#young!len

Day Six, Stripper/Prostitute/Kept Man AU, Prostitutes and Up & Coming Criminals Barry and Len. 

   we are all searching        for someone whose demons            play well with ours

Len grinned as he watched Barry roll around the pile of money they’d gotten from the jewels they’d swiped from Barry’s last client.

“Come on, Lenny,” Barry whined, arching his body in an attempt to entice his partner to join him on the bed. “Come play with me.” He let his lips dip down into a pout.

We haven’t seen him do it, but I don’t think there was any implication that he couldn’t do it? He seemed unsurprised by Len’s skill and they seemed relatively equal at most times in their actual thieving ability, it was just that Len was much more of a long term planner who’d iron out their jobs whereas Mick was more ready to bring the pain. Mick also seemed to have a greater understanding for bombs and other pyrotechnics whereas Len focused a lot more on the timing of a job.

But no, we haven’t seen Mick actually pickpocket as far as I can recall. 

I imagine though that he and Len learned it somewhat together. Little Leo and his learning to rewire circuits on security systems, getting his little fingers places that other people couldn’t, learning before long that his deftness had other benefits. Lifting things for kicks, and for some extra cash to help out with his little sister. 

Alright, so this was more of a challenge, but I’m happy with the result.

Established Relationship

           “I can’t believe I’m actually going to see Steel Dragonin concert.” Raymond is almost bouncing at her side as they maneuver their wayinto the packed concert area.

           “Just remember to keep a watch for whatever caught Gideon’sattention.” She replies, eyes scanning the crowd.

           “I’m surprised you didn’t bring Snart,” he puts his handsup, “Not that I’m complaining.”

           “He was firm about not coming; then again large groups ofnoisy, sweaty people aren’t his favorite thing.” She replies. To be fair, it’snot hers either, not anymore. But at least it’s an outdoor concert, so she canhang in the back while Ray gets closer to enjoy the show.

           The band comes out, screams erupting and the equivalent ofhuge sparklers going off on the stage. She watches with mild interest as theband plays; until a shadowed shape darting in and out of the edge of the crowdcatches her eye. She moves quietly, grabbing the wrist of the small figure ashe slips by. “And just where do you think you’re going with that?” she motionsto the wallet currently held in his hand.

           “None of your business,” the slight drawl startles her,and she knocks the hoodie back from his face. He’s young, maybe mid-teens, butSara would know those eyes anywhere. She bites back his name, instead takingthe wallet with her free hand before releasing him.

           “You’d be better grabbing wallets at the bar,” shemotions with her head, “These people have spent most of their cash.” She reachesinto her pocket, pulling out what little money she’d brought. “Here,”

           “I don’t want your pity,” he snaps.

           “I’m trying to keep you from getting arrested,” sheretorts, following it with a sigh. “Look, security has seen us at this point.” Shemotions slightly to her right. “Take the money and go,”

           He frowns, that same calculating stare she’s seen so manytimes before. “Why?”

           She holds the cash out again. “Because I know what it’slike to be in a tight spot.” As his hand touches hers she smiles, giving it aslight squeeze. “And even though it doesn’t seem like it now, the future getsbetter.”

           He scoffs, “Not for people like me.”

           She smirks, “Especially for people like you,” she motionstoward the nearby buildings, “Now go on,”

           The younger Leonard turns, shaking his head beforeslipping away in the darkness. She reaches up to her headset, “Ray, you findanything?”

           “No,” she winces at his volume. “Maybe Gideon misreadsomething?”

           “Maybe,” Sara looked off to where her future love had disappeared.“Either way I’m going to head back.”

           “Mind if I stay? You know, just to make sure?”

           She chuckles, “Go ahead, enjoy the concert Ray.” Sheturns off her com, making her way back to the Waverider. She heads for the showerfirst thing, finding Len sitting on the bed when she comes out. “You knew didn’tyou?”

           He nods, “As soon as I realized where we were.”

           “Why didn’t you say something before?” she asks, movingto sit at his side.

           “I didn’t realize it was you until now,” he shrugs, “Theconcert was dark, and even my memory isn’t perfect. But the memory stuck withme, a kind stranger was a rare occurrence in my life.”

           She looks at him, sadness in her eyes. “I wish I’d hadmore to give you.”

           He shakes his head, “No, you kept me from having tooutrun security.”  reaching up he pushes hairbehind her ear, almost smiling, “And Lisa’s grin when she saw the little cakewas worth more than gold.” He lays his hand over hers.

           “Good,” she lays her head on his shoulder, fingerslinking with his. “You were a pretty cute kid by the way.”

They were celebrating a job well done. As they fucking should. What a haul! What a goddamn amazing haul.

Mick couldn’t stop grinning. Or drinking. The news was spreading fast. Len was a fuckin’ genius. He was. Mick was sure of it. That planning, down the freakin’ second, but it worked so well. No one had ever pulled off a job like that. Mick couldn’t stop thinking about it. It was a thing of beauty. Getting out just under the wire, the cops holding their own hats in confusion, the goods being worth a cool million. Even after the Santini cut and splitting with the crew, Mick was gonna have more money than he’d ever seen in his life!

