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“Mista Steel, quit movin’ around! I've been workin’ real hard on this, boss, so you gotta sit still and let me do my spy work!” Juno's eyelid twitched, not used to the feather-light touch as Rita daintily brushed color over his dark skin. He was sitting on her bed, legs crossed and shoulders slumped.“Fine,” he sighed for the fifth time that evening. Rita gently hit his shoulder, barely hard enough for him to feel it. It almost made him laugh. He probably would have, actually, if the situation was more of the banter kind than the dreading kind. “Sorry, Rita.”“That's okay, Mista Steel, just follow every direction I give you and you'll be drop-dead gorgeous in no time, or my name isn't Rita—” Juno allowed himself to zone out around there, picking at a loose thread on his pants as he thought.The mission seemed simple. Buddy and Jet had a way of making every mission sound simple, but this one was really just quick and easy. Get in, get busy, get out. Buddy gave them the usual rundown: bored rich people doing nothing useful with their wealth, bored rich person willing to make a trade. This time their target was one Antonio Fernandez, CEO of the tech company Jovian, with no loyalty and no concern. They were old money and damn smug about it, like they’d made the decision to be born themselves.Antonio and their wife, Sonya Fernandez, were said to be more business partners than anything. Antonio was the more public of the two, and had their slim face and proud grin on just about every lifestyle magazine on Neptune. Sonya was more behind the scenes as COO, making deals and managing plans out of sight. Right now, the public was buzzing with anticipation of the couple's annual social. Big party in a big mansion, with a big crowd and big creds. Buddy had caught wind of some shiny artifact rumored to be kept there, and after a bit of digging, the thing was most likely to be kept safely tucked away by Antonio Fernandez themself.Juno was unsure and unnerved, his former secretary holding up different earrings to his head while prattling on about some stream she saw recently with this type of “beauty transformation.” It was difficult to drown Rita out, but Juno had a lot of practice. He was busy eyeing the long dress slung over the edge of the bed, a sparkling crimson number with a slit high up the side. He had black heels to go with it and the only good thing about those at the moment was the fact that he could probably think of four ways to use them as a weapon.Luckily, Rita understood his nerves. As in, she said nothing about how obviously anxious he was and only pressed his knee down a bit to stop him from bouncing it whenever he started. Any other person would have gotten a slap after that, but it really helped a lot coming from her.He had his doubts, but a little while later, he had to admit he looked good. Maybe even kind of attractive, actually. His eyepatch was smooth silk, his eyeliner was sharp enough to slice, and Rita's Razzling Dazzling Ruby Red lipstick (as dubbed by Rita herself) matched perfectly with the slim dress. The soft fabric of his long gloves stretched around his hand comfortably enough to move without restriction. The heels weren't even that intimidating now that Juno actually had them on, and the slit allowed for his right heel to be on display at all times. His hair was meticulously made, his lashes were curled and full, and there was a subtle shimmer to his cheeks that made him look in the mirror and tilt his head a few times just to see the light reflecting off of them.Still, this mission was making his stomach do a few turns. Sure, everyone meant to get inside managed to receive or forge an invitation, but Juno had a major independent role tonight. He had to infiltrate Antonio Fernandez’s quarters in the middle of the party, which had an awful lot of security. Needless to say, it would be hard getting in there without some sort of invitation. Of course, Juno had to be the one to get that invitation.“What.”“Don’t give me that. Juno, you're the only one of us who can pull this off.”Just hours ago, they had been briefing. Jet was playing bodyguard while he and Buddy secured the area for escape routes and got rid of the staff. Rita was their guide since she managed to find a map of the entire mansion, and Vespa would stay with her on the ship as getaway. Briefing took a bit longer than usual, just because Juno really didn't like the details.“Are you kidding? Have you even met me?” he scoffed, gesturing to himself, sandy boots and worn coat and all. “What makes you think I'm capable of being some person's mistress when—”“Process of elimination,” Buddy said, a slight frown on her face as she stared down the former detective.“Okay, ouch.” She didn't have to be so blunt about it.“I mean it, Juno. Vespa and Rita can't be on the field and Jet and I will be able to help with security, but we can't help you directly. Neither can Darius, even as your escort. He has different skills and different responsibilities.” Darius Blade himself was lounging against the wall of the small room, somehow looking intently focused and completely casual at the same time.Juno had to make effort not to look over to the thief at the mention of his alias. They weren't exactly friendly at the moment, but there was no hostility between them, either. Juno almost wished there was, just to make up for the blank nods and polite smiles and long silences exchanged. They'd been no less than two hundred feet apart the entire time they'd been on the ship or working a mission together, but Peter Nureyev felt miles away. He was just Darius Blade, and Juno often had to ignore the worry that that name was all he'd ever know from now on.“Buddy,” Juno started, exhausted by the sudden thoughts of loss and the ridiculous quality of his role. He needed a nap. “I don’t even know what this necklace looks like. I’m not qualified for this position. Can I retire a bit early?” She looked undeterred and thoroughly ignored his wit. Joke's on her, he was only half-joking.“Maybe you don't think you are, Juno.” Humor or not, Buddy Aurinko was trustworthy, and the type of woman to put the same trust in you. It made Juno kind of queasy sometimes, including now, with the human fireball herself looking straight into his eye with no semblance of doubt in her gaze. “But I'm counting on you to be.”And now they were here, driving up to the party in their sleek green car. It was just the two of them in the Ruby 7, silent as can be. Buddy and Jet were arriving later in another car, and Rita and Vespa were probably already looking over the party. To say the ride was awkward was an understatement, and Juno was considering tucking and rolling when his escort spoke up.