Archive of Our Own ^beta

"This isn't going to involve hiking, is it?"

"Oh, stop whining. You want to go back?"

"Yes."

"Too late."

Technically speaking, the team is on a mission. However, the particular talents of-as Mick had so notably dubbed them-Killer, Klepto and Pyro had not been needed, leaving them at slightly loose ends. Normally, this would mean a bar brawl waiting to happen, but Sara had checked Gideon's still sparse records and discovered that the peak evening for viewing this particular year's Perseid meteor showers was that very night.

Mick had been more interested in kicking back with a movie and some booze. Leonard had agreed before even truly realizing what Sara had in mind, a rather uncharacteristic move that he's spent the rest of the day reflecting upon.

The area was fairly rural anyway, and as the mission was an extremely low-impact one, Rip had been amenable to setting them down somewhere even further from civilization than they'd already been, per Sara's request. She'd not only spent a good bit of time figuring out an excellent location and time for viewing, she'd gathered any possible supplies needed and made a few other plans. The Waverider had to set them down a distance from the area she has in mind, but she figures a short hike will be no problem.

But she forgot to factor in one thing.

Leonard Snart is a city boy.

Such a city boy.

"I'm still an invalid. Gideon will scold."

"Gideon gave you full medical clearance a week ago, jerk. And you know I know that. We celebrated. Enthusiastically. Athletically." She gives him an arch look. "You can handle a little hike."

He sighs and regards the clearing around them on the still-lovely August evening with distaste. "There are bugs."

"I brought repellent."

"There are probably bears. And you wouldn't let me bring my gun."

"If there are bears, I'll protect you."

"Wolves?"

"Snart…" If she's trotting out his surname already, she's starting to get annoyed.

"Oh, all right." He'd already known that he wasn't going to renege on the agreement. But he's uneasy and out of his element, and banter is an easier way to acknowledge it than honesty. "But you're going to make it up to me."

"Hmm. We're see how much you complain." She tosses him a backpack and shoulders her own. "Let's get going; I brought flashlights, but I'd much rather get there before it's truly dark. It's too easy to get turned around at night."

"So now you're saying we're going to get lost. Out here with the bears. And the wolves."

"No, you'll be lost out here. I know enough woodcraft to make my way back. Be nice, and I'll bring you with me."

But her tone is light enough that he detects no true annoyance at this point. Just anticipation as she turns to look at the trail.

Caring about the desires of others is not something he's overly used to. But this is apparently something Sara wants. Something she's looking forward to, for no reason he can fathom.

He sighs.

"Lead on, Canary,"

Snarts, he quickly decides, are not meant for the country.

First, he slips on a rock in the stream they're fording and goes in up to his knees. Now his boots are squelching.

Then he walks into a spider web and reacts…badly. Sara may still be laughing.

Then the rabbit happens.

"Did you…really…just try…to draw the cold gun…which you did not even bring…on some poor, frightened…bunny?"

"Ha. Ha. Ha." He waits semi-patiently for her to catch her breath, rolls his eyes at the continuing giggles. "Come on. Is it much farther?"

"No, it's not." Wiping her eyes, she smiles at him and reaches out to take his hand, which he allows. "And I'm sorry. It's just so rare to see you anything less than composed."

"Yeah, well, there's a reason I avoid this sort of thing."

They walk in silence for a moment before he speaks again.

"You grew up in a city too. Why are you so…" He pauses to scrape a bit of…mud? Oh, god, he hopes so...off a boot onto a convenient tree root. "…enthusiastic about this?"

Sara's quiet a moment. "My dad used to take us, me and Laurel, camping when we were kids, just for this" she says finally. "At first, we tried to watch the meteor showers from the backyard, but there was too much light pollution in Star City to really see much. So he started taking us outside the city to this little campground. Mom was never interested, so it was just the three of us. We'd built a little fire, make s'mores…it was one of the few skills I ever used from my brief stint in Girl Scouts."

"You were a Girl Scout."

"Briefly."

"How'd that work out?"

"Badly, in the end." Her lips curve. "But I did learn some things first."

"How to move through a forest without making a total fool of yourself, unlike me?"

"Right. I'm guessing you were never a Boy Scout." She laughs again at the look on his face. "Didn't think so. Anyway, I guess it's a little nostalgic." Her expression gets serious, turns inward a little. "I haven't gone out to watch the meteor showers since before the Gambit. I mean, I've seen them a few times, but that was more happenstance than anything else. And then I was mostly in the city and, well…"

He considers and rejects a few responses before saying merely, "Thanks for sharing it, then."

The smile he gets is a strange combination of amused, affectionate, and understanding. "Thanks for sticking it out," she says, and then: "We're here."

They step through the trees into an open space, a clearing near the top of the hill, with a lovely view of the sky. He stops for a moment as she releases his hand, actually admiring that view.

"OK, I can admit it. This is sort of nice." She doesn't respond, and he looks around, over his shoulder. "Sara?"

She's rummaging in the underbrush and seems to be muttering to herself. "I swear to god, Ray…ah ha!" She triumphantly pulls out a bag, larger than the small knapsacks with water and supplies they've carried up here, then reaches back into the hidey hole to withdraw…

"Is that champagne?"

"UmmHmm. I sweet-talked Ray into flying this up here earlier so we wouldn't have to carry it." She sets the thermal bag down, then opens the bigger one to pull out a few thick, soft blankets. "Come on, help me spread these out."

"Why, Sara, why do I get the impression you're planning to 'make it up to me' sooner rather than later?"

"Probably because I am." The look she gives him is downright sultry, and he catches himself running a few fingers under his collar. "I think it's time to make some new memories. You?"

"I'm trying to decide if it's worth getting mosquito bites in really unfortunate places." But, smirking, he does as she asks.

"I have some citronella candles. And I'll definitely make it worth your while."

"This is really sort of interesting," he muses later, stretched out with her as they recline in the nest of blankets. Practicality has required they pull on some, at least, of their clothing, but she's sort of lying back with her head on her chest, and his arms are around her, and he is…content.

It's full dark now, and the meteor showers are in full force. He's counted at least 50 in the last little bit, the night is clear and warm, and the whole thing actually has been fascinating.

"Thank you," he murmurs.

"Hmm?" She tilts her head back a little. "Ah. I just…figured you'd never gotten to do anything like this before. I'm sorry about the hike…"

"…inflicting dangerous forest beasts on me…"

She laughs. "…but I wanted to show it to you. Make a few new memories. Get away from the Waverider a little. See what it's like to be Sara and Len for a bit, instead of White Canary and Captain Cold."

They lie in silence for a few minutes, counting a few more meteors.

"And what did you think?" he asks her, lifting a hand to run it slowly through her hair.

"Mmm." She moves her head a little to drop a kiss along his collarbone. "I like it. And you?"

"Yeah. Me too."