Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Leonard Snart was a man who prided himself on not being tied down. There were no strings on him, and he liked it that way. He could make any plan he wanted, go anywhere he wanted, at the drop of a hat. There was no one to take into consideration, no one to tell him no.

That was why it was easy to accept Rip Hunter’s offer. With no strings to tie him to 2016, Len had no trouble taking off in the Wave Rider to travel through time and space.

Except.

There was, maybe, one person he missed.

That’s why sometimes, late at night when the others were asleep, Len could be found talking to Gideon. The AI was a treasure trove of knowledge and could keep Len up to date on what was happening back home.

She could show him newspaper articles and reports from 2016 and could even track individual people. Lisa had always been good at avoiding the wrong type of attention and not getting caught, but Gideon could find enough information to let Len know his baby sister was okay.

Len sighed as he crossed his legs on the console that rest in front of the captain’s chair—Len’s stolen chair at that moment—and leaned his head on his hand, his arm supported by the armrest.

Gideon could give him all the information in the world, but it wasn’t the same as talking to his sister.

“Too bad you can’t call a phone in 2016, Gideon,” Len mused aloud. “Then, you’d be perfect.”

“I may not be able to connect to a phone, Mr. Snart, but I can contact anyone with access to the version of my software that resides in that time period,” came Gideon’s even tones over the speakers, making Len straighten up in interest.

“Are you telling me,” he asked, “that there is a Gideon in 2016?” Was that possible? Wasn’t the AI an invention of the future? Why didn’t he know about this? Why hadn’t he stolen it yet? He knew about everything worth stealing in his time.

“A time traveler brought his version of the Gideon AI interface with him to the early 2000s. Although he is no longer in that time period, the computer program he brought with him remains active in STAR Laboratories in your time.”

Len took a moment to process that before speaking. When he did, he drawled, “The Flash has his own Gideon.” Of course, if anyone were to have an AI from the future it would be the do-gooders of Team Flash and not someone like Len, who would actually use it to its full potential. He snorted. “That’s fitting.”

“Very,” Gideon said, her tone of voice different somehow, “as Barry Allen is my creator.” That’s what it was. She sounded fond, protective even. Barry Allen was her favorite . Len didn’t even try not to roll his eyes. Trust Barry to make friends with a computer program, and one from the future to boot.

Len held up his hands to show he meant no harm. He wasn’t about to get on Gideon’s bad side by insulting her favorite human, her creator—and who knew the kid had it in him? Len knew he was smart, but smart enough to create Gideon? Color him impressed—when he was about to ask a favor of both Gideon and Barry.

“Alright,” Len said, “patch me through. The kid won’t mind running me a favor.”

It was quiet for a moment—so long in fact that Len worried Gideon wouldn't comply—before she announced that she was contacting the Barry Allen of 2016.

“Uh hello?” asked Barry’s hesitant voice a few minutes later.

Len smirked. “Why hello, Barry. How nice of you to answer.”

“Snart?” The kid’s voice rose an octave. Cute. “How—? Gideon’s never done this before.”

“Yeah, well, Gideon’s never met me before now, has she?”

“How did she meet you?” His voice is low and accusing that time, closer to what Len was used to hearing when Barry was in the Flash costume. Len could only imagine what Barry thought. Maybe he thought Len broke in and found his version of Gideon.

“I got an offer,” Len said, absentmindedly examining his nails even though he knew Barry wouldn't see his nonchalant act. “A man from the future asked me to sail through time on his timeship. When I thought of all the priceless art and treasure scattered through history with pitifully primitive protection, I couldn't resist. Turns out the ship has Gideon, and even more surprising, you do too.”

“You’re helping them stop Savage?” Barry asked completely ignoring the goads about thieving and surprising Len. How did Barry know about Savage? As if in answer to Len’s unasked question, Barry continued, “I know some people on the ship. If it’s the same ship.”

“It is,” Len confirmed.

“I didn’t realize they invited you,” Barry said, voice small, and Len frowned.

“Yup,” he snapped. “Me and Mick. The fools mistook us for the hero type.”

“Or maybe they saw the good in you, just like I did,” Barry was quick to say. No hesitation at all. It diffused Len’s anger, but what it left in its place made him even more uncomfortable.

“Hmm nope. They don’t seem quite as delusional as you, Barry.” He could practically hear Barry’s exasperated sigh, and Len cut him off before Barry could say anything that made it even easier to imagine just what sort of smile he was wearing. “But more importantly, I have a job for you.”

“A job?” Barry asked, sounding too confused to sound sentimental anymore. Good.

“Yeah, need you to get a message to Lisa,” Len said as matter of fact as he could. No need to let Barry get the impression that he had a choice in the matter. “Might not have mentioned my going out of town to her. Tell her the situation and let her know I’m having the time of my life stealing history.”

“How exactly am I supposed to find your sister?”

“We both know Ramon has her phone number. Get him to give her the message, and if he can get her to your Gideon to reply in person, even better.”

“What? I’m not—”

“Night, Barry,” Len said before disconnecting. Barry was too nice and good to ignore Len’s request, so there wasn’t much point in listening to his protests.

“Mr. Snart.” Len tensed as Gideon’s voice filled his room a couple of weeks later. He hadn’t even known she could talk to him there. “Barry Allen of 2016 is attempting to contact you. Should I connect his call?”

Len straightened from where he’d been slouching on his bed as he told Gideon to go ahead. It’d been so long that he worried Barry might have actually ignored his request. Good to know he could still predict the hero.

