starlight [lafayette x reader]

Spies and White Lies

"What are we at now? Twenty argenti?" You grin and lean forward, elbows resting on the table. "Another round, Mulligan?"

The tailor gives you a look that only makes your smile widen. "I don't know if I have anything left to wager."

"Mulligan, your deployment is about to head out, you should get down to the loading dock."

The look of relief on Mulligan's face is nearly comical when Hamilton interrupts the next game you are setting up. Mulligan mutters a half-hearted apology, you wish him luck, and then he is all too eager to leave.

Hamilton places a hand on your shoulder and points you in the direction of Lafayette's office. "The general would like a word with you."

"Am I in trouble?"

"Aren't you always?"

"Fair point. Wish me luck, Lex," you mutter, making your way into the lion's den.

You knock twice on the door, and without waiting for a reply, you push open the door and let yourself into Lafayette's office. Dim, warm light greets you – a stark contrast to the harsh white lighting found in most buildings on Philia. Lafayette sits at his desk, thumbing through pages and pages of paperwork. The navy cape usually worn around his shoulders is draped over the back of his chair, and he absently scratches his beard as he continues to read the papers in front of him.

"You wanted to see me?" You ask.

He nods toward the empty chairs in front of his desk. "Yes, have a seat."

You sit down across from him and wait for him to inform you as to why you've been called into his office. The two of you sit in silence for a few minutes before Lafayette finally puts down his paperwork and leans back in his chair.

He appraises you silently, then finally: "Hamilton says you're cleaning my men out of their money."

"I want you to know," you say quickly, "that my actions have been completely legal. It's not my fault you never taught your men how to gamble."

"How much did Mulligan lose today?" He asks.

"Twenty."

"You don't feel bad about taking money from the poor guy?"

"It's Mulligan." The both of you share a laugh. "Did you call me in here to tell me to stop taking your soldiers' money?"

"Not at all, feel free to continue scamming them out of their money," he says with a shrug. "As long as you keep supplying me with intel on the New British battle plans, you can do whatever you want with your off hours."

"I take it you've got a new mission for me?"

"Perceptive. This is why I hired you."

"I thought you hired me because I'm expendable," you say bluntly.

He stiffens at your comment and slowly shakes his head. "No, that's not it. You're incredibly good at what you do, and I think you're the perfect person for this job."

Lafayette hands you a tablet with the information for your next mission. This one is a bit different than the previous jobs he had you run. It had been your job to lay low at shady bars around Philia that had been known as sympathizers of the New British crown and report back any information you had overheard. On occasion, you had been sent to spy on wealthy sympathizers at dinner parties, galas, races, etc. All these events took place on Philia or neighboring planets. Looking down at the tablet, your eyes widened a little at the name of your next location.

"You're sending me to Hesse?" You say in surprise.

"It would be..." he pauses and thinks through his words. "It's rather vital we send someone to observe negotiations between the leaders of Hesse and New Britannia. We have reason to believe they're discussing more than just a renewal of the neutrality act."