Chapter 5: Flashlight

‘I know I’m moving pretty fast, but stop me if you’ve heard this one before. Boy meets boy. Happens every day. Except this boy was struck by lighting and became the fastest man alive and the man he loves happens to be his nemesis. So, nothing is ever that simple…”

Barry ran his hands through his hair in his fifth outfit of the night, bouncing as he nodded to himself before taking off. He didn’t want to be late after all. That would be both embarrassing and disappointing on both sides of the scale. Pausing to ‘acquire’ some flowers (he more like sped in, snatched up a small bunch of roses and practically threw the money at the cashier on his way out), he made his way to the restaurant where he skidded to a stop, grinning at his boyfriend Leonard Snart, aka Captain Cold as he did. “Sorry, sorry, I’m so late. Have you been waiting long?”

Snart chuckled, parka replaced with a dark blue button down that showed off his upper arms and jeans, cold gun back at his safe house for once, shaking his head with a smirk. “I’m flattered Scarlet, but you should know I’m not Mick by now.” Barry was about inquire what he meant when he saw the roses flaming in his right hand and yelped, quickly throwing him on the floor and stamped on them, cheeks going red in embarrassment as Leonard walked over to him.

‘I'm stuck in the dark, but you're my flashlight
You're gettin’ me, gettin’ me through the night…’

Jessie J’s voice echoed via the restaurant speakers as he took Leonard’s hands as he laughed. ”Those weren’t for me anyway, right?” “They were, I didn’t realize roses were so...flammable. Oh my god.” Barry looked down at the blackened flowers before looking back at him. “Well, it’s the thought that counts?”

Leonard snorted, shaking his head at the CSI in mock pity. “Oh Barry, I’m not even going to dignify that with an answer.”

Barry rolled his eyes, chuckling back at his response before speaking, looking up at Leonard with a smile. “I have spent, most of my life, feeling very unlucky.”

Leonard smiled back in him, gripping his hand tightly. “Yeah, and now, Scarlet?”

“Feels like I’ve been struck by lightning twice.” He replied back, leaning into kiss Leonard softly before pulling away, pressing their foreheads together.

“Hey!” The moment was suddenly interrupted by Zoom, as he picked up Leonard with one hand and subdued him with the other, staring at Barry with his soulless black eyes before speeding away. Barry panicked for two seconds before speeding after them, trying to keep up with Zoom as they went around the city several times before they stopped on a rather tall skyscraper, rebuilt after the Singularity.

“Help!” Skidding to a stop, Barry’s eyes went wide seeing Leonard dangling over the edge of the building, struggling with both his arms around Zoom’s own, which was wrapped around his neck. “Help…” Leonard pleaded, looking between Barry and Zoom.

“Flash…” Zoom drawled out the hero’s name as he just stood there, helpless, practically growling every syllable out. “Everything you have, will be mine!” He suddenly let go with force and threw Leonard towards the pavement floors below them, Barry screaming out ‘No, no!” while reaching out, too late to catch him as he struggled towards the ground in the air, yelling out for Barry.

“No, no!” Barry suddenly awoke with a start in a cold sweat, shaking as he tried to process being awake for several minutes, having to reach out and feel Leonard beside him to even attempt calming down after the nightmare he’d just had. It had been like this for weeks, only tonight was more traumatic.

Getting up, he shakily stood up before making his way to the safe house’s kitchen, getting out a glass and filling it with water, taking several of them before the shaking finally stopped, bringing home the paleness of his skin in the kitchen fluorescent light. Shaking his head and trying to control his breathing back down to a manageable level, he finally dumped the glass in the sink and went back to bed, flinching as Leonard’s arms wrapped back around him.

“You alright, Scarlet?” Leonard’s tried voice drawled out as he buried his face in Barry’s shirtless shoulder with a sigh. Barry chuckled, trying to look fine and shook his head, pushing himself down next to Leonard. “I’m fine Len. Go back to sleep.”

Snart cracked one eye open, calling bullshit as soon as Barry talked, but didn’t push it any further, knowing that he would close up on him if he did. “Alright…night, Barry.” He sighed, feeling Barry tuck his face into his chest as he started to doze off again.

Barry paused for a moment till he was sure Len was asleep, then sighed, shaking his head. Leonard had no idea what was going on and he hoped he wouldn’t find out like he was prone to do. He didn’t want Leonard in danger. Too bad he was in too deep for that now. He watched Leonard for several minutes before his lips moved on their own, whispering. “I’m stuck in the dark, but you’re my flashlight, you’re gettin’ me, gettin’ me through the night…”

Those words couldn’t be more true.

He just hoped he could defeat Zoom soon enough for those words to keep their meaning.