“You don't have to do this, you know. If you're uncomfortable, I mean,” Peter said, eyes on the road ahead of him even though they both knew the Ruby 7 was fully capable of taking them to the party without a driver. They passed through a grand gate once they got to the Fernandez property, and the conversation lulled there as Peter flashed his inviation and a fake ID of his alias. When they were given the go ahead, he continued talking like nothing had interrupted them. “I’m sure Buddy will understand if you feel you are incapable of sliding into your role.”“Incapable, huh?” Juno crossed his arms. He had his head turned a bit to the side to stare out the window, but he couldn't help but look at the thief from the corner of his eye. He wondered if this line of questioning meant Peter cared about his feelings. Then Peter disregarded the tone and didn’t even spare him a glance, and that daydream was flung far into the back of Juno’s mind. "Do you know how to hold a pep talk, Nureyev, or is that just the one thing you're not good at?"“Perhaps that was too harsh of a word, then. What I mean to say is, I will gladly take your position if you want me to.” Juno knew he couldn't. Even if he did, it was far too late to change plans without any reason now, no matter how well Nureyev would be able to pull it off. A pause lingered in the air. Maybe it was pride, which he’d probably left on Mars the moment he resigned from the HCPD. Maybe he felt the need to prove himself to everyone on the crew that he was capable of stepping out of his comfort zone for long enough to accomplish a mission. (Maybe it was the fact that he'd rather be seducing than thinking of Peter having to.) Whatever it was, Juno broke the silence with twenty percent thought and eighty percent gut feeling.“No. No, I'm fine. I'll deal with it,” he declined. His thanks died on his tongue when Peter just gave a curt nod in response and let himself slip into his persona. Juno faltered, looking away as Arthur Lace appeared in the driver's seat and Peter Nureyev was gone once again.Juno let himself fade into his own role by the time they pulled up to the social. It looked incredibly tame from outside, all polite laughter and bubbling flutes and business casual. He painted his face to seem indifferent and bored as Arthur Lace opened the passenger car door with a graceful flourish. Artemis Lace stepped out of the vehicle, accepting his husband's offered elbow before the pair made their way to the mansion entrance. The Ruby 7 drove off behind them, and Juno rolled his shoulders back, raised his chin high.“Arthur Lace,” Peter purred to the bouncers, the name rolling off his tongue attractively. Two big men in suits accentuating their size stared down at them, one on each side of the double doors. He gestured to Juno just slightly, respectively. “And my spouse, Artemis.” They were let through without a hitch, and Juno didn't need to reassure himself to know Buddy and Jet would make it through just as easily. As they passed through the entrance hall and stepped up the uncomfortable amount of grand stairs, they were greeted by a woman with an expression that didn't make her look like she was the host of a big party, even with the elegant gown and equally as elegant makeup. More like the boss he’d hate to have. Juno recognized her from the briefing.“Good evening,” Sonya Fernandez said, a polite smile on her face that barely reached the corners of her gold-painted mouth, much less her eyes. She wore an elegant, golden floor-length gown and a pair of heels that were very unnecessary for her height. Juno had to tilt his head up a bit to look at her face. She held out a hand like she was meeting a client rather than a guest. “Sonya Fernandez. I'm quite glad you could make it to Jovian's annual social.”“Yes, likewise,” Peter chirped, taking her hand in a firm handshake. He seemed unaffected by her sharp, judging gaze that looked like it belonged on a cop. Juno eyed the gesture silently, noting the less extravagant demeanor of Arthur Lace compared to other aliases. Peter introduced himself with the same gentleness and charisma as he had with the guards, then released Sonya's hand to gesture again to Juno. “This is my spouse, Artemis. It is quite a pleasure to be in attendance, Mrs. Fernandez.”Juno tore his eyes away from Peter to greet the woman, but paused as her scrutinizing gaze was turned onto him. Piercing brown eyes moved slightly, as if taking in every part of his face. It was the same as the look she gave Nureyev, but something was there that wasn't there when eyeing the master thief. The polite smile had dropped just a little, just enough to notice. After a moment of silence, Juno just nodded at her, deciding not to be the one to speak.“Ah, excuse me. How embarrassing.” Sonya didn’t look like she was embarrassed. “I feel like I've seen you before, Mr. Lace.” It wasn't a suggestion, but a fact. She recognized him from somewhere, but she looked like she couldn't figure out where. Her eyes were watching Juno intently, observing him for even the slightest of tells. He gave nothing away, even as Peter glanced between the two cautiously with his fake smile looking as realistic as could be. It took a solid few seconds for Sonya to continue. “Well. I certainly hope you two enjoy the event.”And the spell was broken. Peter bid their goodbyes with a promise to see her again sometime during the social while Juno kept his mouth shut, and the pair continued into the main area. Peter had a content grin on his face, looking around like he was already having a good time. Without breaking his expression or looking away from the room, he talked to Juno.“She knows something,” he said lowly. “We may need to keep an eye on her, Juno.” Juno looked up at him with a raised brow, the bright chandelier light glimmering across his eyepatch, and Peter almost sounded flustered as his arm tensed for a second. “Ah, that is—”“Yeah, I got it,” Juno cut in, looking away under the pretense of scanning the party. Antonio Fernandez stood at a clean six feet tall, and wasn't too hard to spot with their slick black hair and smooth caramel skin. The mogul had a slim face and sharp jaw perfectly matching the billboards, a smile worth a million creds, and a piercing green gaze directed right at Artemis Lace. It was familiarly warm, intrigued and curious with a small glimmer of want. Juno felt his lips part at the look, rattling his brain for a moment before he remembered just where he'd seen that look before.God, that felt like a lifetime ago. Like a fever dream. Like he'd been out in the Martian desert too long, going undercover just like this, mingling with the rich just like this, standing at Peter Nureyev’s side just like this—He didn't realize he had been starting to squeeze Peter's arm until he softly called Juno's name.“Huh? Oh.” Juno apologized, finally tearing his gaze away from the emerald stare of Antonio Fernandez. Fernandez. Not Nureyev. He cleared his throat as he relaxed his grip, looking up at Peter instead. “Just a staring contest with our guy. Ten o'clock.” Peter didn't glance over, only nodded. He adjusted his arm, turning them away from Fernandez and towards the thinner part of the crowd.“Take the time to mentally prepare yourself, Juno,” he advised, making his way towards a group of people who were quietly chattering. “We have quite a long night ahead of us.” Juno murmured an agreement, grabbing a flute of champagne from a server walking past without pausing in his stride.
