Summary: Lisa wants to go camping. And what Lisa wants, Lisa gets, even if it is the middle of November. (Part of the Raising Lisa series.)
A/N: Anonymous prompted: Younger Len and Mick forced to share a sleeping bag. Pre slash, fluff. Lol I remember seeing this prompt in like three different people’s askboxes :) Here you go, nonnie!
~
Len was used to taking care of Lisa when their father was away “on business.” (In fact, Len preferred watching Lisa when their father was away. Watching her when he was home was infinitely more challenging.) This time around Lisa was seven years old and she wasobsessed with camping.
“I wanna set up the tent, Lenny!”
“It’s the middle of November, Lisa. It’s freezing outside.”
“I wanna set it up in the living room!”
Len sighed. He could say no and risk a full-on Lisa Tantrum or just go along with it and make sure everything was well cleaned before their dad got home.
So, if you are accepting prompts. (Not sure where to look to check) I was wondering if you could write Mick/Len fic where they're younger, and decide to intimidate one of Teen!Lisa's dates. (extra points if instead of them punishing the ill-behaved dates, they watch approvingly as Lisa handles him, herself.)
Hello,nonnie! I am always accepting prompts–I suppose I should put that somewhere onmy blog, shouldn’t I? :) Anyway, sorry this took a few days, but here you go!This was lots of fun to write!
[Can be read as a standalone or as part of my married!coldwave verse. Now part of its own series, Raising Lisa.]
AO3 link
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RaisingLisa had never been a challenge for Len. Even when he was out of his father’shouse and she was still stuck there Len knew he was really the one raising her.So when Lewis went to prison and Lisa moved in, not much changed.
UntilLisa started high school.
“Comeon, Lenny,” Lisa’s eyes were wide and pleading, just on the not-so-believableside of innocent. “Matt’s just gonna take me to the movies.”
Lencarefully placed a plate into the dishwasher. “I don’t care. I want to meet himfirst.”
Lisahuffed and stormed off to her room, running into Mick without an apology as heturned the corner to the kitchen. Len sighed and rolled his eyes.
“What’sgot her knickers in a twist?” Mick was watching her storm away with a frown onhis face.
“She’sgot a date on Friday.”
“And?”
“AndI told her we have to meet him first.”
Mick’sfrown slowly morphed into a grin. “We gonna intimidate some teenagers, Lenny?”
Lenclosed the dishwasher with a thud and returned his partner’s grin.“Right in one, Mick.”
*
Thedoorbell rang at 7:06.
“Don’tbe an ass, Lenny,” Lisa warned him.
Lenjust pursed his lips and opened the door with a dramatic swing. “You are late,Matthew.”
Thekid on his doorstep looked like a senior–way too old to be dating Lisa–and hewas a little too smug for Len’s liking.
“Sorry,dude. My mom wouldn’t let me have the keys until I finished putting away theleftovers from dinner.”
Lentilted his head and narrowed his eyes.
“It’sfine, Matt. Come in,” Lisa said, shooting a glare at Len.
Lenclosed the door.
“Mick!Lisa’s date is here!”
Thekid gave Lisa an appreciative once-over and took her hand in his. “You lookgood tonight, baby.”
Lisaglowed.
Lenscowled.
Mickstalked into the room with his most intimidating death-glare already in place.
“You’relate, kid.”
Matthewwas definitely looking more nervous under Mick’s gaze. (Len couldn’t blamehim–Mick had muscles that Len could never hope to develop. Amazing muscles,really, that rippled when he flexed and carried enough power to hold Len upagainst the wall while he…well, that wasn’t important right now.)
“Youdidn’t tell me you had two brother, Lisa,” Matthew said, taking a step backfrom Mick.
Mickgrowled. “I’m sorry, did you not hear me? You’re late. What makes you thinkwe’ll let you take Lisa out when you can’t even respect her enough to be ontime?”
“Mick!He was only five minutes late, it’s not a big deal.” Lisa was talkingthrough her teeth, her free hand clenched into a fist.
Micktook another menacing step forward.
“Okay,you know what? We’re going now,” Lisa said, grabbing her purse. “Come on,Matt.”
Lengave the kid his coldest glare. “If you have her back even one minute aftereleven, there won’t be a body for them to find.”
Thekid looked scared. Len smirked.
“Goodbye,”Lisa said, slamming the door behind her.
“We’refollowing them, right?” Mick asked.
