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You shifted from one foot to the other, a wide grin on your face as you watched Octavio take a running start for the edge of the hill up next to Epicenter, the older legend all but throwing himself onto his sled, howling with laughter all the way down.
Looking up at the towering legend beside you, you giggled a little at how annoyed Alexander looked. He hadn’t wanted to come in the first place, even the constant nagging and pleading from Elliott hadn’t budged the scientist from his steadfast wish to be excluded from the fun. It was only when you and Natalie asked for him to come along that he finally agreed.
“This is a ridiculous pastime,” Alexander muttered under his breath, arms crossed over his chest, breath misting from the cold as the legend exhaled a sigh of annoyance.
You laughed at his dark mood, hand covering a grin when he turned to look at you with a frown. “It’s just for fun!” You laughed, unable to contain yourself. You thought you saw the older legend’s lips turn upwards in the smallest smile when he realized how much you seemed to be enjoying yourself.
“Doctor Caustic!” Natalie called as she skipped over, a look of excitement on her face as she came to a stop before the two of you, cheeks a rosy red from the biting cold and excitement shining in her blue eyes. “It is your turn!” The young genius held up a sled to Caustic, the scientist all but scoffing. “I will not partake in this… activity ,” he responded, slightly dismissive.
A look of disappointment fell over Natalie’s once cheery face, the youngest legend frowning up at the scientist who was doing his best to not look at her. Everyone knew that Alexander had a soft spot for Natalie, the young woman able to get almost anything she wanted when it came to the older legend. She then turned to you with a pleading expression. “ S'il vous plaît , y/n,” she began, voice all but begging you to help her in her venture. “Tell Doctor Caustic he has to have at least one turn! It would be fun if he would try it!”
You looked up at your silent companion, Alexander returning your gaze with an unreadable expression on his face.
“Uh, maybe you should try it?” You questioned lamely, mind scrabbling for any reasoning that would convince the older legend to give into Natalie. The youngest legend could make anyone feel guilty with that sad expression of hers. “Think of it from a science perspective!” You grinned widely now, “everyone knows you have social and behavioural experiments on the side.”
Alexander looked at you for a long moment before turning to look back down at Natalie. That was a mistake.
Sighing loudly in exasperation the older legend’s shoulders slumped slightly. “Very well,” he muttered, Natalie all but squealing in her delight as she ran away towards the top of the hill, waving the sled over her head while shouting her triumph to Elliott and Ajay, the two looking extremely amused with the younger’s excitement.
Your cheeks were starting to ache from how much you were smiling, this fact alone making you grateful that you had taken Octavio up on the invitation. It was fun to unwind every once and a while with the other Apex Champions, and without any games for the next couple weeks things could get dull on the ship. You had already seen Elliott get punched in the face for trying to convince Park to get in his lap, much to the others’ amusement. Everyone had shared teasing remarks when Ajay had plopped herself down in Anita’s lap, the soldier having been sitting off to the side watching the others with some form of happiness.
So deep in your thoughts you forgot to pay attention to your surroundings, only remembering when Elliott’s hands on your shoulder jerked you back to the present. The trickster was grinning, a laugh spilling from his lips at your expression. “Watch where you’re going, y/n,” he snickered. “If it was anyone else they’d have let you run into them just for a chance to wrap their arms around you.”
Your already cold kissed cheeks reddened even more as he released you, turning away in embarrassment as a few of the other legends laughed at your expense. You cast a glance up at Caustic, the scientist standing there all but glaring at Elliott with an expression you couldn’t quit identify.
“Doctor?” Natalie questioned, hopping from one foot to the other in impatient excitement. “It’s your turn! Allons ! ”
Elliott threw an arm around your shoulders as he all but dragged you along behind Caustic, the scientist looking almost defeated as he cautiously lowered himself onto the cherry red sled, arms flailing briefly when it slid forwards unexpectedly. Natalie rescued him by grabbing the back of the sled, giggling.
“Ready Doctor Caustic?” The youngest legend questioned, Alexander pulling his legs into the sled before giving a sigh. “I am ready.” He responded, sounding almost… nervous? It was a little cute if you were being honest.
“Wait, wait, hold up!” Elliott exclaimed from where he stood with you, Caustic looking up with a dark look as the trickster shook his head. “You’re forgetting the best part!” He exclaimed, and suddenly you were shoved forwards.
Because of how unexpected it was you weren’t able to regain your balance - no thanks to Octavio who stuck out a foot to further trip you up so you fell forwards with a yelp - right into Alexander’s lap.
You stared up at him wide-eyed, the scientist tensing up while Natalie shouted something that sounded like ‘here you go!’ and suddenly the sled was racing down the hill towards Epicenter.
Your hands flew out to grab at the scientist’s jacket, his arms suddenly wrapping around you to keep you from falling from the sled as you squealed. The sled picked up speed, your hat flying off to loose your hair as you clung to the bigger legend, Alexander’s arms tightening a little as your surprise melted away and you realized just how warm it was there against his chest with his arms firmly encircling you.
“Is it going to stop?” Alexander questioned suddenly, voice low in your ear, the warmth of his breath buffeting the back of your neck causing you to shiver. Lips pressed to the skin there and you had to bite your lip to keep from making a sound.
Wind rushed past your ears as you approached the Epicenter, Caustic’s arms tightening around your waist. “It’s not going to stop,” He stated, suddenly tipping you both out of the sled which continued on before crashing into the side of the giant drill with a crash.
You lay on your back, breathing heavy as you stared up at the scientist, Alexander staring down at you, one arm wrapped around the back of your shoulders to keep you from hitting your head when you were rolled from the sled, his free hand planted in the snow by your head to keep his full weight from landing atop you.
Even this close to him you could feel his warmth, you stayed like that for a moment that most might describe as too long, but if you stayed like that for the rest of your life you wouldn’t complain. Butterflies fluttered in your core, your heart skipping a beat as the older legend leaned closer. He paused, lips barely touching your own as he hesitated, uncertainty filling his eyes as he searched yours for permission.
“Please,” you all but whispered against his lips, the scientist’s lips covering your own in a kiss, your eyes falling shut as you relaxed beneath him. The kiss was sweet - sweeter than you ever thought it’d be with him - but held a sort of passion and desperation that had your heart fluttering excitedly in your chest. His lips were warm, his beard tickling your skin as you tilted your head to deepen it, Alexander humming deeply in approval, the sound causing you to shudder. Fuck. How long had you wanted to do this? You wondered distantly as he broke off the kiss. Since the beginning.
Alexander pushed himself up to his feet before extending a hand to help you back up. The other legends were gathered at the top of the hill shouting down at you, the realization that everyone else had witnessed the kiss causing your face to warm in slight embarrassment even as the scientist moved to retrieve the sled before coming back over to you.
There was a moment of silence before he extended a hand to you.
“I want to go again.”