#also just Nate's practically beaming at the end there

[firebirdsdaughter]

Always and forever…

… The Zanzibar Marketplace Job remains one of my favourite eps.

Also just…

What Eliot says: I’m the retrieval specialist.

What Eliot means: I am the second in command/lieutenant and defacto leader in Nate and Sophie’s absence and you are not part of this family so back the fuck down.

[puppetsoftomorrow]

avalance wedding vows

@puppetavasharpe challenged me to write the avalance wedding vows, so i wrote everything but the vows! (nah jokes there are some vows in here i just got Very carried away lmao). i'll clean up and post to ao3 when i find the time. enjoy!!

They both agreed they’d spent too much time apart in the weeks before their wedding to spend the night before it apart, and Sara was grateful, the nervous hammering of her heart calmed by Ava’s hand in hers, as they lay in the semi-darkness, neither ready to sleep quite yet.

“We're getting married tomorrow.” Ava said softly into the darkness.

“Yeah.” Sara said, the sound floating in the air. “Do we have to do it front of everyone? Can't we elope? Because we have a time machine, we don’t need to be married by an Elvis impersonator in Vegas, I can take us to get married by the real Elvis -”

“You're nervous.” Ava said - it wasn't a question, more of a slightly surprised statement, and Sara made an indignant noise.

“No, Sara Lance does not get nervous -”

Ava squeezed her hand, and Sara stopped the act.

“Fucking terrified. You?”

“Yeah, kind of.” Ava said softly. “But - the idea that you’ll be there - that helps. Is that weird?”

“No.” Sara said, as she moved further into her fiancée's side. “No, I think that helps me too.”

“Have you got everything ready? Are your vows written?” Ava asked, and it was Sara’s turn to squeeze her hand, trying to calm the part of Ava that needed their wedding day to run like a train station under communist rule.

“Yeah, all written.” She said, trying to keep her voice nonchalant. She had some pointers on a piece of paper in the pocket of her dress, and her plan of seeing where the day took her for the rest of it would almost certainly work. “What about you?”

“All done.” Ava said, her tone almost strangled, and Sara turned, propping herself up on one elbow to look down at her.

“Why do you look so guilty?” Sara asked, slightly confused, and her face broke into a grin when Ava started to flush pink.

“I wrote them - um – maybe about a year ago.”

“What? But I hadn't proposed -”

“I know.” Ava said, a hand coming up to cover her cheek. “It wasn’t - um - after anything in particular, you’d just come back from Star City and it sort of hit me, then, that this is what I wanted. For the rest of my life. So, I wrote them.”

“But you waited all this time -”

“Because I wanted you to propose to me.” Ava said, her voice soft, and she turned away, clearly embarrassed, but Sara’s hand caught her, to bring their eyes back together. “I just - I wanted to be proposed to. I know that’s sappy. And I wanted you to know, on your own, that you were completely ready.”

“I’m ready.” Sara said softly, as she ran her thumb along Ava's cheekbone. “That's adorable. You’re so cute.”

“Shut up.” Ava muttered, still bright red, and Sara laughed.

“Aw, Aves, is that any way to treat your future wife?”

“Go to sleep.” Ava said, grinning now, and she gently pushed Sara back down. Sara took full advantage of the new position and moved close, pressing her face against Ava’s shoulder and snaking her arms around her waist.

“I'm excited to hear them. I can't wait to marry you.”

“I can't wait either.” Ava said, voice a near whisper. “And - if it gets too much tomorrow- we can go find Elvis and he can marry us.”

“Thank you.” Sara said as she yawned, finally ready to sleep. “Night, baby. Love you.”

“Goodnight, my love.” Sara heard, softly spoken, as she drifted off to sleep.

///

Best laid plans - and Ava's plans were always the best - seemed a truism in that moment. Guests had been arriving in a constant stream, Mick making trips in the jump ship to pick everyone up, grumbling that he wasn't a taxi service, and Sara had only just finished getting ready - slipping into her white jumpsuit and curling her hair, as Nate sat on the bed and gushed about how beautiful love was, Behrad fast asleep next to him.

Constantine's mansion looked wonderful, Astra having spent a week learning the spells to cover the place in streamers and balloons, only they kept appearing and disappearing randomly, which caused Sara to yelp as a party of balloons suddenly appeared next to her.

She’d lost her shoes. These shoes were nothing special, but Sara was determined to find them, because they were her tallest pair, and she wasn't having Ava craning her neck to kiss her in every one of their wedding photos. People might think she was short or something.

Sara rounded into the ballroom, and saw something she was definitely not meant to see.

“Ava?” She said, and Ava turned, squeaked, and squeezed her eyes shut.

“Sara! What are you doing! Nate said he’d keep you in the bedroom until -”

“I’m just - what are you doing?”

“It's bad luck to see each other.” Ava said, eyes still tight shut, and Sara laughed, a slightly shaky sound.

“Well, baby, I’ve seen you now.” She looked her up and down, slightly in awe. Ava's dress was simple, ivory satin with a bardot neckline, her hair curled over one shoulder, elegant and beautiful. There was a quiver in Sara’s voice when she spoke again. “You're so beautiful. How did I ever get this lucky?”

“Stop it, you shouldn’t even be seeing me.” Ava said, her voice also thick with emotion, and Sara took three steps forward across the ballroom, taking Ava’s hands in her own.

“You can look, baby.” Sara said softly, and Ava’s eyes opened, widening when she took in what Sara was wearing. When their eyes connected again, there were tears on her lashes.

“You look so pretty. Are those trousers?”

Sara laughed and nodded, trying to keep her own tears at bay. “Yeah, um, the last wedding I went to was kind of invaded by Nazi superheroes, so I thought this would work for fighting.”

“You’re so practical. I'm not going to ask about the Nazis.” Ava sniffed, and Sara reached out to hold her hands.

“I can’t wait to marry you.” Sara said softly.

“You'll be there, won’t you? At the end, waiting for me?” Ava asked, almost shyly, and Sara nodded. All the Legends, even Spooner, had offered to walk her down the aisle when it had come out that Ava had no family to do it for her, but Ava had decided to walk alone.

Her only caveat - that Sara go first, so she could see who she was walking towards.

“Yeah, baby. I’ll be there.” Sara said, and turned slightly at Behrad’s shout of “I’ve found them!”

“That's my cue.” Sara said, trying to shake the tears from her eyes, and Ava scrunched her brow.

“Found what?”

“I'll tell you afterwards baby. I'll see you later.”

“I wouldn't miss it.” Ava said softly, and Sara beamed at her, before turning to run back the other way, before anyone saw that they’d seen each other.

///

Sara stood in the eaves, looking out to the flower filled garden, guests seated and talking, enjoying the sun and the chance to see old friends.

If her nerves weren’t bad before -

“You ready, kid?”

The gruff voice of her dad came from just behind her, and Sara nodded, trying to hide her sweating palms.

“Yeah, I’m ready. I just -” She started, then her voice dropped slightly. “I wish Laurel was here. I’d never imagined that I'd be doing this without her.”

“She’d be so proud of you.” Quentin said softly, and Sara nodded, a wet laugh escaping her lips when she realized they were both crying.

Before Sara could reply, the familiar tune played on the violin swept over the garden, and the guests fell in a hush, and Sara accepted the handkerchief her dad offered to wipe her eyes.

Quentin held out his arm, and Sara looped hers through his, stepping out into the light.

///

It all seemed like a blur. Ava walked down the aisle, a vision in white, a nervous smile on her face, and Sara considered just booking it down the few feet of grass that separated them to hold her hand, but she stayed firm, and Ava reached her, handing her bouquet off to Mona, and Sara reached out then, threading their fingers together. Nate’s words about love and their relationship almost melted away as she stared into Ava’s eyes, and she would have missed the vows if it weren’t for Ava gently squeezing her hand.

“Sara - I -” Ava started, stopped, took a shaky breath, and Sara beamed at her, willing her on, and Ava swallowed. “I wrote this after you came to Purgatory to get me. I’d never imagined, up until that point, that anyone could ever love me enough to do something like that, bring me back from the precipice, but you did.” Ava paused, and smiled gently at her. “You’ve changed my life irrevocably, and always for the better. You’ve made me a better person, a more thoughtful person, you’ve helped me to find who I am – you've also helped me to lose both my job and my house, but we won’t dwell on that -”

Ava seemed almost surprised when the guests laughed, and Sara squeezed her hand.

“Every time I think I’ve figured you out, you do something that surprises me. I can’t imagine my life – my future - without you in it, and I want it, all of it, every crazy adventure and every not so crazy one, just – all of it, because, I know whatever it is, you’ll be there with me, and we’ll face it together.” Ava said, then took a breath. “I love you, Sara Lance. Always and forever.”

Sara stood, slightly open mouthed, and would have kissed her if that wasn’t the main event in a few minutes. “Your turn.” Ava said, soft and just for her, and Sara nodded, her heart suddenly beating a little faster. She dropped Ava’s hands, and pulled her notes out.

Another benefit of a jumpsuit – pockets.

“Well, I wrote these vows after you said we couldn’t elope and get married by Elvis -” Laughter rippled through the assembled crowd, and Sara felt her shoulders relax. “Ava - I don’t know what good I did in this life to deserve you. I’ve made mistakes, I’ve died, and I’ve lost my way so many times and I never thought I could find my way back, but with you – I know I can always find my way home.”

Ava smiled at her, tears on her cheeks, and Sara moved to hold her hand again.

“I love you. I don’t know what the future holds, but I know it’ll be okay, because you’ll be there with me. I’ll be here, for as long as you’ll have me.”

Ava nodded, beaming through her tears, and Nate pronounced them married, and Sara could finally kiss her, and the light came in, warm and true.

///

“If I’d known that Behrad was such a huge Celine Dion fan, I wouldn't have let him be the DJ.” Sara said, pressing herself closer to Ava to be heard over the music that was sounding through the ballroom. Ava laughed, the sound moving through her, and Sara held her wife a little tighter as they slow danced to Because You Loved Me. “You’d think a guy from 2042 would have better music taste.”

“This wouldn't be such a bad first dance.” Ava hummed, swaying gently. They'd tried to forgo as much formality as they could - speeches and a first dance included - but Sara had danced with her dad, and Ava had danced with him to in a move that made Sara cry for the tenth time that day.

“It’s sappy as hell.” Sara said, and Ava laughed again.

“You are sappy, you’ve cried so many times today.”

“Yeah, I’ve gotten soft.” Sara said, eyebrows knitting together, until Ava pressed a kiss there.

“That’s not a bad thing.” Ava hummed, and they stood there, swaying gently. “Your vows were soft.”

“Yeah, and now all my family and friends know I have feelings.” Sara said with a dramatic sigh. “You’ve really ruined my reputation.”

Ava shrugged, before moving backwards to spin Sara before catching her again. “I rather like that you have feelings.” Ava said softly, once Sara was safe in her arms again, and Sara melted into it just as the last beat of the song played across the room.

The moment was ruined when Behrad yelled, and Bootylicious started to play across the radio. Sara burst out laughing to see Zari had taken up position next to the speakers.

“Actually, I change my mind, this is our first dance.” Ava said, and Sara just laughed as the rest of the guests started to pour onto the dancefloor.

[ghstandpucks]

Cutting Edge ~ Nathan MacKinnon

A.N.: Hi everyone! So I’ve decided to write a short story with Nathan MacKinnon. Y/N is a figure skater who becomes the Avs’ new skating coach. This chapter basically just sets it up. The title is an ode to my favorite figure skating movie (the only one I can actually watch without rolling my eyes). I myself was a competitive figure skater, so the terms are accurate. 

Also, shout out to @bqstqnbruin​ for allowing me to bounce this idea off of her! If you have not read her stories, I suggest you check them out! Anyways, enjoy and let me know what you all think! 

ch. 1

Prologue 

As your music came to it’s ending note, you popped out of your signature scratch spin and dug your toe pick into the ice, effectively stopping your momentum. With a backward bend and a hand reaching up toward the sky, you tried to catch your breath as you heard the crowd erupt around you. The whole rink was lifted with cheers as you held your pose five more seconds. Three, two, one, you counted to yourself as you straightened up, bringing your hand in the air to your beating heart. This had to be a dream. No way did you execute your routine as flawlessly as you felt. But as you smiled and waved to the crowd, picking up a few thrown bouquets of flowers off the ice as you skated toward your beaming coaches, it all became real.

You sat in the kiss and cry booth with your coaches Erica and Larry as you awaited your final scores. Sitting as properly and calmly as possible, you were freaking out on the inside. But you didn’t show it. You never showed it. As Erica had told you when you were 11 competing at your first junior nationals, the judges were always watching…and they were always judging. Off ice appearance was just as important as on ice performance.

           You held your breath and gripped your coach’s hands tightly as your scores appeared on the board. You were the last skater of the event, the favorite to win. Your placement would be final, and you were already second after the short program. One by one the judges scores showed, and you could not believe your eyes. They were what you needed, and the crowd erupted again as a first place was placed on the screen by your name. You jumped off the bench seat with your coaches and were immediately wrapped in hugs with happy tears streaming down your cheeks.

           Moments later, you were standing on top of the podium with a bouquet in your hands and the United States flag wrapped around your shoulders, a gold medal being placed around your neck. You were smiling so wide your cheeks were hurting. At 20 years old, you were heading toward the end of your single women’s figure skating career and there was no better way then to end it than this. For you, Y/N Y/L/N, were now an Olympic Gold Medalist.

~ ~ ~

           The following year, you skated your last performance at the World Championship, going out with the best routine you had ever skated. Your retirement year was full of gold medals as you went out gracefully on top. Single female figure skating careers were never long. By the time you reached 22 you were considered old and the announcers speculated when your last skate would be. Even at 21, you felt like a veteran senior at competitions. After winning the gold at the Olympics though, you had become America’s sweetheart. Your retirement at 21 was one that had stands filled with fans, family and friends. Everything you had worked for since you were 4, was coming to an end.

           Continuing with skating, you did shows and exhibitions like every recently retired successful skater does. You traveled with Smucker’s Stars on Ice tour, performed at Scott Hamilton’s Friends on Ice, attended galas, spoke at charity events, and even guest hosted competitions. So when the president of the United States Figure Skating association approached you to be a spokesperson and participant for a new program they were rolling out, you jumped at the opportunity to stay on the ice. Ice was comforting, being at a rink felt like home.

           For the skating season of 2020/2021, USFS was partnering with the NHL. Retired skaters who wanted to participate would be assigned to a cooperating NHL team as a new skating coach. The idea was to provide figure skaters with a way to stay on the ice if they did not want to go into coaching figure skating themselves; as well as provide NHL teams with a new skilled pair of eyes, and footwork that could benefit a team’s skating performance. Though figure skaters could be looked at as dainty and fragile, they could turn on a dime, jump on any edge, and take a fall (without pads).

           That was how presently, the Colorado Avalanche were watching a short video on who their new skating coach would be. As soon as the words “Olympic champion” came out of Coach Bednar’s mouth, the team was curious. And as soon as they saw this petite figure skater on the screen, some chuckled that you would be the one to yell at them about their skating. Most were impressed by your routines though. Clean, sharp, and precise your movements were. Not to mention a handful thought you were good looking. One player in particular could not take his eyes away from the screen though, watching you with an intensity he usually reserved for studying game films. Nathan MacKinnon could not deny that he found you attractive, and his heart gave a small flutter when you laughed during an interview in the clip.

           When the video ended and the lights were turned back on, Coach Bednar got the teams attention. “This is Y/N Y/L/N. She will be our new skating coach for the season. USFS and the NHL have struck a deal for the 20/21 season to see how it goes. If it goes well, it will continue. Not only is this girl an amazing figure skater, but when I had the pleasure to met her at the conference, she was intelligent, kind, and well spoken. She is the spokesperson for this new initiative. She was placed with us because as coaches, we chose her. With all her accolades, I do not need to tell you how many other participating teams also tried to acquire her. USFS thought her personality would work best with our staff, as well as all of you. You will treat her with the respect you have for any coach on this team. If I hear a negative word about Coach Y/L/N out of any of you, you will miss the home opener. She is to be taken seriously, and treated with respect. Do I make myself clear?” Bednar asked, and the team nodded their heads and agreed. “Good. She will be here on Monday for summer camp. Have a nice weekend,” he dismissed his team.

           Nate was gathering his things when Gabriel Landeskog clapped him on his shoulder. “This should be interesting,” he spoke with a smile. Nate chuckled and turned toward him.

           “You can say that again,” he said as Tyson Jost joined them as they walked out of the rink.

           “She’s hot,” Tyson said, matter of fact, to which his captain smacked him upside the head.

           “She’s your coach now so behave,” he huffed, though he was laughing. He had seen the way Nate watched the film, and had a feeling that the center was thinking the same thing as Tyson. The younger man rubbed the back of his head dramatically, and said his good byes to his teammates. When it was back to just the two of them, Gabe turned his attention to his alternate captain. “What are you thinking about this figure skater?” he asked in amusement. Nate tried to gather his thoughts. He hadn’t even met the girl and yet the thought of her being at practice tomorrow made his hands clam up. He tried to hid this from his friend as he busied himself finding his car keys.

           “I’m thinking that she’s more decorated than any of us. Five National championships, three World championships, and an Olympic gold medal. I feel very unaccomplished,” he spoke. Gabe chuckled and nodded.

           “I’m sure that’s exactly what your thinking. See you tomorrow Nate,” Gabe said. Leave it to Nate to remember the skater’s stats before he even met them. He was interested to see how this would play out.

[miracleonice87]

Make You Feel My Love with Nathan MacKinnon

a Nathan MacKinnon song fic

a/n: season outcome, timing, and stats = totally fake. based on Nate’s public mentions in past interviews of seeing a sports psychologist, which is really inspiring to me. seeking professional advice is a GOOOOD thing! also, wasn’t originally intended to be a song fic, but Adele’s version of Make You Feel My Love (originally by Bob Dylan) came on while I was finishing it up, so I went with it! last note: pretending Tyson never got traded to the Leafs is the best part of writing hockey fanfiction. 🥺

summary: Angry/Sad Nate loses in the playoffs and takes his frustrations out on his girlfriend Sam, who gets comfort and advice from his teammates and friends.

warnings: swearing; isolated, individual outbursts of anger but NO physical violence; mentions of counseling/therapy and the practice of sports psychology (obviously, like I mentioned, this is a good thing but just something to know); crying Nate (I feel like that deserves a warning)

_____

Deflated, I sat in a bulky black chair in the team family room deep in the recesses of the Pepsi Center for several minutes after leaving the wives and girlfriends suite, needing a moment away from prying eyes and cameras to process what had just occurred.

The Avalanche had been one of the highly favored teams in the West all season long, yet had just been swept in the second round of the playoffs. My boyfriend, Nathan MacKinnon, widely regarded as one of the best players in the NHL, had totaled only one point in the 11 playoff games the team had played this year, earning a single assist on a Mikko Rantanen goal.

Needless to say, that hadn’t been sitting right with Nate.

He’d been short with me since the first few games of the postseason; even shorter than he typically got when he was in a drought. I had tried to give him space, but he snapped about the smallest questions I asked or requests I made of him: what he wanted for dinner, or to be sure he called to wish his sister Sarah a happy birthday. He sometimes mumbled an apology in my general direction, but more often than not, he simply left the room in a huff. I tried my best to be patient — to give him space.

It was abundantly clear that the pressure that always loomed heavy over Nathan like a thick, dark cloud had now intensified. I knew, without him ever verbalizing it, that he felt more burdened than ever before to live up to the hype — to the expectations he had for himself, and to those placed on him, either explicitly or implicitly, by the entire hockey community and the media.

When the rain is blowing in your face

And the whole world is on your case

I could offer you a warm embrace

To make you feel my love

I sat still with my head in my hands for what seemed like forever, until sweet Mel Landeskog, whom I had become so close with over the last four seasons of watching our significant others play together, came and rubbed my back gently through the custom Avs denim jacket that hung on my shoulders. I lifted my head to look at her, a sympathetic smile etched on her beautiful features.

“I’m sorry, Sammy,” Mel offered. “I know he’s gonna be so hard on himself. But he had such a great season — he needs to be proud of that,” she reasoned. I nodded.

Mel was right. He had had a truly remarkable regular season — he had scored 95 points in 82 games after a enduring a considerable slump for much of the previous year. This year stood in stark contrast to last. He had been riding high for many weeks; that is, until playoffs hit.

I stood to wrap Mel in a hug, appreciative of her gesture of support but unwilling to reflect on Nate’s play right now. “Thank you, Mel,” I told her as I squeezed her tightly. “I’m gonna miss you so much this summer,” I added, gesturing to the car seat on the floor beside her. “And Nate and I will both miss that little one, too,” I said as I blew Linnea a kiss, making her giggle, a welcome sound after a heartbreaking display on the ice. Mel glanced down at her baby daughter, beaming.

“I know, honey. We’ll miss you too. But it won’t be long until we’re all back here together, plus we’ll see each other for a couple of these bachelorette parties and summer weddings and get-togethers, yeah?” she said with a nudge.

“Yeah, that’ll be nice. Until then, you guys be safe,” I told her. With one last hug and quick kisses to each other’s cheeks, Mel picked up Linnea in her seat and exited the room. I realized that she and I had been the last two wives or girlfriends to leave, with most of us having exchanged quiet goodbyes in the suite before making hasty escapes to the parking area to console our respective sad hockey players.

With a groan at the depressing thought, I pulled my jean jacket tighter to my torso and walked slowly out the open door.

When the evening shadows and the stars appear

And there is no one there to dry your tears

I could hold you for a million years

To make you feel my love

The locker room doors stood maybe ten yards down the hall. The usual rambunctious ruckus that so often echoed off the cinderblock walls was tonight exchanged for a thick silence. It seemed that most of the guys had already left, and those who remained were noiseless. I softly greeted a few of the familiar men who made their way out the doors, offering only a sad smile and a few words of comfort to each, knowing that they weren’t in the mood to engage. They were, however, still polite, with several of the players embracing me briefly or kissing my cheek as they left the building.

Gabe Landeskog was among the very last to leave the room, unsurprisingly, as he was ever the responsible and respectable captain. He spotted me immediately and enveloped me in his strong grasp.

“Hi, friend,” I whispered into his shoulder, worried that my voice would break. “Hi, söt flicka,” (sweet girl) he countered.

“I’m sorry, Cap,” I told him quietly. He pulled back and shook his head. “Don’t apologize. Wasn’t our year,” he replied with a shrug. “As you can imagine, Nate is taking it pretty hard...” his voice trailed off. “I just want you to be prepared,” he finally added, carefully.

My stomach knotted. I tucked some of my hair behind my ear and swiftly licked my lips, feeling anxiety pool in my gut.

Gabe placed a firm hand on my shoulder. “Just remember it’s not you he’s upset with. It’s himself,” he said softly. I quickly glanced up at him and nodded. “Thank you,” I choked out. “Now you better get going. You’ve got two beautiful girls waiting for you,” I told him, feigning a bright grin. He tried to mirror my expression, but fell short. It was unnatural to see such sadness in his normally joyful visage. He squeezed my upper arm.

“That I do,” Gabe agreed. “We’ll see you soon, Sam.”

“Okay,” I whispered. “Bye, Cap.” He gave a solemn nod and disappeared down the hallway.

My unease only multiplied after my exchange with Gabe. I began to pace slowly in a circle. I jumped a few moments later when the door flew open with a screech, Nate emerging from behind it, a bitter, dark expression on his face.

I greeted him softly, tentatively, reaching a hand toward him.

“Nate, baby, I —“

My boyfriend brushed past me in a flash, causing a literal draft of air to hit me as he held up his hand, never even making eye contact with me as he practically stomped down the corridor.

My blood ran hot — how dare he not acknowledge my presence after I had attended how many home games, and even road games, supporting him and cheering him on, no matter what? And that was just this season — what about the three prior? Why was he shutting me out? My heart thumped against my ribcage.

“Nathan,” I called, my voice firm this time, whipping around to face his back and then fumbling with the chain of my Louis Vuitton bag as it fell from my shoulder. Discombobulated, I threaded it back over my arm clumsily and took two hurried steps in Nate’s direction, but he was already out of sight.

Just then, I noticed our close friend Tyson Barrie standing a few feet behind me. I could infer from the way he was approaching me gingerly, which was highly unlike him, that he had witnessed our exchange, or the lack thereof. I sighed and pressed a hand to my forehead, his hand coming to grip my other elbow.

“Sam, sweetheart... you okay?” Tyson asked softly. Hot tears pricked my eyelids, but I refused to let them fall, blinking them back with a sniffle. My hand fell back to my side — I was shaking now.

“I knew he would be mad...” I began. “But what the fuck, Tys?” My voice wavered.

Tyson instinctively pulled my waist to his side, giving me a quick, protective kiss to the temple, before pulling away and offering me his hand.

“Come on, I’ll drive you home,” he volunteered. With another sniff, I shook my head. “No, it’s okay, Tys. I drove, thank god,” I spat. “Besides, you’re dealing with the same disappointment. You need to go home with Em and unwind,” I insisted, smoothing one hand over his suit jacket. His head dropped and he offered a weak nod.

