Flicker ⌁ Barry Allen [1]

fifteen.

"Hey, Flash." I greet.

I was slightly different in appearance. My long hair that usually hung down in front of my face, was in a high ponytail. I usually didn't wear it like that. 

"You're a hard girl to find." He commented.

"You were looking for me?" I asked, shock evident.

He nods. 

"Well, I'm sorry. I had an unexpected visitor." I said, cautiously.

He nods, as in understanding.

"I considered your offer of going to STAR Labs." I said after a few moments of silence.

"And?" He asked, hopeful edge in his voice.

I smirk. "Catch me first." I said, taking off before he can even process what I said.

Surprisingly to both him and I, I had gotten faster since we had raced last.

I got to my destination just seconds before he did.

"Alright, I have to ask, did you let me win last time we did this?" He said, panting for just a few seconds.

I laugh lightly. The noise makes him look up in surprise. 

He finally noticed where we were.

"Why are we on an apartment building's roof?"

"Aw, come on, Bar. Tell me you didn't forget our meetings up here?" I said, smirking as I stopped disguising my voice.

He looked at me with a strange look. "I think you have me confused for someone else." 

I slipped my mask off.

"Do I, Barry?" I laughed.

His mouth dropped.

"Rory?" He said, shocked.

I grabbed his arm, leading him to my apartment, locking the door behind me.

He pulled his mask off.

"You, you're, but how?" He said, at a loss for words.

"Come sit. I'll explain everything."

~

"So, where is Gotham?" He asked.

I was still surprised that nobody has heard of Batman or Gotham. Maybe because it was nearly on the other side of the country. 

"Very far away." I laughed.

He nodded.

I told him about Barbara. I left out the reason why I didn't get there soon enough. He leaned forward hugged me tightly, surprising me.

"I know you didn't know your parents, but my mom died in front of me. And I found out last year that it was technically my fault. Not that me, but me from the future."

'That reminds me, haha don't fall in love with Barry.' I thought to myself.

"But Barbara, your friend? That wasn't your fault." He said.

"Barry, yes it was. I should have been there earlier."

"Rory, listen. You shouldn't focus on the past. Don't focus on the 'what-if's'. I'm not saying you need to immediately get over it, because I'm still not over my mother's death, even though my father is now out of prison. To be honest, I'm not even sure if I've even accepted it. But you need to remember that Barbara is alive. She's alive, doing what she loves still, and misses you. I don't think you should let life pass you by." He said.

I nodded, hugging him again.

"Thank you, Barry. It means a lot."

"Anytime, Rory. Or Nightingale, which is your vigilante name, which I think is insanely cool that you were a vigilante in your 'past life.' Especially since you're like the Green Arrow." He said.

"But Oliver is more tough. I fight like someone trained by a ninja. Or a former member of the League of Assassins." I said, smirking as I quote the conversation he and Cisco had earlier.

He looks at me surprised. "Have you been spying on us?" he questioned.

"Just microphones." I said, sheepishly, gesturing to my closed laptop.

"Rory Winters!" He fake scolds.

"Another little thing you should know." I said, laughing.

"There's more?" He sighed, dramatically.

"My name isn't Rory Elise Winters. Rory's just a nickname." I laughed as his facial expression changed.

"It's Aurora Elizabeth Winters." I said.

"Aurora Elizabeth." He said, testing out the name. It was in that moment that I decided that I loved the way my name sounded coming from his mouth.

"I like it." He said, smiling.

"Yeah, well, I don't. So don't get used to it." I said, blushing.

He leaned closer, trying to be annoying by being close to me.

"Why nottttt?" He dragged out.

I rolled my eyes. "I don't know, I always liked Rory better."

"Well, I'm calling you Aurora, that's final." He said smugly.

"Fine, I'll just call you Bartholomew."

He groaned. "Iris?"

I nodded. "So, rethink that."

"So, anymore secrets, Aurora?" He said, a complete straight face.

I knew I couldn't tell him everything. Like Gideon, for instance.

"Nope, none,  Bartholomew." I said, having a contest to see who could last longer without bursting into laughter.

I was the one who lost. 

Soon, we were both in fits of laughter, laughing so hard it hurt to breathe. It was nice. I hadn't laughed like this in a while.

Soon, we both noticed how close we were. We stopped laughing, and I was about to awkwardly clear my throat when I was interrupted by Barry. Kissing me.

Well. Hope I look good as a super-villain.