And they say chivalry's dead.

[ it's habit to case a place when he walks in, and this shop is no different. but it is pretty striking just how classy they've made this toy store. ]

Well, Sara. [ leonard tosses her a smirk over his shoulder. ] We are here for you. Pick a place to start, and I'll follow along.

Alright, but if you see something you like, you'd better speak up, ( she says as she throws a look his way, falling into step with him, no real indication of if she's talking about toys for her or toys for him.

the shop is, maybe, even a little more fancy inside than she'd anticipated, and her attention feels like it's being pulled in about fifteen different directions. sara's current solution? go for something shiny.

like the circular display of vibes in varying shapes, sizes, and colors, but with one grand, elevated centerpiece: a gilded vibrator, complete with an elegant wooden box to go with it. it's excessive as hell, and yet sara can't help but stare at it for a moment, eyebrows lifted. )

24 karat plated gold. Temperature conducive. Fifteen grand. I'm impressed.

Talk about a rip-off. [ leonard's nose wrinkles as he looks at the rather expensive piece. ] 24 karat gold's soft and unless you're real delicate with it, it's gonna show signs of wear and tear pretty easy. Depending on how they're plating it, the gold'll eventually wear off too. A year or less if they're not getting fancy with it. Maybe a handful if they are, and that's if you don't get a whole lot of sweat or other fluids on it.

[ it's about this point that he realizes he's gone into thief appraisal mode and pauses, glancing sideways at sara to gauge her reaction. this... probably wasn't what she was expecting when she invited him on this excursion. ]

( said reaction is more surprised than judgmental, head turning to the side to look at him, really enjoys how unabashedly offended he seems by this apparent gimmick of a sex toy. it practically brings a smile to her face, just hearing leonard devolve back into pure thief mode, analytic and knowledgable in ways that she can't even begin to comprehend. )

Well. Seems like I brought the right person along for the ride. ( sara's fingertips run along it's gilded surface anyways, giving it a little tap with a fingernail before letting her hand drop to her side. ) Way to talk me off the ledge. I was almost swayed by the obnoxious faux-luxury of it all.

( well, not completely, considering her supply of cuddlebucks right now remains fairly low. still. what a thought. )

We came here for something a little more interactive, anyways.

[ and that right there is one of the reasons he likes sara so much--her ability to roll with what's thrown at her and snark right back at him. ]

What can I say? I have good taste. [ he gives her a lingering look, the kind that makes it clear that she is very much to his taste. despite his terrible intimacy issues. ]

Something with a remote. [ he walks slowly around the circular table, eyeing the vibrators on display. a few of them pique his interest, but he stops in front of a little hot pink thing, lips curling up in a cat that got the canary sort of smile. ] Looks like this one's app-controlled. Designed to hit your clit and your g-spot, and [ laughter colors his voice for a moment ] you can sync it with music. Nifty.

( hm. that's a remark that sara certainly basks in a little more than she probably should.

but luckily, there are, thankfully, more important matters to divert her attention to, hand grazing along the edge of the rounded table as she follows him, slow step after slow step. her gaze drifts over the pink vibe in question, a breath of laughter as she reads out, ) "Certified CuddlePhone Compatible" — thank god.

( she picks it up, grazes a thumb over one of its rounded bulbs, tips her head as she considers it. with a gentle bump of her shoulder against him, she asks the question on everyone's minds: ) You got good taste in music, Leonard?

[ the smile on his face spreads into something close to a grin. ] I have excellent taste in music. [ he gives her a gentle shoulder bump in return. ] But I'm more interested in seeing if I can make a pretty bird sing.

[ they're a terrible pair and they absolutely deserve each other. ]

( oh, this bastard and his way with words — the way each syllable drags, constants rolling off of his tongue. there's a shaky huff of laughter, and sara sets the display model back down in front of them.

head turned towards him, meeting his gaze with a smile that's almost a little too placid, she responds: ) Bet you can make a pretty bird do a lot of things if you know how to push the right buttons.

( the buttons on the app, obviously.

they're awful. )

Good thing I'm a quick learner.

