And Mick feels utterly sick about all of this. The discouraged look on Leonard's face, the way it shifts into determination once he starts asking about the charges. "Minor felony, first charge as an adult," he shrugs. "But I ain't exactly got anyone on the other side trying to build a case."
"Good." He's practically talking through clenched teeth at this point, "Then they'll let me. Bond you out." Okay, that's much more emotion talking than logic for once, but this is eating at him like crazy. Mick was here because of him. Because of Lewis, really, and God, he hates it.
A soft, but firm intonation of his voice. "Lenny it's okay. You do what you gotta, but you take care of Lise. You take care of you okay? It ain't so bad in here. It's no picnic, but I can deal."
Be smart. Make a plan. Maybe send him a picture or two, like the old days.
"No, it's not okay," he growls softly into the phone. The last thing he wants to do is make a scene where other people can see it, and everything they say is being monitored. But he feels pretty intensely about this so there's some heat to the words anyway.
"I don't want you to have to deal. I need y--" He huffs, his free arm sliding across his middle and he leans closer to the glass, like that could possibly actually make a difference, and drops his voice quiet, so only Mick should hopefully be able to hear him. "I need you out here...Mick...I can't do this without you."
His fingers twitch against the glass, as if by sheer force of will he could reach through and touch him. "You need to be on the outside for Lisa. You can do this Lenny. Take the key to my place. Talk to Mr. Gonzalez. As long as you can keep on the rent he'll let you hold the apartment." And while it kills Mick to be away from his partner and from his little sister - it's better this way.
Not often does Leonard get legitimately surprised, but nine times out of ten when he does, you could put money on it being because of Mick Rory.
He looks a little shocked at the easy offering. "He'd really let me do that?" He can at least play it off by being surprised about the landlord's not exactly perfectly run business handling, even though that is barely even a thought in his mind.
Of course, it wouldn't be the same without Mick there. But it would still be the same asylum and sanctuary they'd become accustomed to. That kind of stability counted for a lot in the Snart siblings' lives.
"Yeah. He don't really care who's there as long as rent gets paid." And it's a small thing, to be able to offer Leonard that safety net while he was in jail, for however long the bastards wanted to hold him.
It's going to be hard without him, without Leonard to keep him grounded and focused. There are going to be psych evals and fights and people pushing at him damn near constantly. But it's better he's here than Leonard.
"I'll try and cop a plea. See how soon they'd let me out," he promises. "Whatever it takes Lenny."
"Okay," he nods a little. He's not sure how, but he'll find a way to manage it. He needs that escape sometimes. And so does Lisa.
"Do whatever you have to, just..." He pauses, the slightest noticeable thing, because the words 'come home' burn a hole into his tongue, but he switches it out for, "get out as soon as you can, okay?"
Leonard doesn't like admitting defeat, but he doesn't have any other choice right now. "M'gonna visit you... every week." Just like this, until he gets out. "I dunno if you want Lise to see this," he gestures vaguely to the glass separating them; it's not the easiest thing to take in, and she's only just hit double digits, even if she's older than her years anyway because she was forced to grow up sooner than she should have. "but I can bring her, too, if you want..."
"Every week," he echoes. It's not enough, but it'll help and give him something to look forward to. Something to hold on to.
Mick shakes his head slowly. "No. Don't do that to her, not now. Just tell her.. tell her I'm sorry and I'll see her soon." And if she draws him pictures? He'll save each and every one of them.
"You'll be okay. You will. And I'll get out soon as I can. I swear."
He nods, it's a promise and he won't break it unless he has no choice. And he knows Mick knows that. If he doesn't show up one week, it's sure Lewis will somehow be to blame.
"Yeah, okay..." He doesn't really want her to have that memory, either, but he wanted to leave it to Mick's choice anyway. Leonard can't say he's surprised by the one he made, though.
"You better," he mumbles into the phone, and it's almost like a pout because none of this is right or fair and he's still not sure why he let it happen. He shouldn't have. He should have fought harder against the whole thing. But then Lisa would have had neither one of them and that's worse than any amount of missing Mick he might feel.
"Wrap it up, Rory." One of the guards calls.
"Guess that's your cue..." Leonard sighs, biting his lip for a second. "I'll see you soon." He drums his fingers against the glass over the spot Mick's hand was as he gets to his feet and places the reciever back on the hook.
A year. Ten months, technically. Not long considering most of the guys were in for decades or longer but to Mick it feels like forever. He sees Leonard almost every week but there are some misses. Sometimes he shows up a week late with faded bruises. Then there was the week Mick missed because he'd been tossed into solitary.
But there were pictures from Lisa. Spanning his hand on the thick glass and the way Snart would tap it lightly on the way out.
