Please read the A/N at the end. Thanks.

Aboard the Nessus

Aboard the Nessus, everything felt quiet. The ship's engines were hidden behind the numerous soundproof hull walls surrounding it. Artificial gravity kept everything perfectly in place, preventing even the sharpest of turns from throwing all of Quicksilver's elegant crystal glasses and exquisite art pieces to the red-carpeted floors. Yes, it was a ship dedicated to the life of luxury and money that only a Silver could acquiesce. But it was also a military vessel, meaning everything from speed to defense, equipment to gravity were all top-of-the-line. If anything wasn't, Quicksilver made sure that it was replaced by its highest quality counterpart.

This included the onboard gymnasium, where innovative training equipment joined with simpler, more robust exercising pieces. HiGrav chambers, meant for gravitationally intense body exercises, rose from the floor to the ceiling in the middle of the room. Steel weights, barbells, and even squat racks surrounded the gymnasium's walls, accrediting the pieces of equipment with their ability to stay relevant even when humanity took to the stars. Though now, these weights measured so many kilograms heavier than their primitive counterparts.

A swimming pool and sauna provided aerobic exercise and relaxation to those aboard. A glass window separated it from the rest of the gymnasium, creating a humid environment sequestered from everything else. Opposite of it stood punching bags and combat simulation programs, focusing on hand-to-hand combat, but also being used for firearm and space warfare scenarios. Or, in Colloway's case (when he wasn't on the bridge), used for virtual reality video games.

And finally, encircled by the combat equipment was a flat, wooden ground used for sparring. In the middle of said sparring ring was Rhonna, running through the combat sets she was taught by her drill sergeants during her days at Hog's Tooth. They were exaggerated stances, meant to help a Drachenjäger adjust to performing the same sets and moves with a mech. They were massive, three-story machines controlled by their pilots to destroy, decimate, and eliminate entire units with but the right commands. So, in short, practicing these moves outside of their assigned mechs was nowhere near as beneficial as being inside them. But in space, one of these mechs would be impossible to train. Not to mention that Rhonna was inside a retrofitted military-luxury cruiser. The odds of even having a mech aboard were slim at best.

Since that was the case, Rhonna would have to settle.

She eased her arms from stance to stance slowly, but with proper form to better burn the techniques into her muscle memory. The sockets in her forearm bones strained just the same as her muscles, showing they were as much a part of her as her own tanned skin. Her red eyes were closed as deep breaths matched systematic movements.

In her mind, she recited the words of her drill sergeants:

We are Drachenjägers. Dragon hunters. We fight, bleed, and track down the worst of the worst. We wear our mechs. We live in our mechs. To hunt dragons in these massive, metallic beasts, we must be two things:

Strong and in control.

Strong and in control.

Strong…

"…and in control," Rhonna breathed out as she shifted her stance again, bringing her right forearm above her head and left arm out to swiftly, yet forcefully, strike. No muscle movement was wasted. It was quick, deliberate, and deadly.

Strong and in control.

Another set of strikes followed.

Strong and in control.

She turned, issuing another flurry of strikes.

Strong and in control.

Again, she turned and struck…

This time, she hit something. Her eyes opened and found her fist completely encapsulated by a hand twice the size of hers. It was light, with no hint of blemish and finely trimmed fingernails, she noted. Rhonna sighed, knowing immediately who it was that now held her in place.

"Alexandar…" she grumbled, her eyes staring up at his.

They were golden in hue and held a veritable sense of mirth in them. It was as if they were smiling alongside the eldest grandson of Lorn au Arcos, who's own smile beamed brightly down at his Lancer counterpart. And as was everything else with the famed fencer's grandson, it was annoyingly flawless. Smugly so.

"'Lo, rat. Surprised to see you here so early, what with your duties, ire from your uncle, and, well, a particularly nasty time knocked out." The Gold nodded his chin to the puncture wound on Rhonna's neck, her face flushing red in anger.

She let loose a low growl. Her arm tried to pull back from its captor, but Alexandar did not have any intention of releasing his comrade. Not yet.

"Let go, you snob," Rhonna grunted through her teeth, not wishing to give her rival any pleasure.

Too bad that was already the case. He chuckled.

"Now, now. Is that any way to talk down to your higher-ups?"

"Sometimes you need it, you pompous, bleached arsehole."

He scoffed, his smile blemishing. "Gory mole."

"Pretentious airhead."

"Annoying twerp."

Rhonna smirked. "How's that puke washing out of your armor?"

At this, Alexandar's grip weakened on Rhonna, allowing her to pull free. "H-how did you hear about that…?"

"Good ol' Ares was making fun of you in the mess while I was cleaning… er, eating." Rhonna tried to catch herself but was too enraptured in her short-lived victory. Luckily, Alexandar seemed to miss it.

"It was a gorydamned mess. Never see someone have their eyes literally plucked out." The Gold paused, turning a little green and catching himself before he became sick again. "It was brutal."

Rhonna shrugged as she turned away and returned to her combat stance. "Such is war."

