Work Text:
The sun bathed the Cybersite valley in soft amber light as the CyberSquad worked to restore an old solar generator for a nearby town. With most of the panels already in place, it was just a matter of reconnecting the last few wires.
Matt had taken it upon himself to finish the job—because of course he had.
He knelt beside the exposed circuitry, sleeves rolled up, hair tousled, the kind of focused expression that made Jackie feel a little faint.
From her place on the hill, Jackie rested her chin in her hand and let out a quiet, dreamy sigh.
"Marry me…" she murmured, almost like she was speaking to a cloud.
The sound wasn't loud—but it carried.
Digit froze mid-flight.
Slider's head snapped around.
Inez dropped her stylus.
And Matt, startled, hit his head on the panel with a loud bonk.
"…Did you just say 'marry me'?" Matt asked, rubbing the back of his head.
Jackie's brain blue-screened.
"What? No! No, no, no," she said quickly, practically falling over herself. "I said… merry Christmas!"
Digit squinted. "But it's August."
Jackie blinked. "Yeah, but it's… CyberMexico! They, uh… start celebrating early there! It's cactus migration season, remember?"
Inez raised an eyebrow. "Cactus don't migrate."
"They do in CyberMexico," Jackie insisted, voice rising an octave. "It's festive! And full of joy! Totally has nothing to do with me proposing to Matt in the middle of a solar repair!"
Slider coughed, clearly trying not to laugh. "Well, merry cactus to you too."
Jackie covered her face with both hands. "I want to disappear forever."
Matt chuckled awkwardly, pink rising in his cheeks. "Well, uh… for the record… if you had said 'marry me'—I wouldn't have minded."
Jackie peeked at him between her fingers.
"Seriously?"
He nodded. "Seriously."
Digit groaned dramatically. "Okay, are we still fixing this thing or are we planning a wedding now?"
"Both," Slider quipped. "Multitasking."
As the others wandered back to work, Inez gave Jackie a knowing look and whispered, "You're not the only one with a crush, you know," with a subtle glance toward Slider.
Jackie barely heard her. Her heart was still thudding from what Matt had said.
She glanced over. Matt was smiling at her, shy but sincere.
"Well," Jackie said, smirking, "maybe next time I say it, I'll mean it."
Matt smiled wider. "I'll be listening."