in the aching night under satellites i was not received

[shrinkage]

Who: Ray Palmer and friends (that means you, sorry!)
Where: Anywhere you'd like!
When: 1-Aug
Rating: PG-13
Summary: After returning from home, Ray re-adjusts to Wonderland from a "normal" perspective.
The Story:

OPEN

[ ray misjudges everything, now. descending the stairs tends to send him flying in a tumble a few floors past where he'd wanted to stop off. he keeps forgetting that he definitely can drink an entire latte. there's this ongoing issue he has with the height of doors that requires quick resolution lest his forehead bear a permanent bruise for the rest of his days…

so when he bumps into you, it may seem like it's with malicious intent or the result of willful oblivion but immediately, he jumps to apologize: ]

Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry! [ did he just say gosh? who is this guy, jimmy fallon? ] Are you OK?

Comments

[accelerate]

[ does he lose his eyebrow in the ceiling of their current corridor? he's pretty sure he no longer has brows with how high he's raised them. a time drive sounds exactly what barry's thinking it sounds like, but he can't be too sure. what he's most certainly positive about is snart had kept a few interesting details out of his recounting of his own adventures. ]

[ he may be looking at ray like he's grown several heads, but, rest assured, there's only one on his neck. ]

I think I'm going to need to sit down for this?

[shrinkage]

I'm kind of hungry. Feel like talking physics over lunch?

[ because yeah that's the face of requiring explanation about rip hunters and waveriders. boy would it be nice to have gideon here to help... ]

[accelerate]

[ barry nods. he's always hungry, but the type of hunger he's developing right now is born out of confusion. his stomach doesn't grumble on cue, though, as disappointing as that is. ]

You feel like taking the long way or the express way?

[ space ships running on time drives sounds super cool, but can anything compete to being wrapped up in barry's arms and held snuggly against his chest when he runs at a super speed? ]

[shrinkage]

Oh my gosh, really?

[ ray grins wide, never one to turn down an opportunity for an adrenaline rush with a side of embarrassing commentary: ]

I get another ride on the Flash Express?

[accelerate]

I usually charge, but I think we can waiver the fee. Just don't tell Oliver.

[ because he'll get jealous, clearly. oliver's a little too independent woman.mp3 to ever allow himself assistance in getting from point a to point b. or is he stupid.mp3? sometimes barry can't tell the difference. ]

Food's on you, though. I can't believe I missed out on a seventeen course meal, dude.

[shrinkage]

[ ray's used to making oliver jealous it's nbd they're total buds now ]

That sounds ... vaguely frightening. But I'm sure the folks at the diner will just keep the food coming. They're all really nice!

[ he moves back toward the stairs then to head up to said diner. it does at least seem like he's got his bearings a little better, as he navigates them with decidedly more aplomb. ]

What's even in a seventeen course meal...?

[accelerate]

[ please note: barry brings up the rear. ]

Hopefully a lot of food. [ he's already salivating at the thought of it. and does his stomach grumble? ]

[ it isn't in a bid to show off (except it most likely is) that he appears in front of ray in a streak of gold, wind ruffling palmer's incredibly finely styled hair. he glances over his shoulder at ray, a shit-eating grin on his face, before he looks around. ] Hey, are you up for one?

[shrinkage]

Oh-- [ yeesh, dude. ] --no thank you. I get this really great spinach frittata? Fills me right up.

[ which he will prove by patting his tum-tum! ]

But you can get whatever you want! No judging.

[accelerate]

I'm going to hold you to that! Last one to the tea room's a rotten egg!

[ and barry disappears with a forceful gush of air and golden yellow streaks, right into the nearest room that'll serve him up a seventeen course meal. ray will be able to find him in the tea-room, already sitting in a chair, and with a drumstick in his mouth. is that a spinach frittata on the plate opposite where barry's sitting? ]

[shrinkage]

[ however long it takes for ray to catch up, he does finally stride into the tea room and smile with surprise at the meal waiting for him. his large frame folds precariously into the chair across from barry, happy to ask: ]

Oh, thanks! This looks fluffier than I usually get. [ barry must know some secret to appealing to the mansion. but ray still takes his time, slowly arranging the setting before him, and unfolding and refolding the napkin before putting it into his lap with particular care. before he digs in, he watches his meal partner for a moment. ] Hey, can I ask you something? About your speed?

