The truth hurts (part 1): set after 1X10 progeny. Leonard and Mick have their fight and settle their differences but that doesn't mean that Leonard is done for the day. (or where Leonard finds out what Rip said to Mick on the time pirates ship.)
Word count: 3,156
Rating: T
A/N: sorry for not posting for a while but without further ado here's the next one shot.
Leonard Snart.
Well known criminal. Also known as Captain Cold, super villain.
Extremely protective,
Only cares about money and his sister Lisa,
Well that fact couldn't be more wrong; he just appears to be that way. It appears Leonard doesn't do feelings, bar from hate. Admittedly, he hates most people, but a select few. He adores his little sister, likes the band of rouges he has with his partner Mick, tolerates a few people on the wave rider. Oh and he's massively in love with partner Mick.
Absolutely hates Rip hunter though… Especially when he was forced to choose between the team and Mick. Well, he wasn't exactly forced in to that situation. It was either Len 'dealt' with Mick his own way, or one of the others killed him. Let's face it, the killer would have been Sara, the others wouldn't have had the guts to do it.
Rip fucking hunter.
He's the reason why Len's in this conundrum now.
Fighting his feelings once again and Leonard hates feelings. Can't handle them very well neither, so he has no idea how he managed to hide his true feelings for Mick for almost 30 years. He no longer knows what his true feelings are for Mick anymore…
"You love him don't you?" A voice asked, as Leonard was nursing his regenerated right hand. It was Sara.
"No." He simply responded, climbing onto his bed. It wasn't a lie after all, but it wasn't the truth either.
"Don't lie to me Leonard. I can tell you do. The way you talked about him when we thought we were going to die. The way you looked at him before…" Sara said, sitting next to him. Completely invading his personal space, not that Sara really cares. "The way you're acting now is also an indicator. The way you don't want to speak to anyone, more so than usual, instead you just want to curl up in here and, well it's almost like you're grieving." Sara explained and Leonard just growled.
"You don't know anything… just because I told you how we met, does not give you a reason to butt into my personal life or into my partnership with him." Len replied, coldly. If anyone didn't know, his nickname could be given to him just for the way he speaks sometimes.
"You couldn't kill him in that forest and you couldn't let us kill him in Nanda Parbat. You loved him, and undoubtedly you still do." Sara continued, despite Leonard's response or his tone of voice.
"You don't know what you're talking about." Leonard said as he stood up and headed towards the door.
"Now where you going?" Sara asked, shouting, as he stepped out the room.
"Too prove you wrong!" Len shouted back with a sigh. Though, was it to prove to her that she was wrong about his feelings, or to prove that he didn't have them anymore? Leonard just didn't know.
"You! I told you if I ever saw your face, you won't see daylight again." Mick growled as Len stepped into the room of his make-shift prison. Len still wondered if it was always there or just there because of Mick.
"People seem to think we should have a heart to heart." Len said, ignoring Mick's threat.
"We don't have hearts. Where does that leave us?" Mick asked, raising his eyebrow slightly, generally confused at what the point of this conversation was. Len ignored the pain in his chest at that comment, and continued the conversation.
"I've got a dozen reasons for killing you. You've got a dozen and one for killing me. So…" Len started before getting cut off by Mick, who seems to be doing that a lot recently.
"All the talk in the world's not going to change a thing." Mick interrupted which did earn a glare off the other man.
"Exactly," Snart said simply, before adding on his idea. "Here's my proposal. I open this cell. We let our fists do the talking."
"When I kill you?" Mick grunted, after thinking about it for several seconds. Len relaxed only slightly, and if you didn't know him, you wouldn't have seen it. The slight feeling of relief that he had shown, which means Mick probably did.
"You take the jumpship. Make your escape. Live out the rest of your life anywhere you like." Len explained with a slight shrug of his shoulders. He didn't even correct Mick's when for an if… he was defeated a long time ago and he was sick of fighting by this point. So much he just didn't even care whether or not he lived or died. Len only hoped that Mick didn't pick up on it too.
"And if you kill me?" Mick asked with a slight chuckle as he took another look around his so called cell. "Well, it's better than being locked up in this place. Like some kind of circus freak."
"I take that as a yes?" Len asked, just for clarification.
"Sound the bell," Mick confirmed, with a smirk. He knew he wasn't going to die. Leonard's a good fighter, always has been since they got out of Juvie and he filled out a bit, even though he preferred guns to fists. But he was never that good against Mick. Mick was always the stronger out of the two.
Leonard had managed to get the first punch in. He usually does. It wasn't the first time they quite literally had a fight. Mick had almost forgotten how strong Leonard really was. Still though, it wasn't enough. Then Mick had started fighting, properly. Within a couple of minutes, Leonard was on the floor on his back. That pretty face of his all bruised up and other area's which were all hidden by his clothes. Though, as Mick went to take the final punch, it suddenly drew on him.
