Notes: Kid Flash / Flash : Jinx
The first encounter may differ from the episode Lightspeed. After seeing that, I was sold on the pairing. Sorry, Cy.
By the way: This is, without doubt, the longest one-shot I have ever posted. So enjoy.
/ blink \
With a long suffering groan the door opened to let in the white moonlight, his shadow defined on the floor as he came in and closed the door. The coat hanging over his arm was thrown carelessly onto a chair as the man let his eyes adjust to the darkness that crept back into the room.
He stood there for a long moment, weariness in the blue eyes that surveyed his 'domain'. Flash was older now, and time had taken the toll on the speedster. It showed in his slumped frame, in the unkempt red hair, in the slow steps he took to get to the couch. Most of all, it was apparent in the way he lowered himself onto the leather, fatigue, not carefulness, in the movement.
The couch was positioned in front of the window; far enough away that the people in other buildings couldn't get a clear look, but close enough to let the rectangle of light spill onto his feet. The hero clasped his hands in front of his face, resting his chin on them as blue eyes stared out into the night, where the moon made its slow way up the sky.
Did it remember watching him on the nights he had sped around Jump City when the Titans were out chasing the Brotherhood? Did it, too, remember the first time he had met Jinx? He did…
"Need a little luck?" He asked as Jinx spun, trying to see who it was.
"It's only a myth!" A pause. "Who… are you, anyway?" Kid Flash could see the thoughts running through her mind. 'The Titans are gone… he's not one… who the Hell?'
"Kid Flash! Fastest boy alive." He struck a pose, watching with amusement to see her reaction.
"Aren't you supposed to be a good guy or something?" Oh yes. She was a sharp one. He was glad he had given her the rose. Seemed to throw her off balance; she didn't seem all that bad.
"One of the best." Okay, so it was a lie, but hey! What was he supposed to say? 'Nope, can I join in the fun?' Her expression was priceless.
"Aren't you going to take me to jail or something?" Hmm… good idea. With an apologetic smile, he pushed himself off the pillar.
"I thought I'd get to know you first." True enough- while he was an incurable flirt, Kid Flash had a sneaking suspicion she wasn't quite happy being the bad guy.
And she hadn't been. That first meeting had ended with her walking away from what some called 'the Dark Side'. He had been glad; something inside of him had hinted his major flirting days might be over – at least temporarily.
She had looked so cute that his heart had, once or twice, skipped a beat… and when Jinx had let him go, Flash had left her a rose. As a sort of… promise, maybe. That he'd see her again.
"You want me to go fight my old teammates?" Jinx looked at him skeptically as he leaned against the doorway to her little apartment. Flash had had to admit she had set herself up nicely; in exchange for watching the shop below for the owner every other day, she got room and board (though food she had to get on her own).
"Yeah." It was as simple as that. She finished whatever she was drawing (he suspected unicorns) with a few more strokes of her pencil and then put it carefully away. Once the task was done, the pink haired teenager look up at him with a wicked grin on her face.
"I'd be glad to."
Man had they kicked butt. A soft chuckle escaped the serious man as he relaxed slightly, remembering the stunned faces of her former comrades. After that, they had gone their own separate ways… Until a chance meeting at the coffee shop he worked at brought them back into each other's lives.
"Um… I'll get a Maxi Coco with extra whipped cream, hold the sprinkles." The woman rummaged in her purse for cash, not bothering to look up.
"Here you go." With alarming quickness the cup was extended for her to take, and Jinx looked up- straight into a pair of stunning blue eyes. She froze, unable to tear her gaze away, until he lifted an eyebrow.
"… Flash?" Came the whisper. He scanned the shop quickly and then came out from behind the corner, taking her elbow with a surprising gentleness as he led her to a table and put down her purse as she sat, shock still written all over her face.
"Now Jinx, or should I say-" Here Flash paused, waiting for her to fill in her new alias.
"Rose. Rose Williams." He watched her shake off the stupor while he sat opposite her.
"Hmm. Rose?" For some reason she blushed and gripped the hot coco tightly.
"What's it to you?" Flash lifted an eyebrow but let it pass, the inner smile not reaching his lips.
