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Title: Ameliorate
Fandom: Legends of Tomorrow
Pairing: Leonard Snart/Mick Rory
Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with DCTV It's not my toy box and I'm merely playing.
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Mick isn't a hero, but just as he and Len are starting to work past the differences they found in Star City 2046 the Waverider lands in Central City a few weeks after they've left. This Central City is ruled by a villainous Flash and now it's up to the team to figure out how to fix the past.
A/N: Originally started for the Coldwave week prompt In Captivity. I'm posting the first part of this, which is set-up before the team arrives in Central City, so that I quit fussing with it instead of moving on. Only tagged for what's in this chapter, I'll add more tags when the rest of this goes up.
Ameliorate:
It’s been almost a week and Mick’s trying to keep himself together, but being trapped on the Waverider while Captain Hunter tries to think up their next move is slowly unraveling him. He tries to keep himself busy, but it doesn’t help that he can feel Len watching him all the time. They’re almost circling each other, neither of them making the first move, which isn’t how they operate. It’s making Mick uncomfortable. He’s used to a few well-placed words from Len to help him snap back into place and this isn’t happening, so he’s trying to find his balance on his own and it isn’t working. He wants to tell Len he’s burning from the inside out, but after their last argument he isn’t sure Len will be so willing to help.
Instead he spars with Sara, letting her use him to teach Kenda how to take down a larger opponent. She’s also receptive when he suggests they teach the rest of the team. He’s not sure how Sara convinces Jax and Ray to join them, but he is sure she realizes that he’s learning from her too.
He finds a workbench in the engine room and lets his hands take apart and clean his heatgun while Jax asks Gideon questions about the engine. It’s not long before Jax is giving him commentary, talking Mick through what he’s looking at and how it works. He even keeps talking when Mick hunkers down to get a better look. Jax pulls up the instructions on a tablet and Mick scowls at the long run of words for a moment, waiting for Jax to make a disparaging remark about his intelligence. When Jax doesn’t say anything he begrudgingly asks, “Are there schematics?”
Jax shows him how to pull them up then says, “You can make the typing larger too.”
Mick shrugs, “Doesn’t change my brain from fucking with the letters.”
Jax frowns.
“Dyslexic,” Mick shrugs. “I can read. It just takes longer. I’m better when I can take things apart and put them back together.”
Jax smiles at the last part. “I’m a kinetic learner too. You can always hit this symbol here and it’ll treat it like an audiobook.”
This leads to panels being removed on parts of the engine while Jax explains and Gideon occasionally clarifies. He’s doesn’t think he’d be able to fully repair the engine if Jax isn’t available, but he should be able to do an emergency repair and keep vital systems running.
He waits till the middle of the night, goes to the kitchen and makes macaroni and cheese, comfort food that’s always worked as an apology in the past when he and Len or at odds with each other. When he notices Ray leaning in the door he gets each of them a bowl and then puts the rest in the refrigerator for Len to find later.
Ray hunches over his bowl, still coming out of whatever nightmare sent him wandering the ship in the middle of the night. Mick eats slowly, waiting for Ray to perk up and start yammering. He watches closely when Ray doesn’t, just sits listlessly over his empty bowl and yawns. Mick finished his last mouthful, washes their dishes and sets them out to dry. He hauls Ray up and walks the man back to his room. He stands there stiffly when Ray gives him a hug in thanks. He tries patting Ray on the back and tells him, “Brush your teeth.”
Ray gives him the ghost of a smile and Mick tells himself he’s not worried.
The next morning he finds Len in the kitchen in the middle of getting himself a second helping. “Don’t get territorial about it. I can make more.”
Len makes a considering noise around the spoon in his mouth as he puts the container back, before dropping the serving spoon in the sink and putting his bowl in the microwave. He turns to rest his back against the counter, eyes running up and down Mick as he pulls the spoon from his mouth. “I’d never have had that again if I’d left you to blink out of existence like you wanted.”
Mick forces himself to walk away. He doesn’t stop when Len swears.
