The Flash

'you can't cheat death when you're digging your own grave'

The bar is dingy and the company is pretty shady but he can't find himself to care too much, even Leonard Snart needs a break from planning a meticulous heist. He's transfixed at the dark amber liquid in his small glass tumbler. His mind is oddly blank for the first time in a while as he listened to his group chatter amongst themselves and if he listened closely enough he could just about hear the soft music playing in the background. It's almost a content feeling, but it's not something he can quite grasp.

His mental peacefulness is broken seconds later when he's on the receiving end of a sharp elbow to the ribs from a burly man beside him, if Leonard's correct then the man's name is David Lestrange. There's a remark on the tip of his tongue about not laying any body part on him unless he wanted it to be frozen within a matter of seconds yet somehow the words didn't seem to come out when he noticed a figure sitting alone in the darker corner of the bar.

He's so out of place in the bar that words fail Leonard for a second.

"What?" Leonard asked, annoyance rang clear in his tone as his eyes briefly darted to the figure in the corner.

"Pretty boy over there looks lost," David said with a grin "I might… y'know, be a good citizen and help him home." He added, the emphasis on 'good' suggested that David had no intention of being helpful whatsoever.

Leonard glanced down at his whiskey before looking at Barry Allen sat in the corner before he brought his lips up in to a smirk because if David wanted to get his ass handed to him then that was something Leonard wanted to see.

March 18th was a date that would forever be burned into Barry's memory. How could he forget the date of when his whole life had been changed so dramatically in a matter of seconds?

He could have saved her. Barry had dreamed of the opportunity to save his mom and he'd had it. The moment had slipped from his fingers a second time and he could still hear his mom pleading with the Reverse-Flash, it haunted his dreams and made him feel sick to his stomach. Tonight was one of the rare moments he had where he wasn't working and Central City didn't need him to be The Flash.

The bar was so far out of where any of his friends would look for him that it was a perfect location for him to mentally sink in his guilt and sadness for one night. The hushed conversations of the groups within the bar and the music that was barely there was sort of background noise to Barry as he looked out of the rain stained grubby bar window and watched as strangers passed by huddled under their umbrellas on the dark streets of Central City.

Barry always tried to not solely focus on what he had lost (his mom, Eddie, Ronnie, the not Dr Wells) but preferred to look at what he had gained (Iris, Joe, Cisco, Caitlin).

Barry's pulled out of his thoughts and observations of the strangers passing by as he felt someone slide into the same booth as him. He moved his gaze from the dark dreary streets and to the gaze of Leonard Snart.

It takes a second for it to fully sink in that Leonard Snart is sat opposite him, staring back at Barry with a slight smirk.

Barry exhaled "I'm really not in the mood for your games tonight," he said. He really wasn't either; Snart was all around bad news and had proved to be deceitful on numerous occasions. So Barry isn't too sure why he's always disappointed when Snart shows who he really is.

"Barry," Snart said in that voice of his that Barry secretly loves the sound of "You're in my neck of the woods, I was just curious. Last time you was here, you was asking for my help." He added with a quirk of his lips.

Barry hadn't needed the reminder; he nodded his head forward slowly before huffing out an unamused laugh "Yeah," he said "a mistake I won't be repeating." He added as he moved his gaze to the orange illuminated streets again.

"I'm sensing some disappointment…" Snart said slowly with a hint of amusement lacing his tone.

Barry waited a couple of heartbeats before responding "I have a feeling you're familiar with people being disappointed in you," he commented.

"Ouch, kid." Snart laughed.

Barry exhaled softly as he prepared to move from the somewhat warm bar and make his way out to the wet and miserable night to either go home to his warm and comfortable bed or find another spot where he could swim to new depths of his misery in peace for one night. It's all he's asking for… one night to himself.

"Look, kid," Snart said filling the silence between them "if you're upset about-"

Barry stood up abruptly as he slipped his jacket on barely acknowledging Leonard Snart "I can't even have a drink in peace," he said more to himself in a mutter before he headed out of the bar without a glance back at his rival.

Leonard watched as Barry retreated out of the bar and headed down the street and pass a few trick or treaters, he cocked his head to the side as he murmured "Rude," yet he was intrigued about what could possibly be weighing so heavily on Barry Allen's mind.

"Let me guess," David said from behind him "you wasn't interested in him anyway." He added, his tone implying that it was the opposite way round.

Leonard moved his gaze to Barry's untouched drink as he said "Something like that,"

From his seat he could see the city lights which proved to be quite a sight; it eased his mind and even elevated his mood slightly. It wasn't often that he had time to himself to just sit and drink in the view of Central City at night.

"I was just wondering if you were aware how ill-mannered it is to walk out half-way through a conversation," A voice said from behind Barry.

Barry dropped his head forward and closed his eyes as another sigh passed through his lips, all he wanted was some peace and here Leonard Snart was. Barry manoeuvred himself so he could still see the city lights as well as Snart leaning against the door that led back into the building.

"You came all the way here to tell me that?" Barry asked whilst raising an eyebrow slightly.

Snart cocked his head to the side and shrugged his shoulders "That wasn't the only thing on the agenda," he said before pushing himself off of the door and walking towards Barry "you started this game; I only followed to finish it."

Somewhere below them a car came to a screeching halt before someone repeatedly honked their car horn followed by someone faintly shouting "YOU ASSHOLE!"

Barry frowned at Snart "I don't know what you're talking about Snart," he said, even Barry heard how tired he sounded.

Snart quirked his lips into a smirk "You come into my bar," he said "you obviously wanted something."

Barry studied Snart for a couple of seconds "I wanted to be alone," he admitted softly "clearly you're on some mission to prevent that happening." He added.

"I know you better than that Barry," Snart said with a softness underlying his tone, Barry was aware of what he was referring to and found he wasn't in the mood to visit that piece of their history.

Barry drummed his fingers on his leg "That was a long time ago," he said as he moved his gaze back to the somewhat quiet city below him.

Snart chuckled humourlessly at Barry's words "One hundred and fifty two days doesn't exactly count as a long time ago kid,"

"It feels like a lifetime ago," Barry said absently before remembering the road they were about to go down and physically shaking himself "I have to go." He added hurriedly before getting up and realising how cold he actually was.

It's not until Barry was back home and standing under a warm stream of water in the shower that he allows his tears to meld in with the water from the shower. He can only be so strong before he reaches a breaking point. Barry's surprised his breaking point was after being betrayed by someone he looked up to, being fooled into thinking Leonard Snart actually liked him, losing Eddie as well as Ronnie, witnessing his mother's murder and not being able to stop it and his dad still being in Iron Heights.

He loved helping the people of Central City and making a difference in people's lives but when did he start sacrificing his own feelings for others? Barry is allowed to feel no matter how rotten he felt right now and hated how it felt.

What Barry needed most was to sleep and to put thoughts of a certain Leonard Snart aside because he didn't need to be dragging those memories back to the surface.