"So… what are you up to?" She blinked at the randomness of the question, and glanced downwards towards her paint covered sneakers.
"Umm… I paint."
"Unicorns?" Her eyes shot metaphorical daggers his way, but Flash knew that if she wanted to, those 'daggers' could become very, very real.
"You just don't ever take a hint, do you?" Flash pursed his lips and seemed to think about it for a moment.
"Nope. Takes all the fun out of life. How do you get the money to pay for your supplies?" At her surprised look, he laughed softly. "Jinx, I read an entire library in a little over an hour and a half RT- real time. I know it's an expensive hobby if your paintings don't sell well."
"I… model." Her eyes shifted, away from him and to the side, and Flash's protective instincts raised their hackles, but he didn't show the anger welling up inside of him. Instead, one of his hands reached out and covered hers, squeezing lightly.
"He doesn't just make you model, does he?" It was there for just a second, but he saw it. After all, a second was an eternity for him. That hurt, that beaten look, confirmed his suspicions. But why did Jinx tolerate it?
Maybe she doesn't have anywhere else to go, whispered a voice in the back of his mind.
"Why don't you just stop?" Jinx didn't say anything for a long moment, and Flash wondered if he'd be able to stop her from running away.
"I… can't. He- he knows where I live, where I go to College- hell, he's the only reason I'm in Art School. And-" I'm afraid, her look screamed out to the world.
"Come live at my place. Not like that- just as one friend to another." Her pink eyes had turned to him, wide. "Jinx… I don't want you to be hurt." Just for a fleeting second it was there- a spark of hope in her eyes. Then she pulled her hand out of his grasp roughly and a sneer crossed her features.
"I don't need your help. Go mind your own business!" She began to turn, only to find that he was there, eyes drilling into hers.
"Killing him won't help you." The vulnerable side of her didn't surface again, but Flash knew she was listening, even when her eyes narrowed dangerously and a faint pink glow permeated the shop's interior.
"And you will?" It was a dangerous snarl.
"I can try." His simple honesty seemed to have surprised her; she rocked back on her heels and blinked. "By the way… your drink's getting cold." A bubblegum pink flash, and cold coco with extra whip cream splashed all over him.
How temperamental she had been! But three days after that chance meeting in the coffee shop, she showed up on his doorstep with in the same paint covered overalls, a painting case in one hand and a bag in the other. He had given her the extra bedroom and that night made Italian; maybe that was where it had all started.
"How fast are you going when you run?" She asked curiously as he ironed out his 'costume'.
"Hmmm… close to light speed?" Came the distracted response.
"Well, for being so quick, you obviously don't know that you can't wash red and whites together." Flash looked up, puzzled, until Jinx held up a bright pink pair of boxers from the drying machine.
"… dammit…" He spent the next ten or so minutes wondering why the woman was having fits of hysterical laughter on the floor.
Just the little things-
waking up just to a grumpy Jinx in the kitchen and breakfast already made for him on the table ("Just cereal? And only the healthy crap that tastes like fruitcake? Men.")
seeing her come in at six exhausted, covered in rainbows, ("Wait, don't tell me. Paint fight?" "… don't make me hurt you…" "Oh, but your words wound far deeper!" "… shut up…")
the excited look in her eyes when he told her that she could paint any of the walls she wanted to in the apartment ("What about the land lord?" "Asked him. Said as long as it wasn't unicorns, it'd be okay." ". . ." "… he was joking…" "Good.")
… it all made him realize how life had changed since she'd come back into it.
He was late. Word had it that some freakish creature or concrete and stone was attacking Lilit School for Arts, and he had just gotten done dealing with High Heights when the giant snapped his arm like a twig. The doctors had made him wait for fifteen precious minutes as they set it without anesthetic, working to get the bone in position as his body healed at super speed.
Fifteen minutes in which that thing could have hurt- or killed-
But apparently, he hadn't needed to worry.
"You're late, Flash!" Jinx yelled as her power struck the groaning beast with a vicious edge.
"I'm not late; everyone else is just early." He whipped past her, the pink braid within arm's reach, and around the jumbled mass.
