Work Text:
Barry focused on the apple lying on the table. He pulled his index and middle fingers toward his chest as if calling for the apple, but nothing happened. His face scrunched in concentration as he tried the motion again. Nothing happened. Barry squinted his eyes and with a grunt tried again. Nothing.
“Did something happen to your power, dude?” Cisco asked as he picked up the apple and bit into it.
“No, just thought I would try something.” Barry said as his image faded.
“Ugh, I hate when you do that.” Cisco groaned. “Where are you?”
“In here.” Barry called from the livingroom.
“What was that?” Cisco asked as he bit into the apple again.
“Training.” Barry said as he typed on his laptop. “I was trying to see if I could use my powers in my astral form.”
“Nice. Any reason why you’re practicing?”
“We’ve been getting stronger people come for us. Might as well train to get stronger as well right?” Barry shrugged as he closed his laptop.
“Where’s Caitlin?”
“Here.” Caitlin said as she hurried down the stairs in her heels.
“Woah, someone looks gorgeous.” Cisco complimented as Caitlin walked into the room. “What’s the occasion?”
“Brunch date with Mick.” Caitlin said matter of factly as she picked up her purse.
“I don’t get why you even give the Rogues a chance, Caitlin.” Barry said trying not to roll his eyes.
“You’re just made that their leader thinks your inferior.” Cisco said pointing an accusing finger at Barry.
“It’s not like they kill people. They just like playing tricks and messing around with their powers. They’re not required to help the greater good like we are, Barry.” Caitlin said as she bid the two goodbye and walked out of the house.
“Whatever.” Barry muttered and packed up his laptop. “I’m heading to work.” Barry got up, picked up his side bag, and followed Caitlin out the door.
“You need a ride to Star Labs?” Barry stuck his head back through the door to ask Cisco.
Cisco shook his head. “Not today.”
“Alright, then, see you later.” Barry waved and pulled the door shut behind him.
Barry slipped into his car and placed his side bag in the seat next to him. He headed to CCPD and through the late morning traffic. He hated taking this route because there was always road construction and without a doubt, Barry pulled up into a line of cars being obstructed by construction vehicles. He looked around as the traffic moved very little. He made a double take when he saw the large arrow change indicating the direction he should go change. He swore it was going in a different direction, but hurried to move when he heard honking behind him. He turned down the indicated streat and was lead into an alley.
Something was wrong. That sign had magically changed and now there were other arrows on the alley walls leading him down the alley. He stopped and parked the car, got out, and followed the signs. He walked slowly and made sure to look at his surroundings just in case he noticed something else. He walked to the end of the alley and came to a sign that read ‘final destination’. He looked around, but noticed nothing. It was just a dirty dead end. He was about to turn and leave when he heard muffled sobbing. Barry took a breath and stepped farther into the dead end. A young man pushed a blanket off him and started screaming in pain.
“Hey, man, are you okay?” barry asked.
“Stay away. There’s too much pain!” The man screamed as he made himself as small as he could.
“Hey, there, I’m just trying to help. Tell me what’s wrong.” Barry asked.
“Too many emotions. I feel everything!” the man growled. “So much pain.”
“Are- are you an empath?”
The man shook his head in pain. “I can feel your pain. Your pent up frustrations. Please, just stay away!”
Barry took a step back when the man lunged at him. The man tackled him to the floor and grabbed him by the shirt.
“Make it stop!” the man sobbed. “Please, make it stop.”
“Okay!” Barry yelled as he threw the man off with his power. “I can help you.”
The man calmed down a bit.
“Why are you trying to stop your gift? You should embrace it.” Barry said softly.
“Gift?! You must be crazy! This thing isn’t a gift. It’s a curse! I’m cursed to be in misery for the rest of my life!” the man yelled back.
“If you’d just-”
“I just want this gone!” the man yelled, bug eyed and spit flying from his mouth.
“Okay, I’ll help you.” Barry said. “Give me your hand.”
The man all but grabbed Barry’s hand and almost yanked him to the floor. Barry looked down at the man and breathed in deeply. “Free the empath, release his gift, Let his pain be cast adrift.”
