Reyna rubbed the dust out of her eyes as she pursued her cupboards instant coffee mixes. She smiled when she found her favorite flavor and began brewing herself a cup. As she watched the little machine whir to life, a yawn escaped her lips, her gaze moving to observe the rising sun coming through her small window. It lit her apartment in a serene lighting, and for once, she did not smell the dust accumulated around her furniture.

Two arms wrapped around her from behind. She was gently pushed against the counter as a voice sounded beside her ear. "Good morning."

She held her smaller hands over Deacon's and squeezed them, revolving herself around in his grasp to leave a kiss on his bare lips. The sound of his voice being the first thing she heard today made her perk right up. Did she have a need for coffee if he was here?

"Good morning," she returned, moving him out of the way so she could retrieve two cups. "How did you sleep? I doubt my bed is as comfortable as yours."

"You have that right," she rolled her eyes at that and he added, "I've heard it also depends on who you sleep with. And I had a wonderful partner last night."

A blush reddened her cheeks and she turned away. She used her confidence to hide her nervousness. "You're damn right you did."

He laughed, beckoning a smile back on her face. When they had their coffee, they took a seat at her small table. Deacon opened up the morning newspaper and started reading through the columns. He was always reading - it was rare for him not to take up his free time in a book or article, if she wasn't the one indisposing him. She always admired his intelligence and being up-to-date with practically everything.

"Are you ready for today?" he asked, his blue eyes looking at her knowingly. Her mind processed his words until it occurred to her, and she groaned in disappointment.

"You really want to meet my family? You know, we could spend these couple days off doing something better-"

He shook his head and started folding up the paper. "You already agreed to it, so there's no backing out of it."

"That was before you charmed me into bed. We don't have to go anywhere-"

"Why are you still trying to avoid this?"

She sighed and crossed her arms, her gaze moving into her steaming cup of brown nectar. She could nearly see her reflection in it. She stirred it with her spoon and took a sip, averting her eyes from his direction.

"What if I haven't done enough? What if they're still not happy with me when I come back? They're going to keep comparing me to my sister, I just know it."

"There's not much you can do about that," he set the paper aside and took a drink, grimacing when his lips drew back. "You have such sweet coffee."

She nudged his foot with hers under the table. "Thanks for trying something different."

"Yeah. I'm not going to do that again," he set it down and brushed the subject off. "We can always leave early if you're unhappy. I have no problem with that. And if we do, I'll treat you somewhere nice."

She seemed to mull over it until she shrugged and clicked her tongue. "Alright. That's a good promise.."

"Good," he said, standing from his chair and heading over to her fridge, intent on making them breakfast. "Now, where are your eggs?"

Their trip to Monquista felt the same as the last time she went with Deacon. But unlike their first visit here, where they'd gotten off on the wrong foot and argued with each other, she was much closer to him now. Their relationship was recognized in the Armada and, as he had promised, was looked at the other way. Their officers offered no word when they embraced each other and watched the islands grow bigger from a distance. He hummed beside her, and she looked at him curiously.

"What is it?" she asked.

"I used to despise coming here, but now I don't mind it," he looked at her with a gleam in his eye. "You've made Monquistan politics bearable for me."

"You've finally warmed up to my homeland. Hopefully you'll feel the same way about my family."

Her eyes were so focused on the waters and inevitable-approaching islands that she barely noticed the sensation of something being gently slid onto her finger. When she looked down, her eyes widened and she gasped at the sight of a small engagement ring. It was a golden band with an emerald gemstone, which sparkled in the light as he drew his hand away from hers.

"You said it was better if we were engaged, right?" he tapped his knuckle on the railing. "I'm sure that will impress them."

She snapped out of her ogling, heart twinging in disappointment as she remembered what she said. "Right, the 'pretend engagement'. It's still a pretty ring, even if it's a fake."

"Fake?" he let out a breathy chuckle. "That's genuine, Dea."

She straightened herself out. "What!? You didn't need to waste money on-"

"I didn't waste anything," he assured, moving his gaze and tipping his head. "Look, we're here."

They were docking at the island near Monquista City. He assisted her off the ship and she led him the rest of the way to her home. She'd spoken to her family a week prior to plan a visit and introduce Deacon. They had comments to give about that, but she ignored what they had to say and focused on getting things sorted out. Her sister would be there, as well as a few close relatives. But she made sure there weren't too many present to overwhelm the Armada's Emissary.

They arrived at a colonial house hosting a courtyard that covered a modest amount of land. The weather here was a little warmer than it was in Valencia, and Deacon was prepared to shed his outer coat when they arrived. She led him to the front doors and knocked on the wooden surface, crossing her arms while they waited and closing her eyes in preparation of whom she was about to face.

