Who: Faith Lehane / Jane Foster / Bonnie Bennet / Ray Palmer Where: Various When: Dec-Jan Rating: Up to PG-13 Summary: Catch-all for surprise arranged threads. (Please shoot me a PM if you'd like something! <3) The Story:
[ ray waltzes into len's room far too chipper and much too loud with the smell of sarah's favorite lotion on his skin and a goofy smile on his face. at least he also comes bearing hot french fries?
he holds a greasy paper bag out to len but his focus is on his tinyman door. ]
There might be another universe in which my room is typically-sized. But maybe Sarah and I aren't together in that universe in which case my situation doesn't exactly apply...and maybe there's a dead cat inside it.
[Leonard had been reading, a much common pastime for him than people might assume unless they know him well. Ray waltzing in doesn't even get an eyebrow raise, although the fries do pike his interest. He pulls himself up to lean back on his elbows, legs crossed and looking at Ray, but then he hears that name.]
What?
[He sits up instantly, frowning at him.
Sara?
Sara who knows him. Sara who somehow became important enough for him not to want to let go. There's still Lisa and then Mick, but Sara came closer than should have been possible.
There would be no possessiveness. He doesn't expect anything from her, wouldn't even if things had been different, other than the hope that their tomorrow would have been shared to some degree.
But not having a claim is a very different concept from Ray having one.]
In what universe are you and Sara... [Instead of finishing with '--together', he just makes a face, jerking his hand in a disgusted manner.]
[ ray's still lost in the cloud of equations and theories he's been running through and trying to apply to wonderland with sometimes success and other times failure and no reliable trend of either of the two. and he's desperate all the more to make them fit with his current dilemma: nowhere to bring a girl "home." ]
I mean, I've been trying out different labels, but I guess you can't have a really solid relationship in a place either of you could disa--
[ insulted, ray finally turns to find that look on len's face. ]
[Something he doesn't often feel. He rewinds the conversation in his mind, wondering what he could have misunderstood. Walking in here, talking about Sara? Hard to interpret wrong.]
[ is this a trick question? the insult drops away though, and ray just looks a little stumped now. and that means it's time for a ramble! ]
We just got along when she arrived, and she used to keep me company when I was big on the roof. And then when I came back from home she was one of the first people I wanted to reconnect with. Ever since the dance date, it's been getting kind of serious. Plus I'm pretty sure I was going to propose to her at Hogwarts which was pretty serious considering her brother didn't seem all that excited about it...
[ he peeks back at len, hoping he's ... answering some part of whatever he's asking. ]
[Things becomes clear very quickly once he starts rambling and Len relaxes, no longer frowning. So not Sara, just a Sara, Sarah or Sahra. Presumably an alternate spelling or maybe even Ray would have sought to clarify upfront.
So finally he catches on to what Ray is actually talking about, rather than what he's perceived. So he raises his eyebrows at the mention of 'propose' and then just nods.]
I didn't know your dance date was called Sarah. Overprotective brother, eh?
So the really good guy doesn't like you? Maybe I should introduce myself.
[Whatever that is supposed to mean. Leonard smirks and shakes his head, more at himself than Ray for a change.]
If the brother's a fed, what's she?
[It's absently that he checks his communicator, planning on skimming through the recent entries and letting Ray babble on. But instead he straightens up, like a jolt of electricity and his entire mimic changes, pure emotion where before everything was carefully caged.
He listens to the entry, watching the video, not even caring that Ray's in the room. Without hesitation he switches to voice and records his reply, unable to hold anything back.]
[ the rambles begin again, ray mentioning something about her being a physical therapist and clarifying that kurt doesn't necessarily dislike him, and then-- ]
What?
[ his face lights up, ray moves fast toward len, trying to crowd him and see the device before remembering he could check it himself. he moves to flip it on so he can properly greet their teammate
because obviously he's from their time and why would ray ever think otherwise??? ]
[While Leonard is for once slow to react, staring at the device in his hand and realising what is happening, he's still fast enough for this.
