Video/Action - it starts with a spark

[bringstheheat]

Egypt is hot. Blazing damn hot.
But it's not the heat that Mick currently hates. It's the goddamn sand.

Sand in his face, in his eyes, sand everywhere.
Friggin sand.

But it's the one place he can work on his new abilities with fire without worrying about unintentionally roasting his surroundings.

Fire flickers along his arms and hands. Sputters of flame followed by explosions of heat.

Clearly handling powers requires control which isn't something Mick Rory has ever really excelled at.

Comments

[bringstheheat]

Yeah, I seen the kind of stuff they make for Red, or that stupid bright yellow for Kid Flash. No. [Deflection ahoy.]

So how do you do it? Flip from the Doc to Snowflake?

[snowandfrost]

Friends. The fact that they helped me. You have those. I've seen them.

[goodviberations]

A bright blue breach appears over the hot sand, a figure hopping through with fury in his eyes.

"What the hell, Mick?"

[bringstheheat]

He's actually getting pretty good at this. So far. But blazing hot sun and exposed scars do not make a good match so he's taken to sitting in the shade of a few date palms, beer in hand.

The breach doesn't surprise him, but Cisco's fury does and he's on his feet.

"What?"

[bringstheheat]

[Yeah see that's not gonna work for him. They need Mick as backup. To be the strong one who holds things together when shit goes sideways.

He's not the needy one.
He's not. He won't start now.]

Ain't that used to having friends.

[snowandfrost]

Get used to it.

[goodviberations]

"I just had a conversation with Killer Frost," he informs, stomping over. "She told me you were out in the middle of nowhere messing with your powers without any help or protective gear."

She actually just asked him what his idiot hotrod was doing in Egypt, but Cisco had filled in the blanks.

[bringstheheat]

I'll get right on that Frosty. [No he won't. He's just being a wiseass because while Mick might have things like emotions, they're messy and he would much rather pretend they don't exist, thanks.]

[bringstheheat]

"I don't need a babysitter," he fires back, flames sparking back to life along his arms to match his sudden defensiveness. "Out here I won't accidentally set things on fire and if you haven't noticed," he holds up an arm. "It doesn't hurt me."

However, it could very likely hurt other people.

(people like Cisco)

[goodviberations]

"Nobody's babysitting you, Mick," he says, not backing down at the flame at all. "But practicing alone in the heat doesn't help anyone. You've been gone for hours, and I bet you haven't had anything to eat or drink since you got out here."

[bringstheheat]

"Local version of beer here sucks. More like trying to drink bread," he grumbles. See? He's been trying, that counts doesn't it?

Mick points at the sand. "All that'll do is get hot if I burn it. I try this anywhere else and things will burn."

[vivifier]

At least you don't seem able to burn yourself? You should probably see about finding something to fireproof your clothes.

[goodviberations]

A huff.

"You need water, Mick, not beer." This man is insufferable. Seriously.

"And I'm not saying you have to leave. I'm just saying you shouldn't be here alone."

Cisco had promised to help, and he intends to keep that promise. Even if Mick is going to be stubborn about it.

[bringstheheat]

The fire doesn't hurt me, but it does burn anything else combustible. [Including people.]

I'll look around when I'm done here.

[bringstheheat]

There's a long line of people that would probably agree with that assessement Cisco.

"People can catch fire. Sand can't."


Don't make him say it.

[vivifier]

Stay away from fueling stations, then.

[goodviberations]

Oh, he's gonna make you say it, Mick. He's absolutely gonna make you say it.

"Mick," he says, taking a step toward him. There's open concern in his expression. "Talk to me."

[bringstheheat]

Had this been a year ago, Mick would have pushed him away with angry words and continued to try and deal with it on his own.

But this is a very different Mick Rory.

He turns away from Cisco, as if that can somehow make a difference with what he's got to say. "My family burned to death in a fire. A fire I started."

Mick blows out his breath. "I don't want that happening again."

[goodviberations]

Oh. Oh wow. He doesn't know what he was expecting, but it certainly wasn't that. Cisco's chest aches. He wants to reach out- comfort through touch, that's the Team Flash way- but he isn't sure how Mick would take it.

"You aren't going to hurt anyone, Mick. We'll stay out here as long as you need, okay? Until you're totally sure it's safe to go back."

And it is a "we". Cisco isn't going back to their apartment without him.

[bringstheheat]

"You don't know that," he fires back. Because that's the problem. Mick doesn't want to hurt anyone with fire, not the people he's sharing space with, but he can't guarantee that won't happen. "Not until I get this figured out and even then.. I don't know."

He'd only just gotten to a point where he didn't need his lighter.

Now? Now he's a fucking walking lighter and he has no idea where his control is going to come from or how good it'll be.

[goodviberations]

"No, I don't," he admits. "But I have faith in you, Mick. And I'm a pretty badass Sensei if I do say so myself. We can Karate Kid this ish."

He's already stretching, trying to remember whether arm circles or windmills were more effective for shoulder stretching. He does both just to be safe.

[snowandfrost]

[She doesn't like messy emotions either.]

See that you do. Otherwise, I can think of a few people who would be happy to help you along.

[bringstheheat]

People don't have faith in him.

.. at least not usually.

An eyebrow raise as Cisco starts waving his arms wildly like a lunatic. "I ain't calling you Mister Miyagi."

[goodviberations]

"Dude, that kills the whole shtick," he complains with a pout. "Am I not even allowed to say 'wax on, wax off'?"

Distraction is key here. If Mick doesn't wallow in his worries, then it'll be easier to work him through them.

[bringstheheat]

"Dunno, you want to wake up with pink hair?" An empty threat, but it's part of their overall rapport anymore. Mick shakes out his hands, loosening his wrists. The sun is hot, but with the heat beneath his skin it doesn't impact his scars the way it used to.