[ he fiddles with one of the buttons on his sleeve cuffs, just for something to do that doesn't involve reaching out and touching her, and darts a look at sara from underneath his lashes. ]

Gonna make a purchase or should we keep looking?

( good thing, sara thinks. she already kind of knows how good he can be at pushing her buttons, metaphorical or otherwise, which is a whole extra mess she doesn't dare to think about right now.

this? this is new. for both of them, regardless of whatever sara's been through. what's important is the way that leonard is practically leering at her, the feeling that it gives her.

which is why she leans down and pulls an unopened box from the shelf below the display, wields it triumphantly. ) This will do. ( said as she walks herself right over to the cash register, slides it over to the cashier. and, shooting him another look: ) For today. I have a whole record book to fill, don't I?

[ that look sparks something inside him: a little ember of want slowly unfurling. he's been interested in her for a while. but this is only the second time that acting on that interest has seemed like a good idea. like something he can do even with what'll come in the days and weeks after.

he's never been one for long-term attachments. especially not ones that involve the amount of trust he has in her. but this first little step out of his comfort zone is shaping up to be delightful.

leonard follows her up to the cash register, hovering close behind her as she pays. it's not until the clerk is distracted bagging up her purchase that he leans in and murmurs next to her ear, ] Your place or mine, pretty bird?

Yours.

( a decisive response, grip on the edge of the counter tightening with his voice so near her ear as she waits for the cashier to deliver her new purchase to her.

the aforementioned pretty bird doesn't much enjoy feeling caged — metaphorically speaking, of course. it's likely why she never really dwells in her apartment for long stretches of time, and not even because this one is newer and smaller and considerably more dorm-like than she'd expected; things are easier when she's always on the go.

besides, going to leonard's apartment might offer him more of a sense of control over the situation — a situation that's still volatile by virtue of its newness, practically teeters over a dangerous ledge. but how could either of them ever play it safe? that would go against everything they stand for, when they do stand for something.

sara would like her receipt in the bag, yes, thank you, and her fingers loop into the handles of the cleanly designed bag for her purchase, tugging it off of the calendar and letting her arm drop to her side. with an overbright smile: ) You ready?

[ he grins at her, holding out an arm for her to take if she wants, genuine excitement peeking through the edges of his mischief. ]

Definitely.

[ and he is. the thought of watching her and being able to be in control of her pleasure sends sparks zinging down his spine. leonard's seen a lot of beautiful things in his time--a side-effect of his chosen profession. but he'd bet good money on the way sara looks when she comes eclipsing all of that. ]

Shall we?

We shall.

( talk about chivalry. smile turning wry and exceedingly satisfied, sara takes leonard's arm, bag with her new purchase draped into the crook of her elbow and her other hand settling on top of his forearm, she leads them out of the store — before they get distracted by anything else shiny and ridiculous — and out onto the sidewalk, heading towards the housing district. )

What building did they stick you in?

( since, you know, the last time she saw leonard, the two of them were squeezed into an apartment that was decidedly not theirs. )

Gamma building. First floor.

[ and, luckily, by this time leonard's actually talked with building maintenance and gotten the whole wrong key thing sorted out. so he won't have to break into his own apartment. that would probably ruin the mood. ]

Important question before we get there: how do you feel about pissing off my neighbors?

[ by which he means, how vocal does she plan on getting and can he make it a goal to try and get her loud? ]

( similarly, sara's got her demolished door situation taken care of, the splintered pieces of wood being taken away by some super Concerned-looking maintenance workers, soon to be replaced by one that's beautifully new and yet to be dropkicked to smithereens. look at these two ordinary functioning adults, doing things that ordinary functioning adults do. )

Down with it, provided you don't take me as your date immediately afterwards to some tacky "meet your floormates" potluck like they had back in college.

( don't worry, sara understands exactly what he means. she gives his arm a little squeeze, turning a corner earlier than she would if she were heading to alpha rather than gamma. )

Pissing off your neighbors in week one is a pretty ballsy move, crook. ( and she likes it. but it still won't stop her from teasing: ) Are you gonna be pissing them off, or am I?

Do I look like the kind of person who would show up to a potluck?

