Silver Trickster ⚬ Barry Allen [1]

22. Dark Corners

Present

"What the hell was that?" I shout at Hunter, anger coursing through my veins. It didn't occur to me until the run back here why he had taken Caitlin out of all people, and I was livid. 

He looks confused, but I could see that joy was still radiating off of him. I couldn't tell if it was because he got Barry's speed, or if it was because he had Caitlin all to himself. "What are you talking about? I got Barry's speed; that's what we both wanted."

"I'm not talking about Barry," I shake my head, stepping closer to him. He had his hood off now, but he still had his costume on. "I'm talking about her. Why take her?"

"She's leverage," he tells me, raising his eyebrow. "You can't tell me you forgot about the plan, right? You never know when we might need to use her."

I cross my arms, my eyes narrow. "Use her for our plan, or use her because you want her here?"

Hunter realizes why I was angry then. He straightens up as he narrows his eyes at me, his tone growing darker, if that was possible. "You think I only brought her here for my own reason?"

"I know that's what you did!" I shout again, sure that Caitlin could hear me in the other room, but I didn't care. "Here you are, telling me not to trust and not to love; to not care about anyone else for my own safety, but you can't even do it yourself! You care about her, I know you do, and that's why you brought her here. You love-"

He cuts me off by racing in front of me, stopping with his face in mine, eyes locked on my own. "The difference between us, Raven, is that I know where to draw the line. I know when trusting can go too far. You...you don't. So yes, that's why you can't trust and why you can't love. I can't lose you to someone that you got too close to. I need you. Caitlin is my problem to deal with, not yours, so just leave it."

I gulp, for some odd reason, growing scared of how he was talking to me. Maybe it was his tone or the way he was looking into my eyes, but I didn't like it. Something changed in him when I was gone...I could tell that much. He stares at me for a long moment before backing away slowly, eyes to the floor.

"I can't leave it," I say finally, making his eyes find my own again. It appeared that he was going to be angry at me before I finished my sentence. "We're in this together; your problems are my problems. It's always been that way and nothing has changed."

A dark smile washes across his face then. "I'm glad you think that."

He reaches up and puts his hood back on then, blue lighting starting to dance across his skin. I wondered what Caitlin was thinking about our exchange of words, since I was almost positive she could hear all of it. I knew for a fact that she didn't feel the same way about him, and that was what was going to get her killed. I couldn't decide if I cared or not...but I knew Barry would.

"I'll be back later," he tells me through his mask. It still gave me an eerie feeling to see him wearing it. "Rest up; you might need it with what's to come."