There’s pancake batter waiting for him in the fridge that evening. He’s deciding pancakes or waffles when Ray wanders in and starts to make himself tea. When Mick realizes Ray’s hands are shaking he takes the tea pot from Ray and makes him sit down. Ray rests his face in his hands and groans.
After setting the pot on the stove to heat up Mick opens the cabinet to frown at the collection of tea. He doesn’t know which boxes belong to who. “Which of these is yours and what’s decaf?”
“Decaf?” Ray shakes his head.
Mick turns to glare at him.
“Mick,” Ray tries giving him a half-hearted smile.
“Decaf,” Mick reiterates. “Or warm milk.”
Ray grimaces.
Mick thinks about seeing if they have ginger ale, Len likes a large glass of ice and ginger ale to sip on after a nightmare. Mick considers him for a moment then decides that if Ray’s first instinct said tea then the tea will likely help. Ray rubs his hands over his face and grimaces again. Frowning Mick suggests, “We could go down to the med bay and talk Gideon out something for anxiety or nightmares.”
Ray looks confused for a moment before shaking his head. “I’m…I just want some tea.”
Mick gives him a huff of frustration and turns back to the cabinet. “Lipton I understand. This is just a mess.”
“I’m not planning to go back to bed,” Ray tries.
“It’s one it the morning.”
Mick’s tempted to point out that if Rip gives them a mission later Ray might put them or himself in danger if he isn’t well rested. Mick settles on glaring.
“You’re still up,” Ray protests.
“I sleep from two till ten, sometimes eleven.” Mick shrugs.
“I was going to run a diagnostic on my suit.”
“Or you could eat pancakes, drink some tea, and go back to bed,” Mick challenges as he grabs the first box marked decaf. Ray can apologize for using someone else’s tea later.
Ray blinks at him and for a brief moment looks as if he’s about to protest, then he’s stifling a yawn. Mick nods, decision made.
Ray’s sipping at his tea by the time Mick settles a plate of pancakes in front of him. “Thanks.”
“Welcome,” Mick acknowledges as he drops into a chair and starts eating his own pancakes.
Ray’s eye widen on the first bite.
Mick smirks. “Better than that box crap.”
“Bisquick is good,” Ray protests.
“Len’s is better.”
Ray make an agreeing noise around a mouthful of pancakes. They eat in silence for a moment before Ray asks, “Do you have nightmares?”
Mick stares down at his half eaten plate and considers lying. He thinks about the possibility of getting caught up in a flame. He considers pointing out that he was going to stop Ray from getting beat in that yard until he had his hands on a lighter. He considers telling Ray he thinks that if the team was burning he would just stand there and watch, he’d regret after, but he wouldn’t be able to move during. Mick runs fingers over the scars on his arms, third degree burns that’ll never be healed. His outside matching his insides.
Ray starts apologizing and Mick looks at him. Ray falls silent. Mick wonders what’s showing on his face and it’s on the tip of his tongue to tell Ray, ‘I am a nightmare,’ but instead he looks back down at his pancakes. “About losing myself again and there being no one to point me to what’s real and what’s just the violence burning out my mind.”
“Isn’t that what Snart…I don’t understand why you two are fighting.”
They had been. They aren’t now. Mick thinks Len is waiting for him to calm down and Mick isn’t sure how to say he can’t while they’re stuck on the ship like this.
“The making up through cooking is amazing,” Ray tries.
Mick raises his eyebrows.
Ray sighs. “You came and fought with us after, when we went to help Sara.”
“I was still pissed.”
“What are you now?”
Mick shrugs and looks away before he manages in a low tone, “I’m stuck on this ship with no fresh air unable to burn anything. Pissed is just what’s brimming under the surface.”
Ray frowns.
“Don’t think too hard on it Pollyanna,” Mick instructs as he takes their plates to the sink. Ray helps him clean up this time, attempting to keep up an easy commentary, but he still looks on edge when they’re done.
Mick pats him on the cheek and tells him to follow before leading him to the lounge. He drops onto one of the couches and pulls Ray down next to him. Ray sinks into his arms with a sigh. Mick thinks about commenting, Len hates being touched after a nightmare. It’s a slow process for him to be comfortable with anyone near him afterwards. Ray likes touches though, pats on the back and hugs, and Mick is pretty sure this is what he needs to relax right now.
