Work Text:
(Earth 2)
It started as just another assignment. Just another job. A scare tactic really. Inform Mayor Snart Zoom was in charge of the city now. Obviously Zoom had sent one of his best to complete this mission. One of his top lieutenants. He'd sent Reverb. One of the most powerful metas; possibly the most powerful one in the universe. He was probably even more powerful than Zoom himself.
Reverb had done the job. He'd gone and delivered Zoom's message. Not without catching the eye of the mayor's sister.
He'd sauntered into the mayor's office, after blasting open the doors with a vibration boom. It was safe to say he had everyone's attention. They'd all stopped working and stared at him. Reverb had stood silently observing. His eyes were hidden behind his goggles, expression blank. He moved an inch and one of the secretaries cowered in fear. A smug grin played at the corner of his mouth. He was powerful and he knew it. It was good that they learned it as well.
"I'm here to speak with the mayor." He had announced, looking around the room. His voice was cold and confident.
No one appeared like they were willing to volunteer the answer of where mayor Snart was. They all looked too afraid of Reverb to speak. It was wise, but also annoying if he was running on a schedule. He wasn't, but Reverb didn't like to be kept waiting.
Reverb let out a bored sigh. He looked down at his hand, twisting it in contemplation, lips pursed. There continued to be no answer or indication as to where the mayor was. He raised his hand, shooting a burst out at one of the glass walls. Glass shattered into a thousand pieces littering the floor, striking the employees nearby. Employees' screamed, ducking in fear.
Reverb stopped himself from smiling. Arrogance radiated off him. "I won't repeat myself."
They continued cowering, staring, frozen in panic.
He'd considered firing the next boom at someone. Maybe then his message would get through in their heads. He began to raise his hand when someone stepped out catching his attention.
A woman stood apart from the other employees. Staring at him defiant and unafraid. Brunette, tall, blue eyes, professional appearance in her dress. He knew who she was. The mayor's baby sister, Lisa Snart. Reverb stared at her intrigued. The corner of his mouth almost quirked up in a curious grin. She was beautiful and quiet, simply gazing at him.
He blinked, daring to remove his goggles. He quirked an eyebrow waiting for Lisa to say something. She had stepped forward, was she going to say something or was she just wasting his time. Reverb cleared his throat preparing a remark about how she was in fact not the mayor, only the mayor's sister. There was a difference. He opened his mouth to speak.
"I'm here," Mayor Leonard Snart said walking out from an office. He was followed by his personal bodyguard Mick. Snart moved so he stood in between his sister and Reverb. Behind him Mick even went so much as to tug Lisa aside out of Reverb's view.
Reverb smirked, replacing his goggles on his face. "The city is Zoom's," He declared. "Try to fight or resist him and you all will die."
Snart nodded. He didn't look pleased but he was a smart man. He knew what battles to fight and which ones not to bother with. Zoom wasn't something he could fight. He knew that. Snart looked Reverb over, "and you are?" The mayor asked his voice cold. He eyed Reverb warily. Reverb wondered if he'd seen his power display or not.
"Reverb," he answered with a mock bow. He noticed Lisa leaned had passed Mick and her brother to see him. They made eye contact, Lisa didn't look away. Reverb smiled smugly noting the spark of interest in her eyes.
That was how it started. How it progressed was a mystery of its own. Unexpected run ins and crossed paths at impromptu times. Stolen kisses in the darkness of night. Flirtatious remarks that would lead nowhere good.
It turned out the mayor's sweet good little sister wasn't that good after all. She had a thing for bad boys and when it came to Reverb, Lisa didn't care. She didn't have to worry about having to be the perfect little sister. The good girl who did no wrong in the public's eye. She could be herself. Not always having to be nice or say the polite or correct thing. It was freeing and exhilarating.
