Barry sees the girl again, and she becomes more mysterious.
I don't own the Flash or anything else you recognize. Consider yourselves disclaimed.
Central City was not, it seemed, as big a city as Barry thought, though it was six weeks before he saw her again. This time he was enjoying a late night run through the streets when he was passing her almost before he noticed her.
It was the tattoos he noticed first, he realized, and he could inspect them closely this time. Both arms and hands were covered in fictional characters and scenes, from various mediums - he recognized at least three Doctors, two Sailor Scouts, and a swirl that was distinctly Starry Night. She was wearing a tank top again, despite the slight chill in the air, straight blond hair hanging loosely about her shoulders this time. Her skirt was dark green and fluttered at her knees, over short brown boots.
She was locking up what looked to be a storefront, but upon reading the sign on the glass door Barry realized it was a music school. He guessed she must be a teacher there, considering she had a key to the building and was leaving so close to midnight.
He was struck by the brief thought to stop and speak with her, but quickly shook that notion from his head. Hopefully she had dismissed what she had seen as impossible and forgotten all about it, there was no reason to prove it had been real. He wasn't even wearing his suit, just enjoying a leisurely jog. There was barely any lightning.
This entire mental cataloging and observation had taken scarcely a fraction of a second, but the decision to keep running was no sooner made than he found himself stopping in an alley around the corner, just out of sight. He froze when he heard footsteps running in his direction, and for some reason couldn't bring himself to move as she rounded the corner and saw him.
"It is you! I told Kim she was imagining a red flash of lightning shooting past her, but part of me wondered...and it is you!" She looked torn between feeling triumphant and confused, and somehow settled on unimpressed. "She made it sound like there was a lot more lightning."
"I wasn't exactly going all out," he defended himself without thinking. She looked as shocked as he did that he replied, before laughing.
"Well alright then. See you around." With a grin and a wave, she turned and left the mouth of the alley. Barry stood there for several seconds, unsure of what exactly had transpired, before following.
"Hey!"
She turned around, eyebrows raised. Barry swallowed once, then twice, asking himself the same question written all over her face.
What did he want?
"Um. You're just...you're not even gonna ask?" She grinned at him again, and Barry couldn't help but stare at the dimple it made in her left cheek.
"Nah, it makes you more mysterious. Something to figure out. And it gives me an excuse to find you again."
"Again?" She wanted to see him again? Why?
"Yeah," she laughed, taking a few steps toward him. "I mean, I found you the first time. You found me this time. Seems like it's probably my turn, huh?"
"And how are you going to do that?" he asked, more boldly than he expected.
"Oh, trust me," she said, closing the distance between them and pressing a kiss to his cheek. "I'm sure I won't be able to stay away."
Barry was strangely satisfied by the pink tinge to her cheeks as she drew away, somehow just knowing that it had been an unusually bold step for her. He found himself grinning at her, and her eyes widened in shock a moment before she shyly smiled back, beginning to walk backwards away from him.
"So like I said. See you around." And then she had turned away from him, walking swiftly around the corner and out of sight.
Barry stood there for several more moments, both confused and satisfied by the encounter. The thought crossed his mind that he hadn't gotten her name, but he trusted that she'd find him sooner rather than later.
There was no clear way to include this as it's written from Barry's pov, but after Mystery Girl kisses Barry's cheek and he smiles at her, the reason she's kind of shocked is because she's blinded by his smile. Just a cute little tidbit. I hope you liked it!
It's bedtime for me right now, but I'll get at least two chapters up either before or after work tomorrow, and if that's not the end of it I'll have it finished hopefully within a week. Night guys!