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The social was still in full swing around two hours in, still crowded and noisy and very boring. At that point, Juno didn't have to act to look bored out of his mind. He was still anxious though and was largely unable to shake the anticipation pooling in his gut. He had parted ways with Peter just twenty minutes ago to play bait. While Arthur Lace was greeting guests and eyeing jewelry, Artemis Lace was sat at the bar with a glass of sparkling cider before him. Juno couldn’t help but wish for another flute of champagne as he tapped the glass with the pad of his finger, the sound muted by the thin fabric of his glove. Buddy and Jet had been popping in and out of sight. They were scouring the area and occasionally glancing towards Nureyev over the groups of the upper class.At the moment, Juno was alone. He almost wished it stayed that way for the rest of the night. Big mansion like this, he probably could've found a wishing well.“Whiskey, please. On the rocks.” Juno's head snapped to his right. Luckily, Antonio Fernandez was too busy charming the bartender to notice his surprise, all pearly-whites and smooth voice. They were different up close. Less predatory. But Juno didn't let himself forget just how dangerous they were. He stared unabashedly when Fernandez faced him, meeting the gaze without so much as a blink. “Good evening,” they greeted, the words flowing from their tongue smoothly, naturally. It was obvious they did this often. “Are you enjoying the party?”“About as much as I expected to,” Juno replied, lifting his glass to his lips and taking a slow sip without breaking stare. Fernandez straightened up a bit more, but their posture was already perfect. He set his glass back down with a small sound against the wood of the bar. “These kinds of things are more my husband’s style.”“I can see that,” Fernandez mused, and Juno almost glared at the glance they directed towards Arthur before the thief disappeared into the crowd of people he was mingling with. “Arthur Lace, was it? Then you must be—”“Artemis.” The mogul’s eyes swept back to Juno, looking at his glass and trailing up his arm before making eye contact again. The gesture was quick, couldn’t have lasted longer than a second, but it was meant to be noticed.“Artemis.” They tested it on their tongue in a way that Juno would have felt flattered if they’d said his real name like that. “I suppose you know who I am, but for the sake of formalities; I am Antonio Fernandez. I am very pleased to meet a lovely lady such as yourself, Mr. Lace.”“As I said, formality isn’t my forte. Artemis is fine.” Juno wasn’t sure what would work on them yet. He was acting guarded before he found out what personality would most appeal to this sort of person, but he wasn’t that good of an actor. It wasn’t his fault his rudeness was hard to get rid of. “I don’t suppose you’d like to return the favor, Antonio?” To his annoyance, the name rolled off his tongue almost as well as Antonio had said his.To add to his irritation, Fernandez seemed delighted by the attitude. Goddammit. Undercover mission with a grand plan of seduction and Juno just had to be himself. He finally looked away and took another sip of his cider, imagining it was the whiskey the bartender set in front of his target. Out of the corner of his eye, a glimmer of the mansion's light shone off a pair of glasses. He glanced over, but Nureyev dipped back into the crowd as quickly as he was noticed.“If you keep saying my name like that, Artemis,” they answered, leaning on the bar to mimic Juno’s pose, “of course I wouldn’t mind.” What the hell. Juno resisted the urge to cross his legs and just downed the rest of his drink, setting it down with an empty clatter as he glanced back at Fernandez’s growing grin.“Yeah, well—Whatever. Did you need anything, or did you just come over for a quick glass?” Before answering, Fernandez took a sip of their whiskey. Juno eyed them, realizing they were a real stickler for eye contact. Those pale green eyes were several times sharper right in front of him than from across the floor, and it was like they were trying to figure him out; like he was actually interesting.“Is it so hard to assume I wanted to get to know one of my guests?” They seemed to be letting loose after noting Artemis didn’t care for politeness. Their shoulders relaxed and they set their glass down. Juno figured they didn’t really take to the booze at an event like this.“When you have a good few hundred of ‘em in your living room, yeah, it is.” Fernandez chuckled and leaned a bit closer to him, and Juno let himself do the same without making it look intentional.“Perhaps you just don't realize how much you stand out, Artemis.” There it was again, that roll of the tongue, that silky smooth recitation of that name like it was ancient literature, a poem lost to all but the person in front of Juno. Fernandez was good. Juno had to tilt his chin up to look at them now that they were closer.