froggy-with-a-knife

[froggy-with-a-knife]

the set up

pairing: sage x reader 

prompt: phoenix, cypher, kj, raze and jett like to meddle in your love life and attempt to set you up with sage

word count: ~3.000

warning: probably inaccurate descriptions of a game of chess

A/N: I tried to keep it gender neutral this time, but if there are any descriptions etc that seems to lean towards one gender or another just let me know and I’ll fix it

"You're doing it again." 

You blinked, tearing your eyes away from the chess pieces and raising an eyebrow at the masked man in front of you. You moved your knight forward without a second glance, knowing that you'd already been taking your sweet time.

"What do you mean?" you inquired, puzzled by his statement.

Cypher hummed, playing with the black bishop he had captured from you already.

"You are distracted", he told you after a moment of consideration, "Otherwise, you would not have made this move."

Swiftly, your teammate put his queen forward to take the space your knight had previously occupied. You let out a frustrated breath of air, realizing your blunder. Cypher snatched your piece up triumphantly, adding to his already large pile.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

"I'm not sure they're worth that much", you shook your head, eyes back on the board as you weighed your options. Your king was castled in, and beside your three pawns and rook, you only had your queen on the backline. Let's just say the odds were not in your favour.

Cypher chuckled at your response, leaning across the board conspiratorially, which distracted you from your deliberations.

"Quite on the contrary, I think they're invaluable. Especially since they've been so preoccupied with someone else recently..."

You froze, eyes meeting his gleeful ones hidden behind the mask. Was it that obvious? You had tried to hide your interest as well as you could. But keeping secrets from the Moroccan was pretty much impossible. His net of information was weaved too thickly, and it appears as though you had just been caught, stuck to his web like an unlucky fly at the mercy of a spider.

You sighed, moving your rook to put his queen in check.

"Why ask if you already know?"

"Well, I know some of it. However, details are important in my profession", swiftly he moved one of his pawns forward, blocking your rook, "And obviously, I'm also worried about you, my dear friend."

You captured his pawn, knowing he would retaliate with his queen, but not caring all too much.

"Worried?", you asked instead, raising an eyebrow. Cypher chuckled, moving his queen as you had predicted.

"Yes. After all, who will I play with after your brain has completely turned into lovesick mush?"

"Funny."

Your conversation seemed to have piqued the interest of your other teammates in the room, much to your dismay. Phoenix was the first across the room, slinging an arm around your shoulder with a big grin as he joined you on the bench you were sitting on.

"Aw, does someone have a crush?"

You pushed his arm off with a roll of your eyes, but Phoenix's smile didn't diminish as he continued to pester you.

"Now, who is the special someone that's caught your interest, huh? I thought you were immune to those kinds of feelings."

"Maybe it's just when you are involved", Jett quipped slyly, "You get that reaction a lot, don't you, pretty boy?"

"Hahaha", Phoenix said sarcastically, throwing Jett a glare. She shrugged it off nonchalantly, turning her attention to Cypher. Luckily, the Moroccan had the good sense not to say anything yet, much to the chagrin of your nosy friends. Unluckily, your friends are stubborn and insist on figuring it out themselves.

"It's got to be someone from the Protocol, no? Why else would they be so secretive?", Killjoy threw in, still working on her bot but nevertheless invested. Raze nodded her head eagerly in agreement.

"Good point. It's not like they have much of a social life outside of work."

"Hey!", you protested at the underhand dig, but neither Razenor anyone else took notice, intent on figuring this out themselves.

"It's probably no one in this room, right?"

"Maybe it's Brimstone-zinho? Would explain why they're so embarrassed."

"The boss man?! No way!"

"I agree. I like Brim, but I don't think he's the...uh...right age."

"He's not that old."

"And who knows, maybe that's something they're into."

You buried your face in your hands, shaking your head at their guesses. Cypher laughed in amusement, earning himself a glare from you.

