Leonard Snart is Captain Cold (throwouttheplan) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2019-05-20 21:36:00 |
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Life had a weird way of working out. Like Ilia being in the process of getting her GED so she could go to college. Admittedly part of that was because when Percy had moved her to a staff position at Pimpernel Outreach, there was the need for her to have a related degree. But she did like helping people so it worked out. Still, had someone told her a year ago this would be where she was? Ilia wouldn’t have believed that.
In fact, she had just gotten out of the GED testing. Part of her was anxious but the other part was relieved that at least that part was done. All she could do was wait and see how the results came in and move from there.
But for getting through that, Ilia was planning on getting some froyo or something. She deserved the treat dammit, which was why she was wandering the mainstreet area to see if something caught her eye.
Leonard hadn’t been out of prison for long. He was doing the whole get a legitimate job thing, find a place to live, look like a law abiding citizen. Mostly all for his parole officer. But that didn’t mean Leonard wasn’t going to find other ways of earning money. There was no way he could survive off a janitor’s salary. Not to mention he missed the thrill of a good heist.
He was starting out small though. Not wanting to risk too much. Snart was back to his roots, how he got started. Picking pockets. He was quite good at sleight of hand. Most people didn’t even notice their wallet was missing until hours later. There was basically no chance of Snart getting caught.
Walking down a crowded street Leonard slipped his hand into a man’s back pocket, barely touching it as he pulled out the wallet and swiftly putting it in his own pocket, continuing on his way.
Most people might not notice someone picking their pocket, but Ilia was not most people. No, she’d been taken and brainwashed and trained to be an assassin, and that wasn’t even including her time in the White Fang in the Dreams. So the 19 year old was always aware of her surroundings and quick to react if someone tried to sneak up on her. Not to mention she had relied on pickpocketing when she had run away and up until Blake found her and took her to Logan’s House of Strays.
Which was why, although he had yet to pull something on her, Ilia was on guard. There were different options she could take. Disappear into the shadows or the like. But why should she do that? So instead, she kept walking as if nothing was amiss until she was about to round a corner and then turned to face whomever was pickpocketing people.
And...it was a literal blast from her past. Yes, she’d been 13 or 14 when Snart had gotten arrested and put in prison. But she recognized him and part of her was suddenly very worried that they had sent him after her because of the fact that she had run and wouldn’t keep taking the fall. She could fight him, that much she knew, but it didn’t make Ilia any less worried. Especially as she was getting her life in order.
“Well, of all the people to run into in Orange County, I wasn’t expecting you.”
But it was also Ilia, she wasn’t about to show any of that. Please.
The last thing Leonard expected was for someone to recognize him. He raised a brow when the younger girl approached him. Was he supposed to recognize her? She looked vaguely familiar. Like he might have known a much younger version of her.
“I’d say the same,” Snart replied a small smirk on his face. “If I knew who you were.”
Okay. That was….unexpected but maybe she didn’t have to worry after all? Ilia really hoped that she wouldn’t have to worry about him trying to get her back to the gang for her supposed betrayal. She just wanted to live the life she was making for herself.
Instead she just rolled her eyes. The gang is family until it’s not. But it had been five years.
“Ilia. Knew you back in Arkansas.”
“That was a long time ago,” Snart replied still smirking he folded his arms over his chest. Once he was locked up he had lost touch with everyone in his old gang. Not that he really wanted to talk to them anyway. None of them had stepped up after all.
“Yeah, it was…” Not so long ago for Ilia in regards to the gang. It had been a year and a half since she ran but who knew if that would last. Especially since the Albain twins were in her Dreams, so if they showed up here. Still, she wasn’t getting any sort of vibe that after Snart got out of prison, he’d been sent after her so there was that. She’d be able to defend herself if that weren’t the case. But really. Ilia would prefer not having to do that.
The girl was young. While she looked vaguely familiar he still couldn’t imagine what a younger version of herself would have looked like. “Sounds familiar,” he finally said. Her name was unique at least. But Snart wasn’t too involved with the younger members. He pretty much only focused on heists. Not dealing with much outside that at all.
If there was one thing that she had picked up from the Red Room and her Dreams, it was how to sense danger. And nothing was screaming at her that the Albains had sent Snart after her. She had been too young to deal with heists. Sure, it had been easy for the twins to get her to join. With the uncertainty and constant moving around foster homes, she had needed something stable and they had provided her with that. Even as they used both racial prejudice and her age against her to make her a fall person for a lot of things. Heists though? That wouldn’t have worked. No one would have believed her behind those.
So instead she nodded.
“Well. Welcome to Orange County I guess?”
“Thanks,” Leonard replied. Though he didn’t really need the welcome. He would be staying here for the time being. It was part of his parole. But as soon as he could he was taking off. Finding a new place to start over.
Orange County had a strange way of keeping people around. But perhaps he’d be spared the insanity. Assuming he didn’t end up on the network. Ilia sure as hell wasn’t going to mention it.
“Well. I’ll let you get back to it. Good seeing you again.”
Mostly. Minor heart attack and all. And the fact he didn’t seem to recognize her. Still...familiar faces were good no matter what.
Snart raised a brow. He highly doubted it was good seeing him. It wasn’t like he exactly wanted to run into anyone from the old gang himself. He was starting over. But he wasn’t going to argue the point.
“See you around.” Was all he said before walking away. Eyes searching for his next score.