Scott put off returning to Kadara for as long as possible. He would rather have never returned to this forsaken planet. The memories still left him shamed and bitter.
Reyes lied to him.
Fucking used and played Scott like a damn fool; smirking as he revealed his true self in the cave. Treating the whole affair with Sloane as a giant joke. Making quips and finger guns in the air as he ripped Scott's heart out of his chest.
The Charlatan had been right next to him this whole time. Every smile and wink had been a lie. The kiss on top of those crates tasting like whiskey and the beginning of something new: all fake.
Scott had been so blinded by rage he was frozen in place when SAM saw the sniper. It had purely been shock that let Reyes kill her. Shock and the fact that Sloane was an equally shitty person, although at least more up front about it. That's what Scott told himself anyways.
Reyes had tried to soothe him with more lies; platitudes about wanting to be a better man, that he liked how Scott looked at him. It made the Pathfinder's blood boil, ignite his biotics until he was shimmering in blue.
You aren't the man I thought you were.
He had meant the words to cut deep, but Reyes' eyes had only gone cold and cut off. He shrugged it off and muttered something that Scott had ignored, spinning on his heel instead and storming off.
He had left Kadara and not looked back.
There had emails about the outpost that he had simply forwarded to Addison. Another one asking if they could still be friends, using Scott's reaction as justification for keeping secrets. All bullshit. Scott hadn't responded to a single one and eventually Reyes had stopped sending them. It had all been a lie anyways.
Which is why it had been several months since they had last touched down on Kadara's toxic wastelands. Vetra had finally demanded they go back as she had contacts to check up on, a drop box to loot, and more. They had become close friends over time and Scott wouldn't let his own pettiness get in the way of her goals and business needs. Plus, he probably should check on the new outpost.
He didn't trust Reyes to keep his word on protecting the colony.
"Where we headed to, boss?" Cora asked as she and Drack flanked him exiting the ship. The rest of the crew slowly fanned out, each going off in their own direction.
"Slums," Scott responded as he holstered his pistol. "Check on the outpost, clean up any raiders or Roekaar we meet along the way."
Drack chuckled dangerously behind him as they took the lift down.
Cora's head turned to Tartarus. "Don't you want to check on—"
"No."
Drack and Vetra had been the ones with Scott when Reyes revealed himself, but had wisely kept quiet to the rest of the crew. No one else actually knew who the Charlatan was, only that Scott had struck a deal with Collective and let Sloane die.
Not that the Pathfinder was being subtle with his distain.
"More fun killing raiders, anyways." Drack grunted as they stepped out into the badlands.
Scott was a bit annoyed at how well the outpost was running when they got there. No issues with raiders, supply chain functioning well enough, Roekaar kept away by patrols from the Collective. The Charlatan, they praised, was keeping his end of the deal.
Good to see he could keep some promises.
There were still a number of smaller issues and errands to run and Scott was more than happy to do them. Anything to keep his mind off this planet and what it represented. Drack and Cora were a contrast presence at his back as they charged through the mountain side. They cleared out several Roekaar camps that had been scouted, subdued bandits roaming the wastelands, and checked on neutral outposts or camps. It took the majority of the day and left Scott exhausted, which was exactly what he wanted.
"Pathfinder, another wave of raiders is incoming," SAM pinged in warning.
Drack hefted his hammer up. "Good! Let them come!"
"Got another round in you, Scott?" Cora smirked as her biotics flared to life. "Vanguards are glass cannons after all."
"At least we don't hang around in the back like Adepts," Scott shot back. Truth be told, he did want to try the new profile he had recently unlocked with SAM. The Explorer profile looked interesting, but also vastly different than what he was used to, so he held off for now. Bullets began flying and Scott readied his own defenses, reckless grin coming to his face.
He wasn't normally a very graceful person; his coordination sucked and he was likely to trip over his own feet, but put him in a fight with his biotics and Scott could dance.
He whipped around the battlefield, launching himself into the air before throwing a Singularity to lift a group of the raiders and then charging straight into it to detonate his field. Corpses scattered and blood splattered across the ground as Scott tossed a Lance at the last one standing.
"Alright!" he called out. "I got seven. Drack?"
"Well it would have been seven if you hadn't picked off the last one!" the krogan fumed.
"So six for Drack."
Cora sighed loudly. "Well, I only got five."
Scott held up his hands before bowing slightly. "Looks like I won this round."
"Next time, Pathfinder." Drack promised. Cora made a disgusted noise and Scott grinned, feeling better than he had in awhile.
"Vetra has reported in," SAM interrupted. "Her business is concluded on Kadara for the time being."
