Bloody hell. I don't even know what I was doing with this fic. I was vomiting out ideas and behold, the end result. I suppose this story would be classified as a very experimental WIP. There was not a lot of planning ahead for this one shot.
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Canon divergent. Sara wonders if she's always going to be a single woman when she meets handsome photographer, Leonard Snart, at her sister's wedding.
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Sara sighed and took a sip of her wine. She knew that she should be happy for her older sister, now that Laurel and Oliver have finally tied the knot, and she was...but at the same time, she couldn't help feeling distraught about her own situation.
Sara was a single, twenty-nine year old English teacher with no prospects in sight. Life was pretty shitty right now. It's not like Sara wasn't attractive, but the guys she knew were all dating, engaged, married or gay. It was frustrating to say the least. And, to make matters worse, most of Sara's female friends were all in relationships too. Felicity moved to Spain with her fiancé, Paulo, Iris and Barry just got engaged and now, Laurel, Kendra and Caitlin have all gotten married in the same month!
Sara was a bridesmaid in both Kendra and Caitlin's weddings and, of course, the maid of honor in Laurel's. She made sure she kept that happy smile plastered on her face for the wedding ceremony, but as soon as Laurel and Oliver kissed, Sara was the very first person in line for the buffet. She was starving.
Sara's depression had never failed to make her hungry, and she piled as much food on her plate as she could. Once she finished filling the flat piece of plastic with food, she set her plate down on the table that she shared with the bridesmaids and groomsmen. She needed something to drink and iced tea or fruit punch wasn't going to cut it.
Sara thanked her lucky stars that Laurel and Oliver hired their friend Roy Harper to tend the open bar in the building. When she reached the bar, she gave him a small wave of greeting.
"Hey, Roy," she greeted him with a friendly smile.
Roy looked up and returned the smile. He had just finished mixing another wedding guest's drink and poured a pink looking beverage into a martini glass in front of the woman. "Oh, Sara. Hey. Good to see you."
"Same here."
"What can I get you?"
"Mm...how about a margarita?"
Roy raised his eyebrows and began to prepare the drink. "A margarita, huh? I though you were more of a corona kind of girl."
"Oh, that was just a phase. Once you've have one beer, you've had them all. I decided to try something a little different this time around. Could you put a lemon wedge in the glass? Thanks."
It didn't take Roy long to fix Sara's drink and when he put the lemon wedge on the mouth of the glass, he slid it over to her. "Here you go. Enjoy."
"Thanks again, Roy." With that, Sara went back to her seat and began to eat her food. Time passed quickly. She spoke to the people at her table, mingled in groups, took a lot of selfies with friends, but after a few hours she was plumb tired of people.
There was only so much social interaction she could participate in at any event before she felt drained. However, since she was the bride's sister and the maid of honor, it was her duty to stay until Laurel and Oliver left to go on their honeymoon.
"Excuse me," said a voice behind her.
Sara turned and found herself looking at one of the most attractive men she had ever seen in her life. The man standing before her was wearing a classic black tux, but his tie was loose around his neck. He had close cropped hair, intense blue eyes, a strong jaw, and a magnetic smile that made even Sara's tired cheeks rise to a grin.
There was a large camera in his hands and Sara realized that he was the wedding photographer. Suddenly, she wished had a mirror with her to check her reflection.
"Would you mind if I take a few pictures of you? You're one of the few people I haven't gotten to yet." He gave her a half smile that made her stomach clench and her insides feel like jelly.
"Um, sure...but could you just hold on for a minute? I need to go to the restroom and freshen up. I'm sure I must look haggard right now." She laughed and picked up her clutch.
The photographer cocked his head and gave her a once over. Sara felt a tad bit shy under his watchful gaze. She had to fight the blush forming on her cheeks. She hardly knew this guy, so it would be really awkward if she let him see how much he affected her. Funny, how easily a stranger could make her feel like a schoolgirl with a crush.
"If you say so, but I think you look fine as is. Maybe a little tired, like you didn't get a good sleep and would rather be anywhere but here. I can't say that I blame you because I'm pretty tired myself." His eyes raked over her dress and Sara self-consciously ran her hands down the length of it. Under his watchful gaze, she felt naked.
After a few more quiet moments, he whistled and said, "I don't look as good as you do, though. That dress compliments your figure. I think I like it better on you than any of the other bridesmaids."
