"Killed him? Wait, what, literally?" Daisy's mouth dropped open.
"No. Metaphorically," Robbie shot back, dragging a gigantic figure behind him.
"I'm impressed, Reyes," Daisy grinned, as she bounded down the ramp of the spaceship. "Didn't think you'd know that word."
Robbie glowered as he hauled his dead cargo up with his hellfire chain and threw it at her feet. He wouldn't say it, but this was his offering to her, a demonstration of his promise that he'd slay anything that could hurt her.
"He's not as purple as I'd thought," Daisy commented, then frowned. "Uh, where's his head?"
"Doesn't need it where I took his soul," Robbie said. "I burned him to ash, but the bastard kept coming back." He wiped his brow, measuring his next words. "I had to make a deal with Death to take him out."
Daisy froze as her previous good humor drained away.
"You made another deal?" Her heart pounded in her chest, and her mouth twisted. "Why?"
Robbie softened. Her eyes were vivid and as her hair whipped around her flushed cheeks, she was the most magnificent thing in all the worlds he'd traveled to, more steadfast than the sun and more radiant than any moon.
"It's a different kinda deal," Robbie said gently, moving toward her.
"And how long will you be gone this time?" Daisy spat out, hating the tears filling her eyes, that she's revealed so much to this man she'd met only a few times, who always left her.
"You gonna listen, or you gonna keep yelling at me?" Robbie was closer now, his eyes searching her face as she hugged herself.
"Does it matter?" Daisy sniffled. The anger drained away and only sadness remained. So much death and pain, loss and leaving. "No one ever stays. I should be used to it by now." She looked away from Robbie, trying to compose herself.
Robbie pulled off his gloves and tucked it in his back pocket. "Don't ever get used to people leaving you, chica." He brushed his fingers on her chin, and turned her to face him. "You deserve everything." He traced away a silver tear that escaped, his heart skipping a beat when her eyes drifted shut and she leaned into his hand.
Daisy sighed, as she opened her eyes. "So lemme hear your story with the Purple People Eater. You gave him a Snickers Bar to calm him down?"
"I gave him what every man wants," Robbie said softly, trailing his fingers on her cheek.
"Yeah? What's that?" Daisy's brow wrinkled, curious now.
"To be with their love," Robbie's gaze drifted to her lips. "That's all he wanted."
"I guess that's what everyone wants, huh?" Daisy's cheeks flushed. "How'd you manage it?"
"Lucky for us, Death is who he loves," Robbie's mouth curved upward in a semblance of a smile. "She was impressed he killed half of all life."
"Woah, what?" Daisy gasped. "Like, death death? Is a woman?"
"Yep. And she wouldn't take him when the Rider burned his soul, so I made a deal," Robbie explained. "I killed his body, and she gets his spirit-"
"So Thanos isn't dead?" Daisy frowned. "But-"
"The deal is Thanos, well his spirit, stays with Death. But his body will remain slain here, on the mortal plane."
"Good job," Daisy looked at Robbie appraisingly. "Every time I see you, it's like you're leveling up." She quirked a smile. "Look at us, the Destroyer of Worlds and the Titan Slayer."
Robbie reached out and took her hand; her knuckles were scarred and her palm was dotted with calluses, she was a warrior.
"You're the Savior of Worlds," Robbie corrected.
"You can just call me Daisy," she smiled mischievously. "And maybe buy me something to eat."
"You're asking me to ask you out?" Robbie couldn't help the grin the crept on his face.
"I've been asking, you're just haven't been picking up what I'm putting down."
Robbie laughed, the sound rusty. "You choose the food, but I'm driving."
"What about the body?" Daisy was happy to go, but there was a 7-foot decapitated corpse that had to be disposed of.
"Eh, Director Mack'll take care of it," Robbie got out his keys, flipping them. "What do you feel like eating?"
"I dunno. How about I drive and you choose?" Daisy nudged his shoulder.
"After the last time? Oh hell no," he retorted, nudging her back, and they laughed, strolling into the sunlight, towards the parked Hell Charger.
The afternoon was mundane, and it was perfection.
They bickered first over Robbie's driving - Daisy wanted him to speed faster, then what to eat - Robbie was surprisingly picky, and then when to go back because neither of them wanted to. But when Robbie had to leave, it's wasn't really a goodbye, it was just till they met another time.
"Thanks for finally making it back, Tremors, " Mack scowled as the door to the cockpit opened. "You didn't call, I was worried."
"Sorry Dad didn't know I had a curfew," Daisy rolled her eyes as she took her seat. "I was hanging out with Robbie before he left."
"And about Robbie Reyes," Mack continued, his voice rising. "Did that boy leave alien blood on my ship? And a dead body? This isn't a damn mortuary!"
"Take it down a notch, Director," Yo yo exchanged an amused glance with Daisy as Piper and Davis stifled laughs.
"Oh Daisy," Jemma burst in. "Tell Mr. Reyes thank you for the body he left! It's simply fascinating to study Titan biology!"
Mack shook his head at his crew, his heart clenching at the empty seat and wondered how Coulson made it look so damn easy. Granted SHIELD was always running from one crisis to the next, but still, Phil made it look effortless. He sighed deeply as he thought of Fitz.
"I'm proud of you, mi amor," Yoyo appeared at his side, looking up with a warm smile. "Don't worry, we'll find him."
Mack softened, and relaxed. That's how Coulson did it, by keeping people around him that he loved.
"We're coming to get you, Turbo," he thought. "SHIELD is on the way."