On his feet in a moment and snatching Ray's device from him, actually holding it behind him as if this was some especially cruel game. His voice is quiet, carefully controlled, but not able to fully hide the sheer onslaught of emotions going on inside him.]
[ ray flails about how you'd expect a 12-year-old who just lost his lunch money to flail, moving toward len and reaching desperately to get his device back. he doesn't mind len's personal space, crowding him and trying to use his own lanky frame to reach his buddy.
len's words reach him, but ray doesn't process the weight of this situation just yet. ]
[Never really seems to pay off, trying to be reasonable with Raymond.
Leonard isn't feeling patient and emotionally compromised would be an understatement. He tosses both their devices on his bed without looking back, instead focusing on keeping himself between Ray and them. Ray's taller, but he's also Ray. He's not too worried.
No time to waste however and so he draws the cold gun, hand on the trigger already as it powers up. He keeps it by his side as he makes a move forward. He's not about to be the passive element when Ray invades his space. Instead he shoves him, hand on his shoulder and then gathering the fabric of his shirt in his fist, giving him the necessary momentum to push him back up against the wall.
Now he aims the gun, almost a languid movement before it's pointed at Ray's head, his grip on his shirt tight enough that his knuckles are white.]
I suggest you cool down, Raymond, or I'll take care of that for you.
[ he starts to fight back, until the gun comes out. ray's eyes pop wide -- whether from fear or surprise? it's a little hard to parse that out once snart's manhandling him into the wall. without his suit on, ray is imbalanced. his hand-to-hand actually suffers when he doesn't have to compensate for the weight and limited movement the atom inflicts on him.
and so ray hits the wall with an oof, barely keeping up with what's happening. his head swivels from the gun to the pieces of his suit across the room (why hadn't he put it on yet?), and back to snart's face. resolve settles in once the threat registers with him, and his face falls flat. his voice lowers in that way he only seems to use when snart shows his true colors like this.
ray stares back. ]
Then cool me down, Leonard.
[ in the back of his mind, ray's kicking himself. of course as soon as another legend shows up he gets knocked back down to pawn status. why had he even bothered? ]
[What is he going to say? Point out to Ray that right now, Mick's not thinking of anyone at his partner? Reasoning is useless, at least the way he does it. Ray needs different stepping stones to reach a conclusion than Leonard feels like providing right now. His heart is thundering in his chest, there is actually the slightest tremble of the hand holding the gun and none of that has anything to do with Ray himself.]
I ain't interested in keeping you from your partner, I just want you to think before you talk and act for once in my life.
I don't accept those terms. We're supposed to be a team!
[ his cheeks are flushing, and all ray wants to do is shove back. it's his own insecurities coloring the lens through which he's experiencing this -- that leonard really doesn't give a rat's ass about him after all. that suddenly he wants to call the shots as usual.
that deep down in his heart, ray believes snart. it's all a con. still, ray's never been a quitter and he's not about to start now. ]
You can't just tell me not to talk to him. You're not alone on this one.
[So asking him to think before talking and acting is too tall an order? Not even surprising.]
Right now he hates me. You're gonna let me deal with that before he hurts someone else.
[Everything loses significance in comparison to that. The threat Mick poses to anyone, the threat Mick poses, not least of all, to Mick himself. Leonard has to take care of it. That's his partner and he calls the shots.]
Then you can go find him and sing kumbaya for all I care.
[He cocks the gun, the very tip just so brushing Ray's cheek. His gun might be cold, but his eyes are colder.]
[ his instinct is to keep arguing, but when ray starts to shake his head, his cheek presses into the gun. he doesn't want to believe snart will use it. he doesn't understand why he can't be a part of this.
the three of them are the only legends here. but snart and mick are the only rogues here, and he doesn't understand. ray's never felt his naivety so acutely than now, and it feeds his frustration. he shifts, trying to stand up a little straighter. len's fist in his shirt keeps him from leaning forward initially but he keeps pressing against it, telegraphing his next move. ]
I don't get any of this.