“Perhaps I just don't have anyone to prove it,” he crossed his legs, a heel lightly grazing Fernandez's calf, “Antonio.” They stared each other down, close and touching and floating in their own little world that Juno had allowed the mogul to pull him into.And then they were both standing, and the next few moments were a blur. Juno held Fernandez’s offered elbow and stuck close to his side as they strutted off the main floor, the only sign of their presence at the bar being an empty glass and an unfinished whiskey. Juno didn't need to look over his shoulder to know at least one person was watching them go.Fernandez led him all over the place. Up the stairs, to the right, second left, straight ahead, up more stairs… Juno lost track of where they were going after the first twenty seconds. The hallway to the master bedroom was deserted except for a few large paintings and floor-length mirrors on the walls. Four guards lined up two on each side of the double doors, twice the amount that had been guarding the front door. Whatever this necklace was made of, wherever it came from, it must have been a big deal. It might be in a safe, maybe a hidden compartment in the floorboards or the wall. Fernandez barely glanced at the guards before two of the large staff opened the doors in time so they didn't have to break stride as they entered with Juno.Forget the safe. Whatever this necklace was, it was… shiny. And it was kept right above the headboard of Fernandez's large bed.The thing was hanging up in a spotless glass case about twice its size, probably reinforced. There wasn't any keyhole or other noticeable means of unlocking it, so Juno figured Rita was right about there being an intricate, digital locking mechanism instead. Juno didn't realize he'd paused to stare at it until the double doors closed behind them and he looked sideways at Fernandez. The mogul had followed his gaze and was looking up at the necklace with a proud grin on their face.“The Jewels of Neptune,” they hummed, the title seeming to make their grin grow even brighter. Juno looked back at the necklace, eyeing it as best he could from across the room. “It's the most expensive piece I own, and not many are aware I have it in my possession. This necklace alone strings together almost a dozen of the most perfect jewels in the solar system, all excavated in a large tomb found deep in Neptune's crust just decades ago. No one is quite sure whether they are native to Neptune, or brought here and hidden long ago, but they were separate until being crafted into the fine piece you see now. This necklace costs more than my family fortune and my entire company combined, twice over.”“It's… pretty beautiful.” Juno couldn't bring himself to act indifferent. He couldn't help but take a moment to admire the piece, with its delicate chain woven around round jewels of all sizes. They were arranged in a way that no matter where Juno looked, the chain led his gaze to the jewel in the center of the bib. It was half the size of his palm, and its perfect cut allowed countless facets to shine and glitter in the chandelier light of the bedroom. “And you just keep it here? How did you get it?”“The glass used for the case is impenetrable. Its locking mechanism has never before been manufactured, and the administrative code to bypass the security measures changes every half hour. Inputting the wrong character trips alarms all over the planet. As for how I was granted the pleasure of keeping the jewels safe... Well, enough of that. Now, Artemis, the necklace is truly stunning, I agree; however, the most beautiful masterpiece, the most radiant treasure in this room…” Fernandez turned slightly to look down at Juno, catching his attention.They brought their manicured hand up to Juno's chin, tilting his head up to look at their light green eyes. The distance between their faces grew smaller, and Juno let his hand fall from Fernandez's elbow when that arm moved to glide around his waist. Their voice was soft and warm as they cooed, “I have the pleasure of looking right at him.”“Yeah?” Juno asked breathlessly, placing a hand on Fernandez's chest. They were standing so close already, he only had to lift the leg of the dress' slit to slide his knee up the mogul's thigh. “I'm sure there's more productive means of appreciating a work of art. Smart man like yourself could teach me a few, can't you?”"Why, Artemis," Fernandez slid their hand to Juno's cheek and tilted their head, leaning down smoothly, "I would be honored to." Juno waited until the last second, then the following happened in a flash: before they could lock lips, he pulled the small blaster from its holster at the inside of his thigh and shot Fernandez right in their sternum. They jolted at the stun blast before going completely slack, and Juno grunted at the weight of them.“Yeah, I'm sure you would. Okay, buddy, here you go,” he huffed, letting them slide to the ground. Juno tucked his blaster away before hooking his hands under Fernandez's arms and looking around the bedroom. He spotted a closet to his left and started dragging the very smug, very limp businessperson towards it. “Rita, I'm in the master bedroom. You got the case?” His comms beeped on and before he was even finished with his sentence, there was a soft click from the necklace’s display.“Yep! Havin’ fun, boss?” his former secretary snickered. He rolled his eyes and dropped Fernandez to open the closet door, eyeing the amount of ties hung in a little cubby to the side. Even Juno knew silk ties really weren't anyone's style, but Fernandez had an almost alarming abundance of them. It was like he used them for something else. Juno decided not to think too much about that.“About as much as I expected.” He mused at the echo of the words he'd offered to the mogul at his feet just minutes before. Juno grabbed a few of the thicker ties and shoved Fernandez into the closet before tying the closet door handles shut from the outside. He turned and made his way to the bed, leaning over to open the glass panel of the display and revealing the Jewels of Neptune to the air. He gently reached out to touch the lowest jewel, which was cool even against his gloved fingers. “Updates?”“The other three took their cues just a minute after you left, boss. Mista Blade don't got his comms on yet, but Miss Buddy says he'll be right there to take out the guards by the bedroom,” she recited. Juno swore he would be able to take out those guards himself, but the crew didn't want to risk it with him holding onto the prize. Juno heard Vespa say something unintelligible from beside his friend, her scratchy voice not quite picked up by the comms. “What? Okay, I'm on it! Mista Steel, somethin’ in the security measure by the main gate restarted and I can't be chattin’ with you while I break through it again. You gonna be okay by yourself?”“I'll be fine, Rita, if not bored. I'll see you later.” With a similar goodbye from Rita, the comms beeped and the line was cut off. Juno carefully took the necklace from the case by lifting it off the few hooks it was on. He closed the case again and eyed the jewelry, holding it out in front of him with both hands. “It really is beautiful, huh?” he murmured to himself idly.“Of course it is. It's the finest thing to grace this planet.” Juno's head whipped to the door of the bedroom, which was wide open. He didn't even hear it open. Sonya Fernandez stood in the threshold and stepped into the room once she made herself known. “Did my partner not mention that to you earlier, Mr. Lace?”
