Chapter Text
Barry arrived at six a.m. on the dot. He rushed straight up to the Cortex to drop off a stack of his fitness magazines and changed into his red suit, then he flew down to the particle accelerator entrance. Just as he suspected, Wells was waiting for him there.
He looked up when Barry stopped in front of him. “Ready to get started?”
“Actually, I was wondering if you could do me a favor first,” Barry said, rubbing his hands together. Beneath his gloves, he could feel Lenny’s ring on his pinky, and he ran his thumb over it a few times.
“What is it?”
“Could I talk to Lenny? Just for a few minutes to make sure he’s okay. I’d feel a lot better if I could see him and know that he’s still alive. Please?”
Wells frowned and studied him carefully. Barry stared back at him in suspense. There was no lie in what he said. He was desperate to see Lenny for himself, and he had a feeling that he could run faster if he knew that he was okay.
“Alright,” Wells finally said, and he slowly stood from his wheelchair. “But I better see some improvement in your speed.”
“You will!” Barry assured him as his heart raced.
As he stood in front of the console, however, Wells paused and looked back at Barry. “If you try anything to free him, I’ll kill him without a second thought.”
Barry frowned. “I’m not going to try anything. What could I even do? And even if I could do something, I would never do anything that could put Lenny’s life at risk.”
Wells hummed and turned back to the console. Barry turned toward the entrance of the particle accelerator to wait for Lenny’s arrival, but he kept his eyes fixed on the console as he watched how Wells called for Lenny’s specific cell. It was difficult to tell what number it was, but he was guessing it was 596 from where Wells’ finger landed on the keypad.
Felicity will know for certain. Even if she wasn’t watching this moment, he knew that she was monitoring their cameras carefully and recording when she wasn’t available.
Barry heard the mechanisms working from within the particle accelerator, plucking Leonard’s cell out of the hundreds and bringing it to him. As it came closer, he was surprised to hear faint singing, and he even shared a bewildered look with Wells.
“...at night I toss and turn and dream of what I need… I need a hero. I’m holding out for a hero ‘til the end of the night. He’s gotta be strong, he’s gotta be fast, and he’s gotta be fresh from the fight. I need a hero!”
A smile slowly rose on Barry’s lips as he heard Lenny singing, and he even had to stifle a laugh. Wells seemed annoyed already and sighed heavily, but Barry’s hope and elation skyrocketed when Lenny’s cell finally swept into view. He was leaning up against the glass with a challenge glittering in his eyes, something he was probably saving for Wells.
When he saw Barry standing there, however, he cut his song off and gave a long whistle. “Just the hero I was hoping for,” he drawled as he ran his eyes up and down Barry’s body.
Even after all this time, it still brought a blush to Barry’s face. He cleared his throat and gave him an apologetic smile.
“I’m sorry, Lenny. I’m not rescuing you at the moment. I just wanted to see you.”
Lenny’s smile softened. “I know… I wanted to see you, too, especially in that tight red suit. I haven’t gotten a good look at it until now. God bless Cisco Ramon and his costume-making abilities. How hard is it to get off, Barry?”
Barry rubbed his face, hoping it wasn’t as red as he thought it was. From the way Lenny was chuckling, he guessed it was matching his suit. When he heard Wells huff impatiently, Barry shook his head and walked up to the glass to get a better look at Lenny.
He looked okay, dressed in the same outfit he was kidnapped in, and even though the cell had nothing inside but a bedpan, Lenny seemed well-rested.
“You’re doing okay?” he asked as he placed his hand against the glass.
Lenny smiled and placed his hand against his. “I’m okay. You’re my only source of entertainment with the way you’ve been running around here. I can tell you’re getting faster.”
Barry tilted his head. “You’re counting?”
“Always. Other than that, I just sleep. I’ve never felt so lazy before.”
With a sigh, Barry said, “Don’t worry. I’ll get you out of here, Lenny. Like you said, I’m already getting faster. Before you know it, I’ll be fast enough to create the wormhole and send Dr. Wells back to his time.” As he said the last part, he waved his right hand as if shooing Wells away. At the same time, he tapped his finger twice against the glass, too soft for Wells to hear.
Lenny’s smile widened. “I know, Barry. I trust you. Just know that as you’re running, I’m out here, too. Listening and watching. The lightning you create is quite a spectacle.”
Barry chuckled. “You like that?”
“Mmm, it’s very exciting.”
“It doesn’t hurt you, does it?”
“Occasionally it’ll make me sneeze, but it doesn’t hurt. One thing I can say about these cells is that they’re well-protected.”
“He is feeding you, right?”
“Big Belly Burger, twice a day,” he said, wrinkling his nose. “I never thought I’d say this, but I’m sick of burgers. A salad would be nice,” he said louder as he tipped his head to look at Wells.
“You should enjoy them while you can,” Wells replied. “Cows will be extinct by the twenty-second century.”
Along with Lenny, Barry turned and stared incredulously at him. “Please tell me that’s a joke,” he said.
Wells looked grim as he shook his head. “I wish it was a joke. Eating a real burger is about the only good thing this century has to offer.”
“Then maybe you shouldn’t have come in the first place,” Barry snapped back.
“The twenty-second century didn’t have you, Barry.”
Barry glared at him and threw out his hands. “I’m just one person, Wells. One in a bajillion who have ever lived. I know I’m cute, but holy sh*t…”
Leonard’s laughter drew him from his rant and when he caught Barry’s eye, he leaned in close to the glass and murmured, “I love you so much, Barry.”
Barry beamed and leaned in close as well. “I love you, too. I can’t wait to have you back.”
“Same… I want to get my hands on you in that suit.”
“Okay, that’s enough,” Wells said as he hovered his finger above the console screen. “Say goodbye, Barry. It’s time to train.”
“Fine,” Barry said glumly and took a good look at him through the glass. His stubble was coming in a little more since he couldn’t shave, and Barry wanted to run his fingers over it, maybe even rub his face all over it. “I’ll see you soon,” he said, and Lenny nodded.
“No matter what happens, Barry, you’ll always be my hero.”
Barry flinched as the cell began to move. He kept his hand on the glass until it pulled away from him and swept back to its place in the lineup, somewhere beyond where he could see. Once it was out of sight, he glared at Wells.
“Can’t you make it a little more comfortable for him? Cisco said something about bedrolls.”
“He ordered them, but they haven’t arrived. Even then, Cisco is detail-oriented and would notice if one of them was missing.”
Barry raised an eyebrow. “And you couldn’t order one yourself? Aren’t you stinking rich?”
“I am, but I don’t want to spend more money than I have to on the likes of Leonard Snart. And if you’d like to keep him alive, Barry, I suggest you jump inside and start running. Don’t forget; if you try to bust him out of his cell, I’ll—”
“Kill him, I know,” Barry said, waving him off. “I’m not stupid.”
