Archive of Our Own ^beta

Don't Threaten Me with a Good Time

The Protectors were currently lounging in the living or common room of their wing. It was a large wide-open space, with dark wooden floorboards and black walls adorned with sections of light grey-whiteish marble.

The kitchen was at the back of the room and included a breakfast bar. The living room had multiple sofas, armchairs and love seats set in a semi-circle around a plush, cream-coloured rug with a modern black and glass coffee table on top of it. On the other side of the coffee table sat a large HD flat-screen plasma TV on top of a black unit for comfortable viewing. While off to the one side stood a fire place with a fern on top of the mantle.

Behind the TV were large panoramic windows and a pair of sliding glass doors that led to a large out door court-yard.

The living room and kitchen were separated by a long 'U' shaped planter and water feature that created an open hall-way.

To the left of the kitchen was a long dark wooden table with matching comfortable-looking benches and two chairs, one at each end of the table.

To the right of the kitchen was a gaming area for the kids which had various game consoles, retro arcade machines, multiple bean bags to sit on, a matching rug to the main sitting area, and a low, dark wooden table they could sit at, down on the floor to do their school work.

Unlike the rest of the compound, the Protectors' wing was bathed in a warm golden glow, giving it a homey well lived in vibe, quite opposite to the cold, clinical white lighting of the rest of the compound.

In the living room, the Protectors were having their weekly movie night, each sitting in their usual places.

On the main large couch were Carol and Rhodey, snuggling together at one end, in the middle were Stephen and Eddie, with Oliver and Laurel cuddling at the other end. To the left, Thor and Bruce sat in the thunder god's oversized, red-leather armchair, and to their left were Valkyrie and Betty on one of the love seats.

To the right of the main sofa Lucifer, lounging in the love seat he usually shared with his two absent partners. On the sofa behind the main one sat Callum, Horus, Arthur and Alcides, with Bucky snuggling into Logan's side on the right end.

To Bucky and Logan's right were Jane, Darcy and Sif all sharing a smaller sofa. Hela and Loki sat to Callum's left on the two-seater, with Wade and Nathan next to them on a similar sofa.

On the floor sat Hope, Scott, Jesse, Cassidy, Vision, Danny, Luke, Matt, Frank and Jessica. While Peter, Harley, Tandy, Tyrone, Quinn and Emrys congregated in the gaming area, competing in a Mario Kart tournament. Everyone was either asleep, in their rooms or busy doing something else. Rhodey paused the movie when he heard someone approaching, when John and Tony waltzed into the room, slightly tipsy.

"Where the hell have you two been?" Rhodey asked as he turned to look at his friend who had an arm around the bleached-blonde warlock.

"More importantly, what on earth are you wearing on your feet?" Lucifer asked, his head tilting to one side in curiosity.

Tony looked down at his feet, and his eyes lit up upon realizing what they were going on about. "OH! those," the engineer replied breathily, laughing nervously, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck.

"We lost a bet to a guy in a chiffon skirt," John stated, matter-of-factly.

"But, damn, we make these high heels work," the engineer added, shamelessly showing off the bright, sparkling ruby heels the two wore while winking at Lucifer before he sauntered back out the room taking John with him.

Lucifer watched the two leave with rapt attention, grinning deviously, before jumping over the back of the sofa and going after them.

"Did that just appen'?" Arthur asked.

"Yes, unfortunately it did," Carol replied.

Rhodey groaned. Rubbing a hand down his face he looked to the ceiling and asked, "Fri? Make sure their room is 100% sound-proofed please." 

"Already on it, Colonel,” The AI replied, obviously amused by the situation.

After a brief 'thank you', Rhodey hit the play button and everyone went back to watching the movie, trying not to think about what the three were doing in their room.

The End...