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Len slid into the passenger side of the car and pulled the door shut. “Think if we hold up the county clerk’s office we can force them to issue us a marriage license?”
Mick guffawed. “This is the first thing you say to me when I pick you up from prison?”
Len glanced around to be sure nobody was watching and leaned across the console, pressing a quick kiss to Mick’s cheek. “Hi.” He smirked. “Wanna get married?”
“Don’t think it works that way, Lenny.”
Len hummed and sat back, buckling his seat belt. “I suppose you’re right.”
***
It was Len’s eighteenth birthday and he was spending it in jail with a brand new cellmate. He seemed like less of an asshole than the last guy, but he also seemed a little...off. There was a wild look in his eye and he actually snarled at the guard who pushed him in. Len raised an eyebrow.
“What’re you lookin’ at?” the guy snarled.
Len’s eyes traveled down the man’s body and he sneered. “Not much.”
The guard clanged the cell shut. “Careful, Snart. This one’s a hothead.”
Len watched his new cellmate’s nostrils flare and he shot his hand out to grab the man’s arm. He put up a cursory struggle, but the guard was already walking away.
“You might want to cool off a bit, new guy. Hansen won’t hesitate to whack you with that stick if you get too rowdy.”
New guy grunted and rolled his shoulders, cracked his neck. “Yeah,” he drew the word out like another growl. “He’s lucky I’m in here or he’d be hurtin’ right about now.”
“This your first time in?” Len asked, dropping his hand from the guy’s arm and moving to sit on his bunk.
“Nah, I did a stint in juvie a few years back. I know the drill.” He tossed his pillow and blanket on the top bunk and grinned down at Len, his anger apparently dissipated. “You don’t want the top, kid?”
Len blinked a couple times, his eyes narrow, and said, “I wouldn’t mind it if you wanted to switch. But I usually prefer the bottom.”
New guy winked. “Good to know.”
Only after the man climbed onto his bunk did Len allow himself to blush.
***
“Lenny!” Lisa ran into his open arms and he swung her around in a circle. She was getting bigger--almost twelve years old now. She kissed his cheek and gave him a sly grin “So? Did you ask him yet?”
Mick snorted beside him and ruffled Lisa’s hair when Len set her down again. “You know we can’t get married, kid.”
Lisa frowned. “You could, though. Who’s gonna stop you?”
Len tucked her hair behind her ear and said, “C’mon, Lis, let’s go get some dinner.”
***
Mick Rory was a bit of a puzzle. He was quick to anger but also quick to let it go. He was in on some kind of arson charge--Len never got the full story because every time Mick started talking about the fire his eyes would get wide and distant and he’d smile at the wall. (The first time it happened Len thought it was a little creepy, but after five or six times he just accepted it as normal.) He was always invading people's space. And his demeanor was a strange combination of friendly and off-putting.
Thing was, Len liked puzzles. And despite their polar opposite personalities (or perhaps because of it), they actually got along pretty well. They played checkers and traded books and went for runs around the track. Len did his best not to openly stare at the way Mick’s shirt clung to his sweat-covered chest when he lifted weights. And he avoided the shower like the plague when he knew Mick was in there--he couldn’t handle the idea of the man’s hands running over his body, all lathered up and slippery, water dripping down his back…
Okay, so Len liked more than just the puzzle of Mick Rory. There was definitely some attraction involved. And if he had read Mick’s signals correctly, he wasn’t exactly opposed to the idea of being with Len. There were little signs, like the way his hand lingered on Len’s shoulder or the appreciative grins when Len was changing and nobody else was looking. It was thrilling, knowing that Mick noticed him in that way.
And then there was the night of the panic attack.
Len had experienced them before, of course, but it had been months since his last one. He had no idea what triggered it, but suddenly his heart was pounding, his breath was coming in short gasps, and his throat felt tight. Everything around him was surreal, like he wasn’t really there, and he barely heard Mick’s voice calling out to him in the dark.
“What’s wrong with you, Snart?”
