Flashette(A Barry Allen/Flash Fanfiction)

2

It was a typical night in the Central City Police Department forensics lab. Barry and I were working late yet again on another series of cases. The crime rates were increasing, and more and more cases were flooding in. We struggled to stay afloat among the many deadlines, but somehow we managed.
The two of us sat at our desks completing small tasks as we awaited the results of a series of tests. Barry was filling out paperwork, and I was sorting through the latest case files. I was taken away from my work when I Barry spoke.
     "Hey", Barry said through the silence. His chair was now turned in my direction and I looked up from the papers in my hand to meet his eyes. Barry wore an expression of nervousness and struggled to make out his words. "What a-are you doing this evening?" Barry stuttered. I could tell something was on his mind. This wasn't typical Barry behavior.
"Nothing much. Just watching the accelerator from home." I looked back down at the pile of papers before Barry spoke once again.
"I have one extra ticket to the S.T.A.R labs press conference before they turn the accelerator on. All the scientists who worked on it will be there...Iris was supposed to go with me, but cancelled at the last minute..." Barry trailed off. "You just said you don't have plans, and I don't want to waste this ticket. Do you want to go with me?" Barry asked, rubbing the back of his neck and sitting up in his chair. I smiled at Barry's innocent attempt to ask me out, and replied:
"It would be my pleasure to have you in my company, Mr Allen," I said with a smile. "The results should be done by the time we get back, and we can finish up this case before Captain has our asses," I said with a smile. Barry chuckled, and turned his chair back around to face his desk. A little while later, Barry walked his stack of completed paperwork to the filing cabinet and stopped at his cork board. His happy smile turned into an expression of sadness and vengeance quickly as he lifted up the shade that covered it. Newspaper articles and photos of his mom's murder scene were plastered all over its surface. He was obsessed with this case, and spent a lot of his time focused on solving it. His eyebrows furrowed suddenly, and that happy Barry that I saw a moment ago was gone. It's like our previous conversation never happened, and Barry was now completely taken over by his mind. He. looked puzzled at his board for a moment before being taken over by complete rage. He slammed his hand on his desk.
"HE DIDN'T DO IT!" Barry yelled. I looked up quickly from my work to a distressed Barry. His angry expression turned to sadness. "My dad is innocent! No one wanted to believe me when I said it was the yellow blur!". I got up and stood next to Barry, who was unaware of my closeness. "My father shouldn't be in prison. He doesn't deserve this! I don't deserve this!". Barry's hands were now covering his face and he sobbed. "Why did this have to happen to me? Did I deserve it?" Barry asked. I shook my head. Being taken over by emotion was something Barry did on occasion. Like always, I was there to comfort him. I too understood where he was coming from. After all, we had similar family situations.
"I believe you," I said, quietly. He perked up and wiped the tears from his eyes. He sniffled and stood up from his chair, our bodies now parallel. His cheeks were tear stained, and his face was red and puffy. "Bar, you've been a mess since your mom was murdered, and I hate seeing you this way. I know your dad's in jail, but you have to get over yourself. Sitting here, spending all your days depressed and angry isn't going to get him out of jail, or bring your mother back". Barry nodded as I pulled him in a hug. He gripped my body tightly. "You need to focus on your life. Go out and find love. Explore and try new things. Make the best of it! Live your life!" Barry nodded and his grip on me loostened. He pulled away and we locked eyes, our bodies still centimeters away from each other.
"Thank you", he replied with a long sigh. "You don't know how lucky I am to have you. I know I've been a mess, and I probably seem like the wimpiest guy out there, but you are always here to pick up my broken pieces. You are always so comforting, and you know just what to say. I've known you for so long, and you're my best friend. I couldn't thank you enough for always being there." I smiled and nodded. I understood completely what he was going through. Years later, Barry still had a hard time coping with what happened. I didn't have any remnants of my past because I didn't have much family, but his father is still alive and out there, trapped in a place where he shouldn't be. The person who did this was still out there. I understood his frustration.
"Ofcourse".
Through this discussion, we didn't realize how close we were to each other...Our bodies had been pressed together, closer than they've ever been. It was so unusual seeing Barry this close. What was even more unusual was that in that moment, I saw Barry differently. I didn't just feel love for him as a close friend, but I saw potential for something more. The look he returned was proof that he too felt differently. We did something we never thought we could. We became something we both never saw coming.
