Archive of Our Own

"Everything okay?" Ivan whispered and squeezed his knee with the hand that had been laying there since they sat down on the backseat of Mario's car. Lovro sent him a genuine smile and nodded.

He didn't exactly enjoy being in a tiny space with so many people, but his body being pressed up against Ivan's made up for it. Mario had suggested for Ivan to sit in the passenger seat since he was by far the tallest of them, but he had insisted to sit next to Lovro. Simply because he was the most attentive person, and Lovro was the luckiest guy in the world. 

Next to Ivan sat Jakov, and Tina was currently checking her makeup in the rearview mirror. "If you lovebirds sit together then my girl will sit next to me, too!" Mario had announced, and his hand was now laying so high up her thigh that Lovro had to look away instantly.  

He didn't even notice his nose scrunching up in disgust until he saw Ivan looking at him with that fond look on his face. Apparently, his boyfriend was still pretty obsessed with his facial expressions. A year ago, he wouldn't even have let himself dream of a handsome guy like Ivan looking his way. Sometimes he still had a hard time believing that this was his life now – little awkward Lovro got to be loved by the most handsome boy he's ever seen. 

"Oh shit!" Mario suddenly cursed fittingly to the song that was still blasting. 

Lovro looked up and immediately saw the blue lights and signaling disc. He swallowed hard. Of course a car full of teenagers (one of them with pink hair, he knew it would backfire eventually) and loud music would be pulled over. 

-

One of the most appreciated skills of Ivan by his friends was his ability to always charm his way out of unpleasant situations. On the other hand, Lovro's least favorite thing to watch was Ivan charming his way out of anything because he wants to be the only person ever that gets to be charmed by the tall man with warm brown eyes and the prettiest dimples, thank you very much. 

In this particular case, he would actually prefer Mario and Jakov to go to jail for the stash they had somewhere hidden in that car than for Ivan to step forward and take care of it. (They would probably just pay a lot of money and go on with their lives anyway.) 

But the moment they all got out of the car, he spotted the young woman in uniform and, with a pit in his stomach, realized what was about to happen. 

"Good evening, officer –" Ivan leaned down a bit to read the police ID she was currently holding up. "Ribarić. Sorry you have to bother with us." 

His voice was dripping with honey and the woman was blushing already, probably just because of his stupid face and height and disarming smile. Lovro wanted to scream. Having a handsome boyfriend really was a burden sometimes. It didn't help that they were never acting like an actual couple in front of strangers – Ivan acting single as a pringle was a new low, though. 

The other cop was currently checking Mario's driver's license and apparently needed to check something about the headlights. Great. Lovro just wanted this shit show to be over.

"How was your night up till now? I bet you can tell the funniest stories," Ivan was smirking in a way that made Lovro's stomach twist painfully. The corner of the woman's mouth started twitching, like she was trying her best not to smile. She was absolutely charmed, it was fucking unprofessional and she knew it.

"Are you always talking so much?" She asked and probably wanted it to come out dismissive, but instead it sounded a terribly lot like flirting. Ivan did what Ivan does and didn't break the eye contact for a second. To prevent himself from exploding on the spot, Lovro helplessly looked around to his friends. But Mario and Tina were still busy checking the car with the other one, while Jakov was trying his best not to laugh at the scene. Very fucking funny. Fuck him and fuck everyone else, too. 

"Thought it would be better than awkward silence," Ivan eventually answered and his gaze got even more intense. 

"Then just tell me where you're headed to," she asked, still visibly trying to suppress a smile.

"We're going to a friend's housewarming party," Ivan answered truthfully and changed back to his winsome smile.

"Okay, just show me your IDs and I will need a phone number," she said and got a clipboard out of her car.

"Just mine?" Ivan crooked an eyebrow and the smuggest grin spread across his face. Lovro had seen enough of this. He knew even his ears were burning red with how angry he was. He was clearing his throat so loudly that Jakov was kicking his shin lightly. 

"Just as a reference," she said, her face was just as red as Lovro felt (but for totally different reasons) and she was handing the clipboard over to Ivan. 

-

"Oh, looks like officer Ribarić actually texted me!" Ivan showed his phone around with a bewildered grin on his face. They were driving again, after the cops had let them go fairly quickly. Everyone was celebrating, while Lovro kept pouting.

"Wow, dude, that is actually really fucked up, we should report her," Jakov said with a serious frown on his face. A-ha, so now it was a problem for him, too? Earlier it had seemed like he just found it really fucking funny. Lovro was snorting and shaking his head slightly.

