The Best Laid Plans 1/1 (Captain Canary & Atomwave) Teen
Title: The Best Laid Plans
Fandom: DC's Legends of Tomorrow
Rating: Teen
Pairings/Characters: Sara Lance/Leonard Snart (Established Relationship), Ray Palmer/Mick Rory
Summary: After seeing the tension between Mick and Leonard after visiting Star City 2046, Sara decides to intervene.
Timeline: Some time after Star City 2046 but before Marooned.
Word Count: 3,505
Disclaimer: I claim no ownership over these characters. I am merely borrowing them from Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, Andrew Kreisberg and Phil Klemmer.
Betas: Thank you to angelskuuipo and shanachie_quill for looking this over for me.
The tension on the ship was getting ridiculous. Mick's already short temper was even shorter ever since they returned from Star City 2046. He radiated anger and frustration, which only skyrocketed if Leonard entered the room. Mick always made sure to exit any room that Leonard entered.
Leonard acted like Mick's attitude didn't affect him, but Sara could see that it did. There was always that miniscule light of hope that faded when Mick left the room, followed by a scowl.
Sara decided to take matters into her own hands since the Rogues were never going to get past this if left to their own devices.
She found Mick in the cargo bay, cleaning his heat gun. "Meet me in the training room in ten minutes," she said before heading back up the stairs.
"What for?" Mick called after her.
"To spar, of course," Sara said, disappearing.
Her next stop was Leonard's room. He was playing solitaire on his bed. "Come spar with me," she said upon entering his room.
"I'm a little busy at the moment," he drawled.
Sara rolled her eyes and scooped up the cards, ignoring Leonard's protests. "There, now you're not," she said. "I need to burn off some energy. C'mon." She tugged on his sleeve.
He caught her hand and pulled her closer. "I can think of more enjoyable ways to burn off that energy," he said, his fingers slipping beneath her shirt to skim along her lower back.
Sara laughed and reluctantly stepped out of his arms. She'd much prefer to do what he was suggesting, but she had a plan to see through first. "Maybe later, if you play your cards right. But first we train," she said, moving to the door.
Grumbling, Leonard stood and followed her to the training room. He had just removed his jacket when Mick entered the room.
Mick took one look at Leonard and turned on his heel to leave, but Sara, who had been standing next to the door control, had already closed and locked the door.
"Let me out," Mick growled, looming over Sara, trying to intimidate her with his height and bulk.
"No," Sara said and moved around him into the room.
Mick tapped the door control, but nothing happened. He did it again, and again, hitting it harder each time.
"Gideon, let me out of here," Mick shouted at the ceiling.
"I'm afraid that I can't do that, Mr. Rory," Gideon responded. "Ms. Lance has arranged it so that only she can unlock the door to this room today."
Mick turned on Sara, who was casually leaning against the far wall. "Open it."
"Not gonna happen," she said. "Not until you and Leonard work out your differences."
"Not gonna happen, Sweetheart," Mick said. "I ain't talking anything out with him."
"Who said anything about talking?" Sara asked, her voice sugary sweet.
"What exactly are you trying to accomplish here?" Leonard asked, speaking for the first time since Mick had come in.
Sara picked up two bo staffs that had been propped up in the corner. She tossed one to Leonard, who caught it, and the other to Mick, who didn't even attempt to catch it, allowing it to fall at his feet.
"We're going to do a little conflict resolution, League of Assassins style," Sara informed them. "Pick up the staff, Mick."
"I don't fight with sticks," Mick said, crossing his arms over his chest.
"I was improvising," Sara said. "I don't have any swords handy. This is also less lethal."
"We're not exactly close range weapons fighters," Leonard pointed out. Tossing his staff aside, he offered, "We'll use our fists."
That got a reaction out of Mick in the form of a side-eyed look of curiosity. "You can't take me in a fist fight," Mick said.
"If this is what it takes for you to stop leaving the room every time I enter it, then it's worth a shot," Leonard said, holding his fists up.
Mick snorted and shook his head. "Don't be an idiot. That's my job."
Sara smiled to herself and backed into a corner.
"You're not an idiot," Leonard said, sighing and lowering his fists.
Mick lashed out, striking Leonard hard and fast across the jaw, smirking at having caught his partner off guard.
Leonard took an involuntary step back from the punch, his hand rising to cover the point of impact. "I deserved that," Leonard said.
"You deserve more than that," Mick sneered. He looked up to where Sara was watching them and glared at her. "So do you."
"How d'you figure that?" she asked, casually approaching Mick, but staying out of arm's reach.
"We were fine before you came along," Mick roared. "We were a team. Partners. Until he met you."