Barry looked deeply into my eyes before we both leaned in. We closed the gap between us, and our lips collided into the most passionate kiss both of us have ever had. We held the kiss for a few seconds, and everything around us disappeared. My stomach grew with butterflies as Barry cupped my cheeks. We were to wrapped up in this new territory that we didn't hear Iris when she walked in.
"Woah..." Iris said, noticing us kissing in the center of the lab. We broke the kiss, and Barry's lips had now been stained with my lipstick. Our heads turned in her direction at the same time like a deer caught in headlights. "This was something I could've never prepared for. Completely unexpected, coming from you guys. How long has this been going on?" Iris asked. I tried to defend this.
"Not long...it's-."
"Is this why you always have the lab door closed?" Iris asked as she took a few steps closer. "This is some 'Fifty Shades Of Gray' stuff going on in here. Please don't tell me there's a leather—." I shook my head and stepped away from Barry.
"Iris!". Her body jerked in surprise and her eyes widened. "Barry and I were just...practicing. I wanted to audition for the new 'Fifty Shades Of Gray' movie". Her eyebrows furrowed. "That was the exact amount of passion that I need to bring to the audition. Great work Barry," I said, giving him a thumbs up and a playful punch in the shoulder. Iris rolled her eyes.
"Since when are you an actress?", Iris asked as she crossed her arms. I responded quickly.
"You don't remember me acting during my elementary and high school years?... 'Guys and Dolls?' Does that leading role ring any bells?" I asked. Iris chuckled and shook her head.
"If you're talking about that time you played a grandmother, then I don't....Anyways, I came here to drop off a few things to Eddie and Joe, and I thought I'd visit my two besties while I'm here. Is that wrong?" Iris asked, crossing her arms.
"No, but a text would have been nice...".
"Closing the door works too," Iris replied. I nodded my head at the realization of her statement. That was something we could've done to prevent this confrontation, but it was so sudden. I had one thing mainly on my mind. It was okay if Iris knew, but Joe would definitely be weird about it. "Just please don't tell Eddie or Joe." Barry attempted to wipe the lipstick from his mouth as he nodded. He too didn't want Joe to find out.
      "Tell us what?" Eddie and Joe both asked in unison as they came into the lab. I rolled my eyes. Joe and Eddie both settled on opposite sides of Iris. Joe kissed her on the cheek, and Eddie wrapped a hand around Iris' waist.
"Should've closed the door", I whispered to Barry. He nodded.
"What was that?" Joe asked.
"Nothing," I replied quickly. Joe took a few steps forward and studied Barry's face. Barry's face became flush as Joe got closer.
"Is that...Lipstick?" Joe asked, getting even closer to Barry. He examined Barry's face and stepped back. "The same color Chloe has on. Did you guys...Kiss?". Barry's eyes went down to the floor and his hands to the back of his neck.
"Just practicing for-"
"Oh, give it up," interrupted Eddie. "Did you forget we're detectives. We get paid to figure things like this. You didn't think we'd notice even the smallest of details? I've noticed something between you two for a while. The way Barry's heartbeat quickens and his wide smile when you're in the room...The way Chloe blushes and looks at the floor when he talks to her...Just admit you're into each other. It's a cliche: 'Nerdy boy gets the nerdy girl' love story...Think of all the people that would read that on Wattpad." I looked back at Joe to address his concern, but focused back on Eddie.
"We did kiss, but aren't sure where to go now...Not to mention, Eddie mentioned 'Wattpad'. Does Eddie read fan fiction?" I asked. Eddie blushed. "Would you say you read more Harry Styles Imagines, or David Dobrik x readers in your free time?". Eddie became flustered at this comment. I could tell Joe, Barry, and Iris had no idea what we were talking about. I was a teen girl once. Everyone has a Wattpad phase. The look on Eddie's face signifies that this war wasn't over. He needed to retaliate.
"How about you two go to the bedroom?" Eddie asked. "Wait--Let me take that back. You're too young to learn about that lesson. You youngsters wouldn't understand that biology lesson. I'll save that discussion for another time." My tongue trailed across my row of top teeth as I same up with a response. I wasn't going to let him win this one.
