Chapter Text
Each step he took brought him closer to his destination.
An experimental facility that’s been showing off their advances in Quantum physics.
Like Cyrogenic Systems, Laser absorption spectometry and their most recent project;
a completely practical quantum computer.
It's ready for operation and it might revolutionize the world.
But both Cisco and Caitlin knew big projects like that were too good to be true.
Although Alice labs hadn't done anything illegal so far, Team Flash decided to keep an eye on it.
That's when they discovered one of their employees file became corrupted.
Showing 0s or 1s, words scrambled around, even vanishing entirely. Missing.
The Investigation began.
The security of the place was enough, at least for normal people.
Barry tried being cautious anyway but with each room that he passed, it seemed like he was completely alone.
Separated from the other Employees documents, he finds the corresponding one in a single alone drawer.
The folder is even more cryptic in real life, only words it contains read: MOVED TO CENTER ROOM.
Going to the center of the Maze-like building, Barry finds himself in a room surrounded by strange machines of various shapes and sizes.
One in particular looking like a giant laser.
He would be lying if all of this didn’t look like a trap.
“Nice to see you around here Flash”.
Barry perks up, meeting Captain's Cold smile
“Snart. What are you doing here?”
Len holds his gun at the sky, tapping it with his fingers.
“Doing business”.
His other hand holds a worn out suitcase, Barry sees the trail of chaos Snart left behind.
Captain Cold makes a robbery and there are no civilians, no alarms?
Weariness starts dawing on him. Snart has a similar look on his face, nevertheless he remains positive.
“In any case we should we abl-"
A laser blasts the floor, unable to hit Leonard, who is now on Barry’s shoulder.
The Giant Laser machine roars, an endless stream of lasers come from all sides forcing him to run around in circles.
Snart moves somewhat disoriented, but immediately takes a defensive position in Barry's back, countering the lasers.
The whole situation turns Barry's cheeks a faint pink. He had to get out of there fast-
"Ahead!" He hears Len fire his weapon.
A ray appears in front of Barry,
A bright light filled the room.
His eyelids were heavy, the light starting to dissipate.
He was on the floor.
Barry tried to move, but didn’t.
Thought about his hands, legs, torso and head.
Even calling onto the speedforce gave the same result.
Then he shifted, legs standing up without his command.
The room was empty now, he could see his gun far away.
What happened?
A voice replied, “You tell me…”. It sounded familiar.
Cold, are you there?
“Yeah..”
He goes to pick it up.
He would like to let it go right now, yet nothing happens.
Why am I holding your gun?
“What are you talking about?”
When he inspects his gun, his red gloves are holding it.
Looking down, his chest is adorned with the characteristic Flash insignia.
“Crap.”
Len strides in search of a reflective surface.
The image he finds is undeniable, Flash standing in front of a mirror with Captain Cold’s gun.
He leaves it and takes off the cowl to examine his Barry’s perplexed face, cupping it.
His eyes are shimmering, hair a little messy thanks to the mask.
It reminded him when Barry revealed his identity, Len’s never been so close to see him like this, not this long..
He takes two steps back from him-self.
Barry is astounded but not speechless.
T-That Ray! It had to be that machine’s doing— is it on?
Snart turns around to scrutinize his surroundings. All the other machines were now on the floor and the Giant Laser, deactivated.
He doesn't find his body, unsettling him. Barry notices it, the emotion, similar yet distinct enough to be separate from him.
Are we... fused?
They could perceive in each other different feelings; confusion, worry and shame.
There was another one that was more hidden away.
One that they kept from eachother, deep inside their hearts, even when said heart was now one.
Not knowing what it was didn't prevent them from thinking about it. Opening the door to an array of questions.
Can they read eachother's thoughts too? It didn't seemed like it... cause if it was, then they were doing amazing at avoiding a confession.
Is it the same for both of them? Can it be reciprocated?
Are they gonna reject it? Live forever on the unknown like they have until now?
The mirror was still in their view, now out of focus, reflecting two as one.
The possibilities weighed on them.
Paralized them.
A different voice in his head spoke: "Flash, are you okay??"
Leonard put his hand to Flash’s head accesory, in hopes of finding the answer button.
A little bit to the right.
click.
Cisco’s voice chimed in, “Barry?”.
Barry tried to answer, but as his legs, it was no use.
His thoughts were voiceless, all to one person.
Len! Let me speak
He could sense Barry was itching to do something.
However, even opening his mouth did not give him a voice back, until he spoke.
“I don’t know how”.
“What?” Cisco replied.
Ah shit, he forgot they were still in call.
He answered hastily, “I mean- I don't know how… I am...“
“Well, clearly not, your readings suddenly spiked after that, ‘flash’ of light.”
"And stopped." Caitlin adds, "We suggest you come back asap if you can”.
Len didn’t really know what to say.
He could feel Barry was expecting an answer and giving one pretty quick.
Tell her we’ll go
“We’ll go”.
Puzzlement crossed Caitlin's face, she turns to Cisco.
'Did he just said "We"' ?
“So, Barry. How do you use your speed?”
The speed force?
“Exactly”.
Not sure, i've been trying to use it the whole time we were talking…
“That thingly feeling?”
