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Chapter Text

They were stuck; no time couriers (they were dead… again— god they really needed to learn to charge the damn fuckers), no Waverider, and no team (the rest of the Legends were stuck in the temporal zone until the Waverider could be repaired). So now Sara and Ava were stuck driving across the country to the nearest Time Bureau safehouse so that they could charge their courier and get back to the Waverider.

Sara had been the one driving for the majority of the trip thus far while Ava had helped her navigate when needed, but it became increasingly clear to Ava that her girlfriend was beginning to get restless and anxious, and she knew that Sara was going to need a break— and soon.

“Hey, babe,” Ava said softly, gently nudging Sara’s arm, “Pull over. Let me drive for a while.”

“Hmm?” Sara hummed distractedly, “What? Oh— no, it’s okay. I’m fine.”

“Honey, you’re getting restless, not to mention anxious. I can tell. Let me take the wheel for a while,” Ava pushed, briefly squeezing Sara’s leg and rubbing a thumb over her knee.

Sara blew out a long breath (one that Ava knew held unspoken relief in it) and nodded as she prepared to pull into the upcoming gas station.

The minute Sara put the car in park, she leaned forward, resting her forehead on the top of the wheel, in between her hands. Ava rubbed a hand gently over Sara’s back for a few minutes, allowing her girlfriend the time she needed to decompress a little bit.

“Feeling a little bit better?” Ava asked as Sara lifted her head from the steering wheel.

Sara merely nodded, shooting a small smile towards Ava as she moved to unbuckle her seatbelt and get out of the car. Ava followed suit a second later so that Sara could get in the passenger’s seat, but made no move to take her place in the driver’s seat.

“Hey, I’m gonna go inside and get you a pair of earbuds real quick, do you want anything else while I’m in there?”

“A water and a snack would be nice, thank you,” Sara said quietly, shooting Ava a grateful look. It didn’t go unnoticed by Ava that Sara was trying to discreetly shake out her arms and hands, and Ava knew without a shadow of a doubt then that she had made the right call.

“No problem, babe.”

Ava returned to the car with the requested items to find Sara sitting back in the passenger’s seat, eyes closed, with her feet on the front of the dashboard, knees tucked close to her chest, and her arms tucked under her knees, with her hands wrapped around her ankles.

“Comfy?” Ava teased lightly, setting the convenience store bag down and opening the pair of headphones so that Sara wouldn’t have to move too much.

Sara chuckled, smiling softly.

“It helps,” she murmured.

“I know. Here you go, take these,” Ava said, handing Sara her phone, which had the pair of earbuds already plugged into it.

“Thanks, babe,” Sara said, moving one arm briefly to settle them into her ears and press play on her favorite playlist, before tucking it back under her knee and wrapping her hand around her ankle again.

Ava nodded, smiling softly as she buckled her seatbelt and resumed the long drive.

It was a few hours later when Ava glanced over at Sara to see that her girlfriend had fallen asleep, and the sight filled her with warmth and melted her heart. Sara’s unconscious form sat slouched in her seat, knees still tucked up close to her chest and feet still resting on the front of the dashboard. Her head was resting against the window, her mouth was ever so slightly agape, and her hands had fallen from where they’d been resting on her ankles, and instead her arms had hung down between her legs.

Ava smiled as she turned her eyes back onto the road. Sara always looked so adorable in her sleep, and this time was no different. Even though the position she was curled up in would’ve undoubtedly been very uncomfortable for nearly anyone else, Ava knew that Sara was likely rather comfortable.

It was only a couple of hours later when they finally arrived at the Time Bureau safehouse, and Ava turned to her still-sleeping girlfriend the minute she had put the car in park and turned off the engine. Ava sat there quietly for a few moments, simply watching Sara as she slept, before reaching over and tucking a loose strand of hair behind Sara’s ear and trailing her hand down to her shoulder. Sara stirred slightly, but ultimately remained sleeping until Ava shook her shoulder ever so gently.

“Hmmph” Sara mumbled sleepily, “Where are we?”

“We’re at the safehouse, baby,” Ava murmured, leaning over to press a kiss to Sara’s temple, “We just got here.”

Sara nodded, humming absentmindedly as she slowly sat up and began moving.

“Thanks for driving the rest of the way,” she said as she met Ava in front of the car, leaning readily into the hug that her girlfriend had offered, “I needed that.”

“I know you did,” Ava said, pressing a kiss to the top of Sara’s head and trailing her fingers lightly down Sara’s spine, “C’mon, let’s get inside and get this courier charged so that we can go home.”

Chapter Text

“Hey Aves, I’m home!” Sara called out to her wife as she closed the front door behind her, making sure to keep the small black box she held in her hand out of sight in case Ava decided to greet her at the door.

“In the living room, babe!” Ava called back softly.

Sara grinned, kicking off her combat boots and shrugging off her jacket before entering the living room and joining her wife on the couch. She pulled the small black box from behind her back and held it out to Ava.

“What’s this and what’s the occasion?” Ava asked playfully, taking the box from Sara’s outstretched hand and pulling her closer simultaneously. 

“No occasion. I just saw it and it reminded me of you,” Sara smiled, leaning in to press a kiss to Ava’s cheek, “Open it and find out.”

“You’re so cute,” Ava whispered in Sara’s ear, making her wife shiver delightedly as Ava tapped Sara’s nose lightly with her knuckle.

Sara swung a leg over Ava’s and settled herself down in Ava’s lap, scooting ever so slightly closer to her as she rested her arms over Ava’s shoulders and leaned in for a proper kiss.

“Open it,” she murmured again, lips brushing against Ava’s. She stole one more kiss and nuzzled her nose against Ava’s before leaning back to watch Ava open the impromptu gift.

Ava chuckled and slid the top off of the small box, keeping one arm wrapped around Sara’s waist as she did. Inside lay a simple charm bracelet with five charms attached: two hands interlocked in a pinky promise, a torch, a north star, a compass, and a heart.

“Thank you, sweetheart, I love it. It’s beautiful,” Ava said softly, absentmindedly tracing her hand up and down Sara’s spine before pulling her in for another soft, lingering kiss.

“I saw the charms in a store window on my walk with Laurel. I knew I had to get them for you,” Sara said, taking the bracelet out of its box and clipping it onto Ava’s wrist. She held the first charm up with her finger, “A pinky promise because we always keep the ones we make to each other. I don’t think we’ve broken a single pinky promise to each other and I pray to whatever god might be up there that we never will.” She moved onto the next charm, again holding it up with her finger, “A torch because you’re the light that helps me see the path that leads me home, to you.” She continued onto the next charm, “A north star because that’s what you are to me: you’re my north star and my guiding light. It was true when I proposed and it’s still true now. It always will be.” She held up the fourth charm, “A compass because wherever you are, I’m home. You are my home, and you’re always there to lead me back when I get lost.” She picked up the fifth and final charm, “And a heart, because I gave you mine a long time ago, and you’ve always kept it safe ever since.”

Ava wrapped her arms tight around Sara’s frame and pulled her into a bone-crushing hug, all while Sara still enjoyed her spot in Ava’s lap, straddling her. Sara chuckled breathlessly in surprise, but returned the hug with just as much force. In the next moment, Ava had rolled them both so that Sara was laying with her back flat on the couch and Ava was half on top of her.

“You,” Ava said, brushing Sara’s hair back before she paused to press a kiss to Sara’s lips, “are so fucking adorable—” she pressed another kiss to Sara’s lips, “—and sweet—” another kiss, “—and thoughtful—” another kiss, “—and I love you so goddamn much.”

It was then that she began peppering Sara’s face and neck with kisses, making sure to cover every inch of skin that she could reach, before returning to Sara’s lips and pulling her wife in for a slow, deep kiss. Ava’s hand wandered down Sara’s side before slipping under the fabric of her shirt. Sara broke the kiss only when oxygen became a necessity, but still she stayed close, arms snaked around the back of Ava’s neck as she leaned up to press their foreheads together. Her eyes stayed closed the whole time, even as she whispered, “I love you too.”

Ava sat back on her heels, then, pulling Sara with her as her legs had been wrapped around Ava’s waist. She held her close with one hand, using the other to cup Sara’s face, her thumb tracing over Sara’s cheek before Ava brushed it over her bottom lip. Sara leaned into the gentle touch.

“Then what do you say we continue this elsewhere?” Ava asked, voice nothing more than a low, husky whisper as she scratched the back of Sara’s neck lightly and dipped her fingers ever so slightly under the waistband of Sara’s jeans.

Sara’s pupils widened and her eyes grew darker as she nodded vigorously, “Please do.”

Chapter Text

“So, ice cream date, huh?” Ava asked as she and Sara strolled leisurely through Sara’s hometown hand in hand. 

It was one of the few days where neither of them had any pressing matters to attend to, so Sara had suggested an outing to Star City for the day, where they could get ice cream from the old parlor that she had frequented when she was younger, and which had remained her favorite to this day.

“Hey, Grandma June’s Soft Serve is to die for. And I’ve been dead before so I should know,” Sara chuckled, pulling Ava closer and resting her head against Ava’s bicep, “Besides, I just wanted to spend some alone time with you outside of the ship.”

“I don’t care what we do. Getting to spend the day with you in the city you grew up in is more than perfect to me.”

“I love you. You’re sweet. Now come on, Grandma June’s is just around the corner.”

They entered the ice cream parlor, which thankfully wasn’t very busy at that time of the day, and made their way to the counter to order.

“I’ll have a cotton candy, bubblegum soft serve mix with rainbow sprinkles in a bowl, please,” Sara said, then looked to Ava to see what she wanted.

“I’ll have a strawberry soft serve in a cone, please,” Ava said.

“That’ll be eight dollars,” the cashier behind the counter read out.

Ava reached for her wallet, but was stopped by Sara’s hand on her arm.

“No, no, it’s my treat,” Sara said, reaching into her pocket and pulling out eight dollars, plus a five for the tip jar, “I know my job doesn’t pay much—”

“Babe, your job doesn’t pay anything,” Ava whispered to her in amusement.

“I know, which is why I keep a little stash from what Rory steals,” Sara grinned.

“Fair enough,” Ava said, tilting her head to the side and scrunching up her nose. Sara's eyes softened at the adorable sight.

Their ice cream was served a moment later, and Sara handed Ava the strawberry cone before looping her arm through Ava’s free one.

“Care to keep strolling through Star City with me?” she asked, tilting her head up towards Ava.

“There’s nothing that I would love more.”

++++++

“You know, I never really pegged you as the ‘ bubblegum and cotton candy mix with rainbow sprinkles ’ type of person,” Ava commented in amusement as she watched Sara happily eat her ice cream while they meandered through the streets of Star City.

“Don’t knock it ‘till you’ve tried it, Aves,” Sara said through a bite of ice cream, “They were always my favorite flavors as a kid, but I was always so indecisive and could never choose just one, so one day I decided to combine them. It’s been my go-to ever since.”

“Yeah, I guess that does actually track for you,” Ava chuckled, nudging her arm playfully into Sara’s side, which only prompted Sara to nudge her back, “You were right about the soft serve, though. It’s really good.”

“I told you,” Sara said smugly, sticking her tongue out at Ava.

“You’re a goof.”

“Maybe, but I’m your goof.”

“And I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Chapter Text

They were getting ready for an event at the Time Bureau headquarters together. Ava was just finishing putting in her earrings when she heard Sara let out a frustrated grunt. She looked over just in time to see Sara struggling with her tie before tossing it to the ground.

“Dammit!” Sara groaned, leaning down to pick her tie back up, “I’ve tied my own ties a thousand times before, why is it so goddamn difficult today?!”

“Hey, hey, it’s okay,” Ava soothed, taking one of Sara’s hands in her own, “Come here. Let me fix it.”

Sara took a deep breath and nodded. “Thank you.”

Ava stepped closer to Sara and gently began tying the tie around her girlfriend’s neck. It was done in a matter of minutes, and Ava stood there for a moment with her hands on Sara’s shoulders before pressing a kiss to Sara’s forehead.

“There, all done, love. You look dashing,” Ava said, squeezing Sara’s shoulder lightly and tucking the stray lock of hair that had fallen out of Sara’s ponytail behind her ear.

Sara blushed, closing her eyes at the touch.

“Are you okay, baby?” Ava asked, absentmindedly straightening out Sara’s suit with one hand while the other still cupped Sara’s face. Sara opened her eyes ever so slightly.

“Mmm,” Sara hummed, “Just an off sensory day, I’ll be fine. It just didn’t pair too well with me needing to wear a suit to feel comfortable today. I couldn’t get my fingers to move the way I needed them to and I got overwhelmed.”

Ava nodded in understanding, pressing another kiss to Sara’s forehead.

“Okay. Well let me grab your fidget rings and your noise-canceling earbuds,” Ava said, moving over to Sara’s nightstand and grabbing the needed items before returning to her place next to Sara, “And if you get too overwhelmed, just tell me and we’ll make an excuse to leave early, okay? We’re just going to be surrounded by stuffy old cishet white men anyway.”

Sara looked up at her in awe, eyes filled with so much love and adoration as she felt Ava sliding her fidget rings onto her fingers.

“What?” Ava giggled curiously when she caught Sara’s eyes.

“How did I ever manage to get so lucky?” Sara murmured breathlessly, keeping her eyes fixated on Ava’s face, “Thank you for knowing me so well.”

Ava blushed, looking down and taking Sara’s hand in hers.

“How many times do I have to tell you that you deserve everything good that you have?”

Sara fell silent, simply looking up at Ava with a small smile tugging ever so slightly at the corners of Sara’s mouth.

“Well, I’ll tell you as many times as it takes for you to believe it.”

Sara’s smile widened ever so slightly.

“You’re so perfect,” she whispered.

Ava smiled and turned Sara around to face the mirror before coming to stand behind her, wrapping her arms lightly around Sara’s frame.

“And you,” she said, pausing to kiss the top of Sara’s head, “are so handsome. You look stunning.”

Sara blushed, turning around in Ava’s arms to face her.

“And you look gorgeous,” she said, snaking her arms up around Ava’s neck, “You’re so beautiful.”

“C’mon,” Ava smiled, ducking her head and holding out her arm for Sara as she opened up a portal into an empty hallway in the Time Bureau headquarters, “Let’s go, babe.”

Chapter Text

Sara and Ava stepped out into the cool night air, a light breeze passing by them. They breathed in deeply, taking in the smell of the crisp autumn air as they glanced at each other, smiling softly. It was one of the few nights they’d been able to spend together uninterrupted, and they jumped at the chance to have a date night. Ava proffered her hand for Sara to take, and her smile widened when Sara took it and pulled herself closer.

“Come on, I’ll walk you home,” Ava said softly, pressing a kiss to Sara’s temple.

“The Waverider?” Sara asked, looking up at Ava, her brows furrowed in mild confusion, “I figured we’d just find an alleyway and use a time courier.”

“Actually,” Ava said, leaning down to whisper in Sara’s ear, “I meant my place, love. Wanna spend the night?”

A shiver ran down Sara’s spine. “Lead the way… Director Sharpe.”

Ava smirked smugly, pulling Sara closer and wrapping an arm around her shoulders. Sara leaned into her, bringing her hand up to hold the one that Ava had slung over her shoulder.

They walked mostly in silence, simply enjoying the night air and each other’s company.

“We don’t get to do this enough,” Sara murmured a while later, looking up at Ava with stars in her eyes as they got closer to Ava’s apartment, “It’s nice that we got to do this tonight.”

Ava smiled softly, leaning down and pressing a chaste kiss to Sara’s lips. 

“We’re home, my love,” she said, leading Sara up the steps to her front door. She turned her around, gently pushing Sara’s back up against her door as she leaned down to kiss her again.

Sara snaked her arms up around Ava’s neck, pulling her closer as they kissed slowly, leisurely, as if they had all the time in the world. In a way, they did. Ava blindly unlocked the door and opened it, walking Sara backwards before turning and pushing her into the door again.

“Mmmm, you really like pushing me into this door tonight,” Sara sighed out, leaning her head back as Ava began trailing her lips down her neck.

“Don’t act like you don’t love it,” Ava murmured into the skin of Sara’s neck, smirking as Sara let out a breath and shivered as Ava’s hands wandered down her sides.

“Didn’t say that,” Sara breathed out, gasping lightly as Ava pushed her jacket off of her shoulders and continued her trail of kisses over every inch of exposed skin that she could reach, “In fact, I think you should walk me home more often if it’s gonna end like this.”

“Hmm, I think I will,” Ava hummed, pulling her lips away from where they were attached to Sara’s sweet spot so that she could look at her before pulling her into another kiss.

She stepped closer to her, pinning her further into the door as she trailed her hands all down Sara’s sides. They reached her thighs, and Ava lifted her up easily, waiting for Sara to wrap her legs around her before moving away from the door.

Sara smiled against Ava’s lips, pushing her nose into Ava’s and chasing her lips as Ava pulled away ever so slightly.

“Bedroom?” Ava asked, voice low as she spoke against Sara’s lips.

“I thought you’d never ask,” Sara murmured, eyes still closed as she leaned into another kiss, holding herself as close as possible to Ava while she carried her up the stairs to their bedroom.

Chapter Text

Sara slowly woke up to the sound of Ava moving about the room, likely getting ready for another day at the Time Bureau. It was early— Ava was always much more of an early riser than she was, but even then Sara deemed it far too early to be awake— and Ava’s bed was so warm and comfy. She sighed contentedly, snuggling further into the covers and the comfort of being surrounded by all things Ava . 

Her small movement must have caught Ava’s attention, because in the next moment, she cracked her eyes open to find Ava kneeling right next to her, only half-dressed and smiling softly as she ran her hand through Sara’s sleep mussed hair. Sara smiled sleepily.

“Hey, sleepyhead,” Ava murmured, tracing her knuckle down the bridge of Sara’s nose and pressing a kiss to her forehead.

Sara grumbled. “Not a sleepyhead if it’s the asscrack of dawn.” She yawned, pushing her hand out from under the covers to grab at Ava’s half-done tie, effectively pulling her closer, “You should still be in bed… cuddling me.”

Ava chuckled, smoothing Sara’s hair back and easing Sara’s grip off of her tie, intertwining their fingers instead. 

“If I could, I would, love, but unfortunately I have to finish getting ready for work.”

“Screw work.” 

“You say that every morning, babe.”

“And you never agree,” Sara pouted, “One of these days you will. Can’t resist my charm forever.”

Ava smiled. “Go back to sleep, baby. I’ll come give you a kiss before I go.”

“Mmm ‘kay,” Sara hummed, tucking herself back under the blankets and letting herself fall back asleep to thoughts of Ava. 

Ava stood back up and continued getting dressed and making sure she had everything she needed before sitting down and taking a moment to write a short, cheesy note for Sara to read when she woke up again. She left it on her nightstand and leaned down to press a kiss to Sara’s forehead.

Sara stirred ever so slightly, leaning her head back and pouting just enough to convey to Ava that she wanted a proper goodbye kiss. Ava smiled and kissed her, lingering just a moment longer than necessary before standing back up.

Sara’s hand reached out from under the covers again, this time catching Ava’s hand before she could move away from the bed.

“Have a good day at work,” Sara mumbled sleepily, not even opening her eyes as she fell back asleep completely, her arm dropping down from where it had been holding Ava’s hand to hang down beside the bed.

Ava’s smile widened. “Thank you, love. Coffee and breakfast will be downstairs for you when you wake up.”

Ava knew that Sara likely hadn’t heard her, but she knew that Sara would be eternally happy for the coffee and breakfast when she woke up, especially since she wouldn’t have to make it herself. Ava’s smile grew again at the image in her head of Sara, still sleepy and wearing her oversized clothes as she wandered downstairs and found that there was already coffee and breakfast waiting for her. It made her want to stay home and snuggle back up in bed with Sara, but she wouldn’t— she had a few meetings that she couldn’t miss, and besides, she was never one to miss work anyways.

She leaned down one final time to press a kiss to Sara’s head, smoothing her hair back and tucking the blanket up around her before standing back up and opening a portal to the Time Bureau headquarters.

Chapter Text

Sara awoke to the feeling of Ava’s fingers running through her hair and scratching her scalp lightly. She hummed contentedly and snuggled further into Ava’s side as her girlfriend set down her book and kissed her forehead. Ava trailed her fingers down Sara’s spine and then back up again to continue massaging her scalp.

“Mmmph, you really know how to make a girl feel good when she wakes up,” Sara mumbled sleepily, wrapping her arm tighter around Ava’s waist and nuzzling her nose against Ava’s neck.

“Maybe I just know how to make you feel really good when you wake up,” Ava countered, booping Sara’s nose and smirking when her girlfriend scrunched her face up.

“Hmmm, no, ‘m sure you could make anyone feel good like this, babe.”

Ava chuckled, “You’re a dork.”

“No, I’m your dork. Get it right, Aves.”

Ava laughed, shaking her head at her girlfriend’s antics before leaning in to give Sara a proper good morning kiss and pulling her closer. Sara smiled into the kiss.

“G’morning,” she murmured against Ava’s lips.

“Good morning, my love,” Ava echoed, rolling them on the bed so that Sara was on her back and Ava was laying completely on top of her. She held Sara’s head in between her hands, rubbing her thumbs gently back and forth across her temples. 

Sara closed her eyes, sighing as she leaned her head into Ava’s hand. She gripped at Ava’s hips lazily, her hold light and loose as she held Ava where she was.

“Sleep well?” Ava asked, pressing a kiss to Sara’s chin.

“Mmhmm,” Sara hummed, nodding as she leaned further into Ava’s hand, “I dreamt about you last night.”

Ava smirked, “Oh, you did, did you?”

“Yup,” Sara smiled, pushing her head up into Ava’s hand when she paused her movements, “It was nice. We had our own little cabin and farm back in the wild west, and we rode our horses down to a secluded spot by the river. And when we were done we rode back— watched the sunset and drank whiskey on our porch.”

“Sounds perfect, my love,” Ava said softly, leaning in for a slow kiss.

“It was,” Sara whispered against Ava’s lips.

Ava held her close and rolled them again so that she was on her back and Sara was laying on top of her. Sara giggled and laid her head down on Ava’s chest, content to just listen to her lover’s heartbeat as Ava’s hands wandered all across her back and arms.

“You’re gonna put me back to sleep if you keep doing that,” Sara mumbled, turning her head into the crook of Ava’s neck.

“That’s the plan, my love,” Ava whispered, “Go back to sleep, babe. Keep dreaming, I’ll be here when you wake up.”

Sara smiled sleepily. “You kinda have to be, ‘m on top of you ‘n ‘m not movin’.”

Chapter Text

Sara awoke slowly, blinking her eyes as she sat up groggily, noting the way the lights in the room came on gradually, dim at first but working their way up in brightness— just the way she liked it.

“Gideon?” she called out, voice still rough with sleep, “Where’s Ava and the team?”

“They are currently gathered in the parlour getting ready for movie night and awaiting your arrival, Captain Lance. Captain Sharpe thought it would be good for you to rest and take it easy after your injury earlier today.”

Sara smiled, looking down and idly playing with the comforter between her fingers.

 “She’s always so thoughtful,” she murmured before getting up and throwing on one of Ava’s hoodies, “Let them know I’ll be right there.”

“Of course, Captain.”

++++++

When Sara reached the parlour, she was met with the whoops and cheers of her energetic teammates, and she smiled at their antics.

“What are we watching, Cap?” Nate asked, tossing her one of the candy bars that they had stocked on the table.

“Don’t pick anything stupid, Blondie,” Mick grunted, taking a sip of his beer.

“What do you think, Gideon? Dealer’s choice,” Sara said, looking up towards the ceiling and letting Gideon decide what movie they watched.

As Gideon got to work putting on a movie, Sara made her way further into the room, maneuvering through pillows and blankets galore before reaching her girlfriend.

“Here, babe, take my seat,” Ava said, moving to stand up, but pausing at Sara’s insistent hand on her arm.

“Hmmm, no,” Sara hummed, gently pushing Ava back down into the chair, “I think I’d rather sit in your lap.”

She dropped herself down onto Ava’s lap gracelessly, nearly knocking the wind out of her. She leaned backwards against Ava’s body, making herself comfortable and snuggling in close to her. Ava smiled and pressed a kiss to the back of her head as she wrapped her arms loosely around Sara’s frame.

Gideon dimmed the lights and started the movie, and the chatter in the room quieted down to a hush. Ava grabbed a handful of popcorn from the bowl in Sara’s lap and pretended not to notice as Sara (not so) discreetly stole a few pieces.

“How are you feeling, love?” Ava asked, whispering softly against Sara’s ear.

“I’m alright,” Sara murmured, turning her head and sliding her nose against Ava’s, “Thanks for this, by the way.”

“Of course,” Ava said softly, “Are you sure you’re okay, though? You’d tell me if you weren’t, right?”

“I’m sure, baby. I’m alright,” Sara reassured her, “I promise I’ll tell you if I’m not.”

“Shhh!!” Nate hissed exaggeratedly, holding his pointer finger up to his mouth. Sara and Ava chuckled.

++++++

They were about halfway through the movie when Sara turned inward, nudging her nose against the crook of Ava’s neck and settling her head down against Ava’s shoulder. Ava tightened her hold on Sara and rubbed a hand up and down her back. She pressed a lingering kiss to her forehead.

“You’re gonna miss the rest of the movie,” Ava murmured, idly tracing patterns over Sara’s hip.

“‘S okay,” Sara mumbled, eyes closed as she nuzzled her nose further into Ava’s neck, “I don’t need to see it. You can just give me the rundown later.”

“Okay, my love,” Ava whispered softly, pressing one last kiss to Sara’s forehead, right between her eyebrows, “Get some rest, then.”

“Mmhmm,” Sara hummed as she let herself fall asleep again, curled up safely in Ava’s lap.

Chapter Text

Ava portalled into her and Sara’s shared quarters on the Waverider after a long day of boring Bureau business and extra paperwork. She knew it had to be pretty late, if the sight of Sara, curled up half-asleep and halfway on her side of the bed was anything to go by.

(It was. Ava knew that Sara always tried to wait up for her to come home— she’d never liked going to bed alone ever since they’d gotten together and started spending their nights together.)

Ava smiled tiredly, shrugging off her blazer and tossing it onto the back of one of their chairs for the night. She sat down on the edge of their bed and combed her fingers through Sara’s hair. Sara stirred, lips quirking upwards in her still half-asleep state as she reached her arm out, fingers grasping loosely at Ava’s hip.

“Time ‘s it?” Sara mumbled, yawning and rubbing at her eyes as she slowly pushed herself to sit up.

“It’s late. You should go back to sleep, babe, I’ll join you in a minute—”

Sara caught her wrist as she moved to get up and get ready for bed.

“No, it’s okay, ‘m fine,” Sara said, sitting up more fully and looking more awake, “You just got home, I wanna see you.”

Ava smiled, running her hands through Sara’s hair once more and giving her a quick peck on the lips.

“Okay, love. Give me one second to get changed, alright?”

“Mmmkay,” Sara hummed, letting herself fall backwards in the bed so she could lay back and watch Ava move about the room effortlessly as she got ready for bed, “How was your day at the Bureau?”

“Really boring,” Ava chuckled, “I would have rather been here with you and the Legends. How was Nate’s party? I’m sorry I missed it.”

“It was really fun, but god we made such a mess,” Sara laughed, scrubbing a hand over her face, “It’s still not fully cleaned up. Behrad made a bombass cake, though. Seriously, that kid has got some skills in the kitchen. No wonder why he’s always trying to pick up extra cooking duties.”

“Sounds like you all had a good time,” Ava smiled, sliding into bed next to Sara and turning to face her, covering her girlfriend’s hand with her own in between them.

“We did,” Sara sighed happily, her eyes fluttering closed as Ava brushed a stray piece of hair from her face, “Those sugar fiends nearly demolished the cake, but I saved a piece for you.”

Sara rolled over suddenly, getting up and walking over to their tiny, secret fridge where she had stashed the piece of cake that she had snagged for Ava. She hopped back into the bed and handed the cake over to Ava.

“Babe, you know I don’t eat in the bed—”

“I know, but I promise you it won’t hurt, just this once. And you can even change the sheets tomorrow morning if it’ll make you feel better.”

“You’re lucky you’re so cute, you know that?” Ava said, scrunching up her nose and tapping Sara’s with her knuckle.

Sara blushed and bounced up and down on the bed excitedly.

“C’mon, eat it!” Sara said energetically, her smile bright, “It’s really good and also I really wanna cuddle.”

Ava chuckled and started eating the cake, making sure to eat each bite purposefully slower than she could have just to tease Sara as her girlfriend continued bouncing up and down on the bed with her knees and toes.

“Jerk,” Sara pouted playfully when she realized what Ava was doing.

Ava smirked as she finished off the last bite of cake, “You’re cute.”

Sara’s pout deepened, “Can I cuddle now?”

“Yes, you can cuddle now,” Ava laughed, holding her arms open, “Come here, you goober.”

“Yes!” Sara exclaimed, pumping her fist up and down before launching herself into Ava’s arms at record speed, making them both topple over into a pile of tangled limbs on Ava’s side of the bed.

Sara made quick work of settling in and getting herself comfortable as Ava pulled her somehow closer, pressing a kiss to her forehead and trailing her fingers down Sara’s spine.

“I love you so much,” Ava whispered out into the darkness of their room, giving Sara one more brief squeeze.

“I love you more,” Sara whispered back, nudging herself ever so slightly closer.

“Impossible,” Ava teased, scratching lightly at Sara’s scalp, “I love you most.”

“Agree to disagree,” Sara murmured softly, burying her face against the crook of Ava’s neck and placing a one final kiss there as she drifted off back to sleep.

Chapter Text

The incessant, loud buzzing of Ava’s phone snapped her out of the hyperfocus with which she was typing up a report. She had half a mind to toss her phone across the room where it wouldn’t disturb her, until she saw Sara’s name and picture on the screen. She smiled; they’d finally patched up their relationship, and they usually talked as often as they could, so she figured Sara had some downtime after one of the Legends’ missions.

Ava picked up the phone and held it to her ear, spinning her chair to face away from her desk.

“Hey, babe! How—”

Her question was cut short by the sounds of sniffling and shuffling on the other end of the line, and Ava instinctively paused, falling silent.

“Aves,” Sara breathed out in relief, sucking in a sharp breath in the next second, “I’m sorry, are you busy? What am I saying, you’re the freaking Director of the Time Bureau, of course you’re probably busy. I’m sorry, this was stupid, I shouldn’t have called, I— uhm, sorry. I’ll just. I’ll just let you get back to work, uhm. Yeah.”

“Hey, hey, hey, no, it’s okay,” Ava said, rushing to get the words out before Sara had the chance to hang up, “You’re okay. I’m never too busy to take a call from my clearly distraught girlfriend. Talk to me, Sar, what’s wrong?”

She listened closely as Sara took in a shaky breath on the other end of the line, and waited for her to be ready to talk.

“My dad,” Sara whispered after a long moment, her voice small and watery, thick with emotion, “He’s dead. He’s— fuck, Aves, he’s dead, and I— fuck, I don’t know, I just— I couldn’t— I just really needed to hear your voice, because it feels like I’m fucking drowning right now, and I just— I don’t know what to do, Aves.”

Ava stood up abruptly, grabbing her time courier and buzzing Gary into her office to tell him to cover for her.

“Hey, you’re alright, baby, where are you? I’ll be there in a second, okay?”

“Okay,” Sara choked out, “I’m— I’m in Star City, uhm. My dad’s place. Laurel— Earth-2 Laurel, it’s a long story— she’s here too, uhm, fuck. Yeah, I’ll see you in a second. Aves?”

“Yeah, Sara?” Ava asked, typing in the date, time and coordinates on her courier, “I’m here.”

“Thank you,” Sara whispered.

Ava opened up the portal and stepped through, immediately coming face to face with a teary-eyed Sara, huddled up on the floor, hugging her knees to her chest with one hand while the other still had a death-grip on her cellphone. Ava kneeled down, brushing Sara’s hair back away from her face. 

“You don’t have to thank me, babe. I’m here, always. And I am so, so sorry for your loss. Can I hug you?”

Sara merely nodded, sniffling and wiping at her eyes with the sleeve of her shirt as more tears fell. Ava pulled her into a tight hug, holding her close and rocking her back and forth, one hand cradling Sara’s head against her shoulder while the other rubbed comforting circles over her back.

Sara took in a deep breath and let it out slowly, closing her eyes as she allowed herself just to be held and comforted, without fear or reservation that she would be seen as vulnerable and weak and needy. Ava always made her feel safe; she always made it a little easier to breathe, even when her world was crumbling down around her. She absentmindedly snuck her hands under Ava’s blazer and began tracing random patterns all across Ava’s back.

“Hey, I’m supposed to be the one doing that, not the other way around,” Ava joked, her voice soft and light as she pressed a kiss to the back of Sara’s head.

Sara let out a watery laugh, “It calms me down. I hardly even realized I was doing it.”

She pressed a kiss to Ava’s shoulder before pulling back ever so slightly. She took Ava’s hands in her own, looking down at them as she played with Ava’s fingers.

“Penny for your thoughts?” Ava asked, briefly squeezing Sara’s fingers between her own, “What’s going on in that pretty little head of yours, hmm?”

She pressed a kiss to Sara’s forehead before lifting Sara’s gaze to meet her own, holding her girlfriend’s chin lightly between her thumb and her pointer finger. Sara leaned forward for a proper kiss, lingering a moment or two longer than necessary before pulling back, just enough to look into Ava’s eyes, but still close enough to be sharing the same breath.

“Thank you for being here,” Sara whispered, keeping Ava’s gaze as she intertwined her fingers with Ava’s once more, “I don’t know what I would’ve done without you, I— honestly I still don’t know what I would do without you. You make it easier to keep breathing even when my world is falling apart.”

“Well luckily for you, you’ll never have to find out, because you’re stuck with me for eternity and beyond, babe.”

Sara chuckled, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips, “Good. You’re the only person I want by my side for eternity and beyond.”

“Good.”

Chapter Text

Ava shivered, wrapping her arms around herself at the sudden loss of warmth around her. She cracked open her eyes just enough and was met with the sight of her wife, wrapped up nice and snug in the entirety of their blanket, hand tucked adorably under her chin and hair obscuring her face with help from the hood of her hoodie.

Ava sighed amusedly, shaking her head with an air of fondness before attempting to cuddle in closer with her wife, only to be met with Sara burrowing herself further into the blanket.

“Babe,” she whispered, poking Sara gently in the shoulder, “Babe.”

“Hmmph,” Sara grumbled in her sleep, not wanting to be disturbed. Ava poked her again, and then laid her hand down on Sara’s arm, shaking it gently.

Sara lazily swatted at Ava’s hand, barely cracking her eye open a centimeter before huffing and hiding herself further in the blanket-cocoon she had made for herself.

“Sara,” Ava whispered, still shaking Sara’s shoulder softly.

“What??” Sara mumbled, whining into her pillow.

“You stole the whole blanket, babe,” Ava laughed, rubbing a hand up and down where she assumed Sara’s arm was.

“I get cold in the night,” Sara pouted, sticking her lower lip out without even opening her eyes.

“I know you do, love,” Ava said softly, still rubbing her hand up and down Sara’s arm, “But I’m not exactly warm here, either. D’you wanna share the blanket again, please? I’ll hold you real close so that you can still be wrapped up in it.”

“I suppose you can have half, then. But only because you promised me good cuddles.”

“Gee, thank you for letting me have half of the blanket that we’re supposed to share anyway,” Ava teased, lightly grabbing Sara’s nose in between her knuckles.

“We need bigger blankets,” Sara decided, fighting to unravel herself from her blanket-cocoon.

“We can have Gideon fabricate us some tomorrow,” Ava assuaged, slowly pulling some of the blanket back over herself. Once Sara got herself untangled, Ava opened her arms, allowing Sara to snuggle up real close and get comfortable.

Ava held her close, playing with her wife’s hair as Sara settled in against her side.

“Comfy?” she asked as she felt Sara grow heavier against her side.

“Mmmhmm,” Sara hummed sleepily, burrowing further into Ava’s side.

“Good,” Ava said, pressing a kiss to Sara’s forehead, “Now hopefully we’ll make it through the rest of the night without you becoming a blanket hog again.”

Sara smiled sleepily, “I make no promises.”

