Soothsayer ⚡ Barry Allen

Friendly Faces

I slipped out of a building, moving myself on to the next one, mask tucked around my ears and a light bag across my torso. I made my way down the fire escape as quietly as possible, which wasn't much on an old, rusty structure such as this. I felt better when my feet connected with concrete as I slowly made my way through the city, haulting when a chill settled over my skin and the hairs the back of my neck rose. "Did you plan on telling me you were back in town, Assassin Kissed by Fire?" Snart called from someways behind me, slowly shortening the distance.

"My orders aren't to report to you," I hummed pleasantly, taking acount of the title.

"Just how many bodies have you dropped for them?" When I didn't answer right away, he added, "Did you lose count?"

"No more than a hundred," I shrugged, turning to face him. His goggles rested on his forhead, his for once correctly seasoned parka hiding the holster on his hip. "Probably gunna drop a few more." I held his narrowed eyes for a minute before asking, "What's it to ya?"

"Well, for the sake of business, I don't need any 'hand of justice' swooping down on me." I held his eye for a moment before sighing, the subtle humor in his voice enough to make me remove my face covering.

"Look, Lenny, as far as I see it, our agreement still stands. I'm not mad you told Barry about Dubai, if anything I sort of appreciate it." His brows came together and he sighed, shaking his head.

"Didn't do enough, apperantly."

"It almost did too much," I laughed, the sound creating an odd feeling in me. I hadn't laughed out of happiness in a long while, might be a bit longer before I would. "I thought I killed him once, worst three minutes of my life. I almost had to for real, and I'm still not ready for that possibility." With a deep breath, Snart held his hands up for my view, gun dangling at his hip, slowly taking steps forward. I frowned when he gingerly put his arms around me, warmer than I expected him to be. I don't know what I expected to be under his heavy coat, but it wasn't kindness, warmth, and a softly defined abdomen.

"You know how to find me if you need anything, Candy Kane." I slowly pulled out of Snart's hug, hesitantly pulling my mask back on.

"Thanks, Len," I breathed. "I'll see ya." Once I'd put enough distance between us and made sure Snart wasn't following me, I began following him. Took some time but I eventually followed him home. And now I know where to find you, I thought with a soft breath. Looking around the layout of buildings, I began looking for one to take over for a few days at max. Barry's habits were starting to become my own, but for once I acted faster than he did. He was too smart for his own good, he'd find me if I stayed in one place much longer than a week.

I carefully set myself on the top floor of a warehouse, able to see Snart's place and the water front from here. I hadn't gotten any new orders from Talia, so I would rest tonight. I stood at the window for a long time, occasionally catching the red and blue lights of sirens, sometimes even just the blue light of the Flash. I had been watching the city for a couple hours, the buzz of the satalite phone catching my attention. I don't know how I missed it ringing, but I picked it up and called my voicemail.

"I know it's only been a couple days, but I need to see you soon." He paused and took a few, long breaths, tiredness to him. "I miss you more now that you're in Central City more than I did while you were at Nanda Parbat. I don't even know how that's possible." Barry sounded almost drunk, more than likely sleep deprieved. "I can barely keep my eyes open but I want you here. Please, Dromi." I looked out the window as the message cut off, debating strongly with myself.

⚡

I talked myself into waiting, using the next day to follow him around and pinpoint his new livingquarters, waiting hours after dark before even considering it. I wouldn't be able to go in through his entrance, he locked it from the inside before shutting things down at night, so I found my own way in. I carefully made my way through his clutter, my fingers wrapped tight around Christine. I stopped at his bookcase, slowly reshelving the book with a deep breath.

I was even slower walking into his bedroom. Barry was curled up at the edge of his bed, a pillow tightly held to his chest where my body usually rested at times like these. It was amazing how much longer his hair was than mine, feeling envious of it again as I pushed some black strands from his face. He hadn't shaved in a bit, making him look older as his face scrunched up. I could tell he was dreaming by the way his hands twitched around the pillow, clenching and relaxing over and over again. "Shh," I whispered, smoothing my fingers over his temple.

I released a soft breath when the tenseness in his muscles eased, his expression softening with a miniscule tilt to his lips. I pressed a gentle kiss to his forhead and made my leave, taking a deep breath as I left him.

⚡

Barry woke up panting, his hands clutching at his pillow tightly. She was here. He didn't have any proof but the feeling left on his skin and her appearance in his dream. "She was here," he grogily got out as he forced himself out of bed, as if saying it aloud would make the evidence materialize. When he found nothing out of place in his bedroom he moved on to the rest of his shack.

It took a while for him to notice the gap in his bookshelf had been filled, but he scanned over the spines quickly, pulling Christine out from the top of the spine, his breath wavering as he verified his initails written at the top of the pages. Barry flipped through the pages, recognizing the dog ears from use over the years. A loose page slipped from the back and he easily caught it before it neared the floor. There was writing on one side but his eyes were caught on a picture of himself sleeping, dated July of this year, while she was gone. He brushed his fingers over the linework, turning it over to read the back.

'You're so peaceful when you sleep, at least when I'm around. Rest easy, my eyes. You deserve it.' She hadn't signed the note or the piece, but her words were enough of a tell. Taking a deep breath, he put Christine back in her place and walked back to his room, opening up the drawer of his nightstand. Barry didn't know Andy had kept a sketchbook until he had moved the first time, since finding it he kept it at his bedside. Gingerly lifting the blue book, he placed the new piece over the one of the park they'd visted, drifting through the rest of her work when he found himself unable to fall back asleep. "She was here," he nodded, confirmation within reach.