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Everyone knows Central City is the home of Speedsters. It's their city. Their home. Therefore it is under their protection. Flash and Kid Flash. They guard that city like it's full of treasure and to them it is.
Crime in Central City isn't like other cities. It's not insanely high like Gotham or Star City. It's lighter. It's more colorful. Yes, there is still crime. Still criminals. If there weren't Flash and Kid Flash wouldn't need to be the city's heroes.
Still, the city has some rather unique criminals. A band of thieves called the Rogues. They aren't like Robin Hood and his Merry Men. They steal for themselves. Yet at the same time, they maintain a sort of balance. They have a certain code they follow. “Steal from those that can afford it.” “Never hurt women and children.” “No killing – we're not murderers.”
They also possess a sort of.. unusual adoration from the city's youngest hero – Kid Flash, whom they nicknamed “Baby Flash” from his first debut in public. When it's business they taunt and try to one-up each other, but they never use the force they do with Flash on their baby. Their thoughts are that he may be a hero, but he's a baby and he's their baby hero.
Kid Flash doesn't exactly like being called “Baby Flash”. What self-respecting superhero would? It's not a nickname that he wants to stick. He definitely doesn't think that the Justice League will ever treat him like the hero he is with a nickname like that. Kid Flash complains time and time again, but the Rogues just smile and pat him on the back. They even give him candy (which he should hate because they're treating him like a child, but he does love candy).
Off the job, Kid Flash hangs out with the Rogues. He makes sure they're okay and happy. Makes sure that James is taking his meds. He even learns some thief trade skills from them (which he will never tell his uncle Barry about). It's fun. They are friendly. They're kind of like his criminal pseudo-family. Criminals or not, Kid Flash is quite taken with them too.
On the job, as previously mentioned, it's all business. Much like it is today. They pull a heist (from a jewelry store or a bank or some odd place), Flash and Kid Flash show up, they tussle, and more often than not someone goes to jail (even if they do end up escaping before the week's over). Well, it's Flash and Kid Flash most of the times. Flash, being one of the Original Seven, has duties with the Justice League that take his attention and time away from Central City, so sometimes it's just Kid Flash. He manages.
Kid Flash is just skidding to a halt at scene of the robbery, scowling. He wishes that Flash were there with him. Not that he can't handle himself. It's just that… it's always more fun with Flash. Crime fighting with your idol is always amazing. Still, he knows he'd curse the situation that pulled Flash away if it wasn't just the Rogues. He's learned to have fun with or without the Flash when it came to the Rogues.
“Baby Flash!” Trickster squeals with joy at the sight of his hero friend. Kid Flash can't help but smirk a little at the pleasant welcome. It's hard to hate that kind of happy person. Even Captain Cold looks like he's smiling a little at him. “No Flasher this time?” Heatwave's eyes are glancing around for the adult Speedster. Kid Flash just shakes his head with a sigh. “League business,” he replies, trying and failing not to pout.
Mirror Master and Pied Piper frown a little, upset at Kid Flash's sad face. Before he can tell them that it's fine Trickster leaps at him, glomping him and hugging tightly. Kid Flash stumbles with an 'umf!' “Awe, it's okay, Baby Flash. Trickster's here!” Trickster's fingers run through his ginger hair, petting him. Kid Flash scowls a little. He's not some pet.
He tries not to sigh with relief with Captain Cold and Captain Boomerang peel the energetic thief off the young hero. “Really James? We're in the middle of the job,” Cold tells Trickster, who has the guts to just pout at the Rogue leader. It makes Kid Flash laugh faintly. Trickster would have no fear. He was a bit crazy. Especially off his meds.
Trickster just huffs when he gets dragged back to the side with the other Rogues. “Now then. Back to fighting,” Cold remarks. Both sides tense. The Rogues prepare their weapons as Kid Flash crouches for a better position to race into the fray with. “Ready...” Trickster shouts. “Set...” Muscles curl up, ready to spring to action. “BAZINGA!” Kid Flash and the Rogues, minus Captain Cold, stumble.
“Damnit Trickster!” Mirror Master curses the excitable Rogue. Captain Cold just sighs, as if he might be developing a headache. “Let's just start already.” At his word, the fight breaks out. Kid Flash is racing around the Rogues, disarming Pied Piper and knocking the wind out of Captain Boomerang.
Kid Flash easily dodges ice beams from Captain Cold and fire blasts from Heatwave. He's fast enough. As long as he doesn't get distracted, he'll be fine. Yet, in the midst of the fighting, he sees something. A fireball. A fucking fireball. It's not from Heatwave. It's hurtling through the air at Captain Cold. And he remembers that shit.
Kid Flash's eyes narrow and he speeds in front of Captain Cold, just in time to catch the fireball with his chest. “Mother ---!!!” He yelps as fire licks his chest, burning his skin. The smell of burning flesh makes him want to gag and the pain makes him want to keel over.
The appearance of Kid Flash in front of cold – getting injured in place of Captain Cold.. The world goes still. Silent and still. All of the Rogues' eyes are trained on their Baby Flash, who's cursing up a storm, wincing in pain.
“What the fuck, assholes!?” Kid Flash yells at two figures approaching the scene.
The Rogues don't recognize the two costumed figures, but it's more than obvious Kid Flash does. “What a whiny bitch,” Blaze remarks to Razor, who's eyes are narrowed at Kid Flash in visible disgust. “Look at him covering for a criminal. He doesn't even have the guts to take them down. Doesn't deserve to be a hero,” Razor spits out hatefully.