Chapter Text

“Hey, babe, Moose and I are going out for a run!” Sara called out, pulling on her sneakers and jogging lightly down the stairs to see Ava poking her head out from the kitchen.

“You’re going for a run… at 9 o'clock at night… in the middle of winter… in leggings and a tank top??” Ava asked slowly, taking multiple pauses to try to wrap her head around her wife’s personal life choices.

“Yes, I’m going for a run,” Sara started slowly, her voice teasing as a smile grew on her face, and she wrapped her arms around Ava’s neck, “Because I need to go pick up my ADHD and PTSD meds.”

“So why not take the truck or the Subaru?” Ava asked, furrowing her brows in confusion as she wrapped her arms around Sara’s waist.

“‘Cause it’s like 7 minutes away, I have way too much energy that I need to get out, and Moose needs to go out for a run today, too,” Sara said, smiling wider and pressing up onto her tiptoes to give Ava a kiss.

“Makes sense,” Ava said, leaning forward to press a kiss to Sara’s nose, “But please put something warmer on, babe. It’s the middle of winter and you’re in a tank top.”

“All of my jackets were too constricting and they made me wanna crawl out of my own skin.”

“I’m sorry,” Ava said, kissing the top of Sara’s head and gently squeezing her arm.

Sara shrugged. “‘S just one of those days.”

Ava nodded in understanding, tucking a stray strand of hair behind Sara’s ear.

“Hold on a minute before you go,” Ava said softly, sliding past Sara and into the living room to grab the hoodie that Sara had left over the back of the chair the previous night, “Here. Take my jacket. It’s really cold outside.”

“This is a hoodie, not a jacket,” Sara teased lightly, taking the proffered hoodie and holding it up with a smirk.

“Hoodie, jacket, whatever,” Ava laughed, “The point is, it’s warmer than the tank top you’re currently wearing. And it’s your favorite hoodie to steal from me, so I figured it might offer a bit of comfort from the sensory issues.”

Sara smiled softly, pulling the hoodie over her head and making herself comfortable in it. She pulled the sleeves down over her hands and pulled the collar up to her nose. The hoodie always smelled like Ava, no matter how many times she’d worn it herself (which, at this point, she was almost certain that it was more than Ava wore it). It always made her feel safe, and it was something she could wear at any time, whether it was a bad sensory day or not.

“Better?” Ava asked, untucking Sara’s hair from inside the hoodie and pressing a kiss to her forehead.

“Yes, thank you,” Sara whispered, leaning her head up and smiling at Ava’s kiss.

“Good,” Ava said, “Now go. Have fun on your run, grab your prescriptions.”

“Okay. I’ll be back in about a half hour. I love you,” Sara said, giving Ava one last kiss before moving past her and towards the front door, “C’mon, Moose! Let’s go, boy!”

Chapter Text

Ava bounced her leg up and down nervously, blowing out a breath as she checked her watch. 7:42. Sara should've been there two hours ago, but she had yet to show up, and Ava had yet to hear from her. Did she get wrapped up in timeline duties? What if something happened?  

She knew Sara could take care of herself (incredibly well, she might add), but Ava was a worrier by nature, and Sara was her favorite person in the entire multiverse. She was always going to worry about her. 

She tapped her fingers rapidly against her knee, looking at her watch again out of pure nervous energy, and quickly decided she would call her girlfriend to check in on her.

In a matter of seconds, she had her phone pulled out and Sara's number dialed and ringing. Her girlfriend picked up a moment later.

"Hey, babe! What's up?" Sara's voice came through the phone, sounding oddly chipper.

"Hey! Sara— where are you? Are you okay?"

"Yeah of course! I'm okay! I mean— I'm just on the Waverider. Why?"

Ava blew out a soft sigh of relief. "Oh. Okay. That's good. It's just— well, you were supposed to be here two hours ago, babe. Don't you remember?"

"Shit! Really? It's that late already?" Ava heard a bit of shuffling on the other end of the line, and she assumed Sara was checking the time, "Fuck, it is. Shit— fuck— shit, um, I'll be over in one second, hold on. Fuck."

True to her word, a second later a portal opened up in Ava's living room and Sara stepped through it, looking slightly frazzled and talking a mile a minute. 

"Oh my god, Aves, I'm sorry I'm so late. I really didn't mean to worry you or keep you waiting or make you think I ditched our plans, I just— I've been having a day and by the time I got a second to myself I really needed to decompress, so I just— well, I started cleaning all my knives and I put some music on, and then I just completely zoned out of everything and lost track of time. I swear I didn't realize it was this late, I'm sorry," Sara rambled anxiously.

"Hey, hey, hey. Sar. Look at me," Ava said, holding Sara's hands in hers and waiting for Sara to look up at her before continuing, "It's okay. I get it. I'm not mad at you, baby, you know that, right?" 

"You're not?" Sara asked, almost breathlessly.

"No, honey, of course I'm not mad. I just worry about you, and when you didn't show up like we planned, I just wanted to make sure you were okay and that nothing happened. But I'm not mad. I know you'd never purposely ditch our plans without a good reason." 

Sara blew out a breath, nodding her head and playing with Ava's fingers to give her restless hands something to do. She leaned up to press a brief kiss to Ava's lips, lingering a moment longer than necessary and following it with a second, quicker peck before returning to stand on flat feet. 

"Do you wanna talk about why you've had such a day?" Ava asked, giving Sara's hands a gentle squeeze and pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"There was just a lot going on with the Legends and I was having kind of an off sensory day. It just got overwhelming, that's all. But decompressing for a few hours helped. And being here with you now helps," Sara said, smiling softly up at Ava and swaying ever so slightly closer. 

"Okay," Ava murmured, bringing a hand up to rub Sara's shoulder, "I guess it's a good thing we planned on doing a quiet night in then, huh? So shall we? Order takeout and put on a movie?" 

"Sounds absolutely perfect right now, babe."

Chapter Text

They’d had a fight. It wasn’t one of their worst ones, or even a particularly bad one, not by a long shot. Honestly, it had probably been over something incredibly stupid, because Sara was barely able to remember why they’d been fighting by the time she’d cooled down. Really, if she thinks back on it, she’s pretty positive it had only come about in the first place because they were both stressed, and neither of them had had the capacity to deal with it in a better way at the time.

So, a minor annoyance on Sara’s part that had been met with ill-worded sarcasm from Ava had led to their little spat earlier. It happened sometimes. They tried not to fight about things often, had gotten so much better at communicating with each other as they’d grown and healed together, but sometimes; sometimes it still got the better of them, their old habits and insecurities, particularly when they were both anxious and stressed out. It became harder to talk through it, talk each other out of it, and instead they accidentally fanned the flames and stressed each other out more. Not every time, but it did happen, and this happened to be just one of those times.

Sara had felt her rejection sensitive dysphoria flare up at Ava’s words, and she’d pushed back a little harder than she’d meant to, until they were in the middle of a disagreement, and their voices were raised. They hadn’t been yelling, exactly. It hadn’t quite gotten that far, but they were speaking louder than they usually did with each other, and that was when Sara had realized that nothing good would’ve come of it if they’d kept going. She’d taken a breath, suggested they both take a little time to cool down and clear their heads, and at Ava’s silent agreement had walked off to the cargo bay, promptly going to go clean her knives and listen to music.

Now, two hours later, she was calm and regulated enough to try and talk it out better, and she hoped Ava would be too.

“Hey, Aves?” Sara called out through the doors to their shared quarters, knocking on it lightly, “Can I come in?”

The door slid open and she stepped inside to find Ava knitting on their bed while one of her old StabCast episodes played.

“This episode is a good one,” Sara commented offhandedly, catching the way it pulled a small smile from Ava, “Can we talk now?”

Ava smiled a little wider, a little softer. 

“Of course, babe,” she said, patting the empty side of the bed next to her, “Come, sit down.”

She set aside her knitting project and shut off the StabCast episode, turning to face Sara as she sat next to her.

“I’m sorry, about earlier,” Sara started, fidgeting with her fingers and playing with her rings, “I know I didn’t really handle it as well as I could have.”

“Hey, it’s okay, neither did I. I’m sorry too, Sar,” Ava said, echoing the sentiments sincerely, “I know what I said at first hurt you, and I really feel bad about that. I hate the way it came out. I didn’t actually mean it, and I definitely shouldn’t have said it the way that I did, I just—”

“I know,” Sara nodded, “And I appreciate it. I think we both kind of went into our corners earlier. I’m done with that now, though, and I’m happy to just move on from it, if you are too?”

“Sounds good to me, my love,” Ava said softly, tucking a strand of hair behind Sara’s ear.

Sara smiled, eyes sparkling as she looked at Ava with so much love.

“Hey, I have an idea,” Sara drawled, a look of innocent mischief dawning across her face, “Gideon, play some music, please?”

A soft song began playing throughout the room, and Sara jumped up off the bed, holding her hand out for Ava to take.

“Can I have this dance?” Sara asked, voice soft as she smiled widely.

Ava smiled back, taking Sara’s outstretched hand and sliding off the bed. She stumbled, giggling as Sara immediately twirled her around before pulling her closer. 

Sara snaked her arms around Ava’s neck and settled in even closer as Ava’s arms circled around her waist. They swayed gently to the music together, lost in one another and staring at each other with stars in their eyes. Eventually, one of them leaned in, and they fell into each other further, pressing a series of soft, lingering kisses to each other’s lips.

Fingers brushed over hips and dipped into hair as they continued dancing. Ava took a page out of Sara’s book and twirled her around as the music swelled, and they laughed, giggling together as Ava spun her and pulled her back in. Sara’s hands landed against Ava’s chest and Ava’s arms wrapped tightly around her waist. Sara stared up at her, a smile on her face and eyes shining with love.

They kissed again, slower, deeper, sighing softly into each other’s mouths.

“Mmm,” Ava hummed as their lips broke apart, “This was a good idea you had, Sar-Bear.”

“Yeah?” Sara breathed out, fingers playing with the neckline of Ava’s shirt.

“Yeah,” Ava confirmed, sliding her nose against Sara’s and pressing another kiss to her lips, and then another, “I have an idea now, too.”

“Oh yeah?” Sara asked, eyes sparkling mischievously as a smirk tugged at the corner of her lips.

“Mmhmm,” Ava hummed again, pulling Sara closer and backing up until she hit the bed, falling back onto it and pulling Sara down with her, fingers ducking under the hem of her shirt and brushing the skin of Sara’s back.

Sara’s eyes darkened as she pressed in for a kiss.

“Ava Sharpe,” Sara purred, lingering against Ava’s mouth. She kissed her again once, twice, a third time, “I think I like your idea even better.”

Chapter Text

Sara awoke to bright lights and the feeling of Ava's fingers carding through her hair and tracing mindless patterns all across her back. She relaxed into the bed, burying her face against her pillow to shield her eyes from the light. Her head was pounding, and she wanted nothing more than for Ava's hands to lull her back to sleep.

"Wakey, wakey, Sara-Bear," Ava murmured, pressing a kiss to the back of her neck.

Sara whined, smushing her face further into the pillow. "No," she grumbled, voice muffled.

"Hey, you feeling okay, my love?" Ava asked, concerned, as she let her hands wander over Sara's back, down her arms, gently massaging her neck and shoulders in a way that made Sara moan in relief.

"Mmph," Sara grunted, "Headache."

"Oh, babe, I'm sorry," Ava said sympathetically. She continued to massage Sara's muscles, smiling softly as her wife relaxed under her touch, "Gideon, dim the lights please? There, s'that better?" 

Sara hummed, sinking into the comfort of the bed and Ava's hands, sighing out softly.

"Well, I brought breakfast. I made you your favorite, but if you'd rather just go back to sleep, that's totally fine, baby."

Sara rolled over onto her back, head spinning uncomfortably with the movement, and Ava's hand settled on her hip, fingers splaying over the exposed skin where her shirt had ridden up. She rubbed the base of her palms into her eyes as her stomach growled.

“Mmmm, no,” Sara sighed, scrubbing a hand over her face. She stretched out and slowly pulled herself to sit up against their headboard, “I think I should probably eat something. Thank you, babe.”

Ava smiled softly at her, rubbing a hand over her shin comfortingly before handing her the tray of breakfast, complete with a double espresso, bacon (not too crispy), as well as french toast and a small bowl of fruit salad that she’d put together for her. Sara took the tray from her gingerly, wincing at the pounding of her head.

She took a sip of the coffee and closed her eyes as the warmth slid down her throat and spread into her chest, humming contentedly. Her shoulders relaxed slightly, and she smiled as Ava came to sit beside her on the bed, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. She leaned into Ava’s side as she popped a few pieces of fruit into her mouth.

Ava leaned in and pressed a kiss to the side of her head as she slowly continued eating the rest of the breakfast Ava had brought her. By the time she was done, she was feeling a little bit better than she had been when she’d woken up, her head no longer swimming every time she moved it, but it still ached and pounded around her skull.

Sara, having slid the tray down to the bottom of the bed, turned into Ava’s side, tucking her head against Ava’s shoulder and into the crook of her neck as she closed her eyes and slid an arm around Ava’s waist.

“Still have a headache, my love?” Ava asked softly, pulling Sara closer and wrapping her arms tight around her. She pressed a gentle kiss to Sara’s forehead as she brought one hand up to card through Sara’s hair, scratching ever so lightly at her scalp.

Sara pressed in closer, nuzzling her face further against Ava’s neck as she nodded, humming. “Mhmm. Feels a bit better now, but…”

“Okay, well then how about we just stay in here for awhile, we can just cuddle, and I’ll hold you, and you can just try and get some more sleep, alright? And if you still have a headache when you wake up again, I’ll give you a nice massage to help you relax, okay?” Ava asked, taking a moment to pull the blanket up around Sara’s shoulders before burying her fingers back in Sara’s hair and pressing another kiss to her forehead, “How’s that sound, sweetheart?”

“Mmmph yeah, sounds good…” Sara slurred sleepily, voice muffled from her cheek pressing against Ava’s shoulder, her body already growing heavy against Ava’s side.

“I love you, baby,” Ava whispered, pressing one final kiss to Sara’s head as she played with her hair, “Get some sleep.”

“Hmmm. Love you too,” Sara breathed out as she slipped back under the cozy blanket of sleep, warm and comfortable in her lover’s arms.

Chapter Text

Ava awoke to the sound of her phone ringing, followed by a soft knock on her front door, muffled from where she was, upstairs in her bedroom. She sat up groggily, rubbing the sleep from her eyes as she fumbled around her nightstand for her phone. Seeing Sara’s name and picture on the screen woke her up more, a flash of worry swirling through her gut at what might’ve happened. She swiped her thumb to answer the call, bringing the phone up to her ear.

“Hey, Sar, what’s up?” she asked, concern flooding her voice, “Are you— are you okay?”

She heard Sara draw in a shaky breath on the other side of the line, and then let it out on a soft, self-deprecating chuckle.

“Uh, yeah, I— I’m okay, I guess? I’m—” Sara’s voice came through and then cut off with a short huff. There was rustling in place of words, and Ava guessed that Sara was fidgeting around like she always did whenever she was nervous or unsure of herself, “Um, I’m— I’m kind of outside, actually? I just— can you maybe let me in? I, uh, it’s kinda cold out here, and I, um, I didn’t grab a jacket…”

Ava was out of bed in an instant, stepping into the pair of slippers she kept by her bed and throwing one of her robes on over her pajamas before making her way quickly down the stairs.

“Yeah, no, of course, babe, hold on, I—” Ava said, stopping in front of the door. She hung up the call, and swung the door open to reveal Sara on the other side, shuffling around anxiously, clad in nothing but a tank top and thin sweatpants, dark circles under her eyes and skin rosy from the night chill. Ava’s face softened, and she reached out, taking one of Sara’s hands in hers. In a gentle voice, she said, “Hey, you. C’mere.”

She tugged Sara inside, taking a moment to close the door behind her before pulling her close. Sara took in a deep breath and let it out slowly as she melted into her, her eyes sliding shut as she wrapped her arms around Ava’s waist. She stayed like that for a long moment, breathing in and out, her head pressed to Ava’s chest, Ava’s fingers in her hair, cradling her head, until finally she pulled back a bit, scrubbing a hand over half her face and pushing her hair back away from it.

“Um, right, I’m, uh, ‘m sorry for just showing up like this, I— I know it’s really late, but…” Sara trailed off distractedly, her mind flying in a hundred different directions all at once. Her eyes flew all around the apartment, scanning everything, before landing downward, fixating on the floor, her head bowed as she brought a hand up to rub the back of her neck. She looked back up after a moment, face screwed up in uncertainty. Her hand stayed where it was on the back of her neck, rubbing uncomfortably as she kept her gaze just to the left of Ava, “I just, um, I… I had a nightmare? And—” she sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose with her free hand before dropping it back down again, hooking her fingers lightly with Ava’s, “And I just needed to see you, babe, I— I couldn’t relax until I did, but, um, I’m sorry. I can— I can just go, now, it’s— it’s late, and you should— I should— I’m gonna, um, sorry, again, I—”

Sara turned to leave for the door, but Ava caught her wrist gently, pulling her back towards her. She tilted Sara’s chin up with her thumb and forefinger. “Hey, hey, hey, no, Sara, look at me, baby. You’re all good. If you need me, I’m here. Always. So don’t worry about it, alright? It’s okay. I couldn’t sleep anyway.”

“Liar, I know I woke you up,” Sara mumbled, but still she relaxed ever so slightly, “You’re just trying to make me feel better.”

“Is it working?”

“Maybe. Just a little. Still a liar though.”

“Okay, fine. Maybe I was asleep,” Ava said, chuckling lightly. She pulled Sara closer, brushing a strand of hair from her face and pressing a soft kiss to her forehead, “But y’know what? That doesn’t matter to me, baby, you know why? Because I always sleep better when you’re next to me, anyways, okay? I’ll never be mad at you for needing me, Sara, even in the middle of the night.”

She wrapped her arms around Sara, pulling her into another hug, squeezing her gently and trailing her hand up and down her back. Tension melted out of Sara’s body in waves, and she relaxed into her lover’s embrace, swaying on her feet ever so slightly.

“What do you say we go back to bed now, hmm?” Ava asked softly, cradling Sara’s head against her chest, pressing a kiss to her hair, “Get some more sleep, my love? We’ll cuddle, and we can even sleep in tomorrow, maybe grab breakfast at that café down the street that you like?”

“Sounds great,” Sara murmured, voice muffled against Ava’s chest, and Ava could tell she was half-asleep already, so she dragged her along, back up the stairs to the bedroom, taking care to make sure she didn’t trip and fall.

Sara fell into bed immediately, face-down against the pillows, body heavy and mind hazy as Ava slid in beside her, pulling her close and tugging the blankets up around them. Sara sank into her embrace, arm slung across her middle and face buried in the crook of her neck. Ava’s arms wrapped themselves tight around her, one hand burying itself in her hair, massaging her scalp, while the other traced mindless patterns all across her back and over her arm.

Sara sighed out softly, nuzzling closer as her body grew heavier against Ava’s. The mere presence of her girlfriend right next to her, holding her, was enough to calm her mind and relax her body until she was putty, soft and pliant but unmoving unless Ava was the one moving her. 

“Night, sweetheart,” Ava said softly, nails scraping lightly over Sara’s scalp, “I love you, baby. Sweet dreams.”

“Night, Aves,” Sara breathed out, “Love you too…”

Not a moment later, sleep pulled her under, and she sank deeper into Ava’s arms, breaths coming out in soft, even puffs against her neck. Ava stayed awake a little while longer, simply massaging Sara’s scalp and trailing her fingers all across Sara’s back, tracing the words I love you over and over again, until eventually she slipped off to sleep as well.

Chapter Text

“Careful, babe, you’re gonna— to the left. The left, Aves, before you—”

“Ow, shit!” Ava exclaimed as she slammed her foot into one of the chairs in the galley, nearly dropping Sara before tightening her grip on Sara’s thighs, almost hard enough to bruise.

“...Do… that,” Sara finished sheepishly, grimacing on Ava’s behalf. She pressed a quick kiss to Ava’s cheek, hoping the affection would soothe the pain a bit, “Sorry, babe.”

“Wouldn’t this go a lot smoother if you weren’t, y’know, clinging to my back like a little monkey?”

“Noooo,” Sara drawled out, squeezing her legs tighter around Ava’s waist, “Babe, you know I’m shorter than you. I can’t walk behind you, and cover your eyes, and steer at the same time. I wouldn’t be able to see! And then we’d both be crashing into things!”

“We’re crashing into things now,” Ava groaned, “Why do you even have to cover my eyes anyway?”

“Because, Aves, it’s a surprise. I don’t want you peeking!”

“And what if I pinky swear not to peek? Then will you let us do this the easy way?”

“Hmmm, no,” Sara grinned, pressing another kiss to Ava’s cheek, “Now, come on! Keep moving. We gotta get to the surprise. I promise not to let us crash into things anymore.”

“You’re just using this as an excuse to get a piggyback ride out of me, aren’t you?” Ava asked, tone laden with suspicion, though the smile on her face betrayed her amusement, “You know you don’t need an excuse, right? I’d give you one anytime, but it’s a lot easier when I can see too.”

“I can have more than one reason for doing things,” Sara said, leaning in close to Ava’s ear, “I am a woman of many motives, after all. Oh, turn right.”

They continued like that for a while, Sara helping Ava navigate around the Waverider, making sure she didn’t trip or fall. True to her word, she didn’t let Ava crash into anything else, which Ava was entirely grateful for. 

They exchanged easy, back and forth banter the whole time, their laughter ringing throughout the halls of the Waverider. Sara loved these moments, loved how light she felt when it was just her and Ava being silly together. It was like Ava made her weightless, took away the gravity of everything until she could just be. It was perfect. Everything was perfect, and nothing ever went wrong in moments like these.

“Baby, are we almost there yet?” Ava asked, snapping Sara back to the present, “I feel like we’ve been around the whole ship already.”

“I may have told you to take a wrong turn a little ways back, just to get a couple extra minutes of this,” Sara admitted, moving one hand to cover both of Ava’s eyes while her other squeezed Ava in a koala-bear hug. She hid her face in Ava’s neck, smiling against her skin.

“You are such a little monkey,” Ava teased, laughing. She shook her head at Sara’s antics, but couldn’t keep the smile off her face.

“Maybe, but I’m your monkey, and you love me,” Sara said into Ava’s neck, pressing a kiss there, “Turn left. We’re almost there, I promise.”

“I do love you. More than anything,” Ava said softly, hoisting Sara further up onto her back, “And I wouldn’t have you any other way. I love you exactly how you are, all the time.”

Sara melted into her, letting her eyes slide shut for a moment as she savored the love and the joy, the peace and contentment of getting to spend the rest of her days with the love of her life. God, she loved this woman so much, she didn’t know what to do with it all. She opened her eyes to find that they were right outside where they needed to be, and she gave Ava a gentle squeeze.

“Oh, shit, babe, we’re here. Uh, watch your step, there’s— yeah, the step up, and then— careful, don’t trip. Okay, you’re good.”

She slowly slid her hand from over Ava’s eyes as the lights in the parlour turned on, and the rest of the Legends jumped out from behind various pieces of furniture.

“SURPRISE!” they all yelled collectively, shooting off confetti and streamers and balloons all over the room as they blew into various party horns.

Ava stumbled back a bit, and Sara hopped down from her back to steady her. She turned her around and tugged her close, her arms snaking around Ava’s neck to pull her down into a kiss.

“Surprise,” she murmured against her lips when they broke apart, foreheads coming to rest together, “Happy birthday, baby.”

Ava smiled brightly, her eyes shining, wet and watery, as she pulled Sara into a crushing hug. Sara returned the hug just as fiercely. 

“God, I love you so much, Sara,” Ava said into her shoulder, squeezing her tighter, “Thank you, baby. This is amazing. You’re amazing. I love you.”

“I love you more,” Sara teased, grinning.

“Okay, Monkey. I’ll let you have this one.”

Chapter Text

Ava blinked her eyes slowly against the harsh lights of the Waverider, squinting. They were too bright. Why the hell were they so bright? She groaned, shoving her face against her pillow as her head pounded mercilessly and her stomach roiled. God, she felt like shit. Never getting drunk again, she thought miserably, and she flung her arm out across the bed, reaching for Sara, but was met with cold, empty sheets instead.

“Gideon,” Ava whined, “Where the hell is Sara? It’s early, she hates being up early. And could you turn the damn lights down please?”

“My apologies, Captain Sharpe,” Gideon said from above as she dimmed the lights considerably, “But you usually like them bright at this time of day. It is not as early as you think it is.”

“Wh— no, what time is it, Gideon?”

“It is half past ten in the morning, Captain.”

“And where is Sara?”

“Captain Lance is in the galley with the rest of the team. She thought it best to let you sleep in. Shall I inform her that you are awake?”

“Yes please, Gideon,” Ava sighed, burrowing deeper under the covers, “Thank you.”

Ava was half asleep again by the time Sara walked in a few minutes later, and she groaned, brows furrowing as the whir of the door opening and closing pulled her away from blissful sleep.

“Gideon said you’d be awake,” Sara said, her voice chipper as she sat down beside Ava on the edge of the bed. Ava whined, smushing her face against her pillow, “How are you feeling, babe?”

“Like shit,” Ava grumbled, a pout settling heavy on her lips, but Sara’s hand carding gently through her hair soon eased her expression into a small smile, “Never let me get that drunk again— hey, why don’t you feel like shit? You drank more than me last night.”

“High tolerance, babe. I’ve drank Mick under the table before, remember?” Sara shrugged, smirking. Ava was, frankly, adorable when she was hungover, and Sara would gladly spend the whole day helping her nurse it just to make her feel better. Plus, she was bound to get some good cuddles out of the whole thing, so really it was a win-win.

“Ugh, don’t remind me. S’not fair.”

Sara chuckled lightly and continued carding her fingers through Ava’s hair as she leaned down to press a kiss to her girlfriend’s forehead.

“Well, luckily for you, I came prepared,” Sara said softly, with only a hint of teasing in her voice, “C’mon, sit up a bit. Take these.” She handed Ava a couple of Tylenol, along with a glass of water, “And here, drink this. You’ll feel better. I promise. I brought you a bottle of Powerade, too, for electrolytes. The orange one, your favorite. I have some toast, too, if you want. Might be good to eat something.”

Ava popped the Tylenol into her mouth and gulped down half the glass of water after it. 

“Mmm, thank you, baby,” she said, humming in contentment as the liquid refreshed her dry mouth. She downed the rest of the water and set the glass on her nightstand, “I don’t know what I’d ever do without you.”

“Well, you probably wouldn’t be getting piss-drunk on a weeknight for starters, if it weren’t for me,” Sara laughed, shaking her head. Ava shrugged and tilted her head in silent concession, “But either way, you won’t ever have to find out. I’m not going anywhere. You’re stuck with me for as long as you’ll have me, babes.”

“Good,” Ava said around a mouthful of toast, “Because I plan on keeping you around forever.”

“Good,” Sara said back softly, looking at Ava with stars in her eyes. She reached out and brushed a stray strand of hair away from Ava’s face, smiling as Ava leaned into her touch, “Now, I made sure there were no other plans for the day, so what do you say we cuddle, and you can sleep off the rest of this hangover, hmm?”

“Sounds wonderful, baby,” Ava sighed out in relief, yawning, “You always know just what I need.”

The two of them got comfy again under the covers, Sara lying on her back with Ava snuggled up against her side, head on her chest and arm draped across her stomach. Sara held her close, running her fingers through Ava’s hair as she hummed softly to her. She pressed a lingering kiss to her forehead, and Ava snuggled in closer, settling comfortably against her.

“I love you so much, Aves,” Sara murmured, lips still brushing against Ava’s forehead. She dropped her head back down onto the pillows, but leaned her cheek against Ava’s head as she continued massaging her girlfriend’s scalp.

“Mmm, I love you too, Sar. Lots and lots,” Ava breathed out, words slurring just slightly as she burrowed further into Sara’s embrace.

Ava grew heavy against Sara’s side as she fell back asleep. Sara smiled down at her, eyes shining with love and adoration, simply watching her sleep for a few moments. God, she loved this woman more than anything in the world, so much she didn’t know what to do with it all half the time.

“Sweet dreams, my love,” she whispered into the room, tugging Ava ever so slightly closer, and soon she was slipping back off to sleep herself as Gideon dimmed the lights as much as she could without turning them off completely.

They spent the entire rest of the day cuddling and napping, and neither wanted to be anywhere else in the world.

Chapter Text

Ava watched Sara from across the room, brows furrowed and a small frown etched into her face. Gary was stammering on, talking to her about something or another, but she couldn’t find it in herself to really pay attention to anything he was saying. She was too busy worrying about Sara.

The Captain had slept in later than usual this morning, and Ava could tell that something was off with her from the moment she’d first seen her. But then they’d quickly gotten swept away in a timeline emergency, and Ava still hadn’t had a chance to check in with Sara at all, both of them having been ushered around by various Legends in need of different things.

So she watched, face soft and eyes concerned, picking up on all the little tells that let her know Sara was struggling, though she’d hardly ever show it in front of the team. Ava liked to think she was highly attuned to Sara after being together for so long, and it was easy for her to recognize that Sara was anxious and uncomfortable.

She’d been extra restless all day, constantly moving, never managing to stay still, and now was no different. Sara was fidgeting nonstop, with her rings and her fingers, with her clothes, like no matter what she did they just didn’t sit right on her skin. She’d been pacing and tapping, itching and scratching, rolling her shoulders, shaking out her hands, stretching her neck. Ava could see it on her face just how uncomfortable she was with everything, how exhausting it all must be.

The final straw was when Sara turned away from the Legends for a minute and, thinking no one had eyes on her, she closed her eyes, pinched the bridge of her nose, dug her fingers into the palm of her hand. She scrubbed both hands roughly over her face and pushed her hair back, hands pausing on top of her head for a moment, and Ava could see it in her face just how drained she was. That was it. Everything else be damned, her girl needed her.

“Director Sharpe? Are you listening?” Gary asked, and Ava startled, having completely forgotten he’d been talking to her.

“Huh— what? Uh, sorry, Gary, I need to, um…” Ava trailed off as she walked over towards Sara, coming to a stop right next to her, almost close enough to touch, but she held back. She wanted to make sure Sara would be okay with it before she did anything.

Sara startled a second later, flinching as her assassin instincts registered a presence so close to her. She relaxed when she realized it was just Ava, and she let out a long, heavy breath.

“Hey, you,” Ava said softly, “You okay? How’re you feeling?”

Sara sighed, letting her eyes slide shut for a long moment. “I’m fine,” she breathed, but it wasn’t very convincing, and the exhaustion was clear in her voice.

“You don’t have to pretend with me, my love,” Ava reminded her, taking care to remain gentle, “You don’t have to say you’re okay when you’re really not.”

“That obvious, huh?” Sara asked, and up close her discomfort was even more visible. She leaned her head back, hands coming up to squeeze at the junction between her neck and shoulders.

“Well, you’re putting on a brave face for the team,” Ava said, shrugging, “But I know you better than that.”

A small smile tugged at the very corners of Sara’s mouth, “Yeah, you do.”

“I’m sure the Legends can handle themselves for at least a few minutes,” Ava said, “Why don’t we go somewhere a bit quieter?”

Relief washed over Sara’s face as she nodded, and Ava led them out of the room and towards the Captain’s office. Sara was still fidgeting as they walked, so Ava leaned in closer, speaking softly against Sara’s ear.

“Hey, baby. Can I hold your hand?”

Sara paused, looking up into Ava’s eyes, searching. She nodded. Ava took Sara’s hand in hers and intertwined their fingers together, squeezing gently. Sara leaned into Ava’s side, her forehead coming to rest against Ava’s arm. Her eyes slid closed and she let out a long, heavy breath as she played with Ava’s fingers.

Ava smiled softly down at her, and brought her free hand up to hold Sara’s head against her, fingers buried in her hair as she pressed a kiss to the top of her head. She squeezed Sara’s hand once more, and Sara looked up, cheek still pressed into Ava’s shoulder. Ava nodded her head down the hallway in the direction they’d been walking, and led Sara to follow along.

Upon reaching the Captain’s office, Ava sat down in Sara’s favorite chair, and gently pulled Sara to sit in her lap. Sara went easily, and Ava wrapped one arm around her, holding her close, while she held out the other for Sara to resume holding and fidgeting with. Sara laid her head down on Ava’s shoulder, forehead coming to rest against her neck as she absentmindedly fiddled with Ava’s hand.

“You wanna talk about it?” Ava asked softly, giving Sara a brief squeeze before trailing her hand over Sara’s arm and down her back.

Sara shrugged, but otherwise stayed silent for a long moment. Just when Ava thought she wasn’t going to say anything, Sara finally spoke.

“Just the usual ADHD shit,” Sara murmured, curling up further in Ava’s lap as she bent Ava’s hand every which way and spun the rings she wore on her fingers, “Sensory issues ‘n stuff. Dunno why it seems harder to deal with today. Everything’s just… uncomfortable. Too much. Feels like something’s crawling around under my skin, I guess. Just one of those days. I dunno.”

“I’m sorry, baby,” Ava said, and pressed a kiss to Sara’s head, “S’there anything I can do to help?”

“You’re helping now, babe,” Sara said, voice soft. She hummed contentedly as she relaxed into Ava’s embrace, her eyes fluttering open and closed, “Can we just sit here for a while? S’not so overwhelming right now.”

“Of course, my love. Whatever you need,” Ava said, rubbing her hand up and down Sara’s back.

“Thanks,” Sara breathed out, nuzzling her nose into Ava’s neck, “Love you.”

“I love you too, sweetheart.”

Sara intertwined her fingers with Ava’s once again before letting their hands drop down into her lap as she turned her body further into Ava’s. Her free hand came up to drape over Ava’s shoulder, sliding under the collar of her shirt, and Ava’s arm wrapped around her tighter, pulling her closer.

Hours later, the rest of the Legends found them both fast asleep, still curled up together in the Captain’s chair. They all smiled at the sight, and Zari snapped a picture of the two of them. Ray covered them up with a blanket, and then silently ushered the rest of the team away, leaving the two Captains to rest peacefully.

Chapter Text

“Sara, babe, are you almost ready? We have to be there in less than an hour!” Ava called out from the bathroom where she was finishing up her makeup.

“Uh, y-yeah, I’m almost— I just have to, uhh—” Sara stammered back, distracted as she frantically dug around through the pile of clothes on the floor of the closet, “Where the hell are they?”

“Sara?” Ava asked, poking her head out of the bathroom door, “Do you think you could help me with this necklace? Wait, where—” a piece of clothing came flying out from the closet, and Ava’s head jerked back in surprise, “Are you, um, good, babe?”

“Shit,” Sara muttered under her breath, scooting her way slowly back out of the closet, grimacing, “Yeah, uh, one second, I’m coming—”

“Babe!” Ava exclaimed as Sara came to stand with her in front of the mirror in their bathroom, wearing nothing but socks, a tight, slightly-compressive sports bra, and a pair of lacy boyshorts, “You said you were almost ready! You’re not even dressed yet!”

Sara had the sense to look sheepish as she clasped Ava’s necklace for her, murmuring a soft there, all done as she smoothed her hands over Ava’s shoulders. Ava met her eyes in the mirror and raised an eyebrow at her, watching as she groaned and dropped her forehead to rest against Ava’s shoulder blade.

“Ugh, I know,” Sara whined, “Don’t remind me.”

“What’s going on, sweetheart?” Ava asked, turning around and cupping Sara’s face in her hands, “I mean, I know you’re… not the best at keeping track of time, but usually you’d at least be dressed by now.”

Sara sighed heavily, leaning her head into Ava’s hands. “It was so much easier when we were on the Waverider. We had a replicator then, I didn’t have to worry about losing stuff as much!”

A bit of realization dawned on Ava, then. “What did you lose, babe?”

“I can’t find any of my good dress shirts, or my ties,” Sara huffed, bringing her hands up to hold Ava’s wrists, her fingers tapping out a mindless rhythm against them, “I don’t know where they went! I’ve been digging around in the closet for like twenty minutes now. I have a pair of pants, a jacket, and a vest, but I can’t find the other things. And the thought of wearing a dress tonight is just— it feels really uncomfortable.”

Ava’s face softened, and she nodded in understanding, rubbing her thumb gently back and forth across Sara’s cheek. “Oh, baby, you know I have tons of dress shirts and ties, right? You can just borrow one of mine. That’s not so bad, right?”