Every moment she spent with him Lisa found herself discovering a new side of herself that had been buried under the image that was "the mayor's little sister." Lisa discovered she liked making snarky remarks, when Reverb -Francisco, spoke sometimes. His real name was Francisco, when he'd been younger friends and family had called him Cisco, but he didn't use that name anymore. There was nothing threatening or intimidating about someone with a name like Cisco he'd explained. She had rolled her eyes at him and in return fired out yet another of her newly loved witty comebacks. She learned that if she laughed hard enough she'd snort. It had surprised them both the first time it happened. Lisa had been so embarrassed, Reverb had shrugged acting like nothing had happened.
It turned out she loved dancing. That had been a night she wouldn't forget. Following a dinner with her brother for some charity she'd gone to, Lisa had found Francisco lurking outside in the dark by her apartment. When he saw her his eyes lit up and he'd grinned at her like a cat who'd gotten the canary. She'd never understood that expression until then.
She'd approached him cautiously. "What?" Lisa had asked nervously forcing a laugh when he just continued to stare at her.
Francisco stepped up to her pulling her closer. "You don't know how beautiful you are." He'd whispered before whisking her away. Twirling her around and spinning her, beginning to slow dance right in front of her apartment under the streetlight with no music.
Lisa had laughed and tried not to let herself get carried away in the moment. She'd known, she knew, feelings weren't supposed to be apart of it. Francisco didn't work that way. He'd warned her. And that was fine. But Lisa...Lisa found herself breaking the promise she'd made herself. Don't fall for the bad guy.
Dancing in the street at near after midnight clinging to him was the first time Lisa had feared she'd end up breaking that promise.
Holding onto her as they moved in a swaying pattern in the street, Francisco found himself mentally humming a song he'd played as a kid. It was music only he could hear and only he would know he thought of it. But he thought it nonetheless. He knew he wouldn't love her, but he cared about her, deeply. There on that street he contemplated, imagining what it would be like if maybe, he did love her. If maybe they were in a normal relationship together. Not just midnight meetings and random drop bys. Actual dates, actual conversations.
Maybe in another life. A life where they weren't who they were in this one. On another world. In another timeline. Where Francisco wasn't working for a monster and Lisa wasn't in a spotlight having to be little-miss-perfect-nice-goodie-two-shoes. Francisco hated whenever he saw her in the public eye now. From the media's perspective, she was completely different person than the one he knew. Her smiles were less and her laugh was quieter. He didn't like it. He wanted to find a way that would make it so she'd never had to fake her smile again.
That wasn't his job though. His job was to do what Zoom said. And what Zoom said was basically law.
Looking back he wondered if maybe she was part of what had spawned his plot. Surely she had to do with some tiny part of it. Francisco would have guessed it would have been that night that influenced his thoughts towards it.
They had danced in the street until Lisa's feet hurt. No one hardly went out after midnight anymore so they weren't bothered. After he'd carried her inside while she'd laughed loudly repeatedly telling him not drop her. Francisco had shushed her saying he wasn't going to drop her. He did eventually drop her, on to her mattress where she didn't stop giggling till he shut her up by kissing her. Later when Lisa had fallen asleep and he couldn't sleep he found the words to the song that had been playing in his head slip out. He whispered the lyrics to her while combing his fingers through what remained of the curls in Lisa's hair from the night.
He pressed a kiss to her bare shoulder and slipped out before she woke. It wouldn't phase her, and it wouldn't be the first time he'd done it. It was part of the deal of whatever they were. He shrugged his leather jacket back on taking one last look at Lisa. She was still beautiful, just less quiet now after their thing had begun. Secretly Francisco was amazed she was still, good. That he hadn't ruined that part of her...yet. He left her apartment locking the door behind him. Lisa didn't wake up, she slept peacefully content in her dreams. In another life, another world, maybe one day he'd be able to stay. This wasn't that world or life. He had a job to do.
That was how it went for the longest time. Reverb was Reverb, Lisa was Lisa but at night they were whatever. At night in the wee hours of the morning they were together.
