(no subject)

[run_barry]

[oom: about the hero stuff being easy..."]

For the second time in as many days (for Barry, at least) Barry is in Milliways looking rough and beat up. There's a mar on his temple and another on his cheek, and a split in his lip, but at least his clothes are intact this time.

Sitting outside on the steps behind the bar his shoulders are slumped and his arms rest on his knees as he looks out over the grounds.

He wanted to see the cherry blossoms he was told about, but honestly they aren't helping his mood all that much.

Later on he'll head inside and find a stool at the counter to occupy.



[ooc: feel free to find him outside or in the bar.]

Comments

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Out for a run, Steve sees the young man slumped on the steps and slows down.

"You okay there?" he calls as he jogs over.

[run_barry]

Barry lift his head and looks up at the man approaching.

Sitting back, he tries to straighten himself up a bit.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he replies unconvincingly.

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"You always look like the world's about to end when you're fine?"

He drops down on the step beside him and holds out his hand for a shake. "Steve Rogers."

[run_barry]

He accepts the hand, noting the muscles attached to the arm he's shaking.

"Barry Allen. It's just been... a really lousy couple of days."

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

... yeah, he's a big dude. The running doesn't actually have anything to do with that, but he likes to do it anyway.

"How so, Barry?"

[run_barry]

It reminds him of Oliver, a real hero who could probably bench press Barry while fighting bad guys one handed or something.

"Well, for starters I got beat up," he says with a dry, self-depreciating huff of a laugh.

"I also disappointed or just straight up pissed off people I care about, and when I tried to prove them wrong I found out how really right they were."

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"Oh, boy," Steve says with empathy. "That is a lousy couple of days."

He's quiet a moment. "So... what are you going to do to fix it?"

[starrydome]

An elf Lord has had the same idea it seems, judging from the pink petals adorning his hair.

He is walking back towards the Bar and when he sees the young Man he lifts his hand in greeting.

[run_barry]

It takes Barry a moment to notice the man, staring off into space as he is. The hand motion grabs his attention and he lifts his head, giving a hesitant half-wave back.

"Hey."

He checks himself to make sure he's not crowded the step in case the man wants to pass.

[starrydome]

He isn't.
Elrond still pauses at the steps to ask,"Are you alright?"

He thinks he's hit the right phrasing.

Up close he is rather obviously - different, even if it might be hard to pinpoint exactly what it is that sets him apart.
The eyes perhaps.

His clothes are practical and beautiful. His hair is braided and held in place by silver pins.
And he looks kind.

[run_barry]

"Yeah." Barry nods in a way that says otherwise.

Looking over the man Barry is struck by his appearance. He's not sure what it is, but there is definitely something about him...

Barry, on the other hand, looks rather ordinary. Dressed in blue jeans and sneakers with a sweater on over a button down shirt. The only thing of note, probably, are the blemishes on his face that look rather like scuffs one gets in a fight, though they've faded from fresh to healing wounds.

[starrydome]

Elrond smiles a little.

"I noticed you have a scratch -"
He discreetly indicates the Man's face.

[run_barry]

Barry swipes the side of his hand across his cheek, then winces because it still hurts a little.

"It's... been a rough day." To put it mildly.

[have_no_mercy]

Tess glances over from her own stool at the bar.

"The other guy look as bad as you do?"

[run_barry]

Barry sits, nursing a soda with an untouched bowl of mac and cheese that Bar gave him sitting in front of him.

Glancing over, he does a small double-take then answers, "Guys. And no, not really."

He could lie, but really what's the point?

[have_no_mercy]

She raises an eyebrow.

"Then you need some lessons."

[run_barry]

He doesn't exactly scowl, but there is some non-appreciative-ness in his expression.

"There were five of them, okay?"

[have_no_mercy]

She remains undeterred.

"You could take five guys if you were trained properly."

[run_barry]

Who is this lady?

Barry gives her a look up and down, then shakes his head.

"You fight a lot of people, then?"

[angry_friendship_wolf]

"Did someone beat you up, or did you just run into gravel again?"

What is tact? How did tact come to be, and why doesn't Yamato have any?

He's standing a little ways off from the steps, arms folded.

[run_barry]

Barry sighs.

It's not that he doesn't want to see Yamato, but he really could do without another lecture.

"I was in a fight," he replies, gaze settling somewhere past Yamato's side. "With several someones."

[angry_friendship_wolf]

"Hey, you're not dead, though, that's good," Yamato says wryly. "What's the strategy for dealing with groups the next time you encounter one?"

Because there has to be a strategy, right? Sometimes people commit crimes in numbers.

[run_barry]

"Yeah." Barely. It's just a really good thing Barry is actually faster than a speeding bullet. Or bullets.

"Not to?" he says, having already determined he's not good at the costume thing and to hang it up.

[angry_friendship_wolf]

Yamato blinks at him.

"... Not to? If you're going to do this whole crimefighting thing, you're probably going to have to come to terms that most criminals work in groups."

[run_barry]

"That's just it, I'm not doing the crime fighting thing anymore," he says, eyes finally lifting to meet Yamato's. "Joe was right, I can't do it."