All thanks to the punk asshole he’d saved in juvie. Sometimes the world really did reward you for good behavior. Who’d have known?

Lenny kept grinning too. He didn’t often but there it was -- ear to fucking ear. Just wide. People kept handing him drinks: beer, shots, whiskey, you name it. He was king of the world for the night tonight. Mick felt a pull in his chest. That kind of genius, of power and smarts, still fucking young -- he was gonna make enemies, allies, all of it. Len Snart was going places, that much he knew.

He had to go out for a smoke. It was too much, all of a sudden.

He never made it all the way there, though. Was making a beeline for the backdoor of the little dive when a hand caught his shoulder.

“Going somewhere?”

It was Len. ‘Course it was.

“Smoke time.”

“That so?”

He titled his head with a little smile like he didn’t believe Mick for a second, like he saw right through him. Motherfucker. He had that laser vision that always made Mick think he knew more’n he did. 

“Yeah. That’s so.”

“You weren’t thinking of taking off?”

“Now why would I do that on our big haul?”

Len stepped into his space, a little too close, whiskey breath. “You tell me.”

Mick wanted to punch him. God, he wanted to kiss him. “Don’t fuck with me, Snart. You run a good job but--”

Len’s lips were on his. Holy fuck, Len’s lips were on his.

Oh he could get used to this. Rounded up Snart by the shoulders and switched their spots, had him caged against the wall in heartbeat. Oh hell yeah.

Len wove his arms around Mick’s shoulders and let him ravage his mouth like a starved man. He had more finesse than this but fuck he was drunk, and horny, and it was Len. He’d been dreaming about this for months. He could show restraint later.

“Ah--umm...”

He pulled back and growled at the guy trying get their attention, the bartender. Mick didn’t even bother reaching for his own piece -- he reached for Len’s, tucked in his belt.

“Got a problem?” he asked, not leaning back from Snart’s space, able to feel his breath against his cheek. He had his hand on the gun and the guy backpeddled fast.

“No uh-- no.”

“Good.”

He didn’t bother waiting for more, just looked back at Len. “Now where were we?”

“Finding a room, maybe?” Lenny’s grin was crooked. It always was. Mick grinned in return.

“One more minute.”

Hahahaha sorry dude literally my first thought was “not for nothing, but I wrote a 77k word fic just to explore that.” But I get that not everyone reads fic (or specifically my fic, or that one given the tropes) or necessarily likes coldflash fic.

For a simple answer, what he was like was probably “angry and aggressive, repressed, had a chip on his shoulder, calculating and mean, constantly looking out for Lisa and super soft with her, halfway between sibling and parent and constantly exhausted because of it, jaded and cynical, struggled to articulate his thoughts on things pertaining to abstract concepts or emotion because deeper communication was ‘discouraged’ in his family, and sneaky/manipulative as hell when he needed to get something out of an unsuspecting stranger.”

For some nuance to add on to that… there’s been a series of discussions on age differences and things that Len might’ve experienced growing up, given when he came of age and his implied socioeconomic status. If those interest you, here are some links: one, two (same start, different thread), three, four, five.) 

And then I have these two posts (one, two) with headcanons about Len and Lisa growing up that should provide some insight as well.

I’m glad you liked it :)

Len’s psyche at this age is... interesting to explore. He’s so used to living day-to-day, paycheck-to-paycheck, just trying to survive and get by, and now he’s forced to really step back and take stock in a completely different and unique way. Not that he doesn’t have plans for the future at this age, but when you’re stuck in a lifestyle like he’s in -- no high school diploma, labour work, family obligations and ties to crime -- that’s hard. You get used to what life is, and with looking after Lisa, any grand visions of the future get tucked away and feel like a... painful luxury, sometimes. An ache. A pretty daydream but he’s kidding himself and he’s a realist.

So to hear about that future he sometimes wonders about, it’s both comforting (he’s alive, he made it, he’s damn good at being a criminal, by all accounts, and he’s in a cool new world that’s like sci-fi come to life) and painful (he’s cruel, he kills without remorse or a second thought, even innocent people who just happened to be in the way, he dragged his sister into this life after him).

It’s confirmation of so much of what he hopes and dreads but didn’t fully let himself even hope for or dread. He already knew he could be good at stealing, that he likes it. He knew he’d fight tooth and nail to survive. 

But who is he really? 

Some guy who grew up and never left Central City (not quite, but how can he really know that), just got meaner over time. Some guy who accomplished his goal of being one of the best thieves there is, who is (almost too) infamous for it, who runs with superpowered friends and enemies like it’s normal.

Some guy with friends (are they friends? he doesn’t fully get it yet) like Barry Allen? That’s gotta mean something. With friends like Mick still around, that matters too. But...

He doesn’t know himself, or how he’s going to feel about any of this, and that’s leaving him with too many unanswered questions.