Felicity doesn’t know why she does it. Maybe it’s because emotions have been running high ever since Lyla was admitted into the hospital. Maybe it’s because he’s still here, even though Team Arrow doesn’t need him anymore, as Oliver has made all too clear over the past few days. Maybe it’s because she’s riled up on emotions and anger and frustration and she just wants to control some aspect of her life. Maybe it’s because Barry has always been here, right when she needs him. And right now she does need him.
All she knows is that one second they’re talking outside of Verdant, a Big Belly Burger takeout bag hanging off his lean forearm and occasionally bumping into her when he moves his arms too much in excitement, laughing and talking in the way that only the two of them can. And she’s still more than a little riled up about Oliver’s conversation with Cupid earlier in the day because he could have it all if he would just try a little harder. If he would just try the way she’s been trying. But she’s done trying now, officially, and she needs to prove it to the world, because even Ray Palmer seems to think she’s still hung up on Oliver. Which she’s not. And she’s going to prove it.
“So then Caitlin says it would be close to impossible because of the thermodynamics of the whole thing, and I’m like let’s try it anywaybecause you never know until you try, right?” Barry rambles, talking animatedly about an experiment he’s been trying, but Felicity isn’t really paying attention, because he has a dollop of ketchup on his upper lip and it’s kind of distracting her. Also, you know, the fact that he’s up for trying impossible things. Because this would be impossible. Improbable. Even though it makes so much sense, has always made sense, from the very first day.
And even though she said the other day that they’d looked down that road and said no thank you, she finds herself hoping that maybe he’d be willing to look down the road again.
Barry finishes his story. And then she’s turning to face him directly and putting her hand on his arm, right above the plastic handle of the fast food bag and they’re looking into each other’s eyes with some sort of understanding that only they could communicate to each other without any words whatsoever. And then, to Felicity’s surprise, he’s the one to lean down first.
The height difference was something that she didn’t really think about. But it doesn’t really matter, because then his lips are on hers and he tastes like ketchup and fast food but also like that one time she put a penny in her mouth in third grade, and she wonders if the copper taste has something to do with the volts of electricity he has running through his body every so often. He doesn’t give her time to ponder the subject that much though, because then he drops the bag on the ground so he can run his fingers through her curled ponytail, and her black and white fingernails come up to grip the collar of his button up and pull him closer to her.
It’s nothing like the kiss on the train, but also everything like it. It’s wonderful and exhilarating, and while there is the basic feeling of we’re just two friends having some fun there’s also an undertone of deep emotion that kind of scares her, because she’s so so tired of being kissed goodbye. And, even if this is going to be a goodbye, or another yeah, let’s not do this, she wants them both to remember it. So she moves her lips to his neck and leaves bright red lipstick stains there and a few bruises and he finds a spot right behind her ear that gives her all sorts of bolts of electricity down her spine and is his tongue vibrating?
And they leave their mark on each other before they break away. Because this feels like it needs proof. Something other people can see. Something to prove that it happened and that, even when they didn’t have anyone else, they had each other.
Then they break away.
“You taste like copper.” Is the first thing she says, because she can’t think of anything else to say, and her brain short-circuits to science during awkward situations. “And I’m still trying to figure out if that has more to do with the crazy amounts of electricity running through your body, and in that case, it’s a wonder that you didn’t electrocute me. Not that that wasn’t electric. And amazing. And all that. But I didn’t taste the copper on the train and I noticed it this time so I thought I’d mention it.”
He cuts her off with another kiss. They cling to each other, like they need the other one to help them breathe, and maybe they do, because they’re both in so much pain right now that it’s hard to imagine her even surviving without him, and him without her.
Then his phone rings. He answers, and Felicity wonders if Caitlin can tell how breathless he is from the other end of the phone. “Duty calls.” He explains to her, and she wonders if it’s just her luck that now is the time when they need him back in Central City. “To be continued?”
“To be continued.” She responds with a sort of wistful smile. “Bye, Barry.”
“Bye, Felicity.”
And, as he races off into the wind, she knows that it will be continued, but not for a bit, because they need him in Central City, and, as much fun as that was,, he needs to move on from Iris before he can be with her. And, as much as she’s denying it, she needs to get a bit more closure from Oliver, although tonight’s kiss did help with that a little. But she promises herself it will be continued. Someday.
Someday they’ll clash together again, and it will be wonderful and electric and kind of perfect. But that day is not today.
[right after I posted this my girlfriend fell asleep in me lol until next time signing off this Is J.R]
