Collection: Archive of Our Own

If he were the one in her place, he would already be digging himself a Hunter-shaped hole.

The heat of victory drained from his body.

Unbeknownst to him, that was to be the first trip in a devastating downward spiral that would soon bring him to question everything he was. That day, all he did was set his teammates free, a tingle of warmth creeping through his face as he watched Willow walk away.

Hop and Gloria dated once—or, that was their idea of dating. They were twelve, and they were fools, and it barely lasted the season before they decided they preferred to be best friends.

Then came the gym challenge, like a summer storm through their lives, and they're starting to realise that—like the slow turning of seasons bringing the sure return of spring—they'll always come back to each other in the end.

After two years of routine overtime at the lab and many rants over wine and textbooks, Sonia has become Hop's most trusted confidante. One evening, he comes in with a new concern.

“I think I’m in love.”

“With Gloria?” she blurts.

He winces, one eye closing. “It's that obvious?”

The plan is simple enough.

One: Catch an Applin.
Two: Hand Gloria the Applin.
Three: Thank her without going off on a ramble about parkas, or how good she looks in them.

So when Gloria responds to the gift in a rather curious way, Hop realises his poor communication skills have done him in again.