You decided it was probably in your best interest to make a swift escape. Looking at the chess pieces, you purposefully moved your queen to a compromising position, allowing thatwould not only make her easy to capture but simultaneously put your king in checkmate. Cypher tsked, recognizing what you were trying to do.

"Trying to lose now, are we?", he asked, tilting his head to the side. The others quieted down, probably hearing the dangerously sly tone of his voice. You swallowed. Maybe you had miscalculated.

"Cypher...", you warned to no effect.

The Moroccan turned one of the black pieces over in his hand. You could swear that underneath that mask of his he was grinning from ear ot ear.

"Well, my dear friend, since our game seems to be concluding, allow me to give you some sage advice before you leave: the worst thing that can happen is she says 'no'. It might make it awkward at first and even hurt, but you know what they say: time heals all wounds. Even those of the heart."

There was a moment of silence as the others gaped at you with wide eyes, waiting for your reaction to Cypher's pretty on-the-nose hints. You paid them no mind, eyes narrowing at the Morrocan, and mouth pulling into a frown.

"Wow, very clever, Amir", you muttered sarcastically.

All hell broke loose around you as your teammates started to talk over each other excitedly.

"You like Sage?!"

"Oh wow, did not expect that one."

"Is that why you're helping out in the infirmary so often?"

"Are we talking simple crush, or are you in love with her?"

"Guys", you interrupted them with a pointed look, making them shut up, "I don't want to talk about it."

"What?", Raze exclaimed, excitedly twirling a screwdriver between her fingers, "You can't drop a bombshell like this and not give us anything more!"

You rolled your eyes, tempted to point out that you didn't drop anything, but knowing that would only start a whole new argument.

"At least tell us what your plan is. How are you going to win her over?", Phoenix jumped in, refusing to drop the matter.

"I'm not. I'm pretty sure she doesn´t likes me back."

"Of course she likes you! You guys spend so much time together. Plus, she talks about you all the time."

You glanced at Jett, curiosity piqued.

"She does?"

"All the time", Jett repeated, and the others nodded in agreement.

Against your better judgement, you felt a spark of hope rise in your chest, wishing to light up your heart. You were quick to put it out.

"That doesn't mean anything", you tell them as much as yourself, "I'm simply better off keeping it quiet. Something you will do too if you value your life."

Kj, Raze and Jett respectively let out defeated sighs, shrugged or silently consented. Phoenix, on the other hand, looked less than willing to comply, staring at you incredulously.

"Nah, man, you can't just give up! Where's your fighting spirit?"

"I prefer to save it for the battlefield", you replied dryly, "Why fight a battle that's already lost?"

Cypher stared at the chess board with a frown.

"If your love life is anything like this match, then you are definitely sabotaging yourself", he stated, finally claiming your queen and putting your king in checkmate with a disappointed sigh. With the game finally over, you eagerly got up from your chair, more than happy to remove yourself from this situation.

You paused at the door, turning back to your teammates.

"Not a word of this to Sage. Understood?"

They nodded, and you left satisfied with their answer.

A beat of silence. Cypher stood up from his seat, looking at his colleagues with a mischievous smile.

"What would you guys say to a little matchmaking?"

Four heads eagerly nodded at his suggestion, matching grins on their faces.

*******************************************************************************************

"Busy day?"

You perked up from your spot on the office chair, a soft smile automatically gracing your lips as soon as you set eyes on your favourite colleague. Sage looked as though she had come straight from the aircraft to the infirmary: still clad in her mission outfit, face slightly covered in dust and dirt.

"You could say that", you said, sitting up from your slumped position, knowing how much Sage liked to scold you for your bad posture, "There was a bit of an incident in the kitchen, but nothing I couldn't handle."

Sage stopped next to you to lean against the desk, hands bracing against the top of the table. From your position in the chair, she looked even taller than she usually did, towering over you like this. She nodded her head, eyes trailing to the door momentarily.