“Prove it,” Wells said with a smirk.
Barry flipped him off as he turned and hopped off the end of the platform. He was already starting to run as he reached back and pulled his cowl over his head. Seeing Lenny had been rejuvenating, and with some of his anxiety eased, his feet felt lighter than ever before. He soared around the particle accelerator and felt the electricity zapping through his veins.
It felt a lot like the jolt he always felt whenever he laid his eyes on Lenny.
***
Hartley curled up tighter inside his hooded blanket and pressed his forehead against the vinyl booth cushion. He felt just as lost and miserable as he had when the particle accelerator exploded, and every sound was pounding his ears like millions of battering rams. Back then he’d been alone and homeless. Now he was homeless again, but at least he wasn’t alone.
Not that it’s much help, he thought as he glanced around the bar. Lisa was sitting on a stool, resting her forehead in her hand. She was hardly wearing any makeup, and she’d made little effort on her hair. She still looked just as beautiful in Hartley’s opinion, but she was unnaturally somber. Lisa didn’t look like Lisa without a smirk on her lips and a mischievous twinkle in her eye.
Shawna was behind the bar with Mick, getting set up for the day. When Hartley had charged into the bar in tears the other night and told them all what happened, she immediately offered for Lisa to stay with her, which was a relief. Mick chose to stay at the bar, while Hartley was bunking with Ronnie at Mercury Labs.
Tina and Hartley both agreed that Plan A was no longer a valid option. The timing would be too suspicious, and the main instruction Leonard had left him was that Wells couldn’t know that Hartley was involved. Leonard believed in Hartley, that he could keep things going in his absence and without Barry.
Hartley shivered and pulled his blanket around him. He never said it out loud, but he considered Leonard to be his best friend. Leonard, Lisa, Mick, and Iris were his first real friends, and every single one of their lives was at stake if he messed up. For all his intelligence and instincts, he felt completely incapacitated, unable to make a single decision.
He had to do something to save Leonard, but if he did something, Leonard could die. This whole time, he thought he was being so smart, discovering what Wells had been up to and making a plan to put him down for good. He was a queen darting around a chess board, but Wells had just declared check while he wasn’t paying attention.
It would have been nostalgic if Hartley hadn’t been so terrified. He’d come a long way from being attracted to Wells and wishing he had his attention. After he found out what he was capable of, he’d been disgusted and determined to destroy him.
But the other night when he hid under his bed, he heard Wells destroy their home in a matter of seconds, and then he stole his best friend away as Barry screamed and sobbed for him to stop… Wells had officially become a monster to him, something horrifying that crept in the night and lashed out from the shadows. He’d been that to Barry since he was eleven years old, and now Hartley finally got it.
I can’t believe I slept with him…
From behind the bar, Mick huffed and slammed his hands on the counter. “Quit moping, all of you. Peanut will figure it out.”
Hartley rolled his eyes. “Barry’s just as scared and worried as we are. More so. He won’t do anything to risk Leonard’s life.”
“Yellow Man will kill Snart either way. Peanut’s a fighter; he’ll figure out a way to save him.”
Lisa frowned, but she didn’t say anything. Hartley knew how she felt. A part of him wanted to believe that Barry could do something but at the same time, he was afraid that it was too big of a risk.
There wasn’t much traffic around the bar at that time of the morning, so when Hartley heard a car approaching, he straightened up in the booth and listened closely. Whoever was driving was quiet, but he thought he could make out two distinct people breathing softly.
“Hartley, what’s wrong?” Shawna asked as she leaned on the counter.
“Someone’s here. They just pulled up, but I can’t—”
His eyes widened when he heard Iris say, “You think they’re all here?”
“At least a couple will be, and they can relay the messages,” Joe answered as he shut the door to his SUV.
“Joe and Iris are here,” he said, and Lisa finally lifted her head.
Mick looked smug as he went back to work. “Told ya.”
Hartley glared at him, but when Joe and Iris came into the bar, he glared at them instead. “What are you two doing here? He’s watching you carefully, you know.”
“We know, Hartley,” Iris said as she adjusted the bag on her shoulder. She gave him a co*cky smile as she strode through the bar. “Dad’s going to leave almost immediately, but I just came by to deliver some care packages from Barry. He’s not giving up.”
“Told ya,” Mick said again, but Hartley shook his head quickly.
“No, no, no, no. Iris, Barry cannot outsmart Wells. He can’t! I can’t and, no offense to Barry, but I’m smarter than he is. I’ve played chess against Wells a hundred times, and I’ve never beaten him. I’ve gotten close, but he’s a master strategist who knows his opponents inside and out. He’s been watching Barry his whole life. He knows past Barry and future Barry and there’s no scenario where Barry comes out on top. Wells will take his king before he can blink. He already has!”
“Hartley,” she said sternly as she reached into her bag. “Wells is playing chess…” she said and pulled out a magazine. She slapped it on the table in front of him and said, “Barry’s playing poker, and Wells has already shown him his cards. That’s for you.”
Without waiting for a response, she pulled another magazine out and handed it to Lisa. Hartley stared down at the cover of a Cosmopolitan from 2006, wondering why the hell Barry would send that to him. His curiosity got the best of him quickly and he opened it up.
Hartley, I know you’re scared, Barry had written, and Hartley’s chest seized painfully. I am, too, but I know that we can do this. Wells told me that he won’t be taking his eyes off me for a second, so I’m going to do everything I can to keep his eyes on me. He’s not watching you at all, Hartley, and I think that’s what Lenny was getting at before.
Frowning, Hartley turned the page to see what else he had to say. To his surprise, Barry had sketched out a set of five cards, representative of a royal flush. Under the King, Barry had marked Lenny. The Queen was marked Felicity, Barry himself was the Jack, Iris was the Ace, of course, and that left Hartley as the ten.
He clicked his tongue sharply. “Seriously? He made me the lowest card. I don’t care what Barry says, I know he has a hierarchy of affection.”
Iris laughed and came back to him. Without saying anything, she turned the page and pointed down at it.
Don’t complain about being a ten, Hartley. In a royal flush, all the cards are necessary. Besides, the other day you were whining about being a ten in a world of two’s and three’s, so I’m just labeling you as you’ve done yourself.
Under that was a cartoony face with the tongue sticking out.
Hartley’s anxiety was making him tremble but seeing that brought a small smile to his face. It had only been a day, but he missed Barry, too. He could see why Leonard loved his sassiness so much.
Hartley turned to the next page and read through his instructions. Barry also said that Plan A is out, so he wanted Hartley to proceed with Plan B. He said to gather his own crew, Shawna, Felicity, and Captain Singh to back them up, maybe even Sara Lance if she was available.
