Mr.Galloway & Ms.Philips In Chapter III

❆‧͙ ❅Mr.Galloway & Ms.Philips in Chapter III❅‧͙ ❆

˚｡⋆˚Courier 6's Party Trick˚⋆｡˚

Rhyiona Week 2023 Day One

Prompt: Dream

Stars Fading

Stars fading but I linger on, dear Still craving your kiss

- Dream a Little Dream of Me

“Fi?” Her sister’s voice quietly prodded Fiona awake. “Wake up. It’s your turn to drive.” 

Slowly awakening from her slumber, Fiona blinked the sleep from her eyes as Sasha gently shook her shoulder. Yawning, she sat up and waved her sister away. 

“You good?” Sasha asked, brows raised. “You were pretty out of it. Twitching and mumbling.”

“Hmm? Yeah,” Fiona replied, stretching as she got to her feet. “Just having a weird dream.” 

Earlier, the steady hum of the caravan in motion had quickly lulled her to sleep. While she dozed, she had fallen deeply into a dream. However, upon waking, she was left with only the vague memories of half formed images as to the events that had taken place. Now a haunting impression of the warmth and intimacy that had permeated her rest lingered in her mind like smoke. The undefinable, but nevertheless gnawing desire to feel the return of that sanctuary she had briefly experienced echoed through her. 

“As long as you’re awake enough to make sure we don’t run into anything,”  Sasha spoke, pulling Fiona’s attention back to the present, “I’d say it’s best if you give Rhys a break. He’s trying to pretend like he’s not exhausted but with all the swerving he’s been doing…” Sasha shrugged. 

“I’m on it.” 

Fiona stepped around the little table that sat in front of the caravan’s couch where she had been resting. Glancing over, she saw poor Vaughn was still frozen in paralysis. They had tried to make him as comfortable as possible, placing his stiff form onto couch cushions, but there was little else they could do. 

Eyes closed and arms crossed, Athena leaned against the rear wall beside the ladder leading to the roof hatch. It astounded Fiona that not only could the older woman sleep standing up, but that she was steady enough to do so in a moving vehicle. 

“I’m gonna check on the bots up top,” Sasha said, pointing a finger to the roof. “Make sure they haven’t blown away.” She flashed a grin before turning to the ladder. Careful not to disturb the slumbering vault hunter, she climbed up and disappeared from sight. 

With one final jaw-popping yawn, Fiona made her way in the opposite direction, towards the front of the wagon. Rhys turned at the sound of her boots scraping against the short steps that lead up to the raised driver’s area.

“Hey,” he said softly with a sleepy half smile. 

Bizarrely, something squeezed in her chest as she nodded a greeting. The unusual echo that lingered from her dream seemed to grow stronger in the moment their eyes briefly met before his attention returned to the task of driving. Caught off guard by the potency of that mysteriously continuing sensation, she brushed her fingers through her bangs and regarded him quietly. As Sasha had mentioned, he must be exhausted; the dark circles under his heavy lidded eyes and the large yawn he tried to stifle behind his mechanical hand confirming it.

“Come to keep me company?” he asked, glancing at her over his shoulder, a strange gleam in his tired eyes.

“As if.” She was quick to scoff at the notion, despite the butterflies that blossomed in her stomach at his hopeful tone. “I’m kicking you out. We’re getting complaints about the ride. Apparently, it’s not as smooth as expected. I’m replacing you.”

“Are you accusing me of being a bad driver?” His tone was full of false shock. “Unbelievable.”

“Not a bad one,” she corrected, tilting her head as she gave him a soft smirk. “Just a tired one. C’mon. Go get some rest.” 

“Ah, all right,” he relented, huffing out a sigh. “If you insist.” 

She stepped closer, putting one hand on the wheel. He unfolded his lanky body from the driver’s seat and edged around her. For the briefest of moments, the pair brushed by each other. Despite sharing the same space for less than a breath of a second, it was still long enough to awaken a lost memory from her dream. 

Although unclear as to the circumstances, Fiona remembered the whisper of his touch against her body and overwhelming sense of security that had flooded her. Shaken by the recollection, she plopped into the driver’s seat unceremoniously, her butt hitting the cracked leather with a plop. 

“You okay?” Rhys asked, “I didn’t trip you, did I? Curse of these long legs,” he muttered jokingly. 