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Being walked in on by a guard would have been fine. Being walked in on by two giggly party guests would have been fine. Instead, Juno got walked in on by the COO of the company he was robbing while he was doing the robbing. Juno didn't know what the correct course of action was. Sonya Fernandez was staring at him with a tall posture and a set jaw. She looked like a woman he'd admire from across the room if he wasn't in the middle of a heist meant to attack the Jovian company. “Why are you here?” he asked. It was the first question that came to mind, but he could already think of a few ways to answer that as he said it. Juno lowered the necklace and turned to face her fully. Neither of them broke eye contact as Fernandez slowly reached to the door panel, her gentle touch activating the lock without so much as a tilt of her head in that direction. Juno briefly noticed there were no guards out in the hallway before the door shut behind the woman.Her dark brown eyes were sharp and focused. The corners of her lips, painted as gold and as glittering as her dress, were only slightly turned down. It was like she couldn't afford to show any emotion. Juno wasn’t so stingy and gave Fernandez a glare as heated at his stun blast was going to be if she made any sudden moves.“I know you. At least, I recognize your face. I don't know who you are or where you're from, but I do know your name isn't Artemis Lace and you don't live on Neptune. Am I correct?” The woman took a stride forward and Juno held the necklace in one hand, slipping his blaster out again and aiming it at her head. She stopped in her tracks.“Maybe,” Juno drawled in response, but didn't offer any more information. He flicked the gun at the door for a moment before steadily pointing at Fernandez again. “Give me a good reason why I shouldn't stun you and run out that door right now. And where are the guards?” He kept his unwavering gaze on her, but his mind was racing. He didn't know how much time he had or how he'd escape.“They won't be bothering us, but I can always call for help if need be. This is a very sensitive trigger, Mr. Lace, and I will be very inclined to press it the moment your finger twitches or you turn to your only escape route.” She held up a small gadget, tiny enough to be hidden in a curved palm. A panic trigger of some kind, the actual trigger part being a big black button in the center of the square device. “Your husband is being arrested and will be taken into custody to be questioned about his involvement in your scheme.”The businesswoman calmly stepped to the bed, her three-inch heels tapping quietly against the bare floor. When she felt her knee make contact with the edge of the bed, she gracefully sat down. They didn't break eye contact once. “That is, your supposed husband. Are you two actually married?”“Maybe,” he repeated. The surprise of her catching on to him was starting to wear off, but the racing thoughts in his mind were growing. He knew Nureyev would be able to handle himself just fine, even with the surprise of more guards. He could either buy time or get rid of that button. He moved his other hand around to carefully loop the necklace around his wrist. “Why’d you let your partner bring me here if you were so sure I was up to something?”“Evidence. Where are you really from?” Fernandez's eyes narrowed slightly, but she was keeping her composure. She lowered her hands to fold them in her lap, and Juno flickered his gaze to them to make sure she wasn't up to anything. He glanced at his blaster to make sure it was on stun, but he knew it was. He was starting to get anxious.“Since when did this turn into a game of twenty questions?” Has she pressed the button already? How long would it take Rita to get back to him? Dammit, he couldn't clear his head like this. He'd slip eventually, but he couldn’t leave while she had that device in her hand. He had to do something.“Since you answered my question by pointing a gun to my head, thief. I presume you used that weapon against Antonio as well.” Juno ignored the will to glance over at the closet doors. Maybe she hadn't noticed the tie he'd used on it. He didn't want to call attention to it if that were the case.“Not quite. Either way, they deserved it. You being their wife, you have to agree.” Fernandez crossed her ankles, keeping the panic button in full view. It didn't look like much, but Juno didn't want to find out how many guards she could alert with that thing. She nodded towards the necklace.“You only used them to get to the jewels, then. Was that your goal? Crash a party, play mistress, leave without suspicion?” She was quick, but it was a straightforward plan. Juno didn't budge. When he stayed silent for a few seconds, she continued. “That's it, then. What made you think no one would catch on?”“Big mogul, big reputation. Wasn't hard to dig up the fact that your spouse is a cheater, Fernandez.” Her finger twitched. Juno latched onto the tell like a shark. “They're an easy person, don't you think? Pretty dress, sip of alcohol, few minutes of attention, and I've got an escort to the treasure of Neptune. Say, why are you still with them, anyways? You'd think a person like you would have the common sense to file some papers and quit the romance when it ended.”“Maybe my partner isn't entirely mine to cherish,” Sonya said harshly, “but Jovian is.” For a moment, he understood; depending on people, trusting people when you had so much work to do, so much good to do… it wasn't easy. He shoved down those thoughts pretty quickly.“Hate to break it to you, ma'am, but your company can't replace your spouse.” She obviously didn't like talking about this. Juno kept pressing. “So what, your income means more to you than relieving a long-gone marriage?”“My hard work means more to me than the time a divorce takes, Mr. Lace,” the woman corrected. She glared at Juno, but he didn't waver. He thought to himself instead, half of his mind scrambling for a plan and half of his mind paying attention to every word Sonya was spouting. “I put too much commitment into Jovian to leave it to a CEO who can't function without a new person in their bed every other week. I don't care what or who Antonio commits to. I only care about myself and the good of our company.”“It must be hard to think about, then. You doing all the work while your partner prances around who knows where, doing who knows what with who knows who.” It was hard to see when she had all her walls up, but now that she was revealing her turmoil, Juno realized he knew this situation well. He'd seen it all the time as a PI. This was more familiar territory than he realized; he just didn't recognize it from the new angle at first.