I’ll keep his eyes on me… I’ll keep him distracted. I believe in you, Hartley. Please help me save Lenny. Wells has underestimated you long enough.
“What do you say, Hartley?” Iris asked as she leaned against the table. Her smile was softer than before, but still full of confidence. To think that of all things, that would soothe so much of his anxiety.
He scoffed and said, “And let Felicity win the day with whatever Plan C is? I don’t think so. Let’s do this.”
He flinched as everyone in the bar cheered. It was so loud and abrupt that Bruce ran in from the kitchen with oven mitts all the way up to his elbows.
“What happened? The fast freak attacking again?”
“Nope,” Iris said as she crossed her arms. “We’re going to get Leonard back.”
“Finally! How can I help?”
“I’ll tell you what you can do, Brucie,” Lisa said as she turned on her stool with her smirk back in place. She held up one finger and said, “Positive reinforcement, keep us fed, and keep the jams going,” she finished as she pointed at the jukebox.
Suddenly, the bar was filled with laughter and chatter as the others began discussing their plans. Joe stayed just long enough to tell them that he was playing a similar role as Barry, just doing boring cases at the precinct while Singh was working with the other investigators in the background. All messages that needed to reach Barry were going through Iris, and she’d figure out the best way to relay them without Wells seeing. Apparently, they even had a few codes worked out so she could blatantly tell him what was going on.
After getting Shawna on board with his plan, Hartley texted Felicity to see how soon she could get to Central.
Already on my way with backup ;P
ETA 2 pm
Hartley took a deep breath and sent a text to Tina to call him back as soon as she was alone. He couldn’t believe they were actually doing this. He just hoped Barry knew what he was doing.
***
Seeing Lenny had made all the difference, and Barry didn’t need Wells to tell him that he was going faster than 1200 miles an hour. In fact, he said very little, but that didn’t bother him at all. Besides simmering in the good feelings Lenny had left him with, Barry had a lot on his mind.
He knew he was Wells’ weakness, but he didn’t know in what way, just that he was obsessed with him. Was it just a simple rivalry, or did Barry kill somebody close to him and he’s seeking vengeance? Something told him that there was nothing simple about it.
Thinking back to the night everything went to hell, he remembered Lenny taking a dig at Wells, saying that he wanted to endear himself to Barry. Wells did seem genuinely annoyed that Lenny was his boyfriend like he’d stolen Barry out from under his nose. Could his interest in Barry be romantic? A shiver ran down his spine at the idea.
Perhaps he only wanted Barry’s trust. Maybe they were enemies before, but after failing to kill him, it was possible that he wanted to establish a different type of relationship with Barry, such as a mentor/protégé situation. He probably should have thought of that before he killed Barry’s mother, but it was likely that he never intended for Barry to find out about that.
A plan was beginning to form in his mind, an organic one that would change depending on the moment and what they were talking about. He’d have to be cautious, or Wells would know he was up to something. He also needed to make sure he didn’t get too deep himself….
“Barry, come back for now and rest.”
“Okay,” he said and headed back to the entrance. When he jumped up on the platform, he was able to keep his footing, unlike the day before. Getting a good sleep also made a big difference.
Wells checked his watch and grimaced. “Cisco will be arriving soon. Let’s go up to the Cortex and have a chat before he does.”
Barry nodded and pulled his cowl back. “What about?”
“Those magazines you were going on about last night. Did you bring them with you?” he asked as he drove out of the tunnel and into the hallway.
“Yeah, I brought them just in case. Do you think they’ll be helpful?”
“Not especially. As you suspected, the way a speedster gets faster is different from a normal human.”
“How do you do it then? Are you able to manipulate the speed force?”
Wells glanced at him curiously as they entered the elevator and didn’t answer.
Barry raised his eyebrows. “Did I say something wrong? You often look at me like that when I ask something.”
“Hm, I suppose I do. You just tend to catch me off-guard with your questions.”
“That doesn’t make any sense. If you’ve been watching me since I was eleven, you should know that I’m curious.”
“It’s not your curiosity that intrigues me, Barry, but how pointed and specific your questions can be. You have a very scientific mind… I admire how quickly you can piece things together. I should have expected it, given your future accomplishments—”
Barry gave him an alarmed look at that, but Wells paid no attention as he continued.
“With the right kind of guidance and education, you could go even further. You’re wasting your life at the CCPD.”
Barry wrinkled his nose and looked away. He was having second thoughts about attempting to manipulate a man who was such a master manipulator himself.
He seduced me with all the words I wanted to hear…
That was what Hartley said, and it made him sick that Wells was using his silver tongue on him now. It didn’t work; it was never an ambition of his to rise to greatness. His ambition was to stop Wells and anyone else from hurting innocent people.
“Did I say something that bothered you?” Wells asked as the elevator doors opened.
Barry followed him out and shook his head. “No, it’s just… I can’t really make you out at all. Anyway, you never answered the question.”
Wells hummed. “Can you manipulate the speed force to go faster? You’re well on your way to going as fast as I need you to be. There are ways of increasing that speed drastically, but I’m not going to give you all my secrets, Barry,” he said with a subtle smirk. “You’ll just have to find some things out for yourself.”
Barry frowned deeper. “You’ve hardly told me anything.”
“I will share what knowledge you will need to help me accomplish my goals. If you’re good, perhaps I’ll pepper in a little more.”
Not deigning that with a response, Barry simply rolled his eyes and headed for the desk he’d set his magazines on.
“I figured that speedsters work with different rules than normal human runners, but I thought some of the core principles would be important.” Picking the first magazine up, he flipped to a page he had made notes on and handed it to Wells. “I can tell that I am using the same muscles as I run, so I figured it would be important to increase my core strength as well as my leg muscles.”
Wells nodded as his eyes flitted about the page. “You’re not wrong about that. That can be something you work on when you’re at home. Just make sure your body isn’t too sore that you can’t run in the morning. A long stride is important as well, so doing some stretches can’t hurt.”
“Yeah, I have another one for that,” he said, flipping through the stack until he found it.
“Your body’s condition is essential to becoming faster, Barry, but you should also start preparing yourself mentally. You tend to get lost in your thoughts as you’re running. I can understand that on some level. When I get in the zone, as people from this time like to say, it’s a good place to let my thoughts flow freely, but you lose focus when that happens, and you slow down naturally.
“I know it seems counterintuitive to focus on the mind rather than the body while you’re running, but it has a greater effect on speedsters. Some meditation methods may be of greater benefit than even some of these workouts. When your body and mind are working in harmony, that, Barry, is when you’re really going to soar.”
Barry listened to him attentively. He wouldn’t have thought his mental state would have an effect, but he believed Wells when he said that it did. During yesterday’s training session, the only thing making him faster at first was the lack of obstacles to get in his way while he was running around the particle accelerator. His mind had been a hornet’s nest of worry, and it was only settled down when Wells focused him on his powers.
