She called in sick that morning. Cisco had mentioned it earlier that morning but there was no follow up, launching into his excitement for a new villains name, he misses the brief, halting expression on Iris's face that are a signs of her worry over the news that Caitlin's not well—it's incredibly unusual for her to call in sick. (Even Iris knows that.)
She debates whether to texting her or to check in, worried that Caitlin's resting, she decides to to just stop by her apartment after work. Still, despite the decision, the worry lingers in the back of her mind all day, building up possible scenarios bad enough to keep workaholic Caitlin Snow away from the lab.
The day all together is droopy, yet quiet on an news so she was able to leave at a normal time, grabbing her bag and heading to the precinct. Like normal, she sets her course to pass Joe's desk. Predictably, Joe was surrounded by stacks of reports he needs done.
"Heading home? Want to pick something up for dinner? Barry's upstairs, so he might pick something up for us." The older man asks who looked up from the report he's skimming through, not the least bit sad for a distraction.
Iris shakes her head slightly . "I actually just came her to talk to Barry then I'm going to stop by Caitlin's and see how she's doing—Cisco said she stayed home sick today."
Joe nods and falls into worry himself, knowing just how stubborn Caitlin is about going to work and imagining the worst.
She stands in the doorway looking part dejected with conflicted eyes wondering what to say.
Barry blinks at her, unsure about what it is he's supposed to say, and then she breaks the silence with a lame, "I'm sorry."
"Are you?"
It sounds like an accusation and an invitation for another kind of conversation entirely. One that Iris is ill-prepared for.
"No," Iris starts, only she realizes she has nothing else to add. She bites her lip, near piercing it with her shaky nerves, and thinks it better to be honest instead. "Look, it wasn't exactly the easiest thing for me to see you two acting like that."
Barry scoffs and shakes his head. "Like what? I made a choice, Iris! Were married, God dammit. You can't go around accusing me of having something with every single one of my friends."
Iris feels the beginnings of her own anger boiling. "Do you think it's easy watching my husband and his best friend connect in a way I can't?"
"What do you mean connect,Iris? We like science, That's not a connection." Barry's jaw clenches tightly. He takes a step forward, but Iris refuses to back away from him despite the frustrated tears that gather at her eyes.
"It's not just that! It's the way you look at her, like she's the only thing you can see. Like your only happy with her. Are you happy, happy with me, with our marriage?" Iris challenges.
"I tried to be. But you," Barry mumbles, his tone on the verge of a hiss. "You didn't even bother before "The flash". If i hadn't became the flash and Eddie was still here-what did you expect me to do - wait another fifteen years for you?"
"Yes! You should have waited, Barry!" Iris answers without thinking. Her answer sounds selfish alone, and she wouldn't blame Barry at all if he turned on his heel and left her right there.
But even as taken aback as he looks, his face softens and the anger falls from his expression.
"There's nothing happening between me and Caitlin." His voice was softer then before. "Okay," she moved closer. "Okay" she pulled him in for a hug, whispering an "I'm sorry" before he wrapped his arm's around her, saying a silent "It's okay."
When they pull away she gives him a short smile which he returns. "Are you heading to the apartment" Barry asks only to see Iris shake her head. "No, No there's someone I should check on."
-
She makes a pit stop at "seven way's in heaven" for a take out container of chicken soup. Although she has no idea what's got Caitlin feeling under the weather, soup always made her feel better. Once she's outside Caitlin's apartment door she gives a small knock and calling out softly: "Hey Caitlin, it's Iris. You alright?"
It doesn't take long for her to open the door, wearing sweats and a shirt, her curls a little frizzy despite being wet and a surprised look on her face. "Iris, what are you doing here?" But she steps back automatically nonetheless, welcoming her into her apartment.
The place is unfamiliar although they've known one another for almost three years now. It's an open spaced apartment, yet warm and welcoming "Just like Caitlin",Iris couldn't help but think. Caitlin lead her straight to her kitchen to set down the soup, leaving her bag hanging on the hook next to the door where Caitlin leaves a hanger. "Cisco said you stayed home sick today, so I came to see if you were okay," she explains. she holds up the large take-out container. "And I brought soup."
"You didn't have to do that," she assures, a surge of warm affection spreading through her. "I'm not really sick, just some bad abdominal cramps, nothing to worry about." She says it with the ease of a doctor. Deep down Caitlin felt guilty for lying to her after Iris's generosity.
Iris surprises her by nodding in understanding "So what you're saying," she starts, grinning, "is that you need ice cream, not soup."
Caitlin laughs again, shaking her head with her amusement before grabbing a tub of butter pecan ice cream and a spoon, gesturing over to her couch. "I can't exactly say no to butter pecan," she tells Iris, sinking into the puffy dark grey fabric and indicating that she is welcome to join. She does, unhaltingly, dropping down into the plush couch and angling herself toward Caitlin.
Grabbing the remote, she hits play on the documentary she was watching when Iris knocked and takes the tub and spoon, easing off the cover and setting it on the far edge of the coffee table, between the two of them.
They finish the documentary curled up on the couch, the empty ice cream container and abandoned spoon on the nearby coffee table. Eventually Caitlin shivers, Iris gets up only to return with Tylenol, water and a heating pad it's all Caitlin can do is pull her into a hug.
The rest of the evening passes relatively the same—wrapped up in the history channel on demand and sharing a blanket.
"I'm sorry," Iris murmurs after their third documentary, Iris's head resting on Caitlin's shoulder and Caitlin's on her head
Caitlin confused shook her head, only for Iris to continue. "Barry and I got into an argument, I was frustrated that Barry and I would rarely do anything together anymore and I took that out on him using you."
"I should have talked to him instead of yelling about your friendship and how you to are to close to 'Just be friends' and for that I'm sorry" Iris looked guilty, suddenly feeling very awake. Caitlin gave her a smile before shaking her head and holding Iris's hand "Everyone has regrets, all that's important is that you talked to Barry."
"I'm really glad that your Barry's friend."
"I am too."
YOU ARE READING
Friends don't (Snowbarry)
عاطفيةCaitlin turns to Barry. She reaches for his tie automatically, undoing the knot he'd painstakingly put in and, ignoring his amused glances, begins to re-loop it back into perfect place, though she doesn't let it go once she's finished. Instead, she...