Leonard wanted to die.
He knew he couldn't take mick on. Hell, he wasn't even trying to fight. They both knew he could fight better than that.
And yet he didn't.
When Mick looked down once again, he didn't see the 43 year old Leonard Snart he got to know over the years, he saw the 14 year old Leonard Snart. The one he rescued that day in Juvie. The one that in return, rescued him too from that point on. Fuck, how was he supposed to kill him now?
Slowly, Mick let his arm drop back down to the side and he just sat on the floor staring into space, earning a very confused look of Leonard.
Leonard sighed. He was confused, and admittedly, slightly relieved that Mick hadn't killed him. Mick felt the same way he did. He couldn't kill Mick, and Mick couldn't kill him. No matter how much he actually wanted too. Well seemed to want too. Maybe it was just the time masters brainwashing that has compelled Mick to want to kill Leonard but it was Mick that couldn't do it.
Maybe there was a little hope for them after all.
"We had a deal, Mick, kill me and you walk." Leonard finally said, trying to catch a glimpse of the other man to see what his reaction was. "It's what you wanted, isn't it? To get off the team?" Len added, almost feeling pathetic now.
"I don't know what I want anymore..." Yes Mick did want to get of the team. But not like this. He only sold them out to the time masters because of what Rip said. He wanted Len to choose him, as it's always been them. He didn't expect Len to choose the team and leave Mick behind like he did. "Truth is, it doesn't matter."
"What are you talking about?" Len asked, wincing as he sat up. That almost made Mick happy, to see Leonard in pain like that. Almost.
"Whether I stay or leave, I'm dead. We're all dead. I've got something to tell the team. That I've put off saying." Mick said reluctantly as he stood up, helping Len up as well, being careful not to hurt him even more. Like Leonard was going to break from underneath him. "Come on."
"What the hell is this?" Rip asked in shock as the pair entered. Leonard couldn't tell which he was more shocked about. The fact that Mick was out of the cell, or that they were together and none of them were dead.
Well Len was nearly dead but who cares about the details?
"Shut it. I've got something to say." Mick said, as he sat Len down on one of the chairs. Much to Len's dismay as he stood up and leaned against the control panel.
"Oh my god, what did you do to him?" Kendra asked, concerned. In all fairness Len did look like he was about to collapse and die at any moment so he could understand why she was concerned. He still glared at her though.
Sara looked shocked and worried. She knew that he was 'going to prove her wrong' but she didn't expect anything like this.
"Tell them, Mick," Len said, as then there was silence in the room. So Mick explained to the team, about the Hunters. When he'd said his piece, he let the captain worry about what their next move would be and walked back over to Leonard. "Come on. You're going to med bay." Mick simply said and picked Len up before he could protest.
"Mick, I'm not going there." Len almost threatened, but you could tell he was worn out by his voice.
"My sensors have told me that you are seriously injured Mr Snart and it is advisory that you do seek the med bay at once so I can get a detailed assessment of your condition at once." Gideon interrupted before Mick even had a chance to open is mouth to speak.
"See. Even the computer agrees." Mick said as he walked into the med bay and laid Len on the bed. As Gideon's sensors did an examination of Leonard, Mick couldn't help but sit down on the chair and wait to know if everything was okay, except from the bruising of course.
"Mr Snart you have several bruises across your body and a slight concussion but asides from that, you're okay. You are free to leave whenever you want. I have given you some mild pain killers to help with the pain though." Gideon said and Len gave a small smile before he noticed Mick was still there.
"You're still here?" Len asked he wasn't trying to have an attitude; he was after all more shocked than anything. He wasn't quite sure it came out like that though.
"Uh yeah. I wanted to know if everything was okay, because like or not, Snart.." Len cringed when Mick called him Snart. So they were back on last name basis, how great. "… I know you, and I know that you'll say everything's okay when it isn't. Because that is what you do. You think no one should care about you, but guess what Len?! I do! I always fucking have done. I didn't want to become chronos, or rat you out to the time pirates but after what Rip said…" Mick started to explain before Len got confused.
"Woah woah woah. What do you mean, 'after what Rip said'?" Len questioned, shuffling to the end of the bed and sitting up.
"He hasn't told you? Of course he hasn't. He's obviously as two faced and as spineless as the time masters make him out to be." Mick said, with a growl before taking a couple of deep breaths. "Alright. I had a plan Len, a real good one too. To get myself, Rip and the kid off of that timeship. But, Rip just ignored it. But he didn't even stop there. He then continued. He said, he didn't even want me on this mission. But only agreed because we were a package deal… he only wanted you Len. He then progressed and went on how I had an IQ of meat. So I was pissed and I told the time pirates where the waverider was, but only after I made a deal with them. You weren't supposed to want to stay with the team… I wanted us both to go back to 2016. Go back to what things were between us. You weren't supposed to leave me to die and I especially wasn't meant to become chronos. So, I'm sorry Len. I really am." Mick said, and at some point throughout his explanation, even Mick can't recall doing this, he moved closer and closer towards Len and cupped his head in his hands.
