TRUTH UNSEALED (BARRY ALLEN/MAGNUS BANE)

Chapter Eight

There was something about New York City that drew people from all over the country to visit and live there. A lot of aspiring singers and actors grew up in the place before heading off to Hollywood and things of the like to do great things. The city was beautiful at night, when lights shone as bright as the stars in the sky and cast beautiful reflections off of the water in the harbor. The buildings were tall, ranging from nine to a hundred floors and he was starstruck by everything around him. It was raining but he had been smart enough to bring an umbrella with him, so he was prepared.

Barry walked down the wide sidewalk, trying to avoid huge puddles and bumping into other people on the crowded walkway. As big as New york was, it was statistically said to be the most overpopulated state in the country. Walking down the street, he couldn't help but think back to his talk with Magnus over the phone. The warlock had sounded nervous about something and he had agreed to help Barry with little hesitation. Although Barry didn't ask him, he was sure there was more behind the reason he had agreed to help him.

Pulling out his phone, Barry looked at the address Magnus had given him and looked up at his surroundings. He was sure that he was lost. Maybe he should hail a cab. Looking down at the phone, Barry thought about the one he left behind on his nightstand with the note. Barry wasn't stupid. He knew that if he took the phone and they did try to find him against his wishes, that they would just track his phone. He also knew if he drove his car, that they would track the plate numbers. So Barry bought a new phone and walked to the nearest airport, with his prepaid ticket.

By now they should have realized that he wasn't coming to work today and would most likely be calling his old phone. Barry wondered if they knew he wasn't going to answer because he ran off but knowing them, they would write it off as him not wanting to be bothered. Barry hailed down a cab and told the driver where to take him, before sitting back in the seat, relaxing a little. He watched other cars and cabs roll by and people and building blur past, thinking about all his friends he left behind. He felt bad but he knew it was for their own safety as well as his own. There was still so much he didn't know about what he was and Magnus Bane was the only person he knew who could help.

When the cab pulled up to the curb in front of the building where Magnus Bane resided, Barry payed him and got out. The cab driver jumped out of the car, moving to open the trunk and get Barry's bags. He offered him a smile and he said, "I can carry them up for you..." He trails off and Barry chuckles softly.

"My name's Barry and thank you, but you really don't have to..."

The cab driver nods, still smiling and says, "I want to. C'mon, let's go. My name's Ned by the way."

Barry leads the way up to the flat Magnus owned. He probably shouldn't have let the cab driver carry his bags for him, but the truth was, Barry was tired. Exhausted really. He wondered if Ned could see that and if that was why he offered to carry his bags up. Reaching Magnus' flat, he knocks twice and waits for the door to open. When it does, he's greeted by a man with glittery freaking eyeshadow, tanned skin, and dark brown hair swept in the most interesting, vigorous style. The man holds a cat-like aura around him and it makes Barry feel somewhat calm but a little unnerved.

The man smiles at him. "You must be Barry. My name is Magnus Bane and welcome to your new humble abode!"

Magnus steps aside to let him in and Barry turns to Ned, taking his bags from him. He smiles at the cab driver. "Thanks again, Ned."

"It was no problem, really."

Barry walks into the flat while Magnus shuts the door behind him. He looks around in awe at how ancient most of the stuff looked. The place was very spacious and not at all crowded, the interior design something of an art he didn't quite comprehend. It was too elegantly sculpted. The kitchen was huge and so was the living room. There seemed to be nothing but a main bedroom and a guest bedroom here. He turns when he hears Magnus clear his throat behind him.

"I'm sorry for what happened to your father, Barry." Magnus tells him.

Barry stares at him for several moments, his eyes not wavering once from his face before he looked away. He doesn't know what to say to Magnus, his sincerity and selfless act to help Barry, (who he didn't even know by the way) making him speechless and shy and sheepish. He wonders briefly if he could feel his emotions but then he dismissed the thought and raised his hazel eyes to meet brown ones.

"It's fine." Barry says quietly. He quickly looks away from the unnaturally hot warlock again and sits down on the couch, placing his head in his hands. "I'm fine." He's saying it, not to reassure Magnus but to reassure himself. It's a lie though. He's not fine, otherwise he wouldn't be here in the first place. He thinks that maybe if he continues to believe it, then it will become true but really, he's only lying to himself. He feels the couch dip beside him but he doesn't lift his head from his hands to look; he knows it's Magnus.

"Are you really?"

It's a simple question. One he should be able to answer with no problem at all but that's not the case. He's having an internal war with himself and for some unexplainable reason, he found that he wanted to tell Magnus how he really felt. Why he wanted to tell him, but not his friends, he didn't really know. All he could say was that he felt this....connection with him that he'd never felt before with anyone in his life, not even Iris. It had been less than fifteen minutes ago that he arrived here and now there was this weird ass connection with the warlock. It was like his magic recognized the other's and wanted to be close to it.

Finally, Barry shakes his head and looks up at Magnus, fully aware of the tears streaming down his face. "No. No, I'm not okay! And I don't think I will be, not anytime soon... Not after--not after losing my dad. My best friend almost got hurt because I couldn't control my powers and I can't face him--any of them--because I'm scared. I don't know what to do.... I'm so lost!"

Then, Barry breaks out into sobs.

And Magnus holds him.

Absurdly, he believes that it was all the stress getting to him that led him to curl up and let  Magnus hold him as he cried. Letting a total stranger hold him, regardless of his connection with his parents, was chalked up to being overly stressed. And maybe that was what Barry really wanted to believe, too afraid of what it could mean, but deep down he knew the truth.

And the truth was bound to come out.

Barry cries himself to sleep in Magnus' arms. The warlock carries him to the guest room and gets him dressed in proper bed attire before tucking him under the sheets. Magnus casts a light spell over him and leaves the room, letting the boy sleep peacefully for once.

The next morning, Barry remembers nothing.