#my patience is running dry so something rougher for this post I suppose

[zondearts]

More clothing... just because

[techxbillionaire]

A Better Man

I compiled an old RP between me and @icexandxcool so it is easier to read. I don’t think we will ever continue it but I was asked about doing this so I have. It begins at the end of legends of tomorrow season 2. They drop Len back off in the time line without his memories of being a memeber of the legion of doom. It hasn’t been edited and please remember it was an rp so that’s why there are weird perspective switches. Anyways enjoy!

A Better Man

“No, I mean better.”

Ray can hear Mick’s gruff voice from just beyond the warehouse door where he is hiding and waiting. The sound of the new tech he designed, let’s him know that it’s done. Leonard’s memories are gone. Mick appears at his side only moments later with a grim expression on his already grim features. “You sure about this pretty?”

“He has an eidetic memory. If someone can beat my tech it's him. We don’t want remnants of events sticking around. He needs to get on the ship with us. The team wouldn’t be the same without him.” Ray recites the answer he’s been giving everyone when asked about his decision to stay in 2012. He’ll be playing henchman to captain cold.

Mick pats Ray on the shoulder a rare physical gesture obviously strategic, “which is the bullshit you fed the team. What’s your angle.”

Unable to resist looking at Mick when the pyromaniac initiates contact Ray is the cause of his own undoing. He is a horrible liar at the best of times and Mick knows something more is at play here, has known for a while just hasn’t called Ray out on it. Sighing deeply Ray let’s his gaze drift over to where Len is standing, still looking so uncharacteristically confused. “I just want to know him,” he admits quietly.

Mick shakes his head, “he ain’t the guy from the waverider, pretty. He’s cruel and guarded. He’ll hate you more than he did the first time.”

Ray nods, “I know.”

“Moron, then why you doing this,” Mick demands.

“Because he changed my fate Mick.” Ray boldly declares, “I was supposed to die. Yes, you intervened but ultimately it’s Len’s fate that was cut short so mine could be altered. I just… I just want to do the same for him.”

Mick drops his hand away from Ray’s shoulder and nods. He leaves him too it then. Confident that if anyone can melt the icy heart of Captain Cold it was the boy scout.

No one was willing to change fate with the spear but maybe fate would let them have this one gimme for being so good about that. There had to be a loop hole somewhere and Ray would find it. In Len’s past he would find a way to save the man’s future.

Taking a deep breath Ray steadies himself. Pushing off the wall he turns to enters the room currently occupied by one Leonard Snart. He takes another deep breath and runs his hand over his newly shaven head. Ray had drastically changed his look so he could convince anyone who notices that he only closely resembles Ray Palmer. A buzz cut and a thick coat of stubble give him a rougher look. His already toned body and broad shoulders help as well. He at least looks the part.

“Heya, Leonard Snart right? I was told I could find you here. Names Lucky.” Too bad that all goes to shit as soon as he opens his mouth.

Len leans back against a desk he’d dragged out of the offices weeks ago for this armored truck job that’s been completely botched. It’s thanks to a new player in town he’d been almost entirely unaware of in any capacity of acceptance when it comes to rumors about things called “the Streak.” The impossible… made flesh.

This place is feeling… off to him today. He’s never put much stock in feelings of deja vu. Mostly because his mind never forgets and so he simply knows whether he’s been somewhere or met someone before, but right now he completely understands why so many people find it so frustrating. His whole being feels taut. Pulled in an unidentifiable direction, and he does not like it.

He’s alone in the warehouse at first. He shot a member of his crew here yesterday, knowing he would lose the others and not caring in the least. He has a reputation to maintain in the criminal underworld or he’ll have just any fool coming to his calls for grunts who can follow orders. Besides! He’s discovered he has bigger fish to fry. In the form of the very same Khandaq diamond going on display at the local museum now that “the Flash” has botched the truck heist. He’s going to need a way to defeat this fast moving Do Gooder if he’s ever going to get his hands on his current goal.

He wants that chunk of ice.