Leonard looked into the older man's eyes and sighed. He could see the honesty and sincerity in his eyes. He really didn't want to ruin this moment with Mick; it was after all, what he's always wanted for almost 30 years now. But, at that moment, it just made his blood boil and he just got angry. Mick could see it too because a small part of him did show a fraction of fear. No-one's ever lived to tell the tale of what Leonard is like angry. So really, all that Mick could do was move out of the way as Leonard jumped off the bed and left the med bay with Mick quickly on his trial.
"YOU!" Len shouted as he reached the bridge. None of the other members of the team had left yet so this was going to be a good show for them too. Leonard marched across to the other side of the bridge, to Rip and pinned him against the nearest wall.
"Hey what are you doing!?" Ray exclaimed, horrified at the scene that was unfolding before his eyes.
"Leonard!" Sara also shouted, "I don't think you're in any fit state to do whatever the hell it is you're doing."
"Unhand me at once Mr Snart." Rip managed to say before Len's arm went around his throat. Not hard enough to strangle him to death… yet anyway.
"Do you want to tell them… or shall I? Don't try to deny it because I can ask the kid too and he can back me up. So which is it Rip?" Len whispered in his ear and you could tell he was threatening him even if you couldn't hear his tone of voice which was used. Len glared more when all that was said was nothing. Just silence. This only made Len angrier.
"Len…" Mick trailed off. "It's okay. I am used to it after all…" Mick said, earning confused looks off everyone. Even Jax. Though, he isn't going to know what they're all on about until it's mentioned.
"No it's not Mick!" Len growled as he turned to face him, only tightening his grip on Rip. "He made you feel stupid and irrelevant and that's not okay!" He then added looking back at Rip.
"What are you on about?" Kendra asked this time Len chuckled.
"Our wonderful leader isn't so wonderful. Now is he, Jax? He's already lied to us… but THIS. This is him showing his true colours." Len started.
"Mr Snart, if you will just unhand me, I can explain this in a perfectly reasonable explanation." Rip insisted, trying to push Leonard's grip off him.
"I want nothing off you bar an apology too Mick!" Len demanded growling in the process and Jax sighed from behind him.
"Jefferson, are you implying you know what this is about?" Stein then asked, facing the youngest member of the team.
"I do… But I'll let Leonard have this. After all, Rip deserves no mercy. Not just for what he said, how he acted after that." Jax explained before leaving the bridge.
"Now as I was saying… do you want to tell them or shall I?" Len growled once again but didn't give Rip a chance to answer this time. "Our leader here insulted Mick when they were on the time pirates' ship. Mick had a plan to get them out of there safely! Anyone would know that Mick's not one for planning, so this took a lot of thinking but he did it… and what did Rip do? Ignored it..." Len trailed off before kneeing Rip in the stomach so he bent over in pain. "But that wasn't all was it Rip, hmm? You then made him feel worthless. Like he wasn't a member of the team… you only wanted me, didn't you? You made that obvious to him, and unsurprisingly I picked up on it by the way you treated him and Mick just clarified it. You told him he's only here because we were a package deal. But that wasn't it. You basically called him stupid; by saying he had the IQ of what? What was it again Rip?" Len asked threateningly as he loosened his grip on Rips throat so he could answer.
"I said… I said he had the IQ of meat." Rip managed to cough out, earning a couple of gasps off the girls before Leonard let him go. Rip just collapsed on the floor curling into himself.
"Look at you. You're pathetic. You're a waste of space. You aren't worth the dog shit I wipe off the bottom of my shoe. What's worse, you made us all think that Mick betrayed us, when really he was coming back for me, weren't he? All he wanted to do was go back home. Well news for you now, Rip. If our lives didn't depend on it, we'd be out." Len explained taking a couple of deep breaths. "But as soon as we are out of danger. We're out. If you cross me whilst we're still here, I will not hesitate to ice you, just missing your heart but the ice splinters will be there so you die a slow painful death. Not that you deserve that." Len then finished with one final kick to the ex-time masters chest before leaving the bridge, leaving the rest of the team shocked at the revelation. He over-heard Mick threaten him but didn't quite catch what was said before the older man followed him.
"You didn't have to do that you know?" Mick said once he had caught up.
"I know. I didn't do it because I felt like I had too. I did it because I wanted too. I did it because I wanted to teach that bastard a lesson. You don't touch, insult or threaten what's mine." Len said, before he could even register what was coming out of his mouth. But by that point he was just too tired to care. The adrenaline was wearing off now. "Goodnight Mick." Len then added before heading into his quarters leaving a very confused Mick left behind.
After all, everyone knows Leonard Snart's protective side and you really don't touch, insult or threaten what's his.
