run_barry | Guy's Night Out

After everything that's been going on lately, the time has come for a break. A planned visit from a friend is just the thing and with no major crisis going on at the moment, it's the perfect time to make that happen.

So, with an itinerary that includes science, food and video games, Barry is excited to bring Yamato in from Milliways for another trip to Central City.

Opening the door from the bar that's a broom closet in S.T.A.R. Labs, Barry gestures Yamato through.

"Here we are," Barry says with a smile. "Welcome back, dude."

The corridor, like most of rest of S.T.A.R. Labs that doesn't get used by Team Flash much, is usually pretty dimly lit, but today the passageway is bright in anticipation of their guest and the science that's about to commence.

Nodding down the hallway, Barry says, "Cisco and Caitlin are in her lab and we're all set up for you."

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"You two are both so protective of your hair," Yamato says, shaking his head. "Embrace the spikiness."

He gives Caitlin a smile, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "Thanks for doing all of this. I appreciate it."

Giving Cisco a nod, he heads for the door. "Okay, you get GP, I'll get changed back into my normal clothes, and we'll, er, meet back here. Because I don't know the way to the garage."

It didn't come up on his last visit.

He takes the opportunity to duck out of the room, making a beeline back through the corridors towards where he left his clothes. It doesn't take him long, though, and he's back pretty quickly, adjusting the collar of his jacket so that it completely covers up the edge of his scar.

"My pleasure," Caitlin says, nodding to Yamato.

"Stay out of trouble boys," she says to the other two, giving a parting wave as she heads off to start working on those samples.

Barry watches Caitlin go, and then Cisco, and then Yamato.

Standing awkwardly in the middle of the room he calls out, "I'll just wait here then."

Cisco returns shortly after Yamato, carrying GP who is bundled up in a puffer vest with a scarf.

He has on his own coat and keys are jangling in his hand.

"We're all set, how about you guys?"

"All set," Yamato says. "Got everything I need."

"Sweet! Let's get this posse on the road, then," Cisco declares, boosting GP up to his shoulder and then leading the way towards the garage.

"I wasn't sure what you needed to cook," Barry says to Yamato as he follows along, "Joe's place has the basics, but if you need stuff we can swing by the store on the way there, or you can give me a shopping list and I'll run and get it."

"I'm adaptable. My old man used to barely remember to stock the kitchen with anything, even the basics," Yamato says wryly. "But I'll figure out what I need and give you a list if I have to."

"Alright, that's cool. We'll head to the house then," Barry says with a grin as they enter the garage where the big white S.T.A.R. Labs van is waiting.

"GP gets shotgun!" Cisco declares as soon as the van is in sight and he can hit the button on the fob to unlock the doors.

"He should call shotgun himself if he wants it, but fine," Yamato grumbles.

He doesn't want to get on GP's bad side, after all.

"No, GP is not getting shotgun," Barry says, shaking his head. "He can sit in the back with me."

Yamato is a visitor! Politeness supersedes shotgun rules. Barry will take any porg wrath for it if he has to.

Pulling the sliding door open for himself, Barry gestures at the passenger door. "Go ahead, Yamato."

"What if he and Yamato fight for it?" Cisco counters, rounding the van to the driver's side.

"You're the one who called it, if I should be fighting anyone, it's you," Yamato says to Cisco. "I taught you how to throw a punch, right?"

He's moving towards the passenger door, though, because something tells him Cisco won't take him up on that Generous Offer™.

That gives Cisco considerable pause and when he opens the door and GP hops down into the front seat Cisco tells him, "GP, ride in back with Barry."

For his part GP doesn't seem to mind at all. He chirrups and then bounces between the two seats to join Barry in the back.

Barry laughs at the exchange and then slides the door closed.

"Yamato's a good teacher," he says to the two up front. "You might've had a chance, Cisco."

Yamato turns pink at that compliment, tilting his head around to give Barry a quick smile.

"Well, if you're sure ..." He says to Cisco, very innocently, settling into the passenger seat and shutting the door.

"Seatbelts!" Cisco declares, not wanting to talk about shotgun or a fight anymore.

The van comes to life and Cisco steers them out from the underground garage and onto the streets of Central City, leaving behind S.T.A.R. Labs, a building that still looks like a blown out shell from the outside.

Barry smiles back at Yamato and then gets settled in with his seat belt while GP plops down next to him.

"You'll be able to see some of the city along the way," Barry notes to Yamato. "More when we head to Cisco's place."

"Love you, kiddo," Yamato grins, nudging Cisco's shoulder with a fist.

He obediently puts on his seatbelt, tilting around to look at Barry. "That'll be cool. If we pass any major landmarks, point them out to me, okay?"

Cisco rocks a little with the nudge and his smile returns.

Putting on his blinker and taking a turn, Cisco affects a tour-guide voice and says, "On your left we have the Missouri River. North America's largest river, the Missouri flows with a butt ton of water on its way to joining the Mighty Mississippi."

"That's where I learned I could run on water," Barry puts in. "Oh, and across the way is the steel mill where Girder tried to crush me. Coming up is the museum Captain Cold robbed that big diamond from."

"Wow, you two are born tour guides, aren't you," Yamato says, amused. "The Central City Tourism Board is missing out by not hiring you."

"I can't tell if you really mean that or not," Cisco says, glancing over at Yamato. "But I'm going to take it like you really mean it and I'll be submitting my resume on Monday."