Sara let out a breath in relief and nodded against Ava’s hands, letting her eyes slide shut for a moment before she opened them again, a small smile playing at her lips. “Well, I do love wearing your clothes… Thank you, babe, you’re a lifesaver. I would’ve hated for us to be really late to my dad’s award ceremony because of me.”

“Well then, c’mon. Let’s go find you a shirt and tie, alright? We’ve still got a bit of time. What color is your vest?”

“Blue.”

++++++

Sara had gotten dressed in record time once Ava had found her a silky black dress shirt and a blue tie for her to wear, and now she sat pulling on the combat boots she kept reserved for formal occasions while Ava braided half of her hair to the side of her head for her. A few minutes later, Ava squeezed her shoulders and pressed a kiss to the back of her head, snapping her back to the present. She stopped messing with her rings (she’d been fiddling with her wedding band in particular, lost in thought about how much she positively adored her wife) and stood up, turning around to face Ava.

“You’re so beautiful, you know that?” Sara murmured, looking up at her with stars in her eyes.

“And you look absolutely dashing, my love,” Ava said softly, brushing a stray strand of hair from Sara’s face.

Sara beamed up at her, and Ava pulled her in by her tie for a slow, sweet kiss, one that had Sara humming into her mouth and pressing in closer. They broke apart after a long moment, cheeks flushed and breathing heavily as they rested their foreheads together.

“Well, what do you think? Shall we, wifey?” Ava asked, taking a step back and holding out her hand for Sara to take, “If we leave now, we should still be able to make it to the ceremony just about on time.”

“Then I suppose we shall,” Sara said, smirking as she took Ava’s hand in hers and followed her out the door and to their car, “Wifey.”

Chapter Text

Sara and Ava had been trying to find a couch for weeks. They’d gotten most of their furniture secondhand from Sara’s dad, and what they hadn’t gotten from him, they’d found together at some furniture store or another. But so far they had yet to agree on any of the couches they’d seen, and it was getting increasingly frustrating only having a pair of armchairs in their living room to sit in, especially during the times they had company over.

So they’d dragged themselves out of the house that morning with the strong determination not to return until they finally found something.

++++++

They were currently wandering separately through the couch section of the largest furniture store they could find. They’d decided to take a divide and conquer approach, figuring maybe they’d have more luck getting through it faster if they split up and each took half of the large section.

Ava was sitting on the very edge of a squishy couch and frowning at the scratchy material when she heard Sara calling out to her.

“Ooh, babe! Hey, come look! I think you might like this one!”

Ava quickly removed herself from the unpleasant couch and hurried over to where she thought Sara was, with the hope that they might finally be done with this whole thing.

She found Sara sitting on a large, comfortable-looking grey sectional, bouncing up and down lightly with a smile on her face. “Isn’t it great? It’s soft and comfortable and not scratchy. And I know you like grey— I think it’ll go well with the blue armchairs we have. It’s even plenty big enough for when the Legends come over! What do you think, babe?”

Ava sat down beside her and sank into it, relaxing immediately as she tugged Sara to lean back with her, wrapping an arm loosely around her waist.

“I think I’m in love,” Ava said, dropping her head down against the back of the couch. She turned her head to look at Sara, who was beaming back at her, “and I think you are, too. I wish we would’ve found this weeks ago.”

“You and me, both,” Sara agreed, head lolling to the side until her cheek rested against Ava’s shoulder. She shifted closer and looked up at Ava with a sparkle in her eyes. “But just think, once we buy it and get it delivered, we’ll have so much room for cuddling, and for… other things.”

She smirked as Ava’s cheeks reddened a bit, letting out a soft chuckle. Ava took Sara’s chin between her thumb and forefinger and pulled her into a gentle kiss that effectively shut her up and wiped the smug, mischievous expression from her face, but ended far too quickly for her liking. 

A small pout formed on her lips and she leaned in for another kiss, but Ava was already halfway up and standing. She fell into the couch cushions, and the pout on her face grew as she looked up at Ava, who was hiding a laugh behind her hands. She narrowed her eyes at her, but took her proffered hand regardless and pulled herself up easily.

“So, should we go find an employee and get everything squared away?” Ava asked, intertwining her fingers with Sara’s and giving her wife’s hand a squeeze.

Sara nodded, the pout gone without a trace as she smiled up at Ava, rubbing her thumb gently back and forth across Ava’s hand.

“And then we’re done, right? We can just grab some lunch and go home?”

“Well, actually,” Sara started, biting her lip as her smile turned shy, “There were some things in the decor section I thought we should take a look at, too. It’ll be quick, though, I promise! I’m definitely not looking to spend another couple hours in this store.”

Ava rolled her eyes playfully but an adoring smile spread across her face, and she leaned down to press a kiss to Sara’s forehead.

“Lead the way, my love.”

Chapter Text

Ava’s apartment was scattered with boxes, but otherwise empty. Everything in her life was packed away and she was getting ready to hand in the keys to the apartment she’d spent practically her whole existence living in. It was bittersweet in a way, but she was more than excited to move in with Sara and the rest of the Legends on the Waverider. Well… mostly Sara. Living on a ship full of energetic, chaotic roommates and sharing only one bathroom would certainly take some getting used to, but they were a package deal when it came to living with Sara, and she was fully prepared to take on the entire package. Well… mostly prepared. As prepared as she possibly could be. She was sure some hands-on learning would be required in this adjustment, but she was ready for that if it meant waking up to Sara’s beautiful face every single morning for the rest of their lives.

She looked around the room full of boxes with a smile on her face. Her entire life packed into each of them, but it was a life that she was about to share with Sara, fully, completely, entirely, and it was so worth it. It was everything she’d ever wanted.

“You ready, babe?” Sara’s voice snapped her out of her reverie, and she came back to herself as her girlfriend’s hands slid around her waist and pulled her into a loose embrace.

Ava looked down to meet Sara’s gaze with a soft, glowing smile as she slung her arms around Sara’s shoulders and tugged her closer.

“I’ve never been more ready for anything in my life,” she murmured, resting her forehead against Sara’s as she leaned in for a gentle kiss.

“Good,” Sara said, voice little more than a whisper against her lips, “because I can’t wait to wake up next to you every single morning.”

“Me either,” Ava said, leaning in for another kiss.

Sara lingered for a long moment, enjoying the closeness, before she squeezed Ava’s hips and took a step back.

“So, should we get these boxes moved over, then?”

“Sounds perfect.”

Sara moved to one of the larger boxes and bent down to pick it up while a few of the other Legends moved in and out of the apartment, carrying other boxes of varying sizes.

“Oh, be careful, Sar,” Ava said as Sara adjusted her grip on the box, pulling it closer and getting ready to lift it up. “That one’s probably really heavy. It’s got all my books in it.”

Sara lifted it up easily, muscles flexing as she tightened her grip. She shot Ava a smug smirk as she caught her girlfriend eyeing her up and down. “It’s really not that heavy. I’m stronger than I look, Aves.”

“Oh babe, don’t I know it,” Ava said, voice husky as she dragged her eyes over every inch of her girlfriend’s form, pausing to drink in every detail of her arms. “You wore that muscle tee on purpose today, didn’t you? Wanted to show off those strong arms of yours?”

“Maybe,” Sara teased, eyes sparkling with mischief as her smirk grew bigger, “I do know how much you love it when I wear them. You like?”

She purposely adjusted her grip on the box again, purely for show.

“If you weren’t holding that damn box, I’d show you exactly how much I like it.”

“Well, maybe I should just go put it on the Waverider real quick, then.”

“I think you should,” Ava said, voice low. Her eyes followed Sara’s every move as she stepped through the portal and onto the Waverider, bending low to deposit the box on the floor of the rec room— they’d sort through everything later, figure out what would go where once everything had been moved over.

Sara sauntered back in through the portal and stepped up close to Ava, eyes dark but gleaming. She pulled Ava in by the hips, fingers curling into her clothing as she leaned up, ghosting her lips over Ava’s.

“So… big fan of the muscle tees, hmm, babe?” Sara asked, voice little more than a breath, lips brushing against Ava’s with every word. She took Ava’s bottom lip gently between her teeth.

“Oh, yes,” Ava nodded seriously, pressing in for a kiss. “In fact, I think you should wear them far more often.”

“Do you, now?” Sara drawled, smirking into the kiss. “You like it when I show off my arms? Like seeing my shoulders, my biceps, do you?”

“You know I do,” Ava said lowly, dragging her eyes back over Sara’s figure as their breaths mingled with each other.

“Maybe I should give you a little show, then.”

With that, she lifted Ava up easily, hands gripping the backs of her thighs, muscles flexing and pulled taut throughout her arms as she held Ava up in her grasp. She walked them back towards the kitchen counter and set Ava down, planting her hands firmly on either side of her and locking her elbows as she held her own weight, leaning up off the floor to pull Ava into another kiss.

Ava sank into it, hands moving to Sara’s shoulders and then down her arms and back up again, feeling the strength underneath them.

They stayed like that for a long few moments, wrapped up in each other and lost in the feelings, until a loud thud sounded behind them and they broke apart, Sara letting her feet drop nimbly back down the floor.

“Shit, sorry,” Nate said from across the room. They turned to find him looking sheepish, “I, uh, dropped it. Hope there wasn’t anything breakable in that one.”

Sara and Ava gave each other a look, rolling their eyes good-naturedly at the Legends’ antics.

“We should probably get back to carrying boxes over before one of them does drop something that’s actually breakable, huh?” Sara said, chuckling lightly.

“Yeah, probably,” Ava sighed out, sliding off the counter. Sara moved to grab another box, but Ava pulled her back in by the neckline of her muscle tee, “But later… you’re all mine.”

“Yes ma’am,” Sara said softly, smile playing at her lips as she gave Ava a two-finger salute, “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Ava pulled her in for one more brief kiss before pushing her away towards the slowly-dwindling boxes, knowing this was going to be one of the best decisions she’d ever make.

Chapter Text

Sara sat on the edge of the bed, staring out but entirely unseeing. She’d taken the blindfold off an hour ago, after she’d found herself hiding away in her quarters to escape… everything… and now she couldn’t even pretend that that was the reason for her lack of sight. She wished she would’ve just left the damn thing on, but she’d thrown it across the room in her state of overwhelm, and finding it now seemed like such an insurmountable task.

She sighed, and fell backwards heavily against the bed, trying in vain to blink away the darkness. Her breath hitched in the back of her throat, and she hit her fist against the mattress. It was overwhelming, all-encompassing. She felt like she could walk around for miles and miles in any direction and still never escape the void she found herself being sucked into. 

Just when it was getting hard to breathe, the door to their quarters opened and closed with a quiet whoosh, and Ava’s voice had her sitting upright in an instant, scrambling to wipe away any trace of her distress that could’ve been showing. She was startled when her hand came away from her face feeling wet. Had she been crying? When had she started?

“Baby? Are you okay?” Ava asked. Her voice was soft, almost too much, so Sara focused on trying to track the sounds of her footsteps instead. “You left kind of in a hurry a while ago… I wanted to follow you, but…”

“What— uh, yeah, no, it’s alright, I’m— I’m fine,” Sara said, voice strained. It sounded fake even to herself. “Can you just— can you… grab my blindfold again? I, um, I kind of threw it across the room, and I— y’know…”

She sighed, gesturing vaguely in front of her face and her clouded eyes. It killed her, not being able to see Ava’s face, but a small, tiny part of her was almost grateful for a moment— she knew the sympathy in her girlfriend’s features would just serve to make things hurt more. 

God, she felt awful. Everything felt awful.

A moment later, she felt Ava press the fabric of her blindfold into her hand, their fingers brushing lightly over each other. Sara’s breath hitched as she caught brief glimpses of the future— nothing necessarily distressing, fortunately, but the whole foresight thing was taking some getting used to, if she was being honest. A large part of her was still half-expecting to see the people she loved stabbed to death, all by her hand, anytime she touched them; it was an image burned in her brain, not so easily erased. 

She let out a shaky breath, pulling her hand away and focusing on tying the blindfold back around her eyes.

She felt Ava’s hands on her knees, rubbing small circles through her pants and squeezing gently. It was supposed to be comforting, she knew, and in a way it still was, she supposed. But on the whole, she was so thoroughly uncomfortable with this new reality of hers that it really didn’t offer much in the way of relief. Solace seemed to elude her now, and she was at a loss for how to go about finding it again.

“You don’t have to pretend with me, my love,” Ava said softly, and even though Sara couldn’t see her, she still turned her head away. Ava reached up and tilted it back towards her, and Sara squirmed, breath getting caught in her chest. She bounced her knee up and down, digging her fingers into her thigh as Ava continued, “You’re allowed to be not okay with me anytime, you know that, right? You don’t need to have everything all together all the time in front of me. You’re allowed to fall apart, you’re allowed to be scared. Honestly, I don’t really see how you could be okay right now, baby. What you’re— it’s a lot… for anyone to handle, even the great Captain Sara Lance.”

Sara let out another shaky breath, nodding her head as she leaned forward into Ava’s hands, her leg still shaking violently.

“I don’t feel very great right now,” she muttered, fidgeting with her hands as she pressed her forehead to Ava’s. She sighed, “You’re right. I’m not— I’m not really okay right now. I don’t— I’m scared, Aves. A lot. But I don’t— I don’t think I’m ready to really talk about it yet, I’m just— I’m not ready. I don’t wanna face it yet, I just— I… I just— I can’t. I can’t, it’s—”

“Hey, hey, hey, that’s okay, alright? Listen to me, Sara,” Ava said, gentle but firm, grounding in a way Sara found herself desperately needing as she struggled to suck air into her lungs, “Listen to me. It’s okay. You don’t have to be ready right now. I’ll wait, my love. I’ll wait for as long as it takes for you to be ready, okay? I’m here, I promise, and when you are ready, we’ll face it together. We’re gonna figure this out, baby, both of us. You and I together, as a team. One step at a time. Just tell me what you need right now.”

Sara breathed in and out, unsteady as she pressed in closer, fingers curling into the fabric of Ava’s clothes. “Can we just lay down?” she asked, a heavy, existential exhaustion settling over her suddenly, seeping deep into her bones, “I really just want you to hold me for a while, if that’s okay.”

“Of course,” Ava said softly. Sara felt her stand up and take a step closer, her hands settling comfortably over her shoulders, squeezing gently. Sara leaned forward until her head rested against Ava’s stomach, and she stayed there a moment as Ava pressed a kiss to the top of her head, murmuring into her hair, “Whatever you need, baby, I’m here. C’mon. Let’s lay down. We can stay in here for as long as you want, I’m not going anywhere.”

Sara laid down, and Ava crawled into bed next to her, immediately pulling her close and wrapping her arms tight around her. Sara let out a long, heavy breath as she sank into Ava’s embrace, letting her girlfriend’s comfort settle over her like a warm blanket, until everything slowly became less heavy, until it felt a little easier to breathe.

She was still scared— terrified, even— but with Ava’s arms wrapped around her, keeping her safe and secure, it all felt a little less overwhelming, a little easier to handle, and she found herself believing Ava when she said they would figure it out. Together.

Chapter Text

Sara steps through the door to her and Ava’s apartment, one hand hiding a surprise gift behind her back, just in case Ava happens to be right there to greet her. Soft music filters in from the kitchen, and the cozy sounds of Ava quietly singing along while she putters about tells Sara that her wife is making dinner. Her heart swells. Getting to come home to this— to come home to Ava— every single day feels like something of a miracle, one that she’s fought so hard for and treasures dearly.

She takes a deep breath in and lets the love flow through her, warm and sweet and ooey-gooey. It tingles in the tips of her fingers and her toes, fills her up until she’s almost bursting with it. Her smile is positively incandescent, and she doesn’t think she’d be able to wipe it off her face even if she wanted to, and she absolutely does not want to. 

She’s fought for every good thing she has in her life, and dammit, things are so fucking good right now. She has every intention of savoring it, of reveling in it, of drinking it in and drowning in the beauty of it all. It’s taken her a long time to get here, to this place, and she doesn’t want to waste a single precious second.

She ventures a little bit further into the apartment, footsteps silent in the way they were trained to be, but there’s no need. It’s just simple habit now, and occasionally a running joke between her and Ava anytime she accidentally sneaks up on her wife without meaning to.

Sara stops in the doorway to the kitchen, lingers there for a long moment, leaning against the frame with one hand still hiding behind her back, and simply takes in the view. Ava is moving around the kitchen so effortlessly, the epitome of beauty and grace. She spins and twirls around on her socked feet, completely engrossed in the music and the cooking. Sara knows that Ava hasn’t seen her yet, but that’s okay. She’s perfectly content to watch for just a few more precious moments.

Eventually though, her need to be close to Ava, to kiss her and touch her and hold her, far outweighs her desire to watch Ava simply exist, and she clears her throat softly, eyes sparkling. “Hey, babe. ‘M home.”

Ava startles lightly, jumping as her hand comes up instinctively to rest over her heart, feeling it skip a beat under her palm. She lets out a breath, half chuckle and half huff, and a smile spreads across her face as she turns toward the doorway of the kitchen, eyes locking with Sara’s.

“And how long have you been standing there lurking, my darling dearest wife?” Ava teases, nothing but affection filling her voice.

“Not lurking,” Sara says softly, leaning her head against the doorframe with stars in her eyes, “Just… watching. And only for a couple minutes. You’re cute when you think no one is watching. I love it. But then I really wanted to kiss you, so…”

She pushes herself off the door and crosses the room in just a few quick steps, one hand still behind her back. She uses the other one to pull Ava down into a soft, welcoming kiss, lips sliding together in a way that feels like home. She presses in closer as Ava’s hands curl around her hips, and she hums into Ava’s mouth like music, the gentle vibrations spreading through her and setting her body on fire.

When they break apart a few moments later, they stay close, foreheads pressing together and noses brushing against each other. They share a few more slow, easy kisses, smiling into them, sighing softly, until Sara finally forces herself to take a step back. She could spend the rest of her life kissing Ava like that, simply being close to her, and she’d be content— except she really wants to give Ava the gift she’s been hiding behind her back since she first stepped foot into the apartment, and she doesn’t think she can stand to wait any longer. More kisses will simply just have to wait.

Her smile widens, and her eyes sparkle with just the slightest hint of mischief as she walks backwards, pulling Ava along with her by a single finger curled into the neckline of Ava’s shirt. Ava laughs as she follows along easily, reaching still for Sara’s waist, but her eyes are alight with wonder and curiosity. Sara leads them to the bench and sits down, a leg on either side of the seat, and then tugs lightly on Ava’s shirt to get her to sit too.

Ava regards her curiously, and with a hint of playful suspicion. She narrows her eyes to squint at Sara, and reaches out to brush her finger under Sara’s chin. Sara’s eyes briefly flutter closed, and she tilts her head up, right on the edge of losing herself to Ava’s touch, but no— she’s got plans.

She opens her eyes and tilts her head back down, blinking slowly as she meets Ava’s gaze, her smile growing lopsided on her face. She taps her fingers in a mindless rhythm against the bouquet of Ava’s favorite flowers behind her back, but the real gift is sitting in a small black box in her jacket pocket.

She scoots closer on the bench so their knees are touching, and if she moves any closer, she’ll have to lay her legs over Ava’s. She will, she’s sure, in just a few minutes, but not right now, not just yet. Her free hand reaches out for both of Ava’s, thumb brushing gently over her knuckles as she leans in ever so slightly.

Ava continues to regard her with slightly narrowed eyes, searching her face as she pulls one hand away from Sara’s to tap her wife’s nose with her knuckle, catching it briefly between two fingers. “What are you planning, my love? What’ve you got hidden behind your back, there?”

“It’s a surprise,” Sara breathes out, drinking in every detail of Ava’s face, eyes half-lidded as a smirk tugs at her lips. She leans in closer, and her free hand moves away from Ava’s to curl in the fabric of Ava’s shirt, pulling her in. She brushes the ghost of a kiss against Ava’s lips, and then another, firmer, a soft sound escaping her mouth. She breathes in deep and lingers just long enough for one last quick kiss, before she pulls back, just barely, their breaths still mingling and noses brushing as she stares into Ava’s eyes. “It’s a gift.”

“A gift? What’s the special occasion?”

“No special occasion,” Sara murmurs, sliding her nose against Ava’s. She wants nothing more than to fall back into Ava and kiss her until they both unravel, and it’s taking everything in her not to do just that. She’s strong, but Ava’s gravity feels stronger, and if she keeps drawing this out— if she doesn’t stick to her plans and give Ava the damn gift soon, she’s going to crash into her.

“Then why? What for?” Ava murmurs back, breathy and soft and with a hint of something else that makes it seem like she knows Sara is struggling to retain her self-control. She pulls Sara in even closer by the hips, and Sara lifts her legs up to lay over Ava’s, her breath getting caught in her chest as warmth spreads through her.

“Just because,” Sara breathes, voice barely even a whisper, just a ghost of air slipping out. She swallows thickly and presses her forehead to Ava’s, keeping a loose hold on Ava’s shirt with her free hand. She scoots even closer still, her wife’s arms circling comfortably around her waist. She feels every single point of contact acutely, and it makes it increasingly hard to concentrate on anything else. “Just because I wanted to do something special for you. Just because I love you so damn much. Just because I wanted to show that a little extra. Just because.”

“You’re sweet,” Ava says, low and soft in exactly the voice that drives Sara crazy. She kisses Sara then, slow and sweet, and it takes everything Sara has not to sink into it completely. When Ava pulls back, Sara’s immediate reaction is to chase after her, before she remembers herself and holds back. Ava smirks, teasing, “So, what is this surprise gift you brought home for me? The suspense is killing me, my love.”

Sara blinks once, twice, a third time. “Right. Uh. Right, yeah. Um, first—”

She pulls the bouquet of flowers from behind her back and holds them between herself and Ava. “I got you flowers. But that’s not— they’re not the real gift, I just thought, um, flowers might be nice, right?”

“They’re lovely, baby,” Ava smiles, bringing them up to her face to smell them. She breathes in deeply and exhales slowly, “My favorites.”

She reaches for the ever-present decorative vase in the middle of the table and sticks the flowers inside, murmuring about the need to put water in it soon, before turning back to Sara, beaming. Sara smiles brightly back at her, her now-free hand hovering around her jacket pocket, fingers brushing against the small black box there. She pulls it slowly out of her pocket and hands it over to Ava, their fingers brushing together lightly.

“Open it,” she says softly, tapping her fingers mindlessly against Ava’s waist.

Ava slides the box open, revealing a beautiful silver heart locket. Her breath hitches in her throat, one hand coming up to cover her mouth. She trails a finger over the locket, feeling the intricate border design under her touch, before she carefully lifts it out of the box to take a closer look. It’s got an infinity symbol on the front, which she brushes her thumb over, eyes shining, already in the process of memorizing the design. She turns it over gently in her hand, and sees that the back is engraved with the words I love you, and her eyes water all over again.

“It’s beautiful,” Ava breathes out, holding it in her hands like it’s the most precious thing in the world.

“Look inside.”

Ava opens the locket carefully, thumbs cradling it, and her smile widens, shining brighter than a hundred suns. One side holds their initials, A+S, bordered by the same intricate design as the outside, and on the other side is a picture of the two of them together, one of Ava’s favorites: they’ve got their arms wrapped tightly around each other, Sara’s head resting against Ava’s chest and Ava’s head resting atop Sara’s. Ava had been looking towards the camera in it, but Sara— Sara’s bright, shining eyes were locked on Ava, staring up at her with so much love and adoration, like Ava hung the moon and the stars specifically for her. That picture never fails to light her face up with a smile, not much different than the smiles they wore when it was taken.

She’s speechless, quiet for a long moment, because she doesn’t quite know what to say.

“I hope you like it,” Sara says softly, fidgeting with the hem of Ava’s shirt.

Ava blinks, as if not liking it had never even occurred to her. “Like it? Baby, I love it. It’s beautiful, and it’s so, so thoughtful. I fucking love it. I love you.”

Sara’s smile widens once again, her eyes meeting Ava’s as she breathes out a small little laugh. “I’m glad.” 

Ava smiles back at her as she reaches behind herself to clasp the locket around her neck, taking one more moment to brush her thumb over it before pulling Sara as close as she possibly could.

“C’mere, you, my wonderful, amazing, incredibly adorable goober of a wife,” she teases, trailing her hands up and down Sara’s back, making her shiver, “Of course I love it. Because I love us. Because I love you. God, I love you so, so much, baby.”

With that, Ava pulls her into a deep, intense kiss, wrapping her arms tight around her. Sara sinks into it immediately, pressing impossibly closer as she snakes her arms around Ava’s neck, a soft, desperate sound escaping her mouth. She finally allows herself to get lost in the feeling of Ava— her kisses, her touch, her closeness. It’s vital; she needs it like she needs the air that she breathes. 

She’s so incredibly, overwhelmingly, irrevocably in love with her wife, and she never wants this moment to end.

Sara wraps her legs around Ava’s waist, holding her tight, needing to be as close as humanly possible, and still it doesn’t feel like enough. Her fingers tangle themselves in Ava’s hair as they make out, and her other hand grips Ava’s shoulder. Ava breaks the kiss, trails her lips across Sara’s jaw and down her neck, squeezing her tight as Sara tilts her head back.

They stay tangled up like that, completely lost in each other, for a long time, hands wandering and holding and caressing anywhere they can reach. At some point, Ava shifts, swinging one leg over the bench seat so that Sara ends up fully in her lap, and she presses Sara into the edge of the table, pinning her against it with her body. Sara sighs softly into her mouth and holds on even tighter.

She’s as close as she possibly can be right now, not a millimeter of space between them, and she loves it. Ava keeps kissing her, and she sinks further and further into the feeling, melting into putty under Ava’s touch. It’s pure bliss.

And then, suddenly, the smoke detector goes off, blaring loudly throughout the apartment, and they break apart, startled, but still holding tight to each other so as not to fall.

Sara groans, and Ava sighs, dropping her head against Sara’s shoulder, hands idly trailing up and down her sides, under her jacket, over her ribs.

“Shit,” she says, and her voice is muffled by the skin of Sara’s neck, “Ugh, we forgot about the dinner. It’s probably unsalvageable at this point.”

“Oh, screw dinner,” Sara says firmly. She trails her hands up Ava’s back and brings them to cup her cheeks, tilting her head up to look at her, “We’ll order something later.”

And with that, Sara dives back in eagerly for another round of kisses, dinner and everything else be damned.

Chapter Text

Sara and Ava were walking around the streets and sidewalks of Star City hand-in-hand, enjoying the nice weather and the day to themselves. It had been a while since they’d had a day away from the ship, so when the rest of the Legends ushered them away to scout out potential wedding venues, they’d only hesitated a little.

So far, it was turning out to be some rather much-needed time away from the chaos of time travel and keeping history intact. They’d scoped out a couple of venues so far, though none of them were quite what they were looking for yet, and now they were on their way to an old favorite restaurant of Sara’s for lunch, after which they would check out a couple more venues, before meeting up with Sara’s dad for dinner.

As they walked, Sara recounted story after story of her childhood and various other things to Ava, deeply engrossed in the conversation and the memories. She hardly took her eyes off of Ava, except when she was pointing something or another out to her, yet still she managed to weave in and out and around people effortlessly, tugging Ava along with her, in that easy way that only she could. Even after all this time, it still amazed Ava.

Which is why it caught Ava by surprise when, as they turned to cross the street to the restaurant, Sara nearly stepped right into oncoming traffic.

“Woah, woah, woah, baby—” Ava said quickly, a hint of panic in her voice as she grabbed on tight to Sara’s arm and tugged her back, “Look both ways, right?”

“Umm, I’m a trained assassin who is always aware of my surroundings, remember?” Sara asked, looking at Ava out of the corner of her eye, eyebrow raised and a small, slightly-teasing smirk on her face.

“Right, right I do remember that, but can you explain then why you almost just stepped into oncoming traffic, hmm?”

Sara at least had the sense to look a bit sheepish, even as she tried to play it off. 

“Pssh, I was just making sure you were paying attention. Keeping you on your toes, y’know? Good job babe,” she said with a goofy smile, patting Ava’s arm, before she turned briefly to glare in the direction of the car, crossing her arms over her chest, “Besides, that guy totally just ran the red light. Probably lucky it was us right there and not someone else, that way no one got hurt.”

“While I won’t disagree with you on that, my original point still stands, I think.”

“Yeah, but I mean… it really wouldn’t have mattered much if he’d hit me anyway. Invincible alien DNA, remember?” Sara let out a laugh, flexing her muscles.

Ava sighed, rolling her eyes exasperatedly, but with good nature. “Yes, babe, I remember that, too. But also, please, let’s not make a habit of walking straight into traffic just for funsies, alright? I would hate to have to explain to your dad why we’re showing up to dinner covered in blood, and probably on the news for traumatizing the general public.”

Sara shrugged. “Eh, wouldn’t be the first time. He’s probably used to it by now, honestly. But c’mon, let’s go get lunch, I’m hungry.”

With that, she dragged Ava along behind her, a smile on her face as she made a point to look both ways exaggeratedly before crossing the street, Ava laughing along and shaking her head at her fiancée’s antics.

Chapter Text

Sara and Ava were sparring together in the gym on the Waverider. It wasn’t an uncommon occurrence between the two Captains, far from it, in fact. They regularly made use of the Waverider’s gym together, as well as their evenly-matched skills, to blow off a little steam when necessary, or just to get in a good workout in general.

The two of them circled each other, hands up and at the ready as they bounced around on their toes, sweat dripping down their skin and smirks plastered to their faces as they bantered back and forth easily. They’d each gotten a few good hits in so far, but had, for the most part, been dodging and blocking each other with the practiced ease of two people who were very familiar with this song and dance, as well as each other in general.

It was a fast-paced match, energetic and enthusiastic, their blood pumping and adrenaline coursing through them. 

It was fun, all the way up until it wasn’t.

One moment, they were sparring innocently, laughing and joking with each other as they dodged, blocked, and landed blows here and there, never hard enough to do anything more than bruise, just enough to make it feel real. 

And then, in the very next moment, things went horribly south, because Ava was on the floor, and Sara’s hand came back sticky red.

It was one of the hazards of sparring, and logically, she knew that. But she’d always been so damn careful. She was a force to be reckoned with when she wanted to be, her punches held power in them, but she’d always, always pulled them when she didn’t need to use that kind of force. Always, until now, apparently.

She was aiming for a punch like normal, but then somewhere in the space of a few seconds, Ava miscalculated her sidestep, ducking too slow and not low enough. It threw Sara off just enough to lose her steady footing at the exact moment Ava did, and by then it was already far too late to stop it. Her fist connected with Ava’s nose harder than she ever intended it to, a sickening crack sounding out between them. 

It echoed loud in Sara’s ears, the only thing she could hear for a long moment, until Ava fell to the floor with a thud, just something else that echoed and boomed around in Sara’s head. She looked down at her hand in shock, fingers shaking as warm, red blood oozed over her knuckles. Ava’s blood. Shit.

“Damn. Good punch, babe,” Ava said, voice muffled and nasally as she sat up on the floor, clutching her nose as blood seeped through her fingers.

It was enough to break Sara out of her stupor, and she shook her head to clear away the haze of shock. Her eyes landed on Ava, and guilt consumed her in an instant.

“Shit. Ava! Oh my god, are you okay?” Sara asked, dropping down to her knees next to Ava and putting a hand on her shoulder, eyes scanning her face frantically, “Shit, I’m so sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. It just— it just happened so fast, and I couldn’t—”

“Sara—”

“—I couldn’t stop it. I never hit that hard though, shit. I swear I didn’t mean to, I—”

“Sara,” Ava said more emphatically, stopping Sara in her tracks and effectively shutting her up. Sara took a deep breath in, avoiding Ava’s gaze, “Babe, hey, look at me. Look at me, alright?”

She waited until Sara met her eyes to continue, “It’s okay. I’m okay. It was an accident. You and I both know that. It wasn’t anything serious. I’m okay.”

“Pinky swear?” Sara asked, voice quiet as she held out her pinky finger, knuckles still covered in blood.

“Pinky swear,” Ava murmured back, locking her pinky with Sara’s and adding more blood to the mix. At Sara’s still-guilty look, her face softened, and she gave Sara’s pinky another gentle squeeze, “Hey, I promise it’s okay. You can relax, baby. It was an accident, one that was bound to happen sooner or later. We’re both incredibly skilled, and minor injuries are practically inevitable at some point. We both know what we’re signing up for when we spar together, we still make that choice. It’s okay.”

Sara took a deep breath in and nodded, squeezing Ava’s pinky back as her shoulders relaxed and she exhaled slowly. “Right. Yeah. Thank you, I, um, I think I needed to hear that.”

“Anytime,” Ava said softly, “Now c’mon, help me up so we can get to the medbay and let Gideon work her magic.”

Sara was on her feet in an instant, holding out a hand to pull Ava up with her. When they were both standing, Sara pulled her closer, keeping a gentle hold on her as she guided her towards the medbay.

“I can walk, you know,” Ava teased lightly, the tiniest of smirks tugging at the corner of her lips.

“Just let me take care of you, babe. Please?” Sara said, pulling her just that much closer as she looked up at Ava, eyes pleading.

“Okay,” Ava agreed, voice little more than a whisper as she nodded, leaning into Sara’s side just a little more than she really needed to.

Chapter Text

Sara and Ava stepped into the fifties-style diner, bell ringing above their heads as they looked around.

“It looks exactly the same as it did when I was little,” Sara breathed out, eyes alight with wonder as a smile spread across her face, “C’mon, babe, let’s grab a booth! This used to be one of my favorite places as a kid.”

Ava smiled as Sara pulled her along to a booth in the back corner of the diner, only breaking their hands apart to slide into their seats. As soon as they were both settled— Sara with her back to the wall and a clear view of the door (assassin habits die hard) and Ava sitting across from her— Sara reached for Ava’s hand again, holding it loosely on top of the table, thumb sliding over her knuckles absentmindedly.

She quickly turned her focus to look at the menu on the table, murmuring various things here and there but never once pulling her hand away, while Ava simply stared at her, watching Sara with stars in her eyes, unable to do anything but smile brightly. God, she was so in love with this woman— this strong, tough, messy, chaotic, cuddly woman, who could never seem to get enough of simply just being close to her, not that she was complaining in the slightest. She loved her so much more than she ever thought possible, every single fiber of her being positively vibrated with it.

Sara looked up then, as if she just knew (and, well, maybe she did— assassin instincts, after all), catching Ava staring at her before she had the chance to look away (not that Ava wanted to look away— she never wanted to look away). 

A light blush crept across Sara’s cheeks, a shy smile spreading over her face. “What?”

“Nothing,” Ava said softly, “You’re just cute, that’s all.”

Sara said nothing, simply pulled Ava’s hand up towards her face and kissed her knuckles before pressing her cheek against it, holding their joined hands there for a long moment as she stared back at Ava, eyes locked and shining with love.

“Well aren’t you two just the cutest?” an older woman in a blue waitress uniform with a nametag that read ‘Gladys’ smiled down at them kindly, notepad and pen at the ready in her hand, “What can I get for you ladies?”

++++++

Soon enough, they were sitting there enjoying their food— Sara with fries and a chocolate milkshake and Ava with a club sandwich— both of them eating one-handed because Sara hadn’t wanted to let go of Ava’s hand. They were chatting idly, knocking their feet against each other under the table, and Sara dipped one of her fries into her milkshake, getting a good sized glob on it before popping it into her mouth.

Ava fell silent, brows crinkling as she stared on in utter puzzlement and perplexity, lips parting just slightly.

Sara noticed her staring and gave her hand a gentle squeeze, rubbing her thumb back and forth across Ava’s knuckles. She tilted her head to the side just a bit, “What?”

“Wh— uhh,” Ava stammered, shaking her head, “Nothing, it’s just… you dip your fries in your milkshake?”

“Huh?” Sara blanked, her own eyebrows crinkling in confusion. Of all the things she could’ve expected to come out of Ava’s mouth, this certainly wasn’t one of them. “Oh, yeah! I’ve done it since I was a kid. They’re really good like that!”

“Really?” Ava asked, scrunching up her nose, clearly not buying into the idea at all.

“I’m serious, they are!” Sara exclaimed with a little huff of a laugh. She tugged at Ava’s hand a little. “C’mon, babe, would I ever lie to you?”