“Is there a meditation that you do?” he asked. “Like what you told me yesterday, feeling the wind on my face and the lightning inside of me?”
“Yes,” Wells said in a heated whisper. He leaned forward, staring at Barry intently. “It’s exactly that. When you’re running with the speed force, you cease to be human. You’re a force of nature, and you gradually lose yourself. It’s similar to when you’re making love, that buildup of ecstasy where you’re nearly losing control of your body. But let me tell you, Barry, that when you finally reach that pinnacle,” he paused and exhaled slowly, “it’s far better than any sexual experience.”
Barry scrunched up his face. “Obviously, you’ve never had great sex.”
Wells narrowed his eyes. “I have.”
“Have not.”
With a heavy sigh, Wells leaned on his armrest and rubbed his forehead. “Forget what I said earlier about your scientific mind.”
“This and that are two separate things. Even great scientists can have great sex, and it’s obvious that you never—”
“Hey, guys!” Cisco said, choosing that moment to trot into the Cortex with a bright smile on his face.
Barry smiled back and said, “Hey! I’m glad to see you before I go in there and pass out.”
“Yeah, me too. Whatcha talking about?”
Sharing a quick look with Wells, Barry said hesitantly, “Meditation… Dr. Wells seems to think that could be just as beneficial to my speed as my workouts.”
Cisco hummed grimly as he flopped into the seat across from him. “Power to you, dude. I never had good luck with it myself. Impossible to shut this thing off,” he said as he tapped his temple.
“Same, but I’ll give it a shot.”
After taking a closer look at Barry, Cisco brightened and said, “You’re looking a lot better today. That’s a relief.”
“Yeah, running my ass off yesterday and getting a better sleep really helped.”
“Does that mean you’ll be helping us out with research?”
Barry’s gaze shifted over to Wells.
After considering it a moment, Wells turned to Cisco and shook his head. “I think you and Caitlin are making remarkable progress on your own. I noticed the other day while Barry was running that he was losing focus, which led to him flying off the treadmill. Just before that, Barry was taking part in identifying his future adversaries, and I believe that gave him some anxiety.”
You gave me anxiety you asshole, Barry thought as he frowned down at the table instead of Wells.
“I think it would be best,” Wells continued, “if I continue training Barry personally. I think I can get him into the right mindset.”
Meaning he’s going to threaten Lenny if I don’t go faster.
But Barry had a part to play, so he shook off all his hatred and agitation for Wells and smiled at Cisco. “I think he’s right. My mind does tend to spiral out of control sometimes, and that won’t be good if I’m going 1500 miles an hour.”
Cisco’s eyes widened. “You’ve gotten that fast already?!”
“Just about,” Wells said. “I was clocking him at 1,485 miles an hour ago. Maybe after a good rest and some meditation exercises, he’ll reach 1500.”
“Or maybe I’ll just get there on my own because I’m awesome,” Barry sassed back, though his words didn’t have much bite.
Wells stared at him and said, “Doubtful.”
Caitlin entered the room just then with a stack of papers in her hand. After greeting them all, she asked Wells to take a look at some things for her. He pulled out from the table and joined her at her desk.
As soon as Wells’ back was turned, Barry quickly picked up his phone to see if he had any messages. He smiled, seeing one from Iris.
Won the bid for the purple coat. Should ship quickly, maybe by the 4th!
That meant that Plan B was on, scheduled for 4 pm. He took a deep breath to settle his nerves and put his phone back down. Everything should work out if his schedule is similar to yesterday. If he ended up resting any time after one, he’d set his watch to wake him up by at least 3:45. Even if he was running, he had a few ideas to keep Wells focused on him. In fact, it could be hilarious, so he was looking forward to it as long as nothing went wrong.
His heart wouldn’t be able to handle it if Hartley and the others were caught, especially if Wells’ reaction was to kill them as well as Lenny.
“It’s nice to see you and Dr. Wells getting along.”
Barry blinked and stared at Cisco. “Huh?”
“You and Dr. Wells,” he said, waving his finger between them. “You were always so stiff around him before, but you’ve relaxed a lot. It’s nice. He has a better sense of humor than you think.”
Barry hummed instead of answering. Cisco wasn’t present when they were alone when Barry had more freedom to lash out at Wells and insult him, and vice versa. He supposed that, in a strange way, they were getting along better. They were communicating more freely and openly with each other. The only source of relief that he had was that he didn’t have to pretend anymore that he respected him, at least when they were alone.
“Barry,” Wells said as he returned. “I think you should rest now. After you’ve eaten, of course.”
“Of course,” Barry said with a grimace.
Wells gave him a knowing smile. “When you wake up, we’ll discuss your diet in greater detail. That was something else you wanted to talk about, right?”
“Yeah, Joe and Iris promised to bring me extra groceries when they got home tonight. These magazines here had some recipes I wanted to try out,” he said, pulling a couple from the bottom of the stack and handing them over.
Taking them, Wells flipped through the first one to where Barry had marked a page with a Post-It. As he glanced through it, he said, “High protein, high carb, high calorie are all good. I would stay away from high sugar, but Omega-3 fatty acids are essential. Salmon, mackerel, and oysters are good.”
Barry hummed. “And spinach. Got that on my list.”
“Brussel sprouts,” Wells suggested, and he laughed softly as Barry grunted. “If you prefer, high-quality grass-fed beef contains omega-3 fatty acids as well.”
“How do you know that?” Barry asked with a smug grin.
Wells looked up from the magazine and gave him a sharp glare. “As I said, we can discuss your diet after you rest.”
Barry snickered and held up his hands in surrender. He shouldn’t be joking about that in front of Caitlin and Cisco, but if he could shove anything in Wells’ face, he was going to go for it.
As he headed for the med lab to eat and rest, he heard Cisco murmur, “What was that about?”
Wells sighed. “I suppose you could call it an inside joke… though I didn’t think it was very funny.”
Barry smirked and closed the doors behind him.
***
It was almost time. Hartley paced a little, wishing he could calm down. He didn’t even feel this frantic when they were going to split Ronnie and Stein apart.
“Hartley,” Shawna said as she grabbed him by the shoulders. She cupped his face and took a deep breath, and he forced himself to breathe along with her. Once he did, she smirked and whispered, “Serenity.”
He narrowed his eyes. “How dare you use my lessons against me.”
“Not against. For you, dumbass. Now breathe. Do you need to use the bathroom?”
“What? No… Why?”
She shrugged. “My nephew’s also a nervous little guy, and whenever he’s getting ready to do something he doesn’t want to do, he has to pee.”
Hartley rolled his eyes. “I don’t have to pee.”
