It felt like he was frozen in place when his date descended upon him. Thankfully, his body reacted quicker than his mind could, slipping his hand through her hair to hold her closer while he pressed against her. He melted at the soft feel of her lips and shuddered in delight when her long eyelashes tickled his cheek. She clearly enjoyed the contact - a pleased hum escaping her the second he reciprocated her kiss.

When they pulled away, Reyna had the biggest smile he'd ever seen. He was about to say something until she started tugging on his sleeve, urging him away from the restaurant and back into the dark streets of Valencia.

They returned to the estate as soon as they could. After Deacon was finished hanging their coats by the door, Reyna eagerly skipped over to their bar. She perused through their selection while he cleaned himself up in the kitchen. He moved behind the counter and leaned on his elbows, chuckling when her eyes refused to move from their shelves.

"Does anything catch your eye?"

She regarded him thoughtfully. "How about a margarita?"

He nodded, ducking to grab a clean glass and collect the ingredients while she sat on one of the stools. Her eyes wandered while she waited, traveling across the room and into the dark hallways. She realized she hadn't heard a single noise since they stepped through the door.

"It's quiet. Is no one else home?"

He nodded, pouring some ice into her glass and starting the mixing process. She grew fidgety knowing that she and Deacon were alone again. It hadn't bothered her earlier, but now it felt a little intimate, after sharing an exquisite meal and indulging in his family's fine liquor selection.

He finished garnishing her glass and slid it over to her. She accepted it and had her first taste. She crossed her legs and grinned at him.

"It's delicious! Have you always known how to mix your own drinks?"

"Of course." He moved to prepare his own for the night. "Not only am I the musician for our house parties, but a bartender as well."

She scoffed. "Kane makes you work too much."

His laugh made her heart leap in joy. She wished she could always see him this happy. "Sometimes he does."

"So you admit you need a vacation?"

He was topping off his drink, acknowledging her with a shake of his head. "With all the days I've spent on standby, I think I've had enough time off."

" Espía. I bet you spent every hour wishing you were back on your ship. Come on. When was the last time you ever took a trip?"

He sat on the stool beside her, taking a swig of his alcohol before carefully setting it down. "I get to travel plenty on the job. I don't really need a vacation."

"But what about taking one with me ?" She attempted to sway him. "A nice day on the beach, or even a cruise…"

"Okay - if I DID go anywhere, it would NOT be the sea."

That was fair. "What about returning to Aquila? You'd love that."

He drummed his fingers on the glass as he seriously considered the idea. "Maybe. In the far future."

She rolled her eyes at his answer and he smirked in return. They passed some time sitting and talking, only moving once their glasses were empty and she was bugging him for a refill. Deacon went to make their second rounds while Reyna stood up and walked around the recreation room. She hadn't gotten a good look around before, as her partner was incredibly brief with this part of the tour. He seemed more enthused with showing her the piano than anything that was in here.

"You have a home theater," She observed in surprise.

It was a small room with a large screen surrounded by comfortable-looking seats. She looked up to find an impressive lighting arrangement above. It must not get much use, since the chairs were barely worn in and still looked brand new. She heard her boyfriend's acknowledging hum from across the room. She turned to him with her arms crossed.

"What movies do you have?"

He walked over and handed her a glass. He looked at the theater for himself and ended up shrugging. "Mostly Valencian films. I think Queen has a melodrama collection."

She looked away and fidgeted with her jewelry. "-Any westerns?"

"Probably." He was about to walk away until she grabbed his shoulder and dragged him back to her.

"- Deaaacooonnn. I want to watch a movie."

He clearly didn't want to, but he caved in regardless. He was growing more susceptible to her desires right now and he blamed that on the alcohol. "Wait here."

She obliged, taking a seat and sipping from her second margarita while he disappeared elsewhere. It took some time until the room around her dimmed and a movie was projected onto the screen. She heard some shuffling and found Deacon shifting on the seat beside her, bringing a small tray for them to rest their glasses on. When the title appeared before them, she nearly choked on her drink.

" A spaghetti western? "

"This is all we have, so don't be picky,"

"Fine, fine."