That thought carries far more weight inside of him than he understands souring his mood even further. His right hand twitches, fingers folding into his palm by his right thigh as if he were reaching for something that should be there but isn’t and he finds his frustration mounting. He shakes his hand out after a millisecond post the involuntary response to thoughts of the Flash as his enemy. Brow furrowed, he rubs his wrist when a voice breaks his concentration on his sense of loss. As if he were missing some vital part of himself somehow. He’s perfectly whole but he can’t shake the feeling that he’s lost something… something beyond his scope of comprehension of the moment. He hates feeling like this, but he pushes aside his irritation. His frustration he lets bleed off his aura in waves. He’s all out of patience after losing his crew yesterday.

The man is tall, broad shouldered and built like a mixed martial artist. Heavy enough to take on a middleweight wrestler. Maybe even a heavyweight if he’s skilled. He looks intimidating… except for the softness around his eyes and the fact that he sounds like a friendly neighbor rather than any kind of criminal.

“Lucky, hm?” He drawls and folds his arms aginst his chest, low and relaxed, as he increases his lounging position against his work bench desk. He is the king of his castle and he will not tolerate unwanted intruders. “I have a fairly good idea of who you’ve spoken too… shall I assume then that you are looking to join my new crew despite recent… unfortunate events?”

‘Unfortunate events’ was one way to put it and yes Ray was prepared. How well that preparation holds up under pressure is a whole other thing. He’d been warned by Mick, and then Sara, and then by Stein of the kind of man he was attempting to help. It seemed kind of cruel to have such a negative outlook on a man who ultimately dies for them all but Ray understands.

They warned him because of what happened to Amaya, because they don’t want it to happen to him. Liabilities get disposed of by this current Cold. This is the time in which he earned his mantel, and Ray wasn’t allowed to stop him. Some deaths shape not only Len but Barry as well. Ray has been warned and believes himself mentally prepared for this but Len’s words of introduction crack his resolve.

Len has openings in his crew because he killed one of his previous crew members. It was cut and dry. Calculated and cold. Ray swallowed down the bile rising up into his mouth. No point in getting cold feet now, he wanted to bare witness to the man Leonard Snart will become. All his broken pieces included. Rubbing his sweaty palms onto his thighs he holds out his hand Ray knows it’s going to be rejected but it’s a sign of respect and he can’t shake all his habits.

“I heard, not from whoever your thinking of though. Just heard… but that’s besides the point, I was looking for you because you’re you.” Ray was not getting anywhere fast but still he keeps going, “no, well, yes… what I mean is, I’m a tech specialist, support. I want to be part of a team that utilizes my abilities but in order for that to happen I need a leader who isn’t a muscle head.”

That’s interesting. “What makes you think I need a tech expert, Lucky? Or that I actually will build another crew after… terminating the last one? It’s bold of you… to just walk into the bear’s den like this…”

Len stares Lucky down, sizing him up, measuring his mettle. “And if I wanted a practical interview? A… demonstration of your technical prowess of sorts? Are you prepared to fail knowing that you became a liability the moment you walked through that door?”

Ray laughs because maybe he was a little giddy from getting to actually talk to Len. The entire time he’d been with the legion it was only fire fights and one liners. Eobard was obviously careful to keep Len from the team. He also maybe laughed because showing off is something he can do. Taking a reckless step foreword Ray replies with two fingers moving in a sign for running in front of his face.

“The streak.” Ray says confidently despite feeling a little silly for saying it like this, “is why you’re looking for a new crew. The rest of the criminals are running scared but you, you aren’t that timid.” He sugar coats his words with compliments, stroking the illustrious ego of captain cold. He readies his ‘miniature bomb’ in his hand, shows off the little throwing star to Snart before tossing it towards a cargo box. With a blue flash the box shrinks down small enough to fit into the palm of his hand.

Ray leans down picks it up and tosses it towards Len, “I only have one stipulation for my continued loyalty and services. I’m purely support. I tinker with the tech, but I never, NEVER set foot in a bank, vault or armoured car.” His words gruff and harsher than he would normally phrase things thanks to Sara and Mick practically writing this bit out in script format.