“Okay, as long as you’re sure. The boss is counting on us.”
“The boss?” Singh asked behind Hartley’s back.
Hartley turned toward him. “Shawna works for Leonard, Barry’s boyfriend. He owns a bar.”
Singh grunted and leaned back down to hover over one of his investigators’ shoulders. They were stationed in a parking garage, the closest structure to Star Labs that wasn’t owned by Wells. They had a huge section of it blocked off like a construction zone, but behind the barricade, it was a high-class stake-out with a few detectives, Felicity taking point with an impressive computer set-up in front of her, and Hartley’s infiltration team which consisted of him, Shawna, and Sara.
When Sara had told Leonard during the meeting that she was trained by a league of assassins, he almost didn’t believe it. Now that she was in front of him in her tight black outfit, mask, and more weapons strapped to her body than he could count, he was left with no doubt. He wasn’t sure she could take on a speedster, but he felt better having her along, as long as she was on their side.
Shawna was dressed like she normally did except for a pair of black gloves with metal spikes on the knuckles. He had asked her if she’d ever punched anyone with them on. She grinned and winked at him instead of answering the question.
Since it was nearly time, Hartley wiped his sweaty hands on the front of his pants and opened his case. Inside were a pair of thick gloves that he hadn’t worn since the day he met Leonard and Diggle.
To think I nearly blasted them through the windows, he thought with a smirk. He was thankful he didn’t. That fall would have killed them both.
And now, he was going to put them on again in an attempt to save Leonard’s life. He considered putting his long hoodie on, which had a menacing look to it when he had the hood up but ultimately decided against it. He was already sweating through his sweater and if they got caught, he wanted to appear as normal as possible in front of Wells and not look like a comic book villain.
“What’s going on right now, Felicity?” he asked as he slipped his hand into one of the sonic gloves.
“So, Barry and Wells are already in the particle accelerator for another run. Caitlin is in the Cortex looking through files. Cisco was in his work room, but it looks like he’s bored and he’s on his way back to the Cortex. I’d feel better if you waited until he was there, just to make sure he’s not going to get in your way.”
“I agree. It would be even worse if he was the one who caught us. Shawna, are you sure you can see well enough into the meeting room across from us to teleport us there?”
“Yeah. I’m glad Barry suggested the spyglass. It’s perfect.”
“Good. Have you both memorized the route we’re going to take to the lab?”
“Yup,” Shawna said.
Sara scoffed. “This ain’t my first rodeo.”
“I’m going to assume that’s a yes.”
“Okay,” Felicity said, getting their attention, “Cisco’s settling down at the table with Caitlin. I’m starting to loop the cameras along your route, so get ready.”
Hartley tightened his other glove and relaxed both hands by his sides. He closed his eyes and took a deep, cleansing breath.
We can do this… For Leonard.
When he opened his eyes, he nodded to the other two and grabbed a small case he would use to transport the particles. Together, they walked toward the outside wall with Shawna standing in the middle. As she held the small spyglass up to her left eye, Sara braced herself and held onto Shawna’s arm. Shawna held her right hand out and Hartley took it and gripped it tight. He was thankful they’d tested it out several times, or he’d be an even bigger basket case.
“3…2…” Shawna began her countdown, and Hartley held his breath. “1.”
It was a strange feeling, having his body almost evaporated and then put back together in a split second. As soon as their bodies were corporeal, he could hear Sara’s giggle easily in the dark, silent meeting room. As thrilled as he was that they made it inside, being in that particular room gave him an ugly feeling.
Wells had seduced him in there once after a meeting with the department heads, and while he hadn’t lost any of his clothes in that particular instance, he had been splayed across that large, imposing table with his hand shoved into his mouth to keep himself quiet.
Hartley shook his head and moved toward the closed door. Star Labs was a massive building, and even his hearing couldn’t reach every part of it. Still, he’d been practicing with his abilities, focusing on certain sounds, and filtering out others. He searched out little tell-tale noises like breadcrumbs, and soon, he picked up the familiar roar and crackle of Barry running at full speed.
“...don’t believe that you’ve never tried it.”
“I don’t know what would possess you to try.”
“You literally just said to feel the lightning. Be the lightning… Why wouldn’t I reach out and touch it?”
“We don’t have time for your childish enthusiasm, Barry. You need to run faster.”
“Oh, so it’s childish enthusiasm now? You seemed pretty impressed with my questions before.”
“There are scientists who seek to unlock the mysteries of the universe through carefully cultivated experiments, and then there are others who lick every rock they come across. Try to be the first one, Barry. You’ll live longer.”
“Awww, I didn’t know you cared! Here I thought you wanted to kill me. You know, because you came to this century specifically to kill me and then murdered my mother when you failed and then set up a trap to—”
“I will murder your boyfriend and everyone you love if you don’t focus and run faster, Barry.”
Hartley snorted and quickly stifled it.
“What is it?” Shawna whispered.
“Nothing. I’m just getting a little taste of how Barry is distracting Wells. Very entertaining if he can survive it. Let’s go.”
Over their comm, Felicity said, “Coast is clear all ways. Now skedaddle!”
“Cutie,” Sara whispered with a grin, and they all slipped out into the hallway. From there, they weren’t allowed to talk unless it was absolutely necessary. Without any interference, Hartley could hear the other voices throughout the building more clearly.
Barry had mostly calmed down and was focusing more on running. Wells occasionally spoke to him through their comm, trying to get him in the right mindset and push him further. As Hartley led the other two down a back stairwell, he was picking up another voice near them, and it seemed to be… humming?
“... take me home tonight,” he finally heard Leonard sing in his lazy drawl. “Oh, down beside that red firelight. Are you gonna let it all hang out? Fat bottomed girls, you make the rockin’ world go round.”
“Oh my God,” he muttered under his breath as he heard Leonard mimic the guitar riffs that came after that.
“What is it now?” Sara whispered behind him.
“All our friends are idiots, that’s all.”
He was relieved to hear Leonard’s voice, though. It meant that he was still alive and in decent enough condition that he could sing. He even seemed to be in good spirits with the way he was putting his heart and soul into the song, which was hilarious considering Barry was the complete opposite of a fat-bottomed girl.
As they wound through the hallways and went up and down different stairwells, Hartley began to calm down. Wells had no idea that he was infiltrating his building at that moment, and Cisco and Caitlin were being his dutiful drones as they slaved away in the Cortex. Of course, Hartley felt a hint of longing, wishing he could sit down with them and search through the files Joe gave them. From what Felicity had said, they’d made a huge amount of progress at identifying metahumans across the city, and he wanted to be part of it himself.
The dynamic duo didn’t appear to be enjoying it, however. There wasn’t as much lively chatter between them without Barry present, and Hartley had lost count of how many times he heard Cisco sigh heavily.
