Guy's Night Out

[run_barry]

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."

Comments

[run_barry]

"It's totally fine, Joe," Barry assures. "After everything got cleared up we ran the exact same tests again without a hitch."

"I see," Joe says. Seeing Yamato's grimace, and the hunch in the boys shoulders, Joe sighs; realizing this is something else he's going to have to get used to. His son has superpowers, it was only natural that eventually he'd make friends with superpowers, too.

"Luckily no one was hurt." Joe says. "The department went into a tizzy, but around here that happens every other week so, with it cleared up we'll move on by tomorrow."

Joe shrugs a shoulder, doing his best to let it go.

[angry_friendship_wolf]

"I'm really sorry," Yamato says, wincing again, because just saying he's sorry isn't enough, as far as he's concerned, no matter how many times he says it. "I don't -- I'm glad nobody was hurt. And I promise it won't happen again."

He's still tensed up, like he's waiting for the moment where the mood switches from genial to angry.

[run_barry]

"Yamato-- " Barry starts to say when Joe stops him; cutting Barry off with a signal by raising his hand up off the table and giving a quick, short shake of his head.

Barry bites his lip and Joe studies Yamato.

"I believe you," Joe says to Yamato, trying to indicate to the kid that there isn't another shoe about to drop here. "You say you're sorry, and you say it won't happen again, I believe you."

Sitting back in his seat, Joe shakes his head, sighing a little to show this is all new, but he's facing all of it.

"I can't pretend to understand what it's like to have powers, or how hard it is to control them," Joe says, then gestures at Barry. "With Barry we come across new things all the time, some of them good, some of them less so. I imagine that's the same with everybody with abilities out there."

[angry_friendship_wolf]

Yamato flicks his gaze up to meet Joe's, and he doesn't look like he entirely understands, like he's entirely bewildered by the idea that his mistakes wouldn't be met with anger or reprisal. There's a moment where he's visibly trying to figure out if there's something he's missing here.

Eventually, he ducks his head again, reaching up to rub a hand over the side of his neck. "Yeah, okay. I'm -- ..." No, he can't just keep apologising endlessly, that won't help. "Thanks, er, Joe-san."

[run_barry]

Joe calmly meets Yamato's gaze when the boy looks up, giving him a small nod to show that it really is okay.

"Mistakes, sometimes accidents, are how we learn," Joe says. "It's when it turns deliberate that we got problems."

So don't decide to become a bad guy, Yamato.

[angry_friendship_wolf]

But he'd be such a good villain, Joe.

For a few moments, he still looks like he's expecting another shoe to drop, but then he starts to relax, slowly but surely, seemingly accepting that it's okay.

"Thanks," he says again. "It definitely won't ever be deliberate."

[run_barry]

Joe waits patiently for Yamato to either keep on his course of apologizing, at which point Joe is prepared to continue assuring the kid that it's alright, or for Yamato to accept that things are okay.

When Yamato accepts Joe nods and gets back to eating. When Joe realizes he's being stared at by a wide-eyed, hungry porg, Joe sighs.

Looking over at Barry, Joe jerks his head in the direction of the bathroom. "Will you-- "

Glad that they’re back in a spot where things are good with Yamato, Barry nods.

"Yeah."

Popping one more takoyaki into his mouth, Barry then speeds off to check on Cisco.

"Whooooooo... " GP coos, unblinking gaze focused on Joe.

[angry_friendship_wolf]

Yamato keeps eating as well, although he gives GP a rather wry look when the porg starts begging for food.

"Here, little guy," he says, picking up a takoyaki and passing it under the table to GP. "You're a sea bird, right? This should be right up your alley."

[run_barry]

"RAWW!" GP squawks happily, heading over to take the food from Yamato, and then munching on it contentedly.

Joe looks down at what's left of the octopus dumpling he doesn't intend to finish and sighs.

"Here... " he says, picking it up.

GP sees this and shrieks, leaping up onto the table and losing his towel in the process.

"Nah-AH!" Joe scolds, pointing a stern figure at the bird. "Off the table."

