#give me len being able to raise lisa safely on the other side of the city in this shitty little home the two of them made for themselves

[qlala]

made an enormous mistake (rewatched notting hill last night despite knowing full well it would make me immediately want to throw aside my coldflash nanowrimo project to write my coldflash notting hill au instead)

#chomping biting i WILL give len a little bookstore that lisa inherited from an uncle she never met when she was seven #and 22 year old len pushed through his guardianship application immediately with the promised income and apartment upstairs #give me len being able to raise lisa safely on the other side of the city in this shitty little home the two of them made for themselves #it’s barely a shop they have breakfast at the cash register because the coffee pot only works in the first floor outlets #but there’s technically an open sign on the door and barry ducks in one day because he’s going to have a mental break if he stays on set #for five more minutes #and it’s just *suffused* with this sense of sanctuary #it’s in the scuffed floorboards it’s in the dusty shelves it’s in the coffee cups cluttering the register #he watches len stop a skinny kid with a book stashed under her ratty coat at the door #and when she hands it back he puts a ten dollar bill inside and hands it back saying she forgot her change #barry pipes up that he’s out of the money and the price of the book now #and len hasn’t looked at him twice but drawls back that he doesn’t tell him how to do his job. but now that they’re on the subject— #and roasts his latest movie so thoroughly barry is torn between walking out and giving him his number on the spot #he goes for neither and buys something just to get a receipt #len hands it over and barry hesitates before taking it and len asks if he’s allergic to paper receipts #and barry is bemused and admits he kinda thought len would write his number on it #len asks if barry’s asking for it #and barry says no #and len just raises an eyebrow until barry takes the receipt and leaves in a huff with the back of his neck bright pink #barry’s bi but he’s not out and he’s got an agent that is always promising just one more year just one more role to really get established #he’s still berating himself for being so obvious when he turns around to go offer to buy another book if len won’t tell anyone he was there #and pulls the door open just as len is pushing it from the other side to step out and len's coffee ends up all over both of them #and barry’s supposed to be back to make it better and not worse #but len's offering him a clean shirt from upstairs and barry's mouth is saying yes for him before he can stop himself #and len's too old to be letting a high-strung little closet case brush their fingers together as he accepts the shirt len's offering him #but lisa chooses that moment to let herself into the apartment and barry bolts like a startled deer anyway #and lisa is halfway through teasing len for finally bringing a guy home before she realizes who just ducked past her #and len spends the next three days regretting every decision he's ever made #until lisa answers the phone in the shop and her grin goes feline sharp and she holds the phone out to len and says it's for him #...not that i've been thinking about it a lot. or anything

[firesoulstuff]

Captain Canary + “you’re not safe here.”

Read on AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27544165/chapters/71160003

Sara can feel her stomach churning, and tears burning beneath her eyelids.

She has hated Lewis Snart for a long time now. The only comfort she has ever been able to take with the thought of him is that he is dead, and it was a very painful death.

Or at least, that was his fate before an aberration appeared.

She and Leonard were in the training room this morning, each doing their separate exercises. She’d been going through some of her forms whilst Len had been behind her across the room and hitting the punching bag. Eventually she noticed she hadn’t heard him in awhile, but she hadn’t heard him leave either. When she turned around he was gone, and before she could start looking for him Gideon called her to bridge.

She found out what happened, and immediately she had wanted to throw up.

It was the same thing that happened with Ray on the mission that brought them to the 80’s. There’s an aberration, and a past version of Leonard died.

That aberration? An extra crewmember for Lewis being free on the weekend of a heist because turns out the Time Masters pulling strings had been what kept him away. The heist still failed, but instead of getting busted this extra crewmember was able to get a very ill tempered Lewis out and home free. Where he took out his anger on his pregnant wife, and then his nine-year-old son who ran in to protect his mom and baby sister.

Little Leonard didn’t stand a chance.

Leonard – their Leonard – is back for now, because they’ve traveled back to before Lewis returns home and so the timeline isn’t yet set.

“You ok?”

No, she is not ok.

She’s with Mick, heading to the Snart household to get Little Leonard and his mom out. Their Len is with Ray and Amaya, staking out the heist and making sure the police come early, which they will so long as they act on the tip Zari is sending them.

She glares over at Mick, her expression saying for her how she is very much not ok, and then she sets her eyes forward again.

“His mom is pregnant.” She says as they come up on the house, and Mick hums.

“Yeah.” He agrees, “Time keeps on track, Lisa will be here and pissing everyone off in ‘bout a month.”

“That’s not the point.”

She doesn’t look, but she can feel Mick eyeing her. He gives it a minute, until they’re at the front gate made of rotting white-picket-fence, and he sighs as he nudges it open.

“Believe me Blondie, nothing would make me happier than putting that asshole eight feet in the ground, especially before he hurts Lisa. But if we do that her and Snart become different people.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.” She mumbles before she can stop herself.

Mick rumbles at the back of his throat and eyes her, but he doesn’t say anything about her choice of words; he knows what she means.

They get up to the front door and he reaches for the knob, but his hand hovers above it, his eyes locked firmly on the door.

“Snart will get his chance.” He says, almost more to himself than to her, before he finally looks at her. “If Lewis shows up here, he made the choice.”

She… She knows he’s right. She still feels sick, and like she isn’t going to be sleeping for a long time after tonight, but he’s right. This is Leonard’s life and his decision. Unless he comes over the comms and tells her otherwise, if Lewis shows up here she won’t kill him; no matter how much she wants to.

Mick opens the door and it creaks open, and right away there’s the sound of movement coming from the kitchen. Its dishes rummaging around, glass, and given the time it’s a safe bet it isn’t a third grade Leonard Snart looking around for a late-night snack.

“I’ll get her.” Mick says, and then nods to the stairs next to them. “You get him.”

She nods; content to let him make the plan this one time, and hurries up the stairs. She doesn’t take enough precaution to keep her footsteps quiet, she wants him to wake up. She does, however, keep them light and quick; because what she doesn’t want is to take the risk he might mistake her for his father.

The upstairs hallway is small, barely five feet long and with two doors on each wall. The first is propped open, a dark bathroom on the inside. The second is closed, but the plush L hanging on it being a soft white color with tiny pink flowers clues her in that it might not be the dwelling of a nine-year-old boy. The next door, however, it has a nameplate with Leonard spelled out on it in crooked stickers and it’s frame is decorated with the images of astronauts and aliens.

She allows herself a tiny smile; letting herself forget for just half a second the reason she is here and instead bask in the peek into Leonard’s childhood.

Then her half-second is over, and with a gentle hand on the knob she turns it and lets herself into the room.

It’s dark, not even the dimmest of nightlights to offer comfort. She wonders, idly, about that. She knows Leonard now prefers to sleep without a hint of light, but she doubts he became that way this young of his own accord.

She decides not to dwell on it, not now anyway. Instead she pads across the room and kneels down next to his bed. His adult self would have heard her by now. He would have opened his eyes; he might even have jumped. But this Leonard is still snoring softly and it breaks her heart that she has to wake him.

“Leo.” She whispers, her hand coming to ghost over his back.

He stiffens, his entire body giving a jolt as is eyes snap open.

“Shh… It’s ok.” She hurries to say. “It’s ok, I know you don’t know me, but I’m a friend of your mom’s. She called me, you guys are going to come with me and my friend for a sleepover.”

God, she hopes little Snart hasn’t been well taught in the art of not getting kidnapped.

He sits up; looking at her in very much the same way her Leonard does when he’s trying to determine where her plan is going to land them.

“Why?”

Her breath hitches as she tries to think of a lie. Except what’s worse is she realizes he’s nine. Leonard has told her Lewis first came after him at the age of eight, and while he didn’t earn himself a permanent scar until eleven, at nine he already knew it was best to avoid daddy when he was angry.

“You’re dad called from work.” She says, watching his eyes for some kind of sign of fear, and she sees it. A flicker, a faint tightening of his body, and it makes her gut twist even more. “Something went wrong tonight, and he’s very angry about it.”

There’s another tightening of his body. His shoulders close in and his eyes flit away from her, and automatically she spreads her fingers out on his back.

“It’s ok.” She promises him, and licks her lips to force herself to continue. “But you’re not safe here.”

He shifts by only the tiniest amount, but it’s towards her, and she needs him to hurry but she doesn’t want to rush him.

“Boss!” Mick’s voice suddenly shouts from downstairs, and Leo jumps where he is. “We gotta move, you coming?”

She looks back to Leo, and she almost wants to call back and see if his mother will yell up that it’s ok, but it’s Mick in charge if getting her. She’s probably unconscious by now.

She dares to put a little more pressure forward with the hand on his back, and he follows it. He lets himself fall into her and wrap his arms around her neck. He’s a little awkward to stand up with and carry, tall enough that he should be walking himself. But she isn’t going to put him down unless she absolutely has to.

.

.

“You didn’t kill him.”

Leonard – her Leonard – looks up at her, and after holding her eyes for a long moment he sighs and puts his partially assembled cold gun on his nightstand.

“Raymond wouldn’t let me.”

She raises her eyebrow, not that he’s looking anymore. His eyes are downcast, his mouth a firm line, and she gives him time but she’s starting to think he isn’t going to elaborate. That’s fine, she can’t expect him to want to share anything. She’s about to bid him goodnight and then go spend the next six to ten hours sharpening her knives and imagine them carving into the flesh of Lewis-

“I couldn’t.”

His words are quiet, so much so that a part of her thinks she might have imagined them. But then he sighs and leans over to the nightstand again, this time picking up his famous deck of cards and beginning to shuffle them mindlessly.

He glances up at her, and she takes the hint and steps into his room and closes the door behind her.

Even so, it’s some time before he speaks.

“I wanted to.” He finally says, “And you know I could’ve gotten through Raymond.”

He finally looks at her with that, waiting for her to acknowledge his attempt at humor, and she gives him a smirk.

Then it’s back to shuffling the cards.

“But… If I had… then I wouldn’t be here would I?”

He brings his eyes back to her, and she looks away.

“No.” She agrees, “You would’ve had a different life.”

A better life, but she doesn’t need to say that.

“No telling what that might have brought.” He acknowledges, “You wipe the memory of little me?”

She nods, “And your mom.”

He nods this time, and gives the cards another shuffle.

“My and Lisa’s childhoods were… awful.” He says, “Not a day goes by I don’t wish things had been different. Getting the chance…”

He trails off, gathering his thoughts, and she’ll give him that. She’ll give him all the time that he needs.

“Lisa’s happy now.” He finally says, “She has Ramon, and all those other idiots. And I…” He swallows, “I have some idiots of my own. Couldn’t risk that.”

She smiles, and she wants to tease him. She wants to taunt that Captain Cold does have a heart and she’ll never tell. Maybe tomorrow she will, but not right now. Right now he has unshed tears in his eyes, and his face is pale. He’s even less likely to sleep tonight than she is.

So she crosses the room and without a word crawls in to sit next to him on his mattress. He scoots enough to give her space, but she still presses right into his side and lays a hand down over his wrist with hardly any weight to it.

“Good.” She finds herself saying, and she runs her fingers up is hand until she dips them between his knuckles. “Because these idiots would be lost without you.”

#fic rec #Captain Canary

[ranger-of-estel]

Four Walls, Two Hearts

My contribution to @arrowversequarantinefic-exchange I had DarkAngelOfSorrowReturns who requsted CaptianCanary with Locked in a room/stranded together.

Story takes place some time after crisis, Sara and Ava having broken up again.

Can also be read on AO3

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

               Sara stands watch at the end of the ally, Leonard making quick work of the lock behind her. She wraps her arms tighter around herself as the wind kicks up once more. They should be on the jumpship now, but the weather had other ideas.

               “We’re in.” Leonard calls, and she turns to find him holding the door open and motioning her inside. She hurries through the door, the lights flickering to life a moment later. The small warehouse is far from homey, but it beats the incoming storm. She notes a small kitchenette in one corner, a table and a desk piled with papers & schematics in the center of the room. She thinks there are a couple futons folded near the back wall, as well as a large gun safe & a couple metal filing cabinets. Leonard says something under his breath, moving to begin stacking the loose paper and clear the table.

               “Sure we won’t have unwanted guests?” She asks, moving to the opposite side of the table to help.

               He scoffs, “I’m sure.” He moves the first stack from the table to the nearby desk. “Lewis will be in prison a couple more months. And younger me is currently making a pillow fort in the basement to keep Lisa distracted from the storm rattling the house.”

               “Nothing safer than a good pillow fort.” Sara smiles, moving her own stack of paper.

               “She always seemed to think so.” He gives her an almost smile. As she finishes moving the paper he moves a couple rolling chairs toward the table. “May as well get comfortable, we’re gonna be here a while.”

               Sara sighs, shaking her head. “Guess we’ll need a new rule about checking weather forecasts before away missions.”

               Leonard nods before making his way to the kitchen, he grabs a couple glasses from a cabinet before turning to face her once more. “At least we got stuck in familiar territory this time.”

               “No kidding,” Sara sinks into the worn chair. “I’ve done enough tours of stranded in unknown places.”

               She accepts the glasses as he passes to make his way toward the safe. It opens easily at his touch, revealing a few stacks of cash, a handgun and several bottles of liquor. “My old man’s priorities.” He snorts, raising the bottles as he returns to the table. “Though they are probably worth less than the glasses we’re drinking from.”

