Crowd Control

The crowd milled and shuffled, closing in around Ryder and Storm as they neared the stadium's exit. Spirits were high after the win, post-game excitement—and more than a little alcohol—causing the chaotic river of people to veer and weave in unpredictable directions.

A man to Ryder's right shifted as he walked toward the gates, the motion causing his bare arm to brush against Ryder's. 

Ryder jerked away, but it was too late. The scent of freshly cut grass and the sound of a dog barking invaded his senses. A glimpse of a steaming cup of coffee flashed behind his eyes. 

He bit back a sigh. As much as he loved going to soccer matches, he really needed to start leaving before the game was over. Things could get awkward when he was squashed in a crowd and any random person might touch him inadvertently. 

As the man swayed toward him again, Ryder took a step to the side, only to bump into another person. His hand knocked against their arm, and more sparks lit up in his mind. 

A flat tire, a crumpled receipt, a phone battery flashing red.

He had two seconds to recover from that before a kid dodged by him, jostling into him as they threaded through the crowd, and all Ryder could see was a paper with an excessive amount of red marks on it.

He winced. Yep. This is what he got for waiting until the final whistle. But the game had been so tight; he hadn't wanted to leave, not without seeing the last few minutes. And while Storm might deny it, he'd been enjoying himself too.

That didn't make navigating crowds any easier though.

The man to his right drifted closer again, and Ryder braced himself. At least there was less transfer on the second touch.

But before the man could stumble into him another time, strong arms wrapped around Ryder from behind. 

Storm pulled him against his chest, tucking him into his body. 

No flashes of the future came with the contact. Ryder let out a breath, relieved, and melted into that warm embrace, only to blink in surprise as he felt vibrations in Storm's chest. The din of the crowd was loud enough to cover the soft growl, but it reverberated against his back. 

Though no one could hear the low warning, it was still effective. The people near them shuffled faster, edging away as much as the crowd allowed. Ryder doubted they realized what they were doing or why, but the primitive parts of their brains were registering the subtle menacing vibes Storm was giving off, even if they wouldn't have been able to pinpoint where the threat was coming from. 

A little extra space opened up around them. Not enough that people would notice, but enough to ensure it was unlikely anyone else would bump into him.

He squeezed Storm's arm and left his palm resting on warm skin. Still blissful nothingness.

They had room now; he could step away, but he didn't want to. Instead he stayed nestled against Storm's body, enjoying that inaudible rumble, grinning softly to himself as they made their way through the gates.

He never would have imagined having an overprotective boyfriend, especially given his line of work, but with Storm, he couldn't say he minded.

And even when they were out in the open air and the crowd had thinned enough for Storm to walk next to him, he kept an arm looped around Ryder's shoulders, kept him pressed against his side.

"Better?" Storm asked. 

"Perfect," Ryder said, and they headed into the night together. 

* * *