NO HERO · BARRY ALLEN | ✘

Ten: Revelation

My last day being able to work at the Picture News isn't a sad one. Mason is out collecting more Intel on another private story and Larkin is up in his office. There's no one I hate on the main level of the building.

Then there's Iris continuing to gush how she got info on the breakout. Lord, she can talk.

"How did you get that, anyway?" I ask. Of course I gathered the information and gave it to Barry.

"Uh, a mysterious figure did," she grins and sets the folder on the table.

As I'm about to ask who? Barry comes in the building. I smile at him and turn back around to face Iris. "I'm gonna go get my things." She nods and walks over to Barry.

I'm a few feet away from the two. I slide my laptop in my bag and toss the cup of coffee I'd gotten from the table in the back while Iris walks to Barry. "Hey, what are you doing here?"

"Hey."

"If you came to check on me, that is really sweet, but I think everything's gonna be okay," she states. Of course Barry and I both know why.

"I'm glad. Uh, I actually am not here to see you," he says, looking around.

"No?" Iris tilts her head slightly.

"No, I have a lunch date."

"With who?"

"Hey, Barry," I greet him. "Ready to go?"

"Hey. Yeah, I am."

I turn to Iris. "I hope the story comes along well, Iris. I know Mason's gonna flip when you publish the article."

Her face falls slightly before she plasters on a wide smile. "Um, thanks, Evie. Alright, then. Um, I'll see you two later. Barry." She winks at him.

"Bye," we both say to her.

"Have fun..."

~*~

A few minutes of walking later, I bring up the flower subject. "Dr. Wells said you left them at STAR Labs."

"Left... the flowers? Crap, I did mean to give them to you, I just didn't have enough time."

"Yeah, a forensic scientist can't save everyone, he's just gonna have to save as many in an hour," I tease.

"Mhm. So where did you wanna go?"

"Um... I'm not a fan of sit-down dates."

He raises and eyebrow. "Really? What about the other guy, the homophobic one?"

I shake my head. "I was being polite. Besides, he was gorgeous."

"Hey!"

I grin and look down as we walk. "Of course, I see someone else much hotter."

I feel him staring at me when we reach Jitters, and I'm cut off (thankfully) by one of the waitresses.

"Barry, I agreed to the date because I kinda wanted to know what's up with you and STAR Labs."

He avoids looking at me and stares at the table. "What's there to ask about?"

"I didn't mean that's the only reason, I said yes because I actually really like you, but I want to know why you're there all the time and why some cases are so sensitive to you and Joe. You're always telling me that eventually you'll explain, but I can't take it anymore."

"You're a reporter." He leans back on his chair. "How do I know you won't sell this information for some extra money?"

Ouch. "I swear on my job and my life that I won't tell anyone else about it unless it endangers anyone I care about."