“Uh, no. No, I’m fine,” she reassured him. “Just, uh, lost my balance for a second.” 

As she readjusted herself, she turned to concentrate on the landscape that whizzed by through the windshield, and tried to push the memory of that lingering dream away. 

Beneath her, residual body heat radiated from the seat, warming her along her back and behind. She squirmed, desperately attempting not to dwell on the idea that it was his body that had generated this heat.  Almost as if somehow he knew of her discomfort and was taunting her, he began to stretch nearby, much to her silent dismay. Irritated at her own internal reaction, she pointedly tried to ignore him but that little annoying ache still persisted within her. The temptation proved too much. 

She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. The long line of his body, the arch of his back as he reached up towards the ceiling overhead, completely pulled her focus from the road, causing her hands to follow her eyes. The caravan began to swerve to the left. Quickly, she caught herself and corrected the wheel. 

Thankfully, no one, especially Rhys, had seemed to notice. Shaking her head to clear her obviously still sleep-addled brain, she cursed herself for getting distracted so easily.

Beside her, he finally finished stretching with a soft little grunt that set Fiona’s teeth on edge. Reaching the top of the short steps, he stopped. 

“Fi?” 

The sound of her name spoken in his hushed tone sent a zip along her spine. Poker face firmly intact despite the maelstrom of emotions that plagued her, she glanced his way. 

He gave her a friendly little salute, “Thanks.”

Despite herself, she was charmed. The tension that bunched across her shoulders melted as she realized how ridiculous she was being, letting a stupid, fleeting dream get the better of her. She acknowledged his gratitude with a half smile. 

“Sleep well, Hyperion. And, uh,” her cheeks warmed as she uttered, “sweet dreams.” 

im terrible at talking about myself so im sorry in advance :')

~tagged by @admiralsweko🫡💖 thank you!! ^-^

~last song: a playlist i usually put on when playing bg3 or minecraft

~currently rewatching Archer and catching up with the newer seasons

~my three ships (that isn't rhyiona or oc's with canon characters) on the top of my head would have to be the drifter x eris morn from destiny 2, jathena from borderlands the pre sequel, bellarke from the 100.

~my fav color is this green

~consuming ravioli rn

~first ship was probably starfire and robin from CN teen titans (the 2003 version)

~relationship status:going to marry my best friend and pardner real soon🤠🥰

~last movie i watched was romancing the stone. hadnt seen it since i was like 9 or 10 years old and now i have to do some rewrites for my rhyiona fic AGIAN.like bro why cant i write original stuff??i hadnt seen this movie in like 15 YEARS

~currently working on how to draw concept art. i want to do more environmental designs and figure out what each character would wear. like if there was a season 2 of tales this is the direction id want it to go kind of thing.only made a few and im still learning how to use clip studio :c

idk anyone else to tag im sorry :']

Tagged by: @foundynnel Thank you! I never get tagged in these so I was surprised when this popped in my inbox. 😆

Last Song: Good As Hell by Lizzo

Currently Watching: I haven't been watching any serial TV shows in a while because YouTube has been more my jam lately.😅 That being said, I do watch an episode of Guy's Grocery Games every night during dinner.

Three Ships: Oh, to pick only three. 🤭 I'll chose three lesser known ones from my fleet for funsies. Penny x Alex (Stardew Valley), Junkrat x Mei (Overwatch), and Sandor Clegane x Sansa Stark (A Song of Ice and Fire)

Favorite Color: Purple 💜

Currently consuming: I just finished a cup of Mac and Cheese.

First Ship: I really had to dig deep into the depths of my memories but I think my first ship is Max Evans x Liz Parker from the Roswell (1999) TV show. Those two had teenager Swe in a chokehold for a while. 😆

Relationship status: In a committed relationship, basically married without the paperwork. Almost three years and still going strong. ☺️

Last Movie: I can't really remember what the last movie was that I actually finished. 🤔 The last one I watched but didn't finish is The Switch, a 1991 Ellen Barkin comedy.

Currently working on: I'm knee deep in creating a fanfic telling the story of my OC and my OTP from the RDR 2 universe. I'm also learning the basics of sketching/drawing as a artistic novice.