They got comfortable in the dark setting while the film played. Reyna enjoyed every second of the cowboy outfits and the dramatic shooting scenes. There was something enthralling about these kinds of films that she couldn't get enough of. It would always be one of her guilty pleasures. When they were a quarter way into the movie, she asked him about popcorn, which made her partner groan as he had to pause the screen and leave to go prepare some.

When he returned with a bowl, she swiped it from his hands. After having a mouthful of what had to be the best popcorn in her life, she looked at him curiously. "Why didn't you show me this before?"

"We've never had the time nor means to-"

"-No, I mean the theater. I would've loved to have something like this for myself."

"We're a family of more… traditional entertainment. I like books more than I do watching movies." At her offended expression, he explained, "They often mess up the plot and don't adapt the stories very well. We watch plays and operas instead, which are much more authentic in my family's eyes."

"Then why even have the room?"

"It came with the estate, so we use it to entertain our guests."

"Hmm. You keep talking about these house parties. When you have one, invite me over so I can witness it in person."

She offered him the bowl and he took this chance to grab some popcorn while he could. It was a wise decision, as she withdrew it back into her possession. They were silent as they resumed the film, listening to the old-timey music while the action picked up and the boisterous characters were riding on horseback. Then, they were confronted by the villain - a man in a particular dark getup that brought Reyna back to her time in Cool Ranch.

She leaned against him and fiddled with her hands. While his attention was focused on the movie's gun fight, she took this time to mutter a confession she'd been holding down for some time:

"You looked really good in that disguise…"

"Pardon?" He asked, glancing over to her.

Her face was red and she was thankful the room was dark enough to hide it. She had to remind herself that she was missing the anonymity of her mask - he could see and read her expressions now. She wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.

"That disguise you wore back in Cool Ranch," Her green eyes locked with his. "It was hot."

He started snickering, shaking his head as he took this in. "Are you serious?"

"If you start teasing me, I'm going to leave-!"

The movie still played in the background, but it was beyond either of their attention. "If I remember right, all you told me was that I looked skinny."

Her posture fell. "I-I'm sorry about that. I was so embarrassed, I didn't know what to say."

"Embarrassed because you found me…hot?"

She groaned and swiped her hand at him. "I just thought it looked really good on you."

He still sounded apprehensive, which wasn't helping her feel any less embarrassed. "I looked like a bandit with a mask. Is that what you're into?"

She glared at him. She wasn't finding this banter very funny. "Deacon-"

He held his hands up to indicate that he was dropping it. She seemed satisfied and lowered her head into his lap, turning to face the screen so she could keep watching. Right as she got comfortable, his hand brushed her hair aside and he leaned down to whisper:

"You were practically eye-candy in yours."

The heat returned to her face and she shot up in surprise. "DEACON!"

He laughed and she finally snapped. She tackled him - forcing him down on the cushions as he released an 'oof' sound . She was on top of him, grinning mischievously as she had him at her mercy. He grabbed her sides to readjust where she was sitting, and her eyes grew wide as she felt the reason as to why.

"I don't think this is helping your case," He grunted.

"Did you…" Her eyes lowered, becoming bashful despite her forwardness. "Did you really find me attractive?"

"I've always found you fanciable," His breath was running short.

She'd been complimented in the exact same way by dozens of other men. But from him …it made her feel differently. Like she wasn't being ogled at for the sake of it. He found her physically alluring despite her brash attitude back then. She almost laughed at the irony, as she had hoped her initial attitude would dissuade him from hitting on her. No matter how hard she tried to appear strong, her body would always fail her.

She blew a strand of her hair out from her face. "I mean, I was dressed like…" Her voice failed her and she couldn't finish her thought.

He understood what she meant and sat up to properly face her, cupping her face as he did so. "I meant when I first saw you. In that uniform that looked like mine. You were lovely."

She raised an eyebrow. "Flattered ego, much?"

He smiled and closed their distance, moving her into his lap and hugging her so she was completely engulfed in his embrace. She practically turned into jelly in his arms. "Mi sono innamorato. "

'I fell in love.'

Her heart beat intensely at his confession. She had no clue if it was the inebriation that gave her this sudden confidence, but the words left before she could stop them. "Te quiero."

He stiffened around her, and she panicked before his grip became a little stronger and he pulled back to press an intimate kiss to her lips. There was the sound of cheering and gunshots in the background, which encapsulated the situation perfectly. Reyna closed her eyes and returned the affection, a tear falling down her cheek as she was overwhelmed with happiness.

