ᵐᵒⁿˢᵗʳᵒᵘˢ ▸ 𝐑𝐀𝐘 𝐏𝐀𝐋𝐌𝐄𝐑² ✓

twenty.

MONSTROUS.
020. | ❛ you trust thawne? ❜

A/N: Sorry that I keep jump skipping but I literally can't find a way to embedded Crystal in it. So this is more of a one-shot but it takes place with the new episode Moonshot. Also my baby Leonard is coming back in the next episode.
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"Menial labor without superspeed is really quite tedious.Then again, I've missed working with a fellow scientist." Thawne said while fixing the ship with Raymond. "Cisco and Caitlin and I, as you know, worked together for some time and I miss the camaraderie."

"Legion of Doom doesn't have Karaoke Fridays?" Ray joked.

"I know it's easier for you to think of me as a monster.But, um, I've met some of history's monsters, Raymond, and believe me, I'm not one of them." Thawne tried to defend himself, trying to gain some sympathy from Ray because Thawne wasn't the bad guy in his eyes.

"You killed Barry's mother. Twice.
Rex Tyler brainwashed Rip into killing Dr. Mid-Nite." Ray reminded him of the bad things they've done.

"Time travel has a way of revealing the truth to you. And you and I have more in common than you think." He took a moment to look at Ray before Ray decided to switch gears.

"Pass me the pliers."

"We're both scientists. We're both obsessed with achieving the impossible. You dedicated your life to learning how to shrink yourself down to the size of an atom, and I spent mine learning the secrets of the Speed Force." Thawne said.

"I became the Atom to help people." Ray refuted because he remembered the pain of losing his fiancée because he couldn't do anything.

"You could use the dwarf star in your expo-suit to power an entire city. But instead, you chose to become the Atom because you weren't satisfied with your small, pathetic life. There is no shame in wanting to be great or to reach higher. To walk on the moon." Thawne kept picking at Ray's idea of being a Legend.

"Is that why you want the Spear? Reach higher, become greater, run faster?"

"No. I'm after something much more elemental. I want to live.
Surely, you can sympathize." Thawne stressed on the word sympathize, striking a chord with Ray as he cocked his head back in his direction.

"What is that suppose to mean?"

Thawne smiled before putting his pliers down and looking at Ray,
"I don't mean to pry but that fancy doll, Crystal. She fancies you and I haven't seen that look on her face, she's so keen on being with you. It's just -"

"You don't know a thing about Crystal and I. And it isn't your affair to find out about our relationship." Ray defended what he had with Crystal. The last relationship he had was with Kendra and she was fated to be with someone else. Crystal wasn't like that; she was kind, sweet, and genuine and didn't have a tie to anyone. She and Ray clicked because they both lost someone, they knew what it was like to feel grief.

"Believe it or not Raymond, the universe it working against you. And sure I can be wrong and you two actually have a shot at working out, but the two of you are going to be heartbroken again."

"One minute to the intercept, Raymond."

[•]

Crystal waited in the cargo bay for Raymond to return, she was alone until a certain captain came around the corner and offered her some company.

"I think I need to offer you an apology Ms. Pierce, for my vulgar opinions on you." Rip apologized as Crystal remained leaning against the wall holding a clean expression.

"You weren't yourself, Rip. Trust me, I don't blame you. I can't imagine that you actually thought that about us." Crystal said, shooting a small smile towards him to which he responded with one of his own.

They both stood there in silence for the next couple of seconds, as Rip tried to start another conversation of his own. "Last time I saw you, you were trying to dealing with grief. Now, you're enveloped into a relationship with Dr. Palmer. It seems that I've missed a lot in my absence."

Crystal chuckled at the notice of her relationship with Ray, and unexpected one to say the least.
"Raymond was a comforting hand and partner I needed. I guess we just kind of found each other and click." She laughed a giddy one that hadn't been heard ever before, one that made Rip smiled.

"If I can offer my opinion, you seem happy Crystal." Rip said with Crystal smiling in response, and instantly turning her attention to Ray who was stepping out of the LEM. It was in this instance that Rip saw that Crystal was different, more open and free. Her soul was no longer clinging on and suffering from the last but opening up and accepting the future that was coming.

[•]

Once Ray was situated back into the Waverider, Crystal tried to brighten up his spirits with lunch. She noticed he was off ever since he got back on the ship. She tried her best to hold off confronting him about it, but she couldn't let something bother Ray if she could help him.

"Ray, is there something wrong?" Crystal asked finding her way around to Ray's side, while he kept his head looking down. She wanted to help him because whenever something bothered it was clear that she could come up with a solution.

"Nothing," he lied which he knew was going to bite him in the ass.

"You lied. Your heartbeat sped up so stop lying to me Raymond and tell me what's wrong." She said and Ray knew she was starting to get annoyed because she used his full name.

Ray chose his words carefully, gulping them down before uttering them to Crystal, "Is this real?"

Her face shriveled up in worry and confused manner to where she questioned why he would think or could feel that this was fake, "Of course, we're real. Why wouldn't we be?"

"It just because in that ship, I got to thinking and,"

"Thawne said something to you didn't he?" Crystal stopped him in his tracks.

Ray nodded in response with Crystal sitting on the table, "You're going to trust Thawne? A person who's trying to kill us, about our relationship?"

Ray offered no response and it was an initiative took by Crystal grabbing Ray's hands in hers, making sure that he was looking at her. Taking in her eyes that seemed to glean no matter what occasion, the eyes that seemed to glow anytime they were together.

"When you almost died in Camelot, I felt like I was dying. When you fell out of the cargo bag and into Japan, I couldn't sleep until I found you. Anytime you step out, I feel anxiety because I have a feeling that you might not come back. No matter what Thawne said to you will change what we have, Ray. I chose to be with you and you chose to be with me. You know why I did that, Ray?"

Ray shook his head and Crystal wrapped her arms around Ray's neck, as he stood up overlooking her.

"Because I love you. And I was scared to say it because I didn't think I could feel it again. But I do with you, and it's amazing. So whatever Thawne said to you to make you doubt us, don't let him get into your head. Because what we have, no one can take away from us." Crystal said.

Ray instantly scooped Crystal up and planted a firm and tender kiss on her lips, no longer did he care what the future had in sort for them because he knew that what they had now was what is important. Ray could feel her smiling back as they spun around, their lips still connected before he placed her down on her feet again.

"I love you too."