               “Right now, I’m not going to be picky.” She tilts her glass toward him so he can fill it. He’s right, it’s not good. But Sara’s had a lot worst in her time. They drink in relative silence, and she hates it. Leonard has been back almost six months, and they are further apart than they’ve ever been. “Do you remember how long the storm lasted?”

               He thinks a moment before offering a half shrug. “I know the worst of the storm is overnight, but it may be tomorrow evening before things clear up enough to fly.” He motions toward the door. “I can make a run for food in the morning.” His face twists with disdain, “I don’t trust anything we find here.”

               The rain starts then, hitting the warehouse like gunfire, followed by a thunder crack and flicker of the lights. Sara glances around, “any chance we’ll find flashlights?”

               Len nods, “probably.” He pushes away from the table, motioning toward the desk. “Start there, I’ll get the kitchen.”

               She nods, rolling her chair toward the old wood desk. There are an assortment of things in the drawers; from broken matches and chipped knives to a ruler and photos from surveillance. She does find a handful of batteries, but is more drawn to the deck of cards held together by a rubber band. They haven’t played since his return, their old deck tucked away where Ava wouldn’t stumble across it and ask questions Sara didn’t want to answer.

               “Well,” Len drawls. “I found a lantern, but the batteries corroded.”

               Sara tucks the cards in her pocket, then grabs the loose batteries. “AA by chance?” she asks, holding up her find.

               “Actually, yes.” He’s wiping the bottom of the lantern with a rag as he brings it to her.

               “Well, let’s see if we’ve won the lottery.” She holds her hand out, accepting the dusty object. She pops the batteries in place, reaching up to flip it on. It’s not bright, but it does produce some light. “Bingo!” She grins, turning it back off to conserve energy.

               “Now just to figure out how to pass the time.” Leonard glances around, frowning at the empty space.

               “I found something else in the desk.” She pulls out the cards, shaking them side to side like he used to.

               He looks almost surprised, but quickly covers it with a smirk. “Good enough for me.”

               They return to the table, Sara dealing the first round. It falls silent other than the heavy rain beating against the warehouse. They both pause whenever the lights flicker, but thus far they always come back on. Eventually Sara can’t stand the quiet, “it wasn’t you.”

               “What wasn’t me?” He asks, head tilted slightly.

               “The fight with Ava,” she glances down at her hands, “us breaking up.”

               “Who said it was me?” He keeps his voice carefully void of emotion.

               “You,” she sighs, “or at least that’s all I’ve been able to come up with.” She motions between them, “you hardly say a word to me outside of missions, avoid being alone in a room with me…”

               “You have a girlfriend.” He states simply, “a girlfriend who doesn’t approve of me, and definitely not how…easy…you are with me.”    

               “So?” She crosses her arms. “Ava doesn’t like Mick most days, and I’m pretty sure she still hates Constantine. They didn’t change.”

               “Sara,” he runs a hand over his head. “We both know that’s different.”

               “Why? I trusted Mick as my second in command. And I’ve actually had sex with Constantine.” He only looks half surprised at the second part, not that she’d expected anything….after all, why would he be jealous when they were never really together? “Why do you care more about what Ava thinks than me?”

               “I don’t.” He frowns, arms crossing defensively before him. “For all I care she can never step foot on the ship again. The way she-“ he cuts off, and she watches the muscles in his jaw clench as he turns away from her.

               “The way she what, Len?” Sara watches him, wants desperately to know what’s running through his mind.

               “Nevermind.” He shakes his head. “It’s not my business.”

               “There was a time we trusted one another with everything.” She sets her cards on the table, reaching for her drink.

               “Things change. You moved on, you found someone.” He sounds almost resigned.

               “What if I realized that’s not what I want?” He looks up at her, eyes narrowing slightly. “Don’t get me wrong, I care for Ava…but this isn’t our first relationship ending disagreement.” She gives a breathy laugh, “frankly they seem to be happening more and more.”

               “Since I got back.” He adds, posture slightly less stiff now.

               “Yes,” Sara concedes. “But not for the reasons you seem to think.” Sara watches the liquid swirl in her glass. “On Ava’s end, maybe she felt threatened by you. But for me,” Sara looks back up at him. “When Ava and I started dating it became apparent that she wanted normal. And even once we moved from an apartment to the Waverider, she still…she wanted…” Sara huffs, unsure how to convey the feeling.

               “She wanted you to be Captain Lance, without the things that brought you there.” He shakes his head.

               She nods. “And I told myself that was fine, that if ignoring my past made her more comfortable then I could bury it. That I could be happy with someone who cared for the hero in the light, that I could be content.”

               “But?” he raises a brow.

               “But you came home.” She looks at him, the warmth seeping into his beautiful eyes. “You reminded me what it was like to have someone accept all of me, someone who doesn’t fear my darkness, who toes the line, who pushes me not always to be better…but to be more. And maybe you don’t feel the same way as before,” She reaches out slowly, grasping of his hands when he doesn’t pull away. “But I don’t regret my decision, Ava and I both deserve better than settling for just okay.”

               He looks down at their hands, running a thumb softly over the back of her fingers. “I’m just sorry I couldn’t remind you sooner.”

               She gives him a half smile, “so…are we good now, Crook?”

               His lips pull up into a smile of his own. “Guess that depends, Assassin. Am I still supposed to prove I’m a hell of a thief?”

               Sara grins, “I guess that depends, it is your reputation at stake.”

               And just like that something shifts, a piece clicking into place that Sara has missed dearly. Before she can say anything else there’s a surge and the light above them bursts, raining down glass. Sara gives a startled yelp, Leonard chuckling as he flicks on the lamp. “You alright?”

               “Yeah,” she shakes her head, glass clattering to the ground. “But I think that may be the end of our game.” She picks up her glass, listening to shattered pieces of the light clink against the sides. “I can’t say I care for the idea of first aid in the dark.”

               “Then setting up a place to sleep it is.” They stand, dusting off their clothing before grabbing the lamp and making their way to the back of the warehouse. The futons are quite small, the two agreeing wordlessly to push them together. Len finding sheets and blankets in one of the filing cabinets. They lay down, Sara facing away from Len to provide him a sense of space.

               The cards and talking had kept Sara distracted from the storm, but now that it is silent she has to make an effort to keep her breathing steady. Of all her demons, she wasn’t sure she would ever hear a storm without flashing back to the icy water so long ago.

               “Hey,” Leonard’s voice brings her back to the present. “You need me to build a pillow fort for you too?” It’s a teasing offer, but she understands the underlying offer as well.

“Maybe when the lights come back, it would be crime not to be able to appreciate your work.” She replies, turning to face him.

“They were pretty impressive.” She can hear the smirk in his voice.

“You always are.” The words slip out before she can stop them, groaning as she reaches up to cover her face.

“Is that so, Captain?” He’s absolutely grinning now.

“Shut up, Snart.” She swats at his shoulder and they both laugh softly. What was it he’d called them? Easy….yeah, being herself, letting down her guard, she didn’t even think about it with him. She’d missed this, missed flirting instead of listening to Rip, missed long nights talking over cards, or laughing through bar fights. “Glad to have you back, Crook.”

“Good,” long, calloused fingers carefully brush hair from her face. “Cause you aren’t getting rid of me so easy this time.”

She drifts off to sleep shortly after, each time the storm wakes her he’s still there, and his warmth breaks the memory of the ocean trying to swallow her. When Sara wakes there is muffled light coming through the windows, but the electric still seems to be out. Leonard is gone, a note left on the table saying he’s gone to get food and will be back shortly.

She looks at the cards still spread across the surface, littered with glass fragments. Who would have thought being stranded is all it would take to get them to finally talk…Sara’s eyes narrow, grabbing her earpiece from the desk. “Gideon?”

“Yes, Captain.” The A.I. answers.

“You knew there would be a storm last night, you knew we’d get stranded.” She accuses, arms crossing over her chest.

“I’m not sure what your mean Captain. After all, there was no way I could be sure if would complete the mission before the weather created an issue.” The ship replies simply.

“You set us up.” She rolls her eyes, “was this Mick’s idea?”

“Mister Rory may have mentioned something about the mission being in an area Mister Snart would be familiar with, nothing more.” She can practically hear Gideon’s smug grin. “Why, has something happened between you?”

Sara doesn’t answer, pulling the earpiece out and shaking her head. “Figures.”

“What?” Len’s voice pulls her attention to where he’s shrugging out of a wet coat. A carrier with two coffees and a bag which she assumes has breakfast, sitting on the small counter.

“Your partner, and my ship, locking us in a room so we’d sort things out.” She approaches, looking between the cups.

“Left is yours,” he answers her unasked question, tossing his coat over a chair. “As for Mick and Gideon, I’ll thank them when we get back.”

“Please don’t,” she pulls the two amazing looking breakfast sandwiches from the bag. “They don’t need the encouragement.”

He laughs at that, and after taking a moment to clear the glass from the table and surrounding area they sit to eat. “Looks like the weather will clear up by early evening. We should be good to get the jumpship by dusk.”

“Alright, any ideas what to do until then?” She asks, nursing her coffee.

“That depends, you afraid of a little rain?” he raises a brow.

“Not if you aren’t,” she looks at him curiously, “what do you have in mind?”

He just smirks, “guess you’ll have to wait and see.”

Honestly, if it means they get to keep rebuilding the relationship between them, Sara doesn’t care what it is. Maybe getting stranded isn’t always so bad after all.

#Captain Canary #Sara Lance #Leonard Snart #@arrowversequarantinefic-exchange #Quarantine fic

[lady-divine-writes]

Coldflash one-shot - “Afterglow” (Rated NC17)

After Barry's first time with his best friend, Len, the two boys realize that there is too much unsaid between them to leave things the way they are. But will talking about it bring them together ... or push them apart? (3669 words)

Notes: This is a re-write, but I think it works well here. :) Part two to my @coldflashweeks Bingo prompt story ‘Derailed”

Read on AO3.

Len’s fingers trail slowly up Barry’s sides, slipping underneath his t-shirt to slide the fabric up his body. Barry does the same to Len’s shirt, but with fingers that tremble as they go, unintentionally spreading goosebumps along Len’s skin. When Barry’s fingers reach the spot just below Len’s armpits where his ribs curl towards his pecs, his elbows clamp down tight to his sides.

“Op! I forgot you’re ticklish!” Barry says, juggling a giggle and a gasp as Len retaliates by lightly licking his neck. Barry squirms to get away, but Len puts a hand to his cheek and holds him in place.

“Yeah” - Len grins, sucking on the one spot he knows will make Barry squeal like a piglet - “but I didn’t …”

***

“What was your first time like?”

Len inhales deeply, then sighs into the air above him. This isn’t the conversation he was hoping they’d be having when they finished hugging and returned to Len’s bed. He’s not in the mood to talk about this, though he can see how the current atmosphere might have lead them in this direction. He’d wanted to talk about it when it happened, and definitely with Barry, but Barry made it clear that he wasn’t comfortable with the subject, and Len let it drop. He figured he’d shoot the shit with one of his other friends another time. But when it came up one afternoon after wrestling practice, strangely enough, it seemed too personal. As much as Len couldn’t care less about locker room talk when other guys did it, he didn’t want to participate. It seemed tacky and immature. As it turned out, people didn’t need to hear about his exploits from him. The gossip mill more than did the work for him, and he was fine with that, especially when that talk exaggerated details in his favor.

This isn’t going to be locker room talk. It’s a sore spot for the both of them.

At least they’re talking here and not over the phone.

At least Barry stayed.

“I thought you didn’t want to hear about it,” Len says in a wry rendition of his best friend’s voice.

“Yeah, well, I’ve come to the conclusion that that might have been a jerk move on my part.” Barry rolls his head to the side to look at Len, eyes full of regret. “You’re my best friend. That was a big step in your life, I assume. You should be able to talk to me about it.”

Len tightens his grip on Barry’s hand, partially for security, and partially so Barry doesn’t let go when he hears the answer. They’re about to enter touchy territory, even if it is ancient history as far as Len is concerned.

“It was okay, I guess.” He shrugs, then turns his head to meet Barry’s gaze. The two stare at one another in silent challenge - Len praying Barry will change the subject, Barry waiting patiently for more. Len blinks first. He sighs again. Here he is, stuck in another situation he sees no way out of. But if there was ever a time for him to bear his soul, now is that time. If he had told Barry originally how his reluctance to let Len confide in him had hurt him, they might not be in this position, good or bad. “Honestly, it was pretty awful.”

“How?”

“I met her outside Saints and Sinners. She was a professional, and I had no clue what I was doing. I screwed up trying to open the lube and made a huge mess all over her skirt. We were in an alley, upright against a wall. I scratched my calf on a piece of metal and had to get a tetanus shot.”

“Ouch.”

“Yeah. It cut pretty deep. I have a nasty scar.”

Barry knows that scar. He’s seen it plenty during P.E. He thought for sure it was something his father gave him. He’s relieved to discover it isn’t, regardless of its source.

“So, not someone from our school? And not a guy?”

“Nah.” Len looks sheepishly down at the comforter beneath them, eyes tracing a line of stitching close to his face. “She said she was twenty-one, but I don’t think she was. She seemed younger … closer to our age. I kept thinking that, if my dad had his way, then Lisa might be standing there, hitting guys up, people he works with even …” Len swallows hard, squeezes Barry’s hand tighter. “Anyway, she doesn’t go to school with us. I’ve never seen her again.”