Sara and Leonard exchanged a look. "I don't know what you think is going on here, but we're just friends," Leonard said.
Mick rolled his eyes. "Keep telling yourself that," he said. "Besides, friends is bad enough. We didn't come on this mission to make friends."
"So you're upset that Leonard wants to spend time with someone other than you?" Sara asked. "Get over yourself."
"We could have lived like kings in Star City 2046," Mick raged. "But no, he had to run off to save your ass."
"Can you honestly say that you didn't want to go help Sara and Rip?" Leonard questioned. "You feel nothing for them? For Sara?"
"Rip wouldn't have cared if I'd stayed," Mick said. "He mostly just tolerates me anyway."
"And what about me, Mick?" Sara asked, moving closer to him. "You really would have just let Wilson kill me?"
"Yes," Mick said.
Leonard's breath caught at the coldness in his partner's voice. "But she's our friend," he protested.
"She may be your friend, but the only friend I had on this boat was you," Mick said.
"But--" Leonard started to protest, but Sara cut him off.
"It's fine," she said, waving off Leonard's protests. "If Mick doesn't want to be my friend, he doesn't have to be."
Mick was nodding his agreement when Sara's fist connected with his jaw.
"You don't have to be my friend, but stop being an ass to the one you do have," she said, shaking out her hand.
Mick snarled and swung at Sara, but she ducked under his arm. He threw several more punches, all of which Sara was able to avoid, lightly moving out of the way of his anger fueled, wild swings.
Sara got inside his range and got in a few body shots before sweeping his legs out from under him. Mick landed hard and kicked out, catching Sara's hip, causing her to stumble into Leonard. He caught her, pulling her back from Mick.
Sara pushed away from Leonard. "It's okay. We need to do this. Let him get this out of his system."
"He could seriously hurt you," Leonard objected.
"I can take it," Sara insisted.
Mick started laughing from where he was still sitting on the floor. "You just can't help yourself, can you?"
Leonard and Sara turned to look at him. "What are you talking about?" Leonard asked.
"Even now, you're still trying to save her," Mick said. "She put my ass on the ground and you're trying to save her. From me."
"Mick," Leonard sighed.
"Enough," Mick said, pushing himself to his feet. "Whatever you thought was going to happen in here, Birdie, it ain't gonna."
"I'm sorry to hear that," Sara said as she moved to unlock the doors.
Mick was out of the room the second they slid open.
"I'm sorry," Sara said, turning to Leonard.
"You have nothing to be sorry about," he protested. "Had I known what you were planning, I would have warned you that it wouldn't work. You can't make Mick do anything he doesn't want to do."
"You seem to make him do stuff he doesn't want to do all the time," Sara pointed out.
"Yes, but I know how to work him," Leonard said.
"Sounds to me like he doesn't like getting worked on," Sara said.
"He never used to realize I was doing it," Leonard admitted. "He's different now."
"You both are," Sara said. "And that seems to be the problem. You're still treating him the way that you used to, and he's not that same man."
Leonard grunted in acknowledgement. "Maybe. But nothing's going to change if he keeps walking away from me."
"Hopefully once he cools down from my attempt at making peace between you, he'll see reason," Sara suggested.
"This is Mick," Leonard said. "He and reason have never really seen eye to eye."
"You need to stop doing that," Sara reminded him.
"Old habits," Leonard said, waving her off.
"If you want your partner back, you need to change your habits," Sara said. "Like stop knocking him out with your gun as a way to end a conversation that isn't going your way."
Leonard shrugged. "It's effective."
Sara just shook her head. "You can't be right all the time."
"Always used to be," Leonard said. "I'm the brains and he's the muscle. That's how it's always been."
"Except now you're both part of a bigger team. He's not just your lackey anymore. You can't keep treating him like he is. He has feelings and opinions, too."
"We don't have feelings," Leonard protested.
"Obviously you do, otherwise Mick wouldn't be jealous of me," Sara said.
"He's not jealous," Leonard said, his face twisting with disgust.
"He is," Sara insisted. "He doesn't like how you come to my aid. He doesn't like that we're friends. Sounds like jealousy to me." Sara moved so that their eyes met. "What would he say if he knew we were sleeping together?"
"He'd say 'I told you so'," Leonard said. "Then he'd accuse me of going soft because of it."
"He's already accused you of going soft because of our friendship," Sara reminded him.
"One form of caring is as bad as another," Leonard said, shrugging. "He wouldn't see much difference between caring for a lover and caring for a friend. Both are weaknesses."
Sara tentatively rested a hand on Leonard's arm. "Caring for someone doesn't make you weak."
