This is kind of an old post from hazel but would you write this?? I love your writing!!!
https://www.tumblr.com/lumosinlove/686264769765867520/you-could-punch-me-in-the-face-and-i-would-still?source=share
Going to be honest, this is out of order of when asks were sent, BUT I don't necessarily write them in order, and this is the one I feel I have the most ready! The others asked before this are coming, don't worry. They're in the process of being written/edited. :)
Honestly, I LOVE the non-SW/Vaincre AU's you guys ask for, it's so fun to have a different kind of creative freedom with the Cubs! It's like I get to write a bit of my own story, to an extent! You can also find others, such as the Hogwarts one (which has two parts) and the Soulmate one (which also has two parts) on my Masterlist (pinned post). So PLEASE keep sending me these, they're definitely some of my favorite prompts by far.
I hope you all are having a lovely end to your week and that you have some fun weekend plans! I know I do- lots of homework. Yippee.
Character credits to @lumosinlove <3
TW for HEAVY making out, but no explicit nefarious activities, as per!
“Fuck!”
“Well, not here.”
Logan skated hard to a stop by the Lions’ net, breathing harshly through his nose. Knut had snatched the puck out of the hair with a flash of his glove. Now, he was grinning at Logan through his mask, standing up and passing the puck to the ref. Logan narrowed his eyes. Fuck Leo Knut and his stupid reflexes, and his stupid flexible legs, and his stupidly pretty blue eyes, and his annoyingly gorgeous curls that he shook out every time he took off his helmet, and-
Logan’s brain finally caught up to what Knut had said, and he huffed. “Non.”
Knut raised his eyebrows playfully. “Non? Tu ne veux pas baiser?”
Logan sucked in a sharp breath. Fuck Leo Knut and his stupid, dirty, strange-sounding French mouth. “You-”
“Speak French, too, honey.” Knut jerked his head. “Face off.”
Logan blinked hard, and turned around to find O’Hara waiting at the dot. Finn O’Hara with his stupid brown eyes, and red hair, and gorgeous puck handling, and mischievous grin-
A whistle blew, and Logan groaned as he lost the face off, chasing after the 17 on O’Hara’s jersey.
***
Logan let out a yelp as he tripped over a stick, flying on his back right into the Lions’ goal. Leo Knut fell on him with a grunt, Logan holding up his hands to soften the impact, even if it made a minimal difference with a strong, tall body colliding with his. Really, it didn’t do much- it just had him that much more trapped under Knut’s watchful gaze.
After recovering for a moment, Knut barked out a twinkly laugh. “Gotta say, Tremblay,” he said in that strange French of his. “You don’t look that bad underneath me.”
Logan grinded his teeth against his mouthguard. “Knut,” he attempted to growl, but it really came out as a groan. “Are you alright?”
Leo’s eyes were mischievous. “Well, I’ve got a nice view, that’s for sure.”
Logan went to retort, but the moment was interrupted by a hand grabbing the back of his jersey. “Up you go, Tremblay.”
Oh God, Logan could not handle Finn O’Hara right now. “You-”
“Yeah, yeah, my bad, sorry my stick wiped the floor with you.” He winked. “You do look nice and pretty on the floor, though.” Finn- O’Hara, Logan’s mind supplied- paid no mind to Logan’s choking sound and went to help Leo- Knut, what was up with him- up. “Okay, Le?”
Logan didn’t know for sure, but he swore he saw Knut’s gaze soften. “All good, Fish. Just surprised me.”
“Oh-ho, that Tremblay is full of surprises.” He turned around and tapped Logan’s butt with his stick. “C’mon, Trelembalaylay, we’re both off to the box. They gave you two minutes for goalie interference, chop chop.”
Logan let out a frustrated sound (he didn’t mean to crash into Knut) and tried to will away the blush that rose when O’Hara winked at him.
***
He saw them walking through Central Park on a chilly October afternoon. At first, he didn’t realize it was them, but he slowed down his running pace to get a better look. O’Hara had his arm over Knut’s shoulder and was pointing to something on the ground. Knut made a confused face, then laughed when O’Hara bent down to pick something from the grass to hand to him. It was a four-leaf cover. Knut threw his head back and laughed (and Logan certainly didn’t look at the sharp angle of his jaw). He craned his neck down so that his and O’Hara’s noses were almost touching, their smiles wide in the golden afternoon light. Logan’s own eyes widened, suddenly feeling as though he was intruding, when O’Hara spotted him and waved. Knut looked, too, confused for a moment, then broke out into a smile. They both started to walk over.
“Logan,” O’Hara said by way of greeting, freckles stark against his pale skin.
Logan nodded. “O’Hara, Knut.”
Knut snorted. “Please, you’ve played us enough times to be less formal.” His gaze softened, and goddamn did his curls look like golden silk. “It’s Leo.”
“And Finn!”
“Yes, and Finn.”
“Désolé,” Logan said.
Leo shook his head. “It’s alright.” He looked at Finn briefly, then back at Logan. “You ready for the game tomorrow?”
Logan blinked. “Uh, ouais.”
Finn cocked his head, amused. “Good run?”
“Ouais.”
Now Finn’s eyes were mirthful. “You aren’t usually this quiet.”
“Oh,” Logan laughed nervously. “Guess I’ve- comment dit-on-” He waved his hand. “Got a lot on my mind?” Like blue eyes, and freckles, and capable hands, and lean backs, and-
“I get it,” Finn said. Logan swore he saw his pinky finger brush Leo’s. “I run a lot, too.” He jabbed his fingers into Leo’s waist. “Sometimes this one accompanies me.”
Leo flinched away with a laugh and slapped Finn’s hand playfully. Logan watched the movement with careful eyes, and didn’t miss the way Leo blushed when he looked back up at him. “Only if he promises to buy me a pastry after.”
That perked Logan up. “I like pastries,” he said, then felt immediately stupid.
But Finn just studied him carefully, kindly. He dedicated his full attention to most things, Logan realized. “Yeah?”
“Ouais, je-” He swallowed, then started again. “I, um, I really like this place in the village. Foli-”
“Foligno’s, yeah,” Finn added. He looked slightly embarrassed that he’d interrupted. His ears turned bright red. “Uh, sorry, that was- I used to go there a lot, when I was a kid. With my brother.”
Logan licked his lips. “Alex.”
“Yeah.”
Alex O’Hara had been traded back to the Rangers from Tampa about two weeks ago. Logan had almost had a heart attack when he first walked into the locker room, thinking he was Finn. And then he had felt even more ashamed when he had hopefully looked for Leo coming behind him.
Logan tilted his head. “You’re from here.”
That got a real O’Hara grin, crinkled freckles and all. “Born and raised. I’ve got an apartment still, so that’s where Le and I stay when we play here. We’ve got a day off Sunday, so we’re gonna fly back on Monday morning.”
Logan did the quick math. Today was Friday. The Lions flew in today and must have had a practice, and would have morning skate before the matinee game tomorrow. Then, for one whole day, Finn, Leo, and himself would have nothing to do and would be in the same city. Logan looked at Finn’s smile and Leo’s gentle eyes and tried not to let himself get hopeful.
“That must be nice,” he said. “Are your parents coming?”
Finn nodded. “Yeah. We’re actually on our way to get dinner with them now. They’re coming to the game tomorrow, too, but have a wedding on Sunday, so we won’t see them after.”
Logan nodded. He flicked his gaze over to Leo, who was watching something that was akin to amusement. “And you’re not from here. From the South.”
“New Orleans,” Leo said with a fond look. “Not exactly a hockey hub, but I made it work.”
Logan nodded quickly. “You definitely did, you’re-” He realized he was bouncing on his toes and settled back onto his feet, crossing his arms. “You’re really good.”
“Aw, thanks.”
“You speak strange French, though.”
That got both Leo and Finn to laugh. Leo’s curls bounced against his forehead, which was entirely too distracting. “Well, you do, too.”
Logan grinned. “Ouais, I do.”
He felt his watch buzz with a text. It was from Luke. Where are you? At Sally’s.
“Merde,” he cursed. “I- I have to go, my friend- we’re getting burgers.”
Leo hummed. “Yeah, we’ve got supper with Finn’s family.” He directed that perfect Southern accent and charm Logan’s way. “See you tomorrow?”
“Ouais,” Logan said. He suddenly felt breathless. “Oui, ouais, I’ll- see you tomorrow.”
Finn raised his hand in a wave. “Bye, Logan.”
“Bye.”
And as he jogged away, trying to run and text Luke at the same time, he couldn’t help but look back. Leo and Finn were walking in the opposite direction, the sun gleaming perfectly off their hair. They were laughing, and holding hands, and when Finn leaned in to kiss Leo’s cheek Logan had the sudden feeling that he was standing on the edge of a cliff. He ignored the growing warmth in his stomach, took a deep breath, and pounded his feet against the pavement.
***
One more comment from Leo Knut and Logan was going to throw his stick at a wall.
“Focus,” Logan mumbled to himself. “Allez, focus.”
“What?” Will Morgan asked from beside him in the locker room.
“Nothing,” Logan said, shaking his head. “Just distracted.”
From Will’s other side, Percy snorted. “I’ll bet. That Knut has been chirping you all game.”
“He always does,” Will commented. “It’s like he knows how to press your buttons.”
Alex O’Hara snorted. “Maybe not yours,” he whispered, low enough so just Logan could hear. “But certainly my baby brother’s. The clingy fucks.”
Logan whipped his head around, a question on the tip of his tongue. “Alex, they’re-?”
Alex nodded minutely, busy adjusting his skates to go out for the third period. They were tied, 1-1. “Yeah,” he said. His eyes flicked up to Percy and Will, who were distracted by talking about something with their goalie, Saint, then caught Logan’s eye again. “They told me last night they thought you knew. Or, figured it out.”
Logan licked his lips. “I didn’t- I mean- I thought I saw something, ouais.”
Alex raised his eyebrows. “A kiss in the park.”
Logan let out a laugh. “Do you tell each other everything?”
Alex smiled. “Almost, yeah.” He sat up. “It’s not- it’s not impossible, you know. Three people.”
Logan blinked hard. “What?”
Alex looked at him carefully. “My boyfriend’s on the Lions. And my girlfriend, well- we all met when I last was playing for New York. He was the goalie here. Then they started dating, then he got traded to Gryff, and then last year, during the Lions’ Cup run, we all- yeah.”
Logan’s eyes widened. “Kasey Winter?”
Alex nodded. He was fiddling with the pendant necklace he wore all the time. “And Natalia Darcy. Well, Natalie, but she’s Natalia to me.”
Logan huffed in amusement. “You and Finn are both so…”
“Weird?” When Logan nodded sheepishly, Alex laughed. “Our partners say the same thing, don’t worry.”
Logan felt like the elephant was back in the room. Being gay in the NHL was new, but not unheard of, not since Sirius Black and Remus Lupin from the Lions had started dating last season. He glanced around nervously. They only had a few minutes left of intermission, and he needed to know. “How long have Finn and Leo been…?”
“Since June,” Alex said. “After the Cup win it all- came to a head, so to speak. But they loved each other long before that. I swear Finn was in love with Leo the day he stepped into his apartment at the beginning of last season.” Alex pulled his jersey back on. “Honestly, can’t blame him. That Leo is a firecracker with the face of a prince, that’s for sure.”
“Ouais,” Logan said thoughtfully, pulling on his own jersey.
“As Finn always says, every prince needs a jester. Or a bard, something like that. He just loves Leo a lot.” He went silent for a moment, then looked at Logan carefully. “And every prince and jester need a knight.”
Logan furrowed his eyebrows. “What?”
Alex just shrugged. “Don’t know, sometimes the words just come to me.” He stood and slapped Logan’s shoulder. “C’mon, Tremblay. Gotta whoop my baby brother’s and my boyfriend’s ass, let’s go.”
Logan stayed in his stall for a moment, confused beyond measure, before standing and coming at his coach’s call.
***
“Nice hair there, Rapunzel.”
“You looked so pretty pressed up against the boards down there.”
“Take that fire you got to bed, sweetheart.”
“You know, you can keep coming back into my crease if you want. I like seeing your pretty eyes.”
At the last comment, Logan stopped hard in front of Leo’s crease, spraying him with a layer of snow. He hated that it made Leo’s blue eyes look stark and beautiful.
“Stop that,” he growled in French, leaning in. He tapped Leo with his stick, and for the first time, Leo’s gaze went unsure, dark, and a little challenging. “Stop distracting me.”
The next thing he knew, a body was up against his and hands were shoving at his back. “Fucking watch it, seventy-one.”
Logan spun and faced Finn. “The hell was that for?”
“Stop fucking touching my goalie.” Finn shoved past him and went to Leo. “Le, baby, you-” He stopped, looking at Logan with wide eyes. “I-”
Logan rolled his eyes. “I don’t care, O’Hara.”
Finn rounded on him again. “The fuck is that tone? You got a problem?”
Logan tried to will the heat pooling in his hips away when he caught sight of Finn’s intense, sweaty face. “Non.”
“You sure?”
“Yes,” Logan spat. He glared at Leo, who was now standing. If he was tall in real life, he was a giant on skates. “But stop fucking distracting me.”
“What, can’t take a little chirping?”
Leo winced. “Finn-”
“No, uh-uh, I don’t care.” Finn gripped the front of Logan’s jersey. “You don’t touch my goalie.”
“He’s just your goalie?”
Finn looked like Logan had slapped him. His grip loosened on Logan’s jersey. Logan used it to get leverage, gripping Finn’s back and drawing their faces together.
“I don’t fucking care,” Logan snarled. “I really don’t. But he needs to stop trying to distract me.”
Logan swore he saw Finn’s eyes dart to his lips before meeting his own gaze. “You know what your problem is, Tremblay?”
“What?”
“You can yell at us both all you fucking want,” Finn said lowly, dangerously. “But you still look fucking gorgeous when you pretend to be angry.”
At that moment, the refs finally decided to break them apart, and Logan was left reeling from Finn’s intense gaze, the heat of his breath. He was breathing shakily as he was led back to the bench by Luke, his eyes fixed on Finn’s strong frame and Leo’s slightly anxious eyes.
Luke gave him a nudge. “What the hell happened?”
Logan turned to look at him, his neck tendons straining as his jaw clenched. “I-” He shook his head, the words lost. He watched as Finn went back to his own bench, but not before flashing Logan a look he couldn’t comprehend. He took a trembling breath. “I really don’t fucking know.”
And when they lost, 2-1 on a beauty of a wrist shot by Finn O’Hara, all Logan could see was Alex’s meaningful look as they sat next to each other in the locker room. Logan stared back, biting the inside of his cheek, before standing with a grunt and stomping his way to the showers.
***
An hour and a half later saw him at a bar nursing a shitty beer, his teammates laughing and joking around him. Though they had lost, they decided to take advantage of the matinee game and were all out for an early drink. Logan figured they’d order burgers or something here to eat, then he could make his escape to go and seethe by himself. It seemed appropriate, given the game he had just had.
“Dude,” Percy said. “What is up, man, you’re fucking out of it today.”
Logan let out a frustrated breath. “O’Hara. Knut. Fucking in my face.”
Percy made eye contact with Will and smiled mischievously. “You mean, the two hotshot Lions who have definitely been flirting with you since last season?”
Logan scoffed. “No they have not.”
Will shrugged and took a sip of his own beer. “Maybe not together, like they do now sometimes, but separately, for sure. You always lose your cool when we play Gryff.”
“Hey,” Percy said, clapping Logan on the shoulder. “If I swung that way, I’d go for them, too.”
Will slapped him upside the back of the head. “Dude. So not smooth.” He sighed and looked at Logan again, face serious. “What Percy meant to say is… it is okay. If you swing that way.”
Percy nodded quickly. “Any way. Or all ways.”
Logan felt his face heat. “I- thank you, I- but I’ve never- not with a- you know.”
Will examined his face for a moment. “Don’t have to kiss a boy to know you like them.”
“Yeah,” Percy agreed. “I mean, I knew I liked girls way before I kissed them.”
Will snorted. “You’ve kissed, like, four.”
Percy stuck his tongue out. “I’m just waiting for the right one. Like-”
“Cassie Baker, we know, oh my God.” Will knocked the rest of his beer back. “I’m so thankful I married young, you’re so pathetic.”
“Hey!”
Logan slapped them each on the shoulder. “I’m going to get a rum and coke. This beer’s shit.”
Will patted his back as he walked past. When he arrived at the bar, Alex was leaning against the wood, chatting with the bartender. He looked so freakishly like Finn it made Logan’s stomach do a weird summersault.
“Oh hey,” Alex said with a smile. “Come for something sweeter?”
“How did you know?” Logan asked, surprised.
“Heard from a little birdie that you like pastries. Put that together with all the candy you sneak in, and I made an assumption.” He waved a hand up and down Logan’s body. “I don’t know how you get away eating so much shit and still end up looking like that. Un-fucking-fair.”
That made Logan laugh. “Ouais, I- I’ve just always been like that.” He quickly hailed the bartender and ordered his drink.
“Hm.” Alex played with a napkin for a minute before looking cautiously up at Logan. “So,” he said. “My brother and you got in a scuffle.”
Logan tried to act casual, but he knew his cheeks were flaming. “It’s just… you know, on the ice. Nothing personal.”
Alex cocked his head. “Does the ice have to not be personal?” But Logan didn’t have a chance to answer, because Alex caught sight of someone in the bar and his entire body softened. “Hey.”
“Hi,” Kasey Winter said, sidling up to Alex’s side to press a quick kiss to his lips. He wrapped a large hand around Alex’s waist. “Good game.”
“Thank you.” Alex leaned in for one more soft kiss, hand covering Kasey’s, before he turned back to Logan. “Logan, this is Kasey. Kase, this is Mr. Hot Head Shortie Pants.”
Logan balked a bit at the name, but Kasey just laughed and patted Alex’s hip. “You’re so weird.” He held out a hand for Logan to shake. “Nice to officially meet you.”
“You, too.” Logan cleared his throat. He accepted his drink with a thanks, then turned back to the two other men. “How is your thigh?”
That made Kasey look almost pleasantly surprised. “Hanging in there. For now. Thank goodness I’ve got Leo, it’s really nice to be able to evenly switch out starts and stuff.”
Logan choked a little on his drink. He ignored Alex’s raised eyebrows. “Uh, ouais, yeah, Leo’s- Knut’s good.”
Kasey had a small, amused smile on his face. “He is.” He bumped his hips with Alex’s. “Want to go say hi to some of the guys? Thomas has been talking about playing foosball with you all day.”
“Oh boy.” Alex’s grin was wide as he ducked his forehead closer to Kasey’s. “Can’t pass off that invitation.” He nodded to Logan. “If you’ll excuse me, Mr. Frenchie, I’ve got boyfriend duties to attend to.”
“Have fun,” Logan said, raising his glass.
He moved to a quieter end of the bar, resting his hip against the wood. It wasn’t too rowdy, and it was mostly the Rangers and the Lions filling the space. Logan spotted a few he recognized- Dumais, Lupin, Black, Walker. He tried to stop the hard beating in his chest and pressed a hand over his heart. Just because their teammates were here didn’t mean they-
“Salut.”
Logan choked on a sip of his drink as Leo Knut stepped in front of him. He swallowed, coughed, and looked up at him and his striking blue eyes. “Salut.”
Leo’s face was a bit scrunched. Logan had the sudden urge to reach up and smooth the worried crease between his eyebrows.
“I’m sorry,” Leo said in French. “For saying all those things to you. That was too much.”
“Non,” Logan said, shaking his head. “Non, I’m sorry for speaking to you that way. That wasn’t fair.” He let out a humored breath. “It’s just a game.”
Leo didn’t answer right away, just bit the inside of his cheek and nodded. His eyes gave Logan a once over- they were so blue against his blonde hair and black sweater. “Yeah,” he finally said. “Yeah, you’re right.”
“Le, baby.” Logan’s heart gave a little jerk as Finn approached, his fingers shifting to discreetly fiddle with Leo’s. He flashed his eyes to Logan. “Logan.” He looked back up to Leo. “Good?”
Leo nodded, his eyes still anxious. “Good.”
Finn nodded, gaze lingering on the still-present furrow of Leo’s eyebrows, before he turned to Logan. “I’m here to apologize. I said some out-of-line stuff.”
“Me, too,” Logan said. He swiped a finger through the condensation on his glass. His breathing was a bit jagged. “Those comments I made- I’m sorry, I really don’t care if you’re together.” His eyes widened, and he looked between the two of them. “Non- non, that’s not- I meant, I do care that you’re together, but not in a- je, c’est-” He groaned, letting out a heavy breath. “I’m sorry.”
“No.” Leo nudged Logan’s shoe with his own. His eyes were slightly amused now. “No, it’s okay. We get it. Thank you.”
Logan nodded slowly, meeting Leo’s eyes. They were still a striking blue, but softer now, gentle. Logan almost didn’t want to admit how easily they were reading him.
“How-” he started, then cleared his throat. “How did you know?”
Finn cocked his head. His brown eyes were so focused it made Logan’s heart pick up. “What?”
Logan licked his lips. “That it was okay. To be… you know, in the league.”
Finn laced his fingers with Leo’s, then took a step closer to Logan. “Are you… Logan.”
Logan suddenly felt too warm. He looked at their hands, then up at Finn’s face, which was closer now. His eyes flashed down to Finn’s lips, red and wet and inviting, then to Leo’s face, his own perfect Cupid’s bow parted. He sucked in a sharp breath.
“Merde,” he swore. “Shit, I-”
Then he looked between the two of them once more, breathing heavy, and spun on his heel down the hallway behind him.
***
The room he found was unlit save for the warm hallway lights shining through the windows. There was a pool table at one end and dining tables with chairs flipped upside on top of them on the other. Logan guessed that it was an event room. He probably shouldn’t be there.
He closed the door probably too harshly behind him and stumbled his way in. He didn’t feel drunk, but he needed to lean his hands against the pool table anyway. His chest was heaving against the fabric of his shirt.
“Merde,” he whispered, pressing his hand over his chest. “Oh, fuck.”
He let out a whimpering sound and pressed his forehead into his hands, elbows against the soft green table cover. His head ached. He felt his pulse at his temples, and he was sure that he couldn’t go back out there. Not while they were-
The door clicked open behind him. Two sets of footsteps followed. Logan cursed again. “I can’t-”
But then there was a warm palm at his back and he felt his body shudder. “Logan.”
Logan turned to face him. Finn’s eyes were concerned, his mouth turned downwards in a way that Logan somehow knew meant he was really upset. His broad shoulders and lean waist were almost pressed against Logan’s. His hand had moved with Logan’s body and was now resting on his ribs. Logan felt a sharp burst of desperation and confusion work its way up his throat. He let out what he meant to be a grunt, but was more of a groan. “What do you want?”
“You.”
It wasn’t Finn who had answered. Logan’s heart stopped as he jerked his head to look at Leo. He had stayed in the doorway, but was making his way over slowly now, blue eyes pinning Logan in place. He stopped just beside Finn, close enough that Logan could reach out and cup his jaw and-
“We want you.”
Logan suddenly felt angry. “For what? So you can just-”
“No, not like that,” Leo said firmly. His gaze was somehow challenging and loving and Logan was so gone. “For real.”
“Quoi? Why?”
“How could we not?” Finn whispered lowly. He bent his head so their foreheads were almost touching, his mouth by Logan’s ear. “With that fire you got in you, with those hands on the ice.” Logan felt his smile brush the shell of his ear. “Your sweet tooth.”
Logan let out a soft sound and closed his eyes. “Finn.”