“I guess. But listen, if he’s still not acting right, call me, okay? You know you can come over. You’re always welcome, especially when he’s being such an ass,” Tyson said, the end of his sentence turning into a growl. We both sighed; I nodded.

“Thanks, Tys. I’ll let you know. And listen, I’m sorry... about tonight. I know it hurts,” I told him, hugging his neck with one arm. He spread his fingers over my back and gave me a squeeze before stepping back to look into my eyes.

“It’s just hockey,” he said quietly. I smiled weakly and nodded once. “Bye, Sam. See you soon,” he said, rubbing one hand over my shoulder as he turned and made his way down the hall to find Emma.

If only Nathan shared his friend’s logic and sentiment.

I dropped my head back at the thought, tears once again collecting in my eyes. I forced them closed in an attempt to stay composed. With another sigh, I slowly started toward the private parking garage where my vehicle waited.

Unsurprisingly, as I stepped through the glass door and into the garage where I spotted my Audi, the spot next to me where Nate’s Porsche had been was empty. I unlocked my car, tossed my bag and scarf into the passenger side, and slammed my door shut before giving the steering wheel two firm bangs with the palm of my hand. My body still hadn’t stopped trembling.

I'd go hungry; I'd go black and blue

I'd go crawling down the avenue

No, there's nothing that I wouldn't do

To make you feel my love

I rested my forehead against the leather steering wheel for a moment before drawing a breath and finally backing out of my spot and exiting the garage, apprehensive of the scene I might find at the condo Nathan and I shared.

_____

I stepped through the front door tentatively, chewing on the inside of my lip. I was careful not to make a sound, walking on tiptoes to avoid clicking my heeled boots on the white tile floor. I dropped my purse onto the table in the entryway and reached to hang up my keys on the rack by the closet when I heard the distinct sound of glass — a lot of glass — shattering.

I froze.

The plans I had formulated in my head during my drive to confront Nate as soon as I arrived home suddenly seemed too unnerving to carry out.

My knees were nearly knocking together as I zipped through the living room and tucked myself behind the wet bar in one corner of the room. I hid myself in a partially-enclosed area where the wine and beer fridge stood, then felt my phone vibrate in my back pocket. I fumbled to answer it, not wanting to make too much noise.

Sidney Crosby, the onscreen caller ID read. I tapped the green button.

“Hello?” I was caught off guard by how frightened my own voice sounded as I answered.

“Sam, hi. Are you home?” Sid’s usually calm and collected tone was now bathed in concern.

“Hi, Sid. Yeah, I just got home. He’s, uh... it’s not good,” I said quietly, glancing at the staircase as I heard another thud upstairs, this time what sounded like a pair of shoes against Nate’s closet wall. On the other end of the call, Sid heaved a heavy sigh.

“Yeah, I figured,” he said tensely. “I tried calling him thinking I might catch him on his way home and talk him down a bit, but he ignored my call. I’m sorry, Sam. Are you alright?”

I glanced down at my free hand which rested on the oak wood of the bar. I was still trembling, my fears of coming home to chaos having been realized.

“Yeah, I’m okay,” I choked out, lying through my teeth. “It’s just hard to watch.”

A deep hum of understanding came from Sid’s throat. “I bet. Have you talked to him?”

I shook my head, despite the fact that Sid was nowhere nearby to see the gesture. “No,” I vocalized weakly. “He uh... he kinda... he didn’t wanna talk to me at the arena... I don’t think.” I fiddled with my promise ring on my left hand as I made the admission. It didn’t even sound like Sid was breathing on the other end of the line.

“You’re telling me he blew you off?” he asked gruffly. I could envision Sidney running a hand over his face before gripping his neat curls atop his dark hair, as he often did when frustrated. I opened my mouth to confirm, but couldn’t actually bring myself to do so, knowing what his reaction would be. I also didn’t want to confess to the commotion I had just heard upstairs, knowing that it would further upset my concerned friend, on my behalf. Instead, I let my silence do the talking.

“Goddammit, Sam,” he growled. “I’m so sorry. He’s young. He- he... I used to do this shit, too,” Sidney admitted with a quick breath. “It’s bullshit. He’s just angry with himself and he’s taking it out on you and it’s not fair. I had hoped I had set a better example about how to deal with these things when they happen... but apparently not.”

A couple of hot tears fell to my face as I responded. “This isn’t your fault, Sid.” He retorted immediately, “Well, it’s sure as hell not yours, either.”

We both sat in contemplation for several moments, neither sure of the next step to take. Then, Sid decided.

“I won’t call him again because he needs to talk to you first. But I am going to text him and urge him that he needs to let you in,” Sid insisted. “He needs to let somebody in,” he repeated. “And it needs to be you first.”

More tears were falling now, and I glanced up at the chandelier overhead and pulled my phone from my ear for a beat to try and settle myself. I wiped at my face with the bottom of my thumb.

“Okay,” I finally whispered. I hadn’t ever really cried around Sid, and while he was one of the nicest and most genuine human beings on the planet, I knew he wasn’t quite accustomed to emotional encounters like this one, and I didn’t want to make him uncomfortable by letting him hear the sobs that were bubbling up in my chest.

“It might not feel like it right now,” Sid broached, speaking in a soothing tone reminiscent of my father’s or brother’s when trying to console me. “But you’re right where you need to be. So is he. He needs you, Sam.”

I've known it from the moment that we met

No doubt in my mind where you belong

“Sam?” Nate suddenly called out from the balcony above me, his voice not sounding heated, but doleful instead. From where he stood upstairs, he couldn’t see me.

“Was that him?” Sid asked. “Yeah,” I said softly, somewhat in response to both men. “Good. He’s coming around. Trust me. I’ll let you go. Text me later, eh?” Sid requested, sounding slightly relieved. “Yeah, I will. Promise. Thank you. Bye,” I said hurriedly before ending the call.

“Sam?” Nate’s voice echoed off the walls once more, sounding desperate this time. My pulse quickened.

“Yeah. I’m coming,” I said softly. I stuffed my phone back into my pocket, took a steadying breath, and turned to walk upstairs and face him.

By the time I arrived on the second floor only a handful of moments later, Nate was already back in our bedroom, seated in the oversized Queen Anne chair near the center of the room, elbows on his knees, chin almost to his chest. I was shocked to hear small sobs escaping his lips. He glanced in my general direction, not meeting my eyes, and cried harder.

“I can’t even look at you right now,” Nate finally spoke, somewhat coarsely. My heart seemed to shatter right then, and I felt my body steel in self-defense, preparing for war.

“I can’t even believe how I treated you back there. I’m such an awful fucking human. I’m a monster. I’m so sorry,” Nate added tearfully, catching me off guard.

The storms are raging on the rolling sea

And on the highway of regret

The winds of change are blowing wild and free

You ain't seen nothing like me yet

I immediately let out three sobs that seemed to have been lodged in my throat for almost an hour now and, in an instant, closed the gap between us. I dropped to my knees in front of him and laid my head in his lap, hugging his calves. Never before had we shared such an intensely emotional moment. Above me, he covered his eyes with his hands and drew shallow, gasping breaths in an unsuccessful attempt to calm himself.

“I’m so sorry, baby,” he cried, not touching me of his own accord. “I’m so sorry.” I picked up my head and looked at him, urgency coursing through my veins. I needed him to come back to me.

“Nathan, baby, hey,” I coaxed, rubbing his big thigh with my hand, which looked so small in comparison. “Look at me. Please? I need you to.”

After a beat, Nate finally lifted his head from his hands, his pale skin slightly splotchy and tinted red, blue eyes shimmering behind more tears that threatened to fall.

“There’s my handsome man,” I said softly, combing my fingers through the neat hair near his ears, watching him slowly return to me.

“Hey, I want you to listen to me, okay? Tonight you’re allowed to cry it out, or punch our pillows, or run on the treadmill all night to blow off some steam. And then I’ll give you a couple more days to swallow this. But after that? We’re gonna check in with Dr. Butler, both of us, so she can give us some ways to cope with this.”

Nate’s shuddering breaths had finally started to slow as I spoke, referencing one of his most trusted allies, the Denver-based sports psychologist he had been seeing now for a few seasons to help him deal with not only hockey-related challenges and mental blocks, but also general anxiety, in order to boost his mental health. I was careful not to allow my tone to come across as if I were babying him, but instead offering comfort and, more importantly, suggesting help. “Because tonight? These last couple weeks? This can’t be it. We can’t deal with things this way. I don’t want you shutting me out, or Sid, or your family, okay? You wouldn’t let me do that — I’m not gonna let you,” I added.

Nate nodded quickly. “Absolutely, babe. I was just gonna say, as soon as I heard you on the phone downstairs, it really just hit me. I realized I needed to text her and set up an appointment,” he told me, his voice no longer shaky. “And that I needed to apologize to you,” he added softly. I nodded, and he grabbed my hands, pulling me to my feet and then back down to lie in his lap. I threw my legs over one arm of the chair and settled against his chest.

I closed my eyes and allowed myself to find comfort in Nate’s heartbeat for a moment, as he pressed soft kisses into my hair, before I looked around the room, assessing the damage. I noticed that his suit coat lay crumpled in the middle of his closet floor, his shoes having bounced off the wall there as I suspected, and they sat out of place atop his neatly assembled collection of footwear. Across from us, I noticed the source of the shattered glass — a shadow box display from Nate’s unforgettable rookie season hung just slightly crooked on the wall, the glass in the front completely broken out, save for the shards along the inner edge of the frame.

Nate followed my gaze to the mess and sighed. “I’m really sorry about that, Sam,” he said, shame creeping into his tone. I nodded knowingly. “What did you throw?” I asked. “That puck they gave me from the last game of the regular season. It was on my dresser when I set my wallet down and it just set me off,” he admitted sheepishly. “It was stupid.”

“Yes, it was stupid to break something that’s valuable to you, but it’s not stupid, what you’re feeling,” I told him firmly. “Besides, we’ll get a new glass panel and it’ll be good as new.” His grip around me tightened, appreciative of my response. “Thank you,” Nate whispered into my ear. I turned to kiss his lips slowly and deeply. He finally pulled back, only to murmur, “I don’t deserve you. I’m so grateful I have you.” I smoothed my thumb across his cheekbone. “I’m always going to be here for you, Nate,” I promised. He gave me one more solemn kiss.

“Listen, I’m gonna carry you into the bathroom so you don’t even get close to any shards of glass, and I’ll clean all this up while you run us a bath,” Nate told me. “I’ll join you soon. I think it’ll be good for both of us, eh?” I nodded, wrapping my arms around his neck as he easily picked me up bridal-style and headed toward the en suite.

Things were far from perfect, but I was prepared to do everything in my power to get us as close as possible. From the change in his demeanor, I knew Nate was, too.

I could make you happy, make your dreams come true

Nothing that I wouldn't do

Go to the ends of the Earth for you

To make you feel my love

[pucksnsticksnhockeyboys]

summertime mindset - pt. 6

stargazing & sexile

masterlist for summertime mindset

Timing is hard to get right and summer doesn’t last forever. You and Tyson learn the hard way.

word count: 1.9k

note from the writer: enjoy darlings this is really soft and lowkey a filler.

SUMMERTIME

You loved your family, you really, truly, did. But you were also twenty and being trapped under the same roof as them when you were used to having the freedom of your dorm and friends’ apartments while at college made everything feel a bit too suffocating.

It was late at night, and you were lamenting this to Tyson while you were curled up in bed and he was at his own house. You were about ready to give up and try to go to sleep, but then Tyson sent you a text and told you to meet him out front.

You tugged on a sweatshirt and exchanged your sleep shorts for leggings, slipping into your shoes before sneaking down and out of the house. Tyson was already waiting for you at the end of the driveway in his car, and he waved you over with his trademark grin.

“Where are we going?” You asked, though not knowing wasn’t stopping you from opening the passenger door and sliding inside. Tyson met you halfway over the center console for a kiss before he let you buckle up and he shifted the car into gear.

“It’s a surprise.” You chuckled at him, shaking your head in mirth. Turning in your seat, you admired how he looked in the low light.

“You expect me to just get in a car with you without knowing where you’re taking me? At eleven at night?” You teased, and it was his turn to shake his head.

“We’re going for a drive, you said you had to get out of the house.” Tyson explained. Your heart soared at the gesture, and if you weren’t constricted by the seat belt and conscious of Tyson’s less than perfect driving skills you would have leaned over and given him a kiss. Instead, you pecked his shoulder before unplugging his phone from the aux and playing your music. It was a rule between the two of you, passenger picks music. Still, he playfully scoffed as he watched you.

“Oh please, you kidnap me, I get to choose the music.” You huffed with a smile. Tyson chuckled, reaching over to thread his fingers with yours and set your conjoined hands on your thigh. You tugged, bringing his hand to your lips so you could kiss the back of his before leaning back into your seat.

This was undoubtedly one of your favorite moments of the summer so far. The windows were cracked and though it was night, the air that was blowing into the car was nice and cooled your skin that had been warmed from being in the sun all day. Your music was quietly playing and perfectly suited for the atmosphere of a late-night drive with Tyson.

He was your favorite part of the whole scenario, no contest. He was singing under his breath as he drove through the streets, occasionally stealing glances at you with a softness in his eyes that had you melting even more so into your seat. You were so distracted by him that you didn’t even realize he had driven to an open field until the car was in park.

When you shot him a confused look, he simply shrugged his shoulders and squeezed your hand before climbing out of the car. You followed his actions, your confusion only growing when he opened the back of the car and pulled out a picnic blanket and what looked suspiciously like the comforter off of his bed. It was only once he laid the picnic blanket down and laid down that you realized that he was taking you stargazing.

As soon as you laid down beside him he started to pull the comforter over both of your legs, only pausing to focus on the sweet kiss you gave him. You both pulled away grinning like fools, and there was a fondness in his eyes that you had never seen before that had you leaning in for another peck.

“Surprise.” He teased, laying back and folding one hand behind his head and the other moving around you to pull you into his side. You chuckled, snuggling into his side as your gaze studied the stars above you.

The view in the sky was beautiful, but the man lying beside you, running his fingers up and down your arm absentmindedly, was stunning.

PRESENT

You should have expected it, really, when your roommate texted you and said not to come back to the apartment for a while since she was having some guy over. The text had come in the middle of you getting dinner with some coworkers, so you were doing the most to stall going back.

Which was how you found yourself sitting in your car in your building’s parking garage, Tyson’s contact pulled up and the number about to be dialed.

You had tried to get a hold of Jon, you had made up since he stormed out of your apartment, but he wasn’t answering, and you really just needed to see if someone was willing to hangout. When you finally dialed Tyson’s number, it didn’t take long for him to pick up.

“Hey, what’s up?” His voice was cheerful, and you could hear people in the background of his line, but they were growing fainter, so you assumed that he was going somewhere quieter.

“Nothing really, I was just calling you to see if you were busy.” From the noises on the other end of the line, you knew he was doing something, but that didn’t stop you from being hopeful. “I’m sexiled from my apartment for the foreseeable future.”

“I mean, I’m just having dinner at Gabe’s and I’m sure he wouldn’t mind if you came over.” You bit your lip at the offer, but as much as you wanted to take him up on it, it wasn’t his place to invite you over. You had met the captain and his wife a few times, and you really liked them, but you were in no way close enough to just show up at their house and crash a dinner party.

“I don’t want to intrude.” You replied, shaking your head despite the fact that he couldn’t see you. There was some shuffling on his end of the line, and you heard the people talking in the background get louder. Someone, JT, you think, asked who Tyson was on the phone with and he responded with your name.

“Landy come tell her she wouldn’t be intruding if she came over!” He yelled into the line, loud enough to have you pulling your phone from your ear. There was some more shuffling, and it sounded like a wrestling match for Tyson’s phone. Your suspicions were proven correct when the voice that spoke next decidedly did not belong to your brunette friend.

“I promise you’re invited.” Gabe told you, and you could just picture the shit eating grin he was most likely wearing as you heard Tyson complain about wanting his phone back. “You’re more welcome than Josty, if I’m being honest.” You chuckled at this, especially since you could hear Tyson let out an offended ‘Hey!’ from wherever he was on the other end of the line. You let out a defeated sigh, putting your key in the engine and twisting to turn your car on.

“What’s the address?”

Twenty minutes later you found yourself in an expensive neighborhood you would typically have no business being in. You were in awe of the large houses, probably as a result of the one too many HGTV shows you’ve watched. You texted Tyson that you had arrived and by the time you were walking up the driveway the front door opened, and he greeted you with a beaming smile and a wave.

You were swept into his arms the moment you were close enough, the familiar feeling enough to make you forget about your stressful day and how you really needed to look into finding a new apartment. Inside the house, you were met with the usual suspects: EJ, JT, Sam, Nate, Cale, Andre, and Mikko, plus any accompanying significant others. And, of course, the hosts, little baby Linnea catching your eye from the moment you entered the living room where everyone had gathered.

“Why are you dressed so fancy?” Sam teased as soon as you entered the room. You rolled your eyes, making your way to Mel, who was already asking if you wanted to hold her daughter.

“This isn’t fancy, they’re my work clothes.” You reasoned, gesturing towards your simple slacks and blouse. To be fair, it was more dressed up than the jeans and t-shirts he was used to seeing you in. “I had a late meeting, and then I grabbed dinner with some coworkers.”

“Tyson told us you got sexiled.” EJ grinned, and you hushed him, covering Linnea’s ears with your free hand as you kept her curled into you with the other. “What? She won’t remember this!”

“Yeah, but Cale will.” You chirped, sinking into the couch next to Tyson. His arm was resting on the back of the couch behind you but dropped around your shoulders as soon as you settled. The guys all laughed as you teased the rookie for his innocence, and Cale took the chirp in stride.

“I know that’s my baby, but you guys look like the cutest little family. You guys are so good together.” Mel commented and you felt your blood run cold. Part of you hoped she was talking about Andre and Mikko, who were sharing a loveseat on the opposite side of the room, but you knew your luck wasn’t that good.

“I, uh, have a boyfriend, actually. That’s not Tyson.” You coughed out after a moment of silence. Mel started sputtering out apologies, and the boys broke out in loud and obnoxious laughter. Beside you, Tyson chuckled, his heart clearly not in it but you elected to ignore it. That was a bit too much for you to unpack at the moment, especially in a room full of people.

“Gabe didn’t tell me.” Mel swatted her husband’s shoulder as she spoke, who in return raised his hands as proclaiming his innocence. You waved her off as best you could while still bouncing Linnea in your arms, but she shot you one last sorrowful look before thankfully Nate piped up with a story about something embarrassing that happened at practice that drew everyone’s attention off of you.

“Sorry if they made you uncomfortable.” Tyson whispered so only you could hear. You glanced at him out of the corner of your eye, spotting an unreadable look on his face. You smiled at him, a little too forced for reasons you couldn’t quite place, before turning back to the blue-eyed baby blinking up at you from your arms.

“Don’t worry about it. We always were told we made a cute couple, even back then.” You told him without really thinking. You tensed after you spoke, you never really talked about your past relationship and you weren’t sure what had coerced you into doing so just then. Tyson didn’t respond at first, and you risked a glance at him to see he was smiling faintly, that still unreadable look in his eyes that you couldn’t place. He leaned back into his seat, arm tightening over your shoulders just a tad bit more.

“Yeah, we got that a lot, didn’t we?”

[agentfreckles]

Operation Holidate | Part 1

Part Two, Part Three, Part Four

Rating: General

Word Count: 1,215

Pairing: Felix x Female!Detective (Eris Evergreen)

Summary: With Eris off planning Christmas parties at the station, baking enough peppermint cookies to give to every citizen in Wayhaven, and organizing toy drives for the less fortunate, Felix fears she may be too busy making the town’s Christmas dreams come true to take time to relax and enjoy the season’s splendors herself. With the help of his fellow Unit Bravo members, Felix is determined to surprise his girlfriend with the best holidate  ever by bringing Christmas to the Warehouse in four easy steps. 

Notes: Part one of a four part miniseries serving as a surprise holiday gift for the immensely talented @iristhemessenger. Felix and Eris are one of my absolute favorite UB x Detective pairings and I knew if I was going to even attempt to touch that beautiful pair, I had to come up with something big. Hope you enjoy and I wish you a very Happy Holiday and a healthy New Year!

Also a quick special shoutout to @not-sewell​ for giving me to the support and encouragement needed to finish this thing. Couldn’t have done it without you!

Tree hunting, as it turns out, is a far more arduous process than Felix had anticipated.

And sure, maybe it had been a bit naive to think he could just waltz into the forest surrounding the Warehouse with an axe in hand, happen across the perfect Christmas tree within the first five minutes of searching, chop it down, and have it sitting pretty in the living room by noon. But he wasn’t expecting it to be this difficult.

It’s not like there aren’t plenty of evergreens scattered around the forest. But they’re all too small or as tall as buildings or their branches are too sparse or they’re not green enough to make the cut. In the near ninety minutes since his tree search began the only things he has to show for his efforts are a couple of fallen pine cones he’d stuffed in his pockets to save for possible use later as a rustic addition to the planned decor for the living room. 

Felix grumbles bitterly to himself as he trudges through the snow, glaring ahead at Adam’s back where the axe he’d set out with currently rests over the blonde’s broad shoulder. He’d made it two steps out the door before Adam stopped him and confiscated the thing (apparently axes are not on Adam’s list of approved objects for Felix to be carrying around -- who would’ve thought?). Leave it to Unit Bravo’s resident party pooper to dash his lumberjack dreams before they even began.

But, axe or no, Felix still needed a tree and since Adam wasn’t about to let him go all Paul Bunyan unsupervised, the Commanding Agent begrudgingly offered to come along and aid in the young vampire’s quest.

Unfortunately, Adam’s suggestions thus far have been...less than ideal.

“Seriously, Adam?”

“What’s the matter?”

Felix casts a judgmental eye on the fir in question. One glance at its skinny branches and dull green needles is all Felix needs to know there’s no way in hell he’s hauling that thing back to the Warehouse.

“Adam, that is not a Christmas tree. It’s a Christmas stick at best. And it’s even shorter than I am.”

“This is a perfectly acceptable tree,” Adam insists, studying his find with a far more approving gaze than Felix had a moment before. How this thing is managing to meet the man’s notoriously high standards is beyond him. “It’s sturdy, manageable. And it’ll likely require minimal decoration.”

“You've got to be kidding me." Felix rubs exasperatedly at his temples. Were he human, he’s sure he’d have a raging headache by now. "What’s Eris going to think when she walks into the living room and sees some little shrub instead of a proper Christmas tree?”

Adam raises a brow. “I’m sure the detective would be perfectly satisfied with any tree regardless of its stature.”

“Come on, Adam! Her last name is Evergreen. Christmas trees are practically in her blood. Getting a tiny tree would be an insult to her family name.”

He places a hand on Adam’s shoulder, gently guiding him away from the shimpy little fir as he continues. “Our Christmas tree’s got to be a real showstopper. The kind of tree that makes you want to sing carols and open gifts and throw a Santa hat on your head. It's gotta be bold, bright, big. Something like--"

Felix trails off, stumbling forward a step as his eyes widen in awe and disbelief. There, a handful of yards away from where he and Adam stand, he spots it.

The perfect tree.

Whereas Adam's pick bore a strong resemblance to that one sad little tree that always ends up left in the back of the Christmas tree lot at the end of the season after all the better trees have been purchased, this tree is the clear star of the show. It's tall -- even taller than Nate by the look of it -- with rich green pines that fan out wide and proud in a most glorious manner. The whole thing looks like it’s just begging to be adorned in ornaments, tinsel, and colorful lights and in his heart Felix knows that this is the one he's been searching for.

He races over to the tree in a blur of motion too fast for the human eye to capture. To his delight, it's even more gorgeous up close.

“Oh man. Eris is going to flip when she sees this!" Heavy footsteps sound behind him and Felix turns to beam widely at Adam as he approaches. "Isn't this the most amazing tree you've ever seen?"

Adam's expression displays little emotion as usual, though a hint of mild interest flashes in his eyes. "I will concede that it is quite aesthetically pleasing."

"Looks like it's settled then. Let's get chopping!" Felix makes it no more than a step before a hand juts out and stops him in his tracks.

"I'm afraid we can't pick this one."

"What? Why?" Felix cries. "You just said yourself it's aesthetically pleasing. Coming from you that's a rave review." He moves to step around Adam, but the Commanding Agent blocks his path, crossing his arms in disapproval.

“Need I remind you that we do not have the luxury of lofty ceilings in the Warehouse? There is no discernable way that tree will fit within the structural parameters of the living room.”

Felix waves his concern away. “Then we’ll make it fit. A little shortening of the trunk here, some careful slicing at the top there. It's easy."

Sensing that Adam remains annoyingly unconvinced, Felix decides to set aside his mental bag of tricks and just give it to the man straight. It's a bit of a risk, he knows. But he knows better than most that underneath that ice king exterior lies a big old softie who just wants him to be happy.

