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.

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[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?"

[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 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."

[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]

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.

[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.

[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.

[goodviberations]

Cisco gapes in mock horror at the threat, gripping his hair protectively.

"You're a monster," he declares with a grin. "Now, come on. Let's do this. There's actually something I wanted to try."

[bringstheheat]

Eyeroll. You're ridiculous Ramon.

No, that wasn't an almost smirk. Don't be ridiculous. "Something you wanted to try with fire?"

[goodviberations]

And you're gross, Rory.

"Don't make that face," he says, wrinkling his nose. "Something I want to try with our powers."

[bringstheheat]

This is not news to anyone at all Cisco.

That smirk widens a fraction at his reaction. "All right kid. What's your idea?"

[goodviberations]

"Okay, so I use my powers to move people around a lot," he explains. A well-placed breach here and there to allow his teammates free movement through an area. "But I've never tried it with someone else's powers."

He isn't sure it'll even work, but why not try it when there are no stakes?

[bringstheheat]

"I remember. You shot Robin Hood outta one at the wedding."

Frown. "You're what, wanting me to shoot fire through a breach?"

[goodviberations]

"Exactly," he confirms, pushing up his sleeves. He doesn't have his gauntlets on him, but he's only intending to use small breaches, so it should be fine. "Only thing out here to burn is sand, remember? What's the harm in trying it?"

[bringstheheat]

"Haven't been able to really throw fire yet," he admits. But what the hell, right? Being able to throw fire could be pretty impressive. A small shrug. "All right. Let's do this."

And there are some misfires. (HA)
But eventually Mick gets the hang of how to send at least a small burst of flame arcing away from his hands.

[goodviberations]

Cisco beams. How cool is that? Or, hot, as the case may be. Since fire is hot, not cool. Shut up, brain.

"Dude, that was awesome!" He praises. And neither of them are singed, so it's a victory all around.