[ in what ray thinks is a pretty swift move, he tries to fight snart's grip and duck below the gun, pressing against the wall and shoving his hands against snart's chest. ]
[Somebody ought to teach Ray how to do anything without telegraphing his intentions first. It's not going to be Leonard, but at least he can give him one swift lesson.
Mick's presence is a constant on his mind now and the urgency is growing. He's all out of patience and Ray's hands are aiming for his chest, leaving his face unprotected. Leonard punches him once.
It's all he tends to need. He can bring down Mick with a punch like that, Ray's no problem.
What surprises even him is that he quickly reaches out with his arm, catching Ray before he can crumple on the ground. He puts his gun away, leaving both arms free to bodily drag Ray over to the bed. He'd carry him, but the man is absurdly large, in all honesty. He makes sure to lay him out so he's not about to roll off, then reaches for his device, leaving Ray's on the bed next to him.
He talks to Mick again, standing in his room next to an unconscious Ray until it's time to leave.]
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look at the wonderful mess that we made
let me make it worse
What?
[He sits up instantly, frowning at him.
Sara?
Sara who knows him. Sara who somehow became important enough for him not to want to let go. There's still Lisa and then Mick, but Sara came closer than should have been possible.
There would be no possessiveness. He doesn't expect anything from her, wouldn't even if things had been different, other than the hope that their tomorrow would have been shared to some degree.
But not having a claim is a very different concept from Ray having one.]
In what universe are you and Sara... [Instead of finishing with '--together', he just makes a face, jerking his hand in a disgusted manner.]
no subject
I mean, I've been trying out different labels, but I guess you can't have a really solid relationship in a place either of you could disa--
[ insulted, ray finally turns to find that look on len's face. ]
What's it to you, anyway?
no subject
For one thing, Sara has taste.]
I feel like I missed a step.
[Something he doesn't often feel. He rewinds the conversation in his mind, wondering what he could have misunderstood. Walking in here, talking about Sara? Hard to interpret wrong.]
Why would she?
no subject
[ is this a trick question? the insult drops away though, and ray just looks a little stumped now. and that means it's time for a ramble! ]
We just got along when she arrived, and she used to keep me company when I was big on the roof. And then when I came back from home she was one of the first people I wanted to reconnect with. Ever since the dance date, it's been getting kind of serious. Plus I'm pretty sure I was going to propose to her at Hogwarts which was pretty serious considering her brother didn't seem all that excited about it...
[ he peeks back at len, hoping he's ... answering some part of whatever he's asking. ]
no subject
So finally he catches on to what Ray is actually talking about, rather than what he's perceived. So he raises his eyebrows at the mention of 'propose' and then just nods.]
I didn't know your dance date was called Sarah. Overprotective brother, eh?
no subject
[ ha. haha. which isn't worrying at all, nope. everything's totally fine there. ]
Not that. He has jurisdiction here or anything.
[ ...ray, what. ]
no subject
[Whatever that is supposed to mean. Leonard smirks and shakes his head, more at himself than Ray for a change.]
If the brother's a fed, what's she?
[It's absently that he checks his communicator, planning on skimming through the recent entries and letting Ray babble on. But instead he straightens up, like a jolt of electricity and his entire mimic changes, pure emotion where before everything was carefully caged.
He listens to the entry, watching the video, not even caring that Ray's in the room. Without hesitation he switches to voice and records his reply, unable to hold anything back.]
Mick.
no subject
What?
[ his face lights up, ray moves fast toward len, trying to crowd him and see the device before remembering he could check it himself. he moves to flip it on so he can properly greet their teammate
because obviously he's from their time and why would ray ever think otherwise??? ]
no subject
On his feet in a moment and snatching Ray's device from him, actually holding it behind him as if this was some especially cruel game. His voice is quiet, carefully controlled, but not able to fully hide the sheer onslaught of emotions going on inside him.]
