Killshot

Riza stepped into the room ahead of me, the tension between us palpable. She glanced briefly at the inflatable bed, where her bags from earlier in the day sat in a neat pile. Without a word, she walked over, crouching down to collect her things. My heart hammered in my chest, the words "Fuck it" still ringing in my head. This was it—my chance.

No turning back now.

"Riza," I said, my voice steadier than I expected.

She straightened up, turning to face me, her expression curious but cautious. "Yeah?"

Her eyes met mine, wide and questioning, and for a moment, time seemed to slow. Her lips parted slightly, a soft breath escaping as I stepped closer. Her confusion deepened, but she didn't move. Didn't back away.

Then, before my resolve could falter, I reached out, my fingers grazing her arm. Her breath hitched at the contact, her eyes flickering down to where my hand slid up her arm, stopping just below her shoulder. Slowly, deliberately, I interlocked my fingers with hers.

Her face shifted—her brows furrowed slightly, her lips pressing together as though she was trying to form words but couldn't. Her cheeks flushed a deep crimson, and her chest rose and fell in uneven breaths. "Pepper…" she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper, but I didn't let her finish.

In my movement toward her, I misjudged my balance, and we tumbled backward onto the inflatable bed. She let out a soft gasp of surprise, her free hand instinctively gripping the mattress as we landed.

"Sorry," I muttered quickly, my voice low and strained. This hadn't been the plan, but I couldn't stop now. If I backed out, if I hesitated even for a second, everything we had would hang in limbo forever. And I couldn't risk that.

Still holding her hand, I pressed it gently against the mattress, anchoring her in place. Her wide eyes searched mine, her lips trembling as she tried to process what was happening. Her breathing was shallow, her chest rising and falling rapidly. She looked… vulnerable. Unsure. And yet, she wasn't pulling away.

With my free hand, I reached up, brushing a strand of hair from her face. My fingers lingered, tucking it gently behind her ear. Her lips parted again, her breath catching audibly as her eyes flickered to my hand and back to my face. What's he doing? Is this really happening? she thought, her mind racing in sync with her heart.

"Pepper," she whispered again, her voice shaky, almost pleading. But she didn't push me away.

I leaned in slowly, giving her every chance to stop me, to say no, to pull back. But she didn't. Her eyes fluttered shut just before mine did, and then my lips met hers.

The kiss was soft at first, tentative, like testing the waters. Her lips were warm and inviting, and for a second that felt like an eternity, neither of us moved. My heart pounded so hard I thought it might burst. Please don't let this be a mistake, I thought.

Then, as though a switch had flipped, her free hand snaked around my back, pulling me closer. Her lips pressed against mine with a newfound urgency, and the hesitant kiss deepened into something more. The air between us grew electric, every moment charged with an intensity I hadn't expected.

In that instant, the weight of uncertainty and hesitation melted away, replaced by the undeniable realization that this—this—was what we had both been waiting for.

As the kiss lingered, I could feel my heartbeat pounding in my ears, drowning out everything else. Every second stretched into an eternity, the warmth of her lips against mine grounding me in a way I'd never experienced before. But the weight of the moment—the enormity of what we were doing—crept into my thoughts.

This is enough, right? Don't push your luck, I thought, reluctantly starting to pull back.

But before I could move far, I felt her free arm tighten around my back. The motion wasn't forceful, but it was enough to stop me in my tracks. She wasn't ready for this to end. And just that slight resistance—the simple act of her trying to pull me back—sent a jolt through me that I couldn't ignore.

I froze, hovering just above her, my breath mingling with hers. Her hand against my back trembled slightly, but the intent was clear. Her eyes remained closed, her head tilted slightly upward as if reaching for me, silently asking—no, pleading—for more.

That was all the encouragement I needed.

I leaned back in, pressing my lips to hers again, this time with a newfound determination. Her grip on me tightened, her fingers clutching the fabric of my shirt as if afraid I'd pull away again. The kiss deepened, no longer hesitant or unsure. It was mutual, magnetic, and completely overwhelming.

Her lips moved against mine with a quiet urgency, her breath hitching softly in rhythm with mine. Everything else—the room, the ship, the entire galaxy—faded away until there was nothing but her and this moment.

My free hand cupped her face gently, my thumb brushing her cheek as the kiss continued. Her body softened beneath me, her trust evident in the way she melted into the moment, completely surrendering to it.

I won't pull away again, I promised myself, letting the connection speak louder than any words ever could.

As we finally pulled away, both of us gasping softly for air, the weight of the moment settled in. My forehead rested against hers for a fleeting second, our breaths mingling, before I shifted slightly, giving her space.

Riza was the first to break the silence, a small, mischievous grin tugging at the corners of her lips. "I knew you were weak to me," she teased, her voice light but breathless, her cheeks still flushed from everything that had just happened.

I blinked, caught off guard, before a laugh escaped me. "Weak to you? You're the one pulling me back like your life depended on it," I shot back, scooting to her side and leaning back on one elbow, giving her a playful nudge. "If anyone's weak here, it's definitely not me."

She let out a soft chuckle, shaking her head as she finally propped herself up on the inflatable bed. "Fair enough," she admitted, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. "Still, I think you should take responsibility for kissing me first."

"Oh, so now it's my fault?" I replied, smirking. "You weren't exactly pushing me away, you know."

Riza laughed, her head tilting back slightly as she did. "Fair point," she said, her smile softening. Her gaze drifted off for a moment before she chuckled again, this time to herself.

"What's so funny?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

She shook her head, her grin widening. "Just thinking about something Lydia said earlier."

I groaned dramatically, covering my face with one hand. "Oh no. Not her again. What did she say this time?"

Riza giggled, nudging me with her elbow. "She told me that you were smitten with me and didn't even realize it yet. And that all I had to do was be myself."

I blinked, taken aback, before laughing along with her. "Wow, she really doesn't hold back, does she?"

"Not even a little," Riza said, her laughter contagious.

We both sat there for a moment, the tension from earlier melting away into shared amusement. The weight of everything that had happened felt lighter now, replaced by the warmth of being completely at ease with each other.

"She's going to have a field day when she finds out about this," I said, shaking my head but unable to stop smiling.

"Oh, absolutely," Riza agreed, her grin turning sly. "But, honestly? She was right."

I glanced at her, my heart skipping a beat at the softness in her expression. "Yeah," I said quietly, my smile turning genuine. "She was."

The laughter between us began to fade, replaced by a comfortable silence that seemed to fill the room with its own kind of warmth. The adrenaline of the night—the teasing, the kiss, the shared emotions—was finally giving way to the creeping exhaustion neither of us could ignore anymore.

Riza shifted beside me, her movements catching my attention. I glanced over to see her scoot a little closer, her expression soft and unguarded. Without a word, she leaned against me, resting her head on my shoulder as her body relaxed into mine.

My heart skipped a beat, but I didn't move, didn't dare break the quiet moment. Instead, I shifted slightly, adjusting to make her more comfortable. She sighed softly, the sound barely audible, but it carried a kind of contentment that made my chest feel impossibly warm.

"This okay?" she murmured, her voice quiet, almost hesitant.

I smiled, the corners of my lips tugging upward as I rested my cheek against the top of her head. "Yeah," I said softly. "This is perfect."

Her hand brushed lightly against mine before settling, her fingers just barely grazing my palm. I glanced down, tempted to interlace them again, but decided to just let her be. The rise and fall of her breathing began to slow, her exhaustion finally winning out.

The room was still, the only sound the faint hum of the ship and the gentle rhythm of her breath. I closed my eyes, letting the weight of the moment settle over me, and for the first time in what felt like forever, everything felt exactly as it should.