Thankfully, it was her father who answered the door, and visibly lit up when he saw the two on his doorstep.

"Reyna! ¡Hace tiempo que no te veo! Come in," he ushered them inside, shutting the door behind them and clasping his hands together.

The inside was decorated just like a party, with banners and streamers hanging around. There was no way they would've thrown a celebration for her return. Her suspicion grew as she took off her shoes with Deacon, and her eyes grew wide when she read a congratulatory banner hanging above their living room. She whipped around to her dad, eyes searching for an answer in his.

"What is this?" she asked.

"Well, we did not tell you over the phone because it's a surprise, but your sister is expecting again," his smile was wide. "We figured we could have the baby shower while you were home."

"Oh, for the love of God–!" she clenched her fists and stormed off, leaving her boyfriend alone with her father. He took the liberty of outstretching his gloved hand, and the other man gave him a firm shake in return.

"I'm Deacon," he introduced.

"Ahhh, yes. Deacon. I'd only heard of you a week ago," he sighed and dropped his hand. "Mi casa es tu casa. I'm, eh, sorry for my daughter's outburst, we really should have told her about this in advance."

She would need some consolation, he knew. He hung his coat on the rack and placed his folded cane on one of his belt loops. He and Dea didn't arrive in their Armada uniforms, but a casual arrangement instead. Had he known they were going to a party, he would've put a bit more effort into his looks. She insisted he wear his mask while she came bare-faced. The bauta made him feel a bit more comfortable, getting to hide his expression while he took everything in.

Reyna arrived back in the room, looking just as frazzled as she did when she left. She sighed deeply and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"There's more of my family here than I wanted," she spoke to him through gritted teeth. She turned back to her dad. "Where is Sara, anyway?"

"Her friends took her out for lunch. Your sister should be back within the hour," he clapped his hands together and gestured to their dining room. "Help yourself to the snacks! I'm going to go look for your mother."

He dismissed himself, muttering something in Spanish under his breath. Deacon followed his direction and found a table overflowing with food, chips and salsas, cheeses, and sandwiches. He dipped a couple of tortilla chips in some guacamole and ate them while his girlfriend fumed beside him.

"Of course they would do this," she whispered angrily. "They couldn't just tell me she was pregnant again and I could've seen her last week. They had to wait until I was here to make it all about her."

"I know what it's like not to be the golden child," he wiped his mouth and reached for the salsa. "Try not to let it get to you, just for today?"

She let out a deep breath and grabbed his arm, relaxing as she leaned on him. "Okay, I'll try."

She reached over and helped herself to some of the food. A minute afterwards, some children ran through the room screaming and laughing, chasing after a remote-controlled car. Their eyes landed on their new company and they quickly ran off, except for one boy who stood stock still staring at them. His brown eyes were trained at Deacon, looking like a deer caught in headlights. He wore an orange shirt with a pair of overalls and had a decorative watch on one of his wrists. He looked no older than 10 years old.

"That's my nephew I was telling you about!" she whispered excitedly. "The one into those comics and villains?"

She gestured him over and the child timidly took a step closer, eyes never leaving her beloved's bauta. It was almost like he'd been waiting for permission to greet them. She leaned down to meet his eye-level, passing a sympathetic look to Deacon.

"He's still learning English," she said. Then she leaned down to meet his eye-level and plastered a grin on her face. "Tomás, te presento a Deacon."

"Hola," he waved shyly at the man. The Emissary crouched down and began speaking to him in fluent Spanish.

The child's eyes lit up as he listened to his voice, then began asking him about his mask and where he was from. He followed it up with questions about Valencia and who he exactly was. He was hypnotized with what he was wearing and couldn't tear his eyes away from the bauta. Reyna giggled as she listened to her love exaggerating his job and identity, playing into Tomás' wild imagination.

The children in the other room began calling for him, asking where he went. He was more comfortable when he bid goodbye to Deacon, looking at him over his shoulder twice before running off. When he returned to his full height, Reyna trailed a finger along her beloved's shoulder, eyes full of admiration.

"I knew he would love you," she said confidently.

"I should impress your parents next," he returned.

She led him by the arm into the other room, where her relatives were sitting and talking. Their eyes snapped to her and they were greeted with pleased exclamations. She was embraced by her family, who regarded her company with curious expressions. She took the liberty of introducing him to them all, and he shook plenty of hands as they exchanged pleasantries. They were impressed with his Spanish and even more so when they learned who he was and where he came from. It was universally recognized that Valencians were rich – so she wasn't surprised to see some of the girls swooning a little too closely to him.

She scolded and batted them away. They dispersed afterwards, and she protectively clung onto his side. He was chuckling under the bauta.