He should have known it wouldn't last. Francisco should have seen it. But he'd been too preoccupied. To distracted to notice the lurking shadows outside her apartment watching when he left. Ignored the feeling of being watched in place of enjoying her company, listening to Lisa laugh till she snorted. Francisco should have known, should have expected it. Nothing could stay good forever. Not in this world.
Just like every other night, he'd slipped out of her apartment closing the door and locking it behind him.
"You come here a lot," a chilly hollow sounding voice that was all too familiar said from a distance away.
Francisco slowly turned around to face them. Just as he expected Killer Frost and Deathstorm stood at the end of Lisa's steps. He didn't panic. He didn't react. Or if he did, he internalized it like a pro. He flipped out of Francisco and to Reverb just like that. Glaring at them both he walked down the steps to the apartment without sparring them a second glance. If he didn't react, it didn't give them the power they thought -they knew, they had over him. Because they didn't. He was more powerful than both of them combined. Reverb kept walking down the street, putting distance between himself and Lisa's apartment.
"So what is it about the mayor's sister that has you coming back here," Deathstorm, -Ronnie asked. There was a fake lightness in his voice, like it was a casual regular day conversation. He was almost even pulling out a laugh. "Almost every night."
He stopped walking. They had been following him. The apartment was just almost out of sight. Killer Frost laughed. The cool giggle that sounded fake no matter what. They knew. They knew. And if they knew it was only a matter of time before he knew. Reverb turned to face them. He didn't look afraid even though that was apart of what he felt. He didn't say anything either.
"So what is it about her?" Deathstorm asked. He sounded genuinely curious this time.
Reverb remained silent. His expression was a blank mask hiding the annoyance he felt towards the pair.
"Must be something special," Killer Frost remarked rolling an icy replica of snowflake around over her knuckles, like how a magician rolled a coin. "If you're not talking." She looked him in the eye smiling. It was wicked cold smile that spoke words she dare not say.
Glaring at Frost, Reverb scoffed, "how special could a powerless socialite be to me?" He retorted.
Killer Frost raised an eyebrow and diminished the snowflake in her hand. "Good question," she said with a wicked grin. "Maybe we should ask her."
It was a challenge. It was a bait. Reverb could tell from a mile away. He wanted to react. Wanted to threaten Frost and Deathstorm for even think of going near Lisa but if he did that. He'd just be playing right into their hand. It had to be clever, had to be done right. Worded just so, it wouldn't give anything about Lisa away.
He stepped towards Frost putting forward the arrogant power he knew he possessed. "Question me again and I'll will shatter every nerve in his" he glanced at Deathstorm "body, before you can even blink out an icicle." Reverb threatened striding closer to her as he spoke. Voice hard and cold, never wavering.
Killer Frost started at him, fear in her eyes. She stumbled back a step or two nearly tripping in her heels.
Reverb laughed shaking his head. Their power play hadn't worked out like they'd wanted it to. But he still wasn't in the clear. He could tell they still suspected something. Francisco would have to be smarter than them. They recoiled when he walked passed them. Good.
It shouldn't have surprised him when Black Siren brought it up.
"What's going on between you and the mayor's sister?" She asked casually one night while they were out on a job together.
Reverb did his best not to react. So Killer Frost and Deathstorm hadn't kept it to themselves. He scoffed shaking his head, "nothing."
Siren frowned, "Frost says otherwise." She sounded bored. Her heels clicked on the pavement.
"I didn't know you enjoyed partaking in teenaged gossip," Reverb fired back.
An annoyed huffed was all Siren had to respond with. Reverb resumed glaring despite his eyes being covered by his goggles.
"Just remember, breachers aren't going to catch themselves." Siren said to him once the job was done. "We don't get time for distractions."
Reverb said nothing in response. He watched her walk away, heals clicking, head held high with an superiority all the lieutenants seemed to have. Once she was gone he set off a boom at a wall. The wall crackled but it didn't fall. Dusts puffed up and he felt a little relieved.