"Look, I know it's a lot to ask. Not just the tree, but the decorations, baking, the whole thing." Felix's gaze falls to the side, his fingers fiddling with the knit scarf draped around his neck. "It's just that this is mine and Eris’ first Christmas as a couple. The first of many to come, hopefully. I just want to make it as special as I can. And I really, really think this tree can help me do that."

A beat passes between them as Felix watches his Commanding Agent with bated breath. Finally, the stony expression he wears softens.

"You're certain this is the one?"

"Without a doubt."

With one last beleaguered sigh, Adam gives a resolute nod. "All right."

The young vampire's face instantly lights up in excitement. He flashes Adam a smile in thanks, one the blonde returns before he strides forward, retrieving the axe from over his shoulder.

"So..." Felix says casually, hands creeping forward in an attempt to make contact with the axe firmly held in Adam's strong grip. "I do the chopping, you do the heavy lifting then?"

Adam pulls the tool away from his reach, fixing him with a stern gaze to silence any impending protests. Despite the icy stare, Felix is pleasantly surprised to find a grin tugging at the edge of the Commanding Agent’s lips. “Don’t push your luck.”

Felix backs off, adopting a wide grin of his own. “Worth a shot.”

[nateserenas]

do you have any dair or serenate headcanons in terms of like how you think they were in their relationships (like what kind of dates they would go on etc)

i think with serenate they’re very go with the flow. like somebody would invite them to something or they’d hear about something interesting and then they’d just decide to go do it. but i think they also do both like planning dates sometimes. like i think serena loves to surprise nate. like she won’t give him any notice, she’ll just pop up wherever he is and be like let’s go!! and he’ll always drop whatever he’s doing and let her take his hand and pull him to their destination because she’s serena and she’s beaming and practically giddy with excitement and her eyes are sparkling and she’s very high energy and almost bouncing around and just so so excited and he adores her and thinks she’s the most endearing person alive so yeah he always goes with her. and i think sometimes she has plans in advance like she finds this really pretty hiking trail where they can sit near a waterfall and she brings a picnic. but sometimes she’s someone will have just told her about this really pretty spot to watch the sunset or that there’s a chance they’ll see dolphins and serena immediately finds nate and they drive to see it. also serena 100% signs them up for random classes. like they’ve done lessons in multiple styles of dance and they went to a baking class once (it starts with them trying to be serious and follow the instructions but then nate gets batter on her nose and she retaliates and they’re both laughing uncontrollably and they’re covered in flour and they get kicked out of the class.) she also definitely signs them up for surf lessons and they’re both actually really good at it (they both somehow accidentally on different occasions end up in surf competitions and they both win and nate probably then starts entering competitions on purpose). also they join another book club. as for nate, his dates are very sweet cliches. not cliches as in expensive dinners and stuff more like he takes her to the boardwalk and they walk around holding hands and they hit each other on the bumper cars and they split a huge cotton candy and he plays one of those boardwalk games and wins this really big dolphin teddy bear and it’s serena’s favourite thing ever and then they play one of those games where you have to like beat the other person at idk those games where you have that water thing and compete against each other and the first time they play they 100% just have a water fight and then serena suddenly looks at him gets really serious and is like okay let’s play for real this time and she beats him and she choses one of those plastic rings as the prize and then she very dramatically gets down on one knee and she’s beaming and she holds nate’s hand and puts the ring on his finger and he’s smiling and he lifts up his eyebrow and he teasingly asks if she’s proposing and then she wiggles her eyebrows and says maybe and nate’s eyes open so wide and his jaw drops and he’s suddenly serious and he asks wait serena really? and now she’s serious but there’s a small hopeful smile on her face and she nods very vigorously and then nate’s crying and he pulls her into the biggest hug ever and whispers i love you so much into her hair and now she’s crying too and she puts the ring onto his finger and then they’re both giddy and beaming and they literally love each other so much and also oops this started as me describing the dates nate plans and then i accidentally wrote a serenate proposal. also this entire thing makes more sense when i mention that they live in california in this.

[sassyduckqueen]

30 Days of Lukanette- Wings/Flight

So I rewatched Reverser and this came from it. Also making Viperion mean wasn’t easy but luckily, it’s not permanent and Lila is offically helping Hawkmoth. I promised she would take a more villainous role and this is just the beginning. I do intent for Luka to be the one to expose her though

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Watch out!" Viperion yelled, jumping across the scene and pushed Alya down to the ground. She blushed as he looked to the side and threw his Lyre, knocking the villain down before catching it like a boomerang before helping her up. She dusted herself down before grinning.

 "Thanks, Snek boi," She grinned before jumping up and hitting the pigeons out of the sky. 

 "Try and keep out of trouble, Alya" He grinned, causing her to gasp and fluster over him calling her by her first name. Mr Pigeon got back up and whistled for his birds to attack Viperion, causing him to back flip out of the way. "Man, I hate this guy!"

 "You and me both, Danger Noodle! Aaachoooo!" Cat Noir sneezes before frowning as he wiped his nose. "Bug-a-boo! Hot stuff! You got any ideas? He seems more determined this time! Aaahchooooo!"

 "We're a little busy right now, Kitty!" Ladybug gasped as she and Ryuko were surrounded by hundreds of birds. "Luck- oh no! That's mine!"

 She tried to grab the pigeon that had grabbed her yoyo as Ryuko hit them continuously with her sword. Cat Noir kept sneezing and Viperion rolled his eyes. They needed to end this quickly.

 "Capture that sneezy kitty-cat my darlings!" Mr Pigeon determined, only for Viperion to throw his lyre again, knocking them out the way.

 "Don't you know snakes like me eat birds for breakfast!" He growled before throwing his lyre straight at Mr Pigeon's chest, knocking him back and jumping at him. He grabbed hold of his whistle and threw it it towards Cat Noir. "Cat, now!"

 "Cataclysm!" He yelled, catching it before sneezing as it turned to dust. The bird dropped the yoyo and Ladybug used it to purify the akuma. Luckily, there had been no real damage to Paris as Mr Pigeon was a minor threat. The four of them fist bumped before Ladybug looked at Viperion and smiled.

 "Great work, Viperion. You too, Ryuko and Cat," She smiled as her earring beeped. "Sorry. Gotta go! Bug out!"

 "Ladybug! Wait!" Alya gasped but she disappeared into the Paris skyline. "Viperion! Can I have an interview for The Ladyblog?!"

 "Sorry. I gotta go. I'm almost out of time," He replied before jumping up into the Paris skyline as Ryuko and Cat Noir ran off to. He made his way to an alleyway before detransforming and giving Sass some cake. He looked at his watch. "You good, Sass?"

 "Yep," The little snake smiled before slipping into Luka's hood. "Let's go!"

 "Alright! Movie time!" He grinned before running as fast as he could to the cinema. Marinette and her friends had arranged a movie day and to his surprise, he had been invited. He couldn't help but smile as since he had become friends with her, his life had dramatically improved. Not only had he become a superhero but he had friends. Since he was home educated, it was hard to make friends. Sure, it was his own choice but there was a price to pay. He jumped over several things and took a few shortcuts he had learnt as Viperion before he made it to the cinema. Alya and Marinette were waiting outside as he walked over. Marinette smiled and waved at him, causing him to wave back as Alya gushed over Viperion. If only she knew.

 "Oh my god, Marinette! Like, I know I'm with Nino but Viperion is so hot and he's really well toned!"

 "Hey, girls," Luka smiled as Alya sighed dreamily again. Marinette smiled as he gave her a hug. She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek as Adrien arrived with Nino and Kagami. Luka did the guys' secret handshake with both of them before chuckling softly as Nino tried to get Alya out of her day dream. "Sorry, Nino. I think Viperion has captured the heart of your girl,"

 "Seems she has a thing for reptiles, man. She has a crush on Carapace too," He laughed, causing everyone to laugh. 

 "Hey, you have a crush on Ryuko and Rena Rouge," Alya grinned. "So do you have a superhero crush, Luka?"

 "Well, if I had to choose, it would be probably be Ladybug," He smiled, glancing a little at Marinette, who had gone slightly red.

 "Well, we all know Marinette has a crush on Viperion!" Alya grinned, knocking her slightly with her elbow. "Not that I can blame her!"

 "Come on, guys. Cat Noir is pretty cool," Adrien grinned. 

 "I quite like the cat," Kagami piped up, making everyone laugh before they all headed in. Luka gently took Marinette's hand, making her blush more as they waited. As friends, their circle was growing but as heroes, they were even better. Ladybug had set up a meeting between the heroes and gave them all the option of knowing each other's identities since she, Ryuko and Viperion knew quite a few of them. Cat Noir actually chose not to know, which had surprised Luka but he was happy that she had put it out there, even thanking her. His reason was because in case, he got akumatized. If he knew their identities and got akumatized, their families and friends would be in danger as well as themselves. Luka respected his answer. Since finding out everyone's identities, he had to take extra care not to be too emotional. Ryuko had revealed she and Cat knew each others' identities but she didn't want to know Ladybug's for the same reasons. Ladybug was the more important member of the miraculous team and they had to protect her at all cost. Rena, Carapace, Pegasus and King Monkey all agreed they'd rather not know since they were only part time members and were more prone to been an akuma then the full time heroes. Ultimately, Ladybug respected their choices but told them if they changed their mind to let her know. Ryuko and Cat Noir also revealed they were dating, much to Ladybug's delight. Luka, on the other hand, wasn't sure what he would call the relationship he had with Marinette. He'd guess more then friends but less then lovers. He hoped to change that at some point but he also wasn't in a rush. He liked the time he had with Marinette. 

 "Hey guys," A red haired boy smiled as he walked over with Rose, Juleka, Ivan and Melene. Marinette waved back as Luka ruffled Juleka's hair and patted Rose's head, getting a little smile off her.

 "Hey, isn't Marc with you?" Marinette asked, looking around as she was sure they invited him as well. 

 "Oh, he's just grabbing some stuff from the art room at school. He shouldn't be too long," He smiled before noticing Luka as he clapped hands with Ivan "Hey, I don't think we've met yet but I'm Nathaniel,"

 "Luka," He smiled, taking the hand that Nathaniel held out and shook it.

 "Oh, you're Juleka's big brother right? Those three are always talking about you in the Art Group," He smiled, pointing over to Rose, Juleka and Marinette. Marinette smiled as Rose beamed and Juleka blushed and muttered something, causing Luka to laugh. "They say you're really good at guitar,"

 "I try my best,"

 "Hey! You should come by our art group, Luka! I'm sure our art teacher won't mind!" Rose gasped, getting nods of approval from everyone. 

 "Yeah, that would be cool," Nathaniel agreed as Kim, Max and Alix all arrived but to Marinette's surprise, Luka looks kind of nervous.

 "I don't know... I don't exactly go to your school..." He mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck.

 "What school do you go to?" He asked, curious. Luka bit his lip.

 "I... don't.... I.... I'm kind of home educated..." He mutters, looking away. Nathaniel rises an eyebrow before shrugging. 

"So is Kagami but she's part of the fencing group, right Kagami?"

 "This is true," She replied, walking over. "You should join the art group, Luka. I'm sure there's more to you then just playing guitar,"

 "Yes!!! We could practice some of Kitty Section's songs there and Marinette can design our clothes!" Rose squealed excitedly. Luka looked over at Juleka, who gave him a shy smile and a thumbs up.

 "Well.... I guess I could check it out..." He mumbled shyly, causing the three girls to squeal with delight. He chuckled and smiled as Alya looked at the watch. 

 "Movie's about to start. Nate, you wanna wait for Marc and we'll save you two a seat?"

 "Sure!" He grinned before they went inside. 

 (***)

 Luka felt nervous as he walked to the art room with Juleka. He knew Marinette would be there but he still felt awkward. It was one thing performing at home. Juleka noticed and smiled at him.

 "Everyone's really nice in here," She reassured. "You know most of them anyway through me or Marinette,"

 "I know.... but you know why I decided to learn at home and they don't," He mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck.

 "I know but not everyone is out to get you," She mumbled. "Besides, you have your guitar with you. Just woo them with your music like you did with Marinette,"

 She started to laugh as he turned red before he rolled his eyes and ruffled her hair. The two of them laughed as she fixed her hair before they walked into the room. The Art Studio was huge and accommodated with every type of art he could think off. To his right, there was a wall dedicated to street art and to his left, there were tables and chairs. Boxes of musical instruments were in the left corner of the room and there were easels set up at the back. There were a couple of computers set up in the room too and a manikin with an unfinished outfit in the middle of the room. Rose was sat on one of the tables with headphones on and a note pad in her hand. Alix was working on the street art wall while Nino was working on a computer with headphones in as well. Nathaniel was sat at the table with another boy and Marinette was working on the unfinished outfit in the middle of the room. The teacher was talking to a blonde haired kid that he didn't know.

 "Luka!" Marientte's voice brought him out of his thoughts as she walked over and hugged him. "I'm glad you made it. Obviously, you know most people here but this is our art teacher, Mr Peintre and this is Marc! He's Nathaniel's partner and together they create comic books based on Ladybug and Cat Noir! How cool is that?! Marc! Mr Peintre! This is my boy- Ah! I mean! Luka! This is Luka!"

 "Hello, Luka. It's nice to meet you," Mr Peintre smiled kindly. "Juleka, Rose and Marinette have mentioned you before. You're Juleka's older brother right?"

 "Y-yes sir..." Luka mumbled. "Thank you for letting me come by,"

 "Of course. Any artist is welcome here. We're a hobby group. Not a class. My, is that a guitar? Juleka mentioned you could play. Would you mind showing us?" Mr Peintre asked. Luka nervously nodded and took his guitar off his back. He had brought his acoustic as it was lightweight and he wasn't sure if this place had amps or if anyone other then his kitty section friends were ready for his level of music. According to Marinette, he rivaled Jagged Stone for style and loudness when it came to playing his electric guitar. He made sure it was in tune, getting everyone's attention. 

 "What do you want me to play?" He asked, unsure as he looked up. Every single person in the room had their eyes on him. 

 "Do your heart thing," Juleka mumbled, making everyone raise an eyebrow. 

 "Yes! That's a great idea!" Rose cried out. "Luka is amazing with music! He can literally hear and play the songs in people's hearts!"

 "Pff! Impossible!" Alix rolled her eyes, making Juleka and Rose giggle. "Ok then. What's in my heart, Beethoven?"

 "Well... something like this..." He mumbled as he started to play a fast paced song that resembled a ticking clock. Alix dropped her can of paint in shock as she watched him move his fingers across the fretboard before he turned it into a slower beat that reminded Marinette of someone sitting at a table, painstakingly writing. She realized it must be what's in Marc's heart and judging by the light blush on his face, he had realized it was his song. Luka switched it to another beat. This one was fast and fluttery and Rose squealed, knowing it was hers before he changed it a somber tune that made Juleka smile. He went through Nathianel's and Nino's next then switched to Melene and Ivan's before finally coming to Marinette, causing her to blush as he played it before he put it down. The room was silent for a minute before everyone rushed over and gushed over him, making him blush.

 "Dude that was so amazing!" Nino nodded, clearly impressed.

 "How did you do that?!" Alix demanded. "What's your secret?!"

 "Y-you really captured the c-characteristics of everyone here pe-perfectly," Marc muttered quietly. 

 "Alright, alright. Everyone, settle down," Mr Peintre clapped his hands. "Luka, that was truly some amazing music there,"

 "T-thank you," He muttered as the door opened. To his surprise, Chloe walked in.

 "Oh, you're here," She muttered, looking at him. "I shouldn't be surprised really. Are you here for Dupan-Chang?"

 "I got asked to drop by," He replied. "I didn't think a place like this was your kind of thing,"

 "Of course, it is. I'm totally an awesome artist," She gasped, grinning. "In fact, my piece will be the best piece of art you've ever seen, Couffaine,"

 Before he could say something, she took out a picture of Queen Bee. It wasn't the worst drawing but it wasn't great either.

 "That's... nice?" He asked, trying not to insult her.

 "Of course, it's nice! I did it! It's for the Miraculous project!" She gasped. "Since Queen Bee was such an important-"

 "Didn't Queen Bee betray everyone?" Nathaniel pointed out.

 "That was a ruse and she still helped out before that so she deserves a place in-"

 "No, she doesn't," Alix stated but Marinette walked over.

 "That's really nice, Chloe," She smiled softly. "I think we should put it up in the Miraclous project. Queen Bee did do some good,"

 She looked at Luka with a small look as the others argued.

 "She did help Ladybug trick Hawkmoth," He pointed out, remembering the illusion he casted as Kitsune. All the miraculous holders knew it was a lie but for them to keep their identities secret. Juleka and Rose nodded as Nino agreed out loud. 

 "We think it's lovely, Chloe," Rose smiled softly. Chloe had a light blush on her face.

 "Well, do what you want with it!" She gasped before leaving it on the side and walking out.

 "Hey, Nath. Why don't you show Luka the paintings you did of Cat Noir, Ladybug, Viperion and Ruyko?" Marinette suggested, causing Nathaniel to smile. He walked over to some covered up canverses before he pulled down the clothes, revealing his paintings.

 "Wow!" Luka gasped. "They're amazing!"

 "Thank you," Nathaniel smiled, blushing a little. "I really tried to capture the heroes as best as I could,"

 "You really did. They look fantastic," 

 "Thanks! Would you like to see our comic book?" He asked before pulling Luka over to his table. "We're doing an issue based on Viperion's POV,"

 "The storyline is that he goes up against Silencer after Silencer steals Ladybug's voice," Marc smiled proudly but frowned when Luka flinched at the mention of his Akuma idenity. "Hey, are you ok? Did I say something wrong?"

 "No, not at all," He smiled softly before looking at his watch. His eyes widen as he realized he had to start his delivery shift. "Oh, I have to go! My shift starts.. well, now... sorry, it was really nice to meet you all!"

 With that, he rushed out. Marc frowned as Nathaniel patted his arm.

 "He didn't like my story?" He asked but Marinette shook her head and walked over.

 "No, I'm sure he loved it. It's just... well... Silencer... was Luka..." She mumbled, shocking the two creators.

 "Oh, no. I'm sorry, Marinette. I didn't realize," Marc gasped but Marinette held up her hands.

 "No, no. It's my fault. I should have mentioned it,"

 "Hey, why don't we turn it into a redemption story like we did with our own akumas?" Nathaniel suggested, causing Marc to smile. 

 "Yes! Silencer could work with the heroes against Hawkmoth!" The two of them gasped, making Marinette smile. Her phone vibrated and she picked it up to see a text from Luka.

 L: Sorry I had to rush off. I forgot I'd taken an extra shift. Anyway, tell you're friends I really like their comic book idea :)

 She smiled before clearing her throat.

 "He likes it," She announced, making both of them smile before they continued to plot their story.

 (***)

 Marc hummed to himself as he finished up writing the plot for the next chapter off the ladybug comic. He was the last one in the studio but he had wanted to get his idea down so he stayed behind. He promised to message Nathaniel when he got home though. The door to the room opened, causing him to look around as Lila entered.

 "Oh, hey Lila," He smiled as she walked over.

 "Hey, Marc. What do you doing?"

 "Just writing the plot for the latest issue of the ladybug comic," He smiled.

 "You write that? That's so amazing. Do you do the drawings as well?"

 "Oh, no. I just write. Nath does the drawings,"

 "Wow. He's so talented," She smiled.

 "Yeah, he is," He agreed. "Without him, I couldn't do any of this,"

 "Well, of course. He's the artist after all," She stated, making him frown. "Sorry! I meant as in that he's the one good at drawing,"

 "Y-yeah,"

 "It's not like writing is really an art form anyway," She shrugged, making him frown.

 "Not an art form?"

 "Not really. Sure, it's fun but anyone can write," She pointed out. "It takes a real special person to be about to draw. You're so lucky that you found Nathaniel! He can draw what you can't!"

 "I guess," He muttered, feeling really hurt by her words. Lila smirked to herself before gasping.

 "Oh, I'm sorry. I have to go. I have a dinner with Clara Nightingale tonight! Bye, Marc! Have fun!" She waved and ran out, smirking wickedly as she had done her part. With seeds of doubt planted in the sensitive boy's heart, he would become easy prey for Hawkmoth. She left the building as a purple butterfly moved past her and entered the Art room.

 (***)

 "I really hope you don't mind Marc and Nathaniel doing a comic about you," Marinette smiled as she moved about the room. Luka was sat on her computer chair, playing his guitar softly.

 "No, I don't mind," He smiled. "I like their style and you said they were gonna make Silencer into a hero later on right?"

 "Yeah," She replied as she sow the hem of the skirt. "If only they knew how true that was,"

 "Well... Silencer isn't a hero,"

 "But Luka Couffaine is," She pointed out, making him blush. "Aww the nope rope is blushing,"

 "Funny, bug girl," He grinned. "You nearly called me your boyfriend when you were introducing me today,"

 "W-what?! You noticed that!" She gasped, pricking her finger. "Oww!"

 Luka moved over to her and pressed her finger to his lip, causing her to blush.

 "Of course, I noticed," He smiled. "I wouldn't have corrected you either,"

 "Luka," She blushed but the sound of a wicked laugh got their attention. The two of them rushed out onto the roof and saw a blur of black and white speed past before several paper aeroplanes landed on the ground. To both Marinette's and Luka's surprise, they began to float along with every thing else. "What the?!"

 Luka grabbed hold off the side of the railing and grabbed Marinette's hand, pulling her towards him and inside the house as best as he could but he would admit it was hard. The two of them frowned. 

 "What happened?"

 "It's like the gravity is gone," She gasped as the familiar face of Reverser came into the view on the Telly.

 "Hello, Paris! Tonight, Reverser is back and I'm gonna teach you all who's the best in all of Paris! I've taken away gravity! It takes a real special person to do that, don't you think?!"

 "What the?" Luka gasped as the two of them watched it.

 "And that's just the beginning! I'll reverse everything and everyone!" He laughed, evilly before smashing the camera. Luka noticed Marinette looking worried at the TV.

 "That's Marc," She muttered, sadly. "We have to save him,"

 "We can barely move around like this," He pointed out.

 "Then let's use the flight potion. It will help us adapt to this kind of situation," She grinned, taking out the purple magicrons. Luka smirked and took out the purple slice of cake as Marinette threw Tikki the Magicron. "Tikki! Power up!"

 Tikki ate it, causing her head to glow and her to spin as a light consumed her before she appeared out of it, now with wings.

 "Sky Tikki," She grinned.

 "Sky Tikki! Spots on!" Marinette shouted, turning into Ladybug. Only this time, her outfit looked similar to a sky diving suit and she had insect wings as part of it. Luka grinned before throwing up the piece of cake to Sass, who ate it.

 "Sass, power up!" He ordered, causing the little snake to do exactly the same as Tikki. However, he looked almost the same once he emerged from the light, apart from the little wings he had. 

 "Sass Sphere," He declared as Luka held out his hand.

 "Sass Sphere, Scales Slither!" He shouted, throwing his hand up into the sky. Once his transformation was onver, he was dressed in a snake themed skydiving suit and he had two feathered wings as part of it. He guessed he was literally a winged serpent. The two of them glided towards the skylight before pushing themselves through it and using their wings to fly. It was much easier then he expected and faster. He had no worries about the lack of oxygen and it came to him, like second nature. They zoomed past the rooftops before coming to a stop by the film studio. Ladybug frowned as she noticed everyone floating, slowing going towards the sky.

 "It looks like our old friend, Reverser is back, mi'lady," Cat Noir stated as he and Ruyko flew over. Cat had black feathered wings and Ryuko had dragon wings.

 "And this time he's more powerful," Ladybug pointed out. "But what caused it?"

 "Well, well. Look who's decided to turn up!" Reverser appeared on his aeroplane. "Now I can prove I'm just as much as an artist as anyone else!"

 He summoned a plane.

 "Puss to wuss again eh?" He shouted, throwing the planes at Cat Noir but Ruyko pushed him out of the way, getting hit by one. She screamed and instantly held onto him in fear. "Well, not what I was expecting but still funny to see! Let's see! Ladybug, I think I'll take you down a level or two! Hero to Zero!"

 He threw the plane and she dodged it as Viperion flew up and tried to land a sneak attack on him but Reverser turned around and threw the plane at him. However, Cat jumped in the way so it wouldn't hurt him before Ruyko screamed and flew over to him again.

 "I'm so scared!"

 "It's hopeless!" Cat wailed as Ladybug tried to reassure him.

 "You're always so nice, Ladybug," Reserver gasped. "So I say from Nice to Nasty!"

 He threw it at her but it never hit her. Instead, Viperion took it. 

 "Viper," She gasped, looking at him but he suddenly shoved her away.

 "Jeez, could you be any more useless?!" He gasped, angrily as Cat stared at him. "What the hell are you looking at, fleabag!?!"

 Reserver laughed and flew off, leaving Ladybug with a bitter Viperion, a depressed Cat Noir and a frightened Ryuko. She summoned her lucky charm, which was a belt but frowned before she looked around. Cat Noir lit up and so did Viperion and the belt. Moving across to Cat Noir, she used to the belt to secure her to his back before she looked over at Viperion, who was teasing Ryuko. 