She was pleased to see the movie entirely through and handed him the empty popcorn bucket when they were done. He grumbled about barely getting any while she passed by him. She had asked for a third glass sometime during their viewing, partly to agitate Deacon with making him leave again, and because she wanted something to soothe the rest of her nerves. She was still nervous from what they confessed to each other…but now she felt more relaxed.

Actually, she was feeling extremely good. The sight of the bar was starting to get blurry and there was a bit of sway in her steps. While Deacon was cleaning up their mess, she laid her head down on the counter. She barely felt any time pass before he was tapping the space in front of her.

"Reyna," He spoke quietly. She lifted her head at his voice. "We should sleep now."

"Mm."

She offered her hand so he could help her off from the stool. With some assistance, they made it up the stairs and entered Deacon's room. She practically face-planted into his bed while he took his gloves off and unbuttoned his vest. He wanted to make sure they were hydrated so they wouldn't have a hard time in the morning.

"I'm going to grab us some water. Do you need to freshen up?"

He was met with a voice muffled in the comforter. She refused to elaborate so he shrugged and left the room. She managed to roll over by the time he came back. He shoved the glass of water in front of her face and she took the message, taking it from his hands and having a hefty gulp or two. He placed it on his nightstand when she was done.

"I'm taking a quick shower, I'll be right back," He insisted, leaving a kiss on her forehead before departing again.

. . .

. . .

. . .

Reyna had a little time to think while he was gone. She was far from sobering up, but she realized their situation. She was in his bedroom right now, drunk and vulnerable. Normally, she would experience a surge of panic and would make haste in leaving before anything could happen - but her heart rooted her firmly in place, refusing to go anywhere. She eventually sat up and peeled the dress from her body. She dug around his drawers and slid on one of his shirts that fit a little better than she expected. It smelled more like dust than her co-captain, which was another reminder of his rare presence at home.

She was tucking herself into bed when he returned. She half-expected him to walk in with nothing but a towel, but he was wearing a plain t-shirt and pair of shorts. Such an odd thing to see Deacon wearing…she couldn't suppress the giggles escaping her mouth, earning his attention as his head snapped over to her.

"Getting comfortable?" He asked, folding his clothes and putting them aside. He noticed her dress on the floor and picked it up to repeat this gesture.

"It's not bad, better than my bed back on the ship," She fluffed the pillow above her head. "How many threads are in your sheets?"

"Hell if I know."

"Egyptian cotton?"

He sat on his side of the mattress and leaned over to physically close her eyes. "Sleep."

She swatted him away and laughed, finding this more funny than she usually would. "I bet they're Egyptian cotton."

"Never in my life have I heard you make a big deal about sheets."

"They're just so comfortable.." She nestled her face into them and inhaled deeply.

Deacon rolled his eyes and set an alarm on the clock beside his bed. As they were getting settled in, the most obvious thing suddenly occurred to Reyna and her eyes shot open. She glanced at her partner nervously and he caught the look on her face.

"What's the matter?" He inquired.

"Ah… espía, um," She sat up and thought of how to word it. "We aren't going to…you know…?" She gestured vaguely to them and then to the bed.

"Of course not. We've been drinking."

She let out a sigh of relief, settling back in the blankets. He turned and clicked the lamp off - closing the room in darkness. A bit of moonlight shone through the blinds, only a few lines of light making it onto the bed. Her eyes roamed the walls and observed some of the vague dark outlines. Sleep beckoned her like a sweet thing, but she was too preoccupied with overthinking her last question.

"Deacon?" She whispered.

He made a noise of acknowledgement. She was feeling stupid about what she was going to ask. She wanted to end this conversation before she could even have it. But her drunken mind pushed her to continue.

"You wouldn't mind if it takes us awhile to have sex, would you?"

It was pathetic and she scolded herself for sounding so worried.

"It's not an issue at all," He replied quietly.

She narrowed her eyes, about to ask why until she reminded herself of the last time they slept together. They were handcuffed and physically unable to separate from one another. He had made no move on her beyond some incidental cuddling that she was sure she instigated - and they spent many months sleeping in the same cabin, with nothing inappropriate ever happening.

