This was not where Gil wanted to be.
True, he was on the Nomad with one of his favourite people, but he was also on his way to an outpost to collect a crate of parts for the Tempest. Parts that had been oh so generously gifted by the newly minted King of Kadara and Gil's personal thorn in his side.
He and Ryder were always so professional, but never quite hiding what was bubbling underneath those official sounding conversations. Gil wondered if anyone noticed the flirting apart from him. If he mentioned it though, he would be accused of being jealous, so he kept it to himself.
He did think that it was a bit obvious and Ryder did have a terrible but cute poker face.
A jolt broke him away from his thoughts. He grabbed hold of the seat with a grimace and held onto it so tight that his knuckles turned white.
"Careful..." He commanded, glaring at the driver in the process.
"The Nomad doesn't like potholes" The driver finished the sentence, a gentle smirk on his face.
"That wasn't a pothole Ryder. It was a crater!" He said with uncharacteristic snap.
Gil checked his safety restraints and glanced out of the window, the desert landscape speeding by so fast it was just a straight line of yellow. He couldn't stand sand, it got everywhere and into places where it was severely unwelcome.
"It's going to be a long journey if you act like this."
"Why did I let you drive?"
"I know the way."
"There are such a thing as directions." Gil snorted
"I know a shortcut"
"I bet you do"
The remark went unnoticed by Ryder who didn't take his eyes from the view screen.
The Nomad left planet surface, boosted at high speed through the air. Gil flinched and checked his restraints again. Out of the view screen he noticed the dusty concrete of the outpost Ditaeon loom into range. They were getting close to the parts and closer to safely being back on the Tempest. He let himself visibly relax and rolled the tension from his shoulders. They swerved to a stop outside the outpost whooshing up a cloud of sand.
Ryder released himself from his restraints and offered Gil a hand.
"That wasn't so bad"
Gill ignored the hand and tried to get up, his legs wobbled and he sat back down. He crinkled his forehead with confusion.
"Let's get the cargo and get out of here." he spat finally rising from the chair, "If it is actually here of course and it's not just a ploy to see you."
"So suspicious." Ryder grinned at the obvious jealousy. "He hasn't lied to me since Slone"
"That you know of" Gil muttered snidely, before stomping off to find the cargo.
The cargo was waiting for them, the word Pathfinder spray painted across it in red. Gil opened the crate and checked the parts quickly, not wanting to spend more time than necessary on the planet.
The occupants of the outpost assisted in shoving the crate up the ramp into the Nomad. They climbed back in and Ryder powered up the engine.
"No Charlatan today, Mr Pathfinder?" Gil teased smugly.
"He's in Kadara Port today I believe, but with Reyes you never know."
Gil tensed, the dismissive nature of the comment combined with the knowledge of the the mans whereabouts irritated him. His brain shot back on task at hand in response to Ryder over-revving the engine.
The Nomad rumbled through the desert, powering off ridges and landing heavily. He would have to check out the underside when they got back, if the Nomad was still in one piece of course.
He fell to the side as the vehicle swerved around some rocks, Ryder not even slowing down.
"This isn't a race"
Ryder smirked, like he could picture the engineer grinding his teeth.
"I didn't ask for a back seat driver."
"Learn to drive better."
"Don't you like my driving?"
That was a loaded question that Gil wisely restrained himself from answering.
"Can you stop reacting like I'm going to kill us both" it was more of an order than a question.
Gil went silent until he spotted a pillar of rock getting closer, he yelled and grabbed Ryder's hand that hovered over the controls and pulled it to the left. He wanted to go out in a blaze of glory one day, but not today.
Swerving across the sand the Nomad skidded to a halt, it's power cutting out.
"I had that covered" Ryder yelled, in Gil's direction, not bothering to glance over, knowing he would only be greeting with eyes full of blazing anger.
"Like hell you did. We were about to crash." He yelled back as Ryder yanked his hand away and powered up again.
Gil sat seething, feeling the blood boil in his brain. Anger seeping out of every pore.
"If you can stay quiet until we get to the Tempest" Ryder's voice was low "I'll blow you in the back of the Nomad"
Those last words were fast and Gil wondered if he'd heard them correctly. It was unlike Ryder to suggest anything like that.
"Care to repeat that Scott?"
"Nope" he popped the P and stared at the view screen again.
Gil sat silently, but for an entirely different reason, pondering what he thought he'd heard. He ignored what was going on outside, focusing on translating the words into something he could understand. The words gradually shifted into place as he mulled over the sentence. His heart beat faster.
Scott was his guy after all and one day he'd prove it, right in front that shady bastard's smug face.
He glanced over at Ryder, a smile playing on his lips.
Darkness enveloped the Nomad as it was driven up the ramp into the tempest. The journey had disappeared whilst he'd been thinking. Clever man.
"it's my job to know where all my contacts are." Ryder uttered softly "you on the other hand..."
He reached over and settled his fingers on Gil's thigh.
"I want, to know where you are."
Ryder undid his safety restraints, then Gil's and offered a hand.
He guided them both to the back of the Nomad.
The pathfinder liked to keep his promises.