“That's what I'm saying, thief.” Fernandez was visibly irritated now, struggling to maintain her cool demeanor the more she was forced to talk. Juno wasn't sure she even knew just how much information she was giving him. A rant like this meant she didn't plan on him getting away to tell people about it. Her gaze drifted away from him as she talked, but she wasn't focused on anything but her words. “I do all the work. I make the calls, I attend the meetings, I supervise our manufacturing branches, I build and I create and I work while they don't.”“And they get to live their life of wealth, lust, and luxury,” he said slowly, testing the waters, “while you get to deal with the burden.” He just needed a confirmation, whether she realized she was providing one or not.“Work is not a burden for me. My complaint is the disregard they have for the work I do,” she replied. Bingo. Juno hummed, lowering the blaster by a centimeter.“It sounds like you've been mulling over this for a while. Years, maybe.” Fernandez didn't seem to notice the movement of the gun, her gaze now looking down and to the side. There was a scowl on her golden lips, starkly contrasting against her dark complexion, and Juno wondered how that makeup didn't smudge at all in the two hours since he’d seen her. “They shouldn’t have all the freedom they've got.”“Of course they shouldn't. What's the use of repeating my point?” He moved the gun a bit lower, and… There we go. Fernandez noticed the movement that time and looked up at the lowered barrel of the blaster.“I'd say you deserve more time to yourself. More time to think, more time to de-stress.” He subtly rolled his shoulders back, arched his back a bit, shifted his weight in his heels to pop out a hip. Her gaze flickered up to his again, Juno's eye now half-lidded and dark in a way he’d seen a certain someone look just half an hour earlier.“What do you mean?” Fernandez asked, voice still sharp. Despite the tone, Juno knew the rush of emotions she was probably feeling, the confusion and anger and disappointment. He stepped forward, his leg revealed behind the slit of the dress. Juno's new target glanced down to the movement and he paused. He watched as her gaze trailed up from his heel to his thigh, his hips, his chest, his eye. His right eye, staring at her intensely as the bedroom light glittered off his smooth eyepatch. Juno continued his steps closer, lowering the gun more with each one.“Don't play dumb.” In his peripheral, he saw her hold on the panic button much looser than it had been earlier. With a few calculated movements, he was in front of Fernandez as she leaned back, her elbows pressing into the bed behind her. They were so close, he could feel the heat radiating off her body. “You agree with me, don't you?”“I—” Her voice came out breathy. She cleared her throat and broke eye contact, brows furrowing as she eyed the corner of Juno's mouth. He slipped the blaster back into its holster and planted his free hand on the bed, keeping the hand with the necklace at his side. “I have no idea what you mean.”“Oh, but you do. You think about it all the time, I'm sure.” Juno licked his lips and felt pride in his chest as Fernandez grew flustered beneath him. “You think about how your partner didn't earn the right to do whatever they pleased with whoever they wanted. You think about how you have, how you deserve it, and yet you don't get what you crave.”“And what is it do you think I crave, Mrs. Lace?” It was impressive, the way she stared defiantly into his eye despite the shake in her voice. Juno tilted his head down, closer to her.“It's obvious, Sonya,” he replied, allowing her name to drip from his lips like a prayer. Juno lifted a knee to the side of Fernandez's leg and the bed dipped under his weight. Her golden lips parted slightly as she took a sharp, almost inaudible intake of breath. “Relief.”Whether he leaned down or she leaned up, he wasn't sure. But then they were kissing, hot and heavy and careless. Sonya kept still until Juno moved up his other leg to get on all fours above her without breaking the kiss, after which her hands hooked under his arms to place on his back. Juno quickly grabbed what he needed before focusing on making her feel like he was the only thing that existed at that moment.He leaned further into her, swiped his tongue over her lips, groaned softly as she returned the favor. It was the type of kiss that made his mind reel, the type that was bitter and guilty but good enough that he didn't have anything else to complain about. Sonya Fernandez was a damn good kisser. If not for needing to distract her long enough to steal her panic button, Juno would've been tempted to take it further.One of her hands trailed up to the nape of his neck, starting to run through his dark hair and bring his head closer. As Juno's free hand moved to slide under the base of Fernandez's back, the woman arching into his chest at the touch, his comms beeped to life.“Mista Steel, we noticed the guards moved away from their post! Are you still in the—Oh. Oh.” Juno tried not to freeze at the unwelcome shrill of Rita's yelling. Her concern audibly dissipated and she let out a cackling laugh. Instead of reacting, Juno gradually slowed down in his movements and felt Sonya follow suit. “Oh, wow, Mista Steel, you sure sound busy.”He broke the kiss and was greatly amused at Fernandez following his lips. She stopped a second later, as if realizing who she was, and pressed back into the sheets below her. Fernandez's eyes fluttered open and she quickly released Juno, fists clenched as if she couldn't believe her hands had been all over him just moments before. Her glittery lipstick was stained with Juno's red makeup, her dress was crooked and crinkled, and her curls had lost their perfect form where she'd pressed into the bed. She looked beautiful. Juno almost enjoyed the view.They held eye contact as he leaned back and licked his lips again, just for show, and let himself slide off the bed to stand. Fernandez broke much quicker than she had earlier, unable to meet his gaze for long. She looked embarrassed, but there wasn't much shame there. Juno knew what that looked like, and her expression didn't quite fit the bill. He didn't want to dwell on it.He tried not to think too much about taking advantage of a desperate wife whose spouse didn't appreciate her for all she committed to. He still had the necklace around his wrist, and hidden behind his curled fingers lay the small gadget he'd taken from Fernandez. Had she even noticed?The silence in the room was deafening; even Rita had shut up, like the tension was seeping through the comms. It wasn't the most awkward situation he'd been in though, and he wasn't too unnerved by the atmosphere. When Juno finally spoke, his voice was smooth and indifferent, as if he hadn't just been sucking face with the enemy for a solid minute or two.