“Is Snart going to kill me later?”
Mick frowns down at him.
“Aren’t you two together?”
Mick’s eyes widen slightly. He really didn’t think anyone would figure that bit out. “How’d you…”
Mick frowns down at Ray. He’s sure he and Len have been discreet.
“I like Transformers?”
“Explain.”
“It’s the way you call each other partner,” Ray explains.
“I’ve been calling him boss,” Mick points out, wondering if that bit of their playing at stereotypes had gone to Len’s head.
“He’s letting some of the rest of us in his space, occasionally, but you’re the only one he lets touch him,” Ray continues.
Mick grimaces at the thought of Ray randomly hugging Len and advises, “He’s like a cat. You let him touch you first.”
“I doubt that’s going to happen. How long have you two been together?”
“More of our lives than not.”
Ray’s eyes widen on that one. “So you’re practically married.”
“Under assumed names, soon as it was legal.”
Ray frowns, “Why not your real names?”
“We’re two criminals, Eagle Scout. Who do you think is going to marry us without turning us over to the cops?”
“I would.”
Mick snorts.
“I could,” Ray clarified.
“You could?”
Ray nods. “I think you two would have to make up first, but you just tell me when.”
Mick smiles for the first time in days as he settles back down next to Ray. “I’ll talk to him about it.”
Ray starts to comment and Mick tells him to watch his Star Trek. They both fall silent as Gideon starts playing where they’d last left off. Mick feels himself relax just that bit more at Picard’s voice.
He drifts off shortly after Ray does, but blinks awake when he becomes aware of someone else in the room. He tilts his head back to take Len in. He and Ray are covered with a blanket, but Len is standing near his head as if he was about to leave, but didn’t want to. He’s hovering, arms held stiffly at his sides.
Mick tilts his head back and stares up at him. Their eyes meet and even though he can’t make much out in the dimness of the room Mick can see the concern there. Len starts to reach out towards him and then stops himself. Mick swears, reaches out and squeezes his hand. “I meant hit me. Don’t hit me again. I didn’t meant you couldn’t touch me.”
“That’s not what you said.”
“We need to figure this out,” Mick concedes.
“When we’re alone,” Len agrees.
“Let me get him back to his room and I’ll come to yours.”
Len nods and squeezes his hand. Mick moves his hand to Len’s stomach, reach up slowly before fisting Len’s shirt carefully and guiding him down into a kiss. The angle is awkward, but they managed, and Mick tilts his head back just that bit more for a better angle. Len relaxes into it and makes a considering noise, before pulling away. “My room.”
Mick watches him go, then wakes Ray up just enough to guide him back to his room. He gets Ray to kick off his slippers and get under the covers. He doesn’t tuck him in.
Len’s already lying in bed when he gets there and Mick slips in next to him. Len wraps an arm around his torso firmly, tangles their legs and buries his head against Mick’s shoulder. Mick runs a soothing hand down Len’s back before telling him, “I told you if you need this you tell me, even if we’re pissed at each other.”
“You’re wound too tight, it’s getting worse,” Len tells him. Of course Len knows, even if they’ve been mostly avoiding each other or saying the wrong words when they do cross paths.
“I need us to stop sitting around, only so many places to go on this ship. No fresh air, no sunshine, can’t burn anything,” Mick elaborates.
“The lights in the kitchen have UV.”
Mick makes a considering noise and blinks several times to keep his eyes open. It’s been too long since they were wrapped around each other like this and he’s tired.
Len presses a kiss to his shoulder. “Sleep first. Talking in the morning.”
Mick agrees.
“And make-up sex?” Len prods. “I want make-up sex.”
Mick hums a considering noise and considers telling Len he’ll think about it, until Len tilts his head and presses a kiss against the side of his jaw. Mick closes his eyes, rubs slow circles against Len’s back, and promises, “Tomorrow.”
