Chapter Text
Raven had no intention of hooking up at the Olympics. She knew it happened, although by all accounts the summer season was worse, but that wasn’t why she was at the Games. She was here to snowboard and win gold in the Slopestyle. That was it.
But then she met Roan, the Canadian snowboarder, favourite to take home his own gold medal.
Raven was blaming Bellamy and Clarke, because she blamed Bellamy for most things but this time it was technically Clarke’s fault.
Raven and Bellamy were friends, had been for years. Ever since his sister decided she preferred boarding to ice dancing and had quit as his partner. He attempted to blame Raven, which lasted about five minutes before he realised she’d actually make a good ally for Octavia and he dropped the attitude.
Of course that meant Raven had a ringside seat to his partner saga, and honestly she’d wondered if he’d ever get to the Olympics but then he met Clarke and not only was he here, they were definitely going to take home gold.
He was definitely going to take home Clarke too, she had a bet with Miller on it. And Raven didn’t make bets she would lose.
Raven didn’t lose.
But as happy as she was for them, and she was, it meant Clarke was around. A lot.
Clarke was ice royalty. Her mother, Abby Griffin still held the world record for individual ice dancing. She famously lost out on the Olympic gold to Nia Azgeda and their rivalry was the stuff of legends. These days Abby and Nia were co-commentators and friends, which meant that Clarke knew Nia’s son, Roan.
Raven was in the stands ready to watch Bellamy and Clarke’s first dance when Roan sat down next to her. She knew who he was of course, she saw his half-pipe at the X Games, knows he is the favourite to win here. And yes, he’s attractive in an overgrown man-bun kind of way. If that’s your thing.
“You missed the Canadian duo.” Raven says barely glancing at him.
“That was intentional, they suck.” He smirks.
Raven raises her brow at him and turns back to the ice, waiting.
“Twenty bucks he kisses her.” Miller mutters on her left.
“Nah, this is Blake. He has zero game. It won’t be until it’s all over for sure.” Raven replies.
“Hey man, great game earlier.” Roan says, over Raven, to Miller.
“Thanks.” Miller nods. “The Swedes put up a fight but we got them.”
“And yourself by the looks of it.” Roan says nodding to Miller’s black eye.
“Ice hockey.” Miller shrugs.
“When you’re done talking over me. They’re starting.” Raven huffs motioning to the ice.
Clarke and Bellamy finish their routine to rapturous applause and Raven and Miller are standing and whooping with the rest of the crowd.
Roan is standing too but just clapping, the Canadians are still technically in this after all.
“You’re telling me they aren’t hooking up.” He says leaning in to Raven.
She thinks he smells like ice, which is stupid and girly, two things she prides herself on not being, so she just ignores him.
“Nope.” Miller grins.
“What’s the pot on that bet.” Roan smirks.
And that’s how it starts.
The men’s first heat is before the women’s and she’s just finished training so figures it makes sense to stop by. Snowboarding is a small community after all. Echo her main competition for the gold is there watching. They’re friendly enough, as friendly as you can be when you’ve worked your whole life for the exact same thing.
“Wasn’t expecting to see you. Your lot aren’t even in this are they?” Echo says in lieu of hello.
“No. They’re up tomorrow, but I just finished training and I’ve heard some whispers about the wind conditions so thought I’d check it out for myself.”
Echo nods. They watch in the competitors together, adding in a few comments when someone does something particularly good, or bad.
“The British guy, Lincoln. He’s got to be the one to beat.” Raven says.
After watching Lincoln execute a particularly impressive run.
“Just wait.” Echo smirks.
Roan is up next and, as predicted, absolutely nails his run, executing a 1440 so smooth that even Raven, who knows how hard it is, thinks he makes it look easy. He goes straight to the top of the scoreboard.
He slides over to them when he’s finished.
“What was the wind like?” Echo asks.
“Yeah it was good wasn’t it. Yeah, I agree I couldn’t been cleaner off the rail.” He drawls.
“Oh fuck you, you know it was great.” Echo laughs.
“Raven.” He nods, “didn’t expect to see you. Jaha and your boys aren’t up until tomorrow are they?”
“I was curious… about the conditions. Is it as bad as everyone is saying?”
“Each day is going to be different I reckon. If the wind catches wrong it’s pretty rough.”
Raven nods, “doesn’t look like you had any problems.”
He smirks, “luck of the drop, right?”
Raven rolls her eyes and walks off. She is not going to be attracted to a snowboarder with a man bun, she’s better than that.
She is not better than that.
It also doesn’t help that he’s everywhere she is.
When she nails her first run, coming second on the leader board behind bloody Anya, the Australian that no one thought had a chance. He’s there at the end telling her how great she was and that she also deserved to behind Anya, because she was better. Which is problematic because just blowing smoke up her ass, she could ignore but telling her she was good but could be great without being patronising, is basically catnip to Raven.
He’s at the gym when she’s training with Wells.
“Jaha. Raven.” He nods.
Raven is partway through her run so just keeps going, nodding at him. But he stands next to Wells at the freeweights and they chat as they lift. And if Raven’s eyes keep glancing over to Roan’s incredibly impressive arms it’s just because she’s making sure he’s not being a dick to Wells, who is too nice for his own good. It’s definitely nothing else.
By the time he sits next to her in the stands later in the week Raven has a full blown crush, which she is mad about because she doesn’t get crushes and even if she did, does not need one at the goddamn Olympics.
Again, she’s blaming Bellamy and Clarke – who thanks to their steamy routines and obvious sexual chemistry have become an internet favourite, which means interest in them is only getting bigger.
“My mom says the viewing figures for these two are off the charts.” Roan tells them.