“Uh, yes,” Ava said without any hesitation, and at Sara’s little pout, held up a finger, “You literally lied to me this morning when I asked you if you were wearing my shirt.”

“That was just, like, a fib. A tiny, harmless fib. And besides, you love it when I wear your clothes!”

Ava gave her a look that said not the point, though there was no real annoyance behind it, only amusement.

“Okay, okay, fine, you got me,” Sara conceded, sinking into the table and leaning her head against their joined hands as the pout on her face grew, “But I swear I’m telling the truth on this! Fries dipped in milkshakes are great! Try it yourself if you don’t believe me!”

“Hmm, I don’t know…” Ava said warily, eyeing the milkshake and the basket of fries like they might explode in front of her as Sara dipped another one and popped it into her mouth.

“They don’t magically turn poisonous when they touch each other, I promise,” Sara said, sitting back up and leaning back against the booth as she gave Ava’s hand a gentle squeeze. “Besides, it’s like actually a crime against humanity that you’ve never had fries dipped in a milkshake before, and we really need to remedy that.”

Ava still looked unsure, her scrunched-up nose an undeniable sign that she didn’t find the idea very appealing.

“C’mon, babe, try some! It’s good! Pleeeease,” Sara cajoled, tugging lightly on Ava’s hand. Ava’s face softened just a little, her lips quirking up in the barest hint of a smile, and Sara knew she was close to winning her over, “Okay, how about this? You try one fry dipped in the milkshake, and if you don’t like it, I’ll do our laundry for two whole months, no complaining, deal?”

Ava sighed exasperatedly, but it was all for show; the smile growing wider on her face betrayed her complete lack of displeasure. “Pinky promise?”

“Pinky promise and cross my heart,” Sara said with a glowing smile as she tugged harder on Ava’s hand, already plucking a fry out of the basket, “Now c’mere. Come sit next to me, babe!”

Ava slid out of the booth and let Sara pull her back into the seat right next to her, both of them toppling against the wall with the momentum. She wrapped her arms around Sara’s waist and pressed her face in close, dropping a kiss to her cheek as she murmured, “You’re lucky I love you.”

Sara beamed as they straightened themselves out and then leaned into her side, arm coming to rest low around Ava’s waist. She held the fry out between them and grinned up at Ava. “For you, m’lady.”

Ava chuckled, shaking her head in amusement as she took the fry and wrapped an arm around Sara’s shoulders. She dipped the fry into the milkshake slowly, swirling it around a bit to get a decent-sized glob on there, just as Sara had done. She hesitated only a moment, staring at it for a second before popping it into her mouth.

Her eyes widened immediately and a small, soft sound escaped her as the sweet ice cream melted in her mouth and mingled deliciously with the saltiness of the fry. “Mmm— wait, babe, this is actually really good.”

“See! I told you! I wasn’t lying, I told you it was good, didn’t I?!” Sara laughed, bumping her shoulder into Ava’s side.

“Oh, hush up, you goober,” Ava teased, grabbing Sara’s nose lightly between her knuckles, “Yes, fine, you were right. Now hand me another fry.”

++++++

They were in the middle of their second basket of fries and their second round of milkshakes (vanilla and strawberry this time, at Ava’s request), still sitting close with their arms wrapped around each other, feeding one another milkshake-dipped fries here and there, when Gladys came around to check on them.

“How’s everything going for you ladies?” she asked kindly, flashing them her sweetest smile.

“Oh, it’s perfect, thank you so much Gladys!” Sara and Ava said in near perfect unison. Ava dunked a fry into the vanilla milkshake, and before she could pop it into her mouth, Sara leaned down and playfully snatched it right out of her hand with her teeth, flashing her her most shit-eating grin. Ava pinched Sara’s side lightly, laughing when she jumped just a little bit and shaking her head at Sara’s antics.

“Let me guess, you two are in the honeymoon phase of the relationship?” Gladys asked, a fond smile spreading across her face.

“Ahh, not really,” Ava said, stealing a look at Sara before turning back to Gladys, “We’ve actually been together for a few years now.”

“Yeah, we’re engaged,” Sara chimed in with a smile, lifting Ava’s hand up to show off her ring, fiddling with Ava’s fingers in the process.

“Ahh so y’all are one of the lucky ones that stay ridiculously in love forever then, huh?” Gladys said, a knowing look flashing across her face.

“Yeah, I think we are,” Ava said softly, at the same time that Sara said, just as soft, “We’ve fought too hard not to be.”

“That’s really sweet,” Gladys said, eyes shining bright as she watched Sara feed Ava another fry, “My wife and I have always been the same way. We still are, even after thirty-five years. Never lose that sparkle, you two, it’s precious. Meal’s on the house today, dears. I hope the two of you have a wonderful life together.”

And, well, if all three of their eyes were a little misty afterwards, then no one really had to know.

Chapter Text

One thing they hadn’t fully thought of upon retiring from the Waverider was the adjustment of not being able to use portals to get around places. It’d been so easy with the time couriers: just plug in the coordinates, press the button, and they were wherever they wanted or needed to be (at least, when the damn things were actually charged, that is). It'd been so easy, but when they'd decided it was time to give normal life a shot (or at least, as normal as it could ever get for the two of them), that decision came with the agreement that they wouldn't rely on the technology they'd grown so accustomed to on the Waverider.

Even so, they hadn’t fully grasped what that would really mean in terms of getting around.

They learned rather quickly that they were going to have to adjust to driving places, and being at the mercy of having a car rather than the mercy of having a charged time courier.

Ava never had a need for a driver’s license at the Bureau— always just using time couriers to get around instead— while Sara had had her license, once upon a time, long ago, before an ill-fated boat changed her life forever. But that had been a lifetime ago, and she hadn’t really driven a car ever since returning home from her very first perceived-death.

Nevertheless, it was something that needed to be done, so with a little help of the hacking variety from Felicity, both she and Ava had their licenses, and had managed to get good cars with some of the money that Mick had left for them as a parting gift.

Now, it was the first time Sara had planned to take her Jeep for a spin. Despite having gotten their licenses and cars a week prior, they’d both been more or less avoiding driving around for the first time. But it was quickly becoming unavoidable, and Sara had decided that she simply couldn’t stand to put it off any longer.

Besides, there were errands that needed to get done anyway, and while it wasn't Sara's favorite thing to be doing— she would much rather be wrapped up in Ava's arms any day— there was simply no more avoiding it.

So Sara had dragged herself out of bed, had breakfast with Ava, and now she was gathering her car keys and making a mental checklist of the various errands she would be running.

Ava walked her to the door, hand hovering gently over the small of her back like it always did, like she loved, and pulled her in for a soft, gentle kiss as they stood on the porch.

“Drive safe, okay?” Ava murmured against her lips, leaning in for another quick peck as her hands squeezed Sara's hips lightly.

Sara pulled back just slightly, just enough for Ava to see the mischievous glint in her eyes and the smirk tugging at her lips.

“Hmmm, no, I think I'll drive dangerously,” Sara teased, unable to stop the shit-eating grin spreading wildly across her face as she tugged Ava closer, their noses brushing against each other.

Ava shook her head, laughing, pressing their foreheads together as her hands rubbed up and down Sara's hips. She fixed Sara with a look that said okay, now be serious, and gave her hips another gentle squeeze.

Sara chuckled, her grin turning softer, morphing into more of a loving smile than anything else. “Alright, alright, fine, you got me. Jokes aside, yes, of course I'll drive safe. I've got a gorgeous wife to come home to after all.”

“Smooth,” Ava said, tapping the tip of Sara's nose lightly with her knuckles. She leaned in for one last kiss, “I'll see you in a few hours, yeah?”

“Of course you will, babe. I'll be back before you know it. I love you.”

“I love you too, Peter Pan.”

++++++

It was a few hours later, and Sara had just finished up the last errand on her list and was making her way back home. Driving hadn’t been quite the nightmare she’d been half-expecting, but regardless she was eager to get home and be done with all the responsibilities for the day. After all, she had a spot in Ava’s arms with her name written all over it.

She was on their street, getting ready to pull into their driveway, and she could see Ava waiting outside for her on the porch— she’d called and said she was on her way home as soon as she’d finished the last errand. A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth and she gave Ava a small wave from her rolled-down window, sending her a wink to go with it.

And then, all of a sudden, in the split-seconds it took to refocus on the turn, Sara found that she’d misjudged it slightly, just enough to run into the fire hydrant right outside their house, sending out sprays of water to drench the ground below. She startled, flinching as her hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, eyes wide. When the shock of it wore off a moment later, she dropped her head with a groan, forehead coming to rest with her hands against the wheel.

“Dammit…” she said, as Ava came running down the driveway towards her side of the car, concern written all over her face.

“Sara! Are you okay?!”

“I’m fine,” Sara groaned, bumping her forehead lightly against her knuckles, “I swear I drove safe the entire rest of the way.”

Chapter Text

Sara woke up slowly to the feeling of fingers running through her hair and tracing patterns on her back. She sighed contentedly, sleepily, and snuggled further into the arms she was wrapped up in, burrowing her head into the crook of her wife's neck and nuzzling her nose there.

Ava scratched lightly at her scalp, and she let out a soft little sound, sinking deeper and deeper into the embrace. Her arm wound its way tighter around Ava's middle, squeezing as she pulled herself impossibly closer and slung a leg over both of Ava's.

“Good morning, my love,” Ava said softly, leaning down to press a kiss to Sara's forehead as her fingers buried themselves deeper in Sara's hair.

“Mmmm, g'morning,” Sara murmured back, voice muffled slightly from her cheek being pressed up against Ava's chest. She didn’t bother opening her eyes just yet, instead simply nuzzling closer as her thumb moved idly back and forth over Ava's ribcage. “Time ‘s it?”

“Close to ten. You looked so peaceful, I didn’t wanna wake you.”

Sara hummed contentedly and wrapped herself further around her wife’s body, burying her face in Ava’s neck as she pressed a few small kisses to the area around her collarbone.

“My cuddly little koala bear,” Ava said, low and soft as she leaned her head against Sara’s and smiled. She held her tighter, her hand sliding down Sara’s back to slip under her tank top, splaying over her wife’s warm, scarred skin. “You’re adorable like this, you know that right?”

Sara smiled into the skin of Ava’s neck, squeezing Ava with her arms and legs.

“Hmmmm, it’s kinda nice to be able to sleep in late and have a lazy morning together. No Legends interruptions, no timeline emergencies,” Sara murmured, peppering slow, lazy kisses over Ava’s neck, “Just you and me and this cozy bed. That doesn’t usually happen very often.”

“No, you’re right, it doesn’t,” Ava said softly. She nudged Sara with her nose, pushing her face up and tilting her head back to give her a proper kiss good morning, free hand coming up to cup her cheek as her other one snaked its way up through her tank top to cradle the back of her head. “Well then, what do you want to do with this free day of ours?”

Sara’s eyes fluttered open finally, and she blinked up at Ava, staring at her with so much love and adoration. “I’m sure I could think of a few ways to spend our time today.”

“Oh? And what might those be?” Ava asked, a teasing lilt in her voice as she buried her fingers back in Sara’s hair, massaging her scalp and letting her nails scratch ever so slightly.

Sara’s eyes fluttered closed for a moment and she let out a soft little sound as she melted into Ava’s touch. Warmth spread throughout her body, swirling in her stomach and curling comfortably around her, filling her up until it flowed out of her.

“Hmmmm,” Sara hummed contentedly, barely able to string a coherent thought together in her head as she sank further and further into Ava, breathing in and out slow and deep like they had all the time in the world, because they did. “You mean aside from just laying here curled up with you all day? Cause I’d be perfectly happy to just lay here and snuggle for the rest of my life. If y’keep doin’ what you’re doin’ you might even put me back to sleep.”

“Well, if that’s what you wanna do…” Ava trailed off, dropping a kiss to the top of Sara’s head and pulling her impossibly closer as she dragged her nails over Sara’s scalp just the way she liked it. Sara was putty in her arms, soft and pliant and boneless as she continued to melt under Ava’s touch.

“Mmmm, don’t tempt me,” Sara murmured, cheek squishing against Ava’s chest, “As much as I’d like to, ‘m gonna fall back asleep if we keep laying here, ‘n I don’t wanna spend our entire free day sleeping.”

“Then how would you like to spend it, my love?” Ava asked softly, looking down at Sara with heart eyes. She traced mindless patterns over Sara’s arm with one hand, while the other still carded through Sara’s hair gently, brushing it back and away from Sara’s face. 

Sara smiled, warm and cozy and sleepy as she nuzzled her nose into Ava’s neck, letting out a soft, breathy sigh.

“Hmmmm, coffee?” she suggested, making absolutely no movement to leave her comfy spot tucked against Ava’s side. “We could make breakfast, go for a walk afterwards? Should be nice out. Let’s just be slow today.”

“Sara Lance talking slow days? Who are you and what have you done with my wife?” Ava teased, chuckling lightly as Sara pinched her side.

“Oh hush up,” Sara grumbled good-naturedly, unable to keep the smile off her face, “I like slow days when they’re with you. You make me want to slow things down and savor every little moment. So what do you say? Coffee and breakfast? Walk? Slow day?”

“Slow day sounds wonderful, my love.”

++++++

They slowly dragged themselves out of bed after sharing a few more long, soft kisses and gentle, wandering caresses. Ava was the first to roll out of bed, and Sara followed right behind her, if only to chase after a few extra kisses, never straying far from Ava’s touch, as if it was something vital, something necessary. Like it was the air she breathed and the blood that flowed through her veins, and somehow even more than that still.

They stumbled to the kitchen together, clumsy and slow and lazy, idly bumping into walls and furniture as they stayed firmly locked together, limbs wrapped around each other and hands sneaking under sleepshirts as lips pressed kisses to whatever skin they could reach, giggling all the way.

Ava sucked in a small breath as Sara pulled her on a slight detour, staggering into the back of the couch until they were both leaning up against it. Sara smiled up at her, lazy and mischievous as she nipped lightly at Ava’s collarbone, hands sneaking up further into Ava’s shirt, wandering over soft, warm skin. Her own tank top rode up as she shifted closer, pressing in and pulling Ava down into a leisurely kiss, tugging at her bottom lip ever so slightly.

Ava stumbled into her, losing her balance for a moment before catching herself with her hands on Sara’s hips. She laughed lightly, dropping her head against Sara’s shoulder as she gave her wife’s hips a gentle squeeze.

“You, my love, are a little menace,” Ava murmured against her, teasing. She nuzzled her nose into Sara’s neck before pulling back, shaking her head at the satisfied look on Sara’s face.

She took a moment to grab Sara’s nose with her knuckles, making Sara scrunch up her face rather adorably, before pulling Sara the rest of the way to the kitchen lest she get any other ideas for mischief.

“So, coffee and breakfast, huh?” Ava asked, leaving Sara leaning against the island as she went about gathering everything for french toast, bacon, and hashbrowns.

She put on the pot of coffee and got out a bowl of fruit for them to snack on while the rest of the breakfast was cooking, setting it down on the island next to Sara’s elbow as she leaned in to steal a kiss.

“Mmm, need help with anything?” Sara murmured against Ava’s lips, eyes fluttering open to look at her and going a little cross-eyed as she stayed close.

“Yeah, you could start on the french toast,” Ava murmured back, pressing in for another kiss, “while I put on some music and start the bacon and hashbrowns.”

Sara nodded, stealing one last kiss before popping a piece of fruit in her mouth and pushing herself off the kitchen island to get started on her task.

Soft music filtered in over the kitchen speaker and they fell into an easy rhythm as they both set about making the various breakfast foods, occasionally leaning in to steal more kisses.

When the food was done and sitting on plates to cool down a bit so as not to burn their mouths, and they decided their attention could drift for a moment, they came together, Sara’s arms snaking up around Ava’s neck and Ava’s arms wrapping loosely around Sara’s waist. They swayed gently to the soft music, foreheads pressed against each other, slowly dancing around the kitchen, with no other cares in the world as they twirled each other around and around. 

It was soft, it was sweet, and it was utterly perfect. Neither could hardly remember a time when they’d felt so relaxed, so at ease, entirely free of any worry or tension. Simply existing together, dancing together, loving together.

“This is nice,” Sara said softly, voice little more than a whisper, barely even a breath as she leaned up to kiss Ava, slow and soft and sweet.

“It is,” Ava breathed back, sliding her nose against Sara’s and pressing in for another kiss, squeezing Sara’s hips as her hands slid up and down over them. “We should probably eat before everything gets cold, though. I think I heard the coffee machine go off a minute ago.”

They ate with little hurry, making idle conversation here and there as they knocked their feet against each other under the table. When they’d both finished with the breakfast and the coffee, they cleaned up the kitchen and made their way back into the bedroom to brush their teeth side by side in their adjoining bathroom before getting dressed to go on their walk.

++++++

They walked slowly, idly, hand-in-hand through the nice little park not far from their house. Their hands swung lazily between them as they leaned into each other, going back and forth with gentle squeezes of fingers intertwined. Sara smiled, breathing in deeply, savoring the fresh air as spring gradually turned to summer. She pulled herself closer, free hand coming to rest at the crease of Ava’s elbow as her head dropped down to lay against Ava’s arm, cheek squishing into her just slightly.

Ava looked down at her, eyes bright and soft as her thumb rubbed gently back and forth over Sara’s, and a loving smile spread across her face. She leaned down to press a kiss to the top of Sara’s head, lingering just a moment longer than she needed to, breathing her in. Her warmth, the faint hint of her sandalwood shampoo that still clung to her from their shower the night before, everything that made her feel like her.

She sighed softly against her, content beyond measure as she gave her hand another squeeze. “I love you so damn much, you know that, right?”

“You may have told me once or twice,” Sara murmured, leaning further into Ava’s side and rubbing her hand up and down Ava’s forearm, “but I’ll never ever get tired of hearing it. And I love you too. More than anything. You’re my heart. My home.”

They fell silent after that for the most part. Words weren’t needed. The simplicity of being together, the ease with which they fell into each other, gravitated to one another, held each other, said everything either of them needed to, everything that wasn’t always so easy to put into words. 

They walked for a while longer, circling the small lake in the center of the park a few times before wordlessly deciding to head back in the direction of home, ambling leisurely simply because they had the time to do so.

++++++

Upon arriving back home, they kicked off their shoes, and Sara plopped herself down gracelessly on the couch, reaching out and making adorable little grabby hands for Ava to join her. Ava smiled brightly, letting out a soft chuckle as she took Sara’s hands in hers and let Sara pull her in, never one to deny her wife when she wanted affection.

Sara tugged her in quickly and she lost her balance, toppling down onto Sara, who simply wrapped her arms tight around Ava and shifted until they were both laying along the length of the couch, her body pressed comfortably between Ava and the cushions underneath her. She stared up at her with stars in her eyes as Ava smiled down at her, hand coming up to brush a stray strand of hair away from Sara’s face.

Sara leaned into the touch until Ava’s hand cradled her face, thumb brushing lightly over the ridge of her eyebrow, down the slope of her nose and across the hill of her cheek. Her hands teased at the hem of Ava’s shirt, fingers just barely slipping underneath to dance feather-light over soft skin. She breathed in deeply as Ava leaned down to press a kiss to the tip of her nose before resting their foreheads together, and her eyes fluttered shut as Ava’s other hand came up to card through Sara’s hair.

She hummed contentedly, so full of the warmth and love that came to her so easily whenever she was with Ava. It was magical, it was perfect, it was bliss and comfort, safety and belonging and home. Above everything else, it was home. She was home. Ava’s thumb moving back and forth across her cheek, Ava’s fingers playing with her hair, Ava’s body pressed against her, intertwined with her until it was hard to say where one ended and the other began.

And then Ava leaned in and kissed her, slow and soft and sweet just like the rest of their kisses had been that morning, and the feelings came pouring out of her, spilling all across Ava’s lips as they danced against her own. Her hands slid further up into Ava’s shirt, trailing all across the vast expanse of her back, and she wished she could stay in this moment forever.

They only broke apart when it became necessary to take a breath, and they lingered close, hovering in each other’s space, noses brushing and soft puffs of air mingling together in the tiny space between them as their eyes locked onto each other.

“Slow days with you are my favorite,” Sara murmured softly, lips brushing against Ava’s as she said it.

“Mine too,” Ava breathed out, echoing the sentiment as she leaned back down for another slow, leisurely kiss.

Sara tightened her hold on Ava, wrapping her arms further around her and pulling her closer, squeezing her gently but with undeniable strength. Ava had no choice but to sink into her, wrapping her own arms just as tight around Sara as she shifted them slightly, nuzzling into her and intertwining their bodies even further.

It was there that they spent the majority of the rest of the day, simply cuddling and kissing, occasionally dozing off in the comfort of it all, and it was there that they both silently decided slow days were going to become a more frequent occurrence between the two of them.

Chapter Text

It was quiet in Sara and Ava's quarters, save for the ever-present hum of the Waverider itself, and the soft sounds of the TV, playing some random movie that neither of them were really paying much attention to. It was just background noise, something to have on while they enjoyed a quiet night together after a long week of keeping the timeline intact. 

Sara was curled up against Ava's side, her favorite and most comfortable place to be. Her head rested on Ava's chest, an arm around her waist and one of her legs intertwined with Ava's. One of Ava's arms held her close, and she breathed in deeply, letting it out slow, content to just lay here and enjoy the quiet, calm, peacefulness of the night.

“What're you thinkin’ about?” Ava asked softly, turning her head to look down at Sara, her cheek pressing just slightly against Sara's forehead. 

“Nothin’ much,” Sara murmured, letting her fingers trail over Ava's side, dancing over her ribs and mapping out a mindless pattern that made Ava shiver. She smoothed her hand down over Ava's stomach and slid her hand under her sleep shirt, fingers splaying over soft, warm skin, “Just enjoying this. Quiet night, with you, no chaos or interruptions. It's nice.”

Ava hummed in agreement as she pressed a gentle kiss to Sara's forehead, bringing her hand up to play with Sara's hair.

Sara sighed softly, snuggling closer into Ava's side, her hand slipping further up to rest high against Ava's ribcage. She sank deeper into Ava's side as Ava's nails scratched lightly at her scalp, one of the sure-fire ways to make her absolutely melt.

“You're cute, you know that, right?” Ava asked, and Sara hummed lightly to show that she'd heard, “I love getting to see you like this. I love being the only one who sees you like this. All soft and cuddly. You get extra cuddly when you're sleepy, you know. I find it very adorable. Very endearing.”

“‘M not sleepy,” Sara murmured, but she nuzzled her nose against Ava's neck, which didn't really do anything to convince Ava otherwise, “‘m just… comfy. I like laying like this. It feels good. Cozy. Safe.” 

“That's good, I'm glad. I always want you to feel safe with me,” Ava said, pressing another kiss to Sara's forehead as she ran her fingers through Sara's hair. She brought her other hand up to trace random patterns over Sara's arm and up her shoulder. “That doesn't change the fact that you look like you could fall asleep on me at any moment.”

“I won't fall asleep on you,” Sara said, though it was hardly the most convincing thing Ava had ever heard from her, “Not yet, at least. Hmmmm, babe, read to me.”

“Hmmm?” Ava hummed in question, though she already knew what Sara had said. It never hurt to hear it a second time, though. It was a request she would never ever get tired of in her entire life.

“Read to me,” Sara repeated, thumb brushing gently back and forth over Ava's ribs, “Please? I like hearing your voice. I like listening to you read.”

“Anything you want, my love,” Ava said softly, barely even a breath as her lips brushed against the top of Sara’s head. She held her tight, pulling her just a little bit closer as she reached toward her nightstand to retrieve the book she kept there specifically for these such occasions.

As she opened it and began reading quietly to the sleepy assassin in her arms, she felt Sara snuggle in impossibly closer, getting herself extra comfy in Ava’s arms.

Sara started off trying to follow along with the words Ava was reading from the page, eyes scanning back and forth, line after line, but as Ava continued reading, the words blurred together, and her eyes would flutter shut for a moment until she forced them back open, only to do the exact same thing seconds later. When Ava brought one hand up, switching idly between playing with her hair, massaging her scalp, and tracing patterns all across her back, Sara was positively done for. Her eyes fluttered shut once again, and this time she let them stay like that as she sank deeper and deeper into Ava’s side.

Her breathing slowed, coming in soft, even puffs and fanning out over Ava’s chest. A quiet little sound escaped her mouth, half sigh and half hum as the warm, gentle sound of Ava’s voice lulled her further and further towards sleep with every sentence.

++++++

She wasn’t quite sleeping yet, but oh she was getting close. Everything was turning pleasantly hazy, and her thoughts drifted by slowly, just far enough out of her reach that she couldn’t latch onto any of them. Ava was so, so comfy, her chest pillowing Sara’s head perfectly, and her fingers felt like pure magic as they ran through her hair and danced across her back.

Before she knew it, through the haze of being half asleep, Sara vaguely registered Ava’s voice tapering off, and a gentle kiss being pressed to her forehead right before Ava began shuffling around oh so carefully, so as not to disturb her, she knew. But it jostled her just enough for her to make a soft sound, for her to process— just barely— what was going on. 

Oh, she stopped reading. When had she finished the chapter?

The idea of not having Ava’s voice to keep lulling her to sleep was enough to make her stir a little more, her hand coming up to take hold of Ava’s wrist before she had a chance to put the book back on her nightstand.

“Wait…” Sara mumbled, barely coherent and intelligible, but she knew Ava would still manage to understand her. She pried her eyes open, blinking blearily as she looked up at Ava, unable to keep her eyes more than half open.

“Hmmm? You okay, sweet girl?” Ava asked softly, a concerned look on her face as she brushed through Sara’s hair with her fingers, nails scratching lightly over her scalp just the way Sara liked it.

Sara hummed and pressed herself closer, nuzzling her nose into Ava’s neck as she continued to blink slowly up at Ava, her eyes glassy and tired, so sleepy but so wanting. Ava’s chest ached at how adorable she was, the small pout on her lips and the pleading in her eyes, the way her fingers squeezed her wrist and tapped out a mindless rhythm.

“One more chapter,” Sara murmured, and she sounded so desperate, so needy and wanting that Ava wouldn’t have been able to tell her no even if she’d wanted to. “Jus’ one more chapter. Please? Jus’ wanna keep hearing your voice. Makes me feel good. Sounds like home.”

Ava melted at Sara’s words, her stomach fluttering and heart clenching at the precious, sleepy assassin wrapped up in her arms. She pulled Sara impossibly closer and pressed another kiss to the top of her head as she continued carding her fingers through Sara’s hair.

Sara burrowed in deeply, pressing her face into the crook of Ava’s neck as she wrapped herself as far around her as she physically could, legs intertwining as she held on tight.

Ava reopened the book and began reading softly once again, nails scratching lightly at Sara’s scalp, trailing down her back and up once again to bury themselves in her hair. Sara sighed softly and nuzzled into Ava’s side, growing heavier and heavier against her as Ava’s voice lulled her right back towards dreamland.

Ava barely made it halfway through the second chapter before Sara was fully knocked out in her arms, fast asleep and looking so incredibly peaceful. 

She finished up the chapter quietly, voice hardly above a whisper, and when she was done she carefully slid the book back onto her nightstand and shifted slowly so as not to wake her adorable sleeping cuddle-monster.

Sara made a soft little sound and stirred ever so slightly, burying her face against Ava’s chest and squeezing her tighter, but otherwise stayed deeply asleep. Ava held her tight, wrapping her own arms around her as far as she possibly could, one hand cradling her head to her chest, fingers buried deep in her hair, while the other one rubbed circles into her back and slid up and down over her side.

“Goodnight, my adorable, clingy, beautiful, sweet Sara,” Ava murmured into the darkness of their quarters, letting her head drop down to rest against Sara’s and giving her one last kiss to the forehead. She smiled when she felt Sara pressing impossibly closer, burrowing deeper and deeper into Ava’s embrace until there wasn’t even a millimeter of space left between them. “Sleep well, Peter Pan. Dream good dreams, baby girl. I love you so much.”

Ava couldn’t tell whether she was imagining the soft sigh or slight squeeze of Sara’s arms around her that she felt or not, but she smiled regardless and squeezed her back, slowly slipping under the warm blanket of sleep with Sara’s gentle, even breaths tickling lightly at her neck, bodies so thoroughly intertwined that it was impossible to tell where one ended and the other began. Perfectly together, just the way they liked it. Just the way it should be.

Chapter Text

Sara stepped through the door of Ava's apartment, wincing slightly at the movement. The mission had been long and grueling, and it'd left her with a number of minor injuries. It was nothing major, nothing she hadn't dealt with a hundred times before— hell, she'd dealt with far worse things than this another hundred times over, probably— but she was exhausted, and feeling far more worse for wear than she'd really care to admit.

She was never one to bat an eye when it came to pain— she'd gone through far too much of it to really let it faze her anymore— but she couldn't help feeling grateful and relieved the moment she was in the safe haven of Ava's place, surrounded by a familiar, welcoming atmosphere that only ever brought her comfort, that only ever felt like home.

She dropped her bag down by the front door, and gingerly toed her boots off next to it, one hand on the doorframe to keep her steady. She shrugged her jacket off slowly, careful not to jostle her aching body more than she really had to as she hung it up on the hook next to Ava's.

“Hey babe, is that you?” Ava called softly from somewhere in the house, and Sara let out a small breath of relief, shoulders relaxing as the weight of the day slowly slipped from atop them. 

She closed her eyes and breathed in deeply, leaned back against the doorframe as she called out, “Yeah, it's me. I'm home,” unable to keep all of the weary exhaustion out of her voice.

Ava appeared in the hallway from around the corner, a warm smile on her face that fell the instant she took in the sight of Sara’s ragged appearance. Her eyes softened even more as they filled with overflowing concern, and she was by Sara’s side in record time, just two short strides.

“Shit, Sar, what happened to you?” she breathed out, brows furrowing as she leaned in, tilting Sara’s face up to hers and gingerly brushing a finger over her bruised cheek. Sara sucked in a small, barely noticeable breath at the contact, wincing slightly. “Are you okay?”

Sara took a step closer, hands coming up to rest on Ava’s hips as she leaned into her touch. She let out a long breath and looked up at Ava, eyes soft and searching. She tried for an easy, reassuring smile, but she suspected it half came out as more of a grimace, if the way Ava’s brows continued to furrow was anything to go by.

Ava lifted her hand, letting her finger brush over a small cut on Sara’s forehead as she gently pushed away a strand of hair, watching intently as Sara’s eyes fluttered closed for the briefest moment. She sighed softly, and her hand slid back down Sara’s cheek until she was cupping her face in both of her hands.

“Babe,” she pushed gently, pulling Sara out of wherever her thoughts had wandered off to.

“Hmmm?” Sara hummed, and her head grew a little heavier in Ava’s hands, and Ava couldn’t help but notice how tired she sounded.

“I asked if you were okay…”

Sara let out a long, slow breath, pulling her eyes back open and blinking up at Ava. She gave Ava’s hips a gentle squeeze as the barest hint of a lazy, tired smile ghosted over her face.

“Don’t worry about me, babe, I’m fine, really. I promise.”

“Hey, shush now,” Ava said, brushing her thumb ever so lightly over Sara’s bruised cheek, “Newsflash, but I’m always going to worry about you, you goober, because I love you.”

Sara’s eyes softened, and the small smile tugged a little more insistently at the corner of her mouth. Her hands wandered up Ava’s sides and over her arms to hold Ava’s wrists, thumb rubbing back and forth across the insides of them.

“You look like hell, baby.”

“Gee, thanks, Aves,” Sara said sarcastically, rolling her eyes, even as a smirk spread across her face and a small laugh escaped her. She leaned her head down into Ava’s hands, shaking it slowly back and forth, “Just what every girl wants to hear when they get home, right?”

“Well, have you seen yourself in the mirror lately?” Ava asked, raising one eyebrow and tilting her head to the side.

“No, actually, I haven’t,” Sara shot back, but there wasn’t any real bite to her words, “I was too busy keeping the timeline intact, and then I came straight here.”

“What happened?” Ava asked softly, eyes scanning over Sara’s face and hands once again, mapping out the various cuts, scrapes and bruises, and those were just the ones she could see. She’d bet money on the fact that the rest of Sara looked similarly worse for wear. 

She smoothed her thumb across Sara’s eyebrow, and Sara sighed, leaning into it and letting her eyes slide shut. She turned her head slightly, pressing her face into the palm of Ava’s hands and placing a kiss there.

“It was just a long mission,” Sara murmured, brushing her fingers over Ava’s wrist. “Tougher than we thought it would be, but that was probably partially our fault. Got in a couple fights with people I thought wouldn’t be much of a problem. Turns out I was wrong on that front.”

She let out a self-deprecating laugh, and Ava hummed in understanding, eyes still filled with soft, gentle concern. She tilted Sara’s head up to meet her eyes, and Sara blinked at her slowly.

“I’m okay though, I promise,” Sara said softly, voice little more than a whisper, “Just got a little roughed up is all. I’ve dealt with far worse than this before. I’m tired and sore, but I’ll live.”

“You didn’t go to the medbay at all?” Ava asked, even though she already knew the answer, “Gideon probably could’ve patched you up.”

“The team tried to get me to go, but…” Sara shrugged, shaking her head lightly, “I really just wanted to come see you. Didn’t wanna have to wait for Gideon to give me the all clear.”

“Babe, you could’ve called,” Ava said, brushing away another stray strand of hair from Sara’s face, “I would’ve met you in the medbay, you know.”

“I know, but…” Sara sighed, trailing off.

“But what, Sar?”

“Sometimes it’s easier not to,” Sara murmured, looking down. Her hands slid down to grasp Ava's, fingers intertwining together. She squeezed gently, her fingers tapping out a mindless rhythm against Ava's knuckles, fidgeting like they did so often. She shrugged again, still unable to meet Ava's eyes, “Sometimes it’s easier to just go through it, deal with it and let myself heal the normal way, I don’t… I don’t know.”

Ava’s face softened, and she knew what Sara was trying to say without really saying it.

She pulled her hands from Sara's grip, gently guiding Sara’s head closer to her. She watched her for a moment, and when she still didn't look up at her, dropped the softest kiss to her forehead, one that Sara melted into.

“C’mon,” Ava said softly when she pulled back, and Sara finally looked up at her, a confused question in her eyes, “Let me get you cleaned up, okay? Let me take care of you a little extra tonight.”

Sara smiled up at her, tired and grateful as her eyes slid shut for a moment. She pressed her face back into the hand Ava once again had cupping her cheek as she nodded and allowed Ava to lead her upstairs and into the bathroom that was situated just off the bedroom.

Ava sat her down on the toilet seat with the instruction to get undressed, and went to grab her some pajamas: a pair of sweatpants that Sara had taken to keeping there, and one of Ava’s old t-shirts that Sara loved to wear. She set the clothes on the countertop and grabbed all the necessary items from their various cabinets, before setting to work cleaning and caring for Sara’s minor injuries, making sure to check her over for any she hadn’t been able to see before.

Most were small cuts, scrapes and bruises scattered across her body, which Ava had already seen most of, but Sara had also ended up with a couple of bruised ribs, a sprained wrist, and a slight limp from a nasty bruise on her knee. 

When Ava had finished tending to Sara’s injuries to her satisfaction, she stood up and leaned down to press a kiss to the top of Sara’s head, smoothing her hair back with her hands.

“There, all done,” she murmured into Sara’s hair, dropping another kiss there. She pulled back and slid the clean pajamas over on the counter before helping Sara up. “Are you good in here? I’m gonna go grab us both some water and a snack since I know you probably haven’t eaten anything yet.”

Sara nodded, flashing Ava a small, grateful smile as she leaned against the sink to change into the pajamas, watching after Ava as she retreated back downstairs to the kitchen. By the time she returned a couple minutes later, Sara was sitting on the edge of the bed, looking more tired than ever before.

Ava sat close to her, handing her one of the bottles of water and a couple granola bars. Sara leaned into her immediately, dropping her head down onto her shoulder as she opened one of the granola bars.

“I know it’s not much,” Ava said softly, wrapping an arm around Sara and letting her hand settle over her hip, thumb rubbing gently back and forth, “But I figured you’d probably just want something quick and easy given how tired you looked.”