“You’re so gorgeous, baby.” Finn made a pleased sound at Logan’s shaky intake of breath. “So gorgeous all the time. Your smile, your laugh. The way you shake out your hair before you put a helmet back on. The way you pretend you’re so tough, when all you want is for someone to touch you gently.” Finn pressed his nose into Logan’s hair. “Tell me I’m wrong.”
Logan’s eyes fluttered behind his eyelids. Now that he was thinking about it, his life had been wrapped up in Leo and Finn long before this. First, him and Finn getting drafted a year apart, meeting on the ice, on nights out, at the All Stars. Polite interactions on the ice, in a bar, watching as Finn made everyone around him laugh and smile. And then Leo, joining last year. He and Finn were instantly inseparable. The Lions social media had a field day with it. But Logan watched them more carefully, though he loathed to admit it. He saw the way Leo was gentle, kind, how he always listened intently. They, too, had crossed paths in bars after games. He always had an arm around someone, always had a good thing to say to Logan after they played each other, even if it had been brutal and rough on the ice. But Logan also knew he got cold easily. Every time he saw him, he always had a sweater on, even on a spring night.
And Finn and Leo both, Logan realized, only sought him out. They said a polite hi to the other Rangers, maybe talked a little more with Alex, but mostly they went to Logan. Always Logan. Always a warm hand to shake, always a smile when they ran into each other on their pre-game runs in whatever stadium they were playing, a slap on the back in the dim lights of a pub when they saw each other after a game, even amidst that competitive second round of the playoffs the year previous.
Maybe, Logan thought, they had always been waiting for each other. Even when they didn’t know it.
He realized he hadn’t answered Finn’s challenge, and Finn was starting to pull away, a bit tense against Logan’s body. “Non,” Logan said. He reached both hands out, placing them on the dip of Finn’s waist. He pulled his head back to meet Finn’s eyes, their noses brushing. Finn’s pupils were dark and blown. “You’re not wrong.”
Logan only had a moment to breathe before Finn was kissing him.
He let out a soft sound against Finn’s mouth. Oh, Finn O’Hara could kiss. He kissed with his entire body, with his entire being, both hands clutching hard at Logan’s hips and kneading the skin. Logan moved his hands upwards, one around Finn’s back, one in those thick red waves. Finn’s lips pressed harder against his, his movement precise in taking Logan apart as he coaxed his mouth open with his tongue.
“Finn,” Logan whimpered.
“Fuck, baby,” Finn said, and grinned against Logan’s lips at the wanting sound he made. He began to kiss down Logan’s neck. “You’re so gorgeous.”
Logan hung his head back, inviting Finn to continue pressing those biting kisses to his skin. There was a sharp nip of his teeth, a soft brush of his tongue. Logan felt himself floating higher, higher, his head dizzy, his eyes closed. A third hand on him made him let out a noise, eyes flashing open. “Leo.”
Leo was there, one hand on Logan, another on Finn, watching them carefully. His strong chest was heaving in the dim light, his curls reflecting the warmth. He flashed his eyes to where Finn was still kissing Logan’s neck, then met Logan’s gaze. “Lo, sweetheart.”
Logan whined, then Finn was kissing his mouth again. “Finn,” he gasped against Finn’s lips. “Leo, Leo, Leo, kiss me.”
Finn stepped back and then Leo was there, cupping Logan’s jaw and bringing their lips together. His palms were large and warm. He brought one to grip Logan’s waist and leaned further over him. It moved down Logan’s body, and he arched into the touch, letting himself fall backwards against the pool table as Leo hitched his thigh around his waist.
“Fuck,” Leo whispered. “Logan.”
“Please.” Logan didn’t even know what he was asking for. He was shaking. “Please.”
Leo’s chest brushed his own and Logan clenched his knee against Leo’s lean hips. He squirmed under the attention, heat working its way up his spine as he pressed himself upwards. He tugged Leo’s soft curls with one hand, pushing his other under Leo’s T-shirt to dig his fingers into his bare, strong back. Leo smiled and let out a pleased sound before dragging his teeth gently over Logan’s lip. It drove Logan crazy.
“Fuck,” Finn whispered, then his lips were on Logan’s jaw, his hand covering Leo’s on Logan’s waist. “You two.”
Logan knew that if he didn’t stop them now, he wouldn’t ever. He’d have them right on this pool table and then he’d never leave. Not now that he knew what their skin felt like. Not now that he knew how they kissed. Not now that he knew how they wanted him.
“Attendez,” he gasped. “Wait, ouais, wait, I-” He let out a moan when Leo captured his lips in one last kiss and Finn sucked a bruise under his jaw. “Merde.”
Leo finally pulled back, laughing softly against Logan’s mouth. “Oh God.” He pressed their foreheads together. “Shit, okay, we have to stop.” His blue eyes, when they met Logan’s, were bright and playful, slightly glazed over with a hint of arousal. “God, you’re beautiful.”
Logan was stunned. “I- you-” he stuttered.
That made Finn giggle slightly into the hinge of his jaw. “Oh my.” He sounded a bit giddy. “Fuck, we’ve been waiting forever to do that.” He took a step back and kissed Leo’s cheek, then cupped Leo’s hips. “Up you get.”
Leo let out a strained sound as he pushed himself to stand, then held out a hand for Logan. Logan took it and sat up, reaching out to pull Leo’s shirt down where he had shucked it up. “Sorry.”
Leo snorted. “Don’t even think about that, Tremblay.” He squeezed Logan’s fingers. “That was the hottest thing ever.”
“Damn fucking right.”
Logan felt his cheeks flush and he bit his lip around his smile. “Ouais.”
They let the moment hang in the air for a moment, smiling at each other, before Finn stepped in between Logan's legs. He cupped Logan’s cheeks, gentle and less desperate outside the heat of the moment, and kissed him quickly. “Seriously, though. Go on a date with us?”
Logan looked up at him through his lashes, admiring the way Finn looked at him. “Really?”
“Yes, really,” Leo said. He still hadn’t let go of Logan’s hand. He brought it up to his mouth and kissed the back of it. “Please?”
And how could Logan refuse those blue eyes, peeking out at him through those silky curls? He brought Leo’s hand to his own mouth now and pressed his lips gently to his fingers. He felt energized and calm all at once. “Oui.”
The grin Finn gave him was all teeth. “Really?”
“Ouais.”
“Really?”
Logan laughed. “Yes.”
Finn made some sort of happy, growling noise, unable to contain himself, and wrapped his arms tightly around Logan’s waist, lifting him off the table. Leo was looking fondly at them, smiling with his tongue poking through his teeth. Logan laughed as Finn let out a happy shout.
“Yes, yes, yes, fuck yes!” He set Logan down and began to press kisses all over his cheek. “Oh my God, thank fuck, we were so worried you’d say no, but we couldn’t wait any longer, you’re just so-”
Logan cut him off with a burst of happy kisses, Finn immediately relaxing under his hands. He pulled away and smiled. He felt light. “Of course I said yes.”
Finn was almost vibrating. He turned to Leo with a ridiculous grin on his face. “Le.”
“Oh God,” Leo laughed. He brushed Finn’s cheek with the back of his fingers, then did the same to Logan. He towered over Logan, but not in an intimidating way. Logan kind of wanted to ask him to lie down on the pool table and cover Logan’s body with his own, just to feel the weight of him. “Look what you’ve done.”
Finn gripped Leo’s chin between his thumb and forefinger and kissed him hard. “We fucking did it.” He turned back to Logan, bouncing on his toes. “Come over for dinner?”
“Finn!”
“What?” Finn turned to look at Leo, who was laughing and shaking his head fondly. “What? We’re here for another full day, my parents leave for the wedding tonight, so we won’t see them, and it’s almost dinner time.” He let out a gasp and tapped a hand against Leo’s chest repeatedly. “You left stew in the crockpot, and you got that bread, we could go back to ours and eat-”
“Okay.” Leo cupped Finn’s face and kissed him slowly. Logan felt something warm settle in the pit of his stomach, watching them. “Okay, we can do that.” He looked down at Logan. “You like stew? Wanna come over for dinner?”
Logan nodded, smiling softly. “Ouais.” An anxious thought unfolded itself in the back of his mind. “But…”
Finn gripped Logan’s hips more insistently. “What? What’s wrong, what?”
Logan shook his head. “Nothing, I just-” He took a deep breath and met their eyes. “After dinner. I’ve never- not with a…” He swallowed. “A boy.”
“Oh.” Finn’s shoulders sagged in relief and he smiled. “Oh, baby, that’s okay.” He kissed Logan’s forehead. “We don’t have to. We probably shouldn’t, actually, should probably talk and stuff first.”
“Yeah,” Leo said. He, too, kissed Logan’s forehead, and Logan preened under the attention. Leo smiled down at him and took Logan’s hands. “It’s okay. Finn hadn’t either, before we got together, and he did just fine.”
“Well, I had a good teacher. And we practice a lot.”
Leo rolled his eyes, but he was blushing. “Well,” he said finally. “Yes, we do.” He squeezed Logan’s fingers. “But we don’t have to do anything. Not until you’re ready, okay? This is gonna be a lot, for all of us. We need to talk, get to know each other better. You can even stay over. We've got the whole day tomorrow.” He paused and lifted one hand to brush a thumb over Logan's lip. “But we don't have to do anything.”
“But when we do,” Finn said, eyes bright and kind. “It’ll be so good, ‘cause it’s with you.” He kissed Logan softly. “And then it’s gonna be a problem, because we’re not gonna want to stop.”
“Finn.”
“What? Look at him, Le.” Finn waggled his eyebrows. “Look how gorgeous.”
Logan felt like he was basking in the sun under their attention. Leo seemed to notice, and kissed his warm cheek. “Ouais. Si beau.”
“Oh, c’mon. I can’t have two Frenchies ganging up on me now, that’s not fair!”
Leo threw his head back and laughed. He wrapped his long arms around them both, and Logan placed a hand on his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart. They were warm against him and so beautiful Logan almost didn’t know what to do with himself. He sank into the feeling and tucked his head against Leo’s chest. He felt Finn rest his head on top of his hair and let out a content sigh.
“Allez,” Logan said. “I’m starving.” He looked up at Leo. “Stew?”
“Yeah,” Leo nodded, pressing a lingering kiss to Logan’s forehead, then Finn’s. “Stew.”
***
Seven months later
“Welcome to your new home, Trelembalaylay. Hope it meets your expectations.”
Logan turned around and wrapped his arms around Finn’s neck, tugging at the base of his hair. “Does it have you in it?”
“Sure does.”
“Mm.” Logan stood on his toes to kiss him through a smile. “Then I think I’ll be fine.”
Finn made a happy sound. “You sure you’re not gonna miss that old dusty apartment of yours?”
Logan smacked the back of his head. “It was not.”
“Yeah-huh. Last time you went there was, like two months ago. It was dusty today, baby.”
“Good thing I’m not living there anymore, eh?”
Finn kissed him again. “Good thing.” He wrapped Logan up in a hug and tucked his nose into Logan’s neck. “It’s gonna be nice, having you live here. Even if we’re apart during the season. Like the thought of having you in my home.” He kissed Logan’s neck. “Our home.”
“Ouais, mon rouge.” Logan kissed Finn’s neck back. “Our home.” He pulled back to look at Finn’s face, slightly burnt across his nose from the June sun. “When are we moving some of my stuff to Gryff again?”
Finn shrugged. “Dunno. Might not be until after we get back from New Orleans. We’ve got Alex’s engagement party next week, then mom and dad’s thirty-fifth anniversary the week after, then we go down to Louisiana.” He kissed Logan quickly. “Might be nice just to chill all together here for a while. Plus, Leo loves the bakery down the street.”
Logan laughed. “Ouais, he does.” He absentmindedly ran his hands through Finn’s hair. “He’s excited to go down to New Orleans.”
Leo had been bouncing on his toes when he brought the idea up in April. He and Logan had been FaceTiming while Leo made breakfast one morning, Finn out for a run. He had looked so good, bare back lean and strong in the morning light filtering in through the kitchen windows of his and Finn’s Gryffindor apartment. Logan was in Finn’s apartment in New York, practically moved in at that point, even if not officially. Eloise and Wyatt had just been up for a brief visit for one of Wyatt’s work trips, which coincidentally coincided to a day when the Rangers played the Lions in Gryffindor. The Knuts had gone out to dinner with Logan, Finn, Leo, Kasey, Alex, and Natalie, and had vaguely brought up the idea of Leo bringing Finn and Logan home for a few weeks of training in New Orleans. Leo had been rambling about it and scrambling eggs while Logan watched him fondly through the screen.
“I could take you out to the cove, Finn loves the cove. I think you would, too. And you’ll get all nice and tan, you and your muscles, which already drive me crazy, you know.” Leo bit into a piece of bacon. “And my parents obviously love you both so much. My mother couldn’t stop raving about how handsome you were when you met her at Christmas, honestly, and she was so happy sitting between you and Finn at dinner the other day.”
Logan had smiled at the memory. After dinner, when they were all saying goodbye, Eloise had drawn him into a hug that lasted long enough for Logan to relax into it. Her arms were strong and warm, just like her son’s.
“You make my Leo so happy,” she had whispered. “You and Finn both. He loves you so much.” She had kissed his cheek. “You’re his family, sweetheart, so you’re ours. We are so lucky to have you.”
Logan had had to try really hard to blink back the tears in his eyes as he pressed his cheek into her shoulder.
Now, in their New York apartment, wrapped in Finn’s arms, Logan felt more settled than he had in a long time. Family.
He looked around the apartment, then back up at Finn. “Where’s Le?”
Finn looked around, too. “Dunno?”
Logan spun in Finn’s arms, his back to Finn’s chest. “Soleil?”
“In here!” Leo emerged from their bedroom. He was smiling with a stack of empty boxes in his hands. “I unpacked all your clothes for here, honey, and organized them.”
Logan narrowed his eyes playfully. “I know what you’re doing.”
Leo shrugged innocently and set the boxes down in the entryway. “It’s probably futile. I’ll still find your socks in the dishwasher or something, I swear.” He stood and smiled at them both, stepping into their space to cup Logan’s hips. “Hi.”
“Salut.” Logan cupped the back of Leo’s head with one hand and stood on his toes to kiss him. “Merci. For unpacking. That was really fast.”
“Yeah,” Finn agreed, leaning over Logan’s shoulder for a kiss of his own from Leo. “How the hell did you do that?”
“Magic,” Leo teased. He made a happy noise and bent to kiss Logan’s neck in a burst. “I’m so happy you’re here.”
“I’m here all the time.”
“Yeah, but officially officially here. Moved in. Forever.” Leo nudged their noses together. “It’s exciting.”
Logan smiled. “Je t'aime.”
Leo kissed him once, happy. “I love you.”
“Hey, what am I, chopped liver?”
Leo stood up straight and rolled his eyes playfully at Finn. “You know you’re not.” He shifted a bit to stand at their sides and drew Finn in for a long kiss. “I love you.”
Finn smiled. “I love you.” He wrapped Logan up tighter and bit his shoulder. “And I love you. I get two boyfriends, I’m so lucky.”
“Hm.” Leo pushed Finn’s hair back from his forehead, then Logan’s. Logan loved when he did that- his fingers were always so gentle. “Lucky you.” He ducked to kiss them each one last time, then clapped his hands. “Okay. Next, we’ve got to make sense of the miscellaneous box. Honestly, Lo, I don’t know what to do with all those nutcrackers you collect, there’s so many of them.”
Finn barked out a laugh. “Oh, baby,” he said, walking him and Logan forward to follow Leo into the bedroom. “Welcome home.”
Logan hummed, reaching back to scratch a hand through Finn’s hair as they watched Leo mutter to himself, sorting through Logan’s, admittedly, extensive collection of nutcrackers. “Home.”
“Home.”
“Seriously, Lo, I think we might have to box these up and use them to decorate for Christmas, I don’t know what else to do with them.” A pause. “Oh! Hey, I was looking for this photo!” He held up a small picture of the three of them at All Stars, dressed up in their suits. It was the first big public event they went to together. Leo had printed it out and pinned it to the fridge.
“Oh, ouais,” Logan said. “I took that with me on a long roadie. Guess I forgot to give it back.”
Leo shook his head, standing. He was still looking fondly at the photo. “Don’t worry.” He smiled at them both. “I got the real thing right in front of me. So it’s okay.”
Logan felt himself melt into Finn’s arms. “Ouais. Ouais, it’s okay.” He let out a sigh. “I love you so much.”
Finn kissed his neck. “Forever, Tremblay. Don’t you forget that.”
“Non,” Logan laughed quietly. He let out a sigh as Leo came to press against his chest, resting their temples together. He felt something settle in himself. Home. “Non, non, I couldn’t forget that.”
Heyyy. Love your writing so much!! May I please request cubs talking about having kids for the first time, making it clear it’s something they all want. everyone knows logan wants kids but did he know in the beginning if that’s what the others wanted. Cubs with baby fever! Hope you’re having a lovely morning/ afternoon/ night. :)
Oh, Logan Tremblay has SUCH baby fever, it's not even funny. Good thing he has friends that have kids, because it will probably be a while before they have them. I feel like at least two of them have to retire first before having children or else that would be a scheduling NIGHTMARE!
Enjoy some cheesy, fluffy LeLo and Finn with all his innuendos, as per usual. They're very in love, it's disgusting (adorable).
All credits to @lumosinlove !!
P.S.: I hope YOU have a lovely morning/afternoon/night too!! <3
“Do you want kids?”
Leo looked away from his book, the hand that was scratching through Logan’s hair coming to a halt. “What?”
Logan grunted, shifting to rest his elbows on Leo’s chest and prop himself up to meet his blue eyes. “Do you want kids?”
“Oh.” Leo set his book down and rested his hand on Logan’s back. Logan hoped Leo couldn’t feel how hard his heart was racing. “I mean, if you want them, yeah. I like kids.”
“Ouais, I know you do, and I know you know I want them, but-” Logan cut himself off with a sigh. “I don’t know, I just didn’t know if you wanted them. Like, besides Finn and I wanting them.”
Leo raised his eyebrows. “Finn wants them?”
Logan nodded. “Ouais.” He let out a soft laugh. “He always talked about having his own baseball team, and beating his kids at Nerf wars and stuff.”
“Oh God,” Leo laughed. His curls bounced against the summer afternoon light shining through their windows. “We will not be having enough kids to field a baseball team, I can tell you that much.”
“Non, that’d be awful.” Logan used the back of the couch to push himself up and straddle Leo’s hips. He cupped Leo’s cheeks. “But really, soleil, you want them?”
Leo smiled at him. “Yeah, I do.” He brought his hands to hold Logan’s back. “But just so you know, if you or Finn ever decide you don’t want them, we don’t have to have them.” He kissed Logan’s cheek. “Oh, and I’d also like to get married first.”
Logan bit his lip with a grin and tilted his face to kiss Leo properly. “Me, too.”
“Good.” Leo nipped at his lip. “Because my proposal is gonna knock your socks off, Tremblay.”
Logan narrowed his eyes playfully. “Not if I propose to you first.”
“We’ll see about that.” Leo settled back against the arm of the couch and drew Logan closer by the backs of his thighs. “Now, tell me,” he said. “How many are we having? No more than four, that’s where I draw the line. And definitely not until after at least two of us retire, and you are back here in Gryff.” He tapped Logan’s hip excitedly. “Oo, we can use that in your next contract negotiation to get you back here! So sorry, we have baby fever, we would like our husband- because we will be husbands by then- back, please and thank you.”
Logan just laughed. “I like the sound of that.”
“Thought you might.” Leo brushed Logan’s hair off his forehead and placed a kiss there. “No, really. Tell me about your dream.”
So Logan settled himself further into Leo’s lap and told him.
***
“Lovers, I am home!” Finn sing-songed, coming in and closing the door too loudly behind himself like he always did. The runner’s high always hit him hard. “Kisses, kisses, kisses, please?”
Leo snorted. “Only if you stop shouting at us, you oversized puppy.”
“Oops, sorry.” Finn took out his Airpods and skipped over, wiping his sweaty face with his shirt. Logan peeked out at him from his place against Leo’s neck. Finn gave them a confused smile. “What? What’s that look for? What are we talking about?”
Logan could feel Leo’s chest hitch with his laugh. “Nothing,” he said, drawing Finn down into a short kiss. “Marriage, kids, the whole deal.”
“Huh, what?” Finn jerked back, face shocked. “What?”
“Jesus, not now,” Leo laughed. He reached up to play with Finn’s fingers. “Just, like, in the future.”
“Well, obviously, since I haven’t asked you to marry me yet.”
“Non,” Logan interrupted. “I will ask you.”
“That’s what you think.” Leo jostled him a bit. “I think you underestimate my competitive streak.”
Finn broke out into a wide smile. “Oh, so it’s a competition now? I like this competition.” He leaned down to kiss Logan, too, then Leo again before sitting on the back of the couch. “And kids?”
“Ouais,” Logan said. “No more than four. And I have to be back here in Gryff.”
“Which is going to be used as leverage for contract negotiations.”
“Naturally,” Finn said, eyes flashing teasingly to Leo. “And?”
“Logan wants to stay at home mostly when they’re young. Oh, and we’re getting him a minivan.”
Finn broke out into a laugh. “Oh, baby, you’ll look so sexy driving one of those.” He cupped Logan’s jaw. “You really wanna stay home?”
“Ouais, for a bit. When they’re young.” Logan shrugged. “Maybe I’ll do some personal training or something eventually, when they go to school. But I like being with kids.”
“You do,” Finn said wistfully. He kissed Logan’s cheek. “My baby with a baby.” He turned to Leo. “And my sunshine with a baby. I like that.”
Leo looked pleased. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.” Finn’s smile warmed Logan through. “I can’t believe we’ve been together for a year and a half and we’ve never talked seriously about this. It’s good.”
“Mm,” Leo hummed. “To be fair, our first year of being together was kind of wild. We were just getting used to, like, being together, and navigating it all.” He shrugged. “But you’re forever, so- gotta talk about it sometime.”
“I love forever.”
Finn tapped Logan’s cheek lightly and bent down so their faces were close. “That’s my line.”
Logan leaned up to run his lips along Finn’s jaw. “The rest of our lives.”
“Oh.” Finn gasped a little and made a pleased sound. “Yes, please.”
Logan smiled against his skin. “Ici.”
“No,” Leo protested, though his laugh made it less convincing. “No, he’s all sweaty-”
But Finn didn’t listen, just boosted himself over the couch to lower himself on top of them both, his weight warm and heavy against Logan’s back. Logan laughed into the crook of Leo’s neck at Finn’s playful bite to his shoulder. He didn’t want to be any further from them than this.
“Oh my God,” Leo whined. “Gross. I love you, you smell, I love you, go shower.”
Logan could imagine Finn’s pout. “Are you kicking me out, sunshine?”
“Absolutely.”
Finn made a sad noise into Logan’s neck. “Our boyfriend doesn’t love me anymore.”
“That is not true!”
“Yeah-huh!” Logan didn’t have to see him to know Finn was pulling out those puppy-dog eyes he was so good at. “You don’t love me.”
“No, I- you- ugh, okay, fine.” Leo reached up to kiss Finn slowly. “I love you. Please shower, though.”
“Only if you join me. Practice making babies.”
“Oh, ew! Finn!”
But Finn was just laughing in Logan’s neck now, body shaking. Leo was still chastising him gently, but he was laughing, too. Logan felt light, even squished in between the two of them.
“Allez,” he said finally. “Let’s go shower with him, Le.”
