Chapter Summary: The Valkyrie, aka Team Mom, Reyna Valeria is up here, guys!

Notes: Reyna and Whiskey's relationship is part parental, part siblingesque, part "Oh, right, one of us outranks the other, don't they?"

Italics means flashback.

Chapter 7: Reyna Valeria

Reyna would be the first to point out that the point of the Rogues was to not have much of a command structure. She was, essentially, in charge because she had put the call out, and being in charge meant she had to sit in at meetings instead of them unless it was necessary.

But she always found herself looking out for them like a leader, the way Ghalt did. It was nice, working with people she knew weren't going to stab her in the back. Before them, the closest thing she had to a friend, like, a good one she could drink with or laugh about dumb shit they got into was Ghalt (and if she called him Trevor sometimes when they did, that was nobody else's damn business).

It didn't take long for her to figure out it'd been too damn long since Whiskey got to do that when he joined. Guy had connections, sure. But he'd been running to stay ahead of the UPR too much to form many connections. And the ones he could have been doing that stuff with, his clone brothers, they were dead.

"Lotta people mighta decided living was too hard after that sorta crap, you know?"

"Means I gotta stay alive for them, doesn't it?"

It actually kinda amazed her he wasn't more screwed up from that. In a way, though, it seemed like all the Rogues she trusted were like that; they'd gone through hell, saw some shit, but didn't let it break them. In Orendi's case, it might have been because she was already nuts, but still.

She was glad for that. She wouldn't have let him anywhere near the kitchen if he was too crazy. And frankly, she was the best cook after him, and she could only do simple stuff. First time she'd ever caught him cooking, she'd tasted it and responding to his question of her approval by asking if he wanted to be their cook. He'd actually been confused by the fact she actually asked, instead of telling him. Reyna figured he must just be used to being told to do it, or actually asking for the job when he needed it.

He was also probably the only other member of the Rogues she felt like she could really vent to about her responsibilities. Well, him and Toby, since they were the only two she could safely say were adults like her, but she'd only recently really started seeing Toby as one (he'd seemed too young, even at twenty six when they met). She didn't have a problem venting to people from other factions, but sometimes you needed people who understood your perspective better ("Oh my god, how does anyone get anything done if they need to fill out paperwork so damn much!?" "Is the UPR really like this? I'm starting to think that I lucked out when I didn't get in." "Oh please, you're just writing mission reports. Try filling out requisition forms.")

Of course, after everything that happened with the Lorrian, she'd had to talk to Whiskey about what happened just like all the others who hadn't been there (which had, unfortunately, been most of them) granted, after talking with Shayne and Aurox and Orendi, she started to think she should have started with him, or just called a freaking meeting to get it done at once.

"So, instead of just asking people who you regularly trust with your life and the safety of what's left of the universe, but you couldn't trust us to help you save your planet, or let us know the person you decided to trust instead was harassing you so that we could take care of him?" He'd given her a look, "Gonna be honest, I'm more insulted by the latter than the former."

She'd sighed, "Yeah, I've been hearing that quite a bit. Even from Pendles, and an assassin being disappointed in you hurts more than you'd think."

"But, like Toby said, not like any of us haven't been there before. I actually went from trusting, to not trusting, and then learned how to trust again. Pretty quick, if I'm honest, but still. I mean, I've trusted you since you saved my misshapen ass on Ekkunar, and in case you forgot, I like telling that story."

"So… you forgive me?" God, she'd hoped she hadn't sounded as pathetic as she thought it did.

He'd stared at her for a moment. Then, before she could blink, he'd lifted a hand up and smacked her across the back of her head.

He'd chuckled as she rubbed the back of her head, "Yeah, we're good."

Whiskey Foxtrot was a good friend. The kind you could talk to, that could praise, and smack a little sense into you if need be, and was willing to let you do the same if it came down to it. Though if she had not smacked him herself when he was being stupid once, she probably would have something to say about being literal that time.

He was just lucky that little celebration for their victory over Thaddeus he put together, and breaking out the good alcohol, made up for it.

Notes:

Being in charge means Reyna needs to keep track of things, which means she needs to write stuff down. And then they joined the Battleborn and someone said they should all do mission reports. Part of the reason no one argues about Reyna being in charge is the fact that no one else wants to deal with that.

Foxtrot has the most experience cooking for a lot of people with a variety of dishes. Reyna never really had to cook for a lot of people before, so simple stuff like sandwiches, things with instructions on boxes, and breakfast is about all she has. Toby can cook, but the kitchen isn't really built in a way that he could easily do it, and he doesn't really do non-fish dishes. Pendles is similar, only with meat. Shayne tends to roast stuff, since cooking food is a way to kill bacteria, and she didn't really have a home. Aurox eats shards and can't cook at all. Orendi... isn't allowed.

Yeah, I got the impression that Reyna probably felt like apologizing to all the Rogues, not just Toby, after it was revealed she didn't ask them for help because she didn't want to seem weak in front of them. And sometimes, even if you know someone has forgiven you, you need to hear them say that you're forgiven.

For those interested, Phoebe and ISIC were invited to that party, since they did help.

The Teen Detectives are up next.

Comments are appreciated.