“I'll be on my way now.” Whether it was meant for Rita or Fernandez, he didn't clarify. Juno made sure he'd grabbed everything he needed before turning and unlocking the bedroom door. The panel beeped quietly and the door opened just as Juno heard a shuffle of fabric. He looked over his shoulder at Fernandez, who was sitting up and looking at him as she adjusted one of her dress straps. Her eyes were narrowed, her brows were knitted, and her golden lips were turned down in a conflicted scowl.Artemis Lace stared deeply into that rich chocolate gaze, gave a small parting nod, and quietly left the room.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The door closed behind him and Juno suddenly felt twenty years older. His shoulders slumped and he made his way a few steps down the hall, pausing in front of one of the mirrors. He reached up to touch beneath his lip, where his red lipstick had streaked down a bit and a few flakes of thin glitter snuck their way onto his face. His hair was far from the tidy it had been before the whole ordeal and his dress was crinkled in a few spots around his hips.“... Boss?” The voice almost made him jump, but Juno just scowled and turned away from his reflection, moving on down the hall. He looked down at his hand with the button and necklace and then used his free hand to tug his dress down in an attempt to tame the wrinkles. It didn't work too well and he stopped pretty quickly to avoid stretching out the fabric.“Not a word, Rita,” he grumbled, the soft tiredness of his tone erasing any malice. His secretary inhaled and started to go on a tangent, but he cut her off before she could get a word out. “Did everything go alright out there?”“Wha—Yeah, boss, the team's all accounted for and the guards are all out. Mista Blade told me to tell you to make your way out alone so he doesn't gotta be away from the crowd for too long. He says the extra four guards took a bit more of his time." Juno knew it wasn't his fault the guards were dismissed and Peter could definitely take care of himself, but he couldn't help but feel a little responsible for the extra work."Yeah, I'm on my way. Might need some help navigating, though." He dropped the useless panic button on the floor and started to unravel the Jewels of Neptune from his arm. Hopefully Rita would just stick to business instead of prying into his thoughts.“So,” she drew out. Nevermind then. “What happened in there, Mista Steel? I swear, I leave you alone for one second and you're up to somethin’ excitin’ without me!”“It was just part of the gig.” Juno slowed as he passed another mirror, looping the necklace around his shoulders and clasping it behind his neck. The jewels were cold against his collarbone, and he took a brief moment to admire himself before continuing his stride. "Nothing happened."“I definitely heard somethin' happenin'! You can't fool these ears, Mista Steel. The gig was to act like a seductress anyway, not unlock your inner irresistible lady powers! Usually I don't complain about this kinda free entertainment, yanno, but when I don't know all the details—”“You don't need to know the details. Now do me a favor and tell me where to go from here, it was a long walk.”“Wha—? But Mista Steel, that ain't fair!”“What isn't fair is the fact that there's an open bar with expensive booze and I had a sparkling cider, Rita, now lead me to the main hall or you're buying me a drink later.”Rita huffed, but didn't press any more. She gave him directions efficiently, past empty rooms and through echoing corridors. The soft music and quiet chatter of the party led Juno the last few turns and he quickly caught sight of Nureyev. He was standing tall, nodding along with a pleasant grin on his face to a small, yet garrulous social circle. Juno and Rita ended their conversation when Peter saw Juno and the thief waved him over, prompting the former detective to quickly drift to his side. Juno wrapped an arm around his partner's elbow, glancing around wearily.It was late enough that a few people had left already, so it was less crowded than it had been hours ago. Juno got a few looks for the gleaming necklace resting on his chest, but he didn't think anyone recognized it. The fact that he looked disheveled was enough to make most people avert their eyes anyways, and he figured everyone at this party knew the nasty habits of Antonio Fernandez. He was just another fling to them, another piece of evidence that rich people could commit countless scumbag offenses and no one would bat an eye. It was a gross feeling.“I think we should be going now, Arthur. This party has been dragging on for a while now, I think,” he said, looking up at the thief so he'd have a clear view of his new shiny accessory. Peter pretended not to notice it and smiled in return, the people in his small group quieting to look at them.“Of course, my love. If you would excuse us,” he nodded at the partygoers he had been blending in with. They let the pair go with short farewells, and the two started making their way to the front door side-by-side. Peter spoke quietly, expressing his concern through a small glance down at Juno. “How did it go?”“Strangely. Let's just get out of here.” There were a few people leaving out the door before them, so their steps slowed. Juno gave one last look around when a glittering gown caught his eye.Sonya Fernandez was gliding back into the main room, staring straight ahead of her with five times the amount of dignity Juno had. She gave him no mind, didn't even look around to spot him, but Juno couldn't quite return the favor. Before he could snap out of it, Peter had looked down at him again and caught his attention elsewhere. He followed Juno's gaze, looked back at his partner, noticed the golden glitter at the corner of Juno's mouth, and straightened his gaze again.