“Okay, but no more of that weird talk,” Leo said, sitting up and bringing Logan and Finn with him. “That’s disrespectful to our future children.”
Finn let out an excited noise in Logan’s ear. “Our children.” He gasped. “And we’ll be husbands!”
That got Leo to soften, blue eyes gentle as they looked over Finn and Logan. “Yeah, baby. We’ll be husbands.”
“Can’t wait,” Finn said, hooking his chin over Logan’s shoulder. “Marry me, right now.”
Leo smirked. “No.”
Finn gasped again. “No?”
“Not yet, sweetheart, because I’m gonna ask.”
“Non, I told you,” Logan said. “I told you I will.”
“This is so cheesy, I love this,” Finn laughed. He squeezed Logan tightly. “Seriously, shower with me? Then I’ll take you out to dinner at that place by the water. We can walk to the gelato stand after.”
“Ouais, sounds good,” Logan said, letting his body slump backwards into Finn’s chest. He reached one hand out to cup Leo’s jaw. “Soleil?”
Leo kissed his palm with one of his soft smiles. “Oh, how I love you.” He tilted his chin out to kiss them each slowly. “Take us on a date, O’Hara.”
“With pleasure, my lieges.” Finn stood and held out his hands with a smirk. “Time to get wet and naked.”
Leo shook his head fondly and Logan laughed, each taking a hand and following Finn into the bathroom. Leo shot Logan a wink and a smile, and Finn drew him in for a kiss on the cheek, and Logan smiled at the image of his future. A marriage, kids, a house- a commitment, at the end of the day, that he planned on keeping for the rest of his life. And if he tripped over his own feet on the way to the bathroom, too busy looking at Finn’s dark freckles and Leo’s sharp jawline, well… that was a memory for him to tuck away and keep with him. Forever.
did you maybe get any inspo for a cubs hiking or camping fic while on your trip👀👀
Have some Cubs fun in the evergreen Canadian forest! (And some contemplative Tremzy)
Credits to @lumosinlove !!
“Honey, slow down, we’re almost ready.”
“But I’m excited, peanut!” Finn bounced on his toes. “I’m so fucking ready.”
Logan shook his head and grabbed a small white bottle from his bag. “Non, you’re not, ici.”
Finn dutifully stood still as Logan rubbed sunscreen over his face, finishing with a gentle pass of his fingers on Finn’s cheeks. Logan kissed where his fingers had been and stood back down on his heels. “Bien. Okay, let’s go.”
Finn spun around and began walking quickly toward the trailhead, whistling as he went. Leo and Logan stood and watched him for a second before looking at each other with amused smiles.
“Do you think we should just let him run ahead?” Leo asked as he took Logan’s hand.
Logan shrugged. “Maybe. But then it’s not a date.”
“Honey, we’re basically dating a puppy, we’ve gotta let him run.”
Logan laughed and leaned into Leo’s side for a brief moment. Leo winked and kissed the side of his head before letting go of his hand. “C’mon. I have a feeling this hike isn’t going to be a lovely stroll with him around.”
They met Finn where he was waiting by the trailhead, greeting another group of hikers in broken, enthusiastic French. Logan and Leo said a polite ‘salut’ as well before they turned to Finn. He was grinning at them proudly, hands looped through the straps of his backpack like a little kid going to school. It made Logan’s heart melt just a little to see him there, in the Canadian forests he’d loved as a child, as a teenager, as a yearning and confused college student. It warmed Logan even further when Leo stepped into his sightline as well. He was so comfortable here, with his charming self and his perfect French. Logan could tell it made him happy when people were impressed and asked where he was from. He would answer them with a proud and slightly sheepish smile, and Logan could watch forever as his eyes lit up thinking of New Orleans.
Leo snapped one of the straps of Finn’s backpack. “Slow down there, speedy. Your boyfriends need to catch up with you.”
Finn just looked up at him gleefully. “I’m just so excited.” He turned Leo around and nudged him forward. “I think you should go first.”
“What?” Leo said, tripping slightly over a root as he began to walk up the sloped trail. “Why? You’re way faster.”
Finn shrugged. “No reason.” He reached for Logan as well. “You, too, baby.”
Logan shook his head at Finn fondly. “I know what you’re doing.”
Finn’s grin was the lovely and mischievous one Logan adored. “I know you know.” He nudged his chin towards Leo. “But he doesn’t.”
Logan turned to look at Leo, who was now a little further up the trail, and ran his eyes up and down his long, lean body. He smiled. “Si beau.”
“Mhm.” Finn leaned around to press a quick kiss to his cheek. “C’mon, can’t let sunshine get too far ahead.”
They followed Leo up the trail. Despite his long legs, he didn’t hike particularly fast. He liked to take in the nature around him and stooped to touch moss or examine leaves frequently. Every now and then, too, he’d hum when he found a particularly interesting leaf. He’d even brought the identification book Logan had got him at a local shop in Rimouski, with all of the local flora and fauna. Leo smiled every time he found a match and nodded satisfactorily. Logan found it incredibly adorable.
After the fifth time they’d stopped to examine a leaf, Leo sighed on a steep section and turned to look at Finn. “Are you sure you don’t want to go ahead, sweetheart? You’ll be able to move a lot faster.”
Finn shook his head fondly. “No, baby, I want to walk with you.” His eyes turned playful. “Plus, walking behind you has its advantages.”
Leo looked confused for a second, eyes narrowed, before he rolled them with a blushing grin. “You’re staring at my ass, aren’t you?”
“Oh, absolutely. And Lo’s.” He emphasized his statement with a loving pat on Logan’s butt. “I gotta say, it’s a nice view.”
Logan laughed. “The view is at the top!”
“That view’s overrated. I prefer this one.”
Logan couldn’t take it anymore. He turned and planted a kiss right on Finn’s lips. They were both sweaty in the humid August heat, but Logan still loved the smell of him, all mixed up with the scents of the woods. He pulled away after a moment and flicked Finn’s cheek gently. “You’re so weird.”
“And yet, you love me.” He gave Logan’s butt one more soft pat, then looked up the trail at Leo, who had bent to look at something on a rock. “You ready sunshine?” he called.
“Look, I found a newt!” A pause. “Oh, he’s so cute, come see!”
Finn caught Logan’s eye. “We’re looking at a cute newt right now, actually.”
Leo just shook his head, but Logan could see his cheeks were red. “No, I’m serious, come see!”
Logan and Finn looked at each other, smiling widely before answering Leo’s call.
Their hike continued as such. Leo would stop every now and then to look at something interesting he found, and Logan and Finn would listen as he murmured under his breath while he flipped through the tiny book. Eventually, they reached where they could see the top, and Finn bounded ahead, pressing smacking kisses to their cheeks on the way. By the time they got there, Leo and Logan found him sitting on a rock, bag of trail mix already in hand munching while looking at the view. When they turned around, he smiled widely. “Oh, look! The view has arrived!”
Leo laughed and went to sit beside him, snatching some trail mix for himself. While they were talking, Logan took a look at the view. He’d been up here dozens of times: with his sisters, his parents, his high school friends. It was a beautiful view, all rolling evergreen hills and endless sky, even so close to the city. The air was fresh and crisp, and he inhaled against the memories.
There was one summer weekend in college he came up here with his former high school teammates, all slightly hungover from a reunion party in late May, to watch the sunrise. He remembered some of them had brought their college girlfriends with them. Logan and a boy named Riley, who he hadn’t been close with but was nice enough, had been the only ones without girlfriends. Someone made a joke, saying they should kiss, and Riley had been so nervous red had shone through on his brown cheeks. Logan had told them to knock it off, giving his teammate a nudge, and that was that. But Logan had been hoping they couldn’t hear how fast his breathing was, how his heart had been about to pump out of his chest. In that moment, his gaze had landed on one of his teammate’s girlfriends, who had bright red hair and lots of freckles. He had to excuse himself to go lie down on a rock, alone.
He felt two arms wrap around him, and two hands appeared to unclasp the buckles on his backpack and ease the straps off his shoulders. “You okay, sweetheart?”
Logan nodded. “Ouais. Just- thinking.”
Leo hummed. He set Logan’s bag down and rested his hands on Logan’s hips. “You wanna talk about it?”
“Non, mon amour, not right now. I’ll tell you later.”
“Okay.” Leo kissed his shoulder. “You hungry, honey? I made us BLTs with that homemade mayo sauce you like.”
Logan smiled. He wrapped Leo’s arms fully around himself. “Ouais, merci. Sounds good.”
Leo squeezed him tightly before letting go to lead him over to where Finn was watching them. He had his phone out and was looking at something. “Look,” he said, showing it to them. “Got my new lockscreen.”
Logan bent down to peek at it and smiled. Leo really was much taller than him; Logan never noticed that he had to look up that much to smile at him. “Can you send it to me, please, rouge?”
“Already did, babe.” Finn chucked his phone down onto his bag and reclined a bit with a sigh. “This is the life, man.”
“Glad you like it, sweetheart,” Leo said. He was shuffling through his own backpack. “You hungry? Want a sandwich?”
Finn squinted at him in the bright sun. “You’re so cute, always making sure we’re well fed.”
“Well, we just exercised for two hours in the sun! I just don’t want you to get dizzy on the way down or-”
Finn just cupped his face and interrupted him with a kiss. “It’s a good thing, baby. I’d love one of your BLTs.”
Leo nodded, a little grin on his face. “That’s what I thought.”
They ate their sandwiches under a shaded section of rocks at Leo’s insistence, facing the view as the sun began to dip just past noon. Finn sat through Logan rubbing more sunscreen on him before he waggled his eyebrows and pulled a bag of M&Ms out of his backpack. “Peanut M&Ms for you, peanut!”
The colored sugar dyed their tongues different colors. Finn only ate the green ones in an attempt to ‘become a leprechaun’, as he so called it, which left Leo and Logan with a myriad selection. Logan let the sweetness settle over his tongue, followed by the crunchiness of the peanut, for a moment. He watched as Finn insisted Leo throw one into his mouth. Finn caught it, to no one’s surprise, and he leaned over Logan’s head to press a smacking kiss to Leo’s cheek in victory. When his eyes landed on Logan, they were contemplative. “What’s up, Lolo?”
Logan shrugged. “Just thinking.”
“Yikes, you feeling okay?”
Logan tried to look unimpressed. “That is getting old.” He leaned into Leo’s thigh that was touching his own. A sigh escaped him. “I once came up here during summer in college. With my high school teammates.”
“Oh?” Leo’s eyes were questioning, but he was still smiling for Logan. “Did you have fun?”
“Ouais, I guess.” Logan looked out at the view. How could something once so normal to him feel so uncomfortable now? “We all got drunk at a party, then decided to climb up for the sunrise. I don’t know why, it was awful. We were so hungover.”
Leo laughed. “You know, sometimes I forget you both had a wild side.”
“Had?” Finn looked offended. “We’re still perfectly wild.”
“What, with your nine-thirty read-aloud story time?”
“You love story time!” Finn scooched over and threw his right leg over Logan’s, leaning in to pinch Leo’s bicep. “And you’re wild too, peanut.”
Leo snorted. “In the kitchen, maybe.”
“In other places, too,” Finn replied with a sharp grin.
That made Logan take in a sharp breath. The memory of what his teammates said to him throbbed against his skull like it was trying to escape. Everything he felt back then, the yearning, the want, the shame, suddenly felt so close he could taste it. He wondered if this weight on his chest would ever lift, if he would ever stop being surprised and in awe of the beautiful life he got to live with Leo and Finn. He both wanted it gone and wanted it to press down against him harder, until all he could do was sink into the feeling of their bodies around him.
“Lo?” Leo asked, dipping his head to whisper in Logan’s ear. “You okay sweetheart?”
“Ouais,” Logan said. He cleared his throat. “Ouais, it’s just… mais, the day, when I came up here with my teammates?” He looked for their confirming nods before continuing. “Everyone came with girlfriends. Except me and another guy. Some of the others- well…”
Finn’s face suddenly appeared in his sightline. Logan was so grateful they were the only ones at the top. “They… implied some not nice things about us. Said we should’ve done some stuff together.” He heard Leo suck in a breath from beside him. Finn’s eyes bored into his own. “And then one of my teammates had a girlfriend with red hair. And freckles.”
Finn, for once, didn’t say anything. He just cupped the back of Logan’s head and brought it to his shoulder, holding him there. He smelled like sweat, and summer air, and Finn, and Logan gripped his hip as he breathed him in. Finn kissed the side of his head, letting his lips rest there, and Logan felt something in himself begin to heal.
“Lo,” Leo said softly. “Oh, honey, I’m so sorry.”
Logan ducked his nose into Finn’s neckline one more time before sitting up. “Non, non it’s okay. I mean, it’s not okay, what they said, but I am. I’m okay.” He turned to face Leo and kissed him softly. “I’m so good.”
“Good,” Leo whispered against his mouth. “That makes me happy.”
Logan smiled. “Ouais.” He pulled back to look at Leo. “Are you happy?”
Leo softened. The light reflected off his curls and his white teeth as he smiled. He was beautiful always, but especially when he looked at Logan like that. Like he was his. “Yeah.”
“Bien.” He turned his body slightly to settle with his back to Leo’s chest, grinning as Leo let out an amused laugh. Logan reached his hand out to tangle his fingers with Finn’s. “Are you happy?”
Finn’s brown eyes were golden in the summer sun. He looked like a figment of every one of younger Logan’s dreams. “More and more every day.”
“Bien,” Logan said again. He kissed Finn’s fingers then caught his eye with a challenging look. “Race you down.” Then he grabbed the trash leftover from their lunch, stuffed it in his bag, and stood to begin jogging down the trail.
“Oh no you don’t, ten!”
“Will you two please be careful? I don’t want you to fall!”
Logan smiled as their laughter and footsteps followed him. He spared one look behind him to catch the view and his boys against it before picking up his pace and running down the mountain.
YAY YAY YAY!!!!
New year, old stories to be completed—and three pictures that perfectly sum up this new chapter of Starboys 🏎️
Characters belong to @lumosinlove
cw: I'm introducing Vaincre characters from here on, so please read only if you're comfortable with potential spoilers!
Happy New Year 💕
The golden boy, the youngest glory
"Ready, Fish?"
With the back of his hand, Finn wiped the cold bead of water tickling the corner of his mouth. The half-empty bottle slipped from his grip and landed upright on the floor, narrowly missing the plastic box where Finn kept his beat-up tennis balls.
He blinked hard, trying to shake off the fatigue, and stretched out his back. He dabbed at his dripping forehead with the hem of his sweat-stained Puma tank top and rolled his tense neck with a satisfying pop.
It was a rare occasion when Finn and Alex were in the same place long enough to spend more than a few hours together, let alone an entire morning just for the two of them.
Back in New York, before Alex went off to college and Finn was selected to race in Formula 2 for the Scuderia Junior Academy, they had settled into a strict routine that Finn used to complain about all the time and now missed immensely. Weekdays began with a 5 a.m. alarm and a run under the early lights of an awakening city—a specific path around the neighborhood that set the tone for their frenetic lives of school, friends, and responsibilities. A path that always included long talks about anything and everything, and quick stops for coffee on the way home—hot when it was cold outside, to warm their frozen fingers; iced when summer mornings brought the sticky heat.
After two weeks of work at the factory—rushing between testing the latest upgrades, hard training, and repeating race simulations for the three upcoming Grand Prix—it had been a joy to come back to his brother in a place Finn had slowly come to call home.
That was until Alex had dragged him out of bed at six on a Saturday morning. They had run to the gym, following Finn's usual itinerary along the breezy promenade. Two hours of torturous exercise later—definitely not payback for the early wake-up call—Finn had asked Alex to help him with his reaction drills.
"Your turn," Finn now said, stealing the two lime-colored balls from his brother's hands.
Alex was about to protest but Finn cut him off. He positioned himself in front of him, legs spread, a tennis ball in each fist, raised to shoulder height. His dark red eyebrows were arched teasingly. "Come on, you always liked it."
"Fine," Alex grumbled, mirroring Finn's position and slightly bending his knees. His smile hid a hint of nostalgia. "But after this, you owe me breakfast."
"Bagels?" Finn offered.
"Duh," Alex scoffed and made a whole scene of getting into position for the drill, hands outstretched and ready, hovering over Finn's. "Okay, let's do this. How bad could—"
Finn dropped the first ball from his right hand. It fell fast past Alex's grasping hands and hit the floor with a loud bounce.
"Hey—"
Finn let go of the other. Alex reached out tentatively, but Finn caught it easily with a deft move, quicker than a blink.
"All right, Flash," Alex exhaled, rolling his annoyed eyes. "You've made your point. Can we go now?"
"Nope," Finn laughed. "One more."
He knew he was foolishly lingering, as impatient and excited as he was probably more than a little worried. But he could wait a little longer, just in case—at least until Alex finally caught the small ball and aimed it threateningly at Finn’s head.
In moments like this, though, Finn was sure there was nothing to worry about.
They headed back to Finn's apartment, pretending to get in one last jog, but quietly settling for a brisk walk, discussing serious business under the faint October sun.
What do you mean, Al? Of course the Rangers have the best goalie tandem in the league.
It was half past ten by the time Alex sat on a stool at the kitchen counter, his hair a damp mess from the shower, and eyed Finn skeptically. "Are you making breakfast?"
Finn didn't look up from where he was carefully halving a sesame bagel. "If I told you where these came from, you wouldn't believe me."
"Hmm, let me guess," Alex laughed. "Was it Mom's or Dad's idea?"
"Both?" Finn guessed. He went to the fridge for smoked salmon and cream cheese. "I said once that I was craving those bagels from that place down the street…"
"Oh, no..."
"Uh-huh," Finn chuckled, turning back to the kitchen island. "I mean, it's not like I can cook anything else, but—it was a whole mom’s I’m-just-sending-you-a-few-things sized box, and now the refrigerator is completely stuffed."
Alex hummed quietly in response—too quietly. He leaned over the counter, letting his head collapse into his hand. He picked up a fork and stole an uneven slice of tomato from the cutting board, giving Finn a funny look all the while.
"What is it?" Finn asked cautiously.
Alex shrugged and took a bite of the tomato. "Just waiting," he mumbled between chews.
"For?"
"Breakfast," Alex shot back when he caught Finn's suspicious look. "Oh, and for you to tell me why you're so jumpy today," he said around another bite.
Finn couldn't hide how desperately he'd hoped Alex would understand.
"Or, let's say..." At that, Finn was already laughing. "Whose second toothbrush might be in your bathroom, for example."
Busted. Finn smiled brightly. "She told you, didn't she?"
"Not exactly." Alex's voice wavered between guarded and uncontainable. "She texted me, 'You owe me fifty bucks,' and when I asked her why, she said I should ask you."
"You're both crazy," Finn snorted, then zeroed in on what Alex had just said. "Wait, you two bet on us? On your own siblings?"
"No—no. I mean," Alex rubbed a hand over the rising blush on his face. "It started as a joke and... you know Noelle. She was dying for me to know, but..." Finn saw Alex, always the journalist, choosing his words carefully. "Is it true though? Has it finally happened?"
"Finally—"
"Come on, Fish," Alex grunted.
Finn set the knife aside and sank onto a stool. He closed his eyes for a moment, letting out a carefree laugh, somehow in disbelief.
"It's true," he said quietly, watching with a lump in his throat as a sparkle of excitement lit up Alex's eyes. "We finally admitted that we—uh…"
"Are insanely in love with each other? This is shocking news to me—Finn!” Alex cackled as Finn threw a handful of capers at him. He stood up and stretched out his arms. "Come here, you idiot."
Finn stumbled towards him. How was he supposed to tell him how grateful he was? Alex’s hug was comfort, security in uncertainty. To Finn, having his brother by his side, supporting him every step of the way—it meant everything, far more than he could ever begin to say.
There were sudden, burning tears in his eyes—happy tears. And when Alex pulled back to ruffle his hair, Finn let them fall.
"Al..." his voice dropped to a whisper. "You think..." this is okay? Tell me it's okay. Am I allowed?
"You're okay, bud," Alex looked at him so proudly that Finn suddenly felt ten times lighter. "I'm so happy for you, you have no idea," Alex laughed giddily, voice cracking with emotion. "And I'm here for you, you know? We are, for both of you." He grabbed Finn's shoulders and squeezed them tightly.
"I'm..." Finn paused hesitantly. His thoughts raced back to Alex and Kasey—the injury, their sudden reunion after a long, odd silence. He had wanted to ask for a while, but hadn't known how. "I'm here for you, too. Okay?" He wiped at his own wet cheeks. "Anytime."
The frowny smile he got back, the quick nod... Maybe Alex wasn't quite ready.
"Thanks," was all he managed to say. So Finn padded silently back to his cooking station with what he hoped was a reassuring smile.
"Capers?" Finn asked then, busying himself again. He had his eyes on the food, but couldn't have missed the relieved look on his brother's face when he shot back a cheerful, "You know it.
The rest of the morning flew by. Around lunchtime, they found themselves sprawled out on the couch, scrolling through social media and the latest motorsports news. A classic. It was an old habit of Alex’s—diving into the gossipy side of sports journalism was actually part of his job. Years ago, they would spend hours like this in one of their bedrooms. Slow weekends, hot chocolate, just sniffing around this much-dreamed-of world that had felt far away at the time—fantasies of one day, maybe.
Now their names made front pages, and Finn's face graced magazine covers more often than not—cars, watches, fashion advertisements. Alex's signature was quiet beneath his pieces, yet striking, powerful, respected. Sometimes Finn wished he could stay as silent and just be. No more trending hashtags, no more crazy made-up theories about his love life every time he was spotted walking less than two feet from a woman. No more crowds waiting for him outside restaurants—places he knew would be perfect nooks for unforgettable date nights.
That one small, family-run restaurant in Cap D'Ail, a spot of white, light browns and strings of warm, soft lights floating in the air, gently swaying with the sea breeze that swirled around the terrace. Built on a cliff, intimate, framed by crystal clear water and the infinite hues of the night. The perfect setting for Logan's green eyes to shine and...
"Does Leo know?" Alex piped up.
Leo. Leo's stunning blue eyes.
Finn's head snapped to Alex. "What?"
"About you and Tremz," he said, slowly pushing himself up against the cushion. He flipped the phone in his hands a few times before adding, "You're always together these days...the three of you," and glancing past Finn, through the picture window.
The question fell out of the blue, so close to Finn's wandering thoughts that it startled him.
"He doesn't," Finn shook his head—an imperceptible nod, more to himself than anything. Something heavy sank deep into his core. Was it guilt?
"We—me and Lo, we... haven't talked about it yet. We were just thinking about telling you," he admitted. "You, Noelle, Aubrey, Syd. Our parents..."
Alex looked at him with curious eyes, a warm mirror reflection.
"But?" He prompted. Maybe he'd heard the unspoken words Finn was struggling to put together. And when he didn't answer, Alex pushed their elbows together.
"You can tell me, Fish," he blinked, offering him the safest of smiles.
Finn's phone buzzed where it lay unlocked on his thigh, giving him an unfairly convenient excuse to catch his breath before what felt like an imminent free fall.
He got a picture from Logan, a blurry shot of a bookshop window, the one Logan always took him to whenever they set foot in London together. But when a second picture popped up in the chat, Finn's heart did a complicated thing. At the sight of Logan's carefree smile, it fluttered in his chest. At Leo's matching grin, it began to race wildly. Where their cheeks were pressed together under layers of hats, hoods and dark sunglasses, Finn's heart settled peacefully. And then a bitter note of jealousy struck when he realized—did you two just go to Hatchards without me?? he typed frantically.
