Somewhere along the way, things shifted. That was just life. Things always changed, and usually for the worse. But Mick? Mick was Leonard's constant. Maybe the only constant he'd had his whole life. But even then...things changed.
Well. Leonard changed.
Where he once found a certain level of solace in the reassuring touch of his-- they never did quite figure out the word for what they were, did they?-- now, things were... different. Leonard had grown further detached from that side of things. And he needed to focus on the expectations set for him, not....distractions.
That was how he justified it all in his head. It was the only way he could be okay with his own actions, his treatment of the only person who had always been there when he needed him.
Like now.
Even after the last row between them, one phone call and here he is, Mick Rory, in all his glory, slugging down a beer like nobody's business, waiting on Leonard.
Not that he was late. Never. He just waited until the right moment to show himself.
"Hey," he mutters as he slides into the spot next to him.
If Mick were a deeper person he'd probably overanalyze what had changed between them, why Lenny couldn't stand to be touched anymore when there had been a time that they both craved it.
But Mick isn't given to over thinking things, if thinking about them at all. Leonard Snart is his and he is Leonard's. Plain and simple. So if Snart needs him to back off, he backs off, no matter how much it rankles (hurts) him.
So when he's called he comes. Only figures that the bastard would be late.
A grunt because that's all he can offer without worrying that an overt display would drive him away.
"Yeah," he nods a little and waves at the bartender for a beer, which is set in front of him seconds later. He takes a sip before he continues, "And I need you." A beat. "For the job."
Good thing he has an excellent poker face. That means he can be alone in his near-mortification at that comment coming out quite like that.
He'll just ignore the fact that it's only as awkward as it is because it's true.
Without giving any more time to think about that, he slips into the explanation of the job at hand, a heavy-duty robbery that's in serious need of both distraction and hard-hitting. Two things he knows Mick can handle perfectly.
The truth is, they've known each other for years, but this is the first job Leonard has actually come to him about. Other things they'd done, they'd planned together from the start, or were both working alongside someone else as a package deal. This was different, though, and whether Mick noticed it or not, Leonard saw the potential for an even bigger shift in their dynamic.
Mick can do that. He's always been good at that. But this isn't a job they planned together or even one they'd joined together. Lenny.. Snart, he was heading up the crew and Mick? He was just a part of that crew. Another layer of distance between them.
But he can't stay away. So Mick swallows his beer and he nods. "Yeah. Yeah I'm in."
The extra distance isn't really what he's going for, not on a conscious level, even though it's just as much a part of it as anything else. He needed someone he could trust...he didn't trust anyone better than Mick. It just made sense.
None of the nerves he feels as he waits for Mick to mull it over and give him his answer show on his face. But he can't quite stop the way he grins like a kid at Christmas at the agreement. "Perfect."
Sure, Leonard knows that come hell or high water, Mick will always be there. It's a thing that's been true since they met and he doesn't see it changing any time soon, if ever. But there's always the chance that he could be wrong. So hearing the confirmation? Well, that's just icing on the cake.
"It's the way it should be--" A beat and then he cants his head just slightly to one side as a smirk slowly rolls its way across his lips. "Partner." There it is. The word they'd been searching for, for years now that actually fits in a way that isn't weird (like relationship) or undermining this thing between them (like friendship, but is perfect in all its simplicity.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2017-11-05 12:50 am (UTC)Well.
Leonard changed.
Where he once found a certain level of solace in the reassuring touch of his-- they never did quite figure out the word for what they were, did they?-- now, things were... different. Leonard had grown further detached from that side of things. And he needed to focus on the expectations set for him, not....distractions.
That was how he justified it all in his head.
It was the only way he could be okay with his own actions, his treatment of the only person who had always been there when he needed him.
Like now.
Even after the last row between them, one phone call and here he is, Mick Rory, in all his glory, slugging down a beer like nobody's business, waiting on Leonard.
Not that he was late.
Never.
He just waited until the right moment to show himself.
"Hey," he mutters as he slides into the spot next to him.
no subject
Date: 2017-11-05 12:56 am (UTC)But Mick isn't given to over thinking things, if thinking about them at all. Leonard Snart is his and he is Leonard's. Plain and simple. So if Snart needs him to back off, he backs off, no matter how much it rankles (hurts) him.
So when he's called he comes.
Only figures that the bastard would be late.
A grunt because that's all he can offer without worrying that an overt display would drive him away.
"Hey. Said you got a job?"
no subject
Date: 2017-11-05 01:27 am (UTC)Good thing he has an excellent poker face.
That means he can be alone in his near-mortification at that comment coming out quite like that.
He'll just ignore the fact that it's only as awkward as it is because it's true.
Without giving any more time to think about that, he slips into the explanation of the job at hand, a heavy-duty robbery that's in serious need of both distraction and hard-hitting. Two things he knows Mick can handle perfectly.
The truth is, they've known each other for years, but this is the first job Leonard has actually come to him about. Other things they'd done, they'd planned together from the start, or were both working alongside someone else as a package deal. This was different, though, and whether Mick noticed it or not, Leonard saw the potential for an even bigger shift in their dynamic.
"What d'ya think?"
no subject
Date: 2017-11-05 11:50 am (UTC)Mick can do that. He's always been good at that. But this isn't a job they planned together or even one they'd joined together. Lenny.. Snart, he was heading up the crew and Mick?
He was just a part of that crew. Another layer of distance between them.
But he can't stay away.
So Mick swallows his beer and he nods. "Yeah. Yeah I'm in."
no subject
Date: 2017-11-05 01:30 pm (UTC)None of the nerves he feels as he waits for Mick to mull it over and give him his answer show on his face. But he can't quite stop the way he grins like a kid at Christmas at the agreement. "Perfect."
no subject
Date: 2017-11-06 03:31 pm (UTC)Things like shifting to be closer. Just a bit.
"Y'need me, I'm in. Every time." They both know it, but it's high time he says it out loud.
no subject
Date: 2017-11-06 07:46 pm (UTC)"It's the way it should be--" A beat and then he cants his head just slightly to one side as a smirk slowly rolls its way across his lips. "Partner." There it is. The word they'd been searching for, for years now that actually fits in a way that isn't weird (like relationship) or undermining this thing between them (like friendship, but is perfect in all its simplicity.