“Snart?” Barry’s hesitant voice asked, reminding Len all too much of their last conversation.

“Lisa, it’s been too long. Your voice sounds different than I remember.”

“Uh, about that,” Barry stalled, and Len could practically see him scratching the back of his head. “Lisa wouldn't come to the lab. I don’t think she really believed us. She said that if what we said was true, then her brother would have told her before running off,” Len winced, “and that he’d better bring her home a souvenir. So um, maybe you should do that?”

Len smirked. “Tell her I’ll steal her something shiny from Cleopatra herself.”

Barry groaned. “Can’t you at least let me pretend I have plausible deniability?”

“No can do, Barry. My baby sister needs to know I’m thinking of her.”

Barry snorted. “Okay, Snart. Stay safe.”

“You too, Flash.”

Chapter Text

Things like this shouldn't have been able get under his skin. It wasn’t like he cared. Not really. Not anymore.

But even so, Len couldn't sleep.

He wasn't about to wander the ship, like he usually did on sleepless nights. He didn’t want anyone to know that he was bothered. Because he wasn't. Not really. He didn't care.

He just didn’t want to talk to anyone, even Mick. Anyone who knew what his day had been like.

But maybe, just maybe, he could talk to someone who’d understand why he was…off after that particular trip through time.

“Gideon,” he called to the ceiling, “patch me through to the Flash.”

“Yes, Mr. Snart.”

“Snart?” Barry’s voice sounded once again, this time confused and far more awake than Len expected.

“Barry?”

“It’s three AM.”

“And yet, you’re awake.”

“So are you.” Barry paused for a moment, then asked hesitantly, “What’s wrong?”

Len scowled. He didn’t mean for Barry to ask questions. He should have thought this plan through more. “What makes you think something’s wrong?”

“For starters, it’s three AM.”

“I’m in a different time zone, kid,” Len said, deadpan. It was sort of true.

“ And you sound like something’s wrong,” Barry continued as if Len hadn’t spoken.

Len held back a groan. Since when did Barry know him well enough that he could tell when something was wrong just from his tone of voice?

“Do you want to talk about it?” Barry asked when Len didn’t answer.

“No.”

“Oh, um…” As Barry fumbled for something to say, Len realized what an awful idea this was. He shouldn't have called.

“So, what’s it like traveling through time? I mean, on a ship and on purpose,” Barry’s voice knocked Len from his thoughts.

Huh. This he could talk about. It was safe territory. Mostly. He just wouldn't venture into his latest time traveling excursions. Barry’s question had interesting wording though. “You time travel on accident, kid?”

“Only if I run fast enough.”

Interesting. Was there more to it than that? Could speedsters really time travel? As much as Len did his best to gather information on his enemy, he knew he didn’t know everything about him. “That sounds like a story.”

“One that involves a tidal wave, and my changing the timeline,” Barry said with a self-deprecating laugh. “It’s how you met Cisco, actually.”

“I met Cisco through good planning and kidnapping. The honeypot, I believe. He kissed my sister.” Not that he cared about that, but it was fun to make them think he did. Lisa had kissed much worse men than Cisco Ramon during their cons. Besides, she would eat Cisco alive. If either of them was in danger, it wasn’t Len’s sister. He’d made sure a long time ago that she could handle herself.

“Yeah, but he was only in that bar because I caught the Weather Wizard the second time around. If Cisco and I hadn’t had time for drinks, he wouldn't have been in the bar and Lisa wouldn’t have been able to pick him up.”

“Then I wouldn't have learned your name—” Len realized.

“And we wouldn't be having this conversation,” Barry finished for him.

“That’d be a shame.” His sarcastic tone didn’t come through as much as Len wanted. Maybe because he actually meant it. A little. He could live without Barry Allen in his life.

“Ha yeah, it’s kind of the high point of my day,” Barry said with another sad laugh. His voice was quiet when he continued, “That’s sad.”

“Rough day, Red?” Talking about Barry’s troubles, that was a good way to distract from Len’s problems.

“Yeah, I guess. I’m not making the best impression on Joe’s long-lost son.”

“Hard to believe,” Len drawled. “I still remember my first impression of you: I was thrown from an armored van by lightning. Good times.”

“You deserved it,” Barry said with a more genuine laugh.

“With that attitude, I’m surprised Joe’s son doesn't love you.”

“I haven’t thrown Wally from anything,” Barry said defensively.

“…Wally West?” Len asked, incredulous. “He sounds like a cartoon character.”

“Is Wallace better?”

“Better than Bartholomew,” he said with a smirk.

“Hey, they’re both better than Leonard.” Len could practically see Barry’s mocking grin.

“No idea what you’re talking about,” Len said, lying down to settle more onto his bed. “Leonard’s a great name.”

“Alright, Leonard, then you won’t mind me calling you that from now on.”

“Go ahead, Bartholomew.” He drew out Barry’s whole name even more than he usually did the nickname.

“Ugh not fair,” Barry groaned.

“You know I never play fair,” he taunted with a smirk Barry couldn’t see. “So, shall we stick with Len and Barry?”

Barry laughed again. Strange how the sound alone made Len feel better. “Now we sound like cartoon characters. You know, Tom and Jerry? Len and Barry?”

Len hummed. “I think I’d be the clever mouse that always gets away, not you.”

“You wish.”

“But I think we’d be better as a sitcom anyway.”

“A sitcom?”

“Two men whose fathers are in jail. One good. One evil,” Len said, not sure why he was bringing the subject back around to his father, territory he did not want to visit.

