forum One-On-One (Closed)

Started October 24, 2018 by @Imperfect_Autumn group

tune

“Stop blaming yourself. Please, Barr…” Kasey asked softly. “It’s my fault and mine alone.”

Barry shook his head wearily, too focused on battling unconsciousness to argue. “Can’t you undo your ropes?” he asked after a moment, “With your powers, I mean. You should run. Get away while you can.”

“No. I will not leave you here. Okay? I could never,” Kasey said, her voice hardening in determination. “If I leave, you’re coming with me.”

“You can come back for me,” he insisted softly, “Think about it. You’re no help to ether of us when you’re tired and battered. Escape, collect yourself, come back.”

“No, I have to get you out… I have to. If I don’t, who knows what she’ll do to you?” Kasey said quietly, her voice breaking. “I can’t— I cant just leave you here alone with her…”

“If anything, Kase, I’m safer when you’re not here.” It broke him, to say those words. But right now, he’d do anything to get her to safety. “She only wants to hurt me to get to you. If you’re not here…”

She won’t have any reason to hurt him…

“Okay… You’re right. I know you’re right. Just… Promise me something?” Kasey pleaded.

"Anything," he answered quickly. As long as you're out of harm's way.

“Come home? When this is all through, come back to me… Please,” Kasey begged in a small voice.

"Always," he promised, though his voice broke on the last syllable.

Kasey nodded, though she knew he couldn’t see it. “Okay,” she breathed, already letting the knots loosen. “Okay… As long as your safe, then, that’s all that matters to me…”

"I love you…. I never stopped loving you… Never forget that, Kasey."

Goodbye…. I hope you miss me, Barry added silently in his head. Because now that she was leaving, that she was going to be safe, he didn't intend on giving Hectic any reasons to let her back in.

Kasey felt her breath catch at the words. When had she last heard them from his lips? It had been too long…

“I love you, too… I love you so much,” she whispered as the ropes fell to the ground and she stood up. “I… I would have said yes…”

And with that, the doors were opened. She slipped out before he could respond.

A tear slipped down Barry's cheek.

"Goodbye…." he whispered. I'm sorry that you'll never be able to say 'yes' to me…

(Legit brought tears to my eyes… Thanks, T…)

About a half an hour later, Hectic walked back into the room. Before her, she was pushing a large, glass box with some mechanism attached.

The lights flickered back on, and she glanced over at Kasey’s empty spot. Raising an eyebrow, she turned to Barry.

“She left you? I’m surprised. I would have thought she would stay to set you free as well,” Hectic mused.

(oof, anytime)

"I told her to go," he answered warily, averting his eyes. "And these chains are too heavy for her anyways. You don't seem too….. disappointed."

Hectic smirked. “I know how to get to her in other ways. For now, though… Now I have you to take my revenge out on. How do you feel about dark, enclosed spaces?”

Barry gritted his teeth and stared straight ahead, not daring to respond. Anything but that. Please. For the love of god, anything but that.

“Not a fan, then?” Hectic chuckled. “Good. All the more fun for me. How about water? What do you think about that?”

Barry's whole body went rigid. "I can swim," he hissed through gritted teeth.

“Oh, trust me. You won’t need that,” Hectic said, her eyes shining threateningly. “Not for what I’ve got planned for you.”

Barry's blood turned to ice.

"Do–Do whatever you want with me," he whispered, "Just don't lay a hand on her."

Hectic shrugged, the lights going out again when she snapped her fingers. When she spoke again, her voice was much closer to Barry.

"We'll see," she murmured.

"Don't you dare," he hissed through clenched teeth, struggling to keep hold of whatever was left of his shredded composure.

"We'll see…" Hectic repeated herself.

And then suddenly he was out of his chair and moving. He got shoved into some enclosure, probably the glass box the villainess had brought out, and the door was tightly secured after him.

"Have fun~!" she singsonged as water started to pool at his feet.

Barry pulled his knees against his chest, breaths coming in quick and shaky. "N-No—" he whimpered, the water in the tight confines of the box turning him into a little kid again. Images flashed before his mind's eye, each more terrifying than the last as the walls closed in.

Meanwhile…

Kasey's breathing was heavy when she arrived at the apartment. It wasn't her own; she would need some backup for this. Plus, she couldn't bear to go back there, anyway… Not yet. Not while Barry was being hurt and held captive.

"Harper? Harper, open up, please! I need help!" she called as she pounded on the door.

The water levels continued to rise, drawing whimper after whimper from his trembling lips.

Kasey, he thought, clinging to the name like a lifeline, Kasey, Kasey, Kasey.