"I love you, Barry Allen," Iris tells him, arms still around his neck, and her eyes are alight with something warm and bright.
Barry smiles back, making Iris's heart soar, as he replies immediately, "I love you, Iris West."
And when he kisses her there's something different about him – about them. This kiss tastes of the promise of so much more. Iris lets her arms fall, so Barry can slip off her coat, which drops to the floor. She shivers, and instantly Barry speeds both of them to the nearest wall so he can press her against it.
"So is that a yes?" Barry murmurs against her lips. "Will you move in with me?"
Iris bites her lip, as if pretending to consider, and for a moment Barry's face starts to fall, as if anticipating her saying no, and Iris decides she's trolled her boyfriend long enough.
(And it is Christmas, after all.)
"It is a big step," she says again, and she feels him move away from her ever so slightly, so she adds quickly, catching his hand, "but you know what? Life's too short."
Barry's eyes widen unexpectedly, and then he tears his gaze away, trying to tug his hand away too. But Iris doesn't let him. "Hey," she says softly, "what I mean is – yes. I want to move in with you, Bear."
And in that moment his eyes light up and whatever seemed to have bothered him moments ago disappears.
"You mean it?"
"I mean it," she promises. "Let's do this. I love you, remember?"
Barry reaches down, tucks Iris's hair behind her ear. "I will never tire of hearing you say that."
She kisses him, then, hard and fast this time, burying her tongue in his mouth and leaving him breathless. Meanwhile, her hands slip under his shirt, making him gasp at her touch.
"Iris…" he breathes, "I –"
"– meant what you said when you told me you wanted to wake up next to me?"
"It's a big step," he says, his tone lightly teasing as he echoes her.
"It's also one I've wanted to take," Iris says, "for – longer than I should probably admit." Barry just splutters, not quite able to form words, and Iris laughs. "Barry Allen. You're a smart guy. I'm sure you could have figured that one out for yourself."
"I guess… a part of me wondered if you really wanted me. You know. Like that."
Iris rolls her eyes, then kisses him again, fiercely, taking him by surprise at first. But then he kisses her back, with equal fervour, and when Barry's hand goes up to cup her breast, she gasps, and a warm rush of arousal floods through her at that. She pulls down her pantyhose, wriggling out of them as best as she can while Barry's still got her pinned against the wall. She kicks her shoes off next, then her pantyhose, then she grabs both of Barry's hands and guides them under her skirt.
Her panties are wet – that much she can feel, and Barry's arousal is evident too, from the insistent hardness pressing against her thigh and the hot, burning blue of his eyes. Still, he hesitates, fingers going into the waistband of her panties.
She kisses him, as if in reassurance, and it seems to help: seconds later her panties are being tugged down and his fingers are at her hot, slick centre, easily sliding inside her. Automatically, Barry groans, and Iris sighs into his mouth.
Then he looks up, meets her eyes, and for a moment Iris wonders if he's going to hesitate again. His eyes go to her lips and then back up to her eyes. "Is that all for me?" he asks, and there is an almost musical softness to his voice when he speaks.
But Iris never wavers. "All for you," she replies, and without warning she moans – she actually moans – when Barry brings his hand to his mouth and sucks on his own fingers.
(She's never been more turned on in her life.)
Her heart hammers in anticipation, waiting for what he'll do next –
He drops to his knees.
Her mouth opens slightly in surprise, and she begins to say, "Barry, you don't have to –"
"I want to," he interrupts, and he pulls down her panties the rest of the way, unhooking them from her ankles. He lifts up her skirt, and she's dripping now, down the inside of her thigh. She groans softly as Barry reaches up, plants kisses up her thigh, tongue catching the hot wetness until he reaches her entrance. The pleasure is sharp, though, too sharp, and Barry seems to sense that she's sensitive because he instantly lightens his touch, so she can barely feel his tongue. He mouths a kiss at her centre, then goes again, tongue darting inside her and making her gasp. He hums against her, then, and it's unlike anything she's ever felt before. She rocks her hips, bracing herself against Barry's mouth, letting Barry push her legs wider apart so he can hook his arm around her knee.
"Right there, Barry, yeah," Iris says, and she gasps even louder when she feels his tongue vibrate against her clitoris. "Oh God, yes…"
(He wasn't kidding when he said his powers were a part of her, then.)
Barry doesn't stop; relentless, his grip on her thigh tightening, he continues, speeding up, and she's close now, that much she can feel, and her fingers spear through Barry's hair, nails digging into his scalp. When she comes, it's with a final pant and a sigh, Barry's name on her tongue. She slides down, back against the wall, spent, and her knees collapse beneath her.
Barry just laughs, and he leans forwards, kissing her, and she can taste herself on his lips.
"Wow," she says breathlessly. "That was – wow."
"I love you too," Barry says quietly, still with his forehead leaning against hers. "And I always will."