Len catches the tossed container with deft efficiency and then opens his hand to study the oddly light rectangle of metal. “Cool under pressure. A trait I admire.”

He lifts the shrunken container and then tosses it back to Lucky. “Let’s take better care of our potential assets and targets though shall we? That’s going to be a mess in there… if you can return it to its normal size again that is.”

He’s got this…. itch at the back of his mind. It’s triggering his sense of knowing, but that usually flawless recall is stymied and Len is quickly becoming irritable with frustration. “How do I know you’re not a plant? How do you plan to earn enough of my trust that I don’t send you straight to the coroner?”

Ray sets the container down on the ground an appropriate distance away from them. “The affects wear off after a time limit. You can’t sustain this amount of atom minimization without constant power output. Depending on the materials it can be as quick as a minute or as long as a day. It’s still a prototype so there are some bugs. Not ready for heists yet.” His explanation is said mostly to his watch as he counts down. It takes another thirty seconds but than the crate returns to its original size.

“Mm, alright. Fair enough. You’re tech savvy. I’ve heard rumors that some things were taken from STAR labs and they’re being fenced to the highest bidder. I meet the… “man of business” in two hours. You’ll come with me. Make sure there isn’t anything else of value besides the two pieces I’m already taking. Got it?“

That sense of knowing, like he should be familiar with this whole scene… but… that something was still… off.

Ray nods excited to be included so quickly and on an excursion he had heard about prior. Makes preparing his mind for the impending murder easier. The man stole the guns because of financial problems and Barry later takes care of his family so it isn’t all bad. Ray still feels a lump of guilt forming in his gut but he pushes it aside in favour of winning Len’s trust. "I can do that. What kind of tech are you already interested in?? And from STAR labs too” ray whistles, “that’s some fancy stuff. Cutting edge even.”

“You’ll see soon enough. In the meantime, I’ve ordered us something to eat. The pizza delivery boy will be here soon. See that he’s taken care of. I have some research to attend.”

Len straightens and swings around to the working side of the desk, settling in the chair and waking up his laptop. He’s irritated with this sense of wrongness and he can’t seem to shake it. He wonders if it might be that he finds Lucky attractive and that it’s been far too long since he’s gotten laid… but deems that ridiculous. He’s not that hard pressed yet.

Ray nods and turns to go keep a look out for the delivery boy but hesitates. He looks back at Len and clears his throat to get the man’s attention. “You can trust me Len. I know that doesn’t carry weight but…” cutting himself off Ray shakes his head. His eyes are a little sad when he turns back to the entrance of the warehouse. Sighing deeply he pushes himself to walk away.

Each step feels like it’s sinking deeper in mud pulling him down. Ray, if anything could persevere. So, he ignores his heavy emotions in favour of playing his part. That little slip up can’t happen again. This needs to be organic, he doesn’t want to trigger Len’s sharp mind and eidetic memory. Auto pilot takes over as it often does when Ray is working out a complex problem. He pays for the pizza and returns to the room Len was in, a bit of a daze floating over his head like a cloud.

Len had been about to bristle and growl at Lucky that they weren’t so well acquainted yet that he should be calling him by his first name, but something in that sad, sad expression stops him. He feels that sense of not knowing something he should know spike and lets the incident go in favor of searching for answers on the internet. Lucky returns looking dazed. “Let me guess. She was beautiful and you’re in need of a little… alone time.”

Ray startles, “wah?!” He blushes at the implications behind Len’s words and stammers through a few more attempts at ‘what’ before managing, “no uh, just thinking out a problem I haven’t solved yet.” Coming up to the desk he lays the pizza between them turned toward Len so the thief can grab his first. Ray takes this moment to cool off his cheeks hoping his beard mostly covered his blush. He leans on the desk and grabs himself a slice to munch on.

