Dɪғғᴇʀᴇɴᴛ ғᴀᴛᴇ - Tʜᴇ Fʟᴀsʜ✔︎

Chapter Seven

"Guess what, Barry? Reporters have none of the fun. Journalism is boring. I'm bored. I blame you." Iris said as she slapped her journal on his table, leaning on it with a frown.

Barry blinked at her, not understanding why she was blaming him for something she was good at. "You look really nice, Iris." I cut in as Barry turned to me, a blush on his cheeks as she smiled.

"Well thank you, Cora." Iris said as I shrugged.

"I try my best." I joked. Iris then frowned, looking at the both of us.

"Why aren't either of you dressed nice?" She asked as me and Barry frowned, looking at one another.

"This afternoon? Suit and tie? Dress and heels?"  Iris said as I crossed my arms, standing up.

"The university is giving Simon Stagg... some award. You guys agreed-"

"To explain the science in Barry's article." I finished as Iris nodded.

"Yeah. It's all coming back to me now." Barry said as Iris gave him an 'obviously' look.

"How fast can you get home and change?" Iris asked as I choked back a snort.

"Uh, pretty fast." Barry said, giving me a nervous and joking smile as I winked.

"Allen, Joe asked me to see where you're at on the evidence from the gun store shooting." Eddie said as he walked in, giving me a welcoming smile. I have one back, walking over to Barry. "Oh hey Iris." Eddie said coldly.

"Detective." Iris said as me and Barry rolled our eyes.

"Guys. We know. Just... kiss already or something." I said as Iris and Eddie smiled, pulling one another into a kiss. Barry looked just as uncomfortable as I was in that moment.

"Thanks for being cool with this, guys.  I know it must be hard keeping such a big secret like this." Eddie said as me and Barry looked at one another. I held back a chuckle.

Yeah, I could keep about four secrets. But five is my max.

"We're getting used to it." Barry said with a smirk as I snickered, turning to look at the computer. It took me a few moment to realize Barry was still looking at me.

I looked up at him through my lashes, raising a brow. "Hm?" I hummed as his face fell flush, and he chuckled nervously.

"Oh uh— nothing. Just.. zoned out." He said as I snickered. "What?" He frowned as I shook my head.

"Nothing. You're just a horrible liar."

۞

I fixed my hair, which was pulled back in a ponytail as I shifted in my dress. I looked around as I stood next to Barry and Iris, who were talking for a moment.

For some reason, I did not have a good feeling about this, and somehow, I could tell by Barry's body language that he also had a bad feeling.

"So Cora. You and Barry are partners now. Are you two..." Iris looked between use with a look in her eye that only showed pure, innocent evil. "Fondue?"

"I understood that reference." I hummed, raising a brow as Iris smiled, snickering.

"And I understood that reference." I placed a hand on my chest, wiping away a fake tear.

"Finally. Someone who watches the Marvel movies. Come here." I said, bringing Iris into a hug as she laughed. That laugh was quickly cut off.

"Quiet down. Quiet!" A man with a gun said as he shot it in the air.

"How considerate. You're all wearing your finest jewelry." The man said as me, Barry and Iris squatted down, a look of fear washing over Iris.

"Almost like you knew we were coming to rob you. Now everybody line up." The man ordered as I quickly realized there were two more men with him, their faces masked as the leader didn't bother to hide his face.

"Freeze!" I turned my head to see a cop aiming his gun at the men. "Drop your weapons!" The cop yelled, despite being absolutely terrified.

I turned to Barry, and for a quick moment, I saw lightning dance across his eyes, the sound of gunshots going off.

He had disappeared in an instant, along with the cop.

"Where'd Barry go?!" Iris said as she looked at me.

All I could do was shrug, forcing on a fake look of fear.

۞

After a few short minutes, I told Iris to stay out while I went to look for Barry.

I ran outside, my heels clicking as I found Barry on the concrete, passed out. "Barry!" I ran up, kneeling next to him, placing my hand in his shoulder as I shook him gently. "Barry? You okay?"

He jolted awake, looking around. He slowly got up. "I-I went after the perps.. Tried to get a plate off them hopefully or just stop them... I must have fainted." Barry said as he looked down at me.

"We should get you back to the group." I said, my hand still on his shoulder as we walked out of the alley way and towards Eddie and Iris.

"Barry what happened? I turned around and you were just gone!" Iris said as she ran up to us.

"He tried to get plates off the perps... Fainted." I answered as Eddie frowned

"You want me to get you a paramedic, Allen?" Eddie asked as Barry shook his head.

"No. No I'm fine. Thanks Eddie."

"I thought I was dead." I turned my head to see the cop being interrogated. "I saw the gun go off and then boom. Suddenly I'm outside." I turned to Barry, giving him a smile.

He returned it before being pulled away by Joe. Iris took a step closer to me, a smirk on her face. "So, lets go back to that conversation." Iris said as I raised a brow.

"What?" I asked, completely unaware of what she meant.

"Fondue! Do you and Barry-"

"Oh my god Iris no! Me and Barry have only known each other for not even two weeks!" I said as she shrugged.

"Some people start dating in less than two days." Iris said before walking over to Eddie, leaving me alone.

My mind was now consumed in the idea of me and Barry dated. I mean yes, he was literally perfect, but I barely knew him.

If anything, I'd wait two more weeks before we do anything.

I looked down at my dress, frowning when I realized that it was now ripped on my knee.

"This is why I don't dress nicely." I said to myself with a frown. Barry walked back over.

"Hey Bar. I think I'm going to head back to my house and change. I'll meet you at S.T.A.R Labs?" I said as he shoved his hands in his pockets, nodding.

"Yeah I-I'll see you there." He said as I smiled, heading off. "Oh um Cora.." I stopped, turning to Barry, who looked flustered all of a sudden.

"I never got to tell you." He started as I raised a brow. "Y-you um... You look really nice." He said as I started to blush, smiling.

"Thank you, Barry. You look nice yourself." And with that, I walked off down the street to my apartment.