“What’s bugging you?” Caitlin asked after a while.
“Nothing.”
“It’s not nothing. Talk to me, Cisco.”
Cisco groaned and wiggled his chair from side to side. It was a habit that grated on Hartley’s nerves, hearing that squeak over and over.
“I’m glad Barry’s getting along with Dr. Wells better, but… do you feel left out, too?”
Caitlin hummed. “Not really. I can see why he felt it necessary to assign us to different duties. We are making great progress, and so are they.”
“...got stiffness in the bones, ain’t no beauty queens in this locality, I tell you…”
“—sure that they’re training right now? What if they’re just… hanging out?”
“What are you saying?”
“Heap big woman, you gonna make a big man out of me.”
Hartley rubbed his temple as the voices began overlapping.
“Is running the only method of travel for a speedster?” Barry asked in a breathy voice.
“... What?”
“They just seem to be getting closer lately, having inside jokes and all…”
“Could I surf on the lightning? Or use it like a zipline? Lightning often moves at a zigzag. Could I actually go faster if I act like a human pinball machine and just boing boing boing boing…?”
“Are you gonna let it all hang out?”
“Barry, come back to the platform. We’re doing another meditation.”
“Can’t I do it while I—”
“Now.”
“Get on your bikes and ride.”
Hartley’s headache was getting more pronounced. It was easier to tune people out when there were more conversations happening, but between Barry distracting Wells by acting like an idiot, Cisco bemoaning his circ*mstances to Caitlin, and Leonard singing Fat Bottomed Girls, it was harder to focus.
At least they’re all keeping busy.
It helped immensely when Barry returned to the entrance of the particle accelerator, and Wells forced him to sit down and focus. Besides an occasional huff, Barry remained quiet as Wells spoke softly to him, guiding him into a mindful state where he focused on the powers inside of him.
“I can’t tell if you’re jealous of Barry for being Dr. Wells’ new favorite, which he isn’t, or if you’re jealous of Dr. Wells for getting to help Barry.”
“Both! Ugh, it’s just… I want to help.”
“Hey,” Caitlin said gently. “We are helping. And I really like the names you’ve picked out for all these metahumans. So did Barry. He really laughed at the Turtle.”
“Yeah, but Dr. Wells isn’t convinced about that one yet.”
“He will be. Why don’t you take a break? Did you run out of Swedish Fish?”
“I just got a new pack!” Cisco said, and Hartley could hear his thundering footsteps as he ran to get them.
He snickered softly. It was interesting that Cisco was beginning to feel that way, but he couldn’t spend any time thinking about it at the moment. They were getting close to the lab where the particles were kept.
“Nearly there,” Felicity whispered over the comms. “You guys are doing great… Super secret spies.”
Sara beamed as Felicity began humming the theme song to Mission Impossible, and even Shawna had to stifle a laugh. Hartley, however, had enough going on, so he glanced up at the nearest security camera and gave her a cut-off signal with a sharp glare.
She sighed heavily. “Sorry.”
As they rounded the next corner, Hartley pushed through a swinging door that led to a corridor housing several types of labs. It was creepy to see it so dark. The last time he’d been there, lab techs bustled back and forth like a bunch of rats in a maze.
The unit they needed to get into was near the end of the hall. Hartley was thankful there was a small window to look through, and he didn’t need to test out whether or not the entrance code he knew was still valid.
“Sara, stay here and guard the door,” he said.
“Why? Felicity can tell us if someone’s coming.”
“True, but it’s a crowded space. Plus, I feel like you’d be more likely to touch something you shouldn’t.”
“He’s right,” Felicity said, snickering.
Sara pouted. “Fine, but you better hurry before I get antsy. That’s when the real trouble starts,” she added with a smirk.
“I believe you. Come on,” he said to Shawna and held out his hand.
She took it and gazed through the window. They teleported inside, somewhere near the back of the room.
“Go wait by the door so we can leave quickly,” he whispered to Shawna as he made his way through the rows of tables, still decorated in all varieties of equipment and tech. Most of the containment units along the wall were illuminated and whirring with power, which was a good sign. If there was nothing inside them, they would have been shut down a long time ago.
He located the one that held the elementary particles and slowly pulled it open. Cold air flowed out of the opening, and Hartley squinted from the bright light that illuminated the inside of the containment unit. He blinked a few times and stared into it. It was empty.
“No,” he said in a weak voice.
“Hartley, what is it?” Shawna whispered.
With a shaky breath, he turned and looked at her. “There’s nothing in here.”
Her eyes widened and then suddenly, she was right next to him, looking inside for herself. “Maybe they moved them. Let’s check these other ones.”
“I doubt it, but let’s do it anyway.”
Over the comm, Felicity clicked her tongue a few times, something she did when she was concentrating. “I’m pulling up what logs I can, Hartley, but from what I’m seeing, they should be in that unit you just checked.”
Hartley moved to the right, opening every unit he could while Shawna went in the other direction.
“Some of these aren’t even turned on,” she said as she closed one that was dark.
“Which tells me that the particles were stored in here recently. Maybe he’s onto us after all?” Hartley wondered.
As he kept searching, Hartley listened to see what was happening throughout the rest of the building. Leonard must have been on a Queen kick because he was singing Bicycle Races at the moment. Hartley could hear Barry running again but he was quiet, restraining any more hair brained thoughts from popping out of his mouth. Wells, on the other hand, was giving him that quiet, steady encouragement that Hartley used to crave.
Not anymore, now that he knew what kind of a monster Wells was.
When they’d scoured the whole room, Hartley stopped and rubbed his face. “They’re not here… sh*t, sh*t, sh*t.”
“If they’re not there, then you need to leave,” Felicity said. “Barry can only keep him occupied for so long, and Cisco is looking like he might start wandering around again… I’m sorry, Hartley.”
He could feel his panic rising again, just like it had when he knew that Wells was about to charge into their home and tear it all apart.
“Hey, come on,” Shawna said, rubbing his arms soothingly. “We can’t do anything here. We gotta get back and regroup. We’ll come up with something else.”
There is nothing else…
Whatever Barry’s plan was, it wouldn’t work if the particles weren’t there. He glanced up at the door and saw Sara peeking in and motioning for them to hurry up. He nodded and grabbed Shawna’s hand, letting her teleport them across the room and then into the hall.
Maybe it was time to let the murderers of the group have their chance. It wasn’t like it was unheard of; there were times when law enforcement had to take out a hostile individual, and Wells was the most hostile person he’d ever met. He was willing to blow a hole in the entire city to get what he wanted, which resulted in many deaths, he killed several people personally, and he was currently holding someone hostage.
If they had a shot, they needed to take it.
