Pure
Flash being the spoiled baby Shadow he is
A continuation of a post I did about Flash in Trucks shop
@stuffireadandenjoy I can't stop thinking about Flash and Bennett so here's a little short fic thing cause Flash is my precious little boy and he deserves all the love
Graves was just about done with everything. He had reached a boiling point and could feel the ache in his back from sitting as his desk too long. It was never easy work, losing a Shadow. It was messy and he had too much emotionally invested that he couldn't help but need to tear some of the pages up only to reprint the report and start over.
He especially hated interruptions.
But Truck never entered his office without being called, so Graves was willing to set aside his annoyance in favor of getting to the bottom of why his most elusive Shadow was standing in front of his desk.
"What do you need, Truck?" Graves asked as he leaned back from his desk.
"Send Flash home. At least for a bit." Shocked is an understatement for Graves's response towards Truck's words.
"What's the concern?" Graves questioned him carefully, knowing full well that any indication he believes that Truck has turned "soft" will lead the man to clam up and take back his statement.
"Send Flash home for a bit of leave. I heard what happened on that assignment, and I think he needs the time." Truck answered, a bit too calmly and a bit too gently for it to really be the Company's gruff mechanic. But his concerns were valid. Flash had been found wiggling his way out of a pile of rubble that never should have been. The kid had been found crawling away from the mangled corpse of one of his companions.
"I don't know." Graves whispered, mostly to himself. He wasn't sure if sending Flash home would be the best idea in the situation.
"No. He goes home." Truck growled and the commander frowned at him.
"Why the insistence?"
"He was doing the one stupid thing everyone knows not to do. He was sitting in my shop, in the corner, in the dark." If there was one sign that any of the Shadows were unwell, it was hiding in Truck's shop when he wasn't there.
"He needs to go home." Truck grumbled before quickly leaving Graves's office. Graves sighed as he sat in silence for a moment longer, the truth weighing heavy on his shoulders. Eventually, he got up and left his office.
He had to find someone.
~~~~
It took a bit more searching and asking around to locate Flash than was ever needed. Graves was directed to the locker room just inside from where the track is. There, he found Flash, still sitting on one of the benches in his normal track outfit.
Haunted was the best way Graves could think to describe him. The usual glow Flash gave off from his abundance of energy was gone, and he seemed so pale sitting there in the poorly lit locker room.
"I was so swamped with paperwork, I neglected one of my most important duties as commander." Graves said as he sat across from Flash. Not directly, just to the side, and allowed his knee to press against one of Flash's. Flash looked up at him and blinked, a slight frown exaggerating that haunted appearance.
"Failed to check in on my Shadows. How are you holding up?" Graves asked, intentionally knocking their knees together again. A grounding motion he used with many of the Shadows after a particularly rough assignment. Flash didn't respond, just shrugged his shoulders and looked away.
"That right there tells me everything I need to know." Graves said just before he stood, dragging Flash to his feet as he did.
"You're gonna take some time at home, okay? Losing a fellow Shadow isn't easy, especially not when it's your first time. It changes you, and I'm hoping some time at home will make it change you for the better." Graves said as he gripped Flash's shoulders, gently shaking him to emphasize each word. Flash nodded, blinking rapidly as tears formed in his eyes.
"Just know I'm proud of you, kiddo. You did what was best out there. You made sure I didn't lose one more Shadow, and sometimes that's all I can ask for. You do good work, Cole." Graves gave a smile and a squeeze of Flash's shoulders before leaving the locker room. And if Flash stood there to cry another minute, well it wasn't uncalled for.
~~~~
Flash was exhausted by the time he made it back to the little apartment he and his partner Bennett shared. It wasn't much, but rent was cheap and they had good places to eat within walking distance. He didn't bother carrying his duffel any further than the entryway, as his grip faltered and he just didn't have it in him to pick it back up. Instead, he trudged towards the bedroom, the familiar pull of crying forming in his throat.
Bennett wasn't home yet, and probably wouldn't be for another hour at least. But Flash was tired, and he was a right mess. So he sat on the edge of the bed and cried. Cried until he got the hiccups and hiccupped until he couldn't anymore.
He was still lying on his stomach, face buried in the pillows when Bennett got home. He didn't bother to move or say anything when he heard the door open, when he heard Bennett move his duffel out of the way. He didn't move or say anything when Bennett came into the room. He didn't move or say anything when Bennett sat on the edge of the bed and placed a large, warm hand across the small of his back.
Bennett knew. He could see that something had changed, something happened while Cole was gone. They both knew this day would come, when Cole would come home haunted and changed, but that still didn't stop Bennett's heart from breaking just the slightest. He didn't say anything as he gently pushed his hand against Flash's back, didn't say anything as he leaned forward and kissed his temple. Tears formed in Flash's eyes again by the time Bennett pulled away and stood from the bed.
Neither felt the need to break the silence as Bennett removed Flash's boots that he never bothered taking off. Neither said anything as Bennett gently and carefully eased Flash's pants off. Not a word passed as Bennett easily moved Flash so he could remove his shirt, all while placing feather light kisses along the back of his neck.
But Bennett wanted to say something. Wanted to whisper all the praises in the world as he massaged Flash's legs. Wanted to confess his love for the first time over and over again as he worked out all the knots in Flash's muscles.
But he stayed quiet, let the actions speak for themselves.
And speak loudly they did. Flash soon found himself, still on his stomach, drifting off into a sleep he thought he'd never get again. Surrounded by a sense of safety only his Benny could give him, surrounded by large, rough hands that so gently treated him. Surrounded by love and peace, Flash couldn't resist.
He was fast asleep by the time Bennett had moved on to massaging his back. Bennett noticed, but didn't fully stop what he was doing. He paused long enough to place a kiss between Flash's shoulder blades.
Here, Flash was safe, warm and loved. Here, he was pure.