The Line Between Living and Dying

Blissfully Buzzed

Upbeat music played through the bar speakers as Barry waited for his drink. Iris and Eddie played with darts across the bar as Caitlin, Cisco, and Cheyanne watched and Dani floated around. After Eddie made a bullseye, Iris made eye contact with Barry, heading over to him.

"I'm glad you invited me and Eddie to this. I've never gotten the chance to really know Cisco or Caitlin."

"They're cool, right?"

"They saved your life, Barry. That makes them the coolest people I've ever met. It's nice that you guys became friends." Iris raised a shot glass. "To friends, old and new." She and Barry clinked their glasses, downing the burning alcohol. "Ooh. I'm up. Wish me luck." Iris left for her turn to throw darts.

Barry watched her go with a perplexed look. He ordered an entire tray of shots before heading over to where Caitlin, Cisco, Cheyanne, and Dani sat talking.

"I still got it!" Barry heard Dani cheer as he grew closer.

The table laughed and Caitlin gave the brunette a questioning look. "How drunk are you?"

"I'm not. I'm blissfully buzzed." Dani smiled. "And just enough so that I am going to call this guy right now!" She whipped out her phone, barely beginning to type before Cheyanne ripped it from her hands. Barry stopped in his tracks, a sick feeling washing over him. Just when he thought he had another chance with Dani, it was taken from him.

"You aren't sober enough to call a guy you just met. Call him tomorrow." Cheyanne slipped Dani's phone into her purse.

"You're no fun." Dani pouted.

Barry pushed his emotions down, finally confronting his friends. "Guys? I got a problem."

"We all do when guys like him exist." Cisco gestured toward Eddie.

"Yeah, he's so hot," Caitlin added, sounding like she was daydreaming. "Uh, I mean, genetically speaking." She quickly corrected. "Because I'm a geneticist, of course. Oh, god do I sound like Felicity."

"Oh, yeah." Cheyanne nodded.

"I'm not talking about Eddie. I'm talking about this." Barry checked to make sure no one else was watching before using his super-speed to down six shots. "I can't feel anything."

"Yeah, that's usually what happens when you drink too much." Cisco said in a 'duh' tone. "Like miss lightweight over here." He nodded to Dani.

"Excuse you, but I had like ten shots of tequila tonight plus a lot of other stuff that I can't even pronounce." Dani defended, slurring her words together. Cheyanne facepalmed next to the drunk girl. Drunk Dani was very chaotic if left unsupervised.

"No, the alcohol is not affecting me. I mean I literally feel nothing." Barry clarified.

"It's your hypermetabolism," Caitlin said in intrigue. "I need a sample."

"I'll get more shots." Cisco volunteered.

Caitlin began digging through her purse. "I swear, I had a vacutainer in here."

"Wait, you carry a blood collection kit in your purse?" Cheyanne raised her eyebrows.

"You have your hobbies." Caitlin defended.

"You do." Dani nodded slowly, agreeing with Caitlin.

"I think it's time for you to go home." Cheyanne began searching for her keys.

"No." Dani grabbed her friend's arm. "This is the first time in months that I have felt the slightest bit normal. Don't take that away from me."

Cheyanne's face fell. "Okay." She relented.