Somehow he ended up enveloped in Mick’s arms. Later he would be thankful that the place was dark--he couldn’t afford rumors in a place like this. In the moment, though, he was just thankful for the warm presence and the comforting grip of Mick Rory. Len tugged one of Mick’s hands up to his chest and held it there, the heavy heat of his palm bringing relief to the tight feeling that had plagued Len for the last half hour.
“You with me, buddy?”
Len nodded.
“This happen often?”
“Every once in a while.” Len was surprised at how wrecked his voice sounded. Had he been crying?
Mick tightened his grip, leaning his head down to whisper in Len’s ear. “It’s okay. I got you, Lenny.”
And Len believed him.
They didn’t talk about it again, but Len remembered the way Mick’s arms felt around him, the soothing quality of his voice in Len’s ear. It was a turning point for Len. That night he learned that he could trust Mick Rory, and it didn’t take much after that for him to realize that his feelings for Mick were much more complicated than simple attraction.
***
“So, what? You don’t wanna marry my brother, Mick?”
Len glanced around the empty diner and sent Lisa a glare. “Keep it down, Lisa.”
“It ain’t about what I want, kid. It’s just not possible.”
Lisa raised an eyebrow and Len had a surreal moment where he saw himself in his little sister. “Don’t be stupid, Mick. People do it all the time. You don’t have to have a legal document to get married.”
Len bumped his knee against Mick’s under the table. “Kid’s got a point.”
Mick shook his head and slurped his milkshake. “What? You want to have some kind of commitment ceremony?” The distaste was clear in his scowl.
“Of course not. That would be stupid,” Lisa said. “But you could do something to mark the occasion.”
Len pointedly asked Lisa how school was going, shooting her a look that said drop it.
It wasn't until they were back at the car that Mick spoke up again.
“Tattoos.”
“What?”
Lisa brightened up in the back seat. “It’s perfect.”
“We can get tattoos. To mark the occasion.”
Len felt a warmth spread through his chest and his lip twitched in a half-smile. “Knew you wanted to marry me.”
Mick grunted and started the engine.
***
Len held his sandwich between his fingers in a manner than he could only describe as derisive. The food here had absolutely no flavor. It was edible, yes, but the meat patty had almost no actual meat and the bread was so bland it put wonderbread to shame.
Even the ketchup seemed to be watered down.
“Did that sandwich offend you somehow, Snart?” Mick slid onto the bench next to him and smirked.
“Its very existence offends me, Mick.”
The other man laughed and took a large bite of his own sandwich. “At least it’s food.”
Len snorted. “Barely.”
But he would eat it anyway, because he wasn’t about to starve himself to protest the food in county jail, and he didn’t want to draw too much attention to himself in this place.
And also because Mick’s knee was touching his under the table and if he didn’t eat the food he had no excuse to stay.
Mick seemed to know the effect he was having on Len.
“Be a good boy and eat your damn sandwich, Snart.”
Len glared at him. “Shut the fuck up, Mick.”
If he got off in the shower to the sound of Mick telling him to be a good boy, well, nobody else needed to know.
***
That Saturday they picked Lisa up from her ice skating lesson and drove to the tattoo parlor.
“So what are you getting? Big red hearts with your names and today’s date inside them?”
Len snorted. “You're such a brat.”
“Agreed,” Mick said, but there was a grin on his face.
Lisa smirked. “Come on, Lenny. Don't you want Mick’s name tattooed on your ass?”
Len rolled his eyes.
“Well? What are you getting, then?”
“You’ll see, kid.”
***
“Stars are bright,” came Mick’s voice from above him.
“Mmm.”
“You can see the big dipper out there.”
“You don’t say.”
Len heard a huff and then an arm swung down to swat at him. “I’m trying to lighten the mood, Lenny.”
He sighed and rolled onto his back, shoving Mick’s hand out of his space. “I don’t need cheering up, Mick.”
“Your sister turns eight tomorrow.”
“I know.”
“And you won’t be there.”