Tagging (if you're interested, of course ☺️) @rin-bellatrix @eludedxx @pedzs @clevergirl74 @sanzosin @anothergameofwickedgrace

Have fun!

Rhyiona Week 2023 Day Two

Prompt: Trick/Treat

Spaces In Between

“You want to kiss me so badly it makes you look stupid,” Fiona taunted the company man. 

Crossing her arms over her chest, she cocked an eyebrow as she gave Rhys an arrogant smirk. Despite her outward appearance of imperious confidence, uncertainty roiled beneath the surface. 

Why did I just say that?

She had to admit it wasn’t her most witty rejoinder. But now that it was out in the air between them, there was no turning back.

“What?” he scoffed. “That’s probably the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. But coming from you, I’d expect nothing less.” With a disparaging wave of his hand, he turned away and continued down the hall.

“Hey,” she snapped, irritation flaring at his abrupt dismissal. 

Usually, there was something so satisfying about their verbal sparring matches. Most of the time she had no trouble talking circles around this corporate dork. This time, however, she was admittedly off her game. 

I’m just tired. That’s it. 

They had been going nonstop since they’d opened the vault and she could probably benefit greatly from a nap. Fortified in that contrivance, she’d almost persuaded herself that her comment had, in no way, been influenced by her recent revelations as to the depth of her feelings for this goofy stringbean of a man. 

Running to catch up to his impossibly long stride, she rounded his shoulder. He halted as she stood defiantly in front of him. Stubborn to a fault, she poked him in the chest and doubled down on her ridiculous accusation. 

“It’s true. I’ve seen the way you look at me when you think I’m not paying attention.” 

“And how is that?” he asked, sarcasm dripping from his tone. “Like I’m trying to test out the saying ‘If looks could kill’? Because if that’s what you’re referring to, then you might actually be right for a change.”

Despite his words, Fiona caught the subtle pink hue to his cheeks. Rallied by the possibility that she might be onto something, she ignored him and continued, “I always thought it was Sasha that I should be worried about but I was wrong. It was me you were interested in, wasn’t it?” 

Enjoying the look of shock that flashed over his expression, she was gratified to learn she had touched a nerve. Before he could deny it, she hurried on. “You may not want to admit it, Rhys, but I can see it written all over your face.” 

His eyes narrowed as his mouth fell into a pout. Attraction zipped through her at that stupid little pull of his lips. 

“I bet you think about me all the time. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if you —” Her barbs were cut short as he rolled his eyes and tried to move around her once more. Instinctively, she snagged his elbow as he passed. “I’m not done with you,” she blurted, even though she knew she should just let him go. 

“Enough,” he growled, his voice ripe with aggravation. Swiftly, he stepped into her space. She was forced to retreat back in order to look him in the eye. The expression on his face shifted, becoming predatory, as he realized he had her on the defense. He took another step. 

Withdrawing further, her back hit the wall of the corridor. Before she could twist away, his right hand met the wall beside her head with a click of metal on metal, his left quick to follow on the opposite side. He had effectively trapped her, crowding into her space without touching her. 

A strange awakening occurred within her at his proximity; her pulse kicking up. She frowned as she tried to stamp down the budding arousal that unfurled in the pit of her stomach. 

Curiously, he was quiet as he searched her face. His gaze was hypnotic; the captivating contrast of his mismatched eyes pinning her in place.

“What is it you want from me, Fiona?” he finally asked. “Do you want me to tell you it’s true?”

She blinked in shock, shaken by the question. Her heart skipped a beat as her mind raced to catch up. Wholly unprepared for this turn in events, she remained silent. 

“Do you want me to tell you that I think about you?” he continued, “That you’re constantly on my mind?” 

The words rang in her ears. To every question he posed, her heart answered with a wordless aching yes. 

To her chagrin, she realized she was blushing, her cheeks prickling with heat. His expression softened as he gazed at her. With a tender brush of his thumb, he caressed the apple of her cheek, tracing the rosy flush. The chill of his touch against her overheated skin caused her breath to catch.

“Do you want me to tell you that when I think about you, I sometimes imagine you like this?” 

His voice rasped against her frayed nerves, desire making her sensitive to the subtle gravel in his tone. 

Agitated by her reaction, she fought to regain some semblance of control from the storm that raged within her. No matter the truth, no matter the accuracy of his queries, she remained mistrustful. She was terrified he was just goading her on in some attempt to entrap her.