"If I don't let them know you're mine, you will be swept away by my cousins," she warned.

"How terrible, we mustn't let that happen," he teased, and she tapped his mask's nose in warning.

She got them a couple of drinks and led him on a tour of their home and the courtyard. There was music playing loudly outside as the children played games of tag and hopscotch. A few men were surrounding the grill, cooking carne asada and assembling tacos out of them. Reyna snagged a couple and handed one to her partner. He took off his gloves to eat it, the flavors meeting on his tongue and a moan involuntarily escaped his mouth.

"That was the best I've had," he confessed, cleaning off his fingers.

"Yeah, no offense, but Valencia has nothing on my family's food," she grinned confidently. "Just watch me, espía. You'll love Monquista by the time we leave."

He didn't object to that. They sat outside and spoke with some of her relatives out there, who asked Deacon about his hobbies and gave him advice on cooking. That was fun to listen to. Reyna was feeling comfortable and happy. The door opened and she heard a feminine exclamation - rising to her feet when she saw her sister running towards her.

"Reyna!" Sara screamed in glee, hugging her as tightly as she could. "I thought I'd never see you again!"

"Come on, that's an exaggeration," she scoffed, returning the embrace and smiling.

"Is not! We barely hear from you anymore! I wanted to have you at my baby shower," she pulled away and held their hands together. She was about to say something else until her eyes drifted down and the color left her face. Reyna blushed at the attention of her ring.

"Oh. My. GOD!" her squealing caused everyone's heads to turn to them. "YOU'RE ENGAGED?"

"The whole neighborhood can hear you," she whispered in embarrassment. Deacon chose this opportunity to join them, and Sara dropped their hands as her head whipped around to him.

"You're the guy dating my sister! It's uhmmm - Dickens, right?" she sounded out of breath with how excited she was.

"Deacon," he corrected, clutching her hand politely. She forgoed the formality entirely and hugged him as she had with Reyna.

"No kidding! I thought she'd never find a man! And from Valencia!?"

"Sara, let go, you're overwhelming him," Reyna peeled her off from her boyfriend.

She reached for her hand again and eyed the ring, her expression of disbelief. Another man joined in on the scene - a handsome gentleman who was just as tall as Deacon. His hand landed on Sara's shoulder and she leaned into him with a smile. Reyna noticed her pregnant stomach and eyed it a little longer than was appropriate. She noticed where her eyes were and rubbed the top of it with a smile.

"We're expecting triplets," she informed her.

Reyna didn't really know what to say. She thought she had enough children, but some couples must be happy to have plenty of kids. She attempted to picture her and Deacon ever having a child and the thought caused her to turn red. She held her hand up again before Sara could notice it, and she was once again distracted by the gorgeous sight of the green emerald.

"Simon," her husband introduced himself, offering his hand to Deacon. He repeated the gesture in return. She listened to them making small talk but it became background noise as her sister held her attention.

"I'm so glad you made it," she confessed. "Mom wanted the shower here today, and I thought it worked out since I wanted to tell you in person. But I guess that isn't the only thing to celebrate," her eyes darted downwards again. "How long have you two been engaged?"

"A few months," she lied. She and Deacon have been dating for more than a year, and the subject of an engagement had never come their way until now. She was still flummoxed by his words earlier - it was a real ring, so that must make the situation real, too. Or was she just overthinking it? She'd have to ask him as soon as she could.

"And you didn't tell me!?" she pouted and placed her hands on her hips. Reyna copied the gesture.

"You didn't tell me you were having more kids, either. So, we're even."

"I guess we are," she sighed, and tapped Simon on his chest. "We better get going - mom wants to dress me up for dinner. You guys will be staying, won't you?"

Deacon looked to her for permission, and she nodded. "Of course we will."

The couple excused themselves, looking the epitome of a happy, expecting pair of parents. They didn't wear masks, had a normal life at home with their children every day…Simon with a stable job, Sara as the dedicated homemaker…and here she was, getting to travel the Spiral every day while shooting guns and singing out into the ocean. They were two vastly different lives - and Reyna felt the comparison was striking.

"Dinner's going to be fun," she muttered, leading them both back inside. "I hope you're up for it."

"With this food, I think it'll be worth it," she could practically hear him salivating. She patted him on the back.

Dinner was, in fact, fun.

But it was in the way Reyna expected. The table was full of her family, the room noisy as the children's hollering mixed in with the adult's conversations. She and Deacon were seated near her parents, and before the food could even be served, her mother wasted no second eying her company and bombarding him with questions.

"I've been hearing different things. Are you an emissary, or a spymaster?"

"I'm both," he replied easily.

"What are those, exactly? Do you spy on people?"