Barry has to admit he’s relieved. He had thought all of Len’s sex partners were boys and girls from their school. Seeing their faces every day, how they watched Len in the hallway with wide, puppy-dog eyes, forever hoping he’d glance their way, stung. Barry didn’t know how he would handle finding out which one of those constantly pleading students was Len’s first.

Knowing that none of them were is a huge weight off Barry’s shoulders, but it’s in no way the better of two evils.

Casual sex is one thing, and yes, virginity is a stupid societal construct that shouldn’t amount for anything, so technically your first sexual experience shouldn’t hold any more weight than your last.

Call him a sentimental fool but, to Barry, in some ways it does.

In retrospect, the reason why Len never did look their way was usually because he and Barry were together, and Len was looking at him.

***

Len kisses Barry tenderly, urgently, possessively, passionately, each one translating want and longing and desire in ways words could never properly express. And between each kiss, he gazes into Barry’s eyes, brow pulled in the center as if he can’t believe that Barry is there. But he is there, and they’re together, making love on Len’s bed the way Len had dreamed of so many times. All he has to do is reach out and touch him - Barry’s soft skin beneath Len’s fingertips proof of his existence in this fantasy come to life. Now that he has Barry, there are no others. His past is just that – the past. And it’s gone, erased completely every time Barry kisses him back, looks him in the eyes, and smiles – blissful, bashful.

***

“Were you safe?” Barry asks, digging deeper for his own peace of mind. Maybe Barry should be a bit more sensitive considering they’re talking about the person Len lost his virginity to, but someone he met outside a bar? Barry can’t imagine Len, of all people, being so careless.

Len may be daring, but he’s not reckless.

Then again, there are days he comes to school with his eye black and blue, looking so done with life that Barry spends the whole day by his side, just to make sure he doesn’t do something reckless.

“Of course, we were,” Len admits with some embarrassment. He knew that Barry would scold him over this if he ever found out, but he was confident Barry never would. Besides, he’d shouldered that responsibility, berating himself plenty for losing his virginity to some rando on the street. But it had been a game to Len. His father was inside, settling up a score, and Len was trying his hand at acting tough out in the real world, where most people see his dad as the big bad and Len as his obedient lap dog. He didn’t have anything to sell, he wasn’t going to negotiate a heist. When it came down to it, propositioning a prostitute for sex was the only thing he could come up with at the time. He needed a way to raise his street cred. In a sick way, he thought it was something his dad might be proud of. “I swear. I made sure I took condoms with me when I went,” Len defends himself quickly, but his voice peters off when he realizes how bad that sounds, how it cements the idea that he’d gone to Saints and Sinners on the lookout for a fuck when that wasn’t actually the case “… you know … just in case ...”

Barry stops himself before he can huff or make some other judgmental noise. Barry started this. He’s clearing the air. It’s important to him. He doesn’t want there to be secrets between them. But honestly, Len isn’t required to answer him if he doesn’t want to. Barry should be grateful that Len is willing to give him a second chance at being the friend he should have been years ago.

“So, it sounds like you were on a mission,” Barry teases to break the tension.

“Yeah.” Len chuckles tensely. “I guess … I guess it does.”

“Mission accomplished?”

“No,” Len says, and it’s true. It was true then, and it’s doubly true now. “If I could take it back and replace it with what we just did, I would in a heartbeat.”

***

“Whoa … no-no-no … oh … whoops!”

Len over-enthusiastically rips open the condom wrapper, fumbles the lubricated disk, and sends it flying across the room. Both boys watch it, snickering as it disappears in a corner behind Len’s desk. Barry falls back on the pillows and snorts while Len, laughing just as hard, struggles to catch his breath.

“Well, that’s never happened before.”

“There’s a first time for everything.” Barry reaches for Len’s stash of condoms that he keeps under his pillows. Barry had raised an eyebrow at that when he saw Len fish one out, and the sheepish expression returned to Len’s face.

“Uh … I keep them under there just in case,” Len had said, darting his eyes, unable to decide on a spot for them to settle.

“Who were you expecting?”

“No one! I swear! It’s been a few months and I … kind of forgot they were there.”

“Ugh!” Barry groaned.

“What?”

“How long has it been since you changed these sheets!?”

Len didn’t answer, but the conversation at large had been swept under the proverbial carpet when Len began rutting against Barry, convincing him with long sweeps of his tongue over the sensitive skin at the juncture of his neck to forget about it.

And Barry, melting into a potentially filthy comforter, did.

Len goes to take the condom from him, but Barry palms it.

“Can I?” Barry asks, gesturing towards Len cock. “Do you mind if I try …?”

“No.” Len gulps so hard he’s sure he’s shoved his heart down a foot. “Not at all. G-give it a try.” He kneels up, straddling Barry’s hips to give him space to work. He watches Barry pinch the tip the way their teacher showed them in health class, place it gently over the head of Len’s cock, and roll it down with excruciating slowness. He rolls it to the base of Len’s cock, then runs a hand over it to remove any air bubbles.

“There.” Barry looks up at Len for approval. “Is that … is that okay?”

“Okay?” Len winds his arms around Barry’s torso, squeezing him so hard he cracks his spine. “It’s more than okay! I think that’s the hottest thing I’ve ever fucking seen!”

***

“Wh--why did you do it?”

This is the question. The question. Len can tell by the sound of Barry’s voice when he asks it. This is the one he’s been waiting to ask, the one he’s probably been dreading. The one that had festered in the back of his mind every time Barry saw Len a morning after. It was on those mornings that Len should have realized how much he was hurting Barry. But sex doesn’t equal love … or maturity, and when it came to Barry and his feelings, Len had a tendency to be a little bit naïve.

He’d thought that, when it came to pining over Barry, the only person he was hurting was himself.

“A lot of reasons. I thought it would make me feel more adult. And I was curious. I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. And, kind of like you, I wanted to get it over with.”

Barry’s hand goes rigid in Len’s grasp and he can’t understand why until he remembers what Barry said to him in his car on the way over:

“I think … I kind of always knew that my first time would be with you anyway …”

What if that wasn’t resignation? What if Barry had been waiting for him? Subconsciously saving himself for him? Barry said that other kids don’t want him, but what if that isn’t entirely the truth? What if Barry can’t see the ones who do because he wanted Len first?

Len had wanted Barry, too. He just didn’t wait for him.

***

“Now, are you sure about this?”

“Are we going to go through this again? Because it was exhausting the first time.”

“Yes,” Len says. “I don’t want to hurt you. I mean, you just did it for the first time about fifteen minutes ago. You have to be sore.”

“Maybe a little …” Barry makes a face when he shifts to the side and a throb in his ass confirms that yes, he is sore. “But not too much. Just … go slow.”

“You know, we don’t have to have sex the way we did before.” Len bends low to Barry’s ear, whispering in that dark, seductive voice that was so startling to Barry when he first heard it, but which sends all sorts of delicious chills up his spine. “I can suck you off. It’ll be just as good. I promise.”

Barry bites his lower lip, tempted by the offer, but confused by the ball of hot and hurt that statement puts in his stomach. He shakes his head. It’s an answer, but it’s also an attempt to brush that ball aside.

“Maybe some other time? I really, really want this. Unless you … you don’t …”

Len rushes forward and collects the end of that sentence in a kiss. “Barry, there won’t ever be a day when I don’t want to make love to you.”

***

“Were any other times awful?” Barry asks while Len wrestles with his conscience.

“A lot of the times were. It’s just an act when you don’t feel anything for the person you’re with.” He raises Barry’s hand to his mouth and kisses it. “It’s better with feelings.”

Barry licks dry lips, chewing around a smile. “Then, why did you keep doing it?”

“Because, physically, it felt good. It’s great for stress relief. And besides, once you have sex, you kind of feel pressure to keep having it, whether you want to or not.”

“Was there ever anyone you were with that you liked? I mean, that you wanted to be boyfriends with?”

Regardless of what Len believes, this is actually the question. The one that fills Barry with fear. Len may have had sex with a lot of kids at Central City High and beyond, but there was one person in particular – Valerie. She was an upperclassman, cheerleader, gymnast, Prom Queen two years in a row, the girl that’s on everyone’s radar. To make matters worse, she wasn’t stuck-up or bitchy. Then Barry could hate her. She was a genuinely sweet girl, had her sites on becoming an investigative journalist, maybe even a D.A. Wanted to take a year off after high school to join the Peace Corps.

If Len could have hit the lottery hooking up with anyone at their school, it was her.

As far as Barry knows, Valerie was the ‘fuck buddy’ Len was with off and on the longest. He loathed the day he’d find out the two of them had decided to make their undercover relationship official. But Valerie graduated last year. They hadn’t heard from her since, and as far as Barry could tell, Len didn’t seem to mourn the loss.

Of course, Len is good at keeping his true feelings hidden, even from Barry.

Barry might be able to overlook the sex if Len didn’t like any of his partners enough to date them. God, that sounds awful, but some of the truest things in life do.

“No,” Len says in a tone that Barry has no reason to doubt. “No one.”

“Really?” Barry asks, because even if he doesn’t doubt him, he needs to make sure.

Len smiles suddenly, looking at Barry with a twinkle in his eyes. “Actually … uh … does today count?”

***

It’s easier entering Barry now that he’s open, that he’s comfortable with being touched. He knows Len’s fingers, knows what they’re going to do. It’s a touch he invites. It doesn’t feel awkward or unnatural now that he knows what to expect. Len uses twice as much lube as before. He knows that Barry’s sore, knows how sore he has to be, even if he’s good at not showing it. If there’s one thing Barry has always been expert at hiding, it’s pain. But now Len can give Barry the experience he’d wanted him to have.

He can look him in the eyes.

He can kiss him on the lips.

He can be face to face with him when he tells him he loves him.

***

“What makes me different?” Barry asks, figuring he’ll give Len a break in the form of an easy question to answer. They’re best friends, have been for close to a decade. They’re comfortable with one another. They’re compatible.

Isn’t there a saying about dating your best friend?

“The difference is …” Len runs a thumb over Barry’s knuckles. He has to keep touching him, has to keep reminding himself that what’s happening is real, that with every question he answers, he gets closer and closer to something he’s wanted for a long time “… I love you, Barry.”

“I love you, too.”

“No. I mean … I love you. I love you more than anyone I’ve ever met. And the idea that you’re going to find someone down the line and … and fall in love with them … make love to them …” Len turns his face to the ceiling, fighting a well of angry tears “… maybe it makes me a hypocrite but, it kills me. Every time I picture it, I want to burn my eyes out. You know?”

Barry could agree. He could admit he feels the same. He could lay on Len’s shoulders the depth of his despair since he began having sex. But he doesn’t want to guilt his best friend. He’s not about to shame him for his choices.

Len has nothing to be ashamed of.

Besides, had Barry been honest with Len earlier, maybe things would be different now.

“Actually, I’m already in love with someone,” Barry confesses. Len’s face falls, but only for a second before Barry scoots a little closer, and Len’s cheeks begin to burn. Barry isn’t used to seeing his best friend blush. He’s beginning to enjoy that shade on him. “I have been for a while now. I just … I never had the courage to tell him.”

“Do you think you might tell him soon?” Len asks, moving with Barry, curling in towards him and wrapping an arm around his waist.

“I think so,” Barry says. “Very, very soon.”

***

“I love you, Len. I … I love you. God!” There’s a freedom in Barry’s voice, a brand new lack of shame when he says, “I’m cumming … oh God …”

“I love you, too,” Len whimpers, speeding his hips to stay in sync with Barry so they can cum together. To think, this entire time, they’d been on basically the same page and never knew it. Well, that stops today. As far as Len is concerned, there isn’t a single thought he has about their relationship that he will keep to himself again.

He pauses to move an inch closer, his pounding having slid him too far down the mattress, to discover that Barry refuses to simply lay docile on the bed. He starts pushing back, meeting Len’s hips thrust for thrust, and that puts Len over the edge.

***

“Do you want to be my boyfriend?” Barry asks. “I mean, we’re going to college next year. Everything could change for us.”

“You’re going to college next year,” Len says bitterly. “Me … I’m never gettin’ out of Central City.”

“You will. I have faith in you.”

“You’re gonna need to have faith for the both of us then.”

“I will. I promise.”

“Yeah? And you always keep your promises.”

“I try, at least.”

“I want to be your boyfriend,” Len admits. “I only want to be with you, but … we can’t be public about it. My dad, if he found out … he seemed fine with me foolin’ around, but if he found out I had someone on the steady, and that it was you … with Joe being a cop and all …”

“I understand.”

“But it shouldn’t have to be that way. You deserve more.”

“I’ll take what I can get. We only have the next few months together. I’m willing to give it a try if you are.”

“I am. And I want to, more than you’ll ever know.”

“Then can you do me a favor?” Barry asks, his stomach quivering like the first time he ever spoke in front of the Greater Minneapolis Science Symposium … or the times he told a disbelieving room full of police officers what really happened to his mother the night she died. But he’s ready to jump into this relationship with both feet, even if his stomach decides to leap out of his mouth and leave him entirely.

“What’s that?” Len asks, curious about Barry’s terms and conditions seeing as he’s outlined his own.

Barry puts a hand to Len’s cheek, pulling him closer, gaze flicking down to his lips, then back to his eyes. “Make love to me again?”