This time, there was no fighting the obvious blush that screamed its way across Sara's features. This guy was very bold. In some places, his words would be considered very inappropriate and rude, but Sara Lance was not a stuffy person who got offended over a humorous-yet-honest flirtation. Hell, she was just glad he was showing interest in her.
Giving back as good as she got, Sara quipped, "Well, that wasn't too nice of you. I think the bridesmaids look pretty with this dress on too."
He merely shrugged, showing no remorse for what he said. "I'm not the kind of guy who likes sugarcoating things...or lying, unless it suits me. Life is far too short to be worried about how someone might react to something you say."
A man with convictions. Sound like my kind of guy.
"I'll take that advice to heart, Mister...?"
"Call me Leonard. I hate being referred as a 'mister'."
"Okay, Leonard. I'm Sara. Nice to meet you."
They shook hands and Sara stifled the natural instinct to jump when static electricity surged between the two of them. Or maybe it might have been real electricity. There was just something about this guy that was appealing. Not that Sara intended to hook up with the photographer at her sister's wedding, but she could have a conversation with the man, couldn't she?
A silence followed and she drummed her fingers on the table awkwardly. It was hard to think of something to say after their playful banter. Sara wasn't the best at flirting, which was a shame because she was an English teacher for goodness' sake. Leonard made it work, though. He leaned over to her and whispered, "You know it's rude not to invite me to sit down."
"Oh! Well, um...there are people sitting here."
He rolled his eyes, pulled out the chair closest to her and sat down in it, making himself comfortable. "If you're referring to Thea and...nameless bridesmaid whose name that I can't remember, I don't think they're coming to sit down any time soon. They're dominating the dance floor right now."
Sara heard a whoop from the dance floor and covered her head with her hand when she saw Thea and the other bridesmaid, Britney, squealing and doing the Cupid shuffle. Thea was putting a little boogie in her moves, shaking her butt and bumping up against people.
"Oh, God. Oliver is probably hiding somewhere. Thea does love to dance. Maybe a little too much, though."
Sara and Leonard laughed as they watched Oliver's little sister dance her heart out. The girl really knew how to enjoy herself.
"So what's your relation to the bride? Or the groom? Are you family?"
"Hm? Oh, yes. I'm Laurel's sister."
"Yeah? Wow. I never would have guessed. The two of you don't look very much alike."
Sara took a sip of her margarita and nodded. "People tend to say that whenever they meet the two of us at the same time. We both take after our parents in opposite ways."
"What about Oliver? Are you two work friends, or..." Leonard's voice trailed off, allowing Sara to interject and/or correct him on his inquiry.
"Definitely not. In fact, I actually tried to steal him from her at one point when they were dating. I was a real wild child in those days. The good thing was it didn't work. Ollie and Laurel were as dedicated to each other more than ever after my attempts to break them up. As you can imagine, Laurel and I had a strain in our relationship during that time, but we're fine now. Thick as thieves."
This piece of information made Leonard's eyes light up with interest and he smirked. Sara found that smirk to be quite sexy the more he kept doing it.
"Well, I'm glad that your schemes didn't work. It would be a shame if you were the married one instead of Laurel. I can't say that I like stealing beautiful women from their significant others. Although, if you were with someone, I'd still feel like trying."
Leonard frankness made Sara a little nervous. He was not a shy man, that much could be said for him. That was a good thing in his favor, but Sara wondered if he was just playing with her. He seemed like the kind of guy who was adept at charming women. Maybe this was just a fun way for him to pass the time.
As these worrisome thoughts entered her mind, Sara picked up her glass to to take another a sip of her margarita and frowned when she realized that the glass was empty.
"I can get you another one if you want."
She lowered the glass and gave Leonard a bashful smile. Now he was offering to buy her a drink? "Oh, you don't have to do that. One drink is enough for me anyway. I'm a teacher and tomorrow is Friday, so unless school is cancelled, it'd be better that I stick to one alcoholic beverage."
Ugh, alcoholic beverage? Beverage? Who talks like that? Sara, you are so dumb. Can't you try not to bore the guy to tears. He probably thinks you're lame and is dying to get away from you.
With a wave of his hand, Leonard picked up her glass and stood. "Ah, it's no big deal. I'll just get you something virgin," he said, with a mischievous twinkle in his gorgeous blue eyes. The he walked to the bar.