Sara nodded, humming in affirmation. She let her eyes slide shut as she ate silently, drawing comfort from Ava’s gentle touch and her warm presence. She finished off her granola bars, throwing the wrappers in the trash by the bed before shifting slightly, looking up at Ava with tired, weary eyes. “Can we go to bed now? I really want cuddles.”

Ava brought her hand up to card through Sara’s hair, and she pressed a kiss to Sara’s forehead, smiling at the way Sara leaned further into her.

“Of course,” she murmured, shifting so the two of them could climb slowly, carefully into bed together.

She laid down first, sliding under the covers and holding her arms open for Sara to snuggle into. Sara did, pressing in close and laying her head on Ava’s chest, arm across her middle and leg laying over both of Ava’s. Ava pulled the covers up to Sara’s waist, taking care not to knock her hand against Sara’s ribs.

Sara sighed softly, snuggling in deeper, nuzzling her head into Ava’s neck, fingers curling gently into Ava’s sleep shirt.

“Comfy?” Ava asked, voice soft, quiet, and full of love. She ran her fingers gently through Sara’s hair.

“Mmhmm,” Sara hummed, breathing in deeply and letting it out slow, “M'always comfy when you hold me.”

“Goodnight, sweetheart. I love you.”

“Hmmm, g’night,” Sara murmured, voice slurring slightly with sleep, “Mm. Love you… luh you… too…”

With that, Sara was fast asleep in Ava’s arms, snuggled in close and safe where she should be, her breaths coming in slow, soft, even puffs against Ava’s neck. Ava laid there watching her for a few moments more, brushing Sara's hair from her face and pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead, chest bursting with so much love for the sleeping woman in her arms, before finally allowing herself to slip under the warm blanket of sleep as well, holding Sara tight and keeping her safe and protected within her arms.

Chapter Text

The second Sara walked through the door to her quarters on the Waverider, she shrugged off the horrendously uncomfortable, entirely-too-feminine, stupidly-historically-accurate garments of clothing she'd been forced to wear for their mission. She let out a heavy sigh of relief, kicking the pile of clothes out of her way just a tad harsher than was really necessary for pieces of fabric, though she couldn't quite bring herself to really care. She could be petty sometimes, sue her. 

She yanked open her dresser drawer and pulled out one of her sports bras, the one that gave her the utmost compression. It was just one of those days. She tugged it on and breathed another sigh of relief the second she felt it compress against her chest in all the right ways. It was constricting in the exact ways it was designed to be, but right now, it felt like the only thing that could make her breathe. She rested her forehead lightly against her dresser, fingers curling around the sides of it for just a moment before pulling back.

Now, she just had to find clothes that she felt like herself in, clothes that she felt like she could actually breathe in, clothes that didn’t make her skin crawl or her insides squirm uncomfortably with the utter, unbearable sense of wrongness she’d been filled with from the moment she’d forced herself into the uncomfortable, period-typical getup that Gideon had fabricated for her that morning. She shuddered just thinking about it, and glared down at the pile of clothes still laying in a tangled heap on the floor, wishing she could just incinerate them with her eyes. Maybe she could get Mick to light them on fire later. Maybe.

Her eyes scanned around the room, searching through the various other pieces of clothing she’d left scattered and thrown over various pieces of furniture or laying about the floor for the past few days. A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she thought of the way Ava would roll her eyes and shake her head exasperatedly before gathering them up and tossing them in the hamper, “like a normal person”. Sara always just smiled at her, a little cheeky, her eyes sparkling as she playfully reminded Ava that she hadn’t been signing up for normal when she’d started dating her.

It was then that Sara’s eyes caught on a particular piece of clothing, laid neatly over the back of one of her comfy plush chairs. It wasn’t something of hers, she was certain of that. No, she knew exactly what it was, because Ava had left it there purposely the night before, all nice and neat when Sara had insistently tried tossing it across the room in an attempt to undress her faster. It was Ava’s blazer.

She eyed it for a long moment, silently debating whether or not to leave it, when the temptation finally won out and she snatched it quickly off the back of the chair, as if someone was going to come along and snatch it right back away from her (which was a frankly ridiculous idea, considering she’d all but ordered the Legends to take the rest of the day, just so she could have some time to herself, a little while to just breathe and to be, with no expectations from anyone else).

Sara slipped the blazer on and shook herself out in it, breathing out an instant sigh of relief at how good it felt to wear it. It was loose and comfortable, and it hid the things that the earlier mission-clothes had accentuated far too much for her peace of mind. It showed off her abs if she left it open and unbuttoned, but most importantly it was something that made it easier to breathe (and, well, if it just so happened to still smell like Ava, then that was just an added bonus, icing on the cake).

She turned back to her dresser feeling a little lighter than she did a second ago and dropped down to the bottom drawer, digging around in it until she found what she was looking for: her favorite pair of dress pants, the ones that never failed to make her feel good on her most masculine days. She shoved them up her legs and fastened them up, small smile slowly growing on her face as she tied her hair up to get it away from her face and off her neck.

Finally, she collapsed backwards into one of her comfy chairs, tension seeping out of her shoulders as she finally relaxed.

++++++

She’d sunk deeper and deeper into the chair, eyes closed by the time Ava portalled into her quarters a few hours later. She heard the soft whoosh of the portal opening and closing, Ava’s quiet footsteps as she stepped through, and another smile played at her lips, tugging at the corners of her mouth. She opened her eyes just a crack and tilted her head in Ava’s direction.

“Hi, babe,” Sara said softly, slowly blinking up at her girlfriend, “How was your day?”

Ava just stared at her, eyes a little wider than normal, mouth just slightly agape. “Is… is that my blazer?”

Sara’s smile turned just a bit shy, and the barest hint of a blush crept up her cheeks as she looked down and fiddled with the buttons on the sleeves. “...Maybe? I mean, yeah, it was just… sitting there, and… I had to wear these ridiculously uncomfortable femme clothes for the mission today, and the whole time my body was just screaming at me to change into something else, something more comfortable, something more me, and I just… I saw it lying over the back of the chair, and it felt like a breath of fresh air compared to the awful getup I was in earlier, so…”

“Well, it looks good on you, babe,” Ava said, smirking as she let her voice drop low and husky, “Maybe you should start wearing my clothes more often, hmm? Now c’mere, I’m dying to kiss you right now.”

Sara jumped up out of the chair, and as soon as she was close enough, Ava pulled her in by the lapels of her blazer, tugging her in for a slow, deep kiss. Sara sank into it, pressing in closer, hands curling into the fabric of Ava’s button-up as a soft sound escaped her.

Ava’s hands wandered down her sides, fingers ghosting over skin as her hands slipped under the jacket to curl around Sara’s waist, fingers splaying over warm, tough skin as she pulled Sara flush against her.

They broke the kiss only when it became absolutely necessary, and Sara looked up at her, breathing heavily, eyes wide and darkening with growing desire, cheeks tinged pink and lips parted ever so slightly.

“If this is always gonna be your reaction to me wearing your clothes,” Sara breathed out, pressing impossibly closer, “I’ll steal your blazers every damn day for the rest of my life.”

Ava smirked down at her, hand coming up to cup Sara’s face, thumb brushing over her bottom lip and tugging it down lightly. She leaned in for another kiss, hands sneaking back underneath the blazer, lighting a fire in Sara’s skin everywhere she touched.

“Be careful,” Ava murmured against her lips, nipping at them gently. In barely the span of a moment, she whirled Sara around to face the mirror that’d been behind her, pulling her close so that her chest pressed right up against Sara’s back. Her hands wandered slowly all over the bare skin of Sara’s stomach and sides, feeling muscles dance and jump under her touch. One hand slid all the way up Sara’s chest, and Ava heard Sara’s breath hitch softly in the back of her throat as she pulled aside the collar of the blazer so she could press kisses all along Sara’s neck and shoulders, nipping lightly at the skin from time to time, “or I might just hold you to that.”

Their eyes met in the mirror as Ava looked up from Sara’s neck for a split second, hands still wandering all across Sara’s torso, feeling her up and lighting fires everywhere she touched, fingers teasing at the waistband of Sara’s pants and the band of her sports bra as she continued to scatter kisses across Sara’s shoulder and the back of her neck. Sara leaned back against her, one hand coming up to bury itself in Ava’s hair while the other one went to cover Ava’s hands on her waist. She breathed heavily, eyes dark and cheeks flushed as she held Ava’s gaze in the mirror.

“Oh, please do.”

Chapter Text

It was date night tonight, and Sara had ordered the Legends to take the day off and remain in the temporal zone (not that any of them had fought her on it, always welcoming a rare day off). Ava was hard at work at the Time Bureau, and Sara had a plan. She opened a portal into Ava’s apartment, stepping through with the large bag of supplies she’d brought with her. It was time to get to work. She quickly changed into more comfortable clothing, her favorite pair of sweats and a sleeveless croptop, as well as her pink, fluffy slippers. She threw on one of her favorite playlists, tossed her phone to the side, and began digging around in the bag of supplies she’d had Gideon fabricate for her.

She pulled out two big, soft, fluffy blankets and a couple of pillows, setting them off to the side before pulling out a bundled up string of fairy lights and a few big packages of glow-in-the-dark stars, grinning to herself as she thought about her plans for the night. She quickly got to work, pulling the stepladder out of the hallway closet and then back to the living room. She moved the furniture around to where she needed it, so that the middle of the room would be empty, free for her to set up the blankets and pillows there, when the time came. 

Sara danced about the living room, humming softly along with the music playing from her phone speaker as she went about sticking the glow-in-the-dark stars all over the ceiling with the help of the stepladder. Once that was done to her satisfaction (and also, partly, because she’d used up all the stars), she took a step back and looked up, smiling proudly at her handiwork. The ceiling would look damn good once all the lights were off later tonight. She took a moment to check the time on her phone, and, noting that she still had a couple of hours before Ava was due to get out of work, went back to setting her plans up for the night. She set up the two big, fluffy blankets in the middle of the room, as well as the pillows that she’d brought along with her in the bag, before racing up the stairs and into the bedroom. She pulled more stacks of extra blankets and pillows out from Ava’s huge closet, carrying them all back down in a few trips and setting them off to the side for later use, along with the fairy lights, which she set down on top of one of the stacks.

Soon enough, it was getting close to the time Ava would be getting out of work, so Sara got to work preparing the last part of the evening: food and other assorted snacks.

++++++

Ava startled as she walked through the door of her apartment, nearly slamming right into Sara and toppling them both over. She hadn’t expected her girlfriend to be right there when she first walked in.

“Woah, woah, babe, what are you—”

Ava didn’t have time to finish that sentence as Sara pulled her into a soft, gentle kiss, lips warm and sweet against hers. Ava sank into it, hands sliding around Sara’s waist as Sara leaned up into her.

“Hmmm, welcome home, babe,” Sara murmured against her lips, pulling back just barely, “Did you have a good day at work?”

“Mmhmm,” Ava hummed, leaning in to give Sara a few more quick kisses, “Yeah, it was alright. But what are you— I mean, not that I’m complaining, but— you usually don’t greet me right at the door like this.”

Sara shrugged, a lopsided smile on her face that Ava found all too adorable. “Yeah, well, it’s date night tonight. Wanted to surprise you, I guess. Plus, well… I kinda need you to close your eyes and hold out your hands.”

Ava raised an eyebrow, tilting her head to the side, a teasing look on her face. “And why do you need me to do that, exactly?”

“Ugh, c’mon, Aves,” Sara said with a hint of a whine, “It’s a surprise! You gotta get changed out of your work clothes, but I don’t want you to see it yet. C’mon, babeeeee.”

Ava smiled and relented, closing her eyes and holding out her hands for Sara to take. She did, and began leading Ava through the apartment, up the stairs and to the bedroom so she could change.

“Okay, but I thought we were staying in for date night tonight. I mean… we are still staying in, right?”

“Yes, babe, of course we’re still staying in. That’s what the whole surprise thing is all about,” Sara laughed, squeezing Ava’s hands to let her know that it was safe to open her eyes now, “Look, just trust me, okay?”

“Always,” Ava murmured softly, looking down at Sara with stars in her eyes as she brushed a stray strand of hair from her face and leaned down to give her another slow, gentle kiss.

When they pulled back, Sara looked up at her with the softest smile on her face, eyes twinkling as she took in Ava’s expression. God, she loved this woman so much. 

“Good,” she breathed out, “Now, change into something comfy and then close your eyes again so I can lead you back downstairs for the surprise.”

++++++

“Can I open my eyes yet?” Ava asked, calling out to Sara who was still moving about the room after having led Ava to lay on the big fluffy blankets in the middle of the room.

She laughed, and though her eyes weren’t open, Ava could easily picture the way she shook her head and rolled her eyes. “No, not yet. Patience, Aves. Soon, I promise. I’m almost done.”

“Fine,” Ava sighed out playfully, grinning.

Sara quickly finished going around the room and closing up all the windows and drawing the curtains. She grabbed the tray of food she’d prepared and brought it over to where Ava laid on the blankets, setting it down before scampering back up to turn off all the lights. She smiled brightly, eyes alight with wonder as she took in the familiar nostalgia of the green glowing stars lighting up the ceiling.

She plopped herself down next to Ava, scooting to lay back and shuffling closer, until their sides were pressed together as close as they could be, their heads resting lightly against each other.

“Okay,” Sara whispered out, turning her head to face Ava so she could take in her expression. She slid her hand down to hold Ava’s, lacing their fingers together and squeezing lightly. “You can open them now.”

Ava slowly removed her hand from over eyes, letting them slide open. She sucked in a small breath at the sight above her, taking in the hundreds of glow-in-the-dark stars on the ceiling.

“Wow…” Ava breathed, looking at Sara out of her corner of her eye to find Sara already staring at her, a wide, irrepressible grin on her face as their foreheads rested together. “You… you did all this? For me? For… for us?”

Sara’s smile turned shy, and even in the low light Ava could see the faint blush coloring Sara’s cheeks. She slid her thumb back and forth across the back of her hand. “Well, yeah… I know you didn’t really get to have, like, a proper childhood or anything, and… I always loved looking up at these stupid glow-in-the-dark stars when I was a kid, and…” Sara shrugged, pressing closer and rolling onto her side. As much as the stars held such a childlike wonder and magic to them, Sara only had eyes for Ava. “And, I dunno, I just wanted to do something special for you. Maybe… I don’t know… give you another taste of some of the good parts of childhood? Do you… I mean… do you like it?”

“Baby, I love it,” Ava said softly, rolling over on her side to face Sara and pulling her into a deep, gentle kiss, tugging her as close as she possibly could. Sara melted into it, melted into her, sighing softly into her mouth. It was a long moment later before Ava pulled back, just barely, just enough to look into Sara’s eyes, their noses and lips still brushing against each other when either of them moved. “I love you. It’s wonderful. You’re wonderful.”

Ava kissed her again, and Sara let herself get lost in it for a long few moments, so wrapped up in the warmth and the feelings and everything Ava. Kissing Ava was one thing she would never, ever get tired of in her entire life. Eventually, she pulled back, albeit reluctantly. She stayed close, breath mingling with Ava’s as she stared up at her and let her hands wander, gently caressing any part of Ava that she could reach.

“I made us a little picnic dinner that we can eat,” Sara whispered, as if talking any louder would break whatever spell the room was under, “And I thought… maybe after that, well, we’ve got the stuff to make a pillow and blanket fort? I brought fairy lights too.”

“Sounds magical, my love.”

They talked softly while they ate, leaning into each other and cuddling close as they continued staring up at the glowing green stars on the ceiling. As soon as they were done with their food, Sara pushed it to the side and slid into Ava’s lap, snaking her arms loosely around Ava’s shoulders while Ava wrapped hers around Sara’s waist.

“Hi,” Ava said softly, looking up at Sara with a wide, easy smile on her face.

“Hi,” Sara echoed, a similar smile gracing her face. She leaned down for a slow, gentle kiss, pressing in close as she sank into it, “Blanket fort?”

Ava simply nodded, leaning in for another kiss and letting her hands wander up and down Sara’s back. Sara’s smile widened and she lingered for a long moment before pulling back, jumping up to get started on the blanket fort. She tossed the stacks of pillows and blankets and fairy lights onto the couch before offering a hand to Ava to pull her up, twirling her around and tugging her into a brief kiss before turning her attention back to the task at hand.

They worked together easily, softly bantering and teasing each other, sharing bright smiles and infectious laughter as they danced about the room, building their small, cozy blanket fort. Once they had the outside of it done, they took all the pillows and the leftover blankets and piled them inside, arranging them so it would be nice and comfortable however they laid. Sara snagged the fairy lights from the couch and clipped them to the walls and ceiling of their little fort, turning them on a moment later and laying back, a gentle smile on her face as her eyes drifted over to Ava.

She cuddled in close, snuggling right up against Ava’s side and laying her head on her chest as she pulled one of the blankets up around their waists. She draped one of her arms over Ava’s middle, tucked the other one between them, and laid her leg over both of Ava’s. She looked up at her and blinked slowly, eyes shining with stars in the soft glow of the fairy lights, an incandescent smile and a look of complete and utter adoration on her face. Ava turned her head and smiled back, resting her forehead lightly against Sara’s as one arm came to wrap around her shoulders, tracing soft, mindless patterns over the top of her back while her other hand came up to trail gently along the arm Sara had wrapped around her middle.

Sara’s eyes fluttered shut, and she leaned in for a slow, soft kiss, her fingers curling lightly into the fabric of Ava’s t-shirt as she sank into it, murmuring a quiet, “I hope I get to spend every day of the rest of my life loving you and being loved by you,” against her lips.

Ava pulled back just slightly, just enough to look into Sara’s eyes, but close enough that their noses and lips still brushed together as they both breathed. She lifted a hand to brush a stray strand of hair off of Sara’s forehead and behind her ear, smiling as Sara leaned into the touch, eyes fluttering closed again before sliding back open, a lovestruck look on her face.

“You’re mine, baby, and you’re it for me,” Ava murmured back, sliding her nose against Sara’s, “I love you so much, Sar, and I’ll love you every single day for as long as you’ll have me, and even longer after that. I can’t imagine spending the rest of my life with anyone but you.”

“Good,” Sara breathed out, hovering closer and closer to Ava’s face with each passing second, “Because I want you always and forever, Aves.”

It was then that Sara fell back into Ava for another deep, gentle kiss. No other words were needed between the two of them; they’d said it all already, and what hadn’t been expressed with words was being conveyed beyond the shadow of a doubt with the soft kisses and touches and sighs that they found themselves lost in. There, in the warm, cozy comfort of their blanket fort safe haven, bathed in the soft glow of twinkling fairy lights and surrounded by all their comfiest pillows and blankets, everything was perfect. They were perfect, they were together, and they were forever.

Chapter Text

It wasn’t very often that the Time Bureau rolled out new clothing items with their logo on it for employees to purchase if they so chose, given that it was a top secret government agency that hardly anyone knew about (and definitely weren’t supposed to know the purpose of), but there’d been a few occasions where they had, and this seemed to be one of those occasions. When the Bureau-wide announcement came about new hoodies in the employee shop of the agency, Ava sighed, knowing she’d never get away with not purchasing at least one. If it had been any other item of clothing, Ava probably wouldn’t have bat an eye before deleting the notification from her view, but as soon as her eyes caught the words ‘new hoodie’ in the tagline of the email, she knew there was no point in trying to avoid it. If she knew anything at all about her girlfriend, it was that she was an absolute hoodie fiend in the moments she allowed herself to dress in complete and utter comfort, when the Legends finally had downtime to kick back and relax. And Sara, being Sara, would somehow find out about the new hoodies sooner or later (Ava’s money was on sooner— it would always be on sooner), and she would likely not stop pestering about it until Ava finally caved and got one, so she figured the easiest course of action would be to circumvent all of that by just buying one now.

So on her lunch break she made a trip down to the employee shop and walked out with two of the new hoodies in a little gift bag. Being that it was a slow day at the Bureau, as soon as Ava settled back down in her office to resume doing paperwork, she shrugged off her blazer and button-up, pulling one of the hoodies over her head instead. And if anyone came in and questioned her about it, well, she was the Director, and that was bound to give her a little leeway to wear what she wanted on occasion.

++++++

Ava walked through the door of her apartment, dropping her bag by its usual spot near the door and tossing her blazer and button-up into the hamper in the hallway laundry closet. Sara had texted over an hour ago to tell her that she’d be heading over early in search of some rare peace and quiet, so Ava called out a soft, “Honey, I’m home!” as she stepped further into the apartment.

Sara came around the corner silently, just as she always was, a tired but wide smile lighting up her face and putting a sparkle in her eyes as she saw Ava. A split second later, she took in her appearance, narrowing her eyes as she regarded Ava quizzically.

“You never come home from work in a hoodie,” Sara said, nothing more than a statement of fact, “What’s going on, are you— wait, I’ve never seen that hoodie before. S’that a new one?”

A grin spread across Ava’s face. “Yup,” she said, popping the p as she rocked up on her toes and back down again, fingers pulling at the hem of the new hoodie to show it off.

Sara’s smile grew wider, eyes shining brighter and more mischievously as she raked them up and down the hoodie, taking it in. Ava let out a soft chuckle, shaking her head ever so slightly as her fingers flexed around the handle of the gift bag.

“Oh, you know I’m so stealing that from you later, right?” Sara asked as she took a few steps closer, curling her hands into the soft, comfortable fabric of the hoodie at Ava’s waist. She leaned up on her toes to press a kiss to Ava’s lips, sinking into it a little before pulling back and settling back down on flat feet.

“That’s okay, I bought two,” Ava smiled, holding up the gift bag off to the side but still between them, watching with fondness as Sara’s eyes darted over to it and then back at her, “One for you, and one for me.”

Sara’s face softened, and she leaned up for another kiss. “That’s really sweet, Aves, and I love you so much for it, but I hope you know I’m still gonna steal yours as soon as it smells like you, right?”

Ava laughed loudly, throwing her head back just slightly before shaking her head and leaning down to press a kiss to Sara’s forehead. “Of course I do, baby, why do you think I bought two? So there’d always be one that smells like me for you to steal.”

Sara was all smiles at that, and she leaned up on her toes again, her nose brushing against Ava’s as she slid her hands up under the hoodie, hands wandering and fingers splaying over soft, warm skin. She pressed in for another kiss, sinking into her and wrapping her arms tight around her, holding her close as their lips slid together, slow and lazy and full of affection. Even when she pulled back she stayed close, face hovering just millimeters from Ava’s as she looked into her eyes before pressing another series of quick, gentle kisses to Ava’s lips.

“Hmmmm, you know me so well,” Sara hummed, nuzzling her nose against Ava’s as her hands wandered up her back. Ava tugged her impossibly closer, her arms tightening around Sara’s waist, hands settling into Sara’s back pockets as she kissed the tip of her girlfriend’s nose.

Sara kissed her once more, fingers curling gently into the skin of Ava’s back and catching lightly on her sports bra. She let herself stumble backwards, tugging Ava along with her as she blindly guided her towards the couch. She fell back on it, landing with a soft oomph and pulling Ava down with her until her comforting weight was pressing her into the cushions. She sighed softly into the kiss, holding Ava tightly to her until she wouldn’t be able to escape.

“I can’t wait to steal this hoodie from you,” Sara murmured against Ava’s lips, fingers playing with the hem of it absentmindedly, “I love wearing your clothes when they smell like you. Makes me feel so safe and warm.”

“I know,” Ava murmured back, looking down into Sara’s eyes as she brought a hand up to brush a stray strand of hair from Sara’s face, middle finger trailing feather-light across her forehead and down her cheek. Sara’s eyes fluttered closed at the soft contact, her hands tracing aimless patterns over Ava’s back. “That’s why I love seeing you wear them anytime you want to.”

Sara smiled soft and bright before pulling Ava down into one final, deep kiss, absolutely melting between her girlfriend’s body and the couch cushions, positively content to stay there for the entire rest of the night.

Chapter Text

Sara stared at herself in the mirror, a small smile growing on her face. She looked damn good, and she felt good too, dressed up in a suit and tie with her chest compressed, her hair pulled up and out of the way as she waited for Ava to portal into the apartment and get ready for their date night. She’d asked Gideon to help her plan it out weeks ago, and she’d been looking forward to it ever since; she’d wanted to do something special, to go all out and whisk Ava away for a magical night together, just the two of them, with absolutely no interruptions. It was something they didn’t get enough of, and Sara had made sure tonight was going to be perfect.

Her excitement grew as the minutes ticked by, bouncing on her toes and flexing her fingers in and out, shaking her hands to release some of her pent up energy.

It wasn’t long before a portal opened up in the room behind her, and she spun around with a glowing smile brightening up her face. She bounced over to Ava, meeting her right as she stepped through the portal and pulling her into a sweet, comfortable kiss, one that felt like coming home every single time. Ava sank into the kiss immediately, hands finding their natural spot on Sara’s waist, tugging her closer as she hummed softly.

Pulling back and leaning her forehead against Sara’s, she grinned, eyes sparkling with love. “Someone’s feeling rather chipper today, aren’t they? Excited?”

Sara’s smile widened impossibly, seemingly shining even brighter than a moment ago. Elation radiated off of her in waves, incandescent and infectious, and Ava found herself not being able to contain her own wide, happy smile. Sara nodded vigorously, pressing up on her tiptoes, hands braced on Ava’s shoulders to press another kiss to her lips.

“You ready for date night tonight?” she murmured softly against her lips before dropping back down to stand on flat feet. 

Ava laughed lightly, brushing back a stray strand of hair from Sara’s face and tucking it behind her ear. “As soon as I get changed, baby. I don’t wanna go on this date you’ve been buzzing about for weeks now still dressed in my Bureau work clothes.”

A faint blush spread across Sara’s cheeks, painting them rosy pink in the soft light of Ava’s room. Ava’s smile softened, and she tapped Sara’s nose lightly with her knuckle, capturing it between two of her fingers and giving it the gentlest little squeeze as she wiggled it briefly. Sara’s nose scrunched up as she giggled happily, leaning up for one last kiss before pulling back and stepping away.

“Okay, okay, alright.” Sara dropped herself down onto the little bench at the end of Ava’s bed, leaning back against it lazily and looking up at Ava with a playful look on her face. “Go get ready before I burst out of my skin from anticipation.”

Ava laughed loudly, shaking her head as she moved towards her closet to find something to wear. Pulling out Sara’s favorite dress of hers (the one that always had her staring all night long anytime she wore it), she turned back to Sara, eyeing her up and down as she bent to grab a pair of shoes. 

“I can feel you staring at me, babe,” Sara called out, craning her neck to peek at Ava around the closet door, “Assassin instincts, remember?”

The closet door slid shut under Ava’s touch and she chuckled, keeping her gaze locked on Sara as the floorboards creaked under her gentle footsteps. She set the dress and the heels down on the bench beside Sara, still eyeing her up and down as she began shedding her work uniform.

“You never let me forget it,” Ava grinned, poking Sara’s shin with her bare foot before slipping into the dress she’d laid out, “Not that I ever could, with you accidentally sneaking around the house all the time. I swear one of these days I’m gonna put a bell on you, babe.”

“You will not,” Sara laughed, reaching her leg out to return the favor of poking Ava in the shin, “I can’t very well be an effective reformed-assassin if I’m walking around jingling all the time. But you keep staring at me, c’mon, Aves, what is it? Do I got somethin’ on my face? Is my tie crooked?”

“What, am I not allowed to simply enjoy looking at you?” Ava asked, a teasing smile on her face as she stood in front of the mirror doing her hair and putting on just a slight bit of makeup. Sara gave her a look, one eyebrow raised as she crossed an ankle over her knee, her posture still lazy as she leaned back against the bed. “Ugh, fine, Sar, I was taking note of the suit, alright? Masc day today, babe?”

Sara’s easy, relaxed smile faltered a little and she sat up straighter, coughing a little to clear her throat. “Oh, uh, y-yeah, it’s— um, yeah, it is.” She shrugged, looking off to the side, only just meeting Ava’s eyes through the mirror. “Feels more comfortable today, I guess. Is that— I mean, is that okay?”

Ava’s face softened immediately, and she stopped what she was doing to turn and face Sara fully. She dropped down into a squat right in front of her, hands automatically moving to rest on Sara’s knees, her thumbs rubbing them gently back and forth.

“Baby,” Ava said softly, giving Sara’s knee a light squeeze, “Yes of course that’s okay. It’s more than okay, my love. You’re my partner, you know I only ever want you to be confident and comfortable in yourself, no matter what that looks like for you. You do know that, right?”

Sara let out a quiet breath, the easy smile returning to her face as she nodded.

“Good. And besides,” Ava paused for dramatic effect, dragging her eyes up and down Sara’s form once again, “I know for a fact that you know I think you look devastatingly hot in suits. Every. Damn. Time.”

She reached out and tugged Sara closer by her tie, leaning up for a kiss and smirking at the way Sara fell against her, hands automatically coming to rest against her neck, thumbs just barely brushing against her jaw. Ava lingered for a long moment before pulling back ever so slightly, her hand still gripping Sara’s tie, their noses still brushing together as they breathed.

“And yes, by the way,” Ava murmured against Sara’s lips, a small little smirk on her face.

“Yes what?” 

“Yes, your tie is a little crooked. Let me fix it for you.” She adjusted Sara’s tie and leaned up for another quick kiss before turning around and moving her hair all off to one side. “Now, zip me up so I can finish getting ready?”

“God, what did I do to deserve you?” Sara breathed out. She slid the zipper up on the dress and pressed a feather-light kiss to the back of Ava’s neck. “Done.”

“What did you do to deserve m— uhhhh, how about everything, you goober. You’ve done everything. Now c’mon, let me finish getting ready so you can whisk me away on this date you’ve been so excited about for weeks now.”

++++++

As soon as Ava was done getting ready, Sara stood up, having just finished lacing up her combat boots, and offered her arm to Ava, holding it out and waiting for her to take it. Sara beamed at her when she looped her arm through hers, leading her out of the bedroom and down the stairs. When they reached the front door of the apartment, Sara slid out from Ava’s arm, side stepping over to the door and pulling it open for her, gesturing for her to walk through it.

“After you,” she said, smiling brightly with the softest look on her face, heart eyes shining directly at Ava.

Ava grinned widely at her, doing a little curtsy and giggling when Sara bent over and laughed.

“How very chivalrous of you,” Ava said lightly, looking back and throwing Sara a wink as she walked through the door, “You’re such a gentleman.”

Sara beamed, straightening up and letting her hand follow Ava’s movements, just barely hovering a few inches away from her back. She followed Ava out the door, turning to lock it up behind her before holding out her arm for Ava to take once more.

“So, shall we?”

“By all means, whisk me away. You’ve got me all to yourself tonight.”

Sara’s eyes darkened ever so slightly, and she raked them up and down Ava’s figure, licking her lips absentmindedly.

“Y’know,” she drawled, unable to tear her eyes off of Ava wearing her favorite dress, “If I wasn’t so excited about this date, I’d drag you right back inside and tear that dress right off of you.”

“Hmmm, tempting,” Ava hummed, leaning into Sara’s side. She slid her hand down her arm to lace their fingers together, bringing her other hand up to hold loosely onto Sara’s bicep. “But I know you put too much effort into planning tonight for you to do that.”

“I did,” Sara’s voice was soft, shining with a hint of pride as she absentmindedly played with Ava’s fingers.

Ava couldn’t stop herself from looking over at Sara and taking her in, bursting with the love she felt for this wonderful, incredible human that she felt lucky enough to call hers. Being with her was the easiest thing in the world; kissing her, touching her, loving her— it was all just as vital to her as breathing. Sara was chaotic and messy even on her best days, but she just made sense, and even in the middle of all the chaos, she was Ava’s calm in the storm. One look, one smile, one hug, it was enough to settle her down easily, and she thanked her lucky stars every damn day that Sara was hers. Hers to love, to cherish, to take care of.

And right now, Sara was breathtaking, all smiles and bright eyes and happy giggles as she led them down the sidewalk, talking animatedly about something the Legends had gotten up to. Eventually she trailed off, her gaze drifting to meet Ava’s as her smile turned shy.

“You’re staring at me again,” Sara murmured softly, a faint blush creeping over her cheeks. “What is it?”

“I just.” Ava shrugged, taking in a deep, contented breath and letting it out slow. She bumped her shoulder against Sara’s, leaning their heads together as she squeezed Sara’s hand. “I just love you.”

Sara’s cheeks grew redder just slightly, and she pushed her head gently into Ava’s, her fingers tapping out a mindless rhythm against Ava’s knuckles. “I love you too.”

The conversation lulled as they continued walking, simply enjoying the cool evening air and each other’s company, free from any worry or interruptions. It was a while before either of them spoke, but eventually Ava broke the silence, after they’d been walking for a while with seemingly no clear destination.

“So do I get to know anything about this big date you’ve planned? Like where we’re going?”

“Nope,” Sara smiled, popping the p as she turned her head to look at her, eyes sparkling with love and mischief, “You’ll just have to trust me and stay along for the ride.”

“I always will,” Ava said softly, rubbing her thumb back and forth over Sara’s hand.

“That’s exactly what I want to hear.” Sara brought their joined hands up to press a kiss to the back of Ava’s, letting it linger for a long moment before dropping it back down between them. “I will tell you though that my chivalry didn’t end at our front doorstep. I’m gonna be the best damn gentleman ever for you, all night long baby.”

“You’re sweet,” Ava murmured, eyes shining as she leaned down to press a kiss to the tip of Sara’s nose, “And I’ll follow you anywhere, so go on and lead the way.”

Sara smiled brightly, pausing their walk for a brief moment to twirl Ava around on the sidewalk before pulling her in close and kissing her deeply. Her smile widened when Ava giggled as they broke apart, and she couldn’t stop herself from leaning in for another kiss, quicker but still just as soft.

“Okay, come on,” Sara said when she fully pulled away, unable to contain her excitement and energy, “You’re gonna love it.”

“It’s you, babe,” Ava said, staring at her with the utmost heart eyes, “I already do.”

Chapter Text

The instant Ava reappeared in Gwyn Davies’ apartment, Sara rushed forward to pull Ava into a tight, frantically relieved embrace, anything and everything else be damned. It was the only thing that mattered in that moment. She was the only thing that mattered in that moment, and Sara had been so close to losing all of it. She’d spent the entire day in a frenzy of overwhelming fear and panic, right on the edge of losing it at every moment, terrified that she’d wind up losing the best thing she’d ever had in her life, her favorite person in the entire damn multiverse. And now that Ava was back, now that she was finally standing right in front of her again, finally right back where she belonged, Sara never wanted to let go. Not even for a second.

She tightened her hold on Ava, wrapping her arms as far around her as they could go, and breathed in, deep and shaky, burying her face against Ava’s neck. Her fingers curled into the fabric of Ava’s shirt, clutching it in fistfuls as she tried to steady herself. She was well aware that Ava would be able to feel her trembling, was well aware how all of this must look to everyone else in the room, but she was well past the point of caring about any of it. The only thing that mattered to her was Ava, and the way she felt in her arms. Sara wanted to commit every bit of it to memory, didn’t ever want to lose a single thing.

It was all getting to be too much, this entire journey and being stuck stranded in the past, and try as she might, Sara couldn’t deny that it was starting to get to her more than she wanted to let on. She put on a brave face in front of the team, but she knew that Ava could see right through her, even when she put on her best masks. Nothing she felt ever got past Ava, not anymore. But to think that she’d almost lost all of that, her whole entire life and the future she finally let herself imagine, it all went way beyond too much.

She was shaken, rattled to her very bones, and she wasn’t quite sure how to get her feet back underneath her again. She wasn’t really sure of anything at the moment, not anymore, except for the fact that Ava’s touch was the only thing keeping her from spiraling out. She never wanted to let go ever again, she always wanted to be this close.

Her breath hitched when Ava pulled back ever so slightly, and she tensed up, eyes going wide and hands gripping Ava’s shirt even tighter than before. Ava felt her shift into panic immediately, and she looked down at her with soft eyes, her mouth twisting up into a worried smile. She trailed her hand up Sara’s back, stopping for just a moment to give her shoulder a gentle squeeze before reaching up to cup Sara’s cheek, tilting her face up to look at her wide, fearful eyes. Without saying a word, Ava nodded her head in the direction of a small, quiet corner of the apartment, offering her wife a soft, questioning gaze as her other hand slid down to squeeze Sara’s.