Logan's reply was immediate:
Got lots of books and stuff for you
Wait Leo says not to tell you
It's a surprise
<3
"Oh my God, look at you," Alex laughed loudly next to him—at him. "You're hopeless."
"Shut up," Finn muttered under his breath, suddenly embarrassed. His nervous fingers went to scratching the heavy stubble on his white-hot cheeks.
He looked at Alex again, willing himself to say something, anything. But his brother beat him to the word, once again.
"My next trip is in a month," Alex said. He was worrying the inside of his lips, his eyes unfocused. He was nervous too, Finn realized. "I'll stay here in Monaco for a while. At least while you guys are overseas..."
Finn stayed still and just listened.
"I can't let Nat go back and forth for three weeks in a row, and Kasey has rehab and doctor's appointments every other day, so... yeah," he looked back at Finn and gave a sharp nod. "It's been three weeks, but... they've been really, really good." Alex smiled, genuinely and sincerely. "And I tried to get out of the way, you know? I didn't want to... overstay my welcome or, like, intrude or anything..."
Again, the one thought that kept running through Finn's mind came up. "Have you ever... felt like that?"
"Never," Alex shook his head. "Not even once, and... I understand if you're worried that Leo might say something—"
It was Finn's time to nod in disagreement. "I trust him," he said. "I know we both do."
How could they not?
"Then let him in. Let him choose. Maybe he doesn't want to lose you as much as you don't want to lose him."
—
Finn's flight was scheduled for the next day at five and, quite surprisingly, his suitcases were already packed and waiting by the front door. He wasn't really looking forward to the long trip, especially now that Kasey, Logan and Leo couldn't be with him. At Silver's request, Logan had to stay in Silverstone and travel with his team, while Finn's new teammate, Kasey's temporary replacement, had flown to Austin early to meet his family.
After Alex had left, Finn had taken some time to let the day sink in. He'd FaceTimed his parents while he cleaned up the mess he and Alex had left in the kitchen, and then got ready for an early night. But as the sky grew darker and only a faint golden light filled the living room, Finn found himself still on hold, unconsciously waiting for that one call that had kept distance less far, less lonely, for so long. Nights of rambling and rants about busy days, sharing thoughts, opinions and advice about everything that was going on in two so similar, so far apart lives.
Logan's voice, his carefree laughs at Finn's silly jokes, even in those weeks that always felt like a race against time—those moments had always been a calming anchor. And somehow they had gotten even better lately, when blue eyes and dimpled smiles showed up more often than not on the same blurry screen, between cooking dinner for two, sharing books reviews, and seriously, Harzy, where do you even find the patience with this one? He's so annoying, just to hear Logan's offended gasps next to him.
Finn waited, socked feet on the coffee table and book in hand, under the warm, yellowish light of the reading lamp by the couch. He sank into chapter after chapter of a fantastical word—a novel Leo had lent him—until the insistent growling of his stomach became too distracting to ignore, calling for a quick take-out.
He scrolled through EatIn for a good five minutes. The notification of a message flashed across the top of the dim phone screen—a text from Kuny in the drivers' group chat, on top of five new emails and a pending software update. No call, no reply to his last text to Logan, left on read a few hours earlier.
Finally, Finn placed his usual sushi order and went back to reading, tossing the phone and his troublesome thoughts aside, just as the doorbell rang—once, twice, three times.
"Coming," he called, wondering who the front desk had let through when he wasn't expecting visitors. But any concern was quickly silenced as he swung the door open.
"Sushi delivery," said a beaming Leo, whose blond curls poked out of a black Silver Racing cap. He held up a handful of bags from Finn's favorite downtown Japanese restaurant.
"That was quick," Finn blurted out without thinking, gaping at the bags.
And then a soft snort brought his eyes up to two hilariously perplexed faces. "What?"
What? "Oh," Finn realized he was still staring, dumbfounded. "Hi—I mean, hi," he laughed at his high-pitched, surprised squeak, and almost leapt at Leo, looping his arms around his neck in a tight hug.
"Our dinner—" Leo tried to warn him between sweet chuckles, holding the bags out to Logan, who, Finn noticed, was delightfully looking at them with his head tilted to the side.
"How... what are you doing here?" Finn asked, pulling away from Leo's warm embrace.
"We brought you dinner, obviously," Leo said with a scoff, as if Finn had just asked something stupid.
"And presents," Logan lifted an off-white tote bag that seemed quite heavy even in his strong hands. The green embroidered logo on the front read Hatchards Books.
"As if you hadn't told him already," Leo drawled as he shot Logan a knowing look.
A devilish, very bite-able grin painted Logan's full lips, a little chapped from the English bitter cold, begging to be kissed better.
"You're so predictable, Lo," Finn snorted, reluctantly looking away and finally letting them in.
Logan blatantly ignored them, swatting Finn's ass with his bags on the way in. He waited for him as he locked the door and handed Finn the food with a sharp look and a soft whisper.
"Dinner upstairs?"
Ten short steps led from the living room balcony to what had once been a bare, spacious roof deck. The moment Finn had signed the papers to buy the attic, his father's keen eye and expert touch had redesigned it into a private sky lounge, a little gem overlooking the beating heart of Monte-Carlo and the features of a boundless coastline.
Finn turned on the patio heater. Its warmth added to the cozy atmosphere, blending with the light beige color of the lounge chairs and sectional sofa, and the wood accents of a large coffee table where Logan had chaotically placed three sets of chopsticks, along with a bottle of white wine, glasses, and various boxes of delicious-looking treats—all Finn's favorites, it seemed.
The outdoor lights were dim, allowing a few faint stars to twinkle high above their heads despite the city's harsh reflections. Finn caught Leo standing next to the glass railing with his nose tilted skyward and a star-struck smile lighting up his peaceful face.
"I'd run for the dumplings," Finn said as he joined him, "if you want a chance with that one around."
They both turned in time to catch Logan red-handed with half a gyoza dangling from his mouth.
"Quoi?" he munch-mumbled. "I'm hungry!"
Their laughter blossomed in unison, louder to Finn's ears than the rumble of the plane passing low overhead, and the hum of traffic below.
Logan's green eyes, dark in the faint light of the night, narrowed on them.
"So very predictable, indeed," Leo said as Finn gently led him to the table. His hand wavered on the small of Leo's back, tentative—until Logan flashed him a mindful look that sent goosebumps up Finn's arms.
"Whose team are you on, Knut?" Logan teased, making room for Leo on the sofa as Finn took one of the loungers.
"I'm afraid I'm legally obligated to say yours." Leo stretched one arm out over the back cushion, putting on a thoughtful expression. "Something about a non-compete clause in my contract, I'm not sure. Besides," he turned to Finn, nose wrinkled around a fine sheen, "my mama would probably disown me if I said otherwise..."
"Ha!" Logan pointed a mocking finger at Finn.
"...but my dad, on the other hand..."
"Excuse you, I'm right here—"
"Oh, no, no, no," Leo tutted. "We're not going there, nuh-uh. I hear enough bickering from those two. Feel free to discuss the matter with my parents next weekend."
"Are they coming to the race?" Finn asked.
"Yeah," Leo's smile grew so wide it must have hurt. "Haven't seen them in a while... and the U.S. Grand Prix is sort of a family tradition. Only this time..."
"You won't be on the stands," Logan said softly.
"Pretty special, huh?" Finn felt the hook of Logan's telltale gaze as their eyes met—he’s sweet.
"Three days Paddock pass-special," Leo nodded, and Logan whistled low under his breath, drawing a contagious laugh from both of them.
"I really don't know how they're gonna react when they meet you." Leo's ocean blue eyes were lost in the night sky, then suddenly hesitant as he spoke again, "Only if you... um, want to... of course."
Finn peeked back at Logan, who nodded briefly. There was still so much they could do for him. But for now, Finn was having fun. He crossed his arms and tipped his chin up in a very well practiced offended frown.
"I don't see why," he said in a low voice. "It's not like I'm everyone's favorite around here."
"Are you kidding—" Leo started just as Logan whispered, "He likes all the attention," loud enough for Finn to hear.
Leo kicked him in the shin with one of his long legs and snorted a laugh, "Wait till you meet Wyatt Knut. Oh, I know he's gonna lose it."
With burning cheeks, Finn crossed his legs on the soft cushion and grabbed a pillow for his lap. "Well," he picked up a box from the table and his chopsticks. "Let's hope the rookie doesn't steal my scene then."
"Oh, right," Logan said, casually stealing a salmon nigiri from Leo's plate. "Who's filling in for Kase?"
"Oh?" Finn frowned in confusion. "I thought the news was out. The team decided to give our junior driver a chance."
It was almost imperceptible, but Finn was sure Leo lost a little color in his face around a hard swallow. He reached for his glass and took a small sip of the bubbling wine Logan had poured for them.
"Really?" Logan sounded surprised. "Isn't Archer running in F2?"
"He's twenty-something points off the lead," Finn pointed out. "And his next race is Abu Dhabi. He might as well take a shot at this instead."
"Sorry, guys," Leo got up from the couch. "I need to use the bathroom. Be right back," he murmured before hurrying to the stairs.
Finn shifted just in time to see Leo disappear into the house. "Is he okay?"
"You're such a worrier, mon cœur."
Finn's eyes followed the sound of Logan's soothing voice. "I know..."
"I missed you," Logan whispered, and warmth spread through Finn's veins, chasing away the brisk cold on his skin.
"I missed you too, baby. This is the best surprise ever."
"Couldn't wait until Monday," Logan's jaw twitched around a gentle smile. "And... we both kind of needed a breath of fresh air."
"Huh? What's going on?"
Logan shook his head, lips pressed into a hard line. "Silver's dropping the bomb about the Blacks and the partnership deal. Tomorrow. Press is going to be all over it..."
Finn leaned forward, elbows on his knees. One hand moved up to pinch his lips, to rub his jaw. He sucked in a lungful of air. "'What'd Sirius say?"
"He thinks we can divert any unwanted attention with the reveal of the special livery."
"And what about you two?"
"Leo should be fine, I think... And I promised not to curse at reporters this time." Logan's faint smile turned mischievous. "And to make it to Sunday without getting fined by the FIA."
Finn dug his thumb and forefinger into his eyes. "It's going to be one of those weekends, huh?"
"Ugh," Logan groaned just as desperately. "I really don't want to think about it." He took his glass from the table and tipped it to Finn, eyes growing soft, finally seeming to relax, but still tinged with concern. "At least I got you, non?"
Finn followed suit, raising his own glass in a silent toast. "Always, baby."
—
The Circuit of the Americas lived up to every driver's expectations. Finn was no stranger to the demanding, yet satisfying feeling of piecing together the perfect lap between steep uphills, tight hairpins and sequences of fast, flowing corners. Nor was he unfamiliar with the energy, the wild atmosphere that usually painted the entire weekend in shades of red, blue and white stars. From the grandstands and garages to the decorated run-offs of the track, everything mirrored the Lone Star flag waving proudly near the crest of the Turn 1 hill.
That's how Finn found himself walking around the paddock on Thursday morning in a bright red t-shirt and blue jeans, struggling to adjust the cowboy hat perched on top of his misbehaving hair. It was a bit of a cliché, a tradition of the United States Grand Prix that everyone had embraced over the years—including a rather amused Remus Lupin, who was busy chatting with Lily Evans by the team hospitality entrance.
"Look who finally made it to work," Remus sneered when he saw Finn coming.
"Blah blah blah. I missed you too, Loops," Finn said, sidestepping to hug Lily instead. "What's up, Lils?"
"Looking good, O'Hara," she said, tipping the wide brim of her velvet camel hat. It matched Remus', sitting perfectly on his sandy blond hair.
"What are you two up to?"
"Gossiping, mostly," Lily said, beaming with faux innocence. "Oh, and technically looking for my husband. I kind of lost him between breakfast and the five minutes I was in the shower."
"Sirius left early too," Remus began, stumbling over his words as a faint blush crept to the tips of his ears. "I think—he… uh. He texted me pretty early, yeah."
"Right," Finn said. He watched unconvinced as Lily failed, rather spectacularly, to hide a wicked grin. "Any sign of Logan? Leo?"
Logan had snuck out of Finn's room at dawn with a thousand kisses and the promise of more cuddles later that night, but no further explanation.
"Haven't seen them around." Remus shrugged, "But the event starts in..." He checked his watch. "About fifteen minutes. Maybe they're already at the Paddock Club or—"
"Holy—shit," Lily's voice dropped to a breathless whisper, her green eyes wide.
Finn and Remus turned in sync to… quite the view.
"Did you... did you know about this?" Finn thought he heard Remus ask. To whom, he couldn't say.
Now Finn would have answered, if words hadn't deserted him. If the deeply unbuttoned shirt that fit Logan's shoulders under a fringed green vest hadn't been too distracting. Or the denim jacket and light blue bandana tied softly around Leo's neck, perfectly framing his sharp lines—a sliver of sunshine in a bright, cloudless sky. Leather boots, belts, and wide-brimmed brown hats completed the look of the four Silver boys as they casually strutted toward them.
A wave of searing heat spread from Finn's chest to his hips, slowly burning him from the inside out.
"Howdy," James greeted in first—washed denim jeans and a bad impression of a Southern accent. He swooped in to pull an awe-struck Lily into a hard kiss.
Behind him, Sirius, Logan, and Leo were quiet, looking somewhat embarrassed, confident, and resigned at the same time.
"Well, hello, cowboys," Lily laughed, her eyes flitting curiously between them. "Anyone care to explain?"
Finn had to glance at Remus then, who was also uncharacteristically silent. Their eyes met briefly and they both pretended they didn't look like someone had just slapped them hard in the face.
Sirius was the first to speak. Finn dared a closer look at Logan and then at Leo, eyebrows arching in interest at their twin smirks.
"A special livery requires special attire, doesn't it?" Sirius began tentatively, as if trying to convince himself. He pointed his thumbs at his loose black shirt.
"And, oh-so-casually," James spun around to show off his outfit, "we have a Hugo Boss collab to rock."
"And press to distract, apparently..." Leo added, crossing his arms and ankles in one elegant motion.
Very, very distracting indeed, thank you.
Logan pasted on his fakest smile. "Oh, and I'm retiring by the end of the season—ow!” he grunted a laugh as Leo flicked the back of his head. "Knutty."
It struck him then, unbidden and consuming. A lightning bolt from the bluest of skies. An electric spike swept over Finn's entire body, this time tightening his chest. It was undeniable how Logan and Leo glowed next to each other. Whether it was on track, with Leo's firm voice listing strict instructions in Logan's ears. At night, sitting at a kitchen table, miles away from Finn, telling him bits and pieces of their days. And here, in the middle of a semi-desert paddock, dressed in glamour for no sensible reason at all—those two shone like the brightest stars in the firmament before Finn's eyes.
Suddenly, Finn longed to feel how Leo so beautifully coaxed that rare bliss out of Logan, carefree laughs and heart-melting smiles that Finn knew were private, exclusive. Breaths he'd kissed from his mouth, yearned for and cherished. And intriguing tastes that Finn now secretly craved.
The most perfectly complicated knot of feelings.
"Fish?" Logan's touch was warm on his forearm.
"Yeah?"
"See you later?"
Finn could only nod, blinded by forest green and cornflower blue and the pungent scent of two perfectly layered colognes.
They all left, Lily in tow, snuggled between James' and Sirius' arms, abandoning Finn and Remus in a deafening silence that grew louder with every stray, passing voice.
"We should..." Remus cleared his throat.
"Yep, yeah."
"Okay. Harz," he muttered, his words muffled as he dragged a hand across his face. "You're off to... Sky Sports and Viaplay. Flash interviews. Then we're doing the track walk together."
"Always so romantic, Loops," Finn casually threw an arm around Remus' shoulders. "Hey, you know who's up for the drivers' press conference?"
"They want the new guy. You're boring old stuff, my friend."
"Damn," Finn sighed. "Not complaining, but... ouch."
"It's the circle of life." Remus elbowed him playfully before looking up with a small, knowing smile—subtle. "We're screwed, huh?"
"Oh man," Finn huffed out a loud laugh. "Aren't we?"
—
"Espresso."
Natalie's voice broke the early morning quiet of the team's hospitality lounge.
"Macchiato," she groaned, flopping into an armchair in the coffee area where Finn was busy topping his cappuccino with cinnamon. "And make it double, please, and thank you."
Finn's free hand snapped to his forehead in an over-the-top salute. "Yes, ma'am."
"Fucking jet lag."
Finn grabbed a cup and started the coffee machine. "Up all night again?"
"I think I slept... like eight hours in three days."
"Yikes," Finn winced. He let a cloud of foamed milk swirl into the dark, fragrant brew, then sprinkled some cocoa powder on top. "This calls for extra sugar."
"Definitely," she mumbled.
Finn set the steaming cup on a saucer. He placed it on a small tray along with a teaspoon, a tiny basket of sugar packets, and a couple of warm, buttery mini croissants.
"There you go." He laid the tray on the glass table in front of her and sank into the nearest armchair.
"Wow, Freckle," Natalie marveled dozily, her words fading into a drawn-out yawn. "Five-star treatment."
"Seems much needed," Finn scrunched his nose as he reached for his own coffee.
"You and me both." She pointed between their faces, clearly noting the purple circles under his eyes. "What's keeping you up?"
"No clue," Finn lied, and Natalie shot him a look.
"You really think," she paused to take a small sip of coffee, unfazed. "You can hide something from me, of all people?"
Finn couldn't help the small, wry smile that twitched his lips. "You'd be surprised," he murmured around the rim of his cup.
"What was that?"
"Nothing," he blurted, unable to escape her inquisitive gaze. "I guess I'm just worried, that's all."
"Hm. And does that have anything to do with a certain hot-tempered brunet? Say, someone throwing threatening death glares at anyone with a microphone within a mile radius?"
"That's overprotective Logan Tremblay to you."
Finn omitted the details, of course. The past couple of nights spent with Logan curled up in his arms—a bundle of nerves. Jaw clenched, teeth gritted, falling asleep as morning light spilled through the window, voiceless and exhausted, with Finn's fingers still tangled in his hair, a familiar touch to hold on to.
"Is this about the—" Natalie air quoted, "—Black Gate? The cowboy thing didn't work out?"
Finn nodded briefly, utterly drained.
"Damage control for Sirius' sake." He shook his clouded head. "But of course everyone is hungry for more. It's a pretty big deal, the Blacks leaving Silver. Who would believe the sudden 'mutual decision' to end a ten-year partnership?"
"As if it was anyone else's business."
"And all forgotten by Monday, as usual. But in the meantime we're stuck with a couple of mad drivers in full guard mode."
Finn's fingers tapped nervously on the cooling ceramic of the cup, restless. "And then... there's Leo."
Out of his sunny, always catching energy.
"Leo?"
"He seems a little... stressed. I don't know."
Tired, maybe. Shadowed by a veil of worry that Finn couldn't chalk up to pressing media attention alone.
"I just wish there was something I could do to help."
Natalie studied him for a long moment, her brown eyes sweeping across his face. Finn saw the ghost of a wistful smile when she clicked her tongue. "There's something special about you O'Haras, huh?"
It startled a small laugh out of Finn, warm and incredulous. "I'm not sure where that comes from, but I'll take it as a compliment."
The front door cracked open. It caught their attention, revealing a bright, fresh face in the doorway.
"Buongiorno!" Jack Archer chanted in thickly accented Italian. He walked in, proudly wearing his brand new team uniform, complete with a red baseball cap flipped backward over his dark hair.
"Look at you go," Finn held out his arm for a quick fist bump. "Already embracing the team culture."
Natalie simply waved a hand. "Morning, baby rookie."
Archer smiled back at her as he leaned against the counter. "How's Kasey?"
"Oh, he's annoying me, so... way much better."
"Bet he wanted to come," he quipped.
"Ha. He tried to talk me into coming once or twice, but..." She took a steadying breath, then looked at Finn with such gentle, guarded fierceness that left him speechless. "I know for sure I left him in very, very good hands."
Jack nodded sympathetically, looking between them. "Glad to hear that."
"How about you?" Finn jumped in. "Ready for today?"
It was Archer's first ever Formula One qualifying. Finn remembered how emotional that felt—the fervent, uncontainable energy, the anticipation, and the urgency to prove yourself worthy of the privilege of sitting in such a prestigious spot. He could see the same thrill glinting in Jack's blue eyes.
"So ready," he laughed, bouncing a little on his feet. "But hey, I wouldn't mind some good advice."
"Anytime. Actually, we can..." Finn began, pulling the phone out of his pocket. "Okay, I have to be somewhere in... shit, well, ten minutes ago, but," he stood up and patted Archer on the shoulder, already poised to sprint out. "Catch you before FP3?"
"Yeah, totally," Jack's eyes lit up. "Thanks, man."
"O'Hara," Natalie called. Finn had barely taken a step toward the door. "Are you sure you're not forgetting anything?"
"Jesus," Finn did a double take and grabbed the envelope she held out between her manicured fingers. "What would I do without you?"
Natalie rolled her eyes, the outline of a wry smile curling her full lips. "Get out of here."
The paddock was alive, too loud and too hot for mid-fall Saturday morning. Finn had to stop a few times for autographs, pictures and good luck wishes before he finally made it to the Silver Hospitality forecourt.
Leo spotted him in the distance and waved cheerfully. He looked better than he had all week, his eyes less somber, though still too weary for Finn's liking. But it was a welcome sight that somehow helped Finn calm his nerves.
Leo was holding a blonde woman close to him, chatting excitedly with a slightly embarrassed Logan. A tall, also blond man stood at their side. The fine features the three of them shared were unmistakable.
As it turned out, Eloise and Wyatt Knut were exactly as Leo had described them, a force of nature brimming with energy, high spirits and unbelievable kindness—traits Finn had long recognized in their son.
Leo had his mother's eyes and her same sharp wit. Finn had soon found himself wrapped in a motherly hug, warm and loving, as Eloise thanked him over and over for no particular reason. Though she didn't miss the chance to slip in a cheeky remark about him racing for the wrong team—you should really consider moving to Silver, honey. The three of you would make the best team out there—coloring Leo's light skin several shades of red.
Wyatt Knut was just as energetic, though a little more reserved. Finn could tell by the way he'd squeezed his hand in his own that he was holding back his excitement, while his well-worn Scuderia cap spoke volumes.
Finn and Logan had planned to surprise them upon their arrival on Friday, but by the time they had finished debriefing after the free practice, Leo had essentially kidnapped his parents and disappeared. He was glad, though, if Leo's better mood had anything to do with it.
Now, between conversations, Finn noticed Logan eyeing the envelope in his hands and nodding his head in encouragement.
"Boys," Eloise said with an angelic smile, "we shouldn't keep you any longer, I'm sure you're quite busy."
"Actually, Mrs. Knut—"
"Finn, please. It's Eloise for you."
"Right," Finn chuckled, rubbing a hand over his neck as he sought Logan's eyes for support. "Well, these are for you," he opened the envelope Natalie had secured for him and pulled out two golden VIP passes.
"Guys..." Leo breathed, his startled gaze bouncing between them.
"Consider yourselves our guests of honor," Logan said. "For a full race weekend experience. You can do the grid walk on Sunday if you'd like. And watch all the sessions from our garages."
"Both," Finn added playfully, turning to Wyatt. "Whichever you prefer."
Wyatt clasped Finn's shoulder, then Logan’s—a silent, heartfelt smile tugging at his thin lips. Eloise's grateful embrace carried the same fondness Finn saw in Leo's glazed stare. He shot him a wink just as Logan bumped into his side.