A trickle of sweat ran down Sara's brow and she wiped it off automatically. The way he said 'virgin' made her legs clench together. This man was a master of suave. Sara was still trying to figure out if that was a bad thing or a good thing. She pulled out her iPhone and used her camera as a mirror to see what she looked like.
"Oh, my God!" She gasped out. Her hair was falling out of its bun, her bra strap was showing and her eyeliner was smudged. Groaning in frustration, Sara snatched up her clutch and, with a quick glance at the bar, she took off to the restroom.
Once she made it to the restroom, she pulled out her make up wipes and wiped away the smudged eyeliner. Going out there fresh faced was preferable now that the reception was was close to being over. She corrected her bra strap and shook her hair out, letting the silky blonde tresses fall around her head.
Before she left, Sara applied a thin layer of Cherry Carmex to her lips. Checking herself out in the mirror, she grinned. She was far more better looking now than she was earlier. Why in the world had Leonard told her that she looked fine? Maybe...because he liked her?
That was speculation.
"He's cute. I think you'd be smart to go after him," said a voice behind her.
Sara smiled at her sister's reflection in the mirror. Laurel came over and bumped her hip as she began to wash her hands. A sneaking suspicion bubbled up to the surface and Sara wondered if Laurel hired Leonard for alternative purposes besides taking pictures of her wedding.
"There's no denying that, but..."
"But what?"
"Is he genuine, Laurel? Or did you and Ollie hire him and ask him to pay attention to me? Because if you did, I'm going to be really pissed at you. You know how much I hate being set up with people."
A laugh sounded from Laurel's lips as she dried her hands. Sara frowned and crossed her arms defensively. She didn't know what Laurel was going to say, but she hoped it wouldn't be a positive answer to her question. She may have been hard-pressed to find a guy who was interested in her, but that didn't mean she was going to take pity dates. Sara had far too much pride for that.
"Yes, he is genuine. You can rest easy, little sis. Ollie and I know that you hate being set up, and God knows we wouldn't try to do that to you on our wedding day. How tacky would that be?" Laurel put her hands on her hips and gave Sara a sly grin.
"But you know, he did ask about you earlier."
"...he did?"
"Mmhm. He asked me who the gorgeous girl in the lavender dress was. I told him you were my sister and he just kept staring at you for a few minutes, but not in a creepy way. More like he was really looking at you to try and get a fix on you. It was very cute."
Sara felt her cheeks turn red and she ran a hand through her hair, trying her best to hold back a smile. The last thing she wanted was for her sister to tease her about the sexy photographer who had a crush on her. Still, it was nice to know that he was actually interested in her and not a pity date. Sara barely heard what her sister said to her before opening the door.
"Wait, what?"
Laurel moved her head forward and lowered her voice conspiratorially. "I said you should ask him to dance. I'll request a few songs for the DJ to play and set the right mood. That'll give you a better opportunity to talk to him and to make out in the coat closet at the end of the night, too."
"Laurel!" Sara's face was probably beet red as she hissed at her sister. Laurel just gave Sara a wink and closed the restroom door behind her. Sara put her hand on her forehead and rubbed her temples slowly. Laurel was right. If Leonard was interested in her, then she would take the plunge. She had nothing left to lose anyway. They were no potential Romeos in her line of vision - and really, who needed a Romeo when you could have someone like Leonard?
Confidence pumped, Sara put her make up back into her clutch and walked back into the dining hall. She saw Laurel talking ecstatically to the DJ and she quickened her pace. As she approached her table, she noticed with relief that Leonard was waiting for her in the same seat. A rush of relief swept through her and she kept walking until she stood right in front of him.
Leonard looked at her with a curious expression on his face. "There you are. I got you a fizz. I hope you like sparkling fruit drinks."
Sara raised an eyebrow and took a long drink from the glass. After licking her lips and sighing satisfactorily, she gave him a sultry smile and said, "I love a good fizz. I make them all the time at home...but I don't want a drink anymore. I want to have some fun."
She took one more drink from her glass and set it back down on the table. Putting both hands on her chair, she moved her hips a little, swinging them from left to right. It wasn't long before the tune of 'Never Gonna Give You Up' began to play from the speakers.