They moved even quicker on their way out, and he let Felicity keep them updated on everyone’s whereabouts throughout the building. His mind was too occupied, trying to put together another plan. It was agonizing, contemplating how to take another person’s life, even for the greater good. He didn’t want to, even if that person was Wells. But if it was a choice between his life or Leonard’s, he wouldn’t hesitate.
“Finally,” Shawna whispered as they slipped into the meeting room they started in. Just like before, she took Hartley’s hand and Sara held onto her arm. The teleporting felt a bit more jarring this time, but maybe it was all in his head. It was a door slamming on all his hopes, leaving only one option left.
“So, that was a bust,” Singh said as soon as they were back, crossing his arms. “Is there another plan for getting the stuff?”
“No,” Hartley sighed as he set the empty case down and yanked off his gloves. “There’s nothing else we can do. It’ll take months before Mercury Labs can create their own and by then, it’ll be too late. The suppression cuffs are out as an option.”
“Um, excuse me?” Felicity said as she swiveled in her chair. “Barry and I have a plan, remember?”
“The particles weren’t there, Felicity! We scoured the entire lab.”
“Right, so they were moved, but they’re still somewhere in that building. Our plan can still work.”
“Then what is it?” he asked, gesturing for her to get on with it.
She narrowed her eyes and said, “Not telling. As we said before, you don’t need to know what it is, but I think it’s going to work.”
“Wha—?!”
“Hey, isn’t that great?” Shawna said as she wrapped an arm around Hartley’s shoulders. “It’s not the end of the world… yet.”
“Yeah!” Sara said, ruffling his hair. “My girl’s got it in the bag.”
Felicity blushed as Sara winked at her, and she quickly turned back to her computer, clearing her throat. “Okay, we’re going to stay here in Central for tonight so I can prepare. The plan will commence tomorrow morning, but I predict that it won’t really kick off until tomorrow evening. Just be ready for anything. Barry did have one specific instruction for you though, Hartley.”
“Oh, goodie,” Hartley sneered. “What is it?”
Glancing back at him, Felicity smirked and said, “Play nice.”
***
Later that night, Eobard stood in his secret room at Star Labs, watching the cameras that displayed the West household. West was working late on an assignment, but Iris was home, sprawled out on the sofa as she checked over some work. He watched her for a little while, but it seemed that she was just going over that pointless article of hers, finalizing it to send out to media outlets throughout the city.
Once he was certain she wasn’t doing anything suspicious, Eobard mostly watched Barry’s camera. It was difficult to look away. He was already annoyed with his antics throughout the day, but that frustration took on a different form as he watched Barry work out in his bedroom.
After looking through the magazines he’d brought, Eobard had chosen a few exercises that would be beneficial for getting faster, mostly ones emphasizing his core and legs. They weren’t particularly high intensity, but Barry was working up a sweat as he held certain poses. Eobard clenched his jaw as he listened to his heavy breaths and watched a bead of sweat run down Barry’s arms.
Barry groaned as he released the pose and relaxed. Giving his body a little stretch, he poked his head up and grabbed the magazine from where it was resting on his TV stand, right next to Eobard’s hidden camera. Barry licked his lips and then chewed on his bottom one as he glanced over the next position. Eobard instinctively licked his own lips as he watched.
Whatever the pose was, Barry didn’t seem to have a lot of confidence as he slowly set the magazine back on the stand. He sighed, got up, and stood in the middle of the room, looking around. His back was to the camera, so when he pulled up his shirt to wipe his face, Eobard got a good look at his glistening back.
He huffed and rubbed his face. It would be wise to just shut it off and clear his head. Barry wouldn’t do anything; he would assume that Eobard was always watching. He needed to keep focused on the goal, which was to get Barry fast enough to open a wormhole, and then he could leave all this behind… after he murdered Leonard Snart, of course.
Eobard gazed back at the camera showing Barry and watched as he attempted a handstand, using the wall to brace himself against. As soon as his feet were in the air, his loose T-shirt slipped down, revealing his stomach and a part of his chest. Eobard pinched his lips tightly and in an act of pure weakness, expanded that video so it was larger, forgetting about the other ones.
Was Barry doing this on purpose, knowing that he was watching? As soon as he considered it, Barry’s legs began flailing, and he yelped as he awkwardly collapsed onto the floor. When he sat up, he looked dazed, and his hair was sticking up all over the place. Eobard chuckled and shook his head. Barry was nothing more than a dumb puppy.
No, it probably wasn’t intentional. He had a natural allure that came from his good looks and innocence, but if Barry was trying to be seductive, it typically failed in a disastrous way. Eobard had seen it for himself anytime Barry had brought someone back to his apartment.
He wondered how he’d been with Snart.
With an indignant huff, Barry bent over and pulled his shirt over his head. Once it was off, he used it to wipe the sweat off his face and body before tossing it across the room to his laundry hamper, which he missed. He rolled his eyes and hopped back on his feet.
Eobard watched Barry try the handstand again, this time wearing nothing but a pair of shorts and sneakers. With nothing hindering him, Barry was able to keep himself stable as he braced himself against the wall. All the muscles in his arms, shoulders, chest, and abdomen swelled from the pressure, highlighted by the sheen of sweat on his skin. Barry’s chest heaved as he breathed deeply, and his cheeks began to turn red as the blood rushed to his head.
It was maddening, and Eobard glared at the screen as he watched Barry struggle to hold the pose. When he had started making his plans for Barry after failing to kill him, he never considered that he’d have a chance at having a relationship beyond mentor and protégé. Iris was supposed to be his soulmate, the love of his life. To think that Barry would not only be open to men but older men in particular.
If he had known, he would have planned things differently. It was an intriguing idea,appealing to Barry earlier on in his life, dazzling him with his intelligence, understanding, and good looks. He would have believed Barry’s tale about the Man in Yellow and in his father’s innocence, and as a result, Barry would have trusted him implicitly.
Eobard smirked, thinking how delicious it would have been for him to lure Barry Allen the Flash into an intimate relationship with him, his future arch-nemesis, and the man who murdered his mother. It was almost tempting to go back and do it all again. On the other hand, the speed force would probably send an army of time-wraiths to hunt him down if he attempted to mess with this time period again, especially for such a selfish reason.
He shook his head, relinquishing the idea to remain as a fantasy and nothing more. At the very least, he could murder Snart in front of Barry and then fly back to his own time without a care in the world, ruining his enemy’s life all over again.
When Barry grabbed his towel and fresh clothes to head to the shower, Eobard sighed and closed the screens.
“Gideon, has Cisco left the building yet?”
Gideon’s face appeared before him, and she said, “Yes, about ten minutes ago.”
“Good, that’ll be all.”
“Understood.”
Since it was just him in the building, he relinquished his chair and walked to the elevators. He pressed the button that would take him all the way down to the particle accelerator. It was impossible to arrange circ*mstances exactly how he wanted to now, but he could still have some of his questions answered.