Sara clung to the contact, holding on tight as she nodded minutely and let out a shaky sigh of relief, letting her eyes slide shut and her head hang down for just a moment. Ava guided them over to the corner, keeping a gentle hand on Sara’s back as she shot a look to the rest of the team over her shoulder, giving them all a grateful smile as they all nodded their understanding of the situation. She pulled Sara to sit down on the ground with her, their backs against the wall, and never once losing contact with each other as they slid down.

Sara let her head fall back against the wall, her eyes sliding shut once again as she let out a long, heavy breath and pulled her knees up to her chest.

“Talk to me, baby,” Ava murmured softly, slipping her arm around Sara’s shoulders and pulling her closer. Her lips grazed Sara’s temple in a feather-light kiss, and Sara sank into it, sagging against her as she reached up to take Ava’s hand in hers. “Talk to me. Tell me what’s racing around in that pretty little head of yours.”

“I’m scared,” Sara breathed out, brow furrowed and eyes squeezed shut as she gripped Ava’s hand tightly, “I’m scared. This is a lot.”

“Scared of what, sweetheart?” Ava asked, voice gentle as she pressed a kiss to Sara’s hairline. When Sara said nothing, instead only shaking her head and curling further in on herself, Ava sighed, pulling her as close as she could and rubbing her hand up and down Sara’s arm. “Talk to me, Sar, please. I can see you struggling right now. Talk to me, baby. What are you scared of? What’s a lot?”

“This. It’s— it’s everything. Everything is a lot, and it’s— it’s so much,” Sara choked out, turning her body further into Ava’s arms and laying her head down against her chest, “It’s so much, and I keep trying to be calm and collected and cool under pressure but I— I don’t know what do anymore. God, Aves, I’m so scared. What if we can’t get everyone home? I mean, I— I came so close to losing you today and it would’ve been all my fault.”

Ava’s heart ached and shattered for Sara, and she wrapped her arms tighter around her wife, feeling the anxiety radiating off of her in waves as she cradled her head against her chest and kissed her hairline. Sara’s breath hitched in the back of her throat, and she let out a shuddering breath as she held on tight to Ava.

“I’m here now, sweet girl. I’m here now,” Ava murmured, lips brushing gently over Sara’s forehead, “You didn’t lose me. You’re not ever gonna lose me, I promise. We’ll figure this out, babe. I believe in us and I believe in the team. We’re gonna figure it out together. We’re gonna get everyone home.”

Sara sagged against her, tucking herself into Ava’s side as she breathed in and out shakily. She nodded slowly, not seeming entirely convinced just yet, though Ava’s words seemed to have been enough of a comfort for the moment as she pulled Ava’s arms tighter around her. Ava held her close, dropping her head down to lean against Sara’s as she rubbed her thumb gently over Sara’s shoulder.

“Are you okay?” she asked softly, giving Sara a light squeeze as she buried her face in her hair and pressed a gentle kiss there.

“I don’t know,” Sara breathed out, reaching up to intertwine her fingers with Ava’s, fiddling with them idly just for something to do, “I don’t know. I’m… better, I think, a little. This helps. You help. Can we just… sit here… for a little while? I don’t wanna get up yet. I don’t wanna face the team yet. I just wanna be in this little bubble with you. Just for a little while longer.”

“Of course, baby.” Ava squeezed Sara’s hand and brought her other one up to cradle Sara’s head, thumb brushing back and forth over the ridge of her eyebrow. “We can sit here for as long as you want. I’m not going anywhere, alright? We’ll figure this out, I promise.”

Sara was quiet for a long few moments, her eyes closed as she simply soaked in Ava’s love and comfort, allowing herself to draw strength from it. If Ava didn’t know her as well as she did, she would’ve thought Sara had fallen asleep curled up against her, but she knew better, and she knew that Sara was still awake. She could feel it in her body, knew that she was simply soaking everything in, knew that she was just quiet because she wasn’t quite sure what else to say or how to say it. So she let it be and simply held her; she knew Sara would speak when she was ready to, or otherwise let her know when she was ready to get back up again.

She wasn’t sure how long it’d been before Sara finally spoke up, but she’d known it was coming seconds before it did from the way Sara shifted against her, from the feeling of Sara tilting her head to look up at her, and the feeling of her lashes faintly tickling Ava’s neck as she opened her eyes.

“Have I ever told you that you’re my favorite person?” Sara asked, her voice so soft, barely even a breath, “Because you are. You’re my favorite person, and I don’t know if I say it often enough. But I love you so damn much, Aves, I don’t know what to do with it all.”

“I know, my love,” Ava murmured, pressing a kiss to her head, “I know. You don’t have to say it for me to know. You’re my favorite person too, Sar. In the whole wide multiverse, you’ll always be my favorite person. And I love you more than you could ever possibly fathom.”

Sara turned in her arms, pressing herself impossibly closer as she buried her face in Ava’s neck, nuzzling her nose against her. She wrapped her arms tight around her, holding on like she never wanted to let go ever again, and simply breathed her in.

“God, I love you. I don’t know what I’d ever do without you. I’d be so lost.”

“You’ll never be lost, baby, because you have me. Remember? That’s what you said when you proposed. And lucky for you, you won’t ever have to find out what you’d do without me. You’re stuck with me, babe, forever and ever and always.”

Sara let out a shaky breath, smiling against her neck, lips brushing against her skin as she spoke. “Forever and ever and always. Sounds perfect to me.”

Chapter Text

Sara paced around the bridge of the Waverider, feet moving almost as fast as her mind was as she wrung out her hands, shaking them out roughly. She clenched and unclenched her fists, chewing her bottom lip almost to the point of breaking skin and drawing blood. She was restless, anxious and fidgety, with far too much nervous energy for her own good. She couldn’t even pinpoint a solid reason why, and that just made it all so much worse. She’d just woken up like that, off-kilter and on edge from the second she opened her eyes, and she still hadn’t figured out even the vaguest idea of why she felt like crawling out of her own goddamn skin. She just did, and she hated it more than anything.

Nothing she’d done so far had helped, either. Not showering, or eating, or exercising, or training. Not yoga, or meditation, or throwing knives at the wall until her brain finally stopped. Nothing. She was far too wired to even try to take a nap, and she’d had half a mind to try and numb it out with alcohol or even weed, but she wasn’t entirely prepared to risk making it worse if those things failed. After all, she couldn’t un-take drugs or un-drink alcohol if it ended badly. So she’d decided not to even bother trying, and somewhere in her mind, she knew it was probably for the best.

But that still left her right back at square one, with no idea why the hell she was feeling like this, and even less of an idea of how to get rid of all her excess anxious energy. So she just paced around relentlessly hoping that maybe— if nothing else— if she just paced hard enough and fast enough, that she’d eventually wear herself out just enough for everything to stop, even just for five minutes. That was all she wanted at this point, just five minutes of peace and calm and quiet where she wasn’t firing entirely on overdrive.

She heard the portal open and close immediately, and she glanced over at it briefly to find Ava standing on the other side of the bridge, eyeing her curiously with a hint of concern. She mustered up just enough of herself to send Ava a small smile and a wave, but she barely paused for even half a second before she went right back to pacing around. So much so, that she almost had half a mind to be surprised she hadn’t worn holes in the floor of the ship yet.

“Hey, you seem, uh, I don’t know…” Ava trailed off at Sara’s groan, floundering for a long moment with what to say, before seemingly settling on, “Y’know what, it doesn’t really matter. Is there anything I can do to help?”

Sara stopped in her tracks, looking over at Ava with large, wide eyes. Their relationship was still relatively new, and Sara wasn’t quite sure what kind of help she was allowed to ask for, or if Ava would even be able to help at all. Certainly nothing else had so far. Her brain and her body just wouldn’t stop, even for a second, and she didn’t really think anything would be able to help at this point. So instead she froze, standing there like a deer in headlights, subtly tapping her foot rapidly on the floor and digging her nails into the palms of her hands as if that would actually do anything. But it was enough to keep her somewhat grounded, so she supposed it wasn’t a complete waste of something to do, though it could hardly be considered the best use of her time, especially considering Ava was still waiting for an answer, and Sara probably should’ve given her one by now.

Before she had the chance to even sort through her whirlwind of thoughts, before she had the chance to even think of something— anything— to say, Ava had already started moving. She’d crossed the space of the bridge between them, and before Sara had even fully processed what was going on, Ava was standing right next to her with a gentle hand on her shoulder.

“Sara?” she asked, voice soft, but enough to break through the incessant buzzing in her brain, “Sara? Is there anything I can do to help?”

Sara hesitantly looked up at her, blinking slowly as she met Ava’s gaze, finding only concern there, and a willingness to help in whatever way she could, in whatever way that Sara asked. She let out a heavy breath, not stopping the tapping of her foot, but slowly easing her nails away from her palms and stretching out her fingers.

Her brain slowed but didn’t stop, faltering a little as she tried to come up with a coherent string of words that she could say instead of just standing there, staring up at her and looking dumb.

“Uhhhhh,” Sara said, drawing it out just to fill the silence, voice hoarse and a little scratchy from lack of use, “Um. Can I just… Can I kiss you?”

“Babe, of course,” Ava said, squeezing Sara’s shoulder lightly, “Of course you can, you don’t even have to ask—”

Almost before Ava could finish her sentence, Sara surged forward into a desperate, messy kiss, fists clutching at the lapels of Ava’s blazer, gripping it roughly as she tugged her closer and slid their lips together like it was the only thing keeping her sane. Immediately, everything quieted down around her; her body settled, and she felt like she could finally breathe for the first time all damn day. Her brain stopped buzzing around in her skull, and her bones no longer felt so desperate to leave their flesh prison. She sank into Ava’s kiss, falling against her as Ava wrapped her arms loosely around her waist.

It was a long moment before she finally pulled back a bit, breathless and cheeks flushed as she breathed heavily, staring up at Ava with wide, dark eyes. Despite the intensity of the moment, Sara knew for certain that she hadn’t felt as calm all damn day than she did in that moment. She didn’t have the words to say any of it to Ava, but the way Ava squeezed her hips lightly told her she didn’t really need all the words after all.

“Uh… Thanks, Aves,” Sara said, slightly dazed.

“Of course, Sara. Anytime,” Ava said softly, “So, it helped, then? Feel a little better now?”

Sara nodded, the corners of her lips quirking up in a small smile. “Yeah, it, um, it did. But can we, uh, can we just… um, can I… can we… again?”

“I told you you didn’t have to ask, babe.”

“Right, yeah, right. Then, uh…” Sara trailed off as she pulled Ava in for another messy kiss, holding her close. A small sound escaped the back of her throat, and she melted closer, sinking into it for just a moment before she started walking backwards, tugging Ava along with her as they stumbled their way back to her quarters.

Chapter Text

Ava was in love. Incredibly, irrevocably, irredeemably, so far head over heels in love with Sara Lance. It was still fairly early in their relationship, but there wasn't a single doubt in her mind. Sara Lance had her whole entire heart, and Ava didn't even want it back in the slightest. Sara could keep it for the rest of their lives, so long as she just kept smiling and laughing exactly as she was.

Ava wasn't entirely sure how it happened. She hadn’t even realized she'd said anything particularly funny, if she was being honest. She and Sara had just been having a quiet night in, cuddled up on her couch and watching TV. They'd paused the movie that was playing a few minutes ago just to talk, and Sara had scooted just a little bit closer. She'd leaned up against her side, rested her head on Ava's shoulder and looked up at her with stars in her eyes, as if Ava had hung the sun and the moon just for her. Ava knew then and there that if that's what Sara wanted, if that was ever what Sara asked for, she would do it in a heartbeat. No questions and not a doubt in her mind; she would find a way. For Sara, nothing would ever be too much.

But if she was being honest with herself, the minute that Sara looked up at her like that, she found herself unable to focus on anything else. She hardly even registered that her own mouth was moving and that words were coming out until Sara was already laughing, pressing her face into Ava's shoulder and letting out soft little giggles against her skin. By that point Ava had no idea what she possibly could've said that was so funny, but she couldn't even bring herself to care that much, because whatever it was had clearly made Sara laugh. And Sara looked so, so beautiful when she laughed. And Ava wanted to exist in that moment for the rest of her life.

She couldn't stop herself from staring down at Sara still giggling against her, body shaking with her laughter as she pressed herself somehow closer still. She couldn't keep the softness and adoration out of her eyes, even if she wanted to. She loved Sara Lance so much, was so in love with her it was written over every millimeter of her face, and she didn't want to hide it in the slightest. Her smile widened and her eyes shone bright with love as she leaned down, brushing her nose against Sara's hairline and breathing her in as she pressed a feather-light kiss to Sara's forehead.

It was then that Sara tilted her head up slightly, eyes wide and sparkling, mouth slightly parted and skin just barely tinged pink from all the laughter. Ava was still staring, and she couldn't even bring herself to try to look away and pretend that she wasn't. Sara curled further up into herself, her smile turning small and shy as she let out a soft, quiet breath.

"What?" she asked, voice little more than a gentle murmur as she squished her cheek against Ava's shoulder, eyes scanning back and forth over Ava's face, "What is it? Why are you looking at me like that?"

Ava smiled softly, reaching up to brush a stray strand of hair from Sara's face as she pressed another kiss to her forehead. Sara's eyes fluttered closed for a brief moment before blinking back open slowly. When Ava said nothing and simply kept staring, eyes full of love and wonder and adoration, a small pout tugged on Sara's bottom lip.

"Babe," Sara said, drawing the word out, her voice tinged with the hint of a whine as the pout grew on her lips.

Ava chuckled quietly, shaking her head for a long minute before tilting it to the side. She shrugged nonchalantly, twirling a piece of Sara's hair between her fingers as she drank her in. After a long moment of quiet, in the simplest way she could, Ava finally spoke.

"I dunno, I guess I just… like your laugh. I really like your laugh. I love hearing you laugh, I love seeing you happy and smiling. It's nice. You deserve it, and I'm just really glad I get to see you like this. It makes me happy."

The faint blush coloring Sara's cheeks darkened, bright red creeping across her pale skin as she ducked her head, burying her face against Ava's shoulder. She tucked her head into the crook of Ava's neck to hide herself from view, but she couldn't hide her small, shy smile pressing against Ava's skin as she fiddled with the hem of Ava's shirt. She felt the slight rumble of Ava's chest when she laughed lightly, and Sara tried to press herself even closer.

Ava pressed a gentle kiss to the top of Sara's head, lingering for just a moment before moving her hand to cup Sara's cheek. She pulled back to look at her, and when Sara moved to hide herself back against her side, Ava let a small pout tug at her bottom lip.

"Aw, baby, c'mon," Ava pouted in a voice she hoped would be hard for Sara to resist, "Don't be shy about it. When is the great Sara Lance ever shy about anything? You're cute!"

Sara pinched Ava's side lightly, but couldn't help the small chuckle she let out at Ava's pleading.

"There it is," Ava smiled, tilting Sara's chin up with her thumb and forefinger, "I want to hear more of that. I know it's in there somewhere. Do I have to tickle you? Cause I'll tickle you, you know I will."

Ava didn't even wait a single second before tackling Sara down into the couch cushions, keeping her trapped with her weight as she tickled her relentlessly. Sara shrieked, writhing breathlessly underneath her as she laughed uncontrollably at the playful assault. Ava didn't let up from the tickle attack for a long while, drinking in the sounds of Sara's laughter until they were both panting, breathless and tired.

She allowed Sara a few minutes to calm down and catch her breath, simply laying there and taking in the sight of her as she brushed her hair back away from her face. Once Sara had finally settled down underneath her, Ava leaned down and pulled Sara into a long, deep kiss, sinking into it and pressing her further into the couch cushions. Sara let out a soft sound into her mouth, pulling her closer as she melted beneath her.

Ava pulled back after a long moment, breathing deeply as she stared down at Sara, eyes full of love and awe and wonder. "I told you I like your laugh."

Sara just smiled, cheeks red and still a little shy. But as she pulled Ava down into another slow, deep kiss, Ava made a silent promise to herself that it would become her personal mission to get Sara to laugh and smile as much as she possibly could for the rest of their entire lives together.

Chapter Text

Sara sat on the bed in her quarters, back pressed against the headboard and knees pulled up to her chest, arms wrapped around them and holding them in place. She slid her hoodie sleeves— Ava's hoodie sleeves— down further over her hands as she settled her chin down against her knees, letting out a slow, shaky breath. She fiddled with her fingers absentmindedly just to give herself something to do as her mind raced around and around and around. She was still shaken from the events of the day, and she couldn't seem to let herself relax in the slightest. Even now, long after the dust had settled, Sara couldn't help but feel like she'd failed. Zari had gotten hurt. Ray had nearly died. And it felt like it was entirely her fault, and she wasn't sure what to do about it, or how to make any of it better. If she was being honest, she really didn't think she even could make any of it better.

She sniffled a little, scrubbing her face with her hand as she let out another shaky breath.

"Gideon," Sara called out, her voice thick with barely restrained emotion as she chewed on her lower lip.

"Yes, Captain?" Gideon's voice sounded from above, and even through the scattered mess in her head, she could hear the sympathy in the AI's voice.

"How's, uh, how's Zari doing? Is she okay?"

"Ms. Tomaz is resting in her quarters. She is healing just fine. She may experience some soreness for the next few days, but Charlie is with her while she sleeps it off."

"Okay. Okay, yeah, that's— that's good. That's good," Sara said, distant and absentminded. She dug her nails into the palms of her hands repeatedly, desperate to feel anything other than the jumbled, overwhelming knot coiling tightly inside of her. "And what about… God, Ray… What about Ray? I mean… is he…how is he? Is he— um, is he doing okay?"

"Dr. Palmer is still in the medbay receiving treatment, but he will make a full recovery, Captain. He should be well enough to return to his quarters within a few hours," Gideon reported, her tone soft and reassuring in the midst of everything going on, "Dr. Heywood is sitting with him now. I will remain on standby should anyone need anything. Including you, Captain. My scans show that you are experiencing distress. Is there anything I can do to help?"

Sara sighed heavily, scrubbing her hands roughly over her face. She took a long moment before answering, and when she did her voice was heavy, weighed down by all the events of the day that she hadn't quite managed to process.

"I don't think so, Gideon," she said, unable to keep the shaky emotion and the weary exhaustion out of her voice, "Where's Ava? Is she, uh, is she close by?"

"She's just left the medbay after making sure Dr. Palmer and Dr. Heywood were settled with everything and is now making her way to your shared quarters. Would you like me to inform her you were looking for her?"

"No, um, no, it's fine. She's heading here anyway, I'll just…"

Sara trailed off, shaking her head as she curled further in on herself. She huffed, sinking deeper and deeper into her own head as she waited for Ava to walk through the door. It was then that she noticed a bit of blood still staining her hands, and her breath hitched lightly, eyes going wide at the sight of it. She'd scrubbed her hands clean earlier, once she'd made damn sure that Ray and Zari were stable enough for her to do so. She hadn't wanted to leave their sides in the slightest, but the blood— their blood— on her hands had twisted her stomach sickeningly, and she'd had no choice but to make a beeline for the bathroom. She could only guess at how long ago that'd been now, and she still hadn't found it in herself to return to the medbay since.

She'd told herself that she just needed a minute, that she just needed to take a second to breathe before she went back in to check on them. But the minutes ticked by agonizingly slow, and she was still rooted to her spot on the bed, entirely unable to move no matter how much she kept yelling at herself to do so.

"Hey, babe, you in here?" Ava called out softly, breaking through the foggy haze in Sara's head as she walked into their shared quarters, "Are you okay? You seemed to leave the medbay in a bit of a hurry earlier…"

Sara's breath hitched in the back of her throat, and she tensed up at Ava's words, tightening her arms around her legs like armor. She kept her eyes fixated on a spot on the bed in front of her, unable to lift her head up and meet Ava's gaze in the slightest. Instead, she tucked her chin further down into her knees and made herself smaller under Ava's concerned, patiently loving eyes, digging her fingers roughly into her leg just to distract herself from the shit in her head.

"'M fine…" Sara said in a voice that was entirely too small to be believable, "Just needed a minute."

A small part of her hoped that Ava would simply let it go, would simply let her sink back down into her own head to spiral alone in the overwhelming guilt she felt, but she knew Ava would never do that. Ava knew her far too well to let her do that. And more than that, the bigger part of her wanted Ava's unending comfort and support. The bigger part of her wanted Ava's arms wrapped around her, Ava's fingers in her hair and Ava's voice whispering soft things to her, telling her that all of this would be okay in the end.

She still couldn't look Ava in the eyes, even when she came to sit down beside her, the bed dipping slightly with her presence as she reached out to rest a hand against Sara's back, thumb rubbing back and forth gently.

"You and I both know that's not true," Ava said so softly, far softer than Sara felt like she deserved, "You don't have to lie and pretend you're fine when you're not. Not in front of me."

Sara took in a shaky breath, holding herself tighter as she buried the lower half of her face against her legs. She tapped out an anxious rhythm against her calf with one hand, the other digging into her leg and relaxing repeatedly as her eyes welled up with tears completely unbidden.

"I should've protected them," she choked out, sucking in a sharp breath, "I should've done more to protect them, I— I should've been able to protect them, I—"

Sara cut herself off, taking in another small, gasping breath as she squeezed her eyes shut tight. "I should've done more. I should've protected them better. I should've… I should've kept them safe, Aves. Zari got hurt and Ray… Ray nearly died because of me. Because I wasn't enough to keep them safe."

A small, quiet whimper escaped the back of her throat as a few tears slipped down her cheeks. She pressed her forehead down against her knees, hiding her face from view as her shoulders shook with the weight of everything she could no longer hold in.

"Oh, baby, c'mere," Ava sighed softly, scooting closer and wrapping her arms further around Sara's shaking frame. She pulled Sara into her, gathering her up against her chest and rocking her gently side to side as she continued, "Hey, hey, hey, shhhh, it's okay. It's okay, don't cry, it's alright, baby. It's okay, I've got you."

Sara let out a pained sob, curling herself into Ava's chest and clutching her tightly, fisting the sleeve of her shirt roughly in her hand as Ava continued rocking her and whispering soft reassurances against her hair.

"It's okay. It's okay, shhh, it's okay. Don't cry, Little Bird, it's alright," Ava murmured, pressing gentle kisses to Sara's forehead as she held her, rubbing soothing circles over her back, "Zari and Ray are okay. They're okay. You can't do everything and be everywhere all at once all the time to protect the team, baby. You're only human. I know you're the Captain and it feels like your responsibility, but you can't put all of that onto yourself, sweetheart. Otherwise it'll end up crushing you. You did the best you could, Sar. Everyone here knows that. No one blames you for what happened except for yourself. But it wasn't your fault. And they're gonna be okay. They're both going to be just fine. You don't have to carry that burden all by yourself, you can ease up a little bit. I promise you everything will be alright in the end."

Sara pressed her face further into the crook of Ava's neck, desperately seeking the comfort and calm that Ava always provided her with. Despite Ava's kind, reassuring words, she still couldn't stop the tears from rolling steadily down her cheeks. Ava's words— and even more than that, her very presence— offered Sara a level of comfort that she'd never be able to find on her own, but it was all still just a bit too much, a bit too overwhelming to deal with. She couldn't keep it all bottled up inside this time— not that Ava would ever in a million years ask that of her— and it seemed like this was the only way her body could think of to let it all out.

It was a few long, seemingly endless minutes before Sara's cries quieted down to soft, occasional sniffles. She leaned heavily into Ava's embrace, burying her face against her as she slowly loosened her grip on Ava's shirt, moving to wrap her arms around Ava's waist instead. Ava simply kept on rocking her back and forth, whispering sweet nothings and gentle reassurances against her forehead as she ran her fingers through Sara's hair. If she was being honest with herself, Sara no longer had the energy required to move out of Ava's arms, and even if she had, she still didn't think she'd even want to anyway.

Ava was the human embodiment of comfort and safety, the calm in the eye of Sara's storm, and Sara found herself wanting to soak up every ounce of it that Ava was willing to offer her. She settled down against her, letting out a slow, quiet breath that fanned out across the skin of Ava's neck. Despite everything that had happened and everything that Sara still felt about it all, Ava had at least managed to help make her feel a little bit better, a little less guilty than she had earlier, and that had to count for something. To Sara, it counted for everything.

She let her eyes slide shut as she nuzzled her nose into Ava's neck, letting out a soft hum as Ava's nails scratched lightly at her scalp in just the right way that always made her melt. Ava pressed a gentle, lingering kiss to Sara's forehead, squeezing her softly for just a moment.

"Hey, Sweet Girl," Ava murmured, still rocking Sara back and forth as she ran her fingers through her hair, "How're you feeling?"

"Bit better," Sara breathed out, pushing her face against Ava's neck and snuggling in closer, fingers playing idly with the fabric of Ava's shirt as she yawned, "Tired."

"I bet you are," Ava said softly, rubbing her hand up and down Sara's back, "What d'you say we just settle down for bed, then? You look like you could use the rest after a day like today. Just get comfy in my arms, I'll even recite your favorite poem to you until you fall asleep. How's that sound, baby?"

"Mmhmm," Sara hummed, already growing heavy against Ava's side as Ava carefully maneuvered them to lay down, "Sounds good, babes."

Ava pulled the covers up around Sara's shoulders, getting her comfy and settled, tucked safely into her side. She held her close and carded her fingers through her hair as she began reciting the lines of Sara's favorite poem to her, feeling the effect it had on her instantly.

Sara melted into her arms, snuggling deeper into her side as she let out a soft, quiet sigh. "G'night, Aves. Love you."

"I love you too, Little Bird. Get some rest." She felt Sara nod lazily against her chest, tightening her grip on Ava ever so slightly.

With one last mental note to herself to check back in on Ray and Zari in the morning, Sara finally let herself be overcome by the warm pull of sleep. Safe and sound and cozy in Ava's arms, the last thing Sara heard before drifting off was Ava's familiar, comforting voice, reciting the final verse of her favorite poem, the one she always wanted to hear on any of her bad days.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep.

With the poem and Ava's voice drifting softly through her brain, Sara finally succumbed to the warm blanket of sleep, snuggling up as close to Ava as she could, her breath fanning out in soft, even puffs against Ava's neck. She had promises to keep come morning, but for now she was free to rest, safe and sound in Ava's arms, content with the knowledge that the rest of her team— her family— were all going to be okay in the end.

Chapter Text

The Legends finally had a rare day off, and Sara jumped at the chance to spend it at Ava's apartment for a little bit of peace and quiet. She'd been planning on spending the night with her anyway, but once Gideon had informed her that there weren't any missions to attend to, Sara didn't waste a single second packing her bag to head over. She'd known Ava was busy at the Time Bureau, so she sent her a quick text to give her a heads up that she'd be over early. She received Ava's reply telling her to have fun a half hour later, and Sara opened up a portal without any further hesitation, having already grabbed all of her necessities, as well as a few extra things.

Upon arriving at Ava's place, Sara made herself a quick snack and a cup of her favorite tea, and then found herself curled up on Ava's couch, scrolling aimlessly through the pictures of her and Ava on her phone. She was entirely unable to keep the soft smile off her face, or the overwhelming look of love out of her eyes.

Eventually, she stopped on a picture of them from Camp Ogawa. In it, they were leaning against the railing of one of the cabins sometime after dark, shoulders pressed together, smiles shining brighter than the stars above and only having eyes for each other as they passed a small flask back and forth. They'd finished the mission by then and had stayed just a little longer than they'd really needed to, but the night had been warm, and Sara had begged, and Ava had found it impossible to say no to her.

Sara smiled wider as she zoomed in on the picture, eyes catching on the flash of rainbow tied around her wrist. She chuckled as she remembered the bracelet Ava had confiscated from one of the camp kids, shaking her head fondly as she thought back on it. She allowed her mind to wander for a while, keeping her phone stopped on the photo, until she sat up with a sudden idea. The bracelet had been nice— in fact, she still kept it in a little box of her most sentimental keepsakes— and she'd loved being at summer camp when she was a kid. Vivid memories of making bracelets exactly like the one Ava had confiscated came to mind, and she was suddenly overcome with a wave of nostalgia, and a strong desire to reconnect some of her fondest memories of summer camp to the love she had for one Ava Sharpe.

She scrolled to the next photo, the idea becoming clearer and clearer in her mind's eye. With a small little smirk tugging at the very corner of her lips, she closed her phone's photo gallery and decided to make her way to the craft store she knew was nearby.

++++++

Sara arrived back at Ava's with all the necessary supplies, along with a treat she'd picked up from her favorite coffeeshop/bakery on the way back. Setting her bag down on the kitchen table, she quickly sat down and got to work unloading it, scattering everything around her in a neat little semi-circle so she could grab things easily as she needed them. She turned on her favorite playlist to listen to, and opened her photo gallery back up, settling on one of her favorite pictures of her and Ava. She zoomed in on it as much as she needed to before setting her phone back down, off to the side a bit so she wouldn't accidentally knock it off the table.

Grabbing the first shade of blue she'd picked out at the craft store, she got to work, fingers falling easily back into the old, familiar movements of making the bracelets she'd spent so much of her youth at summer camp making. Her tongue just barely poked out between her lips as she concentrated, absentmindedly humming along with the music as she lost herself in the project.

A few hours later, Sara sat at the kitchen bench in Ava's apartment, staring down at her handiwork rather proudly, a fond smile lighting up her face. The bracelet tied around her wrist was the exact same shade of blue as Ava's eyes, and the untied bracelet laying on the table in front of her was the exact same shade of blue as her own. She let out a soft little chuckle, resting her cheek against her hand as she fiddled with the ends of the untied bracelet, twirling them gently around between her fingertips.

Glancing back at the clock on the wall behind her, her smile widened; Ava would be home within the next half hour. She laid the bracelet back down on the table, smoothing it out gently before turning her attention to the mess of materials she'd made as she worked. Gathering everything up, she made quick work of cleaning off the table, throwing away the trash and scraps that couldn't be used and tidying up the rest in a neat little pile off to the side. By the time she was done, she knew Ava would be due to arrive home any minute, so she sat back down on the kitchen bench, her back pressing against the table as she faced the door. She picked up the untied bracelet once again, fidgeting with it absentmindedly.

Only a moment passed before Ava was stepping through the front door, kicking it gently closed behind her as she dropped her bag down, toeing off her shoes and shrugging off her blazer. Sara moved entirely on instinct, and she was standing directly in front of Ava before either of them even fully realized it.

"Hi there," Ava smiled softly, leaning down to press a quick kiss to Sara's lips, "Enjoy your day off?"

"I did," Sara smiled back, leaning up on her toes for another kiss, lingering a little longer this time, "How was work?"

Ava sighed, moving to unbutton the top few buttons of her shirt. "Long. It was alright, just busy. I'm glad to be home now though. With you."

"Me too," Sara murmured, pressing one last kiss to Ava's lips before pulling back. She took Ava's hand in hers and pulled her further into the apartment, lacing their fingers together and twirling her around lazily, eyes lighting up at the way Ava giggled. "Do you wanna order in tonight? I was thinking we could get a pizza from that little place we like?"

"Sounds perfect, babe," Ava said, tugging Sara close and wrapping her arms loosely around her waist. She pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, and it was then that her eyes caught sight of the neat little pile of stuff on the table. "What's all that?"

Sara followed Ava's gaze, bouncing a little as she saw the supplies and remembered the bracelet she'd tucked in her hoodie pocket when Ava walked through the door.

"Oh! I took a little trip down to the craft store today. Spent the day on a little project I thought of," Sara said, looking up at Ava with bright eyes as she reached into her pocket to pull out the bracelet, presenting it to Ava with a soft, shy smile, "I made this for you."

"A friendship bracelet?" Ava asked, brow crinkling slightly in confusion, even as she held out her wrist for Sara to tie the bracelet around.

Sara chuckled quietly. She tilted her head to the side, shrugging as she ducked her head and finished tying the bracelet securely around Ava's wrist. "Well… Technically yes, I suppose it would be considered a friendship bracelet by most. They're the ones I used to make at summer camp all the time, anyway. But no, not a friendship bracelet. Not to us. It's more than that. I want it to be more than that."

Ava stayed silent, nodding for Sara to continue as she tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, looking at her with overwhelming love and fondness in her eyes. Sara held up her own wrist, and Ava's eyes flickered over to the matching bracelet tied around it.

"Look, I have one too. It's the exact color of your eyes. Yours is the exact color of mine," Sara said softly, fiddling with the ends of Ava's bracelet for a moment before lacing their fingers together again, "Think of it as… a promise bracelet. A you and me forever bracelet. As long as we wear them, we'll never really be apart. That's what I want it to be."

"Then that's what they'll be," Ava said, squeezing Sara's hand in hers and pulling her closer to rest their foreheads together, "Forever bracelets."

"Forever bracelets."

Chapter Text

Ava awoke to soft whimpers and tiny movements, the faint sounds of Sara mumbling under her breath making their way to Ava's ears. Even in her still sleep-hazy state, she knew it was one of Sara's nightmares. It was nothing new; with as long as they'd been together, Ava had witnessed hundreds upon hundreds of Sara's nightmares at this point, all with varying degrees of severity. Sara was moving around and making noises, her breathing a little bit quick and shallow, but all things considered she was relatively quiet, her movements small and nonviolent. Ava probably wouldn't have even woken up if it weren't for the fact that she was so tuned in to all things Sara. All in all, it was a good sign; this wasn't one of her really bad nightmares, just one of the mild ones that, more and more over the years, had become the new standard. The new normal. It was a good thing, compared to what it had been like before.

Ava still remembered the early days of their relationship, when the mild nightmares were few and far between, when the bad ones were the ones she dealt with most often. She couldn't help but feel grateful on Sara's behalf, that though she still had nightmares most nights, she was no longer plagued as much by the ones that kept her awake at night, scared to sleep for fear they might return.

Still, mild or not, Ava had learned long ago that Sara's nightmares were something she had to come out of on her own. Best intentions or not, waking Sara up from a nightmare had only ever proved to do more harm than good, and Ava had learned that lesson after only one attempt. There was very little she could do while Sara was still sleeping in the midst of it, but she always remained ready to provide whatever type of comfort Sara needed from her the second she found her own way out of the dream.

A long, low whine drew Ava's attention back to the squirming captain in her arms. She loosened her hold just a little bit to give Sara more room, to make sure she wasn't crowding her too much. Sara's hand immediately came up to grasp at Ava's arm, fingers curling around it as she let out another soft sound, caught somewhere between a whimper and a cry as her brows furrowed in her sleep.

Ava's heart ached for her, and she found herself doing the only thing she really could in the moment: trailing her touch gently over Sara's skin. She ran her fingers up and down Sara's arm lightly, hoping it would soothe her enough to let her come out of the nightmare on her own. It was the only thing that had ever worked. She couldn't fully wake Sara up before she was ready to come out of it herself, but she could help her along in such small ways as this.

It was a few long moments before Sara finally woke with a soft gasp, body lurching forward ever so slightly. Her fingers tightened their grip on Ava's arm, just to give herself some sort of anchor, something to hold onto when the world felt a little too unsteady. The second she knew Sara was awake, Ava pushed in closer, pressing up against Sara's back as she wrapped her arms further around her waist. She settled her head against Sara's shoulder, burying her face there and placing a soft, lingering kiss, knowing that Sara almost always craved the closeness after a nightmare.

She was proven right when Sara instantly deflated in her arms, letting out a long breath of relief as she sagged against her, relaxing completely in her hold. Ava tightened her arms around her even further, pulling her as close as she possibly could and pressing a hand to Sara's chest, feeling the fast-pace beat of her heart under her palm. Sara's hand came up to cover Ava's, holding it in place and sliding her fingers just barely between hers as she breathed deeply in and out to calm her racing heart.

Ava gave her a gentle squeeze and turned her head to press a kiss to Sara's cheek, just barely above her jaw. She lingered there for a long moment, nuzzling her nose against Sara's face affectionately.

"You're okay," she murmured, rubbing her thumb back and forth across Sara's collarbone, "D'you wanna talk about it?"

"No, s'okay," Sara breathed out, squeezing the hand Ava had pressed against her chest as she shook her head, eyes closed, "Just same old stuff—"

She yawned, cutting herself off as she pressed further back into Ava's embrace. She pulled Ava's arms further around herself, wanting nothing more than to burrow into her warmth. Ava was everything comfort and safety, and Sara so desperately craved all of it in moments like this. "Jus' wanna forget about it for tonight. Don't wanna think about it."

