When Hell Freezes Over

[catchacold]

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[gotspeed]

"This is bad."

Perhaps the understatement of the day. Not the best day either. If he had to sum up the day, it'd just be known as that giant awful clusterfuck time where he tried to work with Leonard Snart and his sister. The results were ... mixed. And that was being generous. He was trying and very obviously failing here but he had to do something. He didn't know what would have happened if they'd gotten any further, he didn't know how much he could trust Leonard and he really didn't think it was going to end any better with Leonard.

He was the complication Barry expected. He was what he was preparing himself for, despite everything. What he didn't prepare himself for was the giant yellow whirlwind that came and ruined everything. As usual. Honestly, he should have expected it.

Sabotaged or not, the truck didn't hold up much against Eobard and whatever he did when he went through it, it powered down Cisco's safe guard and like that, their prisoners were free. Eobard had beaten Leonard to the punch in one swift move and proceeded to rush at Barry, catapulting the other half way across the run way and rolling towards the very, very angry and very, very dangerous prisons.

Yeah, no, this was definitely bad.

[catchacold]

"Mardon!" Whatever was in Leonard's voice, it made the temperature drop. Well. Not directly, but close enough, because the Weather Wizard heard him and while he had no idea what Leonard wanted, a storm was as good a guess as any. "Fog it."

That should make seeing anything a lot more difficult, even for the yellow lightning man. Leonard kept an eye out, noting where exactly everyone was located before seeing anything could get even more difficult. Him and Mick crossed the streams, the steam coming up from that aiding Mark's efforts. Leonard ran until he could kneel down next to Barry, feeling his pulse with two fingers against his throat, just in case. "Close your eyes, Scarlet."

[gotspeed]

Barry only took a second before he was back upright, his eyes wide as he pulled himself up and tried to see in this thick fog that almost choked him, it was strangely claustrophobic and he had no idea where anyone was, he could only make out lights and voices. It didn't help his head had been bashed so hard, he was still very fuzzy. Then he saw it, that flicker on red, those eyes glowing into the fog as the yellow man zoomed in to them again, this time hitting Leonard hard to try and break the stream, to get a little more viability before retreating. Sure, he couldn't see them but they couldn't see him either.

"Snart?" Barry asked as he turned to try and see if he was all right, on guard and ready to attack if Eobard came back. "I can't see a thing, I can't--" Barry paused as his vision blurred, he hit his head pretty hard, anyone else would have been out cold. He'd gotten lucky. "We need to leave. Now!"

[catchacold]

"Close your eyes!" Since apparently Barry wasn't inclined to listen, Leonard pulled him down where he was after being hit like that, covering Barry's eyes with on hand before calling out loudly. "Mardon, wind!" The fog cleared within a moment as the temperature changed and wind picked up and Leonard closed his own eyes while screaming yet another name. "Bivolo!"

It was a signal for everyone else to look away and Leonard had no idea how well it would work, but if they could just confuse the yellow blur for a moment or at least catch him off-guard enough to make him leave, that'd at least give them a chance.

[mostlyajerk]

"Where's Cold?" Hartley realised belatedly that maybe that shouldn't be the first thing he said upon opening the door, with the eyes of everyone on him, after he hadn't been around for a while. He hated socialising, even the rogues had rules about it. He slowly made his way down the stairs, not even expecting an answer now.

"Unwind, Piper. Have a drink." Wonderful, he'd succeeded in amusing Mark. Either that or he just wanted to get him drunk again, both possibilities. Still, Hartley did approach the bar, glancing around to see who all was even present. No Cold though, which was an issue. Nobody else could unite them all.

[trickedya]

"Mommy and daddy are talking privately. They seem pissy, I wouldn't cut in. Chill out, have a drink." Just some friendly advise for the most handsome man in his life, Axel thought he was doing a service, being so helpful. He poured another glass of vodka and slid it along the table in Hartley's direction, curious if for once he'd actually join them.

"Axel's right. For once. Don't risk it." Bivolo offered from where he was working on his canvas, about as averse to being with the others as Hartley but not quite as anti social. It seems all the rogues knew when to leave Leonard and Mick alone, it was never wise to interrupt them, not even when they were just hanging out.

[mostlyajerk]

Hartley took the glass, but reminded himself of a mantra he had taught himself early on. Don't drink anything poured by a guy who calls himself the Trickster. Especially not if said guy had been arrested for poisoning an entire party of people. He just left the glass on the bar and tried to look relaxed, which was probably not working. Bivolo was doing a better job of fitting in than he was and it didn't help that Mark sent a cloud his way just for fun.