"Yeah, yeah- hey!" Her yelp startled the teetering creature. "Don't you dare touch that school!" Flashed was instantly up in it's face, looking with impish calm into it's slate eyes. Then his fist came out and he punched it with his good arm. It rumbled with surprise as it fell backwards- unfortunately towards a truck filled with new refills of paint.
"Look out below!" A tidal wave of rainbow colors loomed above a single woman, Flash catching only a glimpse of her face before it came crashing down.
"You could have done something," Jinx growled as she stared with narrowed eyes at the innocent looking man.
"Sorry. Bad arm." He lifted the arm with the cast on it. She was muttering something that was anatomically impossible when two other art students approached her cautiously, still clutching their sketchbooks and brushes.
"Rose? Do you know Flash?" With a cheeky grin for the wide eyed fighter, Flash zipped off.
Oh, he had gotten hell for that later, but even enduring her sharp tongue was another memory he treasured.
"So, Flash, how're things going off duty?" The addressed man gazed at his acquaintance with a lifted eyebrow.
"You mean…?" Nick Jones (aka Shifter) looked at Flash.
"With the... roommate. You know." Oh, Flash did. The suggestive inflections said it all. Just then Jinx came up the darkening street, catching sight of the red head and aiming for him.
"Hey. Who's this?" She met Nick's slightly leering eyes even as the woman noticed Flash's tenseness.
"This is Shifter, an undercover agent who works with us. Shifter, this is my roommate- you'd know her better as Jinx." Oh, the woman was quick. She caught the icy emphasis Flash had placed on his words and grinned with dark pleasure, raising a hand that glowed with pink in a second mock greeting.
"Oh. Ah. Nice to meet you. Now if you'll just excuse me, I need to run!" The other man was rushing off, his path including several light posts and a brick wall.
"Huh. Makes almost as good a time as you." She hadn't moved from behind him and now leaned on his shoulder, watching Nick go. "What'd he say?"
"The usual." Flash was still irritated, but he dropped the cold stare once Shifter was out of sight.
"Don't mind them. After all, there's no truth to their words." Jinx straightened, walking up the stairs with her coat thrown over a shoulder.
"No," he murmured as he watched her go, "There isn't."
And there wasn't. They were friends, nothing more; perhaps that safeness was the main reason why Jinx came home every day from her school, elated or frustrated, ready to rant her anger out to someone who'd listened- or tentatively show him her latest work of art, and ask if it was okay.
"Can you take someone with you?" Jinx propped her head on her elbow, which in turn rested on the counter as the pasta boiled on the stove. Flash thought about it for a moment, once again taken by surprise by his roommate.
"Well…I've never tried, that's for sure. You know that I can vibrate my molecules through solid objects, which would burn someone else; moving at light speed…I have no idea." He finished making an origami turtle out of the newspaper and glanced at her. "Why?"
"I've just never seen you do it." She shrugged.
"You watch?" The carefree remark had her hackles up in an instant.
"No, you idiot, I only see you zipping around town every, what? Hour or so?" Flash added the last touches on a frog and pressed gently on it, causing the paper creation to 'hop' forward.
"That's settled." Jinx looked puzzled and the faint pink aura faded.
"What?" The blue eyed man stood up and smiled at her, coming closer.
"Let's find out." That incredulous expression that he loved so much crossed her face. Before another word came out of her mouth, Flash had scooped her up, bridal style.
"Hey! Put me down!"
"I can't." He said reasonably. "If I just hold onto you any other way, you might be missing the body part in the morning." That shut her up, though Jinx crossed her arms.
"Hang on!"
The rest of the world slowed. Flash knew what would be on her face, had he looked down- the exhilaration, the surprise, and the slightest bit of fear. Out, onto the streets, where raindrops paused like frozen tears, and he passed those and left them behind; left everything behind.
Jinx watched breathlessly, amazed at this stone like world, where things seemed to creep at a pace slower than eternity. The wind roared past them, and unknowingly her hands reached up and grabbed fistfuls the soft plaid shirt as Flash ran. She couldn't believe it- and this was the world he saw every day.
Finally, what seemed hours later, he stopped. The pasta on the stove boiled happily, and the pink haired woman took a breath.
