This week's challenge: Soulmate AU. I've never done a soulmate story, and I don't have pairings for the movie, so I've opted for a platonic soulmate story.
Hagan didn't believe in fate.
Once upon a time, he did. When he had a good football career ahead of him with his best friend. When he was just a stupid teenager in love, head over heels for the star cheerleader of their school. Fate was a thing and it shone on him kindly.
But then he messed up, watching his friend get blindsided and tackled; watching the end of his friend's career. And then there was the nasty divorce that made his daughter see him in an unfavorable light. By that time, Hagan no longer believed that fate and destiny was a thing.
For years, fate and destiny were lies. Life was life and that was all there was to it. It wasn't until after a space ship from somewhere out in the galaxy crash landed on Earth that Hagan began to see fate in a new light. Originally, he thought it to be dumb luck or Herman's idiocy (he had warned Herman not to set off that firework) that brought the four unlikeliest men together, to save the Earth. Everything that followed was simply the rippled effect of that event.
But it wasn't until long after the Worg's arrival on Earth, when he and the three unlikeliest men on the planet were sitting in a space ship, heading out into deep space to confront the Antareans that he began to see fate in a new light.
What if Zach hadn't started the brawl at the party? What if Hagan hadn't been called out to break it up? What if Herman had listened? What if the firework had missed it's accidental target?
(What if it was Adam who fulfilled his role as the Champion?)
These questions brought upon scenarios Hagan couldn't even begin to comprehend. So while some called their meeting dumb luck, Hagan was starting to believe that it was fate that brought them together. He found he really didn't mind.
Sure, they had gotten off to a rotten start, but they pulled through when it mattered, and came together in the end. To the surprise of Hagan (and Emory, probably; that man had little faith in them), they grew as a team. Ever since he botched up that play back in high school, the small town of Millford had made it impossible for him to live it down. No one respected him, and he could barely call his coworkers his friends.
But when he was with the team, everything felt natural. It felt like they had been friends for years. Maybe it was because they had to unite to survive against the military personnel in DETIA, but everything clicked for them so easily. He felt like he belonged. It was such a good feeling, that it never failed to bring a smile to his face.
"Hey Half-Ass, why the hell has you smiling like an idiot?" Herman questioned, pulling the man suddenly from his thoughts.
"Well typically, people smile when they are happy or recall a happy moment," Woody spoke up.
"I don't want to know what goes on in that messed up head of yours," Zach said to Hagan rather quickly.
Hagan rolled his eyes, but smiled secretly when the three men turned their attention away from him.
So maybe there was such a thing as fate. Perhaps it was guiding them in a pre-determined manner. Maybe he and three men were always destined to be together; to be a team.
And hell, if he was going to live the rest of his life as a member of Lazer Team, it might as well be with his friends.