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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Yamato's pretty surprised that when Joe first expresses disapproval, it's at the people sending them out -- Gennai and the Bureau and everyone else -- instead of at him. That surprise shows on his face, despite his best efforts.

"We were chosen for this long time ago. I don't know if it matters anymore if it's right or not," he says. "... And besides, I can't speak for the others, but I think I forfeited the right to be a kid back a while back."

As far as Yamato is concerned, he gave that up when he first took a life, along with any notion of being some kind of hero.

He does crack a quick, awkward smile at the comparison to Barry, ducking his head. "Thanks, but don't be fooled, we're nothing alike."

"Sounds to me like that was taken from you," Joe says, no judgement on Yamato, but things would turn interesting and fast if Joe were to ever meet Gennai or anyone else who would send the kids into battle.

As for comparisons, as far as Joe is concerned there isn't really anyone like Barry, so he won't hold that against Yamato.

Taking a drink from his coffee, Joe gives a quick hiss and pulls the mug away, brushing his mouth with his hand.

"Alright so, what're you doing?" he asks, turning the subject back to the now by giving a nod towards the items Yamato has so carefully set out. "Anything I can do to help, or you wanna just wait for Barry to get back?"

Yamato gives a shrug and a quick smile, as if to say that he doesn't see much difference.

He's relieved that Joe isn't turning him out of the house, though, and doesn't seem to have taken against him.

"I can wait for Barry to get back. If we start without him, he'll probably pout at us," Yamato says wryly. "But I figure beef teriyaki, okonomiyaki -- kind of like a pancake but with a meat and vegetable filling -- and takoyaki, which is like an octopus dumpling."

There's a large difference there to Joe's mind, but now isn't a good time to get into a conversation to point that out.

Instead he laughs on that comment about Barry. "He just might."

And no one wants that.

"Teriyaki I know," Joe says, then tries to repeat the names Yamato gives, with mild success. "Oko-- oko-meeyaki and taco-yaki are new ones."

He scratches the beard on his chin and mulls a moment before adding, "I think I've had octopus, though. Barry and Iris, they've taken me to some sushi places before, and one of those restaurants with the open grills? Where they do all the flashy cooking in front of you."

Yamato laughs a little, tilting his head. "Well, I can't promise that my cooking will be as fancy or as good as those places, but I'll do my best."

"Aaaalways prefer home-cookin' to any restaurant," Joe informs Yamato.

A beat, and then he amends, "Well, except for maybe sometimes when Iris is cooking... "

Joe smiles then holds a finger to his lips to let Yamato know that's something Yamato never heard Joe say. As far as Iris will ever know, her dad loves her cooking.

Patting Yamato on the arm, Joe steps back to exit the kitchen.

"Barry should be back in a few, so I'll leave you to it."

Yamato solemnly mimes zipping his mouth shut. If Iris asks, he'll tell her that Joe praised her cooking for hours.

"Cool. Er, thanks again for letting us use your place for this," he says, giving Joe an awkward but happy smile.

"You're welcome," Joe replies.

Taking his coffee and heading back upstairs, Joe passes by the living room on his way. Stopping by the couch, Joe reaches down and gives the lazing Cisco's shoulder a firm squeeze.

"Go in there and hang out with your friend," Joe says to him in his 'dad voice'.

Cisco squirms and nods quickly. "I'm going."

Joe heads upstairs and a few moments later Cisco steps into the kitchen.

"Hey Yams, hows it going in here?"

Yamato is somewhat buoyant, at least for now before the uncertainty sets in. As first meetings go, especially ones that ended up with some pretty heavy subject matter, he thinks that went pretty well.

He hopes it went pretty well.

"Hey, kiddo," he says as Cisco steps in, flashing a grin at him. "You here to help out with the cooking?"

Cisco pushes up the sleeves of the button-down he has thrown on over his t-shirt and shrugs.

"Yeah, sure. I think I've marathoned enough episodes of Iron Chef to start showing off my skills."

GP comes wandering in, stopping in the middle of the floor to peer up at Cisco and Yamato.

Yamato laughs, reaching forward to tap his knuckles against Cisco's forehead.

"That so? Maybe I should be deferring to you here, I haven't seen any Iron Chef," he grins. He gives a wink down at GP, too, just for a second. "Alright, can you cut up some vegetables for me? Just some leeks and peppers. I'll start on the batter."

"Seriously, the Digital World definitely needs to get itself some cable TV," Cisco says mournfully, shaking his head.

Bragging aside, chopping things is definitely something he can handle so Cisco heads to the sink to wash his hands and sets about getting things sliced and diced.

GP squawks, then flutters up onto the countertop, inspecting Yamato's careful setup.

"I know, it's a travesty," Yamato says cheerfully, patting Cisco's shoulder as he passes by on his way to the sink to wash his own hands.

Once that's done, he lightly shoos GP away from where he's working and starts mixing up the batter.

A gust of air hits the kitchen and on the counter beside the sink two reusable grocery bags materialize. A moment later a third tote and two jugs of milk join them. Finally Barry drops in, coming to a neat sliding halt beside the counter, carefully setting down a fourth bag loaded with egg cartons down.

"Did you guys know Coast City has an amazing Asian market? I went there for the octopus and they had literally everything else. Plus, I got these."

Holding his hands out towards Yamato and Cisco, he opens them and two small cats blossom from his palms.

GP makes an indignant sound and Cisco heads back to the sink, turning the cold tap on low.

"Here you go, bud."

Delighted, GP leaves Yamato and heads for the sink to splash around underneath the falling water.

Barry's return draws a mild reaction from Cisco until he sees the presents.

"Oooo, squishy!"

Yamato tenses up on instinct when that gust of air hits, but he quickly relaxes again, pausing his work on the batter to turn towards Barry.

"I did not know that," he says, flashing a smile and padding over to peer at the cats. "Huh, those are pretty damn squishy."

He claps a hand on Barry's shoulder, giving it a squeeze. "Thanks for all of this, Gramps."

"Sure, no problem," Barry beams at Yamato. "Why have superspeed if you're not going to do grocery runs for your friends, right?"

After Cisco takes one Barry holds the remaining cat closer to Yamato, urging him to take it.

"You know you want it... "

"Sooo squishy," Cisco says, mesmerized by watching the toy squish and unsquish.

"I think you broke Cisco," Yamato says, but Barry's right, he does kind of want the toy, so he reluctantly takes it.

Squish. Unsquish. Squiiish.

"So squishy."

Barry just laughs, then gestures towards the kitchen at large.

"So, how're we doing here?"

"I'm chopping things," Cisco says, illustrating this by not chopping things and instead continuing to play with the toy. "GP is doing dishes."

Webbed feet smack in the bottom of the metal sink as GP continues to splash about.

"I'm making the batters for the takoyaki and okonomiyaki," Yamato says. "If you mix the glaze for the teriyaki and start dipping the beef in it, that'd be awesome."

Barry eyes GP, assessing whether or not there's a mess being made, then nods to Yamato.

"Can do."

A (super)quick hand washing later and rapid putting away of groceries that aren't for right now, and then Barry claims a bit of counter space to work on the glaze and beef.

Cisco finally sets aside the squishy kitty and gets back to chopping.

"So where'd you learn to cook anyways?" he asks Yamato. "This doesn't seem like a wilderness dish."

"I just picked it up from books and experimenting. My old man doesn't cook, and he's never home long enough to eat anything anyway -- living on takeout and cereal didn't sound all that fun, so I learned how to cook instead," Yamato says wryly, shrugging.