AUTHOR'S NOTE: So, I got a little caught off guard about CaptainCanary Week on Tumblr, but I had this little bit of dialogue that I'd cut from the final chapter of "Coming Home To You," and decided to expand on it. The tricky part was to do it while still keeping to the continuity I'd already established.
Many thanks to Jael for the encouragement and for one important line that helps this hang together so much better!
For reasons Leo understood only too well, Earth-1's Leonard Snart wasn't too fond of crowds. For the second night in a row, he was sitting at the edge of a party, watching the celebration but also staying apart from it.
That might have worked fine the first time Leonard was on the Waverider, when he and Sara were still dancing around each other and, from what little Mick had told him, when they were too busy hurtling from mission to mission to worry about social niceties. But circumstances on the Waverider were different now. And while Leo also knew only too well that Leonard was not, chronologically or emotionally, that far past those early days, Sara was different too.
The stress of this final battle might have thawed his counterpart's habitual ice, but Leo knew from experience just how easy it was, once things were more settled, to fall back into old patterns that could wind up hurting those you love.
And that could drive Sara back to locking her feelings up in that stupid box.
Leo wasn't going to let that happen. He ambled over to the makeshift bar to pick up a couple of glasses and a bottle, then went over to Leonard's table.
"Zari and Red are trying to turn one of our computers into something called a 'karaoke machine.' From what Ray tells me about those contraptions, I think we're going to need a lot of liquor," he said, holding up his offerings. "What do you say to a little more of Queen's stash?"
Leonard nodded, Leo poured, and the two men settled back to watch the festivities while Leo considered the best way to tell his doppelgӓnger to get his shit together.
But in the middle of his musing, Leo became aware of the oblique glances Leonard was casting his way. He raised an eyebrow. "Is there a problem?"
Leonard smirked slightly as he set his glass down. "Just a little… how did you put it? Freaked out… over seeing my face smiling like that."
Leo laughed. Yes, he could work with this. "You haven't seen the way you look at Sara. Or Mick. Or even your Ray," he answered, shaking his finger at Leonard's scowl. "You may pretend that Raymond Palmer irritates the crap out of you, but you actually like the guy." He took another swallow of his Scotch. "I'd say your secret's safe with me, but like I said - you haven't seen the way you look at them."
Now it was Leonard's turn to raise an eyebrow as he poured himself another drink. "And just how do I look at them?"
Leo's smile softened. "Like you've found your way home," he answered quietly. "And I don't just mean Earth-1. You've found your way back to the people you love."
He could almost see the ice starting to form, and shook that finger again to forestall any protest. "And I know you're not comfortable using that word. Not yet. But take it from a guy who also used to be uncomfortable with it - it only seems scary."
It had been terrifying, in fact - but Leonard didn't really need to know that.
Leonard scoffed. "I think that's even more of a freakout. My voice, talking about… feelings."
Leo shook his head. "You say that like it's a dirty word, Leonard. It's not." He took another drink, then said, "And I should warn you, Sara may have some… expectations about those feelings of yours."
"Expectations?" Leonard repeated with a frown.
Leo shrugged. "Sara and I had… something of a therapy session the other night on the Waverider. And yes, that's where all the pot and kettle business comes from, but that's not what's important here."
"That's a matter of opinion," Leonard returned, slightly sourly.
"Hey! She may have kissed me, but she was seeing you!" Leo said sharply. When Leonard's eyes widened a bit, he went on, "She told me a bit about the last private conversation the two of you had before you… well.. died… and I told her that was the patented awkward Leonard Snart way of saying 'I love you.' And I didn't mean the 'just good friends' kind of love, either." Leo peered at him. "I don't think I was wrong, was I?"
His counterpart sat back and stared at him for a moment. Leo could see the thoughts rolling through his head. He waited, knowing where they would go. He'd thought them himself, after all.
Then, slowly, Leonard said, "I think she should be the first one to hear that, don't you?"
Leo chuckled. "Matter of fact, I do. So what are you waiting for?"
Ray leaned comfortably into his fiancé as they watched Leonard and Sara sway together on the dance floor. He smiled as Leonard leaned down to say something that made Sara pull back with a startled, happy expression, then pull Leonard's head down for a kiss.
"So, did you have to threaten him with the puppet treatment?" Ray murmured.
Leo shook his head. "Nope. Just had to let him know what he already knew, even if he didn't know he knew it already. You know?"
Ray chuckled. "Leo, that's almost as bad as the puns! But… I'm glad to hear it, because there's no way in hell I'm letting you go back to Earth-1 to give them couples counseling!"
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'm not *quite* done with this series; I have at least one more rattling around that I hope to do before the end of the summer.
Reviews = Love!