Chapters: [1] [2][3]
Fandom: Legends of Tomorrow
Pairing: Leonard Snart/Mick Rory
Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with DCTV It's not my toy box and I'm merely playing.
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Mick isn't a hero, but just as he and Len are starting to work past the differences they found in Star City 2046 the Waverider lands in Central City a few weeks after they've left. This Central City is ruled by a villainous Flash and now it's up to the team to figure out how to fix the past.
A/N: Originally started for the Coldwave week prompt In Captivity. I'm posting the first part of this, which is set-up before the team arrives in Central City, so that I quit fussing with it instead of moving on. Only tagged for what's in this chapter, I'll add more tags when the rest of this goes up.
Ameliorate:
It’s been almost a week and Mick’s trying to keep himself together, but being trapped on the Waverider while Captain Hunter tries to think up their next move is slowly unraveling him. He tries to keep himself busy, but it doesn’t help that he can feel Len watching him all the time. They’re almost circling each other, neither of them making the first move, which isn’t how they operate. It’s making Mick uncomfortable. He’s used to a few well-placed words from Len to help him snap back into place and this isn’t happening, so he’s trying to find his balance on his own and it isn’t working. He wants to tell Len he’s burning from the inside out, but after their last argument he isn’t sure Len will be so willing to help.
Instead he spars with Sara, letting her use him to teach Kenda how to take down a larger opponent. She’s also receptive when he suggests they teach the rest of the team. He’s not sure how Sara convinces Jax and Ray to join them, but he is sure she realizes that he’s learning from her too.
He finds a workbench in the engine room and lets his hands take apart and clean his heatgun while Jax asks Gideon questions about the engine. It’s not long before Jax is giving him commentary, talking Mick through what he’s looking at and how it works. He even keeps talking when Mick hunkers down to get a better look. Jax pulls up the instructions on a tablet and Mick scowls at the long run of words for a moment, waiting for Jax to make a disparaging remark about his intelligence. When Jax doesn’t say anything he begrudgingly asks, “Are there schematics?”
Jax shows him how to pull them up then says, “You can make the typing larger too.”
Mick shrugs, “Doesn’t change my brain from fucking with the letters.”
Jax frowns.
“Dyslexic,” Mick shrugs. “I can read. It just takes longer. I’m better when I can take things apart and put them back together.”
Jax smiles at the last part. “I’m a kinetic learner too. You can always hit this symbol here and it’ll treat it like an audiobook.”
This leads to panels being removed on parts of the engine while Jax explains and Gideon occasionally clarifies. He’s doesn’t think he’d be able to fully repair the engine if Jax isn’t available, but he should be able to do an emergency repair and keep vital systems running.
He waits till the middle of the night, goes to the kitchen and makes macaroni and cheese, comfort food that’s always worked as an apology in the past when he and Len or at odds with each other. When he notices Ray leaning in the door he gets each of them a bowl and then puts the rest in the refrigerator for Len to find later.
Ray hunches over his bowl, still coming out of whatever nightmare sent him wandering the ship in the middle of the night. Mick eats slowly, waiting for Ray to perk up and start yammering. He watches closely when Ray doesn’t, just sits listlessly over his empty bowl and yawns. Mick finished his last mouthful, washes their dishes and sets them out to dry. He hauls Ray up and walks the man back to his room. He stands there stiffly when Ray gives him a hug in thanks. He tries patting Ray on the back and tells him, “Brush your teeth.”
Ray gives him the ghost of a smile and Mick tells himself he’s not worried.
The next morning he finds Len in the kitchen in the middle of getting himself a second helping. “Don’t get territorial about it. I can make more.”
Len makes a considering noise around the spoon in his mouth as he puts the container back, before dropping the serving spoon in the sink and putting his bowl in the microwave. He turns to rest his back against the counter, eyes running up and down Mick as he pulls the spoon from his mouth. “I’d never have had that again if I’d left you to blink out of existence like you wanted.”
Mick forces himself to walk away. He doesn’t stop when Len swears.