 "Viper, I need you to grab hold of Ryuko,"

 "And why would I do that? She's been pathetic," He rolled his eyes. 

 "This is hopeless," Cat wailed. "We're never going to win,"

 "Shut up, loser! You're annoying me!"

 "You know, Viperion, you sound just like Queen Bee right now?" She stated. 

 "I sound nothing like that spoiled brat!" He replied, glaring at Cat Noir before he whispered boo to Ryuko, making her scream as he laughed. "I'm not helping you. I'm done helping you!"

 "Wait... if you help me, it would cause trouble for Reverser and that's what you want to do right? Be mean and cause trouble for people? That would include Reverser and Hawkmoth right?"

 "But that means I'll help you,"

 "True but it would cause major trouble for Reverser and Hawkmoth if you helped me. Like way more trouble then if you didn't help me. It would be the ultimate terrible thing to do,"

 "Well when you put it that way," He smirked wickedly. It did not suit him. He grabbed Ruyko and threw her over his shoulder, ignoring that she was terrified. "Lead the way, trouble bug,"

 "Put me down!!! I hate heights!!" 

 "Come on, Cat," She stated, pulling him up and flying off with Viperion. 

 "Hey, Viper,"

 "What?" He snapped, making her flinch slightly but she shook it off. As long as she defeated Reverser, he'll turn back to normal.

 "Do you think you could really annoy Reverser? Like been really mean to him?"

 "Easily," He smirked as they got to where Reverser was. He shoved Ryuko down. "Hey! Two face! You want to prove you're the best huh?"

 "I am the best,"

 "Really? Cause from where I'm standing you're the lamest villain I've ever seen! What's your reason anyway for been akumatized? I bet it's stupid as hell!" 

 "I'm here to prove that writing is an art form as much as everything else,"

 "Pfff! Please! Anyone can write! It's literally just putting words together! I knew you were a loser but seriously, this is just beyond stupid,"

 "S-shut up!"

 "Oh look at me! I'm Reverser and I'm gonna cry. Boo hoo! You shouldn't be called Reverser, you should be called Crybaby because that's what you are. A good for nothing piece of trash that is throwing a massive hissy fit because someone said that you're not an artist! Big deal! No one makes it anyway!"

 "Stop it!"

 "Make me, bitch!" Viperion sneered. "Oh wait. The only way to do that is to reverse me! Oh so scary! I'm so afraid! Not!"

 Ladybug managed to fly behind him.

 "Cat, use your power now,"

 "What's the point?" He sighed but she pouted. "Fine. Cataclysm,"

 He touched the paper plane and caused Reverser to fall. She undid the belt and threw it up in the air.

 "Miracalous Ladybug!" She shouted, causing them to spread around fixing everyone. They covered Cat, Viperion and Ryuko and brought people back down to earth. Reverser turned back into Marc as he fell but Viperion caught him. 

 "You ok?"

 "Y-yeah..." He blushed as he landed onto the ground and put him down. Ladybug, Cat and Ruyko joined them. "I'm sorry about becoming Reverser again,"

 "Why did you?" Ladybug asked, causing Marc to blush.

 "A class mate said that writing wasn't truly an art form and that anyone could do it. I don't think she meant it to be an insult but... I took it that way,"

 "What class mate?" Viperion asked.

 "Oh, she's called Lila," He replied, making Ladybug and Viperion look at each other. "Oh no. I bet getting going! Thanks again!"

 "We better leave too," Ryuko nodded before jumping off with Cat Noir.

 "Scales rest," Viperion ordered, turning back into his normal suit. "I'm sorry about what I said,"

 "Spots off," She mumbled. "It's ok. Reverser got you. Besides, I know you didn't mean it. Anyway, we should head home. I'll see you soon, Viper,"

 "Til next time, Bug,"

 (***)

 "Luka, you came back!" Nathaniel smiled as Luka came into the room. 

 "Yeah. I like it here. Everyone is so sincere and pure," He smiled as he looked around the room. His eyes landed on Marinette as she continued working on the outfit. "Besides, I should get out of the house more often. How's your comic coming along?"

 "We've decided to make Silencer a hero," Marc smiled before moving closer. "Marinette told us that you were Silencer and me and Nath just wanted to say sorry if we upset you with bringing him into the comics,"

 "But if it helps almost everyone in this room has been akumatized so you're not alone," Nath added in, smiling. 

 "Thank you," Luka smiled. "So what about Viperion?"

 "Oh, we decided to have him as the main love interest for Ladybug," Marc grinned. "In fact, Peta was going to help us make the comic into a film and we would love it if you did the sound track,"

 "Sure,"

[izzyfandoms]

Spooky Sanders’ Haunted House - 1 - Introduction

Here’s my new au idea, I’m probably just gonna write and post oneshots about this whenever I feel like it but this won’t be a regular chapter fic

Warnings: Sympathetic Deceit, Sympathetic Remus, ghosts, demons, angels, blood, possession, religious themes, major character death (because they’re ghosts)

General Taglist: @quillfics42 @ajdraws0430 @phantomofthesanderssides @creativity-killed-thekitten @phlying-squirrel @sly-is-my-name-loving-is-my-game

Masterpost

In the middle of the woods stood a mansion: a large, foreboding mansion with pale walls, cracked windows and creaking hallways. It somehow felt both lived-in and abandoned at once – cold, but warm; repulsive, but inviting. It was the very definition of an oxymoron.

There was a small crowd gathered at the entrance to the mansion, as there often was, though these people had actually paid to be there, unlike those who sometimes showed up out of nowhere, uninvited, who had to be scared away. The mansion’s inhabitants were good at scaring people away, but that also often led to people wanting to come back, so it wasn’t always helpful.

Leading up to the front door of the mansion was a short, but elaborate, set of stairs: five large white steps, covered in cracks and moss that never seemed to go away, no matter how much they’d tried to get rid of it. At the top of this staircase stood a teenager, who looked to be about seventeen at most, dressed head-to-toe in black, with accents of silver and yellow, and with vitiligo covering one side of his face.

The boy leant on a decorative cane as he looked over the dozen-or-so people in front of him – they’d checked their tickets with the not-actually-24-year-old man who stood by the front gates. He grinned as they shifted awkwardly under the weight of his stare.

This would be fun.

“Greetings, Ladies, Gentlemen and those of you who know better, and welcome… to the Sanders’ family mansion. Now, some like to speculate that my family’s home is haunted by the ghost of our father – the world-famous actor, Thomas Sanders – as his death was as mysterious as his past, but I disagree. I have it on good authority that my father’s soul is up in heaven, where it belongs. No, the things that haunt my home are far more unpredictable.” His smile widened, baring his teeth. “We’re just lucky they haven’t decided to kill us yet.”

He paused for another second or two to gauge his audience’s reactions, before turning suddenly and pushing the large wooden doors open. They creaked noisily, and an ominous gust of wind shot out from the inside, tracing icy fingers down everyone’s spines and dancing through their hair.

The boy then motioned with his cane for the group to follow him inside.

“Follow me.” He instructed. “Don’t wander off. Don’t go upstairs. Don’t touch anything you’re not supposed to. We have eyes everywhere; you won’t get away with anything… untoward.”

He glanced back at them for a moment, eyes shining. “And, most importantly, try not to die. We don’t need to add another ghost to the collection.”

Once they were all inside, the doors slammed shut and the lights went out, engulfing them in darkness. A childish giggle rang through the air as another new voice whispered from all around them:

“You’ll regret this.”

***

Virgil wandered down one of his mansion’s many corridors – he’d never get used to the ‘his’ part of that phrase, he  may be the oldest Sanders sibling at twenty-two years old (and the only adult in the house, as Remy and Emile didn’t count) and therefore the owner of the place, but, to him, it would always be their father’s.

He half-heartedly tapped at his phone, typing out a message to his friend, Toby, and scowling slightly when the Wi-fi stopped working, which was an unfortunately common occurrence in this place. He didn’t look up when he reached the end of the hallway, pulling a door open and stepping inside. It immediately slammed shut behind him, and only then did he glance away from his phone, one eyebrow raised.

His eyes widened slightly.

The bookshelves were empty, their contents swirling across the ceiling, in a constant state of chaotic movement, though they seemed undamaged, none of the covers missing or pages falling out. The closet in the corner was rattling violently and the TV showed only deafening static, dark blood leaking out the bottom of the screen. In the centre of it all sat Virgil’s twelve-year-old brother, Roman, curled up on the couch, knees to his chest, his back to his brother as he mumbled to himself.

All of a sudden, his head twisted around 180 degrees to face Virgil. His eyes were dead – pupils white – and his nose was bleeding. He opened his mouth to let out an ear-splitting screech, and that’s when Virgil finally snapped out of his daze, blinking a few times in surprise before he frowned disapprovingly.

“Remus, give Roman control of his body back. You had it during the tour, and he needs to do his homework. You can have it back later.”

Remus’s scream continued for another moment or two, before his jaw snapped shut and his head spun back into place. He shook it a few times before he turned back to Virgil, his eyes alive and normal again, though he was pouting.

“Aww, come on, Virge.” Roman whined. “Don’t be such a royal pain, we were having fun!”

Virgil rolled his eyes, reaching out and ruffling his younger brother’s hair. “Yeah, yeah. Just go do your homework, kid.” He then turned to the TV. “Patton, get out of there and clean up that blood, you’re going to break it.”

The static stopped, the screen going black, and, a few seconds later, a tiny nine-year-old boy climbed out of the television, dressed in a blood-stained grey cat onesie and large round glasses. They were cracked, but he never seemed to notice.

Patton beamed widely – too widely – when he landed on the ground, picking up the tiny toy cat that lay beside the TV. It was grey, white and missing an eye, with half of its fur matted with what used to be blood. He ran up to Virgil, wrapping his tiny arms around the man’s legs in a hug. The television re-absorbed all of the blood as he grinned up at his pseudo-older brother.

“Where’s Janus?” He asked, voice as glitchy as ever.

Virgil hummed in thought, patting the young boy’s head as best he could. “Uh, he should be back in his room? I don’t-”

Patton disappeared before he could finish, and the toy cat dropped to the ground. Virgil sighed, picking it up and putting it in his hoodie pocket, he could return it later. He then turned to the still-shaking wardrobe.

“Logan, I know you’re in there. I’m not sure how Remus dragged you into this mess, but I bet Remy had something to do with this, too.”

The books circling the ceiling suddenly paused mid-air, before slowly floating back towards the bookshelf and arranging themselves alphabetically, much neater than they’d been prior to this. The closet then stopped shaking and fifteen-year-old Logan stepped out. He looked about the same as usual, apart from the small blue horns on his head and the matching demonic tail that was curled around one of his legs.

Logan adjusted his glasses. “I apologise, Virgil, but Remy had nothing to do with this, actually, not that he tried to stop it, either. Emile was the one who advised I help out with their little… prank, of sorts. It was good practise for my powers. He also suggested I keep my horns and tail out more, he said it would help me become more in touch with my demonic heritage.”

Virgil sighed again. “Of course, he did.” He paused, before continuing. “Speak of the demon, do you know where he is? I haven’t seen him since the tour earlier, and I’m concerned he’s sacrificing a goat somewhere and making a mess of the place.”

Logan shrugged. “Hell, probably.” He flicked his wrist and floated a textbook into his arms. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, Virgil, I have some reading I’d like to get back to. Remus interrupted my studies when he’d suggested this failure of a practical joke.” And, with that, he left, his tail and horns disappearing back into his body.

Virgil massaged the bridge of his nose. It could be difficult, sometimes, looking after his two human brothers, two ghosts (one of which had accidentally possessed and couldn’t unpossess his youngest brother) as well as the literal antichrist. He’d say it was worth it, and that they were his family and he loved them, but that didn’t make it any less stressful.

“’Sup, babe, you brooding again? You’ve got your brooding face on.”

Virgil looked up, immediately spotting his literal guardian angel floating above him, loudly slurping a Starbucks coffee. Heaven knows how he got his hands on it – the nearest Starbucks was hours away, and he’d seen Remy just a few minutes prior without the drink.

“Please stop calling me that.” Virgil said dryly, flopping onto the couch and burying his face into one of the cushions.

Remy snorted, wings twitching. “Gurl, we both know I don’t mean it like that. You’re cute and all, but angels can’t date their humans.”

Virgil rolled his eyes, pushing himself up onto his elbows. “Since when did you care about the rules? You weren’t supposed to reveal yourself or move in, either, but you still did.”

“Rules are made to be broken.” Remy said seriously, contradicting his earlier statement, but Virgil ignored that fact. “Besides, I’ve got my eye on that cute friend of yours, remember? He’s, like, still single, right?”

“Nate?” Virgil sat up. “Uh… yeah, I think so.”

“Nice, I’m gonna tap that.”

Virgil groaned. “Please don’t.”

Remy’s face turned serious. “There’s literally nothing you can do to stop me.” He floated down until he was laying on the coach, wings folded against his back, his bunny slippers in Virgil’s lap.

“I’m sure I could figure something out.” Virgil snorted. “Janus’s got tons of books on the occult, I’m sure he could find some kind of spell to stop an angel from being so horny all the damn time.”

“Excuse you!” Remy gasped loudly, lightly kicking Virgil. “I am angelic, thank you very much, I have nothing to do with the occult!”

Just as the latter was about to respond, they were interrupted by a loud bang from the other side of the house. It sounded like it was coming from Janus’s room, which was unsurprising, as most suspicious loud noises came from there.

Remy and Virgil exchanged a quick look before jumping up and rushing in that direction. The human out of concern and anxiety, and the angel mostly out of curiosity. They bumped into both Roman and Logan on the way, who followed them to Janus’s room.

It looked normal from the outside – the door had been painted black during Janus’s goth phase (which wasn’t quite over yet, to be honest) – but there was no way of guessing what was going on inside.

Virgil reached for the door handle, but it burst open before he could lay a hand on it. Six dark shapes shot past them – Remy only just about managing to catch the 22-year-old before he fell – and they each ran off in different directions, presumably scattering all around the house, screeching loudly as they went.

“Shit.” Janus swore, and everyone turned to look at him.

He was sitting in the centre of the room, beside a broken pentagram that still looked damp – it was newly painted – and one of his many, many books on the occult. There were black candles everywhere, though only about half of them were lit, and Patton was peeking out from behind the teenager, eyes wide and mouth in a small o-shape.

“Demons.” Remy said. “You summoned six demons. What, wasn’t Emile enough for you?”

Virgil blinked a few times in surprise, before his face settled into a disapproving expression. Janus half-smiled sheepishly.

“Uh… woops?”

“Again, Janus?” Virgil scolded. “This is the third time this week, seventh this month, you’re dealing with this on your own.” He then turned on his heel and stomped back to his room.

Remy followed quickly after, and both Roman and Logan returned to their own rooms as well, leaving Janus and Patton alone again. They exchanged a glance.

Patton blinked owlishly at him before disappearing too.

Janus sighed, picking himself up off the floor and dusting himself off. This would be a long evening.

[nate-santos]

O, Death || Nate & Morgan

@mor-beck-more-problems

Nate gets his tarot read! Nothing bad happens!

Nate had never had any sort of psychic reading done before, and while most might think the whole practice was fake or silly, he wasn’t so sure. At this point, Nate had seen enough to know that pretty much anything was possible, even the ability for someone to read his future with a few pieces of cardboard. He was overwhelmed with nerves all evening as he ran around his house making sure it didn’t look like it was entirely in disrepair. Sure, he’d just gone through some flooding and he’d never really made the interior feel like home aside from towers of take out boxes, but Morgan didn’t need to know that he lived such a sad life. Not that she wouldn’t be able to tell just by reading his future...god, was all this stuff really real? He paced the familiar path next to his front door as he waited for Morgan to arrive, jumping into action probably quicker than he really should when her knock finally came. “Hi! Hey! Welcome! Sorry- I’m uh...a little nervous...Would you like to come in?”

Morgan felt bad for how easily Nate fell off her radar. He’d admitted he was a zombie to her, over the internet, and he was always on the town social media checking in on things or saying nice things about other people. And somehow he was willing to pay her twenty bucks to hang out and give him a tarot reading despite knowing divination wasn’t her magic department. If she hadn’t needed the money so bad, she would’ve taken back the idea of compensation to get some good energy going in her favor. “Hey!” She said brightly. “Love to!” She stepped inside and--wow. Maybe the reason Nate was so nice for the same reason she tried to be: his existence away from the rest of the world was so...sad. “This is...great! Did you build the whole place yourself? It’s enormous.” She asked, tiptoeing around the takeout. It was nice, or it could be nice, if he knew how to give it a little love. She wandered to the back of the main room and looked out the windows. Trees on all sides and the brightest view of the night sky and the waxing moon. Nate would have made a good warlock, she decided.

Nate ran a hand through his hair, nervously looking for something to occupy his antsy fingers as Morgan looked around his sparse living space. He had been so proud of the design, and looking over the space now, he felt an overwhelming surge of guilt at how he was treating his “dream” home. This was supposed to be he and Mari’s forever house and he had only decorated it with take out boxes and safety proofing equipment. It was so pathetic when he looked at it through the lens of someone else. “Y-yeah! I designed it myself...I wanted to have a nice view and stuff...it was uh...planned for a while. Didn’t think I’d build it in this town but- well…” He trailed off, his eyes falling to his feet. “So uh...where are we supposed to do this? Do you need candles or something? ‘Cause I don’t think I have any...fire hazard and all that.”

“Well you definitely got the view down with these windows. And this deck!” Morgan exclaimed. She swiveled back over to him. “I brought the atmospheric candles, don’t worry. And your homeopath-tastic cleanser of choice. You seem like you might be a cedar and juniper kind of guy, but I also have lavender if you want to have a softer mood. And we can do it anywhere!” Immediately after she said this, however, she had a distinct feeling that no amount of magic, real or otherwise, would make this living room the kind of space where you would feel cozy hashing out your feelings. “But, since you’re asking, I would love to spend some time on your porch! It’s so nice out, it’d be a shame not to, right?”

Nate smiled lightly at Morgan’s positivity. The whole experience made him nervous, but then again, most things made him nervous. But she had an optimism to her that made Nate remember what it was like to feel happy, even if his nerves were overtaking him. “Oh uh...I’m not sure? I don’t really know what any of those smells...do? But I think uh...softer might be...ideal?” Nate kicked at the toes of his shoes, unsure what to do with himself. “Outside? Uh- yeah, sure!” Nate glanced out the window, noting the bright sky, the nearly full moon reflecting on the river. It did look peaceful, almost like it wasn’t the back yard of a man who would become a monster once he died. Nate grabbed a few blankets and led the way out to the porch, plugging in the few strands of twinkle lights he’d installed and rarely ever used. “Is this ok? Or should I turn them off? I’m- I’m sorry, I’m a little nervous…”

Morgan beamed at Nate, nervous about everything, even a little aromatherapy. But, yep, in spite of his lumberjack figure, Nate was as soft as a flower petal inside. If she’d met him in person before, she probably wouldn’t have bothered with the cedar in the first place. “Lavender is perfect,” she said. 

Somehow she ended up leading the way to the porch and setting out space for them. Blanket, candles, lavender. “Are you kidding? The lights are perfect! You need to have people over more often, you could throw some amazing parties!” But, that was probably not going to happen anytime soon, if they were being realistic. Morgan took her seat on one end and gestured for Nate to take the spot opposite. When he was ready, she passed him the deck, “So, what do you want to know about your life right now, Nate?”

Nate chuckled. As if he even knew enough people to have a party at his place. Even though he’d originally designed it for entertaining, without Mari around, it just felt...empty. All the time. And that was fine. Sometimes Nate thought maybe he liked the sadness it brought. It was like a penance for not being there to save her. As if being bitten by a zombie wasn’t bad enough. “I uh- yeah...maybe when it gets warmer out,” he hedged. The view overlooking the river would be the perfect backdrop for a backyard BBQ, complete with neighborhood kids running around and his friends laughing over a beer. Nate shooks the thought out of his head. He settled in, focusing back to the present. “I-” he paused, wringing his hands in his lap. “Will I die soon?”

“Nate! Your whole future isn’t written in stone! And there’s nothing in you that could have the answer for that besides your own fear. Ask something that acknowledges that you have some agency over yourself. Fate--” Morgan hesitated. Fate, as far as she could tell from Deirdre, was a real and terrifying bitch. Fate wanted you for life, sometimes. But Fate couldn’t possibly have her hands in everything. There was too much universe and too much magic for her to steal Nate’s potential on the mortal plane or her fucked up family curse. Right? “Fate doesn’t have every card in the deck. You have some power, right now, to choose how your life takes shape. Doesn’t it matter how? Isn’t there anything you want to make sure happens before the end?”

Nate stared at his hands, falling silent for a long while. He wasn’t sure that he did have agency over when he was going to die. He liked to think he did, and he sure did try hard to make sure it wasn’t any time soon, but at the end of the day, he would still become a monster when it happened. For all his research and all his attempts, there was still nothing he could do to change that. He racked his brain trying to think of an easier question, perhaps something that might even ease his mind, if only for a moment. “Ok...ok…” Nate crossed his legs and sucked in a long breath. “Will I...find peace? Before the end?”

“There you go,” Morgan said. “How will you? What do you need, right now, in order to find peace at the end? She took the cards up and gave them a shuffle, thinking of Nate all the while, and laid them out in an arc facing him. The fireflies buzzed gently in the air, looping their peaceful infinities. They buzzed near Morgan’s neck and dipped across Nate’s vision. She hoped, for his sake, the pull of life to him was a good sign. Okay, thinking about what you need, right now, to find your peace, draw a card.”

Truly, Nate wasn’t sure what it was that would bring him peace. Seeing Mari one last time? A guarantee than once he died, he wouldn’t wake up and murder the first person he saw, consuming their brains? Knowledge that there was a real cure to what he was? He closed his eyes for a moment, centering himself as much as possible. He resisted the urge to swat at the fireflies, knowing they weren’t poisonous, before reaching out to pull his first card. Flipping it over, his stomach knotted, unsure what it meant. “Is that...good?”

The card was Death. Poor Nate, Morgan thought with a sigh. It was good, insofar as anything was good, but it sure would’ve been helpful if the cards had been less...aggressive. “So, you may not believe it, but yes. This isn’t about literal dying, it’s about letting go. Letting something that’s tired, broken, and no longer helping you...die. And out of that passing, finding space for something new to take shape.” She gave Nate the most encouraging smile she could muster. “Sometimes death is something that is, something that fits into the balance of everything. This Death, it only comes for you when it’s really time. When the bones your dragging are ready to be laid to rest. Especially when those bones are old stories you’re used to telling yourself that just don’t do what they’re supposed to anymore. Am I making any sense?”

Nate wasn’t familiar with tarot cards or their meanings, but a card that literally reads DEATH couldn’t be good. He could feel the familiar wave of panic cresting over him and his hands gripped his chair. “Y-you sure? It’s- literally...it’s death!” Nate rocked slowly, trying to calm himself. Death and rebirth. Death of things he’s been carrying around. Death of his fear of dying? Did that even make sense? Nate wrapped his arms around himself and looked up at Morgan. “Is- there another...would the next card maybe...be better?”

“Nate, please don’t freak out,” Morgan urged gently. “Death can be--” She hesitated, wondering for a moment if there wasn’t something in the cardstock after all that knew she was here and taking a two-way jab. “--Even real death doesn’t have to be a bad thing. It can just be. Or be a gift. I don’t know how exactly, I just heard it from someone who’d seen a lot of it and that’s not what this is about anyway, I want to emphasize that--but it’s possible. And if even real death can be a gift, then letting go of this something in you can be a gift too. It just wants you to let go. As gently as you can. And it’ll be caught, and so will the rest of you. You won’t fall when you let go. This Death will catch you and the whole world will open up.” She smiled sadly at him, and decided not to question who she was more sorry for in that moment. “But, you should definitely draw another card!” She said, straightening herself up with cheer. “Three card pulls are nice and easy.”

Nate drew.

“Ooh! Look how strong he is, right? This is what you’re really aiming for, what’s waiting for you after you’re caught! The Hierophant is a master teacher. He’s got all the rules, the knowledge, usually in some kind of organized structure? And, as counter-intuitive as it might seem, you could actually move closer to finding that kind of firm, organized knowledge if you let go. Or maybe there’s someone you know like this already, and they want to help you! It doesn’t have to be a man, I should probably mention that. All these energies are around and in us. It’s what they’re offering you that’s important. Is that--does that--make you feel any better?”

Nate struggled to calm his breathing, squeezing his eyes shut before managing to suck in a few deeper breaths, forcing serenity into his body. He was afraid to open them, to see the next card that could destroy his future. But what was he gonna do? Chicken out? Pretend like any of this wasn’t real? Maybe...maybe he would get caught. Maybe Morgan was right. Maybe death wasn’t the death he thought. Nate slowly opened his eyes and stared down at the cards, flipping the next. Morgan’s reaction was all he needed to feel the smallest bit better. “Y-yeah,” he started, feeling one of the zillions of stress knots in his stomach start to loosen. But as was always the way with Nate’s luck, a shadowy figure sent him straight into another panic. “But...uh, M-Morgan? Were you uh...expecting anyone else?” His eyes were locked on the figure behind Morgan, making its slow approach towards the house. “C-cause my...neighbors are...out of town….”