He's going home today. Showered and dressed in the clothes he'd been arrested in. A little broader, a little bulkier, and so fucking ready to see his partner. To hear Lisa chatter about everything and anything. Mick's worked so hard for this. Behaved. Kept his head down. Went to the damn shrink. Anything to get his sentence shaved down.
Ten months, two weeks, and four days, actually. Not that Leonard was counting or anything.
He spent the time upkeeping the apartment and working on figuring out how the hell he could get Lisa away from Lewis. There were a lot of late nights of research and trips to the library to check out the newest literature on custody laws; it's all he could do to keep himself occupied while he waited out this sentence.
But finally, his time is up and he's being released. And Leonard is there to pick him up when he gets out.
They had both been counting. But it had been worth it. Lenny was safe. Lisa was safe. The apartment was still there and they had the closest thing to a home for any of them.
He can't stop his smile as he crosses the parking lot. Free and easy and who gives a shit who sees it? Mick is a free man. "Hey," a smile as he closes in and only just checks a desire to touch, to draw him in.
But he doesn't. Not until they're in the car and he can just slide his hand into his partner's. It's enough. Not nearly what Mick needs but it's a damn sight better than his hand on thick, scarred up glass for ten months.
Just then, Leonard may not have cared at all, he has a pretty overwhelming urge to hug right now. But he won't. Maybe later, but not here. It's an easy slide of his fingers between the spaces in Mick's once he's in the car, though. No one can see that and Mick's hand is a comforting weight in his own.
"Hey," he answers back in a near-breathless sort of way. It was so good to see him, really see him; like he remembered what breathing was like, and like a piece that was missing was clicking back into the place it belonged.
He doesn't say anything else, just puts the car in drive and heads towards Mick's apartment.
Right now it's enough to be free of there. The car is quiet with just the hum of the engine and the wind blowing by. He can breathe again. He's not on guard, not watching out for everything. He has Lenny beside him.
When they get back into the apartment and the door closes, Mick fiddles with the edge of his jacket for a moment, an aborted movement forward. "Lenny.. can I.. please?" Can he touch? He needs it so much right now, but he's going to try and at least remember to ask rather than just grabbing or assuming that it's okay.
Behind closed doors in Mick's apartment, Leonard will let a lot of things happen, with or without question. He doesn't hate that Mick asks, even when he doesn't have to, not now, not after nearly a year without him. He doesn't even answer, instead he pushes forward and wraps his arms around Mick's neck, clinging tight and desperate. "You have no idea how much I missed you." he mumbles against his shoulder.
Mick just melts into that touch, wrapping his arms around him and hanging on tightly, pressing his face into him. "Lenny. God I missed you." He missed him so much, he can hold him now, he can touch him. Breathe in the scent of his skin and his hair and he's finally come home.
He wants to stay here and live in this moment forever because in Mick's arms, he feels safe, wanted, and he'd missed that feeling, desperately while he was gone. That feeling was his drug and Mick was his supplier and he'd been cut off completely and it felt like he was suffocating, until now, when Mick sinks against him and it's such a perfect feeling that he could really get lost in. His own fingers twist in the material of Mick's shirt in something of a death grip.
"You're not allowed to ever fucking do that shit again, asshole." he says as he finally pulls away, shoving him lightly, square in the chest.
Mick doesn't even think to argue when Lenny pulls back and shoves at him. His smile is free and easy and he darts in to kiss him - just a quick peck in reply.
Because he can't promise that he won't do it again. Not for him. Leonard Snart is his whole goddamn world and if he can take the hit to spare his partner, then he'll do it again and again, without apology. "I gotcha. Now I'm gonna go take a real hot shower. Then think we can rustle up some decent food? I'm fuckin starving."
Mick may have intended a quick peck, but Leonard can't even stop the way he just follows him and kisses him again, pushing him against the door. He might have missed that a little more than he thought, too.
He pulls back and smiles a little, "I've got some cash, we can do takeout." He grins and rocks back on his heels and goes to sift through the takeout menus in the drawer while Mick goes to take a shower.
Nothing thrills Mick quite like when Leonard responds to his touch, when he initiates. His smile is broad and warm as he heads for the bathroom, stripping as he goes. "Perfect. Order anything. Everything."
Tomorrow he'll find another job so they can keep the apartment. Whatever it takes so he can go back to protecting Leonard and Lisa. His family.
He orders a random smattering of things--pizza, wings, the works--because he knows the fridge is empty and an abundance of food tonight means Mick can still eat for a few days while he tries to figure out a job.
He's shoved into his spot in the corner of the couch, legs curled to one side of him when Mick finally emerges from the shower. There's already a spread of food on the table, and Leonard has put in one of those ninja movies Mick likes so much. He glances up and can't stop the smile that slides across his face. "Think you got all the jail offa you now?"
