Work Text:
Claire rolled her shoulders, waiting for the countdown to begin. Laser tag had been something she’d always wanted to try, and with all immediate danger vanquished, Claire had gotten the entire gang together to play at the local arcade. On team one, was; Douxie, Jim, Mary, Eli, and Aja. Team two; Claire, Steve, Toby, Krel, and Darci.
“Five. . . four. . . three. . .two. . . one,” a robotic voice sounded through the speakers above the arena. And all hell broke loose. Teens were running from one side to the other, spitting curses as they got shot, or tripped over their feet. Claire’s eyes widened as she saw flashes of bright blue. That's something she’d forgotten to do, she was supposed to tell the others that anything the average human body couldn’t do, they couldn’t do. But it was out the window now, everything you were capable of was your advantage to have.
It surprised her a little, she almost felt bad for Mary, Eli, and Steve. Jim and Toby less so, but it all worked out anyway, each team had a wizard and an Akiridion, along with three humans who had a bit of experience in the fighting department.
Claire startled when she heard movement behind her. Whirrling around she prepared to shoot, or portal away, depending on who she came to face. She exhaled shakily after seeing only Krel. Advancing at an even pace, Claire held her blaster with one hand, and positioned the other for shadowmancy, in the case of coming across Douxie, maybe Aja, too.
She turned a corner just in time to see her human boyfriend turn another corner, with his back to her. Claire didn’t hesitate, pulling the trigger of her blaster rapidly, three times in a row. She smirked in satisfaction when Jim let out a groan of displeasure. “Watch your back, Babe!” he called out, letting her know he would be playing to the fullest extent of his abilities, after reactivating his vest.
“You know I will!”
Claire heard commotion above her, jogging up the stairs, she expected a one on one battle between Krel and Aja. Instead she got Steve and Eli, making out against a barricade. Quickly she shot Eli, ignoring the protests of the two lovers crying out, having already moved on. Claire began attempting to follow Douxie’s trail of magic, as the employee watching over their game seemed to compose themselves, shouting out, “Thirty seconds left in the game, we’re all tied up!”
She opened a shadow portal, right in Douxie’s face. Claire leaned in and kissed him, hard. She felt him relax under her touch as her hand drifted to his cheek, and she proceeded to shoot him in the stomach, ending the game.
Claire pulled away as their friends gathered around them. “You know,” Douxie started, “I’m pathetically, not even mad.”
“You’re sweet about it,” she kissed his cheek, “Jim said he’d get me back, which, to clarify, by the way, he didn’t.”
“Stop with the mushiness already, we see it all the time!” Steve said jokingly.
“You say that as if you weren’t just making out with Eli in the middle of a laser tag match.” Jim stated.
“Look at you, defending you boyfriend and girlfriend’s honor.” Claire said with mock praise, slinging an arm around Jim’s waist.
“Me, Eli, and Krel are gonna head out, we’ve gotta pick up Seamus for our double date.”
“It’s ‘Eli, Krel, and I.’” Eli corrected as they walked away.
“Shut up, Buttsnack,” could be heard even from forty feet away.
“Darci, Toby, Mary, and Myself are going to play some games of the arcade! Would you like to join us?” Aja asked excitedly.
“Arcade games.” Toby whispered to Aja, who nodded, forming an ‘O’ shape with her mouth.
Claire looked to her boyfriends with a wink, “I think we’re just going to head home; you guys have fun though!”
“Alright, catch you later, Jimbo, Claire, Hisirdoux!”
Douxie shook his head, sighing, “I hate my name, so, very much.”
“You’re not allowed to!” Jim crowed, tapping Douxie’s nose.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Miss Lake appears to still be at work. Would you like to finish the make-out session we started earlier?” Douxie asked unabashedly.
“Of course, we would.” Jim confirmed, holding Claire’s hand as he pressed his lips to Douxie’s. She watched as Jim felt his back touch the wall, breaking the kiss and his hold on Claire’s hand, he flipped their positions. Grinning slightly into the kiss, Douxie wrapped his arms around Jim’s waist, obviously feeling the hands on his shoulders. Claire then, tilted Jim's head towards hers and captured his lips in a soft, meaningful kiss.
Interrupted all too soon, when the garage door opened. Frantic to pull away and escape the somewhat mortifying position, all three teens ended up in a tangled mess of limbs on the floor.
Barbara opened the door with a confused glance around the house, “Jim, Honey? Is that you?”
“Uhh, yeah.”
“Where are- Are you on the floor?”
“Uhh, yeah.”
“Are Claire and Douxie with you?” she asked all too knowingly.
“Mrs. Lake.” Douxie greeted.
“Hey, Mrs. L.” Claire said.
“Hi, mom.”
“You kids are too cute, be safe. Okay?”
“Mom!” Jim exclaimed, mortified, pulling himself onto the couch. Watching Douxie and Claire wheeze below him.
Barbara went up to her room to change out of her scrubs, kissing thier foreheads on the way. Claire and Douxie settled in on Jim’s left and right side. Claire with the remote and Douxie with a blanket. “What do you guys want to watch? Something scary, something goofy, cartoony? Crime shows?” Claire threw out.
“I think we’ve had enough of the scary shit, honestly.” Jim shrugged, as Claire smacked his arm for the use of a cuss word.
“Are there even any good cartoons out there anymore? It’s like they’ve all ended, it’s sad really.” Claire frowned.
“You’re both going to hate me, but what if we watched, ‘The Hustle’?”
“Oh my gosh! Doux, you sap!” Claire grabbed his hand over Jim’s lap. “But we totally should!”
“Sounds like you’ve decided. Do you want me to go get the DVD?” Jim offered. Claire nodded helpfully from his shoulder.
While Douxie, on the other hand, pushed him off of the couch playfully, saying, “Yes, yes we do. Also, Archie says he misses me, can he watch with us?”
“Yeah, ‘course, just,” Jim paused, as if considering his words, “He’s not even here and he can't use a phone, how do you know he misses you?”
“A telepathic link. How else?”
“Damn, okay.” Claire smiled as Jim walked to the DVD player, grumbling about stupidly cool wizards.
The door creaked lightly as Archie, in cat form, pushed it open. “Meow.”
“Come here you little Fuzzbucket, the movie’s already started.”
“I know.” Archie practically purred, curling into Douxie’s side.
Claire hummed in contentment, her boys were right beside her, and she couldn’t think of a single place she’d rather be.