"I heard. I'll have to have a word with Phoenix about using his abilities around flammable materials. Again."

You chuckled, shaking your head.

"Yeah, well, at least no one was too seriously hurt. Second-degree burns are an easy fix, more or less."

With a nonchalant shrug, you held up your arm to show off the irritations and slight scars adorning your skin: The results of your work day in the infirmary. You are usually left with some kinds of aches, wounds or bruises. Unlike Sage or Skye, your healing powers were more indirect in nature: You were only really able to heal yourself (which, although quicker than normal human healing, still took a bit of time). So, whenever you treated one of your patients, you had to use your powers to transfer their injuries to yourself and then wait for the healing process to kick in. It was tedious work, exhausting for you and much less efficient, but better than not having any healer around.

Sage's brow furrowed in concern, and before you could reassure her, she wordlessly took hold of one of your arms, examining your injuries more closely. Her fingers ghosted over the marks, which faded in the wake of her cold caress. Your heart picked up speed, surprised at the chief healer's touch. Delicately she switched to your other arm and healed the remaining scars as well.

"I'm sorry that you've had to help out so much recently", she murmured, eyes focused on her task. You mustered up an easy smile.

"It's okay. I don't mind. I was the one who volunteered after all."

"I know. But you were supposed to act as an assistant only", Sage reminded you with a sigh, "Lately it almost seems like you are running the infirmary all by yourself. It's not fair to you, knowing the price that you pay for your help."

Her fingers trailed over your arms once more, over the scars that were now invisible. You were sure the tingling sensation you felt had nothing to do with her powers.

"It doesn't hurt that much. It stings, and it's uncomfortable, I won't lie. But it's a small price to pay for the well-being of our teammates."

She sighed, silently acknowledging the truth in your words. Slowly she let go of your arm, her fingers instead moving to toy with her ring. A habitat she couldn't seem to break.

"I suppose", she started, meeting your eyes once more, almost sheepishly, "I guess I simply don't like seeing you hurt, even if it is inconsequential."

Her admission made your breath hitch, and you had to silently remind yourself not to read too much into her words. Sage was just a caring person, she'd say the same thing to any of your teammates. You offered her a grateful smile but before you could articulate a response, the two of you were interrupted by the sound of the announcement system crackling to life. Sage and you both jumped at the unexpected noise, the chief healer moving a couple of inches away from you. You hadn't even realised how close you had been to one another, but now that knowledge made your face grow warm.

"All agents please assemble in conference room B for an emergency briefing. I repeat, all agents to conference room B, please."

The robotic female voice announced over the speakers, the sound echoing through the big room. You turned to Sage quizzically, but the second in command looked just as surprised as you did.

"An unscheduled briefing. Must be serious", you mused and Sage nodded in agreement. Pushing herself away from the table, she offered a hand to you.

"We better not waste any time then."

You took her hand, letting her pull you to your feet. Together you walked the distance to the conference room in companionable silence. The lights in the room were already on, and the screen usually used for presentations was powered up. However, there was no one else besides the two of you there yet. Moreover, it smelled like someone had eaten lunch in there recently, the aroma of spices still fresh in the air.

"Looks like we're the first to arrive", Sage observed, walking forward to sit down in the nearest chair, "Strange that we beat both Jett and Neon."

You turned to look towards the door, expecting someone, anyone to enter any moment. The hallway remained completely quiet. Strange indeed.

"Shouldn't Brim be here already?", you asked suspiciously, turning to Sage, "Assuming he's the one that called the meeting, that is."

You had a feeling something about this briefing was off. However, your realization came too late. In a fraction of a second the door to the conference room slid shut behind you. A click signalling that the locks had been activated. You briefly exchanged an alarmed look with Sage, before hurrying towards the door. You punched in the usual codes on the access panel. Error.

"Locked", you stated the obvious. Sage joined you at the pad typing in a different sequence of numbers. Her brows pulled together in a frown.

