Pairing: Barry Allen/Iris West
Rating: T
Warnings: Major character deaths, violence and general angst.
Summary: An Amazing Spiderman crossover, where Barry is Peter Parker and Iris is Gwen Stacy, but it's Iris who has the powers. Also incredibly full of angst, tears and our babies being sad.
Iris stopped in the hallway to talk to Barry and there was a gleam in his eye. He was doing that adorable babbling thing that he did sporadically, where he'd talk about an esoteric topic until she knew enough to lecture in the field.
But this time it was different, because it wasn't about the differing growth rates of moss over dead bodies, or blood splatter patterns or electrode potentials. It was about something new, something completely impossible. Or so it seemed, because in fact, Iris knew that it really wasn't impossible.
Or, at least if The Flash was impossible, so was she as they were one in the same.
Barry stood in the hallway and something about him flustered Iris. There was a new light and exuberance in his voice, his stance and the bright way with which he spoke.
Knowing that he wasn't deluded about his Mother's murder had done him absolute wonders and it showed.
Iris zoned out of his conversation as Barry speculated about how fast- specifically in miles per second- The Flash had been going last night, to remember that specific event.
It made her blush, how flustered Barry had been yesterday, in front of that building watching The Flash deck a mugger.
Iris' fighting style was built around the fact that whilst she could definitely pack a punch, she was also 5'5, and thus fighting a 6'2 burly mugger wasn't exactly easy of she wasn't strategic. She tended to capitalise on the Wing-Chun Kung Fu, that she had a black belt in; after her obsession with Bruce Lee had led to her Father paying for lessons.
She had swept Barry up by pushing him into the wall, and taking him off guard, and had said to him- with her face covered by her mask- 'What are you doing here?' and he'd said.
'Oh my god, you're real!' he had been giddy and shaking and she realised that she'd forgotten for a few minutes that he didn't know who she was. She had been so busy figuring out this 'superhero' thing (appropriating the lab at her school with her friends Caitlin and Felicity), that she'd completely forgotten about him.
Well, that was a lie. She could never ever forget about the messy haired bane and meaning of her existence.
But after that first conversation with Joe, 'Barry has been through enough already Iris, I know if he knows that there's a possibility that you can find his mother's killer he won't be able to let it go', she'd sort of wilfully put him into a space away from all of it. She'd get home, brush her teeth put on pajamas and cuddle with him, or just stare at him and thank everything that she could that Barry Allen was a thing… Not just a 'thing', a person.. a home.
But seeing Barry lit up like a Christmas tree over the Flash and so eager to share it with her she felt like a bad friend.
Not only a terrible friend and a traitor, but a cowardly liar.
She knew why she was keeping Barry at a distance- so she didn't have to explain why she loved to stare at him, and hold him and why her heart pounded when their faces were close- and she'd be damned if she was going to allow the fact that she might… love him get in the way of her being his friend, so she took a deep breath and cleared her throat.
'Barry, that's all so, sowonderful, but… there's something I have to tell you'
'Iris, I know what you're going to say.' Barry said, beaming hard at her.
'You do?' said Iris, afraid of both of the possibilities; the slim chance that he knew that she was The Flash and the larger but also incredibly scary possibility that he knew she loved him.
'You're going to tell me that I've been searching my whole life for the impossible but that I need to make sure I have the facts before I lose my head', Barry said, beaming but mimicking Iris slightly.
Iris hit his chest, 'I wasn't going to say anything like that all, Smarty Pants Allen!'.
'Oh.' Barry seems to realise that the hall is mostly empty (school finished a few hours ago) for the first time and he blushes. Iris feels like he's finally on to her and she's blushing too.
They two idiots with backpacks, standing close in a hall blushing at one another. Barry is the first to speak; he shoves his hands deep in the pocket of his superman hoodie and rocks on the balls of his feet.
'Actually… um… Iris, I have something to say too. That's important, I mean, I think it is. I don't' know if you would, I'd hope you would…'
Iris nods slowly, looking directly into Barry's eyes, and this seems to fluster him more.
'I.. God, Iris, I've actually wanted to say this to you since I can remember, but I..I never did, because..because… look at you! And look at me. But seeing the Flash today, all I could think about is the person who has always believed in me, and.. and you're my best friend Iris.'
