A/N: This is the second fic in a larger story arc. The previous segments are White Light and Pavement Cracks, and whereas reading them (and reviewing!) isn't a bad idea, I'm leaning on the canon as structure enough so that hopefully it isn't really necessary. To start this section, we're in the silver age/bronze age, the Rogues are fully formed but contending with power struggles between Cold and Top, Piper and Trickster have just secretly started dating, and some drama has arisen around their crime doctor, Dr. Kendra.

Piper got out of bed and jogged into his living room to adjust the thermostat for his apartment. While doing so, some unfamiliar teal and zebra print throw pillows caught his eye. He blinked a few times before making a slow walk around the room, counting off things he didn't remember being moved in.

'Throw pillows, Robert Crumb coffee table book, lava lamp, framed Tom and Jerry cells, three video game systems, wait…' Piper bent over his entertainment center. "That's not my TV."

"Your TV sucked!" James called from the bedroom.

Piper walked to the doorway and folded his arms over his chest. "I should charge you rent. You've practically moved in. How'd you do that without me noticing?"

James shrugged. "You're easily distracted by sex?"

"True." Piper smirked. "We need to talk about the decorating scheme. I had Earth tones going for the living room. Your accents make it look schizophrenic."

"So we'll get a slip cover for the couch, and it's not hard to find a good coffee table-"

"James, that's my furniture."

"Right, the ugly stuff." James reached over and tugged Piper back into bed. He curled up against Piper, a blissful smile on his face. "Whaddya want for breakfast Pookie?"

"We can skip breakfast if you agree to never call me Pookie again."

"No deal."

Piper frowned as a thought struck him. "We had our first date just before Kendra was attacked, right?"

"Yep."

"And we've done one shift protecting her-"

"Your shift." James said with a nod. "I traded mine off to Mick."

"And we've got her again tomorrow."

"For your second shift." James finished.

Piper groaned. "You've slept over every night since we started dating, and it's been almost two weeks!"

James yawned, and nuzzled against Piper's neck. "I can pitch in on rent. M'not giving up my place though…Piper? You okay?"

"Yes, fine-"

"Sweetie, I'm not that dense, I'm just joking. I can move some of my shit back and give you some space. I just didn't think I was bothering you." He sat up, regarding Piper with an expression much more serious than suited the Trickster.

"You're not bothering me."

"Then what's the problem? I, for one, am blissfully happy. I wanna make you happy too." James reached up and prodded the corners of Piper's mouth into an imitation of a smile with his finger tips. Piper rolled away, laughing.

"I am happy James." He insisted. 'Why shouldn't I be?' The universe had dropped a gorgeous young lover into his lap, and surprisingly, James was content with him, the real him. Piper hadn't felt the need to put on airs, he didn't downplay his music obsession, the obnoxious leftism, or even the budding paranoia…James rolled with all of it.

Then again, for the music there was James' obsession with toys, and for Piper's erratic behavior James had plenty of his own eccentricities to match. 'Damn budding paranoia.' Piper thought.

"So what's wrong?" James pressed. "You're all broody. D'ya want me to be less smothering?"

"I'm actually fond of your passion…I guess I just worry more than you."

"Yep." James agreed without hesitation. "But I can work on cheering you up. You know you like smiling."

"I just don't trust it. Good things don't happen to me very often. Plus you're an untrustworthy bastard."

"Yeah, there is that." James snorted. He leaned up on his elbow and regarded Piper with a bright smile. "I've never taken it up the ass for a con before. That make you feel better?"

"No, but that's my own dysfunction."

James rolled his eyes, but pulled Piper to him for a renewed effort at morning-snuggles. Piper complied, tucking his head under James' chin and sliding his arms around his waist. "So Pookie, you should see if Mick'll take your Kendra-sitting shift too. I lied before when I said I could be less smothering. I totally can't."

"Yeah, no. So we're supposed to do a heist with the guys in a few days. Do you think it'll be weird?"

"What, because we're sleeping together? Nah, I've worked with love interests before. So've you."

"Mm, but when I worked with Earl I didn't have a homophobic audience."

"Has Roscoe been harassing you?" James asked, shifting back into serious-mode alarmingly quickly.

Piper frowned. "No more so than usual, well, since word got out that I was gay anyway." Thanks to Len and the traditional alcohol-saturated Rogues poker nights, the ambiguity surrounding Piper's preferences had evaporated. "I just don't want to give him any reason to step it up," Piper continued. "It's not just my sexuality…he's such a conservative, and I'm a devout liberal-"

"Socialist bastard. Lucky you're so hot." James teased. "So Top's being an asshole and you're worried?"