"Wow…" It was the only thing she could think to say. Flash looked down at her.
"Amazing, isn't it?" His voice was as soft as hers.
"It's… incredible." She looked up to meet those blue, blue eyes, and saw that he too had felt the exact same way. And, as if it was rapping on a closed door, her heart pounded in her chest.
"Would you mind letting go of my shirt?" The moment shattered and Jinx swung herself out of his arms, dragging him closer as her eyes lit with a dangerous pink fire. Flash watched her, unshaken.
"Don't mess with me." Came the snarl. Then she was gone and her door slammed as he stood at the counter, puzzlement on his face.
"Who said I was messing with her?" The question went unanswered as he took the angel hair off the burner and made a plate for himself; for some reason, he didn't think that Jinx was going to come out for a while.
What a fool he had been. He had known all his life that commitment was something he didn't handle well, but when that moment had hung in the balance, he had ruined it. Ruined perhaps a chance for a better future.
Unable to explain his mixed emotions, he had volunteered for the next mission that came along- even if it was a bit out of the norm.
Laughter filled the street as he helped the unfamiliar blonde out of the car, chuckling with genuine warmth as she calmed down.
"Walter, thank you so much for the wonderful time I had." She threw a gleaming smile his way and the red head gave her a half bow, mock stiffness on his face.
"It is, ma'am, my sworn duty and only reason for existence to cheer beautiful women such as yourself up." That provoked another peal of happiness from his companion.
Jinx walked down the stairs, hesitation in her demeanor as she watched her roommate and the strange woman. Flash looked up and caught sight of her at the same time the blonde did.
"Ah, Walter, who is this?" He grinned with good humor at her, seeing out of the corner of his eye Jinx frown slightly at the name. In all the time they had lived together, he hadn't even given her his 'civilian' name.
"This, madam, is a friend of mine; her name is Rose Thompson and I do suggest you take a look at her paintings. Some of them might be to your cultured taste." The blonde listened to Flash as her green eyes sized up Jinx.
"Ah, how nice to meet you!" The elegant hand that was offered had a shine which meant the latest manicure had to have been less than a day ago; a small fortune circled her slender fingers. Jinx shook it warily. "I am Carleene D'Shaw; perhaps I could, as Walter here has suggested, take a look at your paintings some time. He would not recommend you if you were not excellent!"
As Carleene beamed with adoration for him, he wondered if that was faint disgust on Jinx's face. Well, he would let her make her own decisions; right now he had to bid the lady adieu.
"I must insist now, lady, that you return to your house- while the streets around here are friendly in daylight, when the darkness comes out, there are untold deeds done." The mock seriousness in his face produced another giggle from the perfumed creature and she batted away his hand playfully.
"Oh Walter, I cannot imagine why I have not met you all these long, lonely years! Ah well, I suppose I should take you advice and go. Tomorrow, perhaps?" When Flash nodded she smiled again and slipped back into the car.
"Farewell!" A wave and she was off. He waited until the yellow convertible was out of sight, and then turned, expecting to meet Jinx's accosting gaze. However, to his surprise, the former villain didn't even look at him, face indifferent as she turned to go back to their apartment.
"I'm ordering Chinese. Come on up and tell me what you want."
Later that night Jinx picked at her beef lo mien as Flash chased a stray fortune cookie around his plate. The uneasiness had crept between the two not long ago, and finally the silence was broken.
"She seems like a nice person. Where'd you meet her?" There was no jealousy or anger in her voice, but Flash sat back and watched her anyway.
"Her boss is a friend of mine; considering how long he's been hinting I should start seeing other women, I'm surprised he waited this long to hook us up."
"So you're dating." It was a flat statement, not a question. Her companion refrained from speaking for a long moment, choosing his words (or trying to find them) in the empty silence.
"… yes." No reaction from Jinx, but something told him that he needed to explain farther- or she'd be out of here in an instant.
"Well, that and the fact we (as in the neighborhood heroes) think she's Nocturna." That got a reaction. Pink eyes met his as Jinx rocked back in her chair.
