An Offer I Can't Refuse

Skye/Rhodey

QuakeMachine

Theme Song:

AC/DC – You Shook Me All Night Long

"And this," Stark said, "is my best buddy, the legend of the Air Force, War Machine!"

Skye resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Stark was a maniac; the introductions had been getting steadily more extravagant. And yes, he did have some cause, she had to admit. But he was introducing the Avengers to people they were going to be working with, not some audience of thousands. Could he not even be bothered to say the poor guy's name?

"Colonel James Rhodes, sir," the tall, good-looking black guy said, shaking Coulson's hand. "Good to meet you, I've heard a lot about you." He rolled his eyes at Stark too, Skye saw, and had to suppress a giggle. Well, at least this flyboy wasn't quite such a maniac.

"Likewise," Coulson said politely, and respectfully. He'd mentioned to the team that the only reason Rhodes wasn't on the original team instead of Stark was that the armour was Stark's creation and they needed him to maintain it. Rhodes was far more stable and trustworthy.

He gave off that vibe, Skye thought, as he worked his way around the S.H.I.E.L.D. team, speaking politely to each of them in turn as only Rogers and Banner had bothered to do thus far. Steady, calm, the kind of man you could put your trust in and know that he'd come through. Perhaps that was why Stark liked him so much – he was a rock in Stark's otherwise shifting world. When Rhodes got to her – the last one in the group – she held out her hand with a true smile.

"Sir, it's a genuine honour to meet you."

He paused, and then took her hand in a warm, firm grip, looking at her curiously from intense dark eyes. He seemed to consider for a long moment what to say, and then he rumbled;

"It's a true delight to meet you too, ma'am."

The beautiful young – very young – woman started back, her hand dropping from his and her eyes going wide.

"Good God," Rhodey said, completely shocked. "I am – so sorry." He spared a moment to be grateful that Tony was declaiming about something and nobody was looking at them – except Hawkeye, who was always watching everything, and was eyeing them curiously.

"Why?" The young woman – Agent Skye, he thought her name was – cocked her head at him.

"Sweetheart, I must be nearly twice your age, you can't want an old man like me!" he shook his head a little regretfully – she was, after all, very beautiful and he was only human. "It's okay. I'm not going to push myself on you. We'll just be friends, okay?"

That hurt. That really, really hurt. Even her soulmate didn't want her. Skye's eyes filled with tears, though she fought hard not to let them fall. "If that's what you want," she choked out, turning away. She needed somewhere private. Somewhere that no one would see her cry. She stumbled blindly toward the doors that led out to the rooftop helipad.

"Did you seriously just tell your soulmate that you don't want her?" Barton said incredulously in Rhodey's ear as he watched Skye walk away. He twitched – dammit, he never could catch the archer moving, the bloody man needed a bell on him – and turned around.

"No!"

"Because it sure looked like it, you fucking idiot. Get out there before she throws herself off the roof."

"What?" he spun back round, and Skye was indeed walking towards the edge of the roof. "Oh hell no!" he bolted towards the doors. "JARVIIIIIIS!"

The AI was smart enough to figure out what he needed, and the armour was forming around his body as he bolted out onto the roof. He caught up with Skye as she put her hands on the edge of the low wall surrounding the terrace, snatched her off her feet and rocketed up into the sky.

Even Tony was open-mouthed as he stared out at War Machine taking off into the sky with the pretty young agent.

"What the fuck just happened?" came from half a dozen throats.

"Rhodey just found his soulmate," Clint said smugly. "I think they want to be alone." Of course the girl hadn't really been going to throw herself off the roof – but at least the thought had given Rhodey the push he needed. He winked at Natasha, who rolled her eyes at him and sighed.

Skye wasn't particularly enamoured of the idea of turning into a smear on the pavement, so she didn't bother to struggle or scream as they rocketed across the city. They landed after a few minutes on an island – well, a rock – in what she thought was Long Island Sound. As soon as he set her down, she spun around and whacked him hard on the chest, without really thinking what that would mean.

"Owwww!"

"Are you all right?" Rhodey flipped his faceplate up and reached for her hand in concern.

"Yes, you fucking maniac! What the hell was that about? First you tell me you don't want me and then you interrupt me having a perfectly good cry about it and kidnap me in some insane dramatic gesture…"

She wasn't planning to throw herself off the roof.

Well, this is embarrassing – I'm never going to tell her I thought that…

"I changed my mind?" Rhodey offered a little weakly. She was crying because she thought I didn't want her… "Skye, it's not that I don't want you, don't ever think that. I just – I'm too old for you."

He looked utterly magnificent in the silver armour of War Machine. Skye licked her lips.

"Haven't you ever heard the saying you're only as old as the woman you feel? Get out of that armour and I'll prove the theory."

He stared at her open-mouthed until she jumped dextrously up, wrapped her legs around his armoured torso and kissed him thoroughly.

"That – sounds like an offer I can't refuse," Rhodey said hoarsely when she finally let go.

997 words.

God, Rhodey would be good for Skye, wouldn't he? Yes, he's a lot older than her, but he really does give off that steady-rock vibe. She'd never have to worry about him letting her down.

Just doing a little happy dance because that is now 50 of the Shorts written! I would love to hear which was your favourite so far. Was it already your OTP or was it an unexpected new ship?