"The override codes aren't working either."

"Cypher and Killjoy", you muttered, your suspicions clear. Sage gave you a puzzled look.

"Why would they lock us in here?"

Before you could think of an answer, the lights suddenly dimmed, and the speakers crackled to life once more.

"This one's for you, my dear friend. Enjoy", Cypher's voice stated in a mischievous tone. Your stomach tightened in dread.

The blank screen switched to show footage of a crackling fireplace and soft jazz music started to play over the speakers. To your right, one of the built-in cabinets opened up, revealing a pull-out table set with fine silverware, chandeliers and hot food, the source of the smell you had noticed while entering.

You were mortified, relaizing that this whole thing was a set up. Even worse, it was a bad set-up. There was no way Sage didn't understand the implications of your situation. Your friends' pathetic attempt at matchmaking must have made your romantic feelings for her clear as day. Your face grew hot in embarassment, and you avoided looking at Sage. The healer laid a gentle hand on your arm to catch your attention.

"What is all this?"

You swallowed, deciding to play it as cool as you could.

"Dinner, apparently. Hungry?"

Quickly you moved to the table, pulling out a chair for the Chinese and swiftly moving to lift the cover from the food to reveal some fancy pasta dish. It smelled amazing, you had to admit, but you honestly felt too jittery for food. Still, you plated some for you and Sage, who was taking this impromptu meal in stride.

"Wine?", she asked, taking the bottle sitting in a small chiller and offering it to you. Mutely you nodded, and she poured some for both of you. Red. You had no idea if it clashed with your meal or not. You didn't really care as long as it helped against the embarrassment you felt.

You took a long sip, sneaking a look at the healer as she tried the pasta. You could tell she was somewhat confused but too considerate to push you for more information. Or maybe she was just starving. She had just returned from a mission, after all.

You set down your glass, absentmindedly picking at your food.

"It's pretty good", Sage offered, trying to encourage you to eat, having misinterpreted your lack of hunger for hesitation. Her smile was so kind you couldn't help but return it.

"Jett must have cooked it", you guessed, "The others are useless in the kitchen."

Sage chuckled at that, probably also recalling Raze and Killjoy's failed attempt at making scrambled eggs for breakfast.

"Although, I suppose Phoenix tried to help, resulting in the fiery accident that you had to deal with earlier today", Sage guessed, and your eyes widened. You hadn't even considered that these two incidents could be connected. You shook your head amused. Curse your meddling, well-meaning friends.

"I'm sorry for all of this", you apologized sincerely, finally meeting her eyes, "I'm afraid it's all my fault."

Sage shook her head, reaching across to take your hand in a reassuring gesture that made your breath hitch.

"I can imagine worse fates", Sage admitted softly, "In fact, a candle-lit dinner with you sounds like the ideal way to spend an evening."

She squeezed your hand, with a smile.

"Next time, just ask me out yourself, alright? I fear to imagine what other matchmaking schemes our friends would come up with."

You couldn't stop the feeling of hope spreading through your chest this time.

"Does that mean you'd like to go out with me again? Romantically? On a date?"

Sage laughed, the most beautiful laugh you had ever heard.

"Of course I do! I thought I made it pretty obvious that I like you. I gave you all the signs."

You blinked, cocking your head to the side in confusion.

"You did?"

Sage shook her head affectionately, letting go of your hand to continue eating.

"I'll tell you all about it if you take me out to dinner this weekend", she said slyly.

You grinned, picking up a forkful of food.

"It's a date."

[froggy-with-a-knife]

lasertag

pairing: reyna x reader

prompt: inspired by that post about your oto going lasertagging (i've seen it on my timeline at some point but i'm to lazy to look for it)

word count: ~1300

warning: not proofread, sry

A/N: i've never played lasertag so think of the game they're playing as less of a lasertag game and more of a vp training session with fake guns

"Shit"

You quickly slung the weapon over your back, barely dodging the fire coming your way as you ran for cover behind the next wall, sliding the last meters to safety on your knees.