[ or rather, does he look like the kind of person who would socialize at a potluck? because if there's food he might just zip in, grab some, and zip out.

in any case, her question makes him chuckle. and, as they come up to the entrance of gamma building, he leans into her a little and says-- ] I'm not the one who's going to be singing. [ this is about her first and foremost. ]

( sara laughs at that rebuke — considering she'd expected an answer like that. like hell would leonard snart ever willingly socialize with others at some cheesy potluck, unless he was trying to case apartments or pickpocket his neighbors; he's ever the charmer.

of course, he also knows how to sway sara right back to the more serious matter at hand — the apparent concert she's about to put on, conducted expertly by leonard snart. the mere thought makes desire, excitement, white hot, twist in her stomach, a low hum behind lips firmly pressed together the only indication of it. )

I'll believe it when I see it, Leonard. ( when she feels it, she mentally corrects herself as they enter the complex and head down the hallway. )

[ with a smirk he can't quite wipe off his face, leonard unlocks the door to gamma building and, a heartbeat after, the door to his apartment. he waves sara in before him in both cases--only fair since she did the same for him at the store. and, you know, acting gallant can't hurt in this situation.

the second his apartment door is shut and locked behind them, leonard steps into sara's space, hands coming up to cup her jaw as he leans in to kiss her. it's the kind of kiss he'd hoped could be their first, before the oculus happened. a molasses-slow slide of lips and teeth and tongue, a smoldering heat leashed behind it.

when he pulls away, it's with a thoughtful noise from low in his throat. ] Nice to be able to touch you this time.

( sara, ordinarily the first person to throw herself into any and every situation, no matter how dangerous, how complicated it may be — can't be the one to make the first move here. her past experiences cloud her judgment, make her long to reach out and touch him, tug him close so she can kiss him for the first time after months apart. for him, it's only been a matter of a few short days, in the few short moments preceding his sacrifice, a hello and a goodbye all wrapped into one impulsive, gutwrenching moment. she won't burden him with a past that the two of them shared only in her own version of events — she won't.

luckily, she doesn't have to dwell on this vague sense of insecurity for very long; leonard takes the initiative to close the distance between them as the door to his apartment clicks shut. lips capture hers, slow and smooth and insistent, and all of sara's concerns melt away as she leans into the kiss, bag around her arm sliding down to her wrist as her fingers curl into the front of his jacket.

god, this is nice. really nice. needy, her mouth chases another quick kiss after he speaks, gaze meeting his through her lashes, giving away the veritable mess of emotions swirling around inside of her — joy, apprehension, relief, pure, unadulterated desire. )

Hell of a time to pick a hands-off way of making me come, ( sara murmurs darkly, though the hints of a smile lingering at the corners of her mouth are obvious. )

[ she's right about that. on the outside it does seem a little strange that he's choosing to go about things like this when he's both really enjoying the fact that he can touch her and that he's never been very good at denying himself something he wants.

but this is sara. bright, beautiful sara who is better than she thinks she is. the first woman in a very long time to make leonard want something more than just a quick roll in the sheets. that alone would make him take things a little slowly, a little more differently than usual, but she's also got all those memories he doesn't. even if they're trying to pretend like that doesn't exist, it colors every interaction. it makes things complicated.

part of leonard wants to be able to open up, to bare himself to her and show her that this is more than just simple flirtation. he wouldn't have brought it up the way he did on the waverider, talking about the future, if he wasn't serious. if he hadn't given it some thought. despite that, there's another part of him that wants to double down on all the walls he's built around himself. if she got to see something of him that he doesn't remember her seeing (that he doesn't want her seeing quite yet) then there's no need to open up at all. better to hold onto what shreds of control he has left.

there's more than one way to control a situation. that's what leonard reminds himself as he gives into the urge to lean in and kiss sara once more, hands still only touching her face and shoulders. ]

Maybe, [ he murmurs against her lips, barely enough space for breath between them, ] you can change my mind about that.

