A Vlad/Laia/Leo fic (Dracula: A Love Story, Romance Club)
Rated: E | 6k words of poly smut | Hello, new fandom!
Thank you @hojiteaversion and @aslanvlad for encouraging me! <3
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"Noe is a miracle worker, isn’t he?" Vlad continues, palm just above her own. "I promise it'll feel so good, Laia. I've wanted to touch you for centuries. And Leo is eager to help."
She drops her fork, and it rattles against the porcelain plate, a shrill noise for such a quiet day. Vlad chuckles darkly.
"You are exquisite."
Laia doesn’t get the courage to speak until he sits back down at the head of the table. Even then, her voice is so rough with desire that her first try is broken, making Leo raise his eyebrow in a tease. She clears her throat and composes herself.
She can play their game twice as well.
"Won't it be unladylike?" she challenges, gaze firm on Vlad's face. After all, it was Vlad who protested and almost made Noe drop the idea.
Vlad acquiesces with a curious nod. "No. I was merely trying to protect your honor."
Captain Canary—Western AU— “Tell me again why you’re naked?”
“So… Tell me again why you’re naked?”
Sara and Mick shared a look before returning their gaze to Leonard, who was calmly leaning over a banister while taking in the sight of his wife and his best friend who were both naked as the day they were born.
“You see, Boss… We were enjoying a drink down at the saloon…” started Mick.
“When Sheriff Hunter and his crew came in, saw us, and started a brawl,” continued Sara.
“We managed to take most of them out with a few punches and bottles to the head,” said Mick, who then grunted in amusement. “Threw Hunter right out the swinging doors and into a big pile of horse shit.”
“Go on,” said Leonard, already amused by the story. He had on a black duster, something he could easily offer Sara, but he knew she’d have some sort of offense at the gesture. If she were cold or uncomfortable, she’d have asked for his jacket. Instead, she seemed to be enjoying being bare to the elements… And Leonard had to admit he was surprised Mick’s gaze didn’t wander more than it had already. Mick was doing his best to be loyal to him and respectful to Sara.
“Well he got right prickly after being tossed in the dung,” said Sara, eyes sparkling with glee as she tossed back her wet, muddy hair over her shoulder. “So he decided to cheat by bringing out his gun.”
“Always needing his toys to feel manly,” muttered Mick. “His gun jammed and we got the hell out. Decided to cut through the marsh...”
“Damn skirts weighed me down so I got rid of them,” said Sara with a shrug.
“And your excuse?” asked Leonard, looking to Mick.
“Well, hell, if she was gettin’ naked then so was I!” Mick let out a belch. “Wouldn’t be right to let her be the only one standing out if someone were to catch us.”
“You’re both filthy,” commented Leonard.
“Well, it was basically a swamp we just trod through,” said Sara, who cocked out her hip and placed her hand on it. “As if you don’t enjoy the view!”“Oh, I do,” said Leonard, his voice a low purr. He then turned his attention to Mick. “Go clean yourself up!”
Mick gave Leonard a salute then headed to the small part of their hideaway that was his and his alone. Leonard wasn’t sure if he’d actually go wash himself up, but he wanted Sara’s full attention. He straightened from his lean on the banister and moved down the porch. His boots thunked against the wood as he traveled down the steps. He grinned as he got to Sara, tipping up his hat slightly before reaching out with his gloved hand to trail a finger down her arm. She shivered at the contact. His blue eyes watched with keen interest as the cool air and her excitement worked together to pebble her nipples.
“Sara...” Another shiver. “Someone’s been bad...”
“You like it when I’m bad,” she said, stepping into his space, absorbing some of his warmth.
“True... But I like it more when you don’t smell like a swamp.”
“Well, hell, did you want me to get caught instead?” asked asked, giving him a swat on the chest. Her hand was dirty and it left some residue on his shirt. He ignored it, instead pulling her in closer to him, making her squirm. “Leonard!”
“Yes?”
“Let me go!”
“Say pretty please,” he murmured into her ear and she sighed.
“You cheat. You know I’m a sucker for your drawl,” she murmured, pressing her lips to his.
“Not all of us... Can be... Proper folk,” he said between each kiss, his voice more breathless with each passed word.
“I’m not proper,” she said, biting his lower lip.
“Not anymore,” he countered, hauling her up flush against him. “How about we make ourselves a bath and continue this inside?”
“Yeah, good idea, the mud is starting to set.”
They took their bath. Took extra time to make sure each spot on their bodies was squeaky clean. They then settled on the sheets in the bed they called theirs for now, knowing it was only temporary because Hunter and his men could find their location at any time. When and if they did, the trio would move on as they always did.
Because the only thing they really needed was each other.
Oh, and the money they kept stealing and stashing away throughout the county.
Rogue Canary— Superhero AU— “Let me remind you that I had said no.”
“For someone who claims to be a hero you sure like to do the wrong thing.”
Leonard Snart froze then slowly turned around to face the last two people he wanted to see. The two were a constant pain in his ass and if he wasn’t the hero and more like them he’d probably have killed them by now. She was in her typical black leather, her purple hair loose around her shoulders. Her mask hid her eyes but he could still see the stunning blue. Her lips weren’t purple tonight though. They usually matched her hair. Tonight they were a soft pink and he had to look away only to see the male at her side. He never talked much. Not with his mouth, anyway. He always used his fists to get his point across. And his powers. He had his usual sleeveless red shirt on along with his dark denim jeans with black boots. He always showed the scars he got the day he acquired his powers, as if they were something to be proud of.
