension, universe or otherwise to me. There was a time I wanted nothing more than you out of my life, and now I can't imagine not having you in it. You make every day so much better just be your mere presence. There is nothing more that I want to do than to spend the rest of my life with you, however long that may be. I know our lives aren't easy, and I know I'm not the most reliable person all the time, but, Daisy, I promise I will do my best to make you as happy every day as you make me. We may argue, we may fight, we may become separated beyond all possible reach for lengths of time, but I swear I will never stop loving you.

"Daisy Johnson, will you m--"

"Yes."

Robbie blinked, his eyebrows scrunching together. "Wait, what?"

Daisy snorted and shook her head back. "Sorry, I couldn't wait any longer, but yes, Robbie. Yes," she stressed, softly smiling and squeezing his hand.

Her heart swelled as his eyes widened and a grin quickly began to grow across his face. "You're serious?"

She groaned, but continued smiling. "Oh my, yes, Robbie! I love you and I want to -- Mmph!"

She was cut off as Robbie suddenly stood and kissed her hard. He still held her hand while his other arm snaked around her waist and pulled her close to him. Daisy grinned against his lips before she closed her eyes and kissed him back long and dear.

Soon, she broke off the kiss, leaning slightly back. "Um, isn't there something you should?" Daisy asked, lifting their conjoined hands as she opened her eyes. Even if this was her first time being proposed to, she had watched enough rom-coms with Fitz-Simmons to know these usually ended with a ring on somebody's finger.

Robbie raised his brow as he opened his eyes. He glanced at her hand and his face started to flush with color. "Right, sorry," he murmured shyly, unwrapping his arm from around her.

Her chest grew tight as Robbie plucked out the ring and slowly slipped the cool metal on to her left ring finger. It was a little loose, but overall it fit perfectly. Tears pricked at her eyes as she stared down at the little ring and soon her entire vision became blurry.

Damn it, Daisy thought as she squeezed her eyes shut. She wasn't supposed to get all emotional and shit.

"Sorry," she murmured, opening her eyes to look up at the ceiling and rapidly blink the tears away.

Robbie laughed and squeezed her hand. "It's okay. You're still the most beautiful woman in the universe even when you cry."

Daisy glanced down at his smirking face and rolled her eyes. "Oh, shut up," she scoffed, fighting back a smile.

A few more chuckles tumbled their way out of Robbie as he leaned forward and bent his head down. Daisy closed her eyes as his lips met hers once more. Their arms found their way around one another as they held each other close and kissed sweetly. The fire still burned between them with each kiss, as it did the first time all those many months ago. It might not have been as intense as that night, but the flames still blazed as strongly and surely as ever.

She kept her eyes closed as Robbie slowly broke off the kiss and softly rested his warm forehead against hers. Neither one said anything. They didn't need to as they relished in each other's touch and close company.

Daisy smiled weakly. No matter how much she wanted to stay in this perfect moment, she knew it couldn't last. Eventually, S.H.I.E.L.D. would call her back, or maybe the Rider would order Robbie away. Something would happen that would pull them apart from each other again for who knew how long this time.

Daisy tightened her grip on him. She loved Robbie. She didn't know how it happened, but somehow, he slipped right through the cracks in the defensive armor she wore and found a home in her heart. After wasting all this time ignoring her true feelings, she couldn't bear the thought of leaving him now. What if this was the last time they had with each other?  

Her heart grew heavy, and then suddenly an idea struck her like sunlight parting through clouds on a rainy day.

Daisy leaned back and opened her eyes. "Robbie, let's get married."

He cocked his head as he opened his eyes and shot her a dubious look. "Um, yeah, Daisy, that was kind of the whole point of me proposing? Sorry if you seemed to miss that--"

"No!" She interjected, slightly bouncing on her toes. "I mean, Vegas is, like, what? A four-hour drive away? Let's go and get married today."

Robbie's eyes widened as his eyebrows shot up high into his forehead. "Today? Isn't that a bit soon?"

"What? Is someone getting cold feet?" She teased with a wicked grin, wiggling her eyebrows.

The double-meaning was not lost on Robbie as he rolled his eyes and disapprovingly shook his head.

"No, it's just --" He pressed his lips together as his eyes hesitantly searched hers. "Are you sure?"

"Robbie," Daisy said softly. She unwrapped her arms from around him and stepped out of his own embrace only to immediately take his hands into her own. Curling their fingers together, Daisy gave him a loving squeeze and flashed him a smile. "I don't mean to put this lightly, but we're freaking superheroes. We risk our lives almost every day to help the greater good. We don't know which day is going to be our last or how much time we will have left together, so . . . Why wait?"

Marriage might have never been in her plans until this very moment. Hell, she'd rather face a whole battalion of Watchdogs alone than even think about getting married, but if there was one thing Daisy was certain of, it was she loved Robbie Reyes. So, if she was going to marry him someday anyway, then why not now?

Daisy had thought she had all the time in the world when she was with Lincoln, and the first time they had ended up saying, "I love you," had also been their last. She couldn't risk waiting for the right moment. Not again.

Robbie stared at the floor as his eyes flicked back and forth in consideration. "Eloping in Vegas," he murmured, rubbing circles on her hands with his thumbs. His eyes slowly met hers. "You know it's crazy, right?"

Daisy snorted and shrugged her shoulders. "When has anything in our lives not been crazy?"

He shook his head as he took a deep breath and sighed. The biggest grin then broke out across his face as he squeezed her hands. "Alright, let's do this. Let's go to Vegas and get married."

Her heart soared as she tugged Robbie towards her and kissed him with all her might. "Let's get hitched!" She beamed as she pulled away.

Robbie chuckled as he separated himself from her and snatched his car keys from off the dining room table. "First, I've got to grab Gabe from the library. He has to come."

She nodded, following him to the front door. "And while you do that, I'll start packing everyone's stuff."

"Make sure you pack something white." He grinned. Robbie wrapped an arm around her waist and dipped her slightly for a kiss. It was a brief, but the move still left her head spinning.

Daisy let out a giddy laugh as she was righted back up and Robbie broke off the kiss. He gave her one final peck good-bye then headed out the front door. She watched him through the window get into the Charger and take off before her eyes flickered to the new ring sitting heavy on her finger. As if acknowledging her gaze, the small jewel flashed a dazzling glimmer that made her heart pick up speed.  

A grin stretched across her lips as Daisy turned and headed towards their room. There was even a small skip in her step as she quickly began to figure out what exactly was close enough to being white for her to wear.

* * *

Simmons' hands covered her mouth and her eyes widened to the size of dinner plates as Daisy pulled her left hand out of her coat pocket and held it out between them. On her left ring finger nestled the engagement ring Robbie had given her along with the small silver band she had received at the Vegas wedding chapel. Somewhere out there in this world, its twin rested on Robbie's own left ring finger, forever tying them to each other as husband and wife. Or, however that cheesy wedding officiant had phrased it.

"So, yeah, I got married."

Simmons said nothing. She only continued to stare at her hand as if it had grown two heads and started singing a duet of the "The Elements."

Oh, crap, I broke her.

"Simmons? Jemma?" Daisy reached across the counter and shook the other woman's arm. What was Fitz going to think if he came back and found his fiancée like this? "Jemma, come back to me."

After a few more rougher shoves, Simmons suddenly blinked back into presence. Daisy let out an audible sigh as she withdrew her hand and the tenseness in her shoulders relaxed.

Simmons slowly shook her head as she lowered her hands from her face onto the counter. "You got married?" She murmured, her eyes seemingly focused on something off in the distance while her voice had a misty, dream-like cadence to it.

"Yeah," Daisy replied, nodding her head. "I was there myself. Signed the official marriage license and everything."

"Daisy!" Simmons snapped suddenly, sounding more like her usual old self. She furrowed her brown then threw a mini pretzel at her.

"Ow!" Daisy retorted, even though the small, salty snack harmlessly bounced off her shoulder and on to the floor. Still, the gesture stung. "What was that for?"  

"You got married and you didn't tell us?!"

"I'm telling you now, aren't I-- Hey!" She hollered as another pretzel smacked into her forehead and tumbled onto the counter.

Simmons glared at her with a pout on her lips from across the counter. She held the bowl of mini delicious ammunition close against her chest, one arm poised over the opening ready to grab another projectile at a moment's notice.

Daisy frowned, glancing at her friend's empty wine glass. She had also forgotten how violent Simmons could be sometimes after a few drinks. The whole S.H.I.E.L.D. team still remembered the "Tropical Umbrella Toothpick Incident of 2015." It was honestly hard not to. Why did she choose to drink her worries away with Simmons in the first place?

"Why didn't you tell us when you were about to get married? We all could've been there for it!"

"I told you it was--" Daisy gritted her teeth as she dodged another pretzel. "It was a-- It was-- Jemma stop with the pretzels, already! I told you it was a spur of the moment decision, okay?"

"But we're your family, Daisy! You didn't think we'd want to be there for you during such a momentous occasion?" Simmons snapped. "How would you feel if Fitz and I just decided to head to Cornwall for the weekend and elope without telling anyone else, hm?"

Daisy pursed her lips as her heart grew heavy. This had been what she was afraid of. The yelling. The judgement. All of it was just a colossal weight bearing down on her shoulders and threatening to crush her into the ground. She knew it came from a place of love, but it still hurt all the same.

"Jemma, of course I wanted all of your there more than anything. You know that, but you also didn't even know I was with Robbie until today. Hell, you're the first person I've even told this to. If I told all of you guys I was getting married, there would have been this big commotion of questions and yelling hurt feelings. You guys would have tried to stop me, and all I wanted to do was marry Robbie.

"I know, I should have been more honest with you guys, and I am really sorry, but I'm trying to be now, if that counts for anything."

Simmons' face softened and she slowly released her hold on the pretzel bowl. Daisy quickly grabbed the bowl and placed it far from the other woman's reach.

"I'm sorry, it's just, I was supposed to be your maid of honor!" Simmons sighed, resting her chin on her hand. "I had all these great plans. I was going to help throw your bridal shower, your bachelorette party, and make sure everything went perfectly for your special day."

"Aw, Jemma," Daisy murmured with a tight smile as she reached out and gave Simmons' free hand a comforting squeeze.

"I even started a wedding idea scrapbook for you."

Daisy's eyebrows twisted together as she slowly retracted her hand. "Wait, what?"

Simmons' already pink cheeks flushed to watermelon red as she fiddled with her empty glass and avoided Daisy's eyes. "Oh, it's not much really. It's just that while I was looking up ideas for Fitz and I's wedding, I would see stuff that I thought would be perfect for your wedding. So, I started cataloguing them in your own scrapbook, making sure to leave plenty of space for whatever your future betrothed's style would be, as well," She frowned. "But now I suppose you don't need it."

"Hey, not necessarily," Daisy stated, offering a gentle smile. "Maybe I can use it in a few years if we decide to renew our vows? You know, like a second wedding. That's a thing, right?"

Simmons perked her head up a little higher. "Yeah, or maybe for your next marriage?" She countered with a coy grin.

"Simmons!" Daisy scoffed with a slack jaw. "Robbie's a great guy and you know that!"

Sure, things had been a little rocky when they all first met, but Robbie had really grown to be a part of the team over the past year. Besides providing help during missions and saving their asses countless times, Robbie would often hang out with all of them on the Zephyr or at the Playground during some of his downtime. While some of that had mostly been so they could fool around, Daisy had noticed him getting along well with the rest of her teammates, as well.

Robbie would talk for hours on end about cars with Coulson and Mack. He'd watch and cheer on soccer matches with Fitz and Simmons. He and Yo-Yo were often conversing and joking in Spanish. Daisy had even caught May smile briefly while practice-sparring with him. Even if he refused to be an official S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, Robbie was one of them through and through.

"I know, I know," Jemma sighed dramatically, but still had a good-natured smile on her face. "But how great can he be if he helped hide your relationship from us, hm? You know Coulson might just kill you both when he finds out."

Daisy groaned, sinking her upper body on the counter like a rag doll. "Ugh, don't remind me! I have to talk to him before he finds the Vegas charges on my S.H.I.E.L.D. account. " She had hacked them to be listed and labeled as regular various S.H.I.E.L.D. expenses, but she was certain that once Coulson saw the numbers he'd grow suspicious. Sadly, Las Vegas weddings didn't come cheap.

"You charged everything to S.H.I.E.L.D. funds? Glad to see your bad-girl shenanigans never change," Simmons smirked.

"Hey," Daisy retorted, straightening up. "I'll take a pay cut, live off ramen for a few months. It'll be fine." Besides, after all she had done for S.H.I.E.L.D. over the years, she deserved a little treat that just so happened to be in the form of a three-day honeymoon in Vegas.

"Well," Simmons mused, her stool creaking as she shifted in her seat. "Congratulations, Daisy. Seriously. I'm sorry I didn't say it first. I just--" She shook her head. "Can't believe you got married before I did."

"Yeah, trust me, no one is more shocked than I am," Daisy chuckled.

"Are you regretting it? You seemed really upset earlier when you walked in."

Daisy furrowed her brow as she stared at her rings, fiddling them with her thumb. "I was a little concerned at first," she admitted.

Her entire weekend had been nothing but a delicious haze of Robbie loving and room-service coconut shrimp. When she had said good-bye to the Reyes brothers that morning and got on the Quinjet back to the East Coast, it was like she was waking up from a dream. All the warm and fuzzy feelings started to fade away, only to be replaced by the harsh, cold-sweating doubts of reality. Had she made the right decision to marry Robbie? Maybe they had both been too caught up in the moment to realize they could be making a humongous mistake?

"But talking it out with you, reliving all those moments," Warmth flooded her chest as a small beam of sunlight hit her engagement ring and made it sparkle brighter than a thousand stars. Just like it had when Robbie gave it to her. Daisy smiled. "No, I don't regret it. Not one single bit."

It was silly the whole idea that their relationship was determined by a legal document that could never fully express the love she had for Robbie Reyes, but it meant Robbie was hers. No matter what shit might happen in their future, nothing could change that.

Her gaze turned to Simmons who with her quivering smile and glistening eyes looked more emotional than when they finished marathoning the eight Harry Potter movies together.

"Aw, Simmons," Daisy fussed as her heart panged heavily in her chest. "Don't you get all emotional on me, because when you get emotional, I get emotional."

Simmons choked up a laugh as she dabbed at her eyes. "Sorry, it's just you look so happy. It's nice."

Heat rushed to her face and her cheeks began to cramp from her wide smile. "Yeah, it really is nice," she beamed, glancing at her rings.

Simmons took in a deep breath and audibly exhaled in one quick huff. "Well," she announced, slapping her hands onto the counter and pushing herself up off her chair. "Since you didn't get to plan your wedding, you are going to help me plan mine."

Daisy sagged her shoulders and groaned loudly as the other woman grabbed hold of her arm and began tugging her towards the living room. She tried to resist, but Simmons had her in a death grip with the strength of a mountain lion. "Come on, Simmons, you know I'm more of a doer than a planner."

"Oh, I am very much aware of that, Mrs. Reyes."

Her cheeks immediately blazed even hotter. "Actually, it's still Daisy Johnson, but I see your point."

"Come on," Simmons urged, pulling her towards the table she saw earlier filled entirely with wedding booklets and magazines. "We can order sushi and you can tell me more about your husband."

Butterflies swarmed in her stomach. My husband. It was still so surreal to think of Robbie like that, but after all they had been through together in this past year, Daisy knew in her heart that it felt right.

"Okay, but I need at least a dozen spicy tuna rolls and you better have some Sriracha."

[biluata]

Let Me Curl Up Next to Your Fire - Quakerider One-shot

Words: 3,707

Request #7: Daisy slowly appropriates Robbie as her personal space heater

Fluff. Pure Fluff. Mushy Feelings. But, yeah, Fluff.

