Flicker ⌁ Barry Allen [1]

fourteen.

Richard had gone to change out of his outfit. I wasn't sure why he had arrived in it, and I didn't ask, but I assumed it was so he could defend himself against the metas here. Or he just wanted to show it off.

I had turned back on the microphone, hearing a conversation between Cisco and Barry. Sure, it was nosy and a little creepy of me, but I loved hearing Barry's voice and laugh. I was smiling softly as he made a joke, but I stopped as I remembered my future if I ended up with Barry.

"You know, you should just go tell him. That Barry guy." I heard Richard comment, as I turn my head to see him sit down next to me on the couch. He was wearing simple sweatpants and a muscle shirt, making me remember part of the reason I liked him so much.

"Tell him what?" I said, blushing as he caught me staring.

"That you're Flicker. That you know he's the Flash. Why you didn't want to be a vigilante." He shrugs, petting Bandit who had jumped on the couch, even though he was way to be a lapdog.

"That's Bandit."  I laugh, petting the dog as well. "First of all, you think I should tell him everything?"I said incredulously.

"Why not? You obviously care for him, and he's obviously trustworthy." Dick says.

I blush. I've been doing that a lot since Richard arrived. It was out of character for me. "Secondly, how do you know all this? My vigilante name, my job, my house, my relationship with Barry, Barry's secret identity?" I said, looking at him.

"You didn't really think I'd come without a plan, did you?" He says, laughing.

"That's usually what you do." I murmured under my breath.

He looks at me with a joking glare.

"I had to make sure that you were, you know, you." He says, glare dropping and his playful slight smile returning.

"Barb help you with that?" I said, knowing he couldn't pull him off.

"What makes you think I couldn't do it myself?" He scoffs.

"You literally were terrible at hacking." I said, laughing.

"Well, not anyone can be a computer genius, Aurora."

"I haven't heard that name in a long time." I said, smiling faltering.

"You always did prefer Rory." Dick commented.

I nodded.

"Listen, Rory-" He started.

"Hold up, let me sit down because I know you're about to give me some sage advice."

He laughed, following me to the couch.

"Alright, listen." He said.

I laid my legs across his lap, leaning my head against a pillow and looking at him.

He turned to me slightly. 

"Life's too short. Especially with what we do for a living. You don't know if you're going to live tomorrow. You can't waste your time not doing what you want. I know you want to be out there, helping Central City. I might miss both you and Nightingale, but Gotham has enough heroes. Central needs someone to teach that rookie hero Flash how it is to be a vigilante without relying on your powers. Go do what you want." He says, staring at me.

I nodded slowly. 

"And if you like Barry, go for that too."

"I can't, Richard."

"Why not? Is it because of me? Because of that night?"

I blushed and averted his gaze, remembering the encounter.

"No." And then i told him about Gideon's words and the future newspaper.

"Listen, Rory. That may be what the future says, but that doesn't mean it's so. That's just one of a thousand possibilities. If you were meant to be a villain, it would've happened. And plus, I know you better than anyone, and I know the goodness in you. Don't let the fact that you've seen a possible future ruin your chances at happiness." He says.

I hug him tightly. "Thank you. I'm so glad you tracked me down. I missed you." 

He smiles into the hug, hugging me back.

"I missed you too Rory. I know you don't want to, but you need to visit Gotham. Or at least contact Barb." He says, as we break the hug.

I nodded quietly.

"I think I'm gonna tell Barry." I said, finally.

"Alright. I'm gonna go get back in my suit." 

After he did that, he gave me a final goodbye hug.

I followed him to the outside of my apartment.

"I'll text you." He said, as he walked off.

"Wait, how do you know my number?" I questioned, but he simply looked back at me and smirked before waving goodbye and climbing up the roof across from me.