Perhaps he was proud of them.
They’d earned the names Crimson and Blaze, due to her ability to draw blood and his to set things on fire. Names that Leonard, for once, didn’t make fun of Cisco for using in his quest to name all the bad guys in Central. They fit.
“Shouldn’t you two be out torturing some innocent soul instead of here bothering me?” asked Leonard, his signature drawl earning a smirk from Crimson.
“Oh, now, Cold… You and I both know people are never that innocent,” she said with a mock pout, spinning a lock of her purple hair in her fingers before letting it drop. She had dubbed him Captain Cold a long time ago. An inside joke between the two of them because he was ‘too serious’. Cisco and all of Central knew him only as Absolute Zero because of his powers. A name he wasn’t all that fond of but it had stuck. He’d be damned if he’d admit he liked the name Crimson gave him instead. “Seriously though, what are you doing here? This isn’t your usual stomping ground.”
“Been spying on me?” he asked.
“Always,” she answered with a grin. “Need to know all your secrets, Cold.”
“Look. I’m not in the mood tonight. So how about instead of our usual-”
“Ah, Leonard, you came…” A man’s voice had Leonard stiffening. Not because the man had just given out his name to the two people who he considered his enemies. No, because the man was the reason why he was here. “…though I distinctly remember telling you to come alone.”
“Ah, Dad, now you and I both know you didn’t come alone either,” said Leonard, his drawl cold and emotionless. Crimson and Blaze shared a look, as if debating on leaving, before deciding with a shrug to stay. “I got what you wanted. But first you need to hold up your end of the deal.”
“Your sister is home and safe,” said Lewis.
“Thinking she had a fun day with good ole Dad, too, huh?”
“Of course,” he said with a grin. “She had no idea about this.”
Lewis held up a remote. Leonard stepped forward to take it.
“Nuh uh!” said Lewis, wagging his finger. “Step back. Or the deal is off and I press this button and your sisters brains are splattered all over that new sofa she just bought and wouldn’t shut up about.”
“Jesus,” muttered Crimson.
“I count five,” muttered Blaze.
“Easy pickings. Stay sharp,” murmured Crimson.
“Got it, Boss.”
“Here!” shouted Leonard, pulling out a small velvet sack. He tossed it forward and it landed at the feet of his father. Lewis picked it up and opened the bag. He hummed in satisfaction. “Not give me the-”
“Oh, I don’t think so,” said Lewis. “There is a lot more I’d like for you to do. You hurt my feelings when you decided to play hero instead of partake in the family business. We have a lot of time to make up for.”
“We had a deal!” shouted Leonard, angry.
“Plans change, Son. Now, don’t disappoint your sister by-”
It all happened in a flash. Leonard extended his hand. A large shard of ice shot forward and embedded itself into the heart of Lewis Snart. Lewis dropped to his knees, the remote and the large diamonds falling from his hands. Chaos erupted but Leonard was oblivious to Crimson and Blaze killing the men his father had brought with them. He was deaf to the screams. Blind to the flying blood. All he could see was his father, dead at his feet.
“Cold?” Who was talking to him? They sounded so far away. “Leonard?”
He snapped out of it when a hand went to his shoulder. He twisted and pushed the person back, a wild look in his eyes as he brought up his hands to defend himself. It wasn’t until a ball of fire formed in his face that he snapped out of it, stepping back so he didn’t loose all the hair on his eyebrows.
“Back off, Cold!” snarled Blaze.
“Get out of here,” muttered Leonard.
“A thank you would be nice,” said Crimson, a hand on her hip while she twisted a blood-stained dagger in the other.
“What…” Leonard looked around. His father wasn’t the only dead man. “Shit…”
“Them or us. Easy decision,” said Crimson with a shrug.
“You two need to leave.”
“You’re staying?” asked Crimson.
“I just killed my father. I need to…”
“What?” she asked. “Turn yourself in?” She laughed. “You’re serious? He deserved it! At least, from what we could see.”
“No— I… I need to…”
Crimson rolled her eyes. Leonard turned his back to her. A mistake. She lashed out quickly. A quick strike to the back of his head. She then turned to her partner. They spoke without words, as they normally did, and soon he was bending to pick up the unconscious meta.
.
.
.
“Let me remind you that I had said no to him coming here.”
“Shut up, Mick.”
“Seriously, Boss… He could blow our whole hideout,” said Mick, aka Blaze.
“We have many hideouts. Losing this one won’t hurt us at all,” said Sara, aka Crimson. She tapped a few keys on a keyboard and watched the monitor. Leonard was awake and pacing the small room they were keeping him in. She grinned. He looked pissed. She always liked it when his feathers were ruffled. “So, shall we go talk to our guest?”
“Hm… I guess.”
Sara and Mick walked to the door. Sara gave it a rap with her knuckles.
“Knock, knock!” she called out cheerfully.
“Get me the hell out of here!” shouted Leonard.
“Say pretty please!” she said in a sing-song voice. He was silent and she once again rolled her eyes before opening the door. She saw the punch coming and deflected, twisting her body so that she could throw him over her shoulder. He struggled as she kept his arm in a hold, her foot planted at his back. When he ceased his struggles she released him. He rose to his feet, looking around the room and taking everything in. It wasn’t much. It was one of the shittier holes her and Mick had picked out. As soon as they let him go they were going to burn it down and move on. “You should be thanking us.”
“For what? Kidnapping me? Assault?”