He paused and his eyes flashed towards her, gauging her reaction. She beamed up at him and he seemed enthused and continued, still swaying from side to side.
'So, it wouldn't be.. If it was awkward or anything it wouldn't matter, we'd be able to just laugh about it', Iris cuts across him and starts giggling, and Barry blushes even harder and visibly deflates.
'Bear, are you asking me out?' she says pointedly.
'I'm sorry Iris.' He says to his feet.
'No, Bear. You misunderstand me, I'd love to go out, or stay in or really do anything with you!' she smiles, 'I've actually got another confession to make, why don't we have a dinner tonight and I'll make it?'.
Barry looks ecstatic and he nods rapidly and before Iris can move he's picking her up and grasping her tight in one of his lift up and twirl around 'Beary Allen' hugs.
Iris laughs, and leans up to him and kisses both of his cheeks. Then she's there, and she's looking at him and he's looking at her, and his eyes keep getting softer and closer.
There's so much tension around them, she can feel his hands grasping at her waist as though it is the pebble preventing him from falling into a canyon.
She feels herself breathing fast, and gripping into his shoulders, needing them to ground her. Her feet are lifting her and they're leaning into each other.
'Iris.' He sighs as she melts into him, her lips slowly pressing against his, and his tongue quickly pressing into her mouth.
'Yes, Barry?' she says when she pulls away momentarily to take him in, and she doesn't know if it's a question or moan of pleasure. She doesn't give him time to tell her with his answer before she's leaning in again, and while the first kiss was nowhere near chaste, this one is all of the pent up longing they've both been keeping inside pouring out.
Her hands move to the tousled mess upon his head that she loves so much and slides into it, pulling lightly, whilst she feels herself pressing hard against him, eager to get closer. Barry responds earnestly, grasping her waist tighter and sliding one hand up her back. He grips her so tightly she feels he's afraid she's going to fade away and she grips him back just as hard.
Tonight she'll complicate this by telling him that she's the superhero he met, and that this means that their relationship is going to be more complicated than it should be. But for now, they're just kids in love who know how to show it through actions if not words.
—
Iris hates watching Barry cry.
But at Joe's funeral it seems to be all either of them does.
Barry has his hair slicked back in an unfamiliar style, and a suit that Joe took him to buy a year ago that is now about an inch and a half short in the arms and legs. Without his slouchy baggy hoodies and jeans, and his messy hair his under eye circles are highlighted on his pale face. Barry looks young and so very scared.
Iris is scared too. She's scared of a world without her pillar and her rock. Her father hadn't finished raising her. Iris doesn't feel like she knows what to do, she'd thought that she'd always have Joe West around, to give her coffee and stroke her head and tell her exactly how to make everything work.
She'd been uncomfortable enough with the fact that one far off distant day in the future Joe West might not be someone who is a part of her life daily.
One day.
Not this day.
Iris is nineteen, and she doesn't know what to do without her father in the world. It hadn't been her fault, she knows that's the truth by every stretch of the imagination. But the fact that when Eddie had called, and said there had been a shooting Iris hadn't been able to stop it, to go back and save her father completely killed her.
What was the point of defying the impossible if it didn't work for the important things?
Maybe it's not so important to bring inspiration, or to solve petty crimes or to work against physics. Maybe it's far, far more important to protect the people you love at all costs.
Iris has made up her mind by the time they get home. She clutches at Barry, unable to properly talk or formulate thoughts for a week, letting him take care of her. But eventually she sits him down.
She is determined to honour Joe's advice and stop putting Barry in danger. Of course they'll always be friends, but Barry could get hurt and then she'd really have lost the most important people in her life.
'Barry, we can't do this anymore.'
'What, Iris?' he says, irritable and overtired.
'We can't, we can't be you know… 'Barry and Iris' anymore' she says, feeling the words cut her throat on their way out. There is cold stunned silence, and Barry grabs her hands, and tears start pooling in his eyes.
'Iris please, please don't do this. I need you, I can't be Barry Allen without a West in my life. I can't be anything without you in my life'
'Barry, my Dad is dead.'
'Iris my parents are dead, please I can't… .' he sobs, and can't speak and Iris feels the tears begin to flow freely down her face. She can't help herself from sweeping him into a hug as he repeats into her hair.