When he finally made it to the platform and called Snart’s cell, he thought about how happy Barry had been when he saw him that morning. It was annoying. He couldn’t comprehend what Snart had that caused Barry to fall in love with him.
When Snart’s cell finally pulled to a stop in front of him, it took a moment for Snart himself to appear. He poked his head up, cracking his eyes open, and groaned when he finally focused on Eobard.
“No sign of a Big Belly Burger bag, so I take it you’re not here to feed me.”
“Not here to kill you, either,” Eobard said and then smirked. “Not yet.”
Snart hummed and slowly got to his feet. “So, what can I do for you, Mr. Yellow?”
“You can call me Dr. Wells.”
“I would if that was really your name.”
Eobard exhaled slowly. He didn’t want to argue about something so pointless, and he had the feeling that Snart could go all day on a subject like that, especially if he could tell that it was bothering him.
“How did you get Barry?”
Snart raised his eyebrows. “How did I get Barry?” He snickered. “What are you implying? That I stole him like some priceless jewel?”
“Then let me rephrase the question,” Eobard said, pulling off his glasses. “How did you two get together?”
“What if I don’t want to answer? You going to kill me?”
“No, but I could provide some incentive. Would you like a pillow? A salad for lunch tomorrow?”
Snart gazed at him thoughtfully. “How about a question for a question?” he said, pointing between them.
Eobard shrugged. “Reasonable enough.”
“I met Barry when he was eleven, just as you guessed. He fell in love with me then but obviously, I didn’t feel the same way. He was just a kid. I did love him in a way, though.”
“What kind of relationship did you have with him back then?” Eobard asked. It was difficult to imagine Snart spending time with such a meek little boy like Barry.
“We were buddies.”
“Buddies?” Eobard repeated incredulously.
Snart grinned. “Yeah, buddies… Have you ever had a real friend in your life, Mr. Yellow?”
“I don’t need friends.”
He chuckled. “Yeah, you do. It’s probably too late to have one now unless you meet another murdering psychopath. I doubt they’d be a good influence on you, though. But yeah, Barry and I were buddies. We hung out, watched stupid movies, ate junk food... I don’t know what else to tell you about that.”
“Then how did you get together?”
“I came back to Central, met him again as an adult, and fell in love with him. I was just lucky that he still loved me.”
“But—”
“Hold up, it’s my turn.”
Eobard huffed impatiently. “Fine.”
“You recognized me immediately when you barged into my house. How did you know who I was?”
“Good question, but as usual, it all points back to Barry. I’ve already told you that I’m from a different century. I studied the Flash thoroughly, figured out what time period he was from, and eventually discovered his real identity. I was obsessed and naturally, I researched all of his enemies as well. Before I traveled back in time and became his arch nemesis, someone else held that title: you.”
Snart tilted his head, no longer smiling. “I was one of Barry’s enemies… I suppose that makes sense if I had never met him before he became the Flash.”
“Exactly. In neither timeline did you acquire powers from the particle accelerator explosion, and yet you held your own against a speedster, one of the few. You quickly figured out his weaknesses, which was his desire to protect every human life, and cold.”
“Cold?”
“Yes… Captain Cold was your alter ego, and you wielded a cold gun that could turn Barry’s path to ice, making him slip, or you could freeze him in place. Cold, you see, is the enemy of speed. Cold was your weapon, but your strength was your ability to think ahead and predict every move the Flash would make. Barry, as you know, doesn’t usually think ahead.”
Snart smiled fondly at that, nothing like the smirks and sneers he used to direct at the Flash in the other timeline. His grin widened, however, as he chuckled and said, “Captain Cold…. I like that. Did he ever beat me?”
“You took turns. Barry may not think ahead, but he is clever and works well under pressure. I suppose that even in that timeline, you developed a regard for Barry.”
“Really?”
“Yes, after a few years. It’s not common knowledge, but Barry cared about you to a degree, saw good in you, and managed to touch your heart.”
“But we didn’t end up together.”
“Of course not. He was married to Iris before he even met you.”
Snart’s eyes widened but after a moment, he hummed and nodded. “I suppose if they hadn’t been raised together…. Yeah, I could see that.”
“They had a daughter together. Dawn was her name, I think. I guess she won’t exist now that he’s with you.”
He had meant to dig the knife in a little deeper, but Snart seemed indifferent.
“It’s not impossible. Maybe Iris would be interested in being a surrogate. Though Barry and I have already talked about it, and I think we’d be more interested in adoption.”
“It won’t matter anyway. I’m not planning on letting you live.”
Snart raised an unimpressed eyebrow. He didn’t look too worried, which irked Eobard even more.
“One last ditch effort to hurt Barry, huh?”
“That’s the idea.”
Snart frowned at him. “Why are you so obsessed with him? You’re not even from this time.”
Eobard’s jaw clenched as painful memories flashed in his mind. The adoration he had for Barry was intense, and when Barry humiliated him in a moment that should have been his grandest, that adoration turned into something far darker and even more intense.
“You know,” Snart said conversationally, “I don’t think it’s fair for you to punish the current Barry based on something his other self did in the future. He’s younger, and he experienced different things.”
“I don’t really care what you think is fair, Snart. You’re just a petty criminal.”
Snart smirked. “Barry calls me petty all the time. I think he’s charmed by it. You know, I’m curious,” he said, changing his tone slightly. “You’re from some distant future—”
“136 years.”
“Wow, okay. Look, I’m no scientist, but with you messing stuff up in the past, reality is going to look different for you when you get back to your time, right? You’ve killed quite a lot of people already, and you’ll kill me. That stuff tends to add up. Butterfly effect and all.”
Eobard scoffed. “I wouldn’t worry about that. There are a few loose ends to tie up here to make sure my future is what it should be, but your death will hardly affect that. You have no children, no legacy— you’re just a small chapter in the Flash’s life. Your only accomplishment is being a nuisance to him. You’ll be less than that when I kill you.”
Again, Snart seemed unimpressed. In fact, he yawned loudly without covering it up and rubbed the back of his head.
“You think we could cut this short? Apparently, I only have a couple of days to live, so I should get some good sleep. You could talk to me tomorrow, too, if you’re feeling lonely. I’d be happy to make you feel worse,” Snart said with a wolfish grin.
Eobard raised an eyebrow, reached over to the console, and clicked for Snart’s cell to be put back in place. Snart’s grin widened, and we waved goodbye before he was out of sight. With a huff, Eobard turned and strode out of the room.
It was only when he got on the elevator that he realized that he’d only asked Snart one or two questions when he’d answered at least seven of his.
He sighed and tipped his head back against the wall. “I can’t wait to murder that man.”