"Okay, Little Bird, we can do that," Ava said softly, pressing another kiss to Sara's cheek.

Sara relaxed further into Ava, giving her hand another squeeze as she nodded, continuing to take in deep, steadying breaths. Ava felt Sara's heart gradually slow beneath her palm. Still, she stayed exactly where she was, allowing Sara the time and space to decide what she needed from her, to decide what type of comfort would feel best for her.

A few long moments passed before Sara shifted again. She rolled over slowly, wrapping her arms around Ava's waist and burying herself against her chest. She tangled their legs together, pressing in as close as she possibly could and tucking her face into the crook of Ava's neck. Letting out a long, quiet breath of contented relief, Sara relaxed into her love's embrace, fingers wandering absentmindedly all across Ava's back.

Ava's fingers buried themselves in Sara's hair as she held her close, carding through the slightly sweat-damp strands in the way that always made Sara melt. Sara let out a soft sound, halfway between a sigh and moan as she pressed herself impossibly closer. Wrapped up in the arms of her love, she felt safer than she had in her entire adult life, like nothing would ever be able to hurt her so long as Ava was holding her. Familiar nails scratched lightly at her scalp, using just the right amount of pressure to massage her head at the same time, effectively making her boneless under Ava's touch.

More and more she relaxed with each passing second, sinking deeper and deeper into Ava's warm, comforting embrace. She wished— in the deepest, most vulnerable parts of herself— that she could just curl up inside Ava's ribcage and nestle herself close to Ava's heart. Pressing herself impossibly closer, Sara let out a soft little whine, tightening her arms around Ava and holding her firmly in place. She was exhausted, and all she wanted to do was let sleep tug her back down into peaceful oblivion.

Sensing this, Ava wrapped her own arms tighter around Sara, keeping her safe and secure against her chest as she continued running her fingers through Sara's hair in all the right ways. Her other hand trailed lightly up and down the column of Sara's spine, soothing her more and more before moving on to trace mindless patterns all across the rest of her back. Sara hummed quietly, burrowing herself against Ava and soaking up every ounce of comfort that radiated from the center of Ava's being.

Ava held her close, hands still working to keep Sara relaxed as she leaned down to press a lingering kiss to Sara's forehead. She whispered soft words against her skin, sweet nothings and gentle reassurances to keep her grounded, tethered to her loving, affectionate voice. Sara breathed her in, her familiar, comforting scent surrounding her, washing over her until there was nothing but solace and calm. She breathed out slowly on a sigh, nuzzling her nose against the base of Ava's neck as Ava's voiced soothed her in a way little else ever could.

"Shhh, shhh, it's okay," Ava murmured softly, lips brushing against Sara's skin with every word, "You're safe with me. I won't ever let anything happen to you. Go back to sleep, Little Bird, I've got you."

With each passing second and every word that Ava murmured against her forehead, Sara grew heavier and heavier in Ava's arms. Her breathing slowly evened out, and she snuggled up as close as she possibly could as she fell back asleep. She was safe and sound, warm and comfortable in Ava's arms, with her fingers curled loosely in the fabric of Ava's sleep shirt.

Ava simply watched her for a few more long moments, taking comfort in the feeling of having Sara so close to her, sleeping soundly in her arms— protected, where nothing would ever harm her. Eventually, she rejoined Sara under the warm blanket of sleep, pleased to know that her dearest love wouldn't be experiencing any other nightmares for the time being.

Chapter Text

Ava's breath hitched when she saw them for the first time. She knew about Sara's scars, of course she did. She'd read Sara's file long before they were together. She'd felt them under her hands when their clothes were off and the lights were down, but they'd never talked about it before. Sara had never mentioned them, and Ava had never asked. She hadn't wanted to ruin the relationship before it'd even really had a chance to start. And though she knew what they felt like when the lights were off, though she'd seen flashes of them, it was never like this, with Sara's shirt off and the lights on, with Sara's scars on full display.

Ava walked into Sara's room without thinking— a testament to just how comfortable she was getting with the Captain of the Waverider, really. She hadn't realized that Sara wasn't fully dressed, hadn't realized she wouldn't have a shirt on. She couldn't help the slight hitch in her breath when she saw the scars scattered across so much of Sara's skin, but she realized how it must've sounded when Sara tensed up, freezing for just a second before hurrying to pull her shirt over her head and down her torso.

Something about the rigid tension in Sara's body kickstarted Ava's brain, and she crossed the space between them in a matter of seconds, before she even fully realized that her feet were moving. She came up right behind Sara, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder to stop her from pulling the shirt down. Sara looked back at her, over her shoulder, eyes wide and a little unsure, and Ava simply shook her head.

Sara seemed to get the message, nodding ever so slightly as she reached back up to remove the shirt completely, letting it fall from slightly shaky fingers down to the floor. Her eyes turned back to stare straight ahead, not daring to meet Ava's gaze, entirely unsure what her next move would be. Ava's hand fell softly on Sara's shoulder, thumb just barely brushing over a small scar at the very top of her back.

Sara's breath caught in the back of her throat, and a silent shiver ran through her, body trembling almost unnoticeably, if it weren't for the fact that Ava was so close already.

"Is this okay?" Ava murmured softly, turning her face in towards the back of Sara's head and nuzzling her nose just behind her ear.

Sara took in a deep, unsteady breath, holding it for a few long moments before letting it out and nodding, slow and deliberate. Her eyes slid shut of their own accord as Ava's hands, gentle and feather-light, traced along the patterns of Sara's scars with a reverence that she was entirely unused to. Ava's fingers were soft and loving, careful and kind in a way that Sara had rarely ever experienced before, and she wasn't entirely sure what to do with it all.

Ava trailed her fingers along every single scar that she could see, mapping them out and committing them to memory for as long as Sara stood there and let her. When she'd finally traced them all once with her fingers, and again a second time over, she pressed in closer, pulling Sara's back flush against her front. Her hands moved to hold Sara's hips, thumbs brushing ever so lightly just above the waistband of her sweatpants. Slow and gentle so as not to spook her, Ava leaned her head down, pressing her lips softly against the scar on Sara's shoulder blade. She lingered for a long moment before pulling away just a little and moving along the scars scattered across her back.

Sara's breathing picked up slightly, and Ava could feel the way Sara was trying not to shake under her touch.

"Are you okay?" Ava asked, lips brushing against Sara's skin with every word as she gave Sara's hips a gentle squeeze, "Is this still okay?"

Sara sucked in a shaky breath as she nodded ever so slightly, barely noticeable if Ava hadn't already been paying so close attention to her. Sara's hands, entirely of their own accord, came up to cover Ava's. She slid her fingers slowly into the gaps between Ava's, holding her hands tight as she tugged Ava's arms to wrap around her waist, pulling them flush together once again. Sara trembled in Ava's arms, a shiver running down her spine as she held on tighter, desperate to keep it together even though she knew it was a losing battle.

"Talk to me, Sara," Ava murmured, pressing in to trail soft, gentle kisses up the side of Sara's neck, "Talk to me. Tell me what's going on in that pretty little head of yours, hmm?"

"No one…" Sara started, then swallowed, letting out a slow, unsteady breath, "No one's ever paid this much attention to my scars and actually made me feel good about it before."

"Oh, Sara—" Ava moved to pull back slightly, but Sara's hands tightened around her arms, keeping her in place.

"No, it's— it's good. You're good. I like it, I just…"

"Just what?"

"It's just… it's just new, that's all. And I— well, I wasn't expecting it," Sara paused, taking a breath and shrugging as she tapped out a mindless rhythm against Ava's arm, just for something to do, "I just wasn't expecting it to feel so good, and… I wasn't expecting it to— to affect me like this. I didn't, ahh, I didn't think I'd get so… emotional… about it, I guess. I dunno."

"You're allowed to have emotions about the things that have happened in your life, baby," Ava said softly, giving Sara a gentle squeeze as she pressed a kiss to the very end of one of her scars, "And you're allowed to let those emotions show. You're safe here, Sara. You're safe with me, and I'll spend the rest of forever proving it to you, for as long as you let me."

Sara breathed in deep, letting her eyes slide shut for just a moment as she nodded, before turning around in Ava's arms, letting her hands come to rest against the sides of Ava's neck.

"God, I love you," she said, eyes scanning over Ava's face before leaning up on her toes to press a kiss to her lips, slow and soft and sweet.

Ava kissed her back, holding her close as her hands wandered all across Sara's bare back, fingers brushing lightly over all the scars there. Sara let out a soft little sound, hands dropping down to rest against Ava's shoulders and fingers curling ever so slightly into the fabric of her shirt as she pressed further up on her toes. Ava broke the kiss after a long moment, trailing her lips along Sara's jaw and down her neck as her hands wandered up Sara's sides and back down again.

She lifted Sara up by her thighs, allowing her a moment to adjust herself before she walked them over to the bed, moving to lay Sara down gently over the sheets before climbing up on top of her.

"Tell me about them," Ava said softly, brushing Sara's hair back away from her face before reaching up to lace their fingers together.

"What?" Sara asked, breathless and a little flushed, eyes wide and darkening ever so slightly.

"Tell me about them," Ava repeated, pressing lazy, random kisses all along Sara's neck and shoulders, "Your scars, tell me about them. Let me kiss each and every one of them. Let me make you feel good, baby. Is that okay?"

Sara's breath hitched, but she nodded her consent. "I have a lot. We might be here a while."

"Baby, we can stay here all night if that's what it takes," Ava murmured, pressing more soft kisses to Sara's skin, "There's nowhere else I'd rather be. I just want you to feel good. I wanna shower you with all the love and care that no one's ever bothered to give you before."

"What did I ever do to deserve you?"

"You didn't have to do anything. You're alive, and that's enough."

Sara blinked back the tears that welled up in her eyes, and began slowly mapping out the story of her life through scars, while Ava pressed soft, gentle kisses over each and every one. And as a single tear slipped out and slid down her cheek, Sara couldn't ever remember a time when she felt so seen, so loved and cared for as she did with Ava Sharpe.

Chapter Text

The mission was chaotic and more than a little messy— as most missions were for the Legends— but even so, the second Sara spotted the small field of flowers, she knew she wouldn't leave until she had them in hand. They were Ava's favorite, and they just looked so beautiful… Sara was almost distracted enough to miss the bad guy running straight towards her.

Almost. Not quite.

As soon as the guy was unconscious and the mission was completed, Sara turned back towards the flowers, kneeling down at the very edge of the field and picking the ones that looked the prettiest. She held them safely bundled up in her hands, pointedly ignoring the teasing glances and remarks from the rest of the Legends as she marched back to the Waverider. The timeline emergencies had been taken care of for the day, and now Sara had a small mission of her own: bring flowers home to her wonderful girlfriend.

++++++

Ava startled slightly at the knock on the door, craning her neck and wondering who the hell it could be. Sara was usually one to just portal in, and she hadn't heard from her beforehand, or any of the rest of the Legends for that matter. Anxiety swirled low in the pit of her stomach, but she tried to push it aside as she got up and moved towards the door. Taking a deep breath in, she closed her eyes for just a moment before pulling it open, silently preparing for the worst.

But when she saw Sara standing there, rocking back and forth on her toes with a bright smile on her face and her hands clasped behind her back, she couldn't help but let out a soft sound of surprise.

"Sara?" she asked, blinking as she regained her mental footing and pulled the door open wider, "What are you doing here? I mean— not that I'm not happy to see you, I'm always happy to see you, it's just… I wasn't expecting you, is all. Why didn't you just portal over like you usually do, or— or call?"

Sara simply shrugged, tilting her head to the side as a small smirk tugged at the corner of her lips, eyes sparkling with something Ava couldn't name. "I dunno, I just… wanted to surprise you, I guess."

"Well, consider me surprised, then," Ava laughed lightly, then narrowed her eyes, "Why do you still have your hands behind your back?"

Sara somehow smiled even brighter than before, rocking up on her toes as she pulled a hand out from behind her back, presenting the bundle of flowers to Ava. Her cheeks had the slightest tinge of pink to them as she said, "I, uh, I picked these for you."

"You… you picked them?" Ava asked, face scrunching up adorably in confusion, "You didn't just like… buy them? Or have Gideon fabricate them or anything? You, like, you actually picked them?"

"Yes, babe, I actually picked them," Sara laughed, rolling her eyes fondly, "I just… saw them on the mission, and they looked so pretty, and I knew they were your favorite, so I just…"

"Picked them," Ava finished for her, a smile slowly spreading over her face.

Sara nodded, features soft as she took a step forward and handed the flowers to Ava, their fingers brushing gently together. Ava took the flowers in one hand, and brought the other up to grab onto Sara's still-outstretched one.

Quickly, she yanked her inside, firm but gentle. It was enough to catch Sara off guard, and she stumbled through the doorway slightly, crashing softly into Ava, who pulled her in for a slow, lingering kiss. Sara sank into it easily, melting in her girlfriend's arms as Ava deepened the kiss.

"Mmmph, the flowers probably need water by now," Sara mumbled against Ava's lips as she pulled back just the tiniest fraction, "Tried to get them here as fast as I could, but still—"

Ava silenced her with another lingering kiss, before finally pulling away and bouncing over to the table to grab the vase that she kept there, gently dropping the bundle of flowers in with a smile. She filled it up with water from the sink before spinning around to set it back down in the center of the table.

"There, all done," Ava smiled, gliding back over towards Sara and pulling her close, "They're beautiful, I love them. And I love you, for stopping long enough to pick them for me even though the mission was undoubtedly filled with chaos."

"How do you know the mission was filled with chaos? It could've gone off without a hitch!"

"Babe, I love you," Ava said, shaking her head fondly as she tugged Sara even closer, "But Legends missions never go off without a hitch. I have never, ever seen a group of people more chaotic. It's part of your charm."

Sara giggled, ducking her head as a light blush colored her cheeks. Ava reached a hand up to tuck a strand of hair behind Sara's ear, letting her fingers trail down her cheek and linger by her jaw. Sara leaned into the touch, letting her eyes slide shut for just a moment before they fluttered back open, and she stared up at Ava with the softest heart eyes.

Ava pulled her in for another long, slow kiss, one hand cupping Sara's cheek and the other finding a place on Sara's hip, squeezing gently as her thumb rubbed back and forth over it. Sara sighed into the kiss, pressing closer as her hands found purchase at the neckline of Ava's shirt, fingers curling ever so slightly into the fabric.

Ava broke the kiss after a long moment, pulling away just enough to take Sara's hand in hers. She spun her, twirling her around the kitchen just to hear her giggle again before pulling her close once more. Wrapping her arms loosely around Sara's waist, she swayed with her, dancing to a melody only heard between the two of them.

Everything else faded away in an instant, and there was nothing left but just them; no Bureau or chaotic missions or any other untimely interruptions. Just each other and the quiet, steady music of their love as they danced around the kitchen without a care in the world, laughing and kissing to their hearts' content.

Chapter Text

Sara and Ava were having a quiet night in at home, snuggled up on the couch and watching TV when Sara's phone rang loudly, cutting through the peaceful atmosphere like a knife. Sara groaned, stretching her body out next to Ava before she pressed in closer, sighing as she buried her face in Ava's neck.

"Aves, can you grab that for me?" Sara asked with the hint of a whine in her voice, "'M comfy, but I wanna tell whoever it is to piss off and leave me alone. They're interrupting snuggle time with my wifey. Completely unacceptable."

Ava chuckled lightly, shaking her head fondly even as she reached over to grab Sara's phone from the coffee table. She turned it over to see who it was, and her brow furrowed as she read the caller ID. "Uh, babe? You might not want to tell them to piss off…"

"Why not?" Sara grumbled, wrapping her arms tighter around Ava's middle, "The interruption of wifey snuggles is an unforgivable offense. Punishable by death."

"Babe… it's Starling General Hospital."

"What?" Sara asked, swiftly changing her tone and shifting to lean up a little bit as she held out her hand for the phone.

Anxiety swirled uncomfortably in the pit of her stomach, and her breath hitched ever so slightly as she answered the phone, numbly bringing it up to her ear. A cold chill ran up her spine, and she clutched Ava's shirt with her free hand, fidgeting with it just to give herself something to do.

"Hi, is this Sara Lance I'm speaking to?"

"Y-yeah, yes, this is…" Sara choked out, the words getting stuck in her throat like molasses, "Yeah, I-I'm Sara Lance, um, what are you calling about?"

"Our records indicate that you are your father's emergency contact, correct?"

"Yeah, I— wait… what, uh, what happened? Is my dad okay?"

"He was brought in a little while ago for a few injuries he sustained on the job…"

Sara sat up in an instant, the blood draining from her face as her breath caught in her throat. Somewhere in the far reaches of her mind, she knew the person on the phone was still speaking to her, knew she should listen to what was being said, but it was almost impossible to cut through the overwhelming staticky buzz in her head. The person on the phone suddenly seemed so far away. It was like her head was underwater, and all she could do was just sit there, eyes wide and mouth agape as the words she'd just heard played over and over again on a loop in her mind.

Injuries he sustained on the job. Injuries he sustained on the job. Injuries he sustained on the job. Injuries he—

The phone slid out of her hand and bounced off her leg, landing softly on the blanket they'd been cuddled up under just a minute ago. Sara was entirely on autopilot as she stumbled off the couch and started moving towards the front door.

"Sara?" Ava asked, sitting up almost as fast as Sara had and twisting around to look at her wife, "Sara, baby, what happened?"

"I— I don't know. I don't know, I just— I gotta go, Aves, I gotta get to Starling General," Sara said, halfway through throwing on a pair of shoes. She blew out a heavy, anxious breath, running a hand roughly through her hair. "It's— my dad, he… he got injured on the job, I guess, and I-I don't know, babe, that's all I could take in before— before I just—"

Ava was off the couch and standing in front of her in a matter of seconds, taking Sara's hands in hers and squeezing them tightly. "Hey, hey, hey, it's okay. It's okay. Slow down, baby, take a breath."

"I can't, Aves," Sara said, voice cracking ever so slightly. She pulled back, running a hand through her hair again as she turned away and began pacing around the room. She roughly shook out her hands, clenching and unclenching her fists just for something to do. "He's my dad, and—"

She took in a deep, shaky breath. "And the last time I got called because he was in the hospital was when I lost him. And now… I have him back because of Oliver's sacrifice, and I really don't wanna lose him again. I don't know if I can. Not yet, not now."

"You won't, baby, you won't lose him."

"How do you know that?" Sara asked, voice small as she looked over at Ava with wide, watery eyes, "How do you know? I mean— I mean, whatever it is, i-it had to be bad, right? Bad enough that they called me? I don't wanna lose him, Aves, I gotta get down there."

"Yes." Ava nodded her agreement, "You do. But you don't have to go alone, sweetheart. Take a breath, it's okay. I'll drive you to the hospital to see him. I'd much rather go with you and make sure you get there safe than have you get behind the wheel yourself when you're this stressed."

Sara stopped in her tracks, mulling it over for a quick second before slumping down and letting out a huge breath of relief. Nodding, she dragged herself over to Ava, slipping her hands into hers and squeezing lightly as she rested her forehead against Ava's collarbone. "Thank you."

Ava gave her a second to gather herself before pulling back. She pressed a gentle kiss to Sara's forehead, squeezing her hands briefly before moving to grab her own pair of shoes. She grabbed a jacket from the coatrack for herself, and one of her hoodies for Sara before collecting their phones from the couch and grabbing her keys.

++++++

The drive to the hospital was almost completely silent. Sara was far too anxious and lost in thought to carry on a proper conversation, and Ava knew better than to try. She simply kept her eyes on the road, occasionally sending concerned glances over to Sara, who was far too preoccupied to notice as she leaned her head against the window, staring out at the blurred city lights passing by. Ava held her hand the entire time, fingers laced together and thumb rubbing gently over hers just to keep her grounded, even as Sara's leg bounced up and down rapidly beneath them.

The second Ava pulled into a parking spot at Starling General, Sara was out of the car, already making her way swiftly to the information desk. Immediately upon finding out where in the hospital Quentin was, Sara reached back without a word, finding Ava's hand and taking it in hers as she pulled her along to find the room.

++++++

They found him sitting on the edge of a bed in the room they'd been directed to, pulling on his shoes. He looked up upon hearing them, a lopsided smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"Dad—" Sara gasped out, running to him in an instant and pulling him into the tightest hug that she could, "Are you okay? I was so worried, they said that you'd been brought in for injuries you sustained on the job and—"

"It's okay, baby, I'm fine, see? Just some scrapes and a hairline fracture, s'no big deal. Look, ah, they're already discharging me. Nothing to worry about. I would've called you myself, but, ah, my phone got busted up on the job. Damn thing's useless now," Quentin said, pulling his broken phone out of his pocket and tossing it on the bed beside him. He stood up, giving Sara's shoulders a gentle squeeze, "You still got that worried look on your face, kiddo, but I'm okay. I promise. Look, I told the nurse who called to make sure you knew that it wasn't anythin' serious, alright? I didn't want you worrying yourself sick over it, sweetheart. I'll go and have a talk with them before we leave—"

"No, dad, it's okay," Sara said, shaking her head and pursing her lips a little sheepishly as she shifted into a side hug, still feeling the desire to remain close to him, "The nurse, she— she might've, uh… She probably did go on to say your injuries weren't serious, I-I really don't know, I just… after I heard that you'd been hurt on the job, I kinda couldn't focus on anything else. I know she kept talking, but I couldn't actually hear anything past the buzzing in my brain."

"Well, still. I'm sorry I scared you, baby. I wish she would've started off by telling you that I was alright."

Sara laughed lightly as she leaned her head against his shoulder, wrapping her arms around his middle. "Yeah, that might've been nice. I'm just glad you're okay, though. I was so worried about losing you all over again..."

Ava had been lingering in the doorway of the hospital room up to that point, having wanted to give Sara the time and space to check in with her dad on her own, but it was at that moment Quentin's eyes scanned the room, finally landing on Ava. His eyes softened just a little more, and a small, grateful smile spread across his face when he saw the concerned look written all over Ava's. He pressed a long kiss to the top of Sara's head as he waved her into the room.

"Ava, what are you doing lingering all the way over there for? C'mon, get over here."

Ava smiled back at him and crossed the distance between them in a few short steps, coming up behind Sara and placing a gentle hand at the top of her back, rubbing her thumb idly over her shoulder blade. Sara shot her a soft, grateful look, eyes full of love and adoration as she smiled, the tension in her shoulders finally melting away.

"I'm glad you're okay, Mr. Lance," Ava said softly, looking up at him as she rubbed absentminded circles against Sara's back.

Quentin rolled his eyes fondly, letting out a quiet little scoff. "Listen, how many times do I gotta tell you, Ava: call me Quentin or call me dad. You married my baby girl, and that makes you family now. So cut the Mr. Lance crap, alright?"

Ava simply ducked her head, a light blush coloring her cheeks as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and leaned in to press a kiss to Sara's temple just to give herself something to do. The three of them simply stood there holding each other for a long moment, none knowing quite what to say next, but not feeling the need to say anything, either.

Eventually, Quentin shifted, squeezing both Sara and Ava a little tighter for just a moment. He pressed a kiss to the top of both of their heads before pulling back and patting them both on the shoulders, looking back and forth between the two of them.

"Now, what d'you say? Let's get the hell out of here, alright? C'mon, let me buy you both dinner, I'm starving."

Chapter Text

It was a quiet night in at Ava's apartment. Sara had come over as soon as Ava had gotten out of work, seeking a bit of peace and calm away from the chaos of the Waverider and the Legends. Ava had pulled her inside immediately and tugged her into a tight hug as they swayed back and forth in the hallway for a few long moments.

Now, they were settled down on the couch, snuggled up together with Sara's head resting on Ava's chest and Ava's arms wrapped comfortably around Sara's frame. Their dinner was on its way— they'd opted for ordering in after Sara had expressed her rather strong desire for cuddling over cooking— and they were simply waiting for it to arrive, tangled up under a blanket as they scrolled through the TV looking for something to watch.

Ava flicked the buttons on the remote absentmindedly as her other hand came up to bury itself in Sara's hair, fingers scratching lightly at her scalp. Sara melted under her touch, nuzzling her nose into the crook of Ava's neck as she let out a soft sigh of contentment and snuggled even closer.

"I don't think I've seen a single thing on this TV that I've even been remotely interested in tonight," Ava grumbled lightly, "Have you?"

"Meh," Sara shrugged noncommitally, "If I'm being totally honest I really don't give a damn what we watch tonight. I could care less. As long as I get to keep snuggling with you, that is."

"Always, my love," Ava said softly, carding her fingers through Sara's hair and leaning down to press a gentle kiss to her forehead, "I'll never deny you cuddles, you know that."

"I know," Sara smiled, tilting her head back and leaning up for a proper kiss, "So, what do you want to watch? I swear I'll be fine with whatever. It really doesn't matter to me."

"Well, in that case…" Ava trailed off, a mischievous smirk curling at her lips, "You."

"Wh— me? What do you mean me?"

"You asked what I wanted to watch," Ava shrugged nonchalantly, twirling a strand of Sara's hair idly around her finger, "My answer is you."

"Jackass. You know that's not what I meant. What do you want to watch on TV," Sara said, rolling her eyes fondly as she gently smacked Ava's shoulder, "Or rather, what do you want to pretend to watch on TV? It's honestly just gonna end up being background noise for me right now, just so I can shut my brain off the rest of the way while we cuddle. I usually end up falling asleep anyway. And I know you only pretend to pay attention to whatever we put on on nights like these. So just pick something you'll enjoy, babe."

Ava pressed another kiss to Sara's forehead, scratching her scalp in just the right way to make a soft little moan escape past Sara's lips. She scrolled through various options for a few more minutes before finally settling on one of her favorite documentaries, pressing play and tossing the remote gently onto the coffee table after collecting their food from the delivery driver.

They ate in comfortable quiet while the documentary played in the background. Few words were exchanged, but none were necessary as Sara stayed pressed against Ava's side, head on her shoulder as she slowly ate her slices of pizza. As soon as they both finished eating, they settled back down, Sara immediately snuggling into Ava's side as Ava pulled the blanket back up and around them.

Sara relaxed in an instant when Ava's hand came up to run through her hair, simply melting under the touch as she let out a long, soft sigh. Nuzzling closer, she curled her arm around Ava's waist, keeping her hold tight as she slid her hand under Ava's back.

Ava leaned down to press another lingering kiss to her forehead, scratching lightly at her scalp before moving to rub up and down her back. Sara shifted impossibly closer, throwing a leg across Ava's hips as she tucked her face into the crook of her neck. Ava leaned her cheek against the top of Sara's head, giving her a gentle squeeze and another forehead kiss as she pulled a strand of hair away from Sara's face.

"You okay, love?" Ava murmured softly, lips brushing against Sara's hairline, "You've been a little extra clingy and cuddly since you got here. I'm absolutely not complaining about that, though, just to be clear. I adore it more than anything when you're really cuddly like this, you know that right? I just wanna make sure you're okay, is all."

"Yeah 'm okay," Sara mumbled, voice small and soft as she nudged her nose against the skin of Ava's neck, breathing in her scent, "Everything's just… quiet with you. My body calms down, my nervous system settles because it's safe with you. When I'm snuggled up against you I can just… relax, no matter what else is going on. I think I just needed that today. Needed my safe place."

"Always, baby. Anytime, anywhere. I'm glad I can be that for you."

"I think… I think it was always going to be you. I don't think I can imagine it not being you anymore."

"Good. Cause you're stuck with me now, whether you want me or not."

"I'll never not want you, Aves. You're my favorite person in the whole damn multiverse."

They slipped into comfortable silence after that, Ava halfway tuning in to the documentary as she carded her fingers through Sara's hair. Sara simply melted into Ava's touch, breathing deeply in and out as her eyes slid shut, allowing the quiet noise of the documentary to wash over her. She was still for a long time— long enough that Ava would've guessed she'd fallen asleep if she didn't know her as well as she did.

It wasn't until a while later, after the first documentary had ended and Ava had put on a new one, that Sara stirred, shuffling around and letting out a soft little sound as she stretched out. Most days that would've been the end of it, and Sara would've settled back down, comfortable once more, but it seemed that comfort now eluded her. She simply kept fidgeting, shifting around restlessly between Ava's body and the back of the couch as quiet sounds of frustration and discomfort escaped her.

Ava reached out to pause the documentary, then turned back to look at Sara, who was still wriggling around in her arms. She carded her fingers through Sara's hair, thumb brushing ever so gently back and forth across her forehead.

"Hey, look at me, Sweet Girl. You okay?" she asked softly, leaning up to press a kiss to the crinkled spot right between Sara's eyebrows, "Do you need to get up and move around for a bit?"

Sara shook her head immediately, slowly blinking her eyes open as a small pout formed on her lips. "No. Still wanna be close to you like this, I just… started feeling restless. Like I needed to get out of my own skin. Like I've still got pent up energy stored away that I need to let out."

"Okay, baby," Ava said, nodding as she brushed a strand of Sara's hair back away from her face, "Okay. What do you need from me, my love? What will help you right now?"

"Just you."

The look in Sara's eyes said everything she couldn't put into words, and Ava nodded silently, rolling them gently so that Sara was lying on her back with Ava on top of her, hovering just centimeters above her with their legs tangled together. "Like this?"

Sara nodded, cheeks flushed and lips parted ever so slightly, eyes wide and dark with desire. Ava took one of Sara's hands in her own, intertwining their fingers together as she leaned down to slide their noses together.

"I told you I wanted to watch you, didn't I?"

"Just shut up and kiss me, please."

Chapter Text

The door to Ava's apartment opened, and Ava dragged herself through it, Sara trailing slowly behind her. They were utterly exhausted, completely run ragged from the latest mission, and in desperate need of an easy, quiet night in; warm meals, hot showers, and a sleep that lasted an entire week, preferably. Ava hung her jacket up on the hook by the door, limbs protesting at the movement as she toed off her shoes. She watched with tired, weary eyes as Sara followed suit to do the same, practically dead on her feet. The mission had been overwhelmingly long and hard, and the second it was over, Ava had taken Sara by the hand and dragged her through a portal straight to her own front door. She'd called out loudly on the way through, ordering Gideon to keep the Waverider and the rest of the Legends stationed in the temporal zone until they came back the next day, just so they wouldn't be bothered.

As much as the Legends were like family, and as much as the Waverider felt like home, it was just one of those nights where sharing a single bathroom with multiple other people simply wouldn't do. Besides, even after long missions like this, the Legends were still the embodiment of chaos, and neither one of them really had the bandwidth for it anymore, not after the latest mission anyway.

"Ugh, I need a shower," Ava groaned, unbuttoning the top few buttons of her shirt, "I feel so gross."

"Me too," Sara said, pinching the bridge of her nose as she let out a long sigh, "I'm exhausted, though. I wish I could just crash in bed and sleep."

Ava stepped closer, brushing Sara's hair back away from her face and letting her hand trail down to cup Sara's cheek as she pressed a lingering kiss to her forehead. Sara leaned into the touch automatically, letting her eyes slide shut for a long few seconds as she savored the quiet, calm peacefulness of the moment.

"Why don't you go first, then?" Ava asked, looking down at Sara softly as she ran a hand through Sara's hair, "Go shower, and I'll take care of ordering dinner, that way we can eat and just go cuddle in bed for an early night. Sound good?"

"Are you sure? I can wait. I mean, you're the one who said you needed a shower first, anyway. You should go."

"Baby, you just said you were exhausted. You're practically dead on your feet, I can see that. You can go first. I really don't mind, sweetheart."

"Aves, I was in the League of Assassins for years," Sara laughed, rolling her eyes lightly as she shook her head, "I've pushed through exhaustion and discomfort far worse than this. I'll be fine for a little while longer while you take a shower. Go."

"Sara, just because you pushed through and dealt with it in the League, doesn't mean you still have to now," Ava said softly, holding Sara's chin between her thumb and forefinger as she leaned in and kissed the tip of Sara's nose, "Just go take the damn shower."

"Or we could… I dunno, why don't we just shower together?" Sara asked with a shrug, stepping closer and sliding her arms around Ava's waist, "Saves us some time, and… and I kinda just wanna be close to you, if I'm being honest."

"Alright, baby," Ava chuckled, running her hands up and down Sara's sides, "Sounds good to me. Why don't you go get the water running, I'll get dinner ordered from our favorite place, and then we'll get showered and cuddle while we eat before settling down for the night, okay?"

Sara nodded silently, giving Ava a soft smile as she leaned up on her tiptoes to press a kiss to Ava's lips. She gave Ava a quick, gentle squeeze, then pulled away and headed off in the direction of the bedroom to collect their towels and pajamas before getting the water running for their shower. Ava smiled and watched her go for a long moment before turning back around and fishing her phone out of her pocket to order their favorite food from their favorite place.

Once the order was finally placed, Ava met Sara in the bathroom. They quickly undressed and stepped under the steady stream of steaming water together, both letting out long sighs of relief as the warmth enveloped them. Sara stepped closer, slowly sliding her arms around Ava's waist and pressing their bodies flush together as she rested her head against Ava's chest. Ava's hand immediately came up to cradle Sara's head against her, fingers carding through her wet hair as she pressed a lingering kiss to the top of Sara's head. She smiled softly at the way Sara melted under her touch, body relaxing under her hands as the hot water cascaded down around them.

Sara's lips found Ava's skin, and she trailed soft, gentle kisses all across her chest and collarbones, up to the crook of her neck as Ava held her close, hands gliding up and down her bare back. She breathed in deeply, burying her nose against Ava's neck as she wrapped herself tighter around her, arms coming up and nails digging ever so lightly into her shoulder blades. Ava brought her hand up between them, pushing wet strands of hair away from Sara's face before cradling her head again, thumb brushing back and forth across her cheek. She tilted Sara's head up until Sara was looking at her with wide, tired eyes full love and wanting, and she leaned down, capturing her lips in the slowest, softest kiss she could.

"Let me wash your hair for you," Ava murmured against her lips. She gave her one last quick kiss before pulling back slightly and reaching around to grab the bottle of Sara's favorite vanilla and amber scented shampoo that she kept in stock specifically for these such occasions.

Sara smiled up at her, small and tired but so full of love and affection that Ava damn near melted on the spot. She nodded, wordlessly turning around while Ava squeezed out a dollop of the shampoo, easily working it into the strands of Sara's hair and massaging her scalp in the process. Sara let out a soft, quiet moan at the sensation, leaning backwards into the touch as any remaining tension simply slipped away from her body.

"Mmmph, how are you so good at this?" Sara asked, a low groan escaping her as a slight shiver ran down her back, "Feels like heaven."

"Guess I'm just that good," Ava teased, smirking as she let out a chuckle and leaned down to press a kiss to Sara's shoulder.

She massaged Sara's scalp with the shampoo for another minute before pulling down the detachable showerhead and rinsing it out thoroughly, earning a happy sigh from Sara. Putting the showerhead back in place, Ava grabbed the bottle of Sara's conditioner and began working that into her hair as well. Upon rinsing it out a few minutes later, Sara turned slowly, sliding her arms up and around Ava's neck as she leaned up on her tiptoes to pull Ava into a long, lingering kiss.

They broke apart after a long moment, and Sara looked at her with eyes full of wonder and adoration, her loving gaze never leaving Ava's face.

"You're incredible, you know that?" Sara asked, voice little more than a murmur as she slid her nose against Ava's, "My turn now. Turn around."

Ava did as she was told, and Sara squeezed out a dollop of Ava's expensive lavender and honey shampoo, working it carefully into every inch of Ava's long, luxurious hair. Her fingers slid easily through the strands, and her nails scratched lightly at Ava's scalp in the way that always made her melt and shiver simultaneously.

"Damn, baby," Ava breathed out, leaning her head back further into Sara's touch as her eyes slid shut, "And you thought I was good? Your fingers feel like fucking magic."

"That's some pretty high praise," Sara said softly, trailing her hands down Ava's back and wrapping them around her waist as she stepped closer, pressing her cheek to Ava's shoulder blade. She kissed the very back of Ava's arm, nuzzling her nose against the warm, wet skin there as she breathed her in.

"And every bit of it is well-deserved." Ava covered Sara's arms with her own, wrapping her hands around Sara's and giving them a gentle squeeze.

Sara stayed like that for a long moment, simply content to be so close to her lover before finally pulling back and thoroughly rinsing the shampoo from Ava's hair. She repeated the same process again with the conditioner, working it in carefully and making sure not to miss a single strand, before rinsing it out with the showerhead and scratching lightly at Ava's scalp with her nails once again.