“You were about to make the biggest mistake of your life by turning yourself in.”
“I didn’t know you cared,” he said.
“We don’t,” inserted Mick.
“Deny it all you want, Leonard,” said Sara. “But you’re just like us. You try and try to be good but there is that little monster buried deep that wants to come out and play. You push it down again and again but we saw it tonight. You should let it out more.”
“Or maybe you should think you could be more than a killer,” said Leonard seriously before looking to Mick. “Or a pyromaniac.”
“Doesn’t pay well,” said Mick.
“Well, this has been fun, but I’m leaving,” said Leonard. He put his hands up as Sara moved forward. “Don’t try to stop me.”
“We won’t,” said Sara.
Sara and Mick watched as Leonard left their safehouse.
“He’ll come around,” she said.
“Fifty bucks says he’ll turn himself in.”
“You’re on.”
.
.
.
Leonard never turned himself in. He paid for a funeral. Pretended to care that his father was dead. The world was better without Lewis Snart in it. Lisa was the only person to truly mourn him. He told her to keep the ashes. He would have just flushed them down the toilet. Those he worked with in the hero circle noticed a change. That he was a little darker. Took things a little further than he should. He was still a hero, just not by the book like the rest of them. They all asked questions and he deflected them. He’d go home after each night and drink and plan his next move. He hadn’t seen Crimson or Blaze in weeks. Then, one night, he got a call about a robbery in progress and that the first responders were busy containing a fire set miles away. It stunk of those two and so he took it. He cut through traffic with his bike and when he saw two other bikes, one with an occupant with bright purple hair, he took chase. He could’ve easily shot out some ice to make them skid to a stop… But he wanted this tonight. Street after street whirred by as the speeds increased. When they hit a dirt road he put on the brakes as they slowed.
“That was fun!” shouted Crimson.
“Just hand over the money you stole and we’ll call it even.”
“Oh, that’s no fun,” teased Crimson. “Besides, we have a proposal.”
“And what is that?” he asked, arms crossing over his chest, amused.
“Join us,” prompted Crimson, making Leonard snort.
“No.”
“But why not? I’ve been hearing through the grapevine that you’ve changed. Now, we both know why that is… C’mon, Leonard, straight and narrow is boring. Besides, we know you like us. Our hideout has yet to be compromised. And so we returned the favor by not telling anyone who you really are.”
“Why do you want me so bad?” asked Leonard.
Crimson bit her bottom lip, white teeth digging into purple stained flesh as she looked him over from head to toe. She was clearly checking him out and he felt the collar of his coat get a little warm.
“That’s a question to answer for another day.”
They left. And he didn’t stop them.
.
.
.
A fire broke out in an apartment complex. It was nasty. People were trapped inside. Leonard was doing his best to get to them. He was at the top floor holding a child when he realized he was in a bad spot. He had the child covered with his coat and she clung to his neck as he used his powers the best he could to escape the flames. When he realized he was stuck he went out the window. He fought to stay conscious as the child screamed from the fall. He shot ice at his feet, looping and swirling to slow his fall until he landed with a slide to the ground below. People cheered, but they sounded muffled to him. He barely managed to hand the child to a firefighter before he passed out. When he opened his eyes he was in a hospital room alone. His chest hurt and his eyes felt gritty. He felt a pressure at his hand and he turned to see Lisa sitting in a chair beside him holding his hand.
“You’re one tough sonuvabitch,” murmured a familiar voice. Leonard turned to see Crimson and Blaze standing there. He knew it was them, but they were different. Blaze looked normal in his jeans and flannel shirt. Crimson had her hair up in a bun and her mask was off. She looked almost innocent without the mask on.
“Why are you here?” he asked, or tried to. Crimson grabbed a cup of water and offered it. He gave her a skeptical look before taking a sip. “Why…”
“Because everyone knows who you are now. You save the town and they repay you by blasting your name all over the news. You aren’t safe. Lisa isn’t safe. I’ve already heard rumors of the Watchtower Order coming to take you out. You’ve pissed a lot of people off in the past… And they want your blood. And, well, they can’t have it.”
“If anyone is going to kill you,” continued Mick. “It’s gunna be us.”
“How reassuring,” murmured Leonard.
“Get some rest.” Sara nodded to Lisa. “She’s safe with us. I had a sister once. I know what it’s like to want to protect them.”
For some reason he believed her. So, he went to sleep, knowing in that moment that those two were about to get what they wanted. He was about to become one of them… Because they were right. He’d saved this city again and again—and their repayment had been to put his name out there. He wasn’t safe. Lisa wasn’t safe—And he had no one to turn to because he’d slammed a lot of doors after he’d killed his father. And so, on this day…
Rogue Canary—Stranded—“Tell me again why you’re naked.”
Three individuals quickly entered a cave, aware of the shouts behind them. They didn’t know what else could be in this cave with them but in that moment they didn’t care. They were being hunted and this was the only way out. They continued throughout, twisting around the caverns until they hit a dead end. They did their best to contain the sounds of their heavy breathing.
“Think we lost them?” asked Mick.
“Shh,” hushed Sara.
The sounds of angry townsfolk had faded, replaced by the dripping sounds of water hitting rock. Mick rummaged in his pocket and pulled out his lighter. He flicked it, casting the three of them in a warm glow.
“Well that was fun,” said Leonard, his tone indicating that it hadn’t been fun.
“People in this time period were nuts,” muttered Sara. “Everyone is a witch!”