"Nocturna… You mean the illusionist villain whose record is even longer than your heroic deeds list?" At Flash's nod, she mulled over the info while chewing lightly on her lip. "So what are you doing dating her? Trust me, she isn't going to be one to switch sides. Even when sweet talked by you." Her standoff attitude had disappeared, and it was almost like today hadn't happened.
"Hopefully, and it's a very slim chance, I'll be able to dig down deep enough to find out at least where she works from. Because everybody doesn't see the same person due to her illusions, she could live anywhere."
"It's dangerous." Nocturna had over fifteen murders on her record- and not even the Justice League had been able to find her.
"I know." And they left it at that.
So Flash had begun to court Carleene, hunting out the slips and hesitations she would involuntarily make when enough alcohol had been pumped into her. Well, not really, but it was close enough.
It had been five months already, and what he still knew was very little. But he had a gut feeling, a hunch… and it warned of danger.
Jinx sat on the arm of the couch where Flash was, looking out at the city below.
"What's wrong?" Her voice was soft and prompting. He sighed, feeling like a weight was dragging him down.
"I don't know." Down on the streets, cars flashed by, their tail lights ribbons of red in the darkness.
Finally, ten months after he had first met Carleene, the time was finally ready.
"Jinx." She lifted her gaze from the book in her hands to his blue eyes, which were serious for once.
"Yeah?" He fished into his pocket and tossed her a set of keys. The pink haired woman caught them and frowned. "Flash, I already have keys to the apartment."
"I know. These are mine." She started to speak, confusion on her face. He cut her off. "Look, tonight we're going to make our move. It's seven now- if I don't come back by ten, don't expect me anytime soon."
Her frown turned into concern as he continued to talk. "Don't let anyone else in or out; I don't have reason to suspect her to come here, but just in case."
And then he was gone.
He'd only find out later what she'd done as those long hours passed.
Jinx ran hard through the dark city, running until her lungs burned, running as she counted every footfall. Why couldn't she stop worrying? Damn it! Pummeling the dummies at the gym hadn't helped either.
Finally she made it back to the apartment, pulling out a set of keys and unlocking the door. Once inside she fell onto the couch, eyes finding the clock unwillingly.
9:56
Four minutes. Relaxing, Jinx closed her eyes and fell into a light doze… until she woke up.
10:10
She froze, then forced herself to pick up the remote and flip aimlessly through the channels. He had to have been kidding her. He wasn't serious. He didn't mean that if he didn't come back by 10, he was either captive or dead…
10: 37
The silence was wearing away on her already strained nerves. With a snarl Jinx hated herself. Why did she care so much? What did it matter if he wasn't home already?
10:51
The woman turned off the TV, eyes glowing with the faintest pink. Going into her bedroom, she emerged a minute later and left.
A white card, labeled with Carleene's name and home phone number, lay discarded on the table.
But what he did know was that Carleene knew that he was Flash… and had taken measures to stop him from going anywhere.
He knew it was a futile effort, but groggily Flash twisted at the bindings on his hands. The rough edges bit into his skin, drawing blood as he winced belatedly. The rustle of silk told him that Nocturna had noticed his movement and was probably coming over to taunt him – and do other things- again.
A hollow knocking surprised both of them; the woman pulled her black silk robes together and walked to the door. She opened it with suspicion.
"Who are you?" Whoever stood at the door made no response, but Nocturna stepped back and let them in.
"Who are you?" The light was too dim and Flash couldn't see well, one eye swollen from an unexpected punch.
"Somebody who has information for you, Nocturna." The blonde narrowed her eyes and flicked on the light.
A black skirt fell, cobweb like strands glistening with what seemed like drops of dew. A tight deep purple corset accentuated the femine curves, interwoven with shots of hot pink. Hair normally let down was pulled into a tight braid that fell to her waist. Sharp fingernails were coated in the same color- and the fingerless gloves covered hands that shone with untapped power.
"Rose?" A frown from the villain. "No… Jinx." A wicked grin from the addressed woman.
"You remember. How nice."
"What do you want? Certainly not to reminisce over Hive days."