"Don't rain on me."

You came here to rain on the parade."

"Right. Great. How long is he going to be fighting with Mick?"

[trickedya]

"Leonard had that smouldering look of disapproval. So a while. It's so hot when he looks like that. So commanding yet dangerous. Very sexy" Axel leaned over and took the rejected drink, knocking it back in a few gulps before pouring another one. It was only fair, he didn't feel very offended, not many people liked to take anything he'd poured or made, it was always dodgy to tell where it would end.

Though admittedly, slipping a roofie into Nimbus' drink was the best thing he'd ever done.

"Text him if you want him that badly. He might look?"

[mostlyajerk]

So.

Good news and bad news.

[gotspeed]

Oh God what now?

[mostlyajerk]

I think I just set you up on a date.

[gotspeed]

................

with who????

[gotspeed]

Barry was there, about half an hour late but that was pretty early for Barry, all things considered. He came over to where Leonard was sitting and slid in the booth net to him, arms crossed, trying to keep his distance. Barry still wasn't sure it was a good idea but he supposed the least he could do was meet Leonard. Especially after Hartley set all of this up for him. For whatever reason.

"What did you want?"

[catchacold]

"More ice." Leonard tapped his finger against his glass to emphasise the point, then just shrugged and drank the coke as it was, with not enough ice. His eyes never left Barry and he smiled at him happily enough. "I thought you wanted something. Needed, even." If he recalled Piper's words right. Not that he minded Barry's attitude, it was pretty adorable.

Leonard leaned back, running a knuckle along his glass to wipe of the condensation. "Do you want something to drink? Eat? It's on me."

[gotspeed]

"I don't want anything from you. And I definitely don't need anything." What had Hartley told them? He wasn't overly flattered that Hartley had gone to the rogues and apparently sold him as someone in dire need of help. It didn't feel so good and he was worried what kind of image that was selling of the Flash. He knew Hartley's heart was in the right place but he'd worked with Leonard before, he'd needed him before and it didn't end well. He'd have to be stupid to agree again.

Joe told him as much when he even so much as agreed to meet him. "I'm good, thanks." He wasn't. He was like super hungry. God, he should have eaten before he came. His resolve lasted about five seconds before he sighed and started to get up. "Actually, I do but I'll pay myself."

[catchacold]

"Whatever you say, Barry." Leonard shrugged and looked up only when the waitress approached to set a plate with a burger and a load of fries down in front of him. "My friend here wants to order. He's paying himself."

He was willing to go along with that, given it saved him money. For now he reached for the ketchup and put some on his plate as he started to eat. Apparently they weren't even going to pretend to bother with manners. "Would you rather endanger your team or mine?"

to Mick, just cause

[mostlyajerk]

Where is Cold?

[boilover]

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[mostlyajerk]

Thank you. Very helpful. So nice to work with professionals.

[catchacold]

Trapping a speedster might not typically be easy, but in Barry's case right now? Not a problem, not for someone who knew him that well. All it took was a well timed recording of a scream for help and then the cold gun aimed at the ground so Barry slipped and crashed into the wall of the nearest house.

He approached him leisurely, his leg still hurt and his face was bruised, but he was good at ignoring pain. It was more habit than anything that actually had him cock the gun as he looked down at Barry, although it might also keep him from just running off.

"Hey there, Scarlet. How's it going?"

[gotspeed]

Barry crashed into the wall hard. Very hard. So hard, a good chunk of the plastering broke off. It wasn't much of a shock really, crashing at high speeds did that. Barry cried out in pain as he rolled onto his back, huffing out a breath because his wrist had bent at a strange angle and his leg was definitely swelling at the side. What kind of trap was this?

"What the hell?" Barry gritted out. At least the others had been nice about stopping him! Barry closed his eyes and dropped his head against the floor, cradling his hand close. This was not good.

[catchacold]

"...let me guess, you were never one for athletics before the explosion? Remind me to teach you how to roll some time." Because that was abysmal, for someone who was as capable of fast reaction as Barry. But that was beside the point, even if he did feel a little guilty he hadn't intended to hurt him that badly. Leonard knelt down, lowering his gun. "Long time no see, Scarlet. Didn't miss me?"

[gotspeed]

[mostlyajerk]

Thank you, Beary.

But I don't feel so bad.

[gotspeed]

I should have checked in soon.

I'm glad you're feeling better.