Read on Ao3: Here

It started the night of their first date …

* * *

“Wow, so is this where you take all the girls on a first date?” Daisy asked, shutting her door to the Charger before walking a few steps closer to the cliff’s edge.

After treating her to dinner at a local East L.A. food truck, Robbie had insisted on showing her something outside the city. They drove for what honestly seemed like forever down small streets then up hillside roads until Robbie pulled them off on to a dark dirt trail. Just when Daisy had been beginning to think this was all some grand ruse so he could murder her and no one would find her body (she honestly needed to stop watching horror movies on Netflix with FitzSimmons), the dark hills had given way to a shimmering cliffside that Robbie had ended up parking his car facing away from.

Daisy peered out over the steep edge and her shrimp taco from earlier squirmed uneasily in her stomach. Thousands of feet below her sat all of Los Angeles in all its glory. It was a chaotic marvel of colors and lights, but from way up here, with only the sounds of chirping crickets and rustling foliage, it was actually kind of peaceful. As if the whole cityscape were like the twinkling stars they outshone up above. She never imagined such a grungy, old city could look so beautiful.

“Nah,” Robbie admitted as he walked up next to her. “Just the ones who are special to me.”

Her stomach did somersaults, but this time it wasn’t because of height vertigo. “Gee, Reyes,” Daisy muttered as heat began to fill her cheeks. “You better watch yourself. Almost sounds like Mr. Broody McBadass cares.”

Robbie laughed and Daisy hated the way her heart grew all warm and fuzzy because of it. He hopped himself up to sit down on the trunk of his Charger then offered her a hand. She accepted it and tried to ignore the fiery tingles of energy that zapped between their closed hands as he helped her sit beside him.

“So, how do you know about this place?” Daisy asked as she shuffled to get more comfortable on the cool, hard metal. It was kind of hard when every inch of her body was so keenly aware of Robbie being so close to her.

Robbie was silent a moment, his eyebrows knitted tight together as he opened his mouth to speak, but hesitated. Did she say something wrong? Daisy bit her lip, wondering if she should start talking about something else when the words slowly started to tumble out of his mouth.

“Eli and I happened to find it one day.”

Oh, she thought. No wonder he didn’t want to tell her right away. Ever since the events of Los Angeles when he had disappeared, Robbie never spoke of his uncle, at least while she was present. It must have been so hard for him to learn about Eli’s true nature, to feel that bitter sting of betrayal rip through his heart. It reminded her of what she went through with her mother, a touchy subject even to this day. Wow, Daisy, great way to bring the mood down.

“I’m sorry I–”

“Don’t. It’s fine, really. Eli and I found this place when he was teaching me how to drive. I took a couple wrong turns and we somehow ended up here. Tío almost lost his shit when he saw how close we were to driving off a cliff.” Robbie chuckled softly, but the humor didn’t reach his eyes. “After that, I would sometimes come out her at night just to get away from it all. To gather my thoughts and try to put things into perspective.”

“Well, it’s … It’s really beautiful up here,” Daisy admitted, knitting her fingers together. “Thanks for bringing me.”

Robbie’s gaze flicked over to her and a tenderness glowed in his eyes as he smiled this time. “I’m glad I could show it to you.”

They both turned back towards the scene below and sat in a comfortable silence as they watched the lights shimmer. Daisy inhaled a deep breath and slowly let it out. Robbie was right. This place was so peaceful, she could see herself spending hours here meditating and just mulling over all the stress and problems of her day. Man, if she only knew about this place when she first came to Los Angeles after ditching S.H.I.E.L.D. Maybe she wouldn't have made so many rash and stupid decisions?

She glanced over at Robbie who was still staring out at the city lights, without a wrinkle on his face and looking the most at ease she had ever seen him in weeks. A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. Okay, maybe all her decisions back then hadn't been so bad if it led to this.

Suddenly, a brisk marine breeze rushed up the hillside, slamming into her with a crescendo that whipped her dark hair wildly around her face. Daisy shivered as she tugged her arms close to her body. She was wearing a light sweater and jeans, but even in California the winters made the night chilly.

"Here," Robbie said as he unzipped his signature leather jacket.

Daisy opened her mouth to object until her words got caught in her throat when he tugged his jacket off. Ever since she had met Robbie, he was always covered up even in hot L.A. weather. Now here he was sitting next to her in a red short-sleeved t-shirt. Her heart fluttered briefly as she noticed how well-toned his arms were and wondered what it would be like to have them wrapped around her.

"Daisy?" Robbie asked, gesturing his offered out jacket to her. He quirked an eyebrow at her, but he was still wearing a small but kind smile.

A rush of heat flooded her cheeks once more as she mentally shook away whatever the heck those thoughts she had were. "N-no, I couldn't. I mean, look at what you are wearing. You'll freeze!"

Robbie laughed as he shook his head. "Daisy, I literally have a fiery vengeance demon in my body. I'll be fine. Take the jacket. I insist."

Daisy bit the inside of her cheek, but that didn't stop her teeth from rattling. If only she had been smart and brought her own jacket, but she couldn't change the past. She grumbled as she took his jacket from him and shrugged it on. It was a bit too big for her with so much wiggle space and her fingers barely popping out of the sleeves, but that didn't matter because it was warm. So very, very warm like clothes fresh out of the dryer. Almost immediately the chill that had been settling in her body was melted away due to jacket's lingering heat.

Daisy closed her eyes and held the huge jacket close, relishing the warmth it provided. She tried not to notice the way it smelled like Robbie, of fire and smoke with a hint of gasoline and something woodsy or the fact that the smell made her stomach all fluttery as if she just ate a bunch of candy.

When she opened her eyes, her heart jumped into her throat. Robbie was staring at her with a gentle smile and curious glint in his dark brown eyes that caused a shiver to run up her spine.

"What?" She asked, tucking a strand of her short, dark locks behind her ear.

"Nothing, it's just . . ."

The world was suddenly frozen as they sat there just staring at each other. That look in his eyes. It was the one Lincoln had always worn whenever she was around. The look that made her heart beat faster than hummingbird's wings like it was doing right now. Her eyes flicked down to Robbie's lips.

Daisy would be lying if she said she hadn't thought about it. If his lips were as rough as the rest of his exterior or if there was hidden tenderness to them? She hadn't really been sure if she wanted to find out. Until now.

The both scooched closer together and suddenly the world was in motion once more as their lips met warmly for the first time in the cold night.

* * *

. . . But Robbie hadn't realized his mistake . . .

* * *

Robbie sat in the Quinjet flicking his set of keys and tapping his foot repeatedly onto hard, metal floor. He had been asked by S.H.I.E.L.D. to help deal with a potential enhanced threat, but that wasn't why he was antsy. After about two weeks of being apart and barely no contact whatsoever, he was finally going to see Daisy again.

She had been called in to Zephyr One a few weeks prior to run background ops for this mission due to her hacking prowess. What she had told him would be a few days quickly turned out to be much longer. It wouldn't have been that bad if she hadn't been ordered to make zero contact with anybody outside of S.H.I.E.L.D. due to the sensitivity of this certain mission. Robbie being only an enhanced asset and not a full-fledged agent meant he didn't make that short list.

Ever since they had started dating four months ago, he and Daisy had been doing their best to make this long-distance relationship they had due to their different world-saving duties work. It had been going pretty well so far with daily video chats and weekend visits. That was until this mission happened. The past two weeks had been damn near torture for him not being able to see her face or hear her voice.

A resounding clunk rattled through the Quinjet and his body as their small plane made contact with Zephyr One. Robbie waited for the shaking to settle before quickly rising to his feet. This was it. 

He strode down the Quinjet's ramp as it was still lowering to the ground and hopped the final distance down. Robbie bounced on the balls of his feet as he waited for the huge exterior doors to slide open. As soon as they did, his heart picked up speed when his eyes instantly met a wonderfully, familiar face.

"Robbie!"

Daisy's delighted cheer filled the space and sent warmth running through his chest. Before he could even respond, she ran up to him and practically pounced on him with the force of a tidal wave into a huge hug.

"Whoa!" Robbie chuckled as he wrapped her in his arms and staggered to keep them both from falling. He gave her a tight hug, breathing in the sweet vanilla scent of her hair that he had missed so much. Robbie set her back down on to the ground, but neither made a move to let go of the other. He sure as Hell wasn't now that he finally got to hold her again.

"Sorry," Daisy murmured softly as she briefly detached one of her arms to brush her hair out of her face. "It's just been so long--"

"It's okay. I missed you, too." Robbie grinned as he bent down and gave her a gentle kiss.

A low wolf-whistle resounded through the room causing Robbie's heart to nearly jump out of his chest. They both dropped their arms around each other and turned to see Mack watching them from the doorway with a coy grin written on his smug face.

"Sorry, there's a debriefing in about ten minutes that you both need to attend. Coulson wanted me to tell you. Alright?" The larger man explained, sending them a wink before heading deeper into the plane. The two agents who had escorted Robbie on the Quinjet also shot them awkward looks as they passed by then followed after him. Now the two were finally alone.

Robbie rubbed the back of his neck as heat rushed to his ears. He had never been a fan of PDA, even in his younger days, but as soon as he had seen Daisy all thoughts of that had just flown out the window. Robbie sighed. It was now only a matter of time before the teasing started. Yo-Yo's was going to be worst, he was certain.

"Sorry," Daisy confessed as she fiddled with one of her hoodie's strings. "I'm pretty sure this is just Mack's way of getting back at me for the time I caught him and Yo-Yo getting handsy at his birthday party."

Robbie smiled as he gently took one of her hands into his own and interlaced their fingers together. "It's okay as long as I have you," he stated, giving her hand a comforting squeeze.

Suddenly, his grin started to waver as he noticed something strangely familiar about her outfit. He narrowed his eyes, trying to figure out why when it hit him.

"Didn't I just buy that exact hoodie a month ago?" He asked with a furrowed brow, gesturing to her dark gray hoodie that was a bit too big for her smaller frame.

Daisy raised her eyebrows as she dropped the string she was toying with and glanced down at herself. She bit her bottom lip and wouldn't meet his gaze. "Maybe . . ."

His eyes widened. "Are you the one stealing all my hoodies?"

Robbie wasn't ashamed to admit that he was a simple guy. All needed to make it through the day was a dark-colored t-shirt, a pair of jeans, his good old pair of Vans, his favorite leather jacket, and sometimes a hoodie. Daisy teased him about it sometimes whenever she was over at his house snooping in his room. She always said it "wasn't appropriate for the Southern California climate," but Robbie didn't care. The look worked just fine for him for the most part.

That is until he had started noticing several of his hooded sweatshirts missing a couple months ago. Robbie had thought he might have just been misplacing them. Maybe one of the guys at work took it because they accidentally thought it was his, or maybe they somehow ended up with Gabe's clothes by mistake? But with the evidently guilty look growing on Daisy's face, he could not believe he hadn't thought of her taking them in the first place.

"Do you know how many replacements I've bought?" Robbie asked with a shake of his head.

"I'm sorry," she murmured with shy glances. "It's just that they are so comfortable and warm, because I swear between you and Coulson with your low thermostats you guys are trying to kill me, and, and--" Daisy hesitated, ducking her head as a small blush spread through her cheeks. ". . . And they smell like you so it's almost like you're with me even when you're not."

Heat rose in Robbie's face and his heart swelled tightly in his chest. He wanted to call her out and tease her as mercilessly as she did to him at times, but, honest to God, he couldn't. Not after her unusually genuine statement and how she looked so adorable standing there being a horribly blushing embarrassed mess. He flexed his jaw. Besides, Daisy looked really, really good in his clothes.

Robbie grinned as he caressed her warm cheek then gently tilted her chin up so she could look at him. Her brown eyes were guarded as they searched his own almost waiting for the ridicule to begin.

"Alright, just save some for me, okay?" He pleaded then planted a tender kiss to her forehead.

Daisy beamed and Robbie decided that giving up all the sweatshirts in the world would be worth it to see her happy.

"We'll see." She winked.

God, this woman was going to be the second death of him.

* * *

. . . Until it was too late.

* * *

Three-hundred e-mails, Daisy grumbled in her head. Who in the heck receives three-hundred freaking e-mails in one day?

She groaned as she sat up on their bed and spat out the hoodie string she had been chewing absentmindedly. Again. Daisy quickly tapped out a reply on her tablet to Agent Makowski's inquiry about the recent checks she made to S.H.I.E.L.D.'s firewall before turning to the next e-mail in her long list.

While she had messages from the U.S. government and other associated organizations, a good chunk of the ones she had been sent were from S.H.I.E.L.D. alone. She knew she wouldn't even be receiving half this number of e-mails if she had remained living at the Playground where all one would have to do is stop by her room if they had question. That was just the price Daisy had to pay for pursuing a relationship.

Her head perked up as she heard the familiar squeak of the front door being opened before quickly slamming shut. She waited then a smile stretched across her face as the sound of keys clattering on the dining room table was followed by the hum of the television being turned on. Robbie was home.

Daisy hastily stood up, tugging the black sweatshirt she was "borrowing" from Robbie down to cover her floral panties before exiting the room with her tablet still in hand. As she entered the living room, she found her boyfriend of nearly a year right where she expected him to be. Robbie lay almost half-sunken right in the middle of the couch with his socks-covered feet on the coffee table and remote in hand as he watched the local late-night news. It's what Robbie did practically every night after he got off work whether that be at Canelo's or with the other guy.

Without saying a word, Daisy walked over and nearly sat on his lap as she joined him on the couch. She dug her bare feet between his legs as she cuddled up against him.

Robbie immediately wrapped an arm around her shoulder and placed a warm kiss on the top of her head. "What's shaking, baby?"

"Not much, hot stuff," Daisy replied, her eyes never leaving the glowing screen of her tablet. She furrowed her brow as she deleted another cat meme Agent Anderson forwarded to her.

"I thought you'd be asleep by now. You look tired, mi cielito. Did I wake you?"

Daisy shook her head, but, at the mere mention of "sleep," a yawn escaped her. "No, it's just these freaking e-mails I have to respond to. Ugh, like Senator McLeary."

"McLeary?" Robbie questioned, wrinkling his nose as if he was at a landfill. "Who the Hell would elect a politician with a name like that?"

She smirked. "Well, the name fits pretty well. He's demanding that I attend another pointless possible amendment meeting for the Sokovia Accords as representative for Inhumans. As if Yo-Yo or Vijay can't attend instead?"

"It's probably because they know you're the best."

"You're cute, but in case you haven't realized yet this means I'm going to miss Gabe coming to visit this weekend from Stanford. And he was just starting to warm up to me and the idea of us together--"

"Hey, Gabe likes you!" Robbie interjected. Daisy glanced up from her tablet and raised one of her eyebrows at him. "I mean, he has a different way of showing it sometimes, but trust me, he likes you, and it's fine if you are gone this weekend. It can be a good old brotherly bonding-type of weekend instead, like the old days."

Daisy nodded her head. That would probably be for the best. Ever since she moved in with Robbie, they were often attached at the hip doing everything together as a couple. Gabe would probably be happier to spend time with just his older brother for a change. She typed out a reply to McLeary's secretary and turned to her next e-mail.

"Maybe I can catch a flight back Sunday and see him before he heads back to college?"

"That's nice, but don't stress about it if you don't, okay? You already have enough on your plate as is." Robbie placed a comforting hand on her knee, but instantly withdrew it as he sharply sucked in air through his teeth. "Damn, girl, you're freezing! Put some pants on or a blanket or something."

"Yeah, but this is why I'm dating you," Daisy countered, digging her bare legs further between his jeans-clothed ones until they were nearly a mess of limbs.

