stark_international | [Snart & Murdock] If you ask me to change

"I'm a wanted man,
I got blood on my hands,
Do you understand?
I'm a wanted man"

Characters: Leonard Snart & Matt Murdock

Murdock would've heard that the criminal escaped the hospital before he could be relocated to his prison cell. No one was harmed in his escape. He'd also hear that the evidence, his Cold Gun, also went missing that same night. Again, no one was hurt. After that, Murdock wouldn't hear a peep about Cold or his weapon in his streets for months.

Until a gathering of criminals--low-life murderers and thugs--working for the Kingpin were spotted causing a raucous in an unusually bad part of town. Telltale signs of Snart's Cold Gun were reported. Several criminals were found and apprehended after being locked in an iced-over dumpster with a note attached: Cold, hard killers inside. You're welcome. No fatalities were reported.

Unfortunately for Leonard, his next scuffle didn't go so well. Kingpin was expecting his attack this time, and it ended with Snart pinned down in a warehouse that was up in flames. He hated the heat. He was on a mission. Kingpin was working with Vandal Savage, and Savage was intent on causing an uprising in this city to get the Legends killed. They had that idiot Palmer and as much as he hated to admit it, he needed to rescue the shrinking nerd. But when these guys started using Palmer's tech against him, he lost his advantage.

A gash along his cheekbone wept blood down his cheek and a cut on his temple added to the display. These guys had already killed two cops that came to investigate the scene. Snart defended a third and got him out of the building, but in doing so, lost his only chance to escape and gave away his position.

What he wouldn't give for Flash to show up right about now.

"Oh, come on!" Snart yelled in exasperation at the thugs firing relentlessly at him as he hunkered down for cover.

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He knew better than to try, honestly. He was more of a brawler, anyway. "Maybe a little of both."

That question threw Snart. He stared long and hard at the other man, debating his answer. "Who says I gave it up?" A small lie. "Rip said, where he came from, we were Legends. Rip lied. But that didn't really matter after we'd gotten together. We don't all get along, but we're a team. I've always lived by a code, even as a criminal. No one messes with one of my own. Savage is trying to kill--he has killed someone on the team. I don't pretend to be a hero. That ain't who I am."

"Since we're sharing, what did Kingpin do to you to warrant that ire? There's being a crimefighter and then there's stone-cold revenge."

Matt was silent for a time, cracking one of his knuckles as if thinking about his answer.

"Organized crime owns this city. It has people working for them in every back alley, every legitimate business has to pay tributes, half the cops are on the take. Someone had to start fighting back."

Sometimes a hero was born out of no one else being willing to step up. He had to be the one they couldn't pay off, kill off, or ignore.

Snart nodded, understanding that answer. "Where I'm from, there's this kid--crime fighter. Goes by The Flash. He's a meta-human with insane speed. When he's moving, he's just a scarlet blur. I've always been a criminal. Was born into it. But I got a little out of control to stop him from stopping me. Picked this gun for just that task." Snart fell silent a moment, wondering if he should even continue.

"We both nearly had eachother so many times, but we both kept escaping. Kid had guts. It turned into a game of chess. Then," The sound of shifting fabric indicated a shrug. "Then he asked for my help when no one else would help him. He wanted my help saving the lives of meta-human criminals. They were dangerous people, but he wouldn't let them die. I had to respect that. Don't get me wrong, I double-crossed him and we stayed enemies, but I guess killing him dropped off my list somewhere along the line. We came to an agreement. I didn't kill anyone and he'd leave me be. No casualties. I didn't give him much choice. I found out who he was under his mask. But he said he saw a spark of good in me. He's naive." Snart took a deep breath, relaxing.

"Do you know what that little punk did next? He saved my sister's life. But, I killed someone, and let him take me in. The idiot risked his neck for me and my sister. I've never known what that felt like. The kid believes in me."

"...and people can change, apparently. For better or for worse."

Snart sat up, sliding his legs over the side of the table to sit upright more comfortably. The pain was gone now, the bleeding stopped. "If you uproot the Kingpin, disband the organisations, end the fight, will you quit?"

It sounded like all Snart had needed was someone to believe he could be more than a criminal. Matt smiled fondly, remembering how Banner had believed in him when he was ready to give up.

"So they can." He agrees. It was good that Snart's story had changed for the better.

The question made him chuckle. "You have more faith in my abilities than me. I don't doubt crime will always exist, but if, IF I was that successful..." He thinks about it. "....maybe I wouldn't have to go out every night for awhile."

The power of belief was strong, even if you don't think you deserve it. Len's lips quick in a small, amused smirk when Matt agreed people could change. The last time he'd said those words, it hadn't ended so well. The last time, he'd been accused of changing for the better, but it had been made to sound worse. He pushed that thought away rather quickly.

"I've seen you fight. You're determined. If anyone can pull it off, it's you. I'm not even that dedicated." Stubborn, maybe. But clearing the streets of crime wasn't his idea of a good time. Then again, the kind of crime Matt had to deal with here was different. His kind of crime was mostly harmless as far as casualties were concerned.

"Ever the hero." He quipped and hopped off the table, pulling the medical bracelet off his wrist with a protest from Gideon. A protest that he ignored. "Question: How's the shoulder? First degree frost bite can have some nasty repercussions if you don't get it treated quickly and I shot you at the beginning of our fight."

Matt circles his arm and shakes his head. "Just a twinge now and again but nothing to keep me from using it." The day after the incident in question, he had be really sore and nearly dropped everything he picked up with that arm. It had taken awhile for him to get it back in shape.

"And you say the guy you shot tonight is going to be fine afterwards?" Hard to believe but so far Snart hadn't lied.

"Gideon can get rid of that twinge for you." Snart offered. They'd already been on the same side most of the night, but it still felt like an olive branch was in order after their first meeting.

"Unfortunately, yes. Death just doesn't take with him. He has to be killed under very specific circumstances. There's only one person alive that can kill him for good." As frustrating as that was. "And that same person has been killed by him repeatedly for the past four thousand years. So you can guess, it's not going too well."

"I think I'll pass." Being patched up by a talking futuristic computer didn't sound like a great idea. Besides, he should probably go before he overstays his welcome.

"Sounds like a fight that's going to take forever to resolve." If you wanted his professional opinion.

"Yeah, we got a way around that. Forever is a lot smaller than one thinks on this ship." He walked to the door, activating the glowing sensor. "I still owe you a first aid kit." He reminded, but it was more a promise that they would cross paths again. Or, maybe a playful warning that they'd cross paths again. However Matt wanted to look at it.

"Need me to walk you home, Hero, or are you good?"

"The day I need help walking home in my own city, I am turning in my mask." Please. This was Hell's Kitchen, he could find his way home with his eyes closed.

And probably would.

"Stay out of trouble, Cold," he says, walking to the exit.

Cold chuckled, expecting an answer of the like.

"Yeah, ain't happening." When was he not in trouble? Seriously? If he wasn't breaking laws, he was making enemies in the past or future, not that he'd actually mentioned time-travel directly.

He watched Matt go and waited for Palmer to wake up.

He could hear the rest of his team coming a block away. Time for him to head back up to the rooftops. Back to patrolling the city.

[Snart & Murdock] If you ask me to change

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Good lord, I'm sorry.

don't, its good!

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Fin? XD

Finito!