[open] Space is Cold

[catchacold]

Who: Leonard and YOU
Where: The Citadel
When: all through the event
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Len does all right in space, mostly by doing wrong
The Story:

1. Space Bar

A bar is a bar is a bar. Leonard doesn't find anything drastically different about this place, except for the aliens and the ice seemingly not melting, which has his attention more than the actual drink. He stands a bit apart from most of what's going on, leaning against the wall by a table and watching no one in particular.

Although, if someone comes in at the right - or wrong - time, they may find him sending cold looks edging on outright glares in the direction of his partner, who's probably having a bit too good a time, at least in Leonard's opinion.

2. Space Museum

What came first, the stealing or the art appreciation? In Leonard's case - having been born into a criminal family - it was the stealing. These days, however? It's genuine appreciating for its own sake too. He looks at the building from the outside first, appreciating the architecture but, of course, also casing the joint. Force of habit or actually leading up to something, it's anyone's guess.

Later he can be found inside, both appreciating the exhibition and inspecting the alarm system and other safety measures, a connoisseur of both art and art theft. He's subtle enough about the latter, but someone in a similar business or otherwise experienced may be able to pick up on it.

Space Wild Card

[Come at me with whatever you want! Contact via PM or at reineke, in case you want to plot.

NOTE: I'll be on hiatus from the 5th to the 20th of April, so tags will be slow to non-existent during that time.]

Comments

space bar.

[crisised]

Kara's been here a while. Dancing, mostly, though she does take the occasional breather for a drink and a little people-watching. She catches sight of Leonard during one of these breaks. Eyes him discreetly as he glares at Mick. Glances at Mick who seems to be having a good time. Internally shrugs because it's none of her business.

But he's still doing it the next time she decides to get a ridiculously fruity alien drink, so instead of sticking around the bar itself, she walks over to him. She sips at the bright neon cocktail and leans against the wall a little ways down from him.

"You know," she remarks, just loud enough to be heard over the music, "Talking usually works better than passive-aggressive looks and hoping they notice."

[catchacold]

"Oh, he's aware." It'd be hard to miss, given Leonard tends to be very aggressive with his passive aggressiveness. They are still, presumably always will be, on shaky ground, him and Mick. Demands aren't really in the cards for him right now and, whatever. Ultimately he doesn't mind Mick having a good time. He just wishes he could have it in different ways.

But none of that is any of anyone's business but his own, so he simply turns his head to look at the woman, head tilted to the side a little. "Got any more advice on things you know nothing about or is that it?"

[crisised]

She expected something of a pissy answer, so the question doesn't offend. Doesn't do anything other than make her grin and give her an opening, actually. "Yeah," she says, "You need to take the stick out." Of his ass, she means.

Kara sucks down the last of her drink and places the glass on the table beside her before offering Leonard an outstretched hand and a head-tilt of her own. "Come dance with me. I could use a partner that won't get handsy, and you could use a little fun. Pretty sure you've had the same drink for the last half hour."

[catchacold]

Leonard raises his eyebrows, but instead of discussing the whereabouts of any sticks, he simply takes a sip from his drink and looks at her offered hand, then up at her face. He doesn't say it, but his expression does give away the "are you kidding me?" vibe clearly.

"Sorry, blondie. I don't dance." Not nearly drunk enough for that either. "Besides, you've no idea how handsy I can get."

There's a smile there and he knocks back the drink, setting the glass down. "Been watching me, eh?"

[crisised]

There's a reply about how "handsy" and "so green with jealousy he makes the Grinch jealous" don't really go hand in hand sitting on the tip of her tongue, but Kara bites it back. She rolls her eyes at Leonard instead. Slouches back against the wall and decides to settle in for a bit of conversation before heading back out on the floor.

"It's Kara, not blondie. Kara Zor-El." Though she doesn't mind blondie as much as she minded Mick calling her 'Legs.'

"And I haven't been watching you specifically. Just happened to notice when you caught my eye," she says.

Which is the truth. Spend enough time training with people like Batman and you learn to unconsciously file away things like that for future reference. Not that she's realized that's what she's doing.

[catchacold]

Never stopped Mick from being handsy, so clearly there's some play room there. Not that Leonard ever gets handsy, unless it is to use said hands to steal something. "Leonard Snart." Since apparently they are doing introductions.