Morgan was preparing to explain the next card, the Hanged Man, making a full set of major arcana cards, no suits, just big, demanding energy, when she noticed Nate go still with alarm. “Someone else?” She asked, confused. She looked over her shoulder and-- 

No. 

No, this was bullshit. She was not seeing him right now. This was some evil, cursed, supernatural bullshit. Morgan felt sick. She sank onto her hands, her chest tightening. His face had been all wrong, sagging to one side, swollen on the other from the impact of hitting that tree, like on that last day. Morgan fixed her eyes on the deck, waiting to see his staggering footsteps. She waited. Nothing. Morgan risked a look up and-- nothing still. “Fuck this,” she hissed, and scrambled to her feet towards the door.

Nate scrambled backwards, feeling the sense of unease rolling off of Morgan in waves. Whoever this was was not welcome here. “W-where are you going? What’s happening??” He rushed after her pulling them both into the house and locking the door out of reflex. “Do you know that person?” His brows furrowed, not understanding why she might have invited someone else to their reading, but honestly hoping she did. It was better than the alternative which of course was that some shambling stranger was wandering around his yard in the pitch black darkness. As if he wasn’t already horrified of his future.

Morgan pressed her back to the door. “Person?” Morgan hissed through her teeth, voice shrill. “What kind of person disappears as soon as you stop looking at them!” Was this some kind of hex? More White Crest bullshit? Morgan’s brain was firing too fast for her to think, and she didn’t even know half the critters that lived in the cursed place. But whatever was making her see her Dad, mangled and estranged from his real self as he’d been on the day she lost him, after the time she’d had with the treasure chest coins, was on her list. “That is a thing,” she growled. “Some stupid curse, some ghost out of a stick or I don’t even know! But I am not putting up with this!” She went to her bag and started rummaging. Nothing stood out, nothing seemed right, she was running too fast from this to think. “What do you know about the weird things here?”

Nate shrank back at Morgan’s change in demeanor. She’d been so calming before the  appearance of the man, though Nate couldn’t fault her. He was straight up terrified now. “I don’t know!! But it- it looked like a person!!” Nate eyed the door, knowing his locks were more than secure, but if that...thing wasn’t a person after all, would all the locks in the world even work? “I know...there’s a lot of it? Everything’s weird?” He wasn’t sure what Morgan had in her bag that could help them right now, but he prayed she knew more than he did about this sort of thing.

Peeking through the door’s window, Nate’s stomach dropped to his knees. No longer did he see the figure of a man, but a lumbering woman, limping along with one arm barely hanging onto her shoulder. In the pale moonlight, there was no mistaking her. Mari. Nate crashed to his knees, his head slamming hard against the door as sobs raked through him. “N-no no no no….she’s- she can’t be-” Somewhere in the back of his mind, Nate wanted to try to help Morgan, but it was all he could do to breathe. His love had come back after all. It only took nine years, but she’d finally found him. He wondered if she were able to eat normally she might have some sort of chance at a real life, like Remmy had. Crawling over to the front window, he saw Mari’s intestines trailing behind her, muscle and raw sinew draped across her shoulders like some sick shawl from beyond the grave. “M-Morgan-” Nate croaked, pointing out the window.

Morgan screwed her eyes shut and tried to remember breathing. In. Hold. Out. She was doing it too quicky, and under her lids she saw the palm tree lunging towards them, the way his body bounced against the steering wheel on impact, how still he was. She opened them. What had Nate said? She? “‘She’ who? What are you talking about?” Morgan turned and staggered back. The figure was pulverised, bloody and draped in gore. “Do you--do you know her?” Distracted, Morgan found her iron and salt. If this thing wasn’t a ghost, it was at least ghost adjacent. That had to mean something. “Nate, get back from the window. She’s not--whoever you think she is. If this turns out to be another bullshit curse thing...” she added through her teeth. There was nothing to say after.

Nate shuffled himself backwards away from the window, clenching his eyes shut. Whoever - whatever Morgan had seen had to have been awful if it had snapped her into such a frenzy. If it was anything like Nate’s ghost from the past, he wondered how she could still make complete sentences. Then again, Morgan seemed a good deal stronger than Nate in a lot of ways. He backed himself up against his weathered couch and wrapped his arms around his knees, waiting for the next instruction. “W-what kind of curse?” He stammered through sobs. “She’s- it’s not really- please tell me it’s not really-” another round of sobs choked him off.

Morgan had to bend over to keep from looking at the broken girl in the window. Her stomach was trying to spiral its way up to her throat and having the iron and the salt didn’t really solve the problem of ‘now you have to get outside and touch it with those things.’ And Morgan knew just like she knew that she’d had it too nice, too balanced, too cozy, that if she went out to take a swing at that thing, it would turn back into her dad. Or maybe her mom. Or maybe her college roommate, freshly lacerated with glass from her fall. And she wasn’t ready for that. She couldn’t stomach this punch from the universe. Even if it meant another one would find her later, she’d handle it over this. “No,” she snapped, breath hollow in her throat, “No it’s not really her! I don’t know what it really is but it’s mean and it’s awful and if I made this happen with my stupid danger zone, I’m sorry!” She straightened up and looked around the house. Suddenly it seemed like there were too many windows, too many places for it to find her, and her Subaru was too far away for comfort. “Where’s your toolbox? You’re gonna need salt and iron and to stop looking at whatever that asshole is! Just stop, stop looking at it, it’s just being cruel!” Her voice was growing shrill as she spoke, the more she fought herself for control, the more it seemed to run away from her. She went for the kitchen and started pulling open drawers and cabinets, pulling out anything that looked close enough to what she needed that it would transmute easily and shoving it onto her pop socket, til there was a steady pile of each. The knives she left alone. Maybe Nate would be able to use it in a pinch. “I’m sorry,” she said again, arming herself with one of the extras. It made her feel safer, having a spare.

Nate peered up at Morgan with tears in his eyes. He didn’t take it personally, but her biting tone cut through him like a knife with his nerves as raw as they were. Shrinking into himself he muttered a response. “T-tools are- the shed-” Sobs continued to crash through him, along with every image of Mari’s mangled corpse from the woods so many years ago compiled with these new fresh horrors. His hands slapped to his head, fingers curling his locks into knots. Morgan flitted around him in a frenzy, ripping open drawers and pulling out random knick knacks. It was clear out of the two of them who would be useful when the apocalypse came and who would immediately turn into a blubbering mess, incapable of doing any real help. Whatever magical strength had come over him when he saved Taylor and her boat was beyond his reach now. Sucking in as much air as he could between sobs, Nate tried to pull himself together, just in time to see Morgan preparing to flee. Oh no….no no no no no. She couldn’t leave him here with- her. “W-where are you going?!”

Morgan had her jaw set and her resolve doubled down. She could take a lot from her curse. She had, in fact, already taken a lot. More than a lot of people she knew. But this was too soon, too much, and the curse magic could call her up another time to yell about it. Throw something different. Mulligan on the misery. She marched to the door, thinking about how much she needed to see, what she really needed to focus on to get out of here alive. “I just can’t do this right now Nate!” she said. “But whatever that thing is, it’s not your friend, so don’t look at it!” And before her conscience or her fear could reach up to pull her back, she was out the door, gunning for the safety of her Subaru. It fluttered comfortingly to life and in the dim, she leveled her gaze to only the barest, closest strip of the road. Behind her she heard something like buzzing, but for all she knew it was the thrum of her own brain trying to shut away what she’d seen.

[master-sass-blast]

Fall Family Day.

Hi, welcome to the Fluff Train, ALL ABOARD!

Summary: You, Piotr, and the students at Xavier’s take a day to celebrate Fall and mutantism with the families and alums connected to the Institute.

Pairings: Piotr Rasputin x Reader and Alexandra Rasputin x Nikolai Rasputin.

Rating: G. Just ignore the swear words. There aren’t any. Shhhh.

Set after “Meeting the Rasputins” but before the ending of “Gatekeeper.”

Taglist: @chromecutie, @marvel-is-perfection, @super-darkcloudstudent, @girl-obsessed-with-things, @nebulous-leo

Watching Piotr slowly step into the role of headmaster at Xavier’s has been a fascinating journey to watch. You know he takes the role with the utmost seriousness and dignity, and that he’s invested countless hours into learning the ropes of managing students, supply orders, payrolls, training waivers, and the various nitty-gritty details that come with the role of managing the Institute—

But you’ve also watched him work on implement new, fun activities for the students –case in point, today: Fall Family Day.

It’d taken some work to get off the ground, but Piotr managed to block out a Friday to invite the –supportive, loving—family members of the various students to come and visit the Institute and have their respect kids show them around and show off their various academic and mutation training accomplishments; for the kids that don’t have anyone coming, he’s also invited the various alumni and college students that work with Xavier’s to come, visit, and support the kids that don’t have anyone. The parents will have a chance to properly meet with the teachers in charge of their children’s education, and there’s a training session scheduled before lunch so the students can show off their progress from studying at Xavier’s.

Also on the day’s docket is pumpkin carving, apple bobbing, hayrides, and other fall-themed fun.

It’s not hard to miss the pride and satisfaction that’s practically glowing off Piotr. You know he loves doting on and supporting his students, and the fact that they’re excited and happy makes him happy—

You can’t help but smile. He’s the literal sweetest.

He’s also dressed in a dark gray button down shirt that he’s rolled up the sleeves on, and –granted—he’s wearing his X-Men suit underneath in case disaster strikes and he needs to armor up, but…

Hot dayum.

Anywho.

The excitement in the air is palpable –which, granted, with a combination of thirty odd elementary, middle school, and high school students, is pretty easy to achieve.

Granted, not everyone is quiet so overjoyed…

“It’s okay,” you soothe Sasha –who is far more prone to weepy outbursts than her counterpart, case in point right now. “We can set up a call with your parents soon, and you’re still going to have so much fun today—”

And then a shouted, elated greeting in Russian distracts the girls, and two adults that look a lot like them are running towards them, and then the girls are running towards the adults and hugging them—

“Just so we’re sure,” you say as you jog over to Piotr. “Those are the parents, right?”

He chuckles and nods. “Da. Although, that still leaves question of how they got here—”

“Medvezhonok!”

Alex strides across the lawn, beaming at her son, with Nikolai close behind and Illyana and Mikhail trailing after as they argue over something.

Piotr gapes at his family as they finish closing the distance between them. “Chto… kak?”

“I’m pretty sure that’s how Katya’s and Sasha’s parents got here,” you comment quietly.

Piotr only has a moment to blink –which is followed by a snort—before he’s pulled into a massive hug, courtesy of Alexandra. They converse in Russian for a moment, then Alex turns to you and flashes a dazzling grin at you. “Malen'kaya ptitsa!”

You grin back as you’re drawn into a hug. “Hi! How’s everything? Also, when and how did you get here?”

Alex chuckles as she lets you go. “We teleported.” She nods to Sasha’s and Katya’s parents. “And picked them up along way.”

“Mama,” Piotr says in a voice that’s equal parts exasperated and admonishing, which prompts Nikolai to soothe him in a stream of Russian that –like just about everything else everyone’s been saying—you don’t understand.

Alex merely shrugs and smirks. “We have it handled. And we wanted to see you.”

Piotr shakes his head, but there’s no hiding the grin on his face. “Just be careful.”

Alex grins crookedly at her son before turning to face Xavier’s. “Aren’t I always? Now, tell me all about today.”

 ***

 First on the roster is the training session –well, not a “session,” in the technical sense of the word. It’s more of a display, a chance for the students to show off everything they’ve been learning during their time at the school.

The younger students –along with those who are new to Xavier’s and haven’t had as much time to work on controlling their mutations—mostly stick to fun tricks: juggling with no hands, throwing or aiming things at targets, and the like.

One girl with the ability to control water makes it jump from cup to cup. She beams proudly when she finishes her display and does a little curtsy for the applauding crowd.

The older students –and those who have been at Xavier’s for longer—get to run through some of the tamer training simulations or perform more elaborate tricks for the crowd. Kitty wows everyone as she does various gymnastics through random objects, Yukio makes a short animation with her electrokinesis, and Ellie and Russell put on a display of pyrotechnics and energy manipulation that would’ve brought the house down if the room hadn’t been so thoroughly reinforced.

All in all, it’s a good time. The kids are practically glowing from all the praise they get from everyone that showed up, and the older students are similarly pleased, though some of go to greater efforts to hide it.

“This was a good idea,” you say to Piotr as everyone heads back towards the main part of the mansion. “The kids really needed this.”

He squeezes your hand and smiles at you gratefully. “Spasibo, myshka.”

***

 Lunch comes in the form of a massive picnic on the back lawn. Blankets are laid out on the grass, and picnic baskets –labelled, so students with food allergies don’t wind up getting something they can’t eat—are distributed among the students, alums, teachers, and parents. The weather is perfect –dry, full sun, but still with that hint of fall chill in the air.

Wade and Nate also show up at lunchtime. They split off so Wade can visit with Russell and Nate can visit with you, Piotr, and his family –but Wade is properly dressed and on his best behavior, for once.

The relief on Piotr’s face is palpable.

Katya, Sasha, and their parents –who you learn are named Alexei and Natalia—sit with you, Piotr, and his family, since no one else speaks fluent Russian at the mansion.

All in all, it’s a good time. You all munch on sandwiches, chips, and other –healthy—snacks, and you only catch about a tenth of what’s said in Russian, but it’s good. Calm. Happy.

You smile when Piotr’s hand curls around yours. It doesn’t get better than this.

 ***

 After lunch comes a series of fall-themed activities for the students, alums, and parents to do together: apple-bobbing, pumpkin carving, corn hole, hayrides, and the like.

Your role in all of it mostly boils down to making sure none of the students cut in the line for the various activities and that no one runs with the knives in the pumpkin carving area, same as the other teachers and staff members in attendance.

You do, though, get treated to quite the display when Piotr bobs for apples at the behest of his students. The way the water drips off his chin, the way his cheeks flush from the chill of the water, the ever-so-slightly self-conscious smile he wears when he finally manages to grab one…

Hot dayum.

Also high on the list of “entertaining moments” –albeit in an entirely different context—is watching Alex and Wade carve a pumpkin together. They’re both entirely too dramatic about the process of carving a pumpkin, of all things, and their steady stream of banter makes several of the students fall out of their seats from laughing too hard.

All in all, it’s a good day.

 ***

 “You did good today.”

It’s night, now. The students that stay at Xavier’s are in bed, the parents and alums have gone back to their places of residence, and you…

Well, you’re in bed with Piotr –post having worked out your pent-up frustration caused by the apple-bobbing contest, thank you very much.

The blankets are haphazardly draped over you both; you’re nestled up against your boyfriend’s chest, one leg slung over his hip, and Piotr’s fingers alternate between playing with your hair or tracing nonsensical designs up and down your back.

“I mean it,” you insist when Piotr tries to dodge the compliment with his trademark humility. “You did good, Piotr. You made the students so happy today. So many of the kids here come from such ugly backgrounds; they needed a day like today just soak in love and positivity.”

It’s a truth seldom spoken out loud at Xavier’s. There’s the occasional few students or members of the X-Men that manage to dodge the worst of the persecution aimed at mutants, but almost every single person who’s passed through the front doors of the Institute for Gifted Children have undergone some form of mistreatment for their different DNA, be it bullying, rejection by their families, or growing up in one of the orphanages like the one Russell and his peers came from.

“You’re going to be a good headmaster,” you say as you kiss your boyfriend’s chest. “Today proved it –again.”

Piotr ducks his head bashfully, though it’s impossible to miss the way his cheeks flush with happiness. “Spasibo, myshka.”

“Anytime, baby,” you murmur as he kisses the top of your head. “Anytime.”

[ghstandpucks]

Cutting Edge ~ Nathan MacKinnon Ch. 4

Hey everyone! I hope you are all doing well and having a nice Friday! Thank you so much for all your kind, supportive words! I’m so glad you are liking this series! Disclaimer for this chapter: I’m sorry if you like Ashley Wagner as a figure skater. To be honest she bothers me which is why I picked her for a little conflict that may or may not happen during the season lol 

Anyways, enjoy and let me know what you think! Also, let me know if you would like to be tagged in the upcoming chapters! Thanks!

Prologue  Ch. 1 Ch. 2 Ch. 3

“Nope. Try again,” you said as Andre tripped over his feet and missed the net. It was Monday morning at practice and you had just shown your group the three-turn move that Nate suggested you teach them. Andre groaned and looked over at you.

           “What is the point of this?” he asked.

           “The point is to be more fluid. You guys do this already, you just need to follow through with it and not be choppy,” you responded.

           “Maybe we are choppy because we have to keep the puck with us,” Andre grumbled and tried again, still not entirely succeeding. To be fair, not many had been successful that morning.

“You guys just need to keep your momentum,” you tried to explain. They looked at you like you were crazy. You quickly skated over to the side and grabbed a stick, becoming exasperated that they seemed not to believe you that it would work. Taking one of the pucks, you quickly did the move and shot the puck straight into the net. You turned back to your group and laughed at their dumbstruck faces. Honestly, you were even shocked that you made, but you couldn’t show them that. “So that’s how you do it. Any questions?” They all shook their heads no. “Okay then, line up,” you said, deciding to keep the stick with you. Though it still seemed foreign to you, you felt more comfortable with it. As the group you had started to get it, you smiled and looked down the ice to find Nate already looking at you. He was at center ice in another group, and when you grabbed the hockey stick a few of the players and coaches stopped to see what you were doing. He didn’t bother to look away when you met his gaze, but instead nodded at you with an impressed face. You shrugged and laughed, turning your attention back to your group.  

           The groups rotated about 30 minutes later, and Nate skated right up to your side. “Look who’s becoming a hockey player,” he teased you quietly. You giggled and elbowed him.

           “I told you it wasn’t that hard,” you said, adding “and you owe me two laps.” Nate looked at you unimpressed.

           “Are you serious?” he asked.

           “Can’t have people thinking I’m a pushover, right?” you laughed. Nate rolled his eyes, but smiled at you as he took off.

~ ~ ~

           The following day you stayed after practice, seeing as the team had Wednesday off. You were in the middle of your billman spin when you caught the outline of a blurred figure every rotation you made. You finished the spin, letting go of your right leg and checking out. Glancing toward the side, you found Nate standing there. He smiled as you skated over to him, shifting his weight from one foot to another slightly. That’s when you realized he had his skates on. “Mind if I join you?” Nate asked. You shook your head and smiled up at him.

           “You aren’t mad at me for making you skate laps?” you joked. He chuckled as he stepped out onto the ice.

           “Completely. Those two laps were the worst thing I had to do yesterday,” he answered with a wink. You laughed and skated around the perimeter of the rink with him. The two of you spent about two more hours on the ice, talking and doing different things, but always ending up back next to each other. You sat next to Nate on a bench off the ice to take your skates off while continuing your conversation. “So how did you get into skating? In Canada hockey is huge. I can’t imagine it’s the same in Southern California,” Nate asked after he had told you how he started playing hockey, and you smiled.

           “So I was actually a dancer when I was younger. My parents put me in ballet when I was about 2 in a half because I was that hyper child that needed something to do,” Nate chuckled at that. “Anyways, I had an older cousin who was taking skating lessons and had her like 10th birthday party at the rink. I was 4 and one of my other older cousins offered to skate with me. And I fell in love the second I stepped onto the ice. I asked my parents after the party if I could start skating and they signed me up for classes. And you should know as of last week with Z that I am a competitive, stubborn little shit of a person so I jumped at the idea of having a coach and competing. And I never looked back. The rink is my happy place, it’s where I feel most myself, and everything that has come along with it is just a perk,” You smiled, drying off your blades and putting your soakers on them.

           “Oh yes, an Olympic gold medal is just a perk,” Nate dead panned, but you could see he had a smirk on his face.  

           “I mean I worked hard for it. But it never felt like work because I love to skate,” you replied simply. Nate smiled softly at you, and you thought you would never get used to the way it made your stomach flutter.

           “That is beautiful Coach,” he teased you, and you knocked your shoulder into his arm. He laughed as you barely even moved him, more just bounced off of him. “I’m being serious Y/N. Obviously you are an amazing skater, and we are lucky to have you.” Nate said sincerely. You looked away as you started to blush.

           “Well you aren’t so bad yourself mister,” you tried to joke back to cover up how much his words were actually affecting you. Nate chuckled and shook his head.

           “I just try my best. Sometimes it doesn’t feel like enough, but I try,” he admitted.

           “But that’s all you can do, try. And you have a whole team behind you to support you,” you said, feeling that he was just like you; extremely tough on himself. “Plus, from what I’ve seen you’re a pretty good skater,” you smiled as he met your eyes after putting his skates away.

           “Only pretty good?” he teased, and you laughed.

           “Well there’s always room for improvement,” you said, teasing him back. Nate let out a chuckle and followed you out of the rink, walking with you over to your jeep.  

           “So, we have tomorrow off…” Nate started, rubbing the back of his neck. You smiled and nodded, encouraging him to continue. Nate wanted to just ask you out, but he wasn’t positive where you stood. You were nice to him, but you were nice to everyone. He decided to go with what he had already offered before to be safe. “Do you still need to get a bookshelf?” As he asked, you couldn’t help as your smile became brighter at the thought of hanging out with him away from the rink again.

           “I do actually. I was planning on doing that tomorrow,” you hoped you weren’t blushing too much, but Nate could see it and it only gave him more confidence.

           “I can come over around noon. We could get some lunch then get your book case,” he suggested, trying to gauge your reaction. You smiled shyly, knowing your blush had to be evident at this point. Nate thought it looked adorable. Here you were, this Olympic gold medalist becoming shy when he was asking you to hang out.

           “That would be great, as long as you don’t mind helping me,” you said. Nate beamed at you.

           “Not at all.” You smiled back at him and said your goodbyes with the promise of seeing each other tomorrow. You drove home, nervous and excited for being able to hang out with him more one on one.

           The next morning you woke up and busied yourself trying to clean up a bit. Not that you were messy, but you needed to move some boxes out of the way to make space for your book shelf. Getting dressed in some simple jeans and a black tank with a long, velvet deep yellow cardigan over it, you were just putting on your converse when Nate showed up at your door. You insisted on driving, sure that you would buy more than just a bookshelf and didn’t want to cram it all into his car. Nate directed you to a cute sandwich shop downtown for lunch, and the two of you talked the whole time about everything and anything. It felt so natural to be around him; the two of got along very well. Both of you being extremely competitive athletes, you also understood each other on a different level. Getting through lunch relatively unnoticed, Nate was amused when you were the one approached for a picture and not him. He couldn’t help but smile at the way you talked to the young girl and encouraged her to keep working on a jump she said she was having a problem with. After lunch, you and Nate went to Target and picked out a simple bookshelf. You also grabbed a few more things you could not leave the store without and Nate pushed the cart along, teasing you when you couldn’t pass up buying a few new books as well. Traveling from competition to competition always provided reading time, so you figured road trips with the team would provide the same.

           Once back at your apartment Nate took over constructing the book shelf while you unloaded your boxes for it. The day carried on with playful banter and you could feel your crush growing even stronger. Nate was feeling the same. It was nice for him to be around someone who didn’t seem to care that he was a professional hockey player. He felt that he could really be himself around you. Between the laughing, lunch, shopping, and setting up, it was 7pm before you even knew it. “Do you want some pizza?” you asked him as you placed a candle on one of the shelves.  

           “Don’t tell my coaches,” he winked and you laughed.

           “Never,” you said, asking him what a good pizza place to order from would be. “I’ll order a veggie one. That will make it a healthy meal.” Nate laughed and offered to pay, but you insisted being that he spent his whole day helping you, plus bought lunch. When the pizza arrived, you made your plates and sat at the table. “Do you ever miss being home with your family?” you asked after he told you all about them.

           “I do yeah. I love them and being able to spend time with them. But I’ve made Denver my home also and this team is like family. I’m happy being here with them,” Nate answered sincerely.

           “I think it’s really great you guys all have each other. I’ve never been much of a team player so I’ve never experienced that kind of bond,” you admitted.

           “You have to have friends through skating though, right?” he asked.

           “Yes and no,” you shrugged. Nate gave you a questioning look. “Girls are mean.” Nate broke out laughing. You laughed too and continued. “Once you get to a certain level, like you support one another but if someone your competing against falls you don’t feel bad. And I know that sounds horrible, but when there are only usually 3 spots on the Olympic team every four years, and the competitive span of a female figure skater is only like six years at senior level depending on how fast you learn, it’s a super competitive atmosphere. You tend to become better friends with people you won’t compete against. So like for me, my best friend is Jeremy Abbott. He’s kind of like an older brother to me. And I’m close to a few ice dancers. But any female single skater friend either tends to have gone through the ranks before you, or you start mentoring someone younger as they hop onto the circuit and you phase out. I think I’m better friends with girls I have competed against now that none of us are competing anymore. That’s just kind of how it goes,” you tried your best not to make it sound like you were a horrible person. Nate nodded thoughtfully, then grinned at you.