#Coldflash #Leonard Snart #Barry Allen #Frankie writes #cf1bingo2019

[areyouscarletcold]

‘i’m not going to hurt you.’ aka Len is somehow afraid of Barry Pretty please? xo

This is so so so so late for the ‘I love you’ prompts (just got back from my work trip ahh and I’ve done very little writing) but I hope you like it! This got far more angsty than I intended - and maybe out of character so…enjoy?

He really should’ve known better. Should’ve learned his lesson after the first run-in with Bivolo because really, this guy didn’t know when to quit, Rogue or not.

Barry needed to have that chat with Len again about their extracurricular activities, because this was getting out of hand. You’d think someone as smart as Len would be able to keep Bivolo in line.

Though, it might’ve had to do with Mardon as of late, who Len had hinted at being a loose cannon in that “I’m not helping you because I like you but because he’s a pain in both of our asses” sort of manner.

Which was utter bullshit and they both knew it, but hey. Barry was fine playing along if it soothed Len’s ego - and certainly nonexistent heroic streak.

Anyway.

He really should’ve guessed that Mardon and Bivolo were up to something when Cisco rang him about the alert while he was out having coffee with Joe. He’d even assured Joe he had things under control - Cisco, Iris, and Caitlin were already at the ready, they’d been working up a new pair of goggles to combat Bivolo’s powers and it wasn’t as if they hadn’t dealt with the rogue Rogues’ (and wasn’t that a mouthful) shenanigans before.

Barry hadn’t counted on his maybe-not-quite-boyfriend showing up with his sister in tow after Barry’s ass got lit up like a Christmas tree (thank goodness for superspeed healing but fuck, that was going to hurt for a while).

He also didn’t count on Len getting whammied by a flicker of baby blue amidst the streams of cold and taunts thrown on both sides, nor was he prepared for the harsh gasp torn from Len like a punch to the gut as he collapsed and curled in on himself.

Lisa caught the motion at the same moment Barry sped over, something awful churning in his chest that he didn’t want to name, and thankfully didn’t object, gilding Bivolo’s legs to the ground without a backward glance. He made a mental note to give her Cisco’s number later as thanks.

Iris informed him said engineer was on his way, maybe with some frosty back-up to handle Mardon’s not-so-fun flight abilities, and Barry must’ve replied with something because the next thing he knew his comms were off and he was being shoved away by a downright terrified Captain Cold, eyes wider than he’d ever seen them.

It was such an uncharacteristically off expression that the realization hit Barry like a freight train, a comparison he was far too familiar with at this point.

Fuck. They hadn’t even thought about Bivolo being able to manipulate anything aside from anger. Sure, it’d been years so he’d obviously have time for practice but anger was easier to use, so of course he would resort to making people fight each other first.

But anger wouldn’t work when Len was already pissed with Bivolo and Mardon, not when his version of rage was cold, for lack of a better term, and less impulsive than someone like Barry.

Blue, wasn’t it? So, that had to be -

There was that uncomfortable twist in his chest again, more angry than scared this time.

Yeah, he was going to have to give Lisa a hearty thanks later for gilding Bivolo to the road, where he was still shouting at Mardon for a helping hand, or Barry might’ve done worse to the meta himself.

If they weren’t sitting in the middle of the road in front of a gas station - and he could see some civilians pulling out their phones already, which really wasn’t going to help in the end-run - Barry would’ve been tempted to throw back his cowl and try and ease Len with a familiar face. Though, that might not have helped either, given how skittish the man looked, ready to bolt at the first twitch from Barry, good or bad.

Fear. 

Captain Cold, who always had a plan, always kept his composure even when things didn’t go his way, even when the Flash and his crew surprised him… Cold was scared.

Len was scared of him.

Barry swallowed hard, held eye contact with the trembling - Len never trembled, it was all so wrong - man on his ass before him, cold gun at Barry’s feet forgotten by both parties. Len had even lost his usual goggles, probably the only reason he was affected at all, maybe had decided they weren’t worth the trouble for a fight with his own Rogues.

He saw Cisco say something to Lisa out of the corner of his eye, the latter of whom was standing ramrod straight and hadn’t looked away from her brother since he’d been whammied. Mardon was now shouting, the suspicious sound of ice colliding with a few lightposts ringing out over the street.

There were too many people around for this. Len wouldn’t want to be this out in the open, on display with utter terror dancing in his eyes as he shrank back, breathing going shallow.

He caught Lisa’s eye, the unusual uncertainty blazing back at him, and Barry nodded toward Len in askance.

There must’ve been something desperate in his expression, enough for Lisa’s concern to soften ever-so-slightly and nod back, masking her feelings with that sly smirk as she pulled Cisco away to slap some goggles over Bivolo’s eyes.

Barry hated the way Len tensed in his grasp, no matter how gently he grabbed Len’s shoulders and tried to murmur assurances of “Just need to get out of here, it’ll be okay, trust me” under his breath. He could feel the fear radiating off of Len as he ran from the scene, headed straight for the Labs with electricity surging around them.

Iris was used to the mild breeze kicked up by Barry’s heels at this point - had to be, even with the plethora of paperweights Joe and Cecile had gotten them as a joke - and wasted no more than a moment once she spotted Len in Barry’s arms, hurrying for their emergency supplies. One good thing about having to deal with certain Rogues meant having back-ups on hand to reverse or counteract their powers.

Len, however, didn’t appreciate this much and Barry didn’t fight too hard as he pushed out of Barry’s grasp, stumbling against the wall when Barry unthinkingly moved to calm him. There were definitely tears in Len’s eyes now and the very sight made Barry sick.

“Is the flashlight in the infirmary?” Iris called, already halfway there.

“Should be.” Len flinched at the noise and Barry took a deep breath, lowering his hands so he didn’t scare Len further.

He did yank back his cowl now, meeting Len head-on, and he couldn’t help but think this was a sick perversion of their first face-to-face meeting in the woods years prior.

“I’m not going to hurt you,” Barry whispered, his chest aching. “Iris is going to get that flashlight and take away the fear, okay? Everything is going to be okay.”

Len shook his head, still shaking. “N - No,” his voice came out like a half-sob, “can’t… Need to get away. Not safe.”

“Len, I won’t hurt you. I’d never hurt you, not like this,” Barry promised. Still, it hurt knowing the fear was real, felt real to Len, and he’d never once contemplated the idea of Captain Cold being this terrified of him. Bivolo’s power only amplified emotions and…gosh, if this was what Len felt every time they were together… “Iris will be back in a minute and everything will - ”

“No!” Len wedged himself against the wall further though Barry hadn’t budged an inch, his eyes growing wider, an impossible blue that seemed to glow alongside Bivolo’s influence. “No, y - you have to stay away.” He looked like he was ready to start rocking himself, hands clawing at his own parka to find something, anything to hold onto. “I can’t - I can’t… Barry, I can’t - ”

“Hey,” Barry tried to raise his hand, a lump caught in his throat around the apology he wanted to give, but Len just gave him this stare of such horror that he let it fall. “I’m not - whatever you’re feeling right now, it’s - ”

“I can’t hurt you, I can’t.”

Barry froze before he realized what he’d done, heard Iris’s rummaging through drawers halt.

Len sobbed, ragged and so unlike the cool mask he used around the world that it gave Barry whiplash. He pressed one of his knuckles against his mouth, as if trying to muffle his cries.

“One day I’ll - I’ll just…” Len gave a quiet whine and shook his head. “There’s too many chances, I’m not… I’m like him, I’ll fuck it up. If I h - hurt you…”

God, he hadn’t even thought - how could Len think - ?

Even after the whole debacle with Lewis, even after the brief stint in time with the Legends before he’d settled back in Central City, wrecking havoc but controlled havoc, like a child toying with its favorite playthings for a short while…

After those first nights Barry spent checking in on Len after Mick stayed with the Legends, the teasing banter and late nights and accidental flirting - though how accidental could it be with Captain Cold - that led to falling into bed and…

Well, Barry had hoped something more. Not that they’d discussed it or implied anything as such.

But Len’s sobbed declaration, the sincerity and bluntness of his words as if he knew better and maybe wanted -

Oh.

The ache in his chest dislodged itself, loosened only a little, and Barry stepped forward hesitantly. When Len didn’t react, he used the opportunity to edge closer until he was inches away from Len, within reaching distance, though he kept his hands to himself. No matter how badly he wanted to wipe away those tears, pull Len close like he’d never been able to.

“You’re not going to hurt me.” Len made to protest and Barry shook his head, moving his head down so he could catch Len’s face even as he attempted to hide in the fur of his hood. “I mean it. You won’t do that. I know you, you know yourself well enough to know it’s true. Len, you’re better than that.”

“I’m not - ”

Iris’s footsteps slowed behind them and Barry gave a silent thank you for her patience and caution. “You are. You always have been. Isn’t that why you agreed to the deal? Because it’s your city? Because you’re the best at what you do?”

Len’s breathing started to even out, but Bivolo’s influence was no easy thing to shake - Barry knew that all too well - and the man still looked petrified. Barry inched his hand forward, pushing the hood back from Len’s face and felt a rush of relief when Len didn’t recoil.

“If you wanted to hurt me - if you were going to hurt me,” Barry corrected himself when Len winced, “you would have done it long before now. And I think we trust each other enough to know that won’t happen.”

The soft buzz of the shoddy last-minute Anti-Raider flashlight - “The name’s a work in progress,” Cisco had snapped - cut through the air and Len tensed, eyes flitting between Iris and Barry. The vulnerableness of the motion somehow set Barry’s nerves at ease.

Not the situation itself, nor seeing the other so shaken by everything and anyone around him, no. No one should have to experience what Len was in tenfold right now.

It was just them. He just had to keep Len calm.

“Len.” The man glanced at him again, fright still evident in his expression. Barry’s hands brushed the back of Len’s and he hoped the contact was more soothing than terrifying. Given that Len didn’t bolt, it must’ve been the latter.

Though, in retrospect, it did seem like he was caging Len in. 

“We’re going to make the fear go away, alright? We won’t do anything you don’t want.”

It took a long moment, silent and taut with how clear the conflict was tearing Len apart, but neither Iris nor Barry moved, or dared speak. The shake of Len’s hand against his own was far from comforting.

Still, Barry nearly breathed a sigh of relief when Len nodded, a jerky movement that held none of his usual fluidity.

He stepped to the side as Iris let the counter-light flash rapidly, disorienting Len as he leaned back into the wall, but part of him was grateful for the hand still clutching his like a lifeline and couldn’t help but hope.

#coldflash #holysnart #the flash #barry allen #leonard snart #my writing #this took far too long and i'm so sorry it did #but i had a lot of fun writing this before it got...a little long

[letmetellyouthatiloveyou]

Another Paranormal AU - Coldflash

Ghost!Barry is forlorn and acting in a way that is unusual for those in the spirit realm. This catches the attention of Medium!Len, who does not frequently engage with his sixth sense.

This is my shot at a Coldflash Ghost!Barry AU, written for Day 4 of Coldflash Week 2017 B., but I am quite a bit late.

I apologize for any weird auto-correct things in this. I wrote it completely in the notes on my phone.

Read on AO3 here.

Len had been a medium ever since he could remember. The paranormal arts have run in their family for generations. His sister could even walk on the other side if she went deep enough into a trance.

Lisa assures him that he would likely be able to do the same, if he just let himself. Len won’t though. Being aware and in touch with his ability and letting himself succumb to it completely are two different things.

Lately Len had been seeing a lot more spirits. They were obviously the victims of the STAR Labs particle accelerator explosion.

One kept catching his eye though. The young spirit seemed to be clinging on to his human life more so than the others.

He was frequently at Jitters, lingering near a group of cops. He hangs out around Central City Police Department, Central City Picture News, a couple houses in the suburbs, and at an apartment in Lisa’s building most frequently.

Len knew this because after noticing the young man several weeks in a row, he began tracking him, using his ability to hone in on the spirit’s aura and spiritual signature.

This spirit was odd as far as spirits go. Spirits typically don’t stay in one area for long, especially when newly deceased. They also tend to form groups and cause some chaos or unease wherever they are. Not to mention, Central isn’t the usual kind of place that those in the spirit realm enjoy frequenting. There aren’t many old houses or spooky graveyards.

This spirit does not interact with other spirits, nor does he participate in any of the usual hauntings. He’s handsome, with perfect windswept hair and piercing eyes, clearly  young, and, from his aura, Len can tell that he is in a perpetual state of melancholy. Len supposes that the kid hasn’t even tried to communicate with the other spirits in Central.

It makes Len want to help, even though he tries to ignore his abilities more often than not.

“Len,” called Lisa, disrupting his reverie. “You thinking about the cute spirit again?”

Len gave her an exasperated look. He did not want to go over this again.

“I know you are,” she said. “You should really just talk to him, Len. It seems like he could use some help with his transition to the other side.”

“Then why don’t you do it?” Len asked. “You’re more into the medium stuff than I am anyway.”

“You’re the one who’s spending the majority of your time tracking his spiritual signature around the city and going crazy thinking about him,” Lisa replied.

“I am not,” Len said.

“Mm-hm,” Lisa replied with a disapproving stare. “He’s downstairs at the apartment right now. Just go talk to him.”

“And how am I supposed to do that?” Len asked. “Just walk downstairs, knock on the door, say ‘Hi, there’s a spirit in your house and is like to talk with him.’ That’ll go over like a lead baloon. And then what happens if they let me in, which wouldn’t happen, and he just decided not to talk back. No signs no nothing. Then I look like even more insane. Not happening.”