[accelerate]

[ unfortunately for the manners present in the room, barry's mouth is full, and he begins to speak before he realises his voice is muffled. ray'll hear an audible equivalent to sjkfdls, which would easily translate to yeah! barry waits until he's finished trying to swallow without chewing, and nods his head. ]

Yeah! What's up?

[shrinkage]

I was just wondering ... do you always speed around like that? Like, do you just walk anymore?

〈 a curiosity, really. but something he's noticed lately -- and while he doesn't mind necessarily, it's still a quirk he isn't yet used to. 〉

[accelerate]

I walk!

[ maybe it's said too quickly to be taken as a serious answer. given how he's been in wonderland, barry barely stands still. he hardly walks at the designated walking speed limit set around wonderland, either. ray may have seen sparks of gold outline crackle in the dark outside of his window. ]

When I need to. I can't move around like the Flash when I'm being me, you know? [ barry reaches forward to grab something else to eat — and it turns out to be a nicely large piece of pizza slice with extra cheese. ] Sometimes I just can't help it. It's kind of natural to move as quickly as that — [ and to think and talk and process and act and speak quickly, too. ]

Maybe we can have a slowpoke race? See who wins?

[shrinkage]

No, that's not what I meant. I was just ... curious. Do you feel more comfortable doing it here in Wonderland at all?

〈 his eyebrows raised in curiosity, ray gestures to the room around them when he mentions wonderland. old gesticulations die hard in an ex-business man... 〉

[accelerate]

[ barry would mull over ray's question with a bite of his food, but he ends up placing that beautiful pizza slice down on his plate, and he thinks about it. is he more comfortable flashing around wonderland? ]

[ wonderland doesn't know the flash, not like central city does. there's something to be found in the fact spying the streak of gold brightening up the dark city streets may elicit hope in someone looking out their window. he misses being known, but he sometimes wonders if his recent actions back home will erase that wholeness he feels since becoming the flash. ]

It kind of feels the same. [ his answer's more serious and sombre than his previous responses with ray. it's clear he hasn't quite thought about it. ] I'm the Flash, but no one here knows the Flash. There's not that many meta humans around to deal with.

[ he shrugs his shoulders, ] I know if someone catches me, I could always blame Wonderland? It's a little crazy like that. Strange things happen here. I can be strange and people might think it's normal.

[shrinkage]

You don't sound like you regard that as a positive thing.

〈 which ray could be totally off base about, but the words barry chooses seem particular. ray's look softens as he risks a teasing comment-- 〉

I mean, I don't really know you that well, so maybe it's normal for you to speed off in front of friends you're walking somewhere with?

[accelerate]

[ barry opens his mouth to correct him — it's a good thing! even though barry's awfully beaming optimism doesn't quite shine through like the sun right now. it's a little difficult to be beaming and bright and bubbly at all hours of the day, even for someone who burns calories as quickly as him. ]

Only with good friends. [ of course he takes the route ray directs him toward with a speed that's quite in line with the flash. with a smile, he means it. his answer isn't something he wants to dump on ray, and he doubts ray's particularly looking to carry any of barry's baggage. ]

We can maybe make a bet on it. You can bet Snart I'll break into a Flash run within two minutes and … [ he shrugs his shoulders, but not so innocently. ]

[shrinkage]

[ that makes ray laugh, and shake his head. he knows a little bit about dimmed optimism, and of feeling like the rambler. the problem-dumper. in this instance, he does smell something a bit fishy. what's the risk in trying to push? ]

I never realized how competitive you are, Barry. Or how good you are at changing the subject.

[accelerate]

I'm naturally fast.

[ he shrugs his shoulders, and says it on a laugh. ] What can I say? Guess it's a new skill I've picked up. I'm glad you think I'm an A-Lister.

[ one that he's perfected over the years. he's been a pro at changing the subject since he was eleven years old, an intermediate in the study before then. ]

[ as if to prove the point, albeit subtly, he reaches for his pizza slice and eats it to bide himself some time — just in case ray takes another page out of snart's book, not that he feels like he is. ray's a fun guy, and he doubts he has any ulterior motive. ]

[ then again: snart's kind friend. snart's friend. a friend of snart. (of course ray would like him; ray's a kind and fair guy.) ]