The guy’s eyes cleared as his eyes widened. “I don’t feel anything. I don’t feel anything! The pain is completely gone! How?”
“Don’t worry about it.” Barry said as he bid him goodbye and walked away.
“You mean you just took this man’ gift?!” Caitlin almost yelled when Barry returned home.
“He was in pain, Caitlin. I did the only thing I thought I could do.”
“But, Barry, you don’t know what this could have done. It could have gone into you, the power could be up in the air for anyone to affect? How could you be so reckless?” Caitlin rambled.
“It’s fine, Caitlin. Nothing happened.” Barry pleaded as he looked to Cisco for help.
“Hey, man, don’t look at me.” Cisco said with his hands up.
Barry woke up the next day feeling refreshed, he headed to work that afternoon with vigor. he smiled brightly as he entered the precinct. The ones already there greeted him as he went up to his lab. He wondered if anything had happened to the power he’d removed from the man yesterday. Everything seemed fine. That was until Barry started sobbing uncontrollably. Barry was so confused. He wasn’t sad so why was he crying?
He made his way out his lab to Joe, but noticed a woman sobbing frantically at Eddie’s desk. Barry froze. Eddie told something to the woman and she just sobbed harder. Barry fell to his knees as pure sadness overtook him. He was outright crying frantically now and he did his best to stop it. he pulled himself together and walked over to Joe. His face contorted in confusion to match the waves coming off Joe’s person.
“J-Joe, I think I need to head out. can you cover for me?” Barry squeaked as he ran out the precinct and to his car. He drove straight home and hurried into the house. His heart ached as he passed Mick on the doorstep.
He opened the door and felt the same ache rolling off Caitlin in full force. “Why don’t you just tell him you love him?” Barry asked suddenly.
“What- what are you talking about, Barry?” Caitlin stuttered.
“Come on he loves you too. I felt it when I passed him on the way out.”
“What are you talking about. What did you feel?”
“Longing, an aching heart, the feeling when you can’t breathe around them.”
“You mean what you feel when you’re around Len?”
Barry made a face. “No way.”
“Ow!” Barry and Cisco yelled simultaneously.
Barry clutched his shoulder as Cisco came down the stairs.
“Sorry, fell.” Cisco said.
Caitlin looked back at barry then at Cisco. Her face grew angry. “I told you! You got that empath’s powers didn’t you!”
“Maybe.” Barry said quietly.
“We can take care of it, Caitlin, stop worrying.” Cisco said with a smile.
Barry looked confused for a moment. “You.”
“Me?” Cisco asked.
“I feel all hot and bothered. What did you do?” Barry asked.
“I may have Hartley and Lisa in my room…” Cisco trailed off.
Caitlin looked scandalized.
“You were having a threesome?” Barry laughed.
“Maybe.” Cisco blushed.
“Ugh.” Barry moaned loudly and covered his mouth, his face turning red.
“Uh, I think your lovers need you back, Cisco.” Caitlin said as he pushed him up the stairs.
Caitlin stared at Barry in disappointment when Cisco left.
“Can you please have more faith? I can control this.” Barry said.
“I didn’t say anything.” Caitlin defended.
“I can feel it front and center, Caitlin.” Barry said. “I can feel all of it!”
The microwave behind Caitlin exploded and caitlin screamed as she moved away.
“What was that?”
“I- I don’t know.” Barry said feeling her fear. “I think it was me? I just feel everyone’s feelings in this house screeching in my head.”
“Well, let’s go check the Book of Shadows. something has to be written in it.” Caitlin said as she made her way upstairs.
“What? No!”
“What?” Caitlin asked.
“You. You have to go to Mick. You have to tell him how you feel.” Barry said.
Caitlin looked unsure. “I don’t know, Barry. Are you sure? I want to help you”
Barry placed his hands on caitlin’s shoulders. “Go to him or you’ll regret it.”
Caitlin nodded. “Be careful.” she said as she made her way out the front door.