Barry mumbled something about Len not being as evil as he thinks, but it was low enough that Len could ignore it and continue on, “I’m sure we could get up to a hilarious amount of trouble.”

“I don’t know many sitcoms with spaceships though.”

“All the best shows have sci-fi,” Len insisted. “It’ll have to stay.”

“Maybe we should be a sci-fi drama,” Barry suggested.

“Hmm maybe,” Len said, trying his hardest to focus on dreams of being Han Solo and not think about the kid he saw recently who had that exact dream: Little Leo.

They let the silence fall and envelop them. Grateful for the company, but not needing to talk. Or so Len thought until Barry spoke.

“Ready to talk about it?”

Len bit back his automatic snap of sarcasm. He didn’t actually think he’d mind talking about his day now.

Still, he let the silence drag on, let Barry grow uncomfortable, before he sighed and said, “Met my younger self today. And dear old dad.”

“Ouch,” Barry said, not even pretending he didn’t know why that’d upset him. Len appreciated it. He didn’t need any asinine questions asking how that went. Of course, it went horribly. “And Lewis survived?”

“Lisa hadn’t been born yet. Only good thing he ever did was make her. Needed him alive long enough for him do it.” Len knew his sentences were short and tense, but he couldn't help it; his whole body was tense whenever he talked about—thought about—Lewis.

Barry hummed in understanding. “She robbed a jewelry story today,” he said. “Guess she got tired of waiting for Cleopatra’s gold.”

Len barked out a laugh, surprised to find the tension draining out of him as he relaxed back into his pillows again. “She never was very good at waiting around. Lisa’s more of a woman of action. She doesn’t need anyone to get her anything. She’ll just take it herself.” He let the fond smile he always fought to hide spread across his face. Barry couldn't see him. He was safe to smile as much as he wanted, something he never got to do when talking about Lisa.

“She’s something special,” Barry said, sounding almost as fond as Len. How the kid survived when he got attached to people, even criminals, so easily was a mystery.

“Yeah,” Len agreed, then let the silence stretch before deciding that he couldn’t take Barry’s out, couldn't let the subject change so easily. “I tried to keep Lewis out of prison. Thought if he wasn’t arrested, then he might not turn into a complete asshole.”

“Sorry it didn’t work.” Barry’s voice sounded genuine.

“Yeah, me too.”

They were silent for a long time, just listening to each other breath, lost in their own thoughts, staring at nothing. At least, that’s what was happening on Len’s side.

Once he felt he’d thought enough, he said, “Night, Barry,” and rolled over.

“Night, Len,” answered him before Gideon told him they were disconnected.

When Len laid down that night, he didn’t think he’d fall sleep at all, much less with a smile on his face, but there was something special about hearing the Flash call him Len .

Chapter Text

What was he doing?

This was a horrible idea…wasn’t it?

He couldn't—shouldn't—go to Snart just because he had a bad day. Or rather, a few really bad days in an alternate dimension.

Barry sighed as he scrubbed his hands over his face and then dragged them up to run through his hair. He looked at the white walls around him as he asked himself again what he was doing.

He was calling Snart—Len—he told himself as he marched towards Gideon.

But maybe he shouldn’t, Barry thought as he turned and walked away again, his hands on the back of his head, tugging himself away from the machine.

But why shouldn’t he? Len called him after running into his father in the past.

Barry groaned as he turned around again. “Gideon, call Leonard Snart, please,” he said before he could change his mind.

It was a short wait before Barry heard Len’s smooth voice say, “Hello, Barry.”

“Uh- hey, Len,” Barry said, feeling horribly awkward as he faced the blank white wall of the time vault. That feeling only grew as the silence dragged on. Apparently, Len was willing to wait to hear why Barry called and wasn’t going to help him ease into it at all. Alright. He could do this. He just had to mention Earth-2 and he’d probably ramble about all of it. Except, when Barry opened his mouth, all that came out was, “How was your day?”

It was silent again for a moment before Len said, “Same old, same old. Broke Mick out of prison after using my dashing good looks and charm to get information.”

“Well, you are good-looking,” Barry said without thinking. Panicking, he added, “And charming,” which did not actually make the situation better.

“Aww, are you sweet on me, Flash?” Len asked, mirth clear in his voice.

“Shut up. I hate you,” Barry said talking to himself as much as Len. This was so embarrassing. He hid his face in his hands as he leaned back against the wall and slid down to sit on the floor.

“No, you don’t,” Len’s voice said over the speakers. “You think I’m good-looking and charming.”

Barry laughed as he dropped his hands from his face. “When you want to be,” he said. “The rest of the time you’re an ass.”

“A good-looking ass,” Len said without missing a beat.

Barry snorted, but held back from actually saying anything. He didn’t want to stick his foot in his mouth again while talking about Len’s looks or his ass. He’d rather not embarrass himself even further if he could help it.

“So, Barry, I’m going to guess you didn’t call just to compliment me. Not that I mind.”

He’d stalled for as long as he could, apparently. Sighing, Barry leaned forward and rest his arms on his bent knees.

“I went to another dimension today,” he said to the empty room, knowing Len would hear him even though he was many miles and years away. “We call it Earth Two.”

He thought Len would need time to adjust, but he took the existence of other worlds in stride, answering after barely any pause at all. “First time travel and now dimension travel? And here I thought you were against our story being sci-fi.”