If they hadn't slept together by now, then of course there would be no issue with waiting longer.

Still. She felt some guilt about it, wishing she could give him what he wanted. What he deserved, for putting up with her for this long. Reyna decided she would have this conversation with herself another time, as her body was being lulled to sleep and she was ever willing to fall prey to it.

When the alarm went off in the morning, Deacon instinctively reached out and silenced it. He sat up in his bed and eyed the figure beside him. Reyna had stirred a little, but her breathing was steadying again. He reached over to trace his hand along her cheek but stopped himself. If she wanted to sleep in a little longer, then he'd allow it.

He had something else he wanted to do this morning.

He carefully stepped out of bed and grabbed some clothes to change into for the day. When he was dressed, he moved out of the room and shut the door quietly. Making sure Reyna hadn't woken, he tiptoed down the stairs and headed into the kitchen. The mansion was still silent and he smiled in satisfaction.

He got to work cooking breakfast and making coffee, taking his time but also trying to be noiseless. He grabbed a tray and placed two plates of food down on it. Then he went to work on their coffee - adding the correct amount of cream and sugar to each cup. He looked over the arrangement and gave himself a pleased nod.

As he went to grab the handles of the tray, a voice exclaimed from over his shoulder:

"TWO cups of coffee? My, my! Deacon! Have we gotten lucky last night?"

He involuntarily jumped and turned around to glare at Phule. The jester was in his usual getup and mask, more peppy than anyone should be at this hour of morning, but he did not comment on Deacon's missing face. They sometimes went without their masks around the house, though it wasn't usual. He was glad his older brother hadn't made a remark on it.

"Do you have a good reason for being here right now?" He asked flatly.

"Well, besides the fact that I live here, I've been sent as a messenger again." He walked around him to open the fridge and grab some yogurt. "Kane wants to see you and 'Dea' this afternoon. Rooke has finally returned from the fortresses today."

He stood up straight. "Any good news?"

"Father wouldn't tell me anything no matter how much I pried." He sighed dramatically. "My guess is that you two get fired and you'll both be living on the streets tomorrow."

"How optimistic," He meant to sound sarcastic, but the anxiousness still creeped in his tone. He winced and hoped Phule didn't pick up on it.

"That's just my assumption. I could be entirely wrong. We'll never know until you talk to dad."

"..."

He decided he was finished with this conversation and grabbed the tray, preparing to head upstairs. He stopped himself in the doorway and turned in his brother's direction. Bowing his head, he spoke quietly:

"Thank you."

"Whatever for?" He withdrew the spoon from his mouth, pretending to be occupied with his 'breakfast'.

"I never did show you my gratitude for rescuing me and Dea when we lost our ship. Had you not been there, I fear what else could have happened."

"That's right! You could have been picked up by more pirates and killed on the spot!" He pointed his utensil at him. His voice changed into something more serious."While it's fun to see you get in so much trouble, Deacon, I do pity you. You remember my mistakes, which caused our father's first outburst…"

His blue eyes trailed over Phule's jester costume, remembering that it had not always been like this. "Yeah, I do."

"So don't consider yourself the only failure in this family. If the only thing you can do right is getting yourself a girlfriend, then, well, I won't be in your way. Just don't expect me to save you each time you two are thrown overboard."

He laughed. Something he rarely did in his older brother's presence. "Believe me, you're the last person I will ever come crawling to."

"Of course. You're too busy crawling over to Rooke." He flashed him a pearly smile. "You should get going before your coffee gets cold."

With a respectful nod, he left the kitchen and carefully climbed up the stairs. He shifted the tray to maintain its balance as he slowly opened his bedroom door. He found Reyna sitting up in his covers and yawning, covering her mouth as she glanced out of the window. It was the earliest he'd ever seen her rise.

He earned her attention when he closed the door behind him. He presented the tray in front of her and took his cup of coffee after he set it down. "Desayuno."

"Is this what I think it is?" She asked as she picked up her fork.

"Frittatas," He answered, taking a sip of his coffee and feeling grateful for the caffeine. "I promised I would make you one some time ago."

"I didn't think you were serious; I've never seen you cook." She took an experimental bite and an expression of disbelief washed over her face. "It's pretty good."

He feigned offense. "Do you think I keep my recipes for decoration?"

