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It was a quiet week, no major assignments for classes, no power problems and campus itself had been emptier feeling than normal. So the seven of them hatched a plan to have a movie marathon over the weekend. Between June, Maks and Rosario, they picked the Lord of the Rings movies, with the plan of pausing between each of them for a break. Zip would definitely have the most trouble sticking through them, but she was bound and determined to try.
Mal and Zip got there just before nine, the speedster bouncing along in her excitement. Movie marathons were rare for all of them except June and this would be Zip's first.
Her....Zip-ness was almost irritating this early in the morning but Mal shoved it away. He enjoyed parts of the movies, having seen the first movie when he was with his father. Plus relaxing for a day would be a good recharge. Despite what Zip thought, he had to work in his classes and combined with his information gathering on the culprits of the attacks, he wanted a break, even if only for a few hours.
Rosario was waiting on the front porch of the Galán-Grant home, alert, freshly showered and munching on a banana. She waved at them as they got close. “Hey, you two!”
“Morning, Rosario! How's your morning been?” Zip asked as they hopped up onto to the porch. “Is Jack up?”
“Yeah, he's in the living room. I had an awesome workout,” Rosario said, heading inside and holding the door for them, “Morning, grumpy pants Mal.”
Mal sighed. “Good morning, Rosario.”
They joined Jack on the couches while they waited, Zip pacing the edges of the room after greeting Sheriff and Mrs. Galán-Grant, and Mal let the others know the little he found out about the attack.
A few minutes later, Ernest, Maks and June came in, Ernest sandwiched between the other two and all of them holding hands. The Sheriff was laying out snacks on the coffee table and wolf-whistled, making Ernest try and stuff his hands in his pockets but neither June nor Maks let him. In fact, Maks took a bow and grinned back at her.
Mal gave them a nod. He approved. It was about time June and Ernest brought Maks into their relationship because everyone had gotten tired of the longing looks Maks gave them when he thought no one was looking.
“Hey guys!” Zip gave them all hugs and shooed them towards the couches. “C'mon, let's get these started, I'm-so-excited-to-see-these-haven't-seen-them-yet-and-and-”
“Sit down, Zip,” Mal said as everyone else settled in. He waved at the spot on the couch next to him, but Zip flopped on the floor near Jack's feet and stuck her tongue out at him.
The Sheriff hit the lights on her way out and the movie started.
~~
They were halfway through the second movie when Zip finished her last energy burning lap around the house and plopped down on the couch between Mal and June. She was doing well so far, only needing to run every hour to be able to focus on the movie. Ernest was laying on the floor with Maks cuddled up next to him while Jack and Rosario were sharing a bean bag chair. June had her feet under Ernest's head and when Zip tucked herself in the middle, June shifted so Zip's feet were being warmed under her thighs.
Mal was watching Theoden defending Helm's Deep when Zip listed sideways into his lap. He caught her head so she didn't thump it into his thigh and realized she had fallen asleep. She was snoring slightly and Mal was uncertain what the protocol was for this type of thing.
June just gave him a grin and the others were too absorbed in the movie to be of help so Mal carefully shifted Zip down on the sofa so her head was on his thigh, making sure her neck wasn't bent weirdly.
Then he was stuck. The movie was still going on, the heroes fighting and slowly Mal relaxed back into the cushions, deliberately not thinking about where to put his hands. If he thought about it, it would be awkward.
By the time the movie ended, Mal was gently running his hand through Zip's hair, playing with the part of the faux-hawk that stood straight up. This was....nice. Comforting in the way he knew better than to indulge in often, lest he become dependent on it. But to have proof that someone trusted him enough to fall asleep on him? Worth the worry and work and the time spent with Zip to make this a friendship and partnership.
With Zip asleep, no one else needed a break so Rosario stuck the last movie in and sat on the floor against the couch, her shoulder an inch from Mal's leg. And then they were sucked into Middle Earth, battles and heroes and fighting the armies of darkness, and Mal barely noticed when Sofia came in with a stack of blankets and started tucking them around people.
By the time the third movie was over, Mal's leg was numb, Rosario was sleeping on Mal's foot, June was sleeping on top of Zip, and Jack had his head resting on Maks' stomach, both of them on top of Ernest.
With a sigh, Mal grabbed the remote from the end table next to him and turning the volume of the credits down. The movies were enjoyable. If there was time, he might get the books out of the library.
The Sheriff poked her head into the room and gave him a wink and a smile before Mal could wave her over to help him get extracted.
Mal gave up. He shifted down a little and slung his arm over Zip's shoulder. Better to sleep now, so later he and Zip could get more night training in.
Mal could tell something big was on the horizon and they would need all of their strength and powers to get through it. Better to rest now, when he knew they were safe and secure.
hulklinging Mon 14 Nov 2016 10:27PM UTC
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