“I’ve heard all the best stories have sci-fi. I thought I’d add a little more to ours.” He wanted to keep his voice lighthearted but thinking about Earth Two had brought Barry’s mood down again. It was easy to get caught up in his banter and jokes with Len, but after everything he’d seen the last few days…

“I’m guessing it wasn’t much fun on Earth Two,” Len said, showing that he was as perceptive as always, even when he couldn't see Barry.

“It…” Barry wasn't sure how to explain. “There were doppelgängers of all of my friends there.”

After he trailed off again, Len prompted, “What was my double like?”

Barry snorted and teased, “I said there were doubles of all of my friends , Len. I didn’t see yours.”

“Ouch, Barry,” Len said, his drawl as bored as always. “I thought we were bonding.”

Barry laughed again. Is that what they were doing? Maybe it was. He did feel closer than he had to Len in a long while. “I heard about Mayor Snart when I was there though,” Barry said. “Most of the doubles were so opposite of what I’m used to, I wouldn’t be surprised if yours was a law-abiding, upstanding citizen.”

“Sure,” Len said and Barry could practically hear him rolling his eyes. “Bet you’d have loved to see that.”

“Mayor Snart,” Barry said, having fun teasing his once enemy. “He probably embraced the good in him and now rescues kittens from trees, donates all of his money to charity—”

Len interrupted him with a scoff. “Now you’ve gone too far,” he said, making Barry laugh before Len continued, “It’s a wonder you wanted to leave before you found your new and improved Leonard Snart.”

“Nah,” Barry said, more sober that time. “I like Earth One better.”

The silence returned, and Barry thought it was a comfortable quiet until Len spoke and made him realize he’d been waiting for Barry to continue. “One of your friends was…opposite? Don’t tell me someone in your little Scooby Gang was evil.”

“A few actually,” Barry said. “But the worst part was…” He paused, taking a deep breath before continuing, “Joe died, Len.” Barry’s voice cracked, and he fought the urge to fidget for all of thirty second before remembering that Len couldn't see him and buried his hands in his hair as he bowed his head. “He hated that Earth’s Barry, and I know it wasn’t my Joe, but… I watched Joe die , Len.”

The silence hung heavy between them, Barry not wanting to say more and Len not answering, possibly not knowing how to answer. But then Len spoke, “He wasn’t your Joe.”

“It still hurt.” The words burst out of Barry before he even realized he wanted to say them. Then, before Len had time to say anything himself, Barry continued, unable to keep it in anymore, “I saw Joe die and Cisco as a villain. Caitlin and Ronnie were evil too. Everyone— Everything was just wrong.”

“Sounds like we have the better Earth, then,” Len said. “Nothing worth seeing on Earth Two?”

Barry hesitated. He couldn’t honestly say everything on Earth One was better. His mother was alive on Earth Two, his father had never gone to jail, and Earth Two Barry was— “I was married to Iris.” Earth Two Barry’s life was perfect. Or at least, it should have been.

“Come again?”

“Earth Two Barry, my doppelgänger, he was married to Iris.”

“Not all awful on Earth Two then?” Len asked. “That something you want on Earth One?”

“Yes,” Barry said because he did, didn’t he? “Maybe. I don’t know.” He blew out a sigh as he ran his hand through his hair. Earth Two had jumbled everything up in his head. “I’ve always known Iris and I should be together, but seeing it?” He paused, trying to think of how to word his thoughts when he wasn’t sure he understood them himself. “She didn’t love me, you know?”

Only silence answered him until a sarcastic voice said, “No,” as if Barry should have known that was a dumb question. “Trouble in paradise?”

“No. It’s just… Earth Two Iris was so similar to my Iris, but that Barry was… I don’t know, Len he wasn’t me. He was so nerdy and—”

“Sounds like you to me.”

“Ha ha,” Barry said. But even the break in tension didn’t help him gather his thoughts much. “He was a reporter, and timid, and not The Flash. He wasn’t me. Maybe that’s the kind of guy Iris wants, or maybe she wants someone like Eddie, but I think I’ve finally realized she doesn’t want me, not like that.”

The silence stretched longer this time and Barry would have thought they were cut off if they weren’t talking via a supercomputer. Then, finally, Len said, “If you’ve come for relationship advice, you’ve come to the wrong person. I don’t really do…feelings.”

That time Barry’s laugh was genuine. He could practically see Len’s disgusted face, his scowl as he paused before forcing himself to say the word feelings.

“No, no,” Barry said, laughter still in his voice. “I think I just wanted someone to vent to.”

“And you thought of me? I’m touched.”

Barry snorted. “Shut up.”

“Go hug Detective West or something, Barry. I’m going to go make sure no one else on my team has been shipped off to a Russian prison.”

“A what?” Barry asked, alarmed. Maybe he should have taken Len more seriously earlier. What exactly were the Legends getting up to?

“Night, Barry.”

“You have to tell me this story later,” Barry called after him, but he wasn't sure if Len heard him before Gideon cut them off.

Chapter Text

“I killed Mick.”

Len’s words made Barry sputter so badly that he coughed on the protein bar he was eating. He’d just meant to call and tell Len he’d gotten to fight a giant man-shark. He hadn’t been expecting a confession of murder right off the bat.

“No, you didn’t,” Barry said between coughs as he struggled to get his breathing under control.

“I did,” Len said, voice calm and cold. “I brought him off the ship, iced him, and left him in the woods.”

A wave of unease washed over Barry, sending a shiver down his spine. But then he shook it off. There was no way Len had killed Mick.