'I can't lose you, Iris. I've lost enough, I need you' and Iris saying, 'I can't lose you either, Barry Allen…I love you.'
They stay like that, holding each other on the couch for the next two hours, breathing each other in until their shared breath becomes less shuddering and wobbling, and they become grounded by the sounds of each other's hearts.
—-
'Barry!' Iris screams, running hard towards him, blurring and vibrating and feeling her vision blurred by her tears, 'Not him! Not Barry, please!' she pleads out to the Reverse-Flash, but he doesn't stop, carrying Barry over his shoulder, and moving too fast for her.
'It is your destiny to be the Flash, Iris West', he says in the strange manipulated voice he has, as he runs forward. Barry is struggling, and attempting to beat him. He looks scared again, and all Iris wants to do is protect him. 'I can be The Flash! I can be The Flash, just don't, don't do anything to Barry!' she screams loudly, willing her legs to be stronger, and to go faster and more rapidly.
The Reverse Flash stops, and Iris takes a moment to realise where they are, they're on top of a clock tower, on the outskirts of the city, and the Reverse Flash holds Barry Allen out to her. 'Put him down.' Says Iris, venom in her voice and The Reverse Flash chuckles, and holds Barry up and smashes him through the glass roof.
Then The Reverse Flash is on Iris. Everything is slowed down, she feels herself being pummelled by his incredibly fast punches that seem to evade the slowed down nature of the rest of the world.
Out of the corner of her eye she sees Barry falling slowly, his eyes open wide, screaming and she is so, so scared something will happen to him. She needs to protect him.
She feels herself fighting back, and the world all of a sudden starts moving more slowly as she focuses more and more on Barry who is falling slowly, but definitely falling.
She hears Cisco screaming in her ear, impossibly slow, she hears the syllable 'on' and realises what he's asking her to do. He's asking her to destroy the tachyon generator which lies on the Reverse Flash's suit, and all of a sudden it seems so simple. She sees his face unblurred, and the look of horror in his eyes as she punches repeatedly the pack on his suit. She hits him as hard as he can, and his suit breaks apart and he falls crumpled as a rag-doll onto the roof.
Iris is off quickly, she knows she can do this, she's run on water before, she can catch up with Barry, and she runs swiftly down the column of the tower, seeming lethargic and slow and attempting to catch up with Barry. She sees his eyes again, terrified and she runs faster, faster than she's ever gone before. She's catching Barry around his middle, just before he hits the floor, and suddenly everything is fast.
Barry's bottom half stays rigid whilst his top half snaps forward and his head snaps back. Hit, hitting the floor hard. Iris slows down, puts her knees on the floor and cradles his head.
'Barry. Barry! Barry!'
'Barry, did you see that? I beat him.' Barry isn't responding, Iris shakes him, and starts screaming 'Barry!'.
'Bear.' She pleads, broken and lost and desperate. Barry doesn't respond verbally, a trickle of blood makes its way from his nose down his face, and Iris can't breathe. She doesn't see anything. There is only darkness, and Barry's warmth as she clutches him, crying. She feels her ears ringing with her own screams and when eventually tactile fingers try to pry her from him, 'Iris, it's okay, just listen', she registers Caitlin saying- How long has it been? When did they get here?- she can't, she can't let go of Barry.
She can't lose Barry.
It's three years later, and Iris is running. She keeps running as fast as she can, in an attempt to run away from what her life has become. Empty and joyless, and into something new.
She does it every night, kidding herself that it's getting faster and that she can somehow run away from everything that has happened to her, and everyone that she has lost.
She's running so fast, she doesn't realise the change in her surroundings, that familiar house that she slept over often, and 'trick or treated' at. It's dark, and bleak and cold and she doesn't know how she got here, or how fast she was running.
She hears a woman's screams, and her heroic instinct is tugged out of her as she makes her way into the living room, at normal speed, and sees Nora Allen being advanced upon by the Reverse Flash. She reaches out to stop him, knowing that she can be faster than him. Knowing that she needs to protect Barry, and save him this time, and when she sees him, at nine years old running into the living room, and looking as frightened as he had as he fell through the clock tower, all she can do is pick him up and try to bring him somewhere safe.
She hopes that she'll be fast enough to get back, and prevent the horror that is about to unfold.