He scrubs up twice and uses all the hot water he can stand, finally washing away the last stale smells of jail before pulling on clean clothes that are his. Soft and comfortable, if a little on the ratty side.
The sight on the couch? Damn. That's a welcome one and Mick wishes he could just sear that image into his mind forever. Lenny curled up in his spot on the couch, food on the table and that smile he loves so much. It made the last ten months worth it.
"Feel a hell of a lot more human," he agrees with an easy smile, dropping to sit beside him. Mick doesn't reach out, but he does rest a hand lightly on his partner's ankle as he eats. Remembers how to breathe.
Leonard is so happy to have Mick home again. It's been an incredibly long ten months and finally things feel right in his world again. He'd made arrangements for Lisa to stay with their grandfather for the night because he wanted one night with Mick completely to himself, without having to cut and run halfway through or having to worry incessantly about his sister.
The night is relatively low-key and quiet. Just the two of them and some food and movies. But eventually, it's late, and the day has been exceptionally long and emotionally taxing--in positive ways, but taxing all the same. Leonard is half-asleep, his head on the arm of the couch, toes tucked under Mick's leg because his feet are cold and Mick is a human heater.
Mick's hand doesn't leave his partner's ankle often. Just a grounding touch, feeling warm skin beneath his hand. It's just the two of them tonight and it couldn't possibly get much better than this.
But he's not going to let his partner get a crick in his neck by sleeping on the couch so once the last movie is over he flicks off the television and pokes at Lenny's ankle. "Hey. C'mon, let's go to bed."
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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Date: 2018-03-04 02:49 am (UTC)"They just wanna get rid of me."
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Date: 2018-03-04 02:56 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-03-04 03:01 am (UTC)A soft, but firm intonation of his voice. "Lenny it's okay. You do what you gotta, but you take care of Lise. You take care of you okay? It ain't so bad in here. It's no picnic, but I can deal."
Be smart. Make a plan. Maybe send him a picture or two, like the old days.
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Date: 2018-03-04 04:00 am (UTC)"I don't want you to have to deal. I need y--" He huffs, his free arm sliding across his middle and he leans closer to the glass, like that could possibly actually make a difference, and drops his voice quiet, so only Mick should hopefully be able to hear him. "I need you out here...Mick...I can't do this without you."
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Date: 2018-03-04 01:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-03-05 05:26 am (UTC)He looks a little shocked at the easy offering. "He'd really let me do that?" He can at least play it off by being surprised about the landlord's not exactly perfectly run business handling, even though that is barely even a thought in his mind.
Of course, it wouldn't be the same without Mick there. But it would still be the same asylum and sanctuary they'd become accustomed to. That kind of stability counted for a lot in the Snart siblings' lives.
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Date: 2018-03-05 04:09 pm (UTC)It's going to be hard without him, without Leonard to keep him grounded and focused. There are going to be psych evals and fights and people pushing at him damn near constantly.
But it's better he's here than Leonard.
"I'll try and cop a plea. See how soon they'd let me out," he promises. "Whatever it takes Lenny."
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Date: 2018-03-05 05:04 pm (UTC)"Do whatever you have to, just..." He pauses, the slightest noticeable thing, because the words 'come home' burn a hole into his tongue, but he switches it out for, "get out as soon as you can, okay?"
Leonard doesn't like admitting defeat, but he doesn't have any other choice right now. "M'gonna visit you... every week." Just like this, until he gets out. "I dunno if you want Lise to see this," he gestures vaguely to the glass separating them; it's not the easiest thing to take in, and she's only just hit double digits, even if she's older than her years anyway because she was forced to grow up sooner than she should have. "but I can bring her, too, if you want..."
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Date: 2018-03-05 05:41 pm (UTC)Mick shakes his head slowly. "No. Don't do that to her, not now. Just tell her.. tell her I'm sorry and I'll see her soon." And if she draws him pictures? He'll save each and every one of them.
"You'll be okay. You will. And I'll get out soon as I can. I swear."
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Date: 2018-03-05 07:18 pm (UTC)"Yeah, okay..." He doesn't really want her to have that memory, either, but he wanted to leave it to Mick's choice anyway. Leonard can't say he's surprised by the one he made, though.
"You better," he mumbles into the phone, and it's almost like a pout because none of this is right or fair and he's still not sure why he let it happen. He shouldn't have. He should have fought harder against the whole thing. But then Lisa would have had neither one of them and that's worse than any amount of missing Mick he might feel.
"Wrap it up, Rory." One of the guards calls.
"Guess that's your cue..." Leonard sighs, biting his lip for a second. "I'll see you soon." He drums his fingers against the glass over the spot Mick's hand was as he gets to his feet and places the reciever back on the hook.