"No, there's glory in war," Alexandar corrected, the smugness returning to his voice.

"Says your grandda."

"Says me, actually. Grandfather Lorn did not share what he called 'pixie vision' of war. One of the few things I disagreed with him on." The thoughts seemed to bring an unfamiliar melancholic air to the grandson of the great Lorn au Arcos.

Unsure how to deal with it, Rhonna continued to the question on her mind. "What are you doing here, anyway?" She punctuated her statement with a fierce punch.

The Lancer's words shook Alexandar out of his spiraling thoughts. He smiled. "Sevro told me you were down here, and that Darrow was looking for us."

"And…?"

"And, what…?"

"I'm in the middle of my sets. Once I'm done, I'll go see uncle." Another punch.

"Or we can go now like we were ordered," Alexandar countered, coming in front of his comrade again. "We're only hours away from Venus after all."

Again, Rhonna turned away. "Gonna have to force me."

Behind her, Alexandar's lips twisted into a dark smile. "With pleasure."

In the blink of an eye, he swept his back leg under Rhonna's, trying to catch her off-guard. Unfortunately for him, she had anticipated this and jumped just in time to avoid the strike. While in the air, the Red countered with a spin kick that the archLancer barely dodged.

They backed away from each other, analyzing their sudden opponent. Alexandar commented, "Heh, so you have learned from our sparring sessions."

"If I don't, then I can never best you," Rhonna remarked, a grin appearing on her face, the adrenaline rush taking over.

"And has that happened, yet?"

"First time for everything."

Without any more preamble, the former Drachenjäger surged forward with a speed that Alexandar was all too familiar with. She struck in quick successions, her punches blocked easily since the power behind them was less fierce than strikes from a Gold. The danger that lied behind Rhonna's attack wasn't in how powerful a punch could be, but how fast. Constantly, her eyes searched for openings, while her fists simultaneously drew her sparring partner into a sense of comfortability that would create a breach in his stalwart defense.

And there it was. Right under his left elbow. Near his ribs. With a feint that threw Alexandar off-balance, Rhonna bought the time to deliver a swift strike. It hit right where she was hoping, powerful enough to earn a step back and a hissed breath from Alexandar.

Once again, they broke apart.

"Cheap shot," Alexandar commented.

"All's fair in love and war," Rhonna replied.

"Surprised you know such a phrase."

"Only flowery words I can stomach, the rest I'll leave to your pretty mouth."

Alexandar took advantage of the slip. "So, you do think it's pretty?"

"W-what? No! Sh-shut up you bloodydamn pixie!" Red burned on Rhonna's face again.

While the Lancer was flustered, Alexandar made his move, taking the offensive. Whereas Rhonna relied on her speed to dodge and counter, the Gold focused mostly on power. And it was almost always overwhelming. Couple that with being caught out-of-place, and Rhonna had no chance to evade his punches. All she could do was block.

Her smaller frame, however, could not hold out long against such an onslaught. Already, her arms were becoming bruised from the strikes. She had to find an opening and fast, lest she lose to her rival yet again.

Slowly, sacrificing a few strikes to her body, Rhonna saw a pattern to Alexandar's movements. Though he was smart enough to vary his sets at most times, now the Gold was becoming arrogant. Cocky. He only relied on the one string of attacks to lead him to victory. It would be his downfall.

When Rhonna was sure of this, she counted down the strikes, biding her time, preparing for the chance she needed.

Right hook…

Left jab…

Right hook…

Feint…

…there!

Instead of falling for the false punch this time, Rhonna fell to the floor under the surprise left haymaker. From her squatted position, the Lancer quickly used her right leg to sweep Alexandar off of his feet. Just like her sparring partner had attempted. Unlike him, she landed it, the startling realization of the move causing the Gold to tumble onto his back. Taking advantage of her downed opponent, Rhonna jumped on top of him, pressing her forearm to his throat.

Alexandar was pinned, and at Rhonna's mercy.

"Victor," she said through staggered breathing, her eyes filled with glee at finally besting the archLancer. Her smirk added to the effect, and the heat of the match was seen in her face, causing her freckles to seemingly vanish.

There was something about it that Alexandar could not put his finger on.

He smiled good-naturedly. How unlike him. He held his hands up. "I yield."

"Bloodydamn right you do," Rhonna remarked.

For a moment longer than expected, the Red lingered on top of the Gold, unsure why. Somehow, their breathing was in tune and their eyes had unintentionally locked with the others. Suddenly, the heat around them had turned into something else. Again, neither knew exactly what it was. It was as if some sort of tension had sparked between them.

Their thoughts went to what it could have been, but their stubbornness forced them to not acknowledge them. Shaking herself away from her line of thinking, Rhonna stood up. Alexandar pushed himself from the floor with his elbows, before seeing a proffered hand in front of his face.

"Here," Rhonna said, glancing away from the downed Gold.