“Just call him up here then,” she suggested.

“Hmph.” Len crossed his arms and adjusted himself on the couch, slouching and looking more petulant than ever.

“I’ll just do it for you then, but you have to talk to him once he comes, and I’m sure he will.”

Lisa immediately began calling to the spirit, before Len had a chance to protest. She closed her eyes and embraced the slight cold feeling that noted the presence of the spirit realm. Without making a sound in the physical realm, she called out in the spirit realm, using what she thought might compel the spirit, for she had been watching him too. His actions were concerning, and when her brother took an interest it was even more reason to pay attention to him. She appealed to the spirit’s humanity,  his loneliness. She mentioned that she and her brother were mediums still deeply rooted in the human realm, and within minutes the young spirit was in her living room.

He was uneasy. He fidgeted and his ever never stayed looking in one place for too long. He was here, though, and that was the aim apparently.

“It’s alright,” Lisa assured. “You’re safe.”

The spirit glanced at Lisa, but her words didn’t seem to calm him.

“You’re okay,” she said. “We’re here to help you.”

Another glance, but still no other response. Lisa looked at Len pointedly.

Len sighed before he spoke. “Look kid, you’re behaving very strangely for someone recently crossed over, and we just want to help if we can. It’s not our usual M. O., but we’ve taken an interest in you, so you can take our help, or leave it.”

The kid’s eyes landed and locked on Len. There was a moment of silence before he spoke.

“You both can actually see me?” He asked, looking between Lisa and Len.

“That we can,” replied Len.

“We’re mediums,” Lisa explained, answering the next question before it could leave the spirit’s mouth. “We’ve been able to see your kind since we were young. I’ve even gone so far as to walk in the spirit realm.”

“Then you can help me,” the spirit said on an excited rush. “You can help me to contact my family and friends.”

Len loved the way the spirit’s melancholy disposition completely turned around. He seemed so lively and hopeful. His grin could light up a thousan cities. Len hated to be the one to take that hope away from him.

“Hold on there kid,” Len said. “That’s a dangerous game, for many reasons. One, people don’t tend to believe in such a thing as the spirit realm these days. Did you believe before you crossed over?”

The spirit shook his head. He already looked dejected again.

“That leads me to believe that your friends and family wouldn’t either,” Len said. “Two, due to the lack of belief, mediums are seen as hoaxes and vultures who prey on those who are grieving. Three, our lifestyle choices do not make us well received in common society. Can you guess what we do?” Len gestured around the nearly empty apartment, which clearly looked like a typical safe house would in a TV  show or movie.

The kid grimaced. “I know who you are,” he said. “I worked for the CCPD when I was alive.”

Len he held the kid’s gaze with a straight stare.  Of course. The one spirit who happened to catch his eye would have to be a badge.

“Then why do you want us to help you?” Len asked.

The spirit curled in on himself under Len’s gaze. He turned to Lisa.

“I just wanted to talk with them again, and tell them I’m not leaving them” he said quietly.

“Why don’t you want to leave them, sweetheart?” Lisa asked gently.

“I just can’t leave them,” he said. “They made my life bearable, and I’d hate to lose them because I’m the one who left.”

“I hate to break it to you kid, but you’re already gone,” Len commented. “You’re in the afterlife already. You’re friends and family will have to get along without you, and you’ll have to get along without them.”

If a spirit could cry, this one would be crying right now with how forlorn he looks. Lisa glared at Len again.

“But you’ll see them again, "she assured. "They’ll come to the spirit realm eventually, and you can search for them there. It may take you a while to find them, but I know that families  have reconnected on your plane of existence. You can also make new friends in the spirit realm. You may have to travel a bit to do it, but it can happen.”

“Thats not much help,” the the spirit said after a moment. “Hopefully it will be year before any of my family or friends end up here, and I won’t know when they do. I’ve never been good at making new friends, and Central is my home.  I’ve never wanted to leave it.”

Len rolled his eyes. This was getting ridiculous.

“You’re just impossible.” Len said. “Here we are trying to reassure you and give you solutions, but you shoot all of them down. It’s like you’re actively trying to make yourself miserable.”

The spirit frowned.

Lisa cast a cautious glance at her brother. She knew he would hate her idea, but she thought it might be good for him.

“Well, if you’re so intent on staying in Central,” she said, “then we could be your friends.”

If looks could kill, Lisa would be dead by the one her brother gave her, but if looks could resurrect, Lisa would be alive again based on the one from the spirit. “Really?” the spirit asked excitedly. “I don’t want to be lonely, but you’re the only people, alive otherwise who have shown any interest in  talking to me.”

“A cutie like you?” Lisa asked, “How could anyone ignore someone as cute and handsome as you?”

Len swore that the spirit blush, which he didn’t even think was possible until that moment.

“Yeah kid, we’ll keep you,” Len said.

He may hate Lisa for suggesting it, but the kid could definitely use a friend, and maybe they could get him to do some haunting or gather intel for heists, but that was a definite maybe due to that CCPD background.

The spirit looked excited and hopeful. The grin on his face definitely made the decision worth it in Len’s mind. He knew that he would do whatever he could to make sure that smile stayed on the young spirit’s face.

“But,” Len said raising a finger to make it seem like there was a big condition on yhe arrangement, “we’ll need your name.”

“It’s Barry,” the spirit said quickly, “short for Bartholomew.”

Lisa jumped in to introduce herself. “Lisa, although you already know that.”

“Hello Barry, Len said, "You can call me Len.”

#coldflash #coldflashweek2017b #barry allen/leonard snart #paranormal au #ghost!au

[stillthewordgirl]

LOT/CC fic: Kruos (ch. 4 of 5)

What if...the Time Masters took Leonard to be a Time Master instead of Mick?

Thanks again to @larielromeniel for the beta! Can also be read here at AO3 or here at FF.net.

“Gideon says you're not sleeping."

Leonard had risen to get the deck of cards when she’d walked in, but at her words, he sighs and sinks back to his bed, slumping against the wall and watching Sara through hooded eyes.

“Gideon,” he says, “talks too much.”

Gideon, fortunately, doesn’t decide to distract them by refuting that. He doesn’t tell her to leave (not that she has any intention of doing so), so Sara walks over and settles at the other end of the bed, watching him. She doesn’t speak, and finally, he sighs again.

"Don't like to sleep,” he mumbles. “Too many dreams. And that's when...he...threatens to come out."

Gideon has said Leonard’s brain scans are fine. “Does he really, or are you just dreaming about it?”

He shrugs, a bit irritably, but looks away, a true Leonard Snart tell. Sara supposes it really doesn’t matter, not when it comes to her goals.

“I know what it’s like, you know,” she says, holding up a hand when he tries to interrupt her, “having something inside you’re not sure you’re able to control, something you’re deathly afraid of.” She shifts a little to face him. “The first weeks—and months--after I started getting the bloodlust under control, it was like that. Mediation helped, sometimes.”

She looks at him expectantly—and takes it as a win when he doesn’t dismiss it out of hand. Instead, after a moment, she gets a blink, a smirk, and a shrug.

“Me, meditating?” he drawls. “Sure, why not?” She makes suggestions about how to sit, which he accepts with equanimity, then about how to how to breathe and what, perhaps, to concentrate on (or not). Then they simply sit there for a while, eyes closed, and Sara’s pleased to hear his breath even a little, just a little, before they open their eyes to look at each other again.

"Better?" she asks.

He considers for a moment, then gives a brief nod. Then a corner of his mouth turns up slightly. “Never tell Mick.”

“No worries.”

It's a rare moment of utter peace for the two of them, and maybe that's why she impulsively speaks again. "Would you like me to stay tonight?"

Leonard's eyes flicker at her. He stretches one leg out in front of himself, foot brushing her knee, then another.

"Is that a proposition, Sara?" he says smoothly after a moment.

"Depends. Do you think it would help?"

His expression really is quite amusing. But after a moment, it hardens, closes off.

"No," he says shortly, looking away. "Not just because I... because the Time Bastards fucked with my head."

They both ignore the implication that in another circumstance, he'd feel differently. Sara just shakes her head.

"I'm really just thinking about contact," she says gently. "Can’t imagine… Kruos… had much of that, over however long you were him. Might help remind you that you’re you.”

Leonard licks his lips, looking rather more unnerved by the idea of simple human contact than if she'd been openly propositioning him.

“I haven't been precisely..." He searches for a word, shrugs. "...overly fond of that myself. I'm...picky."

"Not the impression I got."

"Different kind of picky."

"Enough banter. Do you want me to stay here tonight, or not?”

The silence stretches as they stare at each other.

"Yes," he says, then shakes his head. "No. What if I..."

"Mr. Snart's brain waves are agitated, but not in the manner that indicates a... a breakout," Gideon informs them promptly. "His heart rate is also up. More consistent with..."

"Thank you, Gideon." She continues to stare at Leonard, who is, again, looking anywhere but at her. "You're not going to hurt me, Len."

"How do you know?

"Because, one, I can kick your ass. Because, two, you're more Leonard Snart than Kruos. Far, far more. And I trust Leonard Snart."

Those simple words bring the shutters down. "You shouldn't,” he tells her, eyes staring at something only he can see. “You shouldn’t.”

And that's that.

For the moment.

It’s only a few hours later when Gideon wakes her, the AI’s tone concerned and low.

“Ms. Lance, I’m sorry, but Mr. Snart…”

On some level, she’d been expecting this call. Sara rolls out of bed, landing on her feet and heading for the door. (She’d stopped sleeping naked within the first few days on the Waverider; it truly wasn’t a good idea on a ship on which chaos could break out at any moment. Stein still can't look her in the eye at times.) “What?”

“His brain scans are fine, or I would be rousing more than you.” The AI’s voice hushes much more as Sara steps into the hallway and heads off at a run for Leonard’s room. “But he is very agitated and I am concerned that he may injure himself.”

When Leonard’s door slides open at her approach (Gideon anticipating her arrival), Sara can’t help shuddering at the strangled noise that’s emitting from the room. She ducks in, the door closing behind her, and takes in the scene at a glance.

Leonard is curled on the bed, sitting more or less upright, arms curled over his head, hands curled into fists, shuddering so hard she’d almost think he's having a seizure of some kind. His breath is coming in great gasps, and each one sounds painful. Sara hesitates only a moment, then moves forward quickly, whispering his name as she does, just in case he can hear her.

He doesn't seem to, but neither does he react when she perches on the edge of the bed, hesitating only another moment before she reaches out and grasps a forearm.

She expects him to lash out (and is ready for it), but he doesn't, although his whole body contracts again.

"Leonard! Len! It's Sara." She wraps the fingers of her other hand around his other forearm, runs her thumbs gently down his wrists. "You're on the Waverider. You're dreaming. You're safe." Taking a guess, she says: "She's safe."

He freezes. Then, numbly: "Sara."

"Yes, Len."

"But I..." Leonard lifts his head, then, and Sara can see reddened, haunted eyes, staring at her like she's an apparition. She starts to reach out to touch his face, then stops, letting him speak.

"I killed Lisa," he tells her numbly. "Snapped her neck, just like our father used to threaten to. And Mick. Froze him, shattered him. And Barry."

"Barry Allen?" She'd known Leonard and the Flash had had a relationship that was...unique for crook and nemesis. Len had been so pleased that she'd already known his identity so he could "complain" about the man.

"And..." His eyes fix on her face, and he shudders again, but this time seems different. Relief, rather than horror. "Sara."

"Len."

"You're OK."

"I'm fine. You're not. C'mere." She tugs him toward her even as she moves toward him, and they somehow wind up leaning into each other...OK, somewhat intertwined... there in the middle of his bed.

It should be uncomfortable, she thinks, but it's not, and she runs a hand up and down his back, trying to soothe, marveling that he's allowing this contact. It should also be... well. She's more or less straddling him, a knee on either side of his hips, and it would be extremely distracting if he wasn't still in such distress.

Leonard's breathing slows, gradually, and eventually he sighs, shoulders rising and falling as he lifts a hand, resting it against her back. (Sara stifles a shudder, and not a bad one.) She can't see his face; his right cheek's tucked against her hair and she's breathing against his collarbone.

"A dream," he says finally, voice still sounding a little numb.

"MmHmm. A nightmare, rather." The muscles of his back are still tense in a way that makes her wince in sympathy, and she brings up her other hand to start kneading them a little. "Has that happened every..."

"...night since I've been out of the brig. And some of the nights before that, in the beginning."

"Why the hell didn't you tell me, tell anyone, how bad it had gotten?" She can't quite keep the irritation out of her voice and he flinches.

"And remind everyone what I used to be?" he shoots back. "No thanks. Going back in the brig might have helped, but... same." Another shrug, muscles moving under her fingertips. "My battle to fight."

"You idiot," she whispers to him. "You should have let me try to help more. Should have..."

At first, it's more proximity than intent that's responsible for what happens next. He looks down at her just as she tilts her head to look up, and…and they’re so close, then, lips already brushing, that it seems foolish not to just…move in a tiny bit, put some intent into it…let her tongue brush his bottom lip, tilt her head just a little.

She can feel Len sigh again, but then he’s moved microscopically closer too, and their noses bump, and…just like that, it’s a real kiss, a tentative and careful one, yes, but a kiss. After few moments of slow exploration, they both lean in a little more and things heat up, get a little more focused. His hands settle at her hips, pulling her closer and drawing an indrawn breath, while her hands slide up to his shoulders and curve there.

