Chapter Text
Len and Mick took a quick shower and ended up falling onto the bed, side by side.
Len kept sniffing at him and he covered Mick's face and neck with kisses. "I will never complain about watermelon again."
"I get it, Len, just...just stop smelling me or I swear I'm switching to something else."
Len reached for Mick’s cock.
"No." Mick took his hand away.
Len's other hand slid between them.
"Lenny, you need to stop," Mick implored. "I told you I can't go again right now."
"You don't want to make your pretty little snowflake feel good?" Len gave him doe eyes, took Mick's thumb into his mouth and sucked on it.
Mick couldn't help moaning. "You know I do."
Len let Mick's thumb fall from his mouth.
"Later." Mick pursed his lips and glared.
"All right," Len conceded, "but a reminder, Michael Rory, that the glare doesn't work on me."
"I hate when you call me that."
"I know." Len ran his hand along Mick's chest. "So different without the scars."
"If you miss them, I could set myself on fire again," Mick cracked.
"NO!" Len was horrified. "Don't ever joke about that! I find absolutely nothing funny in it!"
"Shh, okay, Len." Mick was contrite; the last thing he wanted was to upset his partner. But thoughts of his scars - sometimes he honestly wondered about finding a way to get them back. When Mick first saw himself naked after his time as Chronos he'd had to deal with extreme emotional pain in not seeing his body marred by burn scars. He had gone through Hell getting them and there had been inner turmoil and intense anxiety within him when he finally admitted to himself they were no longer there and would not magically reappear.
"Mick?" Len sensed a change in Mick's mood. "You want to talk about it?"
Mick searched for the right words; he wasn't much of a talker as a norm, let alone when it came to his feelings, but he always did talk to Len - when Len prompted and/or pushed him. "Without the...damage, sometimes I think the lack of it takes away from the man I was and the man I became after the...accident." His tone reflected what could be construed as angst. "I've spent hours staring at my body in the mirror, wondering who I am."
"You're Mick Rory and scars or not," Len declared, "you were always beautiful to me, before the fire and after, and now. There is nothing - abso-fucking-lutely nothing - that could ever change that."
"Beautiful?" Mick was thrown off guard; it was not a word people associated with him, nor he with himself. "No, that isn't me."
"Don't argue with Len," he leaned in and kissed Mick, but kept it chaste. "He's always right."
"Always?" Mick's lips twitched. "I wouldn't go that far."
"I don't want to talk about it anymore, Mick." Len palmed his face, skimming his thumb along Mick's cheek.
"My turn." Mick took Len's hand in his. "You want to talk about whatever's bothering you? And don't tell me it's nothing, Len."
"I steal a car and you get wiped from existence." Len shook his head. "Both of our lives nearly destroyed because of me."
"Quit beating yourself up," Mick stated. "You remembered me; you shouldn't have, but you did. That's gotta count for something."
"Time to change the subject, Mick?"
"Let's talk about your use of 'abso-fucking-lutely'." This time Mick did smile. "What are you - 16?"
"Sixteen was the library," Len nodded, "and you stealing books."
"Speaking of the past - how exactly did you remember me?" Mick was curious. "I didn't exist."
"It was Stein, strangely enough," Len began. "He brought me in here and made me look at everything, and then I found the box of photos you've always kept, and Mick, if I ever make fun of you for being a sentimentalist again, feel free to kick my ass - again."
"Stein," Mick nodded. "I had a conversation with him in the kitchen."
"You actually spoke to someone other than me?" Len reacted with mock surprise. "With real words? Not just a few grunts?"
"Fuck you, Lenny."
"Well, if you want...." Len went for Mick's cock again.
Mick snatched Len's hand away once more. "I said no, Len, so unless you want a spanking I suggest you back off." He noticed Len's hopeful expression. "Never mind; I forgot who I was talking to."
"Stein's a perceptive man so we’ll allow him to live." Len laughed a bit. "I just started to remember things. You, us, and everything we've done over the years."
"Like what?"
Len began to tell Mick all the memories that he hadn't thought about in so long and once he was done, they laid in silence for what seemed like forever.
Mick broke it by asking, "Whatever happened to that ex-wife of yours?"
"She's a pit boss at a casino; been married six times since me." Len paused. "She killed two of them; I happened to have been in Reno and helped her get rid of the second body - acid bath."
"Aww, you're such a nice guy."
"I don't know what she did with the first one," Len shrugged, "and I think she might have killed one of the others also."
"Maybe it's a good thing you got a divorce." Mick finally laughed. "Sister Mary Grace - she must've provided us with five alibis."