He’s got to be up to something. It’s a trick… Right?

Composing herself outwardly, she raised a brow. “Like what,” she quipped, “Quiet?” 

He smiled and another stone in her defense crumbled. “Something like that,” he answered softly.

She opened her mouth to speak but he stopped her with a finger to her lips before she could utter a word. 

“Ah, ah,” he admonished gently, that devastating smile spreading wider across his stupidly handsome face. “You know what your problem is, Fiona?” As his finger was still held to her lips, her only response was to narrow her eyes at him. “You just don’t know when to stop talking.”

Her snarky comeback died unspoken as he took that same forbidding finger and ran it gently over the sensitive surface of her lower lip. Blood thundered in her ears as her pulse slammed into high gear. Tracking down over her chin, the tips of his fingers trailed the length of her neck.

The last vestiges of her defiance evaporated, whisked away in wake of his exploration. Mesmerized, she watched him as his attention followed his movements. Skimming over the clasp at the hollow of her throat, he took his time tracing along the edge of the opening in her blouse. His touch scorched across the delicate skin of her chest. Despite being fully clothed, she felt utterly exposed. 

Realizing she was holding her breath, she let out a shaky exhale. He glanced up at her and their eyes locked. Bringing a knuckle under her chin, he tilted her head up. Slowly, he leaned closer. And closer.

Anticipation drove all rational thought from her mind. Every inch of her body hummed in response to his proximity; his nearness kindling a dormant craving that she’d refused to acknowledge before. Her lips parted slightly in preparation.

And yet, despite her silent consent, he hesitated. Breathless expectation stretched the moment into an eternity. Impatient, she rose to her tiptoes to try to kiss him, desperate to end this delicious torment.

But he evaded her. 

Using his height to his advantage, he managed to stay just out of reach of her questing lips. Defeated, she settled back on her heels and glared up at him in flustered confusion. A wicked half smile curved across his face as he huffed a laugh.

“Now, who looks stupid?” he teased mildly. 

Humiliation flashed over her like a bucket of ice water. Her temper was quick to follow as she tensed, her hands balling into fists. Ready to lash out, she was just about to cock her arm to strike him right in the gut when he kissed her. 

Fingers curling into a tight grip on the lapels of her jacket, he dragged her into him. His lips captured hers firmly, eliciting a soft sound of shock from her. Taking advantage of her surprise, he slipped his tongue into her mouth. Although it was only for a moment, the velvety caress sent a bolt of pure lust straight through her. Anger completely forgotten, she clung to him, her knees weak. 

He pulled away slightly, his eyes searching hers. Something in her expression must have pleased him as the wicked smile returned. He kissed her again, stealing the breath from her lungs. 

This time he kissed her slowly and steadily, remaining totally in control. Only offering just enough to lure her to the edge of satisfaction, he would then retreat, making an opportunity to plant a couple of lingeringly sweet pecks against her cheeks before returning to brush his lips against hers to coax her into another round. 

Driven mad with hunger for more, she clutched at his clothes, pulling at him in desperation. A quiet grunt of dissatisfaction escaped her as her ache for him grew stronger. Sensing her growing fervor, at last he gave her exactly what she needed. 

Pushing her flush against the wall with his body, he took her face in his hands and kissed her senseless. She surrendered herself wholly to the connection, lost in the swirling sea of sensations as his tongue and lips worked in harmony with her own. 

Lightheaded and out of breath, she tilted her face away as she panted for air. Undeterred, his left arm snaked around her waist, keeping her close. He worked his way down the length of her jaw, leaving scorching hot kisses in his wake. His cybernetic hand still cradled her cheek as she tipped her head to allow him better access to her neck. The smooth finish of his metal fingers was exotic against the tender flesh of her cheek, exciting her further. 

Briefly, he stopped to nuzzle her neck. His teeth nipped at the rapid pulse in her throat. She gasped at the sharp flicker of discomfort, the shock further fanning the flames of her desire. Before she could recover, his lips pressed against the soft shell of her ear. The hot flutter of his breath made her quiver. 

She could hear the amusement in his voice as he whispered, “I think I may have found the perfect way to shut you up.”

━༻ ｔｅｍｐｔａｔｉｏｎ ༺━