The Flash ⚡ One Shots

Hot Damn (Barry x Caitlin)

Warning: Spoilers from the beginning of season two. You've probably already seen them by now, or maybe you watch the show and you're all caught up. Thought I'd be safe anyways. Enjoy reading!

update 01/05/2022: super light editing

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Working on Team Flash, Caitlin had seen and heard plenty of things that could be considered strange or surprising. People with powers? They dealt with them on a daily basis. Literally everyday, because of Barry and Cisco. Telepathic gorilla? Check. Seen that, tried not to think about that. People from another Earth? Yeah, she'd seen that too. Caitlin had seen a lot. Still, she wasn't prepared for what she saw in the Cortex when she walked into S.T.A.R. Labs on Friday morning.

Normally, she was one of the first to get to the Labs in the morning. Occasionally, Cisco surprised her by beating her there. ("I totally won that," he'd say. To which she'd reply, "It's not a race, Cisco.") When Barry didn't have to go to work at the CCPD first thing in the morning, he would be there now and then. More often than Cisco was, anyways. Sometimes Barry got there ahead of her, sometimes he arrived at the same time she did. So when she walked into the Cortex to see him already there, it wasn't entirely surprising.

What was surprising was he was singing "Uptown Funk" while dancing around the room.

Eyes wide, Caitlin watched as he moonwalked - Since when could he moonwalk? - across the tile, completely oblivious to her presence. "If show up, we gon' show out, smoother than a fresh jar of Skippy!" The speedster sang along to the music playing through his earbuds.

Smiling slightly, she quietly hummed along to the music she couldn't hear, watching the show.

"I'm too hot!" Was the next lyric of the song. Barry, who was normally like an easily excitable and dorky puppy, was owning the song, singing the words confidently as he danced. Hot damn, Caitlin thought, singing along in her mind.

"Call the police and the fireman. I'm too hot!" Barry sang, still unaware that he was no longer alone.

Hot damn, Caitlin mouthed silently, lips quickly forming a grin.

The speedster did a short spin, moving with ease. "Make a dragon wanna retire, man! I'm too hot!"

Caitlin didn't know what she was thinking. She wasn't thinking, actually. Maybe that's why she didn't hesitate to cup her hands around her mouth and yell, "HOT DAMN!"

Effectively alerting Barry to her presence, she started laughing as the forensic scientist jumped and turned, finally noticing her standing in the entrance of the Cortex. Clearly surprised, and face quickly turning pink, he started stuttering, "Caitlin, what - when - I - I can explain?"

She shook her head, eyes starting to tear up. "You should've seen your face," she managed to get out between giggles, a wide grin spread across her lips. She doubled over slightly as the laughter continued. "Oh, I can't breathe! I can't breathe!"

Barry was probably looking at her like she was a crazy woman, but she didn't care. A few moments later, she heard over her laughter someone else's, and knew Barry had joined her in a laughing fit.

Caitlin wasn't sure how long they spent there, simply laughing together. At last, her giggles died down and she was able to straighten herself without cracking up again. She looked over at Barry and was greeted with a grin, one she returned.

There was a comfortable silence. Caitlin walked up to the computer island, hanging her jacket over the back of one of the chairs. "So..." Barry said from behind her.

Turning on the computer she planned on using, she asked, "So...?" She glanced over at him. Nearly immediately, she noticed that his grin had taken on a mischievous look to it.

"So," he repeated. His grin widened slightly, "It's good to know you think I'm hot."

Oh, did that get a reaction. "What?!" She spun around to face him, feeling her cheeks grow warm. "I - I - Barry Allen-"

Of course, it was at that moment Cisco chose to arrive. "Good morning, people!" He greeted as he entered the Cortex. "Please tell me there is caffeine hidden here somewhere." When neither of them answered him, he looked at the pair, studying Caitlin's red face and Barry's pleased smirk. "Okay..." He said slowly. "What'd I miss?"

"Nothing!" Caitlin answered too fast, wanting to make sure Barry wouldn't be able to get a word in. "Absolutely nothing."

Cisco stared at her, his expression clearly saying he did not believe her the slightest. He knew better than to ask though, as he said, "Alright... I'm just gonna... Yup." He walked off to one of the adjoining rooms of the Cortex to retrieve something, probably either to find something caffeinated or a tablet.

Caitlin breathed in, then sighed. Looking over at Barry, she gave him a half-hearted glare. He responded with an innocent shrug. He checked the time on his watch and sighed. "Aaand I should get to work. I'll see you guys later," he promised, starting to back out of the Cortex.

"Later!" Cisco called.

Caitlin just put her hands on her hips, thinking what a wonderful coincidence it was that he now had to be somewhere else. She shook her head slightly at Barry.

The speedster grinned slightly again in reply. Hot damn, he mouthed. He winked at her, then raced out of the building, leaving behind flying papers and a flustered Caitlin Snow.