“So, have you had a chance to catch the hobbit yet?” Rays asks reaching for anything to talk about to fill the silence. He avoids personal questions or questions that could appear as digging for information which left little to be desired in conversation starters.

Len goes stone silent. Swallows his bite of pizza and then stands, setting his bitten slice on a napkin on the desk. “Will you excuse me.”

Then he disappears down the hall that was behind him. He locks himself in the bathroom and paces. Now isn’t the time to let that ice cold need for revenge rise to the surface. Lisa has been dead for a long time… he’ll never rest until Lewis Snart is rotting in hell. But… he isn’t about to tell any of that to Lucky.

Ray startles back up into a standing position almost dropping his slice of pizza as he nods to Len’s words. He watches the man stalk out, worry etched into every line of his face. Ray was missing something. He closes his eyes and places greasy fingers on the bridge of his nose. He’d picked the hobbit because it came out around this time in 2012. What significances does that movie hold for Len. Outside of being a closet nerd there was no reason for such a uncharacteristic reaction to the mention of that movie.

Pursing his lips he tries to go through all the little facts he knows about Len. The things he discovered by overhearing conversations he wasn’t supposed too and then the stories Mick told to him after Len… well after. Nothing is clicking which just cements his growing concern he is missing something important. How to discover what it could be is going to be hard.

After going around in circles Ray gives up for now. Living alongside Len is the only way to find answers so he will just have to stick it out. He goes back to eating his pizza well he waits on Len to return.

Len returns composed and cool and settles in his chair. He resumes his research - now on the growing numbers of reports on the Streak - and starts on his pizza slice again. Absently he asks, “What can you tell me about the Streak, Lucky?”

Wasn’t that a question and a half. Ray was tempted to start off with correcting the name because ‘the streak’ is lame but he holds back. What can Ray say? Gnawing on his pizza slice he considers his options. Would providing no insight make him useless and then disposable. Was this a test from Len or just an inquiry. Ray honestly doesn’t know and no amount of studying Len’s face was giving him answers.

The script was used up, now he needed to stick around all by himself. He was clever, a genius even. He could do this. Hopefully. “Uh… he’s fast?” Ray answers and it is no where near as confident as it needs to be. Throwing caution to the wind he adds, “probably weak to the cold.”

Len’s brow raises. “My thought exactly. All that lightning generated from heat and friction, the speeds he travels and all molecules slow to a stop at Absolute Zero… so what better way to slow him down than giving him a little… chill?”

Len can’t help but be relieved by the topic change and to have someone agree with him rather than run away for fear of the consequences of failure.

Ray can’t hide his eyebrows rising up in surprise. He’d known that Leonard learned that gun inside and out after he got it but his current reasoning suggested an understanding of science beyond what the thief ever let on before. His surprise almost caused him to miss the pun but he doesn’t. Ray covers his chuckle with a cough, hand coming up to cover his smile. It doesn’t work.

“Chill right…” he agrees hiding behind opening the pizza box because he can’t get his amusement under control. He picks a piece of pizza up and shoves it in his mouth as a last ditch effort. Well he chews he asks, “you’ve studied physics?”

“I have nothing else to do when I manage to find myself in lock up… and I never perform a heist without knowing everything I’m dealing with… and every escape route. I’ve robbed top floor penthouses and never had those thefts pinned on me. It’s nice to be… underestimated.”

Len’s smirk is cocky as he finishes another piece of pizza. He’s pleased that Lucky finds his puns humorous. So many people are just… too stupid.

Humming thoughtfully he finishes off his pizza and begins licking his fingers clean. The image of Len behind bars studying science books leaves a lingering smile on his lips. “I guess,” ray concedes to Len’s underestimated comment. He can’t really relate though. To be underestimated feels the same as not leaving a lasting impact which he is really not a fan of.

He wants his time, effort, and accomplishments to have meaning. When you do things that matter you aren’t underestimated but held in high regard. Ray wants to matter, maybe too much. Doesn’t Len want that too? “What other subjects have you studied?” Ray changes gears trying to pry more about Len out of him well still keeping a respectful distance.

