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Sara walked onto the bridge and noticed a small dark object lying on the floor. As she walked closer and identified it, a slow grin broke onto her face. A Time Courier. Oh Gary, you idiot, she thought. He had apparently managed to not only drop his Time Courier during a visit that morning, but also not even notice it was missing when he and Agent Sharpe returned to the Time Bureau. Oh, this was priceless. She could not wait to see the look on Pantsuit’s face when she saw a Legend stroll in holding a piece of critical Bureau tech. She did feel a little sorry for Gary, and the consequences coming his way, but...well, don’t lose your Time Courier, Gary.
At that point, it crossed her mind that she should just hold onto it, as it might be useful for the team. But, combined with the irritating thought that it would be unethical rattling around her brain, she also couldn’t miss this opportunity to bother Ava a little bit. Or a lot bit. Agent Sharpe had to have everything by the book, and under her control, and now one of her underlings was responsible for a lost Time Courier? Sara snickered. It was just too good. And if she also happened to be excited to have an excuse to see Ava again, well, that’s why they called it killing two birds with one stone.
She decided she would arrive right in the middle of Ava’s office, knowing that would really irritate her. Again, her conscience supplied that this was not the nicest idea, but she shoved it aside this time. After all, she didn’t mean any harm, she just liked to get a rise out of the agent. And she was returning a piece of valuable equipment! Surely Agent Sharpe wouldn’t hold her point of entry against her. She grinned again, thinking of that tightly coiled personality with her tightly coiled bun being faced with a curveball.
She strode forward, opening the portal, and breezed into Agent Sharpe’s office. It was dark. Why was it so dark? All the shades were drawn, and only a desk lamp was on. Weird. She was just cursing at the fact that Ava didn’t appear to be there, when a door on one side of the office opened and Ava walked out. In a towel.
Sara’s look of confusion turned to embarrassed shock, as she just stared. What was happening?? Clearly, her brain supplied, Ava has a bathroom in her office and has just taken a shower. Thank you, she thought, irritated. At that moment, Ava looked up and saw her, gasping.
“Sara! Uh, Ms. Lance! What on earth—” Ava was completely flustered, “ You scared the—why are you in my office? This is highly...you shouldn’t—why are you here?” Ava’s suits and bun weren’t just for fashion or the dress code. They helped her feel confident, in control. Standing here, in just a towel was completely vulnerable. And she did.not.like.it.
“I—I—I,” Sara stammered, trying not to stare but also of course staring because she was looking right at her and her wet hair was flowing over her bare shoulders in waves and she was clutching a towel to her chest. Sara was so mortified, not only for herself but also because she could feel Ava’s discomfort. “I’m sorry,” she said, backing up slightly and holding her hands out in front of her, before finally deciding that turning around was the best choice.
Now, without Ava in her line of sight, Sara found that some of her typical bravado returned, or, well, at least she could pretend it had. She had a reputation to uphold, after all. “I had some important business to discuss with you. I did not expect to find you in a towel...at your place of work,” she said with a smirk.
Ava was taking deep breaths to stave off a panic attack. This woman. My god, she was so infuriating. And magnetic...and okay, strong and smart and beautiful. And fully dressed while she, a Time Bureau agent operating in her official capacity, was in a TOWEL. This could not stand.
“How did you even get in here?? The door is locked. Did you pick my lock?!” The gall of this woman. She didn’t know you had a bathroom in here, and certainly not that you would be getting out of the shower just now, said a little voice in the back of her head, which she promptly told to shut up. “You know what? Never mind. Just—just stay right there.” Ava was still a little too borderline hysterical to say she had regained some of her authority, but she was at least still able to give directions. She grabbed clothes off the back of her couch, and retreated into the bathroom. As the door closed, both women let out a breath.
Sara turned back around and sank into a chair, placing her hand to her forehead. This was a lot to process. It wasn’t turning out to be as fun as she’d expected. She enjoyed getting a rise out of the other woman, but not causing her actual distress. Well, she couldn’t do anything about it now, except, she guessed, go back in time ten minutes and stop herself? That seemed like a lot of trouble to go to in order to avoid just apologizing and having a grown-up conversation.
The door creaked slightly as it opened and Ava walked out. She was dressed in her usual full suit, returned to power. Except, her hair was still down. Holy hell, she was gorgeous. Well, she was always gorgeous, but with her hair out of that bun she looked...just more herself? Sara wasn’t exactly sure what the difference was, but she liked it. What she did not like, was the combination of fury and hurt on Ava’s face.