You looked for any sign that you had been hit, but luckily came up empty. Taking your rifle, you peeked out into the open, scanning your surroundings for your opponent. Darkness enveloped the room, making it hard to see clearly. Only a faint movement of shadows on the other side gave away your enemy's position.

Taking aim, you waited for a clear shot, finger hovering over the trigger. You hit Phoenix square in the chest, bullseye. The Brit scowled, as the light on his vest turned red and bells rang out, signaling his 'death'. You couldn't surpress the satisfied smile as your friend stomped away in anger, muttering under his breath.

You took cover again, finger moving to your earpiece.

"KJ, how does it look on your end?", you asked, aware that with Phoenix out of the game, there was only one enemy player left.

But having a two versus one advantage meant nothing when the one you were up against was Reyna.

"I lost sight of her, but she was somewhere around-"

The comms cut off suddenly and you sighed when the death chime sounded once more. At least you had a vague idea where Killjoy had been before she was eliminated. That should help you track down the Mexican.

With everything on the line, you kept your weapon ready, not daring to sling it over your back for more mobility. You knew Reyna's combat style well. She was quick, merciless, and precise. Your only hope was to find her first and take her by surprise.

As silently as you could, you walked through the maze of the lasertag arena, retracing the route that KJ had taken, your eyes peeled for any movement in the shadows, ears listening for any sound that could give your opposition away.

However, the thing with Reyna was, she was not only quick and accurate but could also be silent if she wanted to be. You didnt even realize she was approaching, until you felt the barrel of her weapon press into your back, freezing you in place.

"Hello, darling", she whispered smugly into your ear followed by a throaty chuckle that made the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. Your grip on your gun slackened until it hang loosely at your side. She already had you at gunpoint, the game was over.

"Reyna", you acknowledged quietly, heart beating out of your chest. Slowly, you turned around to face her, hands raised in surrender. The end of her gun came to rest on the marker on your chest. All, she would have to do was pull the trigger.

Her magenta eyes were glowing, making you wonder, like so many times before, whether she could actually see in the dark. Kind of like a cat or an owl. It wouldnt surprise you. Pretty much everything about her has been adapted for battle, why not her sight?

Even in the dim light of the arena you could see her raise an eyebrow at your quick surrender.

"Giving up so easily? You could at least attempt to fight me."

You offered her as genuine a smile as you could manage, given the disappointment of your imminent defeat.

"I know when I'm beaten. Im just glad it's you and not Phoenix. I couldn't take all the gloating."

"Oh, I plan to gloat alright, dont you worry", Reyna informed you, pursing her lips in thought, "But I dont think I'll let you off so quickly."

You frowned as she pressed the barrel more firmly to your chest with an almost predatory smile, prompting you to take a couple of steps backwards.

"What, why-"

Reyna shushed you, clicking her tongue in disapproval, eyes flashing with mischief.

"No questions. Just do what I say."

Hard to argue with that when you are at gunpoint. Besides, you were, admittedly, curious about what she had planned. Slowly she forced you backwards into a secluded corner, hidden from prying eyes by tall walls. She nodded to your gun next.

"Put that away. I dont want you to try anything."

Slowly but purposefully you took your gun and put it on the floor, sending it skitting to the other side with a firm and well-placed kick. Reyna's stance relaxed slightly, weapon lowering for the first time. It's not like she needed it now. You posed no threat at all, unarmed and backed into a corner as you were.

Weirdly enough the absence of the gun barrel made you more nervous. Without something separating you, the closeness of the other woman became all too apparent to you. There was no denying the attraction you felt for her under normal circumstances. But while you were usually able to ignore the butterflies in your stomach or the way your pulse quickened, there was no dismissing them this time, nothing to distract yourself with, nowhere to escape.