“To be fair, Mick did use his heatgun. It’s obvious that it would’ve raised some questions,” commented Leonard.
“Now what?” asked Mick.
“The Waverider isn’t due back for another five hours. I say we hang out here until then,” said Sara.
“I ain’t sitting in the dark the whole time,” muttered Mick, clinging to his lighter even tighter.
“If only Rip hadn’t decided to get all soft and take the jumpship to save that idiot kid we wouldn’t be stuck here,” muttered Leonard. But there was no bite to his words. He was glad the kid was saved instead of killed by the father. Those thoughts had him thinking of his own life and wishing someone would’ve come in to save him.
“Whatever, there isn’t anything we can do now,” said Sara, picking a spot and sitting. The period attire was ridiculous and she was annoyed by the layers of skirts that was deemed appropriate by some wig-wearing old fart.
Mick took a spot next to her on her right.
Leonard sat on her left.
She raised a brow when Mick offered her a flask but she took it.
When Mick’s flask emptied, Leonard took out his own. Sara was surprised he actually carried one. He wasn’t much of a drinker. When his was dry it was then she decided to take out the one she had between the layers of her skirts. Needless to say, the three of them came prepared. However, when the five hours passed and they tried hailing the Waverider, no response came.
“Well crap,” muttered Sara.
“This ain’t good, Boss,” said Mick to Leonard.
“What do you think is holding them up?” asked Sara.
“Any number of things I imagine,” answered Leonard.
“I’m not going back in that cave,” argued Mick.
“Agreed,” said Leonard. “We need better digs if we’re going to be here a while.”
Of course, when it came to the three of them, luck never was on their side. Sure, when it came to heists and assassinations they were usually on their game. But when they wanted to be selfish and have something work out for them, it usually never did. It started raining. Not a soft rain, but a downpour that had them squinting through the sheets of water just to make sure they didn’t walk into a tree. Lightning and thunder crashed and the wind picked up. They were in the rain a good two hours before coming upon a small homestead. They did some recon. When they saw that the only person around was one old man well into his fifties they made their move.
“Sorry,” said Leonard to the man who was bound and gagged and shoved into the closet courtesy of Mick. “We’ll let you out in the morning.”
“Mmmph!” shouted the man through his gag as Leonard closed the door.
“I’d feel bad if he weren’t one of the assholes who called us witches,” said Sara, doing her best to warm up by the fire.
“Screw him,” muttered Mick, slinging his wet shirt to the floor and working on his pants.
“Remind me again why you’re naked?” asked Leonard with a quirked brow as Mick kicked off his remaining clothes to kneel by the fire.
“Mick has a good point. These clothes are too wet. It’s too cold.” Sara started unbuttoning her dress. She swatted Mick on the shoulder when he started to leer at her. “One wrong look or move and I’m slicing your dick off.”
“If you did it would be the most action it’s seen since 2046.”
They all grew quiet after that. Mick because he missed that time. Leonard because he still felt guilty for taking Mick away from his dreamworld. Sara because she still worried that 2046 could be a future for Star City. Mick and Sara started to warm up quickly. Sara didn’t even say anything when his arm kept brushing up against her. She was too damn cold to care. When a blanket settled over her she sighed. She looked up to see Leonard still in his wet clothes.
“Get those off.”
“I’m fine,” he said, making Mick scoff.
“Len gets shy around the girls,” teased Mick, earning an eyeroll.
“We’re all friends here,” said Sara with a smirk. “Besides, you saw mine. Only fair I get to see yours.”
“Pass,” said Leonard with a slight shiver. “I’m going to go change into new clothes instead.”
“Suit yourself,” said Sara with a shrug.
“It’s cause he doesn’t want you seein’ all his scars,” said Mick, wrapping the blanket around his waist before sitting fulling on his bottom. He kept his arms out though, to capture the heat the best he could. Sara looked to him and he had a real serious look on his face. “Some are from the jobs. Others from Juvie or prison. He doesn’t mind those. It’s the ones from his old man he doesn’t like people to see.”
“Oh,” said Sara softly, turning to look into the fire instead. Her own demons were rearing inside her head. She wanted to find Lewis Snart and tear him apart piece by piece. Leonard entered the room in a pair of pants that were too small and a shirt that was too big. He had other clothes that he dropped behind Sara and Mick. He settled next to Sara, stretching out his bare feet and hands to warm them. Sara thought about what Mick said and she sighed before tightening the blanket around her some more. She was the same with her scars. She acted like they didn’t bother her sometimes, but they did. She knew Leonard had seen them. The slashes at her back.
“Storm is letting up,” said Leonard, a few minutes later.
“Hopefully we’ll be out of here soon,” said Sara.
“I’m gunna go get us some food,” muttered Mick.
“Always hungry,” teased Sara, making Mick chuckle before venturing out into the makeshift kitchen in the next room. They all ignored the man kicking at the closet door. Sara instead turned her attention to Leonard. He was still shivering slightly. She sighed before shifting closer. He tensed slightly then relaxed. “Wanna share a blanket?”
Leonard smirked. “I’m touched that you care.”
“Maybe a little.”
“Keep it around you,” said Leonard. “Stay warm yourself.”
Sara still pushed. She leaned against him, head pressing against his arm. She sighed, suddenly tired, and she felt his arm go around her. She was aware of Mick coming back, the added warmth to her left welcoming. She opened her eyes when he offered her some jerky and water. She ate her small meal, drank the water, and once again the three sat in silence while watching the fire. The storm carried into the morning, but the rain was lighter.