"You shouldn't have to..." Leo whispered softly.
Finn felt the sudden urge to tell him that he'd do anything to see him this happy, always. He knew from the look on Logan's face, scenically playing the annoyed roll of eyes, that he was tightly holding onto similar thoughts.
But this was neither the time nor the place. Finn had already spotted a few TV crews creeping around and the last free practice session was about to start.
Besides, he had no idea what the hell was going on with him. What was he meant to make of any of these thrumming needs?
He accepted the tenth round of thanks, an invitation to dinner at the best steakhouse in town according to Leo, another warm hug from Eloise, and a fierce good luck, son from an ecstatic Wyatt Knut—the silky lanyard of his pass already hanging around his neck.
Before he left, Logan put on one of those wicked smiles that Finn wished he could always bite off his lips.
"See you on track, O'Hara," he jabbed, making everyone laugh.
"Yeah," Finn smiled. It was a relief to see that some of the worry had slipped from Logan's scratchy, sleep-deprived voice.
Finn loved him. God, he loved Logan immensely. But right then he knew he had to focus on himself and his performance, to keep an overload of problems at bay.
After all, he'd made himself a promise. He had a championship to win, against none other than the man of his dreams—and his race engineer at his side. Two people who somehow managed to make Finn feel so overwhelmingly good.
And helplessly confused.
"Good luck, Tremblay."
The car felt incredible, sharp and consistently balanced even on the hot track. The first two qualifying rounds had flowed as smoothly as water and Finn was confident he could secure a solid pole position, setting himself up for a much needed win tomorrow.
Now the lights in Finn's box were vivid, as urgent as his need to get back on track and run the car in those milder sunset shades for the last stint of the day. He sat in the cockpit and waited while the mechanics made their final adjustments.
As he peeled the smudged tear-off from his visor, Remus' voice crackled through the radio.
"Harz, we're putting on a new set of soft."
Finn pressed the yellow radio button on the steering wheel. "Sounds good."
"And—I need you to improve the middle sector."
"What's the last lap time?"
"1:37.017," Remus spelled out. "Logan's is tied with James' at .214."
Good, but not enough, Finn thought. Logan had this innate, annoyingly brilliant ability to set the perfect lap with the clock about to run out. One last flying lap to get those couple of tenths out of nowhere, just when everyone else thought he didn't have the right pace.
"Archer’s going out first," Remus added. "He's instructed to give you slipstream if you think you'll need it."
Finn and Kasey had used the tactic countless times, helping each other secure at least one spot on the front rows of the grid. Jack wasn't new to these tricks, of course, and after a long talk that morning, Finn trusted him to deliver as well.
Archer hadn't needed advice, exactly—more like reassurance and a nudge to tackle the new challenge with confidence.
As presumptuous as it might have seemed, though, Finn didn't want Jack's help. He knew he held all the cards to perform at his peak. And maybe—just like the young rookie he'd been a long time ago—Finn desperately needed to prove something to himself once more.
"Thanks, guys," he simply replied.
"Let's bring it home, man."
Amazing speed through the twentieth and final corner for Thomas Walker, but no further improvement. Nadeau, however, crosses the finish line with a fastest third sector and goes sixth to beat his teammate.
Logan Tremblay takes provisional pole as O'Hara starts his flying lap with the session nearing its end. Here comes Potter across the line to move up to second—and we have a Silver front row for now. Halla does improve, but remains fourth behind Archer—an amazing Saturday for the rookie, who'll have the chance to start his first Formula One race from second row tomorrow.
Fastest sector one for Finn O'Hara as he makes his way through some traffic out there. Once again Tremblay vs. O'Hara for pole is our battle.
Absolutely phenomenal in this car, finding more time down the high speed straight—and it's another purple sector for the American driver.
More traffic coming in between turns 13 to 15 as most cars in-lap on their way to pit lane, but—whooa, my goodness. That's a close call for O'Hara with his teammate going into Turn 16!
It was an instinctive reflex.
Finn hadn't fully registered what had just happened in front of him. He braked, hard enough to tip his car to the left, over the curb and into the run-off, narrowly avoiding contact. His flying lap was completely ruined.
"Remus," he gasped over the radio.
He'd sounded too calm to his own ears, even as blood began to boil in his veins, mixing with a wild rush of adrenaline. Someone had just cost him the pole. Someone had deliberately moved into the middle of his lap and almost caused a massive crash. Not just someone, Finn realized with a flash of clarity, but his own teammate.
Remus' voice was apprehensive. "Yeah, we saw that, Harz..."
"That was fucking—"
"I know, I know," Remus promptly cut him off. He knew better than to let Finn cause a scene that anyone could hear. "Just come back to the box, please. We'll discuss this later."
Not a single word came out of Finn’s mouth as he drove to the Parc Fermé. He jumped out of the car, steering wheel in hand, and quietly followed the other drivers to the pit lane. A cameraman tracked him all the way to his box, probably expecting him to react, or maybe snap like some drivers used to—like Logan sometimes did. Finn just kept his helmet on and the dark visor down.
He had expected to find Remus there, ready to apologize for a mistake that wasn’t even his fault. Finn knew he would try to explain with his steady, calming manner that there was nothing they could do. Whatever happened between teammates never got penalized by the stewards. It stayed between team walls.
Instead, standing outside his garage, shoulders hunched and a restless hand tormenting his soft-looking curls, was Leo.
"Harzy," he almost jumped on his feet when he saw Finn. "Are you okay?"
"Le?" Despite everything, Finn found himself smiling. He raised the visor to meet Leo's anxious eyes. "What are you doing here?"
"I..." Leo let out a long sigh of relief. "I'm so sorry, Finn. Are you hurt?"
"What? No," Finn undid the helmet and slid it off his head, along with the balaclava. "Leo, I'm fine. It was just impeding."
"I know, I..." he began, and glanced towards the mixed area where Archer was being interviewed.
So he'd made it to the top three…
When Leo turned his back to Jack, he looked even more freaked out than before. "You... It looked bad—on screen. The bounce on the curb..."
"I'm fine," Finn repeated, reaching out to grab his arm reassuringly. "Are you, though?"
"Yeah. Yeah, sorry. I just..." Leo swallowed hard. "I wanted to make sure he didn’t—"
"He fucking impeded you?!" Logan's thunderous voice made them both spin around.
"Lo," Finn shot him a warning look. "Not here."
"What the fuck?"
"I know." Finn took a deep breath. "I need to talk to Remus first, but... He's young, guys. Honestly I’ve seen senior drivers doing worse than that."
Logan crossed his arms, an angry frown tightening his lips. "Still."
"Listen," Finn ran a hand over his sweaty hair, his pulse suddenly jumping. The onslaught of feelings he'd experienced in the last forty-eight hours was surreal. He felt defeated, frustration still seething at the edges of his fist, clenched around the chin bar of his helmet. Exhausted for too many reasons at once.
And yet there stood a glimpse of hope—fierce eyes staring at him… protectively, he realized.
"You two shouldn't worry about me, okay? I promise, I'm fine. I just need to put an end to this crazy day and get out of my head for a minute."
Leo nodded understandingly. "We can call off dinner if you'd rather—"
"Please don't," Finn said. It came out almost like a plea. "Dinner with the Knuts is exactly what I need right now."
"Ouais," Logan agreed, watchful eyes fixed on Finn's. He was trying to read between the lines, something he'd learned a long time ago—always finding his way to Finn. "Me too."
A full, bright smile split Leo's lips. "Okay, one more thing. Then I better go before Sirius kills me," he said. He sounded a little giddy. "My parents want to invite you to stay with us next week, just so you know. They were over the moon about the tickets."
"Really, it was nothing," Logan said, and Finn’s heart melted in his chest.
"You don't have to say yes," Leo urged. He took a step back towards the pit stall, grinning innocently, "And you definitely didn't hear this from me. But we'd love to have you guys over."
With a soul-crushing wink, Leo walked away. Logan's sharp breath filled the next beat of silence.
"Rouge."
"Hm?" Finn whispered back. He noticed out of the corner of his eye that Logan was staring after Leo, too.
They turned to each other, keeping a short distance between them—just two drivers confronting each other after a tough qualifying session.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Logan asked.
"I love it when you call me Rouge."
"Finn."
"I told you, I'm fine."
"That wasn't fair."
"It wasn't," Finn admitted.
"Beginner's luck," Logan grumbled.
Finn's mouth shifted to the side, one corner lifting slightly. A bead of sweat slid from a rebellious lock of Logan’s dark hair onto his temple. Finn watched, mesmerized, as it traced its way around the crinkle of Logan’s eye, down to the corner of his full mouth, along his jaw, and finally dropped from his flushed face.
"Come on, Tremz. I'll overtake the rookie and chase you down as fast as I can. You have my word."
"Ah," Logan lost some of his fight at that. "Bet you won’t catch me, though."
"Oh-ho," Finn bit his lips. Something about that Logan smile drove him crazy. "Try me. I can give you a head start tonight," he murmured.
"Non," Logan laughed. "We have a race tomorrow, in case you forgot."
"Right," Finn inched closer. Logan didn’t so much as blink.
"A race I'm going to win. And then..."
It wasn’t much of a choice for Finn when it came to it. Had he imagined spending every second of their free time glued to Logan's side? Absolutely. Had Finn already pictured a beaming Leo showing them around his childhood home? Walking them through streets, corners, places he'd grown up in? Maybe.
Besides, they had already been thinking about a nice, short escape before flying to Mexico City—just the three of them.
"A quick detour to New Orleans?" To Finn, it sounded like the perfect golden mean.
Green eyes glinted at him, almost in awe. The last rays of sun framed Logan's tan skin like gold.
"Parfait, mon amour."
this is a big ask but i’ve been thinking about it all week! onutzy hogwarts au??
imo, logan: hufflepuff, finn: gryffindor, leo: ravenclaw
This was one of my FAVORITE things I have written! I'd be so happy to take more asks for this AU!
All credits to @lumosinlove <3
O'Knutzy Household, May 2024
Finn knelt on the floor of their walk-in closet, peering around underneath the bottom shelf. He'd known he could've summoned his wand with an accio, but his brain was so fried after marking exams all day that he could barely do magic with his wand, nevermind without it. He squinted, peering through the darkness to where he'd estimated it had fallen out of his robes as he'd shrugged them off.
“Ah,” he said, spotting the thin piece of wood. It was all the way at the back. He stretched his long arm, grasping for it, when his fingers brushed something else.
Finn furrowed his brow and wrapped his fingers around his wand, murmuring a soft lumos. The light shined brightly in the small, dark space, illuminating a cardboard box. Written on the side were the years 2014-2016. He smiled, reaching his other hand to grab the box, and stood to go into their dining room.
Soon, he was sat with a cup of tea, rifling through the photos he hadn't seen in a while. He guessed that they hadn't bothered to unpack this box when they moved into their house a year ago, after their wedding, which he thought was a shame really.
Some of the photos were unremarkable, some a little goofy. There was one of Logan and Sirius with severely overgrown eyebrows, both glaring off camera where Finn assumed Remus and James were stood laughing. It was a moving photo, but Logan and Sirius had been so still with annoyance that it looked like a Muggle one. Another was of Leo and Regulus brewing a potion together, anxious and stressed expressions on their faces. Regulus was flipping off the camera. Finn hadn't been there for this photo (it was during Leo's last year, the year after Finn and Logan had graduated), but he did remember having a two-way mirror call with an anxious Leo the night before his final potions exam (which he got a perfect score on in the end).
Finn flipped through a few more, smiling at the wave of memories that came back to him. Even though both he and Leo now worked in the same walls they'd gone to school within, being a student at Hogwarts was nothing like being a teacher. It did have some perks (like being able to share a room with Logan and Leo instead of having to sneak into one another's beds), but Finn did miss that youthful, jubilant feeling of being in school with his favorite people around all day, every day.
One photo in particular made him stop and laugh softly. It was of the three of them the day Logan had been signed to the Chudley Cannons. Leo had his arm wrapped tenderly around Logan's waist, smiling sweetly as he always did. Logan looked a little sheepish, but proud, holding his new jersey. Finn, on the other hand, was jostling Logan with an arm around his shoulder, the other holding a sign that said Let's Go Lolo! with a poor drawing of the Hufflepuff badger. In the moving photo he and Leo both leaned in to press a kiss to each of Logan's cheeks at the same time, and Logan's eyes crinkled with his laughter. Finn had been so proud that day he could've bursted.
Hogwarts Quidditch Pitch, April 2015
Finn sat anxiously in the stands, his leg bouncing as he scanned the field for Logan. The prospective players were warming up on the field below, both Logan and James among them, stretching and flying laps around the perimeter. Finn eyed the professional scouts as well, high up in the stands where the teachers normally sat. They were peering down critically, talking amongst one another with notebooks in their hands. Finn sucked in a breath and played with the thick paper in his hand.
“I hope that isn't what I think it is, O'Hara.”
Finn's eyes lit up as Leo climbed the last few stairs to where Finn was, shuffling over to sit next to him. Leo’s eyes were playful, his grin happy and sunshiny and all things good. Finn nudged him with his shoulder. “What can I say? Your dad’s Muggle football obsession has rubbed off on me. Gotta show the world I'm Lo's number one fan.”
Leo quirked an eyebrow and reached out to play with Finn's Gryffindor tie, loose around his neck. “Who says you're his number one fan?”
Finn smiled, leaning in. “We can share that coveted position.” He kissed Leo briefly. “Hi.”
Leo smiled against his mouth. “Hi, cariad. How are you?”
“Good,” Finn said. His leg was still bouncing. “Nervous.”
Leo placed a hand on his thigh. “Did you go for a run this morning? You know how your pent-up energy gets.”
Finn knocked his head against Leo's shoulder. “Yes, I did, nutter butter. It's just a big day.” He rested his chin on Leo's shoulder. “How was the library?”
Leo kissed his forehead. “Good. Finished my Arithmancy assignment. Reg and I are gonna meet with Lily tomorrow to do some Advanced Potions stuff.”
Finn lifted his head and raised his eyebrows. “I thought you were taking that class next year?”
Leo blushed. “Lily offered to teach us some stuff early.”
“Love,” Finn said soothingly, scratching a hand through Leo’s scalp. “You're going to be fine next year, both you and Regulus are. You're so good at Potions, I don't want you to stress yourself if you don't have to.”
Leo considered this for a moment. “But I like to be ahead. The stuff we do now is too easy.” His ears turned a bit red. “Plus, the three of us experiment.”
Finn snorted. “I don't even want to know. Just be careful, please. We don't need the future of the Potions field blowing up in a disaster of their own making.”
Leo rolled his eyes playfully. “I'll be careful, promise.” He sighed, resting his forehead on Finn's shoulder. “I just… I don't know, I want to be good, you know? I want to prove that a Muggle-born can do all the things. Lily, too. And Reg- well.”
Finn laughed. “Wants to prove that he's more than just a disgraced run-away heir and that he actually has a brain behind all that rich boy nonsense?”
Leo smiled into Finn's shoulder. “Yeah.”
Finn wrapped an arm around his shoulders. “Le, you're going to be fantastic. You're the smartest person I know.”
“Says you.”
“Yes, says me, so then you know it's on good authority.” He kissed Leo's curls. “Besides, if Potions doesn't work out, you could always play Quidditch.”
Leo snorted. “You know, most people don't have professional Quidditch as their backup plan.”
“You could. You're good enough. Best damn Keeper Ravenclaw's ever seen, with those long limbs of yours.”
Leo lifted his head to look him in the eye. “You're biased.”
“Absolutely.” Finn kissed him soundly. “I love you.”
Leo bit his lip around his smile. “Love you.” He nodded his head. “Look, here they are.”
Finn turned to find their friends walking towards them, the most nervous among them being Sirius, who was wringing his hands and biting his nails.
“Stop that,” Remus scolded. “You're going to make yourself bleed.”
“But Moony, this is the biggest day of my life!”
Remus raised his eyebrows. “Is it really, now?”
Sirius didn't even seem phased by his boyfriend's expression. “Yes.” He turned to Lily. “What if he doesn't make it?”
Lily shook her head nervously. “Don't even talk about that.”
Natalie laughed. “He'll probably never recover.”
“Nat.”
“Noelle thinks they've both got a good chance,” Thomas piped in with a dreamy look on his face. Noelle, Logan's older sister, was the new captain of the Harpies, and Thomas’ girlfriend. “If it helps.”
Sirius and Lily's expressions indicated that it didn't.
“Hello, party people!” Finn called with a wave. “How we feeling today?” He took one look at Lily’s face and winced. “Yeah, sorry I asked.”
Regulus and Cole, a friend of theirs in their year in Gryffindor, went to sit by Leo, who had laced the fingers of his opposite hand with Finn's. Lily and Sirius sat together, chattering nervously while Remus and Thomas looked on in amusement. Natalie plopped herself by Finn's side. “Hello, Freckle.”
“Hi, Nat,” he said, giving her a sideways hug. “How are things? How's my older brother?”
Natalie looked amused. “I thought you talked all the time.”
Finn rolled his eyes. “No. He spends way more time talking to you.”
“I should hope so.” She sighed, settling onto the bleachers. “He's good, both he and Kase. Been working on rehab with the Common Welsh Green they found injured a couple weeks back, and Kasey's got lots of shifts at Mungo's so they've been busy.” She shrugged with a smile. “But other than that, they've been good.”
“Good,” Finn said. “You know, my parents are still expecting you to come to County Kerry at some point after we graduate in May. They're so excited that my brother found two Scots instead of two English people.”
Natalie laughed. “Shitting on the English sounds like a great bonding experience.”
Finn raised his eyebrows. “Lo's from England.”
Natalie rolled her eyes. “He moved to Sheffield from Nice when he was eleven. He still sounds French when he speaks English. That boy doesn't count.” She narrowed her eyes. “If anything, a Frenchman is better because the English hate them.”
Finn laughed. “That's my Lolo.”
“Speaking of,” Natalie said. She plucked at his sign. “Really?”
Finn shrugged. “Leo's parents are Muggles and introduced Lo and I to football when we went to visit in Beddgelert over Easter. The fans carry signs in the crowd.” He waggled his eyebrows. “His mom also taught me Welsh swear words that people yell during the match.”
“You're a weird one, O'Hara.”
Finn felt a tug on his hand and immediately turned. Both Leo and Logan were shiny topics for Finn, instantly diverting his attention from any other happenings around him. He put on his most dazzling smile. “Yes, pretty sunshine baby?”
Leo rolled his eyes at Regulus’ gagging noises and jerked his head to the pitch. “They're starting.”
Finn sat up straighter, sucking in a breath. Sure enough, the players were all lined up, listening to instructions from a coach. Finn's leg started bouncing again and he squeezed Leo's hand tighter.
“Cariad,” Leo whispered. “It's going to be fine. He was asked to try out, they already think he's good.”
“I know,” Finn whispered, tapping his foot. “I’m still really nervous.”
Leo sighed, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “Rwy'n dy garu di. And we love him, too. It's going to be fine, Fish.”
Finn turned to look at him. “Diolch.”
It was worth it to see Leo's smile. “Look at you, catching on.”
“Wait until you hear the stuff your mom taught me.”
Leo snorted. “I don't want to know.”
They both turned back to the pitch to watch as the tryouts began.
O'Knutzy Household, May 2024
“Rouge?” Logan’s voice called out. “I'm home, mon coeur.”
“In the dining room!” Finn replied.
There were footsteps and then two arms came to wrap around his shoulders from behind, a chin resting on his head. “Salut.”
“Hi, baby,” Finn tilted his head and brought a hand up to cup Logan's jaw and give him a kiss. “Good practice?”
“Ouais, it was fine. Le still not home?”
Finn shook his head. “No, he's still proctoring the Advanced Potions exam until six. I just got home from my office, I was grading all day.”
Logan hummed. “Your head okay?”
“My brain feels like it's going to melt, but not too bad.”
Logan made a noise of dissent and scratched a hand through Finn's scalp. “C'est bien?”
Finn nodded, leaning into the touch. “Thanks, love.” He shook the photo. “Hey, look what I found.”
Logan peered down over his shoulder, one arm bracketing Finn's upper body as his hand came to rest on the dining room table. “Is that-?”
Finn kissed his cheek. “Your try-outs and signing day. I found this box in the closet.” He rubbed his thumb over their faces. “Look how young we were.”
Logan smiled into Finn's hair. “That sign was so stupid.”
“Nuh uh,” Finn protested. “You loved it.”
“Ouais, I did.” Logan sat down beside him, taking Finn's face in his hands. Finn leaned forward almost unintentionally, hooked on the way Logan held him. “You're still so beautiful. More than you were then.”
“Hey, I thought you loved eighteen year-old me.”
“Oui.” Logan swiped his thumb under Finn’s eye. “But now you're not so- scranny?”
“Scrawny, love.”
“Ouais, that's the one,” Logan said. He kissed Finn's temple softly. “You're not so scrawny anymore. And you get more beautiful every day.”
“Says the muscle man,” Finn said. He leaned forward and bit Logan’s shoulder. “What are Leo and I supposed to do, huh, with you walking around looking like you do?” He shucked up Logan’s shirt to get a hand on his abs. “This is for our eyes only.”
Logan smiled. “Ouais, all yours.” He looked back down at the photo. “Soleil was so tall, even then.”
“He's taller now, I swear. Sexy, tall sunshine baby.”
Logan laughed. “You're so weird.”
“You married this weirdness, love,” Finn said, waggling his ring finger. “No take backs.”
“Non, no take-backs.” He got a closer look at the photo. “How long ago was this? Almost ten years, non?”
“Nine. Year we graduated, baby, 2015.”
“Wow,” Logan said. “It does not feel that long ago.”
Finn grinned. “You know, that means we've been together almost ten years. This October.”
Logan's eyes crinkled around his smile. “You're right.” He sighed, resting his head against Finn's. “I remember that day.”
“Don't think any of us could forget it.”
Hogwarts Potions Classroom, 2014
Logan was just slightly embarrassed that he needed tutoring in Potions from someone the year below him. He just couldn't seem to make it click, and if he wanted to have any sort of backup plan to professional Quidditch he really needed to do well on his N.E.W.T.S. Potions, it seemed, was the one thing his brain just couldn't quite comprehend, not even some of the more basic brews, and he found himself grasping at straws every class.
Sirius wasn't much better, really, but he at least had his boyfriend, Remus, to help him through the hard ones (although Remus refused to partner with him in class, citing him as a ‘danger prone to explosives’ and only brewed with Lily). And James and Luke had both really helped him last year, but James had dropped Potions (“like bloody fuck am I following in my dad's footsteps now that he's got Regulus as his apprentice, thank Merlin”), and Luke had graduated. Finn was good at Potions, but not good enough to tutor, and was already busy tutoring kids in Transfiguration. Besides, Logan could barely handle seeing Finn every other free hour of the day without kissing him; extra tutoring might just push him over the edge. Thus, Logan had been left floundering and barely passing.
When Professor Dumais had suggested that Leo tutor him, Logan had been slightly embarrassed about the whole ordeal. Leo was nice, he liked Leo; he was friends with Sirius’ brother, Regulus, and had always been gentle and sweet and patient. He got along with Finn really well, too, and the three of them would study together, or he and Leo would talk about Quidditch plays while Finn pretended to know what was going on. Normally, Logan could handle that sort of friendly conversation, even if he tended to be shy. But he still spent his Potion sessions with Leo fumbling, red-faced, and a bit nervous.
Although, he guessed that only partially had to to with the embarrassment at having to be tutored.