Len clenched his jaw. “I am well aware of it.”
He heard a sigh and the rustle of blankets and then Mick’s legs appeared in his peripheral vision.
“What are you doing, Mick?”
Mick hopped down from his bunk, landing quietly on the floor next to Len’s head. He shoved Len’s shoulder and said, “Scoot over and look at the damn stars with me, Lenny.”
He frowned, but Mick was already shoving himself into Len’s space (he always did that) and Len knew it was a lost cause. He rolled onto his stomach and folded his arms under his chin, looking up and out their little window. Mick stretched out next to him, their sides and arms pressing together on the tiny cot.
“You’ll be outta here soon, buddy,” Mick said, nudging Len’s elbow.
“Yeah. So will you.”
Mick grunted.
Len tilted his head to rest on Mick’s arm, his eyes glued to the stars.
“When we’re out we can see the whole thing,” Mick said, jerking his chin toward the window.
“You gonna point out the constellations to me, Mick?” He was teasing, but Mick’s response sounded genuine.
“Maybe. We’d have to get out of the city to really see ‘em.”
Len hummed. “There’s this hill with an excellent view just outside the city limits. We could drive there. Bring some beers.”
“It’s a date.”
Len turned his head to look at Mick’s face, his chin now resting on Mick’s arm. “Yeah?”
Mick turned and their noses were almost touching. A grin spread across Mick’s face. “Yeah, buddy.”
***
“That's even cheesier than a big red heart,” Lisa said when she saw the design.
Mick shoved her playfully.
“The Big Dipper? Really? You couldn't pick something more obscure?”
Len sighed. “Don't make me regret bringing you, brat.”
The tattoo artist went to work on Len’s chest. Mick grinned.
“It is pretty cheesy, Lenny.” He turned to Lisa. “You know it was our first date, right? Your big scary brother took me stargazing.”
Lisa rolled her eyes. “I know. It was all I heard about for weeks. Lenny had that night planned down to the second.”
The tattoo artist chuckled and Len glared at his sister. “You better shut it, Lisa.”
She just grinned at him.
***
Len hated driving, but he would do it if he had to. And he had to be there when Mick got out. So he borrowed a friend’s truck and drove it to the jail on the day of Mick’s release. They had only been in for a few months each, but Len understood the look of joy on Mick’s face when he walked out the door. Freedom. It was a heady feeling.
Len jumped out of the car to greet him.
“You came,” Mick called with a grin.
“You’re driving,” Len replied.
Mick laughed and caught the keys that Len threw at him. When he reached the car he paused for the briefest second and then pulled Len into a tight hug and patted his back.
“Thanks, buddy.”
“Any time, Mick.”
Len gave Mick directions and they drove in relative silence to his shitty little apartment. Mick took a shower and changed into a borrowed set of Len’s clothes while Len made sandwiches and packed a cooler with some beers.
He swallowed heavily and licked his lips when Mick appeared in his clothing. The shirt stretched taut against Mick’s muscles and the pants fit snugly. Len had only ever seen Mick in the baggy, formless clothing of the county jail. This was...definitely an improvement.
“Like what you see, Lenny?” Mick asked, his smile more of a smirk than anything else.
Len just hummed and raised an eyebrow. “Let’s go.”
They drove to a deserted hill outside the city, one Len used to frequent when he wanted to get away. He grabbed an armful of blankets and threw them into the bed of the truck, hoisting himself up and leaning down to give Mick a hand. It was too warm for the blankets right now so Len spread one out to sit on and piled the rest in the corner.
“We watchin’ the sunset, Lenny?” Mick grinned and dropped down onto the blanket, the truck rocking a bit from the sudden force. “How romantic.”
Len kicked him and said, “Shut up.” But he sat (much more gracefully) and pressed his shoulder against Mick’s. “Hungry?”
“Famished.”
He opened up the cooler and passed a saran-wrapped sandwich to Mick, pulling out one for himself and setting a bag of potato chips between their legs.