           “Does this mean you have an arch enemy that we all have to look out for?” You couldn’t help but laugh at his question.

           “Unfortunately, kind of. Playing the Stars should be interesting this year.”

           “Playing the Stars is interesting every year,” Nate muttered. “Who is it?” he asked curiously.

           “Don’t say anything ok. I have a reputation to uphold. I can’t be talking bad about another skater in this program,” you pleaded. “Plus the press already thinks we don’t like each other. I don’t need to be the one to add fire to that flame.”

           “Yeah I’d rather not talk to the press so your secret is safe with me Y/N,” Nate said, leaning in closer as to convey confidence.

           “Her name is Ashley Wagner. She was annoyed that in my first competition I bet her and knocked her off the podium completely. And every competition since I had beat her,” you explained and Nate nodded along. “Also, if you meet her, don’t let her fool you. She seems nice, but she’s not that great. She purposefully tripped me during warm ups once. That’s when all the rumors started flying around.” Nate looked at you surprised.

           “You didn’t do anything back to her?”

           “No,” you laughed lightly. “That’s not what you do in my sport. I kept smiling and brushed it off best I could.”

           “Alright. So we’ll have to protect you around her. You’re too nice,” Nate grinned at you. You smiled back and cleared both of your plates as you had finished eating.

           “Shut up. She’s a coach too. It should be fine…I hope.” Nate shrugged at your reply, taking a seat on the coach and making himself comfortable.

           “I don’t know. Hockey might just bring out the worst in both of you.”

           “Gee, thanks Nate. Glad to know you’d have my back if it came to blows,” you plopped down next to him. Not too close, but close enough the you could knock your knee into his. Curling your feet up on the couch, you both smiled lazily at each other.

           “Don’t worry Coach, I’ll be your back up. Tyson will probably be your hype-man,” Nate teased, reaching to shove your shoulder slightly. When his hand came down though, it rested slightly touching yours, and neither of you moved.

           “Sounds about right,” you tried to laugh your nerves off. Nate decided to take a leap, and placed his hand over yours. He smiled when he felt you intertwine your fingers with his. The both of you sat in comfortable silence for a minute. Nate was about to speak when your phone started to ring, ruining the moment.

           “I’m sorry,” you said, looking at your phone and seeing that it was Jeremy calling. You denied the call, but your screen just lit up again. “Speak of the devil. I can call him back later. I’m sure it’s not important.”

           “It’s fine. It’s getting late, and we have practice tomorrow so I should probably go,” Nate said, letting go of your hand and standing up. You were going to kill Jeremy.

           “Well thank you for coming over and helping me,” you said as you walked Nate over to the door.    

           “Anytime,” Nate responded, stopping just outside and turning back to you. “We should do it again sometime.”

           “Put together a book shelf?” you raised your eyebrow, hoping you weren’t over analyzing the moment the two of you just had. Nate chuckled and reached out for your hand again.

           “No. Lunch, dinner, this,” he squeezed your hand for emphasis. You blushed and nodded. “A book shelf if you really need another one,” Nate added, making you giggle.

           “That would be nice,” you responded. Nate grinned at you, and with one more squeeze of your hand he dropped it.

           “See you tomorrow Y/N,” he said, backing away from you.

           “Get home safely Nate,” you said, smiling at him till he turned around and walked down the hallway. You shut the door and locked up, walking back to the couch and the now 6 missed calls from your best friend. You called him back with a sigh. You didn’t give Jeremy a second to talk when he answered. “You better be dying to have called me this many times.”

           “Calm down, I just wanted to talk to you. Why weren’t you answering?” he laughed.

           “Nate was over. I think we were having a moment and you ruined it,” you complained.

           “Shit…sorry!” Jeremy responded. There was a pause, then he spoke again with excitement. “Now tell me all about it.” You laughed and launched into the story about your day, all the meanwhile looking forward for the season to begin, and to be able to see where things were headed with Nate.  

tags: @bqstqnbruin​ @avsfans95​ @andreiaafaria​

[multipandombabe]

unBEARable- the first 🐻 & 🐨 collaboration

A/N: be ready

You pulled the fabric of your black dress down your leg a bit and adjusted your cleavage ever so slightly as you followed Mariah and Kristen through the crowded bar. You guys rarely went out all together but your boyfriends insisted and David needed content. As always.

When you finally made it to the bar you stood on the platform and leaned over to yell your order in the bartenders ear. You watched out of the corner of your eye as he shook up some green tea shots for the three of you. Just as you were about to ask Mariah a question you felt a hand slip gently around your waist from behind. You backed away softly. Turning your head you expected to see David but instead a smiling dusty blonde man towered above you.

Your mouth hung open as you took a step back to get a full look at him.

“Nate! What are you doing here?”

“I thought that was you” He chucked. His familiar smile beamed down at you, those perfect teeth beaming even in the low light of the bar. “What are you doing here?”

“I asked you first” you smiled, giving him a polite hug only allowing the one side of yourself to embrace him.

“Just visiting a friend, you?”

“I live here now. Uh oh sorry, these are my friends, Kristen and Mariah.” You stood back as they shook his hand. Kristen and Mariah exchanged nervous glances as they could tell Nate had more in mind than just saying hello to an old friend.

“Kristen, Mariah, this is my friend Nate. We’re friends from college,” you looked to Nate as the last sentence left your mouth, hoping he wouldn’t elaborate.

“We kinda dated,” he said, twisting is expensive watch nervously. Glancing up Nate could see two guys begin to walk up to the group and greet two out of the three girls in front of him.  

“Kinda,” you said softly. Nate exchanged a quick glance with you. You could only pray that the floor would open up and swallow you because as you saw Scott and Heath enter the conversation your mind only could think of one person who definitely wasn’t far behind. The boys stood there sizing up Nate as if to warn him away from not only their girls but you as well.

You introduced him to them briefly and as you suspected, just as Nate shook Scotts hand, David approached, camera in one hand.

“Hi.” He said to the group, coming to stand next to you.

“David, this is Nate. We went to college together.” You tried to keep it short, hoping Nate would join in a conversation or two and head back to his friend. Not to your surprise, things didn’t go that way. Nate was always an extravert. He practically knew everyone in your graduating class back in college, so when your friends were quickly laughing at his college stories it was no shock. Nate was likable, you remembered.

For a while everyone got on great. Nate only managed to tell one embarrassing story of you. “Everyone was so drunk and all i remember from the whole night is y/n and these two other girls flashing our uber driver at the end of the night.” Davids grip on your arm had tightened at the end of that story. You looked up to him with a faint smile, his expression was unusually stiff and you were suddenly very thankful David didn’t know you guys used to fuck. You knew what that laid back expression actually meant, David wasn’t too pleased with your college shenanigans nor that this random male had seen you half naked.

Things eventually progressed to the dance floor for some of you. Nate also had a tendency of throwing his money, or his dad’s money, around. At first you thought David was warming up to him after Nate bought the guys a shotski and champagne to pop and David to film.

You were soon proven wrong. You felt Nate’s fingers grace your bare thighs as you danced on Mariah. You shot him a look, hoping he’d take it as a “fuck off.” The touch was subtle, but David wasn’t dancing as always and you could only hope he was off in a corner editing somewhere and not watching, but the knot in your stomach and heat from someone stare on the back of your head told you otherwise.

You ignored it as best you could and brushed Nate off. You continued dancing, twirling Kristen around in your hand. Then suddenly you felt a hot breath in your ear. “You look good.” Nate whispered. You held your breath, paralyzed. “Better somehow even,” his words were slightly slurred and you swallowed hard.

“Nate. My boyfriend is right there.”  You backed away, slightly pushing him away from you.

“Oh? I thought you’d remember.” He took a step closer again. “Boyfriends haven’t stopped me before.”

“I thought you’d remember that’s why we never dated.” you spoke shortly/through clenched teeth to not draw attention to yourself. Mariah was watching closely.

“Who cares about dating.” He took a step closer again leaning on you and whispering in your ear. “Our sex was amazing remember.” Nate’s hand wrapped around your body and tightly clenched your butt cheek.

“NATE” you screamed, shoving him away from you. In seconds Heath was in his face, screaming at him to “back the fuck off”. David wasn’t far behind.

“What the fuck was that?” you asked, watching as Heath backed him away from you. David’s hand gripped your wrist.

“Are you okay?” he growled as he stalked past you and towards Nate who was being surrounded by Scott and Heath. All you could do was nod.  David’s grip left you and in seconds he was in Nates face.

“DONT YOU EVER TOUCH HER AGAIN. You son of a bitch!” He screamed, lunging his body towards him, chest heaving, “Who raised you? you cunt!” Scott was holding him back now and bouncers were closing in on the scene in front of you. Kristen grabbed you and pulled you away slightly as you yelled after David. “I’ll kick your fucking ass!”

You barely breathed as you watched the bouncers swoop in and break up the scene. You could here Nate yelling profanities your way. As he was being pulled away you heard him yell. “I bet your pussy boyfriend can’t get you off like I could y/n. Does he even know how to get you off, does he even know about what you want from a real man in the bedroom?”

“You piece of shit!” you yelled back at him.

“I bet he can’t do shit with that small dick of his.”  he screamed.

You yelled back again until he was out of ear shot. Mariah even joined in throwing insults his way. As Nate was pulled away, Scott and Heath slowly released their grip on your angry boyfriend. As they did he impulsively grabbed a glass of the nearest table and slammed his fist into the nearest object, the wall, leaving an impressive dent that surprised the whole group, glass shattering and flying around him. You saw the shards leave behind small cuts but nothing warranting a hospital visit, thank god.

“David?!” you screamed, almost in unison with Kristen. “What the fuck?” you asked. The bouncers had had enough. They were less rough with you, leading the entire group outside around the back.

You walked toward the Tesla, the night ruined. You were more concerned about David. He was silent, a serious stern expression plastered on his face. His jaw was so tight you could see the veins in his neck. Although your mind was whirling it was turning you on.

When you reached the Tesla you grabbed his arm as it reached into his pocket. “What?” he spat, turning to you, his lip and cheek had small cuts along with the hand you were currenly grabbing onto, you wiped his spit off your face and shied away from him, surprised at his harshness toward you.

“You need to calm down. Or let me drive.” He simply dropped the key into your hand. You kept calm although you were in complete shock. You’d never seen him so mad, and the fact that he let you drive without a word was almost jaw dropping.

Everyone else had already climbed in the car, you heard David slam the passenger side as you walked around to the driver seat. You turned the car on and sat for a second to breath.

“That was fucking crazy.” Heath yelled from the back. “David I’ve never see you so fucking mad.”

“David turned from cub to full on bear real fast.” Mariah joked. Everyone laughed. David cracked a fake smile.

“I could kill him.” He muttered. Your eyes veered from the road to your boyfriend.

“Dude you almost did.” Scott said.

“I can’t believe you didn’t get that on film.That would have been perfect clickbait” Heath laughed.

“Fuck” David said, holding up his camera. “I think i did.”

“No way.” kristen laughed.

“The audio at least.” David sighed, brushing his fingers through his hair. He was calming down a bit which made you able to breathe again. “But I’m not putting that fuck in the vlog.”

You drove the other two couples home as your friends relived the fight in the back seat. David and you were fairly silent until you got to Scott’s house.

He climbed out and leaned in to the window on your side. “You sure you don’t want us to come over for a while?” He asked. You could tell he felt the need to offer, not wanting to leave you with an angry David if you felt you couldn’t handle it. Scott had always treated you like a little sister but he couldn’t protect your from everything and you definitely needed to deal with David one on one

“No. We’re good.” you smiled back assuringly, looking over to your still irritated boyfriend. “Thanks Scott.”

The drive to Davids was completely silent. You spent the drive glancing between the road and David, watching has his cut hands went from gripped his camera with unnecessary strength, to running shakily through his hair, to twisting at his rings.You should have been paying more attention to the road but your eyes could barely leave the sight of your boyfriend’s hands and arms, veins popping left and right. His bottom lip was tucked tightly between his teeth, his jaw was so tight you were sure he was biting down hard enough to draw more blood from his fresh cuts.

When you reached his gate the tension in the car was almost palpable. “David - I” you started, putting the car in park.

“Shut the fuck up y/n” he growled, climbing out of the car and slamming the door behind him. He waited for you to walk ahead of him and reach the door. You could hear his breath behind you as you unlocked it, his chest heaving.  

The door opened with a click and a push and in seconds your back was slammed against the wall, the front door slamming as David kicked it closed with his foot. You reached your arms to steady yourself as his body pressed against you. You looked up to see the mirror in front of you reflecting the shadows of David’s body on top of yours.

David’s shoulders were tense, you flicked your eyes back up to his. They were a deep brown, his brow was furrowed and his hair was a mess, hanging in his face. He inhaled a deep breath and slammed his lips to yours. One hand cupped your jaw tightly and one hand gripped your waist, his nails digging into you skin. Your back bones practically dug into the wall he pressed so hard against you.

He only pulled away when you let out a whimper, gasping for breath. “What?” he taunted you. “Not ready for a ‘real man’ to fuck the shit out of you?”

Before you could stop yourself you let out a huff of a laugh. David’s hands went stiff. “What was that?” he asked, peeling away to meet your eyes.

“Nothing.” you said softly.

“I thought so.” he growled, moving his lips to your neck. He sucked hard on your skin, moving right to the spot where your jaw and neck meet.

“Fuck.” you whimpered. You felt him smirk against your skin as he kept sucking bruises into your skin. “David”

“What?” he spat. Without warning and almost by accident his hand was around your neck. He pushed your jaw up, pointing your head to the ceiling. David had even begun to remove his grip and prepared to apologize, until you let out a low moan instinctively. Yo

David cocked his head in surprise. He tightened his grip on your throat, smirking when you moaned in response. “Fuck baby. Is that it?” he cooed. “Is that was you want?”

All you could do was nod. David kissed you roughly, one hand still around your throat. You both moaned into the kiss and David backed you away, leading you down the hall.

As he did you tugged at his shirt. He paused at the corner of the living room, letting you go and tugging his shirt off quickly. You always had to stop and stare at your boyfriends bare chest because of his broad shoulders and soft edges. He always managed to make you hotter by being exposed like this. Once the shirt was over his head he flung it onto his couch, leaning against the arm to remove his shoes and socks. You slowly slipped out of yours too, eyes still stuck on his exposed upper half.

When he was done he straightened up the tip of his tongue slipping out and licking the corner of his mouth as he approached you. You backed away from him playfully, knowing it wouldd piss him off. He stalked you all the way to his bedroom door and through his room.

Finally the back of your knees hit his bed. He had you caged in as he leaned down, arms beside you. The look in his eyes were similar to how they looked when he made sure you were okay at the bar. You began to lay back but he stopped you.

“I want you out of that dress, panties and bra by the time I get back from the kitchen,.” he directed as he grabbed your hips in his warm hands and pulled you up with him from the bed.

David turned and left the room as the air began to filter back into your lungs. You shimmied out of the dress quickly, trying to get the clinging fabric off of your body as fast as you possibly could. A few moments had passed and David walked in with a smirk that sent shivers down your spine but what truly caught your eye was the bowl he was holding in his one hand.

“Lay down on the bed first, Y/N” his demand had you all but jumping onto the bed and laying back instinctively opening your legs to him.

“You had me really worked up earlier, huh? Letting that daddy’s boy touch you? Letting him think he knows what you need? I think we both need to cool down don’t you think?” David’s hand reached for the bowl that had been rested on the bedside table. You were nervous about what he had brought with him but trusted him.

David reached into the bowl and grabbed an ice cube out that had begun to melt between his fingers as he brought it down onto your neck first tracing the marks he scattered there earlier. He followed the ice with his lips, and sometimes blowing cold air on the trails to cause goosebumps to raise on your skin.

Then he dragged it down to your collarbone, you chest, stopping to play with your nipples, watching them harden under the ice. He sucked them slowly too and traced the ice around them again until it was fully melted, leaving them cold and numb. You moaned as his hand reached for another ice cube.

Whimpers left your mouth as he moved further and further down with the ice, neglecting the one part of you that so desperately needed him. He knew what he was doing as he looked up at you through his lashes, eyes flashing with an animalistic hunger.

“Please David.” You weren’t above begging at this point. The goosbumps that ran down your body weren’t helping to calm your need.

“Be patient.” David growled. “You’ll cum when I say tonight. Understand?” You nod. “Understand?” he asks again.

“Yes. yes. Please.”

David works his way down to your cunt. Stopping to put the ice in his mouth. He drags it over the dip in your hips, fingers tracing your sides. Finally his mouth is where you want him. You gasp as the ice hits your clit, the cold sensation sending a chill over your body.

“Shit” you gasp, practically ready to scream as he uses his mouth to drag the ice around your lips and back up to your clit. He does this until you’re numb from the cold and only a small portion of the cube remains in his mouth.

Slowly he crawls up to your face. “Open,” he demands and you part your lips. He spits the rest of the icecube in your mouth and then crawls back down to your core. He looks up at you through your legs as you suck on it.

“Good girl.” he whispers, kissing your inner thigh. Then his warm tongue meets your ice cold core. You open your mouth to moan but nothing comes out. He holds you down as he eats you out, taking all of you in his mouth and getting into it, shaking his head back and forth as his tongue works inside you.

As he does his nose nudges your clit and you gasp, gripping the sheets. “David. I’m gonna cum.” you warn. He stops, nails digging into the skin of your thighs.

“You better not.” he growls, eyes serious. He goes back to your cunt, lapping at your clit. He licks there for a while until your eyes are squeezed tight and you’re cursing, begging yourself not to cum yet. You do anyway, the sensation of his warm tongue too much for you to handle.

You cum around his face, your thighs squeezing together. David practically has to pry them apart as he licks you through your orgasm. He only stops when your hips buck and your body shakes.

Finally he backs away from you. “I didn’t say you could cum Y/N.” His voice low and angry as he stands up from the bed, leaving you to catch your breath. When you open your eyes again David isn’t in front of you. You hear him digging around in his closet. “Fuck.” you whisper to yourself, both scared and excited to what he could be getting.

You watch the door to is closet and a minute later he comes out with what he was looking for, a long black leather belt. “I told you. You cum when I say.” All you can do is nod and sit up slowly on the bed.

He sits down on the edge of the bed and leans back to grab your ankle. He pulls you down the bed until your next to him. “You’re gonna punish me?”

“Are you gonna be good?”

“No.” you say softly, deciding to test him. He grabs your arm and bends you over his lap.

In a split second his palm strikes your bare ass. You groan in pleasure. “How about now?”

You shake your head. He spanks you again and again. You can feel your pleasure dripping from you as you lie over his lap. With one more spank it drips onto his leg.

He feels it and his fingers find your pussy. He shoves his fingers into you with warning, your ass still bent over his knees. You cry out as he fingers you roughly. It doesn’t take long before you feel your walls squeezing around him. He feels it too. His hands grip your jaw and turn your face to look into your eyes. “Don’t you dare fucking cum.”

“I’m gonna- David please!” He doesn’t stop and your second orgasm washes over you. Your body shakes and he watches as you cum lying on his lap. Before it even finishes you feel hard leather strike your ass.

“What did I say.” The leather hit your raw skin and even your pussy lips with the angle and you cry out.

“Harder.” You moan.

“Páči sa ti to” The slovakian rolls off his tongue without him realizing it. He strikes you again. “Who else can get you off like this. Huh y/n? Could that prick get you off so easy?”

You shake your head and he spanks you again with the belt. You bite your knuckle to keep from crying out. You’re sure your ass is bright red by now. Slowly you turn your head to look at David.

His hair is sweaty and his expression hard in concentration as he spanks you again, a vein stands out from his neck. Tears well up in your eyes as he brings the belt back down. All you want is him. You need to see him come undone. You grind your hips to cause friction against his boner.

David knows exactly what you’re doing but he’s so hard he can barely take it anymore. He grabs you by your hips and stands abruptly, standing you up and turning you to face the headboard. His fingers wrap around your throat as he stands close behind you, his boner pressing into your back.

His mouth nears your ear and you hold your breath. “Hands. And knees.” He demands. Your legs are shaking as you climb up onto the bed. Getting into the position you feel his hand run from your tailbone up to between your shoulder blades and around to grasp your neck lightly.

You feel his body line up with yours and with one swift movement he’s pushing his hips into yours. The feeling is like nothing you’ve ever experienced. Your eyes rolling back and mouth falling open to let out long moans as he finds his pace that continues to be hard and fast. He continues to let out strings of curse words or little phrases in slovak that are too quick for you to translate. He’s pounding into you and you can barely catch your breath as he tightens his hand a bit more around your neck. He’s letting out deep moans as he feels your walls constrict around him.

Suddenly he’s pulling you up to him, your back pressed against his chest. With the new angle, you let out a deep moan. You head falls back onto his shoulder. His arm snakes around your head, squeezing your neck. He chokes you like this, his hot breath in your ear as he continues to pound into you.

“Fuck.” You let out, your words soft as your throat is half closed. “David.”

“Shh.” He whispers in your ear, bringing his other hand around your body, his fingers finding you clit. “I know babygirl. It’s okay. You’ve been so good. You can cum.”

He rubs soft circles on your clit and you cum for a third time. He has to hold you up as you do, deep moans escaping from your mouth. “Oh please. Please please please.” you cry as he helps you ride out your orgasm, slowly circling your clit. Finally you go completely silent, unable to speak or move. David lies you two down. Your face presses against the matress and he continues to fuck you quickly, chasing his own orgasm.

You lift your hips up with the strength you have left and turn your head more to look back at him. His hand presses against your lower back for leverage and you can tell he’s close.

“You’re so fucking big. Holy shit” you moan, getting him closer to the edge.

Finally he’s cuming. “Fuck fuck fuckfuckfck” his words slur together and his thrusts get lazier as you feel his warm cum spill inside of you. Your breath hitches as you feel it. You expected him to pull out and cum on your back like normal. Instead he pulls out, a trail of his cum dripping from you as he does.

“Fuck y/n.” He sighs. Carefully lowering himself down to the spot on the bed beside you. “Holy shit.” he mutters. His eyes meet yours as he catches your breath.

“Did you just?” He nods. A faint smirk curling into his tired face.

“That was so hot.” His hand brushes your sweaty hair from your face. “I fucking love you.”

“I love you too.” you sigh, rolling over onto your back. “You’re cleaning me up.”

“Of course.” he laughs, “As soon as I can move I’ll run the bath.”

You sit up and scoot over to the edge of the bed and laugh. “I’ll run it.” You stand up and try to walk to his bathroom, stumbling over your shaky knees. You practically wobble to the ground as they give out from under you. Suddenly your bare ass is sitting on his carpet. You look up to see David in a fit of laughter.

“That’ll teach you to cum when I say.”

You throw a dirty sweatshirt at him. “Shut the fuck up.” you laugh.

“Fine.” He sighs, standing from the bed he walks by you, patting your head and giving it a scratch as he walks into the bathroom. “But you’re mine.” He yells, his voice bouncing off the walls. You hear the faucet running and look up to see him standing in the doorway looking down at you. “The thought of any other guy having you is unbearable.”

You smile and he walks over to scoop you up into his arms and carries you to the bath.

[harley-sunday]

The Draw (03)

Summary: The whirlwind starts at the 2018 ACE Comic Con in Phoenix but you’re not sure where it will end...

Pairing: Sebastian Stan x reader

Warnings: Language

Word count: 3121

AN: For those of you have been around a little longer - this story was originally published on my secondary blog Leijona Writes, but then taken down again, so you may have already read it :) Either way, please let me know what you think! I don’t have a taglist, but if you follow Harley Sunday x Sebastian Stan you should see any update I post.

Masterlist

This time it’s your brother who calls you and so you get to answer with, “Hey loser,”

“Takes one to know one,” he replies. You hear him tell Jake to turn the TV down before he continues, “So, ready for your big trip tomorrow?”

You smile, even though he can’t see you, because it means a lot that he’s even remembered it, “Yeah, flight’s at eleven-thirty,”

“You need a ride to the airport or anything?”

“Lauren’s driving me,” you say, “but thank you.”

“Listen I just,” he hesitates, “I just want you to be careful ok?”

“I’m a big girl, Nate,” you chuckle, “I know how to take care of myself. Plus, we grew up in New York, remember? There’s not much that scares-”

“I’m not talking about that,” he interrupts after a sigh. “Well, I am, but I also mean with him, ok?”

“Ok,” you draw out, not sure what he’s getting at.

“I just don’t want you to get hurt, that’s all,”

You have to bite your tongue from making a joke about it, because you know this is difficult for your older brother, who really isn’t in touch with his feelings at all, let alone yours, so instead you try to comfort him, “I won’t,”

“I know,” he sighs, “Just don’t get your hopes up too much, ok?”

You’re about to argue that this is just you going to a movie premiere with someone who happens to play in said movie, but you know that’s not completely true either, so you tell him you won’t once again.

“Alright, well listen, you’re flying back on Wednesday right?”