“We should go. Can’t stay here long.”
Sara and Mick dressed. Leonard let the man out of the closet, pushing him to sit with his feet still bound while cutting the ties to his hands. The three left quickly, moving on to the next best place. Sara had her hair bundled up under a hat, not wanting to be accused of being a witch while wearing pants.
“These damn clothes itch,” muttered Mick. “Too bad we can’t get naked again.”
“Maybe later,” said Sara with a laugh.
“Is that a promise?”
It was in that moment that Leonard had to tell himself to not be jealous. Mick and Sara were open about their bodies. Their scars. Mick wasn’t ashamed of the ones he got from the flames. Nor Sara from the ones she got from a blade. He’d wanted so badly to share that blanket with her the other night and he wanted to kick himself for hesitating.
“Sara...Mick... Come in...”
“Haircut is that you?” asked Mick as they crossed a creek.
“Hey, Buddy! How... Doing?”
“Get us the hell outta here!” said Sara.
“On... Way... Hour or so... Problems with... Drive... In Range...”
“Ray? Ray?! Dammit...” Sara kicked at a rock. “Comms are shot. Either of you get that?”
“No more than you. Something is broke. They need to fix it. Which means...”
“So who are we tying up tonight?” asked Mick.
.
.
.
They snuck into town to find a room. Leonard stole some purses until they had enough coin for a meal and some new clothes that didn’t smell like a barn. The room was quaint. Those at the front desk found it odd that three men needed a room together but they said it was because they were miners passing through to California. The staff bought it, even drew three baths for them and delivered them to the room. Sara had eagerly stripped and sunk into the hot water, using a changing screen to hide from two slightly disappointed males. Leonard had hesitated for a moment but decided to do the same, disrobing at an angle that Sara and Mick couldn’t see unless they wanted to damage their necks.
“This is nice.”
“Hmm... I agree,” said Mick. “The food was good, too.”
“I’m still ready to blow this popsicle stand. Won’t be long until word of three escaped witches hits this town.”
“Hm... True,” said Sara. She went under the water and scrubbed at her hair with the soap. She hid when the staff came to dispose of the tubs and water. Soon the three of them were tired and ready to sleep. “Get up here you two. Won’t make you sleep on the floor.”
“Won’t argue with that,” said Mick with a grin.
Sara took the middle. Mick fell asleep first. Leonard watched as Mick’s arm snaked around Sara’s waist. She didn’t fight it, just hummed in her sleep. Leonard looked up at the ceiling with a frown. He was almost asleep when he felt a small hand settle into his.
“Goodnight, Len...”
“Goodnight, Sara.”
.
.
.
Something changed between the three of them that night. They grew closer. They gravitated toward one another. They had each other’s backs, always. Everything between Mick and Leonard had been forgiven. Sara trusted them both more than anyone else on the team. Which was why it was so hard to leave Leonard behind at the Oculus. If she’d had it her way, she’d have gotten there sooner and left Ray behind to die. Now, she stood outside of Mick’s door, hand raised and ready to knock. She wanted the familiar heat she’d had the past month. She wanted that cramped feeling of two men on either side of her body.
What they’d had, had never transitioned to sexual.
Not until the moment she’d kissed Leonard goodbye.
She put her hand down, changing her mind about knocking. Being with Mick and only Mick wouldn’t be the same. Perhaps it was time for her to move on. To move forward from the dependency she’d suddenly had for the klepto and pyro.
She placed her palm on the door, took a steadying breath, and then turned away: saying goodbye to the past and instead pushing on to the future.
RC prompt: Mick writes, Sara is an artist (at least in fanon), but what is Leonard's artistic/creative talent that only his partners know about?
Sara smiled as the beautiful notes traveled down the hall, drawing her toward the spacious living room as she tied the belt of her black, silk robe. Her feet were bare and silent on the wooden floor, the scent of sandalwood intoxicating and relaxing her as she searched out the man who hadn’t been in bed with her. She trailed her fingertips along the plain, white walls that were decorated with her sketches and canvas paintings, emerging from the darkened hallway into the dimly lit living room. There, in the corner sitting at the polished, black grand piano: was Leonard. He didn’t see her yet. He had his eyes closed, feeling the music as he played, his long and slender digits traveling over the keys with precise and skilled movements that had tingles going down her spine. His music was always hauntingly beautiful. She could see the picture he was trying to draw with his notes so clearly in her mind. She could feel his pain. The sorrow of his past ghosts that still haunted him to this day. The anguish was almost tangible, and it took everything in Sara not to rush forward and engulf him with a hug and kiss away his pain. He’d once admitted to her that his music was his therapy. Whatever demons needed to be exorcised from his mind had her keeping her distance. She took a seat on the oversized leather chair Mick favored, tucking her feet beneath her and resting her elbow on the arm of the furniture. Her loose hair tickled her wrist and forearm as she relaxed, blue eyes taking in her lover as his piece hit the crescendo.
When the last bars were played and the final notes faded away in the room Sara waited a breath before rising. He’d opened his eyes and he’d seen her long before he’d finished playing. He just watched until she made her way to the bench. She saw that he was still in the clothes he’d been in when they’d gone to sleep earlier that night. He hadn’t even bothered to slip on a robe or his slippers. The white shirt was snug and the gray pajama bottoms loose.
“Did I wake you?”
“Only because you weren’t in bed. Not because of the music.”