“God, it’s been too long since I had real food,” Mick muttered, taking a huge bite and moaning around the mouthful of sandwich.
“You want a beer, too?” Len held out a bottle that he had produced from the cooler.
“Hell yeah I want a beer!” Mick flicked the cap off on the edge of the truck and took a long swig. “Ahhhh. That’s the stuff.”
Len laughed. “Welcome back to civilization, Mick.”
Their conversation was light and companionable as they ate and drank and, yes, watched the sunset. When the air around them got chilly, Len grabbed a blanket from the pile and draped it over their legs. Mick laid his arm on the ledge behind them and Len automatically scooted in closer. They sat quietly for a while before Mick started pointing out constellations. Len hummed and nodded at the appropriate moments, his head now resting on Mick’s shoulder, Mick’s arm wrapped around his back.
One minute they were looking at the stars in the night sky and the next minute Mick had his hand on Len’s face and was leaning in, his lips only millimeters away. “This okay?” he whispered.
Len closed the last bit of distance, crushing his lips against Mick’s. His own hand was resting on Mick’s chest and he curled his fingers into the fabric of his too-tight shirt. He felt more than heard Mick hum and he pulled away just long enough to take a deep breath before diving back in.
His whole body felt warm and there was a tug in his chest that was almost uncomfortable in its intensity. He relaxed his grip on Mick’s (his) shirt and smoothed his hand over his collarbone and up to his neck. His long fingers wrapped easily around to the back of Mick’s head and he brushed his fingertips lightly over the stubble from Mick’s shaved head.
Mick’s hand was still on his cheek, his grip firm, his skin hot against Len’s. His other hand was splayed across Len’s lower back, his fingers creeping under the hem of his shirt and searing into the skin there as well.
Len used his grip to pull Mick in closer and ran his tongue along the seam of Mick’s lips, letting out an appreciative sound in the back of his throat when Mick opened up for him. His mouth felt hot and smooth and at one point Mick closed his lips and gently sucked, sending shivers up and down Len’s spine.
He pulled back and took a brief moment to swing his leg over Mick’s lap and adjust the blanket around them before framing Mick’s face with his hands and kissing him again. The kiss was more immediately passionate this time, their tongues and lips moving quickly, their bodies shifting rhythmically against each other. He was sure the truck was rocking slightly but he didn’t care. Nobody came to this hill anyway, they were in no danger of getting caught.
He heard Mick groan when their hips moved in a particularly pleasing manner.
“Wanted to do this for so long,” Len muttered, nipping at Mick’s ear lobe.
“I thought you preferred being on the bottom,” Mick said.
Len groaned. “I didn’t bring the supplies for that.”
“Guess we’ll just have to get creative.”
“Or,” Len paused his movements. He pulled back enough to look Mick in the eye. “We could just go back to my place.”
Mick licked his lips and Len shivered.
“Yeah,” Mick said, his face stretching into a grin, “I like the sound of that.”
***
Len traced his fingers around Mick’s still-healing tattoo. He ran his toes along the other man’s ankle and pressed his lips to Mick’s bare chest. Mick pulled him up for a proper kiss.
“So I guess you're my husband now,” Mick said, his voice gruff.
Len blushed. “Guess so.”
He felt Mick’s fingers on his cheek and he looked up to meet his eyes.
“It was a good idea, Lenny. I wanted to marry you ever since that night with the stars.”
“Our first date.”
“Nah.” Mick's fingers traced his face, soft and gentle compared to his usual touch. “I mean the night in our cell. I knew I wanted to watch out for you for the rest of our lives.”
Len leaned down and kissed him fiercely. “And I'll always have your back, Mick. You're my family now. You and Lisa. That's all I need.”
Mick spread his palm against his cheek and Len leaned into the touch.
“I know I don't say it much, Lenny, but I love you.”
He didn't think his heart could swell any bigger. He look Mick directly in the eye and said, “I love you too, Mick.”
Then he kissed Mick’s tattoo and settled into his husband’s arms.