After a few more moments, Leonard pulls back, just a little, and stares at her, and there’s this look in his eyes. Wonder, she’d almost call it, and she sure as hell doesn’t know what she’s done to deserve that, but…

Then he yawns. Hugely.

And promptly looks more mortified than she’s ever seen another human being look in her life.

Sara, for her part, laughs. It’s a start, she thinks a bit giddily, and that’s enough for now.

"Have you slept at all since you're been out of the brig?" she asks him.

"No," Gideon says helpfully. Len groans, and rolls his eyes at the ceiling.

“Traitor,” he mutters.

“Whoever said I was on your side, Mr. Snart?”

“Thank you, Gideon!” Sara says, raising her voice to drown out Leonard’s rejoinder, then gives him one more quick kiss, pushing him back down to the bed as she rolls off to the side.

"Get some sleep," she tells him, watching him pillow his head on an arm as she lies down next to him, not quite touching, but close. "I'll stay."

He raises a meaningful eyebrow at her even as his eyelids are drifting shut, and Sara reflects with amusement that the return of the innuendo, even silent and implied, is a good sign.

“And… in the morning…?”

“In the morning…” She smiles a little to herself as she asks Gideon to lower the lights just a little more. “…we’ll see.”

He can't say he doesn't wake, in the night. He does, the nightmares and dreams coming to linger in the dark corners and harry him toward distress or wakefulness.

But each and every time, Sara seems to know. He semi-wakes to find her fingers wrapped around his, anchoring him, her voice murmuring that he's OK, that he's here, not there, and that everyone is safe...or at least safe from him. Sometimes he's barely surfaced from sleep when that gentle reassurance settles in, and he subsides back down into slumber without even a word. Sometimes it takes a few more minutes to calm his breathing and his racing heart. But she's there...and it helps.

It's a choppy sleep...but it's the best night he's had in a long, long while.

Of course, they’re woken—now tangled together, Sara’s cheek on Len’s upper arm, Len’s other arm thrown around her—by Gideon the next morning, as the AI cheerfully lets everyone know that they’re readying to make the final jump to their destination.

Only Mick sees them both leave Leonard’s room, and stops dead in his tracks, a grin spreading over his face. Sara, smiling, leaves Leonard to deal with it as she darts down the hall to change in her own room. The pair are both on the bridge by the time she arrives, and Mick leers at her (she smirks back) and Leonard rolls his eyes and it's a surprise no one else notices as they all strap in and prepare to jump.

And then they’re out into London, 2166, and, once again… it all goes to hell.

Neither of them are at their best when, so many hours later, they’re alone again.

Sara hates to admit it, but it’s her turn to be tired. The League had taught her how to go days without sleep, but she's out of practice—and that training applied more to nights spent thoroughly sleepless, on guard, on a hair-trigger, watching a mark and waiting for the right moment. Not a night spent warm and comfortable, stretched out in bed with a man she wants, but can't have now, on alert for distress more than danger.

She thinks, at least, that it’d helped him.

Rips drags the three of them out immediately, after Savage, and that's OK. She can cope. They're "made," as Snart puts it, and she can handle that, too.

She can handle Savage’s daughter. She can handle a crash landing. She can handle teaching Kendra to fight with a friggin’ bracelet—sort of. She can handle Leviathan, and Ray going giant, and going after Savage yet again. She can even handle Kendra refusing to kill Savage when she could have ended this. Whole. Damned. Thing.

But she can't figure out why Leonard "kill the little rat" Snart has gravitated so immediately and thoroughly to Cassandra fuckin’ Savage.

And it’s sort of pissing her off.

Pacing the battered ship to work off the sort of restless energy that comes with a particular sort of fatigue, she comes across him in the galley, leaning over the counter, eyes closed, a cup of coffee cradled in those long-fingered hands. He doesn’t even open his eyes when she walks in.

She means to ask how he’s doing. She means to get her own coffee and lean next to him, taking heart from companionship and warmth.

Instead she opens her mouth and what comes out is:

"Cassandra Savage? Really, Len?"

He opens unfocused eyes, stares at her...and then blinks, gaze clearing. "What?"

“Cassandra Savage? You know, the daughter of the man we’re trying to kill?”

He reaches up to rub his eyes, an unrehearsed gesture that seems rather unlike him. “I repeat…what? Sara…are you OK?”

“You know.” She leans against the other side of the counter. “ ‘Cassie.’"

"What about her?" He's frowning at her, now, a classic irritated Snart scowl, and it takes her back to their earlier days on this ship, before Russia and "Chosen" and Kruos. In her tired state, that just serves to irritate her further.

"You're not usually one to encourage...fraternization with the enemy," she shoots back. "What did you think you were doing?"

"What?" he says, yet again, this time with incredulity in his voice. "We needed information. I got it. You..." He points at her. "...were even the one who pointed out she’d know the details of his defenses.”

"Yeah, well, I didn't think you'd go have a 'heart to heart' with the devil's daughter." She snorts. "Mick suggested sending a finger."

"And you think that is better? Tort..." He shudders then, in the way she associates with memories of his time as Kruos, but keeps going. "Between the whole 'evil dad' thing and the fact that I’ve been…under the influence of something pretty damned awful myself more recently, I thought maybe I could get through." He glares at her. "And I did. How is that a bad thing?"

"It's not."

All the fatigue-born irritation had gone right out of her when he'd nearly said "torture," the reminder of what the Time Masters put him through, most of which he hasn’t even talked about yet. Of course he'd recoil from that. Of course he might identify with this brainwashed child of a crappy father.

She scrubs a hand over her face and sighs, looking back at him. "Forget I said anything, OK?"

Leonard's still looking at her, but his expression is now more puzzled now than anything else. "You all right?" He clears his throat. "I was looking for you. Ah...wondered if the offer still stood. To stay. Because maybe you'd prefer your room? Or…”

He'd been looking for her. While she'd assumed he was still closeted with "Cassie." She's been tired and silly and... damn, she's tired.

She closes her eyes (just for a moment, really) and when she opens them, Leonard now looks...amused?

“Saaaara.” There’s a smirk hovering around his mouth as he leans forward again, closer to her. “Were you…jealous?”

There’s a lightness to her heart that there wasn’t a moment ago, but that’s not quite it. “No,” she says wearily, leaning over the counter a little more herself. “Not really. I just…”

"You were jealous." Smugness suffuses his tone.

"I was not!"

But then he leans just a little farther--and kisses her.

Sara spares one second of concern for their presence in a public space—and then she’s kissing him back, both of them leaning over the counter at a remarkably awkward angle that doesn’t really manage to deter either one of them at all.

After a few heated moments, Sara breaks off the kiss, eyeing Leonard as she tries to decide whether she’s up to doing something as juvenile as sliding over the counter to him or if she should just walk. She starts to say something suggestive…

And yawns.

Leonard laughs, a low sound full of understanding.

"Come on, Canary," he says quietly. "Let's go to bed."

#captain canary #kruos #sara lance #leonard snart #legends of tomorrow

[flabbergabst]

Captain Canary Series: Against the Wind (13/13)

@audiovizualna​​ has been providing amazing illustrations since the first chapter half a year ago. This epilogue’s illustration is hers too and it could be viewed HERE or click this > https://audiovizualna.tumblr.com/image/159672933839

Check it out to be able to visualize a scene in the story!

Story is also available in AO3 + precious chapters’ links available below: 

Against The Wind Series

Epilogue

(Set a few years after. Warning: Extreme fluff.)

“I don’t like her, Len,” Sara said, chopping the vegetables she had just washed.

Leonard chuckled and wiped his hands on the kitchen rag. “You haven’t even met her yet. You already agreed to Luke going on a date with this girl, so let him.”

“She’s not good enough for him.”

“Honey, in your eyes, nobody is ever good enough for Luke. He’s 16. He’s bound to go to dates.”

Sara groaned, making Leonard laugh.

“Is Mom still against my date with Steph?” Luke popped into the kitchen, wearing long sleeves, the scent of cologne filling the air. 

Leonard looked towards his son and had a head-to-toe sweep of how he prepared for his date. He then turned to face Sara, wiggling his eyebrows to tease her.

“I’m not against it, Lucky. I’m just protective of you,” Sara replied, wiping her hands on her apron and walked close to her son. “Sweetie, you look handsome but why are you drowning in cologne? How long is this date going to last? Three weeks?”

“Too protective,” Leonard immediately supplied and winked at Sara. “You have your things ready, kid?”

Luke laughed, fully knowing that his mother could sometimes be irrationally protective of the three of them. Still very sweet of her. “Yup. Where will Uncle Mick pick me up again?”

“STAR Labs parking lot after your date,” Leonard replied, getting a slice of carrot from the chopping board. “Make sure he doesn’t see you with your date or you’ll never hear the end of it.”

Luke nodded and did the same--got a carrot from behind Sara’s back.

“And your Mom has eyes everywhere,” Leonard replied. “For all we know, Mick’s her spy.”

“Yes, he is,” Sara said from afar.

 “Moooooooooooom!”

“No yelling in this house, Lily,” Leonard said from down the staircase. “Come down if you need anything.”

They heard fast footsteps coming down from the second floor of their house and rushing to the kitchen where Sara, Leonard, and Luke are.

“Mom, I think I lost my Judo uniform,” Lily said as she tied her hair into a ponytail. “I looked all over my room but it wasn’t there. I’m already running late for practice.”

“Have you searched for it at Lucy’s room? Maybe I placed it there,” Sara replied, too busy to even look at Lily. “Please hurry up. Your Aunt Lisa texted saying she and your cousin are already on their way to the practice.”

Lily slumped on the stool near the kitchen island. “I don’t know why I still have to go to Judo practice, Mom. You could just teach me and Leona. I’ve seen you do more advanced moves than our instructor.”

“Yes but your Uncle Cisco wants his daughter to have a normal childhood and prefers a mediocre instructor over a real-life ninja,” Sara replied finally facing Lily and tucking in the stray hair that fell on the 14-year old’s angelic face. “And it doesn’t help that his daughter is named after your father. Now go, young lady!”

Lily giggled and hopped off the stool. She then dashed passed them and up to her sister’s room.

 Luke stalled to the living room, checking his phone for the time, and left Leonard and Sara in the kitchen.

“So,” Leonard drawled, leaning onto the kitchen island. “Mick is taking Luke to 1975 and Lisa is picking Lily up after Judo. We’re gonna drive Lucy to their house to join the girls’ sleepover and…where does that leave us?”

“We’re going to clean the house,” Sara jokingly replied.

Leonard raised an eyebrow. “In that case, I’m out. Maybe Mick needs help on the ship…”

“I’m kidding, you idiot. It’s our anniversary. We’ll…”

“Mommy?” 

The couple looked at the doorway and saw their youngest—nine-year old Lucy. Unlike the curious Luke and the fierce Lily, Lucy grew up shy. Being the youngest, the attention of the family all went to her but it never made her grow up spoiled. She’s the sweetest of them all, always giving hugs and kisses to everyone she meets. She speaks softly, always gracious. Born after a crazy moment in the couple’s life, Lucy never seemed to carry the chaos that led to her birth. She became a ray of sunshine for them—a symbol of hope, even.

“Yes, Lulu?”

Lucy walked closer to them slowly. Once at arm’s reach, Leonard lifter the little girl up and sat her on the counter.

The little girl is clutching a folded paper on one hand and handed it to Leonard.

“I made a drawing.”

It was a drawing of their house with the five of them outside, holding hands. Each of the five figures is labeled with their names below them. On the upper right is a disc-like image and underneath it was the name “Uncle Mick”—probably the Waverider.

“This is beautiful, baby. Do you want me to stick it on the fridge?” Sara asked, smoothing the creases on the paper.

Instead of speaking, Lucy just shook her head and pointed on the small brown figure she drew beside her figure. “Please, Mama?”

A dog.

Leonard smirked and looked at Sara. They’ve been asked by Luke and Lily if they can have a dog for the longest time but they haven’t gotten to decide about that. There were other things to take care of back then.

But this time, it was Lucy asking them. And Leonard chuckled at the thought of Luke and Lily manipulating their baby sister into asking him and his wife for a dog.

“You want a puppy, sweet-cheeks?”

The kid’s cheeks blushed and she brought her hands to her face. “Yes, Mama.”

“Well, I don’t know about that, sweet. Your dad has allergies…”

“But we’ll make it work,” Leonard finished Sara’s sentence. In return, Sara’s eyes brightened. “As long as my baby’s happy, right?”

Lucy immediately landed a wet kiss on her father’s cheek, and then to her mother. “Thank you, Daddy. Put me down now, please?”

And Leonard did. He ran his hand through Lucy’s chestnut-colored hair and kissed the top of her head, then asked her to go back to what she’s doing.

 The moment Lucy went out of the kitchen, Luke and Lily were waiting outside, side-by-side.

“Hey Lue, so what did they say?” Lily crouched down to meet Lucy’s eye.

Luke did the same and laid a hand on the little girl’s shoulder. “We’re getting a dog, right?”

To their surprise, Leonard and Sara were looking at them, laughing to themselves.

Lucy bit her lower lip and looked to the floor, making Lily frown.

“Daddy said yes,” Lucy said softly, grinning now.