"You? Saying we're too young and don't understand? If we're bringing things up here, how many times have you secretly 'slept over' Joe's house?" I asked with air quotes. Eddie turned quiet and his face became red. Eddie and Iris shared a glance as I smiled. Joe looked at Eddie suddenly as if he was going to punch his face in.
"Babe, I gotta go," Eddie said nervously, kissing Iris on the cheek and waving bye to Barry suddenly.
"I'll walk you out," Iris said, waving goodbye and walking over to the door with Eddie at her side. We watched as the pair walked down the stairs together.
"BYE DETECTIVE PRETTY PANTS!" I yelled as Eddie picked up his pace and tripped down the stairs. Iris helped him up, and I watched as he scurried in the elevator, leaving Iris standing in front of the closed elevator door. I then followed Iris' words and closed the lab door. Joe was having a conversation with Barry as I returned to the two.
"Id be lying if I said I understood anything that happened over the course of the last 5 minutes. All I can say is that a heads up would have been nice before my adopted children started canoodling," said Joe. "At least I trust both of you, and know you both well enough to know you won't do anything stupid. Can't say the same for my daughter, though."
"Don't worry, Joe, I've been keeping a close eye on Eddie," I said with a smile. Barry tapped my shoulder and I looked over at him to see his face focused on his watch.
"We're gonna be late! Sorry to kick you out, Joe, but we have to go. Tonight's the press conference I've been telling you about. Chloe's coming with me." Barry ran to his desk and picked up his bag.
"That's your idea of a first date?" Joe asked with a chuckle. "You have a mysterious way with ladies, Barry. Such a ladies man."
"We'll have the case for you when we return, alright?" I asked. Joe nodded and waved before he left, closing the lab door behind him.
"Lets go!" I exclaimed, grabbing my bag and tidying up quick before throwing my coat over my shoulder. Barry smiled and grabbed his coat before we walked down the steps and the elevator to where my car was parked at the front of the building. We placed our stuff in the backseat and I drove us to S.T.A.R. Labs. I was about to leave the car, but was stopped by a strong grip on my hand. I turned to meet Barry's eyes in the overhead lights of the front seat of my car. Barrys expression was serious.
"I want you to know that kiss wasn't just because I was vulnerable, or because I wanted to see how you'd react. I truly feel for you in a way you'd never expect. A way that no one would expect. I've dealt with these feelings multiple times before, but I had to keep them in the back of my mind. The amount of passion in that one moment we shared tonight...I've never felt that with anyone. I've never even felt that way about Iris. It must have hurt you all these years to see me chasing after her, but I want you to know that I want more from this. I want more from you." My mouth gaped as Barry shared these feelings. I had no idea he felt this way. I was shocked. All this time I thought Iris was the one he wanted. "And that's why I wanted to ask you: Do you want to go out sometime? On a real date?" Barry was sweating and looked more nervous than he ever had in his life. I placed my hand on his and nodded.
"I'd love to Bar," I said before I gave him a smile. "I've had those similar feelings as well. I knew you liked Iris, and I had to push those feelings aside because I didn't want to mess up the friendship we had. That's what I'm worried about now.....", I trailed off and looked out the windshield. Barry placed a hand under my chin and turned my gaze towards him.
"Hey...You don't have to be worried about that now, alright?" Barry asked. I nodded.
"Before this goes any farther, please promise me that no matter what happens between us, we will always be friends. I'm just afraid that I will end up getting hurt, or you, and you'll become depressed and than you will-----". Barry stopped my rambling.
"Shhh," Barry said before hugging me as best he could. "I would never hurt you, and I would never let anyone. I promise you that." We sat for a minute before I broke the hug and kissed him.
"C'mon speedy....Let's go meet our heroes."
"What makes you say that?" Barry asked as we stepped out of the car and he met me on the drivers side. I was pinned to the drivers side of the car and Barry made my heart flutter.
"The fact that we haven't even had a real date and you're already making me this nervous."
"I make you nervous?" Barry asked, getting closer. I placed my hand on his chest and pushed him away.
"You are something else, Allen. I didn't think you were capable of being this way," I said before I locked my car and slung my purse over my shoulder.
"Me either," he said before linking our arms together and walking me into S.T.A.R. Labs.