Len lifts a shoulder. “I speak several different languages among them Russian, Italian, Sindarin and Vulcan. I’m a fair mathematician. But mostly I’ve studied people. Like right now… you’re fishing. I just don’t know for what.”

Len shrugs again and hums as he finishes off his third and last piece. “I like you. You’re earnest. Don’t push your luck.”

Being read and being honest were apparently different things because Ray feels a little raw and exposed at being seen through. If Len liked that he was ernest than he’d stick with that. Creating a persona too different from his own personality would be hard to maintain for a long period of time.

“I was fishing.” Ray admits, “for more about you. Not really a particular detail just trying to get to know the man behind some of the stories I’ve heard.” Every word one hundred percent the truth. It felt good not to hold back to not have to hide behind half truths and half lies. “Kohlinar!” Ray exclaims with a snap of his fingers, “you totally do that don’t you. Okay not that extreme but you try to mute your emotions. That’s what earlier was abou…. and okay, uh you know when something just kinda clicks. An answer to a problem and it’s like eureka? You just… you mentioned Vulcan and then my mind went Spock and your so cool and collected but earlier when you excused… I’m sorry I should really stop talking. Shouldn’t we be going now? Imma just shut up now. Don’t get mad.”

It wasn’t like he didn’t know this about Len before but it just felt like his understanding over what that practise truly is to the thief just expanded. It was to suppress powerful overwhelming emotions.

Len’s expression is neutral for a long moment. He’s never been pegged so accurately in his life. Not even by Lisa when she had been alive. He stands and is about to say something scathing when his mental clock has him look at his watch. “We need to go. Come on. The meeting place is across town and we have to account for traffic.”

If he doesn’t acknowledge Lucky’s eerily accurate insight then perhaps he’ll assume he’s off base and leave it be without Len having to lie to his newest crew member.

Ray blows out a long breath relieved that he was still invited. He was totally okay with bypassing his outburst. Doesn’t make it any less true but he can let Len believe he’s dismissed Ray’s observation. “Okay sure,” he replies as he bounces on his toes waiting for Len to lead the way.

If only he hadn’t done that… they could be talking Star Trek right now instead of awkward silence. It made Ray want to twitch. Inside the car he chewed his lip and drummed his fingers anxiously.

Len drives like a calculated law abiding citizen. He even waits to start the car until they’re both buckled in. It’s a few moments of silence in when he can’t hold back the question any longer. “Which series?” He asks cool and calm, feigning indifference.

Ray is so grateful Len is a big enough nerd that he can’t resist a chance to talk to someone with similar interests. The accompanying smile lights up Ray’s face with an obnoxious amount of happiness. He hums and hahs for a moment before dropping an answer with a ‘duh, isn’t it obvious’ inflection to his words, “the original. I mean it’s what started all of it.”

Len nods approval heavy in his expression. “And the movies?”

He normally doesn’t want to get to know his crewmen. But there is just something about this man that puts Len at ease. A dangerous situation that he’ll have to be more wary of from here forward.

“The wrath of khan.” Ray answers easily but then adds when his brain connects the dates to the new movies, “I’m also excited for the next movie ‘into the darkness’ because the rumours are all talking about them revisiting that storyline.” Which they do, and it was glorious. Ray kind of wants to tell Len all about it but bites his tongue. Letting the thief speculate instead.

“I haven’t had much time to follow the movie rumor mill. If they revisit Khan, I’m sure they’ll do the storyline justice.” Len pulls them into the warehouse parking lot. “Let me do the talking. Speak up if you notice anything pertinent.”

Ray nods biting his tongue again when the thought of asking Len to go see it with him pops into his head. A similar inquiry about movies is what caused the storm of emotions earlier and ray doesn’t want to unbalance him when they are about to go do something so pivotal. He also has to stop his hand from miming locking his mouth closed because Lucky tech criminal specialist would not do that.

