Robbie Reyes wasn't expecting to materialize on Earth, and definitely not at S.H.I.E.L.D headquarters but he wasn't complaining.
Not much could shock him anymore, though the robots and Aida came close.
But when she showed up, looking better than any woman had a right to with a black eye and split lip, Robbie discovered that yes, even after all the shit he's seen, he could still be surprised.
His heart expanded seeing her stroll up to him, and he had to tamp down the urge to smile.
Damn, Daisy Johnson was a welcome sight.
"What's new?" she asked dryly, and just like that- the time apart, their different worlds, the crap with Aida - none of it mattered.
"Nothing much," he matched her tone, glad to pretend for a few moments that everything was normal. As they caught up on the Darkhold, he strode into her personal space knowing that whatever this thing was between them, he needed to be closer to her.
So when Coulson was later assigning teams for the plan to defeat Aida, he'd quickly volunteered to go with Daisy, even though her job was to hack the Framework, and he knew shit about computers.
He'd made the right decision though; he disintegrated a Daisy-bot before it hurt her, and she helped him clear out the Russian dude and more LMDs. She may not be able to stall death like him, but she was his equal.
Currently, they were in the Medical Bay, and he had her all to himself. It wasn't downtime though, Daisy was racing against time to get Mack and Elena out the Framework.
"So, they really believe they're in a different world right now?" and though Robbie was stepping away from Daisy, his eyes clung to her.
"Uh-huh," she glanced at him, sighing. "Every bit as real as this one."
Real as this one.
"Even scarier, 'cause Hydra won," Daisy continued.
Her words brought to mind the dimension he materialized from.
And the bastard that he is, he thinks scary sounds like a fucking break from the carnage he's seen, from the screams of death he sees nightly in his dreams. Scary doesn't do justice to the horror he's been living every minute of the day for months.
He continues to look at Mack and Elena, their lifeless bodies hooked up to machines, not trusting himself to say anything.
But her are eyes on him, watching, considering.
"I imagine where you came from was a whole lot worse," she says it gently, still examining him, insightful as always. For a brief moment, he considers lying but decides against it. He's been honest with her since they first met and she's proven time and again that she could handle all of him.
"Yeah…yeah, but it's hard to describe," Robbie can't shake the images of death in his head, as he stares down at the lifeless bodies on the beds. But there is that constant craving again, and he automatically moves closer to Daisy.
"The main thing is, there, I'm just the passenger," he needs her to understand that. She regards him steadily, and he knows she gets it. As always. "Ghost Rider drives. And by 'drives', I mean fights and kills…" he breaks off, feeling the weight of the burden, the weight of judging those souls, the weight of death constantly on him, and he looks away. "It's kinda all we did." And just like that, he hears screams, and smells the stench of decay, and feels the wrath of a demon that will never be sated and…
"That sounds terrible..." a quiet voice saves him from the grasp of his reverie. "And painful... and lonely..." It's Daisy, and her words and empathy are like a blessing that he doesn't deserve, but he takes it anyway.
"Yeah, that about sums it up." He forces a smile, nodding. He was close enough to see discolorations of the bruises on her face, and it struck him that even with the world possibly about to end and her friends trapped, she still finds empathy for him. To hear him. And because she probably understood too much, her eyes were filling with tears, looking away and Robbie immediately felt guilty.
"But I'm here now…" His voice is soft, as is his expression. "And that's good." For the second time, he needs her to accept what he's saying.
p"That is good." She murmured, her eyes still misting, looking up at him, and for a thrilling moment, nothing else existed but the knowledge that yes, this was good and true.
"Now if we can get these two back, it'd be even better." Daisy changed the subject quickly, and he felt a pang of disappointment.
"How long do they have?" he asked, saying the first thing that came to mind.
Fitz's voice came in then, and Daisy briskly went into action, explaining their next move. Robbie was only half listening, his mind still on their recent conversation.
That changed after it became apparent that Mack was gone. Daisy was on the verge of tears, and as he watched her, he felt so fucking helpless.
Thankfully, Yo-Yo made it back, and after a few frantic moments, Mack as well. And this time she allowed herself to cry. He longed to hold her but didn't think it would be appropriate, especially with Mack and Elena needing immediate care.
Quickly, Robbie got help so Mack and Elena could be shipped off to an emergency care area. Daisy had enough to worry about. When he returned to her, she was standing by the computer, just staring at the screen as the Framework collapsed.
He was deciding what to say when she broke the silence.
"Thank you. For helping." Her voice was raspy.
He didn't answer, knowing that as long as she was unhappy, he didn't do enough. She seemed to sense his thoughts.
"Taking off their headgear was plenty. You did great." She smiled at him but Robbie knew it was for his benefit.
"How you always do that?" he blurted out the question without thinking.
"Do what?" she was drying her eyes now.
Robbie exhaled softly, looking down to gather his thoughts. And when he looked up, there she was, her dark eyes trained on him, waiting. He could get used to her looking and waiting for him.
"You hear me," he stated. "You always did."
Daisy assessed his words, her heart beating loudly.
"I got a lot of issues, but hearing isn't one of them," she raised an eyebrow, trying to keep the mood light. Because the way Robbie was looking at her, she was feeling a warmth and a lightness that had been gone for a very long time.
He grew serious but then suddenly, his face quirked into a small smile, the first genuine one she's ever seen and her insides are a riot. God, he's good-looking normally, but with that smile, she wants to fall into his arms and taste his lips.
He was advancing toward her.
"You know exactly what I mean," he was getting closer still. "You remember when we first met? I said you knew things about me, but you didn't know me." There was barely a breath between them now.
"Was that the first or second time you tried to kill me?" she teased, and he laughed.
This was his girl.
"No changing the subject," he was openly smiling now, eyes only on her. "I was wrong. You know me, completely. Always did." He traced the bruise on her face, and she leaned into his hand. "And, I think I know you too." He was touching the cut on her lip now, and when her lips parted, he felt her breath.
"Yeah? And what do you know about me?" Her dark eyes didn't leave his face, and as she spoke, her lips caressed his finger. Pulling her closer, he leaned in, till he could feel the heat from her body, and inhale her scent, and their lips were a whisper apart.
"Well," Robbie gently kissed the side of her lip that was bruised, and she sighed. "I know you don't think we should do this." He kissed the other side of her mouth. "But you'll kiss me back anyway." He rested his forehead on hers.
They were embracing now, her arms around his neck playing with his hair, his around her waist, holding her tightly to him.
She laughed and then he kissed her, tenderly, his lips cool and surprisingly soft against hers.
So this is what he tastes like, she thought.
And as she moaned into his mouth, their gentle kiss turned desperate and urgent, and they didn't think - or talk- much after that.
You really have to leave right away?" Daisy had to freshen up quickly and then dash off to help Jemma, and dammit Robbie was about to leave, without them really talking.
"Yeah," he replied regretfully, "I have to get this book someplace safe." And she understood; that's what they did.
In a way, it was perfect that their time alone together was pleasurable rather than talking about a future they knew nothing about and couldn't control.
"Keep an eye on my brother?" Robbie continued, looking hopeful.
Her throat closed up and Daisy was afraid to speak so she nodded. And as he made a fiery portal, and surveyed the team before leaving, all she could think of was how she always lost people as soon as she found them.
He has to come back, she needed him to.
And just as she was thinking this, he slowly turned and dipped his head toward her, his lips parting in an unspoken vow, but his eyes said everything. That he will find a way to return to her. For her.
She nodded her head briefly that yes, she understood and would be waiting. And as he stepped through the portal and away from this world and her, Daisy knew it wasn't a goodbye.
And maybe, she might find and save him first.