“I had to play,” he said softly, looking down to the keys now, fingertips running over them but not pressing to make a sound. “Had to get it out.”
“Nightmare?” He didn’t verbally answer, but she saw the answer in his eyes. Saw those ghosts she’d heard earlier. She reached out, hesitated, then placed a hand on his shoulder. It stiffened slightly, which broke her heart, but then relaxed as her soothing caress calmed him. “You don’t have to talk about it. Just know I’m here. So is Mick, even though he’s sleeping in the other room.”
“Lisa called. Said she was pregnant. She’s worried that she’d be like our parents. That she’ll be a horrible mother. I told her that her fears were unwarranted. That she would be a wonderful mother. She is still scared. Worried that she’ll end up like our mother… Or worse. Our father.”
Sara shifted closer. Both arms wrapped around his middle, trapping his right arm as she rest her head just below his shoulder. He sighed, raising his free hand and placing it on the spot where her elbow bent near his stomach. They stayed like that for a long time. Neither moved, the only sound their mingled breathing and the ticking clock sitting on the mantle above the fireplace. They shifted when they heard a door open, the heavy footfalls down the hall signalling that Mick was awake as well.
Mick wasn’t silent like Sara. They could track him up until he turned the corner. He’d been naked when Sara left him. Due to the frigid winter, and the fact that he hated the cold, he’d slipped on his favorite robe and slippers to ward off the chill since his two lovers weren’t in bed with him to retain his heat.
“What’s goin’ on?” he asked, his eyes squinting slightly because he didn’t have his glasses. He hated his glasses. He only wore them when he absolutely needed to. Mostly when he did his reading. And his writing. He shuffled to the other side of the bench and plopped down, his hand grazing the lower keys of the piano and making them wail, and Leonard wince. “I woke up. You both were gone. You out here getting busy without me?”
He said it as a joke. He could read his partner since the first day he’d met him. He was spooked. Something got into his head. Sara was holding him tight but it was something that needed both of them. He reached over, his scarred hand resting on Leonard’s thigh, warming it through the material of his pants.
“Oh please, like you ever give us the chance to do that,” teased Sara.
“You should be sleeping, Mick. You have a signing tomorrow.”
“Bah... I’m fine. Besides, my fans love it when I’m out of it.”
“He did have them cheering when he overturned the table at the last place.”
“Damn crooks were trying to charge my fans extra for my autograph instead of just charging them for the book! They got what they had coming to them!”
Leonard felt put out. His inability to cope had gotten the two people he cared most about aside from Lisa out of bed and worrying about him. He hated how his head got sometimes. He wanted to blame his abusive father. His alcoholic mother. But something sick and twisted in his head blamed himself. It seeped into his thoughts and wouldn’t go away. Hadn’t budged in over forty years.
“Let’s just all go back to bed.”
He’d lay there, wide-awake, but they would be safe and warm.
“Mick, apparently we’re going to be an aunt and uncle.”
“Is that so?” Mick hummed. “Haircut knocked up your sister, huh?”
Leonard scowled. Mick howled with laughter. He’d always liked Ray. Leonard, on the other hand, hadn’t. Hell, even Sara liked the boy scout. Then again, Len was always protective of his sister. Had even squared up to Mick and asked about his intentions at one time because he’d thought he’d been hanging around for HER instead of HIM. Boy had he shocked the hell out of Leonard when he’d just grabbed him and kissed him instead.
They’d been together ever since.
Sara had been a surprise. Someone they’d met at the bar. Someone who had proposed a fling and they’d all been drunk and willing. Well, Mick had been willing. Leonard had taken some convincing... But had warmed up to Sara very quickly. She’d been reluctant to call it anything but a fling. Like them, she had her own demons, but one night she’d confessed to liking it with them. So... She stayed. Had inserted herself into their lives and had flourished. They all had. Shortly after Mick’s first book had been published. Sara had some art pieces bought before but after some time and some pushing from her lovers she’d really gone out there. She still did defensive training as her main project for at-risk women. But art was her other passion... And also what helped pay the bills.
Then Leonard, who had always been hesitant to go out there and showcase his talent, still liked to only play at home. He ran a security business, something that an ex-thief would flourish at, but at home he played. Mick always thought he had what it took to get famous from it. But he knew, deep down, that this was private. Something he only shared with those close to him. Music was something Leonard clung to when his past reared it’s ugly head.
“He did,” said Sara, pressing a kiss to Leonard’s shoulder. “Had him worried about what might happen if it were to happen to him.”
Leonard tensed. Ah hell, Mick felt that change right before Leonard scrambled off the piano bench away from the both of them, hands slamming against the keys and making a chaotic mess of a sound. He had that trapped look on his face as he started pacing, both hands rubbing over his closely shaven head. Sara merely shifted on the bench, crossed her arms and legs, and waited. She was so damn patient. Mick wasn’t, but hell, he didn’t know how to handle this.
The thought of kids had him all panicked, too.
Leonard should have known Sara would have picked up on the reason for his panic. She was too damn smart for her own good. Yeah, perhaps that was why he played. That the panic that Lisa felt about her unborn child transferred to him. Had him wondering what the hell he’d do if Sara were to suddenly tell him she was pregnant. Had him wondering if it was Mick’s, if he would be left alone in the dark while they built their little family.
“Leonard. Len!” Sara was suddenly there, cupping his heated cheeks with her cooler palms. “Hey, baby, breathe for me... Okay? Breathe...”
