Reciprocal Altruism || Snowbarry College AU

Forming a Hypothesis II

This was the moment they had all been waiting for.

What would Iris say?

Maybe she would declare her undying love for Barry right then and there so they could stop with the whole façade.

"Congratulations!" Iris exclaimed when she finally reached them.

Alas, the fates were so very cruel.

"Barry, I thought you would never get a girlfriend, yet here you are." Iris's grin could not get any wider even if she tried.

Iris turned towards Caitlin and said, "You know, I've been trying to set him up with a bunch of my friends for ages, but he never liked any of them." Barry's grip on Caitlin tightened as his fingers fidgeted and twisted is her grasp.

"Really?" I wonder why, oh beautiful and wonderful Iris, perhaps it had something to do with him being head over heels in love with you?

Caitlin took a second to calm her sarcastic thoughts. None of this was technically Iris's fault. It was her grades that was her problem and it was Barry's stupid feelings that was his problems and now, Iris was simply caught in the middle of it.

"Yeah." Iris looked at the both of them. "Well, I'm gonna leave you two lovebirds alone now."

"Eeeep!" Iris playfully hit Barry on the shoulder. "I'm so happy for you! And Caitlin, I know you are absolutely gonna love Barry as much as I do! He's like my brother, so don't go breaking his heart," she joked.

Barry had the smile of a man who had just been stabbed, which he kinda was... in the heart. The brother card... Oof, that's gotta hurt.

With that, Iris turned and left with a handsome blond, Eddie, who was waiting for her at the door. He wrapped his arm around her waist while she leaned her head towards his chest, and together they walked out of the room, leaving Barry to wistfully watch them go.

"Oh, yeah. She definitely seemed heartbroken that you're taken." Caitlin started to make her way to the door as well.

"Shut up," Barry grumbled, his finger twitching under her hold. The sunlight hit their face as they left, allowing more people to view their new arrangement, sorry, relationship.

The students whispered as they passed by. Rumors of Barry Allen, the star runner, and his unknown lover. A sea of people parted as they walked by, staring in reverence of the King and his new Queen.

Caitlin laughed as she took in her new and improved status at Central City University. "Too late to turn back now. I think I can get used to this fake relationship." She was so used to pushing her way around the slow walkers and hungover students, it was nice that they all let her walk with no problem.

"Really?" Barry asked with a smirk. "Cause people in relationships play with each other... like this!"

Before Caitlin could register what Barry meant, he grabbed her waist from behind and spun her around.

"Barry!" Caitlin laughed as she held onto Barry for dear life. "Put me down!"

After a couple of spins, Caitlin felt solid ground beneath her feet. It had been a while since Caitlin was held like that. Since she had fun doing things that other couples did. She would never admit it out-loud, but she missed romance.

"Barry." Caitlin gasped for air after laughing so hard. "Iris wasn't even there to see it."

"No," Barry agreed, smiling as he watched Caitlin wobbling slightly from dizziness. "Just practicing."

Caitlin softly shoved him and then pulled him close intertwining their hands, her head leaning into the side of his arm. The most wonderful little nook.

"I'm just practicing too," she retorted gently.

"You know what they say," Barry said as they made their way to her apartment complex. "Practice makes perfect."

Caitlin shuddered at his words. A nervous wave passing through her briefly. We'll see how far practice takes us, she thought to herself.