“No, you didn’t,” he repeated.

“He wanted out,” Len said, voice getting fiercer now. “If he’s out, he’s out.”

“Len,” Barry said, slowly, carefully, needing Len to understand. “I read your file before deleting it. Sure, you’ve killed crew members before when they’ve messed up, but Mick is the one constant you’ve always had on your team.”

“We’ve split up before, Barry.”

“Yeah, and you didn’t kill him then either,” Barry said as he leaned back against the wall in the time vault. He took another bite of the protein bar, taking his time to chew and swallow before speaking again. “You’ve worked with Mick for decades and even dragged him on a time ship with you, and now you want me to believe you’ve gone back to killing—that you broke our deal—to kill the closest person you have to a best friend?” Barry paused as an idea came to him. He lowered the hand holding the protein bar to his side. “Why do you want me to think you broke our deal?”

Was this Len’s way of trying to back out of the weekly conversations he and Barry had been having? Were they getting too close for Len? But why go about it this way? Did he think the only way to get Barry to stop believing in him would be to admit to murder? Interesting tactic since Barry was the one that saw him murder his own father.

Len sighed. The sound was so audible that Barry could hear it clearly over Gideon’s speakers. “Why don’t you believe me?” he asked, his voice quiet as if he didn’t even intend for Barry to hear.

“Because I know you,” Barry answered anyway.

“No—” Len cut himself off with another sigh. Barry could imagine his lips pursing in the silence as he straightened and collected himself. “The others didn’t hesitate.”

“What do you mean?” Barry’s stomach settled somewhere around his shoes. Suddenly, he wasn’t so hungry anymore.

“They had no trouble believing I’d kill Mick. Why should they? I’m just a murderer and a thief, not a real hero like them.”

Oh no. Could the Legends really think that of Len? After so much time together?

“You are a hero,” Barry said, and then started again when Len scoffed. “You are . It doesn’t matter where you started from—look at Sara, she was an assassin—it matters what you do.” Barry stood straighter and stepped towards Gideon’s console. “Yes, you’re a thief, but you’re also a man who would do anything for his sister. You ’re a man that warned me when I was in danger even though you wouldn ' t get anything out of it . You ’re the man who found out my secret identity and didn’t tell a soul, not even those closest to you. You ’re good , Len.” Barry wanted so desperately for Len to understand this, to believe him. “You are. There’s good in you.”

He hoped it worked. He hoped the silence meant that Len finally believed him, but then Len said, “Save your speeches, kid,” and Barry’s hopes were dashed. “I’m either the man who killed his partner or the one that abandoned him. I’m not good.” He sounded so resigned. Part of Barry wished he could go smack some sense into the Legends.

“Len…”

"Why’d you call, Barry?”

Barry licked his lips as he thought. Should he try again to convince Len? Should he offer to go check on Mick? Finally, he sighed and said, “I fought a giant man-shark. I thought you’d think it was cool.”

“I do love shark week,” Len said, and the forced levity in his voice was palpable. Barry winced.

“I know… We call him King Shark.”

Len laughed, and Barry was surprised that it didn’t sound forced. “That’s adorable.”

“We’re not adorable. We’re a fierce crime fighting group,” Barry said, feeling a smile tugging at his own mouth.

Len snorted. “Sure.”

“And you’re a good person,” he tried again.

Barry could practically hear Len rolling his eyes as he said, “Bye, Barry.”

Chapter Text

Things went back to normal for a few weeks, but eventually something big happened again. Bigger than Zoom sending a speedster, but maybe not as big as leaving half of the Legends in the 1950s. Barry had time traveled to talk to Eobard Thawne and found himself held hostage by the man in the past. Yes, he wanted to tell Len about time wraiths and changing Hartley Rathaway’s past, but mostly he wanted to talk to him about the Reverse Flash. Barry wanted to talk to someone about seeing his mother’s murderer again and about being helpless at the man’s mercy in the time vault. And he wanted to talk to Len.

But when Barry found the courage to enter the time vault, Gideon couldn’t put him through to Len.

“Leonard Snart is unavailable.”

And again the next day.

Something was stopping Len from being near the Waverider’s version of Gideon, and Barry was worried.

By the time he finally got through, he’d almost forgotten he wanted to talk about Eobard at all.

“Where have you been?” Barry asked, voice frantic, as soon as Len answered his call. “Are you okay? What happened? I couldn’t reach you for days.”

“I got kidnapped by Chronos.”

Damn. The words sucked all the energy out of Barry, stilling the anxious speedster for the first time in days. “What?” he whispered.

“Oh, and Chronos is Mick,” Len added as though it were an afterthought.

“What?” Barry said again, this time loud and incredulous.

“Apparently, when I left him, the Time Masters picked him up,” Len said, and this time Barry could hear the odd ring to the words, the dim emotion in his voice. He’d give anything to be able to see Len’s face when they spoke. “They brainwashed him. He hates all of us now and would happily kill us all.”

“This isn't your fault,” Barry rushed to say, knowing all too well how easy it was to blame yourself when a friend was hurting.

“The hell it isn’t.” Barry actually stepped back from the venom in Len’s words. Len rarely showed any real emotion, so Barry wasn’t expecting that much anger all at once.

“It isn’t ,” Barry insisted.

“I left him there. I—”

“You didn’t mean for this to happen.”

“It still did.”

“And so did my mother’s murder,” Barry burst out, pacing the room. It was infuriating not being able to see or touch Len when they spoke like this. “She died because the Reverse Flash wanted me . Just because bad things happen near you doesn’t mean you’re a bad person.”