There’s pancake batter waiting for him in the fridge that evening. He’s deciding pancakes or waffles when Ray wanders in and starts to make himself tea. When Mick realizes Ray’s hands are shaking he takes the tea pot from Ray and makes him sit down. Ray rests his face in his hands and groans.
After setting the pot on the stove to heat up Mick opens the cabinet to frown at the collection of tea. He doesn’t know which boxes belong to who. “Which of these is yours and what’s decaf?”
“Decaf?” Ray shakes his head.
Mick turns to glare at him.
“Mick,” Ray tries giving him a half-hearted smile.
“Decaf,” Mick reiterates. “Or warm milk.”
Ray grimaces.
Mick thinks about seeing if they have ginger ale, Len likes a large glass of ice and ginger ale to sip on after a nightmare. Mick considers him for a moment then decides that if Ray’s first instinct said tea then the tea will likely help. Ray rubs his hands over his face and grimaces again. Frowning Mick suggests, “We could go down to the med bay and talk Gideon out something for anxiety or nightmares.”
Ray looks confused for a moment before shaking his head. “I’m…I just want some tea.”
Mick gives him a huff of frustration and turns back to the cabinet. “Lipton I understand. This is just a mess.”
“I’m not planning to go back to bed,” Ray tries.
“It’s one it the morning.”
Mick’s tempted to point out that if Rip gives them a mission later Ray might put them or himself in danger if he isn’t well rested. Mick settles on glaring.
“You’re still up,” Ray protests.
“I sleep from two till ten, sometimes eleven.” Mick shrugs.
“I was going to run a diagnostic on my suit.”
“Or you could eat pancakes, drink some tea, and go back to bed,” Mick challenges as he grabs the first box marked decaf. Ray can apologize for using someone else’s tea later.
Ray blinks at him and for a brief moment looks as if he’s about to protest, then he’s stifling a yawn. Mick nods, decision made.
Ray’s sipping at his tea by the time Mick settles a plate of pancakes in front of him. “Thanks.”
“Welcome,” Mick acknowledges as he drops into a chair and starts eating his own pancakes.
Ray’s eye widen on the first bite.
Mick smirks. “Better than that box crap.”
“Bisquick is good,” Ray protests.
“Len’s is better.”
Ray make an agreeing noise around a mouthful of pancakes. They eat in silence for a moment before Ray asks, “Do you have nightmares?”
Mick stares down at his half eaten plate and considers lying. He thinks about the possibility of getting caught up in a flame. He considers pointing out that he was going to stop Ray from getting beat in that yard until he had his hands on a lighter. He considers telling Ray he thinks that if the team was burning he would just stand there and watch, he’d regret after, but he wouldn’t be able to move during. Mick runs fingers over the scars on his arms, third degree burns that’ll never be healed. His outside matching his insides.
Ray starts apologizing and Mick looks at him. Ray falls silent. Mick wonders what’s showing on his face and it’s on the tip of his tongue to tell Ray, ‘I am a nightmare,’ but instead he looks back down at his pancakes. “About losing myself again and there being no one to point me to what’s real and what’s just the violence burning out my mind.”
“Isn’t that what Snart…I don’t understand why you two are fighting.”
They had been. They aren’t now. Mick thinks Len is waiting for him to calm down and Mick isn’t sure how to say he can’t while they’re stuck on the ship like this.
“The making up through cooking is amazing,” Ray tries.
Mick raises his eyebrows.
Ray sighs. “You came and fought with us after, when we went to help Sara.”
“I was still pissed.”
“What are you now?”
Mick shrugs and looks away before he manages in a low tone, “I’m stuck on this ship with no fresh air unable to burn anything. Pissed is just what’s brimming under the surface.”
Ray frowns.
“Don’t think too hard on it Pollyanna,” Mick instructs as he takes their plates to the sink. Ray helps him clean up this time, attempting to keep up an easy commentary, but he still looks on edge when they’re done.
Mick pats him on the cheek and tells him to follow before leading him to the lounge. He drops onto one of the couches and pulls Ray down next to him. Ray sinks into his arms with a sigh. Mick thinks about commenting, Len hates being touched after a nightmare. It’s a slow process for him to be comfortable with anyone near him afterwards. Ray likes touches though, pats on the back and hugs, and Mick is pretty sure this is what he needs to relax right now.