"That's our cue." Cora brushed her bangs out of her eyes and turned back to the Nomad. Drack looked mutinous at being denied a chance to regain his Krogan pride and Scott came over to slap him on the shoulder.
"We'll get drinks later and start a bar fight," he offered.
"Hmmnnn."
Scott kept his stance casual, but lowered his voice. "That sniper still following us?"
"Yeah," Drack rumbled back. "Not keeping himself well hidden. Caught his sights at least three times in that last battle. Hasn't taken a shot yet."
"Just watching then." Scott rolled his shoulders and lead the way back to the Nomad. Drack kept his body just as loose and they pretended to be arguing over kill counts. SAM kept their frequency jammed so they couldn't be overheard.
"Charlatan's spy still out there?" Cora asked as Scott shut the driver's door.
"Yeah," he answered.
"Is the cloak and daggers really necessary?"
"I don't care, so long as he doesn't interfere." Scott's good mood was gone and a sour taste rose in his mouth. "Let's just leave."
The drive back was silent.
Scott left the Nomad at the Forward Station to be picked up as they walked back towards the lift. Hopefully it would be another several months before they had to return again.
"Can't wait to shower the smell of this planet off me," Cora complained as they grew closer to the lift. "Sulfur is the worst."
"Just smells like eggs," Drack muttered.
"Rotten eggs—" Scott threw his arm out to stop Cora as a shadow detached itself from inside the lift.
"You really should give this place a chance," Reyes purred as he stepped out from the darkness. "It's grows on you."
A war zone of conflicting emotions raged within Scott's chest as he stared. He tried to reign in his expression, but everything was too much like the last time he had spoken with the Charlatan.
"Reyes—" he started, but was cut off as a blaster bolt hit the wall right next to the smuggler. Sparks exploded and Scott jerked back, hand going to his pistol as Reyes gave an undignified yelp and flinched, falling back into the lift as shock painted his features.
Drack cocked his shotgun again.
"W-wait!" Reyes held out a hand. "I'm not here to fight! I'm unarmed!"
"That is a lie," SAM chirped. "He has a pistol holstered on his back and a knife sheathed in his boot." Cora's biotics flared to life and Scott saw Reyes start to panic, watched as SAM noted the dramatic increase in heart rate.
"Scott!" It felt like a slap, hearing Reyes call out to him. Oh, part of him wished to make the man suffer. Scott stayed silent just long enough for Reyes' eyes to flash towards him, hurt and pain creeping into the hazel with flecks of gold and it broke something in the pathfinder's chest.
Weak; he was so weak.
His lips tasted like memories of whiskey as he bit them.
"Stop." Scott commanded and Cora shot him a confused look, no doubt completely lost on what was happening. Drack let out a curse before lowering his gun.
"Shit, now I owe Vetra 20 credits," he grumbled. "Thought for sure you'd let me shoot him."
"Not this time," Scott sighed and crossed his arms. Reyes scrambled up and tried to compose himself, dusting off his jacket. It was hard to tell, in the shadows, but the back of his neck looked redder. "What do you want, Vidal?"
"I—" he was caught off guard as Scott used his last name. Reyes glanced between Drack and Cora. "To discuss unfinished business...from the last time you were here."
"Heh, that's an understatement," Drack snorted. Annoyance flashed across the smuggler's face before being smoothed over.
"Preferably in private."
"I'm not in the mood." Scott's body was coiled tight, defenses high. "I'm sure a man of your...status, has plenty to do. You don't need me." He started to walk toward the lift controls and Reyes rushed forward, facade cracking.
"Please, Scott."
That fucking voice. Scott grimaced and bared his teeth. His name on those lips; it absolutely killed him. Reyes knew he was on very shaky ground and kept his movements cautious, hands open to show he had nothing up his sleeve. Which was another lie. Reyes Vidal always had something off his sleeve.
Scott closed his eyes and let out a long sigh. "Maybe next time."
"And when will that be?" Desperation was breaking through Reyes' voice. "In another five months? Ten minutes, that's all I'm asking."
"Scott..." Cora's voice was soft and it made him feel worse.
"Just leave," Drack warned. "Walk away and don't look back, kid."
"Stop—don't." Reyes visibly held himself back from lashing out at the old krogan. He was shaking, Scott realized, anger twisting his features, but also unmasking the dread that lurked underneath. His eyes snapped back to Scott, uncertain.
Scott wished he was stronger; to be cruel and truly not care.
Why did you come here?
To be someone.
