give_me_a_museum

[misskringle]

With encouragement from the whole team plus Matt and Thea Kristen set her plans into motion. She knew from aftermath of her ex Barry would need a chance to not just breath after the funeral but to mourn in some peace. So she booked a hotel room in Coast City for a long weekend now that Zoom was finally toast and could only hope this idea would work. They may not leave the hotel room beyond beach walks and pizza runs but that was fine by Kristen, they needed this on so many levels. They needed to just be Barry and Kristen and not The Flash and Madam Archivist if only for a few days.

But for now she was happy to admit that her problems for now were of the what to order for dinner kind.

"Pizza or burgers?" she asked as she dropped a super gentle kiss onto Barry's cheek as he sat on the hotel room bed just watching her.

Comments

[give_me_a_museum]

"Both," Barry says somewhat hopefully his voice still soft and sad and angry all at the same time. He was tired and couldn't remember when he'd last eaten anything. He was sure people had pushed food at him, but he wasn't sure if he'd actually taken a bite of it. "If that's okay with you that is."

[misskringle]

"Both it is, we're within a few blocks of a Big Belly Burger too." as Kristen fished her phone long enough to place the orders. Once the orders were placed she joined Barry on the bed and maneuvered so they could cuddle, she knew how powerful touch had become for both of them. She whispered,"You can mourn now, Zoom is toast and its only us." since only months before it was reversed when Kristen escaped her ex.

[give_me_a_museum]

Barry buried his face in his hand. "I wasn't fast enough," he muffle cried, "I could have saved him if I'd just been a little faster.....now I lost both of them. Both my parents are gone and their deaths were my fault."

[misskringle]

"Not your fault and never will be your fault Barry." Kristen's gentle heart took over as she pulled Barry into her arms to let him cry into her neck. "All Zoom's fault and we won." she softly reminded him,"Your idea sealed the win for us." as she softly laced her hand into his. Thankfully before they left Kristen had picked a few brains back in Gotham over the phone and was ready for Barry to slip into blame. She also had an idea, easily the clip out of her ponytail so Barry could play with her hair as a grounding tool.

[give_me_a_museum]

Barry's shoulders shake slightly. "But at what cost it's not fair....he got out of jail and now there is a guy running around with his face and I can't tell him why I can't look him in the face."

[misskringle]

"And that is something we'll face together. You are not in this alone anymore." Kristen gently reminded Barry. "You have me heart and soul plus you have a family that is family in all but blood." meaning the Wests and Team Flash.

[give_me_a_museum]

"I just want to fix it," Barry says, "I could do it too. Just go back and save her like I couldn't do last time. It would fix everything."

[misskringle]

"No it won't, things would only get worse all over again." Kristen gently reminded Barry. "Plus you would lose all the good you've gained if things did go bad. And I don't want to lose you or what we have." being ready for this but keeping her voice gentle and touches soft. Barry had pulled her through this same thing post ex beating her senseless so now it was her turn to do the same and to be the light. "That's why you need time away, to just deal in peace and for me to be there like you're always there for me. Let love work its magic."

[give_me_a_museum]

Barry curled into Kristin with a whimper. He should be angry, he should be furious still at being locked away when they could have defeated Zoom sooner. But right now he's just tired and depressed and he can't see the bright side right now. "I'm never going to not want to do that. I just need to get rid of the feeling as best I can."

[misskringle]

Kristen softly ran the pad of her thumb along Barry's neck as he curled into her. "For now just let the tears flow Barry and let me be your light in the storm. We're safe and I'm not running." she whispered as she softly kissed Barry: letting the warmth, beauty, care, shared strength, tenderness and pure love whisper louder than words. That was when it started to rain outside: a gentle rain meant to envelope wounded souls.

[give_me_a_museum]

Barry wept, deep ugly sobs he couldn't have let anyone see at the funeral or during the final fight with Zoom. "I'm sorry I yelled at you," he muttered, "You guys were only doing what you through was right."

[misskringle]

Kristen simply held Barry close to her heart as the tears fell hard and raw, their hands lacing together. "Apology accepted love, your heart was having a field day with good reason." as she dropped another kiss onto Barry's cheek and letting pure healing love envelope them. As they cried together all she could do and wanted to do was whisper words of pure love, support and comfort in Barry's heart. Her heart was speaking louder than mere words could.

[give_me_a_museum]

Barry cried until he was struggling to draw in air and he gulps several times until things even out and he is finally calming down. He is wrung out and shaking but he's finally mourned for himself and his parents.