"Yes, it does," Leonard argued. "Friends… lovers… can be used against you. That's why we don't form attachments."
"But Mick's your partner," Sara said. "He isn't a weakness? Someone to exploit? I saw how you reacted when he was captured by the Russians."
"That's what partners do," Leonard stated.
"It's what friends do, too," Sara said. "And I think that's what scares Mick the most. That you could put yourself in danger for someone who isn't him, and that he might lose you because of it."
Leonard scoffed at that notion. "He's not afraid of losing me. He's doing his damned best to push me away."
"Defense mechanism," Sara retorted. "He's cutting you off now so that it will hurt less when you leave him for good."
"I'm not the one doing the leaving," Leonard replied, frustrated.
"Don't tell me, tell him," Sara said.
"He won't let me," Leonard practically yelled.
"Don't worry, Plan B will help with that," Sara said, smirking.
"Plan B?" Leonard questioned. "I'm afraid to ask."
~~*~~
Ray had been hiding around the corner from the training room, watching the door, just like Sara had asked. He'd been reluctant when she had told him her plan, but he couldn't resist when she said she needed his help if her first attempt didn't work.
Even though Sara, Leonard, and Mick all still scared him a bit, he also considered them his friends, and he could see how much it was hurting both Mick and Leonard to be on the outs like they were. Especially Mick.
He felt like their time in the gulag had bonded him and Mick; shared horrible experience and all that. He didn't like seeing the man so angry with his partner. (Ray still wasn't sure if they were partners strictly in the business sense or in a more personal sense, but he wanted them to reconcile either way.)
So when Mick came storming out of the training room less than ten minutes after going in, Ray knew that was his cue. He ducked into his room to grab the liquor bottle and glasses Sara had procured for him earlier and headed to Mick's room.
Taking a deep breath, Ray knocked on the door.
"Go away," Mick hollered without opening the door.
Ray flinched at the harsh tone, but steeled his nerves and knocked again.
The door slid open to reveal an irate Mick. "I said go-- Oh, it's you."
"Does that mean I can come in?" Ray asked, holding up the liquor bottle.
Mick raised an eyebrow, grabbed the bottle, and turned back into his room with a shrug. Ray took that as permission to enter, which he did, the door closing behind him.
"What do you want, Haircut?" Mick asked after taking a healthy drink directly from the bottle.
Ray set the glasses on the desk, realizing they wouldn't be needed, and said, "I thought you could use a drink."
"I can always use a drink," Mick responded, sitting on his bed. "Why now? You've never wanted to drink with me before."
"I thought I'd keep you company since you aren't speaking to your usual drinking partner," Ray said, sitting on the bed, too, but making sure not to sit too close. He reached out and took the bottle from Mick, taking a sip. He blinked as his eyes watered when the strong alcohol hit his throat. He wasn't much of a drinker, but he could do this with Mick.
"We're not friends," Mick said, swiping the bottle back.
"If you say so," Ray said, smiling. He knew better than to be hurt by Mick's denial of their friendship. The big man just wasn't used to feeling friendship towards anyone other than Leonard. Ray’s ego wasn't so fragile that he couldn't see that.
"Shared jail time does not an instant friendship make," Mick insisted.
"I thought that was how it worked for you and Leonard, though," Ray said, then instantly regretted it as Mick's expression hardened.
"Did Sara put you up to this?" Mick asked, standing and leaning over Ray threateningly.
Ray's eyes widened in what he hoped was an innocent, and not guilty, manner. "Put me up to what? What does Sara have to do with us drinking together?"
Mick placed his hands on either side of Ray, trapping him against the bed. "You've never wanted to drink with me before."
Ray nervously licked his lips. Mick being so close was both a little bit scary and kind of arousing. He did notice Mick's eyes drop down to his lips before returning his glare to his eyes.
"T-that's not true," Ray stuttered. "I've wanted to drink with you before; I just didn't think you'd want to drink with me since before you always had Leonard to drink with. Three's a crowd and all that."
"So you thought that you'd take advantage of the fact that me and Leonard are on the outs?" Mick asked.
"I would never try to take advantage of you," Ray gasped.
Mick ran his eyes down Ray's body, still leaning into his personal space. Heat flared through his eyes as he said, "Pity."
He started to pull away, but Ray reached out to grab his jacket, pulling him back down. Ray searched Mick's eyes, allowing some of his desire for the other man to show in his own eyes.
"Are you saying that you want me to take advantage of you?" Ray asked, both of his hands fisting the sides of Mick's jacket now.
"Can't take advantage of the willing," Mick commented, taking a step closer, between Ray's legs.