You swallowed agains the lump in your throat, failing to keep your eyes from staring at her lips as she came even closer, caging you in by placing her hands on the wall behind your head.

"What now?" , you asked, sounding almost out of breath. You forced your eyes to meet hers and she smirked, leaning close.

"Now, I think I deserve a reward for winning, don't I?"

Obviously, you agreed. You eagerly met her halfway, lips crashing together with raw passion, sending a jolt of electricity through your body. Reyna pushed against you until your bodies were pressed flushed against one another, your back hitting the wall with a soft thud. Her hands were in your hair in an instant, making you let out a moan that you'd be embarassed about later. You move your hands to rest on her hips, needing an anchoring point.

Reyna dominated the kiss and you had absolutely no objections to that. After the first frantic moments had passed, she angled your head in a way that allowed her to ease you into a slower, surprisingly tender kiss. One of her hands moved to cup your face, thumb caressing your cheek in a gesture that made your heart skip a beat.

Once the need for air became impossible to ignore, she pulled away, resting her forehead against yours. Your eyes were still closed, breath mingling with hers as you tried to savour the moment, lips tingling pleasantly.

Reyna used your distractedness and turned her attention to your neck, lips tracing a path all the way down to your pulse point. Your grip on her hips tightened, pulling her body even more into yours. You could feel the way her lips pulled into a smirk, satisfied with your reaction.

"I hate to cut this short, cariño", she murmured in between kisses, pulling away from your neck, much to your chagrin. If possible, her eyes were shining even more brightly than before, and even the tattos on her arms were shimmering magenta. She looked mesmerising and the sight of her was a little too distracting, you almost missed her next words completely.

"But sadly, the other's are waiting."

Her gun fired and the bell signaled your defeat to your teammates waiting outside, but you were still too lightheaded from the makeout session to care. Seeing, the state you were in, Reyna smiled more softly, pressing a lingering kiss to your lips before detantljng herself from you.

"We can continue this later, if you like", she offered picking up your gun and holding it out to you. You take it slowly, clearing your throat.

"I would- I'd like that a lot."

"Good", she grinned, matching the one on your face, "Now come, it's time to gloat."

[froggy-with-a-knife]

jealousy

pairing: Reyna x fem!reader

promps: reader gets jealous because she thinks reyna and sage are hooking up (it’s just a misunderstanding), happy end, fluff

words: ~1900 words

warning: none that I could think of, besides some spelling mistakes (probably) none of this is proofread

A/N: no one asked for this, but someone should have 

You poked your head through thr door of the training room, eyes carefully scanning the perimeter for a glimpse of magenta hair, only to come up empty. Your shoulders sagged in disappointment. Already you had searched the sleeping quarters, the common rooms, the shooting range and everything in between for the Mexican. But strangely your favorite agent seemed nowhere to be found.  

"Looking for someone?"

Your head swiveled in the direction of the voice, smiling as your eyes found Fade sitting in a dimly lit corner, feet up on the metal table, meticulously cleaning a gun.

You stepped fully into the room, eyes sweeping around once more.

"Have you seen Reyna? She's late for Las Pasiones del Amor... ", you said, more flustered about the fact that you had (apparently) been stood up than the ridiculous name of the show that you were meaning to watch.  

In all honesty, you didn`t care much for it. Reyna, however, was a big fan of the telenovela so you had learned to accept it. After all, you liked spending time with her too much to let bad writing and overdramatic acting get in the way of your watch parties. Besides, whenever the show became too boring or the dialogue too fast-paced for you too comprehend with your limited Spanish skills, you could always pass time watching Reyna’s reaction instead: the way her face lit up in delight, her brows drew together in confusion or her mouth dropped open in shock.  

Fade chuckled, a dry sound that seemed to make the shadows shake and ripped you from your musings.

"I wouldn't wait up for her if I were you. She's having one of her late night sessions with Sage. It'll probably take a while. You know how those two are."

Your brows furrowed in a frown, cocking your head to the side.