Robbie was a furnace in human form that she desperately latched on to whenever she could. It wasn't her fault wherever she went always seemed too cold and her boyfriend was also so cozy and warm. Sometimes taking his hoodie or jacket was just never enough.

"I knew it," Robbie scoffed, his voice taking on a dramatic, scandalized tone. "You're just using me for my body. Daisy Louise Johnson, how could you?"

A warmth grew in her chest as she snickered wholeheartedly and playfully smacked him on the chest. "Guilty as charged," she stated as she reached her head up and planted a quick kiss on his jaw before snuggling further into his chest.

Her head bounced up and down as soft chuckles cavorted through his chest. Robbie tightened his arm around her and kissed the top of her head once more. "That's why I love you."

Daisy grinned. "I love you more," she murmured almost inaudibly into his t-shirt.

She then returned to her e-mails as Robbie turned his attention back to the news. Robbie's warmth quickly flooded her whole body and like a lazy cat in the Sunday afternoon sun, her eyelids began to droop. Daisy shook her head. She had about a hundred more e-mails she needed to answer, but Robbie was just so comfortable and soft like a big, heated teddy bear. His calm heartbeat echoed through her ear like a soothing lullaby. Despite her best efforts, her tablet eventually slipped through her loose fingers as her eyes fluttered shut.

Daisy knew she would probably receive Hell in the morning in the form of a hundred more passive-aggressive e-mails, but right now she didn't care. She was warm and safe in the arms of the man she loved, and there was no better moment in the world.

[biluata]

I was tagged a long-ass time ago by @a-light-in-the-dark-i-hope to post the last sentences I'd written, then to tag whoever else I wanted, but I haven't been able to write any new fics until now! Woo! So:

It was probably in her best interest not to hop in a car with a guy who seemed to immediately hate her guts, but it was better than being on foot and running into people who wanted to eat her guts.

"Sure."

So that's that. I tag @mafiamoll and @jeffersonjaxson (if you want to do this, or not)

[biluata]

It Wasn't A Goodbye - Quakerider One-shot

Words: 4,337

Request #6: Season 5 Speculation of Robbie returning from the other dimension to find Daisy

Sweet Moments. Mushy Feelings. Self-Reflection. Action.

Read on Ao3: Here

Robbie Reyes was no stranger to saying good-bye.

He said it that warm fall morning in the Calvary Cemetery as he laid his parents to rest. He said it that day before the end of his junior year when he told his favorite teacher, Mr. Valdez, he wasn't going to be returning to Garfield High next year. He said it that first Saturday night after he became the Ghost Rider when he broke it off with his high-school sweetheart, Lisa, for her safety and happiness. He said it that hazy winter afternoon as his Uncle Eli burned for his sins beneath Robbie's grasp.

Good-byes were a recognizable, unwanted companion in his life. Like a festering old battle scar being ripped open over and over again, Robbie knew when it was time for him to say another good-bye. To part ways for good and know he'd never see that person again.

When he had hesitated outside that portal he whipped up with the Darkhold in hand, and Daisy had nodded at him with a tender smile that matched her eyes, he knew.

That wasn't a good-bye. It was a "see you later."

Robbie had never been more certain of this than anything else in his life. He could feel it in his bones even when the rest of him burned away. Daisy Johnson was meant to be in his life ever since she walked into that junkyard countless nights ago.

He honestly didn't know how he got attached to her so quickly. She had been nothing but a pain in the ass for him at first, but that somehow soon turned into a begrudging team-up. Sure, they had bonded over their shared darkness and had each other's back when it was just them against the world, but he would hardly call what they had a friendship. The Ghost Rider didn't have friends.

But then, he stopped Eli. He saved Los Angeles, and ended up in what most would Hell for his troubles.

Robbie had thought that was it for him. After all his strife and struggles, he was resigned to spend the rest of his days in that dark dimension being the vessel for the demon inside him to kill with. Still, in the moments when he was too numb to even register what he was doing, when it hurt too much to think about Gabe, his thoughts would turn to her. To the spunky girl dressed in silver and black who hid her vulnerability and compassion behind biting words and earthquakes.

It started off innocently enough, just a curious thought about her well-being or a reminisce of one of their conversations, but soon enough all he could think about was her. It quickly got to the point where he could imagine she was right there with him, giving him one of her sassy remarks:

"Really, Reyes? You call that a punch?"

"Come on, Carrot Top, even I could do this in my sleep!"

"Whoa, there, Hotshot, take yourself seriously much?"

It was wishful thinking, an illusion in his mind to keep himself sane, but her words and ghostly image were the one small pleasure he seemed to be allowed. Even if it wasn't actually her, Daisy had been there to keep himself from completely drowning in that Hellish darkness. She kept that small bit of human in him alive even when he was losing himself to the Rider.

And then, it had happened. A small crack in the dimension had formed like sliver of a broken mirror. He pushed himself through it and he was back. Sure, the Rider had a mission for him. Mystical darkness and danger were afoot on Earth. Robbie could sense that enough, as if the dark energy was a choking, acrid smog. Still, he was back. He could finally be him after who knew how long he was gone in that other dimension.

Then she had shown up.

Even if it had been weeks or months, he recognized the sound of her black heeled boots thumping rhythmically on the hard concrete before she even appeared. When she had turned the corner and finally walked into his view, Robbie was knocked breathless.

It was Daisy. It was actually her, here in front of him in the flesh. Her hair was a little longer and all the heavy dark makeup was gone, but it was her. Bruised and battered but still heavenly even in the dim warehouse lights. Robbie's heart had sputtered wildly inside his chest like a caged bird, and it took all his willpower to keep his cool.

Alright, so he liked her. A lot. He had tried to deny it in his head, explaining to himself whatever he was feeling was just because he hadn't been around other people for quite some time and he had missed her, but Robbie could only hold on to his disillusioned stubbornness for so long.

Ever time she was in the room, his eyes were drawn to her like a poor moth to a dazzling inferno. Each soft smile she sent his way sent sparks tingling up his spine. His whole body just gravitated towards her like planets around stars.

"But I'm here now . . . And that's good."

"That is good."

He wouldn't call it love or any other crazy idea like that, but there was something there between him and Daisy. Something that made the small space between them more charged than a lightning storm. Robbie had thought it was just him who felt this way until he stopped outside the portal to look at her one last time. He didn't know how long he would be gone this time, or if he would even be back at all, but at least his last image of this world would be of her. The girl who shook up his whole life that night in the junkyard.

That's when he had seen it. The look in her eye that nearly made his heart stop completely once more. It was unmistakable. A sense of longing for him to stay even though they both knew he had a duty to uphold, but there was also something else.

Hope.

Hope that he would be back someday. Hope that they would see each other again. Hope that maybe this unspoken connection between them could turn into something more. Something real.

When Robbie became the Ghost Rider so many years ago, he never thought he could find something like that in his life again. He had resigned himself to being satisfied enough that Gabe was alive. His brother would live and prosper and be able to go on to do the things that Robbie never had the opportunity or luxury to pursue.

Robbie had made many sacrifices in his life, and he didn't regret a single one of them. But, as Robbie entered through the portal, he knew. Now was not the time for another one. Whatever this thing was he had with Daisy, it was special, and he wasn't going to miss it.

This wasn't a good-bye.

* * *

Robbie spun his Hellfire chain round and round until the fiery circle exploded into life in a shower of orange sparks. With the Darkhold now safely stowed in a place no one could even dream of finding it and the Rider satisfied for the time being with his thirst for vengeance against the demons of Hell, it was time for him to finally go home to Earth. To Gabe. To Her.

Robbie swung the chain across his torso like a sash, making sure it was secure before stepping through the portal. His stomach immediately began to toss and turn as the interdimensional energy swirled around him like a storming sea. Despite the countless amount of times he had gone through these portals, he never could get used to them. It was worse than the Scrambler ride at Pacific Park. But before he could become the first person to throw up in an interdimensional portal, he bursted through to the other side.

Robbie blinked as he steadied himself. He was back right where he had left at the S.H.I.E.L.D. base. It was almost as if nothing had changed at all. Boxes and various supplies laid scattered haphazardly about in the dingy, dark room. Scorch marks from the explosion Daisy had told him about still lined the door and windows. Even the dismantled remains of the portal machine still sat in one of the corners. The only differences that told him he hadn't just been gone for a few minutes were the fact that Daisy and the rest of her S.H.I.E.L.D. friends were gone and everything was now covered in a much thicker layer of dust.

He frowned. The place was abandoned. For how long, he wasn't sure, but long enough to know nobody was coming back. Not that he should be surprised after all the events that happened before he left. Still, that didn't stop the heavy weight from growing in his chest.

Robbie's eyes turned to the closest object on the ground near him, an old plastic crate with a few odd metal parts in it, and kicked it with all his might. The innocent little box went clattering across the room, nearly smashing into the far wall. He gritted his teeth as throbbing pain flared through his foot.

If S.H.I.E.L.D. went underground again, how on Earth was he ever going to find Daisy? They were a spy organization, for Christ' sake, who apparently had been working in the shadows for years without the general population ever noticing. If they really wanted to, they could disappear without a single trace.

Robbie sighed and the tenseness strung tight throughout his body lessened. Of course, seeing her again was never going to be that easy, he thought with a bitter laugh. What was he expecting? A welcome home party? Her running in to his arms and begging him to never leave again? Please. When did anything in his life ever go that well?

"Who the hell are you?"

He froze. The stranger's voice, even at a normal volume, echoed loudly through the silent room.

Robbie slowly turned to find a blonde woman dressed in an Air Force uniform standing in the doorway. She held a service pistol in her hands and had it trained directly on him. Robbie's gut clenched as he eyed the small black revolver. He wasn't afraid of death, but guns could only lead to trouble.

Robbie slowly raised his arms with open palms towards the woman. "I'm a friend of Coulson's," he stated but immediately bit his tongue as soon as the words left his mouth.

The woman's eyes widened as she tightened her grip on her weapon. The soft click of the gun's safety being turned off rang clearer than a church bell through his ears. A feverish flame quickly began to burn across his body as the Rider stirred in his head, growling defensively and ready to spring into action if necessary.

"Easy there--" His eyes scanned her uniform and quickly found a name lapel -- "Evans. You don't want to do that," he said. More for her sake than his.

"What are you doing here? Did Coulson send you?" She asked harshly. "In fact, how did you even get in? This is now private property overseen by the U.S. Government as possible evidence while S.H.I.E.L.D. is under investigation. We have guards at every possible entrance and exit."

"Listen, ma'am, I just happened to end up here. I've sort of been busy off in my own little world for a while. I just came to look for somebody. I guess they're not here."

"Look for who?"

Robbie hesitated. He didn't want to go blabbering around about what he was up to, but at the same time he really didn't know where to start looking. Maybe she would. The government certainly had to have a tail on S.H.I.E.L.D. If they weren't already under arrest, that is.

"Daisy Johnson."

Evans tilted her head, her lips pulling together in an amused grin. "I guess you truly have been off in your little world."

That caused him to furrow his brow. "What do you mean?"

She gave him a once over, mentally debating whether she should elaborate before sighing and slightly lowering her weapon.

"We tracked Johnson, Coulson and the rest of their ragtag gang to a diner outside of Denton not long after your friend shot Talbot. We had planned to intercept them there and bring them in for arrest, when someone already beat us to it."

Robbie tensed as an icy chill quickly began to settle in his stomach.

"Apparently," she continued. "A bunch of shady characters showed up a few minutes before we did and suddenly they were all gone. No word of their appearances ever since despite all of our best efforts to track them down these past few months."

"So, you're saying they just upped and disappeared?"

"Yeah, as if they got abducted by aliens right on the spot. S.H.I.E.L.D.'s secretive, but even we get some buzz about them from time to time. Now, they're just gone."

Her words swarmed through his mind like a hive of bees. Gone? Taken by shady-looking people months ago and they still had no idea who, where or why? Robbie clenched his jaw. God, if the freaking government couldn't even find them, how was he supposed to? Daisy's hopeful brown eyes flashed through his mind and his heart grew heavy.

"Listen, sir," Evans drawled out slowly, sending him cautious but curious looks. "You are, in fact, trespassing on federal property, and it seems like you may know some information about our mutual missing S.H.I.E.L.D. agents." She hesitantly took a step towards him. "I'm going to have to ask you come with me for questioning."

Robbie's eyes narrowed as he slowly grasped the end of his chain. Questioning? Sure, they'd question him alright, and then try to toss him into a cell right after. Besides the fact he never could get quite used to a cage, he didn't have time to waste dealing with government bullshit. If it's true what she said about the team being taken, Daisy could be in trouble.

"I'm afraid I can't do that."

Fire burned hot in his hand and traveled down the length of his chain as he unwound it from around him in a snap. Evans' face paled as she raised her gun once more.

"Sir, put the chain down, or I will shoot," she spoke evenly even though her gun trembled slightly in her hands.

"Sorry about this," Robbie murmured.

He slung his chain forward at her as she let out a shot. Red-hot pain blossomed in his left shoulder, but Robbie ignored it as the end of his chain made contact with her gun. The sheer force of his throw knocked the weapon from her hand and onto the cold, hard ground a few feet away. Evans went to reach for it, only to find her pistol half-melted and completely unusable.

Robbie gritted his teeth as he pulled his chain back in. He could barely move his left arm without feeling like a knife with the heat of the sun was digging into his shoulder. The Rider Roared in him, sizzling fire just beneath his skin, but Robbie used all his strength to keep him at bay. Even if Evans shot him, he knew she wasn't a terrible person. At least, not terrible enough to deserve facing the fiery demon.

The lieutenant reached behind her waist and pulled out a walkie-talkie. "All units. I need all available units to the east wing of the S.H.I.E.L.D base immediately. A fire enhanced male individual is on site. Very dangerous," she spoke hurriedly into the device.

Robbie rolled his eyes. You've got to be kidding me right now, he thought as he marched up to her.

"I repeat, the individual is very dangerous. Shoot on--" But the words were lost in her throat as Robbie wrenched the walkie-talkie out of her hand and immediately incinerated it.

"I did say sorry," he grunted before throwing the now destroyed two-way radio onto the ground and leaving the room.

He had to get out of here. Countless armed officers could show up any minute, and Robbie wasn't really looking forward to possibly fighting them for his freedom. His problems were not with them. So, he ran, or at least jogged the best he could with a bullet still in his shoulder. Sweat beaded across his face from the effort and each step was like having his arm repeatedly crushed in a hydraulic lift. Still, he had been through worse.

Robbie passed through endless burnt and destroyed corridors with numerous, closed steel doors. He wasn't really sure where he was going -- he had only been to this place three times at best -- but he just had to get away. When he turned a corner, he hoped to find an exit sign. Instead, all he found were six armed tactical agents at the end of the hall.

"Hey!" One of them shouted and they all took off towards him, raising their guns.

"Shit," Robbie breathed.

He quickly scanned around and turned to the closest closed door. It was unlocked, but it wouldn't budge. The explosion from months ago had slightly warped the door and its frame. With his good shoulder, Robbie slammed all his weight into it and the door went swinging inward.

Bullets whizzed past his ears as he went stumbling into the dim room. Robbie roared as a sharp pain struck his lower back on his left side, but he couldn't worry about that right now. He slammed the door shut and quickly pushed what he assumed to be a nearby, large file cabinet in front of it. As he finished setting it into place, the agents arrived, battering against the door. Robbie held his breath, but the cabinet held. For now.  

He winced as he paced the dim room, letting his eyes adjust to the darkness. His left arm and shoulder still burned as if it had been bitten by a thousand fire ants, but there was now a chill in his lower body. The new bullet had gone clean through his back to his abdomen and blood was quickly trickling out through both holes. Robbie pressed a hand down on one side of the wound, but it was really no use without anything the soaked clothes he was wearing and his gloved hand to stop it. Any minute now and he could bleed out entirely.