Going Home
Date: 2018-03-05 09:16 pm (UTC)Not long considering most of the guys were in for decades or longer but to Mick it feels like forever. He sees Leonard almost every week but there are some misses. Sometimes he shows up a week late with faded bruises. Then there was the week Mick missed because he'd been tossed into solitary.
But there were pictures from Lisa.
Spanning his hand on the thick glass and the way Snart would tap it lightly on the way out.
He's going home today.
Showered and dressed in the clothes he'd been arrested in. A little broader, a little bulkier, and so fucking ready to see his partner. To hear Lisa chatter about everything and anything. Mick's worked so hard for this. Behaved. Kept his head down. Went to the damn shrink. Anything to get his sentence shaved down.
And it's all paying off.
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Date: 2018-03-05 11:21 pm (UTC)He spent the time upkeeping the apartment and working on figuring out how the hell he could get Lisa away from Lewis. There were a lot of late nights of research and trips to the library to check out the newest literature on custody laws; it's all he could do to keep himself occupied while he waited out this sentence.
But finally, his time is up and he's being released. And Leonard is there to pick him up when he gets out.
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Date: 2018-03-06 01:59 am (UTC)But it had been worth it. Lenny was safe. Lisa was safe. The apartment was still there and they had the closest thing to a home for any of them.
He can't stop his smile as he crosses the parking lot. Free and easy and who gives a shit who sees it? Mick is a free man. "Hey," a smile as he closes in and only just checks a desire to touch, to draw him in.
But he doesn't.
Not until they're in the car and he can just slide his hand into his partner's. It's enough. Not nearly what Mick needs but it's a damn sight better than his hand on thick, scarred up glass for ten months.
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Date: 2018-03-06 02:35 am (UTC)"Hey," he answers back in a near-breathless sort of way. It was so good to see him, really see him; like he remembered what breathing was like, and like a piece that was missing was clicking back into the place it belonged.
He doesn't say anything else, just puts the car in drive and heads towards Mick's apartment.
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Date: 2018-03-06 05:50 pm (UTC)When they get back into the apartment and the door closes, Mick fiddles with the edge of his jacket for a moment, an aborted movement forward. "Lenny.. can I.. please?" Can he touch? He needs it so much right now, but he's going to try and at least remember to ask rather than just grabbing or assuming that it's okay.
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Date: 2018-03-06 06:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-03-06 06:51 pm (UTC)"I missed you so much."
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Date: 2018-03-06 07:54 pm (UTC)"You're not allowed to ever fucking do that shit again, asshole." he says as he finally pulls away, shoving him lightly, square in the chest.
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Date: 2018-03-06 08:49 pm (UTC)Because he can't promise that he won't do it again. Not for him. Leonard Snart is his whole goddamn world and if he can take the hit to spare his partner, then he'll do it again and again, without apology. "I gotcha. Now I'm gonna go take a real hot shower. Then think we can rustle up some decent food? I'm fuckin starving."
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Date: 2018-03-06 11:33 pm (UTC)He pulls back and smiles a little, "I've got some cash, we can do takeout." He grins and rocks back on his heels and goes to sift through the takeout menus in the drawer while Mick goes to take a shower.
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Date: 2018-03-07 02:46 am (UTC)Tomorrow he'll find another job so they can keep the apartment. Whatever it takes so he can go back to protecting Leonard and Lisa. His family.
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Date: 2018-03-07 03:15 am (UTC)He's shoved into his spot in the corner of the couch, legs curled to one side of him when Mick finally emerges from the shower. There's already a spread of food on the table, and Leonard has put in one of those ninja movies Mick likes so much. He glances up and can't stop the smile that slides across his face. "Think you got all the jail offa you now?"
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Date: 2018-03-07 05:56 pm (UTC)The sight on the couch? Damn. That's a welcome one and Mick wishes he could just sear that image into his mind forever. Lenny curled up in his spot on the couch, food on the table and that smile he loves so much.
It made the last ten months worth it.
"Feel a hell of a lot more human," he agrees with an easy smile, dropping to sit beside him. Mick doesn't reach out, but he does rest a hand lightly on his partner's ankle as he eats. Remembers how to breathe.
He's finally home.
no subject
Date: 2018-03-07 11:17 pm (UTC)The night is relatively low-key and quiet. Just the two of them and some food and movies. But eventually, it's late, and the day has been exceptionally long and emotionally taxing--in positive ways, but taxing all the same. Leonard is half-asleep, his head on the arm of the couch, toes tucked under Mick's leg because his feet are cold and Mick is a human heater.
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Date: 2018-03-08 02:42 pm (UTC)But he's not going to let his partner get a crick in his neck by sleeping on the couch so once the last movie is over he flicks off the television and pokes at Lenny's ankle. "Hey. C'mon, let's go to bed."
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