Y’all, next week I get a whole week off for Thanksgiving so hopefully I can get some fics written to cut down my WIP list. Though I might also use that time to take a break, idk, we’ll see. Hopefully will try to get a fic out this weekend but again, we’ll see, especially because my symptoms of my booster shot haven’t hit me yet so we’ll see if I’m fine or if I’m going to literally not get out of bed tomorrow through sunday
Aida submitted: Meghan failed Meghan’s desire to borrow from Diana’s playbook has backfired now her father has leaked intimate letter says royal biographer Andrew Morton
Plan in place, the team heads to the first round of competition.
Also on AO3
Thanks to @leonardsnartbigbang for the Beta
Execute the plan
The second morning begins much like the first. Leonard wakes to find Sara already training; they share coffee in the kitchen. Len enjoys the quiet companionship as they each prepare for the tasks at hand.
Once Mick is up and they’ve had breakfast, the three prepare for the first day of the competition. Leonard sits on the patio, scanning the historical records on the competition in hopes of minimizing any change. Away from the furniture, Sara is sparring with Mick, walking him through tricks she’d picked up over the years and scolding him for things that will get him disqualified. In a way, it reminds him of life with the Rogues (well, aside from the crappy safehouses). There’s a comradery here, three people who can exist together. Without judgment, without scorn, something Len wasn’t sure he’d ever find again outside of Lisa and Mick.
“Alright,” Sara’s voice draws his attention back up once more. “I, for one, need a shower before we do this.” She turns from Mick, giving a gentle touch to Len’s shoulder as she passes him into the living area. “You two decide on lunch!” she calls back over her shoulder.
Mick drops unceremoniously into a seat across from Leonard. “I say we pick up burgers on the way in.”
Len shrugs, adding a couple final notes to the small blueprint he’s sketched out for Sara. “Fine by me. We should have time to eat before you are in the ring.”
It’s quiet a couple minutes before his partner’s voice again breaks into his thoughts. “You aught to make a move.” Mick motions toward the door. “Blondie’s interested, know you aren’t blind about it.”
“First,” Leonard drawls, looking up from his work carefully rolling the papers. “Sara and I are…friends.” He holds up a hand to cut off Mick’s response. “Second, if I was interested, that is not pertinent to this mission.”
“Cause you’re so likely to talk to her with the ‘ole crew wandrin around.” Mick rolls his eyes, rising once more. “I’m gonna go get ready.”
Leonard watches him go, briefly wonders when Mick got quite so perceptive about the unspoken things between people around him. Len rises with a shake of his head, reminds himself that there is no unspoken thing between himself and Sara. They make a good team, that’s it.
Once they’ve all changed into street clothes, Mick and Sara having packed a bag with clothes for the event, they begin the walk to the arena. They stop at a burger joint on the way, Mick and Sara solidifying a story about how they met and a few various details, should their relationship get questioned.
It’s not until they get in sight of the building that Leonard gets to see Sara change. The warrior shifting into something entirely foreign. She tucks herself closer to Mick, the sway in her step bringing further attention to just how tight her jeans are (not that he’d noticed).
“Name.” The bouncer looks between them.
“Mike,” Mick offers a wild grin, “Heatwave.” The man nods, and Mick drops his arm to Sara’s waist, pulling her closer. “This is my girlfriend, Kara.” Sara just leans into him for emphasis, giving a little giggle that Len finds somewhat disturbing from the Assassin’s lips.
“His trainer, Leo Wynter,” Len offers, gaining another nod from the man.
“Alright, you’re clear.” He motions inside, and the three walk in.
It’s easy enough to locate the locker room, Sara and Mick both pulling out their alternate outfits before heading to change. Leonard remains behind with their stuff, looking over the other contestants that have arrived early. The competitors are all a good size, but he doubts Mick will have any issue holding his own against them.
Mick comes back first, black shorts with red and orange flames down the sides, predictable. He has a portion of his forearms taped up, hiding the worst of the burns than Leonard knows lay beneath. Sara comes out just after, footsteps heavier than her usually soundless movements. She’s still in the tight jeans, but in place of the T-shift she now wears a red crop top, her hair bouncing around her shoulders and lipstick a few shades to bright.
But the playful amusement in her eyes is familiar, and offsets some of the strangeness. “So, the girls are definitely chatty, shouldn’t be too hard to slip into the ‘in crowd’.” She makes air quotations.
“Good.” Len nods, motioning toward the ring. “I want you with us the first match, make an appearance, cheer your lover on. Then try and find our mark.” He tilts his head. “Do you have the –”
Sara pats her pocket, “Yep.” She smirks at him. “This isn’t my first undercover op, Leo.”
He nods. “Just being thorough.” He glances around. “The quicker we find the goblet turned trophy, the sooner we can get out.”
“Just don’t hurry too much,” Mick cuts in, glancing between them. “I’m looking forward to a couple good fights.”
Before either of them can reply a voice comes over the loudspeakers, “Five minutes competitors.”
“That’s our cue,” Sara grabs Mick’s arm, “Let’s get this party started.”
As it turns out, Mick doesn’t fight until the third match, so they stand off to the side watching. On the occasions Leonard pulls his attention away from the competitors, he finds Sara watching intently. It’s a familiar look, the warrior sizing up her opponent. He almost wishes that she was the one going to be in the ring, though with her training it would hardly make for a challenge.
Finally, they call Mick out; Len checks his gloves, and puts his mouthpiece in place. Once they are both in the ring, Sara pulls herself up by the top rope to press a kiss to his cheek. Only those paying close attention notice her whispering in his ear before dropping back down.
The bell rings, and Mick starts to circle the other figure. “Pointing out that his opponent favors to swing wide with his left arm?” Len glances over at her.
She nods. “Easy opening for a rib shot.” She shifts to stand slightly closer, both standing with their arms crossed as they watch. “You did remind him that the goal isn’t to kill anyone, right?”
“He knows a kill would prevent him getting another fight.” Leonard smirks. “He’s looking to forward to the competition for that.”
“At least it gives Ray’s suit a break, I think he about melted it last time,” she quips.
Mick’s opponent goes down hard, drawing their attention back to the ring. He manages to get up, and they go another round. Mick comes out on top, slipping out of the ring to join them once more. Sara grins, grabbing a towel from the stool beside her and handing it to him to wipe the blood from his lip. She and Len remove his gloves, and he pops out the mouth guard.
“Hope that’s not the best they’ve got!” There’s a wild glint in Mick’s eyes that Len hasn’t seen since they last time they were in Iron Heights together. And for a moment, he’s not sure if this mission will work in their favor, or against it.
They sit through another match, and then Sara sneaks off to try and find the artifact they were sent to retrieve. Part of him doesn’t like it; not because he doubts Sara, he doesn’t. But he’s used to being the front line of a heist, so if a problem arises he knows right away, can act without having to explain a plan.
“Girlfriend’s were a bust, so was the office.” Sara states through the coms, Leonard lifting one hand to cover his ear to block the noise around him. “I’m going to go back to the lockers, maybe another competitor brought it.”
“Keep alert,” he replies easily. “These aren’t the kind of men who like their belongings searched.”
He hears her chuckle, “Copy that, Crook.”
Mick goes back in the ring after that, and Len focuses on his friend, makes note that he’s learned several new moves. People have always accused his partner of being brute strength; they rarely credit him for the skillset he displays in hand-to-hand battle.
“Um, guys, we have a problem,” Sara hisses over the coms.
“What’s going on, Sara?” He watches Mick deliver another solid blow to his opponent’s jaw. And here he was beginning to think they might actually get through this plan smoothly.