"That's the meat of it. I mean, what if he does take over and force Cold out? Where does that leave us?"

"We leave." James said simply. "Hey, don't panic. I'm adaptable, and the two of us can totally take the guys. We'd own Central and Keystone in a month. Fuck 'em."

Piper smiled, actually starting to feel better. "Thanks. I'll have to make a mental note to keep talking to you about things that bother me."

"Please do."

"You're being ridiculous!"

"And you're sleeping with me anyway. How dumb are you?"

"James, get down!" Piper's voice unintentionally took on an edge that typically accompanied hypnotic command. For a moment he was worried he'd accidentally altered his boyfriend's free will, but was quickly comforted by James not giving an inch.

Almost literally. He was floating gracefully above the living room on the house slipper model of his airwalkers. There was the occasional dip from his balancing, but Piper wouldn't guess he'd shifted a full inch downwards at any point.

"I'm getting the broom."

"Okay Pookie. You know I don't actually believe you'll stab me with the broom handle, so it's not much of a threat." James said.

"You're the one who doesn't want to come out yet! I honestly don't care, but if you want to stay closeted then you need to leave!"

"Kendra knows we're friends. It's cool, friends hang."

"Kendra also knows I'm gay, and she's smart enough to notice when someone is spending far too much time with their gay best friend to only be friends."

"Don't think for a second that your logic is going to make me behave. Pi-per, I don't wanna leave! All my cool stuff is here…and I made that really yummy pie for dessert tonight, and besides Mick will totally take your shift too if you ask."

"Yeah, I've noticed that. Do you think something's going on with them?" Piper asked.

James kicked his airwalkers off and slowly floated back down to the ground. "What makes you say that? Kendra already said she wouldn't date a customer, I mean, that's why Len didn't ask her out."

"Kay, I noticed Cold had a crush, but I didn't think he was actually going to talk to her." Piper looked amused. "Did you hear about how he tried to propose to that newspaper reporter? Poor Len, he's not terribly suave."

"No, he gets nervous easily because he expects to be rejected." James quirked an eyebrow. "I thought you'd be more sympathetic and less evil about it."

"Well, of course, but the story with that West woman is just funny. I mean he had a comeback prepared for 'not if you were the last man on Earth'."

"You don't really think Kendra's hooking up with Mick, do you?" James asked, worried.

"It…seems like it. They have a fair bit of chemistry."

"Great, just fucking fantastic!" He kicked his shoes back on and started pacing about a foot above the coffee table.

"Calm down James, this has actually happened before. The last time Mick and Len competed for the same girl they got a little aggressive towards each other for awhile but were humbled when their fighting made them easier targets for Flash. It's not a big deal."

"That was when they were trying to kidnap a TV star who never had a chance of returning interest in either of them!" James pointed out. "If Kendra's actually sweet on Mick then Len's gonna flip! Plus…geeze Piper, Len was talking to me about Kendra while I was talking to him about you. It's not just an infatuation. He actually likes her. He could get hurt."

Piper froze. "You talked to Len about me? Len Snart? Captain Cold?"

"Yeah."

Piper picked up one of the hideous throw pillows and hucked it at James' head. "Why?"

"Ida know, because we're friends and he doesn't seem to mind people being gay." James caught the pillow and tossed it back onto the couch. "I do consider him a friend Piper. If this bitch hurts his feelings, talented doctor or no, I'm gonna make her regret it. There are classier ways to let a guy down than to sleep with his rival behind his back."

"Yeah…that'd actually be the opposite of class, I think." Piper frowned. "Well, her house should be finished soon, and with the increased security measures we shouldn't have to do anymore Kendra sitting. Maybe this will all blow over."

"I hope so." James landed softly on the floor and went to retrieve his jacket and a bag of stuff they'd deemed too distinctly Trickster-ish to leave around the apartment while Piper had a guest. Piper stood by the door, waiting for a goodbye kiss.

"Hey Piper, you could really simplify this whole thing by, y'know…" He mimicked playing a flute. "…changing her tune, so to speak?"

Piper's eyes narrowed. "That is a terrible suggestion."

"What? Len's a good guy, and apparently she's a miserable bitch. He'd treat her way better than she deserves."

"James, are you honestly suggesting I should hypnotize Kendra into having feelings for Len when she clearly has them for Mick?" Piper asked.

James sighed. "Yeah, I know it's not right…but you gotta admit, it would be easier." He leaned over for a quick kiss before taking his leave of the apartment.