"And you're willing, with me?" Ray asked, his voice squeaking a bit.
"Shut up, Haircut," Mick said before closing the distance between them.
The kiss was completely unexpected, despite their current conversation, and everything and nothing like Ray thought it would be. Mick's lips were chapped, scratching against Ray's at first, but the kiss itself wasn't rough. Hungry and urgent, yes; but not rough.
Ray's hands slipped up Mick's chest to his shoulders, pulling him even closer, as Mick's hands settled on his hips. When their mouths opened and Mick sucked Ray's tongue into his mouth, Ray couldn't help but imagine another part of his anatomy being consumed by that incredible heat, and he had to catch his breath.
Breaking the kiss, he kept Mick close and panted, "Well, that was unexpected."
"Bad unexpected?" Mick asked, his fingers flexing on Ray's hips.
"Are you kidding me?" Ray laughed. "If I hadn't thought you'd pummel me, I would have tried doing that a long time ago."
"Yeah?" Mick asked, almost shyly.
"You didn't notice that I've had a bit of a crush since Russia?" Ray asked, honestly surprised he'd hidden the attraction so well.
Mick shrugged. "Just figured you were being nice. As people keep pointing out, I don't got a lot of friends. Besides, I thought you wanted to be with Kendra."
"She blew me off because she's still mourning Carter. I also didn't think you'd be interested," Ray said.
"Same," Mick admitted.
~~*~~
It had been eating at Mick since Russia, too. He'd been confused by what Ray had done for him in the gulag. He'd been tortured so that Mick wouldn't be. Why would he do that for anyone? Let alone him.
He'd also been struggling with how attractive he found the scientist. Who could have known that under the tech suit he was so fit? There was no way that Ray would ever be attracted to Mick. Not after he'd seen all of his burn scars.
Not when Mick had thought Ray was straight. He'd only ever heard Ray talk about being with women, after all.
So not only was he losing his best friend to Sara, but he was also stuck on board this tin can with a man he was attracted to, who he thought was trying to be in a relationship with a woman. No wonder he was lashing out.
"I really am an idiot," Mick said, sitting next to Ray.
"Why do you say that?" Ray asked, turning to face him.
"I may have been taking my frustrations about liking you out on Snart," Mick admitted.
"You just realizing that now?" Ray teased.
"Told you I'm an idiot," Mick said. "You think he'll forgive me?"
"In a heartbeat," Ray said. "And you're not an idiot. In denial, yes, but not an idiot."
"Not in denial anymore," Mick promised.
"Good," Ray said, before pouncing on Mick, pushing the bigger man back on the bed as his mouth re-captured Mick's.
Mick laughed into the kiss, sliding his hands into Ray's hair, hoping that one day soon he'd get to feel it against his skin.
They were so engrossed in the kiss that Mick didn't hear the door slide open or Leonard walk in.
He did hear Leonard's snarky, "What do we have here?"
Ray pulled away as if burned and Mick bit out, "Get out, Snart."
"Have fun, you two," Leonard drawled as he backed out of the room, smirking.
"I hope you didn't want to keep this secret," Ray said.
"Why would I want to do that?" Mick asked, grinning. "I've got me a hot scientist. If anyone would want to keep it secret, I'd think it would be you."
"Stop doing that," Ray said, seriously. "You're nothing to be ashamed of. I will be proud to call you my boyfriend."
Mick frowned. "No labels."
"Fine, no labels," Ray agreed, kissing Mick again. He pulled back just enough to ask, "But, can I call you mine?"
Mick shuddered and nodded. "Yeah. Long as I can do the same."
"Absolutely."
They didn't talk again for a very long time.
~~*~~
Leonard entered Sara's room a minute after he'd left her there, still smirking.
"I thought you were going to talk to Mick. Did he kick you out again?" Sara asked. "I really thought Ray would have gotten him drunk enough to talk by now."
"Oh, Raymond got him all right," Leonard drawled.
"What's that look for?" Sara asked. "You're awfully smug for someone who didn't talk to his partner."
"Let's just say that Mick and Raymond were a little too busy not talking for me to stay," Leonard said.
Sara cocked her head and then her eyes widened and she giggled. "Really? Mick and Ray?"
"Guess now we know why Mick's been extra ornery lately," Leonard said, leaning against Sara's bed. "Looks like your plan worked."
"Just not in the way I thought it would," Sara agreed. "I'm happy for them."
"Me, too," Leonard said, glad that his partner not only had acknowledged that he had feelings for someone else on this ship, but was actually doing something about them. They both deserved a chance to be happy, he thought smiling at Sara, who was smiling back at him.
