Split One Shots ➳ Only The Fluff ❤ || Open Requests||

A Cup of Tea, Dear? (Alice x Barry)

Alice sat by the window and breathed in the cool air, sighing out a soft breath. Her best friend, Barry, was visiting her neighbor's house again. Alice wasn't jealous. Her neighbor was Dr. Karen Fletcher, Barry's psychologist, a very sweet older woman who had invited Alice over for tea on occasion. No, what Alice was feeling was a vague sense of loneliness, wishing Barry would come over again and not be so busy with work and his visits with Dr. Fletcher. 

She watched him talk to Dr. Fletcher for a second, then he turned to leave. As he was walking away, Alice was seized with a sudden unstoppable inspiration. She leaned out the window, raised an arm, and shouted, "Hey, Barry!" 

The man stopped short and looked up, his eyes darting around a bit before meeting hers. He gave her a sunny grin and a wave. "Hey Alice!" 

"Can you come up here?" she shouted down, and he tilted his head to the right. 

"What?"

"Come, up, here!" She motioned him towards the house with exaggerated gestures. His face lit up in understanding. She ran downstairs and yanked open the door before he knocked, and he lowered his hands and raised his eyebrows. 

"I missed you!" 

To her surprise, he pulled her into a hug. "I missed you too, dear." 

"Dear?" 

He looked down for a split second, then his face lit back up to the general sunny, confident look. "Well, Alice, m'dear, I was wondering if you'd join me for a cup of tea." 

Alice's heart fluttered a tic. "Oh?" 

"Yeah, I was... I was just headin' out for some, you know? Want to join me?" He offered a hand and she took it, grinning. 

"I'd love to!" 

As the two walked down the street, Alice kept glancing at Barry, who was chatting idly about different styles in season, and Alice chatted back, knowing enough about fashion to hold a conversation. She'd been friends with Barry for long enough to track him, and she genuinely cared about him and what made him happy. 

"Alice," he said after a time, "I'd consider this a date, wouldn't you?" 

She blew air out through her lips and smiled. "Well, yes, Barry, I would." 

He stopped walking. He looked at her. "Really?" 

"Yeah!" For some reason, her heart was beating faster. For some reason. It was no secret to Alice herself of her crush on her best friend, and if this was happening, really happening, it was like a daydream. 

He raised his eyebrows, that sweet, sweet smile growing even wider on his face and he hugged her, holding her close in his arms and resting his chin on the top of her head. She wrapped her arms around his back, pressing into the soft fabric of his jacket, and hugged him back, her fingers trailing over the cloth, just taking in the moment and wishing it wouldn't end. 

But of course it did, but once again, of course, that didn't mean the moment itself wouldn't continue. 

After the two got their tea in a cute little shop on the corner, Alice invited Barry back to her apartment and the two shared the evening together. Alice thought it was quite a lovely prospect, and Barry would eventually let on how much and how long he had felt for her. 

The two fell asleep on the couch wordlessly, hands clasped, leaning on each other.