You felt something??
“Yes”.
Okay- Can you describe it?
“I can feel you really want me to do that, go fast.
Although to where and which part of my body should? No clue. “
Maybe you should take a few steps?
Len does as suggested, letting the speedforce flow through him, papers fly everywhere and the heavy machinery move away from him.
He reaches the wall.
We have it! Barry exclaims ecstatic, it was like rediscovering his powers again.
Leonard wasn’t, he continued anyway. It was like learning how to drive,
him on the steering wheel advancing bit by bit and Barry on the pedals.
They both knew where Star Labs was, they approached the path carefully, together.
Even though Barry was already accustomed to the sensation, he could not help but admire the scenery when he wasn’t focused on running.
Snart found something new as well: running had never felt so good.
Upon reaching Star Labs, Cisco and Caitlin welcome Barry as soon as they can.
Cisco asks, "You okay?", Barry Snart responds, "In one piece".
Literally.
There's a difference in his voice when he speaks, Cisco takes note of it but he doesn't say anything.
"We'll do a quick chekup to see what that laser did to you." Caitlin leaves in search of her equipment.
"I'll go check on something" says Cisco as he walks to the computers.
Alone to their momentary privacy, Leonard and Barry converse in whispers.
“Are we planning on telling them?"
Yes, although I wouldn't know where to start.
“Do you think they can fix this?”
Barry remembered the last time they separated a fusion.
The memory of going so far from Central City, carrying the tachyon separator to save Ronnie Desmond and Professor Stein from being destroyed,
Caitlin Snow running to the wreckage to see what had become of her love.
Both him and Snart went silent.
"So that’s what happened." Snart started, “don’t think you have any of those tachyon generators left?”
No but.... maybe Firestorm can help us!
Caitlin comes back, "We are gonna start with your heart rate again, then blood..."
And Caitlin. She would understand.
Len's admitelly somewhat nervous, “Caitlin?"
she gives him her full attention.
"There’s something we should tell you”
The 'we' disconcerts Caitlin, making her blink,
"What is it Barry?"
“Barry’s not the only one in this body.”
Caitlin visibly tenses up, taking her distance.
“Then, Who-”
“Captain Cold”.
Caitlin becomes speechless before coming rapidly at his side, “S-Snart?”
"One and only."
“Oh my God. And Barry?”
Right here! “Inside my head."
"Like Ronnie was?”
Yes
"He confirms".
She looks at her medical tools not sure where to begin, "How?"
Barry shrugs, Len does it instead when he feels it.
Cisco returns with a laptop showing the Facility's camera footage, "I have a theory of what may have happened to Captain Cold."
Snart smiles at the mention of his name.
"I would like to heart it".
Barry snickers.
It was Len's turn to blush, a warmness rises inside of him.
"Cisco!" Caitlin looks between him and Snart.
"He is-" She points to the ground, "In Barry's body".
Cisco's eyes light up, "I knew it!"
She puts her fingers together,"Fused".
Cisco is immediately startled- "Oh, wow" he gets closer, "Just like Ronnie".
Len finds himself inn
Len comes into his bedroom, their bedroom? It 's confusing.
For some other reason, or maybe because he was Flash, he was starting to sweat like never before.
Before he could take off the shirt, he felt a sudden impulse of the Speed Force.
Unfortunately for Barry, Len saw everything just slowly as he did.
Ahhhg!!
“What are you doing?”
Changing at super velocity… Barry trailed off, unable to find the words to explain himself.
Len raised an eyebrow, hands hanging on his shirt.
He decided to take his pants off instead.
Wait!!!
Len stood completely still, wishing for the heat to end.
Can you… close your eyes?
So that was what bothered the speedster; Len didn't seem to care about that, well, most things.
Once again, the speed force took a hold of him; he could feel Barry’s muscle memory much better with his eyes closed.
There was order in each of his movements, Len liked that.
For him, it was a slight tranquillity before sleeping.
He was back at his childhood home. Except it wasn’t the same.
Barry has had many dreams, nightmares, about that night.
He revisited the memory so much to know when something was different.
First, some of the floor’s wooden tiles changed colors, there was much more mess on the floor that he was used to.
An uncharacteristic smell of beer pervaded his house.
There was a kid on the other side of the living room, he had never seen him, even so, he recognized him as Snart.
Who, also, seemed to know Barry, but was unaware of the memory they were reliving.
Then the man in yellow and future Barry started to fight, the dream quickly turned into a nightmare.
Leonard tried to follow the rays with his gaze, in vain. His little body jumped every time one passed too close.
Barry extended his hand towards him, ignoring the storm.
When he got close to Barry, the lights had changed to punches hitting the air with a deafning sound.
Len covered himself, plugging his ears, how he hated the loud noises, the punches.
He didn’t want to know anything anymore, just close his eyes until he would wake up.
But he saw how Barry, although somewhat dazed, continued to gesture at him.
Su alrededor cambió por la mitad de la calle de esa noche, el suelo era metálico y estaba lleno de basura.
He ran until he reached Barry, who was about to dissapear.
With a single touch of their fingers, they awoke.
Their body opened its eyes, and closed them again.
There was finally silence.