“Will do boss.” He says instead which was a sufficient alternative. Calling Len boss made him chuckle internally but it also lets his intent known. He plans on listening. He will be on his best behaviour. Following Len into the warehouse Ray keeps his word and doesn’t speak up. The guns Len look at he already knows well and nods approvingly when looking them over from behind Len’s shoulder.

It was actually interesting to see the gun’s in their original state, being able to compare to the upgrades he knows exist. Part of Ray wonders how many of those upgrades Len did himself. He’ll have to be careful not to take over the process in fear of a predestination paradox. He’d do the upgrades because he saw the gun already with the upgrades meaning the upgrades have no proper beginning.

The idea of teaching Len the science and know how to upgrade his own gun seems like the best way to avoid that. How to offer that without Len outright rejecting it would be the trick though.

Len is an observant man and he picks up on Lucky’s approval of the tech. Len wastes no time in icing the dealer. He grins, pleased by the results. “Bring the rest. I have a fence already lined up.”

Len picked up the cases for the Heat and Cold guns once he’s tucked away the cold gun and goggles. He heads back to the car and tucks the cases behind his seat. Then he pops the trunk expecting Lucky to be right behind him.

Ray’s mouth falls open in horror over how quickly Len makes the decision to kill the man and take all the things. Though it wasn’t actually quick because len was prepared for the results of icing the man. It makes ray queazy. He stays behind staring at the iced statue holding the bile rising in his stomach down with will power alone. Wiping unshed tears form his eyes he does as he was told collecting all the gear of any value and scurrying after Len.

His heart is heavy with the weight of a life being taken right in front of him. He could have done something. Knew it was coming and could have prevented it in some way. He hasn’t felt this helpless since Anna. A new wave of nausea washes over him when he makes it back to Len’s car. Carefully he dumps the stuff into the trunk his forehead beading with sweat as a clammy sickly feeling takes him. He can’t throw up though. He’s Lucky. This is his normal. He will have to get used to this. There is more to come.

Those thoughts do little to settle his stomach. He looks at Len and offers a weak smile silently saying ‘job’s done.’ Once the message was relayed he slides back into the car and covers his face with his hands trying desperately not to wear his heart on his sleeve and failing miserably.

Len gets them on the road. The car is quiet while Len maneuvers them through Central City traffic. He’s torn. On one hand, something is definitely off here. On the other, he can see why Lucky doesn’t like to be in the front row.

“I won’t be needing you in the field after this. You’ve proven valuable…. and given good reason as to why you don’t want to be on the front lines. Not everyone has the stomach for what needs to be done.”

“Does it though?” Ray finds himself saying despite himself. He looks over at Len his eyes pleading the shadow of the man he knows to let the real deal shine through. Swallowing down such shallow feelings he closes his eyes and shakes his head. “No, never mind. You’re right. I just don’t have the stomach for it, but I like the freedom to tinker and create what I want without board members and grants hanging over my head. So here I am.” It was a lie seated in things Ray honestly doesn’t like about being an inventor in the 21st century.

He rubs his hands over his face and then through his hair collecting himself. Licking his lips he takes a breath carefully controlling the things about to come out of his mouth. “I trust you to do what’s necessary and only that. Like I said before I did my research and you aren’t one for needless casualties I … we might not be on the right side of the law, but that doesn’t make us bad people either.”

“How incredibly progressive of you, Lucky. My partner’s going to disagree with you there. My advice? Don’t argue with him. He’s got a hot temper. We’ve been apart for a bit so he could cool down… but! If for some reason cold isn’t the answer… Mick will take the opportunity to overheat his engines. With pleasure. The Streak won’t be fouling up any more of my heists. One way or another.”

Len turns them toward a red light district and parks in the lot of a pay by the hour motel. He gets out of the car and then leans back in. “Don’t speak and get in the back seat.”

Ray nods interested in Len’s perspective of Mick. It was all helpful advice because the mick that is his friend on the waverider had been through a lot. Like time master kidnapping and brainwashing, then unbrainwashing and Len dying. A lot a lot. Those kind of experiences change a man and ray hopes that the mick Rory he knows is still in there now though. It will always be easier for ray to get along with mick because like ray he wears his heart on his sleeve. Len despite how Ray is drawn to him, was an enigma to ray more often than not.