"I didn't know Sage and Reyna hung out a lot."

A smirk came to the bounty hunter's face, teeth flashing almost menacingly in the dark.

"Oh, loads of time."

She picked up her gun, spinning it around in her hand with nifty fingers before slipping it into the holster at her hip. The chair scraped across the floor.

"I would stay away from the East Wing if I were you", Fade told you as she passed by, eyes gleaming sardonically,"I heard they can be quite... loud."

Your frown only deepened at her words and the suggestive way they had been uttered as the Turkish woman left the room with a cackle. You stayed for another moment, mulling over Fade's words.

So what if Reyna had stood me up for Sage? She's free to do as she pleased. It's not like we are dating, you reasoned with yourself.

Still, you couldnt help the sour mood the whole thing put you in, nor the way your chest tightened at the idea of the Mexican and the healer together.

************************************************************************************

"Didn't want to wait for me, huh?"

The couch dipped as Reyna plopped down next to you. A couple of days had passed since your talk with Fade. You hadn't seen Reyna at all since then, both of your schedules keeping you so busy you didn’t even have to try to avoid her. Not that you necessarily wanted to avoid her. Quite the opposite, you always longed to be near her and talk to her. Even now you had to resist the urge to look her way, instead staring blankly ahead at the TV that played the latest episode of Las Pasiones. The one Reyna had been supposed to watch with you days ago.

You shrugged in answer to her question, choosing your own words carefully.

"I just assumed you'd hang out with Sage tonight again."

It was perhaps a petty, childish thing to say, but you couldnt help yourself. Ever since Fade’s revelation, you had felt weirdly upset about the fact that Sage and Reyna seem to have a fling? Relationship? Whatever it was, it filled you with a new white hot feeling that you weren’t used to dealing with. It was aggravating and she had caused it, so it was only fair (at least in your eyes) to redirect your frustration at her.

Reyna for her part, seemed to take the cheap shot in stride.

"Ay, cariño, I'm sorry. I should have told you that I'd be busy," she scooted a little closer to you, trying to catch you attention, but you kept your eyes glued to the screen. Undeterred, Reyna went on.

"I honestly didnt expect we'd take all night, but Sage is very thorough. And enduring. I swear half-way through, I was so tired out, I thought I’d fall right asleep."

The words were said in jest, hoping to free you from your obviously glum mood. But if anything your frown deepened, face scrunching up displeased.

"I don't really want or need to know all the details", you muttered, pulling your knees up to your chest, "You can do whatever you want in your freetime. It’s none of my business."

You had hoped that would end the conversation, that Reyna would turn her attention to the television. But still, her eyes were boring into the side of your face.

"You are upset."

"I'm fine," you insisted, with a hard edge to your voice. You reached for the remote fumbling a little, "Here, I'll rewind the episode for you."

Reyna ignored your attempt at changing the topic, easily plucking the remote from your hands before you could even try to press any buttons.

"You dont sound fine", she observed, "You know, next time you could just come along."

You blinked, looking at her for the first time since she entered the room. Your mouth dropped open and it took you a couple of seconds before you could form words.

"You mean you, me and Sage? Together?"

"Yes?", Reyna said confused at the incredulity in your voice. Still she went on to reassure you,

"I know that I would be happy to have you and I’m sure Sage wouldnt protest either."

Again your only answer were a few owlish blinks as you tried to formulate an appropriate response. Never had you been propositioned with something like this before. Flustered, you tried to move past your tongue-tiedness.

"I'm, uh, flattered, I suppose? But that really isn’t my kind of thing", you admitted, face hot. Reyna looked mildly disappointed.

"Shame. Having you there would certainly make things more interesting. It's gotten incredibly dull lately. All this talking and fighting... I'm sure your input would be useful."

"In-Input?"

"About the training program for new agents?", she clarified, continuing with a disapproving shake of her head, "Brimstone thought it would be best if Sage and I collaborate on it, instead of handing the task to just one of us. Secretly I iust think he was too cowardly to make a decision."