"Just give in already, Robbie," the Rider murmured hollowly in his head with the sweetness of grinding gears. "We can stop those guards together. Let me help."

Robbie groaned as blazing heat hotter than an inferno stung his head just beneath his skin.

No!

The Rider had already been in charge of his body long enough. It was now time for Robbie to be at the helm, at least for a little while. With himself in charge, Robbie at least had some control over the scenario and what to do next. If the Rider took over, there were not guarantees about what would happen.

Not yet. If you want to help, help me find my Charger, he told his demonic companion.

People always said that there was a special connection between a man and his machine. Well, Robbie's was more than that. Ever since he had become the Ghost Rider, he and Lucy were tied to each other, almost like they had a psychic link. Robbie figured it had to be the work of the Hellish forces attached to them.

The tactical agents continued to batter on the door. With each pound, the file cabinet screeched inches further away from the door. Robbie grimaced. If he was going to get out of here, it was now or never.

Fire shot through his hand and ignited his chain once more. He focused on his beloved Charger as he swung the chain in large loops. Each arc was more painful than the last as his left side screamed from the stress. Finally, the portal exploded to life with the other side hard to make out clearly in the waves of orange energy. Robbie couldn't tell if this portal would actually lead him to his Charger or if the Rider was just going to send him back to another different dimension.

His heart jumped into his throat as a loud crash resounded behind him. The file cabinet had finally lost its battle and lay pitifully on the ground. Any second now the agents were going to break through that door. He didn't have much of a choice.

Robbie rushed and leaped through the portal as gunshots rattled into the room. His body seemed to hover for a moment as the interdimensional energies took him to who the Hell knows where when he suddenly shot through to the other side and crash landed onto hard, brown dirt.

He groaned as a dull pain radiated across his chest and chin. Not his best interdimensional portal traveling attempt, but it certainly hadn't been his worst. Robbie coughed as he slowly got up. Bitter, coppery blood laced the inside of his mouth and he honestly couldn't tell if it was because he bit something when he landed or if his gunshot wounds were really starting to get that bad.

As his eyes slowly adjusted to the bright light of the setting sun, Robbie found himself to be in a large, outdoor car impound.

At least, this isn't Hell, he thought.

Rows of detained S.H.I.E.L.D. vehicles lined where he stood, but his eyes were only focused on one car. There at the end of the row next to Coulson's cherry-red '62 Corvette sat his treasured Lucy. She was covered in a little bit of dirt and dust, but she still managed to shine proudly with voluminous beauty and danger even in the dying light.

Robbie grinned, but immediately his face turned sour once he spotted the boot somebody put on her front left tire. Fire boiled in the pit of his stomach. How could somebody dare try to chain up his baby like that? He muttered a slew of Spanish and English curse words that would have surely made his mother bring out the chancla if she were around as he slowly shuffled his way over.

Robbie wrapped his chain tight over the knuckles on his right hand. When he reached his Charger, he immediately bent down and slammed his fist into the tire boot. Even in his weakened state, the device practically shattered in half under his force. Robbie ripped the broken pieces off and tossed them aside.

He wound his chain around his torso once more as he staggered to his full height. Digging into his jeans' pocket, he pulled out his car keys, unlocked the door then slipped himself into the driver's seat. He let out a long sigh as he sunk into her warm, leather seats.

Closing the door shut, Robbie sat there in the silence for a moment, taking the sight of his Charger all in as the sun began to disappear below the horizon. He smiled as he reached out a gloved hand and lightly caressed her smooth steering wheel. God, did he miss his baby.

His eyes flicked to the glove compartment and he quickly reached over, opened it and rummaged through. There were a few bits of small car parts and couple trash wrappers, all useless really, until his fingers came across exactly what he had been looking for. Robbie pulled it out , his heart fluttering violently in his chest as he sat back.

It was a photograph of Daisy. Alright, it was actually a photo of her, Fitz and Simmons, but all he could focus on was her smiling face in the middle.

He had found it while he was rummaging around in Daisy's stuff that day long ago in Canelo's. The day he had been trying to find a reason to warrant killing her. He hadn't meant to keep it, but it had gotten left behind in the shop sometime after she ditched him during the night of the blackout. Robbie had gone back to work at Canelo's to find her van and all her stuff gone, but this lone photo tucked in the shadows between two boxes. Robbie was going to give it back to her, but between the Darkhold, Eli and AIDA, he hadn't had the chance.

The photo had to be a few years old. They all looked so much younger in it, and he honestly could barely recognize Daisy at first with her long brown hair. He knew it had to be her, though, the minute he saw her eyes. The girl in the photo had the same shine of warmth in her brown eyes the way Daisy did whenever she smiled in his direction. Of course, Photo Daisy's smile was much wider and freer than the little grins his Daisy had, but maybe one day he'd get to see this smile for real, too.

"But I'm here now . . . and that's good."

"That is good."

A soft smile tugged on the corners of his lips as he put the photo carefully back into the glove box and snapped it shut. Robbie twirled his keys then slipped the one for Lucy into the ignition. A crackle of energy tingled up his spine as his Charger roared to life. He revved the engine as scorching flames began to flood his chilled body and crackle just beneath his skin.

If Daisy was in trouble, he was going to find her. He had to. This wasn't going to be another good-bye. It was far from it.

[biluata]

You Make Me a Wildfire - Quakerider One-shot

Words: 2,820

Request #1: Robbie gets jealous, and Daisy calms him down

A little Angst, a little Fluff, with a dash of slight Saucy

Read on Ao3: Here

When you're a superhero, your date nights never consisted of having dinner and catching a movie. There were no moonlit walks or romantic serenades. Nope. Date nights were following shady activities and beating up any bad guys along the way.

Robbie should have known better when Daisy showed up on his doorsteps that night wearing a sexy outfit and enough makeup to be a fashion model.

"It'll be fun," she had said with a devilish grin. It didn't take long for Robbie to agree when she was giving him big brown puppy-dog eyes.

Now, the two of them were sitting in his Charger outside one of L.A.'s well-known biker bars, Hell's Bells. Motorcycles lined the entrance, along with a few huge, leather-clad guys drinking and smoking the night away. Loud rock music like a screaming banshee blared from the doorway every time someone went in or left.

Robbie bristled. He loved hanging out at dive bars whenever he had the chance, but even he could recognize this place was a dump and oozed in trouble.

"Daisy, what're we doing here?"

He turned to her, but she was preoccupied at the moment checking her face in his side-view mirror.

"S.H.I.E.L.D. has received word that a large group of Watchdogs is gathering in L.A. led by an old friend, Felix Blake," Daisy explained, wiping away some of her excess dark-pink lipstick. "Word is there's a guy here, Cornell, who has made some dealings with Blake in the past and might know where we can find him."

Robbie nodded. "Fair enough, but that still doesn't explain why you are dressed like," he paused, gesturing to her outfit. Daisy was wearing black jeans tight enough to actually be a second skin and a black leather jacket that did nothing to cover up her low-cut purple blouse. She had to be wearing a push-up bra, because her breasts just seemed to pop out of her shirt. He gulped. "Like that."

Daisy twisted in her seat towards him and raised one of her fine dark brows. "What? You don't like it?" She asked.

His ears began to burn and his palms became sweaty. Didn't like it? He loved it. He hated it. God, there was nothing Robbie wanted to more than to pull her in to the backseat and rip those clothes off her, with his teeth if he had to. He wanted to touch her, kiss her, ravish her, make her moan and scream his name until she was breathless.

Robbie coughed. "I just think, it doesn't seem like the best choice for knocking in skulls," he explained.

Daisy laughed, as she shimmied her top lower and Robbie's brain short-circuited. "You know, my job isn't all about 'Quake-ing' in and busting head," she stated, opening the car door. "Sometimes, it takes some subtle persuasion."

She began to shuffle her way out, but Robbie quickly grabbed her hand, stopping her. "Daisy, I'm not so sure about this."

He was torn inside, like a cavernous crack was erupting across his chest. Robbie knew well-enough that Daisy was a tough girl, that she could handle anything, and yet . . .

She stared at their hands before her beautiful brown eyes looked up into his own. Her eyes crinkled as a soft smile grew on her face. "It'll be fine," she said, rubbing circles on his gloved hand with her thumb. "Just wait here then, I'll be right back."

In the blink of an eye, she slipped her hand from his, got out and slapped the car door shut.

"Daisy!" He called, but she was already making her way across the street to the bar. The guys chatting out front paused as Daisy passed them by, not even trying to hid their appreciative stares. Robbie clenched his jaw. "Damn, this girl," he muttered under his breath.

Robbie groaned as he hopped out of the car, harshly slamming the door behind him. He quickly stalked across the street and followed her in.

One foot in the door and Robbie was immediately slammed with an awful stew of smells and sounds. Cigarette smoke, stale beer, and filthy sweat attacked his nose with vehemence that caused him to stagger. He tried to breathe through his mouth, but the pungent smell on got stuck on his tongue, like he was licking an old shoe. Robbie held back the gag burning at the back of his throat.

"Daisy?" He tried to should above the music. The place was as well-lit as a movie theater and packed mostly with bearded, leather-clad men of all ages. Robbie scanned the surprisingly large space, but he couldn't find Daisy's little dark head bobbing around anywhere.

Suddenly, a sharp, fiery pain pricked the back of his neck. Robbie squinted his eyes shut and gritted his teeth. No, not now.

"Guilty," a raspy voice like grinding bones whispered in his head.

Robbie opened his eyes. He could see it, sense it. The guiltiness of sin all around him. The wicked crimes some of these men did to the innocent. They deserved to be punished. The Rider in him craved it, prowling around in his head like a caged tiger lashing to get out.

"No," Robbie murmured, as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He made a deal, but now as not the time.

"Hey, you okay?"

He opened his eyes once more to find Daisy standing in front of him. Her eyes were tinged with concern as she searched his face. Hesitantly, she took one of his hands into her own. Even through the leather gloves, he could feel the warming strength she was trying to provide with her touch. His heart swelled.

The demon still hissed in his head, but Robbie managed to put on a smile. "Yeah, I will be." He squeezed her hand. "Let's just do this and get out of here."

Daisy smiled as she squeezed back then let their hands separate and drop. "Okay, so Cornell's in the back by the bar. Just follow my lead and stay back."

Daisy slowly began to make her through the bar with Robbie only a few steps behind. Just as they were nearing the back, she stopped so suddenly, he nearly crashed into her. "There he is," she said, nodding her head.

A guy who appeared to be in his early forties was sitting at the bar surrounded by a slew of younger men. Robbie sneered. Even from 15 feet away he could tell this Cornell guy was trash. His salt-and-pepper hair was greasily slicked back against his head like a helmet. He wore a fine, pinstripe shirt that was wrinkled, stained and only half-buttoned up, exposing his curly mass of chest hair. The man wore enough bling to be a jewelry model, but the worst thing of all was that he was wearing a pair of black Aviator sunglasses indoors. Robbie chuckled under his breath. What a joke.

"Show time," Daisy murmured.

Putting on one of the most charming smiles Robbie had ever seen, Daisy slowly strutted over to where Cornell was sitting. The older man was having a conversation with a weasel-looking guy sitting next to him when he noticed Daisy coming his way. A grin formed on his face as he lowered his sunglasses and slowly gave her an appreciative look-over. Robbie leaned back against a large, wooden beam as his blood began to boil. He could already figure out the vile things that man was thinking.

Cornell flicked his head at the weasel-guy and the other man quickly left. He then nodded to the now empty seat beside him which Daisy took graciously.

"Hello gorgeous," Cornell crooned with a flash of his golden teeth. "Can I buy you a drink?"

Daisy smiled back. "Actually, I'm here for information, and I hear that you are the man to see."

Upon hearing that, Cornell's smile grew wider and he puffed up his chest. "I am. What does the little lady want to know?"

"Well, I hear that Felix Blake is in town," Daisy said, leaning a little closer to Cornell and placing a hand on his arm. "I have also heard that you have had dealings with him in the past. I was just wondering if you could tell me where I could find him? I have a proposition for him that I think he will be very interested in."

Robbie raised his brows. Wow. Daisy was really pulling out all the stops for this one: the charming smile, the touching, the bats of her eyelashes. In no time, she could have Cornell eating out of the palm of her hand.

"A proposition, huh?" Cornell asked with another toothy grin. He gave her another look over. "Would you happen to have one for me?"

"Maybe," Daisy teased, flashing a flirty grin. "Depends if you follow through with the information I need."

"I'm always good at giving a lady what she needs."

Robbie gritted his teeth as Cornell reached out and placed one of his greasy hands on Daisy's knee. The sleazebag circled his fingers on her knee, inching up higher and higher on her leg. If Daisy was upset about it, she didn't show. Her face was still that of a pleasant, smiling angel.

Robbie stood up and balled his hands into fists. How could she seem fine with this piece of trash touching her like that? His insides roiled just having to witness it.

"This guy is nothing but a scumbag," the Rider hissed in his head. "Let's take him out. Stain the land with his filthy blood."

Robbie clenched his fists. No. He couldn't. Not yet. Still, it did nothing to stop the fire coursing through his veins.

Cornell glanced over towards Robbie and tilted his head. "Hey, who are you?" He looked back to Daisy. "Is that guy with you? Is he your boyfriend or something?"

Robbie's mouth went dry. What was he supposed to say? All the goons surrounding Cornell turned to watch him, as well, their eyes peering him over with sneers on their faces. Robbie narrowed his eyes as the fire in him blazed hotter. There had to be at least a dozen of them. It would be a challenge, but Ghost Rider could probably take them all out if he had to.

Robbie cracked his knuckles when he noticed Daisy staring at him. Her eyes wide and unblinking as she gave the faintest shake of her head. It was a plea: Robbie, trust me, I got this.

He sighed and let his body relax. Daisy said she could handle it, and he trusted her more than anyone else. He needed to have faith in her.

She faced Cornell and smiled. "Oh, don't worry about him," Daisy said in a voice as sugary sweet as cotton candy. "So, Blake, where can I find him?"

Cornell gave Robbie one last smirk before he turned his head back to Daisy with his slimy, charming grin. "When I made dealings with Blake, we often by the warehouses near the river. Maybe you can find him there."

"Great. Thank you." Daisy made to get up, but Cornell gripped her leg tightly.

"Now, now, sweetheart, what about that drink?" He asked. Cornell flashed his shiny metal teeth once more as his hand slipped higher up Daisy's inner thigh until --

In a flash, Robbie was there, ripping Cornell's hand away from Daisy. He held the man's wrist tight in his hand, squeezing harder and harder like a snake wrapped around its prey. Robbie sneered. Maybe if he held on hard enough, he could break his bones.

Cornell let out a strangled cry as he gripped the bar counter with his free hand. "What the hell?! Let go! What is your problem, man?"

"You," Robbie snarled, his eyes burning.

Fire scorched through Robbie's veins, his skin stinging from the flames. The Rider wanted to take over, to incinerate this man and any other asshole that stood in his way.

"What the -- Ahh!" Cornell screamed as the skin where Robbie held his wrist began to bubble and blister.

"Robbie!"

Robbie blinked. Daisy stood before him, her hand resting gingerly on his arm. She looked up at him, her eyes swimming with what? Concern? Fear? It was a cold punch to the chest.

He let go of Cornell's wrist and the other man immediately collapsed onto the ground on his hands and knees, nursing his burnt flesh. All of Cornell's men had already took the coward's way out and scattered.