"I wouldn't put it past you." She grinned, pinching him playfully before moving to her coffee. "How long have you been up?"

"For a bit. I wanted to make this for you, and I don't sleep much when there's a lot on my mind." He grabbed the plate he arranged for himself and began eating with her. He added, "Kane wants to see us this afternoon."

"Mm. That's probably not good, is it?"

"We can have some hope. I haven't heard anything bad yet." He shifted his gaze. "...But I also haven't heard any good news, either."

"Well," Her free hand found his and she intertwined their fingers together. "Thank you for everything last night. I had a wonderful time."

He gripped her hand back and smiled. "As did I."

"…I am a little nervous about today. If I'll lose my job." Her shoulders tensed as she looked down into her lap. "But I'm also happy that I am with you. It's helping me cope with it, you know?"

"I understand. I hope you know I will stay by you, no matter what happens today."

She smiled at him, then let go to resume eating and Deacon did the same. Once they were done, he took the tray and returned to the kitchen. Phule had already taken his leave. The spymaster took some time to clean their plates and utensils. When he was finished, Reyna was in her uniform again and met him at the bottom of the stairs. The mask had returned to her face and she was holding out his familiar bauta, zendale, and hat to him.

He took them with grateful hands and immediately clipped it around his head. It felt better wearing his mask. His face felt naked since last night, which was an odd description, but the only way he could express the feeling.

"We need to get you a new hat," He patted the top of her head with sympathy.

"And we need to get you to the doctor's," She reminded him. He winced and nodded regretfully. He'd gotten used to the wheezing and sharp aches in his chest. Pain was no stranger to him and was easy to ignore for after awhile.

"When all of this is over with. I promise."

She appeared to be doubtful but dropped the subject for now, following him out of the estate and walking out to a beautiful morning. The weather was pleasant and their yard was as gorgeous as the last time she'd seen it. They left through the gates and stuck to the sidewalks of Valencia while they strolled around. Even the waters looked a vibrant blue today, adding calm to a day she knew might make or break her.

"You said Kane wants to see us this afternoon? We have a couple hours free if that's the case."

"That we do. I wanted to take a walk with you and enjoy the sights."

She giggled. "That's pretty romantic."

"I'm just killing time," He shrugged. She still found it a wonderful gesture and grasped his hand as they walked together.

They enjoyed a scenic view while they moved around, admiring the other extravagant houses and gardens in the neighborhood. After some time, they came across one of the local parks and took a seat at one of the tables. There were other families out already, children laughing as they played with one another. Reyna enjoyed this experience while Deacon observed the table in thought.

"How long have you loved me?" He blurted out. She looked over in surprise, but his stance didn't falter. His eyes were locked on hers.

It didn't take much time for her to answer. "I fell in love with you when you took me to Aquila after I came back from the hospital. It was such a fun day and I'd been having feelings for you for a while." She took a deep breath as she had to relive the unpleasant part of this memory. "-When I found your journal that night…I felt so heartbroken that I convinced myself to stop caring for you. I wanted to finish our mission so I would never have to see you again."

His heart ached hearing this confession, but it was short-lived as she perked right up and finished her story.

"But then you explained everything to me…and you told me it wasn't my fault. You didn't know anything about my past or what had happened, but knew it was untrue because you understood who I was. When you called me beautiful, I…I knew my feelings were strong for you."

She became bashful and looked away from him. Deacon felt overwhelmed with joy and pushed down any doubts he had. He had been wondering what it was about himself that intrigued Reyna…and now he knew. As soon as she regained her composure, she sat up straight and redirected the question back at him:

"So? How long have you loved me, espía?"

He folded his hands together. "It's a bit difficult to explain, and you have to promise you won't laugh." She agreed right away. He took a deep breath before saying:

"I'd been lonely for some time before I met you. My job was my life and the only thing I committed myself to. I wasn't fond of being assigned a partner because I didn't want to get attached to anybody. I never thought I could give a woman the love or support she needed." His voice lowered with this last sentence, shame evident in his tone. "It was Rooke who suggested I get to know you. He noticed how alone I've been and wanted some company for me. I suppose I should thank him for his advice, because since that day I decided I wanted more with you, even if that only meant friendship."

