What if Len and Ray have been together for long enough at this point that Ray feels like he ought to take Len home to meet his family, so he sets that up with Len (who doesnāt see the point since he thought Ray didnāt get along with his family, but heāll do just about anything for Ray). Except the closer it gets to when they can take some time off to do this, the more Ray dreads and fears it happening.
Not because heās worried what theyāll think of him coming home with Len. They arenāt based in Central City but theyāll probably have still heard of Captain Cold. But heās not ashamed of Len, he loves his boyfriend with all of his heart and he knows that Lenās got a good heart no matter what heās done in his past (even if Len hates hearing it).
No, heās worried about Sidney. Everyone loves Sidney so much, even if Ray doesnāt think he deserves it. But, all his life itās been Sidney this, and Sidney that. Sidneyās so wonderful, Sidneyās so brilliant. Why canāt you be more like Sidney, Ray? And then to find out that in the future his tech is taken over by Sidney and not only is it used for awful things but nobody even remembers Rayā¦that didnāt help much. At all. Heād always been afraid that one day heād disappear completely into Sidneyās shadow and to get confirmation that thatās exactly what happens? That wasā¦well, painful doesnāt quite cut it as a descriptor. But, heās lost friends and partners (not all, but some) before to Sidney in the past and heās a little afraid that if Len meets Sidney he might feel the same way as everyone else does? What if Ray loses him to his brother?
Of course, he knows thatās not fair to Len. And he doesnāt really think Len would do that. But, at the same time, he canāt make himself stop worrying about it.
And Len has known for awhile that Rayās worried about something, but for once he canāt get it out of him. Anytime he gets close to trying to get it out of him, Ray actsā¦completely ridiculous. Heās clumsier than usual, he babbles about random nonsense more, forgets how to walk and talk at the same time, and finally Len drops it for fear that if he doesnāt Rayās going to find some way to give himself an accidental concussion or break his own arm sneezing or something.
But, Lenās even more concerned about whatever this could be given that.
Mick just teases Len that heās losing his touch with getting info out of people. Which, rude.
Still, he isnāt able to get it out of Ray before the Big Day, so they go even though Len is giving Ray slightly concerned looks because heās even worse today. He wonders if it has something to do with this, heās wondered that for awhile, but it could also be a few other things. Itās possible this day is just compounding whatever it is. Still, he does pull Ray aside and ask if he wants to call this off. Tells him thereās still time for that and he doesnāt owe his family anything given some of the things Ray has told him about how they treated him emotionally and mentally. But, Ray still wants to go through with it and insists everything is fine. Which has Len pursing his lips because it clearly isnāt but he goes along with it. Heāll do anything for Ray.
As it turns out, Len ends up *r e a l l y* hating Sidney.
