Chapter 1: The Imposter in Green and Black

by phoenixblossoms

Notes:

Copy/pasted from AO3

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Crouching on the rooftop of STAR laboratory, she should be more nervous than she was. There was no team watching her back tonight. Maybe never again. Kid Flash was an idiot, but he was right about one thing. She could do better than them. He was wrong about the rest of it though. She was no hero. A dozen robberies and roses later and he was still as insistent as the first night she'd met him. Maybe even more so. Jinx would never admit it out loud, but his unusual faith towards her had taken root in her mind and refused to be shaken. It was annoying and with each new rose came the need to prove him wrong. So, when Madame Rouge contacted her about a rumored super weapon that could take down speedsters, she couldn't resist. The shapeshifter probably thought she was going to hand whatever it was over to her. Jinx rolled her eyes. As if she was helping that bitch again. No, she was going to destroy that weapon and all the research.

Nobody was messing with Kid Flash but her.

Project Zoom. She snorted. What a ridiculous name. Made her wonder if this rumor had any truth to it. Slinking down the pitch dark hallway, she was thankful for her natural night vision. Jinx eyes narrowed as she spied the door Rouge had told her about. Guards were non-existent. An easy mark. It was… suspicious to say the least. Maybe Rouge set her up as payback for kicking her ass. Jinx tensed at the thought and raised her hand, ready to hex whatever was in the room. She stepped inside and blinked in surprise. It was completely empty.

A familiar breeze blew by her, and she groaned.

"Really, can't take one night off can you Ki-" She turned around and blinked in surprise. "What's with the costume change? I have to say, I prefer the red and yellow. Green and black, so not your color."

He looked at her, a crooked grin on his face, one she hadn't seen before. It made her hair stand on end. And his eyes, the glint was a few levels creepier than she was used to.

Jinx took a step back as the realization hit her.

"You're not Kid Flash, are you?"

"NoI'mhisfriend," his speech was garbled, like a skipping record. "I'm Here To Make Himbetterand You'reinthewayofthat. I'm Afraid You'll Have To Go."

The imposter cackled, and Jinx decided hex now, ask questions later.

She snapped her fingers and sent a bolt of pink his way. Missed. The spot he'd been now marred by her hex, but he was nowhere in sight. Suddenly, she was grabbed from behind and felt something wet in her ear. Shrieking angrily, Jinx sent a hex wave through her body. Her attacker stumbled backwards, dazed from the shock, and she gave him a swift kick to the head.

"Ewww!" She wiped the slobber from her ear. "Hold still, you-you pervert!"

Of course, Not Kid Flash didn't listen. He rolled over and dashed away from another hex. The green and black blur pinned her, his hand tight around her throat. Stars threatened her vision as he slammed her head into the wall. She tried to scream, but his hands were wrapped so tight she couldn't breath. Through her blurred vision, she could see his crazed smile. The sick freak was enjoying this. Her hands grasped at his wrists, desperate electric pink exploding between them.

Smoke filled the corridor as she stumbled back to her feet, gasping for air, her eyes glowing. She tried to stop shaking, but couldn't. Another minute of him strangling her and she would have been done. A strong wind blew away the smoke, and she screamed as she fired indiscriminately in its direction.

"Woah, calm down Jinxy!" Red and yellow stopped in front of her, and she paused, trying to push back her tears. He spoke gently, the kind of voice one reserves for cornered wounded animals. His blue eyes were full of worry. He'd never seen her so scared before. "It's just me."

She didn't fully believe him. That thing, whatever it was, had been fast. Fast enough to change outfits. The thought may have sounded ridiculous, but she couldn't shake it, not with her throat still burning and his crazed laughter still echoing in her ears.

When he stepped closer, she lit her eyes up threateningly.

"Prove it!" Her voice cracked, and she hated how weak it made her sound, "D-do something stupid you think is charming."

"You think I'm charming?"

He grinned. It was that stupid, almost charming smile that made his dimpled cheeks pinch, not that she had been looking close enough to notice such things. She breathed again and lowered her trembling hands.

"Ugh, no, I think you're stupid." Her biting remark lacked its usual bite. "You think you're charming."

With a short wheeze, Jinx collapsed against the wall for support. Her head was pounding, and her neck burned. Immediately, the hero was by her side, gently offering support without even thinking about how this could totally be another trap. It almost made her smile. Stupid, naive hero.

"You're definitely you," she muttered.

He brushed a hand against her neck, and she flinched.

"What happened? Who did this?"

"Ask your speedster friend in green and black."