GP stops abruptly, turns around and jumps back down to the chair.

Joe is surprised, but doesn't show it. Instead he passes over the food.

"Good," he tells the porg.

[angry_friendship_wolf]

"Cisco's got him pretty well-trained," Yamato says approvingly. "Maybe not perfectly trained, but he'll get there eventually. Maybe."

[run_barry]

"Now we just gotta figure out how to train Cisco," Joe says, wry.

"Hey Joe?" Barry calls out in his most very 'everything is fine' nonchalant voice. "Where's the-- oh, never mind. Found it!"

"Don't ever have kids, Yamato," Joe intones to the young man, dreading finding out what's happened to his bathroom.

[angry_friendship_wolf]

Yamato chuckles a little.

"Noted, I'll keep that in mind," he says, his gaze flicking in the general direction of the bathroom as he tries to figure out exactly what kind of horror Cisco and GP could have unleashed in there.

[makes_the_toys]

It isn't long before Cisco and Barry come back, casually.

"Alright, everything is totally cool," Cisco announces, lifting GP up to take back his seat and settling the porg in his lap. "Joe, your bathroom is sparkling; shampooed top to bottom. You're welcome."

[run_barry]

"Coincidentally, Cisco owes Iris a new bottle of shampoo after a bird dumped hers into the tub," Barry says, sitting down.

Joe doesn't trust the report until Barry provides some details and then Joe's eyes widen and he shakes his head at Cisco.

"Oooo, she's gonna kill you."

[angry_friendship_wolf]

"That's not as bad as I was expecting, I've gotta admit," Yamato says. "... Does kind of sound like you're going to die, though, kid."

[makes_the_toys]

"No I'm not," Cisco scoffs. "Random question for you, though. In a life and death situation, would you fight a girl?"

[run_barry]

Barry's eyes swing up, and then away, and he is not going to say anything more about how things may or may not have been before his involvement on the scene, or after.

"We uh, we should probably get going soon," Barry says, looking around at every wall trying to find a clock. "Still got a video game session to get in."

"You know I know you're running away, right?" Joe intones.

[angry_friendship_wolf]

"I'm not fighting Iris for you, Cisco," Yamato says flatly. "If she wants your head, that's completely justified vengeance."

He shakes his head, glancing over at Barry and noting his -- obvious nervousness.

"All right, once I've washed the dishes we can go, Gramps."

[makes_the_toys]

"Yeah well, that's fine. I'm thinking Iris might be my rival," Cisco replies, feeding GP.

"She would eat you alive," Joe informs Cisco flatly.

[run_barry]

"You know, I can-- " Barry makes a gesture at the table and nod towards the kitchen to indicate he can take care of the mess.

"Now I know for sure you're running away," Joe says, his amusement showing he's only joking. Mostly.

[angry_friendship_wolf]

"Good for you, kid," Yamato says, in a voice that indicates that he's very dubious about Iris being Cisco's rival.

He looks a little surprised at Barry's offer. "-- Sure, if you want. Don't feel like you have to, though."

[run_barry]

"He's sure," Joe says to Yamato.

"Everybody done?" Barry asks, indicating the plates and what's left on the table?

"I'm good," Joe says, taking up his coffee mug and leaning back in his seat to clear the area around his plate.

[makes_the_toys]

Cisco shovels what's left on his plate into his mouth and grabs one more dumpling for GP and nods.

"'Mf 'one," he says with a full mouth.

[angry_friendship_wolf]

Yamato quickly scarfs down another okonomiyaki and a takoyaki, then gives Barry a thumbs up.

"Yeah, all done here, Gramps."

[run_barry]

Yamato's signal is Barry's 'go' and once it's given Barry moves; clearing the table in a speedy blur, then hitting the kitchen next.

"See?" Joe says to Yamato. "But it's not just the showing off. Barry's always been very... mm, domestic?"

Joe chuckles, sipping his coffee. "Which, lucky for me, because with him I had at least one kid who liked keeping a clean house."