Ava turned slowly in Sara's arm, holding her gently but firmly in place, keeping her close as she leaned down for another soft, slow kiss. Sara sank into it easily, pressing in even closer as her hands wandered up and down Ava's back. She dragged her nails all across the skin there, light enough to still feel good, light enough not to hurt, but hard enough to still leave marks, just the way Ava loved it most. Ava's own hands wandered, sliding all across Sara's back, over her sides and down her hips, squeezing gently as she tightened her hold, pulling Sara flush against her. She ducked her head, trailing kisses from Sara's jaw all the way down her neck as she buried her face there.

Sara melted instantly into a puddle, knees going weak and nails digging a little further into Ava's upper back as she tried to hold herself up in Ava's strong arms. She pressed her face against Ava's chest, forehead resting against her collarbone as she breathed in deeply. "God, I love you. Love you so damn much, Aves."

"I love you more, baby girl."

They stayed wrapped up in each other for a few long moments, simply enjoying the quiet closeness, the soft intimacy of showering together and taking care of each other after a long day and a hard, grueling mission. Sara was the first to eventually pull back, letting out a quiet sigh as she reluctantly left the warm comfort of Ava's embrace.

"Let me wash your body for you," she murmured, grabbing Ava's body wash along with her loofah and pouring some on there.

She slowly went over every inch of Ava's body with it, working it in and massaging Ava's tired, aching muscles. When she was satisfied that she'd taken care of everything, she pulled the showerhead down again to rinse all the soap off, trailing sporadic kisses down after the spray of the water.

As soon as she was finished, Ava grabbed her wrist gently, taking the showerhead out of her hand and putting it back in place. She pulled Sara close again, capturing her lips in yet another long, slow kiss, lips sliding together in a familiar song and dance while hands wandered and found purchase on shoulders and hips. Sara sighed softly into the kiss as Ava pressed her ever so gently into the wall of the shower. A quiet little sound escaped her as Ava's hands wandered everywhere they could reach, her lips trailing down along Sara's neck once again, and Sara immediately tilted her head back to give her more room.

Neither of them was trying to start anything, not tonight. They were both far too sore and far too exhausted for it to go any further, but it was nice just to be close, to relish in the skin-to-skin as they hugged and kissed and touched.

"Your turn," Ava murmured softly, lips brushing against the skin of Sara's neck, "Let me return the favor."

Sara nodded silently, still in somewhat of a daze from Ava's gentle touch. Ava grabbed Sara's loofah and her favorite warm, woodsy scented body wash, squeezing out a dollop as she began to work it into Sara's skin thoroughly. Sara let out a long, soft moan at the feeling of Ava's hands massaging her body, making her achy, tired muscles relax under her touch as she spread the soap everywhere she could.

Ava took her sweet time, paying extra attention to areas she knew Sara would be most sore, and especially to areas where Sara's old injuries would be likely to flare up. She wanted Sara to feel good, wanted her to relax and let the tension ease away from her body, and it was worth however long it took to make it happen.

When she was finally satisfied that Sara was sufficiently relaxed and tension-free, she pulled the showerhead back down, slowly rinsing all the soap from Sara's body and letting the water pressure massage her even more. So much so, that by the time Ava put the showerhead back in place and turned off the water, Sara was practically swaying on her feet, eyes half-lidded and fluttering as she fought to stay upright and awake.

"C'mere, you," Ava said softly, pulling her into a tight hug and letting Sara lean against her as she cradled her head to her chest and slowly guided her out of the shower, "Let's get dried off, hmm? Dinner should be here any minute now."

Sara merely hummed in response, just barely nodding her head against Ava's chest. Ava grabbed Sara's favorite thick, fluffy towel, quickly but gently drying her off before helping her get dressed in her comfiest pair of sweatpants, her favorite shirt of Ava's to steal, and her softest, fluffiest pair of socks. Once she was fully dressed, Ava gently sat her down on the toilet seat, making sure she was steady and pressing a soft kiss to the top of her head before quickly drying herself off and changing into her own pajamas.

Right as they made it back downstairs and into the living room, the doorbell rang, signaling the arrival of their food. Ava pressed a kiss to the side of Sara's head, squeezing her shoulders as she gently pushed her in the direction of the couch. "Perfect timing. Go, get comfy. I'll grab the food and bring it in, okay?"

Sara nodded and plopped herself down gracelessly onto the couch, letting her eyes slide shut for just a second, until Ava returned from the hallway, takeout containers in one hand as she shook Sara's shoulder lightly with the other. Sara blearily blinked her eyes open, looking up at Ava with a tired, dopey smile as she brought her hand up to hold Ava's.

The second Ava was sitting beside her on the couch, Sara scooted closer, pressing up against her side and resting her head against Ava's shoulder. Ava chuckled softly, leaning down to press another kiss to the top of Sara's head as she passed her a container of takeout.

They ate slowly in quiet comfort, no words needed as they soaked up each other's presence. When they finally finished, Sara turned her body in towards Ava, nuzzling her nose against Ava's neck and letting out a long, quiet sigh. Ava let out another soft chuckle, lips brushing against Sara's forehead as she gathered up their takeout containers. "Hold on, baby. Let me just put away our leftovers and then we can go back up to the bedroom and sleep for as long as you want, okay?"

"Mmmmph," Sara groaned, clinging to Ava a little tighter for a long moment before finally loosening her grip to allow Ava to get up.

She burrowed back down into the couch cushions the second Ava moved, and she only stirred a few minutes later when Ava came back to the room, kneeling down and gently shaking her shoulder once again.

"C'mon, my love," Ava said softly, brushing Sara's hair away from her face with her fingers, "Let's head on up to bed so we can get some sleep, alright? Sound good, sweetheart?"

"Carry me," Sara mumbled with the hint of a whine, fumbling around to pull Ava closer to her, "Sleepyyyyy. Don't wanna move."

Ava laughed, shaking her head fondly as she leaned over to press a kiss to Sara's cheek. "Have I ever told you just how cute you are when you're over-exhausted? Because you're adorable. Feels like it should be illegal to be this cute."

"Gon… gonna hafta 'rrest me, then, Sheriff… S'long as the jail is bed… Sleepy time…"

Ava let out an unexpected laugh, tipping forward to lean her head against Sara as she rubbed her hands up and down Sara's thigh. "I love you so much, baby."

With that, she scooped Sara up into her arms, cradling her against her chest as she slowly stood up and began making her way back up to the bedroom with a very sleepy assassin in her arms.

The second they were both settled in bed and under the covers, Sara snuggled up against Ava's side again, pressing herself extra close and resting her head against Ava's chest. She tucked her face into the crook of Ava's neck as she wrapped an arm around her middle, hand slipping under Ava's shirt and settling against her ribcage as she tangled their legs together. Ava held her close, carding through Sara's still slightly-damp hair with one hand, while the other traced mindless patterns all across her back.

Sara sighed contently, letting out a happy little sound as she nuzzled ever so slightly closer. Ava smiled softly as she looked down at the love of her life, sleeping safe and sound in her arms, warm and cozy and right where she should be.

She pressed one last long, lingering kiss to Sara's forehead, murmuring softly against her skin, "Goodnight, Little Bird. Sleep tight."

Chapter Text

Sara awoke to the quiet sounds of Ava puttering around the room, getting ready for work in the dim light and relative silence so as not to disturb her. Sara always woke up when Ava was getting ready for work; years and years of League training had drilled into her to be aware of her surroundings, even in sleep. Not only that, but years of sleeping next to Ava and being in love with her left her intrinsically attuned to everything she did, everything that was her.

Most of the time, she simply let herself doze in her presence, comforted by the fact that she was there and starting her day. She'd fall back asleep for a little while longer after Ava left for work, always waking up to a sweet good morning text as the first thing she'd see. Other times she'd wake up just a little bit more while Ava was still getting ready, throw on the sleepiest charm that she could, and try to get Ava to ditch work and stay in bed with her instead. She'd never once been successful with it, but Sara would keep trying until the day that she finally was.

This time, though, Sara had a plan. She blinked her eyes open slowly, adjusting to the dim light and the feeling of being awake as she stretched out and sank back into the bed. Her eyes followed Ava as she moved gracefully around the room, and a small smile spread across her face as she watched. She stayed silent and still for a long few minutes, until Ava quietly slipped out of the bedroom and into the bathroom. Sara waited until she heard the water turn on for a shower, then carefully slid out of bed, padding silently down the hall to Ava's home office, where she pulled out a paper and pen and started writing.

When she was done, she dropped the pen back in its cup and folded the paper, slipping it into Ava's work bag where she knew Ava would find it. She did a quick once over, making sure everything was in its proper place before silently padding back down the hall to the bedroom, sliding under the covers once again right as the water from the shower turned off.

She burrowed back down under the blankets, letting herself get comfortable again as she waited for Ava to come back into the room. She didn't have to wait very long, and a slow, sleepy smile spread across her face as she locked eyes with Ava, blinking lazily up at her as she reached her hand out towards her.

"Hey, sweetheart, good morning," Ava said softly, sitting on the edge of the bed and taking Sara's hand in hers, loosely intertwining their fingers.

"G'morning," Sara breathed out, letting her voice come out thick and sweet with sleep.

Ava squeezed Sara's hand in hers lightly, reaching over and gently carding through Sara's hair with her other hand. She smiled fondly when Sara leaned up into the touch, "How long have you been awake?"

"Just a few minutes," Sara murmured, eyes fluttering closed at the feeling of Ava's hand in her hair, "Heard the shower turn off. Wanted to steal a few kisses and a bit of affection before you finished getting ready for work."

"No need to steal it, my love. I give it freely to you, always," Ava murmured back, bringing Sara's hand up to press a kiss to her knuckles, "But I'm surprised you're not trying to convince me to stay home and snuggle. That's usually what you do anytime you're awake enough to talk before I go to work."

"Thought about it," Sara shrugged, leaning her head further into Ava's touch, "But I know you've got that big meeting today, so you won't. Figured I'd just settle for a few minutes of this instead. Still got enough time?"

"For you? Always." Ava leaned down, tilting Sara's head up to give her a proper kiss.

Her lips lingered against Sara's, slowly sliding together in the softest of kisses. Upon breaking apart, Ava rested their foreheads together, thumb brushing ever so gently back and forth across Sara's cheek as she held her face in her hands. She leaned in for a few more quick kisses before finally sitting back up and running her hand through Sara's hair once more.

"I've gotta finish getting ready now," Ava whispered, a slight apologetic tone in her voice, "But it's still pretty early, you should try and get a little more sleep, okay?"

"Mmmm, 'kay," Sara hummed, blinking slowly and letting her eyes flutter closed once again at the feeling of Ava's hand in her hair.

Ava smiled softly, leaning back down to press a gentle kiss to Sara's forehead before sitting back up and tucking the blanket around Sara's shoulders.

"I'll call you on my lunch break, okay? Sleep well, baby."

"Mmhmm, sounds good," Sara mumbled sleepily, "Have a good day at work."

++++++

Ava pulled her wallet out of the front pocket of her work bag, frowning in confusion when a folded piece of paper fell to the ground after it. She bent down to pick it up, unfolding it and finding a note written in Sara's familiar handwriting:

Aves—

I'm writing this while you're in the shower, because I wanted to give you a little something to make you smile today. I love your smile, do you know that? It never fails to brighten my day. You never fail to brighten my day. I love you. I love you, I love you, I love you. I'll never get tired of saying it. I love you, and I adore you, with everything I have, with every fiber of my being. You're my happy place, and I feel beyond lucky every day that you keep choosing me to be yours. You will forever be my always, my best friend, my soulmate. I love you in this life, and I'll love you in the next, and every single one after that. Co-Captains, for eternity and beyond, baby. Not even death will do us part. I hope this made you smile. Have a good day, gorgeous ;)

—Sara <3

A wide smile spread over Ava's face as she read it once and then again before fishing her phone out of her pocket. She pulled up Sara's contact immediately, eyes shining bright at the photo she had of her, saved under the name Peter Pan <3. She pressed the call button without a second thought, bringing the phone up to her ear.

Sara picked up barely a second later, voice bright as she opened with, "Hi! Did you get my letter?"

Ava chuckled softly, smiling even wider as she teased, "Well, I wouldn't really call it a letter, so much as a love note."

"Fine, did you get my love note?" Sara asked, and Ava could practically hear her rolling her eyes fondly beneath the smile that she undoubtedly wore.

"I certainly did," Ava said, voice filled with love as her smile turned soft, "It was very cute, and it made me smile like a dork, thank you."

"Good, I'm glad," Sara said softly, and Ava could hear a quiet rustling on the other end of the line, "That was the goal."

"Sara Lance, ever the old-school romantic."

"Yeahhhhhh, you know me…" Sara laughed. It didn't take much for Ava to imagine the light blush coloring Sara's cheeks. "Only ever for you, though."

More gentle rustling came from the other end of the line, and Ava's brows furrowed as she tried to parse out the sounds, absentmindedly twirling her pen back and forth between her fingers.

"So, hey, what are you up to today?" Ava asked, bringing her mug of coffee up to take a sip, "Doing anything fun? The Legends have the day off today, right?"

"Yeah, there weren't any pressing missions, so I told them all to take a rest day," Sara said, and Ava could hear the fondness in her voice, "I'm not doing a whole lot, honestly. I'm still at your place. Figured since we're spending the night together again, I might as well just stay. Catch up on a little peace and quiet, y'know?"

"I certainly do, baby," Ava laughed, shaking her head, "I'm glad you're using the time to rest and relax, too."

"I am," Sara said softly, the smile on her face obvious even when Ava couldn't see her, "'M just curled up on the couch, drinking some tea. Wearing one of your hoodies and working my way through a few crosswords. All that's missing is you."

"I miss you too, sweetheart," Ava smiled. She opened her mouth to continue when a knock sounded at the door of her office. Rubbing circles into her temple, she sighed, "Duty calls. I think I'm about to be summoned for something, so I gotta go. But hey, listen— your love note was really sweet. I hope you enjoy the rest of your day off, and I'll see you tonight, okay? I love you, Sar-Bear."

"Can't wait, babes. I love you too."

Chapter Text

Sara dragged herself through the door of Ava's apartment, closing it quietly behind her as bone-deep exhaustion settled heavy over her tired, aching shoulders. She let out a big, long, silent yawn, eyes half-lidded as she dropped her bag down by the door, simply devoid of the energy to carry it any longer.

"Baby, is that you?" Ava called out softly from the living room, "Are you home?"

"Yeah, s'me," Sara answered back, unable to keep the heavy, weary exhaustion out of her voice. She shuffled her way down the hall, body feeling more and more weighed down with each and every step. A small, barely there smile tugged at the very corner of Sara's lips as she caught sight of Ava, reading on the couch and looking so comfortable and relaxed, "'M home."

"You look tired, Sar-Bear," Ava commented, looking up from her book as she moved to set it aside on the coffee table, "Rough day today?"

"The roughest. 'M exhausted," Sara mumbled, making her way around the couch and collapsing gracelessly into Ava's lap, nuzzling against her stomach as she melted into her, "S'okay, babe. Keep readin'. 'M just gonna lay here, 'kay?"

"Of course, sweetheart," Ava said softly, immediately burying her fingers in Sara's hair and massaging her scalp, using her nails to scratch lightly in just the right way that Sara loved, "Get comfy, lay here as long as you want. I'm not going anywhere."

"Mmmkay," Sara sighed out, slowly shifting her body upwards and burying her face against Ava's chest, head pillowed right between the valley of Ava's breasts.

She let out a long, drawn out breath as she sank deeper and deeper into Ava's embrace, letting out a soft, quiet moan when Ava applied more gentle, soothing pressure to the hand in her hair. Under normal circumstances, she would've been so comfortable, so relaxed and well on her way to being fast asleep. Any other day, she would've been. But her body had been sore and unpleasantly achy ever since she'd woken up this morning, and the mission had done her absolutely no favors in that regard.

Her scars were sensitive and tender, rubbing uncomfortably against her clothes with every small movement she made. It wasn't necessarily an uncommon thing for her to deal with, and she had ways of managing the discomfort. On its own, it wouldn't have really been something that ate up a lot of her attention and energy. But all her other old injuries had been flaring up right along with the scars; every broken bone, every joint that had ever been sprained, fractured, or dislocated, every serious abuse her body had sustained and absorbed over the years. All of it, combined with the rough, grueling mission she'd gone on with the Legends, had completely sapped her of energy, and left her body tense and aching, unable to fully relax with all her pain signals firing loudly all at once.

She tried to let her body go loose and pliant in Ava's arms. She tried to will herself to just relax under her touch, tried to let herself be lulled asleep against her chest with the gentle rise and fall of her breathing. But her body was sore beyond belief, and pain lanced through more places than she could care to count, keeping her muscles tense and stopping her from being able to actually get comfortable, no matter how hard she tried.

She let out a soft little sound of discomfort, shuffling and wriggling around in Ava's arms as she desperately tried to find some way to lay that caused the least amount of pain. When it became apparent that no such position existed, she groaned, burying her face against Ava's chest to muffle the sound and letting it taper off into a sad little whine.

Ava's fingers carded gently through her hair, while her other hand found the very edge of Sara's jaw, tilting her head up just enough to look at her. She cupped her face, thumb brushing lightly against her cheek as she continued to scratch her nails soothingly against Sara's scalp. "Hey, you okay, darling? You seem pretty tense and uncomfortable."

"Everything hurts," Sara pouted, letting out a huff as she dropped her head back down to rest against Ava's chest. She brought a hand up to hold loosely onto Ava's arm, fingers trailing a random, absentminded pattern across the skin as her eyes followed along just to distract herself. "Can't get comfy. Body's too sore and achy. Too tense to let itself relax. Everything just hurts."

"Is it scars or other old injuries?" Ava asked, digging her fingers deeper into Sara's hair to massage her scalp, while her other hand continued to gently caress Sara's face.

"Both," Sara said with the hint of a whine, lips curling deeper into a pout as she pressed her face against Ava's chest and let out a sad little sound.

"Is there anything I can do to help, sweetheart?" Ava pressed a soft kiss to the top of Sara's head, giving her a gentle squeeze as she cradled her head to her chest.

"No, I don't think so," Sara sighed, shifting ever so slightly to let Ava take on most of her body weight, knowing she could handle it easily. Her finger continued trailing mindless, nonsensical patterns all along the length of Ava's forearm, blinking slow and heavy as she watched, "I was hoping just laying with you like this might be enough to let me relax and fall asleep, but I should've known better that it wouldn't. Honestly, I should really probably just get up and put on the ointments that Gideon makes for me to use on bad pain days like this. I should've done it earlier, but I just haven't really had much of a chance to. But it seems like the only way I might be able to get even the least bit comfortable enough to sleep, so…"

She moved to get up, grimacing at the pain radiating throughout her body, limbs as heavy as lead as she tried to force herself off of Ava and onto her feet. She was stopped by a hand against the top of her back, pressing her gently back down against the couch cushions.

"No, you stay there, baby, you're exhausted," Ava said, voice soft but firm as she slid out from underneath Sara and stood up, lightly stretching out her limbs, "Let me go and grab them. I'll do it for you. They're in your bag, right?"

"Yeah, front pouch where I always keep my meds and all my aids," Sara directed, reaching out an arm to catch Ava's hand in hers and fiddling with her fingers, "But you really don't have to do that. I can manage."

Ava crouched back down so she was level with Sara's face, tangling their fingers together and giving Sara's hand a gentle squeeze while her other reached out to brush Sara's hair back away from her face. "Baby, listen to me. I know I don't have to do that. But I want to do that. I love you, Sara. Please let me show that love to you by making your day a little easier, okay?"

"Okay," Sara whispered out, a soft smile gracing her face as she squeezed Ava's hand in return, "Thank you, babe."

"Anytime, my love," Ava said softly, leaning over to press a kiss to Sara's forehead before standing back up, slowly pulling her hand away from Sara's as she moved towards the bag Sara had left by the front door, "Front pouch, got it. Is there anything else I can grab for you while I'm over there? Anything else to make you more comfortable?"

Sara's hand dropped down the second Ava was out of reach, fingers brushing lightly against the floor. "Oh, yeah, actually— my favorite comfy sports bra should be in the main pouch, along with some boxer briefs? Could you grab those for me? I think I'd be a lot more comfortable with minimal clothing so it doesn't rub against my scars too much."

"You got it, Sar-Bear."

Ava returned a few minutes later with Sara's bag slung over her shoulder, carrying the requested sports bra, boxer briefs, and bottles of ointment in the opposite hand. At Sara's questioning look, Ava chuckled, ducking her head down.

"Oh, yeah, I uh… well, I grabbed the things you specifically asked for"— she held up the hand with the requested items in it— "but then I thought about it, and I figured I'd just grab the whole bag and take it up to the bedroom with us, that way you'll already have everything within reach. I figured you'd probably be more comfortable laying in bed rather than on the couch after I finish putting the ointments on for you, yeah?"

"Thanks, Aves," Sara smiled softly, looking up at Ava with a deep sense of love, fondness, and appreciation, "God, what did I ever do to deserve someone so wonderful and amazing as you?"

"You're alive, aren't you? You didn't have to do anything more than that, just existing is enough," Ava said, returning Sara's smile as she reached out a hand for her to take, "Now c'mon, shall we? Let's get you up to the bedroom, alright?"

Sara allowed Ava to pull her up off the couch, tangling their fingers together once again and leaning into her side as Ava guided her up the stairs and towards the bedroom. Ava placed the bag down on the floor by Sara's usual side of the bed, before gently pulling her towards the connected bathroom, setting the clothes and the ointments down on the counter as she waited for Sara to get undressed.

"Scar ointment first, or the one for your other old injury flare ups?"

"Scars."

Ava nodded silently, a soft smile and a warm look on her face as she grabbed the proper ointment and stepped right up behind Sara. Rolling up her sleeves, she uncapped the bottle, squirting some out on her fingers and gently rubbing it into the first scar she could reach. Slowly and methodically, she did the same for each and every one of Sara's scars, dutifully rubbing a generous amount of ointment over them and massaging it into the skin. Sara relaxed under her touch every time, body melting as she slumped down, eyes slowly drooping until they were half-lidded.

When she was finished rubbing the ointment into all of Sara's scars, she turned towards the sink, rinsing her hands and drying them off with a towel before taking Sara's head between her hands and leaning down to press a long, lingering kiss to her hairline. Sara leaned into the touch, letting her eyes slide all the way shut for a long moment as she savored every ounce of comfort that Ava was giving her.

"How are you feeling, my love?"

"Better," Sara murmured, eyes just barely fluttering back open before shutting again, "Still in pain, but the ointment's kicking in and making my scars a lot less uncomfortable than they were, so I'll take it."

"Good, I'm glad," Ava said softly, lips brushing against Sara's forehead, "Hopefully the second ointment will work just as well for all the pain. Tell me where all you need me to put it?"

Sara nodded, and Ava pulled back, reaching over to grab the second bottle of ointment and uncapping it to squirt some onto her fingers. Slowly, Sara guided Ava through all the places she needed the second ointment to be rubbed into, and Ava dutifully obliged. She gently and thoroughly rubbed it into all of Sara's joints, and every spot she'd ever broken a bone or had a major injury. Sara visibly relaxed with each passing moment, slumping down further and further as Ava made sure the ointment was everywhere it needed to be.

When she was finally done, she set the bottle back down on the counter, stepping right up behind Sara and rubbing her hands up and down Sara's arms. Sara leaned back against her automatically, eyes sliding shut as she breathed in deeply. Ava let out a soft, quiet chuckle, leaning down to kiss the top of Sara's head as her hands slid back up to Sara's shoulders. She squeezed them gently, staying still for just a moment before moving to massage Sara's neck and shoulders a little extra, earning a soft little moan from Sara as she melted under her touch.

"That feel good?"

"So good…" Sara breathed out, words slurring together ever so slightly as she hummed in contentment, "S'fuckin' good. Ointment's workin' wonders."

"That's fantastic, sweetheart," Ava said softly, voice low and sweet. She massaged Sara's neck and shoulders for a few moments longer before bending down, sliding her arms around Sara's waist as she leaned in to press soft, gentle kisses all over Sara's jaw and down her neck. She was silent for a moment before continuing in between the kisses, lips brushing against Sara's skin with every word, "I'm so happy it's easing all the pain and discomfort. You were so tense when you first came home, so uncomfortable. I hate seeing you like that, baby. I'm so glad the ointment is helping you relax."

"Mmmmm, yeah," Sara moaned, leaning her head back against Ava as she sank deeper and deeper into her, "This helps a lot too, y'know. Now that the pain 'n discomfort isn't at the very forefront of my mind, the biggest thing tha's makin' me relax is you, Aves."

"Good. That was my goal."

It was then that Sara let out a long yawn, and Ava chuckled, pressing a few more kisses to Sara's neck and the underside of her jaw before standing back up, letting Sara stay leaning on her as she began rubbing up and down her arms once again.

"So sleepy," Sara mumbled, head lolling to the side ever so slightly.

"Bedtime for you, then," Ava said softly, giving Sara's shoulders a gentle squeeze, "C'mon, you. Let's get you in that sports bra and those boxer briefs and then let's get you to bed, okay?"

Sara hummed, nodding her consent but making no move to get up off the toilet seat. Ava leaned down to press one last kiss to the top of Sara's head before moving to grab the two pieces of clothing from the counter. Slowly and carefully, she helped Sara put them on, doing most of the work herself to make it easier for her half-asleep girlfriend. Once she was dressed, Ava scooped her up, carrying her over to the bed and laying her down gently before moving to quickly change into her own set of pajamas.

Ava slid into bed a few moments later, and Sara immediately snuggled up against her side, laying her head down against Ava's shoulder and nuzzling in as close as she could. She draped an arm over Ava's middle, and threw her leg across Ava's hips, pulling their bodies flush together.

"Where do you want my hands to go, baby?" Ava murmured, leaning her head down to press a kiss to Sara's forehead, "Where will they be most comfortable for you?"

Sara let out a small mmph sound, burying her face against Ava's chest as she reached around to grab one of Ava's hands, dragging it to rest lightly on her hip, over the soft, light fabric of the boxer briefs. She pressed in even closer, snuggling deep into Ava's side as she pulled Ava's other hand to rest in her hair. Ava chuckled, taking the hint and immediately burying her fingers in Sara's hair and scratching her scalp lightly.

Sara melted into her in an instant, letting out a soft, contented sigh as she grew progressively heavier against Ava's side. Ava pressed one last lingering kiss to Sara's forehead, feeling her own eyes growing heavy.

"Goodnight, Little Bird, sleep tight."

"G'night, Blue Bird," Sara mumbled, almost unintelligibly as she slipped under the warm blanket of sleep, "Love you."

"I love you too, darling. Get some rest."

Chapter Text

Ava was going to be out of town on a work trip for the next few days. Sara had just returned home from dropping her off at the train station, and she blew out a long, heavy breath, eyes taking in the quiet, empty house as she dropped her keys in the bowl by the door. She was never a fan of Ava's work trips, though they were always few and far between. She understood perfectly the reasoning and the necessity behind them anytime one occurred, but she always hated walking back into the house afterwards, so big and quiet and empty, so devoid of the one thing that truly made it feel like home: Ava. Of course, all her things were still there, all the pictures and the memories and Ava's scent lingering everywhere she went, but it wasn't the same as having Ava actually there with her. It was disconcerting to be alone in the house, even if it was only for a few days. The length of time didn't necessarily matter to her; the only thing that did was that Ava wasn't there, and she'd be spending the next few nights in bed alone, with nothing but the quiet and Ava's empty side of the bed to keep her company.

She tapped her fingers absentmindedly against her thigh, silently contemplating what to do now that she had the house to herself. It wasn't that she couldn't spend any time away from Ava at all. She could— they both had jobs and various responsibilities, after all— but she'd spent years sleeping curled up next to Ava every single night, and it was the looming thought of not falling asleep in her arms come nighttime that gave Sara pause. She hated sleeping alone in the house the most out of everything. It was too big, too quiet, too empty, and without Ava there to fill the space beside her, it was all just a little too suffocating. She never slept very well when Ava was away, and it seemed she'd already begun counting down the seconds until she'd be home.

Sara flopped down heavily against the couch, letting out a long sigh as she stared up at the ceiling, eyes mapping out every tiny groove and crack of paint that she could see. It was going to be a long few days if she couldn't figure out how to spend her time. 

It was then that she caught sight of a picture frame out of the corner of her eye, and she turned to stare at it. A soft smile overtook her face as she took in every small detail of the candid shot of her dancing with her dad during the bonus wedding ceremony and reception they'd put together upon returning to the present. They'd wanted to have another day to celebrate their love with everyone that understandably hadn't been able to attend the impromptu wedding they'd had back in 1925, when they thought the world was going to end in an alien invasion. She hadn't been lying when she'd said the only thing she really needed was Ava and the Legends surrounding her in their special moment, but she couldn't deny how wonderful it'd felt to have everyone there the second time around.

She could slowly feel an idea forming in her head the longer she stared at the framed photograph of her and her dad. Retiring from the Waverider had allowed her to spend much more time with her dad than she'd ever been able to before, and she'd always be grateful beyond belief for that time, more than anything else. Why not take advantage of that exact opportunity now, when she didn't particularly want to be alone in the house anyway?

She pulled her phone out from her pocket and immediately opened it up to Ava's contact info, pressing the call button without a second thought.

Ava picked up immediately, voice sounding surprised as she said, "Hey, baby, what's up? Did I forget something?"

"Oh, no, babe, uh— no, you didn't. Not that I know of, anyway," Sara said, brows crinkling for a moment before she shook her head, focusing back in on what she called for, "No, listen, I'll be quick, 'cause I know your train is gonna be leaving soon, but I just wanted to let you know that I'm probably gonna head over and spend a few days at my dad's place while you're on your work trip."

"I figured you might," Ava said softly, and Sara could hear the gentle smile in her voice even on the other end of the line, "House feeling a little too empty for you?"

"Uhm, yeah, uh— yeah, a bit," Sara stammered, letting out a breathy half-chuckle, "And I, uh, I would've just sent you a text, but if I'm being honest I kinda just wanted to hear your voice again. God, I sound like such a sap."

She scrunched up her eyes and crinkled her nose, smacking her palm against her forehead and running her hand through her hair. Ava laughed lightly on the other end of the line, and Sara smiled, head lolling to the side as she simply absorbed that beautiful sound.

"You have been known to be very sappy and sentimental at times, yes," Ava teased affectionately, and Sara's cheeks tinged ever so slightly pink, "But I wouldn't have it any other way. You're my sap, and I think it's adorable."

They lapsed into quiet, comfortable silence for a long moment, before Sara heard a slight rustling on the other end of the line.

"Hey, baby, listen, the train is getting ready to leave, so I gotta go, but I hope you enjoy the time at your dad's, and I'll call you later on tonight, okay? I love you."

"I love you too," Sara said softly, "Have a safe trip, Aves. Talk to you later. Oh, and hey, how about dinner all together, when you get back?"

"Sounds great, Sar. Alright, I'll text you when I'm off the train and in my hotel room. I gotta go, but I love you, sweetheart."

The call ended with a quiet click, and Sara hauled herself off the couch to pack a bag before heading out to her car for the short drive to her dad's aparment.

Quentin opened the door barely a minute after she knocked, a surprised look on his face. His eyes scanned over her appearance, locking onto the dufflebag slung over her shoulder and narrowing ever so slightly.

"Hi, Daddy!" Sara smiled up at him, leaning up to give him a hug and squeezing a little extra for the briefest of moments.

Quentin returned the hug immediately, pulling his youngest daughter closer and pressing a kiss to the side of her head before pulling back, nodding his head toward the dufflebag she was carrying.

"What's with the bag?" he asked curiously, eyes narrowing even further to take in Sara's expression, "You and Ava didn't get into a fight or anythin', did you?"

"What? No! No fights, dad, Ava and I are fantastic as ever," Sara said, chuckling and shaking her head as she assuaged his concern, "No, we're good. Really good. She's just on a work trip for the next couple of days, and the house is always so empty anytime she's away, so I just thought, y'know, why not come spend a few days here with you?"

"You've always got a place here, baby girl, you know that," Quentin said, finally stepping aside and putting an arm around her shoulder as he ushered her inside, "Now c'mon, get in here, kiddo. I was just about to make a late lunch."

++++++

Sara and Quentin were taking a walk around the city, enjoying the fresh air as they chatted idly and pondered where to stop for lunch. They were just about to turn a corner down one of the side streets when Sara's phone rang, buzzing around in her pocket.

She fished it out easily, a soft, loving smile settling gently across her face as Ava's name and photo stared up at her from the screen. She swiped her thumb against the screen to answer immediately, smile widening as she brought the phone to her ear. She tilted her head, moving to lean against the side of the building they were standing next to as she ducked her head and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Hey, baby, what's up?" she asked, idly swinging her foot around, just barely brushing it over the concrete, "How's you're work trip been? You'll be home later tonight, right?"

"It's been boring as hell and I've missed you every second," Ava said on the other end of line, and Sara could hear the slight hint of an exhausted groan in her voice, "But yes, I'll be home later tonight. That's actually why I called. Wanted to let you know that I was on the train back."

"Amazing. I can’t wait to see you again," Sara said softly, spinning her wedding ring absentmindedly around her finger, "I've missed your hugs and your kisses and your snuggles so much. I've missed you so much. But, uh, hey, I'm out walking around with my dad right now, so I can't talk long, but call me when you get home, okay?"

"Of course, baby. But you know we're literally all having dinner together tonight, right? Like maybe an hour after I get home tops, right?"

"Well, excuse me for wanting to make sure my wife gets home safe. Besides… you know I just love hearing your voice. I don't wanna wait a full hour after you're home to hear it again."

"Yes, darling, I know you do. Of course I'm gonna call you when I get home," Ava chuckled lightly, and Sara's cheeks tinged the faintest shade of pink, "I was just teasing, baby. But alright, go, enjoy the rest of your walk with your dad. I love you and I'll see you later tonight."

"I love you too," Sara murmured softly, "See you tonight."

++++++

The second Sara heard a knock on Quentin's door, she perked up, face lighting up in an instant. She was on her feet and halfway to the door before she even realized it, moving entirely on instinct just to see her wife's beautiful face again after the days they spent apart. Swinging the door open, she smiled brightly, flinging her arms around Ava's neck and lifting her feet off the ground as Ava wrapped her arms around her waist. She tucked her face against the side of Ava's neck, nuzzling her nose against the underside of her jaw as she pressed a few soft, light kisses to the skin there.

Ava giggled, swinging her around in a circle before setting her back down on her feet and pulling her into a proper kiss. Sara melted into it immediately, body sinking into Ava's as she let out a soft, quiet sigh. It was a long few moments before either of them pulled back, but even when they did, Sara just tucked herself down against Ava's chest for a long hug, breathing in her scent and letting her eyes slide shut as they swayed lightly to the music Quentin had playing in the kitchen.

"I'm so glad you're home," Sara murmured, voice muffled ever so slightly by Ava's clothes, "I missed you so much."

"I missed you too, sweetheart," Ava murmured back, leaning her head down to press a kiss to the top of Sara's head, "I was counting down the seconds the whole time."

Sara nuzzled deeper into her, squeezing her arms tight around Ava's middle. They simply held each other close for a long while, murmuring softly to each other as they continued swaying to the quiet, gentle music filtering throughout the house. It wasn't until Quentin poked his head into the room to let them know dinner was almost done that either of them made any move to pull apart. 

Ava simply nodded, giving Quentin a small, soft smile, while Sara turned her head and called back that they'd be there in just a second. It was then that Ava pulled away, squeezing Sara's hips lightly and leaning down to give her one last kiss before tugging her towards the dining room.

"This smells amazing, Quentin," Ava commented as she sat down, pulling her chair in. Her smile from before grew even wider when, out of the corner of her eye, she caught Sara scooting her own chair even closer to her, lightly hooking their ankles together under the table. "I'm starving."

"Well then, let's dig in, kiddos, shall we?" Quentin asked, and as they all began to dig into their meal, the only thought on any of their minds was that they couldn't be happier. This was exactly where they all wanted to be, not anywhere else. Just home, together and happy, enjoying their little family with good food and pleasant conversation.