Laughter Is The Best Medicine
By: Riley
Summary - Barry has a cold, Caitlin makes it worse, and Cisco just wants to watch a movie. KillerFlashVibe friendship.
"Fif, fhis foing to fake fuch flonger?"
"What?"
Barry spat a thermometer out of his mouth and repeated, ""Is this going to take much longer?" Not that shooting out the thermometer made any difference, his nose was so stuffed up he sounded like he had shoved his face into a bunch of flowers to seal his nose shut and that his lips swelled up like a balloon.
But no, it was just a cold. A cold strong enough that it knocked Barry off his ass and left him lying on the couch in the West house watching musicals. With a heavy sweatshirt, sweatpants, and a blanket wrapped around him Barry wasn't the fastest man alive, he was the sickest man alive and he wanted Caitlin and Cisco to leave.
And yet, as soon as Caitlin heard he had gotten a cold she raced over, dragging—literally—Cisco in tow. "Cait, we're going to miss the movie," he complained.
"Just wait a few more minutes," Caitlin replied. She was a flurry of motion that kept Barry's tired eyes shifting to follow her. "I need to make sure I've got everything I need." She turned to the side and picked up the thermometer once more. She 'tsk'd' and started to shake it in the air. "Now I have to start getting your temperature all over again."
"You don't need the thermometer to know he has a fever, Cait," Cisco said, coming up to her side. He gestured towards Barry and his watery eyes and red-tipped nose. "He's a regular Rudolph. What's the matter Barry? You get tired of playing your reindeer games?"
Barry's eyes narrowed into a glare. "For real?" He croaked.
"Sorry," Cisco said. "But who would've thought that the guy who can bounce back from anything gets sick with a stupid cold."
Barry hugged his blanket tighter around him. "Yeah. But no one said anything about bacteria and germs and viruses and—Cait, what are you doing?" Caitlin had picked up a q-tip from her pack and shoved it into Barry's mouth, running along the inside of his cheek. Barry stuck out his tongue and pushed it back out into Caitlin's gloved hand.
"I'm getting a sample of your germs," Caitlin explained.
Barry's eyes widened in horror.
"Man, you're a fun date," Cisco said dryly. He looked at his watch. "Movie starts at 5:40 Caitlin, it's now 5:15!"
"What are you getting my germs for?!" Barry's voice cracked into a high pitch and he coughed as Caitlin continued her movements. She sealed the q-tip into a plastic bag and labeled it before putting it into her purse.
"Yeah and what's security going to say when they check your bag for contraband?" Cisco asked. "She's got a strange fascination with q-tips." He looked up when Caitlin started to take tissues out of the tissue box nearby. "And…tissues."
"I need to see what it is that's made him sick," Caitlin explained.
"Someone coughed on me at work," Barry said.
"So what is it about the common cold that's made it so that your healing properties have ceased all function?" Caitlin asked. "How does your DNA make it that a simple strand of germ can get around all that? I'm a scientist Barry, I need to know." She shoved the tissue towards him. "Now, blow your nose."
"Caitlin, just go to your movie," Barry said.
Cisco threw his hands in the air. "Thank you!" Then he crossed his arms. "Can you believe she thinks it's a good idea to be late to see Logan?"
Now Caitlin glared at Cisco over her shoulder, arm still extended towards Barry as she waved the tissue around like a damsel in distress. "We've seen it seven times already!"
"And I'm trying to get an even ten before it leaves theatres. This is Logan we're talking about. Wolverine? The nearly invincible X-man! It's a disservice not to give the movie as much money as it can get."
"Right." Barry superspeeded to Caitlin's and Cisco's sides and steered them towards the door. "So you want to go now before the line for food gets to be too long."
Cisco laughed. "Who needs to stand in line when you can open breaches back to your house? It also comes in handy so Caitlin doesn't' have to use their bathrooms." He tapped himself on the temple.
"Those bathrooms are filthy," Caitlin defended herself. "Who knows how much bacteria there are in there?"
"Probably the same that's plaguing our dear friend Barry, who just wants to rest," Cisco said.
Barry nodded his thanks. Then his head jerked back when Caitlin shoved the tissues into his face so hard it pushed his head back. "Not until I get the sample. Now blow!"
"Okay, mom," Barry mumbled before doing as he was told. Then he groaned and flopped face down onto the couch. "Now, will you please leave?" After disposing of the used tissue Caitlin leaned over him. "Caitlin!" He picked up a pillow and started to swat her with wit. "Get. A. Way. From. Me!"
Cisco looked over and saw she had her hands on his cheek and forehead. As the seconds passed her hands glowed blue, signaling the basic use of her powers. "I'm getting a frame of reference for your fever because you wouldn't use the thermometer."
"Shees, talk about the Crabbiest Man Alive," Cisco said. He looked at his watch again. "Caitlin! Ten minutes!"
"You can open a breach, Cisco! Chill!"
"Coming from the girl who is always so uptight about everything, even a sick friend?"
"I. Am. Not. Uptight."
"Caitlin, leave me alone!" Barry shouted.
"I need to make sure you're better!" Caitlin hollered back.
"I WANT TO GO!" Cisco bellowed.
It was with that outburst that Joe West stormed into the living room. "Okay, I tried to ignore you the best I can, but a man's got to get some work done. Caitlin, leave Barry alone and let him get some sleep. Cisco, just go to your damn movie. And Barry, eat your Chicken soup and go to sleep like I told you! And would you all quit acting like a bunch of babies?!"
His shout made the three immediately go do as they were told. Caitlin gathered her things together and Cisco grasped her arm before opening a breach for the two to leap through.
Barry gave a weak 'thanks' to Joe, who nodded and left the room. He turned and noticed that his movie musical had ended and it was time to start a new one. He reached for the remote that sat on the coffee table and felt himself starting to fall. At full health he would've used his speed to right himself before he fell, or even phase through the floor.
But he was so sluggish that he rolled over and faceplanted onto the floor, his blanket draped down around his legs. A low groan escaped Barry's lips. He started to shiver. Reaching up, he grabbed onto the pillow from the couch and rested it under his cheek on the floor before curling up in a tight ball.
He chuckled to himself; maybe he had made Caitlin leave too soon.
THE END
A/N: Let me know what you think?
Cheers,
-Riles