Seeing Red

He folded the tie over and over, his hands fumbling as his concentration shattered. The young man looked on in the mirror, his jaw muscles tight as his nerves began to get the best of him.

Barry looked on in a full-length elongated mirror, his lean, tall torso was filled out in black suit pants with a white collared button-up shirt. He tried again to properly tie the black narrow garment, only to be met with defeat. His mind wasn't here, in this room, it was elsewhere. Barry had a black eye that had faded in the day or so since he'd gotten it, after all, he did have a metahuman ability to heal quickly.

Barry's complicated life had taken on a new level of aggravation. There had been two speedsters that had been riling up amongst the shadows in Central City and Barry that fought one of them last night. The man in Yellow, as the papers called him, was Barry's newest foe.

When he was a child his mother had been killed by a man in yellow lightning, and just the night before, the monster in the suit had pinned Barry to the ground and asked him if Barry recognized him.

He'd put two and two together, but the new speedster was sinister in his message, making sure Barry knew that it was him that had killed his mother and that if he wanted any chance at getting to him, he'd have to become the fastest man alive.

All of this before a night that was supposed to be so special.

Bruce looked on behind Barry as he finished buttoning his own shirt, noticing that familiar look on Barry's face as a look he himself had worn all too often. Barry had something happen to him, something Bruce was sure he wouldn't want to talk about right now.

" I got it. " Bruce spoke in a short gruff voice, as he walked over to Barry and offered an open hand. Barry looked at himself in the mirror, the corner of his mouth peaking just slightly as he looked over to Bruce. Barry didn't directly answer but he did quietly nod, letting Bruce take the limp cloth from his hands.

Bruce worked quickly, his fingers delicate but precise. He draped the tie over Barry's collar and tightened the fabric. Before Barry could blink, Bruce was done.

" Ties are tricky, you'll get it. "

He quietly reassured Barry and looked at both of them in the mirror for a moment.

" Alfred insisted he drive the two of you, I'll be taking a separate vehicle to pick up my dates. " Barry looked over to Bruce for a moment, his brows furrowed as he questioned the pluralization of the word date.

" I have an image to uphold, Barry. " Bruce spoke with a smug smirk, the corners of his mouth peaking for a moment. He did have an image to uphold, but that didn't mean that he didn't enjoy the lavish life and beautiful women.

Barry looked at himself once more, unsure of his appearance or where this evening would take him. He ran a quick hand through his short, unruly dark locks and let out a hard exhale.

" Mr. Allen, we best be going. " Alfred's voice pulled Barry from his stupor and made the muscles in his chest and stomach turn over. In just a few minutes he'd be picking Willow up and leaving to spend an evening with her.

Willow had been instructed last minute to stand out by the curb of her apartment, instead of meeting Barry at the building downtown where the charity ball was being held. She stood silently just outside her building's door, her foot tapping quietly on the ground while she softly bit her bottom lip.

" Everything will be fine. "

Willow huffed out aloud to herself, alerting the people who were walking past her stoop that she was alright. They looked at her a bit confused but kept on their way, not wanting to make eye contact with the crazy woman who was speaking to herself.

The late summer's head had turned her beautiful straight hair into a wavy mess. She'd worked the past few hours to try and improve her appearance; the dark circles under her eyes and the pale complexion could be masked with a concealer, but her mid-back length hair seemed to have a mind of its own. Still, she just hoped that she wouldn't stand out too much, the dress she'd chosen was more of a cocktail dress than anything overly formal. It showed some of her bust and shoulders, clinging tightly to her body and flowing out more as the fabric reached her waist, relaxing and twirling out to the middle of her calves where her feet were adorned in soft cream-colored heels.

Willow held a small gold clutch that had a few items in it she might need. Her body swayed in the late evening sun, a small breeze carried a cool relief, easing her mind for a moment. She hadn't noticed the black town car pull up just in front of her building, but who she did recognize, was the young man who exited the back door to the car. Barry's worn expression immediately lifted the moment he met eyes with her. His blank expression and tired soul caught fire the second he watched her surprised look melt into pure happiness. Her sullen lips peaked and revealed a perfect smile the moment she realized it was him who had exited the car, and he couldn't help but think that maybe, just maybe, her beautiful smile might be because she was excited to see him.

And he couldn't have been more right. Her shoulders relaxed and the tightening breath she'd been holding finally left her, as she walked down the steps to meet him. Her smile faded some and her brows furrowed as she looked at his black eye still present on his face.

" I fell in the shower. Clumsy me. " Barry's first words were a lie, both of them knew that, but Willow played along, not wanting to make him uncomfortable.

" You really need to be more careful, Barry Allen. "

Willow held in a grin, causing her lips to pout slightly. She knew something must have happened, and hopefully, someday, he'd be able to tell her.

Barry's lips parted for a moment as he leaned into her some, his heart beating through his chest as he tried to sum up the courage to say something back, anything that would ease her mind. He wished he could tell her everything. Just hearing her say his name made his breathing uneasy.

But he would never burden someone he cared about with his own personal baggage, especially Willow.

" Mr. Allen, Ms. Hutchinson. "

A familiar voice caught both of their attention, bringing Barry and Willow to a standing halt.

" We'll be late if we don't get on our way soon. " Alfred, the older man Willow had met at Bruce's mansion, was standing outside the driver's side door, a small genuine smile growing on his face.

Willow and Barry listened and did as they were told, acting like young children that had gotten scolded by the teacher, they quickly exited the curb and entered the back of the car. The ride wasn't more than ten minutes, but Willow felt so privileged and blessed to not be riding on a bus or walking. Barry sat just a few feet from her, holding a reassuring smile and a soft glance. Willow was too distracted now, her stomach in knots as she realized she'd be a tiny fish in a very large pond. The windows in the back of the car came down as Alfred rolled them down to ease the heat in the closed car. Willow's smile returned the moment fresh air hit her face, and for a few minutes she forgot the stresses of work and life and took in the beginning of the evening.

While Willow took in the sights and sounds of Gotham, her mind, and body distracted by everything around them, Barry took her in.

Not letting a single second slip by.