"Ten minutes," Scott forced out. He tried no to let his voice shake. Pure relief blossomed across Reyes' face. He looked so grateful and it made Scott's stomach churn. "Let's just get this over with."
"We'll go on ahead." Cora still seemed very nervous about what she had witnessed, but also had to good sense to leave well enough alone. Drack waited for another minute, staring Reyes down before tapping a claw on his gun.
"I'll keep this ready just in case," before lumbering off behind Cora.
Scott was left alone at last. He couldn't seem to pick his gaze up from where it rested on the ground. He felt sick.
"We can...use my place in Tartarus?" Reyes tried, still wary.
"Whatever." Scott followed him as they made their way around the sulfur pools to the night club. Nothing stuck to Scott's memory until he found himself in Reyes' back room, sofa shoved up against the wall, desk cluttered with too many data pads. A bottle of whiskey sat on the table to he looked away.
Reyes stood in the middle, foot tapping against the ground, and back to Scott.
"Well?" he asked.
"Well what?" Scott frowned. "What is this?"
"This is..." Reyes' voice trailed off. He clenched his jaw as Scott's eyes bore into his back. "I want—I don't know, just not this."
Scott waited for more. Something. Anything. Reyes continued to be silent.
"You have to give me more than that," he pushed.
"What more would you have from me?" Light reflected off dark eyes that glanced up to meet Scott's; eyes that burned with too many emotions.
This...this shouldn't be so important to Reyes. They were a fling, something he had needed for his plan to take over Kadara. The Charlatan should no longer care about Scott Ryder.
"God, what are you playing at now?" Scott couldn't get a grasp on the other man's angle. "What do you need me for this time? Just ask, don't play these games."
"Games?" Reyes spat out and suddenly turned to face Scott. "This isn't a game to me!"
"How would I know!" Scott threw back. "I don't even really know you—"
"But you do! Oh, Scott you know me better than most." It sounded painful, the words coming from Reyes' throat. Like he didn't want to let go of what he was revealing. "I may have lied to you about my endgame, but every moment with you was real. I swear it."
A rooftop bathed in a red sunset came to Scott's mind. Chapped lips that tasted of whiskey, gentle fingers that turned his head.
"It's my fault, right?" Scott accused, unable to keep the venom out. "You had to lie because I wouldn't take it well. Guess I proved you right."
"That's—not how I meant it to sound." Reyes dragged a hand through his hair, eyes frantic, as he blew out an unsteady breath. "I was a coward. I lied to avoid this scenario and when it happened, I just...didn't realize," he gave a watery laugh, "how much it would hurt when you walked away."
Scott couldn't speak. Feared if he did it would break the moment. The silence stretched past the point of unbearable. The ten minute mark long overdue.
"I'm in the wrong Scott, I don't pretend otherwise," Reyes admitted. "I had my reasons, but that doesn't make me right. I just..." he pressed his palms to his forehead, eyes screwed shut, "you don't understand. The way you looked me—shit. That kiss, the first one, in the storage room. You grabbed me and kissed me and—"
The smuggler collapsed. His knees folded from under him and he fell back against the sofa, curling in on himself.
Scott remembered. He had been feeling reckless and daring; yanked Reyes close and devoured those lips. The small gasp followed by a low groan—not expecting that type of distraction.
Now there was only distrust and pain between them, in this dark room.
"Did I ruin everything?" Reyes tried one last time. He spoke from between his fingers, face buried behind his hands. "Is it no longer possible to move forward?"
Scott watched the man carefully as he said his next words.
"I thought you got everything you wanted?"
Reyes lowered his hands, eyes haunted. "In that instant Sloane hit the floor; I thought I did too." It was an honest answer, one that didn't paint Reyes in the best light and that's how Scott could tell. "When you turned your back and left, I knew. Realized I'd traded one ambition for another."
"Is that all I was to you: a goal, a dream to reach out for?"
"Is that...such a bad thing?"
And shit, Reyes was close to tears. Face open and vulnerable as he asked the question. Scott was caught off guard again.
Why did you come here?
To be someone.
You're someone to me.
Scott remembered with perfect clarity Reyes' eyes when he said that too him. How they softened, gentle as his fingers guiding Scott's chin to meet his kiss. A different kiss than from earlier. Shy, careful, shallow breathing like he wasn't used to it.
"I know you don't trust me; but you're the only one I've let myself open up to. Even now, Scott—" their eyes met again "—when you look at me you see me. There are no masks, no Charlatan, nothing else that you see first. No one else looks at me the way you do."
"Reyes..." Scott feels it, the pull on his chest. He was getting sucked in again.
