What Brings Us Together (A Ralph Dibny/ The Flash Fan-Fiction)

Chapter Fifty-Nine: Possibility

We got back to our apartment and I immediately went to our room, toeing off my shoes and climbing into bed. Ralph came in little while later with a bowl in his hand.

"Is that soup?" I asked, sitting up. "We don't have soup. I do most of the grocery shopping and I have never, ever bought soup."

"Dibny family recipe." He said, sitting down on the edge of the bed beside me. "My mom worked at a diner for a little while when I was growing up, and they ran a soup kitchen every other weekend. During the winter, a lot of the people that would come in would be sick, so she'd cook up some of her famous chicken-noodle soup. Worked like a charm. Unfortunately though, it meant that she brought the sickness home with her a lot of the time, so she taught me how to make it to."

"Really? That's so sweet." I said, taking the bowl.

"I'm glad you think so. Because I made all of that up, it's Campbell's, I bought it this morning." I scowled at him and he laughed. "My mom did used to make it for me when I was sick though, and vice-versa." I smiled, nodding.

"Why haven't I met your mom?" I questioned, putting a spoonful in my mouth. He shrugged.

"We've been so busy with DeVoe and everything...it hasn't really seemed like a priority. We should go see her soon though...especially if its the last time I ever see her." I slowly put the spoon back in the bowl, looking up at me. "I'm sorry, I didn't-"

"Don't talk like that." I interrupted. "Don't even joke about it."

"Sorry...I'm sorry." He put a hand on my knee. "It's just...I make jokes when I'm scared. That's how I've always dealt with fear."

"If that's how you deal with it fine. But joke about anything else...not that. I don't even want to think about that." He nodded.

"So much for a relaxing day of not worrying about DeVoe." I sighed, putting my bowl on my night stand.

"Was that ever even a possibility?"

"I really wanted it to be." I sighed.

"Can you just come up here? Please?" He took his shoes off too, walking around the Bed and laying down next to me.  I laid my head on his chest and he pressed his mouth against my forehead.

"You're burning up." He pointed out.

"I know, I know, I'm the hottest girl you've ever seen, I get it." I said, my eyes closed, a smile on my face. He laughed, causing his chest to vibrate.

"Well, that too, but I was kind of aiming for you have a fever." He sighed. "Also...this is way off topic, but...there's something I've been feeling really guilty about." I opened my eyes, looking up at him.

"Who is she?" I asked, joking. He chuckled.

"Please." I bit my lip. "No, it's...when Izzy died. You were literally screaming in pain, fighting against DeVoe, and...I was focused on her. You were hurting, and I should've been focused on you-"

"Ok, I'm gonna stop you right there." I told him. "For one, I'm a superhero, and the only one on our team without superhuman healing powers, so I think it's safe to say that there's hardly ever a time when you won't see me in pain. Secondly...Izzy was going to die. And you knew that. You also knew that if DeVoe wanted to kill me he would've done it already, so you focused your attention on making her last moments as painless as possible. That took priority in that situation, and I wouldn't have had it any other way. That was superhero thinking, so don't you dare, ever feel guilty about that." I settled so that I wasn't looking at him anymore.

"Yes, ma'am. " I chuckled, closing my eyes.

"I still don't understand." He said.

"Understand waht?"

"You're literally dying, and you still look gorgeous." I opened my eyes simply so I could roll them.

"You'd better cut back on the calling me beautiful. You're going to give me a big head."

"if you don't have one already, I highly doubt you're going to get one." He pressed his mouth to the top of my head. I turned onto my stomach, folding my arms over Ralph's chest and laying my chin on top of my hands. He looked down at me, tucking my hair behind my ear.

"Do you ever get the feeling that this relationship is unbalanced?"

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"I mean...you're perfect, and you treat me better than I thought possible, with your surprise dates and the constant compliments. I just feel like...I don't know. I feel like you do more for me than I do for you."

"Are you kidding me?" He asked. "I don't think you realize how much you're doing just by letting me be your boyfriend." I shook my head.

"But that's just it...you deserve more than that." He sat up, causing me to sit up too.

"You do more than that." He replied.

"Like what?"

"Laura, I don't know if you were aware of this, but the person I am now is a lot different from the person I was five years ago. That's because of you. Not only with everything you've taught me about being a hero, but also...you show me the best parts of myself. The parts that I lost sight of during my rough time. You show me the Ralph Dibny that can be there for his friends, the Ralph Dibny that can do that right thing, even if it's scary or dangerous. Most importantly...you're turning me into a man that you deserve."

"See, I feel like you've said that before but...I'm still not sure I believe you."

"Well, you should. It's a fact." His fingers traced up and down my spine. "You should also go to sleep. Looks like you could use it."

"Ok. Only if you go to sleep with me."

"What, like I'm gonna say no to a nap? Do you even know me at all?" I laughed, laying my head on his chest again.