It was probably those two nights, along with the following one that made him come up with the plan. The inspiration and instigation. It could be done and he would do it. He'd overthrow Zoom. Reverb would take control for himself. He'd be the all powerful one. The one they all feared and answered to. He'd be a god.
The following night was the night before all hell broke loose. It was the night before the breachers would come. Reverb had seen it. Seen his doppelganger and the Flash from that earth arrive on his world. But he didn't tell Zoom. He didn't tell anyone. Reverb went about his day as he normally would. It was good. With his doppelganger there, he could be even more powerful against Zoom. They both could be gods. Reverb just had to bide his time.
Zoom summoned him. Something about it, something in his gut told him things were not going to end well. Reverb stood before the monster clad in black adverting his gaze to the ground. He listened as Zoom reported how, Killer Frost, Deathstorm and Black Siren had informed him of Reverb's indiscretions. Reverb had wanted to laugh but he remained silent. He silenced his feelings. Silenced his annoyance, silenced his anger. Everything. All of it.
He said nothing, only listened to the snarl like voice that came from Zoom. Reverb only remembered a few words of what exactly it was Zoom had said to him. Words like: weak, distraction, loyalty, love, useless, disappointment, and choose. And phrases -more like threats like: dead or alive, no contact, she dies. He barely remembered saying things like: they're wrong, I have no feelings for her, don't love her, she's irrelevant, means nothing.
None of it mattered, what he did remember clearly in the demonic voice was "prove it. Choose, she lives or she dies."
Reverb had nodded and left. He made his way to Lisa's apartment.
That was how it ended...at least, how it began to end...
Lisa was surprised when she found him in her apartment, in the middle of the afternoon. Shocked but not annoyed. She picked up on his mood right away after she'd kissed him in a greeting and he'd hardly responded. He was quiet and even moodier than he normally was. Didn't even crack a smile when she tried to make a joke. Francisco usually faked a smile at best. He just sat in the corner seat of her kitchen set, silently, staring at the floor.
Lisa stopped putting away her groceries to stare at him. "What's wrong?" She demanded standing before him. Her voice was powerful and concerned.
Reverb -Francisco, hadn't known the two could ever coexist before. He laughed and looked up at her. He was so tempted to just bitterly lay it all out for her. To tell her everything. How Zoom had threatened her thanks to his, -thanks to Frost, Siren and Deathstorm. But looking up at Lisa's face, he couldn't. He couldn't put that on her. Make her fear for her life more than she already had to in the world they lived in. He frowned looking down at the floor. He had to be smart. Smarter than them all. Smarter than Zoom.
The plot had hatched in his mind already, this just furthered it. He would do this. He would end things with her, but once Zoom was gone and out of the picture, he'd come back. Sure she would be mad, possibly even hate him. But once he explained, Lisa would understand. Lisa would know Francisco had done what was the best course of action. She had to know that, being the sister's mayor, sometimes you had to make difficult bad decisions for the greater good. Like bowing down to a power hungry demonic speedster.
"Francisco," Lisa snapped getting his attention. She was closer now, more in his face. He looked up blinking at her. She frowned worried, reaching out to cup his face. "What's going on?"
He could hear anger mixing in with the worry in her voice. He hated it. At the beginning he had warned her. He'd told her, don't let your feelings get involved. Do not think this will end with feelings. It isn't some happy romance, it isn't a love story. He wouldn't fall in love with her. She had agreed. Lisa had laughed saying there was a fat chance she'd ever fall in love with a guy like him. He'd grinned and said good before kissing her once more. She'd lied. Maybe so had he. Maybe after all he'd fallen for Lisa just as much as she'd fallen for him. But that didn't matter. Their feelings didn't matter when it came to the matter of Lisa's life or death.
