ColdFlash

Gifts

One month later

Barry's POV

One month ago Barry finally found his lover, a strong, intelligent man who remained caring and sympathetic his entire life. Yet...he was in love with 'the game'; a criminal life. As a dedicated superhero, Barry should have been against this, against his lover thieving and killing, but...he wasn't.

But his lover was against him.

His lover was against him from the very start, from that night, the night covered in memories of blood and anger, of rare apprehension. Since that night, Barry had been purely alone, as if he were even more trapped than before, stopped in time.

His mind ran with thoughts, thinking about that moment with every chance it got. The moment his lover left...his gigantic blue parka flew out the door, his thick boots leaving blood trails on the wooden panels. The feeling in his heart, as it truely sank inside him.

His whole life, he had only wished one thing; to find his soulmate. To find someone who would never leave him...and when he finally found his lover...he left...

Leonard; strong and defined, had relinquished himself of laying in bathtub and comforted himself on the edge on Barry's bed. When the younger returned, the tension thinning with the silence, Leonard leaned in, only staring into his eyes. The deep swelling thickness of his beautiful eyes trying to their hardest to communicate with Barry, but Barry in his youth didn't understand the importance of the moment happening before him.

Leonard then, closing his eyes to hide the suffering of his wounds, stood at the door. He froze; it were as if he had been waiting for Barry to stop him, to hold him back and force him to stay. The hero, able to conquer any fear, could not conquer the biggest one of all; his fear of love.

With one last solemn glance, the thief left, leaving a tormented youth behind him.

Barry had always overcome any obstacle, any hardship, but this pain was into the depths of his soul, into the very cavities of his heart, into who he was. It ruined him.

Today was Cecile's birthday which meant dinner at hers and Joe's. To top of Barry's absurd behaviour around his friends and family, Joe and Iris were still not talking and Jessie and Wally were both coming to the dinner. A dinner set for disaster at the West's.

Barry decided to dress casual, his nicest jeans and a blue shirt, it always made Iris happy when he had a sense of style. Barry thought if he brought a date to the dinner it might loosen the tension, so, he did.

Her name was Natalia, she had thick, waist length hair and was generally positive. Barry met her at Jitters about a week ago and they struck a conversation, she seemed nice enough to try and move on with.

You see, sometimes you can't be with your soulmate, for numerous reasons, maybe alike to Barry you met them and things...didn't work out, or you lost your words. If they fade out, if they completely disappear, your lover is lost. Natalia's soulmark faded out when she was only fifteen, from then on she became completely enveloped in her work. Natalia owns a business in finance, she is pretty popular with most people and has ten times more style than Barry ever did.

A relatively good choice Barry thought. He thought that bringing Natalia would draw away from the fact that Iris was bringing Tom...her soulmate/fiancé. Barry had met him a few times, Iris did love him a lot, that was obvious. She hung off him like a koala, her hands attached to his body somewhere. And, to be honest, he did love her too but he was extremely cautious around any family members, he had loosened up around Barry but not by much; back straight, clean suit, gifts and niceties.

Natalia was waiting outside Barry's childhood house when he showed up; black heels, crystal jewellery and a red dress- a very fancy red dress.

She yelled in excitement and wrapped her tiny arms around his body, her fragile hands grabbing at his. Natalia was filled like a bottle with energy and excitement, which compared to Barry's dullness was a good combination.

Barry's cold hands turned the door knob and opened the door, inside the tension had already risen to the ceiling, near breaking point he introduced them to Natalia.

It did not go well...