“Uhu,”

“Ok, well text me the time you land and Jake and I’ll come pick you up.”

You can’t help but smile at these sudden signs of affection which tells you he’s just looking out for you, “Will do.”

“Alright, have fun, don’t do anything I wouldn’t do, and try not to end up in the tabloids, huh? Love you.”

“Jesus, Nate,” you counter, but he’s already hung up on you and you let out a laugh, muttering a quiet, ‘Idiot.” You throw your phone on the bed somewhere and continue with the task at hand; packing your suitcase.

“Ok, so,” Lauren says, practically bouncing in her chair, “on a scale of one to ten, how excited are you?”

After dropping your luggage off she suggested you’d grab something to drink as your flight doesn’t leave for another two hours.

“A solid eight,” you reply before taking a sip of your cappuccino.

“How can it only be an eight?” She feigns surprise, holding her hand to her heart in fake-shock, “You’re about to leave for Los Angeles, meet up with oh, only one of the most handsome men alive, and you’re only at an eight?”

You laugh are her sense of drama, “I’m sure it’ll be up to ten by the time I get there, but it all still seems a bit unreal now.”

“God, I just can’t wait for him to see you in that dress, babe,” Lauren beams, “He won’t know what hit him.” She takes a sip of her tea, before she looks at you with a smirk, “What would you do if he, like, admits he’s attracted to you? Please tell me you’ll go for it? Please?” Lauren jokes, now a shit-eating grin on her face.

“Jesus, I only met him once, Laur,” you scoff, “I mean, he was super nice, don’t get me wrong, but I don’t know him. I don’t even know what he’s like, you know?”

“But are you attracted to him?”

“Well, yeah,” you admit easily, “if we are going on looks alone he’s definitely the type of guy I go for. But if he turns out to be a total shithead, which I don’t expect by the way, but if he does, well, honestly then it doesn’t really matter how handsome or famous he is, does it?”

“Hmm,” Lauren agrees, taking a sip of her tea. “You don’t want to have another Mark-situation,” she says, referring to your ex-boyfriend, who started out as the man of your dreams but ended up a monster, cheating on you every chance he got and then blaming you for not giving him enough attention.

You smile a sad smile, thinking about those three years of absolute hell, “Yeah,”

She rubs your arms then, knowing how hard you took it when you broke up with Mark, “All I’m really saying is, have some fun, ok? You deserve it.”

The flight from Charlotte to Los Angeles is uneventful and pretty much a breeze, the seat beside you staying empty and the girl sitting in the aisle seat so lost in her book that you don’t even have to bother with some small talk. You arrive right on schedule and before you know it you’ve collected your suitcase from baggage claim and walk through to the arrivals hall, feeling slightly nervous. You scan the signs people are holding up and then see one with your name on it. The girl holding it looks to be around your age and she smiles at you when you walk over to her.

“Hi,” she greets you, shaking your outstretched hand, “I’m Julie, from the emails?”

“Hi,” you greet her enthusiastically, because at least she’s not a complete stranger and she seems really nice, “So nice to meet you!”

“Same here,” she beams back at you. “They showed me the pictures you guys took at Comic Con, you know, so I’d know what you’d look like, and oh my,” she laughs then, shaking her head, “they were awesome!” She motions for you to follow her then and leads you outside, where a car is waiting for you, the driver leaned against the passenger’s door.

He takes your suitcase and puts in the trunk while you and Julie settle in the backseat. You’ve just fastened your seat belt when Julie hands you a large envelope with the Marvel logo on it and your name on it, “Here you go.”

You take the envelope from her and peek inside, seeing what looks like a schedule, along with some other official looking papers.

“It’s just some release forms we need you to sign,” Julie starts, probably seeing the confused look on your face, “how we don’t want you to give away anything to do with the plot of the movie before its official release, you know? And there’s the timetable for tomorrow.” She shows you her copy and explains when you are expected to be where as the car pulls onto the highway, heading towards the city.

“Here we are,” Julie beams as the cars pulls up in front of the Palihouse in West Hollywood. The drive over was fun, Julie explaining as much as she could about what would happen at the premiere, all while trying to calm you down, telling you that above all you should try to enjoy yourself. You’ve taken an immediate liking to her, and you’re glad she’s there with you for most of tomorrow night.

You admire the building as you get out of the car, just as the driver hands you your suitcase. You follow Julie inside and are in awe of the way the lobby is decorated, making you feel like you’re in a hotel in France somewhere. The girl behind the front desk is friendly, but it’s never too much even though she keeps smiling all throughout the check-in.

When she hands you your key and wishes you a nice stay you smile back at her, “Thank you.”

“Alright, I’m leaving you here,” Julie says, handing you her business card. “Call me if you need anything, ok? My cell phone number is on there as well.”

You nod, taking the card from her, “Thank you.”

“If you could just write down your number here,” she hands you her clipboard and a pen, “Just in case I need to reach out to you.”

You write it down and then give everything back to her, “So, I’ll see you tomorrow at six, right?”

She nods, “Yeah, we’ll pick you up at six, Sebastian’s meeting us inside the Dolby Theater at seven-thirty after the red carpet is done, and then the movie starts at eight. I’ll give you the complete rundown once we pick you up.”

“Ok,” you smile, “thank you for everything.” You watch her nod before she returns to the car, waving at you as she gets in. You grab your suitcase and head towards the elevator, looking forward to ordering something of the room service menu the girl behind the front desk was raving about.

You send a quick text to Lauren, and your brother, to let the know you’ve arrived. Lauren responds within a minute, telling you to have fun and to go for it, wink-emoji included. Your brother just texts you a peace sign-emoji again.

You wake up, for a moment not knowing where you are, but then you remember you flew out to Los Angeles yesterday and you’re going to the Infinity War premiere tonight. Butterflies take a hold of your stomach, although you’re not sure if it’s because you get to see the newest Marvel movie before anyone else, or because you’re seeing Sebastian again tonight.

Turning around you see that it’s only 10.15. Taking Lauren’s advice to take it slow today, after all you don’t have anywhere to be until three when you have an appointment at a beauty salon where they’ll do your hair and makeup, you turn back around, drifting off to sleep again.

The next time you wake up it’s just past noon and your stomach lets you know it’s time to eat something. Having studied the room service menu extensively last night you simply call the front desk and give them your order of eggs Benedict on toast, together with some coffee. You slide out of bed, open the curtains and admire the view, before you turn on the TV and find VH1 for some background noise.

Your phone chimes then and lets you know you have a new message. Padding back to the bed you pick it up, studying the unknown number that’s on your screen. It isn’t until you open and read the text that a smile spreads across your face.

Hope you don’t mind I badgered Julie into giving me your number… Just wanted to let you know that I’m glad you could make it. See you tonight! -S

You save his number, but under Mr Smooth instead of his real name, because a sense of paranoia kicks in and you’re worried about someone hacking your phone, before you type a quick reply.

Looking forward to it! Thanks again for inviting me :)

You’ve called ahead to the front desk, so that by the time you’re walking out of the hotel a cab is waiting to take you to the beauty salon downtown. You did some research online before Lauren and you decided on AJ Booth’s, their website making you feel welcome right away.

Once you get there you are welcomed by Alyson, the owner of the salon, who entrusts you to the skillful hands of her younger sister Jane, promising they’ll take great care of you. The atmosphere is relaxed, and there’s only one other client in there, but another girl is helping her so Jane can completely focus on you.

Once you’re in the chair and she asks you what it is she can do for you, you tell her you’re going to an event from work that has a black tie dress code, hesitant to give the real reason why you’re here. You show her some pictures on your phone, to let her know what kind of makeup and hairstyle you had in mind and she gets really excited when you show her a picture of Margot Robbie, agreeing that her style there would really suit you as well, both hair and makeup.

As she gets to work you exchange some small talk with her and are surprised to find out she and her sister are actually from New York as well, and so you spend the next two hours bonding over your shared hometown as you watch her work her magic on you.

You are positively glowing by the time she finishes and you can’t stop looking at yourself in the mirror. Both Jane and Alyson tell you to have fun tonight, and you give both of them a heartfelt hug when you leave, feeling like you’ve made two new friends. You haul a cab on the street and are back in the hotel with thirty minutes left until Julie comes to pick you up.

Getting the dress on proves a bit more difficult now that you don’t have Lauren with you to help zip you up, but after a few tries you manage, almost dislocating your shoulder in the process. You slip on your black heels just as there’s a knock on your door.

When you open it you’re met by Julie, who actually gasps, “You look gorgeous!”

“Thank you,” you say with a smile.

When you compliment Julie with the black suit she’s wearing she laughs, “Actually, my girlfriend picked it out for me,”

“Well, she has great taste,” you smile back at her, because really, the outfit looks like it was made for her. You follow Julie downstairs to where a black car is already waiting, and, like yesterday, both of your climb into the backseat, and you’re careful not to get your dress caught in the door.

Traffic is terrible, but then again it is L.A. and you do have an hour and a half to cover the twenty-five blocks to the theater, so you’re not too worried. You chat with Julie about your day, recommending the beauty salon you went to, and in turn she tells you about all the preparations that still needed to be done today.

“I just want to go over the schedule with you one more time,” she says, while taking her tablet out of her purse. “Ok, so we’re meeting Sebastian in the lobby at seven-thirty, which is a press-free zone by the way, so that’s good,” she smiles at you, “Then at seven-fifty he’s going into the theater,” she pulls up what seems to be a seating plan, “You’re sitting next to Sebastian, but he’s requested that you go in separately because there will be press here, so we follow at around seven fifty-eight, with the press seated and the screening ready to start at eight.”

“Wow,” you mutter, not realizing until now that of course there would be press there as well, because Jesus, it’s a movie premiere, not a children’s birthday party. Nonetheless your heart start beating a little faster and you feel slightly nervous.

Julie seems to pick up on it, because she gently pats your arm, “Don’t worry about it, ok? I’m escorting you in, so for all they know you’re just another Marvel employee.”

You nod and clear your throat, “Ok.”

“Alright,” she continues, not missing a beat, “once the movie is done the actors get to leave first, because there’s a press event until eleven, so you’re with me until then, but after that I’m dropping you off at Sebastian’s table and let you enjoy the night, ok?”

“Ok,” you echo again, not sure if you’ll remember all of this once you’re at the theater.

“Listen, just keep a close watch on me until eleven and we’re good,” Julie offers kindly, “We’ve got this.”

Standing a little to the side in the lobby you’re on the lookout for Julie who’s getting drinks, the butterflies that fluttered in your stomach earlier this morning having returned in full force. You try not to stare as actors and actresses start filling the room, instead busying yourself admiring the artwork that’s on display on the walls. You see someone approaching you out of the corner of your eye and you let out a sigh of relief, happy that Julie’s back, but then you see it’s Sebastian who’s coming your way.

Your heart skips a beat when you see him, and you think you let out a quiet, “Oh shit,”, because he looks absolutely gorgeous, wearing a fitting black suit, white shirt and black bow tie.

He’s all smiles when he greets you, a casual hand on your shoulder while he kisses your cheek, “Hi,”

“Hi,” you beam back, not able to stop smiling.

His eyes dart over your dress and he shakes his head, “Wow,” his eyes are on yours again then and his smile widens, “you look absolutely stunning.”

You shrug, trying to act cool, “It’s a change from jeans and converse that’s for sure,”  

He chuckles, “I have to admit I am a little upset you’re not wearing a Captain America sweater though,” and it tells you he knows you were referring to your Comic Con outfit just now.

“Well, that’s for special occasions only,” you counter with another shrug.

“Oh yeah, like what?” he asks, his voice dropping just a little, one eyebrow raised.

You’re about to say something when Julie joins you, handing you your drink, “Here you go,” before she turns to Sebastian and gives him a hug, “Hi Seb,”

“Julie,” he replies, his eyes never leaving yours, eyebrow still raised.

You choose to ignore him this time, taking a sip of your drink, shaking your head ever so slightly.

He chuckles and turns to Julie instead, “Everything working out so far?”

She nods, “Yeah, we’ve gone over the schedule in the car, she knows she has to stick with me before and after the movie,”

“Good,” Sebastian nods, throwing Julie a look that has her excuse herself so she can check something. He takes a step closer to you and leans in just a little, his voice lowered, his mouth close to your ear, his breath hitting your neck, “I’m really glad you could make it, I just want you to know that,”

You swallow hard and nod, not trusting yourself to speak.

“Listen, I just,” he pulls back a little then and looks at you, “I just want to warn you that I’m probably going to ignore you until after all the press is gone. It’s nothing personal, but I don’t want you to have to deal with them, they’re vicious.”

“Thank you,” you whisper quietly, because ever since Julie mentioned the press you have been worried about it.

He smiles then, eyes twinkling mischievously, “I’ll make it up to you at the after party, ok?”

It’s then a bell rings somewhere and before you even have time to answer he kisses your cheek again and walks away.

[stillthewordgirl]

LOT/CaptainCanary fic: (I Don’t Believe in) Destiny (Ch. 11 of 11)

Leonard Snart is back, finally pulled from the timestream where he's spent the last four years. But he wasn't alone, and the repercussions of that will echo through the Legends, the Time Bureau, and beyond.

And maybe, just maybe, they'll bring everything around full circle.

*

And here it is! I hope you enjoyed it. Many thanks to Pir8grl.

I may write (or have written) a few one-shot follow-ups. The first (did someone say CaptainCanaryBlazer?) will be posted tomorrow or Sunday.

Please note that I continued my own personal Mary Xavier headcanon. Forgive me the indulgence. ;)

Can also be read here at AO3 or here at FF.net.

*

Ch. Eleven: In a State of Grace

Leonard Snart is groggy. More than groggy, really. He feels like he’s been dreaming a very long time, and while it’s been a pleasant dream—something to do with Barry Allen—he feels like he needs to wake up.

But he can’t seem to open his eyes.

He’s not particularly comfortable, though, he thinks, consciousness prodding at him. He’s sort of sprawling in a semi-upright position, and one leg’s falling asleep. He really needs to wake up.

There’s a warm breath by his ear, then, as if the wish is granted. An amused whisper of “Leonard…”

He knows that voice. Sara. Yeah, he doesn’t want to ignore Sara. Not only is he quite stupidly in love with her (easy to acknowledge that, in a dream), Sara has knives. Lots of sharp, pointy knives.

Leonard opens his eyes.

Sara’s watching him, standing very close, amusement and relief warring with something deeper in her gaze. She’s wearing her white uniform, and she’s obviously been in a fight, from the bruise on her cheekbone and the few scratches he sees. A fight…

And it all comes back to him.

“Are you all right?” he asks sharply, sitting up and staring at her, ignoring the vertigo. “Sara…did…”

Sara shakes her head, but not in a negative. She holds up a hand and starts ticking points off on it patiently. “Druce is, apparently, gone,” she says. “And we won. The part of the Time Bureau that went over to Druce is under arrest by the other part. Ava isn’t a Time Master after all.”

Leonard remembers. “She was supposed to be,” he murmurs. “She was before. She chose otherwise this time.”

Sara stops, staring at him. “What?” she asks faintly, then shakes her head. “Not now…anyway, the Oculus exists again, although no one’s quite sure how to use it to see anything—or if it can be used to change anything. And the Time Bureau is building an outpost here, but it will be on a rotation of sorts. And…”

She leans over, looking at him, eyes bright and smile just a little shadowed. Leonard blinks up at her, wondering, expecting some sort of confession and trying to decide if he should make his first.

“And you’re in my chair,”

Oh.

He glances around, finally, registering that he’s sprawled in the captain’s chair on the Waverider bridge. Where, apparently, the Time Force had dropped him. Evidently it has a sense of humor.

“Um,” he manages, then attempts to regain his cool, smirking up at her. “Well, you did say you wanted me here.”

Sara’s eyes flash with laughter, but there’s a chorus of groans from the side, as well as a wolf whistle from what seems to be Charlie and the call of “too much information, Snart!” from a voice that’s clearly Mick’s. The other man moves closer as Leonard struggles to sit up a little more, and the two old friends study each other for a long moment before Mick grunts.

“Good work,” he says, turning away lest any feelings be aired. “You didn’t blow yourself up this time.”

“I didn’t blow myself up last time!” Leonard calls after him, getting flipped off in response. Between them, it’s nearly as good as a hug.

Better, maybe. Because it’s them.

Sara’s studying the rest of the peanut gallery with a mock scowl.  “I thought I told all of you to wait outside,” she says, but with humor in her voice.

“Since when do we listen?” Nate calls out, and Nora giggles. Of all of them, Leonard thinks, she looks the worst for wear, a bit of a shiner about her eye and her arm in a sling—but even that’s not too bad. Raymond is hovering, clearly ready to defend her against all comers. Charlie’s leaning on Zari as if favoring a foot—although neither of them looks unhappy with the situation.

Sara makes a face at them and waits until they trail off the bridge, then turns back to Leonard, holding out a hand. He grabs it and lets her haul him to his feet—although he notes immediately that he’s not quite as creaky as he might have felt before.

And Sara notices…well, something, too. She studies him intently, eyes narrowed, as if to figure out if the Oculus did anything bad to him, and he smirks in return, waiting until he realizes she’s not going to say anything.

“I got the Time Force to take a few years off me—and do a few other things,” he tells her. “We’re a little closer now.” He shrugs. “It tried to offer me immortality, but frankly, I don’t want it.”

Sara blinks. “Ah,” she says faintly, “OK. Good.”

And then she reaches out, grabs his shirt, and pulls his lips down to hers.

*

When they finally make it off the ship and over to the bureau camp, Ava is standing there, lips pursed slightly, studying what seems to be a map. She tosses a smile their way, though, as Sara and Leonard approach

“Dr. Palmer and I found the old Oculus viewing chamber in the wreckage,” she says. “And we could indeed use it to see many things, past and present, though I think it’s going to need a lot of practice.” She shakes her head. “And it seems to have a mind of its own now. Quite recalcitrant.”

Both she and Sara look at Leonard, who smirks and folds his arms. “Think the Time Force got a little tired of being used,” he drawls. “Tracking history, that’s one thing. Manhandling it to suit yourself, that’s another. Time Masters thought they knew better than anyone else. They didn’t.”

Ava nods distractedly. “Well, no one’s changing anything except through old-fashioned legwork, I think.” She sighs, though she doesn’t seem unhappy. “Same as before.” She gives Sara a regretful glance. “Still. You’re sure you want to trust this to the bureau? To me?”

The doubt in her voice makes Sara’s heart hurt. Yes, Ava had been wrong about Druce, but she’d done the right thing in the end and she’d changed it all. She starts to tell her former lover that, but then another voice lifts, a voice that makes two of the three of them spin and stare.

“Well, you will have me.”’

Sara blinks. She and Ava glance at each other in disbelief, then look back at the brown-coated man who’s walking toward him, looking more like he had back in the first days of the Legends than the more uptight days of the bureau. There’s someone behind him, stopping to speak to another Time Bureau agent, but that seems extraneous when compared to a resurrected director/captain.

“Rip?” Sara asks faintly. “How…”

Something occurs to her, then, and she turns to stare at Leonard, who simply lifts both eyebrows at her.

“Mary gave me a lift,” Rip Hunter is saying as he reaches them. “Filled me in, too. I’ve been staying with Jonah since I had to run from Mallus.” He smiles at Sara. “I understand you lot weren’t even that far away for a time…but I needed a bit of a vacation.” He glances at Leonard. “Welcome back, Mr. Snart.”

Leonard nods to him, while Ava straightens formally after a moment of shock. “The bureau is yours again, director,” she says carefully. “I…”

“Oh, I don’t want it.” Rip beams at her, rubbing his hands together. “Not only do I not want to accidentally impress any more of the old ways of the Time Masters onto the new form of the Time Bureau, I find I much prefer…hmm…the freelancer lifestyle. But I know at least something of what we can do here.” He nods. “So, Director Sharpe, put me to work.”

Ava blinks at him, then directs him toward the Oculus viewing chamber, where Ray is studying the mechanism. But Sara’s suddenly registered a comment from earlier. “Mary,” she says quizzically. “Mary Xavier? But how did she get here?”

“Oh, you don’t think I marooned myself at the Refuge all the time, did you?” The person who’d been following Rip steps out around him as he turns, smiling at them. “No worries, the children are tended. But this is quite an amazing accomplishment, my dear Legends, and I thought congratulations were in order.” She studies Leonard a long moment, then nods. “Also, Mr. Snart, you made the right decision.” She glances at Ava. “As did you, Ms. Sharpe.”

Sara’s frowning, bothered in some way by the loose ends. “But how? Do you have a timeship?”

“Oh, I have means, dear.” Mary turns aside and toward the Waverider, where most of the other Legends are helping bureau members set up temporary buildings. She waves toward something at the other end of the site. “No worries.”

Sara squints at it, a little puzzled that she can’t quite seem to see it clearly. But it looks like a small building, not like any kind of ship she knows. “You traveled here in that? You and Rip?”

Mary’s started toward Mick and the others, but she turns back. “Oh, don’t worry about me, captain.” She winks. “It’s bigger on the inside.”

Leonard makes a strangled noise as she walks away, and Ava gulps. Sara glances at her in surprise, seeing the strangest expression on her ex’s face.

“If she asks me to travel with her,” Ava tell her fervently, “I’m going.”

What? Sara frowns at her. “You’re not usually into older women,” she says in puzzlement. “And travel?”

Leonard makes a sound of disbelief, then, and both he and Ava stare at Sara for a long moment, then look at each other with identical expressions of surprise.

Then Leonard, unexpectedly, laughs.

“Sara Lance’s type,” he mutters, smirking at Ava. “Badasses who are closet geeks.”

Sara’s not sure how Ava will take that, but the bureau director smiles a little. “You might have a point there,” she murmurs, glancing at Sara, who smiles back. They’re all right, then.

“Of course he does, love.” They all look around as John Constantine, accompanied by Gary, joins them. The warlock winks at them. “Geeks are the best. They have the most magnificent imaginations.”

Gary looks simultaneously delighted and ready to spontaneously combust, but John’s moving on. “I’m wondering if handsome here’s tricks with the time energy might have had any repercussions elsewhere, rattled any cages,” he says seriously, looking at Leonard. “Gonna head off for a bit and check it out.” He jerks his thumb at the scarlet Time Bureau agent and switches his gaze to Ava. “Can I borrow this one?”

Ava glances at Gary, then evidently decides the other agent does indeed want to be “borrowed.” She assents, and John gives them all a mock salute before turning on his heel and heading off, Gary trailing in his wake. Sara shakes her head.

“He’ll be back,” she says to Leonard. “He’d never say it, but I think John likes being a part of something.”

“Yes…” But Ava sounds a little uncertain and Sara raises her eyebrows. The bureau director sighs.

“I think I might have unintentionally poached a few of your team members,” she admits. “Again.”

Sara considers. “Nate?”

“He’s a historian, and the Oculus lets him study time in a whole new way. And Dr. Palmer is fascinated with the mechanism,” Ava tells her. “He’s already broached the subject of staying on and improving it.”

“And if Ray stays, Nora will stay,” Sara murmurs. Three more Legends gone, including an original. She glances at Leonard but decides not to ask…not yet.

“I didn’t mean to,” Ava tells her. “But…”

“But they’re grownups and this is the chance of a lifetime.” Sara smiles at her. “And now, I’m going to go tell Gideon that Rip’s back. I figure she should hear that from a friend.”

“Oh, god, yes.”

Leonard clears his throat. “I’d sorta like to see this viewing chamber myself,” he says diffidently. “Maybe I can persuade the Time Force to be a little less…recalcitrant.”

Ava gives him a slightly skeptical look but nods.

“All right,” she agrees. “Let me show you where it is.”

Sara watches those two pieces of her own personal history walk away, to all appearances getting along better than she’d ever dreamed, and turns back toward her ship, a smile on her lips.

*

Gideon’s reaction is…human. Very human. Sara, having delivered her news, watches the AI/android go from disbelief to skepticism to hope before she sets off to find her former captain, a woman on a mission.

Someone probably should have warned Rip, too, Sara thinks wryly. Perhaps Leonard will.

But probably not. It’s the least Rip deserves for letting them think he was dead. Sara may not fully be convinced that’s what had really happened, but apparently that’s what they’re pretending.

She’d made another promise earlier, though, and this seems like a good enough time to fulfill it. Sara puts a message through to STAR Labs in 2020 and waits for someone to pick up, wondering how Team Flash will react to the news of a resurrected nemesis.

But it’s not that resurrection that makes her jaw drop when someone finally appears on the viewscreen.

“Martin,” she breathes, hands tightening on the console. “How…”

Stein very clearly doesn’t seem to understand why Sara’s staring at him like she’s seen a ghost. He smiles at her, the lines at the corners of his eyes crinkling, looking just the same and very much alive.

Leonard had gotten the Oculus to “change a few things,” he’d said. Sara’s pretty sure, now, that she knows what at least two of them were.

“Captain Lance,” Stein says. “How good to hear from you! It’s been a while.” He pauses, then, taking in her expression. “Whatever is the matter?”

Sara closes her mouth abruptly. “Nothing,” she says, perhaps a bit hastily. “I just…I didn’t know you were there. At STAR Labs.”