"How much did it cost us in donations to that orphanage?" Len wondered aloud.
"I didn't mind that so much, Lenny - kids."
"She did say we were still going to Hell."
"So deep we'd never escape."
"You do realize we haven't been really bad boys since we joined up here," Len pointed out.
"What do you suggest we do?" Mick asked tongue-in-cheek. "Hurt Raymond?"
"We could do to him," Len said with just a hint of malice, "what we did to that guy in Brussels in 2003."
"The guy that turned us into the cops and got us locked up for two months?" Mick eyed him with scorn. "No, Len; you doing that once was more than enough."
Len couldn't help the malevolent smile. "Anatomy 101."
"You were at it for almost 15 minutes and it was messy." Mick still cringed at the memory. "If you'll recall, I finally shot the guy so we could get out of there."
"For the first and only time I saw you changing colors." Len laughed as he remembered Mick's expression. "I think you finally settled on pale green."
"It was gross, Lenny! Even I never did anything like that!" Mick snapped, before adding, "And if we did that to Palmer, would you want to face birdgirl? Because I certainly wouldn't."
"No." Len sighed rather loudly. "I kind of like Kendra and she did take us to that bakery."
"Speakin' of which," Mick frowned in disappointment, "I didn't get my rhubarb pie."
"I'll bake you one." Len nuzzled Mick's neck. "Just like I used to."
"That's very domestic of you, Leonard."
"Mick," Len propped his face up in his palm, "Stein said you worry about my eating habits."
"I do, Len; you never eat enough - just like when we were kids." Mick clasped his hands behind his head and gave him a thoughtful smile. "Somebody has to care."
"Fuck, Mick, you've become a damn sap!"
"I was always a sap for you, Len." Mick flushed a slight shade of pink. "You just never noticed."
"You're going to say it, aren't you?" Len asked.
"Yeah," Mick nodded, "why not? We're having a moment."
"A moment?" Len started to laugh again.
"Fine, I won't say it!" Mick huffed.
"Please say it, Mick." Len calmed himself as best he could. "I want you to."
"Only if you stop with the damn cackling."
Len bit the inside of this cheek. "All stopped."
Mick mumbled.
"Nope, sorry, Mick, I didn't quite get that."
"I love you, you putz."
"Putz?" Len clutched his chest. "Ooh, Mick, you wound me."
"Glad we got that out of the way after three decades and I ain't sayin' it ever again; I got a reputation, you know."
Len opened his mouth, thought better of it, and closed it.
"That's right, Len, keep your trap shut for a change." Mick pulled Len into his arms again. "I'm happy you like the watermelon body wash now. It’s my favorite and I don’t want to change it."
"I'll deal." Len had everything he wanted now; he had Mick back and their lives were finally righted. "I really did miss you."
"I missed my bed warmer." Mick leaned down for one more kiss. "And I'm glad you also decided you like my aftershave."
"That I lied about; if you use it again I'll make you drink it."
"Len?"
"I really need some rest now, Mick."
"I just want to know if we're ever going to steal the Mona Lisa like you promised."
"Soon, Mick," Len replied, "very soon."
It was the truth.
Len was indeed still working on that plan and he intended for them to pull it off.
Eventually.
~~~~~~~~~~
The next day Mick found Martin in the room he had commandeered for a lab. "I owe you a conversation, Stein."
"Yes, Mick, you certainly do."
Mick held up a fresh bottle of whiskey. "Take a seat."
"Smoke?" Martin took out a joint.
"Why not?" Mick tossed him the lighter.
Twenty-six minutes and 12 seconds later Martin put up his hand, wanting Mick to stop.
"I take it that's enough for you, Marty?"
"Yes." Martin swigged straight from the bottle. "And I do believe I shall have nightmares."
"Told ya," Mick grinned. "You need to heed my warnings in the future."
Len and Jax found their respective partners a short while later, both wasted and singing vulgar dirges.
"Hey, Snart," Jax started as he heard a verse, "what's a...."
Len snickered. "How about you ask the professor when he's sober?"
"They look like they're having a good time," Jax said with a smile.
"Wait for it." Len ticked off fingers on his hand - one, two, three four....
Mick's head slammed into the table.
"Drinks too much and passes out." Len helped Mick to his feet.
Mick's head came up. "Where we going, Lenny?"
"You're going to bed; time to sleep it off."
"Aspirin?"
"I'll have some waiting for you when you wake up."
"Okay." Mick's head slumped.
Len tossed Mick over his shoulder. "Idiot."
"I heard that."
"I know you did."
Jax watched Martin's head drop back as he slumped in his chair; he opted to leave his partner there.