He hopes to solve some of the man through this ordeal though. “Okay, good to know about your friend. I’ll keep out of his way,” ray comments as he slides out of the front seat and into the back. He still wasn’t feeling one hundred percent but there was nothing he could do about that. This was his life he kept reminding himself because he was worried if he didn’t he’d forget and start preaching at Len. Which would do him absolutely no good. When Len is gone ray plays with the radio leaning up into the front seats awkwardly.

He was just bored and trying to keep busy so his mind would stop replaying when Len iced that man. It wasn’t the first time he’d seen someone die and that man wasn’t the nicest of men but even still the heartless killing over business is what gets to ray. What shifts Len’s axis so he decides not to do such things. Where he decides to give his life for his team and all of time.

The conversation with Mick goes exactly as he’s planned and before long, Len and Mick come out of a motel room each holding their respective gun cases. Mick slides into the passenger seat and twists looking Ray over for a moment. He asks, “Who’s this?” once Len has settled his gun in the foot well behind his seat and settled himself in the driver’s seat.

“Mick. Lucky. Lucky. Mick. He’s a tech expert. Hates the scene, loves unauthorized, unmoderated tech projects. He seems useful.”

Mick grunts and settles back. “He looks like a cross between one o'those punk hipsters and a some pretty boy billionaire.”

“Now Mick. Where are you manners?” Len chastens as he drives them back to the safehouse.

Ray freezes mouth open gawking at Mick. His mind a little broken at the all too observant and accurate assessment. He eventually shakes the shock away and holds out his hand awkwardly from the backseat, “and you seem like there is more to you than meets the eye. Looking forward to working with you.” It was a simple statement but one that ray knows beyond a doubt is true. Mick was more than a muscle brained fire obsessed broken individual. He was clever, resourceful and one day Ray’s friend.

Mick looks back at him again, looks down at his hand and then shakes it once briefly. “Yeah yeah.”

Len chuckles once, just a soft huff, and then says baldly, “I sleep in the corner office on the second floor. There are five other offices to choose from. Once I close my door leave me alone outside of emergencies. Now, I expect to see both of you at ten AM sharp. I have a plan for testing what we’re dealing with. Understood?”

Ray nods relieved on two levels. One mick shook his hand which did not happen the first time they met. The other was Len was putting him up. Ray isn’t certain if the arrangement is long term but for tonight at least he doesn’t have to figure something out. His plans to stay at Len’s side weren’t all that well thought out beyond becoming a member of his crew.

He picks the office that was between where Len and mick settled. He would have preferred to be closer to Len but thought the nearness would raise suspicion. He doesn’t really sleep that night, haunted by an icy face he didn’t save. How does Len bare such burdens so effortlessly. Do you really get used to it as he’s suggested before. Ray doubts it.

In the early hours of the morning he gives up on sleep and heads out for a run along the docks. The sun was barely beginning to rise when he makes it back to the warehouse. He’d stopped for ingredients on the way and was making use of the kitchen when the first sound of stirring could be heard. Hopefully Mick and Len like gluten and dairy free blueberry pancakes.

Mick makes his way in first, and makes a pleased, gruff noise as he moves over to take a plate of the pancakes. He’s in the process of adding syrup when Len strolls in as well put together as ever.

“You cook too? I might just end up keeping you on if you keep surprising us.” He glances at Mick who is wolfing it down and then starts plating up breakfast for himself.

Ray can’t control the blush. It hits him hard and fasts which he wholly blames Len for. He never complimented him before what is with all this positive reinforcement now. Was Len always so free with, even in a teasing manner, such kind words. It made Ray’s head spin a little. He glares down at his plate trying to cool his cheeks off well he eats his own share of the pancakes.

He swallows down a big bite and in an attempt to steer the conversation away from himself asks, “so you mentioned a plan last night.”