Halfway through Piper's shift with Kendra they got a call informing them her house was all set. Piper drove her over, and the two inspected the contractors' work.

"The security's much better than it had been, I'll give it that. But I still think those booby traps Trickster designed are going to be more of an annoyance than an asset." Kendra ran her hand along an almost invisible seam in the wood paneling of her entryway. There were glue pies and slinkie lassos hidden, waiting to capture prowlers…or uncoordinated house guests who stumbled along the wrong sensors.

"I've been cocooned in yo-yo string before. It doesn't take that long to cut someone free." Piper said dismissively. He removed a panel from the living room wall, revealing Kendra's new panic room, and crawled inside to poke around. "The good thing about Tricks' designs is if you do catch a guest inadvertently you don't have to worry about them dying."

"The Kool-Aid stains though…" Kendra frowned. "Oh well. I guess I'll just be giving Gambi more business."

Piper fiddled with the new emergency phone line a moment longer before crawling back out into the living room and packing up his mini-tool kit. "This all looks good. We've got a direct line to you now, so if you're having problems with an uninvited guest, green switch for hideout, blue switch for Cold, yellow for Top and red for Heat Wave."

Kendra shook her head. "You boys are so sweet. None of my former clients ever worried this much about me-"

"It's your former clients we're worried about." Piper pointed out.

"Yes, well, thank you all the same. It's nice to be appreciated. I feel like I've finally found my niche."

"I should hope so. We like having you in Central." Well, except for possibly James, but Piper was waiting to see how things played out before he got emotionally invested in hating anyone in the hypothetical love triangle. He went to get his bag from the hallway and stowed the tool kit inside. "Anything else I can do for you?"

"Nothing's coming to mind." She walked him to the front door, a grin splitting her face while Piper pulled on sneakers she recognized as the Trickster's. The striped fluorescent laces were a dead give away. "So Piper dear, how are things going with you and James?"

"Really good, I-um, I mean…oh crap, I'm wearing his sweatshirt."

"I noticed the shoes."

Piper looked at his feet. "Crap."

"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. I'm really happy for you though. James is such an affectionate sweetie. It must be a nice change of pace." Kendra had been the one to patch him up when his last boyfriend had given Piper a concussion and broken his wrist.

Piper shrugged, visibly flustered. "Yeah, it's, um, quite different from the relationship I had with Earl. For the better though."

"I should hope so."

"You know Kendra, um, speaking of romance…" Piper paused, considering whether he really wanted to say this or not. As Kendra looked mildly curious instead of defensive, he decided to go for it. "I'm sure you've noticed Len's infatuation with you."

"Mm. He's a great guy, but subtlety's not a strong suit. I've noticed."

"Well, just, if you were thinking about amending your policy at any point…look, you just said how different we all are from your previous clientele. I know Len pretends to be gruff and hard hearted, but he's not. He's actually very protective, and, well…nice. You might consider him."

Kendra nodded, a guarded expression on her face. "I think it's admirable the way Len looks after you boys and I agree, whatever the façade, he is much more of a sweetheart than he's willing to let on. But the policy stands. I just don't want to introduce that kind of drama into my professional life. He's not the only one with a crush, you know."

"I wouldn't take Digger too seriously, he hits on anything vaguely female-"

"Not just him." Kendra said with a laugh and a cringe. "It's my own fault. Call a boy sweetie and it goes to his head. That's just my work persona, but some of the boys think I'm legitimately flirting with them."

Piper paused and thought about it. "Really?"

"I know. Great guys, but a little dense when it comes to women."

"That's an understatement. Well I should get going. Call me if you're having any problems with the new security system. James and I will head right over."

"Of course. Take care sweetie." She leaned in to kiss his cheek.

Kendra watched Piper drive off with her arms folded across her chest, a distant look in her eyes. "How do I always do this to myself?" She muttered.

When she'd left Metropolis she'd sworn things would be different, better in her next city. She'd researched Central first; the Cape was neither omniscient through super senses nor paranoid, so she'd set up shop without him noticing. And the Rogues were that perfect balance of sanity and insanity that made them lucrative but manageable clients.

Well, she'd have to rethink the manageable part. She walked into her newly remodeled kitchen and glared at the four vases of flowers on her kitchen table.

She plucked out the cards one by one and tossed them in the trash. "Len…Mark…Mick…Kadabra? Oh you've got to be kidding me!"

She did mean it about her niche though. She really didn't want to leave Central if she could avoid it. Kendra thought about how nice and professional Piper had been during his shifts guarding her.

"Why can't they all be gay?"