"I have info on Flash over there." Jinx didn't even bother to look over at the bound and gagged man, who was watching her with grim eyes. What was her game? Or was it that she had never truly 'reverted'… and he had fallen for it?
"I have all I need to know." But Nocturna was listening to Jinx.
"Ah, all but one thing. You see, he has an ally who's never far from his side- one that even I haven't been able to deter. I can even give you her name." She had moved closer to the other woman.
"Who? Who?" Nocturna was entirely focused on her.
Jinx smiled, the chilling expression sending a cold wave through Flash as he watched.
"Me." Two pink explosions, and the blonde was thrown so hard into the concrete wall that she was driven halfway through it. Jinx quickly took out the two witless goons Nocturna had hired to help her and then turned, glowing eyes finding the man hidden in shadows.
She knelt by his side, slicing the bonds and pulling off the gag. Once that was done, she finally met his eyes.
"I'm going to kill you for making me worry." Flash grinned weakly.
"If Nocturna doesn't get to you first." Without even glancing back Jinx struck out with a pink whip, sending the moving woman once more into the wall.
"What'd she drug you with?"
"Enough sedative to take down three elephants at least. My body hasn't quite finished burning it off yet." When he tried to get up, she slipped her arms under him and stood, walking out.
"How the hell are you so heavy?" Drifted back into the concrete room as the two left.
"Where'd you get the outfit?"
"A friend of mine has a thing for dolling people up. Insisted that I had to have one if I ever took up the role of Jinx again."
"Hmm. Villain or heroine?"
"We'll have to see now, won't we."
And that was that. They had begun officially dating (and realized that that's what they had been doing all along). Then… again… Fate had interfered.
They had gone up against some mind controlling freak and walked away apparently unscarred. However, he had planted a sort of… seed within their minds. One that had wormed it's way into their hearts… had made them believe the other was being unfaithful. Cheating. Decieving. And torn their hearts in two.
Once they had realized what had happened, they had done their best to cope, and fight back.
"… I'm sorry. So very, very sorry." The darkness filled everything.
A rustle of cloth, as though someone was leaning painfully towards someone else.
"It's okay." Silence. "It's okay."
And… it had hurt them. Both. Deeply.
The freak in rainbow clothing looked down at Jinx.
"So beaten already?" The pink woman rose unsteadily to her feet, wiping the blood from her mouth.
"No, not really." Her foe looked surprised. "So take it back!" Pink and red and yellow. Working together- for maybe the last time.
Then, finally…
"Jinx…" He couldn't say anything else. She hesitated, and then turned her head slightly; he could see the tears in her eyes.
"Sometimes… your luck just runs out." And then she was gone.
Flash sighed, finally noticing that the moon was descending once more. After he swung his long legs up onto the couch, he propped his head on the couch arm. Maybe he'd see her again in his dreams… and sleep stole over him swiftly.
- - -
"Flash?" A woman came into the moonlight, blinking sleep from her eyes. "You didn't tell us you were back." The child holding onto her shirt stuffed her thumb into her mouth as Jinx stiffened.
"Flash?" A pink light lit the room. She gestured to the girl, who nodded seriously and vanished, right down to her long black curls. The woman moved to the window, looking with suspicion at the still figure on the couch. Then she relaxed and the girl appeared again.
"Asleep. As usual. Jackie, give me a light? I'm going to need both hands to carry him." The child nodded and a faint white light emanated from her eyes. "Thanks."
She slid both arms under his heavy weight and began to lift. Halfway up, she hit her knee on the edge of the cushion.
"Ah!" Jinx fell onto the couch, Flash pressing on top of her. Immediately a white circle formed around him but her mother waved her hand.
"It's okay Jackie. I think I'll just… stay… like this…" She yawned. The dark haired child (Jack of All Trades) nodded silently and went back to her room. With a sigh Jinx shifted so his back didn't press so uncomfortably against her, putting her arms over his shoulders as Flash continued to sleep.
"I have a feeling that the next one's going to have my powers. Hmm… 'Murphy'?" A finger pressed against her lips.
"I'm trying to sleep." But there was humor in the soft voice as years lifted off both of them. She smothered a laugh but took the hint.
And the moon traveled onwards- as it always does.
The End