"Buraz, are you insane? This could be so handy for us if we have an actual cop on our side! Tomos, you should go on a fake date with her just to set this up!" Mario's voice was vibrating with excitement. 

"What the fuck is wrong with you, are you nuts or what? Stupid pothead!" To say Lovro was fuming would be the understatement of the century. If it wouldn't get them in a car accident and probably kill them all, he would have slapped Mario straight in the face. Violence sure as hell wasn't the answer, but he had enough of everything tonight.

Lovro felt so frustrated, he started digging his nails so deep into his own hand until they left little marks there. His blood was boiling. He couldn't even tell what was worse; Mario's fucking selfish nonsense or Ivan's audacity to give that woman his actual real phone number. The latter was reaching out his hand to touch him at that moment, but Lovro slapped it away with his own. 

He usually was never this harsh with Ivan, but right now he was too fed up with him and his little games. It felt like he actually didn't give a shit about Lovro's feelings. 

"Why the fuck would you give her your actual number?" Lovro hissed, but still couldn't bring himself to look into Ivan's eyes. He knew he would do something stupid and probably start crying in front of everyone and ruin his reputation as the cold boy.

"Man, I know it's none of my business, but it's pretty obvious that Ivan was just playing to save our asses, don't be a wuss about it now!" Mario was really trying his luck tonight.

"You are right. This is none of your business, leave him alone!" Tina's voice was calm but firm, then she leaned forward to start the music again. Lovro took a deep breath and wanted to give her a hug. Instead, he was leaning his face onto the cool window again, trying to get as much distance between his body and Ivan's as possible.

Ivan just stayed silent. He probably knew it was for the better to wait until they were alone.

-

"Why do you always have to be everybody's darling? Don't you care what you are doing to me? Just so Mario and Jakov can keep their stupid weed." 

Once the other three disappeared into the building and they were left alone, the words just gushed out of Lovro. As expected, there were tears prickling in his eyes, but he was still able to hold them back.

"Do you seriously think that was the reason?" Ivan was dead serious now, looking at Lovro like he just lost his mind. "You were so focused on the girl you didn't even realize the other one was about to –" He looked like he had to contain himself - his fingers were already trembling. 

"Of course he was about to pat the pink-haired boy down. Lovro, I couldn't let that happen, so I needed a distraction." Ivan's face still looked so twisted, like something was physically hurting him.

"What?" Lovro's jaw literally dropped, his anger was already ebbing away. Ivan took a step closer to him.

"I wouldn't have survived his hands on your thighs or in your back pockets without committing the crime of murdering a cop." To emphasize his point, Ivan was looking around, and after spotting no one around them, got his own hands into said back pockets to pull him in closer. 

Then it finally hit him like a brick. Ivan had also been jealous. Whenever that happened, he wouldn't be as obvious as Lovro at first – no pouting or snapping – Ivan was more solution-focused and protected his territory like a predatory animal. Even Lovro got scared before when he got too lost in it. This time it had been even more subtle, because he was using someone else to get the man to leave.

"So it was better for me to witness you make a move on a cop?" Lovro looked up at him now, a teasing smile on his face. It really wasn't possible to stay mad at Ivan when he was this close.

"Lovro, when will you ever get that I couldn't give a flying fuck about anyone else when you are standing right there with that face of yours." Ivan was rolling his eyes in the most affectionate way and placed a kiss on his nose. Lovro wasn't done with his revenge, though.

"Oh, but what if they actually suspected me hiding drugs? Don't they make you cough while looking at your bare –" He couldn't even finish what he was about to say.

Ivan's facial color was going from pale to bright red. 

"Lovro, you need to shut that pretty mouth or I will never let you leave the house again!" He was pulling him in even tighter now, his arms wrapped around his shoulders. Lovro's smile was so big, it started to actually hurt his jaw. He would never get enough of the feeling of being so loved by the person he loved just as much. They both wouldn't want to share a centimeter of the other.

"Me now, like I am the one giving away my number to random police officers?!" He wouldn't let that go for weeks and Ivan was probably already aware of it.

"I really thought she needed it for the protocol," Ivan complained, but Lovro was having none of it. Even his beautiful face being all sulky couldn't help him now. 

"Only yours? You are seriously too gullible for your own good, I should never let you leave the house again," he said and pinched Ivan's nose with his fingers.

Ivan seemed to be done with this conversation, so he leaned down to close his mouth with his own. It was short and soft and Lovro couldn't wait to get more later. Always later. He sighed.

"Can you block her now, please?" Lovro looked up at Ivan with his big blue eyes, batting his eyelashes. He knew exactly what he was doing.

"Already done, gorgeous."