Stein still eyes her as if wondering what’s going on. “Well, my recovery took a while,” he says slowly, watching her. “I’m not going to be running around pretending to be a space ranger again! Well, probably not. But while I’m enjoying retirement, I need to get out sometimes. Team Flash can use the help, and I’m not getting under Clarissa’s feet.”

Sara seizes on that. “And how is Clarissa?”

Stein beams at her. “Oh, very well. She’s finally talked me into a vacation, did I tell you that last time? The Bahamas. I don’t know what I’m going to do with myself.”

He frowns at that a moment, then continues. “And Lily and little Ronnie are well, too. He went right from walking to running! Jax has already bought him a toddler-sized football.”

Sara laughs. “And Jax? How is he?”

“He’s fine. Very much enjoying college.” Stein leans toward the screen confidentially. “I think there’s a young lady, actually. But I try not to pry. It’s difficult, given how long we knew so much of what the other was thinking.” He pauses, studying her again. “Are you all right?”

“Yes,” Sara tells him. “Yes, I am. Very ‘all right.’” She smiles at him. “Would you pass along a message to Team Flash, especially Cisco?” At his assent, she continues. “Tell them...ask them to track down Lisa Snart.

“And to tell her that her brother, he’s back. Leonard Snart is alive.”

*

When Sara finally walks back outside, Leonard is sitting on the ramp leading into the Waverider, watching the scene in front of him. After a moment, Sara drops down next to him, scanning the view herself.

Ava is in her element, organizing and directing, her map of the Vanishing Point now spread out on a portable table, and she’s pointing out something to Mick, of all people, who doesn’t even look too irritated. Ray and Nate are standing there with them, arguing what seems to be good-naturedly about something. Nora is talking to…is that Mary?

There’s no sign of Zari and Charlie, and Sara makes a mental note of that in her near-constant tally of where her Legends are—though she suspects she knows. The adrenaline of battle can bring out all manner of previously ignored desires. But before she can mention it, Leonard speaks up.

“That gonna be a problem?” he asks, tone thoughtful as he gazes out at the buzz of activity. Sara looks too, but she’s not quite sure what he’s referring to.

“Pardon?”

This time, he points. Sara looks…and smiles a little as she sees where.

“I think you might have lost your ship,” Leonard says, nodding to where Gideon is talking avidly to Rip not so far away. The former captain looks rather befuddled, but neither can he take his eyes off her. And the AI, for her part, has a self-satisfied little smirk on her face.

“Oh, I think it’s fine.” Sara smirks as he lifts an eyebrow at her. “Gideon,” she says with satisfaction, “I’m pretty sure, has plans for Rip.”

Leonard blinks, then looks back at the pair. “Oh,” he says. “Plans.”

“Right. And it’s one thing to be an AI in a ship with a captain who’s your leader and commander...”

“And another to be a humanoid AI with free will who has every intention of jumping that former captain’s bones.” Leonard’s lips twitch. “You go, Gideon.”

“Right. So, I figure the Waverider is probably still the Legends’. Gideon’s one of us, after all, and Rip says he prefers more freedom at this point. And we can still visit the Vanishing Point and the Bureau...” Sara’s voice trails off.

She glances at Leonard, studying that slightly younger face. It’s not so much different, really. The hair’s a little darker, but apparently, he’d gone silver early anyway. There might be a few fewer lines. Maybe a few fewer scars.

“Is it ‘us?’” she asks abruptly, looking back at the Vanishing Point. “Is it ‘we?’” A beat. “Are you staying, Leonard? Are you part of this team again, for good?”

He’s silent long enough that she looks back, unable to wait any longer. But Leonard Snart, her confident, arrogant crook, is studying her with something uncertain in his eyes.

“As one of the team?” he asks, so quietly she can barely hear him.

What is he…

Then Sara laughs as she realizes what he’s getting at. Her crook isn’t quite as confident as he appears.

“I love you, Snart,” she tells him, wanting, needing, to have the words out there. “I want you to stay. I want you to be lover and teammate and partner. Is that enough?”

Leonard’s expression goes rapidly from caution to stunned silence to satisfaction to…to something Sara can’t quite define. “For now,” he tells her in a low voice, continuing before she can even wonder. “Quite a ship you have, captain. Permission to stay aboard?”

“Permanently?” Sara asks him archly, getting a smirk in return.

“Well,” Leonard drawls, looking thoughtful. “Wouldn’t mind a bit of a break for a bit.” He pauses. “I’d like to meet your sister…and your dad, if you don’t think that’d end in bloodshed.”

Sara stares at him, parsing the words, which just don’t seem to make sense. She’d told him about how Laurel and her father had died, she knows she did, but…

But she’d also talked to Stein and Rip not so long ago.

“How…” she says faintly.

“I don’t know exactly how—or why—the Time Force chose to grant my requests, just that it did.” Leonard’s looking at her out of the corner of his eye. “Shouldn’t be like anything else ever happened now, to them. Don’t know if we’ll remember. Might fade in time.”

“I don’t care. I don’t care! Len…” Sara can’t find the words.

So instead, she just leans over and kisses him. And he kisses her back, there at the Vanishing Point, where they’d kissed the first time, on the day when Sara had thought any hope of “me and you” was lost forever.

After a moment, Leonard breaks the kiss just long enough to mutter, “Sara?”

“Hmmm?”

“Love you, too.”

*

I don't believe in destiny Or the guiding hand of fate I don't believe in forever Or love as a mystical state

I don't believe in the stars or the planets Or angels watching from above But I believe there's a ghost of a chance We can find someone to love And make it last

“Ghost of a Chance,” Rush

[fanforthefics]

Gabe/Tyson out of lust?

a kiss out of lust 

Here’s the thing–Tyson is definitely not going to break first. 

“Yeah, that’s probably a good thing,” Nate agrees, when Tyson tells him that, one night after practice when they’re idly watching Netflix and definitely not ruining their diet plans. “Gabe’s been on fire recently, you don’t want to mess with that.” 

Tyson glares, and also eats a cookie. It’s a combination he’s perfected over the years. “Are you saying I mess with his game?” 

Nate makes an apologetic face, because he knows that’s a thing people would say and how shitty it is. But also, “I mean, all that energy has to go somewhere, and it’s not going into fucking you, so…” 

“It could go into fucking me if he would just break,” Tyson mutters. Clearly he’s not going to break first, but also, it’s been a week since he properly touched Gabe and he’s gone longer but it still sucks. Or rather, it doesn’t. “Am I seriously not that attractive?”

Nate pats him on the head. “You’re very hot, Brutes.” 

“I am,” Tyson agrees, waving another cookie at him. Nate’s mom makes the best cookies. “I am very hot, and Gabe should remember that. I might not be Gabe the Babe, but I am in fact very hot. Gabe wants this.” 

“Okay,” Nate agrees. He looks pretty done with this topic, but if he really didn’t want to talk about it anymore he would tell Tyson so, or maybe hit him with a pillow. it’s how their friendship works. “He wants you.” 

“He does.” Tyson crosses his arms and pouts at the TV. “Just not enough.” 

Nate rolls his eyes. “You wouldn’t be in this if you guys didn’t make this stupid bet.” 

“It’s not a bet, it’s a challenge,” Tyson informs him, because it is. That’s important. “And it’s all EJ’s fault.” 

“You didn’t have to take the challenge.” 

Tyson scoffs. Nate smirks too. That’s clearly a ridiculous statement. “What was I supposed to do, leave Gabe and EJ and everyone thinking I’m more into him then he’s into me?” 

“Definitely not.” Nate makes a face, then, like it’s being dragged out of him. “But, um. Was making a bet that the other would be the first to break and need sex first the right way to prove it?” 

“It’s too late now,” Tyson says instead of answering. Fuck, but he’s horny. He wants to have sex. Specifically, he wants to have sex with Gabe. Admittedly, it’s not entirely outside of…whatever they’re doing to go have sex with someone else, but… Tyson’s not going to do that. It’d be cheating on the challenge, or something. 

He wonders if Gabe is, and that’s why he doesn’t seem to be affected. It’s a realistic thought, but not one he lingers on. 

“Okay, then. You have to step up your game.” Nate leans in, snags a cookie too. “I’m talking full on seduction.” 

Tyson sits up and grins at him. “I like the way you think, Dogg. Hit me with your ideas.” 

Tyson starts with wearing all the smallest clothes he owns. It’s not actually that hard–he’s bulked up this summer, and even his normal t-shirts are a little tighter than usual–but he leans into it. 

“Are those jeans painted on?” EJ asks, as Tyson gets dressed in the locker room. Tyson’s maybe having a little trouble getting the jeans on, but it’s basically over and no one else noticed. 

Except now, everyone’s looking. Including Gabe, who only has his own obscenely tight jeans on and no shirt and there’s water dripping from his hair down his neck over his chest and then his abs and into the line of his jeans. Tyson isn’t looking or anything. But he does look long enough to see that Gabe’s looking at him–specifically, his general jeans region. 

“What, these?” Tyson asks. He knows he’s not going to sound innocent but he doesn’t really care. “I just found them, what do you think?” He twists; Nate snorts but Gabe is definitely looking at his ass, so Tyson’s going to count it as a win. Then maybe Gabe will break and instead of going out with everyone they can go back to Tyson’s and fuck. And then Gabe will make Tyson pancakes, because Tyson can usually bully him into that even if he complains. 

“They look great, T-Bear,” Josty pipes up, smirking at Gabe. Tyson nods to him in Tyson solidarity. 

“You’re wearing them to the bar tonight?” EJ adds. He’s also smirking at Gabe. Tyson’s a little worried that the whole team energy will turn on him next time Gabe makes a move, but he’s going to ride it for now. Gabe’s a little red now, and he pulls on his t-shirt in a clear move to cover his face. “We’ll have to beat the boys away with a stick.” 

“Who says I want you to?” Tyson retorts, which gets a ‘oooh!’ from Mikko, and eyebrow waggle from EJ, and Gabe emerging from his t-shirt still flushed but now he’s smirking too. There’s a lot of smirking going on. Tyson may need to learn to smirk as well. 

Gabe pauses by Tyson’s stall on his way out, his hand dropping down over Tyson’s side and just barely brushing against his ass as he passes. “I know what you’re doing,” he murmurs, and his voice is low and rough and his beard brushes against Tyson’s ear and Tyson maybe shivers. Fuck, he hopes these tight jeans won’t become a problem. “It’s not going to work.” 

Tyson wills himself not to lean into Gabe. “Your move, Landeskog,” he retorts. 

Gabe chuckles, and keeps going. Tyson takes a few deep breathes before he moves again. He’s not going to break. He’s not. 

He reminds himself of that again at the bar, where Gabe shows up not in the clothes he left practice in, but instead in his own ridiculously tight jeans and the sweater he knows Tyson thinks he looks incredibly hot in, because Tyson has told him this before. It brings out his eyes and does great things for his shoulders and chest and every time Gabe wears it Tyson wants to rip it off of him. It’s whatever. Tyson’s fine. 

Gabe slides into the booth across from Tyson, and grins. “Everything okay?” 

“Yes,” Tyson announces. Then, “I’m getting a drink. Anyone else want one? No? Good.” 

He leaves as he hears Comes say, “I actually would like a–” 

He makes it to the bar, orders a sangria. Takes a breath. It’s fine. It’s been barely a week. Tyson lasted the whole off season. 

It’s just–since the season started, it’s felt different. Last season they’d just been fooling around, whatever. But then they’d had, like, an intense night after they got knocked out of the playoffs when Gabe had basically grabbed onto Tyson and barely let him go to drive back to Gabe’s, and then it had felt almost romantic, how they’d had sex slow and somehow cathartically and then Gabe had cuddled into Tyson and Tyson had somehow kept talking until he looked less like he was carrying the whole weight of them getting knocked out on his shoulders. And in the morning Tyson had woken up and Gabe had made them pancakes without Tyson even bitching about it and they’d eaten in Gabe’s sunny kitchen with Zoey being as dramatic as her dad about how she wanted pieces and it had been…nice. Different, somehow. 

And Gabe had kept texting during the off season, more than he usually did, and so Tyson did too, and maybe Tyson had drunk dialed him more than once for some phone sex, but Gabe had definitely been into it. And this season–it hadn’t been a question. This season, until this week, Tyson had barely slept in his own bed. 

It’s just different, he thinks, and takes the sangria the bartender hands him. He turns back to the group–they’re all deep in conversation about something, but as he looks over, Gabe looks up and catches Tyson watching. He grins. Tyson glares, then turns to the group of girls getting drinks next to him. 

“Hi, excuse me, sorry about this,” he says. They all turn to him. The closest one raises her eyebrows skeptically at him. She’s cute, with unnaturally red curls and awesomely dramatic makeup. “Can you pretend to be talking to me for a second? I”m trying to prove I’m not paying attention to my friends over there. I promise I’ll go away quietly after a second.” 

The girls all look at each other, then glance over at the table, then shrugs. “Yeah, sure,” The redhead says. “I’m Carmen. What’s your name?” 

“Tyson,” Tyson says, and smiles thankfully. “No, this round’s on me,” He tells the bartender, as he comes over to take the girls’ order. “Put it on my tab. I owe them.” 

One of the girls tilts her head at him. “Do you play hockey?” she asks, slowly. “I swear you look familiar.” 

Tyson beams. “I do!” He says enthusiastically. That starts enough of a conversation, because even though apparently only the girl who asked about it is a fan, it’s still a topic of conversation. Then things spiral a little bit, and Tyson ends up bringing the whole group back to the table, and somehow discussing makeup with Carmen for an hour as Kerfy strikes out hilariously with Shannon, the hockey-liker. 

Something knocks against Tyson’s foot, while he’s talking with Carmen. Tyson looks up–Gabe’s watching him, biting his lip a little, and he’s not smiling anymore. Tyson narrows his eyes at him in a question, but Gabe just shakes his head. Then he runs his toe up Tyson’s calf almost to his knee, and Tyson yelps, and then everyone laughs at him, including Gabe. 

Then Gabe gets a hat trick. Tyson has to physically avoid Gabe to make sure he doesn’t do something rash and break, because fuck. 

“Landy was looking for you after the game,” Nate says mildly on the way home. “He looked kind of sad you didn’t congratulate him.” 

“I couldn’t.” Tyson feels bad about that, but. “It was too dangerous. Did you see those goals? And how he looked afterwards? I mean his hockey is always gorgeous but I was ready to–” 

“TMI!” Nate shouts. “Ugh, fine. But text him at least.” 

“Fine,” Tyson sighs, but he pulls out his phone. Beauty goals! he texts to Gabe. find a hat that fits your head yet? 

you’d know if you’d stuck around, Gabe replies, which is sulky enough that he is mad. 

not my fault you’re too hot after a hattie, Tyson texts back. I’m not going to be suckered into breaking just because of your gorgeous hockey. 

The dots show up for a long time, then. You’re killing me here, 4.  

You could break. Just have to ask

Fuck that

But not me 

Gabe sends back a row of frowny faces, then a picture of Zoey, so really Tyson’s getting a lot of mixed messages here, none of which is getting his dick sucked. He must make a noise, because Nate rolls his eyes as he merges closely enough that Tyson grabs onto the door. 

“It’s just a challenge,” he points out. “You could give up.” 

Tyson shakes his head, looks out the window where the cars are going by, Denver in the background. “I can’t,” he says. Quieter than he wants it to be. “I–it can’t be true.” 

“That you want Gabe more than he wants you?” Nate snorts. “Trust me. I’ve been in a room with you two. It’s pretty clear that’s not true.”

“Yeah, well. I’d like to see you hook up with a literal almost-model and not get a complex,” Tyson retorts, because this is all getting super close to home. He’d like to see Nate see Gabe all scruffy in the mornings as he got ready for practice or reading on the couch with Zoey’s head in his lap or beaming at his computer screen as he Skypes Sweden and not feel–more, maybe. Then he was sure was what they were doing. 

Nate sighs, then. “He likes it when you say nice things about him.” 

“Well he’s in luck, I can’t stop apparently.” Tyson pauses. “Wait. Likes, or likes? And how do you know this, MacKinnon?” 

Nate is very clearly looking at the road ahead. “I plead the fifth.” 

“You’re not American, you can’t do that.” 

“I’m in America, I have rights.” 

“You don’t know that, you–” 

“I’m not telling,” Nate says, and then disappointingly keeps his promise. 

“Yeah, Gabe has a real flair for the dramatic,” Tyson tells the camera, and for once lets himself be actually shameless. 

When he’s done and the media’s gone, he sees Gabe watching him, and sure enough, his eyes are dark and his tongue flicks out to wet his lips. Tyson swallows. 

“Seriously?” he asks. 

Gabe shrugs. 

Mikko snorts. “If you like hearing someone say nice things about you, you’ve chosen the right person,” he tells Gabe. 

“I can keep going,” Tyson adds, before Gabe has a chance to say anything about choosing people or how he hasn’t chosen people. Mikko might as well have said boyfriend and really started something. 

“Should I start, then?” Gabe asks. He’s still glowing a little bit from his game tonight. If Tyson were going to break, he’d be very tempted to find like, a supply closet or something. He takes a step towards Tyson. “Should we talk about your night?” 

“Nope!” Tyson yelps, There is proof all over the internet that Tyson is incapable of keeping it together when Gabe tells him nice things. “That’s okay.” 

“Don’t play with fire if you can’t take it back,” Gabe tells him. He looks very smug. It is, irritatingly, one of Tyson’s favorite looks on him–when he’s smug and confident and just a little arrogant. 

“You don’t play with fire,” Tyson mutters, and grabs a towel. It’s time for a judicious retreat. 

“Tyson,” Gabe starts, “Tyson, come on, stay–” But Tyson’s already on his way to the showers. 

Gabe has a bunch of the guys over for a casual, making sure everyone’s fitting in on the new team sort of thing, so Tyson shows up with a cake he baked himself because all of his energy needs to go somewhere that isn’t fucking Gabe. 

“Don’t worry, I’ve saved you from Gabe’s kale smoothies,” he announces as he opens the door. From the living room, Gabe groans. 

“That was one time!” he objects, but Tyson’s a little busy dealing with Zoey jumping on him, either because she missed him or because she wants cake. Tyson suspects the latter. 

He leans down anyway to pet her, because he’s missed her, even if it’s not reciprocated. “I”m putting the cake in the kitchen,” he calls, and gets enough sounds of acknowledgment that he knows the hordes will come out soon enough. 

Sure enough, he’s dodging Zoey–who knows he’s maybe weak for her begging face–and grabbing a knife to cut himself a slice of the cake when Josty wanders in. 

He looks droopy, which is unusual for him; Tyson changes the angle on the knife. “Everything okay?” he asks. 

Josty shrugs. “I’m supposed to stay away from bright lights,” he says, waving back towards the video games going on in the living room. 

“Sucks,” Tyson agrees. “Cake?” 

“Yeah,” Josty sighs. Tyson hands him the extra large slice of cake. 

“Cake will always be there for you,” Tyson informs him, cutting him a slice of his own. “Even when your head betrays you.” 

“Yeah.” Josty makes a face. “I’m just bored. I can’t do anything fun.” 

“Sure you can. You could take up baking. We could have a bakeoff! Or you could like, learn guitar. Or read books, I guess, but that seems iffy.” 

“I can read!” Josty protests. Tyson cocks his head. 

“I never said you couldn’t,” he points out, and takes a bite of the cake. It’s a little dry. “Whipped cream?” 

“Gabe has whipped cream?” 

“For pancakes, I insisted,” Tyson tells him, and gets it from the fridge. “Here.” He puts a bunch of whipped cream on Josty’s cake, then on his own. “He was eating pancakes with just butter, so I made sure to educate him.” 

Josty snorts. “On whipped cream?” 

“On the important things in life, yeah,” Tyson says. He takes another bite of cake–much better–and licks his lips. “Like whipped cream. Whipped cream will always be there for you too.” He shoots a look at Josty. “Even when reading, I hear.” 

“I’ve read a book!” Josty retorts, but he’s laughing. Tyson takes a satisfied bite of cake. He was maybe a little ambitious about the whipped cream; it gets not just on the cake but also on his nose. 

“What’s going on in here?” Tyson turns, and Gabe’s in the doorway. God, Tyson hadn’t even been planning–he’s in his now-usual tight jeans and a t-shirt, but he’s also eating cake and has whipped cream on his nose. Gabe looks like a model. Which he always does, but–he looks even more so, somehow, with the sun streaming through the windows to light of his hair and the smile lines at his eyes. Fuck, Tyson wants–so much. 

“We’re raiding your fridge for whipped cream,” Tyson informs him. “Also, pick up eggs.” 

Josty snorts. Gabe cocks his head. “What?” 

Tyson knows he’s going red, but–”You need eggs,” he tells Gabe, because look he’d noticed that in the fridge, okay? He’s allowed to notice shit. “You don’t have any and you get sulky when you don’t have eggs in the morning if you want them, so get them. And also paper towels, because let’s be real we’re going to need at least a roll tonight, and–” 

“You have whipped cream on your nose,” Gabe informs him. Tyson rolls his eyes as he licks it off. Gabe at least watches his tongue, so that’s something. 

“Yes, Gabriel, thank you, I noticed, why do you think I was considering your paper towel supply? I’m not going to like, have a paper towel war back here.” He pauses. “Unless…” 

Gabe grins, and–wow, that grin is never going to get less heart-stopping. “Please do not have a paper towel fight,” he says, taking a step forward, and Tyson does the only reasonable thing, which is rip off a piece of paper towel, ball it up, and throw it at Gabe. 

Gabe blinks as it bounces off of him. “Did you seriously just throw a paper towel at me?” 

“Yes.” Tyson is going to brazen through this if nothing else. “Now are you going to break, at my amazing paper towel war skills?” 

Gabe laughs. “Yeah, that’s what’s going to get me to break.” 

“I knew it.” Tyson crosses his arms triumphantly. “Go me. You ready to ravish me, or do I have to pull out the big guns?” 

“You haven’t yet?” 

“You ain’t seen nothing yet,” Tyson informs him, then grabs the whipped cream. He sprays a bunch onto his hand, then drags two fingers through it, so he can lick it off. Slowly. While keeping eye contact with Gabe. 

Gabe’s gaze definitely goes dark. So Tyson does it again. He’s got his fingers in his mouth when it occurs to him that, “Hey, how long does whipped cream stay good for?” 

Gabe chokes, then shakes his head, then wipes his hand over his mouth. Then he looks back up at Tyson. “I love you.” 

Tyson’s finger falls out of his mouth, fast. “What?” 

“I love you,” Gabe says again. 

“Like, as buddies?” 

“Not just as buddies.” He sounds–certain. Sure. The words are filling Tyson up from his toes to his head and Gabe is looking at Tyson soft and warm and his eyes are shining and he’s looked at Tyson like that before but there hasn’t been an emotion to that before and fuck, Tyson wants to taste those words off of his lips. 

“Fuck it, I don’t care who wins,” Tyson decides, then he crosses the room in two quick strides to tug Gabe in. Gabe’s laughing into his mouth, and Tyson’s hand is still sticky with the remnants of whipped cream, and it’s been weeks and Gabe’s as good a kisser as Tyson remembered. Tyson’s hands slide down from Gabe’s shoulders to his ass. He missed Gabe’s ass. He needs to get reacquainted. Gabe clearly feels the same way, given how he’s apparently trying to devour Tyson. 

“Um, guys?” Josty says. “You can do what you want and I’m happy for you and all, but you’re kind of blocking the door.” 

Tyson manages to remove his mouth from Gabe’s lips. “You’ve got a room upstairs,” he points out. “It’s been weeks, Gabe.” 

“No fucking kidding,” Gabe agrees, and slides his hands down to Tyson’s wrist. “Enjoy yourself!” He calls to the living room. “Beer’s in the fridge!”  

“Seriously?” Nate asks. 

“Where are you going?” EJ demands. 

“We broke!” Tyson calls back, and Gabe groans but ignores the catcalls as he tugs Tyson upstairs, then to his room. They barely get the door closed before Tyson’s tugging Gabe back against it, kissing him again until Gabe’s groaning into his mouth and Tyson can feel him getting hard. 

Then Tyson lifts his head. “Hey,” he says. “You want me a lot.” 

“You think?” Gabe demands. “Was that ever in question? You’ve been killing me, Tys.” When Tyson doesn’t say anything, his face softens. “Was that actually in question?” 

“You’re a lot!” Tyson protests. “And like, we hadn’t said what this was and I wasn’t even sure if you were sleeping with anyone else and I really like you and I wasn’t sure–” 

“Trust me,” Gabe cuts him off, and his voice is low and rough, and his hands are on Tyson’s hips now, pulling him closer. “However much you want me, I want you more.” 

“Really?” Tyson raises an eyebrow. “I really like you. And want you. Probably more than you do.” He waits a second for Gabe to get it, to see Gabe grin. “I bet I want you more.” 

“Shut up, Tyson,” Gabe says, on something that’s half groan and half laugh and all Tyson’s, and then tugs him into a kiss to make sure he does just that.