The End
Fandom: DC's Legends of Tomorrow
Rating: Teen
Pairings/Characters: Sara Lance/Leonard Snart (Established Relationship), Ray Palmer/Mick Rory
Summary: After seeing the tension between Mick and Leonard after visiting Star City 2046, Sara decides to intervene.
Timeline: Some time after Star City 2046 but before Marooned.
Word Count: 3,505
Disclaimer: I claim no ownership over these characters. I am merely borrowing them from Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, Andrew Kreisberg and Phil Klemmer.
Betas: Thank you to angelskuuipo and shanachie_quill for looking this over for me.
The tension on the ship was getting ridiculous. Mick's already short temper was even shorter ever since they returned from Star City 2046. He radiated anger and frustration, which only skyrocketed if Leonard entered the room. Mick always made sure to exit any room that Leonard entered.
Leonard acted like Mick's attitude didn't affect him, but Sara could see that it did. There was always that miniscule light of hope that faded when Mick left the room, followed by a scowl.
Sara decided to take matters into her own hands since the Rogues were never going to get past this if left to their own devices.
She found Mick in the cargo bay, cleaning his heat gun. "Meet me in the training room in ten minutes," she said before heading back up the stairs.
"What for?" Mick called after her.
"To spar, of course," Sara said, disappearing.
Her next stop was Leonard's room. He was playing solitaire on his bed. "Come spar with me," she said upon entering his room.
"I'm a little busy at the moment," he drawled.
Sara rolled her eyes and scooped up the cards, ignoring Leonard's protests. "There, now you're not," she said. "I need to burn off some energy. C'mon." She tugged on his sleeve.
He caught her hand and pulled her closer. "I can think of more enjoyable ways to burn off that energy," he said, his fingers slipping beneath her shirt to skim along her lower back.
Sara laughed and reluctantly stepped out of his arms. She'd much prefer to do what he was suggesting, but she had a plan to see through first. "Maybe later, if you play your cards right. But first we train," she said, moving to the door.
Grumbling, Leonard stood and followed her to the training room. He had just removed his jacket when Mick entered the room.
Mick took one look at Leonard and turned on his heel to leave, but Sara, who had been standing next to the door control, had already closed and locked the door.
"Let me out," Mick growled, looming over Sara, trying to intimidate her with his height and bulk.
"No," Sara said and moved around him into the room.
Mick tapped the door control, but nothing happened. He did it again, and again, hitting it harder each time.
"Gideon, let me out of here," Mick shouted at the ceiling.
"I'm afraid that I can't do that, Mr. Rory," Gideon responded. "Ms. Lance has arranged it so that only she can unlock the door to this room today."
Mick turned on Sara, who was casually leaning against the far wall. "Open it."
"Not gonna happen," she said. "Not until you and Leonard work out your differences."
"Not gonna happen, Sweetheart," Mick said. "I ain't talking anything out with him."
"Who said anything about talking?" Sara asked, her voice sugary sweet.
"What exactly are you trying to accomplish here?" Leonard asked, speaking for the first time since Mick had come in.
Sara picked up two bo staffs that had been propped up in the corner. She tossed one to Leonard, who caught it, and the other to Mick, who didn't even attempt to catch it, allowing it to fall at his feet.
"We're going to do a little conflict resolution, League of Assassins style," Sara informed them. "Pick up the staff, Mick."
"I don't fight with sticks," Mick said, crossing his arms over his chest.
"I was improvising," Sara said. "I don't have any swords handy. This is also less lethal."
"We're not exactly close range weapons fighters," Leonard pointed out. Tossing his staff aside, he offered, "We'll use our fists."
That got a reaction out of Mick in the form of a side-eyed look of curiosity. "You can't take me in a fist fight," Mick said.
"If this is what it takes for you to stop leaving the room every time I enter it, then it's worth a shot," Leonard said, holding his fists up.
Mick snorted and shook his head. "Don't be an idiot. That's my job."
Sara smiled to herself and backed into a corner.
"You're not an idiot," Leonard said, sighing and lowering his fists.
Mick lashed out, striking Leonard hard and fast across the jaw, smirking at having caught his partner off guard.
Leonard took an involuntary step back from the punch, his hand rising to cover the point of impact. "I deserved that," Leonard said.
"You deserve more than that," Mick sneered. He looked up to where Sara was watching them and glared at her. "So do you."
"How d'you figure that?" she asked, casually approaching Mick, but staying out of arm's reach.
"We were fine before you came along," Mick roared. "We were a team. Partners. Until he met you."