"Let's just go, okay?" Daisy said, nudging Robbie towards the back of the bar. She turned towards Cornell. "Thanks for the information," she said, then slammed one of her heeled boots on to his right hand with a sickening crunch.

Cornell cried out, whimpering like a beat dog. Robbie grinned. Served him right.

"Come on." Daisy tried to push Robbie along, but he was statue. His body still simmered inside as the Rider thrashed for control. He wanted to kill everyone in this bar. They deserved it, to have their souls burned in their shallow husks. God, did the Rider want it like a greedy beggar lapping up any crumb he could find.

Suddenly, everything blurred around him as Daisy gave him a big enough shove to send him heading for the back exit. Robbie rammed through the door into the back alley, the chilly, wet night air doing nothing to cool his fevered body. He paced back and forth, groaning as the fire burned through his body.

"What the heck was that?" Daisy asked, slamming the door behind her. "I told you I had this."

"Go back in there!" The Rider seethed. "Fuck that guy up! Tear him apart!"

"No," Robbie moaned, clutching his head and squeezing his eyes shut. It was happening. Soon enough the fire would consume him and the Rider would take over.

"Robbie? Robbie!"

Daisy's voice sounded muffled and far away, as if she were screaming at him from the bottom of a well. The fire, the pain, it was getting to be too much. He was drowning.

"Robbie, stay with me!" Daisy yelled again, her voice still faint but somehow closer.

Gentle but firm hands wrapped around his upper arms and roughly tugged him a little to his right. He opened his eyes and Daisy stood before him. Her face pale but there was a fiery intensity in her eyes that bore into him. She was throwing out a lifeline, ready to pull him to safety.

"Robbie, just calm down," she said softly, giving his arms a light squeeze. "It's okay, just focus on me."

Robbie struggled to take deep breaths as he did what she asked. Everything else around him blurred away, leaving only Daisy. Her eyes were shimmering beautifully from the streetlight as if they were filled with stars. Her nostrils puffed up slightly with every calm inhale and exhale of her breath. The pale scar on her cheek that he loved to kiss stood out like a lightning bolt in a storm. Her dark pink lips were slightly parted and turned up in the corners to the softest smile.

Daisy slid her hands up and gingerly placed them on either side of her face. Robbie leaned into her touch with a deep sigh. Her hands were so cool and sweet like morning dew on blades of grass.

The Rider hissed in his head, but it was as if it were in a far-off place. He knew that the spirit would come back, would gain its control over Robbie eventually and unleash its vengeance, but he didn't care. All that mattered was he was here, now, with the most amazing and beautiful woman in the world.

"I'm sorry," Robbie murmured, staring deep into Daisy's brown doe eyes. God, he could get lost in them forever. Hesitantly, he reached his hand up and placed it over one of hers.

Daisy smiled and his chest grew lighter. "It's okay. Just stay with me, alright?"

"I will."

She leaned forward on her tiptoes, her eyes slowly closing. Robbie closed his eyes as her lips met his. They were velvety soft and moved against his mouth with a chaste passion he reciprocated. With the sweet taste of mint on her breath, he could feel the fire flickering inside him subside.

Daisy slowly broke off the kiss, leaning back. Robbie opened his eyes as smile curved on his face.

"Alright, hotshot," she said with a grin, reaching a hand over to wipe his lips free of her lipstick. "We actually have business to do."

She slid her hands off his face, but immediately took one of his hands in hers. Robbie intertwined their fingers, fitting together perfectly like pieces in a puzzle.

"Then, what are we waiting for?"

They slowly walked back to his Charger, ready to take on whatever else the night had to offer together.

[biluata]

It's Always Better When We're Together - Quakerider One-shot

Words: 6,953

Request #5: Daisy hustles Robbie in pool

Goofball Idiots in Love. Pure Fluff and Humor. Lovey-dovey Feels. Slightly Saucy. Minor Mack/Yo-Yo.

Read on Ao3: Here

Never again, Daisy thought, groaning as she limped her way into the Containment Module.

She and Mack had just finished answering a distress call about a possible enhanced threat in Boulder, Colorado. This “horribly dangerous” threat turned out to be just a guy who was extremely “Rocky Mountain high” and had enough fireworks and smoke bombs to start to Fourth of July show. He apparently had been terrorizing the neighborhood, claiming he was the all-powerful “Sorcerer Supreme.”

Besides the fact that this guy was wearing nothing but a pair of tighty-whitey underwear and a cloak made from a “World of Warcraft” bedspread, Daisy had already met the actual “Sorcerer Supreme” a couple months ago for a S.H.I.E.L.D mission. This patriotic Coloradoan was far from being him, although they both were a bit of an asshole.

Once they had realized he was nowhere close to being an enhanced threat, it should have been just an easy arrest and hand-off to the local police. Of course, it never could be that simple. No, instead, the guy lit all his fireworks in an attempt at a last stand and all Hell broke loose.

Smoke and sparks went everywhere quickly blinding them all and turning everything upside down. She had gotten smacked around quite a bit by a few sneaky rockets that seemed to be coming from every direction. When the smoke finally cleared, she couldn’t deny how satisfying it had been to knock him unconscious and break his nose with one swift punch to the face.

Daisy leaned against the inside of the tiny white box, rubbing her thigh where a particularly feisty firecracker nicked her. It left a near circular burn mark that frayed the threading of her Quake suit. And I just got this damn suit fixed! She thought bitterly, gritting her teeth.

Mack and Agent Farris squeezed their way into the Containment Module, as well. Although Farris looked like he had just finished cleaning a chimney, Mack had made it out of the scenario relatively unscathed despite being larger than her and Farris combined. Daisy narrowed her eyes. Ugh, did she hate him for it.

“You know,” Daisy started, running a hand through her hair. “When I agreed to rejoin S.H.I.E.L.D, I was not expecting to–” She winced as she pulled out a piece of firecracker plastic from her hair. “To be given assignments like this.”

Mack smirked, but did not look up from his tablet. “Perks of the job,” he stated as he continued typing their end-mission report.

The Containment Module hissed closed. Daisy immediately grabbed onto the side before the Module launched itself in the air. Landscape and mountains whizzed past the window in a blur, quickly replaced by the dazzling orange and pink sky of the setting sun. She averted her eyes as her stomach began to roll. No matter how many times she rode in here, the motion sickness never got easier.

Suddenly, the Module’s breakneck vertical climb into the atmosphere slowed. A heavy, resounding clunk reverbed through her chest as their transport connected with the underside of Zephyr One. Daisy took one last glance at the sunset before their scenic window view was replaced with the dim, dark interior of the plane’s loading bay.

“What a long day,” she announced, stepping through the Containment Module’s doors as they whirred open. Seriously, between this and the U.S. Government being on her ass this morning about the Sokovia Accords and “Inhuman versus Human” injustice bullshit, she needed a drink. She hissed as pain spiked in her thigh like a cattle prod. Or maybe two.

Daisy grinned. And, she knew the exact person to drink with.

She slipped off her gauntlets as she headed over to the closest set of lockers. Opening the one to the immediate fare left, Daisy tossed her gauntlets in with only the slightest bit of care before pulling out her S.H.I.E.L.D-issued black backpack. Luckily, her phone rested right on top and she quickly snatched it out before throwing her bag back inside.

“Really?” Mack asked, raising his brow as he opened the locker two down from hers. “Not even a minute back and you are already calling your boyfriend?”

Daisy rolled her eyes, but her cheeks still heated up anyway. “Please, like you weren’t just about to call Yo-Yo.”

He grinned, pulling his cell phone out and shutting his locker shut. “Yeah, but my girlfriend also happens to be fiancée and the mother to my unborn child, so I think it’s a bit different.”

“Sure, whatever.” She laughed and watched him walk off deeper into the plane.

Daisy turned her attention back to her phone and held down the number “6.” She clutched the phone close to her head as the familiar trill of the dial-up buzzed in her ear. He picked up at the third ring.

“Hello?” Robbie asked.

Her heart instantly melted in her chest. Daisy knew she had only just talked to him yesterday, but man did she love hearing his voice. It was rough, but sweet like velvety sandpaper that tickled her ears and sent warm vibrations dancing across her nerves.

“Please, tell me you are free tonight?” She pleaded, leaning back against the set of lockers.

Robbie must have sensed her aggravation through the phone, because he barely hesitated. “Uh, sure. I can be. The usual place?”

A tender smiled worked its way across her face. How lucky was she to have a boyfriend like him? She didn’t have to say much, but he was always ready to do anything at the drop of a dime for her. Honestly, she swore she didn’t deserve him.

“That sounds perfect.”

“I have a few things to finish up at Canelo’s first,” he explained. As if to enunciate the point, the muffled sound of some sort of power tool whirred in the background. “But I can meet you there in an hour, if you want? Are you already in L.A?”

“Actually, I’m in Boulder, Colorado. It’s a long, long story. So, how about I meet you in two hours?”

“That works for me. I–”

“Ey, Reyes! Are you talking to your girl Daisy?” Someone, who she swore sounded like Benny, called in the background. Out of all his coworkers, Daisy liked Benny the most. He always had great jokes and crazy stories, and he was a pretty awesome DJ on the weekends.

“Yeah,” Robbie said, his mouth away from the speaker. “We were just – Hey!”

Static and indistinct voices crackled in her ear. She pressed the phone closer and strained to make out what they were saying.

“Daisy!” Benny suddenly boomed into the ear piece like an explosion. She winced as she held the phone a few inches away but that didn’t stop the ringing in her ear. “Robbie just wanted me to tell you that he loves you and misses you and he spends all day dreaming about you two–”

“Hey! Cállate, güey!” Robbie hollered.

Daisy chuckled. More shuffling ensued along with a muffled, heated argument in Spanish between the two that she could not keep up with. What it was, though, sounded pretty hilarious between Benny's teasing laughter and Robbie's exasperated tones.

She bit her lip and sighed. It was times like that Daisy really hated how she hadn't taken the time to learn Spanish yet. So many beloved people in her life spoke Spanish. It would be nice to be able to communicate with them through it, as well; or, at least, to make sure they stopped joking and talking bad about her when she was right there.

"Sorry, Daisy, I got to go," Robbie panted into the phone as Benny cackled in the background. "I'll see you in two hours. Bye."

"See you then," she replied, but he had already hung up.

Daisy set her phone aside before quickly stripping off her uniform right there in the loading bay. At this point in her life, she frankly didn't give a damn who saw her in her underwear. It took almost two hours to get to L.A. by Quinjet from here, and she needed to hurry if she was going to meet Robbie on time.

Letting her uniform lay bunched up on the floor, she snatched up her backpack and took out the civilian clothes she had stashed inside. It wasn't the cutest outfit in the world, just a long, plain red t-shirt she was pretty sure once belonged to Robbie and an old pair of dark ripped jeans, but it would have to do. She tugged them on with the gusto of a costume change backstage during a play, before slipping on her favorite black leather jacket and heeled boots.

Her hair and makeup were in an atrocious state, more fit for an MCR concert than a date night, but she didn't have time to worry about that right now. Besides, one of the best parts about dating Robbie is that he has already seen her at some of her worst.

And, he still loves me all the same, she thought as a smile inched across her face and that warm, fuzzy feeling grew in her heart.

She stuffed her Quake uniform and gauntlets into her backpack (because she could never be too prepared) and zipped it closed. Daisy then gathered the rest of her things, slammed her locker shut, and quickly made her way towards the main deck.

"McCafferty!" She hollered with the brass of a drill sergeant when she arrived.

A young man skinnier than a light pole, yet tall enough to be a basketball star, jumped from where he stood by the communications console. His face was pale as he quickly rushed over then stood at attention straighter than a picket fence in front of her.

"Yes, Agent Quake, I mean, Johnson, sir, ma'am!" He squeaked out with one hand resting in a salute on his forehead.

Daisy grinned. Agent McCafferty was one of the newest recruits for S.H.I.E.L.D, an ace pilot and communications technician they snatched from the U.S. Air Force. Despite him being twice her size, he was still scared to death, as well as being a little star-struck, of her.

"I need you to pilot a Quinjet for me to Los Angeles. Urgent business. I need us to be wheels up in five."

"Yes, ma'am," McCafferty stated without a second thought and hurried off to the Quinjet bay.

It was times like this that she was thankful for her Quake reputation.

Daisy continued to move throughout the main deck until she reached the door that led to one of the plane's small conference rooms. She pushed the slightly cracked open door aside and found Mack sitting in one of the many chairs in the far corner. He was smiling and talking in sweet, hushed tones to whom she could only assume was Yo-Yo.

Daisy smiled and a light airiness filled her chest. After all of the terrible stuff he had been through, they all had been through, it was great to see Mack find joy and love in his life.

"Hey!" She whispered-yelled to him with a wave of her hand.

"Hold on," Mack murmured into the phone before lowering it. "Yeah?" He asked her.

"I'm heading to Los Angeles. Are you cool with, I don't know, everything?" She asked. It was vague, but she and Mack had been partners long enough to know what she meant. S.H.I.E.L.D was a very strict and busy duty. An agent shouldn't just take off after a mission, but she needed to get away. She needed to see Robbie.

Mack nodded. "Don't worry, I got you covered."

Daisy beamed as her heart squeezed tight. Mack was honestly the best. She definitely had to splurge on his and Yo-Yo's baby gift registry now.

"Thanks!" She called as he returned back to his phone call.

McCafferty was ready to launch the moment Daisy stepped onto the Quinjet. She settled into one of the many seats, laid her backpack onto the seat beside her, and buckled up.

"Get us to East Los Angeles as fast as you can," she said, shuffling a little in the hard, metal seat to get more comfortable.

"Yes, ma'am."

She didn't know whether it was because McCafferty was a great pilot, or if he gunned the jet out of fear of disappointing her, but they made it to Los Angeles in near record time. The sun had already set over the Pacific and the lights of L.A. twinkled beneath them like the stars they outshined above. Still, she was ten minutes ahead of when she said she would meet Robbie.

McCafferty landed the Quinjet by her orders on the concrete banks of the Los Angeles River and opened the back hatch with a slow hiss. Daisy unbuckled her seatbelt and grabbed her bag.

"You can just take the night off, McCafferty, or head back to HQ. I don't care. Honestly, I don't even know how long I'll be here," she explained, standing up and slinging her backpack over her shoulders.

"But, ma'am, maybe you might need back-up or something? What are we even doing in Los Angeles anyway? Is it the Watchdogs? HYDRA?" He asked from his seat in the cockpit.

"What we are here for, McCafferty, is to relax and have a good time," Daisy stated, walking down the ramp. "Goodnight!"

Her chest pinched tight as McCafferty began shouting after her, but she ignored him. She probably shouldn't have basically forced him to dragger her out here, but she needed this. Hopefully, he and the rest of S.H.I.E.L.D wouldn't be too made whenever she returned.

Luckily, where they had landed wasn't too far of a walk from where she said she'd meet Robbie. In only 15 minutes of wandering around the busy streets, she turned the corner and there it was in all its neon glory: "El Gallo Rojo."

"El Gallo Rojo" was a quaint Mexican country bar nestled in between a laundromat and a music shop. While it had the same architectural design as all the other East Los Angeles buildings lined up along the block, the bar's owner, Ernesto, did his best to make his pride and joy stand out. Festive Mexican iconography and neon signs covered nearly every inch of the front entrance with the most noticeable being the giant red rooster statue he attached to the roof like a donut on Randy's Donuts Shop.

This was Robbie's favorite dive bar to hit up and the place he took her to for their second unofficial date. That had been a great night of drinking and laughing until Daisy had gotten way too invested in her karaoke rendition of Taylor Swift's "Shake It Off" and ended up vomiting in the bar's bathroom. Her stomach still cringed whenever someone suggested eating shrimp tacos.

