Hurricane {Barry Allen} [2]

Bruises // Lewis Capaldi

After what felt like an eternity, Mack began pulling away to look at him. But Barry simply shook his head, squeezed his eyes shut further, and held onto her tighter.

"Not yet" He whispered to her, his voice faltering slightly.

"I'm not going anywhere" She chuckled, assuring him.

Barry gave it another moment before finally releasing her. He took a breath as he looked at her.

"Hi Barry" She breathed, uncertain.

"Hi" He chuckled breathily. The sound of her voice; he had nearly forgotten the sound of her voice.

"Heyyy" Another voice chimed in.

Mack and Barry immediately whipped around.

Mack swallowed the lump in her throat and forced herself to smile as she walked over into Cisco's extended arms and gave him a hug.

"Thank you" She mumbled.

"You okay?" Cisco asked her in a whisper, concern edging his voice.

"Yeah... just a little..." She trailed off, uncertain of her own emotions. Cisco placed a hand on her shoulder, an understanding gesture.

Then she turned back to Barry. The Barry that had been nearly dead months ago. She exhaled.

"Are you okay? Are you healthy? Are you even suppose to travel?" She asked, panic lacing her voice as she recalled his condition, the condition she had put him in, as she immediately checked his temperature and pulse.

"Yes, yes, Mack! I'm fine!" He laughed as he caught her frantic hands in his own.

"Right. Sorry. I just ..." She trailed off again, unsure of how to finish her sentence.

"It's okay" He gave her an understanding smile. He kept his distance as a courtesy to her, which she appreciated, but she could tell that he was just itching to be closer to her. She took a small step into him and he wrapped his arms around her waist. He just wanted to be close to her.

"I can't believe you're here" She whispered nervously, swallowing hard, her hands resting on his chest, fingers splayed, taking in his tangibility.

"Of course I am. I'll always come back to you, like you always come back to me. It's what we do" He smiled slightly as he cupped her face with his hands, brushing her hair back.

"You... you were..." And suddenly she was choking on her words again, trying not to sob at the image of Barry in his hospital bed, pale and deathly, skin cracked, eyes wild. It was burned into her brain.

"Shhhh, hey. Everything's okay I'm here now. I'm here" He calmed her, pulling her into him.

While he had gone the longest time between them not seeing each other--he hadn't seen Mack in a whole year--he hadn't realized what Mackenzie had gone through either. She had seen him sick, deathly, damaged, crazy, psychotic even, uncontrollable and utterly broken. And now to see him normal all of the sudden, it was no doubt a difficult transition.

Mack's mind was running too fast for her to process but her emotions were overloading. She interlaced their fingers and held onto him tightly. He was okay, she kept telling herself, he was okay.

And then suddenly her arms were around his neck and her lips were pressed against his.

He tasted the same. She nearly stopped breathing. She didn't let him go, combing a hand through his hair as Barry kissed her back just as forcefully, deepening the kiss. It was desperate and careful.

When they finally did break, they kept their eyes closed, foreheads pressed against each other.

"My god I missed you" Barry's voice broke. Mack couldn't speak for fear of crying and simply nodded.