Notes: Flufftober Oct.6 Prompt - Fireman's Carry

Delinquent Domesticity

Mick pinched the bridge of his nose and breathed slowly, in and out, trying to get his irritation under control like that shrink from juvie tried to teach him. But, well, he hadn't exactly been at his most attentive during their sessions, so he's not really all that surprised when he opens his eyes, and the vegetables on Len's plate are still untouched, he's still ridiculously annoyed.

"Len," Mick snaps, gruffly.

"Mick," Len sasses back because of course he does.

Such a freaking brat. Mick doesn't know why he still puts up with the guy. Saved the kid while they were in juvie and suddenly he can't get rid of Len 'don't call me Lenny' Snart. Yet somehow it was Mick trailing after Len now that they're out. Making sure they guy eats real food and gets eight hours of sleep every once in a while.

The kid sister is growing on him too. At least she eats her vegetables.

"Well, Lisa, you set a good example for your brother, finishing your vegetables like that." Mick smirked as Lisa preened and Len pouted. "He could learn a thing or two 'bout healthy eating from you."

"Can I go watch TV? My homework is done." Lisa looked hopeful.

"Yeah, go put something on," Len said, starting to stand up. He picked up his plate and Mick snatched it away, settling it on the table.

"Lisa can watch TV. You still have vegetables to eat." Mick scowled.

Len glared. "They're gross and soggy," he muttered, looking away.

"Wouldn't be gross if you'd eaten them while they were hot. Unless you're gonna nuke them in the microwave first, that plate stays on the table until you've finished eating them." On a heist - which is a really pretentious thing to be calling stealing food and money from a convenience store after shorting out the cameras - Len calls the shots, but this is a matter of nutrition and Mick is in charge there. At least, Len had promised that. But the truth was that Len had a tendency to avoid vegetables like the plague. "Is it the carrots or the brown sugar ya don't like? I won't make it again either way, but you ain't allergic and you can't afford to let good food go to waste."

Len sighed and poked at the carrots with the fork. "It's the texture. Cold or hot, it's a fucking gross texture in my mouth."

Come to think of it, Len had never liked the mushy carrots served at juvie either.

Mick sighed. "Fine. Put those in a container for later. Lisa or I'll eat 'em. But you're having some other veggies to take their place. Now. What'll it be?"

Len shrugged, but did as Mick told him.

Mick crossed to the fridge and yanked it open. They had a few carrots left - Mick could chop one up with a little dip on the side. Or there was broccoli, though Mick was planning on roasting that in the oven tomorrow. There were pickles, but they weren't certified kosher and, since Len was trying to get in touch with his Jewish roots, those were just for Mick and Lisa. The fridge door shut and Mick checked the freezer next. They had some frozen peas and carrot packs and a thing of frozen corn and a bag of frozen stir-fry veggies.

Mick sighed. Len liked corn, usually. Surely that'd do... he glanced over his shoulder and the kitchen was missing one Leonard Snart.

Slamming the freezer door shut, Mick turned to Lisa who had not gone to watch TV after all, but was standing in the doorway between the kitchen and the living area, grinning like a loon.

"Where'd your brother go?"

"To his room," Lisa replied with a laugh. Like she knew where this was going.

Which, to be fair, she did. She'd seen it before and she'd likely see it again.

At least someone was enjoying this.

Mick sighed again and went to Len's door. Picked the so-called privacy lock. Hauled Len off the bed and over his shoulders in a fireman's carry, not even bothering with reasoning with the younger teen this time. While Len squirmed and shouted and made a big fuss, Mick took him back tot he kitchen and dropped him on the floor by the table.

"You are going to have vegetables," Mick told him.

"Fuck you," Len snapped.

"Corn?" Mick asked, pulling the bag out of the freezer. "I can stick some in a microwavable mug for ya."

Len glared at Mick with what he probably thought were dagger eyes, but put Mick in mind of an angry kitten hissing and baring its claws.

In the background, Lisa giggled.

"You're usually fine with the texture of corn," Mick added, smiling cheerfully like this sort of thing didn't happen at least once a week.

"Whatever." Len got off the floor and back into his seat at the table and a few minutes later he had a steaming mug full of one serving of corn. And then proceeded to stare at it.

"Ya let it go cold and that's on you, buddy," Mick drawled in amusement, settling at his own seat again.

Petulantly, Len started eating his corn. Slowly at first, but with more enthusiasm as his taste buds remembered that he liked the stuff.

Mick smirked and then got up to check the pantry. "So, now that we've all finished our dinners, who wants cake for dessert?"

"I do!" Lisa sang out.

"Yeah, sure," Len said, pretending he didn't care when he'd scoured the dessert aisle for what turned out to be the last box of red velvet cake.

But Mick had been there, watching the desperate, grumbling search. So he knew better. "Whoever helps get to lick the bowl after." Mick smirked as Len practically elbowed his sister out of the way in order to volunteer. "You can both help. Len, stick that mug in the dishwasher first. Lisa, grab a mixing bowl, will ya?"

The Snarts snapped to obey and Mick grinned. The kitchen was his domain indeed.

Though... maybe he ought to start looking into hiding veggies in other kinds of foods. Zucchini bread sounded promising...