“Logan,” Leo sighed exasperatedly. “Counterclockwise, mate.”
“Oh,” Logan said, looking at where his hand was definitely stirring clockwise. “Merde.”
Leo sighed again. “Iawn, let's go over that again. We'll have to dump this out.”
Logan huffed, frustrated. “Désolé, Leo.”
“It's okay. Let's just try it again.”
They remixed the Felix Felices, Logan adding the ingredients under Leo's watchful eye. When it came time to stir again, Logan did stir counter clockwise, but it still wasn't quite right.
“Slower,” Leo said. He watched Logan for a couple more seconds. “Slower. And don't flick your wrist so much, that'll disrupt it.”
“Quoi? I don't understand.”
“Here,” Leo said. He came up beside Logan and took his hand to guide him. “See? Now the ingredients can mix slowly and evenly, like with Muggle baking, yeah?”
Logan nodded, but he didn't understand. He couldn't even if he tried- he was too distracted. Leo's skin was warm against his own, his shoulder solid through his robes. His voice was so soothing in Logan's ear, chattering and intelligent and so patient, always so patient with him. Logan turned just barely and caught a glimpse of Leo's crystal blue eyes. The metal stirring stick in his hands suddenly felt too hot.
He jerked back, letting go and watching as the stick clattered against the side of the cauldron. A bit of potion spilled out and onto the floor, both of them jumping out of the way just in time.
Leo whirled on him, a slightly frustrated look on his face. “Logan- what? What is going on with you today?”
“I-I’m sorry.”
Leo shook his head. “I don't have to do this you know? Professor Dumais asked Regulus first, but he couldn't, so I offered, because I care about you and I want you to do well!”
“I know,” Logan said timidly. His chest was heaving.
“Then what is going on?” Leo was almost shouting now, and he took a step forward to look at Logan more squarely. “You spend every time, like- like, jumpy and nervous and I don't get it! Is it because…” His voice turned soft, his face suddenly pale. “Is it because I'm…?”
Logan's lips parted, a light breath escaping him. Leo didn't hide the fact he was gay. He'd dated a boy a little while back, Jack, a Slytherin. They'd broken up before the summer. Logan didn't know anything other than what Sirius knew through Regulus. I don't know, mate, Regulus just said he'd been ‘dealt with’. Not too sure I want to know what my little brother did, if I'm honest. But he wasn't too nice to Leo I'm assuming.
“No, Le,” Logan whispered. He had to look up to look Leo in the eye. “It's not cause you're gay.”
“Then what?”
Logan took a shaky breath. “It's because you're- it's because I'm-” Leo's eyebrows raised expectantly. Logan's heart was racing. “It's because you make me feel…”
“I make you feel what, Lo?”
Logan closed his eyes briefly at the way Leo's soft voice said his name. He leaned closer, taking in Leo’s eyes and full, wet lips. “It's because you make me feel-”
The door banged open. “Knock knock!” Finn strode through with his usual lively gate. “How is the potion- oh.”
Logan and Leo had jerked apart, Leo backing into the table behind him with a white-knuckle grip on the edge. His face was bright red and he was staring hard at the floor, biting his lip. Logan was stood stock-still, eyes flitting nervously between the other two boys. He knew what they had just done- or, almost had just done- was written all over their faces.
“Oh,” Finn said again. He looked shocked and a bit dejected. “I'm so sorry, I'll-” He turned towards the door. “I'll just be going-”
“No!” Leo outbursted. He looked surprised by his own words. “I mean, no, don't go. It- it's okay.”
Finn looked skeptically between them. “But you- you two were…”
“No,” Leo said, then shook his head quickly. “I mean, we didn't- we hadn't-” He let out a frustrated noise, grasping at his own hair. He looked to Logan. “Ffyc,” he said. He looked back to Finn, eyes pleading. “Oh, fucking hell.”
Then he strode across the room, took Finn's surprised face in his hands, and kissed him right on the mouth.
Logan watched as Finn stumbled back a moment, eyes wide. But Leo kept kissing him, a little desperately, and Finn made a soft noise and relaxed into it. One arm wrapped tightly around Leo's waist, the other reached up to grasp at Leo's hair with his fingers. Finn met Leo's urgency for a moment before they both gentled, kissing one another in long draws. Logan could barely breathe.
Eventually, they pulled away. Finn looked a bit shell-shocked, wide brown eyes staring at Leo for a moment before turning to Logan. He swallowed. “I…”
Leo smiled softly and leaned into to give him a barely-there kiss, Finn chasing his mouth for one more. Then, Leo released him and walked over to Logan, back to his shyer self. “Can I kiss you too?”
Logan nodded, not really trusting his words. Leo cupped his jaw in his large hands, leaning down. Logan gripped one of his wrists softly and stood on his tiptoes to meet him.
Their mouths met gently, so gently that Logan almost couldn't feel it. Leo's lips were soft and warm, and Logan heard himself make a noise before kissing Leo a bit harder. Leo kissed him back so purposefully that Logan had to reach out a hand to steady himself on Leo's body. He fell forward into Leo's chest as Leo traced his mouth with his tongue, Logan letting him in eagerly. Leo smiled into their kiss, working Logan's mouth gently with his own, and Logan felt like he was about to buzz out of his skin. He kissed Leo with a bit more pressure, eager to feel every part of him, when Leo abruptly broke away. Logan let out an involuntary whine as Leo kissed down his neck a few times. He gripped Leo's curls.
“I think someone else wants your attention,” Leo whispered hotly into Logan's ear.
Logan panted, barely having the strength to hold himself up as Leo pulled away. Leo winked at him- which should have been illegal, merde- before jerking his head to gesture beside him.
Logan turned to find Finn had crossed over to stand next to them, hip resting against one of the work benches. His arms were crossed, one of his hands reaching up to touch his thumb to his lip. He looked them both up and down once before making eye contact with Logan. He smiled, then walked over to press his hands to Logan's hips. Logan felt his breath catch. “Finn…”
Finn took that as his cue and bent his head to kiss Logan hard. Logan threaded a hand through those soft red waves and leant back onto the work bench behind him, whimpering when Finn scraped his teeth over Logan's bottom lip. God, both of them kissed so well it made Logan dizzy.
After a few moments, Logan felt a hot mouth on his neck and Leo's breath in his ear. He let out another sound and grasped for something with his free hand, Leo lacing their fingers together. His other hand covered Finn's on Logan's waist, providing leverage to suck on the skin just below Logan's jaw.
Finn smiled into a last kiss, then he, too, began to press his lips to Logan's jaw and neck. Logan lolled his head back, leaning into both of them.
Suddenly, he felt Leo giggle against his skin and pull away. He opened his eyes to find Leo looking at the two of them, hand pressed to his flushed cheek and smiling widely. Finn pulled away, too, taking one look at Leo and joining him in his laughter, his freckles scrunching up around his cheeks and nose. Logan grinned a bit stupidly, flushed with sheepishness.
“What the fuck?” Finn laughed. He took Leo's face in his hands. “Leo, what the fuck?”
“I don't know,” Leo giggled. It sounded like sunshine. “I don't know, I'm being so honest.”
That set them all off again, and soon Logan's sides hurt from his belly shaking. Finn's laugh was loud and barking, and he slumped against Leo's body. Logan liked how they looked together.
“Holy shit. Holy shit, Le,” Finn said. He looked up. “Where did that come from?”
Leo shrugged, amused. “Was tired of waiting, I guess.” He snorted. “Plus, it seemed like the easiest way to explain the situation without having you running.”
Finn raised an eyebrow. “And how did you know I wouldn't run if you kissed me?”
Leo's looked him up and down, smiling when Finn's ears turned red. “Just a feeling.” He reached a hand out to Logan and pulled him towards them. “You okay, Lo?”
Logan sank into the hand on his waist. “Ouais,” he said. He stood on his toes to kiss Leo's cheek and smiled at the both of them. “I think I'd like to take you on a date.”
Their answering smiles were blinding.
O'Knutzy Household, May 2024
Finn pressed a kiss to Logan's temple. “Le was so brave that day.”
“Ouais,” Logan said. “He's so brave all the time.”
“Mm.” The sound of their door opening reverberated around the room. “Speak of the devil.” He turned his head. “Le! In here!”
Leo's blonde head peeked around the doorway. He smiled. “Hi.” He came and gave each of them a kiss. “How are we?”
“Good,” Logan said against his mouth. “Fish found some photos.”
Leo's eyes were twinkly. He sat down on Finn's other side. “Oh yeah? Let's see, then.”
Finn leaned over to show him. “Lo's try-outs and signing day.”
Leo smiled. “Oh, I remember that.” He caught Logan's eye. “We were so proud of you.”
Logan blushed and looked up at him through his thick eyelashes. “Merci.” He reached around to drape Finn's arm over his shoulders. “We were talking. It's been almost ten years since we got together.”
Leo laughed. “Oh, God.”
Finn scoffed. “What's that tone for?”
Leo waved him off. “Nothing, I just- the memory makes me laugh, is all.”
“Why?”
“I don't know, it just…” Leo rolled his eyes at himself. “I was kind of silly.”
Logan looked amused. “Non, you weren't silly.” He took Leo's hand and kissed it. “You were very brave.”
“Yeah,” Finn agreed. He nuzzled Leo's cheek. “You brave little youngster, you.”
“Ugh, don't remind me.” Leo wiped his hand over his face. “I felt so stupid, being a pining sixteen year-old.”
“Not stupid,” Finn retorted. “And besides, we were the silly-stupid ones.” He bit at Leo's jaw. “We were so whiny that year we spent apart waiting for you to graduate.”
Leo looked amused. “You were?”
“Oui,” Logan said, standing up. He scooted Leo's chair back and flopped down into his lap. He tucked his face into Leo's neck. “We would just count down the minutes until our next mirror call.”
Leo stroked up at down Logan's back. “You're sweet.”
“No, you are,” Finn said with a kiss to Leo's cheek. “We were more excited for you to graduate than you were.”
Hogwarts Grounds, May 2016
Leo checked his watch, magically protected against the wards of Hogwarts, and bit his lip. Ten minutes until the ceremony. He could do this, he could totally do this. He'd already taken his exams, he had already done well- all that there was left to do was to walk across that stage and shake his professors’ hands.
“You look like you're about to faint.”
Leo turned to look at Regulus, who had an eyebrow raised cooly, Cole beside him. “Huh?”
“I said, you look like you're about to faint.”
“Real helpful of you, cheers.”
“You'll be fine, Leo,” Cole said. He shrugged. “Besides, all you gotta do is walk across the stage.”
“But what if my parents don't arrive okay? Or what if I trip? Oh God, there are Ministry people here, if they see me trip, I'll never get a job-”
“Fucking hell,” Regulus said. He took Leo's shoulders in his hands and looked him squarely in the eye. “Leo, you're the third best in our class.”
“Yeah, behind you. And Layla.”
Regulus shrugged. “Can't beat perfection.” When Leo glared at him, he sighed. “Seriously, Le, you've done really well. Anybody will be happy to take you. And I'm sure your parents got here fine, I asked mum and dad to help them. Monty and Effie are angels, they definitely took good care of them.” He shook Leo gently. “And most importantly, those boyfriends of yours that you can't stop waxing poetic about will be here. If you do fall, Finn will go help you up, and if anybody says anything bad about you Logan will glare at them so hard they'll turn to ash, okay? Fucking guard dog, that one.”
Leo smiled dreamily. “Yeah.”
Regulus flinched and curled his lip. “Oh, God. Bleh. You three are disgusting.”
“I think they're cute,” Cole piped up.
“Yes, yes, very,” Regulus said drily. He threw an arm around each of their shoulders, all three clad in their nice robes and school ties hanging off their necks. “Let's go hand over the last bit of youthful freedom the world has provided for our aching hearts and harrowed souls.”
“Oh, Christ, not yet,” Cole groaned. “You read way to many philosophical Muggle books.”
“They're the most intellectual of company.”
Leo laughed. “Quit talking like a posho, you Victorian wannabe. Let's go graduate.”
The actual ceremony space wasn't all that extravagant. There was a raised platform with chairs for the graduates on one side, professors on the other, and a lecturn for the speeches. Leo, Layla, and Regulus, top three in their class, and Cole, Head Boy, Gryffindor Quidditch Captain, winner of the House Cup (much to Leo's chagrin), and future Harpies Beater, were sat all together in the first row. Leo immediately spotted his parents, sat with Effie and Monty. Beside them were Sirius, Remus, Lily, and James, all in attendance to support Regulus. James and Sirius each let out a whoop, which made Regulus’ mouth quirk (though he'd never admit it). Leo smiled, heart beating faster as his eyes moved down the row, looking for-
There. Right at the end of the row of chairs sat Finn and Logan, all fancy-looking in their nice slacks and button down shirts. Ever since Leo's parents had taken them charity shopping, they preferred to wear Muggle clothes instead of wizard robes. Logan pursed his lips and blew Leo a kiss, which surprised a laugh out of him, and Finn sent him a signature wink and a wiggle of his fingers. Leo blushed, wiggled his fingers back, and turned to pay attention to Headmistress McConagall’s opening words.
There were a few general speeches after that. Regulus, as first in their class, gave one (Leo swore he saw Sirius and the Potters crying), as well as Layla, who was one of the most intelligent people Leo had ever met and Cole’s crush since fourth year (no matter how much he insisted it wasn’t like that). They stood to sing the school song, then each walked across the stage to receive their diplomas and transcripts. Regulus went first, garnering huge cheers from his brother and their friends and family, to which he rolled his eyes, but smiled. Layla went next, also to lots of clapping and cheers (one of the loudest of which from Lily, who she was going to work with at St. Mungo’s), and then Leo went. He shook the Headmistress’ hand, then a few other professors’. The last one he came to was Professor Dumais.
“Congratulations, Leo,” he said in his heavy French accent and with his signature smile. “You’ve done really well. One of the best students I’ve had the pleasure of teaching.”
Leo blushed. “Really?”
Professor Dumais nodded. “Really.” He brought Leo closer to whisper into his ear. “I’m going to be leaving this place in a few years, to spend some more time with Celeste and the kids. The position is yours if you want it, oui? I'll put in a good word.”
Leo pulled back, shocked. “But, sir, I've got to do an apprenticeship, and-”
Professor Dumais winked. “I think you'll find that all sorted. I wrote a recommendation on your behalf.” He winked. “Ms. Meadowes is excited to work with you.”
Leo gulped. Dorcas Meadowes was one of the most renowned Potions Masters in the field. She was young, only a few years older than Leo, incredibly intelligent, and very selective with who she hired. Leo used to dream of working with her.
“Thank you,” he gasped out. “Thank you, sir.”
Professor Dumais patted him on the back and sent him on his way.
After that, there was a farewell speech by the Headmistress, then a congratulations. When they were officially announced as graduates, there was a big yell and a standing ovation. Leo brought Cole and Regulus into an excited hug. He and Cole were both shouting. Regulus even let out an amused laugh, which was basically as excited as he ever got, and so Leo ruffled his hair.
Finally, they were let off the stage, and Leo soon found himself in a tight hug from his mother.
“Oh, my boy,” she said in Welsh. “We are so proud of you!”
Leo squeezed her tightly, turning his face into her blonde curls. His dad patted his back, kissing the side of his head. “Well done, Le. Congratulations.”
Leo leaned into his parents again before letting his mother go. “Mum, have you seen-?”
She cupped his face. “They're around here somewhere, darling. Last I saw, Finn was taking pictures of Regulus and Sirius with that Muggle camera we got him.”
Leo shook his head fondly. “He's obsessed with that thing.”
“Oh, they're both such loves” she said. She patted his cheek. “Off you go, cariad. I'm going to find Effie, she's got a new roast recipe for me.”
Leo waved his parents off with a smile, using his height to peer over the crowd. He found them before they found him, and he took a moment to gaze smittenly. Finn had one hand clasped in Logan's, the other holding a small digital camera Leo's parents had gotten him for Christmas. He admired Logan's shoulders, visibly strong even through his button down, and the way Finn's red waves turned slightly golden in the sun. Logan saw him first, eyes lighting up, and tugged at Finn's hand. Rouge, Leo saw him say.
Leo bit his lip around his smile. Hi, he mouthed.
Logan let go of Finn's hand and was off, walking quickly through the crowd of people. When he broke through the last person, he broke off into a light jog. He and Leo laughed at each other as Logan threw his arms around Leo's neck, jumping to wrap his legs around his waist. Leo held him tight to his body.
“Hi, honey,” he laughed. “Hi.”
He felt Finn crash into them a moment later, and moved one hand to boost Logan under his thigh and used the other to draw Finn to his side. Finn's smile filled his vision right up until he kissed him, hard and a bit sloppy for being in public.
“Hi, sunshine,” Finn said as he pulled away. “Oh, how we missed you. We missed you, baby. Oh-” He broke himself off by kissing Leo again, grinning hard.
“Missed you, too, cariad,” Leo sighed, letting Finn tuck his face into his neck. “Missed you so much.”
Logan finally pulled back, gripping Leo's hair. He was grinning so hard his nose was scrunching. Leo couldn't believe how green his eyes were. “Soleil.”
“Hi.” Leo nuzzled their noses, then let Logan kiss him deeply. His tongue traced Leo's bottom lip, and Leo made a soft noise before pulling back. “My parents are here, Lo.”
“I don't care,” Logan said, kissing Leo again. He sighed into Leo's mouth. “Je t'aime.”
“I love you,” Leo said. He boosted Logan up and pressed a hand to the side of Finn's head where he was resting it on Leo's shoulder. “I love you both so much.”
“Love you,” Finn said. He breathed in deeply and closed his eyes. “It's so nice to say that to you in person.”
Leo tweaked his ear. “What, you don't love mirror dates?”
“Non,” Logan said defiantly. He'd taken up residence in the crook of Leo's neck again. “Take you on a real date.”
Leo shared a fond look with Finn. “Sounds good to me.” His eyes widended excitedly. “Hey, wait until I tell you what Professor Dumais said.”
O'Knutzy Household, May 2024
“We didn't know what was coming for us, huh?” Leo said. He kissed Logan's shoulder. “You with your Quidditch, Finn and I in our apprenticeships.” He sighed. “Who would've thought, you know?”
Finn rested his head on Leo's unoccupied shoulder. “I don't know. I think our past selves would have liked this life of ours.”
Leo turned to look at him. His eyes were blue and soft in the warm dining room light. “Yeah?”
Finn smiled, tracing Leo's jaw with a finger. “Yeah.” He kissed Leo's forehead gently. “I sure know I would. All that was important to younger me was you two.”
Leo snorted, jostling Logan's body on top of him. “That's not true.”
Finn nuzzled his cheek. “No, it's not. But it was the most important thing out of all the important things.”
“Ouais,” Logan said, finally rousing himself from Leo's neck. He looked a bit sleepy. “The most important thing.”
Leo kissed him lightly. “You look tired, cariad. How about I go heat up some leftover curry, okay? Then we snuggle and go to bed.”
Logan nodded. “Mm hm. Sounds good.”
With a last lingering kiss to Logan's lips, Leo shifted so Logan could climb into Finn's lap. Leo then kissed Finn's forehead and went through to the kitchen, humming softly to himself. Finn rubbed Logan's back.
“Rouge?”
“Yeah, baby?”
“Can we look at more photos in bed?”
Finn smiled into Logan's neck. “Whatever you want, baby.”
“Mm,” Logan hummed. He took a breath. “I'm glad soleil was so brave that day.”
Finn closed his eyes and breathed in. Logan smelled like himself and Leo. Finn wanted to fall asleep to that scent forever. “Me, too, baby. Me too.”
best part of me reading your new fics when i first wake up and am still half asleep (at like 6:30 so i literally went back to sleep after bc i dont wake up until 8) is that i was so tired that i barely remember and get to re experience how wonderful they are
Haha, you're so sweet for this! I'm so glad you like them and so grateful you read them! :)
the cubs having a lazing morning in?? i love your work btw xx
Thank you for the kind words, friend! They made my day!
Domestic fluff is actually my FAVORITE thing to write! I think that, simply because of the structure of longer works, we don't always get to see it in multi-chapter stories, so it's cool to be able to explore that in one-shots. The SW universe has so many wonderful characters and I love that we have the opportunity to imagine them in our own heads beyond the given canon. Such is the magic of reading. :)
Have a nice snuggly morning featuring America's Top Chef, Koala Backpack Gold Medal Olympian, and Chatterbox That Comes Up With A Million Nicknames!
All credits to @lumosinlove !!
Leo awoke to soft light filtering through their curtains and the gentle feeling of blunt nails scratching lightly up and down his back. His body was warm, even with the sheet pooled down by his hips. He blinked hard and took a deep inhale, rousing himself from a vague dream, to find Logan already staring back at him. Leo smiled and made a noise in the back of his throat, stretching with his arms above his head and his hands pushing at the headboard. Logan switched to all palm, massaging Leo’s lower back gently. “Bon matin, soleil.”
Leo peeked out at him with a grin. “Mornin’.”
Logan leaned in to kiss his forehead. “How’d you sleep?”
Leo nodded. “Okay. Thank you for rubbing my back.”
“Mm,” Logan said. “Anytime.”
“Fish?” Leo asked.
“Here, butter,” Finn whispered, morning voice raspy. His arms were wrapped around Logan’s torso and he gently reached over to caress Leo’s ribs. “Hi, sweetheart.”
“Hi.” Leo’s voice was soft and gentle. “Hi, Fish.”
Finn laughed, and Leo looked up in time to see him peek over Logan’s body, propped up on an elbow. He bent over to kiss at Logan’s neck and Leo smiled at them. Logan’s cheek was squished into the pillow, his grin wide. He shrugged his shoulder against Finn’s jaw as Finn worked his way down his neck; Finn pulled away with a smacking kiss and hooked his chin over Logan’s shoulder to look at Leo with soft eyes. “Howdy, butter baby.”
Leo closed his eyes again with a sigh, content and warm enough to just fall back asleep. But he let out a wheeze when, all of a sudden, he felt an arm wrap around his waist and pull. When he opened his eyes he was tucked against Logan’s chest, Finn now pushed up and away and laughing. Leo laughed, too, and reached up to nudge gently at Logan’s shoulder, forcing him onto his back and flopping down on top of him. He turned his head sideways to gaze out at Finn.
“Hey there, gorgeous,” Finn chuckled. He ran a hand through Leo’s hair. “Grumpy caught you?”
“Non,” Logan said defiantly. He had his arms secured around Leo’s shoulders. “Non, he’s not caught.”
Leo kissed his cheek. “Then what am I?”
“Snuggling.” Logan let out a content sound, a sigh mixed with a soft groan that had Finn and Leo smiling at each other. “You’re snuggling me.”
“I’m squishing you.”
“Non, you’re not. You’re like a weighted blanket.”
Finn snorted. “Oh, really, Tremblay? You like a weighted blanket, huh?”
“Mm, ouais.” He opened a sleepy eye at them. “Quoi?”
Leo pushed his face into Logan’s neck. “Nothing. I’m just not usually the weighted blanket. I like it.” He winked at Finn. “Someone else normally holds that position.”
Logan smacked at his hip lightly but didn’t say anything. Finn was on his side, looking at them lovingly and running a hand up and down Leo’s ribs. “What are we doing today?”
Leo took his hand. “I’ve got some of that homemade protein pancake dry mix left. I can make us breakfast.” He kissed Finn’s fingers. “Then the gym for training?”
Logan groaned. “We are on vacation. No morning gym.”
Finn smiled down at him. “Then when do we go to the gym, sweetheart?”