Kid looked confused, "Green and black? I don't know any speedster like that."

"Well he said he was your friend, or at least I think that's what he said. I don't know, he was talking all weird." Jinx pushed herself to her feet and past Kid Flash, who followed her like a worried puppy dog. "Any more questions, Speedy?"

"Wrong hero, and yeah, a few." He sped in front of her, "Starting with what are you doing here? Jinx, I thought you were done with the Hive."

"Done with the Hive? Yes. Done being a bad guy? No." She looked up at the hole in the ceiling she had dropped in from. Usually she could make the jump no problem, but her legs felt dangerously like jello. "Mind giving me a boost?"

"Mind telling me what happened?" He crossed his arms, a rare look of seriousness across his face. "The full story, please."

She gave an unconcerned huff, like she hadn't been fighting some psycho just a few minutes ago.

"I got a call from Rouge, something about a weapon that could do some real damage to annoying fast guys like you."

"Jinx," he sounded disappointed, and she told herself she wasn't bothered by it.

"What? I wasn't going to use it." She snapped, "I was going to destroy it, make sure that stuck up french bit-"

"Language!" He cut her off with a smile. Then he gave her that look. The one that was usually followed by some speech about how good she was. A speech she really didn't feel like hearing tonight. "It almost sounds like you were worried about me."

"Don't be ridiculous." She rolled her eyes to make an extra show of how little she cared. "I'm just not about to let someone else beat you. If anyone is going to take you out, it'll be me."

"If you wanna take me out all you gotta do is ask." Kid winked, and she groaned.

"Anyway, the room was empty. I think Rouge set me up because, next thing I know, your evil twin brother is trying to kill me! When I find him-"

"Wait, twin? I don't have a twin."

"Well, he looked just like you, save for the suit and freaky grin." Jinx's nose wrinkled, "Never wear black and green. You'll look like the grinch."

"Noted." His look grew serious again. "Your neck looks really bad."

Her hand went instinctively to her burnt neck. It was starting to blister and she winced, "Yeah, well getting strangled at super speeds ain't a joyride."

Kid looked at her for a while, contemplating what to do. She had technically been caught breaking and entering, but nothing had been stolen. If anything, it seemed she had done more help than harm. And she was hurt. There wasn't really another choice in his mind.

"I'm gonna patch you up."

It wasn't a question and next thing she knew they were somewhere else. Her head felt a little dizzy from the speed, though that could also just be the concussion. Giving the place a once over, she thought it was a rather ordinary apartment. Lived in, but not terribly messy. The couch was crooked and the TV was on, but it seemed they were the only ones there.

"Where..?" She trailed off as a wave of nausea overtook her.

"My place." He shrugged like he hadn't just invited a supervillain into his living room, "I can get you patched up. It'll be somewhere safe to sleep tonight."

"That's what I thought, I just didn't think you were actually stupid enough to offer." She was extra snappy tonight. He couldn't blame her though. Obviously she'd had a hell of a night. "I'm leaving before you do something else stupid."

"Jinx, please." She paused at that. Maybe because she could hear the extra layer of desperation in his voice. "You're hurt and apparently there's some crazy guy after you. I'm not leaving you alone."

"I can take care of myself. I don't need your charity, Kid."

She spat his name out like it was venom in her mouth and hoped her attitude distracted him from the way her legs threatened to buckle out from under her. Maybe someone else would have missed it, but he never did.

"It's not charity." His hand braced her back, "I just want to help."

"Help? Hah! Yeah right."

She started to walk away despite looking a few seconds from passing out. He wished she didn't have to be so stubborn. He blocked her way, and she gave him a halfhearted glare.

"Sit down." His voice was somehow gentle and stern at the same time.

Her head spun, and she all but fell back onto the couch. "I'm only sitting 'cause my head hurts. Not 'cause you said so."

It sounded childish, but she was too out of it to care. She blinked, and his face was mere inches away from hers. So close she could see herself in the blue of his eyes. So close she could kiss him.

"Oookaay," His ears turned bright red making her giggle. She didn't realize why. He almost didn't realize it, the kiss had been so brief, just a brush that left his lips tickled. "You definitely have a concussion." His eyes flicked down to her lips. Jinx was smiling. It wasn't her usual mischievous smirk or her calculated grin. It was relaxed and soft and, "Wow."

He'd never seen her smile like that before.

Notes:

Evil speedsters are scary! Kid Zoom, as he'll later call himself, isn't the same as in the comics. He's a sort of amalgamation of that character and Zoom, or at least that's what I'm basing him off of. Anyway, let me know what you think