Barry jogged up the stairs and blushed when he passed Cisco’s room. “Hey! Stop with the kinks!” he yelled as he banged on the door. He made his way to the attic to check the Book of Shadows, but he started feeling pain. He picked up the book and tried to look through the pages, but all the emotions around him kept distracting him. He felt the hate from the neighbors next door, the feelings from Hartley and Lisa down the hall, the helplessness from the stranger walking passed the house. He brought his hands up to his head as he began shaking. The power was getting too strong. He couldn’t take it. he had to be alone.
He grabbed the book and almost stumbled down the stairs in an effort to get away from all the emotions he felt around him. He kneeled on the floor and forgot about the book as he tried to fight the feelings. He rocked back and forth in place as his head filled with pain. His whole body felt sore. Barry didn’t know how long he’d been down there until Cisco had walked down the stairs the next morning.
“Barry? What happened.” Hartley and Lisa had followed him down stairs.
Barry stood up and tried to push himself into a corner. “I’m just- just trying to escape.” he breathed frantically. “I needed to get away.”
“Away from what, Barry?”
“Everything” he sobbed. “I just feel everything.”
Lisa took a step closer to Barry and he screamed. “Don’t. Don’t. I feel your worry, your pity. It’s too much.I can’t get away.”
“What are you talking about?” Hartley asked.
“It’s not just you guys. I feel emotions from everywhere. The neighbors, the people on the street, it’s everywhere. I feel it in my head and in my heart. It just hurts so much” Barry sobbed still trying to catch his breath.
“I’ll call, Caitlin. We’ll go find this man.” Cisco said. “Let’s get him in the car.”
Half an hour later, they were in a car with Caitlin and Barry was almost screaming. he could feel the emotions from all of the construction workers in the area. The place was too public. His powers went haywire and Caitlin had to freeze the scene so they could save the innocents from falling debris. They made it to the alley, but the man wasn’t there and Barry was feeling even more and more pain. He was in fetal position on the gravel and no one knew what to do.
They forced Barry up and took him home. He screamed in pain the whole time back.
“I think we should go get Len.” Lisa said as Barry tumbled down the stairs into the basement.
“What can he do?” Caitlin asked.
“His powers left him in a similar vein when he first got them. His powers are based in his emotions and his ability to control them. He can help.” Lisa said.
Caitlin nodded. "Hurry, the pain might kill him!"
“We’ll get him.” Cisco said as he orbed away with Lisa.
Barry cried out in pain loudly just as Cisco returned with Lisa and Len.
“Barry?!” Len ran over.
“Stay away, please! it’s too much!” Barry screamed.
“Barry, listen to me” Len said as he gripped Barry’s shoulders. “You can’t fight it. Of you fight it there’s only more pain. You have to embrace the gift. embrace the emotion and the pain.”
“No, Len, I- I can’t” Barry sobbed, shaking his head.
“Yes, you can, Barry you strong. I’ve been through this. I know how to deal with this. Focus on me. Focus on my emotions.”
“No, it’s too much!”
“You can do it, Barry. I believe in you.” Len whispered as he pulled Barry’s hands to his lips.
Barry nodded, but cried out again.
“Come on, Barry!”
“I’m trying!”
“Try harder! You have to focus, Kid. Come on! You have to do this or you'll die!” Len growled.
Barry froze mid sob as his eyes cleared. He felt the pain leave him as Len’s love washed over his form. his eyes widened when he saw Len’s caring, worried stare. Barry felt light. Like he could do anything. The empath powers washed out of him and he felt in complete control.
“Is- is that how you really feel?” Barry whispered as his hand came up to cup Len’s face.
Len nodded once as he stared Barry straight in the eye.
“I- I thought you hated me.”
“Does that feel like hate to you, Barry.”
Barry shook his head.
“I could never hate you, Barry. You’re too bright a soul for someone to hate.” Len said as he pressed his face into Barry’s caress.
“I love you.” Barry whispered almost brokenly.
“I love you, too. I have for a while. before you even knew who I was.” Len whispered back as Barry fell unconscious.
Barry woke up in Len’s arms on the couch.
“Are you okay now, Kid? what do you feel?” Len asked looking down at him.
Barry had his head in Len’s lap. “I feel you. Your feelings.”
Len smiled. “Good.”