“Afternoon,” Logan grumbled. “Vacation. Lazy morning.”
“Sounds perfect,” Finn said. He laid back down on his pillow. “I love you.”
Leo just leaned in for a kiss. “Love you.” He pressed a kiss to Logan’s mouth, too. Logan reached up to trace his cheeks, green eyes soft. Leo kissed his nose, too. “Breakfast.”
“Non, stay.”
“Lo, I gotta make breakfast.”
“Stay.” Logan made a protesting noise when Leo went to stand up. He made grabby hands at him. “Peanut, come back.”
“Oh my God,” Finn said with an impressive eyeroll. “Come here, you big baby.” He rolled Logan onto him with a smacking forehead kiss. He looked to Leo. “We’ll come help you in five minutes, Le. Let grumpy get this out of his system.”
“I’m not grumpy.”
“Yes you are, honey,” Leo giggled. He pressed a kiss to Logan’s back and Finn’s nose then turned towards their closet. “But I love you very much. I’ll get dressed and go make breakfast.”
“Don’t get dressed.”
Leo hung his head back, flushing. “Lo…”
“Shirt off, please,” Finn requested.
Leo leaned out of the closet. “That’s how I burn myself with oil, honey.” He smiled at their matching groans. He flipped through his shirts on a clothes hanger and smiled, pulling one of Finn’s tank tops over his head. He walked out. “Okay?”
They both stared unabashedly at his arms and shoulders. Finn nodded. “Acceptable.”
Leo winked at them before heading to the kitchen and opening the cupboard, searching for the plastic tub with his homemade protein pancake dry-mix. From there it was easy: add the wet ingredientes, fry some eggs and turkey bacon, chop some fruit. He put on some low music, an old John Denver album that Finn liked, and hummed to himself as he set the kettle to boil. They’d all taken to black tea in the morning recently, what with the lack of an intense schedule, which Leo liked better. He enjoyed the act of putting the bags in the mug, pouring the water. Logan still liked his with a lot of honey, and Finn liked his plain, but with the tea bag in. Leo preferred a mix, with no milk and minimal honey and with no tea bag. He felt that that described their relationship perfectly: in the essence they belonged together, they were a unit- tea was tea, after all. But they brought something different and new to compliment one another, three distinct parts that made an inseparable whole.
Leo smiled as two arms came to wrap around his waist. “Hi, sweetheart.”
Logan just grunted into his back, planting his feet to take more of Leo’s weight. “Up.”
Leo snorted and looked over his shoulder to meet Logan’s green eyes. “You actually are a baby now.”
“Non, I’m not.” He sighed dejectedly. “You left me in bed.”
“To make you breakfast, sweetheart.”
Logan scowled. “Piggyback.”
“Lo, honey, I don’t want your feet to get burned or-”
“Leo.”
Leo sighed and raised his eyebrows. “Fine. Okay, okay, Lord.” He bent down and held his arms out behind him. “You’re sure good at getting what you want, huh?”
Logan smiled against his ear as he jumped onto Leo’s back, arms wrapping around his shoulders, legs around his hips. “It’s a special skill.”
Leo hummed and tilted his neck for the kisses that Logan was placing on his skin. Logan rested his chin on Leo’s shoulder contentedly, watching as Leo flipped their pancakes. Every now and then he would reach over his shoulder with fruit, sometimes a little bit of bacon. Logan thanked him with a kiss to his cheek every time. When Leo turned to grab some plates, he found Finn sat at the counter, watching them.
“Hi lovers,” Finn said with a smile. “You need help, nutter butter baby?”
Leo reached for his hand to kiss the back of it. “Can you get the butter, syrup, silverware, stuff like that, please?”
“Sure thing, baby.” Finn wrapped his knuckles on the counter and walked around to the other side, placing a kiss on Leo’s cheek before going to the utensil drawer. “Lo, what have you done?”
“I’m keeping Leo warm.”
Finn raised his eyebrows at him.
Logan laughed lowly. “I’ll clean up.” He kissed Leo’s cheek wetly. “Don’t worry, peanut, I got you.”
“Thank you, sweetheart.” Leo squeezed Logan’s thighs. “You wanna sit down?”
“Non.”
Finn pinched Logan’s hip. “We gotta eat, Tremz.”
“I’ll eat here.”
Leo laughed. “Logan.”
Logan grumbled. “Fine, fine, d’accord.” He sighed heavily.
Finn scoffed. “You poor baby. Poor baby boy.”
“Oui, I am.”
Leo just walked around the counter and set him down in a chair, soothing his disappointment with a kiss. Logan kept him there, hands in his hair and mouth on fire, until Leo pulled away and looked at him knowingly. Logan just sighed again. “At least I tried.”
“Poor baby boy,” Leo echoed. He went back to his pancakes, Finn kneading at his hips. “Can you get me the plates, please, honey? I’ll dish it up and then we’ll eat.” He jerked his head to their mugs. “Tea should be cool enough to drink now, too.”
“Thank you, baby,” Finn said with a final squeeze to Leo’s waist. “You always cook so well.”
Leo smiled and grabbed a spatula to serve their eggs, bacon, and pancakes. Finn spooned the fruit into bowls and grabbed their mugs to place in front of their seats.
Leo admired their handiwork with a warm feeling in his chest. He loved hockey, he really, truly did; but he and Finn were forced to miss Logan during the season, and meals were often rushed, even if they were together. Leo liked to take his time with his food, with his cooking, with his boys. He stepped up behind Finn to wrap him in a hug, tucking his face into his neck. Finn reached back to scratch his scalp and Leo sighed into it, looking at Logan over Finn’s shoulder.
“You okay, baby?” Finn asked.
Leo nodded. “Can we snuggle after this?”
Logan grinned at him where his fork was poised over his eggs. “Ouais.”
“Lazy morning,” Finn whispered, leaning his head back into Leo. “We can do whatever you want, sunshine.”
“I want to snuggle.”
Finn turned in his arms. “You okay, sweetheart?”
Leo furrowed his brow. “Yeah, why?”
“You don’t usually ask to snuggle.” He patted Leo’s butt lovingly. “That’s usually a Logan thing. Or a me thing.” When he saw Leo’s blush, he made a sound and kissed his cheek. “It’s not a bad thing, Le. It’s a very good thing, actually, we love you telling us what you want.”
“Ouais,” Logan agreed. “I’m always okay to snuggle.”
Finn snorted and looked over his shoulder. “We know that, Tremblay.”
Leo nudged his nose into Finn’s cheek. “I’m just happy that we’re together.”
“Yeah?” Finn said giddily. “Me, too.” He carded his fingers through Leo’s hair. “I’m a very lucky man. You’re sexy as fuck.” Leo laughed and Finn turned once again in his arms to face Logan. Leo stroked his hands over his stomach. “And you’re sexy as fuck.”
Logan was grinning so hard his eyes crinkled. “Vous deux aussi.”
“Oui baguette.” Finn brought Leo’s hands to his mouth to kiss them. “Let’s eat, sweet things.”
They sat on either side of Logan, conversation gentle and happy. Logan had an ankle intertwined around one of each of theirs, and he looked content and handsome in the kitchen light. Finn was relaxed, spending half the time chatting instead of eating, as per usual, and was the last one to finish. Logan was playing with the fingers of his left hand, which was not helping the slow eating issue, but Leo thought it was worth it to see the way Finn’s long, delicate fingers clutched at Logan’s thicker, veiny ones. Finn saw him looking and waved said fingers at him, making him laugh around his sip of tea. Logan pinched his nose and kissed him playfully before standing up to bring their plates to the sink. Finn went to help him, and Leo got a nice view of both of their back muscles working through their T-shirts as they cleaned together. Finn refilled his tea with a kiss to his forehead and a “you just sit there and look pretty, sunshine”, Logan smacking his butt to get him to focus back on the task in front of them. Finn rolled his eyes but complied, giving Logan’s own behind a hard pat in return.
“You know,” Leo said suddenly, interrupting their quiet bickering. “This was one of the things I dreamed about the most. When I thought of having a partner. Or, partners.”
“Pourquoi, soleil?” Logan’s eyes were gentle, loving.
Leo shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess- for me, it’s about companionship. You can go through the motions in any sort of relationship.” Leo waved his hand vaguely. “The dates, the kissing, even the sex- it can all… happen, you know?” He rested his cheek on his palm and met their soft gazes. “But this- this feeling. How calm I feel with you, how happy I am- I think that’s what makes it different. It’s companionship, it’s a life.” He stretched out his arms. “And that’s what I wanted, when I was younger.”
Finn smiled widely at him. “Well… I don’t know how to top that.”
Leo shook his head fondly. “You don’t have to. You’re the reason why I have this life.”
“Oh, baby.” Finn walked around the counter to kiss Leo’s smile gently. “You’re all I’ve ever wanted.” He turned to Logan. “You, too. C’mere, Lo.”
But Logan didn’t move, too busy flitting his eyes over both of their faces. He looked a little shocked, a little frozen, like he didn’t know what to do with himself. Leo furrowed his brow. “Lo? You okay?”
Logan didn’t say anything as he walked around the counter and bullied himself in between them. Finn laughed as he forced his way into Leo’s lap, making the high chair wobble dangerously, and burrowed himself into Leo’s neck. “Soleil, you can’t just say things like that.”
Finn was still laughing, hands gently resting on Logan’s waist. “And why can’t he?”
“Because it- he can’t just…” Logan huffed. “He just can’t.”
“You know what I think?” Finn’s grin was mischievous and Leo shook his head exasperatedly at him.
“Quoi?”
“I think you’re flustered,” Finn said in Logan’s ear. “I think peanut went and flustered you, and you can’t handle it, and so you’re a grumpy boy. A grumpy baby boy.”
“I already told you, I’m not-”
“You so are.”
“Non, rouge, je ne suis pas-”
Leo sighed, taking matters into his own hands and interrupting Logan with a hard kiss. His body jerked, surprised, but after a moment he melted into it with a soft noise, shoulders relaxing under Leo’s hands. Leo grinned against Logan’s mouth before pulling away. “Snuggle?”
Finn pressed a kiss to Logan’s neck. “I have an idea. On the couch.”
He took both of their hands and led them to their living room, where he flopped down on their sofa lengthwise, back nestled against a pillow in the corner, legs spread in front of him. He patted at the space in between them and looked up at Leo. “Sit, gorgeous.”
Leo sat with his back to Finn’s chest and opened his arms for Logan to lie on top of him on his stomach. He sighed heavily, letting his weight go on Finn and burying his nose in Logan’s hair. “I love sitting like this,” he whispered.
He felt Finn grin into his own hair. “I know you do, sweetheart. You’ve loved it since the day we did this in the airport on our way to play Lo for the first time in New York.”
Logan lifted his head up. As if he couldn’t help himself, he reached up to play with Leo’s curls. “Quoi?”
Leo pushed Logan’s hair back from his forehead. “When we were in the airport, I sat with my back to Finn’s chest and fell right asleep.” He turned to look at Finn, whose eyes were soft and crinkled with his smile. “So we started sitting like this a lot, like he does with you.” Logan was smiling, too, when Leo faced him again, hand cupping his jaw. “We watch you play like this on the TV.”
“You do?” Logan asked. His lips were parted softly and he sighed. “That makes me happy.”
“Yeah?” Finn’s voice was a bit tight.
Logan nodded. “Ouais. Makes me happy to think you’re there. Gives me something to think about when you’re not.”
“Oh.” The word escaped Finn abruptly, as if he didn’t mean for it to. Leo laced their fingers where they were resting across Logan’s lower back. “Oh, baby…”
Logan smiled at them so softly it stole Leo’s breath. “Non, rouge, ne pleure pas, mon amour.”
“Sorry,” Finn got out. He pressed soft kisses into Leo’s neck. “You’re just so beautiful, it makes me, like- emotional.” He let out a laugh. “That’s so cheesy.”
Logan laughed, too. “Non, it’s good. Vous êtes tous les deux les plus beaux.”
“What?”
“He said we’re the most beautiful,” Leo whispered. He leaned back to kiss Finn’s jaw. “How’s that for topping me, huh?”
“No, not topping you,” Finn said. He ran a thumb over Logan’s bottom lip. “Just as good. Jesus, you both render me speechless.”
Leo snorted. “That’s not true.”
“Well, almost speechless. Closer than anyone else has ever got, at least.”
That got a full body laugh out of Logan, shaking against Leo’s body. “One day I’ll get you to be quiet.”
“Oh?” Leo could imagine Finn’s smile. “That sounds fun.”
Logan rolled his eyes, but was blushing. “Non, not that.” He sighed and rested his head against Leo’s chest again. “When I ask you to marry me.”
Now Leo could actually feel Finn’s smile, pressed against the skin below his ear. “Oh yeah? Who says you’ll get down on one knee first, Tremblay?”
“Yeah,” Leo agreed. “Might beat you to it.”
Logan just kissed Leo’s chest. “I just have a feeling.” He wiggled a little bit, settling right down. “Then we have sleepy mornings forever.”
“Ouais,” Leo whispered. “Sounds perfect.”
“Forever isn’t long enough,” Finn said. “Not nearly long enough.” He pulled them both snug against him. “I love you. Forever and even after that.”
“Je t’aime.”
Leo let out a breath and turned his face into Finn’s, a hand in Logan’s hair. “I love you.” He kissed Finn’s jaw with a grin. “Forever and a little bit more.”
“A lot more, sunshine, catch up.”
Leo snorted, then his snort grew into a laugh, and soon they were all laughing hard. It wasn’t even that funny, but they were laughing like it was the best joke they’d ever heard. Finn and Leo set Logan, who wasn’t a very loud laugher, off every time they looked at him. He crawled up Leo’s body to kiss him hard, then Finn, before sitting back on his heels. His smile was bright, as wide as Leo had ever seen it, and he was so gorgeous that Finn and Leo couldn’t look away. He scrunched his nose around his grin and stroked up and down Leo’s abs.
“I’m gonna love you forever,” Logan finally said with a content sigh. “Forever and a lot more.” He then flopped down dramatically on Leo with an oof and resumed his position as human koala extraordinaire. “Lots of lazy mornings.”
“Yeah,” Leo whispered. Finn kissed his cheek. “Lots and lots of lazy mornings. As many as you want, sweethearts.”
“C’est bien,” Logan said. He was falling asleep. “C’est bien.” Between one breath and the next, he was unconscious.
Finn squeezed them both tighter. “Sleep, butter. I’ll wake you up when it’s lunchtime.”
“Okay,” Leo said. He felt floaty and warm. “Love you.”
“Love you,” Finn replied softly. “Love you, love you, love you.”
As someone from the south my southern accent comes out STRONGLY when I’m tired so I can just imagine leo talking with a deep drawl after a game or on the bus ride home LOL! You’re so amazing and I love ur work so much pls never stop
This was actually a really cool prompt, because I got to do some research on NOLA accents! They're kind of similar to NYC ones in many ways, and distinct from the stereotypical Southern US ones. I noticed, particularly, that the way that lots of people pronounce '-ing' is not necessarily with a hard 'n' sound like '-in', nor a hard 'ng' sound. It's kind of like in the Northeast, where we don't really touch our tongues to the roof of our mouths right behind our teeth, but don't touch the back of our tongues to the back of our throat- it's a mix between the two. It's like a soft '-ing' sound with the same casual feeling of '-in', if that makes sense? It also depends on the starting sound of the word following the word ending in '-ing', so I also tried to represent that when I as writing. There was a lot of talking to myself, haha!
There's also obviously a bunch of different NOLA accents, depending on the area of the city you live in, your economic class, and your race, so I tried to emulate Leo's based on what we know about him and the characterization of him and his family in the SW universe. I hope I did it justice, and if I didn't, please let me know so I can learn more!
All credits to @lumosinlove !!
Leo turned up towards to the Louisiana sun and took a deep breath. It was warm on his face and neck, and the air smelled like home: slightly salty, heavy, and a little humid in the midday heat. He smiled and looked out over the front of the boat. His cove was up ahead, all secluded and shadowed, as if waiting for him and his boys. He realized they weren’t beside him, and turned around to look at the seats. They liked to sit there and watch him, they said, Finn usually with Logan in his lap or an arm around his shoulders. After a few minutes, Logan would inevitably come up to stand beside Leo and kiss his shoulder, just like he had the first time they’d gone out there. Finn took a photo every time, without fail. He had a special album on his phone, Leo knew, and the most recent one was his screen saver.
But when Leo turned around fully, they weren’t there. He jerked his head around. They weren’t anywhere. He furrowed his eyebrows, confused- he’d definitely undone the ropes with Logan, he was sure of it. And Finn had definitely squeezed his hips and pressed a kiss to his cheek in thanks after Leo helped him on the boat. All of their lifejackets were still there, too, nestled up right where they normally sat, in case of an emergency. Panic rose in Leo’s throat, and his breathing started to quicken. Where were they? They couldn’t have gone overboard, Leo would never forgive himself if-
Soleil.
Leo jerked his head up. Logan’s voice, like a whisper on the wind.
Soleil, réveille-toi, mon amour.
“Logan?” Leo asked. He tilted his head up to the sky. “Lo. Logan, where-”
Sh, sh, it’s alright. Open your eyes for me, mon coeur.
With a start, Leo jerked awake. His face was squished in the pillow, his hipbones pressing into something soft underneath him. “What-”
“Bon matin, Le.”
Leo squinted, and then a face came into view. Green. Green eyes. Leo gasped. “Lo.”
Logan was laughing softly. “Salut, mon coeur.” He was stretched out beside Leo on their bed, athletic and strong body all on display for Leo to gaze at. “You were talking in your sleep.”
“I- what-” Leo stammered. He shifted his body, feeling the mattress underneath his hips. “I been- been lookin’ for you for ages.”
Logan shuffled in closer and put a hand on Leo’s back. “Quoi? Why were you looking for us?”
Leo made a distressed sound low in his throat. “You left the boat.”
Logan’s brow furrowed. “Quoi?”
“You left the boat,” Leo continued. “We were gonna pass by my cove, ya know? Was thinking ‘bout-” He interrupted himself with a yawn. “Was thinking ‘bout kissing you- give you a passion mark.”
“A what?”
“A passion mark.”
“Soleil, I have no idea what that is.”
Leo huffed. “Ici,” he said, tugging at Logan’s arm. Logan shifted even closer and hissed in surprise when Leo leaned in and began sucking on his neck. He was propped on his elbow, hovering over with Logan’s head underneath him on the pillows. Logan reached up with his outside hand to scratch at Leo’s curls and hummed into the sheets. Leo in turn made a noise against his skin, hand running down Logan’s soft torso. He pulled off gently and surveyed his work. “Bon.”
“Soleil,” Logan said, face smushed a little. He was laughing. “Soleil, I’m stuck.”
“Hm,” Leo replied. “Can do somethin’ ‘bout it, honey.”
Logan laughed even harder as Leo straighted their twisted bodies by rolling over completely and flopping on Logan’s chest. Logan scratched his nails gently up and down Leo’s back. “Your accent always sounds so much stronger in the morning, mon coeur.”
“So does yours,” Leo retorted from his place against Logan’s neck. He placed his mouth back against the skin and sucked gently. Logan’s chest rose and fell with a content sigh, his hands still working their way up Leo’s shoulders.
Suddenly, the door to their bedroom opened. Leo didn’t remove himself from where he was, but he could hear Finn’s breath hitch when he saw them.
“Yeah, mom,” Finn said. He must have been on his weekly phone call with his parents. “Yes, I’ll tell them you said that.” A pause and a scoff. “Nuh-uh, we feed him, too.” Finn let out an exasperated sigh. “Yes, mom, okay. Okay, yeah, send it to me. I can work a stove you know.” Leo peeked his eye out to look at him. There was more chatter on the other end of the line, and then Finn laughed. “Yes, I know. Okay. Okay, I love you. Tell dad I say hi. Love you, ‘kay, bye.” Finn hung up and then let out a big sigh. His gaze on them was tired, but he was smiling. “Oh man, I need to lie down.”
Logan laughed. “You’ve barely gotten up.”
“No,” Finn said. The bed shifted as he crawled under the covers. “I’ve been up since the early morning, but some people have been being sleepy-heads.”
Logan shoved him slightly. “I was up with Leo.”
Finn turned his adoring eyes on Leo and leaned down to kiss his forehead. “I know, I’m sorry baby. Trouble sleeping?”
“Mm-hm,” Leo said. He settled down with his cheek against Logan’s shoulder, closing his eyes and moving into the feeling of Finn’s hand stroking his hair back. “Kept havin’ weird dreams. Lost y’all when we were passin’ by my cove.”
“When we were what?” Finn asked. His voice sounded confused.
Leo huffed slightly. “When we were passin’ by my cove. On the boat.” He opened his eyes again. “How’s your mama’n’em?”
Finn smiled. “Oh, I see. You’re that tired, hm? Last night's game wear you out?” Leo just blinked slowly. Finn kissed his forehead again. “Oh, you’re really exhausted, sweetheart. Why don’t you go back to sleep, huh? We got a day off.”
“Non,” Leo said defiantly. It was a little like what Logan would say, lovingly grumpy. “Non, I wanna stay here and talk.” He yawned. “Don’t wanna lose you on the boat again.”
Logan grinned into the top of his head. “Non, soleil. You’re not losing us on a boat.”
Leo kissed his chest, then looked at Finn again. “So, how’s your mama’n’em?”
“Well,” Finn started. “No ‘n’em’ today, just mom.” He settled himself firmly against them with a leg thrown over their bodes. He took one of Leo’s bouncy curls between his fingers. “She said she’d send me her bolognese recipe. Said it was ‘foolproof’, and that I should cook you dinner tonight because you feed me too much.” He scoffed. “I told her I know how to work a stove. And that I do feed you- sometimes.”
Leo smiled. “Ouais, you do. But I like cooking for ya.”
“Ouais,” Logan said. “Mais, we can do it for you.” He nuzzled Leo’s head. “Let’s treat you today, hm? Go for a walk around the park that you like, outside the city. Go swimming in the swimming hole.” He paused and squeeze Leo tighter. “How does that sound, mon soleil?”
“Yeah,” Leo nodded. “Yeah, okay.
“Sounds perfect, baby,” Finn said. He leaned in for a quick kiss from Logan. When he pulled back, his eyebrows furrowed, then a smile broke over his face. “Looks like somebody already got to you this morning, huh?” He leaned down to kiss over the mark that Leo had left.
Logan made a happy little sound. “Ouais. It’s a- what did you call it, soleil?”
“A passion mark,” Leo sighed. He snuggled further down into Logan. “‘Cause I love ya. Love ya both.”
“Je t’aime.” Logan settled back into the pillows. He sounded like he was half asleep again.
“Love you,” Finn whispered. He buried himself in next to them. “Love you, love you, love you. My sexy boys with sexy accents.”
Leo and Logan just laughed, shaking the bed beneath them. The day ahead felt a little less tiring now.
Have some domestic morning fluff featuring yummy pastries! I know Love Lane sounds cheesy, but the town I go to college in actually does have a Love Lane and I think that's very cute. :)
Also, remember to always be dating your partner(s), no matter how long you have been together! It's very important. :)
I am steadily working on your prompts, so please keep them coming!
All credits to @lumosinlove !!
Finn turned the corner onto Love Lane just as the ending notes of Shiny Happy People drifted off in his headphones. He smiled as he slowed down to a jog, then a walk, stopping the run on his watch and pausing the music. His breathing was still quick and a bit labored, but he hummed happily as he approached Vivienne’s, pulling out his credit card from his running vest. He brought his mouth down to take a sip from the water bottle on his chest before opening the door, a light chime sounding from the bell above his head. Chantel was behind the counter today, her goddess braids piled into a clip in the back of her head, and she smiled when she saw him approach the counter.
