+++Iris+++
After she had been dropped off by Barry, know revealed to her as the Flash also, Iris had turned to her father and they had shared a tight embrace. Joe was so glad to see that his little girl was alright, at first he panicked when he saw the blood on her shirt but she quickly told him it was a nose bleed she had had the previous night. Thats when Joe ushered her to the shower, he knew Iris, she would hate for anyone to see her this way, he even laid out one of her old clothes that he hadn't given away or she hadn't taken with her when she left.
A few minutes and a hot shower later she came out in worn sweatpants, and a mens button up shirt that she defiantly recognized as Barry’s. her hands where in her hair, fiddling with the ends of her dark hair, her mocha colored skin was flawless of any stain, and she was smiling lightly, her chocolate brown eyes moving slowly throughout the room. Iris saw her dad, the television was off and he was starring at the fireplace, he had his cup of water in his hand, he looked like he had been distraught and restless since she went missing and she felt guilty for putting him through this kind of pain and worry. “Dad?” the girl whispered, catching Joe’s attention, his head turned slowly to look at her.
“What is it Iris?” he asked smiling lightly to his little girl “Could i stay here tonight?” she asked coming over to the couch and sitting down beside her father. He nodded looking at her sympathetically “all you had to do is ask” Joe said standing up with one of the couches blankets in his hands “come on lets get you back in your old room, don't worry, i didn't go through your stuff” he smiled warmly to her and she smiled back as they went up the stairs.
A bit later when barry got there, Joe was back in the living room, going through pictures in a picture album of Iris and Barry going up. The thought of possibly loosing his daughter today, and that he couldn't do anything as a father, made the father want to value his children while he had them. As a father, or a parent, you always see it as your own responsibility to make sure your child or children are always alright, safe, making smart choices. But the last two days, Joe wasn't able to do that, and that was what kept his blood running cold, and to have his daughter back in his home again made him feel all that warmer than he would be if she left him again.
“Joe?” Barry’s voice called out for him the third time in a row, Joe looked at his ‘son’, “Hey Bear, if you want to talk to Iris she's upstairs in her old room” Barry nodded slowly, then started up the stairs, “wait Barry- ” he called back the younger adult.
“i want to thank you for saving Iris today, i don't know what you had to give up, or pain that came to you, but i don't know what i would have done without my daughter…or my son” he smiled softly at barry, who was smiling back “I would do anything to make sure Iris came back home safe, Joe, you shouldn't have to worry about her…i don't know what i would do without her either..” Barry said looking down, knowing that all of this was true, he would do anything for Iris, he loved her. He wouldn't let anything ever happen to her ever, he swore to it.
“You should probably go explain to Iris, she's upstairs” Joe said waving off him off with a motion of his hand. Barry got the gesture and almost bounded up the stairs, taking two steps at a time, a perk to having long legs. He got upstairs and went to her room which still had the little star on the door with her name on it, he took a big breath and let it out before opening the door slowly, peaking into the dark room. “Iris?” he whispered “Are you awake still?” A small noise from the sheets and the silhouette of Iris sitting up made him smile.
Barry flicked on the light, Iris immediately closed her eyes putting her head back on the pillow because of the bright light. Barry mentally kicked himself for being so stupid and turning on the light even though she had been in the dark. “Oh my god i am so sorry” he said worriedly “are you alright?” he whispered after she opened her eyes again, shutting off the light then putting it back on, still muttering to himself how stupid he was.
Iris smiled lightly “You’re such a dork and yes I’m fine, just blind” she said joking quietly as he neared her bed, sitting on the edge of it. “”Yeah, i guess i am” Barry smiled weakly then scratched the back of his head awkwardly, he looked as if he was a puppy that was just yelled at, and Iris wasn't all that sure why, then she remembered he had a mask. “so..you’re the Flash?” she asked raising an eyebrow at him.
Barry nodded slowly, looking down at the flower print bed comforter, “Yes but Iris I wanted-“ “No, thank you, i know you had to do what you had to do” she caught him by surprise, that was not at all what he was expecting to come from her. “Wait.. you're alright with it? You’re not mad at me?” he asked slowly. Iris shook her head a bit “No of course not, I should be upset that you lied to me, but you saved my life today, I'm not going to give you a hard time about it” she then put her hand on his arm, rubbing lightly
The speedster grinned as he looked at the girl only sitting inches from him “Barry..there’s something I want to tell you, I've wanted to do it for a long time but i didn't because i didn't know if you felt the same as i did…” she looked down, Barry was very curious on where this first sentence was going.
“I guess what I'm trying to say is that i care for you, i think I'm in love with you…This is why i broke up with Eddie, its also why I've been avoiding you, i know that makes me like the worst friend ever but I can’t help but to love you” Iris said looking back to Barry where his mild green eyes where looking into her dark brown ones. His eyes and face showed, confusion, then shock, then realization, then something she couldn't quite understand.
The look that she was confused about was in reality some would call it love that Iris saw in Barry’s eyes, she smiled brightly, seeing his reaction as clearly in a positive way.
“I love you too Iris, I have always loved you…if thats not creepy or anything” he smiled taking her hand in his, caressing her fingers gently looking into her eyes.
“No barry…its not creepy at all, just insanely sweet..like you” she whispered glancing down at his lips before leaning forward and giving him a quick soft kiss on his lips, Barry blushed deeply when she did this but found himself wrapping his arms around her comfortably, before pressing his lips against hers, it was either now or never right? he figured. Soon after he found her kissing him back. He discovered a place in his mind that was just Iris filled, and in these moments all he could think about was how beautiful and lovely Iris was all the time.
As Iris kissed Barry back she felt like the luckiest girl in history, she was absolutely thrilled that Barry still felt the same about her and she didn't have to live another day without him, they could be together now right? No one was in there way. They knew the other loved them and they would think it for the rest of eternity. Nothing could separate them now, not the fire of hell, or some silly meta-human villain, no one would keep her from telling Barry Allen that she loved him ever again, not her father, not Eddie, not her friends.
Sure, even though the kiss was sudden and unexpected and maybe they where going far for a first kiss kind of thing, it was a kiss that both had waited for since they were young, a kiss that was a little more than 9 years or more late; hey being late was Barry Allen’s specialty right?
