All about Flinx

Lucky

"Hey, Lucky!"

I turn around to see Kid Flash striding towards me, a cocky grin spreading across his face.

"Don't call me that," I say, rolling my eyes and turning back to lean on the balcony railing.

Kid Flash holds his hands up in mock surrender. "Sorry," he says sarcastically, leaning on the rail next to me. "What would you rather be called? Unlucky?" He smiles again, handing me a rose, just as fresh and red as all the others have been.

I give an unladylike snort and take it, making a rude hand gesture as I do. He winces, letting out a low whistle.

"Tough crowd," he says, watching me from his peripherals. I don't respond, and he turns to face me. "So…"

"Why are you here, Flash?" I ask harshly, staring at the rose. I'm holding it so tightly that one of the thorns is drawing blood from my palm.

He sighs, closing his eyes. "Do you really have to ask, Jinx?"

Of course, I don't answer, because I don't need to.

I hear him take a deep breath, and I know he's going to start it again.

"You're better th-"

"Save it," I snap. "I've heard this before, Flash. I hear it every time you show up with that stupid smile on your face and another stupid rose in your stupid hand just so you can give me the same stupid speech. I don't want to-" I whirl around to face him, my anger evaporating when I see his expression, his slumped shoulders, his goddamn sadness. "Oh god, Flash, I'm- I didn't mean it, I'm just… It's the stress, you're not- I'mnot…" I reach out to him, my fingertips brushing his cheek but he jerks away like he's been burned. I feel that all too familiar sting start behind my eyes but I push it down, push it away. "I…"

"I should go," he says dejectedly, and he turns and walks- Kid Flash, fastest boy alive, walks away from me.

I can't stand it.

But I'm not going to back down, I'm not going to-

"I'm sorry," I call out suddenly.

Damn.

He stops, and even from here, with his back turned, I can tell he's smiling again.

But he doesn't turn around.

Jesus Christ, he's going to make me beg.

I do not beg.

Not for anyone, and especially not for cocky, egotistical-

"I'm sorry," I say again. "I was wrong and-" I take a deep breath, squeezing my eyes shut tightly. "You aren't stupid. Neither is your smile. And… I like the roses. They're sweet, and I...I-don't-want-you-to-leave-because-I-like-having-you-around-so-please-stay?"

Shit. I'm begging.

Again.

How the hell does he do that?

"Please stay."

This last is spoken so softly that for a moment I wonder if he heard me.

But then.

He's by my side again, as if he'd never left it, and he's got his arms wrapped around me so tightly I can barely breathe but I don't mind because he stays. I lean my head against his shoulder, my heart rate increasing as I ask him the question that's been bothering me since the first time he came.

"Why?"

He looks down at me, confusion written across his face. "Why what?" he asks, tucking a strand of pink hair behind my ear. I never wear it up anymore, even though it always ends up in my face.

I blush, for some reason. "Why do you always stay, if you know I'm not going to say yes? If-" I take another deep breath. "If you know I'm still going to be... bad."

He gives me this look then, his eyes all full of sadness and affection at the same time.

"Because I know you aren't bad, Jinx," he whispers. "And because no matter how many times you say no, I'll always have hope that someday you'll come with me."

I sigh, knowing that really, it's useless to argue with him, because the idiot is so damn persistent that he probably won't give up until I say yes.

"But... What if I did say yes?" The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them, and I see his face light up.

"Do you?" he asks, ever hopeful.

I hesitate, knowing that my answer could- will- destroy everything about me. When I finally do answer, I use that same, tiny whisper as before, quiet because I hope he doesn't hear me.

Look at that, he's got me hoping now, too.

He takes my hand, smiling brilliantly.

"Come with me," he whispers, and before I can answer he's picked me up, princess style, and we're suddenly standing outside of the door to an apartment, thoroughly windblown and shivering slightly from the cold air that had passed us so quickly.

At least, I was shivering.

Flash, who is seemingly unaffected by the chilly air, sets me down gently and unlocks the door, holding it open for me.

"Are you coming?" he asks.

I hesitate. "Is this..?"

"My place?" he supplies. "Yeah. Welcome Home."

Home.

I'd never had one before.

I guess I must've flinched when he said it, because he gave me an odd look.

"Right," I said, wincing inwardly at the hoarseness of my voice. "H- home." I strode inside, feigning confidence. And, I suppose, feigning comfort, because my heart was doing that million-beats-a-minute thing that it always does when he was around.

I wonder if it's part of his powers.

He came up behind me quietly, making me jump when he put his hand on my shoulder.

"Hey," he said gently. "Are you- are you okay?"

I shrug, but he gives me this look, like he knows what's wrong already but wants me to say it, so I try.

"I guess I'm just feeling..." I struggle to find the words, and come up empty.

"Out of place?" he suggests quietly, looking a little forlorn.

"No," I whisper.

More like I'm in the right place for the first time.

Not that I was going to tell him that.