“Why are you so insistent?” There was so much anger and hate in Len’s words, but Barry was pretty sure it wasn’t directed at him. “We’ve been over this, Barry, I’m a thief and a murderer—”

“Not anymore.”

“Why do you care?”

“Because I do,” the words flew out of his mouth before he’d had a chance to think through an answer. It wasn’t really an answer though, not anything satisfying. He knew he needed to say more, but wasn’t sure how to elaborate. “I care about you, Len. You’re my friend.” It was the sort of answer that might work on Cisco or Oliver, but it didn’t seem like enough with Len and Barry wasn’t sure why.

“Friends? Is that what we are?” Barry could hear Len’s sneer in his words, but he thought he could hear something more genuine too.

“Yeah,” Barry said before repeating himself stronger, “Yeah, we’re friends. You can’t get rid of me that easily.”

Len snorted, and they settled into a more comfortable silence.

Finally, Barry remembered why he wanted to call in the first place. “I got kidnapped, too.”

“What?”

Len sounded alarmed, and Barry almost teased him about caring more than he let on before deciding against it. “By the Reverse Flash, the man that killed my mom.”

“Thought he was dead,” Len said slowly, carefully.

“He is, but I time traveled again. He caught me.” It seemed like such a dumb chance to take in retrospect. He could have ruined everything by letting Eobard know that they found out his secret.

“That’s why you should leave the time travel to the professionals.”

Barry snorted. Really? “Is that what you guys are?” he asked, “Professionals?”

“Sure are,” Len said. “We have badges and everything, or at least, I can steal us some.”

Barry laughed as he shook his head. Trust Len to make him laugh about something as horrible as being held against his will by the Reverse Flash.

“But do you know about time wraiths?” Barry asked.

“Time wraiths?” Len asked, disbelieving, before laughing himself. “Nice try, kid.”

“No, they’re real,” Barry said. Then, he spent the rest of his night explaining what he knew of time travel, joking with Len, and hearing about the Legends’ adventures.

Chapter Text

The next time Len called Barry it was mostly to see his reaction.

Reclined back on his bunk in the Waverider, Len smiled as he heard Barry answer Gideon’s call. With no hesitation at all, he answered Barry’s ‘what’s up?’ with, “Today the team debated the merits of killing a fourteen-year-old boy.”

He had to wait, but Len wasn’t disappointed when the hero finally answered with a loud, “What?” his voice an octave higher than usual and close to breaking.

Len smirked. Barry was so predictable sometimes. “I voted against murder.”

“That's good,” Barry said slowly as though he was still having trouble processing. “Why would anyone vote for murder?”

“Apparently, he was the next Hitler.”

“Okay… that complicates things,” Barry said, but it sounded more like a question than a statement.

“Does that mean you would have approved this murder?” Len asked, curious now that Barry was breaking away from what he expected.

“What?” Barry asked, voice high again. “No! No, all murder is bad. You voted good.”

Len fought back a laugh. Had he broken the Flash with just the thought of killing a teenager? Barry wouldn't last a day on the Waverider. A pity, since he would have been a fun addition to their band of misfits.

“So, you guys didn’t kill the kid, right?”

“Nope,” Len said. “Not that our alternative helped the timeline any.” It was too bad they hadn’t found a middle ground that worked, some way to stop or slow down Savage without more death.

“Sorry to hear that,” Barry said, and Len marveled again at how Barry always sounded so sincere, even when he was saying what should have been a meaningless platitude. “If it helps, I haven’t noticed any changes to the timeline.”

“We were in the future. The past is our next stop.”

“Anywhere interesting?”

“The old west,” Len said. He was actually excited about that mission. Who wouldn’t want to dress up as a cowboy and star in his own western? “I think I’ll make a dashing cowboy.”

“I’d pay to see that,” Barry said, the smile evident in his voice. “Leonard Snart dressed as an outlaw and slinging guns outside the saloon.”

“Fantasizing about me, Barry?” Len asked, too tempted to pass up a chance to tease the hero. “And a fantasy involving guns? Not very heroic of you.”

“Shut up.”

“But then you also want me dressed as an outlaw. Maybe building off some old fantasies you have of your villain. Hmm does the Flash want to be captured by Captain Cold?”

“Shut up,” Barry said again through laughter. “Stop being an ass.”

“Oh,” Len said, smile growing on his face, “But I have it on good authority that you think I’m charming when I’m not being an ass.” Len leaned forward, resting his arms on bent knees and wishing that he could see Barry’s smile and blush. “Does this mean that your fantasy of outlaw is charming? I suppose I could oblige—”

“I’m never showing an interest in your life again,” Barry cut him off.

That time it was Len’s turn to laugh. “Impossible. You’ve never been able to stop prying into my life, even when I’ve shot you as a warning.”

“Yeah, okay,” Barry said, laughter still in his voice. “That’s true.”

Suddenly, Len heard a distant alarm in the background.

“Meta alert,” Barry said, tone much more serious now. “I gotta go. Have fun playing cowboy.”

“Good luck saving the day,” Len said, and then the line cut off.

As Len left his room and went to find his outfit, he knew he’d pick something perfect for the role of the charming outlaw. Then, maybe he’d wear the costume again the next time they touched down in Central. Barry was just too much fun to tease to miss an opportunity.

Chapter Text

“How’s time travel going? Go anywhere exciting?”