Sara and Leonard exchanged a look. "I don't know what you think is going on here, but we're just friends," Leonard said.
Mick rolled his eyes. "Keep telling yourself that," he said. "Besides, friends is bad enough. We didn't come on this mission to make friends."
"So you're upset that Leonard wants to spend time with someone other than you?" Sara asked. "Get over yourself."
"We could have lived like kings in Star City 2046," Mick raged. "But no, he had to run off to save your ass."
"Can you honestly say that you didn't want to go help Sara and Rip?" Leonard questioned. "You feel nothing for them? For Sara?"
"Rip wouldn't have cared if I'd stayed," Mick said. "He mostly just tolerates me anyway."
"And what about me, Mick?" Sara asked, moving closer to him. "You really would have just let Wilson kill me?"
"Yes," Mick said.
Leonard's breath caught at the coldness in his partner's voice. "But she's our friend," he protested.
"She may be your friend, but the only friend I had on this boat was you," Mick said.
"But--" Leonard started to protest, but Sara cut him off.
"It's fine," she said, waving off Leonard's protests. "If Mick doesn't want to be my friend, he doesn't have to be."
Mick was nodding his agreement when Sara's fist connected with his jaw.
"You don't have to be my friend, but stop being an ass to the one you do have," she said, shaking out her hand.
Mick snarled and swung at Sara, but she ducked under his arm. He threw several more punches, all of which Sara was able to avoid, lightly moving out of the way of his anger fueled, wild swings.
Sara got inside his range and got in a few body shots before sweeping his legs out from under him. Mick landed hard and kicked out, catching Sara's hip, causing her to stumble into Leonard. He caught her, pulling her back from Mick.
Sara pushed away from Leonard. "It's okay. We need to do this. Let him get this out of his system."
"He could seriously hurt you," Leonard objected.
"I can take it," Sara insisted.
Mick started laughing from where he was still sitting on the floor. "You just can't help yourself, can you?"
Leonard and Sara turned to look at him. "What are you talking about?" Leonard asked.
"Even now, you're still trying to save her," Mick said. "She put my ass on the ground and you're trying to save her. From me."
"Mick," Leonard sighed.
"Enough," Mick said, pushing himself to his feet. "Whatever you thought was going to happen in here, Birdie, it ain't gonna."
"I'm sorry to hear that," Sara said as she moved to unlock the doors.
Mick was out of the room the second they slid open.
"I'm sorry," Sara said, turning to Leonard.
"You have nothing to be sorry about," he protested. "Had I known what you were planning, I would have warned you that it wouldn't work. You can't make Mick do anything he doesn't want to do."
"You seem to make him do stuff he doesn't want to do all the time," Sara pointed out.
"Yes, but I know how to work him," Leonard said.
"Sounds to me like he doesn't like getting worked on," Sara said.
"He never used to realize I was doing it," Leonard admitted. "He's different now."
"You both are," Sara said. "And that seems to be the problem. You're still treating him the way that you used to, and he's not that same man."
Leonard grunted in acknowledgement. "Maybe. But nothing's going to change if he keeps walking away from me."
"Hopefully once he cools down from my attempt at making peace between you, he'll see reason," Sara suggested.
"This is Mick," Leonard said. "He and reason have never really seen eye to eye."
"You need to stop doing that," Sara reminded him.
"Old habits," Leonard said, waving her off.
"If you want your partner back, you need to change your habits," Sara said. "Like stop knocking him out with your gun as a way to end a conversation that isn't going your way."
Leonard shrugged. "It's effective."
Sara just shook her head. "You can't be right all the time."
"Always used to be," Leonard said. "I'm the brains and he's the muscle. That's how it's always been."
"Except now you're both part of a bigger team. He's not just your lackey anymore. You can't keep treating him like he is. He has feelings and opinions, too."
"We don't have feelings," Leonard protested.
"Obviously you do, otherwise Mick wouldn't be jealous of me," Sara said.
"He's not jealous," Leonard said, his face twisting with disgust.
"He is," Sara insisted. "He doesn't like how you come to my aid. He doesn't like that we're friends. Sounds like jealousy to me." Sara moved so that their eyes met. "What would he say if he knew we were sleeping together?"
"He'd say 'I told you so'," Leonard said. "Then he'd accuse me of going soft because of it."
"He's already accused you of going soft because of our friendship," Sara reminded him.
"One form of caring is as bad as another," Leonard said, shrugging. "He wouldn't see much difference between caring for a lover and caring for a friend. Both are weaknesses."
Sara tentatively rested a hand on Leonard's arm. "Caring for someone doesn't make you weak."