"I understand if you can't let me in; trust once betrayed is hard to earn back. I just want you in my life, in some small way. Is that too much for a greedy man to ask?"
"You're lucky," Scott trembled, body swaying as he tried to control himself. He noticed Reyes flinch and prepare for the worst. "So lucky, that even after everything, a part of me—all of me, still cares about you. That it breaks my heart to hear you sound this way. I wish I could be stronger but—"
"Scott?" Reyes' voice is steel, but there's desperate hope in his eyes.
"That speech sounded pretty genuine," Scott admitted. "That's all I want; something real."
Reyes shifted in front of him, a broken man. "I'm always genuine, Ryder. In my own way."
Scott didn't realize he was moving, took his mind a second to catch up with his body as he blinked and was suddenly over Reyes, pressing him down into the couch, biting down on the outstretched neck and shuddering at the shameless moan it elicited.
His body was burning, Scott realized. He was desperate to touch every inch of Reyes, map out the body under his fingertips. He yanked at the flight suit, ripping the zipper down and revealing dark skin underneath that he ravaged, tongue and teeth working to draw breathy whimpers from the smuggler.
Reyes was completely pliant under him, legs spread wide and chest heaving.
"Yes. Take whatever you want," he gasped, licking his lips. "It's yours."
It became hard to concentrate, for just a moment, as the world burned with intense need. Scott grabbed Reyes' dark hair and pulled back until the tendons in his neck showed, stark against his skin and begging to be marked. He sunk his teeth into the tanned skin, tasting sweat and blood as Reyes whined, hips thrusting against Scott at the sensation.
Scott growled, watched as Reyes shivered at the noise, and ground his hips down. He met a matching hardness and both men groaned. Reyes' hands scrabbled back above his head to the arm of the sofa, gripping the fabric and arching his back. He let out a filthy moan as Scott pressed against him and it almost undid everything.
"Hnnngh." Scott couldn't stop. He clapped a hand over his mouth; mortified at the sound he'd just made.
"Let me hear it, Scott." Reyes begged, face flushed as he squirmed under the pathfinder. "I want to hear your voice again."
It was unspoken, but Scott could read between the lines. That Reyes had missed him, missed his voice. That maybe...he hadn't been lying about what he said in the cave. About how much Scott meant to him.
I liked the way you looked at me.
The way Reyes was looking at Scott right now, he almost understood. Hazel eyes tracking his movements with a raw hunger, fierce and scared to blink. Like every moment mattered. This went deeper than simple attraction.
Scott had underestimated Reyes.
He buckled, caught himself, and surged forward. The rest of Reyes's flight jacket was stripped from his body, tossed on the floor as Scott peeled off his gloves with his teeth.
"Keep your hands where they are," he ordered. Reyes cut off a choked moan at the authoritative tone and spread his legs out wider. His erection thick against his thigh, red and trembling.
"Y-you can tie me if you want," was offered eagerly. Scott felt the climbing heat rate, the peaking desire, but he grinned and shook his head.
"No Reyes, I want you to control yourself." Scott let his bare hands dance across the other man's inner thighs. Reyes' fingers clenched against the fabric of the sofa as he cursed in a foreign language. "The only thing binding you is my wish and your discipline. Prove to me you can do this."
"Such a cruel man," Reyes whispered.
"It gets worse." Scott didn't warn him beforehand. In fact, he wasn't sure if Reyes had ever been with a biotic before to know this but—
A pulse of blue light shimmered across the smuggler's body and he convulsed. They were in the back of a night club, but Scott was certain Reyes' scream could be heard. He watched with utter delight the man under him sobbed in pleasure, precum dribbling from him cock, as he was pumped by wave after wave of biotics.
Scott moved his fingers over the other's nipples, adding a slight sting to his pulse and bit the inside of his cheek as Reyes' back arched sharply again. He was frantically moving against Scott, body overwhelmed by the sensations. Too much and not enough all at once.
"Reyes?" Scott enveloped his entire body in blue as he leaned down and ghosted a breath over the smuggler's ear, teeth nipping at his jawline.
"You—uhnn," Reyes pressed his head against Scott's shoulder. His breathing was erratic and droplets of sweat ran down his body in tantalizing trails. "You bastard...don't you dare stop."
Scott skimmed a finger down over trembling muscles, sparks dancing across skin. Reyes thrashed underneath him, a litany of curses and whimpers spilling from his mouth. It was a beautiful strain on his body, flushed and begging for attention.