Len frowned at the lack of enthusiasm in Barry’s tone. Barry was usually overflowing with energy, but talking to him then, Len couldn't help but feel that something was missing, was off, was wrong.

“We kidnapped our younger selves a while ago. Baby Leonard is becoming a trouble maker early; messing up the timeline before he’s even out of diapers.”

Barry laughed, but it sounded forced. He just sounded so wrong to Len’s ears, but he couldn’t put his finger on why .

“What happened?” Barry asked. “Did you run out of people to kidnap? You had to go take yourself?”

“Well, I am a catch,” Len said before explaining to Barry that they’d had to take themselves out of the timeline to hide from The Pilgrim. When he finished, Barry was quiet. No excitement, or wonder, or warnings about keeping the timeline intact.

“Alright, Barry,” Len said, “What’s wrong?”

“What do you mean?”

“What’s wrong?” Len asked again, sterner, not letting Barry avoid the question.

Luckily, he knew his speedster. Barry liked to talk, and when pressed, he wouldn't clam up about something that was bothering him.

“I lost my speed.”

Except, Len wasn’t expecting that answer. “What?” he asked, voice so tight it was barely more than a whisper.

“I gave my speed for Wally’s life. I—I’m not a speedster anymore.” He was trying to keep his voice strong, but Len could hear how much saying that aloud hurt Barry.

“Shit, Barry.”

“No, it’s fine. I don’t regret it—”

“Is there any way to get it back?” Len asked, not interested in Barry’s self-sacrificing speech at the moment.

“We don't know,” Barry said. “We’re looking into it. But don’t worry about it, okay? Focus on your mission with the Legends. We’ll worry about fixing The Flash.”

Like it was that easy. Like Len could just ignore what Barry was going through. But he knew he had to. They were getting close to stopping Savage, and Barry’s team was smart. They could handle this.

“Alright,” Len said, “but you better be back in fighting form when I get back, or I’m robbing every museum in the city until The Flash comes back to catch me.”

“You got it,” Barry said, and that time Len could hear his old self creeping back into his voice.

Chapter Text

When Barry returned from the speed force, when he was a speedster again, one of the first things he did was try to call Len. He assumed Len had tried to call him, and just like when he was captured by Chronos, Gideon had probably told him that Barry was unavailable. He’d probably been just as worried as Barry had.

Except, when Barry tried to call, that was the message he received. “ Leonard Snart is unavailable.”

The last time they spoke it sounded like the Legends would be busy with the Time Masters and Savage for a while, so Barry wasn’t too worried. Until he couldn’t get ahold of Len the next day or the one after that.

Finally , he told Gideon to patch him through to Mick instead.

“What?” came Mick’s gruff voice without any hesitation. Apparently half of the criminal duo was available.

“Where’s Len?” Barry asked without preamble. Of course, then he’d had to explain the situation since Len had never told Mick about their conversations and he hardly saw Barry as trustworthy.

When he was done , Mick said, “You’ve been talking to Snart,” and he sounded much less gruff. He sounded … sad, if Barry had to guess.

“Yeah,” Barry said, cautious now, a bad feeling building in his chest. “For months now, but he’s stopped responding. Is he okay?”

It was quiet for much too long. For long enough that Barry knew that the bad feeling spreading from his chest to his stomach to his lungs was right. Something was horribly wrong.

“No,” Mick said, too fast, too harsh. “He’s dead.”

Then he hung up, and Barry was left alone with those two words and not enough air.

He couldn’t get Mick back on the line, but eventually he got all the details from the Ray. Len had sacrificed himself for his team. He’d gone out like a hero in a move that he would have mocked and berated Barry for making himself. And Barry wanted to be proud—he was on some level—but he was mostly angry. He was sad and angry and hurt. He’d finally connected with Len and then this happened?

Barry turned and slammed his fist into the wall. The Flash saved people, or he was supposed to, but all Barry had done was lead Leonard Snart to his death.

He didn’t seriously think about doing anything to change Len’s fate until his dad died. It was too much, the final straw. Like hell was Barry going to lose someone else.

So as soon as Zoom was defeated , Barry ran.

When he’d been questioning Ray for details, he’d told Barry that Jax had arrived just in time to help them. That he’s arrived from 2016, where Martin had sent him.

Ray didn’t know that little details like that would matter, that Barry would latch onto them like a lifeline and use them to pull Leonard Snart out of the abyss, but he did.

Barry ran a few days back in time and found Jefferson Jackson. He didn’t even have to explain everything before Jax was letting him stowaway on the jump ship. Jax knew that the Legends would need all the help they could get, and the Flash was the best backup anyone could ask for.

When they arrived, Barry hung back. He let the battle play out as it should—he could n ' t interfere too much—until it got to the end. He saw Sara and Ray running out, dragging an unconscious Mick between them, and he surged forward.

To Barry, everyone looked frozen. The Legends were stopped mid-step on their dash back to the ship, the time masters were still as they aimed their weapons at Len, and Len… he was holding onto a latch that would save everyone but kill him. He looked like he was in the middle of saying something—a taunt to the enemy if Barry had to guess—and he looked as defiant and cocky as ever. He wasn't resigned to his fate, he was relishing it.

But that didn’t stop Barry from changing it.

He ran forward, grabbed Len just as light started to pour out of the machine in front of him, and ran them both back to the Waverider.

Barry stopped just long enough to watch the light wash over everything, watched the explosion to make sure that it happened, that history hadn’t changed, before he ran Len onto the bridge. The oculus was n ' t taking Leonard Snart , not if Barry Allen had anything to say about it.