"Yes, it does," Leonard argued. "Friends… lovers… can be used against you. That's why we don't form attachments."
"But Mick's your partner," Sara said. "He isn't a weakness? Someone to exploit? I saw how you reacted when he was captured by the Russians."
"That's what partners do," Leonard stated.
"It's what friends do, too," Sara said. "And I think that's what scares Mick the most. That you could put yourself in danger for someone who isn't him, and that he might lose you because of it."
Leonard scoffed at that notion. "He's not afraid of losing me. He's doing his damned best to push me away."
"Defense mechanism," Sara retorted. "He's cutting you off now so that it will hurt less when you leave him for good."
"I'm not the one doing the leaving," Leonard replied, frustrated.
"Don't tell me, tell him," Sara said.
"He won't let me," Leonard practically yelled.
"Don't worry, Plan B will help with that," Sara said, smirking.
"Plan B?" Leonard questioned. "I'm afraid to ask."
~~*~~
Ray had been hiding around the corner from the training room, watching the door, just like Sara had asked. He'd been reluctant when she had told him her plan, but he couldn't resist when she said she needed his help if her first attempt didn't work.
Even though Sara, Leonard, and Mick all still scared him a bit, he also considered them his friends, and he could see how much it was hurting both Mick and Leonard to be on the outs like they were. Especially Mick.
He felt like their time in the gulag had bonded him and Mick; shared horrible experience and all that. He didn't like seeing the man so angry with his partner. (Ray still wasn't sure if they were partners strictly in the business sense or in a more personal sense, but he wanted them to reconcile either way.)
So when Mick came storming out of the training room less than ten minutes after going in, Ray knew that was his cue. He ducked into his room to grab the liquor bottle and glasses Sara had procured for him earlier and headed to Mick's room.
Taking a deep breath, Ray knocked on the door.
"Go away," Mick hollered without opening the door.
Ray flinched at the harsh tone, but steeled his nerves and knocked again.
The door slid open to reveal an irate Mick. "I said go-- Oh, it's you."
"Does that mean I can come in?" Ray asked, holding up the liquor bottle.
Mick raised an eyebrow, grabbed the bottle, and turned back into his room with a shrug. Ray took that as permission to enter, which he did, the door closing behind him.
"What do you want, Haircut?" Mick asked after taking a healthy drink directly from the bottle.
Ray set the glasses on the desk, realizing they wouldn't be needed, and said, "I thought you could use a drink."
"I can always use a drink," Mick responded, sitting on his bed. "Why now? You've never wanted to drink with me before."
"I thought I'd keep you company since you aren't speaking to your usual drinking partner," Ray said, sitting on the bed, too, but making sure not to sit too close. He reached out and took the bottle from Mick, taking a sip. He blinked as his eyes watered when the strong alcohol hit his throat. He wasn't much of a drinker, but he could do this with Mick.
"We're not friends," Mick said, swiping the bottle back.
"If you say so," Ray said, smiling. He knew better than to be hurt by Mick's denial of their friendship. The big man just wasn't used to feeling friendship towards anyone other than Leonard. Ray’s ego wasn't so fragile that he couldn't see that.
"Shared jail time does not an instant friendship make," Mick insisted.
"I thought that was how it worked for you and Leonard, though," Ray said, then instantly regretted it as Mick's expression hardened.
"Did Sara put you up to this?" Mick asked, standing and leaning over Ray threateningly.
Ray's eyes widened in what he hoped was an innocent, and not guilty, manner. "Put me up to what? What does Sara have to do with us drinking together?"
Mick placed his hands on either side of Ray, trapping him against the bed. "You've never wanted to drink with me before."
Ray nervously licked his lips. Mick being so close was both a little bit scary and kind of arousing. He did notice Mick's eyes drop down to his lips before returning his glare to his eyes.
"T-that's not true," Ray stuttered. "I've wanted to drink with you before; I just didn't think you'd want to drink with me since before you always had Leonard to drink with. Three's a crowd and all that."
"So you thought that you'd take advantage of the fact that me and Leonard are on the outs?" Mick asked.
"I would never try to take advantage of you," Ray gasped.
Mick ran his eyes down Ray's body, still leaning into his personal space. Heat flared through his eyes as he said, "Pity."
He started to pull away, but Ray reached out to grab his jacket, pulling him back down. Ray searched Mick's eyes, allowing some of his desire for the other man to show in his own eyes.
"Are you saying that you want me to take advantage of you?" Ray asked, both of his hands fisting the sides of Mick's jacket now.
"Can't take advantage of the willing," Mick commented, taking a step closer, between Ray's legs.