Sara's eyes sought Laurel's and her sister gave her a thumbs up before going off with Oliver to the dance floor. How did Laurel remember that she loved this song? Sara couldn't recall the last time she heard it, or even mentioned it...maybe ten years ago? Even though she was surprised by the familiar music playing on the radio, she was glad that her sister was trying to help her out.
Sara and Leonard looked at each other right at the same moment and laughed. Leonard crossed his arms and shook his head in amazement.
"Damn, I really used to hate this song."
"I always liked it, but I'd forgotten about it for a long time. Talk about a nice walk down memory lane..."
She looked over at Leonard and gave him a smile. "You wanna dance, Leonard?"
He smirked and replied, "You go ahead. I'll watch."
With that, Sara took one more drink from her glass and licked her lips, enjoying the sparkling taste as it went down her throat. Afterwards, she turned and made her way to the dance floor. She let the music guide her body, swaying from side to side.
If Leonard was watching, she hoped that he was enjoying the view.
I just wanna tell you how I'm feeling. I gotta make you understand that I'm never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down. Never gonna turn around and desert you. Never gonna make you cry, never gonna say goodbye. Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you.
Time seemed to slow down as Sara danced and she revelled in it. She never felt more happy than when she was dancing. It was in her blood and always had been, even when she was a little girl. Whenever she danced, she felt unstoppable, irrepressible. All her bad thoughts would vanish and it was just Sara, moving to the beat of her own drum, embracing the music and letting it fill her with the need to move.
Soon, another song began to play, a slow song and Sara opened her eyes. This song was an even more familiar one. 'Night and Day' by the Temptations. Laurel was really pulling out Sara's lost favourites. This was the only version of Night and Day Sara could listen to. She had once told Laurel that it was on her 'songs to have sex to' list for her significant other, wherever he might be.
Sara's eyes turned to Leonard and she could feel the heat of his gaze. The unspoken words in his eyes. He had been watching her the entire time and he liked what he saw. She smiled and held her hand out to him, beckoning him to come to her, and she had to squelch the urge to squeal that rose up within her when he walked out on the dance floor.
Once he reached her, he wrapped his arms around her as if it were an ordinary occurrence for the two them. Their eyes were still locked on each other and Leonard breathed in her scent. Sara shivered.
"That...was quite possibly the sexiest thing I have ever seen."
"What was?" She asked him, playing coy.
"You, out here...dancing. I've never seen someone so inside the music. It was hypnotic watching you move like that."
Sara's fingers gripped the back of Leonard's neck, but not tightly, just enough to pull him a little closer to her own body. He groaned and shifted, trying to keep her from feeling a certain hard part of his anatomy.
A chuckled came from Sara's lips and she shook her head. "It's a little too late to avoid it, Leonard."
He looked a bit flustered and grimaced. It was pretty cute seeing him react like this, as if he'd been caught doing something naughty.
Oo, careful there, Sara.
"Sorry. I don't normally have this reaction to women. I mean, not that I'm not attracted to women because I am and you are very attractive. I just hope you're not mad at me..."
He was concerned that she would be disgusted over his erection? That was quite possibly the cutest thing Sara had ever heard. "I'm okay, really, and I think you know it, or else you would have already ran away from me. I don't mind. It's very flattering to know I brought out such a reaction in you."
Suddenly the charm was coming on easily for her.
They danced like this for quite a while, and talked to each other, learning a little bit about each other's lives. Sara told him how she loved English as a kid and had fallen in love with the idea of teaching. She also told him about her little advice column on the side, which was another great outlet for her to use her writing skills.
Leonard told Sara how he didn't have the patience for college and started his own photography business as a young preteen at his friends' birthdays. He liked capturing people's happiest moments on film and he also enjoyed being there to witness those special moments in person.
Sara didn't say it, but she felt like she and Leonard were kindred spirits. They both were looking for something special and hadn't found it yet. They were also lonely and kind of quiet, but they brightened up around each other in ways that they never had with other people.
They kept talking to each other and dancing until Sara's dad, Quentin Lance, spoke into a microphone to get everyone's attention. "Alright, ladies and gentlemen. Our bride and groom are about to depart the festivities for their honeymoon, so let's all head outside and give them a nice farewell, huh? How about it?"
Everyone in the room cheered and people began flocking to the entrance.
Leonard and Sara reluctantly let go of each other and went outside with everyone else to say their goodbyes to Laurel and Oliver. Even though there were a lot of people crowded in the entrance and in the front of the building, Sara managed to get through and give her sister and Oliver a hug. Laurel took Sara aside and whispered so only the two of them could hear her.
