Within Seconds // Barry Allen

Holding Out For a Hero

Parker was nowhere near finished with the argument. Inhaling a deep breath, preparing to shout all of her air out, she ran after Barry into the hall.

He heard someone running after him. He didn't have to turn to know who it was. "Parker, please--"

"No, I came out here to talk, and I'm going to do that," interrupted Parker, "Barry, you've always felt the need to help people. You used to stand up to bullies when we were kids. It takes a lot of heart to do that at such a young age. You chose a career where you could help people, because that's what you've always done. None of that came from me."

"You know, you're right. You're right that I didn't do it for you. I did it because of you."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"The only reason I started standing up to those kids was because I saw you doing it first. You influenced me then. It stuck with me until now. But, Parker, I can't do this. Too many people don't want me doing this," he said. At a loss of words, or explanation, he tried to leave again. 

"It's because those people love you, Barry," she called after him. With every word, she took a step for him. "They worry because they love you. I don't know how they expect you not to help. You have an ability unlike anything this world has seen, you know? You should be doing something with it. All I want for you is to be the kind of person people want to write comics about."

Barry took a step. He closed the gap between them. Their chests were millimeters from touching. He looked down at her. She stared up. Both waited for the other to make a move.

"You're pretty inspiring, you know," he whispered. 

Parker smiled. "So I've been told..."

Barry broke the staring contest. He panicked, clueless of what to do with her. Was she waiting for him to kiss her? Did she want a fist-bump, or, like, a high five? He settled for kissing the back of her hand. He followed by apologizing repeatedly, saying he needed to leave and see Iris. 

Parker's shoulders dropped significantly. 

"Oh, no. No, no. I want to spend time with you--"

"I get it," said Parker loudly. "Yeah. Go see her."

Barry frowned when she turned. He hadn't followed through on his chance to chase after her, like she had for him so many times. Instead, he tore his eyes from her retreating figure and followed her advice. 

Iris raised her head from scrubbing the counter when he stormed into the empty cafe. 

"I screwed up!" he shouted. 

"You have many, many times, Barry. Be a little more specific," she requested. 

"With Parker."

Iris waited no longer to chuck the dirty rag over her shoulder. Eyes wide with anticipation, she turned to Barry, waiting for him to speak. 

"I don't know how to act around her. I do something stupid, she'll make me feel better, then I screw it up by having to leave, or saying the wrong thing," he explained. Exasperated, he cautiously added, "Plus, she probably thinks I like you."

"That's insane," said Iris. 

No matter how many times Iris declined Barry's affection, it always sent a pain through his heart. That time, when he heard it, he felt nothing. Not a single sad feeling crossed his mind.

"It is," he said slowly. 

"I still think it could work. She would be a really cool girlfriend," said Iris. "Maybe once you two warm up to each other, get to really know one another, you'll be inseparable. It may take a little bit."

Barry ran his hands down his face. "I don't even know if I really like her..."

"Oh, don't do that. You can't take your eyes off of her when you're in the same room. You care enough to come to me for advice about it. And that hip touching thing you did? She melted," insisted Iris. 

Blushing, Barry shook his head. "She didn't notice."

"You're clueless," said Iris. "She started fumbling with her fingers, she only does that when she's nervous."

"How do you--"

"We were best friends for several years. God knows how thankful I am to finally share this information with another soul," admitted Iris. 

"What do I do?" groaned Barry. 

"You keep shimmying your way into her life. Keep it simple, make a few moves, see if she does it in return. Invite her for coffee, maybe, see what happens. When you plan to ask her out though, you come to me first, or else I will make you break up and redo it."

Barry heartily laughed. He couldn't remove the smile from his face. After all those years of having a major crush on Iris West, the return of their childhood friend had broken that within a week. He wouldn't know for sure, if Parker was his soul mate, but he was damn sure she would be worth it. And he was set on proving that to her.