He had no idea he’d been holding his breath. He struggled to inhale, the exhale shaky.. His eyes met Sara’s and that calm hit him. His hands went over hers and he felt Mick at his back and he breathed. There was a light sheen of sweat on his forehead and at the back of his neck.
“You okay?”
“Yeah,” he said, struggling with the simple word.
“I’m not pregnant so hold off on the panic attack,” teased Sara, making him give a slightly broken laugh. “Talk to us, Len...”
“It’s just my head,” he whispered. “Stupid stuff... Lisa made a comment about worrying about being like our parents. Of course, it had me worried, too...”
“You’re nothin’ like that asshole,” said Mick, meaning Leonard’s dad.
“I know... But it doesn’t mean those thoughts don’t come.”
“Remember Abby?” asked Sara.
Abby was the daughter of Sara’s sister Laurel and her husband Tommy.
“Yeah.”
“You were so gentle with her. So kind. There was nothing malicious about you when we all watched her that first night. Or any of the other nights. And Lisa... Remember Lisa? You said you practically raised her. You didn’t harm her, did you?”
“No...”
“You’re nothing like him, Len,” said Mick. “You gotta believe that.”
“I do... I do...” His eyes closed. “Just... I don’t know. It’s ridiculous.”
Mick pulled at Leonard and he easily turned into his embrace. Mick, the rock of the three, held him tight while Sara turned off the lights. Slowly they made their way back to the bedroom. They lay with Leonard in the middle. He was locked with Mick still, so Sara pressed to his back.
“I love you,” she whispered, making his fear abate some more.
“We both do,” murmured Mick.
“And we’ll always be here for you,” said Sara, pressing her lips to the back of his neck. “Always.”
“What if I can’t go there?” he asked. “What if I can’t give you a family, Sara?”
“You two are my family.”
Leonard relaxed, the last dark thought dissipating, for now.
“Go back to sleep,” said Mick. “You gotta make me an omelette in the morning.”
All three laughed.
All three held on to one another.
And when the sun finally rose over the horizon and awakened the city to the new day... They were still tangled together, ready to take on any threat that be-felled them.
For the #DCTVHalloween Challenge
Pairing: Rogue Canary (Brotp) Slight Captain Canary
Setting: Season 1
Characters: Sara, Leonard, Mick
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“I love Halloween!”
Sara shook her head and fought the smile on her face as Mick eagerly maneuvered his way to the bar. All around her were people dressed up for October thirty-first. It was the one time of year you could be someone else and forget all your troubles you had to face November first. Sara had loved Halloween growing up. Now, with everything that had happened to her since the Gambit, she was indifferent to the holiday. Rip had them in Boston in 1984 following another lead on Savage that had been nothing but a dud. He’d called for them to all go back to the Waverider. However the rogues and the canary had other ideas. Jax had wanted to say out but Martin had put his foot down. Kendra and Ray were somewhere else. Rip was probably melting down and that thought had Sara truly smiling. She turned to her companion, who looked like he’d rather be anywhere else but there.
“What’s the matter, Crook?” she asked, turning to face him fully, moving with the beat of the music. “Not a fan of Halloween?”
Leonard shrugged.
“Not really my cup of tea.” He nodded his head to the bar and Sara looked over her shoulder to see a ladybug and Cleopatra draped over Mick, who was dressed like a fireman... Which wasn’t far from how he normally dressed. “Mick loves everything about it.”
“I bet he does.” Sara turned back to Leonard. “Even though you refused to dress up you still look like a thief!”
“And you make the most stunning Raggedy Ann,” he said, reaching out to tug at one of her red pigtails. That earned him a playful swat on his hand, which he retracted with a slight grin. He frowned as the music changed, the bass reverberating in his chest. All around him the masses converged, bodies undulating under the flashing lights. The crowd pressing had Sara stepping closer, her front briefly brushing against his before retreating. She looked up at him through her lashes, the red paint on her cheeks and nose almost glowing as she started dancing. He rolled his eyes, standing still, and she grinned.
“Still don’t want to dance with me, Leonard?”
“I don’t dance.”
“But you like to watch?” she asked, biting her bottom lip.
“Sometimes,” he said, eyes traveling over her, stilling briefly at the swatch of skin at the top of her thigh-high stripped socks and below the hem of her skirt. He had to shake away the images of what he wanted to do to her from his brain. Sara Lance had him acting like some uncontrolled teenager. His hands tingled and he felt a slight patch of sweat at the back of his neck, and he just needed to get away from her before he did something that earned him a snapped neck from Sara Lance. “I’m going to go sit at the bar.”
“Suit yourself,” said Sara, continuing to dance. It took Leonard some time to get out of the crowd, stealing wallets and other items along the way and tucking them in his jacket. He ordered a beer, found a table in the corner of the bar, and was able to finally breathe. He hated crowds. He hated loud music though often depended on it during meetings with partners to drown out their conversations. If it weren’t for the large score he had secured on his person, he’d be in a shittier mood. Though, when people started to realize their wallets were gone in the next few minutes, things would get complicated.
A commotion at the bar had him looking up in time to see Mick throw a punch. Apparently, the ladybug had a boyfriend. Leonard sighed, sipping his beer while watching Mick take out his aggression on the boyfriend and his friends. He saw a flash of red hair and smiled when seeing Sara standing next to his partner, looking far more lethal than her costume gave her credit for.
“LET’S FIGHT!” shouted Mick.