Cheers from the two older kids erupted and only stopped when Leonard cleared his throat.

“I knew you two were the masterminds,” Len said, grabbing his car keys from his back pocket.

“Lily started it,” Luke said, pointing at his sister, and then grabbed his travel bag.

“And using your baby sister to get what you want? Classic,” Sara responded, removing her apron and placing it on the door handle. “Go on, you three. Take care and come back home safe, okay?”

“Yes, Mom!” Lily said, walking closer to Sara to give her a kiss on the cheek. “I still think you should convince Uncle Cisco that you’ll train us for free.”

“I’ll try. Kick ass, okay? Well, not literally. Please don’t hurt other kids like you did last week with Helen’s daughter.”

“She deserved it!” Lily shouted back as she ran outside to get in their car.

Luke approached Sara next, fidgeting. “Gotta go, Mom. Wish me luck. Don’t worry, I’ll introduce her to you if I get a second date. Steph’s not that bad.”

“I know, Lucky. You wouldn’t like her if she’s not a great girl,” Sara said, placing a kiss on her son’s forehead. “Just have fun, okay? Make her smile. See you in a few days.”

Luke, too, walked outside after kissing the top of Lucy’s head as a goodbye.

It was then Leonard’s turn to say goodbye to Sara before they go. Knowing that Lucy is near them, Leonard settled with a chaste kiss on her lips. Sara snaked an arm around Len’s waist with her free hand stroking his chin, her palm getting tickled by the beard he’s sporting. “Get home fast, alright?”

“Judo practice in the studio in 6th Street, Luke’s date in Jitters, then home. Promise,” Leonard replied and kissed her once more, then Lucy.

---

“Seatbelts,” Leonard said, starting the car.

“Seatbelts on!” both of the kids replied.

The radio is on, reporting how Kid Flash just stopped a robbery. In the middle of the newscast, Lily spoke up.

“Do you miss it, Dad? Going in on missions and kicking bad guys’ asses?”

Leonard looked at the rear-view mirror to see Lily’s bright blue eyes. “Not really,” he answered. “It’s not that much fun since your mom and I had Luke. There’s always the risk of getting hurt or of dying. When you have a family, all that you want is to return home safe and sound. Besides, there’s more thrill in playing Uno with you three and playing cards with your mother than hunting down criminals. The speedsters can take care of them.”

“And Dad seems to enjoy his job at STAR Labs,” Luke added, winking at Lily.

Lily laughed. “Of course he does. He works with his wife and it’s not like a job at all.”

“If your mother hears you two teasing us, you’ll both get grounded. Again.”

It took a few more minutes before they reached the Judo studio. The Snart men dropped Lily off and drove for a couple more minutes to reach Jitters.

 “You ready, bud?” Leonard asked Luke when he saw his son checking his phone again.

Luke smirked and ran his hand through his hair. “Kinda nervous, to be honest.”

“You? Nervous? That rarely happens,” Leonard said. They’re almost at Jitters with 20 more minutes before the time of Luke’s date. Of course they have to arrive early. Leonard parked the car at the roadside, giving time to speak to Luke before he goes in.

“I really like her, dad,” Luke finally spoke. “She’s smart and kind and funny and really, really beautiful. I don’t even know what I did for her to say yes to this date.”

“Look at you, Luke. You look exactly like me when I was younger. You’re as handsome as I am. Any girl would say yes to a date with you,” Leonard joked, the two of them laughing.

“But to be honest,” Len said on a serious note, “that’s exactly how I felt the first time I asked your mom out. She’s beautiful and badass and she can have any man or woman she wants, yet she took a chance on me.”

“Mom really loves you, Dad. That’s why she said yes to you.”

“I know, Lucky. But it took me so long to convince myself that we were bound to be together. Or that I deserve what I have with her. I used to wait for the worst things to happen in replacement for all the happiness she brings in my life. But you’re a good kid, Luke. You deserve happiness and if this girl makes you happy, don’t hesitate,” Leonard said, looking at Luke who just exhaled a heavy breath out of his chest.

“I will, Dad,” Luke said with a familiar smirk. “Any more advice?”

Leonard leaned on the headrest of his seat and lifted a finger to count off the things he wants to remind his son.

“Open doors for her. Help her get into her seat. Offer to pay for her order,” Leonard said as-a-matter-of-factly.

Luke scoffed. “I already know that, Dad. You’ve been telling me pretty much ever since my age became two digits.”

“Just don’t do to her what you don’t want your sisters’ dates to do to them,” Leonard replied. “You know what your mother does to men who make women suffer. We raised you right, although our lives are pretty crazy. I trust you’ll do what’s right. Just make her happy, Lucky.“

“I think I can do the last one,” Luke told his father. “I have seen you make Mom happy for sixteen years. I’ve got some tips.”

“Of course you did,” Leonard replied. “Don’t forget, Mick’s picking you up after. Don’t get in too much trouble, you two. I don’t want to form an elite group of heroes and villains to help me save your asses.”

Luke laughed, “I promise, Dad. And I’ll take good care of the Cold Gun. Promise.”

“If you break that, you’re grounded ‘till you’re 30.”

---

“The recipe says carrots first, then onions and garlic, Mommy,” Lucy said as she read from the recipe book while seated on the kitchen island. “Then oregano and salt and pepper.”

“Okay, I got that going, and the meat is in the pressure cooker,” Sara replied, taking off her apron and placing it on the counter. “And now, we wait.”

Lucy’s feet were dangling on the edge, swinging back and forth. “Question, Mommy. Lily looks like you. And Luke looks like Daddy. Who do I look like?”

Sara brought her hands to the girl’s cheek and caressed it. “You look like the both of us, with a hint of Aunt Lisa. Oh, how pretty my little girl is.”

“Another question!”

“What is it?”

“Why do we all start with ‘L’? Why do you start with ‘S’?” the kid asked curiously, a cute little wrinkle forming on her forehead.

Sara couldn’t help but laugh. Leonard insisted that they don’t need to give their kids names that start with ‘L’, but Sara was too pushy.

“Well, sweet, it started with your daddy and Aunt Lisa. I just thought it would be a start of a tradition to name you three with names starting in that letter. Even Leona starts with ‘L’,” Sara said, wrapping her arms around the little girl. “It is to remind your daddy that he is a very important part of all three of you and that you will always carry something in you that are of Leonard.”

“Is the dinner for Daddy?”

“Mhm. For our anniversary celebration,” Sara replied, finally standing to check on the meal being cooked. “That is why when Daddy gets home, he’ll drive you to Aunt Lisa’s. You’ll spend the night and have sleepover with your sister and cousin.”

Silently, Lucy asked, “Why can’t we join the celebration?”

Sara just wanted to have a night alone with Leonard. She’s wanted to have that for a long time, but of course she doesn’t have the heart to tell her daughter. Instead, she leaned over, kissed the little girl on the forehead and carried on with her cooking.

---

Leonard arrived home with the sight of little Lucy carrying her yellow backpack, all smiles and ready to leave. The kid kissed Sara goodbye and took Leonard’s hand, dragging him to the car.

“20 minutes,” Len mouthed to Sara as he opens the car door. Sara nodded in response.

Ninja skills being put to good use, she swiftly took a bath, put on a Persian blue dress she bought especially for this occasion, put on light make up, set the table, and put on old-school music.

Sara heard the door open and when she welcomed the person entering, she saw Leonard with the playful smirk on his face, holding calla lilies on a bouquet.

“How dashing,” Sara said, taking the flowers from him. “Come on, dinner’s ready.”

“First…” Leonard pulled her in for a kiss that lasted so long that they needed to break away from each other to breathe. “Dinner?”

 ---

The couple spent time talking about many different things over dinner:

“No, you said ‘I love you’ first!”

“You said it first. We were in Germany 1984 and you were drunk. That’s counted.”

 “You wanted to name our kid ‘Jar Jar’ just to annoy me.”

“Maybe we could name our dog that.”

“I totally forgot we agreed to get a dog.”

 “How do you think Luke’s date went?”

“Amazing, for sure. Anyone would be lucky to go on a date with my son.”

 “You remember when Luke was 3 and he saw you use the Cold Gun for the first time ever to make ice and then we just decided to tell him our other job?”

“I didn’t know if he was appalled or impressed.”

“Definitely impressed. He wouldn’t stop asking to borrow your gun for over a month.”

 “I bet you can still drink me under the table.”

“No, we’re not going to a pub this late.”

“Why the hell not?”

“We’re too damn old for hard liquors, Len.”

“Too old? Come on, you still look like thirty.”

 “Wanna dance, Leonard?”

“You go right ahead. I’ll clean the table.”

“Suit yourself.”

 --

Dinner was over and music continued to play. Len brought their plates to the kitchen while Sara swayed to the soft ballad filling their living room.

I met you in the dark, you lit me up You made me feel as though I was enough We danced the night away, we drank too much I held your hair back when You were throwing up

She closed her eyes as she felt his hands sliding on her hips. “Classic James Arthur, 2016. Nice choice,” the deep voice whispered on her ear.

“Am I getting my dance now?” Sara asked, turning around and placing her hands on his shoulders.

“Not letting this pass.”

Then you smiled over your shoulder For a minute, I was stone-cold sober I pulled you closer to my chest And you asked me to stay over I said, I already told ya I think that you should get some rest

Leonard pulled her closer by the waist and so did she with her arms around his neck. Sara could feel both the tickle his beard is giving, as well as his deep breaths.

“You’re not crying, are you?” Sara softly mocked.

I knew I loved you then But you'd never know 'Cause I played it cool when I was scared of letting go

“I’m Captain Cold. I don’t cry,” Leonard replied, chuckling behind her ear.

“Oh really? Let’s see…” Sara stepped away slightly to look at his face. “There’s when you first saw me after we got you from the Legion. When you proposed. When we exchanged vows. When we found out I was pregnant the first time. And the second time. And the third time. During Luke’s first school recognition. Lily’s first injury. Lucy’s singing contest. I could go on forever, you know?”

I know I needed you But I never showed But I wanna stay with you until we're grey and old Just say you won't let go Just say you won't let go

“Point taken,” Leonard replied, kissing the crook of her neck. “Happy anniversary.”

“Eighteen years,” Sara said. “Who would’ve thought?”

I'll wake you up with some breakfast in bed I'll bring you coffee with a kiss on your head

Leonard ran his left hand on Sara’s back, his right massaging the back of her neck.

“Now this is something my father could never take away from me,” he said, chin leaning on her shoulder as she ran circles on his back.

“You’ve lived a life different from the one he lived, Len. I’m proud of you for that. You should take pride in it too. Not everyone gets to be this happy.”

And I'll take the kids to school Wave them goodbye And I'll thank my lucky stars for that night

“You know, Lucky and Lil made a jab on us earlier,” Leonard said, suddenly reminded of the car ride earlier. “Kinda implied that I’m enjoying my job just because I have someone to flirt with at work.”

“It’s true though. You flirt with me so much that even Caitlyn threatened to kick us out of STAR Labs.”

“What’s new? I’ve been flirting with you for two decades now.”

When you looked over your shoulder For a minute, I forget that I'm older I wanna dance with you right now

Sara chuckled. “God, we’ve been together for two decades? I really am growing old with you, aren’t I?”

“Wasn’t that the plan from the very beginning?”

“You got a point there.”

“Of course I do.”

Oh, and you look as beautiful as ever And I swear that everyday you'll get better You make me feel this way somehow

“So now what’s the plan?” Sara asked, swaying with the music and taking him with her.

“Stay married longer. Beat other married couples. Establish dominance. Make other couples feel ashamed that they’re not as in love as we are,” Leonard said flatly, acting serious while Sara struggled to stand straight due to how much laughter she’s doing.

Leonard had to step back and pick her up from her crouching position. Sara then went to swat his arm. “Shut up, old man!”

He chuckled and placed their hands to where they were before Sara had to break away and go hysterical again.

I'm so in love with you And I hope you know Darling your love is more than worth its weight in gold We've come so far my dear

“I’ve always loved your laugh,” Leonard said, lightly pinching Sara’s side.

“I’ve always loved your dark humor,” Sara replied.

Look how we've grown And I wanna stay with you until we're grey and old Just say you won't let go Just say you won't let go

Sara pushed Len slightly, pressing her forehead to his. “I don’t have to tell you, right? You already know?”

“Of course. Just like how I don’t need to tell you that I feel the same. It’s never stopped,” Leonard softly said, his hand tracing Sara’s jaw. “I don’t think what I feel will ever stop. I could drop dead right now and my love for you will just go on.”

I wanna live with you Even when we're ghosts 'Cause you were always there for me when I needed you most

Sara closed the space between their lips. As someone who has been kissing the same man for the last twenty years of her life and for some reason, his lips still feel like how they’ve been the first time. She knows in her heart that every kiss she gives him, she’s treating it like it’s their last. It’s been that way since the Oculus and through the years, it’s never changed amidst Leonard convincing her that he’s not going to vanish and leave her—not again.

Leonard stopped her hips from swaying. He removed his hands from her hips and brought both of them to frame her face as they move so perfectly throughout the kiss

I'm gonna love you till My lungs give out I promise till death we part like in our vows

He’s an old man and he knows this. But if this is how he’s going to live the rest of his life—with the woman he loved showing him what love is, his children that are loved and taken care of, and with so much good memories that could replace every single bad one he has throughout his life—then he can say he’s lived a good life.