“Is Snart going to kill me later?”
Mick frowns down at him.
“Aren’t you two together?”
Mick’s eyes widen slightly. He really didn’t think anyone would figure that bit out. “How’d you…”
Mick frowns down at Ray. He’s sure he and Len have been discreet.
“I like Transformers?”
“Explain.”
“It’s the way you call each other partner,” Ray explains.
“I’ve been calling him boss,” Mick points out, wondering if that bit of their playing at stereotypes had gone to Len’s head.
“He’s letting some of the rest of us in his space, occasionally, but you’re the only one he lets touch him,” Ray continues.
Mick grimaces at the thought of Ray randomly hugging Len and advises, “He’s like a cat. You let him touch you first.”
“I doubt that’s going to happen. How long have you two been together?”
“More of our lives than not.”
Ray’s eyes widen on that one. “So you’re practically married.”
“Under assumed names, soon as it was legal.”
Ray frowns, “Why not your real names?”
“We’re two criminals, Eagle Scout. Who do you think is going to marry us without turning us over to the cops?”
“I would.”
Mick snorts.
“I could,” Ray clarified.
“You could?”
Ray nods. “I think you two would have to make up first, but you just tell me when.”
Mick smiles for the first time in days as he settles back down next to Ray. “I’ll talk to him about it.”
Ray starts to comment and Mick tells him to watch his Star Trek. They both fall silent as Gideon starts playing where they’d last left off. Mick feels himself relax just that bit more at Picard’s voice.
He drifts off shortly after Ray does, but blinks awake when he becomes aware of someone else in the room. He tilts his head back to take Len in. He and Ray are covered with a blanket, but Len is standing near his head as if he was about to leave, but didn’t want to. He’s hovering, arms held stiffly at his sides.
Mick tilts his head back and stares up at him. Their eyes meet and even though he can’t make much out in the dimness of the room Mick can see the concern there. Len starts to reach out towards him and then stops himself. Mick swears, reaches out and squeezes his hand. “I meant hit me. Don’t hit me again. I didn’t meant you couldn’t touch me.”
“That’s not what you said.”
“We need to figure this out,” Mick concedes.
“When we’re alone,” Len agrees.
“Let me get him back to his room and I’ll come to yours.”
Len nods and squeezes his hand. Mick moves his hand to Len’s stomach, reach up slowly before fisting Len’s shirt carefully and guiding him down into a kiss. The angle is awkward, but they managed, and Mick tilts his head back just that bit more for a better angle. Len relaxes into it and makes a considering noise, before pulling away. “My room.”
Mick watches him go, then wakes Ray up just enough to guide him back to his room. He gets Ray to kick off his slippers and get under the covers. He doesn’t tuck him in.
Len’s already lying in bed when he gets there and Mick slips in next to him. Len wraps an arm around his torso firmly, tangles their legs and buries his head against Mick’s shoulder. Mick runs a soothing hand down Len’s back before telling him, “I told you if you need this you tell me, even if we’re pissed at each other.”
“You’re wound too tight, it’s getting worse,” Len tells him. Of course Len knows, even if they’ve been mostly avoiding each other or saying the wrong words when they do cross paths.
“I need us to stop sitting around, only so many places to go on this ship. No fresh air, no sunshine, can’t burn anything,” Mick elaborates.
“The lights in the kitchen have UV.”
Mick makes a considering noise and blinks several times to keep his eyes open. It’s been too long since they were wrapped around each other like this and he’s tired.
Len presses a kiss to his shoulder. “Sleep first. Talking in the morning.”
Mick agrees.
“And make-up sex?” Len prods. “I want make-up sex.”
Mick hums a considering noise and considers telling Len he’ll think about it, until Len tilts his head and presses a kiss against the side of his jaw. Mick closes his eyes, rubs slow circles against Len’s back, and promises, “Tomorrow.”
Chapters: [1] [2][3]
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