Cliff Marlow x Luca Haas Getting Together Thoughts
1. Centaurs and Bears go out after games and eventually end up at a Caribbean nightclub. Cue to Cliff and Ilya being waist warriors (yes absolutely inspired by jewel's tictok ). Luca doesn't know what happened but suddenly Marlow is multiple drinks deep and is wining against Luca.
2. Luca might blush easy but he isn't embarrassed. He always reciprocates Cliff's strange flirty behavior because he thinks the older man is super hot. Luca absolutely would, if Cliff offered but Cliff just fucks off into the sunset after each successful "flirty" interaction.
3. Cliff is bisexual in theory but the theory is barely fleshed out and has very little supporting evidence since the ladies ate Cliff up at every club or bar he stepped into. Cliff is bisexual in the same way Hayden is - a sus vibe that has Roz giving him a side eye from time to time.
4. Cliff flirts the way that he does with Luca because he is actually very much out of his depth on how to proposition the guy (or any guy really). Cliff just hopes Luca will take the step himself or tell him to fuck off. Neither of those things happen and so Cliff is just happy to keep indulging (and holy shit was indulging fun...especially in that Caribbean club).
5. Luca decides to throw caution to the wind after getting his personal record of points during a road trip. If Cliff freaks out, Roz will have his back somewhat. (Luca knows that Roz knows that Cliff gets a bit weird because of multiple cryptic consent conversations that have been brought up on the bus. Roz knows Luca is fine but it might just be a way for Roz to give Luca a chance to air out his grievances if he had any) So...Luca corners Cliff at the bar and point blank asks the guy if he wanted to take Luca home.
6. Cliff is too nonchalant to have any sort of sexuality crisis the morning after - he has made peace with himself a long time ago. "It is what it is" type shit. What he does have trouble with is Ilya calling his cell and telling him that the team flight got pushed to later so Cliff has plenty of time to show Luca the benefits of an in-home sauna. (Ilya has been on a mission of in-home sauna propaganda since he joined the Raiders...it worked on Cliff and now it seems Luca is the next target).
7. Luca gave Cliff his number for the next time Cliff is in Ottawa. It's a clear roster situation...except that Cliff asks Luca out to Dinner after the game (yes they are tired but lets pretend). They have dinner. Cliff stares at Luca the whole time with sparkles in his eyes and asks him about his home and his hobbies and his favorite things.
8. Luca thinks Marlow likes him and he is pretty sure Cliff has been taking him on dates. Twitter thinks they have been going on dates (based on all of the fan photos that leaked). Drama youtube thinks they have been going on dates. Luca's mom is convinced he is hiding a boyfriend. Roz thinks its hilarious and declines to comment. Luca is too scared to ask because he is enjoying the thing that's between them. Its low stakes where he isn't worried about his schedule getting in the way of a relationship...but it is also just involved enough that it makes him feel warm on the inside.
9. Marlow meanwhile spirals because he is waiting for Luca to draw the boundary...even if that is the last thing Cliff wants.
10. Cliff is the one to take the leap. He is 34 and at this point he feels like things with Luca can work out long term. If Luca and him are not one the same page then it is nothing to get upset over - its life and Cliff can just kick himself for being an idiot for a few months and move on...maybe. Cliff calls Luca and asks him if he wants to come with him to his family Thanksgiving...as his boyfriend. Luca immediately starts to ask logistics questions and making plans...before he hangs up he says "and also yes I will absolutely be your boyfriend Cliff."