You freeze, a weird mix of embarassment and relief washing over you.  

"Oh."

The Mexican cocked her head to the side, looking at your puzzled, slightly flustered expression with a bit of confusion. Clearly, there must have been some sort of misunderstanding here. She raised an eyebrow at you, turning on the couch to face you fully, tv forgotten.

"What did you think I was talking about?", she asked curious, watching your eyes widen in panic.

"Nothing", you said too quickly to be true, snatching the remote from her grasp, "Lets just watch the show."

You pressed the button to rewind the episode, all too aware of Reyna's eyes on you. Mentally, the Mexican went over your conversation once more, quickly working out what your puzzling reactions were really about. She chuckled throatily, and you closed your eyes in embarassment.

"Oh my, my. I must say, mi corazon, you have a dirty mind."

You hid your face in your hands, leaning your head back against the couch, with a groan. How dearly you wished that a hole would open up and swallow you whole. When you spoke next, your voice sounded muffled.

"Fade said you guys were hooking up. Or she at least heavily implied that you are."

"Fade likes to meddle in other people's affaires", Reyna pulled your hands away from your face, teasing smirk adorning her face, "She tricked you."

Yes, you had come to that conclusion yourself. Mentally you cursed the Turkish bounty hunter and her manipualtive tactics that had gotten you into this mess. Or maybe it was your own fault for jumping to conclusions?, a more reasonable part of your mind objected. You decided you don’t want to listen to reason.  

Creepingly, you became aware of the fact that Reyna still held your hands in hers, which did weird things to your stomach. You met her eyes finally, and she flashed you a brief, kind smile before her expression turned smug.

"I cant believe you were jealous of Sage."

Abruptly you pulled your hands away from hers, crossing them over your chest with a scoff as you scooted to the side, trying to get some distance between you two.

"I wasn't jealous", you protested petulantly, sounding almost offended. Reyna laughed, moving to sit closer to you again, one arm resting on the back of the couch, hands caressing the back of your neck, causing goosebumps to rise on your arms.

"Oh you were. You were practically green from jealousy", she said gleefully, magenta eyes shining, "I never knew you felt that strongly about poor old me."

"Shut up."

"No need to be embarassed", Reyna told you, one finger trailing up your arm, "Its understandable to be in love with me. Im irresistable."

"You're irritable", you corrected stubbornly. Reyna cupped your face in her hands, forcing you to turn your head towards her, eyes meeting.

"But you love me."

She said it like she was teasing you, but in her eyes you could see that she was actually waiting for you to confirm or deny it. Why she needed verbal confirmation was beyond you. With her powers, you were sure she could feel the way your heart raced and your breath caught in your throat at her closeness. Still, you couldnt deny her what she wanted.

"I do", you confessed, looking into her eyes for any sign of ridicule. After months of silently pining for her, you had given up hope that the empress could ever feel the same way about you. But now here she was, holding your face in her hands, her own lighting up at your admission.

"Te amo también, mi querida."

You had learned enough Spanish by watching telenovelas to understand that. Your pulse quickened, an involuntary smile coming to your face.

Reyna leaned forward slowly, giving you time to protest. Your breath caught in your throat and you closed your eyes in anticipation. Her soft lips pressed against yours, sending a tingling sensation through your whole body. You returned the kiss eagerly, moving even closer to her, one hand coming to rest on her waist to steady yourself.

Needless to say, you rewatched the episode the next morning.

************************************************************************************

"Looks like someone lost a bet", Fade chuckled, he prowler moving around her legs like a contend cat as she smiled victoriously at Yoru.

"Not fair, you meddled with the result."

The Turk rolled her eyes, "And if you were any good at matchmaking, you could as well."

She stretched out her hand.

"Now, pay up."

Grumbling, the Japanese pushed the credits into her hands, storming off immediatley after.