Still, the night hadn't been all bad. Even in her drunken haze, she remembered Robbie holding back her hair as she heaved the contents of her stomach repeatedly into the toilet. He didn't have to do that for her, but he did. He also had stayed by her side the whole night to make sure she was okay and even made her laugh when she honestly felt like crying her eyes out. That had been the moment she first realized she could honestly see herself falling for this bad boy with a heart of gold.

Daisy pulled open the front door to the bar and immediately got hit with blaring Latin music and the place's familiar concocted scent of cigarette smoke, sweat, cheap beer and frying grease. What had once nearly suffocated her upon contact like mustard gas, now the smell was almost comforting like finding a favorite old childhood toy in a moldy cardboard box in the garage.

Despite it only being a Tuesday night, the place was decently busy. Some regulars she recognized were lined up on stools at the bar while groups of friends, families and couples intermixed at the tables and booths. They were all lit up in a dazzling array of colorful twinkling lights that hung thick from the ceiling and along the walls. The room honestly looked like a Mexican Christmas explosion had happened, but she still loved it. The place may be a pit cheesy and its hygiene was a solid "B" rating at best, but it was hers and Robbie's place.

Daisy ran her hand through her now fixed hair one last time for good measure as she scanned the room. Immediately, she found Robbie in his favorite leather jacket sitting at their usual booth and staring pensively at the beer in his hand. She frowned. He was troubled about something, but when has he ever not been? Whatever it was bothering him this time, she hoped it was something minor and not the fiery demon leeching inside him.

As Daisy made her way over, Robbie looked up and his whole face softened when his eyes landed on her. He smiled that soft grin of his that curled the edges of his moustache and made her heart melt like caramel.

Robbie hastily shuffled out of the booth as his eyes never left hers. They could honestly be the only two people in the room for all Daisy cared, because she was only focused on him, too. The second she made it to their booth, he instantly wrapped her in his arms and held her close with enough force to lift her feet off the ground.

Soft laughter bubbled in her chest and jingled out of her mouth as she hugged him back. There was nothing better than being in his arms. They were so strong and so warm like hugging a big, leather teddy bear.

He set her back down onto the ground, but immediately bent his head down and kissed her. Fire flooded her lips and instantly spread throughout her body, making her atoms come alive. Everything was starting to get fuzzy and she swore she was seeing stars.

Daisy gasped for air when they separate, but her mouth still tingled with sparks. Robbie grinned down at her, his cheeks a little flushed.

"Sorry, I missed you," he explained, rubbing the back of his neck.

She smiled as she leaned forward and gave him a quick, more chaste kiss. "It's good to see you, too." Daisy's eyes glanced towards their table and lit up on the shot of whiskey nestled between the two beers. "And, you!"

Robbie snickered as Daisy hastily climbed into the cushioned booth. She tugged her enormously bulky backpack off and tossed it against the wall to let it rest on the inside of their booth.

"I thought you might like that," Robbie said as he sat down across from her. "After hearing you on the phone."

"You are a freaking saint, Robbie Reyes," she stated firmly, picking up the shot and cradling it delicately in her hand as if it was the most precious thing in the world, which it may as well be at this very moment.

That got a good, hearty laugh out of him. Robbie threw his head back as his booming laughter filled the space. It sent tingles down her spine and her heart swelled.

"Yeah, sure. The patron saint of what? Alcohol and poor decisions?" He quipped.

Daisy grinned. "I can get behind honoring a saint like that. I'll send my recommendation to the Pope first thing tomorrow." She raised her shot glass into the air. "To Saint Roberto."

Robbie smirked as she tossed her head back and downed the entire contents of her glass. A fire, far from the tender kind that Robbie made her feel, burned with a bitter sting down her throat. Still, it felt good like the way her muscles ached after a great workout. She set the glass down as her belly bubbled with the warmth of her drink.

"So," Robbie asked, taking a sip of his beer. "How was your day?"

Daisy chuckled bitterly. "How do I even start. . ."

For the next several minutes, she ranted to him about all the shit that had happened to her. He was an attentive listener, watching her ramble on with all his focus and a serious expression on his face. It wasn't until she started discussing her mission in Colorado did he begin to crack up. Of course, as soon as he started to chuckle and grin, Daisy couldn't help but take her story not as seriously anymore, either.

"No way!" He stated, lightly slamming his hand on the wooden table.

"I'm not kidding!" Daisy interjected with a giggle. "He just stood there waving his fingers at us and screaming--" She lowered her voice into a dramatic tenor. "'I am the Sorcerer Supreme! Bow before my mighty power! Alookaza! Alookaza!'" Daisy wiggled her fingers at him and Robbie leaned back as he laughed.

"In his underwear?" He asked when he composed himself a little, tears at the corners of his eyes.

"In his underwear!" She repeated, taking a sip of her beer.

"Well, did you fall under his spell?"

Daisy's body pitched forward as she snorted. She held her mouth tightly shut as she laughed to keep herself from spitting her beer out on the table, but that didn't stop the amber liquid from burning the insides of her nostrils. Composing herself, she swallowed and gasped for air.

"Robbie!" She exclaimed, fire blazing in her chest.

"What?" He questioned innocently but was grinning devilishly. "I'm just saying he sounds convincing."

They both broke down into fits of laughter. Robbie held on to the table to keep himself from sliding onto the floor while Daisy cradled her sides as each spasm of chuckles became even more painful than the last. As their laughter began to die down, she wiped the tears by her eyes.

This is exactly what she needed. Although she and Robbie kicked a lot of ass together as the "super-powered duo extraordinaire," she loved it best when the two of them were just relaxing and hanging out together. They didn't have to be "Quake" or "Ghost Rider" or "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." They could just be Daisy and Robbie: a regular young couple in love just like everybody else.

Daisy went to take another sip from her beer when something behind Robbie caught her eye. It was a pool table, resting where the stage for karaoke and mariachi nights used to be.

Although the table was certainly a new addition to the bar, it was far from being brand-new. Scuffs and cracks marked its wooden sides along with a few cigarette burns. The once vibrant green felt had faded to a dingy olive color and was covered in a variety of stains that she hoped were because of alcohol and not human fluids. It was in rough  shape, and she could only assume whoever brought it either picked it up in a junkyard or off the side of the road.

"Since when did Ernesto get a pool table?" She asked.

Robbie twisted in his seat as he followed her gaze. "I don't know, actually. I was just here last week with Benny and it wasn't there." He turned back around and had the most wicked grin plastered on his face.

Daisy raised an eyebrow, her heart beating a bit faster. The last time he had looked at her like that they had gotten extremely frisky in his Charger.

Her eyes widened. Oh, god, he doesn't want us to have sex on a pool table, does he?!

Not that she would actually mind . . . Honestly, it kind of sounded fun, but not right now and certainly not with this table. But maybe they could sneak into a different bar with a pool table later . . .

"Do you want to?" Robbie asked.

Her heart rate spiked. "Hm?" Daisy sputtered, eyes wide.

"Pool? Did you want to play pool?" He asked again a little slower with his brow furrowed.

Oh. He just meant . . . Not the two of them . . . Right. Daisy took a sip of her beer as her cheeks began to burn. Damn her and her wildly active imagination.

"I don't know . . ." She eventually murmured out, looking down at the table and nursing her bottle close to her mouth.

"Oh, come on," Robbie teased, grabbing her free hand she left on the table. "It's really easy and fun. I'll teach you."

Wait, what? Daisy raised her head, her eyebrows scrunched together. "Actually, I--"

"Come on," he said as he got up from his seat.

"But, Robbie, I--"

"Don't worry about it. It's easy!"

Daisy groaned as she allowed him to tug her out of her seat and over towards the pool table. At least, she still had her beer. She took sips and watched as Robbie let her go to quickly set up the balls then grab two cue sticks. He held one out for her to which she graciously accepted.

"Alright, so pool is pretty simple. What you go to do . . ." Robbie began to explain but by that point Daisy had started to zone him out.

She hadn't protested earlier because she didn't know how to play pool. Daisy was actually a master at pool. It had been a hobby of hers growing up before she had gotten really interested in computers and hacking. Most of her early teenage years were spent hanging out at arcades in order to avoid her foster parents. It had mostly been a sausage fest with asshole, airheaded guys who always thought they could be so slick with her just because she was a pretty girl. There had been nothing more satisfying in the world than to see their stupid faces when she hustled them out of hundreds of dollars.

Of course, Robbie was way better than those guys. He was honestly such a sweetheart compared to most and usually had good intentions, despite never believing so himself. She couldn't pull a fast one on him like that. One of her eyebrows slowly began to rise. Or could she . . .

"And that's pretty much it. You got it?" Robbie asked, looking to her expectantly with a soft smile.

"Hm? Oh yeah, got it."

"Alright, I'll start, so you can watch me."

"Gladly," Daisy said, grinning.

She stepped back as Robbie bent over the table to line up his shot. Daisy bit her bottom lip hard as the fabric of his jeans was pulled tight over his ass. Damn did she love pool. It honestly took every bit of her willpower not to just go and smack his fine behind.

Robbie broke the balls then proceeded to pocket the number "6" ball.

"Okay," he said, straightening up. "So, since I sunk the '6' that means I have to try to get all the solid-colored balls into the pockets. You are going to try to get all of the striped balls in, cool?"

"You got it."

He nodded. "Alright, so a person keeps shooting until they fail to pocket one of their balls. Also, you are going to want to avoid sinking in the black '8' ball until all of your other balls are pocketed."

"Why? Is it not going to give me the answers to my questions then?" She teased.

Robbie snorted and shook his head. "You're cute, you know that, right?"

Daisy beamed as her heart grew a little lighter. "Obviously."

He smiled. "Okay, so you want to avoid the '8' ball until the end because, if you sink it in before then, it's an automatic win for your opponent."

Which Daisy, of course, already knew, but she loved how she was with explaining. Her heart twinged tight in her chest. This was going to make beating him so much worse.

"So, any questions?"

She shook her head. "Nope. Sounds easy enough."

"Cool. Let's continue."

Robbie turned back towards the table. He studied it for a few seconds before he bent down and smoothly shot the "5" ball into one of the corner pockets. Daisy raised her brow. Impressive. Too bad she was better.

He lined up another shot to get the "2" ball into one of the side pockets. It was an easy shot, one that anyone with decent hand-eye coordination could do in their sleep, but Robbie sent the little blue sphere careening wildly off to the side like a loose bull.

"You did that on purpose, Reyes!" She exclaimed, smacking the butt of her cue stick hard on the bar's wooden floors.

Robbie stood up, the smallest, most coy of smiles twitching at the edges of his lips. "I don't know what you are talking about. Just a miscalculation on my part, I guess," he said, shrugging his broad shoulders.

Daisy rolled her eyes. "Yeah, right, sure." Miscalculation, my ass, she thought.

"Come on, it's your turn."

She sighed as she set her beer bottle aside and strode towards the table. Her eyes scanned the tabletop, invisible trajectory paths forming over the dingy green felt. The "10" was an easy shot being just a few inches away from a corner pocket. However, with the way "14" was lined up, she could sink that and the "12" with its ricochet.

"Here," Robbie said, placing a gentle hand on her back. "Let me help."

Daisy bit the inside of her cheek to hold back her groan, but complied as he set his stick down then led her around to the other side of the table.

"So, what you want to do is hold the pool cue back here with your dominant hand at hip level. Then, when you lean down, you want your other hand resting on the table with the end of your cue stick sitting in the slot between your thumb and your index finger," he explained.

Robbie placed his hands on top of hers and it was like electricity bounced off their touching skin. Butterflies fluttered in her chest. She always loved how warm his hands were and the way his hardened callouses rubbed against her smooth skin. Rough but also gentle, just like him.

He guided her hands towards the proper positions on the cue stick then helped her lean down over the table. Apparently, he was lining her up to try to sink the "9" ball into one of the corner pockets on the far end, away from any other balls.

Robbie still had his arms around her as he helped line up her shot. He was pressed right up against her, mirroring all her actions as they moved as one. His heart pounded fast against her back and heat radiated off of him like a furnace. His usual scent of gasoline, leather and firewood filled her nostrils and caused her heart to beat a little quicker.

"Alright, remember to keep your grip loose and gently follow through with your shot," he murmured low in her hear.

His voice was as smooth and sweet as toffee. Her knees trembled a little and Daisy bit her lip to keep herself from just melting in to him. She honestly couldn't breathe.

"I see what you are trying to do here, Reyes, with your smooth moves," she muttered, tilting her head so she could peek at him from the corner of her eye.

Robbie grinned and her heart convulsed in her chest. "Was it that obvious?" He asked.

Daisy rolled her eyes and bumped him with her butt. Damn, hothead, she ruefully thought with a shake of her head. She couldn't wait until she wiped the floor with him.

Daisy focused her attention back on the table and adjusted her aim slightly. She pulled her pool cue back then sent the cue ball flying. It smacked right into the "9" ball and careened it towards the corner pocket. The striped yellow sphere hit the rail and ricocheted away.

She grinned briefly. Yes, it was all going according to her well-trained plan.

"Ooh, so close," she muttered, trying her best to sound disappointed.

Robbie rubbed her back as they both stood up and separated. "You'll get it next time," he encouraged, offering a smile.

Her heart clenched tight. Damn. Why did he have to be so sweet?

"Just watch me, okay?" Robbie said before picking up his cue stick and walking around the table to scope out his next shot.

"Oh, I will," she teased as her eyes followed his ass.

He shot her a look then chuckled as he shook his head. Daisy snatched up her beer and leaned back against an empty dining table.

Robbie was like a panther on the prowl as he paced around the pool table. His eyes were fierce and sharp as they scanned the playing field, looking for his next pretty. He lined up a shot and sunk the "7" in the blink of an eye. Robbie then proceeded to then pocket the "2" and the "4" ball. He was set to also sink the "3" when he jerked his cue stick a little too roughly and sent the cue ball bouncing wildly around the table.

Daisy clenched her beer bottle tight. Another throwaway shot at her expense. Great. She wanted to find the gesture sweet, that he cared about her playing and having fun, but it just made her insides boil instead. Daisy didn't like things to be easy. She enjoyed the challenge, the pain and the hardship. It just made her struggles to overcome them that much tastier.

"Your turn," he stated.

She sighed as she threw her head back and drained the last few drops of her beer. Daisy slammed the empty bottle down hard and rose to her feet. He was going to regret this.

"How about we make this more interesting?" She asked, grinning.

Robbie paused and raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

Daisy pursed her lips. She wanted to teach him a lesson, but she didn't want to hustle the poor guy out of all his money either. He was her boyfriend after all whom she swore she loved very dearly. This could really put a damper on their relationship, and Daisy was still a little keen on making that pool table sex fantasy a reality sometime.

"How about the loser has to buy the winner nachos?"

It was a fair bet. A simple one that wouldn't leave either party too upset.

Robbie rested his head on his cue stick as he mulled it over. "I don't know . . ."

"Come on!" Daisy urged, pounding the butt of her cue stick repeatedly into the floor like foot stomps in a stadium. "It'll be more fun!"

He shot her a dubious look. "The last time you said that you nearly broke my neck and I nearly set the laser tag place on fire," Robbie stated.

She sighed, rolling her eyes. Not the damn laser tag, again. He was just never going to give that up, was he?

"I already admitted that I may have taken things a little too far with the whole wraparound thigh head grip takedown--"

"A little?"

Daisy cringed. "Okay, maybe a lot," she admitted.

Ever since she was little, Daisy had been highly competitive. As soon as their game of laser tag had started, her S.H.I.E.L.D-trained instincts just kicked in. When she saw Robbie, she didn't even think, just acted in order win. Was it the proper approach for the situation? Well, no, probably not, but it had been an effective one. She was sure if May had been there, she'd be proud.