He ain't from our time, Raymond.
no subject
[ ray flails about how you'd expect a 12-year-old who just lost his lunch money to flail, moving toward len and reaching desperately to get his device back. he doesn't mind len's personal space, crowding him and trying to use his own lanky frame to reach his buddy.
len's words reach him, but ray doesn't process the weight of this situation just yet. ]
What the hell, Snart?
no subject
Leonard isn't feeling patient and emotionally compromised would be an understatement. He tosses both their devices on his bed without looking back, instead focusing on keeping himself between Ray and them. Ray's taller, but he's also Ray. He's not too worried.
No time to waste however and so he draws the cold gun, hand on the trigger already as it powers up. He keeps it by his side as he makes a move forward. He's not about to be the passive element when Ray invades his space. Instead he shoves him, hand on his shoulder and then gathering the fabric of his shirt in his fist, giving him the necessary momentum to push him back up against the wall.
Now he aims the gun, almost a languid movement before it's pointed at Ray's head, his grip on his shirt tight enough that his knuckles are white.]
I suggest you cool down, Raymond, or I'll take care of that for you.
no subject
and so ray hits the wall with an oof, barely keeping up with what's happening. his head swivels from the gun to the pieces of his suit across the room (why hadn't he put it on yet?), and back to snart's face. resolve settles in once the threat registers with him, and his face falls flat. his voice lowers in that way he only seems to use when snart shows his true colors like this.
ray stares back. ]
Then cool me down, Leonard.
[ in the back of his mind, ray's kicking himself. of course as soon as another legend shows up he gets knocked back down to pawn status. why had he even bothered? ]
He's my partner, too. No matter when he's from.
no subject
I ain't interested in keeping you from your partner, I just want you to think before you talk and act for once in my life.
Tell him nothing. And I gotta deal with him.
no subject
[ his cheeks are flushing, and all ray wants to do is shove back. it's his own insecurities coloring the lens through which he's experiencing this -- that leonard really doesn't give a rat's ass about him after all. that suddenly he wants to call the shots as usual.
that deep down in his heart, ray believes snart. it's all a con. still, ray's never been a quitter and he's not about to start now. ]
You can't just tell me not to talk to him. You're not alone on this one.
no subject
Right now he hates me. You're gonna let me deal with that before he hurts someone else.
[Everything loses significance in comparison to that. The threat Mick poses to anyone, the threat Mick poses, not least of all, to Mick himself. Leonard has to take care of it. That's his partner and he calls the shots.]
Then you can go find him and sing kumbaya for all I care.
[He cocks the gun, the very tip just so brushing Ray's cheek. His gun might be cold, but his eyes are colder.]
Got it?
no subject
[ his instinct is to keep arguing, but when ray starts to shake his head, his cheek presses into the gun. he doesn't want to believe snart will use it. he doesn't understand why he can't be a part of this.
the three of them are the only legends here. but snart and mick are the only rogues here, and he doesn't understand. ray's never felt his naivety so acutely than now, and it feeds his frustration. he shifts, trying to stand up a little straighter. len's fist in his shirt keeps him from leaning forward initially but he keeps pressing against it, telegraphing his next move. ]
I don't get any of this.
[ in what ray thinks is a pretty swift move, he tries to fight snart's grip and duck below the gun, pressing against the wall and shoving his hands against snart's chest. ]
no subject
Mick's presence is a constant on his mind now and the urgency is growing. He's all out of patience and Ray's hands are aiming for his chest, leaving his face unprotected. Leonard punches him once.
It's all he tends to need. He can bring down Mick with a punch like that, Ray's no problem.
What surprises even him is that he quickly reaches out with his arm, catching Ray before he can crumple on the ground. He puts his gun away, leaving both arms free to bodily drag Ray over to the bed. He'd carry him, but the man is absurdly large, in all honesty. He makes sure to lay him out so he's not about to roll off, then reaches for his device, leaving Ray's on the bed next to him.
He talks to Mick again, standing in his room next to an unconscious Ray until it's time to leave.]