Francisco cleared his throat, pushing himself up out of the seat and out of Lisa's reach. He couldn't look at her but he had to. Looking her in the eye, he tried to muster all the composure, self-confidence and superiority he possessed. "This is over." Francisco stated.
Lisa stared at him. She opened her mouth and closed it a couple times. Blinking in confusion and trying follow what he said. Trying to understand. Doing her best not to seem completely caught off guard and like his words stabbed her in the heart and hurt to no end. "Um, excuse me?" She said. Her chest hurt and she worried she was going to start to hyperventilate as she found it difficult to breathe. "Did you just s-"
"It's over." Francisco repeated, his voice cold. Just like the day they had first met. Disconnected almost. "Whatever this," He said gesturing between them, "was it's done."
She forced out a laugh, "are you joking?"
Francisco did his best not to let any hurt show in his expression. He sighed acting like he was bored by her, like he didn't care. "No. We're done, Lisa. It was fun." He shrugged turning to leave. "But now, it's done."
Her eyes burned threatening tears. She was stupid, so stupid. The dumbest most idiotic, she'd fallen for him. Lisa had broken her promise and she felt like a fool. She'd known. She had known. He'd warned her. From day one. From the first time she'd laid eyes on Francisco Ramon. That was why it hurt. But that was why she fought the tears away and forced out a laugh. "Okay," she agreed laughing putting on a fake smile.
Francisco looked at her puzzled.
Lisa had wondered if it was a bluff. She figured she'd just called it and laughed. Shaking her head at him, staring with a hurt expression. "Why are you sayin-"
"This can't continue, Lisa. It's done. We had our fun." Francisco said. He noticed how Lisa bit down on her lip. It was what she did when she was stopping herself from saying what she really wanted to say. He sighed. Internally he wanted to scream at her that Zoom would kill her otherwise, but no. No he wasn't going to use that. He was already being a dick. It was best she hate him.
"Fine." Lisa snapped. Her eyes wet. "Fine." Her voice got louder. "It's done. Get out." She ordered pointing to the door.
Francisco laughed. "You're kicking me out?" He eyed her up and down before shaking his head. She surprised him.
"I am." Lisa agreed nodding. "Get out!" She yelled pointing at the door again. "You've broken up with me, now leave my home." She hissed glaring at him.
Francisco could never recall seeing her so upset. He hated that he was the cause, but couldn't help antagonizing it further because it was good. Good, let her hate him. Let her hate him with everything she had so she forget what it was like when she thought she could love him. He laughed, "sweetheart, we were never really together. None of it was real. It was just something to pass the time."
Lisa stopped, staring at him hurt. The pain in chest tripled and she could swear she felt her heartbreak even more.
The slap of her skin against his, across his face shocked him. He hadn't expected it. Never. He raised a hand to spot she'd hit touch it gingerly. It stung a bit. Lisa stared at him. He saw all the hurt and pain in her eyes mixed with the tears. In that expression, in that slap, Francisco realized no matter how angry he made her it wouldn't drive out the stupid feelings she felt. It'd only make them hurt her worse.
"Get out." Lisa whispered her voice cold. It reminded him of his when he'd threatened Frost. Francisco blinked at her. "Now. Leave and don't ever, ever, come back here." He gaped at her. "Leave Reverb!" She screamed tears falling from her eyes.
Francisco nodded. This time he didn't fight. It was the name that pushed him out. Not Francisco, not even Cisco -which she had called him on the rare occasion. Reverb. He let one foot after the other move their way out of her apartment, just like they'd done countless of times before. He left shutting the door behind him and tried to ignore the fact that before he'd shut the door he heard Lisa break down sobbing. He glanced through the crack and saw she'd collapsed to her knees on the floor.
It wasn't supposed to have gone like this. This wasn't how he'd planned it. Lisa shouldn't have gotten involved. She shouldn't have fallen for him. But he knew deep down, he had fallen for her as well. His chest hurt just as much. He longed for nothing more than to go back inside her apartment to comfort her until she stopped crying. To explain everything to her. But he couldn't.