Many ran, but some stayed to try and prove themselves. They all ended up on the floor either in pain while cradling something broken, or just outright unconscious. When Leonard heard someone shout out about missing their wallet, that was his cue to leave. He slowly got up from his chair and walked toward Mick and Sara. When the final man ended up on the floor he cleared his throat and soon had two violence-hungry teammates looking at him.
“Time to go.”
“But we were just starting to enjoy ourselves,” said Sara with a slight pout.
“Yeah, Boss!”
“And that fun has us on a tight schedule. The police will be here in about three minutes. Let’s go.”
“Fine,” said Sara, stepping over a Tin Man.
Leonard led the way out of the bar. They were around the corner by the time the first officer showed up. They slithered down an alley, hugged the dark corners, and were soon in the clear.
“We need to do that again,” said Mick. “But next time, we set the place on fire!”
“Maybe next year,” said Leonard.
“Or...”
Sara pointed across the street. There was another bar. Before Leonard could even say no both she and Mick were walking across the street, both admiring a woman dressed like a Playboy Bunny entering the bar before them. Leonard debated on just leaving them on their own. But he was too concerned about Mick starting a fire and Sara stabbing people who even looked at her the wrong way. So, he took the cash out of the wallets he’d stolen, dumped the wallets in the trash, then went across the street for another score---
The first thing that caught his attention was the flash of pink against the faded gray garb they were all forced to wear here. He stopped his secret writing in the small, smuggled notepad to stare at the woman who had hot pink hair and was bobbing her head to a song only she could hear. She was dancing, and he sat back in his chair to admire the show, all while his friend chuckled beside him.
“Fresh meat,” said Mick Rory, fingertips rubbing together... Probably wishing he had a lighter to flick. “Tossed in with the big boys... Must be dangerous.”
“So it seems,” he said, watching as someone went up to the girl. They tried talking to her and she ignored them, flipping them off. They didn’t like that much and went to grab her... Then started screaming in pain as she broke their fingers... And quite possibly their wrist. Leonard shared a look with his friend Mick, who was raising his eyebrows in interest as well as more boys decided to try and take her down while the small handful of girls in this area of the detention center backed up toward the walls. Mick and Leonard watched as guards tried to break it up, dragging the girl away who spat at the boys who continued to try and grab her.
“So it seems,” repeated Leonard, his interest piqued.
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“What are you in for?” he asked, standing at the table she sat at with his lunch tray in his hands. She ignored him, twisting the plastic knife in her hand. He watched as it spun around and around until she snapped it, making him look back at her. Her eyes... They were blue.
Lethal.
Cold.
“Why do you care?” she asked, voice soft, but filled with the sweet promise of violence.
“Oh, just curious,” he said, sitting across from her, slouching in his seat. She frowned, as if not happy about him being in her space, but didn’t say anything as he started eating the mush that passed as food.
“How about you tell me why you are here... And I’ll think about telling you my story.”
“Killed my father.” He shrugged, it really was no secret. It’d been all over the papers. “He went after my sister. I didn’t like it. Stabbed him right in the heart with an icicle that’d been hanging in the doorway.” He shrugged again. “Bastard had it coming. Merry Christmas to me.”
“I set my family on fire,” said Mick, having overheard Leonard sharing on his way over. He tossed his tray down, some of the food slopping onto the table. She wrinkled her nose but looked up at Mick instead. “Well... I set the house on fire. With them in it. Still...”
“I heard about it,” she said. “You’re Mick Rory. You laughed when they found you guilty. Why?”
“Because they deserved to die,” he said, as casual as can be.
“I see.” She lifted a brow at Leonard. “And you are?”
“Leonard Snart.”
She pursed her lips before running a hand through that pink hair of hers. It was slightly tangled, wild strands sticking out here and there. Her eyes, though... He just couldn’t stop staring.
“Sara. Sara Lance.”
“And why are you here, Sara?”
“Was on some serious shit and they found me strangling my sister’s boyfriend’s sister...” She shrugged. “She’s a bit of a bitch. Had some good drugs. Wouldn’t share. Well... She got a slap on the wrist and I got tossed here...”
“Well, you did try killing someone.” Leonard smiled. “Try being the word.”
“Yeah, well, there’s always next time,” she said with a smirk, making Leonard and Mick both laugh.
“So, Sara,” said Leonard, leaning forward, his tone lowering while he looked around to make sure no one was listening. “Wanna bust out of this joint?”
She grinned. “What do you have in mind?”
“Still planning. It was just going to be Mick and I but...” Leonard shrugged. “Turns out my plan needs a third party. And I think you’ll be perfect for the job...”
“Hm... I’m in,” she said, bracing her head on her hand, biting her bottom lip, getting both of the older boys to stare at it in interest. “So long as I get to participate in something violent.”
She opens her eyes, breath caught in her throat as the remnants of her dream clings to her, making her hands clench even more around the corner of the blanket she had between her white knuckles. When she feels the warmth and hears the steady breathing of the others; only then does she relax. White knuckles go lax, releasing the cotton blanket, and she takes calming breaths through her nose. Slowly, she turns her head to the side, inhaling deep the scent of Leonard while reaching to the opposite side to very lightly caress the arm of Mick.
She’s safe.
She’s in their room.
She isn’t on the Gambit.
She isn’t on the rooftop with three arrows stuck in her.
She isn’t in the pit.
Slowly, she lets her eyes close again, her hand seeking out Mick’s. Her slender fingers curl around his thicker ones. She nudges closer to Leonard, forehead against his chin, his exhale fluttering through her hair and over her skin and its a sort of lullaby.