"I'm a diplomatic representative for the Armada and Valencia. I also happen to be the head of our organization of spies. I employ and direct them, their job is to get valuable information for our army."

To her surprise, her mother could not refute the admirable professions in which he had. Her father rubbed her arm, laughing nervously as he attempted to diffuse the tension.

"¡Impresionante! Tell me, Deacon, do you like spicy food?"

"Sure," he replied, slipping off his gloves.

"Carmen makes the best Chilaquiles Verdes. You two should drop by sometime after this, have some maybe. We would love to have you."

Reyna appreciated her father's attempts in lightening the mood. Thankfully, the food was being served - and she moved her attention to the dinner. It was a shared effort of her sister and mother's cooking, and Deacon was thoroughly enjoying the food. He offered his compliments, and as a thanks, more was poured onto his plate. He wasn't used to eating this much, but continued on under politeness.

"So, Reyna," her mother spoke from across the table. "How much do you make, being a…what was it? A firstmate?"

She sighed. "Does it really matter? It's a moderate salary, mom."

She chose not to push it. Instead, she turned to her love and eyed him directly. "I don't understand the masks. I think they're strange."

He replied, "They're a symbol of military rank. The more gilded, or golden they are, the higher their status is."

"Yours is blank," her mother commented dryly. Reyna opened her mouth to scold her, but it wasn't enough to offend Deacon.

"Mine is a bauta, which hides my identity and allows me to eat and drink without ever taking it off. It's more practical to show my Elite status through my uniform."

Her mother grew quiet. It was amusing Reyna to see her picking fights that she could not finish. They worked through the food a little longer before the older woman decided to speak up again.

"And when is the wedding?"

The water came down her throat a little too harshly, and she sputtered at the question. While she fumbled to recover herself, Deacon clasped his hands together and regarded her parents carefully.

"We don't have a set date yet. But we were thinking sometime in the spring next year, right, Reyna?"

She blinked at him before slowly nodding. "Right. Around then."

"That's around the time your sister is due," her mother nodded along thoughtfully.

"Then we'll have it in the fall," she responded a little too harshly, digging her fork into her plate. Deacon's hand came to rest on her leg under the table, reassuring her with the swipe of his thumb across her skin.

They managed through the rest of dinner until dessert was served. She and Deacon shared some fried ice cream while her mother moved her attention over to Sara, cooing at her stomach as she rubbed and spoke to her grandchildren inside. Reyna watched the scene with a little envy. Not for her sister's expectancy, but how easily she held their mother's love in her hands. She cupped Simon's face in her hands and congratulated him for what would be the tenth time that night.

"Do you want to leave?" her partner asked quietly beside her.

"I do. I think I'm about done here," she agreed, taking one last bite before standing and dusting her clothes off.

As they bid their goodbyes, Reyna closely observed Carmen's face. She was aging quickly for her age, with wrinkles already well-formed in her face, neck, and arms. There were lines formed from years of narrowing her eyebrows at her younger daughter, and her mouth was pulled from all the scolding she'd done. Her mother was losing her beauty she still carried from her youth, and that fact pleased her a little.

When they left, she felt just a little better, gripping Deacon's hand tightly and lifting his mask to kiss his cheek.

"So how was it?" she asked expectantly.

"Pretty good," he answered. She looked at him doubtfully.

"My mother did nothing but scrutinize you all night, and you think it went well?"

"Of course. The food was excellent and the rest of your family was kind. I don't know why you stress over that woman."

"That was only a glimpse into what she's like. She can be way worse," she sighed sadly. "I've wanted her approval and love so badly all these years. But I think I've lost that to my sister."

"You have Queen's love, now."

She snapped her head up. "Do I?"

He smiled and shrugged his shoulders. "She's talked to me a lot about you. She adores you like her own daughter, and I think you should know that."

That did make her feel wonderful. Her eyes went down to their intertwined hands and she held a breath remembering the question she had yet to ask him. How could she approach such a bold subject?

"I guess I should be giving this ring back to you," she suggested, going to take out her hand but he held it down firmly.

"You can keep it if you want," he said. A blush painted her cheeks as she took in the meaning of his words.

"Are you asking me to marry you?"

"I am."

She looked down, overwhelmed. In any other circumstance, she'd be screaming her heart out and exclaiming to the skies - but for now, a demure smile would suffice in his company.

"Then I'll keep the ring."

"Perfect," he purred. "We'll get married sometime in the fall next year, so your sister doesn't go into labor and ruin everything."

She laughed so hard she snorted. "It's my mother who will ruin things."

"Then we'll keep her off of the guest list."

Reyna eyed him coyly, leaning forward to tip his bauta up and press a kiss to his lips. She'd found the perfect man, and she was happy.