Sara stood up and took a step toward her, stopping before coming anywhere close to her personal space. She held both hands up in front of her in a placating gesture, and said softly.
“Look, Ava, before you start yelling at me---”
Ava scoffed, her anger not reduced even slightly, “Ms. Lance, it is entirely inappropriate for you to come into my office unannounced. It is most certainly inappropriate for you to break into my office, under any circumstances! I don’t know why you think the rules don’t app—”
“Hey! I did not break into your office! Instead of throwing around accusations, maybe you should ASK what happened!” Sara yelled, before yanking the Time Courier out of her pocket and waving it at Ava.
“Where did you get that?” Ava realized she was practically shrieking, so she took a deep breath and reminded herself of the decorum required by her position. Somehow Sara Lance always managed to make her want to toss it aside. She continued in a much steadier tone, “You stole a Time Courier, again. Give it to me.”
“I did not steal it. There you go again,” Sara exclaimed, throwing her hands up, “making accusations with no evidence. That’s a bit concerning for a Federal Agent, no?” For all her intention of acting like a mature adult, it felt good to get that little dig in.
Ava felt as if the rage was going to burst out of her body and through the roof. “The evidence, is you. In my office. With government property. You invaded MY privacy and found me in a very vulnerable...position, outfit, whatever,” she was getting flustered again just thinking about Sara seeing her like that. She pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed before continuing in a resigned tone. “You wanted to burst in here, and mock me, by showing that once again, your team was able to pull one over on us.”
Well shit, now she just felt bad. Ava’s tone had sounded...hurt. There was nothing else to describe it, and Sara realized...she was a jerk. And also that Ava was basically correct, except for the part about the theft. As the agent sat down, placing her elbows on her knees, and her hands in her hair, she looked small, like she was trying to disappear into the chair. Sara thought more about what she’d just said, and how much Ava liked to present herself as ever in control. But of course, she was a person, with insecurities, and ways she protected herself against those insecurities. Sara knew what it was like to feel like you have to present a strong front, and how hard it was when someone saw you vulnerable, especially if you weren’t ready to be.
She felt a rush of affection, along with her guilt, for the woman in front of her. She sat down across from Ava, and looked at her.
“Ava...I,” she cleared her throat, wondering how what was supposed to just be a fun prank turned into this...whatever this emotional thing was. “I am really sorry.
Ava glanced up, then pulled herself into a somewhat more upright position. She stared at Sara, waiting for her to continue.
Sara looked up at the ceiling briefly, then placed the Time Courier (‘stupid Gary!’ she thought, ‘all his fault!’ Except mostly mine.’) on the small table to her side. “I didn’t steal it, I swear.”
Ava tilted her head, with an expression that indicated at least some small about of skepticism.
Sara looked her directly in the eye. “I swear. I mean, I would tell you if I did,” she added in a playful tone. Ava rewarded this with the ghost of a smile. “I found it, on the floor of the Waverider. Shortly after you left--and”
Ava dropped her shoulders and rolled her eyes, “Gary. I swear to god I do not understand how that man...you know what, never mind, go on.”
With that comment, Sara could feel the real Ava showing through even more. The one she’d been seeing glimpses of over the last few times they’d interacted. The one she really liked. Sara gave her a smile, and continued, “And, well, you were right. You were right. I wanted to come in here and get you all riled up about having the Courier. ‘Cause I’m a jerk.”
Ava shook her head back and forth as if she was considering this last statement, before giving Sara a smile. “You’re not a jerk. You’re...um...”
“Do you need me to provide you with a list of adjectives you’ve used in the past?” Sara asked, half teasing, half showing some of her own self doubt when it came to Ava’s opinion of her.
“Please no,” Ava said, holding up her hand. She really had given Sara and the Legends a hard time. It was just... “You make me nervous, Sara. You’re unpredictable. I never know what exactly you might do, I can’t anticipate you. No matter how many possible scenarios I run through my head, you find a way to do something entirely different. You throw me off...but I admire it.”
What? Ava admired her? How was that possible? “But I’m a screw-up,” she blurted out, before she could stop herself.
“You’re not a screwup.”
“Uhh, I think I am, and you don’t know my whole life story—“ Sara paused as Ava shifted in a way that appeared to indicate that wasn’t true. She had a moment of confusion before putting it together. “You’ve read my file” she said, nodding her head, “Of course you have. Well great, so you know about my endless screwups and...worse.”