So I wrote this song for you, now everybody knows 'Cause now it's just you and me till we're grey and old Just say you won't let go Just say you won't let go

Just say you won't let go Oh, just say you won't let go

“Just for the record,” Leonard said when the two broke away from their sweet kiss, “I loved you first even before you did.”

“You just admitted it first.”

“Hey, I hit on you first.”

“I checked your butt out the moment you walked away from the rooftop the first night Rip recruited us. When you said, ‘Hero ain’t on my resumé’.”

“Okay, you win.”

“Don’t I always?”

 --end--

I just want to thank everybody who went with PandART and I on this journey. This story was my first multi-chapter fic and I couldn't have a better partner than her. We're both really happy for those who've read and patiently waited and supported this story.

It took us six months to finish this but from PandART and I--and from the Snarts--thank you so, so much.

#captain canary #flabbergabstfic #atwseries #ccseries #against the wind #flabbergabst x pandart #sara lance #leonard snart #sara x snart #len x sara #captain cold #white canary #EPILOGUE

[ranger-of-estel]

Finding Refuge

Day three of #CCWeek2018 by @writing-multifandom

This one is actually part of a project I’ve been toying with for a little while. Figured this was a good way to find out what you all think (That said, since it’s an early chapter this is a pre-relationship CC fic)

Alternate Universe

               Sara’s whole-body aches as consciousness slowly returns, but she finds her hip is the worst as she takes inventory. She remembers being chased by the pack, nips to her heals and calves as branches scratch her arms and face. But then one of them had lunged, caught her hip and… “Vampire!” she jerks up, crying out as the pain intensifies in her side.

               “Easy Sara, you’re safe.” A woman is at her side now, dark hair tumbling over her shoulders in waves and concern in her eyes. “You need to rest,”

               “Where am I?” she pushes down the panic that’s threatening to bubble up.

               “You’re in Refuge Manor,” she gives a gentle smile, “My name is Gideon, I’m one of the caretakers here.”

               Sara looks down to where the woman’s skin is touching her arm. “Your skin is cool.”

               The woman nods, “I am an android, I do not produce heat like most other beings.”

               Sara nods, though part of her is still processing the words. “What happened?”

“I appear to have ended your would-be execution last night.” A male voice drawls, looking up she finds the blue eyed vampire that had stepped in, throwing the wolf off of her and frightening the others.

“I suppose you’re expecting a thank you.” His keen eyes remain focused on her as her own gaze roams. He’s dressed entirely in black, the only skin she can see his face and where his long fingers hook into the pockets of his tight jeans.

“Hardly,” his smooth voice draws her attention back to his face, lips curved in a smirk as he pushes away from the wall. “Gideon sent me out to find you.”

Her attention turns curiously back to the woman at her side, “Let’s get you back on your feet, then we can answer whatever questions you may have.”

“I’m fine,” she swings her legs over the opposite side of the bed, absently noticing that she’s never seen the cargo pants and baggy shirt she’s wearing. The observation is short lived as her leg attempts to give out beneath her.

A cool hand catches her arm, waiting until she’s steady to release her. Part of her is unnerved at how quickly the man was able to move, the other part is too distracted by his eyes. His brow is furrows in something dangerously close to concern, and she quickly pulls away with a mumbled, “thanks.”

“Just didn’t want to have to pick you up off the floor.” He replies with an uninterested shrug. But still remains within arm’s reach of her.

“Leonard,” Gideon draws both of their attention. “Why don’t you take Sara for a walk on the grounds?” she motions out the door, “Then Rip and I can explain things in the study?” she turns her attention to Sara, “If you do not oppose?”

Sara shrugs, “Can’t see why not.” She glances back at Leonard, “he seems as safe as anyone right now.”

“Then it’s settled!” Gideon claps her hands together, smiling at them. “We’ll see you soon.”

Leonard motions toward the door and while having him behind her is not ideal, she wants out of the room. He moves to walk silently beside her, and she allows herself to admire the paintings and photos lining the walls. Footsteps pull her attention back up as a brunette approaches them.

“Lenny!” the girl grins, then turns her attention to Sara. “And Sara, right?”

As she gets closer Sara can see the small fangs in her smile. “That’s right…and you’re?”

“Lisa,” the woman offers her hand. “I’m Leonard’s sister.”

Sara accepts the gesture, again surprised at the difference in temperature. “It’s nice to meet you…I think.”

Lisa just laughs, eyes sparkling with a life Sara didn’t know was possible in her kind. She turns to her brother, “I’ll catch you later.” She presses a swift kiss to his cheek before dancing away.

They begin walking once more, and she glances up at her escort. “This isn’t what I pictured Coven’s looking like.”

She gets a short chuckle in return. “This is not a coven Miss Lance.” There’s a hint of real amusement in his features, “and most of the team here would take insult to being called such.” He indicates his head to a room on their right, and she follows him in.

It’s a gathering room, with couches and recliners spread around a large TV. As they enter a large man rises from one of the cushioned seats to approach them. He’s the opposite of the one beside her, his jeans and shirt loose fitting and crumpled. He radiates a heat and energy that Sara is familiar with, a slow anger building as light reflects off something around the man’s neck.

“Sara,” Leonard speaks from her side, “Meet Mick Rory, our-“

“Werewolf,” Sara finishes, looking up at the man who’s watching her curiously. “Collared like a family pet,” she growls.

“I like this one,” Mick grins, “She’s got fire.” He looks back down at her, “But the collar ain’t a form of ownership Blondie.”

“I made it,” a new woman, dark skin and jet black hair, steps up beside them. She only reaches his shoulders but has a powerful presence all the same. “It has properties to help keep his…hotter emotions…manageable.”

He smiles down at her, “Saves a bunch on clothes,”

The new figure turns back to her, “It is good to see you awake.” She rests a hand over her chest, “I’m Amaya,”

“You’re…not a wolf or a vampire.” Sara looks at her curiously.

“No, I’m a practitioner of the old arts.” She offers a wry smile, “Or a witch, by most people’s standards.” She shrugs, “But aside from a little magic, I’m quite human.”

“An android, two vampires, a werewolf and a witch co-existing…The more I see the less I understand,” she frowns.

“Refuge is a place for outcasts.” Mick shrugs, “all kinds of us ‘ere.”

“You hardly strike me as the type to be tossed aside by society,” she gives Leonard a side glance.

He’s smirking at her again, but there’s something self-depreciating this time. “You’d be surprised.” He motions back to the main hall, “Come, I’m sure Rip and Gideon are waiting.”

“Lead the way,” she motions, following him out.

She doesn’t realize she’s started to limp until he’s slowed to walk beside her. “Perhaps touring the grounds was not the best of ideas with your injuries.”

“I’ve managed with worse.” She glares, and he just watches her with a distant curiosity, but doesn’t move from his place alongside her.

The next room they enter appears to be a lab, a young man turning from one of the tables as they enter. “Snart! Good, I was hoping you could –” he trails off as Sara comes into view. “Ah, I see the newest guest is on the mend.”

“This is Sara,” Leonard replies.

“Oh!” he gives her a blinding grin. “I’m Raymond, but everyone calls me Ray.”

“Human,” Sara raises a brow.

“100%” he nods.

“So what’s your story?” she asks, looking around the room. “This seems like a strange place for a man of science.”

Before he can answer a new voice comes from a second doorway. “Ray, are you done with that plant yet? Amaya want’s it back.” Sara’s attention is caught as the light reflects off twin pairs of sheer wings on the woman’s back. They flutter impatiently as she stands with arms crossed, inky hair pulled back to reveal her dark eyes and features. She gives Sara a half-glare, “What are you looking at? Never seen a fairy before?”

“Zari, be nice!” Ray half sings as he turns, “Lily went to water it, I’ll take you to her.” He turns back to wave at Sara, “It was nice meeting you Sara!”

As Leonard leads her toward another doorway she looks back. “I’m not sure what I find more strange. The human size fairy, or the scientist in a hideaway for the supernatural.”

“Well, Dr. Frankenstein is the reason Zari is our size. She can also be small, and it’s far more irritating.” Len makes a distasteful face before shaking his head.

Sara stops, staring at Leonard’s back in surprise. “Wait, did you say Frankenstein…as in the Frankenstein?”

He turns, amusement in his eyes. “A descendent yes.” He frowns, “apparently attempting to conquer death runs in the family. It’s why he’s here.” Leonard motions forward, and they resume walking. “Raymond’s fiancé was killed, and so, struck with grief he decided to bring her back.” He shakes his head, “It failed, but was enough to catch Rip’s attention…which is a story I will let him tell.”

“Okay…so if there’s not a monster, then why is he still here?” Her body is beginning to ache, and she attempts to focus more fully on the conversation.

“The scientific community aren’t huge fans of his work. And, despite his painfully bright personality, he’s good to have around. In fact, he and the other resident science geek, Lily, are the ones who made Gideon’s current form,”

“And Lily, is she?” she cocks her head.

“Also human. Rip rescued her from a changeling nest, she’s grown up here.” He offers a half smile, “She’s some of the more tolerable company in this place.”

If he says anything else Sara misses it, her attention captured entirely by the immense library they’ve stepped into. Sunlight comes in from windows, many of which have reading nooks tucked neatly inside. Two figures rise from a table at the center of the room as they approach. One Sara recognizes as Gideon; the other, a thin man with sharp eyes and short hair in disarray, is unfamiliar.

“Hopefully Leonard was not to terrible of company,” the man has a distinctly British accent, brown duster shifting as he approaches.

Sara offers a half smile, “I’ve spent time with worse.”

“And with that,” he offers a half bow, “I have other matters to attend to.” He gives Sara one last look, “Miss Lance.” And then he’s gone.

“Vampires, they do enjoy their dramatic exits.” The other man shakes his head, making a sweeping motion toward the table. “I’m Rip, the head of this..”

“Household.” Gideon finishes as Sara sits across from her. “Dysfunctional as it may seem.” She has that little half smile again.

Rip nods, “And we’d like you to join us.” He settles next to Gideon once more, “But I’m sure you have questions, so please,” he makes an open gesture before him.

“Who are you?” she narrows her gaze, “How did you find me?”

He chuckles, “By trade I am a Hunter, one of Van Helsing’s line.” She tenses, and he waves a hand dismissively before them. “But I assure you I mean no harm.” He offers a depreciative laugh, “I have not been part of the order for many years.” He motions to the woman at his side, “As for locating you, it’s one of Gideon’s skills.”

“I am able to sense out non-human lifeforms using a vast array of information alongside my algorithms and probabilities.” Gideon picks up, “It is how I located you, and also how we knew you were not like the others of your pack.” She frowns, “I just wish we could have reached you sooner.”

Sara shakes her head, “I would not have come.” She gazes out one of the windows, “Even now there is a pull…to return to them, even though I know it would end poorly.” Her attention shifts back to Rip. “But why leave hunting?” her gaze narrows, “Why walk away from that to build this place?”

“Have you ever been in love Miss Lance?” he asks in return, sadness in his eyes.

“Yes…I think.” She frowns, “But that’s hardly an answer.”

“On the contrary, it is entirely the answer.” He runs a hand through his hair, leaving it in some disarray. “I fell in love with a woman, we were married, had a beautiful son.” He sighs, “But eventually the order learned she was not human,” there’s darkness in his eyes, “And they took my family from me.”

“I’m sorry,” she drops her head slightly, “I didn’t-“

“It’s quite alright,” he gives a small smile, and she notices how Gideon’s hand has moved to cover one of his on the table. “But that is why I made this place. Somewhere that others like Miranda; who are victims, not monsters, can live.”

She looks down to where her hands fidget against the table, and then back up to the pair before her. “You must understand, this is a lot to process.”

“Of course,” Rip nods, “Life in the Refuge is very much different than any home you have had.”

“We do not expect an answer now, only that you think on it.” Gideon offers her an encouraging smile, “Come, we have a room you can stay in while you decide.”

Sara takes the offered hand, allowing the woman to lead her up a set of stairs and down a door lined hall. “How many of you live here?”

Gideon shrugs, “It varies.” She motions to one of the doors, “Leonard likely introduced you to most of our full time residents. But there are a few that are in and out.” She motions to Sara’s clothes, “Kendra was kind enough to offer her clothing while she is away.” She shakes her heads, “Shifters do not settle anywhere very long, but she and Carter will be back I’m sure.”

Gideon stops, unlocking door and allowing it to swing open. “I must insist you remain with us until your wound has healed; but regardless of your final choice the manor is at your disposal for as long as you wish to stay.”

Sara nods, and Gideon leaves her with her thoughts. Rip is waiting when she reaches the main platform, his mouth set in a thin line. “Will she stay?”

“I cannot be sure,” Gideon shrugs, “But I do not believe she has many options.”

“I do not want to frighten her, but she is in a great deal of danger.” He sighs, “Phoenix are a rare breed, and their power is sought out by Hunters and creatures alike. The wolves already know of her existence, it is only a matter of time before others join.”

Gideon pats his arm, “Let’s not rush things, there is a good chance she will choose to remain with us for other reasons.” Her hand slides into his, fingers linking as she pulls him toward their own room. “One challenge at a time my love. One at a time.”

#Captain Canary #Leonard Snart #Sara Lance #CCWeek2018 #Rising from the Ashes #My fic #Mythical creature AU #I don't have a solid plot #But most of the main events #Wanted to put to use the ridiculous amount of fantasy/mythical creature knowledge I have