Honestly, it's very, very far from the first time someone has come up to Leonard to hit on him while he really isn't feeling it, but he can give her the benefit of the doubt. Maybe she's not interested and just really likes to meddle. He's not sure which one he'd prefer. "Let me know when I've missed my cue to ask what a girl like you is doing in a place like this all alone."

[crisised]

Recognition dawns on her face when he introduces himself, and Kara can't resist giving him a cheeky salute and a, "Good to meet you, Captain."

His comment gets a snort out of her. "Rao, please don't ask that. If I have to deal with someone else hitting on me just because I like to dance and look good, I'm gonna end up punching someone."

Which is both an answer to his unasked question and possibly a remark that'll let him know she's not hitting on him. Because she's not. Mostly because she thinks he's dating Mick who she doesn't know is Mick yet. Kara is just bad at making conversation sometimes.

And apparently is starting a habit of meeting Rogues while in bars. First Boomer, now Captain Cold...

[catchacold]

"Didn't think I'd have that much of a rep around here." Not that this alone isn't enough to convince him that she's from Wonderland and not this place. But more importantly, even within Wonderland, who'd know him as Captain Cold? Not even the people on his team ever used that moniker and if she's from Central City, he doesn't know here.

Of course, there's always the possibility of different timelines and different universes and he'll simply have to wait for more clues. "Please. Do punch someone. This place could use some action."

It would also distract Mick from what he's up to right now, but that's a fringe benefit. Leonard likes a good brawl. "Real reason I don't dance, keeps people away. I can't stop being pretty, so that's my solution."

[crisised]

"You don't." As far as she knows, anyway. "But I know of a version of you. The multiverse is..." She wiggles her fingers and pulls a face. "Weird. You get used to it after awhile."

And she's sure that's a version after talking with Rip and meeting Mick. The fact that this Leonard Snart doesn't look like he'd be caught dead in the kind of parka her world's Captain Cold wears just cements that knowledge.

"Quarters are a little too close here for my liking. The odds of me accidentally breaking someone's bones go up when I'm boxed in." Some times having super strength sucks. Bar fights is one of those.

Kara looks out at the dance floor consideringly. "You'd really rather be over here than out there with someone who'd keep everyone else away? I mean, your guy looks like the kind of guy not many people would try to cut in on." If Mick is the dancing type, that is.

[catchacold]

"He ain't--" Ain't what? Leonard's not even sure how he was going to finish the sentence, so instead he just waves his hand a little, with a quick shake of his head. "It's complicated." That's what they say these days, isn't it? Has always been true, is especially true now. "Anyway, I didn't actually mean that. I do what I want, no one else needed. I just ain't a dancer."

Besides, as often as he may get hit on, he doubts it's a fraction of what a sweet-looking blonde gets in a place like this. "So, tell me about him. That version of me you know. What does he know you as? Hopefully not someone whose bones you broke."

[crisised]

She shrugs. "To each their own, I guess."

Kara doesn't really get the appeal of being in a place like this if there's no pool table and you're not going to dance or pick someone up. Probably because she can't get drunk. There's a whole side to bars she's missing because of that.

"Nah. The Rogues mostly stick to Central City and I work out of Metropolis for the most part. Unless there's a need for a superhero team-up somewhere, in which case I'm wherever I'm needed." All of that to say that he's not the kind of bad guy she punches. "I don't know much about my world's version of you, honestly. Just what I've seen on the news and what Boomer told me."

She pauses, feeling wistful for a moment as she remembers Owen. And then she remembers that Mick had no idea who Owen was and so her comment probably needs some explaining.

"Boomer was a good friend of mine. He ran with you and yours for a while before we met."

[catchacold]

In all honesty, Leonard is here because Mick is here and that's about the beginning and end to the entire reasoning, not that he'd admit it out loud. He'd much prefer it if there was a pool table or at least some decent fries to order and less people in Mick's proximity, but that's another thing he's not admitting out loud.

"That'd make you a superhero then." Seemed to be the rather obvious conclusion. "And the rogues..." He's heard that before, but more as a concept that he's pondered than something that she's talking about as if it's something everyone is familiar with. Seems like her world's version of him has been busy. "Afraid I never got to meet your friend. Any version of him."

wow thank u phone for posting that early

[crisised]

She nods. "Heat Wave said as much when I met him during the last event." Hence the explanation.