“Obviously.”
*
“Thisis not the way to the movie theatre,” Mick said, taking a turn down a sidestreet after Lisa and her date.
“Noindeed,” Len drawled, his fingers fidgeting until they formed a fist.
“Chillout, Lenny, we don’t know where they’re going yet.”
Lenhad a pretty good idea. And, sure enough, they took another few turns and wereheaded right into the forest.
“Thatlittle fucker is taking her parking!” Mick’s voice was murderous and Len wasn’tfar behind him.
“Justkeep following them, Mick.”
Theyparked a safe distance away, blending in with other cars, and turned theirheadlights off. Their eyes were both trained on the car that held Lisa and theasshole who probably wasn’t going to live to graduation. After a minute ofsilence in which Len was itching to storm over there and pull the kid out byhis damn letterman jacket, they heard a shout followed by Lisa opening thepassenger door and getting out of the car.
“Rollthe window down,” Len whispered.
Mickturned the handle on the door and the window lowered quietly.
“–toa fucking forest, Matt!”
“Comeon, baby.” The kid was out of the car now, too, coming around the front withhis arms open. “I won’t let anything hurt you.”
Lenwas proud of Lisa’s scoff. “I’m not scared of the forest, you asshole. You toldme we were going to a party.”
“Toldus she was going to movie,” Mick muttered.
“Shh!”
“–fewdrinks before the party, maybe get to know each other a little better.”
Theboy was in Lisa’s space now, his arm snaking around her waist.
Lenwas ready to go to her rescue, already unbuckling a seatbelt, when an echoing slap!reverberated among the trees.
“Hey!”
“Takeme home now.”
Theboy huffed and rubbed at his cheek. “Fine, fine. God. You didn’t have to hitme.”
Lisadidn’t respond to that.
“Drive,Mick,” Len said, buckling his seatbelt again.
Mickalready had the engine running.
*
Theymade it home just minutes before Lisa stormed through the front door.
“Thatwas fast,” Len said from his casual position on the couch.
“Moviewas stupid. We decided to leave,” Lisa said, kicking off her shoes and droppingher purse on the hook by the door.
“Toobad. Mick’s making hot cocoa if you want some.”
Lisasucked in a breath and nodded. “That sounds perfect.”
Lenfollowed her to the kitchen and sat next to her at the table. Mick was stirringa pot on the stove, his face a little too close to the heat, and there werealready three mugs sitting out on the counter.
“Wannatalk about it?”
Lisasniffled. “Not really.”
“Okay.”
Theysat in silence for a few minutes, the only sound a soft bubbling of hot cocoaon the stove. Len reached out and slowly laid his arm around Lisa’s shoulders.She sniffed again and turned her head into Len’s shoulder, tears fallingquietly down her cheeks.
“Lisa,”Len said, his heart breaking for his sister. He pulled her in tighter, bringinghis other arm around to envelop her in an embrace. “It’s okay, kid.”
“Islapped him.” Her voice was muffled by Len’s shirt.
“Andwe’re damn proud o’ you for that, Lis,” Mick said, setting a steaming mug infront of her and patting her on the back. “You did good.”
Shehuffed out a laugh. “You guys followed us, didn’t you?”
Lenraised his eyebrows at his partner. Mick shrugged.
“Guesswe need to up our game next time,” Len said.
Lisalifted her head to glare at him. “Or you could not follow me.”
Mickleaned down and kissed her head. “Ain’t gonna happen, kid. Now drink yourcocoa.”
“Dowe have–” she began, but Mick plopped a bag of mini marshmallows in front ofher before she could finish.
Lisagrinned. “Thanks, Mick. You’re the best.”
“Anddon’t you forget it.”
*
Laterthat night Len curled up behind Mick and sighed into his neck.
“She’sokay, Lenny.” Mick squeezed his hand.
“Thistime.”
Mickturned around and pressed his forehead to Len’s. “That girl is a fighter. Shecan take care of herself–we’ve always known that.”
Lenclosed his eyes and nodded.
“Andshe’s got us to look out for her. That’s more than enough to keep her safe.”
“True.”
Lenfelt the soft pressure of Mick’s lips on his. “Go to sleep, Lenny. Everythingturned out just fine.”
“Goodnight, Mick.”
Mickturned back over and Len curled around him again.
“Thanks,”Len whispered.
Micksqueezed his hand in response. “Night, Lenny.”