Alexandar thanked her and took his partner's hand. With her surprising strength – and a little help from her Gold counterpart – Rhonna was able to hoist the man back to his feet. Both were a little too forceful, causing them to collide with each other. They stayed standing, but only because Alexandar was able to pull Rhonna into his arms before she could fall.

Immediately, they noticed the proximity between them. Rhonna's face was pressed against Alexandar's sternum, her arms pinned there as well. Risking a glance, she turned her eyes upwards, only to see golden orbs staring back at her. Again, that feeling from only moments ago slowly returned.

For some reason, Alexandar just now realized how lithe his partner was, and how easily he could hoist her up. Or how easily he could bend his face down to hers. Suddenly, his eyes flickered to Rhonna's lips, and a thought crossed his mind. A thought that could not be stopped as his neck slowly craned down towards his captured Red. That's right. His.

Rhonna, under the same spell, started to rise on her toes to meet the Gold halfway. Something in her was protesting against this. In actuality, all of her body was. But a small part of her pushed her forward. Tempting her to do what she and the man she could not stand the most would do.

"Pony-tail. Stowaway. Reap wants ya both on deck."

The sudden voice of Colloway halted the pair in their act. Once they realized what was about to happen, Alexandar released his grip, letting Rhonna free.

"Now," the Blue's voice drooled.

"Right," Alexandar responded, which seemed to be good enough for Colloway. He cut off the comm system, leaving the pair alone in the gym once again.

But the moment had passed, as the archLancer could only watch his partner silently gather her things. So many unsaid words flitted through Alexandar's mind. He couldn't figure out the right things to say, for once. Something had almost happened. Something needed to be said. Yet neither wanted to say anything.

Until Rhonna stopped herself in the doorway.

"Hey."

That single word brought Alexandar out of his thoughts. His gaze shifted to the Red.

"That's one for me," she smirked, her voice unabashedly teasing.

With that, Rhonna left. The Gold smiled in return, following after her and calling, "Only one to my hundreds more, rat!"

Ah, familiarity. What two who have unmentionable feelings for each other fall back on.

"Good job, Colloway," Darrow remarked.

"Thanks, Reap."

The pilot cut off the video feed of the gym and ended his comm connection at the same time.

Darrow sighed. "That was too close."

"Knew there was some alternative motive," Colloway spoke through the burner smoke surrounding him. He chuckled. "Venus is close, and you want 'em up here with ya, but you couldn't have waited for just a second longer? They were about to have a moment."

"None of your business."

Colloway stayed put in his pilot chair, facing away from the Reaper. "It's that bet you have with Sev, ain't it?"

No response from Darrow was all the Blue needed to confirm his suspicions.

"Sev told me about it," he continued, knowing what the next question would be. "But he didn't tell me the stakes. Care to share?"

Again, Darrow sighed. "It's just between you and me."

"Fairs."

"The bet was that Alexandar and my niece would pursue a relationship of some kind. Sevro said it was the same between him and Victra, so it must be the same between them. The stakes: if he wins, he and Victra get the entirety of Silene Manor to themselves for an entire week."

"A week?" Colloway confirmed in shock.

"A week."

"You have balls, sir. Do you know what they can do with a week alone?"

"Yes."

"And the mess they would…"

"Yes."

"And where they would…"

"Yes, Colloway," Darrow cut off. "Trust me, I know. I didn't think Sevro would take this bet seriously, but obviously there was a reason he sent Alexandar to the gym to fetch Rhonna."

The Blue thought on the idea for a moment. "Tensions flying. Emotions rising. Close proximity." He cackled. "Sevro, you evil bastard."

Darrow turned his attention to the screens of the Venusian fleets before him. Of course, he'd wanted his Lancers on deck with him to test them. But he knew he shouldn't have left rounding them up to Sevro.

"And if you win?" the Nessus's pilot questioned.

"Sevro and Victra are never allowed to be alone, behind locked doors, in the Silene Manor ever again."

Colloway chuckled again from his pilot seat. "Vicious, Reap. Vicious."

A/N:

So, I wrote this when Iron Gold came out and I finished reading it. Fell in love with the subtle Alexandar/Rhonna pairing that I knew Pierce, like Sevro and Victra, would spark hate from love.

I'm only publishing it now because we only received a glimpse of what it could've been until that gorydamned BASTARD LYSANDER DECIDED TO END IT!

So, this, and a follow-up one-shot for after I'm done with Dark Age (less than 100 pages), will be posted. It sucks to see this happen, and I pray he didn't disrespect Alexandar by using the hat (please don't let it have been that fucking hat...).

Just... needed to post this after one of my favorite pairings has basically ended. Maybe we'll see it (in some way) in Pierce's next book, or maybe I am posting this too soon and he'll make another surprise appearance in the final pages. Though I doubt it, I highly doubt it.

To the people who came here from Hic Sunt Leones, 'lo, and Hail, Reaper!

To the people who are fans of the Red Rising series and are not part of Hic Sunt Leones on Facebook, what are you waiting for!? Join them immediately after reading this!

That is all, back to normal writing schedule.

Peace,

nickdaman6 (Howler name: Walker)