[misskringle]

In the process Kristen had slipped off her glasses since she would always forget to take them off post cuddles. She shifted position so their hands were still laced together but made for a more comfy cuddle. She also moved some hair since she knew Barry would eventually play with loose stands (which she found both calming and adorable). She finally spoke,"The only downfall of massive crying is the feeling like crap part afterwards right?" since after she left Gotham she had cried on Barry's shoulder till she threw up from emotion and being flat out drained.

[give_me_a_museum]

Barry reached up and tangled one hand in his girlfriend hair and stroked it as gently as he could. "I don't think I'm about to throw up, but I'll warn you if that changes. I am sorry I got snot on you."

[misskringle]

"A little snot is something I can live with love." as Kristen shifts so Barry can play with her hair. "But you feeling any better?" her gentle concern in full bloom since that round of tears was pretty massive.

[give_me_a_museum]

"I feel better," Barry admitted, "it's gonna take a long time for things to stop hurting if they ever do but I've ever been happy it's right now."

[misskringle]

"Our other selves on vacation and we can finally be cute again right?" meaning The Flash and Madam Archivist. "I know we're hording our time off for July but this weekend is for us, lots of beach walks and awful but tasty food among other things."

[give_me_a_museum]

Barry nodded seriously. "Fun," he says, "I promised you fun and I'm gonna do whatever I can to be the Fun Flash for a little while."

[misskringle]

"With Madam Archivist along for the ride." as Kristen drops another kiss onto Barry's cheek. "Already found a food truck festival for tomorrow that sounds like fun, one price but tons of food. Plus that arcade Cisco mentioned when we first started planning this and a theater who has a trademark in bad movies."

[give_me_a_museum]

"Sounds like heaven," Barry muttered sitting up and reaching for the tissues on the nightstand wiping his face and then handing some tissues to his girlfriend. "Right now though I need something to eat."

[misskringle]

The burgers and pizza picked that moment to arrive so Kristen got up long enough to handle that aspect post tissues. "Speaking of food Big Belly Burger and Domoino's anyone?" as she set the bag and box atop the bed. "Usual orders of course and extra fries so fry mooching can happen." a silly and cute tradition that had started during one of their first actual dates. She darted to the nearby machine long enough to get sodas before returning,"You'll also feel better once you eat, know its cliche but it helped me post everything." meaning when she split from Gotham.

[give_me_a_museum]

Barry dug into the food but not at his normal speed...or even faster than that. He is both hungry and not which was weird.....but still he was trying.

[misskringle]

Kristen kept one hand in Barry's as she ate, the worry was in full bloom. She then offered a small bit of insight,"Remember how bad it was when I left Gotham? I know, not the same but the food thing is a mirror." since it took her over a week to actually eat again.

[give_me_a_museum]

"How can I be hungry....and yet not hungry at the same time," Barry says softly, "I know I need to eat but I don't want to."

[misskringle]

"You'll feel better once you eat." Kristen softly observed. "The emotions are wrecking with you on every level and that includes food." as she took a fry from the container. She then reached up to catch a stray tear falling down Barry's cheek with her thumb, keeping her touch gentle.

[give_me_a_museum]

Barry grabbed a few fries and nibbled them with another sad smile. "I'm gonna try," he says softly. "Then maybe after dinner we can go for a walk and explore for a little bit...you know the way normal people do."

[misskringle]

Kristen drops a soft kiss onto Barry's hand,"I'm for it, maybe we can track down that ice cream truck too?" she could smile a little more. As she spoke she grabbed a tissue to clean off some stray snot from Barry's nose.

[give_me_a_museum]

Barry chuckles. "It might be fun to chase it down like we did when we were kids. At least I assume Gotham had ice cream trucks."

[misskringle]

"On occasion they could be found." Kristen could softly giggle. "And yes it would be fun to play chase down the truck." her hand softly catching Barry's for a quick squeeze.

[give_me_a_museum]

"More like Barry tries not to shoot past the truck and freak everyone out," Barry says with a soft laugh, "not ever doing that again."

[misskringle]

"That's easy enough you know." as a soft giggle escaped Kristen. In the process she drops another gentle kiss onto Barry's cheek and whispered,"Never alone Barry." since he had reminded her of that so many times post Gotham.

[give_me_a_museum]

"I just wanted a Fudge Pop," Barry admitted sheepishly, "and I know I'm not alone."

[misskringle]

Kristen simply drops another kiss onto Barry's cheek,"I smell a hunt for Fudge Pops love."