“I want to gain an appreciation of how fast he is. How agile. How… tethered he is when given a choice between catching the villain… and saving a life.” Len finishes off his small stack of pancakes. “I want to know what makes him tick… not his powers, but the man who wields them.”

‘Between catching the villain… and saving a life’ are the only words ray really hears. He knows what’s coming next. Another icy face to add to his conscious. He can’t bare it. Feeling a panic grip him ray has to fight off his desire to beg Len not to. To suggest there is a better way. Instead he bites his tongue in favour of a rougher assessment.

“An ultimatum then? How cliche. Though I guess it’s still used cuz it’s effective… just thought you’d have something more ingenuous up your sleeve.”

Mick whistles, “the balls on this one. Thinks making pancakes gives him a right to an opinion.”

Len’s eyes flick to Mick then back to Ray. “Tried, true and reliable,” he confirms airily and finishes off his last bite of food. “I need to know his mind, so I can make certain he and I can reach an understanding. It will be far less of a headache than outright killing him…”

“You just love a challenge,” Mick rumbles.

“True,” Len responds though his eyes are on Ray alone.

“What if he IS the hero he claims to be?” Ray counters because he is curious, will Len continue to sacrifice civilians. Ray knows ultimately Barry convinces him otherwise but if he hadn’t would that have been Len’s go to for escape. Then ray has a thought. One he would never say outloud.

Was Len testing Barry because he wants him to fail at being a hero, because he believes there is no such person. Tilting his head to the side he meets Len’s eyes his own gaze intense like when he looks at the inner workings of a new machine. He watches each gear and cog carefully figuring out how they work.

Shaking his head he goes back to finishing his pancakes letting Len off the hook from answering. If he is right and Len is testing the flash Ray’s inquiry will only be met with silence or cool indifference. He offers up instead, “Guess I’ll just have to wait and see what you do. I can understand the allure of a puzzle.”

It’s subtle, but Lucky’s questions and final statement have him looking hard at Lucky, his gaze calculating. He doesn’t let the expression get him down. He just adjusts his perceptions of Lucky. He’s wary but none of his warning instincts have truly been triggered. His eyes wander over Lucky for a moment. The man is, after all, exactly his type.

“I suppose you do,” he responds a slight purr to his voice.

It wasn’t like Ray hadn’t heard that sort of tone coming from Len before, just never used towards him. It made the hairs on his arms stand on end like an animal being targeted by a predator. Ray swallows down the last bite of his food and looks up at Len smiling a big broad grin mostly out of nervous habit. He pushes his feelings on what that tone could possibly mean out of his mind.

As he does this his mouth goes on a tangent well his mind is preoccupied. “Like you’ve already discovered I have no stomach for on the job action but I do hope you remember I’m offering my services to you because you’re a thief not a murderer.” Ray drums his fingers on the table looking between Mick and Len as he makes what appears to be a random assessment of the two men, “Neither of you are. Your survivors, and I have faith when you see an opportunity that will lead you away from having to be so extreme… you’ll take it.”

Standing he scoops up the empty plates and starts walking off to the kitchen a wave of his hand over his shoulder as he concludes, “Sometimes all it takes is a little faith, Leonard.” It wasn’t until he was wrist deep in suds washing the dishes that he thinks maybe he’d said a little too much. He wasn’t supposed to know these two men that well yet. Even on the waverider he probably wouldn’t have taken such liberties. Though he’d never been included in their inner circle there either. Ray was getting ahead of himself. His excitement and nerves were beginning to show in an unexpected manner.

If only Len hadn’t purred at him like that.

It was all his fault, with that voice and drawl… and.. and… sharp clear blue eyes. Ray closes his eyes and takes a breath trying to clear his head. What was he even thinking about. He needs to think of a way to be useful. surveillance maybe, miniature cameras… what was that queen bee villain chick ollie fought called again? Doesn’t matter, he can set something like that up to record Len’s encounters with Barry for future analysis. He is sure Len would appreciate that.