Kara looks back out over the bar, eyes landing on the guy Leonard's been staring at. ... Waitaminute. She cocks her head to the side. Squints. Studies him for a moment.

"Huh. He really grew into his shoulders eventually."

[catchacold]

"Ah, you met the kiddie version. Yeah, he grew up well." Leonard may be, most definitely is biased, but he's been around when Mick grew up for real, every year, sometimes almost every day. Bias or not, he knows what he's talking about. "He's excited to get alien lap dances or he might say hi."

But clearly those alien lap dances are just too damn important to pay attention to anything else.

[crisised]

She snorts. Honest to god, lets out a derisive snort as she shakes her head, only just stopping herself from saying something along the lines of 'typical man.' Though she is most definitely thinking it.

"You humans are so strange. Most of you get hung up on minor differences in appearance in your own species, but blue skin and tentacles where you have hair aren't off-putting?" Kara shakes her head and, in lieu of moving to a table or snagging a chair, decides to sit mid-air. "Some times I think you all will never make sense."

[catchacold]

"You an alien? Anyway, I don't know. It's simple science, biology, you're supposed to be attracted to certain features, look for similarities, that kinda stuff." Leonard shrugs, not sure how much he can get in on the speciesism. He hasn't exactly met any aliens so far, just a couple vampires and an assortment of others. "Anyway, don't ask me. I find most people off-putting, alien or not."

[crisised]

"I'm Kryptonian." Which is to say, yes, she's an alien.

She looks back over at Leonard, faintly and wryly amused. "I bet the misanthropy helps in your line of work, huh?" It must be easier to steal and potentially hurt people when you don't give a damn about humanity in general.

[catchacold]

"Good for you." He has no idea what that means, but he'll just assume it means that, yes, she's an alien. After considering her question for a moment, he shakes his head. "Doubt it. I'm entirely too humanitarian for that." He's never killed more than he's considered necessary and he's always seen the need for restraint and rules. He can't claim sociopathy or even just a lack of empathy, no excuse like that. "I just like the game. Don't you?"

[crisised]

All the amusement vanishes.

"No." Kara pauses, frowns. Amends that statement. "I like a good fight. I like the chase, when the world isn't at stake. But the world is at stake every Tuesday where I come from." It's exhausting. And it's nothing like a game. Not with the things she sees and deals with on a regular basis.

[catchacold]

"Hm. See, where I'm from, for years, it was never about the world. Then things changed." Leonard leans his head back a little, reaching into his glass to fish out one of the ice cubes and set it down on the table he's leaning against. He passes it back and forth between two fingers, sliding it across the surface like a miniature version of hockey. "I guess when it started to be about the world, I picked the world's side."

For better or worse.

[crisised]

Well, that's unexpected. She knows peripherally that the Rogues always had something of a code. They were never the world domination type, or even very homicidal. But hearing that and having a version of Captain Cold outright say something like that are two different things.

It makes her smile again.

"That's not very villainous of you."

[catchacold]

"Now you sound like the Flash." Even if in a slightly different context, but otherwise, pretty much entirely the same. Leonard supposes they have a point. "World ain't black and white. I ain't a good guy, I've got no interest being a hero. Doesn't mean everything I do has to fuck someone over."

To put it bluntly. However, there's a smirk. "Although if it happens to do that while saving the world, that's a nice bonus."

[crisised]

"He's a pretty cool guy." Badumtish. "There are worse people to be compared to."

Her little smile turns into a grin at his words. "Cheers to you, though. The world could use a few more anti-heroes, in my opinion." More people willing to do the things heroes either can't or won't. It's not a popular opinion--in fact, Kara's willing to bet her cousin would be frowning all disappointed at her if he heard her say that--but after seeing the things she has, thinking anything else is difficult.

[catchacold]

"More of an anti-villain, I'd say." If he had the chance, he'd make business cards declaring as much. He's come to terms with that by now, no need to have a crisis over not being the big bad. He's the best at what he dies, that's all the ambition he really needs. Leonard finishes his drink and casts a glance Mick's way, then he looks back at Kara. "You thinking we can find somewhere more fun?"

[crisised]

The look on her face says "I don't think that's a real thing" even if Kara herself holds her tongue while Leonard finishes his drink.

He asks his question and Kara glances at Mick, then raises an eyebrow at Leonard. "Have you been to the Silversun Strip yet?" She is willing to bet good money either that casinos, the crazy space arcade, or the arena will catch their attention.