"Hey, you make sure you hold on to Leonard, you hear me?"
Sara blushed and she scoffed. "I don't know what you mean."
"Yeah, stop trying to cover it up, sis. I saw the way you were looking at him when the two of you were dancing. He locked those gypsy eyes on you. Seriously. I have never seen you look so content in my entire life. You were so focused on each other, it's like there was nobody else in the world, save for you two. I think he'd be good for you, Sara." Laurel smiled and she looked for Leonard in the crowd. When she found him, he was taking pictures of people in the crowd. Sara followed her sister's gaze and her eyes locked onto Leonard's. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest.
"Make sure he doesn't keep you up too late. Be a good girl tonight, you hear? I want to know details when I come back," Laurel said with a suggestive tilt in her voice. She nudged Sara and waggled her eyebrows up and down in a comical fashion.
Rolling her eyeballs, Sara gave her older sister one more hug. "Don't be ridiculous. You know that I don't just go around sleeping with anyone. I still hardly know him."
"Then get to know him. Go somewhere that the two of you can be alone so you can pick his brain and maybe he can take nude pictures of you or something..."
Sara's cheeks grew red and Laurel cackled victoriously. "Okay, I'm shutting up now. All I'm saying is, if he makes you happy, go for it. Listen to your heart and all that mushy stuff. Life is way too short to worry about maybes."
"Okay...Bye, Laurel."
"Bye, Sara." Laurel squeezed Sara's arm, then she and Oliver got into their limousine and rode off. Sara watched the car until it was out of her line of sight. Then she went back inside. She found her parents and gave them hugs, telling them that she was going to head out. Several goodbyes and a handful of minutes later, she was back at her table.
Leonard showed up next to her and started rubbing the back of his neck."Well, I've finally taken all of the pictures I needed. Weddings really drain me of my energy. I'm ready to call it a day."
"So am I." She picked up her purse and and gave him an inquisitive look. She recalled her sister's advice to follow her heart, and Sara was sure that her heart was screaming at her to take a chance on Leonard. She was tired of being alone and tired of wondering when the perfect guy would come along, and who knew? Maybe Leonard was it. The way those blue eyes looked at her...it just felt right. "Leonard...what do you say we get out of here and go get a drink?"
Leonard raised his eyebrows and took the camera off his neck. "I thought you said you had school tomorrow."
"Ah, what the hell. I have two weeks of sick days that I never used. I can call in and let them know that I need an off day. They'll understand and there's always a substitute at the school to take my place if I need one."
"You're going to play hooky? I knew I'd like you, Sara Lance."
"Yeah? Good, cause I like you too." Sara leaned up to brush her lips against his and, to her joy, Leonard returned the kiss. The kiss was slow and gentle, as they had not kissed before and had to get used to the feel of each other's lips. Once they both pulled back, Leonard brushed a strand of hair away from Sara's face and grabbed her hand.
"C'mon. I know a bar where we can get a good burger and a couple of beers."
Sara wrapped her arm around Leonard's as they left the building. "Well, by all means, lead on." He walked her to her car and opened the door for her when she unlocked it. "Thank you," she said, beaming up at him. "So, I'll follow you to this bar since I have no idea where it is."
"Right." Leonard turned to leave, then turned back to look at Sara. As she stood there in her car, her blonde hair like a radiant halo around her, bringing light to whatever it touched, he knew deep down inside that he was a goner.
"Is everything okay, Len?" She asked him, a worried expression on her beautiful features. Wherever she got that nickname from, he liked it and the way it sounded coming from her mouth. Speaking of her mouth...Leonard leaned forward and placed his lips on hers, sucking her bottom lip between his teeth and soothing the flesh with his tongue. Sara moaned at this sudden action, but she slid her hands around his neck and pulled him closer to her.
He rested his hands on her waist and smoothed his thumbs against the fabric of her dress. Those curves on her figure, they were enough to make a man go mad. It was a wonder she was still single.
Well, she won't be single for long, said the voice inside Leonard's head.
This blonde angel was going to have him undone very soon if he wasn't careful...but Leonard was certain that it would be a sweet surrender. After they both pulled away to catch their breaths, he smiled. "Yeah, everything is perfect."
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Holy potatoes. This entire fic is almost 5k? -collapses-