Still, Daisy's brutal surprise attack nearly brought the Rider out of him. Robbie had managed to keep him at bay, but that didn't stop him from accidentally lighting the carpet on fire. Despite all the screaming, everything turned out fine in the end, except for the fact that they had been banned from there indefinitely.

"I'm sorry for that, but I have made it up to you plenty since then!" Daisy exclaimed.

Robbie sighed, but nodded his head. "True." He remained silent for a moment, his brown eyes flicking a little back and forth as he debated in his head. "Alright, winner gets nachos, but no foul play and no weird-ass S.H.I.E.L.D ninja takedown moves, okay?"

"Don't worry. I'll save my power thigh moves for later." She winked.

Daisy bit back her smile as Robbie's face began to flush. His eyes slowly trailed down her body before quickly popping back up to her face. There was a mischievous twinkle in his eyes that sent her heart racing. Maybe she was going to be spending the night in Los Angeles after all.

"Uh, alright, let's play then," he coughed out with a tiny grin.

Daisy smirked as she sidled up to the pool table. She scrunched up her face as her eyes considered the placement of each ball in relation to the space. It was going to be hard, but she could do it.

Lining up her first shot, she sent the cue ball spiraling towards ball "15." The striped maroon ball shot forward and cracked against its green-striped sibling, sending both into the corner pockets. Daisy grinned as she walked around the table then bent down and quickly sent the "10" into one of the side pockets. Balls "12" and "9" soon followed. She made quick work of her last two striped balls then turned her attention to the illustrious "8" ball.

"Right corner pocket," she called.

Daisy leaned forward until she was nearly level with the table and lined up her shot. Her hands were steadier than a mountain as she stared down the length of her cue stick. She had this.

CRACK!

The cue ball went flying, making a swift connection with its black counterpart. The "8" ball ricocheted off the rail and smoothly sailed into the corner pocket with a satisfying clunk.

"Looks like I won," she beamed with straightening up.

Robbie, who had resigned himself to sitting on one of the empty dining tables sometime during her turn, stared at her with wide eyes. "How?" He asked, rising to his feet. "You cheated, didn't you? Daisy we agreed--"

She threw her arms up and held her palms facing open towards him while still managing to hold her cue stick with her thumb. "I swear, cross my heart and hope to die, I did not cheat," she stated with her head raised high. "What you are looking at is the best pool hustler in all of west-side Chicago."

He shook his head, stunned. "I though you didn't know how to play."

Daisy grinned as she twirled her pool stick in her hands. "You assumed I didn't know how to play. I was trying to explain that I did, but you kept cutting me off before I could."

He reflected her words for a moment until his cheeks began to blush when he realized she had been right. "I'm sorry," Robbie murmured softly, offering a shy, apologetic smile.

Her heart grew all gooey and mushy like melting marshmallows in her chest. Ugh, why did he have to be so cute? Now this was becoming less like a satisfying lesson of revenge and more like just kicked a loyal, loving puppy straight through the goalposts.

"Fine, whatever, I forgive you. Just stop looking at me like that!" She muttered, crossing her arms and averting her gaze.

Robbie chuckled causing tingles of warmth to run across her chest. "I still can't believe you hustled me like that. You are cruel, girl."

"True," Daisy hummed, sauntering over to where he stood leaning against his cue stick. She stopped mere inches away from and tilted her head up to meet his gaze. "But you still love me anyway," she cooed, placing a hand on his chest.

His heart pulsed hard and fast against her touch. Each steady vibration of his body danced along her fingertips and traveled down her arm to her heart. Soft, tender flames bloomed in her chest and danced around inside like a swirling ballerina. There was better feeling in the world than being in tune with Robbie's vibrations. They comforted her like a warm soup on a chilly day or a gentle embrace in the early dawn light.

Robbie brushed a strand of her hair back as he caressed her cheek. His brown eyes were focused on hers. A gentle fire flickered in them, filled with so much care and love it left her breathless. "My fatal flaw," he teased.

Daisy closed her eyes as he bent down and met his lips with hers. She kissed him back but couldn't stop the smile from pulling at the corners of her mouth as his moustache prickled her skin.

Before it got too heated, Daisy slowly broke off the kiss. She opened her eyes and leisurely stepped back.

"Alright, Reyes, time to pay up," she stated as she set her cue stick aside. "Don't think I forgot. All that ass-kicking has made me hungry. I want my victory nachos, and, if you ask kindly enough, I might even share some with you."

Robbie chuckled as his tongue darted over his lips. "Fine, but then best two out of three!" He declared as he, also, set his pool stick down then headed for the bar counter. "And this time I won't go easy. You might be the best pool hustler in West Chicago, but I'm one of the best pool players in East L.A."

Daisy grinned as she followed after him. This was turning out to be exactly the carefree night-off with her boyfriend she hoped it would be.

"You're on!"

[biluata]

Our Hearts Run on Gasoline - Quakerider One-shot

Words: 4,356

Request #2: Robbie and Daisy meet at an illegal street race

No Powers AU Meet-Cute with Dramatic Action and Sweet Moments

Read on Ao3: Here

Racing was in Robbie's blood. His father knew it from the day Robbie was born, just like his father before him. All the Reyes men were racers, and Robbie was no exception.

As the night was reaching eleven o'clock, Robbie rolled up in his custom '69 Charger at the crowded parking lot of an abandoned furniture store in East Los Angeles. Reggaeton blasted through the warm, night air and the beats hummed through his chest. Several tricked-out cars painted in obnoxiously loud colors filled the space and were proudly shown off by their owners to the flocks of people gathered around. While some were just there to dazzle with their sweet sound systems and fancy LED light shows, there were a few mean-looking vehicles who came to play.

Robbie grinned as he reached and gently patted the dash of his beloved Charger, Lucy. She might be a classic beauty, but she could still give all the other guys a run for their money. He and his Uncle Eli had made sure of that.

Robbie pulled up into an empty spot where several of his friends had already gathered around to laugh, chat and drink the night away.

"There he is!" Juan announced as he draped one arm over Robbie's open driver window while the other hand held his beer high in the air. "The man! The myth! The legend! The Ghost Rider!"

Cheers erupted from his friends as they raised their beers then chugged them down. Robbie chuckled as he parked his car and got out. "You know that's just a stupid nickname," he said, pushing Juan and his gaudy, bright orange-and-black bowling shirt aside.

Juan laughed then held his beer bottle close to his mouth like a microphone. Robbie rolled his eyes. Not this shit again.

"They say he sold his soul to the Devil in order to get his sweet ride," Juan continued in a deep voice reminiscent of an old radio announcer. "You never see him coming until you already lost. He is. . ."

"The Ghost Rider!" Ricky, Mateo and Felipe hollered by the trunk of his car. They all immediately bawled into hysterical laughter, holding on to each other to keep themselves from falling over.

Robbie shook his head with grin. They teased, but it was all in good fun. These were his people after all, his friends. Ever since Uncle Eli got sent to South Ridge Penitentiary four years ago for attempted manslaughter, they had been there for him like no other. Besides Gabe, these guys were his family.

"Honestly, you guys, that's enough," Lisa chided with a roll of her eyes, pushing the three aside and walking up to him and Juan. Robbie smiled, but quickly averted his eyes. She was wearing an outfit that was highly appropriate for the summer heat, but also highly inappropriate for public eyes. Between her white crop top and her pale jean short shorts, she was showing enough skin to make a nun collapse on the spot.

She stopped only a few feet in front of him, but his nose was still overpowered by the scent of her floral perfume. "H-hey, Robbie," she said in a high-pitched tone. Lisa leaned against his car, twirling one of her long brown curls and batting her dark lashes at him.

"Uh, hey, Lisa," he said as he rubbed the back of his neck. To say she had a crush on him was obvious. Robbie wasn't a complete idiot. And Lisa was a sweet girl, very pretty, too. The only problem was she was Juan's cousin, and if Juan was like a brother to him, Lisa was like a little sister.

He had tried dropping hints over the years that he was not interested, but to no avail. She still kept showing up to the races, to his work, and even to his home with a sweet smile, googly eyes, and sometimes a delicious baked good. He liked her. She was a good friend, but that's all she would ever be. At this point, Robbie could only pray she'd meet a guy someday who would make her forget all about him.

"You know, I'm here, too, cuz," Juan scoffed from beside him.

Lisa shot him a scowl before turning her big hazel eyes back to Robbie and flipping on her charming smile. "So, how are things? Did Gabe finally decide to come this time?" She asked, glancing around.

A stabbing pain pierced his heart and he bowed his head a little. Gabe never approved of Robbie's street-racing hobby. Besides the fact it was illegal, it could also be highly dangerous. One bad blowout and that could be the end for any driver. He's seen it before, has even gotten close to crashing himself a few times, but ultimately Robbie decided that the rewards were better than the risks.

Robbie had been trying for years to get Gabe to come with him to the races, to maybe see why he enjoyed it so much, but to no avail. It turned out tonight wasn't going to be any different.

He sighed. "Nah, he said he had homework to do."

"On a Friday night, are you serious?" Juan asked.

"Oh, hush," Lisa said, smacking her cousin's arm. She then gave Robbie an empathetic smile and placed a tender hand on his shoulder. "That's too bad, but, hey, at least he's such a good student."

Robbie smiled. That was true. Gabe was one of the smartest kids in his school, and he really couldn't stay made at him for that. He was going to go places, which is more than he could say for other kids in this city.

"What your brother is, Reyes, is a nerd!"

Robbie groaned as his shoulders sagged. Ramirez, he thought bitterly.

Manolo Ramirez strolled up to Robbie's car looking like a Latino Elvis Presley with his black hair gelled up into a tall pompadour and his floral shirt only half-buttoned up. He wore a pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses despite it being night and had two gorgeous women hanging onto him, one under each arm. They were so similar, they had to be twin sisters who seemed to have just walked out of the cover of a fashion magazine.

Robbie sighed. Manolo was a decent racer, could even give Robbie a run for his money at times, but he always had to appear like the biggest fake and asshole in the world.

"Hey, Manny," Robbie said, forcing a smile on his face. He brushed off Lisa's hand as he stepped closer to his rival.

"Tonight is the night, Reyes," Manny stated with a flash of his shiny, whitened teeth. "You're going down!"

"Funny, Manolo!" Juan called from behind him. "That's what I was telling your sister last night!"

An explosion of hooting laughter and hollering erupted within a ten-foot radius around Juan. His friends jumped around the small space, howling and ramming into each other as if they lost their damn minds. Robbie stifled the laugh that bubbled through his chest with a grin instead.

Manny's face was so red, his head could have ignited into flames any moment. He ripped his sunglasses off, eyes like poisoned daggers.

"Hey, Reyes," Manny said with a scowl that matched the acidic contempt in his voice. "You better watch your friend's mouth before either of you gets a fist in it."

A hushed "ooh" fell across the crowded group as their eyes glanced between Manny and him. Robbie let out a soft chuckle. "Manny, it's just good fun," he explained. Everyone knew Juan talked a lout of his ass. Robbie often took everything his friend said with a grain of salt. "Relax."

Manny sneered as he slipped his shades back on. "Whatever, man, I'll see you on the streets!"

Robbie shook his head as Manny walked off with the twins in tow. Every conversation with that guy was like dancing on broken glass.

"Eh, forget about him, Robbie," Juan said, clapping a hand on his shoulder. "You know, for a guy with a lot of beautiful women around him, he hardly seems to get laid, huh?"

Robbie chuckled. "You may be right about that."

"You two are the worse," Lisa announced as she wedged herself in between them.

Suddenly, a cacophony of cheers, hoots and whistles rang through the night. Robbie straightened up, eyebrows scrunched together. What in the world? His eyes scanned the scene, widening when they found what everyone was making noise about.

A sleek cherry-red '62 Corvette slowly rolled onto the lot, sparkling magnificently even in the dim streetlights. Robbie bit his lower lip. Lucy may be his baby, but even he could recognize what a good-looking car this little beauty was. It was gorgeous from its smooth curves to its shimmering chrome adornments. His hand twitched. The mechanic in him was already itching to get a look under the hood and see how it ticked.

The crowd of watchers slowly backed up as the newcomer made their way through the lot and parked only a few spots away from where Robbie and his friends were.

"Who do you think it is?" Juan whispered. "You think it could be Lucas?"

Robbie shook his head. "Nah, Lucas is too much of a scrub to have a ride as fly as that. Maybe, it's another hotshot from Miami?" Those guys always rolled into town in the summer like they were such a big deal, but Robbie would knock them down a peg or two.

The driver's door popped open and a woman with short dark hair dressed in all black stepped out. Robbie raised his brows. Okay, he was not expecting that.

She slammed the door to the Corvette shut then turned, scanning the lot. Electricity danced across his skin as her heavy-shadowed eyes seemed to land on him. Was she looking at him? She had to be, because soon she was strutting his way.

Despite her small demeanor, the woman walked with her shoulders back and her head high. With each hard steeped of her heeled boots, it was like the ground shook beneath her. She oozed a confidence and swagger that warned anybody and everybody she was not one to be messed with. His heart rate began to pick up speed and he'd be lying if he said he didn't find her tough-girl act to be a little sexy as hell.

She stopped in front of Robbie and his group of friends, shoving her hands into the pockets of her leather jacket and jutting her hip to the side as if she didn't have a care in the world. "Are these where the races are at?" She asked, taking her time to eye every single one of them. His heart jumped as her dark eyes settled on him, slowly looking him up and down.

"Um, yeah," Robbie answered, cringing as his voice cracked a little.

The woman nodded as her hands shuffled around in her pockets. When she pulled them back out, in each hand was a thick wad of twenty-dollar bills. "I want to join."

"In that?" Juan asked, nodding to her Corvette as everyone laughed.

Robbie smirked. Juan was right. She had a pretty sweet ride, but his Charger could easily smoke her.

"Don't worry," she said with a grin, her eyes flicking from Juan to him. "Lola has a few tricks up her sleeve."

He raised his brow. This could be interesting. "Okay, you see Big Bass over there by the pimped-out Scion XB?" Robbie gestured over to where the large Latino man, both tall and wide, in a blue sweat suit was chilling with a few scantily-clad women and a police monitor. "He runs these races. You should talk to him."

She nodded her head. "Cool, thanks." Her eyes roved over him one last time before she spun around and walked off.

"Tourists," Lisa spat quietly from beside him that garnered a few chuckles from his friends.

"Aw, come on, cuz," Juan cooed, draping an arm over her. "You're just jealous, because she kept giving Roberto the eyes."

Robbie's ears began to burn as Lisa's face turned a bright red, as well. "Wh-what? No!" She exclaimed hastily, shoving Juan so hard he nearly fell on his ass.

"Yeah," Robbie choked out, rubbing the back of his neck. "She was probably just trying to figure me out, you know, examine the competition."

"Right," Lisa said, nodding her head and smiling sweetly at him. His stomach churned. Crap. He didn't want to give Lisa the wrong idea, but he was also pretty sure that woman (no matter how hot she was) was not checking him out.

He scratched his chin. Although, if she was . . .

"Hey, hey, Robbie!" Big Bass called, shuffling his large figure over. "Homicide in Monterey and the cops are moving in. Now's the time, you in?"

Robbie's gut clenched as he nodded his head. It was a damn shame they could only race at the cost of somebody's life, but that's just how their world had to work. Robbie dug into the pockets of his jeans and pulled out several hundred dollar bills which Big Bass happily accepted.

"Cool, man, I'll see you at the start." Big Bass said then hastily headed off.

This was it. His time to shine.

"You got this, Robbie!" Lisa cheered, giving him a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"Yeah, I got a lot of money riding on you, man!" Juan teased with a pat on his back. "So, don't fuck this up!"

