Chapter Text
Why his life was so unfair to him? How could he possibly offend the universe so seriously that it was punishing him like this.. Barry didn't have the slightest idea how to answer such persistent questions in his head while zipping between the columns of the Art Museum. Dammit, it was supposed to be his day off!! The first real day off in.. well in a very long time! His work for CCPD, the Flash's duties, personal life problems (meanings Iris and Eddie's plans for their wedding and his attempts to be happy for them and not jealous or sad, which was of course easier said than done) that all filled his life so thoroughly that he's almost forgotten how to live normal life! And for sure now he really had no chance to even start remembering it!
Only did he comfortably cuddled a pillow on a couch at his house ready to watch Netflix and eat some pizza when the phone call from Cisco about the heist at the Art Museum ruined his grandiose plans for good! Evening with Captain Cold and his gun and shitty humor instead of Netflix!! Are you kidding?!
Barry almost got shot with the cold blast. It was probably a bad idea being distracted while running from constant blasts shot his way by the smirking and smug looking Cold. The bastard! He managed to catch him unguarded. The hostages he rushed to save, loudly crying blond woman clutching to the hand of a brutal and unfriendly looking man in glasses and a brown suit along with a few others quietly sitting men, turned out to be none others than the Rogues themselves! Was he blind?! Lisa was wearing the same wig he saw on her at the bar with Cisco! And the Heatwave! Glasses and a costume? Seriously? He thought he was Superman or what? But it worked, dammit! He was so angry at Snart for taking hostages which was low even for him (Snart never took hostages, Barry should have known better!) that he didn't even analise it! Only when the blond woman graciously put a big bag on her shoulder after being sped out of the Museum and blew him a kiss before sitting behind her man on a motorcycle, for fuck's sake, ready to departure after the others, did he realize what really happen! That bag! They stole something again and he helped them escape! Barry was about to rash after them when was almost hit in the stomach with the cold blast. And now he was trying to stop Snart from escaping without being iced.
"Always a gentleman, Scarlet!", Snart's sardonic voice followed after the next blast, "couldn't leave the lady in trouble! And here I thought you were so frosty towards us!" he was mocking him now! "Good to know you care!"
"Shut it Snart! You've stole that painting!", Barry was getting angrier with each second, "I'm taking it back and putting you and your Rogues", he spat this word, "away!"
"Why so angry, kid", Snart answered after the blast he barely escaped, "no one get hurt", he started moving towards the entrance, "except your feelings apparently! But I can always soothe them with cold, you know I'm always here to help the local hero with the betrayed trust! I'm a man of my word!"
"Man of..", Barry almost choked on air, "I know how little your word costs!" He sped up towards him ready to take the thief away.
"My-my, kid", Snart was icing the floor to stop Barry's movements, "are you still hurt because of it? I was seriously enjoying working so close to you, but your morals", the last word was said with false hurt, "how cruel of you was to keep these men in glass cages with no justice! Lucky them I was there!"
"Are you lecturing me, Cold?!"
"And it was just me being concer..what the hell?"
He felt it too, the enormous earthquake of some sort. Just when he was about to finally catch Snart the whole building shuddered again, even stronger this time. Another one and as though by the explosive wave Barry was tossed aside, tackled Snart and they both hit the nearest wall with such force that plaster, brick pieces, broken wood and glass covered them from head to toe. Under him Snart made some sort of hurt sound, 'did he just whined?'. He opened his mouth to comment on it, but instead made a moan of his own. His back hurt so bad! He had mostly covered Snart so almost all damage he took on himself. Another bang and the opposite wall was finally broken. He felt Snart's arms encircled him as if in attempt to unconsciously protect him from the wave,
which wasn't really helpful at all since it added pressure on his already hurt back.
"The infamous Captain Cold in such a compromising position lying in dirt with the costumed freak who think he has powers", he heard the loud sarcastic voice. Why every villain had to have such voice? But Snart at least tried joking ('with little success', supplied his mind) while this voice was just disturbingly villainous, for the lack of better word.
Barry and Cold attempted to stand at the same time and Barry found himself putting most of his weight on Snart to take him up. Snart glared at the creepy looking man, covered in ugly scars and wearing ragged dirty cloak.
"Who the hell are you?", Snart's voice was raspy because of the inhaled dust, but nevertheless cold and menacing, at least more so than it usually was with the Flash.
"Does it really matter?", the man in a cloak slowly took a few steps closer spreading his arms, "What really is matter is that you are gonna die, both of you, all of you! I'll destroy you and clear this city from costumed freaks like you who made this mess of the city, who drove it crazy!"
"Drove it crazy? You're insane!", Barry attempted to stand on his own and to straighten his posture, but failed miserably. His communicator was definitely broken by the explosive wave which left him and Snart dealing with the madman on their own.