He ended this by picking his head up and loosening his posture. "I'm glad it turned into more."

They shared a gaze full of adoration for each other. It was broken when Deacon looked down at the table, eying the box that was nailed down to the wood. He unclipped it and allowed it to fall open, revealing some table games stacked inside. Reyna gawked at the sight - they didn't have anything like this back at the parks in Monquista…

"Do you know how to play chess?" He asked, grabbing a set and unfolding it.

"Ugh. No. I hate that game."

Deacon froze and looked up at her with widened eyes. She flinched at the reaction. Had she answered incorrectly?

"Why?" Came his question.

"Too much thinking. I like games where it's fun to play, not challenging the entire time."

"Hm. Not good," He muttered to himself, setting up the game anyway. She raised an eyebrow beneath her mask and leaned forward questioningly.

"What do you mean 'not good' ? It's just a game."

"Chess is a big…'thing', in my family." He confessed slowly. He had set her up to play as white, though she doubted she would be participating. "If you ever want to earn Kane's respect, you have to play a decent game with him."

"Huh? Are you serious?"

"Why do you think two of my brothers are named 'Rooke' and 'Bishop'?" He looked at her dully.

"I mean - I thought it was a little weird , but.." Her voice trailed off as she stared at the board below her. "...It explains it perfectly."

"Give it a try. Do you know how to play?"

She sounded frustrated as she dropped her arms to her sides. "Not really. Like I said, I don't really like it..."

"Reyna, give me the chance to change your mind. It's imperative that I at least try."

She looked conflicted under her mask, willing to indulge him but wishing it was a different game. She was terrible at chess and didn't bother playing because it frustrated her. But maybe she could do a little better…after all, she's had her practice strategizing with Deacon back on their ship. She's technically had some real-time practice.

"Alright. But I doubt you'll get me to like it." She challenged him.

Ugh! She hated chess!

Reyna had her zendale gripped tightly in her hands, staring intensely down at the board. Deacon reminded her how to play and practically re-taught her the rules and strategies of the game. But that didn't mean she'd be any good at it…it showed terribly as she could barely have a decent game with him. He royally kicked her ass each round and she was losing pieces left-to-right. The worst part was…she didn't even know if they were good pieces to lose! There was a point to this, wasn't there?

"Okay-" The Emissary held a hand up, sounding exhausted and a little frustrated. She was feeling the same way. "You have to remember NOT to get yourself cornered like that."

"Maybe it would help if you DIDN'T corner me?"

"If I go easy on you, then you're going to get destroyed when you play with my family. Give me your best shot."

"Deacon, I HAVE! I'm telling you, I'm no good at this game."

"That's fine. We'll practice."

She slammed a gloved hand on the table in protest. "What!? No! You're not putting me through this again!"

"What's wrong? It's just a game, isn't it?" He taunted her coolly.

"Is this really that important? We couldn't just play cards every night?" He shook his head and she grew weak. "I love you, but I don't think I will survive playing this again."

"All you have to do is use your head and take your time. We'll try again tomorrow."

"If this is the requirement to be in a relationship with you, can I please make some changes?"

"Okay, how about this-" He leaned back and crossed his arms. "If you can play chess with me every day, then I'll do something else with you regularly. How's that?"

She thought about it. "Okay. I want you to learn how to sing."

"...I take it back. We don't have to play anything."

She laughed. "No! I want you to learn how to sing if I have to learn how to play chess. It's a fair trade, isn't it?"

"..."

A long moment passed before he let out a dragged sigh. She had been in his position minutes prior, and grinned seeing him being the reluctant one for a change. After a minute, he agreed, and she nearly jumped from her seat in excitement.

"We should start now, since you made me play all of those damn games-!"

He checked his pocket watch and held up a finger. "Actually, we need to be making our way to Kane's office. He'll be expecting us soon."

"That is not fair! I had to sit here and play several games with you!"

"Then you can take your time teaching me tomorrow," He cleaned up their board and returned it to the box, urging her up and walking them out of the park. "We have more important things to worry about now."

The smile fell from her face as she acknowledged the severity of the situation. She bowed her head as they left. Deacon noticed her solemn attitude and reached over to grab her hand again. She blinked in surprise, but exhaled slowly and returned the grip. They squeezed each other's hand in reassurance for what was about to come.