They had only indulged in quick fumbles before; clumsy kisses and awkward hand jobs behind crates before everything had changed. Scott never really had the chance to explore Reyes fully. It sent a thrill through him now. His own hardness pressed urgently against his armor, but there wasn't time for that.
"Scott..." Reyes was undone with his teasing. He was leaking steadily against his thigh, cock twitching at every touch. The smuggler's mouth hung open, gasping for breath and an idea came to Scott.
"Shena; if you're so good with your mouth why don't you show me?" He pressed two fingers against Reyes' lips and grinned. To his credit, the smuggler didn't even hesitant before swallowing the digits and lavishing them with his tongue. It turned Scott on more than he originally thought, seeing Reyes' mouth sucking his fingers, feeling the vibrations as he moaned.
After a few more moments Scott pulled his hand free with a wet pop, ignoring the unsatisfied noise the other made. He hoisted the man's thighs around his waist before swiping a coated finger across his entrance. The effect was instantaneous as Reyes threw back his head and whimpered.
"Shit, shit, Scott." His legs tightened around Scott. "God...please."
Scott bit his lower lip to contain himself. Reyes Vidal had a dangerous voice.
"You're beautiful." It's just something he says in the heat of the moment. Scott means it, but he doesn't really think about it. Reyes' eyes change though, widen in shock first before a fragile light enters them. He opens his mouth, but that's the exact instant Scott pushed his fingers in, slicked and shimmering in biotics.
Scott stretched his fingers out, dancing around the prostate and sending firm pulses out as Reyes writhed underneath him. His hands twisted in a white-knuckled grip as his arms trembled. Scott kept his other hand tight around the base of Reyes' cock, restraining him, keeping him on the brink as each pulse pushed him closer to the brink.
Too much tension had built up, he doesn't expect Reyes to last too much longer. Scott adds a third finger on instinct and the man under him screams "yes!" trying to shove himself further down. It has to burn with only saliva, but Reyes is greedy for it.
"Punish me, Scott," he begs. Like a branding iron pleasure scorches through Scott's body at those words, at their meaning, what's being asked of him and comes—inside his suit, right then.
His biotics flare causing Reyes to jolt and sob and his trapped erection spurts weakly in response. He's being so good, arms still above his head even though they are shaking with the effort, tear tracks stained the side of his cheeks from holding back.
He's balanced so carefully on the edge.
Scott's body is floating in endorphins. His defenses are finally gone and he meets Reyes' eyes.
"God, I missed you."
He doesn't really think, just pulls his hands away to lean over and kiss Reyes. Deep, full of all the emotions Scott had kept bottled up these past several months. He poured everything into the actions and felt as Reyes' orgasm ripped through him. Hands clawed at Scott's suit, pulling him down until his chest was pressed against Reyes' as the other man clung to him. They didn't break apart, Scott just swallowed every sound the smuggler made.
They were both shaking by the end of it. Neither willing to let go.
Reyes spoke first.
"Stay?"
Scott couldn't see his face, pressed against the man's neck, but he didn't have to.
It was a long road to build the trust up between them again, but Scott wanted to try again. Needed to try.
"Yeah," he nodded and felt Reyes' grip tighten around him. "I want to start again."
"No more secrets this time, no more lies, I pro—"
"No." Scott pushed himself up. He didn't like the hurt look Reyes gave him. "You're the Charlatan, Reyes. You'll always have your secrets. I..." Scott's face burned with shame as he glanced away, "...I should have realized that sooner. It's part of who you are. Just—don't lie to me about the big stuff?" He tried to end on a lighter note and quirked his lips in a smile, but wasn't prepared for the look of utter adoration in Reyes eyes.
Scott fumbled for something to say.
"Thank you." Reyes breathed. A darkness left his face, like a weight had been lifted. His hands came up to cup Scott's face.
"F-for what?" Scott hadn't quite forgive him yet.
Reyes blinked quickly as his eyes became overly bright. "For accepting me."
"I—"
"You see me as I am, Scott. Flaws and all. That you accept me too..."
"I have to be a pain in the ass to deal with as well," Scott shrugged. "I figure it's easier to deal with you being the encrypted one than forcing you to change."
"I—ah," Reyes broke off giggling suddenly and Scott realized it was the first time he'd seen the smuggler smile since they had reunited. He was so used to the man's wicked grin he should have figured out sooner how serious Reyes had been about Scott. "I just thought of something really cheesy."
Scott preferred this type of Reyes. The one he had fallen for.
"Oh?" he responded.
"No, it's so bad."
"Just say it."
"Well," a flush crept up Reyes' neck as he met Scott's eye, "consider me hacked."
Scott flopped down onto the smuggler and groaned.