impossible | barry allen

102

[ barry's pov ]

"Owe you for the java, rookie." Ralph told me as we were stood by Jitters, "Can't believe I left my wallet at home."

"Don't worry about it." I mutter, putting sugars into zee's iced coffee, stirring it well before placing the top back on, picking up both hers and mine, "It could happen to anyone five times in a row. And could you please stop calling me rookie?"

"Sorry, uh old habit from when I was your superior officer." Ralph said, as we walked out of Jitters, "You know, before you got me fired, ruined my career destroyed my life. Crushed my spirit, left me alone - without a friend in the world."

"Don't forget how I turned you into an amorphous, stretchy blob." I sip my coffee, the warm liquid slipping down my throat as we turned the corner.

"Actually, that's the one good thing you've done for me." Ralph admits, "Course, you didn't do it on purpose, so you don't get credit."

"Both of you, hand over your cash, now!" A man shouts from behind us, causing us both to halt and then, a smile and laugh coming from me as I pointed at him, this being the same man that tried to rob me when I first got my speed, "Hey."

"Uh, pardon us, okay? One second." Ralph told him, as we turn back around.

"Okay, this is perfect." I told him, "I've been teaching you, right? Muggers are like Superhero 101."

"Ooh, Ralphy like-y." Ralph says.

"All right, what's your plan?" I question.

"Okay, I was thinking about this in the shower this morning: how sweet would it be to turn into a giant slingshot?" Ralph looks at me.

"That's a weird plan, but okay." I shrug.

"Oh, I got an even cooler idea-" Ralph began.

"Hey! I'm still robbing you guys!" The man from behind us cuts him off.

"We will be right with you, sir! Please!" Ralph says to him, before turning back to me, "Okay, what if I did, like, a human Slinky thing? Maybe wrap him up, throw in a few on-theme puns?"

"Whatever, Ralph." I roll my eyes, "We just gotta- hurry up a little bit."

"Relax, rookie." Ralph exclaims, "I've seen a lot of thugs. This guy is no shooter."

As if on cue, the man shoots Ralph, Ralph's skin creaking and stretching, shooting the bullet right back at the man, as he lets out a wail in pain, falling onto the ground, "My leg!"

"Well. Our work here is done." Ralph turns to walk away.

"Hey, hey, what are you doing? We can't just leave." I stop him, "You just shot him."

"I didn't shoot him. He shot him." Ralph defends himself, "Do you feel like I shot you?"

The man shot him again after the question, the bullet coming right back at him, shooting into him again, as he wails again, shouting.

"Stop shooting him!" I shout at Ralph.

"I am not shooting him!" He shouts right back.

"Oh, they shot my ass!" The man wailed.

"Okay, so he's a little banged up, but we caught the bad guy. Isn't that what superheroes do?" Ralph questions.

"No, a superhero's first job is to protect people." I told him.

"Oh, God." Ralph scoffs, "What's the second job? Long-winded lectures before noon?"

"I barely- take this." I hand him both coffees I was holding, scoffing, walking over to the man, "One day, I'm gonna throw a lightning bolt so far up- I'm taking him to the hospital!" I look at him, looking my palm up, "And you owe me five coffees."