"Insane? Maybe! But not as you're if you think you have powers! I saw what you can do", the air around the man felt thicker somehow, electrified even, all around him started falling and moving, "I saw that you don't have even a half of a strength that I do". Captain Cold raised his gun and aimed it at the man, while still supporting Barry with the other hand. It seemed that both of them didn't even notice it at the time, too focused on the new threat.
"I thought I died, but I was reborn from the ashes stronger then ever! And I realized I was chosen!" continued the man.
"Do you have any idea how often have I heard that?", it was really getting old for Barry's liking, "And how often those guys ended in a prison?"
"I was chosen for something greater! And when I saw you, saw what you did to this city I understood my purpose! This city is ill! Freaks like you made it ill! And I will clear it!" - he continued as though Barry hadn't spoken at all.
"I'm done with it", - Snart blasted the man with his cold gun. What happened next Barry saw in a slow motion.
The blast aimed at the man hit some energy barrier surrounding him and ricocheted backward at them with the renown force. Barry barely had the time to grab Snart and speed them both aside. The movement made his whole body ache so he collapsed at Snart's chest again after the abrupt stop. Captain Cold almost fell backwards after the sudden and unexpected movement from Barry but managed to catch him and regain his posture.
"Now that was foolish!" laughed the man, clearly the meta-human, spreading his arms again, "you're gonna pay for what you've done!". The barrier surrounding him seemed to fill itself with energy and in the next second it exploded in a massive wave of destructive energy.
Happily enough this time they didn't hit the wall or something else equally concrete but just were tossed aggressively aside, but it wasn't over, the man was concentrating the energy in his hands ready to finish them with the one precise hit.
"Let's get out of here, Scarlet!", Snart managed to stand and iced the fallen pieces of furniture in front of them in a lump of ice as if to shield them, which was really idle, but at least gave them a moment to stand.
"No! We should stop him!", Barry yelled trying to free himself from Snart's grip.
"I appreciate your hero complex, kid, but if you've forgotten I'm not a hero and have no desire to die today!" Snart dragged him unceremoniously towards the entrance.
Another blast of energy from the madman and they were covered in ice pieces while lying on the floor again. The meta-human clearly liked to torture before killing, Barry doubted they have unbruised parts of bodies left at the moment, at least he definitely felt like one enormous bruise. Likely he healed fast, thank God for small mercies!
"Well, I should stop him!" he couldn't just run from the fight without even trying to do something.
"I'd like to see you try, Scarlet, in this condition of yours, but not today, come on!", Snart was forcefully pulling him to the entrance, though obviously his own condition wasn't much better. Barry could already hear the sirens nearby, no wonder Captain Cold wanted to get the hell out of here so bad. And yes, don't forget the explosive meta-human, aka madman with vigilante's dreams, who already was approaching them again laughing and
spreading his arms once more.
Once they made it to the entrance the cops were already here, surrounding the place.
"Hands up!" Joe?! Oh just what his day needed! Joe witnessing him being carried from the robbed museum by the Captain Cold while some lunatic tried to destroy everything he laid his eyes on!Cold was already aiming his gun at the police. At least the meta-human got the right idea and with the "It's not the end" blocked the entrance (by destroying with the last wave half of the wall apparently) and hopefully fled, so Barry wouldn't have to worry of innocent people getting hurt on his watch, because his next movement was to grab Cold and speed them both as far from that place as he could managed in such condition (damn Snart for being right!).
"What were you thinking, Snart?" Barry tried to sound angry, but the exhaustion made his voice raspy, breathing heavy, "Aiming at innocent people!"
"Aiming is not shooting, you should know it, kid", Snart was breathing heavily too and it made him sound more normal, voice low and even pleasant without his usual sardonic tone.
"You're unbelievable!" Barry exclaimed annoyed. The loud siren interrupted his next sentence. Snart's head turned towards the sound, "well, as much as I'd love to stay and chat with you, Scarlet, I have persistent
matters to attend, if only you're willing to give me a ride", the bastard smirked again.
"Don't even think about it" his attempt to sound scandalized failed as the corners of his mouth tugged up a little.
"Thought so", he put away his gun and straightened dusted parka, "now run away, Scarlet, sure your friends at S.T.A.R. Labs are missing you already".
"Shit! You're right!" he totally forgot about broken communicator, "ehm, right, so... bye, Snart!", well that was just awkward.
"See ya, Barry", have he ever stopped smirking? Snart headed to the corner of a small dark alley.
"Wait! The painting! I cannot just let you go!" how Cold managed to destruct him so easily!
"Don't push your luck, kid" he sounded amused, saying his already famous phrase.
Barry seriously doubted he was sane but he smiled at Snart, shaken his head and run. The painting can wait and S.T.A.R. Labs definitely have waited enough for today.