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You reach out, putting your hand on his arm, and look up into the face of the man you loved. No, don't lie to yourself. The man you still love. That's why it hurts so much. When he looks back at you, the red of his eyes fade to their familiar blue.
"Don't do this," you say. "Those people are innocent. I've seen the good in you. You can choose a different way. Please, Eobard."
It feels hopeless, trying to reason with the Reverse Flash, but you're making your plea to the person beneath the mask. The one who used to bring you breakfast in bed. Who watched old sci-fi movies with you, even when they made him roll his eyes. Who cuddled you without making you feel silly for being afraid of thunderstorms. At one time, he loved you, you're sure of it. Some tiny part of that love had to have been real, didn't it?
"Oh, darling," he murmurs. "Appealing to my better nature? Did I not manage to teach you better than that?"
You sigh, having hoped it wouldn't come to this. But deep down, you've always known it would. That's the irony of it all. He has taught you well. Well enough to be prepared.
"I'm not going to let you trigger that trap." You slowly back away, knowing he can feel it the instant you summon the energy beneath your skin.
He laughs. "You copied my abilities just now, hm, my little mimic? You honestly think you can outrun me with my own speed?"
You shake your head. "No, your experience gives you the edge." You learned that the hard way, getting pulverized more than once by a meta who simply knew how to better use the skill you copied from them.
A memory flashes to mind: Eobard tending your wounds, trying to tsk sternly at you but you could see genuine fear in the stiff lines of his shoulders. "You're going to get yourself killed," he said, his hands gentle despite his tone. "Think, prepare, and don't just expect to grab an ability and turn it back on the person who's had the time and practice to perfect it."
"So what's your plan, then?" he says and now his tone is clearly mocking.
"I didn't copy your speed. Before I came here, I copied Barry's."
Just the name makes him straighten and the look that trembles across the visible part of his face is sheer hatred. "Even worse, then," he says through gritted teeth. "What good does it do you to copy a slower speedster?"
"I used Barry's speed to time travel," you say. "I went to the future, I found Barry when he's older, and I copied his speed again."
You let the Speed Force charge through you, white lightning skittering along your skin. "That Barry is faster than you," you say softly. "So much faster, isn't he, Eobard? That's why you hate him so. And he's going to help to me to stop you."
You're already moving so quickly, he looks frozen in place, with only a hint of red blooming in his eyes. This will be it, you think. He'll make room in his encompassing hatred of Barry to fit you in as well. You'll now have the Reverse Flash as a mortal enemy. The thought hurts in a way you didn't expect.
But once you dismantle his device and turn, expecting him to be right behind you in a fury, you find him a few feet away, just looking at you. To your surprise, his expression is almost… proud.
He steps forward at normal speed, a casual pace, as if he has all the time in the world, and he stops, taking your face in his hands like he's done a million times before. He kisses you, at first brief and chaste, but when he starts to pull away, you instinctively draw him back. You tightly grip hold of his suit, pressing your body into his, kissing him with all of the breath you possess. A spark, an actual spark of white and red, leaps painlessly from your tongue to his, startling you both. It's not enough to make you let go.
When you do finally separate, it feels like your heart is trying to tear itself free to follow him.
"Read my notes," he says in a husky tone, licking his lips, and then he disappears in a blast of red lightning.
You should've detained him but your head is full of static and your pounding pulse makes you unsteady.
Much later back at S.T.A.R. Labs, you dig out the notes he made on your meta ability. Most of them you've read before but, with a little more work, you find a separate set in a hidden folder. Your eyes are instantly drawn to the final lines.
I have reason to believe that the ability to mimic other meta abilities can eventually be used to transfer them to another meta as well. And if you're reading this, my darling, then thank you. You've mimicked a power that I want. You'll give it to me, won't you, sweetheart? We've always made such a good team, after all. You and I together always, as we should be.
You feel the trap springing around you and future Barry Allen's speed would be more than enough to propel you out of the way but your mind is a split-second behind, forgetting to access it quickly enough.
As you get driven down to your knees, you hear his distinctive speedster sound, angry and buzzing, and know he's coming for you.
With all of the bravery you can muster, you tell yourself that, no matter what, you'll never give him that vastly increased speed he covets. You'll stay strong, even if he tortures you.
But then you remember how you kissed him, the spark that jumped between you. You remember that you could've stepped back, could've turned away, and instead you held him tighter.
You kissed him because your heart has belonged to Eobard Thawne for a long time now. You are, indeed, trapped in more ways than one and you have no idea how to escape.