“I see,” was his clipped response, and Juno felt his gut shrivel up inside him. He shoved down the feeling. What they had, what he thought they had, what he'd ended—it didn't matter. History was history, and the past… Well, okay, he was just starting to figure out how to let it go, so he wasn't good at it yet. Maybe he never would be, but he wanted to be. But… shit, was that enough? The thought left a heavy feeling in his throat and Juno tried to snap out of it, did his best not to get lost in his own wandering mind. Goddammit, he needed a nap.They left the party in the next few moments and casually walked off despite the air of tension around them. They walked past the short line of cars to an area where Rita had disabled the camera, which was their designated rendevous point. Buddy and Jet were leaning against their sleek and shiny getaway car and stoop up straight when they heard the pair’s footsteps on the smooth concrete of the driveway. Buddy grinned when she saw them approaching, her smile shining brighter than the necklace.A quick escape later, and the ship was off-planet again. It would take two days to get to the next stop, so the crew had some time to kill. That is, Juno was left to his own activities before their mission continued, and that was never a good thing. The crew was currently in the middle of a short meeting, just to look at the jewelry and verify it as the real thing. The hardest part of the mission had gone relatively smoothly, which rarely happened. No one wanted to dampen the mood. For all they knew, nothing wrong had happened on Juno's end besides the guards leaving post, and he didn't want to bring it up.“You're positively sure this piece is authentic?” Buddy asked, looking down at the necklace laid carefully across the surface of their meeting table. Really, it was the kitchen counter, but that only made the jewels look more expensive. Jet nodded in response for the third time, stoic as ever.“The cut, the color, and the clarity all line up. I would be happy to quadruple check, if need be,” Jet stated, his face void of any emotion as per usual. A moment of silence passed. Then Buddy exhaled softly, shaking her head.“No need. I am convinced now. Thank you very much, Jet.” Buddy picked up the necklace again, eyeing the glimmering gems in appreciation. Without looking away from the jewels, she asked, “Juno, how did your part of the mission go? Not too bad, I hope? I know it was far from the type of fieldwork you usually do.”Juno tried not to look caught off-guard by the sudden question. The others turned to look at him, and he felt self-conscious in his obviously disheveled getup. Sure, so far it passed off as part of the plan, but he felt vulnerable. Then again, probably not as much as Sonya Fernandez did when he came onto her like that. Turning her questions around, digging into her inner thoughts, taking advantage of the feelings she'd kept to herself for so long…“Yes. Yeah.” He crossed his arms, pretending to eye the necklace closely as he diverted the subject of interest. He could wallow in the bizzarreness of the situation later. “I really had Neptune's most valuable known treasure around my neck, huh? Unfortunate name, though, ‘Jewels of Neptune’. Isn’t that what they call—”“I think you looked real pretty in that necklace, Mista Steel.”“Thanks, Rita.”“It's very... luminous,” Vespa suggested, leaning with her elbows on the countertop. She was at Buddy's side, their hips touching gently as they looked over the shining jewelry together. “How many creds is this thing worth again?”“This 'thing' is worth quite a few commas, my love,” Buddy hummed, setting the necklace down again. This time, she looked at Juno when she spoke to him, a small smile on her face. “I'm glad to hear you had no complications, Juno darling. Please, feel free to tell me the details if you ever want to go over ways to improve or alternate courses of action. I'm sure it was quite boring in there.” Yeah, not really. But through the tone of Buddy's voice, Juno heard something else. Like she knew something had gone astray and had been putting him on edge ever since he left the room, but wouldn't mention it to anyone if he didn't want her to. Not even to him.“I… Yeah,” he repeated, looking away from the human fireball's understanding gaze. He felt like he wasn't worthy of the offer to share what was making him more detached than usual, but somehow thought to keep it in mind. Juno cleared his throat. "Thanks."“And you, Darius?” Buddy turned her head to look at the thief standing a little farther away from Juno than what would be considered a polite distance. Nureyev was so quiet, Juno might have forgotten he was there if he wasn't always on his mind in some way or another. Buddy still carried her understanding tone, although Juno knew she had an idea of the extra work he had to do. “Did everything go smoothly on your part?”“Why, of course,” the man chirped. He offered no further details. Juno tried not to wince. Nureyev wasn't the only other person who knew something had happened, but he was the only other person to know what that something was. The former detective hesitantly looked over at him only to find Peter grinning down at him already. It was soft. His teeth were still sharp as ever, his grin was still one of his many deadly weapons, but somehow this smile was soft. “I'm very glad everything has gone quite alright so far.”A million different things were revealed through that smile. Concern, confusion, and awkwardness, yeah, but beneath the hesitation was warmth. A silent assurance. A gesture of sealed lips and bottled questions. Peter wouldn't ask about what happened and Juno wouldn't be pressed to explain anything he didn't want to.It was a smile of finality and respect. It wasn't from one Darius Blade, Arthur Lace, Duke Rose, or Rex Glass. Peter Nureyev was telling him that he was willing to let the past go if Juno was as well. That if he really wanted to leave everything between them behind on Mars, in Hyperion City, in that hotel room, he could.Juno stared back for a moment, then looked away without returning a smile of his own. The meeting ended soon after with Juno lost in thought for the rest of it, and he left quickly, spouting some half-assed excuse about changing into comfortable clothes. No one bothered him about his rush, and he vaguely wondered whether his spacey demeanor was one reason the meeting ended so quickly. He decided not to dwell on it and found himself testing how much hot water he could get away with using without being yelled at.If he wanted to leave his past behind, he could. Forget about a new chapter, this was a whole new novel. His future in the ship, in the stars, it was a future he didn't even think he deserved to take just weeks ago. But as Juno stood alone in his bedroom after his scalding shower, an ache in his muscles and a sickening emptiness in the right side of his skull... he decided he wouldn't. He would learn to let go of his past eventually, but he had to learn which pieces of himself he needed to keep first. That was the next step.After all, he wouldn't want to get rid of the parts everyone wanted to keep around.