Robbie laughed as he brushed Juan aside and opened the door to his Charger. "I don't plant to," he stated as he got in and slammed the door shut.

"Yeah, that's my boy!" Juan hollered.

The crowds of people quickly rushed to get out of the way as Robbie and the others drover their cars to the hastily thrown together starting line.

Manny was already there in his tricked out '08 Chevy Cobalt SS. Robbie chuckled. The damn thing looked like it just rolled off the set of a "Fast and Furious" movie with its silver paint job and shimmery purple flames on the side. Yep, it was a very Manolo-style car, alright.

Robbie sidled up his Charger alongside him. "Nice flames," he teased. "Think they might help?"

Manny sneered at him. "I hope you got a good look at my ass, Reyes, because that's all you're going to be seeing." He lowered his sunglasses down, pointing two V-sign fingers at his eyes then then over towards him.

Robbie snorted as he shook his head then noticed as the red Corvette pulled up on his right between him and Little Emilio's Honda Civic. So, he was going to be racing her after all. Robbie sat there admiring the fierceness on the newcomer's face as her hands tapped hastily on something in her dash. Her fingers moved with such a graceful dexterity, it was more like she was playing a piano than a car. He grinned. Yeah, this could prove to be a very interesting race.

He focused back up front as Big Bass came to stand out in front of the four cars. "Alright, alright, you guys know the rules, one lap around, first one back here is the winner, and if I--"

Robbie tuned him out. After nearly four years doing this, he knew the man's words by heart.

"We got this, Lucy," he whispered to his car as he did before every race. She had rarely failed him before, tonight wasn't going to be the exception despite what Manny jeered. Robbie gave Lucy's dash a gentle pat as Big Bass finished his speech and stepped off to one of the sides where the crowd of people from the parking lot gathered. His friends stood off to his left, clapping and giving him thumbs-up.

"Ready, racers?" Big Bass hollered.

Robbie revved Lucy's engine, which let out a guttural roar and flared the flaps on her blower. They were ready.

As Big Bass raised his arm to the sky, it was as if the world fell silent. Robbie couldn't even breathe as he waited, his stomach a churning mess and his foot twitching over the pedal.

Everything happened in slow motion and at the speed light at the same time. Big Bass' hand fell and Robbie took off faster than a bat out of hell.

He sunk back into his leather seat, hands tight on the wheel, as Lucy surged forward. His heart sputtered into overdrive, coursing energy through his veins. Everything was a blur around him with the only fixed point in his universe being the open road ahead and the needle climbing on his speedometer.

The biggest smile grew on Robbie's face as butterflies swarmed his chest. He swore there was no better feeling in the world than going fast in a car. With the windows down and the air rushing across his face, he was flying. It was magical, the indescribable connection between man and machine that made his whole body tingle. Whenever Robbie got in the driver seat, it was as if his heart and Lucy's engine became one.

Robbie shook himself from his euphoric stupor as the first turn came up ahead. He checked his rearview mirror to see he had gotten a good head start with Manny trailing at least a car behind and the other two lagging just behind him. Shifting gears, Robbie easily made the turn and maintained his lead.

They raced through the near empty streets of East L.A. like demons in the night, lacing the air with the acrid smell of burning rubber and exhaust. Although Manny would catch up with him at the turns, Robbie would still easily pull ahead. He laughed. Manny was probably fuming by now underneath those ridiculous shades.

The racers made one last turn and they were down to the final stretch. Robbie revved Lucy's engine and she roared like a black jaguar. This was it. There was no stopping them now.

He glanced at the rearview mirror and his eyes widened. While Manny was still behind him, Ms. Corvette was rapidly catching up to them. Fire and smoke spewed out of the back of her car, sending her forward at breakneck speeds. Robbie's jaw dropped. Were those rockets?! God, she hadn't been kidding when she said that her car had a few tricks.

Manny seemed to finally notice her sudden approach as his eyes bugged out to the size of saucer plates before narrowing into snake-like slits. "Not today, bitch!" He spat over the rushing wind.

As the newcomer tried to pass Manny by, he swerved his car into her. The harsh sound of smashing metal filled the night briefly followed by the shrill screaming of tires. Robbie's stomach dropped and his fingers went cold as the Corvette quickly spiraled out of control. Her brakes screeched as her car skidded into the brick exterior of a store, grinding in a spray of sparks to a halt.

Robbie couldn't breathe. His body was numbed. Was she okay? How could she be after a crash like that?

He glanced forward where victory only lay a few yards ahead then back to the steaming Corvette. His heart panged tight in his chest as he slammed on his brakes and peeled his car off to side of the road.

Robbie gritted his teeth as Manny passed him by with resounding hollers and whoops followed by Little Emilio. Once they were gone, he peeled Lucy around and sped back to the Corvette. Screeching to a standstill a few feet away from the wreck, Robbie wriggled out of his seatbelt and threw open the door. He hopped out, only stopping for a moment to slam his door shut before rushing over.

The air stunk heavy of burnt rubber and leaking fuel. His gut heaved, but he managed to make sure his dinner didn't make a second appearance. Glass littered the ground along with a few torn pieces of metal. Luckily, the car wasn't on fire, but steam billowed out of the front like an active volcano. His heart was beating faster than a jackhammer as he slowed down near the driver's side. Robbie held his breath and prayed that he wasn't about to find a dead body.

The woman lay in the driver's seat with a deflated bag on her lap and several bits of shattered glass in her hair. She was pale, her eyes half-closed and a line of blood trickling down her forehead. A sweeping coolness ran through his body when he saw the rapid rising and falling of her chest, and he damn near collapsed onto the ground. She was alive, a little battered and bruised with a few cuts on her face, but alive.

"Hey, hey, stay with me, you're okay," he said, gingerly resting a hand on her shoulder.

The woman jolted awake as if his was lightning. She gasped for air, her wide eyes searching around until they landed on him. His heart fluttered wildly in his chest. Her chocolate brown eyes, even if they were reminiscent of a deer in a headlight, were gorgeous. He hadn't been able to notice it before, but now, with their faces only a foot apart, he could truly appreciate how mesmerizing they were. They even had little flecks of gold that shimmered like stars.

"Wh-what?" She coughed out.

Robbie blinked his eyes. Right. There were important things to worry about right now. He took in a deep breath. "You were just in an accident," he explained in his gentlest tone. "But, it's okay. You're okay."

She nodded her head, but her eyes still seemed dazed. Shakily, she undid her seatbelt and Robbie backed up as she opened the driver's door.

"Hey, hey, take it easy," Robbie said, offering a hand as she slowly staggered out of her car. The woman swatted it aside with her left hand, but immediately doubled over, crying out in pain. His body tensed. "Hey, let me take a look?"

She watched him warily, considering him like a wild animal and wondering if he would bite. She said nothing as she held out her left arm. Robbie slowly unzipped the sleeve of her jacket and smoothed it back. He then held her arm in one of his hands while the other softly tapped up her arm. When his fingers touched halfway to her elbow, she flinched, sucking air sharply through gritted teeth.

Robbie nodded. "Your arm's fractured, but not completely broken. I could take you to the hospital."

"No!"

His shoulders jumped at the harshness of her voice. The woman roughly brushed him off with her good arm, but she still winced at the pain the movement caused her injury. "No hospitals. I-I can't."

He held his arms up, showing her his palms. There was a dark fear in her eyes like an animal caught in a corner. His head tilted a little. Was it just something against hospitals, or was she afraid she could be arrested if she turned up at one? Either way, she probably wasn't going to tell him. "Okay," he agreed. "No hospitals."

She nodded, her body slowly relaxing once more.

"But you really need to get that checked out," he said, stepping closer.

She stepped back. "I'll be fine." She looked away from him and her eyes widened. "But Lola won't."

Robbie followed her gaze and immediately cringed. The once beautiful Corvette was now in a terribly dismal state. The windshield was gone with only a few shards of glass hanging around the frame. The front end was concaved in where it hit a street sign and the hood now stood up like a pitched tent. The right side rested against the wall, but if the missing side mirror was any sign, Robbie figured it wasn't looking too pretty, either. At least, the left side was only dented in slightly from when Manny bumped into her, and it seemed like the back end was fine, as well. All in all, it could have been worse.

"Shit!" She muttered under her breath, running a hand through her short, dark locks. "Coulson is going to kill me."

Robbie cocked his head to the side. Coulson? Who was Coulson? Her boyfriend? Her really handsome auto-enthusiast boyfriend? He sighed as he shook his head. What was he doing? Now, again, was not the time for such thoughts.

Tears brimmed in her eyes that threatened to spill over any second, but she bit her bottom lip and took in a deep, shaky breath to force them back. He raised his brow. God, she really was tough.

"Hey, it'll be okay." Robbie walked up to her as she examined the front end of her car and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I'm a mechanic and I've been able to fix up cars in much worse states than this."

"Wait, really?" Her narrow eyes flicked between his face and his hand, but she didn't make any moves to oppose. "You can fix her?"

He nodded. Robbie still remembered when his uncle rolled Lucy into Canelo's one night. Poor thing was barely a car at all, and now it was the baddest ride in all of East L.A. If he could do that with almost nothing, he was certain he could fix her Corvette.

"Yeah. Well, it might be a little heard to get some parts, depending on what we are working with, but I could probably get it done in a few weeks, one month tops."

The woman tilted her head as she stared at him like he was one of the strangest puzzles she's ever seen. The kind of puzzle where you have no idea how it got put together but the end product was undeniably amazing. Robbie grinned. It was great to see her being in his place for a change.

"Thanks," she murmured.

He smiled as he removed his hand from her shoulder and held it out. "I'm Robbie. Robbie Reyes."

She slowly accepted his hand, sharing a small, dazzling smile back that made the stars pale in comparison. "Daisy."

[biluata]

Oof, the next one-shot I’m working on is kicking my ass! 😩 I think I am just going to have to restart it tomorrow.

Grr, but I shall persevere! 😁

[biluata]

Quakerider April Fools

Robbie and Gabe were just settling in on their couch to watch the latest "Fast and Furious" movie when their front door smacked open. In the threshold, stood Daisy, her short, black hair a raggedy mess and her face stricken.

"Daisy? What's going on?" Robbie asked, sitting up a bit. Ever since they had started dating, it wasn't that suprising for her to randomly show up on his door. Actually, it was a welcomed sight. However, her face said that nothing good was about to come.

She ran a hand through her hair and avoided his eyes for a moment. Yep, there was something definitely wrong.

"Daisy?"

"Okay, okay, don't freak out," Daisy said while twisting her hands together, "But I kind of borrowed your car without telling you."

Robbie's brows raised as he quickly began patting his body down, only to find that his keys were, in fact, missing. He checked the dining table, but they weren't there either.

"What the--"

"Okay, okay, I apologize, but . . . that's not the worse of it."

A cold feeling sank in his stomach as he stood up. Gabe, who had been seemingly immersed in the movie up until that moment, turned to fully watch their drama instead.

"I may have, kind of, sort of scratched up the side when I made a tight corner." Daisy admitted while staring down at her hands. "It's real bad."

"What?!"

Robbie remembered the first time Daisy borrowed Lucy to go after a possessed Mack. He could still hear the horrible screeching of car against wall, the bright orange sparks. It made his stomach squirm and felt as if a knife was stabbed into his chest. He had, of course, gotten it fixed and forgave her eventually, but he could never forget.

"Daisy? How could you--" But Robbie trailed off as he brushed past her and was out the door.

He hoped it wasn't that bad, but with each step the image in his head grew worse and worse until it was barely even a car. Robbie turned the corner, holding his breath and bracing for the worse.

And there she was: Lucy, looking as pristine as if she just arrived off the lot.

"What?" Robbie shook his head. He squeezed his eyes shut and opened them again, but he wasn't mistaken. Lucy was perfectly fine.

"April Fools!" Daisy hollered from behind. She wrapped her arms around him and gave him a tight squeeze, giggling into his back.

Robbie let out a sigh and his legs buckled from relief. He detached Daisy's arms from around himself and turned around to face her. She beamed up at him with a devilish grin as she grabbed his hands and entwined their fingers together.

"Come on, I got you good, didn't I?"

"You are the worse," Robbie stated, the corners of his mouth quirking up.

"You love me, and you know it."

"You're lucky I tolerate you." He said with a short chuckle before dipping his head down and kissing her sweetly.

[biluata]

Quakerider St. Patrick's Day Drabble

"Ey, oi! Another round over'ere laddie!"

The words slur their way out of Daisy's mouth before a roar of laughter escapes her. She clutches onto the edge of the sleek oak bar to keep herself from falling off her seat.

The bartender just rolls his eyes before he fills up two glasses with Guinness and passes them over.

"Thanks, laddie and a top o' the mornin' too ya!" Daisy croons.

She hears a snicker and quickly wheels around to face it. Beside her is Robbie Reyes, his face totally nonchalant and borderline scowling, as usual. He's like a poker player except Daisy can see the shine of amusement in the crinkle of his eyes.

Daisy had invited him out with her to celebrate St. Patrick's Day and get blissfully drunk. She was hoping to have him loosen up, for the two of them to not have to worry about S.H.I.E.L.D problems or fiery vengeance demons, but the hothead was still nursing the pint he got since they first arrived. Still, that didn't stop her from celebrating this holiday fully well.

"Wha's so funny?"

Robbie's lips twitch almost in to a grin. "Nothing. It's just . . . that's got to be the worst Irish impersonation I've ever heard."

"Whaaa? No, it's not!"

"Yeah, it is. 'Top o' the mornin''? Really? Daisy it is nine o'clock at night." He ruefully shakes his head and takes another sip of his beer.

Daisy rolls her eyes at him as she crosses her arms across her chest. "So? Listen, I'm jus' trying to get into the holiday spirit, okay? To celebrate my Irishness!"

His eyebrows quirk together and she could see that he was still fighting off that smile. "Daisy, you're not Irish."

"Hey!" Her face scrunches up into a pout as she sits up a little straighter. "You don't know that! I'm half-white so it's totally a possibility! The green blood of my ancestors could be runnin' through these very veins!"

Daisy grasps the handle of her glass and triumphantly raises it into the air, sloshing beer all over the counter. "Long live Ireland!"

That's what does it. A smile, even if it is a small one, makes its way across Robbie's face. Daisy is stunned for a moment with how nice it is, how it seems to take years off his face. It is so odd, but delightful. She can feel a warmth in her chest as she realizes that she was the one to make him do it.

"You are loca, chica," he says with a grin and another shake of his head before raising his glass as well. "Long live Ireland!"

Daisy smiles in return and clinks their glasses together before going in for a long drink. Man is this stuff bad, but she doesn't care. She lets out a satisfying sigh when she finishes and rests her drink down at the same time as him.

"Alright, Ms. O'Johnson," Robbie says and swivels in his stool to fully face her, "Have any other Irish celebrations in mind?"

A devious grin stretches across her face. "Yep," She turns back towards the bar, "Oi, laddie, a couple shots of your best Irish whiskey!"

[biluata]

"So, Jonathan, how was the pullout [sofa]?"

OHMYFUCKINGGOD 😂😂😂😂😂😂

[biluata]

So what this AJ Johnson AU all about?

If anyone remembers this post (x) yeah this au idea has been noodling in my head for a while and I have slowly been working on ideas to expand it. Thus I’ve created AJ, Faith, and Virgil. It’s my own au take on Shield in the future with the next generation.

I actually have a multi-chapter fic plot idea for it. It would mostly focus on the three kids and probably some Philinda goodness, but I think I can also work in some actual Quakerider, Mackelena, and Fitzsimmons.

So I dunno, would anyone actually want to read something like it?