“Yeah Monty said it’s the most played clip on the ESPN site.” Miller says.
“Oh yeah, Monty said did he.” Raven teases.
“What time’s your heat tomorrow? Raven was planning to check it out and I was going to tag along if we don’t have a clash.” Miller asks Roan, throwing a smug smirk at Raven.
She resists elbowing him, just.
“12pm.” Roan says.
“Cool, no clash. We play at four.”
“We might even be able to get the lovebirds to come down, get a few more eyes on you.” Raven teases.
“I do just fine for attention thank you.” He smirks.
Raven’s response is cut off by roar of the crowd.
“Here come the dream team.” Miller quips.
“Moulin Rouge. I am never letting Blake live this down.” Raven laughs.
“Doesn’t matter what you say, he’ll be a gold medallist by the end of this.” Roan says.
“You don’t know that.” Raven tells him, but she’s not convinced he’s wrong.
They’re all watching them, eyes not leaving the ice, there is something mesmerising about watching people at the peak of their profession.
“You forget I grew up with this. I know winning when I see it.” He says.
“I one hundred per cent know they're not fucking but watching this even I'm a little convinced they are.” Miller says.
She has to agree. This dance is basically foreplay. Even for Raven, who has seen this lift before, it’s something.
When they’ve finished, holding each other in an overly long embrace, the crowd is on its feet. Cheering and applauding.
They’re waiting for the scores when Roan turns to Raven and whispers, low: “If they get gold, you get a drink with me.”
She turns to look at him; he’s smiling lazily and looks so confident.
“No.”
His expression falters.
“If they get gold and you get gold. I’ll get a drink with you.” She grins.
“Deal.”
Bellamy and Clarke win the gold medal, of course.
The next day is Roan’s heat and Raven finds she’s actually nervous.
It’s between him and Lincoln, both of them putting in strong runs on the first two sets.
Lincoln is setting up for his final run when Clarke and Bellamy come over to Raven.
“I don’t think I’ve seen you look this nervous for anyone but yourself ever.” Bellamy teases.
“Be nice or I’ll tell the assembled press exactly what Miller and I walked in on this morning.” She shoots back, her eyes leaving the snow briefly to glare at Bellamy, who is standing a respectable ‘we’re not sleeping together’ distance away from Clarke.
She thinks her glare is effective even behind her sunglasses because Bellamy holds up his hands in a surrender gesture and Clarke elbows him.
They don’t want to announce until the Games are over, not wanting to take away attention from the remaining competitors, which in Raven’s view is stupid. She saw an actual New York Times article about their chemistry earlier.
Lincoln’s run is flawless, landing back-to-back double cork 1440s, which Raven doesn’t think she’s ever seen before.
“Roan will have to pull off the ride of his life to get gold.” Echo mutters, appearing at Raven’s side.
He does. His 1440 and double McTwist 1260 are textbook perfect and Raven knows she’ll be seeing gifs of them for the rest of all time.
He slides over to his teammates to await the score 99.4. Canada gets the gold.
“You know when I said I’d take you for a drink I had something else in mind.
They’re in the athletes’ canteen, with two glasses of water in front of them.
“You’re the one who wanted to do it today. And I have my event tomorrow. You’re cute but not worth messing up my chances cute.” Raven shrugs.
“You think I’m cute.” He smirks.
“Please, you know you are. You made Buzzfeed’s Snow Hotties list.”
He laughs, “How do you know about that? Were you googling me?”
“You wish. Blake was pissed he was third.” She smiles.
“It’s the hair. When his is slicked back for the ice he looks like a used car salesman or a real estate agent.”
Raven laughs and her insides flip at the grin on Roan’s face, like he’s happy she’s happy.
“I don’t think you’re in any position to talk about hairstyles.”
He scowls at her mock offended, which makes her laugh more.
Raven has to end the drink early she needs to rest and train one more time before tomorrow.
“If you win tomorrow, let me take you for a real date.” Roan says, standing with her.
“When I win tomorrow, you cut your hair and we’ll see about the date.” Raven counters, holding out her hand.
“Deal.” He shakes.
Raven doesn’t make bets she’ll lose.
Despite the wind conditions she nails it. There are a handful of points between her and Anya and she’s the last one up, the wind catches Anya and her last jump is flat, so she loses elevation getting her lowest score of the heat.
It is Raven’s to lose and she knows it, boarding like it’s the end of the world executing her toughest run ever including a backside 540, cab underflip and frontside 720.
She knows it was perfect when she hits the snow at the end.
She sees her teammates, sees Wells grinning next to Miller, Clarke and Bellamy all in their ridiculous team USA windbreakers. And there, standing next to Clarke is Roan in the ugliest team Canada jumper.
She slides over to everyone, taking off her helmet and goggles as she goes. Grinning wider than she ever thought possible. Team USA descend on her and hug her, all shouting and cheering.
When she frees herself, she sees him, still impossibly sexy in his ugly sweater, grinning at her. He’s technically there to cheer on Echo, who came third, but for once Raven doesn’t care. She’s just won gold at the Olympic games and she’ll damn well do what she wants.
She unclips and marches over to him.
“I owe you a date and a hair cut apparently.” He smirks.
Raven reaches up and grabs him in for a proper kiss, which he responds to thoroughly wrapping his arms around her and pulling her in.
She hears the crowd cheering as they pull apart, she knows it will be on all the blogs and papers and that she’ll be asked a thousand and one questions but she doesn’t care. Because she’s just won a gold medal, and Roan still has his arms around her and is grinning like he doesn’t have a care in the world.
He doesn’t cut his hair. But they do frame their gold medals side by side.