Zoom would kill her. Zoom would kill her. He had to repeat it to himself like a mantra as he made himself walk away. Walk away and never return, just like Lisa had said. He wondered if he'd finally done it. If he'd finally broken her, made the part of her that had been good just as broken as he was. He hoped not.
Maybe once his plan was over and Zoom was gone. Maybe then he could come back but not now. Now Lisa needed him gone. Gone and far away. So Francisco would go, and in his place there'd be only Reverb. Reverb would take control. Not just of his life, but of the city. He'd overthrow Zoom. He could do it. He had to. He would become the god he knew he was powerful enough to be. He'd channel all the emotions he was feeling into rage and anger and use it against Zoom. He'd use his sadness as a power. Rather than the weakness Zoom had claimed it was. Emotions and weakness didn't suit him. They didn't suit the powerful god Reverb would become.
Brushing away his own few stray tears, Reverb kept walking away from Lisa's apartment. He had a job to do.
How it really ended was with the sound of a phone ringing, waking Lisa up. She groaned and patted around searching for her phone. When she found and answered it was her brother. Lenny called her. Lenny never called. Unless it was something serious.
He started the conversation casually, asking how Lisa was. She chose not to reply, questioning why he was really calling. Lisa heard her brother sigh from the other end of the phone. A heavy weight found a place in Lisa's gut. Lenny sighing was never a good sign. It never led to anything good. What he had to tell her was most definitely not good if he started off with a sigh.
They had found a body, in an abandoned warehouse. He told her. Lisa frowned not following what her brother was saying. What did this have to with her? Lenny carried on explaining how detective West and her partner had gone there the previous night based on the tip that they'd find Killer Frost there. They had found Killer Frost but she hadn't been alone. Deathstorm and Reverb had been there as well. Lisa tried to stop herself from gasping. The body wasn't Killer Frost's.
Lisa felt the heavy weight build up. A sick nauseous feeling joined it in her stomach. "Who is it Lenny?" She asked her voice shaking. A lump forming in throat. She didn't want to know, but part of her already knew.
He sighed again. "It's been identified as Reverb. Also known as Francisco Paco Ramon." Leonard said, his voice sounded regretful. It was heavy of the burden of having to tell his sister this news.
Her breath shook with a sob, tears poured out of her eyes. Lisa wanted to know how but she couldn't get the words out.
"His brother, Dante, confirmed it's him. The cause of death is unknown, but the wound suggests it was Zoom." Leonard relayed. Lisa continued to cry nodding even though he couldn't see her. "Lisa, are you alright?"
"M'fine Lenny." She lied trying to keep her voice from shaking as she cried. "I-I have to go." She said. Before her brother could say anything she hung up and tossed her phone away.
Lisa pulled her legs to her chest hugging her arms around them and rocking herself. He was gone. He was dead. Reverb -Francisco was dead. Lisa loved him and he was gone. Tears poured out of her eyes and she couldn't stop crying. The pain rivalled and matched the pain from the other day when she kicked him out. Lisa replayed all of what Leonard had said in her head. The wound, cause of death unknown, suggested Zoom. Zoom. She had known who he was, she had known he worked for Zoom but she'd never...never imagined this. Zoom had killed him. Francisco was dead.
She choked on a sob and got up rushing to her bathroom. The nauseous feeling was too much, Lisa was going to be sick.
Francisco was dead. Francisco was gone. He was dead. Zoom had killed him. It repeated over and over inside her head as she threw up. Her chest and throat hurt. Her eyes burned from crying.
Lisa wished she'd kept her promise. She wished she'd never met him. She wished things had been different. Maybe in another life, another world -since there were such things. Maybe in one of those she and Francisco could have been happy. Maybe in one of those she didn't love him. Or maybe he was just simply still alive and they had never met. Who knows...
Lisa didn't.
Francisco had.