"And you're willing, with me?" Ray asked, his voice squeaking a bit.
"Shut up, Haircut," Mick said before closing the distance between them.
The kiss was completely unexpected, despite their current conversation, and everything and nothing like Ray thought it would be. Mick's lips were chapped, scratching against Ray's at first, but the kiss itself wasn't rough. Hungry and urgent, yes; but not rough.
Ray's hands slipped up Mick's chest to his shoulders, pulling him even closer, as Mick's hands settled on his hips. When their mouths opened and Mick sucked Ray's tongue into his mouth, Ray couldn't help but imagine another part of his anatomy being consumed by that incredible heat, and he had to catch his breath.
Breaking the kiss, he kept Mick close and panted, "Well, that was unexpected."
"Bad unexpected?" Mick asked, his fingers flexing on Ray's hips.
"Are you kidding me?" Ray laughed. "If I hadn't thought you'd pummel me, I would have tried doing that a long time ago."
"Yeah?" Mick asked, almost shyly.
"You didn't notice that I've had a bit of a crush since Russia?" Ray asked, honestly surprised he'd hidden the attraction so well.
Mick shrugged. "Just figured you were being nice. As people keep pointing out, I don't got a lot of friends. Besides, I thought you wanted to be with Kendra."
"She blew me off because she's still mourning Carter. I also didn't think you'd be interested," Ray said.
"Same," Mick admitted.
~~*~~
It had been eating at Mick since Russia, too. He'd been confused by what Ray had done for him in the gulag. He'd been tortured so that Mick wouldn't be. Why would he do that for anyone? Let alone him.
He'd also been struggling with how attractive he found the scientist. Who could have known that under the tech suit he was so fit? There was no way that Ray would ever be attracted to Mick. Not after he'd seen all of his burn scars.
Not when Mick had thought Ray was straight. He'd only ever heard Ray talk about being with women, after all.
So not only was he losing his best friend to Sara, but he was also stuck on board this tin can with a man he was attracted to, who he thought was trying to be in a relationship with a woman. No wonder he was lashing out.
"I really am an idiot," Mick said, sitting next to Ray.
"Why do you say that?" Ray asked, turning to face him.
"I may have been taking my frustrations about liking you out on Snart," Mick admitted.
"You just realizing that now?" Ray teased.
"Told you I'm an idiot," Mick said. "You think he'll forgive me?"
"In a heartbeat," Ray said. "And you're not an idiot. In denial, yes, but not an idiot."
"Not in denial anymore," Mick promised.
"Good," Ray said, before pouncing on Mick, pushing the bigger man back on the bed as his mouth re-captured Mick's.
Mick laughed into the kiss, sliding his hands into Ray's hair, hoping that one day soon he'd get to feel it against his skin.
They were so engrossed in the kiss that Mick didn't hear the door slide open or Leonard walk in.
He did hear Leonard's snarky, "What do we have here?"
Ray pulled away as if burned and Mick bit out, "Get out, Snart."
"Have fun, you two," Leonard drawled as he backed out of the room, smirking.
"I hope you didn't want to keep this secret," Ray said.
"Why would I want to do that?" Mick asked, grinning. "I've got me a hot scientist. If anyone would want to keep it secret, I'd think it would be you."
"Stop doing that," Ray said, seriously. "You're nothing to be ashamed of. I will be proud to call you my boyfriend."
Mick frowned. "No labels."
"Fine, no labels," Ray agreed, kissing Mick again. He pulled back just enough to ask, "But, can I call you mine?"
Mick shuddered and nodded. "Yeah. Long as I can do the same."
"Absolutely."
They didn't talk again for a very long time.
~~*~~
Leonard entered Sara's room a minute after he'd left her there, still smirking.
"I thought you were going to talk to Mick. Did he kick you out again?" Sara asked. "I really thought Ray would have gotten him drunk enough to talk by now."
"Oh, Raymond got him all right," Leonard drawled.
"What's that look for?" Sara asked. "You're awfully smug for someone who didn't talk to his partner."
"Let's just say that Mick and Raymond were a little too busy not talking for me to stay," Leonard said.
Sara cocked her head and then her eyes widened and she giggled. "Really? Mick and Ray?"
"Guess now we know why Mick's been extra ornery lately," Leonard said, leaning against Sara's bed. "Looks like your plan worked."
"Just not in the way I thought it would," Sara agreed. "I'm happy for them."
"Me, too," Leonard said, glad that his partner not only had acknowledged that he had feelings for someone else on this ship, but was actually doing something about them. They both deserved a chance to be happy, he thought smiling at Sara, who was smiling back at him.
The End