All of the Rogues' attentions snap to the two heroes. Their bodies stiffening and eyes narrowing with pure fury. Kid Flash doesn't notice and just shouts angrily at the two. “This is the Flash's city. Not yours. You don't belong here. Back. The. Fuck. Away!”
Blaze and Razor burst out laughing. “Did you hear something, Blaze?” Blaze raises an eyebrow. “Like a mutt about to bite the dust? Yes, yes I did,” he tells Razor.
Blaze throws another fireball at Kid Flash, who grabs Captain Cold and jerks him out of the way with him. Unfortunately, he doesn't notice two knives flying through the air Razor throws. The blades dig into his side, slicing into his flesh. “Shit,” Kid Flash curses and stumbles. Captain Cold grabs the kid and jerks him out of the way as more knives and fireballs fly.
Another knife skims Kid Flash's neck and all the Rogues can see is their Baby Flash in Cold's arms, bleeding and burned. That's when their self control snaps.
Cold brings his gun up and blasts a few incoming fireballs. Before they know it, Razor and Blade are chest deep in ice. “What the –!?”
“Nobody hurts Kid Flash,” Captain Cold growls.
Blaze burns through the ice only to receive a heavy handed punch on the jaw from Heatwave, who scoffs as Blaze stumbles back. “Wimp.”
Trickster and Pied Piper are beating on Razor, still trapped in ice. “How dare you hurt Baby Flash!”
Mirror Master and Captain Boomerang step up to Blaze and knock him upside the head and in the gut. “Lookit this lil' fucker. Thinks he's so hot,” Captain Boomerang says, whacking Blaze's arm with a boomerang and feeling sufficiently satisfied with the crack he hears as bone breaks.
Looking at his Rogues beating up the two arrogant wannabe heroes, Cold raises an eyebrow but doesn't say anything other than - “Make sure they know that if they ever touch the kid again, we won't let them off easy.” Secretly enjoying the cracks and pathetic whimpers of the source of his anger, he opts to leave the lesson to his Rogues and focus on the kid.
“C-Cold?” Kid Flash whines in Cold's arms. “Hurts,” he frowns, trying not to whimper too much.
Knives still embedded in the kid's side, Captain Cold snarls. He's so pissed he hopes someone bashes their heads so much they get amnesia. Usually he'd think that that's unlikely, but with the way the Rogues are, in their rage it might just happen. Even if it does, Cold knows that he'll torment them for the rest of their lives.
“This is going to hurt a little, but stay with me, okay Kid?” Seeing Kid Flash nod, he tells the kid to take deep breaths and yanks the knives out, one by one. It's heart breaking to hear the strangled sob from the kid's mouth and to see blood dye his yellow costume red.
The burns he can't do much for. They need to be properly cared for and there's nothing he can do out in the open. Cold turns his head to the Rogues and the wannabes who look like beaten up rag dolls.
“Leave them,” he orders, tone icy. “Kid needs proper medical attention.”
He doesn't stop Trickster from stomping over and giving Blaze a kick in the head. In fact, he kind of wants to do that, but there's time. If not today, then tomorrow. He'll make sure they pay.
Kid Flash wakes up in a bed back at one of the Rogues' safe houses. He hisses in pain as he sits up. His body is bandaged, torso wrapped in gauze.
“Welcome back, kid.” The young Speedster's gaze snaps over to see Len sitting in a chair by the bedside. “You gave us a scare when you blacked out.”
Kid Flash frowns. He's still got his cowl on at least, but the rest of him is practically nude (at least he has boxers on). “What happened to Blaze and Razor?”
He shivers when he sees Len's eyes darken with hate at the mention. “We took care of them.” Kid Flash raises an eyebrow but doesn't ask what exactly that entails. He'd rather not know. Well they were douches so he doesn't really care.
A loud grumbling sound fills the room and Kid Flash blushes. Speedster metabolism really makes things awkward sometimes. Len snorts, amused. “A little hungry there, kid?”
Kid Flash scowls at Len angrily, but he looks more like an angry little kitten so it's nothing but adorable. It makes Len smile because this is how the kid should look. Alive and not whithering in pain.
“Think you can make it to the kitchen? Mick's making dinner,” Len tells him. He has to stop himself from laughing when he sees the kid's eyes light up. “For food, anything,” Kid Flash tells Len, already hurrying from the bed despite the pain.
There's quite a spread on the table that extends to the counter. They're quite versed in a Speedster's appetite these days. The first time had startled them to see how much their Baby Flash could eat, but they could adapt.
“Baby Flash!” Trickster - James shouts, happily as he jumps up. He throws his arms around Kid Flash, more gentle than normal because of Kid Flash's injuries. Mick grins at Kid Flash and the other Rogues look relieved to see him up on his feet again.
“How are you feeling, kid?” Kid Flash shrugs, James slipping into a chair at the table. “Kid starved,” Len replies. “Good thing there's plenty to eat then,” Sam tells them. The Rogues smirk at Kid Flash's pout.
They watch as Kid Flash loads his large plate with all kinds of food and digs in like he hasn't eaten in months. When he's done they all migrate to the living room and turn on the TV, collectively watching Indiana Jones. They sneak peeks at their Baby Flash to make sure he's okay. Mentally all agreeing that the next time they see those two heroes they'll do more than beat them black and blue and break a bone or two.
While Len had wanted to get in some hits, he's content for now with the knowledge that Flash still hasn't heard. Len smirks at the thought. Maybe he can pay someone to tape Flash's little 'chat' with the wannabes when he hears. Or maybe he'll just give Flash a call and tell him so they can have that 'chat' together.