He stopped to find the crew sitting on the bridge looking morose, but they all jumped up as Barry and Len came into view.

“I think you lost this,” Barry said as he let go of Len. “So I brought him back for you.” He probably could have come up with something cleverer to say, but he hadn’t thought that far. For hours his thoughts had been so centered on ‘ save Len’ that he hadn’t considered what would happen after he’d done that.

“Mr. Allen,” said a man that Barry assumed must be Rip Hunter. He fit Len’s less than flattering descriptions to a t. Barry ripped his gaze away from Len to look at Rip, and the whole situation felt so surreal that he was n’t sure he caught everything Rip said, but he caught enough. Rip was mad that Barry had risked the timeline by running back in time himself, and he was even more upset that Barry had endangered himself for Len. Apparently , The Flash was more important than the Legends.

Before Barry even realized he meant to move, his fist connected with Rip’s face. Someone gasped, but Barry was beyond caring who. Who the hell was this man that he thought he could rank people?

“No one is expendable,” Barry said, voice cold and loud in the quiet of the room.

He startled when he felt a hand on his shoulder, but when he turned, he only found Len. Were they at a place where they could hug? Because Barry really wanted to hug him.

Len didn’t say anything , only raised his eyebrow when Barry continued to stare at him.

“He got my friend killed,” Barry said, knowing he had to be the one to fill the silence.

Len gestured to himself as he said, “ Alive and well, Barry.”

“You were n’t,” Barry said, turning his head away. Maybe he should have just run off after saving Len.

“Hey,” Len whispered as he nudged Barry’s chin up with his knuckles. He slid his hand until he was cupping Barry’s cheek. “It’s okay. I’m okay.”

Screw it. They were at the hugging stage if Barry said they were . He wrapped his arms around Len and pulled him close. He wasn’t surprised when the other man stiffened, but then Len wrapped his arms around Barry, too.

“You were dead,” Barry said, voice cracking as his emotions finally caught up with him. He did it, he’d saved Len.

Len squeezed tighter and Barry held back just as fiercely . After so many months wishing he could see Len, there he was holding him.

“Leonard’s friends with The Flash?” Barry heard Sara ask, a stark reminder that they were hugging in front of the entire crew.

Wow. That was mildly embarrassing.

At least Len was n’t shoving Barry off at the reminder.

“Len?” Barry whispered, putting his mouth by Len’s ear. “Do you think Rip will give me a ride home even though I hit him?”

That broke the tension. Len laughed loud and long before finally pulling away.

“Captain,” he called to Rip, who was scowling as he held his bruised jaw. “clean yourself up. We need to drop this stowaway off before we take on Savage.”

Barry didn’t get to spend much time with the Legends before going home, and what time he did have, he spent with Len.

While Rip was steering the ship away from the oculus and back to where they could time jump, Barry and Len brought Mick to the med bay. As they waited for Gideon to work her magic, Barry sat at Mick’s bedside with Len and caught him up on events. He told Len about how he’d gotten his speed back and what he’d learned when he called the Legends to find Len.

And if Barry slipped Len’s arm around his shoulder in between telling of Len’s death and of finding Jax, then he didn’t think anyone could blame him. If they were at the hugging stage in their friendship, then certainly they could snuggle too. Barry was only in the Flash suit after all and Len had on the warm, puffy parka.

Len didn’t complain as Barry leaned into his side and made himself comfortable. He just curled his arm more securely around Barry’s shoulders. Which might have made Barry grin more than necessary when telling Len about waiting for the perfect moment to pull Len out of the explosion.

Before long, it was time to buckle up and fly back to 2016. Mick was awake by then , glaring at Len and Barry, where they sat side by side. Apparently , he didn’t appreciate Len trying to save him, and he seemed completely confused by Barry being so chummy with either of them.

Barry didn’t doubt that the partners would work it out. After how upset Mick was by Len’s death, Barry could tell that he really cared. They both did, even if neither was likely ever to admit it. There was good in both of them . They were heroes. They were Legends.

There was n’t much time to say goodbye, so Barry didn’t hesitate to hug Len just outside the doors of the Waverider. It was n’t like Len was n’t expecting it; Barry had hugged everyone else, too—being sure to whisper his condolences to Sara about Laurel and doing his best not to laugh at the surprised look on Mick’s face when he got a hug too—before walking out with Len.

“You’re a hugger, huh?” Len said, trying to pretend he hated it. Barry knew he didn’t. Hugs were the best.

“Oh yeah,” Barry said, laughing. “Expect so many hugs in your future.”

Len smirked. “I suppose I can live with that, now that I have a future and all.”

Barry gave a sad smile. He didn’t want to think about how close Len had come to losing his future all together. “I’ll see you around, Len,” he said instead as he stepped away.

“Be seeing you, Barry,” Len said with a small wave , more of flick of his fingers than anything else. “Thanks for the rescue.”

Barry nodded and took one last long glance at Len. “Go save the world,” Barry said as a smile spread his lips wide. He just had time to see Len roll his eyes before Barry ran off.

It was n’t long after that that Barry got to test the new scanner he set up at STAR Labs. It was meant to tell him if the Waverider ever landed, and only a couple of weeks later, it went off.

Barry ran.

On the outskirts of the city, in a field where it wouldn’t be noticed , the Waverider landed. And Barry Allen was waiting just outside its doors with two tickets to a hockey game. Heroes deserved rewards for saving the day after all . Sometimes at least.