[ he thinks he'd like it if she did. ]

I think you'll find that I can be very persuasive, ( sara's quick to chirp back, chasing another kiss while he's still a breath away. when their lips part, it's with a small sigh, a lean of her forehead against his for a moment in a gesture that rides a thin border into affection, eyes still closed and fingers tightening into the fabric of his jacket.

these past few days have been a grim reminder of what it cost to defeat savage and the time lords and reclaim their destinies, knowing the time and place leonard was brought here from. sara hasn't been able to stop thinking back to that time the two of them were locked in the hull of the ship, hypothermia starting to creep over them, and he asked her what dying felt like, in the wake of their impending demise. lonely, she remembers she'd said.

now, the moment feels like a special kind of punch in the gut foreshadowing — their first and only kiss, a desperate attempt by sara to prevent him from feeling that same kind of terrifying loneliness that even someone as strong and as brave as she is felt when she died. she'd cared for him on that ship, she'd cared for him in the city she left behind. it's why each kiss feels as vitally important as the very first at the oculus.

the moment of affection only lasts for just that — a moment, though, before sara puts on a brave face and makes herself take a step back. there's no time for her sentiment right now; they've got important matters to attend to.

hands dropping to her sides and fingers curling around the handle of the bag at her wrist, sara all but saunters into leonard's bedroom like she owns the damn place, dropping her purchase at the foot of his bed so she can unlace her boots, pull each one off by the heel. assuming that he's followed her in, she glances over her shoulder, helpfully instructing mid-unbuttoning her jeans, ) You get it out of the box and all set up with your phone.

[ that little touch--the leaning of her forehead against his--shakes him more than anything else has. part of him revels in it. eyes fall shut and he takes that moment to breathe. basks in the fact that this is clearly more than just a flirtatious romp for her too, even if they're both trying to keep the mood light.

the moment is only the span of a few heartbeats, and then the small, smug smirk is back on leonard's face as he trails her into the bedroom. he rakes his gaze down her body as she saunters off, lingering on the line of her shoulders and the shape of her ass. the desire and sense of something like mischief that had been banked for that brief moment spring back into life. ]

Yes ma'am, [ he says with a quirked eyebrow as he picks up the bag. the app is incredibly user-friendly and it's the work of a moment to get things synced up and check to make sure they work. leonard takes one last glance at the instruction manual, flicks a setting on his phone, and presents the obscenely bright toy to sara. ] I'll let you figure out how you want this.

( sara's not averse to putting on a little show for leonard's sake — hell, for her own sake. she's always been accustomed to the feeling of being looked at and, under the right circumstances, kind of revels in it.

"yeah, i could tell by the way you were staring at my ass," seems to have come full circle with her and leonard as she unzips her black jeans and shimmies her way out of them as they cling to her legs, leaving her in her t-shirt and a simple pair of underwear. it only takes a step or two for her to close the distance between them again, sneak another lingering kiss as her fingers wrap around what's likely about to become her new best friend.

but then the toy is plucked right out of leonard's hand, and she climbs onto his bed, stacking pillows behind her so she can lay back against the headboard comfortably. just when sara looks like she might be ready though — she stops suddenly, an metaphorical light bulb metaphorically appearing over her head, and she draws the sheets over herself, leaving just a slim stripe of bare skin between where the sheet ends and her shirt begins. )

You've gotta earn the right to see. ( she may be relinquishing control over to leonard, but that doesn't mean that she doesn't still have a few tricks up her sleeve. enticement, as though the promise of pissing off his neighbors and being the one responsible for her "singing" wasn't enticement enough. before long, her hand, the blindingly pink device with it, dips beneath the sheet. ) Start slow.

[ this whole situation is a little ridiculous. but it's a good kind of ridiculous, the kind that has leonard actually grinning a little as sara hides part of herself beneath the sheets and gets ready. for lack of a better place to go, he perches on the foot of the bed. without looking away from her, he thumbs a switch on the app and the vibrator starts up a slow, light rumble. ]

Well, [ he says, drawing out the word, hand still holding the phone up. the toy responds to his voice and the slow way he drawls syllables, twisting words experimentally and observing out of the corner of his eye how to app and toy react. ] Someone is feeling a little demanding, aren't they?

[ leonard shifts, leaning back against the footboard. his gaze still hasn't left sara, and it won't anytime soon. ] Can't say I mind, though. The things you have to work for are always better in the end.