“Bon matin, loverboy,” she greeted, placing her hands on the counter in front of her. “What’ll it be today?”
Finn shrugged and grinned at the pastries displayed proudly in front of him. “What do you got for me today, Chan?”
Chantel moved behind the glass case. “Well, for your sweeth-tooth-sweetheart, I’ve got a nice white chocolate and mixed berry filled croissant. Viv just perfected the recipe, and they are to die for. They’ve got a nice lemony hint, too.”
Finn nodded at her with a grin. “Yeah, okay. And for my sunshine?”
Chantel laughed and gestured to something on the far end. “Raspberry scones. A little sweet, but not too sweet- they’re tart, too. And for you,” she continued. “I’ve got some nice spinach and feta quiches.”
Finn nodded enthusiastically. “I’ll have two of those, please. Leo will just try and steal that from me anyways. Then a scone for him, too.” He thought for a minute. “And two of the croissants, please.” He flit his eyes up. “Lo will feel left out if I only get him one thing.”
Chantel laughed and proceeded to box up the pastries. “You got it.”
Finn leaned against the counter by the register. “How’s the wife?”
Chantel bobbed her head as she finished packaging. “Good. Viv’s back in the kitchen now. Said something about a summer focaccia.”
Finn hummed appreciatively. “That sounds good. Might have to save me some.”
Chantel flashed her eyes up at him teasingly. “Anything for our best customer.”
That made Finn laugh as he handed her his credit card. “Can’t help it I’ve got two hungry boys at home. And me.”
“Hey, we aren’t complaining,” Chantel said. “But bring Leo next time- he gives good constructive feedback.”
Finn saluted, then took the box. “You got it, boss.” He began to back out towards the door. “Say hi to Viv for me. I’ll see you later.”
“Bye, loverboy!” Chantel called after him.
He grinned and closed the door to the bakery behind him, box in one hand and phone in the other to text his boys. On my way home. Just stopped by Viv’s.
Okay, sweetheart! Leo’s text came. I’ve got coffee brewing, we’ll see you at home.
Finn sent back a string of hearts and pocketed his phone with a deep sigh. He rolled his neck- his back muscles were a bit stiff from their weights session the day before, and his legs from his run, but it felt good. He could probably bribe Leo with kisses into giving him a massage. It was a technique that he employed often and it always yielded good results. He smiled just thinking about it- Leo would sit him in a stool by the counter, Logan beside him. Logan would scratch Finn’s scalp- he really seemed to like that- as Leo used his strong, capable hands to knead out the knots near Finn’s neck that he got. They’d both periodically press kisses to Finn’s neck, his forehead- any skin that was reachable, really. Finn laughed to himself and quickened his pace, anxious to get home.
He tapped his toe impatiently as he waited in the elevator, clutching the box of pastries to his chest. His sweat was cooling just a bit, starting to become uncomfortable and a bit cold in the building’s air conditioning. He exited the elevator with a small shiver when he arrived at their floor, transferring the box to one hand to fiddle around in his running vest for his keys. He was struggling to balance the box and fit them in the lock when the door opened in front of him. Finn looked up to find Leo standing there and smiling at him in boxers and one of Finn’s Strand sweatshirts, the material around the hood a bit damp- from residual wetness on his skin from a shower, Finn presumed. He was tall, curly hair like a halo around his head, and so cute it made Finn want to squish his cheeks.
“Hi, sweetheart,” Leo said. He took the box from Finn and stepped back into the apartment. “Good run?”
“Yeah,” Finn said, following Leo into their apartment. “Hey, wait.”
“Hm?” Leo asked. He placed the pastry box on the counter and then made a noise of surprise when Finn tugged his hand and turned him around to press a hard kiss to his mouth. Leo let out a sigh through his nose and used his free hand to cup Finn’s cheek gently. When they pulled apart, Leo was grinning softly. “What was that for?”
Finn just wrapped his arms around Leo’s waist. “What, I need a reason to kiss my boyfriend?” He pressed his lips gently to Leo’s neck. “You just looked so gorgeous standing there waiting for me in my clothes. Made me want to do this.” He leaned back and took Leo’s face in his hands, applying a little pressure until the skin of his cheeks started to crinkle. “You’re so squishable.”
Leo snorted, but he was still smiling. “You sure know how to hand out compliments.”
“Mm,” Finn said. He leaned in to kiss Leo once more. “It’s easy when it’s you.”
Leo smacked his hip lightly but kissed him back. They stayed there for a moment, Finn’s arms winding around Leo’s neck, kissing softly in the morning kitchen light, until a weight fell against Finn’s back.
“Oof,” Finn gasped against Leo’s mouth. “Morning, Tremblay. You’re heavy this morning.”
“Non,” Logan said. He stepped around and bullied his way in between them, his face pressed into Finn’s neck. “Ici.”
Finn ducked down to kiss his mouth softly. “Hi, baby. Sleep okay?”
“Ouais,” Logan nodded. He tucked his face back down. “Missed you when you left.”
Finn grinned at Leo over Logan’s head. “Oh yeah?”
“Ouais,” Logan said again. He lifted his head gently to look at Finn. “What did you bring me?”
Finn scoffed and kissed his cheek. “What, you only want me for my money? Want me to buy you things?”
“No,” Leo laughed.
“Hey,” Finn said. He leaned to bring his mouth next to Logan’s ear and looked up at Leo. “You know I’ll buy you all the things if you want.”
“I know, sweetheart,” Leo said. Finn closed his eyes when he kissed his forehead. “But pastries are enough.”
“Good,” Finn replied. He pressed a smacking kiss to Logan’s head then turned him gingerly into Leo’s arms. Logan grumbled, but wrapped his arms around Leo’s torso and squeezed tightly, Leo doing the same around his waist. Finn smiled softly at them, then turned to the pastries. “Chan gave me a couple of quiches for us, Le, and I got you a scone. And Lo, I got you two white chocolate and berry croissants. Sound good?”
“Ouais,” Logan nodded. He peered over into the box. “Looks good.”
Finn smiled. “Good. How about I shower, then we eat?”
Leo nodded and kissed Logan’s head. “I’ll pour your coffee, honey. You go shower.”
“Thanks nutter butter,” Finn said. He placed a kiss on each of their cheeks. “Love you. I’ll be right back.”
Finn stripped off his clothes in the bathroom before turning on the water and stepping through their shower door. He smiled as he turned his head up into the spray, pushing his hair back from his face. The sound of the door opening reverberated through the bathroom, and he opened his eyes to peer out through the fogged glass doors to see a silhouette. Logan.
“Rouge?”
“Yeah, baby?”
“I put your towel in the dryer. I'm leaving it here on the toilet.”
Finn laughed. God, Logan was so cute sometimes, and he didn't even realize it. “Thanks, baby.”
“Ouais,” Logan replied. Finn could hear him open the bathroom door again.
“You sure you don't want to join?” he asked suggestively.
He could hear Logan’s grin. “I'm helping Le with breakfast. He's getting out the nice plates.”
Finn felt his heart skip in his chest. “You're both such sweethearts.” He turned to grab the soap. “I'll hurry and be out in a couple minutes.” He turned to look at Logan through the glass, even though he couldn't completely see him. “I'll be expecting lots of kisses, please.”
“Ouais,” Logan laughed. “Je t'aime, we'll wait for you.”
Finn heard the door close and finished washing his body, slipping out of the shower and wrapping himself in the warm towel that Logan had given him. It even smelled like Logan, just a bit, and Finn brought it up to his nose to inhale his familiar scent. He walked to their bedroom and threw on a pair of boxers and Leo's New Orleans Saints sweatshirts. That, too, smelled like Logan, with a hint of Leo's cologne- they must have both worn it recently. Finn felt all wrapped up in them and smiled as he made his way to the kitchen.
Logan, who was sat at a stool with a cup of coffee in front of him, turned as he heard Finn walk into the room. “Salut.”
Finn folded him back against his chest and pressed a kiss to his cheek. Logan turned his head to kiss Finn more squarely on the lips and Finn grinned. “Hi, baby.”
Logan sniffed at his neckline. “You smell good.”
Finn hummed. “Smell like you. And Le. Did you both wear this or something?”
Leo nodded. “He wore it when we were reading last night while you were out with Alex.” His eyes were twinkling. “He sprayed me with my cologne and then rubbed himself all over me.”
Logan rolled his eyes. “I did not.”
Leo snorted as he turned to pour coffee in Finn's mug. “Well it certainly wasn't cuddling. You were like a dog, just flopped down on me.”
“Our very own pitbull,” Finn teased, biting at Logan's jaw. “A tough exterior, but really just needs cuddles like he needs air.”
Logan scoffed. “You like it. Besides,” he continued, turning to grip at Finn’s hair. “I need to let them know you're mine.”
Leo laughed. “Who?”
Logan turned to look at him as though it was obvious. “Everyone.”
Finn smiled dopily at him, at Leo. Sometimes he couldn't believe his luck. He had two boys, two kind, gorgeous boys, that he got to love. “As if I would choose anyone else,” he said, squeezing tighter around Logan’s broad chest. Logan melted back into him. They both watched Leo’s back as he plated their pastries. Finn sighed happily. “Le.”
“Yeah?” Leo asked. He was focused on his task.
“Leo,” Finn said.
“What, sweetheart?” Leo’s voice was gentle, but he was still not looking at them.
“Allez,” Logan urged.
“Look here, baby,” Finn said softly.
Leo turned, licking berry jam off his finger, and placed Logan’s plate in front of him. “What? I'm almost done with breakfast, Fish, I just need to put some milk in your-”
Logan interrupted him by grabbing abruptly for his hand and tugging him to lean across the counter. Leo just had time to widen his eyes before Logan was kissing him. He hummed and relaxed his body into the marble countertop, one hand making its way up to cup Logan’s cheek. Finn felt his body warm watching them and he dropped a kiss to Logan’s shoulder.
After a brief moment, Leo pulled back with a smile. “What was that for?”
Finn made a noise in the back of his throat. “Enough of that question.” He hooked his chin over Logan’s shoulder to look Leo in the eyes. “You’re just too gorgeous. We can’t resist you.”
Leo rolled his eyes playfully. “Sorry, I’m just not used to being tugged around and kissed in the kitchen.”
“Non?” Logan asked teasingly. “We can do it more often.”
“Yeah,” Finn said. He waggled his eyebrows. “Here I come, nutter butter.”
He untangled himself from Logan and crossed to the other side of the counter. Leo’s eyes and fond expression told him he knew what was coming, but Finn pulled him firmly to him by his waist anyways. The sides of Leo’s eyes were crinkling when Finn got him close. He gripped around the small of Leo’s back and leaned up to kiss him hard. He was probably being too sloppy, and definitely using too much tongue, but Leo was leaning backwards over his arm, enough for Finn to grasp at the back of his neck with his other hand and dip him. Leo made a surprised noise against his mouth, which turned into a breathy laugh as he held on tightly to Finn’s shoulders. Finn pulled away to smile down at him, his blond curls hanging off his head towards the floor, and his face all flushed red and please.
“You’re so much trouble, O’Hara,” Leo teased.
Finn nipped lightly at his perfect cupid’s bow. “Only for you.” He pulled them upright and turned to grin at Logan, who was watching them with his face resting gently on his palm. “Alright, lovers. How about some food?”
“Yes, I’m starving,” Leo said. Finn smacked his butt lightly as he turned to grab his and Finn’s plates. Leo just raised his eyebrows. “Go sit, honey.”
Finn kissed his cheek then walked back around the counter to sit by Logan, pressing their shoulders together. They watched as Leo put the finishing touches on their breakfast: some nice silverware, his and Finn’s coffee, a glass of water for each of them. Leo stood across from them, fork poised over his quiche, and Finn did the same. The first bite was heavenly, a bit salty from the feta, a bit sweet from the tomatoes. Finn hummed appreciatively and looked up at Leo. “Good?”
Leo closed his eyes and nodded. “Yeah, really good. Gosh, Viv just knows how to combine flavors, that’s for sure.”
Finn grinned. “She was in the kitchen making a summer focaccia when I got there. Chan said she’d save us some this week, and that I should bring you in to give feedback.”
Leo laughed delightedly. “Aw, that’s very sweet.”
Finn nodded. “Speaking of sweet.” He turned to look at Logan, who was already halfway through his first pastry. “How’s the croissant, my sweet-tooth baby?”
Logan made an appreciative noise before swallowing. “Ouais, really good.” He took another big bite. “The jam is good.”
Leo snorted and reached out with his own napkin to wipe some of it off of Logan’s mouth. “Slow down there, sweetheart, you’ll get a stomach ache.”
“But it’s so good,” Logan retorted. He looked up at Leo through his lashes. “Can you make croissants with jam sometime?”
Leo tilted his head and looked at him fondly. “Sure, honey. I’ll get my mama’s recipe. She used to make them when we had guests over all the time.”
“Merci,” Logan said, already going back in for another bite. He looked content, all tan and soft from the summer, back from New York for a few months. Finn loved the way he looked in their kitchen, when he would sit on the counter while Leo cooked, when he would help Finn dry the dishes, when he’d help Leo chop vegetables for dinner.
Finn loved him so much he thought he would explode, and so leaned over to kiss his cheek. “Love having you home, baby.”
Logan turned to brush their noses together. “Love being home.” He kissed Finn lightly then turned to Leo. “Soleil?”
“Hm?” Leo asked. He had moved onto the scone now. “Yeah?”
Logan laughed. Leo was always starving first thing in the morning, and not a lot could distract him from eating. “Regarde-moi.”
Leo held up a finger and swallowed the last bit of his scone. “That was really tasty, wow.” He wiped his fingers on his napkin and stood up straighter, taking Logan’s hand. “What is it, Lo?”
Logan bit his lip and looked at each of them. “Wanna take you both on a date.”
Leo furrowed his brows. “Ouais, of course. You wanna go to the Sunstone for supper, or-”
“Non,” Logan interrupted. He kissed Leo’s hand and wove the fingers of his other hand into Finn’s hair. “I want to get all dressed up and go to a place on the river. And drive you there, and hold the door for you, and pull out your chairs.” He was blushing a bit, but smiling, and Finn was going to melt into the floor. Leo looked a little stunned, and Logan played with his fingers. “And I want to sit across from you, and look at you, and tangle our ankles under the table. And then we’ll go for a walk on the path by the water, and hold hands, and then I’ll buy you gelato near the beach.” His green eyes were sparkling. “Then I’ll kiss you at sunset, and then drive you home and kiss you some more. Kiss you goodnight.”
Finn sucked in a breath. He felt floaty. “Lo…”
“I want to take you on dates all summer,” Logan said. His voice was firm and happy. “To the beach, to a cabin in the woods. Take you dancing.” He closed his eyes dreamily. “Gonna kiss you everywhere we go. Hold your hands when we walk down the street.”
Leo was blushing hard now, looking as smitten as Finn felt. “Oh. Logan, that’s…”
“That sounds amazing,” Finn finished. Leo nodded at him. “Shit, that sounds so good.”
“I love you,” Logan said. He tugged Leo’s hand. “Ici.”
Leo obeyed, walking around the counter to stand beside their chairs. Logan stood and once again tugged insistently at him, wrapping his arms around Leo’s neck. Finn was struggling to breath with how gorgeous they looked together.
Logan turned him and Leo slightly and leaned against Finn’s side when Finn wrapped an arm around his waist. “I want to date you,” Logan whispered softly. “Now that the world knows, I want to take you everywhere, show everyone you’re mine. I want to date you now and forever.”
Leo was smiling so hard that his button nose was scrunching. “I love you.” He leaned down to kiss Logan softly a few times, their lips brushing gently against one another. When they pulled apart, he leaned down to do the same with Finn. “I love you so much.”
Finn kissed him once more for good measure, then turned to Logan. Their lips met and Finn felt his breathing hitch. He imagined that, when he pulled apart and looked at them, that he had a ridiculous, love-struck expression, but he didn’t care. “Forever wouldn’t be enough with you two.” He leaned his head on Logan’s shoulder. “I love you both more than anything.”
“Ouais,” Logan said. His eyes were soft. He leaned up on his toes to press his forehead to Leo’s. “Toujours.”
Finn smiled, pressed a kiss to Logan’s shoulder, and then straightened. He lifted his arms above his head to stretch, then winced when pain shot up his upper back. Leo made a noise and came to stand behind him. “Want me to massage it out, sweetheart?”
Finn tilted his head to smile at him upside down. “If you don’t mind, gorgeous. That’d be great, thank you.”
Leo kissed the top of his head and worked his strong thumbs just below Finn’s neck. Finn groaned, his head lolling just a little. Logan boosted himself onto his stool once more and scratched at Finn’s scalp. As if on cue, they both leaned to kiss him, Logan on his neck and Leo on the side of his head. Finn burst out laughing.
“Quoi?” Logan asked. His eyes were amused. “What happened?”
Finn was still laughing and shaking his head. He reached one hand up to cup Logan’s cheek and the other one back to lace his fingers with Leo’s on his shoulder. “Nothing. I just love you.” He closed his eyes. “I love you very, very much.” Finn opened his eyes. “Hey, kiss me again.”
And with their smiles against his skin and their hands on him, Finn felt all of the tension float out of his body. If he spent the rest of the summer like this, well… he’d consider himself lucky in love, indeed.
A little something I wrote to follow my last post! I hope you have found some happiness, maybe let yourself grieve for a minute. Remember that the work starts now, and that change starts with us, the people. Use your voice.
Character credits to the lovely @lumosinlove as always!!
At first, Leo had thought that Finn’s fountain pen hadn’t been worth stealing, but that was before he started writing his grocery lists with it. It was the perfect weight in his hands and wrote so smoothly it was like spreading butter. He would take it out of the cup on Finn’s desk in what used to be his very own bedroom, now converted into a home office, and run his fingers along Finn’s engraved name lovingly before setting off to the kitchen. Finn would always wait so patiently for him to finish, even if he was bouncing on his toes while doing so. He always claimed that he wrote better with the fountain pen, a gift from Logan when he’d started his Master’s program this fall, and wouldn’t start his work without it. Leo would borrow it, write his lists, and then give it back to Finn with a kiss and a tap to his hip, nudging him to go back to work.
Today, though, Leo just stole it, and didn’t feel even a little bit bad.
“You realize he is going to freak out when he can’t find it, ouais, soleil?” Logan asked through Leo’s iPad, which was resting on the counter as Leo cooked dinner. More often than not, they’d FaceTime in the evenings and eat dinner together anyways, but Logan claimed he also liked to watch Leo’s back through the screen as he cooked.
Leo ducked his head into the frame and grinned. “Oh, I know. It’s not even hard to find, I just put it in the kitchen towel drawer by the oven.” He settled more in front of Logan’s face. “But he’s been all stressed out lately, and his paper is fine; I’ve already read it and helped him edit it three times. He just needs to take an evening off.”
As if on cue, Finn’s voice reverberated through the hallway. “Peanut, have you seen my fountain pen? I can’t find it anywhere!”
Leo just shook his head. “Sweetheart, I’m sure it’ll turn up! Come say hi to Lo.”
There was a thump and then Finn came sliding in on his socks into the kitchen, bumping softly into Leo as he stopped in front of the counter. “Hi, sweet thing, hi. How are you, Lo, baby?”
Logan grinned at him. “Ouais, bonjour, rouge.” He tilted his head. “You missing something?”
That perked Finn up, and he turned to Leo, wrapping his arms around his waist and looking up with wide eyes. “Yeah, yeah, baby, my fountain pen. Have you seen it, Le?”
Leo just feigned confusion. “What fountain pen?”
Finn’s ears started to turn a bit red, a mildly frustrated exhale coming out of his nose. Finn never got angry, especially not at them, but he did sometimes get fidgety when he was anxious about something. “Bullshit, which one. You know I can’t focus without it, and my paper is due tomorrow, and I don’t know where it is-”
“Isn’t your paper on the computer?”
Finn rolled his eyes as he looked at the iPad, but his expression was teasing. “Not helpful, Tremblay.”
Leo nudged him as he turned back to their bolognese sauce on the stove. “I’m sure you just lost it under the desk, or by the radiator, sweetheart. It’ll turn up.”
Finn whined in the back of his throat. “But I need it to focus.”
Leo snorted, but turned and took Finn’s face in his hands. “Finn, honey, you’ve had that paper done and ready for three days. You’ve been stressed out and can’t relax, even though it’s perfectly well written.” He kissed Finn’s forehead. “Just go and submit it, it’ll be fine.”
“But-”
“Go,” Leo said emphatically. “And maybe if you come back and make nice, stress-free conversation with your boyfriends for a couple hours you’ll get it back.”
“Ouais,” Logan piped up in agreement. “Rouge, go on.”
Finn stared at Logan’s face, then turned and narrowed his eyes at Leo. “You know where my pen is, don’t you?”
Leo just raised his eyebrows and winked at him. “Turn your paper in and find out.”
Finn took a deep breath and huffed in that way that he did when he really didn’t want to do something. “Fine. But I better be getting some really nice conversation when I get back.”
Logan laughed through the screen. “Ouais, maybe you’ll get something else really nice, too.”
“Oh?” Finn was smiling now, freckles scrunching on his forehead as he raised his eyebrows. “You gonna give you something, ten?”
Logan’s teeth flashed cockily. “I’ll take off my shirt for you, but only if you’re good.”
Finn tapped his hand to the camera. “You got yourself a deal, Trelembalaylay.” He turned to Leo and gave a pinch to each of his hips, making him squirm. “You know, Leonardus, you’re a lot more mischievous than you seem. The world doesn’t know you’re like this. I could tell them.”
Leo ducked his head down. “Oh? You want the world to know all about my delinquency?”
Finn stared for a second, then rolled his head back. “Fine. No. Just us, just Lo and I get to reserve that privilege.”
Logan laughed, then leaned his head closer to the screen. “Allez, rouge, go turn in your paper. Then Leo and I will be mischievous together for you.”
Finn bounced on his toes, nodding eagerly. “Yup, yup, that sounds like a great plan to me.” He kissed Leo’s cheek, then kissed towards the iPad. “Love you, babes, be right back,” he said, then scurried off back towards the home office as they both called a ‘love you!’ after him.
Leo gave the sauce one more stir, then turned to lean his forearms on the counter in front of Logan. “If I’d known it would have been that easy to get him to submit his work, I would’ve done that with the last two essays, as well.”
Logan chuckled at him. “Ouais, he’s very easily motivated by…” His smiled turned teasing. “Mischief.”
Leo laughed back at him, then tilted his head and admired the way Logan’s green eyes flitted all over his face. “Love you, Lo.”
Logan’s smiled turned soft. “Je t’aime, aussi, mon coeur.”
“Okay!” Finn’s voice called, followed by the sound of his thumping feet. He once again entered sliding on his socks, wrapping Leo up in his arms with a smacking kiss to his cheek. He wiggled his eyes at the two of them. “Time to get mischievous.”
Leo and Logan just looked at him and laughed.
Heyyyy just out of curiosity how often do you post? Don’t feel rushed or pressured to answer this!! Love your blog!
Hi there!
I try and post every 3 to 5 days! I have loads of material, but I spread out posting for reasons I dicuss here. I posted twice today because I will be without signal for a few days in the mountains, so I will be MIA and enjoying the wilderness!
Please keep sending me prompts, because I love them!
Just for the joy of writing! She/her 🏳️🌈
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