~~~~~~~~~~
Epilogue
When the ship landed, the team exited and found themselves in what appeared to be an abandoned town in a desert.
"Mister Rory," Rip announced, "according to Gideon nobody has lived in..." he checked his pad, "...Juniper Gulch...for 80 years. Feel free to - I cannot believe I'm saying this - burn it to the ground."
"I can torch it?" Mick asked, wanting clarification. "No catch?"
"No catch," Rip told him. "Consider this an...an apol...apol...."
"Say it, Rip," Len warned, "or I give you a more detailed description about Brussels and maybe act it out with you."
"Fine! An apology for your non-existence!" Rip was seething. "Are you all happy now? I'm releasing a pyromaniac onto an innocent town."
Mick was like lightning, racing into the ship and returning a few minutes later with his safety goggles around his neck, his gun in his right hand and his Zippo in his left. He looked positively gleeful as he stepped off the ship. "C'mon, Hot Rod, let's burn."
"You named your gun?" Ray asked.
Mick bared his teeth, looking to all like a rabid animal. "You gotta problem with that, Shrinky-Dink?"
"Me? No, I have no problem with it." Ray smiled rather nervously. "I think that every weapon should have a name and...."
"Quit while you're ahead, Ray," Kendra told him.
Jax covered his mouth to smother his laughter.
Mick returned his focus to the town with a malicious grin. Tormenting Raymond Palmer was his second favorite hobby and if this team stayed together much longer, it might become his number one.
Just not right now.
Now he was going to indulge in number one.
He flipped open his Zippo and touched it to an old building made of dried wood, watching the fire quickly take hold; he then put on his gloves and goggles, and his heat gun took care of the building across the street. Mick stood in front of it, pushing his goggles back, looking totally orgasmic as he watched it burn, enthralled by the flames and the pretty colors within them, and after a few minutes he moved towards the next building.
Rip turned to Len and sneered. "You and your bright ideas."
"He's happy," Len replied, watching Mick do what he did best. Well, one of the things, if Len's ass had anything to say about it.
"He does look happy," Sara added with a smile, and darted off after Mick, Bo stick in hand.
"I'm not sure which one of them is more insane," Rip commented, as he watched her knock down posts and smash windows. "And you, Mister Snart, you owe me something for having to listen to you and Mister Rory and your...adventure...in my study."
"Nobody forced you to listen; you probably got off on it," Len shot back.
Rip was affronted. "I did no such thing."
"Bullshit; you could have left any time but you didn't." Rip's flushed face gave Len his answer. "And your study and jacket were cleaned up."
"Yes, by Raymond," Rip replied. "Your partner waving about a straight razor and threatening to shave his head if he didn't do as he was told was not very nice."
"Not nice at all!" Ray nodded, then caught Len's glare and took a step back. "Well, it really wasn't."
"Look at the bright side, Rip." Len was smiling like a cobra ready to strike. "Mick wanted to give him a shave while wearing a blindfold; I talked him out of it."
"Actually," Ray perked up, "I've read that a straight razor gives the smoothest of shaves."
Len chuckled. "The last guy Mick shaved never had to shave again." He waved his finger across his throat.
Ray choked a bit. "I'll just shut up now."
"Stop threatening him, Leonard," Kendra told him.
"But I'm so adorable when I do it." Len blew her a kiss.
Kendra blushed and buried her face in Ray's shoulder, giggling like a schoolgirl.
"I still got it," Len said with a sly grin.
"C'mon, Professor," Jax grinned at his own partner, "you know you want to."
"I may want to, Jefferson, but...." Martin didn't get a chance to finish, because Jax clasped their hands together and Firestorm soared, taking in a bit of target practice.
"It does looks like fun." Len went inside and came out in his own clothing, holding his cold gun.
"You're in a parka?" Rip stared at him in disbelief. "It's at least 38 degrees - Celsius, which I believe is 100 Fahrenheit to you."
Len looked around, concentrating for a moment. "103 Fahrenheit; 39.44 Celsius."
"How can you always tell the temperature?" That constantly amazed Rip.
"If I tell you, I'll have to kill you." In truth Len had no idea how he did it. "And it's going to cool down in a moment." He ran ahead of Mick, waving his gun and freezing a building.
"I like you better in the leather jacket." Mick followed behind, melting his ice.
"Maybe I'll wear it later - with nothing else." Len winked and iced another building.
"At least the two of you are sane." Rip turned around to see Kendra walking back inside, shedding her clothes along the way, while Ray whimpered and followed her. "They are all demented." He headed into the Waverider; now was definitely a good time for him to lock himself in his (spotless) study and finish his book.
FIN