“I read it when I started, before I met you,” Ava explained a little sheepishly. “But you’re not a screwup Sara. And you’re not...worse. You’re a...a survivor. You figure out what needs to be done and you do it. I’m sorry if I’ve made you feel that I think otherwise.” Ava paused, “Wait, why am I apologizing to you when you are the one who busted in here and caught me in my towel?”
Sara laughed, “I’ve already apologized for that! Or, well, maybe not for that exactly. How could I have known you’d be in a towel in the middle of the day? I didn’t even know you had a bathroom in here!”
“I went to work out during my lunch hour, and, yes, now you know, I have a bathroom in here, for when I work all night, or train, or, whatever,” she trailed off.
“Okay, well that makes sense. I really am sorry. It’s certainly not how I imagined seeing you half naked for the first ti—” Her brain caught up with her mouth a few seconds too late. She pressed her lips together and looked up at Ava’s raised eyebrow.
“I’m sorry, what was that?” She asked, caught between amusement and shock. Did Sara just indicate that she had imagined possible scenarios in which she would be in a state of undress? Or partial undress? Ava attempted to think of a scenario where it would be logical for Sara to imagine that, if she were not, on some level, attracted to Ava. She determined there was no reason for her to platonically imagine when she would see her half naked. She directed an expectant look at Sara.
Sara cleared her throat, again, as she felt the blush spreading across her face. “I...I, um...no, nothing, that was just—inappropriate. I’m sorry, it slipped out.” Damn it Lance, are you a highly skilled time traveling superhero or a teenage girl with her first crush?
A full smile spread across Ava’s face, and she appeared to suppress a chuckle. “Is the always calm, cool, and collected smartass Sara Lance actually flustered right now?” Sara opened her mouth to speak, but when no sound immediately came out, Ava continued, waving her hand as if to cast Sara’s concern aside, “No, I’m sorry I’m teasing you. I’m not—I wasn’t offended. Although it does invite additional questions...”
Sara didn’t think she had much dignity left to lose at this point, and decided she might as well elaborate. Well, not elaborate on that comment specifically, she thought, blushing even more thoroughly, but on why it might have entered her mind in the first place.
“Well, Ava,” she spread her hands out in the air in front of her, as if the words would magically drop into them, “It’s, you know, you are an accomplished, strong, smart woman who is a top agent at a demanding government agency, you run missions, you have I don’t even know how many people under your supervision, you’re loyal to a fault, and, you can almost hold your own in hand to hand combat with me. All—”
“Almost?”
“You asked for a break in the middle of the fight,” Sara replied drily.
“Yeah well, I was worried for your stamina,” Ava deadpanned. “Anyway, sorry to interrupt.”
“Hmmm, what was I saying again?” Sara feigned forgetfulness as she tapped her finger on her chin, feeling her confidence return. She decided to just go for it. “Oh right, you don’t take any shit, but you play fair, and it’s all very attractive. Just so you know.” That confidence is fickle, she thought, as her heart seemed to lodge itself in her throat.
Ava’s heart, meanwhile, was having trouble continuing to beat normally. This amazing badass woman in front of her found her attractive? She stared at her for a moment, then got up and moved so she was sitting on the small table next to Sara (and next to the Time Courier that started all this).
“So what now?” She asked, very much in Sara’s personal space.
“You tell me, Agent Sharpe,” Sara said, smiling as she leaned closer, “After all, I don’t want to lead you astray during work hours.”
Ava paused for a moment, “Well, it’s still technically my lunch hour, so I think we’re good.”
Sara laughed, shaking her head, but stopped abruptly as she felt Ava’s hand on her cheek. “Is this okay?” she asked, as she moved slowly closer.
“Mm, yup,” Sara replied.
“You are something else, Sara Lance,” Ava whispered, as she closed the space between them, and gently kissed Sara’s lips. It was slow and sensual, with the promise of all the passion that had defined their relationship tapping at the edges. Sara reached up to thread her fingers through Ava’s hair, letting out an involuntary moan at the feeling. The embrace ended with a series of small and soft kisses, as if they couldn’t bear for the closeness to be over. When they finally fully broke apart after several moments, Sara heard Ava mutter “wow” under her breath, before looking Sara in the eye.
“Sara, I’d like to officially ask you on a date.” Ugh, that sounded formal! she thought, “I mean, will you go out with me? To dinner? Or drinks? Or—” Sara smiled at Ava’s adorable awkwardness, and stopped her by placing a finger on her lips.
“Absolutely.”